cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural Analysis of the Hemagglutinin from the Recent 2013 H7N9 Influenza Virus

In March 2013, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported human infections with an H7N9 influenza virus, and by 20 July 2013, the numbers of laboratory-confirmed cases had climbed to 134, including 43 fatalities and 127 hospitalizations. The newly emerging H7N9 viruses constitute an obvious public health concern because of the apparent severity of this outbreak. Here we focus on the hemagglutinins (HAs) of these viruses and assess their receptor binding phenotype in relation to previous HAs studied. Glycan microarray and kinetic analyses of recombinant A(H7N9) HAs were performed to compare the receptor binding profile of wild-type receptor binding site variants at position 217, a residue analogous to one of two positions known to switch avian to human receptor preference in H2N2 and H3N2 viruses. Two recombinant A(H7N9) HAs were structurally characterized, and a mutational study of the receptor binding site was performed to analyze important residues that can affect receptor preference and affinity. Results highlight a weak human receptor preference of the H7N9 HAs, suggesting that these viruses require further adaptation in order to adapt fully to humans.
Cyanosis following a modified Fontan procedure secondary to anomalous inferior systemic venous return

A persistent subcardinal anastomosis was identified as a source of right-to-left shunting in a patient with excessive cyanosis following a modified Fontan procedure. Anomalies of inferior systemic venous return must be defined when a Fontan procedure is performed by direct caval venous anastomosis to the pulmonary arteries, and hepatic venous drainage is left to mix with pulmonary venous return.
Use of the IGO documents collection: Perspective of an economics/business researcher

Abstract Many of the data-identification problems that the economics or business researcher confronts in using the IGO documents collection can be traced to inadequate definition of a model or variables included in the model. Several examples of such problems are discussed, and some approaches to their solutions are suggested.
Goals of treatment for paget's disease of bone

The goals of treatment of Paget's disease must be readdressed in the context of the availability of potent bisphosphonate compounds, including pamidronate and, more recently, alendronate and risedronate. These agents differ from the traditional mainstays of therapy, salmon calcitonin and etidronate, in several respects. First, they achieve a reduction in the elevated indices of pagetic bone turnover of about 80%, in contrast with the 50% reduction seen with the older agents. Second, a majority of patients (in the range of 50-75%, depending on the series) achieve biochemical remission, and the duration of remission may exceed 1 year or more after a single course of therapy. Third, with the newer bisphosphonates the quality of newly forming bone after successful treatment is lamellar in appearance (as was the case with etidronate) but there is no clinically significant mineralization abnormality associated with these more recent agents. With prior therapies, the primary goal of treatment was to relieve symptoms. In the absence of complete suppression of abnormal turnover, disease progression was not completely halted in many patients, increasing the risk of long-term complications. The characteristics of the newer agents, however, suggest that in those patients who achieve remission there is a possibility, albeit not yet proven, of arresting progression and reducing the risk of later complications. Many patients have no symptoms at presentation but have active disease at locations where progression could cause bone enlargement and deformity over time. These patients may be considered to be at increased risk of future complications if untreated. Thus, it is recommended that such individuals receive therapy with a potent bisphosphonate with the goal of attaining normal (or near normal) biochemical indices after initial treatment and/or retreatment. Patients should be followed with measurement of serum alkaline phosphatase every 4-6 months after a course of therapy, and retreatment is suggested when indices rise above the upper limit of normal or by 25% above the previous nadir. The uncommon possibility of secondary resistance to a given agent after more than one treatment course should be assessed in all patients.
Pyroelectric Properties of PVDF:MWCNT Nanocomposite Film for Uncooled Infrared Detectors and Medical Applications

The biocompatible and flexible polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) has a number of interesting pyroelectric and piezoelectric properties with fast, dynamic response for use in touch/tactile sensors, infrared detectors and thermal vidicon/imaging devices. Pyroelectric multi-walled carbon nano-tubes:polyvinylidene fluoride nano-composite films were fabricated via the solution casting technique. The dielectric, pyroelectric and piezoelectric characteristics of composite films were measured. Using foregoing parameters, figures-of-merit for infrared detectors, and thermal-vidicons were calculated. The results indicated figures-of-merit of the composite film that were higher than pristine polyvinylidene fluoride film. The potential applications of composite films in medical devices are also discussed.
An Architecture for Generating Interactive Feedback in Probabilistic User Interfaces

