cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Templated Synthesis of Peptide Nucleic Acids via Sequence-Selective Base-Filling Reactions

The templated synthesis of nucleic acids has previously been achieved through the backbone ligation of preformed nucleotide monomers or oligomers. In contrast, here we demonstrate templated nucleic acid synthesis using a base-filling approach in which individual bases are added to abasic sites of a peptide nucleic acid (PNA). Because nucleobase substrates in this approach are not self-reactive, a base-filling approach may reduce the formation of nontemplated reaction products. Using either reductive amination or amine acylation chemistries, we observed efficient and selective addition of each of the four nucleobases to an abasic site in the middle of the PNA strand. We also describe the addition of single nucleobases to the end of a PNA strand through base filling, as well as the tandem addition of two bases to the middle of the PNA strand. These findings represent an experimental foundation for nonenzymatic information transfer through base filling.
In Situ Optical Properties of Soot Particles in the Wavelength Range from 340 nm to 600 nm

Measurements of dynamic light scattering along with classical scattering/extinction as a function of the wavelength for a rich propane/oxygen flame are presented. Spectral optical properties of soot particles are inferred in the visible and infrared part of the spectrum. Particle size distribution. number densities and volume fractions of soot are determined and comparisons are made with predictions of existing models for the soot optical constants. The effects of agglomeration and temperature in the determination of the optical properties are assessed and a new set of dispersion constants for the optical properties of flame soot is presented.
A study of MPI performance analysis tools on Blue Gene/L

Applications on today's massively parallel supercomputers rely on performance analysis tools to guide them toward scalable performance on thousands of processors. However, conventional tools for parallel performance analysis have serious problems due to the large data volume that may be required. In this paper, we discuss the scalability issue for MPI performance analysis on Blue Gene/L, the world's fastest supercomputing platform. We present an experimental study of existing MPI performance tools that were ported to BG/L from other platforms. These tools can be classified into two categories: profiling tools that collect timing summaries, and tracing tools that collect a sequence of time-stamped events. Profiling tools produce small data volumes and can scale well, but tracing tools tend to scale poorly. The experimental study discusses the advantages and disadvantages for the tools in the two categories and will be helpful in the future performance tools design.
Early Experience Affects the Strength of Vigilance for Threat in Rhesus Monkey Infants

Both human and nonhuman primates exhibit a cognitive bias to social threat, but little is known about how this bias develops. We investigated the development of threat bias in free-ranging infant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) at 3 months (n = 45) and 9 months (n = 46) of age. Three-month-olds did not display bias, but 9-month-olds exhibited increased maintenance of attention to threatening social stimuli. To examine whether the social environment affected this increased vigilance for threat, we collected behavioral data on maternal rank and protectiveness across the first 12 weeks of life for infants tested at 9 months. Among 9-month-olds, those of high-ranking and more protective mothers displayed greater vigilance for threat than those of lower-ranking and less protective mothers. These results demonstrate that infant social cognition is shaped by mothers both directly (via protectiveness) and indirectly (through social rank).
Real-time determination of IIR coefficients for cascaded Butterworth filters

Beginning with an s-domain description of the basic second-order RCL filter network, the digital filter equivalent is derived using the bilinear transformation. The resulting formulas describing the z-domain digital response are algebraically reduced to a form that gives some intuitive insight into the fundamental symmetry relationships between analog and digital filter structures. A simplified description of the digital filter coefficients whose form lends itself to real-time computational techniques is presented. This analysis is extended to the cascaded second-order network characterized by Butterworth damping factors, so that higher order filters can be designed and implemented in real-time using high-speed digital signal processors such as the DSP 56001 and DSP 96002. >
A distributed actuation method based on Young-Laplace forces

The paper presents biomimetic microactuators that scavenge the energy in evaporating water at room temperature to generate high force densities and large tip deflections. Curved, millimeter-long free-standing microactuators were fabricated from 50 and 80 /spl mu/m thick photo-patternable silicone polymer layers. When moistened, these structures deform predictably according to the geometry of their water-trapping microstructures. The paper also presents data on larger two-dimensional sheets of material that actuate according to the same principle. Inspired by hygroscopic spore dispersal mechanisms in plants, we believe this transpiration actuation mechanism could be used for embedding common materials with distributed and programmable force generation and actuation.
On the computation of the complex cepstrum

A technique based on fitting splines to the phase derivative curve is presented for the efficient and reliable computation of the complex cepstrum. The frequency sampling and the thresholds of the adaptive phase unwrapping algorithm are studied as a function of the radii of the zeros of the signal.
The Yale fragments of the West Saxon gospels

