cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Wildlife mortality from infrastructure collisions: statistical modeling of count data from carcass surveys

Anthropogenic infrastructure is a mortality source for many vertebrate species. Mortality is often measured using periodic counts of carcasses or remains at infrastructure segments, and bias from carcass removal is estimated via field experiments with wildlife carcasses. We describe a model for combining removal experiment and carcass count data to estimate underlying process parameters using joint likelihood. In the model, the instantaneous number of carcasses present is a stochastic birth-death process with Poisson arrivals (carcass addition) and proportional deaths (removal of carcasses). The approach accommodates modeling heterogeneity in the addition and removal processes using generalized regression. Results of fitting the model to a Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) fence collision data set show that order of magnitude differences in expected carcass counts can be a function of spatial differences in removal and suggest caution for interpretation of many published studies. While the model assumption of negligible detection error may be tenable for some systems, the modeling framework provides a starting point for future state-space versions incorporating detection error.
Interactions of Mercury Compounds With Wool and Related Biopolymers

Mercury compounds, which constitute environmental health hazards, can be taken up by wool, and other keratins and their derivatives, and by other agricultural products and by-products. Wool can bind mercury to about half of its weight from concentrated mercuric chloride solutions and can quickly recover a substantial proportion from very low, but biologically important, concentrations in the parts-per-billion range. It binds both naturally occurring and manufactured inorganic and organic mercury compounds. Binding capacity can be further increased by chemical modification, binding efficiency, by nondestructive recovery. Factors that influence binding of mercury compounds to keratins are discussed.
THE ENDOCRINE‐GENETIC BASIS OF LIFE‐HISTORY VARIATION: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ECDYSTEROID TITER AND MORPH‐SPECIFIC REPRODUCTION IN THE WING‐POLYMORPHIC CRICKET GRYLLUS FIRMUS

Abstract The hormonal basis of variation in life-history traits is a poorly studied topic in life-history evolution. An important step in identifying the endocrine-genetic causes of life-history variation is documenting statistical and functional associations between hormone titers and genotypes/phenotypes that vary in life-history traits. To this end, we compared the blood ecdysteroid titer and the mass of the ovaries during the first week of adulthood among a flight-capable morph and two flightless morphs of the wing-polymorphic cricket Gryllus firmus. Ecdysteroids are a group of structurally related hormones that regulate many important aspects of reproduction in insects. Both the ecdysteroid titer and ovarian mass were significantly higher in each of two flightless morphs compared with the flight-capable morph throughout the first week of adulthood. Genetically based differences in the ecdysteroid titer and ovarian mass between morphs from different selected lines were similar to phenotypically based ...
Nanocrystallites of Si Embedded in CaF2 by Molecular Beamepitaxy (MBE)

Thin films of CaF2 containing layers of Si nanocrystals were grown epitaxially on Si(111) substrates by MBE. When Si is deposited epitaxially on CaF2 it forms islands and, by choosing appropriate growth conditions, a composite of Si nanocrystals embedded in a CaF2 host crystal is obtained which we have observed with TEM. We varied the effective Si concentration in the composite region from 1% to 25%. The CaF2 could be grown with high crystal quality as demonstrated by ion channeling results which gave Ca xmin’s as low as 4.7%. Raman spectra of the CaF2 containing Si nanocrystallites showed significant shifts toward lower energies. Ellipsometry measurements were performed on a number of samples over a range of effective Si concentrations and Maxwell-Garnett effective medium theory was used to fit the data. A key technological advantage to this approach is that the epitaxial Si/CaF2 composite material is readily integrable into VLSI processing.
Ubiquitin and the control of protein fate in the secretory and endocytic pathways.

▪ Abstract The modification of proteins by chains of ubiquitin has long been known to mediate targeting of cytosolic and nuclear proteins for degradation by proteasomes. In this article, we discuss recent developments that reveal the involvement of ubiquitin in the degradation of proteins retained within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and in the internalization of plasma membrane proteins. Both luminal and transmembrane proteins retained in the ER are now known to be retrotranslocated into the cytosol in a process that involves ER chaperones and components of the protein import machinery. Once exposed to the cytosolic milieu, retro-translocated proteins are degraded by the proteasome, in most cases following polyubiquitination. There is growing evidence that both the ubiquitin-conjugating machinery and proteasomes may be associated with the cytosolic face of the ER membrane and that they could be functionally coupled to the process of retro-translocation. The ubiquitination of plasma membrane proteins, on...
Role of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in omega 3 fatty acids induced suppression of breast cancer xenograft growth in mice

