cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Domain name system security and privacy: A contemporary survey

Abstract The Domain Name System (DNS) is one of the most important components of today’s Internet, and is the standard naming convention between human-readable domain names and machine-routable Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of Internet resources. However, due to the vulnerability of DNS to various threats, its security and functionality have been continuously challenged over the course of time. Although, researchers have addressed various aspects of the DNS in the literature, there are still many challenges yet to be addressed. In order to comprehensively understand the root causes of the vulnerabilities of DNS, it is mandatory to review the various activities in the research community on DNS landscape. To this end, this paper surveys more than 170 peer reviewed papers, which are published in both top conferences and journals in last ten years, and summarizes vulnerabilities in DNS and corresponding countermeasures. This paper not only focuses on the DNS threat landscape and existing challenges, but also discusses the utilized data analysis methods, which are frequently used to address DNS threat vulnerabilities. Furthermore, we looked into the DNS threat landscape from the view point of the involved entities in the DNS infrastructure in an attempt to point out more vulnerable entities in the system.
Cost Effective way of measuring athlete muscle’s stiffness with the effect of fatigue

Athletes of every type experience fatigue in their muscles during their exercise. Determining the point at which failure will occur is simple, however it could result in injury for the athlete. Typically the point of fatigue is found by the athlete repeating the exercise until they are physically incapable of continuing. While it does not take much to understand the feeling of fatigue, it’s more to understand why it occurs. Using shear wave propagation and accelerometers, a model can be depicted of muscle fatigue of an athlete by viewing the strain and velocity of waves propagating through the muscle before, during, and after the lifting of a weight. It has been found that the stiffness found by this surface wave method is in agreement with the research studies done in the past using the Ultrasound and the MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) techniques. Stiffness of the biceps increases when the weight is lifted the effect of lifting the weight on the stiffness before and after has been investigated in this paper. This method is a cost effective, minimally non-invasive and an in-vivo method to measure the muscle stiffness which is an important criteria of diagnosing the muscle health. This process demonstrates mechanical engineering techniques that can be applied to and be beneficial to health fields, such as how to maximize muscle efficiency.
Trashing Appalachia: Coal, prisons and whiteness in a region of refuse:

While prisons are often seen as locally undesirable land uses (LULUs), nuance and historical analysis is needed to understand why this is not the case for all places, as well as why many of these “...
Early Success of COVID-19 Vaccines in Nursing Homes - Will it Stick?

This editorial comments on the articles by Mor et al , Moore et al , Rudolph et al , and Domi et al .
Irreverent Instruction: Considering New Approaches in Twenty-First-Century European and American Holocaust Education

Demsky recommends that American and western European educators retool their Holocaust curriculum and delivery methods. Observing that increasing numbers of “Generation Z” students lack meaningful connections to this past, he argues that assigning more relatable—if less historically faithful—materials can rejuvenate students’ interest. Demsky presents a bifurcated analysis that separately examines American and western European goings-on. He presents numerous examples taken from contemporary literature, film, and television that demonstrate how teachers can repurpose traditional Holocaust lessons by adapting them to the modern representations. In addition to integrating new learning materials, Demsky argues that educators should shift the focus of Holocaust lessons away from eliciting students’ empathy toward more critical analyses that interrogate producers’ intent when depicting this past.
Genetic Tools for the Analysis of Drosophila Stomatogastric Nervous System Development.

The Drosophila stomatogastric nervous system (SNS) is a compact collection of neurons that arises from the migration of neural precursors. Here we describe genetic tools allowing functional analysis of the SNS during the migratory phase of development. We constructed GAL4 lines driven by fragments of the Ret promoter, which yielded expression in a subset of migrating neural SNS precursors and also included a distinct set of midgut associated cells. Screening of additional GAL4 lines driven by fragments of the Gfrl/Munin, forkhead, twist and goosecoid (Gsc) promoters identified a Gsc fragment with expression from initial selection of SNS precursors until the end of embryogenesis. Inhibition of EGFR signaling using three identified lines disrupted the correct patterning of the frontal and recurrent nerves. To manipulate the environment traveled by SNS precursors, a FasII-GAL4 line with strong expression throughout the entire intestinal tract was identified. The transgenic lines described offer the ability to specifically manipulate the migration of SNS precursors and will allow the modeling and in-depth analysis of neuronal migration in ENS disorders such as Hirschsprung’s disease.
TH-AB-303-08: Dealing with Erratic Motion: Respiratory Gating Using Internal Surrogates in Pancreatic SBRT.

