cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EPE fundamentals and impact of EUV: Will traditional design-rule calculations work in the era of EUV?

The relationship between edge placement error, semiconductor design-rule determination and predicted yield in the era of EUV lithography is examined. This paper starts with the basics of edge placement error and then builds up to design-rule calculations. We show that edge placement error (EPE) definitions can be used as the building blocks for design-rule equations but that in the last several years the term “EPE” has been used in the literature to refer to many patterning errors that are not EPE. We then explore the concept of “Good Fields”1 and use it predict the n-sigma value needed for design-rule determination. Specifically, fundamental yield calculations based on the failure opportunities per chip are used to determine at what n-sigma “value” design-rules need to be tested to ensure high yield. The “value” can be a space between two features, an intersect area between two features, a minimum area of a feature, etc. It is shown that across chip variation of design-rule important values needs to be tested at sigma values between seven and eight which is much higher than the four-sigma values traditionally used for design-rule determination. After recommending new statistics be used for design-rule calculations the paper examines the impact of EUV lithography on sources of variation important for design-rule calculations. We show that stochastics can be treated as an effective dose variation that is fully sampled across every chip. Combining the increased within chip variation from EUV with the understanding that across chip variation of design-rule important values needs to not cause a yield loss at significantly higher sigma values than have traditionally been looked at, the conclusion is reached that across-wafer, wafer-to-wafer and lot-to-lot variation will have to overscale for any technology introducing EUV lithography where stochastic noise is a significant fraction of the effective dose variation. We will emphasize stochastic effects on edge placement error distributions and appropriate design-rule setting. While CD distributions with long tails coming from stochastic effects do bring increased risk of failure (especially on chips that may have over a billion failure opportunities per layer) there are other sources of variation that have sharp cutoffs, i.e. have no tails. We will review these sources and show how distributions with different skew and kurtosis values combine.
Crop rotation impacts on potato protein.

The impact of nitrogen (N) fertilization on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) protein yield and nutritional quality is well documented but of little benefit to growers with limited access to fertilizer or capital (e.g. in lesser developed countries). This study was conducted 1) to evaluate the extent which crude protein yield in potatoes can be influenced by crop rotation with no N fertilizer and 2) to determine if crop rotation and minimal application of N fertilizer can meet the total protein yield of potatoes achieved with recommended quantities of N fertilizer. A field study was conducted in which potatoes followed previous crops of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. 'Nitro'), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), white lupin (Lupinus albus L. 'Ultra'), oats (Avena sativa 'Astro'), and potatoes. Tuber protein yield following alfalfa with no N fertilizer was about 50 kg/ha greater than when following potatoes or oats in one study year. In another year, tuber protein yield was greatest following vetch, achieving 149 kg protein/ha with no N fertilizer. These results were directly linked to the N contributions of rotation crop residues and were reflected in the plant-available N levels measured in soil. Applying one-half the recommended rate of N fertilizer resulted in protein yields comparable to a well-fertilized potato-potato rotation in a relatively dry year, but not in a year with more favorable precipitation. Particular crops grown in rotation with potatoes can make significant contributions to the total protein harvested in tubers.
Identification of Context in News Reporting

Identification of the context in which events take place is crucial to an understanding of such events. If a presidential candidate says something in one political context, it might be interpreted one way, but if said in a different political context, it might be interpreted differently. A candidate who promises a militant women’s organization that he will appoint more women to government positions might be said to be pandering or “caving in” to them. If he makes this promise before a group of relatively sexist male business leaders, he might be said to be courageous. These two contexts are different, and the reporter who reports on two such events will normally report not only what is said, but also say something about the context in which these promises were made.
Evaluating the impact of expanding the number of diagnosis codes reported in inpatient discharge databases on the counts and rates of birth defects.

Objective Public health surveillance programs worldwide implement a variety of case-finding strategies, and many rely at least in part on International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-based diagnostic codes in administrative and clinical databases. Over time, state- and national-level hospital discharge databases have been expanding the number of reported diagnosis code fields. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of these expansions on frequencies and rates of major birth defects, and the classification of birth defects as isolated vs multiple. Methods We used state-level 2006-2013 Florida Birth Defects Registry data and 2009-2012 data from a nationally representative database (Kids' Inpatient Database). We generated data under different scenarios by varying the number of diagnosis code fields available, and comparing counts and rates of major birth defects generated under each scenario. Results The expansion from 10 to 31 diagnosis code fields improved ascertainment by preventing the loss of 1 in every 40 birth defect cases with defect-related diagnoses appearing only in code positions 11 to 31. Although there was variation by birth defect, the largest impact of the expansion tended to occur for less severe birth defects diagnosed in sicker infants. When restricting to fewer codes, not only were fewer cases diagnosed, but more were classified as being isolated due to the inability to capture co-occurring defects. Conclusion Our findings encourage additional research for other health outcomes in patients of all ages. Other disease registries rely at least in part on diagnostic codes documented by healthcare providers in their case-finding activities, irrespective of ascertainment protocols, making routine investigation of these databases essential.
Bone morphogenetic protein and blood vessels: new insights into endothelial cell junction regulation.

