cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computation-Guided Vaccine Design

Starting from crystal structures of virus-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies in complex with their epitopes, we employ computational design and in vitro screening of computation-guided mutagenesis libraries to engineer novel, minimal protein antigens that stabilize epitopes in their antibody-bound conformations and bind with high affinity and specificity to the target antibodies. We have also embarked on interface engineering to improve affinity for germline precursors of specific antibodies, and on developing multimeric platforms to heighten immune responses through avidity and other effects. The methods usually involve protein backbone manipulation and can be employed to control protein structure and interaction more generally.
Fabrication of carbon/refractory metal nanocomposites as thermally stable metallic photonic crystals

Metallic photonic crystals (MPhCs), three-dimensionally nanostructured metals, have been previously investigated as efficient emitters for thermophotovoltaic conversion of solar energy and waste heat into electricity. However, the thermal stability of these nanoscaled structures is limited at high temperatures. Here we present a fabrication scheme for preparing metal-coated carbon inverse opal photonic crystal structures that may be useful for thermal emission modification. Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) carbon films and monoliths, which can maintain their structure up to at least 2200 °C in argon, were used as thermally stable scaffolds for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of the refractory metals tungsten, molybdenum, or tantalum, all with a thin hafnia interlayer. The tungsten-coated photonic crystals were found to be stable after heat treatment at 1000 °C for at least five hours, under high vacuum (10−6 torr). The thermal stability of these nanocomposite materials is mainly limited by the adhesion of the refractory metals on the 3DOM carbon scaffold. The hafnia interlayer serves as an adhesion promoter for this material, and structures without a hafnia coating show metal agglomeration after heat treatment at 1000 °C, as demonstrated with millimetre-sized 3DOM carbon monoliths that were only partially coated with hafnia. These results can have important implications not only for the development of efficient thermophotovoltaic emitters, but also for fabrication of other thermally stable, functional nanocomposite materials.
Hydride Formation in Zirconium Alloys

The ingress of hydrogen during corrosion in service can degrade the mechanical properties of zirconium alloy nuclear fuel cladding because of the formation of brittle hydrides. The formation of these hydrides is reviewed in light of recent synchrotron radiation experimental results and phase-field modeling computational results that provide new insight on the process.
Introduction to digital Computer programming an IPI approach

The first course in Computer Science is often one of the most difficult to teach. A large number of students enroll, many with widely different aptitudes and backgrounds, so that the traditional lecture/presentation techniques aimed at the average miss the majority. A number of alternates have been proposed to overcome this problem. One of these is Individually Prescribed Instruction (I P I). Using I P I, the course material is initially partitioned into a number of discrete units and given to a student one unit at a time. The student reviews the material contained in the unit and then takes a written “assessment” to gage his mastery of the concepts. The assessment is evaluated immediately and if the student was successful the next unit is given, otherwise he simply “recycles” the material. By this means the student can progress at his own pace. The material in this course has been broken down into seven units. In addition to the written material, the student has access to student tutors, faculty instructors and video taped teaching aids. This paper reviews the organization, construction and experience with using the I P I approach over the past two years. Results to date indicate that this method can be highly successful, if administered to a proper subset of the student population.
Genetics of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

In this review, we provide an update on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In addition, we summarize progress in defining the functional consequences of associated alleles for coding and noncoding genetic variation. In the small minority of loci where major association signals correspond to nonsynonymous variation, we summarize studies defining their functional effects and implications for therapeutic targeting. Importantly, the large majority of GWAS-associated loci involve noncoding variation, many of which modulate levels of gene expression. Recent expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) studies have established that the expression of most human genes is regulated by noncoding genetic variations. Significant advances in defining the epigenetic landscape have demonstrated that IBD GWAS signals are highly enriched within cell-specific active enhancer marks. Studies in European ancestry populations have dominated the landscape of IBD genetics studies, but increasingly, studies in Asian and African-American populations are being reported. Common variation accounts for only a modest fraction of the predicted heritability and the role of rare genetic variation of higher effects (ie, odds ratios markedly deviating from 1) is increasingly being identified through sequencing efforts. These sequencing studies have been particularly productive in more severe very early onset cases. A major challenge in IBD genetics will be harnessing the vast array of genetic discovery for clinical utility through emerging precision medical initiatives. In this article, we discuss the rapidly evolving area of direct-to-consumer genetic testing and the current utility of clinical exome sequencing, especially in very early onset, severe IBD cases. We summarize recent progress in the pharmacogenetics of IBD with respect to partitioning patient responses to anti-TNF and thiopurine therapies. Highly collaborative studies across research centers and across subspecialties and disciplines will be required to fully realize the promise of genetic discovery in IBD.
Blends of CO2 and 2-ethyl hexanol as replacement foaming agents for extruded polystyrene

