cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-vector tests: a path to perfect error-rate testing

The importance of testing approaches that exploit error tolerance to improve yield has previously been established. Error rate, defined as the percentage of vectors for which the value at a circuit's output deviates from the corresponding error-free value, has been identified as a key metric for severity. In error-rate testing every chip that has an error rate greater than or equal to a threshold specified by the application is unacceptable for the application and discarded; all other chips are acceptable. The objective of error-rate testing is to reject every unacceptable chip while accepting all (or a maximum number) of the acceptable chips. We previously showed that it is not always possible to generate a test set that detects all unacceptable faults, i.e., faults that cause an error rate greater than or equal to the threshold error rate, without detecting some of the acceptable faults, i.e., faults that cause an error rate less than the threshold. In this paper, we introduce the new notion of multi-vector testing and prove that this notion enables us to detect all unacceptable faults without detecting any of the acceptable faults. We derive an upper bound on the size of such a test for a general case. As this universal bound can be large in some cases, we use a structural approach and find much tighter upper bounds for special classes of circuits. Experiments on benchmark circuits show that the required test-sizes for arbitrary circuits are much lower than our universal bounds, and practically useful.
Assessment of langatate material constants and temperature coefficients using SAW delay line measurements

This paper reports on the assessment of LGT acoustic material constants and temperature coefficients by surface acoustic wave (SAW) delay line measurements up to 130 °C. Based upon a full set of material constants recently reported by the authors, seven orientations in the LGT plane with Euler angles (90°, 23°, Ψ°) were identified for testing. Each of the seven selected orientations exhibited predicted coupling coefficients (K2) between 0.2% and 0.75% and also showed a large range of predicted temperature coefficient of delay (TCD) values around room temperature. Additionally, methods for estimating the uncertainty in predicted SAW propagation properties were developed and applied to SAW phase velocity and temperature coefficient of delay calculations. Starting from a purchased LGT boule, the SAW wafers used in this work were aligned, cut, ground, and polished at University of Maine facilities, followed by device fabrication and testing. Using repeated measurements of two devices on separate wafers for each of the seven orientations, the room temperature SAW phase velocities were extracted with a precision of 0.1% and found to be in agreement with the predicted values. The normalized frequency change and the temperature coefficient of delay for all seven orientations agreed with predictions within the uncertainty of the measurement and the predictions over the entire 120 °C temperature range measured. Two orientations, with Euler angles (90°, 23°, 123°) and (90°, 23°, 119°), were found to have high predicted coupling for LGT (K2 ≫ 0.5%) and were shown experimentally to exhibit temperature compensation in the vicinity of room temperature, with turnover temperatures at 50 and 60 °C, respectively.
IFN-γ Promotes Complement Expression and Attenuates Amyloid Plaque Deposition in Amyloid β Precursor Protein Transgenic Mice

Reactive gliosis surrounding amyloid beta (Abeta) plaques is an early feature of Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis and has been postulated to represent activation of the innate immune system in an apparently ineffective attempt to clear or neutralize Abeta aggregates. To evaluate the role of IFN-gamma-mediated neuroinflammation on the evolution of Abeta pathology in transgenic (Tg) mice, we have expressed murine IFN-gamma (mIFN-gamma) in the brains of Abeta precursor protein (APP) Tg mice using recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 1. Expression of mIFN-gamma in brains of APP TgCRND8 mice results in robust noncell autonomous activation of microglia and astrocytes, and a concomitant significant suppression of Abeta deposition. In these mice, mIFN-gamma expression upregulated multiple glial activation markers, early components of the complement cascade as well as led to infiltration of Ly-6c positive peripheral monocytes but no significant effects on APP levels, APP processing or steady-state Abeta levels were noticed in vivo. Taken together, these results suggest that mIFN-gamma expression in the brain suppresses Abeta accumulation through synergistic effects of activated glia and components of the innate immune system that enhance Abeta aggregate phagocytosis.
Effect of C–O Bonding on the Stability and Energetics of High-Energy Nitrogen-Carbon Molecules N10C2 and N16C2

Molecules consisting of nitrogen have been the subject of much attention due to their potential as high-energy materials. Complex molecules consisting entirely of nitrogen can be subject to rapid decomposition, and therefore other atoms are incorporated into the structure to enhance stability. Previous studies have explored the incorporation of carbon atoms into otherwise all-nitrogen cages molecules. The current study involves two such cages, N10C2 and N16C2, whose structures are derived from N12 and N18, respectively. The N10C2 and N16C2 cages in this study are modified by bonding groups O3 and CO3 to determine the effect on the relative energies between the isomers and on the thermodynamic energy release properties. Energetic trends for N10C2 and N16C2 are calculated and discussed.
Associations among Pubertal Development, Empathic Ability, and Neural Responses While Witnessing Peer Rejection in Adolescence.

