cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lessons From the Maafa: Rethinking the Legacy of Slain Hip-Hop Icon Tupac Amaru Shakur

The culture of hip-hop and the legacy of some artists have received much criticism during the past two decades. At the center of that controversy is one artist who is never forgotten, for better or worse, Tupac Amaru Shakur. Although the legacy of Tupac looms large in urban centers around the world among the popular culture of youth, there has been little attention paid to him as a central figure in the professional literature. This article explores his life and lyrics, placing his contributions and struggles on a cycle of the Maat, Maafa, Sankofa paradigm, challenging critics to rethink his legacy.
Numerical simulation of finite-amplitude thermal convection with large viscosity variation in axisymmetric spherical geometry: Effect of mechanical boundary conditions

Abstract Finite-difference numerical simulations of finite amplitude thermal convection with large viscosity variations in an axisymmetric sphere and spherical shells have been carried out. The mathematical formulation and numerical schemes are described in detail. Effects of the mechanical boundary conditions on the steady state solutions have been investigated. Results show that flows are strongly dependent on the mechanical boundary condition at the outer surface and relatively insensitive to the core boundary condition in the case of spherical shells. A shear stress free condition results in the upward concentration of convection flow, while a no-slip condition tends to push the flow towards the deeper interior. Numerical results obtained in this study imply that mantle convection within the Moon, Mercury and Mars is probably confined at depth because of the lack of horizontal surface tectonic activity on these three planets. However, mantle convection within the Earth probably concentrates near the surface because plate tectonics are active.
Doppler-assisted percutaneous angiography

The Doppler ultrasonic blood velocity detector was used to determine the location and patency of non-palpable femoral and brachial arteries, facilitating their percutaneous puncture. This technique was used to achieve a more optimal demonstration of the peripheral circulation distal to aorto-iliac occlusive disease as well as for retrograde catheter angiography of vascular beds distal to more central stenoses or occlusions. This technique may also aid in percutaneous puncture for emergency angiography in hypotensive patients, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, or femoral vein punctures.
Credentialing of substance abuse counselors: a field evaluation.

Credentialing drug abuse counselors has been an increasing priority in state substance abuse programs aiming to establish minimal levels of competency in service providers. Current efforts by the State of Michigan to develop, implement, and evaluate three levels of credentials are reported from field test results. Candidates earning the “Apprentice-Counselor Credential” must pass a written examination based entirely on study objectives in an educational manual containing introductory information about pharmacology, treatment process, and client rights. Demographics of this candidate sample (counselors, students, and clients) are discussed in comparison to test score results. Qualified candidates were from different regional locations around Michigan and voluntarily participated in the field evaluation hoping to earn their credential before it was officially available. Phases in the evaluatory process involving preparation of manual, test construction, item analysis, and methodological concerns are elabora...
Synthesis of nanoporous zirconium oxophosphate and application for removal of U(VI).

Abstract Uniformly arrayed zirconium-phosphate nanoporous material was synthesized, characterized, and used as an adsorbent for removal of U(VI) in a NaNO 3 solution with varying background conditions including pH, ionic strength, U(VI) concentrations, and carbonate concentrations. Batch U(VI) adsorption results showed that U(VI) adsorption reached steady-state condition within 48 h, and all the dissolved U(VI) (10 −6 M) was removed by this material at neutral pH and closed conditions to atmospheric CO 2 (g). The U(VI) adsorption followed a traditional Langmuir adsorption isotherm, and the distribution coefficient ( K d ) calculated from the linear region of the Langmuir isotherm was 105,000 mL g −1 . Because this phosphate-bearing nanoporous material exhibits high thermal stability and has a very high K d value, it can be applied as an efficient adsorbent for removing U(VI) from various contaminated waste streams, such as those present at the US Department of Energy defense sites and the proposed geologic radioactive waste disposal facility at Yucca Mountain in Nevada.
Human Error in ATC System Operations

Air traffic control (ATC) system errors rarely occur in today's system. ATC-related aircraft accidents are even rarer events. Nevertheless, more than 90% of all the system errors that do occur stem...
Mobile Training in the Real World for Community Disaster Responders

This paper describes the design and initial evaluation of a mobile application for training Community Emergency Response Teams. Our goal is to model the kind of remediation and performance support provided in high-end eLearning systems, and provide it during hands-on learning in the real world, using mobile phones and sensors embedded in the environment. Thus far we have designed the learning system and tested it with real users, simulating sensor-based activity recognition using an Android-based Wizard of Oz system that we have developed. Our initial user tests found that users were able to use the system to complete tasks, including some that they had never done before. They had little difficulty understanding the interaction mechanism, and overall reacted positively to the system. Though learner reaction was generally positive, these user tests yielded important feedback about ways we can better manage the division between the real world and the digital world.
SPFP: Speed without compromise—A mixed precision model for GPU accelerated molecular dynamics simulations

