cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Integrative Cardiovascular Model of the Standing and Reclining Sheep

We have developed an integrative model of the ovine cardiovascular system that simulates the effects of posture and ventricular function to help design the circulatory and pulmonary assist devices often tested in conscious sheep that stand and recline during chronic experiments. Our present focus is the simulation itself and not the evaluation of specific assist devices. Adjusted parameters of the model provide good fits to in vivo experimental data and can describe the hemodynamic changes that follow balloon occlusion of the inferior vena cava and standing. Since circulatory assist devices are often tested in animal preparations of left heart failure, we extended the model to study the effects that standing and inferior vena cava occlusion would have in sheep with primarily systolic left heart dysfunction. We also developed an elastance-based formulation for ventricular muscular work and a sensitivity analysis of the autonomic reflexes affecting blood pressure. The model can analyze the biophysical mechanisms underlying the responses to orthostatic stress and left ventricular dysfunction and should help improve the development and testing of assist devices.
Single-Agent Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitor Gefitinib for the Treatment of Patients with Advanced Non—Small-Cell Lung Cancer and Poor Performance Status

Abstract Purpose Patients with advanced non—small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have no options for curative therapy; therefore, improving their quality of life (QOL) is also an important treatment goal. Patients with NSCLC and poor performance status (PS) are often excluded from clinical trials. Gefitinib, an epidermal growth factor (EGFR) inhibitor, is a safe oral agent that might benefit these patients. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of single-agent EGFR inhibitor gefitinib on the QOL of patients with advanced NSCLC and poor PS. Patients and Methods Nineteen patients with advanced NSCLC and poor PS who were unfit to receive chemotherapy were enrolled on this study of gefitinib 250 mg per day given orally until disease progression. All patients had no previous chemotherapy, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group PS of 3, and stage IIIB/IV NSCLC. Response rate, time to disease progression, and overall survival (OS) were calculated. We evaluated the QOL of all eligible patients using the Functional Assessment of Cancer-Lung (FACT-L) questionnaire. FACT-L was used to measure the physical, social/familial, emotional, and functional well-being of the patients as well as lung cancer—specific symptoms and concerns. A Trial Outcome Index (TOI) was derived to assess the physical component of QOL. A mixed-effects linear model was used to examine the effect of potential covariates (age, race, sex, response, and duration of treatment) on the outcome of QOL scores over time. A Cox regression model was used to determine the joint effect of age, race, sex, treatment duration, and baseline TOI score on the OS of the patients. Results Eleven out of 19 patients were evaluable for this analysis. The median age was 71.8 years (range, 60.9–73.4 years). Six patients had adenocarcinoma, and 5 patients had squamous cell carcinoma, and the median treatment duration was 63.0 days (range, 35–118 days). Grade 3/4 toxicities included fatigue, rash, and diarrhea. One patient had a partial response, 7 patients had stable disease, and 3 patients progressed. The median OS was 5.3 months (range, 2.5–22.1 months), and the median progression-free survival was 3.7 months (range, 2.1–5.8 months). Baseline TOI was weak but significantly associated with OS, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.92 (95% CI, 0.85–0.99; P = .03). Duration of treatment was marginally associated with survival, with an HR of 0.98 (95% CI, 0.96–1.0; P = .07). As expected, the total FACT-L score and the TOI were highly correlated (r = 0.96; P Conclusion Single-agent EGFR inhibitor gefitinib could be an active and well-tolerated therapy for patients with NSCLC with poor PS, with a trend of the TOI observed for improvement in QOL. Our results suggest that increasing age and black race had higher TOI scores and thus improved QOL status.
Programming in Network Exchanges

Abstract This article asks whether or not Manuel Castells's (2009) programming , or the act of setting the goals and values of a network, influences the rhetorical and compositional potential of networked writing. The author argues that as networked writing becomes more prevalent, researchers must investigate not only the ways in which traditional rhetoric and writing present themselves within networks, but also the particular features of networks that uniquely determine the rhetorical impact of the form, or, as Ian Bogost (2007) put it, “how inscription works” within networks (p. 24). The case study for answering this question is a network exchange that occurred on Twitter in July 2008 after a sitting U.S. congressman stated that the leadership of the House of Representatives was attempting to censor the use of social media by House members. The author examines the over 1,700 messages in this exchange to determine both the nature of this network's program as well as if this program affected the rhetorical and compositional features of the exchange.
Intracellular Trafficking of Epidermal Growth Factor Family Ligands Is Directly Influenced by the pH Sensitivity of the Receptor/Ligand Interaction

