cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermally Assisted Magnetic Tunneling Junction for Biosensing Applications

We present a concept of the thermally assisted magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ)-based biosensor. The sensor consists of an MTJ, an isolation layer, and a gold coating layer right underneath a biocoating layer. During the sensing phase, a current pulse heats the top free ferromagnet of the MTJ stack above its blocking temperature. The top magnet loses its magnetization at this point. During the cool down period, the top free magnet picks up its magnetization orientation based on the external magnetic field. A vertical excitation field is applied to excite the superparamagnetic biolabels during the sensing phase. If there is no magnetic biolabel captured by the sensing cell, the magnetization in MTJ top free magnetic layer will be programmed by the fringe field from the bottom pinned magnet and will be anti-parallel to the latter. If there are one or more magnetic labels captured by the sensing cell, the superparamagnetic nanoparticle(s) will generate fringe field. The top magnet follows the orientation of the in-plane fringe field component, which is parallel to the pinned bottom magnet. The sensing result can be read out by measuring the tunneling resistance of the MTJ cell. The proposed biosensor design can achieve high sensitivity in three different ways: 1) the magnetic sensing and electronic read-out operations are decoupled in time domain; 2) the binary readout increases the signal to noise ratio significantly; and 3) thermally assisted magnetic sensing decouples the sensor sensitivity from the magnetic stiffness of the sensing layer. Our simulation results demonstrate sensitivity sufficient for single nanoparticle detection. The thermal analysis indicates that the temperature on the top surface of gold layer can be maintained below 50 degC in order to avoid damage to the biocoating layer.
The Genotype–Phenotype Map of Yeast Complex Traits: Basic Parameters and the Role of Natural Selection

Most phenotypic traits are controlled by many genes, but a global picture of the genotype–phenotype map (GPM) is lacking. For example, in no species do we know generally how many genes affect a trait and how large these effects are. It is also unclear to what extent GPMs are shaped by natural selection. Here we address these fundamental questions using the reverse genetic data of 220 morphological traits in 4,718 budding yeast strains, each of which lacks a nonessential gene. We show that 1) the proportion of genes affecting a trait varies from 30%, averaging 6%, 2) most traits are impacted by many more small-effect genes than large-effect genes, and 3) the mean effect of all nonessential genes on a trait decreases precipitously as the estimated importance of the trait to fitness increases. An analysis of 3,116 yeast gene expression traits in 754 gene-deletion strains reveals a similar pattern. These findings illustrate the power of genome-wide reverse genetics in genotype–phenotype mapping, uncover an enormous range of genetic complexity of phenotypic traits, and suggest that the GPM of cellular organisms has been shaped by natural selection for mutational robustness.
Potent Antipsoriatic Agents: A Facile Preparation of Acylated Derivatives from Dithranol in a Mild Basic Reaction

Treatment of dithranol 1 with various equivalents of acetyl chloride and Et 3 N in THF at room temperature afforded the corresponding acylated derivatives, such as 1-acetyloxy- and 1,8-diacetyloxy-9(10H)-anthracenones, 6a,and 6b, as well as 1,8,9-triacetyloxyanthracene 7a, and 1,8,9-triacetyloxy-10-acetylanthracene 7b. 1,8-Bis(trimethylacetyloxy)-9(10H)-anthracenone 6c was also obtained in high yield by using pivaloyl chloride during the mild acylation.
The effect of intraspecific competition on progeny sex ratio in Gonatocerus spp. for Homalodisca coagulata egg masses: Economic implications for mass rearing and biological control

The eVect of the number of simultaneously ovipositing females on progeny sex ratio of three Homalodisca coagulata egg parasitoids, Gonatocerus ashmeadi, G. triguttatus, and G. fasciatus was investigated in the laboratory. When one female Gonatocerus parasitoid was present, progeny production was strongly female biased producing »1 male:8 females, 1:14 and 1:9 for G. ashmeadi, G. triguttatus and G. fasciatus, respectively. Increasing the number of simultaneous ovipositing females from 1 to 3, signiWcantly increased percentage of male oVspring by up to 61% for all three Gonatocerus species. Overall percentage male oVspring ranged from 31–34%, and did not signiWcantly diVer among species. Overall mean percentage parasitism by G. ashmeadi was up to 16% higher compared with G. triguttatus and G. fasciatus, whereas, average clutch size and mean progeny production was more than twofold higher for G. fasciatus when compared with G. ashmeadi and G. triguttatus. Additional laboratory trials with only G. ashmeadi demonstrated that when H. coagulata egg masses consisted of 2–13 eggs, 67–100% of females allocated one male oVspring per egg mass. When one egg mass was presented to Wve female G. ashmeadi searching concurrently, male oVspring was up to 22% higher compared with male oVspring from host eggs exposed to one female G. ashmeadi. Experiments indicated that allocation of male eggs was not inXuenced by constant female-to-female contact for 19 h prior to host exposure, and female G. ashmeadi did not alter allocation of male eggs when sibling and non-sibling conspeciWcs were contesting host egg masses. The economic signiWcance for mass rearing is substantial. For G. ashmeadi at 2003 production costs and under optimal conditions, estimated cost per female was $1.42, under suboptimal conditions, cost per female increased to $4.51; a 218% increase in production cost per female parasitoid. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
An auto configuration system for the GMSEC architecture and API

