cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Entropy mapping of the outer electron radiation belt between the magnetotail and geosynchronous orbit

[1] The specific entropy (entropy density) S is examined for the outer electron radiation belt at geosynchronous orbit and for the energetic electron population in the Earth's magnetotail. The outer electron radiation belt is measured with the SOPA detectors on board six geosynchronous satellites and the energetic electrons of the magnetotail are measured with instrumentation on board 12 Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) with a magnetic field model used to map the GPS orbit to the magnetotail. Density n and temperature T values are determined from relativistic Maxwellian fits to the electron measurements, enabling the specific entropy S to be calculated. For low temperatures the nonrelativstic specific entropy is S = T/n2/3; for a relativistic Maxwellian distribution a relativistically correct expression for S = S(T,n) is derived and used. The outer electron radiation belt at geosynchronous orbit local midnight (n ∼ 3 × 10−4 cm−3 and T ∼ 140 keV) and the energetic-electron population in the magnetotail (n ∼ 1 × 10−4 cm−3 and T ∼ 50 keV) statistically have the same specific entropy. Hence the two populations are probably the same. This implies adiabatic transport (1) from the magnetotail to the dipole (where the magnetotail electrons are the source of the outer electron radiation belt) or (2) from the dipole to the magnetotail (where the magnetotail electrons are leakage from the radiation belt).
Radiolarian and silicoflagellate response to oceanographic changes associated with the 1983 El Niño

Strong seasonal signals in fluxes and composition of siliceous microfossils have been recorded in sediment traps from two sites in the equatorial Pacific, deployed from December 1982 to March 1984. During the early part of the sampling period, the 1982–83 El Nino event had a profound effect on the radiolaria and silico-flagellates within these two areas. During the El Nino, the radio-larian trap assemblages at Site C (1° N, 139° W) most resembled faunal assemblages in western equatorial Pacific sediments, whereas the trap assemblages resembled equatorial divergence sediments in the latter half of the period. At Site S (11° N, 140° W), the radiolaria and silicoflagellate species can be correlated with organic carbon fluxes. In general, silicoflagellate shell fluxes are correlated to total opal fluxes where radiolarian fluxes do not exhibit this relationship. Approximately 20–25% of the total count of radiolaria in traps are not present in underlying sediments with a significant loss of the weakly silicified forms. However, the comparison of trap sample assemblages with underlying sediments reported here shows that dissolution does not alter relative abundances of the fossil species used in palaeoclimatic reconstructions. A significant difference is observed between the silicoflagellate trap assemblage and the underlying sediment assemblage.
Genetic deletions between directly repeated sequences in bacteriophage T7.

DNA sequence analysis of genetic deletions in bacteriophage T7 has shown that these chromosomal rearrangements frequently occur between directly repeated DNA sequences. To study this type of spontaneous deletion in more quantitative detail synthetic fragments of DNA, made by hybridizing two complementary oligonucleotides, were introduced into the non-essential T7 gene 1.3 which codes for T7 DNA ligase. This insert blocked synthesis of functional ligase and made the phage that carried an insert unable to form plaques on a host strain deficient in bacterial ligase. The sequence of the insert was designed so that after it is put into the T7 genome the insert is bracketed by direct repeats. Perfect deletion of the insert between the directly repeated sequences results in a wild-type phage. It was found that these deletion events are highly sensitive to the length of the direct repeats at their ends. In the case of 5 bp direct repeats excision from the genome occurred at a frequency of less than 10−10, while this value for an almost identical insert bracketed by 10 bp direct repeats was approximately 10−6. The deletion events were independent of a hostrecA mutation.
Mercury(II) 2-aminoethanethiolate clusters: intramolecular transformations and mechanisms.

The combination of HgF2 and 2-aminoethanethiol (AET, with some AET·HCl present) yielded a cyclic tetranuclear thiolate, [Hg4Cl4(SCH2CH2NH2)4] (1), with alternating Hg and S atoms. The Cl from the r...
Pattern of pediatric zolpidem ingestions reported to Texas poison control centers, 2000 to 2006.

OBJECTIVES:: The purpose of this study was to describe the pattern of zolpidem ingestions by young children reported to poison control centers. METHODS:: Cases were all zolpidem ingestions by children 0 to 5 year old reported to Texas poison control centers during 2000 to 2006. Multiple substance ingestions were excluded. The distribution of cases was described with respect to such demographic and clinical factors as patient gender, ingestion reason, ingestion site, management site, and medical outcome. RESULTS:: There were a total of 463 cases, all unintentional exposures. The patient was male in 52.2% of the cases, and the exposure occurred at the patient's own home in 92.8% of the cases. The patient was managed on-site in 54.4% cases, already at or en route to a health care facility in 29.6% cases, and referred to a health care facility in 16.0% cases. Of the 322 cases with a known final medical outcome, 59.0% had no effect, 35.1% had minor effects, and 5.9% had moderate effects. CONCLUSIONS:: Pediatric ingestions of zolpidem alone reported to Texas poison control centers most frequently resulted in at most minor effects and were often managed at home. Language: en
The Effect of Substrate and Catalyst Properties on the Growth of Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotube Arrays

