cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scalable cloud security via asynchronous virtual machine introspection

Software will always be vulnerable to attacks. Although techniques exist that could prevent or limit the risk of exploits, performance overhead blocks their adoption. Services deployed into the cloud are typically customer facing, leaving them even more exposed to attacks from malicious users. However, the use of virtual machines, and the economy of scale found in cloud platforms, provides an opportunity to offer strong security guarantees to tenants at low cost to the cloud provider. We present ScaaS, a security Scanning as a Service framework for cloud platforms that uses frequent virtual machine checkpointing coupled with memory introspection techniques to detect bugs and malicious behavior in real time. By buffering VM outputs (i.e., outgoing network packets and disk writes) until a scan has been completed, ScaaS gives strong guarantees about the amount of damage an attack can do, while minimizing overheads.
Photoelectric Memory Effect in an Organic Bulk Heterojunction Device

We report on a memory effect observed in an inverted bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic device, where the electron-collecting electrode is ZnO nanowires grown on an indium tin oxide (ITO) sub...
Translational Antidote Research: A Bedside to Bench Tale

Although antidote development should proceed in an orderly fashion from observation, to experimental and safety studies, to clinical trials, this sequence is not always precisely followed. The development of fomepizole as an antidote for toxic alcohol and glycol poisoning is an example of how this may not be the case. Interest in the development of fomepizole was spurred in the 1960s. Shortly thereafter studies characterized by administration to humans commenced. The potential value of fomepizole as an antidote for methanol poisoning was highlighted by primate experiments. Simultaneously, the utility of fomepizole was shown in an experimental model of ethylene glycol poisoning. Further studies on humans showed effectiveness of fomepizole in the treatment of disulfiram-alcohol reactions and ethylene glycol poisoning. In addition, in primate experiments, the safety of fomepizole was established as the subjects tolerated serum fomepizole concentrations over 150 times higher than therapeutic target levels. Subsequent studies have validated the efficacy of fomepizole in the treatment of ethylene glycol and methanol poisonings. Fomepizole has been found to be associated with fewer complications than the alternative alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor, ethanol. In serious cases of methanol toxicity, fomepizole has been shown to improve survival compared to that obtained with ethanol.
Male Gender Associated with Post-Treatment Seizure Risk of Pediatric Arteriovenous Malformation Patients.

Background Seizure risk has not been fully characterized in pediatric patients with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Objective To describe the progression and risk factors of post-treatment seizure in children with AVMs. Methods We retrospectively reviewed pediatric patients diagnosed with intracranial AVMs at our institution between 1990 and 2013. Clinical and angiographic variables were included in univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models to explore risk factors associated with time-related seizure outcomes. The outcome event is defined as first seizure occurrence after initial treatment. Kaplan-Meier survival curve is depicted for each significant variable, and survival differences were confirmed by Log-rank test. Results We included 90 pediatric patients with complete data in our study cohort. Average age is 13.3 ± 3.8 years with 43.3% male patients. Thirty-seven patients had a hemorrhagic presentation, and 39 patients presented with seizure. Post-treatment seizure occurred in 33 patients (36.7%) over an average follow-up period of 8.1 ± 10.6 years; average time to onset is 5.3 ± 8.2 years, with partial seizures as the most common presentation. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression revealed seizure presentation ( P = .005), male gender ( P = .026), and nonconservative treatment modality to be significantly associated with earlier onset of post-treatment seizure after adjusting for AVM location and deep venous drainage. Overall annualized seizure risk is 7.4% for patients with pretreatment seizure, and 1.4% for those without. Conclusion Risk of seizure persists after treatment in pediatric AVM patients. Seizure presentation, male gender, and nonconservative management are associated with increased risk of post-treatment seizure. Early identification of these risk factors provides important information for determining seizure management strategies.
Nlrp6 limits inflamation in mouse colon by regulating microbiota

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that involves chronic inflammation involving the colon. We have previously shown that NLRP6 protects against the development of chemically-induced colitis. Here, we demonstrate that NLRP6 is important for suppressing the development of spontaneous colitis in the IL-10 −/− mice model of IBD. IL10 −/− Nlrp6 −/− mice have significantly increased inflammation based on histologic scoring, spleen weight, fecal lipocalin levels, intestinal permeability, infiltration of immune cells, and upregulation of proinflammatory mediators. To determine whether NLRP6 protects against colitis by modulating the microbiome, we generated and recolonized germ-free (GF) Nlrp6 −/− mice with the microbiota from WT donors and compared the composition of the microbiome to that of recolonized GF WT mice. We determined that GF WT and Nlrp6 −/− mice acquire distinct microbiota upon re-colonization. Importantly, Nlrp6 −/− mice have reduced a-diversity and dramatically increased colonization of Akkermansia muciniphila, which was also observed in IL10 −/− Nlrp6 −/− mice. To determine whether Akkermansia contributes to increased inflammation in IL-10 −/− mice, we monocolonized GF IL-10 −/− mice with Akkermansia muciniphila and found that these mice developed increased colitis compared to GF IL-10 −/− mice gavaged with a control non-colitogenic Bacteroides strain. Altogether these results demonstrate that NLRP6 regulates the colonization of Akkermansia, which in turn, can precipitate colitis in a genetically susceptible host. Our work furthered the insight into the pathogenesis of UC and will be instrumental in the development of therapeutics that reduce pathobionts colonization to treat IBD.
Civic Creativity: Role-Playing Games in Deliberative Process

