cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Top-down modulation of hippocampal encoding activity as measured by high-resolution functional MRI

Memory formation is known to be critically dependent upon the medial temporal lobe (MTL). Despite this well-characterized role, it remains unclear whether and how MTL encoding processes are affected by top-down goal states. Here, we examined the manner in which task demands at encoding affect MTL activity and its relation to subsequent memory performance. Participants were scanned using high- resolution neuroimaging of the MTL while engaging in two incidental encoding tasks: one that directed participants' attention to stimulus distinctiveness, and the other requiring evaluation of similarities across stimuli. We hypothesized that attending to distinctiveness would lead to the formation of more detailed memories and would more effectively engage the hippocampal circuit than attending to similarity. In line with our hypotheses, higher rates of subsequent recollection were observed for stimuli studied under the Distinctiveness than Similarity task. Critically, within the hippocampus, CA1 and the subiculum demonstrated an interaction between memory performance and task such that a significant subsequent memory effect was found only when task goals required attention to stimulus distinctive- ness. To this end, robust engagement of the hippocampal circuit may underlie the observed behavioral benefits of attending to distinctiveness. Taken together, these findings advance understanding of the effects of top-down intentional information on successful memory formation across subregions of the MTL.
Systematic review: 3-factor versus 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate for warfarin reversal: Does it matter?

Abstract Introduction Prothrombin complex concentrates are used for rapid reversal of vitamin K antagonists in patients with bleeding or those requiring surgery or invasive procedures. Current guidelines suggest 4-factor products are preferred over 3-factor prothrombin complex concentrates. Materials and Methods We performed a systematic review comparing the effectiveness of 3-factor to 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrates in normalizing the international normalized ratio to ≤ 1.5 in patients with acquired coagulopathy due to vitamin K antagonist use. Studies reporting administration of prothrombin complex concentrates for emergent reversal of vitamin K antagonists that included results of baseline prothrombin time/international normalized ratio and follow-up testing within 60 minutes of prothrombin complex concentrates administration were included. Results A total of 18 studies were included representing 654 patients. The most common indications for prothrombin complex concentrate were intracerebral hemorrhage, urgent surgery or invasive procedure, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Baseline international normalized ratio values ranged from 3.3-5.1 in the 3-factor group and from 2.3 to greater than 20 in the 4-factor group. The international normalized ratio repeated within one hour of prothrombin complex concentrates administration ranged from 1.2-1.9 in the 3-factor group and 1.0-1.9 in the 4-factor group. International normalized ratio decreased to ≤ 1.5 within one hour after prothrombin complex concentrates administration in 6 of 9 studies in the 3-factor group, and 12 of 13 studies in the 4-factor group. Conclusion More reliable correction of the international normalized ratio was seen with 4-factor compared to 3-factor prothrombin complex concentrates which may have clinical implications since 4-factor products are unavailable in some countries.
The Role of Mobile Self-Efficacy in the Adoption of Location-Based Applications: An iPhone Experiment

Geospatially-aware mobile devices and applications (GAMODAs) are increasingly penetrating both business and consumer markets. One of the primary concerns with GAMODAs is the new dimension of information privacy risk associated with users' location data. However, because this technology is relatively new, it is possible that much of this concern can be explained by the user's knowledge (or lack thereof) about how location data is used and the actual privacy concerns which exist. This study examines the construct of mobile self-efficacy (MSE) as a moderator in the formation of trusting beliefs and adoption intentions in two types of users - those with GAMODA experience and those without. GAMODA privacy assurance and quality are manipulated in an experiment. In general, we find that MSE plays a lesser role for those without GAMODA experience, and stronger role for those with experience. Implications are discussed along with directions for future research.
Modular Peptide-Based Hybrid Nanoprobes for Bio-Imaging and Bio-Sensing

The self-organization of functional proteins directly onto solid materials is attractive to a wide range of biomaterials and systems that need to accommodate a biological recognition element. In such systems, inorganic binding peptides may be an essential component due to their high affinity and selective binding features onto different types of solid surfaces. This study demonstrates a peptide-enabled self-assembly technique for designing well-defined protein arrays over a metal surface. To illustrate this concept, we designed a fusion protein that simultaneously displays a red fluorescence protein (DsRed-monomer), which is highly selective for copper ions, and a gold binding peptide AuBP. The peptide tag, AuBP, self-directs the organization of DsRed-monomer protein onto a gold surface and forms arrays built upon an efficient control of the organic/inorganic interface at the molecular level. The peptide-assisted design offers a modular approach for fabrication of fluorescent-based protein arrays with copper ion sensing ability.
APPLICANT REACTIONS TO PERSONALITY TESTS: EFFECTS OF ITEM INVASIVENESS AND FACE VALIDITY

