cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Loop Unrolling for Energy Efficiency in Low-Cost Field-Programmable Gate Arrays

Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are used for a wide variety of computations in low-cost embedded systems. Although these systems often have modest performance constraints, their energy consumption must typically be limited. Many FPGA applications employ repetitive loops that cannot be straightforwardly split into parallel computations. Performing a loop sequentially generally requires high-speed clocks that consume considerable clock power and sometimes require clock generation using a phase-locked loop (PLL). Loop unrolling addresses the high-speed clock issue, but its use often leads to significant combinational glitch power.In this work, a computer-aided design (CAD) approach that unrolls loops for designs targeted to low-cost FPGAs is described. Our approach considers latency constraints in an effort to minimize energy consumption for loop-based computation. To reduce glitch power, a glitch-filtering approach is introduced that provides a balance between glitch reduction and design performance. Glitch-filter enable signals are generated and routed to the filters using resources best suited to the target FPGA. Our approach automatically inserts glitch filters and associated control logic into a design prior to processing with FPGA synthesis, place, and route tools. Our energy-saving loop-unrolling approach has been evaluated using five benchmarks often used in low-cost FPGAs. The energy-saving capabilities of the approach have been evaluated for an Intel Cyclone IV and a Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA using board-level power measurement. The use of unrolling and glitch filtering is shown to reduce energy by at least 65% for an Artix-7 device and 50% for a Cyclone IV device while meeting design latency constraints.
Evolution of the Intensive Care Unit Telemedicine Value Proposition

Advances in clinical information sciences, telecommunication technologies, electronic health records, early warning systems, automated acuity assessment, and clinician communication support systems have allowed current-generation intensive care (ICU) telemedicine systems to address the inefficiencies of the failed advice-upon-request ICU telemedicine model. Value is related to the ability of health care systems to leverage ICU telemedicine resources to provide care. Local financial benefits of ICU telemedicine program implementation depend on changing behavior to better focus on activities that reduce the duration of critical illness and length of stay.
Monkey B virus

B virus (Cercopithecine herpesvirus 1, herpesviridae), an alphaherpesvirus endemic in macaque monkeys, has the unique distinction of being the only one of nearly 35 identified non-human primate herpesviruses that is highly pathogenic in humans. B virus has been positively linked with more than two dozen human deaths since the first report describing it in 1933, five of those in the last 12 years, following exposures involving macaques in during acute B virus infection. B virus, unique among the non-human herpesviruses, is included in this volume because it is distinctively neurotropic and neurovirulent in the foreign human host inadvertently exposed by handling macaque monkeys generally used in biomedical research. Untreated B virus infections in humans result in an extremely high mortality rate (∼80%) and, consequently, present unique and potentially lethal challenges for individuals handling macaque monkeys or macaque cells and tissues. Infection in humans is associated with breach of primary skin or mucosal defenses and subsequent contamination of the site with virus from a macaque or cells or tissues harvested from this animal. Fomites, contaminated particulates or surfaces, can serve as source of virus as well. In one case, human-to-human transmission was reported and attributed to a shared tube of medication which resulted in contamination at a broken skin site with cream used to treat another patient’s bite wound. Later, the same patient autoincoculated one eye during manipulation of a contact lens. In 28 zoonotic cases occurring during the 1980s and 1990s out a total of 46 documented cases confirmed since 1933, 80% have survived infection with the advent of antiviral therapies in contrast to 80% mortality reported in untreated patients. Timely antiviral intervention is an effective means of reducing B virus-associated morbidity and preventing a fatal outcome.
Arthritis diagnosis and early-life exposure to air pollution

Abstract Objectives Evaluate the relationship between arthritis diagnosis in those over 50 and exposure to extreme air pollution in utero or infancy ( Methods Compare rates of arthritis diagnosis between groups that experienced differential air pollution exposure in early-life due to quasi-random variation in birth location and date relative to the 1952 Great Smog in London. We use regression-estimated difference-in-differences analyses based on English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA) data. Results In the 2816 respondent sample, aged 51–62, the arthritis diagnosis rate is 22.8%, with 16.4% reporting osteoarthritis and 4.6% reporting rheumatoid arthritis. We estimate that exposure to the Great Smog in infancy increases the arthritis diagnosis rate by 23.4 percentage points (95% CI: 1.97 to 44.8). Decomposing these results by type of arthritis reveals that the rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis rate increases due to infant exposure are larger and more significant than those for osteoarthritis: 14.9 percentage points (95% CI: 0.495 to 29.4) versus 9.5 percentage points (95% CI: −11.9 to 30.8). In utero exposure is not associated with significant increases in arthritis diagnosis rates. Conclusions Our results are the first to link early-life air pollution exposure to later-life arthritis diagnoses, and suggest a particularly strong link for RA. These findings are consistent with those of shorter-term, correlational studies, and indicate that health effects of air pollution exposure can span decades and extend beyond cardiopulmonary systems.
Revisiting the Growth Mechanism of Hierarchical Semiconductor Nanostructures: The Role of Secondary Nucleation in Branch Formation

