cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An early mid-Miocene, strike-parallel shelfal trough and possible karstification in the Northern Carnarvon Basin, northwest Australia

Abstract As part of a study to investigate relative sea level history from the Tertiary North West Shelf of Australia, we describe a seismically imaged, stratigraphic architectural element not previously associated with prograding carbonate clinoforms, a strike-oriented trough on an early mid-Miocene sequence boundary. This trough, located on a shallowly dipping carbonate ramp, is recognized on both 2-D and 3-D seismic data by truncation, reflector interruption and amplitude variations. It is composed of three individual segments, each up to 500 m wide and 60 m deep, with variable cross-sections. Their combined length, orthogonal to the progradation direction, is ∼8 km. The trough occurs where there is a slight basinward increase in dip, and a facies change on the ramp from sand-sized calcarenite to clay-sized calcilutite. It has both a cross-cutting and sub-parallel relationship with underlying Paleogene faults reactivated within a Mesozoic basin-forming trend. The trough, does not conform to known drainage patterns, or contour current incisions mapped in similar environments elsewhere. We propose that this seismically mapped trough is karst topography that developed as a result of preferential dissolution focused by heterogeneities within the exposed carbonate ramp. Stable isotope analyses conducted on bulk carbonate samples ∼2 km updip, suggest a mixed, marine to slightly meteoric origin for associated porewaters. Furthermore, the sequence boundary on which the trough is developed is contemporaneous with recognized subaerial exposure surfaces to the northeast and southwest. The presence of such a karst feature indicates a minimum fall in relative sea level at this location of 80–160 m during the early mid-Miocene.
Structure and packing of dry elastoidin: a collagen phase change.

Abstract Wide angle X-ray diffraction patterns of wet shark fin elastoidin always show a very intense meridional streak arising from the small angle diffraction pattern. When the fin ray spicules (ceratotrichia) are permitted to air dry, the pattern departs from the meridian. Studies show that the dry spicules are, in fact, radially anisotropic. Diffraction patterns taken with the X-ray beam perpendicular to the edge of the ribbon-shaped spicules have two distinct arms (with an interarm angle of as much as 70 ° ), while the small angle streak taken with the beam perpendicular to the ribbon face is generally either on the meridian, or is so weak that it cannot be resolved from the background. An analysis of the intensities of the small angle diffraction pattern of the dry form indicate that it has essentially a normal dry collagen structure. Addition of methanol serves only to expand the dry structure, without reversal of the phase transition. These data can be interpreted by postulating that as the wet structure collapses during drying, the collagen molecules tilt in a direction perpendicular to the face of the ribbon, forming domains of molecules with similiar axial orientation. The implication is that the original interactions are lost, and the new structure is formed by overlaps between formerly non-interacting molecules.
The Meta-Pi network: building distributed knowledge representations for robust multisource pattern recognition

The authors present the Meta-Pi network, a multinetwork connectionist classifier that forms distributed low-level knowledge representations for robust pattern recognition, given random feature vectors generated by multiple statistically distinct sources. They illustrate how the Meta-Pi paradigm implements an adaptive Bayesian maximum a posteriori classifier. They also demonstrate its performance in the context of multispeaker phoneme recognition in which the Meta-Pi superstructure combines speaker-dependent time-delay neural network (TDNN) modules to perform multispeaker /b,d,g/ phoneme recognition with speaker-dependent error rates of 2%. Finally, the authors apply the Meta-Pi architecture to a limited source-independent recognition task, illustrating its discrimination of a novel source. They demonstrate that it can adapt to the novel source (speaker), given five adaptation examples of each of the three phonemes. >
Optical Absorption of CoO and MnO above and below the Néel Temperature

The optical absorption of single-crystal CoO and MnO both above and below the N\'eel temperature is reported and interpreted. The absorption spectrum in each case is similar to that found in dilute paramagnetic salts of the same ions. Tanabe and Sugano's strong-field theory was used to interpret the data. In CoO the tetragonal distortion of the cubic lattice present in the antiferromagnetic phase was experimentally observed. An estimate of the strength of the tetragonal field is given. It is also found that the temperature dependence of the absorption coefficient in CoO is in accord with a second order electric dipole-phonon transition mechanism.
Mobile robot control using a small display

This paper addresses the problem of controlling a mobile robot using a small, portable user interface. In some applications, including security and military, a user might command a mobile robot in the field using a wearable computer. The wearable computer may have a small display that would make information delivery difficult. Also, full video feedback from the robot may not be available due to radio bandwidth limitations. One solution is to have the user interact with a virtual model of the robot environment (available from other sources). We designed an interface to interact with such a model, using a small display. The user controls the robot by gesturing with a single hand. The gestures are sensed using an instrumented glove and a 6 DOF (degree of freedom) magnetic tracker mounted on the user's hand. The interface was tested using two different tasks: a 6 DOF manipulation task and a visualization task which was primarily 3 DOF. For comparison, a simple, 2 DOF input device was also implemented. It was found that the 6 DOF input device was clearly superior for the manipulation task, but results were inconclusive for the visualization task.
A task graph model for design and implementation of real-time systems

