cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Visual hash for oblivious watermarking

Digital watermarks have recently been proposed for authentication and fingerprinting of both video data and still images and for integrity verification of visual multimedia. In such applications, the watermark must be oblivious and has to depend on a secret key and on the original image. It is important that the dependence on the key be sensitive, while the dependence on the image be continuous (robust). Both requirements can be satisfied using special image digest (hash) functions that return the same bit-string for whole class of images derived from an original image using common processing operations including rotation and scaling. It is further required that two completely different images produce completely different bit-strings. In this paper, we extend our previous work on robust image digest functions describing ideas how to make the hash function independent of image orientation and size. The robust image digest can be clearly utilized for other applications, such as a search index for an efficient image database search.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Gas exchange, pulmonary mechanics and haemodynamics in adult respiratory distress syndrome: experimental results in Lewe miniature pigs

Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common medical emergency in respiratory care complicating a great variety of traumas and diseases. An animal model from Lewe miniature pigs has been developed to study the ARDS under standardized conditions; it is based on aspiration pneumonitis, a disorder often observed in ARDS, injuring the lung alveolar surfactant system. The experimental study was conducted under neuroleptanalgesia. ARDS was produced by intratracheal application of hydrochloric acid (0.2 mol/l) in an amount of 1.0 ml/kg body wt. The animals were ventilated automatically by a standardized ventilatory pattern in IPP mode. In all animals the time course of oxygenation ratio (Pa,O2/F1O2), arterial CO2 tension (Pa,CO2), ratio of alveolo--arterial oxygen tension difference to inspired oxygen fraction (Aa,DO2/F1O2), oxygen exchange ratio ((AaDO2/Pa,O2), lung compliance (CL), inspiratory airway resistance (RrsI), dead space ratio VD/VT), pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and systemic blood pressure were studied. Changes in quasi-static volume--pressure curves, percentage change in lung water content and gross pathological finding were used to integrate the findings into a system of pathophysiological changes in ARDS. The animal group to which hydrochloric acid was administered shows severe pulmonary distress leading to death within 3.5--7.5 h. No significant changes in the measured parameters could be observed in the control group over a 14 h period. The results suggest that aspiration pneumonitis in Lewe miniature pigs is very suitable to investigate various problems in pathogenesis of ARDS. The model provides reproducible results which correlate very well with findings in different ARDS states. The models serves both to compare clinical states and to search for newer therapeutic manoeuvres.
Isolation of a highly active fructose diphosphatase from rabbit muscle: Its subunit structure and activation by monovalent cations☆

Abstract A simple procedure for the purification of fructose 1,6-diphosphatase from rabbit skeletal muscle yields a stable preparation with a specific activity comparable to that of the enzymes isolated from liver and kidney. The isolated enzyme is homogeneous; it shows a single band on electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels, and sedimentation velocity analysis shows a single, symmetrical species with an s ∘20 w value of 7.52 S. The molecular weight from sedimentation equilibrium measurements was calculated to be 142,000, and the enzyme appears to be a tetramer containing subunits of molecular weight of approximately 35,500. The amino acid composition is distinctly different from that of the rabbit liver or kidney enzymes recently isolated in this laboratory, a major difference being that the muscle enzyme is devoid of tryptophan. The muscle enzyme is extremely sensitive to inhibition by AMP and full activity cannot be assayed in crude muscle extracts unless a system to remove AMP is added. For optimal activity a monovalent cation, such as NH 4 + or K + , must also be present. These ions cannot be replaced by Na + , and Li + is inhibitory. The K m values for Mg 2+ and Mn 2+ are increased by NH 4 + which also induces positive cooperativity in the activation by these divalent cations. The sensitivity toward AMP is increased in the presence of NH4 + . Inhibition by AMP shows positive homotropic cooperativity.
Silicon carbide micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems

Micro-and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS) enable the development of smart products and systems by augmenting the computational ability of microelectronics with perception and control capabilities of micro/nanosensors and micro/nanoactuators. Silicon carbide (SiC) is well known for its excellent properties, making it an outstanding candidate as a structural material for MEMS and NEMS. This paper reviews some of the more significant accomplishments by our group in developing the 3C- polytype of SiC for MEMS and NEMS. Forming the cornerstone of this effort are two key thin film deposition systems that are used to deposit single crystalline and polycrystalline 3C-SiC films for bulk and surface micromachined devices. This paper presents an overview of these two deposition systems, their applicability in MEMS, as well as specific devices that have been fabricated using films from these reactors.
Wages Boards in Australia: II. Boards Outside Victoria. III. Organization and Procedure

