cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The influences of speakers' characteristics and mothers' informal listening instruction on children's evaluations of messages

Abstract Age of speaker and mothers' informal instruction about listening were examined as influences on children's evaluations of orally-presented messages. Second- and fourth-grade children listened to one of four speakers (two women and two nine-year-old girls) presenting essays on videotape. Children were asked for their evaluative responses to the essays, some of which were internally inconsistent. Mothers of the children were asked what they would say to their children in hypothetical listening situations. Analyses indicated that children reported more inconsistencies with adult speakers than with child speakers. Mothers' tendency to use communicative feedback that drew explicit attention to the communicative activity was positively associated with children's detection scores for the second-grade group, but not for the fourth-grade group, and this association persisted when family social class was taken into account. Findings are discussed in terms of the relevance of social factors for children's comprehension monitoring.
Alkaline phosphatase as a reporter of cancerous transformation.

Serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (AP) have been used in the clinical evaluation of numerous diseases, including malignancies, for half a century. The aberrant expression of AP genes in cancer cells has led to the suggestion that APs are oncofetal proteins and thus, could be involved in tumorigenesis. Tumors which express these AP isozymes can be broadly divided into two groups: (a) those with an enhanced production of an isozyme normally expressed in the tissue (eutopic expression) and (b) those showing expression of one or more isozymes not identified in the normal tissue (ectopic expression). Moreover, many tumors show simultaneous expression of two or more different AP isozymes. In the absence of known biological functions of the AP isozymes several different mechanisms underlying their expression in tumor cells could explain the findings. In an attempt to clarify the function of APs, this laboratory is engaged in the study of unique properties of the mammalian APs as possible clues to their function, i.e., (a) the phosphatidylinositol glycan attachment of APs to the cytoplasmic membrane, (b) the uncompetitive inhibition properties of APs and (c) the extracellular matrix binding domain of APs. This laboratory is also undertaking the task of targeting each of the mouse AP isozymes by homologous recombination to generate mouse models of hypophosphatasia to analyze in detail the in vivo consequences of AP isozyme deficiencies.
The Influence of Self-Concept Improvement on Member Loyalty to Online Communities: An Empirical Comparison between Social Networks and Virtual Worlds

Self-concept refers to an individual's conscious reflection of personal qualities constructed in a social context, and is a potent influence on the individual's social, psychological, and behavioral functioning. In this work we examine whether the use of online communities improves members' self-concepts, thereby increasing the social value they gain from, and loyalty they feel towards, these communities. Furthermore, we investigate whether the influence of self-concept improvement on perceived social value varies across two contrasting computing platforms for online communities--social networks and virtual worlds. The results of an online survey of Face book and Second Life members support the positive influence of self-concept improvement on perceived social value and member loyalty, and the moderating effect of computing platforms on these relationships.
Conflicting reports on vitamin D supplementation: Evidence from randomized controlled trials.

A significant number of children and adolescents worldwide have low serum 25(OH)D values relative to the 2010 Institute of Medicine criteria. Since approximately 90% of adult bone mineral content (BMC) is accrued by the end of adolescence, and approximately 40% of adult BMC accumulated during the 4 years surrounding peak BMC velocity, low circulating 25(OH)D during this time may attenuate gains in adolescent bone strength. Reduced bone mineralization and strength during pubertal growth tracks into adulthood and could lead to an increased risk of skeletal fractures. Observational studies examining the relationships between vitamin D and bone are conflicting and few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been conducted in children and adolescents. Four of these RCTs, however, provide moderate support for the role of vitamin D supplementation on BMC accrual in adolescent females with baseline serum concentrations <50 nmol/L. Though the daily vitamin D doses employed in these trials ranged from 200 to 3000 IU per day, it is not clear if a dose-response effect exists. Specific maturational stages were associated with optimal bone responses in each of these trials, but they were not consistent across studies. Furthermore, data on male children and among ethnicities other than white and Asian youth were limited in these studies and therefore reduce the generalizability of the findings. Finally, the evidence linking vitamin D supplementation to improved muscle gains and function, important variables to consider in bone health investigations during growth, might imply indirect effects of supplementation on bone. In conclusion, future RCTs are warranted that address the mechanisms by which vitamin D improves bone mineralization in adolescents, including trials that address the impact of vitamin D on muscle function.
Magnetic anisotropy in R2Fe14B compounds

Abstract The sums of the magnetic dipole-dipole interactions are carried out to find their contribution to intrinsic anisotropy in R 2 Fe 14 B compounds. The dipolar contributions in R 2 Fe 14 B (R = Y, Gd, Lu) along with the experimental data are used to deduce the anisotropy due to the non-4f spin-orbit interactions common to all the R 2 Fe 14 B compounds. Then the dipolar and non-4f spin-orbit contributions together with experimental data lead to an estimate of the single-ion anisotropy due to 4f electrons in R 2 Fe 14 B compounds with non-zero orbital angular momentum. Thus we are able to separate the various contributions to the intrinsic anisotropy in R 2 Fe 14 B compounds.
Arthroscopic meniscal repair: “Outside-in” technique

