cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New synthesis strategies to improve Co-Free LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 cathodes: Early transition metal d0 dopants and manganese pyrophosphate coating

Abstract In this work, we report solution-based doping and coating strategies to improve the electrochemical performance of the Co-free layered oxide cathode LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 (NM-50/50). Small amounts of d0 dopants (e.g., Mo6+and Ti4+, 0.5–1 at. %) increase the cathode's specific capacity, cycling stability, and rate capability. For example, a Mo-doped cathode with the nominal composition LiNi0.495Mn0.495Mo0.01O2 exhibits a high reversible capacity of 180 mA h/g at 20 mA/g compared to only 156 mA h/g for undoped NM-50/50. Effects of 1 at.% Mo dopant on the cathode structure were studied using a suite of characterization tools including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. These measurements demonstrate that Mo6+ dopant is enriched near the particle surface and improves the electrochemical performance of LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 by: (i) reducing Li+/Ni2+ cation mixing which facilitates Li+ transport, (ii) mitigating undesirable phase transformations near the cathode surface, and (iii) altering the cathode/electrolyte interfacial chemistry. This work also reports the use of an inorganic Mn2P2O7 coating which enhances the cycling stability of Mo-doped NM-50/50, presumably through formation of a stable cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) layer. Overall, the synthesis approaches reported herein are quite general and can potentially be expanded to other high voltage Li-ion battery cathodes.
Fine-Grained Instruction Placement in Polymorphic Computing Architectures

This paper presents two computer architecture mechanisms that can be employed together to allow programs to be written where their individual instructions can (1) be executed in parallel in separate processors and (2) be arbitrarily assigned to be executed by any processor in a connected fabric of processors. This is an emerging parallel execution technique for future high performance and embedded computers. Changing the placement of a program's instructions in a processing fabric is equivalent to rearranging the computer architecture around the program itself. Reasons to change the computer architecture around the software are to improve overall execution speed and to perform load balancing. The two computer architecture mechanisms are (1) a custom dataflow instruction set and (2) a processor block called an operation cell. The most important feature of the instruction set is the high level of operational independence of the instructions (i.e. no shared memory/registers between instructions). The operation cell is a processor construct that stores an instruction and manages the execution life of that instruction. An operation cell either executes the instruction itself or forwards the execution to another operation cell in a different processor.
S2ADC: A 12-bit, 1.25-MS/s Secure SAR ADC With Power Side-Channel Attack Resistance

When an ADC is converting a confidential analog signal into digital codes, it may expose a critical hardware security loophole. By exploiting the strong correlation between the ADC digital output codes and the ADC supply current waveforms, an attacker can perform an ADC power side-channel attack (PSA) to steal the sensitive A/D conversion results by tapping into the power supply of the ADC. In this regard, this article demonstrates two neural-network-based successive approximation register (SAR) ADC PSA methods and a 12-bit, 1.25-MS/s prototype SAR ADC with current-equalizer-based PSA protection. The first ADC PSA method employs multi-layer perceptron networks (MLP-PSA), while the second ADC PSA method uses convolutional neural networks (CNN-PSA). With the protection disabled, both MLP-PSA and CNN-PSA extract the A/D conversion results from the ADC supply current waveforms with >99% bit-wise accuracy. With the protection enabled, strong PSA-resistance against MLP-PSA is demonstrated. The same SAR ADC exhibits weaker PSA-resistance against CNN-PSA but generally provides significant protection of A/D conversion results.
A First Violation Contact Algorithm that Correctly Captures History Dependence

Abstract Problems of elastic frictional contact are of great engineering relevance playing major roles in many fields such as tribology, attachment integrity, and even structural dynamics. These problems are historically extremely difficult to analyze either theoretically or numerically. A quick review of the literature provides insight as to a major cause of the numerical difficulty specifically that traditional algorithms search for contact solutions that satisfy all equality and inequality constraints using iterative processes that pass through states that do not satisfy those constraints and are physically inadmissible. A novel contact algorithm - the Method of First Violation - is introduced to address the deficiency identified in traditional methods by choosing load steps precisely so as to avoid iterations through inadmissible states. The new algorithm is demonstrated on multiple contact problems and the results compared to those of a conventional algorithm and to analytic solutions where available. Finally, the Method of First Violation is demonstrated on a contact problem with a nontraditional friction model (Dahls model) to demonstrate generality and robustness.
Meta-Analysis of Methamphetamine Modulation on Amyloid Precursor Protein through HMGB1 in Alzheimer's Disease.

