cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulations of a Vibrissa Slipping along a Straight Edge and an Analysis of Frictional Effects during Whisking

During tactile exploration, rats sweep their whiskers against objects in a motion called whisking. Here, we investigate how a whisker slips along an object's edge and how friction affects the resulting tactile signals. First, a frictionless model is developed to simulate whisker slip along a straight edge and compared with a previous model that incorporates friction but cannot simulate slip. Results of both models are compared to behavioral data obtained as a rat whisked against a smooth, stainless steel peg. As expected, the frictionless model predicts larger magnitudes of vertical slip than observed experimentally. The frictionless model also predicts forces and moments at the whisker base that are smaller and have a different direction than those predicted by the model with friction. Estimates for the friction coefficient yielded values near 0.48 (whisker/stainless steel). The present work provides the first assessments of the effects of friction on the mechanical signals received by the follicle during active whisking. It also demonstrates a proof-of-principle approach for reducing whisker tracking requirements during experiments and demonstrates the feasibility of simulating a full array of vibrissae whisking against a peg.
Is hypertriglyceridaemia an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease? The epidemiological evidence

There has been considerable controversy over whether elevated levels of triglycerides, or hypertriglyceridaemia is an independent risk factor in coronary heart disease (CHD). Discrepancies between findings of univariate and multivariate statistical analyses are likely to be due to the strong inverse correlation between plasma triglyceride levels and high density lipoprotein cholesterol. Convincing evidence of a link between elevated triglyceride levels and CHD has been reported in a meta-analysis of patients whose plasma triglyceride levels were measured in the fasting state. Further evidence has come from several angiographic studies that have examined the relationship between plasma triglyceride levels and the progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). It is critical that the threshold of placebo triglyceride, above which hypertriglyceridaemia is recognized. is set at an appropriate level. This will ensure that patients at potential risk of CHD receive appropriate lipid-lowering treatment. In an 18-year follow-up study, incidence and severity of stenosis correlated with plasma triglyceride level. At a triglyceride level of 100 mg. dl - '. which current guidelines would consider to be low risk. patients had a reduced chance of survival from coronary events. These findings suggest that the present classification of triglyceride levels in the assessment of CAD risk may need to be redefined.
Kinematic generation of ruled surfaces

This paper presents a method for kinematic generation of free-form ruled surfaces. The method is based on the kinematic displacement of lines. The ruled surfaces are represented as curves on a dual unit sphere. The curves are created by using the Lie Group structure of the dual space to generate dual displacement matrices for the lines. Free-form surfaces are created by repeated geodesic interpolation using the displacement matrices. An application for these surfaces is presented in five-axis cylindrical milling.
Shuttle Orbiter Arrestment System Studies

Scale model studies of the Shuttle Orbiter arrestment system were conducted to determine the proper net arrestment system configuration to bring the Orbiter to a safe stop in the event of a runway overshoot. Areas of interest include the effect of various net geometries on net engagement of the nose gear and main gear; and whether or not the top bundle contacts the crew cabin window. The model tests indicated that the net arrestment system was properly designed to bring the Orbiter to a safe stop with minimal amount of damage. The test procedures and data are presented.
Genetics and prostate cancer risk

CN13-02 Epidemiological data reveal that African American men have the highest incidence and mortality rates for prostate cancer in the world. Prostate cancer, like many other common diseases likely has environmental components to their risk and thus results from currently unknown interactions between environmental factors and underlying genotypes. However, the observed population differences in prostate cancer incidence and mortality can not be explained completely by differences in access to and quality of health care, diet or other lifestyle characteristics. Whether differences in the distribution of known or undefined genetic risk factors among different populations explain the disparity is unknown. What is known is that many prostate cancer candidate genes exhibit large differences in allele frequencies across different populations. The significance of these patterns has yet to be fully understood. Many scientists are now exploring genetic ancestry in order to help distinguish between the genetic and environmental factors which contribute to population differences in disease risk.
Disease Patterns for Patients (pts) with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) That Have BCR-ABL Transcript Levels > 10% At 3 Month of Therapy with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs)

