cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of compositional complexity on the ion-irradiation induced swelling and hardening in Ni-containing equiatomic alloys

Abstract The impact of compositional complexity on the ion-irradiation induced swelling and hardening is studied in Ni and six Ni-containing equiatomic alloys with face-centered cubic structure. The irradiation resistance at the temperature of 500 °C is improved by controlling the number and, especially, the type of alloying elements. Alloying with Fe and Mn has a stronger influence on swelling reduction than does alloying with Co and Cr. The quinary alloy NiCoFeCrMn, with known excellent mechanical properties, has shown 40 times higher swelling tolerance than nickel.
Raman analysis of bond conformations in the rotator state and premelting of normal alkanes.

We perform Raman spectroscopic measurements on normal alkanes (CnH2n+2) to quantify the n dependence of the conformational disorder that occurs below the melt temperature. We employ a three-state spectral analysis method originally developed for semi-crystalline polyethylene that posits crystalline, amorphous, and non-crystalline consecutive trans (NCCT) conformations to extract their respective mass fractions. For the alkanes studied that melt via a rotator phase (21 ≤ n ≤ 37), we find that conformational disorder can be quantified by the loss of NCCT mass fraction, which systematically decreases with increasing chain length. For those that melt directly via the crystal phase (n ≥ 40), we observe NCCT conformational mass fractions that are independent of chain length but whose disordered mass fraction increases with length. These complement prior IR measurements which measure disorder via gauche conformations, but have not been able to measure the mass fraction of this disorder as a function of n. An interesting feature of the three-state analysis when applied to alkanes is that the measured fraction of disordered chain conformations in the rotator phase of (10 to 30)% greatly exceeds the mass fraction of gauche bonds (1 to 7)% as measured from IR; we reconcile this difference through DFT calculations.
Method development and validation for clinical cfDNA extraction from blood.

e22185 Background: Detection of cell-free DNA (cfDNA, 100-300 base pairs) in blood and body fluids is of growing interest for non-invasive diagnosis and monitoring of disease in cancer patients. Th...
hZnT8 (Slc30a8) Transgenic Mice That Overexpress the R325W Polymorph Have Reduced Islet Zn2+ and Proinsulin Levels, Increased Glucose Tolerance After a High-Fat Diet, and Altered Levels of Pancreatic Zinc Binding Proteins

Zinc (Zn2+) is involved in both type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The wild-type (WT) form of the β-cell–specific Zn2+ transporter, ZNT8, is linked to T2DM susceptibility. ZnT8 null mice have a mild phenotype with a slight decrease in glucose tolerance, whereas patients with the ZnT8 R325W polymorphism (rs13266634) have decreased proinsulin staining and susceptibility to T2DM. We measured Zn2+, insulin, and proinsulin stainings and performed intraperitoneal glucose tolerance testing in transgenic mice overexpressing hZnT8 WT or hZnT8 R325W fed a normal or high-fat diet. The hZnT8 R325W transgenic line had lower pancreatic [Zn2+]i and proinsulin and higher insulin and glucose tolerance compared with control littermates after 10 weeks of a high-fat diet in male mice. The converse was true for the hZnT8 WT transgenic line, and dietary Zn2+ supplementation also induced glucose intolerance. Finally, pancreatic zinc binding proteins were identified by Zn2+-affinity chromatography and proteomics. Increasing pancreatic Zn2+ (hZnT8WT) induced nucleoside diphosphate kinase B, and Zn2+ reduction (hZnT8RW) induced carboxypeptidase A1. These data suggest that pancreatic Zn2+ and proinsulin levels covary but are inversely variant with insulin or glucose tolerance in the HFD model of T2DM suggesting novel therapeutic targets.
A Re-Evaluation of Fossil Turtles of the Chrysemys Scripta Group

Fossil turtles previously assigned to Trachemys (=Chrysemys scripta group) by Hay (1908) are re-evaluated in the light of recent fossil discoveries from Florida. Of the nine species of Trachemys listed by Hay, six are placed in synonymy as Chrysemys scripta petrolei, a mid-Pleistocene subspecies. Hay's Trachemys nuchocarinata and T. jarmani are shown to be Terrapene and Deirochelys, respectively. Trachemys hilli is believed to be closer to Chrysemys picta than to C. scripta. Two new fossil species are described from the Pliocene (C. inflata) and Pleistocene (C. platymarginata) of Florida.
Emojis as Tools for Emotion Work: Communicating Affect in Text Messages:

Emojis are pictures commonly used in texting. The use and type of emojis has increased in recent years; particularly emojis that are not faces, but rather objects. While prior work on emojis of fac...
Corrosion at the Modular Head–Neck Junction

Modularity in total hip arthroplasty allows for intraoperative adjustment of a patient’s leg length and/or offset; however, recently corrosion at the modular head–neck junction has been seen, and when it occurs, it is often associated with catastrophic consequences. The purpose of this chapter is to define corrosion, discuss potential causes/contributing factors, and suggest potential treatments.
A new funding model for nursing education through business development initiatives