Abstract A new precision model is proposed for the acceleration of all-atom classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on graphics processing units (GPUs). This precision model replaces double precision arithmetic with fixed point integer arithmetic for the accumulation of force components as compared to a previously introduced model that uses mixed single/double precision arithmetic. This significantly boosts performance on modern GPU hardware without sacrificing numerical accuracy. We present an implementation for NVIDIA GPUs of both generalized Born implicit solvent simulations as well as explicit solvent simulations using the particle mesh Ewald (PME) algorithm for long-range electrostatics using this precision model. Tests demonstrate both the performance of this implementation as well as its numerical stability for constant energy and constant temperature biomolecular MD as compared to a double precision CPU implementation and double and mixed single/double precision GPU implementations.
A new taxonomy of routing algorithms for wireless mobile ad hoc networks: the component approach

Over the past decade, wireless multihop ad hoc networks have received a tremendous amount of research focus, at the core of which lies the design problem for efficient routing algorithms to meet various scenarios and applications. The axiom, "one size doesn't fit all," continues to stand firmly to this day. In light of this, we introduce a new routing design concept - the component approach. We examine existing routing protocols and break them down into smaller building blocks, namely, routing components. The component analysis and classification results show that most routing protocols can be functionally decomposed into several basic routing components. This fact indicates that it is feasible to design a component-based routing (CBR) protocol. With a different realization for each basic routing component, it is expected that the routing behavior of CBR can be tailored to different application profiles and time-varying environment parameters at a reasonable cost
How Parents of Children Receiving Pediatric Palliative Care Use Religion, Spirituality, or Life Philosophy in Tough Times

Abstract Background: How parents of children with life threatening conditions draw upon religion, spirituality, or life philosophy is not empirically well described. Methods: Participants were pare...
Trade-offs between soil-based functions in wetlands restored with soil amendments of differing lability

Soil amendments have been proposed as a means to speed the development of plant and soil processes that contribute to water quality, habitat, and biodiversity functions in restored wetlands. However, because natural wetlands often act as significant methane sources, it remains unknown if amendments will also stimulate emissions of this greenhouse gas from restored wetlands. In this study, we investigated the potential trade-offs of incorporating soil amendments into wetland restoration methodology. We used controlled field-scale manipulations in four recently restored depressional freshwater wetlands in western New York, USA to investigate the impact that soils amended with organic materials have on water-quality functions and methane production in the first three years of development. Results showed that amendments, topsoil in particular, were effective for stimulating the development of a suite of biological (microbial biomass increased by 106% and respiration by 26%) and physicochemical (cation exchange capacity increased by 10%) soil properties indicative of water-quality functions. Furthermore, increases in microbial biomass and activity lasted for a significantly longer period of time (years instead of days) than studies examining less recalcitrant amendments. However, amended plots also had 20% times higher potential net methane production than control plots three years after restoration. Wetlands restoration projects are implemented to achieve a variety of goals, commonly including habitat provision, biodiversity, and water-quality functions, but also carbon sequestration, flood abatement, cultural heritage and livelihood preservation, recreation, education, and others. Projects should strive to achieve their specific goals while also evaluating the potential tradeoffs between wetland functions.
Effects of topiramate on urge to drink and the subjective effects of alcohol: a preliminary laboratory study.

Background: Topiramate was recently reported to be efficacious in reducing drinking rates and craving among individuals with alcohol dependence in a randomized controlled trial, but dose effects could not be determined. This laboratory study systematically examined the dose-dependent effects of topiramate on cue-elicited craving and other putative mechanisms of its pharmacotherapeutic effects on drinking. Methods: Male and female heavy drinkers (n = 61) were randomized to 1 of 3 medication conditions (200 mg/d; 300 mg/d; placebo) in a double-blind study. Participants reached the target dose after a 32-day titration period, then were stabilized for approximately 1 week. All then participated in a laboratory assessment of alcohol cue reactivity and of the subjective effects of a moderate dose of alcohol. Results: Both doses of topiramate reduced the frequency of heavy drinking during the titration period as compared to placebo. However, topiramate did not affect self-reported craving for alcohol during the titration period, during the cue reactivity protocol, or in response to the alcohol challenge procedure. Topiramate reduced the stimulating effects of alcohol ingestion compared to placebo, but only in the 200 mg group. Conclusions: The results of this study support previous findings that topiramate reduces drinking, but the behavioral mechanism underlying this effect does not appear to be attenuation of craving for alcohol as measured using the approaches employed in this study. Rather, the results tentatively suggest that topiramate may exert its beneficial effects by altering the subjective experiences of alcohol consumption. Limitations of the current study are discussed and complementary methods are recommended for future studies, such as the use of behavioral economic paradigms and ecological momentary assessment.
A Miniature Robot for Autonomous Single Neuron Recordings