Abstract 3757 Background: Response to TKIs in CML at 3 month is a strong predictor for long term outcome in CML patients treated with TKIs. Pts who do not achieve a BCR-ABL transcript level Patients and Methods: A total of 489 newly diagnosed CML pts that received initial treatment with TKIs: imatinib 400 mg daily (83) imatinib 800 mg daily (199), and second generation TKIs (2GTKIs) (207) in consecutive or parallel trials between 7/2000 and 6/2011 were included in this analysis. Cytogentic and molecular responses were evaluated every 3 month for the first year and then every 6 month. Event was defined as transformation to accelerated phase (AP) or blast phase (BP), loss of complete hematologic response (CHR), or loss of MCyR. Results: Among the 489 treated pts, 58 (12%) did not achieve a MCyR or BCR-ABL transcript level BCR-ABL transcript level 4.5 , and 4 (24%) have lost MMR (2 of them with loss of CCyR). The 5 years OS, EFS and transformation-free survival (TFS) for the patients who did not achieve any response at 3 month was 88%, 77%, and 94%, respectively. The OS, EFS, and TFS for the patients who subsequently achieved a response (MCyR or BCR-ABL transcript level P = 0.17, 0.07, 0.99, respectively). Conclusions: Although BCR-ABL transcript level at 3 month may predict long-term outcome of pts with CML treated with TKIs, this represents a static, one-time measure. Assessing the response at 6 months of pts with poor response at 3 months may provide a better predictor of long term outcome. Disclosures: Cortes: Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; Ariad: Consultancy, Research Funding.
Mitral Stenosis: Acquired

Perform TTE to establish diagnosis, quantify hemodynamic severity, assess concomitant valvular lesions, and demonstrate valve morphology to determine suitability for mitral commissurotomy
Modulus of Elasticity and Thermal Expansion Coefficient of ITO Film

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the modulus of elasticity (E) and thermal expansion coefficient (α) of RF sputtered Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) as a function of temperature (T), and to collect ITO film stress data. In order to accomplish that goal, the Toho FLX-2320-S thin film stress measurement machine was used to collect both single stress and stress-temperature data for ITO coated fused silica and sapphire substrates. The stress measurement function of the FLX-2320-S cannot be used to calculate the elastic modulus of the film because the Stoney formula incorporates the elastic modulus of the substrate, rather than of the film itself.
ROCK-FORMING MINERALS VOL. 4A: FRAMEWORK SILICATES: FELDSPARS.: W.A. Deer, R.A. Howie, and J. Zussman. London: The Geological Society, 2001. Hardback, 972 p. USA Distributor AAPG Bookstore: bookstore@aapg.org. £115.00/US$192.00, discounts to GSL and AAPG members.

Happy is the book on feldspars that begins with an introduction to the names, in which the ternary solvus of Fuhrman and Lindsley vividly demonstrates that all the juicy names vanish at high temperature. The only one left standing at page 4 is “ternary feldspar”! And that to my mind is a Good Thing. Whether the added “d” in the old “felspar” is a good thing depends on where you live and how old you are. If these authors can do it, so can you. This new DHZ-II, like the other second editions labeled “A”, is an immensely expanded treatment of the original 1963 topic; like them also, it expands only those minerals in the primary focus. Here, the authors deal with alkali feldspars in 620 pages (88 in the old), plagioclase in 283 pages (72), and Ba feldspars in 34 pages (13). Buddingtonite and reedmergnerite are added for good measure in ten pages. Weightier comparisons may be made between this volume at 1733 g, the MSA …
Abstract 9860: Family Caregivers Have Greater Risk of Depression and Cardiovascular Disease than Non-caregivers in Rural Kentucky

Introduction: Caregiving is known to be burdensome and to adversely affect physical health. It is not known whether caregiving contributes to increased depression and cardiovascular disease (CVD) r...
Combined water activity and solute effects on growth and survival of Listeria monocytogenes Scott A

Water activity and solute effects were determined on the growth and survival of Listeria monocytogenes Scott A in bacteriological media. Media were adjusted to water activity (aw) levels of 0.99-0.80 with NaCl, glycerol (GLY), or propylene glycol (PG). Minimum aw levels for growth occurred at 0.90, 0.92, and 0.97 for GLY, NaCl, and PG, respectively. Survival was related to the aw level, as well as the solute employed. Cells survived the longest in GLY and died earliest in PG; NaCl was intermediate. These results provide quantitative isothermal criteria for estimating the aw level necessary to prevent growth of L. monocytogenes in food.
Adolescent Work and Unemployment

The social meaning and developmental consequences of work and unemployment in adolescence depend on the institutional structuring of education, work, and the transition to adulthood. Three social regimes illustrate this variability: North America, Germany and other European nations with well-established apprenticeship systems, and the developing countries. The concerns of social scientists who study adolescent work and unemployment, as well as public debates, are of markedly different character in these divergent contexts. In North America, where the majority of adolescents work part-time while attending high school, the controversy focuses on whether working contributes to ‘precocious maturity,’ drawing youth away from school and developmentally beneficial ‘adolescent’ activities. At issue is whether youth employment should be curtailed by means of hours restrictions. In countries that structure the school-to-work transition by apprenticeship, a much more favorable stance toward adolescent work is apparent. Concerns focus not on whether adolescents should work, or on the amount of time that should be directed to this activity, but instead on the availability of sufficient placements and their quality for optimal learning. In the developing countries, where education is key to both fertility control and economic development, gainful employment and schooling are in direct competition with one another; adolescents (and children) who work typically cannot attend school. But in these contexts, it is family poverty that propels adolescents into the labor market. This article examines the implications of work and unemployment for adolescent development and attainment under these varying conditions.
Teachers' Perceptions of the Importance of an Adolescent Development Knowledge Base for Instructional Practice

