cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modulatory subdomains of the HS2 enhancer differentially regulate enhancer activity in erythroid cells at different developmental stages

Abstract ABSTRACT: The HS2 enhancer in the locus control region of human β-like globin genes displays developmental-stage-independent enhancer function. The mechanism by which it regulates the transcription of the globin genes in erythroid cells throughout development is not fully understood. In this paper we dissect the HS2 enhancer into an enhancer core and five modulatory subdomains M1 to M5. The enhancer core possesses developmental-stage-independent enhancer activity. The modulatory subdomains by themselves do not possess such enhancer activity, but they apparently respond to environmental signals and modulate enhancer core activity in a developmental-stage specific manner. M1 located 5' of the core strongly stimulates core activity in K562 cells at the embryonic stage. M2 and M3 located 3' of the core strongly stimulate core activity in MEL cells at the adult stage. Moreover, M3 suppresses core activity at the embryonic stage and exhibits an adult-stage-selector activity. These findings indicate that the apparent developmental-stage-independence of the HS2 enhancer is a result of multiple interactions between the core and the modulatory subdomains located both near and far from the core.
Quantum statistical study of O + O2 isotopic exchange reactions: cross sections and rate constants.

Using a wave packet based statistical model, we compute cross sections and thermal rate constants for various isotopic variants of the O + O 2 exchange reaction on a recently modified ab initio potential energy surface. The calculation predicts a highly excited rotational distribution and relatively cold vibrational distribution for the diatomic product. A small but important threshold effect was identified for the 16 O + 18 O 2 reaction, which is suggested to contribute to the experimentally observed negative temperature dependence of the rate ratio, k( 18 O + 16 O 2 )/k( 16 O + 18 O 2 ). Despite reasonable agreement with quasiclassical trajectory results, however, the calculated thermal rate constants are smaller than experimental measurements by a factor from 2 to 5. The experimentally observed negative temperature dependence of the rate constants is not reproduced. Possible reasons for the theory-experiment discrepancies are discussed.
Isospectral definite ternary Fq[t]-lattices

Abstract We prove that the representations numbers of a ternary definite integral quadratic form defined over F q [ t ] , where F q is a finite field of odd characteristic, determine its integral equivalence class when q is large enough with respect to its successive minima. Equivalently, such a quadratic form is determined up to integral isometry by its theta series.
Inference from presence-only data; the ongoing controversy

Presence-only data abounds in ecology, often accompanied by a background sample. Although many interesting aspects of the species’ distribution can be learned from such data, one cannot learn the overall species occurrence probability, or prevalence, without making unjustified simplifying assumptions. In this forum article we question the approach of Royle et al. (2012) that claims to be able to do this.
Analysis of the variations between Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requirements for critical care training programs and their effects on the current critical care workforce

Adult critical care medicine (CCM) is ill prepared for the demands of an aging US population. Sources have acknowledged a severe shortage of intensivists, yet there has been minimal discussion on the lack of critical care training opportunities. Inconsistencies in training options have led to fragmentation of how critical care services are provided to the US adult population. Significant differences exist between CCM without pulmonary and pulmonary critical care (PCCM) training as it relates to critical care coverage, patient population, and procedural skill of a trainee. The Internal Medicine Residency Review Committee appears more aligned with the PCCM vision of training rather than the CCM; thus, many PCCM programs are more available than pure CCM. Internal medicine offers the greatest pool of candidates to practice full-time CCM, yet there are minimal opportunities for internists wanting to go into straight CCM without also receiving pulmonary training. However, because many PCCM physicians spend a significant amount of time outside critical care, current PCCM training options do not meet the demand for critical care physicians. In this article, we review the barriers to critical care training opportunities and expanding the intensivist workforce and propose reasonable and practical solutions.
Laminated metal composites—High temperature deformation behavior

Abstract A constitutive model for deformation of a novel laminated metal composite (LMC) which is comprised of 21 alternating layers of Al 5182 alloy and Al 6090/SiC/25p metal matrix composite (MMC) has been proposed. The LMC as well as the constituent or neat structures have been deformed in uniaxial tension within a broad range of strain-rates (i.e. 10−6 to 10+1 s−1) and moderate to high homologous temperatures (i.e. 0.85 ≥ 0.95 Tm). The stress exponent, n, of the Al 5182 layers increases from 3 to 5 with increasing strain-rate (i.e. >10−3 s−1). The MMC layer's apparent n value decreases from 7 to 5 with increasing temperature. Furthermore, at low strain-rates (i.e. These predictive relations for the neat layers have been coupled with a proposed model, which takes into account the dynamic load sharing between the elastically stiffer and softer layers when loaded axially during isostrain deformation of the LMC. This deformation model has led to the development of a constitutive relationship between flow stress and applied strain-rate for the laminated structure, which has been compared with experimental data.
Gibbard's evolutionary theory of rationality and its ethical implications