Summary form only given. GMSEC is a conglomeration of tasks built around a message bus architecture established in 2001 to coordinate ground and flight data systems development and services at GSFC. The auto configuration system provides ubiquitous configuration management for all components running on a mission operation center. This is accomplished by creating a set of GMSEC compliant configuration management agent (CMA) tools, extensions to the GMSEC API as well a self configuring middleware (GMSEC Message Bus). Automatic configuration is part of the autonomic computing model being developed for net generation missions at GSFC. The core of the system is handled by a special purpose middleware design and implementation. The GMSEC Message Bus is the central part of the entire system. It handles all communication between the CMA and the GMSEC API core extension. The CMA is a GMSEC component that uses the Message Bus for communications. Similarly, the GMSEC API core extension uses the GMSEC Message Bus to communicate with any present CMAs in the network. The GMSEC Message Bus has become the middleware of choice for prototyping, developing and testing GMSEC components. The CMA and GMSEC API core extensions are currently in prototype status. This is because the product and the idea are still quite young. The first set of users is expected to emerge in the near future as the awareness of the system spreads out.
Plain abdominal radiographs and abdominal CT scans for nontraumatic abdominal pain--added value?

We conducted a retrospective descriptive study to determine the value of plain abdominal radiographs in emergency department (ED) patients also receiving abdominal computed tomography scans (CT) for the evaluation of nontraumatic abdominal, back and flank pain (NTAP). Cases were identified through radiology log books. Medical records and radiology reports were reviewed to determine whether the CT confirmed the findings of the plain abdominal radiographs, and whether the clinical course confirmed the results of either. Test characteristics for the plain abdominal radiograph and for the CT, using the clinical course including subsequent invasive procedures as the gold standard, were calculated. Of 177 patients who received CTs, 97 (55%) also received plain abdominal radiographs. Among the 74 patients who were admitted to the hospital and had complete data, the sensitivity and specificity for the plain abdominal radiographs were .43 and .75 respectively, compared to .91 and .94 for the CT scan (P(sens.) < .05, P(spec.) < .05). In 4 patients (5%), both studies failed to identify pathology shown in a subsequent procedure. In ED patients with NTAP, the plain abdominal radiograph may have some value as a screening tool; however, in patients in whom a CT is likely to be ordered anyway, a plain abdominal radiograph is unhelpful and often misleading.
On the Active Volume of Cadmium Zinc Telluride Gamma-Ray Spectrometers

In this paper we develop quantitative models to predict the active volume of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detectors operated as gamma-ray pulse height spectrometers. Three cases are considered: a conventional planar detector, a unipolar device, and a detector in which electronic signal processing has been applied to correct for charge trapping effects. We find that existing detectors are very limited in their maximum attainable active volume, but unipolar devices with charge correction show promise for producing large active volume devices.
Efficient mappings of pyramid networks

We consider primarily the simulation of large networks by smaller ones-an important consideration, because interconnection networks are typically of a fixed size, and yet applications may employ networks of a larger size. Current research (Dingle and Sudborough, 1993) describes methods to simulate common data structures and network architectures on the pyramid. However, these simulations assume that the pyramid grows with the size of the network or data structure. Because unbounded growth is not feasible, we address the issue of mapping several points of the guest data structure or network to a single host processor. We determine how a small pyramid may efficiently simulate the computation of a larger pyramid as well as that of tree networks. >
An efficient algorithm for computing the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial of 2-D state-space models

For 2-D systems described by a state-space structure, two different methods for computing the coefficients of their characteristic polynomial are introduced. The relative efficiencies of these methods are compared to that of Faddeeva's method. An efficient method is then chosen which can be used to compute the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial with a minimum number of multiplications.
Myc and differentiation: going against the current

