cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression profiling identifies microRNA signature in pancreatic cancer

microRNAs are functional, 22 nt, noncoding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression. Disturbance of microRNA expression may play a role in the initiation and progression of certain diseases. A microRNA expression signature has been identified that is associated with pancreatic cancer. This has been accomplished with the application of real-time PCR profiling of over 200 microRNA precursors on specimens of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma, paired benign tissue, normal pancreas, chronic pancreatitis and nine pancreatic cancer cell lines. Hierarchical clustering was able to distinguish tumor from normal pancreas, pancreatitis and cell lines. The PAM algorithm correctly classified 28 of 28 tumors, 6 of 6 normal pancreas and 11 of 15 adjacent benign tissues. One hundred microRNA precursors were aberrantly expressed in pancreatic cancer or desmoplasia (p < 0.01), including microRNAs previously reported as differentially expressed in other human cancers (miR-155, miR-21, miR-221 and miR-222) as well as those not previously reported in cancer (miR-376a and miR-301). Most of the top aberrantly expressed miRNAs displayed increased expression in the tumor. Expression of the active, mature microRNA was validated using a real-time PCR assay to quantify the mature microRNA and Northern blotting. Reverse transcription in situ PCR showed that three of the top differentially expressed miRNAs (miR-221, -376a and -301) were localized to tumor cells and not to stroma or normal acini or ducts. Aberrant microRNA expression may offer new clues to pancreatic tumorigenesis and may provide diagnostic biomarkers for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
The Stream of Consciousness: XVI. James in Recent Context (1986–1991)

By addressing work on consciousness that has been published in this journal, I bring contemporary material to bear on my ongoing exploration of William James's stream. How do psychologists of the present day demonstrate or acknowledge the relevance of their great predecessor's introspectively grounded theses and arguments to their own work? I am considering the first fifteen volumes of Imagination, Cognition and Personality in units of five, the middle five in this article. I inquire into what was explicitly drawn from James's work by seven authors or teams of authors; thus, I provide greater or lesser comment pertaining to: a) the kinds of mental occurrence, b) present day incompatibilities of James's thought, c) purported Jamesian inad quacies, d) the use of symbols to evoke belief, e) watching one's stream of consciousness flow by, f) Walt Whitman's mystical experiences, and g) whether inner awareness requires an appropriation of the respective mental-occurrence instances to oneself.
Optimal minimax squared error risk estimation of the mean of a multivariate normal distribution

Minimax squared error risk estimators of the mean of a multivariate normal distribution are characterized which have smallest Bayes risk with respect to a spherically symmetric prior distribution for (i) squared error loss, and (ii) zero-one loss depending on whether or not estimates are consistent with the hypothesis that the mean is null. In (i), the optimal estimators are the usual Bayes estimators for prior distributions with special structure. In (ii), preliminary test estimators are optimal. The results are obtained by applying the theory of minimax-Bayes-compromise decision problems.
Scheduling tradeoffs for heterogeneous computing on an advanced space processing platform

Future spaceborne platforms will require expanded onboard processing payloads to meet increasing mission performance and autonomy requirements. Recently proposed spacecraft systems plan to deploy networked processors configured much like commodity clusters for high-performance computing (HPC). Just as robust job management services have been developed and are required to optimize the performance of ground-based systems, so too will spaceborne clusters require similar management services, especially to meet real-time mission deadlines. In order to gain insight into how best to address the challenge of job management in high-performance, embedded space systems, a management service has been developed for a NASA New Millennium Program (NMP) experiment for the ST-8 mission slated for launch in 2009. This paper presents an overview and analysis of the effects on overall mission performance of adding priority and preemption to a baseline gang scheduler employing opportunistic load-balancing (OLE) on a heterogeneous processing system for space. Experiments are conducted with two mission scenarios including planetary mapping and object tracking.
The Mechanics of STIM-ORAI Communication

The ER-resident regulatory protein STIM1 triggers store-operated calcium entry by direct interaction with the plasma membrane calcium channel ORAI1. Cell-based research combining the expression of engineered proteins, electrophysiological recording, and advanced light-microscopic techniques has provided considerable insight into STIM-ORAI signalling, but has left tantalizing unanswered questions regarding the gating, modulation, and inactivation of ORAI-family channels. We have taken two complementary paths to investigate these questions. First, in order to dissect the basic mechanisms intrinsic to STIM, ORAI, and the STIM-ORAI complex, we have reconstituted channel gating in vitro using the purified recombinant STIM and ORAI proteins. This approach has begun to yield direct insight into ORAI channel gating. Second, in order to identify additional mechanisms that control STIM-ORAI signalling in cells, we have carried out a genome-wide RNAi screen for modulators of store-operated calcium entry. The screen led to the identification of septins and other protein modulators of STIM-ORAI signalling, and to the discovery that there is a striking rearrangement of the plasma membrane microdomain surrounding STIM-ORAI complexes during the onset of store-operated calcium entry. Continued parallel investigations in vitro and in cells will be needed for a full understanding of this key calcium entry pathway.
DNA damage and the proliferation and aging of cells in culture: A mathematical model with time lag

