cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A High Areal Capacity Flexible Lithium-Ion Battery with a Strain-Compliant Design

Early demonstrations of wearable devices have driven interest in flexible lithium-ion batteries. Previous demonstrations of flexible lithium-ion batteries trade off between low areal capacity, poor mechanical flexibility and/or high thickness of inactive components. Here, a reinforced electrode design is used to support the active layers of the battery and a freestanding carbon nanotube (CNT) layer is used as the current collector. The supported architecture helps to increase the areal capacity (mAh cm-2) of the battery and improve the tensile strength and mechanical flexibility of the electrodes. Batteries based on lithium cobalt oxide and lithium titanate oxide shows excellent electrochemical and mechanical performance. The battery has an areal capacity of ≈1 mAh cm-2 and a capacity retention of around 94% after cycling the battery for 450 cycles at a C/2 rate. The reinforced electrode has a tensile strength of ≈5.5–7.0 MPa and shows excellent capacity retention after repeatedly flexing to a bending radius ranging from 45 to 10 mm. The relationships between mechanical flexing, electrochemical performance, and mechanical integrity of the battery are studied using electrochemical cycling, electron microscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).
Allowing cycle-stealing direct memory access I/O concurrent with hard-real-time programs

Hard-real-time schedulability analysis is carried out based on the assumption that the worst-case execution time (WCET) of each task is known. Cycle-stealing Direct Memory Access (DMA) I/O steals bus cycles from an executing program and prolongs the execution time of the program. Because of the difficulty in bounding the interference on the executing program, cycle-stealing DMA I/O is often disabled in hard-real-time systems. This paper presents an analytical method for bounding the WCET of a program executing concurrently with cycle-stealing DMA I/O. This is an extension of our previous work which bounded the WCET of a straight-line sequence of instructions when cycle-stealing operations are allowed. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method with experiments on several programs.
Neural network models for a resource allocation problem

University admissions and business personnel offices use a limited number of resources to process an ever-increasing quantity of student and employment applications. Application systems are further constrained to identify and acquire, in a limited time period, those candidates who are most likely to accept an offer of enrolment or employment. Neural networks are a new methodology to this particular domain. Various neural network architectures and learning algorithms are analyzed comparatively to determine the applicability of supervised learning neural networks to the domain problem of personnel resource allocation and to identify optimal learning strategies in this domain. This paper focuses on multilayer perceptron backpropagation, radial basis function, counterpropagation, general regression, fuzzy ARTMAP, and linear vector quantization neural networks. Each neural network predicts the probability of enrolment and nonenrolment for individual student applicants. Backpropagation networks produced the best overall performance. Network performance results are measured by the reduction in counsellors student case load and corresponding increases in student enrolment. The backpropagation neural networks achieve a 56% reduction in counsellor case load.
Toxicity and carcinogenicity studies of oxazepam in the Fischer 344 rat

Oxazepam and related benzodiazepines are used in the treatment of anxiety. Carcinogenicity studies of oxazepam were performed with the F344 rat because of marked differences in tumor responses observed in NTP studies with B6C3F1 and Swiss-Webster mice compared to the results of Sprague-Dawley rat studies submitted to the FDA by a manufacturer to support registration of the drug. Groups of 50 male and 50 female F344/N rats were fed diets containing 0, 625, 2500, or 5000 ppm oxazepam for up to 105 weeks. A stop-exposure group of 50 males and 50 females received 10,000 ppm oxazepam in diet for 26 weeks, after which animals received control diet. All 5000- and 10, 000-ppm stop-exposure males died before the end of the study. Survival of 2500-ppm males and females was lower than that of controls. Body weight gains of 2500- and 5000-ppm males and females were less than those of controls. Male rats exposed to 2500 ppm had an increased incidence of renal tubule adenoma and hyperplasia. In addition, the incidences of renal tubule adenoma and hyperplasia were increased in the 10,000-ppm stop-exposure group. The incidences of nephropathy in exposed females were greater than those in controls, and the severity of nephropathy increased in exposed males. Epithelial hyperplasia and chronic inflammation of the nonglandular stomach were increased in males given 2500 and 5000 ppm and the incidence of ulcers of the nonglandular stomach in 2500-ppm males was also greater than that in controls. In males exposed to 5000 ppm, mineralization of the glandular stomach and erosion of the duodenum were observed. In females exposed to 2500 ppm, the incidences of epithelial hyperplasia, chronic inflammation, and ulcers of the nonglandular stomach and the incidence of erosion in the glandular stomach were increased. The incidences of centrilobular hepatocyte hypertrophy in males and females given 2500 and 5000 ppm were greater than those in controls. In summary, there was equivocal evidence of carcinogenicity in males based on increased renal tubule adenomas in groups which also had significantly enhanced nephropathy. There was no evidence of carcinogenicity of oxazepam in females given a diet containing 625, 2500, or 5000 ppm for 2 years or 10,000 ppm for 6 months.
Basic Biological Sciences Hydrolysis of Dicalcium Phosphate Dihydrate in the Presence or Absence of Calcium Fluoride

