cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conservation Planning in a Changing Climate: Assessing the Impacts of Potential Range Shifts on a Reserve Network

As climates change over the coming century, many species will ­experience range shifts. Some species that currently inhabit protected areas will move out of those areas and others will move in. Drawing on model projections from previous studies, we assessed potential changes in the representation of trees, birds, ­mammals, and amphibians in the protected areas of the Northern Appalachian/Acadian ecoregion of North America. Six of 17 tree species were projected to ­experience a reduction in the areas suitable for growth in the region’s protected areas and 11 of the 17 were projected to gain representation. Seven of 14 bird species were projected to experience losses in representation of their suitable habitat and the other seven were projected to experience gains. Range-shift projections for mammals and amphibians indicated that the protected areas would likely experience 13% and 21% turnover in these species, respectively with roughly half of the species ­experiencing losses of suitable habitat in the reserves and half ­experiencing gains. Despite these potential changes, protected areas are still likely to be one of the best tools for protecting biodiversity in a changing climate. One of the major challenges for the coming decades will be to provide the connectivity that will facilitate movement out of, and into, protected areas.
Performance Prediction in Uncertain Multi-Agent Systems Using \({\mathcal L}_1\) Adaptation-Based Distributed Event-Triggering

This chapter studies the impact of communication constraints and uncertainties on the performance of multi-agent systems, while closing the local loops with embedded \({\mathcal L}_1\) adaptive controllers. A communication and adaptation co-design scheme is proposed that helps to predict system performance. With this scheme, an agent locally determines its broadcast time instants using distributed event-triggering. The embedded \({\mathcal L}_1\) adaptive controller enables each agent to compensate for the local uncertainties and disturbances. Performance bounds are derived on the difference between the signals of the ideal model (in the absence of uncertainties and with perfect communication) and the real system operating with the proposed co-design scheme, which can be arbitrarily reduced subject only to hardware limitations. These results can be used for design guidelines in safety-critical applications.
Surface tension and density of RENE N5® and RENE 90® Ni-based superalloys

The surface tension and density of Ni-based superalloys RENE N5® and RENE 90® have been measured by the pinned drop method at temperatures ranging from 1638 to 1780 K. In order to obtain accurate reliable data, the tests have been performed under a reducing atmosphere to minimize the oxygen contamination. In the temperature ranges investigated, both properties show a linear temperature dependence. With the aim of evaluating the reliability of the data, the present results have been analyzed using different thermodynamic models. The new experimental data for RENE N5® and RENE 90® superalloys were also compared with the corresponding data obtained by different experimental techniques.
Validation of two multiplex real-time PCR assays based on single nucleotide polymorphisms of the HA1 gene of equine influenza A virus in order to differentiate between clade 1 and clade 2 Florida sublineage isolates

We validated 2 multiplex real-time PCR (rtPCR) assays based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the hemagglutinin-1 ( HA1) gene of H3N8 equine influenza A virus (EIV) to determine clade affiliation of prototype and field isolates. Initial validation of the 2 multiplex rtPCR assays (SNP1 and SNP2) was performed using nucleic acid from 14 EIV Florida sublineage clade 1 and 2 prototype strains. We included in our study previously banked EIV rtPCR-positive nasal secretions from 341 horses collected across the United States in 2012-2017 to determine their clade affiliation. All 14 EIV prototype strains were identified correctly as either Florida sublineage clade 1 or clade 2 using the 2 SNP target positions. Of 341 EIV rtPCR-positive samples, 337 (98.8%) and 4 (1.2%) isolates were classified as belonging to clade 1 and 2 Florida sublineage EIV, respectively. All clade 1 Florida sublineage EIV strains were detected in domestic horses, three clade 2 Florida sublineage EIV strains originated from horses recently imported into the United States, and one clade 2 Florida sublineage EIV strain originated from a healthy horse recently vaccinated with a modified-live intranasal EIV vaccine containing the American lineage strain A/eq/Kentucky/1991. EIV Florida sublineage clade differentiation using a fast and reliable multiplex rtPCR platform will help monitor the introduction of clade 2 Florida sublineage EIV strains into North America via international transportation.
Early Events in the Reductive Dehalogenation of Linear Perfluoroalkyl Substances

This work details the early events in the reductive defluorination of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and presents a straightforward methodology for predicting the reduction behavior of the perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) using electronic structure calculations. Electron attachment to linear perfluorocarboxylic acids generally occurs at the α-carbon and is energetically not correlated to chain length, contrary to the case for linear perfluoroalkanesulfonates, where electrons generally insert into other positions. Perfluorooctanesulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid, two widely studied and scrutinized PFAAs, are therefore predicted to be reduced through diverging pathways. Our protocol can predict the standard reduction potentials of PFAAs, provides a rational basis for probing reaction intermediates, establishes free energy relationships, and accounts for PFASs’ inherent structural diversity beyond the linear substrates.
mSphere of Influence: the Power of Yeast Genetics Still Going Strong!

