cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantum information: opportunities and challenges or "What's this quantum stuff and what does it have to do with cyber security?"

Modern society is shaped by the ability to transmit, manipulate, and store large amounts of information. Although we tend to think of information as abstract, information is physical, and computing is a physical process. How then should we understand information in a quantum world, in which physical systems may exist in multiple states at once and are altered by the very act of observation? This question has evolved into an exciting new field of research called Quantum Information (QI). QI challenges many accepted rules and practices in computer science. For example, a quantum computer would turn certain "hard" problems into "soft" problems, and would render common computationally-secure encryption methods (such as RSA) insecure. At the same time, quantum communication would provide an unprecedented kind of intrinsic information security at the level of the smallest physical objects used to store or transmit the information.This talk provides a general introduction to the subject of quantum information and its relevance to cyber security. In the first part, two of the stranger aspects of quantum physics---namely, superposition and uncertainty---are explained, along with their relation to the concept of information. These ideas are illustrated with a few examples: quantum ID cards, quantum key distribution, and Grover's quantum search algorithm. The classic man-in-the-middle attack is illustrated in regards to secret sharing (e.g., key exchange) to illustrate how QI methods can be used to thwart such threats. The state-of-the-art in quantum computing and communication hardware is then discussed, along with the daunting technological challenges that must be overcome. Relevant experimental and theoretical efforts at ORNL are highlighted. The talk concludes with speculations on the short-and long-term impact of quantum information on cyber security.
Mid-eocene climatic change, Southwestern California and Northwestern Baja California

Abstract A widespread paleosol of Paleocene and Early Eocene age occurs in southwestern California and northwestern Baja California. The dominant quartz-kaolinite mineralogy and cation-depleted chemistry of the buried soil indicate a humid, tropical paleoclimate similar to the modern equatorial belt. Although the Paleocene—Eocene paleomagnetic latitudes are similar to the modern latitudes (36–37°N to 32–33°N, respectively), rainfall was about 125–190 cm per year and average annual temperature was about 20–25°C in marked contrast to the present annual rainfall of 25 cm and average annual temperature of 16°C. A variety of indicators in the Late Eocene sedimentary succession suggests a change to a semi-arid paleoclimate. The nonmarine portions of the Late Eocene sedimentary record are dominated by a cobble conglomerate lithosome deposited in fluvial, alluvial fan and fan delta systems. Intertongued with the conglomerate is a sandstone lithosome deposited in flood-plain and nearshore marine environments. The conglomerate clasts were transported to the depositional site via a long-distance (200–300 km), moderate gradient, braided river system mostly by flash floods. Characteristic post-depositional, in situ fracturing of conglomerate clasts probably occurred due to salt crystallization. Within the flood plain sandstones, and to a lesser degree the conglomerates, are multiple well-developed caliche horizons of probable pedogenic origin. Clay minerals from the Late Eocene rocks are dominantly vermiculite and smectite with lesser chlorite and illite; this is in marked contrast to the kaolinite that comprises the underlying Early Paleogene lateritic paleosol. The character of the Late Eocene sedimentary succession indicates a semi-arid climate. Rainfall probably did not exceed 63 cm per year; it probably was seasonal and by occasional flash floods. This paleoclimate contrasts markedly with the earlier humid tropical paleoclimate and must indicate a widespread climatic change in late Middle Eocene time.
Henry Clay, the Bank, and the West in 1824

THE presidential election of I824 revealed a considerable opposition to Henry Clay in a number of western states. North of Tennessee the opposition reached its greatest numerical strength in Ohio. Clay carried Ohio in that election, but the existence and size of the opposition have seemed to require explanation. The usual explanation attributes the anti-Clay sentiment to Clay's connections with the Second Bank of the United States. T'he logic is quite clear. The bank aroused hostility among western men by its policies after the summer of i8i8. Clay, by acting as counsel for the bank, drew some of that ill feeling toward himself.' There is enough evidence to give credibility to this conclusion. The actions of the Bank of the United States against its debtors after July, i8i8, drew a great deal of censure, both public and private. One important consequence was that they led to a large transfer of property from western owners into the possession of the bank itself. Henry Clay became legal adviser to the bank in I8I9. Early in I820 he became legal counsel for the bank in the state of Ohio. On October 28, I820, he resigned the speakership of the House of Representatives, and on November 5 accepted the superintendency of the legal business of the bank in Ohio and Kentucky. T'he bank closed its branch office of discount and deposit in Cincinnati, one of the largest in the West, on October 3, I820, and soon afterward put in suit its claims against its debtors. On December 21, I820, the local bank attorney, William M. Worthington, informed a friend "that he had filed between three & four hundred principals in the Circuit Court: and that the U. S. Bank have [sic] no favorites in Cincinnati." 2 On August 26, I822, Clay arrived in Cincinnati and two days later attended a public dinner given in his honor at the hotel. From Cincinnati he went on to the United States Circuit Court at Columbus, and after the
Ablation for the treatment of arrhythmias

