cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Collapsing the Myth of Separate Worlds: How Organizations Shape Workers’ Non-Work Identities

Organizations clearly influence work identities, but their effect on non-work identities is less well understood. We propose that organizations pressure workers to encompass or delete non-work iden...
Biomechanical Response of Blast Loading to the Head Using 2D-3D Cineradiographic Registration

This paper details a method for tracking 3D kinematics of the skull and brain deformation in post-mortem human subjects (PMHS) using 2D cineradiographic images during a high-rate loading event. Brain displacement and resulting strain due to blast loading is a metric for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), however physically measuring brain motion experimentally is a significant challenge. A shock tube, used to simulate blast exposure, created skull and brain motion tracked using implanted radio-opaque markers and high-speed X-ray images. These images were registered to a computed tomography (CT) scan using intensity-based 2D-3D registration techniques. To register the 2D images to the 3D scan, digitally reconstructed radiographs were generated from the CT scan, and then compared to the recorded x-ray frames by maximizing similarity metrics between the images using a Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy. As compared to pure 2D tracking, 2D-3D registration provides out-of-plane kinematics by fully leveraging information in the x-ray projection image and prior information from the 3D CT scan. Data generated with these techniques are critical for physically understanding the mechanisms associated with blast exposure that may lead to TBI, and can be used for human computational model validation.
Looking on the Bright Side: Children’s Knowledge About the Benefits of Positive Versus Negative Thinking

Five- to 10-year-olds (N = 90) listened to 6 illustrated scenarios featuring 2 characters that jointly experience the same positive event (and feel good), negative event (and feel bad), or ambiguous event (and feel okay). Afterward, one character thinks a positive thought and the other thinks a negative thought. Children predicted and explained each character's emotions. Results showed significant development between 5 and 10 years in children's understanding that thinking positively improves emotions and thinking negatively makes one feel worse, with earliest knowledge demonstrated when reasoning about ambiguous and positive events. Individual differences in child and parental optimism and hope predicted children's knowledge about thought-emotion connections on some measures, including their beliefs about the emotional benefits of thinking positively in negative situations.
Empirical Object Detection Performance of Lidar and Multibeam Sonar Systems in Long Island Sound

A comparison of object detection capability of side scan sonar, multibeam sonar, and Lidar was conducted by NOAA in Long Island Sound. The seafloor is characterised by thousands of glacial erratics-boulders varying in size from cobbles to 10m on a side. The water turbidity varies from Secchi depth of 3.5m to 6m. A set of 93 features was selected from the side scan data and was compared with data from the multibeam sonar and the Lidar. The percentages of targets detected by the different systems were compared as a function of target size, target height, and water depth.
Belief Propagation Based Segmentation of White Matter Tracts in DTI

This paper presents a belief propagation approach to the segmentation of the major white matter tracts in diffusion tensor images of the human brain. Unlike tractography methods that sample multiple fibers to be bundled together, we define a Markov field directly on the diffusion tensors to separate the main fiber tracts at the voxel level. A prior model of shape and direction guides a full segmentation of the brain into known fiber tracts; additional, unspecified fibers; and isotropic regions. The method is evaluated on various data sets from an atlasing project, healthy subjects, and multiple sclerosis patients.
Optical networking standards

Optical networking standards are being developed to facilitate global interoperability of optical services. They are being drafted, approved, and implemented in every area of the telecommunications industry. To maximize one's value from the standards, one should understand the standards organizations involved, the opportunities for participation, and the strategies for successful contributions. This paper presents an overview of these aspects to stimulate thought and to encourage participation in the standards development process.
Cost-Effectiveness of Integrating Tobacco Cessation Into Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment

INTRODUCTION We examined the cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation integrated with treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS Smoking veterans receiving care for PTSD (N = 943) were randomized to care integrated with smoking cessation versus referral to a smoking cessation clinic. Smoking cessation services, health care cost and utilization, quality of life, and biochemically-verified abstinence from cigarettes were assessed over 18-months of follow-up. Clinical outcomes were combined with literature on changes in smoking status and the effect of smoking on health care cost, mortality, and quality of life in a Markov model of cost-effectiveness over a lifetime horizon. We discounted cost and outcomes at 3% per year and report costs in 2010 US dollars. RESULTS The mean of smoking cessation services cost was $1286 in those randomized to integrated care and $551 in those receiving standard care (P < .001). There were no significant differences in the cost of mental health services or other care. After 12 months, prolonged biochemically verified abstinence was observed in 8.9% of those randomized to integrated care and 4.5% of those randomized to standard care (P = .004). The model projected that Integrated Care added $836 in lifetime cost and generated 0.0259 quality adjusted life years (QALYs), an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $32 257 per QALY. It was 86.0% likely to be cost-effective compared to a threshold of $100 000/QALY. CONCLUSIONS Smoking cessation integrated with treatment for PTSD was cost-effective, within a broad confidence region, but less cost-effective than most other smoking cessation programs reported in the literature.
Effects of processing parameters in thermally induced phase separation technique on porous architecture of scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