The deposition of amyloid-beta (Aβ) through the cleavage of amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) is a biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This study used QIAGEN Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) to conduct meta-analysis on the molecular mechanisms by which methamphetamine (METH) impacts AD through modulating the expression of APP. All the molecules affected by METH and APP were collected from the QIAGEN Knowledge Base (QKB); 78 overlapping molecules were identified. Upon simulation of METH exposure using the “Molecule Activity Predictor” feature, eight molecules were found to be affected by METH and exhibited activation relationships on APP expression at a confidence of p = 0.000453 (Z-score = 3.51, two-tailed). Core Analysis of these eight molecules identified High Mobility Group Box protein 1 (HMGB1) signaling pathway among the top 5 canonical pathways with most overlap with the 8-molecule dataset. Simulated METH exposure increased APP expression through HMGB1 at a confidence of p < 0.00001 (Z-score = 7.64, two-tailed). HMGB1 is a pathogenic hallmark in AD progression. It not only increases the production of inflammatory mediators, but also mediates the disruption of the blood-brain barrier. Our analyses suggest the involvement of HMGB1 signaling pathway in METH-induced modulation of APP as a potential casual factor of AD.
Primary Esophageal Small Cell Carcinoma Masquerading as Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in a Young Patient.

Background/aim Small cell cancer of the esophagus (SCCE) is an extremely rare entity with an aggressive clinical course, thus early diagnosis and treatment are important for improved survival. Case report A 35-year-old male presented with dysphagia, loss of appetite and weight loss. Diagnostic workup revealed an esophageal mass, which was diagnosed as primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) on initial biopsy. Despite receiving rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) chemotherapy for 3 months, there was an interval increase in the size of the esophagus mass, which unveiled underlying SCCE. A re-review of the previous biopsy specimen with immunohistochemical staining confirmed the initial diagnosis as SCCE as well. Despite 4 cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the malignancy progressed and proved fatal. Conclusion SCCE and non-Hodgkin lymphomas are rare entities, whose morphologies can be diagnostically challenging, hence they require special immunostaining for accurate diagnosis. Prompt diagnosis and initiation of treatment can confer better quality of life and survival.
Improving Wildfire Simulations by Estimation of Wildfire Wind Conditions from Fire Perimeter Measurements.

This paper shows how a gradient-free optimization method is used to improve the prediction capabilities of wildfire progression by estimating the wind conditions driving a FARSITE wildfire model. To characterize the performance of the prediction of the perimeter as a function of the wind conditions, an uncertainty weighting is applied to each vertex of the measured fire perimeter and a weighted least-squares error is computed between the predicted and measured fire perimeter. In addition, interpolation of the measured fire perimeter and its uncertainty is adopted to match the number of vertices on the predicted and measured fire perimeter. The gradient-free optimization based on iterative refined gridding provides robustness to intermittent erroneous results produced by FARSITE and quickly find optimal wind conditions by paralleling the wildfire model calculations. Results on wind condition estimation are illustrated on two historical wildfire events: the 2019 Maria fire that burned south of the community of Santa Paula in the area of Somis, CA, and the 2019 Cave fire that started in the Santa Ynez Mountains of Santa Barbara County.
Dynamic associations between daily alternate healthy eating index, exercise, sleep, seasonal change and mental distress among young and mature men and women

Abstract Background Diet quality, exercise and sleep are dynamic modifiable factors that impact mental health. However, taking into consideration gender and age-groups as risk factors may be necessary to customize therapies. The purpose of the study was to assess the dynamic interactions between diet quality, and lifestyle factors in relation to mental distress in these sub-groups. Method A total of 52 adult participants provided 4 week-daily records using the Food-Mood questionnaire. Data were collected for 2 years during the summer and fall seasons. Spearman's correlation as well as multivariate and multilevel regression analyses were used to identify correlations and model the relationships, respectively, between the variables of interest. Results There was a mild negative correlation between AHEI and K-6 scores; r s = -0.08 (95% confidence interval = [-0.14, -0.02]). Men and participants aged 30 years or older had lower K-6 scores than women (0.8 vs 1.8, p Limitations A convenience sample was used. Conclusion Our results suggest that adjusting one modifiable factor may lead to improvement in others. In addition, these factors are age and gender dependent. Therefore, customization of dietary and lifestyle factors based on gender and age-groups is recommended to optimize mental wellbeing.
Wind Resistance Categorization of Buildings

The wind resistance of buildings is accomplished using a commercially available expert system shell and a custom written user interface. The expert system grades a building on a scale of 1 to to based on the user responses to questions. To establish the building relative grade, points are assigned to each response and a scoring system is used.
Syzygies of Toric Ideals

In this chapter we study minimal free resolutions of toric ideals. Our goal is to use some ideas coming from monomial resolutions.
Submillimeter and Far Infrared Emission from Solar Flares

The mechanisms for emission in the submillimeter and far-infrared (1011 and 1013 Hz) regions by solar flares and expected fluxes at these frequencies are described and evaluated. These inferences are based on observations of flare emission at other frequencies and on models for these emissions. In the impulsive phase, non-thermal synchrotron emission by electrons responsible for > 10 MeV gamma-ray emission can give rise to significant radiation in the 1011 to 1013 Hz region from large flares. Free-free or thermal gyrosynchrotron from the hot plasma responsible for the gradual soft X-ray emission can produce significant radiation in the 1011 to 1013 Hz range. However, only radiation in the lower end of this range would have a brightness temperature exceeding the quiet sun brightness.
Shopping in the Healthcare Information Systems Market—A Search for Well-Camouflaged Land Mines