ABSTRACT Felipe Santiago-Tirado studies the cell biology of cryptococcal infections. In this mSphere of Influence article, he reflects on how the papers “Systematic Genetic Analysis of Virulence in the Human Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans” (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2008.07.046) and “Unraveling the Biology of a Fungal Meningitis Pathogen Using Chemical Genetics” (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2014.10.044) by the Noble and Madhani groups influenced his thinking by showcasing the various modern applications of yeast genetics in an organism where genetic manipulation was difficult.
Generalized Schwartz–Gunning theorem and Weyl type lemmas for the Schrödinger operator

In this work, we study Schrodinger type equations with domain in a complex space and their solutions in the classical as well as in the sense of the space of currents. For such an equation with a (...
Identification of an Anti-diabetic, Orally Available Small Molecule that Regulates TXNIP Expression and Glucagon Action

Diabetes is characterized by hyperglycemia, loss of functional islet beta cell mass, deficiency of glucose-lowering insulin, and persistent alpha cell secretion of gluconeogenic glucagon. Still, no therapies that target these underlying processes are available. We therefore performed high-throughput screening of 300,000 compounds and extensive medicinal chemistry optimization and here report the discovery of SRI-37330, an orally bioavailable, non-toxic small molecule, which effectively rescued mice from streptozotocin- and obesity-induced (db/db) diabetes. Interestingly, in rat cells and in mouse and human islets, SRI-37330 inhibited expression and signaling of thioredoxin-interacting protein, which we have previously found to be elevated in diabetes and to have detrimental effects on islet function. In addition, SRI-37330 treatment inhibited glucagon secretion and function, reduced hepatic glucose production, and reversed hepatic steatosis. Thus, these studies describe a newly designed chemical compound that, compared to currently available therapies, may provide a distinct and effective approach to treating diabetes.
Thermally Activated Optical Absorption into Polaronic States in Hematite

Polaron formation, whereby an electron or hole strongly couples to a lattice distortion, inhibits the carrier mobility of many first-row transition metal oxide semiconductors. Recently reported XUV transient absorption measurements of hematite (α-Fe2O3) demonstrate formation of electron small polarons upon photoexcitation into an undistorted charge-transfer state followed by subpicosecond lattice reorganization. Here, we show that polaronic states of hematite can be accessed directly via optical transitions from the ground state in a thermally activated lattice. Thermal difference spectra collected from 30 to 573 K combined with Stokes resonance Raman spectra indicate strong coupling between optical transitions near the band-edge (2.1-2.3 eV) and zone-center a1g and longitudinal (LO) optical phonons. Density functional theory calculations of the electronic and vibrational structures of pristine and polaron-distorted hematite lattices confirm that the geometric distortion corresponding to electron small polaron formation lies along the 28-meV a1g and 81-meV LO phonon coordinates and reproduce the features observed in the experimental thermal difference and resonance Raman spectra.
Emulating Radiation-Induced Multicell Upset Patterns in SRAM FPGAs With Fault Injection

Radiation-induced multiple-cell upsets (MCUs) are events that account for more than 50% of failures on triple modular redundancy (TMR) designs in SRAM field programmable gate array (FPGA). It is important to understand these events and their impact on FPGA designs to develop improved fault mitigation techniques. This article describes an enhanced fault injection (FI) method for SRAM-based FPGAs that injects MCUs within the configuration memory of an FPGA based on MCU information extracted from previous radiation tests. The improved FI technique uncovers $3\times $ more failures than is observable in conventional single-bit FI approaches. The results from several MCU FI experiments also show that injecting MCUs can replicate the failures observed in the radiation beam test and identify new failure mechanisms.
Predicting unsafe driving risk among commercial truck drivers using machine learning: Lessons learned from the surveillance of 20 million driving miles.

Abstract The emergence of sensor-based Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring technologies have paved the way for conducting large-scale naturalistic driving studies, where continuous kinematic driver-based data are generated, capturing crash/near-crash safety critical events (SCEs) and their precursors. However, it is unknown whether the SCEs risk can be predicted to inform driver decisions in the medium term (e.g., hours ahead) since the literature has focused on SCE predictions either for a given road segment or for automated breaking applications, i.e., immediately before the event. In this paper, we examine the SCE data generated from 20+ million miles-driven by 496 commercial truck drivers to address three main questions. First, whether SCEs can be predicted using disparate driving-related data sources. Second, if so, what the relative importance of the different predictors examined is. Third, whether the prediction models can be generalized to new drivers and future time periods. We show that SCEs can be predicted 30 min in advance, using machine learning techniques and dependent variables capturing the driver’s characteristics, weather conditions, and day/time categories, where an area under the curve (AUC) up to 76% can be achieved. Moreover, the predictive performance remains relatively stable when tested on new (i.e., not in the training set) drivers and a future two-month time period. Our results can inform dispatching and routing applications, and lead to the development of technological interventions to improve driver safety.
An application of reinforcement learning to residential energy storage under real-time pricing