In a simulated employee selection exercise, two hundred and ten participants responded to a personality test that varied in terms of item invasiveness and item face validity. A third factor of empirical job-relatedness was manipulated via test instructions. Reactions to the test, the organization, and behavioral intentions about accepting a job offer were measured. Results indicated that item invasiveness and face validity interacted in the prediction of all dependent variables. Specifically, item invasiveness affected the dependent variables only when face validity was low. Implications for the use of personality tests and integrity tests were discussed.
Purification and Identification of Protein-Tyrosine Kinase-binding Proteins Using Synthetic Phosphopeptides as Affinity Reagents

Protein-tyrosine kinases are known regulators of cell division that have been implicated in the onset of a variety of malignancies. They act through cellular signaling proteins that bind to specific autophosphorylation sites. To find out whether these autophosphorylation sites can be used to identify downstream signaling proteins, synthetic peptides based on an autophosphorylation site in the colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) receptor were linked to agarose beads and incubated with lysates from macrophages. Bound proteins were analyzed by MS, leading to the identification of both known and novel CSF-1 receptor-interacting proteins. The approach presented here can be applied to phosphorylation sites in a wide variety of proteins. It will lead to the identification of novel protein-protein interactions and provide new insights into the mechanics of signal transduction. Novel protein-protein interactions may provide useful targets for the development of drugs that interfere with the activation of signaling cascades used by protein-tyrosine kinases to turn on cell division.
Complexity-regularized multiresolution density estimation

The density estimation method proposed in this paper employs piecewise polynomial fits on adaptive dyadic partitions. The proposed estimator enjoys the minimax adaptivity associated with wavelet-based density estimators as well as the following additional advantages: estimates are guaranteed to be nonnegative, theoretical bounds provide an indication of performance even for small sample sizes, and the method can be extended to free-degree piecewise polynomial estimation, which allows the data to adaptively determine the smoothness of the underlying basis functions
THE GREEN FLASH

A brief green or blue flash can often be seen at sunset or sunrise, lasting usually between 0.5 and 2.5 seconds and visible at perhaps one-half the clear sunsets or sunrises. The ancient Egyptians were probably aware of it and drew some of their notions of the underworld from it. D. Winstanlcy showed in 1873 that it was due to refraction of the sun’s light by the earth’s atmosphere. Other theories suggesting that the green flash is caused by light shining through water or by retinal fatigue are untenable. The reported durations of the flash are widely variable due to subjective factors and variations in the index of refraction in the air which also accounts for the capriciousness of appearance. The lack of transition in the spectrum is largely due to Brewster’s lines. The brighter planets sometimes have a green flash visible to both naked eye and telescopic observers. Careful attention and the objective factors of a clear atmosphere, a free water line, a temperature inversion and a telescope all increase the chance of seeing the green flash.
Empirical mode decomposition based interest point detector

A novel method based on empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is introduced in this paper for the detection of affine invariant interest or feature points. The proposed algorithm is a contour based method, where image edges are first detected by utilizing morphological operators followed by an edge thinning process and then the corner or interest points are identified based on the local curvature of the edges. In this work a novel method based on 1-D EMD is formulated to select good discriminative interest points from the edges. The proposed method is compared with four existing approaches that yield good results. The performance is evaluated by employing a criteria known as repeatability rate, which evaluates the geometric stability of an interest point detector under different transformations. The results prove the efficacy and superiority of the proposed technique over other schemes in terms of detecting more true corner points.
Appendix B—The work of the Geological Survey and cooperating state agencies on ground water for war purposes

The very large service which the geologists and engineers trained in ground-water hydrology are rendering in this country in the prosecution of the war is due largely to the effective organization for this purpose. The Federal agency in which this service centers is the Water Resources Branch of the United States Geological Survey. The Ground Water Division of this branch has a technical personnel of nearly 100 geologists, engineers, and physicists, and its work is supported by the chemists of the Quality of Water Division and the engineers of the other Divisions of the Branch. It functions through a central office in Washington and 25 widely distributed field-offices. Moreover, this service is effectively supported by the State Geological surveys, State Engineer offices, and other State agencies concerned with water-resources, not only in the 34 States in which there is formal cooperation with the Federal Geological Survey in ground-water investigations but also in those States in which there are no formal cooperative agreements. The magnitude of the civilian service rendered is indicated by the fact that to date about 1,600 reports on water-supplies from wells have been made to the War and Navy Departments and other war agencies by the Geological Survey and cooperating State organizations.
Diacetyl increases sensory innervation and substance P production in rat trachea.

