cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cross-Layer Optimization with Power Control in DS-CDMA Visual Sensor Networks

In this paper, we propose an approach for cross-layer optimization with power control for a direct sequence-code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) visual sensor network where nodes monitor scenes with varying levels of motion. Our technique simultaneously assigns a source coding rate, a channel coding rate, and a power level to all nodes in the network based on two criteria that maximize the quality of video of the entire network as a whole, subject to a constraint on the total chip rate. One method minimizes the average end-to-end distortion amongst all nodes, while the other method minimizes the maximum distortion of the network. To reduce the computational complexity of the solution, universal rate-distortion characteristics (URDCs) are obtained experimentally to relate bit errors probabilities to the distortion of corrupted video. The URDCs are used in conjunction with channel characteristic plots obtained by using rate-compatible punctured convolutional (RCPC) codes for channel coding.
24-Thiacycloartanol, a potent mechanism-based inactivator of plant sterol methyltransferase

Abstract The rationally designed substrate mimic of cycloartenol, 24-thiacycloartanol (24-TC) 4A , and its corresponding sulfonium salt 5A were tested against the recombinant sterol methyltransferase (SMT) from Glycine max (soybean). Analog 4A was found to irreversibly inactivate the enzyme generating competitive- and time-dependent inhibition of activity accompanied by a K i value of 2 μM and k inact of 0.3 min −1 . Analog 5A , a presumptive high-energy intermediate of the SMT catalyzed reaction, was found to be a reversible, non-competitive-type inhibitor generating a K i value of 55 nM.
Low-level carbon-14 determination by improved Schöniger combustion and ionization chamber

Abstract A procedure for measuring low levels of C 14 radioactivity, diluted with large amounts of inactive carbon in heterogeneous samples, has been developed. It was used during a metabolic balance study of l -ascorbic-1-C 14 acid in monkeys (9) and humans. The techniques employed are described below, in particular the modifications developed in the use of a Schoniger (1, 2) type of oxidation flask for the conversion of liquid and solid samples to barium carbonate.
Variation in soil net mineralization rates with dissolved organic carbon additions

Northeastern forest are generally considered to be nitrogen limited, even though soil microbial populations may in fact be limited by the amount of carbon required as an energy source. Field studies have shown that with increasing N availability, net mineralization rates increase initially but then decrease over time. One possible reason for a reduction in net mineralization rates is that labile soil carbon, such as dissolved organic carbon (DOC), becomes depleted. Five-week laboratory incubations of organic and mineral soil samples with different carbon amendments were performed in order to determine the effect of carbon quality on potential net nitrification and net mineralization rates. Net nitrogen immobilization was greater in soils incubated with glucose amendments than those incubated with more complex carbon compounds such as humic acid. Although this resulted in lower net mineralization rates overall, net immobilization is an indicator of immediate microbial response to the carbon substrate. Net nitrification was not detected, likely due to the short duration of the incubations. Measurements of gross mineralization rates may be necessary to see an overall effect of carbon substrate on N cycling in these soils.
BINARY LOGISTIC REGRESSION AND PHM ANALYSIS FOR RELIABILITY DATA

This study proposes a modification for the binary logistic regression to treat time-dependent covariates for reliability studies. The proportional hazard model (PHM) properties are well suited for modeling survival data when there are categorical predictors; as it compares hazards to a reference category. However, time-dependent covariates present a challenge for the analysis as stratification does not produce hazards for the covariate stratified or creation of dummy time-dependent covariates faces difficulty on selecting the time interval for the interaction and the coefficient results may be difficult to interpret. The findings show that the logistic regression can provide equal or better results than the PHM applied for reliability analysis when time-dependent covariate is evaluated. The PHM is potentially preferred to address data set without time-dependent variables as it does not require any data manipulation. The logistic regression ignores the information on timing of the events; which is corrected by breaking each subject survival history into a set of discrete time intervals that are treated as distinct observations evaluated as a binary distribution. Recurrent events can be addressed by both methods with proper correction for lack of heterogeneity. The application of the modified logistic regression model for the study of reliability is innovative and with readily potential application for step-stress time-dependent accelerated life testing.
Escape behavior of Acartia hudsonica copepods during interactions with scyphomedusae

Calanoid copepods possess remarkable abilities to detect and escape from hydrodynamic disturbances, such as those created by approaching predators. At the same time, a number of studies in coastal ecosystems have suggested that gelatinous predators, including medusae in the Class Scyphozoa, exert top-down control on copepod populations. Although prey escape behavior plays a critical role in predation models, we have relatively little empirical data on how copepods respond to encounters with scyphomedusae. In this study, I used video to quantify encounter rates and escape behaviors of the copepod Acartia hudsonica during interactions with two scyphomedusae, Aurelia aurita and Cyanea sp., in two flow regimes. Escapes were complex, variable and effective. Fewer than 1% of encounters resulted in ingestion. Typically, A.hudsonica avoided contact by responding when predators remained several body lengths (4 to 10 mm) distant and stringing together many escape jumps at submaximum velocities (33 to 59 mm s -1 ). In addition, copepodite stages behaved passively-or failed to respond-following encounters with medusae more often than did adults. Because escape behavior exhibited by A.hudsonica was so variable, it is unlikely that medusae capture copepods using a single, quantifiable mechanism. A range of responses within populations and individuals may be the best strategy for zooplankton faced with strong predation pressure from a variety of predators.
On identifying the most critical step in the sequence of heat treating operations in a 7249 aluminum alloy