Although there have been advances in synthesizing hierarchical semiconductor materials, few studies have investigated the fundamental nucleation mechanisms to explain the origins of such complex structures. Resolving these nucleation and growth pathways is technically challenging but critical for developing predictive synthetic capabilities for the synthesis and application of new materials. In this Letter, we use state-of-the-art in situ liquid phase scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy in a combination with classical density functional theory (cDFT) to study the nucleation of highly branched wurtzite ZnO nanostructures via a facile, room-temperature aqueous synthesis route. Using a range of precursor concentrations, we systematically vary the hierarchical organization of these nanostructures. In situ liquid phase SEM demonstrates that all branches form through secondary nucleation and grow by classical processes. Neither random aggregation nor oriente...
Indian = Hindu? The Development of Nationalist Attitudes Among Hindu and Muslim Children in India

Many political movements across the world today define citizenship in exclusionary ethnic or religious terms. This study extends research on ethnic?national associations in adults to children, adding to the relatively sparse literature on the development of national associations in children and in nonwestern contexts. Explicit and implicit religious?national associations were examined in a sample of 160 nine- to sixteen-year-olds (79 Hindu; 81 Muslim) in Gujarat, India. Results suggest that while Hindu children show a strong Indian = Hindu association by age 9, Muslim children appear to be buffered from this association. Furthermore, this association uniquely predicts variance in children?s attitudes about social policy and their concept of nationality, above and beyond their age, religion, and intergroup attitudes.
Preparation and Execution of the InSight Instrument Deployment Phase

The NASA InSight lander arrived at Mars on November 26, 2018 on a unique science mission to study the interior of the red planet. InSight's instrument suite is investigating the geophysical characteristics of Mars, providing a glimpse into the formation and evolution of the planet and other similar Earth-like terrestrial bodies. Upon landing, the mission entered the Instrument Deployment Phase (IDP) to survey, deploy, and install the SEIS, WTS, and HP3 elements onto the Martian surface. InSight is the first mission to robotically deploy and release payloads on another planet. The IDP spanned 52 tactical shifts over 87 sols as the team worked through unique challenges to characterize the workspace, prepare the robotic arm, deploy the payloads, and commission the instruments. This paper discusses the pre-landing and on-surface work that led to the deployment of the three surface elements and shares selected challenges and lessons learned. InSight has now entered the heat probe penetration and science monitoring phase for the remainder of its one Martian year (26 Earth month) prime mission.
The magnificent seven: Marine submerged precontact sites found by systematic geoarchaeology in the Americas

There are significant challenges to answering questions of Native American precontact history with data from sites in marine submerged continental shelf settings. We find seven published examples o...
Rate of Bone Mineral Density Testing and Subsequent Fracture-Free Interval After Distal Forearm Fracture in the Medicare Population.

Purpose Distal forearm fractures are prevalent among the Medicare population. Many patients who sustain these fractures have poor bone health and are at increased risk for subsequent fractures. We sought to determine the rate of bone mineral density (BMD) testing and subsequent fragility fracture-free interval after distal forearm fractures in the Medicare population. Methods We examined the 5% Medicare Standard Analytic File dataset using the PearlDiver Application from 2005 to 2014 to identify patients with distal forearm fractures based on International Classification of Diseases–Ninth Revision and Current Procedural Terminology codes. We queried these records to determine the incidence and timing of BMD testing after fracture and the number of patients who went on to hip or vertebral fractures. Survival curves were generated using Kaplan-Meier analysis with hip or vertebral fracture as the end point. Results A total of 37,473 patients with distal forearm fractures were identified who did not have BMD testing within the 2 years before fracture. Only 9,605 of this unscreened cohort underwent testing after the fracture (26%) and only 2,684 underwent testing within 6 months (7%). The patients least likely to be tested were males (9%), those aged over 85 years (12%), and those less than 65 years (22%). Twenty percent of these patients sustained a subsequent hip or vertebral fracture (n = 7,326). Patients who underwent testing after fracture had a longer fracture-free interval compared with patients without BMD testing (819 vs 579 days). When separated by sex and controlling for comorbidities, males with BMD testing had a worsened fracture-free interval whereas females had an improved fracture-free interval. Conclusions Bone mineral density testing is underused nationwide in patients sustaining distal forearm fractures despite current guidelines. Orthopedic surgeons should ensure proper testing of patients because this may be an important time point for intervention. Type of study/level of evidence Prognosis II.
Modulation of Metabolic Zonation of Glutamine Synthetase and Cytochrome P-4502E1 in Hepatic Fibrosis of Aged Cadavers

