cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spatial and temporal patterns of alkaloid variation in the poison frog Oophaga pumilio in Costa Rica and Panama over 30 years

A total of 232 alkaloids, representing 21 structural classes were detected in skin extracts from the dendrobatid poison frog Oophaga pumilio, collected from 53 different populations from over 30 years of research. The highly toxic pumiliotoxins and allopumiliotoxins, along with 5,8-disubstitiuted and 5,6,8-trisubstituted indolizidines, all of which are proposed to be of dietary mite origin, were common constituents in most extracts. One decahydroquinoline (DHQ), previously shown be of ant origin, occurred in many extracts often as a major alkaloid, while other DHQs occurred rather infrequently. Histrionicotoxins, thought to be of ant origin, did not appear to possess a specific pattern of occurrence among the populations, but when present, were usually found as major components. Certain 3,5-disubstituted pyrrolizidines and indolizidines, known to be of ant origin, did occur in extracts, but infrequently. Alkaloid composition differed with regard to geographic location of frog populations, and for populations that were sampled two or more times during the 30-year period significant changes in alkaloid profiles sometimes occurred. The results of this study indicate that chemical defense in a dendrobatid poison frog is dependent on geographic location and habitat type, which presumably controls the abundance and nature of alkaloid-containing arthropods.
A Comparison of the Effects of Membrane and Bubble Oxygenators on Platelet Counts and Platelet Size in Elective Cardiac Operations

To compare the effects of membrane and bubble oxygenators on platelet counts and the size of circulating platelets, serial hematocrits, platelet counts, and platelet sizing were measured in 23 patients undergoing elective cardiac operations. In 10 patients a bubble oxygenator was used and in 13, a SciMed membrane oxygenator. The two groups were statistically similar with respect to age, weight, time on bypass, and mean blood flow rates during bypass. It was found that platelet counts, when corrected for hemodilution, did not fall from control levels during or up to 24 hours after cardiopulmonary bypass in either group. In both groups, the relative number of platelets per gram of hemoglobin increased slightly during and after bypass, and this increase was significant in the bubble oxygenator group. The average size of circulating platelets increased only in the bubble oxygenator group, and then only in the one-day postoperative sample. These findings suggest that the membrane oxygenator offers no advantage with respect to preservation of platelets during cardiopulmonary bypass lasting up to 2 to 3 hours.
Greedy Adaptive Linear Compression in Signal-Plus-Noise Models

In this paper, we examine adaptive compression policies, when the sequence of vector-valued measurements to be compressed is noisy and the compressed variables are themselves noisy. The optimization criterion is information gain. In the case of sequential scalar compressions, the unit-norm compression vectors that greedily maximize per-stage information gain are eigenvectors of an a priori error covariance matrix, and the greedy policy selects them according to eigenvalues of a posterior covariance matrix. These eigenvalues depend on all previous compressions and are computed recursively. A water-filling solution is given for the optimum compression policy that maximizes net information gain, under a constraint on the average norm of compression vectors. We provide sufficient conditions under which the greedy policy for maximizing stepwise information gain actually is optimal in the sense of maximizing the net information gain. In the case of scalar compressions, our examples and simulation results illustrate that the greedy policy can be quite close to optimal when the noise sequences are white.
Pathophysiologic changes in IA-2/IA-2β null mice are secondary to alterations in the secretion of hormones and neurotransmitters

IA-2 and IA-2β are transmembrane proteins of dense-core vesicles (DCV). The deletion of these proteins results in a reduction in the number of DCV and the secretion of hormones and neurotransmitters. As a result, this leads to a variety of pathophysiologic changes. The purpose of this review is to describe these changes, which are characterized by glucose intolerance, female infertility, behavior and learning abnormalities and alterations in the diurnal circadian rhythms of blood pressure, heart rate, spontaneous physical activity and body temperature. These findings show that the deletion of IA-2 and IA-2β results in multiple pathophysiologic changes and represents a unique in vivo model for studying the effect of hormone and neurotransmitter reduction on known and still unrecognized targets.
Sugar maple decline: An evaluation

The current poor state of health and high rate of death of sugar maples (Acer saccharum Marsh.), particularly along roadsides in the Northeast, is thought to be due primarily to the current prolonged and severe drought, aggravated along roads by the salt applied for winter snow control. Sugar maples appear to be particularly sensitive to drought and other abuse because of a shallow root system and other factors. Sugar maples have a narrow range of site tolerances. They are also particularly sensitive to salt injury. The present evaluation of sugar maple decline is based upon approximately 160 published and perhaps as many unpublished sources; it explores the external factors (biotic and abiotic) and internal factors that could contribute to the problem.
Coexisting generalist herbivores occupy unique nutritional feeding niches

