cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The optimal shape of elastomer mushroom-like fibers for high and robust adhesion

Over the last decade, significant effort has been put into mimicking the ability of the gecko lizard to strongly and reversibly cling to surfaces, by using synthetic structures. Among these structures, mushroom-like elastomer fiber arrays have demonstrated promising performance on smooth surfaces matching the adhesive strengths obtained with the natural gecko foot-pads. It is possible to improve the already impressive adhesive performance of mushroom-like fibers provided that the underlying adhesion mechanism is understood. Here, the adhesion mechanism of bio-inspired mushroom-like fibers is investigated by implementing the Dugdale–Barenblatt cohesive zone model into finite elements simulations. It is found that the magnitude of pull-off stress depends on the edge angle θ and the ratio of the tip radius to the stalk radius β of the mushroom-like fiber. Pull-off stress is also found to depend on a dimensionless parameter χ, the ratio of the fiber radius to a length-scale related to the dominance of adhesive stress. As an estimate, the optimal parameters are found to be β = 1.1 and θ = 45°. Further, the location of crack initiation is found to depend on χ for given β and θ. An analytical model for pull-off stress, which depends on the location of crack initiation as well as on θ and β, is proposed and found to agree with the simulation results. Results obtained in this work provide a geometrical guideline for designing robust bio-inspired dry fibrillar adhesives.
Stereo vision-based target tracking system for an USV

A robust computer vision system for an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) is being developed, in support of tracking a moving marine vehicle from the USV. A methodology to minimize the tracking errors regarding the raw 2-D measurements of the position of a target boat using a commercial stereo camera will be presented. This errors are mainly due to image quantization limitations and pixel miscorrespondences in the stereo-matching process. While more sophisticated matching algorithms may lead to a better depth reconstruction of the scene at a high computational cost, simple matching algorithms perform faster at the expense of larger error in depth measurement. This approach consists of combining a simple stereo matching algorithm, along with an extended Kalman filter (EKF) in the time domain, as compared with the image domain, leading to a lower algorithm complexity and less computational time, minimizing the errors of position measurements of a target boat in the context of marine navigation. Suitable choices of the measurement and motion models of the target boat are made in order to accomplish a satisfactory response of the system.
Triage nurse application of the Ottawa knee rule.

OBJECTIVE: To determine interobserver agreement between triage registered nurses (RNs) and emergency physicians (EPs) regarding indication for knee radiographs by applying the Ottawa knee rule (OKR) and individual components of the rule. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study in a suburban, teaching emergency department. The study enrolled a convenience sample of patients aged >17 years with traumatic knee injuries less than one week old. Patients with prior knee surgery or distracting conditions were excluded. Before study initiation, the RNs and EPs were in-serviced in the OKR. Nurses and EPs independently examined each patient for OKR criteria, blinded to the other's assessment. Knee radiographs were ordered at the discretion of the EP and were interpreted by board-certified radiologists. All patients received follow-up with a structured telephone interview to identify any undetected fractures. Kappa was calculated for each component and the overall application of the OKR to assess interobserver agreement. RESULTS: Ninety-six patients were enrolled. The mean age was 39.6 +/- 18.7 years; 50% were male. Eight patients (8%) had knee fractures. Interobserver agreements between the RNs and EPs for individual components of the OKR were: age > or =55 years (kappa = 0.97); inability to weight bear (kappa = 0.51); inability to bend knee to 90 degrees (kappa = 0.52); fibular head tenderness (kappa = 0.45); and isolated patellar tenderness (kappa = 0.40). The EPs and RNs agreed with OKR criteria for x-ray 71% of the time (kappa = 0.41). CONCLUSIONS: The only criterion that resulted in almost perfect agreement between the RNs and EPs was patient age; agreement for the other four criteria and the overall decision to order x-rays was moderate.
Langton's turmite meets Lights Out

The solution to the game of Lights Out and its many variants have been well studied. This article introduces Langton's turmite to the game of Lights Out and discusses when Langton's turmite can solve Lights Out on a torus. The article also explores the behavior of multiple Langton's turmites on a Lights Out on a torus. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity, 2014
Immune and cell therapy of hematologic malignancies.

Advances in molecular biology and immunology have identified means to activate the immune response against leukemia-associated antigens. Recent studies indicate that the stealth-like phenotype of leukemia cells can be reversed through transfer of genes encoding recombinant membrane-stabilized proteins of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family, such as the one encoding CD154, the ligand for CD40. A phase I clinical trial using autologous CD154-transduced leukemia cells as a cellular vaccine has provided encouraging results. Treatment not only appears capable of inducing a cellular anti-leukemia immunity, but also may have a direct effect on leukemia cells by inducing latent sensitivity to Fas (CD95)-dependent leukemia-cell apoptosis. Phase II studies currently are underway using multiple injections of autologous leukemia cells made to express recombinant CD154 via gene transfer. Conceivably, we may be entering an era of effective gene therapy for hematologic malignancies.
Draft Genome Sequence of a New Delhi Metallo-β-Lactamase-5 (NDM-5)-Producing Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Isolate