Only a few years ago, it was standard practice to excise the meniscus with impunity because of the perception that it played little role in the function of the knee. In fact, it was once described as the functionless remains of leg muscle.’ However, over the last several decades, scientific evidence has progressively mounted to substantiate the vital role of the meniscus in the function of the knee. Fairbank was the first to note the frequency of degenerative changes after removal of the meniscus, and partial meniscectomy rapidly supplanted total meniscectomy. Research continued to determine the healing capacity of the torn meniscus. Now, nearly 50 years later, the pendulum of orthopedic popular opinion has swung toward new ways to preserve the injured meniscus. From these efforts, meniscal repair has evolved as a successful technique. The advent of arthroscopy and advanced arthroscopic techniques has made meniscal repair the preferred approach for many meniscal tears. Anatomy, blood supply, function of the meniscus, and indications for meniscal repair are well reviewed elsewhere in this issue. This review will focus on the various techniques for arthroscopically assisted meniscal repair using the “outside-in” approach.
Backtracking techniques for the job shop scheduling constraint satisfaction problem

Abstract This paper studies a version of the job shop scheduling problem in which some operations have to be scheduled within non-relaxable time windows (i.e. earliest/latest possible start time windows). This problem is a well-known NP-complete Constraint Satisfaction Problem (CSP). A popular method for solving this type of problems involves using depth-first backtrack search. In our earlier work, we focused on the development of consistency enforcing techniques and variable/value ordering heuristics that improve the efficiency of this search procedure. In this paper, we combine these techniques with new look-back schemes that help the search procedure recover from so-called deadend search states (i.e. partial solutions that cannot be completed without violating some constraints). More specifically, we successively describe three “intelligent” backtracking schemes: (1) Dynamic Consistency Enforcement dynamically identifies critical subproblems and determines how far to backtrack by selectively enforcing higher levels of consistency among variables participating in these critical subproblems, (2) Learning Ordering From Failure dynamically modifies the order in which variables are instantiated based on earlier conflicts, and (3) Incomplete Backjumping Heuristic abandons areas of the search space that appear to require excessive computational efforts. These schemes are shown to (1) further reduce the average complexity of the backtrack search procedure, (2) enable our system to efficiently solve problems that could not be solved otherwise due to excessive computation cost, and (3) be more effective at solving job shop scheduling problems than other look-back schemes advocated in the literature.
Atomic Ordering and Gap Formation in Ag-Sb-Based Ternary Chalcogenides

Novel semiconductors with tailored properties can be designed theoretically based on our understanding of the interplay of atomic and electronic structures and the nature of the electronic states near the band-gap region. We discuss here the realization of this idea in Ag-Sb-based ternary chalcogenides, which are important optical phase change and thermoelectric materials. Based on our studies we propose new systems for high-performance thermoelectrics.
Using growth factor conditioning to modify the properties of human cell derived extracellular matrix.

We have recently reported on a bench-top approach for isolating extracellular matrix (ECM) from pure populations of cells grown in culture using sacrificial, open-celled foams to concentrate and capture the ECM. To increase both the accumulation and the strength of the ECM harvested, cell-seeded polyurethane (PU) foams were cultured in media supplemented with either transforming growth factor β-1 (TGFβ1) or hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). At the end of a 3-week culture period, ECM yield was significantly increased for samples conditioned in supplemented media. Control foams yielded 48 ± 12 mg of material for every gram of PU foam seeded. Yield values increased to 102 ± 21 and 243 ± 25 mg for HGF and TGFβ1-treated samples, respectively. HGF supplementation increased the modulus by 59%, while TGFβ1 treatment increased the elastic modulus by 204%. TGFβ1-stimulated material was organized into a network that was markedly denser than control material, with HGF-stimulated network density intermediate to TGFβ1 and controls. Our study showed that TGFβ1-treated samples were collagen enriched while HGF samples had an increased gylcosaminoglycan concentration. The results demonstrate that growth factor supplementation, particularly with TGFβ1, can significantly alter the biomechanical properties of cell-derived ECM that may be used for therapeutic applications. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2012
Higher Education and FOSS for e-Learning: The Role of Organizational Sub-cultures in Enterprise-wide Adoption

This paper examines the paradox of FOSS adoption in U.S. institutions of higher education, where campus-wide deployment of FOSS for e-learning lags far behind adoption for technical infrastructure applications. Drawing on the fields of organizational management, information systems, and education, the author argues that the gap between FOSS advocacy and the enterprise-wide deployment of FOSS for e-learning is a consequence of the divergent perspectives of two organizational sub-cultures-the technologist and the academic-and the extent to which those sub-cultures are likely to embrace FOSS. The author recommends a collaborative needs analysis/assessment prior to a go/no go adoption decision, and b broad dissemination of total cost of ownership TCO data by institutions deploying FOSS for e-learning enterprise-wide. This discussion satisfies e-learning administrators and practitioners seeking research-based, cross-disciplinary evidence about the FOSS decision-making process and also assists educators seeking to expand student knowledge of e-learning technology options.
Cooperative self-assembly of chiral L-malate and achiral succinate in the formation of a three-dimensional homochiral framework.

