cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Solute segregation and boundary structural change during grain growth

Abstract It is shown that the residual resistivity of dilute aluminum and copper alloys at liquid helium temperature systematically falls below that of the single crystal value during grain growth annealing. The resistivity undergoes a sudden upward perturbation at intermediate anneal times or temperatures, and again declines before finally returning to the single crystal value at very large grain sizes. Comparing the observed resistivity change with that attributable to the changing density of grain boundaries permits this electronic purification to be interpreted in terms of a redistribution of solute to and from migrating boundaries. Calculation of boundary solute content levels during the grain growth process suggests that the initial resistivity decline corresponds to an adsorption stage of segregation that terminates upon attainment of a common boundary solute density approximating that of full saturation. It is proposed that the observed resistivity perturbation occurs concomitantly with attainment of full saturation and reflects the onset of a grain boundary structural transformation. Support for this interpretation is provided by experimental evidence that grain boundaries in the same aluminum material can exist in different states having different electronic scattering probabilities and different calculated levels of solute at full adsorption. The results of this study suggest that existing models describing solute-influenced grain boundary phenomena may require revision to incorporate the contribution of boundary motion to segregate levels.
Ernest Amory Codman, MD, 1869-1940.

This biographical sketch on Ernest Amory Codman corresponds to the historic text, The Classic: The Registry of Bone Sarcomas as an Example of the End-Result Idea in Hospital Organization, available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-009-1048-7 and The Classic: Registry of Bone Sarcoma: Part I.—Twenty-Five Criteria for Establishing the Diagnosis of Osteogenic Sarcoma. Part II.—Thirteen Registered Cases of “Five Year Cures” Analyzed According to These Criteria, available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-009-1049-6.
Left Caputo fractional ‖⋅‖∞-Landau inequalities

Abstract Here we establish left Caputo fractional ‖ ⋅ ‖ ∞ -Landau type inequalities. We give applications and we recover the original Landau inequality on R + .
HOPE, HOPELESSNESS, AND SUICIDALITY IN COLLEGE STUDENTS

To estimate the associations among measures of hope, hopelessness, and suicidality, 206 undergraduates completed the Reasons for Living Inventory, the Hopelessness Scale, and the Hope Scale. As expected, significant correlations indicated that, as hope increased, hopelessness decreased. Those who scored as relatively more suicidal had relatively fewer feelings of total hope (Agency and Pathways) and more hopelessness. Further, scores on three Reasons for Living scales (Coping Beliefs, Family Responsibility, and Child Concerns) were significantly correlated in expected directions with hope and hopelessness scores. A stepwise multiple regression indicated that scores on Survival, Coping Beliefs and the Hope subscale Agency accounted for 37% of the total variance in suicidality. Apparently in unscreened college students, survival and coping beliefs and hope rather than hopelessness or other reasons for living are most related to suicidality. An implication is that facilitating college students' hopefulness m...
Psychometrics in nursing research: Construction of an interpersonal conflict scale

A step-wise description of a self-report instrument to measure interpersonal conflict between marital partners illustrates the primary aspects of the development of a psychometric tool. Definition of the construct to be measured, formulation and classification of items, and appropriate methods to establish validity and reliability are discussed. Indications are considered for alternate forms of a scale, which include repeated measurement over time for the purpose of identifying patterns in human behavior in interaction within the family system. The procedure for constructing alternate forms of equal reliability is outlined.
Synthesis and characterization of multi-armed calixarene- and resorcinarene-core polylactide star polymers

The renewable, biodegradable polymer polylactide (PLA) has been employed in biomedical applications, and its use is becoming more common within various commercial packaging materials. Architectural diversity within this class of polymers, however, is still somewhat limited; which, in turn, limits the properties of this important class of polymers. Herein, we describe the synthesis and characterization of a series of multi-armed resorcinarene- and calixarene-core PLA star polymers. These macrocyclic-core, four- and eight-armed star PLAs were prepared by tin(II)-catalyzed ring-opening polymerizations of L-lactide and racemic DL-lactide using hydroxyl-functionalized calixarene and resorcinarene initiators. The resulting polymers have narrow PDIs and molecular weights close to those targeted based upon monomer/initiator ratios, as determined by GPC, NMR spectroscopy, and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Moreover, end-group analysis by 1H NMR spectroscopy suggests that all alcohol groups within the calixarene and resorcinarene macrocycles initiate polymerization, which supports star polymer production. Hydrogenolysis studies with eight-armed resorcinarene-core star PLAs that incorporate a cleavable benzyl linker between the core and the arms have allowed the arms to be characterized independently from the intact star polymers. Finally, the thermal properties of the calixarene- and resorcinarene-core star PLAs have been analyzed by DSC. The lower molecular weight star polymers exhibited slower crystallization rates than linear analogs, which allowed the percent crystallinities of the samples to be readily controlled over a range from approximately 0–30%, depending upon the macrocyclic core and annealing time.
Fibronectin: The biological velcro