Gibbard's theory of rationality is “evolutionary” in terms of its result as well as its underpinning argument. The result is that judgments about what is “rational” are analyzed as being similar to judgments of morality — in view of what Darwin suggests concerning the latter. According to the Darwinian theory, moral judgments are based on sentiments which evolve to promote the survival and welfare of human societies. On Gibbard's theory, rationality judgments should be similarly regarded as expressing emotional attachments to behavioral norms which originate and function to coordinate social interaction. Consequently, Gibbard's theory of rationality might be used to illuminate Darwin's theory of morality, and vice versa. Additionally, as argued in the present essay, both can be further elaborated, and defended, by developing related themes in philosophical ethics: viz., connected with Hume and 20th-century emotivists. The main problem is that this general Darwinian approach faces widespread opposition nowadays, not only in ethics but in philosophy of science. The purpose of this essay is to analyze Gibbard's theory, critically and constructively, with emphasis on the pertinent commonalities in Darwin, Hume and the emotivists, while also critically addressing their common enemies. The pervasive methodological orientation is to relate this analysis to (philosophy of) science in general, and biological science in particular.
Does Altering the Writing Instructions Influence Outcome Associated with Written Disclosure

This study examined the effect of changing the instructional set for written disclosure on psychological and physical health reports among traumatized college students with current posttraumatic stress symptoms. Eighty-two participants were randomly assigned to one of three writing conditions that focused on emotional expression (EE), insight and cognitive assimilation, or to a control condition. Participants assigned to the EE condition reported significant improvements in psychological and physical health 1 month following the writing sessions relative to the other two conditions. The EE participants also reported and displayed significantly greater initial psychophysiological reactivity and subsequent habituation compared with the other two conditions. These findings suggest the importance of emphasizing emotional expression during written disclosure and underscore the importance of examining how modifying the written disclosure protocol can affect outcome.
Reinforcing and emotional consequences of electrical self-stimulation of the subcortical limbic-forebrain.

Abstract The anatomical distribution of electrical self-stimulation in the subcortical limbic-forebrain was investigated using a number of different response measures. These included lever-press rates on continuous and variable interval reinforcement, as well as latencies to initiate and terminate stimulation in a shuttle-box. Self-stimulation at many limbic sites was found to produce striking increases in emotionality. The anatomical distribution of these stimulation-induced emotionality changes closely parallels that described in recent lesion studies. In contrast, while self-stimulation may be obtained in all major subdivisions of the subcortical limbic-forebrain, the differences in performance appear to be as great within these subdivisions as between them. With respect to reinforcement, this area may, therefore, be considered a heterogeneous functional unit throughout which stimulation is rewarding, although much less so than in the hypothalamus. The satiation tests and rate-intensity functions reported here, indicate that, apart from the quantitative difference, limbic stimulation is motivationally homologous with stimulation of the hypothalamus.
Landfill codisposal of pentachlorophenol (PCP)-treated waste wood with municipal solid waste

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) has been used as a biocide and preservative for wood power poles and crossarms. If disposed in landfills, the natural capacity of landfills to transform hazardous constituents to less hazardous or inert substances may also apply to such PCP-treated materials. The principal reaction of interest in the anaerobic environment of a landfill is reductive dechlorination. The fate and transformation of PCP-treated wood was investigated in simulated landfill bioreactors operated under single pass leaching and leachate recirculation. The wood samples consisted of 2% of the total mass by weight loaded into the bioreactors. The PCP leaching potential was examined at varying pH conditions with TCLP and Soxhlet extractions. Adsorption of PCP to the synthetic solid waste was used to determine its role in immobilizing leachate PCP. Routine indicator parameters were used to describe the acidogenic and methanogenic phases of landfill stabilization. Leached PCP was transformed without inhibitory effects on landfill stabilization, thereby affirming the acceptability of such a codisposal practice.
Reconstitution in Vitro of the V1 Complex from the Yeast Vacuolar Proton-translocating ATPase ASSEMBLY RECAPITULATES MECHANISM

Oligomeric assembly is a fundamental aspect of many complex enzymes. Using our native gel technique for examining subcomplexes of the V-ATPase V1 sector, we have developed an in vitro reconstitution assay for assembly of this complex. Assembly of complex II, the soluble V1 complex observed in native gels, is dependent upon the presence of divalent cations and physiological temperatures. Assembly of soluble V1 can occur in a stepwise fashion from smaller subcomplexes found in some strains deleted for V-ATPase subunits. Specifically, V1 can be assembled directly from complex III (subunits E and G) with complex IV (subunits A, B, D, and F) without prior disassembly of complex IV. The formation of complex III in vivo is also shown to be essential and could not be achieved in vitro. Assembly from simpler precursors is possible and is enhanced by added ATP. Assembly can be blocked by N-ethylmaleimide in a Vma1p (subunit A)-specific manner. From these data, we extend our previous model to consider an assembly pathway whose steps reflect the catalytic mechanism of the Boyer binding-change model.
Two new species of Ascarophis (Nematoda: Cystidicolidae) in marine fishes from Chile.