The manuscripts which contain the Old English translation of the gospels have been little studied since Skeat's compendious editions of the last century, yet the interest and importance of these codices, no less than that of the texts they preserve, should not be underestimated. The vernacular translation of a biblical text stands as a monument to the confidence and competence of Anglo-Saxon monastic culture; the evidence of the surviving manuscripts can offer insights into the development and dissemination of this text. The following study examines two fragments from an otherwise lost manuscript of the West Saxon gospels, which are preserved as an endleaf and parchment reinforcements in the binding of a fourteenth-century Latin psalter now in the Beinecke Library at Yale University, Beinecke 578. I shall first discuss the psalter and its accompanying texts in the attempt to localize the manuscript and its binding. I shall then turn to the West Saxon gospel fragments; after presenting a description and, for the first time, a complete transcription, I shall attempt to locate this text in the context of other Anglo-Saxon gospel manuscripts.
Tort Liability, the First Amendment, Equal Access, and Commercialization of Electronic Networks

America's movement to a digital network infrastructure may be threatened by the unavailability of high‐speed network channels to some sources of information. One reason for unavailability is fear by network intermediaries that they face legal liability for carrying harmful messages. Yet changing the law to require network intermediaries to provide equal access to their services raises First Amendment questions.
When Do Legislators Defy Popular Sovereignty? Testing Theories of Minority Representation Using DOMA:

What explains the behavior of legislators on bills that restrict the rights of marginalized minorities? Studies of representation typically focus on factors like party or public opinion but seldom ...
Free proline changes in Pinus taeda L. callus in response to drought stress

The amino acid, proline (PRO), may have an important role in plant adaptation to drought stress. To study the effect of drought stress on PRO content of pine tissues, we measured free PRO by high pressure liquid chromatography in control ( -0.4 MPa) and drought-stressed ( -0.8, -1.0, -1.3, -1.6 MPa) callus tissue of Pinus taeda L. after eight weeks of growth. Drought stress was induced by adding polyethylene glycol (PEG) to the nutrient media. The relation between PRO accumulation and water potential was influenced by composition of the medium and temperature. Callus growing in media with water potentials of -0.8 MPa showed no increase in PRO compared to control callus in media at -0.4 MPa. When callus tissue was subjected to low water potentials (-1.6 MPa), endogenous PRO concentration increased 40-fold, while callus fresh weight decreased by more than 90%. When exogenous PRO was added to the nutrient media, endogenous PRO was directly proportional to the exogenous PRO concentration rather than reduction in callus growth. Thus low water potential in callus results in endogenous PRO accumulation and large reductions in callus fresh weight growth. Proline accumulation in pine cells appears to be related to mechanisms associated with tolerance to desiccation.
Increased Replication of HIV-1 Minor Variants during Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Mobilization with Filgrastim

The hypothesis that filgrastim (r-met-huG-CSF) activates replication of minor variants of human inmmunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) was tested by analysis of plasma quasi-species composition in 7 subjects in whom plasma HIV-1 RNA had increased during filgrastim treatment. Inferred phylogenetic trees of env sequences from 3 subjects during filgrastim treatment contained unique intrasubject subclusters that shared a most recent common ancestor with the baseline HIV-1 quasi species. Genotypes in the unique subclusters were not detected before filgrastim treatment, yet they composed 40%-70% of the plasma quasi species during treatment. The minority variants that appeared in 1 subject were more distantly related to plasma quasi species present 5 years before filgrastim treatment than were the majority of the pretreatment plasma quasi species. These findings provide evidence that increased HIV-1 replication during filgrastim treatment was associated with activation of HIV-1 variants that, before filgrastim treatment, were minor components of the plasma quasi species.
Re-visiting the competence/performance debate in the acquisition of the counting principles

Abstract Advocates of the “continuity hypothesis” have argued that innate non-verbal counting principles guide the acquisition of the verbal count list ( Gelman & Gallistel, 1978 ). Some studies have supported this hypothesis, but others have suggested that the counting principles must be constructed anew by each child. Defenders of the continuity hypothesis have argued that the studies that failed to support it obscured children’s understanding of counting by making excessive demands on their fragile counting skills. We evaluated this claim by testing two-, three-, and four-year-olds both on “easy” tasks that have supported continuity and “hard” tasks that have argued against it. A few noteworthy exceptions notwithstanding, children who failed to show that they understood counting on the hard tasks also failed on the easy tasks. Therefore, our results are consistent with a growing body of evidence that shows that the count list as a representation of the positive integers transcends pre-verbal representations of number.
Notch Signaling : A Common Pathway of Injury in Podocytopathies?