The correct balance between self‐renewal and expansion of stem cells versus differentiation is essential to maintain tissue homeostasis and prevent neoplastic transformation. The MYC proto‐oncogene family (comprising MYC , MYCN and MYCL ) is a family of proteins that plays a crucial role in the decision of stem and progenitor cells to expand or undergo differentiation. MYC proteins are transcription factors that act through activation and repression of a wide variety of target genes and, when deregulated, promote oncogenic transformation of most cell types [1]. There is overwhelming support to the notion that MYC is essential to preserve the stem cell state and inhibit differentiation. This is also true in the developing nervous system where MYC ablation leads to premature neuronal differentiation, whereas MYC accumulation locks cells in an undifferentiated and abnormally proliferative state [2], [3]. In this issue of EMBO reports , Zinin et al [4] present, however, an unexpected pro‐neurogenic function of MYC in neural progenitors that diverges from the established mitogenic and anti‐differentiation functions of this family of proteins. Through loss‐ and gain‐of‐function experiments in the developing chick neural tube, the authors identify a novel function of MYC in neuronal differentiation of radial glial precursors (RGPs), the multipotent progenitors in the neurogenic areas of the brain. Concurrent silencing of the two MYC family members that are expressed in the developing neural tube (MYC and MYCN) led to inhibition of neuronal differentiation. Rather than what might have been surmised from the established …
New copolymers for nonlinear optics applications that incorporate delocalized pi-electron subunits with well-defined conjugation lengths

During the past three years it has become more evident that long conjugation sequences in electroactive materials may not be a stringent requirement for high third order nonlinear optical (NLO) activity. Since long conjugation lengths in these materials often make them difficult to process, the resulting insolubility often precludes the formation of optical quality films for device applications. The incorporation of shorter electroactive segments alternating with flexible non-active spacers may allow high NLO activity coupled with good optical film forming capability. In this paper we would like to present several approaches to copolymer design which incorporate various electroactive oligomer segments with well-defined conjugation lengths. The control one obtains in this appmach allows the design of sharp optical windows, and the ability to tailor absorption characteristics to particular frequencies.
Evidence to inform intersectoral policies: a comparison of health and transport sector evidence in support of road traffic injury prevention

Health is influenced by determinants beyond the traditional conception of the health sector. Increasingly, global actors are targeting policymakers at global and national levels to take an intersectoral approach to health issues. Multilateral organizations in the health and transport communities have published policy reports targeting policymakers to address the burden of road traffic injuries. However, these reports stem from sectors grounded in different disciplinary perspectives. We investigate whether sectors have differing evidentiary traditions by analyzing differences regarding author networks, type of evidence cited, recommendations, and indicators. We selected global policy reports on road traffic injury prevention based upon expert opinion and categorized them by sector according to their institutional publisher. For each report, we i) conducted an authorship analysis by sectoral affiliation; ii) analyzed the types of research evidence cited and categorized the evidence type and institutional nature of the publisher; iii) analyzed key recommendations by extracting recommendations presented in the concluding sections of the documents; and iv) examined the use of indicators. Descriptive statistics were used to determine whether dimensions differed by the sectoral affiliation of the policy report. Authorship was dominated by the sector from which the report was published, while reports that involved both sectors often showed clustering of authors in one sector or another, depending on the subject addressed. Reports originating from different sectors preferentially cited different types of evidence; notably, health sector reports emphasized observational studies and reviews, while transport sector reports drew heavily on government agency reports. There were no differences in recommendations and indicators used. Notions of knowledge validity and valuations of evidence vary depending on the field’s historical development. Such differences in valuing evidence within sectors may have the potential to undermine the application of evidence in intersectoral policymaking. Strategies to address this challenge include the identification of key individuals to connect separate sectors, knowledge translation activities that take account of sectoral differences, and the tailoring of messages to different audiences. Future analyses on other intersectoral issues may provide clarity on points of tension and differing types of evidence used in intersectoral work.
8 - Simple Interest and Bank Discount

This chapter discusses simple interest and bank accounts. As rent is paid for the use of property and a salary is paid for the use of a person's services, interest is paid for the use of someone's money. The amount of money borrowed is the principal. Interest paid only on the principal is simple interest. The simple interest is charged on overdue customer accounts and on loans to business firms or between individuals. The bank discount is used for personal bank loans and for loans given in exchange for notes endorsed by a business firm to a bank. The period of time for which the bank discount is charged is the term of discount. It runs from the date of discount until the date of maturity, which is the time during which a bank's money is on loan. The bank discount is based on the maturity value of a promissory note, the rate of discount, and the term of discount. These factors correspond to the principal, rate, and time in simple interest problems. If a note is noninterest-bearing, the maturity value is the same as the face of the note.
Machine Learning for the Detection of Spam in Twitter Networks

The rapidly growing online social networking sites have been infiltrated by a large amount of spam. In this paper, I focus on one of the most popular sites Twitter as an example to study the spam behaviors. To facilitate the spam detection, a directed social graph model is proposed to explore the “follower” and “friend” relationships among users. Based on Twitter’s spam policy, novel content-based features and graph-based features are also proposed. A Web crawler is developed relying on Twitter’s API methods. A spam detection prototype system is proposed to identify suspicious users on Twitter. I analyze the data set and evaluate the performance of the detection system. Classic evaluation metrics are used to compare the performance of various traditional classification methods. Experiment results show that the Bayesian classifier has the best overall performance in term of F-measure. The trained Bayesian classifier is also applied to the entire data set to distinguish the suspicious behaviors from normal ones. The result shows that the spam detection system can achieve 89% precision.
Stability of Hemi-Bonded vs Proton-Transferred Structures of (H2O)2+, (H2S)2+, and (H2Se)2+ Studied with Projected Hartree–Fock Methods