Purpose of review BMP signaling is an important regulator of vascular development and homeostasis, and perturbations of BMP pathway components are linked to vascular disease. However, until recently BMP's broad requirements in many developmental programs delayed cause-and-effect and mechanistic studies of its vascular role in vivo. This review covers recent findings that illuminate the role of BMP signaling in endothelial cells of blood vessels, and highlights effects of BMP signaling on endothelial cell junctions and vascular barrier function. Recent findings BMP signaling in endothelial cells of blood vessels is context-dependent, and can either be pro-angiogenic and promote vascular sprouting, or antiangiogenic and promote vascular homeostasis. I discuss how distinct BMP signaling inputs impact blood vessel formation and function, with emphasis on new studies that investigate how BMP signaling affects endothelial cell junctions and vascular permeability. Summary BMP signaling is important but complex in endothelial cells of blood vessels, with multiple distinct inputs leading to opposing cellular behaviors and phenotypic outputs in ways that are poorly understood. Endothelial cell-cell junctions are a target of BMP signaling, and junction stability can be tuned in either direction by BMP inputs. Several human diseases have perturbed junctions linked to BMP signaling changes.
Getting Started on Co-Emulation: Transition your Design and Testbench to an Emulator

As we move to more complex and intricate designs, time spent in testing is ever crucial. With several avenues to test our design, we have to pick and choose best ways to optimize the overall time spent on testing. A systematic introduction to challenges and solutions you will face for transitioning your design and UVM testbench is made. We will provide guidelines and planning strategies to achieve the best results from this process.
Public Perceptions of Code Enforcement and Safer Buildings in Latin America and the Caribbean

AbstractWell-designed and properly enforced building codes save lives in hazard events like major earthquakes and hurricanes. Yet around the world, in “developed” and “developing” countries alike, ...
Phosphodiesterases, 3',5'-cyclic nucleotide (PDEs) (version 2019.4) in the IUPHAR/BPS Guide to Pharmacology Database

3',5'-Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs, 3',5'-cyclic-nucleotide 5'-nucleotidohydrolase), E.C. 3.1.4.17, catalyse the hydrolysis of a 3',5'-cyclic nucleotide (usually cyclic AMP or cyclic GMP). isobutylmethylxanthine is a nonselective inhibitor with an IC50 value in the millimolar range for all isoforms except PDE 8A, 8B and 9A. A 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (E.C. 3.1.4.37 CNPase) activity is associated with myelin formation in the development of the CNS.
Caring for joy: narrative, theology, and practice

For nearly 50 years, the discipline of pastoral theology has predominantly focused on the suffering and oppression endured by individuals, families, and communities. Pastoral theologies emerge from...
A 354 Mb/s 0.37 mm 2 151 mW 32-User 256-QAM Near-MAP Soft-Input Soft-Output Massive MU-MIMO Data Detector in 28nm CMOS

This letter presents a novel data detector application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for massive multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) wireless systems. The ASIC implements a modified version of the large-MIMO approximate message passing algorithm (LAMA), which achieves near-optimal error-rate performance (i) under realistic channel conditions and (ii) for systems with as many users as base-station (BS) antennas. The hardware architecture supports 32 users transmitting up to 256-QAM simultaneously and in the same frequency band, and provides soft-input soft-output capabilities for iterative detection and decoding. The fabricated 28nm CMOS ASIC occupies 0.37 mm2, achieves a throughput of 354 Mb/s, consumes 151 mW, and improves the SNR by more than 11 dB compared to existing data detectors in systems with 32 BS antennas and 32 users for realistic wireless channels. In addition, the ASIC achieves $4\boldsymbol \times $ higher throughput per area than a recently proposed message-passing detector.
Design and Fabrication of a CdMnTe Nuclear Radiation Detection System

Cadmium manganese telluride (CdMnTe) is one of the ternary compounds of cadmium telluride (CdTe) that has shown great potential applications in the development of X-ray and gamma-ray detectors used in medical imaging and in the detection of radiological and nuclear threats. CdMnTe nuclear detectors are capable of operating at room temperature without cryogenic cooling. The goal of this project is to design and fabricate CdMnTe detection system that can be used in laboratory experiments for characterizing detector materials and for identification of radionuclides. The engineering design objectives include a spring-based sample holder, ability to measure electrical properties of CdTe-based semiconductor nuclear detectors, and the detection of nuclear radiations. This paper presents the design of the sample holder and the fabrication of a CdMnTe detector. The current-voltage characterization experimental results showed that the CdMnTe has the high resistivity needed for CdTe-based nuclear detectors. The results also include the response of the CdMnTe detector to the 59.5-keV gamma peak of Am-241 nuclear radiation source.
Improvement of Nutritional Quality of Rice Seed Through Classical Breeding and Advance Genetic Engineering

