cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The DOMA Sideshow

In 2011, an enormous outcry ensued when the law firm of King & Spalding (K&S) abandoned the Republican leaders of the House of Representatives in U.S. v. Windsor, the case in which the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was struck down. Paul Clement, the star litigator in charge of the case, resigned from the firm and published a letter accusing it of caving in under pressure from gay rights groups, which organized a campaign to convince the firm to withdraw. A chorus that included law professors, government lawyers, editorial boards, pundits, the incumbent Attorney General, and a sitting Supreme Court Justice joined him in condemning K&S. Even though many of these speakers opposed DOMA — and the Attorney General had refused to defend the statute in-house — they praised Clement for standing by the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) heroically and accused the LGBT community of bad behavior. By attacking K&S, they argued, gay rights groups had undermined the civil justice system, which depends on zealous advocacy for all sides. These groups were also said to have endangered vulnerable clients by legitimating the use of a tactic that would make it harder for them to find lawyers. Clement had bravely set an example for all lawyers by steadfastly supporting a client under siege. This Article argues that both the criticisms heaped upon K&S and the LGBT community and the praise lavished upon Clement were mostly unwarranted. Clement was not shown to be a hero, that is, a person who bravely incurs a serious risk of personal loss for the benefit of another. K&S’s action was proper because it withdrew without harming BLAG, because it had no duty to remain engaged, and because it was a poor fit with BLAG. The firm can legitimately be criticized for having allowed Clement to jump the gun by signing the contract to represent the House of Representatives before the firm’s new matter review process was completed. And having done that, the firm can also be criticized for allowing business concerns that were known or predictable in advance to influence its decision to withdraw. But in volume and intensity, the condemnations that were heaped upon K&S were excessive. Finally, the actions of the gay rights organizations threatened neither to undermine the civil justice system nor to make legal services harder for vulnerable clients to obtain. The fact that K&S was engaged by a client to handle a litigation matter afforded no reason for gay rights advocates to refrain from holding the firm accountable for its engagement to BLAG. This Article does not criticize Clement for remaining loyal to BLAG. It does contend that his did something ordinary, not something heroic.
“The Library Is Very Huge and Beautiful”: A Library Orientation for English Language Learners

Abstract The English Language Program (ELP) faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) are eager to familiarize their students with the services and resources offered by the VCU Library. These students' proficiency in English is often limited, meaning a traditional tour or presentation is out of the question, and physically visiting each of the chosen resources as opposed to merely discussing them in the abstract is critical. To best meet the unique needs of these students, an Amazing Race–style orientation to the library was created. This chapter discusses the logistics of creating a library orientation for English language learners in an Amazing Race style; describes the pedagogical benefits of using an interactive orientation for this patron demographic; relates the hands-on activities used as “challenges”; interprets feedback from participants, team leaders, and ELP faculty; explains what worked well and could be adapted by other libraries for other patron types; and shares lessons learned.
Bi+ Visibility: Characteristics of Those Who Attempt to Make Their Bisexual+ Identity Visible and the Strategies They Use

There are numerous forms of stigma that contribute to the de-legitimization and erasure of bisexual and other non-monosexual identities (collectively referred to as bisexual+ or bi+ identities). To reduce such stigma, efforts are needed to increase bi+ visibility. Little is known, however, about whether bisexual+ individuals attempt to attain greater bi+ visibility (i.e., make their bisexual+ identity visible to others) and, if so, how they do this. Using data from a mixed-method (quantitative and qualitative) internet survey study of 397 individuals reporting attractions to more than one gender, we examined the proportion who attempted to attain greater bi+ visibility, the strategies they used to do so, and factors that distinguished those who made bi+ visibility attempts from those who did not. Results indicated that 58% made bi+ visibility attempts, with the most common being direct verbal communication (e.g., telling others) and visual displays (e.g., wearing bi/pride clothing, jewelry, tattoos). Less common attempts included indirect forms of communication, engagement in LGBT-related activities, and public behavioral displays. Those who made bi+ visibility attempts differed from those who did not on variables related to identity (e.g., centrality, self-affirmation, community connection) and internalized binegativity. Implications for understanding the reasons for and for not making bi+ visibility attempts, as well as the potential consequences of doing so, are discussed.
A data assimilation framework for data-driven flow models enabled by motion tomography

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have become central to data collection for scientific and monitoring missions in the coastal and global oceans. To provide immediate navigational support for AUVs, computational data-driven flow models described as generic environmental models (GEMs) construct a map of the environment around AUVs. This paper proposes a data assimilation framework for the GEM to update the map using data collected by the AUVs. Unlike Eulerian data, Lagrangian data along the AUV trajectory carry time-integrated flow information. To facilitate assimilation of Lagrangian data into the GEM, the motion tomography method is employed to convert Lagrangian data of AUVs into an Eulerian spatial map of a flow field. This process allows assimilation of both Eulerian and Lagrangian data into the GEM to be incorporated in a unified framework, which introduces a nonlinear filtering problem. Considering potential complementarity of Eulerian and Lagrangian data in estimating spatial and temporal characteristics of flow, we develop a filtering method for estimation of the spatial and temporal parameters in the GEM. The observability is analyzed to verify the convergence of our filtering method. The proposed data assimilation framework for the GEM is demonstrated through simulations using two flow fields with different characteristics: (i) a double-gyre flow field and (ii) a flow field constructed by using real ocean surface flow observations from high-frequency radar.
Modifying Ligand Chemistry To Enhance Reusability of pH-Responsive Colloidal Gold Nanoparticle Catalyst