II. Boards outside Victoria. 1. South Australia, 326. — 2. Queensland, 332. — 3. New South Wales, 334. — 4. Tasmania, 337.— III. Organization and Procedure. 1. Organization and Appointment, 339. — Grouping of trades, multiplication of boards, 341. — Number of members, 341. — Women, 342. — Chairmen, 343. — "Award" or "determination," 344. — Court of Industrial Appeals in Victoria; of Industrial Arbitration elsewhere, 346. — 2. Wages Boards at work, 347. — Importance of chairman, 350. — Real or apparent waste of time, 353. — Informal proceedings, 355. — Absence of any guiding principle, 356. — Cost of living a conspicuous factor, 357. — In Victoria, true examples of collective bargaining; elsewhere, less so, 360.
Nucleotide sequence of a spinach chloroplast valine tRNA

The nucleotide sequence of a spinach chloroplast valine tRNA (sp. chl. tRNA Val) has been determined. This tRNA shows essentially equal homology to prokaryotic valine tRNAs (58-65% homology) and to the mitochondrial valine tRNAs of lower eukaryotes (yeast and N. crassa, 61-62% homology). Sp. chl. tRNA Val shows distinctly lower homology to mouse mitochondrial valine tRNA (53% homology) and to eukaryotic cytoplasmic valine tRNAs (47-53% homology). Sp. chl. tRNA Val, like all other chloroplast tRNAs sequenced, contains a methylated GG sequence in the dihydrouridine loop and lacks unusual structural features which have been found in several mitochondrial tRNAs.
The newly developed inhaled corticosteroid ciclesonide for the treatment of asthma

Ciclesonide is the most recently developed inhaled corticosteroid for the treatment of asthma to enter global markets. It has been formulated as an aerosol solution in a metered dose inhaler with hydrofluoralkane. The mass median aerodynamic diameter of aerosolised ciclesonide is 1 - 2 microm, providing excellent lung deposition characteristics. Ciclesonide can undergo reversible esterification in the lungs, possibly allowing once-daily dosing, and is highly protein bound, possibly leading to reduced systemic side effects. Clinical trials suggest that ciclesonide effectively controls asthma and has a favourable safety profile.
Decompositions in Categories of Highest Weight Modules

Let g be a semisimple finite-dimensional subalgebra of a Lie algebra a defined over C. To analyze an a-module X we often restrict the action from a to g and decompose X as a g-module. For example, if X is U(g)-locally finite then X is completely reducible as a g-module. In this article we focus on this decomposition problem not in cases when X is U(g)-locally finite but instead when X admits a nondegenerate g-invariant bilinear form. Irreducible a-modules often admit invariant bilinear or Hermitian forms which by irreducibility are nondegenerate (or zero). This leads us to study a category 9 of g-modules X that are highest weight modules and admit nondegenerate invariant bilinear forms. Our first main result, Theorem 1.8, gives an essentially unique decomposition of X into indecomposable selfdual submodules and classifies these indecomposable self-dual modules. The choice of category studied here is further suggested by the role of the Zuckerman derived functors ri [12]. These functors are fundamental to representation theory and the theory of Harish-Chandra modules. Let A be a real semisimple Lie group with Lie algebra a,, and complex Lie algebra a Let G be a maximal compact subgroup of A with complex Lie algebra g. Let p = m@u be a parabolic subalgebra of g with reductive component m and nilradical u and set s = dim(u). The functors r’ are the right derived functors of the g-finite submodule functor defined on the category of U(m)-locally finite g-modules. Theorem 1.8, recast using derived functors, would assert that any X in 9 has an essentially unique decomposition into special indecomposable submodules A4 which have cohomology PA4 = 0 for all i except possibly i = s.
Diagnosis of Inhalant Allergies: Patient History and Testing

In the United States, roughly 20% to 25% of the general adult population is afflicted by some form of chronic allergic respiratory disease, making allergy one of the most commonly diagnosed disorders. Among children, allergic disease is more common, with some sources estimating that it affects up to 40% of children. The focus of this article involves making the diagnosis of the most familiar and best understood of the hypersensitivity reactions, type 1 hypersensitivity, also termed immediate hypersensitivity. Although type 1 hypersensitivity can be caused by ingestion of food antigens or pharmaceuticals, this article focuses on IgE-mediated allergic disease caused primarily by inhalant allergens.
APOBEC deaminases-mutases with defensive roles for immunity

In recent years, tremendous progress has been made in the elucidation of the biological roles and molecular mechanisms of the apolioprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide (APOBEC) family of enzymes. The APOBEC family of cytidine deaminases has important functional roles within the adaptive and innate immune system. Activation induced cytidine deaminase (AID) plays a central role in the biochemical steps of somatic hypermutation and class switch recombination during antibody maturation, and the APOBEC 3 enzymes are able to inhibit the mobility of retroelements and the replication of retroviruses and DNA viruses, such as the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 and hepatitis B virus. Recent advances in structural and functional studies of the APOBEC enzymes provide new biochemical insights for how these enzymes carry out their biological roles. In this review, we provide an overview of these recent advances in the APOBEC field with a special emphasis on AID and APOBEC3G.
Celebrity Studies Today