Hartree–Fock (HF) is known to suffer from drawbacks in the description of the relative stabilities between the hemi-bonded (HB) and proton-transferred (PT) isomers of the water dimer cation, (H2O)2+. The energy difference predicted by HF is too large, approximately 27 kcal/mol, which is lowered to 7 kcal/mol when correlation effects are added. The error in HF has been previously attributed to the large dynamic correlation effects in the HB structure as well to the large symmetry breaking this structure exhibits. In this study we use the recently developed projected Hartree–Fock (PHF) methods to study the relative stability of the two isomers of (H2O)2+ as well as its second and third row analogs, namely, (H2S)2+ and (H2Se)2+. In PHF, symmetries are broken and restored in a variation-after-projection approach and thus can deal easily with systems for which HF itself spontaneously breaks symmetry. We use different flavors of PHF (SUHF, KSUHF, SGHF, and KSGHF) to explore their ability in capturing dynamic co...
Stomatal Response to Humidity in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris): Implications for Maximum Transpiration Rate, Water-Use Efficiency and Productivity

Twelve common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars were grown under greenhouse conditions to study the response of net photosynthesis (A) and transpiration (E) to variation in the leaf-to-air humidity gradient (v). Large differences were observed between cultivars in maximum rates of A and E. The variation in A correlated with both leaf nitrogen content and specific leaf area. Thin leaves had higher nitrogen contents per unit dry weight, but thick leaves had higher nitrogen content per unit surface area. Photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency did not correlate with nitrogen content on either a mass or a surface area basis. Very little variation was found between cultivars in the sensitivity of total leaf conductance (g) to increasing v, when sensitivity was defined as the slope of ln(g) versus v (δln(g)/δv). No significant correlation existed between δln(g)/δv and variation in maximum conductance values. Much steeper slopes (greater sensitivity) were found in the response of stomatal conductance alone (gs) to the leaf-leaf surface humidity gradient (vs). The sensitivity of stomatal response correlated positively with variation in maximum conductance among cultivars, and, since stomatal conductance was in series with a fixed boundary layer conductance, this positive correlation made possible the uniform sensitivity of g(total) with respect to v(leaf-air) despite the wide variation in gmax. All cultivm reached their maximum E at very similar v values, and all showed a relatively constant E over a wide range of high v. The implications of this relative homeostasis in E are discussed in the context of possible hydraulic limitations on E. Considerable recent interest has focussed on the use of carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) as a useful screening character in crop breeding programmes, and Δ has been found to correlate positively with yield in P. vulgaris. We found that Δ measured on bulk leaf tissue, positively correlated with both Amax and gmax between bean cultivars, but did not correlate with instantaneous measures of intercellular CO2 (cI) when v was held constant across all measurements. This apparent discrepancy may be due, at least in part, to variation in leaf temperatures among cultivars under normal growing conditions. Leaf-energy-budget simulations indicated that the observed range of maximum leaf conductance at low v would generate up to 3.0oC variation in leaf temperatures under field conditions of low to moderate windspeed. Given the strong stomatal response to v, this variation in leaf temperature could cause variation in carbon isotope discrimination, which reflects long-term cI values. Such a mechanism of producing variation in cI would not be apparent in cI measurements taken under cuvette conditions where leaf temperature was held constant.
Replication of a genetic risk score for venous thromboembolism in whites but not in African Americans

UNLABELLED ESSENTIALS: There is little prospective information on genetic risk scores to predict venous thromboembolism (VT). Community based cohort followed a median of 22.6 years for VT occurrence. A 5-SNP risk score identified whites at risk of VT, but not African Americans. The utility of genetic risk scores for VT is yet to be established. BACKGROUND Case-control studies have created genetic risk scores of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE) and documented their ability to predict VTE, but prospective data are lacking. OBJECTIVE To test the ability of a genetic risk score to predict VTE incidence in a prospective study, particularly in African Americans. METHODS We computed a previously proposed genetic risk score, based on five established VTE SNPs in the F5, F2, ABO, FGG, and F11 genes, in 9520 whites and 3049 African Americans initially free of VTE. We followed them a median of 22.6 years for VTE occurrence (n = 380 events in whites and n = 187 in African Americans). RESULTS In whites, the five-SNP weighted genetic risk score ranged from 0 to 5.8, and VTE risk increased 1.41-fold (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27-fold to 1.56-fold) per allele increment. In African Americans, the weighted genetic risk score ranged from 0 to 4.6 and the hazard ratio per risk allele was 1.14 (95% CI 0.94-1.38), with adjustment for 10 principal components of ancestry. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for 20-year prediction of VTE from the weighted genetic risk score was 0.59 (95% CI 0.56-0.63) in whites and 0.56 (95% CI 0.51-0.61) in African Americans. Adding non-genetic factors increased the area under the curve to 0.67 in whites and to 0.66 in African Americans. CONCLUSIONS Higher values for a five-SNP genetic risk score helped identify white adults at risk of VTE. The genetic risk score did not identify future VTE occurrence in African Americans.
Recession Experiments and Modeling for Carbon Surface Oxidation Processes