By the year 2010, HCFC 142b will be banned for use as a foaming agent for extruded polystyrene (PS) foam in North America. Many blends of foaming agents have been patented as replacements to expand PS. In this study the optimal concentration of a previously unexplored blend of CO 2 and 2-ethyl hexanol (2-EH) is shown to allow the production of PS foam of 30 kg/m 3 density. The glass transition temperature reduction of the PS, due to the incorporation of 2-EH, is believed to be an important contributor to the success of this foaming agent blend. In long-term use of the foams, the 2-EH does not measurably diffuse out of the PS, whereas the half-life of CO 2 diffusion out of the foam is measured in weeks.
A Monolithic 24 GHz, 20 dBm, 14% PAE SiGe HBT Power Amplifier

A monolithic 24 GHz SiGe HBT power amplifier (PA), with an output 1 dB compression point of 20 dBm, is presented. The circuit is biased from a 5.1 V supply in a class AB mode of operation, resulting in a power added efficiency (PAE) of 14 % at the 1 dB compression point. The SiGe PA has a small-signal gain of 12 dB at 24 GHz, and a return loss of 9.6 dB and 16 dB at the input and output ports, respectively. This SiGe PA leverages the increased voltage swing capabilities associated with the common-emitter / common-base configuration for SiGe HBTs incorporated in a cascode architecture.
Sustainability Management Academics How’s That Going?

Dear Colleagues and Readers, I am very pleased to present to you our second sustainability management-reoriented special issue of Organization & Environment (O&E), part of an endeavor my coeditor, Alberto AragonCorea, the SAGE publishing staff, and I have been planning since last summer. As you can see from the table of contents, we have several articles and an essay (all double-blind, peer-reviewed) that span a wide range of intriguing sustainability management topics. Leading off, in “Proactive Environmental Strategies and Employee Inclusion: The Positive Effects of Sharing Information and Promoting Collaboration and the Influence of Uncertainty,” J. Alberto Aragon-Corea, Inmaculada Martin-Tapia, and Nuria Hurtado-Torres provide a rigorous and interesting assessment of the connections between environmental sustainability strategies and information sharing and collaboration. Using a sample of developed country pharmaceutical firms, they identified positive relationships between firm environmental strategy, on the one hand, and information sharing and employee collaboration in those firms, on the other. Second, in “The Coevolution of Sustainable Strategic Management in the Global Marketplace,” Jean and Ed Stead discuss the design and implementation of organizational strategies that have the capacity to address both socioeconomic and environmental sustainability in developed, developing, and undeveloped societal contexts. Among their contributions is a spiral model of the coevolution of the field of strategic management and the environmental turbulence within and between those several societal contexts over time. Third, in “Organizational Learning and the Sustainability Community of Practice: The Role of Boundary Objects,” Suzanne Benn, Melissa Edwards, and Tamsin Angus-Leppan employ an established organizational learning framework to the sustainability aspects of the higher education sector in Australia. In addition to a pilot study on their topic and in that geographic context, they illustrate the use of an interesting stakeholder conceptual mapping tool and a multilevel model of integrating “communities of practice” with intuiting, interpreting, integrating, and institutionalizing processes. Fourth, in “Business, Ecosystems, and Biodiversity: New Horizons for Management Research,” Monika Winn and Stefano Pogutz highlight a number of instances of business programs that are intended to advance the health of ecosystems within which they are embedded. They also suggest several other possibilities for advancing and preserving biodiversity by business and forward multiple suggestions on future management research efforts exploring these and similar themes. Drawing especially on the field of ecological economics, they, too, offer a
Electron density measurements in supersonic flowing discharges

Local measurements of the electron density in high pressure discharges have commonly been performed through use of an electrical probe, such as a Langmuir probe, or by the Stark broadening of the hydrogen lines. However in supersonic flowing discharges electrical probes can cause shocks to form, which is unwanted. In addition, these types of discharges do not often contain the hydrogen needed to determine the electron density through Stark broadening where the measurements are hampered by the lack of intensity and breadth of the hydrogen Balmer lines. An alternative approach is to use the intensity of the rotational bands of the N 2 second positive system. We performed detailed measurements of the population densities of the N 2 C3n u -B3n g system and the hydrogen Balmer lines in a supersonic flow of weakly ionized Ar/H 2 /Air. Gases were premixed in the stagnation chamber at room temperature by adding up to 10% hydrogen and up to 45% air to pure argon. A cylindrical cavity was used to sustain a discharge in the pressure range of 100-700 Pa. Absolute emission spectroscopy was used to determine the gas temperature in the flow from the N 2 system. Comparison was made between the results obtained from the N 2 band intensity technique and Stark broadening of the hydrogen Balmer lines. The difference between line broadening technique and the nitrogen band absolute intensity technique is found to be by a factor of two to three.
Kinetic Analysis of the Role of Intersubunit Interactions in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Capsid Protein Assembly In Vitro