BACKGROUND: Supplementing mice with high levels of dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) increases the n-3 PUFAs in cell membranes, increases the susceptibility of the cells for lipid peroxidation (LPO) and decreases the growth rate of mammary and other tumors. However, the results of an earlier study indicated that a factor in addition to LPO was involved in the reduction in tumor growth in n-3 PUFAs fed mice. Athymic mice bearing MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma xenografts, were fed fish oil concentrate (FOC) or control diets, with and without supplemental Vitamin E (2000 IU /kg diet) and were sacrificed both before and after doxorubicin (DOX) treatment to evaluate factors involved in tumor growth suppression. RESULTS: Prior to DOX, basal LPO in the tumor of 3% FOC fed mice was slightly higher than in the control fed mice and was decreased in mice consuming FOC with vitamin E. Vitamin E suppressed the DOX induced increase in LPO in the tumors of control mice, however, vitamin E was not sufficient to suppress a DOX induced increase in LPO in the tumors of FOC fed mice. The mean growth rate of tumors of FOC fed mice was significantly less than the mean growth rate of the tumors of control mice. Multiple regression analyses indicated that suppression of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity by FOC prior to DOX therapy was more important than increased LPO as an explanation of tumor growth suppression. Tumor induced cachexia was decreased in mice consuming FOC. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that the increased sensitivity to DOX was related to an FOC induced reduction in GPX activity. FOC reduced tumor induced cachexia.
Archon: A Unified Information Storage and Retrieval System for Lone Archivists, Special Collections Librarians and Curators

The University of Illinois developed an open-source collections management software program and in August 2006 began making it freely available to archivists, curators, and special collections librarians with limited technological resources and knowledge. This program gave these individuals the ability to easily mount a variety of on-line access tools to their historical collections using ISAD(G) and DACS -compliant standards for description. Archon was created with robust interoperability using a single web-based platform for the management of collections of documents and artifacts held by archives, museums and libraries. It was developed as a “plug and play” application for easy installation on any web server or on any web hosting service. Its uses common web-browser input mechanisms and SQL data storage in order to produce dynamic data output in the form of searchable collections websites, MARC bibliographic records, collection-level EAD finding aids, and long-term preservation TXT data files.
Beyond Usability: Evaluation Aspects of Visual Analytic Environments

A new field of research, visual analytics, has recently been introduced. This has been defined as "the science of analytical reasoning facilitated by interactive visual interfaces" [20]. Visual analytic environments, therefore, support analytical reasoning using visual representations and interactions, with data representations and transformation capabilities, to support production, presentation, and dissemination. As researchers begin to develop visual analytic environments, it will be advantageous to develop metrics and methodologies to help researchers measure the progress of their work and understand the impact their work will have on the users who will work in such environments. This paper presents five areas or aspects of visual analytic environments that should be considered as metrics and methodologies for evaluation are developed. Evaluation aspects need to include usability, but it is necessary to go beyond basic usability. The areas of situation awareness, collaboration, interaction, creativity, and utility are proposed as the five evaluation areas for initial consideration. The steps that need to be undertaken to develop systematic evaluation methodologies and metrics for visual analytic environments are outlined.
G Protein-Gated K+ Channel Ablation in Forebrain Pyramidal Neurons Selectively Impairs Fear Learning

Abstract Background Cognitive dysfunction occurs in many debilitating conditions including Alzheimer's disease, Down syndrome, schizophrenia, and mood disorders. The dorsal hippocampus is a critical locus of cognitive processes linked to spatial and contextual learning. G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium ion (GIRK/Kir3) channels, which mediate the postsynaptic inhibitory effect of many neurotransmitters, have been implicated in hippocampal-dependent cognition. Available evidence, however, derives primarily from constitutive gain-of-function models that lack cellular specificity. Methods We used constitutive and neuron-specific gene ablation models targeting an integral subunit of neuronal GIRK channels (GIRK2) to probe the impact of GIRK channels on associative learning and memory. Results Constitutive Girk2 –/– mice exhibited a striking deficit in hippocampal-dependent (contextual) and hippocampal-independent (cue) fear conditioning. Mice lacking GIRK2 in gamma-aminobutyric acid neurons (GAD-Cre: Girk2 flox/flox mice) exhibited a clear deficit in GIRK-dependent signaling in dorsal hippocampal gamma-aminobutyric acid neurons but no evident behavioral phenotype. Mice lacking GIRK2 in forebrain pyramidal neurons (CaMKII-Cre(+): Girk2 flox/flox mice) exhibited diminished GIRK-dependent signaling in dorsal, but not ventral, hippocampal pyramidal neurons. CaMKII-Cre(+): Girk2 flox/flox mice also displayed a selective impairment in contextual fear conditioning, as both cue fear and spatial learning were intact in these mice. Finally, loss of GIRK2 in forebrain pyramidal neurons correlated with enhanced long-term depression and blunted depotentiation of long-term potentiation at the Schaffer collateral/cornu ammonis 1 synapse in the dorsal hippocampus. Conclusions Our data suggest that GIRK channels in dorsal hippocampal pyramidal neurons are necessary for normal learning involving aversive stimuli and support the contention that dysregulation of GIRK-dependent signaling may underlie cognitive dysfunction in some disorders.
Boomburb downtowns: the next generation of urban centers

