cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Shiftable Complex Directional Pyramid—Part II: Implementation and Applications

In Part I ["The shiftable complex directional pyramid-Part I: Theoretical Aspects," IEEE TRANSACTIONS on Signal Processing, vol. 56, no. 10, October 2008], we proposed a novel image decomposition called the shiftable complex directional pyramid. The shiftable, multiresolution and multidirectional image decomposition is constructed by the pyramidal dual-tree directional filter bank (PDTDFB). In this Part II, we consider the design and implementation issues of the PDTDFB and its applications in image processing. The PDTDFB is composed of a multiresolution filter bank (FB) and a pair of directional filter banks (DFB); the design of each FB is considered separately. The binary tree structure of the DFB is modified to minimize the phase delay factor in order to reduce the border artifact in case symmetric extension is used. The filters presented in this paper are designed in frequency domain, and approximated by finite-impulse-response (FIR) filters. Numerical experiments show that the filters from the dual branches approximate the Hilbert transform of those from the primal ones, and the resulting PDTDFB yields acceptable shiftability. The shiftable pyramid decomposition is then tested in image processing applications, including image denoising, texture retrieval and seismic image migration.
Experiences of Postpartum Mood Disorders of Women With More Than One Child

In this consensual qualitative research study, the postpartum mood disorder (PMD) experiences of 127 women who have more than one child were explored through an online survey. Implications for practice include an expansion in predictive factors and symptoms when screening for PMD and the identification of prevention and coping strategies useful in the education and treatment of women who experience PMD.
Effects of parathyroid hormone (1–34) on tibia in an adult rat model for chronic alcohol abuse

Abstract Chronic alcohol abuse is a risk factor for osteoporosis in men. Human recombinant parathyroid hormone (1–34) (PTH) therapy increases bone mass in patients with osteoporosis. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether PTH is effective in increasing bone formation and bone mass in a rat model for established osteopenia caused by chronic alcohol abuse. Eight-month-old male Sprague Dawley rats were fed the Lieber–DeCarli liquid diet in which 35% of the calories were derived from either maltose–dextran or ethanol. Measurements were performed 16 weeks later to establish the magnitude of bone changes in the rats fed alcohol. High dose PTH (80 μg/kg/day) was administered 5 days/week for 6 weeks to establish the differential efficacy of hormone therapy on bone formation in alcohol consuming and alcohol withdrawn rats. The effects of alcohol and PTH on cancellous and cortical bone mass, architecture and turnover were determined by densitometry and histomorphometry. Rats fed alcohol had reduced bone mineral contents and densities, cancellous and cortical bone areas and cancellous bone formation rates compared to pair-fed controls. Following the withdrawal of alcohol, indices of bone formation increased compared to baseline values. PTH treatment increased bone mineral content and density, bone formation rates, cortical bone area, cancellous bone area and trabecular number and thickness, but several indices of bone formation were reduced in the presence of continued alcohol consumption. These results suggest that alcohol consumption, in addition to inducing bone loss, may reduce the efficacy of PTH therapy to reverse osteoporosis.
Cryptococcus neoformans laccase catalyses melanin synthesis from both D- and L-DOPA.

The human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans produces melanin in the presence of various substrates, including the l enantiomer of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA). The enzyme laccase catalyses the formation of melanin by oxidizing l-DOPA, initiating a series of presumably spontaneous reactions that ultimately leads to the polymerization of the pigment in the yeast cell wall. There, melanin protects the cell from a multitude of environmental and host assaults. Thus, the ability of C. neoformans to produce pigments from a variety of available substrates is likely to confer a survival advantage. A number of C. neoformans isolates of different serotypes produced pigments from d-DOPA, the stereoisomer of l-DOPA. Acid-resistant particles were isolated from pigmented C. neoformans cells grown in the presence of d-DOPA. Biophysical characterization showed the particles had a stably detectable free-radical signal by EPR, and negative zeta potential, similar to l-DOPA-derived particles. No major differences were found between l- and d-DOPA ghosts in terms of binding to anti-melanin antibodies, or in overall architecture when imaged by electron microscopy. C. neoformans cells utilized l- and d-DOPA at a similar rate. Overall, our results indicate that C. neoformans shows little stereoselectivity for utilizing DOPA in melanin synthesis. The ability of C. neoformans to use both l and d enantiomers for melanization implies that this organism has access to a greater potential pool of substrates for melanin synthesis, and this could potentially be exploited in the design of therapeutic inhibitors of laccase.
Numerical investigation of wall heat conduction effects on catalytic combustion in split and continuous monolith tubes