This paper describes a novel miniature robot that can autonomously position recording electrodes inside cortical tissue to isolate and maintain optimal extracellular action potential recordings. The system consists of a novel motorized miniature recording microdrive and a control algorithm. The microdrive was designed for semi-chronic operation and can independently position four electrodes with micron precision over a 5mm range using small (3mm diameter) piezoelectric linear actuators. The autonomous positioning algorithm is designed to detect, align and cluster action potentials, and then command the microdrive to optimize and maintain the neural signal. This system is shown to be capable of autonomous operation in monkey cortex.
Teaching English language learner students in US mainstream schools: Intersections of language, pedagogy, and power

This study explored to what extent two groups of mainstream teachers in the Midwestern region of the USA with differing degrees of English language learner‐specific university preparation reportedly engaged in practices that incorporated the native languages of English language learner students in instruction. The study further examined specific strategies reported by mainstream teachers in promoting native language use in instruction as well as challenges identified in implementing this practice. The study used a mixed‐method design that included analyses of survey data from a quantitative study (n = 227) and qualitative analyses of teacher discourse from course documents and open‐ended survey questions. Findings indicated that while both groups of teachers reportedly engaged in practices that promoted native language use in instruction to some extent, teachers with at least three courses of English language learner‐specific university preparation appeared to engage in these practices to a much greater e...
Spectral measurements from 1.6 micro to 5.4 micro of natural surfaces and clouds.

Spectrometer measurements made from jet aircraft and Nimbus II satellite of reflected solar and emitted thermal radiation from earth from 1.6 to 5.4 microns
On the achievable average power reduction of MSM optical signals

In this letter, we consider the achievable average power reduction of multiple subcarrier modulated optical signals by using optimized reserved carriers. Based on Nehari's result we present a lower bound for the maximum average power of the signal after adding the reserved carriers. Simulations show that the mean value of the average required power behaves very close to /spl radic/(2nloglogn) for binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) constellations where n is the number of subcarriers. We further remark on evaluating optimum values for reserved carriers using convex optimization and Nehari's result.
Identification of deleterious mutations within three human genomes

Each human carries a large number of deleterious mutations. Together, these mutations make a significant contribution to human disease. Identification of deleterious mutations within individual genome sequences could substantially impact an individual’s health through personalized prevention and treatment of disease. Yet, distinguishing deleterious mutations from the massive number of nonfunctional variants that occur within a single genome is a considerable challenge. Using a comparative genomics data set of 32 vertebrate species we show that a likelihood ratio test (LRT) can accurately identify a subset of deleterious mutations that disrupt highly conserved amino acids within protein-coding sequences, which are likely to be unconditionally deleterious. The LRT is also able to identify known human disease alleles and performs as well as two commonly used heuristic methods, SIFT and PolyPhen. Application of the LRT to three human genomes reveals 796–837 deleterious mutations per individual, ;40% of which are estimated to be at <5% allele frequency. However, the overlap between predictions made by the LRT, SIFT, and PolyPhen, is low; 76% of predictions are unique to one of the three methods, and only 5% of predictions are shared across all three methods. Our results indicate that only a small subset of deleterious mutations can be reliably identified, but that this subset provides the raw material for personalized medicine. [Supplemental material is available online at http://www.genome.org.]
Response surface methodologies for the design of induction machine self-sensing rotor position saliencies

Response surface methodologies are useful in the design and analysis of induction machine self-sensing rotor position or saturation-induced saliencies. These methodologies allow for the capture of interactive effects among independent design variables and the minimization of the number of simulations required to characterize the behavior of a saliency. The influence of three independent design variables on two rotor position saliencies was investigated. The two saliency types were rotor bridge opening width modulation and rotor bridge opening height modulation. A Box-Behnken response surface methodology was used to create a series of induction machine finite element models for each saliency type. Empirical models of saliency harmonic magnitudes as a function of the independent design variables were determined.
Physiological arousal and reactions to outgroup members during competitions that implicate an important social identity