The paper introduces the RTM task graph model. RTM is a distributed operating system and scheduler for complex real time tasks developed at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, with a medium grained data flow model of computation. Tasks are linearly segmented (possibly with loops), but have arbitrary interconnectivity. This allows for decomposable tasks while avoiding the complications of a full fledged hierarchical model, simplifying scheduling, resource allocation. Our description of the task graph model in RTM can largely also be viewed as a list of desirable characteristics of any task graph based environment for real time design and implementation.
Dynamic inverse optimization

While system identification has traditionally concentrated on identifying systems driven by explicit ordinary differential equations, the recent explosion in computational power has made feasible systems whose dynamics are partly driven by real-time optimization processes. Identification algorithms which could pinpoint the optimization parameters used to drive these closed-loop control systems would clearly find application to receding horizon controllers and other control processes which incorporate online optimization. This work describes a procedure which identifies the optimization parameters at work in many types of receding horizon controllers. If all the control and state constraints are known, then the problem may be recast as identification of objective parameters of a real-time, static optimization problem. Using the necessary conditions of optimality in some cases of interest, this problem is shown to be equivalent to solving a feasibility semi-definite program. In alternate setups, the necessary conditions of optimality lead to a formulation of the identification problem as a feasibility linear or integer program.
Impact of the location area structure on the performance of signaling channels of cellular wireless networks

We consider second generation wireless cellular networks such as IS-54, IS-95 and GSM. These are circuit-switched digital networks which employ dedicated radio channels for the transmission of signaling information. A forward signaling channel is a common signaling channel assigned to carry the multiplexed stream of paging and connection allocation packets from a base station to mobile stations. A reverse signaling channel, which employs a contention-oriented medium access algorithm, is used by mobile stations to send connection request packets (requesting the allocation of a call circuit). A location area includes a specified set of adjacent cells. Mobile units must re-register as they cross the boundary of a location area. The connection set-up time and the paging response delay are critical factors in the design of the signaling system. A location area structure must be optimally selected to ensure that acceptable levels of connection set-up time and paging response delay are achieved. In this paper, combining the operation of forward and reverse signaling channels, we present an analytical method for calculating the distribution functions of connection set-up time and paging response delay. We subsequently investigate the impact of the location area architecture on the performance of signaling channels. The resulting model and formulas provide an important basis for the selection of the location area structure.
A heuristic algorithm for the fanout problem

We present an algorithm to optimally distribute a signal to its required destinations. The choice of the buffers and the topology of the distribution tree depends on the availability of different strength gates and on the load and the required times at the destinations. The general problem is to construct a fanout-tree for a signal so that the required time constraint at the source node is met and the fanout-tree has a minimum area. Since the area constrained fanout problem is NP-complete and area is not a major consideration in present high density designs, we restrict our attention to the simpler problem of designing fast fanout circuits without any area constraint. The proposed algorithm builds the fanout tree by partitioning the fanout signals into subsets and then recursively solving each sub-problem. At each stage the algorithm generates a fanout tree that is an improvement over the previous stage. This feature allows the user to specify the improvement desired by the fanout correction process. The performance of the algorithm, when run on randomly generated distributions of required times and on real design examples, is very promising.
k-means projective clustering

In many applications it is desirable to cluster high dimensional data along various subspaces, which we refer to as projective clustering. We propose a new objective function for projective clustering, taking into account the inherent trade-off between the dimension of a subspace and the induced clustering error. We then present an extension of the k-means clustering algorithm for projective clustering in arbitrary subspaces, and also propose techniques to avoid local minima. Unlike previous algorithms, ours can choose the dimension of each cluster independently and automatically. Furthermore, experimental results show that our algorithm is significantly more accurate than the previous approaches.
A New Species of Oochoristica (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae: Linstowiinae) in the Lizard Teius teyou (Squamata: Teiidae) from Argentina

Abstract Oochoristica bivitellobatoides n. sp. (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae: Linstowiinae) from a four-toed tegu, Teius teyou, collected in Argentina is described. The new species is most similar to Oochoristica bivitellobata in that, in both species, the ovary and vitellarium are bilobed. Major differences between the 2 species involve ovary and vitellarium structure: 8–12 lobules in each lobe of ovary and vitellarium in O. bivitellobatoides; scalloped margin of ovary and compact vitellarial lobes in O. bivitellobata.
Programming living cells to function as massively parallel computers