AIMS: Expression of glutamine synthetase (GS) and cytochrome P-4502E1 (CYP2E1) are notable physiological processes characterizing hepatic metabolic zonation. It is unknown whether liver fibrogenesis modulates GS zonation. CYP2E1 is upregulated in liver fibrogenesis. The present study evaluated metabolic zonation of GS and CYP2E1 in progressive stages of liver fibrosis and whether their expressions were correlated. Methods: 32 cadaveric livers (mean age, 84.8 ± 1.9) with minimal fibrosis, septal fibrosis, bridging fibrosis, incomplete cirrhosis and cirrhosis were studied. Consecutive paraffin sections were immunostained for GS or CYP2E1. GS-positive hepatocytes in perivenous and non-perivenous areas were presented as numbers per central vein and staining scores. Zonal distribution of CYP2E1 was scored. RESULTS: GS-positive hepatocytes increased as fibrosis progressed cumulating in a significantly higher count at the bridging fibrosis stage. The increase was primarily attributed to a greater perivenous hepatocyte GS expression with minor contribution from non-perivenous cells. There was a significantly higher incidence of GS immunoreactivity in the non-perivenous area at the bridging fibrosis stage. GS expression was variable in incomplete cirrhosis and negligible in cirrhosis. GS-positive cell numbers correlated with their staining scores. CYP2E1 zonation was centrilobular and midlobular and occasionally periportal. CYP2E1 immunoreactivity was diffuse in nodular hepatocytes of cirrhosis. Staining scores of GS and CYP2E1 were not correlated. CONCLUSIONS: Increased GS metabolic zonation may reflect a regenerative cellular response to liver injury caused by fibrosis and/or aging-related pathologies. While CYP2E1 expression shows little changes in fibrosis progression, it may have a role in effectuating aging-related hepatic pathologies.
Designing a Nonformal Open Online Learning Program That Encourages Participant-to-Content Interaction

Previous studies have focused on the scarcity of interactions between human beings in nonformal online learning. This design research study examined how individual factors, such as prior knowledge and learning goals impacted participant-to-content interaction in a nonformal open online learning program. Results of this study showed that participants’ self-perceived proficiency of prior knowledge significantly affected their interaction with the learning content. Strategies that may enhance the interaction in similar nonformal learning are also discussed.
Gating effects in Halobacterium halobium membrane transport.

The transport of Na(+) via an H(+)/Na(+) antiporter and of aspartate and serine via Na(+)/amino acid symport systems was studied in Halobacterium halobium cell envelope vesicles. Gradients for H(+) were produced by illuminating the bacteriorhodopsin-containing vesicles at different light intensities, and the rate and extent of Na(+) transport were followed as functions of the electrochemical potential difference for protons. The coupling of Na(+) and H(+) gradients suggested a translocation stoichiometry of 2H(+)/Na(+) for the antiporter. The rate of Na(+) transport increases steeply above a critical transmembrane electrochemical proton gradient, and since the electrical and the chemical potentials of H(+) at this threshold point vary with the experimental conditions, while the sum of these potentials is constant, it was concluded that the gating of the Na(+) transport is caused by the total electrochemical gradient.
Chapter 15 Somatosensory and visceral input to the hypothalamus and limbic system

Publisher Summary The central neural pathways that convey somatosensory and visceral information to the hypothalamus and limbic system are organized in a parallel fashion. Both somatosensory and visceral stimuli reach the hypothalamus through monosynaptic and polysynaptic pathways that share the same origins and terminations (for example, lateral hypothalamus and amygdala). For example, nociceptive information can reach the hypothalamus directly through the spinal cord and indirectly through the parabrachial nuclei, and visceral information can reach the hypothalamus directly through the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) and indirectly through the parabrachial nuclei or ventrolateral medulla. Functionally, it is possible that under certain conditions (for example, tissue-threatening nociceptive stimuli) monosynaptic pathways can serve to convey the information more rapidly, while polysynaptic pathways can mediate more general responses (for example, alertness, adaptation, aversiveness and plasticity) that are processed by limbic and cortical structures and take into consideration previous experience and attitude.
Regarding Pained Sympathy and Sympathy Pains: Reason, Morality, and Empathy in the Civil Adjudication of Pain

This Essay considers the legal propriety of the empathic responses of jurors to suffering plaintiffs. To that end, Part II first explicates the legal contours of a tension between what is experiential or physical (objective) and what is expressionistic or non-physical (subjective). This tension is a foundational jurisprudential concern in personal injury litigation because the subjective is seen to threaten the rule of law: the perceived primacy of reason and logic. Thus, this tension is also what the parties' attorneys seek to exploit and what the court seeks to constrain. Part III explores why an empathic identification is indeed a reasoned and moral response to pain, although it is this subjective response to pain that courts find most threatening. Not only do emotions such as empathy have cognitive and social roots, the anti-empathic Stoic philosophical tradition which informed the conception of the rule of law is incompatible with contemporary social conceptions of justice. Part IV shows how law incorporates subjectivity into personal injury litigation by creating an intensely moral consequence for plaintiffs who falsely claim to be in pain: the assignment of a malingering label. This Essay concludes in Part V that recognizing the relational connections made possible through the expression of pain is essential in a disjointed cultural present that is suffused by pain-full imagery.
Police Response to Residential Burglaries

