cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An evaluation of finite strain equations of state using a lattice model

Abstract Analytic expressions have been derived for ρ ρ 0 , V p V b0 and V s V b0 as functions of p K 0 for rigid ion models of the NaCl, CsCl and ZnS structures. In this dimensionless form, the only independent parameter in the lattice model is the repulsive parameter n (or equivalently K′0). Analytic first and second pressure derivatives of the bulk and shear moduli calculated from the lattice model were used as parameters in Murnaghan and Birch equations of state (EOS) of first and second order. Comparison between the various finite strain equations and the lattice model for the three crystal structures leads to the following general conclusions. (1) For each finite strain EOS, Vp is in better agreement with the lattice model than Vs; (2) the Birch EOS is in better agreement with the lattice model than is the Murnaghan EOS of comparable order; (3) no first-order EOS is capable of extrapolating V s to p K 0 > 0.2 without deviating by more than 5% from the lattice model, and (4) the second-order Murnaghan EOS gives very little improvement over the first-order equations, while the second-order Birch EOS allows Vs to be extrapolated to p K 0 ≈ 0.8 without deviating from the lattice model by more than 5%. For close-packed oxides and silicates this covers the pressure range throughout the lower mantle.
Tariff Uniformity and Growth

Theoretical ambiguity exists regarding the potential benefits of adopting a uniform tariff schedule. In this paper, we investigate the empirical evidence on this question. From cross-country growth regressions over the period 1988-97 we find a nonlinear relationship between a country's standard deviation of tariffs and its growth rate. Specifically, we find that countries with either a large degree of tariff uniformity or very little tariff uniformity tended to grow faster over this time period, controlling for other factors.
Protective Effects of Silanol Group Binding Agents on Quartz Toxicity to Rat Lung Alveolar Cells

Abstract In the rat model of fibrosis-associated lung cancer induced by crystalline silica, carcinomas derived from alveolar type II cells are the most common tumor type. To investigate the mechanisms responsible for crystalline silica effects on alveolar epithelial cells, we have studied the toxicity of α-quartz to the fetal rat lung epithelial cell line, FRLE. Chemical modification of quartz surface was obtained by treating the α-quartz sample Mil-U-Sil 5 (MQZ) with poly(2-vinylpyridine-N-oxide) (2-PVPNO) and poly(4-vinylpyridine-N-oxide) (4-PVPNO). 2-PVPNO and 4-PVPNO were shown to bind to the MQZ surface (3.2 ± 0.1 μg/mg MQZ for 2-PVPNO and 3.4 ± 0.7 μg/mg MQZ for 4-PVPNO, respectively). In the cytotoxicity assay, FRLE cells were plated in minimum essential medium (MEM) with 10 percent fetal bovine serum (FBS); after 24 hours the medium was changed to MEM/1 percent FBS containing either MQZ or anatase at doses from 1.5 to 100 μm/cm2 dish surface area. After 24 hours the medium was changed to MEM/10 pe...
Functions of exponential type and the cardinal series

Abstract In this paper, various growth rates and oscillation conditions for entire functions of exponential type π are given which ensure validity of the classical cardinal series. Among other applications, a theorem of Plancherel and Polya is extended to show that any function of exponential type π which decays to 0 along the real axis is a convergent cardinal series. Examples of functions which show the limitations of this extension are also presented.
Partial-response equalization in magneto-optical disk readout: a theoretical investigation

We analyze the application of partial-response equalization and maximum-likelihood sequence estimation in magneto-optical readout. Two filters are proposed, and several aspects of their performance are examined. Filter I has 8 states in its state-transition diagram and is therefore easier to implement than filter II, which has 32 states. We discuss the required signal-to-noise ratio as function of the recorded bit density for these filters. The effects of jitter and bloom on the eye patterns of the output signals are also examined by computer simulation. This analysis indicates that filter II is somewhat superior to filter I, presumably because the output of filter II is more similar to the actual readout signal. We determine the distribution of Euclidean distance between pairs of output sequences and compute upper bounds on the probability of sequence error for both filters. Using two different methods of precoding (i.e., mapping of the user data to the magnetic pattern on the disk), we also compute the probability of bit error for the user data and show that one precoding scheme is slightly better than the other.
Leakage Rates from A Punctured Vessel Under Pulsatile Flow Conditions

AbstractPhysiological implications for the clotting of an artery, hemostasis, can be found by examining the time-averaged local strain rates in the vicinity of the puncture. The time-averaged leakage of fluid leaving a puncture in a pressurized vessel immersed in a quiescent, miscible medium is studied under pulsatile flow conditions. The time-averaged local strain rates at the puncture site can then be investigated. The time-averaged leakage and local strain rates at the puncture are characterized as functions of various hydrodynamic and geometric conditions. Dimensional analysis shows that the time-averaged leakage rate, Q*, is a function of the mean Reynolds number, the Womersley number, the pressure ratio between the center of the tube and the external hydrostatic pressure, P*, and the hole-to-main tube diameter ratio, D*. A 3-D finite volume computational model is constructed for laminar flow of a Newtonian fluid under pulsatile conditions and validated with supporting experiments. The time-averaged ...
Facilitated protamine transfer at polarized water/1,2-dichloroethane interfaces studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry at micropipet electrodes.

Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry at micropipet electrodes were applied to study the phase transfer of polypeptide protamine facilitated by complexation with charged ionophore dinonylnaphthalenesulfonate (DNNS) at polarized water/1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) interfaces, i.e., sDNNS- (DCE) + protaminen+ (aq) ⇌ protamine−DNNS complex (DCE). Well-defined current responses based on the selective protamine transfer were obtained reproducibly even in the presence of 0.12 M NaCl. The selective and reproducible responses make this voltammetric/amperometric approach an attractive alternative to the traditional potentiometric counterpart based on mixed potential responses, for which both protamine and Na+ need to be transferred simultaneously. Using both organic- and water-filled micropipet electrodes, the reaction mechanism was studied under different mass-transfer conditions controlled by diffusion of protamine, DNNS, and the complex in the outer solution of the pipets. Both charge number of transferred protam...
Staging of musculoskeletal neoplasms

The purposes of a staging system for musculoskeletal neoplasms are to: 1) incorporate the significant prognostic factors into a system which describes progressive degrees of risk of local recurrence and distant metastases to which a patient is subject, 2) stratify the stages so they have specific implications for surgical management, and 3) provide guidelines for adjunctive therapies.
Poincaré-beam patterns produced by nonseparable superpositions of Laguerre-Gauss and polarization modes of light

We present a study of Poincare-beam polarization patterns produced by collinear superposition of two Laguerre–Gauss spatial modes in orthogonal polarization eigenstates (circular or linear). We explore theoretically and experimentally the combinations that are possible. We find that the resulting patterns can be explained in terms of mappings of points on the Poincare sphere onto points in the transverse plane of the beam mode. The modes that we produced yielded many types of polarization singularities.
On the question of interstellar diamonds

THE evidence to support the recent proposal1 that interstellar extinction may be caused by small diamond crystals is open to substantial criticism. Wickramasinghe2 has shown that the optical properties of diamond do not readily provide an explanation of the observed interstellar curve. Similar calculations made by us support and extend Wickramasinghe's results. It may be possible to modify the form of the size distribution until the interstellar extinction curve is reproduced as Greenberg and Shah3 have done for “dirty ice” grains. For diamond, however, considerable variation in the slope occurs in the infrared and it is not obvious that it will be possible simultaneously to fit the infrared, visible and ultraviolet regions.
A CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF ELECTRONIC MONITORING IN CORRECTIONS

Electronic monitoring is a recent advance in information gathering for correctional program administration. To be effective in achieving correctional goals, electronic monitors must be applied to offenders when there is some risk of performance problem. Advocates of electronic monitoring argue they can promote public safety, save tax dollars, and enhance correctional performance. Because corrections systems find it so difficult to innovate with offenders who represent a risk to society, these claims are overstated. Electronic monitoring raises short-term concerns concerning damage to correctional program credibility and long-term concerns about the enhancement of social control.
Resource utilization for minimally invasive direct and standard coronary artery bypass grafting

Background. Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting (MIDCABG) has been recently reintroduced into the cardiac surgical armamentarium for selected patients with suitable coronary anatomy. We hypothesized that MIDCABG had the potential for similar immediate results with decreased perioperative morbidity and decreased resource utilization compared with standard coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods. From January 1996 to August 1996, 17 MIDCABG patients were compared with 33 patients with left ventricular ejection fraction greater than 0.50 who underwent CABG with standard technique. No significant differences were observed between the two groups for preoperative variables that are known to affect cost and resource utilization. Length of stay in the hospital was 2.5 ± 0.8 days for MIDCABG and 5.9 ± 2 days for CABG ( p Results. Forty-one percent of MIDCABG patients were extubated in the operating room and 59% were discharged home on the first or second postoperative day versus none in the CABG group ( p p Conclusions. Minimally invasive CABG is associated with significant reduction of resource utilization and morbidity related to inital hospitalization compared with CABG.
Haptic-Motor Transformations for the Control of Finger Position

