cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response of Thermohaline Circulation to Freshwater Forcing under Present-Day and LGM Conditions

Responses of the thermohaline circulation (THC) to freshwater forcing (hosing) in the subpolar North Atlantic Ocean under present-day and the last glacial maximum (LGM) conditions are investigated using the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Climate System Model versions 2 and 3. Three sets of simulations are analyzed, with each set including a control run and a freshwater hosing run. The first two sets are under present-day conditions with an open and closed Bering Strait. The third one is under LGM conditions, which has a closed Bering Strait. Results show that the THC nearly collapses in all three hosing runs when the freshwater forcing is turned on. The full recovery of the THC, however, is at least a century earlier in the open Bering Strait run than the closed Bering Strait and LGM runs. This is because the excessive freshwater is diverged almost equally toward north and south from the subpolar North Atlantic when the Bering Strait is open. A significant portion of the freshwater flowing northward into the Arctic exits into the North Pacific via a reversed Bering Strait Throughflow, which accelerates the THC recovery. When the Bering Strait is closed, this Arctic to Pacific transport is absent and freshwater can only be removed through the southern end of the North Atlantic. Together with the surface freshwater excess due to precipitation, evaporation, river runoff, and melting ice in the closed Bering Strait experiments after the hosing, the removal of the excessive freshwater takes longer, and this slows the recovery of the THC. Although the background conditions are quite different between the present-day closed Bering Strait run and the LGM run, the THC responds to the freshwater forcing added in the North Atlantic in a very similar manner.
Superconductivity of hexagonal beryllium

Abstract A pure beryllium sample has been found to exhibit bulk superconductivity. The zero field transition is 0.026°K and the magnetically determined coefficient of the electronic term in the specific heat is in accord with that found calorimetrically.
Global Multiple-Valued Clock Approach for High- Performance Multi-phase Clock Integrated Circuits

Some high performance digital integrated circuits use multi-phase clock distribution systems with level-sensitive latches as clocked storage elements. A set of N periodic non-overlapping binary clock signals propagate over each of the clock phase distribution networks and drive disjoint subsets of level-sensitive latches providing enhanced throughput and performance. This performance enhancement can result in increased area characteristics since the individual distribution networks are required for each clock phase. The method presented in this paper overcomes this problem by using a single global clock distribution network for a multi-valued (MV) clock signal in combination with level-sensitive latches designed to be transparent for a specific portion of the global MV clock signal. This approach is compatible with conventional binary logic since the only non-binary components required are the global clock generator and a modified literal selection gate that can be implemented as small analog circuits. A purely binary implementation approach is also described where the MV clock signal is replaced by a binary encoded signal and the phase-sensitive latches are implemented through the inclusion of a decoding function. This approach allows for implementation of the method using commercially available FPGA devices or a standard cell library containing only binary logic cells.
Tensile behavior of carbon nanotube multi-yarn coated with polyester

The behavior of a carbon nanotube (CNT) multi-yarn consisting of 30 yarns and coated with a thin layer of polyester is investigated under tensile loading condition. The coated and uncoated CNT multi-yarns are loaded until fracture occurred inside a scanning electron microscope. In situ photographs were undertaken to investigate the helix angle, diameter, yarn twist, and damage and failure mechanisms. The coated CNT multi-yarn has a higher ultimate tensile strength than the uncoated counterpart. The coated multi-yarn fails at a single location and remains tight after the failure. The uncoated yarn fails at multiple locations along its length and also unravels. The adhesive coating adheres to the CNT yarn surface and does not penetrate into the yarn. These results provide insights into how CNT multi-yarn would behave when used as the reinforcement in the nanocomposites.
Fibroblast growth factor is a permissive factor mediating the cellular action of rat hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing factor.

A clonal multipeptide-secreting cell line (44-2C) was used to study the interaction of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and GRF. The experiments were carried out in cells maintained under serum-free conditions in the absence of growth factors and hormonal supplements. We have shown that in 44-2C cells, rat hypothalamic GRF (rGRF) stimulates neurotensin, calcitonin, and somatostatin secretion. bFGF is not a mitogen in the 44-2C cells, but does regulate differentiated function by a mechanism involving regulation of RNA stabilization. The results presented here show for the first time that FGF acts as a competence factor mediating the cellular action of rGRF. In FGF-pretreated cells, 4-h exposure to rGRF stimulated RNA and protein synthesis. In this cell line rGRF was biologically active at 10-14 M, and the ED50 for rGRF-mediated RNA and protein synthesis ranged from 10-11 to 10-12 M. We conclude that the interaction of FGF, acting as a permissive factor, and rGRF results in a novel mechanism of action ...
Decreased sup 3 H-Thymidine Incorporation By Human Bladder Epithelial Cells Following Exposure To Urine From Interstitial Cystitis Patients

