cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrically conducting superhydrophobic microtextured carbon nanotube nanocomposite

Abstract We report a simple and inexpensive method of producing an electrically conductive superhydrophobic polymer surface by adding multiwall carbon nanotubes directly into the polymer poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) matrix and replicating micro/nanotexture using a replication master prepared by ultrafast-laser microtexturing process. No additional coatings on conducting PDMS are required to achieve water contact angles greater than 161°. The conductivity can be controlled by changing the percent MWCNT added to PDMS and at a bulk loading of 4.4 wt% we report a conductivity improvement over pure PDMS by a factor of more than 10 11 with electrical resistivity ρ = 761 Ω cm. This combined behavior of a conductive, superhydrophobic nanocomposite has exciting applications for allowing a new class of enclosures providing EMI shielding, water repellency and sensing to provide built-in temperature feedback. The effect of temperature on the nanocomposite was investigated and a negative temperature coefficient of resistance (−0.037 Ω/K) similar to that of a thermistor was observed.
MOCK BID LETTING FOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT

A mock bid letting process is described that provides an assessment of student learning in construction process design. A case study is presented where students submitted mock bids at an Iowa Department of Transportation bid letting according to the same rules and under the same conditions as industry professionals. Assessment was provided because the bids were read aloud and compared with professional bids. Student bids were in the range of professional bids or slightly higher. The reasons for success are discussed, and planned changes for future mock bid lettings are listed.
Predicting intra‐urban variation in air pollution concentrations with complex spatio‐temporal dependencies

We describe a methodology for assigning individual estimates of long-term average air pollution concentrations that accounts for a complex spatio-temporal correlation structure and can accommodate spatio-temporally misaligned observations. This methodology has been developed as part of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution (MESA Air), a prospective cohort study funded by the US EPA to investigate the relationship between chronic exposure to air pollution and cardiovascular disease. Our hierarchical model decomposes the space--time field into a “mean” that includes dependence on covariates and spatially varying seasonal and long-term trends and a “residual” that accounts for spatially correlated deviations from the mean model. The model accommodates complex spatio-temporal patterns by characterizing the temporal trend at each location as a linear combination of empirically derived temporal basis functions, and embedding the spatial fields of coefficients for the basis functions in separate linear regression models with spatially correlated residuals (universal kriging). This approach allows us to implement a scalable single-stage estimation procedure that easily accommodates a significant number of missing observations at some monitoring locations. We apply the model to predict long-term average concentrations of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from 2005 to 2007 in the Los Angeles area, based on data from 18 EPA Air Quality System regulatory monitors. The cross-validated IR2 is 0.67. The MESA Air study is also collecting additional concentration data as part of a supplementary monitoring campaign. We describe the sampling plan and demonstrate in a simulation study that the additional data will contribute to improved predictions of long-term average concentrations. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Getting to the edge: protein dynamical networks as a new frontier in plant-microbe interactions.

A systems perspective on diverse phenotypes, mechanisms of infection, and responses to environmental stresses can lead to considerable advances in agriculture and medicine. A significant promise of systems biology within plants is the development of disease-resistant crop varieties, which would maximize yield output for food, clothing, building materials and biofuel production. A systems or “-omics” perspective frames the next frontier in the search for enhanced knowledge of plant network biology. The functional understanding of network structure and dynamics s is vital to expanding our knowledge of how the intercellular communication processes are executed. . This review article will systematically discuss various levels of organization of systems biology beginning with the building blocks termed “–omes” and ending with complex transcriptional and protein-protein interaction networks. We will also highlight the prevailing computational modeling approaches of biological regulatory network dynamics. The latest developments in the “-omics” approach will be reviewed and discussed to underline and highlight novel technologies and research directions in plant network biology.
From Discourse to Discord: Quality and Dramedy at the End of the Classic Network System

This article examines the struggle for cultural authority that occurred in critical and industrial discourse surrounding the so-called “dramedies” that premiered on network television in 1987, The ...
Viability of virtual reality exposure therapy as a treatment alternative

Virtual reality (VR) has garnered the interest of many scientific communities over the last decade. One promising track of research lies in VR exposure therapy (VRET), where gradual exposure to a negative stimulus is used to reduce anxiety. Virtual exposure is desirable in many situations, as it can be less intimidating and less expensive than traditional in vivo treatment with much the same success. Examining the benefits and drawbacks of VRET is an important first step toward an accurate assessment of its viability as a treatment alternative. This paper will review current literature on the topic of VRET and answer several questions regarding the viability of the treatment. It will also provide some additional research direction for improving the case for mainstreaming VRET.
Putting social context into text: The semiotics of e-mail interaction

