Digital Commons Network^™

Gw150914: The Advanced Ligo Detectors In The Era Of First Discoveries, B. P. Abbott, R. Abbott, E. A. Huerta, S. T. Mcwilliams

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Ngc 6334 And Ngc 6357: H Α Kinematics And The Nature Of The H Ii Regions, D. Russeil, J. Tigé, C. Adami, L. D. Anderson

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Quantitative Comparisons On Hand Motor Functional Areas Determined By Resting State And Task Bold Fmri And Anatomical Mri For Pre-Surgical Planning Of Patients With Brain Tumors, Bob L. Hou, Sanjay Bhatia, Jeffrey S. Carpenter

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

For pre-surgical planning we present quantitative comparison of the location of the hand motor functional area determined by right hand finger tapping BOLD fMRI, resting state BOLD fMRI, and anatomically using high resolution T1 weighted images. Data were obtained on 10 healthy subjects and 25 patients with left sided brain tumors. Our results show that there are important differences in the locations (i.e.,N20 mm) of the determined hand motor voxels by these three MR imaging methods. This can have significant effect on the pre-surgical planning of these patients depending on the modality used. In 13 of the 25 cases (i.e., …

Comparison Of Regenerative Braking Efficiencies Of My2012 And My2013 Nissan Leaf, Albert Boretti

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The use of kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) is the best solution presently available to dramatically improve the energy economy of passenger cars. The paper presents an experimental analysis of the energy flow to and from the battery of a MY 2012 and a MY 2013 Nissan Leaf covering the Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS). The two vehicles differ for the integration of the electric drivetrain component, plus a different use of the electric motor and the regenerative brakes, in addition to a different weight. It is shown that while the efficiency propulsive power to vehicle / power from battery …

Assessing The Association Of Mitochondrial Genetic Variation With Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Using Gene-Set Analyses, Anthony P. Khawaja, Jessica N. Cooke Bailey, Jae Hee Kang, R. Rand Allingham, Michael A. Hauser, Murray Brilliant, Donald L. Budenz, William G. Christen, John Fingert, Douglas Gaasterland, Terry Gaasterland, Peter Kraft, Richard K. Lee, Paul R. Lichter, Yutao Liu, Felipe Medeiros, Syoko E. Moroi, Julia E. Richards, Tony Realini, Robert Ritch, Joel S. Schuman, William K. Scott, Kuldev Singh, Arthur J. Sit, Douglas Vollrath, Gadi Wollstein, Donald J. Zack, Kang Zhang, Margaret Pericak-Vance, Robert N. Weinreb, Jonathan L. Haines, Louis R. Pasquale, Janey L. Wiggs

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

PURPOSE. Recent studies indicate that mitochondrial proteins may contribute to the pathogenesis of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). In this study, we examined the association between POAG and common variations in gene-encoding mitochondrial proteins. METHODS. We examined genetic data from 3430 POAG cases and 3108 controls derived from the combination of the GLAUGEN and NEIGHBOR studies. We constructed biological-system coherent mitochondrial nuclear-encoded protein gene-sets by intersecting the MitoCarta database with the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. We examined the mitochondrial gene-sets for association with POAG and with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) and high-tension glaucoma (HTG) subsets using Pathway Analysis …

Embryonic Markers Of Cone Differentiation, Helen M. Rodgers, Marycharmain Belcastro, Maxim Sokolov, Peter H. Mathers

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Purpose: Photoreceptor cells are born in two distinct phases of vertebrate retinogenesis. In the mouse retina, cones are born primarily during embryogenesis, while rod formation occurs later in embryogenesis and early postnatal ages. Despite this dichotomy in photoreceptor birthdates, the visual pigments and phototransduction machinery are not reactive to visual stimulus in either type of photoreceptor cell until the second postnatal week. Several markers of early cone formation have been identified, including Otx2, Crx, Blimp1, NeuroD, Trβ2, Rorβ, and Rxrγ, and all are thought to be involved in cellular determination. However, little is known about the expression of proteins involved …