Abstract The variables studied in the heat treatment processes of the 7249 aluminum alloy were 5 solution treatment temperatures (445–505 °C), 3 quenching media (water, 20% polyalkylene glycol, and air), 3 natural aging times (0, 4, and 168 h) and 3 artificial aging temperatures (111, 121, and 131 °C). The effect of varying these parameters on the mechanical strength was discussed. Quenching is identified to be the most critical step in this process.
CO2 effects on the water budget of grassland microcosm communities

Experimental grassland ecosystems, in microcosms 0.2 m in diameter and with a 0.95 m soil column, varied in their responses to elevated partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and altered moisture inputs. Ecosystems on moderately fertile sandstone soil and with a typical mix of moderately fast-growing sandstone species, responded to elevated pCO2 with decreases in mid-season evapotranspiration of nearly 50%. This pattern reversed at the end of the growing season, and sandstone ecosystems under elevated pCO2 continued active transpiration farther into the summer drought. The sandstone ecosystems appeared to convert mid-season water conservation into increased late-season growth. Effects of increased pCO2 on ecosystem evapotranspiration were much smaller in ecosystems with very infertile serpentine soil and a diverse mixture of slow-growing serpentine species.
Heat transfer in an annular gap

Abstract Heat-transfer coefficients were measured for the flow in the annular space between an inner rotating cylinder and an outer stationary one, with superimposed axial flow. The problem was stimulated by the desire for additional information on the design of cooling systems for electric motors of high power density. The speeds of rotation were such as to include Taylor numbers up to about 106, and the range of Reynolds numbers based on the axial velocity components and the gap distance were extended to 7000. Experiments were performed at three different Prandtl numbers 2.5, 4.5 and 6.5.
Behavioral and neurophysiologic response to therapy for chronic aphasia.

Abstract Breier JI, Juranek J, Maher LM, Schmadeke S, Men D, Papanicolaou AC. Behavioral and neurophysiologic response to therapy for chronic aphasia. Objective To characterize the relationship between neurophysiologic changes in the brain and behavioral response to constraint-induced language therapy (CILT) by using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Design Case series. Setting Medical school. Participants Patients (N=23) with chronic aphasia after first-time unilateral stroke in the left hemisphere. Interventions Constraint-induced language therapy administered for 3 hours 4 times per week for 3 weeks. Language testing and functional imaging during a language comprehension task using MEG before, immediately after, and 3 months after CILT with a subgroup of patients undergoing additional MEG scanning and language testing 3 weeks before CILT. Main Outcome Measures The percent of correct information units and the number of late dipoles normalized to total activation. Results Three patterns of behavioral and neurophysiologic response to CILT were identified. Patients with significant improvement in language immediately after CILT who lost these gains at follow-up had greater right hemisphere activation than other patients at all MEG scanning sessions. Patients with significant improvement in language immediately after CILT who maintained these gains at follow-up exhibited an increase in left temporal activation after CILT, whereas patients who did not exhibit significant improvement in language after CILT exhibited comparably greater activation in left parietal areas. Conclusions Results suggest that although the right hemisphere may support recovery of language function in response to therapy, this recovery may not be stable, and some participation of perilesional areas of the left hemisphere may be necessary for a stable behavioral response.
Gastric lymph node contouring atlas: A tool to aid in clinical target volume definition in 3-dimensional treatment planning for gastric cancer

Abstract Purpose: To develop a contouring atlas of the gastric lymph node stations to be used in defining and planning clinical target volumes in 3-dimensional treatment planning for gastric cancers. Methods and Materials: Four physicians, including 2 radiation oncologists, a diagnostic radiologist, and a surgical oncologist specialized in gastric cancer, convened over the course of multiple meetings. Four patients were identified as representative cases, including 3 gastric cancer patients treated with differing surgical approaches (total gastrectomy, Ivor-Lewis esophagogastrectomy, and distal gastrectomy) and 1 patient with intact gastric anatomy. Radiographic delineation of lymph node stations was established for each case to highlight differences between intact anatomy and different postoperative anatomy. Results: Consensus was achieved among physicians in order to create a computed tomographic-based contouring atlas of gastric lymph node stations. Detailed radiographic lymph node station delineation for both intact gastric anatomy and post-surgical anatomy are discussed. Conclusions: This report serves as a template for the delineation of gastric lymph node stations to aid in the definition of elective clinical target volumes to be used in conformal treatment planning.
The role of microtubules in vessel member differentiation inColeus