Celebrity, being often unearned and ephemeral, is the lowest form of fame. Nevertheless, it’s a real and fascinating display of personal significance in our time. Celebrities are, of course, questionable role models, but characters of strange and singular greatness such as Elvis and Michael Jackson, everyone knows, aren’t really to be imitated. Celebrities, although they often have interesting political and spiritual opinions, are easily distinguished from political leaders. Celebrity, I show, is more a downside than not of democracy.
Transcript levels of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA repair gene RAD18 increase in UV irradiated cells and during meiosis but not during the mitotic cell cycle

We have examined the transcript levels of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA repair gene RAD18 in UV irradiated cells, in the mitotic cell cycle, and during meiosis. Levels of RAD18 mRNA increased upon UV irradiation, but remained constant during the mitotic cell cycle. During meiosis, RAD18 mRNA levels rose about 4 fold at a stage coincident with the period when high levels of genetic recombination occur. RAD18 resembles the other DNA repair genes, RAD2, RAD6, RAD7, RAD23, and RAD54, all of which also exhibit increased transcription in response to DNA damage and during meiosis. Comparisons of sequences in 5' flanking regions of RAD genes suggest that different upstream sequences are involved in regulating the expression of DNA repair genes belonging to different epistasis groups.
Origin Stories in Political Thought: Discourses on Gender, Power, and Citizenship

Origin Stories in Political Thought: Discourses on Gender, Power, and Citizenship. By Joanne H. Wright. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2004. 260p. $50.00. The author's express purpose in this book is “to cast a critical eye on the origins motif as it surfaces in the tradition of political thought” (p. 23). “Political origin stories,” Joanne Wright tells us, “are narratives about the beginnings of politics and power” (p. 3). Origin narratives may be used to consolidate existing or threatened political arrangements, or to inspire radical efforts to reconfigure the prevailing terms of political identity and civic consociation. The crucial thing to note about origin stories is that they function as foundational narratives, effectively setting uncontested and quasi-ontological terms for political identity, aspiration, and legitimacy. In short, though politically motivated, origin stories are perversely antipolitical, in the sense that they “confer upon politics the permanence of nature” (p. 10). Origin stories have a number of other troubling aspects and effects, including “their manipulation of history, their naturalization of conventional political relations, and their function as justificatory scripts of citizenship” (p. 22). The myth of the metals from Plato's Republic offers an exemplary case of the origin story: “the autochthonous myth of the metals justifies and elicits consent to a hierarchical ordering of classes in the republic” (p. 4).
Motor unit number estimates—From A to Z

Quantitation has become an increasingly important part of clinical EMG. Most aspects of peripheral nerve and muscle function can be evaluated quantitatively using commonly available neurophysiologic methods. Because of the effects of collateral sprouting and reinnervation, techniques to measure the number of motor units supplying a muscle have been more difficult to develop. Motor unit number estimation (MUNE) consists of a number of different methods that evaluate the last unmeasured variable in nerve disease. The various MUNE techniques and their common technical issues will be reviewed, and potential clinical and research applications emphasized.
Androstenedione Is the Preferred Androgen Source in Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer—Letter

Fankhauser and colleagues recently report on pathways of androgen metabolism and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) synthesis in prostate cancer ([1][1]). Two possibilities for the fate of the adrenal steroid androstenedione in peripheral tissues are conversion to testosterone or 5α-reduction to 5α-
Role of Minerals in Formation of Hydrocarbons During Pyrolysis of Organic Matter--a Material Balance Approach: ABSTRACT

Monterey Formation and Green River Formation kerogens (types II and I, respectively) were isolated, mixed with common sedimentary minerals, and pyrolyzed under dry and hydrous conditions for various times and temperatures. Analysis of all the pyrolyses products were conducted to perform a material balance and to infer reaction kinetics and mechanisms. Material balance of the pyrolyses products, in the presence and absence of minerals, reveals that the kerogen degradation results in the formation of bitumen rich in high molecular weight compounds in the initial stages, followed by additional cracking of kerogen and bitumen. However, amount and type of hydrocarbons in the pyrolyses products of kerogen in the presence of montmorillonite are markedly different from those produced by heating kerogen alone or with other minerals. The initial amount of products in the presence of montmorillonite, and in particular the quantities of low molecular weight hydrocarbons, are higher than those in the presence of illite, calcite, and kerogen alone. The composition of these low molecular weight compounds is dominated by branched hydrocarbons, ind cating catalytic cracking via carbonium ion mechanism, which is initiated on acidic sites of the clay. Compositional differences are evident also in the distribution of n-alkanes and in the pristane/phytane ratio. The catalytic effect of montmorillonite, however, disappears in the presence of excess water. These differences may have important implications for the composition and quantities of petroleum generated from source rocks with different mineralogies. End_of_Article - Last_Page 310------------
Expression of β-Expansins Is Correlated with Internodal Elongation in Deepwater Rice