Chiral l-malate and achiral succinate ligands have been integrated into a three-dimensional homochiral framework by reacting transition-metal cations (Mn2+), l-(−)-malic acid (l-H2ma), succinic acid (H2suc), and 4,4′-bipyridine (4,4′-bipy). Chiral l-malate bonds to Mn2+ without using the −OH group, which is very unusual for malate. Such unusual bonding of chiral malate results from the cooperative effect of chiral malate and achiral succinate ligands during the self-assembly process, further assisted by the third complementary bipyridine ligand.
A gradient oriented recombination scheme for evolution strategies

This paper proposes a novel recombination scheme for evolutionary algorithms, which can guide the new population generation towards the maximum increase of the objective function. Given the current sample points and their function evaluations, the Shepard's interpolation method is used to approximate the underlying objective function in that local region. We then compute the gradient of the estimated function which in consequence leads to an iterative process, called the mean shift, for searching the local function optimum. In each mean shift step, we calculate the weighted mean of sample points in the kernel window, followed by shifting the location of the kernel to the computed mean. Such iterative process eventually converges to the point at which the estimated objective function has zero gradient. We use the converged point as the output of our recombination operator. Experimental results show that such gradient based recombination scheme can improve the efficiency of optimization search in evolutionary algorithms.
The effects of water hardness level on washing quality using commercial laundry detergents

The water hardnesses were determined for 10 samples of water. A wide variation of water hardnesses were found ranging from very soft to very hard. The effectiveness of six commercial laundry detergents of different formulations were evaluated. The detergent containing a non-ionic surfactant with a phosphate builder was found to give the best whiteness results, regardless of water hardness. Because of the possible environmental problems associated with the use of phosphates, consumers may wish to select the next most effective detergent formulation, which varied between water samples.
Integrated test program for comparison of 10 B lined proportional counting systems with 3 He based counters for safeguards applications

To address the urgent need to find a viable 3He replacement technology, Los Alamos National Laboratory has developed an integrated test program for performance evaluation of 3He replacement technologies with focus on safeguards specific parameters. In addition, a dedicated experimental setup was built to support the experimental activities. Current activity focuses on evaluation of 10B lined proportional counters. This paper presents an overview of the test program as well as the first results from the GE/Reuter-Stokes 10B lined system.
The effects of cytochalasin B on the testosterone synthesis by interstitial cells of rat testis

Abstract The present study examined the effects of cytochalasin B on various steps in the luteinizing hormone (LH)-stimulated increase in testosterone synthesis by collagenase-dispersed interstitial cells of adult rat testis. Cytochalasin B at a concentration range of 0.1–50 μM inhibited the LH-stimulated increase in testosterone synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. Both intracellular and medium (released) testosterone levels were reduced, thus indicating that the decrease was not due to the accumulation of testosterone inside the cell as a result of cytochalasin B treatment. Cytochalasin B also inhibited the 8-bromocyclic AMP and pregnenolone-stimulated testosterone synthesis in a similar dose-dependent manner. Cytochalasin B at the two higher doses (10 and 50 μM) also inhibited the LH-stimulated generation of cyclic AMP by interstitial cells. However, this drug had no effect on basal testosterone synthesis except at the highest concentration added. Previous studies on adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)- and LH-stimulated increase in glucocorticoid and testosterone synthesis in adrenal and Leydig cells, respectively, demonstrated that cytochalasin B or anti-actin inhibited the transport of cholesterol into mitochondria. The present studies suggest that cytochalasin B inhibits at least two additional steps in the LH-stimulated increase in testosterone synthesis: (1) the generation of cyclic AMP at the level of the plasma membrane, and (2) the conversion of pregnenolone to the testosterone at the level of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. It remains to be established whether these are direct effects of cytochalasin B, or whether they are mediated by disruption of microfilaments by cytochalasin B.
Allotypic and isotypic specificities of rabbit IgM: localization to the Fabμ or Fcμ fragments