Using members of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family as well as site-directed recombinant human EGF mutants, we investigated how ligand binding properties influence endosomal sorting. Mouse EGF (mEGF), human EGF (hEGF), and transforming growth factor α (TGFα) bind to the human EGF receptor (EGFR) with similar affinities at pH 7.4. However, the binding properties of these ligands have substantially different pH sensitivities resulting in varying degrees of dissociation from the receptors at lower pH levels characteristic of endosomes. We employed a steady-state sorting assay to determine the fraction of ligand sorted to recycling versus degradation as a function of the number of intracellular ligand molecules in mouse B82 fibroblasts. mEGF, hEGF, and TGFα display significantly different steady-state endosomal sorting patterns which correspond to the extent of their dissociation at endosomal pH. Moreover, several recombinant hEGF mutants with differing affinities exhibit altered endosomal sorting compared to hEGF, demonstrating a similar direct relationship between ligand binding properties and endosomal sorting outcomes. Intracellular trafficking of the EGF ligands was also monitored by measuring the observed degradation rate constants. These likewise show marked differences that correlate with the differing pH sensitivities of the ligands' binding properties.
Numerical Modeling of the Acoustic Damping of Perforated Liners With Bias Flow

Acoustic damping properties of perforated liners are highly dependent on a number of variables which can be categorized as “flow variables” such as the extent and Mach number of grazing flow as well as bias flow and “geometric variable” such as the shape of the hole which can be rectangular, cylindrical, conical with diverging or converging nozzle, thickness to radius ratio, radius to hole spacing ratio and hole orientation which can be normal to or inclined with respect to the perforated plate.Theoretical and empirical approaches have provided the foundation for understanding the damping properties of liners but they are based on certain simplifying assumptions making them inadequate in addressing the realistic conditions encountered in industrial applications. These limitations have highlighted the importance of numerical methods for studying damping behavior of liners. Acoustic attributes of perforated plates (mainly in terms of impedance as a function of non-dimensional variables like Reynolds, Strouhal, Mach, and Helmholtz numbers have been studied by various researchers, including the authors, using a variety of numerical tools starting from the simple 1D network scheme based on linear acoustics all the way to the computationally intensive Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) and Scaled Adaptive Simulation (SAS) reconstructing the full unsteady turbulent structures. Although the impacts of some geometry variations such as hole inclination angle and diameter, in conjunction with various fluid dynamic parameters, have been investigated using 1D network tools, the focus of LES has been mainly on analysis of a single circular hole with periodic boundary conditions as the representation of multi-perforation (assuming the perforations are spaced far enough from each other so that there is no interaction between neighboring holes). There is certainly a need for thorough investigation of the acoustic impact of these geometric parameters as well as the shape of the holes using LES.In an on-going research we are extending the numerical modeling work on characterizing the acoustic damping attributes of a perforation, beyond the current state of the art, by including the geometric variables including hole size, shape, orientation, and radius to thickness ratio, amongst others, in the study. In this paper, following a short review of the research conducted in the recent past, we present our findings on the impact of the thickness/radius ratio on the acoustic damping attribute of a perforation.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
The Most Wretched of Beings in the Cage of Capitalism

We can no longer afford to ignore the horrendous misery and abuse that humans have inflicted on beings from other species throughout all modern history. We also cannot continue to ignore how those oppressive actions and processes dialectically reverberate across most social dimensions of our modern world. This essay is an effort to promote a heretofore seldom-considered social justice cause in historical archaeology: animal emancipation. I advocate an approach that challenges alienated anthropocentric views, ideologies, and practices in historical archaeology and the wider social and political-economic world. I also offer some ideas on how an archaeology of animal emancipation might appear and some suggestions on preliminary steps we can take to see such an archaeology emerge alongside and in conjuncton with other engaged archaeologies.
Regularization in optimal trajectory problems.

Fig. 3b Oscilloscope trace from the pressure gage in the surface of the 9° cone model. 20^5 Mach reflection theory. There is a kink in the reflected shock wave, downstream from the Mach stem. The kink suggests some further shock reflections in the flow behind the Mach stem. The pressure gage trace corresponding to the 41° indicident angle adds evidence that something more than classical Mach reflection is occurring. The trace, Fig. 2b, shows a step in the gage's initial response as if the gage had been struck by two successive shock waves, one close behind the other. The pressure rise associated with the first step is exactly what we would expect to get from the Mach stem alone. The additional pressure rise from the step to the peak brings the pressure up to a level very close to that attained by regular reflection at 39°. So the large drop in pressure from regular to Mach reflection predicted by simple theory does not really exist. The additional compression that we expected to follow the Mach stem does take place, and it appears as though the mechanism for this additional compression is a second reflected shock wave. Further proof of the existence of a second shock wave behind the Mach stem was found by looking at incident angles much larger than the limiting angle. Figure 3a shows a case where the incident angle is 54°. The second reflected shock wave is now clearly visible. The pressure gage trace, Fig. 3b, shows a well-defined "step." The time between the two shock waves, as measured from the pressure gage trace, corresponds exactly to the separation distance between the Mach stem and the second shock wave. Again, the second shock wave compressed the gas behind the Mach stem to a level well above that predicted by simple Mach reflection theory. Conclusions
Temperature fluctuations in particle-laden homogeneous turbulent flows