AbstractPurpose: Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic bladder disease of unknown etiology. We sought to determine whether a cytotoxin is present in the urine of IC patients that could cause the epithelial damage seen in this disease.Materials and Methods: Evidence for a cytotoxin was sought using both a neutral red uptake viability assay in T24 bladder epithelial cells, and a3 H-thymidine incorporation assay in primary normal adult bladder epithelial cells and FHS 738 Bl human fetal bladder cells.Results: The neutral red assay in T24 cells indicated the presence of a cytotoxin in 2 of 9 IC patient urine specimens. However, the more sensitive assay of cell proliferation (sup 3 H-thymidine incorporation) in normal adult human bladder epithelial cells revealed antiproliferative activity in urine from 10 of 13 (77 percent) IC patients vs. 3 of 19 (16 percent) controls (two-way analysis of variance, p = .019). The antiproliferative activity of IC urine specimens was confirmed using FHS 738 Bl human fetal bl...
Identifying software problems using symptoms

This paper presents an approach to automatically identify recurrent software failures using symptoms, in environments where many users run the same software. The approach is based on observations that the majority of field software failures in such environments are recurrences and that failures due to a single fault often share common symptoms. The paper proposes the comparison of failure symptoms, such as stack traces and symptom strings, as a strategy for identifying recurrences. This diagnosis strategy is applied using the actual field software failure data. The results obtained are compared with the diagnosis and repair logs by analysts. Results of such comparisons using the failure, diagnosis, and repair logs in two Tandem system software products show that between 75% and 95% of recurrences can be identified successfully by matching stack traces and symptom strings. Less than 10% of faults are misdiagnosed. These results indicate that automatic identification of recurrences based on their symptoms is possible. >
An Optimum Phase Synchronizer in a Partially Coherent Receiver

The derivation and the statistical properties of the maximum a posteriori probability phase estimator of a sinusoidal signal in white Gaussian noise are considered. The probability density function of the phase estimate is developed. The estimator efficiency and performance as a phase synchronizer in a partially coherent receiver are calculated and compared with a first-order phase-locked loop phase estimator.
Glandular breast dose for monoenergetic and high-energy X-ray beams: Monte Carlo assessment.

PURPOSE: To extend the utility of normalized glandular dose (DgN) calculations to higher x-ray energies (up to 120 keV) and to provide the tools for investigators to calculate DgN values for arbitrary mammographic and x-ray spectra. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Validated Monte Carlo methods were used to assess DgN values. One million x-ray photons (1–120 keV, in 1-keV increments) were input to a semicircular breast geometry of thicknesses from 2 to 12 cm and breast compositions from 0% to 100% glandular. DgN values for monoenergetic (1–120 keV) x-ray beams, polyenergetic (40–120 kV, tungsten anode) x-ray spectra, and polyenergetic mammographic spectra were computed. Skin thicknesses of 4–5 mm were used. RESULTS: The calculated DgN values were in agreement within approximately 1%–6% with previously published data, depending on breast composition. DgN tables were constructed for a variety of x-ray tube anode-filter combinations, including molybdenum anode–molybdenum filter, molybdenum anode–rhodium filter, rhodiu...
Distribution of ABO phenotypes in patients with congenital cardiac defects.

Background Cardiac anomalies are among the most frequent congenital malformations, but the basic underlying causes for most cardiac defects remains undetermined. Some 40 years ago, a higher incidence of blood group B was reported in a small number of African-American children with congenital cardiac defects. In this study, we sought to re-evaluate this association using a larger population. Methods and results We collected data from 1985 patients undergoing cardiac surgery from July, 2000, through December, 2004. We divided the patients into 6 subgroups according to their diagnosis. We then compared the prevalence of ABO phenotypes between the patients and the general population of the United States of America by chi-square analysis. There were no significant differences in the distribution of the ABO phenotypes amongst the subgroups of those with congenital cardiac disease, or any for subgroup compared to the general population. Conclusion While statistical significance is influenced by the size of the population within the United States of America and the small numbers within each of our subgroups of patients with congenital cardiac disease, we have been unable to show any relationship between the distribution of ABO phenotypes and the existence of congenital cardiac disease.
CAN A MANUFACTURED GOOD CEASE TO BE A MANUFACTURED GOOD MERELY BY CROSSING A NATIONAL FRONTIER