Self-aligned arrays of long multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) from a gas mixture of C2H4-H2-Ar-H2O at 750°C. A catalytically active alumina surfaces coated with a thin layer of iron and supported by a Si/SiO2 substrate were prepared using pulsed laser deposition method. Combinatorial approach has been used for optimization of catalytic properties of the multilayered system Si/SiO2/Al2O3/Fe. Sixteen different combinations of catalytic surfaces having thicknesses of Fe (0, 1, 2, and 3 nm), alumina (0, 10, 20 and 30 nm) per sample were deposited on two Si/SiO2 substrates with silica thickness 150 and 500 nm. To study the effect of alumina phase on efficiency of catalytic surfaces two substrate temperatures 200 and 700°C were used to produce amorphous and γ-alumina phases correspondingly. This approach allowed the optimal structure of catalytic surface to be determined from 64 different substrates on 4 samples in a single MWCNT growth experiment, for a given set of processing conditions. It was found that most efficient growth of MWCNT arrays on amorphous alumina occurred at Fe nanolayer thickness of 2 nm while catalyst having γ-alumina layer has tendency to be more efficient at higher thickness of Fe. Catalytic substrate containing amorphous alumina has less sensitivity to thickness of iron while γ-alumina based catalyst has significant variation in catalytic activity with change of iron content.
Ventilator-associated Complications, Including Infection-related Complications: The Way Forward

Acute respiratory failure represents the most common condition requiring admission to an adult intensive care unit. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) has been used as a marker of quality for patients with respiratory failure. Hospital-based process-improvement initiatives to prevent VAP have been successfully used. The use of ventilator-associated complications (VACs) has been proposed as an objective marker to assess the quality of care for this patient population. The use of evidence-based bundles targeting the reduction of VACs, as well as the conduct of prospective studies showing that VACs are preventable complications, are reasonable first-steps in addressing this important clinical problem.
Generating Information-Rich High-Throughput Experimental Materials Genomes using Functional Clustering via Multitree Genetic Programming and Information Theory

High-throughput experimental methodologies are capable of synthesizing, screening and characterizing vast arrays of combinatorial material libraries at a very rapid rate. These methodologies strategically employ tiered screening wherein the number of compositions screened decreases as the complexity, and very often the scientific information obtained from a screening experiment, increases. The algorithm used for down-selection of samples from higher throughput screening experiment to a lower throughput screening experiment is vital in achieving information-rich experimental materials genomes. The fundamental science of material discovery lies in the establishment of composition–structure–property relationships, motivating the development of advanced down-selection algorithms which consider the information value of the selected compositions, as opposed to simply selecting the best performing compositions from a high throughput experiment. Identification of property fields (composition regions with distinct composition-property relationships) in high throughput data enables down-selection algorithms to employ advanced selection strategies, such as the selection of representative compositions from each field or selection of compositions that span the composition space of the highest performing field. Such strategies would greatly enhance the generation of data-driven discoveries. We introduce an informatics-based clustering of composition-property functional relationships using a combination of information theory and multitree genetic programming concepts for identification of property fields in a composition library. We demonstrate our approach using a complex synthetic composition-property map for a 5 at. % step ternary library consisting of four distinct property fields and finally explore the application of this methodology for capturing relationships between composition and catalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction for 5429 catalyst compositions in a (Ni–Fe–Co–Ce)O_x library.
Formation of the P-R segment.

Variance of opinion among authors regarding the cause and duration of each succeeding portion of the P-R interval points out that knowledge regarding the physiologic basis for these waves is incomplete. Data regarding the P-R segment are scant in electrocardiographic literature. The necessity for precision in measurement and the need for better visualization of electrocardiographic waves to enhance their diagnostic value are illustrated by study of the generally ignored region between the P and QRS.
Biofilm and biomass characteristics in high-performance fluidized-bed biofilm reactors.