ABSTRACT A multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli isolate from an abdominal lesion displayed resistance to all β-lactams tested, including carbapenems, in addition to macrolides, fluoroquinolones, and tetracycline. Sequence analyses demonstrated the presence of blaNDM-5 in addition to at least 13 genes and 6 efflux pumps associated with antibiotic resistance.
Sports Fiction of the Sixties

Just as the 1960s was a transitional decade of far-reaching significance in American culture, the 1960s was also a time of major changes in the history of sports fiction. Several of the sports novels of the sixties reflected changes in and were perhaps motivated by socid change in America. During this decade, the dominance of baseball in fiction was broken. Updike's Rabbit, Run (1960), for example, initiated a minor interlude of basketball fiction. More importantly, the year 1968 marked a major turning point in sports fiction through novels by Frederick Exley, Robert Coover, and Gary Cartwright. After 1968, writers turned primarily to football in their novels, but baseball stories enjoyed some popularity as a result of the seventies' interest in nostalgia.
Operating condition modeling for ATR fusion assessment

ABSTRACT Real world Operating Conditions (OCs) influence sensor data that in turn affects the perf ormance of target detection and identification systems utilizing the collected information. The impact of operating conditions on collected data is widely accepted, but not fully characterized . OCs that affect data depend on sens or wavelength and associated scenario phenomenology, and can vary significantly between electro-optical (EO), infrared (IR), and radar sensors. This paper will discuss what operating cond itions might be modeled for each sensor type and how they could affect automatic target recognition (ATR) systems designed to exploit their respective sensory data. The OCs are broken out into four categories; sensor, environment, target, and ATR algorithm training. These main categories will further contain subcategories with varying levels of influence. The purpose of this work is to develop an OC distribution model for the real world that can be used to realistically represent the performance of multiple ATR systems, and ultimately the decision made from the fused ATR results. An accurate OC model will greatly enhance th e performance assessment of ATR and fusion systems by affording Bayesian conditioning in fusion performance analysis and aiding in the sensitivity analysis of fusion performance over different operational conditions. Accurate OC models will also be useful in the fusion algorithm operation. Keywords: EO, IR, SAR, radar, ATR, operating cond itions, OCs, fusion, detection, identification
A New Double Point Multiplication Algorithm and Its Application to Binary Elliptic Curves with Endomorphisms

We present a new double point multiplication algorithm based on differential addition chains. Our proposed scheme has a uniform structure and has some degree of built-in resistance against side channel analysis attacks. We discuss deploying our scheme in a hardware implementation of single point multiplication on binary elliptic curves with efficiently computable endomorphisms. Based on operation counts, we expect to gain accelerations of 30% and 18% for computing single point multiplication with and without availability of parallel multipliers, respectively, and these results are verified in our implementations.
Immune dysregulation in the pathogenesis of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare disease of the lung characterized by the accumulation of surfactant-derived lipoproteins within pulmonary alveolar macrophages and alveoli, resulting in respiratory insufficiency and increased infections. The disease is caused by a disruption in surfactant catabolism by alveolar macrophages due to loss of functional granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) signaling. The underlying molecular mechanisms causing deficiencies in GM-CSF signaling are as follows: 1) high levels of neutralizing GM-CSF autoantibodies observed in autoimmune PAP; 2) mutations in CSF2RA, the gene encoding the α chain of the GM-CSF receptor, observed in hereditary PAP; and 3) reduced numbers and function of alveolar macrophages as a result of other clinical diseases seen in secondary PAP. Recent studies investigating the biology of GM-CSF have revealed that not only does this cytokine have an indispensable role in lung physiology, but it is also a critical regulator of innate immunity and lung host defense.
Structural and Treatment Analyses of Safe and At-Risk Behaviors and Postures Performed by Pharmacy Employees

This study employed structural and treatment analyses to determine factors that contributed to wrist posture safety in a small pharmacy. The pharmacy was located on a university campus and participants were three female pharmacy technicians. These particular employees had experienced various repetitive-motion injuries that resulted in a total of 36 lost days and 161 restricted days. Observers collected observational data on the participants' wrist posture in the presence and absence of an improvised wrist support device that participants placed under the computer keyboard. Average percentage safe for wrist position with a wrist support was higher for all three participants when compared to wrist position without a wrist support. These results indicated that the participants' wrist posture was considerably safer when the wrist support was present. The structural analysis proved valuable for aiding in the development of an intervention and in identifying variables that were responsible for the participants'...
MHC-restricted recognition by antigen-specific B cells: fact or artefact?

