cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Forest canopy interactions with nucleation mode particles

Abstract. Ultrafine particle size distributions through a deciduous forest canopy indicate that nucleation mode particle concentrations decline with depth into the canopy, such that number concentrations at the bottom of the canopy are an average of 16% lower than those at the top. However, growth rates of nucleation mode particles (diameters 6–30 nm) are invariant with height within the canopy, which implies that the semi-volatile gases contributing to their growth are comparatively well-mixed through the canopy. Growth rates of nucleation mode particles during a meteorological drought year (2012) were substantially lower than during a meteorologically normal year with high soil water potential (2013). This may reflect suppression of actual biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions by drought and thus a reduction in the production of condensable products during the drought-affected vegetation season. This hypothesis is supported by evidence that growth rates during the normal year exhibit a positive correlation with emissions of BVOC modeled on observed forest composition, leaf area index, temperature and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), but particle growth rates during the drought-affected vegetation season are not correlated with modeled BVOC emissions. These data thus provide indirect evidence that drought stress in forests may reduce BVOC emissions and limit growth of nucleation mode particles to climate-relevant sizes.
Maximum A posteriori estimation of transient enhanced diffusion energetics

Transient enhanced diffusion (TED) of boron limits the formation of ultrashallow junctions needed in next-generation microelectronic devices. A comprehensive TED model needs many parameters governing the physical and chemical processes. Prior estimates of the most likely values for the parameters as well as their accuracies are determined from maximum likelihood estimation applied to estimates from focused individual experiments and density functional theory calculations. Here a systematic approach to model-parameter identification using maximum a posteriori estimation is employed combining the maximum likelihood parameter estimates and their uncertainties in conjunction with after-anneal boron SIMS profiles to obtain accurate TED energetics. Guidance on future experimental and ab initio efforts are given based on the agreement (and disagreement) between the prior and posterior distributions.
Multiple Daily Insulin Injections in the Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy: The Job Study Revisited

Data based on the prospective study of Job et al. 1 are reanalyzed while initial number of microaneurysms and duration of patient follow-up are controlled. The reported statistical difference in the rate of microaneurysm increase between the single-and the multiple-daily-injection groups may be due to a difference in a subgroup who had a larger number of microaneurysms initially and who were studied for a shorter period of time. No uniform difference was observed in the results of their treatment between the groups given a single injection and those given multiple injections. While this does not invalidate the conclusions of the study, it does point out the need for greater control in conducting future studies.
Fabrication Techniques for the Processing of Adhesiveless ULTEM ® Polyetherimide Dielectric Film

Flexible printed circuits are a technology and product enabler for miniature, high density electronic systems, especially mobile communications and automotive applications. Over the past ten years, flexible printed circuit densities have increased, dramatically, while the area they occupy has decreased. The ever shrinking circuit form factor and increasing I/O and interconnect densities are driving flex circuit configurations from single sided to double sided constructions. In addition, the need for high performance steers circuit construction towards thinner dielectrics. Adhesiveless flex circuit constructions, for example, enable direct metal and lamination bonding without the use of added adhesive materials. Removing adhesive layers, such as epoxies or acrylics allows for a thinner more flexible device with a homogeneous dielectric stack (e.g., all polyimide construction), resulting in superior electrical performance. High resolution flexible circuit processes established using General Electric ULTEM [registered trademark] polyetherimide materials have shown ULTEM resin to have excellent electrical properties including dielectric constant and dissipation factor. Adhesiveless single and double sided flexible circuits have been fabricated and tested for performance (electrical, mechanical, thermal) and reliability (thermal cycling, tear propagation, flexural endurance, and solderability). Critical flex circuit fabrication processes such as metal adhesion, micro-via formation, lamination, photolithography, and module singulation have been evaluated. This paper addresses the key steps for flexible substrate fabrication describing the key advantages and disadvantages of the approach.
From Political Pathways to Legislative Folkways: Electoral Reform, Professionalization, and Representation in the U.S. Senate

The Seventeenth Amendment transferred responsibility for selecting senators from state legislatures to voters. Scholars argue that voters’ ability to sanction performance ex post altered senators’ legislative activities. I focus on voters’ ex ante screening of senators. Using original data on senators’ political experiences, I show that direct elections increased the professionalization of pre-Senate careers. I then use sequence analysis methods to identify career paths to the Senate. Pre-Senate career paths help explain which senators received important committee assignments. These findings challenge claims that direct elections had minimal effects on the Senate’s composition and that recruitment is unrelated to legislative behavior.
A Decision-Making Methodology for Stochastic Deployment of Wireless Sensor Networks

This paper presents a methodology for stochastic deployment of WSN. The methodology uses simulation, statistical analysis, and the Analytical Hierarchy Process to provide an approach that helps decision-makers determine the best deployment strategies based on mission specific goals. The methodology can be used to simplify the decision-making process and provide decision-makers the ability to consider all factors involved in the WSN deployment problem. The methodology is extensible and can be easily customized to include numerous quality factors to further compare deployment strategies and identify the one that best meet applications requirements.
Inability to Induce Hypertension in Normotensive Rat Expressing AT1 Receptor Antisense