Links among concurrent and longitudinal changes in pubertal development and empathic ability from ages 10 to 13 and neural responses while witnessing peer rejection at age 13 were examined in 16 participants. More advanced pubertal development at age 13, and greater longitudinal increases in pubertal development, related to increased activity in regions underlying cognitive aspects of empathy. Likewise, at age 13 greater perspective taking related to activity in cognitive empathy-related regions; however, affective components of empathy (empathic concern and personal distress) were associated with activity in both cognitive and affective pain-related regions. Longitudinal increases in empathic ability related to cognitive and affective empathy-related circuitry. Findings provide preliminary evidence that physical and cognitive-emotional development relate to adolescents' neural responses when witnessing peer rejection.
Multidimensional Internally Lossless Filters of Fully Recursive Half-Plane Type

Recently, motivated by needs for parallel processing of 2 — D signals a scheme known as the fully recursive half-plane scheme has been proposed, and a method of designing transfer functions of filters having this recursive structure has been outlined in [1].
Modeling retweeting behavior as a game

Twitter is one of the dominant social media, and the number of retweets is a key analytic descriptor of social media behavior. Unfortunately, there has been limited analysis and investigation of potential theories to explain empirical retweeting results. This paper uses social exchange theory and game theory to analyze a number of different previous empirical behavioral findings. In particular, the paper investigates games and network games between different potential retweeters by analyzing the relationships between their different groups of followers. In addition, cooperative retweeting settings, such as those in the Arab Spring revolutions, also are investigated for games between retweeters. Further, games between original tweeters and retweeters are analyzed using a "tit-for-tat" strategy for retweeting. Finally, this paper examines a game between an original tweeter and a retweeter for the problem of retweet hijacking. Throughout the focus is on modeling and explaining the empirical and anecdotal behavior of tweeters and retweeters using social exchange theory and game theory models. Social exchange and game theory are used to model retweeting.Retweet behavior is modeled as a game and compared to previous empirical research.Multiple games between retweeters were investigated.A set theoretic approach to analyzing subsets of Twitter followers was used.Extended the use of games as mental representations to retweet behavior.
A reporting protocol for thermochronologic modeling illustrated with data from the Grand Canyon

Apatite (U–Th)/He and fission-track dates, as well as ^4He/^3He and fission-track length data, provide rich thermal history information. However, numerous choices and assumptions are required on the long road from raw data and observations to potentially complex geologic interpretations. This paper outlines a conceptual framework for this path, with the aim of promoting a broader understanding of how thermochronologic conclusions are derived. The tiered structure consists of thermal history model inputs at Level 1, thermal history model outputs at Level 2, and geologic interpretations at Level 3. Because inverse thermal history modeling is at the heart of converting thermochronologic data to interpretation, for others to evaluate and reproduce conclusions derived from thermochronologic results it is necessary to publish all data required for modeling, report all model inputs, and clearly and completely depict model outputs. Here we suggest a generalized template for a model input table with which to arrange, report and explain the choice of inputs to thermal history models. Model inputs include the thermochronologic data, additional geologic information, and system- and model-specific parameters. As an example we show how the origin of discrepant thermochronologic interpretations in the Grand Canyon can be better understood by using this disciplined approach.
“I Control The Translation Myself”: An Interview With Celia de Fréine

Celia de Freine is a poet, playwright and screenwriter who writes in Irish and English. She was born in Newtownards, County Down and moved to Dublin as a child. Retaining strong links with Northern...
Language structure in the brain: A fixation-related fMRI study of syntactic surprisal in reading

How is syntactic analysis implemented by the human brain during language comprehension? The current study combined methods from computational linguistics, eyetracking, and fMRI to address this question. Subjects read passages of text presented as paragraphs while their eye movements were recorded in an MRI scanner. We parsed the text using a probabilistic context-free grammar to isolate syntactic difficulty. Syntactic difficulty was quantified as syntactic surprisal, which is related to the expectedness of a given word's syntactic category given its preceding context. We compared words with high and low syntactic surprisal values that were equated for length, frequency, and lexical surprisal, and used fixation-related (FIRE) fMRI to measure neural activity associated with syntactic surprisal for each fixated word. We observed greater neural activity for high than low syntactic surprisal in two predicted cortical regions previously identified with syntax: left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and less robustly, left anterior superior temporal lobe (ATL). These results support the hypothesis that left IFG and ATL play a central role in syntactic analysis during language comprehension. More generally, the results suggest a broader cortical network associated with syntactic prediction that includes increased activity in bilateral IFG and insula, as well as fusiform and right lingual gyri.
Cancer statistics for African Americans, 2016: Progress and opportunities in reducing racial disparities