Abstract Two laboratory-scale fluidized-bed biofilm reactors (FBBRs) were used to investigate the biomass concentration and the biofilm characteristics in a high-performance FBBR used for the denitrification of exceptionally high-nitrate wastewater (1000 mg N/L). Reported correlations by other workers for predicting the biomass concentration in FBBR were examined for their validity in comparison with the experimental results of this study and the best set of applicable correlations was recommended. The effects of the two main operational parameters, the superficial velocity and nitrogen loading rate on the biomass concentration in the FBBR were also studied. Correlations for the drag coefficient and the expansion index from the literature, together with the biofilm dry density correlation produced from this study were found to produce the best prediction of the FBBR biomass concentration compared to other reported correlations. The average biomass concentration in the FBBR decreased with the increase of the superficial velocity in the range of 45–65 m/h at all applied nitrogen loadings (i.e. 6, 8, 12 and 16 kg N/m3bed d).
An Examination of the Glover Numbing Scale: Expanding the Content Validity of Posttraumatic Numbing

Quantification of posttraumatic numbing (PTN) has largely been limited to the assessment of a small number of items taken directly from the DSM. The current study takes steps to expand the content validity of PTN through examination of the Glover Numbing Scale (GNS), one of the few available measures specific to PTN. Specifically, the factor structure of the GNS and its convergence with DSM-based indices of PTN were examined in a sample of motor vehicle accident survivors (MVA; N = 288). Whereas the 5-factor structure originally proposed by Glover et al. Anxiety 1:70–79 (1994) evidenced a poor fit to the sample data, exploratory analysis suggested a 1-factor structure underlying data collected from the sample. Furthermore, GNS scores derived from this solution evidenced a strong convergent relationship with DSM-based PTN. These data suggest that alternative indicators contained within the GNS may be used to expand current conceptualizations of PTN.
Experimental Reduction of Transonic Fan Forced Response by IGV Flow Control

The main contributor to the high-cycle fatigue of compressor blades is the response to aerodynamic forcing functions generated by an upstream row of stators or inlet guide vanes. Resonant response to engine order excitation at certain rotor speeds can be especially damaging. Studies have shown that flow control by trailing edge blowing (TEB) can reduce stator wake strength and the amplitude of the downstream rotor blade vibrations generated by the unsteady stator-rotor interaction. In the present study, the effectiveness of TEB to reduce forced fan blade vibrations was evaluated in a modern single-stage transonic fan rig. Data was collected for multiple uniform full-span TEB conditions over a range of rotor speed including multiple modal resonance crossings. Resonant response sensitivity was generally characterized by a robust region of strong attenuation. The baseline resonant amplitude of the first torsion mode, which exceeded the endurance limit on the critical blade, was reduced by more than 80% with TEB at 1.0% of the total rig flow. The technique was also found to be modally robust; similar reductions were achieved for all tested modal crossings, including more than 90% reduction of the second LE bending response using 0.7% of the rig flow.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Determination of a novel gamma-secretase inhibitor in human plasma and cerebrospinal fluid using automated 96 well solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A method for determination of a gamma-secretase inhibitor, cis-3-[4-[(4-chlorophenyl)sulfonyl]-4-(2,5-difluorophenyl)cyclohexyl]propanoic acid (A), in human plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been developed to support the clinical investigation of compound A for its potential treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The method is based on HPLC with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometric detection (APCI-MS/MS) in the negative ionization mode using a heated nebulizer interface. The addition of phosphoric acid at the ratio of 10-30microL per milliliter of human plasma or CSF was required during clinical sample collection to stabilize an acylglucuronide metabolite (C), which was potentially present in human plasma and CSF. Tween 20 (10% solution) was added at the ratio of 20microL per milliliter of CSF during CSF sample collection to prevent the loss of compound A during the storage of clinical samples. The compound A and its analog internal standard (B) in treated plasma or CSF were isolated from human plasma or CSF using solid phase extraction (SPE) in the 96 well format. The isolated analyte and internal standard were chromatographed on a Phenomenex Synergi Polar RP analytical column (50mmx3.0mm, 4microm), using a mobile phase consisting of 60/40 (v/v, %) acetonitrile/water at a flow-rate of 0.5mL/min. Tandem mass spectrometric detection was performed using a Sciex API 3000 tandem mass spectrometer operated in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode using precursor to product ion transitions of 441-->175 for A and 469-->175 for B, respectively. The assays were validated over the concentration range of 0.5-200ng/mL for human plasma and CSF. Replicate analyses (n=5) of spiked standards for both assays yielded a linear response with coefficients of variation less than 7% and accuracy within 5% of the nominal concentrations. In addition, the assays were automated to improve sample throughput by utilizing a Packard Multi PROBEII automated liquid handling system and a Tom-Tec Quadra 96 system. Numerous clinical studies have been supported using these assays.
Middleware for streaming 3D progressive meshes over lossy networks

Streaming 3D graphics have been widely used in multimedia applications such as online gaming and virtual reality. However, a gap exists between the zero-loss-tolerance of the existing compression schemes and the lossy network transmissions. In this article, we propose a generic 3D middleware between the 3D application layer and the transport layer for the transmission of triangle-based progressively compressed 3D models. Significant features of the proposed middleware include. 1) handling 3D compressed data streams from multiple progressive compression techniques. 2) considering end user hardware capabilities for effectively saving the data size for network delivery. 3) a minimum cost dynamic reliable set selector to choose the transport protocol for each sublayer based on the real-time network traffic. Extensive simulations with TCP/UDP and SCTP show that the proposed 3D middleware can achieve the dual objectives of maintaining low transmission delay and small distortion, and thus supporting high quality 3D streaming with high flexibility.
Tyrosine Sulfation of Human Trypsin Steers S2’ Subsite Selectivity towards Basic Amino Acids