Abstract —Our previous studies have shown that neonatal delivery of angiotensin type 1 receptor antisense (AT1R-AS) in a retroviral vector prevents spontaneously hypertensive rats from developing hypertension for life but has no effect on blood pressure (BP) in normotensive animals. Based on these results, we hypothesized that AT1R-AS transduction in normotensive rats would protect them from developing experimental hypertension. The present study was designed to evaluate this hypothesis. A single intracardiac administration of AT1R-AS by a retroviral-mediated delivery system (LNSV-AT1R-AS) in 5-day-old normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats resulted in long-term expression of the AT1R-AS without an effect on basal BP. However, angiotensin II (Ang II)–induced BP, dipsogenic responses, and renovascular contractility were significantly attenuated in the LNSV–AT1R-AS–treated rats. Chronic infusion of low-dose Ang II (55 ng · kg−1 · min−1) in LNSV-alone–treated rats caused a modest increase in BP, profound increase in cardiac hypertrophy, and increased vascular contractility. In contrast, the LNSV-AT1R-AS–treated rats were protected from developing these changes after Ang II infusion. These data establish that LNSV-AT1R-AS pretreatment protects healthy rats from developing Ang II–dependent hypertension.
Optical coherence tomography for live phenotypic analysis of embryonic ocular structures in mouse models

Mouse models of ocular diseases provide a powerful resource for exploration of molecular regulation of eye development and pre-clinical studies. Availability of a live high-resolution imaging method for mouse embryonic eyes would significantly enhance longitudinal analyses and high-throughput morphological screening. We demonstrate that optical coherence tomography (OCT) can be used for live embryonic ocular imaging throughout gestation. At all studied stages, the whole eye is within the imaging distance of the system and there is a good optical contrast between the structures. We also performed OCT eye imaging in the embryonic retinoblastoma mouse model Pax6-SV40 T-antigen, which spontaneously forms lens and retinal lesions, and demonstrate that OCT allows us to clearly differentiate between the mutant and wild type phenotypes. These results demonstrate that OCTin utero imaging is a potentially useful tool to study embryonic ocular diseases in mouse models.
Doubly-selective mimo channel estimation using exponential basis models and subblock tracking

We present a subblock-wise tracking approach to doubly-selective MIMO channel estimation, exploiting the oversampled complex exponential basis expansion model (CE-BEM) for the overall channel variations, and an autoregressive (AR) model to update the BEM coefficients. The time-varying nature of the channel is well captured by the CE-BEM while the time-variations of the (unknown) BEM coefficients are likely much slower than that of the channel. We track the BEM coefficients via Kalman filtering, based on time-multiplexed periodically transmitted training symbols. Simulation examples demonstrate its superior performance over some existing doubly-selective channel tracking schemes.
Variable Migratory Patterns of Different Adult Rainbow Trout Life History Types in a Southwest Alaska Watershed

Abstract Radiotelemetry was used to document population structure in adult rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss from the Alagnak River, southwest Alaska. Rainbow trout (N = 134) longer than 440 mm were implanted with radio transmitters and tracked for varying periods from July 1997 to April 1999. Fifty-eight radio-tagged fish were tracked for sufficient duration (at least 11 months) to allow description of seasonal migratory patterns. Unique seasonal movements of fish suggested discrete, within-basin population structure. Telemetry data documented the existence of multiple migratory and nonmigratory groups of rainbow trout, indicating unique life history patterns. The observed groups consisted of what we defined as a lake-resident ecotype, a lake–river ecotype, and a riverine ecotype; the riverive ecotype demonstrated both highly migratory and nonmigratory movement behavior. Considerable variation in movement patterns was found within both the lake–river group and the river migratory group. Radio-tagged trou...
The First Decade of The Swiss Federal Railways

Discussions of the nationalization of railways in Switzerland, 342. — Arguments advanced in favor of nationalization, 343. — Conditions of employment on the federal railways, 346. — Organization of the management of the federal railways, 347. — Government rate making, 352. — Improvement of the service, 354. — Financial results of government ownership, 356.
Role of activated macrophages in resistance to systemic candidosis.

To evaluate further the contribution of activated macrophages in resistance, the course of systemic candidosis was assayed in beige and NLM mice that had been previously infected with Mycobacterlum bovls (BCG). Four weeks following BCG infection, mice were inoculated intravenously with 1 x 1Oviable Candlda alblcans. At various times thereafter, the number of C. aiblcans colony-forming units in the livers, spleens, and kidneys was determined. The average number of CFU recovered from the kidneys of NLM mice decreased throughout the assay and was comparable in both BCG-treated and control mice. In contrast, the number of CFU cultured from the kidneys of untreated control beige mice progressively increased throughout the assay period. This profile of renal susceptibility was not appreciably altered in BCG-treated beige mice. However, fewer (10- to 100-fold) CFU were cultured from the livers and spleens of BCG-treated beige and NLM mice than from untreated controls. These results support the hypothesis that in the absence of functional polymorphonuclear leukocytes, activated macrophages represent a means to control the proliferation of C. aibicans.
Having it both ways: transcription factors that bind DNA and RNA

