cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Central role of amygdala and hypothalamus neural circuits in alcohol withdrawal symptom

Abstract Alcohol withdrawal symptom is the most well characterized risk factor for relapsing to unhealthy alcohol use. Although alcohol withdrawal is typified with both physical symptoms and emotional instabilities, the emotional instabilities persist much longer and are more often associated with relapse. While the specific mechanisms underlying alcohol withdrawal are not fully understood, chronic alcohol use is known to disrupt the signaling and circuit of many brain regions with long-term consequences and adaptations shifting the allostatic state and contributing to many of the symptoms observed in alcohol withdrawal. In particular, alterations in signaling within the extended amygdala and hypothalamus, typically associated with emotional state and the stress response, may contribute to the emotional instabilities observed in alcohol withdrawal. Thus, in this chapter we will summarize current knowledge of the extended amygdala-hypothalamic circuits and the possible cellular and molecular mechanisms within these regions contributing to the emotional instabilities observed in alcohol withdrawal.
Listening to the Consumer: Exploring Review Topics on Airbnb and Their Impact on Listing Performance

While research has investigated various aspects of electronic word of mouth and their effects on business performance, it has neglected detailed topics in reviews. This study explores this new aspe...
Degradation Mechanism Detection in Photovoltaic Backsheets by Fully Convolutional Neural Network

Materials and devices age with time. Material aging and degradation has important implications for lifetime performance of materials and systems. While consensus exists that materials should be studied and designed for degradation, materials inspection during operation is typically performed manually by technicians. The manual inspection makes studies prone to errors and uncertainties due to human subjectivity. In this work, we focus on automating the process of degradation mechanism detection through the use of a fully convolutional deep neural network architecture (F-CNN). We demonstrate that F-CNN architecture allows for automated inspection of cracks in polymer backsheets from photovoltaic (PV) modules. The developed F-CNN architecture enabled an end-to-end semantic inspection of the PV module backsheets by applying a contracting path of convolutional blocks (encoders) followed by an expansive path of decoding blocks (decoders). First, the hierarchy of contextual features is learned from the input images by encoders. Next, these features are reconstructed to the pixel-level prediction of the input by decoders. The structure of the encoder and the decoder networks are thoroughly investigated for the multi-class pixel-level degradation type prediction for PV module backsheets. The developed F-CNN framework is validated by reporting degradation type prediction accuracy for the pixel level prediction at the level of 92.8%.
Volterra Kernel Extraction Through Monomial Power Series Feed Forward Neural Network for Behavior Modeling of High Speed I/O Buffer

This work explores Volterra kernel extraction using feed forward neural network (FFN) with monomial power series (MPS) activation function for high speed I/O buffer behavioral modeling. The proposed method demonstrates a higher level of accuracy and flexible order truncation. The proposed method is validated using a computer simulated Weiner system with second order nonlinearity. A case study with a real high speed I/O buffer is also conducted and discussed.
Operative performance outcomes of a simulator-based robotic surgical skills curriculum.

Robotic technology has become increasingly prevalent throughout modern surgical practice as surgical training programs are determining how to best include this robotic training in their curricula. In this study, we sought to measure changes in performance and workload metrics in the live operative setting following completion of a novel simulator-based robotic skills curriculum. 31 surgical residents naive to robotic platforms were recruited. They first participated in a live robotic case and had a baseline assessment using RO-SCORE, a robotic modification of the O-SCORE tool, and self-assessed their workload using the NASA Task Load Index (NTLX). Subjects then completed the curriculum, created by an expert panel, on a da Vinci Skills Simulator to pre-set proficiency goals. Subjects were encouraged to train on their own time and could complete the curriculum in one or more sittings, in a 1-month time period. Subjects were then assessed after another live case. Data were analyzed using paired Student’s t test. Completion of the curriculum was associated with significant RO-SCORE improvements in operative performance across all domains including Camera Control (pre-curriculum mean: 1.9; post-curriculum mean: 4.8; p < 0.001), Needle Control (pre-curriculum mean: 1.7; post-curriculum mean: 4.4; p < 0.001), Tissue Handling (pre-curriculum mean: 2.0; post-curriculum mean: 4.4; p < 0.001). There were significant reductions in all NTLX workload domains including Physical Demand (pre-curriculum mean: 5.2; post-curriculum mean: 2.1; p < 0.001), and Frustration (pre-curriculum mean: 6.4; post-curriculum mean: 1.42; p < 0.001). We describe a feasible robotic simulation curriculum that requires a reasonable amount of time and is self-directed. Significant improvements were seen across all performance metrics and subjective operator workload. Importantly, this is translated to the clinical environment. These types of curricula will be necessary for improving the skills and confidence of trainees and attending surgeons as robotic technology becomes more pervasive.
Tumor size and the risk for lymph node metastases in T1 esophageal adenocarcinoma.