Human cationic and anionic trypsins are sulfated on Tyr154, a residue which helps to shape the prime side substrate-binding subsites. Here, we used phage display technology to assess the significance of tyrosine sulfation for the specificity of human trypsins. The prime side residues P1′–P4′ in the binding loop of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) were fully randomized and tight binding inhibitor phages were selected against non-sulfated and sulfated human cationic trypsin. The selection pattern for the two targets differed mostly at the P2′ position, where variants selected against non-sulfated trypsin contained primarily aliphatic residues (Leu, Ile, Met), while variants selected against sulfated trypsin were enriched also for Arg. BPTI variants carrying Arg, Lys, Ile, Leu or Ala at the P2′ position of the binding loop were purified and equilibrium dissociation constants were determined against non-sulfated and sulfated cationic and anionic human trypsins. BPTI variants harboring apolar residues at P2′ exhibited 3–12-fold lower affinity to sulfated trypsin relative to the non-sulfated enzyme, whereas BPTI variants containing basic residues at P2′ had comparable affinity to both trypsin forms. Taken together, the observations demonstrate that the tyrosyl sulfate in human trypsins interacts with the P2′ position of the substrate-like inhibitor and this modification increases P2′ selectivity towards basic side chains.
Magneto-optic study of the critical region of EuS☆

Critical exponents of the insulating ferromagnet europium sulfide are determined using the technique of Faraday rotation. Values obtained are γ = 1.06 ± 0.05, β = 0.335 ± 0.01, δ = 4.20 ± 0.1 and Tc = 16.52 ± 0.02 K. The data are found consistent with the scaling hypothesis.
Assessing the impact of human factors on data processing inspection errors

Abstract A study carried out in a large DP organization designed to identify and rank the human factors that have the greatest impact on the occurrence of inspection erros in reported. The study included the following steps: identification of relevant human factors based on the published literature on the subject; measurement of the contribution of each human factor to the various types of errors included in the study; and ranking the human factors according to their impact on the total number of errors, based on a model that ties together extent of contribution, error rates and product volume. An analysis of the sensitivity of the model to some ot its assumptions is also provided.
Structural studies and protein engineering of inositol phosphate multikinase.

Inositol phosphates (IPs) regulate vital processes in eukaryotes, and their production downstream of phospholipase C activation is controlled through a network of evolutionarily conserved kinases and phosphatases. Inositol phosphate multikinase (IPMK, also called Ipk2 and Arg82) accounts for phosphorylation of IP(3) to IP(5), as well as production of several other IP molecules. Here, we report the structure of Arabidopsis thaliana IPMKα at 2.9 A and find it is similar to the yeast homolog Ipk2, despite 17% sequence identity, as well as the active site architecture of human IP(3) 3-kinase. Structural comparison and substrate modeling were used to identify a putative basis for IPMK selectivity. To test this model, we re-engineered binding site residues predicted to have restricted substrate specificity. Using steady-state kinetics and in vivo metabolic labeling studies in modified yeast strains, we observed that K117W and K117W:K121W mutants exhibited nearly normal 6-kinase function but harbored significantly reduced 3-kinase activity. These mutants complemented conditional nutritional growth defects observed in ipmk null yeast and, remarkably, suppressed lethality observed in ipmk null flies. Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that IPMK 6-kinase activity and production of Ins(1,4,5,6)P(4) are critical for cellular signaling. Overall, our studies provide new insights into the structure and function of IPMK and utilize a synthetic biological approach to redesign inositol phosphate signaling pathways.
Influence of Triethanolamine on Aqueous β-Cyclodextrin/Pyrene Complexes

The influence of triethanolamine (TEA) on the aqueous β-CD/pyrene fluorescence is examined. Collisional quenching of pyrene by TEA is indicated by Stern-Volmer plots. However, a decrease in the quenching is observed in the presence of β-cyclodextrin, which indicates an effective protection of the included pyrene molecules against quenching from TEA. A decrease in the apparent formation constant of the β-CD/pyrene complex also occurs in the presence of TEA. This phenomenon is attributed to a combination of an increased bulk solvent hydrophobicity and a competitive equilibrium between pyrene and TEA for the β-CD cavity. The present study indicates that TEA is not co-included in the β-CD/pyrene complex.
How effective is eltrombopag for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with HCV infection

How effective is eltrombopag for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with HCV infection?
Family‐based tests for associating haplotypes with general phenotype data: Application to asthma genetics