Thiolated pH-responsive poly(acrylic acid) functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNP-SPAA) were investigated as recoverable and reusable catalysts in catalyzing the 4-nitrophenol reduction reaction. ...
Usability and cognitive load in the design of a personal health record

Abstract While personal health records (PHRs) carry an array of potential benefits such as increased patient engagement, poor usability remains a significant barrier to patients’ adoption of PHRs. In this mixed-methods study, we evaluate the usability of an important PHR feature, a patient intake form called the pre-visit summary, from the perspective of cognitive load using real cardiovascular patients in vivo. A validated measure for cognitive load, the NASA Task Load Index, was used along with retrospective interviews to identify tasks within the pre-visit summary that were more mentally challenging for patients. Participants experienced higher cognitive load on the Medications, Immunizations, Active Health Concerns, and Family History pages because these pages required a higher recall of personal health information and due to some user interface design issues. This research is significant because it uses validated measures of cognitive load to study real patients interacting with a PHR in vivo.
Pattern Formation and Continuous Reactions

In Chaps. 6 and 7 primarily qualitative aspects about the emergence of patterns in human pattern formation systems were discussed. For example, individuals performing different activities in succession have been described in terms of attractor pattern sequences. In contrast, in this chapter quantitative aspects of pattern formation will be discussed and will be related to continuous reactions of humans. That is, considerations will be made about the properties of attractor patterns measured in terms of continuous variables. Examples for continuous variables are reading times, reaction times, magnitude “estimates”, biophysical quantities such as oxygen consumption, and ratings on Likert scales.
Analysis of the Potential for N 4 -Hydroxycytidine To Inhibit Mitochondrial Replication and Function.

N 4-Hydroxycytidine (NHC) is an antiviral ribonucleoside analog that acts as a competitive alternative substrate for virally encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerases. It exhibits measurable levels of cytotoxicity, with 50% cytotoxic concentration values ranging from 7.5 μM in CEM cells and up to >100 μM in other cell lines. The mitochondrial DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (POLRMT) has been shown to incorporate some nucleotide analogs into mitochondrial RNAs, resulting in substantial mitochondrial toxicity. NHC was tested in multiple assays intended to determine its potential to cause mitochondrial toxicity. NHC showed similar cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells incubated in a glucose-free and glucose-containing media, suggesting that NHC does not impair mitochondrial function in this cell line based on the Crabtree effect. We demonstrate that the 5'-triphosphate of NHC can be used by POLRMT for incorporation into nascent RNA chain but does not cause immediate chain termination. In PC-3 cells treated with NHC, the 50% inhibitory concentrations of mitochondrial protein expression inhibition were 2.7-fold lower than those for nuclear-encoded protein expression, but this effect did not result in selective mitochondrial toxicity. A 14-day incubation of HepG2 cells with NHC had no effect on mitochondrial DNA copy number or extracellular lactate levels. In CEM cells treated with NHC at 10 μM, a slight decrease (by ∼20%) in mitochondrial DNA copy number and a corresponding slight increase in extracellular lactate levels were detected, but these effects were not enhanced by an increase in NHC treatment concentration. In summary, the results indicate that mitochondrial impairment by NHC is not the main contributor to the compound's observed cytotoxicity in these cell lines.
High capacity Li/Ni rich Ni-Ti-Mo oxide cathode for Li-ion batteries

Abstract With the rising cost and insufficient supply of cobalt, the thrust for cobalt-free cathode materials with the high specific capacity to build Li-ion batteries has increased significantly. Using nickel as the prime electrochemical active species, we have synthesized a new-class of materials with the combination of ordered and disordered phases. To obtain high capacity and electrical charge neutrality, stoichiometry of cations designed in a way that it forms Li/Ni rich Ni-Ti-Mo oxide materials. In addition to conventional capacity from redox activity of transition metals, partially reversible oxygen redox reaction also contributes to electrochemical activity and thus results in unusual high capacity. The resultant cathode materials of LiNi0.5Ti0.5O2-(Li4MoO5)0.8 and LiNiO2 mixture phases reach the specific capacity of 240 mAh/g. Detailed soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy and electron microscopy are used to reveal the crystal phases in this system and trace changes in the Ni2+/Ni4+ redox couple during charge-discharge processes. Such comprehensive analysis of ordered-disordered oxides suggesting potentiality to develop high-capacity cobalt-free cathodes.
Monte Carlo simulation of collisionless shocks showing preferential acceleration of high A/Z particles

A collisionless quasi-parallel shock is simulated by Monte Carlo techniques. The scattering of all velocity particles from thermal to high energy is assumed to occur so that the mean free path is directly proportional to velocity times the mass-to-charge-ratio, and inversely proporational to the plasma density. The shock profile and velocity spectra are obtained, showing preferential acceleration of high A/Z particles relative to protons. The inclusion of the back pressure of the scattering particles on the inflowing plasma produces a smoothing of the shock profile, which implies that the spectra are steeper than for a discontinuous shock.
Weak coupling and anisotropy in the magnetic penetration depth of the high-temperature superconductor Tl2Ca2Ba2Cu3O10+ delta.

