cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MANTIS OS: an embedded multithreaded operating system for wireless micro sensor platforms

The MANTIS MultimodAl system for NeTworks of In-situ wireless Sensors provides a new multithreaded cross-platform embedded operating system for wireless sensor networks. As sensor networks accommodate increasingly complex tasks such as compression/aggregation and signal processing, preemptive multithreading in the MANTIS sensor OS (MOS) enables micro sensor nodes to natively interleave complex tasks with time-sensitive tasks, thereby mitigating the bounded buffer producer-consumer problem. To achieve memory efficiency, MOS is implemented in a lightweight RAM footprint that fits in less than 500 bytes of memory, including kernel, scheduler, and network stack. To achieve energy efficiency, the MOS power-efficient scheduler sleeps the microcontroller after all active threads have called the MOS sleep() function, reducing current consumption to the µA range. A key MOS design feature is flexibility in the form of cross-platform support and testing across PCs, PDAs, and different micro sensor platforms. Another key MOS design feature is support for remote management of in-situ sensors via dynamic reprogramming and remote login.
Evaluation of Academic Capabilities in Science by Students with and without Learning Disabilities and their Teachers

The purpose of this study was to determine whether students with and without learning disabilities (LD) who attended general education science classes differed in their evaluations of their learning capabilities, whether changes in selfevaluation occurred over a 3year period, and whether over this period the teachers' ratings of the students with LD differed from those of the students without LD. Two cohorts of students (including students with and without LD) were followed for 3 years (Grades 4 to 6 and 6 to 8); in each year they and their teachers were asked to evaluate their capabilities and efforts in science. The results showed that the students with LD in the younger cohort rated themselves as less capable in science than did the students without LD in all 3 years, but the students with and without LD in the older cohort differed only in the first year. For both cohorts, the teachers consistently rated the students with LD as having significantly less adequate learning capabilities, and they placed ...
The Herpes Simplex Virus 1 IgG Fc Receptor Blocks Antibody-Mediated Complement Activation and Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity In Vivo

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein E (gE) mediates cell-to-cell spread and functions as an IgG Fc receptor (FcγR) that blocks the Fc domain of antibody targeting the virus or infected cell. Efforts to assess the functions of the HSV-1 FcγR in vivo have been hampered by difficulties in preparing an FcγR-negative strain that is relatively intact for spread. Here we report the FcγR and spread phenotypes of NS-gE264, which is a mutant strain that has four amino acids inserted after gE residue 264. The virus is defective in IgG Fc binding yet causes zosteriform disease in the mouse flank model that is only minimally reduced compared with wild-type and the rescue strains. The presence of zosteriform disease suggests that NS-gE264 spread functions are well maintained. The HSV-1 FcγR binds the Fc domain of human, but not murine IgG; therefore, to assess FcγR functions in vivo, mice were passively immunized with human IgG antibody to HSV. When antibody was inoculated intraperitoneally 20 h prior to infection or shortly after virus reached the dorsal root ganglia, disease severity was significantly reduced in mice infected with NS-gE264, but not in mice infected with wild-type or rescue virus. Studies of C3 knockout mice and natural killer cell-depleted mice demonstrated that the HSV-1 FcγR blocked both IgG Fc-mediated complement activation and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Therefore, the HSV-1 FcγR promotes immune evasion from IgG Fc-mediated activities and likely contributes to virulence at times when antibody is present, such as during recurrent infections.
TESTING HYPOTHESIZED EVOLUTIONARY SHIFTS TOWARD STRESS TOLERANCE IN HYBRID HELIANTHUS SPECIES

Abstract We examined how plant traits related to growth and resource use have evolved during hybrid speciation and specialization into stressful habitats. Two desert sunflower species of homoploid hybrid origin are endemic to habitats with lower soil nutrient levels than those of their ancestral parent species. We hypothesized that the hybrid species would exhibit greater tolerance to low levels of soil nutrients than their parental species. The 2 hybrid species, Helianthus anomalus and H. deserticola, and their parental species, H. annuus and H. petiolaris, were compared for plant traits and growth through reproduction under 3 nutrient levels in a greenhouse study. An additional seedling study compared species for maximum seedling relative growth rate under optimum conditions. The hybrid species did have greater tolerance of nutrient limitation than the parental species, demonstrated by a resistance to change in stem height and diameter growth across treatments. A similar trend was observed in total biom...
Electromagnetic self-excitation in the liquid-metal fast breeder reactor

The possibility of electromagnetic self-excitation of the fluid flow in liquidmetal fast breeder reactors has been predicted based on gross dimensions without consideration of the details of the fl...
Radiology review: a modifiable computer program for practice and review in differential diagnosis.