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food crop for a large number of human populations whose diet solely depends on rice. Rice contains sufficient amount of starch but deficient with several kinds of nutrients like iron and zinc and contain least amount of protein as well as essential amino acids like lysine, tryptophan and methionine and lack beta-carotene. To improve the nutritional content of rice, several strategies have been implemented through biotechnological techniques and conventional breeding program, which include the overexpression of iron storage protein ferritin or by heat-stable phytase gene, overexpression of NAS gene family members like NAS1 and NAS2, incorporating beta-carotene pathway inside the rice, overexpression of some proteins with high lysine content along with some genes from other organisms, incorporation of some synthetic proteins or by manipulating the storage of prolamins and glutamines proteins and crossing with the high nutrient or protein content rice varieties with high yielding ones to produce high yield nutrient, protein varieties. Besides, several approaches have been adopted to develop a low glycaemic index (GI) rice to mitigate type II diabetes. The content of ω-3 fatty acid has been increased in rice to suppress cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases. Apart from biofortification, genetically modified rice has been developed by silencing of the desired gene using RNAi technology to increase the shelf-life. During the last decade, several genome editing approaches, including CRISPR-Cas9, contributed a significant role in biofortification process of rice as well as other crops.
Plato Meets Marx at Chicago

This book will challenge and provoke or edify different readers, but also possibly the same ones. Count me among the grateful latter. As a Classicist-Humanist I admire Plato for his imagination, fo...
Characteristics of pelvic organ prolapse content available on social media

AIMS To analyze the quality, understandability, and actionability of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) content and to characterize creators of content and treatment options discussed on social media platforms YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest. METHODS A cross-sectional, qualitative study was conducted for each platform. A search for "pelvic organ prolapse" was conducted and the first 100 relevant results analyzed. Data collected include source characteristics, treatments discussed, and scores for each criterion of validated Patient Education Materials and Assessment Tool and DISCERN metrics to evaluate quality, actionability, and understandability. The χ 2 analysis, univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were done to assess correlations and the impact of variables on outcomes of interest across platforms. RESULTS Low to moderate quality was present in 74.1% of posts. Poor understandability was seen in 37.1% of posts, and 56.1% had poor actionability. The most common publisher of content overall was health and wellness or physical therapy groups (44.6%). The most common YouTube publisher was doctors, hospitals, or clinics (49%). Pelvic floor muscle training was the most discussed treatment overall (57.4%). On YouTube surgery was discussed more frequently than Instagram or Pinterest (58% vs. 11% vs. 43%, p < 0.001. Pinterest posts had better understandability ratings than YouTube videos (odds ratio = 0.19; 95% confidence interval: [0.10-0.36]; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Information on popular platforms regarding POP demonstrates inconsistent quality and poor understandability and actionability. There is an opportunity for health care providers to direct patients to curated lists of high-quality educational content on these platforms. Awareness of information available on social media is an increasingly important aspect of patient care.
It takes a village: a call for engaging attachment with adjunct disciplines to clarify "in-house" clinical conundrums.

Researchers have long discussed the rich clinical applications of attachment theory. Specifically, clinicians have been compelled by the idea that insecure attachment, broadly speaking, may bring a...
The Sampling Ratio in Multilevel Structural Equation Models: Considerations to Inform Study Design

Multilevel structural equation modeling (MSEM) allows researchers to model latent factor structures at multiple levels simultaneously by decomposing within- and between-group variation. Yet the ext...
Realistic dosage of tummy time practice during infancy.

Background: The pediatricians recommend “tummy time” (placing a baby on their stomach while awake) as a physical activity for non-locomotor infants. However, parents often do not fully understand specific methods for fulfilling tummy time recommendations, then did not implement tummy time in the early stage of life. Aim of the study: The study aimed to determine the realistic dosage of daily tummy time for parents and infants of various ages. Methods: A total of 11 infants (7 girls, 4 boys, start age 61. 5days) participated in the intervention. Accumulate 60 minutes of tummy time was requested throughout the day. Results: Infants completed the intervention (achievement of sitting milestone age) at an average of 182.18 days old. The average duration of intervention days was 120.63 days. The average daily practice was 50.12 minutes. During the intervention, the percentage of completed days infants meet their required dosage was an average of 46.3 %. The percentage of missing days infants did not practice tummy time at all was an average of 18.64%. The percentage of days that infants did practice tummy time, but were under the required dosage was an average of 23.51%. Conclusion: It was evident that the prescribed dosage of daily practice was a too ambitious goal and maybe far from realistic for non-locomotor infants. Keywords: tummy time, early exercise, physical activity, motor development
Teaching Techniques to Facilitate Time Management in Remote and Online Teaching