Magnetic penetration depths {lambda}({ital T}) have been determined as a function of temperature {ital T} for the high-temperature superconductor Tl{sub 2}Ca{sub 2}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 10+{delta}}. Magnetization measurements were performed on an aligned, composite powder sample ({ital T}{sub {ital c}}=123 K) with the magnetizing field parallel or perpendicular to the common {ital c} axes of the dispersed crystallites. The magnetization in the vortex state was analyzed using the theory of Kogan {ital et} {ital al}. (Phys. Rev. B 38, 11 958 (1988)) to obtain values for {lambda}. The results were best described by BCS weak-coupling theory in the clean limit, with deduced values {lambda}(0) of 173 and 480 nm for the components of the penetration-depth tensor.
Progression of COVID-19 From Urban to Rural Areas in the United States: A Spatiotemporal Analysis of Prevalence Rates.

Purpose There are growing signs that the COVID-19 virus has started to spread to rural areas and can impact the rural health care system that is already stretched and lacks resources. To aid in the legislative decision process and proper channelizing of resources, we estimated and compared the county-level change in prevalence rates of COVID-19 by rural-urban status over 3 weeks. Additionally, we identified hotspots based on estimated prevalence rates. Methods We used crowdsourced data on COVID-19 and linked them to county-level demographics, smoking rates, and chronic diseases. We fitted a Bayesian hierarchical spatiotemporal model using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm in R-studio. We mapped the estimated prevalence rates using ArcGIS 10.8, and identified hotspots using Gettis-Ord local statistics. Findings In the rural counties, the mean prevalence of COVID-19 increased from 3.6 per 100,000 population to 43.6 per 100,000 within 3 weeks from April 3 to April 22, 2020. In the urban counties, the median prevalence of COVID-19 increased from 10.1 per 100,000 population to 107.6 per 100,000 within the same period. The COVID-19 adjusted prevalence rates in rural counties were substantially elevated in counties with higher black populations, smoking rates, and obesity rates. Counties with high rates of people aged 25-49 years had increased COVID-19 prevalence rates. Conclusions Our findings show a rapid spread of COVID-19 across urban and rural areas in 21 days. Studies based on quality data are needed to explain further the role of social determinants of health on COVID-19 prevalence.
A Field Study to Capture Events of Interest (EoI) from Living Labs Using Wearables for Spatiotemporal Monitoring Towards a Framework of Smart Health (sHealth)

Everyday wearables such as smartwatches or smart bands can play a pivotal role in the field of fitness and wellness and hold the prospect to be used for early disease detection and monitoring towards Smart Health (sHealth). One of the challenges is the extraction of reliable biomarkers from data collected using these devices in the real world (Living Labs). In this yearlong field study, we collected the nocturnal instantaneous heart rate from 9 participants using wrist-worn commercial smart bands and extracted heart rate variability features (HRV). In addition, we measured core body temperature using our custom-designed flexible Inkjet-Printed (IJP) temperature sensor and SpO2 with a finger pulse oximeter. The core body temperature along with user-reported symptoms have been used for automated spatiotemporal monitoring of flu symptoms severity in real-time. The extracted HRV feature values are within the 95% confidence interval of normative values and shows an anticipated trend for gender and age. The resulting dataset from this study is a novel addition and may be used for future investigations.Clinical Relevance— The findings of this study shows usability of wearables in detection and monitoring of diseases such as obstructive sleep apnea reducing the prevalence of undiagnosed cases. This framework also has potentials to monitor outbreaks of flu and other diseases with spatiotemporal distribution.
Safety and efficacy of low-dose rhBMP-2 use for anterior cervical fusion.

