cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Putting our own house in order: comment on "pursuing professional accountability".

T he expert panel convened under the leadership of Dr Sanfey provides an extraordinarily wellorganized and thoughtful approach to the prevention, identification, and management of problem behavior in surgical residents. The constellation of recommendations the authors generate constitutes best practices for trainees in the dimensions that are listed. A generous body of literature describes characteristics associated with residency applicants who are at higher risk for behavioral problems, and the merit of early identification and intervention is indisputable based on work linking early unprofessionalism with subsequent disciplinary action. The information that Sanfey et al synthesized provides an important contribution to the literature on resident training and will serve as a valuable resource to surgeons with designated responsibility for resident training. Unfortunately, the authors provide only passing mention of the importance of the hidden curriculum and the potential impact of faculty behaving badly as a source of professional role modeling. Surgeons have been clearly identified as the group of physicians at highest risk for disruptive behaviors; consequently, surgical trainees are more likely to have poor role models for professional behavior. Although early identification and intervention are the ideal, the effect of negative role models on the efficacy of interventions may ultimately be a significant mitigating factor. One important direction for future efforts would be convocation of an expert panel responsible for delineation of best practices in the identification and management of problem behaviors in faculty. Until and unless behavior standards are applied uniformly for trainees and faculty, lapses of professionalism and problems with professional behavior cannot be comprehensively addressed.
Comparison of Monte Carlo methods for fluorescence molecular tomography—computational efficiency

Purpose: The Monte Carlo method is an accurate model for time-resolved quantitative fluorescence tomography. However, this method suffers from low computational efficiency due to the large number of photons required for reliable statistics. This paper presents a comparison study on the computational efficiency of three Monte Carlo-based methods for time-domain fluorescence molecular tomography. Methods: The methods investigated to generate time-gated Jacobians were the perturbation Monte Carlo (pMC) method, the adjoint Monte Carlo (aMC) method and the mid-way Monte Carlo (mMC) method. The effects of the different parameters that affect the computation time and statistics reliability were evaluated. Also, the methods were applied to a set of experimental data for tomographic application. Results:In silico results establish that, the investigated parameters affect the computational time for the three methods differently (linearly, quadratically, or not significantly). Moreover, the noise level of the Jacobian varies when these parameters change. The experimental results in preclinical settings demonstrates the feasibility of using both aMC and pMC methods for time-resolved whole body studies in small animals within a few hours. Conclusions: Among the three Monte Carlo methods, the mMC method is a computationally prohibitive technique that is not well suited for time-domain fluorescence tomography applications. The pMC method is advantageous over the aMC method when the early gates are employed and large number of detectors is present. Alternatively, the aMC method is the method of choice when a small number of source-detector pairs are used.
Checkpoints in Adenoviral Production: Cross-Contamination and E1A

Adenoviruses are widely used for overexpressing proteins in primary mammalian cells. Incorporation of the early viral gene, E1A, or viral cross-contamination can occur during amplification, and identification of these products is crucial as the transcription of unwanted genetic material can impact cell function and compromise data interpretation. Here we report methods for evaluation of contaminating adenovirus and E1 viral DNA.
Phase diagrams for lead-free solder alloys

The need for new, improved solder alloys and a better understanding of reactions during the soldering process grows steadily as the need for smaller and more reliable electronic products increases. Information obtained from phase equilibria data and thermodynamic calculations has proven to be an important tool in the design and understanding of new lead-free solder alloys. A wide range of candidate alloys can be rapidly evaluated for proper freezing ranges, susceptibility to contamination effects, and reactions with substrate materials before the expensive process of preparing and testing candidate alloys is initiated.
Spacings of Nuclear Energy Levels

The distribution of spacings of nuclear energy levels in many heavy nuclei at an excitation energy of 5 to 9 Mev is obtained by careful correction of the observed distributions for the effect of failure to observe all levels. Results of transmission measurements on ${\mathrm{U}}^{234}$ and ${\mathrm{U}}^{236}$, as measured with the Brookhaven fast chopper, are presented. The experimental spacings of the zero-spin nuclides are considered first since all the levels from slow neutron capture have the same spin. The results show a deficiency of small spacings relative to the exponential distribution, which corresponds to a random occurrence of levels. In the analysis it is shown that there is no local correlation of neutron widths and level spacings. The "level repulsion" effect is also found for the nuclides of nonzero spin, for which the data are more abundant but the analysis is complicated by the presence of two spin systems. The distribution obtained is in agreement with one suggested by Wigner based on a probability of level occurrence proportional to the spacing $S$. The corrections here developed are also applied to the reduced neutron width distribution and this corrected distribution is in good agreement with the Porter-Thomas distribution.
Identification and characterization of a cell surface proteoglycan on keratinocytes.

