cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Continuous Copolymerization of Vinylidene Fluoride with Hexafluoropropylene in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide: Low Hexafluoropropylene Content Semicrystalline Copolymers

The copolymerization of vinylidene fluoride with hexafluoropropylene (HFP) was carried out in supercritical carbon dioxide by precipitation polymerization using a continuous stirred tank reactor. Copolymers with ca. 10 mol % HFP were synthesized at 40 °C and pressures in the range of 207−400 bar using perfluorobutyryl peroxide as the free radical initiator. The effects of feed monomer concentration and reaction pressure were both explored at otherwise constant conditions. The rate of polymerization (Rp) and the number-average molecular weight (Mn) increased linearly with the total monomer concentration up to about 6 M, the highest concentration investigated. The Rp and the Mn were strongly influenced by the reaction pressure. An 80% increase in both Rp and Mn was observed when the reaction pressure rose from 207 to 400 bar. The molecular weight distributions of the synthesized copolymer showed a long tail that increased to become a broad shoulder with increasing total monomer concentration. This tail incr...
Enhanced Droplet Nucleation in Styrene Miniemulsion Polymerization. 3. Effect of Shear in Miniemulsions That Use Cetyl Alcohol as the Cosurfactant

The effect on the polymerization kinetics of the level of shear imparted during homogenization of styrene miniemulsions prepared with cetyl alcohol was studied. It was noted that, at relatively low levels of shear, predissolving polystyrene into the monomer prior to homogenization did not result in an enhancement in the kinetics. At high levels of shear, there was a large enhancement in the rate of polymerization that results from predissolving polymer. These conflicting results were correlated to droplet stability measurements. Droplet sizes formed in the size region produced by the low levels of shear have been shown to be stable with time while the droplet sizes formed by the high level of shear have been shown to be unstable with time. The combination of the kinetic results and the droplet stability measurements was taken as evidence that the dominant mechanism causing “enhanced droplet nucleation” is the preservation of the droplet number prior to the polymerization. Numerous results are also present...
Uncertainty of Trading Rules in Currency Markets: An Application of Nonparametric Bootstrapping

The problem of measuring the precision of signals generated by fundamental macroeconomic models is not trivial. In this paper we suggest three different approaches for the estimation of the true and unknown distribution of the population signal. We focus on two applications of the Bootstrapping procedure described by Efron and Tibshirani (1986) to estimate the empirical distribution of the signal and measure its precision at a specific point in time with confidence intervals. Direct and Indirect Bootstrapping methods are devised as a way to capture the unknown variability of the signal without altering the information content of the historical data. We implement this framework for a simple fundamental model for the CAD/$ exchange rate. The results lead to the exclusion of a naive Historical approach from the analyst's set of options, for it does not satisfy the need for a measure of precision in the model's recommendations. No clear-cut selection criterion seems to be available in selecting between the two proposed forms of Bootstrapping. Factor-decomposition in the confidence-interval generation procedure is suggested as an additional analysis tool.
Surface-coil T1 images.

A method for producing calculated T1 images with high signal-to-noise ratio and good spatial resolution using surface coils is presented. Separate transmit and receive rf coils with electronic decoupling are employed to insure uniform B1 excitation. The sensitivity profile of the receiver coil is normalized out of the image by the T1 calculation. T1 values determined by this method show close agreement with previously reported values. © 1986 Academic Press, Inc.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR CHARACTERIZING SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY WIRE: PART 2—FUNDAMENTAL ISOTHERMAL RESPONSES

This is the second in a series of articles to introduce phenomena and experimental subtleties that can lead to difficulties in testing shape memory alloy (SMA) wire. Our aims were to acquaint uninitiated engineers with SMA testing and to highlight pitfalls in technique and interpreting test results. In the previous article (Part 1),1 thermomechanical experiments were presented on two commercial Nitinol alloys: a shape memory (SM) wire, having an austenite finish temperature, A f, above room temperature, and a superelastic (SE) wire, having an Af below room temperature. Both SM and SE behavior were demonstrated for each in different temperature regimes along with a description of the underlying microstructural mechanisms responsible for these unusual behaviors. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms were provided for each alloy as a first step to quantify their transformation temperatures, specific heats, and latent heats of transformation. In this article (Part 2), we discuss techniques and good practice for temperature control and strain measurement. The characterization of the same two alloys is continued through a series of isothermal experiments to show the dramatic range of tensile responses in a temperature window spanning the respective stress-free transformation temperatures. Characteristic transformation stresses and strains are mapped to quantify the thermomechanical sensitivities in the material. Last, material instabilities, strain localization, and propagating transformation fronts are discussed along with their implications on measured responses.
Neural network methods in hydrodynamic yield estimation