Objective The use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (rhBMP-2) in routine anterior cervical fusion (ACF) is controversial. Early reports described high complication rates. A variety of dosing regimens ranging from 0.6 to 2.1 mg per level fused have been reported. The authors hypothesized that the high amounts of rhBMP-2 used in these studies led to the high complication rates observed; therefore, they set out to evaluate the safety and efficacy of low-dose rhBMP-2 for use in ACFs. Methods Patient inclusion criteria were 1) age 18 to 70 years; 2) initial stand-alone ACF construct; 3) fusion augmentation with rhBMP-2; and 4) at least 1 year of radiographic follow-up. A successful fusion was defined by either 1) lateral flexion-extension radiographs with less than 1 mm of movement across the fused spinous processes, or 2) bone bridging at least half of the fusion area originally achieved by surgery on fine-cut CT. Patient demographics, perioperative data, and postoperative complications were recorded. Results A total of 198 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included for analysis. Sixty-two patients (31%) were smokers. The median number of levels fused was 2 (IQR 1.25). The mean dose of rhBMP-2 was 0.50 ± 0.09 mg per level. Twenty-two (11%) patients experienced dysphagia. Eleven (6%) patients experienced cervical swelling. Two (1%) patients returned to the operating room (OR) for postoperative hematoma. One (0.5%) patient returned to the OR for seroma. Two (1%) patients experienced pseudarthrosis requiring a posterior fusion. Three (2%) patients experienced a new postoperative neurological deficit that had recovered by last the follow-up. Overall, 190 (96%) patients experienced solid arthrodesis over an average of 15 months of follow-up. There was no difference in fusion rates between patients who were either smokers or nonsmokers (p = 0.7073). Conclusions The use of low-dose rhBMP-2 safely and effectively augmented anterior cervical arthrodesis. The low-dose protocol assessed in this study appeared to significantly reduce complications associated with rhBMP-2 use in ACF compared with the literature. The authors have determined that using low-dose rhBMP-2 in patients who are smokers, those with multilevel ACFs, or others at high risk of developing pseudarthrosis is recommended.
Evaluation of aqueous dimethyl trisulfide as an antidote to a highly lethal cyanide poisoning in a large swine model

Cyanide is a rapid acting, lethal, metabolic poison and remains a significant threat. Current FDA-approved antidotes are not amenable or efficient enough for a mass casualty incident.The objective ...
The Need for Guidance around Recruitment and Consent Practices in Intracranial Electrophysiology Research.

The US BRAIN Initiative which seeks to advance innovative technologies aimed at revolutionizing understanding of the human brain, has created a surge in intracranial electrophysiological research. ...
FILCIO: Application Agnostic I/O Aggregation to Scale Scientific Workflows

Scientific workflows often consist of black-box stand-alone programs that each write to one or more files, resulting in significant I/O operations. When strung together, each stage of the pipeline is bottlenecked by I/O, without much ability to modify that behavior. Since computation capabilities of large-scale distributed systems grow much faster than their I/O bandwidth, processing such big data using these workflows does not scale as the amount of data grows. While most related work focuses on data aggregation by modifying source code, we propose a Function Interception Library for Collective I/O (FILCIO), to intercept I/O function calls in C’s stdio library on a POSIX file system. This aggregates outgoing data in memory before writing to disk. Our aim is to scale I/O intensive scientific workflows without needing to access and modify their source code. In this paper, we motivate the need for I/O aggregation, and discuss what applications are poised to benefit most from FILCIO. We use an I/O intensive program where nearly 100% of its overall runtime is spent writing to disk. We show that the use of FILCIO results in a speedup of 1.75x over the native approach, and extrapolate that the best improvement is when a program generates a large volume of small writes. FILCIO is available at https://github.com/jensenq/io_aggregation
Repeated cocaine or methamphetamine treatment alters astrocytic CRF2 and GLAST expression in the ventral midbrain.

Dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) play a central role in the reinforcing properties of abused drugs including methamphetamine and cocaine. Chronic effects of psychostimulants in the SN/VTA also involve non-dopaminergic transmitters, including glutamate and the stress-related peptide corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). In the SN/VTA, astrocytes express a variety of membrane-bound neurotransmitter receptors and transporters that influence neurotransmission. CRF receptor type 2 (CRF2) activity in the VTA is important for stress-induced relapse and drug-seeking behaviour, but the localization of its effects is incompletely understood. Here, we first identified CRF2 transcript in astrocytes of the SN/VTA using RNA-Seq in Aldh1l1;NuTRAP mice and confirmed it using in situ hybridization (RNAscope) in wild-type mice. We then used immunofluorescence to quantify the astrocytic marker protein S100β, glial-specific glutamate/aspartate transporter GLAST, and CRF2 in the SN/VTA following 12 days of treatment (i.p.) with methamphetamine (3 mg/kg), cocaine (10 mg/kg), or saline. We observed a significant decrease in GLAST immunofluorescence in brains of psychostimulant treated mice compared with saline controls. In addition, we observed increased labelling of CRF2 in drug treated groups, a decrease in the number of S100β positive cells, and an increase of co-staining of CRF2 with both S100β and tyrosine hydroxylase (dopamine neurons). Our results suggest a significant interaction between CRF2, GLAST, and astrocytes in the midbrain that emerges with repeated exposure to psychostimulants. These findings provide rationale for future investigation of astrocyte-based strategies for altering cellular and circuit function in response to stress and drug exposure.
Models in Environmental Planning

An engineer and planner calls a meeting to discuss the potential for a water supply and flood control project in upstate New York. After outlining the nature of the project, someone from the audience asks what the environmental impacts of the projects might be. The engineer/planner responds, “Don’t worry, we’ll count all the birds and the squirrels and the bees.” What this individual is referring to is the requirement to undertake an environmental impact assessment relating to the project. Unfortunately, this individual has a misconception of what this process entails and how to go about it. Fewer individuals, however, currently misunderstand the legal requirements associated with the environmental laws because of the last decade of experience with them. In addition, this experience has produced more professionals who plan projects without major, negative environmental consequences.
Error-Driven Analysis of Challenges in Coreference Resolution