Surgical ablation of supraventricular cardiac arrhythmias has been rendered obsolete by the various modalities of electromagnetic transcatheter ablation techniques. Any ablation technique, including surgery is essentially the controlled destruction of a substrate which is acting as a source or a critical circuit limb of an arrhythmia. The most successful and popular modality is radio frequency (RF) ablation although other modalities such as dc shock, laser, microwave, and ultrasound are also being investigated. This review discusses the role of electrical ablation, especially RF ablation, as a treatment for supraventricular tachyarrhythmia and reviews the engineering principles and biological responses to ablation. A brief synopsis of the results of electrical catheter ablation procedures is presented. RF catheter ablation is a successful technique in clinical arrhythmia management, with reported success rates of greater than 95% in many series. The indications for clinical RF catheter ablation continue to broaden.
Revising the AP Biology Curriculum

At its Advanced Placement (AP) Program annual conference held in July, the College Board released a draft of its new curriculum for the AP biology course ( 1 ). Now used in thousands of secondary schools across the country, this course provides some of the best biology instruction in the United States to about 150,000 students every year. Given the growing interest in standards-based education and the absence of official U.S. national standards, AP courses have become increasingly important as de facto standards for high school students, particularly in the sciences. Therefore, it is essential that these courses conform to high standards of both content and pedagogy. As scientific and pedagogical knowledge have advanced in recent years, aspects of the AP program have come under criticism from educators, and revisions of the AP biology course in particular are overdue. The new AP biology curriculum represents a major step toward addressing this criticism. However, questions about its implementation still remain.
Click versus drag: User-performed tasks and the enactment effect in an interactive multimedia environment

Does learner performance of specific tasks in an interactive multimedia environment affect learning outcomes? Within a multimedia environment, users may engage in a range of actions, or interactive tasks, from tapping a keyboard to executing large motor movements. To investigate the impact of particular performance tasks on learning, we first introduce an approach to classifying interactive multimedia tasks as enactive, iconic or symbolic. We then describe a study in which university students (N=112) used a computer program that presented a series of action phrases in 4 different conditions, each condition requiring performance of a different task: listen (audio only), look (audio with static graphic), click (audio with animation triggered by a click), or drag (audio with click-and-drag graphic). Participants were tested on free recall and recognition of phrases immediately after treatment and again after 3weeks. At immediate testing, recall was best for drag (iconic) items, followed by click (symbolic), look, and listen items, in that order, with significant differences between each pair of conditions. For immediate recognition, as well as for delayed free recall and delayed recognition, mean scores followed the same pattern, with some variations in significance. Results support our proposed classification of interactive behaviors, extend previous findings on the enactment effect into a computer environment, and suggest the importance of considering the design of interactive tasks in the development of multimedia learning materials.
Nitric oxide production by rat bronchoalveolar macrophages or polymorphonuclear leukocytes following intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide or silica

Exposure of the lung to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or silica results in an activation of alveolar macrophages μMs), recruitment of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) into bronchoalveolar spaces, and the production of free radicals. Nitric oxide (NO) is one of the free radicals generated by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cell populations following either LPS or silica exposure. The purpose of the present study was to assess the relative contributions of AMs and PMNs to the amounts of NO produced by BAL cells following intratracheal (IT) instillation of either LPS or silica. Male Sprague Dawley rats (265-340 g body wt.) were given LPS (10 μg/100 g body wt.) or silica (5 mg/100 g body wt.). BAL cells were harvested 18–24 h post-IT and enriched for AMs or PMNs using density gradient centrifugation. Media levels of nitrate and nitrite (NOx; the stable decomposition products of NO) were then measured 18 h afterex vivo culture of these cells. Following IT exposure to either LPS or silica, BAL cell populations were ∼ 20% AMs and ∼ 80% PMNs. After density gradient centrifugation of BAL cells from LPS or silica-treated rats, cell fractions were obtained which were relatively enriched for AMs (∼ 60%) or PMNs (∼ 90%). The amounts of NOx produced by the AM-enriched fractions from LPS or silica-treated rats were ∼ 2-4-fold greater than that produced by the PMN-enriched fractions. Estimations of the relative contribution of AMs or PMNs to the NOx produced indicated that: (i) following LPS treatment, 75%-89% of the NOx was derived from AMs and 11%-25% from PMNs; and (ii) following silica treatment, 76%-100% of the NOx was derived from AMs and 0.24% from PMNs. Immunohistochemistry for inducible NO synthase on lung tissue sections supported these findings. We conclude that AMs are the major source of the NO produced by BAL cells during acute pulmonary inflammatory responses to LPS or silica.
HSCs for muscular dystrophy: a paradigm shift, back

Comment on Dell'Agnola et al, page [4311][1] Dell'Agnola and colleagues report that hematopoietic stem cells lack myogenic potential in a large animal model of muscular dystrophy, contrasting results in the murine model, and their report has important implications for the field of stem cell
A Case-control Study of Risk Factors for Intraoperative Suprachoroidal Expulseve Hemorrhage

