cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Time-dependent reliability analysis with joint upcrossing rates

In time-dependent reliability analysis, an upcrossing is defined as the event when a limit-state function reaches its failure region from its safe region. Upcrossings are commonly assumed to be independent. The assumption may not be valid for some applications and may result in large errors. In this work, we develop a more accurate method that relaxes the assumption by using joint upcrossing rates. The method extends the existing joint upcrossing rate method to general limit-state functions with both random variables and stochastic processes. The First Order Reliability Method (FORM) is employed to derive the single upcrossing rate and joint upcrossing rate. With both rates, the probability density of the first time to failure can be solved numerically. Then the probability density leads to an easy evaluation of the time-dependent probability of failure. The proposed method is applied to the reliability analysis of a beam and a mechanism, and the results demonstrate a significant improvement in accuracy.
Magnetosphere preconditioning under northward IMF: Evidence from the study of coronal mass ejection and corotating interaction region geoeffectiveness

[1] Motivated by recent observations and simulations of the formation of a cold and dense plasma sheet in the tail of the magnetosphere under northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and of the direct influence of the plasma sheet density on the ring current strength, this paper aims at (1) highlighting how the coupling of these effects may lead to a preconditioning of the magnetosphere under northward IMF and (2) performing first tests of the validity of this hypothesis. We have analyzed superposed epoch time series of various parameters to investigate the response of the magnetosphere (as indicated by the Dst index) to the passage of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and corotating interaction regions (CIRs). We first focused on the difference between the measured Dst signature and that predicted by a semiempirical Dst model. For both CME- and CIR-driven storms the superposed epoch results show that the model Dst predictions tend to underestimate the actual storm strength (by up to 10–30%) for events that are preceded by a substantial interval of northward IMF, as opposed to those with no such preceding northward IMF. We also analyzed Los Alamos geosynchronous spacecraft data for these events. The average density and temperature measured at storm onset are substantially higher and slightly lower, respectively, for the cases with preceding northward IMF intervals. These results suggest that solar wind structures may be more geoeffective if preceded by a northward IMF interval and they are consistent with the hypothesis of a preconditioning by a cold, dense plasma sheet. A colder and denser plasma sheet may lead to a stronger ring current when that plasma is convected inward during the main phase of an ensuing storm.
Identification of β2 Integrins in Bovine Neutrophils by Scanning Electron Microscopy in the Backscatter Mode and Transmission Electron Microscopy

Neutrophils (I x 105) were suspended in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and I% bovine serum albumin (BSA) for 10 minutes at 37 C to block nonspecific binding sites. Cells were centrifuged (900 rpm for 3 minutes) and rinsed twice with PBS (pH 7.2). Some of the cell suspensions were incubated with platelet activating factor (PAF; 100 ng/ml) for 5 minutes. Neutrophils were incubated with the optimal concentration of primary antibody (RI5.7; 5 f.Lg/ml final concentration) for I hour, rinsed, resuspended, and then exposed to the secondary antibody conjugated to 30-nm gold (I: 20 dilution final dilution) for 30 minutes. To assess possible nonspecific binding, control preparations used neutrophils with normal CD 18 expression but that either lacked the primary antibody or were exposed to a mouse antibody specific for unrelated antigens. Neutrophils were rinsed three times, fixed with I% glutaraldehyde (pH 7.4) for I hour, and rinsed again. A single layer of fixed neutrophils was applied to a round glass coverslip precoated with fresh poly-r.-Iysine and mounted with aluminum paint onto an aluminum stub; remaining neutrophils were processed for transmission electron microscopy. The preparation was dehydrated in graded alcohols, dried in a critical point dryer (Balzers CPO 020, Liechtenstein), coated with carbon (l0-20-nm layer), and examined on a JEOL scanning electron microscope (Tokyo, Japan) equipped with a backscatter detector. Gold sputter coating and osmium fixation could not be used because these heavy metals would cause haphazard and unorganized electron reflection and obliterate the colloidal gold particles. Carbon (atomic weight = 14), however, is light enough to coat the samples without interfering with the electroreflective properties of the gold particles and prevents undesirable charging effects. The optimal magnification settings were 18,000 x magnification and 15 kV. Gold particles were present on the surface of neutrophils from cows that expressed normal levels of CD 18. These foci were widely separated by 0.025-0.05 f.Lm (Fig. I) and were present on both the tips of surface pseudopodia and along the deeper recesses of the plasma membrane. The particles were easily visible in the backscatter (BE) mode but were undetectable in the conventional scanning mode. For quantitative work, five random cells per stub were photographed (18,000 x ) from three replicate tests, and gold particles were counted. By scanning electron microscopy, the number of gold particles averaged 62.0 and 51.4 particles per field of
Effect of NADPH oxidase inhibition on cardiopulmonary bypass-induced lung injury