A new trend is emerging in rapidly growing suburbs, or “boomburbs.” While boomburbs are primarily still suburban in look and feel, some are beginning to develop downtowns and other quasi-urban centers. As the nation's preeminent urbanizing suburbs, boomburbs have enormous potential. Based on site visits and a review of existing plans provided, this article develops a boomburb downtown typology using a criterion of a center's scale (large or small), setting (infill or greenfield), and proximity to rail. The move toward more compact development in newly emerging centers of fast growing suburbs is a hopeful trend that should be encouraged and augmented. Urbanizing suburbs are one important key to remaking the American metropolis based on smart growth principles.
USE OF FLEXIBLE POLYMER MATERIAL FOR PACKAGING FRESH PEACHES

Fresh peaches (Prunus persica) were overwrapped in trays with 1 of 3 formulations of flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film that differed in gas transmission rate or they were held in nonwrapped trays (controls). The CO2 transmission rate at 0°C for PVC type III film was 280 mL/m2. h (1 atmos); that of type II was 4 times greater and that of type I, about 5 times greater. The peaches were stored either 14 days at 0° or 7.5°C, or 7 days each at 0° and 7.5°C plus 2 days at 20°C to simulate retail display. The mean CO2 levels were 10, 7.2 and 4.7% in packages that were wrapped with PVC III film and held at 7.5°, 0°/7.5° and 0°C, respectively. CO2 in packages wrapped with PVC I or II was below 3% at each storage temperature. O2 concentration remained about 4% in all packages. Weight loss was less and fruit was firmer among those packaged in PVC III than among nonwrapped controls at each of the 3 storage temperatures. Storage temperature had no effect on weight loss or of fruit held in PVC III film. External appearance of fruit packaged with the 3 types of film was significantly better than that of the controls. Internal appearance of the peaches was unaffected by any of the treatments. A microatmosphere favorable for fresh peaches can be maintained within packages overwrapped with polymer films that are selectively permeable to respiratory gases.
A continuous model of multiple service, multiple resource communication networks

Communication networks that integrate multiple services using multiple resources are examined. A continuous model of a multiple service, multiple resource communication network is introduced. The optimal coordinate convex control policy for this model is characterized. Algorithms are discussed and an example is given to illustrate trade-offs. >
Remembering and Forgetting: The Local and the Nation in Hamburg's Commemorations of the Wars of Liberation

The commemoration and remembrance of war in modern Germany has played a potent political role in both undermining and legitimizing diverse German states, and war stories have been particularly salient to the formation of German national identity in the century that experienced two world wars and the Cold War. The public commemoration of war and war heroes designed to legitimize a German state, however, dates at least to the nineteenth century, when the Wars of Liberation, fought against Napoleon between 1813 and 1815, provided the new Kaiserreich with opportunities to foster specific visions of the past that highlighted national unity and dynastic loyalty. As recent studies have demonstrated, building national unity in a new state created from former independent polities required a patient process of reconciling the region to the nation. A careful examination of nineteenth-century commemorations illustrates that they actually advanced national allegiance as well as affirmed regional solidarity. Public commemorations of the Wars of Liberation in the former republican north German city-state of Hamburg reveals both growing appeals to national unity and a celebration of traditional civic culture and authority. By the end of the nineteenth century, these public festivities enabled Hamburg's growing population to practice national and local politics simultaneously.
Psychoanalysis and the Unfulfilled Social Theorist

Books reviewed in this article: Fred Weinstein, Freud, Psychoanalysis, Social Theory: The Unfulfilled Promise
Renewable hydrogen production by cyanobacteria: Nickel requirements for optimal hydrogenase activity

Some species of cyanobacteria naturally produce hydrogen gas as a byproduct of anaerobic fermentation at night using fixed-carbon compounds that are produced photosynthetically in daylight under aerobic conditions. The nutrient requirements for optimal activity of these two systems of metabolic energy production are different and in some cases incompatible. Resolving these conflicting needs has not been widely considered, yet is critical for application of cyanobacteria as efficient cell factories for hydrogen production. The filamentous nondiazotrophic cyanobacterium Arthrospira maxima ferments in the dark both intracellular fixed-carbon compounds and added glucose, producing hydrogen exclusively via a bidirectional NiFe hydrogenase. We show that the hydrogenase activity in cell extracts (in vitro) and whole cells (in vivo) correlates with the amount of Ni 2þ in the growth medium (saturating activity at 1:5m MN i 2þ ). This and higher levels of nickel in the medium during photoautotrophic growth cause stress leading to chlorophyll degradation and a retarded growth rate that is severe at ambient solar flux. We show that A. maxima acclimates to micromolar nickel concentrations at reduced light intensity after a delay which minimizes chlorophyll degradation and restores normal growth rate. Nickel adaptation permits normal biomass accumulation while significantly increasing the rate of fermentative hydrogen production. Relative to nickel-free media (only extraneous Ni 2þ
USTAT: a real-time intrusion detection system for UNIX