Tissue engineering makes use of 3D scaffolds to sustain three-dimensional growth of cells and guide new tissue formation. To meet the multiple requirements for regeneration of biological tissues and organs, a wide range of scaffold fabrication techniques have been developed, aiming to produce porous constructs with the desired pore size range and pore morphology. Among different scaffold fabrication techniques, thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) method has been widely used in recent years because of its potential to produce highly porous scaffolds with interconnected pore morphology. The scaffold architecture can be closely controlled by adjusting the process parameters, including polymer type and concentration, solvent composition, quenching temperature and time, coarsening process, and incorporation of inorganic particles. The objective of this review is to provide information pertaining to the effect of these parameters on the architecture and properties of the scaffolds fabricated by the TIPS technique. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 102B: 1304–1315, 2014.
Gestational nanomaterial exposures: microvascular implications during pregnancy, fetal development and adulthood

Air pollution particulate matter and engineered nanomaterials are encompassed in the broad definition of xenobiotic particles. While the effects of perinatal air pollution exposure have been investigated, elucidation of outcomes associated with nanomaterial exposure, the focus of this review, is still in its infancy. As the potential uses of nanomaterials, and therefore exposures, increase exponentially so does the need for thorough evaluation. Up to this point, the majority of research in the field of cardiovascular nanotoxicology has focused on the coronary and vascular reactions to pulmonary exposures in young adult, healthy, male models; however, as intentional and unintentional contacts persist, the non-pulmonary risks to under-represented populations become a critical concern. Development of the maternal-fetal circulation during successful mammalian gestation is one of the most unusual complex, dynamic, and acutely demanding physiological systems. Fetal development in a hostile gestational environment can lead to systemic alterations, which may encourage adult disease. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to highlight the few knowns associated with gestational engineered nanomaterial exposure segmented by physiological periods of development or systemic targets: preconception and maternal, gestational, fetal and progeny (Abstract figure). Overall, the limited studies currently available provide compelling evidence of maternal, fetal and offspring dysfunctions after engineered nanomaterial exposure. Understanding the mechanisms associated with these multigenerational effects may allow pregnant women to safely reap the benefits of nanotechnology-enabled products and assist in the implementation of exposure controls to protect the mother and fetus allowing for development of safety by design for engineered nanomaterials.
Development and evaluation of an automated dye-binding assay for protein in cerebrospinal fluid.

Addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to Coomassie Brilliant Blue reagent equalizes the binding variability of the dye to various proteins and markedly improves the accuracy of quantification of protein in cerebrospinal fluid. In the presence of SDS, the absorption spectrum and the absorption maximum are affected by reaction time and temperature, age of the dye preparation, and protein constituent. I automated this procedure, to optimize precision, enable use of a smaller sample, decrease hands-on time, maintain consistency in the time of reading, and avoid carryover. The results (y) compared well with those of the aca (x), with a Deming de-biased regression equation of y = 0.991x + 14.1 mg/L, Sy.x = 33.4 mg/L. The within-run and between-run precision (CV) was less than 2.5% and less than 4.5%, respectively. Commonly used antibiotics, flucytosine, or amphotericin B do not interfere. This automated procedure is fast and accurate and requires only 10 microL of sample.
The Study of Teacher Thinking: Implications for Teacher Education:

Clark and Lampert describe how the research on teacher think ing has broadened and deepened the knowledge base of teach ing, particularly with respect to the complexity of teaching, our understanding of what teachers know, and our knowledge of methods of inquiry and reflection on teacher thinking. Such knowledge challenges the image of the teacher as technician and the conception of research as a source of empirically proven and generalizable prescriptions. The value of this research for teacher educators and prospective teachers is that it provides insights into the mental lives of teachers. Those insights can be used to challenge preservice teachers' thinking and to ex pand their view of the teaching act.
KINETIC FRAME EFFECTS. II. VISTA MOTION.

Perception of a three-dimensional kinetic vista resulted when Ss viewed a quadrilaterally moving frame. The frame was a white rectangle continuously expanding and contracting in size, with a black stationary line in the center. Two vista effects were obtained: (1) wall-penetrating AdAb motion, i.e., when Ss focused on the line it oscillated back and forth in a frame which was seen as a hole in the wall and a (2) pyramid effect, i.e., the rectangle became solid resembling a shell of a pyramid, or a “wooden funnel popping out at you” when Ss focused upon it. Vista effects broaden the family of motion perspective phenomena and suggest that the kind of motion perspective depends not only on Gibson's principle of perspective transformations but also on the area of focus.
A Formalization of Strong Normalization for Simply-Typed Lambda-Calculus and System F