Abstract Public and private higher education funding models are shifting from traditional funding of schools and departments to a model in which schools increasingly rely on revenue other than tuition to fulfill and supplement activities related to their core missions. In this paper we discuss what nursing deans need to know about non tuition funding in this contemporary paradigm. We focus on how the Duke University School of Nursing created a Business Development Initiative (BDI) that provides additional revenue to help meets the financial needs of its' programs while nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit of faculty and staff. This BDI holds promise as a model that can be adapted by other schools seeking to support education, research and professional development initiatives without relying solely on tuition, tax dollars, endowments and/or grants.
A New Profile of the Global Poor

Summary This paper presents a new demographic profile of extreme and moderate poverty, defined as those living on less than $1.90 and between $1.90 and $3.10 per day in 2013, based on household survey data from 89 developing countries. The face of poverty is primarily rural and young; 80% of the extreme poor and 75% of the moderate poor live in rural areas. Over 45% of the extreme poor are children younger than 15 years old, and nearly 60% of the extreme poor live in households with three or more children. Gender differences in poverty rates are muted, and there is scant evidence of gender inequality in poor children’s educational attainment. A sizable share of the extreme and moderate poor, 40 and 50%, respectively, have completed primary school. Compared with the extreme poor, the moderate poor are significantly more likely to have completed primary school and are less likely to work in agriculture. After conditioning on other individual and household characteristics, having fewer than three children, having greater educational attainment, and living in an urban area are strongly and positively associated with welfare. The results reinforce the central importance of households in rural areas and those containing large numbers of children in efforts to reduce extreme poverty, and are consistent with increased educational attainment and urbanization hastening poverty reduction.
Genetically Modified Crops

When man evolved from a hunter gatherer they began to grow crops for food. They found that selection of crops improved the quality and yield of foods for food production. The selection of seeds led to the evolution of new crops that are more productive and nutritious crops.
Collector's Guide to Silicates: Orthosilicates by Robert J. Lauf. Schiffer Publishing, 4880 Lower Valley Rd., Atglen, PA 19310; www.schifflerbooks.com. 240 pages; 2017; $45 plus shipping (hardbound).

I am pleased to recommend this authoritative and affordable guide to the mineralogy of an important group of common silicate minerals, the orthosilicates. Any serious beginning or advanced mineral ...
Using participant feedback to improve two selective eating disorder and obesity prevention programs.

Abstract Objective To examine qualitative feedback from participants of Healthy Weight and Project Health eating disorder/obesity prevention programs to guide refinements to increase program efficacy. Method Feedback was collected from college students with weight concerns randomly assigned to one of these interventions (N = 364, 72% female). Results Healthy Weight participants reported greater program satisfaction (p = 0.02); no other quantitative differences emerged in opinions of the program or leaders. Project Health participants most valued goal setting (27%), the group setting (23%), and the provided information (16%). Healthy Weight participants most valued the group setting (21%), goal setting (19%), and accountability for behavior change (18%). Project Health participants reported home exercises most frequently as least valuable (22%), followed by role-plays (13%). Healthy Weight participants most frequently reported “nothing” as least valuable (24%), followed by food/exercise logs (9%). The top suggestion from participants from both groups was to add interactive activities. Conclusions Weight gain preventive effects of Project Health were stronger, but Healthy Weight participants were more satisfied, perhaps because Project Health incorporates dissonance-induction strategies which produce psychological discomfort that promotes internalization of health lifestyle goals. Both interventions could be made more interactive by adding group exercises, encouraging group connection via social media, and adding icebreakers.
Desmatochelys lowi, a Marine Turtle from the Upper Cretaceous

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses specimen of Desmatochelys lowi from the Mancos Shale of northern Arizona. The turtle was completely disarticulated and based on the orientation of the skull, carapace elements might have arrived on the bottom in an upside-down position. A plesiosaur tooth found in association with the skeleton suggested a possible scavenger of the carcass and none of the bones showed any evidence of predation. The skull and anterior part of the lower jaw were recovered, together with most of the cervical vertebrae, substantial portions of the carapace, part of the plastron, one humerus, one femur, and some distal elements of the flippers. Anteriorly, the posterior margin of the external nares was formed by a pair of nasal bones that contact the frontals posteriorly and are bounded laterally by the maxilla. The frontals are large and irregularly shaped with an anterior process that meets the nasals and a lateral process that forms part of the dorsal margin of the orbits. The prefrontals are small bones that form dorsal lappets in the anterodorsal comer of the orbits and are separated from each other in the midline by the anterior processes of the frontals. Moreover, the large postorbitals separate the parietals from the squamosals and make a major contribution to the posterior margin of the skull.
A Brain-Based Instruction Simulation Approach to Improve Code Team Response in an Internal Medicine Unit:

Background and Objectives. The code team course is a 3-hour, interactive course that follows a 4-phase brain-based lesson plan for simulation. Interprofessional teams receive instruction and practi...
Altered gastrointestinal motility involving autoantibodies in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model of multiple sclerosis.

Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that, in addition to motor, sensory, and cognitive symptoms, also causes constipation, which is poorly understood. Here, we characterize gastrointestinal (GI) dysmotility in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of MS and evaluate whether autoantibodies target the enteric nervous system (ENS) and cause dysmotility. Methods EAE was induced in male SJL and B6 mice. GI motility was assessed in vivo and ex vivo in wild type (WT) and B cell-deficient mice. MS and EAE serum was used to survey potential targets in the ENS and changes in the ENS structure were characterized using immunohistochemistry. Key results EAE mice developed accelerated gastric emptying and delayed whole GI transit with reduced colonic motility. Fecal water content was reduced, and colonic migrating myoelectrical complexes (CMMC) and slow waves were less frequent. Colons from EAE mice exhibited decreased GFAP levels in glia. Sera from MS patients and from EAE mice targeted ENS neurons and glia. B-cell deficiency in EAE protected against colonic dysmotility. Conclusions & inferences Consistent with symptoms experienced in MS, we demonstrate that EAE mice widely exhibit features of GI dysmotility that persisted in the absence of extrinsic innervation, suggesting direct involvement of ENS neurocircuitry. The absence of GI dysmotility in B cell-deficient mice with EAE together with EAE and MS serum immunoreactivity against ENS targets suggests that MS could be classified among other diseases known to induce autoimmune GI dysmotility.
Fraudulence, Knowledge, and Post-Imperial Geographies in John Le Carré’s Fiction: A Cavellian Postcolonial Reading

John Le Carre’s spy novel Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy describes a sham world in which little separates Western from Soviet practices. But many spy stories make the same point. What distinguishes Le Carre’s work is that instead of simply describing Cold War espionage as an exercise in truth-detection, it shows it to be symptomatic of an inherently contingent post-imperial world. The novel reflects Stanley Cavell’s point that by acknowledging this contingency, we make meaning of the world, one whose historical fallout the author’s generation acutely sensed. The novel’s global setting is therefore an integral part of its moral vision.
Insecticide dose and seasonal timing of trunk injection in apples influence efficacy and residues in nectar and plant parts.

Background Trunk injection is an established method for delivering pesticides in ornamental and shade trees, but further research is needed to determine efficacy and pollinator safety in tree fruit crops. Apple trees were injected in 2013 and 2014 with the insecticides emamectin benzoate, imidacloprid, dinotefuran, spinosad, chlorantraniliprole, or abamectin. Additional emamectin benzoate and imidacloprid injections were performed in the spring and fall of 2015. Nectar and pollen were sampled in the following spring to compare the effects of application timings on insecticide loading into flowers. Results Neonicotinoids reduced Empoasca fabae density in the field. Emamectin benzoate, chlorantraniliprole, and abamectin resulted in moderate to high mortality and reduced Choristoneura rosaceana feeding in bioassays. Imidacloprid was not detected in nectar or pollen when injected in the spring, and was detected at 0.39 ng g-1 in pollen when injected the previous fall. Emamectin benzoate was not detected in nectar or pollen when injected the previous fall, and was detected at 7.36 ng g-1 (nectar) and 1.15 ng g-1 (pollen) when injected in the spring. Conclusions This study identified a broader list of possible trunk-injectable pesticides for apple trees. This study also shows that managing the seasonal timing of injection can reduce the risk of insecticide exposure to pollinators. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.
Using Safety Barrier Analysis to Facilitate Quality Improvement in Health Care: Improving Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis as a Proof of Concept:

Effective quality improvement is a key factor in optimizing the care of hospitalized patients. Unfortunately, the US health care system has a poor safety record when compared to other major industr...
Punitive Damages after BMW v. Gore (1996)

The U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in BMW v. Gore (1996) in May. This decision triggered another round of discussions regarding restraints on punitive damages as a part of the overall reform of the U.S. tort system. Here, the authors review the BMW decision and its immediate predecessors to illustrate the essential public policy issues that are associated with proposed limits on punitive damages.
Bottlenecks of ICT Innovation in Rwanda

Despite some successes, Rwanda's ambitious plan to become an ICT-led economy faces challenges. Through 31 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, we explored the reported strengths, weaknesses, and potential lessons of Rwanda's ICT sector, especially as relevant to the country's economic development. We find that (1) there is sincere, widely shared aspiration toward ICT-led national development; (2) support for ICT entrepreneurship is successful at helping to start ICT-based businesses, but not at continuing or succeeding with them; and (3) some of the challenges of continuing ICT-based businesses have to do with Rwandan higher education, availability of start-up financing, and a weak sense for entrepreneurial initiative. We situate these findings in the literature on global technology hubs and national development, and discuss policy recommendations for countries seeking ICT-based economic growth.
Utility of Nasal Access Guides in Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery: Assessment of Use during Cadaveric Dissection and Workflow Analysis in Surgery.