Coreference resolution metrics quantify errors but do not analyze them. Here, we consider an automated method of categorizing errors in the output of a coreference system into intuitive underlying error types. Using this tool, we first compare the error distributions across a large set of systems, then analyze common errors across the top ten systems, empirically characterizing the major unsolved challenges of the coreference resolution task.
Adiabatic diffraction-limited beam propagation of intense self-focusing beams in multimode-core fibers

High-intensity beams propagating in multimode-core fibers stay diffraction-limited below the critical self-focusing power. Periodic beam-size variation caused by self-phase-modulation along the fiber occurs adiabatically and the beam is accurately represented by a local fundamental mode.
Somatic mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain of EGFR abrogate EGFR-mediated radioprotection in non-small cell lung carcinoma

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 3102 The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an important determinant of radioresponse, whose elevated expression and activity frequently correlates with radioresistance in several cancers including non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). We recently identified a subset of patient-derived NSCLC cell lines that exhibit marked sensitivity to radiation. A consistent feature among these radiosensitive NSCLCs was that they all harbored somatic, activating mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain (TKD) of the EGFR, that have been previously linked to tumor sensitivity to small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors, gefitinib and erlotinib. Multiple lines of evidence revealed that, unlike the wild type EGFR, receptors with activating L858R or ΔE746-E750 mutations in the TKD are defective in radiation-induced translocation to the nucleus and fail to bind the catalytic and regulatory subunits of the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK). Consequently, NSCLCs with TKD-mutated EGFR exhibit significant delays in the repair of DNA double strand break (DSB) repair, poor resolution of frank or microhomologous DNA ends and poor clonogenic survival in response to radiation. A crucial finding is that ectopic expression of TKD-mutated forms of EGFR can radiosensitize human bronchial epithelial cells with or without other oncogenic changes including radioprotective mutations in KRAS and p53. Moreover, stable expression of either the L858R or the ΔE746-E750 mutant forms of EGFR significantly delays repair of ionizing radiation (IR)-induced DSBs, blocks the resolution of frank or microhomologous DNA ends and abrogates IR-induced nuclear translocation or binding to DNA-PKcs. Our study has identified a subset of naturally occurring EGFR activating mutations that lack a critical radioprotective function of EGFR and provides valuable insights how the EGFR mediates survival in response to radiation in non--small cell lung carcinoma cell lines.
Photosynthesis by isolated chloroplasts. VIII. Photosynthetic phosphorylation and the generation of assimilatory power.

Abstract Photochemical ATP formation by isolated chloroplasts was coupled with a reduction of ferricyanide or TPN. Esterification of two moles of orthophoshate was coupled with the formation of two moles of TPNH 2 and the evolution of one mole of oxygen. The addition of catalytic amounts of FMN, vitamin K or phenazine methosulfate to the TPN phosphorylating system suppressed TPNH 2 accumulation as well as oxygen evolution and greatly increased the light-dependent ATP formation. A revised general scheme is presented for photosynthesis by isolated chloroplasts.
Pre-analysis separation and concentration of actinides in groundwater using a magnetic filtration/sorption method I. Background and concept

A wide variety of iron oxides has been used for the removal of radioactive and toxic metals from aqueous solutions. We have utilized natural magnetite and iron ferrite (FeO·Fe2O3) in a batch mode to remove actinides (Pu and Am) from wastewater. Compared to the batch process, enhanced capacity for actinide removal was observed using supported magnetite in a column surrounded by an external magnetic field (0.3 tesla). The enhanced magnetite capacity in the column is primarily due to magnetic filtration of colloidal and submicron actinide particles along with some actinide complex and ion exchange sorption mechanisms. The removal of the magnetic field from around the column and use of a regenerating solution will easily remove the actinides loaded on the magnetite. The magnetic field-enhanced column process is under development for a variety of applications. This paper will review previous work on using ferrites for water treatment and discuss the potential for using the magnetic field-enhanced column process as a pre-analysis separation and concentration method for actinides in groundwater.
Web banking in Brazil