ADIOLOGY REVIEW is a text-based computer program designed to allow radiologists to review differential diagnoses quickly and easily. Acquiring skills in differential diagnosis is an important goal of radiology training; perhaps in no other residency is the physician expected to be versed in such a wide range of topics. To this end, a comprehensive and concise body of factual information is invaluable for study and review. Moreover, its value is enhanced if it can be frequently reviewed and revised. Conventional publications are of limited use in serving these needs, but personal computers can fulfill them admirably. More sophisticated computer programs than this-known as "expert system" software--are available or are in development? '2 These programs attempt to relate statistical and clinical data to decision trees and may even critique the user's decision. This program gives the radiologist quick and ready access to a core of data. Some 400 radiological entities are covered, presented as lists of differential diagnoses with occasional comments. In the current version of the prograto, a Topic Finder option allows the user to search any section, of the entire data base, for occurrences of a word or phrase; the name of a syndrome, for example, could be entered so that radiological manifestations of that syndrome in any of the sections could be revealed. A printout of any or all of the sections may be obtained for review away from the computer. A significant feature of our program is that the data presented may be modified and expanded by the user; the program is in fact a functional carrier for these data. It is our hope that the useful life of the program will be determined by its inherent simplicity of operation combined with a commitment by users to maintain the data.
High-dose cisplatin and vinblastine infusion with or without radiation therapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with locally advanced or metastatic measurable disease were given a combination of cisplatin, 200 mg/m2 divided in five daily doses, and simultaneously, vinblastine, 7.5 mg/m2 as a continuous intravenous (IV) infusion over five days. Five courses of chemotherapy were planned. Afterwards or on progression, patients were randomized to receive maximally tolerated radiation to all sites of disease v observation only. Forty males and seven females were entered. Median age was 60 years (range, 37 to 74), median Karnofsky performance status was 70 (range, 30 to 90). Five patients had previous brain radiation therapy for metastatic disease, all others were previously untreated. Side effects in the 87 courses of chemotherapy administered included leukopenia (WBC less than 1,000/microL following nine courses) and thrombocytopenia (platelets less than 20,000/microL following four courses). Ten patients became septic, nine of them while leukopenic. Elevations of serum creat...
New centrality measures for assessing smart grid vulnerabilities and predicting brownouts and blackouts

This paper proposes mathematical models based on the electrical properties of smart grids for conducting vulnerability analyses and predicting brownouts and blackouts. Definitions of pseudo-Laplacian, pseudo-adjacency and pseudo-degree matrices for smart grids are introduced to specify new centrality measures with electrical interpretations. The centrality measures are used to rank the relative importance of nodes (e.g., generating stations or substations) and edges (e.g., transmission lines or buses) of a graph corresponding to a power grid network and to assess the overall vulnerability of the network. The reliability of using the centrality measures to predict brownouts and blackouts is demonstrated in the face of random and targeted attacks. Monte-Carlo simulations are used to analyze attacks on smart grid networks and to assess the performance of the centrality measures. The simulations employ the IEEE 30-bus, IEEE 57-bus and IEEE 300-bus networks as well as the WSCC 4941-bus real power grid. Every scenario in the Monte-Carlo simulations involves the removal of a subset of buses and performing a complete nonlinear Newton-Raphson power flow analysis to compute the power traffic matrix and the corresponding centrality. The Monte-Carlo simulations conclusively demonstrate that electrical centrality measures based on the power traffic matrix are reliable indicators of the total unsatisfied load ratio (i.e., the load taken offline due to an attack divided by the total load demand). A key result is that, if the total centrality score of the removed buses exceeds a threshold estimated via Monte-Carlo simulation, then a sudden and dramatic jump to a blackout situation is ensured.
Indentation of Anisotropic Halfspace by Yielding Circular Foundation

This paper presents an analytical study of the interaction between a transversely isotropic elastic half space and a structurally failing circular foundation plate under axisymmetric loading.
Competition and Incentive to reveal Information in Financial Markets

In this paper I study the impact of competition in financial markets on incentive to reveal information. In a sample of mutual funds, I find that discretionary portfolio disclosure and advertising related expenses decrease with competition. This is interesting, as one would ordinarily expect funds to disclose more often and incur more advertising expenses in response to pressure from competing funds. However, this supports the theory that mutual funds use discretionary portfolio disclosure and advertising as marketing tools to attract new investments in a financial market, where superior relative performance and greater visibility are rewarded with convex payoffs. With higher competition, the likelihood of landing new investments goes down for each fund and at the same time the cost of disclosure goes up. Funds respond by cutting down on costly discretionary disclosure of portfolio holding information and advertising related activities. Thus competition seems to have adverse impact on market transparency and search cost.
Metamaterials, Plasmonics, and Nanofluidics for Ultrasensitive Spectroscopy and Bio-detection

We will present on-chip integrated plasmonic and metamaterial systems for ultrasensitive spectroscopy and biodetection. We will also introduce opto-fluidic systems for targeted analyte delivery as well as for optical trapping and manipulation.
Antiviral Action of a Mold Filtrate on Experimental Poliomyelitis in Gynomolgus Monkeys.