332Background: Adjuvant therapy after endoscopic resection (ER) of T1 EAC in non-surgical candidates is largely based on the risk of LNM. Risk factors for LNM in T1 EAC are not clearly defined. Our...
Correction to: MHD turbulence

The publication of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The acknowledgement is missing, you can find it below.
Reforming the idea of social studies teacher education

Reforming the idea of social studies teacher education often stands in sharp contrast to reforming the complex landscape where it takes place. Approaching social studies teacher education reform as...
Liquid blockage and flow maldistribution of two-phase flow in two parallel thin micro-channels

Abstract In this study, flow maldistribution in a system of two parallel thin micro-channels with shared inlet and outlet manifolds is experimentally investigated with one channel subject to single-phase flow and the other to two-phase one. The flow pattern, pressure drop, gas flow rate in the single-phase flow channel Q 1 and two-phase flow channel Q 2 are studied. Film flow patterns are observed for all the cases of the study, consistent with literature work. The Q 2 Q 1 ratio is defined as a direct measure to flow maldistribution. Theoretical derivation shows that Q 2 Q 1 is inverse of the two-phase multiplier ϕ or Q 2 Q 1 = 1 ϕ . Three levels of liquid flow rate are examined and presented to show three representative trends: (1) For the highest water flow rate, i.e. 10−2 m/s, Q 2 Q 1 is found to monotonically increase with the air flow rate, with its value Q 2 Q 1 as low as about 0.2 at 0.86 m/s gas velocity and approaching 0.65 at 3.44 m/s. (2) For the lowest water velocity, i.e. 10 - 4 m/s, Q 2 Q 1 shows decrease at first, followed by an increase, as the superficial gas velocity increases from 0.86 m/s to 3.44 m/s. It reaches about 0.76 at 0.86 m/s gas velocity and drops to about 0.55 at 1.72 m/s. (3) For the intermediate water velocity, i.e. 10 - 3 m/s, two “steady” states are identified at 0.86 m/s gas velocity with one having Q 2 Q 1 as high as about 0.69 and the other about 0.52. The rest follows a similar trend as 10 - 4 m/s liquid velocity. The observed two “steady” states and changing trend at the two low liquid velocities may be due to the altered liquid blockage near the channel exit. It is also indicated that the two-phase multiplier ϕ obtained in single channel testing may not be used to measure flow maldistribution in multiple-channel systems. The work is important to study of two-phase flow, multi-channel design, flow maldistribution, and flow control in micro-channels for PEM fuel cells, electrolyzers, and thermal devices.
AAV6 as an effective gene delivery vector for prolonged transgene expression in intervertebral disc cells in vivo

Abstract Intervertebral disc degeneration is the main contributor to low back pain, now the leading cause of disability worldwide. Gene transfer, either in a therapeutic attempt or in basic research to understand the mechanisms of disc degeneration, is a fascinating and promising tool to manipulate the complex physiology of the disc. Viral vectors based on the adeno-associated virus (AAV) have emerged as powerful transgene delivery vehicles yet a systematic investigation into their respective tropism, transduction efficiency, and relative toxicity have not yet been performed in the disc in vivo. Herein, we used in vivo bioluminescence imaging to systematically compare multiple AAV serotypes, injection volumes, titers, promoters, and luciferase reporters to determine which result in high transduction efficiency of murine nucleus pulposus (NP) cells in vivo. We find that AAV6 using a CAG promoter to drive transgene expression, delivered into the NP of murine caudal discs at a titer of 1011 GC/mL, provides excellent transduction efficiency/kinetics and low toxicity in vivo. We also show, for the first time, that the transduction of NP cells can be significantly boosted in vivo by the use of small cell permeabilization peptides. Finally, to our knowledge, we are the first to demonstrate the use of optical tissue clearing and three-dimensional lightsheet microscopy in the disc, which was used to visualize fine details of tissue and cell architecture in whole intact discs following AAV6 delivery. Taken together, these data will contribute to the success of using AAV-mediated gene delivery for basic and translational studies of the IVD.
Failure to Perceive Change: From Neurons to Social Networks