While economists often stress the importance of increasing developing countries' production and exports of manufactures, there are major inconsistencies in the definitions of ‘manufactures’ employed by national and international agencies. Specifically, developed and developing countries' production data is generally compiled using a far broader definition of manufactures than is employed for trade statistics. This limits the analytical utility of the output and trade data since they are not on a comparable base. An additional problem is that international agencies also employ different definitions of manufactures when compiling trade statistics. For some countries these definitional changes produce major differences in the value and share of manufactures exports and imports. This study attempts to assess the analytical implications of six alternative definitions by comparing results when each is used to tabulate the ‘manufactures’ exports of 72 developing countries. The results show that the different definitions result in a discrepancy of $60 billion in developing countries manufactures exports. Sensitivity tests show that five or six products are responsible for the major discrepancies, with the key item being refined petroleum (SITC 332). These items are included in the UNIDO (trade) and most agencies output definitions, but are excluded from the trade definition used by UNCTAD, World Bank, and GATT. The influence of the alternative definitions on some established country classifications, including UNCTAD's ‘major exporters of manufactures’, are examined. The results show that this country classification is out of date due to major shifts in the relative importance of individual exporters in the 1980s. However, even with the most recent trade statistics there would be important differences in ‘major’ or ‘fast growing’ exporters under alternative definitions of manufactured goods.
Improving the Quality of Care for Patients Diagnosed With Glioma During the Perioperative Period

QI principles were used by a multidisciplinary team to improve the quality of care in patients with glioma during the perioperative period. Ongoing dialogue across departments and reporting of system performance were important for sustaining process improvements.
REGION COLORING, EDGE COLORING, AND SCAN-CONVERSION OF MAPS

A theory is introduced relating extrinsic colorings of complementary regions of an embedded graph to certain intrinsic colorings of the edges of the graph, called color cycles, that satisfy a certain self-consistency condition. A region coloring is lifted to an edge coloring satisfying the cycle condition, and a dual construction builds a region coloring from any color cycle and any embedding of the graph. Both constructs are canonical, and the constructions are information-conservative in the sense that lifting an arbitrary region coloring to a color cycle and then reconstructing a region coloring from the cycle, using the same embedding, results in the original region coloring. The theory is motivated by, and provides the proof of correctness of, new scan-conversion algorithms that are useful in settings where region boundaries have very high complexity. These algorithms have been implemented and provide useful display functionality previously unavailable on certain rastor devices.
Canonical Correlation Analysis for Feature-Based Fusion of Biomedical Imaging Modalities and Its Application to Detection of Associative Networks in Schizophrenia

Typically data acquired through imaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), structural MRI (sMRI), and electroencephalography (EEG) are analyzed separately. However, fusing information from such complementary modalities promises to provide additional insight into connectivity across brain networks and changes due to disease. We propose a data fusion scheme at the feature level using canonical correlation analysis (CCA) to determine inter-subject covariations across modalities. As we show both with simulation results and application to real data, multimodal CCA (mCCA) proves to be a flexible and powerful method for discovering associations among various data types. We demonstrate the versatility of the method with application to two datasets, an fMRI and EEG, and an fMRI and sMRI dataset, both collected from patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and healthy controls. CCA results for fMRI and EEG data collected for an auditory oddball task reveal associations of the temporal and motor areas with the N2 and P3 peaks. For the application to fMRI and sMRI data collected for an auditory sensorimotor task, CCA results show an interesting joint relationship between fMRI and gray matter, with patients with schizophrenia showing more functional activity in motor areas and less activity in temporal areas associated with less gray matter as compared to healthy controls. Additionally, we compare our scheme with an independent component analysis based fusion method, joint-ICA that has proven useful for such a study and note that the two methods provide complementary perspectives on data fusion.
Amplification and decay of long nonlinear waves.

The interaction of weakly nonlinear waves with slowly varying boundaries is considered. Special emphasis is given to rotating fluids, but the analysis applies with minor modifications to waves in stratified fluids and shallow-water waves. An asymptotic solution of a variant of the Korteweg-de Vries equation with variable coefficients is developed that produces a 'Green's law' for the amplification of waves of finite amplitude. For shallow-water waves in water of variable depth, the result predicts wave growth proportional to the -1/3 power of the depth.
Application of Ruze Equation for Inflatable Aperture Antennas

Inflatable aperture reflector antennas are an emerging technology that NASA is investigating for potential uses in science and exploration missions. As inflatable aperture antennas have not been proven fully qualified for space missions, they must be characterized properly so that the behavior of the antennas can be known in advance. To properly characterize the inflatable aperture antenna, testing must be performed in a relevant environment, such as a vacuum chamber. Since the capability of having a radiofrequency (RF) test facility inside a vacuum chamber did not exist at NASA Glenn Research Center, a different methodology had to be utilized. The proposal to test an inflatable aperture antenna in a vacuum chamber entailed performing a photogrammetry study of the antenna surface by using laser ranging measurements. A root-mean-square (rms) error term was derived from the photogrammetry study to calculate the antenna surface loss as described by the Ruze equation. However, initial testing showed that problems existed in using the Ruze equation to calculate the loss due to errors on the antenna surface. This study utilized RF measurements obtained in a near-field antenna range and photogrammetry data taken from a laser range scanner to compare the expected performance of the test antenna (via the Ruze equation) with the actual RF patterns and directivity measurements. Results showed that the Ruze equation overstated the degradation in the directivity calculation. Therefore, when the photogrammetry study is performed on the test antennas in the vacuum chamber, a more complex equation must be used in light of the fact that the Ruze theory overstates the loss in directivity for inflatable aperture reflector antennas.
The Role of Ecological Endpoints in Watershed Management