We formalize in the logical framework ATS/LF a proof based on Tait's method that establishes the simply-typed lambda-calculus being strongly normalizing. In this formalization, we employ higher-order abstract syntax to encode lambda-terms and an inductive datatype to encode the reducibility predicate in Tait's method. The resulting proof is particularly simple and clean when compared to previously formalized ones. Also, we mention briefly how a proof based on Girard's method can be formalized in a similar fashion that establishes System F being strongly normalizing.
A 3-D modelsyystem for simulating thunderstorm microburst outflows

A new three-dimensional numerical model system has been designed to study the complex near-surface flow features that arise from collisions between microburst outflow events and other sub-cloud phenomena with complex geometry. The model was designed specifically for implementation on massively parallel computers, and makes use of the high computation rates and large memory sizes of these machines to achieve spatial resolutions of 50 m or less in each dimension. Here we will report on one of the first model applications, a parameter study of colliding microburst outflows. Results from this study indicate that the collision zone between the two downdrafts can be a region of violent and complicated dynamics which can often lead to an elevated region of significant aircraft hazard.
Capillary electrophoresis in bioanalysis.

For the period January 2006 to December 2007, Web of Science reports ∼4800 hits on capillary electrophoresis (CE) including 410 reviews. Because of the prominence of CE techniques in bioanalysis, we decided make them the focus of this review and selected 200 hundred papers representing advances in this field. The selected papers cover advances in CE theory, instrumentation, and methodologies that are specific to various analytes of biological origin or relevance. The group of analytes includes nucleic acids, proteins and peptides, carbohydrates, lipids, single cells, and bioparticles. In addition, we have included advances in the use of CE to define functional assays or to investigate biomolecular interactions. The use of microfabricated devices for CE analysis was not included because this is already covered in other review.
An Automated Workforce Clustering Method for Business Process Reengineering in Research and Development Organizations

Business process reengineering BPR involves the radical redesign of functional organizations into cross-functional teams to achieve dramatic improvements in productivity. Redesigning complex and dynamic processes in research and development R&D organizations with multi-layer projects is a difficult task. Previous researchers have proposed many intuitive approaches for BPR utilizing intuition and subjective judgment from "experts" at various stages of their implementation. However, the complexities inherent in large R&D organizations have restricted the effectiveness of their use in practice. The authors present an automated and structured analytic algorithm that eliminates the need for subjective human judgment. The proposed method facilitates the reorganization of R&D processes into cross-functional work units and projects. The efficacy of the algorithm is confirmed with a small problem and the applicability of the proposed method is demonstrated at the Air Force Research Laboratory.
Phylogeny of Calvin cycle enzymes supports Plantae monophyly.

Photosynthesis is a critical biochemical process on our planet providing food for most life. The common ancestor of plants and their algal sisters gained photosynthesis through the engulfment and retention of a cyanobacterial primary endosymbiont that evolved into a photosynthetic organelle, the plastid (Bhattacharya et al., 2004). In photosynthetic eukaryotes, the essential series of reactions that capture the products of photosynthetic light reactions (ATP and NADPH2) to fix CO2 (Fig. 1), known as the Calvin cycle (CC; Calvin and Benson, 1948), takes place in the plastid stroma. The eukaryotic CC involves 11 different enzymes (Table 1) that are nuclear encoded and plastid targeted to express their function, with the exception of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBisCO) subunits (large and small) that remain plastid encoded in red and glaucophyte algae. In green algae (and land plants) the RuBisCO large subunit is encoded in the plastid genome but the small subunit is nuclear encoded. Photosynthetic eukaryotes also contain cytosolic enzymes involved in glycolysis and gluceoneogenesis that catalyze reactions similar to those in the CC and were present in eukaryotes before plastid origin (Martin and Schnarrenberger, 1997). Molecular phylogenetic analyses suggest that land plants (Martin and Schnarrenberger, 1997) and red algae acquired at least a subset of the CC enzymes via intracellular (endosymbiotic) gene transfer (EGT) from the captured cyanobacterium prior to the divergence of green and red algae (Matsuzaki et al., 2004). However, it is well known that some CC enzymes in land plants and red algae have a non-cyanobacterial origin (Martin and Schnarrenberger, 1997; Matsuzaki et al., 2004). A likely explanation is that
Telomerase and cell senescence: modulation by telomerase of cellular responses to damage in normal human primary skin keratinocytes and fibroblasts