Humans are fundamentally bad at perceiving change which is not expected to be present based on prior experience of the organism. Change blindness and inattentional blindness are striking such examples of failure to notice changes in a visual scene. This has been observed in other sensory systems including auditory and somatosensory. In conditions of crisis, whether it is a global crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic or a local crisis such as Hurricane Katrina, profound changes in structure and function of previously static environmental elements occur and trickle down to each neighborhood, street corner, and individual person’s life. In such conditions of flux and instability, susceptibility to micro-perceptual failures such as change and inattentional blindness may be heightened. These phenomena occur at millisecond to seconds time scale, at the level of initial sensations and first level perceptions, however are linked to multimodal associative brain-wide processes. Here we review the evidence for, and develop a line of argument that following propositions hold true in conditions of crisis: (1) Frequency of change blindness events and related failures of micro-perceptions may be higher; (2) accumulation of micro-perceptual failures of a single sensory system such as vision can impact complex cognitive processes such as reasoning, reality-based belief, and judgment occurring over longer time scales and brain-wide networks; and (3) same failures of micro-perceptions across individuals in a population may have impact on faulty consensus assessments of reality of situation and missed opportunities for solution building on group or collective level.
Assessment of an Educational Tool for Pediatric Cardiac Nurses on Individualized Family-Centered Developmental Care.

BACKGROUND Prevention of neurodevelopmental sequelae is a high priority in the care of infants with congenital heart defects. Individualized family-centered developmental care has been identified as a promising approach to promote infant neurodevelopment during hospitalization. OBJECTIVE To educate nurses on the concept of individualized family-centered developmental care and its application to nursing practice and to reduce perceived barriers to its implementation. METHODS Two evidence-based visual educational tools called "developmental care flowers" were created and implemented in the inpatient and procedural units of a cardiac center. Each flower petal represented a core component of individualized family-centered developmental care: cue-based care, patient positioning, supportive environment, and parent engagement. Surveys were administered before and after the educational intervention to assess changes in nurses' knowledge and perceptions of individualized family-centered developmental care. RESULTS Nurses reported that the developmental care flowers improved their understanding of individualized family-centered developmental care. The educational tools reduced some perceived barriers to implementation of this care model and increased nurse-reported inclusion of parents in care. Qualitative feedback from staff members regarding the tools was positive and acknowledged that individualized family-centered developmental care should be an ongoing priority. CONCLUSIONS The inpatient and procedural developmental care flowers are useful tools for educating nurses about individualized family-centered developmental care. They could be revised into more interactive tools that might be used to educate parents and further support the integration of this care concept into nursing practice.
Platform competition with complementary products

Abstract We characterize the pricing structure in a model of platform competition in which two firms offer horizontally differentiated platforms and two sets of complementors offer products that are exclusive to each platform, respectively. We highlight the presence of indirect network effects: platforms and complementors benefit from the quality and number of firms in their group and suffer from the quality and number of firms in the rival’s group through their effects on prices and market share. We then determine the incentives of platforms to subsidize the independent complementors in an equilibrium. We further analyze the incentives of each platform to form a strategic alliance with complementors through contractual exclusivity or technological compatibility, or to integrate with the complementors. Finally, we discuss the welfare consequences of these strategies.
Öffentliche Erzählungen und der globale Wandel des Klimas

Thomas Mann lasst seinen Roman »Buddenbrooks«, die Geschichte des Nieder-gangs einer Familie, mit der Frage »Was ist das« beginnen (Mann 1985: 7). Die Frage, was das sei, ist auch im Hinblick auf den Wandel des globalen Klimas in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten haufig gestellt und, nicht zuletzt im Rahmen offent-licher Diskurse, auf unterschiedlichste Weise narrativ in Szene gesetzt und beant-wortet worden. Und konnte man den globalen Wandel des Erdklimas nicht auch als eine dramatische Geschichte denken, die Geschichte des selbsterzeugten Nie-dergangs der menschlichen Lebensweise und mithin als eine Form der Selbst-thematisierung moderner Gesellschaften?
Chromatographic separation of nontransformed and transformed glucocorticoid-receptor complexes from rat liver cytosol. Use of tungstate in the purification, inactivation, and resolution of receptor forms.

Abstract Aliquots of rat liver cytosol glucocorticoid-receptor complexes (GRc) were transformed by an incubation with 8-10 mM ATP at 0 degrees C and were compared with those transformed by an exposure to 23 degrees C. The extent of receptor transformation was measured by chromatography of the samples over columns of DEAE-Sephacel. The ATP-transformed complexes, like those which were heat-transformed, exhibited lower affinity for the positively charged ion-exchange resin and were eluted with 0.12 M KCl (peak-I): the nontransformed complexes appeared to possess higher affinity and required 0.21 M KCl (peak II) for their elution. As expected, the receptor in the peak-I exhibited the DNA-cellulose binding capacity and sedimented as 4S in sucrose gradients. Peak II contained an 8-9S glucocorticoid receptor (GR) form that showed reduced affinity for DNA-cellulose. Presence of sodium tungstate (5 mM) prevented both heat and ATP transformation of the GRc resulting in the elution of the complexes in the region of nontransformed receptors. When parallel experiments were performed, binding of the cytosol GRc to rat liver nuclei or DNA-cellulose was seen to increase 10-15 fold upon transformation by heat or ATP: tungstate treatment blocked this process completely. The transformed and nontransformed GRc were also differentially fractionated by (NH4)2SO4: tungstate-treated (nontransformed) receptor required higher salt concentration and was precipitated at 55% saturation. In addition, the GRc could be extracted from DNA-cellulose by an incubation of the affinity resin with sodium tungstate resulting in approximately 500-fold purification of the receptor with a 30% yield. These studies show that the nontransformed, and the heat-, salt-, and ATP-transformed GRc from the rat liver cytosol can be separated chromatographically, and that the use of tungstate facilitates the resolution of these different receptor forms. In addition, extraction of the receptor from DNA-cellulose by tungstate provides another new and efficient method of partial receptor purification.
Evaluation of a 45° slant quasi-linear radar polarization state for distinguishing drizzle droplets, pristine ice crystals, and less regular ice particles