Abstract Proteoglycans fill the intercellular space between keratinocytes but their structure and function are not well understood. We have identified and partially characterized one intercellular proteoglycan on human keratinocytes, for which we propose the name epican (epidermal intercellular proteoglycan). Monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) were generated from a mixture of keratinocyte proteoglycans. One, designated MoAb 17, identified the core protein of an intercellular proteoglycan that had an apparent mobility of > 250 kDa on Western blots. The core protein itself had an apparent mobility of 180 kDa following deglycosylation with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid. Enzymatic deglycosylation revealed that most core protein molecules were substituted with heparan sulfate but that some carried chondroitin sulfate instead. Smaller forms of the core protein were more abundant in tissue-culture medium than in cell extracts. This proteoglycan was localized by immunofluorescence to the intercellular space of the epidermis and the surface of keratinocytes in vitro, particularly at cell-cell contacts. MoAb17 did not react with proteoglycans extracted from other skin cells, nor did it bind to basement membranes or connective tissue. Comparison of Western immunoblots using MoAb 17 and antibodies to core proteins of other proteoglycans suggested that epican is not related to syndecan but is a member of the CD44 family.
Oxidative Injury in the Cerebral Cortex and Subplate Neurons in Periventricular Leukomalacia

We previously identified immunocytochemical evidence of nitrative and oxidative injury in premyelinating oligodendrocytes in periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). Here, we tested the hypothesis that free radical injury occurs in the overlying cerebral cortex and subplate neurons in PVL. We immunostained for nitrotyrosine, malondialdehyde, and hydroxynonenal adducts and scored neuron staining density in PVL (n = 11) and non-PVL (n = 15) cases (postconceptional ages from 34 to 109 weeks). Analysis of covariance controlled for age. Mean malondialdehyde scores in PVL cases were increased over controls (p = 0.005). Hydroxynonenal scores increased with age only in PVL cases (diagnosis vs age interaction; p = 0.024). Nitrotyrosine scores were not significantly increased. In 11 PVL and 23 control cases between 20 and 183 postconceptional weeks, cells morphologically consistent with subplate and Cajal-Retzius neurons showed qualitatively increased free radical modification in PVL over control cases with statistically significant odds ratios for hydroxynonenal and nitrotyrosine in both subplate neurons and Cajal-Retzius cells. Glial fibrillary acidic protein and CD68 scores for reactive astrocytes and microglia, respectively, were not significantly increased, suggesting a minimal inflammatory response. Thus, oxidative/nitrative damage to cortical and "pioneer" neurons, although mild overall, may contribute to cortical volume loss and cognitive/behavioral impairment in survivors of prematurity.
Purification and properties of the NAD+-dependent (type D) and O2-dependent (type O) forms of rat liver xanthine dehydrogenase.

Abstract The xanthine-oxidizing enzyme of rat liver has been purified as an NAD+-dependent dehydrogenase (type D) and as the O2-dependent oxidase (type O). The purified D and O variants are nearly homogenous as judged by polyacrylamide discontinuous gel electrophoresis and are indistinguishable on sodium dodecyl sulfate-urea gels. The absorption spectrum of the type D enzyme is indistinguishable from that of the type O enzyme and closely resembles the spectra of xanthine-oxidizing enzymes from other sources. The types D and O enzymes have essentially the same cofactor composition. Oxidation of xanthine by type D is stimulated by NAD+ with concomitant NADH formation. Type D is able to utilize NADH as well as xanthine as electron donor to various acceptors, in contrast to type O that is unable to oxidize NADH. Arsenite, cyanide and methanol completely abolish xanthine oxidation by the type D enzyme while affecting the activities with NADH to varying extents. In these respects rat liver xanthine dehydrogenase closely resembles chicken liver xanthine dehydrogenase. However, in contrast to the avian enzyme, the purified rat liver enzyme is unstable as a dehydrogenase and is gradually converted to an oxidase. This conversion is accompanied by an increase in the aerobic xanthine → cytochrome c activity. The native type D enzyme in rat liver extracts is precipitable with antibody prepared against purified type O. The Km for xanthine is not significantly different for the two forms.
A Conceptual Clarification of the Experience of Awe: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Awe is a concept central in much of humanistic and transpersonal psychology, but it still lacks a consensual scientific meaning. Consequently, this article conceptually clarifies awe for its further use in scientific research and theory, as well as in applications such as psychotherapy. Previous understandings of awe and its changing meaning are discussed in their historical context. Six interviews focused on participants' experiences of and thoughts about awe, contained within Schneider's (2009) book, Awakening to Awe, were explored using interpretative phenomenological analysis. This analysis revealed ten thematic elements of awe, which were then categorized into three conceptual groups. The results are discussed in the context of previous and possible future research on awe, as well their applied implications.
Maximum number of iterations in the transportation problem