This article analyzes the use of a role-playing game in a civic planning process. We focus on the qualities of interactions generated through gameplay, specifically the affordances of voluntary play within a “magic circle” of the game, that directly impact participants’ ability to generate new ideas about the community. We present the results of a quasi-experimental study where a role-playing game (RPG) called @Stake is incorporated into participatory budgeting meetings in New York City and compared with meetings that incorporated a trivia game. We provide evidence that the role-playing game, which encourages empathy, is more effective than a game that tests knowledge for generating what we call civic creativity, or an individual’s ability to come up with new ideas. Rapid ideation and social learning nurtured by the game point to a kind of group creativity that fosters social connection and understanding of consequence outside of the game. We conclude with thoughts on future research.
Teaching Foreign Languages in the Glocal Contact Zone: The Case of France and China

The foreign language teaching profession is grappling with two contradictory demands. On the one hand, teachers have to prepare their students to interact with native speakers whose national language, history, geography, culture, and literature are different from their own. On the other hand, teachers have to prepare their students to enter a global economy in which national boundaries have lost the importance they once had; standard languages are permeated with English as a global language; national borders now include people who speak a variety of regional, ethnic, and immigrant languages; and the students’ interlocutors are likely to be other multilingual speakers rather than monolingual native speakers. Local efforts to come to grips with the contradictions of globalization, such as translanguaging and multilingual practices, have not addressed the fundamental institutional and epistemological tensions between teaching language as a cultural icon of national unity and teaching language as a tool of global communication. To explore these tensions, we compare the case of foreign language education in France and China, two traditionally centralized national educational systems, one in the European, the other in the Asian context, each with their strong tradition of monolingual literacy education and their historical and ideological reservations about the benefits of multilingualism and multiculturalism. Based on concrete examples taken from the teaching of Mandarin and French as foreign languages, we examine the possibility of redefining the glocal contact zone in a way that honors both universality and particularity, plurality and specificity.
Classifying gene coexpression networks using state subnetworks

Algorithms that map graphs into feature vectors encoding the presence/absence of specific subgraphs, have shown excellent performance in various data mining tasks. Discriminative subgraphs have been successfully utilized as features for graphs classification. Most of the existing algorithms mine for discriminative subgraphs that completely appear frequently in graphs belonging to one class label and not so frequently in the other graphs. Graphs can be missing some edges due to noise in the data generation. In this paper, we propose a scoring function for discriminative subgraph and introduce a greedy algorithm for mining discriminative patterns. Experiment on large coexpression graphs show that the proposed approach has excellent classification performance.
CHAPTER 1 – Circuit Fundamentals

This book highlights the basic concepts of circuit theory that are necessary for the study of electronics. The study of electronic circuits consists of DC circuit analysis, AC circuit analysis, basic solid-state theory, junction diodes, transistors, elementary amplifiers and op amps, small-signal amplifier circuits, and digital electronics, which are then used as building blocks to introduce digital communications and the Internet. Kirchhoff's laws help to analyze circuits, and solve for currents and voltages anywhere in the circuit. Thevenin's equivalent circuit, when combined with the maximum power transfer condition helps in viewing any two-terminal circuit as a practical source. For maximum power transfer to a load, the amplifier and load should be matched, i.e., the output resistance of the amplifier should be as close as possible to that of the load.
Use of Vacuum-Assisted Closure (V.A.C.)® and Integra® in Reconstructive Burn Surgery

Skin is the largest organ of the body, and serious problems arise when the skin is damaged or missing. Grafting of skin from one part of the body to another is a dependable, well-accepted procedure for the management of skin loss. Unfortunately, split-thickness skin grafting for a full-thickness skin defect results in coverage that is often stiff, fragile, and scar-like rather than like normal skin. Also, grafting is not often feasible in cases of large surface area burns where there is not enough skin for a donor site. The ideal solution would be a product that would accurately simulate the physical and biologic properties of skin and remain integrated in the healing process, so that the final result is more like normal skin than scar. Such was the vision of Dr. John Burke and Dr Ioannis Yannas when they developed the skin substitute Integra® (Integra Life Sciences, Plainsboro, NJ.) [1–3]. This totally bioengineered artificial skin can be considered an early application of “regenerative medicine.”
Resilience in the Context of Development: Introduction to the Special Issue:

As an introduction to this special issue, we define resilience as the capacity of a dynamic system to adapt successfully to threatening circumstances, and we briefly note the history of resilience ...
What Happens When Trained Graduate Student Instructors Switch to an Open Textbook? A Controlled Study of the Impact on Student Learning Outcomes:

Open educational resources (OER) are increasingly attractive options for reducing educational costs, yet controlled studies of their efficacy are lacking. The current study addressed many criticism...
Wednesday, September 26, 2018 7:35 AM–9:00 AM ePosters: P35. Implant sonication versus tissue culture for the detection of spinal implant infection

BACKGROUND CONTEXT Diagnosing a spinal implant infection (SII) remains a challenge. We have previously shown that implant sonication followed by culture is more sensitive than peri-implant tissue culture for the microbiologic diagnosis of SII. In this follow-up study, we analyzed the largest sample size available in the literature to compare these two culture methods. PURPOSE To compare implant sonication versus tissue culture for the detection of spinal implant infection. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING Restrospective case series. METHODS We compared peri-implant tissue culture to the vortexing-bath sonication technique which samples bacterial biofilm on the surface of retrieved spinal implants. We established different thresholds for sonicate positivity and assessed the sensitivity and specificity of these culture methods for the diagnosis of SII. RESULTS A total of 153 patients were studied. With 100 colony forming units (CFU) as a threshold for sonicate culture positivity, there were 47 patients with SII. At this level, the sensitivites of peri-implant tissue and sonicate fluid culture were 66.0% and 70.2% (p=.6); the specificities were 88.7% and 93.4%, respectively. With 50 CFU as a threshold, there were 51 patients with SII. The sensitivies of peri-implant tissue and sonicate fluid culture were 68.6% and 76.5% (p=.47); the specificities were 92.2% for both methods. Finally, with 20 CFU as a threshold, there were 52 patients with SII. The sensitivies of peri-implant tissue and sonicate fluid culture were 69.8% and 83.0% (p=.09); the specificities were 94.0% and 92.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS When compared to peri-implant tissue culture, implant sonication followed by culture remains a sensitive and specific method for the diagnosis of SII. Lower thresholds for defining sonicate fluid culture positivity allow for increased sensitivity with a minimal decrease in specificity, further enhancing the clinical utility of implant sonication.
Revisiting economic threat and cultural concerns: Public opinion toward immigration and non-citizens by race.

Abstract This research examines opinions on issues related to immigration and non-citizens. Using ordered logit, this study assesses whether the cultural theory and realistic group conflict theory, through cultural considerations and economic threat, respectively, describes best the opinions across racial groups. Unlike most other studies on the subject, I find that while Americans are not very much concerned about cultural influences from immigrants, they clearly perceive immigrants as an economic threat. Also, unlike most other studies that focus solely on White opinions, this investigation examines opinions of several racial groups. I find that while Whites have both cultural concerns and perceive economic threat from immigrants, they only perceive economic threat from Hispanics. African Americans and Hispanics do not perceive adverse cultural effects, but both racial groups perceive economic threat from immigrants. Additionally, African Americans perceive economic threat from Hispanics. Asian Americans harbor both cultural concerns and perceive economic threat from immigrants.
Fetal Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Open Neural Tube Defects: Prenatal Imaging Evaluation and Perinatal Outcomes

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Fetal imaging is crucial in the evaluation of open neural tube defects. The identification of intraventricular hemorrhage prenatally has unclear clinical implications. We aimed to explore fetal imaging findings in open neural tube defects and evaluate associations between intraventricular hemorrhage with prenatal and postnatal hindbrain herniation, postnatal intraventricular hemorrhage, and ventricular shunt placement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After institutional review board approval, open neural tube defect cases evaluated by prenatal sonography between January 1, 2013 and April 24, 2018 were enrolled (n = 504). The presence of intraventricular hemorrhage and gray matter heterotopia by both prenatal sonography and MR imaging studies was used for classification. Cases of intraventricular hemorrhage had intraventricular hemorrhage without gray matter heterotopia (n = 33) and controls had neither intraventricular hemorrhage nor gray matter heterotopia (n = 229). A total of 135 subjects with findings of gray matter heterotopia were excluded. Outcomes were compared with regression analyses. RESULTS: Prenatal and postnatal hindbrain herniation and postnatal intraventricular hemorrhage were more frequent in cases of prenatal intraventricular hemorrhage compared with controls (97% versus 79%, 50% versus 25%, and 63% versus 12%, respectively). Increased third ventricular diameter, specifically >1 mm, predicted hindbrain herniation (OR = 3.7 [95% CI, 1.5–11]) independent of lateral ventricular size and prenatal intraventricular hemorrhage. Fetal closure (n = 86) was independently protective against postnatal hindbrain herniation (OR = 0.04 [95% CI, 0.01–0.15]) and postnatal intraventricular hemorrhage (OR = 0.2 [95% CI, 0.02–0.98]). Prenatal intraventricular hemorrhage was not associated with ventricular shunt placement. CONCLUSIONS: Intraventricular hemorrhage is relatively common in the prenatal evaluation of open neural tube defects. Hindbrain herniation is more common in cases of intraventricular hemorrhage, but in association with increased third ventricular size. Fetal closure reverses hindbrain herniation and decreases the rate of intraventricular hemorrhage postnatally, regardless of the presence of prenatal intraventricular hemorrhage.
Steel beam strengthening with UHM CFRP strip panels