The selection of a healthcare information system is analogous to a big game hunt. The buyers perceive themselves as the hunters while the truth is just the opposite. To strip away the carefully crafted facade of corporate marketing is an art form and requires due diligence on the part of the shopper. Suggestions are offered to the consumer on how to pierce the shell of corporate silence and find the facts that will make a significant difference in product selection. The objectives on the seller's side are to make as much profit as possible and give as little as required to make the sale. The buyer is looking for the best product, the best company, and the most painless installation. The ground between these two vastly different goals is the battlefield of healthcare computer procurement. May the best shopper win! Caveat emptor.
Amino Acid Requirements and Proteolytic Activity of Streptococcus sanguis

The growth response of Streptococcus sanguis groups 1:A and 1:B in a complete chemically defined medium was not influenced by the oxygen concentration of the growth atmosphere. All of the cultures required cysteine and arginine; tyrosine and branched-chain amino acids were frequently required. Proteolysis of casein, mucin, and the anionic proteins of germfree rat saliva by S. sanguis was demonstrated. Hydrolytic activity toward casein was found in the soluble contents of the cells and in the cellular debris after disruption of the cells, with the soluble fractions exhibiting greater proteolytic activity toward casein. The soluble fractions from S. sanguis did not hydrolyze mucin, but this substrate was hydrolyzed by the cell debris fraction. When the amino acid requirements and proteolytic activity of S. sanguis and S. mutans were compared, these two oral streptococcal species exhibited distinct and characteristic differences.
A 100 MHz 2-D 8/spl times/8 DCT/IDCT processor for HDTV applications

This paper discusses the design of a combined DCT/IDCT CMOS integrated circuit for real time processing of HDTV signals. The processor operates on 8/spl times/8 blocks. Inputs include the blocked pixels that are scanned one pixel at a time, and external control signals that control the forward or inverse modes of operation. Input pixels have a precision of 9-b for the DCT and 12-b for the IDCT. The layout has been generated with a 0.8 /spl mu/m CMOS library using the Mentor Graphics GDT tools and measures under 10 mm/sup 2/. Critical path simulation indicates a maximum input sample rate of 100 MHz. >
The Biosynthesis of β-Hydroxy-β-methylglutaryl Coenzyme A in Yeast: V. THE ROLE OF ACYL CARRIER PROTEIN

Abstract In the presence of catalytic amounts of the β-hydroxy-β-methylglutaric acid coenzyme A-condensing enzyme of yeast, substrate amounts of acetoacetyl acyl carrier protein and acetyl coenzyme A react to form stoichiometric amounts of protein-bound β-hydroxy-β-methylglutaric acid, which is apparently β-hydroxy-β-methylglutaric acid acyl carrier protein. The condensation reaction with acetoacetyl acyl carrier protein proceeds at about one-sixth the rate observed with acetoacetyl coenzyme A. β-Hydroxy-β-methylglutaric acid coenzyme A does not undergo a transacylation reaction with acyl carrier protein, but a nonenzymatic transacylation of β-hydroxy-β-methylglutaric acid acyl carrier protein to coenzyme A does occur. These observations agree with previous suggestions that the thioester bond of the acetoacyl moiety remains intact during the condensation reaction with acetyl coenzyme A and provide a basis for unification of the so called malonate and acetate pathways of β-hydroxy-β-methylglutaric acid synthesis.
Induction of the C-terminal proteolytic cleavage of AβPP by statins.

Statins are drugs commonly used to inhibit cholesterol synthesis, with the goal of reducing vascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke. Statins have also been suggested as a therapeutic option for Alzheimer's disease (AD), although their benefit in AD remains controversial. We have previously shown that the intracellular C-terminal cleavage of the amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) is a major contributor to the neuronal toxicity seen in AD, and that this cleavage can be induced by amyloid-β. We now report that certain brain permeable statins are also able to induce the C-terminal cleavage of AβPP and associated cell death, whereas other statins do not. This statin effect on AβPP exceeded the effects of all other FDA-approved drugs in a library composed of these compounds, suggesting that this effect on AβPP cleavage is unique to a subset of the statins. Furthermore, the greatest effect occurred with cerivastatin, which has previously been shown to be the statin associated with the greatest risk of rhabdomyolysis. These results may have implications for the choice of which statins to evaluate in AD therapeutic trials; furthermore, the results may inform statin choice in individuals who are at high risk for the development of AD, such as those with an apolipoprotein E e4 allele.
A semi-direct method for design verification of array chips

An experimental general-purpose program based on ICD has been created to aid in the design of bipolar array chips. The program consists of a unique automated set of tools that verify the logic function of every chip circuit, determine signal noise margin, and provide reliability guideline checking for contact studs. The program was originally developed as part of analog and logic design verification tools to audit the design of a 48 Kb bipolar array cache chip prior to release to manufacturing. The analytic tools used consist of a semidirect method of analysis, a Gray algorithm, recognition of differential pairs to minimize the number of simulations (DC reruns), and a set of techniques to take into account the peculiarities of bipolar circuits, such as emitter and collector dots, input-output loading conditions, differential pairs, and the presence of a mixture of digital, sequential, and analog circuits. As a result, the design verification of 60 distinct circuits (books) of the 48 K chip took less than three CPU minutes on an IBM 3090 computer. >
Corneal sensitivity in healthy, immature, and adult alpacas.