With the proliferation of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), more real-time data is available to electric utilities and consumers. Such high volumes of data facilitate innovative electricity rate structures beyond flat-rate and time-of-use (TOU) tariffs. One such innovation is real-time pricing (RTP), in which the wholesale market-clearing price is passed directly to the consumer on an hour-by-hour basis. While rare, RTP exists in parts of the United States and has been observed to reduce electric bills. Although these reductions are largely incidental, RTP may represent an opportunity for large-scale peak shaving, demand response, and economic efficiency when paired with intelligent control systems. Algorithms controlling flexible loads and energy storage have been deployed for demand response elsewhere in the literature, but few studies have investigated these algorithms in an RTP environment. If properly optimized, the dynamic between RTP and intelligent control has the potential to counteract the unwelcome spikes and dips of demand driven by growing penetration of distributed renewable generation and electric vehicles (EV). This paper presents a simple reinforcement learning (RL) application for optimal battery control subject to an RTP signal.
Models of Signal Generation in Neural Elements

In this chapter, we shall discuss together three topics that are often treated separately, namely, chemical synapses, sensory receptors, and spontaneous activity in neurons. The common feature of these three topics is the generation of signals in the nervous system. Since the nervous system generally is viewed as a processor of signals, it seems natural to present models concerning the generation of those signals early in our discussion. It is quite conceivable that certain signals in the nervous system arise through the actions of many neurons or other cells in concert. On the other hand, it is clear that many signals do in fact arise within individual cells, and it is these signals that are discussed in the present chapter. Discussion of the generation of signals through the concerted actions of many cells is reserved for later sections, covering neural networks. Strictly speaking, we might limit our discussion here to models of sensory receptors and models of spontaneous signal generation, considering synaptic action to involve the transmission of preexisting signals rather than the generation of new signals. Indeed, we shall consider direct electrical communication between neurons in just this way, since it generally involves the more or less direct transfer of preexisting signals. However, synapses apparently involve mediation by a chemical transmitter and a marked change in the nature of the signal as it is transferred to the receiving cell. Moreover, the interaction between the chemical mediator and the receiving cell membrane apparently is very similar to (perhaps identical with) the interactions between chemical stimuli and chemoreceptor membranes (e.g., the action at olfactory or gustatory receptors).
Historical short stories and the nature of science in a high school biology classroom

To overcome students’ misconceptions regarding the nature of science, it is essential that teachers utilize instructional activities that accurately and explicitly portray the nature of science within the context of the science content being taught. This study examines the impact of implementing two historical short stories in a high school biology course during units on genetics and biological evolution. The stories describe the lives and work of Mendel and Darwin and how their scientific ideas were developed. Questions embedded in the stories explicitly draw students’ attention to key nature of science concepts. Students in the treatment group demonstrated significantly higher understanding of several key nature of science concepts than students in the control group. Additionally, most students reported preferring the short stories to textbook readings.
Growth in Mathematics Achievement: Analysis With Classification and Regression Trees

Using a recently developed statistical technique often referred to as classification and regression trees (CART), the author classified students into groups with differential rates of growth in mathematics achievement during middle and high school according to individual and family variables, and characterized students who grew fast and those who grew slow in mathematics achievement. Data analysis of the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY) showed that age (being younger in the same grade cohort) was critically important for fast growth in mathematics achievement. Whereas younger White and Asian students grew at the best rate in mathematics achievement, older White and Asian students with low family socioeconomic status (SES) grew at the worst rate. Hispanic, Black, and other students were sandwiched in-between. One in 3 socially disadvantaged students in the sample overcame the negative impacts of low family SES and large family size and progressed to the 2nd best rates in mathematics achievement;...
Patterns of U.S. Migration from Mexico,the Caribbean, and Central America