Purpose: The pancreas undergoes erratic and unstable respiratory-induced motion, which hinders respiratory gating and makes dose escalation difficult. In this study, we demonstrate the accuracy and dosimetric impact of respiratory gating using the instantaneous location of fiducial markers (internal gating) compared to conventional techniques for pancreatic tumors during SBRT. Methods: Motion data from 97 pancreatic SBRT treatments were retrospectively analyzed. In each, the daily trajectory of the tumor was reconstructed by calculating a Gaussian probability density function using the location of gold fiducial markers in the CBCT projections. The uncertainty in position for each phase of the respiratory cycle was given as the mean width of the Gaussian PDF. Using the calculated trajectories, we investigated the dosimetric impact of several respiratory motion management strategies, including conventional gating using an external chest block, and internal gating using the fiducial marker location. Results: End-exhale was the most consistent phase, with a mean variance of 0.14±0.14 mm (95% CI 0.04–0.65 mm), whereas max inhale was the least consistent (mean variance 0.34±0.36 mm, 95% CI 0.06–1.46 mm). In a simulated clinical scenario, fiducial-based internal gating using a 2mm superior-inferior window greatly outperformed the conventional approach using external markers (p<0.001), with a mean target D95 of 99.0±2.0%, 95% CI 92.7–100% (conventional gating – D95 96.6±7.4%, 95% CI 68.4–100%). Internal gating also increased the duty cycle from 30% to 45%. Conclusions: Pancreatic motion correlates weakly with chest wall motion, and makes conventional gating less accurate. Fiducial markers are easily discernable in kV imaging, and can provide accurate information regarding the instantaneous tumor location. By acquiring sequential kV images during pancreatic SBRT, the tumor location can be measured, and the treatment beam can be gated using this information. In a clinical dataset of 97 SBRT treatments, this protocol resulted both greater accuracy and a higher duty cycle. This work was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society, and Varian Medical Systems.
Abundance of the Elements

The idea that the elements are made of the primary matter or prote hyle dates back to the Greek philosopher Aristotle. Robert Boyle, who lived in 17th century England, was of the same opinion. He said: “It seems not absurd to conceive that at the first production of mixed bodies, the universal matter whereof among other parts of the universe consisted, was actually divided into little particles of several sizes and shapes variously moved” (Robert Boyle, “The Sceptical Chymist,” 1661). Aristotle’s concept of prote hyle was proven to be correct more than two thousand years later by Francis W. Aston’s enunciation of the whole-number rule: the atomic weights of the elements are the multiples of the weight of a proton. Man’s curiosity over the origin and nature of the elements gave rise to two major branches of 20th century science: Geochemistry and Nuclear Chemistry.
Familial and congenital polycythemia in three unrelated families.

Three families with polycythemia inherited through apparently different modes are described. Secondary causes of polycythemia were ruled out. Erythropoietin (EPO) levels were normal or low, even after phlebotomy. In vitro erythroid colony growth in standard assay cultures containing EPO was normal; however, in the absence of added EPO, a few progenitors from most of the affected individuals were able to generate recognizable colonies of mature erythroblasts, although these were smaller and proportionately less numerous than seen in polycythemia vera (PV). To search for EPO-receptor changes as a possible pathophysiologic mechanism, we examined, by Southern blot analysis, genomic DNA samples from affected and nonaffected family members, as well as three patients with PV. Two different probes, derived from the human EPO-receptor, were used. We found no evidence for chromosomal rearrangements or gene amplification in hereditary polycythemia or PV patients. Further, no nucleotide sequences were found that were homologous to the Friend spleen focus-forming virus glycoprotein gp55, which has been shown to bind to and activate the murine EPO-receptor. Functional studies examining number and binding affinity of the EPO- receptor on erythroid progenitors from three hereditary polycythemia patients demonstrated no abnormalities. We conclude that the mechanism(s) for the erythrocytosis in familial and congenital polycythemia and in PV may not involve the EPO-receptor and, therefore, may result from alterations of postreceptor responses.
Ad-hoc robot wireless communication

Communications and communication protocols play an important role in mobile robot systems able to address real world applications. Since the advent of high-performance wireless local area network (WLAN) and ad hoc networking technology at relatively low cost, their use for wireless communications among and control of mobile robots has become a practical proposition. However, in a large system with many mobile robots, it becomes difficult for all of robots to exchange information at a time because of their limited communication capacities. In this case, an ad hoc robot networking scheme is more promising. This paper presents the background of mobile ad hoc networks, ad hoc robot wireless communications, and their applications.
Data Structures and Terminating Petri Nets

Consider a collection of particles of various types, and a set of reactions that are allowed to take place among these particles. Each reaction is defined by an input linear combination of particle types, and an output linear combination of particle types. This framework (which is a Petri net) is shown to model the cost of updating several standard data structures, the amortized cost of counting in various number systems and the space consumption of persistent data structures. A proof that the system of reactions is guaranteed to terminate gives a bound on the cost of the corresponding data structure problem. I show how linear programming can be used to analyze these systems.
The Unheeded Cry: Animal Consciousness, Animal Pain, and Science

Science, common sense and the common sense of science animal consciousness as an object of study aspects of change in science and philosophy the tortuous path from Romanes to Watson animal pain - the ideology cashed out, 1 animal pain - the ideology cashed out, 2 consciousness regained - ethology and beyond.
Use of Direct Solvers for Multidimensional Fluid Flow Computations

