cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Linking Numbers, Spin, and Statistics of Solitons

The spin and statistics of solitons in the (2 + 1)- and (3 + 1)-dimensional nonlinear sigma models is considered. For the (2 + 1)-dimensional case, there is the possibility of fractional spin and exotic statistics; for 3 + 1 dimensions, the usual spin-statistics relation is demonstrated. The linking-number interpretation of the Hopf invariant and the use of suspension considerably simplify the analysis.
Automatic request categorization in internet services

Modeling system performance and workload characteristics has become essential for efficiently provisioning Internet services and for accurately predicting future resource requirements on anticipated workloads. The accuracy of these models benefits substantially by differentiating among categories of requests based on their resource usage characteristics. However, categorizing requests and their resource demands often requires significantly more monitoring infrastructure. In this paper, we describe a method to automatically differentiate and categorize requests without requiring sophisticated monitoring techniques. Using machine learning, our method requires only aggregate measures such as total number of requests and the total CPU and network demands, and does not assume prior knowledge of request categories or their individual resource demands. We explore the feasibility of our method on the .Net PetShop 4.0 benchmark application, and show that it works well while being lightweight, generic, and easily deployable.
Uptake of P32 by yellow-fever mosquito larvae of equal age, and those pupating synchronously: its loss and transfer during development, mating, and oviposition.

The resultant radioactivities of yellow-fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (L.) adults, when instar III and IV larvae were treated with P32, have been studied. Instar III larvae incorporated comparatively greater amounts of radioactivity but also lost large amounts during development in distilled water. Instar IV larvae retained a considerable amount of the incorporated radioactivity during development under similar conditions. Synchronously pupating-larvae yielded adults with comparatively less variation in radioactivity. There was little but measurable transfer of radioactivity from a radioactive male to a normal female during her first copulation.
Mouse models of osteoarthritis provide new research tools

The options for pharmaceutical intervention of osteoarthritis are limited. There is therefore a crucial need for animal models of osteoarthritis that can be used as research tools for improving our understanding of the disease and for discovering and testing new treatments. Recently, a new mouse model of osteoarthritis was described in which the mice are unable to produce a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) receptor specifically in joints. A comparison of this model to other models with different etiologies is presented. The findings suggest that all of the models could be linked molecularly.
Insulin resistance, diabetes, and atherosclerosis: thiazolidinediones as therapeutic interventions.

The insulin resistance syndrome, a cluster of metabolic abnormalities involving dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, and hypercoagulability, carries an increased risk of atherosclerosis. Although interventions targeting elements of this syndrome have dramatically reduced cardiovascular risk, the impact of glucose-lowering has been more disappointing. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are a new class of insulin-sensitizing agents that activate the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-γ. TZDs may improve not only glucose levels but also other metabolic parameters associated with insulin resistance. The TZD data are reviewed, with a focus on their potential cardiovascular effects.
Bulk chlorine uptake by polyamide active layers of thin-film composite membranes upon exposure to free chlorine-kinetics, mechanisms, and modeling.

We studied the volume-averaged chlorine (Cl) uptake into the bulk region of the aromatic polyamide active layer of a reverse osmosis membrane upon exposure to free chlorine. Volume-averaged measurements were obtained using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry with samples prepared at a range of free chlorine concentrations, exposure times, and mixing, rinsing, and pH conditions. Our volume-averaged measurements complement previous studies that have quantified Cl uptake at the active layer surface (top ≈ 7 nm) and advance the mechanistic understanding of Cl uptake by aromatic polyamide active layers. Our results show that surface Cl uptake is representative of and underestimates volume-averaged Cl uptake under acidic conditions and alkaline conditions, respectively. Our results also support that (i) under acidic conditions, N-chlorination followed by Orton rearrangement is the dominant Cl uptake mechanism with N-chlorination as the rate-limiting step; (ii) under alkaline conditions, N-chlorination and de...
Polyploidy-induction by dihydroxylated monochlorobiphenyls: Structure-activity-relationships