Over the past several years it has become generally accepted that T cells and B cells, the two classes of antigen-specific lymphoid cells, differ fundamentally in their modes of antigen-specific recognition. Thus, it has been widely accepted that most T cells do not recognise conventional (nominal) antigens alone, but rather recognise these antigens in association with cell-surface products encoded within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC. In contrast, it has generally been concluded that B cells do not exhibit similar requirements for recognition of self-MHC products, and do recognise antigen alone. Here Richard Hodes and Alfred Singer discuss a formulation, consistent with these notions, which attributes to T cells and B cells two distinct and potentially complementary functions in the defense of the host organism.
Alterations in Cerebral Oxygen Metabolism after Traumatic Brain Injury in Children

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the most common cause of acquired disability in children. Metabolic defects, and in particular mitochondrial dysfunction, are important contributors to brain injury after TBI. Studies of metabolic dysfunction are limited, but magnetic resonance methods suitable for use in children are overcoming this limitation. We performed noninvasive measurements of cerebral blood flow and oxygen metabolic index (OMI) to assess metabolic dysfunction in children with severe TBI. Cerebral blood flow is variable after TBI but hypoperfusion and low OMI are predominant, supporting metabolic dysfunction. This finding is consistent with preclinical and adult clinical studies of brain metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction after TBI.
Magnetic order in the Nd, Gd, Er, and Yb trifluoromethane sulfonates

We have observed magnetic order, apparently dipolar in origin, in the hexagonal trifluoromethane sulfonate salts of Nd, Gd, Er, and Yb. With the exception of Yb, their magnetic properties are all very similar to the corresponding isostructural rare earth ethyl sulfates. The Yb salt is unique in having a different ionic ground state, and may not haveC 3h symmetry.
Effect of electric field on solute solubility in Al alloys measured by hardness

The influence of dc electric field on pertinent solute solubility during the solution heat treatment of Al–Mg–Si–Cu AA 6111 Al alloy was determined by employing Vickers hardness and resistivity. Thermodynamic analysis of the results showed that the field decreased both entropy ΔSs and enthalpy ΔHs of the solution, but still gave a reduction in the Gibbs free energy ΔGs = ΔHs–TΔSs and in turn an increase in solubility. The reduction in ΔGs obtained from the hardness tests was similar to that from the resistivity measurements. The decrease in ΔGs by the field suggests that there exists an electronic aspect to the Gibbs free energy of the solution in addition to the size misfit. The solid solution strengthening corresponding to the increase in solubility by the field was in accord with the Mott–Nabarro model. Considering several Al–Mg2Si alloys, the solubility increase by an electric field was proportional to the difference in valence between the pertinent solute and the Al host.
A leaky magnetohydrodynamic waveguide model for the acceleration of high-speed solar wind streams in coronal holes

It is now reasonably well established that there is a correlation between high-speed solar wind streams and coronal holes. It has been concluded that a significant addition of momentum and/or energy in the region of supersonic flow is needed to explain the observed particle flux and flow speed observed in the high-speed streams. The most likely source of this additional momentum appears to be magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves propagating up from the solar surface. The present investigation is concerned with the propagation of MHD waves in a structure of finite transverse size, taking into account the consequences for the acceleration of high-speed solar wind streams. A waveguide solution for a model coronal hole is described, giving attention to a geometric or ray analysis of the slab waveguide, a wave mode analysis, an analytic solution of the dispersion relation for high-frequency waves, and the calculation of the time-averaged wave force.
Thermodynamic linkage in the GrpE nucleotide exchange factor, a molecular thermosensor.

GrpE is the nucleotide exchange factor for the Escherichia coli molecular chaperone DnaK, the bacterial homologue of Hsp70. In the temperature range of the bacterial heat shock response, the long helices of GrpE undergo a helix-to-coil transition, and GrpE exhibits non-Arrhenius behavior with respect to its nucleotide exchange function. It is hypothesized that GrpE acts as a thermosensor and that unwinding of the long helices of E. coli GrpE reduces its activity as a nucleotide exchange factor. In turn, it was proposed that temperature-dependent down-regulation of the activity of GrpE may increase the time in which DnaK binds its substrates at higher temperatures. A combination of thermodynamic and hydrodynamic techniques, in concert with the luciferase refolding assay, were used to characterize a molecular mechanism in which the long helices of GrpE are thermodynamically linked with the β-domains via an intramolecular contact between Phe86 and Arg183. These “thermosensing” long helices were found to be n...
Seabed AUV offers new platform for high‐resolution imaging

A number of marine biological, geological, and archaeological applications share the need for high-resolution optical and acoustic imaging of the sea floor [Ballard et al., 2002; Greene et al., 2000; Shank et al., 2002]. In particular,there is a compelling need to conduct studies in depths beyond those considered reasonable for divers (∼50 m) down to depths at the shelf edge and continental slope (∼1000–2000 m). Some of the constraints associated with such work include the requirement to work off of small coastal vessels or fishing boats of opportunity,and the requirement for the vehicle components to be air-shippable to enable inexpensive deployments at far-flung oceanographic sites of interest.
Male codling moth (Laspeyresia pomonella) orientation to visual cues in the presence of pheromone and sequences of courtship behaviors.