Abstract This brief review of the salient structural and physiological properties of Fn might leave the impression that this essential glycoprotein leads a Jekyll-and-Hyde existence. In a positive sense, Fn is the foundation of the interstitial matrix and moderates cellular adhesion, migration, and growth as well as maintaining the integrity of basement membranes and mucosal surfaces. In addition Fn serves as an interface for a number of cell-mediated immunological activities. Under normal circumstances, the recognition of Fn by bacterial receptors serves to “locate” symbiotic organisms onto mucosal or cutaneous surfaces, thus establishing the protective normal bacterial flora. Fn can also act as a barrier to infection by selectively masking bacterial and viral receptors on mucosal and cell surfaces and by enhancing the clearance of microorganisms through opsonozation. The bad news is that Fn is found in increased concentrations in areas of fibrosis or inflammation. Damaged tissue resulting from a primary disease process or mechanical injury increases the likelihood of colonization and/or infection by organisms not usually capable of causing invasive disease. Some examples of this process might include pulmonary colonization and infection in the cystic fibrosis patient, bacterial endocarditis following rheumatic disease, group A streptococcal pharyngitis, and foreign body or surgical infections. The number of infectious agents that use Fn as a foothold for colonization and disease production is unknown but will indoubtedly increase because of the Velcro-like qualities of Fn. For a more extensive examination of this fascinating subject, the author highly recommends the excellent review recently complied by Proctor (37).
Uni-Morbid and Co-Occurring Marijuana and Tobacco Use: Examination of Concurrent Associations with Negative Mood States

The aim of the current investigation was to examine uni-morbid and co-occurring tobacco and marijuana use in relation to the negative emotional symptoms of anxiety and depression. Participants were 250 adult individuals (132 women; mean age = 22.43 years, standard deviation = 9.00 years) who were divided into one of four non-overlapping substance use categories: tobacco use only (n = 39), marijuana use only (n = 62), co-occurring tobacco and marijuana use (n = 82), and neither tobacco nor marijuana use (n = 67). Results revealed three key findings. First, tobacco-only using individuals reported significantly greater negative affectivity than any of the other groups. Second, tobacco-only users reported greater anxious arousal symptoms than either the marijuana or non-substance use groups, but not the combined group. Third, tobacco-only users reported greater levels of depressive symptoms than either marijuana users or non-substance users. These findings provide novel information about tobacco and marijuana use and how these variables relate to the experience of general and specific types of negative emotional symptoms.
A probing method for computing the diagonal of a matrix inverse

SUMMARY The computation of some entries of a matrix inverse arises in several important applications in practice. This paper presents a probing method for determining the diagonal of the inverse of a sparse matrix in the common situation when its inverse exhibits a decay property, i.e. when many of the entries of the inverse are small. A few simple properties of the inverse suggest a way to determine effective probing vectors based on standard graph theory results. An iterative method is then applied to solve the resulting sequence of linear systems, from which the diagonal of the matrix inverse is extracted. The results of numerical experiments are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the probing method. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Role of Intrinsic Flexibility in Signal Transduction Mediated by the Cell Cycle Regulator, p27Kip1

p27Kip1 (p27), which controls eukaryotic cell division through interactions with cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks), integrates and transduces promitogenic signals from various nonreceptor tyrosine kinases by orchestrating its own phosphorylation, ubiquitination and degradation. Intrinsic flexibility allows p27 to act as a “conduit” for sequential signaling mediated by tyrosine and threonine phosphorylation and ubiquitination. While the structural features of the Cdk/cyclin-binding domain of p27 are understood, how the C-terminal regulatory domain coordinates multistep signaling leading to p27 degradation is poorly understood. We show that the 100-residue p27 C-terminal domain is extended and flexible when p27 is bound to Cdk2/cyclin A. We propose that the intrinsic flexibility of p27 provides a molecular basis for the sequential signal transduction conduit that regulates p27 degradation and cell division. Other intrinsically unstructured proteins possessing multiple sites of posttranslational modification may participate in similar signaling conduits.
Are mitochondrial structural genes selectively amplified during senescence in podospora anserina

Abstract Genetic and transcriptional maps have been constructed for the mitochondrial genome of the Ascomycete Podospora anserina. These data have been plotted on the restriction maps for Sal I, Xho I, Barn HI, Eco RI, Bgl II and Hae III. We have characterized and cloned a new and unique senescent mitochondrial DNA (β-event senDNA) and have organized all of the recognized senDNAs on the genomic maps. We make the observation that all of the known and characterized senDNAs are derived from specific genes or gene regions of the young mitochondrial genome. We have unambiguously assigned the a-event senDNA (the 2.6 kb monomer) to the oxi3 gene locus and the β-event senDNA to the oxi2 gene locus.
Haplotype-Based Association Analysis via Variance-Components Score Test