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a host of personal and professional complications for faculty across academia, as well as the students they teach. While the severity of these complications vary at the individual level and look different for everyone, one area COVID-19 has presented enormous challenges in academia is time management. Both faculty and students have been forced to adjust their schedules due to consequences of the pandemic (this includes school and university closures, employment issues, and even the virus itself). Such changes create major challenges for both groups, particularly those converting traditional daytime face-to-face courses into online and hybrid formats. This paper offers three specific techniques to facilitate time management: asynchronous teaching, chunking, and micro-learning. Research findings have led to the support for each of these techniques. The authors explain how each technique facilitates time management via remote and online teaching, and make suggestions about each technique in their own courses to contextualize their usage. Recommendations are also noted, with the goal of enabling faculty to preserve one of their and their students’ resources during and after a pandemic: time.
Selection in Motion: A Formal Model of Rule 12(B)(6) and the Twombly-Iqbal Shift in Pleading Policy

I build a sequential model of pre-discovery litigation and analyze it using standard game-theoretic tools. The model is rich enough to allow me to capture key aspects of pre-discovery litigation and tractable enough to allow me to yield several important results concerning the effects of the Supreme Court’s Twombly and Iqbal cases, which many observers believe raised the pleading standard in federal civil litigation. I show that the Rule 12(b)(6) motion filing and grant rates each might take on any value between zero and 100 percent. I also show that the parties' behavioral responses to more demanding pleading — what I call party selection — might cause any combination of increases, no change, or decreases in the Rule 12(b)(6) motion filing rate, the grant rate, and the number of cases filed. This analytical result casts suggests that very little is at stake in the heated debate concerning recent empirical studies of Twombly and Iqbal’s effects on the Rule 12(b)(6) grant rate. I then use the model to verify the validity of the empirical approach in an earlier paper, and I reprise that paper’s empirical finding that switching to the Twombly/Iqbal pleading regime had negative effects on plaintiffs in a substantial share of cases that had Rule 12(b)(6) motions filed (or filed and granted) in the post-Iqbal period.I then raise three normative issues related to Twombly and Iqbal. The first issue concerns the impact of switching to more demanding pleading on parties’ expected payoffs from litigation. I show analytically that, on the whole, switching to a more demanding pleading standard will redistribute from plaintiffs to defendants. Second, I tee up the question of how one might tell whether Twombly and Iqbal have affected only low-merit suits or have had effects that the cases’ authors did not intend. Third, I explore the multi-faceted ways in which pleading standards might affect primary behavior, illustrating that the choice of pleading standards involves tradeoffs between reducing unlawful behavior and chilling lawful behavior.
Lumen digestion technique for isolation of aortic endothelial cells from heme oxygenase-1 knockout mice

Endothelial cell dysfunction plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Gene targeted mutant, knockout, or transgenic mice are widely used in the laboratory investigation...
Indole-2, 3-quinodimethanes: Synthesis of indolocarbazoles for the synthesis of the fused dimeric indole alkaloid staurosporinone

Abstract N-[(4-Methoxyphenyl)sulfonyl]-3-ethyl-2-formylindole, made by direct electrophilic formylation of N-[(4-methoxylphenyl)sulfonyl]-3-ethylindole using α, α-dichloromethylmethylether/TiCl 4 , was converted into the imine 23 by treatment with 2-aminostyrene The imine 23 , on treatment with methylchloroformate gave the hexahydroindolocarbazole 24 , which was dehydrogenated (DDQ) to give the completely aromatic system 25 Other examples of this type of methodology for the synthesis of both indolocarbazoles and pyrrolocarbazoles are described.
MODELING TELECOMMUNICATION OUTAGES DUE TO POWER LOSS

This work involves analyzing reported US telecommunications outages due to power loss over an eight year period (1996- 2003). Data from the reports includes the dateltime of each outage, allowing time series reliability analysis. The arrival process is modeled by two non-homogenous Poisson processes (NHPP): the popular power law process and a piecewise linear process. The study concludes that the number of telecommunication power outages after September II, 2001 (9-11) decreased. In this case, the frequency of outages changed abruptly, strongly inferring a change or breakpoint in fundamental process. The major fmding is that there is strong evidence of reliability growth. However , the growth could not be attributed to a monotonic "learning curve" improvement process. Rather, modeling provid es strong evidence that 9-11 was episodic enough of an event to act as the catalyst for improvement
Use of a Formal Assessment Instrument for Evaluation of Veterinary Student Surgical Skills

Objectives To (1) evaluate the design and use of a global rating scale assessment instrument in veterinary medical education and; (2) examine the effectiveness of 2 surgical techniques courses for improving the surgical skills of veterinary students. Study Design Instrument development; observational; survey-based. Sample Population Students (n = 16) registered for 2 elective surgical techniques courses were enrolled on a volunteer basis. Methods A 5-point global rating scale instrument was designed for the evaluation of 12 basic surgical skills by faculty evaluators and used to obtain student start and end scores during the courses. Upon conclusion of the courses, students completed a survey from which their opinions on their improvement as well as their desire for feedback were obtained. Results All authors agreed the instrument was easy to use. As groups, 3rd year students, 4th year students, and all students combined had significantly higher total skill scores at the end of the courses compared to the start of the courses. Individually, 10 students (63%) had significant improvement in surgical skills as a result of their participation in the courses: 4 (100%) 3rd year and 6 (50%) 4th year students. Student survey responses revealed a strong desire for feedback as well as support of formal assessment methods. Only weak agreement was found between student opinions on their improvement and the authors' assessment scores. Conclusions Assessment instruments are useful for (1) student evaluation and (2) for providing students with feedback on their surgical skills.
The economic availability of woody biomass for the southeastern United States.