The author presents the design and implementation of a real-time intrusion detection tool, called USTAT, a state transition analysis tool for UNIX. This is a UNIX-specific implementation of a generic design developed by A. Porras and R.A. Kemmerer (1992) as STAT, a state transition analysis tool. State transition analysis is a new approach to representing computer penetrations. In STAT, a penetration is identified as a sequence of state changes that take the computer system from some initial state to a target compromised state. The development of the first USTAT prototype, which is for SunOS 4.1.1, is discussed. USTAT makes use of the audit trails that are collected by the C2 basic security module of SunOS, and it keeps track of only those critical actions that must occur for the successful completion of the penetration. This approach differs from other rule-based penetration identification tools that pattern match sequences of audit records. >
Amount, content and context of infant media exposure: A parental questionnaire and diary analysis

Recent research has indicated that there are long-term consequences of early media exposure. The present study examined the amount, content, and context of television exposure across the infancy period in the United States. Parents of 308 infants aged 6 to 18 months completed questionnaires detailing parental attitudes regarding their children's television use and 24-hour television diaries to provide an accurate measurement of household television usage. Television exposure during infancy varied as a function of infant age, sibling status, socioeconomic status and parental attitudes toward television. Regression analyses indicated that parental attitudes were not associated with the amount of television exposure, but were associated with the content of television exposure. These findings indicate that television exposure changes rapidly across infancy and is associated with parental attitudes.
A Model Matching STR Controller for High Performance Aircraft

This paper presents a development, as well as an investigation of a Model Matching Controller (MMC) design based on the Self-Tuning Regulator (STR) framework for high performance aircraft with direct application to an F-16 aircraft flight control system. In combination with the Recursive Least Squares (RLS) identification, the MMC is developed and investigated for effectiveness on a detailed model of the aircraft. The popular robust Quantitative Feedback Theory (QFT) controller is also outlined and used to represent a baseline controller, for performance comparison during four simulated test flight maneuvers. In each of the four maneuvers, the proposed MMC provided consistently stable and satisfactory performance, including the challenging pull-up and pushover maneuvers. The baseline stationary controller has been found to become unstable in two of the four maneuvers tested. It also performs satisfactorily-to-arguably poorly in the remaining two as compared to the MMC. Simulation results presented in this investigation support a clear argument that the proposed MMC provides superior performance in the realm of automatic flight control.
DipGame: A challenging negotiation testbed

There is a chronic lack of shared application domains to test advanced research models and agent negotiation architectures in Multiagent Systems. In this paper we introduce a friendly testbed for that purpose. The testbed is based on The Diplomacy Game where negotiation and the relationships between players play an essential role. The testbed profits from the existence of a large community of human players that know the game and can easily provide data for experiments. We explain the infrastructure in the paper and make it freely available to the AI community.
Combination Anti-Anginal Therapy: Rationale and Results

It was not until the early 1900s that Osler in his Lumelian lectures on angina pectoris [65] observed the frequently poor correlation between the clinical symptoms and the underlying pathology of coronary artery disease. This presaged our current conception that myocardial ischemia is a complex, dynamic entity resulting from a number of anatomic and physiologic factors which combine to overwhelm the autoregulatory mechanisms of the coronary circulation. With the advancement of research techniques and the availability of methods for investigating coronary anatomy, regional perfusion, and myocardial function during life in both animals and in man, we have come to appreciate the dynamic balance which exists between myocardial O2 supply and demand. However, understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms involved, and therefore the actions of antianginal drugs, has been limited by the lack of quantitative methods for accurately quantifying the degree of ischemia in man (the transmural coronary blood flow distribution and/or coronary perfusion pressure) and its effects on the myocardium.
Comparative Analysis of Treatment Conditions upon Psychiatric Severity Levels at Two Years Among Justice Involved Persons.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the effects of two types of community-based, residential treatment programs among justice involved persons with dual diagnoses. Design/methodology/approach – A randomized clinical trial examined treatment conditions among justice involved persons with substance use disorders who reported high baseline levels of psychiatric severity indicative of diagnosable psychiatric comorbidity. Participants (n=39) were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions upon discharge from inpatient treatment for substance use disorders: a professionally staffed, integrated residential treatment setting (therapeutic community), a self-run residential setting (Oxford House), or a treatment-specific aftercare referral (usual care). Levels of psychiatric severity, a global estimate of current psychopathological problem severity, were measured at two years as the outcome. Findings – Participants randomly assigned to residential conditions reported significant reductions...
What Would I Want for my surgery