This paper is an extension of an earlier one by the same author in which a mathematical model was presented to describe the proliferation and aging of cells in culture. The model consists of a group of ordinary differential equations with a time lag. In the previous paper, the time lag was omitted for simplicity and the resulting differential equations were resolved analytically. It was shown that the model explains the behavior of a cell culture reasonably well. In this paper, the analytical solution of the original differential equations is presented without omitting the time lag. An analytical description of the variations in doubling capability between sister cells that was only simulated numerically in the earlier paper is given.
Creating an Alternative Kinship: Slavery, Freedom, and Nineteenth-Century Afro-Cuban Hijos Naturales

This article contributes to the histories of slavery and of African-descended families in the Americas by examining the recognition of nineteenth-century Afro-Cuban hijos naturales (or children born outside of wedlock) as a means of family formation in late colonial Cuba. With legal "recognition," men from a variety of races and classes claimed responsibility for these children. In doing so, they created a creole family form that developed to suit a very local context and that did not conform to Anglo-American standards of legitimacy or illegitimacy. This article first outlines general Afro-Cuban reproductive patterns and then reveals the social experiences of the families that include hijos naturales. Such families were valuable social agents that sought the advancement of their members and that often provided a framework through which individuals endured slavery and advanced into freedom.
Opioid-like analgesia in defeated mice

Mice exposed to repeated attacks by other mice showed decreased nociception in response to radiant heat focused on their tails. This form of analgesia was blocked by centrally acting opiate antagonists and was not observed in morphine-tolerant mice; furthermore, mice repeatedly subjected to defeat. Mice of the CXBK strain, which respond weakly to morphine, displayed only moderate analgesia following defeat. These findings suggest that endogenous opioid-mediated analgesic mechanisms are readily activated by situations involving biologically significant forms of stress, such as defeat.
The marine 187 Os/ 188 Os record of the Eocene–Oligocene transition: the interplay of weathering and glaciation

Abstract Osmium (Os) isotope analyses of bulk sediments from the South Atlantic, Equatorial Pacific, and the Italian Apennines yield a well-dated and coherent pattern of 187Os/188Os variation from the late Eocene to the early Oligocene. The resulting composite record demonstrates the global character of two prominent features of the low-resolution LL44-GPC3 Os isotope record [Pegram and Turekian, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 63 (1999) 4053–4058]. These are: (1) a pronounced minimum in 187Os/188Os (0.22–0.27) in the late Eocene, between 34 and 34.5 Ma, and (2) a subsequent rapid increase in 187Os/188Os, to approximately 0.6 by 32 Ma. An ultramafic weathering event and an increased influx of extraterrestrial particles to the Earth are discussed as alternative explanations for the late Eocene 187Os/188Os minimum. Comparison of the 187Os/188Os to benthic foraminiferal oxygen isotope records demonstrates that the nearly three-fold increase in 187Os/188Os from the late Eocene minimum coincides with the growth and decay of the first large ice sheet of the Oligocene (Oi1 [Miller et al., J. Geophys. Res. 96 (1991) 6829–6848]). The fine structure of the Os isotope record indicates that enhanced release of radiogenic Os, unrelated to the recovery from late Eocene minimum, lagged the initiation of the Oi1 event by roughly 0.5 Myr. This record, in conjunction with weathering studies in modern glacial soils [Blum, in: W.F. Ruddiman (Ed.), Tectonic Uplift and Climate Change, Plenum Press, New York, 1997, pp. 259–288; Peucker-Ehrenbrink and Blum, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 62 (1998) 3193–3203], suggests that exposure of freshly eroded material during deglaciation following Oi1 enhanced chemical weathering rates, and may have contributed to ice sheet stabilization by drawing down atmospheric carbon dioxide. The improved temporal resolution and age control of the refined Eocene–Oligocene Os isotope record also makes it possible to illustrate the late Eocene Os isotope excursion as a tool for global correlation of marine sediments.
Ground state structures of a lattice model: honeycomb and tetrahedral lattices

Abstract The ground state structures of a lattice model with nearest-neighbor and next-nearest-neighbor interactions were examined by the method of “partitioning” the hamiltonian. This model is Widom's lattice model of microemulsions. Previous analysis had examined only cubic lattices, however the analysis is more general as this paper illustrates.
Protective CVD Mullite Coatings on Single-Crystal Silicon Substrates