Male codling moths (Tortricidae: Laspeyresia pomonella L.), after anemotactic flight to synthetic sex pheromone, spent a significantly greater amount of time in close-range orientation to a dead female moth providing a visual cue than to the pheromone source. Thirty-three successful codling moth matings were analyzed to produce an ethogram depicting male and female behaviors occurring during courtship. The female sequence was highly variable, but the male sequence was not.
Phenomenological lattice model of the high-temperature phase transition in quantum chromodynamics

On propose un modele reticule phenomenologique simple pour la transition de phase a haute temperature dans un plasma quark-gluon
Growth factor impact on articular cartilage subpopulations

We have examined the effects of growth factor stimulation on superficial and growth zone chondrocyte populations. Zonal articular chondrocytes from 8-month-old Spanish goat distal femurs were plated in monolayer cultures and stimulated by using insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Gene expression for collagen I and II, aggrecan, and superficial zone protein were evaluated every week for 3 weeks. Finally, proteoglycan and collagen deposition were measured for each experimental group. Major differences existed in the behavior of superficial and growth zone chondrocytes, the most apparent being the higher capacity for protein synthesis by the growth zone population. Variations also existed regarding growth factor treatment. TGF-β1 had the greatest effect on proliferation over 8 days. With respect to differentiation, IGF-I increased average collagen II gene expression in the growth zone populations in comparison with growth zone controls. IGF-I increased aggrecan gene expression for the same groups. Superficial zone populations exhibited lower collagen II, collagen I, and aggrecan gene expression than the growth zone populations under all conditions. However, superficial zone protein expression was dramatically elevated in superficial zone populations by TGF-β1. Collagen I expression showed a general increase under all conditions compared with initial values. Combined biosynthesis results showed that the superficial populations secreted little to no collagen, especially collagen II, in comparison with their growth zone counterparts. Glycosaminoglycan production was also much lower than for the growth zone groups. TGF-β1 and IGF-I increased collagen II production in the growth zone populations. TGF-β1 increased glycosaminoglycan secretions in the superficial zone populations and in the growth zone populations, whereas IGF-I produced an increase in glycosaminoglycan secretion only in the growth zone populations. Thus, growth factors elicit different proliferation, gene expression, and biosynthesis responses from zonal chondrocyte subpopulations.
A comparison of fault calculation procedures for industrial power distribution systems: the past, the present, and the future

A summary of fault calculation procedures appropriate for industrial power distribution systems is presented in this paper. A discussion of ANSI/IEEE Standards for fault calculations is used as the basis for comparisons between alternative approaches that have been developed. Symmetrical component and phase variable modeling are discussed for frequency-domain modeling approaches and suggested minimal modeling requirements are provided for time-domain simulation techniques. Each approach is discussed from accuracy, solution time, and date requirement point-of-view and recommendations are made for specific types of systems. General conclusions are drawn with regard to the appropriateness of each of the basic methods for fault calculations of complex systems. >
The redundancy and distribution of the phrase lengths of the fixed-database Lempel-Ziv algorithm

The fixed-database version of the Lempel-Ziv algorithm closely resembles many versions that appear in practice. We ascertain several key asymptotic properties of the algorithm as applied to sources with finite memory. First, we determine that for a dictionary of size n, the algorithm achieves a redundancy /spl rho//sub n/=Hlog log n/log n+0(log log n/log n) where H is the entropy of the process. This is the first, nontrivial, lower bound on any Lempel-Ziv-type compression scheme. We then find the limiting distribution and all moments of the lengths of the phrases by comparing them to a random-walk-like variable with well-known behavior.
Combined Endovascular and Open Approach in Renal Salvage for Acute Renal Artery In-stent Thrombosis: The Danger of Undiagnosed Takayasu's Disease

A 29-year female with a history of limited smoking (1 pk/week), hypercholesterolemia, and no personal or family history of an autoimmune disease was referred to an outside institution for reevaluation of persistent hypertension despite aggressive medical management. Her clinical symptoms and signs suggested renovascular hypertension. An initial angiogram revealed bilateral renal artery stenosis, which provided her with a presumed diagnosis of fibromuscular dysplasia. Bilateral renal artery angioplasties were performed with good technical results and with improved blood pressure control. Eleven months following her procedure, a screening duplex ultrasound suggested restenosis of her renal vessels. She was referred to our institution and underwent repeat angioplasty. She received heparin during the procedure, and she was prescribed a course of clopidogrel and aspirin for 1-month and 2 months, respectively. Poor technical results were achieved, and bilateral renal stents were placed. Fifteen days following her procedure, she presented to the emergency roomwith acute onset abdominal pain that had started 10 h prior to her admission. Both a duplex ultrasound and an angiogram demonstrated complete occlusion of her right renal artery with an infarcted right kidney.
Responses of trace gases to hydrologic pulses in desert floodplains