A mainstay of ecological theory and practice is that coexisting species use different resources, leading to the local development of biodiversity. However, a problem arises for understanding coexistence of multiple species if they share critical resources too generally. Here, we employ an experimental framework grounded in nutritional physiology to show that closely related, cooccurring and generalist-feeding herbivores (seven grasshopper species in the genus Melanoplus; Orthoptera: Acrididae) eat protein and carbohydrate in different absolute amounts and ratios even if they eat the same plant taxa. The existence of species-specific nutritional niches provides a cryptic mechanism that helps explain how generalist herbivores with broadly overlapping diets might coexist. We also show that performance by grasshoppers allowed to mix their diets and thus regulate their protein–carbohydrate intake matched optimal performance peaks generated from no-choice treatments. These results indicate the active nature of diet selection to achieve balanced diets and provide buffering capacity in the face of variable food quality. Our empirical findings and experimental approach can be extended to generate and test predictions concerning the intensity of biotic interactions between species, the relative abundance of species, yearly fluctuations in population size, and the nature of interactions with natural enemies in tritrophic niche space.
Developmental Coordination Disorder

For the last 100 years, poor motor coordination in children has been recognized as a developmental problem.1 As early as 1937, these children were classified as “clumsy.”1 Since then, other terms such as “motorically awkward,” “motor impaired,” and “physically awkward” have been used to describe these children, and the terms “developmental apraxia” and “perceptual motor difficulties” have been used to characterize this developmental problem.2,3 Since the 1994 International Consensus Conference on Children and Clumsiness, the term “developmental coordination disorder” (DCD) has been used to describe the condition of children with motor incoordination.1,4 The purpose of this article is to provide the following information about DCD: (1) definition, (2) prevalence, (3) etiology, (4) discussion regarding the difficulties in classifying these children, (5) common characteristics, (6) long-term prognosis, and (7) brief review of treatment approaches. Developmental coordination disorder , a chronic and usually permanent condition found in children, is characterized by motor impairment that interferes with the child's activities of daily living and academic achievement.3,5 In order for a child to be diagnosed with DCD, these motor impairments must negatively affect some other aspect of his or her life.6 Impairment alone, however, does not qualify a child for the diagnosis of DCD; the motor impairment must not be caused by or have the symptoms of an identifiable neurological problem.2,5 That is, the child must not have any disturbances of muscle tone (ataxia or spasticity), sensory loss, or involuntary movements. If mental retardation is present, the testable IQ of the child must be greater than 70 and the motor impairments must be greater than what would normally be expected for children with mental retardation.5 Finally, a child diagnosed with DCD must not meet the criteria for a …
A Bayesian hierarchical model of Antarctic fur seal foraging and pup growth related to sea ice and prey abundance

We created a Bayesian hierarchical model (BHM) to investigate ecosystem relationships between the physical ecosystem (sea ice extent), a prey measure (krill density), predator behaviors (diving and foraging effort of female Antarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus gazella, with pups) and predator characteristics (mass of maternal fur seals and pups). We collected data on Antarctic fur seals from 1987/1988 to 1994/1995 at Seal Island, Antarctica. The BHM allowed us to link together predators and prey into a model that uses all the data efficiently and accounts for major sources of uncertainty. Based on the literature, we made hypotheses about the relationships in the model, which we compared with the model outcome after fitting the BHM. For each BHM parameter, we calculated the mean of the posterior density and the 95% credible interval. Our model confirmed others' findings that increased sea ice was related to increased krill density. Higher krill density led to reduced dive intensity of maternal fur seals, as measured by dive depth and duration, and to less time spent foraging by maternal fur seals. Heavier maternal fur seals and lower maternal foraging effort resulted in heavier pups at 22 d. No relationship was found between krill density and maternal mass, or between maternal mass and foraging effort on pup growth rates between 22 and 85 days of age. Maternal mass may have reflected environmental conditions prior to the pup provisioning season, rather than summer prey densities. Maternal mass and foraging effort were not related to pup growth rates between 22 and 85 d, possibly indicating that food was not limiting, food sources other than krill were being used, or differences occurred before pups reached age 22 d.
Psychobiology of persistent antisocial behavior: Stress, early vulnerabilities and the attenuation hypothesis.

Stress experienced during the sensitive prenatal, postnatal and early childhood periods of brain development can have damaging consequences for developing biological systems. Stressors imposed by early physical vulnerabilities and an adverse care giving environment is proposed to set in motion early precursors of later persistent antisocial behavior. The purpose of this report is to present an integrated theoretical perspective of potential mechanisms involved in the development of persistent antisocial behavior with an emphasis on early stressors and the neuroendocrinology of stress. The attenuation of endocrine physiology of the stress system is considered a key mechanism involved in persistent antisocial behavior. The amygdala is considered a structure/process linking subjective experiences, emotional learning, brain development and stress physiology. Attenuated cortisol level subsequent to early vulnerabilities is considered a risk marker for persistent antisocial behavior.
Two-Step Fracture Mechanics-Based Approach to Assess Early-Age Delamination Distress