Abstract The statistical behavior of the fluid and particle temperatures in homogeneous two-phase turbulent flows are investigated via direct numerical simulations. The effects of the flow Reynolds number ( Re λ ) , the Prandtl number ( Pr ) , the particle response time ( τ p ) , the ratio of specific heats ( α ) , and the mass loading ratio ( φ m ) on the fluid and particle temperature statistics are studied. The results show that the particle temperature intensity decreases as the magnitudes of τ p , Pr , α , and Re λ increase. Also, by decreasing the magnitudes of α and⧹or Pr , the difference between the particle velocity and temperature diffusivity coefficients increases. The ratio of particle to fluid temperature intensities and the dissipation rate of the fluid temperature are affected by two-way coupling effects and decrease as the mass loading ratio increases. Additionally, with increased mass loading, the probability density function of the fluid temperature deviate more from the Gaussian distribution.
Parallel processing considerations for image recognition tasks

Many image recognition tasks are well-suited to parallel processing. The most obvious example is that many imaging tasks require the analysis of multiple images. From this standpoint, then, parallel processing need be no more complicated than assigning individual images to individual processors. However, there are three less trivial categories of parallel processing that will be considered in this paper: parallel processing (1) by task; (2) by image region; and (3) by meta-algorithm. Parallel processing by task allows the assignment of multiple workflows-as diverse as optical character recognition [OCR], document classification and barcode reading-to parallel pipelines. This can substantially decrease time to completion for the document tasks. For this approach, each parallel pipeline is generally performing a different task. Parallel processing by image region allows a larger imaging task to be sub-divided into a set of parallel pipelines, each performing the same task but on a different data set. This type of image analysis is readily addressed by a map-reduce approach. Examples include document skew detection and multiple face detection and tracking. Finally, parallel processing by meta-algorithm allows different algorithms to be deployed on the same image simultaneously. This approach may result in improved accuracy.
Large growth Rayleigh-Taylor experiments using shaped laser pulses.

Larege growth Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) experiments have been conducted by pulse-shaped radiative acceleration of planar fluorosilicone foils with 50-\ensuremath{\mu}m wavelength initial surface perturbations. Foils with large-amplitude initial perturbation quickly enter the nonlinear RT regime, and show little growth. Foils with very-small-amplitude initial perturbations grow exponentially for longer, and show much larger growth factors. From comparisons with two-dimensional computer simulations, we deduce that the observed growth is about 60% of that expected for classical RT growth.
CROSSOVER BETWEEN DISSIPATIVE AND NONDISSIPATIVE ELECTRON TRANSPORT IN METAL WIRES

Electron transport in one-dimensional metal wires of different length is shown to change from dissipative to nondissipative when the electron-phonon relaxation length becomes equal to the wire length. The crossover provides the first direct measurement of the energy relaxation length in metal wires which is found to have an inverse cube temperature dependence. In the dissipationless regime the electron energy is shown to be linearly related to the voltage applied across the wire.
HPLC/EC Assay of the Distribution of the Antimalarial Arteether Into Fat and Muscle Tissue Following Intravenous Administration

Abstract An HPLC/electro-chemical method with an internal standard was developed for the analysis of arteether in fat and muscle tissue giving good recovery and accuracy with moderate precision. Following an intravenous administration of arteether (11.6 mg/Kg in a micro-emulsion), it was found that after 15 minutes the arteether concentration was 18.4 ± 13.1 μg/g (15.8% of administered dose) in fat and 1.35 ± 0.25 μg/g (5.8% of dose) was found in muscle tissue. The concentration of arteether in fat tissue initially dropped very rapidly (t1/2 = 14 min), followed by a much slower rate of elimination (t1/2 = 34 hr). Using the same dose, vehicle, and route of administration, arteether had been reported to be cleared from plasma at a higher rate (t1/2 = 10 min).
Timing of referral impacts surgical outcomes in patients undergoing repair of bile duct injuries

Bile duct injury (BDI) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) remains a significant surgical challenge. Despite claims to the contrary, the incidence of bile duct injury has remained elevated since the introduction of LC. Several issues regarding the surgical management of BDI are controversial, including: (i) identification of the surgeon and centre most capable of managing the injury, (ii) timing of surgical repair, (iii) incidence and significance of associated vascular injury and (iv) identification of patient factors which significantly impact outcome after repair. Variability in timing of referral of BDI to tertiary centres has been noted in the literature. The impact of timing of referral upon post-operative outcomes after definitive surgery has yet to be clearly investigated. We report our experience with 44 patients who required reconstructive surgery after BDI. In contrast to the many studies available in the literature, patients in the current study were classified according to a modern injury classification system. Additionally, we examined the impact of delayed referral to our centre on short- and long-term outcomes after surgical repair of BDI.
Applications of Optimal Control Theory to Immunology