The Notch signaling pathway comprises a family of transmembrane receptors, ligands, negative and positive modifiers, and transcription factors with regulatory activity in multiple cellular processes, including cell fate determination, development, differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and
Insecure Attachment, Dysfunctional Attitudes, and Low Self-Esteem Predicting Prospective Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety During Adolescence

This study extends the existing adult literature on insecure attachment as a predictor of depression and anxiety by examining these pathways in a sample of adolescents. In addition, dysfunctional attitudes and low self-esteem were tested as mediators of the association between insecure attachment and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Youth (N = 350; 6th–10th graders) completed self-report measures of attachment, dysfunctional attitudes, self-esteem, and symptoms of depression and anxiety in a 4-wave prospective study. Results indicate that anxious and avoidant attachment each predicted changes in both depression and anxiety (after controlling for initial symptom levels). The association between anxious attachment, but not avoidant attachment, and later internalizing symptoms was mediated by dysfunctional attitudes and low self-esteem. Effects remained even after controlling for initial co-occurring symptoms.
The physiological disposition in the rat of the acetic and propionic acid analogues of thyroxine and triiodothyronine.

The distribution and excretion in the rat of tetraiodothyroacetic acid and tetraiodothyropropionic acid were compared with that of L-thyroxinc; in addition, the distribution and excretion of 3,5,3′-triiodothyroacetic acid and 3,5,3′-triiodothyropropionic acid were compared with that of 3,5,3′L-triiodo-thyronine. Thyroxine and triiodothyronine disappeared from the blood more rapidly and were concentrated in the peripheral tissues to a greater extent than were their respective acetic- and propionic-acid analogues. The ratio of concentration in tissue to the concentration in plasma was lower with those analogues than with the parent compounds in all tissues examined and at all time intervals studied. The differences observed were of such magnitude as to suggest a possible basis for the diminished physiological potency of the acetic and propionic acid analogues in the rat.
Modulation of human T cell responses by nitric oxide and its derivative, S-nitrosoglutathione.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of nitric oxide (NO) and its more stable derivative, S-nitrosoglutathione (SNO-GSH), on the response of activated T lymphocytes. METHODS: The effects of NO and SNO-GSH on DNA synthesis, interleukin-2 (IL-2) production, IL-2 receptor expression, and cGMP accumulation were determined in phytohemagglutinin-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and spleen T cells. RESULTS: Nitric oxide (half-life [T1/2] 2 hours) inhibited DNA synthesis by a mean +/- SD of 65 +/- 19.6% (P < 0.001) in PBMC and 75 +/- 15% (P < 0.001) in spleen cells. Macrophage depletion of PBMC did not abrogate the inhibition. SNO-GSH had no effect on IL-2 production or IL-2 receptor expression. NO (25 microM) increased the cGMP content of PBMC (0.65 +/- 0.15 pmoles/10(6) cells; P < 0.04), as did SNO-GSH (25 microM) in both PBMC (3.8 +/- 1; P < 0.001) and spleen T cells (5.2 +/- 1.2; P < 0.001). Methylene blue and hemoglobin, which are NO inhibitors, inhibited SNO-GSH-induced cGMP accumulation (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: SNO-GSH inhibits T cell DNA synthesis independently of IL-2 production and in association with cGMP accumulation via a NO-dependent mechanism. We suggest that NO and its S-nitrosothiol derivatives may act as endogenous inhibitors of T cell-mediated inflammation.
The Burden of Bad Metaphors: Putting Blinders on how we Think about Gun Violence:

There have been many calls for physicians to enter the political discourse on gun control by viewing "gun violence" as a "disease". The medical metaphor for social problems is seductive, but has many pitfalls. Studies have shown that metaphors create significant cognitive bias regarding both the perception of the problem and can dictate the solutions that are considered. It creates an authoritarian approach to social problems that can have severe negative consequences. These problems have appeared in the use of the metaphor of "gun violence as disease." Adherence to this metaphor has resulted in the substitution of advocacy for academic integrity and has damaged the credibility of the medical community. Language: en
STUDIES ON THE ROLE OF THYROTROPIN RELEASING HORMONE (TRH) IN MAN

The surprising discovery by Tashjian and associates that thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) released prolactin from cloned rat pituitary cells in culture (1) was quickly followed by reports that TRH also stimulated prolactin release when injected intravenously in humans (2,3). These findings led to studies in our laboratory which focused on the possible role of TRH as a physiological regulator of prolactin secretion in man. Aspects of this work form the basis of the present report.
XLmap: an R package to visualize and score protein structure models based on sites of protein cross-linking

Motivation Chemical cross-linking with mass spectrometry (XL-MS) provides structural information for proteins and protein complexes in the form of crosslinked residue proximity and distance constraints between reactive residues. Utilizing spatial information derived from cross-linked residues can therefore assist with structural modeling of proteins. Selection of computationally derived model structures of proteins remains a major challenge in structural biology. The comparison of site interactions resulting from XL-MS with protein structure contact maps can assist the selection of structural models. Availability and implementation XLmap was implemented in R and is freely available at: http://brucelab.gs.washington.edu/software.php. Contact jimbruce@uw.edu Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Regional Air Quality Model Assessment and Evaluation