Data from the Latin American Migration Project (LAMP) and the Mexican Migration Project (MMP) is combined to analyze migration patterns for Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Drawing on samples of 31 communities, we document the frequency and timing of migration, the date, duration, destination, and documentation of the first and the most recent U.S. trips, the employment characteristics of migrants on those trips, and migrants’ socioeconomic characteristics and selectivity. Results show that a significant share of the migration is unauthorized. The distinctive features separating Mexican migration from other flows are its concentration in farm labor, lack of educational selectivity, more frequent trips, and shorter durations of stay. All groups are showing a pronounced tendency to settle away from traditional destination areas. The analysis suggests a commonality of basic patterns and processes of migration structured and expressed in distinct ways according to context. This analysis shows that data from the LAMP and the MMP can be combined effectively to undertake comparative quantitative studies. RESUMEN Se comparan datos de las encuestas Latin American Migration Project (LAMP) y Mexican Migration Project (MMP) para analizar patrones migratorios a los Estados Unidos desde Mexico, Puerto Rico, Republica Dominicana, Nicaragua y Costa Rica. Usando muestras de 31 comunidades, se documenta la frecuencia y tiempos de migracion, la fecha, duracion, destino y documentacion del primer y mas reciente viaje a los Estados Unidos, las caracteristicas laborales de los migrantes en estos viajes, y las caracteristicas socieconomicas y la selectividad de los migrantes. Los resultados muestran que una proporcion significativa de la migracion es indocumentada. Las caracteristicas distintivas de la migracion mexicana con respecto a otros flujos son su concentracion en el trabajo agricola, la falta de selectividad educativa, la mayor frecuencia de los viajes y tiempos de estancia mas cortos. Todos los grupos muestran una pronunciada tendencia a establecerse lejos de las areas de destino tradicionales. El analisis sugiere patrones y procesos de migracion comunes, estructurados y expresados en maneras distintas de acuerdo al contexto. Este analisis muestra que los datos del LAMP y del MMP pueden conjugarse con efectividad para llevar a cabo estudios cuantitativos comparativos.
A simple approach to synthesis of arrays with shaped pattern and low side lobe level

The problem of synthesizing an antenna pattern for a particular application has received much attention since antennas were first introduced. Much work has focused on the design of arrays of antennas. The main goal of antenna array synthesis is to find appropriate weighting coefficients to yield a desired radiation pattern. We present a new, simple method to synthesize radiation patterns of antenna arrays with shaped patterns and low side-lobes based on a phased array technique. This method is based on the following prior knowledge: by superposition, we can always use numerous antenna arrays with low side lobes to construct one antenna system which can realize the desired shaped pattern in a given region. Because all the arrays used have a low side-lobe level, regions that have no main beam shifted into them have low sidelobes. Because the method is based on superposition, different element patterns and higher dimensionality cause no difficulties. The effectiveness of the approach is confirmed by examples for equispaced linear arrays and for planar arrays.
The Time Has Come to Stop Letting the HERS Tale Wag the Dogma

The premise of this commentary is simple. We believe there has been enormous overinterpretation and misinterpretation of recent clinical data (the HERS tale1) with regard to the efficacy of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in preventing or diminishing the risk of heart disease (the dogma). Both the medical and lay press have focused on obtaining a single yes-or-no answer to the question, “Does postmenopausal HRT reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)?” This oversimplified approach has led to unjustified generalizations with regard to the question and to the summary judgment in some circles that HRT is not beneficial for the prevention of heart disease. See p 2300 A brief review of the literature in this area reveals the source of much of the controversy and confusion. In 1992, an elegant meta-analysis by Grady and colleagues2 concluded that “there is extensive and consistent observational evidence that estrogen use reduces risks for CHD [coronary heart disease] about 35%.” This conclusion has since been supported by additional observational studies that together include several hundred thousand woman-years of follow-up. As one example, a recent update from the Nurse’s Health Study (>400 000 woman-years of follow-up) again confirmed a 40% to 60% reduction in cardiovascular events in women taking HRT.3,4 In contrast to this large body of observational data, the recent prospective Heart Estrogen/progestin Replacement Study (HERS) proved negative. HERS, the first prospective, randomized trial of HRT assessing cardiovascular end points, demonstrated that combined HRT (0.625 mg/d conjugated equine estrogens [CEE] and 2.5 mg/d of medroxyprogesterone acetate [MPA]) had no effect on fatal or nonfatal cardiac events.1 The study included 2763 women with established coronary artery disease followed up for an average of 4.1 years. It is largely the discrepancy between the results of HERS and the many prior observational studies that …
Issues and Challenges in Academic Advising: A Multivriate Study of Students' Attitudes towards Academic Advising in United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The contemporary pressures of Globalization arising out of new communications, Information Technology (IT) and scientific progress have a tremendous bearing on designing effective academic advising systems. The present research study investigates the UAE undergraduate students' attitude towards the issue of academic advising and tests whether a significant difference exists between the attitudes of three types of respondents chosen for this study. An instrument for measuring the attitudes of the students towards academic advising is developed. A sample of size of 482 students is chosen and a research framework is constructed to extract relevant factors affecting students' attitudes towards academic advising.
Keeping in touch with the visual system: spatial alignment and multisensory integration of visual-somatosensory inputs