When an animal is challenged by a foreign substance which promotes an immune response, certain cells within the animal begin dividing, secreting antibody molecules, and differentiating into more specialized cell types. Optimal control theory is applied to ascertain the best strategy available to the immune system in allocating its cells. A variety of mathematical models for cell populations and their antibody production are examined and in all cases it is found that the optimal strategy is one of bang-bang control. Experimental evidence which supports such strategies is also discussed.
Spline collocation calculation for

A basis of Hermite splines is used in conjunction with the collocation method to obtain accurate solutions of the Schrodinger equation for . The spectral transform variation of the Lanczos method is found to be the most suitable method for solving the matrix eigenvalue problem, while the preconditioned conjugate gradient method is very effective for solving the systems of linear equations necessary to evaluate the matrix - vector products that occur for each Lanczos iteration. The lowest eigenvalue is obtained to more than six significant figures without taking advantage of the separability of the orbital equations.
Photoinduced electron transfers with carbon dots

The photoluminescence in carbon dots (surface-passivated small carbon nanoparticles) could be quenched efficiently by electron acceptor or donor molecules in solution, namely that photoexcited carbon dots are both excellent electron donors and excellent electron acceptors, thus offering new opportunities for their potential uses in light energy conversion and related applications.
Brain damage after intermittent partial cord occlusion in the chronically instrumented fetal lamb.

The relationship between intermittent partial occlusion of the umbilical circulation and fetal acid base status, brain function, and neuropathologic outcome was assessed in nine control and nine experimental singleton fetal lambs to determine if transient episodes of partial cord occlusion playa role in antenatal brain damage in this species. Intermittent partial occlusion of the umbilical circulation for 1 minute of every 3 minutes for 2 hours was associated with a 89% incidence of histologically confirmed damage confined to the cerebral white matter. This occurred without systemic evidence of progressive acidosis, but both fetal heart rate patterns and electrocortical activity were altered. We conclude that in the late gestation fetal lamb, umbilical cord compromise plays a causal role in a specific type of antenatal central nervous system injury.
Evaluation of Pedestrian Safety Educational Program for Elementary and Middle School Children

A pedestrian safety educational program was presented to a total of 4,305 students ranging from kindergarten through 8th grade at 16 participating schools in Detroit, Michigan, between May 2008 and January 2009. The goal of the educational program was to improve student awareness of proper pedestrian behavior and street-crossing techniques, which the authors hypothesized would result in proper street-crossing behavior. This study improves on methodologies used in previous studies by performing an objective evaluation of the program's effectiveness, considering both message comprehension and natural street-crossing behavior of students at the schools where the program was implemented. Two measures of effectiveness were used for the program evaluation: (a) violation rate for child pedestrians observed before and after presentation of the program and (b) correct response rate obtained from written tests given before and after implementation. A total of 4,835 child pedestrians were observed during field data collection performed at 10 of the 16 schools. The child pedestrian violation rates were found to decrease in the after period at nine of the 10 schools where data were collected, with an overall decrease in violation rate of 4.44%, which was statistically significant at a 95% confidence level. Significant increases in the percentage of correct responses between the pre- and posttests were also observed at each of the schools and for all grade levels with the exception of kindergarten. The overall increase in correct response rate between the pre- and posttests was 23.2%, which was statistically significant.
Trajectories of Postpartum Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Children’s Social Skills

The vast majority of new mothers experience at least some depressive symptoms. Postpartum maternal depressive symptoms can greatly influence children’s outcomes (e.g., emotional, cognitive, language, and social development). However, there have been relatively few longitudinal studies of how maternal depressive symptoms may influence children’s social skills. The current study (n = 1363) examined the trajectory of maternal depressive symptoms (from 1 month to 36 months) and whether maternal depressive symptoms at 1 month postpartum and the change in symptoms over time (from 1 month to 3 years) predicted children’s parent- and teacher-rated social skills when they were 4.5 and 6.0 years old. A growth curve model indicated that, on average, maternal depressive symptoms declined over time in a nonlinear fashion. Further analyses indicated that after controlling for five demographic factors (child sex, family income, maternal age, mother’s marital status, and maternal education), initial maternal depressive symptoms significantly predicted children’s social skills as reported by mothers. The results support the notion that maternal depressive symptoms during children’s infancy can have long-term associations with children’s social skills. In addition, the results emphasize the importance of intervention and prevention efforts targeting maternal depressive symptoms during infancy, beginning immediately postpartum.
Numerical Calculation of the Flow in the Fish Lateral Line Canal: Applications to Predators Tracking Prey