Multifunctional proteins challenge the conventional 'one protein-one function' paradigm. Here we note apparent multifunctional proteins with nucleic acid partners, tabulating eight examples. We then focus on eight additional cases of transcription factors that bind double-stranded DNA with sequence specificity, but that also appear to lead alternative lives as RNA-binding proteins. Exemplified by the prototypic Xenopus TFIIIA protein, and more recently by mammalian p53, this list of transcription factors includes WT-1, TRA-1, bicoid, the bacterial sigma(70) subunit, STAT1 and TLS/FUS. The existence of transcription factors that bind both DNA and RNA provides an interesting puzzle. Little is known concerning the biological roles of these alternative protein-nucleic acid interactions, and even less is known concerning the structural basis for dual nucleic acid specificity. We discuss how these natural examples have motivated us to identify artificial RNA sequences that competitively inhibit a DNA-binding transcription factor not known to have a natural RNA partner. The identification of such RNAs raises the possibility that RNA binding by DNA-binding proteins is more common than currently appreciated.
The comparative programming languages course: a new chain of development

The programming language concepts which ought to be presented in the comparative programming languages course (either graduate or undergraduate) are all covered by choosing C++, Java, Perl, and Python as the languages to be compared. These include dynamic typing, object orientation, multiple inheritance, interpreters and compilers, keyword and default parameters, generics, operator overloading, complex numbers, universal hierarchies, exceptions, and garbage collection. We describe such a course, which we have given.
Adaptive high-precision control of positioning tables-theory and experiments

Positioning tables are widely used in industries, and precise control of their motion is difficult to achieve because of uncertainty in their load and friction parameters. In this paper, we describe the development and experimentation of a new adaptive controller for precise table motion control. The global stability of the controller and global convergence of tracking errors are proven using Lyapunov stability theory under mild conditions. The adaptive controller has been experimentally implemented and extensively tested on a belt-drive high-speed table, resulting in significant improvement over conventional PID controller. >
1,2‐Bis­(di­tolyl­phosphino)­ethane

In the solid state, the title compound, 1,2-{(p-CH3–C6H4)2P}2C2H4 or C30H32P2, exhibits trans geometry. There is an inversion center at the mid-point of the central C—C bond.
Improved efficiency through micro-automation...and the difficulties involved in the implementation

The term "micro-automation" is used to describe the process of an individual or small group of individuals creating small-scale and highly customized tools to automate repetitive tasks. This process is typically performed on computer based tasks but is not explicitly limited to such. Two examples of micro-automation tools are presented and the topic of return-on-investment (ROI) calculation is briefly covered. Some generic difficulties that are encountered during the organizational implementation of a micro-automation program are discussed and various implementation methodologies are presented. The conclusion is that micro-automation can provide enormous efficiency increases but a strong change advocate is required in many organizations before the benefits of microautomation can be reaped on a large-scale basis.
The expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-6 receptor, and gp130-kilodalton glycoprotein in the rat decidua and a decidual cell line: regulation by 17beta-estradiol and prolactin.

The cytokine interleukin 6 (IL-6), a major mediator of immune and acute phase responses of the liver, has been implicated in the termination of pregnancy once expressed in the uterus. This study was undertaken to investigate the expression and regulation of genes encoding IL-6 and IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) in rat decidual tissue. Total RNA obtained from rat decidual tissue on different days of pseudopregnancy was analyzed by RT-PCR using specific primers for IL-6, IL-6R, and 130-kDa glycoprotein (gp130). Ribosomal L19 primers served as an internal control. IL-6R and gp130 were found to be expressed in the decidua throughout development, while no messenger RNA (mRNA) for IL-6 was detected. Interestingly, within several hours of culture, decidual explants acquired the ability to express IL-6. The apparent ability of decidual cells to express IL-6 and its lack of expression in vivo led us to examine whether the IL-6 gene is actively inhibited. Primary decidual cells were cultured in the presence of estradiol, pr...
CT and MRI of pediatric skull lesions with fluid-fluid levels.

SUMMARY: Fluid-fluid levels can occur whenever different fluid densities are contained within a cystic or compartmentalized lesion, usually related to the evolution of hematoma or necrosis. Review of the literature demonstrated that throughout the skeletal system, the most common etiology for fluid-fluid levels is aneurysmal bone cyst, but there are no dedicated studies of the pediatric calvaria, to our knowledge. In this report, we present clinicopathologic characteristics and CT and MR imaging of 11 patients with pediatric skull mass lesions demonstrating fluid-fluid levels. MR imaging demonstrated more fluid-fluid levels compared with CT in all cases. The etiologies of skull lesions with fluid-fluid levels were Langerhans cell histiocytosis in 4 (36.6%), aneurysmal bone cysts in 3 (27.2%), cephalohematoma in 3 (27.2%), and metastatic neuroblastoma in 1 (9%). Radiologists should be aware of the other etiologies of calvarial lesions with fluid-fluid levels in the pediatric skull. ABC : aneurysmal bone cyst FFL : fluid-fluid level LCH : Langerhans cell histiocytosis
Ethics and Power in Medieval English Reformist Writing: Wycliffites under oppression: fraternal correction as polemical weapon