AbstractDevelopment during adolescence poses particular challenges for students and for the teachers who instruct them. Although teachers may be aware of the physical, social, and cognitive changes...
Enhancing robot perception using human teammates

In robotics research, perception is one of the most challenging tasks. In contrast to existing approaches that rely only on computer vision, we propose an alternative method for improving perception by learning from human teammates. To evaluate, we apply this idea to a door detection problem. A set of preliminary experiments has been completed using software agents with real vision data. Our results demonstrate that information inferred from teammate observations significantly improves the perception precision.
110th Anniversary: Molecular Structure Effects on Mass Transfer of C10 Hydrocarbons in BPL Activated Carbon

Adsorbent filters often use activated carbons to remove a wide range of toxic chemicals from air. It is of interest to know if filter performance for these compounds can be diffusion limited as a r...
Factors for non-Jewish consumers’ kosher food choice: An investigation of the food quality perception

The demand for kosher food has increased remarkably among non-Jewish consumers. To understand this growing trend, this study investigates underlying factors influencing non-Jewish consumers’ kosher...
More Than 100% of the Equity Premium: How Much Is Really Earned on Macroeconomic Announcement Days?

One can earn well over 100% of the equity risk premium on macroeconomic announcement days identified by the prior literature. This is a robust phenomenon present across many other subsets of macroeconomic variables. We show how inadvertent sample selection along with the timing of macroeconomic announcements throughout the month produces this too-much-return puzzle. Looking at the entire distribution of macroeconomic variables eliminates this sample selection bias, while including day-of-the-month fixed effects controls for the announcement timing. We find that expected macroeconomic announcements as a whole are responsible for about half of the equity premium. This smaller premium earned over more days means Sharpe ratios are similar on announcement and non-announcement days. We also show that the fit of the CAPM on macroeconomic announcement days is not evidence that those days are special, but only a by-product of those days' high ex-post market returns.
D4RL: Datasets for Deep Data-Driven Reinforcement Learning

The offline reinforcement learning (RL) problem, also known as batch RL, refers to the setting where a policy must be learned from a static dataset, without additional online data collection. This setting is compelling as it potentially allows RL methods to take advantage of large, pre-collected datasets, much like how the rise of large datasets has fueled results in supervised learning in recent years. However, existing online RL benchmarks are not tailored towards the offline setting, making progress in offline RL difficult to measure. In this work, we introduce benchmarks specifically designed for the offline setting, guided by key properties of datasets relevant to real-world applications of offline RL. Examples of such properties include: datasets generated via hand-designed controllers and human demonstrators, multi-objective datasets where an agent can perform different tasks in the same environment, and datasets consisting of a mixtures of policies. To facilitate research, we release our benchmark tasks and datasets with a comprehensive evaluation of existing algorithms and an evaluation protocol together with an open-source codebase. We hope that our benchmark will focus research effort on methods that drive improvements not just on simulated tasks, but ultimately on the kinds of real-world problems where offline RL will have the largest impact.
Entrustable professional activities in nursing: A concept analysis

Abstract Objective Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) is a newly emerging concept. This paper aims at analyzing the concept of “EPAs” to clarify the meaning and to identify its components for optimum understanding of the concept for use in nursing education and future research. Method Three databases – ProQuest, Ovid, and PubMed– were retrieved, and Walker and Avant’s concept analysis approach was used to analyze the concept of EPAs. Results Based on the analysis, three attributes of EPAs were defined, namely 1) EPAs should be restricted to a limited number of tasks; 2)reflect the experience curve; and 3) include acceptance of responsibility and accountability. The antecedent of EPAs is a holistic and integrated assessment approach. This will eventually lead to anticipated consequences such as a mastery of core competencies and an increase in the level of autonomy. Conclusion The study may contribute to a reduction in the ambiguity of this concept to better apply it in nursing practice.
Higgs boson decays into narrow diphoton jets and their search strategies at the Large Hadron Collider

In many extensions of the Standard Model, the Higgs boson can decay into two light scalars, each of which then subsequently decay into two photons. The underlying event is $h\ensuremath{\rightarrow}4\ensuremath{\gamma}$, but the kinematics from boosted light scalar decays combined with realistic detector resolutions may fail to register the events in straightforward categories and thus may be lost. In this article, we investigate the phase space for highly boosted diphoton events from these exotic Higgs decays and discuss search strategies that aim to capture and label events in this difficult region. In the process, we develop a new category, $\ensuremath{\xi}$ jets, which identifies with high selectivity highly collimated diphoton decay modes of the Higgs boson.
Raising the age for juvenile jurisdiction in Illinois: Medical science, adolescent competency, and cost