Abstract A remote sensing capability is needed to detect clouds of supercooled, drizzle-sized droplets, which are a major aircraft icing hazard. Discrimination among clouds of differing ice particle types is also important because both the presence and type of ice influence the survival of liquid in a cloud and the chances for occurrence of these large, most hazardous droplets. This work shows how millimeter-wavelength dual-polarization radar can be used to identify these differing hydrometeors. It also shows that by measuring the depolarization ratio (DR), the estimation of the hydrometeor type can be accomplished deterministically for drizzle droplets; ice particles of regular shapes; and to a considerable extent, the more irregular ice particles, and that discrimination is strongly influenced by the polarization state of the transmitted microwave radiation. Thus, appropriate selection of the polarization state is emphasized. The selection of an optimal polarization state involves trade-offs in competin...
Persistent conversation: a dialog between design and research

This minitrack explores persistent conversation, the transposition of ordinarily ephemeral conversation into the potentially persistent digital medium. The phenomena of interest include conversations carried out using email, mailing lists, news groups, bulletin board systems, textual and graphic MUDs, chat clients, structured conversation systems, document annotation systems, etc. The persistence of such conversations as computerized records, although variable in duration and ease of user access, gives them the potential to be searched, browsed, replayed, annotated, visualized, restructured, and recontextualized, thus making possible a variety of new uses and practices.The aim of the minitrack is to bring together researchers who analyze existing computer-mediated conversational practices and sites, with designers who propose, implement, or deploy new types of conversational systems. By bringing together participants from such diverse areas as anthropology, computer-mediated communication, HCI, interaction design, linguistics, psychology, rhetoric, and sociology, we hope that the work of each might inform the others, suggesting new questions, methods, perspectives, and design approaches relating to the theme of persistent conversation.
Dividend Taxation in Europe: When the ECJ Makes Tax Policy

This article analyzes a complex line of recent decisions in which the European Court of Justice has set forth its vision of a nondiscriminatory system for taxing corporate income distributed as dividends within the European Union. We begin by identifying the principal tax policy issues that arise in constructing a system for taxing cross-border dividends and then review the standard solutions found in national legislation and international tax treaties. Against that background, we examine in detail a dozen of the Court's decisions, half of which have been handed down since 2006. Our conclusion is that the ECJ is applying a standard of nondiscrimination to evaluate national tax laws in a manner totally divorced from the underlying tax policy norms that produced the legislation at issue. Some, but not all, of the decisions seem to require nondiscrimination based on the destination, but not the origin, of corporate investment. The result is a jurisprudence that fails to hold together substantively, functionally, and rhetorically. In many instances, this result follows from largely formalistic distinctions made by the Court, such as whether a withholding tax on dividends should be considered corporate or shareholder taxation.
At long last, a CPT change for obstetric sonography.

Repints are not available. everal years ago, a task force was set up by the major organizations whose members perform obstetric sonography. The purpose seemed quixotic at the time: to revamp all of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes related to obstetric scans. The system was clearly broken. There was no code to describe first-trimester scans. Practitioners were constantly battling with insurers over exactly what a “repeat or follow-up examination” really was. We had to use a gynecologic code for vaginal sonograms. In addition, most difficult of all, the revolution in image quality over the previous decade had given rise to a whole new category of scanning that went far beyond the basic obstetric sonogram in its complexity. Yet, there was no way to distinguish the added effort and time required for this procedure from that of the basic obstetric scan. The coding, or CPT, system is based on 5-digit numbers assigned to all medical procedures by a committee of the American Medical Association (AMA). Current Procedural Terminology codes determine how we report our patient care to insurance companies and thus how we are paid. Another committee of the AMA assigns relative value units (RVUs) to the individual CPT codes. These are used by payors as a rough guide to determine reimbursement, because more RVUs indicate more work and take into account some other expenses. It was clear to all that a major revision was necessary. At the same time, it was important that any change be positive for all of us engaged in obstetric sonography. Any proposal for change could not reduce the RVUs for the basic obstetric sonogram. Although the original impetus for the change came from the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, the active support of physicians and staff of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Radiology, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound has been crucial to the success of the project. The 2003 CPT book,1 which is published annually in January by the AMA, contains this reworking of the obstetric codes. The following is a brief description of the changes. Table 1 gives the new codes and their official descriptions from the CPT book.1 The comments that follow are mine and are not official statements of any of the organizations involved in the development of these codes. Similarly, they are not official positions of any insurers or payors, and application of these codes in practice should be undertaken with a full understanding of all the applicable codes and careful attention to inclusion of proper documentation that matches the level of the code being submitted. Although the CPT book is published in January, insurance companies may take several months to include the new codes in their software that scruti-
Negative Energy Impact of Modern Rail Transit Systems