The radical but pragmatic reformist uses to which John Wyclif turned fraternal correction – disendowment of the English clergy, lay administration of tithes, withdrawal of obedience to errant popes – were embraced in the writings of his followers, perhaps even before his death in 1384. Embracing the practice, however, did not entail leaving it unaltered. As Anne Hudson has argued for several decades, the Wycliffites were highly conscious of their identity as a social group. I use the term “Wycliffite” because no document brands Wyclif's disciples as “lollards” until the late 1380s and because I am persuaded by Andrew Cole's argument on the relation of lollardy and Wycliffism: that Wycliffism involved adhering to classifiable, condemned beliefs, while lollardy involved commitment to a radical imitation of Christ as beggar, a commitment that could engage the orthodox, the Wycliffites, and those betwixt and between. In this sense, Wycliffites were heretics. They held pertinaciously and explicitly beliefs condemned by the Pope and, later, English councils, fraternal correction as a lay disciplinary practice not least among them. Most Wycliffite writing that seizes on fraternal correction as a fundamental religious practice was composed and was circulating from Wyclif's last several years to just after the turn of the century. Archbishop Thomas Arundel's legislation promulgated in 1409, much discussed by scholars recently, restricted somewhat writing about religion, especially reformist writings, as did the vigorous repression of dissent by the Lancastrian kings. That belongs to the next chapter, but sets a terminus ad quem for this.
Reducing Prejudice towards Middle Eastern Persons as Terrorists

American participants rated the degree of “Good” or “Evil” various American males, Middle Eastern males, and random objects were on a Likert-type scale. Next, all participants completed a matching ...
Equipartition and cosmic ray energy densities in central molecular zones of starbursts

The energy densities in magnetic fields and cosmic rays (CRs) in galaxies are often assumed to be in equipartition, allowing for an indirect estimate of the magnetic field strength from the observed radio synchrotron spectrum. However, both primary and secondary CRs contribute to the synchrotron spectrum, and the CR electrons also loose energy via bremsstrahlung and inverse Compton. While classical equipartition formulae avoid these intricacies, there have been recent revisions that account for the extreme conditions in starbursts. Yet, the application of the equipartition formula to starburst environments also presupposes that timescales are long enough to reach equilibrium. Here, we test equipartition in the central molecular zones (CMZs) of nearby starburst galaxies by modeling the observed gamma-ray spectra, which provide a direct measure of the CR energy density, and the radio spectra, which provide a probe of the magnetic field strength. We find that in starbursts, the magnetic field energy density is significantly larger than the CR energy density, demonstrating that the equipartition argument is frequently invalid for CMZs.
Pathogens in Severe Sepsis: New Paradigms for Gram-Positive Treatment

Severe sepsis has become the preeminent infection within hospitals and intensive care units. Among the pathogens associated with severe sepsis, gram-positive bacteria, particularly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), have become the most common cause of healthcare-associated severe sepsis. MRSA is also an important cause of severe sepsis because it displays a remarkable array of resistance and virulence factors, which have contributed to its prominent role in infections of the critically ill. It is important that clinicians recognize the changing resistance patterns and epidemiology of MRSA, as well as other gram-positive pathogens, as these factors may impact patient outcomes. Given the paramount importance of MRSA as a nosocomial pathogen, we will focus this review on a discussion of MRSA and its treatment. When initiating empiric antibiotics, it is of vital importance that this therapy be timely and appropriate, as delays in treatment are associated with adverse outcomes. However, the use of older therapies for MRSA, such as vancomycin, has important limitations that will require a re-thinking as to the best approach for the treatment of MRSA infections. This will also require the recognition that therapies may have to vary depending on the type of MRSA infection the clinician is faced with (e.g., pneumonia, bacteremia, skin and skin structure).
Perspectives About the National Cooperative Soil Survey

Abstract A discussion of nine tenets of pedology provides perspectives of the US soil survey program. The tenets are: paradigm of soils, scientific methodology, functional landscapes, soils as individuals, behavioral functions of soils, improving documentation, sharing pedological knowledge, reliability of information, and enhancing decision making. Highlights of each reveal progress, concerns, and opportunities. Accepting soil as a continuum rather than as individual entities may be the most important shift in our thought processes and understanding of the pedosphere. New technologies and changing social and political strategies suggest there is hope for a viable and sustainable Earth. Pedology can provide meaningful information and knowledge about soil resources.
Many Cities, Many Hills: Production, Space and Diversity in Pennsylvania's Urban History