Objective To determine the corneal sensitivity of healthy, immature, and adult alpacas to establish normal reference values for this species. Animals studied Six normal crias and 18 normal adult alpacas. Procedures Corneal sensitivity was determined by evaluating the corneal touch threshold (CTT) in five regions of the cornea using a Cochet–Bonnet aesthesiometer. The nylon filament length in cm was then converted to applied pressure values in mg/0.0113 mm2 and g/mm2 using a conversion chart. Results The central region of the cornea was the most sensitive, and the dorsal and temporal regions were the least sensitive in alpacas. There were no significant differences between the right and left eyes or between values in males and females at any site. Crias had significantly greater corneal sensitivity compared with adult alpacas in all five regions of the cornea that were evaluated. Conclusions Normal reference values for CTT in alpacas were established using a Cochet–Bonnet aesthesiometer. The central region of the cornea is the most sensitive in alpacas, and crias have higher corneal sensitivity than adult alpacas.
Global Information Systems in Science: Application to the Field of Thermodynamics †,‡,§

Global Information Systems can be defined as information systems designed to collect, process, integrate, evaluate, and communicate the entire “body of knowledge” pertaining to a field and to support any application requiring this knowledge in an “on-demand” mode with definitive information quality assessments. Recent advances in computer hardware technology, development of relational data management systems capable of reliably supporting storage of enormous amounts of information pertaining to specific areas of science, new interoperable means of standardizing data communications based on the Extensible Markup Language (XML) ontologies, new generation software expert systems, and secure online networks have created unprecedented opportunities for defining and implementing a new paradigm of Global Information Systems in Science. Global Information Systems have a profound impact on the scientific discovery process, industrial development, and knowledge communication. Within the last 10 years, one of the fi...
Role of bone marrow-derived cells in tumor angiogenesis and treatment

Abstract The role of bone marrow-derived cells in tumor neovascularization is currently the subject of intense research and debate. Two recent studies (De Palma et al., 2003 and Garcia-Barros et al., 2003) offer novel yet somewhat conflicting evidence for the role of these cells in tumor growth and neovascularization. These results have significant implications for tumor biology and treatment. At the same time, they raise many questions, which must be addressed for translating these important findings into new, improved treatment strategies.
Approximate dynamic programming for rail operations

Approximate dynamic programming offers a new modeling and algorithmic strategy for complex problems such as rail operations. Problems in rail operations are often modeled using classical math programming models defined over space-time networks. Even simplified models can be hard to solve, requiring the use of various heuristics. We show how to combine math programming and simulation in an ADP-framework, producing a strategy that looks like simulation using iterative learning. Instead of solving a single, large optimization problem, we solve sequences of smaller ones that can be solved optimally using commercial solvers. We step forward in time using the same flexible logic used in simulation models. We show that we can still obtain near optimal solutions, while modeling operations at a very high level of detail. We describe how to adapt the strategy to the modeling of freight cars and locomotives.
Improved gold chloride staining method for anatomical analysis of sensory nerve endings in the shoulder capsule and labrum as examples of loose and dense fibrous tissues.

AbstractConsistency in gold chloride staining is essential for anatomical analysis of sensory nerve endings. The gold chloride stain for this purpose has been modified by many investigators, but often yields inconsistent staining, which makes it difficult to differentiate structures and to determine nerve ending distribution in large tissue samples. We introduce additional steps and major changes to the modified Gairns’ protocol. We controlled the temperature and mixing rate during tissue staining to achieve consistent staining and complete solution penetration. We subjected samples to sucrose dehydration to improve cutting efficiency. We then exposed samples to a solution containing lemon juice, formic acid and paraformaldehyde to produce optimal tissue transparency with minimal tissue deformity. We extended the time for gold chloride impregnation 1.5 fold. Gold chloride was reduced in the labrum using 25% formic acid in water for 18 h and in the capsule using 25% formic acid in citrate phosphate buffer ...
Low power current mode ramp ADC for multi-frequency cell impedance measurement

We show the design of a current mode ramp analog to digital converter (ADC) in standard 0.13 µm, 1 poly, 8 metal CMOS process. The ADC is a low-power and area-saving solution for multi-frequency cell impedance measurement. It uses two-step conversion to boost the conversion time by a factor of 32, while keeping a constant practical clock frequency. The ramp ADC samples current signals at different frequencies and converts them into digital signals simultaneously. The main blocks of the ADC are current-mode ramp generator, current comparator, a delay locked loop (DLL) and a gray-code counter.
Exposure treatment of PTSD concomitant with conversion mutism: A case study *

A case report of the successful treatment by exposure of a woman diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) concomitant with conversion mutism is described. PTSD and conversion disorder are both thought to be caused by emotionally traumatic experiences, but the symptomatology is quite different. Etiological theories of the two disorders are discussed, and mechanisms underlying the successful outcome of exposure treatment are considered.
Reporting and analyzing dose distributions: A concept of equivalent uniform dose