This article will present a preliminary survey of the status of web banking in Brazil, preeeded by an explanation about some seeurity problems on the Internet and some advantages and impaets of banking serviees through the web. It will end with suggestions for further Web banking studies.
Comparison of Four Motion Correction Techniques in SPECT Imaging of the Heart: A Cardiac Phantom Study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of four different motion correction techniques in SPECT imaging of the heart. Methods: We evaluated three automated techniques: the cross-correlation (CC) method, diverging squares (DS) method and two-dimensional fit method and one manual shift technique (MS) using a cardiac phantom. The phantom was filled with organ concentrations of 99mTc closely matching those seen in patient studies. The phantom was placed on a small sliding platform connected to a computer-controlled stepping motor. Linear, random, sinusoidal and bounce motions of magnitude up to 2 cm in the axial direction were simulated. Both single- and dual-detector 90° acquisitions were acquired using a dual 90° detector system. Data were acquired over 180° with 30 or 15 frames/detector (single-/dual-head) at 30 sec/frame in a 64 × 64 matrix. Results: The simulated single-detector system, CC method, failed to accurately correct for any of the simulated motions. The DS technique overestimated the magnitude of phantom motion, particularly for images acquired between 45° left anterior oblique and 45° left posterior oblique. The two-dimensional and MS techniques accurately corrected for motion. The simulated dual 90° detector system, CC method, only partially tracked random or bounce cardiac motion and failed to detect sinusoidal motion. The DS technique overestimated motion in the latter half of the study. Both the two-dimensional and MS techniques provided superior tracking, although no technique was able to accurately track the rapid changes in cardiac location simulated in the random motion study. Average absolute differences between true and calculated position of the heart on single- and dual 90°-detectors were 1.7 mm and 1.5 mm for the two-dimensional and MS techniques, respectively. The corresponding values for the DS and CC techniques were 5.7 and 8.9 mm, respectively. Conclusion: Of the four techniques evaluated, manual correction by an experienced technologist proved to be the most accurate, although results were not significantly different from those observed with the two-dimensional method. Both techniques accurately determined cardiac location and permitted artifact-free reconstruction of the simulated cardiac studies.
Excitation Of Pulsed Flashlamps With A Linear Response High Power Amplifier

Classically, pulsed flashlamps have been driven (excited electrically) with a single loop RLC critically damped circuit. The capacitor is chosen for the required energy output, the inductor tunes the peak current for optical output requirements, and the resistor is used to ensure that the circuit is critically damped (that is no current reversal that can extinguish the lamp). A few circuits using several discharge loops, known as a pulse forming network, or PFN, have been explored but again, the current in the lamp is controlled by the passive circuit components. With both circuits, a two state closing switch,such as an SCR, is used to initiate current flow. This approach severally limits the agility in changing the drive characteristics as it is a "point design." To make such a change, the entire discharge circuit must be redesigned. The new excitation circuit utilizes the active region of high power field effect transistors in a Class A or Class AB amplifier circuit to provide a linear control of the flashlamp current. Having linear control will eliminate the need for simmer circuits required when a two state closing switch is used, (the simmer circuit keeps the flashlamp ionized in the interpulse period.) Also, since the optical output of the flashlamp is dependent on the lamp current, the spectral output can be adjusted to enhance wanted frequencies and depress unwanted wavelengths which will lead to greater efficiency which is not the case in a single point design circuit.
Bringing theory into practice: A userspace library for multicore real-time scheduling

As multicore computing hardware has become more ubiquitous, real-time scheduling theory aimed at multicore systems has become increasingly sophisticated and diverse. Real-time operating systems (RTOSs) are ill-suited for this kind of rapid change, and the slow-moving RTOS ecosystem is falling further and further behind advances in real-time scheduling theory. Thus, supporting new functionality in a layer of middleware software running in userspace (i.e., outside the RTOS kernel) has been proposed. In this paper, we describe the first userspace scheduler that supports preemptive, dynamic-priority, migrating real-time tasks on multicore hardware, and report empirical latency and overhead measurements. On an eight-core Intel Xeon platform, these measurements are in the range of ones to tens of microseconds under most tested configurations. We believe that this approach may prove superior to a kernel-based approach for supporting a subset of future real-world realtime applications.
The yeast SWI4 protein contains a motif present in developmental regulators and is part of a complex involved in cell-cycle-dependent transcription.

TRANSCRIPTION of the HO gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which encodes a site-specific endonuclease that initiates cell-type switching (reviewed in refs. 1,2), is restricted to a short window of the cell cycle in late Gl (refs 3,4). A repeated element in the upstream region of HO (the cell-cycle box, CCB) and two regulatory proteins, SWI4 and SWI6, are required for cell-cycle-dependent expression of HO5,6. Biochemical experiments have identified a factor, CCBF (cell-cycle box factor), that binds to the CCB elements7 and that presumably plays a key part in cell-cycle regulation of HO. The SWI4 and SWI6 genes are required for formation of the CCBF-DNA complex. Here we report the nucleotide sequence of the SWI4 gene and show that it contains two copies of the conserved SWI6-cdclO motif observed in SWI6 of budding yeast8, the Schizosaccharomyces pombe cdc10 gene required for progression through G19, the Drosophila Notch gene, and in the Caenorhabditis elegans lin-12 and glp-1 genes10–12. We demonstrate by using antibodies to the SWI4 protein in gel-shift assays that the protein is present in the CCBF–DNA complex.
A high-resolution, three-dimensional, time dependent, nested grid model of the coupled thermosphere–ionosphere