1 he tide of an essay frames the intellectual domain in which its content can be expected to develop. In this case, "many cities, many hills" is at a minimum a play on one colonial voice which held up the potential of a theocratic English America as a gleaming exemplar for the world with "city on a hill" imagery that remains vivid over three centuries later. What gleams still, if we gaze about at American cities, is no longer so singular and has become profoundly secular. At another level, the title's lead phrase represents a bow to the multiple communities and defining spaces of Pittsburgh, which not incidentally was the hub of my experiences growing up in Western Pennsylvania's industrial valleys. Pittsburgh's real diversity amid an apparent, but simplistic notion of dependence on the steel industry is one of the hallmarks of its urban process.1 The title reaches as well toward other matters. It gestures toward the once deeply-held belief that cities are the glory of nations, a stance still evident in much of Western Europe, but rejected decisively in most of post World War Two Ameri can and dubious for nearly all modern "Third World" urbanization. It is simulta neously an acknowledgment of insights gained through recent studies in urban history, chiefly that multiple cities coexist in uneasy, conflicting, or complementary relations amid dense networks of metropolitan activity. Last, taken as a whole, the title suggests a question: In what sense can a state, a fraction of a nation, have an urban history? Or rephrased, what do the varied histories of cities located within larger (and more or less arbitrary) political boundaries add up to? What cluster of concepts might allow us to imagine this (or any) state in the American union hav ing an ordered, intelligible experience of urbanization? Before responding to these last queries in my customary elliptical fashion, I think it worthwhile to reflect briefly on the state or urban history more generally Last October I was privileged to attend (and later coerced into writing about) the Modes and Venues conferences on urban history held in Chicago under the sponsorship of the Chicago Historical Society.2 There I learned a good deal about city cultures, public administration, finance, urban infrastructure and attendant environmental issues, along with reform movements, the problematics of gender and public behavior, and the dilemmas of ethnicity. Much of this was fascinating; but by the end of the sessions, I noted a deafening silence on a dimension of city building and city-restructuring dear to my heart: the industrial and commercial economies of cities. Economic determinism is a dead letter, to be sure, but to engage the history of urban places as though the business system, labor processes
Preimplantation effect of an intrauterine device in the rabbit.

Rabbits, with a plastic intrauterine device in one horn, were inseminated at 2 to 14 hour intervals after receiving 100 units of human chorionic gonadotropin intravenously. The foreign body was removed 24 hours later and the animals were killed 10 days after insemination. There was no difference in the number of corpora lutea on the device side and the control side. There were significantly fewer implantations seen in the device horns as compared to the control horns. Possible preimplantation modes of action of an intrauterine device in the rabbit are discussed.
Levels of Te-124 from the Decay of 4.2-Day I-124

The population of levels of $^{124}\mathrm{Te}$ from the decay of 4.2-day $^{124}\mathrm{I}$ has been investigated by studying the $^{124}\mathrm{I}$ $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays with a Ge(Li) Compton suppression spectrometer and with NaI(Tl)-Ge(Li) coincidence systems. Seventy-two $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays were identified as originating from $^{124}\mathrm{I}$, and 62 of them were assigned to 24 levels of $^{124}\mathrm{Te}$. The levels populated from $^{124}\mathrm{I}$ decay are compared to the levels of $^{124}\mathrm{Te}$ populated from the decay of the $^{124}\mathrm{Sb}$ isomers. The nature of the levels is discussed in the framework of the quasiparticle and spherical vibrational models.
Thermal inactivation of enteric viruses and bioaccumulation of enteric foodborne viruses in live oysters (Crassostrea virginica)

Human enteric viruses are among the main causative agents of shellfish-associated outbreaks. In this study, the kinetics of viral bioaccumulation in live oysters and the heat stabilities of the predominant enteric viruses were determined both in tissue culture and in oyster tissues. A human norovirus (HuNoV) GII.4 strain, HuNoV surrogates (murine norovirus [MNV-1], Tulane virus [TV]), hepatitis A virus (HAV), and human rotavirus (RV) bioaccumulated to high titers within oyster tissues, with different patterns of bioaccumulation for the different viruses. We tested the thermal stability of each virus at 62, 72, and 80°C in culture medium. The viruses can be ranked from the most heat resistant to the least stable as follows: HAV, RV, TV, MNV-1. In addition, we found that oyster tissues provided protection to the viruses during heat treatment. To decipher the mechanism underlying viral inactivation by heat, purified TV was treated at 80°C for increasing time intervals. It was found that the integrity of the viral capsid was disrupted, whereas viral genomic RNA remained intact. Interestingly, heat treatment leading to complete loss of TV infectivity was not sufficient to completely disrupt the receptor binding activity of TV, as determined by the porcine gastric mucin-magnetic bead binding assay. Similarly, HuNoV virus-like particles (VLPs) and a HuNoV GII.4 strain retained some receptor binding ability following heat treatment. Although foodborne viruses have variable heat stability, 80°C for >6 min was sufficient to completely inactivate enteric viruses in oysters, with the exception of HAV.
Comparative Politics: A Comprehensive Approach

This is a tentative outline of a systematic and comprehensive approach to the study of politics. Part I gives the method. Part II indicates some advantages of the approach. Part III anticipates likely objections to it. And Part IV suggests some applications. My purpose in presenting the paper in its present form is to encourage my colleagues to consider this approach and, if they find it potentially useful, to contribute to its refinement through criticism. As David Easton said in his “Approach to the Analysis of Political Systems,” I know “I run the definite risk that the meaning and implications of this point of view may be only superficially communicated; but it is a risk I shall have to undertake since I do not know how to avoid it sensibly.”
Effects of different lipid on MIF mRNA and protein expression in cultural macrophage