It is shown that there are precisely nm-1mn−1 bases in a transportation problem having m destinations and n origins. This number gives an upper limit to the number of iterations in solving the problem and is much smaller than that given by the combinatorial formula (mn)!/(m+n−1)1 (mn+1−m−n)1.
Integrating Curriculum Through the Learning Cycle: Content-Based Reading and Vocabulary Instruction

The content areas provide rich contexts for developing vocabulary. This article presents some principles and a lesson model—the learning cycle—that can be used to develop vocabulary while building understanding in science. Because science instruction and the learning cycle model promote learning in real-world contexts, they provide students with a motivating environment in which to learn new words. The engage, explore, develop, and apply phases of the learning cycle create opportunities for students to encounter and use words in multiple contexts, making it more likely that they will make the terms part of their own receptive and expressive vocabularies. The article provides examples of effective vocabulary instructional strategies that teachers can use in the learning cycle. Many strategies have features that allow teachers to add new terms and modify understanding as new learning occurs. A sample learning cycle lesson plan emphasizing vocabulary development within a science class is provided.
3-dimensional object reconstruction from frequency diverse RF systems

Conventional phased arrays operate on narrow bandwidth principles to achieve resolution in imaging of buildings and other objects of interest. Unfortunately, such narrow bandwidth methods to not allow sufficient resolution to reconstruct objects of interest in 3 dimensions at low frequencies and with small apertures. We propose a method that is computationally efficient and allows dynamic use of spectrum to achieve high resolution 3 dimensional reconstruction of objects from small or distributed apertures. This method also allows available spectrum bands to be used on a non-interference basis.
Observability optimization for the nonholonomic integrator

A growing number of control problems are concerned with vehicles that have insufficient sensors to directly measure all system states and require active control actuation to observe all necessary states (e.g. underwater navigation, simultaneous localization and mapping, parameter identification). In this paper, we consider first-order nonholonomic systems in canonical form as a model system for exploring the development of active control that optimizes system observability characteristics. Observability analysis of this system shows that all nonholonomic states must be measured in the output, and actuation in a minimum of two control channels is required for observability. Analytical trajectories are derived that allow almost arbitrary placement of the observability gramian eigenvalues, which are shown to be inversely related to state estimation covariances. Simulation results show that the optimal trajectories provide four to five times faster estimator convergence and three times lower state estimate covariances than suboptimal trajectories.
A framework for describing the effects of attention on visual responses

Much has been learned over the past 25 years about how attention influences neuronal responses to stimuli in the visual cortex of monkeys and humans. The most recent studies have used parametric manipulations of stimulus attributes such as orientation, direction of motion, and contrast to elucidate the form of the attentional mechanism. The results of these studies do not always agree. However, some of this inconsistency may be caused which attentional effects are considered, such as contrast gain, response gain, or a baseline shift in firing rate with attention. Here, seven studies of spatial and feature-based attention, ranging from monkey electrophysiological studies in V4 and MT to fMRI studies in human visual cortex, are reevaluated in the context of a single parametric model that incorporates a variety of ways in which attention can influence neuronal responses. This reanalysis shows that most, though not all, of these results can be explained by a similar combination of attentional mechanisms.
Characterizing and predicting which bugs get fixed: an empirical study of Microsoft Windows

We performed an empirical study to characterize factors that affect which bugs get fixed in Windows Vista and Windows 7, focusing on factors related to bug report edits and relationships between people involved in handling the bug. We found that bugs reported by people with better reputations were more likely to get fixed, as were bugs handled by people on the same team and working in geographical proximity. We reinforce these quantitative results with survey feedback from 358 Microsoft employees who were involved in Windows bugs. Survey respondents also mentioned additional qualitative influences on bug fixing, such as the importance of seniority and interpersonal skills of the bug reporter. Informed by these findings, we built a statistical model to predict the probability that a new bug will be fixed (the first known one, to the best of our knowledge). We trained it on Windows Vista bugs and got a precision of 68% and recall of 64% when predicting Windows 7 bug fixes. Engineers could use such a model to prioritize bugs during triage, to estimate developer workloads, and to decide which bugs should be closed or migrated to future product versions.
An efficient algorithm for discrete-time hidden mode stochastic hybrid systems

In this paper, we propose an efficient algorithm to find an optimal control policy in a discrete-time hidden mode stochastic hybrid system, which is a special case of partially observable discrete-time stochastic hybrid systems in which only discrete states are hidden. Many human-centered systems can be modeled as such systems, in which the intent of the human operator is unknown and can be modeled as the hidden mode. In the literature, the optimal control problem of hidden mode stochastic hybrid system is known to have high computational complexity due to the continuous state space. In this paper, we will tackle this computational challenge by using local quadratic functions to approximate the optimal expected reward, which does not have a closed-form expression in general. We will show the efficacy of our proposed method, and the significant improvement in the computational time.
Crustal thickness in northern Nevada from seismic refraction profiles