The role of microtubules in tracheary element formation in cultured stem segments ofColeus has been investigated through the use of the antimicrotubule drug, colchicine. Colchicine treatment of the cultured stem segments produced a dual effect on xylem differentiation. If applied at the time of stem segment isolation or shortly thereafter, wound vessel member formation is almost completely blocked. However, if colchicine is applied after the third day of culture, it does not inhibit differentiation, but instead large numbers of xylem elements are formed which have highly deformed secondary walls. Both effects are related to colchicine's specific affinity for microtubules. In the first case it is shown that colchicine blocks mitosis, presumably by destroying the spindle apparatus, and thus inhibits divisions which are prerequisite for the initiation of xylem differentiation. While, if colchicine is applied after the necessary preparative divisions have taken place, it destroys specifically the cortical microtubules associated with the developing bands of secondary wall, thus causing aberrant wall deposition.
Sodium deprivation in rats: salt thresholds are related to salivary sodium concentrations

Stimulation of the taste receptors by sodium in sodium-deprived rats triggers the appetitive behavior known as salt appetite. The salivary sodium concentration bathing the receptors presumably influences indirectly salt intake by affecting the thresholds and intensity of sodium solutions. To further assess the role of gustatory sensibility in controlling salt intake, we examined the relationship between salivary sodium levels and sodium chloride intake in male Sprague-Dawley rats following 9 to 26 days of sodium deprivation. Whole saliva was collected from etherized rats injected with pilocarpine (7.5 mg/kg body wt). Sodium deprivation reduced the molar concentration of sodium, but not of potassium, from 0.05 to 0.02. This corresponded to the animals' ability to recognize weak concentrations of sodium chloride solution (0.01–0.03 M) in a one-bottle test over 10 min. Sodium-deprived rats also showed an enhanced intake of suprathreshold concentrations of sodium salts (0.1, 0.3, and 0.51 M NaCL; 0.1 Na2CO3). Comparable changes in the intake of other nonsodium salts (0.1 CaCl2, 0.1 KCl, and 0.1 K2CO3) and other gustatory stimuli (0.0001 quinine, 0.1 sucrose, and 0.001 HCl) were not found. It was suggested that (1) salivary sodium levels influence the ingestion of sodium chloride solutions by varying the adaptation of the receptors; (2) there were species differences in the abilities of rats to recognize weak saline concentrations; and (3) although salt taste receptors may not have evolved as part of a mechanism responsive to sodium need, a recent adaptation is a more specific sodium receptor utilized by some animals for sodium preference.
Improving long-term, retrospective precipitation datasets using satellite-based surface soil moisture retrievals and the Soil Moisture Analysis Rainfall Tool

Using historical satellite surface soil moisture products, the Soil Moisture Analysis Rainfall Tool (SMART) is applied to improve the submonthly scale accuracy of a multi-decadal global daily rainfall product that has been bias-corrected to match the monthly totals of available rain gauge observations. In order to adapt to the irregular retrieval frequency of heritage soil moisture products, a new variable correction window method is developed that allows for better efficiency in leveraging temporally sparse satellite soil moisture retrievals. Results confirm the advantage of using this variable window method relative to an existing fixed-window version of SMART over a range of one- to 30-day accumulation periods. Using this modified version of SMART and heritage satellite surface soil moisture products, a 1.0-deg, 20-year (1979 to 1998) global rainfall dataset over land is corrected and validated. Relative to the original precipitation product, the corrected dataset demonstrates improved correlation with a global gauge-based daily rainfall product, lower root-mean-square-error (−13%) on a 10-day scale and provides a higher probability of detection (þ5%) and lower false alarm rates (−3.4%) for five-day rainfall accumulation estimates. This corrected rainfall dataset is expected to provide improved rain- fall forcing data for the land surface modeling community. © 2012 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). (DOI: 10.1117/1.JRS.6.063604)
Study of the nonlinear response of a polymer solution to various uniaxial shear flow histories

A stiffened and automated Weissenberg Rheogoniometer has been used to obtain steady-state and transient stress data on a 12 wt.% polystyrene solution. While the results agree generally with those previously reported on the same solution, the present data-acquisition system provides a more accurate recording of short-time responses. Stress growth and relaxation data were compared with the responses predicted for a finite linear viscoelastic fluid with the same relaxation time spectrum as the test solution. Simple generalizations based on such a comparison have been sought.
Nationality and gender in sports photography: a case study on portrayals of figure skaters at Torino Winter Olympics

This case study examines the images of figure skaters in the photo essays of two popular web sites Time.com and SI.com (Sports Illustrated) using semiotic analysis. The findings of the study show both reinforcement and contradictions in representation of gender and national identities. Female figure skaters were given greater prominence than male figure skaters in the photo essays, but they were also sexualised and feminised. An interesting interplay of masculinity and femininity was noted in the images of both male and female figure skaters. American bias was noted in the representations, however several contradictions also appeared. Discussion and implications of the study emphasise the changing and fluid nature of gender and nationality identity constructs in media representation.
Sea urchin actin gene linkages determined by genetic segregation.