In this study, we describe 2 new species of Ascarophis van Beneden, 1871 (Nematoda: Cystidicolidae), found in fishes from southern Chile. Ascarophis carvajali n. sp. was found in Austrolycus depressiceps and Patagonotothen cornucola, whereas Ascarophis draconi n. sp. was taken from Champsocephalus gunnari. These new Ascarophis species differ from other species in a combination of several morphometric and morphological characteristics. Although A. carvajali n. sp. was morphologically close to Ascarophis minuta, the new species has a larger ratio between glandular and muscular esophagus, filaments on both egg poles, and a shorter right spicule than A. minuta. Ascarophis draconi n. sp. was morphologically similar to Ascarophis adioryx and Ascarophis filiformis. However, A. adioryx has eggs without filaments, a smaller ratio between glandular and muscular esophagus length, and a smaller ratio between left and right spicule lengths in contrast to A. draconi n. sp., whereas A. filiformis has a shorter glandular...
Feeding the child with chronic liver disease

Abstract Protein energy malnutrition leading to growth failure is an inevitable consequence of chronic liver disease in 60% of children. Malnutrition should be anticipated by serial anthropometric assessment and prevented by early intervention with nutritional support. Both morbidity and mortality postliver transplantation have been related to the degree of pretransplant malnutrition, and thus nutritional status is an important risk factor for survival postliver transplantation. As survival following pediatric liver transplantation improves, with most centers reporting 1 y survival rates of 90–95% and 5 y survival rates of 80–85%, attention has focused on achieving nutritional rehabilitation, normal psychosocial development, and normal quality of life. An understanding of the etiology of protein malnutrition in liver disease is essential when planning therapeutic strategies. Considerable research progress has been made exploring the pathophysiology of malnutrition, including long-chain fat malabsorption with essential fatty acid deficiency, abnormal energy metabolism, substrate utilization, and nitrogen metabolism in liver disease. Effective strategies are emerging and future advances include docosahexaenioc acid, branched chain amino acids, and structured lipids. The key to success is a multidisciplinary approach to nutritional intervention, including pediatric dietitian, liaison nurse, feeding psychologist, and clinician.
Regional Gravity of Oregon

A complete Bouguer gravity anomaly map, superimposed on a regional geologic map, was constructed from about 4000 gravity measurements made in Oregon by several organizations. A filter function was used to analyze the complete Bouguer gravity data to obtain first order depth approximations of the crust-mantle interface. Possible crustal depths as shown by the data vary from less than 20 km near the western margin of the Coast Range to greater than 45 km for southeastern Oregon. The data do not show significant roots for either the Coast or Cascade Ranges. The average free-air gravity anomaly for Oregon is close to zero, suggesting that the state as a whole is nearly in mass equilibrium with a standard earth column, even though large amounts of mass have been removed from the state by erosional processes during geologic time. In order to resolve this paradoxical situation, a mass transport system involving relative movement of the sea-floor and continent and concomitant convection of the mantle is offered as an explanation.
Effects of Sea-Level Decadal Variability on Acceleration and Trend Difference

ABSTRACT Houston, J.R., and Dean, R.G. 2013. Effects of sea-level decadal variability on acceleration and trend difference. Previous research has shown that sea-level acceleration determined from individual tide gauge records has remarkably large scatter as record lengths decrease due to decadal variations in sea level. We extend previous data sets to the present time and find even greater acceleration scatter. Using analytic solutions, sinusoidal oscillations with amplitudes and periods of typical decadal variations are shown to basically account for the relationship between record length and both acceleration and trend difference. Data show that decadal variations will obscure estimates of underlying accelerations if record lengths of individual gauges are not greater than at least 75 years. Although worldwide data are less affected by decadal variations than individual gauge data, decadal variations still significantly affect estimates of underlying accelerations, in particular for record lengths less ...
A new method for multidimensional optimization and its application in image and video processing

We derive a new method for multidimensional dynamic programming using the inclusion-exclusion principle. We subsequently propose an extension of the Viterbi algorithm to semi-causal, multidimensional functions. This approach is based on extension of the 1-D trellis structure of the Viterbi algorithm to a tree structure in higher dimensions. We apply the dynamic tree programming algorithm to active surface extraction in video sequences. Simulation results show the efficiency and robustness of the proposed approach
New York as a Global Creative Hub: A Competitive Analysis of Four Theories on World Cities