The authors performed a case-control study of risk factors for suprachoroidal expulsive hemorrhage (SEH); the study involved 68 SEH cases at their institution from 1981 to 1986. The authors examined 113 variables in the study group and a procedure-matched control group of 217 patients randomly selected from the 35,459 patients who underwent intraocular surgery during this period, and subjected them to bivariate and conditional logistic regression analysis. The incidence of SEH was 0.19% overall, 0.16% for lens-related procedures, 0.15% for glaucoma surgery, 0.41% for retinal and vitreous procedures, and 0.56% for keratoplasty. Statistically significant risk factors for SEH in age-adjusted bivariate analyses included: glaucoma (P less than 0.0001), increased axial length (P less than 0.0001), elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) (P less than 0.0001), generalized atherosclerosis (P = 0.007), and elevated intraoperative pulse (P = 0.0001). Conditional logistic regression analysis with frequency matching on age identified significant independent risks associated with a history of glaucoma, elevated IOP, increased axial length, and intraoperative tachycardia. One of the models predicts a 752-fold increased theoretical relative risk of SEH for a patient with axial length greater than or equal to 25.8 mm, a history of glaucoma, preoperative IOP greater than 18 mmHg, and intraoperative pulse greater than or equal to 85 beats per minute. The visual outcome after SEH was best in cases of extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE), compared with other procedures. Results suggest that attention to multiple preoperative and intraoperative ocular and systemic variables may allow identification and prophylaxis of patients at risk for SEH.
Avenues into Food Planning: A Review of Scholarly Food System Research

This review summarizes several avenues of planning inquiry into food systems research, revealing gaps in the literature, allied fields of study and mismatches between scholarly disciplines and the food system life cycle. Planners and scholars in associated fields have identified and defined problems in the food system as ‘wicked’ problems, complex environmental issues that require systemic solutions at the community scale. While food justice scholars have contextualized problem areas, planning scholars have made a broad case for planning involvement in solving these wicked problems while ensuring that the functional and beneficial parts of the food system continue to thrive. This review maps the entry points of scholarly interest in food systems and planning's contributions to its study, charting a research agenda for the future.
Early Experiences with Algorithm Optimizations on Clusters of Playstation 3's

A 50 TeraFLOPS cluster of Playstation 3sreg (PS3) is being built at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Information Directorate (AFRL/RI) in Rome, NY as an High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP) effort to provide early access to the IBM Cell Broadband engine chip technology included in the low priced commodity gaming consoles. A heterogeneous cluster with powerful subcluster headnodes is used to balance the architecture in light of PS3 memory and input/output constraints. Several cases studies have shown that 30-70% of the 153 GFLOPS peak performance of these nodes can be sustained on problems of Department of Defense (DoD) interest. Notable power efficiency approaching 1 GFLOPS/Watt has also been observed.
The softness of medical production and implications for specifying hospital outputs

Abstract This paper considers the implications of an inarticulate medical production function when specifying and interpreting estimated hospital production functions. Lack of scientific knowledge regarding the relationship between medical inputs and outputs results in variations in styles of care, and medical payment contains inefficient production incentives. These production distortions are implicit in reported hospital data. Empirical results of this study provide information regarding the extent and direction of bias resulting from estimating production functions using reported outputs under retrospective cost-reimbursement.
Ab initio time-resolved density functional theory for lifetimes of excited adsorbate states at metal surfaces

We present an ab initio method using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) to compute the lifetimes of excited adsorbate states at metal surfaces. A modified mid-point and unitary transformation algorithm is used to integrate TDDFT electronic dynamics. As a test, the relaxation of an excited state of a hydrogen atom adsorbed on a lithium atom cluster is investigated. The time evolution of the electronic population at the hydrogen atom site is computed, and the decay of the natural population on the hydrogen gives the energy level width of the excited adsorbate state.
Persons, Rights, and the Moral Community

This book presents the foundations of a liberal individualistic theory of rights, and explains what rights we have and do not have, why we have them, who is and who is not a holder of rights, and the place of rights within the overall structure of morality. The author argues for the moral importance of individual commitments to 'projects', and demonstrates the implications of this for a variety of problems and issues. Readership: students of moral, social, and political philosophy.
Somatostatin analogue octreotide modulates metabolism and effects of 5-fluorouracil and 5-fluorouridine in human colon cancer spheroids.

Abstract To examine if preferential retention of somatostatin analogues observed in some tumors might be used for modulation of effects of cancer drugs by co-treatment with long acting somatostatin analogues, the effects of somatostatin analogue octreotide on the kinetics of 5-fluorouracil (FUra) and 5-fluorouridine (FUrd) metabolism were studied by 19 F NMR spectroscopy in multicell tumor spheroids comprised of human colon HT-29 adenocarcinoma cells. Octreotide stimulated the rat of formation of fluorouridinephosphates in FUra-treated cells, but inhibited this rate in FUrd-treated cells. Other elements of fluoropyrimidine metabolism were also altered by co-incubation with octreotide. A flow cytometric analysis indicated that FUra and FUrd arrested cells in the S phase, but co-treatment with octreotide almost eliminated the S-phase cells and induced the appearance of DNA fragments. These observations raise the possibility that somatostatin analogues can be used for specific modulation of fluoropyrimidine effects in tumors bearing somatostatin receptors.
Regulation of TNF-α secretion by a specific melanocortin-1 receptor peptide agonist