We provide a general purpose family-based testing strategy for associating disease phenotypes with haplotypes when phase may be ambiguous and parental genotype data may be missing. These tests for linkage and association can be used in candidate gene studies with tightly linked markers. Our proposed weighted conditional approach extends the method described in Rabinowitz and Laird [Human Heredity 504:227–233, 2000] to multiple markers. It is attractive because it provides haplotype tests for family-based studies that are efficient and robust to population admixture, phenotype distribution specification, and ascertainment based on phenotypes. It can handle missing parental genotypes and/or missing phase in both offspring and parents. It yields either haplotype-specific (univariate) tests or multi-haplotype (global) tests. This extension has been implemented in the freely available software haplotype FBAT. We used the haplotype FBAT program to test for associations between asthma phenotypes and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the beta-2 adrenergic receptor gene. Whereas no single SNP showed significant association with asthma diagnosis or bronchodilator responsiveness (quantitative trait), a haplotype-based global test found a highly significant association with asthma diagnosis (P value o0.00005) and the measure of bronchodilator responsiveness (P value ¼0.016). Genet Epidemiol 26:61–69,
Face detection using templates

In the problem area of human facial image processing, the first computational task that needs to be solved is that of detecting a face under arbitrary scene conditions. Although some progress towards this has been reported in the literature, face detection remains a difficult problem. In this paper the authors report on a novel face-finding method that appears quite robust. First, "snakelets" are used to find candidate edges. Candidate ovals (face-locations) are then found from these snakelets using a voting method. For each of these candidate face-locations, the authors use a method introduced previously to find detailed facial features. If a substantial number of the facial features are found successfully, and their positions satisfy ratio-tests for being standard, the procedure positively reports the existence of a face at this location in the image.
Soft tissue augmentation using silk gels: an in vitro and in vivo study.

Background: Restoration of a three-dimensional shape with soft tissue augmentation is a challenge for surgical reconstruction and esthetic improvement of intraoral mucosa and perioral skin tissues. A connective tissue graft or free gingival graft, classically used for such indications, requires a donor site, which may lead to various clinical complications.Methods: In this article, a new three-dimensional scaffold made of silk fibroin that could be of great interest for these indications was studied. Mechanical tests were conducted to characterize the physical properties of the materials. The biocompatibility of such scaffolds was positively assessed in vitro using a combination of immunostaining, 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine proliferation assays, and histologic staining. Finally, the shaped material was grafted subcutaneously in nude mice for a long-time implantation study.Results: Human fibroblasts embedded in this material had a survival rate up to 68.4% and were able to proliferate and synthesize proteins....
Dielectrophoretic Whole Blood Separation Device Integrating a Spiral Pump and Cytometry

We propose a MEMS device which integrates a dielectrophoretic blood separation technique with a cytometer and pump for use in low cost blood analysis. Our technical analysis focuses on fluid flow, blood modeling for electrical systems and the dielectrophoresis and cytometry methods. Simulation results of the flow, separation and cytometry are presented.
Understanding personal digital music collections

In this paper we present preliminary results from a study to understand how people use and manage personal digital music collections. We conducted a survey of a cross-section of a university community including students, faculty, and staff. Our preliminary findings show that the music collections in our sample follow an exponential distribution curve both in terms of number of songs and collection size in gigabytes. Over 50% of the participants in our survey owned more than one portable music player and many of these were Apple iPods (68%). A majority of respondents (82%) listened to music on their mobile player 2--3 times per week or more, but the frequency of synchronizing mobile devices was more evenly distributed across time.
Investment Considerations Under the Prudent Investor Act: Applicable Law

The author starts with the observation that much of estate planning concerns itself with navigating the shoals of the estate and gift tax systems to bring assets safely home to the client9s desired beneficiaries. Unfortunately, this focus on the hazards of transfer often allows for scant consideration of how the assets should be managed once they are safely brought to port. It is not uncommon to provide simply that trust assets should be managed “prudently,” as that term is defined by applicable state law, for the benefit of one or more individuals for life and distributed to one or more remainder beneficiaries when the lead interest ends. The author thus addresses the legal framework of fiduciary investing, the Uniform Prudent Investor Act and its corollary act, the Uniform Principal and Income Act, which form the basic legal framework within which fiduciaries perform their duties. He also briefly addresses income tax law as it applies to trust taxation.
An enhanced polygonal finite-volume method for unstructured hybrid meshes

Irregular hybrid meshes may excessively distort the node-dual finite-volume discretization. A new scheme is formulated that uses a different type of polygonal control volume. Superior stability of the polygonal scheme over the conventional node-dual scheme is demonstrated on representative irregular hybrid meshes for incompressible viscous flow past a circular cylinder. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A physical model-based analysis of heterogeneous environments using sonar-ENDURA method