Silicon has long been the primary material of choice for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and integrated circuit (IC) applications. However, it is prone to degradation under severe conditions such as high humidity, high temperature, and corrosive environments. To overcome such extreme conditions and help silicon perform with stability and extended lifetimes, a protection layer is proposed. Mullite (3Al2O3·2SiO2) is a known environmental barrier coating (EBC) material and has been shown to be effective on other Si-based ceramic materials. In this work, dense, high-purity crystalline mullite coatings were deposited onto single-crystal silicon substrates via chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The microstructure, orientation preference, and adhesion of these coatings were investigated. Substrate integrity in relation to the substrate/coating interface by chemical etching and coating stability in a simulated severe environment under corrosive alkali salts were investigated.
BAND THEORY OF LINEAR AND NONLINEAR SUSCEPTIBILITIES OF SOME BINARY IONIC INSULATORS

The linear and nonlinear optical responses in a large number of cubic insulators are studied by means of first-principles local-density calculations. Complete results on band structures, frequency-dependent dielectric functions, and frequency-dependent third-order nonlinear susceptibilities ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\chi}}}^{(3)}$(\ensuremath{\omega}) (in the simplest form as the third-harmonic generations) are presented for 27 alkali halides, alkali-earth fluorides, oxides, and sulfides. They are LiF, LiCl, LiBr, LiI, NaF, NaCl, NaBr, NaI, KF, KCl, KBr, KI, RbF, RbCl, RbBr, RbI, ${\mathrm{CaF}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{SrF}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{CdF}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{BaF}}_{2}$, MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO, MgS, CaS, and SrS. The results are compared with the existing experimental data and other calculations. The effectiveness of using a ``scissor operator'' to correct the gap underestimation in the local-density-approximation theory is assessed. It is shown that the full band-structure approach for the ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\chi}}}^{(3)}$(0) calculation in these crystals gives results in very good agreement with experimental data, especially in the anisotropic coefficient of the nonvanishing tensor elements.
Identification of P-glycoprotein co-fractionating proteins and specific binding partners in rat brain microvessels

Drug delivery to the brain for the treatment of pathologies with a CNS component is a significant clinical challenge. P-glycoprotein (PgP), a drug efflux pump in the endothelial cell membrane, is a major factor in preventing therapeutics from crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Identifying PgP regulatory mechanisms is key to developing agents to modulate PgP activity. Previously, we found that PgP trafficking was altered concomitant with increased PgP activity and disassembly of high molecular weight PgP-containing complexes during acute peripheral inflammatory pain. These data suggest that PgP activity is post-translationally regulated at the BBB. The goal of the current study was to identify proteins that co-localize with PgP in rat brain microvessel endothelial cell membrane microdomains and use the data to suggest potential regulatory mechanisms. Using new density gradients of microvessel homogenates, we identified two unique pools (1,2) of PgP in membrane fractions. Caveolar constituents, caveolin1, cavin1, and cavin2, co-localized with PgP in these fractions indicating the two pools contained caveolae. A chaperone (Hsc71), protein disulfide isomerase and endosomal/lysosomal sorting proteins (Rab5, Rab11a) also co-fractionated with PgP in the gradients. These data suggest signaling pathways with a potential role in post-translational regulation of PgP activity at the BBB.
Swimming Performance and Physiological Stress Responses of Splittail Exposed to a Fish Screen

Abstract Fish screens are designed to divert fish away from potentially life-threatening water diversions, yet little is known of the immediate effects of the screens on exposed fish. To determine the effects of screen exposure, splittail Pogonichthys macrolepidotus swimming performance and survival were measured during exposure to a fish screen and bypass channel in a variable-velocity water flume at 12°C for not more than 1.5 h. Four treatment velocities (range, 0–60 cm/s) were used with 20 fish (standard length (±SD) = 5.9 ± 1.3 cm) per experiment, with three replicate experiments per treatment. The sublethal effects of screen exposure were also assessed by measuring physiological stress responses at −2, 0, 0.5, 2, and 24 h following screen exposure. No losses of equilibrium or mortality were associated with any of the velocity treatments. During the control treatment (0 cm/s water velocity through the 0.6-m-wide × 13.7-m-long flume), screen contacts were infrequent (mean total = 2 ± 2), and the mean s...
A comparison of a new rapid real-time polymerase chain reaction system to traditional culture in determining group B streptococcus colonization

Objective The objective of the study was to evaluate a rapid real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–based assay for intrapartum detection of group B streptococcus (GBS). Study Design This prospective, observational study enrolled outpatients after GBS screening at 35-37 weeks’ gestation. At admission for delivery, paired rectovaginal swabs were obtained for the GBS GeneXpert (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA) assay and standard culture. Using the intrapartum culture as the gold standard, sensitivities, specificities, and predictive values of the rapid assay and the antenatal screen were determined. Statistical significance was determined by Fisher’s exact test. Results Fifty-five subjects had both rapid test and intrapartum culture results. The intrapartum GBS colonization rate was 43.6%. The sensitivity and specificity of the PCR test were 95.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 76.9-99.8%), and 64.5% (95% CI, 45.4-80.2%), respectively, whereas the antenatal culture sensitivity was 83.3% and specificity was 80.6%. Conclusion The GeneXpert rapid GBS point-of-care assay was highly sensitive for GBS detection in our sample population. Corroboration of these data is needed on a large population basis.
A 250 GHz CARM oscillator experiment driven by an induction linac