Haplotypes provide a more informative format of polymorphisms for genetic association analysis than do individual single-nucleotide polymorphisms. However, the practical efficacy of haplotype-based association analysis is challenged by a trade-off between the benefits of modeling abundant variation and the cost of the extra degrees of freedom. To reduce the degrees of freedom, several strategies have been considered in the literature. They include (1) clustering evolutionarily close haplotypes, (2) modeling the level of haplotype sharing, and (3) smoothing haplotype effects by introducing a correlation structure for haplotype effects and studying the variance components (VC) for association. Although the first two strategies enjoy a fair extent of power gain, empirical evidence showed that VC methods may exhibit only similar or less power than the standard haplotype regression method, even in cases of many haplotypes. In this study, we report possible reasons that cause the underpowered phenomenon and show how the power of the VC strategy can be improved. We construct a score test based on the restricted maximum likelihood or the marginal likelihood function of the VC and identify its nontypical limiting distribution. Through simulation, we demonstrate the validity of the test and investigate the power performance of the VC approach and that of the standard haplotype regression approach. With suitable choices for the correlation structure, the proposed method can be directly applied to unphased genotypic data. Our method is applicable to a wide-ranging class of models and is computationally efficient and easy to implement. The broad coverage and the fast and easy implementation of this method make the VC strategy an effective tool for haplotype analysis, even in modern genomewide association studies.
Metabolic study of 7-methylbenzo[a]pyrene with rat liver microsomes: Separation by reversed-phase and normal-phase high performance liquid chromatography and characterization of metabolites

The 7-methylbenzo[a]pyrene (7-MBaP) was incubated with liver microsomes of rats pretreated with polychlorinated biphenyls (Aroclor 1254) (PCBs). Metabolites of 7-MBaP were isolated by both reversed-phase and normal-phage high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance, UV-visible and mass spectral analyses. The predominant metabolite of 7-MBaP was found to be 3-hydroxy-7-methylbenzo[a]pyrene (3-hydroxy-7-MBaP). Other identified metabolites include 7-MBaP 4,5-, 7,8-, and 9,10-trans-dihydrodiols, 7-hydroxymethyl-BaP, 7-hydroxymethyl-BaP trans-9,10-dihydrodiol, 9-hydroxy-7-MBaP, 3-hydroxy-7-hydroxymethyl-BaP, 7-MBaP 1,6- and 3,6- quinones, and a hydroquinone which is also formed by further metabolism of the 3-hydroxy-7-MBaP. Comparative metabolic studies of 7-MBaP and BaP indicated that, relative to that of BaP, the methyl substituent of 7-MBaP slightly increases the formation of 3-hydroxy-7-MBaP and decreases the metabolism at other regions of the 7-MBaP molecule. The finding that a 7,8-dihydrodiol is a metabolite indicates that, like BaP, 7-MBaP may also be activated to the potentially reactive 7,8-dihydrodiol 9,10-epoxides although their formations are significantly reduced.
Sport and citizenship: introduction

We might define citizenship as a status that allows a person to ‘participate with their fellow citizens in making the collective decisions that regulate social life’.1 This notion of citizenship is...
Accuracy and Computational Complexity Analysis of Design Models Created by Virtual Sculpting

We have developed an experimental virtual sculpting system with haptic interface, which allows the user to create a freeform model interactively. The virtual sculpting method is based on the metaphor of carving a solid block into a 3D freeform object. The PHANToM™ manipulator is used to provide the position and orientation data of the sculpting tool and to generate haptic sensation to the user’s hand during the sculpting process. The goal is to provide a high-fidelity simulation system with real-time performance and adequate accuracy of the generated model. In order to understand the limitations on the geometric details that can be generated, we perform an accuracy analysis in different aspects. The computational complexity due to various parameters of the virtual sculpting system is also analyzed. Numerical data are presented to verify the analytical results.© 2005 ASME
Structural interpretation of the nucleation and growth of deformation twins in Zr and Ti—II. Tem study of twin morphology and defect reactions during twinning

A TEM study of mechanical twinning in Ti and Zr was performed. A large number of [0001]-dislocations which are rarely seen in the matrix, and a new type of stacking fault were found within deformation twins in both materials. Matrix dislocations were observed to actively interact with the tips of twin embryos and step ledges of growing twin lamellae. Twin embryos bounded by straight coherent and inclined semi-coherent boundaries were observed. These results as well as the morphological variation of twin lamellae during deformation do not agree with twinning dislocation theories but support a step-wise nucleation and growth mechanism proposed for deformation twinning in h.c.p. structures. Extended discussions are provided to address unanswered questions in the literature concerning deformation twinning.
Robust preallocated preferential defense