Hydrodynamic theory allows us to use the speed of a shock wave front to determine the yield of an explosion. On the basis of this theory we developed a neural network to estimate a yield of underground explosions from the shock wave radius versus time (RVT) data, as measured by continuous reflectometry for radius versus time experiments (CORRTEX). The proposed method not only replaces the subjective elements of conventional algorithms, but produces significantly improved yield estimates. The network was trained with real hydrodynamic data and its performance on unseen test events was studied. A backpropagation network was employed; the architecture consisted of ten input units, a hidden layer with eleven hidden units, and one output unit. The network was trained with thousands of input-output measurement vectors, the feasible input set, derived from the RVT data from only four other training or standard events (selected on the basis of the given RVT data from the unknown event). The feasible input vectors were propagated through the trained network and the network output was used to select the optimum yield estimate. Elements of the input vector were: center of energy (COE) offsets, shock front radii, and time onset and interval of analysis for both the standard and unknown events. We studied the performance of the proposed system using 24 Nevada Test Site (NTS) events that were located in the geologic medium tuff. Sensitivity analysis of the proposed method to the assumed nominal COE offset is discussed. Variations of the proposed system that might lead to further improvements in performance are suggested.
Influence of Age and 17β-Estradiol on Kisspeptin, Neurokinin B, and Prodynorphin Gene Expression in the Arcuate-Median Eminence of Female Rhesus Macaques

The neuropeptides kisspeptin, neurokinin B, and dynorphin A (collectively abbreviated as KNDy) are, respectively, encoded by KiSS-1, NKB, and PDYN and are coexpressed by neurons of the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC). Here, using quantitative real-time PCR, we examined age-related changes in the expression of genes encoding KNDy and associated receptors G protein-coupled receptor 54 (encoded by GPR54), neurokinin 3 receptor (encoded by NK3), and kappa-opioid receptor (encoded by KOR), in the female rhesus macaque ARC-median eminence (ARC-ME). Expression of KiSS-1 and NKB was highly elevated in old perimenopausal compared with young or middle-aged premenopausal animals. To test whether these age-related changes could be attributed to perimenopausal loss of sex steroids, we then examined KNDy, GPR54, NK3, and KOR expression changes in response to ovariectomy (OVX) and exposure to 17beta-estradiol (E(2)). Short-term (7 months) OVX (with or without 1 month of estrogen replacement) failed to modulate the expression of any of the KNDy-related genes. In contrast, long-term ( approximately 4 yr) OVX significantly increased KiSS-1 and NKB expression, and this was reversed by E(2) administration. Finally, we examined the expression of KNDy-related genes in young adult females during the early follicular, late follicular, or midluteal phases of their menstrual cycle but found no difference. Together, the results suggest that short-term alterations in circulating E(2) levels, such as those occurring during the menstrual cycle, may have little effect on the ARC-ME expression of KNDy and associated receptors. Nevertheless, they clearly demonstrate that loss of ovarian steroid negative feedback that occurs during perimenopause plays a major role in modulating the activity of KNDy circuits of the aging primate ARC-ME.
Copper deficiency: interaction with high-fructose and high-fat diets in rats

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a high fat intake would potentiate an excess of fructose in the diet of rats to alter energy metabolism and worsen the nutritional status for copper. Weanling male rats were fed diets with 45% fat and 20% cornstarch, 45% fat and 20% fructose, 5% fat and 60% cornstarch, or 5% fat and 60% fructose for 3 wk, with either sufficient (+) or deficient (-) amounts of copper. Copper deficiency, as demonstrated by low plasma copper and ceruloplasmin, caused a decrease of liver, heart, and testes copper; a decline of liver and heart zinc; and an increase of hepatic iron. High-fat diets reduced liver glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and, to a lesser extent, glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH). The interaction between high-fat and high-fructose diets, superimposed on copper deficiency, resulted in a lowering of G6PDH, GPDH, and malic enzyme. These results support the hypothesis that a high fat ingestion becomes an aggravating stress factor, which, in combination with a high-fructose intake in a copper-deficient diet, adversely alters key organ mineral content, with detrimental effects on copper nutritional status and intermediary metabolism.
Targets of extinction: identification of genes whose expression is repressed as a consequence of somatic fusion between cells representing basal and luminal mammary epithelial phenotypes.