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) capsid protein (CA) plays a crucial role in both assembly and maturation of the virion. Numerous recent studies have focused on either the soluble form of CA or the polymer end product of in vitro CA assembly. The CA polymer, in particular, has been used to study CA-CA interactions because it is a good model for the CA interactions within the virion core. However, analysis of the process of in vitro CA assembly can yield valuable insights into CA-CA interactions and the mechanism of core assembly. We describe here a method for the analysis of CA assembly kinetics wherein the progress of assembly is monitored by using turbidity. At pH 7.0 the addition of either of the isolated CA domains (i.e., the N or the C domain) to an assembly reaction caused a decrease in the assembly rate by competing for binding to the full-length CA protein. At pH 8.0 the addition of the isolated C domain had a similar inhibitory affect on CA assembly. However, at pH 8.0 the isolated N domain had no affect on the rate of CA assembly but, when mixed with the C domain, it alleviated the C-domain inhibition. These data provide biochemical evidence for a pH-sensitive homotypic N-domain interaction, as well as for an N- and C-domain interaction.
Sensory nerve endings of highly mobile structures in two marine teleost fishes

With the use of a whole mount silver impregnation technique, sensory nerve endings were located in the connective tissue at the base of the modified pectoral fin ray in the gurnard,Aspitrigla cuculus, and within the perichondrium of the barbel in the goatfish,Mullus surmuletus. The location of these endings and their planar receptory fields in such highly mobile structures, suggests that the sensory endings are proprioceptive in nature and that they are associated in monitoring the positional state of the modified pectoral fin ray and barbel, respectively, during voluntary movement. This investigation addresses itself to the general problem of proprioception in teleost fishes and provides histological evidence for the presence of proprioceptive nerve endings.
Diagnosis and management of aortic graft infection

This report summarizes the currently available methods of diagnosing and treating aortic graft infections. These infections tend to present in subtle ways; therefore, no single diagnostic test is appropriate for all patients. Available imaging techniques have a wide spectrum of sensitivity and specificity. Complementary tests may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis, determine the extent of infection, and assist with operative planning. Once localized, the infectious organism should be cultured. Treatment should be highly individualized and determined by the virulence of the infectious organism, the extent of infection, and the medical status of the patient. Whereas graft excision and extra-anatomic revascularization remains the "gold standard" for treatment of aortic graft infection, the use of in situ replacement with autogenous vein has been shown to be an excellent alternative. In very limited circumstances, in situ replacement with allograft or rifampin-bonded prosthesis may be acceptable.
Psychiatric morbidity and parental substance use disorder.

Objective: To assess psychiatric morbidity associated with having no, one, or two parents with Substance Use Disorder (SUD), among patients receiving SUD care. Design: Two measures of psychiatric morbidity included (a) current psychopathology and (b) lifetime use of psychiatric treatment. Settings: Alcohol-drug treatment programs were located in two university medical centers. Subjects: Four hundred ninety-five voluntary patients aged 18 and older and non-adopted. Results: Parental SUD was directly related to (a) more current psychiatric symptoms, both self-rated and psychiatrist-rated and (b) greater likelihood of ever having ever received psychiatric treatment. Among those who had ever received psychiatric care, the number of psychotropic medications was related to parental SUD. Number of admissions, venues, visits/days, and cost of psychiatric care were not associated with parental SUD. Conclusions: Extent of parental SUD was related to increased psychiatric morbidity.
Altered peripheral responsiveness to beta-adrenergic stimulation in experimental renal hypertension.

Hypertension, induced in male rats by encapsulation of both kidneys with latex envelopes, is associated with a reduction in maximal responsiveness to β-adrenergic stimulation. Responsiveness was assessed by measurement of both water intake and plasma renin activity following acute subcutaneous administration of graded doses of isoproterenol, a β-adrenergic agonist. At doses of isoproterenol in excess of 6μg/kg body weight, s.c., the dipsogenic response of rats with renal hypertension was significantly (p > 0.05) less than that of normotensive controls. Basal, unstimulated plasma renin activities were similar in both the normotensive and renal hypertensive groups. However, following administration of isoproterenol at doses of 5, 10, or 20μg/kg body weight, s.c., plasma renin activity was elevated significantly (p > 0.01) in the normotensive, but only in the lowest dose in the renal hypertensive group. These results suggest that maximal responsiveness to β-adrenergic stimulation is reduced in the renal hype...
A Systematic Characterization of Mitochondrial Proteome from Human T Leukemia Cells