Abstract A deterministic model was developed to estimate the average total cost of producing whole-tree chips from woody biomass for energy production. The model, IFCHIPSS (Industrial Fuel Chip Supply Simulator), estimated harvest, transportation and stumpage costs. Average total cost estimates were made for 62 potential plant locations in the southeastern United States. The model employed a spatial analytical component and used a geographic information system to locate potential plant sites. The model also measured the impact of market and non-market conditions on the economic availability of woody biomass. Northeast Florida, Southern Georgia, Southern Alabama and the Coastal Plain of South Carolina were considered low cost regions for any production level of woody biomass. Costs in these regions ranged from $8.89 t−1 (1987 US dollars per green metric ton) to $11.58 t−1 up to 90 700 t (green metric ton) of annual production. A green metric ton was considered to be pre-dried forest wood fiber. Higher cost regions were the South Delta of Louisiana, Kentucky, West Virginia and the mountains of Tennessee and Virginia. Costs in these regions ranged from $16.46 t−1 to $37.50 t−1 up to 90 700 t of annual production.
Observed Effects of a Changing Step-Edge Density on Thin-Film Growth Dynamics

We grew ${\mathrm{S}\mathrm{r}\mathrm{T}\mathrm{i}\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ on ${\mathrm{S}\mathrm{r}\mathrm{T}\mathrm{i}\mathrm{O}}_{3}(001)$ by pulsed laser deposition, while observing x-ray diffraction at the $(00\frac{1}{2})$ position. The drop $\ensuremath{\Delta}I$ in the x-ray intensity following a laser pulse contains information about plume-surface interactions. Kinematic theory predicts $\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}I}{I}=\ensuremath{-}4\ensuremath{\sigma}(1\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\sigma})$, so that $\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}I}{I}$ depends only on the amount of deposited material $\ensuremath{\sigma}$. In contrast, we observed experimentally that $|\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}I}{I}|l4\ensuremath{\sigma}(1\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\sigma})$ and that $\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}I}{I}$ depends on the phase of x-ray growth oscillations. The combined results suggest a fast smoothing mechanism that depends on surface step-edge density.
Mold infestation of wet spray-applied cellulose insulation.

Abstract Mold investigations were conducted in four buildings that had been insulated with wet spray–applied cellulose insulation (WSACI). Bulk WSACI samples were collected and analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) methods. Airborne mold was evaluated using both Burkard total mold spore and Andersen culturable/viable sampling methods. Although reportedly treated with biocidal borates, QPCR analyses indicated that elevated concentrations of mold cells (reported as spore equivalents per gram) may be present in WSACI. QPCR analyses showed the following: (1) very high concentrations of Penicillium chrysogenum in samples from two of four buildings; (2) very high concentrations of Stachybotrys chartarum in samples from one building and a more moderate presence in a second; (3) moderately high concentrations of Aspergillus versicolor in samples from one building and more moderate concentrations in a second; (4) the presence of the opportunistic pathogen, Aspergillus fumigatus, in samples from...
Electrical and Optical Properties of V2O5 Micro-Nano Structures Grown by Direct Vapor Phase Deposition Method

Vanadium pentaoxide (V 2 O 5 ) micro-nano structures are grown on Si(lll), Si(100), molybdenum (Mo), and fused silica (FS) substrates using direct vapor phase technique and studied using scanning electron and atomic force microscopy. The shape and size of V 2 O 5 micro-nano structures depend on the substrate. Belt-shaped V 2 O 5 structures formed on the Si(lll) substrates are ∼500 nm to 2 μm in width, ∼50 μm in length, and oriented ∼45-56° with respect to the substrate surface. The growth mechanism of V 2 O 5 on Si(lll) and Si(100) is compared and discussed on the basis of free surface energy on Si surfaces. A small number of scattered wires of 250-400 nm diameter and 25-30 μm length are formed on Mo and FS substrates. Photoluminescence intensity of the V 2 Ο 5 structures is found to vary with the nature of the substrate. The potential uses of such long wires are discussed in light of miniaturized devices.
Waves and patterns in reaction-diffusion systems. Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction in water-in-oil microemulsions