Residential burglaries are important disruptions of the social order and may require special work on the part of the responding law enforcement officer. This study suggests that officers in some departments use crime scene processing as a form of remedial work or negative rite after especially serious breaches of the home as a private place and territory of the self. Controlling for the dollar value of the property loss, presence of suspect leads, and victim's race and insurance coverage, we found that officers in a southern sheriff's department were we likely to call in an evidence technician to dust for prints when victims lost objects typically regarded as markers of the self and when entry involved the use of force.
Mix-Network with stronger security

We consider a mix-network as a cryptographic primitive that provides anonymity. A mix-network takes as input a number of ciphertexts and outputs a random shuffle of the corresponding plaintexts. Common applications of mix-nets are electronic voting and anonymous network traffic. In this paper, we present a novel construction of a mix-network, which is based on shuffling ElGamal encryptions. Our scheme is the first mix-net to meet the strongest security requirements: it is robust and secure against chosen ciphertext attacks as well as against active attacks in the Universally Composable model. Our construction allows one to securely execute several mix-net instances concurrently, as well as to run multiple mix-sessions without changing a set of keys. Nevertheless, the scheme is efficient: it requires a linear work (in the number of input messages) per mix-server.
Sensor placement strategies for snow water equivalent (SWE) estimation in the American River basin

[1] A 11 year data set of spatially distributed snow water equivalent (SWE) was used to inform a quantitative, near-optimal sensor placement methodology for real-time SWE estimation in the American River basin of California. Rank-based clustering was compared with geographically based clustering (subbasin delineation) to determine the existence of stationary covariance structures within the overall SWE data set. The historical SWE data, at 500 × 500 m resolution, were split into 8 years of training and 3 years of validation data. Within each cluster, a quantitative sensor-placement algorithm, based on maximizing the metric of mutual information, was implemented and compared with random placement. Gaussian process models were then built from validation data points selected by the algorithm to evaluate the efficacy of each placement approach. Rank-based clusters remained stable interannually, suggesting that rankings of pixel-by-pixel SWE exhibit stationary features that can be exploited by a sensor-placement algorithm, yielding a 200 mm average root-mean-square error (RMSE) for 20 randomly selected sensing locations. This outperformed geographic and basin-wide placement approaches, which generated 460 and 290 mm RMSE, respectively. Mutual information-based sampling provided the best placement strategy, improving RMSE between 0 and 100 mm compared with random placements. Increasing the number of rank-based clusters consistently lowered average RMSE from 400 mm for 1 cluster to 175 mm for 8 clusters, for 20 total sensors placed. To optimize sensor placement, we recommend a strategy that couples rank-based clustering with mutual information-based sampling design.
Monitoring Water Pollution By Remote Sensing

Imaging remote sensing techniques can be effectively utilized as a water pollution monitoring tool if the advantages of imaging remote sensing as applied to other fields are understood as well as how electromagnetic energy reacts with water. The advantages of imaging remote sensing are that: (1) They provide an overall view at one instant of time; (2) they provide a detailed time record which provided means of detecting change with time; and (3) they can expand the limits of the human eye and sense where the eye cannot see. With regard to how electromagnetic energy reacts with water it appears that short wavelengths of UV and blue energy reflect from the surface without much penetration, while green energy penetrates to a maximum extent, and IR energy is absorbed by only a few inches of water.
Localization of 3-D Objects Having Complex Sculptured Surfaces Using Tactile Sensing and Surface Description

The presented method determines position and orientation of an object by minimizing the sum of the squared distances of the measurement points from the surface of the object with respect to the parameters of transformation. Tactile sensing by Coordinate Measurement Machine (CMM) has been used as the means of measurement
Complete blood count before and after total hip or knee arthroplasty.

PURPOSE. To validate our transfusion protocol based on pre- and post-operative complete blood count (CBC) data in patients undergoing primary total hip or knee arthroplasty (THA or TKA). METHODS. Records of 113 men and 205 women aged 32 to 94 (mean, 70) years who underwent primary uncemented THA (n=123) or cemented TKA (n=195) for osteoarthritis by 2 senior surgeons were reviewed. A post-surgical drain was used in 29 THA patients and 74 TKA patients, based on the surgeon's preference. CBC was assessed preoperatively, during postanaesthesia care, and at the beginning of postoperative days 1, 2, and 3 to determine their predictive power for transfusion rate. According to our transfusion protocol, blood was transfused when the haemoglobin (Hb) level was 150 g/l, the overall transfusion rates were 48.5%, 22.0%, and 4.3% based on the preoperative level; 32.6%, 7.6%, and 0% based on the postanaesthesia care level; and 28.9%, 8.3%, and 0% based on the day 1 level. The predictive power of the preoperative Hb level was highest, followed by that during postanaesthesia care and the on day 1. CONCLUSION. CBC during postanaesthesia care is no more predictive than preoperative CBC. Preoperative optimisation and close monitoring of the Hb level from day 1 to day 3 is recommended.
Positive predictive value of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System.