Recently semivolatile lower chlorinated biphenyls have been identified in inner city air, in public buildings like schools, and at many other sites. Inhalation exposure to these compounds, which are readily metabolized to mono- and dihydroxy-biphenyls and further to quinones, is of great concern in light of new studies revealing that at least one such compound, 4-monochlorobiphenyl (PCB3), has tumor initiating and mutagenic activity in rats. In vitro the quinone metabolites of PCB3 induced gene mutations, whereas its mono- and dihydroxylated metabolites increased micronuclei frequency. To gain further insight into the genotoxicity and possible structure-activity-relationships of the dihydroxy-metabolites, we measured the effects of the 2-chloro-, 3-chloro-, and 4-chloro-2',5'-dihydroxybiphenyl (PCB1-HQ, PCB2-HQ, and PCB3-HQ, respectively), and of 4-chloro-3',4'-dihydroxybiphenyl (PCB3-Cat) on cytotoxicity, sister chromatid exchange (SCE), cellular proliferation and chromosome number. Notably only PCB3-Cat caused a significant increase in SCE levels. Cell cycle progression during exposure, which is indicated indirectly in this assay by the occurrence of metaphases with Harlequin-stained chromosomes (cell underwent two S-phases) or uniformly dark-stained chromosomes (underwent less than two S-phases) was inhibited by PCB2-HQ and PCB3-HQ. Most surprising was the finding that up to 96% of metaphases from cells treated with PCB2- or PCB3-HQ were tetraploid, some of which had dark and some Harlequin-stained chromosomes. Neither PCB1-HQ nor PCB3-Cat or the negative (solvent) or positive control (ethylmethane sulfonate, EMS) induced this effect. The mechanism of this polyploidization is unknown. Nearly all cancer cells are hyperdiploid and polyploidization, followed by uneven chromosome loss, is hypothesized as one possible underlying mechanism of carcinogenesis. Thus different PCB metabolites may induce carcinogenesis by different mechanisms, including SCE induction or polyploidization. Understanding the mechanism(s) and structure-activity-relationships of these unexpected effects is needed before we can perform fully data-driven risk assessment of these compounds.
Spatial Impacts of Locally Enacted Growth Controls: The San Francisco Bay Region in the 1980s:

In this paper the regionwide, spatial consequences of locally enacted growth controls are examined on the basis of a case study of the San Francisco Bay Region. A quasi-experimental methodology is employed. An ex post projection of population distribution among the region's cities in 1990 is generated by means of a model that represents the before growth control urban structure. A comparison is then made between the projected distribution and the actual distribution depicted by the 1990 census data. The differences, indexed as percentage projection errors, provide an empirical basis for assessing the impacts of local growth-control policies. Statistical analyses of the projection errors indicate that the local policies have caused a major redistribution of population growth from growth-controlled cities to the rest of the region. Geographic information systems-based spatial analyses of the projection errors suggest that the spatial process of growth control is driven primarily by NIMBYism. The main conclu...
Evidence for an α-helical epitope on outer surface protein A from the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi: An application of steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence quenching techniques

Abstract Outer surface protein A (OspA) is a major antigen of Borrelia burgdorferi , the etiological agent of Lyme disease. A recombinant form of OspA (OspA-257) from B. burgdorferi , strain B31, contains 257 amino acids and a single tryptophan residue at position 216 (Trp-216). Mapping studies indicate that Trp-216 is involved in the epitope for the agglutinating monoclonal antibody 105.5 However, the fluorescence emission maximum of the native protein is 330 nm, indicating that Trp-216 is not solvent-exposed. Primary structure analysis suggests and α-helical conformation for residues approx. 204–217, which, if located on the protein surface, would allow Trp-216 to be buried, while leaving hydrophilic residues on the opposite side of the helix exposed. This helix would plate Lys-212 within approx. 6 A of Trp-216; the presence of such a positively-charged residue can, in principle, be ascertained from fluorescence quenching studies. Stern-Volmer plots confirm that Trp-216 is indeed buried in the native protein, but is readily accessible to the small polar quencher, Cs + , while the minor component undergoes static quenching by I − , indicating the proximity of a positively-charged residue. These data are consistent with the existence of an α-helix from residues 204–217 in the predicted orientation at the protein surface, hence indicating the structure of the antigentic determinant.
On the splitting of the Hilbert class field

Let K be a finite Galois extension of a number field F and K′ the Hilbert class field of K. We consider the splitting of the group extension defined by the Galois groups of the tower of fields F ⊂ K ⊂ K′. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for the extension to split when K is an unramified abelian extension of an imaginary quadratic field. We then consider the splitting of the extension for some imaginary biquadratic fields K.
Scalable Cognitive Routing Protocol for Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks

This paper introduces a novel scalable cognitive routing protocol (SCRP) for mobile ad-hoc networks. It is an on-demand cognitive routing protocol. It employs an intelligent flooding protocol, a novel approach for scalable flooding. A neural network machine learning method is adopted to make nodes aware of history. The intelligent flooding protocol saves routing overhead because nodes selectively flood RREQ packets along predicted strong links and over predicted good frequencies. The intelligent flooding protocol can be divided into two parts, the space flooding protocol and the spectrum flooding protocol. Simulation results show that SCRP scales well by network size, network dynamics and network spectrum.
Traumatic Reticulitis in Cattle: A Review of 60 Fatal Cases

Sixty fatal cases of traumatic reticulitis in cattle were reviewed. Fifty-nine cases were caused by fragments of wire. A nail perforated the reticulum of 1 animal. Common clinical signs included decreased milk production, anorexia, fever, and weight loss. Abnormal or muffled heart sounds associated with pericarditis and epicarditis was the most common sequela, occurring in 40 cases. Fibrous adhesions found at necropsy in all cases suggest that initial clinical signs are difficult to recognize and in most cases it takes weeks to months for abnormalities to be observed.
The human ACC2 CT‐domain C‐terminus is required for full functionality and has a novel twist

Inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) may prevent lipid-induced insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, making the enzyme an attractive pharmaceutical target. Although the enzyme is highly conserved amongst animals, only the yeast enzyme structure is available for rational drug design. The use of biophysical assays has permitted the identification of a specific C-terminal truncation of the 826-residue human ACC2 carboxyl transferase (CT) domain that is both functionally competent to bind inhibitors and crystallizes in their presence. This C-terminal truncation led to the determination of the human ACC2 CT domain–CP-640186 complex crystal structure, which revealed distinctions from the yeast-enzyme complex. The human ACC2 CT-domain C-terminus is com­prised of three intertwined α-helices that extend outwards from the enzyme on the opposite side to the ligand-binding site. Differences in the observed inhibitor conformation between the yeast and human structures are caused by differing residues in the binding pocket.
DNA topoisomerase II is a determinant of the tensile properties of yeast centromeric chromatin and the tension checkpoint.