[1] Pulsed hydrologic inputs interact with antecedent moisture conditions to shape biogeochemical dynamics in many ecosystems, but the outcomes of these interactions remain difficult to predict. Hydrologic pulses may influence biogeochemical activity through several mechanisms: by providing water as a resource, providing limiting nutrients or substrates that fuel particular biogeochemical pathways, or determining redox conditions. Antecedent moisture conditions may modify the relative importance of each of these potential mechanisms, by influencing accumulation of labile carbon and nutrients, the severity of water limitation to biological processes, and longer-term effects on abiotic conditions, including redox. We experimentally applied hydrologic pulses of different sizes (1-cm and 20-cm events) to soils of desert floodplains and assessed responses of trace gases (CO2, CH4, NO, and N2O) in dry and monsoon seasons to test these mechanisms. Size of the hydrologic pulse strongly interacted with antecedent soil-moisture conditions to determine emissions of some trace gases. Following dry antecedent conditions, water addition stimulated emissions of CO2, CH4, and NO, but not N2O, and larger experimental pulses resulted in larger fluxes. In the monsoon season, responses to water addition were muted and size of the hydrologic pulse had no effect, except for CH4emission, which increased in response to the 20-cm event. Seasonal contrasts indicated that antecedent moisture conditions constrain the effects of hydrologic pulses on biogeochemical processes, whereas contrasts among responses of different trace gases demonstrated that mechanisms controlling emissions of particular gases are water limitation (CO2), in situ production of nitrogen substrates (NO), or redox conditions (CH4). Strong and predictable interactive effects of water inputs and antecedent conditions indicate that extended droughts may cause elevated emissions of gaseous C and NO following the return of precipitation, whereas larger floods or longer wet seasons are expected to dampen gaseous fluxes, which may contribute to conserving soil C and nutrients within floodplains.
A new HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, rosuvastatin, exerts anti-inflammatory effects on the microvascular endothelium: the role of mevalonic acid

Recent studies have reported that hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors have vasculoprotective effects independent of their lipid-lowering properties, including anti-inflammatory actions. We used intravital microscopy of the rat mesenteric microvasculature to examine the effects of rosuvastatin, a new HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, on leukocyte-endothelium interactions induced by thrombin. Intraperitoneal administration of 0.5 and 1.25 mg kg(-1) rosuvastatin 18 h prior to the study, significantly and dose-dependently attenuated leukocyte rolling, adherence, and transmigration in the rat mesenteric microvasculature superfused with 0.5 u ml(-1) thrombin. This protective effect of rosuvastatin was reversed by intraperitoneal injection of 25 mg kg(-1) mevalonic acid 18 h before the study. Immunohistochemical detection of the endothelial cell adhesion molecule P-selectin showed a 70% decrease in endothelial cell surface expression of P-selectin in thrombin-stimulated rats given 1.25 mg kg(-1) rosuvastatin. In addition, rosuvastatin enhanced release of nitric oxide (NO) from the vascular endothelium as measured directly in rat aortic segments. Moreover, rosuvastatin failed to attenuate leukocyte-endothelium interactions in peri-intestinal venules of eNOS(-/-) mice. These data indicate that rosuvastatin exerts important anti-inflammatory effects via inhibition of endothelial cell adhesion molecule expression, and that this protective action of rosuvastatin requires release of nitric oxide by the vascular endothelium. These data also demonstrate that the mechanism of the non-lipid lowering actions of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors in vivo may be due to reduced formation or availability of mevalonic acid within endothelial cells.
Glucose utilization, pH reduction and density dependent inhibition in cultures of chick embryo fibroblasts

The multiplication rate of sparse cultures of chick embryo cells is only slightly lower at pH 6.9 than at pH 7.4. There is, however, a marked reduction in the multiplication rate of the pH 6.9 cultures before they reach confluency. Cultures at pH 7.4 continue to multiply beyond confluency with only a slight decrease in the multiplication rate. Eighty to ninety percent of the glucose taken up by the cells growing at each pH is converted to lactic acid which is released into the medium. Metabolic reduction in pH of the medium is almost entirely accounted for by the amount of lactic acid produced by the cells. Neither the intracellular nor extracellular accumulation of lactic acid nor the accompanying reduction in pH is sufficient to explain density dependent inhibition of the rate of multiplication of chick cells. The rate of lactic acid production and the multiplication rate of chick cells are independent of glucose concentration in the range of 2--16 mM. In view of the kinetic parameters for the uptake of glucose, this shows that glycolysis is not limited by the rate of glucose uptake and that depletion of glucose from the medium cannot account for the onset of density dependent inhibition of multiplication. However, when cells reach very high population densities, conventional glucose concentrations of 5 mM can be depleted overnight by chick cells. Since the multiplication rate of cells is dependent on glucose concentration when it falls below 2 mM, depletion of glucose may cause some growth inhibition in crowded cultures supplied with conventional medium.
Relationships Between Divided Attention and Working Memory Impairment in People With Schizophrenia