Fish use sensors inside the lateral line trunk canal (LLTC) to detect the motion of water in their surroundings. The LLTC is a complex sensory organ consisting of a long tube no more than a few millimeters in diameter embedded immediately under the skin of the fish on each side of its body. In most fish, pore-like openings are regularly distributed along the LLTC, and a minute sensor enveloped in a gelatinous cupula, referred to as a neuromast, is located between each pair of pores. Drag forces resulting from fluid motions induced inside the LLTC by pressure fluctuations in the external flow stimulate the neuromasts. The present study investigates the motion-sensing characteristics of the LLTC and how it may be used by fish to track prey. A two-level numerical model is presented that couples the surrounding flow outside the LLTC to that stimulating the neuromasts within it. First the unsteady flow past a pair of simulated prey/predator fish in coasting motion is calculated using a Navier-Stokes solver. Then the pressure field associated with this external flow is used to drive the flow inside the LLTC of the predator, which creates the drag forces acting on the neuromast. The model is used to investigate the filtering properties and performance characteristics of the LLTC for a range of unsteady flows of biological interest. The results obtained suggest that the LLTC preferentially filters high frequency pressure gradient oscillations, and hence high frequency accelerations, associated with the external flow.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Combined bone marrow and peripheral blood progenitor cell autografts for patients with poor mobilization.

Background aimsPeripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) autografts with low CD34+ cell content provide inadequate platelet (Plt) and red blood cell (RBC) reconstitution. Repeat collection and bone marrow (BM) harvesting are used in this situation. Minimum cell contents for BM–PBPC combined grafts are undefined.MethodsA retrospective analysis of 19 autologous stem cell transplants (ASCT) with combined BM–PBPC for poor initial PBPC collection was carried out. Mobilization was with filgrastim (10 µg/kg/day) alone for 5 days or after chemotherapy. BM was harvested if PBPC collections were CD34+<2.5×106/kg.ResultsThe median age was 55 years (range 19–74). The diagnoses were multiple myeloma (7), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (7), Hodgkin's disease (4) and acute myeloid leukemia (1). The median cell content (CD34+/kg×106) was 1.1 (0.3–2.7) for BM, 1.2 (0.04–2.8) for PBPC and 2.2 (1.4–4.9) combined. Eight grafts contained <2.0×106 CD34+/kg (1.4–1.8). The median engraftment in days (range) was: absolute neutrophil count ...
Deletion of Thioredoxin Reductase and Effects of Selenite and Selenate Toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Thioredoxin reductase-1 (TRXR-1) is the sole selenoprotein in C. elegans, and selenite is a substrate for thioredoxin reductase, so TRXR-1 may play a role in metabolism of selenium (Se) to toxic forms. To study the role of TRXR in Se toxicity, we cultured C. elegans with deletions of trxr-1, trxr-2, and both in axenic media with increasing concentrations of inorganic Se. Wild-type C. elegans cultured for 12 days in Se-deficient axenic media grow and reproduce equivalent to Se-supplemented media. Supplementation with 0–2 mM Se as selenite results in inverse, sigmoidal response curves with an LC50 of 0.20 mM Se, due to impaired growth rather than reproduction. Deletion of trxr-1, trxr-2 or both does not modulate growth or Se toxicity in C. elegans grown axenically, and 75Se labeling showed that TRXR-1 arises from the trxr-1 gene and not from bacterial genes. Se response curves for selenide (LC50 0.23 mM Se) were identical to selenite, but selenate was 1/4th as toxic (LC50 0.95 mM Se) as selenite and not modulated by TRXR deletion. These nutritional and genetic studies in axenic media show that Se and TRXR are not essential for C. elegans, and that TRXR alone is not essential for metabolism of inorganic Se to toxic species.
N-desmethylclobazam: a possible alternative to clobazam in the treatment of refractory epilepsy?

The development of anticonvulsant tolerance during 10 days treatment with either clobazam or its principal metabolite, N-desmethylclobazam (NDMC), was compared in mice using an i.v. infusion of pentylenetetrazole as the convulsive stimulus. Subsequently the anticonvulsant activity of NDMC was assessed in patients with refractory epilepsy. In mice, a highly significant tolerance (P less than 0.001) developed to clobazam (10 mg kg-1 twice daily). During the same period, there was no significant change (P greater than 0.05) in the protection afforded by NDMC (40 or 80 mg kg-1 twice daily) although some reduction in anticonvulsant activity was apparent. NDMC (30 mg once daily) was given to nine patients with frequent complex partial and/or grand mal seizures who had become tolerant to the anticonvulsant effect of clobazam. Seven of the patients had been free from benzodiazepine therapy for at least 2 weeks, while the other two patients were switched directly from clobazam. Eight of the nine patients showed a favourable response to NDMC. In the seven who had been given a holiday from clobazam the response to NDMC was similar to the initial response to clobazam and was achieved at plasma NDMC concentrations in the same range as those seen during clobazam administration (1000-3000 ng ml-1). It is concluded that NDMC is active as an anticonvulsant in man and there is evidence from the animal studies to suggest that it may be preferable to clobazam.
Theory of Electronic Transitions in Slow Atomic Collisions