The lack of specific pharmacological tools has impeded the evaluation of the role of each melanocortin receptor (MCR) subtype in the myriad physiological effects of melanocortins. 154N-5 is an octapeptide (MFRdWFKPV-NH(2)) that was first identified as an MC1R antagonist in Xenopus melanophores [J. Biol. Chem. 269 (1994) 29846]. In this manuscript, we show that 154N-5 is a specific agonist for human and murine MC1R. The peptide has negligible activity at MC3R and MC4R and is 25-fold less potent and a weak agonist at MC5R. 154N-5 was tested in both a cellular and an animal model of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) secretion. The inhibitory efficacy of 154N-5 on TNF-alpha secretion in both models was similar to the nonselective agonist NDP-alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (NDP-alphaMSH), thus, we conclude that inhibition of TNF-alpha secretion by melanocortin peptides is mediated by MC1R. 154N-5 is a valuable new tool for the evaluation of specific contribution of MC1R agonism to physiological and pathological processes.
The 1,4-Dihydropyridine Nucleus: A Pharmacophoric Template Part 1. Actions at Ion Channels

The 1,4-dihydropyridine nifedipine is a prototypical example of the group of calcium channel blockers that also includes a number of second and third generation agents. These drugs enjoy substantial therapeutic prominence for their cardiovascular actions, including hypertension and angina. These actions are exerted at a specific member of the voltage-gated calcium channel family -the L-type channel. However, it is increasingly clear that the 1,4-dihydropyridine structure is a pharmacophoric template or "privileged structure" that, when appropriately substituted, can exert potent and selective actions at a diverse set of membrane receptors, including ion channels, G protein-coupled receptors and enzymes. This review will summarize the actions of 1,4-dihydropyridines at these receptors and advance the case that the 4-phenyl-1,4- dihydropyridine structure is a particularly versatile drug template. Part I of the review will summarize actions at ion channels and part II will summarize actions at other receptor systems.
Effect of recombinant erythropoietin on anemia and orthostatic hypotension in primary autonomic failure

Anemia is a common complication of autonomic failure and reduced red blood cell mass may contribute to the orthostatic hypotension of these patients. We investigated whether treatment with recombinant erythropoietin improves anemia and increases blood pressure in patients with primary autonomic failure. Three patients with multiple system atrophy and autonomic failure and one with pure autonomic failure were studied. All patients had normocytic normochromic anemia and low (n = 2) or normal (n = 2) serum levels of erythropoietin. Treatment with erythropoietin, 4000 U subcutaneously biweekly for 6 weeks, increased hematocrit and blood pressure in all patients. Hematocrit increased from 33.9 +/- 0.7 to 44.3 +/- 1.4%, blood pressure in supine position increased from 150 +/- 8/87 +/- 8 (systolic/diastolic; mean +/- SD) to 166 +/- 25/92 +/- 12 mmHg, and after 3 min in the head-up tilt position from 86 +/- 21/47 +/- 15 to 102 +/- 23/63 +/- 12 mmHg, (p < 0.05). All patients reported improvement in orthostatic symptoms and increased tolerance to standing. The study shows that treatment with erythropoietin improves anemia, increases blood pressure and ameliorates orthostatic hypotension in patients with primary autonomic failure.
Virtual organization: A vision of management in the information age

This article is an assessment of virtual organization, a new paradigm of organization and management. Like most new ideas, virtual organization is not entirely new—some of its components are recogn...
Mutual coupling between coax-fed rectangular microstrip antennas embedded in layered uniaxial anisotropic dielectrics

The mutual coupling between two coax-fed rectangular microstrip antennas embedded in uniaxial anisotropic dielectrics is evaluated. An interesting trade-off is shown where an increase in the permittivity in the direction of the optical axis in the substrate reduces the traditionally stronger E-plane coupling while it increases the traditionally weaker H-plane coupling. The computations from the commercial software used in this work are validated by successful comparison with published results.
von Hippel-Lindau Disease Manifesting as a Chiasmal Syndrome

A 21-year-old woman presented with a two year history of progressive loss of vision in the left eye. Brain MRI revealed a supresellar mass felt to be most consistent with a meningioma. However, pathologic examination including special stains disclosed features characteristic of hemangioblastoma. Further evaluation established the diagnosis of von Hippel-Lindau disease by demonstrating retinal capillary hemangiomas, small renal and hepatic cysts, and cervico-medullary masses later confirmed to be hemangioblastomas. To date, no other family members have displayed features of this inherited syndrome.
Dual-modality optical and positron emission tomography imaging of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor on tumor vasculature using quantum dots