We have reprogrammed the genomes of living cells to construct massively parallel biological computers capable of processing two-dimensional images at a theoretical resolution of greater than 100 megapixels per square inch. First, we rewired a signal transduction pathway in Escherichia coli to express a pigment producing enzyme under the control of red light. We then use the engineered bacteria as pixels in biological film. Next, use the 'bacterial photography' technology as tool for the engineering of a massively parallel biological computer which uses cell-cell communication to compute the edges (light-dark boundaries) within images.
Investigation of data locality and fairness in MapReduce

In data-intensive computing, MapReduce is an important tool that allows users to process large amounts of data easily. Its data locality aware scheduling strategy exploits the locality of data accessing to minimize data movement and thus reduce network traffic. In this paper, we firstly analyze the state-of-the-art MapReduce scheduling algorithms and demonstrate that optimal scheduling is not guaranteed. After that, we mathematically reformulate the scheduling problem by using a cost matrix to capture the cost of data staging and propose an algorithm lsap-sched that yields optimal data locality. In addition, we integrate fairness and data locality into a unified algorithm lsap-fair-sched in which users can easily adjust the tradeoffs between data locality and fairness. At last, extensive simulation experiments are conducted to show that our algorithms can improve the ratio of data local tasks by up to 14%, reduce data movement cost by up to 90%, and balance fairness and data locality effectively.
Pilot-assisted channel estimation for MIMO OFDM systems using theory of sparse signal recovery

In this work, a new framework for channel estimation in MIMO OFDM systems is provided. Sparse channel estimation refers to estimating the time domain channel impulse response by exploiting the fact that the channel has a very few nonzero taps. We formalize the problem and drive necessary and sufficient condition on the number of pilots for perfect channel recovery which leads to a L0 norm optimization problem. A practical suboptimal solution is proposed that is a modified orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP) which exploits the sparsity structure of the MIMO channel. The investigations reveal that the training overhead can be drastically reduced while maintaining the same accuracy as the current state of the art techniques.
Early Effects of Arterial Hemodynamic Conditions on Human Saphenous Veins Perfused Ex Vivo

Exposure to the arterial hemodynamic environment is thought to be a potential trigger for the pathological remodeling of saphenous vein grafts. Using matched pairs of freshly isolated human saphenous vein, we analyzed the early effects of ex vivo hemodynamic conditions mimicking the venous (native) compared with arterial (graft) environment on the key components of vascular remodeling, ie, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and MMP-2 and cell proliferation. Interestingly, we found that arterial conditions halved latent MMP-9 (50+/-11%, P=0.01) and MMP-2 (44+/-6%, P=0.005) levels relative to matched vein pairs maintained ex vivo under venous perfusion for up to 3 days. Immunostaining supported decreased MMP levels in the innermost area of arterially perfused veins. Either decreased synthesis or increased posttranslational processing may decrease MMP zymogen levels. Biosynthetic radiolabeling showed that arterial perfusion actually increased MMP-9 and MMP-2 production. When we then examined potential pathways for MMP zymogen processing, we found that arterial conditions did not affect the expression of MT-MMP-1, a cell-associated MMP activator, but that they significantly increased the levels of superoxide, another MMP activator, suggesting redox-dependent MMP processing. Additional experiments indicated that increased superoxide under arterial conditions was due to diminished scavenging by decreased extracellular superoxide dismutase. Arterial perfusion also stimulated cell proliferation (by 220% to 750%) in the majority of vein segments investigated. Our observations support the hypothesis that arterial hemodynamic conditions stimulate early vein graft remodeling. Furthermore, physiological arterial flow may work to prevent pathological remodeling, particularly the formation of intimal hyperplasia, through rapid inactivation of secreted MMPs and, possibly, through preferential stimulation of cell proliferation in the outer layers of the vein wall.
The Effect of Pediatric Knowledge on Hospice Care Costs

The cost of hospice care is rising. Although providing care for children at end of life may be costly for hospices, it is unclear whether or not gaining pediatric knowledge and even establishing a pediatric program may be done cost effectively. The purpose of our study was to examine the effect of possessing pediatric knowledge (i.e., pediatric program, pediatric experience) on core hospice care costs. Using 2002 to 2008 California hospice data, the findings of the regression analysis suggest that having pediatric knowledge does not significantly increase nursing, physician, and medical social service costs. Having a pediatric program was related to increased counseling costs. Our findings shed important light on the minimal costs incurred when hospices decide to develop pediatric knowledge.
Quantitation of reticulated platelets in healthy dogs and in nonthrombocytopenic dogs with clinical disease.