Increasingly natural, sensed, and touch-based input is being integrated into devices. Along the way, both custom and more general solutions have been developed for dealing with the uncertainty that is associated with these forms of input. However, it is difficult to provide dynamic, flexible, and continuous feedback about uncertainty using traditional interactive infrastructure. Our contribution is a general architecture with the goal of providing support for continual feedback about uncertainty. Our architecture is based on prior work in modeling uncertainty using Monte Carlo sampling, and tracks multiple interfaces -- one for each plausible and differentiable sequence of input that the user may have intended. Importantly, it considers how the presentation of uncertainty can be organized and implemented in a general way. Our primary contribution is a method for reducing the number of alternative interfaces and fusing possible interfaces into a single interface that both communicates uncertainty and allows for disambiguation. We demonstrate the value of this result through a collection of 11 new and existing feedback techniques along with two applications demonstrating the use of the feedback architecture.
Low energy signals from moduli

Abstract We emphasize a stringy result that in (2,2) superstring compactifications, moduli (massless fields corresponding to the deformations of compactified spaces) generically couple to ordinary quarks and leptons in Yukawa-type interactions. They in turn mediate a composition-dependent attractive force between ordinary matter. The range of such a force crucially depends on the mechanism that breaks supersymmetry; if the bare mass of moduli remains zero even after supersymmetry breaking, the strength and the range of such a force is competely determined by the string vacuum and is bound to be on the boundary of present experimental limits.
Recent observations from the gulf stream and neighboring waters

Since 1931 the Atlantis has been collecting data on the internal distribution of temperature and salinity in the western half of the North Atlantic Ocean. In 1936 a report [see 1 of “References” at end of paper] was published dealing in a preliminary way with the then available observations. In particular, a number of sections crossing the Gulf Stream System at various points between the Straits of Florida and Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, were discussed. For two of the lines, Cape Sable-Bermuda and Chesapeake Bay-Bermuda, several sets of data had been obtained so that not only could the internal structure of the Gulf Stream be examined in cross-section and longitudinally, but also it seemed probable that the Current holds to a fairly definite path and varies only slightly in strength from season to season. On the whole these and other general conclusions have been supported by more recent observations.
Microstructural and molecular considerations in the treatment of scars with ablative fractional lasers.

Abstract Fractional ablative lasers have recently proven to be an effective modality for improving the clinical appearance and minimizing the morbidity associated with restrictivetype scars. Their tolerable safety profile on nonfacial sites and darker Fitzpatrick skin types provides an advantage over its fully ablative counterpart in treating facial rhytides, photodamaged skin, and acne scars. However, despite its increasing usage in clinical practice, the mechanism behind the observed clinical benefit remains complex and has yet to be fully elucidated. This paper reviews the work on the histological mechanism of action of ablative fractional lasers, and the molecular changes that occur posttreatment on restrictive scars, with an emphasis on mature burn and postsurgical scars. As the majority of research has been on the carbon dioxide laser, a natural focus on this wavelength is presented.
Pharmacological treatment of established rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory condition of unknown aetiology that affects about 1% of the general population. Although the optimal care of RA patients requires various modalities, pharmacotherapy remains the cornerstone of treatment for established RA. The current therapeutic model encourages a step-up approach that safely incorporates several currently available classes of agents: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors, glucocorticoids, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, and biological agents (tumour necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors and glucocorticoids, which offer a quick onset of symptom relief, are used mainly as adjunctive therapies. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and biologicals have been successful in altering disease outcome and slowing radiographic progression. The indications, efficacy and safety of these agents in clinical trials and practice are reviewed in this chapter.
Oesophagostomum radiatum: glucose metabolism of larvae grown in vitro and adults grown in vivo

Larval stages of Oesophagostomum radiatum grown in vitro and adults grown in vivo were incubated in complex media or in a simple salt solution containing radioactive glucose. Glucose disappearance and end product accumulation of third-stage larvae in a simple salt solution indicated that they excreted CO2 and acetic, propionic, and lactic acids. Larvae in third molt, fourth stage, and adults all excreted CO2, acetic, propionic, and lactic acids at twice the rate of third-stage larvae plus an additional product, methylbutyric acid. Carbon dioxide arose primarily from the 3 or 4 carbons of glucose. An anaerobic atmosphere (95% N2:5% CO2) had no apparent effect on metabolism. When incubation was done in complex media, isobutyric and 3-methylbutyric acids were seen as major excretion products (10 and 24%, respectively). However, these acids were quantitatively minor when incubations took place in simple salts-glucose medium (1 and 0-3%, respectively).
Interactive solution to multiobjective optimization problems

Sensitivity analysis is presented as a natural addition to interactive multiobjective optimization methods based on compromise programming. It is shown that useful information regarding trade-offs in the objectives can be generated effectively by means of an analysis of the sensitivity of solutions to variations in preference structures. An implementation based on sequential quadrative programming is provided and examples are given for illustration.
Effectiveness of a formal post-baccalaureate pre-medicine program for underrepresented minority students.