Legislation is pending in Illinois that would redefine a juvenile, for the purpose of delinquency proceedings, as a person under eighteen years of age.1 The Illinois Juvenile Court Act presently defines a “delinquent minor” as any minor who violated any law prior to his seventeenth birthday.2 Thus, seventeen-year-olds are prosecuted as adults in adult criminal court. The proposed changes would add seventeen-year-olds to the definition of delinquent minors so that these teenagers would be prosecuted in juvenile court. If the proposal becomes law, Illinois would join thirty-seven other states, the federal government, and most foreign countries in defining a juvenile as an adolescent less than eighteen years of age.3 Previous attempts to raise the age for delinquency in Illinois to include seventeen-year-olds have failed.4 Attempts to raise the age for delinquents have been vigorously opposed. In Illinois, county governments are responsible for the expenses of holding juveniles prior to trial.5 Counties must also pay for most of the services provided to delinquents, including the cost of probation supervision and drug treatment.6 Cook County, which includes the City of Chicago, has been a leader in opposing any changes in age for delinquents because of the
The Effect of Uncertainty about Future Accounting Standards on Financial Reporting Quality

Financial statement preparers often make accounting judgments with considerable uncertainty about what future accounting standards will require. We conduct a study in the experimental economics tradition to investigate how such uncertainty affects preparers’ current period accounting estimates. Compared to preparers who know with certainty that future standards will allow them to benefit from reporting a biased accounting estimate in the present, we find that preparers who face uncertainty about future standards arrive at less biased estimates. We further find that this reduction in bias reflects a behavioral response from preparers that is in conflict with their wealth-maximizing financial incentives. Moreover, we find evidence that uncertainty about future standards causes preparers to rely more on their unbiased private information about estimate value, and focus less on the potential benefits of biased reporting. Although uncertainty associated with standard setting is often criticized, our theory and results suggest that increased financial reporting quality is an unanticipated benefit of the uncertainty that naturally arises from a deliberative and inclusive standard setting process.
A Qualitative Study of Barriers and Facilitators to Transitions From the Emergency Department to Outpatient Mental Health Care.

Objective: People with psychiatric disorders are among the most frequent users of emergency departments (EDs). The transition of care from the ED to outpatient mental health treatment may be import...
Early Transplant Arteriopathy in Kidney Transplantation.

ABSTRACT Background Early dysfunction of renal allografts may be associated with vascular injury, which raises the specter of active rejection processes that require medical intervention. In our practice, we have encountered patients who present with delayed graft function and demonstrate a unique pattern of endothelial cell injury that raises concern for rejection in their biopsy. Therefore, we sought to systematically determine the biopsy characteristics and outcome of these patients. Methods During a 17-year period at the University of Washington in Seattle, United States, we identified 24 cases of a distinct arterial vasculopathy presenting in the first year posttransplantation. This early transplant arteriopathy (ETA) is characterized by endothelial cell swelling and intimal edema but without the intimal arteritis that defines vascular rejection. Results Approximately 1% of transplant biopsies during the study period showed ETA, almost all of which were in deceased donor organs (96%), and most presented with delayed graft function (54%) or increased serum creatinine (38%) soon after transplantation (median 13 days; range, 5-139). In this study, 77% of patients were managed expectantly, with only 2 patients (7.6%) subsequently developing acute vascular rejection. Except for 1 patient who died, all patients had functioning allografts at 1 year follow-up. Conclusion Recognizing ETA and distinguishing it from vascular rejection is important to prevent over-treatment because most patients appear to recover allograft function rapidly with expectant management.
Abstract 3630: Immunoengineering of tumor associated macrophages using targeted, siRNA delivering nanoparticles

Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) can modify the tumor microenvironment to create a pro-tumor niche. Dysregulation of NF-κB signaling is implicated in creating a pro-tumor phenotype in TAMs. NF-κB signaling consists of a classical pathway and a less understood alternative pathway. Suppression of NF-κB activation in TAMs is predicted to decrease local smoldering inflammation and inhibit the pro-tumor TAM phenotype. However, recent studies have reported anti-tumor macrophage behavior induced by activation of the classical NF-κB pathway. We have successfully used mannosylated polymer nanoparticles (Mn-NP) to deliver siRNA for RNAi of NF-κB proteins in bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs) and mouse TAMs in vivo. Mannose serves as a macrophage targeting ligand via the mannose receptor (CD206). This work aims to characterize these nanomaterials for targeted delivery of functional nucleic acid sequences into macrophages in vitro and in vivo. These studies will also use the Mn-NP to investigate the effects of specific manipulation of NF-κB activation on macrophage phenotype. Mn-NPs are micelles formed by self-assembly of triblock polymers with a poly(BMA-co-PAA-co-DMAEMA) core, a DMAEMA siRNA condensing block, and an azide-containing outer block for further functionalization. Alkyne functionalized mannose is then “clicked” on the end of the polymer and presented on the micellar surface. In vitro cell studies carried out with BMDMs from mice that express luciferase as a reporter of total NF-κB activity. Mn-NP delivery of siRNA (50 nM for 24 hrs) against each of several NF-κB pathway proteins confirms efficacious knockdown of total NF-κB activity, comparable to transfection with the commercial agent Lipofectamine. Mn-NPs are also highly biocompatible in vitro and exhibit no significant liver or kidney toxicity in mice at doses of 5 mg/kg. The mannosylated carrier effectively delivers cy3 fluorescently labeled nucleotides to TAMs in multiple model systems, including in primary mammary tumors arising spontaneously in polyoma mice and an implanted ovarian tumor model, . Currently, studies are focused on a potential therapeutic strategy that involves RNAi of an inhibitor of the classical NF-κB pathway, IκBα, in order to strategically activate the classical pathway in TAMs. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of macrophages treated with Mn-NP formulated with siRNA against IκBα show a decrease in M2 markers, a decrease in smoldering inflammation associated cytokines, and an increase in immune cell recruiting chemokines. Citation Format: Ryan Ortega, Whitney Barham, Oleg Tikhomirov, Kavya Sharman, Fiona Yull, Todd Giorgio. Immunoengineering of tumor associated macrophages using targeted, siRNA delivering nanoparticles. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3630. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3630
Poverty Trap, Financial Openness and Economic Growth

This paper extends Boyd and Smith’s (1997) two-country model to analyze the roles of financial factors as a source of poverty traps in open economies. Our basic model is a dynamic, open economy model embedded with international credit markets. We assume that firms across countries face an identical meta-production function, with the productivity being higher at a better level of financial development. This specification of production technology leads to a simple, poverty-trap mechanism that generates multiple steady states. A basic implication of this model is that capital-account liberalization produces both winners and losers among countries, and that economies at a lower level of financial development are more susceptible to fluctuant transition paths towards poverty traps. Thus, countries that are implementing the policy of capital-account liberalization may become unstable in the short run and even poorer in the long run.
16 Y/O Female with "Watermelon Stomach"?

Background. Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) also known as “watermelon stomach” (WS) is an uncommon cause of gastrointestinal (GI) blood loss. It typically presents in middle aged females. We are presenting a case of GAVE at an unusually early age with atypical symptoms. Case. A previously healthy 16 y/o Caucasian female presented to the ER with a one-month history of upper abdominal pain. Physical examination was benign except tenderness in the epigastric region. There were no significant findings on laboratory data. Upper endoscopy showed incidental findings of linear striae in the antrum indicative of GAVE but histology was equivocal. Discussion. GAVE is a poorly understood but treatable entity and an increasingly identifiable cause of chronic iron deficiency anemia or acute or occult upper GI bleeding. The pathophysiology of GAVE remains unclear. It is an endoscopic finding characterized by longitudinal columns of tortuous red ectatic vessels (watermelon stripes), pathognomonic for WS. Treatment options include endoscopic, pharmacologic, and surgical approaches. Failure to recognize GAVE can result in delayed treatment for years. Our patient with GAVE was unusually young and was diagnosed incidentally. Due to lack of anemia on laboratory examination we elected to monitor her clinically for any future development of anemia.
White Pelican Reproduction in the Molly Islands Breeding Colony, Yellowstone National Park

Compared to other North American White Pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, breeding colonies, the Molly Islands Colony is a minor colony consisting of 400-600 adults (Lier and Behle, 1966; Diem and Condon, 1967; Sloan, 1973; Diem, 1976). Despite its small size, the colony is unique for these reasons: 1) it is the only White Pelican breeding colony in a national park; 2) the location of the colony at an elevation of 7,733 ft (2,357 m) is the highest recorded for any breeding colony of the species; 3) discovered in 1890, the colony has had variable surveillance since 1917, with relatively intense monitoring since 1965; 4) the breeding population is composed of birds from both coasts of North America; and 5) the colony's nesting sites on the two Molly Islands change frequently with no predictable pattern. In addition, a cumulative substrate uplift along the north shore of Yellowstone Lake appears to have significantly raised the stable water level of the southern arms of the lake. Consequently, the major objective of this project is to continue monitoring changes in the reproductive success of the Molly Islands White Pelican colony and to continue studies of the factors influencing those changes.
Interleukin-1 alpha mediates phorbol ester-induced inflammation and epidermal hyperplasia.