Fourteen putative rice (Oryza sativa) β-expansin genes, Os-EXPB1 through Os-EXPB14, were identified in the expressed sequence tag and genomic databases. The DNA and deduced amino acid sequences are highly conserved in all 14 β-expansins. They have a series of conserved C (cysteine) residues in the N-terminal half of the protein, an HFD (histidine-phenylalanine-aspartate) motif in the central region, and a series of W (tryptophan) residues near the carboxyl terminus. Five β-expansin genes are expressed in deepwater rice internodes, with especially high transcript levels in the growing region. Expression of four β-expansin genes in the internode was induced by treatment with gibberellin and by wounding. The wound response resulted from excising stem sections or from piercing pinholes into the stem of intact plants. The level of wound-induced β-expansin transcripts declined rapidly 5 h after cutting of stem sections. We conclude that the expression of β-expansin genes is correlated with rapid elongation of deepwater rice internodes, it is induced by gibberellin and wounding, and wound-induced β-expansin mRNA appears to turn over rapidly.
Breast-feeding and risk for childhood obesity : Does maternal diabetes or obesity status matter?

OBJECTIVE — We sought to evaluate whether maternal diabetes or weight status attenuates a previously reported beneficial effect of breast-feeding on childhood obesity. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS — Growing Up Today Study (GUTS) participants were offspring of women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study II. In the present study, 15,253 girls and boys (aged 9–14 years in 1996) were included. Maternal diabetes and weight status and infant feeding were obtained by maternal self-report. We defined maternal overweight as BMI ≥25 kg/m 2 . Childhood obesity, from self-reported height and weight, was based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definitions as normal, at risk for overweight, or overweight. Maternal status categories were nondiabetes/normal weight, nondiabetes/overweight, or diabetes. Logistic regression models used generalized estimating equations to account for nonindependence between siblings. RESULTS — For all subjects combined, breast-feeding was associated with reduced overweight (compared with normal weight) in childhood. Compared with exclusive use of formula, the odds ratio (OR) for exclusive breast-feeding was 0.66 (95% CI 0.53–0.82), adjusted for age, sex, and Tanner stage. Results did not differ according to maternal status (nondiabetes/normal weight OR 0.73 [95% CI 0.49–1.09]; nondiabetes/overweight 0.75 [0.57–0.99]; and diabetes 0.62 [0.24–1.60]). Further adjustment for potential confounders attenuated results, but results remained consistent across strata of maternal status ( P value for interaction was 0.50). CONCLUSIONS — Breast-feeding was inversely associated with childhood obesity regardless of maternal diabetes status or weight status. These data provide support for all mothers to breast-feed their infants to reduce the risk for childhood overweight.
Clickable Nucleic Acids: Sequence‐Controlled Periodic Copolymer/Oligomer Synthesis by Orthogonal Thiol‐X Reactions

Synthetic polymer approaches generally lack the ability to control the primary sequence, with sequence control referred to as the holy grail. Two click chemistry reactions were now combined to form nucleobase-containing sequence-controlled polymers in simple polymerization reactions. Two distinct approaches are used to form these click nucleic acid (CNA) polymers. These approaches employ thiol-ene and thiol-Michael reactions to form homopolymers of a single nucleobase (e.g., poly(A)n ) or homopolymers of specific repeating nucleobase sequences (e.g., poly(ATC)n). Furthermore, the incorporation of monofunctional thiol-terminated polymers into the polymerization system enables the preparation of multiblock copolymers in a single reaction vessel; the length of the diblock copolymer can be tuned by the stoichiometric ratio and/or the monomer functionality. These polymers are also used for organogel formation where complementary CNA-based polymers form reversible crosslinks.
A plurality voting method for acquisition of regenerative ranging measurements

Sequential tone ranging and regenerative ranging may both be considered to consist of two parts: acquisition of the ranging clock phase, from which the range accuracy is derived, and a resolution of the range ambiguity that remains when only the clock period is considered. With sequential tone ranging, the ambiguity is resolved by dividing the frequency of the ranging tone in steps until the remaining ambiguity is resolved by knowledge of the spacecraft position. With regenerative ranging, the ambiguity is resolved by a determination of the phase of a long ranging code. This code phase is determined by both the spacecraft, which then regenerates the code, and by the ground station. It is possible to have sufficient signal-to-noise ratio to provide good range measurement accuracy with regenerative ranging and yet have insufficient signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to acquire the proper range code phase at the ground station for each individual range measurement. A set of range measurements may be processed together to determine the proper range ambiguity resolution even when none of the individual measurements is reliable. An approach of processing together a set of measurements has been developed and applied to data from the New Horizons mission while the spacecraft was in excess of 22 Astronautical Units from Earth. The value of T*Pr/No was less than 30 dB, making normal processing of the data unreliable. Consistent and correct results have been demonstrated even when the initial range phase values were scattered over the entire possible range of values. This paper will present the method of processing together a set of range measurements and show the application of this method to New Horizons data. The predicted probability of success as a function of the number of available points and the signal-to-noise ratio of the individual points is presented. The SNR required for correct acquisition of the ranging code can be reduced by 15 dB relative to the requirement for individual range measurements when 120 range measurements are processed together. This approach expands the conditions over which regenerative ranging will be successful in deep space missions.
The nature of white matter abnormalities in blast-related mild traumatic brain injury