Effects of temperature (25 and 37 degrees C), pH (4.9-10.5), and CaF2 on CaHPO4.2H2O (DCPD) hydrolysis were studied in a pH-stat. Octa-calcium phosphate (OCP) was the product at pH 6.2-6.8 and 25-37 degrees C; thermodynamically stable apatitic compounds were formed at higher pH and/or higher temperature. In the presence of CaF2, apatite was the product, its crystallinity improved, and the fluoride content increased as pH of the reaction decreased. The results demonstrate the remarkable ability of fluoride to promote the hydrolysis of an acidic calcium phosphate, DCPD, to apatite.
Ultrastructural analysis of Plasmodium berghei sporozoite antigens prepared by freeze thawing and heat inactivation.

SYNOPSIS Ultrastructural analysis was performed on freeze-thawed and heat inactivated Plasmodium berghei NK65 sporozoite preparations, which in parallel studies served as the immunogens against a malarial infection in A/J mice. Sporozoites in the freeze-thawed sample appeared severely damaged with most of their cytoplasmic contents lost. The heat inactivated sporozoites remained intact and closely resembled the untreated controls.
Linking Plant Spatial Patterns and Ecological Processes in Grazed Great Basin Plant Communities

Observational studies of plant spatial patterns are common, but are often criticized for lacking a temporal component and for their inability to disentangle the effect of multiple community-structuring processes on plant spatial patterns. We addressed these criticisms in an observational study of Great Basin shrub-steppe communities that have been converted to a managed grazing system of planted crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum [L.] Gaertn.) stands. We hypothesized that intraspecific interference and livestock grazing were important community-structuring processes that would leave unique spatiotemporal signatures. We used a survey-grade global positioning system to quantify crested wheatgrass spatial patterns along a chronosequence of stands that differed only in time since planting (9–57 yr), as well as in a 57-yr-old grazing exclosure to examine pattern formation in the absence of grazing. Three replicate survey plots were established in each stand, and a total of 6 197 grasses were marked with a spatial error of # 2 cm. The data were analyzed using L-statistics in program R, and hypothesis testing was conducted using Monte Carlo simulation procedures. We detected fine-scale regularity, frequently considered a sign of interference via resource competition, in all stands including the exclosure. Coarser-scale aggregation, which we attributed to the effects of prolonged grazing disturbance, was only detected in the oldest grazed stand. Our results suggest that interference acts over finer spatial and temporal scales than grazing in structuring these stands, reinforcing the importance of interference in semiarid communities. Analysis of exclosure data suggests that, in the absence of grazing, crested wheatgrass stands organize into a statistically regular pattern when primarily influenced by interference. In the presence of prolonged grazing, crested wheatgrass stands become more heterogeneous over time, likely a result of seedling mortality via disturbance by cattle.
10-packet-depth, 40 Gb/s optical buffer with a ≪0.5 ns reconfiguration time using 116 ns, Continuously tunable conversion/dispersion delays

We demonstrate a 40 Gb/s optical buffer utilizing a 116 ns continuously tunable optical delay. 53 byte ATM packets are buffered up to a 10-packet-depth with a reconfiguration time of 25 ps (1 bit-slot). The buffer is capable of adjusting to varying packet sizes, data-rates, and modulation formats.
The UCSC Genome Browser database: 2015 update

Launched in 2001 to showcase the draft human genome assembly, the UCSC Genome Browser database (http://genome.ucsc.edu) and associated tools continue to grow, providing a comprehensive resource of genome assemblies and annotations to scientists and students worldwide. Highlights of the past year include the release of a browser for the first new human genome reference assembly in 4 years in December 2013 (GRCh38, UCSC hg38), a watershed comparative genomics annotation (100-species multiple alignment and conservation) and a novel distribution mechanism for the browser (GBiB: Genome Browser in a Box). We created browsers for new species (Chinese hamster, elephant shark, minke whale), 'mined the web' for DNA sequences and expanded the browser display with stacked color graphs and region highlighting. As our user community increasingly adopts the UCSC track hub and assembly hub representations for sharing large-scale genomic annotation data sets and genome sequencing projects, our menu of public data hubs has tripled.
Accuracy of a System for Creating 3D Computer Models of Dental Arches

Three-dimensional imaging of dental tissues will have a major impact in dentistry if the images are accurate. The purpose of this study was to measure the accuracy and precision of a system for creating three-dimensional images of dental arches. Using vinyl polysiloxane impression materials and improved dental stone, we made 10 stone casts of a "dental" standard with known dimensions. The impressions and casts were scanned by means of a Comet 100 optical scanner. Custom software created three-dimensional images (computer models) from the scanned data. Accuracy was defined as the average of the absolute differences between the computer models and the standard. Precision was the standard deviation of accuracy over 10 repeated measures. Software processing improved the accuracy of the scanner data. Accuracy +/- precision for the casts and impressions was 0.024 +/- 0.002 mm and 0.013 +/- 0.003 mm, respectively. The system produced computer models with sufficient accuracy for clinical application.
Interaction between Static Fatigue and Zero-Stress Aging in E-glass Fiber Composites