ABSTRACTPurposeTo address the effectiveness of a formal postbaccalaureate (PB) experience for underrepresented minority (URM) students before medical school. The program provided an intense year-long experience of course work, research, and personal development.MethodThere were 516 participants from
Linear Simulations of Boussinesq Convection in a Deep Rotating Spherical Shell

Abstract We present extensive linear numerical simulations of Boussinesq convection in a rotating spherical shell of finite depth. The motivation for the study is the problem of general circulation of the solar convection zone. We solve the marching equations on a staggered grid in the meridian plane for the amplitudes of the most unstable Fourier mode of longitudinal wavenumber m between 0 and 24, for Taylor number T between 0 and 106, at a Prandtl number P=1, for a shell of depth 20% of the outer radius. Stress-free, fixed-temperature boundary conditions are used at the inner and outer bounding surfaces. Modes of two symmetries, symmetric and antisymmetric about the equator, are studied. The principal results are as follows: Increasing Taylor number T splits the most unstable solutions for each m into two classes: a broad band of high m solutions which peak at or near the equator, and a small number of low m solutions which peak at or near the poles. The equatorial modes are unstable at lower Rayleigh n...
Combination fluconazole/paroxetine treatment is neuroprotective despite ongoing neuroinflammation and viral replication in an SIV model of HIV neurological disease

Effective combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) in HIV-infected patients has made HIV a treatable infection; however, debilitating HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) can still affect approximately 50% of HIV-infected individuals even under cART. While cART has greatly reduced the prevalence of the most severe form of HAND, milder forms have increased in prevalence, leaving the total proportion of HIV-infected individuals suffering from HAND relatively unchanged. In this study, an in vitro drug screen identified fluconazole and paroxetine as protective compounds against HIV gp120 and Tat neurotoxicity. Using an accelerated, consistent SIV/macaque model of HIV-associated CNS disease, we tested the in vivo neuroprotective capabilities of combination fluconazole/paroxetine (FluPar) treatment. FluPar treatment protected macaques from SIV-induced neurodegeneration, as measured by neurofilament light chain in the CSF, APP accumulation in axons, and CaMKIIα in the frontal cortex, but did not significantly reduce markers of neuroinflammation or plasma or CNS viral loads. Since HIV and SIV neurodegeneration is often attributed to accompanying neuroinflammation, this study provides proof of concept that neuroprotection can be achieved even in the face of ongoing neuroinflammation and viral replication.
Adenosine A1 receptors selectively target protein kinase C isoforms to the caveolin-rich plasma membrane in cardiac myocytes

Abstract Adenosine is a naturally occurring nucleoside that has been shown to regulate a variety of functions in the cardiovascular system. However, the mechanisms in adenosine receptor signaling are not completely understood. Given that adenosine receptors have been linked to protein kinase C (PKC) in cardioprotection and caveolae is critical for receptor signaling, we sought to determine whether activation of adenosine A1 receptors induces selective translocation of PKC isoforms to the membrane from the cytosol and whether activated PKC is targeted to the caveolin-rich plasma membrane microdomains. The freshly isolated adult rat cardiac myocytes were used to examine PKC isoforms including PKCα, PKCβ, PKCɛ, PKCδ and PKCζ. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the immunoreactivity for PKCɛ or PKCδ but not for PKCα, PKCβ or PKCζ increased significantly in the membrane fractions from cells pretreated with the selective adenosine A1 receptor agonist 2-chloro-N(6)-cyclopentyladenosine ( CCPA, 100 nM) when compared with non-stimulated cells. The effect of CCPA on PKCɛ or PKCδ translocation was blocked by adenosine A1 receptor antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX, 100 nM). When Western blot was performed from the caveolin-enriched plasma membrane fractions, the immunoreactivity for PKCɛ or PKCδ but not PKCα, PKCβ or PKCζ was enhanced significantly by CCPA. Furthermore, PKCɛ and PKCδ were detected in the anti-caveolin-3 immunoprecipitates but not in the samples without primary antibody. Immunofluorescence staining further indicates increased colocalization of PKCɛ or PKCδ with caveolin-3 at cell peripheral region and T-tubular-like structures in response to adenosine A1 receptor activation. In conclusion, we demonstrate that activation of adenosine A1 receptors promotes the selective translocation of PKCɛ and PKCδ to the caveolin-enriched plasma membrane microdomains in cardiac myocytes.
Occurrence of Athiorhodaceae in Woodland, Swamp, and Pond Soils

Tests (by enrichment culture) for nonsulfur purple photosynthetic bacteria in surface soils showed them in all of three sediment cores sampled in a shallow pond and in all of six peats from nearby swamp hollows beneath cedar and tamarack. They also occurred in two of three peats from swamp flats and three of five peats from swamp hummocks. For woodland and grassland surface soils, proportions were three out of seven and five out of nine sites respectively. For the total number of tubes inoculated at varying dilutions from each of these sites, the following proportions of positives were recorded: uppermost lake sediments 92%, swamp hollows 67%, swamp flats 38%, swamp hummocks 20%, woodlands 14%, grasslands 8%.
Studies in the History of Business and Technical Writing: A Bibliographical Essay.