Blast-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been a common injury among returning troops due to the widespread use of improvised explosive devices in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. As most of the TBIs sustained are in the mild range, brain changes may not be detected by standard clinical imaging techniques such as CT. Furthermore, the functional significance of these types of injuries is currently being debated. However, accumulating evidence suggests that diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is sensitive to subtle white matter abnormalities and may be especially useful in detecting mild TBI (mTBI). The primary aim of this study was to use DTI to characterize the nature of white matter abnormalities following blast-related mTBI, and in particular, examine the extent to which mTBI-related white matter abnormalities are region-specific or spatially heterogeneous. In addition, we examined whether mTBI with loss of consciousness (LOC) was associated with more extensive white matter abnormality than mTBI without LOC, as well as the potential moderating effect of number of blast exposures. A second aim was to examine the relationship between white matter integrity and neurocognitive function. Finally, a third aim was to examine the contribution of PTSD symptom severity to observed white matter alterations. One hundred fourteen OEF/OIF veterans underwent DTI and neuropsychological examination and were divided into three groups including a control group, blast-related mTBI without LOC (mTBI - LOC) group, and blast-related mTBI with LOC (mTBI + LOC) group. Hierarchical regression models were used to examine the extent to which mTBI and PTSD predicted white matter abnormalities using two approaches: 1) a region-specific analysis and 2) a measure of spatial heterogeneity. Neurocognitive composite scores were calculated for executive functions, attention, memory, and psychomotor speed. Results showed that blast-related mTBI + LOC was associated with greater odds of having spatially heterogeneous white matter abnormalities. Region-specific reduction in fractional anisotropy (FA) in the left retrolenticular part of the internal capsule was observed in the mTBI + LOC group as the number of blast exposures increased. A mediation analysis revealed that mTBI + LOC indirectly influenced verbal memory performance through its effect on white matter integrity. PTSD was not associated with spatially heterogeneous white matter abnormalities. However, there was a suggestion that at higher levels of PTSD symptom severity, LOC was associated with reduced FA in the left retrolenticular part of the internal capsule. These results support postmortem reports of diffuse axonal injury following mTBI and suggest that injuries with LOC involvement may be particularly detrimental to white matter integrity. Furthermore, these results suggest that LOC-associated white matter abnormalities in turn influence neurocognitive function.
Organizational Strategy: An Ecological Perspective

This study demonstrates the application of theories and models from organizational ecology to the study of organizational strategy. Competition between strategic groups and the effects of environme...
Efficient switch clustering for distributed controllers of OpenFlow network with bi-connectivity

Control planes of Software Defined Networking have faced a scalability issue because they have been widely applied for large scale networks. To address this issue, control planes with multi-controllers such as Onix and HyperFlow have been proposed in which controllers share global network view. Since the global network view includes topology, states and events of a network, shared information could become larger when governed network is large and complicated. Thus, Onix have proposed reduction method of the information by abstracting switches as a single virtual switch. However, there is a lack of discussion about reliability of virtual switches that depends on topology of abstracted networks. To improve reliability of the virtual switches, there are two viewpoints: (1) administrative areas of controllers, and (2) limitation of abstraction areas. Hence, this paper proposes construction method of more dependable virtual switches focusing on bi-connectivity and reduction of shared information using the virtual switches. Our experimental results show that our reduction method can improve reliability of virtual switches and curb the number of edges in a federation graph that is regarded as shared information.
Computing Nash Equilibria in Generalized Interdependent Security Games

We study the computational complexity of computing Nash equilibria in generalized interdependent-security (IDS) games. Like traditional IDS games, originally introduced by economists and risk-assessment experts Heal and Kunreuther about a decade ago, generalized IDS games model agents' voluntary investment decisions when facing potential direct risk and transfer-risk exposure from other agents. A distinct feature of generalized IDS games, however, is that full investment can reduce transfer risk. As a result, depending on the transfer-risk reduction level, generalized IDS games may exhibit strategic complementarity (SC) or strategic substitutability (SS). We consider three variants of generalized IDS games in which players exhibit only SC, only SS, and both SC+SS. We show that determining whether there is a pure-strategy Nash equilibrium (PSNE) in SC+SS-type games is NP-complete, while computing a single PSNE in SC-type games takes worst-case polynomial time. As for the problem of computing all mixed-strategy Nash equilibria (MSNE) efficiently, we produce a partial characterization. Whenever each agent in the game is indiscriminate in terms of the transfer-risk exposure to the other agents, a case that Kearns and Ortiz originally studied in the context of traditional IDS games in their NIPS 2003 paper, we can compute all MSNE that satisfy some ordering constraints in polynomial time in all three game variants. Yet, there is a computational barrier in the general (transfer) case: we show that the computational problem is as hard as the Pure-Nash-Extension problem, also originally introduced by Kearns and Ortiz, and that it is NP-complete for all three variants. Finally, we experimentally examine and discuss the practical impact that the additional protection from transfer risk allowed in generalized IDS games has on MSNE by solving several randomly-generated instances of SC+SS-type games with graph structures taken from several real-world datasets.
Effect of endogenous vasopressin on blood flow to choroid plexus during hypoxia and intracranial hypertension