Abstract The optimum length of a monolith tube is one for which near-hundred percent conversion is attained, and at the same time, the catalyst over the entire length of the tube is utilized. In practice, the length is adjusted by stacking monolith plugs end-to-end. In this study, the repercussions of such a practice are investigated numerically with the goal to determine if a tube of length 2 L demonstrates the same behavior as two tubes of length L each, stacked end-to-end. Catalytic combustion of methane–air mixture on a platinum catalyst is considered. The studies are conducted using a multi-step reaction mechanism involving 24 surface reactions between 19 species. Two different materials are considered for the walls of the monolith tube, namely silicon carbide and cordierite. Both steady state and transient simulations are performed. Results indicate that the ignition and blowout limits can be significantly different between split and continuous tubes when the wall is made up of a high thermal conductivity material, such as silicon carbide. For steady state combustion, for both wall materials, the point of attachment of the flame to the wall is altered by splitting the tube—the effect being more pronounced for silicon carbide and at relatively high Reynolds numbers. These results imply that axial heat conduction, or lack thereof due to thermal contact resistance, through the walls of the monolith results in thermal non-equilibrium between the solid and fluid phase, and subsequently affects ignition and flame stability in catalytic combustion.
The MoCA and MMSE as screeners for cognitive impairment in a heart failure population: a study with comprehensive neuropsychological testing.

Abstract Objective To examine the ability of the Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) to detect cognitive impairment in persons with heart failure (HF). Background Although the MMSE and MoCA are commonly used screeners in HF, no research team has validated their performance against neuropsychological testing. Methods Participants were 106 patients with HF (49.1% male, 68.13 ± 9.82 years) who completed the MoCA, MMSE, and a full neuropsychological battery. Sensitivity and specificity were examined. Discriminant function analyses tested whether the screeners correctly detected cognitive impairment. Results A MoCA score Conclusions In HF, both the MoCA and MMSE are useful in identifying the majority of patients with and without cognitive impairment. Both tests misclassified approximately one-third of patients, so continued monitoring and evaluation of patients is needed in conjunction with screening.
Analysis of the Enhanced Growth Rate of Silicon-Oxide Layers in the Thin Regime by Incremental Growth

Silicon oxidation kinetics in the thin regime are studied by a unique method in which thermally grown as well as densified CVD-deposited oxides are incrementally reoxidized and measured. Strikingly higher oxidation rates are obtained through deposited oxides, as compared to thermal oxides, suggesting that oxidations are suppressed after an initial layer is grown rather than enhanced during initial layer formation. We show that these findings tend to support initial oxidation models based on stress.
Structure and connections of the thalamic reticular nucleus: Advancing views over half a century

The advance of knowledge of the thalamic reticular nucleus and its connections has been reviewed and Max Cowan's contributions to this knowledge and to the methods used for studying the nucleus have been summarized. Whereas 50 years ago the nucleus was seen as a diffusely organized cell group closely related to the brain stem reticular formation, it can now be seen as a complex, tightly organized entity that has a significant inhibitory, modulatory action on the thalamic relay to cortex. The nucleus is under the control, on the one hand, of topographically organized afferents from the cerebral cortex and the thalamus, and on the other of more diffuse afferents from brain stem, basal forebrain, and other regions. Whereas the second group of afferents can be expected to have global actions on thalamocortical transmission, relevant for overall attentive state, the former group will have local actions, modulating transmission through the thalamus to cortex with highly specific local effects. Since it appears that all areas of cortex and all parts of the thalamus are linked directly to the reticular nucleus, it now becomes important to define how the several pathways that pass through the thalamus relate to each other in their reticular connections.
Virtual Instruction: A Qualitative Research Laboratory Course:

Online graduate programs in psychology are becoming common; however, a concern has been whether instructors in the programs provide adequate research mentoring. One issue surrounding research mento...
Analytic modeling of interactive systems

An overview is presented of queueing theoretic modeling and analysis of interactive computing systems. While the emphasis is on recent advances, an introduction is given which briefly trices the historical development of this area to put current research in perspective. Models, methods of analysis, and applications to real systems are described. An extensive bibliography provides the references for a more in-depth study.
Early development of non-hodgkin lymphoma following initiation of newer class antiretroviral therapy among HIV-infected patients - implications for immune reconstitution