The development of a comprehensive, early-age delamination model requires an integration of interfacial strength of the aggregate-mortar interface and environmental, materials, and construction effects. Previous research has led to the establishment of the model's mechanism that can be characterized with engineering mechanics. However, fracture mechanics theory, which is more suitable to represent the delamination process, has not been widely applied to concrete pavement analysis. A two-step fracture mechanics-based model was developed to predict the occurrence potential of delamination in continuously reinforced concrete pavements. The model is based on the comparison between the stress intensity factor (KI) and fracture toughness (KIC). The development of the KI of concrete at an early age was simulated through a two-step numerical analysis, including (a) a coupled thermal-hygro analysis to predict the temperature and moisture profiles and the associated material properties and (b) a coupled hygro-mecha...
Fault-Resilient Pervasive Service Composition

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) promises an elegant model that can easily handle dynamic and heterogeneous environments such as pervasive computing systems. However, in reality, frequent failures of resource-poor and low-cost sensors greatly diminish the guarantees on reliability and availability expected from SOA. To provide a framework for building fault-resilient, service-oriented pervasive computing systems, we present a solution that combines a virtual sensor framework with WS-Pro/ASCT, a service composition mechanism. The use of virtual sensors enhances the availability of services, while the service composition solution ensures that the system can efficiently adapt to changes and failures in the environment. This approach also includes a novel probe-based monitoring technique for proactive collection of performance data and a Finite Population Queuing System Petri Net (FPQSPN) for modeling the performance of composed services.
Advances in Materials for Sensors

This paper reviews the advances in materials, specifically ceramics and polymers for sensor applications. Ceramic sensor materials may be classified according to the physical properties of the bulk or the properties of the grain boundary and according to the surface effects. Polymer dielectric and polyelectrolytes are the materials used for organic sensors. A comparison of the materials used in thin and thick film technologies will be given for both ceramic and organic materials. Thick-film based transducers and sensors, namely solid-state gas and humidity sensors and thermistors will be addressed. This paper will sketch the developments in materials and processing and the related performances for the various sensing devices.
Virtual lesions of the anterior intraparietal area disrupt goal-dependent on-line adjustments of grasp

Adaptive motor behavior requires efficient error detection and correction. The posterior parietal cortex is critical for on-line control of reach-to-grasp movements. Here we show a causal relationship between disruption of cortical activity within the anterior intraparietal sulcus (aIPS) by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and disruption of goal-directed prehensile actions (either grip size or forearm rotation, depending on the task goal, with reaching preserved in either case). Deficits were elicited by applying TMS within 65 ms after object perturbation, which attributes a rapid control process on the basis of visual feedback to aIPS. No aperture deficits were produced when TMS was applied to a more caudal region within the intraparietal sulcus, to the parieto-occipital complex (putative V6, V6A) or to the hand area of primary motor cortex. We contend that aIPS is critical for dynamic error detection during goal-dependent reach-to-grasp action that is visually guided.
Normal phosphate transport in cells from the S2 and S3 segments of Hyp-mouse proximal renal tubules.

An intrinsic phosphate (Pi) transport defect in the proximal tubule (PT) presumably underlies X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets. We recently reported normal Pi transport in the S1 segment of the Hyp mouse PT. Whether Pi wasting results from an abnormality in the S2 or S3 segment remains unknown. Thus, we compared Pi transport in S2 and S3 immortalized cells from transgenic (simian virus 40) normal and Hyp mice. These cells display biochemical features of PT cells, including alkaline phosphatase- and hormone- stimulated cAMP activity as well as gluconeogenesis. Moreover, kinetic studies in S2 cells reveal a similar Km[0.26 +/- 0.03 (+/-SEM) vs. 0.22 +/- 0.03 mM] and maximum velocity (Vmax; 5.5 +/- 0.66 vs. 5.9 +/- 0.72 nmol/mg x 5 min) in normal and Hyp mice, respectively. Km and Vmax were also similar in cells from the S3 segment; however, the Vmax values in S3 cells in normal and Hyp mice (2.8 +/- 0.45 and 3.0 +/- 0.56 nmol/mg x 5 min) were reduced in both animal models compared to those in S2 cells (P <...
Disturbance rejection using decentralized self-tuning ARMARKOV adaptive control with simultaneous identification

In this paper we experimentally investigate the issues of decentralized implementation of the extended ARMARKOV adaptive control (EAAC) algorithm with simultaneous identification for disturbance rejection. The test-bed is the Multi-Hex Prototype Experiment (MHPE) which is constructed to emulate the dynamics of a large space-based optical telescope, and the application is active vibration control. The ARMARKOV adaptive algorithm requires a model of only the secondary path (control input to performance variable) transfer function which is identified on-line using the time-domain ARMARKOV/Toeplitz identification technique in the EAAC. Two decentralized EAAC controllers, each connected to three sensors and two actuators, are implemented and experimental results which show broadband disturbance rejection are presented.
Interplay between Liquid Crystalline and Isotropic Gels in Self-Assembled Neurofilament Networks