Genetic linkage between the actin genes of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus was investigated by observing the segregation of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). Specific RFLPs of actin gene pairs CyICyIIa and CyIIIaCyIIIb always cosegregated, confirming the linkage groups CyI-CyIIa-CyIIb and CyIIIa-CyIIIb previously determined by molecular cloning. In contrast, RFLPs of actin genes CyICyIIa, CyIIIaCyIIIb, and M all segregated at random with respect to one another. This demonstrates that the known actin gene clusters CyI-CyIIa-CyIIb, CyIIIa-CyIIIb, and the M actin gene are not closely linked.
Crystal structures of M2SnCl6 salts. An analysis of the “crystal field effect” in their nuclear quadrupole resonance and vibrational spectra

Abstract The effects of univalent cations, M = K+, NH4+, Rb+, Cs+, and (CH3)4N+, on divalent anions M′Cl62−, where M′= So, Pt, Re, Te, and Pb, in M2M′Cl6 salts having space group Fm3m have been analyzed by nuclear quadrupole resonance and vibrational spectroscopy. Single crystal X-ray diffraction collected by counter methods was carried out on the SnC16 salts, and they were found to have SnCl bond lengths and unit cell dimensions respectively of 2.411(2), 9.9818(3) A (K+); 2.421(l),10.0442(4) A (NH4+); 2.423(4), 10.0961(3) A (Rb+); 2.423(5),10.3552(2) A (Cs+); 2.402(3), 12.835(2) A ((CH3)4N+). Full matrix least-squares refinement led to R values of 0.048, 0.054, 0.092, 0.116, and 0.066, respectively. The riding and independent motion models also lead to similar bond lengths. The 35Cl NQR frequencies in the M′Cl62− ion steadily increase in this series as the cation increases in size. For SnCl62− the range is 15.063 to 16.674 MHz. The a1g vibrational motion steadily decreases and for the SnCl62− ion the range is 321 to 305 cm−1. The 35Cl NQR data correlate with the Born repulsive potential, e −r ϱ , between ions and does not correlate with other reasonable potentials. This repulsive potential, probably operating through variable amounts of Sternheimer antishielding, is proposed to be the dominant factor in the crystal field effect in the NQR spectra of these salts. The decreases in the a1g vibrational frequencies also accompany this effect. The variable sensitivity of other M′Cl62− ions to the cations is accountable in terms of differences in polarization of the anions as a function of their size.
The Impact of Secondary Mortgage Market and GSE Purchases on Home Prices: A Cleveland Case Study

Since 1992, the federal government has established regulations encouraging the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase home mortgages originated in neighborhoods traditionally underserved by financial institutions, with the aim of stimulating housing-market activity within such neighborhoods. This research tests this proposition empirically through an econometric analysis of variations in secondary mortgage market activity and single-family home prices across underserved census tracts in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1993 to 1999. We find no large or statistically significant relationship between variations in secondary-market purchasing rates of home-purchase mortgages in underserved neighborhoods and home prices one or two years hence, controlling for a rich variety of dwelling and neighborhood characteristics. These conclusions follow both for GSE and other sectors of the secondary market. We find some evidence that the secondary market was more responsive to changes in h...
Altered Gene Expression Pattern in the Fatty Liver Dystrophy Mouse Reveals Impaired Insulin-mediated Cytoskeleton Dynamics

The mouse fatty liver dystrophy (fld ) mutation is characterized by transient hypertriglyceridemia and fatty liver during the neonatal period, followed by development of a peripheral neuropathy. To uncover the metabolic pathway that is disrupted by the fld mutation, we analyzed the altered pattern of gene expression in the fatty liver of fld neonates by representational difference analysis of cDNA. Differentially expressed genes detected include a novel member of the Ras superfamily of small GTP-binding proteins, a novel Ser/Thr kinase, and several actin cytoskeleton-associated proteins including actin, profilin, α-actinin, and myosin light chain. Because these proteins have a potential functional link in the propagation of hormone signals, we investigated cytoskeleton dynamics in fld cells in response to hormone treatment. These studies revealed that preadipocytes from fld mice exhibit impaired formation of actin membrane ruffles in response to insulin treatment. These findings suggest that the altered mRNA expression levels detected infld tissue represent a compensatory response for the nonfunctional fld gene and that the fld gene product may be required for development of normal insulin response.
Palaeontology: Undressing and redressing Ediacaran embryos (Reply)