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) causes acute lung injury. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) from NADPH oxidase may contribute to this injury. To determine the role of NADPH oxidase, we pretreated pigs wit...
Virtual Professional Learning Communities: Teachers' Perceptions of Virtual Versus Face-to-Face Professional Development

Research suggests that professional development that engages teachers in instructional inquiry over an extended time through collaborative professional learning communities (PLCs) is effective in improving instruction and student achievement. Still, most professional development is offered as short-duration workshops that are not effective in changing practice. Barriers to the implementation of PLCs include lack of shared meeting time and a shortage of teachers who share the same subject areas or common goals and interests. Convening teachers from multiple districts can alleviate this problem, but teachers are reluctant to travel for meetings due to time and cost restraints. Video-conferencing software offers a solution to these barriers while serving to foster the sense of community needed for PLCs to be effective. The researchers describe the use of Virtual PLCs in which two groups of teachers met monthly for one school year to collaboratively analyze evidence collected as part of their teacher inquiry plans. With help from a facilitator, these groups developed a relationship similar to other groups meeting face-to-face as part of the same professional development program. Analysis of the reflections of teacher-participants and facilitators revealed that teachers prefer face-to-face meetings, but that the virtual and face-to-face meetings provided teachers with similar social interactions in the PLC experience. The findings suggest that teachers perceive videoconferencing as an effective tool for facilitating PLCs when distance and time are practical barriers to face-to-face meetings. Practical considerations for developing and facilitating virtual PLCs are also discussed.
The InVEST Volcanic Concept Survey: Exploring Student Understanding About Volcanoes

Results from the Volcanic Concept Survey (VCS) indicated that many undergraduates do not fully understand volcanic systems and plate tectonics. During the 2006 academic year, a ten-item conceptual ...
Cumulative Effects of Maternal Age and Unintended Pregnancy on Offspring Aggression

Research on physical aggression often points to teen motherhood as being a primary contributor in the development of aggressive tendencies among young children. As a result of poor parenting practices, limited education, and a lack of emotional, physical, and financial resources, children born to young mothers often exhibit high levels of aggression across the life course. Meanwhile, unintentional pregnancy and young motherhood are likely to share many of the same risk factors and negative consequences for offspring, yet there is a dearth of research examining pregnancy intentionality and offspring aggression. Using the Fragile Families and Wellbeing Study, our study examines how mother’s age and pregnancy intention status influence aggression among their 5-year-old children. We find that young motherhood and unintended births, despite being likely to co-occur, each provide distinct mechanisms for the formation of aggressive behavior in childhood.
Dispersion compensation by optical phase conjugation in silicon waveguide

The use of a silicon-waveguide-based optical phase conjugator at the mid-span of a fibre link for dispersion compensation is experimentally demonstrated, enabling transmission of optical data at up to 40 Gbit/s over 320 km of standard fibre with clear open eye diagrams at the receiver. In addition, the feasibility of dispersion compensation for multiple DWDM channels simultaneously is demostrated. A signal conversion efficiency of -10 dB is obtained with a pump intensity of 37.5 MW/cm 2 in the waveguide.
Ideas, Pictures, and the Directness of Perception in Descartes and Locke

How are we to understand philosophical claims about sense perception being direct versus indirect? There are multiple relevant notions of perceptual directness, so I argue. Perception of external objects may be direct on some notions, while indirect on others. My interest is with the sense in which ideas count as perceptual mediators in the philosophy of Descartes and Locke. This paper has two broader aims. The first is to clarify four main notions of perceptual directness. The second is to support my contention that in the texts characterizing ideas as immediate objects of perception, Descartes and Locke are invoking the notion of directness I call ‘objectual’. This notion is modeled on the way a picture mediates perception of the pictured object. The upshot of my account is that – with respect to the objectual notion of directness – Descartes and Locke each hold an indirect theory of perception.
How much spectrum sharing is optimal in cognitive radio networks

We explore the performance tradeoff between opportunistic and regulated access inherent in the design of multiuser cognitive radio networks. We consider a multichannel cognitive radio system with sensing limits at the secondary users and interference tolerance limits at the primary and secondary users. Our objective is to determine the optimal amount of spectrum sharing, i.e., the number of secondary users that maximizes the total deliverable throughput in the network.We begin with the case of perfect primary user detection and zero interference tolerance at each of the primary and secondary nodes. With identical primary and secondary traffic statistics, we find that the optimal fraction of licensed users lies between the two extremes of fully opportunistic and fully licensed operation and is equal to the traffic duty cycle. When the secondary users can vary their transmission probabilities based on the number of active primary users, we find that the optimal number of opportunistic users is equal to the average number of unoccupied channels. We then consider the more involved case of imperfect sensing and non-zero interference tolerance constraints. We provide numerical simulation results to study the tradeoff between licensing and autonomy and the impact of primary user sensing and interference tolerance on the deliverable throughput for two different subchannel selection strategies at the secondary users.
Theoretical network load limit when self-similarity has no adverse effect on the network