Oral Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (Pfos) Lessens Tumor Development In The Apcmin Mouse Model Of Spontaneous Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Jeffrey Wimsatt, Meghan Villers, Laurel Thomas, Stacey Kamarec, Caitlin Montgomery, Leo W. Y. Yeung, Yanqing Hu, Kim Innes

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths for both men and women, and the third most common cause of cancer in the U.S. Toxicity of current chemotherapeutic agents for colorectal cancer, and emergence of drug resistance underscore the need to develop new, potentially less toxic alternatives. Our recent cross-sectional study in a large Appalachian population, showed a strong, inverse, dose–response association of serum perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) levels to prevalent colorectal cancer, suggesting PFOS may have therapeutic potential in the prevention and/or treatment of colorectal cancer. In these preliminary studies using a mouse model of familial colorectal …

Protein Self-Assembly Onto Nanodots Leads To Formation Of Conductive Bio-Based Hybrids, Xiao Hu, Chenbo Dong, Rigu Su, Quan Xu, Cerasela Zoica Dinu

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The next generation of nanowires that could advance the integration of functional nanosystems into synthetic applications from photocatalysis to optical devices need to demonstrate increased ability to promote electron transfer at their interfaces while ensuring optimum quantum confinement. Herein we used the biological recognition and the self-assembly properties of tubulin, a protein involved in building the filaments of cellular microtubules, to create stable, free standing and conductive sulfur-doped carbon nanodots-based conductive bio-hybrids. The physical and chemical properties (e.g., composition, morphology, diameter etc.) of such user-synthesized hybrids were investigated using atomic and spectroscopic techniques, while the electron transfer rate was estimated …

Analysis Of Pilot-Induced-Oscillation And Pilot Vehicle System Stability Using Uas Flight Experiments, Tanmay K. Mandal, Yu Gu

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This paper reports the results of a Pilot-Induced Oscillation (PIO) and human pilot control characterization study performed using flight data collected with a Remotely Controlled (R/C) unmanned research aircraft. The study was carried out on the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. Several existing Category 1 and Category 2 PIO criteria developed for manned aircraft are first surveyed and their effectiveness for predicting the PIO susceptibility for the R/C unmanned aircraft is evaluated using several flight experiments. It was found that the Bandwidth/Pitch rate overshoot and open loop onset point (OLOP) criteria prediction results matched flight test observations. However, other criteria …

Machine-Learning Approach Identifies A Pattern Of Gene Expression In Peripheral Blood That Can Accurately Detect Ischaemic Stroke, Grant C. O'Connell, Ashley B. Petrone, Madison B. Treadway, Connie S. Tennant, Noelle Lucke-Wold, Paul D. Chantler, Taura L. Barr

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Early and accurate diagnosis of stroke improves the probability of positive outcome. The objective of this study was to identify a pattern of gene expression in peripheral blood that could potentially be optimised to expedite the diagnosis of acute ischaemic stroke (AIS). A discovery cohort was recruited consisting of 39 AIS patients and 24 neurologically asymptomatic controls. Peripheral blood was sampled at emergency department admission, and genome-wide expression profiling was performed via microarray. A machine-learning technique known as genetic algorithm k-nearest neighbours (GA/kNN) was then used to identify a pattern of gene expression that could optimally discriminate between groups. This …

Soil Respiration And Its Environmental Response Varies By Day/Night And By Growing/Dormant Season In A Subalpine Forest, Zongda Hu, Shirong Liu, Xingliang Liu, Liyong Fu, Jingxin Wang, Kuan Liu, Xueman Huang, Yuandong Zhang, Fei He