E‐mail excludes the multiple nonlinguistic cues and gestures that facilitate face‐to‐face communication. How, then, should interaction in a text‐based context be understood? The authors analyze the problems and solutions experienced by a research panel that communicated over e‐mail and face‐to‐face for 18 months, evaluating both kinds of exchanges alongside survey and interview data. Semiotic and linguistic theory is used to expose essential properties associated with the successful communication of meaning in each context. The authors find that e‐mail requires the cultivation of new techniques for specifically conveying the “pragmatic information” that connects the meaning of words to their users. Such information is assigned in e‐mail through the use of what are termed emphatic, referential, and characterizing semiotic tactics. These tactics are also evident in sustained online interactions studied by other researchers. This theoretical vocabulary represents an alternative to the dominant sociological c...
The Development of β-Adrenergic Receptor Antagonists for the Treatment of Heart Failure: A Paradigm for Translational Science

Francis Collins recently pointed out that “[d]espite dramatic advances in the molecular pathogenesis of disease, translation of basic biomedical research into safe and effective clinical applications remains a slow, expensive, and failure-prone endeavor.”1 The field of heart failure is a perfect example. Drug development for the treatment of heart failure is littered with good ideas that have not moved from the research bench to the clinical arena as well as compounds that showed great promise in the laboratory and in early phase II trials (vesnarinone and etanercept)2,3 but were complete disappointments in large phase III clinical trials.4,5 In this issue of Circulation Research , Michael Bristow describes the pathways that led to the successful development of and wide-spread utilization of β-adrenergic receptor (AR) antagonists (β-blockers) for the treatment of heart failure.6 This story provides a quintessential example of how the clinical and translational sciences can inform and facilitate drug discovery through a close linkage between basic science and clinical investigation, a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach to drug development and a recognition that the translational highway is bidirectional. The development of β-blockers for the treatment of heart failure was built on a strong foundation that interlaced basic science discoveries with critical observations from investigator-initiated clinical research. Critical observations from the laboratory included the recognition that left ventricular dysfunction was associated with an increase in adrenergic drive,7,8 the observation that the administration of an adrenergic agonist could recapitulate the heart failure phenotype,9,10 the finding that there were functional β1- and β2-ARs on the ventricular myocardium, and that …
Modeling merchandise returns in direct marketing

Abstract Returns are a significant problem for many direct marketers. New models to more accurately explain and predict returns, as well as models that will allow accurate scoring of customers and merchandise for return propensity, would be useful in an industry where returns can exceed 20 percent of sales. We offer a split adjusted hazard model as an alternative to simple regression of return times. We explain why the hazard model is robust and offer an example of its estimation using data of actual returns from an apparel direct marketer.
ACTH Neurons, Stress and Behavior: A Synthesis

Recent discoveries in the field of neuropeptides have made it clear that these molecules play many important roles in regulation of brain function (Krieger, 1983). Although it had been suggested as early as 1953 by Lembeck that substance P (SP) may be a neurotransmitter, progress in the neuropeptide field was slight until the major impetus provided in 1975 by the discovery of enkephalins and endorphins. Since that time the literature has been filled with a flood of often confusing data from which, however, much important new information can be gleaned. Progress in the opioid area has been particularly rapid. It is now well established that s-endorphin and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) are synthesized together in one protein precursor (Mains et al., 1977), and that the brain contains a set of ACTH-endorphin (ACTH-End) neurons completely distinct from the pituitary (Watson et al., 1978b). Although there has been considerable speculation about the role or roles of this brain ACTH-End system, only recently has it become possible to synthesize from the available data a reasoned hypothesis as to what that role may be.
Recombinant growth hormone: A new cardiovascular drug therapy

GH has an important role in normal cardiovascular physiologic functioning, working indirectly through effects on IGF-1. An excess or deficiency of GH causes an increased rate of cardiovascular disease, including cardiomyopathy. A relative GH deficiency in older subjects may also increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality risk. In replacement doses, GH can enhance myocardial contractility; can decrease peripheral vascular resistance; and can reduce total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol values and fibrinogen and PAI levels. These effects of GH, coupled with the ability to improve skeletal muscle function and reduce adiposity, make it an attractive treatment for patients with CHF and a potential maintenance drug for elderly people. Clinical trials, including studies with GHRH that may reduce the adverse effects of GH therapy, such as hyperglycemia and hypertension, are now in progress.
Parametric Modeling for Store Separation Aerodynamics using System Identification