Global understanding of tissue-specific differences in mitochondrial signal transduction requires comprehensive mitochondrial protein identification from multiple cell and tissue types. Here, we explore the feasibility and efficiency of protein identification using the one-dimensional gel electrophoresis in combination with the nano liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GeLC-MS/MS). The use of only 40 μg of purified mitochondrial proteins and data analysis using stringent scoring criteria and the molecular mass validation of the gel slices enables the identification of 227 known mitochondrial proteins (membrane and soluble) and 453 additional proteins likely to be associated with mitochondria. Replicate analyses of 60 μg of mitochondrial proteins on the faster scanning LTQ mass spectrometer validate all the previously identified proteins and most of the single hit proteins except the 81 single hit proteins. Among the identified proteins, 466 proteins are known to functionally participate in various processes such as respiration, tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle), amino acid and nucleotide metabolism, glycolysis, protection against oxidative stress, mitochondrial assembly, molecular transport, protein biosynthesis, cell cycle control, and many known cellular processes. The distribution of identified proteins in terms of size, pI, and hydrophobicity reveal that the present analytical strategy is largely unbiased and very efficient. Thus, we conclude that this approach is suitable for characterizing subcellular proteomes form multiple cells and tissues.
Rho GTPases in Development

The rapidly expanding Rho family of evolutionarily conserved proteins corn-prise a subclass of the Ras superfamily of regulatory GTPases. Like their Ras relatives, the Rho GTPases cycle between conformationally distinct active and inactive states and thereby function as molecular switches that mediate signal transduction pathways in response to extracellular stimuli. Although the Rho family proteins have been implicated as important regulators of the actin cytoskeleton, their precise biological functions and the nature of their associated signaling pathways in vivo are only just beginning to be elucidated. In light of their ability to promote profound effects on cell morphology, it has been suggested that these proteins are likely to be critical regulators of the numerous morphogenetic events required of a developing multicellular organism. The development of most complex multicellular organisms procedes via a fundamentally similar mechanism. Following extensive cell proliferation, cell fates are specified, a body plan is established, and a variety of morphogenetic events take place that serve to elaborate the structure. This review will focus on published observations that support a role for the Rho family of proteins in these various morphogenetic processes required during development, with particular emphasis on recent studies conducted in genetically tractable organisms.
Models for the optimization and risk management of energy conversion networks

Using first and second law principles from finite-time thermodynamics, this paper introduces a class of bilinear models suitable for the optimization and risk management of commodity energy conversion processes. The model is intended for use at a high level to predict the efficiency of energy conversion in campus scale utilities with complex energy requirements, fuel sources, and significant operational flexibility. The bilinear character of the model derives from the second law which results in a multiplicative coupling between entropy flux and temperature driving forces. The paper offers three main results: 1) Economic optimization of this model yields a non-convex bilinear optimization problem. 2) Special cases for optimal operation reduce to generalized eigenvalue problems, or more complex rank constraints that could be solved using numerical algebraic geometry. 3) A computational strategy based on a linear outer approximation coupled with a branch and bound methodology to reduce the search region.
Intelligent Power Assist Systems: Mechatronic Systems Auto-Adaptive to Varying Human Characteristics and Environmental Conditions

Modern technologies, in particular automation and mechatronics technologies, were originally intended to achieve higher productivity and better product quality. They are now steadily penetrating our daily lives either indirectly or directly. We are surrounded by mechatronic products and interact with them in many ways. It has become critically important to consider the human factors in the design and development of mechatronic products from various aspects, and the proposed research will provide a scientific basis in this regard. This presentation is concerned with an investigation to develop the understanding of power assist systems which add assistive power or force to the power or force input supplied by a human. Such systems involve bilateral coupling between the human, the actuator (power assisting device) and the environment. Examples that may take advantage of such advances are the electric power-assisted steering (EPS) system for automobiles and the electric bicycle.
A collaboration-based hybrid vehicular sensor network architecture

An intelligent transportation system aims to make roads safer and less congested. Compared to traditional sensor networks, this recently emerged sensor network is not restricted by the power supply and the storage space. These sensors are equipped with GPS devices and large amount flash memory cards. Under such environment, an effective and efficient architecture for data collection and data exchange is more important. This paper is concerned with such an system framework consisting of static road side sensors and mobile vehicular sensors. Road side sensors are distributed according to the road segmentation for collecting data from mobile vehicular sensors passing by. While mobile sensors on vehicles monitor the road condition and send this information to road side sensors and to mobile neighbors when they are close enough. This paper presents a detailed data collection, storage and exchange mechanism for vehicular sensor networks and addresses the congestion problem raised by multiple mobile sensor users when accessing to a single road side sensor at the same time. The simulation results show our system can reduce 42% traffic jams and save the drivers for up to 36.6% total time.
Estimation of Postaverage SNR from Evoked Responses Under Nonstationary Noise