It is important to know what fraction of a regional air quality impact comes from sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides that are emitted by-fossil fuel power plants, as opposed to other sources. To meet this need, many theoretical models have been developed and evaluated to determine how well they are able to simulate atmospheric transport, diffusion and transformation processes. Schiermeier and Misra (1983) have reported the results of a joint U.S./Canadian studies, and Stewart et al. (1983) have evaluated a number of regional models for the National Park Service (NPS). This paper summarizes the results of a study that was undertaken jointly by SRI International, Argonne National Laboratory, and TRC Environmental Consultants for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). A more comprehensive reporting of the results has been published by Ruff et al. (1984).
Three-dimensional MDCT angiography for the assessment of arteriovenous grafts and fistulas in hemodialysis access

Arteriovenous grafts and fistulas are placed for long-term hemodialysis access, and their associated complications can lead to considerable morbidity. Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) images provide accurate delineation of hemodialysis access anatomy and show potential complications. This review makes the reader more familiar with vascular access anatomy and configurations, describes the appearance of access complications encountered on MDCT, and discusses endovascular and surgical treatment options for complications, which should aid in post-treatment evaluation.
Age-Related Changes in Rat Adipose Tissue Cellularity Are Altered by Dietary Restriction and Exercise

This study examined the effects of diet restriction and exercise training during aging on adipocyte size and number in male Wistar rats. An average of 30 weanling rats each were assigned to one of four experimental groups: ad libitum access to food, nonexercised; diet restricted, nonexercised; ad libitum access to food, exercised; diet restricted, exercised. Diet-restricted groups were allowed free access to food every other day, and, over the course of the study, they consumed 18-25% less than the groups allowed ad libitum access. Exercise training consisted of swimming on alternate days for up to 3 h per exercise period. Fat cell size, number and fat depot mass were determined in the inguinal, epididymal and perirenal fat depots at 12 mo of age and every 4 mo thereafter until 28 mo of age. Fat cell number was not influenced by age, exercise or food restriction in the epididymal or perirenal fat depots. Inguinal cell number was lower (P < 0.05) in the diet-restricted, exercised group at all ages compared with all other treatments. Dietary restriction and exercise training significantly decreased fat depot mass and fat cell size, with dietary restriction having the greatest effect. A bimodal distribution of adipocytes was observed in the epididymal, perirenal and inguinal depots of animals allowed ad libitum access to food. The presence of a large population of small fat cells (< 35 microns) indicated that even in the very aged animal there was the propensity for large variations in fat pad mass. The influence of diet restriction, exercise and aging on adipocyte cell size was highly variable and these effects were dependent on adipose tissue depot location.
A multisite randomized controlled trial of VA integrated and enhanced referral behavioral health models on alcohol misuse in older male veterans

Background Despite frequent primary care visits, older veterans may have unmet behavioral health needs regarding alcohol misuse. Identification of alcohol misuse and referral of older veterans seen in primary care to behavioral health care can decrease at-risk drinking and assist in determining effective interventions for older veterans with problem drinking. This study examined the effect of integrated and enhanced referral behavioral health models on alcohol misuse among older veterans.
High-resolution and cell-type-specific photostimulation mapping shows weak excitatory vs. strong inhibitory inputs in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis

The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a key component of the extended amygdala and has been implicated in anxiety and addiction. As individual neurons function within neural circuits, it is important to understand local microcircuits and larger network connections of identified neuronal types and understand how maladaptive changes in the BNST neural networks are induced by stress and drug abuse. However, due to limitations of classic anatomical and physiological methods, the local circuit organization of synaptic inputs to specific BNST neuron types is not well understood. In this study, we report on the application of high-resolution and cell-type-specific photostimulation methodology developed in our laboratory to local circuit mapping in the BNST. Under calibrated experimental conditions, laser photostimulation via glutamate uncaging or channelrhodopsin-2 photoactivation evokes spiking of BNST neurons perisomatically, without activating spikes from axons of passage or distal dendrites. Whole cell recordings, combined with spatially restricted photostimulation of presynaptic neurons at many different locations over a large region, allow high-resolution mapping of presynaptic input sources to single recorded neurons in the BNST. We constructed maps of synaptic inputs impinging onto corticotrophin-releasing hormone-expressing (CRH+) BNST neurons in the dorsolateral BNST and found that the CRH+ neurons receive predominant local inhibitory synaptic connections with very weak excitatory connections. Through cell-type-specific optogenetic stimulation mapping, we generated maps of somatostatin-expressing neuron-specific inhibitory inputs to BNST neurons. Taken together, the photostimulation-based techniques offer us powerful tools for determining the functional organization of local circuits of specific BNST neuron types.
The Rastelli operation for treatment of transposition of the great arteries with ventricular septal defect and subpulmonary stenosis