Abstract Strengthening of steel beams utilizing FRP material has numerous advantages over traditional methods, which include bolting or welding new steel plates to the existing structure. Compared to other FRP material, Carbon FRPs (CFRPs) have been preferred for strengthening steel due to their higher stiffness. The emergence of High Modulus (HM) and Ultra-High Modulus (UHM) CFRP laminates, with an elastic modulus higher than that of steel, enables an increase in load transfer in steel beams prior to yielding of steel. Earlier research has highlighted the premature debonding failure of splice plates when used with UHM CFRP laminates. As an alternative to using a splice plate/laminate, this study investigates the performance of CFRP strip panels. The panels are designed so that continuity between two consecutive panels can be achieved through a finger joint. The panels are fabricated using narrow UHM CFRP strips (e.g., 5 mm, 10 mm) mounted on a fabric mesh, which is designed to maintain the necessary clear spacing between individual strips. Flexural tests are carried out under 4-point bending on steel wide flange beams. A 50 mm wide UHM CFRP laminate strengthened beam without laminate splicing is compared with the novel strip panel type splice strengthened girders. Two different strip widths of 5 mm and 10 mm are tested and all beams, strengthened with the same CFRP area, are evaluated against an un-strengthened control steel beam. The failure of the steel beam strengthened with the 50 mm UHM CFRP laminate was due to laminate rupture at a failure load (PFU-50mm) that is 39% larger than the load at which yielding initiated (Py) in the un-strengthened control beam (PFU-50mm = 1.39 Py). The tensile strains observed during rupture were 30% higher than the average maximum tensile strain observed in the material tests. The beams strengthened with UHM CFRP strip panels failed in debonding at the finger joint, with failure loads that are 27% and 26% larger than Py for the 10 mm and 5 mm strip panels respectively (PFU-10mm = 1.27 Py, PFU-5mm = 1.26 Py).
Interdiction at a protein-protein interface: MCL-1 inhibitors for oncology

A hallmark of cancer is the evasion of apoptosis. Myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1) is an anti-apoptotic member of the B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) family of proteins that regulates the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. Overexpression of MCL-1 contributes to oncogenesis and confers resistance to cancer treatments. Protein-protein interactions (PPI) are constitutive of the dynamic interplay between the pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins of the BCL-2 family, which is integral to controlling the apoptotic threshold of cells. Therapeutic intervention by small molecule BH3 mimetics to pharmacologically target the PPI and antagonize MCL-1 has made significant progress in recent years in oncology with multiple candidates entering clinical trials. This digest accounts the state-of-art MCL-1 inhibitors with emphasis on their discovery medicinal chemistry, highlighted in structure-based drug design (SBDD) and biological evaluations.
Possible Precipitation of Acute Coronary Syndrome with Immune Checkpoint Blockade: A Case Report.

Introduction Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have led to improved survival in patients with a number of different tumor types. The ICI agent nivolumab induces anti-tumor immune responses by inhibiting the programmed cell death 1 protein, but side effects include cardiac immune-related adverse events (irAE) such as myocarditis.¹ The association of nivolumab with atherosclerotic disease has been rarely reported. Case presentation A 62-year-old man with metastatic melanoma and recent myocardial infarction (MI) presented with recurrent MI after having undergone several cycles of nivolumab therapy. Repeat cardiac catheterization revealed rapidly progressive in-stent restenosis and diffuse coronary artery disease (CAD) requiring bypass surgery and warranting cessation of nivolumab therapy. Conclusion Nivolumab has been linked with dysregulation of immune responses including enhanced T cell activity, which is implicated in CAD. The timing of nivolumab therapy and presentation with non ST elevation myocardial infarction in this patient suggests a serious T cell-driven medication adverse effect. Therefore, close monitoring for atherosclerotic disease progression is warranted in patients on immunotherapy.
Do Geographic Region, Pathologic Chronicity, and Hospital Affiliation Affect Access to Care Among Medicaid- and Privately Insured Foot and Ankle Surgery Patients?

OBJECTIVES Studies have shown that patients enrolled in Medicaid have difficulty obtaining access to care compared with patients with private insurance. Whether variables such as geographic location, state expansion versus nonexpansion, and private versus academic affiliation affect access to care among foot and ankle surgery patients enrolled in Medicaid has not been previously established. The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in access to care between patients who are privately insured and those with Medicaid in need of foot and ankle consultation. Secondary objectives include assessment of whether access to care for foot and ankle patients with Medicaid differs between those with acute and chronic conditions, Medicaid expanded and unexpanded states, geographic regions within the United States, and academic versus private practices. METHODS Twenty providers from each of five Medicaid-expanded and five nonexpanded states in different US geographic regions were randomly chosen via the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society directory. One investigator contacted each office requesting the earliest available appointment for their fictitious relative's acute Achilles tendon rupture or hallux valgus. Investigator insurance was stated to be Medicaid for half of the telephone calls and Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) for the other half. Appointment success rate and average time to appointment were compared between private insurance and Medicaid. Results were further compared across geographic regions, between private and academic practices, and between urgent acute injury (Achilles rupture) and chronic nonurgent injury (hallux valgus). RESULTS Appointments were successful for all 100 (100%) calls made with BCBS as the insurer, in comparison to 73 of 100 calls (73%) with Medicaid (P < 0.001). Both acute and chronic injury had significantly higher success rates with BCBS than Medicaid (P < 0.001). The appointment success rate was significantly lower with Medicaid than with BCBS (P ≤ 0.01) in all of the geographic regions. The success rate with Medicaid (66.7%) was significantly lower than with BCBS (100.0%, P < 0.001) for private practice offices, but not for academic practices. CONCLUSIONS Patients with Medicaid experience fewer options when obtaining appointments for common nonemergent foot and ankle problems and may experience less difficulty scheduling appointments at academic rather than private institutions. The medical community should continue to seek and identify potential interventions which can improve access to orthopedic care for all patients and increase the visibility of practices that accept Medicaid.
Hypocrisy, Moderation, and Compromise