Exposure to sports competitions, especially those involving violence, can elevate physiological arousal, potentially setting the stage for transforming hostile inclinations into aggressive behavior. Personality and cognitive factors that influence the interpretation given to such competitions may influence the impact of these events. The effects of exposure to a sporting competition that had high or low importance for subjects' social identity on pre- to post-film blood pressure and evaluations of outgroups were examined. Aggression may be particularly likely when arousal levels are elevated, and such arousal was expected to be determined by the importance of the identity at stake, regardless of the outcome of the competition. Individuals who were either strongly identified with America or were less identified viewed a boxing match where the American athlete lost the competition (and the Russian contestant won), or the Russian athlete lost (and the American won). Both diastolic and systolic blood pressure measures showed an increase pre- to post-film in the highly identified persons while no such change was observed in the low identified individuals. Cognitive measures assessing evaluations of the Russian boxer, and Russians in general, showed effects parallel to the arousal indexes with high identified persons expressing more derogation of threat-relevant targets than did those low in identification. Arousal increases in only the highly identified viewers predicted derogation of Russians. Discussion centers on the role of identification with a sports team on physiological processes and their implications for spectator aggression.
An approximation of the radiation integral for distorted reflector antennas using surface-error decomposition

The physical optics/aperture integration (PO/AI) formulation is often used to analyze the radiation patterns of reflector antennas. In this study, the PO/AI radiation integrals for distorted reflector antennas are addressed. The surface error of the antennas is approximated by a series of surface expansion functions. The radiation integral is decomposed into a series of radiation-type integrals, each of which corresponds to one of the surface expansion functions. Each of these radiation-type integrals is then weighted by amplitude coefficients. The advantage of performing the decomposition is that each of the radiation-type integrals can be computed and the pattern data stored. The computation of the pattern for a distorted reflector antenna with a changing error profile is performed by recalling the pattern data for each perturbation term and weighting it with the amplitude coefficient. This facilitates rapid evaluation of the radiation integral in cases where the error profile is changing (for example, time-varying errors). The superposition of integrals presented in this paper was shown to be valid for surface-error profiles up to 0.1 /spl lambda/ rms amplitude.
Development of Homogeneous Nonradioactive Methyltransferase and Demethylase Assays Targeting Histone H3 Lysine 4

Histone posttranslational modifications are among the epigenetic mechanisms that modulate chromatin structure and gene transcription. Histone methylation and demethylation are dynamic processes controlled respectively by histone methyltransferases (HMTs) and demethylases (HDMs). Several HMTs and HDMs have been implicated in cancer, inflammation, and diabetes, making them attractive targets for drug therapy. Hence, the discovery of small-molecule modulators for these two enzyme classes has drawn significant attention from the pharmaceutical industry. Herein, the authors describe the development and optimization of homogeneous LANCE Ultra and AlphaLISA antibody-based assays for measuring the catalytic activity of two epigenetic enzymes acting on lysine 4 of histone H3: SET7/9 methyltransferase and LSD1 demethylase. Both the SET7/9 and LSD1 assays were designed as signal-increase assays using biotinylated peptides derived from the N-terminus of histone H3. In addition, the SET7/9 assay was demonstrated using full-length histone H3 protein as substrate in the AlphaLISA format. Optimized assays in 384-well plates are robust (Z' factors ≥0.7) and sensitive, requiring only nanomolar concentrations of enzyme and substrate. All assays allowed profiling of known SET7/9 and LSD1 inhibitors. The results demonstrate that the optimized LANCE Ultra and AlphaLISA assay formats provide a relevant biochemical screening approach toward the identification of small-molecule inhibitors of HMTs and HDMs that could lead to novel epigenetic therapies.
Polymorphism identification and improved genome annotation of Brassica rapa through Deep RNA sequencing.

The mapping and functional analysis of quantitative traits in Brassica rapa can be greatly improved with the availability of physically positioned, gene-based genetic markers and accurate genome annotation. In this study, deep transcriptome RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) of Brassica rapa was undertaken with two objectives: SNP detection and improved transcriptome annotation. We performed SNP detection on two varieties that are parents of a mapping population to aid in development of a marker system for this population and subsequent development of high-resolution genetic map. An improved Brassica rapa transcriptome was constructed to detect novel transcripts and to improve the current genome annotation. This is useful for accurate mRNA abundance and detection of expression QTL (eQTLs) in mapping populations. Deep RNA-Seq of two Brassica rapa genotypes—R500 (var. trilocularis, Yellow Sarson) and IMB211 (a rapid cycling variety)—using eight different tissues (root, internode, leaf, petiole, apical meristem, floral meristem, silique, and seedling) grown across three different environments (growth chamber, greenhouse and field) and under two different treatments (simulated sun and simulated shade) generated 2.3 billion high-quality Illumina reads. A total of 330,995 SNPs were identified in transcribed regions between the two genotypes with an average frequency of one SNP in every 200 bases. The deep RNA-Seq reassembled Brassica rapa transcriptome identified 44,239 protein-coding genes. Compared with current gene models of B. rapa, we detected 3537 novel transcripts, 23,754 gene models had structural modifications, and 3655 annotated proteins changed. Gaps in the current genome assembly of B. rapa are highlighted by our identification of 780 unmapped transcripts. All the SNPs, annotations, and predicted transcripts can be viewed at http://phytonetworks.ucdavis.edu/.
TWELVE YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY ARMOR EVOLUTION IN A THREESPINE STICKLEBACK POPULATION