Team-oriented. Communicative. Transparent. These are words that we want all patients to use when describing their operating teams. Teams that embody these characteristics likely work well together and make few mistakes. But creating a standardized surgical culture that encourages these qualities has proven challenging. Implementing the surgical safety checklist can grow this culture by framing how an operating team communicates; in turn, this can minimize avoidable risks (like infections and allergic reactions) that endanger patients. It makes sense. A recent study,1 however, found no correlation between the surgical checklist and patient mortality. Does this mean that there is no value in its application? In British Columbia, a variety of stakeholders from the surgical community have responded to this study with the hope of highlighting the value of good teamwork and communication in the operating room. There is tremendous value to the checklist beyond its statistical significance. It ensures that common objectives are being effectively communicated. It empowers all health professionals to speak up if they notice a potential error. It gives patients a voice in determining their own care. Since there is very little education on teamwork for health professionals, past studies2 promoting the benefits of the checklist should not be discounted. Our group also suggests that hospitals invest resources and expertise to provide teams with coaching and training. This investment will undoubtedly foster the use of tools like the checklist. The next time that you are in the operating room, imagine that it is you laying on the table. Would you want to have a high-functioning team performing your surgery? The answer is obvious. The checklist can help operating teams work better together. We hope our paper (Available at http://bcpsqc.ca/clinical-improvement/surgical-checklist/what-would-you-want-for-your-surgery/) offers constructive ideas on how Canada’s surgical community can move forward as it aims to improve care for patients.
Optimization Algorithm for Systems Governed by Chaotic Dynamics

We describe an algorithm for optimizing time-averaged objective functions that depend on a chaotic state variable. Such problems are ubiquitous in engineering design. They are challenging, because of the sensitive dependence of the state to perturbations in the design. One consequence of this sensitive dependence is that increasing the averaging period, which improves the accuracy of the objective, causes the gradient to diverge. To overcome this issue, the proposed algorithm uses an ensemble objective in a Newton-Krylov trust-region framework. The ensemble objective averages a set of objective functions, each of which uses a reduced time-averaging period and independent state variable; this independence permits each simulation and adjoint computation to be carried out in parallel. The novel aspect of the proposed method is the use of the ensemble objective within a Newton-Krylov algorithm; the latter helps avoid some of the issues presented by objectives governed by chaotic state variables. We demonstrate the proposed ensemble-Newton-Krylov algorithm on an optimization problem governed by the Lorenz dynamical system.
Land use change on U.S. floodplain buyout sites, 1990-2000

Purpose – The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides guidelines for the management of open space created through property acquisition (buyouts); however, land use decisions are primarily left to local governments manifesting in a variety of uses. The purpose of this paper is to provide a land use assessment of buyout sites, to describe the changes in those uses that have occurred during a ten-year period from 1990 to 2000, and to offer an assessment of management approaches employed across these sites. Design/methodology/approach – Using a mixed-methods approach consisting of a land use classification survey and a semi-structured questionnaire of floodplain managers, this study explores the land use trends at buyout sites, diverse approaches local governments take in managing the open spaces created through floodplain buyout programs, and the successes and challenges communities face in open space management. Findings – Results indicate strong support from floodplain managers for property acquisitio...
Escherichia coli lobar pneumonia: Fatal infection in a patient with mental retardation

Lobar pneumonia due to Escherichia coli is rare. Most lobar pneumonias are caused by either Streptococcus pneumoniae or Klebsiella pneumoniae, and most E coli pneumonias are bronchopneumonias. We report an acute fulminant course of E coli lobar pneumonia in a 37-year-old patient who was profoundly retarded, institutionalized, and nonimmunosuppressed and who died within 2 days of developing initial symptoms. Antemortem blood and postmortem blood and lung specimens isolated pure cultures of E coli. The source of infection in E coli lobar pneumonia is not clear in this patient or in the few cases that have been reported. We postulate that nasopharyngeal colonization of E coli in those who are institutionalized with mental retardation may predispose these patients to E coli pneumonia. Our case illustrates features of pneumonias that are unique in the institutionalized, mentally retarded patient population (ie, the relatively high prevalence of nasopharyngeal colonization of E coli, a higher incidence of E coli pneumonia than in other institutionalized populations, the often fulminant course of the disease), as well as the need for early, aggressive treatment including antibiotics effective against gram-negative bacteria.
Left ventricular mechanics and myocyte function after correction of experimental chronic mitral regurgitation by combined mitral valve replacement and preservation of the native mitral valve apparatus.

Background. Contractile function improves after correction of experimental mitral regurgitation, but ejection performance becomes depressed when mitral valve replacement involves chordal transection. A role for chordal transection in producing the depressed ejection performance was suspected but uncertain. Therefore, in this study, we tested two specific hypotheses: 1) that contractile function would improve and, in conjunction with chordal preservation, would allow for preserved ejection performance and 2) that improved left ventricular contractile function after surgery would be reflected in the function of myocytes isolated from the affected left ventricles
The New Prohibitionism: The Movement to Regulate Personal Behavior

This paper applies economic analysis and rights theory to the movement of governments to regulate personal behavior in the areas of alcohol, tobacco and food consumption, free speech, gun ownership, sex, the body as property, the right to work. Utilitarianism and rights theory are also discussed.
Significant Alterations in T-Cell TH1 and TH2 Cytokine Gene Profiles Associated with G-CSF Mobilization Do Not Occur in T-Cells Mobilized with AMD3100.