Objective:To evaluate the clinical results of the Rastelli operation for treatment of transposition of the great arteries with ventricular septal(VSD) and subpulmonary stenosis.Methods:Between October 1995 and June 2001,the Rastelli operation was performed in 27 patients.The mean age of patients was 9 4 years (range 2～29 years).17 pulmonary homografts and 10 aortic homografts were used as valved extracardiac corduits,intracardiac tunnels were constructed betweeh the VSD and the aortic orfice using artificial vessels or Toflonpathes.Results:There was no operative death.The postioperative complications occurred in 6 patients and they recovered unevenfully.The mean postoperative mechanical ventilation time was 52 2 hours (range,9～360 hours).The mean postoperative hospital stay was 20 0 days (range,8～63 days).There were no late death and complication.Conclusion:The Rastelli operation plays an important role in the treatment of transposition of the great arteries with VSD and subpulmonary stenosis.
Time-dependent fitness effects can drive bet-hedging populations extinct

To survive unpredictable environmental change, many organisms adopt bet-hedging strategies that trade short-term population growth for long-term fitness benefits. Because the benefits of bet-hedging may manifest over long time intervals, bet-hedging strategies may be out-competed by strategies maximizing short-term fitness. Here, we investigate the interplay between two drivers of selection, environmental fluctuations and competition for limited resources, on different bet-hedging strategies. We consider an environment with frequent disasters that switch between which phenotypes they affect in a temporally-correlated fashion. We determine how organisms that stochastically switch between phenotypes at different rates fare in both competition and survival. When disasters are correlated in time, the best strategy for competition is among the worst for survival. Since the time scales over which the two agents of selection act are significantly different, environmental fluctuations and resource competition act in opposition and lead populations to evolve diversification strategies that ultimately drive them extinct.
Physician peer review: have we gone far enough or too far?

The authors discuss the long history of physician peer review and offer insight on the process, while presenting factors that have lead to increased physician non-peer review. The question at hand--have we gone far enough ... or too far?
Fetal platelet counts correlate with the severity of the anemia in red-cell alloimmunization.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether fetal anemia secondary to maternal red-cell alloimmunization is associated with thrombocytopenia. METHODS: The records of 78 patients undergoing intrauterine transfusion for red-cell alloimmunization were reviewed. Pre-transfusion fetal platelet counts were compared between hydropic and nonhydropic fetuses. A regression analysis was performed between the fetal platelet counts and the fetal bilirubin levels, hematocrits, and reticulocyte counts taken at the initial transfusion. The hematocrits, reticulocyte counts, and bilirubin levels were adjusted for gestational age by calculating the number of standard deviations (SDs) from the mean for that age or the multiples of the mean (MOM). Student t test, Pearson coefficient, and contingency table randomization test were used to analyze the data. P < .05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Thirty-seven fetuses were hydropic and 41 were nonhydropic. Hydropic fetuses had a significantly lower platelet count than nonhydropic fetuses (197.5 +/- 86.4 versus 252.6 +/- 73.7 x 10(3)/microL; P < .01). Platelet counts correlated negatively with the reticulocyte count MOM (r = -0.652; P < .01) and the hematocrit SDs below the mean (r = -0.659; P < .01), but did not correlate with the bilirubin MOM (r = -0.183; P = .2). CONCLUSION: Hydropic and severely anemic fetuses are at increased risk for thrombocytopenia. We suggest that increased erythropoiesis diverts the hematopoietic stem cell away from thrombopoiesis.
Topiramate for Weighht Loss in Children and Adolescents Prescribed Psychotropic Medications

Obesity rates in children and adolescents in the United States has tripled since 1980, with 16.9% falling into this range in a 2007-2008 study. Children are increasingly being prescribed antipsychotic medications for a variety of illnesses. This class of medication can lead to increased weight gain, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Method We performed a retrospective chart review in our Child Psychiatry outpatient clinic for visits between 7/1/11 and 6/30/13 looking at the effects of concurrent use of topiramate and antipsychotic medications. Exclusion criteria included concurrent treatment wuth other medications known to cause weight loss (e.g. stimulants), a primary diagnosis of eating disorder, a primary medical illness that would have an impact in weight (e.g. thyroid illness), and medications not prescribed through our clinic. Brief Results N = 47 with a mean age of 13.36 years. Mean dosage for topiramate was 121.74 mg. Mean baseline BMI = 31.82. Mean treatment length = 200 days. Mean weight loss = 0.97 BMI points Discussion We will review the United States FDA indications for topiramate, the potential adverse events, and the preliminary data regarding the effectiveness for the treatment of weight gain, for patients prescribed and not prescribed antipsychotic medications.
Mapping viscoelastic and plastic properties of polymers and polymer-nanotube composites using instrumented indentation