In any measure of event-related potentials, it is important to be able to estimate the postaverage signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in order to assess the quality of the measured signals. The estimated postaverage SNR can be an important detection criteria (as in infant hearing-screening of evoked auditory potentials) and a control factor when comparing signals obtained during different conditions (accounting for residual noise variability). Standard SNR estimation methods, such as the fixed-single-point (Fsp) statistic (C. Elberling and M. Don, ldquoQuality estimation of averaged auditory brainstem responses,rdquo Scandinavian Audiol., vol. 13, pp. 187-197, 1984), assume a single-stationary noise source, with the postaverage SNR increasing proportionally to the number of trials averaged. This study proposes a modified version of the Fsp statistic, the nonstationary fixed-multiple-point (NS Fmp), that can account for a discrete number of noise sources of different power, and can also be modified for weighted averaging (WNS Fmp). A new noise segmentation procedure is also proposed that dynamically partitions contiguous trials based on their noise power estimates and a series of F-tests. Results from computer simulation and real data from auditory brain stem recordings show that the NS Fmp method yields lower mean square error than do the Fsp, and that the WNS Fmp has higher receiver-operating-curve area than do the standard Fsp procedure.
Attractive Noncovalent Interactions in the Mechanism of Grubbs Second-Generation Ru Catalysts for Olefin Metathesis

Second-generation ruthenium carbenoid catalysts for olefin metathesis are a hundred to a thousand times more active than first-generation catalysts, despite a slower initiation step. A new density functional capable of treating medium-range correlation energy shows that the relative rates of generation of the catalyst are determined by attractive noncovalent interactions.
Switching behavior in optimal communication strategies for team jamming games under resource constraints

In this paper, we address the issue of malicious intrusion in the communication network present in a team of autonomous vehicles. In our current scenario, we consider the special case of two teams with each team consisting of two mobile agents. Agents belonging to the same team communicate over wireless ad hoc networks, and they try to split their available power between the tasks of communication and jamming the nodes of the other team. Contrary to our earlier work, this paper addresses the scenario in which each player has an omni-directional antenna for jamming the communication between the members of the other team. The agents have constraints on their total energy and instantaneous power usage. The cost function adopted is the difference between the rates of erroneously transmitted bits of each team. We model the problem as a zero-sum differential game between the two teams and use Isaacs' approach to obtain the necessary conditions for the optimal trajectories. We model the adaptive modulation problem as a zero-sum matrix game which in turn gives rise to a continuous kernel game to handle power control. Based on the communications model, we present sufficient conditions on the physical parameters of the agents for the existence of a pure strategy saddle-point equilibrium (PSSPE). This leads to a switching behavior in the optimal communication strategy within a team, over the time horizon of the entire game. This behavior is illustrated in our simulations for the case when the agents are holonomic.
Pharmacology and clinical efficacy of desloratadine as an anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory drug.

Desloratadine is a biologically active metabolite of the second-generation antihistamine loratadine. Desloratadine is a highly selective peripheral H1 receptor antagonist that is significantly more...
Weakly-connected dominating sets and sparse spanners in wireless ad hoc networks

A set S is dominating if each node in the graph G = (V, E) is either in S or adjacent to at least one of the nodes in S. The subgraph weakly induced by S is the graph G' = (V, E') such that each edge in E' has at least one end point in S. The set S is a weakly-connected dominating set (WCDS) of G if S is dominating and G' is connected G' is a sparse spanner if it has linear edges. In this paper, we present two distributed algorithms for finding a WCDS in O(n) time. The first algorithm has an approximation ratio of 5, and requires O(n log n) messages. The second algorithm has a larger approximation ratio, but it requires only O(n) messages. The graph G' generated by the second algorithm forms a sparse spanner with a topological dilation of 3, and a geometric dilation of 6.
Global warming and the stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

Of today's great ice sheets, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet poses the most immediate threat of a large sea-level rise, owing to its potential instability. Complete release of its ice to the ocean would raise global mean sea level by four to six metres, causing major coastal flooding worldwide. Human-induced climate change may play a significant role in controlling the long-term stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and in determining its contribution to sea-level change in the near future.
Rotation, translation, and trajectory in diving.

Abstract Theories causing rotation of the body in diving were critically reviewed and a statement relating angular momentum to both the angle of lean and the angle of force was presented. Equations were developed by which the partition of energy between rotation and translation could be computed.
A soil carbon proxy to predict CH4 and N2O emissions from rewetted agricultural peatlands