SummaryThe crude filtrate of a penicil-lium mold, M-8450, was shown to have antiviral action in cynomolgus monkeys inoculated subcutaneously with the Mahoney strain of Type 1 poliomyelitis. Treatment with at least 100 ml of this crude filtrate reduced the morbidity and increased the incubation period of infected animals. Less intensive treatment appeared to be less effective. The antiviral action of this substance appears to merit further study.
Exhumation of the North American Cordillera revealed by multi-dating of Upper Jurassic–Upper Cretaceous foreland basin deposits

New low-temperature thermochronology and geochronology data from Upper Jurassic–Upper Cretaceous strata from the North American Cordilleran foreland basin in Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and South Dakota document rapid exhumation rates of the adjacent Cordilleran orogenic belt to the west. Both zircon (U-Th-[Sm])/He (zircon He) and apatite fission track (AFT) thermochronology were applied to proximal and distal synorogenic deposits in order to identify a thermochronometer suitable to record source exhumation during the North America Cordilleran orogeny. AFT lag times from Upper Jurassic–Upper Cretaceous deposits are 0–5 m.y. and indicate a relatively steady-state to slightly increasing exhumation rate between 118 Ma and 66 Ma. These lag-time measurements are consistent with active shortening and rapid exhumation rates of ∼0.9–>1 km/m.y. of the North American Cordillera throughout the Cretaceous. Double dating of the detrital AFT samples was performed on apatites with young AFT cooling ages, in order to test whether or not the young cooling ages represent a signal related to exhumation rather than volcanic activity. Maximum depositional ages using detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology match existing ages on basin stratigraphy. This study indicates that AFT is the most effective thermochronometer to resolve source exhumation from Lower to Upper Cretaceous foreland stratigraphy in the central Cordilleran foreland, and indicates that source material was exhumed from 4 to 5 km depths but was never buried more than a few kilometers ( 8–9 km. Double dating of apatites (with AFT and U-Pb) shows that volcanic contamination is a significant issue that can, however, be addressed by double dating.
The perception of value: Adam Smith on the moral role of social research

Scholars have sometimes argued that we should conceive of social research as a form of moral inquiry, at least in part, but none have made clear exactly how and why observational research can make a distinctive contribution to moral insight. Returning to an era before the modern distinction between social science and the humanities became entrenched, this article argues that Adam Smith provided a clear and forceful rationale for the moral role of social research, especially history. Smith believed that moral understanding relies on emotional reactions to richly described cases, preferably where our own interests are not at stake. These meditations on particular cases, in turn, provide the basis for moral generalizations that can inform future encounters with particular cases. This perspective led Smith (along with his friend David Hume) to the view that historical writing makes a more important contribution to moral understanding than abstract philosophy does. This article reconstructs Smith’s arguments a...
Effects of Anesthetics on Osmotic Resistance of Erythrocytes: II. Nitrous-oxide or Ethylene with Oxygen.

Nitrous-oxide or ethylene in combination with oxygen were administered to dogs by the rebreathing technique developed by Dr. Ralph M. Waters, in which the carbon-dioxide produced by the body is removed by soda-lime. Nitrous-oxide with oxygen caused a slight reduction in the osmotic resistance of the red cells to hypotonic Simmel's fluids, which even after an hour's anesthesia, was not nearly as marked as that noted under ether or chloroform. Ethylene with oxygen had about the same effect on the erythrocyte fragility. When ethylene was pushed to asphyxiation after 20 minutes without oxygen, the osmotic resistance of the red cells was reduced to a considerable extent in the lower dilutions of the hypotonic Simmel's fluid (0.4%), but in the higher dilutions (0.7% and 0.6%) it was only slightly below the normal levels.
Comparative Growth in Two Species of Woodrats, Neotoma lepida intermedia and Neotoma albigula venusta

Growth of two species of woodrats, Neotoma lepida intermedia and Neotoma albigula venusta , was studied from birth through 101 days of age. Intra- and interspecies comparisons of weight, body length, tail length, hindfoot length, and ear length were made. Supplemental field data were collected. Neotoma a. venusta showed a more condensed breeding season and a more rapid rate of growth than did N. l. intermedia . This was interpreted as a specialization of reproduction and growth which has evolved as an adaptation of N. a. venusta to its harsh, desert habitat, whereas the pattern of reproduction and growth of N. l. intermedia , which occupies several distinct habitats, is interpreted as being more generalized.
Information Based Design for Compressive Imaging

The talk will review design considerations for compressive imaging systems. Both static and adaptive imagers will be discussed with a focus on the use of information theoretic analysis/design metrics.
Analysis of Pupils' Serum Schistosoma Antibody Test Data from 1998 to 2007 in Ma'anshan