It is well-known that the multimedia traffic is statistically self-similar, with fractal-like behavior, that is, network traffic exhibits scale-invariance at a wide range of scales. Such scale-invariance is different from traditional models of network traffic. It is also well-known that self-similarity degrades the network performance by requiring large queueing buffers, causing delay and packet dropping problems, and that the traditional queueing theory is inadequate to predict network performance. The conventional wisdom is that the higher the load on the network, the higher the degree of self-similarity. In this paper we first show a method of how to approximate a queueing buffer size with a self-similar input process, then we derive a theoretical network load limit when self-similarity has no adverse effect on the network. This load limit is found to be about the same load value published in literature, on average delay, with actual Ethernet traffic traces compared against curves obtained from the traditional queueing network analyser.
Laser-excited fluorescence in fingerprint detection and other criminalistic applications

An overview of the current and anticipated applications of optical techniques to the detection of latent fingerprints is presented. The focus is on time-resolved approaches. Other criminalistic applications that involve optical technology are taken up briefly.
ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC STUDIES ON THE INDIRECT FLIGHT MUSCLES OFDROSOPHILAMELANOGASTER: II. Differentiation of Myofibrils

The differentiation of the indirect flight muscles was studied in the various pupal stages of Drosophila. Fibrillar material originates in the young basophilic myoblasts in the form of short myofilamants distributed irregularly near the cell membranes. The filaments later become grouped into bundles (fibrils). Certain "Z bodies" appear to be important during this process. The "Z bodies" may possibly be centriolar derivatives and are the precursors of the Z bands. The first formed fibrils (having about 30 thick myofilaments) are already divided into sarcomeres by Z bands. These sarcomeres, however, seem to be shorter than those of the adult fibrils.The H band differentiates in fibrils having about 40 thick myofilaments; the fibrils constrict in the middle of each sarcomere during this process. The individual myofibrils increase from about 0.3 µ to 1.5 µ in diameter during development, apparently by addition of new filaments on the periphery of the fibrils. The ribosomes seem to be the only cytoplasmic inclusions which are closely associated with these growing myofibrils. Disintegration of the plasma membranes limiting individual myoblasts was commonly seen during development of flight muscles, supporting the view that the multinuclear condition of the fibers of these muscles is due to fusion of myoblasts.
Nature of the southwestern boundary of the central Mojave Tertiary province, Rodman Mountains, California

Tertiary volcanic and sedimentary rocks in the central Mojave Desert are largely confined to the Barstow-Bristol trough, an elongate tectonic depression filled with lower Miocene strata. The southwestern boundary of the trough is sharply defined and separates thick (∼2 km) Tertiary sequences from an area to the southwest that is virtually devoid of Tertiary rocks. Segments of this boundary have been interpreted as a buttress unconformity, as a right-slip sidewall fault that formed the lateral boundary of an early Miocene extensional terrane, and as a dip-slip fault caused by flexure of the North American plate above the subducted Mendocino fracture zone. The Silver Bell fault in the Rodman Mountains, central Mojave Desert, is the best exposed segment of the boundary, and relations exposed along it can be used to test these hypotheses. The Tertiary sequence north of the Silver Bell fault is at least 2.3 km thick and comprises at least 1.9 km of mafic lava flows overlain by and intercalated with coarse clastic rocks derived from the south side of the fault. Stratigraphic relations require faulting during volcanism and indicate that the minimum throw across the fault is at least equal to the thickness of the exposed Tertiary section. Tuff layers intercalated in the lower part of the clastic deposits are 23–24 m.y. old, indicating that faulting and volcanism were contemporaneous with extension and plutonism in the nearby central Mojave metamorphic core complex. Structural and stratigraphic data indicate that the Silver Bell fault is primarily a dip-slip fault. The Tertiary section is folded into a west-trending, upright to overturned syncline located near the southern edge of exposed Tertiary rocks. The syncline records late Cenozoic north-south shortening along the northwest-striking Calico fault, which in this area accommodated about 10 km of right slip and perhaps 1 km of reverse slip. Southwestward-dipping strata in the areally extensive north limb of the syncline resemble tilted strata in nearby highly extended areas and have been interpreted to reflect crustal extension. However, bedding dip does not decrease upward in the Tertiary section, paleocurrent directions trend obliquely updip, and northeast-dipping normal faults are rare. Stratal tilting postdated the accumulation of the exposed section, which therefore was not deposited during rotational normal faulting. The new data contradict interpretation of the Silver Bell fault as a major right-slip fault bounding the central Mojave extensional terrane, although they permit small-magnitude extension across the fault. The amount of early Miocene crustal extension in this area therefore is apparently small in spite of stratal tilting, and the lateral limit of large-magnitude crustal extension in the central Mojave block is farther northwest. The data are consistent with the fault having formed by failure during plate flexure above the subducted Mendocino fracture zone.
Cefaclor: In Vitro Spectrum of Activity and Beta-Lactamase Stability