In the HAART era, the incidence of HIV-associated non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is decreasing. We describe cases of NHL among patients with multi-class antiretroviral resistance diagnosed rapidly after initiating newer-class antiretrovirals, and examine the immunologic and virologic factors associated with potential IRIS-mediated NHL. During December 2006 to January 2008, eligible HIV-infected patients from two affiliated clinics accessed Expanded Access Program antiretrovirals of raltegravir, etravirine, and/or maraviroc with optimized background. A NHL case was defined as a pathologically-confirmed tissue diagnosis in a patient without prior NHL developing symptoms after starting newer-class antiretrovirals. Mean change in CD4 and log10 VL in NHL cases compared to controls was analyzed at week 12, a time point at which values were collected among all cases. Five cases occurred among 78 patients (mean incidence = 64.1/1000 patient-years). All cases received raltegravir and one received etravirine. Median symptom onset from newer-class antiretroviral initiation was 5 weeks. At baseline, the median CD4 and VL for NHL cases (n = 5) versus controls (n = 73) were 44 vs.117 cells/mm3 (p = 0.09) and 5.2 vs. 4.2 log10 (p = 0.06), respectively. The mean increase in CD4 at week 12 in NHL cases compared to controls was 13 (n = 5) vs. 74 (n = 50)(p = 0.284). Mean VL log10 reduction in NHL cases versus controls at week 12 was 2.79 (n = 5) vs. 1.94 (n = 50)(p = 0.045). An unexpectedly high rate of NHL was detected among treatment-experienced patients achieving a high level of virologic response with newer-class antiretrovirals. We observed trends toward lower baseline CD4 and higher baseline VL in NHL cases, with a significantly greater decline in VL among cases by 12 weeks. HIV-related NHL can occur in the setting of immune reconstitution. Potential immunologic, virologic, and newer-class antiretroviral-specific factors associated with rapid development of NHL warrants further investigation.
Sensitivity of regional hydrology to climate changes, with application to the Illinois River basin

[1] This paper investigates the sensitivity of regional hydrology to climate change using a physically based model. The model partitions precipitation into surface runoff, groundwater runoff, and evapotranspiration by describing these fluxes first at the local instantaneous scale and then integrating over spatial and temporal distributions of soil saturation, precipitation, and wet environment evapotranspiration to calculate basin-wide climatic mean fluxes and soil saturation. The sensitivities of the mean fluxes are calculated by changing the mean precipitation and wet environment evapotranspiration. The model is applied to the Illinois River basin, and the impact of the basin's characteristics on the sensitivities is studied. For a relatively broad range of conditions the runoff processes tend to amplify climate change signals in precipitation and wet environment evapotranspiration, while evapotranspiration processes tend to dampen the same signals. These results indicate that it may be easier to detect climate changes in runoff measurements than in precipitation measurements.
Analysis of a Surprise Western New York Snowstorm

Although Rochester, New York (ROC), is not located in a climatogically favored region for extreme [i.e., $30 cm (12 in.) 24 h21] lake-effect snow (LES), significant [i.e., $15 cm (6 in.) 24 h21] LES can occur there under specific synoptic regimes. The purposes of this study are to document synoptic conditions that are associated with significant LES in ROC and to examine a specific event in which the passage of an upper disturbance combined with a lower-tropospheric trough to produce a surprise western New York snowstorm on 26‐27 November 1996. A database of 127 events in which 2-day ROC snowfall exceeded 15 cm (6 in.) was constructed for the years 1963 through 1992, inclusive. Each event was categorized as ‘‘LES’’ or ‘‘non-LES’’ on the basis of air‐lake temperature difference, wind direction, and synoptic setting. Of the 127 events, 32 were classified as LES. Composites based on this 32-case sample reveal a mobile upper trough that moves from the western Great Lakes 48 h prior to the snowfall event to northern Maine 24 h after the event. All 32 cases were accompanied by either a mobile upper trough or a closed low at the 500-hPa level. An unexpected snowstorm on 26‐27 November 1996 resulted in accumulations of up to 30 cm (12 in.) in parts of western New York. Nonclassical LES structures developed in a rapidly changing synoptic environment that was characterized by the passage of an intense upper-tropospheric disturbance. Model forecasts underestimated the strength of this disturbance and also the intensity of lower-tropospheric troughing over and north of Lake Ontario. The upper trough is hypothesized to have increased the inversion altitude and relative humidity in the lower troposphere, and likely contributed to the strength of lower-tropospheric troughing near Lake Ontario. Cyclonic isobaric curvature accompanying the surface trough enhanced lower-tropospheric ascent through Ekman pumping and increased the overwater fetch for boundary layer air parcels traversing Lake Ontario. Comparison of Eta Model forecasts with analyses suggests that problems with model initialization and diabatic boundary layer processes both contributed to forecast errors.
Postmodern Biology: (Adult) (Stem) Cells Are Plastic, Stochastic, Complex, and Uncertain

This chapter will discuss recent findings regarding cell plasticity and stem cell behavior, focusing on ways in which experimental design, observer interference, and inherent stochasticity and complexity are serving to create a new, postmodern biology. The chapter will summarize: (a) the four recognized pathways whereby cell plasticity occurs physiologically; (b) recent findings regarding unexpected epigenetic reversibility of gene restrictions that provide the mechanistic core of plasticity; (c) current evidence for the stochastic nature of gene expression and, therefore, of cell fate decisions. It will be noted that stochastic, however, does not imply completely random; rather, constrained randomness, intermediate between rigid determinism and complete disorder is what is usually seen experimentally. Possible sources of such constrained disorder, from a biomolecular point of view, will be discussed. The chapter will conclude with discussions of how these findings contribute to a Complexity Theory formulation of the body as self-organizing emergence of interacting biomolecules and the implications of such concepts for design and interpretation of experimental results (i.e., a cellular version of Heisenbergian uncertainty).
Video Capsule Endoscopy: A Tool for the Assessment of Small Bowel Transit Time.