The use of somatic cell hybrids has led to an increased understanding of the ‘negative’ regulation of cellular phenotype. Using somatic cell hybrids constructed between human breast cells that represent differing stages of malignancy but also display differing phenotypes from the same tissue, we present experimental results suggesting that luminal epithelial characteristics are controlled by repressive mechanisms. Fusion of HBL 100 cells, non-tumorigenic and characteristic of the basal cell lineage, with MCF-7 or MDA-MB-468 malignant breast cancer cells, characteristic of the luminal lineage, resulted in hybrid cells that displayed the phenotype of the HBL 100 cells. Using representational difference analysis, a panel of genes whose expression was repressed in the hybrid between HBL 100 and MDA-MB-468 was identified. This analysis revealed markers of luminal epithelial cells to be repressed, including Ep-CAM, cytokeratin 19 and E-cadherin. These markers were found to be coordinately re-expressed in variant hybrid cells indicating that the observed repression is reversible. Integrin (alpha)(v)(beta)(3) expression was found to be in mutual exclusivity to the luminal epithelial markers, thereby revealing a bidirectional ‘switch’ in the pattern of gene expression in this system. Finally, the expression of Ep-CAM was found to be lost in heterokaryons produced by fusion of HBL 100 and MCF-7 or MDA-MB-468 cells suggesting that the extinction of this gene in hybrid cells is the consequence of a trans-acting factor(s) synthesized by the HBL 100 cells. These data suggest that a number of markers of luminal cell differentiation in the mammary gland can be controlled through negative mechanisms and that such control of phenotype is highly coordinated.
Evaluation of highly corrected optics by measurement of the Strehl ratio

The Strehl ratio (SR) is a measure of image quality that is especially relevant to recording media of finite contrast, such as photoresist, film, and the human retina. The SR is accessible experimentally from the total power and maximum irradiance in the point spread function (PSF). Measurement error is introduced by the finite dimension of the pinhole aperture that is used to generate a detectable image. This systematic error can be related parametrically to the object geometry and illumination system, and the SR can be corrected to within a few percent. Systematic corrections also compensate for the portion of the PSF irradiance that falls outside the data integration window in the image plane. An optical test bench is constructed to measure the SR over the lens field and azimuth to an accuracy of 5% and a repeatability of 1%.
Merging metagenomics and geochemistry reveals environmental controls on biological diversity and evolution

Background: The metabolic strategies employed by microbes inhabiting natural systems are, in large part, dictated by the physical and geochemical properties of the environment. This study sheds light onto the complex relationship between biology and environmental geochemistry using forty-three metagenomes collected from geochemically diverse and globally distributed natural systems. It is widely hypothesized that many uncommonly measured geochemical parameters affect community dynamics and this study leverages the development and application of multidimensional biogeochemical metrics to study correlations between geochemistry and microbial ecology. Analysis techniques such as a Markov cluster-based measure of the evolutionary distance between whole communities and a principal component analysis (PCA) of the geochemical gradients between environments allows for the determination of correlations between microbial community dynamics and environmental geochemistry and provides insight into which geochemical parameters most strongly influence microbial biodiversity. Results: By progressively building from samples taken along well defined geochemical gradients to samples widely dispersed in geochemical space this study reveals strong links between the extent of taxonomic and functional diversification of resident communities and environmental geochemistry and reveals temperature and pH as the primary factors that have shaped the evolution of these communities. Moreover, the inclusion of extensive geochemical data into analyses reveals new links between geochemical parameters (e.g. oxygen and trace element availability) and the distribution and taxonomic diversification of communities at the functional level. Further, an overall geochemical gradient (from multivariate analyses) between natural systems provides one of the most complete predictions of microbial taxonomic and functional composition. Conclusions: Clustering based on the frequency in which orthologous proteins occur among metagenomes facilitated accurate prediction of the ordering of community functional composition along geochemical gradients, despite a lack of geochemical input. The consistency in the results obtained from the application of Markov clustering and multivariate methods to distinct natural systems underscore their utility in predicting the functional potential of microbial communities within a natural system based on system geochemistry alone, allowing geochemical measurements to be used to predict purely biological metrics such as microbial community composition and metabolism.
Interaction between the development of postural control and the executive function of attention.

The authors examined the interaction between the development of postural control and the development of the executive function of attention in 13 children and 6 adults in dual-task conditions. Participants performed an attentionally demanding cognitive task and a postural task simultaneously. The authors equalized the attentional load of the cognitive task across age groups. Comparative changes in the center of pressure in dual- and single-task conditions indicated that dual tasks interfered with postural performance in the wide stance (WS) and the modified Romberg stance (RS). Children at 4–6 years of age (but not children at ages 7–12 years of age or adults) experienced postural control interference in both stance positions, but interference was greater in the RS (p = .018). For all participants, cognitive task performance in RS was unchanged from that in WS. The knowledge gained from the results of this study will contribute to the design and implementation of academic and preacademic programming for young children. Their performance of an intentionally demanding cognitive task would be enhanced by the provision of appropriately sized desks and chairs or their use of an alternate, less demanding position.
Measurements of the infrared emissivity of a wind-roughened sea surface

Spectral statistical-analysis techniques were developed and applied to high-spectral-resolution infrared measurements of the sea surface. The effective incidence angle of a ship-borne instrument in typical at-sea conditions was found to introduce errors of up to 0.7 K in sea-surface temperature retrievals at a 55° view angle. The sea-surface emissivity was determined over the 8–12-μm window at view angles of 40° and 55° and at wind speeds up to 13 ms−1. The emissivity was found to increase in magnitude with increasing wind speed, rather than decrease, as predicted by widely used parameterizations. Use of these parameterizations can cause significant bias in remote sensing of sea-surface temperature in noncalm conditions.
The 24-h pattern and rate of leucine oxidation, with particular reference to tracer estimates of leucine requirements in healthy adults.