In this article, the American Cancer Society provides the estimated number of new cancer cases and deaths for blacks in the United States and the most recent data on cancer incidence, mortality, survival, screening, and risk factors for cancer. Incidence data are from the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, and mortality data are from the National Center for Health Statistics. Approximately 189,910 new cases of cancer and 69,410 cancer deaths will occur among blacks in 2016. Although blacks continue to have higher cancer death rates than whites, the disparity has narrowed for all cancers combined in men and women and for lung and prostate cancers in men. In contrast, the racial gap in death rates has widened for breast cancer in women and remained level for colorectal cancer in men. The reduction in overall cancer death rates since the early 1990s translates to the avoidance of more than 300,000 deaths among blacks. In men, incidence rates from 2003 to 2012 decreased for all cancers combined (by 2.0% per year) as well as for the top 3 cancer sites (prostate, lung, and colorectal). In women, overall rates during the corresponding time period remained unchanged, reflecting increasing trends in breast cancer combined with decreasing trends in lung and colorectal cancer rates. Five-year relative survival is lower for blacks than whites for most cancers at each stage of diagnosis. The extent to which these disparities reflect unequal access to health care versus other factors remains an active area of research. Progress in reducing cancer death rates could be accelerated by ensuring equitable access to prevention, early detection, and high-quality treatment. CA Cancer J Clin 2016;66:290-308. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Possible existence of van der Waals macrodimers

ABSTRACTFew-body interactions offer the opportunity to study the isolated atom to few-body coupled molecules, and to condensed matter transitions. Atoms in molecules and in condensed matters are coupled by different orders of multipole–multipole interactions, which all stem from different orders of approximations from coulomb interactions between multiple charges. The lowest order multipole–multipole interaction is the dipole–dipole interaction, which is proportional to the size of the dipole. In this article, we use Rydberg atoms, which have more than 1000 times greater electric dipoles than the ground state atoms, to study the van der Waals interaction between few bodies. In addition to the large dipoles, the kinetic energy of the atoms is significantly reduced by reducing the temperature, which makes these interactions stable and observable. Here, we report on the 2D and 3D few-body interaction potentials and possible ways of creating semistable molecules in such an ultracold Rydberg gas with a tempera...
Polyhedral Optimizations of Explicitly Parallel Programs

The polyhedral model is a powerful algebraic framework that hasenabled significant advances to analysis and transformation ofsequential affine (sub)programs, relative to traditional AST-basedapproaches. However, given the rapid growth of parallel software, there is a need for increased attention to using polyhedral frameworksto optimize explicitly parallel programs. An interesting side effectof supporting explicitly parallel programs is that doing so can alsoenable optimization of programs with unanalyzable data accesses withina polyhedral framework. In this paper, we address the problem ofextending polyhedral frameworks to enable analysis and transformationof programs that contain both explicit parallelism and unanalyzabledata accesses. As a first step, we focus on OpenMP loop parallelismand task parallelism, including task dependences from OpenMP 4.0. Our approach first enables conservative dependence analysis of a givenregion of code. Next, we identify happens-before relations from theexplicitly parallel constructs, such as tasks and parallel loops, andintersect them with the conservative dependences. Finally, theresulting set of dependences is passed on to a polyhedral optimizer, such as PLuTo and PolyAST, to enable transformation of explicitly parallelprograms with unanalyzable data accesses. We evaluate our approach using elven OpenMP benchmark programs fromthe KASTORS and Rodinia benchmark suites. We show that 1) thesebenchmarks contain unanalyzable data accesses that prevent polyhedralframeworks from performing exact dependence analysis, 2) explicitparallelism can help mitigate the imprecision, and 3) polyhedraltransformations with the resulting dependences can further improve theperformance of the manually-parallelized OpenMP benchmarks. Ourexperimental results show geometric mean performance improvements of1.62x and 2.75x on the Intel Westmere and IBM Power8 platformsrespectively (relative to the original OpenMP versions).
Seasonal Abundance of Anthropophilic Simuliidae from the Adirondack Mountains of New York State and Effectiveness of an Experimental Treatment Program Using Bacillus thuringiensis var. israeliensis