Interaction between static fatigue and zero stress aging of E-glass fiber composites is investigated. A comprehensive gathering of available experimental data for E-glass fibers and unidirectional composites is presented. A methodology is proposed that allows us to utilize seemingly ill-assorted data developed under noncomparable environmental exposure conditions. This is made possible by using the concept of inert aged strength, which allows us to homogenize all aging data regardless of the conditions of exposure by shifting it to the inert condition. Such inert aged data is then used to generalize the static fatigue model. Models for the two phenomena, static fatigue and zero-stress aging, acting separately and jointly are presented. Conditions are established for proper determination of the static fatigue susceptibility. Available experimental data of fibers and unidirectional composites is used to support the arguments made for an interacting model. The conditions for which aging becomes significant are outlined.
Theme and Variation in Jamaican Vowels.

Reporting the results of an instrumental acoustic examination of the vowel systems of ten Jamaican Creole (or basilect-) dominant and nine Jamaican English (or acrolect-) dominant speakers, this article links phonetic features with sociolinguistic factors. The nature and relative role of vowel quantity and quality differences in phonemic contrast are considered. The question of whether contrastive length operates in speakers' phonological systems is addressed by comparison of spectral and temporal features. Intraspeaker variation in vowel quality is found to play an important role in stylistic variation, demonstrating the complexity of variation in Jamaican varieties. The complex vowel quality (spectral) and quantity (temporal) relations reported here extend our understanding of the spectral and temporal characteristics of vowels involved in phonological contrasts in Jamaican varieties, the range of phonetic variation to be found within a postcreole continuum, and the interaction of phonetic factors in the expression of stylistic variation.
CNS regulation of gastric and autonomic functions in dogs by gastrin-releasing peptide

The central nervous system effects of canine gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) were studied on gastric acid secretion, emptying, blood flow, and the autonomic nervous system in conscious dogs. GRP injected into the third cerebral ventricle significantly (P less than 0.01) increased plasma epinephrine but not norepinephrine concentrations. GRP (0.1-1.0 nmol/kg) significantly decreased gastric acid secretion stimulated by an 8% peptone meal, delayed gastric emptying of the liquid peptone meal, and increased left gastric artery flow. Ganglionic blockade, truncal vagotomy, or adrenalectomy did not abolish the inhibitory effect of GRP on gastric acid secretion. However, ganglionic blockade or vagotomy abolished the GRP-induced inhibition of gastric emptying, and ganglionic blockade or adrenalectomy abolished the GRP-induced increases in left gastric artery flow and plasma epinephrine concentrations. An intravenous infusion of epinephrine that produced similar plasma concentrations of epinephrine that were observed after cerebroventricular injection of GRP mimicked the increase in left gastric artery flow induced by GRP. It is concluded that 1) GRP acts within the central nervous system to activate the sympathoadrenal axis, 2) GRP inhibits gastric emptying of a liquid meal by a vagally dependent mechanism and enhances left gastric artery flow by the release of epinephrine from the adrenal medulla, and 3) the pathway(s) that mediate the GRP-induced inhibition of gastric acid in the dog remain unknown.
Elementary Lie Algebra Theory

This chapter establishes fundamental results concerning Lie algebras over fields of characteristic 0. The principal notions involved are semisimplicity, solvability and nilpotency.
Food for Thought: Are Herbicides a Factor for the Increase in Allergies and Autism?

Over the last 30 years autism, allergies, Type 2 diabetes, and autoimmune disorders have significantly increased. A possible contributing risk fact is the ingestion of residual herbicides and pesticides in foods in our diet. Presently, more than 95% of all grain, corn, and soy aregenetically modified to be tolerant to Monsanto-produced herbicide Roundup® (glyphosate). Almost all human and animal food now contains low levels of glyphosate and its inert but poisonous additional ingredients. The increased glyphosate use over the last 25 years correlates nearly perfectly with the increased incidence of autism, diabetes, and celiac disease. Glyphosate selectively disrupts gut bacteria balance, acts as an endocrine disrupter, and is toxic to human beings. To optimize health and neural development, adopt a precautionary principle and avoid eating glyphosate and other types of herbicide- and pesticide-contaminated foods.
The Interacting-Boson-Fermion Approximation

In this contribution the extension will be discussed of the Interacting Boson Approximation (IBA) model to odd-A nuclei where the fermion degrees of freedom need to be considered explicitly. The IBA model describes even-even nuclei as a system of interacting s- and d-boson. By coupling the degrees of freedom of a single nucleon to these bosons one can describe also odd-A nuclei. The general Hamiltonian for this coupled system can be written as $$ H = H_B + H_F + V_{BF} $$ (1) The IBA Hamiltonian, HB, describes the system of s- and d-bosons. HF is the Hamiltonian for the single odd particle and thus contains only a one-body term $$ H_F = \sum\limits_{j,m} {\varepsilon _j a_{jm}^\dag a_{jm} } $$ (2) In our convention the summation index j denotes the shell model orbits in the valence shell. The quasi-particle energies are denoted by ϕj.
An Empirical Comparison between Objective and Subjective Measures of the Product Innovation Domain of Corporate Entrepreneurship