Advances in nonequilibrium pattern formation in reaction–diffusion systems are reviewed. Special emphasis is placed on patterns found in the spatially extended Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction dispersed in aerosol OT water-in-oil microemulsions (BZ–AOT system): Turing patterns, packet and standing waves, antispirals and segmented spirals, and accelerating waves and oscillons. All experimental results are explained theoretically and reproduced in computer simulations.
A User-Friendly Introduction to Link-Probit-Normal Models

Probit-normal models have attractive properties compared to logit-normal models. In particular, they allow for easy specification of marginal links of interest while permitting a conditional random effects structure. Moreover, programming fitting algorithms for probit-normal models can be trivial with the use of well-developed algorithms for approximating multivariate normal quantiles. In typical settings, data cannot distinguish between probit and logit conditional link functions. Therefore, if marginal interpretations are desired, the default conditional link should be the most convenient one. We refer to models with a probit conditional link, an arbitrary marginal link, and a normal random effect distribution as link-probit-normal models. In this article we outline these models and discuss appropriate situations for using multivariate normal approximations for estimation. Unlike other articles in this area that focus on very general situations and implement Markov chain or MCEM algorithms, we focus on ...
Do I trust google? An exploration of how people form trust in cloud computing

The present study explores individual end-users' perspectives of cloud computing, especially issues regarding their trust/distrust of cloud services. While current cloud computing service development focuses on adoption by enterprises and organizations, individual end-users who use cloud services in their everyday lives also constitute an important consumer group. Challenges of trust in cloud computing have gained social and scholarly attention accompanied with the rise of privacy and data security concerns. Studies that investigate individual end-users' views of trust in cloud services, however, are rare. Using semi-structured interviews and a survey questionnaire, the present study aims to capture how ordinary individuals think about cloud computing and how they form their trust/distrust of cloud services and service providers. In this poster, authors present preliminary results of analysis of interview data.
A method for high-performance sequence analysis using polyvinylidene difluoride membranes with a biphasic reaction column sequencer.

Abstract Methods have been developed for high-sensitivity sequence analysis of proteins electroblotted onto polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membranes using a Hewlett-Packard G1005A protein sequencer. This sequencer normally uses a biphasic (hydrophobic/hydrophilic) reaction column which was designed to accommodate loading and cleanup of samples from diverse solutions. However, the standard column, programs, and chemistry were not designed to accommodate PVDF, which has become a common sequencing support. In this study, a systematic evaluation of the suitability of this sequencer for analysis using PVDF bound samples was performed and included evaluation of: different wash and extraction solvents, multiple programming changes, two alternative formulations of coupling reagents, and the effect of direction for solvent and reagent deliveries. High-performance analysis of PVDF bound samples was achieved by: using a modified reaction column with an empty hydrophobic (top) half of the column module, program modifications for the reaction column and converter, substitution of ethyl acetate for the standard S2/3 extraction solvent and using prototype Version 2.0 formulations of the coupling reagents, R1 and R2. High-performance sequence analyses of experimental samples electroblotted from either 1D or 2D gels onto high-retention PVDF membranes were obtained with a 41-min cycle time, including experimental samples with initial coupling yields
The effects of income and inflation on personal satisfaction: Functional measurement in economic psychology

Abstract Controlled experimental designs and functional measurement procedures were used to study how people perceive the effects of changes in major economic variables. In experiment I one group of subjects rated economic well-being and another group of subjects rated personal satisfaction for a variety of economic scenarios described by variations in salary, rate of increase in salary (annual raise), and annual rate of inflation. Stimulus interaction effects were found for each response scale showing that there is not a simple subtractive relationship between wage gains and inflation in determining perceived economic impact. Experiment 2 further investigated the interactive effects of raise and inflation on personal satisfaction. Results were discussed in terms of two complementary psychological processes: a “negativity effect” whereby unfavorable levels of raise and inflation have disproportionate weight, and a comparison of raise and inflation rate whereby personal satisfaction is incremented disproportionately when raise changes from below the inflation rate to above the inflation rate. Psychological concepts revealed in this study were related to economic concepts of “elasticity of demand” and “money illusion”.
Assessing Predictability of Cotton Yields in the Southeastern United States Based on Regional Atmospheric Circulation and Surface Temperatures

Abstract The potential to predict cotton yields up to one month before planting in the southeastern United States is assessed in this research. To do this, regional atmospheric variables that are related to historic summer rainfall and cotton yields were identified. The use of simulations of those variables from a global circulation model (GCM) for estimating cotton yields was evaluated. The authors analyzed detrended cotton yields (1970–2004) from 48 counties in Alabama and Georgia, monthly rainfall from 53 weather stations, monthly reanalysis data of 850- and 200-hPa winds and surface temperatures over the southeast U.S. region, and monthly predictions of the same variables from the ECHAM 4.5 GCM. Using the reanalysis climate data, it was found that meridional wind fields and surface temperatures around the Southeast were significantly correlated with county cotton yields (explaining up to 52% of the interannual variability of observed yields), and with rainfall over most of the region, especially durin...
Acquisition, optimization and interpretation of X-ray computed tomographic imagery: applications to the geosciences