Telomeres protect the ends of chromosomes, which contain the DNA that comprises the genetic information. Without telomeres and their special way of replicating, chromosome ends dwindle away and also are easily damaged. Loss of telomere function promotes cancer and may occur in human aging. Most enzymes – the catalysts that carry out life's chemical reactions – are made of protein. In contrast, the enzyme telomerase, which replenishes the DNA at telomeres and protects them, is a ribonucleoprotein complex consisting of core components – a protein reverse transcriptase and the telomerase RNA moiety – as well as additional protein factors that regulate the action of telomerase on telomeres. A major known function of telomerase is to elongate telomeric DNA. This function is achieved by the enzyme copying a short template sequence within the inbuilt telomerase RNA, into telomeric DNA repeat sequences. The mechanism of telomerase has been analyzed and telomerase has been shown to be a dimeric enzyme. Functional dimerization of human telomerase requires a novel RNA–RNA interaction between two telomerase RNA molecules in the same enzyme complex. Telomeric repeats are added to the end of the chromosomal DNA by telomerase, elongating the chromosome and thus compensating for losses of terminal DNA that occur upon nuclease action and incomplete DNA replication of the ends of the chromosomal DNA. However, telomerase is largely repressed in proliferating cultured human fibroblasts or after a few passages of culturing of primary human keratinocytes. The normal senescence of such fibroblasts and other human cell types in culture can be overcome by forced expression of telomerase in these cells. The lifespan of the cells is extended and they grow healthily, generally without evidence of impairment to DNA checkpoint pathways. We analyzed the effects of forced expression of telomerase on the growth characteristics and sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of primary human cells in culture. Normal primary human foreskin epithelial keratinocytes and fibroblasts were stably infected with retroviral vector expressing various versions of hTERT (the reverse transcriptase protein component of telomerase), or the control empty retroviral vector pBABEpuro. Cells selected for the puromycin drug resistance marker were continuously passaged in puromycin-containing media, and their telomeres, cell growth and cell viability analyzed. The responses of such cells expressing telomerase to different challenges, including UV exposure were analyzed and found to differ from those of control cells.
Fourier-domain low-coherence interferometry for light-scattering spectroscopy

We present a novel method for obtaining depth-resolved spectra for determining scatterer size through elastic- scattering properties. Depth resolution is achieved with a white-light source in a Michelson interferometer with the mixed signal and reference fields dispersed by a spectrograph. The spectrum is Fourier transformed to yield the axial spatial cross correlation between the signal and reference fields with near 1 m m depth resolution. Spectral information is obtained by windowing to yield the scattering amplitude as a function of wave number. The technique is demonstrated by determination of the size of polystyrene microspheres in a subsurface layer with subwavelength accuracy. Application of the technique to probing the size of cell nuclei in living epithelial tissues is discussed.
Demo Abstract: sChat: A Group Communication Service Over Wireless Sensor Networks

In our demonstration, we will show how sChat enables mobile users to chat in groups via a WSN. We will setup a WSN consisting of 40 Tmote Sky motes in a 8x5 grid layout. All motes will run TinyOS and Agilla. We use a laptop as the registry to keep track of the groups in the network. We provide portable wireless devices like Sumsung's Origami Ultra-Mobile PC with telosb motes attached to them so that they can interface with the WSN. Visitors can use these portable devices to group chat over a WSN. Currently, sChat only supports text messaging due to bandwidth constraints. In the future, our service may be easily extended to support audio and video communication.
Behavioral self-management in treating sleep-maintenance insomnia

Three controlled case studies are presented to demonstrate the application of behavioral self-management to two subtypes of sleep-maintenance insomnia. Patient 1 suffered from brief but frequent arousals to wakefulness and to NREM Stage 1 sleep. Patient 2 suffered from brief but frequent arousals and extended minutes awake after sleep onset. Patient 3 suffered from an extended latency to sleep onset and also extended minutes awake after sleep onset. The self-management treatment program was designed to teach these patients skills for identifying and modifying environmental, behavioral, physiological, and cognitive conditions related to poor sleep. Results are documented using home and laboratory all-night sleep recordings during treatment and at 3 and 12 months following the end of treatment.
Development of monospecific antibodies to rat hemopexin and albumin: Evidence for immunological cross-reactivity with mouse proteins

Abstract 1. 1. Procedures are described for the purification of rat hemopexin and albumin and for the development and the testing of monospecific antibodies to these proteins made in goats. 2. 2. The immunological cross-reactivity of mouse proteins to those of rats waas examined and proved that mouse hemopexin and albumin levels can be monitores with antisera developed against rat proteins. 3. 3. The mean hemopexin concentrations for sixteen male Sprague-Dawley rats was 150±7·1 mg /100 ml .
Interactive Videodisc: Instructional Design of a Beginning Reading Program.