To date, the in vivo imaging of quantum dots (QDs) has been mostly qualitative or semiquantitative. The development of a dual-function positron emission tomography (PET)/near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) probe might allow the accurate assessment of the tumor-targeting efficacy of QDs. An amine-functionalized QD was conjugated with VEGF protein and DOTA chelator for VEGFR-targeted PET/NIRF imaging after 64Cu-labeling. The targeting efficacy of this dual functional probe was evaluated in vitro and in vivo through cell-binding assay, cell staining, in vivo optical/PET imaging, ex vivo optical/PET imaging, and histology. The DOTA–QD–VEGF exhibited VEGFR-specific binding in both cell-binding assay and cell staining experiment. Both NIR fluorescence imaging and microPET showed VEGFR-specific delivery of conjugated DOTA–QD–VEGF nanoparticle and prominent reticuloendothelial system uptake. The U87MG tumor uptake of 64Cu-labeled DOTA–QD was less than one percentage injected dose per gram (%ID/g), significantly lower than that of 64Cu-labeled DOTA–QD–VEGF (1.52 ± 0.6%ID/g, 2.81 ± 0.3%ID/g, 3.84 ± 0.4%ID/g, and 4.16 ± 0.5%ID/g at 1, 4, 16, and 24 h post injection, respectively; n = 3). Good correlation was also observed between the results measured by ex vivo PET and NIRF organ imaging. Histologic examination revealed that DOTA–QD–VEGF primarily targets the tumor vasculature through a VEGF–VEGFR interaction. We have successfully developed a QD-based nanoprobe for dual PET and NIRF imaging of tumor VEGFR expression. The success of this bifunctional imaging approach may render higher degree of accuracy for the quantitative targeted NIRF imaging in deep tissue.
The presence and nature of a near-repeat pattern of motor vehicle theft

The discovery of near-repeat patterns of criminal offending indicates that certain crimes possess a property of contagiousness that increases the likelihood of future crime events within a close spatio-temporal proximity to earlier offenses. This study investigates whether a near-repeat pattern of offending exists for motor vehicle theft (MVT) in Lincoln, Nebraska. Results indicate the presence of a near-repeat pattern of MVT offending. Specifically, there is a 96 percent increased likelihood of an MVT occurring between one and two blocks, and within 2 weeks of an earlier MVT beyond what would otherwise be expected. Having identified such a pattern, socio-demographic characteristics are used to estimate the relationship between structural correlates of the community and both all MVTs and the MVT ‘initiator’ events that represent the initial offenses that spawn patterns of near-repeat offending. Results indicate that both initiator events and MVTs in general are more likely to occur in disadvantaged communities. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Injured rabbit ACL treated by radiofrequency. Effects of cyclic loading

Background. Radiofrequency treatment is increasingly used to treat shoulder instability. Patients are asked to restrain their physical activities after this treatment but there is no precise information concerning the necessity for the restrain. Methods. There were two groups of ten specimens each. Treatment group specimens were stretched to subfailure injury, treated by a radiofrequency probe, and then cyclically loaded. Control group specimens were stretched to the same subfailure injury, Sham treated, and then cyclically loaded. Between each step of the experiment in both groups there was a relaxation test to examine the ligament viscoelastic properties. At the end, each ligament was stretched to failure and the load–elongation curve obtained. Findings. Relaxation forces decreased after the subfailure injury in both groups (average 76% and 81% of intact state, in treatment and control groups, respectively). In the treatment group, the relaxation forces first increased after the radiofrequency treatment (average 99% of intact state), and then decreased after the cyclic loading (average 50% of intact state). The treated ligaments failed at lower loads and smaller deformations than the controls. Interpretation. The radiofrequency treatment restored viscoelastic properties of the injured ligaments, but cyclic loading degraded these. Protection of the treated ligament is advised during the immediate post-operative period. 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Network Dispatching by the Shortest-Operation Discipline

The significance of the dispatching function in production planning and control is discussed and applicable results in sequencing and queuing theory are reviewed. Experimental results for a network of queues representing a small job shop are presented. The investigation involved the comparison of dispatching at random with dispatching in order of increasing processing time under different conditions of shop size, flow pattern, and level of work-in-process inventory. Also considered is the effect of imperfect a priori knowledge of processing times upon the shortest-operation discipline Several modifications of the shortest-operation discipline were also tested one in which the shortest-operation discipline is 'truncated' and another in which it is periodically alternated with a first-come-first-served discipline.
Reconfiguration Modeling of Reconfigurable Hybrid FSO/RF Links

The purpose of devising a hybrid FSO/RF (Free Space Optics/Radio Frequency) system is to allow for reconfiguration, which enables an increased availability and reliability grade of the communication system. In the event of loss of an active FSO link, path reconfiguration ensures utilization of the FSO path queued next in priority. Thus, communication can be maintained in the optical domain with increased efficiency for a longer period. However, for all its benefits, path reconfiguration may inadvertently cause increased system delay and lower throughput, as well as packet loss. Given these advantages and disadvantages, path reconfiguration studies for hybrid systems are of great importance. A mathematical investigation and statistical consideration of path reconfiguration probability is the focus of this theoretical paper. A closed-form expression of the reconfiguration probability will be derived. The first-order Markov chain will provide a mathematically tractable model for atmosphere turbulence fading channels, as it uses only the received SNR of the FSO symbol immediately preceding the current one. Results show that increasing the intensity of turbulence-induced lognormal fading for FSO link will not necessarily increase the reconfiguration probability.
Effects of composition and thermal annealing on the mechanical properties of silicon oxycarbide films