The topical application of the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) to murine skin produces acute inflammatory and hyperplastic responses that have been associated with the promotion stage of skin carcinogenesis. It has been shown in a previous study that TPA induces the expression of the highly inflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL) -1 alpha, in the epidermis of SENCAR mice. The goal of this study was to investigate the role of IL-1 alpha in several TPA-induced responses in skin. Topical application of TPA (1 microgram) enhanced the production of immunoreactive IL-1 alpha protein, primarily associated with the suprabasal keratinocytes. IL-1 alpha intradermally injected in the dorsal surface significantly increased (P < 0.001) vascular permeability at low concentrations (1-1000 microU) and increased (P < 0.001) inflammatory cell infiltration and epidermal hyperplasia at higher concentrations (10(3) U). TPA produced fourfold increases in vascular permeability as measured by Evans blue...
Generalized High-Level Synthesis of Wavelet-Based Digital Systems via Nonlinear I/O Data Space Transformations

In this paper, we systematically present the high-level architectural synthesis for general wavelet-based algorithms via a model of I/O data space and the nonlinear transformations of the I/O data space. The parallel architectures synthesized in this paper are based on the computation model of distributed memory and distributed control. Several architectural designs have been proposed for the Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) [4]-[11]. None of these architectural designs for computing the DWT follows a systematic data dependence and localization analysis of general wavelet-based algorithms, and thus they only serve as particular designs and cannot be extended to other complicated wavelet-based algorithms such as MultiWavelet Transform (MWT)[1,13,14], Wavelet Packet Transform (WPT)[2,15] or Spacial-Frequential Quantization (SFQ) [12]. Using the WPT as a representative example of complex wavelet-based algortihms, this paper fully describes the theory and methodology used in synthesizing parallel architectures for general wavelet-based algorithms.
Privatizing Eminent Domain: The Delegation of a Very Public Power to Private, Non-Profit and Charitable Corporations

In an age of privatization of many governmental functions such as health care, prison management, and warfare, this Article poses the question as to whether eminent domain should be among them. Unlike other privatized functions, eminent domain is a traditionally governmental and highly coercive power, akin to the government’s power to tax, to arrest individuals, and to license. It is, therefore, a very public power. In particular, the delegation of this very public power to private, non-profit and charitable corporations has escaped the scrutiny that for-profit private actors have attracted in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Kelo. Though delegated the very public power of eminent domain, these private, non-profit actors may only be accountable to their private boards of directors instead of to the general electorate. This Article asserts that the largely procedural due process underpinnings of the Private Non-Delegation Doctrine (PNDD), a doctrine that has enjoyed renewed vigor in the state courts, provides an excellent means to assess the delegation of the takings power to private, non-profit corporations. The paper introduces two PNDD tests and applies these tests to two case studies in which eminent domain power has been delegated to private non-profits. Finally, in order to address the procedural due process concerns stressed by the PNDD and the two judicial tests, this Article proposes seven legislative solutions, including the use of Social Capital Impact Assessments, for state legislatures that have either delegated the takings power to private, non-profits, or that are contemplating these delegations.
Pursuing Laplace's vision on modern computers

This contribution is an informal essay based on a talk delivered at the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) in Minneapolis, under the summer program in molecular biology, July 18–22, 1994. I exclude many technical details, which can be found elsewhere, and instead focus on the basic ideas of molecular dynamics simulations, with the goal of conveying to students and non-specialists the key concepts of the theory and practice of large-scale simulations. Following a description of the basic idea in molecular dynamics, I discuss some of the practical details involved in simulations of large biological molecules, the numerical timestep problem, and approaches to this problem based on implicit-integration techniques. I end with a perspective of open challenges in the field and directions for future research.
Ronald C. Arnett, Communication Ethics in Dark Times: Hannah Arendt’s Rhetoric of Warning and Hope

Ronald C. Arnett’s (2013) most recent text, Communication Ethics in Dark Times: Hannah Arendt’s Rhetoric of Warning and Hope, uses the work of Arendt to address the “failed social project” of modernity. Modernity’s threefold emphasis on progress, efficiency, and individual autonomy directs one’s attention away from the important act of contemplation. The love of doing is lost on an unending journey toward the unattainable. Through the lens of modernity, the shadows of distraction serve as blinders in one’s relationship with self, other, and context. Despite the illusions of “artificial light” cast by modernity, Arnett attends to the overwhelming “darkness” of this historical moment through a communication ethics framework. Drawing on 15 of Arendt’s major scholarly works, Arnett masterfully weaves Arendt’s personal narrative and theoretical concepts to illuminate the misleading values represented by modernity. The work of Arendt portrays a picture of hope, interwoven with periodic warnings, intended for a society overwhelmed by darkness—not too dissimilar from the current historical moment in which we find ourselves.
A diffusion approximation for selection and drift in a subdivided population.