Abstract : The problem is to protect a set of T identical targets that may come under attack by A identical weapons. The targets are to be defended by D identical interceptors, which must be preallocated to defend selected targets. The attacker is aware of the number of interceptors, but is ignorant of their allocation. The size of the attack is chosen by the attacker from within a specified range. The robust strategies developed in this paper do not require the defender to assume an attack size. Rather, the defender chooses a strategy which is good over a wide range of attack sizes, though not necessarily best for any particular attack size. The attacker, knowing that the defender is adopting a robust strategy, chooses the optimal attack strategy for the number of weapons he chooses to expend. The expected number of survivors is a function of the robust defense strategy and optimal attack strategy against this robust defense.
Single-cell mass cytometry for analysis of immune system functional states

Mass cytometry facilitates high-dimensional, quantitative analysis of the effects of bioactive molecules on cell populations at single-cell resolution. Datasets are generated with panels of up to 45 antibodies. Each antibody is conjugated to a polymer chelated with a stable metal isotope, usually in the lanthanide series of the periodic table. Antibody panels recognize surface markers to delineate cell types simultaneously with intracellular signaling molecules to measure biological functions, such as metabolism, survival, DNA damage, cell cycle and apoptosis, to provide an overall determination of the network state of an individual cell. This review will cover the basics of mass cytometry as well as outline assays developed for the platform that enhance the immunologist's analytical arsenal.
Suppression of Tumor Angiogenesis by Gα13 Haploinsufficiency

Heterotrimeric G proteins are critical transducers of cellular signaling. Of the four families of G proteins, the physiological function of Gα13 is less well understood. Gα13 gene-deleted mice die at embryonic day ∼9.5. Here, we show that heterozygous Gα13+/− mice display defects in adult angiogenesis. Female Gα13+/− mice showed a higher number of immature follicles and a lower density of blood vessels in the mature corpus luteum compared with Gα13+/+ mice. Furthermore, implanted tumors grew slower in Gα13+/− host mice. These tumor tissues had many fewer blood vessels compared with those from Gα13+/+ host mice. Moreover, bone marrow-derived progenitor cells from Gα13+/+ mice rescued the failed growth of allografted tumors when reconstituted into irradiated Gα13+/− mice. Hence, Gα13 is haploinsufficient for adult angiogenesis in both the female reproductive system and tumor angiogenesis.
Histopathologic-Genotypic Correlations in Retinitis Pigmentosa and Allied Diseases

This paper reviews the published histopathologic findings of patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) or an allied disease in whom the responsible gene defect was identified, including 10 cases with dominant RP (cases with mutations in RHO, PRPC8, and RP1), three with dominant spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA7), three X-linked RP carrier females (RPGR), two with congenital retinal blindness (AIPL1 and RPE65), two with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy overlap syndrome (MTTL1), and one case each with dominant cone degeneration (GCAP1), X-linked cone degeneration (RCP), enhanced S-cone syndrome (NR2E3), and dominant late-onset retinal degeneration (CTRP5). No histopathologic descriptions were found of the vast majority of genetically defined forms of retinal degeneration.
Respective roles of the microsomal ethanol oxidizing system and catalase in ethanol metabolism by deermice lacking alcohol dehydrogenase

Abstract To evaluate the roles of MEOS (microsomal ethanol oxidizing system) and catalase in non-alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) ethanol metabolism, MEOS and catalase activities in vitro and ethanol oxidation rates in hepatocytes from ADH-negative deermice were measured after treatment with catalase inhibitors and/or a stimulator of H2O2 generation. Inhibition of ethanol peroxidation by 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (aminotriazole) was found to be greater than 85% up to 3 h and 80% at 6 h in liver homogenates. Urate (1 m m ) which stimulates H2O2 production in living systems, increased ethanol oxidation fourfold in control but not in cells from aminotriazole-treated animals, documenting effective inhibition of catalase-mediated ethanol peroxidation by aminotriazole. While aminotriazole slightly depressed (15%) basal ethanol oxidation in hepatocytes, in vitro experiments showed a similar decrease in MEOS activity after aminotriazole pretreatment. Azide (0.1 m m ), a potent inhibitor of catalase in vitro, also did not affect ethanol oxidation in control cells. By contrast, 1-butanol, a competitive inhibitor of MEOS, but neither a substrate nor an inhibitor of catalase, decreased ethanol oxidation rates in a dose-dependent manner. These results show that, in deermice lacking ADH, catalase plays little if any role in hepatic ethanol oxidation, and that MEOS mediates non-ADH metabolism.
Noncommutative geometry and theoretical physics

Abstract The structure of a manifold can be encoded in the commutative algebra of functions on the manifold it self - this is usual -. In the case of a non commutative algebra there is no underlying manifold and the usual concepts and tools of differential geometry (differential forms, De Rham cohomology, vector bundles, connections, elliptic operators, index theory …) have to be generalized. This is the subject of non commutative differential geometry and is believed to be of fundamental importance in our understanding of quantum field theories. The present paper is an introduction for the non specialist and a review of the principal results on the field.
Volatiles in unequilibrated ordinary chondrites: Abundances, sources and implications for explosive volcanism on differentiated asteroids