In addition to providing careful discussions of important themes in Machiavelli, Moliere, and Rousseau, Ruth Grant’s Hypocrisy and Integrity: Machiavelli, Rousseau, and the Ethics of Politics lays ...
The Whistler Traveling Wave Parametric Amplifier Driven by an Ion-Ring Beam Distribution from a Neutral Gas Injection in Space Plasmas

A new parametric amplifier model describes the observations of intensified whistler waves produced by a dedicated burn of the BT-4 engine on the Cygnus spacecraft during the NG-13 mission. Ground very low frequency (VLF) radio emissions at 25.2 kHz from a Navy NML transmitter in North Dakota were amplified by 20–30 dB during the Cygnus burn at 480-km altitude and recorded at 1060 km by the e-POP/RRI plasma wave receiver on the SWARM-E satellite. The amplification process starts with charge exchange between the exhaust molecules and the ambient O+ in the ionosphere to produce water vapor ions that spiral around the earth’s magnetic field lines. This ion-velocity-ring distribution generates broadband, oblique-lower-hybrid (OLH) waves, which act as a pump for the parametric amplifier. The nonlinear ponderomotive force on the electrons causes the high-amplitude OLH pump to mix with the input whistler signal, yielding an OLH idler wave. Resonant mixing of the pump and idler electric fields promotes temporal growth in the amplitude of the whistler waves as they propagate through the exhaust cloud. The key features to rocket exhaust-driven amplification (REDA) process are broadband gain, bi-directionality along the magnetic field, pump depletion, phasing, and feedback. Pump depletion limits the intensity of the output whistler waves by wave energy conservation. The total wave energy is the electrostatic energy of the pump and idler lower hybrid waves plus the energy extracted by the propagating whistler signal. The whistler traveling wave parametric amplifier provides an efficient mechanism for active amplification of signals in space.
First Black, Now Gray: The Increasingly Difficult Task of International Brand Protection

With the trend towards international outsourcing, and the increased technological sophistication of less developed countries, especially China, international marketers have seen a huge increase in black and gray market activity. This case addresses the increasingly difficulty job of protecting brand ownership against black and gray market activity.
Comparison of assurance gold salmonella EIA, BAX for screening/Salmonella, and GENE-TRAK Salmonella DLP rapid assays for detection of Salmonella in alfalfa sprouts and sprout irrigation water.

The Assurance Gold Salmonella EIA, BAX for Screening/Salmonella, and GENE-TRAK Salmonella DLP rapid assays were compared with official cultural methods described in the Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) for analysis of alfalfa sprouts and sprout irrigation water for the presence of Salmonella. The lower limits of detection of 4 serovars of Salmonella cells (S. tennessee, S. muenchen, S. mbandanka, and S. cubana) in pure culture were determined as approximately log 10 2, 5, and 6 for the BAX, GENE-TRAK, and Gold EIA, respectively. Despite its low detection limit, the BAX did not perform as well as the other assays in analyzing contaminated sprouts and sprout irrigation water. For 4 different lots of sprouts and sprout irrigation water samples inoculated with the 4 serovars at low [1-2 colony forming units (CFU/g)] and high (68-180 CFU/g) levels, the BAX detected Salmonella in 58/64 (90.6%) of the samples, compared with 64/64 (100%) by the GENE-TRAK, Gold EIA, and BAM methods. Assay performance was also compared for analysis of naturally contaminated sprouts and sprout irrigation water with 3 lots of alfalfa sprouted seeds associated with different salmonellosis outbreaks. Positive assay results for the naturally contaminated samples were Gold EIA 41, GENE-TRAK 36, BAM 33, and BAX 13.
Interactions Between Nile Perch, Lates niloticus, and Other Fishes in Lake Nabugabo, Uganda