Direct solvers for the inversion of the linearized set of the coupled Navier-Stokes equations are robust and can provide efficient solutions to practical flow problems in a few iterations. However, the required computer storage (and in some cases the CPU time) can be large, especially for three-dimensional flows. Techniques such as domain decomposition and plane-by-plane inversion are feasible, but their performance in preserving the robustness is problem dependent and uncertain. This paper reviews some recent research on the use of direct solvers in fluid flow computations.
Some new directions in FEL research

The efficiency of a free-electron laser (FEL) is limited because of the loss of synchronism between beam and wave associated with the extraction of energy from the beam. Tapering the wiggler, a commonly accepted solution for maintaining synchronism, is not satisfactory because of two adverse effects: the small-signal gain is sharply reduced, as is the fraction of electrons trapped in a decelerating field. At IR and shorter wavelengths, only a few percent extraction efficiency has been achieved by tapering.
Necessary optimality and controllability conditions for nonsmooth control systems

We consider nonconvex differential inclusions and obtain necessary optimality conditions for the general Bolza problem, a nonsmooth optimisation problem, and stronger resuits for its special Mayer case when f=0. In the case of Bolza problem we derive necessary conditions for a new concept of intermediate relaxed local minimum which takes an intermediate place between the classical weak and strong local minima. The main tools used are based on approximation techniques accompanied by proper robust constructions in nonsmooth analysis. Actually we use two approximation procedures. The first one is related to discrete approximations of the original infinite dimensionaI dynamic problem by a family of nonsmooth optimization problems in finite dimensions. Employing strong convergence results, we prove the Euler-Lagrange conditions for an intermediate relaxed local minimum in the Bolza problem. The second procedure deals with approximating the Mayer problem for constrained differential inclusions by a family of unconstrained Bolza problems involving Lipschitzian integrands. This leads to necessary optimality and controllability conditions for fully nonconvex problems with no relaxation. >
A specific uncoupler-binding protein in Tetrahymena pyriformis and Paracoccus denitrificans

The uncoupler of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, 2-nitro-4-azido-carbonylcyanide phenylhydrazone (N3CCP) which is capable of photoaffinity labeling has been used to examine the effect of uncouplers on the energy conserving membranes of Paracoccus denitrificans and Tetrahymena pyriformis. The N3CCP uncouples respiration in P. denitrificans and T. pyriformis cells with U12 values of 1.05 μM and 0.24 μM, respectively. Binding studies show the presence of 0.65 ± 0.05 high affinity sites per cytochrome a with a Kd of 0.5 ± 0.1 μM in P. denitrificans membranes and 1.4 ± 0.2 sites per cytochrome a2 with a Kd of 0.4 ± 0.1 μM in T. pyriformis membranes. Irradiation of [3H]-N3CCP bound to the membranes leads to a covalent linking of the radioactive uncoupler to a peptide of 10–15 kdaltons as analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It is concluded that these two microbial systems contain a specific high affinity uncoupler binding site very similar to that of mammalian mitochondria (Katre, N.V. and Wilson, D.F. (1978) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 191, 647–656).
The Dependence of Numerically Simulated Cyclic Mesocyclogenesis upon Environmental Vertical Wind Shear

Abstract Building upon the authors’ previous work that examined the dynamics of numerically simulated cyclic mesocyclogenesis and its dependence upon model physical and computational parameters, this study likewise uses idealized numerical simulations to investigate associated dependencies upon ambient vertical wind shear. Specifically, the authors examine variations in hodograph shape, shear magnitude, and shear distribution, leading to storms with behavior ranging from steady state to varying degrees of aperiodic occluding cyclic mesocyclogenesis. However, the authors also demonstrate that a different mode of nonoccluding cyclic mesocyclogenesis may occur in certain environments. Straight hodographs (unidirectional shear) produce only nonoccluding cyclic mesocyclogenesis. Introducing some curvature by adding a quarter circle of turning at low levels results in steady, nonoccluding, and occluding modes. When a higher degree of curvature is introduced—for example, turning through half and three-quarter ci...
Application of the WRF Hybrid ETKF–3DVAR Data Assimilation System for Hurricane Track Forecasts

AbstractA hybrid ensemble transform Kalman filter (ETKF)–three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR) system developed for the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) was studied for the forecasts of the tracks of two major hurricanes, Ike and Gustav, in 2008 over the Gulf of Mexico. The impacts of the flow-dependent ensemble covariance generated by the ETKF were revealed by comparing the forecasts, analyses, and analysis increments generated by the hybrid data assimilation method with those generated by the 3DVAR that used the static background covariance. The root-mean-square errors of the track forecasts by the hybrid data assimilation (DA) method were smaller than those by the 3DVAR for both Ike and Gustav. Experiments showed that such improvements were due to the use of the flow-dependent covariance provided by the ETKF ensemble in the hybrid DA system. Detailed diagnostics further revealed that the increments produced by the hybrid and the 3DVAR were different for both the analyses o...
Adipose glycerol kinase: low molecular weight protein has two Michaelis constants for glycerol.