Purpose: Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) is a procedure that uses a wireless camera to take pictures of the gastrointestinal tract. A wireless motility capsule (WMC) of a similar size has been developed, which measures pH, pressure, and temperature, and can be used to assess regional and total gastrointestinal transit times. VCE could also potentially be used as a tool for measuring small bowel transit time (SBTT). Methods: This study was designed to obtain SBTT from VCE and compare it with historical data generated by WMC. Gastric transit time (GTT) was also measured. Patients were included if the indication for VCE was either iron deficiency anemia (IDA) or overt obscure GI bleed (OOGIB) and they did not have any known motility disorder. Results from VCE were also compared in diabetic versus non-diabetic patients. Results: There were a total of 147 VCE studies performed, including 42 for OOGIB and 105 for IDA. Median GTT and SBTT were 0.3 and 3.6 hours, respectively. The overall median GTT and SBTT were 0.3 and 3.6 hours, respectively, in the IDA group compared with 0.3 and 3.4 hours in the OOGIB group. When compared with WMC, the GTT and SBTT were significantly faster in both groups (GTT: 3.6 hours and SBTT: 4.6 hours). The median GTT and SBTT were not significantly different in diabetics versus non-diabetics: (GTT: 17.5 vs. 18.0 minutes (P=0.86) and SBTT: 3.9 hours (237 minutes) vs. 3.8 hours (230 minutes), respectively (P=0.90). Conclusion: SBTT as measured using VCE is not significantly different in OOGIB compared with IDA. Both GTT and SBTT are significantly faster as assessed by VCE, which is initiated in the fasting state, compared with WMC measurement, which is initiated after a standard meal. In summary, VCE could potentially be used for measuring SBTT in the fasting state.
Hemp-derived activated carbons for supercapacitors

Activated carbons are prepared from raw hemp stem (hurd and bast) via hydrothermal processing and chemical activation. Both hemp bast and hemp hurd are converted into activated carbons of low-dimensional structures under certain experimental conditions. The experimental results show that hemp hurd is a better precursor than hemp bast for the preparation of activated carbons. The activated carbons are used to construct the electrodes of supercapacitor cells. The electrochemical performance of the activated carbons used in the supercapacitor cells is dependent on hydrothermal processing conditions and the mass ratio of KOH/biochar in the chemical activation. Excellent electrochemical performance metrics are achieved, including a specific capacitance of 160 F/g, and a high energy density of 19.8 Wh/kg at a power density of 21 kW/kg. Both the specific capacitance and capacitance retention increase with the increase of surface area and mesopore fraction. A simple relationship between the specific area capacitance and the fraction of micropores is proposed, via the rule of mixtures, and is supported by the experimental results. This relationship reveals the effect of the distribution of pore sizes on the specific area capacitance of electrochemical double layer capacitors.
RELATIVE FITNESS OF SELFED AND OUTCROSSED PROGENY IN A SELF-COMPATIBLE, PROTANDROUS SPECIES, SABATIA ANGULARIS L. (GENTIANACEAE): A COMPARISON IN THREE ENVIRONMENTS.

The consequences of selfing were examined for a population of self-compatible, protandrous, Sabatia angularis L. (Gentianaceae). Field-collected plants were hand-pollinated in the greenhouse to produce selfed progeny and outcrossed progeny from parents separated by a maximum of 5 m (near-outcross) and 85 m (far-outcross) in the field. Self, near-outcross, and far-outcross half sib progeny were grown in the greenhouse, a garden plot, and their native habitat. Progeny were compared by multiplicative fitness functions based on seed production per hand-pollination, seed germination, rosette formation, survival to reproduction, and reproduction in each environment. Variation in reproduction among progeny groups was influenced by the environment in which they were grown. Significant inbreeding depression was detected between the self and far-outcross progeny in each environment. Only the natural environment demonstrated a greater than 50% reduction in relative fitness of self compared to near-outcross progeny. This is of biological relevance since near-outcross hand-pollinations occurred within the range of pollen and seed dispersal suggesting that inbreeding depression in S. angularis is strong enough to maintain outcrossing in the study population. In the field, the far-outcross progeny outperformed the near-outcross progeny suggesting local population substructure. The magnitude of the inbreeding depression expressed among the self progeny was the greatest in the field, intermediate in the garden plot, and the least in the greenhouse.
An Active-Passive Networked Multiagent Systems Approach to Environment Surveillance

This paper presents a novel application of multiagent systems to environment surveillance and develops a robust network wherein there is no need for a gateway node, which fuses information received from each node to construct a global map on a single location, and may cause a communication bottleneck. Recognizing the fact that network nodes may be heterogeneous with respect to the number of exogenous inputs such that a node may not sense a quantity or can sense multiple quantities for certain time instants, we utilize a recently developed active-passive networked multiagent systems approach. Specifically, this approach consists of agents subject to exogenous inputs (active agents) and agents without any inputs (passive agents). The key feature of this approach is that the states of all nodes converge to the average of the exogenous inputs, where these inputs may or may not overlap within the active agents. A detailed illustrative study is provided to demonstrate the efficacy of this approach as applied to environment surveillance.
Adipose tissue regeneration in adult rats.