Background — Thrombocytopenia is a common disorder in dogs and development of an objective diagnostic assay to measure platelets newly released from bone marrow into the blood would provide a noninvasive way to predict megakaryocytopoiesis. Reticulated platelets are newly released platelets with increased concentrations of RNA that can be detected by flow cytometric analysis of blood stained with thiazole orange (TO). Objectives — The goals of this study were to establish a reproducible method to quantitate reticulated platelets in dogs, to establish a reference interval for reticulated platelet percentages in healthy dogs, and to determine whether the percentage of reticulated platelets was nonspecifically increased in nonthrombocytopenic dogs with clinical disease. Methods — Blood samples were obtained from healthy dogs and from nonthrombocytopenic dogs presented for a variety of disorders. An aliquot of whole blood was stained with TO and a phycoerythrin-labeled monoclonal antibody to platelet CD61, then analyzed by flow cytometry. Results — The coefficients of variation were 7.8% to 15.6% (intra-assay precision) and 6.1% to 19.5% (interassay precision). Overnight storage for 18 to 26 hours, under variable conditions, resulted in an increase in the percentage of platelets staining with TO. The reference interval for reticulated platelets in the healthy control group was 0–4.3% (0–12,095/μL). No significant differences were found in the mean percentage of reticulated platelets or absolute concentration of reticulated platelets between control and affected dogs. Conclusions — These studies demonstrate a reliable, noninvasive diagnostic assay for measurement of reticulated platelets in whole blood and provide a baseline for assessment of the clinical utility of the assay.
Marking Time in San Gabriel Mission Garden

Writing in 1924 of her efforts to restore the grounds of Mission San Fernando in Los Angeles, Martha McCan cited the philosophical writings of Count Alfred Korzybski and argued: We are ‘Time Bindin...
Comparison of 3 techniques of fat grafting and cell-supplemented lipotransfer in athymic rats: a pilot study.

Background Given the wide application of autologous fat grafting, a new emphasis on fat processing techniques has emerged in an effort to limit unpredictable degrees of resorption often seen with this procedure. With the growing interest in regenerative medicine, approaches to supplement fat grafts with adipose-derived stem cells are evolving in hopes of promoting vascularization and neoadipogenesis. Objective The authors evaluated the outcomes of the most common processing techniques for fat grafting--decantation, washing, high-speed centrifugation--and stromal vascular cell-supplemented lipotransfer to determine which method yields a higher percentage of retention and better quality graft. Methods A total of 32 subcutaneous injections of processed human lipoaspirate were carried out in 8 athymic rats. Each animal received all 4 processing conditions, with end points at 4, 8, and 12 weeks postinjection. Evaluation of graft survival included serial measurements of volume retention and histologic analysis. Results At 12 weeks postinjection, cell-supplemented and centrifuged grafts showed the most consistent volume maintenance. Based on histologic analysis, cell-supplemented and washed grafts had higher scores of viability and vascularity, with the former presenting the least cystic necrosis and calcification as well as minimal inflammation. Conclusions Cell-supplemented lipotransfer had optimal outcomes for graft retention, viability, and vascularity, while washing resulted in high viability with a less intensive process. High-speed centrifugation resulted in consistent volume retention but lower viability. Each of these approaches is ideal under different circumstances and contributes to the versatility and reliability of fat grafting.
Alcohol Use During Lactation: Effects on the Mother-Infant Dyad

Breastfeeding has increased across all socioeconomic groups in the USA, with increasing recognition of the health and psychological benefits to both mother and infant [1–4]. Despite this resurgence, and the fact that alcohol is one of the most frequently consumed drugs in women of childbearing age [5, 6], little is known about the effects of alcohol on this biologically important reproductive state in women or on the growing infant. Although lactating mothers exhibit similar drinking patterns as formula-feeding mothers [7–9], recommendations about alcohol are largely based on folklore passed down through generations, and many cultures believe that alcohol is a milk-producing substance (galactagogue).
Teaching High-Value Care.

High-value care principles can be incorporated into medical education by training medical students to serve as HVC officers during clerkships and to publish their experiences with the potential or actual harms of medical overuse.
Crinoid Anchoring Strategies for Soft-Bottom Dwelling

During the geologic history of crinoids, many groups have modified their distal stems to function as anchors in soft sediments, but more so in the Paleozoic than in later times. Major strategies were passively implanting anchors, cirral root systems, coils, and stemless reclining. In Paleozoic roots, the stereom usually consists of crystallographically individualized ossicles, but articulations may be hidden by a tough cuticle that protected the living tissue of immersed parts and stiffened them with cortical stereom. Post-Paleozoic representatives produced similar anchoring structures by different fabricational pathways, including non-articulated root systems.
Potassium-stimulated release of taurine in a crude retinal preparation obtained from the rat is calcium independent.