Landscape change and pollution in watersheds affect ecological endpoints in receiving water bodies. Therefore, these endpoints are useful in watershed management. Fish and benthic macroinvertebrates are often used as endpoints, since they are easily measured in the field and integrate over time and Stressors. A range of approaches are used to incorporate ecological endpoints into watershed management. A common approach is the use of metrics, such as species diversity and the presence of rare or unique species; metrics are also combined into multimetric indices. Multivariate analyses are used to relate endpoints to landscape characteristics. Detailed ecological models can be used to represent effects of multiple Stressors and predict the response to ecological endpoints to future conditions and alternative management scenarios. Ecological endpoints are currently used to assess or classify sites or water bodies, to identify impaired sites and waters, support water quality permits or enforcement, identify areas for conservation, or to set restoration goals or monitor progress. In the future, it is likely that ecological endpoints will be incorporated with aspects of water quality and economic valuation to create sophisticated decision support tools for watersheds.
Scalable Patch Management Using Evolutionary Analysis of Attack Graphs

Network administrators must not only consider the vulnerabilities on each individual machine, but also how those vulnerabilities interact in a networked environment. Attack graphs are a tool to determine these interactions. They allow an administrator to visualize paths an attacker may take to compromise the network. Two critical issues that are often overlooked in analyzing attack graphs are the scalability of the method to large networks and the ability of the administrator to customize the method to the needs of his particular network. This work provides a method based on a multi-objective genetic algorithm to analyze attack graph and determine a minimum set of patches. The method is able to scale to networks containing several hundred machines.
Large-volume ultrafiltration for the study of radiocarbon signatures and size vs. age relationships in marine dissolved organic matter

In recent decades, tangential-flow ultrafiltration (UF) technology has become a primary tool for isolating large amounts of “ultrafiltered” marine dissolved organic carbon (UDOC; 0.1 l mt o� 1 nm) for the detailed characterization of DOC chemical composition and radiocarbon (D 14 C) signatures. However, while total DOCD 14 C values are generally thought to be quite similar in the world ocean, previous studies have reported widely differentD 14 C values for UDOC, even from very similar ocean regions, raising questions about the relative “reactivity” of high molecular weight (HMW) DOC. Specifically, to what degree do variations in DOM molecular weight (MW) vs. composition alter its relative persistence, and therefore HMW DOC D 14 C values? In this study we evaluate the effects of varying proportions of HMW vs. low molecular weight (LMW) DOC on UDOC D 14 C values. Using concentration factor (CF) as a proxy for MW distributions, we modeled the retention of both OC and D 14 C in several very large CF experiments (CF >3000), from three depths (20, 670, and 915 m) in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG). The resulting DOC and D 14 C UF permeation coefficients generally increase with depth, consistent with mass balance trends, indicating very significant permeation of LMW, 14 C-depleted DOC at depth, and higher recoveries of D 14 C-enriched, HMW DOC in the surface. In addition, changes in CF during sample concentration and ionic strength during sample diafiltration had very large and predictable impacts on UDOC D 14 C values. Together these results suggest that previously reported disparities in UDOC D 14 C values are reconciled by linked trends of D 14 C content vs. MW. At low CFs, UDOC samples have similar D 14 C values to total DOC. In contrast, UDOC samples collected at extremely high CFs (and after diafiltration) have more positive D 14 C values. We demonstrate that the observed relationships between UDOC D 14 C and CF derived from our data can directly explain offsets in all previously published UDOC D 14 C values for the NPSG. While CF is not traditionally considered in UF studies, our results indicate it can substantially influence the interpretation of UDOC 14 C “age”, and thus reactivity, in the marine environment. In addition, our results indicate that CF can in fact be used as a proxy for average MW. We suggest that a variable-CF-UF approach, coupled with molecular-level D 14 C analyses, presents a new tool for studying relationships between molecular size, age, and “labile”
A statistical approach for inferring the 3D structure of the genome