A 154-km2 study area near Loon Lake, Town of Franklin, Franklin County, N.Y., was used for sampling the nuisance activity and seasonal occurrence of anthropophilic Simuliidae within the Adirondack Park. Black flies were monitored at 47 sites on a biweekly or weekly basis throughout two consecutive flight seasons. Population data were acquired from over 1,800 10-min aerial, sweep-net collections of black flies swarming around stationary human collectors from 17 May–6 August 1982 and from 2 May–2 September 1983. Thirteen species in four genera of black flies were represented in combined collections of over 171,000 females. Of the 13 species collected, 12 represent new black fly distribution records for Franklin County, N.Y. Intensity and duration of predominant species' seasonal flight patterns were monitored and compared. In addition, mean numbers of black flies captured inside and outside a partially overlapping area that had been experimentally treated with Bacillus thuringiensis var. israeliensis ( Bti ) were compared on a weekly and seasonal basis. Despite evidence of effective control of several Simulium species, the application of Bti did not result in the control of anthropophilic Prosimulium .
Biochemical Determination of Enzyme-bound Metabolites: Preferential Accumulation of a Programmed Octaketide on the Enediyne Polyketide Synthase CalE8

Despite considerable interest in the enediyne family of antitumor antibiotics, assembly of their polyketide core structures in nature remains poorly understood. Discriminating methods to access enzyme-bound intermediates are critical for elucidating unresolved polyketide and nonribosomal peptide biosynthetic pathways. Here, we describe the development of broadly applicable techniques for the mild chemical release and analysis of intermediates bound to carrier proteins (CPs), providing access to these species even in sensitive systems. These techniques were applied to CalE8, the polyketide synthase (PKS) involved in calicheamicin biosynthesis, facilitating the unambiguous identification of enzyme-bound polyketides on an enediyne PKS. Moreover, these methods enabled the preparation of fully unloaded CalE8, providing a "clean slate" for reconstituted activity and allowing us to demonstrate the preferential accumulation of a PKS-bound octaketide with evidence of programmed processing control by CalE8. This intermediate, which has the expected chain length for enediyne core construction, could previously only be indirectly inferred. These studies prove that this polyketide is an authentic product of CalE8 and may be a key precursor to the enediyne core of calicheamicin, as it is the only programmed, enzyme-bound species observed for any enediyne system to date. Our experimental advances into a generally inaccessible system illustrate the utility of these techniques for investigating CP-based biosynthetic pathways.
Bipolar origin of synaptic inputs to sustained OFF-ganglion cells in the mudpuppy retina.

1. The synaptic inputs to sustained OFF-center ganglion cells of the mudpuppy retina were studied using a superfused retina-eye-cup preparation. Intra- and extracellular electrophysiological recording techniques were carried out during bath application of 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate (APB), a glutamate analog that selectively blocks the light responses of ON-bipolars but has minor effects on OFF-bipolar or horizontal cells. 2. The use of APB reduced ganglion cell inputs to those arising from the OFF-bipolar channel. In this way, the existence and polarity (depolarizing vs. hyperpolarizing) of direct or indirect bipolar connections to ganglion cells was determined. 3. Cobalt application was used to block synaptic transmission and demonstrate that APB does not have a direct excitatory action on ganglion cells. 4. Intracellular recording experiments included the use of pulsatile and sustained current injection to evaluate the input resistance changes associated with light, the action of APB, and the excitatory, inhibitory, or disafacilitory nature of the postsynaptic potentials. 5. Some intracellularly recorded cells were stained with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to verify the ganglion cell origin of the recordings. 6. The OFF-ganglion cell population of the mudpuppy appears to be a heterogeneous group of cells. Sustained OFF-ganglion cells can receive dominant inputs through either the ON- or OFF-bipolar cell pathway or through a mixture of the two. 7. Based on the analysis of this study, we divided sustained OFF-ganglion cells into three subclasses. For one class, light causes the removal of a sustained excitatory input which originates from the OFF-bipolar channel (i.e., a light-evoked disfacilitation); a second class of cells is almost entirely driven by the ON-bipolar channel through a sustained light-evoked inhibitory input; and a third class receives both a light-evoked sustained disfacilitory input from the OFF-bipolar channel and a sustained inhibitory input through the ON-bipolar pathway. Thus the retina appears to use a variety of mechanisms that result in a common response to flashing light stimuli. 8. The results of this study show that APB can be a powerful tool for pharmacologically deciphering the functional connections that exist between outer and inner retinal neurons.
Horologion, a New Genus of Cave Beetles

The following description deals with a unique genus of small, eyeless ground beetle, a single specimen of which was taken by the author from a tiny cave near Lewisburg, W. Va. Situated in the valley of the Greenbrier River, this cave is in richly cavernous country featuring numerous sink-holes, tunnellike subterranean waterways and passages—caverns in early stages of formation. The author has visited 7 of the many caves known to occur within 20 miles of this spot, but in spite of diligent searches and extensive trapping here and elsewhere, no second representative of the genus has yet been brought to light. Since the habits of this beetle are not sufficiently well known to assure the collector of success in its capture, and because it is such an aberrant form, the author has taken the liberty of presenting it from the material at hand—a single, perfect male specimen.
The Financing of SMEs in Thailand:the Current Situation,Problems and Countermeasures