The role of taurine as a potential neurotransmitter in the retina has been questioned in numerous literature reports. Thus, crude retinal homogenates prepared from rat retina were preloaded with [3H]taurine under either high-or low-affinity uptake conditions and were then subjected to superfusion techniques to determine whether KC1 (56 mM), veratridine (100 μM), 4-aminopyridine (1 mM), or LiC1 (56 mM3) could evoke the release of [3H]taurine. Dependence of the K+-evoked release of [3H]taurine on Ca2+ was also measured since one of the essential criteria for a neurotransmitter is Ca2+-dependent release of the substance from presynaptic nerve terminals.
Polyamines and Cytoskeletal Regulation During Intestinal Epithelial Restitution

Damage to gastrointestinal epithelia can result from infection (ulcer), chemical agents (alcohol, drugs), or mechanical forces (stretching), and immediate repair is required to restore the epithelial barrier against luminal antigens. The mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract has the unique ability to repair itself rapidly after damage. Mucosal repair consists of two phases. Early mucosal restitution is the rapid re-establishment of epithelial integrity and continuity after superficial injury before cell proliferation or an extensive inflammatory response occurs (1). It comprises sloughing of the damaged cells and migration of remaining viable cells over the denuded lamina propria (2,3). The second phase involves replacement of the lost cells by mitosis and does not begin until 24 h or so after injury (1). The process of early mucosal restitution was originally described for the stomach, but later Fiel et al. (4) and Moore et al. (5) have shown a similar process for the small intestine.
The Disciplinary Role of CDS Markets: Evidence from Agency Ratings

Since the beginning of the financial crisis there have been various attempts to correct weaknesses within the rating process. Most of these initiatives aim at incentivizing rating agencies by increasing regulatory pressure. We argue that there is another way to discipline agencies: the credit default swap (CDS) market. Based on a sample of more than 4,000 corporate bond issues, we show that purely the existence of an external CDS benchmark leads to an increased level of rating quality. In particular, we show that ratings monitored by an actively traded CDS are more strongly correlated with bond spreads at issuance, timelier adjusted when credit-worthiness changes, better predictors of defaults, and less volatile. Moreover, we provide evidence that the observed quality improvements are most likely driven by reduced incentive conflicts stemming from increased reputational concerns.
Enzyme Replacement Therapy for the Sphingolipidoses

The greatest progress in the field of inheritable disorders during the past decade was made in the understanding and control of lipid storage diseases. Since original demonstrations in 1965 and 1966 of the metabolic defects in Gaucher’s disease (6,7) Niemann-Pick disease (8), Fabry’s disease (9), and metachromatic leukodystrophy (17), specific enzyme deficiencies were demonstrated in ten heritable disorders of lipid metabolism. These discoveries paved the way for the development of facile procedures for the diagnosis of homozygotes, the detection of heterozygous carriers, and the monitoring of pregnancies at risk for any of these diseases (1–4). These applications of basic research endeavors have provided much relief from human anguish and suffering and they are in wide use at this time. However, there still remains much to be done for affected patients and compassionate physicians continue to seek further help in the treatment of hundreds of patients with these diseases. In particular, the therapy of patients with Type I (adult) Gaucher’s disease in whom skeletal involvement causes severe bone and joint pains, and patients with Fabry’s disease with intractable pains in arms and legs and progressive renal impairment deserves intensive attention. During the past three years much of our research efforts have been devoted to these two disorders.
AGGREGATION FORMATION AND ASSORTATIVE MATING IN TWO MELOID BEETLES

Males and females of the meloid beetles Lytta magister and Tegrodera aloga form large aggregations in Sonoran Desert habitat. Males and females of L. magister fly to prominent ridgetop landmarks, where they feed on flowering shrubs, mate (probably just once in any one aggregation), and disperse, with the group forming and disbanding in a few days. Males and females of T. aloga form very large, mobile bands that march across the desert flatland feeding and mating; females probably leave after a single copulation, with the result that the group becomes increasingly male-biased in its sex ratio. The aggregations persist for a minimum of 2-3 weeks. Great variation in body size characterizes both species. Positive assortative mating occurs in L. magister but not in T. aloga, possibly because males and females of the two species incur different costs and benefits for selective mating. It is probable that body size in Lytta correlates both with female fecundity and with male spermatophore size or amount of cantharidin contributed during copulation. This should favor males that mate with large females while also favoring females that mate with large males. If large individuals pair off, this will leave smaller individuals to settle for one another, leading to positive assortative mating. The same argument may not apply to T. aloga, perhaps because its copulations are shorter and its aggregations longer-lived, and therefore any one mating does not eliminate chances to copulate again within the band.
ZINC CONTENT IN TISSUES OF PYRIDOXINE DEFICIENT RATS.

SummaryPyridoxine deficiency in rats resulted in a decreased Zn content in the plasma, liver, pancreas, and heart tissues and an increase of Zn-65 uptake in the plasma and liver after an intramuscular injection of radiozinc. A highly significant increase in Zn-65 radioactivity was also observed in the gastrointestinal tract and feces of pyridoxine-deficient rats. This phenomenon appeared to be specific for pyridoxine since deficiency of thiamine or riboflavin did not affect hepatic Zn concentrations.
JCL roundtable: Lessons from genetic variants altering lipoprotein metabolism