How New York City has maintained its position atop the global urban hierarchy as a leading player in the world and national economy is part of the broader discussion on why cities grow and why some remain at the top of the heap decade on decade. There are several dominant theories explaining New York City’s success, most notably those that argue the city is a center of command and control or managerial elite and is a global hub of finance and its related services. Yet an emerging framework explaining New York City’s dominant position argues for the importance of global creative centers. From an occupational analysis of these competing hypotheses emerges a picture of New York City as a great bastion of creativity and cultural and artistic production. These results provide a unique perspective on New York City’s position in the world hierarchy of cities and new opportunities for economic development strategies.
The role of the methyl ester moiety in biodiesel combustion: A kinetic modeling comparison of methyl butanoate and n-butane

Growth of the biodiesel industry has motivated increased study of the combustion characteristics of its constituent molecules and building combustion modeling capability. Understanding how these characteristics differ between bio-derived and conventional diesel fuels can help in evaluating biodiesel performance. A kinetic modeling comparison of methyl butanoate and n-butane, its corresponding alkane, contrasted the combustion of methyl esters and normal alkanes, towards understanding the effect of the methyl ester moiety. Utilizing a combined n-heptane and methyl butanoate kinetic mechanism in shock tube simulations, the results predicted no region of negative temperature coefficient (NTC) behavior for methyl butanoate, compared to a well defined NTC region for n-butane. We observed that oxidation pathways associated with the methyl ester moiety inhibited NTC behavior, through increased production of hydroperoxy radicals (HO2) instead of hydroxyl radicals (OH). In addition, we compared the evolution of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ethylene and acetylene. The early formation of CO and CO2, directly from methyl butanoate, revealed unique reaction pathways that also influenced a reduction in soot precursor formation. Overall, these results will help to understand how combustion processes change with the inclusion of oxygenated fuels, which will inform the study and design of combustion technologies.
A Review of: Rhetorical Refusals: Defying Audiences' Expectations, by John Schilb

In the spirit of the book's title, I admit I was tempted to begin this review with a refusal of my own. As I sat at my desk, I pondered in what ways might I successfully break the conventions of th...
Identifying Periodic Occurrences of a Template with Applications to Protein Structures

We consider a string matching problem where the pattern is a template that matches many different strings with various degrees of perfection. The quality of a match is given by a penalty matrix that assigns each pair of characters a score that characterizes how well the characters match. Superfluous characters in the text and superfluous characters in the pattern may also occur and the respective penalties for such gaps in the alignment are also given by the penalty matrix. For a text T of length n, and a template P of length m, we wish to find the best alignment of T with Pn, which is the concatenation of n copies of P, (m will typically be much smaller than n). Such an alignment can simply be obtained by solving a dynamic programming problem of size O(n2m), and ignoring the periodic character of Pn. We show that the structure of Pn can be exploited and the problem reduced to essentially solving a dynamic programming of size O(mn). If the complexity of computing gap penalties is O(1), (which is frequently the case), our algorithm runs in O(mn) time. The problem was motivated by a protein structure problem.
Scaffolds for Engineering Smooth Muscle Under Cyclic Mechanical Strain Conditions

Cyclic mechanical strain has been demonstrated to enhance the development and function of engineered smooth muscle (SM) tissues, but appropriate scaffolds for engineering tissues under conditions of cyclic strain are currently lacking. These scaffolds must display elastic behavior, and be capable of inducing an appropriate smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotype in response to mechanical signals. In this study, we have characterized several scaffold types commonly utilized in tissue engineering applications in order to select scaffolds that exhibit elastic properties under appropriate cyclic strain conditions. The ability of the scaffolds to promote an appropriate SMC phenotype in engineered SM tissues under cyclic strain conditions was subsequently analyzed. Poly(L-lactic acid)-bonded polyglycolide fiber-based scaffolds and type I collagen sponges exhibited partially elastic mechanical properties under cyclic strain conditions, although the synthetic polymer scaffolds demonstrated significant permanent deformation after extended times of cyclic strain application. SM tissues engineered with type I collagen sponges subjected to cyclic strain were found to contain more elastin than control tissues, and the SMCs in these tissues exhibited a contractile phenotype. In contrast, SMCs in control tissues exhibited a structure more consistent with the nondifferentiated, synthetic phenotype. These studies indicate the appropriate choice of a scaffold for engineering tissues in a mechanically dynamic environment is dependent on the time frame of the mechanical stimulation, and elastic scaffolds allow for mechanically directed control of cell phenotype in engineered tissues.
Can web-based recommendation systems afford deep models: a context-based approach for efficient model-based reasoning