This article is a bibliographical essay on the history of business and technical writing based on a survey of over 200 articles and books that demonstrate not only the quality and quantity of recen...
Statistical reliability analysis of satellites by mass category: Does spacecraft size matter?

Abstract Reliability has long been recognized as a critical attribute for space systems, and potential causes of on-orbit failures are carefully sought for identification and elimination through various types of testing prior to launch. From a statistical or actuarial perspective, several parameters or characteristics of the spacecraft, such as mission type, orbit, or spacecraft complexity, can potentially affect the probability of failure of satellites. In this paper, we explore the correlation between satellite mass, considered here as a proxy for size, and satellite reliability, and we investigate whether different classes of satellites, defined in terms of mass, exhibit different reliability profiles. To this end, we first conduct nonparametric analysis of satellite reliability based on a sample of 1394 recently launched Earth-orbiting satellites. The satellites are organized in three main categories defined by satellite mass (Small–Medium–Large). Three nonparametric reliability curves are thus derived and different reliability behaviors for the various satellite mass categories are identified. We then provide parametric fits of the reliability curves using the maximum likelihood estimation method as well as mixtures of Weibull distributions. Finally, we discuss possible structural and causal reasons for these trends and failure differences, in particular with respect to design, testing and procurement practices.
Subpicosecond Photoinduced Charge Injection from “Molecular Tripods” into Mesoporous TiO2 Over the Distance of 24 Angstroms

Extended rigid tripodal sensitizers were used to investigate the rate of long-distance photoinduced charge transfer from the MLCT excited states of RuII-based chromophores into mesoporous TiO2 films. The distance between the RuII center and the surface of the semiconductor was 24 A. Rapid biexponential charge injection with a major subpicosecond component as fast as 240 fs was observed upon femtosecond laser excitation of the tripods bound to the TiO2 surface. This rate exceeds the typical rates of vibrational cooling and thus strongly supports the possibility of “hot electron injection” occurring at very large donor-to-semiconductor distances.
Measurements using tangentially viewing bolometers on TFTR

Co‐ and counter‐viewing bolometers aimed along a common tangency chord are being used to study power losses due to charge exchange (CX) of fast ions in neutral beam injection (NBI) heated TFTR plasmas. For unidirectional injection, tangential bolometers oriented to view CX loss of circulating fast ions detect losses from the thermal target plasma (impurity radiation and CX) plus power due to the fast ion CX loss, whereas bolometers oppositely directed measure only the target plasma contribution. The difference between the two signals is a measure of the fast ion CX loss. Additional information is obtained by comparing the tangential bolometer signals with those of perpendicularly viewing bolometer monitors and arrays. The measurements are compared to results of the TRANSP code analysis.
Trends in hospitalizations associated with pediatric traumatic brain injuries

OBJECTIVES: The goals were to describe trends in pediatric traumatic brain injury hospitalizations in the United States and to provide national benchmarks for state and regional comparisons. METHODS: Analysis of existing data (1991-2005) from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, the largest longitudinal, all-payer, inpatient care database in the United States, was performed. Children 0 to 19 years of age were included. Annual rates of traumatic brain injury-related hospitalizations, stratified according to age, gender, severity of traumatic brain injury, and outcome, were determined. RESULTS: From 1991 to 2005, the estimated annual incidence rate of pediatric hospitalizations associated with traumatic brain injury decreased 39%, from 119.4 to 72.7 hospitalizations per 100,000. The rates decreased for all age groups and for both boys and girls, although the rate for boys remained consistently higher at each time point. Fatal hospitalization rates decreased from 3.5 deaths per 100,000 in 1991-1993 to 2.8 deaths per 100,000 in 2003-2005. The rate of mild traumatic brain injury hospitalizations accounted for most of the overall decrease, whereas nonfatal hospitalization rates for moderate and severe traumatic brain injuries remained relatively unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Although pediatric hospitalization rates for mild traumatic brain injuries have decreased over the past 15 years, rates for moderate and severe traumatic brain injuries are relatively unchanged. Our study provides national estimates of pediatric traumatic brain injury hospitalizations that can be used as benchmarks to increase injury prevention effectiveness through targeting of effective strategies. Language: en
The need to pursue and publish clinical trials in nanomedicine

This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies
Saturation effects and inhomogeneous broadening in Doppler-free degenerate four-wave mixing

Abstract We have performed experiments to study the saturation properties of degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) in inhomogeneously broadened material. The experiments were performed on line-center in SF6 using a CW CO2 laser on the P16 line at 10.6 μm. Measured peak reflectivities of 1.7 x 10-4 are in reasonable agreement with a simple two-level model. This model also appears to correctly account for the observed saturation effects. While the material is clearly inhomogeneously broadened, both the experimental and theoretical reflectivity scale as though the material was homogeneously broadened.
The effects of stimuli associated with shock onset or termination on restraint-induced gastric lesions

Rats under physical restraint were presented a CS that was previously paired with either shock onset or electric shock termination, or at random intervals before and after shock onset (control). The group exposed to the CS previously paired with shock onset had significantly more gastric lesions than did the other two groups, which did not differ. These results support the findings of studies which measured an instrumental response in showing that the effects of a CS associated with shock onset were different from the effects of a CS previously paired with shock termination.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm in the patient undergoing cardiac transplantation.