Because the Human Genome Project reached its first major milestone in completing the full sequence of human DNA, many new discoveries have been made relating genetic variants to disease. The new methodology that allows much more rapid and focused analyses of selected genes and the ability to screen the entire exome of any individual has provided tools to examine literally thousands of individuals for a given study. Genetic analysis has become a large-scale epidemiologic tool for examining variants in gene structure and correlating them with phenotypic markers of human disorders. These genome-wide association studies have been quite revealing about the mechanism of disorders of many types. These tools have been applied to the appearance of clinical atherosclerosis and to the chronic metabolic risk factors for this disease process. We are joined by 2 individuals who have made very significant contributions to this area of research: Dr Brian Ference of Wayne State University School of Medicine and Dr Sekar Kathiresan from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. In our discussion, we are going to focus on genetic variants, which lead to changes in lipoprotein concentrations and those that have an association with earlier onset of clinical vascular disease. This roundtable was recorded during the November 2016 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Florida.
A Review of “Romancing the wild: cultural dimensions of ecotourism”, by Robert Fletcher

Some years ago ecotourism as a subject for study might have been defined as tourism occurring in a natural setting, but one also that could be identified as educative and managed in a sustainable w...
Lateral Buckling of I-Beams

The critical combinations of thrust and unequal end moments for the lateral buckling of I-beams simply supported in the weak plane are derived by the Rayleigh-Ritz method. It is shown that these cr...
Not a House Divided

Many who work in the domain of academic philosophy have come to take it for granted that there is a de facto division between professionals who align themselves with analytic philosophy and those who prefer a phenomenological or hermeneutical approach. That this ‘division’ also impairs communication between these schools of thought is evidenced by such familiar refrains as, “I can’t understand what you’re saying,” or “But what do you really mean by that?” In consequence analytic philosophers often only communicate with those of a similar philosophical persuasion, and the same seems to apply to those who opt for a phenomenological or hermeneutical approach. Panel presentations at conferences are divided along what, in some cases, become virtually ideological lines, and an analogous condition can affect professional journals, texts, and even whole departments. The divisions have become so ingrained that those involved sometimes relate as if aliens from different planets who have tried and failed to communicate.
Radicals formed from proton loss of carotenoid radical cations: A special form of carotenoid neutral radical occurring in photoprotection.

Abstract In an organized assembly in Arabidopsis thaliana plant, proton loss from the radical cation of zeaxanthin (Zea +) was found to occur under intense illumination, a possible component in photoprotection. A stable neutral radical is formed because of the favorable proton loss at C4(4′) position(s) of the terminal ends of Zea + that extends the unpaired spin density distribution (notation Zea (4) or Zea (4′) by symmetry). Proton loss from the radical cation of β-carotene (β-car +) to available proton acceptors was also detected in a PSII sample upon irradiation. A controversial optical absorption peak at 750 nm predicted by DFT was attributed to β-carotene neutral radical formed by proton loss at C4(4′) position(s) situated on the terminal end(s) (notation β-car (4) or β-car (4′) by symmetry), also detected in solid copper-containing MCM-41 molecular sieves (Cu-MCM-41) and by hydrogen atom transfer from β-carotene to hydroxyl radical. Unlike the PSII organized assembly where proton loss occurs from the terminal ends of the radical cation, in the Cu-MCM-41 unorganized assembly proton loss occurs from all positions including the methyl groups on the polyene chain forming neutral radicals with different EPR couplings, different unpaired spin density distribution and different optical absorption peaks. We emphasize here the properties of these neutral radicals for various carotenoids formed under high-light conditions and in different media (solution, solid siliceous materials, and photosynthetic samples).
Terahertz optoelectronic switching with surface plasmon

We present a GaAs based optoelectronic switch that operates at exceptionally large signal modulation rates of 98% and switching rates up to THz. Applications in designing fundamental logic elements, NAND and NOR gates, are identified.
A Delicate Balance: Republican Party Branding during the 2013 Government Shutdown

Strong party brands help congressional parties elect candidates, maintain or gain majority control, and advance their policy agendas. Because successful branding efforts depend on consistent messag...
Role of peptidylarginine deiminase 2 (PAD2) in mammary carcinoma cell migration