Abstract There is an increasing trend to incorporate silicon carbide (SiC) into silicon oxides to improve the mechanical properties, thermal stability, and chemical resistance. In this work the silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) films were deposited by RF magnetron co-sputtering from silicon dioxide and silicon carbide targets. Subsequently rapid thermal annealing was applied to the as-deposited films to tune the mechanical properties. Energy dispersive spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ellipsometry were employed to characterize the compositions and microstructure of the films. The residual stress of the films was calculated from the film–substrate curvature measurement using Stoney's equation. The film stress changed from compressive to tensile after annealing, and it generally increased with carbon contents. The Young's modulus and hardness were investigated by the depth-sensing nanoindentation, which were found to increase with the carbon content and annealing temperature. A thorough microstructural analysis was conducted to investigate the effect of carbon content and annealing temperature on the mechanical properties of SiOC films.
The solubility of BaCO3(cr) (witherite) in CO2-H2O solutions between 0 and 90°C, evaluation of the association constants of BaHCO3+(aq) and BaCO30(aq) between 5 and 80°C, and a preliminary evaluation of the thermodynamic properties of Ba2+(aq)

Abstract One hundred and fifty new measurements of the solubility of witherite were used to evaluate the equilibrium constant of the reaction BaCO 3 ( cr ) = Ba 2+ ( aq ) + CO 3 2− ( aq ) between 0 and 90°C and 1 atm total pressure. The temperature dependence of the equilibrium constant is given by log K = 607.642 + 0.121098 T − 20011.25/ T − 236.4948 log T where T is in degrees Kelvin. The log K of BaCO 3 (cr), the Gibbs energy, the enthalpy and entropy of the reaction at 298.15 K are −8.562, 48.87 kJ · mol −1 , 2.94 kJ · mol −1 and −154.0 J · mol −1 · K −1 , respectively. The equilibrium constants are consistent with an aqueous model that includes the ion pairs BaHCO 3 + (aq) and BaCO 3 0 (aq) Three different methods were used to evaluate the association constant of BaHCO 3 + (aq), and all yielded similar results. The temperature dependence of the association constant for the reaction Ba 2+ ( aq ) + HCO 3 − ( aq ) = BaHCO 3 + ( aq ) is given by log K BaHCO 3 + = −3.0938 + 0.013669 T . The log of the association constant, the Gibbs energy, the enthalpy and entropy of the reaction at 298.15°K are 0.982, −5.606 kJ · mol −1 , 23.26 kJ · mol −1 and 96.8 J · mol −1 · K −1 , respectively. The temperature dependence of the equilibrium constant for the reaction Ba 2+ ( aq ) + CO 2− 3 ( aq ) = BaCO 0 3 ( aq ) is given by log K BaCO 3 0 = 0.113 + 0.008721 T . The log of the association constant, the Gibbs energy, the enthalpy and entropy of the reaction at 298.15° K are 2.71, −15.49 kJ · mol −1 , 14.84 kJ · mol −1 and 101.7 J· mol −1 · K −1 . The above model leads to reliable calculations of the aqueous speciation and solubility of witherite in the system BaCO 3 -CO 2 -H 2 O from 0 to more than 90°C. Literature data on witherite solubility were re-evaluated and compared with the results of this study. Problems in the thennodynamic selections of Ba compounds are considered. Newer data require the revision of Δ f H° and Δ f G° of Ba 2+ (aq) to −532.5 and −555.36 kJ · mol −1 , respectively, for agreement with solubility data.
Use and acceptance of AAC systems by children with Angelman syndrome.

Background This investigation of children with Angelman syndrome (AS) examined reported uses of electronic augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices (i.e. VOCAs), including speech generating devices, in relation to other aided and unaided methods of communication. Materials and Method A total of 122 parents of children with AS, mostly from the USA self-administered a survey over the Internet. Qualitative methods based primarily on thematic analysis were used to organize and examine data. Results Children relied heavily on unaided methods of communication such as natural gestures, regardless of their experiences with electronic communication devices. Parents cited various reasons for children's acceptance or rejection of their most advanced devices. Discussion Clinical implications are discussed in relation to children's needs for multimodal methods of communication, including accurately matching children's capabilities to AAC device characteristics. Practitioners are encouraged to consider reasons that parents cited for children's acceptance versus rejection of devices when implementing AAC programs.
The role of alveolar epithelium in radiation-induced lung injury.