Recent technological advances allow the measurement, in a single Hi-C experiment, of the frequencies of physical contacts among pairs of genomic loci at a genome-wide scale. The next challenge is to infer, from the resulting DNA-DNA contact maps, accurate three dimensional models of how chromosomes fold and fit into the nucleus. Many existing inference methods rely upon \emph{multidimensional scaling} (MDS), in which the pairwise distances of the inferred model are optimized to resemble pairwise distances derived directly from the contact counts. These approaches, however, often optimize a heuristic objective function and require strong assumptions about the biophysics of DNA to transform interaction frequencies to spatial distance, thereby leading to incorrect structure reconstruction. We propose a novel approach to infer a consensus three-dimensional structure of a genome from Hi-C data. The method incorporates a statistical model of the contact counts, assuming that the counts between two loci follow a Poisson distribution whose intensity decreases with the physical distances between the loci. The method can automatically adjust the transfer function relating the spatial distance to the Poisson intensity and infer a genome structure that best explains the observed data. We compare two variants of our Poisson method, with or without optimization of the transfer function, to four different MDS-based algorithms---two metric MDS methods using different stress functions, a nonmetric version of MDS, and ChromSDE, a recently described, advanced MDS method---on a wide range of simulated datasets. We demonstrate that the Poisson models reconstruct better structures than all MDS-based methods, particularly at low coverage and high resolution, and we highlight the importance of optimizing the transfer function. On publicly available Hi-C data from mouse embryonic stem cells, we show that the Poisson methods lead to more reproducible structures than MDS-based methods when we use data generated using different restriction enzymes, and when we reconstruct structures at different resolutions.
Condensation reactions of propanal over CexZr1−xO2 mixed oxide catalysts

Vapor phase condensation reactions of propanal were investigated over CexZr1−xO2 mixed oxides as a model reaction to produce gasoline range molecules from short aldehydes found in bio-oil mixtures. Several operating parameters were investigated. These included the type of carrier gas used (H2 or He) and the incorporation of acids and water in the feed. Propanal is converted to higher carbon chain oxygenates on CexZr1−xO2 by two pathways, aldol condensation and ketonization. The major products of these condensation reactions include 3-pentanone, 2-methyl-2-pentenal, 2-methylpentanal, 3-heptanone and 4-methyl-3-heptanone. It is proposed that the primary intermediate for the ketonization path is a surface carboxylate. The presence of acids in the feed inhibits the aldol condensation pathway by competitive adsorption that reduces the aldehyde conversion. Water also promotes ketonization and inhibits aldol condensation by increasing the concentration of surface hydroxyl groups that enhance the formation of surface carboxylates with the aldehyde. Hydrogen enhances cracking and production of light oxygenates and hydrocarbons. The light oxygenates may in turn be reincorporated into the reaction path, giving secondary products. However, the hydrocarbons do not react further. Analysis of the fresh and spent catalysts by XPS showed varying degrees of reduction of the oxide under different operating conditions that were consistent with the reaction results. Changing the proportion of the parent oxides showed that increased Zr favored formation of aldol products while increased Ce favored ketonization. This occurs by shifting the balance of the acid–base properties of the active sites. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Stimulation of Host Immune Defenses by a Small Molecule Protects C. elegans from Bacterial Infection

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans offers currently untapped potential for carrying out high-throughput, live-animal screens of low molecular weight compound libraries to identify molecules that target a variety of cellular processes. We previously used a bacterial infection assay in C. elegans to identify 119 compounds that affect host-microbe interactions among 37,214 tested. Here we show that one of these small molecules, RPW-24, protects C. elegans from bacterial infection by stimulating the host immune response of the nematode. Using transcriptome profiling, epistasis pathway analyses with C. elegans mutants, and an RNAi screen, we show that RPW-24 promotes resistance to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection by inducing the transcription of a remarkably small number of C. elegans genes (,1.3% of all genes) in a manner that partially depends on the evolutionarily-conserved p38 MAP kinase pathway and the transcription factor ATF-7. These data show that the immunostimulatory activity of RPW-24 is required for its efficacy and define a novel C. elegans–based strategy to identify compounds with activity against antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens.
Is clumsiness a marker for Asperger syndrome

Although Asperger syndrome (AS) has been included in the ICD-10 as a distinct category within the pervasive developmental disorders, it is still unclear to what extent it differs from normal-intelligence autism (high-functioning autism; HFA). Persons with AS are said to be particularly clumsy. To test the hypothesis that clumsiness can reliably distinguish AS from autism, the present authors compared 11 patients with AS (ICD-10; 10 males; mean age, 13.6 years; mean IQ, 98) with nine patients with HFA (ICD-10/DSM-III-R; eight males; mean age, 12.9 years; mean IQ, 84). Clumsiness was assessed by the Bruininks-Oseretsky test. Both groups showed problems with coordination and the distribution of standard scores was virtually identical. This suggests that motor clumsiness, as measured by tests of coordination, may not reliably distinguish AS from HFA. However, qualitative differences may occur between the two groups in the manner in which movements are performed. Further research with larger samples may elicit differences into the pattern of motor deficits that occur in autism and AS.
Frontiers of the food–energy–water trilemma: Sri Lanka as a microcosm of tradeoffs