Combat aircraft utilize expendable stores such as missiles, bombs, ares, and external tanks to execute their missions. Safe and acceptable separation of these stores from the parent aircraft is essential for meeting the mission objectives. The nonuniform ow eld surrounding the aircraft results in spatially variant aerodynamics of the store during separation, requiring specialized data from CFD and/or wind tunnel testing to enable accurate trajectory predictions. When aerodynamic data are available, system identication may be used to develop a parametric model that captures the salient features of the store separation aerodynamics in an analytical form. This is demonstrated through application of system identication to determine a spatially variant aerodynamic model based on wind tunnel data for a representative store separating from an F-16 aircraft. In particular, a variable coecient multivariate polynomial model structure is postulated to describe the aerodynamics, simulated maneuvers are prescribed using multi-sine inputs, a suitable model structure is determined using orthogonal polynomials, and parameters are estimated using the equation error method. The result is a compact parametric model suitable for sensitivity analysis, trajectory prediction, trajectory optimization, and control system design. Comparisons with ight test data for multiple ight conditions indicate the parametric model performs exceptionally well.
Independently Addressable Silicon Microcavity Plasma Arrays

Summary form only given. Addressable microcavity plasma devices with three electrode, dielectric barrier designs have been fabricated in 20 times 20 or 50 times 50 device arrays in Si and characterized in Ne, Ne/Xe, and Ar/D2 gas mixtures. Each device comprises two metal electrode layers, a dielectric stack, and an inverted square pyramid microcavity having an emitting aperture of 50 times 50 mum2 100 times 100 mum2. In this device structure, Si microcavity serves as the mold or backbone for subsequent processing. Arrays with filling factors of 11% and 25% (for (100 mum)2 and (50 mum)2 device arrays, respectively) and a crossed electrode geometry exhibit operating voltages in Ne of ~220-300 V (RMS) when driven by a 20 kHz sinusoidal driving voltage. Displacement currents are ~50% of those for previous Si microplasma device arrays and, when exciting the array with 100-140 V pulses, the risetime of the wavelength-integrated fluorescence is observed to be <600 ns for pure Ne or Ne/5%Xe gas mixtures at a pressure of 700 Torr. A full address and sustain pulse sequence has also been demonstrated with the three electrode device structure. The voltage margin and discharge delay were measured with several different device geometries and discharge properties of an addressed microcavity will be discussed.
New imaging tools for the diagnosis of infection.

Infection imaging became widespread in 1971 with the release of 67Ga citrate. Multiphase skeletal scintigraphy and radiolabeled white blood cells (WBCs) have since become the most widespread clinically used agents for the imaging of infection. A wide variety of other radiolabeled probes are under investigation, based on antibodies, cytokines, assorted proteins and other molecules, alone or in various combinations. However, these latter agents, with a few exceptions, are not routinely used clinically. Radiolabeled ciprofloxacin represents the first attempt to develop an infection-specific imaging agent (most infection-imaging probes localized nonspecifically to inflammation as well), but it has not proven superior to radiolabeled WBCs or 18F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose (FDG) PET. Because of the ability to combine exquisite anatomic detail with focal uptake of 18F-FDG, PET–computed tomography has achieved great success in the detection and localization of infection, including in clinically adverse conditions. Desp...
Efficient image correspondence measurements in airborne applications using inertial navigation sensors

This paper presents a computationally efficient method for the measurement of a dense image correspondence vector field using supplementary data from an inertial navigation sensor. The application is suited to airborne imaging systems (such as on a UAV) where size, weight, and power restrictions limit the amount of onboard processing available. The limited processing will typically exclude the use of traditional, but expensive, optical flow algorithms such as Lucas-Kanade. Alternately, the measurements from an inertial navigation sensor lead to a closed-form solution to the correspondence field. Airborne platforms are also well suited to this application because they already possess inertial navigation sensors and global positioning systems (GPS) as part of their existing avionics package. We derive the closed form solution for the image correspondence vector field based on the inertial navigation sensor data. We then show experimentally that the inertial sensor solution outperforms traditional optical flow methods both in processing speed and accuracy.
Prediction of Mechanical Properties of Polymers With Various Force Fields

The effect of force field type on the predicted elastic properties of a polyimide is examined using a multiscale modeling technique. Molecular Dynamics simulations are used to predict the atomic structure and elastic properties of the polymer by subjecting a representative volume element of the material to bulk and shear finite deformations. The elastic properties of the polyimide are determined using three force fields: AMBER, OPLS-AA, and MM3. The predicted values of Young’s modulus and shear modulus of the polyimide are compared with experimental values. The results indicate that the mechanical properties of the polyimide predicted with the OPLS-AA force field most closely matched those from experiment. The results also indicate that while the complexity of the force field does not have a significant effect on the accuracy of predicted properties, small differences in the force constants and the functional form of individual terms in the force fields determine the accuracy of the force field in predicting the elastic properties of the polyimide.
Biomechanical Inferences about the Origins of Bipedal Locomotion from Ancient African Femora