Dexterous manipulation relies on modulation of digit forces as a function of digit placement. However, little is known about the sense of position of the vertical distance between finger pads relative to each other. We quantified subjects' ability to match perceived vertical distance between the thumb and index finger pads (dy) of the right hand (“reference” hand) using the same or opposite hand (“test” hand) after a 10-second delay without vision of the hands. The reference hand digits were passively placed non-collinearly so that the thumb was higher or lower than the index finger (dy = 30 or –30 mm, respectively) or collinearly (dy = 0 mm). Subjects reproduced reference hand dy by using a congruent or inverse test hand posture while exerting negligible digit forces onto a handle. We hypothesized that matching error (reference hand dy minus test hand dy) would be greater (a) for collinear than non-collinear dys, (b) when reference and test hand postures were not congruent, and (c) when subjects reproduced dy using the opposite hand. Our results confirmed our hypotheses. Under-estimation errors were produced when the postures of reference and test hand were not congruent, and when test hand was the opposite hand. These findings indicate that perceived finger pad distance is reproduced less accurately (1) with the opposite than the same hand and (2) when higher-level processing of the somatosensory feedback is required for non-congruent hand postures. We propose that erroneous sensing of finger pad distance, if not compensated for during contact and onset of manipulation, might lead to manipulation performance errors as digit forces have to be modulated to perceived digit placement.
Mitigation of energetic electrons in the magnetosphere by amplified whistler wave under double cyclotron resonances

An optimal approach reducing the population of MeV electrons in the magnetosphere is presented. Under a double resonance condition, whistler wave is simultaneously in cyclotron resonance with keV and MeV electrons. The injected whistler waves is first amplified by the background keV electrons via loss-cone negative mass instability to be- come effective in precipitating MeV electrons via cyclotron resonance elevated chaotic scattering. The numerical results show that a small amplitude whistler wave can be amplified by more than 25 dB. The amplification factor reduces only about 10 dB with a 30 dB increase of the initial wave inten- sity. Use of an amplified whistler wave to scatter 1.5 MeV electrons from an initial pitch angle of 86.5 to a pitch angle <50 is demonstrated. The ratio of the required wave mag- netic field to the background magnetic field is calculated to be about 8◊10 4 .
Protection and control of information sharing in multics

This paper describes the design of mechanisms to control sharing of information in the Multics system. Seven design principles help provide insight into the tradeoffs among different possible designs. The key mechanisms described include access control lists, hierarchical control of access specifications, identification and authentication of users, and primary memory protection. The paper ends with a discussion of several known weaknesses in the current protection mechanism design.
Neuropathology of Natural Cytauxzoon felis Infection in Domestic Cats

Cytauxzoonosis is a tick-borne disease of felids caused by the protozoan Cytauxzoon felis. This article characterizes the neuropathologic changes in 8 cases of natural C. felis infection in domestic cats with typical clinical signs and pathologic changes in multiple organs. Histologic changes in the brain included intravascular schizont-laden macrophages in leptomeningeal and parenchymal arterioles and venules. Small capillaries throughout the gray and white matter and choroid plexus also appeared occluded. Affected vessels were often surrounded by small to moderate numbers of lymphocytes and plasma cells and multiple areas of hemorrhage. Vasculitis and fibrin thrombi were occasionally present. Parenchymal changes consisted of variable degrees of vacuolation of the gray and white matter, with microgliosis, astrocytosis, astrogliosis, and multiple microhemorrhages. Multiple well-demarcated areas of necrosis observed in 4 cases were characterized by marked vacuolation of the gray or white matter, with necrotic neurons containing shrunken hypereosinophilic cytoplasm and pyknotic nuclei, nuclear debris, swollen axons, and scattered foamy macrophages. The changes in the brains of affected cats were attributed to vascular occlusion and secondary ischemia caused by the protozoal infection.
STUDIES ON HOST-VIRUS INTERACTIONS IN THE CHICK EMBRYO-INFLUENZA VIRUS SYSTEM III. DEVELOPMENT OF INFECTIVITY, HEMAGGLUTINATION, AND COMPLEMENT FIXATION ACTIVITIES DURING THE FIRST INFECTIOUS CYCLE

In agreement with earlier observations the infectivity titer in the allantoic fluids of chick embryos injected with influenza A virus remains constant for 5 to 6 hours before an increase in this activity can be noted. In contrast, the titers of hemagglutinin and complement-fixing antigen (virus antigen) have already begun to rise after 3 hours. The origin of the hemagglutinating and complement-fixing but non-infectious material is still obscure. In the allantoic membrane development of both the soluble and virus antigens can be demonstrated after the 2nd hour of incubation and 1 hour prior to an increase in hemagglutinins and 2 hours prior to a rise in infectivity. Thus there remain the first 2 hours during which no record of virus activity in the tissues can be obtained. Similar relationships are noted on dilution of the seed both in the allantoic fluids and membranes as long as the various properties reach measurable levels during the experimental period of one infectious cycle. Injection of high titered immune serum following infection with about 10(9) ID(50) reduces the amount of demonstrable seed virus in the allantoic fluid and membrane without significantly affecting propagation of the agent in the tissues as measured by infectivity titrations. The production of hemagglutinins appears markedly reduced under these conditions whereas formation of complement-fixing antigen is only slightly delayed and decreased. No definite explanations for the various discrepancies between the infectivity and hemagglutination can be given at present.
The current status of treatment for inclusion-body myositis