Food, energy, and water are three critical resources for humanity. As climate variability, population growth, and lifestyle changes amplify the stress placed on each of the resources, the interrelationships among food, energy, and water systems become more pronounced. Political conflict, social and cultural norms, and spatial and temporal distribution of the resources add additional layers of complexity. It is in this context that the significance of understanding the impacts of water scarcity on the decisions around food and energy productions has emerged. Our work establishes tradeoff frontiers (TFs) as a method useful in illustrating the system-level tradeoffs between allocating water for food and water for energy. This paper illustrates how TFs can be used to (1) show how scarcity in water resources affects the tradeoffs between food and energy and (2) explore the political and social constraints that can move production away from what is feasible technically. We use Sri Lanka, a country where water resources are variable both in space and time and a country with relatively self-contained energy and agricultural sectors, as a microcosm of the food security, energy security, and water security trilemma. Nevertheless, our application of tradeoff frontiers is applicable widely to other systems.
FOXG1 is required in thymic epithelial cells for normal development and expression of interleukin 7 (HEM4P.245)

Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) are required in the vertebrate thymus microenvironment for normal differentiation of T-cells. Cortical (cTEC) and medullary TEC (mTEC) are the two subtypes of TECs and each component performs different functions in the production of T-cells. The regulatory pathways that control the specification and differentiation of TEC during development are not completely known. Foxg1 has previously been shown to be expressed in TEC before the onset of differentiation. Analysis in mutants showed that specification and differentiation is initially normal but that differentiation of TEC becomes abnormal at E13.5-E14.5. Further analysis of Foxg1 mutants has shown that the expression of the essential cytokine IL-7 is altered. Postnatal examination of Foxg1 conditional mutants has shown that many of the fetal phenotypes persist into adulthood which suggests a potential role for Foxg1 in TEC maintenance. Our results suggest that Foxg1 is an upstream regulator of IL-7 expression in addition to its role in the development and survival of TEC.
Exelfs of Metallic Glasses

The feasibility of using extended energy-loss fine structure (EXELFS) obtained from ~1 nm regions of metallic glasses to study their short-range order has been examined. Ionization edges of the metallic glasses in the electron energy-loss spectrum (EELS) have been obtained from PdNiP bulk metallic glass and Ni2P polycrystalline powder in a transmission electron microscope. The complexity of EXELFS analysis of L- and M-ionization edges of heavy elements (Z>22, i.e. Ni and Pd) is addressed by theoretical caluculations using an ab initio computer code, and its results are compared with the experimental data.
Mitral Stenosis Secondary to High-Grade Liposarcoma in a Young Pregnant Female

Undiagnosed mitral stenosis can manifest itself during pregnancy. Most commonly, the culprit is underlying rheumatic valve disease, however, other etiologies are possible. Prior to clinical decision-making, considerations are taken into account about the severity of the stenosis, the health of the
Soccer clubs and civic associations in the political world of Buenos Aires prior to 1943

The article examines how in the years from 1912 to 1943 emerging football clubs and other civic associations in Greater Buenos Aires were part of a movement by the city’s inhabitants to create their own institutions to fulfil needs that they perceived the larger society did not satisfying (in the case of football, opportunities for recreation). It also examines how the political system pushed successful organizations to look to politicians to enable long-term success. In examining football clubs and other civic associations, it becomes clear that the theories developed by Robert Putnam, among others, based on the writings of Alexis De Tocqueville, simply do not work for Argentina. They cannot be considered the schools for democracy that some writers have envisioned. Rather they became part of a clientelistic- and patronage-oriented political world. The average citizen could not obtain aid from the government without dependence on the powerful.
Leiomyosarcoma of the scrotum in a man who had received scrotal irradiation as a child.

Abstract We report a rare case of a radiation-induced leiomyosarcoma of the scrotal wall.
Policing Gun Crime Without Guns

Despite the recent and welcome decline in United States crime, gun crime remains a persistent concern among many Americans. Solutions to the "gun problem," however, diverge considerably, fueled by ideological, constitutional, and moral debates. Our prior work details the potential of a unique intervention effort that polices gun offenders with a hybrid mix of traditional enforcement and models of normative change. Using an individual growth curve models and propensity scores to adjust for non-random group assignment, our findings suggest that several PSN interventions are associated with greater declines of homicide in the treatment neighborhoods as compared to the control neighborhoods. The largest effect is associated with offender notification meetings that stress individual deterrence, normative change in offender behavior, and increasing views on legitimacy and procedural justice. Here we extend the prior work by examining and evaluating how the ex-offenders who attend the offender notification meetings - and those who don't - view the legitimacy of key actors in the criminal justice system and the law itself.
Atomistic and Molecular Effects in Electric Double Layers at High Surface Charges

The Poisson–Boltzmann theory for electrolytes near a charged surface is known to be invalid due to unaccounted physics associated with high ion concentration regimes. To investigate this regime, fluids density functional theory (f-DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to determine electric surface potential as a function of surface charge. Based on these detailed computations, for electrolytes with nonpolar solvent, the surface potential is shown to depend quadratically on the surface charge in the high charge limit. We demonstrate that modified Poisson–Boltzmann theories can model this limit if they are augmented with atomic packing densities provided by MD. However, when the solvent is a highly polar molecule, water in this case, an intermediate regime is identified in which a constant capacitance is realized. Simulation results demonstrate the mechanism underlying this regime, and for the salt water system studied here, it persists throughout the range of physically realistic surface c...
Aerocapture design study for a Titan polar orbiter