Web-based product and service recommendation systems have become ever popular on-line business practice with increasing emphasis on modeling customer needs and providing them with targeted or personalized service solutions in real-time interaction. Almost all the commercial web service systems adopt some kind of simple customer segmentation models and shallow pattern matching or rule-based techniques for high performance. The models built based on these techniques though very efficient have a fundamental limitation in their ability to capture and explain the reasoning in the process of determining and selecting appropriate services or products. However, using deep models (e.g. semantic networks), though desirable for their expressive power, may require significantly more computational resources (e.g. time) for reasoning. This can compromise the system performance. This paper reports on a new approach that represents and uses contextual information in semantic net-based models to constrain and prune potentially very large search space, which results in more efficient reasoning and much improved performance in terms of speed and selectivity as evidenced by the evaluation results.
Impacts of Early Homestead Abandonment on Forests and Soils at Scotia Barrens, Central Pennsylvania: Implications for Altered and Arrested Vegetation Development

Land-use history is an important determinant of vegetation patterns in many ecosystems world-wide (Foster 1992, Orwig and Abrams 1994, Verheyen et al. 1999, Dahlstrom et al. 2006). Forest composition has been reported to differ between sites following agricultural abandonment compared with nearby unplowed soils (Glitzenstein et al. 1990, Motzkin et al. 1996). Differences have also been reported in soil chemistry and nutrient cycling processes, including higher pH and calcium in cultivated forest and grassland soils (Glatzel 1991, Connell et al. 1995, Verheyen et al. 1999). However, impacts of land-use history on soil chemistry may be less profound in the U.S. than in Europe (Motzkin et al. 1996, Koerner et al. 1997, Flinn et al. 2005). This has been attributed to the comparatively short history of post-European settlement (150–400 years) in the U.S. relative to Europe (5,000+years; Foster 1992). Moreover, there is a relative scarcity of detailed studies on the impacts of land-use history on plant biogeography and soils in the U.S. (Abrams and Hayes 2008).
Emerging markets for ecosystem services: a case study of the Panama Canal Watershed

Gentry, Bradford S., Quint Newcomer, Shimon C. Anisfeld, and Michael A. Fotos III, editors. 2007. Emerging markets for ecosystem services: a case study of the Panama Canal Watershed. The Haworth Press, Binghamton, New York. xxi + 387 p. $148.00, ISBN: 978-1-56022-173-9 (alk. paper).
Thiourethane thermoset coatings from bio-based thiols

Three bio-based thiols were synthesized via the thermal thiol-ene reactions between sucrose soya ester (SSE) and multifunctional thiols; then, thiourethane coatings were produced from these thiols and their coating properties were studied. A series of high bio-renewable content thiol oligomers were synthesized according to the previously reported thermal thiol-ene reaction. Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) confirmed the complete consumption of the double bonds in SSE, and gel permeation chromatography confirmed the formation of high-molecular-weight oligomers. The viscosity of these oligomers remained low due to their compact and branched structures. Thermoset thiourethane coatings were prepared from these thiol oligomers and polyisocyanate trimer resins with dibutyltin diacetate as the catalyst. FTIR spectra confirmed the formation of the thiourethane group. However, coatings based on isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) polyisocyanate resin showed a lower degree of cure because of the decreased resin mobility due to the rigid cyclohexane ring. Generally, all the coatings showed good adhesion to aluminum panels, and had high gloss. However, they exhibited low tensile strength, modulus and chemical resistance due to the flexibility of the fatty acid chain. Coatings based on more rigid IPDI-based polyisocyanate showed higher Tg, hardness and direct impact resistance compared with the hexamethylene-diisocyanate (HDI) based polyisocyanate counterparts. Thermogravimetric analysis results showed that coatings based on mercaptanized soybean oil have better thermal stability than those from di-pentene dimercaptan or glycol di-3-mercaptopropionate. Two Tg values were found by both differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis of thiourethanes from HDI-based polyisocyanate and di-pentene dimercaptan or glycol di-3-mercaptopropionate based oligomers due to phase separation resulting from the poor compatibility between HDI-based polyisocyanate and the respective oligomers. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Review of Huw Price's Book: Time's Arrow and Archimedes' Point: New Directions for the Physics of Time

Price writes much on Gold's big bang and big crunch model of the universe, and he writes on alternative views too. Having navigated safely from the time-flow anthropocentrism, Price seems to have gotten himself snagged on a second anthropocentrism that we are isolated from everything else. It is true we may see ourselves as all knowing creatures that are competing for our survival in a lifeless pool of chaos we call our universe. But there is no objective basis for this belief. It is just a possible that we are the forgetful universe reflecting hopelessly into the many egocentric bodies that are said to be all knowing. Are we the inside system or the outside system? The question is symmetrical, and cannot be answered. Then why do we answer it by projecting a Gold's universe onto reality by demanding a separate big crunch future that is just as likely as our big bang past? You can find this book at Amazon: Time's Arrow and Archimedes' Point: New Directions for the Physics of Time .
Flavor Profiles of 17 Species of North Atlantic Fish