The introduction of the predatory Nile perch, Lates niloticus, into the Lake Victoria basin coincided with a dramatic decline in fish species richness and diversity. This study focused on interactions between Nile perch and indigenous fishes in Lake Nabugabo, Uganda, a small satellite lake of Lake Victoria. We evaluated how the foraging impact of juvenile Nile perch on prey fishes varied with the size of the predator. We also evaluated the role of wetland ecotones in minimizing interaction between Nile perch and indigenous fishes. Wetland ecotones in Lake Nabugabo were characterized by complex structure (e.g., dense vegetation) and lower dissolved oxygen levels than non-wetland (exposed) areas. Nile perch (8.6–42.2 cm, TL) were 3.7 times more abundant in offshore exposed areas than in inshore areas near wetland ecotones, and the proportion of Nile perch using wetland and exposed areas was independent of their body size. However, species richness was higher in waters at wetland ecotones than in exposed areas. Nile perch (5–35 cm, TL) exhibited a shift in diet at approximately 30 cm TL from feeding primarily on invertebrates to piscivory. Although the shift to piscivory occurred at approximately the same body size for Nile perch from both wetland and exposed habitats, the shift to piscivory was less abrupt in Nile perch captured near wetland ecotones. Nile perch from wetland areas consumed a greater diversity and a larger percentage of fish prey than those from exposed sites. However, the low abundance of Nile perch in wetland ecotones suggested that interaction between predator and prey in these areas is much reduced.
Correlated effects of energetic electrons at the 6.6 R sub e equator and the auroral zone during magnetospheric substorms.

Correlated effects of energetic electrons at 6.6 earth radius equator and auroral zone during magnetospheric substorms
Ambiguity in Style: A Study of Uwe Johnson's "Osterwasser"

The ambiguity evoked by Uwe Johnson's prose has become the object of critical admiration and complaint. Regarding the obfuscations in Johnson's stories to be the result of his endeavor to avoid beautiful writing (das Schonschreiber­ ische) and to achieve a faithful reproduction of today's reality, Manfred Durzak finds that Johnson has no equal among contemporary German authors.1 Just as uncompromising is Karlheinz Deschner, who pontificates that Johnson writes "das haslichste Deutsch unserer Zeit."2 And Henry Hatfield, even while conceding Johnson's contribution to modern German literature to be valuable, expresses his reservations about a style providing occasions when "boredom threatens" and based on literary devices which "might well have hardened into mannerisms."3 To judge the effectiveness of Johnson's experiments in stylistics, I intend to consider "Osterwasser," a short story from the collection Karsch, und andere Prosa (1964), because it is only in small measure involved with the ambiguous situation of a divided Germany and it was written at a time which falls between the especially unique Mutmasungen uber Jakob (1959) and the equally so Jahrestage (1970).
Decentralized Feedback Controllers for Multiagent Teams in Environments With Obstacles

We propose a method for synthesizing decentralized feedback controllers for a team of multiple heterogeneous agents navigating a known environment with obstacles. The controllers are designed to drive agents with limited team state information to goal sets while avoiding collisions and maintaining specified proximity constraints. The method, its successful application to nonholonomic agents in dynamic simulation and experimentation, and its limitations are presented in this paper.
Integrity of N2O oxides in WSi2 polycide process

C. J. Chien, J. Y. Choi, G. Lo, and C. D. LienIntegrated Device Technology, Inc.,San Jose, CA 95134ABSTRACTThis paper reports on the integrity of thin N20 oxides in tungsten polycide (po1y-Si/WSi stack) gated MOS structures,which was characterized by their charge-to-breakdown (QBD). In this study, W5i2 films were formed either by chemical vapordeposition (CYD) or sputtering. It is found that with CVD-WSi2 gate, N20 gate oxide has a much degraded integrity in termsof high infant-mortality rate and low QBD values compared with the sputtered WSi2 gate.Keywords: N20 oxides, tungsten polycide, charge-to-breakdown1. INTRODUCTIONGate oxide integrity, in terms of infant-mortality rate and total QBD is one of the important limiting factors in scalingdown MOS devices '.
Incremental multi-agent robotic mapping of outdoor terrains

We describe a scheme for building terrain maps of realistic outdoor environments by having multiple robotic agents navigate in them. The terrain map combines vision-based depth information of environmental features with an elevation gradient created by fusing vertical displacements obtained from inclinometer pitch angles with DGPS altitude data. Experimental results are presented to illustrate the practical application of this scheme.
Longitudinal control of heavy-duty vehicles for automated highway systems

We address the problem of longitudinal control design for the automated operation of heavy-duty vehicles. We present a longitudinal model of a heavy-duty truck equipped with a turbocharged intercooled diesel engine and a four speed automatic transmission. This model is built at a level of detail suitable for control design and is used to develop and compare, on the basis of simulation results, nonlinear controllers with fixed as well as adaptive gains for speed tracking. Then we turn our attention to the vehicle-following problem, in which an important control objective is string stability of closely spaced groups of vehicles (platoons). We design an adaptive nonlinear controller which generates both fuel and brake commands and yields string stability by using either a speed-dependent spacing policy or intervehicle communication.
Search for failure of rotational invariance in first- and second-forbidden beta decays