Modern treatment planning systems for three-dimensional treatment planning provide three-dimensionally accurate dose distributions for each individual patient. These data open up new possibilities for more precise reporting and analysis of doses actually delivered to irradiated organs and volumes of interest. A new method of summarizing and reporting inhomogeneous dose distributions is reported here. The concept of equivalent uniform dose (EUD) assumes that any two dose distributions are equivalent if they cause the same radiobiological effect. In this paper the EUD concept for tumors is presented, for which the probability of local control is assumed to be determined by the expected number of surviving clonogens, according to Poisson statistics. The EUD can be calculated directly from the dose calculation points or, from the corresponding dose-volume distributions (histograms). The fraction of clonogens surviving a dose of 2 Gy (SF2) is chosen to be the primary operational parameter characterizing radiosensitivity of clonogens. The application of the EUD concept is demonstrated on a clinical dataset. The causes of flattening of the observed dose-response curves become apparent since the EUD concept reveals the finer structure of the analyzed group of patients in respect to the irradiated volumes and doses actually received. Extensions of the basic EUD concept to include nonuniform density of clonogens, dose per fraction effects, repopulation of clonogens, and inhomogeneity of patient population are discussed and compared with the basic formula.
The structure of symmetric Lie algebras

In Winter [7], a certain class of Lie algebras, s~*mmrtric Lie ab and then we use the theory of algebraic groups and the theory of Lie rootsystems to pro\.p the following theorem, which expresses the structure of a symmetric Lie aigebra L in terms of a classica! Lie algebra L,S, a semisimple symmetric Lie algebra Lw whose root system is a Witt rootsystem (defined below) and solvable ideals. In the case of a ground field of characteristic 0, the theorem simply says that a symmetric Lie algebra of characteristic 0 is of the form L = L, @ Solv L with L, semisimple, which follows from Levi’s Theorem. So. we restrict ourselves in this paper to the much more difficult context of a ground field k of prime characteristic p > 3 (and sometimes 7).
A two-dimensional simulation of the effects of late stimulation on a cardiac action potential

Abstract The response of cardiac tissue to a stimulus delivered late in the action potential (AP) is important in studies of defibrillation and certain models of ischemia in which reentrant trajectories produce such stimulation. Such stimuli are often strong and delivered in complex spatial arrangements. In this work a two-dimensional computer simulation of a thin, flat layer of cardiac tissue subjected to rather small sizes of late stimulation delivered at a simple point has been performed. The calculation covered a plane of 95 × 140 space units of 72 u each and the stimulus was near the center. The Drouhard and Roberge version of the physiological routine due to Beeler and Reuter was used in an anisotropic bidomain model of the tissue. Late stimuli of either polarity were applied from 150 to 250 msec after initiation of the AP. Depolarizing (positive) voltage stimuli produced small positive voltage peaks, narrowly localized in space, which decayed with a time constant of 8 to 10 msec. Repolarizing (negative) stimuli, if not applied too late in the AP, produced, after a variable delay, a depolarizing fast sodium peak, which was also positive and spatially quite localized. It decayed quickly so that little effect on the AP duration was found. Since stimuli were of limited size and spatial extent in this study the small effects found here are expected but they indicate that major effects from late stimulation require strong pulses and/or large electrode arrays.
Adherence to oral bisphosphonates and the risk of subtrochanteric and femoral shaft fractures among female medicare beneficiaries

Summary Previous studies have shown an association between duration of bisphosphonate use and atypical femur fractures. This cohort study showed an increasingly higher risk of subtrochanteric and femoral shaft fractures among those who were more adherent to oral bisphosphonates.
Toward protecting control flow confidentiality in cloud-based computation

Cloud based computation services have grown in popularity in recent years. Cloud users can deploy an arbitrary computation cluster to public clouds and execute their programs on that remote cluster to reduce infrastructure investment and maintenance costs. However, how to leverage cloud resources while keeping the computation confidential is a new challenge to be explored. In this paper, we propose runtime control flow obfuscation (RCFO) to protect the control flow confidentiality of outsourced programs. RCFO transforms an outsourced program into two parts: the public program running on the untrusted public cloud and the private program running on the trusted private cloud. By hiding parts of the control flow information in the private program and inserting fake branch statements into the public program, RCFO raises the bar for static and dynamic analysis-based reverse engineering attacks. Based on RCFO, we implement a system called MRDisguiser to protect cloud-based MapReduce services. We perform experiments on a real MapReduce service, Amazon Elastic MapReduce. The experimental results indicate that MRDisguiser is compatible with current cloud-based MapReduce services, and incurs moderate performance overhead. Specifically, when the obfuscation degree increases from 0 to 1.0, the average performance overhead is between 14.9% and 33.2%. We propose a novel control flow obfuscation technology.We propose the continuous cache to limit the performance overhead in a moderate range.Our method makes it difficult for attackers to perform reverse engineering attacks.We implement a system to protect the program confidentiality of MapReduce jobs.
Trapping and photon number states in a two-photon micromaser