An analysis of data from the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) System is outlined, and it is concluded that rail transit is an energy waster. Improvement of the efficiency of transportation systems could only be achieved by emphasis on the development of more efficient automobiles and the development of bus-oriented transit systems. In this analysis, the criterion of passenger-miles per British thermal unit (PM/Btu) is used to evaluate the relative efficiencies of rail transit and highways. A comparison of construction energy costs reveals that BART used 25.2 times as much energy as required to construct an urban freeway. The operating-energies of BART, buses, and cars are 4740, 2900, and 8310 Btu/PM respectively including both propulsion energy and a pro rata share of the energy involved in constructing the vehicle. BART like all rail transit systems attracts passengers from existing bus systems. Although BART has a high auto-diversion, its net energy saving is only 680 Btu/PM.
“Preventative Corrections”: Psychiatric Representation and the Classification of Sexually Violent Predators

This paper examines the representation of mental illness and mental disorder in the Washington Community Protection Act of 1990 (WCPA), the first package of sexual predator legislation passed in the United States. I focus on the public outcry over a violent crime committed by a repeat sexual offender, Earl Shriner, and show how the act was drafted in direct response to this outcry. Following his arrest, there was a public discussion of a) whether the state had a responsibility to cure individuals like Shriner before releasing them, and b) whether sex offenders could be cured at all. The WCPA was a landmark law because it shifted forensic psychology in the use of sexual criminals from an intervention model to a containment model, from a model that sought to separate out those sexual criminals who could be treated to a model that separated out sexual criminals because they could not be treated. I demonstrate here that this shift was made in response to the representation of Earl Shriner as a member of a group classified by legislators as having a coherent, recognizable and untreatable mental disorder that caused them to commit acts of sexual violence.
Perturbation theory of scattering from irregular bodies

Abstract A perturbation solution is derived for the following problem: A time harmonic wave of amplitude ψ, propagating in a medium with wave number k, is incident on an irregular volume V, inside of which the propagation constant k′(r) can be an arbitrary function of | r |, where r is a position vector with origin inside V. The boundary conditions are that both ψ and its normal derivative ∂ψ ∂n may be discontinuous across the surface of V. Special cases of these conditions correspond to acoustic scattering, to B-wave scattering from a dielectric cylinder, or to the classical Dirichlet (ψ = 0) or Neumann ( ∂ψ ∂n = 0 ) surface conditions. An integral equation is derived that satisfies the appropriate differential equations both outside and inside the body, and satisfies the boundary conditions as well. This equation is reduced to a set of linear algebraic equations by expansion in a certain basis set and these linear equations are then solved in a perturbation approximation for the case that the surface of the body differs from a sphere or cylinder by a small parameter λ. Comparison is made with formulae in the literature, and except for some minor discrepancies, which are here corrected, there is general agreement.
Synchronization of Neurogenesis and Motor Neuron Specification by Direct Coupling of bHLH and Homeodomain Transcription Factors

Inductive signaling leads to the coactivation of regulatory pathways for specifying general neuronal traits in parallel with instructions for neuronal subtype specification. Nevertheless, the mechanisms that ensure that these pathways are synchronized have not been defined. To address this, we examined how bHLH proteins Ngn2 and NeuroM controlling neurogenesis functionally converge with LIM-homeodomain (LIM-HD) factors Isl1 and Lhx3 involved in motor neuron subtype specification. We found that Ngn2 and NeuroM transcriptionally synergize with Isl1 and Lhx3 to specify motor neurons in the embryonic spinal cord and in P19 stem cells. The mechanism underlying this cooperativity is based on interactions that directly couple the activity of the bHLH and LIM-HD proteins, mediated by the adaptor protein NLI. This functional link acts to synchronize neuronal subtype specification with neurogenesis.
Dissipative Quantum Transport using the Pauli Master Equation