An instrumented indentation method is developed for generating maps of time-dependent viscoelastic and time-independent plastic properties of polymeric materials. The method is based on a pyramidal indentation model consisting of two quadratic viscoelastic Kelvin-like elements and a quadratic plastic element in series. Closed-form solutions for indentation displacement under constant load and constant loading-rate are developed and used to determine and validate material properties. Model parameters are determined by point measurements on common monolithic polymers. Mapping is demonstrated on an epoxy-ceramic interface and on two composite materials consisting of epoxy matrices containing multiwall carbon nanotubes. A fast viscoelastic deformation process in the epoxy was unaffected by the inclusion of the nanotubes, whereas a slow viscoelastic process was significantly impeded, as was the plastic deformation. Mapping revealed considerable spatial heterogeneity in the slow viscoelastic and plastic responses in the composites, particularly in the material with a greater fraction of nanotubes.
Ultra-low turn-on field emission devices characterized at atmospheric pressures and high temperatures

Recent work on in-plane nanoscale field emission devices operating at atmospheric pressures highlights the promise of these devices for high-frequency applications if challenges in reliability and robustness can be mastered. We demonstrate a novel fabrication technique using silicon on insulator substrates to reliably produce sub-20 nanometer gaps between deposited emitter and collector metals in symmetric two-terminal field emission devices. Our emitters demonstrate repeatable, low voltage emission across a range of metals. By reducing the operating voltages through miniaturization, our devices can operate at atmospheric pressures without deterioration through erosive bombardment from ionized gas atoms. Furthermore, the devices are shown to operate at temperatures as high as of 215C in vacuum atmosphere.
adroid: Assessment and Evaluation of Android Application Analysis Tools

The security research community has invested significant effort in improving the security of Android applications over the past half decade. This effort has addressed a wide range of problems and resulted in the creation of many tools for application analysis. In this article, we perform the first systematization of Android security research that analyzes applications, characterizing the work published in more than 17 top venues since 2010. We categorize each paper by the types of problems they solve, highlight areas that have received the most attention, and note whether tools were ever publicly released for each effort. Of the released tools, we then evaluate a representative sample to determine how well application developers can apply the results of our community’s efforts to improve their products. We find not only that significant work remains to be done in terms of research coverage but also that the tools suffer from significant issues ranging from lack of maintenance to the inability to produce functional output for applications with known vulnerabilities. We close by offering suggestions on how the community can more successfully move forward.
Optimal powertrain component sizing of a fuel cell plug-in hybrid electric vehicle using multi-objective genetic algorithm

Considerable efforts have been made recently to develop a completely zero-emission and highly fuel efficient vehicle. Due to clean and efficient power generation, the hydrogen fed fuel cell vehicle (FCVs) has received considerable attention. However, major obstacles such as cost of the hydrogen infrastructure, driving range, and cost of the fuel cell greatly influence FCV development. At the same time, proper utilization of grid power, along with a modified electrical system infrastructure, would encourage automakers to envisage plug-in versions of fuel cell vehicles. This paper presents the optimal powertrain component sizing of a fuel cell plug-in hybrid electric (FC-PHEV) vehicle, comprised of a fuel cell with electrolyser, Ni-MH battery as secondary energy storage, and a propulsion motor. Such a PHEV architecture provides an additional degree of freedom, as the gird power can be used to recharge batteries, or for the electrolysis of water, to generate hydrogen and oxygen, which increases the driving range of vehicle as well as the overall powertrain efficiency. Hence, the overall performance and efficiency are much superior when compared to ordinary PHEV or FC-HEV powertrains. This paper uses a small vehicle power train for modelling and simulation purposes. Optimal sizing of the power train components using multi-objective genetic algorithm will be presented. Moreover, overall vehicle performance and fuel economy for different driving loads will also be analysed. Finally, an overall cost analysis will also be presented.
Structure and dendroecology of Thuja occidentalis in disjunct stands south of its contiguous range in the central Appalachian Mountains, USA