Daily leucine oxidation and derived values for whole-body leueine balance, obtained by continuous measure- ment throughout a 24-h period, were compared with those pre- dicted from short-term measurements during fasted and fed states in five healthy adults studied during two 6-d experimental diet periods, each immediately followed by a 24-h continuous intra- venous tracer infusion of L-(1-'3Cjleueine. Leucine intake was either 14 or 38.3 mgkg't .dt. Mean measured daily leucine oxidation (mg leucine . kg ' . d t) was 27.8 and 45.2 for the 14- and 38.3-mg intakes, respectively. Oxidation rates predicted by extrapolation of rates measured during the final hour of fasting (15 h after last meal) and the 5th h of feeding were � 12% higher (P < 0.01) than measured rates for both diets. For the prediction based on the 12th h of fasting and 5th h of feeding, it was 4% higher or 0.4% lower than measured rates for the 38.3- and 14- mg intakes, respectively. Hence, relatively small differences exist between measured vs predicted estimates of daily leucine oxi- dation and balance. These studies support previous conclu- sions that the current, international requirement value for Icucine in healthy adults is far too low. Am J Clin Nutr 1994;59:1012-20.
Paediatrician knowledge, attitudes, and counselling patterns on teen driving

Background Motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are the leading cause of death among teenagers. Little is known about the content of US paediatrician counselling about teen driving. Objective To examine US paediatrician knowledge, attitudes, and counselling patterns regarding teen driving. Methods A random sample questionnaire was mailed to American Academy of Pediatrics members in 2009 (n=1606; response=875 (55%)). Analysis was limited to 596 paediatricians who provide adolescent checkups. Questions addressed counselling and attitudes towards roles in promoting safe driving. Logistic regression assessed the relationship between counselling topics and practice characteristics. Results Most (89%) respondents provide some counselling about driving. Two topics commonly discussed by paediatricians were seatbelts (87%) and alcohol use (82%). Less frequently discussed were: cell phones (47%), speeding (43%), and dangers of transporting teen passengers (41%). Topics rarely discussed were: night driving (21%), graduated driver licensing laws (13%), safe cars (9%), driver education (9%), fatigue (25%), and parental limit setting (23%). Only 10% ever recommend a parent–teen driver agreement. Paediatricians who had a patient injured or killed in an MVC were more likely to discuss night driving (OR=2.86). Physicians caring for a high proportion of adolescents (OR=1.83) or patients with private insurance (OR=1.85) counsel more about the risks of driving with teen passengers. Conclusions Paediatricians in the USA support counselling on teen driving during routine office visits, but omit many important risk factors. Few recommend parent–teen driver agreements. Methods that help clinicians efficiently and effectively counsel families about teen driving should be developed.
Emergence of Social Norms in Complex Networks

This paper studies the problem that how social norms emerge even though agents are selfish and attempt to only maximize their own utility. We propose a new rule for social interactions. The rule is called Highest Rewarding Neighborhood (HRN). The HRN rule allows agents to remain selfish and be able to break relationships in order to maximize their utility. Our experiment shows that when agents are able to break unrewarding relationships that a Pareto-optimum strategy arises as the social normal. In addition we conclude the rate and amount of Pareto-optimum strategy that arises is dependent on the network structure when the networks are dynamic, and the rate is independent of the network structure when the networks are static.
An Age-Adjusted Trend Test for the Tumor Incidence Rate for Single-Sacrifice Experiments

The nonparametric age-adjusted test proposed by Kodell and Ahn (1) for assessing dose-related trend with respect to the tumor incidence rate in animal experiments is extended from the case of multiple sacrifices to the case of a single (terminal) sacrifice. The tumor incidence rate is made identifiable for time intervals preceding the final time interval by assuming constant proportionality of the tumor prevalences in live and dead animals. Information on cause of death is not required. A Monte Carlo simulation study is conducted to assess size and power of the test.
Lipid Mediators and Inflammation

The role of arachidonic metabolites in the control of immunity in inflammation is reviewed with particular emphasis on the most recent observations and possible interactions between these products and other mediators. Continuing studies on the nature of the lipoxygenase involved in leukotriene synthesis will be discussed as will the nature of the enzymatic activity involved in the transfer of sulphur in leukotriene C, D and E.
Ambient Temperature Removal of Problematic Organic Compounds from ISS Wastewater