A search was made for a departure from rotational symmetry in the angular distribution of $\ensuremath{\beta}$-decay electrons, similar to the search recently reported by Newman and Wiesner. The apparatus rotated with the earth and measured the electron counting rate as a function of $\ensuremath{\theta}$, the angle between the vernal equinox and the electrons' momentum vector. Geometry and source thickness were chosen to give small attenuations to variations of the form $cos\ensuremath{\theta}$ or $cos2\ensuremath{\theta}$. Sources used were first-forbidden $^{137}\mathrm{Cs}$ and second-forbidden $^{99}\mathrm{Tc}$, improving sensitivity to any effect violating the usual angular momentum selection rules. No departure from rotational symmetry was seen; an upper limit of 3 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ was set for the amplitude of either a $cos\ensuremath{\theta}$ or $cos2\ensuremath{\theta}$ variation for either source.
Microstructures and high temperature oxidation resistance of alloys from Nb–Cr–Si system

Oxidation behavior of Nb–30Si–(10,20)Cr alloys have been evaluated in air from 700 to 1400 °C by heating for 24 h and furnace cooling them. The lower weight gain per unit area has been observed for 20Cr alloy at 1200, 1300, and 1400 °C. Pesting has been observed at lower temperatures (700, 800, 900 °C). Analysis indicates that the powder formation at 900, 100, 1100 °C may be associated with β form of Nb2O5 (base centered monoclinic form). However the m-monoclinic form of Nb2O5 evolves at temperatures above 900 °C while o-orthorhombic Nb2O5 forms at below this temperature. The phases in the alloys have been calculated using the PandatTM software program at different temperatures using calculated Nb–Cr–Si phase diagrams.
Social influences on endocrine activity in guinea pigs, with comparisons to findings in nonhuman primates

Abstract Guinea pigs exhibit a rich and varied social organization. Studies in recent years have demonstrated that social stimuli have widespread neuroendocrine effects in guinea pigs. Here, effects on the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal, adrenal medullary/sympathetic, and hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal systems of both adult and developing guinea pigs are reviewed. These systems respond to various social variables, or factors that affect social variables, including: separation from attachment objects, housing conditions, changes in housing, the familiarity of the environment in which social interactions occur, foraging conditions, surrogate-rearing, agonistic interactions, and the establishment of dominance rank. Similarities and differences between these findings and those in nonhuman primates are discussed. It is argued that the guinea pig is well suited for the study of socioendocrine effects throughout the life span, and can provide a valuable complement to nonhuman primate research in this area.
The relationship between Na+ and the active transport of arbutin in the small intestine.

Abstract Using substrate-induced counterflow as a definitive test, the following can be demonstrated: 1. 1. Hamster and chicken small intestine each contain a single, mobile carrier system for arbutin active transport. 2. 2. In each species, the carrier for arbutin is the same one as is involved in the active transport of glucose and its structural analogs. 3. 3. Phlorizin and xylose are substrates for the same carrier, but differ quantitatively: among the substrates presently known, phlorizin represents a higher and xylose a lower limit in apparent affinity for the carrier. 4. 4. The apparent affinity of the carrier for externally added substrates is enhanced by Na+ and depressed by K+; these two cations appear to compete for a common binding site in the carrier. 5. 5. The Na+ concentration ratio, medium/tissue, determines the net direction of arbutin movement; “uphill” transport of sugar occurs in the direction of the “downhill” Na+ gradient.
Proton-conducting polymer membrane comprised of a copolymer of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate

Abstract In order to identify a proton-conducting polymer membrane suitable for replacing Nafion ® 117 in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC), we prepared a cross-linked copolymer of hydrophilic 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). Fumed silicas were also added in an attempt to increase the amount of water adsorbed by the membrane and to enhance water retention. Hydrated copolymer membranes adsorbed significantly more water than Nafion ® 117, but were no better at retaining water during drying under ambient conditions. Films composed of 4% AMPS—96% HEMA had a room temperature proton conductivity of 0.029 S cm −1 , which increased to 0.06 S cm −1 at 80 °C.
Managing a great power relationship: The United States, China and East Asian security

Instead of being obsessed with trade and human rights issues, US leaders ought to devote more attention to Beijing's strategic behavior. Washington should not adopt a containment policy toward China and should even seek opportunities to work closely with Beijing when the interests of the two countries overlap. At the same time, the United States needs to monitor Beijing's military modernization program and the PRC's sometimes belligerent efforts to press its territorial claims in the South China and East China seas. Above all, the United States must abandon its policy of ‘smothering’ the political and military ambitions of Japan and other Cold War era allies in East Asia. The emergence of multiple power centers in the region would discourage any hegemonic aspirations by the PRC and reduce the likelihood of a bilateral military confrontation between China and the United States.
Analytical applications of second order electrodes

Abstract Second order electrodes of silver-silver bromide, silver-silver iodide, silver thiocyanate, silver-silver chromate and silver-silver tetraphenylboron have been investigated. Suitable electrodes for the last two systems could not be prepared. The indicator electrodes were coupled with a saturated calomel reference electrode and the potentials of various solutions measured. The response of the electrodes to anion activities was determined and compared with calculated potentials. The effects of ionic strength and diverse ions on the observed potentials were determined. Results on selected samples indicate that direct potentiometric measurements can be used for the determination of bromide, iodide and thiocyanate ions in aqueous solution. In the concentration range of 1 × 10 −1 — 1 × 10 −4 M , measurements can be made with an accuracy comparable to that obtained in usual potentiometric work.
Alteration of Ceramide Synthase 6/C16-Ceramide Induces Activating Transcription Factor 6-mediated Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Stress and Apoptosis via Perturbation of Cellular Ca2+ and ER/Golgi Membrane Network