Background A nasal access guide (NAG) for endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEAs) to the skull-base has been developed and approved for clinical use but its utility has not been formally investigated. Objectives The study aims to assess the effect of a NAG on endoscopic visualization during cadaveric dissection and to perform a workflow analysis with process-based performance measures in the operating room and their effect on clinical outcomes. Methods Skull-base course participants were observed during hands-on cadaveric dissection with and without NAG. Instances of endoscope withdrawal for lens cleaning and inadequate visualization due to lens soiling were tabulated. Participants completed a Likert-scale survey examining the NAG utility and provided an overall grading. Surgical workflow and process-based performance on patients undergoing EEA to the skull-base was analyzed. Passage of powered and dissecting instruments, removal of endoscopes for cleaning, and dislodgment or migration of the device were reviewed. Postoperative assessments included mucosal trauma and synechiae formation. Results Instances of endoscope soiling and manual cleaning were significantly reduced by 40% and 61% with the NAG during cadaveric dissection. The overall grading of the device was 2.75/3. Surgical workflow was observed in 35 patients. Average number of passes of endoscopes, instruments, and powered tools during a 10-minute observation period were 3,17, and 5 during the surgical approach, and 3, 18, and 1 during tumor dissection. Dislodgement of the device occurred in 25.7% and migration of the device in 2.8% of cases. Postoperative synechiae, exposed cartilage or septal perforation was not observed in follow up. Conclusion NAG can significantly reduce inadequate visualization during EEA to the skull-base and has the potential to reduce instances of nasal trauma. Participants assessed its overall utility as being “excellent.”
DIRECT EVIDENCE ON THE MARKET-DRIVEN ACQUISITION THEORY

We provide direct empirical evidence that share overvaluation is an important motive for firms to make stock acquisitions. We find that more overvalued firms are more likely to acquire with stock, and acquirers are more overvalued in successful stock mergers than in withdrawn mergers. Acquirers' overvaluation, on average, exceeds the targets' premium-adjusted overvaluation. Shareholders of stock acquirers, whose overvaluation is greater than their targets' premium-adjusted overvaluation, realize sustained wealth gains from one day before the merger announcement up to three years after the merger completion, as compared with a matching sample of similarly overvalued but nonacquiring firms.
Role of Cardiac CT in Pre-Procedure Planning for Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement

Abstract Objectives This study sought to evaluate cardiac computed tomography (CCT) findings and their clinical impact among patients being considered for transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR). Background CCT is used to evaluate whether patients are candidates for TMVR, but limited data exist on the yield of such tests. Methods Patients referred for pre-procedural CCT for TMVR planning in the context of failing mitral bioprosthetic valves, annuloplasty rings, and severe native valve disease with annular calcification were included in this study. CCT findings were analyzed to evaluate for suitability for TMVR. In the subset of patients who underwent TMVR, echocardiographic and procedural characteristics were recorded. Results Among 80 patients who underwent pre-procedural CCT, the mean age was 71.8 ± 11.4 years, 60% were women, and the mean Society of Thoracic Surgeon score was 9.4 ± 6.7. Most cases were referred for valve-in-native annular calcification planning (n = 43), followed by valve-in-valve (n = 29), and valve-in-ring procedures (n = 8). A total of 51 (64%) patients did not undergo TMVR, 37 of whom had high-risk features identified on CCT. The most common reason for exclusion was related to large annular size, followed by heightened risk of left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction. Among 29 patients (36%) who underwent TMVR, the 30-day mortality rate was 17%. Five patients experienced LVOT obstruction, 4 of whom were predicted by CCT. Following TMVR, 5 patients had at least moderate peri-valvular regurgitation. Conclusions A minority of patients referred for TMVR planning ultimately undergo the procedure. CCT identifies unsuitable anatomy and leads to exclusion in a significant number of cases.
What’s the Buzz About Standing

Is the receipt of a single unsolicited, automated text message, sent in violation of a federal statute, a concrete injury in fact that establishes standing to sue in federal court? Judges nationwide have split over that deceptively simple question. The Second, Seventh, and Ninth Circuits consider such intrusions sufficiently concrete to support Article III standing. Yet the Eleventh Circuit recently held that the alleged injury from an unwanted text’s “buzz, chirp, or blink” is insufficiently concrete to invoke federal jurisdiction. Surprisingly, given the advent of widespread, unwelcome “robotexts,” scholars have yet to analyze this burgeoning divide, the ultimate resolution of which likely will require Supreme Court review. This Essay bridges that gap. Surveying both sides of the split, it contends that a single unsolicited, automated text sent in violation of a federal statute is a concrete injury in fact. In so doing, this Essay exposes the flawed reasoning that led the Eleventh Circuit to deny Article III standing. In response, it proposes three solutions to rectify the Eleventh Circuit’s demonstrably erroneous decision.
Florida Straits deglacial temperature and salinity change: Implications for tropical hydrologic cycle variability during the Younger Dryas