Abstract Using the improved methods, it was found that glycerol kinase activity is not only higher in adipose tissue than previously reported, but more importantly, the enzyme shows two Kms with respect to glycerol. One of the Kms is in the micromolar range, while the other is in the millimolar range. The different distribution of the two Km activities in ammonium sulfate fractions, and the preferential inactivation of the high Km enzyme by heat and acid pH, suggest that the two Km activities may correspond to two different molecular species. The apparent molecular weight of the enzyme is 54,000 – 58,000 as determined by gel filtration.
π − p Backward Elastic and Inelastic Scattering at 2.15 GeV/ c

We have measured differential cross sections for the reactions ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}p$ and ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}{N}^{*\ensuremath{\mp}}(1236)$ at an incident pion momentum of 2.15 GeV/c and for center-of-mass scattering angles in the range ${cos\ensuremath{\theta}}^{*}=\ensuremath{-}0.999 \mathrm{to} \ensuremath{-}0.950$. The elastic differential cross section has a sharp dip in the backward direction, dropping from \ensuremath{\sim}70 \ensuremath{\mu}b/sr at ${cos\ensuremath{\theta}}^{*}=\ensuremath{-}0.95 \mathrm{to} \ensuremath{\sim}4$ \ensuremath{\mu}b/sr at ${cos\ensuremath{\theta}}^{*}=\ensuremath{-}1$; the ${N}^{*\ensuremath{-}}(1236)$ differential cross section is, within our errors, consistent with the same size and shape as that for elastic scattering; the average differential cross section for ${N}^{*+}(1236)$ in our angular region is less than 18 \ensuremath{\mu}b/sr with 97% confidence.
Somatic STK11 and Concomitant STK11/KRAS Mutational Frequency in Stage IV Lung Adenocarcinoma Adrenal Metastases

Somatic serine/threonine kinase 11 (STK11) also known as liver kinase B1 (LKB1) is a tumor suppressor gene and ranks as the third most frequently mutated gene in lung adenocarcinoma. However, current molecular testing guidelines recommend evaluating for epidermal growth factor receptor mutations and ALK fusions to guide therapy in all patients with advanced stage adenocarcinoma, regardless of gender, race, or smoking history. Identifying alternative "driver" mutations and using actionable targeted pharmacotherapy is a key approach to providing effective individualized medical care. The analytical sensitivity and parallel multigene approach of targeted next-generation sequencing is an attractive methodology for use for cytology specimens. The presented lung adenocarcinoma study revealed that STK11 mutations alone and concomitant KRAS/STK11 mutations were identified in 18.2% and 4.5% of solitary adrenal metastases, respectively. Molecular profiling of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistant tumors may help to identify patients who would most benefit from alternative single or dual pathway inhibition potentially leading to a revision in current molecular testing guidelines.
The insulin/glucose ratio in children with islet cell tumors of the pancreas

1. The diagnosis of an islet cell adenoma is difficult in children as hyperinsulinism may exist without hyperinsulinemia. 2. Data are presented from three cases and compared with values from ten other cases less than 12 years old. 3. These figures suggest that the best discriminant of hyperinsulinism in childhood may be an elevated plasma insulin/glucose ratio during hypoglycemia.
LENGTH OF REFERENCE LINE IN SIMILARITY RATINGS

Many scaling techniques involve rating procedures in which Ss are asked to place a stimulus on some kind of scale. In a typical task, S is presented with stimuli one at a time and instructed to place each stimulus on a scale which varies from, say, 1 to 7, the former being assigned when the stimulus has the least amount of the attribute being rated and the latter when the stimulus has a great deal of the attribute. Such a scaling technique is actually a variant of the method of equal-appearing intervals. Edwards (1957, Chap. 4) indicates that, in general, the procedure employed in equal-appearing interval scaling tasks appears to have little effect. The research he cites, however, is largely concerned with comparing two rather dissimilar techniques [e.g., sorting (Thurstone & Chave, 1929) and rating scale line (Ballin & Farnsworth, 1941)l. In the present study, ratings by reference to a line were employed and the length of that line was varied. Forty-four male undergraduates were divided randomly into two groups (A and B). Group A rated the similarity of pairs of adjectives on a 7-in. line, Group B on a 3y2-in. line. In each case, the line had seven equal divisions, and the extremes were defined by the phrases "very similar" and "very different." On the basis of independent data, three pairs of adjectives (sad-impetuous, satisfyingdelicate, merry-happy) were selected as being low, medium, and high, respectively, in similarity. The mean racings for each pair of stimuli were calculated from the ratings given by Groups A and B. The low-similarity adjective pair led to a mean rating of 2.68 for each group (z = 0.00). The standard deviations were 1.33 and 1.04 for Groups A and B, respectively. For the medium-similarity pair, the means were 3.64 (s = 1.24) and 3.59 (s = 0.88) for Groups A and B (z = 0.15). In the case of the high-similarity adjective pair, the means were 6.59 and 6.73 (z = -0.77) with standard deviations 0.68 and 0.52. It is clear thar there are no significant differences in the mean similarity ratings; all z values fall well within the critical bounds of &1.96. Thus varying the length of the rating scale line from 345 to 7 in. appears unimportant in similarity ratlngs. The line lengths evaluated are approximately the upper and lower bounds of the scale slzes conveniently used in paperand-pencil rating. The suggestion in the data thar scale length may have an effect on high similarity stimuli but not on low was also tested, but an analysis of variance showed no interaction between similarity and rating-scale length.
A guide to anticoagulant therapy.