Abstract IgM from trypanosome-infected rabbits was digested with trypsin under different conditions to obtain Fabμ or Fc5μ fragments suitable for analysis with anti-allotype and anti-isotype antibodies. The Fabμ but not the Fc5μ fragment was shown to have the n -locus allotypic specificities, n80, n81, n82, n83 and n87, characteristic of the IgM class of immunoglobulins. Thus, the n82 and n83 allotypic specificities, conformationally dependent on the a VH locus for expression, and the n80, n81 and n87 allotypic specificities, independent of the a VH locus for expression, are in either the CH1 or CH2 domain of IgM heavy chains. In addition, two high-affinity mouse monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) specific for IgM and able to bind IgM in direct-binding radioimmunoassays were produced and characterized. One MoAb (3C1) was specific for an isotypic determinant (epitope) in the Fabμ fragment, presumably in the CH1 or CH2 domain, whereas another MoAb (8C2) was specific for an isotypic epitope in the Fc5μ fragment, presumably in the CH3 or CH4 domain. The proximity of the n -locus allotypic specificities (CH1 or CH2 domain) to the VH domain is consistent with the finding that some IgM allotypic specificities are expressed only in conjunction with certain a VH locus allotypic specificities.
Predictors of Psychological Distress in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients

Abstract In order to investigate predictors of children's short-term adjustment to hospitalization, 19 boys and 20 girls, ages 5 to 15+ years admitted to a pediatric unit of a state medical center and hospitalized between 2 and 6 days, were assessed for depression and anxiety. A multimethod-multitrait assessment protocol was administered, including two self-report rating scales, a semistructured interview, a revised parent rating form of the Behavior Upset in Medical Patients (R-BUMP), and parent interview. On regression analysis, the most consistently significant predictor of psychological distress was the number of physical stressors. Implications for psychiatric consultants designing prevention and intervention programs for this population are discussed.
Growth of 2D heterostructures of graphene/BN

Metal free direct growth of graphene on h-BN using a high temperature (~1550°C) chemical vapor deposition technique was done under Ar environment. Growth temperature, methane partial pressure, hydrogen/methane flow ratio, and growth time were varied and optimized. Raman spectroscopy clearly showed the signature of graphene with G- (~1580cm -1 ) and 2D-mode (~2700cm -1 ). The smallest width of G- and 2D-peak was 30 and 55cm -1 , respectively, and the Raman I 2D /I G ratio varied between 0.7 and 1.8. Raman D-peak (~1350cm -1 ) shows a strong dependence on growth temperature with the smallest I D /I G value of 0.15 at 1550°C. In the case of long growth, nitrogen and boron doping were detected by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy with a small Raman D’-peak. A continuous graphene film with the rms roughness (1×1 μm 2 area) of 0.32nm was shown by atomic force microscopy. Early stage of growth revealed circular shaped nucleation islands, the density and heights of which are ~15/μm 2 and 1-2 graphene monolayer (ML), respectively. The hydrogen/methane flow ratio was found to be a critical parameter to obtain smooth 2D growth. Growth of h-BN is performed with ammonia borane, hydrogen and Ar. The growth is found to be critically dependent on the conditions of the ammonia boran precursor. Reproducible continuous films of h-BN are reported.
Coalitionary mate guarding by male chimpanzees at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda

Cooperative mate guarding by males is unusual in mammals and birds, largely because fertilizations are non-shareable. Chimpanzees live in fission-fusion communities that have cores of philopatric males who cooperate in inter-group aggression and in defending access to the females in their community. Male contest mating competition is restrained within communities, but single high-ranking males sometimes try to mate guard estrous females. Data from an unusually large chimpanzee commmunity at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda, that contains more males than any previously studied community show new variation in chimpanzee mate-guarding behavior. Contrary to expectation given the large number of males, mate guarding was as common as, or more common than, at other sites, and males other than the alpha male guarded more often. More strikingly, pairs or trios of top-ranking males sometimes engaged in cooperative aggression to prevent estrous females from mating with other males, but tolerated each other's mating activities. Both single males and coalitions mostly guarded periovulatory females. Mate-guarding coalitions were previously unknown in chimpanzees. Coalitions occurred in large mating parties, seemingly because these often contained too many males for single males to maintain exclusive access to estrous females. Coalition members gained higher shares of copulations than they could have expected from solo mate guarding, and suffered lower per capita costs of guarding (as inferred from aggression rates). Two males who most often participated in coalitions formed two-male coalitions at about the point where the number of males present made it unlikely that either could get 50% or more of total copulations on his own, and formed trios when this value dropped below 33%. Kin selection could be a factor in cooperation among male chimpanzees, but coalition members were not necessarily close relatives and the apparent structure of payoffs fit that of mutualism. Furthermore, reliance of male chimpanzees on support from allies to maintain high rank could have led to trading of mating exclusivity for support against mating competitors.
SU‐FF‐J‐82: Evaluation of Inter‐Fractional Setup Errors and Dosimetric Implication in Partial Breast Irradiation (PBI) Using Cone‐Beam CT