Centromeric (CEN) chromatin is placed under mechanical tension and stretches as kinetochores biorient on the mitotic spindle. This deformation could conceivably provide a readout of biorientation t...
Ceramic Fiber - Fluoropolymer Composites for Electronic Packaging Materials

Aluminum nitride (AIN), alumina and aramid fibers have been incorporated into epoxy and fluoropolymer matrices. The fluoropolymer composites have dielectric constants less than 3.4 and losses below 0.3%, measured out-of-plane. In-plane and out-of-plane thermal conductivities of the AIN-fluoropolymer composites averaged 5.2 and 1.3 W/mK, respectively, at fiber volume fractions of 0.26 to 0.29. In-plane thermal conductivities of woven fabric composites were accurately predicted by mixing rules; for non-woven and short fiber composites, thermal conductivities were less than predicted. These composites had higher out-of-plane thermal conductivities due to out-of-plane components of the fiber orientations.
Contrasting Case Definitions for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

This article uses data from patients recruited using the 1994 case definition of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) to contrast those meeting criteria for the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) Canadian case definition with those that did not meet these criteria. The study also contrasts those meeting criteria for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) based on criteria from Ramsay and other theorists with those that did not meet the ME criteria. The ME/CFS case definition criteria identified a subset of patients with more functional impairments and physical, mental, and cognitive problems than the subset not meeting these criteria. The ME subset had more functional impairments, and more severe physical and cognitive symptoms than the subset not meeting ME criteria. When applied to a population meeting the 1994 CFS case definition, both ME/CFS and ME criteria appear to select a more severe subset of patients.
Outcomes-based Curriculum Development and Student Evaluation in Nursing Education

Purpose: A curriculum development model is presented to examine the processes necessary to develop new programs or evaluate existing programs within the philosophy of outcomes -based education in nursing, especially in the context of accreditation. The philosophy of outcomes -based education is to produce individuals who can demonstrate the evidence of competencies in designated areas of education. For nursing education, this means competencies in performing the role of professional nursing as defined by the profession and social needs at the beginning level upon completing a nursing program. Methods: A curriculum development model has been developed analytically based on the literature and experiences. Results: A 10 -step process framework incorporating the tenets of outcomes -based nursing education is illustrated. Conclusion: This curriculum development framework can be applied in developing new educational programs in nursing or to evaluate and revise existing programs in anticipation of the accreditation process that is moving with a full force in such countries as Korea.
Simulating hydrologic and hydraulic processes throughout the Amazon River Basin

Presented here is a model framework based on a land surface topography that can be represented with various degrees of resolution and capable of providing representative channel/floodplain hydraulic characteristics on a daily to hourly scale. The framework integrates two models: (1) a water balance model (WBM) for the vertical fluxes and stores of water in and through the canopy and soil layers based on the conservation of mass and energy, and (2) a routing model for the horizontal routing of surface and subsurface runoff and channel and floodplain waters based on kinematic and diffusion wave methodologies. The WBM is driven by satellite-derived precipitation (TRMM 3B42) and air temperature (MOD08 M3). The model’s use of an irregular computational grid is intended to facilitate parallel processing for applications to continental and global scales. Results are presented for the Amazon Basin over the period Jan 2001 through Dec 2005. The model is shown to capture annual runoff totals, annual peaks, seasonal patterns, and daily fluctuations over a range of spatial scales (>1, 000 to <4Ð7M km 2 ). For the period of study, results suggest basin-wide total water storage changes in the Amazon vary by approximately C/� 5 to 10 cm, and the fractional components accounting for these changes are: root zone soil moisture (20%), subsurface water being routed laterally to channels (40%) and channel/floodplain discharge (40%). Annual variability in monthly water storage changes by C/� 2Ð5 cm is likely due to 0Ð5 to 1 month variability in the arrival of significant rainfall periods throughout the basin. Copyright  2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Properties of Helium, Nitrogen and He-N2 Binary Gas Mixtures

An extensive review is conducted and a comprehensive database is compiled for the transport and thermodynamic properties of helium and nitrogen and their binary mixtures at pressures up to 40 MPa and temperatures from 200 to 1500 K. These gases are attractive working fluids in a closed Brayton cycle for energy conversion in space reactor power systems and terrestrial power plants. Semi-empirical correlations are developed for calculating the properties of the He-N 2 binary mixtures based on the Chapman-Enskog kinetic theory for dilute gases and the application of the law of corresponding states. The correlations accurately account for the effects of pressure and temperature and are in excellent agreement with the compiled properties database.
Estimating Rain Rates from Tipping-Bucket Rain Gauge Measurements