SMEs have played an important role in Thai national economy for a long period of time,but in recent years,the share of SMEs in its national economy tends to decline,and one of the reasons is that they have encountered financing bottlenecks. Based on the introduction of Thai specialized financing channels,including SME Bank,SBCG and MAI,this paper analyzes the forms of,causes for,and misapprehensions on the financing difficulties of SMEs in Thailand. Finally,in order to solve the financing problem of SMEs in Thailand,this paper proposes some pertinent measures in accordance with Thailand's existing financial system and the principle of "led by the government,operate through commercial mode".
Targeting bacterial topoisomerases: how to counter mechanisms of resistance

DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV are type IIA bacterial topoisomerases that are targeted by highly effective antibiotics. However, resistance via multiple mechanisms arises to limit the efficacies of these drugs. Continued research on type IIA bacterial topoisomerases has provided novel approaches to counter the most common resistance mechanism for utilization of these proven targets in antibacterial therapy. Bacterial topoisomerase I is being explored as an alternative target that is not expected to show cross-resistance. Dual targeting or combination therapy could be strategies for circumventing the development of resistance to topoisomerase-targeting antibiotics. Bacterial topoisomerases are high-value bactericidal targets that could continue to be exploited for antibacterial therapy, if new tactics to counter resistance can be adopted.
The Role of Functional Foods and Their Bioactive Components in Bone Health

Osteoporosis is a chronic disorder characterized by a loss of bone mass and quality leading to an increased risk of fragility fractures. It afflicts millions of men and women worldwide and as such is a major public health problem. Certain lifestyle factors, including nutrition, are known to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis and therefore play an important role in bone health. Epigenetics refers to heritable changes in gene expression that occur without changing the underlying DNA sequence. Environmental factors such as nutrition can lead to epigenetic changes which consequently may influence bone health. For instance, nutritional status during pregnancy or other critical periods of development may lead to epigenetic modifications that negatively influence gene expression leading to osteoporosis later in life. There is evidence to support epigenetic involvement in bone metabolism and the pathogenesis of osteoporosis; however, the evidence is limited and its involvement in the development of osteoporosis is not well understood and largely remains unknown. In addition, there is quite a paucity of evidence to date regarding the relationship between epigenetics, nutrition, and bone health and is therefore even less understood. This chapter describes the existing evidence regarding functional foods and their bioactive components on the prevention and reversal of bone loss in animal models and humans. The research conducted in this area to date has not investigated the underlying mechanisms by which these foods and their bioactive components modulate bone metabolism with respect to epigenetics. However, many of the findings can lead one to speculate about a possible involvement of epigenetics and sets the stage for future research to take this into consideration.
Pigment Synthesis for the Exploration of Binding Media Using a Lead-Free Alternative to Chrome Yellow

Generating enthusiasm among nonscience majors in a laboratory course is a difficult task. Often, students are asked to perform a precipitation reaction, only to collect and then safely dispose of the solid without detailing composition, properties, or uses. In an effort to keep the students engaged, this laboratory exercise presents an innovative way to use the product of a precipitation reaction. The reaction chosen produces basic zinc(II) chromate, a yellow pigment that can be combined with various paint binders such as beeswax, gum Arabic, egg yolk, linseed oil, and acrylic medium. The students then test their paints on a canvas and analyze their different physical properties. This exercise can be tailored to match different undergraduate levels, ranging from nonscience majors to chemistry majors and be used as a part of a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) activity. A brief discussion on historical paint binders and their chemistry is also included.
Visual pose estimation of USV from UAV to assist drowning victims recovery

This paper presents the visual localization subsystem of the ongoing EMILY project. This project aims to assist responders with establishing contact with drowning victims as quickly as possible through the use of a 1.3-meter autonomous unmanned surface vehicle (USV). Once victims are reached, the device can serve as a flotation device to support them. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) provides a live video feed to responders and aids USV's navigation by visually estimating the USV's position and orientation. The movement of the UAV and the USV along with varying lighting, distance, and perspective make the task of estimating USV's position and orientation challenging. We present two implemented solutions for reliable visual localization, the first relying on color thresholding and contour detection, and the second using histograms, back-projection, and CamShift algorithm. The visual localization system was validated in four proof-of-concept field trials. Other unsuccessful methods are discussed.
Lessons learned from an unstable genomic landscape.