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Comparisons of soil respiration (RS) and its components of heterotrophic (RH) and rhizospheric (RR) respiration during daytime and nighttime, growing (GS) and dormant season (DS), have not being well studied and documented. In this study, we compared RS, RH, RR, and their responses to soil temperature (T5) and moisture (θ5) in daytime vs. nighttime and GS vs. DS in a subalpine forest in 2011. In GS, nighttime RS and RH rates were 30.5 ± 4.4% (mean ± SE) and …

Concept Of An Upright Wearable Positron Emission Tomography Imager In Humans, Christopher E. Bauer, Julie Brefczynski-Lewis, Gary Marano, Mary-Beth Mandich, Alexander Stolin, Peter Martone, James W. Lewis, Gangadhar Jaliparthi, Raymond R. Raylman, Stan Majewski

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is traditionally used to image patients in restrictive positions, with few devices allowing for upright, brain-dedicated imaging. Our team has explored the concept of wearable PET imagers which could provide functional brain imaging of freely moving subjects. To test feasibility and determine future considerations for development, we built a rudimentary proof-of-concept prototype (Helmet_PET) and conducted tests in phantoms and four human volunteers. Methods: Twelve Silicon Photomultiplier-based detectors were assembled in a ring with exterior weight support and an interior mechanism that could be adjustably fitted to the head. We conducted brain phantom tests as well …

Landscape-Scale Disturbance: Insights Into The Complexity Of Catchment Hydrology In The Mountaintop Removal Mining Region Of The Eastern United States, Andrew J. Miller, Nicolas Zegre

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

: Few land disturbances impact watersheds at the scale and extent of mountaintop removal mining (MTM). This practice removes forests, soils and bedrock to gain access to underground coal that results in likely permanent and wholesale changes that impact catchment hydrology, geochemistry and ecosystem health. MTM is the dominant driver of land cover changes in the central Appalachian Mountains region of the United States, converting forests to mine lands and burying headwater streams. Despite its dominance on the landscape, determining the hydrological impacts of MTM is complicated by underground coal mines that significantly alter groundwater hydrology. To provide insight into …

Development Of Chemical Process Design And Control For Sustainability, Shuyun Li, Gaurav Mirlekar, Gerardo J. Ruiz-Mercado, Fernando V. Lima

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This contribution describes a novel process systems engineering framework that couples advanced control with sustainability evaluation for the optimization of process operations to minimize environmental impacts associated with products, materials and energy. The implemented control strategy combines a biologically-inspired method with optimal control concepts for finding more sustainable operating trajectories. The sustainability assessment of process operating points is carried out by using the U.S. EPA’s Gauging Reaction Effectiveness for the ENvironmental Sustainability of Chemistries with a multi-Objective Process Evaluator (GREENSCOPE) tool that provides scores for the selected indicators in the economic, material efficiency, environmental and energy areas. The indicator scores …

Differential Pulmonary Effects Of Coo And La2o3 Metal Oxide Nanoparticle Responses During Aerosolized Inhalation In Mice, Jennifer D. Sisler, Ruibin Li, Walter Mckinney, Robert R. Mercer, Zhaoxia Ji, Tian Xia, Xiang Wang, Justine Shaffer, Marlene Orandle, Amy L. Mihalchik, Lori Battelli, Bean T. Chen, Michael Wolfarth, Michael E. Andrew, Diane Schwegler-Berry, Dale W. Porter, Vincent Castranova, Andre Nel, Yong Qian

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Although classified as metal oxides, cobalt monoxide (CoO) and lanthanum oxide (La2O3) nanoparticles, as representative transition and rare earth oxides, exhibit distinct material properties that may result in different hazardous potential in the lung. The current study was undertaken to compare the pulmonary effects of aerosolized whole body inhalation of these nanoparticles in mice.