Xiao et al.1 suggest that the presence of a textured capsule surrounding some Doushantuo globular microfossils calls into question the alternative interpretation of these structures as giant sulphur bacteria similar to modern Thiomargarita2. However, the outer coatings illustrated by Xiao et al.1 are similar morphologically to known bacterial features, and the texture, location and thickness change of the capsule is inconsistent with that of a fertilization envelope. We are therefore not convinced that the bacterial hypothesis has been falsified.
Corn Phosphorus and Potassium Uptake in Response to Soil Compaction

Soil compaction by heavy axle load farm machinery can inhibit optimum plant growth. Uptake of essential nutrients, like P and K, is influenced by soil compaction. This study describes plant P and K accumulation from a compacted Webster (fine-loamy, mixed, mesic Typic Haplaquolls) soil. Whole plant samples of corn (Zea mays L.) were collected at the 75% vegetative-tassel (VT) stage from 0, 9, and 18 Mg axle load subsoil compaction treatments, each with secondary interrow surface soil compaction reduced P and K uptake as much as 22% during seasons when June and July rainfall was less thanaverage (...)
Ischemia-induced anxiety following cardiac arrest in the rat

Male Long-Evans rats were subjected to 7 min of chest compression (CC) to produce cardiac arrest and global ischemia resulting in damage to the brain. Timidity and motor activity were evaluated using the elevated plus maze, one of the most widely accepted methods for measuring anxiety in rats. Post-ischemic rats spent much less time in the open arms (3% at day 5) than handled (54%) or sham-compressed (30%) rats. This was interpreted as increased anxiety. Thus, post-ischemic rats developed more anxiety than normal handled rats or sham-operated rats. Anxiety increased markedly on post-ischemic day 2, suggesting a delayed effect. Anxiety gradually decreased after day 5 but recovery was still incomplete up to 115 days post-ischemia. Motor activity decreased gradually during days 2-5 post-ischemia and then recovered to the normal range after day 15. These results are inconsistent with damage limited to the hippocampus and suggest that less obvious histological changes may be occurring elsewhere in the brain.
The uranium-oxygen system at high pressure☆

Abstract Phase relationships existing in the uranium-oxygen system at temperatures to 1600°C and pressures to 60 kb are reported. The compounds identified in the system include UO 2 , U 4 O 9 , U 16 O 37 , U 8 O 19 , U 2 O 5 and UO 3 . Properties of new phases have been studied by X-ray diffraction, thermal and i.r. analysis. Temperature and pressure stability ranges for three crystal forms of U 2 O 5 are outlined. The crystal symmetry of α-U 2 O 5 is unknown, β-U 2 O 5 is hexagonal and γ-U 2 O 5 is monoclinic. Marked changes in the relative stability of uranium oxides are shown to occur at high pressure, and are correlated with the respective oxide structure types.
An analysis of the impact of locus‐of‐control on internal auditor job performance and satisfaction

Purpose – To examine whether internal auditors' job performance and/or job satisfaction are related to differences in the personality variable locus‐of‐control (LOC) and its relation to perceived audit structure.Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 50 internal auditors drawn from six US firms completed a survey instrument used to identify respondents' degree of LOC, perceived audit structure and job satisfaction. Performance ratings were provided by participants' managers.Findings – The study finds that those internal auditors with more internal LOC tendencies appear to outperform cohorts with more external traits. Contrary to expectations, reported job satisfaction levels for internals are not significantly different from sample members with more external LOC. However, internal auditors with an apparent conflict between their LOC and their perceived level of audit structure do report significantly lower levels of job satisfaction than cohorts without such conflict.Research limitations/implications –...
Effects of respiratory alkalosis on coronary vascular dynamics and myocardial energetics in patients with coronary artery disease

To determine if respiratory alkalosis produces hemodynamically significant coronary vasoconstriction in coronary artery disease (CAD), we studied the effects of hyperventilation on coronary sinus blood flow (CSBF), myocardial O 2 uptake, and lactate extraction in 13 CAD patients. No patient developed chest pain or ischemic ECG changes during hyperventilation. Hyperventilation increased pressure-rate product (myocardial O 2 consumption index, MVO 2 ) minimally but did not change global CSBF, coronary vascular resistance or lactate extraction. However, hyperventilation increased global myocardial O 2 uptake from 14.5 ± 3.2 to 18.7 ± 17.2 ml/min ( p 2 extraction (65.0 ± 7.4 to 71.6 ± 6.2%, p 2 uptake. We conclude that respiratory alkalosis increases myocardial O 2 extraction but does not produce hemodynamically significant coronary vasoconstriction in CAD patients.
A Multibody Dynamics Approach to Friction Wedge Modeling for Freight Train Suspensions