Neurofilaments (NFs) are a major constituent of nerve cell axons that assemble from three subunit proteins of low (NF-L), medium (NF-M), and high (NF-H) molecular weight into a 10 nm diameter rod with radiating sidearms to form a bottle-brush-like structure. Here, we reassemble NFs in vitro from varying weight ratios of the subunit proteins, purified from bovine spinal cord, to form homopolymers of NF-L or filaments composed of NF-L and NF-M (NF-LM), NF-L and NF-H (NF-LH), or all three subunits (NF-LMH). At high protein concentrations, NFs align to form a nematic liquid crystalline gel with a well-defined spacing determined with synchrotron small angle x-ray scattering. Near physiological conditions (86 mM monovalent salt and pH 6.8), NF-LM networks with a high NF-M grafting density favor nematic ordering whereas filaments composed of NF-LH transition to an isotropic gel at low protein concentrations as a function of increasing mole fraction of NF-H subunits. The interfilament distance decreases with NF-M grafting density, opposite the trend seen with NF-LH networks. This suggests a competition between the more attractive NF-M sidearms, forming a compact aligned nematic gel, and the repulsive NF-H sidearms, favoring a more expansive isotropic gel, at 86 mM monovalent salt. These interactions are highly salt dependent and the nematic gel phase is stabilized with increasing monovalent salt.
LNG vapor cloud exclusion zones for spills into impoundments

LNG spills on land are most likely to happen in dike/impoundment areas, introducing the need to consider effects of dike/impoundment walls on vapor holdup and dispersion. The DEGADIS and FEM3A models are approved for determination of vapor cloud exclusion zones in 49 CFR 193, but DEGADIS is limited to prediction of dispersion from area sources over flat, obstacle-free terrain and is therefore not directly applicable to spills in dike/impoundment areas. However, FEM3A, which is a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, is directly applicable. Before FEM3A was approved, ad hoc methods were widely used to determine input conditions for DEGADIS to estimate dispersion downwind of a dike system for such releases. Vapor holdup and mixing with air in a dike system have been studied in wind tunnel and field experiments, and the fallacy of using an overly simplistic estimation of the time and rate of vapor cloud overflow has been demonstrated. In some cases, these ad hoc methods have resulted in exclusion zone determinations that do not provide for public safety as intended by 49 CFR 193. This paper summarizes the current state of knowledge about this important vapor dispersion scenario, including key experimental data that address the question. Applications of FEM3A to determine exclusion zones for a hypothetical spill within a typical dike/tank configuration, as well as a shortcut use of FEM3A to describe vapor overflow from the same impoundment for use as input information for DEGADIS simulation of the dispersion downwind from the dike, are illustrated. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2005
Oscillating temperature pulses during CO oxidation on a Pd/Al2O3 ring

Back-and-forth-moving temperature fronts separating regions with high and low temperatures (amplitudes up to 100 K) formed on a Pd on alumina ring during the atmospheric oxidation of carbon monoxide. The back-and-forth front movement reflects the intrinsic nonuniformity of the catalytic system and the impact of global coupling. The ignition and extinction fronts usually moved at different velocities, in agreement with theoretical predictions. Complex spatiotemporal patterns were observed due to small-amplitude temperature fronts that moved on the high-temperature region at a much higher velocity than the high-amplitude fronts. The qualitative motion features were affected by changes in the excess oxygen concentration. The nonuniform states existed mainly for feed conditions for which the only uniform state was an extinguished one.
Nightcap: Laboratory and home-based evaluation of a portable sleep monitor.

In this paper, we describe the first field tests of a home-based sleep monitoring system, the Nightcap, which uses eyelid and body movement sensors to discriminate wake, NREM, and REM sleep automatically. Ten normal young adults were studied in the sleep laboratory and at home to allow comparison of Nightcap-derived measures with those obtained by traditional polysomnography. The agreement between the two techniques was 87% based on 1-min epochs--93% for NREM, 80% for REM, and 72% for wake. When the values for sleep latency, REM latency, wake time, NREM time, and REM time calculated from polysomnograph records were compared with the values calculated from Nightcap data, no significant differences were seen. In cases of extremely poor sleep, objective sleep efficiency estimates correlated well with subjective reports, suggesting that the Nightcap is sensitive to clinically relevant changes in the quality of sleep. This new device should prove useful to researchers wishing to study the psychophysiology and pathophysiology of sleep in more naturalistic and cost-effective paradigms than possible in the traditional sleep laboratory.
Population-based assessment of diabetes care and self-management among Puerto Rican adults in New York City.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to assess the status of diabetes medical care and self-management among adult Puerto Ricans in New York City.MethodsA random-digit-dialing telephone survey with a dual-frame sampling design was employed to obtain a probability sample of adult Puerto Ricans with diagnosed diabetes (n = 606). Demographic characteristics, health status, and indicators of diabetes medical care and self- management were collected using the standard Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) questionnaire. A statewide sample of adults with diagnosed diabetes (n = 232) was obtained from the BRFSS for comparison.ResultsCompared to New York State adults, Puerto Ricans were significantly less likely to receive annual A1C testing (72.7% vs 84.9%), cholesterol testing (67.5% vs 87.2%), blood-pressure-lowering medication (82.4% vs 91.9%), and pneumococcal vaccination (19.3% vs 28.5%, among those aged 18 to 64 years). Puerto Ricans were also less likely to take aspirin every day or every oth...
QUANTITATIVE GENETIC ANALYSIS OF PLANT GROWTH: BIASES ARISING FROM VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION

Propagation through vegetative cuttings is a widely used technique that may bias estimates of genetic and environmental effects on plant growth. Leafy stem cuttings from 210 genotypes from eight populations of Salix pulchra were rooted and raised at three levels of nitrogen availability. Cuttings showed a complex suite of responses to vegetative propagation. Population and/or genotypic variation in response to vegetative propagation was observed in (1) retention of leaves during rooting, (2) date that cuttings resumed shoot growth after rooting, and (3) the frequency of cuttings that remained shoot dormant throughout the experiment. Nitrogen treatments also caused different responses to vegetative propagation, influencing date that cuttings resumed shoot growth and frequency of shoot dormancy. Because each of these responses had a direct effect on final plant size, I concluded that final size was a product of both differences among genotypes and treatments in plant growth rate, as well as genotype- and treatment-specific responses to vegetative propagation. This study shows that plant growth experiments can be designed to quantify responses to vegetative propagation and statistically remove these artifacts of propagation from estimates of genetic and environmental effects on plant growth.
On the Security and Usability of Crypto Phones

Crypto Phones represent an important approach for end-to-end VoIP security, claiming to prevent "wiretapping" and session hijacking attacks without relying upon third parties. In order to establish a secure session, Crypto Phones rely upon end users to perform two tasks: (1) checksum comparison: verbally communicating and matching short checksums displayed on users' devices, and (2) speaker verification: ascertaining that the voice announcing the checksum is the voice of the legitimate user at the other end. However, the human errors in executing these tasks may adversely affect the security and usability of Crypto Phones. Particularly, failure to detect mismatching checksums or imitated voices would result in a compromise of Crypto Phones session communications. We present a human factors study, with 128 online participants, investigating the security and usability of Crypto Phones with respect to both checksum comparison and speaker verification. To mimic a realistic VoIP scenario, we conducted our study using the WebRTC platform where each participant made a call to our IVR server via a browser, and was presented with several challenges having matching and mismatching checksums, spoken in the legitimate user's voice, different speakers' voices and automatically synthesized voices. Our results show that Crypto Phones offer a weak level of security (significantly weaker than that guaranteed by the underlying protocols), and their usability is low (although might still be acceptable). Quantitatively, the overall average likelihood of failing to detect an attack session was about 25-50%, while the average likelihood of accepting a legitimate session was about 75%. Moreover, while the theory promises an exponential increase in security with increase in checksum size, we found a degradation in security when moving from 2-word checksum to 4-word checksum.
Alcohol Induces Parallel Changes in Hippocampal Histone H3 Phosphorylation and c-Fos Protein Expression in Male Rats.

Background Changes in gene expression associated with alcohol-induced neuroadaptations are controlled in part by post translational histone modifications. Serine 10 phosphorylation of histone H3 (H3S10ph) has been implicated in drug-induced changes in gene expression; however, ethanol (EtOH)'s effects on H3S10ph have yet to be examined in brain. Therefore, hippocampal H3S10ph was examined after acute EtOH exposure and EtOH dependence. Methods Adult male Sprague Dawley rats received an acute exposure of EtOH (0 to 5 g/kg) via gavage. Or, rats were made EtOH dependent by administering 25% w/v EtOH every 8 hours for 4 days following a modified Majchrowicz protocol. In both cases, rats were perfused transcardially and paraformaldehyde-fixed brains were collected and processed for immunohistochemistry to detect H3S10ph or c-fos. Results Acute EtOH exposure dose dependently altered the number of H3S10ph-positive (+) cells in the hippocampus. Specifically, 1 g/kg EtOH increased the number of H3S10ph+ cells in all neuronal layers, while 2.5 and 5 g/kg EtOH reduced the number of H3S10ph+ cells, an effect that was confined to the granule cell layer. In EtOH-dependent rats, the number of H3S10ph+ cells in the granule cell layer was reduced by 66% during intoxication; however, H3S10ph+ cells were increased in all neuronal layers during peak withdrawal. Subsequent examination of c-fos, a gene known to be regulated by H3S10ph, revealed that EtOH and withdrawal-associated changes in c-fos closely paralleled changes in H3S10ph. Conclusions These results suggest that H3S10ph regulates EtOH-mediated changes in c-fos expression, effects that likely have important implications for EtOH-induced changes in hippocampal neuronal plasticity.
Prediction, Optimization, and Rational Learning in Games

A long-standing goal of the theory of learning in games has been to establish that rational learning leads to equilibrium. In particular, one wishes to show that as a game is played repeatedly, optimizing players learn via Bayesian updating to predict their opponents' behavior and that therefore the path of play asymptotically resembles an equilibrium path of the repeated game. This paper points out that there is an obstacle to a result of this form: in many games, there is a basic conflict between prediction and optimization.
Interpolation by linear programming I