temperature and d 18 OSW (a proxy for surface salinity) records based on Mg/Ca ratios and oxygen isotope measurements in the planktonic foraminifera Globigerinoides ruber from a sediment core located on the western margin of the Florida Straits. As a proxy for meltwater discharge influence on Florida Straits surface water salinity, we also measured Ba/Ca ratios in G. ruber from the same core. Results show that riverine influence on Florida Straits surface water started by 17.2 ka BP and ended by 13.6 ka BP, 600 years before the start of the Younger Dryas (YD) cold interval. The initiation of the YD is marked by an abrupt increase in Florida Straits d 18 OSW values, indicating a shift to elevated sea surface salinity occurring in 130 years, most likely resulting from increased regional aridity and/or reduced precipitation. In order to resolve the timing of tropical atmospheric circulation change relative to AMOC variability across this transition, we compare the timing of surface water changes to a recently published record of Florida Current variability in the same core reconstructed from benthic oxygen isotope measurements. We find synchronous changes in atmospheric and ocean circulation on the transition into the YD, consistent with an abrupt reduction in AMOC as the driver of tropical Atlantic atmospheric circulation change at this time.
Effect of resistant starch on subjective appetite and food intake in healthy adults (1040.2)

The effect of replacing rapidly digestible starch with Fibersym® resistant wheat starch was investigated using a randomized, cross-over study design. Following an overnight fast, 27 healthy adults (aged 23±2 years with a BMI of 23.0±3.0 kg/m2) consumed a fixed-amount meal of breakfast (muffins) that provided either 2g (control) or 24g (RS) of dietary fiber. The control breakfast provided 777kcal and the RS breakfast 693kcal. Baseline appetite questionnaires and plasma samples were collected and at regular time points for 240 minutes following the breakfast meal. Plasma samples were analyzed for glucose and insulin, ghrelin and GLP-1. After the final blood draw an ad libitum meal was provided and the amount eaten recorded. Following the lunch meal, food intake was recorded using a food log and hourly appetite questionnaires were collected for the rest of the day. There was no effect of treatment on subjective appetite, plasma glucose, insulin or satiety hormones (>0.05). However, there was a statistically ...
Meal replacements, reduced energy density eating, and weight loss maintenance in primary care patients: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective To compare the presence or absence of meal replacements (MRs) and an energy density (ED) intervention to facilitate weight loss maintenance.
Mutation of the two carboxyl-terminal tyrosines in the insulin receptor results in enhanced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase

Activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase represents an important mechanism in hormonal regulation. To clarify the role of MAP kinase activation in insulin action, we compared the activation of the enzyme in Rat-1 cells transfected with wild-type (Hirc) and mutant insulin receptors in which the 2 carboxyl-terminal tyrosines were substituted with phenylalanine (Y/F2). Expression of the Y/F2 mutant receptor enhanced the responsiveness of MAP kinase to insulin. Moreover, the insulin responsiveness of the activator of this enzyme, MAP kinase kinase, was also increased in these cells. To explore the early signaling events that might account for this increase in responsiveness, we evaluated the tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate, IRS-1, and its subsequent association with phosphatidylinositol (PI)-3 kinase. In both cell types, insulin led to a dose-dependent increase in the association of tyrosine phosphorylated IRS-1 with the SH2 domain of the p85 regulatory subunit of PI-3 kinase, and also increased the amount of PI kinase activity detected in anti-IRS-1 immunoprecipitates. The effect of insulin was significantly greater in Y/F2 cells, as determined in both assays. In previous studies, cells bearing this receptor mutant exhibited an identical metabolic response but enhanced mitogenic response to insulin when compared with wild-type receptor. These data provide further evidence for divergence of the mitogenic and metabolic signaling pathways at or near the insulin receptor.
An introduction to three-dimensional climate modeling

The development and use of three-dimensional computer models of the earth's climate are discussed. The processes and interactions of the atmosphere, oceans, and sea ice are examined. The basic theory of climate simulation which includes the fundamental equations, models, and numerical techniques for simulating the atmosphere, oceans, and sea ice is described. Simulated wind, temperature, precipitation, ocean current, and sea ice distribution data are presented and compared to observational data. The responses of the climate to various environmental changes, such as variations in solar output or increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, are modeled. Future developments in climate modeling are considered. Information is also provided on the derivation of the energy equation, the finite difference barotropic forecast model, the spectral transform technique, and the finite difference shallow water waved equation model.
Sticky Mortgage Rates: Some Empirical Evidence

Mortgage rates have long been considered to be “sticky” rates compared to those on other capital market instruments. Using cross-spectral analysis and a more current mortgage market time series than previously available, the author documents 1) a well-functioning bond market with few lags and tight internal couplings, 2) a secondary mortgage market that appears to be fully integrated within the medium term capital markets, and 3) a primary mortgage market that evidences declining, yet persistently positive, lags behind bond market changes. Several institutional constraints are hypothesized to account for this seemingly inconsistent behavior.
Fast marching tree