Purpose: The objective is to evaluate inter‐fractional patient setup errors in partial breast irradiation (PBI) using cone beam CT and to investigate the dosimetric impact of uncorrected setup errors. Method and Materials:Images from patients receiving PBI were acquired by on‐board CBCT following initial treatment setup. Manual registration was performed daily to match fiducial markers on acquired CBCT to the planning CT. Setup errors over 10 fractions for several patients were evaluated. The resultant couch offsets were analyzed to estimate setup errors when image guidance is not available. To assess the dosimetric impact of uncorrected setup error, patient setup offsets were simulated by shifting plan isocenter with increasing magnitude in treatment planning system. Dose distribution of tumor and critical organs were compared between re‐calculated plans to the original plans. The same procedure was performed using the daily setup offsets of several patients to evaluate the dosimetric impact in actual cases. Results: Although initial setup errors were found to be relatively small (<5mm), large systematic and random setup errors were observed in one patient (lateral: 9±6mm, longitudinal: 4±3mm, vertical: 2±10mm). The treatment simulation indicated that CTV volume covered by prescribed dose was within 95% when offsets were less than 3mm in all directions and decreased rapidly with larger shifts (79% for 10 mm shifts). In clinical cases, CTV coverage was found to decrease from 98.2% to 86.8% and the percentage of lung volume irradiated by 20Gy (V20) increased by nearly two folds for the case with large errors. When setup errors are within 5mm, no significant changes in dose coverage were noticed. Conclusion: Daily patient setup errors can cause significant dosimetric changes in targets and critical organs in PBI if they are not corrected. CBCT could be used to reduce the uncertainties in setup errors and hence reducing dosimetric error.
Prevalence of mutations in a panel of breast cancer susceptibility genes in BRCA1/2-negative patients with early-onset breast cancer

Prevalence of mutations in a panel of breast cancer susceptibility genes in BRCA1/2 -negative patients with early-onset breast cancer
Hybrid defensive resource allocations in the face of partially strategic attackers in a sequential defender–attacker game

Many models have been developed to study homeland security games between governments (defender) and terrorists (attacker, adversary, enemy), with the limiting assumption of the terrorists being rational or strategic. In this paper, we develop a novel hybrid model in which a centralized government allocates defensive resources among multiple potential targets to minimize total expected loss, in the face of a terrorist being either strategic or non-strategic. The attack probabilities of a strategic terrorist are endogenously determined in the model, while the attack probabilities of a non-strategic terrorist are exogenously provided. We study the robustness of defensive resource allocations by comparing the government’s total expected losses when: (a) the government knows the probability that the terrorist is strategic; (b) the government falsely believes that the terrorist is fully strategic, when the terrorist could be non-strategic; and (c) the government falsely believes that the terrorist is fully non-strategic, when the terrorist could be strategic. Besides providing six theorems to highlight the general results, we find that game models are generally preferred to non-game model even when the probability of a non-strategic terrorist is significantly greater than 50%. We conclude that defensive resource allocations based on game-theoretic models would not incur too much additional expected loss and thus more preferred, as compared to non-game-theoretic models.
Peptide transporter 2 (PEPT2) expression in brain protects against 5‐aminolevulinic acid neurotoxicity

The proton-coupled oligopeptide transporter PEPT2 (or SLC15A2) is the major protein involved in the reclamation of peptide-bound amino acids and peptide-like drugs in kidney. PEPT2 is also important in effluxing peptides and peptidomimetics from CSF at the choroid plexus, thereby limiting their exposure in brain. In this study, we report a neuroprotective role for PEPT2 in modulating the toxicity of a heme precursor, 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA). Our findings demonstrate that in PEPT2-deficient mice, 5-ALA administration results in reduced survivability, a worsening of neuromuscular dysfunction, and CSF concentrations of substrate that are 8-30 times higher than that in wild-type control animals. The ability of PEPT2 to limit 5-ALA exposure in CSF suggests that it may also have relevance as a secondary genetic modifier of conditions (such as acute hepatic porphyrias and lead poisoning) in which 5-ALA metabolism is altered and in which 5-ALA toxicity is important.
Measuring Blood Pressure in Mice using Volume Pressure Recording, a Tail-cuff Method