The in vitro activity of cefaclor against 556 clinical isolates of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria was compared with that of other cephalosporins. Cefaclor had activity similar to that of cephalexin against gram-positive bacteria. It showed greater activity against Haemophilus strains than did cephalexin and inhibited beta-lactamase-producing Haemophilus isolates. Cefaclor was more active than cephalexin or cephalothin against Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Shigella isolates but did not act against Serratia, Acinetobacter, indole-positive Proteus, or Bacteroides isolates. Cefaclor was resistant to type III (TEM) beta-lactamases but was destroyed by type I beta-lactamases and, to a lesser degree, by type IV and type V beta-lactamases.
Back-bench split of a deceased-donor horseshoe kidney for two transplant recipients

The great discrepancy between available donors and those waiting for renal transplantation has led to creative strategies to maximize the deceased donor pool. One such strategy is utilization of donor organs with anatomic abnormalities. Horseshoe kidney is the most common renal abnormality, with an estimated incidence of 1 in 600 to 800. Fusion in a horseshoe kidney is most commonly a thick isthmus of renal parenchyma connecting the lower poles. Vascular and collecting-system anomalies are also very common and add to the challenge of using these organs for transplantation. The donor was a 45-year-old man who died of a blunt head trauma and had a terminal serum creatinine of 0.7 mg/dl.
Transcatheter closure of recurrent postmyocardial infarction ventricular septal defects utilizing the Amplatzer postinfarction VSD device: a case series.

The initial therapy for postmyocardial infarction ventricular septal defects is surgical repair of the defect. Unfortunately, a significant number of patients develop recurrent ventricular septal defects (VSDs) following operative repair. Transcatheter closure offers an alternative to reoperation in these critically ill patients. We present a series of four patients in whom recurrent ventricular septal defects were closed using an Amplatzer VSD device.
Dense astrophysical plasmas

Degenerate bodies composed primarily of dense hydrogen and helium plasmas range from giant planets to the so far hypothetical brown dwarfs. More massive objects begin their lives as nondegenerate stars and may end as white dwarfs, composed primarily of carbon and oxygen, or as neutron stars, with solid crusts of iron or heavier elements and cores of neutron matter. The physical properties of dense plasmas that are necessary to construct theoretical models of such degenerate stars include the equation of state, transport properties, and nuclear reaction rates.
Some Recent Information on Aircraft Vibration Due to Aerodynamic Sources

This paper is concerned with a survey of recent information on aircraft vibration with special attention being paid to vibration induced by aerodynamic sources. Certain aspects of the following topics as they bear on aircraft vibration will be discussed, including a general assessment of the state of the art in each of the areas: boundary‐layer pressure fluctuations; buffet due to configuration and maneuver; vibratory response due to atmospheric gusts; engine noise as related to sonic fatigue; flutter with special mention of problems of coplanar wings; helicopters, including a brief mention of the major vibratory problems.
Use of a physiologic scoring system during interhospital transport of pediatric patients.

Abstract Objective: To determine the incidence of physiologic deterioration in critically ill and injured pediatric patients during interhospital transport with air and ground ambulance Design: Prospective, descriptive study Setting: All children were treated in regional hospitals and then transported to a pediatric tertiary care center. Patients: Children (n = 100) with a median age of 1.4 years (range 1 week to 18 years) Main results: Three sets of physiologic scores were calculated: at the time of referral, on departure from the referring hospital, and arrival at the tertiary care center. The incidence of significant physiologic deterioration based on the calculated physiologic scores was 5.6% (n = 4) during ground and 3.4% (n = 1) during air ambulance transports. Critical events occurred in 15% of ground and 31% of air ambulance transports. Conclusion: No difference existed in the incidence of adverse events or physiologic deterioration when air ambulance transports were compared with ground ambulance transports for critically ill children by our team. The physiologic scoring system we chose is simple and easy to use for quality assurance.
Formant estimation by LPC with a new error criterion

In autoregressive coding of speech, it is essential that the LPC model contain accurate information about the first three formants; specifically, that the LPC spectrum should reproduce the correct formant frequencies and the corresponding bandwidths. We shall demonstrate that the modified linear predictive coder (MLPC) is superior to the widely used linear predictive coder (LPC) when the data frames are short. MLPC uses a new error criterion. Indeed, prediction is sought in terms of certain filtered signals obtained by passing the speech into a cascade of first order digital filters. The normal equations for this modified linear predictor are derived and a reversible window, suitable for this new formulation, is proposed. Application to speech is demonstrated.
Interpretation of S waves generated by near-surface chemical explosions at SAFOD