Inhalation of diacetyl, a butter flavoring, causes airway responses potentially mediated by sensory nerves. This study examines diacetyl-induced changes in sensory nerves of tracheal epithelium. Rats (n = 6/group) inhaled 0-, 25-, 249-, or 346-ppm diacetyl for 6 hr. Tracheas and vagal ganglia were removed 1-day postexposure and labeled for substance P (SP) or protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5). Vagal ganglia neurons projecting to airway epithelium were identified by axonal transport of fluorescent microspheres intratracheally instilled 14 days before diacetyl inhalation. End points were SP and PGP9.5 nerve fiber density (NFD) in tracheal epithelium and SP-positive neurons projecting to the trachea. PGP9.5-immunoreactive NFD decreased in foci with denuded epithelium, suggesting loss of airway sensory innervation. However, in the intact epithelium adjacent to denuded foci, SP-immunoreactive NFD increased from 0.01 ± 0.002 in controls to 0.05 ± 0.01 after exposure to 346-ppm diacetyl. In vagal ganglia, SP-pos...
Wavelet-based lossy compression of barotropic turbulence simulation data

Summary form only given. Data storage issues pose a potential problem in the performance and analysis of turbulence simulations. One tool that has successfully addressed such performance problems in other domains is data compression. Unfortunately, data from turbulence simulations does not usefully compress with lossless methods. In this work, the compression of data from a simulation of barotropic turbulence using wavelet-based lossy coding is examined. The resolution of the data used is 512 by 512. The output of this simulation is the relative vorticity as single precision floating point values. A number of quantities are computed from the relative vorticity. The numerical error in these quantities is evaluated along with visualizations of the vorticity and error correlation with the uncompressed data. It is found that depending on the quantities of interest and the evaluation criteria, compression ratios of 4:1 to 256:1 are achievable. Under a conservative definition of acceptable error, it is possible to recover quantities of interest from data compressed 4:1 (8 bpp), the data rate that in existing practice is used for visualization.
How Stories Make Sense of Personal Experiences: Motives that Shape Autobiographical Narratives

People's efforts to understand their experiences often take the form of constructing narratives (stories) out of them, and this article offers framework for the motivations that may guide the construction of stories. Evidence about the nature, importance, and pervasiveness of narrative thinking is reviewed. Next, motivations are considered that may guide narrative thought, both in terms of interpersonal manipulation and in terms of wanting to make sense of experiences. Regarding the latter, four needs for meaning are proposed as guiding narrative thought. First, people interpret experiences relative to purposes, which may be either objective goals or subjective fulfillment states. Second, people seek value and justification by constructing stories that depict their actions and intentions as right and good. Third, people seek a sense of efficacy by making stories that contain information about how to exert control. Fourth, people seek a sense of self-worth by making stories that portray themselves as attra...
Detection of gas-phase explosive analytes using fluorescent spectroscopy of thin films of xanthene dyes

Abstract A sensing system for explosives is demonstrated. The sensor is based on a layered structure of approximately a monolayer of a fluorophore deposited onto a few hundred nm of a transparent polymer, supported by a glass slide. The fluorophores are inexpensive xanthene laser dyes, which have high quantum yields, and the polymers are commodity materials polymethylmethacrylate and polyvinylidene difluoride. The different fluorophore/polymer combinations give different emission responses to analytes, including both signal quenching and enhancement. The pattern of responses can be used to identify the analyte. The common explosives TNT, PETN, RDX, HMX, and TATP as gas phase species can all be uniquely identified at room temperature using only the natural vapor pressure of the explosive to deliver sample to the sensor.
Streptococcus gordonii prosthetic joint infection in the setting of vigorous dental flossing

A 65-year-old woman with osteoarthritis, who underwent knee replacement 5 years prior, developed sudden onset knee pain and swelling. She had voluntarily starting a vigorous dental flossing regimen prior to the onset of symptoms. The patient underwent right knee arthrotomy, irrigation and debridement of right total knee arthroplasty and exchange of polyethylene with retention of the prosthesis. Intraoperative cultures grew Streptococcus gordonii. She was treated with 6 weeks of ceftriaxone and was later placed on oral antibiotic suppression.
Effects of dietary interventions on glomerular pathophysiology

Numerous dietary interventions have been utilized to modify the course of and further elucidate the pathophysiological processes involved in experimental progressive glomerulopathy. Alterations in dietary constituents can affect the glomerular capillary hemodynamic parameters, the permselectivity features of the filtration apparatus, as well as the morphology and function of resident glomerular cells and influxing bone marrow-derived monocytes. The three dietary modifications examined in this review are protein restriction, dietary cholesterol supplementation, and essential fatty acid deficiency. These maneuvers have been chosen from the myriad dietary interventions in the experimental and clinical literature and are not meant to be all inclusive. The implementation of these three dietary modifications, in experimental models of glomerular disease, amply demonstrate the concept of a stratified alteration in glomerular structure and function. Since perturbed glomerular pathobiology, involving the above-mentioned structures and cell types, is believed to contribute to progressive glomerulopathy, a review of these seemingly diverse, yet perhaps, interrelated responses to dietary modifications will only aid us in understanding this process.
Induction of aortic and coronary athero-arteriosclerosis in rats fed a hypervitaminosis D, cholesterol-containing diet.