Recent studies suggest that people with schizophrenia (PSZ) have difficulty distributing their attention broadly. Other research suggests that PSZ have reduced working memory (WM) capacity. This study tested whether these findings reflect a common underlying deficit. We measured the ability to distribute attention by means of the Useful Field of View (UFOV) task, in which participants must distribute attention so that they can discriminate a foveal target and simultaneously localize a peripheral target. Participants included 50 PSZ and 52 healthy control subjects. We found that PSZ exhibited severe impairments in UFOV performance, that UFOV performance was highly correlated with WM capacity in PSZ (r = −.61), and that UFOV impairments could not be explained by either impaired low-level processing or a generalized deficit. These results suggest that a common mechanism explains deficits in the ability to distribute attention broadly, reduced WM capacity, and other aspects of impaired cognition in schizophrenia. We hypothesize that this mechanism may involve abnormal local circuit dynamics that cause a hyperfocusing of resources onto a small number of internal representations.
On the connectivity modeling and the tradeoffs between reliability and energy efficiency in large scale wireless sensor networks

The development of architectures and strategies that allow for rapid and cost-effective deployment of large scale geographically distributed sensor based systems that organize themselves in an ad hoc fashion in order to improve the monitoring and detection capabilities, is becoming more a requirement rather than a desire. In this paper, we first provide a model that characterizes the corresponding sensor connectivity distribution for a sensor networking system, and based on this model we gain some insight about the trade off among the node connectivity, power consumption, data rate, etc. The impact of node connectivity on system reliability is discussed. Furthermore in order to reduce the sensor power consumption we analyze the relationship between periodical sleeping strategies and the achieved power conservation. Several results and tradeoffs among various sleeping strategies, transmission scenarios and power gains, for given connectivity requirements, are also presented and evaluated.
Some Structure-Activity Relationships in Homogeneous Transition Metal Catalysts

Abstract Mechanistic studies of homogeneous catalysts1 have begun to give a fairly clear picture of the mechanism in a number of different systems. In the case of low valent organometallic catalysts, the metal often shuttles between two different oxidation states, and between 16- and 18-electron configurations.2 Many catalysts have one or more labile ligands that dissociate to allow access for the substrate(s) involved in the reaction. We have been particularly interested for several years in studying complexes that have multiple labile ligands that can provide many sites for the substrate(s) to bind. This has led us to think in terms of the partitioning of the electron count of the catalytic intermediates between the part derived from the substrate(s) and from the permanently bound ligands. Since we can easily adjust the number of permanently bound ligands and the total electron count must not exceed2 18, this gives us a way of altering the number of sites available to the substrate(s). Such changes can ...
Assessment of Cellular Proliferation in Tumors by PET Using 18F-ISO-1

This first study in humans was designed to evaluate the safety and dosimetry of a cellular proliferative marker, N-(4-(6,7-dimethoxy-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-2(1H)-yl)butyl)-2-(2-18F-fluoroethoxy)-5-methylbenzamide (18F-ISO-1), and evaluate the feasibility of imaging tumor proliferation by PET in patients with newly diagnosed malignant neoplasms. Methods: Patients with biopsy-proven lymphoma, breast cancer, or head and neck cancer underwent 18F-ISO-1 PET. Tumor 18F-ISO-1 uptake was assessed semiquantitatively by maximum standardized uptake value, ratios of tumor to normal tissue and tumor to muscle, and relative distribution volume ratio. The PET results were correlated with tumor Ki-67 and mitotic index, from in vitro assays of the tumor tissue. The biodistribution of 18F-ISO-1 and human dosimetry were evaluated. Results: Thirty patients with primary breast cancer (n = 13), head and neck cancer (n = 10), and lymphoma (n = 7) were evaluated. In the entire group, tumor maximum standardized uptake value and tumor-to-muscle ratio correlated significantly with Ki-67 (τ = 0.27, P = 0.04, and τ = 0.38, P = 0.003, respectively), but no significant correlation was observed between Ki-67 and tumor–to–normal-tissue ratio (τ = 0.07, P = 0.56) or distribution volume ratio (τ = 0.26, P = 0.14). On the basis of whole-body PET data, the gallbladder is the dose-limiting organ, with an average radiation dose of 0.091 mGy/MBq. The whole-body and effective doses were 0.012 mGy/MBq and 0.016 mSv/MBq, respectively. No adverse effects of 18F-ISO-1 were encountered. Conclusion: The presence of a significant correlation between 18F-ISO-1 and Ki-67 makes this agent promising for evaluation of the proliferative status of solid tumors. The relatively small absorbed doses to normal organs allow for the safe administration of up to 550 MBq, which is sufficient for PET imaging in clinical trials.
Mechanical tuning of surface plasmon in flexible gold nanograting

We present design, fabrication and characterization of mechanically tunable gold nanograting structure. As the period of the flexible gold grating was tuned mechanically, shift in surface plasmon coupling condition led to tuning of resonant wavelength.
A Single Stereodynamic Center Modulates the Rate of Self‐Assembly in a Biomolecular System