A series of near-surface chemical explosions conducted at the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD) were recorded by high-frequency downhole receiver arrays in separate experiments in November 2003 and May 2005. The 2003 experiment involved ∼100 kg shots detonated along a 46-km-long line (Hole–Ryberg line) centered on SAFOD and recorded by 32 three-component geophones in the pilot hole between 0.8 and 2.0 km depth. The 2005 experiment involved ∼36 kg shots detonated at Parkfield Area Seismic Observatory (PASO) stations (at ∼1–8 km offset) recorded by 80 three-component geophones in the main hole between the surface and 2.4 km depth. These data sample the downgoing seismic wavefield and constrain the shallow velocity and attenuation structure, as well as the first-order characteristics of the source. Using forward modeling on a velocity structure designed for the near field, both observed P - and S -wave energy for the PASO shots are identified with the travel times expected for direct and/or reflected phases. Larger-offset recordings from shots along the Hole–Ryberg line reveal substantial SV and SH energy, especially southwest of SAFOD from the source as indicated by P -to- S amplitude ratios. The generated SV energy is interpreted to arise chiefly from P -to- S conversions at subhorizontal discontinuities. This provides a simple mechanism for often-observed low P -to- S amplitude ratios from nuclear explosions in the far field, as originating from strong near-field wave conversions. Online Material: Figures of observed and synthetic seismogram record sections, snapshots of synthetic wavefields, and models of crustal structure.
WFIRST-AFTA coronagraph shaped pupil masks: design, fabrication, and characterization

NASA WFIRST-AFTA mission study includes a coronagraph instrument to find and characterize exoplanets. Various types of masks could be employed to suppress the host starlight to about 10−9 level contrast over a broad spectrum to enable the coronagraph mission objectives. Such masks for high-contrast internal coronagraphic imaging require various fabrication technologies to meet a wide range of specifications, including precise shapes, micron scale island features, ultralow reflectivity regions, uniformity, wave front quality, and achromaticity. We present the approaches employed at JPL to produce pupil plane and image plane coronagraph masks by combining electron beam, deep reactive ion etching, and black silicon technologies with illustrative examples of each, highlighting milestone accomplishments from the High Contrast Imaging Testbed at JPL and from the High Contrast Imaging Lab at Princeton University.
Mediating Norms and Identity: The Role of Transnational Judicial Dialogue in Creating and Enforcing International Law

This article proposes a new theory for understanding the emerging transnational judicial dialogue among the world's domestic courts, as well as U.S. courts' potential participation in that dialogue. Existing scholarship has focused almost exclusively on the role of domestic courts in internalizing international legal norms into domestic legal systems. I argue that the relationship between international and domestic legal norms is in fact a co-constitutive, or synergistic, relationship in which domestic courts are becoming active participants in the dynamic process of developing international law. Under this view, transnational judicial dialogue is the engine by which domestic courts collectively engage in the co-constitutive process of creating and shaping international legal norms and, in turn, ensure that those norms shape and inform domestic norms. Domestic courts participating in judicial dialogue thus play an increasingly important role as mediators between the international and domestic legal systems: They function not merely as norm internalizers, but also as creators of international legal norms. In this article, I explore transnational judicial dialogue in both the death penalty and transnational speech contexts, arguing that such dialogue has had a powerful impact in shaping emerging international legal norms in both contexts. I utilize co-constitutive theory to develop a model for domestic court participation in judicial dialogue. I apply the co-constitutive model to the emerging debate over the proper role of foreign and international law in U.S. courts, discussing in detail the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decisions in Lawrence v. Texas and Roper v. Simmons. I argue that in shaping the debate, U.S. judges and policymakers should take into account the co-constitutive nature of transnational judicial dialogue and the emerging role of the world's domestic courts as key mediators between domestic and international norms.
Human pharmacology of tranquilizing drugs

The widespread confusion in the classification of various tranquilizing drugs is due to the fact that there are no specific tranquilizers at this time. All available drugs have numerous pharmacologic actions in addition to ataraxia. Some of the newer drugs used to relieve anxiety are related pharmacologically to the well-known classic sedative and soporific compounds. Some agents, like chlorpromazine and reserpine, etc., have much less soporific effect but do have other marked pharmacologic actions. The position of the reviewer is that there are no truly specific tranquilizers and that most central nervous system depressants in proper dose or circumstance may be used clinically in man to relieve anxiety and produce tranquilization. The concept of the dose-response relationship of these agents is discussed. Drugs with relatively flat dose-response curves for central nervous system depression tend to be the most useful in relieving anxiety without producing too many undesirable actions. The pharmacology of several selected agents and related congeners is discussed in detail. These include the substituted phenothiazines, the Rauwolfia alkaloids, meprobamate, and chlordiazepoxide.
Consequences of instability and nonstoichiometry in high-temperature nuclear fuels