— Keil and Wilson (1993) proposed that, during partial melting of some asteroidal meteorite parent bodies, explosive pyroclastic volcanism accelerated S-rich Fe, Ni-FeS cotectic partial melts into space. These authors argued that this process was responsible for the S-depletion of many of the magmas from which the magmatic iron meteorites formed. This process only requires the presence of a few hundred to thousand ppm of volatiles in asteroids < ∼100 km in radius. If the precursor materials of these magmatic iron meteorite groups were similar in composition to unequilibrated ordinary chondrites, then the volatile contents of the latter may be a measure of the potential effectiveness of the process. Analysis of volatile contents of seven unequilibrated ordinary chondrite falls by dynamic high-temperature mass spectrometry revealed that thousands of ppm of indigeneous volatiles, mostly CO, Cl, Na and S, are released at temperatures near the Fe, Ni-FeS cotectic melting temperature of ∼980 °C. If these volatiles are largely retained in the asteroidal parent bodies until onset of partial melting, S depletion of the residual melt might have been achieved by ejection of S-rich partial Fe, Ni-FeS melts by pyroclastic volcanism.
VISUAL PIGMENTS—10. SPECTROSCOPY AND PHOTOPHYSICAL DYNAMICS OF RETINOL AND RETINYL ETHER

— The absorption and emission spectra, lifetimes and quantum yields of all-trans retinol have been examined as a function of solvent and temperature. In addition, the spectroscopy of retinyl ether and 2 other polyene alcohols have been determined. Based on the results obtained, we conclude that the singlet excited state of retinol and retinyl cther is of a forbidden character and of the type loosely called 1A-g. Retinol forms a dimer in an alkane solvent when cooling from 298 to 77 K. A general structure for the dimer is proposed.
The Population Crisis Demands a Focused Agenda

We are responding to Meffe et al.'s editorial on "the Missing Agenda" in the March 1993 issue of Conservation Biology. Their call to action on the human population issue is long overdue in this journal, and they make extremely valid points. However, we disagree with them on several issues and would like to explore more fully the perceived role of conservation biologists in slowing human population growth. We think that diffusing our energies among all the activities Meffe et al. discuss would culminate in noisy, ineffective advocacy rather than a coherent undertaking of professional responsibility (see Karr 1993). The most efficient and powerful course of action for conservation biologists is to inform governments about the effects of overpopulation and pressure them to enact population control policies. First, we do not concur with Meffe et al.'s suggestion th t papers on human demography should be encouraged in this journal and that more modeling of human population growth is needed. Voluminous information on human demographics and biology from around the wo ld is published elsewhere in journals devoted to the topic (see bibliography below). Partly, we wonder if a token sprinkling of such papers in Conservation Biology would decrease the motivation of readers to go elsewhere for more comprehensive treatment of this complex subject. Furthermore, while collaborations between conservation biologists and human demographers will help cultivate a united scientific stance, new research cannot help control population growth on the timescale needed. Research, publication, and diffusion of information gleaned takes multiple years before ap-
Toeplitz operators on radially weighted harmonic Bergman spaces

We study Toeplitz operators with uniformly continuous symbols on radially weighted harmonic Bergman spaces of the unit ball in Rn. We describe their essential spectra and establish a short exact sequence associated with the C∗-algebra generated by these operators.
An overview of sedimentation on the amazon continental shelf

Sedimentological, geochemical, and physical-oceanographic studies of the Brazilian continental shelf near the Amazon River help provide a broad understanding of this major sediment dispersal system. Amazon River sediment accumulates as a subaqueous delta, with the most rapid accumulation (∼10 cm/yr) occurring near the seaward edge of the topset beds and in the foreset beds. Amazon River sediment is dispersed northwestward along the shelf and is transported beyond the Brazilian border. Radiographic studies of sediment cores delineate three sedimentary environments: interbedded mud and sand, faintly laminated mud, and bioturbated mud. The distribution of these environments is a function of proximity to the river mouth and of sediment accumulation rate.
Emergence and fate of cyclic volatile polydimethylsiloxanes (D4, D5) in municipal waste streams: release mechanisms, partitioning and persistence in air, water, soil and sediments

Siloxane use in consumer products (i.e., fabrics, paper, concrete, wood, adhesive surfaces) has significantly increased in recent years due to their excellent water repelling and antimicrobial characteristics. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the release mechanisms of two siloxane compounds, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5), which have been detected both at landfills and wastewater treatment plants, estimate persistence times in different media, and project release quantities over time in relation to their increasing use. Analyses were conducted based on fate and transport mechanisms after siloxanes enter waste streams. Due to their high volatility, the majority of D4 and D5 end up in the biogas during decomposition. D5 is about ten times more likely to partition into the solid phase (i.e., soil, biosolids). D5 concentrations in the wastewater influent and biogas are about 16 times and 18 times higher respectively, in comparison to the detected levels of D4.
A secure digital camera architecture for integrated real-time digital rights management