AIM: To investigate the expression of MIF mRNA and protein in cultural human macrophages induced by different lipoproteins. METHODS: 28sc human macrophage cell lines were grown in RPMI-1640 medium containing 1×105 U·L -1 penicillin, 100 mg·L -1 streptomycin, 10% FBS at 37 ℃ and 5% CO_2. The concentrations of cells were adjusted as 10×104 ml -1, and then macrophages were inoculated in 6 wells plate. Different lipoproteins with a final concentration as 150 mg·L -1 were added respectively in each well. After culture 24 h together, the expression of MIF mRNA and protein were detected by RT-PCR and ELISA methods. RESULTS: The MIF mRNA and protein were expressed in macrophage. LDL, Ox-LDL, cholesterol and TG can significantly increased the expression of MIF mRNA and protein in macrophage compared with the control group(P 0.05). However, HDL and VLDL showed no effect on the expression of MIF mRNA and protein in macrophage(P 0.05). CONCLUSION: Different lipid including LDL, Ox-LDL, cholesterol and TG can up-regulate MIF mRNA and protein expression in macrophage. It suggests that MIF may involve in the progress of atherosclerosis.
Object Sorting Using Image Proccesing in Raspberry Pi 2

The aim of this project is to present a method for object detection based on its colour and shape information The project mainly focuses on the basis to implement the object detection and selection based on its color, which is a visual based project i.e. the input to the project will be the video/image data which is continuously captured with the help of a webcam which is interfaced to the Raspberry Pi. It will detect the object and it tracks that object by moving the camera in the direction of the detected object. Here we use Raspberry Pi 2 board to do image processing for detection of shape and color information an object. after sorting object ,sorted object is selection done from mobile webpage in LAN/WAN by using raspberry pi and selected object will dropped into second conveyor belt comes out. So in this system we can sort object and also select that sorted object from webpage in LAN/WAN.
Force from Motion: Decoding Physical Sensation in a First Person Video

A first-person video can generate powerful physical sensations of action in an observer. In this paper, we focus on a problem of Force from Motion—decoding the sensation of 1) passive forces such as the gravity, 2) the physical scale of the motion (speed) and space, and 3) active forces exerted by the observer such as pedaling a bike or banking on a ski turn. The sensation of gravity can be observed in a natural image. We learn this image cue for predicting a gravity direction in a 2D image and integrate the prediction across images to estimate the 3D gravity direction using structure from motion. The sense of physical scale is revealed to us when the body is in a dynamically balanced state. We compute the unknown physical scale of 3D reconstructed camera motion by leveraging the torque equilibrium at a banked turn that relates the centripetal force, gravity, and the body leaning angle. The active force and torque governs 3D egomotion through the physics of rigid body dynamics. Using an inverse dynamics optimization, we directly minimize 2D reprojection error (in video) with respect to 3D world structure, active forces, and additional passive forces such as air drag and friction force. We use structure from motion with the physical scale and gravity direction as an initialization of our bundle adjustment for force estimation. Our method shows quantitatively equivalent reconstruction comparing to IMU measurements in terms of gravity and scale recovery and outperforms method based on 2D optical flow for an active action recognition task. We apply our method to first person videos of mountain biking, urban bike racing, skiing, speedflying with parachute, and wingsuit flying where inertial measurements are not accessible.
Phasic Sleep Events Shape Cognitive Function after Traumatic Brain Injury: Implications for the Study of Sleep in Neurodevelopmental Disorders

The biological functions of sleep have long eluded the medical and research community. In four consecutive issues of AIMS Neuroscience, original and review manuscripts were recently published regarding the mechanisms and function of sleep. These articles highlight the well-timed topic of quantitative sleep markers and cognitive functioning as one of extensive interest within the field of neuroscience. Our commentary on the original research performed by Cote, Milner, and Speth (2015) brings attention to the importance of examining individual differences in sleep and cognition in subjects with traumatic brain injury (TBI), and provides support for conducting similar sleep analyses in neurodevelopmental disorders.
Cytochrome P450 3A4 and CYP3A5-Catalyzed Bioactivation of Lapatinib