Small, highly polar organics such as urea, alcohols, acetone, and glycols are not easily removed by the International Space Station’s Water Recovery System. The current design utilizes the Volatile Removal Assembly (VRA) which operates at 125°C to catalytically oxidize these contaminants. Since decomposition of these organics under milder conditions would be beneficial, several ambient temperature biocatalytic and catalytic processes were evaluated in our laboratory. Enzymatic oxidation and ambient temperature heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of these contaminants were explored. Oxidation of alcohols proceeded rapidly using alcohol oxidase; however, effective enzymes to degrade other contaminants except urea were not found. Importantly, both alcohols and glycols were efficiently oxidized at ambient temperature using a highly active, bimetallic noble metal catalyst. Adsorption onto activated carbon formed from pyrolyzed polymeric beads was shown to be the most practical method for acetone removal.
The Early History of Glassmaking in the Venetian Lagoon: A Microchemical Investigation

The compositions of well-dated archaeological glasses from the Northern Adriatic have been determined to learn more about the origins of the Renaissance Venetian glassmaking industry. Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) was used to characterize thirty-seven late antiquity (5th - 7th centuries) glass finds from Torcello, an island located five miles to the northwest of the Rialtine islands that make up modern Venice. The late antiquity glass data was used in conjunction with two groups of medieval glass data, a predominately 6th -10th centuries Torcello group analyzed by Brill and an 8th-14th centuries Venetian lagoon group analyzed by Verita to gain insight into the technological evolution of glassmaking in the lagoon. The three data sets were then examined within the context of archaeological evidence for a medieval glass furnace complex at Torcello. Our data on the late antiquity glasses reveals that a decline in Roman-style glassmaking technology during this period may have contributed to Venice’s late medieval and Renaissance glassmaking innovations.
Failing Students or Failing Schools?: Holding States Accountable for the High School Dropout Crisis

While numerous scholars and advocates have described the factors that contribute to low graduation rates and discussed the scope of the graduation rate crisis, little progress has been made toward determining who is responsible for addressing the growing crisis and devising a comprehensive response. It is time to build a serious accountability system for achieving substantial improvements in high school graduation rates. This essay examines the states’ responsibility to improve graduation rates in light of state constitutional provisions providing a right to education. Implicit in those constitutional provisions is the obligation for the state to provide every child with a meaningful opportunity to earn a high school diploma. This essay also argues that states must be held accountable for implementing the systemic reforms necessary to reverse the alarming dropout trend and for reengaging students with their education.
Peptic ulcer disease: physiology and pathophysiology.

Medical treatment of peptic ulcer disease has been dramatically altered by the identification and characterization of parietal receptors and by the development of such drugs as histamine H2-recepto...
Lessons in cross-cultural measurement of depressive symptoms: Findings from a mixed-methods study in Ghana

ABSTRACTAs the public health importance of depression grows in low-income countries, development of culturally relevant and valid measurement tools is increasingly necessary to inform effective interventions. This research was embedded within the Family Health and Wealth Study, an ongoing multi-country cohort study. We use mixed methods to assess the reliability and various aspects of validity, including cultural relevance, of a 10-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D 10) Scale among men and women of reproductive age in Kumasi, Ghana. The scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency reliability, and factor analysis supported a one-factor model for both men and women in the study setting. However, qualitative findings highlighted several additional relevant symptom groups in the study population that were not included in the scale: loss of concentration, loss of appetite, suicidal ideation and becoming quiet or withdrawn. Although quantitative analyses indicated that t...
Distance Writing: Helping without Seeing Participants

An interactive SH approach that is becoming more and more frequent and that has been always important is distance writing (DW). Online therapy has already emerged in the area of SH therapy as the fastest growing method, as discussed in Chapter 5 of this volume (L’Abate, 1986, 1990, 1992e, 2001a, 2002). Participants can receive therapy sessions with e-text and/or voice with video and can also complete online questionnaires, handouts, workout sheets, or practice exercises at their own pace (Greg, 2007). DW, as a progressive step in the evolution of SH, owes its phenomenal growth to the Internet and is now an everyday occurrence (Lange et al., 1993; Ritterband et al., 2003a; Ritterband et al., 2003b; Watkins & Clum, 2008).
Non-paraxial Talbot Effect for Building Compact Spectrometers

We explore the possibility of utilizing mid-field Talbot effect under non-paraxial diffraction for building compact spectrometers. Our experiment demonstrates nanometer resolution with a bandwidth over at least 100 nm for a Talbot spectrometer built using a standard 1-D transmission grating and a commercial CMOS imager. The effect of angular spread at the grating surface on spectral resolution is also investigated theoretically.
Mapping the Domain of Subject Area Integration: Elementary Educatorsâ€™ Descriptions and Practices