Correlated sensory inputs coursing along the individual sensory processing hierarchies arrive at multisensory convergence zones in cortex where inputs are processed in an integrative manner. The exact hierarchical level of multisensory convergence zones and the timing of their inputs are still under debate, although increasingly, evidence points to multisensory integration (MSI) at very early sensory processing levels. While MSI is said to be governed by stimulus properties including space, time, and magnitude, violations of these rules have been documented. The objective of the current study was to determine, both psychophysically and electrophysiologically, whether differential visual-somatosensory (VS) integration patterns exist for stimuli presented to the same versus opposite hemifields. Using high-density electrical mapping and complementary psychophysical data, we examined multisensory integrative processing for combinations of visual and somatosensory inputs presented to both left and right spatial locations. We assessed how early during sensory processing VS interactions were seen in the event-related potential and whether spatial alignment of the visual and somatosensory elements resulted in differential integration effects. Reaction times to all VS pairings were significantly faster than those to the unisensory conditions, regardless of spatial alignment, pointing to engagement of integrative multisensory processing in all conditions. In support, electrophysiological results revealed significant differences between multisensory simultaneous VS and summed V + S responses, regardless of the spatial alignment of the constituent inputs. Nonetheless, multisensory effects were earlier in the aligned conditions, and were found to be particularly robust in the case of right-sided inputs (beginning at just 55 ms). In contrast to previous work on audio-visual and audio-somatosensory inputs, the current work suggests a degree of spatial specificity to the earliest detectable multisensory integrative effects in response to VS pairings.
Complementary combined captopril and terbutaline therapy in severe chronic congestive heart failure.

Abstract The hemodynamic effects of captopril (CPT) alone and in combination with the beta-adrenergic receptor agonist terbutaline (TBT) were evaluated in 10 patients with severe chronic congestive heart failure (CHF). The heart rate remained unchanged, while CPT lowered mean systemic blood pressure from 86 to 64 mm Hg ( p p p > 0.05). Simultaneously, CPT augmented cardiac index (Cl) from 2.1 to 2.9 L/min/m 2 ( p 2 ( p 2 and Sl to 40 ml/beat/m 2 (both p −5 ( p p > 0.05). These results indicate that both CPT and TBT markedly augment cardiac function in CHF. Moreover, the salutary effects of the systemic vasodilator appear additive to the beneficial actions of the beta-adrenergic receptor agonist, thereby providing substantial augmentation of the function of the failing heart.
Predicting Clostridium difficile Stool Cytotoxin Results in Hospitalized Patients with Diarrhea

To validate a model for the prediction of Clostridium difficile cytotoxin assay results, and to identify a subgroup of patients with a very low likelihood of C. difficile-associated disease in whom the yield of routine cytotoxin testing is low. Prospective cohort study. Relevant clinical symptoms, signs, and antibiotic exposure were recorded before reporting of assay results. Each predictor was assigned a score based on regression coefficients, and patients were stratified according to their total score. Two urban, tertiary care, university hospitals. A total of 609 consecutive adult inpatients who received testing for C. difficile cytotoxin during a 3-month period in 1994. The prevalence of positive cytotoxin assays was 8% in the validation set, compared with 14% in the derivation set. Defining patients without both prior antibiotic use and at least one symptom predictor (significant diarrhea or abdominal pain) as a low-risk subgroup, the misclassification rate was 2.8% (5/177) for assay results; of the five misclassified cases patients, only one was judged to have C. difficile-associated disease. Use of this rule to identify low-risk patients could have potentially averted 29% of all cytotoxin assays. Exposure to role models in a particular clinical field is strongly associated with medical students' choice of clinical field for residency training. Knowing which characteristics students look for in their role models should help identify the physicians who may be most influential in medical students' career choice.
Multiple serotonin receptor subtypes modulate prepulse inhibition of the startle response in rats

The phenomenon of prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle reflex is widely used as an operational measure of sensorimotor gating mechanisms. Because sensorimotor gating abnormalities have been identified in schizophrenic patients, the exploration of the neural substrates involved in PPI may provide insight into the neural dysfunctions underlying this disorder. Both dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems are involved in the modulation of PPI in rats. In addition, the present studies demonstrate complex serotonergic influences in this phenomenon. Specifically, both the 5-HT(n2) agonist, DOI, (2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine), and the 5-HT1B agonist, RU 24969, [5-methoxy-3(1,2,3,6)tetrahydropyridin-4-yl]-1H-indole, potently and reversibly disrupted PPI. The 5-HT2C agonist mCPP, [1-(m)-chlorophenyl-piperazine], was ineffective. Furthermore, ketanserin (2.0 mg/kg) and haloperidol (0.1 mg/kg) but not (±)propranolol (20.0 mg/kg) blocked the effect of DOI. In addition, the same doses of haloperidol, and, to a lesser extent, (±)propranolol, prevented the disruption of PPI induced by RU 24969. Together with previous reports of 5-HT1A involvement in PPI, these results argue for multiple serotonergic mechanisms in the modulation of PPI.
Prevention of vasospasm in penetrating arteries with MAPK inhibitors in dog double-hemorrhage model