High-resolution X-ray computed tomography (CT) is a novel technology ideally suited to a wide range of geological investigations. It is a quick and nondestructive method to produce images that correspond closely to serial sections through an object. Sequential contiguous images are compiled to create three-dimensional representations that can be manipulated digitally to perform efficiently a large array of measurement and visualization tasks. Optimal data acquisition and interpretation require proper selection of scanning configuration, use of suitable X-ray sources and detectors, careful calibration, and attention to origins and modes of artifact suppression. Visualization of CT data typically profits from the ability to view arbitrarily oriented sections through the three-dimensional volume represented by the data, and from the capability to extract features of interest selectively and display perspective views of them using methods of isocontouring or volume rendering. Geological applications include interior examination of one-of-a-kind fossils or meteorites; textural analysis of igneous and metamorphic rocks; geometric description and quantification of porosity and permeability in rocks and soils; and any other application demanding three-dimensional data that formerly required physical serial sectioning.
Analytical validation of an HPLC assay for urinary albumin

Abstract Background Microalbuminuria is the earliest clinical finding for renal disease. Diabetic individuals often produce modified forms of albumin, perhaps due to impaired lysosomal processing, that are undetectable by common immunoassays but accurately measured by HPLC. Methods We evaluated the performance of a commercially available, FDA-approved HPLC assay (AusAm Biotechnologies, NY) and compare results to our immunoturbidimetric assay (ITA, Beckman-Coulter, CA) using random urine specimens from 32 nondiabetic and 60 type 1 and 2 diabetic subjects. Results The HPLC assay was linear to 963 mg/l with a limit of detection of 6.1 mg/l. Within-run and between-run precision was Conclusions Prospective studies are necessary to determine whether the HPLC assay can effectively detect microalbuminuria earlier than current assays without a concomitant increase in the false positive rate.
Modeling ballistic target motion during boost for tracking

This paper deals with models of ballistic target (BT) motion during the boost phase for target tracking. Different options to improve the accuracy of modeling are discussed and several enhanced models are proposed. They include simple kinematic models of the so-called gravity turn (GT) target motion and more sophisticated models, accounting for the BT flight dynamics during boost, as well. Tracking simulations are presented.
Disinhibition in the rat septum mediated by M1 muscarinic receptors.

Acetylcholine (ACh) has been documented as an important central neurotransmitter. We have investigated the actions of ACh within the dorsolateral septal nucleus of the rat to examine its action within this nucleus, specificity how it may interact to modulate the inhibitory action of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the known inhibitory transmitter in this area. Our results demonstrate that ACh, acting on M1 muscarinic receptors leads to disinhibition by decreasing GABA release.
THE EFFECT OF PERCEIVED CONFLICT ON EVALUATIONS OF NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT GOALS

Abstract The use of direct judgments of goal importance in additive utility models depends on the assumption that each goal is judged independently of all other goals and that judgments are not affected by perceived conflicts between goals. In an experiment designed to test this assumption subjects read a description of a hypothetical national forest, then rated the importance of six forest management goals and the amount of conflict between each pair of goals. The management scenarios were varied to represent two levels of conflict between a wilderness preservation goal and a timber production goal, and two levels of scarcity of existing wilderness areas. Goals which conflicted with wilderness preservation were rated lower in importance when the conflict was higher and when wilderness scarcity was high. This suggests that individuals discount the importance of goals which are perceived as conflicting with a highly valued goal. These results show that direct judgments of goal importance may not satisfy the requirements of additive utility models, and that public perception of conflict between goals must be taken into account when interpreting judgments of the importance of management goals.
M3: a mm-scale wireless energy harvesting sensor platform

In this demo, we explore the critical role that power plays in the development of a mm-scale system. We argue that any practical deployment of a mm-scale system must have a significant energy harvesting component. We demo the newest M3 system, a self-contained, 1 mm3, energy-harvesting computing platform capable of short-range (order cm) wireless transmission. Finally, we present some of the M3's innovations that enable its current basic operation and discuss some of the open problems that remain before a smart dust network becomes operable.
Calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II mediates hippocampal glutamatergic plasticity during benzodiazepine withdrawal