Abstract In the past 3 years at our institution 130 patients have undergone cardiac transplantation for ischemic cardiomyopathy in 49 (38%), idiopathic cardiomyopathy in 42 (32%), viral cardiomyopathy in 9 (6.9%), pulmonary hypertension in 8 (6%), and graft atherosclerosis in 2 (1.5%). Routine preoperative abdominal ultrasonography was performed on 98 (75%) of these patients with specific visualization of the abdominal aorta in 93 (95%). Abdominal aortic aneurysms (all infrarenal) were found before operation in four patients and only in the subgroup undergoing transplantation for ischemic heart disease (10.5%). They measured 3.4, 4.5, 3.6, and 3.8 cm before transplantation. Periodic evaluation by ultrasonography was carried out after transplantation during the 3-year period of this study. One aneurysm that was initially 3.6 cm increased to 4.0 cm and ruptured 2 months after transplantation. The patient died despite emergent surgery. Aneurysms in three patients who demonstrated rapid aneurysm expansion after transplantation were successfully repaired at 5, 20, and 33 months after transplantation when the lesions reached 5.5, 5.9, and 4.8 cm. A fifth patient with an initially normal (1.5 cm) aorta developed a symptomatic aneurysm of 4.1 cm, which was repaired uneventfully. The average expansion rate of these aneurysms after transplantation was 0.74 ± 0.15 cm/year. This experience suggests that aneurysms are limited to patients undergoing transplantation for ischemic heart disease. Ultrasound examination may be appropriate for preoperative screening. Careful aortic surveillance after transplantation is important in patients having transplantation for ischemic cardiomyopathy because of the apparent rapid expansion rate compared to aneurysms in the population not receiving transplants. (J VASC SURG 1991;14:460-7.)
The half lives of two excited states in 239Np

The half-life of the 74 keV (52-) state of 239Np has been determined to be 1·380 nsec ± 0·032 nsec where the uncertainty represents the sum of estimated bounds to the systematic error, ±0·010 nsec, and twice the standard error, ±0·022 nsec. The half-life of the 118 keV (72-) state of 239Np has been found to be less than 0·04 nsec.
The azidation of starch

Starch is an inexpensive commodity that has been used for non-food purposes for many years. Some of these uses include cross-linked starches that are synthesized with a variety of multifunctional reagents. One unexplored possibility is the use of azides for cross-linking. To this end, azide derivatives of different starches have been synthesized, including the first reported synthesis of 6-deoxy-6-azido-amylopectin. Lithium salts, which were found to not be essential for the dissolution of starch in the reaction, were replaced with sodium azide. The time for this derivatization reaction to reach completion was determined to be 1 h. N,N-dimethylacetamide was also found to be a suitable solvent. Initial experiments suggest that the azide derivative does cross-link starch when activated by heat.
Enriched chicory inulin increases calcium absorption mainly in girls with lower calcium absorption

Abstract We have previously shown that consumption of modest amounts of Synergy1 (long-chain inulin enriched with oligofructose) significantly increases calcium absorption in girls. The objective of this study was to determine which subject characteristics are associated with this beneficial effect. Data from our original cohort of 29 girls were combined with those of an additional 25 newly recruited subjects. Calcium absorption was measured twice, in random order, after 3 weeks’ adaptation to either 8 g/d Synergy1 or placebo (sucrose), separated by a 2-week washout period, using a dual-tracer stable isotope method. Overall, Synergy1 significantly increased calcium absorption from 33.1% (SD 9.2%) to 36.1% (SD 9.8%, p = 0.027). The most consistent identifiable determinant of a beneficial effect of Synergy1 on calcium absorption was the fractional calcium absorption during the placebo period, with those individuals with lower calcium absorption during the placebo period showing the greatest benefit. Abbreviations: C, Caucasian; H, Hispanic; AA, African American.
Transesterification: Salol synthesis over solid acids