Purpose: This brief historical perspective will highlight the many accomplishments of the late William ‘Bill’ Morgan, and how his laboratory during the mid-1990s shaped the field of genomic instabi...
Potential carbon sequestration and nitrogen cycling in long-term organic management systems

The fertility and soil health of organic agroecosystems are determined in part by the size and turnover rate of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. Our research contrasts the effects of best management practices (BMP) (reduction in soil disturbance, addition of organic amendments) on C and N cycling in soils from two field sites representing five organic agroecosystems. Total soil organic C (SOC), a standard measure of soil health, contains equal amounts of biologically and non-biologically active C that is not associated with release of mineral N. A three-pool first-order model can be used to estimate the size and turnover rates of C pools but requires data from a long-term incubation. Our research highlights the use of two rapid C fractions, hydrolysable and permanganate (0.02 M) oxidizable C, to assess shifts in biologically active C. Adoption of BMP in organic management systems reduced the partitioning of C to the active pool while augmenting the slow pool C. These pools are associated with potentially mineralizable N supplied by residues, amendments and soil organic matter affecting the concentration and release of mineral N to crops. Our data show that minimizing disturbance (no tillage, pasture) and mixed compost additions have the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions while enhancing slow pool C and or its turnover, a reservoir of nutrients available to the soil biota. Use of these rapid, sensitive indicators of biological C activity will aid growers in determining whether a BMP fosters nutrient loss or retention prior to shifts in total SOC.
Distributed estimation of a parametric field under energy constraint

This paper studies the problem of distributed parameter estimation in wireless sensor network under energy constraints. Optimization formulas that guarantee the best estimation performance from the available energy are derived. The network consists of sensors that are deployed over an area at random. Sensors' observations are noisy measurements of an underlying field. Sensors have limited energy for the transmission process. Each sensor processes its observation prior to transmitting it to a fusion center, where a field parameter vector is estimated. Transmission channels between the sensors and the fusion center are assumed to be noisy parallel channels. The sensors' locations, the noise probability density function, and the field characteristic function are assumed to be known at the fusion center. This work presents two strategies that can be followed for optimal energy allocation:(1) Minimizing Cramer-Rao Lower Bound of the estimates with respect to energy allocation (2) Minimizing the sensors' observations transmission error with respect to energy allocation. Simulation results which support the optimization formulas are shown.
Consulting Foreign Affairs Archives in France and America

This chapter explains the possibilities that the use of archival sources opens for the advancement of international relations research. It gives an overview of the structure and modus operandi of French and US Diplomatic archives and explains the legal procedures that should be undertaken in order to obtain access to still-classified documents. In the conclusion some practical tips for the first steps in primary source research are given.
Mapping the Small Molecule Interactome by Mass Spectrometry

Mapping small molecule interactions throughout the proteome provides the critical structural basis for functional analysis of their impact on biochemistry. However, translation of mass spectrometry-based proteomics methods to directly profile the interaction between a small molecule and the whole proteome is challenging because of the substoichiometric nature of many interactions, the diversity of covalent and noncovalent interactions involved, and the subsequent computational complexity associated with their spectral assignment. Recent advances in chemical proteomics have begun fill this gap to provide a structural basis for the breadth of small molecule–protein interactions in the whole proteome. Innovations enabling direct characterization of the small molecule interactome include faster, more sensitive instrumentation coupled to chemical conjugation, enrichment, and labeling methods that facilitate detection and assignment. These methods have started to measure molecular interaction hotspots due to in...
Abstract 131: Racial Differences in Nocturnal Hypertension and Non-dipping Blood Pressure: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study

Risk factors for nocturnal hypertension are more common among blacks compared with whites. We hypothesized nocturnal hypertension and nocturnal non-dipping BP are more common among blacks compared with whites. We analyzed data for 781 participants of the population-based Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study who completed ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring (ABPM) in 2015-2016. Awake and sleep periods were defined using actigraphy and self-report. Nocturnal hypertension was defined as mean sleep systolic BP (SBP)/diastolic BP (DBP) ≥ 120/70 mm Hg. Non-dipping SBP and DBP, separately, were defined as a decline in mean sleep BP, relative to mean awake BP
Aluminum-Induced Changes in Calmodulin

Calcium serves as a second messenger in bioregulation via various intracellular calcium trigger proteins such as calmodulin. As a result of a large variety of external stimuli, intracellular calcium transients are generated which can be interpreted as a signal. Within the lifetime of these transients, calcium ions are bound (signal input) to trigger proteins which undergo conformational changes. These changes play a key role in signal amplification and transmission (output) from the trigger protein to respective target enzymes and structural elements [1]. In view of this central reliance of cellular control on calcium ions and a few trigger proteins, severe repercussions on biochemical and physiological processes can be expected when the coupling between signal input and output is interrupted.
Epilogue: The “Now” and “Future” Scene