In this paper we present a novel probabilistic sampling-based motion planning algorithm called the Fast Marching Tree algorithm FMT*. The algorithm is specifically aimed at solving complex motion planning problems in high-dimensional configuration spaces. This algorithm is proven to be asymptotically optimal and is shown to converge to an optimal solution faster than its state-of-the-art counterparts, chiefly PRM* and RRT*. The FMT* algorithm performs a 'lazy' dynamic programming recursion on a predetermined number of probabilistically drawn samples to grow a tree of paths, which moves steadily outward in cost-to-arrive space. As such, this algorithm combines features of both single-query algorithms chiefly RRT and multiple-query algorithms chiefly PRM, and is reminiscent of the Fast Marching Method for the solution of Eikonal equations. As a departure from previous analysis approaches that are based on the notion of almost sure convergence, the FMT* algorithm is analyzed under the notion of convergence in probability: the extra mathematical flexibility of this approach allows for convergence rate bounds-the first in the field of optimal sampling-based motion planning. Specifically, for a certain selection of tuning parameters and configuration spaces, we obtain a convergence rate bound of order On −1/d+? , where n is the number of sampled points, d is the dimension of the configuration space, and ? is an arbitrarily small constant. We go on to demonstrate asymptotic optimality for a number of variations on FMT*, namely when the configuration space is sampled non-uniformly, when the cost is not arc length, and when connections are made based on the number of nearest neighbors instead of a fixed connection radius. Numerical experiments over a range of dimensions and obstacle configurations confirm our theoretical and heuristic arguments by showing that FMT*, for a given execution time, returns substantially better solutions than either PRM* or RRT*, especially in high-dimensional configuration spaces and in scenarios where collision-checking is expensive.
Thermoacoustic Imaging Induced by Deeply Penetrating Radiation

A special-purpose acoustic imaging technique is described in which heat pulses are generated within the region of interest by deeply penetrating radiation, and the resultant thermal expansions produce acoustic waves which are detected at the surface of any body sufficiently uniform for conventional ultrasonic imaging. By employing signal-averaging of successive pulses, only a fraction of a microdegree temperature rise is required in each pulse. If electromagnetic heating radiation is employed, images will sharply differentiate regions of differing electrical conductivity. Both electromagnetic and ionizing radiation show changes of thermal expansion coefficient and thermal heat capacity. In the soft-tissue regions of the body, the technique provides (a) a novel non-invasive identification of tissue characteristics which may provide a valuable supplement to the information derived from conventional imaging modalities and (b) a method to verify treatment plans in the positioning of therapeutic radiation dosage. In inanimate materials, the technique offers a new method of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) which can differentiate and locate regions of differing electrical conductivity, thermal expansion coefficient, and heat capacity not sensed by conventional NDE imaging.
Autophagic flux without a block differentiates varicella from herpes simplex virus infection

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a herpesvirus that causes a characteristic vesicular exanthem in humans with primary infection (varicella) or reactivation (zoster). We have previously observed that vesicular cells are filled with autophagosomes that are easily detectable by confocal microscopy after immunolabeling for the LC3 protein. Through a 3D imaging software program called Imaris we have quantitated autophagosomes as greater than 100 per cell. Similarly, we have assessed autophagy in VZV-infected monolayers after inoculation by the traditional method with infected cells at a ratio of one infected to 8 uninfected cells. Again, autophagosomes are easily detected, but their count is lower than that observed in human skin cells. As an additional control, we enumerated the autophagosomes in the Severe Combined Immuno-Deficient (SCID) Mouse model of VZV infection. In this model, human skin is inserted under the skin of the mouse and subsequently inoculated with VZV-infected cells. Again, autophagy was abundant in the VZV-infected skin and minimal in the mock-infected skin sample. Subsequently, we investigated autophagy following infection with sonically prepared cell free virus in cultured cells. After cell free virus inoculation, autophagy was detected in a majority of infected cells at all time points, but was less than that seen after an infected-cell inoculum. Finally, we investigated VZV-induced autophagic flux by two different methods (radiolabeling proteins and a dual-colored LC3 plasmid); both showed no evidence of a block in autophagy. Overall, therefore, autophagy within a VZV-infected cell was remarkably different from autophagy within an HSV-infected cell, whose genome contains two modifiers of autophagy, ICP34.5 and US11, not present in VZV.
Validity and reliability of aortic pulse wave velocity and augmentation index determined by the new cuff-based SphygmoCor Xcel