The CODA 8-Channel High Throughput Non-Invasive Blood Pressure system measures the blood pressure in up to 8 mice or rats simultaneously. The CODA tail-cuff system uses Volume Pressure Recording (VPR) to measure the blood pressure by determining the tail blood volume. A specially designed differential pressure transducer and an occlusion tail-cuff measure the total blood volume in the tail without the need to obtain the individual pulse signal. Special attention is afforded to the length of the occlusion cuff in order to derive the most accurate blood pressure readings. VPR can easily obtain readings on dark-skinned rodents, such as C57BL6 mice and is MRI compatible. The CODA system provides you with measurements of six (6) different blood pressure parameters; systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, mean blood pressure, tail blood flow, and tail blood volume. Measurements can be made on either awake or anesthetized mice or rats. The CODA system includes a controller, laptop computer, software, cuffs, animal holders, infrared warming pads, and an infrared thermometer. There are seven different holder sizes for mice as small as 8 grams to rats as large as 900 grams.
Model-Based Optimal Control for Underwater Robotics

It is always one of the most challenging problems to control an underwater robotics due to the complex external forces in an underwater environment. It is difficult to obtain an ideal control performance using linear control technologies due to highly nonlinear properties of system. A valid method of linearization for nonlinear system is provided in this study. Based on this linearized system, the linear control theories were therefore employed for the tracking control of underwater robotics. The panning and tilting motions of this underwater robotics can basically track two given sinusoidal references based on the simulation results. In order to achieve a high-speed manipulation of this underwater robotics, fluid forces have to be considered and modeled. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology is adopted in order to obtain more precise hydrodynamic models for simulation at the design stage. Two torque models that represent the degree of freedoms (DOFs) of panning and tilting respectively have been developed using the CFD software. The dynamic model of this robotics used in this paper is the one by Ji, et al [1].Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Bidirectional movement of actin filaments along tracks of myosin heads

IT is well established that muscle contraction results from the relative sliding of actin and myosin filaments. Both filaments have definite polarities and well-ordered structures. Thick filaments, however, are not vital for supporting movement in vitro1–4. Pre-viously we have demonstrated that actin filaments can move con-tinuously on myosin fragments (subfragment-1 or heavy meromyosin (HMM)) that are bound to a nitrocellulose surface3. Here we report that actin filaments can move in opposite directions on tracks of myosin heads formed when actin filaments decorated with HMM are placed on a nitrocellulose surface. The actin filaments always move forward, frequently changing the direction of the movement, but never move backward reversing the polarity of the movement. The direction of movement is therefore deter-mined by the polarity of the actin filament. These results indicate that myosin heads have considerable flexibility.
Neural networks in computational science and engineering

An artificial neural network (ANN) is a computational system inspired by the structure, processing method and learning ability of a biological brain. In a commonly accepted model of the brain, a given neuron receives electrochemical input signals from many neurons through synapses-some inhibitory, some excitatory-at its receiving branches, or dendrites. If and when the net sum of the signals reaches a threshold, the neuron fires, transmitting a new signal through its axon, across the synapses to the dendrites of the many neurons it is in turn connected with. In the artificial system, "neurons", essentially tiny virtual processors, are usually implemented in software. Given an input, an artificial neuron uses some function to compute an output. As the output signal is propagated to other neurons, it is modified by "synaptic weights" or inter-neuron connection strengths. The weights determine the final output of the network, and can thus be adjusted to encode a desired functionality.
Carrier dynamics in AlN and GaN epilayers at the elevated temperatures

Deep ultraviolet (UV) photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy has been employed to study the optical properties and carrier dynamics in AlN and GaN epilayers at temperatures from 10 to 800 K. The parameters that describe the temperature variation of the energy bandgap (α and β, or aB and θ) and linewidth broadening have been obtained and are compared with the previously reported values in AlN and GaN obtained by different measurement methods in narrower temperature ranges. Our experimental results demonstrate that the broader temperature range of measurements is necessary to obtain accurate values of these parameters, particularly for AlN. The phonon-carrier interactions were also investigated in both AlN and GaN epilayers. At low temperatures, the linewidth of PL emission lines increases with temperature due to the electron-acoustic phonon interaction. The electron-LO phonon interaction becomes important above 200 K and eventually dominant at high temperatures in both AlN and GaN. The temperature dependencies of the decay lifetimes were investigated up to 500 K, from which free excitons and free carriers interactions are discussed for AlN and GaN epilayers. The implications of our findings to the optoelectronic and electronic device applications at elevated temperatures are discussed.
Synergy: An overlay internetworking architecture and implementation

A multitude of overlay network designs for resilient routing, multicasting, quality of service, content distribution, storage, and object location have been proposed. Overlay networks offer several attractive features, including ease of deployment, flexibility, adaptivity, and an infrastructure for collaboration among hosts. In this paper, we explore cooperation among co-existing, possibly heterogeneous, overlay networks. We discuss a spectrum of cooperative forwarding and information sharing services, and investigate the associated scalability, heterogeneity, and security problems. Motivated by these services, we design Synergy, a utility-based overlay internetworking architecture that fosters overlay cooperation. Our architecture promotes fair peering relationships to achieve synergism. Results from Internet experiments with cooperative forwarding overlays indicate that our Synergy prototype improves delay, throughput, and loss performance, while maintaining the autonomy and heterogeneity of individual overlay networks.
RECYCLING FOR A CLEANER SIGNAL