This paper describes the cubic spline based operational system for the generation of the TRMM one-minute rain rate product 2A-56 from Tipping Bucket (TB) gauge measurements. Methodological issues associated with applying the cubic spline to the TB gauge rain rate estimation are closely examined. A simulated TB gauge from a Joss-Waldvogel (JW) disdrometer is employed to evaluate effects of time scales and rain event definitions on errors of the rain rate estimation. The comparison between rain rates measured from the JW disdrometer and those estimated from the simulated TB gauge shows good overall agreement; however, the TB gauge suffers sampling problems, resulting in errors in the rain rate estimation. These errors are very sensitive to the time scale of rain rates. One-minute rain rates suffer substantial errors, especially at low rain rates. When one minute rain rates are averaged to 4-7 minute or longer time scales, the errors dramatically reduce. The rain event duration is very sensitive to the event definition but the event rain total is rather insensitive, provided that the events with less than 1 millimeter rain totals are excluded. Estimated lower rain rates are sensitive to the event definition whereas the higher rates are not. The median relative absolute errors are about 22% and 32% for 1-minute TB rain rates higher and lower than 3 mm per hour, respectively. These errors decrease to 5% and 14% when TB rain rates are used at 7-minute scale. The radar reflectivity-rainrate (Ze-R) distributions drawn from large amount of 7-minute TB rain rates and radar reflectivity data are mostly insensitive to the event definition.
Activation of the Unfolded Protein Response in Vascular Endothelial Cells of Nondiabetic Obese Adults

Context: Activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) is emerging as an important molecular signature of cardiometabolic diseases associated with obesity. However, despite the well-established role of the vascular endothelium in obesity-related cardiometabolic dysfunction, it is unclear whether the UPR is activated in endothelial cells of obese adults. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine whether markers of UPR activation are increased in endothelial cells (ECs) of nondiabetic obese adults with impaired endothelial function. Design, Setting, and Participants: Endothelial cells were obtained from antecubital veins of the nondiabetic obese adults [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2, n = 12] with impaired endothelial function and from their nonobese peers (BMI < 30 kg/m2, n = 14). Main Outcome Variables: UPR activation via expression (quantitative immunofluorescence) of the proximal UPR sensors, inositol-requiring endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-to-nucleus signaling protein 1 (IRE1), RNA-depe...
Surface Photometry with the Space Telescope

The Space Telescope will be an extraordinary and versatile observatory. Its complement of scientific instruments will allow far reaching observations to be made with a precision which will have no equal in optical astronomy. The extended wavelength range in the ultraviolet, the high spatial resolution, the large dynamic range and the high signal to noise achievable will make the cameras on board the Space Telescope unique tools to carry out precise surface photometry of a wide range of objects.
Ovonic Memory Switching in Multimaterial Fibers

We demonstrate the first rewritable memory in thermally drawn fibers. A high tellurium-content chalcogenide glass, contacted by metallic electrodes internal to the fiber structure, is drawn from a macroscopic preform. An externally applied voltage is utilized to switch between a high resistance (OFF) and a low resistance (ON) state; this in turn allows the fibers to function as a memory device reminiscent of the ovonic switch. The difference between the ON and OFF states is found to be four orders of magnitude. The glass–crystal phase transition is localized to micrometer-wide filaments, whose position can be optically controlled along the fiber axis. An architecture that enabled the encoding of multiple bits per fiber is described.
Very Low-Dose Tolerance with Nucleosomal Peptides Controls Lupus and Induces Potent Regulatory T Cell Subsets

We induced very low-dose tolerance by injecting lupus prone (SWR × NZB)F1 (SNF1) mice with 1 μg nucleosomal histone peptide autoepitopes s.c. every 2 wk. The subnanomolar peptide therapy diminished autoantibody levels and prolonged life span by delaying nephritis, especially by reducing inflammatory cell reaction and infiltration in kidneys. H471–94 was the most effective autoepitope. Low-dose tolerance therapy induced CD8+, as well as CD4+CD25+ regulatory T (Treg) cell subsets containing autoantigen-specific cells. These adaptive Treg cells suppressed IFN-γ responses of pathogenic lupus T cells to nucleosomal epitopes at up to a 1:100 ratio and reduced autoantibody production up to 90–100% by inhibiting nucleosome-stimulated T cell help to nuclear autoantigen-specific B cells. Both CD4+CD25+ and CD8+ Treg cells produced and required TGF-β1 for immunosuppression, and were effective in suppressing lupus autoimmunity upon adoptive transfer in vivo. The CD4+CD25+ T cells were partially cell contact dependent, but CD8+ T cells were contact independent. Thus, low-dose tolerance with highly conserved histone autoepitopes repairs a regulatory defect in systemic lupus erythematosus by generating long-lasting, TGF-β-producing Treg cells, without causing allergic/anaphylactic reactions or generalized immunosuppression.
Improved Biochemical Variables, Nutrient Intake, and Hormonal Factors in Slow Nocturnal Hemodialysis: A Pilot Study