Abstract Preparation, characterization of zirconia, SO 4 2 - and Mo(VI) ions modified zirconia and their catalytic performance in phenyl salicylate (Salol) synthesis are described. The catalytic materials have been analyzed for their total surface acidity, BET surface area and powder XRD patterns. Salol synthesis via transesterification of methyl salicylate with phenol over these catalysts has been studied in liquid phase. The effect of presence of molecular sieves, molar ratio of reactants, catalyst weight and reaction time on the conversion of phenol and selectivity towards salol has been studied. An increase in the conversion of phenol to an extent of up to 18% was observed when molecular sieves were used in the reaction. The results have been interpreted based on the variation of acidic properties and powder XRD phases of zirconia on incorporation of SO 4 2 - and Mo(VI) ions. A triangular link between the surface acidity, powder XRD phases and the catalytic activity of the catalysts was observed. Good yield of salol with 100% selectivity could be achieved by selecting a suitable catalyst and proper reaction conditions.
Efficient Sensor Characteristic Selection for Cost-Effective Distributed Sensor Networks

For distributed sensor technologies whose costs are understood (or which may be estimated in some reasonable manner), we derive a simple analytic means by which to estimate the most cost-effective sensor detection range. Specifically, we consider design of sensor nodes whose purpose is to exploit a set of coherent acoustic array technologies to detect a target with a specified radiated signature in an environment characterized by the sonar equation. We define a simplified calculus of distributed search that exploits simple target motion as a means to enhance spatial coverage for a sparse field of uniformly distributed sensor nodes. We examine this strategy in the context of both area (two-dimensional) and volume (three-dimensional) surveillance coverage under both cylindrical and spherical spreading models. In all situations, cost-effective design guidance is given based on maintaining spatial detection coverage
High aspect ratio electroplated microstructures using a photosensitive polyimide process

A polymide-based process for the fabrication of high-aspect ratio microstructures is presented. The process exploits the sharp-sidewall characteristics of photosensitive polyimide to create the electroplating form through which the high-aspect-ratio structures are electroplated. Although the resolution of this process is inferior to the synchrotron-based process, this process has several advantages: it is simple and can be carried out using commercially available materials and common clean room equipment; the excellent chemical and thermal resistance of polyimide allows plating to take place in a variety of environments; and multiple coats of polyimide can be used to fabricate vertically integrated structures which have variation in the third dimension. The process is completely compatible with surface micromachining sacrificial layer techniques to create released electroplated microstructures. >
OTOF mutations revealed by genetic analysis of hearing loss families including a potential temperature sensitive auditory neuropathy allele

Introduction: The majority of hearing loss in children can be accounted for by genetic causes. Non-syndromic hearing loss accounts for 80% of genetic hearing loss in children, with mutations in DFNB1/GJB2 being by far the most common cause. Among the second tier genetic causes of hearing loss in children are mutations in the DFNB9/OTOF gene. Methods: In total, 65 recessive non-syndromic hearing loss families were screened by genotyping for association with the DFNB9/OTOF gene. Families with genotypes consistent with linkage or uninformative for linkage to this gene region were further screened for mutations in the 48 known coding exons of otoferlin. Results: Eight OTOF pathological variants were discovered in six families. Of these, Q829X was found in two families. We also noted 23 other coding variant, believed to have no pathology. A previously published missense allele I515T was found in the heterozygous state in an individual who was observed to be temperature sensitive for the auditory neuropathy phenotype. Conclusions: Mutations in OTOF cause both profound hearing loss and a type of hearing loss where otoacoustic emissions are spared called auditory neuropathy.
Mechanical properties of the tectorial membrane in situ.

According to the classical model of cochlear hair-cell stimulation, the tectorial membrane moves in cross-section like a stiff beam, rotating around the lip of the spiral limbus. This produces a shearing motion against the reticular lamina and, as a result, a radial deflection of the hair-cell stereocilia. The deflection can be effectively produced by the tectorial membrane only if its stiffness in the radial direction is greater than that of the stereocilia. We were able to manipulate the tectorial membrane through a scala-media access in live Mongolian gerbils and to measure its transverse and radial stiffnesses. We found the membrane to behave like a rubber band and to be much less stiff than the stereocilia. This is incompatible with the classical model. The tectorial membrane must act on the stereocilia as a mass load rather than a stiff anchor.
Perceptions of Stigma Following Public Intervention for Delinquent Behavior

The labelling hypothesis maintains that being publicly identified as deviant results in a “spoiled” public identity. It contends that being labelled “deviant” results in a degree of social liability (i.e., exclusion from participation in certain conventional groups or activities) which would not occur if the deviance were not made a matter of public knowledge. It further suggests that the social liability incurred by being labelled “deviant” has the ultimate effect of reinforcing the deviance. This study examines the extent to which delinquent boys perceive having incurred any social liability as a consequence of public intervention. The data indicate that only a very small proportion of the boys interviewed felt seriously handicapped by their encounter with the police or juvenile court. The subjects did not perceive any substantial change in interpersonal relationships with family, friends, or teachers. Greatest social liability was perceived in those situations of an impersonal nature in which one's character tends to be inferred from public documents like court or police records rather than through personal acquaintance with the person.
An overview of process query systems