On the way to develop a complete full-band quantum transport simulation using the Pauli Master Equation, we show our present results on ID n-i-n resistors, ID double barrier resonant tunneling diodes (DBRTD), and 2D double-gate field effect transistors (DGFETs) using a simplified parabolic, spherical effective-mass band-structure model accounting for nonpolar scattering with acoustic (elastic) and optical (inelastic) silicon-like phonons. We also consider the effect of point-like dopants on the access resistance of thin-body double gate devices.
One-dimensional ion-beam neutralization by cold electrons

The problem of the neutralization of one-dimensional ion beams moving through a source of cold electrons into free space has been studied using a computer simulation of the electron dynamics. The results indicate that neutralized high-intensity beams of ions appropriate for inertial fusion may be able to propagate to a focus through vacuum with negligible limits imposed by the electron pressure.
The effect of informational set on acquisition in verbal conditioning

Six groups of Ss were run on a modified Taffel type verbal-conditioning problem. The variables manipulated were: (a) the subjective informational value of the reinforcer, and (b) the reward value of the reinforcer. Two levels of informational set were created by telling S that a reinforcement indicated correctness either 9/10 or 5/10 of the time, and these two ratios were set orthogonally to three types of reinforcing stimulus: (a) a flash of light; (b) a point on a counter; (c) a penny. All groups were given the same 100% reinforcement schedule for “correct” (I, We) responses and, on a partial schedule, for “incorrect” (He, She, They, You) responses. Analysis of the data indicated that the information concerning correctness had a significant effect upon the level and rate of verbal conditioning, but type of reinforcer did not. The results were discussed in relation to the need for distinguishing the relevant variables in the verbal-conditioning paradigm.
Optimized Photonic Structures for GV/M Laser Acceleration of Electrons

We review the electromagnetic design, fabrication and beam dynamics of GV/m dielectric laser accelerators. Challenges encountered at ultra-high field and micron scale are discussed, as are application of these devices to novel light sources.
Surface creep along the Longitudinal Valley fault, Taiwan from InSAR measurements

[1] We use interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) analysis in eastern Taiwan to study reverse creep on the Longitudinal Valley fault (LVF). A stack of the three highest-quality image pairs spanning 1997–2000 shows sharp range change offsets along the eastern side of the Longitudinal Valley, suggesting 11–35 mm/yr of surface creep between 23 and 23.4°N. No shallow slip was observed along the northern or southern ends of the valley, nor on mapped fault traces on the western edge of the valley. The width of the zone of deformation varied, suggesting distributed shear in shallow sediments above the creeping fault in some places. The InSAR results support the view that although surface creep is rapid in certain locations, significant portions of the LVF are locked and thus represent a substantial seismic hazard.
Interaction of a Class V Myosin from Budding Yeast with its Adapter Protein

Like their mammalian counterparts, class V myosins in S. cerevisiae (Myo2p and Myo4p) bind to various adapter proteins to target a particular cargo for transport. Myo4p uses the adapter proteins She3p and She2p in order to transport mRNA from the mother cell to the bud. She3p binds to the rod of Myo4p, and prevents it from dimerizing, thus forming a single-headed motor complex (Hodges et al., 2008; Bookwalter et al., 2009). Because the Myo4p/She3p complex is single-headed, the question arises as to whether enough motors can bind to a single She2p to enable continuous cargo transport. The She2p crystal structure suggested that She2p exists as a dimer (Niessing et al., 2004). In contrast, our sedimentation equilibrium measurements of She2p were consistent with formation of a tetramer in solution, in principle allowing for binding of four motor heads. We showed that Myo4p/She3p forms a complex with tetrameric She2p in the absence of mRNA, based on sedimentation velocity experiments and co-purification. Mutation of Ser 120 to Tyr converts She2p to a dimer. The ability of the motor complex to bind to this and other She2p mutants is being tested in order to map the binding interface. Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy is being used to test whether the native She2p tetramer can bind enough single-headed motors to support continuous movement on actin. The ability of She2p mutants to support correct bud tip localization of ASH1 mRNA in living yeast cells will also be assessed. These studies will help elucidate how a non-processive single-headed motor can act as a cargo transporter.
Bases for the description of monochromatic, strongly focused, scalar fields

Two bases (one biorthogonal and one orthonormal) are proposed for the expansion of strongly focused (high numerical aperture) scalar monochromatic fields. The performance of these bases is tested and compared, both with each other and with a similar basis proposed by Alonso et al. [Opt. Express14, 6894 (2006)]. It is found that the orthonormal basis proposed herein exhibits the lowest truncation error of these three bases for the same truncation order for the examples considered. Additionally, this basis is advantageous because it allows for the expansion of fields without rotational symmetry.
Sex-Related Dispersal in the Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus)