This chapter reviews the current scene in the research in the field of playfulness to give sufficient backdrop to the questions that still need to be answered by further research and by theoretical formulation. At a time when everyone is more responsive to child advocacy as a legitimate area of concern for psychologists, a closer look at positive behavior and clues to when and under what circumstances playfulness occurs would also provide with tools to encourage and, if necessary, to train the people involved in childrearing—both at home and in the schools—in using spontaneity, joy, and sense of humor in their everyday interaction with the growing individual. Such training should benefit not only the young but also those who show these traits, counterbalancing the pressures and anxieties of today's life space, and, at the same time, preparing the citizens of tomorrow to exercise the type of prosocial behavior that would be necessary for the young to fulfill their potential and teach their young to survive.
Socioeconomic Factors, Perioperative Complications, and 30-Day Readmission Rates Associated With Delayed Cranial Vault Reconstruction for Craniosynostosis.

Background:Premature fusion of the cranial sutures can lead to significant neurocognitive, developmental, and esthetic consequences, especially if not corrected within the first year of life. This study aimed to identify the drivers of delayed cranial vault reconstruction (CVR) and its impact on com
Ipsilesional perceptual deficits in hemispatial neglect: Case reports.

Abstract Hemispatial neglect, usually after right hemisphere lesions, is characterized by contralesional deficits in attention and perception. However, little is known about impairments of perceptual processing in the ipsilesional region of visual space (the right visual field for right hemisphere lesions). In two right hemisphere neglect patients, we used a metacontrast masking paradigm to characterize systematic spatial and temporal visual processing deficits in the ipsilesional right visual field. The presence of a visual mask caused the neglect patients to miss targets in ipsilesional space, even when a mask was presented as long as 1.5 sec after the target and in a different spatial position. These prolonged and spatially extended masking effects were not measured in age-matched healthy controls or in two control patients with hemianopsia but without neglect. The results show that perceptual processing is distorted and delayed in a region of the visual field that has been thought to be unaffected – the ipsilesional hemifield in patients with neglect.
But I Still Feel Guilt: A Test of a Moral Disengagement Propensity Model

ABSTRACTWe explored the impact of moral disengagement on individual experiences of guilt. We modeled three forms of workplace deviance (withdrawal, interpersonal deviance, and work-family deviance)...
Increases in thermophilus plants in an arid alpine community in response to experimental warming

A warming climate has been shown to drive thermophilization—shifts in species abundance toward those adapted to warm and dry conditions. The community dynamics shaping this process have been proposed to vary between temperature-limited alpine plant communities and those that are both temperature and moisture limited. In nine sites across the xeric alpine zone in the White Mountains, California, USA, we experimentally increased summertime temperature and precipitation for three seasons and quantified community responses with a climatic niche analysis. We asked if thermophilization occurred in response to experimental heating, and if this effect was ameliorated by experimental watering. Under experimentally warmer conditions, we found no change in the mean community-weighted climatic niche (CCN); however, thermophilization of this community was observed based on a shift in the seventy-fifth percentile of the CCN and an increase in the proportional abundance of the hottest, driest adapted species. In addition, total vegetation abundance increased and species richness decreased with heating. Experimental watering did not ameliorate these effects of heating. Together, these results suggest that warming in arid alpine areas may result in less diverse plant communities dominated by hot, dry associated species, although short-term responses may be limited because of community lags.
Prediction of Pile Capacity by the Wave Equation

The wave equation method of pile driving analysis is used to predict load capacities. A description of the wave equation is given, followed by an examination of the nature of the resistance to penetration into the soil. The various parameters that enter into the equation for resistance to penetration are reviewed, and an attempt is made to establish limiting values for the parameters. Finally, results of the attempt to correlate the driving record with the static load tests for 24 cases using the wave equation are presented. It was found that the use of the wave equation, in conjunction with static methods, shows promise as a means of predicting pile load capacities.
Innovative Approaches to Obtain Minors' Consent for Biomedical HIV Prevention Trials: Multi-Site Quasi-Experimental Study of Adolescent and Parent Perspectives.