Observation of gravitational waves, the ripples in spacetime emitted by violent cosmic events such as the deaths of stars and the births of black holes, could revolutionize our understanding of astrophysics. Several groups are engaged in attempts to build gravitational-wave observatories based on advanced laser interferometers. Efforts at this frontier have spawned new techniques, such as light recycling and the use of squeezed light to maximize the detectors' sensitivity. A new tool, called dual recycling, has been demonstrated which allows more efficient use of laser light and provides an elegant method of tailoring the bandwidths of these detectors.
Metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 (mGlu4)-positive allosteric modulators for the treatment of Parkinson's disease: historical perspective and review of the patent literature.

Introduction: Metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 (mGlu4) is a group III GPCR and has been demonstrated to play a major role in a number of therapeutic areas within the CNS. As the orthosteric site of all glutamate receptors is highly conserved, modulating mGlu4 via allosteric modulation has emerged as a very attractive mode-of-action and has been validated preclinically in a number of animal models for Parkinson's disease, anxiety, pain, and neuroinflammation. Areas covered: In this review, the patent literature for mGlu4-positive allosteric modulators over the past 4 years will be provided. Patents from all companies are discussed and an overview of the chemical matter and relevant biological properties will be given. Expert opinion: Although there has yet to be an mGlu4-positive allosteric modulator progressed into clinical trials, there is a wealth of preclinical data from the primary literature that shows the promise of this emerging target. A number of academic and industry laboratories have recently ...
Implications of the EBR-II inherent safety demonstration test☆

Abstract Extensive thermal-hydraulics testing at EBR-II culminated in the Inherent Safety Demonstration Test on April 3, 1986. This work may well lead to fundamental changes in the approach to the design and licensing of liquid-metal-cooled reactor (LMR) power plants. The EBR-II test program has thus far demonstrated (1) passive removal of decay heat by natural circulation, (2) passive reactor shutdown for a loss of flow without scram, and (3) passive reactor shutdown for a loss of heat sink without scram. Supporting analyses indicate that these characteristics can be incorporated into larger commercial LMRs and be used as the basis for a totally new passive control strategy. Analyses and tests are now in progress to show that LMRs with these characteristics and the passive control strategy are also inherently safe for unprotected overpower accidents.
Resiliency among individuals with childhood sexual abuse and HIV: perspectives on addressing sexual trauma.

This study examined how resiliency (represented by optimism, social support, religiosity, and finding growth and meaning), within the context of perceived impact of sexual trauma and HIV-related stress, was linked to perspectives on addressing trauma among individuals (N=266) with HIV and childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Structural equation modeling analyses indicated that lower resiliency and greater HIV-related stress were related to negative feelings about addressing trauma, whereas greater resiliency and higher perceived impact of sexual trauma were associated with positive feelings about addressing trauma. Findings suggest that multiple factors influence perspectives on addressing trauma among individuals with HIV and CSA, and that resiliency might influence these attitudes. Language: en
Performance reproducibility index for classification

Motivation: A common practice in biomarker discovery is to decide whether a large laboratory experiment should be carried out based on the results of a preliminary study on a small set of specimens. Consideration of the efficacy of this approach motivates the introduction of a probabilistic measure, for whether a classifier showing promising results in a small-sample preliminary study will perform similarly on a large independent sample. Given the error estimate from the preliminary study, if the probability of reproducible error is low, then there is really no purpose in substantially allocating more resources to a large follow-on study. Indeed, if the probability of the preliminary study providing likely reproducible results is small, then why even perform the preliminary study? Results: This article introduces a reproducibility index for classification, measuring the probability that a sufficiently small error estimate on a small sample will motivate a large follow-on study. We provide a simulation study based on synthetic distribution models that possess known intrinsic classification difficulties and emulate real-world scenarios. We also set up similar simulations on four real datasets to show the consistency of results. The reproducibility indices for different distributional models, real datasets and classification schemes are empirically calculated. The effects of reporting and multiple-rule biases on the reproducibility index are also analyzed. Availability: We have implemented in C code the synthetic data distribution model, classification rules, feature selection routine and error estimation methods. The source code is available at http://gsp.tamu.edu/Publications/supplementary/yousefi12a/. Supplementary simulation results are also included. Contact: edward@ece.tamu.edu Supplementary Information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Elements of mortgage securitization