Given $m , n \geq 2$ and $\epsilon > 0$, we compute a function taking prescribed values at $N$ given points of $\mathbb{R}^n$, and having $C^m$ norm as small as possible up to a factor $1 + \epsilon$. Our computation reduces matters to a linear programming problem.
Testing the Jacob's ladder of density functionals for electronic structure and magnetism of rutile VO 2

We employ semilocal density functionals [local spin-density approximation (LSDA), Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) generalized gradient approximation (GGA), and meta-GGAs)], LSDA plus Hubbard $U$ (LSDA+$U$) theory, a nonlocal range-separated Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof hybrid functional (HSE06), and the random-phase approximation (RPA) to assess their performances for the ground-state magnetism and electronic structure of a strongly correlated metal, rutile ${\mathrm{VO}}_{2}$. Using recent quantum Monte Carlo results as the benchmark, all tested semilocal and hybrid functionals as well as the RPA (with PBE inputs) predict the correct magnetic ground states for rutile ${\mathrm{VO}}_{2}$. The observed paramagnetism could arise from temperature-disordered local spin moments or from the thermal destruction of these moments. All semilocal functionals also give the correct ground-state metallicity for rutile ${\mathrm{VO}}_{2}$. However, in the ferromagnetic (FM) and antiferromagnetic (AFM) phases, LSDA+$U$ and HSE06 incorrectly predict rutile ${\mathrm{VO}}_{2}$ to be a Mott-Hubbard insulator. For the computed electronic structures of FM and AFM phases, we find that the Tao-Perdew-Staroverov-Scuseria (TPSS) and revised TPSS (revTPSS) meta-GGAs give strong $2p\text{\ensuremath{-}}3d$ hybridizations, resulting in a depopulation of the $2p$ bands of O atoms, in comparison with other tested meta-GGAs. The regularized TPSS (regTPSS) and meta-GGAs made simple, i.e., MGGA_MS0 and MGGA_MS2, which are free of the spurious order-of-limits problem of TPSS and revTPSS, give electronic states close to those of the PBE GGA and LSDA. In comparison to experiment, semilocal functionals predict better equilibrium cell volumes for rutile ${\mathrm{VO}}_{2}$ in FM and AFM states than in the spin-unpolarized state. For meta-GGAs, a monotonic decrease of the exchange enhancement factor ${F}_{x}(s,\ensuremath{\alpha})$ with \ensuremath{\alpha} for small $s$, as in the MGGA_MS functionals, leads to large (probably too large) local magnetic moments in spin-polarized states.
Effects of overtraining and pretrial administration of dextroamphetamine on reversal learning in rats.

Krivanek and McGaugh (1969) have demonstrated facilitative effects of pretrial administration of amphetamine compounds on brightness discrimination in mice. These investigators suggested that the drug affected time-dependent memory-storage processes but concluded that further research was necessary to determine their nature. The effect of d-amphetamine on the ability of rats to attend selectively to specific environmental cues was examined in the present study. According to a model of discrimination learning proposed by Sutherland and Mackintosh (1971), animals receiving postcriterion training acquire a reversal shift faster than nonovertrained animals because in the former case such additional training serves to increase the probability of attending to the problem's relevant dimension. If amphetamines facilitate attentive skills, then one would expect better performance in an amphetamine-injected group on tasks requiring selective attention to particular cues than in a group not given the drug. Ss were 20 naive, adult male, Long-Evans rats randomly distributed in groups of five across four conditions: Overtrained-Saline-injected, Overtrained4-amphetamine-injected, Nonovertrained-Saline-injected, and Nonovertrained4-amphetamine-injected. All Ss were given a light gray/dark gray discrimination task in a Grice box with one irrelevant dimension (stripes). Overtrained Ss received 100 postcriterion trials while nonovertrained Ss were given the reversal shift as soon as criterion (nine consecutively correct trials) was reached. Ten minutes prior to testing, half the Ss in each of these groups received Zmg/kg of .9% saline solution, the other half receiving an equal dosage of d-amphetamine. Ten noncorrected trials were administered daily with a 3- to 5-min. intertrial interval, correct responses reinforced with 5 45-mg Noyes pellets. Results of an analysis of variance on trials to criterion showed a significant difference between the overtrained and nonovertrained groups (F = 6.70, df = 1/16, 9 < .05), thereby lending further support to the generality of the overtraining reversal effect. No significant differences were obtained, however, between the learning scores of Ss injected with saline and those injected with d-amphetamine, nor were any interactions found. The heightened task complexity in the present experiment, together with a small subject pool, may provide one explanation for the lack of facilitation found by others under similar con
k-Hop Backtracking Trusted QoS Rerouting Mechanism

Because of link or node failures,rerouting is necessary in trusted network.Considering users' QoS(Quality of Service)requirements,trusted requirements and decrease of the algorithm cost,ak-hop backtracking trusted QoS rerouting mechanism was proposed.The mechanism backtracks hop by hop from the previous node of the failure node(or link)with kas the maximum hop count for the rerouting,and reuses original links of the path as much as possible.The network model and user trust evaluation model were constructed.Besides,the description of users' requirements,the calculation methods of users' satisfaction and the criterion of path judgments were given.The simulation results show that the proposed mechanism is both feasible and effective.In contrast to existing mechanisms,the rerouting success rate and user satisfaction degree are higher and the rerouting time is shorter with users' demands satisfied.
Zero-cross Point Prediction of Short Circuit Current for Phase Controlled Interruption Based on Improved Half-wave Fourier Algorithm