This paper presents a novel concept of a secure digital camera (SDC) with a built-in watermarking and encryption facility. The motivation is to facilitate real-time digital rights management (DRM) by using the SDC right at the source end of multimedia content. The emerging field of DRM systems addresses the issues related to the intellectual-property rights of digital content. The use of digital watermarking along with encryption for effective DRM is proposed. In this context, a novel discrete cosine transform domain invisible-robust watermarking method that uses cryptography and watermarking methods simultaneously to provide a double-layer of protection to digital media is presented. The proposed method securely hides binary images in color image media and securely extracts and authenticates it by using a secret key. Experimental results prove that the proposed technique is resilient to stringent watermarking attacks. Hence, it is an effective method for providing protection of ownership rights. The corresponding application-specific architectures for invisible-robust watermarking and Rijndael advanced encryption standard (AES) towards the prototyping of the SDC are presented. The proposed architectures are modeled and synthesized for field programmable gate array (FPGA). The soft cores in the form of hardware description language resulting from this research can serve as intellectual-property core and can be integrated with any multimedia-producing electronic appliances which are built as embedded systems using system-on-a-chip (SoC) technology.
Polyetherimide nanocomposite foams as an ablative for thermal protection applications

Abstract A foamed polymer nanocomposite system is developed as an ablative for thermal protection applications. Polymer nanocomposite foams exhibit better thermal properties with the inherent benefit of being lightweight. In this study, Polyetherimide (PEI) was compounded with nanoclay to enhance the flame retardant property. A thermoplastic elastomer, Kraton, was added to improve the mechanical strain. Samples with various compositions of nanoclay and Kraton were foamed using a batch solid-state foaming process. The thermal protection performance of the material system was characterized with an oxy-acetylene flame ablation test. It is shown that foaming helped reduce the mass loss of the samples during the ablation test. The loadings of nanoclay and Kraton and the foam density can be used to optimize the thermal protection performance. The foams obtained in this study had a graded structure with an overall porosity of 20–60%.
Intracellular accumulation of protocollagen and extrusion of collagen by embryonic cartilage cells.

The synthesis of collagen can be interrupted, after the assembly of proline-rich and lysine-rich polypeptide chains called protocollagen, by incubating connective tissues anaerobically. Under these conditions the proline and lysine residues in protocollagen are not hydroxylated to hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine, and protocollagen molecules accumulate intracellularly. Chemical data and radioautographs at the level of the light and electron microscopes indicated that in tissues labeled with proline-3,4-3H under nitrogen, there appeared to be an accumulation of radioactivity over the ground cytoplasm. When the inhibition of protocollagen hydroxylase was reversed by exposing the tissue to oxygen, the accumulated protocollagen-3H was converted to collagen-3H and there was a rapid transfer of label from the ground cytoplasm to the extracellular matrix. There was no significant change in distribution of label over either the Golgi vacuoles or the cisternae of the endoplasmic reticulum. The failure to find a significant change in distribution of label over the Golgi vacuoles or the cisternae does not completely exclude the possibility that these two compartments are involved in the extrusion, but the data are consistent with the simpler notion that the completed collagen molecules pass directly from the ground cytoplasm to the extracellular matrix.
Cul3 and the BTB Adaptor Insomniac Are Key Regulators of Sleep Homeostasis and a Dopamine Arousal Pathway in Drosophila

Sleep is homeostatically regulated, such that sleep drive reflects the duration of prior wakefulness. However, despite the discovery of genes important for sleep, a coherent molecular model for sleep homeostasis has yet to emerge. To better understand the function and regulation of sleep, we employed a reverse-genetics approach in Drosophila. An insertion in the BTB domain protein CG32810/insomniac (inc) exhibited one of the strongest baseline sleep phenotypes thus far observed, a ∼10 h sleep reduction. Importantly, this is coupled to a reduced homeostatic response to sleep deprivation, consistent with a disrupted sleep homeostat. Knockdown of the INC-interacting protein, the E3 ubiquitin ligase Cul3, results in reduced sleep duration, consolidation, and homeostasis, suggesting an important role for protein turnover in mediating INC effects. Interestingly, inc and Cul3 expression in post-mitotic neurons during development contributes to their adult sleep functions. Similar to flies with increased dopaminergic signaling, loss of inc and Cul3 result in hyper-arousability to a mechanical stimulus in adult flies. Furthermore, the inc sleep duration phenotype can be rescued by pharmacological inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme for dopamine biosynthesis. Taken together, these results establish inc and Cul3 as important new players in setting the sleep homeostat and a dopaminergic arousal pathway in Drosophila.
Population Dynamics with a Refuge: Fractal Basins and the Suppression of Chaos

We consider the effect of coupling an otherwise chaotic population to a refuge. A rich set of dynamical phenomena is uncovered. We consider two forms of density dependence in the active population: logistic and exponential. In the former case, the basin of attraction for stable population growth becomes fractal, and the bifurcation diagrams for the active and refuge populations are chaotic over a wide range of parameter space. In the case of exponential density dependence, the dynamics are unconditionally stable (in that the population size is always positive and finite), and chaotic behavior is completely eradicated for modest amounts of dispersal. We argue that the use of exponential density dependence is more appropriate, theoretically as well as empirically, in a model of refuge dynamics.
B cell memory: Sapping the T cell