Loberg Lake, Alaska was colonized by sea-run Gasterosteus aculeatus between 1983 and 1988, after the original stickleback population was exterminated. Annual samples from 1990 to 2001 reveal substantial evolution of lateral plate (armor) phenotypes. The 1990 sample was nearly monomorphic for the complete plate morph, which is monomorphic in local sea-run populations; the low plate morph, which is usually monomorphic in local freshwater populations, was absent. By 2001, the frequency of completes had declined to 11%, and lows had increased to 75%. The partial plate morph and two unusual intermediate plate phenotypes were generally rare, but occurrence of the intermediates was unexpected. These intermediate phenotypes rarely occur in other, presumably older, polymorphic populations. When low morphs first appeared, they averaged 6.8 plates per side, indicating that the ancestral plate number of low morphs is high, and their mean has subsequently declined. Contemporary evolution in this population indicates that threespine stickleback adapt to freshwater habitats within decades after invasion from the ocean, and thus phenotypes in most populations are adapted to current conditions.
Direct anti-HCV agents

Unlike human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a curable disease. Current direct antiviral agent (DAA) targets are focused on HCV NS3/4A protein (protease), NS5B protein (polymerase) and NS5A protein. The first generation of DAAs includes boceprevir and telaprevir, which are protease inhibitors and were approved for clinical use in 2011. The cure rate for genotype 1 patients increased from 45% to 70% when boceprevir or telaprevir was added to standard PEG-IFN/ribavirin. More effective and less toxic second generation DAAs supplanted these drugs by 2013. The second generation of DAAs includes sofosbuvir (Sovaldi), simeprevir (Olysio), and fixed combination medicines Harvoni and Viekira Pak. These drugs increase cure rates to over 90% without the need for interferon and effectively treat all HCV genotypes. With these drugs the “cure HCV” goal has become a reality. Concerns remain about drug resistance mutations and the high cost of these drugs. The investigation of new HCV drugs is progressing rapidly; fixed dose combination medicines in phase III clinical trials include Viekirax, asunaprevir+daclatasvir+beclabuvir, grazoprevir+elbasvir and others.
Cauchy Graph Embedding

Laplacian embedding provides a low-dimensional representation for the nodes of a graph where the edge weights denote pair-wise similarity among the node objects. It is commonly assumed that the Laplacian embedding results preserve the local topology of the original data on the low-dimensional projected subspaces, i.e., for any pair of graph nodes with large similarity, they should be embedded closely in the embedded space. However, in this paper, we will show that the Laplacian embedding often cannot preserve local topology well as we expected. To enhance the local topology preserving property in graph embedding, we propose a novel Cauchy graph embedding which preserves the similarity relationships of the original data in the embedded space via a new objective. Consequentially the machine learning tasks (such as k Nearest Neighbor type classifications) can be easily conducted on the embedded data with better performance. The experimental results on both synthetic and real world benchmark data sets demonstrate the usefulness of this new type of embedding.
Immune Networks and Immune Responses

Jerne (1974) introduced the idea that the immune system is regulated by idiotypic interactions. When an antigen (Ag) is encountered by the immune system an immune response normally results, with the antibodies (Ab) directed against the antigen called Ab1 or first level antibodies. Jerne suggested that the unique or idiotypic portions of these Ab1 antibodies would act as antigens and induce an anti-idiotypic immune response resulting in the production of Ab2 antibodies. These in turn could induce third level antibodies, etc., so that an entire network of interactions might be involved in the response.
Ultraviolet rotational Raman spectroscopy with an atomic resonance filter

A new approach for pure rotational Raman imaging based on a dispersive filter paired with a tunable narrow line-width laser source has been developed. The dispersive filter simultaneously captures multiple rotational Raman lines while maintaining capabilities for 1D spatially resolved measurements. A theoretical model for the filter has been developed and verified and preliminary 1-D images of rotational Raman scattering from CO2
X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy of Nitrogenase Mo-Fe Protein

We have studied both the atomic and electronic structures of nitrogenase Mo-Fe proteins using EXAFS and L-edge spectroscopy. The Mo and Fe K-edge EXAFS data show not only 2.37, 2.70, 2.29, and 2.63 A first shell Mo-S, Mo-Fe, Fe-S, and Fe-Fe distances, but also 3.8, 4.3 and 5.1 A second shell Fe-Fe, Fe-S, and Mo-Fe interactions. These observed distances are consistent with recent crystallographic models for the M-center. The average Mcenter distances have been defined with unprecedented accuracy. The nitrogenase Fe L-edge spectra have been obtained for the first time, and the result suggests that the Fe exists in both Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ states.
Pathogenesis and Treatment of Acute Renal Failure