Results: Mice were exposed to filtered air (control) and 10 or 30 mg/m3 of each particle type for 4 days and then examined at 1 h, 1, 7 and 56 days post-exposure. The whole lung burden 1 h after the 4 day inhalation of CoO …

Effects Of Temperature On Development And Voltinism Of Chaetodactylus Krombeini (Acari: Chaetodactylidae): Implications For Climate Change Impacts, Jeong Joon Ahn, Youngsoo Son, Yaqian He, Eungul Lee, Yong-Lak Park

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Temperature plays an important role in the growth and development of arthropods, and thus the current trend of climate change will alter their biology and species distribution. We used Chaetodactylus krombeini (Acari: Chaetodactylidae), a cleptoparasitic mite associated with Osmia bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), as a model organism to investigate how temperature affects the development and voltinism of C. krombeini in the eastern United States. The effects of temperature on the stage-specific development of C. krombeini were determined at seven constant temperatures (16.1, 20.2, 24.1, 27.5, 30.0, 32.4 and 37.8°C). Parameters for stage-specific development, such as threshold temperatures and thermal constant, were …

A Common Variant In Mir182 Is Associated With Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma In The Neighborhood Consortium, Yutao Liu, Jessica Cooke Bailey, Inas Helwa, W. Michael Dismuke, Jingwen Cai, Michelle Drewry, Murray H. Brilliant, Donald L. Budenz, William G. Christen, Daniel I. Chasman, John H. Fingert, Douglas Gaasterland, Terry Gaasterland, Mae O. Gordon, Robert P. Igo Jr., Jae H. Kang, Michael A. Kass, Peter Kraft, Richard K. Lee, Paul Lichter, Sayoko E. Moroi, Anthony Realini, Julia E. Richard, Robert Ritch, Joel S. Schuman, William K. Scott, Kuldev Singh, Arthur J. Sit, Yeunjoo E. Song, Douglas Vollrath, Robert Weinreb, Felipe Medeiros, Gadi Wollstein, Donald J. Zack, Kang Zhang, Margaret A. Pericak-Vance, Pedro Gonzalez, W. Daniel Stamer, John Kuchtey, Rachel W. Kuchtey, R. Rand Allingham, Michael A. Hauser, Louis R. Pasquale, Jonathan L. Haines, Janey L. Wiggs

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

PURPOSE. Noncoding microRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. We aimed to identify common variants in miRNA coding genes (MIR) associated with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

METHODS. Using the NEIGHBORHOOD data set (3853 cases/33,480 controls with European ancestry), we first assessed the relation between 85 variants in 76 MIR genes and overall POAG. Subtype-specific analyses were performed in high-tension glaucoma (HTG) and normal-tension glaucoma subsets. Second, we examined the expression of miR-182, which was associated with POAG, in postmortem human ocular tissues (ciliary body, cornea, retina, and trabecular meshwork [TM]), using miRNA sequencing (miRNA-Seq) and droplet digital …

Primary School Teachers’ Opinions And Attitudes Towards Stuttering In Two South African Urban Education Districts, Kristen Abrahams, Michal Harty, Kenneth O. St. Louis, Lehana Thabane, Harsha Kathard

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: As teachers form an important part of the intervention process with children who stutter in primary school, the primary aim was to describe primary school teachers’ attitudes in South Africa. The secondary aim was to compare teachers’ attitudes towards stuttering in South Africa with those from a pooled group of respondents in the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes–Stuttering (POSHA-S) database from different countries collected in 2009–2014.

Method: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey research design was used. Primary schools in two education districts in Western Cape, South Africa, were sampled. The POSHA-S, a selfadministered questionnaire, was completed by a cluster …

Spatiotemporal Characteristics Of Particulate Matter And Dry Deposition Flux In The Cuihu Wetland Of Beijing, Lijuan Zhu, Jiakai Liu, Ling Cong, Wenmei Ma, Wu Ma, Zhenming Zhang

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

In recent years, the rapid development of industrialization and urbanization has caused serious environmental pollution, especially particulate pollution. As the “Earth’s kidneys,” wetland plays a significant role in improving the environmental quality and adjusting the climate. To study how wetlands work in this aspect, from the early autumn of 2014 to 2015, we implemented a study to measure the PM concentration and chemical composition at three heights (1.5, 6, and 10 m) during different periods (dry, normal water, and wet periods) in the Cuihu wetland park in Beijing for analyzing the dry deposition flux and the effect of meteorological factors …