BACKGROUND Vasospasm in the penetrating arteries contributes to ischemic neurological deficit. It may be as important as angiographic vasospasm because it would explain the discrepancies between angiographic vasospasm and clinical symptoms in some patients. It may also underlie the different effects of vasodilators. The present study examined this hypothesis by looking at the effect of the inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) on vasospasm of the penetrating arteries. METHODS Twenty-two adult mongrel dogs of either sex were used for the dog double-hemorrhage model. The dogs were randomly divided into four groups: control-hemorrhage, vehicle-treated, PD98059-treated, and U0126-treated groups. The drug injections were started on Day 3 after the first subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The clinical status of the dogs was studied, based on their activity, appetite, and focal neurological symptoms. On Day 7, all the dogs were sacrificed, and the penetrating arteries from the brain stem were prepared for transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS (1) Severe vasospasm developed in the basilar arteries in the SAH-without-treatment group (control), in the DMSO-treated group (DMSO), and in the U0126 treatment group with mean reduction of the basilar artery diameter of 46.57%, 49.3%, and 39.6%, respectively. In the PD98059-treatment group only a mild vasospasm was observed and the mean reduction of the basilar artery diameter was 18.9%. (2) All the dogs in the control SAH and vehicle-treated groups developed severe angiographic and clinical vasospasm. The penetrating arteries were contracted, and the endothelial and smooth muscle cells were dystrophic. (3) The dogs in the U0126-treated group developed severe angiographic, but not clinical, vasospasm. The penetrating arteries were not contracted, and the endothelial and smooth muscle cells were not dystrophic. (4) The dogs in the PD98059 group developed mild angiographic vasospasm. No dog developed clinical symptoms that could be attributed to vasospasm. In morphological studies, the penetrating arteries were slightly contracted, but the cells were not dystrophic. CONCLUSIONS Vasospasm of the penetrating arteries, but not angiographic vasospasm, is consistent with the clinical symptoms and signs of vasospasm. MAPK may be important in maintaining vasospasm of both major and penetrating cerebral arteries. The correlation of the improvement in the clinical score with the reduction of vasospasm in the penetrating arteries demonstrated an important role of penetrating arteries in the morbidity and mortality caused by SAH.
Exploring connected worlds (abstract only)

The widespread use of online social networks provides a particularly compelling domain for introducing computer science techniques and concepts to undergraduate students. As part of the HarambeeNet project, I developed a new course on the Science of Networks that explores the interconnectivity of social, technological, and natural entities. Students in the course learn fundamental techniques from graph and game theory to analyze network structure and behavior. Material for the course was developed and refined through a survey of exemplar courses, workshops, and faculty learning communities all focused on network science. The poster describes the course framework, provides some example assignment and lecture material, and presents some lessons learned.
Postoperative radiotherapy for malignant tumors of the parotid gland.

Abstract Purpose : To update our experience using postoperative irradiation in selected patients with carcinomas of the parotid gland. Outcomes of treatment with a focus on the effectiveness of the two primary techniques of radiation used for treating these tumors were evaluated. Methods and Materials : A retrospective analysis of 166 patients with parotid gland malignancies treated in the Department of Radiotherapy at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center between 1965–1989 was performed. All patients were treated following surgery and did not have macroscopic disease at the time of their radiation. The most common histologies were mucoepidermoid carcinoma (28%) and adenocarcinoma (27%). Pathologic features constituting indications for postoperative radiotherapy included: inadequate margins, 104 (63%) cases; extraglandular disease extension, 82 (49%); perineural invasion 57 (34%); and nodal disease 43 (26%). Radiation was delivered through an ipsilateral field of predominantly high energy electrons in 142 patients (86%). Wedged paired 60Co fields were used to treat 19 patients. The median dose was 60 Gy, typically delivered at 2 Gy per fraction. The median follow-up time for surviving patients was 155 months. Results : Forty-seven (29%) patients had disease recurrence, of whom 15 (9%) had disease recur locally and 10 (6%) regionally (neck). There was no association between the dose of radiation and local failure, except for a trend for patients with positive margins and/or named nerve involvement to have improved local control if they received doses >60 Gy. There was no difference in failure rates in patients treated with wedged pair techniques or ipsilateral fields, but there was a higher complication rate in the former. Overall, 37 patients (22%) developed chronic sequelae attributed to radiation. Twelve patients developed decreased hearing, and 15 patients developed soft tissue or bone necrosis or exposure. Conclusions : Local and regional control rates for high risk patients with parotid gland carcinomas treated with radiation following surgery were excellent. The technique of using an ipsilateral field encompassing the parotid bed and treated with high energy electrons often mixed with photons was effective minimal severe late toxicity. The moderate complication rate experienced in this series can be further reduced using modern techniques as described.
Soil and Surface Temperatures at the Viking Landing Sites