We examined numerical and experimental use of a coupled-transducer system comprised of a thermocouple temperature measurements and time of flight acoustic measurements to determine the recession rate of a carbon material. A problem in the use of ultrasonic transducers for high temperature thickness measurements is that the temperature of the specimen is not always known. The variation of the speed of sound with temperature makes this a challenging problem and the use of a limited number of temperature measurements helps to construct a temperature profile on which the acoustic time of flight measurement can be characterized. In the problem of interest, a high heat flux is directed towards the surface of a carbon based material. A temperature profile is set up in the material. Initially the heated face simply increases in temperature with no mass loss. With increasing heating and oxygen transport to the surface, the hot face begins to oxidatively erode. Temperature measurements Y (xi) are made at xi locations within the material. At the same time a time of flight measurement is made in the material. We can assume that the time of flight measurement takes place over a time period that is small relative to the time for which the spatial temperature variation evolves. As such, the time of flight measurement primarily involves a weighted spatial integration of a function of temperature. Given the temperature measurements and the time of flight measurement, we seek the recession rate or equivalently, the sample length. We develop a simple thermal model with appropriate representation of oxidation kinetics to describe the process. A simple inversion analysis is developed and tested on synthetic data to best fit the experimental data.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Thoracentesis: A Modified Technic

Puncture-laceration of the lung, with resultant pneumothorax, is the chief complication of the usual thoracentesis technic. A modified technic, using a probing needle initially and then an Angiocath, offers greater safety for the patient and more flexibility for the physician.
Conductive properties of a rabbit cortical collecting duct cell line: regulation by isoproterenol.

The present study was carried out to characterize the membrane conductive properties of RCCT-28A cells, a continuous cell line derived from rabbit cortical collecting duct (CCD). RCCT-28A cells have many phenotypic properties of acid-secreting intercalated cells (A-IC). Using the whole cell patch-clamp technique, we found that the cells are conductive to Cl-, but not to Na+ or K+. The beta-adrenergic agonists isoproterenol (2 x 10(-6) M) and adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP, 10(-4) M) increased the whole cell Cl- conductance. Protein kinase A (150 nM) in the patch pipette (i.e., intracellular solution) also increased whole cell Cl- conductance. Because isoproterenol increases cAMP levels in these cells, we conclude that isoproterenol stimulates the Cl- conductance by increasing cell cAMP, which in turn activates protein kinase A. In contrast, vasopressin does not increase cAMP in these cells and did not increase the Cl- conductance. In conclusion, these experiments show that RCCT-28A cells, like A-IC, are conductive only to Cl-. Thus RCCT-28A cells are a good model with which to study Cl- channels in the collecting duct.
Introduction. From East–West to North–South: US intervention in the “new world order”

In any society the dominant groups are the ones with the most to hide about the way society works. Very often therefore truthful analyses are bound to have a critical ring, to seem like exposures rather than objective statements… For all students of human society sympathy with the victims of historical processes and skepticism about the victors' claims provide essential safeguards against being taken in by the dominant mythology. A scholar who tries to be objective needs these feelings as part of his working equipment. Barrington Moore “We have 50 percent of the world's wealth, but only 6.3 percent of its population… In this situation we cannot fail to be the object of envy and resentment,” noted George Kennan in 1948. “Our real task in the coming period is to devise a pattern of relationships which will allow us to maintain this position of disparity,” said the then Director of Policy Planning of the Department of State. “We should cease to talk about the raising of the living standards, human rights, and democratization. The day is not far off when we are going to have to deal in straight power concepts. The less we are then hampered by idealistic slogans, the better.” Kennan's candid statement emphasizes that the strategic objective of US foreign policy during the Cold War was less battling a “communist menace” than defending the tremendous privilege and power this global disparity of wealth brought it as the dominant world power, and suggests that democracy abroad was not a major consideration for the United States in the formative years of the post-World War II order.
Interferometrically controlled tunable diode-laser system for high-precision spectroscopic studies

Although infrared tunable diode lasers have been available for high-resolution spectroscopic investigations of molecular structure for more than a decade, the precision of the spectral frequency scale was not comparable to of other high-resolution methods, such as heterodyne spectroscopy or high-resolution Michelson Interferometry, in which frequency precision of one part in 108 may be achieved.
Rules for Counting Warships, 1861–1993