SummaryMassive athero-arteriosclerotic lesions of the aorta and coronary arteries were induced in 100% of the young adult male rats fed a purified basal ration supplemented with 1.5% cholesterol, 0.5% cholic acid, and 1.25 million USP units of vitamin D2 (viosterol)/kg of diet for an experimental period of 6 weeks. Rats fed a similar diet with the cholesterol and cholic acid omitted showed extensive arteriosclerotic lesions but no lipid-stainable material (true atheromata) was present at the sites of arterial injury. No abnormal microscopic findings were observed in the aorta and coronary arteries of rats fed the basal ration alone or the basal ration plus cholesterol and cholic acid without the vitamin D2 supplement.
FLow cytometry quantitation of peripheral blood T-cell subsets as a monitor of renal allograft rejection.

In an attempt to predict acute renal allograft rejection, the authors prospectively studied peripheral blood T-cell subsets in 38 patients (an average of 4.2 determinations per patient) during the early posttransplantation period using the fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS II) and monoclonal antibodies reactive with the total T-cell population (OKT 3), helper T cells (OKT 4), and suppressor T cells (OKT 8). All patients were treated with prednisone and azathioprine according to standard protocols, and all patients were initially treated with horse anti-human lymphocyte globulin (ALG) for an average period of 12.6 days. The rejection group consisted of 22 patients who rejected the allograft within one month of the last T-cell subset measurement. The rejection group, but not the nonrejection group, showed a significant increase (P
Improving Aerodynamic Matching of Axial Compressor Blading Using a 3D Multistage Inverse Design Method

Current turbomachinery design systems increasingly rely on multistage CFD as a means to diagnose designs and assess performance potential. However, design weaknesses attributed to improper stage matching are addressed using often ineffective strategies involving a costly iterative loop between blading modification, revision of design intent, and further evaluation of aerodynamic performance. A scheme is proposed herein which greatly simplifies the design point blade row matching process. It is based on a three-dimensional viscous inverse method that has been extended to allow blading analysis and design in a multi-blade row environment. For computational expediency, blade row coupling is achieved through an averaging-plane approximation. The proposed method allows improvement of design point blade row matching by direct regulation of the circulation capacity of the blading within a multistage environment. During the design calculation, blade shapes are adjusted to account for inflow and outflow conditions while producing a prescribed pressure loading. Thus, it is computationally ensured that the intended pressure-loading distribution is consistent with the derived blading geometry operating in a multi-blade row environment that accounts for certain blade row interactions. The viability of the method is explored in design exercises on a 2.5-stage, highly loaded compressor.© 2005 ASME
Research advances in habitat suitability index model

As a method of habitat evaluation, habitat suitability index (HSI) model has been widely used in the programming and evaluation of land management. In this paper, the development and application of HSI model in wildlife habitat evaluation were summarized, with the focus on the establishment of HSI model by 3S technologies and the current situation in habitat evaluation by integrating HSI model with other ecological models. The applications of various statistical approaches in evaluating and testing HSI model, as well as the limitations and pitfalls of HSI model, were discussed, and the perspectives of HSI model in wildlife habitat evaluation were approached.
Clinical Analysis of Acute Pancreatitis Induced by L-asparaginase in Children

Objective:To analyze clinical features of children with acute pancreatitis induced by L-asparaginase(L-ASP),so as to reduce incidence of pancreatitis caused by L-ASP and improve clinical outcomes.Method:The incentives,clinical manifestations,laboratory tests,and outcome of 7 acute pancreatitis caused by L-ASP in our hospital were analyzed.Result:Of 351 cases with L-ASP application,7 cases suffered acute pancreatitis,the incidence was 2%, 6 cases were severe pancreatitis,3 cases were before the onset of overeating,6 cases had abdominal pain,5 cases had stomachache,6 cases had fever,and 5 cases suffered shock.All patients had elevated serum amylase and lipase,and all pancreatic ultrasound showed abnormalities.3 cases survived with a median age of 11 years(7-14 years old),4 cases died with a median age of 4 years(2.6-6 years old),all died of shock.Conclusion:Overeating,age more than 7 years old are important risk factors for pancreatitis.Symptoms of pancreatitis in children are atypical,severe pancreatitis have high mortality rate,early diagnosis is key to improve prognosis.
Development of a Rapid System for Bacteria Identification in 24 Hours