The near-adiabatic transition probability between a pair of pseudocrossing adiabatic (molecular) electronic states is studied be generalizing Zener's time-dependent treatment and describing the heavy-particle motion classically. This more rigorous formalism, based however on the simple Landau-Zener model, leads to the well-known Landau-Zener formula in a first approximation. From a reasonable definition of the width of the finite region over which the transitions take place on the trajectory, a precise condition which inherently limits the validity of the formula is derived. This condition may be compared with similar ones obtained in recent quite different derivations and removes some apparent difficulties which have been raised in connection with earlier treatments. The first correction to the Landau-Zener formula, associated with the finiteness of the transition region, is studied analytically and found to be important and to have interesting properties. This leads to further information about the validity of the simple Landau-Zener expression.
Fast Reconfigurable Elliptic Curve Cryptography Acceleration for GF(2m) on 32 bit Processors

This paper focuses on the design and implementation of a fast reconfigurable method for elliptic curve cryptography acceleration in GF(2 m ). The main contribution of this paper is comparing different reconfigurable modular multiplication methods and modular reduction methods for software implementation on Intel IA-32 processors, optimizing point arithmetic to reduce the number of expensive reduction operations through a novel reduction sharing technique, and measuring performance for scalar point multiplication in GF(2 m ) on Intel IA-32 processors. This paper determined that systematic reduction is best for fields defined with trinomials or pentanomials; however, for fields defined with reduction polynomials with large Hamming weight Barrett reduction is best. In GF(2571) for Intel P4 2.8 GHz processor, long multiplication with systematic reduction was 2.18 and 2.26 times faster than long multiplication with Barrett or Montgomery reduction. This paper determined that Montgomery Invariant scalar point multiplication with Systematic reduction in Projective coordinates was the fastest method for single scalar point multiplication for the NIST fields from GF(2163) to GF(2571). For single scalar point multiplication on a reconfigurable elliptic curve cryptography accelerator, we were able to achieve ~6.1 times speedup using reconfigurable reduction methods with long multiplication, Montgomery's MSB Invariant method in projective coordinates, and systematic reduction. Further extensions were made to implement fast reconfigurable elliptic curve cryptography for repeated scalar point multiplication on the same base point. We also show that for L?>?20 the LSB invariant method combined with affine doubling precomputation outperforms the LSB invariant method combined with Lopez-Dahab doubling precomputation for all reconfigurable reduction polynomial techniques in GF(2571) for Intel IA-32 processors. For L?=?1000, the LSB invariant scalar point multiplication method was 13.78 to 34.32% faster than using the fastest Montgomery Invariant scalar point multiplication method on Intel IA-32 processors.
A Contingency Model of Response to Performance Feedback Escalation of Commitment and Incremental Adaptation in Resource Investment Decisions

This study examines patterns of strategic resource allocation decisions and performance feed-back over time for evidence of both incremental adaptation and escalation of commitment. The investment decisions of 20 teams participating in the management simulation MARKSTRAT are examined. The participants were managers enrolled in an executive education program and M.B.A. students. A contingent model of responses to performance feedback is introduced that includes the moderating factors of prior resource commitments, consecutive periods of positive or negative feedback, and performance distance from aspiration. Evidence is found for both incremental adaptation and escalation of commitment. The implication of this study is that responses to performance feedback should be viewed as contingent on a number of factors, such as distance from aspirations and sunk costs associated with a decision.
Capital, Power and the Struggle Over Teacher Certification:

This article employs Bourdieu’s concept of capital to understand how state officials and teacher educators in New Jersey used three different forms of capital—economic, social, and cultural—in their struggle to shape the undergraduate teacher preparation and the first state sponsored alternative route program to teacher certification. Based on analysis of state archive documents and other primary sources, I describe how state officials successfully exploited their access to cultural and economic capital to establish a legitimate and credible educational policy and to marginalize teacher educators who were forced to rely, almost entirely, on their cultural capital. I conclude that as a result of this struggle, the field of educational policy in New Jersey during the 1980s experienced a shift of power, with the state gaining more power to implement its vision of educational policy (one that relied on neo-liberal and neo-conservative ideas and that supported teachers with broader subject matter knowledge and...
Reactive Attachment Disorder in the Context of the Family: A Review and Call for Further Research.

Research pertaining to reactive attachment disorder (RAD) is reviewed to clarify existing knowledge about the diagnosis and to identify avenues for enhancing the lives of afflicted individuals and their immediate family members. An overview of literature pertaining to the diagnosis is provided initially. Family experiences associated with the presence of children with significant attachment problems are subsequently examined. The focus is on interrelationships among RAD behavioral characteristics and associated challenges to parents and siblings. Finally, relevant literature derived from different subareas within psychology and from related fields outside the discipline is organized and integrated with the goal of providing direction for future research and attempts to support families.
Research Article: The effects of aluminum toxicity on the protein expression of Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract Wild type and mutant Arabidopsis thaliana plants were used to investigate the protein expression of plants exposed to elevated concentrations of aluminum. Plants were grown in a growth chamber at 25°C, 16-hour day, and 8-hour dark for eight weeks before subjecting them to different concentrations of AlCl3 solution. Time course experiments showed that Arabidopsis plants respond to aluminum toxicity by altering their protein expression. Our data indicate that aluminum toxicity caused Arabidopsis plants to express a protein in the range of 97 kD, and a medium-molecular weight protein in the range of 45 kD. Our data also indicate that responses by Arabidopsis plants to Al toxicity are not similar to responses to stresses that cause the induction of HSP70.
A case of autoimmune retinopathy associated with thyroid carcinoma.