Reported here are the diaphyseal cross-sectional geometrical properties of two fossilized femora from Kenya dated at 6 Ma (million years ago), designated as the taxon Orrorin tugenensis. These femora are sampled at a temporal level near the divergence of ape and human lineages. The geometric properties of the bones are compared with previous findings from SK 82 and SK 97, hominid fossils from 2 million years later, and a sample of extant humans from Pecos Pueblo, N. M. The Orrorin femoral specimens BAR 1002’00 and BAR 1003’00 are notably robust, exhibiting cross-sectional areas with relatively high percentages of cortical bone in comparison to a contemporary sample. Total cross-sectional area is markedly smaller for BAR 1002’00 and BAR 1003’00 than for either of the Swartkrans early hominid proximal femora or the Pecos Pueblo sample, but %CA of the two Kenyan fossil femurs are comparable to those from Swartkrans and one third higher than the modern sample. Despite their relatively thicker cortical areas B...
Insulin and glucose regulation

Abnormally high or low blood glucose and insulin concentrations after standardized glucose tolerance tests can reflect disorders such as pituitary dysfunction, polysaccharide storage myopathies, and other clinical disorders. Glucose and insulin responses, however, are modified by the diet to which the animal has adapted, time since it was last fed, and what it was fed. Body fat (obesity), fitness level, physiologic status, and stress also alter glucose and insulin metabolism. Therefore, it is important to consider these factors when evaluating glucose and insulin tests, especially if only one sample it taken. This article describes the factors affecting glucose and insulin metabolism in horses and how they might influence the interpretation of standardized tests of glucose tolerance.
The in situ growth rates of some deep‐living oceanic dinoflagellates: Pyrocystis fusiformis and Pyrocystis noctiluca1

Division rates of Pyrocystis spp. were estimated for natural populations by determining the proportions of dividing cells produced each day. In Mona Passage (West Indies ), P. fusiformis and P. noctiluca appeared to divide fastest at 80-100 m, the depth of their maximum cell concentration. Pyrocystis noctiluca divided at about the same rate in the mixed layer as in the. thermocline, while P. fusiformis divided much more slowly in the mixed layer than below. In culture, reproductive stages of both species were negatively buoyant, but vegetative cells were positively buoyant. The effect of such buoyancy diffcrences (and the rising and sinking rates which result from them) on the estimation of natural division rates was apparently negligible in the mixed layer and of some importance in the more stable waters of the thermocline. Pyroccystis noctiluca and P. fusifmnis are oceanic dinoflagellates common to regions whcrc surface Gnmcratures are above 20°C and seawattir is indiluted by land runoff (Taylor 1973). D uring the asexual reproduction cycle of these species, morphologically distinct reproductive bodies develop within the parent cell wall. Usually two reproductive bodies are formed, but instances of single reproductive body formation are not uncommon (Swift and Durbin 1971). The frequency of n&w cells produced daily in a natural population, the “percent daily augmentation” ( Gran 1912)) can be estimated from the frequency of cells containing two re’productivc bodies. In this way we have estimated doubling times for populations of Pyrocystis species within the mixed layer ( Swift and Durbin 1972). At a station in the equatorial Pacific Ocean with only lo-15 m of superficial wind-mixed layer, Sukhanova and Rudyakov ( 1973) found that the mean depth of vegetative cells of P. noctiluca was ca. 70 m while that of cells containing rcproductivc bodies was ca. 120 m. They suggest&d that if the reproductive state was accompanied by an increase in density, acccler1 This work was supported by funds from the Oceanography Section of the National Science Foundation ( grant GA30893h). ’ Present address : Battelle Columbus Laboratories, William F. Clapp Laboratories, Inc., Washington Street, Duxbury, Massachusetts 02332. ated sinking of the reproductive cells could explain the vertical separation of the two cell types. They also noted that if the reproductive process took place within a period of several hours, as they expected, the sinking rates of the reproductive cells would be unusually fast for cells of their size (Smayda 1970). IIerc, we have used laboratory cultures to cstimatc sinking rat& of different stages in the cell cycle. In addition, we have extended our studies to depths OF 200 m, below the’ mixed layer, and examined some field populations to see to what cxtent a vertical displacement of vegetative and reproductive cells might affect our cstimates of in situ division rates.
Weighted abundance-constrained linear spectral mixture analysis