The physician who undertakes anticoagulant therapy tampers with one of the most important homeostatic functions of the body. In so doing, he subjects the patient to the calculated hazard of possible hemorrhage balanced against the risks of the thrombosis or embolism that he seeks to prevent or treat. Agents currently employed are heparin and coumarin-type compounds. These two categories of anticoagulants act at different sites of the coagulation mechanism, are administered differently, are metabolized differently, are reversed by different antidotes, and their effects are measured by different tests. Certain facts about which the physician should be adequately informed have been presented regarding the hemostatic mechanism; the physiology and pharmacology of the anticoagulants, especially as they may explain the wide variation in individual response; certain aspects of methodology; and the various practical problems involved in therapeutic management. Emphasis has been placed on the importance of individu...
Hearing Aid Use in Nursing Homes, Part 1: Prevalence Rates of Hearing Impairment and Hearing Aid Use

Although hearing impairment is among the most common chronic ailments of older persons, the problem is even greater among those in nursing homes. It is estimated that 70% to 90% of elderly residents in long-term care facilities have some degree of hearing impairment. Despite this high prevalence, significant underuse of hearing aids or other assistive devices exists, especially among those with dementia. Objectives The current study assessed rates of hearing impairment and hearing aid use among residents in a large, mid-Atlantic nursing home. Setting and Design In a cross-sectional survey, interviews were conducted at a large, mid-Atlantic nonprofit nursing home. Participants Reports were obtained from 279 resident–caregiver dyads, as well as from the Minimum Data Set (MDS) and research assistants performing the structured interviews. Measurements Measures included the MDS and the Barriers to Hearing Aid Use Questionnaire, which was developed for this study. Results Results show an inconsistency in reports of both hearing impairment and hearing aid use by multiple sources, as well as the underuse of hearing aids. These inconsistencies suggest that gross hearing impairment is undetected in clinical practice in over half of the residents. Conclusion The findings highlight the need for regular hearing assessments in the nursing home population. They also suggest the need for evaluation of institutional-level policies regarding screening and hearing aid management, as well as the need for further information regarding potential barriers to effective hearing aid use. These issues are addressed in part 2 of this study following this report.
A modified fuzzy PI controller for a flexible-joint robot arm with uncertainties

Abstract Fuzzy control strategy offers an alternative approach for many conventional control systems, which has certain advantages over the other techniques. For example, the improved PI fuzzy controller we designed in this paper, which is based on an existing fuzzy PI controller, can control an uncertain flexible-joint robot arm to produce satisfactory tracking results. The improved fuzzy PI controller not only can control (stable and unstable) conventional linear systems, performing as well as the conventional PI controller, but also is capable of controlling many nonlinear systems such as the flexible-joint robot arm under investigation which contains uncertainties within 10% tolerance of all nominal system-parameter values. In this improved fuzzy PI controller, we used only three simple membership functions plus six simple fuzzy logic control rules. In this paper, we describe the design principle of this controller and demonstrate its tracking performance in handling nonlinearity, flexibility, and uncertainty within the flexible-joint robot arm system.
Unified Model for Ballistic Transport and Gas-Solid Reactions in Features

The three dimensional equations which govern free molecular or ballistic transport and heterogeneous gas-solid reactions in features on patterned wafers during low pressure processing are reviewed. The governing equations specific to long rectangular trenches are extended to include nonuniform molecular velocity distributions in the source volume above the wafer as well as surface diffusion of adsorbed species or intermediates. Introduction of reaction stoichiometries and kinetic expressions for general deposition and etch reactions completes the specification of the problem. Local generalized sticking factors arise in the process of nondimensionalizing the governing equations.
The Olympic Challenge: Russia's Strategy for the Establishment of Security in the North Caucasus before 2014

This article discusses the ongoing security situation in the Russian North Caucasus, with a particular focus on the upcoming Winter 2014 Olympics in the resort of Sochi. The aim is to discuss groups that could be a source of potential problems, including non-violent groups like the Circassians, which have an issue with the Olympics taking place in their ancestral homeland, and violent rebel organizations like the one led by Doku Umarov. Finally, we will discuss what initiatives Moscow is expected to carry out over the next three years, as well as providing some policy suggestions.
Critical thickness in the HgCdTe/CdZnTe system