SummaryAdipose tissue in subcutaneous, but not epididymal, depots of adult rats is restored following lipectomy. The restoration process proceeds in response to lipectomy alone but may be somewhat accelerated by a diet which normally promotes large increases in adipocyte number. That adult rats can both regenerate subcutaneous adipose tissue following lipectomy and increase adipocyte number when fed certain diets suggests that in at least some depots of the adult rat adipocyte precursor cells can proliferate and differentiate, and that some element of the proliferation/differentiation sequence is normally inhibited. Whether these same processes occur in man is unknown.
Charge-Driven Selective Adsorption of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate on Graphene Oxide Visualized by Atomic Force Microscopy

Using liquid-cell atomic force microscopy, we investigated molecular adsorption of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) from aqueous solution onto single-layer graphenes that were oxidized to different degrees. SDS did not adsorb onto graphene oxide (GO) featuring an atomic carbon:oxygen (C:O) ratio of 2.0. Reduced GO (C:O ratio: 10.7), in contrast, was covered with micellar SDS aggregates, featuring a height of ≈2 nm and lateral feature sizes of ≈5 nm. This selective adsorption depending on the degree of oxidation can be explained by electrostatic repulsion between the negatively charged SDS head groups and the negatively charged hydroxyl groups on oxidized graphene. Our results suggest it will be possible to translate this adsorption selectivity into separation techniques that fractionate GO into subsets featuring different degrees of oxidation. Such fractionation techniques are likely to enable the preparation of GO with more well-defined electronic properties and make GO interesting as a band gap material.
Efficiency of U.S. Tissue Perfusion Estimators

We measure the detection and discrimination efficiencies of conventional power-Doppler estimation of perfusion without contrast enhancement. The measurements are made in a phantom with known blood-mimicking fluid flow rates in the presence of clutter and noise. Efficiency is measured by comparing functions of the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for Doppler estimators with those of the ideal discriminator, for which we estimate the temporal covariance matrix from echo data. Principal-component analysis is examined as a technique for increasing the accuracy of covariance matrices estimated from echo data. We find that Doppler estimators are <50% efficient at directed perfusion detection between 0.1 and 2.0 mL/min per 2 cm2 flow area. The efficiency was 20%–40% for the task of discriminating between two perfusion rates in the same range. We conclude that there are reasons to search for more efficient perfusion estimators, one that incorporates covariance matrix information that could significantly enhance the utility of Doppler ultrasound without contrast enhancement.
CHAPTER 9:Chemically Reactive Versus Stable Drug Metabolites: Role in Adverse Drug Reactions

It has been appreciated for some time that drug metabolites may contribute to both the beneficial and adverse properties of therapeutic agents, although the underlying mechanisms of metabolite-induced toxicities have not always been clear. Studies over the past 40 years on the relationship between biotransformation and drug toxicity have implicated chemically reactive metabolites as mediators of many serious drug toxicities, whereas few examples exist where stable metabolites whose structures do not differ greatly from those of their respective parents appear to be involved. As a result, screens for metabolic activation are now incorporated routinely into lead optimization programs with the goal of providing rational approaches for the structural redesign of lead compounds to eliminate, or at least minimize, the propensity for reactive metabolite formation. In this chapter, specific examples are given of drug discovery programs that have benefited from this approach, and contemporary approaches to address regulatory guidance on stable Metabolites in Safety Testing (“MIST”) are discussed. Finally, some future directions in this field are highlighted stemming from rapid technical developments in bioanalysis, bioinformatics, genetics, in vitro and in vivo animal models, and in silico tools to both understand and predict the roles of drug metabolites in adverse drug reactions.
Unlocking the Constraints of Cyanobacterial Productivity: Acclimations Enabling Ultrafast Growth