In 2014 a team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) studied the feasibility of using active aerocapture to reduce the chemical Δν requirements for inserting a small scientific satellite into Titan polar orbit. The scientific goals of the mission would be multi-spectral imaging and active radar mapping of Titan's surface and subsurface. The study objectives were to: (i) identify and select from launch window opportunities and refine the trajectory to Titan; (ii) study the aerocapture flight path and refine the entry corridor; (iii) design a carrier spacecraft and systems architecture; (iv) develop a scientific and engineering plan for the orbital portion of the mission. Study results include: (i) a launch in October 2021 on an Atlas V vehicle, using gravity assists from Earth and Venus to arrive at Titan in January 2031; (ii) initial aerocapture via an 8-km wide entry corridor to reach an initial 350×6000 km orbit, followed by aerobraking to reach a 350×1500 km orbit, and a periapse raise maneuver to reach a final 1500 km circular orbit; (iii) a three-part spacecraft system consisting of a cruise stage, radiator module, and orbiter inside a heat shield; (iv) a 22-month mission including station keeping to prevent orbital decay due to Saturn perturbations, with 240 Gb of compressed data returned. High-level issues identified include: (i) downlink capability — realistic downlink rates preclude the desired multi-spectral, global coverage of Titan's surface; (ii) power — demise of the NASA ASRG (Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator) program, and limited availability at present of MMRTGs (Multi-Mission Radioisotope Generators) needed for competed outer planet missions; (iii) thermal — external radiators must be carried to remove 4 kW of waste heat from MMRTGs inside the aeroshell, requiring heat pipes that pass through the aeroshell lid, compromising shielding ability; (iv) optical navigation to reach the entry corridor; (v) the NASA requirement of continuous critical event coverage for the orbiter, especially during the peak heating of the aerocapture when the radio link will be broken. In conclusion, although Titan aerocapture allows for considerable savings in propellant mass, this comes at a cost of increased mission complexity. Further architecture study and refinement is required to reduce high-level mission risks and to elucidate the optimum architecture.
Reassessing the Incumbency Effect: An Increased Incumbency Effect and American Politics

Incumbents have always fared well against challengers. Indeed, it would be surprising if those in office did not do better on average than those unelected. The important matter is that this advantage has reportedly increased in recent decades. Numerous studies indicate that beginning in the 1960s, incumbents were able to win more frequently and increase their vote percentages. Incumbents have always had a high success rate versus challengers, and now they do even better. Specific trends will be examined later, but several changes indicate how members of Congress have been able to change the electoral landscape. Members are now able to increase their vote percentages from their first to their second elections more than in the past. The average percentage of the vote incumbents receive is now greater than in the 1940s and 1950s. More incumbents are elected with more than 60 percent of the vote, a common hurdle to achieve a safe seat. Members of the House are now able to stay in office longer than in the early 1900s. From the 1940s through the 1970s, the correlation of their electoral vote to the presidential vote in their district declined, reducing the threat of loss from a national swing in sentiment against one party. They were able to disconnect their vote from the president's vote. It became increasingly common for scholars and commentators to note that the incumbency effect was powerful and growing.
Shear strength expression for partially grouted masonry walls

Abstract The majority of reinforced masonry constructions in the mid-western and eastern parts of the United States are partially grouted. Previous studies on partially grouted walls have shown that design provisions of the masonry standard joint committee overestimate the shear capacity of such walls. As a result of these studies, masonry standard joint committee has introduced a reduction factor in its newest version in order to overcome this problem. At 2016, the masonry standard joint committee was changed to building code requirements and specifications for masonry structures. The first part of the paper is devoted to this issue by comparing the shear strength of 42 full-scale partially grouted wall tests available in the literature with the current building code requirements and specifications for masonry structures’ shear strength expression. Results indicated that the current shear strength expression can accurately predict the shear strength of partially grouted walls with grouted cells spaced to a maximum of 1.2 m because it was developed based on test results of fully grouted walls. Unfortunately, implementing this factor has not solved the fundamental problem of the code shear strength expression for those walls with grouted cells spaced higher than 1.2 m (ordinary reinforced masonry). The over-estimation can be traced to the existence of insufficient length of horizontal reinforcement (steel effectiveness), and the assumption of linearly varying flexural strains, which the ungrouted portions of the partially grouted wall have proven unable to carry. The goal of the current study is to investigate a new, more realistic approach to the shear mechanism of ordinary reinforced masonry partially grouted walls through adopting modified infilled wall model as opposed to the monolithic wall model that already underpins the problem with the current shear strength expression. A new expression, therefore, was developed for ordinary reinforced masonry partially grouted walls based on modified infilled-frame mechanism. The shear strength predicted by the proposed model was in a good agreement with available test data including walls tested by authors.
Reduced Relative Dose Intensity (RDI) in Patients with Aggressive Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL).