Efficiently defending a host from repeat invasions by the same pathogen requires a lasting B-cell response. The identification of a molecule that keeps B cells prepared may help to explain some immune disorders and lead to improved vaccines.
An Exploration of Reading Comprehension, Oral Reading Errors, and Written Errors by Subjects Labeled Learning Disabled

There is a significant number of people labeled learning disabled (ID) who have extreme difficulty learning a second language. Although a large amount of research deals with learning disabilities, very little of it addresses the second language learning situation. The purpose of this research is to explore whether, and how, decoding and encoding problems with a first language acquisition carry over into the second language acquisition of five LD-labeled students and what the consequences are for comprehension This research consists of case studies of LD-labeled subjects who have gained a degree of proficiency in a second language. The subjects' performance on written dictations, oral readings, and comprehension after oral and silent reading are compared qualitatively between their first and second languages. In general, it was found that the subjects had the same kinds of problems and made the same kinds of errors in both the first and second languages. By administering these tests and interviewing the subjects about their language learning experiences, the researcher also gained useful information about classroom practices and learning strategies that may help students labeled ID learn a second language. All of these subjects (all adults) reported having extreme difficulty in the foreign language classroom as well as with English reading and writing skills. In spite of these problems with language, four out of five gained a high degree of fluency in their second language outside the classroom in immersion settings (as foreign exchange students, by marrying a native speaker, by working with migrant laborers). The fifth subject has been able to survive traditional university foreign language classes by working extremely hard and being very aggressive about seeking help. The paper discusses why these learners succeeded in learning a second language while many of their counterparts labeled LD fail.
Electronic Discourse in Language Learning and Language Teaching by ABRAHAM, LEE B., & LAWRENCE WILLIAMS

A review of the book "Electronic Discourse in Language Learning and Language Teaching," edited by Lee B. Abraham and Lawrence Williams is presented.
Investigation of selenium-containing root exudates of Brassica juncea using HPLC-ICP-MS and ESI-qTOF-MS.

Selenium-containing root exudates were investigated in a known selenium accumulator model plant. Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) plants were grown hydroponically and supplemented with selenite (SeO32−) in a 25% Hoagland's nutrient solution. Additive concentrations were 0, 1, 5 and 20 µg mL−1 Se with five replicate plants per treatment level. Plants were exposed to the respective Se solutions for two weeks, then placed in deionized water for two more weeks. The hydroponic solutions were collected for analysis after the first two weeks of selenium supplementation (day 14) and twice during the deionized water period (days 21 and 28). Separation by ion-pairing high performance liquid chromatography was followed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for selenium specific detection. Chromatographic peaks unable to be identified by retention-time matching were collected for analysis by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Additional chemical experiments were performed for structural elucidation. Several selenium-containing compounds were identified in the exudate-containing solution and two were identified as selenocystine and the selenosulfate (SSeO32−) ion. The presence of dimethylselenide (CH3SeCH3) is also observed but cannot be attributed exclusively to plant exudation because plants were not grown in sterile conditions. Further, the incorporation of fortified selenoamino acids into peptide structures was found to occur under neutral pH conditions, suggesting that exuded enzymes might facilitate such a reaction. Finally, physiological differences resulting from selenium supplementations were noted and discussed.
Modification of Social Identity in Experience-Toughened Trans-Migrant Agricultural Workers

Diversion and subversion occur in the playful humor in which trans-migrant farm workers engage to alleviate the gruffness and roughness of farm labor and to re-assert the human potential for creativity, with words, if not in action and behavior. This essay considers nuances of the humor response in formal interviews as markers of significant points of transition. Narrators use humor to reflect on alterations in behavioral experience that directly affect the personal identity they have come to accept and to believe is a reasonable representation of who they are.
Homeostatic Imbalance of Purine Catabolism in First-Episode Neuroleptic-Naïve Patients with Schizophrenia