Chirality is a property of asymmetry important to both physical and abstract systems. Understanding how molecular systems respond to perturbations in their chiral building blocks can provide insight into diverse areas such as biomolecular self-assembly, protein folding, drug design, materials, and catalysis. Despite the fundamental importance of stereochemical preorganization in nature and designed materials, the ramifications of replacing chiral centers with stereodynamic atomic mimics in the context of biomolecular systems is unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that replacement of a single amino acid stereocenter with a stereodynamic nitrogen atom has profound consequences on the self-assembly of a biomolecular system. Our results provide insight into how the fundamental biopolymers of life would behave if their chiral centers were not configurationally stable, highlighting the vital importance of stereochemistry as a pre-organizing element in biomolecular folding and assembly events.
Effect of radiation plus endotoxin on the Walker 256 rat carcinosarcoma.

SummaryA dose of 1500 R X-ray to rat Walker carcinosarcoma 256, followed by a sublethal dose of endotoxin, produced routinely a condition that gross and histological study suggested was an infarct involving all or nearly all tumor tissue. Tracer studies with intravenously administered I131 antibody to rat fibrin showed a pronounced localization of radioactivity about the periphery of treated tumors with no radioactivity in the central portions of the tumor, a picture consistent with a lack of blood circulation there. X-ray or endotoxin, administered alone, at the same doses, produced no obvious effect on tumor histology or antibody localization.
Effect of molecular structure on thermodynamic properties of carbohydrates. A calorimetric study of aqueous di- and oligosaccharides at subzero temperatures

For aqueous solutions of di- and oligosaccharides thermodynamic properties have been investigated at subzero temperatures using differential scanning calorimetry. The amount of unfrozen water observed is found to increase linearly with the glass transition temperatures of anhydrous carbohydrates. Furthermore, the amount of unfrozen water shows a linear relationship with known solution properties of aqueous carbohydrates, such as partial molar compressibility and heat of solution. The different effectiveness among various di- and oligosaccharides to avoid ice formation is associated with the combination of constitutive monosaccharides and attendant molecular structure features including the position and type of the glycosidic linkage between the constituent units. More unfrozen water is induced in the presence of a carbohydrate having a poorer compatibility with the three-dimensional hydrogen-bond network of water. A series of these results obtained imply that there is a common key of carbohydrate stereochemistry governing several different thermodynamic amounts of a given system involving carbohydrates. In this context, a modified stereospecific-hydration model can be used to interpret the present results in terms of stereochemical effects of carbohydrates.
Communication within clouds: open standards and proprietary protocols for data center networking

Cloud computing and other highly virtualized data center applications have placed many new and unique requirements on the data center network infrastructure. Conventional network protocols and architectures such as Spanning Tree Protocol and multichassis link aggregation can limit the scale, latency, throughput, and virtual machine mobility for large cloud networks. This has led to a multitude of new networking protocols and architectures. We present a tutorial on some of the key requirements for cloud computing networks and the various approaches that have been proposed to implement them. These include industry standards (e.g., TRILL, SPB, software-defined networking, and OpenFlow), best practices for standards-based data center networking (e.g., the open datacenter interoperable network), as well as vendor proprietary approaches (e.g., FabricPath, VCS, and Qfabric).
Integrated Play-Back, Sensing, and Networked Control

Sensing, actuation, and decision units can control a remote physical environment and enable physical actions regardless of distance. However, the effectiveness of networked control depends on its ability to tolerate network non-determinism, which in turn can be enhanced by the use of play-back buffers. Although play-back has been intensively studied in multi-media applications, play-back schemes differ significantly in networked control, which is characterized by different performance metrics and a different sequence of communication events. The primary contribution of this paper is an end-to-end algorithm that integrates play-back buffering, sensor sampling, and control. The algorithm is extensively validated on simulations and realtime wide-area emulations. The integrated algorithm canceled the effect of disturbances as much as a proportional controller under ideal network conditions.
Wage Mobility of Foreign-Born Workers in the United States

This paper presents new evidence on whether foreign-born workers assimilate. While the existing literature focuses on the convergence / divergence of average wages, this study extends the analysis to the distribution of wages by looking at wage mobility. We measure the foreign-native gap in year-to-year transition probabilities from one decile group to another of a wage distribution, where the deciles are determined by native samples. Our results, based on the Current Population Survey for 1996-2008, suggest that immigrants in middle and bottom decile groups, who are the majority of immigrants, tend to fall behind relative to natives in the same decile groups.
The Psychological Climate and Reported Well-Being of Underground Miners: An Exploratory Study

This study explored the dimensions of underground miners' work-environment perceptions, how these dimensions related to measures of well-being, and to what extent such factors as age, seniority, and work assignment accountedfor perceptions of the environment and one's well-being. Four hundred sixty-nine nonmanagement employees participated in this investigation. Results indicated that the dimensions of work-environment perceptions were, to a large extent, similar to dimensions found in other occupational groups. Further, perceptions of the interpersonal behaviors of supervisors and of promotion practices in the mine seemed to have greatest significance for the miners' reports of well-being. Analyses of the effects of age, seniority, and work assignment yielded few statistically meaningful associations with selfand environmental perceptions, thereby suggesting that other variables may be more salient determinants of miners' attitudes. It was also noted that perceptions of the environment as well as indices...
Functional comparison of the three isoforms of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX1, NCX2, NCX3).