Abstract A 250 GHz cyclotron auto resonance maser (CARM) oscillator has been designed and constructed and will be tested using a 1 kA, 2 MeV electron beam produced by the induction linac at the Accelerator Research Center (ARC) facility of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The oscillator circuit was made to operate in the TE 11 mode at 10 times cutoff using waveguide Bragg reflectors to create an external cavity Q of 8000. Theory predicts cavity fill times of less than 30 ns (pulse length) and efficiencies approaching 20% if sufficiently low transverse electron velocity spreads are maintained (2%).
Consciousness, intentionality and intelligence: some foundational issues for artificial intelligence

Three fundamental questions concerning minds are presented. These are about consciousness, intentionality and intelligence. After we present the fundamental framework that has shaped both the philosophy of mind and the Artificial Intelligence research in the last forty years or so regarding the last two questions, we turn to consciousness, whose study still seems evasive to both communities. After briefly illustrating why and how phenomenal consciousness is puzzling, a theoretical diagnosis of the problem is proposed and a framework is presented, within which further research would yield a solution. The diagnosis is that the puzzle stems from a peculiar dual epistemic access to phenomenal aspects (qualia) of our conscious experiences. An account of concept formation is presented such that both the phenomenal concepts (like the concepts RED and SWEET) and the introspective concepts (like the concepts EXPERIENCING RED and TASTING SWEET) are acquired from a firstperson perspective as opposed to the third-per...
Fluids in the lower crust following Mendocino triple junction migration: Active basaltic intrusion?

Geodynamic and plate tectonic models for the Mendocino triple junction, a fault-fault-trench triple junction in northwestern California, predict a slab-free zone south of the triple junction in which asthenospheric mantle upwells to the base of the crust. A variety of geological and geophysical data support this model, although fine-scale (<20 km) details of the lithospheric structure have been unknown previously. Seismic investigations in the onshore transform regime south of the Mendocino triple junction region reveal very strong short-offset reflections from the lower crust and at the crust-mantle boundary beneath the entire width of the Coast Range, particularly near Lake Pillsbury, California. Seismic analysis suggests that these reflections are from discrete zones of fluid. The reflector geometry implies that the source of the fluid is within the upper mantle. In this tectonic context it is likely that the fluids are largely partial melt, segregated from asthenospheric mantle upwelling into the slab-free zone. The tectonic setting and the location of Lake Pillsbury relative to the estimated position of the southern edge of the Gorda slab and the Clear Lake volcanic field suggest that volcanism may initiate in this region within the next 400 k.y.
ELECTRIC IMPEDANCE OF THE FROG EGG.

Electrical impedance measurements were made upon unfertilized and fertilized eggs of the leopard frog, Rana pipiens, over a frequency range of 0.05 to 10 kc. Average values of 170 ohm cm.2 were obtained for the plasma membrane resistance of the egg, 2.0 µf/cm.2 for the plasma membrane capacity, 86° for the phase angle of the membrane, and 570 ohm cm. for the specific resistance of the interior. These values did not change upon fertilization. No spontaneous rhythmical impedance changes such as have been found by Hubbard and Rothschild in the trout egg were found in frog eggs.
Evidence for Organic Complexed Copper in Sea Water

COPPER has probably been the most extensively investigated trace metal in sea water, yet little is known of the contributing chemical forms. Atkins1 used sodium diethyldithiocarbamate to complex the ionic or more easily chelated copper and more recent investigators have continued to use this method2 or have substituted dithizone or some other chelating agent. The complexed copper may later be extracted into a suitable organic solvent such as chloroform or carbon tetrachloride and determined colorimetrically. The use of these procedures has meant that the majority of results reported in the literature refer only to the readily chelated, divalent fraction of copper.
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF CARBOHYDRATES USING GAS-LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY.

Abstract Sugars can be analyzed quantitatively as their trimethylsilyl derivatives using gas-liquid chromatography. Standardization of polyethylene glycol succinate columns with α-methylgalactopyranoside as the standard gave a quantitative correlation between GLC relative peak areas and relative molar compositions of sugar standard solutions for: the pentose, ribose; the deoxyhexose, fucose; and the hexoses, glucose, galactose, and mannose. Quantitative data were also obtained for N-acetylamino sugars. Mixtures of sugars were analyzed by using the standardization graphs, and the amounts determined were accurate within 10%. This use of GLC will make it easier for the biochemist to attack problems in carbohydrate chemistry by enabling quantitative work to be done readily on mixtures heretofore difficult to analyze.
Immunological outreach through positive selection