There is no established treatment that improves, arrests, or slows the progression of inclusion-body myositis (IBM). Many anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressant, or immunomodulating agents have been administered to patients with IBM but the design of clinical trials was such that it can only be concluded that none produced rapid improvement. The natural history of the disease is for stabilization or improvement in a third of patients for 6 months or more. Thus some agents that did not produce dramatic benefit may have been prematurely abandoned. However, because high-dose prednisone worsens strength while decreasing inflammation but increases amyloid accumulation, alternative targets for intervention and novel treatment strategies are needed.
Upper and Lower Bounds

Upper and lower bounds have already been defined in Definitions 2.1.4 and 2.3.1. From their use in Zorn’s Lemma, as well as their occurrences in the proofs of Dilworth’s Chain-Decomposition Theorem 2.5.7 and Proposition 2.6.7 (in both proofs, sets were defined in terms of their upper bounds), the reader can already infer that bounds of sets play an important role in ordered sets. In this chapter we consider various types of bounds and relate them to open problems as well as to each other.
Transcription and genetic analyses of a putative N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase in Borrelia burgdorferi.

In this study, a putative N -acetylmuramyl-l-alanine amidase gene ( bb0666 ) was identified in the genome of the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi . This protein shares c . 30% identity with its counterparts from other bacteria. Reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis showed that bb0666 along with two other genes ( bb0665 and bb0667 ) are cotranscribed with the motility and chemotaxis genes. This newly identified operon is termed as pami . Sequence and primer extension analyses showed that pami was regulated by a σ70-like promoter, which is designated as P ami . Transcriptional analysis using a gene encoding green fluorescence protein as a reporter demonstrated that P ami functions in both Escherichia coli and B. burgdorferi . Genetic studies showed that the Δ bb0666 mutant grows in long chains of unseparated cells, whose phenotype is similar to its counterparts in E. coli . Taken together, these results demonstrate that bb0666 is a homolog of MurNac-LAAs that contributes to the cell division of B. burgdorferi .
Influence of conductivity tensors on the scalp electrical potential: study with 2-D finite element models

The influence of conductivity tensor on the forward solution of electroencephalography was assessed in 2-D head models of a human subject. The conductivity tensors of different regions of the head were estimated from magnetic resonance-diffusion tensor images by linearly mapping the mean trace values to the published conductivity values. The anisotropic conductivity model was compared with the isotropic conductivity model in terms of the difference between the scalp potentials. The differences were measured by the cross correlation (CC) and the relative error (RE) between two models. We have also proposed a new measure, scaling-removed RE (SRRE) as a more effective indicator of the difference. The results with 354 individual dipole sources show that there are remarkable differences between the anisotropic conductivity tensor and the isotropic model (CC=0.96, RE=30.73% and SRRE=19.34%). Although the CC is high, the large RE and SRRE indicate that this difference may also affect the accuracy of inverse solutions in localizing the current dipole sources.
Alattin: mining alternative patterns for defect detection

To improve software quality, static or dynamic defect-detection tools accept programming rules as input and detect their violations in software as defects. As these programming rules are often not well documented in practice, previous work developed various approaches that mine programming rules as frequent patterns from program source code. Then these approaches use static or dynamic defect-detection techniques to detect pattern violations in source code under analysis. However, these existing approaches often produce many false positives due to various factors. To reduce false positives produced by these mining approaches, we develop a novel approach, called Alattin, that includes new mining algorithms and a technique for detecting neglected conditions based on our mining algorithm. Our new mining algorithms mine patterns in four pattern formats: conjunctive, disjunctive, exclusive-disjunctive, and combinations of these patterns. We show the benefits and limitations of these four pattern formats with respect to false positives and false negatives among detected violations by applying those patterns to the problem of detecting neglected conditions.
A MRF approach to optical flow estimation

A Markov random field (MRF) formulation for the problem of optical flow computation is studied. An adaptive window matching scheme is used to obtain a good measure of the correlation between the two images. A confidence measure for each match is also used. Thus, the input to the system is the adaptive correlation and the corresponding confidence. The MRF model is then used to estimate the velocity field and the velocity discontinuities. The problem of occlusions is addressed, and a relationship between occlusions and motion discontinuities is established. >
Implications of modified simplified hybrid process on CIGS devices and minimodules

The simplified hybrid (SH) process is the platform on which EPV Solar will develop a cost effective CIGS module manufacturing process. We have already implemented the SH process in our large area deposition system. In this report optimization of the Na access to the absorber layer was done by controlling the Cr underlayer thickness. In addition, CIGS process parameters have been modified to get a more uniform layer attaining good efficiency throughout the substrate at lower temperature. This helped us to make minimodule using our existing equipment design. Post-CIGS treatments of samples to passivate the surface before CdS chemical bath deposition have improved our earlier samples. However, this has been found to be less beneficial for newly processed samples reducing the overall processing steps. A textured ZnO window layer deposited on the buffer layer increased device J sc by 5% by reducing reflectance of incident light.
Estrogen attenuates the exercise pressor reflex in female cats.