The population-genetic consequences of population structure are of great interest and have been studied extensively. An area of particular interest is the interaction among population structure, natural selection, and genetic drift. At first glance, different results in this area give very different impressions of the effect of population subdivision on effective population size (N(e)), suggesting that no single value of N(e) can completely characterize a structured population. Results presented here show that a population conforming to Wright's island model of subdivision with genic selection can be related to an idealized panmictic population (a Wright-Fisher population). This equivalent panmictic population has a larger size than the actual population; i.e., N(e) is larger than the actual population size, as expected from many results for this type of population structure. The selection coefficient in the equivalent panmictic population, referred to here as the effective selection coefficient (s(e)), is smaller than the actual selection coefficient (s). This explains how the fixation probability of a selected allele can be unaffected by population subdivision despite the fact that subdivision increases N(e), for the product N(e)s(e) is not altered by subdivision.
Magnetoelectric coupling and overall properties of multiferroic composites with 0-0 and 1-1 connectivity

Magnetoelectric coupling in a multiferroic composite consisting of piezoelectric and piezomagnetic phases with 0-0 and 1-1 connectivity is not a commonly studied subject. Unlike 0-3, 1-3, and 2-2 connectivity, both constituent phases now exist on equal geometrical footing and the computational process to the solution of the effective properties is highly nonlinear. In this article we develop a micro-continuum theory to examine the magnetoelectric coupling coefficients, α33 and α11, for these two types of connectivity, and compare the results with the more commonly studied 0-3 and 1-3 composites. With the BaTiO3-CoFe2O4 (BTO-CFO) system, our study reveals that, with 0-0 connectivity, its α33 and α11 are substantially higher than those of 0-3 connectivity over a wide range of phase concentration, but that, with 1-1 connectivity, its α33 is only comparable to that of the 1-3 composite whereas its α11 is higher only within the range of 0.4–0.65 CFO vol. %. We have also calculated the remaining 15 independent ...
Evidence for a critical end point in [111]-stressed RbCaF3

In RbCaF 3 , a [111] stress σ>σ E induces an Ising line separating the pseudo-cubic from the trigonal phase which impinges at finite angle on a first-order boundary to the tetragonal phase. Thus, a critical end point (CEP) occurs sited at σ E =0.10±0.01 kbar and T E =196.3±0.1 K. The discontinuity jump of the order parameter along this boundary is monotonous across the CEP. The Paramagnetic Resonance of the Gd 3+ -O 2− centre was used as a symmetry probe to establish the phase diagram Dans RbCaF 3 , pour une contrainte σ>σ E appliquee suivant [111], une ligne de transitions de type Ising separe une phase pseudo-cubique d'une phase trigonale. Elle rencontre sous un angle fini une ligne de transitions de premier ordre qui borde une phase pseudo-tetragonale. On localise ainsi un point critique terminal a σ E =0,10±0,01 kbar et T E =196,3±0,1 K. Le saut du parametre d'ordre est monotone le long de la ligne de premier ordre. Pour etablir le diagramme de phase on a utilise la Resonance Paramagnetique electronique du centre Gd 3+ -O 2−
Comment on “Diffusion mobilities for the B2-bcc phase in the Ni–Al binary system”

Abstract Wei et al. applied the B2-ordering model in CALPHAD to optimize the mobility parameters for the B2-bcc phase in the Ni–Al binary system from experimentally obtained diffusivities. Because the A2-bcc phase is metastable and does not exist in the phase diagram, the obtainment of its mobilities presents a challenge in the optimization process. It is pointed out that the mobilities given by Wei et al. for the disordered A2-bcc phase are not physically realistic. In addition, the simulation result for a diffusion couple is open to question according to the local equilibrium assumption.
Serum factors involved in human microvascular endothelial cell morphogenesis.

Abstract Our previous studies have demonstrated that lipid and protein angiogenic factors operate in tandem to induce optimal angiogenic responses in vivo. This study was undertaken to clarify the nature of the substances in human serum that are responsible for its remarkable ability to promote capillary morphogenesis in vitro. The ability of dilute (2%) human serum to promote the morphogenic differentiation of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells on Matrigel supports was depleted by more than 50% by treatment of the serum with activated charcoal, a procedure that effectively removes biologically active lipid growth factors. The remainder of the activity within serum was lost on heating to 60°C for 60 minutes, indicating the involvement of a protein in the response. The ability of charcoal-treated serum to promote capillary morphogenesis was completely restored by the addition of sphingosine 1-phosphate (SPP, 500 nmol/L), but other lipids thought to be released into serum during clotting were ineffective. In addition, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) effectively restored the ability of heat-treated serum to promote endothelial cell morphogenesis, but other protein growth factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor, were ineffective. Together, SPP and bFGF were as effective as whole serum in promoting capillary morphogenesis. Responses to purified SPP were entirely sensitive to the effects of preexposure of the cells to pertussis toxin, whereas responses to bFGF were entirely pertussis toxin-resistant. Consistent with our hypothesis that two distinct factors in serum play a role in promoting capillary morphogenesis, responses induced by serum were inhibited approximately 50% by preexposure of endothelial cells to pertussis toxin. We conclude that platelet-released SPP acts in conjunction with circulating bFGF to promote capillary formation by microvascular endothelial cells. Lipid and protein growth factors apparently exert complementary roles in the angiogenic response, as demonstrated by their ability to promote chemotaxis, angiogenic differentiation, and angiogenesis in vivo. (J Lab Clin Med 2002;140:188-98)
Another notch in stem cell biology: Drosophila intestinal stem cells and the specification of cell fates