Previous studies have shown that granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) mobilization skews T-cells toward a type 2 cytokine profile, potentially impacting GVHD and other immune mediated events that occur after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). AMD3100, a selective antagonist of CXCR4, rapidly mobilizes hematopoietic progenitor cells into the circulation, has a synergistic effect on CD34+ cell mobilization when combined with G-CSF, and is currently being evaluated as a single agent to mobilize allografts. Apheresis collections mobilized with a single injection of AMD3100 contain a similar number of T-cells as those collected following 5 daily doses of G-CSF. We investigated whether T-cells mobilized with AMD3100 undergo changes in cytokine polarization status as described to occur with G-CSF mobilization. Using real time PCR, we investigated the expression of 84 genes associated with TH1, TH2, and TH3 T-cell pathways at baseline and following mobilization with a single injection of AMD3100 (dosed at 240 or 320 mcg/kg; n=12 subjects) or following 5 daily doses of G-CSF(n=5 subjects). RNA was extracted from CD3+ T-cells isolated using immunomagnetic beads (>95% purity) from PBMCs collected immediately before mobilization and 6 hours after AMD3100 administration or 5 days after G-CSF mobilization. The RT2 Profiler ™ PCR Array was used which contains pathway specific cytokine genes associated with TH1, TH2, and TH3 cells. Expression levels of 16 genes changed significantly (false discovery rate=0.10) from baseline following G-CSF mobilization; 9 genes were up-regulated and 7 genes were down-regulated from baseline. Five up-regulated and 4 down-regulated genes had greater than a 2-fold change in expression (Figure). In contrast, none of the 84 genes examined, including the 16 altered with G-CSF, changed significantly following AMD3100 administration. Our results are concordant with current literature that shows the expression of several genes effecting T-cell cytokine polarization are altered in G-CSF mobilized T-cells. It has been suggested that the TH2 polarization in G-CSF mobilized products contributes to the comparable incidence of acute GVHD and the higher incidence of chronic GVHD compared to bone marrow allografts. In contrast, T-cells mobilized with AMD3100 appear similar to non-mobilized T-cells, and do not undergo a change in TH1- and TH2-related gene expression. Whether the differences in cytokine polarization of T-lymphocytes mobilized with AMD3100 compared to G-CSF will impact immune reconstitution or other immune sequela (i.e. GVHD, graft-vs.-tumor) associated with HCT is currently being assessed in a pilot allogeneic transplantation trial in humans using AMD3100 to mobilize donors.
Stimulatory Effects of Cinnamon Extract (Cinnamomum cassia) during the Initiation Stage of 3T3-L1 Adipocyte Differentiation

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia) has an anti-diabetic effect by possibly increasing the lipid storage capacity of white adipocytes; however, this effect remains controversial. The aim of this study was to examine which stage of adipogenesis is critical for the stimulatory effect of cinnamon in adipogenesis using 3T3-L1 cells. Cells were treated with cinnamon extract during three different stages of adipogenesis. We found that genes related to adipogenesis and lipogenesis were enhanced when cinnamon extract was administered during the initiation stage of differentiation but not when administered during the preadipocyte and post stages of differentiation. At the same time, genes that were involved in the regulation of fatty acid oxidation were unexpectedly upregulated. Taken together, cinnamon may boost lipid storage in white adipocytes and increase the fatty acid oxidation capacity throughout the initiation stage of differentiation, which may be beneficial for the prevention of obesity-induced type II diabetes.
Abstract 100: A Novel Anti-cell Death Mechanism by Targeting the Biosynthesis of Oligosaccharide in ER

The pathological expression of many of the deadly human diseases such as myocardial infarction, renal failure etc. is cell death. In cancer research, myriads of ways have been found to kill a cell. However, we are still craving for an applicable mechanism to prevent cell death. The majority of the current research is to directly target the apoptosis pathway. While some compounds have been developed, none of them are pharmaceutically important likely due to the inherent toxic nature of the target. Here, we report a novel mechanism to block the cell death pathway by activating the cells’ own protective programs coded for stress. Components of the unfolded protein response (UPS) in ER have been implicated in the protection of ischemia/reperfusion heart in recent research. By targeting the biosynthesis of oligosaccharide, which activated UPS as indicated by the expression of the ER chaperones Grp94 and Grp78, we were able to completely block the Hsp90 inhibitor induced apoptotic cell death as well as the oxidative stress (as exemplified by sodium nitroprusside, SNP) induced necrotic cell death in multiple cell lines. Caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage were nearly completely inhibited. While awaiting further exploration, the biosynthesis of the oligosaccharide could turn out to be an applicable target for acute conditions such as cardiac injury because of its relatively safe nature.
Bistable normal incidence reflectivity at a single interface