In humans, the pressor and muscle sympathetic nerve responses to static exercise are less in women than in men. The difference has been attributed to the effect of estrogen on the exercise pressor ...
The lateral crural J-flap repair of nasal valve collapse.

Abstract Objectives Nasal valve collapse is a common cause of nasal airway obstruction. Although many techniques have been devised to correct both the functional and aesthetic aspects of this problem, none is uniformly successful. I propose that the true locus and solution to the problem lies lateral to the nasal valve angle in the fibroareolar tissue that connects the lateral aspect of the lateral crus to the bony pyriform aperture. Age-related or surgically induced weakening and loosening of these structurally important, fibroareolar connections result in a prolapse of the lateral aspect of the lateral crura away from the pyriform margin and toward the septum with a consequent narrowing of the nasal valve region. A new method of repair is described. Methods Bilateral marginal incisions are made following the curvature of the palpated caudal edge of the lower lateral cartilage starting at the dome region medially. The incision is extended laterally until the entire lateralmost aspect of the lateral crus is freed, generating a J-shaped chondrocutaneous flap that is medially and superiorly based. Following this, supraperichondrial dissection of the lateral crus is carried out, exposing the dome region and the upper lateral cartilage. The J-flap is then pulled caudally and laterally, and the excess overlapping tissue is evaluated. Two composite strips of vestibular skin and cartilage are resected: one parallel to the marginal incision and the second at the lateral edge of the J-flap. The flap is transposed and sutured into position, pulling open the nasal valve angle. Results Preliminary results are presented for 18 patients who underwent 19 lateral crural J-flap repairs of nasal valve collapse. Nine patients underwent concomitant septal, sinus, or turbinate procedures. Two patients underwent unilateral J-flap repair. One patient required revision. Eighty-nine percent of patients reported markedly improved nasal airway patency and elimination of the subjective sensation of inspiratory collapse. Mean time to follow-up was 257 days. There has thus far been no noticeable decrement in benefit over time. Conclusion This new technique for the treatment of nasal valve collapse may offer a simple and effective approach to the problem of nasal valve collapse with minimal morbidity and a high rate of success. The technique is based on a new view of the structural etiology of nasal valve collapse.
Interference-enhanced Raman Scattering in Strain Characterization of Ultra-thin Strained SiGe and Si Films on Insulator

Interference-enhanced Raman scattering was utilized to characterize strain in ultra-thin strained silicon-germanium (SiGe) and silicon layers on insulator. Strained SiGe and silicon films with thickness ranging from 10 to 30 nm on insulating borophosphorosilicate glass (BPSG) were formed by layer transfer techniques and/or strain manipulation via lateral expansion of strained films. The optical interference of the multiple reflections at the BPSG interfaces can substantially boost the reflectivity at the interfaces. The reflection improves Raman signal from SiGe and/or silicon films by increasing excitation intensity and Raman signal collection in the thin films. With the use of interference-enhanced Raman scattering, strain can be characterized at visible wavelengths for films as thin as 10 nm.
Thanks and tweets: comparing two public displays

Two public display systems, with different methods of posting, were deployed over several years. One, the Thank You Board, was designed to give people an outlet specifically for publicly thanking and acknowledging others in the community. The other, SI Display, showed any Twitter post directed to the display and did not have explicit usage guidelines. People preferred the flexibility of the latter, but ambiguity about its purpose and norms of usage persisted even six months after deployment and made some people hesitant to post. Also, using Twitter as the posting mechanism facilitated participation for some but also created barriers for those not using Twitter and for Twitter users who were wary of mixing their professional and non-professional contexts.
Exploiting unbalanced thread scheduling for energy and performance on a CMP of SMT processors

This paper explores thread scheduling on an increasingly popular architecture: chip multiprocessors with simultaneous multithreading cores. Conventional multiprocessor scheduling, applied to this architecture, will attempt to balance the thread load across cores. This research demonstrates that such an approach eliminates one of the big advantages of this architecture - the ability to use unbalanced schedules to allocate the right amount of execution resources to each thread. However, accommodating unbalanced schedules creates several difficulties, the biggest being the fact that the search space of all schedules (both balanced and unbalanced) is much greater than that of the balanced schedules alone. This work proposes and evaluates scheduling policies that allow the system to identify and migrate toward good thread schedules, whether the best schedules are balanced or unbalanced.
Subjective approximate solutions for decentralized POMDPs

A problem of planning for cooperative teams under uncertainty is a crucial one in multiagent systems. Decentralized partially observable Markov decision processes (DEC-POMDPs) provide a convenient, but intractable model for specifying planning problems in cooperative teams. Compared to the single-agent case, an additional challenge is posed by the lack of free communication between the teammates. We argue, that acting close to optimally in a team involves a tradeoff between opportunistically taking advantage of agent's local observations and being predictable for the teammates. We present a more opportunistic version of an existing approximate algorithm for DEC-POMDPs and investigate the tradeoff. Preliminary evaluation shows that in certain settings oportunistic modification provides significantly better performance.
THE EFFECT OF FDICIA REGULATION ON BANK HOLDING COMPANIES