A review of relevant literature reveals that integration is a difficult practice to define, yet elementary teachers are quick to speak positively of it and many claim to integrate in their practice. If there is a lack of consensus about what integration means, what then are these teachers doing when they say that they integrate? This study investigated five cases in an effort to establish how elementary teachers describe the domain of subject area integration. Qualitative data was collected through interviews with the participants and observations of the integrated lessons they taught. The data revealed a healthy mix of commonalities within and differences between the teachersâ€™ descriptions and practices. These similarities and differences revealed a model of integration that goes beyond the linear continuums common in the literature. Instead we propose a model of the domain that consists of four variables. These variables can be used to describe with great detail an individual practice of integration and allow educators and administrators an opportunity to consider and plan for growth in the application of subject area integration.
Progress Towards Using a Calcium Ion Trap to Perform Quantum Logic Operations

We briefly review the development and theory of an experiment to investigate quantum computation with trapped calcium ions. The ion trap, laser and ion requirements are determined, and the parameters required for simple quantum logic operations are described.
A Cyber Mutation: Metrics, Techniques and Future Directions

After decades of cyber warfare, it is well-known that the static and predictable behavior of cyber configuration provides a great advantage to adversaries to plan and launch their attack successfully. At the same time, as cyber attacks are getting highly stealthy and more sophisticated, their detection and mitigation become much harder and expensive. We developed a new foundation for moving target defense (MTD) based on cyber mutation, as a new concept in cybersecurity to reverse this asymmetry in cyber warfare by embedding agility into cyber systems. Cyber mutation enables cyber systems to automatically change its configuration parameters in unpredictable, safe and adaptive manner in order to proactively achieve one or more of the following MTD goals: (1) deceiving attackers from reaching their goals, (2) disrupting their plans via changing adversarial behaviors, and (3) deterring adversaries by prohibitively increasing the attack effort and cost. In this talk, we will present the formal foundations, metrics and framework for developing effective cyber mutation techniques. The talk will also review several examples of developed techniques including Random Host Mutation, Random Rout Mutation, fingerprinting mutation, and mutable virtual networks. The talk will also address the evaluation and lessons learned for advancing the future research in this area.
Factors Associated with a Short ( 10 Days) Length of Stay after Colectomy: A Multivariate Analysis of over 400 Patients.

A prospectively maintained database of 415 patients undergoing colectomy was evaluated. We performed a logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with 1) length of stay (LOS) of 2 ...
The new world primates as animal models of glucocorticoid resistance.

Many New World primate species have greatly increased plasma cortisol concentrations, decreased plasma cortisol binding globulin capacity and affinity, marked resistance of the hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal axis to suppression by dexamethasone, and no biological evidence of glucocorticoid excess. These primates also have high levels of circulating progesterone, estrogen, mineralocorticoid, androgen and vitamin D. The glucocorticoid target tissues that have been examined (circulating mononuclear lymphocytes and cultured skin fibroblasts) have normal concentrations of glucocorticoid receptors with decreased affinity for dexamethasone. Transformation of B-lymphocytes with the Epstein-Barr virus leads to glucocorticoid receptor induction that is less than that observed with cells from Old World primates. The receptor in these cells has a low affinity for dexamethasone. The low affinity leads to an increased loss of specific bound ligand during thermal activation. Meroreceptor generation is normal. The molecular weight of the receptor, determined by SDS-PAGE, is similar to that of Old World primates (~92,000) and the activation pattern per se, examined in vitro by heating cytosol and performing phosphocellulose chromatography, appears similar to that of human controls. The ratios of nuclear to cytosolic hormone-receptor-complexes and of cytosolic activated to unactivated receptor complexes in intact cells are similar to Old World primates. Results from mixing studies do not support the hypothesis that a binding inhibitor(s) or a deficient cytosolic positive modifier(s) of binding unerlies the findings in these primates. The New World primates, unlike men with the syndrome of primary cortisol resistance, have compensated for their condition with intra—adrenal and mineralocorticoid receptor adaptations. Thus, unlike Old World primates, cortisol in New World primates has only weak sodium—retaining potency because the aldosterone receptor has a low affinity for cortisol. The common element that would explain the apparent resistance to six steroid hormones in New World primates remains unknown.
A measurement system for science and engineering research center performance evaluation

This research is focused on gaining deeper insights into US National Science Foundation (NSF) science and engineering research center challenges and motivated to develop a method that effectively measures the performance of these organizations. While research has addressed organizational performance at the micro, or single-actor level for universities or companies and at the regional or national macro level, the middle level where the NSF centers reside is largely missing. The bulk of the cooperative research center studies use either case-based methods or bibliometric data to measure traditional research outputs. Many are excellent studies; however, they only focus on a piece of the performance measurement problem. There is a need for more research to understand how to measure performance and compare performance of cooperative research centers formed in a triple-helix type partnership involving government, industry and academia. This research begins to fill these gaps by examining outputs from a balanced perspective and introducing a hierarchical decision model that uses both quantitative and qualitative metrics for a holistic study. The proposed outcome of this research is a performance measurement scoring system that can be used for science and engineering focused research centers. The method is demonstrated using the NSF IUCRC model.
Subwavelength grating microlens with taper-resistant characteristics