A modified traditional Flavor Profile™ method was used by a trained panel to develop sensory profiles of the cooked muscle of 17 species of North Atlantic fish. Species were characterized for aroma and flavor total intensity, amplitude, order and intensity of character notes, and aftertaste. This information provides a data base for grouping species according to similarities in their characteristics. Flavor data were analyzed by cluster procedures and revealed four distinct groupings characterized by: (1) less than moderate total flavor intensity with a shellfish note; (2) less than moderate total flavor intensity with an earthy note; (3) a moderate flavor intensity with fish oil, gamey and sour notes; (4) high total flavor intensity with fish oil, sour, and stronger gamey notes.
Ledinegg instability in microchannels

The static Ledinegg instability in horizontal microchannels under different flow conditions and fluids pertinent to electronics cooling was studied experimentally and numerically. Two fluids, water at sub-atmospheric pressures and refrigerant HFE-7100, were examined for a range of heat fluxes, mass fluxes, and channel hydraulic diameters. Numerical predictions from the developed pressure gradient model agree well with results from the flow boiling experiments. The model was used to quantify the susceptibility of the system to the Ledinegg instability. A parametric instability study was systematically conducted with varying system pressure, heat flux, inlet subcooling, and channel size with and without inlet restrictor. Increasing system pressure and channel diameter, reducing parallel channel number and channel length, and including an inlet restrictor can enhance the flow stability in microchannels.
Commentary: Folly of FDA-approval studies for bone morphogenetic protein

COMMENTARY ON: Carragee EJ, Hurwitz EL, Weiner BK. A critical review of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 trials in spinal surgery: emerging safety concerns and lessons learned. Spine J 2011;11:471–91 ( in this issue ).
Effect of Texture on Hillock Formation in Aluminum Films

Stress voiding describes a phenomenon in thin interconnect lines where hillocks and voids are formed during thermal cycling due to the stresses caused by the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients of metal used in the interconnect lines and the substrate material. The effect of texture on stress voiding in aluminum interconnects is investigated using orientation imaging microscopy (OIM© ) and scanning electron microscopy. Aluminum films were deposited by PVD deposition onto sublayers of Ti and Ti plus TiN and were analyzed for crystallographic texture and grain boundary structure using OIM©. These films were later annealed at 400°C for 1 hour and cooled. The specimens were examined for the presence of hillocks and voids using a scanning electron microscope. The results show strongly textured (111) films are more resistant to hillock and void formation.
The Plight of China's Criminal Defence Lawyers

This article describes and analyses the problems of China's criminal defence lawyers in gaining access to and representing detained clients during the investigation, indictment and trial stages of the criminal process, with brief reference to problems at the appeal and post-conviction stages. The article also discusses the harassment and intimidation suffered by defence counsel who live under threat of prosecution for waging too vigorous defences and who are subject to other restraints and sanctions. It concludes with some suggestions for foreign co-operation with and support for these embattled but essential lawyers in China.
Lasers for skin cancer

The optimal laser treatment for skin cancer has not yet been developed. The first lasers that were used in an attempt to treat skin cancer emitted a continuous wave; however, significant nonspecific thermal heating occurred. In order to not extend beyond the thermal relaxation time of targeted tissue, pulsed lasers were developed. These lasers are now showing promise for treating skin cancer, specifically basal cell carcinoma. Recent studies by Shah et al. followed by Konnikov et al. have demonstrated that the 595 nm pulse dye laser may be effective for basal cell carcinomas of approximately 1.5 cm or less in diameter. Other approaches combining the Er:YAG and CO2 ablative lasers as adjunctive agents to photodynamic therapy are also showing promise for the treatment of basal cell carcinomas.
NextGen and SESAR: Opportunities for UAS Integration

Globally, many nations are anticipating tremendous future growth of aviation and air traffic. In the U.S., the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is planning for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), which involves coordinated concepts and programs to increase capacity and efficiency, improve user access and safety, and to reduce environmental impacts. In Europe, the European Commission is coordinating its Single European Sky Air Traffic Management (ATM) Research (SESAR) program to similarly improve safety and air traffic flows, to create additional capacity, and to increase efficiency. These two visions share many common elements and assumptions about the air traffic system twenty years from now. Selected elements of these initiatives may also make it easier to permit Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to fly seamlessly in the same airspace as manned aircraft. This paper analyses the opportunities for integrating UAS into the future airspace system through concepts such as 4D Trajectory Management, ADS-B surveillance, improved information sharing, and dynamic airspace structures. Synergies between concepts are highlighted, and potential methods for manned/unmanned aircraft operation are discussed.
Impaired foot-force direction regulation during postural loaded locomotion in individuals poststroke.