Linear spectral mixture analysis (LSMA) has been used in a wide range of applications. It is generally implemented without constraints due to mathematical tractability. However, it has been shown that constrained LSMA can improve unconstrained LSMA, specifically in quantification when accurate estimates of abundance fractions are necessary. As constrained LSMA is considered, two constraints are generally imposed on abundance fractions, abundance sum-to-one constraint (ASC) and abundance nonnegativity constraint (ANC), referred to as abundance-constrained LSMA (AC-LSMA). A general and common approach to solving AC-LSMA is to estimate abundance fractions in the sense of least squares error (LSE) while satisfying the imposed constraints. Since the LSE resulting from each individual band in abundance estimation is not weighted in accordance with significance of bands, the effect caused by the LSE is then assumed to be uniform over all the bands, which is generally not necessarily true. This paper extends the commonly used AC-LSMA to three types of weighted AC-LSMA resulting from three different signal processing perspectives, parameter estimation, pattern classification, and orthogonal subspace projection. As demonstrated by experiments, the weighted AC-LSMA generally performs better than unweighted AC-LSMA which can be considered as a special case of our proposed weighted AC-LSMA with the weighting matrix chosen to be the identity matrix.
Anesthetic Considerations and Surgical Caveats for Awake Airway Surgery

The evolution of novel techniques for the treatment of laryngeal pathology has led to a significant expansion of the role of diagnostic assessment and the range of laryngeal procedures performed. These procedures typically benefit from an anesthetic approach that diverges from a standard general endotracheal or laryngeal mask airway-based inhalational anesthetic. The shared airway, need for intraoperative assessment of vocal cord function, risk of airway fire, and desire for rapid emergence and discharge are all important factors. In this article the authors undertake a collaborative anesthesia-surgical discussion of anesthetic management for airway procedures that are optimally performed with a spontaneously breathing, cooperative patient. An overview of pharmacologic approaches to airway anesthesia and cooperative sedation, followed by a discussion on the surgical requirements and anesthetic goals of commonly performed procedures, are presented.
High-density integration of carbon nanotubes via chemical self-assembly

Ion-exchange chemistry can be used to fabricate arrays of individually positioned carbon nanotubes with a density as high as 109 cm−2.
A seamless integration in object-oriented database systems

A discussion is given on the use of object-oriented database systems for supporting database applications such as office information systems, knowledge-based systems, engineering design databases, (computer-aided design/manufacturing), hypermedia and software engineering databases. Typically, the research on object-oriented database systems has been addressed from two different disciplines: the programming language discipline and the database discipline. The author discusses his motivations from each of the two disciplines and then explains how they are combined into an integrated framework. >
Nefopam excretion in human milk.

Human milk and plasma samples were obtained from five healthy nursing mothers who were taking nefopam hydrochloride (60 mg four-hourly) for post-episiotomy pain. Concentrations of nefopam were quantified in milk and plasma paired samples, taken daily from birth for 5 days, by a specific paired-ion reverse phase h.p.l.c. method. Although nefopam was present in human milk in an equivalent concentration to plasma (milk: plasma ratio 1.2 +/- 0.7, mean +/- s.d.), the likely infant exposure was less than 0.05 mg kg-1 day-1 which, on a body weight basis, would be less than 3% of the maternal dose.
The Role of Wave Breaking, Linear Instability, and PV Transports in Model Block Onset *

Abstract To understand mechanisms responsible for the onset of atmospheric blocks, the authors study model blocks that form in a two-layer isentropic primitive equation model. The latter includes diabatic heating, parameterized as a Newtonian relaxation of the actual interface toward an equilibrium interface, and a zonal wavenumber-2 orography. The study concentrates on four different blocking events. One of the blocks is present in the control run, while the remaining three are excited by appropriate perturbation of the model’s state vector at preselected times when the prevailing flows are classified as zonal. With the parameter calibration chosen in this investigation two phases in the formation of the blocks are conveniently identified: The first phase consists of the formation of cutoff or nearly cutoff cyclones in the upper layer at low latitudes, and the second phase features a rapid intensification of the upper-layer blocking ridge, accompanied by advection of high potential vorticity (PV) beneath...
β2-microglobulin normalization within 6 months of ibrutinib-based treatment is associated with superior progression-free survival in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