The subwavelength grating microlens has attracted much attention due to its variety of potential applications. Instead of the vertical sidewall profile normally considered by most recent works, a tapered sidewall profile is often obtained during current fabrication processes, especially during the fabrication of high aspect ratio structures. In this work, we have discovered that a tapered sidewall profile may have a significant destructive effect on the concentration properties of subwavelength concentrating lenses/metasurfaces. This is caused by the phase shift from the tapered profile that affects each individual phase shifter. More interestingly, we have further discovered that there exist some period/fill-factor combinations for phase shifters that "resist" the phase shift from the tapered structure. This study will provide an important avenue for the design of subwavelength concentrating lenses/metasurfaces when dealing with the tapered sidewall profile.
Maternal and child health in Africa for sustainable development goals beyond 2015

The papers contained in this special issue of the Global Public Health examine the current realities of Africa with reference to ‘Maternal and Child Health’ as the world transitions into an era of ...
Retrograde Pedal Access

Retrograde pedal access is performed for difficult to cross arterial lesions. In conjunction with traditional brachial/femoral antegrade access, it can be used for the “body floss” technique. This chapter describes indications, essential steps, and complications of these procedures. It provides a detailed template operative note for the procedure.
Assessing the long-term hydrologic response to wildfires in mountainous regions

This study aims to understand the long-term hydrologic responses to wildfires in mountainous regions at various spatial scales. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to evaluate hydrologic response of the upper Cache la Poudre watershed in Colorado to the 2012 High Park and Hewlett wildfire events. A baseline SWAT model was established to simulate the hydrology of the study area between the years 2000 and 2014. The effects of wildfires on land cover were accounted for in the model using the SWAT land use update module. The wildfire effects on curve numbers were determined comparing the probability distribution of curve numbers after calibrating the model for pre and post wildfire conditions. Daily calibration and testing of the model produced very good results. No-wildfire and wildfire scenarios were created and compared to quantify changes in average annual total runoff volume, water budgets, and full streamflow statistics at different spatial scales. At the watershed scale, wildfire conditions showed little impact on the hydrologic responses. However, a runoff increase up to 75 percent was observed between the scenarios in sub-watersheds with high burn intensity. Generally, higher surface runoff and decreased subsurface flow were observed under post-wildfire conditions. Flow-duration curves developed for burned sub-basins using full streamflow statistics showed that less frequent streamflows become greater in magnitude. A strong ( R 2 > 0.8) and significant ( p < 0.001) positive correlation was determined between runoff increase and percentage of burned area upstream. This study showed that the effects of wildfires on hydrology of a watershed are scale-dependent. Results also revealed that the wildfires had a higher effect on peak flows, which may increase the risk of flash floods in post-wildfire conditions.
The locus coeruleus neuroprotective drug vindeburnol normalizes behavior in the 5xFAD transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Damage to noradrenergic neurons in the Locus coeruleus (LC) occurs contributes to neuropathology and behavioral deficits in Alzheimer’s disease (AD); methods to reduce LC damage may therefore be of benefit. We previously showed that vindeburnol, a derivative of the plant alkaloid vincamine, reduced neuroinflammation, amyloid burden, and LC damage in a mouse model of AD; however, effects on behavior were not tested. We now tested the effects of vindeburnol on anxiety-like behavior in 5xFAD mice which develop robust amyloid burden at early ages. During novel object recognition testing, we observed that 5xFAD mice spent more time exploring than wildtype littermates, and that time was reduced by vindeburnol. Vindeburnol also reduced hyperlocomotion in the 5xFAD mice which may have contributed to their increased exploration times. In an open field test, vindeburnol normalized the increase of time spent in the center, and the decrease of time spent near the walls in 5xFAD mice. Vindeburnol reduced amyloid burden in the hippocampus and cortex, areas that contribute to regulation of anxiety-like behavior. In vitro, vindeburnol increased neuronal BDNF expression in a cAMP-dependent manner; and inhibited phosphodiesterase activity with an EC50 near 50 μM. These findings suggest that cAMP-mediated increases in neurotrophic factors contribute to beneficial effects of vindeburnol within the context of LC damage, which may be of value for treatment of some neuropsychiatric symptoms of AD.
The folate-binding module of Thermus thermophilus cobalamin-dependent methionine synthase displays a distinct variation of the classical TIM barrel: a TIM barrel with a `twist'

Methyl transfer between methyltetrahydrofolate and corrinoid molecules is a key reaction in biology that is catalyzed by a number of enzymes in many prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. One classic example of such an enzyme is cobalamin-dependent methionine synthase (MS). MS is a large modular protein that utilizes an SN2-type mechanism to catalyze the chemically challenging methyl transfer from the tertiary amine (N5) of methyltetrahydrofolate to homocysteine in order to form methionine. Despite over half a century of study, many questions remain about how folate-dependent methyltransferases, and MS in particular, function. Here, the structure of the folate-binding (Fol) domain of MS from Thermus thermophilus is reported in the presence and absence of methyltetrahydrofolate. It is found that the methyltetrahydrofolate-binding environment is similar to those of previously described methyltransferases, highlighting the conserved role of this domain in binding, and perhaps activating, the methyltetrahydrofolate substrate. These structural studies further reveal a new distinct and uncharacterized topology in the C-terminal region of MS Fol domains. Furthermore, it is found that in contrast to the canonical TIM-barrel β8α8 fold found in all other folate-binding domains, MS Fol domains exhibit a unique β8α7 fold. It is posited that these structural differences are important for MS function.
Eighty-five-year-old man with mosaic attenuation on chest imaging.