Computed solutions of the Maxwell-Bloch equations show that the normal incidence reflectivity at the boundary of a saturable absorber may exhibit bistable behavior.1 No mirrors are involved, and one only requires the reflection of the incident wave at the polished boundary. The results are obtained working with macroscopic variables without introducing the local field correction. The physical origin of this behavior is the self-reflected wave generated inside the absorber.2 The aim of this paper is to study the range of parameters at which bistability is expected.
Trace Analysis by SEM/EDS

«Trace analysis” refers to the measurement of constituents presents at low fractional levels. For SEM/EDS the following arbitrary but practical definitions have been chosen to designate various constituent classes according to these mass concentration (C) ranges:
Investigation of blood rheology under steady and unidirectional large amplitude oscillatory shear

We present new dynamic rheological tests of human blood that motivate an improved model for the thixotropic shear rheology of human blood. Unidirectional large amplitude oscillatory shear (UD-LAOS) is proposed as a dynamic test relevant for understanding in vivo arterial pulsatile blood flow, and data are presented for two healthy donors studied previously using more traditional steady and step-rate experiments. The model analyzes the overall extra stress of the system in two components. A thixotropic component is represented by a structure-kinetics model coupled with a stress expression containing both viscoelastic and thixotropic elements to account for the presence of linear aggregates of red blood cells, known as rouleaux, which form at low shear rates. Another component is viscoelastic, described through an extend White–Metzner approach. It corresponds to the stresses that arise due to the isolated red blood cells, which deform at high shear rates. The combined model is fit to experimental steady shear and UD-LAOS data for two healthy donors and is subsequently used to predict the stress response of the blood sample to UD-LAOS experiments over a broad range of strain amplitudes and frequencies. Comparison to the previous models for transient blood rheology shows a significantly improved fit over a range of physiologically relevant flow conditions. In addition, this analysis demonstrates the usefulness of UD-LAOS tests with regards to understanding the microstructural evolution in blood under transient flow. We present new dynamic rheological tests of human blood that motivate an improved model for the thixotropic shear rheology of human blood. Unidirectional large amplitude oscillatory shear (UD-LAOS) is proposed as a dynamic test relevant for understanding in vivo arterial pulsatile blood flow, and data are presented for two healthy donors studied previously using more traditional steady and step-rate experiments. The model analyzes the overall extra stress of the system in two components. A thixotropic component is represented by a structure-kinetics model coupled with a stress expression containing both viscoelastic and thixotropic elements to account for the presence of linear aggregates of red blood cells, known as rouleaux, which form at low shear rates. Another component is viscoelastic, described through an extend White–Metzner approach. It corresponds to the stresses that arise due to the isolated ...
Experimental evaluation of a real-time GPU-based pose estimation system for autonomous landing of rotary wings UAVs

This paper proposes a real-time system for pose estimation of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) using parallel image processing and a fiducial marker. The system exploits the capabilities of a high-performance CPU/GPU embedded system in order to provide on-board high-frequency pose estimation enabling autonomous takeoff and landing. The system is evaluated extensively with lab and field tests using a custom quadrotor. The autonomous landing is successfully demonstrated, through experimental tests, using the proposed algorithm. The results show that the system is able to provide precise pose estimation with a framerate of at least 30 fps and an image resolution of 640×480 pixels. The main advantage of the proposed approach is in the use of the GPU for image filtering and marker detection. The GPU provides an upper bound on the required computation time regardless of the complexity of the image thereby allowing for robust marker detection even in cluttered environments.
Protective Carbon Overlayers from 2,3-Naphthalenediol Pyrolysis on Mesoporous SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ Analyzed by Solid-State NMR.

Hydrothermally stable carbon overlayers can protect mesoporous oxides (SiO2 and Al2O3) from hydrolysis during aqueous-phase catalysis. Overlayers made at 800 °C by pyrolysis of 2,3-naphthalenediol deposited out of acetone solution were analyzed by solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Power absorption due to sample conductivity was prevented by diluting the sample in nonconductive and background-free tricalcium phosphate. While pyrolysis on SiO2 produced a predominantly aromatic carbon film, at least 15% of nonaromatic carbon (sp3-hybridized C as well as C=O) was observed on γ-Al2O3. These species were not derived from residual solvent, according to spectra of the same material treated at 400 °C. The sp3-hybridized C exhibited weak couplings to hydrogen, short spin-lattice relaxation times, and unusually large shift anisotropies, which are characteristics of tetrahedral carbon with high concentrations of unpaired electrons. Moderate heat treatment at 400 °C on SiO2 and Al2O3 resulted in yellow-brown and nearly black samples, respectively, but the darker color on Al2O3 did not correspond to more extensive carbonization. Aromatic carbon bonded to hydrogen remained predominant and the peaks of naphthalenediol were still recognizable; however, some of the chemical shifts differed by up to 5 ppm, indicating significant differences in local structure. On SiO2, additional sharp peaks were detected and attributed to 1/3 of the 2,3-naphthalene molecules undergoing fast, nearly isotropic motions.
Time and the Temporal