Rapid extraction of fault current parameters for predicting the zero-cross point of the fault current is a premise in phase controlled interruption of fault current.In this paper,an improved half-wave Fourier algorithm is presented.By adding two extra sampling points and shifting data processing window twice,the algorithm can extract the initial value and time constant of the decaying DC component,and can also extract the amplitudes and phases of the fundamental wave and three-order wave to implement prediction of zero-cross point of fault current.Calculation and MATLAB simulation show that the improved half-wave Fourier algorithm can quickly realize zero-cross point prediction of fault current with errors less than ±1 ms.
Analysis of serological markers of HBV in the labor abroad

Objective: To study the infection of hepatitis B virus and the different patterns of five serological markers in the labor abroad.Methods: HBsAg,HBsAb,HBeAg,HBeAb,HBcAb in the serum samples from the labor abroad were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results: The results were negative in 3750 cases,accounting for 57.69% of the total cases and results were positive in 2750 cases,accounting for 42.31% of the total cases.There were 14 different patterns in all,which could be divided into infection pattern group and recovery pattern group.The patterns "135" and "145" were primary in the infection pattern group and pattern "25" and "2" were primary in the recovery pattern group.Conclusion: The total rate of HBV infection is still high in the labor abroad and testing of the HBV must be enhanced.
A Descriptive Analysis of the Educational Perceptions, Professional Identity, and Professional Practices of Dual-Trained Music Therapists as Counselors.

Background Given the rise in music therapy master's programs that offer dual degrees in music therapy and counseling or programs that satisfy state mental health counseling licensure laws, the professional counseling field is playing an increased role in the advanced education and professional practices of music therapists. Objective To identify factors that lead music therapists to pursue advanced education with an emphasis in professional counseling, perceptions about benefits and drawbacks for three advanced degree options (i.e., music therapy, counseling, and music therapy/counseling dual degree), and describe the professional practices and identity of dual-trained music therapists as counselors. Methods A convenience sample of music therapists (n = 123) who held board certification, and held a master's degree or higher that emphasized professional counseling, completed an online survey. We used descriptive statistics to analyze categorical and numeric survey data. Results Eligibility for licensure as a professional counselor was the most important decisional factor in selecting a specific master's degree program. Respondents also reported favorable perceptions of the dual degree in music therapy and counseling. With regard to professional practice and identity, respondents reported high use of verbal processing techniques alongside music therapy interventions, and dual-trained music therapists retained their professional identity as a music therapist. Conclusions The reported view of licensure in a related field as beneficial and frequent use of verbal processing techniques warrants future study into the role of counseling in the advanced training of music therapists. Given contradictory findings across studies, we recommend investigators also explore how a degree in a related field affects career longevity of music therapists.
A Comparison of the LPI Performance of Optical and MM-Wave Systems

The purpose of this paper is to compare the Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) performance achievable with optical and RF systems (specifically, millimeter wave systems). The specific case of ground to space communications is considered. The LPI performance measure used in the comparison is the Circular Equivalent Vulnerability Radius (CEVR). Using the millimeter wave propagation model of Crane and Blood, a model for computing the CEVR of a millimeter wave earth to space link is described. We then show how the same model can be used to calculate the CEVR for optical systems using the optical propagation model developed by one of the authors (East). Optimal methods of intercepting frequency hopping millimeter wave systems and pulse position modulation (PPM) optical systems are also described.
Advances in Understanding the Molecular Structures and Functionalities of Biodegradable Zein-Based Materials Using Spectroscopic Techniques: A Review.

Zein’s amphiphilic properties, film forming capability, and biodegradability make it a highly demanded polymer for fabrication of packaging materials, production of drug carrier nanoparticles, scaffolds in tissue engineering, and formation of biodegradable platforms for biosensors including microfluidic devices. Zein properties can be improved by chemical modifications, which are often analyzed with spectroscopic techniques. However, there is not a consensus on the structure of zein. For this reason, in this Review the aim is to compile the recent studies conducted on zein-based products and compare them under five main spectroscopic techniques: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). This Review serves as a library of recent zein studies and helps readers to have a better perception of contradictions in the literature to take their studies one step further.
Literate Language Intervention With High-Need Prekindergarten Children: A Randomized Trial.

Purpose The present article reports on the implementation and results of a randomized intervention trial targeting the literate language skills of prekindergarten children without identified langua...
Reduced prosthetic stiffness lowers the metabolic cost of running for athletes with bilateral transtibial amputations.