This article provides a general overview of the nature and capabilities of interactive videodisc systems (microcomputer/videodisc), with particular emphasis on their application to learners with special needs. To illustrate current trends in this technology as explored by the project, Interactive Videodiscs in Special Education Technology (IVSET), at Utah State University, the Beginning Sight Reading (BSR) programs are discussed in detail. These programs were designed to investigate three dimensions of instructional technology: (a) its instructional potential; (b) effects of minimal versus extensive remediation; and (c) rate of instruction. To assess the effects of different remedial approaches, two versions of the BSR program were designed: BSR-1 represents extensive remediation; BSR-2 represents minimal remediation.The results of initial BSR field-testing show that the test scores of students in the two remediation groups doubled from pre- to posttest. In addition, the high-remediation group finished 10...
α-Fetoprotein biosynthesis and hepatocellular differentiation

Biosynthesis of α-fetoprotein, a marker for differentiated fetal liver cells, was studied in RLA209-15 , rat fetal hepatocyte line that is temperature-dependent for differentiation. At 33°C, these cells showed characteristics of malignant transformation and synthesized only low levels of α-fetoprotein with an apparent molecular weight of 65,000. At 40°C, RLA209-15 cells regained the normal, differentiated phenotype and synthesized elevated levels of α-fetoprotein of two variants of 73,000 and 69,000 apparent molecular weight which co-migrated with the two fully processed forms of rat α-fetoprotein. The increase in α-fetoprotein synthesis at 40°C corresponded to an increase in mRNA for α-fetoprotein. The induction of α-fetoprotein indistinguishable from that produced by normal fetal hepatocytes demonstrates the reversion from the transformed to the differentiated state.
Fibrocellular tissue responses to endovascular and external beam irradiation in the porcine model of restenosis.

Abstract Purpose: Endovascular radiation has reduced postangioplasty restenosis in preclinical and early clinical studies. External radiation treatment may have advantages over endovascular therapy. We examined vascular and perivascular tissue responses to endovascular and external irradiation in pig coronary arteries. Methods and Materials: Ninety-one animals received endovascular or external radiation following balloon injury and were sacrificed at 14, 30, or 180 days. Injured segments of coronary vessels including perivascular and myocardial tissues were evaluated with histochemistry. Results: Endovascular radiation was associated with delayed arterial wound healing as late as 6 months, evidenced by paucity of smooth muscle α-actin in neointimal cells compared to control. External treatment was associated with increased collagen in neointima and adventitia, and focal interstitial necrosis in adjacent myocardium. Conclusions: These investigations showed whole-heart 14 Gy external radiation treatment following coronary injury exacerbated certain aspects of arterial healing. In addition focal myocardial necrosis and fibrosis was observed following external but not endovascular irradiation. Endovascular radiation has some advantages over external irradiation; however the persistence of a synthetic smooth muscle cell phenotype in the neointima at 6 months suggests ionizing radiation in general may have profound effects on vessel architecture over the long term.
Aesthetic Legacies and Dashed Political Hopes: Caspar David Friedrich Motifs in Roland Emmerich's Post-9/11 Popcorn Message Movies

Until the 2004 release of his global warming movie, The Day After Tomorrow, German emigre and Hollywood A-list director Roland Emmerich had always presented himself as an apolitical entertainer. Film critics generally saw the content of his films as amounting to nothing more than the clever reworking of Hollywood cliches. As Emmerich became more consciously political in his moviemaking aims, he increasingly incorporated motifs from the work of nineteenth-century landscape artist and Romantic icon Caspar David Friedrich. This essay suggests that the character of his cinematic engagement with Friedrich correlates both with the nature of his film material and the evolution of Emmerich's hopes for political change in post-9/11 U.S. politics. While Friedrich motifs are present in Emmerich's optimistic tales of multicultural solidarity—10,000 BC (2008) and 2012 (2009)—their use proliferates in his latest release, Anonymous (2012), which dramatizes the disillusionment of the political artist.
Mindfulness: Existential, Loss, and Grief Factors in Women With Breast Cancer

Although a plethora of studies exist as to the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions with cancer patients, existential, loss, and grief factors are absent. The primary purpose of this exploratory study was to add to the literature by exploring the pre-post effects of an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention on existential well-being, summed self-identified losses, and grief scores as well as assess mental adjustment to cancer; also, 6-month follow-up data as to intervention maintenance were obtained. Sixty-five women, all of whom had been diagnosed with breast cancer within the past 12 months, participated in this study. The data indicated significant improvements for existential well-being, number of self-identified losses, grief scores as well as three mental adjustment styles. Six-month follow-up revealed that of the 58 responding participants, 88% were maintaining mindfulness strategies at varying schedules on a weekly basis with mindfulness-based walking as the preferred strategy. This is the first known mindfulness-based intervention study to investigate existential, loss, and grief factors in those with cancer. Further investigations earnestly are needed in this area to provide full psychosocial care to those confronting cancer.
Full design of fuzzy controllers using genetic algorithms

This paper examines the applicability of genetic algorithms in the complete design of fuzzy logic controllers. While GA has been used before in the development of rule sets or high performance membership functions, the interdependence between these two components dictates that they should be designed together simultaneously. GA is fully capable of creating complete fuzzy controllers given the equations of motion of the system, eliminating the need for human input in the design loop. We show the application of this new method to the development of a cart controller.
On the Stability of Stationary Wave Maps