The annual temperature range for the martian surface at the Viking lander sites is computed on the basis of thermal parameters derived from observations made with the infrared thermal mappers. The Viking lander 1 (VL1) site has small annual variations in temperature, whereas the Viking lander 2 (VL2) site has large annual changes. With the Viking lander images used to estimate the rock component of the thermal emission, the daily temperature behavior of the soil alone is computed over the range of depths accessible to the lander; when the VL1 and VL2 sites were sampled, the daily temperature ranges at the top of the soil were 183 to 263 K and 183 to 268 K, respectively. The diurnal variation decreases with depth with an exponential scale of about 5 centimeters. The maximum temperature of the soil sampled from beneath rocks at the VL2 site is calculated to be 230 K. These temperature calculations should provide a reference for study of the active chemistry reported for the martian soil.
N-terminal arginylation and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis in nerve regeneration

Damaged sciatic nerves of rats respond to injury within minutes by activating reactions that result in the transfer RNA-mediated posttranslational addition of several amino acids to a variety of cytoplasmic proteins. For the most part, the site of addition of individual amino acids and the identity of the target proteins is not known. However, arginine, one of the amino acids added in greatest amounts, has been shown to be covalently linked to the N-terminus of acceptor proteins. In other simpler eukaryotic cells, N-terminal arginylation results in degradation of the arginylated proteins via the ubiquitin proteolytic pathway. Recent experiments have shown that when proteins, obtained from sciatic nerves 2 h after injury, are arginylated in vitro, they form high molecular weight aggregates. Other experiments have shown that these arginylated proteins are immunoreactive to a monoclonal antibody to ubiquitin. These findings suggest that following injury to the sciatic nerve, proteins which are arginylated are candidates for ubiquitin mediated proteolysis. Injury to a nerve incapable of regeneration without experimental intervention, the rat optic nerve, does not result in activation of the arginylation reactions until 6 days following injury. Based on the temporal differences in response to injury of sciatic and optic nerves (2 h vs. 6 days), we propose that the lack of arginylation following injury to the CNS is related to its inability to mount a regenerative response. The association of Arg modification of damaged proteins with the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of those proteins, suggests that regenerative failure in the CNS may be related, in part, to a failure to degrade intracellular proteins at the site of injury.
Numerical determination of the signal velocity in dispersive pulse propagation

The signal velocity of a unit-step-function-modulated signal with a constant carrier frequency ωc that is propagating in a linear dispersive medium with absorption (the Lorentz medium) is determined through numerical simulation and compared with that predicted by rigorous asymptotic theory. The exceptional agreement between these purely numerical results and the asymptotic theory, including the bifurcation of the signal velocity at carrier frequencies well above the medium resonance frequency, serve to validate completely both the description of the signal arrival afforded by the asymptotic theory and the physical propriety of this velocity measure in dispersive pulse propagation for input pulses with an instantaneous turn-on time.
Rich Media, Poor Media

Authoring of rich media content is not prevalent despite efforts to develop standards, tools, and platforms. Average users prefer to keep it simple. However, growing interest in stylizing content and pinning media objects is putting average users on a new path of creativity that could lead to richer multimedia content.
Congenital foramen of the left pericardium

Congenital foramen of the left parietal pericardium is uncommon. The condition has the potential to cause angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, or even death. Forty-three confirmed cases have been retrieved from the English language literature, and a case report of "life-threatening" herniation of the heart is here added. The diagnosis, made at a mean age of 20 years (range 2 to 48), was five times more common in men. In 5 fatal cases, the heart had become incarcerated. In the remainder of cases, one-third were asymptomatic, and two-thirds suffered a chest complaint that prompted diagnosis. Chest discomfort, dyspnea, and syncope were the most common symptoms. The most common finding at surgery, which 34 patients underwent, was a foramen at the base of the heart through which the left atrial appendage had herniated. In eight instances, the rim of the defect lay upon and compressed the coronary circulation. Measures to remedy the disorder have included a variety of operations, some to enlarge the defect, others to close it, amputation of the atrial appendage, and, in two cases, myocardial revascularization. Surgery is appropriate in the majority of symptomatic patients and in all who are at risk for ventricular herniation.
Absolute stability of Melvin's universe under non-radial small perturbations