BACKGROUND A high pretreatment β2-microglobulin (B2M) level is associated with inferior survival outcomes in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. However, to the authors' knowledge, the prognostic and predictive significance of changes in B2M during treatment have not been reported to date. METHODS The authors analyzed 83 patients treated with ibrutinib-based regimens (66 with recurrent/refractory disease) and 198 treatment-naive patients who were treated with combined fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (FCR) to characterize changes in B2M and their relationship with clinical outcomes. RESULTS B2M rapidly decreased during treatment with ibrutinib; on multivariable analysis, patients who received FCR (odds ratio, 0.40; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.18-0.90 [P = .027]) were less likely to have normalized B2M at 6 months than patients treated with ibrutinib. On univariable analysis, normalization of B2M was associated with superior progression-free survival (PFS) from the 6-month landmark in patients treated with ibrutinib-based regimens and FCR. On multivariable analysis, failure to achieve normalized B2M at 6 months of treatment was associated with inferior PFS (hazard ratio, 16.9; 95% CI, 1.3-220.0 [P = .031]) for patients treated with ibrutinib, after adjusting for the effects of baseline B2M, stage of disease, fludarabine-refractory disease, and del(17p). In contrast, in patients treated with FCR, negative minimal residual disease status in the bone marrow was the only variable found to be significantly associated with superior PFS (hazard ratio, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.12-0.67 [P = .004]). CONCLUSIONS Normalization of B2M at 6 months in patients treated with ibrutinib was found to be a useful predictor of subsequent PFS and may assist in clinical decision-making. Cancer 2015. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
PON1 as a model for integration of genetic, epigenetic, and expression data on candidate susceptibility genes.

Recent genome- and epigenome-wide studies demonstrate that the DNA methylation is controlled in part by genetics, highlighting the importance of integrating genetic and epigenetic data. To better understand molecular mechanisms affecting gene expression, we used the candidate susceptibility gene paraoxonase 1 (PON1) as a model to assess associations of PON1 genetic polymorphisms with DNA methylation and arylesterase activity, a marker of PON1 expression. PON1 has been associated with susceptibility to obesity, cardiovascular disease, and pesticide exposure. In this study, we assessed DNA methylation in 18 CpG sites located along PON1 shores, shelves, and its CpG island in blood specimens collected from newborns and 9-year-old children participating (n = 449) in the CHAMACOS birth cohort study. The promoter polymorphism, PON1-108 , was strongly associated with methylation, particularly for CpG sites located near the CpG island (P << 0.0005). Among newborns, these relationships were even more pronounced after adjusting for blood cell composition. We also observed significant decreases in arylesterase activity with increased methylation at the same nine CpG sites at both ages. Using causal mediation analysis, we found statistically significant indirect effects of methylation (β(95% confidence interval): 6.9(1.5, 12.4)) providing evidence that DNA methylation mediates the relationship between PON1-108 genotype and PON1 expression. Our findings show that integration of genetic, epigenetic, and expression data can shed light on the functional mechanisms involving genetic and epigenetic regulation of candidate susceptibility genes like PON1.
What Kind of Right is 'The Right to Vote?'

The right to vote is a deceptively complex legal and moral right. Perhaps because the right is considered so foundational to democratic self-governance, it is tempting to assume the right has an essential core concept that is relatively obvious and widely shared. But the right to vote is considerably more elusive and conceptually difficult than most constitutional rights. Indeed, it is the most complex of all constitutional rights. Not only does the right to vote protect several different core interests, but these interests are also qualitatively distinct. Put in other terms, there is not one right to vote, but several. Analogies to other constitutional rights might be apt when the right to vote functions to protect certain interests, but misguided when the right to vote instead functions to protect other, qualitatively distinct interests. This explores one dimension of the right to vote, its protection of aggregative interests that groups of voters hold as members of particular groups. Responding to work of Adam Cox, this essay notes novel ways of conceiving this aggregative interest that policymakers might adopt. These includes systems such as storable voting, which enable aggregation over time, and systems that enable voters to choose in which of many potentially relevant local jurisdictions they might vote, which enable aggregation across jurisdictionally boundary lines.
The Case of Three Karen Refugee Women and Their Children: Literacy Practices in a Family Literacy Context

ABSTRACTThe lack of research about the Karen, one of 135 ethnic groups from Myanmar limits literacy educators charged with educating this refugee population in public schools. In this case study the authors explore the literacy practices of Karen families when at school and in their homes and within an ESL family literacy program. The case of these refugee families and their experiences are analyzed within a sociocultural theoretical framework along with a focus on literacy adaptation through the lenses of cross-cultural studies, adult and language teachers involved in literacy practices, and literacy studies. Four core themes emerged from participant observation, including adult/parent learners’ engagement with memorization, parents’ literacy practices through reading texts aloud (recitation) to improve their speaking skills, and parents’ use of computers to engage with American media. The study offers important educational understandings of one of the world’s least known diaspora.
The ages of the X-Men: essays on the children of the atom in changing times, edited by Joseph J. Darowski

Joseph J. Darowksi’s The Ages of the X-Men is a welcome contribution to what is a very complicated corner of comics scholarship: the superhero narrative. While there certainly has been a boom in wr...
Introducing software defined radio to 4G wireless: Necessity, advantage, and impediment