Equivariant wave maps from \(\) into \(\) have smooth, stationary solutions which are critical points of the energy subject to constant charge. These solutions are globally stable under equivariant perturbations. Consequently, there exists a large set of initial data, with no degree or energy restrictions, for which the Cauchy problem is globally well-posed.
Atrial natriuretic peptide increases adrenomedullin in the circulation of healthy humans

Adrenomedullin (ADM) is a new 52 amino acid peptide originally isolated from extracts of human pheochromocytoma. ADM's biologic properties are nearly identical to those of atrial natriuretic peptides. Thus, the 4 peptide hormones originating from amino acids 1-30 [long acting natriuretic peptide], 31-67 [vessel dilator], 79-98 [kaliuretic peptide] and 99-126 [atrial natriuretic factor; ANF] of the 126 amino acid ANF prohormone as well as ADM have blood pressure lowering and diuretic properties. The present investigation was designed to determine if one or more of these 4 atrial natriuretic peptides increase adrenomedullin within the circulation of healthy humans. Infusion of 100 ng/kg body weight/minute for 60 minutes of the respective atrial peptides resulted in a 4-fold (P < 0.001) increase in the circulating concentration of adrenomedullin secondary to the ANF infusion but no increase in adrenomedullin with the long acting natriuretic peptide, vessel dilator, or kaliuretic peptide infusions. The four-fold increase of adrenomedullin in the circulation persisted throughout the infusion of ANF, but returned to pre-infusion levels within 30 minutes of stopping the ANF infusion. Infusion of 10 pg/kg body weight/minute for 60 minutes of ANF resulted in a 2 1/2-fold increase (P < 0.05) in the circulating concentration of adrenomedullin. There was a significant (P < 0.01) diuresis and blood pressure lowering effect with each of the atrial natriuretic peptides in the present investigation. This investigation suggests that 1) atrial natriuretic factor increases the release of adrenomedullin and 2) that the diuretic and blood pressure lowering effects previously attributed to atrial natriuretic factor may be partially due to adrenomedullin since both increased during the ANF infusion and both have similar biologic effects. As opposed to atrial natriuretic factor, adrenomedullin was not increased by long acting natriuretic peptide, vessel dilator, or kaliuretic peptide suggesting that their biologic effects do not involve adrenomedullin.
Optical properties of sixteen dinucleoside phosphates.

Abstract Further studies of the optical properties of the dinucleoside phosphates of RNA have supported the prediction that the structure of these molecules can be understood in terms of “stacking” and “unstacking” of the bases. Optical rotatory dispersion and absorption parameters at 25 °C of the 16 dinucleoside phosphates at pH 1, 7 and 11.5 and an ionic strength of 0.1 have been measured. Using the value of hypochromism as a criterion, four dinucleoside phosphates are stacked at pH 1, eleven at pH 7 and eight at pH 11.5. The optical rotatory dispersion was found to be very dependent on sequence; therefore, measurements of optical rotatory dispersion could distinguish between sequence isomers, whereas the absorption measurements could not. The application of optical properties of the dinucleoside phosphates to the interpretation of the structure and properties of polynucleotides is discussed.
Disks in the sky: A reassessment of the WMAP “cold spot”

Abstract We reassess the evidence that WMAP temperature maps contain a statistically significant “cold spot” by repeating the analysis using simple circular top-hat (disk) weights, as well as Gaussian weights of varying width. Contrary to previous results that used Spherical Mexican Hat Wavelets, we find no significant signal at any scale when we compare the coldest spot from our sky to ones from simulated Gaussian random, isotropic maps. We trace this apparent discrepancy to the fact that WMAP cold spot’s temperature profile just happens to favor the particular profile given by the wavelet. Since randomly generated maps typically do not exhibit this coincidence, we conclude that the original cold spot significance originated at least partly due to a fortuitous choice of using a particular basis of weight functions. We also examine significance of a more general measure that returns the most significant result among several choices of the weighting function, angular scale of the spot, and the statistics applied, and again find a null result.
The solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere current-voltage relationship

The global current-voltage relationship for the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere system (SW-M-I) is investigated, restricting the study to strong southward IMF. The dynamo presently identified is on open field lines, and it operates at close to short circuit and at a fraction of the available power output. Control of the dynamo by ionospheric conductivity is discussed. Implications of the simulation results, including the relationship between open and closed field dynamos, the effect of solar wind conditions, the control of reconnection on the bow, the size of the open field line region, and the effects of increased auroral conductivity, are discussed.
Brecht and Carl Sandburg: Kindred Poets

Summary Carl Sandburg (1879–1967) seems to have been and remained totally unaware of Bertolt Brecht while the latter got to know at least some of the former's poems, if only rather belatedly. Nevertheless, there obtains a certain kinship between the two poets, extending from their political stance - Brecht's socialism and Sandburg's populism - right down to the specific, almost unique, mode of musical performance they shared. This similarity manifests itself both thematically and in terms of form and composition; most strikingly, it comes to the fore in what has been labeled their “mid-poem shift,” i.e. a sudden dramatic turning point which is structural as well as emotional and even ideological (as witness, for example, Sandburg's famous “Chicago” and Brecht's “Verschollener Ruhm der Riesenstadt New York”).
A review of causal estimation of effects in mediation analyses