Mechanisms that regulate endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced apoptosis in cancer cells remain enigmatic. Recent data suggest that ceramide synthase1–6 (CerS1–6)-generated ceramides, containing different fatty acid chain lengths, might exhibit distinct and opposing functions, such as apoptosis versus survival in a context-dependent manner. Here, we investigated the mechanisms involved in the activation of one of the major ER stress response proteins, ATF-6, and subsequent apoptosis by alterations of CerS6/C16-ceramide. Induction of wild type (WT), but not the catalytically inactive mutant CerS6, increased tumor growth in SCID mice, whereas siRNA-mediated knockdown of CerS6 induced ATF-6 activation and apoptosis in multiple human cancer cells. Down-regulation of CerS6/C16-ceramide, and not its further metabolism to glucosylceramide or sphingomyelin, activated ATF-6 upon treatment with ER stress inducers tunicamycin or SAHA (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid). Induction of WT-CerS6 expression, but not its mutant, or ectopic expression of the dominant-negative mutant form of ATF-6 protected cells from apoptosis in response to CerS6 knockdown and tunicamycin or SAHA treatment. Mechanistically, ATF-6 activation was regulated by a concerted two-step process involving the release of Ca2+ from the ER stores ([Ca2+]ER), which resulted in the fragmentation of Golgi membranes in response to CerS6/C16-ceramide alteration. This resulted in the accumulation of pro-ATF-6 in the disrupted ER/Golgi membrane network, where pro-ATF6 is activated. Accordingly, ectopic expression of a Ca2+ chelator calbindin prevented the Golgi fragmentation, ATF-6 activation, and apoptosis in response to CerS6/C16-ceramide down-regulation. Overall, these data suggest a novel mechanism of how CerS6/C16-ceramide alteration activates ATF6 and induces ER-stress-mediated apoptosis in squamous cell carcinomas.
Non-stationary dynamics data analysis with wavelet-SVD filtering

Abstract Non-stationary time–frequency analysis is used for identification and classification of aeroelastic and aeroservoelastic dynamics. Time–frequency multiscale wavelet processing generates discrete energy density distributions. The distributions are processed using the singular-value decomposition (SVD). Discrete density functions derived from the SVD generate moments that detect the principal features in the data. The SVD standard basis vectors are applied and then compared with a transformed-SVD, or TSVD, which reduces the number of features into more compact energy density concentrations. Finally, from the feature extraction, wavelet-based modal parameter estimation is applied. The primary objective is the automation of time–frequency analysis with modal system identification. The contribution is a more general approach in which distinct analysis tools are merged into a unified procedure for linear and non-linear data analysis. This method is first applied to aeroelastic pitch-plunge wing section models. Instability is detected in the linear system, and non-linear dynamics are observed from the time-frequency map and parameter estimates of the non-linear system. Aeroelastic and aeroservoelastic flight data from the drone for aerodynamic and structural testing and F18 aircraft are also investigated and comparisons made between the SVD and TSVD results. Input–output data are used to show that this process is an efficient and reliable tool for automated on-line analysis. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Quantifying Precipitation Uncertainty for Land Data Assimilation Applications

AbstractEnsemble-based data assimilation techniques are often applied to land surface models in order to estimate components of terrestrial water and energy balance. Precipitation forcing uncertainty is the principal source of spread among the ensembles that is required for utilizing information in observations to correct model priors. Precipitation fields may have both position and magnitude errors. However, current uncertainty characterizations of precipitation forcing in land data assimilation systems often do no more than applying multiplicative errors to precipitation fields. In this paper, an ensemble-based Bayesian method for characterization of uncertainties associated with precipitation retrievals from spaceborne instruments is introduced. This method is used to produce stochastic replicates of precipitation fields that are conditioned on precipitation observations. Unlike previous studies, the error likelihood is derived using an archive of historical measurements. The ensemble replicates are ge...
Optical Microscopy-based Analysis of Dynamic Tissue Mechanics

Understanding how physical signals guide biological processes requires knowledge of cell-generated mechanical forces. Here, we combined 3D tissue microfabrication, confocal reflectance microscopy, and atomic force microscopy to measure and manipulate the mechanical properties of tissues.
Discriminating scalar and pseudoscalar weak bosons via toponium → γ + boson

Abstract The production of Higg's or neutral technipion spin-zero bosons (szb) in toponium decay is examined. Different methods for determining the parity of these bosons are discussed. The decay width Γ( m 3 S 1 → γ + szb) is very sensitive to the parity of the szb and it is shown how comparing the widths of different toponium states can be used to determine the szb parity. The method is applicable for a szb within 30% of the toponium mass.