ABSTRACT. The rapid multiclutch mating system of the Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus) provides an opportunity to examine sex differences in natal, within-year, and between-year breeding dispersal. We used nest locations over a 14-year period from a population of Mountain Plovers breeding on prairie dog colonies in Montana to examine sex-related patterns in natal and within-year breeding dispersal. Additionally, we modeled between-year dispersal distances in relation to sex, previous nest fate, and the occurrence of sylvatic plague in the colonies. We also modeled successive nest fate using dispersal distance and these same covariates. We found no evidence of sex differences in distances moved during natal dispersal (mean = 13.0 km for 16 males; mean = 10.2 km for 22 females) or within-year breeding dispersal (mean = 2.8 km for 22 males; mean = 3.0 km for 26 females). The mean (± SE) dispersal distance was 2.7 ± 0.60 km (n = 115) for males nesting in consecutive years and 4.3 ± 0.87 km (n = 87) for fe...
Late-Presenting Left-Sided Morgagni Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia in a 9-Year-Old Male

Congenital diaphragmatic hernias are common, primarily occurring through the foramen of Bochdalek. However, in contrast, defects through the foramen of Morgagni are much more rare. When late presentations occur, patients may be asymptomatic or may be critically ill with respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. In this paper, we present a 9-year-old male who presented with recurrent, vague abdominal pain, and a previously normal abdominal CT scan. Initial investigation via an abdominal radiograph demonstrated an unexpected left lower lobe abnormality. Further evaluation and management revealed this abnormality to be an unusual left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia that appeared through the retrosternal foramen of Morgagni, a rare occurrence.
Transganglionic demonstration of central sensory projections from skin and muscle with HRP-lectin conjugates

Transganglionic transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was greatly improved by conjugating the enzyme with wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) as described by Gonatas et al. [7]. Intense dorsal horn projections from muscle groups and even discrete skin patches were labeled after peripheral injection of the HRP-WGA conjugate. These projections could not be consistently demonstrated when HRP was injected either alone or in combination with DMSO. Conjugation with WGA thus enhances the uptake and/or transport of HRP and constitutes a valuable advance in HRP technique.
Rapidly Solidified Titanium

The attributes and requirements for rapid solidification (RS) are discussed and related to the characteristics of the titanium system. The extreme reactivity of liquid titanium requires the development of RS production methods tailored to this system. Compaction and processing techniques are presented followed by a discussion of the various alloy classes which have been produced by the RS approach: conventional alloys such as Ti-6A1-4V, rare earths, metalloids, eutectoid formers, beta alloys, amorphous materials, high aluminum alloys, alutninides, and other minor classes. Finally some thoughts on the future of this technology are presented.
Lipid bilayers on topochemically structured planar colloidal crystals: a versatile platform for optical recording of membrane-mediated ion transport

Phospholipid membranes assembled on a planar colloidal crystal functionalized with a proton sensitive fluorescence probe offers a useful model system for a convenient, on-chip, parallel, and fluorescence based assay of membrane-mediated ion transport. The fusion of small unilamellar vesicles on surface derivatized hydrophilic/hydrophobic planar colloidal crystals results in a single lipid bilayer on the hydrophilic region and a monolayer on the hydrophobic region. We show that this composite structure exhibits a laterally continuous outer leaflet spanning the two mono- and bilayer morphologies, thereby providing an effective seal against ionic permeability. This is in contrast to the structure of lipids assembled on a patterned wettability planar coverslip where there a lipophobic “moat” formed at the junction between the mono- and the bilayer configurations prevents forming well-sealed membrane. By embedding a pH sensitive fluorescent probe, namely, fluorescein, within the colloidal crystal interstices, we find that the colloidal crystal supported membrane configuration provides a practical assay for optical characterization of membrane mediated ionic transport. We demonstrate the ability of our platform for the case of passive transport of protons across a fluid phospholipid bilayer. The membrane permeability coefficients derived, including those associated with the biphasic permeation mechanism, match well with those reported for vesicle based assays and confirm the quantitative optical transduction. We also illustrate the use of this experimental platform for parallel measurements such as may be useful for the characterization of stochastic transport and high throughput measurements.
Doc2 Supports Spontaneous Synaptic Transmission by a Ca2+-Independent Mechanism

Summary Two families of Ca 2+ -binding proteins have been proposed as Ca 2+ sensors for spontaneous release: synaptotagmins and Doc2s, with the intriguing possibility that Doc2s may represent high-affinity Ca 2+ sensors that are activated by deletion of synaptotagmins, thereby accounting for the increased spontaneous release in synaptotagmin-deficient synapses. Here, we use an shRNA-dependent quadruple knockdown of all four Ca 2+ -binding proteins of the Doc2 family to confirm that Doc2-deficient synapses exhibit a marked decrease in the frequency of spontaneous release events. Knockdown of Doc2s in synaptotagmin-1-deficient synapses, however, failed to reduce either the increased spontaneous release or the decreased evoked release of these synapses, suggesting that Doc2s do not constitute Ca 2+ sensors for asynchronous release. Moreover, rescue experiments revealed that the decrease in spontaneous release induced by the Doc2 knockdown in wild-type synapses is fully reversed by mutant Doc2B lacking Ca 2+ -binding sites. Thus, our data suggest that Doc2s are modulators of spontaneous synaptic transmission that act by a Ca 2+ -independent mechanism.
Methane production and ebullition in a shallow, artificially aerated, eutrophic temperate lake (Lake Elsinore, CA).