Penetration of the mammary gland basement membrane by cancer cells is a crucial first step in tumor invasion. Using a mouse model of ductal carcinoma in situ, we previously found that inhibition of peptidylarginine deiminase 2 (PAD2, aka PADI2) activity appears to maintain basement membrane integrity in xenograft tumors. The goal of this investigation was to gain insight into the mechanisms by which PAD2 mediates this process. For our study, we modulated PAD2 activity in mammary ductal carcinoma cells by lentiviral shRNA-mediated depletion, lentiviral-mediated PAD2 overexpression, or PAD inhibition and explored the effects of these treatments on changes in cell migration and cell morphology. We also used these PAD2-modulated cells to test whether PAD2 may be required for EGF-induced cell migration. To determine how PAD2 might promote tumor cell migration in vivo, we tested the effects of PAD2 inhibition on the expression of several cell migration mediators in MCF10DCIS.com xenograft tumors. In addition, we tested the effect of PAD2 inhibition on EGF-induced ductal invasion and elongation in primary mouse mammary organoids. Lastly, using a transgenic mouse model, we investigated the effects of PAD2 overexpression on mammary gland development. Our results indicate that PAD2 depletion or inhibition suppresses cell migration and alters the morphology of MCF10DCIS.com cells. In addition, we found that PAD2 depletion suppresses the expression of the cytoskeletal regulatory proteins RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 and also promotes a mesenchymal to epithelial-like transition in tumor cells with an associated increase in the cell adhesion marker, E-cadherin. Our mammary gland organoid study found that inhibition of PAD2 activity suppresses EGF-induced ductal invasion. In vivo, we found that PAD2 overexpression causes hyperbranching in the developing mammary gland. Together, these results suggest that PAD2 plays a critical role in breast cancer cell migration. Our findings that EGF treatment increases protein citrullination and that PAD2 inhibition blocks EGF-induced cell migration suggest that PAD2 likely functions within the EGF signaling pathway to mediate cell migration.
Archaeology and Creating Facts on the Ground

Discusses developments related to heritage manufacturing—particularly via archaeological activity—and the construction of narratives corresponding to respective nationalisms; among other things, these developments have seen a strengthening of ties between the two nationalisms and their respective majority religions.
Novel galeterone analogs act independently of AR and AR-V7 for the activation of the unfolded protein response and induction of apoptosis in the CWR22Rv1 prostate cancer cell model.

// David J. McCarty 1, 2 , Weiliang Huang 3 , Maureen A. Kane 3 , Puranik Purushottamachar 1, 2 , Lalji K. Gediya 1, 2 and Vincent C.O. Njar 1, 2, 4 1 Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA 2 Center for Biomolecular Therapeutics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA 3 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA 4 Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA Correspondence to: Vincent C.O. Njar, email: vnjar@som.umaryland.edu Keywords: CWR22Rv1, apoptosis, AR-V7, prostate cancer, unfolded protein response Received: May 17, 2017 Accepted: July 06, 2017 Published: August 01, 2017 ABSTRACT The androgen receptor (AR) has long been the primary target for the treatment of prostate cancer (PC). Despite continuous efforts to block AR activity through ligand depletion, AR antagonism, AR depletion and combinations thereof, advanced PC tumors remain resilient. Herein, we evaluate two galeterone analogs, VNPT-178 and VNLG-74A, in PC cell models of diverse androgen and AR dependence attempting to delineate their mechanisms of action and potential clinical utility. Employing basic biochemical techniques, we determined that both analogs have improved antiproliferative and anti-AR activities compared to FDA-approved abiraterone and enzalutamide. However, induction of apoptosis in these models is independent of the AR and its truncated variant, AR-V7, and instead likely results from sustained endoplasmic reticulum stress and deregulated calcium homeostasis. Using in silico molecular docking, we predict VNPT-178 and VNLG-74A bind the ATPase domain of BiP/Grp78 and Hsp70-1A with greater affinity than the AR. Disruption of 70 kDa heat shock protein function may be the underlying mechanism of action for these galeterone analogs. Therefore, despite simultaneously antagonizing AR activity, AR and/or AR-V7 expression alone may inadequately predict a patient’s response to treatment with VNPT-178 or VNLG-74A. Future studies evaluating the context-specific limitations of these compounds may provide clarity for their clinical application.
Neural Network Associator for Images and Their Chinese Characters

A neural network with two layers of processing elements (PEs) is investigated to associate a group of 48x48 gray scale images with the corresponding 16x16 Chinese character bitmap images. The input layer has 2304 (48x48) PEs, and the output layer has 256 (16x16) PEs. In order to reduce the size of the weight matrix, each input PE only connects to two output PEs, for a total of 4608 connections. Each output PE connects to 18 input PEs (4608/256=18). The connections are assigned randomly, and remain unchanged throughout this the investigation. The momentum based back propagation learning algorithm is used to train the weight matrix. The system is capable of perfectly learning input-output associations when inputs are orthogonal to each other. However, the investigation finds that close to perfect learning still occur for a random set of images.
Dynamic range compression for noisy mixtures using source separation and beamforming

Dynamic range compression is widely used in digital hearing aids, but performs poorly in noisy conditions with multiple sources. We propose a system that combines source separation, compression, and beamforming to compress each source independently. We derive an expression for a time-varying weighted multichannel Wiener filter that performs both beamforming and compression. Experiments using recorded speech and behind-the-ear hearing aid impulse responses suggest that the combined system provides more accurate dynamic range compression than a conventional compressor in the presence of competing speech and background noise.
Free Energy Profile of NaCl in Water: First-Principles Molecular Dynamics with SCAN and ωB97X-V Exchange–Correlation Functionals