The American Association of Immunologists sponsors summer fellowships for high school and middle school teachers in the laboratories of its members. New curricula developed through the program are expected to enhance secondary school science education throughout the United States.
Almost sure critical paths

M. Kress proved for a special case of Location-Scale probability distributions there always exists a probability level for which the Chance Constrained Critical Path (CCCP) remains unchanged for all probabilities greater than or equal to that value. His chance constrained problem has zero-order decision rules and individual chance constraints. This paper extends his results to most of the common probability distributions.
Duodenogastric Intussusception with Concurrent Gastric Foreign Body in a Dog: A Case Report and Literature Review

A 3 yr old spayed female boxer weighing 22.8 kg was presented for severe, acute vomiting and tenesmus. Tachycardia, tachypnea, dehydration, and abdominal pain were present on physical examination. Abdominal radiographs showed a foreign object (golf ball) in the fundus of the stomach, and a larger, round, soft-tissue opacity mass in the region of the pylorus. Endoscopic removal of the foreign object was unsuccessful. A large soft-tissue mass (duodenogastric intussusception) was visualized with endoscopy, but was not correctly diagnosed until surgery. A midline exploratory celiotomy was performed and the duodenogastric intussusception was diagnosed and manually reduced. Severe pyloric wall edema and minimal bruising were present. A routine fundic gastrotomy was performed and the foreign object was removed. A right-sided incisional gastropexy and duodenopexy were performed in attempt to prevent recurrence of the intussusception. The dog was discharged from the hospital 38 hrs after surgery, and was normal on follow-up 1 yr after surgery. The dog in this report is the sixth documented case of duodenogastric/pylorogastric intussusception in the veterinary literature. This is the first reported case with a concurrent gastric foreign body and endoscopic visualization of the intussusception.
Deliberating for Our Far Future Selves

The temporal period between the moment of deliberation and the execution of the intention varies widely—from opening an umbrella when one feels the first raindrops hit to planning and writing a book. I investigate the distinctive ability that adult human beings have to deliberate for their far future selves exhibited at the latter end of this temporal spectrum, which I term prospective deliberation. What grounds it when it is successful? And, why does it fail in some cases? I shall argue that an agent is warranted in deliberating for a future self when her reasons give her the right kind of cross-temporal authority. I argue that this authority is distinctive and cannot be accounted for by theories of agential authority that take desires, value judgments, or willings as the ground of authority in standard cases of deliberation. According to the theory I propose having the right kind of cross-temporal agential authority is not only a matter of having epistemic access to a future self’s reasons or being the same metaphysical person as a future self, it requires confidence that the agent’s reasons support undertaking such a normative commitment and that that future self will see the normative force of those reasons as the agent sees them. In other words, cross-temporal agential authority requires that the past self and the future self share a normative perspective. I show that this further condition only obtains if the agent sees her reasons in deliberation as having certain features.
Toward creation of a universal NMR database for the stereochemical assignment of acyclic compounds: the case of two contiguous propionate units.

Using triol 1 as a representative example of natural products containing two contiguous propionate units, 13C and 1H NMR databases for the stereochemical assignment of acyclic compounds have been created. Chemical shift increments due to the presence of additional functional groups as well as solvent effects are discussed.
Tests of isospin selection rules in exclusive and semi-inclusive decays of charged D mesons

In the Cabibbo-allowed decays of the charged D meson, the standard model predicts that the isospin of the final state must be pure T=3/2 for nonleptonic decays and T=1/2 for semileptonic decays. We determine the consequences of these isospin rules for the ratios of K/sup -/ final states to K-bar/sup 0/ final states in both exclusive channels and in semileptonic ones. These ratios are bounded, and present data do not violate these bounds, but they are too sparse to make any definitive tests. Other predictions of the selection rules, such as the Dalitz plot for K-bar..pi pi.. modes, are also discussed.
Risk factors for distress in the adolescent children of HIV-positive and HIV-negative drug-abusing fathers

In contrast to previous research on parental drug abuse, the present study examined comorbid drug addiction and HIV infection in the father as related to his adolescent child's psychological distress. Individual structured interviews were administered to 505 HIV-positive and HIV-negative drug-abusing fathers and one of their children, aged 12-20. Structural equation modelling tested an hypothesized model linking paternal latent variables, ecological factors and adolescent substance use to adolescent distress. Results demonstrated a direct pathway between paternal distress and adolescent distress, as well as an indirect pathway; namely, paternal distress was linked with impaired paternal teaching of coping skills to the child, which in turn was related to adolescent substance use and, ultimately, to the adolescent's distress. There was also an association between paternal drug addiction/HIV and adolescent distress, which was mediated by both ecological factors and adolescent substance use. Findings suggest an increased risk of distress in the adolescent children of fathers with comorbid drug addiction and HIV/AIDS, which may be further complicated by paternal distress. Results suggest several opportunities for prevention and treatment programmes for the children of drug-abusing fathers.
Study of melting in two dimensions