A physical model-based analysis of unstructured environments is presented using sonar as a sensing device. Previous methods have relied only on time-of-flight (TOF) methods and have examined only homogenous environments consisting of either smooth or rough surfaces. In this paper, a forward model for the reflection from a class of surfaces with varying degrees of roughness is presented based on the Kirchhoff approximation method. This model integrates different types of environments into a single analytical framework. The echo intensity is parametrized in terms of its energy content and duration, which are functions of the surface roughness, distance, and orientation. The echo-energy and echo-duration maps are introduced to display these parameters. A systematic and robust procedure (ENDURA method) is presented to analyze the reflections and to differentiate and localize the reflecting surfaces. The methodology is verified with experimental results obtained in our laboratory. The results indicate a significant improvement over conventional TOF systems. >
The Impact of Formulated Interleukin-2 / Delivery Device Surface Interactions on Bioefficacy

The interactions between a therapeutic protein and the surfaces of a delivery device may play a pivotal role in the efficacy of a recombinant protein-based biologic therapy program. Protein adsorption may induce conformational changes and aggregation, resulting in the inactivation of the protein of interest and even malfunction of the delivery device itself. We studied the interactions of formulated interleukin-2 (IL-2) with the surfaces of a commonly used pump-based delivery system at 37°C over a 24-hour period. Delivered protein concentration and bioactivity assays were performed at intervals in order to quantitate the impact of exposure time. Adsorption to the catheter tubing walls resulted in 20 to 30% reduction in the concentration of delivered IL-2 relative to the initial concentration. After 2 hours of operation, delivered IL-2 bioactivity levels fell to -10% of the initial activity levels. These activity losses were accompanied by a significant decrease in the protein’s helical content, as monitored by circular dichroism spectroscopy. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that adsorbed IL-2 had non native secondary structure contents. We hypothesize that surface-mediated IL-2 denaturation is responsible for the majority of the observed activity losses
A Detailed Study of Lead Determinations in Air-Borne Particulates over Morton Grove, Illinois by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy

Careful examination of an analytical method for the determination of lead concentrations in atmospheric particulates has confirmed that a low temperature ashing technique is preferable to the ashing of organic matter in a muffle furnace when preparing samples for metals analysis, and that use of the standard additions technique for the avoidance of interferences in the analyses by atomic absorption spectroscopy is justified. Analyses of some 600 samples collected from the air over Morton Grove, Illinois from 1964 through 1967 have revealed average suspended particulate concentrations but rather high lead concentrations for urban areas. Monthly mean lead contents, which were highest in the fall months, showed a gradual increase over the four years.
Secure Hierarchical Data Aggregation in Wireless Sensor Networks

Communication in wireless sensor networks uses the majority of a sensor's limited energy. Using aggregation in wireless sensor network reduces the overall communication cost. Security in wireless sensor networks entails many different challenges. Traditional end-to-end security is not suitable for use with in-network aggregation. A corrupted sensor has access to the data and can falsify results. Additively homomorphic encryption allows for aggregation of encrypted values, with the result being the same as the result when unencrypted data was aggregated. Using public key cryptography, digital signatures can be used to achieve integrity. We propose a new algorithm using homomorphic encryption and additive digital signatures to achieve confidentiality, integrity and availability for in-network aggregation in wireless sensor networks.We prove that our digital signature algorithm which is based on the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) is as secure as ECDSA.
A Political Scientist's Point of View.

portant factor, or explanation, which was common to all these heterogeneous countries? Looking back over the history of their democratic thought and action in the past 140 years, we find only one such factor or explanation. This consists in the fact that the efforts to introduce and foster democracy in Latin America during these years have been accompanied throughout by changing conceptions of that which was to be introduced. These changing concepts have consequently been the subject of widespread and often violent disagreement among professed democrats. If it is indeed true that democratic government can function successfully only in countries where there is general agreement on "basic principles" and "significant issues," we need hardly wonder that democracy has developed so imperfectly and haltingly in Latin America.
Designing Tyrosine-Derived Polycarbonate Polymers for Biodegradable Regenerative Type Neural Interface Capable of Neural Recording

Next-generation neuroprosthetic limbs will require a reliable long-term neural interface to residual nerves in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). To this end, we have developed novel biocompatible materials and a fabrication technique to create high site-count microelectrodes for stimulating and recording from regenerated peripheral nerves. Our electrodes are based on a biodegradable tyrosine-derived polycarbonate polymer system with suitable degradation and erosion properties and a fabrication technique for deployment of the polymer in a porous, degradable, regenerative, multiluminal, multielectrode conduit. The in vitro properties of the polymer and the electrode were tuned to retain mechanical strength for over 24 days and to completely degrade and erode within 220 days. The fabrication technique resulted in a multiluminal conduit with at least 10 functioning electrodes maintaining recording site impedance in the single-digit kOhm range. Additionally, in vivo results showed that neural signals could be recorded from these devices starting at four weeks postimplantation and that signal strength increased over time. We conclude that our biodegradable regenerative-type neural interface is a good candidate for chronic high fidelity recording electrodes for integration with regenerated peripheral nerves.
Robots and the Sacred in Science and Science Fiction: Theological Implications of Artificial Intelligence