This paper presents an effort to use multi-body dynamics with unilateral contact to model the friction wedge interaction with the bolster and the side frame. The new friction wedge model is a 3D, dynamic, stand-alone model of a bolster-friction wedge-side frame assembly. It allows the wedge four degrees of freedom: vertical displacement, longitudinal (between the bolster and the side frame) displacement, toe-in and toe-out, and yaw (rotation about the vertical axis). The dedicated train modeling software NUCARS® has been used to run simulations with similar inputs and to compare — when possible — the results with those obtained from the new stand-alone MATLAB friction wedge model. The stand-alone model shows improvement in capturing the transient dynamics of the wedge better. Also, it can predict not only normal forces going into the frame and bolster, but also use the associated moments to enhance model behavior. Significant simulation results are presented and the main differences between the current NUCARS® model and the new stand-alone MATLAB models are highlighted.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
How to teach a van to drive: an undergraduate perspective on the 2005 DARPA grand challenge

This paper describes how a team of undergraduate volunteers from California Institute of Technology (Caltech) developed a robotic vehicle that can navigate completely autonomously through the Mojave Desert. Called Alice, the vehicle was Caltech's entry to the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge which aimed to generate the technology needed to build and program an unmanned ground vehicle through 130 miles of difficult terrain completely autonomously in under ten hours. Although Alice failed to win the competition, she did succeed in her original purpose of teaching a new generation of students about engineering, how to apply theory to the real world, how to debug and deal with shortcomings and schedules, and most importantly, how to work as a team on a complex problem.
Population Trends From 2000-2011 in Nuclear Myocardial Perfusion Imaging Use

Nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) accounted for much of the rapid growth in cardiac imaging that occurred from the 1990s through the middle 2000s.1,2 Factors potentially discouraging use (including publication of appropriate use criteria) have since emerged,3 and recent data reveal modest declines in MPI use in the Medicare fee-for-service population.4 We investigated temporal trends in MPI use within a large, community-based population that included persons younger than 65 years and explored whether increasing use of other noninvasive imaging modalities potentially offset declining MPI use.
Hierarchic models of hearing for sound separation and reconstruction

In building a machine to detect and segregate individual components in sound mixtures, the best example to copy is the human auditory system. Several models of auditory organization implement various rules of psychoacoustic grouping. We propose in addition to model auditory inference as exhibited in the well-known 'phonemic restoration illusion' of Warren (1970). A hierarchy of abstracted features and source hypotheses similar to that of Nawab (1992) allows reconstruction of obliterated detail which can then be used to recreate an 'idealized' sound without corruption. A preliminary example of fitting a harmonic model to a noisy recording of a clarinet gives a very convincing resynthesis with the interference totally removed. However, there are many issues including the design of the representation and the control architecture still to be addressed in building a more general system. >
On the Performance of the U.S. Transportation System: Caution Ahead

Transportation is a vital sector of the U.S. economy based on consumers', firms', and government's enormous expenditures in money and time and on its effect on virtually all other sectors in the economy. I assess the performance of the transportation system and consider how it could be improved by analyzing whether the United States has the optimal mix of public and private provision. The empirical evidence indicates that our hugely important transportation system has been compromised by various government policies and the significant welfare costs motivate either vastly improving public provision or expanding the role of the private sector. (JEL H44,H54, H76, L91, L98, R41, R48)
Novel Agents in the Treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Review About the Future

Half of a century ago, physicians managing chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) recognized some of its presenting features such as lymphocytosis, lymphadenopathy, and splenomegaly. Subsequently, an enhanced understanding of the disease mechanisms involved in CLL led to new, more targeted treatments. There is now a plethora of treatments available for CLL. In this review article we discuss in detail several of the novel agents that are being studied or approved for the treatment of CLL including: phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors (idelalisib and IPI-145), Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ibrutinib), B cell lymphoma 2 inhibitors (ABT-263 and ABT-199), new anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies (obinutuzumab), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (flavopiridol and dinaciclib), immunomodulators (lenalidomide) and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy.
Magmatic Subsidence of the East Pacific Rise (EPR) at 18˚14'S Revealed Through Fault Restoration of Ridge Crest Bathymetry

[1] The fault restoration technique of De Chabalier and Avouac [1994] is applied to an ultra-high-resolution bathymetry data set from the East Pacific Rise (EPR) at 18°14′S. Fault offsets are calculated and subtracted from the original seafloor bathymetry to examine the morphology of the unfaulted seafloor surface within an area encompassing the ridge axis 400 × 1600 m in dimension. The restored topography reveals a gently sloping seafloor ∼200 m wide, which slopes 5° inward toward the spreading axis. We attribute this inward sloping seafloor to subsidence within the axial trough due to subsurface magmatic deflation. The vertical deformation field extracted from the bathymetry is used to characterize the ridge axis fault population present in the area. Median fault throws (9 m for inward-facing and 8 m for outward-facing faults) are comparable to values measured for nearby mature abyssal hill fault populations, suggesting a genetic link. However, median fault spacings (70 and 46 m) are an order of magnitude smaller, and estimated total extensional strain is 3×–4× greater than values measured for ridge flank faults. These differences indicate the axial fault population at 18°14′S cannot be rafted onto the ridge flanks to form abyssal hill faults without significant modification, presumably via volcanic burial. We attribute the dense faulting observed in this area to slip on axial fissures during subsidence of the crestal region. The surface subsidence of a volcanic edifice can be modeled in terms of volume change in the magma source reservoir and volume of magma withdrawn from the reservoir. Using the relationship derived for a sill-like magma body, we estimate that the axial depression at 18°14′S could represent magma withdrawal associated with a small number (4–22) of the frequent dike injection and eruption events required to build the upper crust during the evolution of the trough. The subsidence volumes represented by the axial topography at 18°14′S are a small percentage of the underlying upper crustal sections (3–4%), suggesting that only a minor mismatch between magma recharge and withdrawal from the axial melt lens during ongoing plate separation could account for this pronounced axial depression.
Cognitive and affective outcomes of learning from knowledge maps