Metabolic activation of the dual-tyrosine kinase inhibitor lapatinib by cytochromes CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 has been implicated in lapatinib-induced idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity; however, the relative enzyme contributions have not been established. The objective of this study was to examine the roles of CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 in lapatinib bioactivation leading to a reactive, potentially toxic quinoneimine. Reaction phenotyping experiments were performed using individual human recombinant P450 enzymes and P450-selective chemical inhibitors. Lapatinib metabolites and quinoneimine-glutathione (GSH) adducts were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. A screen of cDNA-expressed P450s confirmed that CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 are the primary enzymes responsible for quinoneimine-GSH adduct formation using lapatinib or O-dealkylated lapatinib as the substrate. The mean kinetic parameters (Km and kcat) of lapatinib O-dealkylation revealed that CYP3A4 was 5.2-fold more efficient than CYP3A5 at lapatinib O-dealkylation (CYP3A4 kcat/Km = 6.8 μM(-1) min(-1) versus CYP3A5 kcat/Km = 1.3 μM(-1) min(-1)). Kinetic analysis of GSH adduct formation indicated that CYP3A4 was also 4-fold more efficient at quinoneimine-GSH adduct formation as measured by kcat (maximum relative GSH adduct levels)/Km (CYP3A4 = 0.0082 vs. CYP3A5 = 0.0021). In human liver microsomal (HLM) incubations, CYP3A4-selective inhibitors SR-9186 and CYP3cide reduced formation of GSH adducts by 78% and 72%, respectively, compared with >90% inhibition by the pan-CYP3A inhibitor ketoconazole. The 16%-22% difference between CYP3A- and CYP3A4-selective inhibition indicates the involvement of remaining CYP3A5 activity in generating reactive metabolites from lapatinib in pooled HLMs. Collectively, these findings support the conclusion that both CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 are quantitatively important contributors to lapatinib bioactivation.
EthIKS: Using Ethereum to Audit a CONIKS Key Transparency Log

CONIKS is a proposed key transparency system which enables a centralized service provider to maintain an auditable yet privacy-preserving directory of users’ public keys. In the original CONIKS design, users must monitor that their data is correctly included in every published snapshot of the directory, necessitating either slow updates or trust in an unspecified third-party to audit that the data structure has stayed consistent. We demonstrate that the data structures for CONIKS are very similar to those used in Ethereum, a consensus computation platform with a Turing-complete programming environment. We can take advantage of this to embed the core CONIKS data structures into an Ethereum contract with only minor modifications. Users may then trust the Ethereum network to audit the data structure for consistency and non-equivocation. Users who do not trust (or are unaware of) Ethereum can self-audit the CONIKS data structure as before. We have implemented a prototype contract for our hybrid EthIKS scheme, demonstrating that it adds only modest bandwidth overhead to CONIKS proofs and costs hundredths of pennies per key update in fees at today’s rates.
Late-Onset Friedreich’s Ataxia

Three adult patients from one family with late-onset Friedreich’s ataxia (LOFA) presenting after 25 years (mean age, 30 yrs) were compared with 13 children with classical FA presenting before 20 years (mean age, 13 yrs) and reported from the University of Tubingen, Germany, and St Mary’s Hospital, London, England.
Abstract 2681: Stromal neuregulin-1 promotes adaptive resistance in mutant BRAF melanoma

RAF inhibitors are first-line treatments for melanomas that harbor BRAF V600E/K mutations; however, patients invariably progress on these targeted therapies. While durable resistance is mediated frequently by stable alterations intrinsic to the tumor cells leading to ERK1/2 pathway reactivation, the compensatory activation of growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) modulates the level of initial response. The composition of the tumor microenvironment likely plays a key role in these compensatory/adaptive responses to targeted inhibitors. In this study, we demonstrate that NRG1 is expressed in fibroblasts, as well as cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) isolated from a mutant BRAF melanoma. Fibroblast derived-NRG1 was able to mediate the enhanced ErbB3 pathway activation in RAF-inhibited mutant BRAF melanoma cells. Furthermore, conditioned medium from fibroblasts and CAFs limits RAF inhibitor cytotoxicity in V600 BRAF-harboring melanomas. Importantly, ErbB3 and ErbB2 targeting antibodies partially reverse the protective effects of fibroblast-derived medium on ErbB3 pathway activation and cell growth properties of mutant BRAF-inhibited melanoma cells. Together, these data demonstrate a requirement for a paracrine-produced factor in the tumor microenvironment to promote resistance to RAF inhibitor in mutant BRAF melanoma and reinforce the idea that targeting ErbB3/ErbB2 signaling may improve the efficacy of RAF inhibitors. Citation Format: Claudia Capparelli, Sheera Rosenbaum, Adam Berger, Andrew E. Aplin. Stromal neuregulin-1 promotes adaptive resistance in mutant BRAF melanoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2681. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2681
The American Reincarnation of the Superfluous Experience: Finding Meaning in Generation Y.

Abstract The superfluous man became a prominent literary figure in Russia during the 19th century. This article makes a comparison of the superfluous experience to the “celebutante” phenomenon, as reflected in the media. It also includes a discussion on the impact that the celebutante influence may have on the dreams, values and meaning-making experience of members of Generation Y. A values clarification exercise is included.
ESTROGEN AFTER ISCHEMIC STROKE: Effect of estrogen replacement on risk of recurrent stroke and death in the Women’s Estrogen for Stroke Trial (WEST)