Ecosystem Carbon Stock Loss After Land Use Change In Subtropical Forests In China, Shaohui Fan, Fengying Guan, Xingliang Xu, David I. Forrester, Wu Ma, Xiaolu Tang

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Converting secondary natural forests (SFs) to Chinese fir plantations (CFPs) represents one of the most important (8.9 million ha) land use changes in subtropical China. This study estimated both biomass and soil C stocks in a SF and a CFP that was converted from a SF, to quantify the effects of land use change on ecosystem C stock. After the forest conversion, biomass C in the CFP (73 Mg¨ ha´1 ) was significantly lower than that of the SF (114 Mg¨ ha´1 ). Soil organic C content and stock decreased with increasing soil depth, and the soil C stock in …

Coal Quality Management Model For Dome Storage (Ds-Cqmm), M. A. Badani-Prado, V. Kecojevic, D. Bogunovic

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Coal quality (ash, sulphur, moisture, and heating value) is one of the fundamental concerns for both coal mines and power plants. In order to deliver uniform coal quality to the power plant, there is a need for realtime monitoring of coal quality from the mine to the coal stockpiles. The specific problem represents the process of stacking the coal inside an enclosed facility such as a dome. The objective of this research was to develop a custom-made and integrated coal quality management model for dome storage (DS-CQMM). The DS-CQMM merges existing technology in surface mines, such as coal analysers, together …

Spatial Heterogeneity Of Climate Change Effects On Dominant Height Of Larch Plantations In Northern And Northeastern China, Hao Zang, Xiangdong Lei, Wu Ma, Weisheng Zeng

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Determining the response of dominant height growth to climate change is important for understanding adaption strategies. Based on 550 permanent plots from a national forest inventory and climate data across seven provinces and three climate zones, we developed a climate-sensitive dominant height growth model under a mixed-effects model framework. The mean temperature of the wettest quarter and precipitation of the wettest month were found to be statistically significant explanatory variables that markedly improved model performance. Generally, future climate change had a positive effect on stand dominant height in northern and northeastern China, but the effect showed high spatial variability linked …

Latest Advances In The Generation Of Single Photons In Silicon Carbide, Albert Boretti, Lorenzo Rosa

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

: The major barrier for optical quantum information technologies is the absence of reliable single photons sources providing non-classical light states on demand which can be easily and reliably integrated with standard processing protocols for quantum device fabrication. New methods of generation at room temperature of single photons are therefore needed. Heralded single photon sources are presently being sought based on different methods built on different materials. Silicon Carbide (SiC) has the potentials to serve as the preferred material for quantum applications. Here, we review the latest advances in single photon generation at room temperatures based on SiC.

Pharmacy Education In Saudi Arabia: A Vision Of The Future, Hisham Aljadhey, Yousef Asiri, Yaser Albogami, George Spratto, Mohammed Alsheri

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Pharmacy education in developing countries faces many challenges. An assessment of the challenges and opportunities for the future of pharmacy education in Saudi Arabia has not been conducted. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to ascertain the views and opinions of pharmacy education stakeholders regarding the current issues challenging pharmacy education, and to discuss the future of pharmacy education in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A total of 48 participants attended a one-day meeting in October 2011, designed especially for the purpose of this study. The participants were divided into six round-table discussion sessions with eight persons in each group. …

In Vivo Assessment Of Coronary Flow And Cardiac Function After Bolus Adenosine Injection In Adenosine Receptor Knockout Mice, Bunyen Teng, Stephen L. Tilley, Catherine Ledent, S. Jamal Mustafa