Objective To analyze the pupils'serum anti-body to schistosoma from 1998 to 2007 in Ma'anshan so as to provide scientific evidence for evaluating the control results and exploring the control strategy.Methods Indirect hemagglutination(IHA) test examination was used to screen the pupils.Results A total of 17 256 pupils were tested with IHA during a period from 1998 to 2007,and the average serum positive rate was 1.65%.It was 2.80%(183/6 559)in the endemic school with 3 level,and 0.94%(101/10 697) in 5 level respectively.It was 2.23%(204/9 138) in boys,and 0.99%(80/8 038) in girls respectively.It was 2.0%(239/12 061) in middle-high grade pupils,and 0.87%(45/5 195) in low grade respectively.By all,the former serum positive rate were significantly higher than the latter(P0.01).Conclusion In the 10 years,it rose in the first years in terms of the serum positive rate,and declined in the latter years,which reached it's peak in 2004.It was light infection status on the whole.And the endemic school with 3 level than 5 level,boys than girls,middle-higher grades than in low grade,the serum positive rate was higher.It suggested that the former infected more serious than the latter.
Stimulation of P fiesteria piscicida (Dinophyceae) Growth by Animal Sera

Previous studies reveal various feeding behaviors inPfiesteria piscicidaSteindinger et Burkholder.However,whetherthis organism is able to utilize proteins has not been investigated.In this study,capability ofP.piscicidato growon serum proteinswas demonstrated.Cultures amended with animal sera,with or without supply ofRhodomonassp.as prey,exhibited significantlyhigher growth rate than the controls that received no sera.P.piscicidagrowth was observed as soon as one hour after serum addi-tion,and active growth lasted for at least 4 hours.When provided immunoglobulin conjugated to fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC),fluorescence was observed fromP.piscicidacells;it was barely detectable inP.piscicidacells in the first hour but in-creased to a maximum in 3 ~4 hours.Uptake of serum proteins byP.piscicidacells was further verified by western blotting.Thisstudy provides the first direct evidence that dinoflagellates are capable of ingesting and utilizing proteins,and thatP.piscicidagrowth responds to animal sera almost instantly.While the cell cycle mechanism for the rapid growth response remains to be inves-tigated,the observation may explain howP.piscicidabenefits from myzocytotic feeding and responds rapidly to presence of livefish.
The Enok acetyltransferase complex interacts with Elg1 and negatively regulates PCNA unloading to promote the G1/S transition

KAT6 histone acetyltransferases (HATs) are highly conserved in eukaryotes and are involved in cell cycle regulation. However, information regarding their roles in regulating cell cycle progression is limited. Here, we report the identification of subunits of the Drosophila Enok complex and demonstrate that all subunits are important for its HAT activity. We further report a novel interaction between the Enok complex and the Elg1 proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-unloader complex. Depletion of Enok in S2 cells resulted in a G1/S cell cycle block, and this block can be partially relieved by depleting Elg1. Furthermore, depletion of Enok reduced the chromatin-bound levels of PCNA in both S2 cells and early embryos, suggesting that the Enok complex may interact with the Elg1 complex and down-regulate its PCNA-unloading function to promote the G1/S transition. Supporting this hypothesis, depletion of Enok also partially rescued the endoreplication defects in Elg1-depleted nurse cells. Taken together, our study provides novel insights into the roles of KAT6 HATs in cell cycle regulation through modulating PCNA levels on chromatin.
Betreuung und Arbeit mit Opfern nach kriminellen Angriffen

Markus Atzenweiler betreut im Rahmen seiner Sicherheitstrainings auch Personen, die Opfer eines Uberfalls geworden sind, wie hier ein Bankomatenversorger. Dazu benutzt er auch das psychologische Debriefing. Er legt Wert darauf, dass die Menschen so schnell wie moglich an ihre Arbeit zuruckkehren, da nur damit sichergestellt wird, dass Menschen gesund bleiben und von ihren Erfahrungen lernen konnen. Dass er dabei auch unorthodoxe Wege beschreitet, wird aus dem Artikel ersichtlich. Er hilft einem sekundar durch einen Arzt mit Medikamenten schlecht bedienten Kunden, zur anfanglichen salutogenetischen Haltung zuruckzukommen und vom iatrogenen Schaden zu gesunden.
Calcium requirements for acetylcholine-induced contraction of cat esophageal circular muscle cells.

Esophageal circular muscle cells isolated by enzymatic digestion contracted in response to acetylcholine (ACh) and in response to the protein kinase C (PKC) agonist 1,2-dioctanoylglycerol (1,2 DAG)...
The role of military medicine in military civic action

We are moving into an era when U.S. military forces will be called upon frequently to perform military civic action (MCA) projects. Such projects, have been used successfully and unsuccessfully, primarily in the areas of medicine and engineering, to enhance the standing of military forces with indigenous populations. However, the available criteria for planning and assessing MCA projects are not widely known. These related and overlapping criteria are supported by facts, interpretative data, anecdotes, and common sense, but none can be considered absolute. Selected criteria are defined, reviewed, and illustrated with examples of past successes and failures.
Improving outcomes through collaboration.