We measured the metabolic rates and biomechanics of five athletes with bilateral transtibial amputations while running with different prosthetic configurations. The metabolic cost of running for th...
Report On The 26th International Liquid Crystal Conference

The 26th International Liquid Crystal Conference (ILCC) was held on the campus of Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA, from 31 July to 5 August 2016 (Figure 1). William Doane served as the Honorar...
In Vitro and In Vivo Approaches to Studying the Bacterial Signal Peptide Processing

Protein targeting in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells is often directed by a signal sequence located at the amino-terminus of the protein. In eukaryotes, proteins that are sorted into different compartments of the cell, such as endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and chloroplast, require different signal sequences. In bacteria, proteins which are exported to the outer membrane or the periplasmic space are also guided by signal peptides. After the protein is translocated across the cytoplasmic membrane, the signal peptide is proteolytically removed by signal peptide cleavage. Here, in this chapter, we describe methods to study signal peptide processing in bacteria, including purification of signal peptidase and its substrates. We also describe the measurement of the catalytic constants of signal peptidases using an in vitro assay. In addition, we will present an in vivo assay using a temperature sensitive signal peptidase strain to determine which preproteins are processed by Signal peptidase 1.
Die operative Behandlung von Skoliosen mit dem „vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib“ (VEPTR)

Das VEPTR-Instrumentarium wurde primar zur Behandlung des Thoraxinsuffizienzsyndroms (TIS) eingesetzt, das mit einer Fusion der Rippen und begleitender Skoliose einhergeht. Gleichzeitig wurden auch isolierte kongenitale Skoliosen mit oder ohne Wirbelkorperfehlbildung behandelt. Ziel war es, das Thoraxvolumen zu erweitern, die Thoraxsymmetrie wiederherzustellen und die Lungenfunktion zu verbessern. Die Thoraxsymmetrie wird mit einer Wachstumslenkung (Distraktion) an der Konkavseite wiederhergestellt. Wahrend des Wachstums der Kinder ist alle 4–6 Monate ein Nachstellen an der konkaven Seite durch operative Distraktion notwendig. Mit der VEPTR-Instrumentation wird das Wachstum unter Korrektur der Skoliose weiterhin ermoglicht. TIS. Kongenitale Skoliose mit und ohne Rippensynostosen. „Early-onset“-Skoliose (EOS). Neurogene Skoliose. Schwerwiegende Kyphose > 70° nach Cobb. Osteoporotische Wirbelsaulenveranderungen. Kinder > 10 Jahre. Lagerung der kleinen Kinder in Seitenlage oder Schraglage auf einem Spezialrahmen. Bei einer thorakalen kongenitalen Skoliose wird eine Thorakokostotomie vorgenommen. In diesem Fall erfolgt eine Seitenlagerung der Patienten. Die Rippensynostosen werden osteotomiert. Es wird eine Distraktion mit dem Laminaspreizer durchgefuhrt. Die expandierbare Titanrippe wird eingesetzt. Geht die Krummung in die Lendenwirbelsaule hinein, empfiehlt sich die Implantation eines Hybrids, d.h., lateral wird das „rib to rib“-Implantat und medialseitig das „rib to lumbar spine“-Implantat gesetzt. Je nach Wachstum ist im Abstand von 4–6 Monaten ein Nachspannen notwendig. Die Mobilisation der Patienten ist ab dem 3. postoperativen Tag korsettfrei moglich. Von 2005 bis 2009 wurden 39 Kinder (24 Madchen und 15 Buben, durchschnittliches Alter 7,5 Jahre [3–13 Jahre]) mit VEPTR operiert. Die Diagnose war in 16 Fallen eine kongenitale, in elf Fallen eine neurogene Skoliose und in zwolf Fallen eine EOS. Sieben der 39 Kinder hatten bereits eine operative Behandlung erhalten. Die Verkrummungen wurden nach Cobb bestimmt. Der Cobb-Winkel betrug praoperativ im Durchschnitt 65° (45–130°), postoperativ nach der VEPTR-Implantation im Durchschnitt 32° (25–75°). Beim Ersteingriff kam es zu keinen intraoperativen Komplikationen. Die durchschnittliche Operationszeit betrug 95 min (65–185 min). Der intraoperative Blutverlust lag im Durchschnitt bei 125 ml (65–180 ml). Bei 29 der 39 Patienten wurde ein- bis neunmal eine Nachspannungsoperation durchgefuhrt. Die dadurch erreichte Korrektur betrug im Durchschnitt 15,7° (19,8%). In drei Fallen wurde das VEPTR-Implantat ausgebaut und eine endgultige Fusion nach Wachstumsabschluss vorgenommen. Alle Kinder bzw. Eltern waren mit der Operation zufrieden und wurden dem Eingriff noch einmal zustimmen.
Linearizations of matrix polynomials in Newton bases

We discuss matrix polynomials expressed in a Newton basis, and the associated polynomial eigenvalue problems. Properties of the generalized ansatz spaces associated with such polynomials are proved directly by utilizing a novel representation of pencils in these spaces. Also, we show how the family of Fiedler pencils can be adapted to matrix polynomials expressed in a Newton basis. These new Newton-Fiedler pencils are shown to be strong linearizations, and some computational aspects related to them are discussed.