Background: Purine catabolism may be an unappreciated, but important component of the homeostatic response of mitochondria to oxidant stress. Accumulating evidence suggests a pivotal role of oxidative stress in schizophrenia pathology. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with a coulometric multi-electrode array system, we compared 6 purine metabolites simultaneously in plasma between first-episode neuroleptic-naive patients with schizophrenia (FENNS, n=25) and healthy controls (HC, n=30), as well as between FENNS at baseline (BL) and 4 weeks (4w) after antipsychotic treatment. Significantly higher levels of xanthosine (Xant) and lower levels of guanine (G) were seen in both patient groups compared to HC subjects. Moreover, the ratios of G/guanosine (Gr), uric acid (UA)/Gr, and UA/Xant were significantly lower, whereas the ratio of Xant/G was significantly higher in FENNS-BL than in HC. Such changes remained in FENNS-4w with exception that the ratio of UA/Gr was normalized. All 3 groups had significant correlations between G and UA, and Xan and hypoxanthine (Hx). By contrast, correlations of UA with each of Xan and Hx, and the correlation of Xan with Gr were all quite significant for the HC but not for the FENNS. Finally, correlations of Gr with each of UA and G were significant for both HC and FENNS-BL but not for the FENNS-4w. Conclusions/Significance: During purine catabolism, both conversions of Gr to G and of Xant to Xan are reversible. Decreased ratios of product to precursor suggested a shift favorable to Xant production from Xan, resulting in decreased UA levels in the FENNS. Specifically, the reduced UA/Gr ratio was nearly normalized after 4 weeks of antipsychotic treatment. In addition, there are tightly correlated precursor and product relationships within purine pathways; although some of these correlations persist across disease or medication status, others appear to be lost among FENNS. Taken together, these results suggest that the potential for steady formation of antioxidant UA from purine catabolism is altered early in the course of illness.
Finding multivariate outliers in fMRI time-series data

A fundamental challenge for researchers studying the brain is to explain how distributed patterns of brain activity relate to a specific representation or computation. Multivariate techniques are therefore becoming increasingly popular for pattern localization of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. The increased power of these techniques can be offset by their susceptibility to multivariate outliers, a problem not directly encountered when fMRI data are analyzed in more common univariate analysis techniques. We test how two algorithms, High Dimensional Blocked Adaptive Computationally Efficient Outlier Nominators (HD BACON) and Principal Component based Outlier detection (PCOut), can detect multivariate outliers in high-dimensional fMRI data, in which the number of variables is larger than the number of observations. We show how these methods can be applied to individual, voxel time-series to identify outlying voxels within a region of interest. Finally, we compare these methods with simulated data to identify which aspects of the data each method is most sensitive to. Voxels identified by both algorithms were primarily on the edges of univariate activation clusters and near the boundaries between different tissue types. Simulation results showed the PCOut outperformed HD BACON, maintaining both high sensitivity and specificity across a wide range of outlier contamination percentages. Our results suggest that multivariate analysis of fMRI can benefit from including multivariate outlier detection as a routine data quality check prior to model fitting. Multivariate outlier detection methods are applicable to fMRI time-series data.Removing outliers increases spatial specificity without hurting classification.Simulation shows PCOut is more sensitivity to small outliers than HD BACON.
Preservation of Fine Structures in PDE-Based Image Denoising

Image denoising processes often lead to significant loss of fine structures such as edges and textures. This paper studies various innovative mathematical and numerical methods applicable for conventional PDE-based denoising models. The method of diffusion modulation is considered to effectively minimize regions of undesired excessive dissipation. Then we introduce a novel numerical technique for residual-driven constraint parameterization, in order for the resulting algorithm to produce clear images whose corresponding residual is as free of image textures as possible. A linearized Crank-Nicolson alternating direction implicit time-stepping procedure is adopted to simulate the resulting model efficiently. Various examples are presented to show efficiency and reliability of the suggested methods in image denoising.
Blind equalization: a new convex cost function

The use of gradient descent recursive identification in blind adaptive equalization requires a cost function with a unique minimum so that the FIR equalizer setup is guaranteed to remove sufficient ISI. We propose such a cost function which satisfies this requirement. The newly proposed cost function is the difference between the largest (l/sub 1/) and the smallest (l/sub /spl infin//) norms of the joint channel and equalizer impulse response. The global convergence for arbitrary linear channels holds regardless of the initial ISI and the equalizer length (i.e. for finite length equalizers). A globally convergent blind recursive equalizer is obtained based on an implementable approximation of such a cost function. Computer simulations compare favorably with existing algorithms of a similar kind.
The Hazards of Cognitive Aging

After a review of findings from the Seattle Longitudinal Study of adult cognitive development, this paper discusses the application of event history analysis, a technique pioneered by sociologists, to data involving changes of states in individual behavior related to human aging. The dependent variable of interest for psychologists and other developmentalists should be the age (calendar or functional) at which the event occurs rather than its index in historical time. Using occurrence of significant decline in cognitive abilities as an exemplar, hazard functions are presented that allow the assessment of risk for future decline, as well as the prediction of the calendar age when individuals can expect cognitive decline under alternative assumptions.
The Risk of Tuberculosis in Patients with Cancer

Current US guidelines for the management of latent tuberculosis infection in cancer patients are based on studies from 1970s, yet much about cancer care has changed in the interim. In a review of our experience during the past 25 years, we found that incidence of tuberculosis varied significantly according to country of birth and cancer type. Foreign-born patients with underlying hematologic neoplasm had a tuberculosis rate 50-100 times higher than US-born patients, whereas US-born patients with an underlying solid tumor had the same tuberculosis rate as US-born persons without cancer. These findings may help guide the management of latent tuberculosis infection in persons with cancer.