Dermatomyositis (DM) is known to be associated with underlying malignancy, though the strength of this relationship and its predisposing factors are not clearly defined. We present a case of a patient who was first diagnosed with DM and, subsequently, metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma. Despite aggressive immunosuppressive therapy, the patient's cutaneous eruption failed to resolve and his muscle weakness progressed. He had respiratory failure and died less than 2 months after his initial presentation. To our knowledge, this is only the second case of metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma associated with DM reported in the English language literature.
Intended and Unintended Meanings of Validity: Some Clarifying Comments.

The six primary papers in this issue of Assessment in Education emphasise a single primary point: the concept of validity is a complex one. Essentially, validity is a collective noun. That is, just...
Bacterial colonization of the tracheobronchial tree.

SUMMARY Bacterial colonization of the tracheobronchial tree is a significant problem in hospitalized and chronically ill individuals. Colonization occurs because of both microbial and host factors, with the foremost mechanism being adherence of pathogenic gram-negative bacteria to mucosal epithelial cells. In the pathogenesis of nosocomial pneumonia, colonization appears to be an essential first step. In the diagnostic approach to hospital-acquired pneumonia, a distinction must be made between colonization and true lower respiratory tract infection. Future approaches to the major problem of colonization with gram-negative bacteria will require a better understanding of pathogenesis and employ strategies that not only focus upon limiting the bacterial pathogens but also attempt to improve upon pulmonary defense mechanisms.
Introduction: Haunted Landscapes and Fearful Spaces—Expanding Views on the Geography of the Gothic

At first glance, the landscapes that dominate Gothic texts may seem to be simply backdrops to the action of the fiction and film or the ruminations of the poetry. Crumbling architecture, dark confusing labyrinths, frightening interiors, and craggy outcroppings are just a few elements of landscape that make up the Gothic and help set the stage for what unfolds in Gothic texts. Rather than what Alan Lloyd-Smith calls “trappings as trivial stage machinery” (7), Gothic landscapes are actually central to these works, a means by which political, psychological, social, and cultural ideals are laid bare, transmitted, and often critiqued. Leslie Fiedler, David Punter, Fred Botting, and collections editors Charles L. Crow, and Monica Elbert and Bridget M. Marshall are among some of the scholars who have demonstrated that landscape in the Gothic is more than just a mere backdrop to the main action. As much as these scholars have furthered the study of landscape in the Gothic, there is much more that needs to be studied. Recent discussion of the Gothic in computer gaming, film, and in conveying the voices of marginalized people demonstrates not only that the Gothic is still thriving and open for interpretation but also that landscapes play an important part in that discussion. This collection of essays deepens current scholarship both by exploring how the Gothic’s interpenetration enriches other genres and by expanding the perception of landscape in the Gothic to include the social, psychological, and spiritual, as well as the geographic.
Synthetic recording and in situ readout of lineage information in single cells

Reconstructing the lineage relationships and dynamic event histories of individual cells within their native spatial context is a long-standing challenge in biology. Many biological processes of interest occur in optically opaque or physically inaccessible contexts, necessitating approaches other than direct imaging. Here we describe a synthetic system that enables cells to record lineage information and event histories in the genome in a format that can be subsequently read out of single cells in situ. This system, termed memory by engineered mutagenesis with optical in situ readout (MEMOIR), is based on a set of barcoded recording elements termed scratchpads. The state of a given scratchpad can be irreversibly altered by CRISPR/Cas9-based targeted mutagenesis, and later read out in single cells through multiplexed single-molecule RNA fluorescence hybridization (smFISH). Using MEMOIR as a proof of principle, we engineered mouse embryonic stem cells to contain multiple scratchpads and other recording components. In these cells, scratchpads were altered in a progressive and stochastic fashion as the cells proliferated. Analysis of the final states of scratchpads in single cells in situ enabled reconstruction of lineage information from cell colonies. Combining analysis of endogenous gene expression with lineage reconstruction in the same cells further allowed inference of the dynamic rates at which embryonic stem cells switch between two gene expression states. Finally, using simulations, we show how parallel MEMOIR systems operating in the same cell could enable recording and readout of dynamic cellular event histories. MEMOIR thus provides a versatile platform for information recording and in situ, single-cell readout across diverse biological systems.
New measurements of low-energy resonances in the Ne 22 ( p , γ ) Na 23 reaction