Objective To determine whether slow nocturnal hemodialysis (SNHD) can be safely performed in patients with end-stage renal disease to improve the biochemical and clinical outcome. Material and Methods We conducted an 8-week pilot study in nondiabetic adult patients, who underwent dialysis 6 nights per week for 8 hours each night. A dialysate flow rate of 300 mL/min and a blood flow rate of 250 mL/min, through an internal jugular dual-lumen venous catheter, were used. The equipment used was a COBE Centry System 3 dialysis machine and Fresenius F-80 (1.8 m 2 ) or Baxter CT 190 (1.9 m 2 ) dialyzers. Five patients were enrolled in the study. Results Two patients did not complete the study because of catheter-related lnfections—one at day 7 and one after 4 weeks of SNHD. All patients had improved blood pressure control, and no intradialytic adverse events occurred. Dietary intake improved, urea and creatinine levels significantly decreased, and weekly delivery of dialysate increased on SNHD. Potassium, chloride, β 2 -microglobulin, hosphorus, calcium, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol all improved on SNHD. Serum testosterone increased in the three men on SNHD, but parathyroid hormone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone remained unchanged. Erythropoietin levels increased on SNHD, despite no change in exogenous erythropoietin doses in three patients and discontinuation of administration of erythropoietin in one. The following biochemical factors did not change significantly: serum sodium, bicarbonate, vitamin B 12 , folate, alkaline phosphatase, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and albumin. Conclusion Higher doses of hemodialysis benefit nutrition, improve biochemical variables, and may improve many hormonal systems.
Syllable structure and phonetic models

Through construction of predictive models, phoneticians are making increasingly sophisticated attempts to account for certain aspects of the phonological structure of languages from very general principles(Stevens 1989; Lindblom 1984; Ohala 1990, 1992).
Effects of Lek Age on Age Structure and Attendance of Lesser Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus)

Abstract We used data from lesser prairie-chickens captured on leks to test the hypothesis that age structure of attending birds is reflected in lek age (i.e., years of continuous attendance). As leks become older the age structure of attending birds becomes dominated by adults. Average lek size (number of attending males) was not affected by lek age. Establishment of satellite leks (leks ≤ 2 y of consecutive use) during spring was approximately 1 mo later than other leks and corresponded to a decrease in the number of males attending other leks. Interpretation of data collected from birds attending lesser prairie-chicken leks should include consideration of the lek age.
Preparation and analysis of benzoylated cerebrosides

The benzoylation of cerebrosides with benzoyl chloride and with benzoic anhydride is described, and the derivatives that contained hydroxy and nonhydroxy fatty acids were isolated by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Studies on the structures of these derivatives and the products formed by mild alkaline hydrolysis are reported. Reaction of cerebrosides containing nonhydroxy fatty acids with benzoyl chloride results in amide-acylation in addition to normal O-acylation. Mild alkali treatment of the N-diacyl derivative results in the formation of N-benzoyl psychosine. Derivatization with benzoic anhydride avoids amide-acylation. These derivatives are useful for the HPLC analysis of cerebrosides.
Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Lifeworldly Naturalism

Merleau-Ponty’s account of our inherence in nature, inspired by Husserl’s Ideen II, breaks with naturalism by taking seriously the problem of thinking nature from within. Whereas the naturalistic definition of nature fails to encompass we who are reflecting on it, Merleau-Ponty’s “lifeworldly naturalism” treats philosophical reflection as emergent from the nature on which it reflects, as an intensification or redoubling, an iterative fold, of nature’s own sense-making. In The Structure of Behavior, this iterative fold of nature is presented as the “structure of structures,” an all-encompassing gestalt by which human subjectivity escapes the interest-bound environments of other organisms. In Phenomenology of Perception, nature’s intensification takes the form of a “reflection on the unreflective,” a radical or second-order reflection that takes into account its relation, as reflection, with the situation that precedes and conditions it. And in his final working notes, Merleau-Ponty characterizes philosophy as a “chiasm of chiasms,” a doubled reversal by which the self-interrogation of Being, as the encroachment of the sensible and the intelligible, becomes explicit as a question. At stake in this series of recursive figures is the effort to think philosophy immanently. Yet insofar as philosophy is incapable of thematizing its own emergence, since it remains conditioned by a nature that escapes its reflective recuperation, its recursive twisting forms around a remainder that it cannot elucidate. This remainder, the immemorial silence of nature, is both the condition for philosophical reflection and the resistance that marks its limits.
Theoretical Analysis of Penalized Maximum-Likelihood Patlak Parametric Image Reconstruction in Dynamic PET for Lesion Detection