Abstract Methane is an important component of the gases released from lakes. Understanding the factors influencing the release is important for mitigating this greenhouse gas. The volume of methane (CH 4 ) and other gases in sediments, and the rate of CH 4 ebullition, were determined for an artificially aerated, shallow, eutrophic freshwater lake in Southern California. Gas volume was measured at 28 sites in July 2010, followed by monthly sampling at 7 sites through December 2011. Gas volumes measured in July 2010 at the 28 sites exhibited a complex dependence on sediment properties; the volume of CH 4 and other gases was negligible in very coarse-textured sediment with low water and organic carbon contents. Gas volumes increased strongly with increased silt content, and were highest in sediments with intermediate water contents (60 to 70%), organic carbon contents (2 to 3%) and depths (approximately 4 m). Methane was the dominant gas collected from sediment (80 to 90%), while carbon dioxide comprised roughly 2 to 3% of sediment gas in the lake. Gas sampling during cool winter months revealed very low or undetectable volumes of gas present, while sediment gas volumes increased markedly during the spring and early summer months, and then declined in late summer and fall. The rate of CH 4 ebullition, quantified with an echosounder, also varied markedly across the lake and seasonally. High rates of ebullition were measured at all 7 sites in July 2011 (up to 96 mmol CH 4 m − 2 d − 1 ), while the rates were > 50% lower in September and negligible in December 2010. Ebullition rates were inversely correlated with depth and most other sediment properties, but strongly positively correlated with sand content. No simple relationship between ebullition rate and sediment gas volume across the set of sites was found, although ebullition rates at individual sites were strongly related to gas volume.
Efficient parametric yield estimation of analog/mixed-signal circuits via Bayesian model fusion

Parametric yield estimation is one of the most critical-yet-challenging tasks for designing and verifying nanoscale analog and mixed-signal circuits. In this paper, we propose a novel Bayesian model fusion (BMF) technique for efficient parametric yield estimation. Our key idea is to borrow the simulation data from an early stage (e.g., schematic-level simulation) to efficiently estimate the performance distributions at a late stage (e.g., post-layout simulation). BMF statistically models the correlation between early-stage and late-stage performance distributions by Bayesian inference. In addition, a convex optimization is formulated to solve the unknown late-stage performance distributions both accurately and robustly. Several circuit examples designed in a commercial 32 nm CMOS process demonstrate that the proposed BMF technique achieves up to 3.75× runtime speedup over the traditional kernel estimation method.
Electron model for the thermoelectric properties of gold

The thermoelectric behavior of gold is employed to provide an electronic model consistent with its observed properties. While the electronic configuration commonly ascribed to the noble metals explains the behavior of gold at temperatures up to 400 K, it cannot account for its thermoelectric properties at higher temperatures. A model, based upon scattering, which results from changes in the relative position of the top of thed band and the Fermi level,as a function of temperature,is proposed in an effort to account for this response. At temperatures below 400 K the top of thed band is considered to be below the Fermi level. As the temperature increases above about 400 K, the top of thed band is thought to slightly overlap the Fermi level. The resulting small, net number ofd-level holes are thought to act as scattering centers. When both mechanisms are considered, this model provides good agreement between the observed and calculated thermoelectric properties of gold from 200 to 1300 K.
Pairing Words with Syntactic Frames: Syntax, Semantics, and Count-Mass Usage

Two experiments examined English speakers’ choices of count or mass compatible frames for nouns varying in imageability (concrete, abstract) and noun class (count, mass). Pairing preferences with equative (much/many) and non-equative (less/fewer) constructions were compared for groups of teenagers, young adults, and older adults. Deviations from normative usage were, for all ages, larger for count than for mass nouns, for the non-equative than for the equative construction, and for abstract count than for concrete count nouns. These results indicate that mass syntax is not a developmental default, support proposals that mass syntax is more flexible than count syntax, verify the non-prescriptive use of less with count nouns, and extend the interaction of syntax and semantics in noun classification to older ages, with older adults showing a reduced reliance on semantics. Knowledge of frame compatibility and knowledge of noun class are also shown to be largely independent.