Developing both subjective and objective measures of the concept of corporate entrepreneurship would be of interest to the field of entrepreneurship. This study (1) develops an objective measure of...
Effect of long or short photoperiod on pineal melatonin content in the white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus

Abstract Adult white-footed mice were maintained under either a long photoperiod (LP, LD 16:8, lights out at 2100) or a short photoperiod (SP, LD 8:16, lights out at 1700) for six weeks. Subgroups from each lighting regime were killed at specific times over a 24 hour period. Pineal radioimmunoassayable melatonin levels were significantly elevated at night compared to daytime values. Pineal melatonin content appears to be elevated for a longer period of time in the SP mice than in the LP animals. The apparent increased melatonin production observed in white-footed mice maintained under short and reproductively repressive daylengths may help to explain the ability of chronically available exogenous melatonin to cause gonadal atrophy in this species.
An Institutional Review of Treatment Outcomes for Metaplastic Breast Cancer

Purpose/Objective(s): Metaplastic breast cancer is a rare type of breast cancer, associated with poor prognosis, and exhibits heterogeneity in presentation and outcome. There are conflicting reports on the significance of specific histopathology on clinical outcome. The goal of this study was to analyze clinical outcomes in metaplastic breast carcinoma and any potential association with histologic subtypes. Materials/Methods: With IRB approval, single institution data were obtained for all patients diagnosed with non-metastatic, metaplastic breast cancer between 2002 and 2013. All cases were re-evaluated by dedicated breast pathologists and confirmed as metaplastic breast cancer. Histologic subtype was divided into four categories: spindle, squamous, matrix-producing, and other. Demographic information and clinical presentation were correlated with histologic subtype. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were performed to evaluate the impact of histologic variables on outcome. Kaplan Meier methods evaluated localrecurrence-free and distant-metastasis-free survival. Results: One hundred thirteen female patients with non-metastatic, metaplastic breast cancer were identified, all of whom underwent needle core or excisional biopsy followed by surgical resection. Median age was 60 and median follow up was 31 months. The majority of patients received chemotherapy and/or radiation (74% and 54%, respectively). Only 46/113 (41%) were identified to have metaplastic breast cancer at the time of initial biopsy. At resection, 94% were Bloom Richardson grade III and 67% were triple negative. Among the 113 patients, the following histologic subtypes were observed: 14 (12%) spindle, 51 (45%) squamous, 32 (27%) matrix-producing, and 18 (16%) other. There was no difference in the frequency of T and N stage observed at presentation among different histologic subtypes (pZ0.4 and 0.17, respectively). Univariate analysis demonstrated that histologic subtype did not significantly correlate with local (pZ0.54) or distant (pZ0.83) control. Two year local control rates per Kaplan Meier analysis are as follows: spindle 77%, squamous 90%, matrix-producing 97%, and other 97%, with no statistically significant difference among subtypes (pZ0.53). For the same histologic subtypes, 2 year distant-metastasis-free survival rates were 84%, 87%, 86%, and 81%, respectively (pZ0.83). Conclusion: This study represents one of the largest reported experiences of the role of histologic subtype on outcomes in metaplastic breast cancer. Metaplastic breast cancer is infrequently diagnosed at biopsy. The majority are high grade and triple negative. Histologic subtype does not significantly impact rates of local recurrence or distant metastasis. Author Disclosure: C.A. Berriochoa: None. C.M. Leyrer: None. S. Agrawal: None. A. Donaldson: None. R. Stewart: None. H. Moore: None. R.D. Tendulkar: None. B. Calhoun: None.
Cyclosporine and organ transplantation.

Cyclosporine is a potent new immunosuppressive agent which is now available for use in clinical transplantation. It has a unique mechanism of action, interfering primarily with the cell-mediated response to foreign antigens. Cyclosporine has been very effective in preventing early graft loss due to rejection and has resulted in improved graft survival following kidney, heart, and liver transplants. Its major disadvantage is nephrotoxicity, which may be early (due to synergistic effects with other problems such as ischemic renal failure) or long-term (interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy). As cyclosporine is used more effectively, graft survival may be improved with minimal risk of toxicity.
Mobile donation in America

Mobile donation has gained mainstream media attention since the Haiti Earthquake Relief in 2010. Yet, there is still a lack of research on mobile donation as a new venue of technology-mediated civic engagement. Using nationally representative survey data, this research examines the variations in mobile donation by mobile phone usage patterns and user characteristics such as age, race, and socioeconomic status. Results show that the diversity of mobile phone use and the frequency of relational mobile communication are positively associated with mobile donation. As importantly, mobile donation helps to overcome age, race and SES gaps, giving members of disadvantaged social groups a more accessible tool for civic engagement. Internet donation and mobile donation complement rather than compete with each other.
The Impact of Education Tax Benefits on College Completion