Information on forest structure, growth, and disturbance history is essential for effective forest management in a dynamic landscape. Because most of our research concerning the ecology and growth of Thuja occidentalis comes from sites in northern portions of its range, highly contextual biotic and abiotic factors that affect the species in more southern locales may not be fully accounted for. This research characterized the structural attributes and growth dynamics of Thuja occidentalis in disjunct forest stands south of its contiguous range margin. The Thuja occidentalis forests examined in this research were located in the central Appalachian Mountains, USA, approximately 440 km south of the contiguous range margin of the species. Forest structural attributes were characterized in two Thuja occidentalis forest stands, which are rare in the region. Tree-ring chronologies were used to examine the influences of disturbance and climate on the growth of Thuja occidentalis. The forests contained a total of 13 tree species with Thuja occidentalis contributing substantially to the basal area of the sites. Thuja occidentalis stems were absent in the smallest size class, while hardwood species were abundant in the smallest classes. Thuja occidentalis stems also were absent from the < 70 years age class. By contrast, Thuja occidentalis snags were abundant within stands. Growth-release events were distributed across the disturbance chronology and generally affected a small number of trees. The Thuja occidentalis tree-ring chronology possessed an interseries correlation of 0.62 and mean sensitivity of 0.25. The correlation between mean temperature and Thuja occidentalis growth was weak and variable. Growth and moisture variables were more strongly correlated, and this relationship was predominantly positive. Structural attributes indicate the forests are in the understory reinitiation stage of forest development. Silvicultural manipulations may be necessary to promote Thuja occidentalis establishment. The sensitivity of Thuja occidentalis to climate appears similar throughout its range, but geographical variation in the growth response to climate factors is apparent. More research is necessary to expand the geographical and ecological scope of our knowledge concerning Thuja occidentalis, particularly at more southern and disjunct sites.
Thermo-Fluid Characterizations of Ti-6Al-4V Melt Pool in Powder-Bed Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing

The powder-bed electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM) process is one of the relatively new additive manufacturing (AM) technologies in which the metal powder is melted in a vacuum environment utilizing a high-energy heat source to fabricate metallic parts in a layer by layer manner. Different metallic alloys (especially, high entropy alloys such as Ti-6Al-4V) have been widely studied as a powder-bed material for the EBAM. Despite the unique advantages of designing complex geometry and tooling-free manufacturing, there are still considerable challenges in the EBAM, e.g., obtaining desired metallurgical behavior, part accuracy, reliability, and quality consistency. Therefore, a better understanding of the thermo-fluid and mechanical properties of the EBAM process is indispensable to meet the challenges. In this study, transient computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of Ti-6Al-4V melt pool has been done using ANSYS Fluent 15.0 to characterize the process parameters associated with the EBAM process including the melt pool geometry, beam power, beam speed, beam diameter, and temperature profile along the melt scan. In fact, the dynamics and the solidification of the melt pool have been investigated numerically and results for cooling rate, variation in density, pressure, velocities, and liquid fraction have been obtained to illustrate the versatility of the analysis.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Far-IR magnetospectroscopy of magnons and electromagnons in TbFe O 3 single crystals at low temperatures

Transmittance spectra of $\mathrm{TbFe}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ single crystals have been studied in the far-infrared spectral range $15\ensuremath{-}120\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ in the external magnetic fields up to 9 T and at low temperatures down to 1.5 K. The temperature and magnetic-field dependencies of the antiferromagnetic resonance (AFMR) modes have been measured below and above the magnetic ordering temperature of Tb moments ${T}_{N}^{\mathrm{Tb}}=3.3\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$. Both the quasiferromagnetic and quasiantiferromagnetic modes of AFMR demonstrate hardening at $Tl{T}_{N}^{\mathrm{Tb}}$. The quasiantiferromagnetic mode gains electric-dipole activity along the $c$ axis below ${T}_{N}^{\mathrm{Tb}}$ and thus behaves as a hybrid, i.e., both electric- and magnetic-dipole active, mode. In addition to AFMR modes, below ${T}_{N}^{\mathrm{Tb}}$ we observed the appearance of electromagnon excitation at about $27\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, which is electric-dipole active along the $c$ axis. The electromagnon is optically active only in a narrow temperature range, $2.7\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}lTl{T}_{N}^{\mathrm{Tb}}$ at $H=0$, and in a narrow range of magnetic fields 2.4--2.7 T applied along the $b$ axis at $T=1.5\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$. We argue that this electromagnon appears in magnetic phases, which are compatible with a spontaneous electric polarization along the $b$ axis.
Tip Vortex Cavitation Inception Scaling for High Reynolds Number Application

Tip vortices that are generated by marine lifting surfaces such as propeller blades, ship rudders, hydrofoil wings, and anti-roll fins can lead to cavitation. Prediction of the onset of this cavitation depends on model tests at Reynolds numbers much lower than those for the corresponding full-scale flows. The effect of Reynolds number variations on the scaling of tip vortex cavitation inception is investigated using a theoretical flow similarity approach. The ratio of the circulations in the full-scale and model-scale trailing vortices is obtained by assuming that the spanwise section lift coefficient distributions are the same between model and full-scale. The vortex pressure distributions and core sizes are derived using the Rankine vortex model and McCormick’s assumption about the dependence of the vortex core size on the boundary layer thickness at the tip region. Using a logarithmic law to describe the velocity profile in the boundary layer over a large range of Reynolds number, the boundary layer thickness becomes dependent on the Reynolds number to a varying power. In deriving the cavitation inception scaling in the traditional scaling format of σif / σim = (Ref /Rem )n , the values of n are not constant and depend on the values of Ref and Rem themselves. This contrasts traditional scaling for which n is treated as a fixed value that is independent of Reynolds numbers. At very high Reynolds numbers, the present theory predicts the value of n to approach zero, consistent with the trend of these flows to become inviscid. Comparison of the present theory with available experimental data shows promising results, especially with recent results from high Reynolds number tests. Numerical examples are given of the values of n for different model to full-scale sizes and Reynolds numbers.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Utilization of complementary and integrative health services and opioid therapy by patients receiving Veterans Health Administration pain care.