This paper reports that the search for high-temperature nuclear fuels is based on obtaining melting-point data from binary and ternary phase relationships. Arguments are presented that properties of important high-temperature materials used in nuclear fuels and fuel-element protective coatings have been obtained from nonequilibrium-phase diagrams and that the materials themselves are thermodynamically unstable. These data are time dependent and should be used with caution. Multicomponent solids at high temperatures have defect-stabilized equilibrium structures that can exhibit large deviations from stoichiometry. The properties of these materials are consistent with the view that the compound acts as a solvent for the individual constituents whose activities are dependent on the overall composition of the solid solution and on the environment when the environment includes a gas containing one or more of the constituents in the solid. At high temperatures, almost all stoichiometric refractory carbides and nitrides are unstable and evaporate incongruently. In closed system, incongruently evaporating materials eventually achieve stable configurations that are inherently mass dependent and geometry dependent. These mass-dependent, geometry-dependent properties include melting temperatures.
Electronic Transport and Raman Scattering in Size-Controlled Nanoperforated Graphene

We demonstrate the fabrication and study of the structure–property relationships of large-area (>1 cm2) semiconducting nanoperforated (NP) graphene with tunable constriction width (w = 7.5–14 nm), derived from CVD graphene using block copolymer lithography. Size-tunable constrictions were created while minimizing unintentional doping by using a dual buffer layer pattern-transfer method. An easily removable polymeric layer was sandwiched between an overlying silicon oxide layer and the underlying graphene. Perforation-size was controlled by overetching holes in the oxide prior to pattern transfer into graphene while the polymer protected the graphene from harsh conditions during oxide etching and lift off. The processing materials were removed using relatively mild solvents yielding the clean isolation of NP graphene and thereby facilitating Raman and electrical characterization. We correlate the D to G ratio as a function of w and show three regimes depending on w relative to the characteristic Raman rela...
Fetal and placental composition in experimental maternal diabetes.

SummaryA mild diabetic-like state was induced with streptozotocin in rats prior to breeding and fetal and placental composition was examined on day 21 of pregnancy. Fetuses of untreated diabetic rats were larger than those of controls and had significantly more fat, less water, and more DNA. These alterations in fetal size and composition were prevented by maternal insulin treatment during pregnancy.
Depletion-Induced Shape and Size Selection of Gold Nanoparticles

For nanoparticle-based technologies, efficient and rapid approaches that yield particles of high purity with a specific shape and size are critical to optimize the nanostructure-dependent optical, electrical, and magnetic properties, and not bias conclusions due to the existence of impurities. Notwithstanding the continual improvement of chemical methods for shaped nanoparticle synthesis, byproducts are inevitable. Separation of these impurities may be achieved, albeit inefficiently, through repeated centrifugation steps only when the sedimentation coefficient of the species shows sufficient contrast. We demonstrate a robust and efficient procedure of shape and size selection of Au nanoparticles (NPs) through the formation of reversible flocculates by surfactant micelle induced depletion interaction. Au NP flocculates form at a critical surfactant micelle molar concentration, Cm* where the number of surfactant micelles is sufficient to induce an attractive potential energy between the Au NPs. Since the ma...
Drug delivery strategies to control macrophages for tissue repair and regeneration.

Tissue repair and regeneration is a complex process. Our bodies have an excellent capacity to regenerate damaged tissues in many situations. However, tissue healing is impaired in injuries that exceed a critical size or are exacerbated by chronic inflammatory diseases like diabetes. In these instances, biomaterials and drug delivery strategies are often required to facilitate tissue regeneration by providing physical and biochemical cues. Inflammation is the body’s response to injury. It is critical for wound healing and biomaterial integration and vascularization, as long as the timing is well controlled. For example, chronic inflammation is well known to impair healing in chronic wounds. In this review, we highlight the importance of a well-controlled inflammatory response, primarily mediated by macrophages in tissue repair and regeneration and discuss various strategies designed to promote regeneration by controlling macrophage behavior. These strategies include temporally controlled delivery of anti-i...
Investigation of Knowledge on Tuberculosis Control and Prevention among Urban Residents in Huaibei City

Objective To investigate knowledge of the urban residents about tuberculosis control and prevention in Huaibei city.Methods 120 urban residents were sampled randomly and investigated with questionnaire.Results 75.42% people had got knowledge on TB.85.38% TB patients and their families,86.25%civil service,82.86% medical workers and 69.33% general public had got knowledge on tuberculosis control and prevention.The popular dissemination way of health education was TV,propaganda leaflets,newspapers and medical workers.Conclusion We still need to strengthen publicity of knowledge on tuberculosis control and prevention in city in order to promote TB control and prevention.
Evolution of Ventral Premotor Cortex and the Primate Way of Reaching

This article updates a thesis first advanced by Preuss (1993), who synthesized contemporary neuroanatomical findings with several ideas from evolutionary biology. Evidence from comparative neuroanatomy, morphology, and psychology, respectively, indicates that the ventral premotor cortex (PMv) and its corticospinal projection originated in the first true primates, which adapted to an arboreal life in distal branches and used a hand-to-mouth, unimanual feeding technique suited to such a life. In macaque monkeys, PMv projects directly to brainstem nuclei and spinal segments that control movements of the lips, jaw, and head. Taken together, these findings suggest that PMv evolved to coordinate head, mouth, and limb movements during unimanual feeding. Neurophysiological evidence indicates that PMv computes the difference between hand position and target location in a coordinate frame based on vision and this computation could support visually guided reaching and pointing, generally, as well as head orientation during social signaling.
The plasmasphere electron content paradox