P, arrival times were measured along three north-south profiles in northern Nevada and southeastern Oregon. Apparent arrival velocities of 8.0, 8.2, and 8.4 km/sec were observed on the southern ends of the profiles and are explained by crustal thinning of up to 8 km along the profiles. This interpretation is supported by the shape of the Bouguer gravity anomaly and a prominent second arrival interpreted to be a Moho reflection observed from a local quarry blast along one of the lines. The Battle Mountain heat flow high as outlined by the 2.5 HFU contour of Sass et al. (1976) does not correlate well with the area of thin crust in north central Nevada. However, the southern boundary of the heat flow high corresponds to a decrease in crustal thickness on all profiles-- the crust inside the heat flow high is 5 to 8 km thinner than the crust to the south. The crustal thickness of 21 to 23 km in the Battle Mountain-Winnemucca area is compared to estimated depths to the wet and the dry basaltic solidus and no partial melting of the lower crust is expected if it is dry, while partial melting is expected if it is wet. A prominent later phase at distances greater than 550 km is modeled by an increase in P velocity of 0.2 to 0.3 km/sec at a depth between 70 and 90 km. A low-velocity zone may exist in the mantle above this velocity increase but is not required by our data.
P53-dependent cell-killing by selective repression of thymidine kinase and reduced prodrug activation

Selective killing of tumor cells is an important goal for cancer therapeutics. The tumor suppressor transcription factor p53 is absent or mutated in more than 50% of human tumors. Thus, determining approaches that use p53 status to regulate therapy may be an important strategy for attaining cancer selectivity. We have shown previously that a designed transcriptional repressor, K2–5F, strongly and selectively reduces the expression of its target gene MDR1. In this study, we exploited p53 status and the strong repressor activity of K2–5F to establish a system for preferential killing of p53-negative cells. In this system, the expression of K2–5F is induced by p53 in normal cells, and the K2–5F repressor then inhibits the expression of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) driven by an MDR1 minipromoter. In p53-deficient cells, little K2–5F is expressed, and thus HSV-TK is expressed, allowing the cells to be killed by ganciclovir (GCV). K2–5F induced by exogenous p53 dramatically reduced the expression of HSV-TK in human embryonic kidney 293 cells, and it subsequently increased cell survival in response to GCV. To further evaluate this approach in a uniform genetic background, we developed Saos-2 cells stably expressing physiological levels of p53 and paired them with wild-type p53-negative Saos-2 cells. Stable expression of moderate levels of p53 in Saos-2 cells was able to induce the expression of K2–5F and reduce HSV-TK expression and resulted in a modest but distinct protection from GCV toxicity. Thus, this system may be suitable for further development as an approach to selective cancer therapy.
Epitome driven 3-D Diffusion Tensor image segmentation: on extracting specific structures

We study the problem of segmenting specific white matter structures of interest from Diffusion Tensor (DT-MR) images of the human brain. This is an important requirement in many Neuroimaging studies: for instance, to evaluate whether a brain structure exhibits group level differences as a function of disease in a set of images. Typically, interactive expert guided segmentation has been the method of choice for such applications, but this is tedious for large datasets common today. To address this problem, we endow an image segmentation algorithm with "advice" encoding some global characteristics of the region(s) we want to extract. This is accomplished by constructing (using expert-segmented images) an epitome of a specific region - as a histogram over a bag of 'words' (e.g., suitable feature descriptors). Now, given such a representation, the problem reduces to segmenting a new brain image with additional constraints that enforce consistency between the segmented foreground and the pre-specified histogram over features. We present combinatorial approximation algorithms to incorporate such domain specific constraints for Markov Random Field (MRF) segmentation. Making use of recent results on image co-segmentation, we derive effective solution strategies for our problem. We provide an analysis of solution quality, and present promising experimental evidence showing that many structures of interest in Neuroscience can be extracted reliably from 3-D brain image volumes using our algorithm.
Ebola: evaluating vaccines during epidemics

Innovative, flexible, and validated study designs need to be ready for next time Will vaccines be effective? Would trials be ethical? Are trials even required? These are some of the questions that dominated health policy discourse throughout the current Ebola tragedy in West Africa. The epidemic of Ebola viral disease resulted in almost 27 000 cases, more than 11 000 deaths, and crippled already weak public health infrastructures.1 The welcome reduction in numbers of cases has, however, produced another conundrum and highlighted the challenges in evaluating the efficacy of vaccines in the middle of unpredictable epidemics. The linked paper by the Ebola ca suffit ring vaccination trial consortium (doi:10.1136/bmj.h3740) describes a novel trial design using “ring vaccination” to test one of the early Ebola vaccine candidates (rVSV-ZEBOV) in Guinea.2 The dwindling number of cases means that phase III studies may not have enough power to demonstrate or rule out efficacy using the gold standard of individual randomisation trials.3 Since we still do not have markers for correlates of protection against the Ebola virus, we need efficacy studies …
On the modeling and design of Schottky field-effect transistors