OBJECTIVE To develop a rapid system for bacteria identification and susceptibility test in 24 hours,and provide bacteriological evidence for the control of nosocomial infection and the timely diagnosis and treatment.METHODS The simple constant temperature box was replaced by revolving constant temperature box;2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC) and succinate were added to the culture bottle and the culture medium of drug susceptibility;the concentration of the reactive substrate in the bacterial biochemical tube and the number of the inoculated bacteria were increased at the same time.RESULTS The time of positive blood culture in the revolving constant temperature box was significantly shorter than that in the simple one(χ2=74.92,P0.005).The obvious colonies were seen after 4-5 hours.The bacteria identification results were obtained in 12 hours and the reliable drug susceptibility results were received after 2-5 hours.CONCLUSIONS The reliable culture results are obtained in the great mass of the samples since the method is improved.It is approved in the last four years and it shows that the rapid system for bacteria identification and susceptibility test can provide scientific evidence for the control of nosocomial infection and the timely diagnosis and treatment in 24 hours.
Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein participates in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis

Background & Aims Liver fibrosis is characterized by significant accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, mainly fibrillar collagen-I, as a result of persistent liver injury. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is largely found in the ECM of skeletal tissue. Increased COMP expression has been associated with fibrogenesis in systemic sclerosis, lung fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. We hypothesized that COMP could induce fibrillar collagen-I deposition and participate in matrix remodeling thus contributing to the pathophysiology of liver fibrosis. Methods Thioacetamide (TAA) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) were used to induce liver fibrosis in wild-type (WT) and Comp −/− mice. In vitro experiments were performed with primary hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Results COMP expression was detected in livers from control WT mice and was upregulated in response to either TAA or CCl 4 -induced liver fibrosis. TAA-treated or CCl 4 -injected Comp −/− mice showed less liver injury, inflammation and fibrosis compared to their corresponding control WT mice. Challenge of HSCs with recombinant COMP (rCOMP) induced intra- plus extracellular collagen-I deposition and increased matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2, 9 and 13, albeit similar expression of transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) protein, in addition to Tgfβ , tumour necrosis factor alpha ( Tnfα ) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 ( Timp1 ) mRNAs. We demonstrated that COMP binds collagen-I; yet, it does not prevent collagen-I cleavage by MMP1. Last, rCOMP induced collagen-I expression in HSCs via CD36 receptor signaling and activation of the MEK1/2-pERK1/2 pathway. Conclusion These results suggest that COMP contributes to liver fibrosis by regulating collagen-I deposition. Lay summary Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) induces fibrillar collagen-I deposition via the CD36 receptor signaling and activation of the MEK1/2-pERK1/2 pathway, and participates in extracellular matrix remodeling contributing to the pathophysiology of liver fibrosis.
A Square Signal Wave Method for Measurement of Brain Extra- and Intracellular Water Content

Brain tissue electrical impedance is a commonly used method to evaluate the dynamics of brain edema. We have found the square wave impedance method simpler and more cost-effective than the currently used sine wave impedance method. This square wave method avoids the necessity for expensive frequency control and amplitude-phase measuring devices as well as simplifying on-line data processing. In our experiments the electrical impulse was generated by a pulse generator of Macintosh data acquisition system. The signal (1=11 µA, t = 2–20 ms) was delivered every 2–3 s external electrodes of a tetrapolar system through a specially designed isolation-calibration device. This electrode system was inserted into the cerebral cortex of experimental animals (rat). The cerebral cortex was found to have linear electrical properties in the 5–30 µA range. Our impedance measurement system was tested in calibration trials, and showed system reliability and accuracy. The system was also tested in pilot experiments, in vivo, in a rat brain osmotic edema model.
Nitric oxide synthase in lung epithelial cells in culture

To identify the molecular nature of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and its regulation and function in the airway, NOS activity and NOS mRNA expression were measured in cultured lung epithelial cell. All epithelial cells exhibited constitutive NOS activity that was calcium-dependent, and inducible, lesser calcium-dependent activity in the presence of interferon-gamma, interleukin-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and lipopolysaccharide. Two distinct NOS mRNA species (neuronal and inducible) were found with the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The co-existence of constitutive and inducible NOS in human alveolar and bronchial epithelial cells indicates that nitric oxide may have many roles in normal and diseased lungs.
Sustained Support for Science and Math Teachers’ Use of Microcomputers

AbstractAlthough computer-usage in schools is on the rise, many teachers are still reluctant to employ microcomputers in the classroom. The lack of confidence that many teachers experience with regard to computer application in the classroom cannot be overcome with single workshops. Sustained support over a period of at least three years, and the availability of software and release time are ingredients that seem to help overcome the fear of computer utilization as an integral part of classroom instruction. This four-year program was designed to help encourage mathematics and science teachers in urban, suburban, and rural school systems to use microcomputers in their classrooms. It was based on a national model, and designed to overcome the main barriers that teachers have identified as restricting their use of technology in the classroom. This report details the program and the very encouraging results.
Data-Driven Low-Cost On-Chip Memory with Adaptive Power-Quality Trade-off for Mobile Video Streaming