Following stroke, hemiparesis results in impaired motor control. Specifically, inappropriate direction of foot-forces during locomotion has been reported. In our previous study (Liang and Brown 201...
Estimating and Reducing Uncertainty in Reverberation-Chamber Characterization at Millimeter-Wave Frequencies

This contribution provides techniques for accurately characterizing uncertainty when measuring total radiated power (TRP) at millimeter-wave frequencies. The setup is based on the reverberation chamber as a well-known measurement environment capable of performing TRP measurements of wireless devices. We show that by applying various stirring techniques, we can reduce the random component of measurement uncertainty to around 2%. We use a model for estimating the uncertainty for TRP measurements based on the $K$ factor, which is compared with uncertainties calculated from relative power measurements and we show excellent agreement. We perform a significance test to confirm that the uncertainty due to the limited number of mode-stirred samples dominates over the uncertainty due to the lack of spatial uniformity. The observed uncertainty is also compared with an ideal chamber situation and shows good agreement.
Effects of edge grinding and sealing on mechanical properties of machine damaged laminate composites

Fiber reinforced composites have been utilized for a number of different applications, including aircraft, wind turbine, automobile, construction, manufacturing, and many other industries. During the fabrication, machining (waterjet, diamond and band saws) and assembly of these laminate composites, various edge and hole delamination, fiber pullout and other micro and nanocracks can be formed on the composite panels. The present study mainly focuses on the edge grinding and sealing of the machine damaged fiber reinforced composites, such as fiberglass, plain weave carbon fiber and unidirectional carbon fiber. The MTS tensile test results confirmed that the composite coupons from the grinding process usually produced better and consistent mechanical properties compared to the waterjet cut samples only. In addition to these studies, different types of high strength adhesives, such as EPON 828 and Loctite were applied on the edges of the prepared composite coupons and cured under vacuum. The mechanical tests conducted on these coupons indicated that the overall mechanical properties of the composite coupons were further improved. These processes can lower the labor costs on the edge treatment of the composites and useful for different industrial applications of fiber reinforced composites.
Comparison of the performance of Drools and Jena rule-based systems for event processing on the semantic web

Event processing systems (EPS) analyze events in real-time to extract useful information that enhances value for the stakeholders. In order to extract relevant information from the stream of events, EPS's typically embed a rule-based system (RBS) that react to events as soon as they occur. The performance of RBS becomes even more important when the events processed are generated on the semantic web, where events and their metadata may originate from a variety of sources but at a very high rate, often in excess of 107 events per second. For such a system the most appropriate RBS's seem to be Drools and Jena both of which are open-source and are tailored for the Java programming language. In this paper we present the requirements and design of an EPS for the semantic web as required by the Air Force Research Lab, and analyze the performance of Drools and Jena for this EPS. We developed prototype systems using Drools and Jena, and stressed each system with streams of high speed events. Based on our study we conclude that while Drools is about 40% faster, Jena consumes about 15% less memory. We summarize the findings from our study and discuss scenarios when each of these RBS's might be more suitable.
Chandra and XMM-Newton: Synergies now and in the future

In 1999, two world-class X-ray observatories were successfully launched and began operation, ushering in the golden age of X-ray astronomy: National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Chandra, and European Space Agency's XMM-Newton. Over the past 17 years, both satellites have operated with remarkable reliability and have revolutionized X-ray astronomy. Our knowledge of the X-ray universe, a hot and often violent place, has snow-balled, and with it our understanding of many celestial sources. The community has expanded to include a large fraction of astronomers worldwide, and discoveries cover almost every area of astronomical research. With no clear lifetime issues, at least a decade more of ground-breaking observations is anticipated. Now is a good time to take stock of our progress and look to the future, to ensure XMM-Newton's legacy, to focus on X-ray science that has not yet been completed, and to prepare to take full advantage of the opportunities for new and expanded studies that are now or will soon become available as new observatories come on line.
Return to play and performance after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in the National Basketball Association: surgeon case series and literature review

ABSTRACTObjectives: To investigate return to play (RTP) and functional performance after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) in National Basketball Association (NBA) players and to perform a systematic review of the literature to understand RTP after ACLR in professional basketball.Methods: NBA players undergoing ACLR between 2008 and 2014 by two surgeons were identified. RTP and performance were assessed based on a review of publically available statistics. A systematic review of the literature was performed using the MEDLINE database. Inclusion criteria were: English language, ACL surgery outcome, professional basketball and RTP outcome. We reviewed studies for RTP rates and RTP performance.Results: Our study included 12 professional basketball players with NBA level experience. Eleven of the 12 players returned to their prior level of play. Eight of the 9 (88.9%) players actively playing in the NBA returned to play in the NBA at a mean 9.8 months. Among players returning to NBA play, durin...
The device research conference: 1992–2017 and 2017–2042

Starting with its 50th anniversary in 1992, I have seen 25 years of electron and photon device research at the DRC; let us look over this history and then guess at the future.
The Immunome in Two Inherited Forms of Pulmonary Fibrosis.