A short-channel threshold-voltage model and an Airy function transfer-matrix tunneling model have been adopted and modified to result in a one-dimensional Schottky field-effect transistor (SFET) model. Model calculations were performed in MATLAB 7, and the results suggest that, for small Schottky barrier (SB) heights, the tunneling current does not play a dominant role in the total ON-state current. Instead, increases in current at the gate biases beyond the source-body flat band voltage (V/sub sbfb/) are due mostly to the increases in thermal current from SB lowering (SBL), not tunneling current modulation. Also, the inclusion of SBL in this model suggests that barrier heights on the order of 0.25 eV can indeed support greater than 1-mA//spl mu/m drive current density for both n-channel and p-channel SFETs for 25-nm CMOS.
Reciprocity and the Costs of Authority Relationships

Authority relationships are viewed as reciprocal exchange in which a principal offers rents in return for subordinates’compliance with his authority. These rents induce compliance by creating a collective action problem among subordinates so they free-ride on each other in challenging the principal’s authority. As a consequence of the payment of these rents, the cost of exercising authority may distort the principal’s ex ante choice of internal authority relationship as an organizational form, relative to market exchange or formal, arms-length contracting.
Functional hierarchy of coronary circulation: direct evidence of a structure-function relation

The heart muscle is nourished by a complex system of blood vessels that make up the coronary circulation. Here we show that the design of the coronary circulation has a functional hierarchy. A full anatomic model of the coronary arterial tree, containing millions of blood vessels down to the capillary vessels, was simulated based on previously measured porcine morphometric data. A network analysis of blood flow through every vessel segment was carried out based on the laws of fluid mechanics and appropriate boundary conditions. Our results show an abrupt change in cross-sectional area that demarcates the transition from epicardial (EPCA) to intramyocardial (IMCA) coronary arteries. Furthermore, a similar pattern of blood flow was observed with a corresponding transition from EPCA to IMCA. These results suggest functional differences between the two types of vessels. An additional abrupt change occurs in the IMCA in relation to flow velocity. The velocity is fairly uniform proximal to these vessels but drops significantly distal to those vessels toward the capillary branches. This finding suggests functional differences between large and small IMCA. Collectively, these observations suggest a novel functional hierarchy of the coronary vascular tree and provide direct evidence of a structure-function relation.
Hepatic microvascular responses to ischemia-reperfusion in low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice.

The overall objective of this study was to determine whether genetically induced hypercholesterolemia alters the inflammatory and microvascular responses of mouse liver to ischemia-reperfusion (I/R...
Soviet Investment Strategy: A Further Test of the “Equalization Hypothesis”

Abstract Past evaluations of the Soviet commitment to attain equality across regions and across nationalities have offered mixed conclusions. The inconsistent findings are largely due to the different methods of analysis used, the lack of a standard definition of “equality,” and the gross scale of analysis at which virtually all equalization studies have been conducted (the republic level). I discuss the importance of the U.S.S.R. attaining equality across its regions and among its nationalities and describe the problems of interpreting the results of past equalization studies. I test the hypothesis that, when capital investment allocations are disaggregated and analyzed on a more detailed scale of analysis, the Soviet commitment to regional equalization appears stronger than has been described by studies based on aggregate data. The results of the analysis support the hypothesis, although the more equitable investment allocations have not necessarily reduced inequalities in the productive capacities amon...
Crystal-induced arthritis: An overview

The most common crystal-related arthropathies-gout, calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate disease or "pseudogout," and calcific periarthritis/tendinitis-may be appropriately diagnosed and managed by the primary care physician. Definitive diagnosis via synovial tap is recommended, as the clinical picture may not identify some cases. The acute pain and swelling of attacks, regardless of etiology, generally respond to treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and local or occasionally systemic corticosteroids. Once a causative crystal has been identified and a diagnosis established, a plan for long-term management and prevention of recurrences may be devised. Thus, uric-acid-lowering therapy may be indicated in a patient who has experienced recurrent attacks of gout, whereas control of serum phosphate levels might be effective in some individuals with hyperphosphatemia and hydroxyapatite-associated periarthritis or arthritis. Crystal deposits in joints can be destructive as well as painful. Treatment, therefore, has two objectives: To relieve the pain of the acute attack, thus restoring normal function, and to prevent the accumulation of crystals that can lead to degenerative disease. Identification and subsequent treatment of preventable or correctable underlying disorders may be one of the most gratifying aspects of managing crystal-induced arthropathies.
Phenytoin-Induced Lymphadenopathy Appearing as a Nasopharyngeal Malignant Neoplasm