Three distinct mammalian Na+/Ca2+exchangers have been cloned: NCX1, NCX2, and NCX3. We have undertaken a detailed functional comparison of these three exchangers. Each exchanger was stably expresse...
Radiation-induced division delay in Dictyostelium discoideum: relation to survival in resistant and sensitive strains.

SummaryVegetative amoeboid cells of the cellular slime mould, Dictyostelium discoideum NC—4, are very resistant to gamma-radiation. Mutant strains have been isolated which are significantly more radiosensitive. Studies were conducted to measure division delays and other growth responses after irradiation of strain NC—4 and two mutant strains. Some division of non-surviving (non-colonyforming) cells was observed in all strains. Total cell populations (surviving plus non-surviving cells) in all three strains showed essentially equivalent division-delay responses. However, surviving cells of the mutant strains revealed division delays that were much longer than those of the total cell populations. A model is proposed to interpret these results. A basic premise of the model is that, if more time is allowed for repair of potentially lethal damage incurred by the sensitive strains, cellular survival will be greater. Support for this model was obtained by producing artificially long delays in populations consist...
Multiple Masculinities: Gender Performativity in Soviet Political Humor

This article explores expressions of Russian masculinity in the Russian anekdot—a short humorous (and at times politically subversive) narrative that was highly popular during the late-Soviet era. ...
The Lexicon in Acquisition: Words for actions

Young children don't only talk about things; they also talk about actions, and here too they coin new words. But where do new labels for actions come from? In many languages, perhaps most, the major source is nouns. Speakers can use the label for an object involved in the action to designate the activity itself, provided, of course, there is no established verb with just that meaning already available. In some languages, forming a new verb is also very simple, through zero-derivation; in others, the noun base requires an affix to mark its change of word class. Languages also differ in the extent to which such coining of verbs is productive: in some, it is highly productive, in others less so. Factors like transparency, simplicity, and productivity should play the same roles in novel verb-formation as they do in noun formation, The extent to which this appears true is explored in the present chapter. I look first at innovative verbs produced in English and other Germanic languages, where noun into verb is generally productive, then turn to Romance and Slavic, and finally look at Hungarian and Hebrew. As before, I draw primarily from published records of longitudinal observations, supplemented by some cross-sectional studies of children's word formation. For English, these data are supplemented by my own observations of spontaneous and elicited forms. For the other languages, as before, I have drawn on published diaries, reports of vocabulary development, and the occasional elicitation study.
Cyclic mechanical distension regulates renin gene transcription in As4.1 cells

The renin-producing and -secreting juxtaglomerular (JG) cells are thought to function as the baroreceptor of the kidney. The mechanism by which changes in pressure, or mechanical force, regulate re...
Metamorphosis of supercritical fluid chromatography to SFC: An Overview

Abstract SFC is expanded as supercritical fluid chromatography, but the chromatography that is currently conducted under the name of SFC are not dependent on supercritical conditions. An SFC practitioner is mostly neither aware of the critical temperatures and pressures of the solvents, nor even require to take any measures to maintain supercriticality. Because, according to the current author, SFC has decisively shifted its focus from using mobile phase in supercritical conditions to using carbon dioxide as mobile phase, mixed with other co-solvents. SFC has discovered the benefits of using compressed CO 2 as solvent, which opened up some distinctly different and significantly wide application possibilities for chromatographic analyses as a whole. Here an overview will be provided on how supercritical fluid chromatography metamorphosed to SFC and why SFC may no longer be considered as a technique with some special application scope, rather a complementary tool to some widely accepted analytical techniques e.g. reversed-phase chromatography.
16.2 A Keccak-based wireless authentication tag with per-query key update and power-glitch attack countermeasures

Counterfeiting is a major problem plaguing global supply chains. While small low-cost tagging solutions for supply-chain management exist, security in the face of fault-injection [1] and side-channel attacks [2] remains a concern. Power glitch attacks [3] in particular attempt to leak key-bits by inducing fault conditions during cryptographic operation through the use of over-voltage and under-voltage conditions. This paper presents the design of a secure authentication tag with wireless power and data delivery optimized for compact size and near-field applications. Power-glitch attacks are mitigated through state backup on FeRAM based non-volatile flip-flops (NVDFFs) [4]. The tag uses Keccak [5] (the cryptographic core of SHA3) to update the key before each protocol invocation, limiting side-channel leakage to a single trace per key.