An 85-year-old man presented with worsening dyspnea and non-productive cough ongoing for 3 days prior to the admission. The patient denied any fever, chills, chest pain, palpitations, orthopnoea or paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea. Physical examination was remarkable for mild respiratory distress without any additional findings on auscultation. Social history was significant for >20 pack-year history of smoking. Vitals on admission: blood pressure 138/85, heart rate 92 bpm, respiratory rate 22, pO2 94% on room air. EKG was noticeable for normal sinus rhythm with ventricular rate of 87, without any ST-T wave changes. A chest X-ray (CXR) was significant for hyperlucent lungs (figure 1). CT of chest without Intravenous …
A Self-Mixing Picosecond Impulse Receiver With an On-Chip Antenna for High-Speed Wireless Clock Synchronization

This paper presents a millimeter-wave impulse receiver to detect the amplitude of picosecond pulses and extract their repetition rate with low timing jitter. The receiver is based on a self-mixing technique, which extracts the repetition rate by mixing multiple frequency tones of the pulse. The receiver, which is integrated with a broadband on-chip antenna, enables wireless time transfer with an accuracy of 0.38 ps. The fabricated chip is used to detect the amplitude and the repetition rate of sub-6-ps pulses. A tunable baseband amplifier is designed to amplify the extracted repetition rate in the 2–10-GHz range. Analysis of the self-mixing technique, simulation results of the receiver blocks, and measurement results of a multichip wireless synchronization test are reported in this paper.
Feature Point Matching Using Temporal Smoothness in Velocity

One of the vital problems in motion analysis is to match a set of feature points over an image sequence. In this paper, we solve this problem by relying on continuity of motion which is known to play an important role in motion perception in biological vision systems. We propose a relaxation algorithm for feature point matching where the formation of smooth trajectories over space and time is favored. Experimental results on a laboratory generated as well as a real scene sequence are presented to demonstrate the merit of our approach.
International Economic Affairs as Viewed from a Veblen-Ayres Perspective

Aside from studies of the developmental process in the less developed countries,1 institutionalists have not, at least until very recently, “devoted much attention to international economic issues” [Adams 1984, 289]. Wendell Gordon stands out as an early exception to this rule. When it was published nearly 40 years ago, his International Trade: Goods, People, and Ideas [1958] was “the fullest expression [in international economics] of several aspects of the institutionalist theory, and his ideas have strongly influenced the arguments” of a number of latter-day institutionalists when they turned their attention to international economic affairs [Adams 1988, 423].2
Energy transfer-enhanced photocatalytic reduction of protons within quantum dot light-harvesting–catalyst assemblies

Excitonic energy transfer (EnT) is the mechanism by which natural photosynthetic systems funnel energy from hundreds of antenna pigments to a single reaction center, which allows multielectron redox reactions to proceed with high efficiencies in low-flux natural light. This paper describes the use of electrostatically assembled CdSe quantum dot (QD) aggregates as artificial light harvesting–reaction center units for the photocatalytic reduction of H + to H 2 , where excitons are funneled through EnT from sensitizer QDs (sQDs) to catalyst QDs (cQDs). Upon increasing the sensitizer-to-catalyst ratio in the aggregates from 1:2 to 20:1, the number of excitons delivered to each cQD (via EnT) per excitation of the system increases by a factor of nine. At the optimized sensitizer-to-catalyst ratio of 4:1, the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of the reaction system is 4.0 ± 0.3%, a factor of 13 greater than the IQE of a sample that is identical except that EnT is suppressed due to the relative core sizes of the sQDs and cQDs. A kinetic model supports the proposed exciton funneling mechanism for enhancement of the catalytic activity.
Classroom Simulation of Gravitational Waves from Orbiting Binaries

Popular demonstrations commonly use stretched spandex fabric to illustrate the way in which curved spacetime mimics the force of gravity in general relativity. There are significant potential conceptual pitfalls to such an approach. In particular, it obscures the fact that most of what we ordinarily feel as gravity is due to the warping of time rather than space, a concept that is admittedly harder to demonstrate. Nevertheless, with appropriate caveats simulations of this kind can convey some of the wonder of Einstein’s theory to non-specialists.