Abstract The temporal and spatial variations in greenhouse gas (GHG) emission estimates in wetlands impede our ability to predict and upscale total emissions; thus, a scalar parameter is needed to predict GHG emissions. We investigated the importance of soil organic carbon (SOC) in the prediction of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in rewetted agricultural peatlands, positing that both CH4 and N2O production are explained by the quantity and turnover of SOC. Field CH4 and N2O fluxes, along with other edaphic and environmental variables, were monitored in rewetted peatlands with a range of SOC (6%, 11%, and 23%) that were recently converted from row crops to flooded rice cultivation to reverse soil subsidence. Nitrogen (N) fertilization reduced annual CH4 emission by 77.2% in the 6% C field, but this effect was not found in other fields. Annual N2O emissions were not affected by N fertilization and averaged 8.9, 5.2, and 1.9 kg N2O-N ha−1 for the 6%, 11%, and 23% C fields, respectively. SOC was the dominant factor controlling both CH4 and N2O emissions. The annual emission for both CH4 and N2O was accurately described by a decaying power regression with increasing SOC contents (R2 > 0.49). This relationship was also observed after splitting total annual emission of CH4 and N2O into growing and fallow seasons. Nitrogen fertilization and the seasonality in CH4 and N2O emissions did not change the relationships. The inverse correlation between SOC and CH4 and N2O emissions was likely caused by different chemical composition of SOC in various soils. Our results suggest that SOC can be a potential proxy to predict CH4 and N2O emissions in rewetted peatlands to better define GHG predictions of wetland restoration efforts.
Modeling of multihop wireless sensor networks with MAC, queuing, and cooperation

We present a Markovian decision process (MDP) framework for multihop wireless sensor networks (MHWSNs) to bound the network performance of both energy constrained (EC) networks and energy harvesting (EH) networks, both with and without relay cooperation. The model provides the fundamental performance limit that a MHWSN can theoretically achieve, under the general constraints from medium access control, routing, and energy harvesting. We observe that the analyses for EC and EH networks fall into two branches of MDP theory, which are finite-horizon process and infinite-horizon process, respectively. The performance metrics for EC and EH networks are different. For EC networks, an appropriate metric is the network lifetime; for EH networks, an appropriate metric is, for example, the network throughput. To efficiently solve the models with high dimension, for the EC networks, we propose a novel computational algorithm by taking advantage of the stochastic shortest path structure of the problem; for the EH networks, we propose a dual linear programming based algorithm by considering the sparsity of the transition matrix. Under the unified MDP framework, numerical results demonstrate the advantages of cooperation for the optimal performance, in both EC and EH networks.
Spectroscopic Studies of Photosynthetic Systems and Their Application in Photovoltaic Devices - Equipment Only: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-06-175

Spectral hole-burning (SHB) and single photosynthetic complex spectroscopy (SPCS) will be used to study the excitonic structure and excitation energy transfer (EET) processes of several photosynthetic protein complexes at low temperatures. The combination of SHB on bulk samples and SPCS is a powerful frequency domain approach for obtaining data that will address a number of issues that are key to understanding excitonic structure and energy transfer dynamics. The long-term goal is to reach a better understanding of the ultrafast solar energy driven primary events of photosynthesis as they occur in higher plants, cyanobacteria, purple bacteria, and green algae. A better understanding of the EET and charge separation (CS) processes taking place in photosynthetic complexes is of great interest, since photosynthetic complexes might offer attractive architectures for a future generation of circuitry in which proteins are crystallized.
Pump-Probe Study of Bi1−xSbx Alloys

Bi1−xSbx alloys undergo a semimetal-semiconductor transition at x = 0.065 and 0.22 and are semiconducting between these limits. We investigate this system by means of femtosecond time-resolved experiments, and observe an optical response similar to those in Bi, Sb, Te and Ti2O3. A previously-reported model describes the mechanism of generation of coherent lattice vibrations via the optically excited carriers in this class of materials. As predicted by the model, the modulated reflectivity signal ΔR/R in Bi.88Sb.12 shows a beating oscillatory behavior with the Bi-Bi and Bi-Sb A1g vibrational frequencies. Model-based calculations of the ΔR background relaxation time at different Sb compositions provide understanding of the carrier and lattice dynamics throughout the transition.
0.1μm Technology and Beol

It is clear that, at the device level, CMOS is scaleable to 0.1 µm and beyond, provided that the power supply voltage and the device physical dimensions are reduced in some coordinated manner. Contacting these devices and connecting them into circuits, and wiring the circuits at the chip level will become ever more challenging. Furthermore, the integration level of 0.1-µm technology is such that the chip will be the system or at least the core of the system. Thus, the BEOL will not be just for interconnecting the circuits on the chip, but provide the interconnect functions that are presently on the package and/or the board. To this end, copper and low-e inter-level dielectric, on-chip decoupling capacitor, as well as wire-level hierarchy, will be needed.
Advance in the application of membrane filtration in wastewater treatment

Membrane filtration was a pressure-driven separation technique,in which a pressure was exerted to make the liquid separated into the concentrating fluid and the penetrating fluid through the membrane.According to the membrane pore sizes,the sizes of retained matter and the pressure exerted on the membrane,membrane processes used in wastewater treatment could be classified into microfiltration(MF),ultrafiltration(UF),nanofiltration(NF) and reverse osmosis(RO).The principles of different membrane filtration techniques,the types of membranes,filtration models and the control of membrane fouling were reviewed in this paper.The application of membrane filtration techniques such as RO and NF in the treatment of wastewater from landfills,NF in textile and printworks industry and UF and MF in wastewater treatment and reuse were also summarized.Finally,the developments of membrane filtration technique in the future were discussed.
ANOMALIES IN THE BACKGROUND CIRCULATION OF THE IAP GCM MODEL ATMOSPHERE IN AN EL NINO YEAR