We describe causal mediation methods for analysing the mechanistic factors through which interventions act on outcomes. A number of different mediation approaches have been presented in the biomedical, social science and statistical literature with an emphasis on different aspects of mediation. We review the different sets of assumptions that allow identification and estimation of effects in the simple case of a single intervention, a temporally subsequent mediator and outcome. These assumptions include various no confounding assumptions including sequential ignorability assumptions and also interaction assumptions involving the treatment and mediator. The understanding of such assumptions is crucial since some can be assessed under certain conditions (e.g. treatment-mediator interactions), whereas others cannot (sequential ignorability). These issues become more complex with multiple mediators and longitudinal outcomes. In addressing these assumptions, we review several causal approaches to mediation analyses.
A subspace blind channel estimation method for OFDM systems without cyclic prefix

We propose a subspace based blind channel estimation method for orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems over a time-dispersive channel. Our approach is motivated by the resemblance of the multichannel signal model resulting from oversampling (or use of multiple receive sensors) of the received OFDM signal to that in conventional single carrier system. The proposed algorithm distinguishes itself from many previously reported channel estimation methods by the elimination of the cyclic prefix, thereby leading to higher channel utilization. Comparison of the proposed method with other two reported subspace channel estimation methods is presented by computer simulations to support its effectiveness.
The H5N1 Moratorium Controversy and Debate

The pause in gain-of-function experiments involving highly pathogenic avian influenza virus to dissect mechanisms of mammalian transmission and virulence is a historic moment for science. The scientific community and the greater society that it serves are currently engaged in a vigorous debate on whether and how to carry out experiments that could provide essential information for preparedness against a pandemic of avian influenza. To foster discussion and to provide a venue to record the arguments for or against this moratorium, mBio has commissioned a series of views from experts in the field. In addition to these views, we note a need for a clear scientific rationale for gain-of-function studies and suggest that many of the current concerns involving such experiments can be circumvented by efforts to generate safer systems that could provide comparable information with much-reduced risk. In the winter of 2012, a group of influenza virus investigators announced in a joint letter a “voluntary pause of 60 days on any research involving highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 viruses leading to the generation of viruses that are more transmissible in mammals” (1). The pause came at a time of great controversy in science, which was caused by the recommendation of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) to redact details from two manuscripts that provided molecular information on mutations which allowed H5N1 to become transmissible in mammals (2). Although the self-imposed moratorium was originally meant for 60 days, experimental work has presumably not resumed. In the summer of 2012, the U.S. Government proposed an indefinite continuation of the moratorium on gain-of-function studies with H5N1 viruses that could affect mammalian virulence and transmissibility until a consensus emerges on what type of experiments should be done and the level of containment that should be imposed. In this fluid environment, …
A theoretical approach to the use of cyberinfrastructure in geographical analysis

This paper presents a theoretical approach that has been developed to capture the computational intensity and computing resource requirements of geographical data and analysis methods. These requirements are then transformed into a common framework, a grid-based representation of a spatial computational domain, which supports the efficient use of emerging cyberinfrastructure environments. Two key types of transformational functions (data-centric and operation-centric) are identified and their relationships are explained. The application of the approach is illustrated using two geographical analysis methods: inverse distance weighted interpolation and the spatial statistic. We describe the underpinnings of these two methods, present their conventional sequential algorithms, and then address their latent parallelism based on a spatial computational domain representation. Through the application of this theoretical approach, the development of domain decomposition methods is decoupled from specific high-performance computer architectures and task scheduling implementations, which makes the design of generic parallel processing solutions feasible for geographical analyses.
Ultradense reproducible Z-pinch suitable for CO2 laser-pellet simulation experiments.

The design and operating characteristics of a unique reproducible linear, high‐density (≳1019 e−/cm3), low‐temperature (17<Te<30 eV) helium Z‐pinch are presented in this paper. It is shown that the temperature and critical density scale length (70–200 μm) of the pinched plasma are favorable for simulating CO2 laser‐pellet experiments. Focused CO2 laser intensities of 1012 W/cm2 result in v0/vth≃2.8 at the critical layer, where v0 is the quiver velocity of an electron in the laser electric field and vth is the electron thermal velocity.
Dynamically stable associative learning: a neurobiologically based ANN and its applications