Detecting cancerous lesions is a major clinical application of emission tomography. In a previous work, we studied penalized maximum-likelihood (PML) image reconstruction for lesion detection in static PET. Here we extend our theoretical analysis of static PET reconstruction to dynamic PET. We study both the conventional indirect reconstruction and direct reconstruction for Patlak parametric image estimation. In indirect reconstruction, Patlak parametric images are generated by first reconstructing a sequence of dynamic PET images, and then performing Patlak analysis on the time activity curves (TACs) pixel-by-pixel. In direct reconstruction, Patlak parametric images are estimated directly from raw sinogram data by incorporating the Patlak model into the image reconstruction procedure. PML reconstruction is used in both the indirect and direct reconstruction methods. We use a channelized Hotelling observer (CHO) to assess lesion detectability in Patlak parametric images. Simplified expressions for evaluating the lesion detectability have been derived and applied to the selection of the regularization parameter value to maximize detection performance. The proposed method is validated using computer-based Monte Carlo simulations. Good agreements between the theoretical predictions and the Monte Carlo results are observed. Both theoretical predictions and Monte Carlo simulation results show the benefit of the indirect and direct methods under optimized regularization parameters in dynamic PET reconstruction for lesion detection, when compared with the conventional static PET reconstruction.
Enhancing Proton Transport and Membrane Lifetimes in Perfluorosulfonic Acid Proton Exchange Membranes: A Combined Computational and Experimental Evaluation of the Structure and Morphology Changes Due to H3PW12O40 Doping

The impact of loading the heteropoly acid, 12-phosphotungstic acid (HPW), on a perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) proton exchange membrane’s morphology was evaluated by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments. It is found that the addition of HPW significantly modifies the solvent structure and dynamics in the PFSA membrane, which favors the formation of interconnected proton conducting networks. It is hypothesized that these HPW induced solvent modifications account for the enhanced proton conducting characteristics of these doped membranes. Radial distribution functions and water cluster analysis indicate that the HPW organizes the local solvent water and attracts the nearby excess protons thereby creating localized “nodes” of ordered water and hydronium ions. The “nodes” are found to connect surrounding water wires/channels resulting in a more efficient proton conducting network. This redistribution of solvent and hydronium ions upon addition of HPW c...
Removing orientation-induced localization biases in single-molecule microscopy using a broadband metasurface mask

Nanoscale localization of single molecules is a crucial function in several advanced microscopy techniques, including single-molecule tracking and wide-field super-resolution imaging 1. To date, a central consideration of such techniques is how to optimize the precision of molecular localization. However, as these methods continue to push toward the nanometre size scale, an increasingly important concern is the localization accuracy. In particular, single fluorescent molecules emit with an anisotropic radiation pattern of an oscillating electric dipole, which can cause significant localization biases using common estimators 2-5. Here we present the theory and experimental demonstration of a solution to this problem based on azimuthal filtering in the Fourier plane of the microscope. We do so using a high efficiency dielectric metasurface polarization/phase device composed of nanoposts with sub-wavelength spacing 6. The method is demonstrated both on fluorophores embedded in a polymer matrix, and in dL5 protein complexes that bind Malachite green 7, 8.
Biliverdin schützt die intestinale Integrität in der Sepsis

Introduction: Sepsis is an increasing clinical problem with mortality rates as high as 60%. The antiinflammatory HO-1 pathway and its end-product carbon monoxide have already been demonstrated to be protective. This study investigates the protective potential of the other HO-1 heme degradative end-product, biliverdin, in ameliorating sepsis. Methods: Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in rats with/without biliverdin injection (5 mg/kg) was performed. Gastrointestinal transit and in vitro jejunal and colonic circular muscle contractility was analyzed after 24 h. Additionally, PMN infiltration into the intestinal muscularis were quantified. RT-PCR was performed 3 h after CLP for pro- and anti-inflammatory mRNAs (IL-6, MCP-1, IL-10 and HO-1) in the small bowel and colonic muscularis (N = 6/group; p < 0.05). Results: Biliverdin treatment significantly prevented the CLP sepsis-induced delay in transit (geometric center controls: 8.81 ±0.17 sepsis: 5.87 ± 0.87; sepsis + biliverdin: 7.38 ± 0.73). CLP attenuated small bowel and colon muscle contractility by 43% and 36%, respectively (jejunum controls 100 µM bethanechol: 4.27 ± 0.47; sepsis: 2.42 ± 0.54; colon controls: 4.75 ± 0.35; sepsis: 3.03 ± 0.22 g/mm2/sec) and biliverdin injection significantly attenuated this suppression (jejunum: 4.1 ± 0.67; colon: 3.50 ± 0.33 g/mm2/sec). Additionally, biliverdin significantly inhibited the neutrophil infiltration into the intestinal muscularis during CLP induced sepsis (jejunum controls: 0.5 ± 0.2, sepsis: 47.5 ± 6.9, biliverdin: 22.4 ± 5.5; colon controls: 7.0 ± 1.3, sepsis: 38.8 ± 2.8, biliverdin: 13.7 ± 3.8 cells/field, ×200 magnification). The CLP sepsis-induced mRNA up-regulation of pro-inflammatory IL-6 and MCP-1 in the small bowel and colon muscularis was significantly reduced with biliverdin (small bowel: 46% and 38%; colon: 49% and 64%). Biliverdin treatment resulted in a significant increase of the antiinflammatory mediators IL-10 and HO-1 in the small bowel and colon muscularis compared to untreated septic animals (small bowel: 189% and 24%; colon: 105% and 38%). Conclusions: During CLP-induced sepsis biliverdin treatment protected intestinal function in part via an augmentation of IL-10 and HO-1 expression. This beneficial effect resulted in decreased neutrophilic migration and suppression of the pro-inflammatory mediators. Hence, biliverdin prevented intestinal atony and inflammation and interrupted critical intestinal components of sepsis.
EFFECT OF MUSCULAR STRETCH, TENSION, AND RELAXATION UPON THE REACTION TIME AND SPEED OF MOVEMENT OF A SUPPORTED LIMB.