In the late 1850s, the wooden ship-of-the-line was quickly transformed into a naval dinosaur by the development and application of explosive shells and armour-clad battleships. But there was nothing equally rapid about the transition from the first armour-clad ships to the development of something resembling a standardised battleship. The trial-and-error experimentation of the period 1859–90 is truly a comparativist’s nightmare. Wooden hulls and masts were retained even while shipbuilders raced to create thicker hulls and heavier guns. Iron plating gave way to steel ships. At one point torpedoes, mines and ramming tactics, resurrected from the galley era, seemed likely to slow down the construction race but the interlude was only temporary as ships continued to grow in terms of tonnage displacement and firepower.
Compendium of Highly Crosslinked and Thermally Treated UHMWPEs

Publisher Summary This chapter provides a brief summary of highly cross-linked and thermally treated ultra-high molecular weight polyethylenes (UHMWPE). Crossfire, an annealed highly cross-linked UHMWPE, was developed by Scott Taylor and coworkers at Stryker Osteonics Corporation. In the Crossfire process, extruded rod bar stock is irradiated with a nominal dose of 75 kGy and then annealed at 130°C. Acetabular components are then machined from the bar stock, barrier packaged in nitrogen, and then gamma sterilized with a nominal dose of 30 kGy. Consequently, components that have been through the Crossfire process have received a total dose of 105 kGy. DURASUL is based on warm irradiation with adiabatic melting (WIAM) technology. DURASUL has a biphasic crystalline microstructure that is manifested in two distinct thermal transitions during a differential scanning calorimetry experiment. Overall DURASUL has a lower degree of crystallinity, elastic modulus, yield stress, and ultimate stress as compared with control UHMWPE. Longevity is based on WIAM technology patented by Massachusetts General Hospital. In the Longevity process, the UHMWPE bars are warmed, placed in a carrier on a conveyor, and are exposed to electron beam radiation, with a total dose of 100 kGy. The UHMWPE does not heat above the melt transition during the crosslinking. After irradiation, the UHMWPE is heated above the melt temperature (>135°C) for stabilization of free radicals. Prolong is another process based on WIAM technology. The Prolong process is similar to the DURASUL except that an electron beam irradiation dose of 65 kGy is used for Prolong and continuous compression-molded bars are processed as with Longevity. Components are machined from processed Prolong material, enclosed in gas-permeable packaging, and sterilized by gas plasma.
Ages and kinematics of clusters

The recent emphasis on stellar evolution, especially as seen in star clusters, has given us — mainly through Sandage's synthesis of the available material — a good outline of the evolutionary process. Although work of a survey nature obviously must be continued, if only to turn up clusters with an age not represented among those now known, I believe the time has come to concentrate a major effort on detailed studies of the brighter known clusters of various ages. Our knowledge of even the Hyades and Pleiades clusters is far from complete. A full account cannot be given here but I would like to mention some examples of the details in the colour-magnitude arrays that may eventually lead to important tests, or revisions, of current evolutionary models.
Understanding the Evolving Cyberinfrastructure Needs of the Neuroscience Community

In this paper, we first present a brief summary of the Neuroscience Gateway (NSG) which has been in operation since 2013. NSG is providing computational neuroscientists access to Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE) high performance computing (HPC) resources. As a part of running the NSG we have interacted closely with the neuroscience community. This has given us the opportunity to receive input and feedback from the neuroscience researchers regarding their cyberinfrastructure needs. This is now more important given the context of the BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative which is a national initiative announced in 2013. Based on this interaction with the neuroscience community and the input we have received for the last three years, we analyze the comprehensive cyberinfrastructure needs of the neuroscience community in the second part of the paper.
Meta-Analysis of Criterion Validity for Curriculum-Based Measurement in Written Language:

We used meta-analysis to examine the criterion validity of four scoring procedures used in curriculum-based measurement of written language. A total of 22 articles representing 21 studies (N = 21) met the inclusion criteria. Results indicated that two scoring procedures, correct word sequences and correct minus incorrect sequences, have acceptable criterion validity with commercially developed and state- or locally developed criterion assessments. Results indicated trends for scoring procedures at each grade level. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.
A 6.1-mW dual-loop digital DLL with 4.6-ps RMS jitter using window-based phase detector

A 0.13-mum CMOS dual-loop digital DLL for multiphase clock generation and synchronization is presented. Ten clock phases are produced and locked to a first reference clock by the inner loop, while the outer loop further aligns all phases simultaneously to a second reference clock at a higher frequency. Unlike usual dual-loop DLLs, the proposed architecture has one loop completely enclosed inside the other, resulting in a second-order behavior. A window-based phase detection technique is exploited to minimize the circuit complexity and power with uncompromised jitter performance. The false-lock-free DLL operates over a wide frequency range of 0.2-1.2 GHz, measures a 4.6-ps rms jitter, and consumes 6.1 mW at 1.2 GHz.
A Framework for Integrating Solution Methods