Nowadays, people enjoy watching mobile videos more than ever and mobile video streaming contributes to the majority of the total mobile data traffic. However, due to the high power consumption of mobile video decoders, especially the on-chip memories, short battery life represents one of the biggest contributors to user dissatisfaction. Various mobile embedded memory techniques have been investigated to reduce power consumption and prolong battery life. Unfortunately, the existing hardware-level research suffers from high implementation complexity and large overhead. In this paper, by introducing advanced data-mining techniques, we investigate meaningful data patterns hidden in mobile video data and apply the identified patterns to implement a low-power flexible hardware design with dynamic power-quality trade-off. A 45nm 32kb SRAM is presented that enables three levels of power-quality trade-off (up to 43.7% power savings) with negligible area overhead (0.06%).
The DEN-ng Policy Model

This chapter describes the new DEN-ng (Directory Enabled Networks new generation) policy information model. DEN-ng model is significantly different in structure and functionality compared with previous policy models. This model strives to reuse established concepts such as a PolicyRule to make the DEN-ng policy model a better and more extensible information model. Particular emphasis is laid on using constraints to guide how the model is used by different applications. This model defines a set of extensible policy elements. Each of these elements can be used in an ad hoc or a reusable fashion. The effects of using a reusable versus an ad hoc policy element are a combination of differences in access speed, how the elements are stored, and whether multiple applications can use them. Three examples of how the DEN-ng policy model would interface to other DEN-ng domain models are also presented.
Where do emotions come from? Predicting the Emotion Stimuli Map

Which parts of an image evoke emotions in an observer? To answer this question, we introduce a novel problem in computer vision — predicting an Emotion Stimuli Map (ESM), which describes pixel-wise contribution to evoked emotions. Building a new image database, EmotionROI, as a benchmark for predicting the ESM, we find that the regions selected by saliency and objectness detection do not correctly predict the image regions which evoke emotion. Although objects represent important regions for evoking emotion, parts of the background are also important. Based on this fact, we propose using fully convolutional networks for predicting the ESM. Both qualitative and quantitative experimental results confirm that our method can predict the regions which evoke emotion better than both saliency and objectness detection.
Cell growth of immortalized arachnoid cells in the presence of fibroblasts and blood products

Abstract Object The pathophysiology of non-obstructive hydrocephalus involves alteration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pathways. The exact mechanism is unknown, but as arachnoid CSF egress is a major route of CSF removal, damage or alteration to the growth of arachnoid cells may influence the rate of CSF absorption. We investigated the effect of soluble factors secreted by fibroblasts and the presence of blood products on arachnoid cell growth. Methods An immortalized arachnoid cell line was developed and cells were grown on semipermeable membranes in a culture chamber. Arachnoid cells were plated in Transwells®, with fibroblasts separated from the arachnoid cells. Cell phenotype was analyzed and cell growth rates were determined by manual counts. Similar experiments were conducted with biliverdin, bilirubin, as well as fibroblast challenge. DNA content in the cell cultures was then determined as corroborative data. Cell counts for the additional arachnoid cell lines were calculated at each day and represented the controls. Results Cell counts increased with each time point. Arachnoid cells in the three experimental conditions showed a statistically significant decrease in cell counts for each day when compared to the control group. Post hoc analysis showed differences between the control and experimental conditions but no significant difference between groups. The DNA content for each experimental condition was reduced at all time points when compared to the control arachnoid cells, but only became statistically significant at day 7. Conclusion Inflammation and hemorrhage are two common conditions associated with the development of hydrocephalus. The arachnoid membrane is exposed to fibroblasts and blood products (bilirubin, biliverdin) in these conditions, and their effect on arachnoid cell growth was studied. We have shown that arachnoid cell growth decreases in the presence of fibroblasts, bilirubin, and biliverdin. Given its intimate relationship with CSF, it is possible that the decreased growth of arachnoid cells may affect absorption and thus contribute to the development of hydrocephalus.
John Edgar Wideman's Homewood Trilogy: Wideman's Folk Vision