Abstract Background: The American College of Radiology has established guidelines for outcomes monitoring known as the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BIRADS). These recommendations include calculation of positive predictive values (PPV) and tracking of both benign and malignant histology. We collected this data for 688 radiographically guided biopsies and organized it according to the BIRADS assessment categories. The objective was to evaluate the contribution of the BIRAD System when used to stratify PPV, histology, and biopsy modality data according to the overall assessment rating. Study Design: This study included data from 688 image-guided biopsies. Mammographic studies were either assigned a BIRADS rating at the time of examination or, if the image was taken before our use of BIRADS, examined retrospectively and rated. In these retrospective cases, the histologic outcomes of the biopsy remained unknown to the radiologist until ratings were assigned. Positive predictive value was calculated for each BIRADS category. Results: The overall PPV for the sample was 0.23. The PPVs increased with increasing level of suspicion as follows: category 1 (0.0), category 2 (0.04), category 3 (0.03), category 4 (0.23), category 5 (0.92). Category 1 lesions represented 0.1% of the biopsies; category 2, 3.6%; category 3, 46.8%; category 4, 34.0%; and category 5, 15.4%. The most common histologic diagnoses of benign lesions biopsied were fibroadenoma and fibrocystic changes—proliferative and nonproliferative. The most common histologic diagnoses of malignant lesions biopsied were infiltrating ductal carcinoma and ductal carcinoma in situ. Utilization rates of the biopsy techniques varied by BIRADS category. Conclusions: Our study revealed that BIRADS does improve the quality of the risk assessment information by making the PPV more specific to a patient's mammogram rather than simply related to an overall PPV. Our histology analysis showed category 3 and category 4 benign biopsies were predominantly because of fibrocystic changes. Category 5 lesions were predominantly invasive ductal carcinoma. Analysis of biopsy modalities indicated the preferred method for management of radiographically detected lesions evolved from stereotactic core biopsy to directional, vacuum-assisted biopsy over the course of the study.
Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Are There Gender Differences in School Functioning?.

Few studies have comprehensively examined possible gender differences in the school functioning of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study investigated differences...
Thermocapillary Droplet Migration on an Inclined Solid Surface

Active control of the position of a liquid droplet on a solid surface is a crucial part in the design of discrete fluid management technology for microfluidic applications. One way to accomplish this control is to impose specially shaped thermal fields upon the droplet and/or the solid surface. The imposed temperature gradient produces a surface-tension-driven flow inside the droplet that forces the motion of the contact line. When the imposed temperature gradient is large enough, this motion causes the droplet to migrate in the direction of decreasing temperature. In this paper, a detailed lubrication theory is presented that describes this internal flow and the subsequent contact-line motion in a thin droplet. Results are presented to show that this technique can be used to drive a droplet up an inclined solid surface against the force of gravity.
High-resolution 1H-MRSI of the brain using SPICE: Data acquisition and image reconstruction

Purpose To develop data acquisition and image reconstruction methods to enable high-resolution 1H MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) of the brain, using the recently proposed subspace-based spectroscopic imaging framework called SPICE (SPectroscopic Imaging by exploiting spatiospectral CorrElation). Theory and Methods SPICE is characterized by the use of a subspace model for both data acquisition and image reconstruction. For data acquisition, we propose a novel spatiospectral encoding scheme that provides hybrid data sets for determining the subspace structure and for image reconstruction using the subspace model. More specifically, we use a hybrid chemical shift imaging /echo-planar spectroscopic imaging sequence for two-dimensional (2D) MRSI and a dual-density, dual-speed echo-planar spectroscopic imaging sequence for three-dimensional (3D) MRSI. For image reconstruction, we propose a method that can determine the subspace structure and the high-resolution spatiospectral reconstruction from the hybrid data sets generated by the proposed sequences, incorporating field inhomogeneity correction and edge-preserving regularization. Results Phantom and in vivo brain experiments were performed to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. For 2D MRSI experiments, SPICE is able to produce high-SNR spatiospectral distributions with an approximately 3 mm nominal in-plane resolution from a 10-min acquisition. For 3D MRSI experiments, SPICE is able to achieve an approximately 3 mm in-plane and 4 mm through-plane resolution in about 25 min. Conclusion Special data acquisition and reconstruction methods have been developed for high-resolution 1H-MRSI of the brain using SPICE. Using these methods, SPICE is able to produce spatiospectral distributions of 1H metabolites in the brain with high spatial resolution, while maintaining a good SNR. These capabilities should prove useful for practical applications of SPICE. Magn Reson Med, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Aberrant DNA Methylation of Phosphodiestarase 4D Alters Airway Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotypes

Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is a hallmark feature in asthma characterized by exaggerated airway contractile response to stimuli due to increased airway sensitivity and chronic airway remodeling. We have previously shown that allergen-induced AHR in mice is associated with aberrant DNA methylation in the lung genome, suggesting that AHR could be epigenetically regulated, and these changes might predispose the animals to asthma. Previous studies demonstrated that overexpression of phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D) is associated with increased AHR. However, epigenetic regulation of this gene in asthmatic airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) has not been examined. In this study, we aimed to examine the relationship between epigenetic regulation of PDE4D and ASMC phenotypes. We identified CpG site-specific hypomethylation at PDE4D promoter in human asthmatic ASMCs. We next used methylated oligonucleotides to introduce CpG site-specific methylation at PDE4D promoter and examined its effect on ASMCs. We showed that PDE4D methylation decreased cell proliferation and migration of asthmatic ASMCs. We further elucidated that methylated PDE4D decreased PDE4D expression in asthmatic ASMCs, increased cAMP level, and inhibited the aberrant increase in Ca(2+) level. Moreover, PDE4D methylation reduced the phosphorylation level of downstream effectors of Ca(2+) signaling, including myosin light chain kinase and p38. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that gene-specific epigenetic changes may predispose ASMCs to asthma through alterations in cell phenotypes. Modulation of ASMC phenotypes by methylated PDE4D oligonucleotides can reverse the aberrant ASMC functions to normal phenotypes. This has provided new insight to the development of novel therapeutic options for this debilitative disease.
Structural studies of murine I-E and human DR antigens.

Abstract The structures of murine I-E antigens from two strains of mice were compared to each other and to human DR antigens. Murine and human antigens were isolated by using allo- and xenoantiserum, respectively, and purified by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The murine I-E and human DR antigens consist of two polypeptide chains designated α and β. The E α and DR α chains display a high degree of amino acid sequence homology as do the E β and DR β chains, provided a gap is inserted at position 1 of the DR β chain. Comparison of N-terminal sequences reveals several differences between the β chains of I-E antigens from the two strains of mice. In contrast no sequence differences between the two α chains are observed. In addition, comparison of tryptic peptides examined by isoelectrofocusing reveals several differences between the two E β chains, but not between the two E α chains. Thus, the polymorphism of murine I-E antigens and by analogy human DR antigens, may result from structural differences in the smaller (β) chain.
A new approach to the correlation of boundary layer mass transfer rates with thermal diffusion and/or variable properties

A rational approach to the correlation of boundary layer mass transport rates, applicable to many commonly encountered laminar flow conditions with thermal diffusion and/or variable properties, is outlined. The correlation scheme builds upon already available constant property blowing/suction solutions by introducing appropriate correction factors to account for the additional ('pseudo' blowing and source) effects identified with variable properties and thermal diffusion. Applications of the scheme to the particular laminar boundary layer mass transfer problems considered herein (alkali and transition metal compound vapor transport) indicates satisfactory accuracy up to effective blowing factors equivalent to about one third of the 'blow off' value. As a useful by-product of the variable property correlation, we extend the heat-mass transfer analogy, for a wide range of Lewis numbers, to include variable property effects.
Poliomyelitis in the newborn infant.

Summary During the four years, 1949 to 1952, five cases of acute paralytic poliomyelitis in newborn infants occurred in New York City. The histories of four of these cases are presented. The fifth case was previously reported by Johnson and Stimson. 6 There were two deaths. During the same span of years, 4,884 cases of poliomyelitis were reported to the department of health. The incidence of manifest poliomyelitis during the neonatal period was therefore about 0.1 per cent. Three of the mothers had poliomyelitis; one on the day of delivery; one, two days prior to delivery; and one, two days after delivery. The chance of developing poliomyelitis in the neonatal period appears to be greater among infants born to mothers with poliomyelitis. Transmission of infection may possibly occur in utero.
Microstructure and mechanical properties of IBAD niobium films on sapphire substrates

Abstract The effect of ion bombardment during film deposition on the microstructure, surface morphology, residual stress, hardness and interfacial fracture energy was determined for Nb films on sapphire substrates. In the present study, niobium films of nominal thickness 100 nm were deposited on (0001) sapphire substrates by Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) and by Ion Beam Assisted Deposition (IBAD) at an ion energy E = 1000 eV and an ion-to-atom arrival rate ratio R = 0.4. The microstructures of the PVD and IBAD films were very similar, but the IBAD film had a much rougher surface. Ion bombardment also changed the residual stress state from tensile (224 MPa) for the PVD film to compressive (−400 MPa) for the IBAD film. The IBAD film had a lower hardness (5.7 GPa) than the PVD film (10.9 GPa) as determined by nanoindentation. An attempt was made to measure the fracture energy of both the PVD niobium-sapphire and IBAD niobium-sapphire interfaces by scratch test and nanoindentation. The PVD sample failed in a brittle manner in both tests and interfacial fracture energies were able to be estimated. By contrast, the IBAD sample failed in a ductile manner in both tests, precluding the determination of the interfacial fracture energy.
Three decades of hyperspectral remote sensing of the Earth: a personal view.