Exogenous vasopressin decreases blood flow to the choroid plexus and production of cerebrospinal fluid. Some studies indicate that hypoxia and increases in intracranial pressure (ICP) produce incre...
Carbon‐13 NMR of some representative reactive small ring nitrogen heterocycles

The PFT 13C NMR spectra of some representative 1-azirines are discussed. Two striking features are the large 13C1H spin coupling constants and the diagnostic chemical shift of C3.
Perceptions of Cancer Risk: Differences by Weight Status

Despite the strong link between obesity and cancer development, individuals are less likely to identify obesity as a risk factor for cancer than family history. Family history of cancer has been documented to influence perceived risk of developing cancer, yet it is unclear if excess weight impacts cancer risk perceptions. The purpose of this study was to examine absolute and relative risk perceptions for cancer by weight status. Cross-sectional data were obtained from the National Cancer Institute’s 2011 Health Information National Trends Survey (n = 2585). Demographics, anthropometric data, family history of cancer, health behaviors, and absolute and relative cancer risk perceptions were evaluated. The effect of weight and family history on absolute and relative cancer risk perceptions was analyzed through weighted descriptive and logistic regression analyses. 22.8 and 28.6 % of subjects reported that they were very unlikely/unlikely to develop cancer in their lifetime (absolute risk) and when compared to others their age (relative risk), respectively. Findings indicated differences in risk perceptions between those with and without a family history of cancer (p < 0.0001). No significant differences were found between BMI categories for absolute cancer risk perceptions despite stratification by family history. Obese subjects were more likely to have an increased relative risk perception of cancer compared to healthy weight subjects (p = 0.0066); this association remained significant when stratified by family history (p = 0.0161). Educating individuals, especially those who are overweight/obese, about the impact of excess weight on cancer risk may improve risk accuracy and promote cancer risk reduction through weight management.
Origin and evolution of North American cratonic basins

Analysis of the tectonic subsidence histories of the Illinois, Michigan, Williston, and Hudson Bay basins demonstrates that they formed by initial fault-controlled mechanical subsidence during newly-developed or reactivated rifting, followed by subsequent thermal subsidence, and later subsidence in response to the isostatically uncompensated excess mass of a cooled igneous body. Initiation of thermal subsidence in the Illinois, Williston, and Michigan basins occurred during a narrow time interval ranging from 530 to 500 Ma, whereas in the Hudson Bay basin, it occurred around 400 Ma
A 25-Year Prospective Mortality Study in the Spinal Cord Injured Patient: Comparison with the Long-Term Living Paraplegic

Herein we combine 2 studies: a 25-year prospective followup on 270 spinal cord injury patients and a more than 20-year (average 24.2 years) evaluation of 175 paraplegics. The mortality rate was 49 per cent after 25 years, with renal disease as the major cause of death (43 per cent). Vascular deaths were just as prevalent during the last 5 years of spinal cord life. There are probably several reasons why some patients have long-term survival (more than 20 years), including patient motivation (better followup), less vascular problems, less chronic decubitus and a higher percentage of lower motor neuron lesions. Patients with lower motor neuron lesions had the best bladder status associated with less upper tract deterioration.
Physical therapy for children with chronic lung disease

Chronic lung disease is a major health problem among children. Estimates suggest that one child in six has a chronic respiratory condition. This article reviews three common chronic respiratory conditions occurring in childhood for which physical therapy is usually recommended. The cause, pathophysiology, and medical treatment are explained for asthma, respiratory complications of chronic neuromuscular disease, and cystic fibrosis. The rationale for physical therapy and the concepts of treatment for the three disorders are presented. Major clinical studies that have attempted to document the efficacy of physical therapy are discussed. Questions for future research are proposed.
Simulation study of the effect of molar mass dispersity on domain interfacial roughness in lamellae forming block copolymers for directed self-assembly.