Benzodiazepine withdrawal anxiety is associated with potentiation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate receptor (AMPAR) currents in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons attributable to increased synaptic incorporation of GluA1-containing AMPARs. The contribution of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) to enhanced glutamatergic synaptic strength during withdrawal from 1-week oral flurazepam (FZP) administration was further examined in hippocampal slices. As earlier reported, AMPAR-mediated miniature excitatory postsynaptic current (mEPSC) amplitude increased in CA1 neurons from 1- and 2-day FZP-withdrawn rats, along with increased single-channel conductance in neurons from 2-day rats, estimated by non-stationary noise analysis. Input–output curve slope was increased without a change in paired-pulse facilitation, suggesting increased AMPAR postsynaptic efficacy rather than altered glutamate release. The increased mEPSC amplitude and AMPAR conductance were related to CaMKII activity, as intracellular inclusion of CaMKIINtide or autocamtide-2-related inhibitory peptide, but not scrambled peptide, prevented both AMPAR amplitude and conductance changes. mEPSC inhibition by 1-naphthyl acetyl spermine and the negative shift in rectification index at both withdrawal time points were consistent with functional incorporation of GluA2-lacking AMPARs. GluA1 but not GluA2 or GluA3 levels were increased in immunoblots of postsynaptic density (PSD)-enriched subcellular fractions of CA1 minislices from 1-day FZP-withdrawn rats, when mEPSC amplitude, but not conductance, was increased. Both GluA1 expression levels and CaMKIIα-mediated GluA1 Ser831 phosphorylation were increased in PSD-subfractions from 2-day FZP-withdrawn rats. As phospho-Thr286CaMKIIα was unchanged, CaMKIIα may be activated through an alternative signaling pathway. Synaptic insertion and subsequent CaMKIIα-mediated Ser831 phosphorylation of GluA1 homomers contribute to benzodiazepine withdrawal-induced AMPAR potentiation and may represent an important hippocampal pathway mediating both drug-induced and activity-dependent plasticity.
The Effect of Myosin Regulatory Light Chain Phosphorylation on N47K Mutant Myosin Mechanics

Familial Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (FHC) is characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy that can often be preceded by diastolic dysfunction. The clinical presentation of the disease varies from asymptomatic to progressive heart failure to sudden cardiac death. FHC is caused by mutations in genes that encode for all major sarcomeric proteins. There are 12 known FHC-linked mutations in the myosin regulatory light chain (RLC). The RLC mechanically stabilizes the myosin lever arm, which is crucial to myosin's ability to transmit contractile force. Two FHC mutations, N47K and R58Q, located in the RLC Ca2+-Mg2+ site have previously been shown to reduce actin filament velocity under load, stemming from a more compliant lever arm (Greenberg et al., PNAS add details 2010). In contrast, phosphorylation of the RLC can impart stiffness to the myosin lever arm. We hypothesized that phosphorylation of the N47K-RLC may mitigate distinct mutation-induced structural and functional abnormalities. To generate mutant β-myosin, native pig RLC was depleted from porcine cardiac myosin heavy chain and reconstituted with mutant N47K or wild-type human RLC. In the work presented here, in vitro motility assays were utilized to investigate the effects of RLC phosphorylation on the N47K-RLC mutant phenotype in the presence of an α-actinin frictional load. Consistent with previous findings, myosin bearing the N47K mutation reduced actin sliding velocity compared to WT when incubated with α-actinin, resulting in a 25% reduction in force production. Phosphorylation of N47K mutant myosin increased sliding velocity and restored force production to WT values. These results point to RLC phosphorylation as a potential target to ameliorate the FHC RLC phenotype at the molecular level. Supported by AHA- 12PRE11910009 (AK), 10POST3420009 (PM), NIH- HL071778 & HL108343 (DSC) and HL077280 (JM).
Mentoring in further and higher education: learning from the literature

Concentrates on the mentoring support for teachers in further education (FE) and higher education (HE), rather than the mentoring of students following qualification programmes. Raises issues of definition and argues the need for peer mentoring. Evaluates mentoring models and explores issues of role modelling, selection, styles, skills and qualities. Covers literature from the USA, Canada, Australia and Europe and spans the period 1793‐1996, starting with a British Library reference called “The Female Mentor” and including the recent upsurge in mentoring interest across business and the professions.
Tellurium Containing Organic Metals

Abstract The electrical conductivity as a function of temperature is reported for single crystals of HMTTeF-TCNQ and HMTTeF-DMTCNQ. The crystal structure for one form of the DMTCNQ salt of HMTTeF is described and a procedure is outlined that could ultimately produce TMTTeF.
Calculation of deuterium isotope effects in proton transfer reactions

Abstract Various levels of theory are tested for the purpose of computing the rate constant for proton transfer reactions. Standard transition state theory is applied to a series of molecules with a progressively more bent intramolecular hydrogen bond. The systems all display similar deuterium isotope effects (DIEs); the larger DIE at low temperature is attributed to zero-point vibrational effects. However, when tunneling is incorporated via a microcanonical approach, a dramatically enhanced effect is observed for the most distorted H-bond. The energy barrier for proton transfer between carbon atoms involved in triple bonds is smaller than for carbons with lesser multiplicity. The DIE displays a sensitivity to temperature that is least for the carbon atoms with the greatest multiplicity of bonding. The tunneling obtained by following the minimum energy reaction path along the potential energy surface is similar to that when the potential is approximated by an Eckart barrier. However, significant discrepancies are observed at temperatures below about 250 K.
Experimental approaches to tissue engineering.

Video Link The video component of this article can be found at http://www.jove.com/video/272/ Disclosures The authors have nothing to disclose.