Techniques developed in studies of the two-dimensional planar model of magnetism are applied to the Kosterlitz-Thouless dislocation model of melting in two dimensions. Duality transformations relate the dislocation problem to Hamiltonians with short-ranged interactions amenable to a Migdal-Kadanoff recursion-relation analysis. In an approximation which neglects an angular dependence in the decay of correlations, the melting problem is equivalent to the statistical mechanics of two interpenetrating superfluids with coupled phases. The coupling between the phases is a marginal operator which (together with other marginal couplings) destroys the universality of critical exponents at the melting temperature ${T}_{m}$. Indeed melting seems to bear roughly the same relation to the planar model as the Baxter model does to the Ising model. A recursion scheme similar to that developed by Kosterlitz for the planar model is used to study the correlation length, specific heat, and Burger's-vector correlations near melting. For melting of a triangular lattice, the correlation length diverges, ${\ensuremath{\xi}}_{+}\ensuremath{\sim}\mathrm{exp}[C{(\frac{T}{{T}_{m}}\ensuremath{-}1)}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{2}{5}}]$, as $T$ approaches ${T}_{m}$ from above. There is an analogous essential singularity in the specific heat.
Simulation of spatial fault distributions for integrated circuit yield estimations

Two methods used in fault simulation for integrated circuit modeling are described. Both methods simulate clustered fault locations on a map. In the first approach, the clusters are initially generated using a radial Gaussian probability distribution. The results are consequently passed through cluster shaping programs, which produce clusters that resemble those observed on actual integrated circuit wafers. In the second approach, faults are added to the chips as a function of time. The probability that additional faults are created during any interval of time is assumed to be related to the number of faults already on the chip, as well as the number of faults on adjacent chips. This technique generates frequency distributions of the number of faults per chip that closely resemble those observed in actual integrated circuits. >
Teacher Instruction as a Predictor for Student Engagement and Disruptive Behaviors

Effective instruction is a critical predictor of student achievement. As students with exceptionalities such as emotional and behavioral disorders and learning disabilities, who typically struggle with academic achievement, spend increasing amounts of general education settings, the need for precise instructional behaviors becomes more imperative. The authors present the results of 1,197 systematic direct observations of teachers’ instructional behaviors and their effect on student engagement and disruption. Results indicate statistically significant correlations between teaching and student engagement and disruptions, although there is variability depending on the grade level (elementary school vs. high school). Limitations, implications, and directions for future practice are discussed.
Differential Delta expression underlies the diversity of sensory organ patterns among the legs of the Drosophila adult.

Abstract Many studies have shown that morphological diversity among homologous animal structures is generated by the homeotic (Hox) genes. However, the mechanisms through which Hox genes specify particular morphological features are not fully understood. We have addressed this issue by investigating how diverse sensory organ patterns are formed among the legs of the Drosophila melanogaster adult. The Drosophila adult has one pair of legs on each of its three thoracic segments (the T1–T3 segments). Although homologous, legs from different segments have distinct morphological features. Our focus is on the formation of diverse patterns of small mechanosensory bristles or microchaetae (mCs) among the legs. On T2 legs, the mCs are organized into a series of longitudinal rows (L-rows) precisely positioned along the leg circumference. The L-rows are observed on all three pairs of legs, but additional and novel pattern elements are found on T1 and T3 legs. For example, at specific positions on T1 and T3 legs, some mCs are organized into transverse rows (T-rows). Our studies indicate that the T-rows on T1 and T3 legs are established as a result of Hox gene modulation of the pathway for patterning the L-row mC bristles. Our findings suggest that the Hox genes, Sex combs reduced (Scr) and Ultrabithorax (Ubx), establish differential expression of the proneural gene achaete (ac) by modifying expression of the ac prepattern regulator, Delta (Dl), in T1 and T3 legs, respectively. This study identifies Dl as a potential link between Hox genes and the sensory organ patterning hierarchy, providing insight into the connection between Hox gene function and the formation of specific morphological features.
Leadership over-emergence in self-managing teams: The role of gender and countervailing biases.

We examine leadership over-emergence, defined as instances when the level of one's leadership emergence is higher than the level of one's leadership effectiveness, in a sample of intact self-managing teams who worked together for a period of seven months. We draw from Gender Role Theory and Expectancy Violation Theory to examine the role of gender in predicting leadership over-emergence. Building on arguments from Gender Role Theory, we find that all else equal, men over-emerge as leaders. However, Expectancy Violation Theory suggests that women are likely to benefit from a countervailing bias. Specifically, women are attributed with higher levels of leadership emergence than men when they engage in agentic leadership behaviors--even if the level of the behaviors exhibited by men is exactly the same. Because the impact of these behaviors on leadership effectiveness is not contingent on gender, however, women who engage in more task behaviors and boundary spanning behaviors in self-managing teams also over-emerge as leaders. We discuss the implications of this study for Gender Role Theory and Expectancy Violation Theory, along with practical implications for managing the problem of leadership over-emergence in work groups
An electromechanical testing device for assessment of hand motor function