Abstract Using the Rainich approach to the combined Einstein-Maxwell problem. Melvin's universe is shown to be stable under all small perturbations in addition to its known stability against radial perturbations.
Simplified English for Aircraft Workcards

For technical communications in international civil aviation maintenance, most manufacturers have adopted a restricted language: Simplified English (SE). This uses a standard vocabulary and syntax rules with the aim of improving understanding, particularly for people with restricted abilities in English. This paper describes the first test of the efficacy of Simplified English for comprehension of documentation used at the worksite by Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (AMTs). Sixteen workcards, representing two levels of difficulty (Easy and Difficult), two levels of language (SE and Non-SE) and two levels of document layout (standard and revised) were tested on 175 practicing AMTs in a between subject design using a comprehension test. Comprehension was significantly improved with Simplified English, particularly for the Difficult workcards and for non-native English speakers. No effects of layout were found.
The rao test of weak signal in non-Gaussian clutter

The Rao test of weak signal in non-Gaussian clutter is addressed. Both the models of Gaussian mixture distribution and Alpha-stable distribution are used to simulate the clutter distribution of airborne early warning radar. The improved expectation maximization algorithm [4] and iterative algorithm are used to estimate the parameters of Gaussian mixture distribution and Alpha-stable distribution respectively, and then the Rao decision rule under non-Gaussian clutter environment is presented. Theory analyses and simulation results indicate that the detection performances of Rao test based on non-Gaussian clutter hypothesis outperform that of Rao test based on Gaussian clutter hypothesis.
Should double cord blood transplants be the preferred choice when a sibling donor is unavailable

Umbilical cord blood transplant is an important alternative stem cell source for both children and adults with haematologic malignancies. Umbilical cord blood units are rapidly available and have less stringent human leucocyte antigen (HLA) matching requirements. Mismatch at two antigens actually improves the risk of relapse for umbilical cord blood transplant recipients with relatively low risk of severe acute or chronic graft-versus-host disease. However, umbilical cord blood transplant is associated with an inferior neutrophil recovery rate when compared with other stem cell sources. Therefore, we have explored double-unit umbilical cord blood transplants, not only as a platform for evaluating the safety and effectiveness of new methods of ex vivo expansion or methods of enhanced homing, but also as an approach in itself to remedy the problem of limited cell dose, particularly for adults.
Symbiotic adaptive multisimulation: An autonomic simulation framework for real-time decision support under uncertainty

Inspired by the compound arthropod eye, Symbiotic Adaptive Multisimulation (SAMS) introduces an autonomic decision support capability for systems in shifting, ill-defined, uncertain environments. Rather than rely on a single authoritative model, SAMS explores an ensemble of plausible models, which are individually flawed but collectively provide more insight than would be possible otherwise. A case study based on a UAV team search and attack model is presented to illustrate the potential of SAMS. Results demonstrate the capability of SAMS to produce a large degree of exploratory behavior, followed by increased exploitative search behavior as the physical system unfolds.
Spatial variability in T-tubule and electrical remodeling of left ventricular epicardium in mouse hearts with transgenic Gαq overexpression-induced pathological hypertrophy

Pathological left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is consistently associated with prolongation of the ventricular action potentials. A number of previous studies, employing various experimental models of hypertrophy, have revealed marked differences in the effects of hypertrophy on action potential duration (APD) between myocytes from endocardial and epicardial layers of the LV free wall. It is not known, however, whether pathological LVH is also accompanied by redistribution of APD among myocytes from the same layer in the LV free wall. In the experiments here, LV epicardial action potential remodeling was examined in a mouse model of decompensated LVH, produced by cardiac-restricted transgenic Gαq overexpression. Confocal linescanning-based optical recordings of propagated action potentials from individual in situ cardiomyocytes across the outer layer of the anterior LV epicardium demonstrated spatially non-uniform action potential prolongation in transgenic hearts, giving rise to alterations in spatial dispersion of epicardial repolarization. Local density and distribution of anti-Cx43 mmune reactivity in Gαq hearts were unchanged compared to wild-type hearts, suggesting preservation of intercellular coupling. Confocal microscopy also revealed heterogeneous disorganization of T-tubules in epicardial cardiomyocytes in situ. These data provide evidence of the existence of significant electrical and structural heterogeneity within the LV epicardial layer of hearts with transgenic Gαq overexpression-induced hypertrophy, and further support the notion that a small portion of electrically well connected LV tissue can maintain dispersion of action potential duration through heterogeneity in the activities of sarcolemmal ionic currents that control repolarization. It remains to be examined whether other experimental models of pathological LVH, including pressure overload LVH, similarly exhibit alterations in T-tubule organization and/or dispersion of repolarization within distinct layers of LV myocardium.