Imaging spectrometry, or hyperspectral imaging as it is now called, has had a long history of development and measured acceptance by the scientific community. The impetus for the development of imaging spectrometry came in the 1970's from field spectral measurements in support of Landsat-1 data analysis. Progress required developments in electronics, computing and software throughout the 1980's and into the 1990's before a larger segment of the Earth observation community would embrace the technique. The hardware development took place at NASA/JPL beginning with the Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) in 1983. The airborne visible/infrared imaging spectrometer (AVIRIS) followed in 1987 and has proved to this day to be the prime provider of high-quality hyperspectral data for the scientific community. Other critical elements for the exploitation of this data source have been software, primarily ENVI, and field spectrometers such as those produced by Analytical Spectral Devices Inc. In addition, atmospheric correction algorithms have made it possible to reduce sensor radiance to spectral reflectance, the quantity required in all remote sensing applications. The applications cover the gambit of disciplines in Earth observations of the land and water. The further exploitation of hyperspectral imaging on a global basis awaits the launch of a high performance imaging spectrometer and more researchers with sufficient resources to take advantage of the vast information content inherent in the data.
Development of Pseudomorphic Structure in Ge Films Deposited on Si(100) at Low Temperatures

We have studied the structure of 1 to 10 monolayer (ML) Ge films grown at room temperature on Si(100)−(2×1). Using transmission ion channeling spectroscopy, we have uncovered the first evidence for pseudomorphic structure in these films, contradicting the widely-held belief of amorphous growth at temperatures below 500 K. A model is proposed in which pseudomorphic domains constitute roughly half of the Ge films up to a critical thickness (~4 ML), after which strain is relieved through defect introduction. Several of the films grown at room temperature were subsequently annealed for 20 min. at fixed temperatures ranging from 450 K to 790 K. A marked improvement in the epitaxial quality of the films is observed upon annealing that is consistent with growth proceeding from existing pseudomorphic domains.
Epitopes for human CD4+ cells on diphtheria toxin: structural features of sequence segments forming epitopes recognized by most subjects

The sequence regions of diphtheria toxin (DTX) recognized by CD4+ T cells of seven healthy humans of different major histocompatibility complex haplotypes were identified. Overlapping synthetic peptides, screening the DTX sequence, were used to test in proliferation assays unselected blood CD4+ cells, or DTX-specific CD4+ lines propagated by stimulation with DTX of blood mononuclear cells. Blood CD4+ cells and DTX-specific CD4+ lines gave consistent results. Although each subject had an individual pattern of peptide recognition, six peptide sequences (residues 271-290, 321-340, 331-350, 351-370, 411-430 and 431-450) were recognized by all subjects. In the native DTX molecule, these sequence regions are flanked by sequence loops exposed on the DTX surface. They overlap uncharged segments of the DTX sequence. These structural properties may be general requirements for immunodominance in CD4+ cell sensitization in humans.
Network flow-based strategies for identifying rail park-and-ride facility locations

Abstract Many cities are considering introducing or expanding rail service in an effort to diversify their modal splits. Park-and-rides are integral to this strategy because they represent private auto users’ access points to the system. Proper placement of such facilities is a strategic location decision, as it can conceivably decrease vehicular traffic on congested roadways while benefiting users. This paper models the decision to locate park-and-ride facilities in a network flow-based framework. From this perspective, optimal placement occurs at locations where vehicles will encounter facilities early during their journeys to a centralized area or major activity center. Locating park-and-rides in this fashion maximizes the chances of removing users from the network. These elements are demonstrated in three hypothetical placement scenarios that make use of synthetic network and traffic flow data. Results illustrate the functionality of our approach for identifying park-and-ride candidate locations. Lastly, implications of our work are discussed in light of broader planning concerns and practical demands on rail facility location.
Applications of grain‐pivoting and sliding analyses to selective entrapment of gravel and to flow‐competence evaluations