Previous work has suggested that many stem cells can be found in microanatomic niches, where adjacent somatic cells of the niche control the differentiation and proliferation states of their resident stem cells. Recently published work examining intestinal stem cells (ISCs) in the adult Drosophila midgut suggests a new paradigm where some stem cells actively control the cell fate decisions of their daughters. Here, we review recent literature((1)) demonstrating that, in the absence of a detectable stem cell niche, multipotent Drosophila ISCs modulate the Notch signaling pathway in their adjacent daughter cells in order to specify the differentiated lineages of their descendants. These observations made in Drosophila are challenging and advancing our understanding of stem cell biology.
Efficient Intracellular siRNA Delivery by Ethyleneimine-Modified Amphiphilic Macromolecules

New materials that can bind and deliver oligonucleotides such as short interfering RNA (siRNA) without toxicity are greatly needed to fulfill the promise of therapeutic gene silencing. Amphiphilic macromolecules (AMs) were functionalized with linear ethyleneimines to create cationic AMs capable of complexing with siRNA. Structurally, the parent AM is formed from a mucic acid backbone whose tetra-hydroxy groups are alkylated with 12-carbon aliphatic chains to form the hydrophobic component of the macromolecule. This alkylated mucic acid is then mono-functionalized with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as a hydrophilic component. The resulting AM contains a free carboxylic acid within the hydrophobic domain. In this work, linear ethyleneimines were conjugated to the free carboxylic acid to produce an AM with one primary amine (1N) or one primary amine and four secondary amines (5N). Further, an AM with amine substitution both to the free carboxylic acid in the hydrophobic domain and also to the adjacent PEG was synthesized to produce a polymer with one primary amine and eight secondary amines (9N), four located on each side of the AM hydrophobic domain. All amine-functionalized AMs formed nanoscale micelles but only the 5N and 9N AMs had cationic zeta potentials, which increased with increasing number of amines. All AMs exhibited less inherent cytotoxicity than linear polyethyleneimine (L-PEI) at concentrations of 10 µM and above. By increasing the length of the cationic ethyleneimine chain and the total number of amines, successful siRNA complexation and cellular siRNA delivery was achieved in a malignant glioma cell line. In addition, siRNA-induced silencing of firefly luciferase was observed using complexes of siRNA with the 9N AM and comparable to L-PEI, yet showed better cell viability at higher concentrations (above 10 µM). This work highlights the promise of cationic AMs as safe and efficient synthetic vectors for siRNA delivery. Specifically, a novel polymer (9N) was identified for efficient siRNA delivery to cancer cells and will be further evaluated.
Children's suggestibility research: Things to know before interviewing a child

Children's testimony is often the only evidence of alleged abuse. Thus, the importance of conducting forensic interviews that are free from bias and misleading information is immense, as these could lead to false reports. In the current paper, we review unexpected findings in children's suggestibility that illustrate the difficulty in distinguishing between false and accurate reports. We explore situations in which a younger person's memory account may be more accurate than that of an adult, when a single suggestive interview may be as detrimental as multiple interviews, and when children can make inaccurate reports spontaneously. We conclude with recommendations for interviewers to decrease false reporting by both children and adults.
Separation and positive identification of compounds in complex sample mixtures using on-line, LC-UV/VIS and LC-MS, direct coupling techniques

In many analytical separation problems the retention time is not sufficient to identify the compounds of interest. This is especially true with complex mixtures where additional analytical data are necessary to confirm positively the identity of the separated components. An analytical high-pressure liquid chromatograph has been coupled to a UV/Visible spectrophotometer and a mass spectrometer and used for the separation and subsequent identification of compounds in different plant extracts. The results show that the direct combination of HPLC with on-line detection techniques can be successfully used in the analysis of complex mixtures giving positive identification of components and an overall reduction in analysis time.
Homeostasis during hypoglycemia: central control of adrenal secretion and peripheral control of feeding

Intravenous infusions of manose or B-hydroxybutyrate, metabolic fuels which can be oxidized by brain, abolished adrenal discharge of epinephrine in rats during insulin-induced hypoglycemia, whereas infusion of fructose, a sugar which does not cross the blood-brain barrier, did not. In contrast, increased feeding behavior during hypoglycemia was prevented both by the sugars and by B-hydroxybutyrate. Thus, while the sympathetic response during marked hypoglycemia may have been initiated by alterations in cerebal metabolism, the feeding response evidently was not, and a decrease in the utilization of glucose per se does not appear to be the critical stimulus in either case.