Abstract This paper uses a nationally representative sample from the 2004–09 Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS) survey to examine the effect of education tax benefits on college completion. The paper employs a propensity score matching approach to correct for differences between eligible and ineligible students. Results suggest that tax benefits increase the likelihood of completing a college degree by 8 percentage points. The effect of tax benefits is largest for students who attended private and four-year institutions.
Endothelin regulation of cardiac contractility in absence of added endothelin

Endothelin has a positive inotropic effect on cardiac muscle, but its role in the regulation of contraction in cardiac tissue is not clear, inasmuch as there has been no demonstration of endothelin regulation of contractility in the absence of added endothelin. To address this question, the changes in contractility of isolated rat ventricular trabeculae produced by endothelin and by BQ-123, an endothelin receptor A antagonist, were measured in tissues with different levels of contractility resulting from bathing the tissues for different lengths of time. The effect of endothelin depended on the extent to which tension had declined from its peak level: the greater the decline, the larger the increase in developed force produced by endothelin. The effect of BQ-123 also depended on the extent to which force had declined. The effects of the addition of endothelin or BQ-123 indicate the presence of substantial regulation of contractility due to basal secretion of endothelin: the degree of endothelin activity is greater in cardiac tissue generating more tension. Damage to the endocardial endothelium from a brief exposure to Triton X-100 reduced the response to BQ-123. The response to BQ-123 depends on the number of functioning endothelial cells. From the extent of the effect of endothelin or BQ-123, it appears that as much as 50% of total force-generating capacity of the tissue is sensitive to endothelin produced by the endothelial cells in the isolated heart. This stimulation of contractility is gradually lost in the isolated cardiac tissue, contributing to the progressive decline in developed force with time.
Relationships Between Mental Health, Skill Sets, and Violence Perpetration Among Adolescent Girls:

This study examines relationships between emotional health, stress management skills, fight-avoidance skills, and two forms of violence perpetration among adolescent girls at high risk for violence involvement. Participants ( n = 253) were 13- to 17-year-old girls enrolled in a randomized controlled trial. The current study was completed with baseline data collected prior to the start of the intervention. Analyses examined self-report outcome measures of physical violence perpetration in the past 6 months (five-item scale, α = .79) and relational aggression perpetration in the past 30 days (six-item scale, α = .77). Independent variables included baseline measures of self-esteem (four-item scale, α = .89), emotional distress (six-item scale, α = .89), stress management skills (eight-item scale, α = .86), and fight avoidance skills (five-item scale, α = .70). Multivariate regression models predicted each form of violence perpetration controlling for age, race/ethnicity, violence victimization, and clustering of participants within clinics. Initial bivariate results showed that stress management skills and fight avoidance skills were inversely and significantly related to perpetration of both relational and physical violence. Emotional distress was related to significantly higher levels of both violence outcomes. In contrast, self-esteem was not significantly related to either violence outcome. Multivariate analyses revealed that stress management skills and fight avoidance skills were significantly protective against perpetration of both relational aggression and physical violence. In conclusion, findings suggest that clinicians providing services to adolescent girls involved in high risk behaviors assess and foster girls' development of stress management and fight avoidance skills to help reduce their risk of involvement in relational violence and physical fighting.
NOx Prediction in Diesel Engines for Aftertreatment Control

Modern Diesel engines are faced with two major emission challenges in their quest to become an environmentally compatible source of motive power, Nitrogen Oxides (NOx ) and Particulate Matter (PM). Advanced techniques, such as High Pressure Common Rail (HPCR) fuel injection combined with multiple injections per cycle, are commonly employed to minimize in-cylinder production of NOx and PM. However, to meet the EPA mandated standards it is essential that an aftertreatment system be used. Typical Diesel aftertreatment systems will employ some form of a NOx reducing catalyst and a particulate trap for PM removal. Lean NOx traps and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) are examples of aftertreatment techniques frequently used in Diesel engine applications. Whatever the method of choice, knowledge of the feed-gas NOx concentration is essential for not only assessing the performance of the NOx reduction catalyst but also for defining the control strategy for the aftertreatment system with respect to the management of the reductant quantity to be injected. In the absence of a dynamic NOx emission model the control algorithm has to depend on either a NOx sensor upstream of the catalyst or a static map of the feedgas NOx level as some function of engine influence factors. While NOx sensors add to the overall system cost, creating an accurate and representative NOx map over the entire engine operating range can be a challenging task. A dynamic NOx model would, in theory solve, both of these problems, however it is essential that the model be simple and implementable in real time. A model that uses inputs that are not available from the standard measurement set is of little use for real time control applications as is a model that predicts the temporal and spatial NOx evolution in the engine combustion chamber as such models tend to be computationally expensive. However, it is essential that the model behave like a fast NOx sensor in predicting cycle averaged NOx emission. In this paper we present an approach to developing such a model and present results from model validation against vehicle data. The basic structure of the model relies on well-known mechanisms that describe the NOx creation and decomposition chemical kinetics. Simplifying assumptions are made to allow available measurements to be used as inputs to the model. This leads to a parametric model where the unknown parameters are estimated using Nelder Mead optimization routine available in Matlab®. Model validation against vehicle data is also presented.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Turbulence and Waves in the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere

The generation mechanisms and physical characteristics of jet stream turbulence, mountain, and inertia-gravity waves in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) are investigated for real atmospheric conditions. To resolve multi-scale physical processes of wave breaking and laminated structures in the UTLS region, vertical nesting and adaptive vertical gridding have been developed and applied in nested, high-resolution, coupled mesoscale-microscale simulations. The fully three-dimensional, moist, compressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved with a stretched, adaptive grid in the vertical and improved resolution in the UTLS region. For verification purposes, real-case simulations are conducted for the Terrain-Induced Rotor Experiment (T-REX) campaign of measurements and selected cases from pilot reports (PIREPs). Comparisons with observational datasets highlight significant benefits of nested computational techniques that take into account the shear-stratified turbulence physics of the UTLS. Localized sharp shear layers characterized by stiff gradients of potential temperature and strong alternating vertical velocity patches are resolved in the tropopause region within the embedded microscale nest. We describe fully three-dimensional multi-scale dynamics of laminated structures and nonlinear processes in turbulent layers observed in the UTLS region. Depending on atmospheric conditions, the gravity waves might be trapped at the altitude of the jet stream and break or propagate into higher altitudes acquiring characteristics of inertia-gravity waves. Three-dimensional instabilities in nonparallel shear-stratified flows such as those induced by mountain and polarized inertia-gravity waves in UTLS are characterized by a polarized Richardson number.
Cancer stem cell: A new paradigm shift in silibinin efficacy to control colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in US. Cancer stem cells (CSC), now recognized as main cause for initiation, promotion and progression of CRC, are inherently resistant to chemo- and radio-therapies which has been the major cause of failure to most of the current therapies. Thus, discovery and development of agents, especially chemopreventive agents, which also target both ‘initiated’ stem cells and colon CSC, might provide better opportunities to control CRC at both early and advanced stages. We have recently reported the strong preventive and therapeutic efficacy of silibinin in different CRC pre-clinical models. Accordingly, here we assessed silibinin effect on colon CSC and associated mechanisms. The growth kinetics and cycling properties of colon CSC enriched spheres indicated a significant but differential inhibitory effect of silibinin on three different human CRC cell lines. Differentiation assays of these spheroids under serum conditions indicated the formation of more differentiated clones by silibinin treatment. Mechanistic studies showed that silibinin significantly decreases CSC marker CD44 mRNA expression, Notch-mediated signaling, and protein levels of cleaved Notch and its transcriptional target Hes-1. The implications of such an effect are tremendous, since the disruption of homeostasis (regulated in part by Notch signaling) among stem cells and progenitor cells in intestinal region results in the expansion of CSC pool together with an increase in proliferative cell populations.
Abstract A20: Excess centrosomes induce p53-dependent senescence in endothelial cells

Excess centrosomes (>2 centrosomes/cell), which are prevalent in both tumor cells and tumor endothelial cells, lead to aneuploidy and chromosome instability. Therefore, understanding how excess centrosomes affect cell behaviors is critical for studying tumor progression and tumor angiogenesis. As demonstrated by previous literature, cells with excess centrosomes routinely undergo bipolar cell division to produce viable progeny. However, we found that endothelial cells were not able to maintain the percentage of cells with excess centrosomes, suggesting that excess centrosomes had a negative impact on endothelial cell cycle. We used a tetracycline-inducible Polo-like kinase 4 (Plk4)-expressing system to induce excess centrosomes in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Doxycycline treatment induced ~30% centrosome over-duplication, which decreased to Citation Format: Zhixian Yu, Erich Kushner, Victoria Bautch. Excess centrosomes induce p53-dependent senescence in endothelial cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Cancer Cell Cycle - Tumor Progression and Therapeutic Response; Feb 28-Mar 2, 2016; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(11_Suppl):Abstract nr A20.
Influence of spatial inhomogeneity on electronic and magnetotransport in graphene

We present room temperature electronic and magnetotransport measurements of polycrystalline graphene, grown by chemical vapor deposition, on a $\mathrm{Si}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ dielectric. The measured graphene devices are intentionally spatially inhomogeneous such that the length of the sample is much greater (g1000 times) than the average grain size. At magnetic field $B=0\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{T}$ the electronic transport is well described by a diffusive transport model with contributions from grain boundary scattering significantly larger in the high charge carrier density limit. We find the largest percent change in the magnetoresistivity occurs at the film's Dirac point where the magnetotransport is largely dependent upon charge disorder. Away from the Dirac point we find a modified expression for the charge carrier density dependence of the magnetoresistivity with respect to the case of single-crystal graphene.
Distinct patterns of increased translocator protein in posterior cortical atrophy and amnestic Alzheimer's disease