A coarse-grained molecular dynamics model was used to study the thin film self-assembly and resulting pattern properties of block copolymer (BCP) systems with various molar mass dispersities. Diblock copolymers (i.e. A-b-B type) were simulated in an aligned lamellar state, which is one of the most common patterns of potential use for integrated circuit fabrication via directed self-assembly of BCPs. Effects of the molar mass dispersity (Ð) on feature pitch and interfacial roughness, which are critical lithographic parameters that have a direct impact on integrated circuit performance, were simulated. It was found that for a realistic distribution of polymer molecular weights, modeled by a Wesslau distribution, both line edge roughness (LER) and line width roughness (LWR) increase approximately linearly with increasing Ð, up to ∼45% of the monodisperse value at Ð = 1.5. Mechanisms of compensation for increased A-A and B-B roughness were considered. It was found that long and short chain positions were not correlated, and that long chains were significantly deformed in shape. The increase in LWR was due to the increase in LER and a constant correlation between the line edges. Unaligned systems show a correlation between domain width and local molecular weight, while systems aligned on an alternating pattern of A and B lines did not show any correlation. When the volume fraction of individual chains was allowed to vary, similar results were found when considering the Ð of the block as opposed to the Ð of the entire system.
Finders Keepers: Forfeiture Laws, Policing, and Local Budgets

To encourage anti-drug policing, the federal government and many state governments have enacted laws that allow police agencies to keep a substantial fraction of the assets that they seize in drug arrests. We use rich new data on police seizures and local spending to explore the reactions of both governments and police to the incentives created by these policies. We find that local governments offset police seizures by reducing their other allocations to police, partially undermining the incentives laid out in statute and diverting the earmarked funds to other purposes. Police, in turn, respond to the real net incentives for seizures, once local offsets are taken into account, by increasing the drug arrest rate. Heroin prices also increase, suggesting that the increased emphasis on anti-drug policing raises the supply costs of illicit drugs. These findings highlight both the promise and pitfalls of using financial incentives to solve agency problems in a federal system: both local agents and intervening governments have sophisticated responses to financial incentives, and these responses must be taken into account in both designing effective policies and evaluating their consequences. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
What Happens the Morning After? Post-Baccalaureate Health, Family, and Educational Outcomes of Fraternity and Sorority Members

Collegiate social Greek letter organizations, known as fraternities and sororities, are longstanding and prevalent fixtures on college and university campuses in the United States. Prior research has shown that membership alters academic performance, health-related behaviors, and social interactions during college. Here, we examine if membership also corresponds to similar post-baccalaureate outcomes. Among our primary findings, membership is shown to have no effect on the probability of post-college alcohol consumption, but increases the probability male drinkers consume what they consider “too much” when they do drink. For both genders, membership is also found to increase the probabilities of marrying a college graduate and obtaining a graduate degree.
Implications of Behavioral Momentum Theory for Intervention in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Behavioral momentum theory (BMT) is a quantitative model used to describe the persistence of behavior in the face of varying challenges (e.g., extinction, distraction). Generally, BMT predicts that responses that occur under stimulus conditions associated with denser reinforcement will persist in the face of challenges to a greater extent than responses that occur under conditions associated with leaner reinforcement. In this chapter, we consider ways in which BMT has made contact with the literature on behavioral intervention for persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental disorders. We first review early studies that sought simply to establish the relevance of BMT for understanding behavior in these populations. We then discuss how the momentum framework has been implicated in programs to both strengthen adaptive behavior and decrease problem behavior. Recent basic research on BMT has revealed that the set of variables that predict response persistence similarly influence various forms of behavioral reemergence or relapse. We consider how these findings have recently been brought to bear on the concept of treatment relapse in neurodevelopmental disorders. Throughout the chapter, we offer a variety of questions raised about these relations and future avenues for research on the applied implications, many involving how BMT intersects with core diagnostic features of ASD.
Low cost lighter-than-air data acquisition and flight control system

The primary purpose of this investigation was to see if an inexpensive data acquisition and flight control avionics system could be created using a commercial off-the-shelf cell phone coupled with an Iridium Short Burst Data (SBD) device. In order to be successful, the avionics system would need to reliably perform data acquisition and recording as well as send data to and receive commands from a ground station. A system consisting of a standard Android S5 cell phone running a custom app, Iridium SBD, Texas Instruments (TI) Sensor Tag, DC-DC converter, metal heat sink and lithium battery pack power supply was enclosed in a Styrofoam container and placed on a boom of a balloon gondola, which launched from Fort Sumner, New Mexico on September 4th, 2015. At the same time, the ground station consisted of a standard laptop attached to an Iridium SBD device running custom ground station software in San Antonio, Texas, approximately 500 miles away from the launch site. The cell phone based avionics system captured and transmitted data as well as received commands from the ground station, while the ground station received data packets from and sent commands to the avionics system. This paper discusses the architecture and design of the system, the results of the flight test, and finally how the system could be used in further high altitude ballooning applications.
GPU-ArraySort: A Parallel, In-Place Algorithm for Sorting Large Number of Arrays

Modern day analytics deals with big datasets from diverse fields. For many application the data is in the form of an array which consists of large number of smaller arrays. Existing techniques focus on sorting a single large array and cannot be used for sorting large number of smaller arrays in an efficient manner. Currently no such algorithm is available which can sort such large number of arrays utilizing the massively parallel architecture of GPU devices. In this paper we present a highly scalable parallel algorithm, called GPU-ArraySort, for sorting large number of arrays using a GPU. Our algorithm performs in-place operations and makes minimum use of any temporary run-time memory. Our results indicate that we can sort up to 2 million arrays having 1000 elements each, within few seconds. We compare our results with the unorthodox tagged array sorting technique based on NVIDIAs Thrust library. GPU-ArraySort out-performs the tagged array sorting technique by sorting three times more data in a much smaller time. The developed tool and strategy will be made available at https://github.com/pcdslab/.
Isolation of Highly Pure Primary Mouse Alveolar Epithelial Type II Cells by Flow Cytometric Cell Sorting