We present an analysis of the critical thickness of Hg1−xCdxTe on Cd1−yZnyTe substrates as a function of x and y and show that a very tight control of the substrate composition is needed to produce dislocation-free epi-layers. Hg1−xCdxTe layers on relaxed underlayers of different compositions of Hg are also examined.
Motivation and performance: Two consequences of winning and losing in competition

The present study examined the effects of competitive outcome—either a win or a loss—on intrinsic motivation. Winning was hypothesized to facilitate both performance and intrinsic motivation. Fifty-four participants, 29 females and 25 males, competed against a same-gender confederate in a puzzle-solving contest. Following the competition, participants' intrinsic motivation was surreptitiously measured by the amount of time spent playing with the puzzle while alone. Results showed that winning facilitated both actual competitive performance and intrinsic motivation relative to losing. The importance of considering the outcome when predicting intrinsic motivation after competition is discussed.
Cylindrical nanocapsules from photo-cross-linkable core–shell bottlebrush copolymers

Organic nanotubes with controlled dimensions were prepared from photo-cross-linkable core–shell bottlebrush copolymer precursors composed of an inner degradable polylactide block and an outer block containing photoactive coumarin functionalities. Bottlebrush copolymer precursors with diblock copolymer branches were synthesized by a grafting-from method using reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) to prepare a well-defined backbone first, followed by ring-opening and RAFT polymerizations to install side chains. Shell-cross-linked bottlebrush nanostructures were prepared by UV irradiation at 365 nm, which promoted [2 + 2] cyclodimerization of the peripheral coumarin functionalities. Subsequent degradation of the polylactide core provided hollow cylindrical nanoparticles held together by dimerized coumarin units in the shell layer. The length and the inner diameter of the nanotubes were consistent with the structural dimensions of the bottlebrush copolymer precursors.
Maximum entropy histograms

Abstract The derivation of a new class of nonparametric probability density estimators, maximum entropy histogram estimators (MEHE) is presented. Some of their asymptotic properties are summaried.
The use of ritodrine and magnesium sulfate in the arrest of premature labor

Sixty-seven cases of premature labor (48 with unruptured and 19 with ruptured membranes) were treated with ritodrine or magnesium sulfate infusion supplemented with oral ritodrine in case of initial success. Both treatment regimens were found effective irrespective of maternal age, parity, ethnic background and number of previous abortions. The study supports the clinical experience indicating that early administration of tocolytic agents is highly successful in arresting premature labor and preventing its dire consequences.
Experimental evolution with E. coli in diverse resource environments. I. Fluctuating environments promote divergence of replicate populations

Environmental conditions affect the topology of the adaptive landscape and thus the trajectories followed by evolving populations. For example, a heterogeneous environment might lead to a more rugged adaptive landscape, making it more likely that replicate populations would evolve toward distinct adaptive peaks, relative to a uniform environment. To date, the influence of environmental variability on evolutionary dynamics has received relatively little experimental study. We report findings from an experiment designed to test the effects of environmental variability on the adaptation and divergence of replicate populations of E. coli. A total of 42 populations evolved for 2000 generations in 7 environmental regimes that differed in the number, identity, and presentation of the limiting resource. Regimes were organized in two sets, having the sugars glucose and maltose singly and in combination, or glucose and lactose singly and in combination. Combinations of sugars were presented either simultaneously or as temporally fluctuating resource regimes. This design allowed us to compare the effects of resource identity and presentation on the evolutionary trajectories followed by replicate populations. After 2000 generations, the fitness of all populations had increased relative to the common ancestor, but to different extents. Populations evolved in glucose improved the least, whereas populations evolving in maltose or lactose increased the most in their respective sets. Among-population divergence also differed across regimes, with variation higher in those groups that evolved in fluctuating environments than in those that faced constant resource regimens. This divergence under the fluctuating conditions increased between 1000 and 2000 generations, consistent with replicate populations evolving toward distinct adaptive peaks. These results support the hypothesis that environmental heterogeneity can give rise to more rugged adaptive landscapes, which in turn promote evolutionary diversification. These results also demonstrate that this effect depends on the form of environmental heterogeneity, with greater divergence when the pairs of resources fluctuated temporally rather than being presented simultaneously.
Infrared spectroscopic analysis of poly(p-phenylene sulfide)

Abstract Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is employed to examine poly(p-phenylene sulfide) (PPS). The fundamental vibrations of PPS are assigned based on those of known para-substituted benzene modes. Spectra of annealed and quenched PPS are obtained. Based on these spectra, the enhanced crystalline FTIR spectra of PPS are obtained. The spectra of PPS are interpreted based on the symmetry of the molecules. A heated cell is used to study in situ the IR spectroscopic changes upon melt-state and solid-state crystallization of PPS. Changes upon crystallization are identified from the different spectra. The cured and melt-state PPS spectra are also examined. Spectra of high and low molecular weight PPS are also studied.
On the attenuation of light in the sea