The $^{22}\mathrm{Ne}(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{23}\mathrm{Na}$ reaction is one of the most uncertain reactions in the NeNa cycle and plays a crucial role in the creation of $^{23}\mathrm{Na}$, the only stable Na isotope. Uncertainties in the low-energy rates of this and other reactions in the NeNa cycle lead to ambiguities in the nucleosynthesis predicted from models of thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. This in turn complicates the interpretation of anomalous Na-O trends in globular cluster evolutionary scenarios. Previous studies of the $^{22}\mathrm{Ne}(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{23}\mathrm{Na}$, $^{22}\mathrm{Ne}(^{3}\mathrm{He},d)^{23}\mathrm{Na}$, and $^{12}\mathrm{C}(^{12}\mathrm{C},p)^{23}\mathrm{Na}$ reactions disagree on the strengths, spins, and parities of low-energy resonances in $^{23}\mathrm{Na}$ and the direct-capture $^{22}\mathrm{Ne}(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{23}\mathrm{Na}$ reaction rate contains large uncertainties as well. In this work we present new measurements of resonances at ${E}_{r}^{\text{c.m.}}=417$, 178, and 151 keV and of the direct-capture process in the $^{22}\mathrm{Ne}(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{23}\mathrm{Na}$ reaction. The resulting total $^{22}\mathrm{Ne}(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{23}\mathrm{Na}$ rate is approximately a factor of 20 higher than the rate listed in a recent compilation at temperatures relevant to hot-bottom burning in AGB stars. Although our rate is close to that derived from a recent $^{22}\mathrm{Ne}(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{23}\mathrm{Na}$ measurement by Cavanna et al. in 2015, we find that this large rate increase results in only a modest 18% increase in the $^{23}\mathrm{Na}$ abundance predicted from a 5 ${\mathrm{M}}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$ thermally pulsing AGB star model from Ventura and D'Antona (2005). The estimated astrophysical impact of this rate increase is in marked contrast to the factor of $\ensuremath{\sim}3$ increase in $^{23}\mathrm{Na}$ abundance predicted by Cavanna et al. and is attributed to the interplay between the $^{23}\mathrm{Na}(p,\ensuremath{\alpha})^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$ and $^{20}\mathrm{Ne}(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{21}\mathrm{Na}$ reactions, both of which remain fairly uncertain at the relevant temperature range.
Maintaining secrecy when information leakage is unavoidable

Sharing and maintaining long, random keys is one of the central problems in cryptography. This thesis provides about ensuring the security of a cryptographic key when partial information about it has been, or must be, leaked to an adversary. We consider two basic approaches: 1. Extracting a new, shorter, secret key from one that has been partially compromised. Specifically, we study the use of noisy data, such as biometrics and personal information, as cryptographic keys. Such data can vary drastically from one measurement to the next. We would like to store enough information to handle these variations, without having to rely on any secure storage—in particular, without storing the key itself in the clear. We solve the problem by casting it in terms of key extraction. We give a precise definition of what “security” should mean in this setting, and design practical, general solutions with rigorous analyses. Prior to this work, no solutions were known with satisfactory provable security guarantees. 2. Ensuring that whatever is revealed is not actually useful . This is most relevant when the key itself is sensitive—for example when it is based on a person's iris scan or Social Security Number. This second approach requires the user to have some control over exactly what information is revealed, but this is often the case: for example, if the user must reveal enough information to allow another user to correct errors in a corrupted key. How can the user ensure that whatever information the adversary learns is not useful to her? We answer by developing a theoretical framework for separating leaked information from useful information. Our definition strengthens the notion of entropic security, considered before in a few different contexts. We apply the framework to get new results, creating (a) encryption schemes with very short keys, and (b) hash functions that leak no information about their input, yet—paradoxically—allow testing if a candidate vector is close to the input. One of the technical contributions of this research is to provide new, cryptographic uses of mathematical tools from complexity theory known as randomness extractors. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Cycloisomerization of Enynes with CO2

Carboxylate groups are ubiquitous in bioactive molecules. The syntheses of carboxylates from petroleum feedstock require a series of oxidation reactions. CO2 represents a cheap and sustainable, preoxidized C1 source. Herein, we describe a simple, selective, and mild procedure for the construction of (hetero)cyclic α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids from 1,6- and 1,7-enyes and CO2. Terminal 1,7-enynes and sterically hindered alkenes experience a change in regioselectivity and form unconjugated carboxylic acids. Mechanistic studies of the reductive cyclization suggest a hydride insertion pathway, explaining the change in regioselectivity caused by steric effects and distinguishing this work from previous reactions involving CO2.
U.S. Army Missile Command (MICOM) support to the rapid force projection initiative and army land combat

The U.S. Army Missile Command has been given the responsibility for executing the of the Rapid Force Projection Initiative (RFPI) Technology Program. Additionally, several of the standoff killer (weapon) systems are being developed through the MICOM at Redstone Arsenal, AL, and the Program Executive Office for Tactical Missiles. This paper will provide an overview of the U.S. Army MICOM and PEO TM efforts in support of the RFPI Technology Program and the RFPI Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACID).
The Health Care Provider’s Role in Supporting Positive Health Behavior Change: Developing an Effective and Supportive Communication Approach