We describe a modeling framework that integrates mathematical programming (MP), constraint programming (CP) and heuristic methods. It is extendible to other solution methods as well. The problem structure is mirrored in the model structure, and the solver exploits this structure in a principled way to combine methods effectively. The approach generalizes and extends past research on the integration of MP and CP. Six modeling examples are given. In particular, it is shown that a recent integration scheme for CP and MP based on Benders decomposition is a special case of the framework described here.
Functional megadiversity

Western Amazonian and Andean forests have Earth’s highest biodiversity and are globally important for ecosystem services and climate regulation. Straddling the planet’s longest ecological gradients, they have captured the imagination of scientists since von Humboldt (1). However, ecological studies and theory have incorporated that spectacular biological variation in only the most rudimentary ways, or not at all. It is widely understood that there are many traits that are important to plant performance, consequential not only for things like carbon gain and loss, but also timing of life histories, evolutionary patterns, and interactions with symbionts. In PNAS, Asner et al. (2) focus on one of the best known suites of traits, those comprising the biochemical functions of canopy leaves, on a breathtaking number of species drawn from nearly all major angiosperm clades. The study crosses ecological gradients spanning lowland Amazonian soil fertilities from poor white sands to rich clays, and an altitudinal gradient stretching 3.5 km from the hot lowlands to the frost and ice near the limit of tree growth in the Andes. The authors’ findings show that there is immense variability in functional traits found in the canopies of tropical forests: indeed, as much variability in the forests of western South America as was previously known for all tropical forests on the planet.
The Evolution of the Laptop Computer

This article highlights the technological advances that have led to the development of the laptop computer. A chronology of size reduction through four generations of computers is detailed. This ch...
Regulative Wechselbeziehungen zwischen Photosynthese und Atmung bei CCC-behandelten Primärblättern von Triticum aestivum L.

Summary Application of 10 −2 M CCC-solution in etiolated primary leaves of Triticum aestivum L. during illumination causes reduced chlorophyll formation and retardation of chloroplast development. After 24 h CCC-treated leaves do not reach the O 2 -compensation point; in the dark their O 2 -consumption is higher than in water controls. The activity of chloroplastic NADP-GAPDH and of reductive pentose phosphate cycle has decreased. Concomitantly the activity of NAD-GAPDH arises. The ATP-content as well as the energy charge is maintained. The enzyms studied and the adenylate systems are considered as two essential components of the intercellular regulatory system between heterotrophic and autotrophic metabolism which guarantees the need of energy under different conditions.
The Dependence of Sample Thickness on Annular Bright Field Microscopy

Annular Bright Field (ABF) is a relatively new method of Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) imaging that is desirable because of its ability to provide additional visual information in terms of showing lightweight atoms, whereas standard dark field imaging does not. In order to better understand the parameters necessary to perfect this method, this research article aimed to study a specific property of this imaging method: the dependence of sample thickness on image quality and atomic resolution. Multislice calculations were utilized to generate atomic potentials that were used to simulate different thicknesses of β-Si 3 N 4 . The resulting images were then examined to measure atomic full width at half-maximum (FWHM) in order to have a quantifiable value to support visual selection of the best ABF output image. Comparison of image quality/atomic resolution and FWHM values suggested that as a general trend, as sample thickness increases, atomic resolution and image quality deteriorate, citing Huygens' Principle of Classical Optics via the propagation of spherical electron waves through a vacuum. This study will bring a new awareness to the necessary precision required by researchers' sample preparation during Annular Bright Field imaging to yield the best image of their respective samples.
Cannula and Pump Positions Are Associated With Left Ventricular Unloading and Clinical Outcome in Patients With HeartWare Left Ventricular Assist Device

Abstract Background Cannula and pump positions are associated with clinical outcomes such as device thrombosis in patients with HeartMate II; however, clinical implications of HVAD (HeartWare International, Framingham, Massachusetts) cannula position are unknown. This study aims to assess the relationship among cannula position, left ventricular (LV) unloading, and patient prognosis. Methods and results Twenty-seven HVAD patients (60.0 ± 12.6 years of age and 19 males [70%]) underwent ramp test. Device position was quantified from chest X-ray parameters obtained at the time of the hemodyamic ramp test: (1) cannula coronal angle, (2) pump depth, (3) cannula sagittal angle, and (4) pump area. Lower cannula coronal angle was associated with LV unloading (as measured by smaller LV diastolic dimension and lower pulmonary capillary wedge pressure). Smaller pump area was associated with LV dynamic unloading, as assessed by steeper negative slopes of LV diastolic dimension and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure during incremental rotational speed change. Cannula coronal angle ≤65° was associated with reduced heart failure readmission rate (hazard ratio, 10.33; P = .007 by log-rank test). Conclusion HVAD cannula and pump positions are associated with LV unloading and improved clinical outcomes. Prospective studies evaluating surgical techniques to ensure optimal device positioning and its effects on clinical outcomes are warranted.
Psychophysiology of proactive and reactive relational aggression