Recently Jones & Wills (1956) have related the attenuation of light in the sea and in estuarine waters to the concentration of suspended solid matter. The attenuation was measured with an in situ hydrophotometer with a beam acceptance angle of approximately 3.20°. The concentration of suspended materials was determined by filtering in the case of natural samples or by adding known weights of kaolin or mud to tap water. In the discussion of their data and methods they have made application of the difFraction theory for opaque particles relatively large compared to the wave-length of light.
Magnet systems for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor

Preliminary parameters for the superconducting magnet system for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor has been established to guide more detailed design work. Radiation tolerance of the superconductors and insulators has been important because it sets requirements for the neutron-shield dimension and sensitively influences reactor size. Major levels of mechanical stress appear in the structural cases of the inboard legs of toroidal-field (TF) coils. The winding packs of the TF coils include significant fractions of steel that provide support against in-plane separating loads, but they offer little support against out-of-plane separating loads unless shear-bonding of the conductors can be maintained. Removal of heat from nuclear and AC loads has not limited the fundamental design, but it has nonnegligible economic consequences. >
Optimal harvesting-coefficient control of steady-state prey-predator diffusive Volterra-Lotka systems

This article considers the optimal control of the harvesting of a prey-predator system in an environment. The species are assumed to be in steady state under diffusion and Voterra-Lotka type of interaction. They are harvested for economic profit, leading to reduction of growth rates; and the problem is to control the spatial distributions of harvests so as to optimize the return. Precise conditions are found so that the optimal control can be rigorously characterized as the solution of an optimality system of nonlinear elliptic partial differential equations. Moreover, a constructive approximation scheme for optimal control is given.
Endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow Survival

Abstract We investigated survival for male, female, and first-year Cape Sable seaside sparrows (Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis, hereafter sparrows), a federally endangered bird restricted to the Florida Everglades, USA. Accurate estimates of survival are critical to improve management decisions and population estimates for this and other threatened species. We used Program MARK to evaluate effects of age, sex, population membership, temporal variation, and ground-water levels on annual survival from mark–recapture data collected across 3 sparrow populations from 1997 to 2007. We found little evidence that annual survival rates differed between the populations or across ground-water levels, but we found high variability between years for both adult and juvenile survival. Our results revealed female sparrows experienced 14–19% lower survival than males. Sparrows experienced much lower survival during their first year of life and were short-lived (2–3 yr). Our results highlight sparrows' susceptibility to po...
Wingbeat Time and the Scaling of Passive Rotational Damping in Flapping Flight

Flying animals exhibit remarkable capabilities for both generating maneuvers and stabilizing their course and orientation after perturbation. Here we show that flapping fliers ranging in size from fruit flies to large birds benefit from substantial damping of angular velocity through a passive mechanism termed flapping counter-torque (FCT). Our FCT model predicts that isometrically scaled animals experience similar damping on a per-wingbeat time scale, resulting in similar turning dynamics in wingbeat time regardless of body size. The model also shows how animals may simultaneously specialize in both maneuverability and stability (at the cost of efficiency) and provides a framework for linking morphology, wing kinematics, maneuverability, and flight dynamics across a wide range of flying animals spanning insects, bats, and birds.
Analysis of combination drug therapy to develop regimens with shortened duration of treatment for tuberculosis.

Rationale Tuberculosis remains a worldwide problem, particularly with the advent of multi-drug resistance. Shortening therapy duration for Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major goal, requiring generation of optimal kill rate and resistance-suppression. Combination therapy is required to attain the goal of shorter therapy. Objectives Our objective was to identify a method for identifying optimal combination chemotherapy. We developed a mathematical model for attaining this end. This is accomplished by identifying drug effect interaction (synergy, additivity, antagonism) for susceptible organisms and subpopulations resistant to each drug in the combination. Methods We studied the combination of linezolid plus rifampin in our hollow fiber infection model. We generated a fully parametric drug effect interaction mathematical model. The results were subjected to Monte Carlo simulation to extend the findings to a population of patients by accounting for between-patient variability in drug pharmacokinetics. Results All monotherapy allowed emergence of resistance over the first two weeks of the experiment. In combination, the interaction was additive for each population (susceptible and resistant). For a 600 mg/600 mg daily regimen of linezolid plus rifampin, we demonstrated that >50% of simulated subjects had eradicated the susceptible population by day 27 with the remaining organisms resistant to one or the other drug. Only 4% of patients had complete organism eradication by experiment end. Discussion These data strongly suggest that in order to achieve the goal of shortening therapy, the original regimen may need to be changed at one month to a regimen of two completely new agents with resistance mechanisms independent of the initial regimen. This hypothesis which arose from the analysis is immediately testable in a clinical trial.
MHC class II upregulation and colocalization with Fas in experimental models of immune-mediated bone marrow failure.