ABSTRACT Harnessing the metabolic potential of photosynthetic microbes for next-generation biotechnology objectives requires detailed scientific understanding of the physiological constraints and regulatory controls affecting carbon partitioning between biomass, metabolite storage pools, and bioproduct synthesis. We dissected the cellular mechanisms underlying the remarkable physiological robustness of the euryhaline unicellular cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7002 (Synechococcus 7002) and identify key mechanisms that allow cyanobacteria to achieve unprecedented photoautotrophic productivities (~2.5-h doubling time). Ultrafast growth of Synechococcus 7002 was supported by high rates of photosynthetic electron transfer and linked to significantly elevated transcription of precursor biosynthesis and protein translation machinery. Notably, no growth or photosynthesis inhibition signatures were observed under any of the tested experimental conditions. Finally, the ultrafast growth in Synechococcus 7002 was also linked to a 300% expansion of average cell volume. We hypothesize that this cellular adaptation is required at high irradiances to support higher cell division rates and reduce deleterious effects, corresponding to high light, through increased carbon and reductant sequestration. IMPORTANCE Efficient coupling between photosynthesis and productivity is central to the development of biotechnology based on solar energy. Therefore, understanding the factors constraining maximum rates of carbon processing is necessary to identify regulatory mechanisms and devise strategies to overcome productivity constraints. Here, we interrogate the molecular mechanisms that operate at a systems level to allow cyanobacteria to achieve ultrafast growth. This was done by considering growth and photosynthetic kinetics with global transcription patterns. We have delineated putative biological principles that allow unicellular cyanobacteria to achieve ultrahigh growth rates through photophysiological acclimation and effective management of cellular resource under different growth regimes.
Interactive Net-Services on the WWW

This paper explores the question of how the World-Wide-Web’s ability to support interactive net-services can be enhanced to support a wider range of applications. We give examples of interactive net-services, describe the abstract architectural components needed to support them, and describe our implementation of these components in the NIC (Nucleus for Interactive Computing) application framework.
Improved Estimation of the Common Scale Parameter of Several Pareto Distributions

In this paper, we consider the estimation of the common scale parameter of several Pareto distributions with unknown and unequal shape parameters. This problem often arises in practice, for example...
The Gunning of America: Misrepresenting Sources, Ignoring Racism

Pamela Haag’s The Gunning of America: Business and the Making of American Gun Culture (Basic Books, 2015) devotes some energy to discussing the firearms industry as “Merchants of Death,” pointing to the interwar hostility towards armaments manufacturers with no awareness that her sources are explicitly not talking about firearms manufactured for individuals, but the governmental purchases of weapons of war. She also shows a selective blindness to existing published work on the role that racism played in the development of gun control.
Simulated nuclear radiation responses derived from nanocrystalline semiconductor assemblies

Nanocrystalline semiconductor detectors comprised of either cadmium or lead chalcogenide nanoparticles have resulted in excellent energy resolution. For instance, a blended assembly of 4 nm PbSe star-shaped particles, has yielded an energy resolution of 0.42 % (1.5 keV) at 356 keV, compared with a resolution of 0.96 % (3.4 keV) for CZT and 0.39 % (1.4 keV) for HPGe. The spectra are characterized however, by x-ray escape features due to the high probability of photoelectric absorption in the lead-based assembly, as well as the high x-ray energies associated with high Z materials. In this paper, we simulate the spectral response of a composite detector composed of PbSe and para-MEH-PPV in order to aid in the identification of the various features.
Social Movements in Africa

Writing an overview about the history of social movements in Africa is mainly an exercise in producing whipped cream out of skimmed milk. Not only does Africa remain largely absent from social science research using a social movement perspective. Social movement theory largely focuses on social political movements in Europe, North and South America and tends to neglect the African continent, with the exception of South Africa. This article argues that social movements in Africa have been often discussed in the framework of ‘civil society’, a concept that recently lost much of its appeal to Africanists. It then presents the main questions that emerged from social movement approaches and discusses how the date we have on contemporary social movements in Africa relate to general debates in the field. The last part is devoted to labour movements in late colonial Africa, that have a lot to say to social movement approaches but were rarely discussed within this framework.
Freud’s Conquest and the Balkans’ Orientalist Phantasmagoria

The Balkans was the only colonial space visited by Freud in 1898 and in 1904. Much like the Parisian phantasmagoria, the Balkans for Freud’s Orientalist fantasies about the sexual life of the “Bosnian Turk” had intoxicating qualities. Regarding the unconscious of Europe, Freud entered the Balkan geography at the peak of his self-analysis and his sexual neuroses. As many of his sexual issues were related to his sister in-law Minna Bernays, Freud had to confront them by relating to his unconscious as a colonial space in need of colonization by psychoanalysis. Upon his return to Vienna, his relation to colonial subjects and to colonial history radically changed. He declared himself “conquistador” of the unconscious and psychoanalysis as colonial conquest. His visit to the Acropolis in 1904 would confirm once again his colonial reversal from empathy with colonial subjects to their imaginary conquest.
Multi-generational genome wide association studies identify chromosomal regions associated with ascites phenotype.