This article reviews the current understanding of the pathophysiologic sequence of events that culminate in an acute renal insult. The use of urinary indices to differentiate the physiologic causes of oliguria, namely, diminished intravascular volume or renal perfusion, from an established acute renal failure, is discussed for children and adolescents, as well as for neonates. Treatment modalities for the support of children with acute renal failure are described in detail.
High Fidelity Simulations of Large-Scale Wireless Networks

The worldwide proliferation of wireless connected devices continues to accelerate. There are 10s of billions of wireless links across the planet with an additional explosion of new wireless usage anticipated as the Internet of Things develops. Wireless technologies do not only provide convenience for mobile applications, but are also extremely cost-effective to deploy. Thus, this trend towards wireless connectivity will only continue and Sandia must develop the necessary simulation technology to proactively analyze the associated emerging vulnerabilities. Wireless networks are marked by mobility and proximity-based connectivity. The de facto standard for exploratory studies of wireless networks is discrete event simulations (DES). However, the simulation of large-scale wireless networks is extremely difficult due to prohibitively large turnaround time. A path forward is to expedite simulations with parallel discrete event simulation (PDES) techniques. The mobility and distance-based connectivity associated with wireless simulations, however, typically doom PDES and fail to scale (e.g., OPNET and ns-3 simulators). We propose a PDES-based tool aimed at reducing the communication overhead between processors. The proposed solution will use light-weight processes to dynamically distribute computation workload while mitigating communication overhead associated with synchronizations. This work is vital to the analytics and validation capabilities of simulation and emulation atmore » Sandia. We have years of experience in Sandia’s simulation and emulation projects (e.g., MINIMEGA and FIREWHEEL). Sandia’s current highly-regarded capabilities in large-scale emulations have focused on wired networks, where two assumptions prevent scalable wireless studies: (a) the connections between objects are mostly static and (b) the nodes have fixed locations.« less
Host defenses and bacterial resistance

The amount of knowledge and understanding about the human immune system has expanded rapidly in the past several decades. The ability of the physician to care for pregnant women, specifically those with infectious diseases, can be enhanced through a basic understanding of host defenses and the normal alterations of these defenses encountered during pregnancy. A general understanding of bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents will also aid the practitioner in selecting the appropriate setting and agent when prescribing these drugs.
Dose–Response and Time Course Effects of Acute Resistance Exercise on Executive Function

The purpose of this study was to examine possible dose-response and time course effects of an acute bout of resistance exercise on the core executive functions of inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. Twenty-eight participants (14 female; Mage = 20.5 ± 2.1 years) completed a control condition and resistance exercise bouts performed at 40%, 70%, and 100% of their individual 10-repetition maximum. An executive function test battery was administered at 15 min and 180 min postexercise to assess immediate and delayed effects of exercise on executive functioning. At 15 min postexercise, high-intensity exercise resulted in less interference and improved reaction time (RT) for the Stroop task, while at 180 min low- and moderate-intensity exercise resulted in improved performance on plus-minus and Simon tasks, respectively. These findings suggest a limited and task-specific influence of acute resistance exercise on executive function in healthy young adults.
Rotating Neutron Stars

Galaxies and the individual stars within them rotate, as evidenced by Doppler broadening of their spectral lines. The sun rotates rather slowly, with an equatorial speed of 2 km/s. Some stars rotate with equatorial speeds in excess of 400 km/s, close to the limit at which matter would be torn off by centrifugal force. When the core of a massive star collapses to produce a neutron star, conservation of angular momentum assures its enhanced rotation, sometimes rapid. Therefore, in this chapter we are interested in the effects of rotation on the structure and stability of relativistic stars and on spacetime.
Effects of rest time on equivalent circuit model for a li-ion battery

This work studies the effects of rest time on the discharge response and the parameters of the Thevenin's equivalent circuit model for a li-ion battery. It is a continuation of our recent work on the effect of rest time on a lead-acid battery. While there are some similarities between the effects of rest time on the two batteries, significant differences are also revealed about the effects on initial conditions, time constants, resistances and capacitances. For the lead-acid battery, the relationships are mostly monotonic. For the li-ion battery, the relationships are more complex and demonstrate some oscillations before reaching a steady state.
Are Modic changes associated with intervertebral disc cytokine profiles