• A case of phenytoin sodium-induced lymphadenopathy appeared as a nasopharyngeal malignant neoplasm with regional metastases. Cervical lymphadenopathy is a lesser-known drug reaction that is produced by anticonvulsant therapy; under some circumstances, this condition may be confused with head and neck malignant neoplasms. To date, phenytoin-induced nasopharyngeal lymphadenopathy has not previously been reported in the literature. A review of the medical literature provides some interesting facts about the syndrome. A familiarity with this potential complication of anticonvulsant therapy may expedite early diagnosis and appropriate patient treatment. (Arch Otolaryngol1981;107:382-384)
CAE Supported ESC Development/Release Process

The take rate of Electronic Stability Control (ESC) systems is constantly growing worldwide. From 2012 onwards ESC systems are mandatory for all new vehicles in the North American and European markets. Due to the continuously growing amount of models and variants, and due to the shortened time for bringing a vehicle to the market, the ESC development and tuning work is increasing rapidly. In addition, the Ford product development process requests ESC performance for the initial prototype release without a physical prototype being available. All these challenges increase the demands on development and sign-off for both the ESC suppliers and for Ford as the vehicle manufacturer. Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) is an enabler to help resolve these issues. A “CAE supported ESC development and release process” (hereafter “CAE process”) has been set up to support these requirements. Within the project, the team developed the CAE process from virtual vehicle testing for the initial ESC design to the ESC performance check in the Software-In-the-Loop (SIL) environment. The corresponding tool chain was developed and verified. The whole CAE environment including post processing and reporting is shared with the ESC supplier. To have confidence in the CAE process, a correlation study with defined test and validation procedures was executed together with the ESC suppliers to verify the entire tool chain. Both Ford and supplier testing catalogues were performed. The simulation results were compared with the real-world tests. Correlation workshops with different vehicle programmes showed positive results, so that both Ford and the suppliers were convinced to jointly run the CAE process. The CAE process is so far well accepted, implemented and applied by the ESC suppliers, so that the initial ESC release can be done without physical vehicle prototypes. This CAE process may also be extended for other chassis and driver assistance functions/features. The latest regulation of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) R13-H allows a CAE based homologation. Following the same validation principle and model fidelity requirement, the same simulation environment can be utilised for ESC certification. This provides further advantage of time saving and completes the CAE usage from ESC development to homologation.
Complex Litigation: CAFA's $5 Million Question

Commentary and analysis of the $5 million amount-in-controversy requirement in order to establish diversity jurisdiction under the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 (CAFA). Congress enacted CAFA in 2005 to create new federal diversity jurisdiction especially for class actions. In order to gain access to federal court, the proponents of a class action must demonstrate diversity of citizenship between the class claimants and the defendants, that there are at least 100 members in the class, and that the amount in controversy exceeds $5 million. 28 U.S.C. § 1332(d). To satisfy these requirements, the proponents needs only to show minimal diversity among the parties, and may aggregate the claimants’ damages to reach the $5 million amount-in-controversy threshold. This article discusses the evolving standards for determining the requisite $5 million, including which parties carry the burden either as a matter of original jurisdiction or upon removal of a state class action to federal court. 28 U.S.C. § 1453. To date, federal courts have disagreed on the allocation of the burden of proof to satisfy the amount-in-controversy requirement. The article also surveys the conflicting judicial views with regard to the permissible use of CAFA’s legislative history in interpreting the statutory requirements.
Numerical methods for basic solutions of generalized flow networks

A central problem in implementing specializations of the simplex method for solving large minimum-cost generalized network flow problems is the accurate and efficient computation of basic solutions. Bases for such problems are block-diagonal, with each block corresponding to a spanning subtree or ‘one-tree’, a connected subgraph which contains exactly one cycle. This paper reviews two previously proposed techniques for solving such one-tree systems and develops a new algorithm based on Gaussian elimination for use within a generalized network flow code. In addition to error bounds, the paper presents numerical results and a computational comparison of these methods.
Strong visible light emission from silicon-oxycarbide nanowire arrays prepared by electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching

The present report presents results from the fabrication, structural, and optical characteristics of sub-100 nm thermal chemical vapor deposition-grown silicon-oxycarbide (SiCxOy) nanowire (NW) arrays fabricated by e-beam lithography and reactive-ion-etching. The composition of SiCxOy materials follows closely the silicon-oxycarbide stoichiometry [SiCxO2(1−x), (0 < x < 1)] as observed by compositional and structural analysis. The corresponding structural and bonding evolution of SiCxOy are well-correlated with changes in their optical properties, as demonstrated by the linear dependence of their optical gap and refractive index with [Si–C]/[Si–O] bond–area ratio. By virtue of these advantages, properly tailored SiCxOy NWs were fabricated, exhibiting strong room-temperature visible photoluminescence (PL) through engineering of [Si–C]/[Si–O] bonds. The current studies focused on the thermal-oxidation and excitation intensity behavior of SiCxOy NWs revealed their very good stability, as their luminescence characteristics remain unchanged upon annealing in oxygen ambient (250 °C), while the PL intensity dependence on the excitation power-density exhibited a linear increase up to ∼800 W/cm2.
Electrical resistivity of single crystals of LaFeAsO under applied pressure