Objective To test the hypothesis that γ-interferon (IFN-γ) promotes major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II expression on bone marrow (BM) cell targets that facilitate T-cell−mediated BM destruction in immune-mediated BM failure. Materials and Methods Allogeneic lymph node (LN) cells were infused into MHC- or minor histocompatibility antigen−mismatched hosts to induce BM failure. MHC class II and Fas expression and cell apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. MHC class II-Fas colocalization was detected by ImageStream Imaging Flow Cytometry and other cell-to-cell associations were visualized by confocal microscopy. T-cell−mediated BM cell apoptosis and effects of IFN-γ on MHC class II-Fas colocalization on normal BM cells were studied using cell culture in vitro followed by conventional and imaging flow cytometry. Results BM failure animals had significantly upregulated MHC class II expression on CD4 − CD8 − CD11b − CD45R − residual BM cells and significantly increased MHC class II-Fas colocalization on BM CD150 + and CD34 + hematopoietic cells. MHC class II + Fas + BM cells were closely associated with CD4 + T cells in the BM of affected animals, and they were significantly more responsive to T-cell−mediated cell apoptosis relative to MHC class II − Fas − BM cells. Infusion of IFN-γ−deficient LN cells into minor histocompatibility antigen−mismatched recipients resulted in no MHC class II-Fas upregulation and no clinically overt BM failure. Treatment with recombinant IFN-γ significantly increased both MHC class II-Fas coexpression and colocalization on normal BM cells. Conclusions Elevation of the inflammatory cytokine IFN-γ−stimulated MHC class II expression and MHC class II-Fas colocalization, which may facilitate T-cell−mediated cell destruction.
Fructose and saturated fats predispose hyperinsulinemia in lean male rat offspring.

Early exposure to suboptimal nutrition during perinatal period imposes risk to metabolic disorders later in life. Fructose intake has been associated with increases in de novo lipogenesis, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and obesity. Excess consumption of saturated fat is associated with metabolic disorders. Objective of this animal study was to investigate morphological, metabolic, and endocrine phenotypes of male offspring born to dams consuming diets containing either 30% fructose, 9.9% coconut fat and 0.5% cholesterol (F + SFA) or 30% glucose, and 11% corn oil (C), 1 month before conception and during gestation and nursing. Proven male and female Sprague Dawley breeders were fed ad libitum with either F + SFA or C diet throughout the study. At weaning, five male pups from each group were sacrificed for determining morphological phenotypes. The other five male offspring from each group were rehabilitated to the C diet for an additional 12 weeks. At the age of 15 weeks, morphological phenotypes and blood biochemistries [glucose, insulin, growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), corticosterone, and testosterone] of male adult offspring were then assessed. Body weight (BW) and body length of the F + SFA male adult offspring was slightly smaller than the C. The BW-adjusted epididymal and retroperitoneal fat depots of the F + SFA adult offspring were significantly 18 and 44% smaller than the C, respectively. GH and IGF-1 were not different in adult offspring between groups. Fasted plasma insulin of the F + SFA adult offspring was 64% larger than the C (P ≤ 0.0001) and homeostasis model assessment value was 55% larger (P = 0.004). There were negative correlations between fat depot sizes and plasma insulin in adult offspring. Our results suggest that, through fetal programming, an early exposure to both fructose and saturated fats may cause hyperinsulinemia and insulin insensitivity in the nonobese male rats later in life.
A comparison of lycopene and astaxanthin absorption from corn oil and olive oil emulsions

The effect of different oils on the absorption of carotenoids was investigated in mesenteric lymph duct cannulated rats. Sixteen treatment emulsions containing increasing concentrations of either lycopene (LYC) or astaxanthin (AST) (5, 10, 15, 20 μmol/L) were prepared with olive oil or corn oil and continuously infused into the duodenum of the rat. Absorption of carotenoids into the mesenteric lymph duct was determined. Absorption of LYC and AST from both oils increased with the amount infused into the duodenum. The average recovery of AST in the lymph from the olive oil emulsion was 20% but was decreased to 13% from emulsions containing corn oil. Lycopene was not as well absorbed as AST. The average recovery of LYC was 6% from olive oil emulsions but only 2.5% when infused with corn oil. The LYC used in this study was isolated from tomato paste and was primarily in the all-trans form. We did not observe any significant isomerization of all-trans LYC to 9-cis LYC during absorption. We conclude that the type of oil with which a carotenoid is consumed can influence its absorption.
An initial value method for integral operators: I-complex eigenvalues

Abstract A method is described for the calculation of the eigenvalues of general integral operators. Several classical results from functions of a complex variable and the theory of integral equations are combined with a recent technique for converting Fredhohn integral equations into an initial-valued system of differential equations. The technique applies to both symmetric and nonsymmetric kernels.
Rating-Scale Variations and Discriminability:

24 variations of rating scales were used to explore their abilities to discriminate between two printed advertisements. The variations corresponded to differences in polarity (unipolar versus bipol...