Pneumonitis and fibrosis are major lung complications of irradiating thoracic malignancies. In the current study, we determined the effect of thoracic irradiation on the lungs of FVB/N mice. Survival data showed a dose-dependent increase in morbidity following thoracic irradiation with single (11–13 Gy) and fractionated doses (24–36 Gy) of 137Cs γ-rays. Histological examination showed a thickening of vessel walls, accumulation of inflammatory cells, collagen deposition, and regional fibrosis in the lungs 14 weeks after a single 12 Gy dose and a fractionated 30 Gy dose; this damage was also seen 5 months after a fractionated 24 Gy dose. After both single and fractionated doses, i] aquaporin-5 was markedly decreased, ii] E-cadherin was reduced and iii] prosurfactant Protein C (pro-SP-c), the number of pro-SP-c+ cells and vimentin expression were increased in the lungs. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed co-localization of pro-SP-c and α-smooth muscle actin in the alveoli after a single dose of 12 Gy. These data suggest that, i] the FVB/N mouse strain is sensitive to thoracic radiation ii] aquaporin-5, E-cadherin, and pro-SP-c may serve as sensitive indicators of radiation-induced lung injury; and iii] the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition may play an important role in the development of radiation-induced lung fibrosis.
Regional variation in the expression of bullous pemphigoid antigen and location of lesions in bullous pemphigoid

The expression of bullous pemphigoid (BP) antigen in different locations on the body was estimated from the highest dilution of BP sera giving a positive reaction at a site by indirect immunofluoresconce. Three sera with high titers (640–1280) of BP antibodies against monkey and guinea pig esophagus were reacted with 46 specimens of normal human skin. There was marked variation in the expression of BP antigen in skin obtained from different sites. The greatest expression of BP antigen was in skin obtained from the flexor surfaces of the arm, leg, and thigh. All specimens from these sites reacted with high dilutions (1:640–1:2560) of BP antibodies. BP antigen was expressed least in skin specimens from scalp, face, and extensor surface of the arm. No BP antigen could be demonstrated in 17% of specimens from these locations and the remainder reacted only with low dilutions (1:40–1:160) of BP antibodies. Skin from trunk, knee, and extensor thigh had intermediate amounts of BP antigen. Similar results were seen with all 3 BP sera. Similar reactions were observed in multiple skin specimens obtained from different sites in the same individual. Of note is that the greatest expression of BP antigen was in areas commonly involved in this disease (flexural surfaces), whereas the least was seen in areas (scalp, face, extensor arm) which are rarely involved. The apparent correlation between the expression of BP antigen and the location of lesions in bullous pemphigoid, suggests that BP antigen expression may play a role in the distribution of skin lesions in this disease.
Mycorrhizae and rehabilitation of disturbed arid soils: Processes and practices

Abstract Vesicular‐arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM) are critical components of arid ecosystems that regulate plant growth by improving plant nutrient and water uptake capacities. All arid plant species are capable of forming mycorrhizal associations except a limited suite of annual weeds. Almost any perturbation associated with human development serves to reduce VAM inoculum. Thus the restoration of disturbed lands depends, in part, on the restoration of viable VAM symbioses. Two means are available for restoring the symbiosis: artificial inoculation and application of succession theory. Although artificial inoculation is possible, due to the current inability to grow the endophyte, it has limited applicability. There are a wide variety of vectors of VAM fungi including animals and wind. Proper use of existing information can enhance the natural restoration of VAM symbioses. These include patch planting, planting of facultative VAM plants, and allowing animals to migrate freely across the site. These activiti...
Spectroscopic Study Ca2+ Induced Changes in the Structure, Dynamics and Stability of Dream Protein and its Mechanism of DNA Interaction

Downstream Regulatory Element Antagonist Modulator (DREAM)/Calsenilin/KchIP3 is a multifunctional calcium binding protein that belongs to the EF-hand branch of Neuronal Calcium Sensor family. DREAM associates to Downstream Regulatory Element (DRE) of prodynorphin and c-fos genes and blocks their transcription in a calcium-regulated manner. Other molecular functions of DREAM involve proteolytic processing of presenilins, modulation of A-type current of potassium channels, and regulation of neuronal apoptosis. Previously, we have studied Mg2+ and Ca2+ induced changes in structure and dynamics of DREAM and its C-terminal domain. Recently, we have investigated the contribution of individual EF hands (EF-2, EF-3, and EF-4) to Ca2+ triggered conformational transition in DREAM by characterizing fluorescence properties of D150N, E186Q, and E234Q mutants. The tryptophan 169 emission and lifetime properties are strongly influenced by Ca2+ association to EF-3 whereas the ligand association to EF-2 and/or EF-4 has a minor impact on Trp fluorescence suggesting that Ca2+ association to EF-3 is crucial to induced structural changes within the hydrophobic pocket between EF-2 and EF-3. In addition, association of 25-mer oligonucleotide of prodynorphin gene to DREAM was characterized using ITC. DNA association to DREAM is temperature dependent. ApoDREAM strongly binds to DynDRE at 35oC (Kd1 =206 nM, Kd2 = 24 µM) whereas weaker interactions were observed at at 25oC). Very weak binding with Kd = 91 µM and Kd = 200 µM was observed for DREAM-DynDRE association in the presence of Mg2+ and Ca2+, respectively. These results support the mechanism that ApoDREAM strongly binds to DynDRE to block prodynorphin gene transcription and the DREAM-DynDRE complex reversibly dissociates upon Ca2+ binding.
Increased transport of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid from brain during performance of operant behavior in the rat