We examine market reactions to legislative announcements surrounding the passage of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act (FDICIA) of 1991. Research shows that bank regulation adversely affects shareholder wealth on the one hand, yet often provides government subsidies on the other. The removal of Federal regulators' discretionary authority and the imposition of mandatory regulations in the FDICIA have an overall negative effect on our sample of bank holding companies. The results are consistent with either the costly regulation hypothesis or the decreased subsidies hypothesis.
Mouse Models of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by genetically determined insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion. Although insulin resistance is generally recognized to precede beta cell dysfunction, a decreased capacity of the beta cell to compensate for increased insulin production can be demonstrated in healthy first degree relatives of diabetic patients, consistent with a genetic etiology of both defects. Both traits are inherited in a non-Mendelian fashion. Thus, simple genetic models, such as those based on studies of candidate genes, have failed to identify common susceptibility alleles for the two major metabolic abnormalities in type 2 diabetes. This could be explained by their genetic heterogeneity, and also by a polygenic or an oligogenic pathogenesis. To dissect the complex genetics of insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction, investigators have generated transgenic and knock-out mice bearing various mutations in genes required for insulin action and/or insulin secretion. This chapter reviews recent progress in the field and analyzes outstanding questions.
Automating the flight surgeon's report, simplifying the investigative-reportage task, and enhancing the data quality and depth: a concept.

Current U.S. Navy medical officers' investigative reports concerning aviation mishaps are filed on paper form Flight Surgeon's Reports (FSRs). Typically, the investigating medical officer has not investigated many mishaps and needs guidance to assure the thorough collection and reportage of available information, including that which often might seem at first to be extremely insignificant. Additionally, the FSRs often contain errors capable of being detected and corrected, as well as entries that appear questionnable and require verification. Often the FSR is laced with blanks which cloud interpretation: are these blanks the result of an actual non-availability of information, losses of information, or simply errors of omission? A positive statement for each blank, even a statement that the data were not available, would greatly aid those who later use the reports for analyses. Proposed herein is an approach for reducing the investigating medical officer's problems in collecting, collating, and reporting information, thereby enhancing the quality and completeness of the data, reducing the cost of data entry into Naval Safety Center computers, and, ultimately, enhancing the knowledge of the aircrew automated escape system and aircrew life support system community concerning the conditions of use and the performance of their equipment in emergency situations. Such knowledge enhancement should result in significant improvements in aircrew equipment and the effectiveness and safety of the aircrews.
Comparison of Direct and Indirect Boundary Shear Stress Measurements along Vegetated Streambanks

Estimates of boundary shear stress along vegetated streambanks are needed to predict streambank fluvial erosion. Because fluvial shear stress cannot be directly measured in the field, reliable estimation techniques using field instrumentation are needed. This study evaluated local bank shear stress estimation methods applicable to sloping, vegetated streambanks. Two reaches of a second order stream were modelled in a flume using a fixed-bed Froude-scale modelling technique. One reach was dominated by dense shrubs while the other reach was located in a mature forest. Direct measurements of local bank shear stress using a hot-film anemometer were compared to estimates based on velocity measurements (logarithmic method, Reynolds stresses, and turbulent kinetic energy). For channels with no or widely spaced vegetation, the velocity-based estimates underestimated the bank shear stress due to secondary flow contributions. For banks with dense vegetation, Reynolds stresses and turbulent kinetic energy estimates were statistically similar to direct measurements on average, but substantial error occurred when making point comparisons. Velocity-based estimates generally over predicted bank stress in areas of high shear at the vegetation edge and underpredicted stress within dense vegetation. Ultimately, results suggest that none of tested techniques can be broadly applied to streambanks, and flow structure is critical in selecting the appropriate estimation technique. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Transition saddle points and associated defects for a triaxially stretched FCC crystal

We demonstrate the use of a single-ended method for locating saddle points on the potential energy surface for a triaxially stretched FCC crystal governed by a Lennard-Jones potential. Single-ended methods require no prior knowledge of the defected state and are shown to have powerful advantages in this application, principally because the nature of the associated defects can be quite complicated and hence extremely difficult to predict ab initio. We find that while classical spherical cavitation occurs for high stretch values, for lower values the defect mode transitions to a non-spherical pattern without any apparent symmetries. This non-spherical mode plays the primary role in harmonic transition state theory predictions that are used to examine how instabilities vary with applied loading rate. Such a defect mode would be difficult to determine using double-ended methods for finding saddle points.
Selection effects on a linked neutral locus

Selection changes the frequency of alleles at a linked locus as well as at those under selection if the population is not in linkage equilibrium. The magnitude of this frequency change depends on the tightness of the linkage, the selection intensity, and the deviation from linkage equilibrium. Allowing a population to mate randomly without selection brings the population closer to linkage equilibrium. This decreases the effect of selection on allelic frequencies at a linked neutral locus. However, if linkage is very tight it can take many generations to make a large difference in the effect of the linked locus. The loss due to undesirable changes in allelic frequencies at linked loci when the population is not in linkage equilibrium must be weighed against the time and effort saved by beginning intense selection for the primary trait in an early generation. Effects of selection intensity, linkage intensity, and delayed selection on changes in allelic frequency at a neutral linked locus are demonstrated.
Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Morphology and Migration on Microtextured Titanium.