Process Query Systems (PQS) are a new kind of information retrieval technology in which user queries are expressed as process descriptions. The goal of a PQS is to detect the processes using a datastream or database of events that are correlated with the processes' states. This is in contrast with most traditional database query processing, information retrieval systems and web search engines in which user queries are typically formulated as Boolean expressions. In this paper, we outline the main features of Process Query Systems and the technical challenges that process detection entails. Furthermore, we describe several importance application areas that can benefit from PQS technology. Our working prototype of a PQS, called TRAFEN (for TRAcking and Fusion ENgine) is described as well 1 . I. I NTRODUCTION Many applications of current interest involve using databases or datastreams of events to detect instances of processes. In those applications, events provide evidence that is used to infer the existence and estimate the states of the various processes of interest. Examples of such applications include: network and computer security; network management; sensor network tracking; military situational awareness and; critical infrastructure monitoring and protection. (Specific details of how the techniques discussed in this paper apply to these application areas are in Appendix I.) While these and other applications are superficially different from one another, they in fact share many common fea- tures when viewed from an appropriately abstract perspective. This abstract framework posits that a collection of processes, fM1;M2;:::g, is producing an interleaved stream of observ- able events:
Inbreeding depression for fertility and biomass in advanced generations of inter- and intrasubspecific hybrids of tetraploid alfalfa.

Hybrids between Medicago sativa subsp. sativa L. (hereafter "sativa") and M. sativa subsp. falcata (L.) Arcang. (hereafter "falcata") often express heterosis for yield. Yield generally declines when hybrids are inbred due to the loss of desirable dominant alleles or epistatic combinations. We hypothesized that inbreeding sativa-falcata hybrids may show more extensive yield loss than intrasubspecific crosses because of the large genetic difference between subspecies. Our objective was to compare fertility in the greenhouse and biomass production in the field of F 1 hybrids and their F 2 and S 1 generations in both intra- and intersubspecific crosses. Field experiments including F 1 , F 2 , S 1 , and double-cross populations were planted in two locations in Iowa in 2003 and evaluated for yield in 2 yr. Sativa x falcata crosses (SFC) showed greater F 1 fertility than intrasubspecific crosses, suggesting that the two subspecies have similar chromosome structure. The SFC did not show high-parent F 1 heterosis, probably because of an intensive harvest schedule favoring sativa x sativa hybrids. However, SFC showed greater inbreeding depression in both F 2 and S 1 generations than intrasubspecific crosses, possibly reflecting a greater loss of favorable complementary gene interactions. These results suggest that selection within each parental population followed by intercrossing to produce population hybrids may be a better way to improve biomass with this germplasm than advancing hybrids into a recurrent selection program.
A simplified sizing and mass model for axial flow turbines

A mass model has been developed and used to study axial flow turbines for space power systems. Hydrogen, helium-xenon, hydrogen-water-vapor, air, and potassium vapor working fluids have been investigated to date. The impact of construction material, inlet temperature, rotational speed, pressure ratio, and power level on turbine mass and volume has been analyzed. The turbine model is described, and results of parametric studies showing general design trends characteristic of any axial flow machine are reported. Axial flow turbine designs using helium-xenon mixtures and potassium vapor working fluids which are used in Brayton and Rankine space power systems, respectively, are compared. >
Use of Terrestrial Hermit Crabs in the Study of Habituation

For small colleges, the use of invertebrates in undergraduate learning laboratory experiments may be a valuable alternative to the use of vertebrate species. This article describes a habituation experiment using terrestrial hermit crabs. All of the materials required are inexpensive and readily available. What makes this experiment unique is that although the instructor sets basic parameters, students have a crucial role in the experiment's design and the analysis of collected data. Assessment of learning outcomes and student evaluations indicate that conducting this experiment aided in students' learning of behavioral techniques, habituation phenomena and theory, and the role of habituation in the lives of organisms.
Hoaxes and the Paradoxical Challenges of Restoring Legitimacy: Dominos’ Response to Its YouTube Crisis

This study addresses the paradoxical demands of a hoax perpetrated through social media that require an organization to make a substantial response to an unsubstantiated claim. Dominos’ response to...
Review of factors affecting aircraft wet runway performance

Problems associated with aircraft operations on wet runways are discussed and major factors which influence tire/runway braking and cornering traction capability are identified including runway characteristics, tire hydroplaning, brake system anomalies, and pilot inputs. Research results from investigations conducted at the Langley Aircraft Landing Loads and Traction Facility and from tests with instrumented ground vehicles and aircraft are summarized to indicate the effects of different aircraft, tire, and runway parameters. Several promising means are described for improving tire/runway water drainage capability, brake system efficiency, and pilot training to help optimize aircraft traction performance on wet runways.
A density functional theory based study of the electron transfer reaction at the cathode–electrolyte interface in lithium–air batteries