This work summarizes the current state of the art in software radio for 4G systems. Specifically, this work demonstrates that classic radio structures, e.g., heterodyne reception, homodyne reception, and their improved implementations, are inadequate selections for multi-mode reception. This opens the door to software defined radio, a novel reception architecture which promises ease in multi-band, multi-protocol design. The work presents the many advantages of such an architecture, including flexibility, reduced cost via component reduction, and improved reliability via, e.g., the elimination of environmental instability. The work also explains the limitations that currently curtail the widespread use of SDR, including issues surrounding A/D converters, management of software and power, and clock generation. This provides direction for future research to enable the broad applicability of SDR in 4G cellular and beyond.
Association patterns of visually-observed cattle on Montana, USA foothill rangelands

Abstract Cattle on extensive rangelands typically graze in smaller groups rather than as one large herd. The objective of this study was to examine the strength of social associations among cattle in different sized herds. Associations among individual pairs of cows (i.e., dyads) on rangelands were determined from 12 to 15 early-morning visual observations during the summer months from 1997 to 2001. Strength of associations was assessed at group (i.e., cows that were within 30 m of other cows) and pasture section (i.e., cows within the same general pasture area) spatial scales by determining Half-Weight Index (HWI) association values for all dyads with the association software program SOCPROG 2.4. Herds with 40 or less cows exhibited association patterns that were not different (P
Virtual Family Meetings in the ICU Setting (P02.215)

Objective: To improve the quality of family meetings in the ICU by utilizing audiovisual technology. Background Family meetings in the ICU are crucial to determine the desired outcome for a patient who is often no longer competent or able to communicate. A common limitation is the absence of family members for geographical or temporal reasons. Through the use of audiovisual technology, such as Skype videoconferencing or conference calls, it is possible to bridge this gap. Design/Methods: This is a prospective, non-blinded, non-randomized cohort study. During phase 1 a six question survey was completed by family members and health care professionals after family meetings in our ICU. In phase 2 we will administer the same survey for family meetings that utilize Skype videoconferencing or conference calls. We will also measure data points that are relevant to an average ICU admission. Results: 37 family members completed the survey during phase 1. There was a high level of approval for the family meetings, with 62% of respondents strongly agreeing that they were satisfied with the meeting and 73% strongly agreeing that they were able to agree upon the patient9s wishes. However, 40% agreed that other family members could have been present and 19% felt that there were unresolved issues at the end of the meeting. Conclusions: The use of audiovisual technology during ICU family meetings has not been previously studied. Phase 1 data demonstrates that while the current level of satisfaction with family meetings in our ICU is high, a significant proportion of respondents felt there were unresolved issues at the end of the meeting and that the presence of additional family members was desired. We hypothesize that audiovisual technology will increase participant satisfaction and decrease the amount of time needed to arrive at important decisions, which could shorten ICU admissions and potentially alleviate patient and family suffering. Disclosure: Dr. De Havenon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Petersen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hoesch has nothing to disclose.
Ridge-push force and the state of stress in the Nubia-Somalia plate system

We assessed the relative contribution of ridge-push forces to the stress state of the Nubia-Somalia plate system by comparing ridge-push forces with lithospheric strength in the oceanic part of the plate, based on estimates from plate cooling and rheological models. The ridge-push forces were derived from the thermal state of the oceanic lithosphere, seafloor depth, and crustal age data. The results of the comparison show that the magnitude of the ridge-push forces is less than the integrated strength of the oceanic part of the plate. This implies that the oceanic part of the plate is very little deformed; thus, the ridge-push forces may be compensated by significant strain rates outside the oceanic parts of the plate. We used an elastic finite element analysis of geoid gradients of the upper mantle to evaluate stresses associated with the gravitational potential energy of the surrounding ridges and show that these stresses may be transmitted through the oceanic part of the plate, with little modulation in magnitude, before reaching the continental regions. We therefore conclude that the present-day stress fields in continental Africa can be viewed as the product of the gravitational potential energy of the ridge ensemble surrounding the plate in conjunction with lateral variations in lithospheric structure within the continent regions.
Capillitial Formation in Arcyria Cinerea

The capillitial system in Arcyria cinerea originates from an anastomosing system of elongated vacuolar elements. This system forms very early in the development of the sporangium and assumes the po...
From Autonomous Technology to Technological Politics——A Research on the Idea of Technological Philosophy of Langdon Winner and Its Inspiration

The idea on philosophical technology and technological politics of Langdon Winner is explored in this paper.And with the start point of the idea on autonomous technology,the paper analyzes its origins and its presentations.After that,on the basis of the research on the two forms of technology as political phenomenon,the paper examines the idea of technological politics proposed by Langdon Winner,including the intrinsically political essence of technology,the features of technology as political phenomenon as well as the possibility of the control of technology.Based on the above,it is suggested that technology has become our forms of life and we need to further consider the issues about the democratic control of technology.
Detection of Pulpal Blood Flow In Vivo with Pulse Oximetry in Dogs