Aortic pulse wave velocity (AoPWV) and augmentation index (AIx) are commonly used measures of large elastic artery stiffness and wave reflection, respectively. Recently, a new cuff-based SphygmoCor device (Xcel) has been developed to measure both AoPWV and AIx. We sought to examine the following: (1) the validity of Xcel compared with the well-validated tonometry-based SphygmoCor device (MM3); (2) the intratest and day-to-day reliability of Xcel; (3) the influence of body side (right or left) on Xcel measurements; and (4) the relation of Xcel measurements to carotid artery compliance, distensibility and β-stiffness index. We found that measurements of AoPWV and AIx between Xcel and MM3 were not different (P=0.26 and P=0.43, N=22 and 26, respectively) and were strongly related (r=0.85 and 0.75, P<0.0001), and based on Bland-Altman plots there was good agreement between them. Intra-test (intraclass correlation=0.996 and 0.983, P<0.0001; AoPWV and AIx, N=24 and 26, respectively) and day-to-day reliability (intraclass correlation=0.979 and 0.939, P<0.0001) were high. Xcel AoPWV and AIx on the left versus right body side were not different (P=0.19 and P=0.58, N=14 and 15, respectively) and were highly correlated (r=0.99 and 0.94, P<0.0001). AoPWV and AIx measured with Xcel were positively related with β-stiffness index (r=0.62 and 0.51, P< or = 0.005, N=23 and 24, respectively) and negatively related with distensibility (r = -0.58 and -0.44, P < or = 0.02, N=23 and 24, respectively). In conclusion, Xcel measures of AIx and AoPWV are valid, highly reliable and not affected by body side. Xcel is a useful tool for use in research and the clinic.
A comparison of nanosilver and silver ion effects on bioreactor landfill operations and methanogenic population dynamics.

Abstract Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs, nanosilver) and silver ions released from industry and various consumer products are eventually disposed in sanitary landfills. To compare the effects of these two forms of silver on landfill bioreactor operations with leachate recirculation, municipal solid waste (MSW) in six identical 9-L bioreactors was exposed to AgNPs (stabilized with 0.06% polyvinyl alcohol) or Ag+ at a silver concentration of 10 mg/kg solids. The landfill anaerobic digestion was operated and monitored for more than 200 days. There was no significant difference in cumulative methane volume or methane production rate between the groups of control and 10 mg/kg Ag+. However, MSW treated with 10 mg/kg AgNPs resulted in a reduced methane production (by up to 80%) and accumulation of volatile fatty acids in the leachates. This was accompanied by higher leachate Ag concentrations (an average of 3.7 ± 0.3 mg/L) after day 132 as compared to those in the groups of control and 10 mg/kg Ag+ at 0.7 ± 0.4 and 1.1 ± 0.3 mg/L, respectively. Quantitative PCR targeting 16S rRNA genes of methanogens indicated reduced methanogenic growth in the bioreactors exposed to nanosilver. The peak values of total methanogens in leachates were (1.18 ± 0.09) × 1010, (4.57 ± 2.67) × 1010 and (7.72 ± 0.78) × 108 (cells/mL) for the groups of control, Ag+ and AgNPs, respectively. The results suggest that silver ions have minimal impact on landfill methane production at the concentration of 10 mg/kg. However, nanosilver inhibits methanogenesis and is more toxic than its counterpart, likely due to slow and long-term Ag+ release from nanosilver dissolution yielding more bioavailability in landfill leachates.
Minimizing total tardiness for scheduling identical parallel machines with family setups

Abstract This paper presents several procedures for scheduling identical parallel machines with family setups when the objective is to minimize total tardiness. These procedures are tested on several problem sets with varying numbers of families, jobs and machines, varying setup time distributions and various levels of due date tightness and variability. The results show that genetic algorithms are the most effective algorithms for the problem.
Abstract A59: Life and death decision by E2F1 depends on Jab1-mediated expression of E2F apoptotic target genes and is counteracted by PI3K activation.

Rb regulation of cell cycle progression and tumorigenesis is dependent on its control of E2F transcription factor function, a family of proteins that initiate both cell proliferation and cell death. Several classes of E2F target genes have been categorized based on their roles in DNA replication, G2/M & mitosis, apoptosis, DNA repair, etc. However, the mechanisms controlling appropriate expression of genes responsible for these cell fates is poorly understood. We previously showed that Jab1 promotes E2F1-induced apoptosis but not DNA replication as an E2F1-specific binding partner. In this study, we performed gene expression analysis to better understand the control of E2F1 function by Jab1/CSN5. Microarray assay revealed a significant number of apoptotic E2F target genes such as Cyp26b1 and AMPKα2 are profoundly impaired by Jab1 shRNA knockdown, whereas DNA replication genes are generally still highly expressed. The findings of microarray were further confirmed using quantitative real-time PCR. Subsequent chromatin immunoprecipitation indicates that Jab1/E2F1 complex resides on the promoters of E2F1 apoptotic and G2/M, but not DNA replication targets genes. Meanwhile, we found that PI3K activation blocks expression of E2F1/Jab1 co-induced apoptotic target genes and apoptosis induction at least in part by interfering with formation of the pro-apoptotic Jab1/E2F1 complex as determined by co-immunoprecipitation. More importantly, we detected a highly significant correlation between elevated Jab1 levels and PI3K activity in breast, ovarian, lung and prostate cancers. These findings suggest the possibility that Jab1, when elevated in these tumors, may evade triggering tumor-suppressive E2F1 apoptosis and instead induce proliferation through the frequent, simultaneous co-activation of PI3K activity. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research; 2011 Sep 14-18; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(18 Suppl):Abstract nr A59.
Sequential organization of speech in computational auditory scene analysis