When John Edgar Wideman wrote his first three novels - A Glance Awa y (1967), Hurry Home (1970) and The Lynchers (1973) - he received harsh criticism from the practitioners of the Black Arts Movement. These critics like Baraka and Gayle demanded a black nationalistic aesthetic, and they attacked Wideman's early novels for their lack of 'authentic' African American voice. However, his next three novels comprising his Homewood Trilogy- Hiding Place (1981), Damballah (1981), and Sent for You Yesterday (1983) utilized the Black English Vernacular (BEV) and African American folklore in highly imaginative ways that mitigated their nationalistically based criticisms. He began directing his fiction towards a postmodern vision of African American culture as a complex pastiche similar to Henry Louis Gates' blues matrix where color is an important variable, but only one of many complex fluctuating factors impacting his African American characters' existential choices. This paper explains Wideman's artistic explorations that evolved after his early experiments with modernistic stylistic idiosyncrasies in his first three novels, and how he circumvented the socio-political pressure of the Black Arts Movement. Emerging as one of the most important African American writers of the post-1960s he developed his own unique voice that he initially displays in his Homewood Trilogy (1981-1983).
Multiple transmitter localization using clustering by likelihood of transmitter proximity

We propose a measurement clustering method for estimating the locations of multiple radio transmitters based only on received signal strength and a performance analysis approach drawn from a hypothesis testing framework. Measurements are collected at a set of arbitrary locations in the area of interest. Measurements are retained (or discarded) for transmitter localization based on the probability that a transmitter lies within a given neighborhood of the measurement location. Retained measurements are clustered using k-means or a similar approach, and individual transmitter localization is performed in each cluster. The proposed approach makes no assumptions that the measurements are clustered around transmitters; measurement locations may be at a similar distance from several transmitters, complicating the estimation process. The effect of the choice of neighborhood size and measurement threshold is analyzed using a hypothesis testing framework in which the probability of detection, probability of false alarm, and receiver operating characteristic are derived. Simulation results show that, over a wide range of shadowing noise variance, the proposed clustering-based localization achieves performance gains over algorithms that estimate transmitter locations jointly.
An Algorithm for Reducing Communication Cost in Parallel Computing

The efficiency of parallel algorithms is closely related to the cost of communicating. In order to improve the parallel efficiency of large problems on numerous processors, one has to control and minimize the communication cost. This chapter proposes a method for reducing the communication cost of a block-structured solution scheme as well as the computations. First, the basic Schwarz algorithm for the solution of Laplace's equation is considered. In this case, the problem is divided into a series of blocks with one point overlap between the neighboring blocks. At each iteration step, the Laplace equation is solved exactly for each block. Afterwards, the interface boundary conditions are updated between the neighboring blocks, which involves communication. This procedure is computationally intensive since the number of iterations required for global convergence is dominated by the slow convergence rate of the interface boundary conditions; thus, many block solutions need to be performed. To improve the rate of convergence, at the end of each iteration step, one can solve a system of equations for all interfaces of all the blocks, as in the case of Schur complement and variants of Schwarz schemes.
Concussion Guidelines in Athletes

Sports, and specifically contact sports, have the potential for serious injury and it is vital to balance the risks of participation with the safety of the participants. It is the role of physicians and health care professionals, to be the objective and unbiased arbiter of decisions relating to the health of athletes under their care. It is the job of the medical staff to allow the participation and return to play of the athletes without compromising their health or safety.
Design & Evaluation of a Hybrid Switched Capacitor Circuit with Wide-Bandgap Devices for Compact MVDC PV Power Conversion

To better realize the benefits of a hybrid grid that includes DC distribution, new DC-DC converter technologies must be developed that are small, cheap, and efficient at the voltages and power levels relevant to grid integrations. This project will demonstrate the feasibility of a DC-DC converter that will serve as an interface between PV power plants and typical medium voltage DC (MVDC) distribution lines. In this work, a novel power converter topology based on the hybrid switched capacitor boost converter, and using wide bandgap devices, was constructed and will be shown to significantly increase the power density of medium voltage converters. A prototype was designed, constructed and demonstrated to boost 600V to over 10 kV DC with >95.3% efficiency at >2.5 kW.
Extreme Neuroplasticity of Hippocampal CA1 Pyramidal Neurons in Hibernating Mammalian Species.

In awake and behaving mammals (with core and brain temperatures at ~37 degrees C), hippocampal neurons have anatomical and physiological properties that support formation of memories. However, studies of hibernating mammalian species suggest that as hippocampal temperature falls to values below ~10oC, CA1 neurons lose their ability to generate long term potentiation (LTP), a basic form of neuroplasticity. That is, the persistent increase in CA3-CA1 synaptic strength following high-frequency stimulation of CA3 fibers (the hallmark of LTP generation at 37oC) is no longer observed at low brain temperatures although the neurons retain their ability to generate action potentials. In this review, we examine the relationship of LTP to recently observed CA1 structural changes in pyramidal neurons during the hibernation cycle, including the reversible formation of hyperphosphorylated tau. While CA1 neurons appear to be stripped of their ability to generate LTP at low temperatures, their ability to still generate action potentials is consistent with the longstanding proposal that they have projections to neural circuits controlling arousal state throughout the hibernation cycle. Recent anatomical studies significantly refine and extend previous studies of cellular plasticity and arousal state and suggest experiments that further delineate the mechanisms underlying the extreme plasticity of these CA1 neurons.
Mathematical Methods in the Earth and Environmental Sciences