Measurements of electrical resistivity under applied pressure were performed on single-crystalline samples of LaFeAsO grown in a molten NaAs flux. We observe a smooth suppression of spin-density wave order under nearly hydrostatic applied pressures up to 2.6 GPa and in quasihydrostatic pressures up to 14.7 GPa. Similar to some of the other reports on single and polycrystalline samples of LaFeAsO, these crystals exhibit a resistivity that increases as temperature is lowered. By fitting an Arrhenius law to the the semiconducting-like temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity, we extract an energy gap that is suppressed with pressure and vanishes near 10 GPa. This is accompanied by the emergence of a metallic temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity. A similar behavior is also observed in diamond anvil cell experiments carried out to $\ensuremath{\sim}37\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$. Complete transitions to a bulk superconducting phase are not observed in any of the experiments.
Pump-Probe intracavity phase spectroscopy

Pump-probe intracavity phase spectroscopy utilizes a femtosecond enhancement cavity to enable precision measurements of high-field ultrafast nonlinearites. We demonstrate this new approach measuring the pump-induced plasma evolution of a xenon target with a time-delayed probe.
CORONARY ARTERY DISSECTION IN EHLERS DANLOS SYNDROME

Coronary artery dissection is a rare complication of pregnancy. The underlying causes of the disorder remain vastly unknown. An association with collagen vascular disease has been described. A 42 year old woman presented to the emergency department with resting angina two weeks post delivery via
Armed Kids, Armed Adults? Weapon Carrying From Adolescence to Adulthood:

While much existing research has examined either juvenile or adult weapon carrying, this study assesses whether carrying a weapon to school as a juvenile is predictive of bringing a handgun to school or work in adulthood. Data are drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Results show a decline in weapon carrying behavior over time. However, youth who report school weapon carrying in adolescence are much more likely to report carrying a handgun to school or work in adulthood. Findings also demonstrate that victimization, rather than offending behavior, is predictive of adulthood handgun carrying at school and work.
Secondary Burden Simulation Method of On-site Error Calibration Test for Current Transformers

It is difficult to use the traditional direct comparison calibration method in on-site error calibration test of 750 kV and 1000 kV GIS current transformers because the capability of voltage regulator and booster can not meet the requirements of on-site verification experiment.We analyzed the causes of TA's error based on equivalent T-type circuit,put forward an indirect method by increasing burden to gain equivalent error as high current condition,and presented the computing process of the method.A special burden conductivity box for on-site test was designed.The result of comparative trial shows that the error between direct method and indirect method is within the limits prescribed by national standards.This method of on-site verification in the current transformer has a certain practical use.
The Natural History of the Neutrophil Elastase and Coagulation Factor Response to E.coli in a Baboon Model of E.coli/Sepsis Suggests That Elevated Neutrophil Elastase Activity Is Sustained Regardless of Outcome in Clinical Sepsis.

Neutrophil elastase (NE) functions in the destruction of gram negative bacteria. NE consumption/inactivation of coagulation factors may contribute to the coagulopathies that accompany infections upon insuffcient regulation by its primary plasma inhibitor, alpha-1-protease inhibitor (A1PI). The temporal relationships between NE levels, A1PI activity and antigen, and the activity of Factor (F) II, V, VII, VIII, IX, X, and fibrinogen were studied in three baboons after infusion of 2.40 x 106 cfu/kg (low/sublethal), 1.05 x 108 cfu/kg (medium/sublethal), and 6.49 x 108 cfu/kg (lethal) of E.coli. Immunoblotting for A1PI under native conditions indicated that the A1PI/NE complex levels increased by 5- to 93-fold after 24hrs and remained 3- to 580-fold above baseline at 72hrs and 53hrs following sublethal and lethal E.coli challenge, respectively. The A1PI specific activity (activity/antigen) decreased by 55% and 30% after 48–72hrs and 48–53hrs following the medium and lethal dose, respectively. Increased amounts of 2 forms of A1PI resolved by native PAGE/immunoblotting correlated with decreased inhibitor specific activity. At the lethal dose of E.coli, decreases (%) in fibrinogen (96%), FV (60%), and FVIII (60%) occurred within 2–6hrs. By 53hrs, FV and FVIII levels returned to normal and fibrinogen was twice normal. Similar changes of smaller magnitudes occurred at the lower doses of E.coli. At the lethal dose of E.coli, decreases in FII (50%), FVII (80%), FIX (80%), and FX (60%) occurred over the first 24hrs and these levels were sustained through 53hrs. Similar changes of smaller magnitudes occurred at the lower doses. In conclusion, there is a temporal association between coagulation factor consumption/inactivation, appearance of the A1PI/NE complex, and A1PI inactivation during E.coli/sepsis in baboons. The marked elevation of the A1PI/NE complex beyond 24hrs, even after sublethal challenge, indicates for the first time that increased neutrophil and NE activities persist beyond the initial inflammatory and coagulopathic stages into the subsequent cell injury and degeneration stages that terminate in either recovery or death from E.coli/sepsis.
Bit-Line Organization in Register Files for Low-Power and High-Performance Applications