71 Introduction: Observational research has produced conflicting findings concerning the effect of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) on reducing risk for vascular events or death in women. To test the effect of ERT in women with established cerebrovascular disease, we designed a randomized trial of estradiol-17β(1 mg/day) vs. placebo. Methods: Participants were identified from 20 hospitals in New England. Eligibility criteria included age over 44, at least 1 year since last menstrual period, and TIA or non-disabling stroke within 90 days of entry. Randomization was stratified by baseline risk group and hospital. Primary trial outcomes were non-fatal stroke and all-cause death. Results: From December 1993-May 1998, 652 women were randomized (332 estradiol, 320 placebo). Index event was TIA in 164 subjects and stroke in 488. Mean age of subjects was 71 years (range 46–91); 84% were white, 13% black, and 4% other. Mean follow-up was 2.7 years (range: 18 days-5.8 years). At 1 year, 76% of subjects assigned to estradiol were on study drug. In the estradiol group, adverse events were diagnosed during follow-up in 8 subjects (1 pulmonary embolus (PE), 1 deep venous thrombosis (DVT), 5 breast cancers, 1 endometrial cancer) compared with 7 events in placebo subjects (2 PE, 1 DVT, and 4 breast cancers). Non-fatal strokes were confirmed in 51 subjects in the estradiol group vs. 52 in placebo subjects (rates at 3 years[R]: 16.8% estradiol vs. 17.4% placebo; logrank p-value[p]=.83). Death occurred in 46 estradiol subjects vs. 38 placebo subjects (R=13.0% vs. 12.6%, p=.89). At 3 years, combined rate of non-fatal stroke or death was 27.6% in the estradiol group vs. 27.7% in placebo [p=.80]. Conclusion: During an average follow-up of 2.7 years, estradiol treatment did not protect against recurrent cerebral ischemia or reduce all-cause mortality in postmenopausal women with pre-existing cerebrovascular disease. No increased risk for adverse events associated with estrogen was observed. This trial adds to the growing body of evidence that fails to confirm a protective role for ERT in populations with known vascular disease.
Urinary bladder cancer staging in CT urography using machine learning.

Purpose To evaluate the feasibility of using an objective computer aided system to assess bladder cancer stage in CT Urography (CTU). Materials and Methods A data set consisting of 84 bladder cancer lesions from 76 CTU cases was used to develop the computerized system for bladder cancer staging based on machine learning approaches. The cases were grouped into two classes based on pathological stage ≥T2 or below T2, which is the decision threshold for neoadjuvant chemotherapy treatment clinically. There were 43 cancers below stage T2 and 41 cancers at stage T2 or above. All 84 lesions were automatically segmented using our previously developed auto-initialized cascaded level sets (AI-CALS) method. Morphological and texture features were extracted. The features were divided into subspaces of morphological features only, texture features only, and a combined set of both morphological and texture features. The data set was split into Set 1 and Set 2 for two-fold cross validation. Stepwise feature selection was used to select the most effective features. A linear discriminant analysis (LDA), a neural network (NN), a support vector machine (SVM), and a random forest (RAF) classifier were used to combine the features into a single score. The classification accuracy of the four classifiers was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (Az). Results Based on the texture features only, the LDA classifier achieved a test Az of 0.91 on Set 1 and a test Az of 0.88 on Set 2. The test Az of the NN classifier for Set 1 and Set 2 were 0.89 and 0.92, respectively. The SVM classifier achieved test Az of 0.91 on Set 1 and test Az of 0.89 on Set 2. The test Az of the RAF classifier for Set 1 and Set 2 was 0.89 and 0.97, respectively. The morphological features alone, the texture features alone, and the combined feature set achieved comparable classification performance. Conclusion The predictive model developed in this study shows promise as a classification tool for stratifying bladder cancer into two staging categories: greater than or equal to stage T2 and below stage T2. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Finite-Difference Time-Domain Solution of Maxwell's Equations

For over 100 years after the publication of Maxwell's equations in 1865, essentially all solution techniques for electromagnetic fields and waves were based on Fourier-domain concepts, assuming a priori a time-harmonic (sinusoidal steady-state) field variation and possibly the existence of a particular Green's function or a set of spatial modes. In 1966, Kane Yee's seminal paper introduced a complete paradigm shift in how to solve Maxwell's equations, reporting a field evolution-in-time technique that subsequently evolved into the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. In the decades since the publication of Yee's paper, there has been an explosion of interest in FDTD and related grid-based time-marched solutions of Maxwell's equations among scientists and engineers. During this period, FDTD modeling has evolved to an advanced stage enabling large-scale simulations of full-wave time-domain electromagnetic wave interactions with volumetrically complex structures over large frequency ranges, spatial scales, and timescales. Currently, FDTD modeling spans the electromagnetic spectrum from ultralow frequencies to visible light. FDTD modeling is routinely conducted as an invaluable virtual laboratory bench in scientific inquiry and exploration in electrodynamics; as an integral part of the electromagnetic engineering design and optimization process; and as a powerful forward solver in imaging and sensing inverse problems. This article reviews the technical basis of the key features of FDTD solution techniques for Maxwell's equations and provides 18 modeling examples spanning the electromagnetic spectrum to illustrate the power, flexibility, and robust nature of FDTD computational electrodynamics simulations. Keywords: computational electrodynamics; finite-difference time-domain; FDTD; Maxwell's equations