Instrumentation was designed and constructed to assess the strength and function of the intrinsic muscles of the index and long fingers of the hand. The device consisted of two beams instrumented with strain gages, signal conditioners, and a microprocessor-based embedded controller. A study conducted on four weak spinal cord injury (SCI), three nonweak SCI, and 21 control subjects demonstrated a trend of reduced maximum pinching force between the index and long fingers in weak SCI subjects compared with the other two groups. Weak SCI subjects also demonstrated a significantly slower rapid alternating movement speed of the index finger compared with the other two groups. The instrument has potential use as a clinical tool for quantitative evaluation of the progression of hand motor dysfunction.
Competing and cutoff leaders before “upward illumination”‐type lightning ground strokes

[1] High-speed video data provide evidence to examine a hypothesis regarding the physical mechanism resulting in the very weak “upward illumination” (UI) strokes occurring within a few milliseconds after a normal return stroke (RS) of a negative lightning flash. These short-duration (visible < 1 ms) strokes form a new ground connection, without apparent connection to the main RS, over their relatively short (< 3 km) visible upward return path. In a data set of 170 video flashes acquired in 2011 at 50,000 frames per second, there are 20 clear UI examples in 18 flashes at 2.5–32.3 km range from the camera. Average separation values are 1.25 ms and 1.9 km between ground connections of the UI stroke and main RS. In 15 cases, the data show a distinct stepped leader or branch to the UI which develops concurrently with the stepped leader to the main RS. The estimated altitude of the descending UI leader tip just before the main RS occurs ranges from 50 to 610 m, and in seven cases, stepping is visible in the UI leader after the main RS. In most examples, the RS and UI appear as separate channels for their entire visible portion, but in five cases, there is an obvious junction indicating the UI leader is a cutoff branch from the main leader. A generalized schematic of the seven main luminosity stages in a typical UI is described, accompanied by examples of each stage, to support the existence of competing and cutoff leader branches.
TimeWarp: rethinking timekeeping and performance monitoring mechanisms to mitigate side-channel attacks

Over the past two decades, several microarchitectural side channels have been exploited to create sophisticated security attacks. Solutions to this problem have mainly focused on fixing the source of leaks either by limiting the flow of information through the side channel by modifying hardware, or by refactoring vulnerable software to protect sensitive data from leaking. These solutions are reactive and not preventative: while the modifications may protect against a single attack, they do nothing to prevent future side channel attacks that exploit other microarchitectural side channels or exploit the same side channel in a novel way. In this paper we present a general mitigation strategy that focuses on the infrastructure used to measure side channel leaks rather than the source of leaks, and thus applies to all known and unknown microarchitectural side channel leaks. Our approach is to limit the fidelity of fine grain timekeeping and performance counters, making it difficult for an attacker to distinguish between different microarchitectural events, thus thwarting attacks. We demonstrate the strength of our proposed security modifications, and validate that our changes do not break existing software. Our proposed changes require minor -- or in some cases, no -- hardware modifications and do not result in any substantial performance degradation, yet offer the most comprehensive protection against microarchitectural side channels to date.
Serotonin transporter binding and genotype in the nonhuman primate brain using [C-11]DASB PET.

Abstract The length polymorphism of the serotonin (5-HT) transporter gene promoter region has been implicated in altered 5-HT function and, in turn, neuropsychiatric illnesses, such as anxiety and depression. The nonhuman primate has been used as a model to study anxiety-related mechanisms in humans based upon similarities in behavior and the presence of a similar 5-HT transporter gene polymorphism. Stressful and threatening contexts in the nonhuman primate model have revealed 5-HT transporter genotype dependent differences in regional glucose metabolism. Using the rhesus monkey, we examined the extent to which serotonin transporter genotype is associated with 5-HT transporter binding in brain regions implicated in emotion-related pathology. Methods Genotype data and high resolution PET scans were acquired in 29 rhesus ( Macaca mulatta ) monkeys. [C-11]DASB dynamic PET scans were acquired for 90 min in the anesthetized animals and images of distribution volume ratio (DVR) were created to serve as a metric of 5-HT transporter binding for group comparison based on a reference region method of analysis. Regional and voxelwise statistical analysis were performed with corrections for anatomical differences in gray matter probability, sex, age and radioligand mass. Results There were no significant differences when comparing l/l homozygotes with s-carriers in the regions of the brain implicated in anxiety and mood related illnesses (amygdala, striatum, thalamus, raphe nuclei, temporal and prefrontal cortex). There was a significant sex difference in 5-HT transporter binding in all regions with females having 18%–28% higher DVR than males. Conclusions Because these findings are consistent with similar genotype findings in humans, this further strengthens the use of the rhesus model for studying anxiety-related neuropathologies.
Unsupervised classification of Arctic sea ice using neural network