Abstract Objectives The aims of the current study were to characterize veterans who used a complementary and integrative health (CIH) service in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and to assess the extent to which using a CIH-related service was associated with receiving an opioid analgesic prescription following the initiation of specialty pain service, a time at which higher intensity care is needed for patients experiencing greater psychiatric and medical complexity. Design This study utilized a retrospective cohort design of veterans using specialty pain services. The index visit was defined as the first specialty pain visit in Fiscal Years 2012–2015. Demographics, opioid analgesic prescriptions, psychiatric disorder diagnoses, medical comorbidity, pain severity scores, and pain conditions were extracted from VHA administrative data. Setting The cohort was comprised of veterans who had at least one visit with a specialty pain service as identified by a billing code. Main outcome measures The main outcome measures were use of a CIH-related service in the 365 days prior to the index visit and opioid analgesic prescription within 365 days after the index visit. Adjusted logistic regression analyses accounted for key covariate and potential confounding variables. Results Use of CIH-related services was relatively low across the cohort (1.9%). Veterans who used a CIH-related service in the 365 days prior to the index visit were more likely to be female, be younger, have less medical comorbidity, have less severe pain, and were less likely to have received an opioid prescription in the 365 days prior to the index visit. After accounting for key covariates and potential confounders, veterans who used a CIH-related service were less likely to receive an opioid analgesic prescription in the 365 days following the index visit. Conclusion CIH-related services were not commonly used among Veterans initiating specialty pain services. Engaging in CIH-related services prior to specialty pain services is associated with decreased opioid analgesic and non-opioid analgesic prescriptions.
Surrogate Markers and the Association of Low-Dose CT Lung Cancer Screening With Mortality.

This study examines the reliability of predictive markers of CT screening for lung cancer and its association with patient outcomes, including mortality.
Authoring the Self: Autobiography and American Identity

From The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin to the endless flow of political candidates’ first-person accounts of their lives and careers (e.g., Sarah Palin’s Going Rogue, and Barak Obama’s Dreams From My Father), the autobiography is an important form of political discourse in America. While autobiographies are one of the ways leaders attempt to get citizens to identify with them, the autobiographical genre is significant to American democratic culture in two other ways as well. First, it allows not simply for the representation, but for the construction of oneself. Because the ability to make of oneself what one wishes – to invent and reinvent oneself – is an important part of the mythology of democratic individualism, the autobiography provides an avenue for the construction of narratives of agency and self-definition. Second, the autobiographical presentation of work and success helps to both reinforce and complicate the norms of egalitarianism, self-help, and mobility that are presumed to characterize democratic political culture. In this paper I provide an overview of the democratic implications of autobiography through the consideration of a range of autobiographical works (slave narratives, and the autobiographies of figures like Benjamin Franklin, Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, and Malcolm X), paying particular attention to the ways in which the autobiographical form has been used to challenge and construct racial identity in American politics.
Adapting Bayesian statistical spam filters to the server side

Bayesian spam filters, which take their name from Bayes' rule for combining conditional probabilities, have become very popular since the publication of Paul Graham's "A Plan for Spam" (http://www.paulgraham.com) in August of 2002. These statistics-based filters use machine learning to gather data about the tokens (words or strings that have been deemed significant) contained in a user's email. They then use this information to analyze the content of a new message to guess the probability that it is spam. Machine learning allows Bayesian filters to adapt to new trends in spam, and also makes them hard for spammers to fool. These features combined with the high accuracy and low false positive rate make them attractive to anyone interested in reducing the amount of spam in their inbox.
Concessions in National Parks: Responsible Tourism

Concession operations in natural areas have always been a source of controversy. The objectives of profit and preservation are seen by many to be incompatible. The author will examine the relationship of national park concessions and the environments in which they operate, focusing on concession selection and operation, using responsible tourism concepts as a guide
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF THE RED CELLS IN ERYTHROPOIETIC PORPHYRIA.

With the aid of electron microscopy two different red cell lines have been identified in erythropoietic porphyria. A normal red cell series has been found in association with hemoglobin containing normoblastic nuclei and ferritin laden reticulocytes. The abnormal line presumably represents the porphyrin containing cells. A possible explanation to account for the abnormality in heme synthesis has been proposed.