We present a theoretical analysis of a two-photon micromaser and investigate the statistical properties of the radiation. We analyze both vacuum as well as non-vacuum trapped states that follow from the theory. Non-vaccum trapped states have not been found in previous theories of the two-photon micromaser. We explore how photon number states can be generated in the limit of large flux of atoms in the cavity.
Differential Rotation as a Source of Angular Momentum Transfer in the Solar Nebula

Abstract We show why differential rotation is the most natural source of the turbulence in the solar nebula. Turbulence is likely to occur via localized, small but not infinitesimal perturbations of the Keplerian shear. Such perturbations occur naturally via pressure fluctuations, interactions with planetesimals, or material infall. Some conditions necessary for such perturbations to destabilize the basic flow are derived and shown to be satisfied by the solar nebula. The characteristics of such a shear-driven turbulence are discussed, with reference to current atmospheric observations, laboratory experiments, and numerical simulations. Its efficiency can be computed and translated into an α parameter (turbulent viscosity in units of the speed of sound, and the orbital time scale) of the order of 2 × 10 -3 . The implications of such results for the solar nebular are discussed, with emphasis on its structure and evolution. A high-mass solar nebular (0.3 M ⊙) in which angular momentum is transferred only via differential rotation evolves in a time scale consistent with that indicated by current observations.
Isolation of intact individual species of single- and double-stranded RNA after fractionation by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Procedures are described for fractionating single- and double-stranded RNA in the 0.3–3 × 106-dalton size range in polyacrylamide gels, and for recovering intact molecular species from them. Electrophoresis was performed in 2.1% polyacrylamide-0.6% agarose-6 m urea (for single-stranded RNA) or 7.5% polyacrylamide (for double-stranded RNA) gels; bands containing RNA were then localized by staining with ethidium bromide; and RNA was recovered either by elution or by electrophoresis. Recoveries ranging from 40 to 80% of the RNA applied to gels were readily achieved.
Rmr6 Maintains Meiotic Inheritance of Paramutant States in Zea mays

Paramutation generates heritable changes affecting regulation of specific alleles found at several Zea mays (maize) loci that encode transcriptional regulators of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes. Although the direction and extent of paramutation is influenced by poorly understood allelic interactions occurring in diploid sporophytes, two required to maintain repression loci (rmr1 and rmr2), as well as mediator of paramutation1 (mop1), affect this process at the purple plant1 (pl1) locus. Here we show that the rmr6 locus is required for faithful transmission of weakly expressed paramutant states previously established at both pl1 and red1 (r1) loci. Transcriptional repression occurring at both pl1 and booster1 (b1) loci as a result of paramutation also requires Rmr6 action. Reversions to highly expressed, nonparamutant states at both r1 and pl1 occur in plants homozygous for rmr6 mutations. Pedigree analysis of reverted pl1 alleles reveals variable latent susceptibilities to spontaneous paramutation in future generations, suggesting a quantitative nature of Rmr6-based alterations. Genetic tests demonstrate that Rmr6 encodes a common component required for establishing paramutations at diverse maize loci. Our analyses at pl1 and r1 suggest that this establishment requires Rmr6-dependent somatic maintenance of meiotically heritable epigenetic marks.
Late Cenozoic magmatism of the Bolivian Altiplano

Small basalt to dacite volcanic centers are distributed sparsely over the Bolivian Altiplano, behind the Andean volcanic front. Most are Pliocene to Recent in age, and are characterized by textural and mineralogical disequilibrium with abundant xenoliths and xenocrysts. True phenocrysts are rare in the more mafic samples. Compared with Recent volcanic rocks from Andean stratovolcanoes, the Bolivian centers overlap in major element trends. Incompatible element contents tend to be higher, particularly in the eastern Altiplano. The ranges of isotopic compositions reflect ubiquitous crustal contamination. Pb isotope compositions are dominated by Pb from isotopically heterogeneous basement, resulting in a wide scatter of data lying between inferred crustal compositions and showing little overlap with possible mantle sources in the region. Rocks sampled from the Bolivian Altiplano were probably derived from asthenospheric mantle and subjected to extensive open system differentiation during ascent through the 70 km thick crust of the region. Major element trends are largely controlled by the fractionating phase assemblage (olivine, clinopyroxene and amphibole). Trace element and isotope systematics, however, defy realistic attempts at modeling due to the geographic scatter of samples, the uniformity of compositions at a given center, and the heterogeneity of the contaminant. Nevertheless, there are first order systematic trace element variations that appear to relate to the geometry of the subduction zone. In particular, LIFE/HFSE (exemplified by Ba/Nb), and Zr/Nb ratios decrease from the arc front eastward into the Altiplano. These variations are not easily reconciled with control by crustal contamination alone. A model is proposed in which the asthenospheric source is fluxed by high Ba/Nb slab-derived fluid to induce melting. Beneath the arc, high fluid flux increases the Ba/Nb ratio of the asthenosphre and leads to high degrees of partial melting (high Zr/Nb). To the east, lower or no fluid flux leads to low Ba/Nb and low degrees of partial melting (low Zr/Nb). Melting in the back arc region of the Altiplano may be facilitated by lithospheric delamination that leads to decompression melting of counter-flowing asthenosphere. There is no unequivocal evidence that requires a significant role for the lithospheric mantle.
A major circulation anomaly in the Western Bering Sea