Analysis of multichannel passive microwave data indicates that the emissivities of sea ice tend to be uniform within each ice regime but varies considerably from one regime to another. The regimes include the marginal ice zone, where new and young ice dominates, the seasonal ice region, where first year ice with different snow cover and surface characteristics are observed, and the perennial ice region, where deformed or undeformed second and older ice types are located. In this investigation, these ice regimes have been studied over an entire fall/winter period and their persistence, duration, and variability are evaluated. The procedure involves the use of an unsupervised cluster analysis program, that isolates in 7-dimensional space (representing data from the 7 SSM/I channels), the radiometrically distinct ice surfaces. A neural network is then utilized to improve the classification using the cluster analysis results to train the system with a backpropagation model. The time evolution of each cluster is analyzed and the neural network is further enhanced to filter noise in the data that may be associated with atmospheric and other external effects. The areal extent of sea ice in each regime has been quantified and results show that the seasonal region undergo tremendous changes but the other regions were basically constant with time.
Standard Optimization Problems

“Which method is best?” is a question of perennial validity, and through the centuries man has required for it answers of increasing sophistication. When “best” can be assessed numerically, then this assessment may be regarded as a real valued function of the method under consideration which is to be optimized — either maximized or minimized. We are interested not only in the optimum values which can be achieved, but also in the method (or methods) which can produce these values.
Interfacial Electron Transfer in TiO2 Surfaces Sensitized with Ru(II)−Polypyridine Complexes†

Studies of interfacial electron transfer (IET) in TiO(2) surfaces functionalized with (1) pyridine-4-phosphonic acid, (2) [Ru(tpy)(tpy(PO(3)H(2)))](2+), and (3) [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(H(2)O)-Ru(tpy)(tpy(PO(3)H(2)))](4+) (tpy = 2,2':6,2''-terpyridine; bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) are reported. We characterize the electronic excitations, electron injection time scales, and interfacial electron transfer (IET) mechanisms through phosphonate anchoring groups. These are promising alternatives to the classic carboxylates of conventional dye-sensitized solar cells since they bind more strongly to TiO(2) surfaces and form stable covalent bonds that are unaffected by humidity. Density functional theory calculations and quantum dynamics simulations of IET indicate that electron injection in 1-TiO(2) can be up to 1 order of magnitude faster when 1 is attached to TiO(2) in a bidentate mode (tau approximately 60 fs) than when attached in a monodentate motif (tau approximately 460 fs). The IET time scale also depends strongly on the properties of the sensitizer as well as on the nature of the electronic excitation initially localized in the adsorbate molecule. We show that IET triggered by the visible light excitation of 2-TiO(2) takes 1-10 ps when 2 is attached in a bidentate mode, a time comparable to the lifetime of the excited electronic state. IET due to visible-light photoexcitation of 3-TiO(2) is slower, since the resulting electronic excitation remains localized in the tpy-tpy bridge that is weakly coupled to the electronic states of the conduction band of TiO(2). These results are particularly valuable to elucidate the possible origin of IET efficiency drops during photoconversion in solar cells based on Ru(II)-polypyridine complexes covalently attached to TiO(2) thin films with phosphonate linkers.
Strategies for improving glycemic control: effective use of glucose monitoring

Despite the increasing prevalence of diabetes, improved understanding of the disease, and a variety of new medications, glycemic control does not appear to be improving. Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is one strategy for improving glycemic control; however, patient adherence is suboptimal and proper education and follow-up are crucial. Patients need to understand why they are being asked to self-test, what their glycemic targets are, and what they should do based on the results of self-monitoring. Patients also must be taught proper technique and must be given specific recommendations regarding frequency and timing for self-monitoring. Situations in which SMBG is essential or should be more frequent include self-adjustment of insulin doses, changes in medications, lack of awareness of hypoglycemia, gestational diabetes, illness, or when hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values are above target. SMBG should include postprandial monitoring to identify glycemic excursions after meals, to indicate the need for lifestyle adjustments, and to provide patient feedback on dietary choices.
DESIGN OF AN M.B.A. SEMINAR ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OPERATIONS RESEARCH/MANAGEMENT SCIENCE *

This paper reports on an innovative seminar in which implementation of operations research and management science was the primary theme. Traditional educational strategies have sought to improve OR/MS acceptance by further exposing managers and management scientists to OR/MS techniques and management problems respectively. The present approach assumes that an understanding of the barriers to successful implementation and a knowledge of possible strategies for overcoming them are potentially more productive than the study of more OR/MS techniques. The seminar was designed to combine straightforward reading and discussion with empirical research on actual implementation situations. It is suggested that educators consider the value of this type of educational exercise in OR/MS curricula and M.B.A. programs.