Measurements show that plasmasphere refilling rates decrease with increasing solar activity, while paradoxically, the vertical integration of the plasmasphere electron density (pTEC) increases with increasing solar activity. Using the Naval Research Laboratory SAMI2 (Sami2 is Another Model of the Ionosphere) and SAMI3 (Sami3 is Also a Model of the Ionosphere) codes, we simulate plasmasphere refilling following a model storm, reproducing this observed phenomenon. In doing so, we find that the refilling rate and resulting pTEC values are sensitive to the oxygen profile in the thermosphere and exosphere: the supply of H+ in the topside ionosphere is limited by the local O+ density, through H+O+→H++O charge exchange. At solar minimum, the O+ supply simply increases with the O density in the exosphere. At solar maximum, we find that O-O+ collisions limit the O+ density in the topside ionosphere such that it decreases with increasing O density. The paradox occurs because the pTEC metric gives electrons in the topside ionosphere more weight than electrons in the plasmasphere.
Deformation in the lowermost mantle beneath Australia from observations and models of seismic anisotropy

Observations of seismic anisotropy near the core-mantle boundary may yield constraints on patterns of lowermost mantle flow. We examine seismic anisotropy in the lowermost mantle beneath Australia, bounded by the African and Pacific Large Low Shear Velocity Provinces. We combined measurements of differential splitting of SKS-SKKS and S-ScS phases sampling our study region over a range of azimuths, using data from ten long-running seismic stations. Observations reveal complex and laterally heterogeneous anisotropy in the lowermost mantle. We identified two sub-regions for which we have robust measurements of D”-associated splitting for a range of ray propagation directions, and applied a forward modeling strategy to understand which anisotropic scenarios are consistent with the observations. We tested a variety of elastic tensors and orientations, including single-crystal elasticity of lowermost mantle minerals (bridgmanite, post-perovskite, and ferropericlase), tensors based on texture modeling in post-perovskite aggregates, elasticity predicted from deformation experiments on polycrystalline MgO aggregates, and tensors that approximate the shape preferred orientation of partial melt. We find that post-perovskite scenarios are more consistently able to reproduce the observations. Beneath New Zealand, the observations suggest a nearly horizontal [100] axis orientation with an azimuth that agrees well with the horizontal flow direction predicted by previous mantle flow models. Our modeling results further suggest dominant slip on the (010) plane in post-perovskite aggregates provide a good fit to the data but the solution is non-unique. Our results have implications for the mechanisms of deformation and anisotropy in the lowermost mantle and for the patterns of mantle flow.
Cross-linked poly(lactic acid)/dextran nanofibrous scaffolds with tunable hydrophilicity promoting differentiation of embryoid bodies

Abstract Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and polysaccharide have been extensively studied for biomedical applications. However, the hydrophobicity of PLA makes it less desirable for cell adhesion, while dextran, a polysaccharide, is highly hydrophilic but its linear form is not very useful for tissue engineering because it readily dissolves in water. This study aimed to fabricate biodegradable cross-linked PLA-dextran nanofibrous scaffolds with tunable hydrophilicity and to test their effects on the attachment, differentiation and biological activities of mouse embryonic stem cells (ES cells). The cross-linked nanofibers of various compositions of PLA-g-dextran (10–88% dextran) were fabricated by grafting dextran onto PLA through maleic anhydride followed by co-axially reactive electrospinning with in situ photo-cross-linking of methacrylated dextran under UV irradiation. The results have shown that contact angles of electrospun PLA-g-dextran nanofibers decreased with increasing dextran content. The hydrophilic nanofibrous scaffolds containing 30% or 50% dextran can significantly enhance the attachment and differentiation of ES cells, which have demonstrated spontaneous contractions.
A Single Gene Change Can Extend Yeast Life Span: The Role of RAS in Cellular Senescence

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has a limited life span (reproductive capacity), which is measured by the number of times an individual cell divides. There is evidence for the involvement of a senescence factor that affects cell cycle traversal in older yeast cells. Distinct alterations in the abundance of a handful of transcripts have been identified during the life span of this organism, and the genes that specify these mRNAs have been cloned. This raises the question whether the activity of one or more genes can alter the yeast life span. Indeed, the controlled expression of the transforming gene of Harvey murine sarcoma virus (v-Ha-ras) was found to extend the life span nearly two-fold. The normal homologs of this oncogene, RAS1 and RAS2, play a central role in the integration of cell growth and the cell cycle in yeast. Expression of v-Ha-ras appears to impinge on this integration. We suggest that it is the relative levels of the senescence factor and the Ras protein that determine whether a cell ceases to divide and senesces. We liken the senescence factor to the product of an anti-oncogene or tumor suppressor gene that neutralizes Ras.
Chemical Ionization Techniques for the Analysis of Labile Compounds: 1,3-bis-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea Plasma Clearance and Degradation