Purpose: To report a case of autoimmune retinopathy (AIR) associated with a thyroid carcinoma.Design: Case report.Method: A 51-year-old Caucasian woman presented with a rapid decline in vision. Initial visual field and immunohistochemical testing revealed autoimmune retinopathy without an apparent underlying malignancy. Conventional local and systemic immunosuppressive therapies failed to halt the progression.Results: Rituximab treatments were initiated and a slowing of visual loss was seen. Continued surveillance for malignancy revealed a thyroid adenoma, and later a thyroidectomy revealed a thyroid carcinoma.Conclusions: This report highlights the unique presentation of AIR associated with a thyroid carcinoma, the need for continued surveillance for malignancy in cases of AIR, and the possible new use of rituximab for the treatment of AIR.
B7 Costimulation Is Critical for Antibody Class Switching and CD8+ Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Generation in the Host Response to Vesicular Stomatitis Virus

Antibody and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses have critical roles in eliminating many viral infections. In addition to stimulation of the T-cell receptor, T cells require costimulatory signals to respond optimally. We evaluated the role of B7 costimulatory molecules (B7-1 and B7-2) in the immune response to viral infection using vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and mice lacking either B7-1 or B7-2 or both molecules. Mice lacking both B7-1 and B7-2 had essentially no anti-VSV immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) response, decreased IgG2a responses, and normal IgM responses, while mice lacking either B7-1 or B7-2 had unaltered anti-VSV antibody responses compared to wild-type mice. Depletion of CD4 1 cells further reduced the IgG2a response in mice lacking both B7 molecules, suggesting that CD4 2 cells may supply help for IgG2a in the absence of B7 costimulation. The absence of both B7 molecules profoundly reduced generation of both primary and secondary VSV-specific class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted CTL, whereas VSV-specific CTL responses in mice lacking either B7-1 or B7-2 were similar to those of wild-type animals. Class I MHCrestricted CTL in wild-type mice were not dependent on CD4 1 cells, suggesting that the failure of CTL in the absence of B7s is due to a lack of B7 costimulation directly to the CD8 1 CTL. These data demonstrate that B7-1 and B7-2 have critical, overlapping functions in the antibody and CTL responses to this viral infection. Costimulation of T cells is important in the generation of immune responses. B7 costimulation enhances T-cell responses, and perhaps unique among the costimulators, the B7 molecules can prevent induction of anergy (5). The B7 molecules, B7-1 (CD80) and B7-2 (CD86), are expressed by antigen-presenting cells (APC); activation of APC via CD40 or soluble factors such as lipopolysaccharide increases expression of the B7 molecules (9, 17). The potential for manipulation of the immune response through manipulation of B7 costimulation has made these molecules the subject of intense study. We have made mice lacking B7-1, B7-2, or both of these molecules (B7-1 2/2 , B7-2 2/2 , or B7-1/2 2/2 mice) to investigate the role
Shallow mantle velocities beneath the southern Appalachians from Pn phases

To constrain mantle structure that might contribute to the topography of the southern Appalachian Mountains, Pn phases from regional earthquakes recorded in northern Georgia by EarthScope Southeastern Suture of the Appalachian Margin Experiment and Transportable Array stations were used to solve for shallow mantle P wave velocities. Mantle velocities vary laterally, with values of 7.6–7.8 km/s beneath the higher elevations of the Blue Ridge terrane and northwestern flank of the Inner Piedmont terranes and values of 8.3–8.5 km/s farther south where elevation is lower. The zone of low-velocity mantle could represent a source of buoyancy that helps to support the higher elevations, in addition to the root of thickened crust that also exists beneath the mountains.
The Impact of Jumps in Volatility and Returns

This paper examines a class of continuous-time models that incorporate jumps in returns and volatility, in addition to diffusive stochastic volatility. We develop a likelihood-based estimation strategy and provide estimates of model parameters, spot volatility, jump times and jump sizes using both S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 index returns. Estimates of jumps times, jump sizes and volatility are particularly useful for disentangling the dynamic effects of these factors during periods of market stress, such as those in 1987, 1997 and 1998. Using both formal and informal diagnostics, we find strong evidence for jumps in volatility, even after accounting for jumps in returns. We use implied volatility curves computed from option prices to judge the economic differences between the models. Finally, we evaluate the impact of estimation risk on option prices and find that the uncertainty in estimating the parameters and the spot volatility has important, though very different, effects on option prices.
Spatio-temporal spectral analysis by eigenstructure methods