Analysis is made of the May-September averaged circulationof the model atmosphere(referred to as the background circulation inthis paper)from the general circulation model(GCM)developed by theInstitute of Atmospheric Physics(IAP), Academia Sinica. Results showthat during an E1 Nino episode, a variety of important systems(SouthernOscillation. the Walker and Hadley circulations, the western Pacificsubtropical high and ITCZ)and extensive rainfall all undergo consider-able anomalies and the abnormalities occur mainly in the NH westernPacific tropical and subtropical latitudes.Analyses presented here arein good agreement with those of observational data, thereby demonstrat-ing the prospects of the GCM in the research on low-latitute circula-tions.
Fractal Wavelets in ℝ n

This chapter presents the usage of multivariate IR-valued fractal functions to construct wavelet bases in IR n . To obtain nested subspaces, a prerequisite for the existence of a multi-resolution analysis, foldable figures have to be chosen as the domains of the multivariate fractal functions. These foldable figures are in one-to-one correspondence with so-called crystallographic Coxeter groups. The chapter reviews some concepts from the theory of Coxeter groups or the theory of buildings. It explains that continuous fractal functions constructed on a given foldable figure X can be used to interpolate a given set of data points. The chapter presents a multi-resolution analysis on L 2 (IR n ) and discusses the construction of corresponding wavelet basis.
Validation, Verification, and Formal Methods for Cyber-Physical Systems

Cyber-physical systems (CPSs), such as smart grids, unmanned aerial vehicles, and medical devices, are complex systems consisting of networks of computing units that interact in a stochastic manner with their physical environment. This interaction between the networked computing system and the physical environment gives rise to unexpected configurations also known as aggregate effects, which is not observed when the CPS components are standalone. Hypoglycemia control using multidrug infusion is a beneficial effect. However, uncontrolled aggregate effects can have dire consequences for the physical system. For example, chemotherapeutic drug interaction can kill healthy cells and selforganization in smart grids can result in large scale spread of critical failure. Thus, characterization and analysis of aggregate effect is essential for designing safe CPSs. This chapter will discuss the formal methods available for characterizing aggregate effects in CPSs and the verification and validation of models of CPSs.
Overview of Text Visualization Techniques

The increasing availability of electronic document archives, such as webpages, online news sites, blogs, and various publications and articles, provides an unprecedented amount of information. This situation introduces a new challenge, which is the discovery of useful knowledge from large document collections effectively without completely going through the details of each document in the collection. Information visualization techniques provide a convenient means to summarize documents in visual forms that allow users to fully understand and memorize data insights. In turn, this process facilitates data comparison and pattern recognition. Many text visualization techniques have been extensively studied and developed for different purposes since the 1990s. In this chapter, we briefly review these techniques to provide an overview of text visualization. Our survey is based on studies summarized in the online text visualization browser (http://textvis.lnu.se/). We classify different text visualization techniques regarding their design goals, which largely group existing techniques into five categories. These categories include techniques developed (1) for visualizing document similarity, (2) for revealing content, (3) for visualizing sentiments and emotions of the text, (4) for exploring document corpus, and (5) for analyzing various domain-specific rich-text corpus, such as social media data, online news, emails, poetry, and prose. Based on this taxonomy, we introduce the details of the primary text visualization research topics in the following chapters of this book.
Concurrent placement of distributed generation resources and capacitor banks in distribution systems

In this paper, a new approach for placement of both Distributed Generation (DG) units and capacitor banks in distribution systems is proposed. The goal is to 1) reduce the total real and reactive power losses, 2) improve the voltage profile, and 3) improve the power factor for the total demand. The method uses a bus-ranking scheme based on a weighted sum of indices representative of the impacts that a DG unit or capacitor bank would have in terms of the three aforementioned objectives. Moreover, the introduced indices provide a quantitative measure to identify whether placing a DG unit or a capacitor bank is more beneficial at each bus. In order to assess the performance of the proposed method, a 49-bus distribution system is introduced. The method is applied on the test system and best locations for allocation of DG units and capacitor banks on each branch are identified. Besides, a comparison between the performance of DG units and capacitor banks at each bus is noted. At the end, by examining the resulting real and reactive power losses, voltage profile and power factor, it is demonstrated that the proposed method successfully accomplishes its objectives.
Abstract P239: Evaluation of SPECT Appropriateness Criteria Using Clinical Outcomes