Abstract Ascites is a multi-faceted disease commonly observed in fast growing broilers, which is initiated when the body is insufficiently oxygenated. A series of events follow, including an increase in pulmonary artery pressure, right ventricle hypertrophy, and accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity and pericardium. Advances in management practices along with improved selection programs have decreased ascites incidence in modern broilers. However, ascites syndrome remains an economically important disease throughout the world, causing estimated losses of $100 million per year. In this study, a 60 K Illumina SNP BeadChip was used to perform a series of genome wide association studies (GWAS) on the 16th and 18th generation of our relaxed (REL) line descended from a commercial elite broiler line beginning in 1995. Regions significantly associated with ascites incidence were identified on chromosome 2 around 70 megabase pairs (Mbp) and on chromosome Z around 60 Mbp. Five candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were evaluated as indicators for these 2 regions in order to identify association with ascites and right ventricle to total ventricle weight (RVTV) ratios. Chromosome 2 SNP showed an association with RVTV ratios in males phenotyped as ascites resistant and ascites susceptible (P = 0.02 and P = 0.03, respectively). The chromosome Z region also indicates an association with resistant female RVTV values (P = 0.02). Regions of significance identified on chromosomes 2 and Z described in this study will be used as proposed candidate regions for further investigation into the genetics of ascites. This information will lead to a better understanding of the underlying genetics and gene networks contributing to ascites, and thus advances in ascites reduction through commercial breeding schemes.
Scattering of longitudinal acoustic phonons in thin silicon membranes

The lifetimes of sub THz acoustic phonon modes determine the intrinsic quality factor of nanomechanical resonators, and control the ultimate limits to sensing mass change, liquid density, charge and temperature with such devices. Recent experiments have provided direct measurements of longitudinal acoustic phonon lifetimes in the higher GHz to THz regime for silicon. However, the results do not definitively resolve the relative contributions of intrinsic mechanisms (such as Akhiezer) versus extrinsic mechanisms (such as boundary scattering), particularly at the higher frequencies. This work focuses on understanding how these mechanisms influence phonon transport through acoustic measurements in nanostructures with well-characterized surface morphologies. We employ a femtosecond laser pump-probe setup to excite and measure the lifetimes of longitudinal acoustic phonons in ultrathin silicon membranes with thicknesses down to 36 nm. We show that the phonon lifetime for membranes thicker than 200 nm is limited intrinsically by Akhiezer mechanism. In thinner membranes, boundary scattering is the most dominant dissipation mechanism. We use a surface specularity parameter based on Kirchhoff’s approximation to correctly predict the observed trend. Our results provide insights to understanding thermal and acoustic transport in nanostructures.
Experimental and numerical investigations on formability of out-of-autoclave thermoset prepreg using a double diaphragm process

Abstract The formability of textile out-of-autoclave thermoset prepreg using double diaphragm forming has been investigated to produce a component for aerospace applications. A one-step procedure has been used for both the forming and curing processes using the same experimental setup. A finite element model has been developed to simulate the double diaphragm forming process, with consideration for the diaphragm material properties at forming conditions. To identify potential causes for wrinkle development, important considerations, such as local fiber compressive stresses, shear angle distributions, and stacking lay-up sequences, have been analyzed. Furthermore, different forming simulation scenarios were applied to reduce the wrinkle defects. Results indicate that a change in lay-up sequences significantly affects the formability; thus, wrinkle formations cannot be avoided at challenging locations for some lay-up arrangements. The forming simulations are in agreement with the experimental results in terms of prediction of large wrinkles and intra-ply shear. Meanwhile, high local compressive stress regions provide a good indication for where the critical areas appear, which can be considered when the small wrinkles cannot be predicted with the element size used.
Learning surface molecular structures via machine vision

Recent advances in high resolution scanning transmission electron and scanning probe microscopies have allowed researchers to perform measurements of materials structural parameters and functional properties in real space with a picometre precision. In many technologically relevant atomic and/or molecular systems, however, the information of interest is distributed spatially in a non-uniform manner and may have a complex multi-dimensional nature. One of the critical issues, therefore, lies in being able to accurately identify (‘read out’) all the individual building blocks in different atomic/molecular architectures, as well as more complex patterns that these blocks may form, on a scale of hundreds and thousands of individual atomic/molecular units. Here we employ machine vision to read and recognize complex molecular assemblies on surfaces. Specifically, we combine Markov random field model and convolutional neural networks to classify structural and rotational states of all individual building blocks in molecular assembly on the metallic surface visualized in high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy measurements. We show how the obtained full decoding of the system allows us to directly construct a pair density function—a centerpiece in analysis of disorder-property relationship paradigm—as well as to analyze spatial correlations between multiple order parameters at the nanoscale, and elucidate reaction pathway involving molecular conformation changes. The method represents a significant shift in our way of analyzing atomic and/or molecular resolved microscopic images and can be applied to variety of other microscopic measurements of structural, electronic, and magnetic orders in different condensed matter systems. Complex patterns formed by thousands of molecules on a surface can now be automatically recognized and classified by a computer. Sergei Kalinin, Maxim Ziatdinov and Artem Maksov at Oak Ridge National Lab have developed a ‘machine vision’ approach, adapting techniques already used in cancer detection and satellite imaging, to analyze up to 1000 s of individual molecular configurations from microscopic images of so-called ‘buckybowl’ molecules on gold surfaces. These bowl-shaped molecules may rest face up or down, and can adopt different rotational orientations, resulting in a rich tapestry of molecular patterns which are too complicated to sort manually or with existing computational methods. However, this machine vision approach revealed details of how buckybowls interact with their neighbors to build complex arrays, which could help in the design of molecular memory devices.
Characterization of natural organic matter in low-carbon sediments: Extraction and analytical approaches