ABSTRACTNon-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Four chronic NCDs, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes are responsible for more than 80% of NCD-related deaths. Unhealthy behaviors, such as physical inactivity, smoking, poor nutrition, and excessive alcohol consumption are significant causes of chronic NCDs. However, even when faced with potentially debilitating effects associated with chronic NCDs, it is difficult for individuals to change their behaviors and adopt more healthful practices, such as being physically active, refraining from smoking, eating a healthful diet, and refraining from excess alcohol intake. Sometimes barriers seem insurmountable, and affected individuals need guidance. A potential resource that can help individuals overcome personal barriers and successfully improve their health behaviors is the health care provider. However, while health care providers are being tasked to address patients’ health behaviors, they often feel ill-equipped to assist their patients to engage in meaningful, sustainable, health behavior change. Promising approaches to providing efficient and effective support for patients’ behavior change revolve around provider-patient communication. Health coaching, for instance, is a process whereby health care providers follow a standardized communication approach in working with patients that integrates health behavior change theories such as the Transtheoretical Model and Self Determination Theory, utilizes conversational tools such as motivational interviewing, and incorporates evidence-based strategies to foster health behavior change. In so doing, the provider’s role shifts from that of an expert to that of a partner, which results in improved satisfaction in the provider-patient relationship for both the provider and the patient, and improved health outcomes for the patient. Communication strategies that build provider-patient partnerships increase patient autonomy and self-efficacy, thereby enabling providers to better support their patients in adopting sustainable behavior change and addressing the burden caused by NCDs.
Mapping the height and spatial cover of features beneath the forest canopy at small-scales using airborne scanning discrete return Lidar

Abstract The objective of the current study was to develop methods for estimating the height and horizontal coverage of the forest understorey using airborne Lidar data in three managed pine plantation forest typical of the south eastern USA. The current project demonstrates a two-step approach applied automatically across a given study site extent. The first operation divided the study site extent into a regularly spaced grid (25 × 25 m) and identified the potential height range of the main Loblolly pine canopy layer for each grid-cell through aggregating Lidar return height measurements into a ‘stack’ of vertical height bins describing the frequency of returns by height. Once height bins were created, the resulting vertical distributions were smoothed with a regression curve line function and the main canopy vertical layer was identified through the detection of local maxima and minima. The second operation sub-divided the 25 × 25 m grid-cell into 1 × 1 m horizontal grid, for which height-bin stacks were created for each cell. Vertical features below the main canopy were then identified at this scale in the same manner as in the previous step, and classified as understorey features if they were lower in height than the 25 × 25 m estimate of the main canopy layer. The heights of the tallest understorey and sub-canopy layers were kept, and used to produce a rasterized map of the understorey layer height at the 1 × 1 m scale. Lidar derived estimates of the 25 × 25 m lowest vertical extent of the coniferous canopy correlated highly with field data (R2 0.87; RMSE 2.1 m). Estimates of understorey horizontal cover ranged from R2 0.80 to 0.90 (RMSE 6.6–11.7%), and maximum understorey layer height ranged from R2 0.69 to 0.80 (RMSE 1.6–3.4 m) for the three study sites. The automated method deployed within the current study proved sufficient in determining the presence and absence of vegetation and artificial structures within the understorey portion of the current forest context, in addition to height and horizontal cover to a reasonable accuracy. Issues were encountered within older stands (e.g. more than 30 years old) where understorey deciduous vegetation layers intersected with the coniferous canopy layer, resulting in an underestimation of sub-dominant heights.
Developing a robust suturing assessment: validity evidence for the intracorporeal suturing assessment tool

Abstract Background Assessment tools specific to intracorporeal suturing are lacking. The purpose of this study was to validate a novel Intracorporeal Suturing Assessment Tool (ISAT) by comparing it with existing measures that have been reported to have validity evidence. Methods Videos of laparoscopic suturing were assessed by 3 blinded laparoscopic experts using the validated Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills (GOALS) scale and the ISAT. Correlations between these instruments were calculated, and sensitivity analyses compared both tools with objective suturing scores. A factor analysis was also performed. Results The ISAT and GOALS ratings were significantly correlated with the objective suturing score (r = 0.58 and 0.61, respectively; P Conclusion The ISAT accurately assessed laparoscopic suturing skill related to other instruments. ISAT was highly correlated with GOALS, which is often used for laparoscopic performance assessment. Unlike the generic GOALS, ISAT includes specific information that can provide feedback on trainee suturing ability and targeted performance improvements. ISAT may provide a better alternative for intracorporeal suturing assessment.
Diffusion Approximations for Demographic Inference: DaDi

Models of demographic history (population sizes, migration rates, and divergence times) inferred from genetic data complement archeology and serve as null models in genome scans for selection. Most current inference methods are computationally limited to considering simple models or non-recombining data. We introduce a method based on a diffusion approximation to the joint frequency spectrum of genetic variation between populations. Our implementation, DaDi, can model up to three interacting populations and scales well to genome-wide data. We have applied DaDi to human data from Africa, Europe, and East Asia, building the most complex statistically well-characterized model of human migration out of Africa to date.
Management of Locoregional Rectal Cancer