The Earth and environmental sciences are becoming progressively more quantitative due to the increased use of mathematical models and new data analysis techniques. This accessible introduction presents an overview of the mathematical methods essential for understanding Earth processes, providing an invaluable resource for students and early career researchers who may have missed (or forgotten) the mathematics they need to succeed as scientists. Topics build gently from basic methods such as calculus to more advanced techniques including linear algebra and differential equations. The practical applications of the mathematical methods to a variety of topics are discussed, ranging from atmospheric science and oceanography to biogeochemistry and geophysics. Including over 530 exercises and end-of-chapter problems, as well as additional computer codes in Python and MATLAB®, this book supports readers in applying appropriate analytical or computational methods to solving real research questions.
Cocaine use modifies the association of antiretroviral therapy regimens with obesity in HIV-infected adults

Abstract Aims Although evidence suggests that antiretroviral therapy (ART) use may contribute to obesity in individuals with HIV infection, the alleged association between ART use and obesity in HIV-infected patients remains controversial due to differences in patient characteristics and study designs. Additionally, cocaine is commonly used among those with HIV infection and may affect body weight. The main objective of this study was to examine the interactive effects of ART regimens and cocaine use on obesity in adults with HIV infection. Methods Between 2003 and 2014, 672 HIV-infected study participants who resided in Baltimore, Maryland, were enrolled in a study investigating HIV/ART-associated comorbidities. Robust linear regression and multiple logistic regression models were conducted to examine whether cocaine use modified the association between antiretroviral drugs and body weight status. Results Adjusted regression analyses showed that duration of protease inhibitor use was significantly associated with lower BMI (β = −0.012, SE = 0.005, p Conclusions Our findings suggest that reducing cocaine use may alleviate ART-associated weight gain in adults with HIV infection.
Design and Implementation of COS Based on ISO/IEC 7816

By the study of ISO/IEC 7816 for the smart card,the design of a COS for the secure chip is presented,which can effectively call the resource of cryptographic algorithm in the secure chip,such as RSA and SM1.Among them,the private key of RSA can be effectively protected for digital signature and the corresponding public key is used to verify the digital signature.Besides,the SM1 is used for the encryption and decryption of packet in the encrypted communication so as to implement the information security.Test results and pilot program show that the discussed design may provide practical value and good effects.
LESSeq: Local event-based analysis of alternative splicing using RNA-Seq data

Alternative splicing, which can be observed genome-wide by RNA-Seq, is important in cellular development and evolution. Comparative RNA-Seq experiments between different cellular conditions allow alternative splicing signatures to be detected. However, inferring alternative splicing signatures from short-read technology is unreliable and still presents many challenges before biologically significant signatures may be identified. To enable the robust discovery of differential alternative splicing, we developed the Local Event-based analysis of alternative Splicing using RNA-Seq (LESSeq) pipeline. LESSeq utilizes information of local splicing events (i.e., the partial structures in genes where transcript-splicing patterns diverge) to identify unambiguous alternative splicing. In addition, LESSeq quantifies the abundance of these alternative events using Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) and provides their significance between different cellular conditions. The utility of LESSeq is demonstrated through two case studies relevant to human variation and evolution. Using an RNA-Seq data set of lymphoblastoid cell lines in two human populations, we examined within-species variation and discovered population-differential alternative splicing events. With an RNA-Seq data set of several tissues in human and rhesus macaque, we studied cross-species variation and identified lineage-differential alternative splicing events. LESSeq is implemented in C++ and R, and made publicly available on GitHub at: https://github.com/gersteinlab/LESSeq
Reaction cross-section calculations using new experimental and theoretical level structure data for deformed nuclei

Abstract A technique for modeling level structures of odd-odd nuclei has been used to construct sets of discrete states with energies in the range 0 – 1.5 MeV for several nuclei in the rare-earth and actinide regions. The accuracy of the modeling technique was determined by comparison with experimental data. Examination was made of what effect the use of these new, more complete sets of discrete states has on the calculation of level densities, total reaction cross sections, and isomer ratios.
Power bus decoupling on multilayer printed circuit boards

Guidelines for the selection and placement of decoupling capacitors that work well for one-sided or two-sided printed circuit boards are not appropriate for multilayer boards with power and ground planes. Boards without internal planes take advantage of the power bus inductance to help decouple components at the higher frequencies. An effective decoupling strategy for multilayer boards must account for the low inductance and relatively high capacitance of the power bus.
Mechanism for Redox Exfoliation of Layered Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Liquid processing of layered transition metal dichalcogenides (LTMDs) is enabling a variety of applications, ranging from catalysts and coatings, to electronics, flexible sensors, and optical filte...