Abstract Background Context Degenerative changes including Modic changes (MCs) are commonly observed in patients with chronic low back pain. Although intervertebral disc (IVD) cytokine expression has been shown to be associated with low back pain, the cytokine profile for degenerative IVD with and without MC has not been compared. Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the potential association between IVD cytokine expression and MCs. Study Design A laboratory study was carried out. Methods The IVD tissue samples from 10 patients with type II MCs and10 patients without MCs who underwent an anterior lumbar interbody and fusion for significant low back pain were collected. The expression levels of 42 cytokines were determined using a RayBio Human Cytokine Antibody Array 3 (RayBiotech Inc, Norcross, GA, USA) and the results were verified with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The cytokine array demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the expression of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) (p=.001) and epithelial-derived neutrophil-activating peptide 78 (ENA-78) (p=.04), and a trend toward an increase in interleukin-1β (IL-1β) (p=.12) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (p=.22) in IVDs associated with type II MCs. These results were validated with ELISA which demonstrated a 3.85-fold increase in the GM-CSF level between IVDs with type II MCs compared with those without MCs (p=.03). Similarly there was a significant increase in the level of both ENA-78 (3.68-fold, p=.02) and IL-1β (2.11-fold, p=.01) in IVDs with type II MCs. Lastly, there was a trend (p=.07) toward an increase in TNF-α in IVDs with type II MCs (4.4-fold). Conclusion Intervertebral discs with type II MCs demonstrate a significant increase in IL-1β, GM-CSF, and ENA-78, and there is a trend toward an increase in TNF-α. These results further strengthen the association between MCs and low back pain.
An Alert to the Intellectual Property Bar: The Hague Judgments Convention

This paper takes a hard look at the relationship between international intellectual property litigation and the proposed Hague Convention on Jurisdiction and the Recognition of Foreign Judgments. The Convention is mainly aimed at creating a way for a civil judgment rendered in one member state to be assured enforcement in all other member states. Toward that end, it defines a series of agreed bases of personal jurisdiction; when a judgment is predicated on one of these bases, other member states are obliged to enforce it. The Convention also determines where particular claims can be litigated-certain claims are within the exclusive jurisdiction of particular states, others can be litigated where ever the Convention permits the assertion of adjudicatory authority over the defendant. After briefly describing the terms of the Convention, its application to intellectual property is analyzed. One question is whether the territorial nature of intellectual property rights means that no nation should be permitted to adjudicate intellectual property claims arising under the laws of another jurisdiction. If some extraterritorial adjudication is permissible, the next question is, in what kind of cases. The Convention distinguishes between registered rights cases, where issues of validity-and perhaps even infringement-can only be resolved at the place of registration, and all other intellectual property cases. This article takes the position that the line should be drawn between patent cases on the one hand and copyright and trademark cases on the other. Patent cases require a level of technical expertise that is not as necessary for resolving copyright and trademark cases. Moreover, copyright and trademark cases often involve products that are digitally transmitted and thus can be infringed in many states simultaneously. Consolidated adjudication of such multinational copyright and trademark disputes can save judicial and litigant resources, avoid inconsistent outcomes, and provide fora for developing law for the new borderless market that the creative industries now encounter. The paper ends with a series of proposals to facilitate consolidation and adjudication of intellectual property disputes. In that respect, it acts as background material for a draft judgments convention focusing exclusively on intellectual property litigation, which will be offered by the author and Professor Jane Ginsburg should the Hague efforts be frustrated or culminate in the exclusion of intellectual property from coverage.
Statistically optimal modular partitioning of directed graphs

Network models can be used to represent interacting subsystems in the brain or other biological systems. These subsystems can be identified by partitioning a graph representation of the network into highly connected modules. In this paper we describe a modularity-based partitioning method based on a Gaussian model of a directed graph. Using the degrees of each node, we first compute the conditional expected value of the connection weights. The resulting adjacency matrix forms a null model for the network which does not favor any particular partition. By comparing this null model to the true adjacency graph, we can perform a statistically optimal partitioning that maximizes modularity. Similarly to other modularity-based partitioning methods, the solution is found using spectral matrix decomposition. The process can be iterated to find multiple subgraphs. We demonstrate this approach through simulations and application to standard biological and other network data.
Distinct Roles for the NF-κB Pathway In Myeloid and Lymphoid Transformation and Leukemogenesis by BCR-ABL.