The NCCN Guidelines for Rectal Cancer are now more closely aligned with those for colon cancer. A new MRI-based definition of the rectum has been included and the use of MRI in staging has been elevated in importance. There is a new emphasis on neoadjuvant therapy, especially the concurrent use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. One of the biggest changes is more acceptance of an observational approach-"watch and wait, nonoperative management"-for select patients experiencing a complete clinical response with no evidence of residual disease after neoadjuvant therapy.
Gene Therapy: Medicine of the 21stCentury

The basic concept of gene therapy is disarmingly simple - introduce the gene, and its product should have the ability to cure a disease or slow down the progression of a disease. Encompassed within this definition are a number of different goals, including the treatment of both inherited and acquired disease. Treatment requires a technology capable of gene transfer in a wide variety of cells, tissues and whole organs. The therapeutic response may range from a total correction of symptoms to an improvement in the quality of life of a patient. Central to this notion is the ability to transfer genes, but the delivery vehicles needed to ferry genetic material into a cell still represent the “Achilles’ heel” of gene therapy. An ideal vector should have the following attributes: 1) Efficient and easy production: High titer preparations of vector particles should be reproducibly available. The efficient transduction of cells within tissues is only possible if a sufficient number of infectious particles reaches the target cells. For the widespread use of viral vectors, facile production procedures have to be developed. 2) Safety aspects: The vector should neither be toxic to the target cells nor induce unwanted effects, including immunological reactions against the viral vector or its cargo. The latter carries not only the threat to eliminate the vector and/or the infected cells but may also lead to life-threatening complications, such as septic shock. 3) Sustained and regulated transgene expression: The gene delivered by the viral vector has to be expressed in a proper way. Permanent or even life-long expression of the therapeutic gene is desired only in a minority of diseases (e.g., treatment of hemophilia). Controlled expression of the transgene in a reversible manner would be highly desirable in many cases (e.g., gene therapy for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus). 4) Targeting of the viral vectors: Preferential or exclusive transduction of specificcell types is very desirable.
Leptostraca as Living Fossils

The Leptostraca is an order of malacostracan crustaceans that has always been prominent in discussions of crustacean phylogeny. Their importance stems from two issues. Some aspects of leptostracan morphology bridge the gap between the vast class Malacostraca and other crustaceans, particularly primitive ones (see below). They are the only living representatives of the Phyllocarida, a group whose fossil record extends back to the Early Paleozoic. Nebalia is the best known genus, but the order shows so little variability that Leptostraca as a whole is the proper unit for consideration in the context of this book.
Exoribonuclease-Resistant RNAs Exist within both Coding and Noncoding Subgenomic RNAs.

ABSTRACT Many viruses produce protein-coding and noncoding subgenomic RNAs (sgRNAs) that are critical for infection. A recently discovered pathway for viral sgRNA production uses exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs (xrRNAs), discrete folded RNA elements that block the processive exoribonucleolytic degradation of RNA. xrRNAs are widespread in animal-infecting flaviviruses but had been found only in three members of the plant virus genus Dianthovirus. Also, xrRNAs had been found only in the 3′ untranslated regions (3′UTRs) of viral RNAs, where they produce noncoding sgRNAs. The degree to which xrRNA elements exist in other viruses, the conservation of their ring-like fold, and the ability of xrRNAs to operate in diverse contexts were unknown. Using computational tools and biochemical assays, we discovered xrRNA elements pervading two large families of plant-infecting RNA viruses, demonstrating their importance and widespread utility. Comparison of the sequences and functional requirements suggests that all adopt the characteristic ring-like fold. Unexpectedly, many of these newly discovered xrRNAs are located in intergenic regions rather than 3´UTRs, and some are associated with the 5′ ends of subgenomic RNAs that encode viral proteins. This suggests that xrRNAs are involved in the production of both coding and noncoding subgenomic RNAs and can operate as part of broader mechanisms to regulate RNA levels and protein expression. These discoveries expand the potential roles for xrRNAs and suggest that xrRNAs may represent a more general strategy for RNA maturation and maintenance than previously known. IMPORTANCE During infection, viruses often produce subgenomic RNAs (sgRNAs) that either serve as the template for protein synthesis or act as “riboregulators” that interact with and influence the viral and cellular machinery. Recently, a mechanism for producing sgRNAs was found that depends on the presence of specifically structured RNA elements (xrRNAs). However, the degree to which this mechanism is used, where the elements are found, their structural diversity, and what types of sgRNAs are produced by this pathway were unclear. This article describes the discovery of these structured RNA elements in two large families of plant viruses and shows that they are used to produce both protein-coding sgRNAs and “riboregulatory” RNAs. These discoveries provide evidence that xrRNA-based RNA maturation pathways may be more widespread than previously anticipated and that they are involved in producing a variety of RNAs of diverse functions.
Science Signaling Podcast: 23 June 2009

This is a conversation with Andre Levchenko, author of a Protocol published in the 16 June 2009 issue of Science Signaling . He discusses a method for using a microfluidic device to quantify cell signaling events within individual cells.