The purpose of the present experiment was to replicate and extend research on knowledge maps by examining both cognitive and affective outcomes associated with knowledge map processing. Students studied a 1500 word passage on the autonomic nervous system in the form of a knowledge map or traditional text and completed a free recall test on the information 2 days later. On both days of the experiment, students completed subjective graphs on which they were required to rate their motivation, anxiety, and concentration over the course of the experiment. Significant differences were found between the map and text groups on measures of recall, subjective concentration, and motivation, with those in the map group scoring significantly higher. In addition, correlational analyses indicated that recall measures and the subjective measures were not significantly related. The results indicate that the positive impact of knowledge maps goes beyond objective cognitive outcomes to include subjective ratings of concentration and motivation as well.
Diabetes and Cognition

Dementia is a major cause of disability and death among older adults. Those with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are 50-100% more likely to develop dementia than those without T2D, but it is unknown whether this association reflects a causal relationship. Proposed mechanisms through which T2D could cause dementia include the effects of insulin dysregulation and chronic hyperglycemia on features of Alzheimer's disease and macrovascular and microvascular disorders in the brain. More research is needed to elucidate the link between T2D and dementia and identify strategies to maintain cognitive function among people with T2D.
Proofreading in trans by an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase: a model for single site editing by isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase.

Editing of errors in amino acid selection by an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase prevents attachment of incorrect amino acids to tRNA, thereby greatly enhancing accuracy of translation of the genetic code. Editing of the non-protein amino acid homocysteine, a frequent type of an error-correcting process, involves reaction of the side chain sulfhydryl group of homocysteine with its activated carboxyl group forming a cyclic thioester, homocysteine thiolactone. Here, it is shown that isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase (IleRS), which occasionally misactivates homocysteine in vitro and in vivo, catalyzes reactions of activated isoleucine with organic thiols (analogues of the side chain of homocysteine). That these enzymatic reactions occur between Ile-tRNAIle or Ile-AMP (bound in the synthetic sub-site) and a thiol (an analogue of the side chain of homocysteine, bound in the editing sub-site), indicates that the two sub-sites are physically close on the surface of IleRS, forming a single synthetic/editing active site of the enzyme. Although IleRS.Val-AMP undergoes thiolysis as efficiently as do IleRS.Ile-AMP and IleRS.Ile-tRNAIle, IleRS.Val-tRNAIle does not react with thiols. These and other data suggest that the mischarged valine residue in IleRS.Val-tRNAIle is, most likely, positioned off the enzyme.
The Superhero Reader Charles Hatfield, Jeet Heer, and Kent Worcester, Editors. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2013.

The Superhero Reader Charles Hatfield, Jeet Heer, and Kent Worcester, Editors. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2013.As a follow-up and companion piece to Jeet Heer and Kent Worcester's A Comics Studies Reader (2008), their new collaboration with Charles Hatfield, The Superhero Reader, aims to "collect in a single volume a sampling of the most sophisticated or influential commentary on superheroes, and.. .to bring into sharper focus the ways in which superheroes connect with larger social, cultural, literary, aesthetic, and historical concerns" (xvii). Although such a description could be applied to an anthology of cultural criticism on virtually any other topic, the editors acknowledge that part of their mission is to legitimize the critical analysis of superheroes, the red-caped stepchild of pop-culture academia. Although there have been single-author books concerning superhero comics before this, nothing quite like The Superhero Reader has been published before. The text that comes closest is Robin S. Rosenberg and Peter Coogan's also newly-published collection, What Is a Superhero f (2013). That anthology, however, takes only relatively recent criticism and commentary in its varied attempts to answer the title question. With Hatfield, Heer, and Worcester's mix of book excerpts and articles from both decades past and the twenty-first century, they perform admirably in conveying the rich, evolving intellectual heritage of superhero studies.Similar to A Comics Studies Reader, The Superhero Reader is helpfully divided into discrete sections, each featuring eight essays. The first concerns the cultural roots and early years of superhero comics. In the second, varied writers apply folklore and cultural studies in attempts to define the genre of superhero comics. The third and final section features essays analyzing the superhero figure through the lenses of gender, race, and sexuality, among other approaches.Perhaps the greatest strength of this collection is its integration of modern academic essays with the works of public intellectuals from the earliest days of superhero comics to the present. For instance, in the first section, contemporary comic book writer Gerard Jones's excerpt from Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters and the Birth of the Comic Book (2004) is followed immediately by a passage from Philip Wylie's Gladiator, a 1930 novel about a man with superhuman strength. The texts perfectly complement one another, allowing readers to learn about and then see directly one of the precursors to the superhero genre. …
What is remembered? Role of attention on the encoding and retrieval of hippocampal representations