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Bolus injections of adenosine and the A2A adenosine receptor (AR) selective agonist (regadenoson) are used clinically as a substitute for a stress test in people who cannot exercise. Using isolated tissue preparations, our lab has shown that coronary flow and cardiac effects of adenosine are mostly regulated by the AR subtypes A1, A2A, and A2B. In this study, we used ultrasound imaging to measure the in vivo effects of adenosine on coronary blood flow (left coronary artery) and cardiac function in anesthetized wild-type, A1 knockout (KO), A2AKO, A2BKO, A3KO, A1, and A3 double KO (A1/3 DKO) and A2A and A2B …

Improvement Of Segmental Lordosis In Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A Comparison Of Two Techniques, James W. Rice, Cara L. Sedney Md,Ma, Scott D. Daffner, Justin W. Arner, Sanford E. Emery, John C. France

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Study Design Retrospective review.

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the radiographic impact of a transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) versus a cantilever TLIF technique on segmental lordosis, segmental coronal alignment, and disk height.

Methods A retrospective review was done of all patients undergoing TLIF procedures from 2006 to 2011 by three spine surgeons. Traditional TLIF versus cantilever TLIF results were compared, and radiographic outcomes were assessed.

Results One hundred one patients were included in the study. Patients undergoing the cantilever TLIF procedure had a significantly greater change in segmental lordosis and disk height compared with those …

Molecular Biology And Clinical Mitigation Of Cancer Treatment-Induced Neuropathy, Gerald M. Higa, Corbin Sypult

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Disruption of microtubule function is the antitumor mechanism of several classes of drugs used to treat cancer today. However, the significant beneficial effect on tumor outcomes is frequently counterbalanced by neurotoxic complications. Despite an abundance of scientific data, our understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying this toxic reaction remains unclear, further hindering attempts to identify and develop effective preventive strategies. The primary goals of this review are to: (1) provide insight regarding the biology of the microtubule, (2) analyze the molecular and biochemical pathways that may be involved in the development of neurotoxicity, and (3) propose a unifying concept linking …

Rainbow Vectors For Broad-Range Bacterial Fluorescence Labeling, Mariette A. Barbier, F. Heath Damron

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Since their discovery, fluorescent proteins have been widely used to study protein function, localization or interaction, promoter activity and regulation, drug discovery or for non-invasive imaging. They have been extensively modified to improve brightness, stability, and oligomerization state. However, only a few studies have focused on understanding the dynamics of fluorescent proteins expression in bacteria. In this work, we developed a set plasmids encoding 12 fluorescent proteins for bacterial labeling to facilitate the study of pathogen-host interactions. These broad-spectrum plasmids can be used with a wide variety of Gram-negative microorganisms including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia cepacia, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Shigella …

Glidar: An Opengl-Based, Real-Time, And Open Source 3d Sensor Simulator For Testing Computer Vision Algorithms, John O. Woods, John A. Christian

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

3D sensors such as LIDARs, stereo cameras, time-of-flight cameras, and the Microsoft Kinect are increasingly found in a wide range of applications, including gaming, personal robotics, and space exploration. In some cases, pattern recognition algorithms for processing depth images can be tested using actual sensors observing real-world objects. In many situations, however, it is common to test new algorithms using computer-generated synthetic images, as such simulations tend to be faster, more flexible, and less expensive than hardware tests. Computer generation of images is especially useful for Monte Carlo-type analyses or for situations where obtaining real sensor data for preliminary testing …

Analysis Of Camera Arrays Applicable To The Internet Of Things, Jiachen Yang, Ru Xu, Zhihan Lv, Houbing Song

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The Internet of Things is built based on various sensors and networks. Sensors for stereo capture are essential for acquiring information and have been applied in different fields. In this paper, we focus on the camera modeling and analysis, which is very important for stereo display and helps with viewing. We model two kinds of cameras, a parallel and a converged one, and analyze the difference between them in vertical and horizontal parallax. Even though different kinds of camera arrays are used in various applications and analyzed in the research work, there are few discussions on the comparison of them. …