Abstract First results are presented from a 3-D, time dependent, high resolution, nested grid model that has been developed to study mesoscale processes in the global, coupled thermosphere–ionosphere system. This new Thermosphere–Ionosphere Nested Grid (TING) model, which is an extension of the National Center for Atmospheric Researchs thermosphere–ionosphere general circulation model (NCAR–TIGCM), runs on a UNIX workstation. The TING model simultaneously calculates global (coarse resolution) and local (high resolution) distributions of neutral and plasma winds, temperature and composition. It is comprised of two coupled codes—a global TIGCM and an adjustable nested grid code which uses the same solvers as the TIGCM, but has higher spatial and temporal resolution. The size, location and level of nesting of the high resolution grid(s) are adjustable to suit the specific application. The coupling between the coarse (TIGCM) grid and the nested interior grids is via a one-way interaction scheme. In this scheme, the TIGCM output influences the nested grid model by providing initial conditions and temporally evolving boundary conditions, but the outputs from the nested grid are not permitted to influence the TIGCM. Diurnally-reproducible results of the TING model are presented for solar-maximum, winter solstice, geomagnetically-quiet conditions. The TING model successfully simulates well-known thermosphere–ionosphere features that are smeared or not modeled at the spatial resolutions used in standard TIGCMs. These include the sub-auroral electron density trough, the polar cap hole and the polar cap tongue of ionization.
Cryptococcal Peritonitis in Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis

Peritonitis is an unusual complication of infections caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and has rarely been reported in patients with end-stage renal disease who are maintained on peritoneal dialysis. We report two patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis in whom the first known manifestation of cryptococcal infection was dialysate cultures positive for Cryptococcus neoformans. One patient was on prednisone for systemic lupus erythematosis. The other patient was severely malnourished with type I diabetes mellitus. Both patients were found to have cryptococcal meningitis. Both patients were treated with intravenous (IV) amphotericin B and removal of the dialysis catheter. Evaluation and care of peritoneal dialysis patients with cryptococcal peritonitis include serial cryptococcal cultures and antigen titers, investigation for cryptococcal meningitis, removal of the peritoneal dialysis catheter, and IV amphotericin B.
Motional Narrowing of Nuclear Magnetic-Resonance Lines in Manganese-Doped Lithium Fluoride

Nuclear magnetic-resonance experiments have been performed between 25 and 550\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C in LiF powder doped with manganese. Motional narrowing of the ${\mathrm{Li}}^{7}$ resonance line occurred somewhat below 400\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. Resonance absorption lines were not observable in the temperature range 200-390\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C, probably because an effective loss of paramagnetic relaxation centers increased the spin-lattice relaxation time. Electron spin-resonance experiments verified that the paramagnetic manganese does cluster upon heating above 200\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. A method of analysis is developed which eliminates errors due to constant linewidth contributions in the analysis of motional narrowing data in terms of diffusion activation energies. The activation energy for motion of Li ion vacancies in LiF is found to be 0.74 eV.
Cairu e a patologia da Revolução

ESTE ARTIGO pretende resgatar, em tracos largos, o carater corretivo do discurso moralizador de Jose da Silva Lisboa, o visconde de Cairu, em sua Constituicao moral e deveres do cidadao (1824-1825), sugerido, por meio de passagens brilhantes daquele tratado, como a imagem da Revolucao, espelhando-se na experiencia duplamente "catastrofica" da Franca e do Haiti, projeta-se sobre o cenario do Novo Imperio que nascia. No registro conservador de Silva Lisboa, o discurso moralizador parece capaz de fundar uma nova Ordem nos tropicos, protegendo a "Mocidade Brasileira" da seducao dos principios renovadores, mantendo firmes e bem atados os nos de um tecido social que a loucura dos revolucionarios ameacava, ao fazer despontar, no horizonte da jovem Nacao, o perigo da dissolucao e da corrupcao do corpo politico.
Autism in the Classroom: A Group of Students Changing in Population and Presentation

ABSTRACT The number of children with autism served in early intervention or the public school system appears to be growing at an alarming rate. This article provides a basis for understanding this dramatic increase. In addition, the authors present a brief overview of the characteristics of autism, research on early behavioral indicators of infants and toddlers at risk for the disorder, and indicators that may go overlooked in school-aged children. The authors discuss the effect of autism on the early intervention system and the educational implications of the disorder. Last, the authors address current and pending federal policy initiatives (e.g., the passage of autism insurance legislation) that affect families and practitioners.
Stoped blocks in plutons: paleo-plumb bobs, viscometers, or chronometers?