Abstract It was hypothesized that the reaction time and maximal velocity of a supported arm which was exposed to muscular stretch would be significantly faster than when the limb was either tensed or relaxed. It was also predicted that the tensed arm condition would produce speedier reaction and movement times than when the subject's limb was more relaxed. Forty college men were tested under each of the three experimental conditions. A variance analysis revealed that reaction time and velocity of the arm during the state of stretch was not significantly faster than either condition when the arm was relaxed or tensed. An analysis of the final third of the arm movement revealed a significantly faster movement time when the prime movers of the limb were stretched. During the condition of tension, reaction and movement times were faster than when the arm was relaxed. A high degree of specificity of relationship was found between reaction time and movement time.
Total Synthesis of Verruculogen and Fumitremorgin A Enabled by Ligand-Controlled C–H Borylation

Verruculogen and fumitremorgin A are bioactive alkaloids that contain a unique eight-membered endoperoxide. Although related natural products such as fumitremorgins B and C have been previously synthesized, we report the first synthesis of the more complex, endoperoxide-containing members of this family. A concise route to verruculogen and fumitremorgin A relied not only on a hydroperoxide/indole hemiaminal cyclization, but also on the ability to access the seemingly simple starting material, 6-methoxytryptophan. An iridium-catalyzed C–H borylation/Chan–Lam procedure guided by an N-TIPS group enabled the conversion of a tryptophan derivative into a 6-methoxytryptophan derivative, proving to be a general way to functionalize the C6 position of an N,C3-disubstituted indole for the synthesis of indole-containing natural products and pharmaceuticals.
Weight Loss and Coronary Heart Disease: Sensitivity Analysis for Unmeasured Confounding by Undiagnosed Disease.

BACKGROUND Evidence for the effect of weight loss on coronary heart disease (CHD) or mortality has been mixed. The effect estimates can be confounded due to undiagnosed diseases that may affect weight loss. METHODS We used data from the Nurses' Health Study to estimate the 26-year risk of CHD under several hypothetical weight loss strategies. We applied the parametric g-formula and implemented a novel sensitivity analysis for unmeasured confounding due to undiagnosed disease by imposing a lag time for the effect of weight loss on chronic disease. Several sensitivity analyses were conducted. RESULTS The estimated 26-year risk of CHD did not change under weight loss strategies using lag times from 0 to 18 years. For a 6-year lag time, the risk ratios of CHD for weight loss compared with no weight loss ranged from 1.00 (0.99, 1.02) to 1.02 (0.99, 1.05) for different degrees of weight loss with and without restricting the weight loss strategy to participants with no major chronic disease. Similarly, no protective effect of weight loss was estimated for mortality risk. In contrast, we estimated a protective effect of weight loss on risk of type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSION We estimated that maintaining or losing weight after becoming overweight or obese does not reduce the risk of CHD or death in this cohort of middle-age US women. Unmeasured confounding, measurement error, and model misspecification are possible explanations but these did not prevent us from estimating a beneficial effect of weight loss on diabetes.
Double split-loop resonators as building blocks of metasurfaces for light manipulation: bending, focusing, and flat-top generation

In this paper, we demonstrate the concept of simultaneous controlling of the phase and the polarization handedness of a circularly polarized (CP) incident beam over an array of bilayer double split-loop resonators (DSLRs). The physical parameters are optimized by means of the finite-difference time-domain method in such a way that each unit-cell exhibits the half-wave-plate response. By simply rotating the unit-cell, the phase shift of the transmitted cross polarized beam can be controlled in the range of 0−2π without any restrictions. This plasmonic metasurface provides optimal cross polarization transmission efficiency (>70%) at 1.55 μm wavelength. An array of DSLRs with helicity dependency and spatially varying phase response offers the possibility of designing anomalous bending and bifunctional (convergence/divergence) metasurfaces in which the bending direction and convergence/divergence feature can be directly controlled by the handedness of the impinging CP wave. Furthermore, a metalens with the capability of converting a CP Gaussian beam into a uniform irradiance profile (flat-top beam) is designed, and the performance of structure is evaluated in detail. All the designs are composed of the same DSLR elements with space-variant orientations.
The Case for Probabilistic Physics of Failure

In Probabilistic Physics of Failure or PPoF, the statistical lifetime model is derived directly from the physics of the failure mechanism. This paper describes the technique and argues for its importance in design for reliability.
A semi-analytical method for simulating matrix diffusion in numerical transport models