The implant used in spinal fusion procedures is an essential component to achieving successful arthrodesis. At the cellular level, the implant impacts healing and fusion through a series of steps: first, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) need to adhere and proliferate to cover the implant; second, the MSCs must differentiate into osteoblasts; third, the osteoid matrix produced by the osteoblasts needs to generate new bone tissue, thoroughly integrating the implant with the vertebrate above and below. Previous research has demonstrated that micro-textured titanium is advantageous over smooth titanium and PEEK implants for both promoting osteogenic differentiation and integrating with host bone tissue; however, no investigation to date has examined the early morphology and migration of MSCs on these surfaces. This study details cell spreading and morphology changes over 24 hours, rate and directionality of migration 6 to 18 hours post seeding, differentiation markers at 10 days, and the long term morphology of MSCs at 7 days, on micro-textured, acid-etched titanium (Endoskeleton), smooth titanium, and smooth PEEK surfaces. The results demonstrate in all metrics, the two titanium surfaces outperformed the PEEK surface. Furthermore, the rough acid-etched titanium surface presented the most favorable overall results, demonstrating the random migration needed to efficiently cover a surface in addition to morphologies consistent with osteoblasts and preosteoblasts.
An Information Theoretic Approach for Measuring Data Discovery and Utilization During Analytical and Decision-Making Processes

Across many commercial, government, and military environments, multi-level decision-making processes rely on complex sociotechnical systems. Human dynamics are a significant driver of the overall effectiveness of these processes, yet the characterization of both the intra- and inter-individual performance contribution is limited by sparse, qualitative, and often subjective observations. Recent advances in quantitative human-machine instrumentation have made possible greater objective study of users interacting with data; however, performance metrics leveraging these measurements are often narrow and ad hoc. When assessing the analytical and decision-making performance of teams, it is critical to know the information that members have observed, synthesized, and acted upon, and ad hoc approaches can be insufficient. In this paper we present a novel assessment framework based on the principles of Shannon information theory. We detail how this framework can holistically characterize decision information flows and describe its application to assess teams' abilities to effectively discover data during serious games.
Males with larger bills sing at higher rates in a hot and dry environment

ABSTRACT Temperature and water availability affect the survival, reproductive success, and behavior of all animals; thus, traits that influence thermoregulation and water balance should be under strong selection. Avian bills can dissipate excess body heat through convection and radiation. We hypothesized that in hot, dry locations, bill size would be selected for its value in thermoregulation: males with larger bills would shed excess heat more efficiently, allowing greater activity levels during thermally challenging periods of the breeding season. We predicted that thermoregulatory challenges would require Melospiza melodia atlantica, which breeds in hot, dry sand dunes, to trade off between behaviors associated with breeding (song output) and behaviors related to thermoregulation, and that in the hot environment occupied by our study population, males with larger bills would sing at higher rates. We captured, measured, and marked individual birds and then observed singing behavior, microclimate, and mi...
Isolation of Bacterial Capsular Polysaccharides, K Antigens

Some bacterial strains are known to form a capsule around the cells which consist of acidic Polysaccharides. This capsule is the outermost anatomic layer of the cells; its thickness is considerable, but its consistency is gel-like. This loose structure can be removed from the cells relatively easily and may be purified.
Structures in Hyperbolic Space

This is an overview of some of the similarities and differences between structures such as frameworks and cabled tensegrities in the hyperbolic plane and hyperbolic space on the one hand and the Euclidean plane, the sphere and Euclidean space on the other hand.
Shared Genetic Factors Influence Head Motion During MRI and Body Mass Index

Head movements are typically viewed as a nuisance to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis, and are particularly problematic for resting state fMRI. However, there is growing evidence that head motion is a behavioral trait with neural and genetic underpinnings. Using data from a large randomly ascertained extended pedigree sample of Mexican Americans (n = 689), we modeled the genetic structure of head motion during resting state fMRI and its relation to 48 other demographic and behavioral phenotypes. A replication analysis was performed using data from the Human Connectome Project, which uses an extended twin design (n = 864). In both samples, head motion was significantly heritable (h2 = 0.313 and 0.427, respectively), and phenotypically correlated with numerous traits. The most strongly replicated relationship was between head motion and body mass index, which showed evidence of shared genetic influences in both data sets. These results highlight the need to view head motion in fMRI as a complex neurobehavioral trait correlated with a number of other demographic and behavioral phenotypes. Given this, when examining individual differences in functional connectivity, the confounding of head motion with other traits of interest needs to be taken into consideration alongside the critical important of addressing head motion artifacts.
Investigation of Pregnancy-Related Deaths:

The maternal mortality ratio (MMR), the number of maternal deaths per 100 000 live births, has become a central indicator of public health as well as a means to compare healthcare amongst various s...
Autonomous Flights Through Image-Defined Paths

This paper addresses the problem of autonomous quadrotor navigation through a previously-mapped indoor area. In particular, we focus on the case where a user walks through a building and collects images. Subsequently, a visual map of the area, represented as a graph of linked images, is constructed and used for automatically determining visual paths (i.e., sequences of images connecting the start to the end image locations specified by the user). The quadrotor follows the desired path by iteratively (i) determining the desired motion to the next reference frame, (ii) controlling its roll, pitch, yaw-rate, and thrust, and (iii) appropriately switching to a new reference image. For motion estimation and reference-image switching, we concurrently employ the results of the 2pt and the 5pt RANSAC to distinguish and deal with both cases of sufficient and insufficient baseline (e.g., rotation in place). The accuracy and robustness of our algorithm are evaluated experimentally on two quadrotors navigating along lengthy corridors, and through tight spaces inside a building and in the presence of dynamic obstacles (e.g., people walking).
The Organizational Design of Spatial Proximity and its Influence on Organizational Learning

Designing an organization that can continuously create new knowledge is crucial for a firm’s survival. In this paper, I argue that such organizational goal can be achieved by re-designing the spatial proximity between organizational members’ workspaces. I exploit a unique natural experiment in a large e-commerce company, in which the spatial distances between organizational members’ workspaces were altered in a random manner due to the relocation of the headquarters. My results show that increasing spatial proximity between workspaces of individuals who were previously physically separated leads to more individual-level exploration and higher performance. I also investigate the boundary conditions of this finding. Overall, this study highlights the importance of an under-examined organization design element–the spatial design of organizations–and its implications for organizational learning and firm performance.
Ribonuclease P as a Tool

Two gene-targeting approaches have been developed with the use of RNase P. The first approach is based on an external guide sequence (EGS), which consists of a sequence complementary to a target mRNA and, when noncovalently complexed with RNase P, renders the target RNA susceptible to degradation by the ribonuclease. The second is involved in the generation of a sequence-specific ribozyme, M1GS, by covalently linking the RNase P catalytic subunit M1 RNA with a guide sequence that is complementary to a target mRNA. Both the M1GS ribozyme and EGS technology have been shown to be efficient and specific in cleaving an target mRNA sequence in vitro, and effective in down-regulating the expression of the target mRNA in cultured cells. This chapter summarizes the recent progress using the RNase P-based technology and offers insights into the future of using EGS and M1GS as tools for basic research and as gene-targeting agents for clinical applications.
AT&T’s Algorithms to Silicon Project

AT&T’s Algorithms to Silicon Project uses McFarland’s BUD to partition and schedule the design, and to generate a preliminary binding of operations to functional units. This result is passed to a new version of Kowalski’s DAA, which uses it as a starting point for the final scheduling and data path synthesis. (The original DAA was Kowalski’s thesis work at Carnegie Mellon.) Finally, other tools perform module binding, controller design, floorplanning, and layout. See alsoCarnegie-Mellon’s (Second) CMU-DA System —McFarland and Kowalski used to be involved with that system.
CMOS Luminescence Imager With Ambient Light Compensation and Lifetime to Frequency Conversion

This paper presents a novel ${\text{32}}\times {\text{64}}$ CMOS image sensor for luminescence imaging with direct lifetime-dependent digital pulse frequency modulated output. Recently reported parasitic insensitive multicycle charge modulation scheme is applied to accumulate photon-generated charges in discrete programmable time windows over multiple exposures. An autoreset pulse serving as the digital output is generated by comparing the multicycle charge integrated output with a reference threshold. The detected luminescence's lifetime is extracted by monitoring the frequency in this digital pulse. To compensate for the background photocurrent generated by ambient light and built-in offset, a charge pump based calibration circuitry is also proposed. Driven by a 10-KHz clock signal with 20-μs pulse width as the integration time window, the proposed circuitry can achieve $\text{93 Hz/}(\mu \text{W/cm}^{2})$ responsivity and ${\text{19 nW/cm}}^{2}$ resolution at 575 nm wavelength. It has lifetime resolution of 8 ns. The proposed sensor chip was applied for lifetime measurement of a Ru(dpp)3(PF6)2 fluorescent sample whose lifetime was estimated to be 4.2 μs. A two-dimensional luminescence intensity and lifetime images of a single white LED have also been obtained to further validate its functionality.