Properties of water and aqueous ionic solutions are of great scientific interest because they play a central role in the atmosphere, biological environments, and various industrial processes. Employing two advanced exchange–correlation (XC) approximations, ωB97X-V and SCAN, in first-principles molecular dynamics simulations, we calculate the potential of mean force of NaCl in water as a function of the ion separation distance. Compared to the commonly used GGA-PBE functional, both of these XC functionals perform much better in simulating liquid water at room temperature for obtaining structural properties. The potential of mean force of NaCl in water exhibits two minima corresponding to two distinct types of ion pairing. ωB97X-V predicts that the contact ion pair is energetically more stable than the solvent-separated ion pair. The SCAN functional, however, predicts the opposite stability order, similarly to other XC functionals such as PBE. This is notable especially since classical molecular dynamics si...
Anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation after intracranial hemorrhage: A systematic review.

Background We summarize the existing evidence on the potential benefit of oral anticoagulation (OAC) in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) survivors with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Methods Systematic review of the literature to address the following issues: (1) prevalence of NVAF in ICH survivors, (2) current prescription of OAC, (3) factors associated with resumption of OAC, (4) risk of ischemic stroke (IS) and recurrent ICH, and (5) ideal timing for restarting OAC in ICH survivors with NVAF. Results After screening 547 articles, 26 were included in the review. Only 3 focused specifically on patients with ICH as primary event, NVAF as indication for OAC, and recurrent ICH and IS as primary endpoints. In addition, 19 letters to the editor/reviews/editorials/experts9 surveys/experts9 opinion were used for discussion purposes. Conclusions NVAF is highly prevalent among ICH survivors. The risks of IS, recurrent ICH, and mortality are heightened in this group. Most published data show a net benefit in terms of IS prevention and mortality when anticoagulation is restarted. However, those studies are observational and mostly retrospective, therefore selection bias may play a major role in the results observed in these cohorts. Only randomized controlled trials, either pragmatic or explanatory, can provide more conclusive answers for this important clinical question.
For data's sake: dilemmas in the measurement of gender minorities.

AbstractGender-minority health disparity research is limited by binary gender measurement practices. This study seeks to broaden current discourse on gender identity measurement in the USA, including measurement adoption challenges and mitigation strategies, thereby allowing for better data collection to understand and address health disparities for people of all genders. Three data sources were used to triangulate findings: expert interviews with gender and sexuality research leaders; key-informant interviews with gender minorities in New Orleans, LA; and document analysis of relevant surveys, guides and commentaries. Ten key dilemmas were identified: 1) moving beyond binary gender construction; 2) conflation of gender, sex and sexual orientation; 3) emerging nature of gender-related language; 4) concerns about item sensitivity; 5) research fatigue among gender minorities; 6) design and analytical limitations; 7) categorical and procedural consistency; 8) pre-populated vs. open-field survey items; 9) pot...
Implementation and Management of a Successful Telerehabilitation Program in Speech Language Pathology

Development of a successful telerehabilitation program involves planning in the initial stages and continuous quality improvement throughout the implementation of such a program. Key elements include choice of telecommunication technology, setting up of the environment, attention to business aspects, staff preparation, and client selection. This chapter offers guidelines for planning and starting a telerehabilitation program that includes essentials to consider during this phase. A general overview of technology is presented. Pointers for preparing an environment conducive to a successful telerehabilitation application are outlined. Preparation and training of staff and clients are components of a thriving program. And finally, a marketing plan is the process for communicating to clients and partners who may benefit from a telerehabilitation program.
Carbon Sequestration Potential in Urban Soils

Urbanization is a world- wide phenomenon with expansion of urban areas often resulting in the loss of prime farmland and undeveloped land. In the U.S. developed land increased by 50% in the last 25 years. Urbanization can result in the loss of soil carbon (C) as a result of the expansion of impermeable surfaces, degradation of soils during construction, and lack of management. Impermeable surfaces can cover 80% of the soil surface in high- density urban areas, with this value decreasing to 30% when the greater populated area is considered. However, several factors suggest that there is a potential to increase C storage in urban areas. Research has shown that intensive management of urban soils can result in higher C reserves than similar soils in rural areas. Recently the importance of green-space in urban areas for storm water management, as a means to counter the heat island effect, and for restoration of limited ecological function has been recognized. Urban areas also generate large quantities of organic residuals that can be used as soil amendments. Over half of yard wastes generated are currently land applied, with approximately 50% of municipal biosolids and 98% of food waste landfilled or incinerated. Land application these amendments will accelerate C storage and can also replace synthetic fertilizers. Long- term studies in Tacoma, Washington found that 19–81% of amendment added C persisted in soils 3–18 years after amendment addition. Based on a conservative estimate using this data, application of residuals to pervious surfaces in Tacoma would result in an annual C sequestration rate of 0.22 Mg C ha−1 year−1, similar to rates observed for no- till agriculture. Use of urban generated residuals offers a low impact and sustainable means to increase urban soil carbon reserves.