A semi-analytical approximation for transient matrix diffusion is developed for use in numerical contaminant transport simulators. This method is an adaptation and extension of the heat conduction method of Vinsome and Westerveld (1980) used to simulate heat losses during thermally enhanced oil recovery. The semi-analytical method is used in place of discretization of the low permeability materials, and it represents the concentration profile in the low permeability materials with a fitting function that is adjusted in each element at each time-step. The resulting matrix diffusion fluxes are added to the numerical model as linear concentration-dependent source/sink terms. Since only the high permeability zones need to be discretized, the numerical formulation is extremely efficient compared to traditional approaches that require discretization of both the high and low permeability zones. The semi-analytical method compares favorably with the analytical solution for transient one-dimensional diffusion with first order decay, with a two-layer aquifer/aquitard solution, with the solution for transport in a fracture with matrix diffusion and decay, and with a fully numerical solution for transport in a thin sand zone bounded by clay with variable decay rates.
The Impact of Pharmacotherapy on Substance Use in Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Variations Across Subtypes.

ABSTRACTObjective: The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) pharmacotherapy on the risk of substance use within each ADHD subtype. Methods: The study used data from the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent supplement, a nationally representative sample of US adolescents (ages 13–18) collected from 6,483 adolescent-parent interviews conducted between 2001 and 2004. ADHD was categorized into three subtypes: ADHD-predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type (ADHD-H); ADHD-predominantly inattentive type (ADHD-I); and ADHD-combined type (ADHD-C) using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV criteria. Substance use information was obtained from the adolescents’ interview. The impact of ADHD-pharmacotherapy on substance use was examined using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: Among the adolescents with ADHD, ADHD pharmacotherapy significantly associated with reduced risk of substance use (OR = 0.53, 95%CI ...
Humanitarian Needs Among Displaced and Female-Headed Households in Government-Controlled Areas of Syria.

Objectives. To identify unmet needs and assistance priorities of displaced and female-headed households in government-controlled areas of Syria.Methods. In mid-2016, we undertook a survey of accessible areas, largely urban and government-controlled, to identify unmet needs and assistance priorities. We used a cluster design with probability sampling to attain a final sample of 2405 households from 10 of 14 governorates; 31 of 65 (47.7%) districts were included that are home to 38.1% of people in need.Results. Displaced and female-headed households were more vulnerable than nondisplaced and male-headed households in numerous sectors. Despite approximately half of surveyed households reporting receipt of humanitarian assistance in the preceding month and apparently effective targeting of assistance by vulnerability, unmet needs were nearly ubiquitous.Conclusions. The humanitarian situation in inaccessible areas of Syria is likely to be considerably worse; thus, findings presented here likely underestimate h...
Islam in the 21st century: Challenges and opportunities for social work with Muslims

Whenever I pick up a social work journal or book, I am always curious if “Islam” the faith, or “Muslims” the people, have been mentioned. Although religion and spirituality are gaining some accepta...
Subnanometer-Sized Copper Clusters: A Critical Re-evaluation of the Synthesis and Characterization of Cu8(MPP)4 (HMPP = 2-Mercapto-5-n-propylpyrimidine).

We report a critical re-evaluation of the synthesis and characterization of Cu8(MPP)4. This product was reportedly formed by the reaction of Cu(NO3)2 with 2-mercapto-5-n-propylpyrimidine (HMPP) and NaBH4, in ethanol, in the presence of [N(C8H17)4][Br]. In our hands, we found no experimental evidence to support the existence of Cu8(MPP)4 in the reaction mixture. Instead, we demonstrate that the material isolated from this reaction is a complex mixture containing [N(C8H17)4]+, Br–, NO3–, and 2-mercapto-5-n-propyl-1,6-dihydropyrimidine (H2MPP*), along with the Cu(I) coordination polymer, [Cu(MPP)]n. To support our conclusions, we have independently synthesized H2MPP* and [Cu(MPP)]n, as well as the related Cu(I) coordination complexes, [Cu(HMPP*)]n and [Cu2(MPP*)]n. All new materials were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, while H2MPP*, [Cu(HMPP*)]n (n = 4), and [Cu(MPP)]n (n = 6) were also characterized by X-ray crystallography.
The Basis of Regulation of Water–the Problem of "Ownership" of Water in Hawaii

Abstract The State of Hawaii is on the verge of adopting a comprehensive permit system for controlling water use. The adoption of such a system has been delayed by a long-standing controversy as to whether the surface waters are owned by the state or by private parties. In a 1974 decision the Hawaii Supreme Court reversed years of reliance on decisions which purportedly held that water could be privately owned. The Court stated that it was the state which has always been the owner. Two questions are discussed by the author. First, what are the consequences of such a decision which declares that the state has always been the owners of the waters? Is such a declaration a prohibited "taking" under the fifth amendment? Clearly, if a state executive agency "took" those waters, compensation would be required. Does a different rule apply if those waters are allegedly “taken“ by judicial fiat? The second issue raises the question of whether state ownership of water is necessary for the adoption of a permit system. The author concludes that it is not.