The unique properties of ionic liquids such as a relatively wide electrochemical stability window and very low vapor pressure have made them promising candidates as electrolytes for improving the cyclic performance of lithium–air batteries. The local current density, which is an important parameter in determining the performance of lithium–air batteries, is a function of the rate constant of the electron transfer reactions at the surface of the cathode. In this study, a novel method based on Marcus theory is presented to investigate the effect of varying the length of the alkyl side chain of model imidazolium based cations and the operating temperature on the rates of electron transfer reactions at the cathode. The necessary free energies of all the species involved in the multi-step reduction of oxygen into the peroxide ion were calculated using density functional theory (DFT). Our results indicate that the magnitude of the Gibbs free energy for the reduction of oxygen into the superoxide ion and also for the reduction of superoxide into the peroxide ion increases with an increase in the static dielectric constant of the ionic liquid. This trend in turn corresponds to the decrease in the length of the alkyl side chain of the ionic liquid cation. Furthermore, the change in Gibbs free energy decreases with increase in the operating temperature. The inner-sphere reorganization energies were evaluated using Nelsen's four point method. The total reorganization energies of all reduction reactions increase with decrease in the length of the alkyl side chain and increase in the operating temperature. Finally, the rate constants of the electron transfer reaction involved in the reduction of oxygen were calculated. The logarithm of the reaction rate constants decreases with increase in the static dielectric constant and increases with increase in the operating temperature. Our results provide fundamental insight into the kinetics and thermodynamics of the electron transfer reactions at the cathode that will help in the identification of appropriate electrolytes for enhanced performance of lithium–air batteries.
Impact of accreditation in bariatric surgery

Background: Several studies have shown improved outcomes associated with accredited bariatric centers. The aim of our study was to examine the outcomes of bariatric surgery performed at accredited versus nonaccredited centers using a nationally representative database. Additionally, we aimed to determine if the presence of bariatric surgery accreditation could lead to improved outcomes for morbidly obese patients undergoing other general laparoscopic operations. Methods: Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database, for data between 2008 and 2010, clinical data of morbidly obese patients who underwent bariatric surgery, laparoscopic antireflux surgery, cholecystectomy, and colectomy were analyzed according to the hospital’s bariatric accreditation status. Results: A total of 277,068 bariatric operations were performed during the 3-year period, with 88.4% of cases performed at accredited centers. In-hospital mortality was significantly lower at accredited compared to nonaccredited centers (.08% versus .19%, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that nonaccredited centers had higher risk-adjusted mortality for bariatric procedures compared to accredited centers (odds ratio [OR] 3.1, P o .01). Post hoc analysis showed improved mortality for patients who underwent gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy at accredited centers compared to nonaccredited centers (.09% versus .27%, respectively, P o .01). Patients with a high severity of illness who underwent bariatric surgery also had lower mortality rates when the surgery was performed at accredited versus nonaccredited centers (.17% versus .45%, respectively, P o .01). Multivariate analysis showed that morbidly obese patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (OR 2.4, P o .05) and antireflux surgery (OR 2.03, P o .01) at nonaccredited centers had higher rates of serious complications. Conclusion: Accreditation in bariatric surgery was associated with more than a 3-fold reduction in risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality. Resources established for bariatric surgery accreditation may have the secondary benefit of improving outcomes for morbidly obese patients undergoing general laparoscopic operations. (Surg Obes Relat Dis 2014;10:767–773.) r 2014 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. All rights reserved.
Directional Hearing by the Mauthner System

We provide a computational description of the function of the Mauthner system. This is the brainstem circuit which initiates fast-start escapes in teleost fish in response to sounds. Our simulations, using backpropagation in a realistically constrained feedforward network, have generated hypotheses which are directly interpretable in terms of the activity of the auditory nerve fibers, the principle cells of the system and their associated inhibitory neurons.
Cooperative pursuit with sensing limitations

We address a discrete-time pursuit-evasion problem involving multiple pursuers and a single evader in an unbounded, planar environment in which each player has limited-range sensing. The evader appears at a random location in a bounded region and moves only when sensed. We propose a sweep-pursuit-capture strategy for a group of at least three pursuers and determine a lower bound on the probability of capture for the evader. This bound is a function of the pursuer formation and independent of the initial evader location and the evader strategy. We then propose a novel cooperative pursuit algorithm and show that the problem is reduced to one with unlimited sensing. We provide an upper bound on the time for our pursuit strategy to succeed. The final capture is achieved by using the established algorithm spheres. Our results show that on the basis of maximizing the probability of evader capture per pursuer, the pursuers should search the bounded region as a single group (conjoin) rather than to divide the region into smaller parts and search simultaneously in smaller groups (allocate).