The hippocampus is critically involved in storing explicit memory such as memory for space. A defining feature of explicit memory storage is that it requires attention both for encoding and retrieval. Whereas, a great deal is now known about the mechanisms of storage, the mechanisms whereby attention modulates the encoding and retrieval of space and other hippocampus-dependent memory representations are not known. In this review we discuss recent studies, including our own, which show on the cellular level that attention is critical for the stabilization of spatial and reward-associated odour representations. Our findings support the view that in the hippocampus attention selects the reference frame for task-relevant information. This mechanism is in part mediated by dopamine acting through D1/D5 receptors and involves an increase in neuronal synchronization in the gamma band frequency. We propose that synchronous activity leads to enhancements in synaptic strength that mediate the stabilization of hippocampal representations.
Real-Time Three-Dimensional Fetal Echocardiography: Initial Feasibility Study

Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography acquires data as a volume rather than as a series of planar images, thereby obviating cardiac or respiratory gating and limiting artifacts generated by random motion. This study was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of using real-time three-dimensional echocardiography to evaluate fetal cardiac anatomy and function. Ten human fetuses were evaluated in utero, four of whom had congenital heart disease. Freehand transabdominal scanning was performed on each pregnant woman using a real-time three-dimensional echocardiography system. Four volume clips at 20 volumes/s of duration 1.5 s each were obtained on each fetal heart and stored for off-line analysis. Data were displayed immediately as a series of four simultaneous planes, with the ability for the observer to manipulate the position of each plane within the acquired volume data set. Cardiac motion could be slowed, stopped, or viewed at its original speed. Most structures and views, as well as cardiac function, could be visualized consistently. Abnormal structures could be detected readily. Offline analysis was rapid and easy. We conclude that fetal real-time three-dimensional echocardiography is a feasible, facile, and rapid new technique. KEY WORDS: Fetal echocardiography; Three-dimensional echocardiography; Real time.
Applying infrared thermography as a quality-control tool for the rapid detection of polymer-electrolyte-membrane-fuel-cell catalyst-layer-thickness variations

As fuel cells become more prominent, new manufacturing and production methods are needed to enable increased volumes with high quality. One necessary component of this industrial growth will be the accurate measurement of the variability of a wide range of material properties during the manufacturing process. In this study, a method to detect defects in fuel cell catalyst layers is investigated through experiment and mathematical simulation. The method uses infrared thermography and direct-current electronic-excitation methods to detect variations in platinum-containing catalyst-layer thickness with high spatial and temporal resolution. Data analysis, operating-condition impacts, and detection limits are explored, showing the measurement of defects on the millimeter length scale. Overall, the experimental and modeling results demonstrate great potential of this technique as a nondestructive method to measure defects that is amenable to use on roll-to-roll manufacturing lines.
Cryo-Electron Microscopy Structure of Adenovirus Type 2 Temperature-Sensitive Mutant 1 Reveals Insight into the Cell Entry Defect

The structure of the adenovirus type 2 temperature-sensitive mutant 1 (Ad2ts1) was determined to a resolution of 10 A by cryo-electron microscopy single-particle reconstruction. Ad2ts1 was prepared at a nonpermissive temperature and contains the precursor forms of the capsid proteins IIIa, VI, and VIII; the core proteins VII, X (mu), and terminal protein (TP); and the L1-52K protein. Cell entry studies have shown that although Ad2ts1 can bind the coxsackievirus and Ad receptor and undergo internalization via alphav integrins, this mutant does not escape from the early endosome and is targeted for degradation. Comparison of the Ad2ts1 structure to that of mature Ad indicates that Ad2ts1 has a different core architecture. The Ad2ts1 core is closely associated with the icosahedral capsid, a connection which may be mediated by preproteins IIIa and VI. Density within hexon cavities is assigned to preprotein VI, and membrane disruption assays show that hexon shields the lytic activity of both the mature and precursor forms of protein VI. The internal surface of the penton base in Ad2ts1 appears to be anchored to the core by interactions with preprotein IIIa. Our structural analyses suggest that these connections to the core inhibit the release of the vertex proteins and lead to the cell entry defect of Ad2ts1.