Models of sediment threshold by grain pivoting or sliding over underlying particles are examined in order to explore their application to evaluations of selective entrainment of gravel by flowing water. Of special interest is whether such process-based models provide satisfactory evaluations of flow competence and the movement of large clasts by floods. A detailed derivation is undertaken, focusing first on the fluid flow and forces at the particle level. The resulting threshold equation for the particle-level velocity is then modified to yield the mean entrainment stress for the flow as a whole. This approach is appropriate for considerations of selective entrainment of grains of varying sizes within a deposit, the sorting being due to their relative projection distances above the bed and the dependence of their pivoting angles on grain size and shape. The resulting threshold equations contain a number of coefficients (e.g. drag and lift) whose values are poorly known, but can be constrained by requiring agreement with the Shields curve for the threshold of grains in uniform deposits. If pivoting coefficients based on laboratory measurements with tetrahedral arrangements of particles are used in the models, smaller degrees of selective sorting are predicted than found in the field measurements of gravel entrainment. However, if reasonable modifications of those coefficients are made for expected field conditions, then the models yield good agreement with the data. Sliding models, where sorting is due entirely to projection distances of the grains above the bed, yield somewhat poorer agreement with the field data; however, the sliding models may have support from laboratory experiments on gravel entrainment in that the data and theoretical curves have similar concave trends. The existing measurements lack documentation of the mechanisms of grain movement, so it is not possible to conclusively determine the relative importance of grain pivoting versus sliding. In spite of such uncertainties, the results are encouraging and it is concluded that pivoting and sliding models for grain entrainment do have potential for field computations of selective entrainment and flow competence.
SYSTEMATICS OF THE ZYGNEMATACEAE (CHLOROPHYCEAE). III. TRANSEAU COLLECTION OF THE ZYGNEMATACEAE: AN OLD COLLECTION WITH MODERN USES

Edgar Nelson Transeau, botanist-ecologist-phycologist, accumulated a worldwide collection of algal specimens for the compilation of a monograph on the algal family Zygnemataceae, published in 1951. Following his death on January 26, 1960 this Collection remained at The Ohio State University, Columbus until 1978 when it was transferred to the University of Arizona, Tucson. A set of glycerine-preserved specimens on microscope slides is the major item of the Collection with the number of species represented as follows: Spirogyra (138), Mougeotia (52), Zygnema (45), Zygnemopsis (16), Sirogonium (9), Debarya (9), Zygogonium (4), Mougeotiopsis (1) and Entransia (1). All specimens of Pleurodiscus, Sirocladium, Temnogametum and Temnogyra are unidentified. With the Transeau Collection it was demonstrated that an old collection need not be an historical relic, but does have continued usefulness. Potential future use is a powerful justification for maintaining seemingly useless collections whose accumulation often represents the expenditure of untold time, effort and money on the part of many persons and institutions worldwide. Further, as man continues to alter his environment and species are destroyed, collections with long histories become increasingly more valuable. Specimens of the Transeau Collection were subjected to modern techniques, not available earlier, resulting in improved characterization of zygospore-wall structure by scanning electron microscopy and the determination of nuclear DNA by cytofluorometry.
Material flow and microstructure in the friction stir butt welds of the same and dissimilar aluminum alloys

The material flow and microstructural evolution in the friction stir welds of a 6061-Al alloy to itself and of a 6061-Al alloy to 2024-Al alloy plates of 12.7 mm in thickness were studied under different welding conditions. The results showed that plastic deformation, flow, and mechanical mixing of the material exhibit distinct asymmetry characteristics at both sides of the same and dissimilar welds. The microstructure in dissimilar 6061-Al/2024-Al welds is significantly different from that in the welds of a 6061-Al alloy to itself. Vortex-like structures featured by the concentric flow lines for a weld of 6061-Al alloy to itself, and alternative lamellae with different alloy constituents for a weld of 6061-Al to 2024-Al alloy, are attributed to the stirring action of the threaded tool, in situ extrusion, and traverse motion along the welding direction. The mutual mixing in the dissimilar metal welds is intimate and far from complete. However, the bonding between the two Al-alloys is clearly complete. Three different regions in the nugget zone of dissimilar 6061-Al/2024-Al welds are classified by the mechanically mixed region (MMR) characterized by the relatively dispersed particles of different alloy constituents, the stirring-induced plastic flow region (SPFR) consisting of alternative vortex-like lamellae of the two Al-alloys, and the unmixed region (UMR) consisting of fine equiaxed grains of the 6061-Al alloy. Within all of these three regions, the material is able to withstand a very high degree of plastic deformation due to the presence of dynamic recovery or recrystallization of the microstructure. The degree of material mixing, the thickness of the deformed Al-alloy lamellae, and the material flow patterns depend on the related positions in the nugget zone and the processing parameters. Distinct fluctuations of hardness are found to correspond to the microstructural changes throughout the nugget zone of dissimilar welds.
Sporadic formation of slope streaks on Mars

Abstract Slope streaks are a form of gravity-driven mass-movements that frequently occur on Mars today. The cause of slope streak formation remains unclear; both, dry and wet processes have been suggested. Here, we observationally constrain the time of the year during which slope streaks form. Imagery from four Mars-orbiting cameras is mined to identify locations that have been imaged repeatedly, and the overlapping images are surveyed for streak activity. A search algorithm automatically finds the locations on the surface that have been imaged most often based on a graph representation. Dark slope streaks are found to form sporadically throughout the Mars year. At one study site in the Olympus Mons Aureole, observations constrain slope streak formation to at least five distinct time intervals within a single Mars year. New slope streaks form spatially isolated or in small groups within a few kilometers of one another. The observations suggest that slope streak triggering is unrelated to season and not caused by any large regional events. Most slope streaks are caused by sporadic events of small spatial extent.