Background: Despite the high burden of new HIV infections in minor adolescents, they are often excluded from biomedical HIV prevention trials, largely owing to the ethical complexities of obtaining consent for enrollment. Researchers and ethics regulators have a duty to protect adolescents—as a special category of human subjects, they must have protection that extends beyond those afforded to all human subjects. Typically, additional protection includes parental consent for enrollment. However, parental consent can present a risk of harm for minor adolescents. Research involving minor adolescents indicate that they are unwilling to join biomedical trials for stigmatized health problems, such as HIV, when parental consent is required. This presents a significant barrier to progress in adolescent HIV prevention by creating delays in research and the translation of new scientific evidence generated in biomedical trials in adult populations. Objective: This protocol aims to examine how parental involvement in the consent process affects the acceptability of hypothetical participation in biomedical HIV prevention trials from the perspectives of minor adolescents and parents of minor adolescents. Methods: In this protocol, we use a quasi-experimental design that involves a simulated consent process for 2 different HIV prevention trials. The first trial is modeled after an open-label study of the use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine as preexposure prophylaxis for HIV. The second trial is modeled after a phase IIa trial of an injectable HIV integrase inhibitor. There are 2 groups in the study—minor adolescents aged 14 to 17 years, inclusive, and parents of minor adolescents in the same age range. The adolescent participants are randomized to 1 of 3 consent conditions with varying degrees of parental involvement. After undergoing a simulated consent process, they rate their willingness to participate (WTP) in each of the 2 trials if offered the opportunity. The primary outcome is WTP, given the consent condition. Parents undergo a similar process but are asked to rate the acceptability of each of the 3 consent conditions. The primary outcome is acceptability of the consent method for enrollment. The secondary outcomes include the following: capacity to consent among both participant groups, the prevalence of medical mistrust, and the effects of the study phase (eg, phase IIa vs the open-label study) and drug administration route (eg, oral vs injection) on WTP (adolescents) and acceptability (parents) of the consent method. Results: Enrollment began in April 2018 and ended mid-September 2019. Data are being analyzed and dissemination is expected in April 2020. Conclusions: The study will provide the needed empirical data about minor adolescents’ and parents’ perspectives on consent methods for minors. The evidence generated can be used to guide investigators and ethics regulators in the design of consent processes for biomedical HIV prevention trials.
Testing the caves-as-islands model in two cave-obligate invertebrates with a genomic approach

Caves offer selective pressures that are distinct from the surface. Organisms that have evolved to exist under these pressures typically exhibit a suite of convergent characteristics, including a loss or reduction of eyes and pigmentation. As a result, cave-obligate taxa, termed troglobionts, are no longer viable on the surface. This circumstance has led to a ″caves as islands″ model of troglobiont evolution that predicts extreme genetic divergence between cave populations even across relatively small areas. An effective test of this model would involve (1) common troglobionts from (2) nearby caves in a cave-dense region, (3) good sample sizes per cave, (4) multiple taxa, and (5) genome-wide characterization. With these criteria in mind, we used RAD-seq to genotype an average of ten individuals of the troglobiotic spider Nesticus barri and the troglobiotic beetle Ptomaphagus hatchi, each from four closely located caves (ranging from 3-13 km apart) in the cave-rich southern Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee, USA. Consistent with the caves as islands model, we find that populations from separate caves are indeed highly genetically isolated. In addition, nucleotide diversity was correlated to cave length, suggesting that cave size is a dominant force shaping troglobiont population size and genetic diversity. Our results support the idea of caves as natural laboratories for the study of parallel evolutionary processes.
Coefficient of variation of shear strength of rc beams and size effect

AbstractIn shear failure, reinforced concrete (RC) beams always develop, in a stable manner, a finite length crack before the maximum load is reached. Thus, the crack tip location cannot sample a l...
Towards Improving the Efficiency of Organic Solar Cells by Coarse-Grained Atomistic Modeling of Processing Dependent Morphologies

Solar energy conversion to electricity using organic semiconductor materials is a complex process due to the underlying transport physics of electrons and photons. Experimental characterizations of the 3-D morphology of bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics are challenging; the poor contrast of the reconstructed morphology due to weak electronic scattering of organic molecules is a major impediment for microstructural imaging by electron microscopy. Thus, enhancing the power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells requires predictive design of both material and processing parameters. To this end, large-scale coarse-grained molecular simulations are needed to probe the morphology of the nanostructures, to develop process–structure–performance correlations that assist in fundamental understanding of the physical mechanisms, and to simultaneously aid in selection and optimization of design parameters. Here, we summarize the outcomes from high-performance coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations that are employed to mimic solvent evaporation and thermal annealing of typical bulk heterojunction solar cell active layers. The latter consist of a blend of electron-donor and electron-acceptor materials. We extensively explore the dependence of PCE and the thermo-mechanical stability of the blend morphology on different solution processing conditions, and correlate the identified parameters with the dominant design variables and the microstructure. The simulations reveal that the composition of constituent donor and acceptor materials, respective molecular weights, polydispersity of donor polymer chains, and the thermal annealing temperature are the major parameters that significantly impact the morphology, thermo-mechanical stability, and subsequently the PCE of organic photovoltaics.