Before the very difficult subject of memory is discussed, Meinong’s concepts of time and the temporal must be considered. In memory we are dealing with the apprehension of past objects, that is, objects which occurred at a different time than their apprehension. The problem is to find an explanation for how objects which differ temporally are presented, how at all objects are dated in their presentation.
Modeling Tumor Blood Vessel Dynamics

Tumor blood vessels are structurally abnormal and functionally inefficient, resulting in incomplete perfusion of tumor vessel networks and nonuniform delivery of chemotherapeutics to the tumor cells. Excessive production of the angiogenic growth factor VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) contributes to tumor vessel abnormalities, and many anti-VEGF therapies can cause remodeling or stabilization of tumor blood vessels. This remodeling resembles the process of angioadaptation previously studied in the context of normal physiology and ischemia. During angioadaptation (also know as adaptive remodeling), endothelial cells respond to blood forces to alter blood flow. Some segments dilate, while others contract, eventually producing an efficient network. Although not well understood, it is likely that adaptive remodeling depends on blood shear forces, transvascular pressure, upstream signals transmitted along the endothelium as well as growth factors such as VEGF. To provide an analytical framework for understanding these processes in the context of tumor vasculature, we have developed a mathematical model, supported by multiparameter imaging methodology, which incorporates the necessary elements for predicting the transport of nutrients and drugs throughout tumor vessels and tissue, as well as the adaptive remodeling of the blood vessel network. A better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the network dynamics may lead to novel approaches for treating tumors or other diseases involving vascular pathologies.
Modeling heat flow across material interfaces and cracks using the material point method

Heat conduction through an object with material interfaces or cracks is influenced by heat flow across those discontinuities. This paper presents a numerical particle method for modeling such heat flow coupled to computational mechanics all within the material point method (MPM). In brief, MPM models contacts and cracks by extrapolating multiple velocity fields to a grid. To model interfacial heat flow, MPM should similarly extrapolate multiple temperature fields. Interface nodes that “see” more than one temperature field modify their heat flow to reflect interfacial physics. For example, interfaces in contact may transfer heat by perfect conduction, while separated interfaces may block heat flow or cause reduced heat flow by convection. After some validation examples, two real-world examples consider cooling an ingot within a crucible where cooling causes the ingot to lose contact with the crucible walls and thermal imaging of cracks within an opaque solid.
Influence of MVDR beamformer on a Speech Enhancement based Smartphone application for Hearing Aids

This paper presents the minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) beamformer combined with a Speech Enhancement (SE) gain function as a real-time application running on smartphones that work as an assistive device to Hearing Aids. It has been shown that beamforming techniques improve the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) in noisy conditions. In the proposed algorithm, MVDR beamformer is used as an SNR booster for the SE method. The proposed SE gain is based on the Log-Spectral Amplitude estimator to improve the speech quality in the presence of different background noises. Objective evaluation and intelligibility measures support the theoretical analysis and show significant improvements of the proposed method in comparison with existing methods. Subjective test results show the effectiveness of the application in real-world noisy conditions at SNR levels of -5 dB, 0 dB, and 5 dB.
Design Adaptive MIMO Space-Time-Frequency Conjugate Two-Path OFDM Systems

Multiple input multiple output (MIMO) systems can be designed for two operational modes: to improve bit error rate (BER) or to increase capacity without consuming additional power or bandwidth. In this paper, MIMO space-time-frequency (STF) conjugate two-path transmission orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems with precoders are presented to combat inter-carrier interference and to adaptively switch between these two modes in mobile fading channels. First, the STF architecture is developed to form a 2 × 1 STF-OFDM system. Second, a conjugate cancellation (CC) two-path transmission scheme is integrated with the STF-OFDM system to form a new 2 × 1 STFCC-OFDM system. This system improves BER without expanding power or bandwidth in comparing with the CC scheme. Third, Walsh–Hadamard (WH) transform is employed as the precoder to form the 2 × 1 WHSTFCC-OFDM system. Finally, a 2 × 2 WHSTFCC-OFDM architecture is designed. It can be used to improve BER or switch to two 2 × 1 WHSTFCC-OFDM systems to increase capacity as needed. Simulations indicate that the 2 × 1 WHSTFCC-OFDM system has the best BER, the STFCC-OFDM system, and the STF-OFDM system follow in order. Similarly, the BER of the 2 × 2 WHSTFCC-OFDM system outperforms the 2 × 1 WHSTFCC-OFDM, and the 2 × 2 STFCC-OFDM system follow in order. All these STFCC- and WHSTFCC-OFDM schemes are simple and backward compatible with the existing OFDM system. They may serve as baseband building blocks in OFDM transceivers and can be adaptively switched between 2 × 1 and 2 × 2 architectures as required for the fourth generation and the future planned fifth generation MIMO systems. This adaptive MIMO system can also be applied to the regular or bad weather environment in the disaster conditions for increasing capacity or enhancing the reliability of the communication system.