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the ability of pulse oximetry to detect blood flow within the canine tooth of dogs. Materials and methods: Dogs aged 18-138 months presenting for oral treatment and meeting the inclusion criteria underwent pulse oximetry evaluation of at least one canine tooth. Oxygen saturation (SpO2) and pulse rate values were acquired from vital canine teeth of 38 clinical patients (representing 40 total teeth) with a hand-held pulse oximeter and compared to a control area. SpO2 values from the tooth and control area were recorded every 5 seconds for three 60-second intervals. The sensors were repositioned after each 60-second interval. Results: The vital teeth consistently recorded SpO2 values significantly lower than the control area. The mean vital tooth SpO2 was 85.9% (median = 87%; SD = 8.6) and the mean control area SpO2 was 97.7% (median = 98%; SD = 1.8). An age-related significant difference was noted in vital tooth SpO2 values. Conclusions: In conclusion, the present data supports the possible use of pulse oximetry to detect blood flow in canine teeth. However, there was no significant correlation between SpO2 values in the vital tooth and in the control areas. Additionally, the results were not definitive and validation of the modality with additional studies of non-vital canine teeth is needed before clinical use can be recommended.
Engineering bacteriophage for a pragmatic low-resource setting bacterial diagnostic platform

Bacteriophages represent multifaceted building blocks that can be incorporated as substitutes for, or in unison with other detection methods, to create powerful new diagnostics for the detection of bacteria. The ease of phage manipulation, production, and detection speed clearly highlights that there remains unrealized opportunities to leverage these phage-based components in diagnostics amenable to resource-limited settings. The passage of regulations like the Food Safety Modernization act, and the ever increasing extent of global trade and travel, will create further demand for these types of diagnostics. While phage-based diagnostics have begun to entering the market place, further research is needed to ensure the potential benefits of phage-based technologies for public health are fully realized. We are just beginning to explore the possibilities that phage-based detection can offer us in the future. The combination of engineered phages as well as engineered enzymes could result in ultrasensitive detection systems for low-resource settings. Because the reporter enzyme is synthesized in vivo, we need to consider the options outside of normal enzyme reporters. In this case, common enzyme issues such as purification and long-term stability are less important. Phage-based diagnostics were conceptualized from out-of-the box thinking and the evolution of these systems should be as well.
Cytomegalovirus retinitis in persons with AIDS. Selecting therapy for a sight-threatening disease.

Preview Almost one third of persons with AIDS acquire retinitis caused by the opportunistic cytomegalovirus (CMV). Both ganciclovir and foscamet have been approved for treatment of CMV retinitis and are equally effective. However, their side effects are not the same, and each may have a different impact on the overall course of HIV infection and AIDS. The drug chosen should be administered promptly when sight-threatening disease is diagnosed to ensure maximal vision for the longest time.
Analysis of Transitional and Turbulent Flow Through the FDA Benchmark Nozzle Model Using Laser Doppler Velocimetry

Transitional and turbulent flow through a simplified medical device model is analyzed as part of the FDA's Critical Path Initiative, designed to improve the process of bringing medical products to market. Computational predictions are often used in the development of devices and reliable in vitro data is needed to validate computational results, particularly estimations of the Reynolds stresses that could play a role in damaging blood elements. The high spatial resolution of laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) is used to collect two component velocity data within the FDA benchmark nozzle model. Two flow conditions are used to produce flow encompassing laminar, transitional, and turbulent regimes, and viscous stresses, principal Reynolds stresses, and turbulence intensities are calculated from the measured LDV velocities. Axial velocities and viscous stresses are compared to data from a prior inter-laboratory study conducted with particle image velocimetry. Large velocity gradients are observed near the wall in the nozzle throat and in the jet shear layer located in the expansion downstream of the throat, with axial velocity changing as much as 4.5 m/s over 200 μm. Additionally, maximum Reynolds shear stresses of 1000-2000 Pa are calculated in the high shear regions, which are an order of magnitude higher than the peak viscous shear stresses (<100 Pa). It is important to consider the effects of both viscous and turbulent stresses when simulating flow through medical devices. Reynolds stresses above commonly accepted hemolysis thresholds are measured in the nozzle model, indicating that hemolysis may occur under certain flow conditions. As such, the presented turbulence quantities from LDV, which are also available for download at https://fdacfd.nci.nih.gov/ , provide an ideal validation test for computational simulations that seek to characterize the flow field and to predict hemolysis within the FDA nozzle geometry.