We sought to determine whether patients with posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) demonstrate a pattern of binding to translocator protein 18 kDa, a marker of microglial activation, that is distinct from that in patients with amnestic presentation of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Eleven PCA patients, 11 amnestic AD patients, and 15 age-matched controls underwent positron emission tomography with 11C-PBR28 to measure translocator protein 18 kDa. PCA patients showed greater 11C-PBR28 binding than controls in occipital, posterior parietal, and temporal regions. In contrast, amnestic AD patients showed greater 11C-PBR28 binding in inferior and medial temporal cortex. Increased 11C-PBR28 binding overlapped with reduced cortical volume for both PCA and amnestic AD patients, and with areas of reduced glucose metabolism in PCA patients. While both patient groups showed diffuse amyloid binding, PCA patients showed greater binding than amnestic AD patients in bilateral occipital cortex. These results suggest that microglial activation is closely associated with neurodegeneration across different subtypes of AD.
Polymers in Carbon Dots: A Review

Carbon dots (CDs) have been widely studied since their discovery in 2004 as a green substitute of the traditional quantum dots due to their excellent photoluminescence (PL) and high biocompatibility. Meanwhile, polymers have increasingly become an important component for both synthesis and modification of CDs to provide polymeric matrix and enhance their PL property. Furthermore, critical analysis of composites of CDs and polymers has not been available. Herein, in this review, we summarized the use of polymers in the synthesis and functionalization of CDs, and the applications of these CDs in various fields.
Use of Morpholino Oligomers for Pretargeting

Differing from the conventional direct-targeting strategy in which a probe or payload is directly loaded onto a targeting molecule that binds to the native target, pretargeting is an improved targeting strategy. It converts the native target to an artificial target specific for a secondary targeting molecule loaded with the probe or payload (effector). The effector is small and does not accumulate in normal tissues, which accelerates the targeting process and generates high target to nontarget ratios. DNA/cDNA analogs can serve as the recognition pair, i.e., the artificial target and the secondary targeting effector. Morpholino oligomers are so far the most investigated and the most successful DNA/cDNA analog recognition pairs for pretargeting. Herein, we describe the pretargeting principles, the pretargeting strategy using Morpholino oligomers, and the preclinical success so far achieved.
Analytical Methods for a Learning Health System: 4. Delivery System Science

The last in a series of four papers on how learning health systems can use routinely collected electronic health data (EHD) to advance knowledge and support continuous learning, this review describes how delivery system science provides a systematic means to answer questions that arise in translating complex interventions to other practice settings. When the focus is on translation and spread of innovations, the questions are different than in evaluative research. Causal inference is not the main issue, but rather one must ask: How and why does the intervention work? What works for whom and in what contexts? How can a model be amended to work in new settings? In these settings, organizational factors and design, infrastructure, policies, and payment mechanisms all influence an intervention’s success, so a theory-driven formative evaluation approach that considers the full path of the intervention from activities to engage participants and change how they act to the expected changes in clinical processes and outcomes is needed. This requires a scientific approach to quality improvement that is characterized by a basis in theory; iterative testing; clear, measurable process and outcomes goals; appropriate analytic methods; and documented results. To better answer the questions that arise in delivery system science, this paper introduces a number of standard qualitative research approaches that can be applied in a learning health system: Pawson and Tilley’s “realist evaluation,” theory-based evaluation approaches, mixed-methods and case study research approaches, and the “positive deviance” approach.
Probleme der Rüstungskontrolle im Weltraum

Wenn uber Probleme der Rustungskontrolle im Weltraum gesprochen werden soll, erscheint es sinnvoll, sich zunachst bewusst zu machen, was unter Weltraum und Weltraumwaffen verstanden wird und wie die Geschichte der militarischen Nutzung des Weltraums verlaufen ist. Doch ein solches, scheinbar neutrales Vorhaben fuhrt bereits mitten in die Kontroverse zwischen den Vereinigten Staaten und der Sowjetunion. Die unterschiedlichen Interessen drucken sich auf verschiedene Weise aus: nicht nur darin, was kunftig zu tun sei, sondern auch in unterschiedlichen Einschatzungen der Entwicklung der militarischen Nutzung des Weltraums in den vergangenen dreissig Jahren. Und selbst scheinbar geringere Probleme, wie die Definition von Kernkonzepten der Rustungskontrolle im Weltraum, widerspiegeln die unterschiedlichen Auffassungen. Wenn im folgenden zunachst einige Unterscheidungen und Definitionen diskutiert werden, so muss gesagt werden, dass dieser Vorgang aus der Sicht der Vereinigten Staaten kein vollig neutraler ist. Die USA streben in bezug auf die militarische Nutzung des Weltraums zurzeit keine hohere Regelungsdichte an und stehen somit bereits der Ausarbeitung von Definitionen und Abgrenzungen skeptisch, wenn nicht gar ablehnend gegenuber. Eine akademische Diskussion dieses Themas kann sich jedoch diesen politischen Interessen nicht einfach unterordnen.
Brain Death: At Once "Well Settled" and "Persistently Unresolved"