The immunome (immune cell phenotype, gene expression and serum cytokines profiling) in pulmonary fibrosis is incompletely defined. Studies focusing on inherited forms of pulmonary fibrosis provide insights into mechanisms of fibrotic lung disease in general. To define the cellular and molecular immunologic phenotype in peripheral blood, high-dimensional flow cytometry and large-scale gene expression of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum proteomic multiplex analyses were performed and compared in a cohort with familial pulmonary fibrosis, an autosomal dominant disorder with incomplete penetrance; Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome pulmonary fibrosis, a rare autosomal recessive disorder; and their unaffected relatives. Our results showed high peripheral blood concentrations of activated central memory helper cells in patients with familial pulmonary fibrosis. Proportions of CD38+ memory CD27- B-cells, IgA+ memory CD27+ B-cells, IgM+ and IgD+ B-cells, and CD39+ T helper cells were increased whereas those of CD39- T helper cells were reduced in patients affected with either familial or Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome pulmonary fibrosis. Gene expression and serum proteomic analyses revealed enrichment of upregulated genes associated with mitosis and cell cycle control in circulating mononuclear cells as well as altered levels of several analytes, including leptin, cytokines, and growth factors. Conclusion: Dysregulation of the extra-pulmonary immunome is a phenotypic feature of familial pulmonary fibrosis or Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome pulmonary fibrosis. Further studies investigating the blood immunome are indicated to determine the role of immune system dysregulation in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis.
Following the story: narrative mapping as a mobile method for tracking and interrogating spatial narratives

Museums and heritage tourism sites are highly curated places of memory work whose function is the assembling and ordering of space and narrative to contour visitors’ experiences of the past. Variat...
Assessing the relative influences of abiotic and biotic factors on American eel Anguilla rostrata distribution using hydrologic, physical habitat, and functional trait data

Species’ distributions are influenced by abiotic and biotic factors but direct comparison of their relative importance is difficult, particularly when working with complex, multi‐species datasets. Here, we compare the relative effects of hydrology, physical habitat, and co‐occurring fish functional traits on the contemporary (1950–1990) distribution of the American eel Anguilla rostrata in six Mid‐Atlantic (USA) rivers. To do so, we implement a null model approach that compares conditions at sites of known American eel presence to a random sample of sites throughout a broader landscape, allowing us to identify variables that may have the strongest influences on American eel distribution. Results suggest that, within this subset of the American eel's geographic range, the functional characteristics of locally co‐occurring fishes and habitat fragmentation by dams may have the strongest influences on American eel distribution, compared to other predictor variables included in the analysis. Given the widespread distribution and complex biology of this species, we caution that our results may not apply to all American eel subpopulations or life stages. Nonetheless, the observed importance of co‐occurring fish functional traits may inform American eel conservation and, more generally, provide a means to incorporate biotic influences in research on species’ distributions.
Use of Micellar and Cyclodextrin Solutions in Liquid Chromatographic Separations

Recently, solutions of micelles and cyclodextrins have been shown to be effective mobile phases in liquid chromatography. The term pseudophase chromatography has been coined to describe those separations where the partitioning of solutes occur primarily to a species solubilized in the mobile phase rather than to the bulk mobile phase. Since the partitioning to the pseudophase utilizes both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, effective separations can be performed. In addition, many water insoluble-hydrophobic substances can now be chromatographed for the first time with inexpensive, nontoxic aqueous solutions. Recent applications of pseudophase chromatography as well as some theoretical aspects are discussed.
On the complexity of the edge label placement problem

Abstract Let G(V,E) be a graph, and let Γ be a drawing of G in the plane. We consider the problem of positioning text or symbol labels corresponding to edges of G , called the Edge Label Placement (ELP) problem. The goal is to convey the information associated with each edge (that a label for that edge describes) in the best possible way, by positioning each label in the most appropriate place. In this paper we consider the issues involved with the automatic placement of edge labels and present a model for the ELP problem. Also, we investigate the computational complexity of the ELP problem and prove that various forms of the ELP problem are NP-hard.
Highlights of the 2007 Scientific Meeting of the Heart Failure Society of America: Washington, DC, September 16–19, 2007

The Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) is a multidisciplinary organization of health care professionals dedicated to promoting research and education, with the primary goal of prevention and treatment of heart failure. Furthermore, the HFSA engages in the development of comprehensive patient