Although the performance of positively reinforced operant behavior is accompanied by increased turnover of brain dopamine in the rat, the accumulation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), the major metabolic product of dopamine in brain, is not increased during operant performance. The hypothesis that the lack of increased DOPAC accumulation stems from an increase in the rate at which DOPAC is eliminated from the brain was tested by measuring the relative rate of DOPAC transport from brain in rats performing operant behavior and in control rats. The transport of DOPAC was estimated following inhibition of monoamine oxidase with pargyline. The pargyline-induced depletions of DOPAC in the caudate putamen and amygdala were significantly greater in rats that performed operant behavior than in control rats. In the caudate putamen, the concentrations of homovanillic acid and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were also depleted by pargyline to a greater extent in operant performing rats than in controls. These results suggest that in addition to the increased turnover of dopamine in central neurons during operant behavior, the rate of elimination of acidic amine metabolites from brain is also accelerated.
Turbulence modeling applied to flow over a sphere

Numerical simulations of the subcritical flow over a sphere are presented. The primary aim is to compare prediction of some of the main physics and flow parameters from solutions of the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) equations, large-eddy simulation (LES), and detached-eddy simulation (DES). URANS predictions are obtained using two-layer κ-e, κ-ω, ν 2 -f, and the Spalart-Allmaras model. The dynamic eddy viscosity model is used in the LES. DES is a hybrid technique in which the closure is a modification to the Spalart-Allmaras model, reducing to RANS near solid boundaries and LES in the wake. The techniques are assessed by evaluating simulation results against experimental measurements, as well as through their ability to resolve time-dependent features of the flow related to vortex shedding. Simulation are performed at a Reynolds number of 10 4 , where laminar boundary-layer separation occurs at approximately 83 deg
The impact of postnatal antibiotics on the preterm intestinal microbiome

Development of the intestinal microbiome in preterm infants has significant impact on infant health. Our objective was to determine if duration of antibiotics within the first 10 and 30 d after birth affects the intestinal microbiome. Subjects were 24 0/7–31 6/7 wk of gestational age who received ≥50% breast milk and a total of ≥100 ml/kg of feeds by 10 d. Rectal (fecal) swabs were collected at 10 and 30 d and analyzed by 16S rRNA pyrosequencing. At both time points, we examined the rectal microbiome from infants who received only 2 d of antibiotics and those who received at least 7 d of antibiotics. In the 29 infants enrolled in our study, we found a decrease in diversity index from 10 d samples in those who received more antibiotics. Such difference in diversity and richness was not as pronounced in 30 d samples. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were most abundant in the 10 d samples. While these two phyla remained dominant in 30 d samples, there was an increase in Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. Despite antibiotic therapy, neonates continued to acquire bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. The process of bacterial acquisition is perturbed with the use of antibiotics.
Derivation of a chemical-specific adjustment factor (CSAF) for use in the assessment of risk from chronic exposure to ethylene glycol: application of International Programme for Chemical Safety guidelines.

Abstract The International Programme for Chemical Safety (IPCS) has developed a set of guidelines (“the Guidance”) for the establishment of Chemical-Specific Adjustment Factors (CSAFs) for in the assessment of toxicity risk to the human population as a result of chemical exposure. The development of case studies is encouraged in the Guidance document and comments on them have been encouraged by the IPCS. One provision in the Guidance is for the determination of CSAFs based on human data. We present a case study of the use of the Guidance for the determination of the CSAF for ethylene glycol (EG) primarily utilizing clinically obtained data. The most relevant endpoint for this analysis was deemed to be acute renal injury. These data were applied based on an assessment of the known pharmaco/toxico-kinetic properties of EG. Because of the lack of both bioaccumulation of EG and reports of chronic or progressive renal injury from EG, it was concluded that the most appropriate model of chronic exposure is one of repeated acute episodes. The most relevant exposure metric was determined to be plasma glycolate concentration. Based on a prospective human study of EG-poisoned patients, the NOAEL for glycolate was found to be 10.1 mM. This value is similar to that obtained from animal data. The application of the Guidelines to this data resulted in a CSAF of 10.24, corresponding to a daily EG dose of 43.7 mg/kg/day. In 2000, Health Canada (HC) produced an animal data-based analysis of the maximum tolerated dose of EG. The results of our analysis are compared with those of HC, and the strengths and weaknesses of these two data types related to EG are discussed.
Strengthening Early Childhood Teacher Preparation: Integrating Assessment, Curriculum Development, and Instructional Practice in Student Teaching.

This paper examines the effectiveness of “Bridging”—a performance-based assessment and curriculum development tool for teachers of young children—in shaping preservice teachers’ learning and teaching experiences. The experiences are examined for evidence of whether the use of “Bridging” during the student teaching period 1) facilitates student teacher acquisition of new knowledge about individual children as diverse learners, 2) helps student teachers gain a deeper understanding of content knowledge in a range of subject areas, and 3) strengthens their ability to use assessment results to inform curriculum planning and teaching. A 5-year implementation study indicates positive results with regard to all three questions. The discussion focuses on components and processes of Bridging that are key to student teacher development. These include constructing learning profiles for individual children, recognizing children’s zones of proximal development in different curricular areas, using assessment to inform c...