This study investigated the joint effects of parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system reactivity to social and non-social stressors on proactive (i.e., goal-directed, unemotional) and reactive (i.e., emotional, impulsive) functions of relational aggression. Two hundred and forty-seven (Mage=18.77years) participants completed a series of stressor tasks while their sympathetic arousal (i.e., skin conductance) and parasympathetic arousal (i.e., respiratory sinus arrhythmia) were assessed. Participants also provided self-reports of their aggressive behavior. In the standardized social stressor only, physiological reactivity was related to aggression, such that respiratory sinus arrhythmia augmentation predicted proactive relational aggression whereas heightened skin conductance reactivity predicted reactive relational aggression. Finally, in the context of low skin conductance reactivity, respiratory sinus arrhythmia augmentation was related to heightened proactive and reactive aggression, whereas respiratory sinus arrhythmia withdrawal was protective. Results suggest that the benefits hypothesized to accompany respiratory sinus arrhythmia withdrawal may only occur among individuals with low "fight or flight" stress responses. Findings extend research on the physiological indicators of aggression to relational aggression, and highlight the importance of assessing functions of aggression, as well as physiological reactivity to multiple stressors.
Excitonic Coupled-cluster Theory

A variant of coupled-cluster theory is described here, wherein the degrees of freedom are fluctuations of fragments between internally correlated states. The effects of intra-fragment correlation on the inter-fragment interaction are pre-computed and permanently folded into an effective Hamiltonian, thus avoiding redundant evaluations of local relaxations associated with coupled fluctuations. A companion article shows that a low-scaling step may be used to cast the electronic Hamiltonians of real systems into the form required. Two proof-of-principle demonstrations are presented here for non-covalent interactions. One uses harmonic oscillators, for which accuracy and algorithm structure can be carefully controlled in comparisons. The other uses small electronic systems (Be atoms) to demonstrate compelling accuracy and efficiency, also when inter-fragment electron exchange and charge transfer must be handled. Since the cost of the global calculation does not depend directly on the correlation models used for the fragments, this should provide a way to incorporate difficult electronic structure problems into large systems. This framework opens a promising path for building tunable, systematically improvable methods to capture properties of systems interacting with a large number of other systems. The extension to excited states is also straightforward.
Characterization of Resistance of Peanut to Puccinia arachidis

Abstract Peanut rust, caused by Puccinia arachidis Speg, is an important foliar disease of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in tropical countries. The best option for disease management is host resista...
Sensorimotor Synchronization With Auditory and Visual Modalities: Behavioral and Neural Differences

It has long been known that the auditory system is better suited to guide temporally precise behaviors like sensorimotor synchronization (SMS) than the visual system. Although this phenomenon has been studied for many years, the underlying neural and computational mechanisms remain unclear. Growing consensus suggests the existence of multiple, interacting, context-dependent systems, and that reduced precision in visuo-motor timing might be due to the way experimental tasks have been conceived. Indeed, the appropriateness of the stimulus for a given task greatly influences timing performance. In this review, we examine timing differences for sensorimotor synchronization and error correction with auditory and visual sequences, to inspect the underlying neural mechanisms that contribute to modality differences in timing. The disparity between auditory and visual timing likely relates to differences in the processing specialization between auditory and visual modalities (temporal vs. spatial). We propose this difference could offer potential explanation for the differing temporal abilities between modalities. We also offer suggestions as to how these sensory systems interface with motor and timing systems.
Stereodivergent Synthesis of β,γ-Fused Bicyclic γ-Lactones via a Multicomponent Ring-Expansion Cascade

Summary The 3-alkoxy-1-N-toluenesulfonyl azopropene structural motif has been known in the context of the Eschenmoser-Tanabe fragmentation for over 50 years. It is derived from α-epoxy N-toluenesulfonyl hydrazones by deprotonation and epoxide ring opening. A very interesting yet unreported feature of these intermediates is their putative 1,3-dipolar nature and the potential to use them in reactions with complimentary dipoles to enable novel ring-expansion methods for the synthesis of saturated and partially saturated oxygen heterocycles. Herein, we describe such a transformation that requires the simple combination of an ester or acyl pyrrole, an α-epoxy 2-nitrophenyl hydrazone, and a commercially available base (KHMDS or LiHMDS) and leads to the highly (up to >25:1) diastereoselective synthesis of β,γ-fused bicyclic γ-lactones (an important class of chiral oxygen heterocycles), including those with quaternary centers. Conveniently, both syn- and anti-fused bicyclic systems can be generated stereoselectively through a simple modification of the reaction conditions.
Suicide Risk on Twitter

While many studies have explored the use of social media and behavioral changes of individuals, few examined the utility of using social media for suicide detection and prevention. The study by Jas...