The Alaskan Stream ceased to flow northward into the western Bering Sea, starting in summer 1990. This unexpected lack of inflow, caused by a southward shift in the path of the Alaskan Stream, persisted through at least fall 1991. If the anomalous flow continues, substantial changes in the physical environment will occur, possibly leading to impacts on the rich fisheries stocks in the region.
A V7 conformation of dimethyl sulfoxide-amylose complex

X-ray investigation of a crystalline complex between dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and amylose indicates a sevenfold helical structure having an orthogonal unit cell: a = 30.23 A, b = 28.18 A, and C = 7.91 A (helix axis). This helical amylose results from precipitation of amylose in DMSO solutions under suitably dry conditions using toluene as a precipitating agent. Analyses show a molar ratio of 0.95:2:0.4:0.08 for DMSO, amylose glucose units, water, and toluene, respectively. DMSO and amylose combine in at least two crystalline conformations, sixfold and sevenfold helices. The amount of water present influences the resulting conformation. The existence of the sevenfold helical solid indicates that the amylose sevenfold helix has greater stability than previously recognized by conformational energy calculations. In general, potential energy calculations cannot be correct that ignore the influence of guest molecules and their effects upon the maltose residue conformation and that lead to a sixfold helix as the most probable structure.
Theodicy, Tragedy, and Soteriology: The Legacy of Schleiermacher

Despite the dilution of contemporary ethical substance by the triumph of the therapeutic, the problem of evil continues to bite. A postwar optimism that saw in technology a potential solution for every problem has been overtaken and eclipsed by a pessimism which now perceives the same technology as threatening the existence and survival of human life. The current mood has a tragic strain manifesting itself in some secular negative theodicies that see “life as unfair” and the universe run by a malevolent creator. Theology and philosophy of religion have not been entirely insulated from such perceptions. There has been considerable discussion of, and dissatisfaction with, traditional theologies and theodocies, which have prompted further investigation and search for alternatives. Two popular and widely read texts manifest the contemporary theological mood. John Hick and Paul Ricoeur discuss and criticize the classical Augustinian scheme as a theodicy. When the classical scheme is taken critically as an account of evil, it is seen to contain serious antinomies. Hence both Hick and Ricoeur seek an alternative account of evil.
Renal amyloidosis caused by a novel stop-codon mutation in the apolipoprotein A-II gene.

Renal amyloidosis caused by a novel stop-codon mutation in the apolipoprotein A-II gene. Background Although apolipoprotein A-II (apoA-II) associated amyloidosis has been described in the senescent accelerated mouse (SAM) model of aging, so far there has been no report of human apoA-II amyloidosis except for a recent report of renal amyloidosis resulting from a stop-codon to glycine mutation of apoA-II . The mechanisms of amyloid formation in human apoA-II amyloidosis are not clear. Methods A 46-year-old Caucasian male with proteinuria noted at 42 years of age was studied. Renal biopsy revealed amyloid deposition in glomeruli. DNA analysis of genes known to be associated with hereditary renal amyloidosis revealed no abnormalities. To elucidate the type of his amyloidosis, apoA-II gene and plasma apoA-II were examined. Results DNA analysis revealed heterozygosity for a G to C transversion at the second position of the stop-codon of apoA-II gene, suggesting a stop to serine substitution at codon 78. Western blot analysis and amino acid sequence analysis of the patient's plasma apoA-II showed both normal apoA-II and variant apoA-II with a 21-amino acid residue extension at the C-terminus. Conclusions These results indicate that the patient's amyloid fibrils were derived from apoA-II and the amyloidogenesis is likely to be closely linked to the peptide extension at the C-terminus of variant apoA-II. The pathogenesis of human apoA-II amyloidosis is different from that of SAM.
Measuring reduction in stone tools: an ethnoarchaeological study of Gamo hidescrapers from Ethiopia