Abstract Stoped blocks potentially provide information about paleohorizontal during emplacement of plutons, and about the timing of, and viscosities and kinematics during magmatic fabric formation. In the Mount Stuart batholith, Washington, we have examined magmatic fabrics patterns around stoped blocks in tonalite located near the pluton roof and completed 1:1 scale, three-dimensional mapping of fabric patterns around stoped blocks in diorite located ∼1000 m below the roof. In both settings, no structural record of magma ascent, early emplacement, or settling of the blocks is preserved. Instead, fabric formation largely post-dates the settling and trapping of stoped blocks. Two-dimensional finite difference thermal modeling and calculations of sinking rates support short (
Abstract 2129: Regulation of DNA repair by Kruppel-like factor 8

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Kruppel-like factor 8 (KLF8) regulates critical gene transcription and cellular events associated with cancer. Recently we have identified poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1(PARP-1) as a novel KLF8-interacting and regulating protein. However, whether KLF8 is involved in PARP-1 relulated DNA repair is unknown. Here, we report that KLF8 plays a role in the PARP-1-dependent DNA repair. Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining indicated that overexpression of KLF8 attenuated the αH2A.X levels in doxorubicin-treated PARP-1+/+ MEF cells but not in the PARP-1−/− MEF cells, whereas the PARP-1-interaction-defective KLF8 mutant did not affect the αH2A.X levels. Clonogenic assay and tetrazolium salt (WST-1) assay showed that KLF8 promoted cell survival in human breast cancer cells. Comet assay revealed that KLF8 expression could decrease DNA damage levels. Interestingly, we found that in response to DNA damage KLF8 was phosphorylated by DNA-PKcs and subsequently sumoylated, which depended on the interaction between KLF8 and PARP-1. These results suggest a novel role and mechanism for KLF8 in the regulation of DNA repair in cancer cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2129. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2129
Robust control of a wastewater treatment system

A robust controller is designed for a wastewater treatment system. Owing to the periodic behavior of this process, a frequency-domain approach to robust control design is used. The robust controller is compared by means of simulation with conventional methods of controlling this process. Simulation results demonstrate that a robust controller can be made insensitive to model uncertainty and can provide better set-point tracking than conventional approaches to controlling the activated sludge process. >
Enhanced cellulase production in fed-batch culture of Trichoderma reesei C30

Abstract The use of a fed-batch cultivation of the fungus Trichoderma reesei (C30) allows cellulase [see 1,4-(1,3;1,4)-β- d -glucan 4-glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.4] production to occur under optimum conditions, and results in extremely high enzyme titres and productivities. Enzyme levels of 26 U ml−1 at productivities >130 U l−1 h−1 have been achieved. These results are compared with the values obtained in two-stage continuous cultivation of the organism at optimum pH and temperature.
Hydrogen sites in A2BHy (A = Ca, Sr, Eu; B = Ir, Rh, Ru)

Abstract A geometric model has been applied to the A 2 B H y hydrides (deuterides), Eu 2 IrD 5 , Ca 2 IrH 5 , Sr 2 IrD 5 , Ca 2 RhH 5 , Sr 2 RhH 5 , Ca 2 RuH 6 , and Sr 2 RuD 6 , none of which can be synthesized directly by reaction of hydrogen (deuterium) gas with an A 2 B compound. Hole radii and intersite distances were calculated for the two types of interstices in each compound. There are two very large cubical interstices per formula unit. These are coordinated by eight atoms of type A , but they must remain unoccupied in A 2 B H y with y = 5 (or 6), because of their proximity to the square pyramidal interstices, of which there are six per formula unit. The geometric model allows rationalization of the occupation of these pyramidal sites. Despite the very significant chemical differences between the compounds considered here and those for which the model was initially developed, the present results showed no inconsistency with geometric criteria requiring that occupied interstices in stable hydrides have minimum hole radii of 0.40 A and minimum hydrogen-hydrogen distances of 2.10 A. Published results indicate that the seemingly related compound Mg 2 NiD 4 does not conform to these empirical rules, and this case is discussed.
The Mathematical Event: Mapping the Axiomatic and the Problematic in School Mathematics

Traditional philosophy of mathematics has been concerned with the nature of mathematical objects rather than events. This traditional focus on reified objects is reflected in dominant theories of learning mathematics whereby the learner is meant to acquire familiarity with ideal mathematical objects, such as number, polygon, or tangent. I argue that the concept of event—rather than object—better captures the vitality of mathematics, and offers new ways of thinking about mathematics education. In this paper I draw on two different but related theories of event articulated in the philosophies of Alain Badiou and Gilles Deleuze to argue that the central activity of ‘problem solving’ in mathematics education should be recast in terms of a problematic of events.
Doping of an organic molecular semiconductor by substitutional cocrystallization with a molecular n-dopant

Dopants for organic molecular semiconductors that yield immobile dopant ions are necessary for the creation of stable molecular semiconductor p–n junctions, the basis for almost all traditional inorganic semiconductor devices. We present evidence for the substitutional cocrystallization of tris(4-nitrophenyl)methyl radical (1) with small amounts of tris[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]methyl radical (2), resulting in n-doped 1 with immobile 2+ counterions. Cyclic voltammetry indicates that electron transfer from 2 to 1 is favored by 0.51 eV. The powder X-ray diffraction patterns of pure 1 and 1 doped with 2 are very similar, indicating substitutional cocrystallization. The electrical conductivity of doped 1 increases with increasing concentration of 2, and the conductivity is constant over time. Variable-temperature conductivity measurements of 1 doped with 2% and 5% 2 indicate that the activation energy of conduction is 0.32 eV at both dopant concentrations.