Most currently popular artificial neural networks (ANN) are based on conceptions of neuronal properties that date back to the 1940s and 50s, i.e., to the ideas of McCullough, Pitts, and Hebb. Dystal is an ANN based on current knowledge of neurobiology at the cellular and subcellular level. Networks based on these neurobiological insights exhibit the following advantageous properties: (1) A theoretical storage capacity of bN non-orthogonal memories, where N is the number of output neurons sharing common inputs and b is the number of distinguishable (gray shade) levels. (2) The ability to learn, store, and recall associations among noisy, arbitrary patterns. (3) A local synaptic learning rule (learning depends neither on the output of the post-synaptic neuron nor on a global error term), some of whose consequences are: (4) Feed-forward, lateral, and feed-back connections (as well as time-sensitive connections) are possible without alteration of the learning algorithm; (5) Storage allocation (patch creation) proceeds dynamically as associations are learned (self- organizing); (6) The number of training set presentations required for learning is small (< 10) and does not change with pattern size or content; and (7) The network exhibits monotonic convergence, reaching equilibrium (fully trained) values without oscillating. The performance of Dystal on pattern completion tasks such as faces with different expressions and/or corrupted by noise, and on reading hand-written digits (98% accuracy) and hand-printed Japanese Kanji (90% accuracy) is demonstrated.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Positive Definite Symmetric Functions on Linear Spaces

Abstract If Φ is a positive definite function on a real linear space E of infinite dimension and Φ enjoys certain symmetry conditions we are able to show that Φ is expressible as a certain Laplace-Stieltjes transform. Conversely, if Φ is given by such a transform we can often show that Φ is positive definite on E. In particular, our results apply to the Lp spaces, 0
Influence of imidazolium‐based ionic liquids on the performance of ionic polymer conductor network composite actuators

We investigated the influence of ionic liquids (ILs) on the electromechanical performance of ionic polymer conductor network composite (IPCNC) actuators. Four imidazolium ILs with two cations of different sizes, i.e. 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ([EMI+]) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ([BMI+]), and two anions of different sizes, i.e. tetrafluoroborate ([BF4−]) and trifluoromethanesulfonate ([Tf−]), were used. The IPCNC actuators were fabricated using a direct assembly method with RuO2/Nafion® nanocomposite as the electrode layers. The experimental results reveal that the actuator strain response time is nearly one order of magnitude shorter than the charging time. The IPCNCs with [EMI+][Tf−] exhibit the highest capacitance and the fastest response in both actuation and electrical charging as capacitors. In contrast, the IPCNCs with [EMI+][BF4−] display the slowest charging time and lowest value of capacitance as capacitors. The IPCNCs with [BMI+][BF4−] show the slowest response time. Furthermore, although the ILs used have a marked effect on the capacitances of the IPCNCs, using different ILs does not cause much change in the maximum strain of these IPCNCs. Consequently, the IPCNC actuators with [EMI+][BF4−] show the highest electromechanical conversion efficiency while those with [EMI+][Tf−] have the lowest electromechanical efficiency because of the highest capacitance and largest input electrical energy. The experimental results indicate that the two oppositely charged ions contribute in opposite manner to the strain response and hence the observed shorter actuation response time is likely caused by the strain cancellation effect between the cations and anions. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry
Divalent europium doped and un-doped calcium iodide scintillators: Scintillator characterization and single crystal growth

Abstract The alkaline-earth scintillator, CaI 2 :Eu 2+ , was initially discovered around 1964 by Hofstadter, Odell, and Schmidt. Serious practical problems quickly arose, however, that were associated with the growth of large monolithic single crystals of this material due to its lamellar, mica-like structure. As a result of its theoretically higher light yield, CaI 2 :Eu 2+ has the potential to exceed the excellent scintillation performance of SrI 2 :Eu 2+ . In fact, theoretical predictions for the light yield of CaI 2 :Eu 2+ scintillators suggested that an energy resolution approaching 2% at 662 keV could be achievable. As in the case of the early SrI 2 :Eu 2+ scintillator, the performance of CaI 2 :Eu 2+ scintillators has traditionally suffered due, at least in part, to outdated materials synthesis, component stoichiometry/purity, and single-crystal-growth techniques. Based on our recent work on SrI 2 :Eu 2+ scintillators in single-crystal form, we have developed new techniques that are applied here to CaI 2 :Eu 2+ and pure CaI 2 with the goal of growing large un-cracked crystals and, potentially, realizing the theoretically predicted performance of the CaI 2 :Eu 2+ form of this material. Calcium iodide does not adhere to modern glassy carbon Bridgman crucibles—so there should be no differential thermal-contraction-induced crystal/crucible stresses on cooling that would result in crystal cracking of the lamellar structure of CaI 2 . Here we apply glassy carbon crucible Bridgman growth, high-purity growth-charge compounds, our molten salt processing/filtration technique, and extended vacuum-melt-pumping methods to the growth of both CaI 2 :Eu 2+ and un-doped CaI 2 . Large scintillating single crystals were obtained, and detailed characterization studies of the scintillation properties of CaI 2 :Eu 2+ and pure CaI 2 single crystals are presented that include studies of the effects of plastic deformation of the crystals on the scintillator performance.