Abstract 1225 The BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase, product of the t(9;22) Ph chromosome, activates multiple signaling pathways in leukemic cells from patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and Ph + B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Previous studies have shown that NF-κB is activated in BCR-ABL-expressing cell lines and contributes to transformation of primary B-lymphoid cells by BCR-ABL (Reuther et al., Genes Dev. 1998;12:968), but the mechanism of activation has not been defined (Kirchner et al., Exp. Hematol. 2003;31:504), and importance of NF-kB to myeloid and lymphoid leukemogenesis by BCR-ABL is unknown. To interrogate the role of NF-κB in BCR-ABL-mediated transformation, we utilized a super-repressor mutant form of IκBα (IκBαSR), which has been used to block NF-κB nuclear localization and transactivation by constitutively sequestering NF-κB in the cytoplasm. Using retrovirus co-expressing BCR-ABL and IκBαSR, we found that IκBαSR blocked nuclear p65/RelA expression and inhibited the IL-3 independent growth of Ba/F3 cells and primary B-lymphoid cells transformed by BCR-ABL. The effect of NF-κB inhibition was primarily on proliferation rather than on cell survival, as there was no increase in apoptosis in cells expressing IκBαSR. When primary bone marrow cells were transduced and transplanted under conditions favoring induction of B-ALL or CML-like myeloproliferative neoplasm in recipient mice, co-expression of IκBαSR significantly attenuated disease development and prolonged survival of diseased mice. Molecular analysis of these leukemias demonstrated that NF-κB inhibition decreased the frequency of leukemia-initiating (“stem”) cells in the CML model, but not in the B-ALL model, and was associated with decreased expression of c-Myc, an NF-κB target. To clarify the mechanism of activation of NF-κB in BCR-ABL-expressing cells, we targeted two upstream kinases that negatively regulate IκBα, IKKα/IKK1 or IKKβ/IKK2. To accomplish this, we engineered retroviruses co-expressing BCR-ABL and kinase-inactive, dominant-negative mutants of IKK1 (IKK1KM) or IKK2 (IKK2KM). Co-expression of either IKK mutant inhibited both B-lymphoid transformation and leukemogenesis by BCR-ABL, as well as induction of CML-like MPN, with IKK1 inhibition more effective than IKK2. Together, these results demonstrate that NF-κB is activated in part through the canonical IKK pathway in BCR-ABL-expressing leukemia cells, and that NF-κB signaling plays distinct roles in the pathogenesis of myeloid and lymphoid leukemias induced by BCR-ABL. In CML, NF-κB may play a role for in generation and/or maintenance of leukemic stem cells. These results validate IKKs as targets for therapy in Ph + leukemias, and motivate the evaluation of small molecule IKK inhibitors in these diseases. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Medical Management of GERD: Algorithms and Outcomes

As previously discussed, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may arise from a number of pathologic occurrences. Treatment of GERD symptoms therefore aims to address these pathologic pathways. In general, the primary medical treatment of GERD focuses on (1) decreasing the acidity of refluxate; (2) minimizing reflux events; and (3) enhancing esophageal clearance. Additionally, because there is no gold standard test for the diagnosis of GERD, clinical response to empiric trial of proton pump therapy is often sufficient to establish the diagnosis, although ambulatory pH testing (performed on acid suppression to assess treatment efficacy, or off acid suppression to establish baseline presence of GERD) may be helpful in the assessment of select individuals.
KChIP2 is a core transcriptional regulator of cardiac excitability

Arrhythmogenesis from aberrant electrical remodeling is a primary cause of death among patients with heart disease. Amongst a multitude of remodeling events, reduced expression of the ion channel subunit KChIP2 is consistently observed in numerous cardiac pathologies. However, it remains unknown if KChIP2 loss is merely a symptom or involved in disease development. Using rat and human derived cardiomyocytes, we identify a previously unobserved transcriptional capacity for cardiac KChIP2 critical in maintaining electrical stability. Through interaction with genetic elements, KChIP2 transcriptionally repressed the miRNAs miR-34b and miR-34c, which subsequently targeted key depolarizing (INa) and repolarizing (Ito) currents altered in cardiac disease. Genetically maintaining KChIP2 expression or inhibiting miR-34 under pathologic conditions restored channel function and moreover, prevented the incidence of reentrant arrhythmias. This identifies the KChIP2/miR-34 axis as a central regulator in developing electrical dysfunction and reveals miR-34 as a therapeutic target for treating arrhythmogenesis in heart disease.
Improved Ductility of B12 Icosahedra-based Superhard Materials through Icosahedral Slip

Boron carbide (B4C) is superhard but suffers from brittle failure because shear stress leads to the formation of amorphous shear bands in which the icosahedral clusters fracture, leading to amorphous regions with higher density than the crystal that results in tension-induced cavitation and brittle failure. On the basis of our previous studies of related systems, we speculated that replacing the C–B–C chains with Si2 and replacing cage C with Si might reduce or eliminate this amorphous shear band formation responsible for brittle failure. We consider (B10Si2)Si2, using density functional theory to examine its shear deformation. We find that the stress accumulated as shear increases is released by slip of the planes of icosahedra through breaking and then reforming the Si–Si chain bonds without fracturing (B10Si2) icosahedra. This is because the (B10Si2) icosahedra are more stable than the chain under highly stressed conditions. This chain disruption deformation mode prevents amorphous shear band formation...