This paper presents new algorithms for estimating the spatio-temporal spectrum of the signals received by a passive array. The algorithms are based on the eigenstructure of the covariance and spectral density matrices of the received signals. They allow partial correlation between the sources and thus are applicable to certain kinds of multipath problems. Simulation results that illustrate the performance of the new algorithms are presented.
Sodium metasilicate affects growth of Campylobacter jejuni in fresh, boneless, uncooked chicken breast fillets stored at 4 degrees Celsius for 7 days

The objectives of this study were to determine the antimicrobial effects of sodium metasilicate (SMS) treatments against Campylobacter jejuni in fresh, boneless, uncooked chicken breast fillets and to ascertain the effects of SMS treatments on pH. The fillets were inoculated with C. jejuni, treated with 0% SMS and no inoculum (negative control), 0% SMS and inoculum (positive control), 1 and 2% SMS solutions, and stored at 4 ± 1°C. All samples were analyzed after 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 d storage for C. jejuni, psychrotrophic organisms, and pH. Campylobacter jejuni and psychrotrophic counts for samples treated with 1 and 2% SMS solutions were similar (P > 0.05) to the positive control on all storage days. The pH values for 2% SMS marinade treatments were higher (P < 0.05) when compared with the negative and positive controls through 7 d of storage. Based on the findings in this study, a second study was conducted to determine the level of SMS necessary to reduce C. jejuni by at least 1 log cfu/g. The treatments were the same as previously discussed, except SMS was used at levels of 1 and 2% of the weight of the meat instead of percentage of the solution. Chicken fillets treated with 1 and 2% SMS (by weight of meat) resulted in 1.12 to 1.26 and 3.27 to 3.79 log cfu/g reductions in C. jejuni, respectively, when compared with the positive control. Except for d 0, psychrotrophic counts for samples treated with 2% SMS were lower (P < 0.05) than negative and positive controls on all storage days. The pH values were higher (P < 0.05) for all SMS treatments when compared with the negative and positive controls. This study revealed that SMS, when used at elevated levels in excess of the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service 2% approved level, could function to control Campylobacter jejuni and extend the shelf life of raw poultry by retarding the growth of psychrotrophic bacteria.
Rapid multicomponent T2 analysis of the articular cartilage of the human knee joint at 3.0T

Purpose To determine the feasibility of using multicomponent-driven equilibrium single-shot observation of T1 and T2 (mcDESPOT) for evaluating the human knee joint at 3.0T and to investigate depth-dependent and regional-dependent variations in multicomponent T2 parameters within articular cartilage. Materials and Methods mcDESPOT was performed on the knee joint of 10 asymptomatic volunteers at 3.0T. Single-component T2 relaxation time (T2single), multicomponent T2 relaxation time for water tightly bound to proteoglycan (T2PG) and bulk water loosely bound to the macromolecular matrix (T2BW), and fraction of water tightly bound to proteoglycan (FPG) were measured in eight cartilage subsections and within the superficial and deep layers of patellar cartilage. Statistical analysis was used to investigate depth-dependent and regional-dependent variations in parameters. Results There was lower (P = 0.001) T2single and T2PG and higher (P < 0.001) FPG in the deep than superficial layer of patellar cartilage. There was higher (P < 0.001) FPG on the weight-bearing surfaces than nonweight-bearing surfaces. There was higher (P < 0.001) T2single, T2PG, and T2BW on the trochlea and posterior medial and lateral femoral condyles than the patella, central medial and lateral femoral condyles, and medial and lateral tibia plateaus. Conclusion Multicomponent T2 parameters of the articular cartilage of the human knee joint can be measured at 3.0T using mcDESPOT and show depth-dependent and regional-dependent variations. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2014;39:1191–1197. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Deformable skin design to enhance response of a biomimetic tactile sensor

Grasping of objects by robotic hands in unstructured environments demands a sensor surface that is durable, compliant, and responsive to various force and slip conditions. A compliant and robust skin can be as critical to grasping objects as the sensor it protects. In an effort to combine compliant mechanics and robust sensing, a biomimetic tactile sensor is being developed. Deformations of its skin can be detected by displacing a conductive fluid from the vicinity of electrodes on a rigid core. In this study, we used simplified finite element models to understand the effects of various textures for the inner surface of the skin and then produced the more promising textures by molding the elastomeric skin material against negatives made by stereolithography. The impedance vs. force relationships obtained with these molded skins had the predicted and desired wide dynamic range. By selecting the appropriate materials for the skin and fluid, previously described problems with hysteresis and diffusion losses have been greatly reduced.
Midfoot fusion: a biomechanical comparison of plantar planting vs intramedullary screws.

Background:Numerous reconstructive techniques for midfoot collapse secondary to Charcot neuroarthropathy have been described, but few have been studied biomechanically. The purpose of this study wa...