In this protocol, we describe the method for isolating highly pure primary alveolar epithelial type II (ATII) cells from lungs of naive mice. The method combines negative selection for a variety of lineage markers along with positive selection for EpCAM, a pan-epithelial cell marker. This method yields 2-3 × 106 ATII cells per mouse lung. The cell preps are highly pure and viable and can be used for genomic or proteomic analyses or cultured ex vivo to understand their roles in various biological processes.
A compact 100-A, 850-V, silicon carbide solid-state DC circuit breaker

A 100-A, 850-V, solid-state circuit breaker (SSCB) having silicon carbide transistors and diodes was developed. The SSCB conducts 100 A continuously with air cooling in a 32 square-centimeter footprint. It is normally off and unidirectionally blocking, and has a configurable trip response allowing a range of overcurrent transients to be conducted, while maintaining a fast trip response at its fault-current limit. The SSCB also provides remote trip, status output, and reset functions. The time-versus-current trip response of the SSCB was characterized at 25, 50, and 75 degrees Celsius baseplate temperatures using pulsed currents with ramp rates of over 70 amps per microsecond. Saw-tooth-shaped current pulse widths of less than 5 microseconds, with amplitudes of greater than 200 A, were demonstrated.
Social status, everyday interpersonal processes, and coronary heart disease: A social psychophysiological view

Lower socioeconomic position is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease. This robust gradient is found across levels of socioeconomic position and after controlling access to health care and traditional biological and behavioral risk factors. Thus, previous theory and research has examined the role of other, relatively static psychosocial factors (e.g., social isolation and negative emotional traits) that may account for this association. Utilizing an interpersonal perspective on psychosocial risk (Smith & Cundiff, 2011; Smith, Gallo, & Ruiz, 2003; Smith, Glazer, Ruiz, & Gallo, 2004), this review examines the role of recurring interpersonal experiences and their physiological effects as a pathway linking socioeconomic position and coronary heart disease. Specifically, we focus on proximal interpersonal experiences that may not only explain the increased prevalence of more chronic psychosocial vulnerabilities in lower socioeconomic environments and individuals but may also link those psychosocial vulnerabilities to the momentary physiological mechanisms (i.e., stress responses) that directly contribute to coronary heart disease. Recurring experiences of reduced support and increased conflict in important personal relationships, work stress, multiple aspects of interactions with higher-status others, the effects of negative stereotypes about lower socioeconomic groups and individuals, greater use of suppressive strategies for emotion regulation and greater negative consequences for more direct and expressive social behavior, and greater engagement in perseverative cognition all plausibly combine to perpetuate psychosocial risk and produce overall greater physiological burden at lower levels of socioeconomic position.
The friendly skies

Skyscrapers and other human incursions are exacting an increasing toll on aerial species. Can we make their lives easier, asks Lesley Evans Ogden
Factors Associated With Radiation Treatment Compliance for Women With Cervical Cancer in a Safety Net Health System.

Objective The aim of the study was to determine whether patient characteristics are associated with radiation treatment noncompliance. Methods/Materials We retrospectively studied 244 patients with cervical cancer treated with chemoradiation between May 2006 and August 2015 at a safety net health center. Compliance with treatment was defined as missing less than 2 days of scheduled radiation. Results Treatment records revealed a compliance rate of 50.8% in this population. Factors associated with noncompliance were younger age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.037; P = 0.004), presence of psychiatric diagnosis (HR, 0.581; P = 0.044), and having insurance (HR, 0.484; P = 0.022). Noncompliance was associated with a decrease in disease-free survival (HR, 0.555; P = 0.042) but was not associated with overall survival. International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage was associated with detriment in overall survival on multivariate analysis (HR, 2.034; P = 0.001). Conclusions Younger patients, those with psychiatric illness, and those with insurance define a group that is more likely to be noncompliant with treatment and hence may require up-front intervention to improve outcomes.
Copper Inhibits the AlkB Family DNA Repair Enzymes under Wilson’s Disease Condition

Disturbed metabolism of copper ions can cause diseases such as Wilson’s disease (WD). In this work, we investigated the inhibitory effect of Cu(II) ion in vitro on the AlkB family DNA repair enzymes, which are members of the Fe(II)/alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase and include human ALKBH2, ALKBH3, and E. coli AlkB proteins. None of the three proteins was significantly inhibited under normal cellular copper concentrations. However, under WD related condition, we observed that the activities of all three enzymes were strongly suppressed (from 95.2 to 100.0%). We also noted the repair efficiency under ds-DNA condition was less susceptible than ss-DNA to the inhibition.