As the leakage current keeps increasing in every generation of VLSI processing technology, appropriate selection of the local and global bit-line organization of Register Files (RFs) becomes an important design issue for low-power and high-performance applications. In this paper, several different bit-line organizations are proposed based on simulation results for designing low-power and high-performance RFs using 65 nm CMOS devices, while maintaining maximum robustness against noise.
Junctional Adhesion Molecule-A Is a Novel Csk-Binding Protein Which Recruits Csk to the Integrin aIIbb3 and Suppresses Outside-In Signaling In Platelets

Abstract Abstract 2120 Platelet activation is regulated by both positive and negative regulators present within the platelets so that unwanted activation is suppressed, but, when needed, occurs rapidly. A significant amount of effort has been devoted towards understanding the positive regulators of platelet function. However, very little is known about the negative regulators. Dysregulation of the endogenous negative regulators may aid the thrombotic complications seen in various diseases. Upon ligand binding to integrin aIIbb3, a cascade of signaling known as outside-in signaling is induced through the integrin that regulates platelet aggregation and clot retraction. How endogenous negative regulators suppress these events is not well understood. We have previously identified junctional adhesion molecule A (JAM-A), on the platelet surface. We found that Jam-a knockout mice show a prothrombotic phenotype as assessed by significantly (P Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Timing-based reconnaissance and defense in software-defined networks

Software-defined Networking (SDN) enables advanced network applications by separating a network into a data plane that forwards packets and a control plane that computes and installs forwarding rules into the data plane. Many SDN applications rely on dynamic rule installation, where the control plane processes the first few packets of each traffic flow and then installs a dynamically computed rule into the data plane to forward the remaining packets. Control plane processing adds delay, as the switch must forward each packet and meta-information to a (often centralized) control server and wait for a response specifying how to handle the packet. The amount of delay the control plane imposes depends on its load, and the applications and protocols it runs. In this work, we develop a non- intrusive timing attack that exploits this property to learn about a SDN network's configuration. The attack analyzes the amount of delay added to timing pings that are specially crafted to invoke the control plane, while transmitting other packets that may invoke the control plane, depending on the network's configuration. We show, in a testbed with physical OpenFlow switches and controllers, that an attacker can probe the network at a low rate for short periods of time to learn a bevy of sensitive information about networks with > 99% accuracy, including host communication patterns, ACL entries, and network monitoring settings. We also implement and test a practical defense: a timeout proxy, which normalizes control plane delay by providing configurable default responses to control plane requests that take too long. The proxy can be deployed on unmodified OpenFlow switches. It reduced the attack accuracy to below 50% in experiments, and can be configured to have minimal impact on non-attack traffic.
MECHANISMS OF BLOOD PRESSURE SALT SENSITIVITY: NEW INSIGHTS FROM MATHEMATICAL MODELING

Mathematical modeling is an important tool for understanding quantitative relationships among components of complex physiological systems and for testing competing hypotheses. We used HumMod, a large physiological model, to test hypotheses of blood pressure (BP) salt sensitivity. Systemic hemodynamics, renal, and neurohormonal responses to chronic changes in salt intake were examined during normal renal function, fixed low or high plasma angiotensin II (ANG II) levels, bilateral renal artery stenosis, increased renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA), and decreased nephron numbers. Simulations were run for 4 wk at salt intakes ranging from 30 to 1,000 mmol/day. Reducing functional kidney mass or fixing ANG II increased salt sensitivity. Salt sensitivity, associated with inability of ANG II to respond to changes in salt intake, occurred with smaller changes in renal blood flow but greater changes in glomerular filtration rate, renal sodium reabsorption, and total peripheral resistance (TPR). However, clamping TPR at normal or high levels had no major effect on salt sensitivity. There were no clear relationships between BP salt sensitivity and renal vascular resistance or extracellular fluid volume. Our robust mathematical model of cardiovascular, renal, endocrine, and sympathetic nervous system physiology supports the hypothesis that specific types of kidney dysfunction, associated with impaired regulation of ANG II or increased tubular sodium reabsorption, contribute to BP salt sensitivity. However, increased preglomerular resistance, increased RSNA, or inability to decrease TPR does not appear to influence salt sensitivity. This model provides a platform for testing competing concepts of long-term BP control during changes in salt intake.