Introduction: A nationwide survey of oncology practices has previously demonstrated that half of patients with aggressive NHL receive substantial reductions in RDI potentially compromising response rates and long term outcomes. Further study is needed of those factors associated with treatment-related complications and reduced RDI in this population. Methods: A nationwide survey of 567 oncology practices was undertaken between June 1999 and December 2001 with data extracted from the records of 1,620 adult patients with aggressive NHL treated with CHOP (N=1,367), CHOP-R (N=117) or CNOP (N=136). Outcomes included febrile neutropenia (FN), reduced RDI and disease response to treatment. Multivariate logistic and proportional hazards regression analyses based on common demographic, treatment and disease variables and prophylactic colony-stimulating factor (CSF) provided adjusted odds ratios and hazards ratios, respectively. Results: FN was reported in 319 (20%) patients of which 80% were hospitalized. The initial episode occurred within the first two cycles of treatment in 60% of patients with FN. Independent predictors of FN risk included age >60 (1.5), female gender (1.5), ECOG >2 (1.9) and liver disease (2.0) with a reduction in risk with prophylactic CSF (0.77). The risk of FN was significantly reduced with prophylactic CSF in patients >60 years of age (HR=.51 [.29,.88]). The overall RDI was 79% with planned and unplanned reductions of 12% and 9%, respectively. RDI 60 (58%), ECOG >2 (56%), stage ≤2 (58%), cardiovascular disease (60%), liver disease (71%), renal disease (58%) and diabetes (59%). Independent predictors of planned reductions in RDI were older age, stage ≤2, heart disease, liver disease, regimen and poor chemotherapy response with less reduction with the addition of prophylactic CSF (R2=0.40; P<.0001). Independent predictors of unplanned reductions in RDI were younger age, diabetes and stage ≤2 with less reduction with the addition of prophylactic CSF (R2=0.13, P<.001). Conclusions: This practice-based study confirms previous reports of a high level of planned and unplanned reductions in RDI in patients with aggressive NHL. Factors associated with reduced dose intensity include age, comorbid conditions, regimen, stage and no prophylactic CSF.
The Failings of Alabama Water Law

Alabama policymakers have for decades discussed how to improve Alabama’s water law but have made no progress in finding solutions. A persistent theme in the hesitation to adopt water-policy legislation is that we must better understand our water resources before we can take action. Our water-policy problems, however, have very little to do with the nature of our water resources and everything to do with our legal regime: Alabama uses nineteenth-century common law to govern its water resources, and that common law is inadequate to deal with twenty-first-century water uses. The current common law renders unlawful many existing diversions of water that serve vital municipal, agricultural, commercial, and industrial purposes and inhibits Alabama’s efforts to create economic growth, deal with increasing population, protect the state’s world-class environmental resources, and address the consequences of drought in a changing climate. Why, then, have we not yet acted? Paradoxically, part of the answer may be the abundance of Alabama’s water resources: we have so much water that few have been motivated to challenge current unlawful uses of water. Without such challenges, the need to fix the common law does not appear pressing. But the best time to develop a comprehensive solution to the failings of Alabama’s water law is when there is no emergency. At a minimum, the legislature must adopt a statute that (1) eliminates the outdated restrictions of the common law, (2) permits interbasin transfers of water, (3) protects the instream flows needed by our ecosystems, and (4) empowers an agency to coordinate these uses. Optimally, Alabama would adopt the Regulated Riparian Model Water Code.
Secure and Reliable XOR Arbiter PUF Design: An Experimental Study based on 1 Trillion Challenge Response Pair Measurements

This paper shows that performing an XOR operation between the outputs of parallel arbiter PUFs generates a more secure output at the expense of reduced stability. In this work, we evaluate the security and stability of XOR PUFs using 1,000,000 randomly chosen challenges, applied to 10 custom-designed PUF chips, tested for 100,000 cycles per challenge, under different voltage and temperature conditions. Based on extensive hardware data, we propose a practical method for selecting challenges that will produce stable responses. A linear regression approach based on soft responses collected during enrollment phase was used to build accurate models for each individual arbiter PUF. Hardware data from fabricated chips verify that the approach is highly effective.
Spatial Filtering in a Neuron Network Model

Abstract If an organism's visual system is to be able to identify patterns it must possess a procedure for testing the input patterns against patterns in memory. A neuron network model is presented which implements a test procedure by spatially filtering the input pattern in the optical sense. The network model suggests an interpretation for the form of the receptive fields of cortical neurons seen in the visual cortex of cats and for the variation in evoked neural response to identical stimuli. The network model is closely related to an optical system which can identify patterns.