A human listener has the ability to follow a speaker's voice over time in the presence of other talkers and non-speech interference. This paper proposes a general system for sequential organization of speech based on speaker models. By training a general background model, the proposed system is shown to function well with both interfering talkers and non-speech intrusions. To deal with situations where prior information about specific speakers is not available, a speaker quantization method is employed to extract representative models from a large speaker space and obtained generic models are used to perform sequential grouping. Our systematic evaluations show that grouping performance using generic models is only moderately lower than the performance level achieved with known speaker models.
Effects of Implantation Method and Temperature on Mortality and Loss of Simulated Transmitters in Hybrid Striped Bass

Abstract To determine the effects of surgical implantation method and temperature on mortality and transmitter loss, we compared two antenna placements (trailing antenna versus shielded needle) and two suture materials (absorbable versus nonabsorbable) in hybrid striped bass Morone saxitilis × Morone chrysops (227–410 mm total length) that had been surgically implanted with simulated transmitters and held at high (22–29°C) and low (12–18°C) temperatures for 120 d. Fish were individually examined after 7, 30, 60, 90, and 120 d to evaluate suture and wound condition as well as transmitter loss. Neither suture material nor antenna placement affected transmitter loss, mortality, or growth at either high or low temperatures. Absorbable sutures were lost more quickly than were nonabsorbable sutures, but they persisted beyond incision closure at both high and low temperatures. At high temperatures, 50% suture loss occurred by 30 d for absorbable sutures and by 60 d for nonabsorbable sutures. Mortality occurred o...
Molecular beam study of formic acid decomposition on platinum

Abstract The decomposition of formic acid on polycrystalline platinum has been studied under conditions such that the reaction occurs as the result of a single collision of formic acid with the surface, and a direct line of sight exists between the platinum surface and the detector. Under our experimental conditions, the reaction is first order in formic acid, with CO2 and H2 as the main products (~ 85%) and the remainder CO and probably H2O. At 1150 K there is an abrupt increase in the steady state activity, and after heating to above this temperature a transient high activity (super-activity) exists when the sample is cooled to lower temperatures. This transient superactivity decays inversely with time to the steady state reaction rate. To explain these phenomena a five step mechanism is proposed. Two of the steps involve dissociative adsorption on paired sites of a diatomic poison whose main effect is to decrease the number of surface sites available for formic acid decomposition. Desorption of this poison explains the increase in activity at 1150 K, and readsorption is shown to explain the time dependence of the decay of the superactivity. The poison is suspected to be oxygen, but evidence on this point is incomplete.
Direct plate-reader measurement of nitric oxide released from hypoxic erythrocytes flowing through a microfluidic device.

The ability to perform a fluorescence-based quantitative determination of a biologically important analyte directly released from mammalian cells using a standard microtiter plate reader to measure wells integrated into a microfluidic device is reported. Specifically, the amount of nitric oxide (NO) released from flowing erythrocytes (ERYs) exposed to a hypoxic buffer is measured using a fluorescein-based probe. The ERYs are pumped through channels in one layer of the poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) device; as these cells release NO, it flows through a porous polycarbonate membrane to the probe. The device is then placed into a standard microtiter plate reader for measurement, with the entire calibration and analyte determination occurring simultaneously. Using this method, NO release from hypoxic ERYs was determined to be 6.9 ± 1.8 μM, a significantly increased value in comparison to that from normoxic ERYs of 0.60 ± 0.04 μM (p < 0.001, n = 4 rabbits). Furthermore, the reproducibility (reported as a %RSD) ...
‘When I hear Afrikaans in the classroom and never my language, I get rebellious’: linguistic apartheid in South African higher education

Language policies in South African education have historically been inextricably woven within the fabric of larger sociopolitical realities and have supported the interests of those in power. With the dismantling of the apartheid regime and subsequent Constitutional statements addressing the importance of promoting the status and use of indigenous languages, progressive linguists and educators envisioned the possibilities of ushering in a new era of linguistic equality. However, especially at the tertiary level, educational practice continues to privilege the colonial languages, at the particular expense of Black South African students. In contrast with previous research that highlights more supportive sentiments among Black students regarding this hegemonic condition, this study incorporates ‘deep interviewing’ to identify the presence of more covert negative attitudes that have profound implications for educational performance. Implications for further scholarly work as well as plausible strategies for ...
Reconstruction of an object from its coded image and object constraints.

In coded-aperture imaging, a technique useful in nuclear medicine, a coded image of dimensionality one less than that of the object is recorded. It is possible to obtain a crude reconstruction of the object with the use of a form of correlation decoding of the coded image, but to date these methods have been unsatisfactory. We present an iterative reconstruction algorithm that makes use of a priori knowledge of object border and object postivity. Reconstructions obtained in simulations are consistent with the constraints and coded image and are surprisingly accurate in light of the extensive information loss involved in the image-formation process.