In this paper we review the forms of mortgage securitization, analyze the demand for securitization, and demonstrate how securitization meets these demands by reducing intermediation costs. We argue that the increased use of securitization is a response to increased interest rate volatility and represents a contractual innovation that facilitates an efficient allocation of risk-bearing among households and intermediaries.
Adopting a Healthy Approach to Instrumental Music Making

upcoming high school district festival, I opened the thick envelope eager to get started with the task of organizing the event. While I had a great deal of excitement anticipating the event, I was struck by the amount of work the students would have to accomplish in a very short time. The concentrated nature of the rehearsal schedule gave me pause; few professional orchestras have a schedule as rigorous as the one that was before me. When I inquired about the format of the event, I learned that the schedule had been deter-
High Counter-mode Suppression Semiconductor Ring Lasers

Two types of single transverse mode, integrated semiconductor ring lasers are designed to achieve unidirectional operation. As prototypes, S-crossover and retro-reflected, unidirectional semiconductor fiber ring lasers have demonstrated 21.5dB and 23.5dB counter-mode suppression ratio, respectively.
Selective oxidation of methane to methanol catalyzed, with C-H activation, by homogeneous, cationic gold.

Some of the most efficient homogeneous catalysts for the lowtemperature, selective oxidation of methane to functionalized products employ a mechanism involving C H activation with an electrophilic substitution mechanism. Several such systems have been reported based on the cations Hg, Pd, and Pt. These catalyst systems typically operate by two general steps that involve: A) C H activation by coordination of the methane to the inner sphere of the catalyst (E) followed by cleavage of the C Hbond by overall electrophilic substitution to generate E CH3 intermediates, and B) oxidative functionalization involving redox reactions of E CH3 to generate the desired oxidized product CH3X. [4a]
Modeling false positive error making patterns in radiology trainees for improved mammography education

Display Omitted A method for predicting trainees' false positive locations in mammography is proposed.This is the first exploratory study on the topic using computer algorithms.Predictions are made using 133 imaging features and a random forest classifier.The predicted locations are more accurate than the locations selected randomly.The method can select educational material with more challenging locations. IntroductionWhile mammography notably contributes to earlier detection of breast cancer, it has its limitations, including a large number of false positive exams. Improved radiology education could potentially contribute to alleviating this issue. Toward this goal, in this paper we propose an algorithm for modeling of false positive error making among radiology trainees. Identifying troublesome locations for the trainees could focus their training and in turn improve their performance. MethodsThe algorithm proposed in this paper predicts locations that are likely to result in a false positive error for each trainee based on the previous annotations made by the trainee. The algorithm consists of three steps. First, the suspicious false positive locations are identified in mammograms by Difference of Gaussian filter and suspicious regions are segmented by computer vision-based segmentation algorithms. Second, 133 features are extracted for each suspicious region to describe its distinctive characteristics. Third, a random forest classifier is applied to predict the likelihood of the trainee making a false positive error using the extracted features. The random forest classifier is trained using previous annotations made by the trainee. We evaluated the algorithm using data from a reader study in which 3 experts and 10 trainees interpreted 100 mammographic cases. ResultsThe algorithm was able to identify locations where the trainee will commit a false positive error with accuracy higher than an algorithm that selects such locations randomly. Specifically, our algorithm found false positive locations with 40% accuracy when only 1 location was selected for all cases for each trainee and 12% accuracy when 10 locations were selected. The accuracies for randomly identified locations were both 0% for these two scenarios. ConclusionsIn this first study on the topic, we were able to build computer models that were able to find locations for which a trainee will make a false positive error in images that were not previously seen by the trainee. Presenting the trainees with such locations rather than randomly selected ones may improve their educational outcomes.
On the role of nonlinearity in Mach wave radiation in a Mach = 1.92 jet

Mach wave radiation in a turbulent fully expanded supersonic jet is revisited. Our goal is to determine the extent to which predictions for the radiated sound that are based on linearized analysis agree with solution of the full nonlinear equations. To this end, we solve the linearized Navier-Stokes equations (LNS) with precisely the same mean flow and inflow disturbances as a previous direct numerical simulation (DNS) of a turbulent M = 1.92 jet. We restrict our attention to the first two azimuthal modes, n — 0 and n = 1, which constitute most of the acoustic field. The direction of peak radiation and the peak Strouhal number matches the DNS reasonably well, which is in accord with previous experimental justification of the linear theory. However, it is found that the sound pressure level predicted by LNS is significantly lower than that from DNS. Thus, linear theory misses a substantial component of the noise. In order to investigate the discrepancy, the behavior of individual frequency components of the solution are examined. Near the peak Strouhal number, particularly for the azimuthal mode n = 1, the amplification of disturbances in the LNS closely matches those from the DNS data. However, away from the peak frequency (and generally for the azimuthal mode n — 0), the DNS data shows amplification rates roughly comparable to those at the peak Strouhal number, while those from the linear computations are damped.