The use of neurological criteria to determine brain death has ethical implications for prospective organ donors. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Human-Centered Trajectory Tracking Control for Autonomous Vehicles With Driver Cut-In Behavior Prediction

Trajectory tracking control in the cut-in scenarios is challenging, since the autonomous vehicles have to follow the reference trajectory and cooperate with the cut-in vehicles. This paper proposes a human-centered trajectory tracking control strategy integrating driver behavior prediction for the cut-in scenarios and their transient processes. A recurrent neural network (RNN) with long short-term memory (LSTM) cells is used to predict the driver behaviors of the cut-in vehicle. Then, a model predictive control (MPC) approach considering the driver behaviors of the cut-in vehicle is designed to track the reference trajectory. The transient processes of the cut-in scenarios are considered for different cut-in behaviors. Moreover, the moving horizon estimator (MHE) is used to estimate the vehicle lateral velocity that is used in the controller. Human driver tests on a driving simulator show that the drivers’ intention of the cut-in vehicle can be predicted by the RNN with LSTM cells. CarSim® simulation studies show the human-centered trajectory tracking controller can track the reference trajectory using the estimated vehicle lateral velocity. The autonomous vehicle can cooperate with the cut-in vehicle in different driving situations and obtain smooth transient processes of the cut-in scenarios.
Characterizing the influence of Atlantic water intrusion on water mass formation and phytoplankton distribution in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard

Abstract Warm water intrusion into Arctic fjords is increasingly affecting polar ecosystems. This study investigated how Atlantic water intrusion and tidewater glacial melting impacted water mass formation and phytoplankton distribution in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard. Field data were collected over a 2-week period during the height of the melt season in August 2014 and were contextualized within an 18-year regional MODIS satellite record. Since 1998, intruding waters have warmed by 4–5.5 °C, which has prevented sea ice formation and changed the characteristics of fjord bottom waters. Modeled light fields suggest that suspended sediment in this glacial meltwater has reduced the euphotic zone close to the ice face, contributing to lower phytoplankton concentrations in both persistent and intermittently sediment-laden meltwater plumes. However, measurements collected close to terrestrially terminating glaciers indicate that turbidity is significantly lower in the meltwater plumes, resulting in deep euphotic zones and high phytoplankton concentrations. The results of this study support a three-part conceptual model of the effects of warm-water intrusion on water mass formation and primary production within 10 km of tidewater glaciers. Initially, warm water intrusion reduces sea ice coverage, which increases the euphotic depth and increases phytoplankton biomass. Warm water intrusions may also result in increased melting of tidewater glaciers, enhanced sediment release, reduction in euphotic depth and reduction in phytoplankton biomass. Ultimately, as tidewater glaciers retreat and become terrestrially terminating, the sediment load decreases, the euphotic zone again increases, and phytoplankton biomass increases.
Formal Requirements and Constraints Modelling in FORM-L for the Engineering of Complex Socio-Technical Systems

Socio-technical systems combine behaviour and actions from human operators, physical processes (e.g., thermodynamic or electromagnetism), computing and data communication. One often uses expression "cyber-physical system", or "systems of systems" in the case of systems composed of socio-technical systems of their own that each have different stakeholders, owners and lifecycles, but that must cooperate in order to achieve what none can achieve independently. Complex systems are systems that require the cooperation and coordination of multiple individuals, multiple teams, multiple engineering disciplines and multiple stakeholders to be fully understood in all necessary aspects. This coordination must be ensured all along the lifetime of the system, from scoping studies that aim at determining the nature of the system needed, to deconstruction. For systems such as power plants or passenger aircrafts, this lifetime may cover several decades, during which the system needs to be operated, maintained, retrofitted and upgraded, by multiple successive generations. EDF has developed a FOrmal Requirements Modelling Language (FORM-L) to help address this issue for what concerns dynamic phenomena. This paper provides a brief introduction to FORM-L and its underlying methodology, illustrated with short examples.
'Zero Leprosy' and other endgame strategies: Rhetoric vs. realism in public health campaigns.

For over half a century, many public health campaigns related to infectious disease have focused on disease 'eradication,' rather than 'control' or 'management.' In this article, I will focus on the example of a recent global leprosy (Hansen's Disease) control campaign, Triple Zero. Drawing on examples from other public health initiatives, this article explores how the language of 'zero disease' or 'endgame strategies' is appealing to certain audiences but how it can also be misleading and have unexpected and unintended consequences. Depending on the specific characteristics of the disease, the disease vectors, and the circumstances of transmission, 'zero' disease is rarely an achievable goal. In addition, when a disease is said to reach 'zero,' it is important to consider the possible implications for people with social, physical, or emotional sequelae from the disease and who still may require follow-up treatment and care.