Abstract Stone tools were knapped, not built. This truism means that tools were reduced from larger pieces in the production process. But many tools were further reduced in use, to repair damage or as edges dulled. Reduction reduced size (trivially), but also changed the proportions among tools' elements or dimensions. Such allometric variation (change in proportion as a function of change in size) is useful to estimate the degree of reduction that tools experienced. Reduction itself is a measure of curation, a theoretical concept of great interest in lithic studies and Paleolithic archaeology. To determine the reduction that archaeological tools experienced, we must compare their size and proportions at first use to the same properties at discard that we directly measure. By now many size estimates can be made from discarded tools. Some are experimentally tested but few are validated using direct ethnoarchaeological controls. We validate two allometric reduction measures—ratios of plan area to thickness and of an estimate of original to discarded volume—against direct measures of use and reduction in ethnographic Gamo hidescrapers from Ethiopia.
Pharmacokinetics of fluconazole after oral administration in children with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics of fluconazole after oral administration in children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. After an overnight fast, a single dose of either 2 mg·kg−1 or 8 mg·kg−1 was administered in a suspension; five children received 2 mg·kg−1 and four 8 mg·kg−1 (ages 5–13 years). Blood samples were collected at various times on day 1, and once daily on days 2–7 after the dose. Fluconazole serum concentrations were measured by gas chromatography. At the dose of 2 mg·kg−1, the Cmax, AUC (0–∞), and t1/2 ranged from 2.3–4.4 μg·ml−1, 84.9–136 μg·h·ml−1, and 19.8–34.8 h, respectively. At the dose of 8 mg·kg−1 the Cmax, AUC (0–∞), and t1/2 ranged from 5.4–12.1 μg·ml−1, 330–684 μgh·ml−1, and 25.6–42.3 h, respectively. When compared with published data in healthy adults, fluconazole achieved similar serum concentrations in the present group of children, indicating a nearly complete degree of absorption.
Phloem loading of sucrose: Update and opportunities in molecular biology

Sucrose accumulates in the phloem against a concentration gradient via a presumed sucrose-specific carrier protein located at the plasmalemma of the sieve elements/companion cells. Recent evidence suggests that sucrose carrier in soybean is a 62-kDa protein. Immunocytochemical localization has shown the protein to be exclusively at the plasmalemma, which is also the site of sucrose transport. To enhance our understanding of the phenomenon, the structural gene of the sucrose carrier must be cloned and sequenced. Furthermore, development of appropriate probes should help answer long-standing questions relative to the molecular nature of sugar transport and phloem loading, the mechanism of induction/activation of sugar carriers, and developmental regulation of expression of genes encoding such carriers.
Small Group Interaction and Outcome Correlates for Structured and Unstructured Tasks

This study reports tests of the input-process-output model of small group systems. Regression statistics analyzed associations between interaction process variables and measuresofgroup task product...
Some results on Tchebycheffian spline functions

Abstract This report derives explicit solutions to problems involving Tchebycheffian spline functions. We use a reproducing kernel Hilbert space which depends on the smoothness criterion, but not on the form of the data, to solve explicitly Hermite-Birkhoff interpolation and smoothing problems. Sard's best approximation to linear functionals and smoothing with respect to linear inequality constraints are also discussed. Some of the results are used to show that spline interpolation and smoothing is equivalent to prediction and filtering on realizations of certain stochastic processes.
N-terminal and Central Segments of the Type 1 Ryanodine Receptor Mediate its Interaction with FK506 Binding Proteins

We used site-directed labeling of the type 1 ryanodine receptor (RyR1) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements to map RyR1 sequence elements forming the binding site of the 12-kDa binding protein for the immunosuppressant drug, FK506. This protein, FKBP12, promotes the RyR1 closed state, thereby inhibiting Ca2+ leakage in resting muscle. Although FKBP12 function is well established, its binding determinants within the RyR1 protein sequence remain unresolved. To identify these sequence determinants using FRET, we created five single-Cys FKBP variants labeled with Alexa Fluor 488 (denoted D-FKBP) and then targeted these D-FKBPs to full-length RyR1 constructs containing decahistidine (His10) “tags” placed within N-terminal (amino acid residues 76–619) or central (residues 2157–2777) regions of RyR1. The FRET acceptor Cy3NTA bound specifically and saturably to these His tags, allowing distance analysis of FRET measured from each D-FKBP variant to Cy3NTA bound to each His tag. Results indicate that D-FKBP binds proximal to both N-terminal and central domains of RyR1, thus suggesting that the FKBP binding site is composed of determinants from both regions. These findings further imply that the RyR1 N-terminal and central domains are proximal to one another, a core premise of the domain-switch hypothesis of RyR function. We observed FRET from GFP fused at position 620 within the N-terminal domain to central domain His-tagged sites, thus further supporting this hypothesis. Taken together, these results support the conclusion that N-terminal and central domain elements are closely apposed near the FKBP binding site within the RyR1 three-dimensional structure.
Oxidative metabolism of endocannabinoids.

There is increasing evidence that endocannabinoids play roles in a number of physiological and pathological processes ranging from the regulation of food intake to the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. Consequently, multiple investigations into endocannabinoid metabolic disposition have been initiated. Such studies have begun to shed light on the mechanisms that regulate the endogenous cannabinoid system. In addition, they have identified a number of novel, endocannabinoid-derived lipids. In the future, these studies may form the foundation of efforts designed to subtly manipulate endocannabinoid tone in vivo to achieve therapeutic benefits without the profound side-effects observed with synthetic cannabinoid treatment. In addition to the well-studied hydrolytic mode of endocannabinoid metabolism, accumulating data suggest that these lipids are also susceptible to oxidative metabolism by a number of fatty acid oxygenases. These include the cyclooxygenases, lipoxygenases, and cytochrome P450s known to be involved in eicosanoid production from arachidonic acid. The available evidence concerning endocannabinoid oxidation is reviewed and the potential biological significance of this mode of metabolism is considered.