In science-fiction literature and film, human beings si- multaneously feel fear and allure in the presence of intelligent ma- chines, an experience that approximates the numinous experience as described in 1917 by Rudolph Otto. Otto believed that two chief elements characterize the numinous experience: the mysterium tremen- dum and the fascinans. Briefly, the mysterium tremendum is the fear of God's wholly other nature and the fascinans is the allure of God's saving grace. Science-fiction representations of robots and artificially intelligent computers follow this logic of threatening otherness and soteriological promise. Science fiction offers empirical support for Anne Foerst's claim that human beings experience fear and fascina- tion in the presence of advanced robots from the Massachusetts In- stitute of Technology AI Lab. The human reaction to intelligent machines shows that human beings in many respects have elevated those machines to divine status. This machine apotheosis, an inter- esting cultural event for the history of religions, may—despite Foerst's rosy interpretation—threaten traditional Christian theologies.
Visual communications of tomorrow: natural, efficient, and flexible

In the last decade, we have witnessed a phenomenal growth of communication and information technologies. These technologies have greatly simplified and even enriched our daily lives; cellular telephony and the Internet are probably the most striking examples. A particularly promising, and at the same time challenging, aspect of both technologies is the transmission and use of visual information. The author overviews the state of visual communication at the end of the 20th century, discusses today's challenges, and outlines some future directions.
Ambient noise tomography across the southern Alaskan Cordillera

I present the results of an extensive data mining effort integrating 197 permanent and temporary seismic stations into a Rayleigh wave ambient noise study across southern Alaska and westernmost Canada. Principal observations of my tomography model are largely consistent with mapped geology features and previous geophysical studies while providing previously unavailable, laterally continuous details of the southern Alaskan Cordillera lithosphere. At intermediate periods, a geophysically uniform crust is observed north of the Denali Fault and is consistent with a sharp transition in crustal thickness. Under the Wrangell volcanic belt, a prominent low-phase-velocity anomaly correlates well with the lateral extent of a relative low-gravity anomaly and Neogene surface volcanics. At longer periods, a low-phase-velocity anomaly bounds the inferred eastern extent of the subducted Yakutat microplate beneath the Wrangell volcanic belt.
Which little piggy goes to market? Characteristics of US farmers' market shoppers

The growth in farmers' markets in the US has raised questions about whether they are a niche market or appeal to a broader population. Using a simple, random sample of US food shoppers, this study uses a test of means to examine whether there are differences in characteristics between those who shop at farmers' markets and those who do not. A key finding was that there was no significant difference in the level of food expenditures between shoppers and non-shoppers. In addition, a probit model was used to examine the marginal effects of attitudinal, behavioural and demographic variables on the probability of shopping at a farmers' market. The probability was significantly increased by the following: enjoyment and frequency of cooking, being female and the presence of another adult in the household. Income did not significantly influence the probability of shopping at a farmers' market. However, the probability of shopping at a farmers' market was significantly reduced if respondents perceived that cost was the most important characteristic of food. These characteristics imply limited appeal of farmers' markets currently to convenience-oriented, single-person, and single-parent households.
Robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy in 2010

This article reviews the current status of robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) with outcome analysis. The published English literature (PubMed) database was searched extensively for major publications and large series on RARP. The search was carried out over the preceding 3-year period. Selected series were then reviewed, summarized and analyzed for their salient features. A literature search yielded 19 major publications on RARP in the preceding 2 years. A review of the current RARP literature (2006-2009) of multi-institutional cases of RARP demonstrated a mean operating room time, blood loss, hospital stay, positive surgical margin rate and perioperative-complication rate of approximately 194 min, 196 ml, 1.43 days, 25.7% and 5.83 %, respectively (based on the analysis of data using central tendency measures [mean]). The overall potency and continence rates were 73.6 and 87.1%, respectively (based on analysis of the published and reported data). All RARP cases were performed with the use of da Vinci robotic system (Intuitive Surgical, CA, USA). It is expected that in 2010 close to 70% of radical prostatectomies in the USA will be performed with robotic assistance. The patient and surgeon appeal for RARP continues to expand exponentially. It seems pertinent to conclude that increasing experience with RARP may reduce the incidence of positive surgical margins and will improve the functional outcome, which is the challenge at this point in time. Although the early cancer control and intermediate follow-up on functional outcome with RARP appears to be convincing and favorable, the long-term ( approximately 10 years) data are still awaited.
Architectures for MIMO-OFDM Systems in Frequency-Selective Mobile Fading Channels

Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) is used in third and fourth generation and is being planned for fifth-generation (5G) systems. OFDM requires that the received subcarriers be orthogonal. However, various factors, such as residual carrier frequency offset due to Doppler shift in mobile fading channels, can lead to a loss in orthogonality between subcarriers, which results in intersymbol interference (ISI), intercarrier interference (ICI), and bit error rate (BER) degradation. In developing the conjugate cancelation (CC) scheme for mitigating these ISI and ICI of OFDM systems, we integrate the CC scheme together with a space–time (ST) system and form an STCC multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) scheme. This STCC system improves the BER without expending power or bandwidth or complexity. Additionally, a Walsh–Hadamard (WH) transform is employed as a precoder for this STCC system and forms a novel WHSTCC scheme. It provides a low peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) at the transmitter and a significant diversity gain at the receiver. Simulations indicate that both STCC and WHSTCC schemes outperform the regular CC and ST systems in mobile fading channels. Both schemes are simple and are backward compatible, and they can serve as the baseband building block for reconfigurable 5G multiuser MIMO systems.
Coordinate Control of Expression of Nrf2-Modulated Genes in the Human Small Airway Epithelium Is Highly Responsive to Cigarette Smoking

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is an oxidant-responsive transcription factor known to induce detoxifying and antioxidant genes. Cigarette smoke, with its large oxidant content, is a major stress on the cells of small airway epithelium, which are vulnerable to oxidant damage. We assessed the role of cigarette smoke in activation of Nrf2 in the human small airway epithelium in vivo. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was used to sample the small airway epithelium in healthy-nonsmoker and healthy-smoker, and gene expression was assessed using microarrays. Relative to nonsmokers, Nrf2 protein in the small airway epithelium of smokers was activated and localized in the nucleus. The human homologs of 201 known murine Nrf2-modulated genes were identified, and 13 highly smoking-responsive Nrf2-modulated genes were identified. Construction of an Nrf2 index to assess the expression levels of these 13 genes in the airway epithelium of smokers showed coordinate control, an observation confirmed by quantitative PCR. This coordinate level of expression of the 13 Nrf2-modulated genes was independent of smoking history or demographic parameters. The Nrf2 index was used to identify two novel Nrf2-modulated, smoking-responsive genes, pirin (PIR) and UDP glucuronosyltransferase 1-family polypeptide A4 (UGT1A4). Both genes were demonstrated to contain functional antioxidant response elements in the promoter region. These observations suggest that Nrf2 plays an important role in regulating cellular defenses against smoking in the highly vulnerable small airway epithelium cells, and that there is variability within the human population in the Nrf2 responsiveness to oxidant burden.
Radiation by finite Aperture multipole Sources: Theory and Experiment

Summary: Finite aperture multipole sources are at the root of many borehole acoustic applications (E.g., slowness analysis, fracture/stress orientation from cross-dipole measurements, imaging away from the wellbore, etc.). This finite size and mutual interaction of constituent sources (superposition) has an impact on the impedance loading and radiation characteristics of the multipole source. In this paper we will offer a theoretical framework that allows for the analysis of these effects. We will derive closed form explicit expressions for the far field acoustic wave field generated by finite aperture multipole sources of the volume and force type. For the (multipole) dipole (force) source we will compare our results with water tank experiments.
A Method for Determining Load-Dependent Stiffness of Flexures

This paper explores strategies for static balancing of several flexure types. First, it describes a method for determining the load-dependent stiffness behavior of compliant flexures. Load-dependent stiffness means that the stiffness changes when a flexure is subjected to force loads perpendicular to its axis of rotation. A set of non-dimensional parameters is selected to describe the loads and the resulting stiffness. Finite element models of each joint are developed, and stiffness data is gathered for a range of horizontal and vertical loading regimes. The method is verified by comparing results to an analytic model for joints where such is available, and to results in the literature. The load-dependent stiffness behavior is then examined to identify new strategies for static balancing that have not yet appeared in the literature.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Low Temperature Deposition of Diamond Thin Films Using Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasmas

MD simulations have been employed to investigate damage processes near surfaces during keV bombardment of metal targets. For self-ion implantation of au, Cu, and Pt in the range of 5-20 keV, we have found that the proximity of the surface leads to significantly more damage and atomic mixing in comparison to recoil events occurring in the crystal interior. IN some cases, large craters are formed in a micro-explosive event, while in others a convective flow of atoms to the surface creates adatoms and leaves dislocations behind. Both the amount damage created in the surface and its morphology depend sensitively on the details of the energy deposition along individual ion trajectories. the results of these simulations will be summarized and compared to recent scanning tunneling microscopy studies of individual ion impacts in Pt and Ge.