Abstract Organic carbon (OC) concentrations in subsurface sediments are typically 10 to 200 times lower than in surface soils, posing a distinct challenge for characterization. In this study, a range of chemical extractions were evaluated for extraction of natural organic matter (NOM) from two low-carbon ( NaOH > HCl, hydroxylamine hydrochloride > dithionite, water. A NOM extraction and purification scheme was developed using sequential extraction with water (MQ) and sodium pyrophosphate at pH 10 (PP), combined with purification by dialysis and solid phase extraction in order to isolate different fractions of sediment-associated NOM. Characterization of these pools of NOM for metal content and by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FITR) showed that the water soluble fraction (MQ-SPE) had a higher fraction of aliphatic and carboxylic groups, while the PP-extractable NOM (PP-SPE and PP > 1kD) had higher fractions of C C groups and higher residual metals. This trend from aliphatic to more aromatic is also supported by the specific UV absorbance at 254 nm (SUVA 254 ) (3.5 vs 5.4 for MQ-SPE and PP-SPE, respectively) and electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance spectrometry (ESI-FTICR-MS) data which showed a greater abundance of peaks in the low O/C and high H/C region (0–0.4 O/C, 0.8–2.0 H/C) for the MQ-SPE fraction of NOM. Radiocarbon measurements yielded standard radiocarbon ages of 1020, 3095, and 9360 years BP for PP-SPE, PP > 1kD, and residual (non-extractable) OC fractions, indicating an increase in NOM stability correlated with greater metal complexation, apparent molecular weight, and aromaticity.
Association between screen time and depression among US adults.

Abstract Epidemiological surveys conducted in general populations have found that the prevalence of depression is about 9% in the United States. World Health Organization has projected that depression will be leading cause of disease burden by the year 2030. Growing evidence suggests that sedentary lifestyle is an important risk factor of depression among adults. The relationship between television watching/computer use and depression in US adults is still unknown. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between television watching/computer use and depression. This is a cross-sectional study that used the secondary data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) (2011/2012). Participants were 3201 US adults who were 20 years or more. Self-reported Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9] was used to classify depression level; self-reported hours of watching TV and use of computer/day, and demographic information were obtained from NHANES data set. SAS®9.4was used to perform all statistical analyses and final model selection procedure. Depression was found to be significantly higher among female. Results showed that moderate or severe depression level was associated with higher time spent on TV watching and use of computer (> 6 h/day) (adjusted odds ratio: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.602–3.442). Duration of screen time was significantly associated when all covariates were adjusted. TV watching and computer use can predict the depression level among adults. Prospective studies and measurement of factors such as: work place sitting, social relationship, and family history of depression are warranted.
Language Learning Motivation in the United States: An Examination of Language Choice and Multilingualism

With the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS) as a framework, this study is an investigation of the relationships among motivation, language choice, and multilingualism using data from 195 undergraduate learners of languages other than English (LOTEs) in the context of the United States. Motivation is operationalized by the three aspects of self (ideal, ought-to, and anti-ought-to). Multilingualism is operationalized in two ways: previous language experience and Perceived Positive Language Interaction (PPLI), the latter being an emic perspective of multilingualism for which learners can only be considered to be multilingual if they can articulate positive interactions between foreign languages studied. A variety of analyses were used to answer questions relating to motivational group differences and language choice, the potential predictive nature of motivation in terms of language choice, group differences of motivational profiles between bi- and multilingual students for both operationalizations of multilingualism, and the person-specific versus language-specific nature of the three aspects of self. As most of the work on language learning motivation has been done with English language learners (ELLs), the results of this study with these LOTE learners are contextualized in terms of previous results with ELLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
The (Re)segregation Crisis Continues: Little Rock Central High at Sixty

ABSTRACTThis brief comment examines the discourse surrounding the sixtieth anniversary of the Little Rock Central High Crisis. It begins with the changes that undergird discourses about segregation in contemporary Little Rock. Then, it proceeds to the public celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of the Central High crisis to understand how liberal discourses about segregation mutate and circulate today. I argue that the Little Rock crisis is an important site to understand how the structures shaping public education are influencing the rhetorical modes of engagement with racial politics in ways that redeploy the topoi of segregation, especially in the discourse of white rhetors.