The utilization of SPECT imaging has increased significantly over the last 2 decades. Appropriateness Criteria (AC) has been created to improve quality of care by guiding appropriate use since 2005...
Improving the Performance and Resource Utilization of the CASPER FFT and Polyphase Filterbank

The effectiveness of Digital Signal Processing (DSP) solutions for radio-astronomy is limited by the efficiency of the implemented algorithms. Novel implementations of several popular DSP algorithm...
Treatment of Hepatitis C in Children

The aim of this study is to summarize the state of treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in children. The 100 articles on HCV in children from 2011 to 2016 contained only one report of a trial with direct acting antiviral agents (DAAs) and none of these agents are yet FDA-approved for children. Thus, we will focus on issues critical to the understanding of the problem of HCV in the pediatric age group including global epidemiology and natural history, as well as results of treatment with the only agents currently FDA-approved for pediatric use: pegylated interferon alpha 2a or 2b plus ribavirin. In addition, the pediatric trials with DAAs in progress will be described. Standard therapy is indicated for some children with HCV but the majority should await approval of DAAs. An algorithm for management and treatment of subjects <18 years of age at the present time is provided.
SENSING IMPROVEMENT OF PROTEIN C BIOSENSOR BY SAMPLE CIRCULATION

Protein C (PC) is one of the most important proteins involved in the blood hemostasis. It is a potent anticoagulant, antithrombotic, and anti-inflammatory agent. Individuals with heterozygous PC deficiency have, by the age of 40, an 8–10 times higher risk of the thrombotic complications1. Accordingly, PC deficiency may lead to problems of oxygen and nutrient transport to tissue. Therefore, early diagnosis of PC deficiency is crucial to prevent thrombo-embolic episodes, such as, lung embolism, stroke, and/or heart attack.
Fresnel-lens-inspired focusing phased arrays for optical trapping applications

An integrated optical phased array which focuses radiated light in one dimension to a tightly confined spot in the near field is demonstrated for the first time and proposed for chip-scale optical trapping applications.
Effect of precooking and polyphosphate treatment on the quality of catfish fillets cooked in pouch in boiling water

Summary Cooking or reheating food in a vacuum-sealed bag has been a common method of preparing vegetables, meats and poultry products. However, there are very few examples of vacuum-sealed bags designed for cooking catfish fillets. The objective was to examine properties of raw frozen and precooked frozen catfish fillets that were cooked in a vacuum-sealed pouch in boiling water. The effect of a commercial polyphosphate blend (IQF) on product properties was also evaluated. Sample analyses included weight loss, proximate content, colour (CIE L*a*b*), pH, mechanical texture and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) measurements. Both raw frozen and precooked frozen IQF fillets showed a significantly lower per cent moisture loss after cooking, of less than 2.7% relative to the fillets without polyphosphate (6.2–7.4%). Colour analysis showed a significantly higher b*(C) (yellowness) value for fillets without polyphosphate. Similar texture properties were observed between cooking treatments, with a harder texture (~1.3–1.7 times) determined for fillets without polyphosphate.
Imaging the host response

Radiotracer and spin-labeled magnetic resonance technique development has greatly advanced in the last two decades providing myriad new targeted ligands and biologics for targeting a multitude of receptors, enzymes, saccharides, metabolites, and cellular processes. The majority of these new ligands have been validated in cancer models, reflecting the distribution of funding from federal and other sources. However, infections remain a prevalent scourge in developing nations and are re-emerging as a serious threat in developed nations in the form of antibiotic-resistant infections. The need to confirm and locate infections, especially in inaccessible anatomic locations, should be high priority both to understand the biological processes involved and as an aid to clinicians. Imaging the host response, in particular, can help scientists understand how effector and innate immune cells respond and understand the impact of antimicrobial treatments.
International Undergraduates’ Retention, Graduation, and Time to Degree

The present study tested the hypothesis that the international undergraduates at a West Coast American public university during recent years of dramatic enrollment growth should have low retention and graduation rates. This study showed instead that these students were retained and graduated at rates surpassing predictions from research and theories on international undergraduates’ unique challenges (American immigration regulations, academic integrity standards, and teaching methods; English writing) and academic struggles. Moreover, contrary to predictions related to academic struggles, the primary reasons for these students’ attrition were leave of absence for compulsory military service and deciding against attending the University. These results disconfirm the study’s hypothesis and instead suggest that these international undergraduates generally have succeeded academically.
Living with Uncertainty: The Ethnographer’s Burden

This chapter explores the anxieties and challenges of not just being an ethnographer but engaging in an ethnography. The author’s background in positivistic methodologies generates tensions with the philosophical and epistemological values embraced by ethnography. Here these are discussed in relation to organisational change in the Business School of a Higher Education Institution (which at the time was soon to become a university) in the East of England. The chapter reflects upon uncertainty within research as both challenge and opportunity.