Analysis of chemically labile compounds is a difficult and frequently encountered problem in organic and biomedical chemistry. High pressure liquid chromatography (hplc) is an effective technique for these analyses because only mild sample handling conditions are used. Hplc applications are limited, however, by the lack of a sensitive universal detection system. Direct probe chemical ionization (ci) techniques also employ mild sample handling conditions and provide sensitive qualitatively significant mass spectral data (1–5).
Constructing aggregation functions using fuzzy modeling

The aggregation of satisfactions to individual criteria in the framework of flexible query answering systems is considered here. The basic methods of aggregation of fuzzy subsets are first discussed. Next we introduce the fundamental ideas of fuzzy modeling. We then turn to the main focus of this work, the construction of aggregation functions using fuzzy modeling. Two examples of this new methodology are provided. In the first we use fuzzy modeling to help include importances in the ordered weighted averaging (OWA) aggregation operator. In the second we use this technology to develop a new class of operators called weak triangular norms.
Generating Random Elements in SL n (F q ) by Random Transvections

This paper studies a random walk based on random transvections in SLn(Fq) and shows that, given e > 0, there is a constant c such that after n + c steps the walk is within a distance e from uniform and that after n − c steps the walk is a distance at least 1 − e from uniform. This paper uses results of Diaconis and Shahshahani to get the upper bound, uses results of Rudvalis to get the lower bound, and briefly considers some other random walks on SLn(Fq) to compare them with random transvections.
Variation in Lp(a) levels and apo(a) isoform frequencies in five baboon subspecies

Elevated levels of lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] are positively correlated with risk of cardiovascular disease and are thought to be a function of allelic variation in apo(a), the unique protein component of Lp(a). In this article we examine subspecies variation in Lp(a) levels and apo(a) isoforms in the baboon. Breeding populations of the five subspecies (Papio hamadryas hamadryas, P.h. cynocephalus, P.h. ursinus, P.h. papio, and P.h. anubis) of common long-tailed baboons are maintained at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research. Serum samples were obtained from at least 20 unrelated animals of each subspecies. Twelve different size isoforms (including the null) of apo(a) were identified across the five subspecies. These isoforms act as alleles; a maximum likelihood method was used to obtain the allele frequencies. Significant differences in apo(a) isoform frequencies were found between subspecies (chi 2(44) = 163.10, p less than 0.0001). Quantitative levels of Lp(a) also differed among subspecies. We evaluated the correlation between genetic distances calculated using the quantitative Lp(a) levels and the apo(a) isoform data. Observed genetic relationships among the subspecies are consistent with the present-day geographic distribution and information from other marker protein systems. The findings indicate that the marker apo(a) may have great utility in both evolutionary and biomedical studies.
Image Recognition Accelerator Design Using In-Memory Processing

This paper proposes a hardware accelerator design, called object recognition and classification hardware accelerator on resistive devices, which processes object recognition tasks inside emerging nonvolatile memory. The in-memory processing dramatically lowers the overhead of data movement, improving overall system efficiency. The proposed design accelerates key subtasks of image recognition, including text, face, pedestrian, and vehicle recognition. The evaluation shows significant improvements on performance and energy efficiency as compared to state-of-the-art processors and accelerators.
Peak Left Atrial Appendage Emptying Velocity Remains Reduced in Atrial Fibrillation during Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Support

Purpose Although regions of stasis such as the left atrial appendage (LAA) may be potential sites of thrombus formation during atrial fibrillation (AF), its thrombotic contribution during high flow mechanical unloading is unknown. Moreover, registry studies only show a mixed association of AF and stroke during continuous flow left ventricular assist device (CF LVAD) support. Since a lower peak Left Atrial Appendage Emptying Velocity (LAAEV) of less than 40 cm/s during AF, mechanistically contributes to thrombosis and stroke in non-CF LVAD populations, we sought to evaluate the LAAEV in CF LVAD patients with and without AF. Methods We conducted a single center review of patients who had a measurement of the LAAEV by pulsed-waved Doppler by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). To evaluate at the steady state CF LVAD speed, operating room studies were excluded. CF LVAD patients were categorized into groups with and without AF during TEE and LAAEVs were compared. Matched non-heart failure (HF) and HF patients with and without AF were included as controls. Results Thirty eight patients with a CF LVAD had a peak LAAEV measurement by TEE, of whom 15 were in AF. There were no differences in age (AF: 58±11 vs. no AF: 59±13 years, p=0.8) and gender (AF: 20% vs. no AF: 9% female, p=0.6). The peak LAAEV was significantly lower for CF LVAD patients in AF (33±18 cm/s) in comparison to those in sinus rhythm (SR) (60±20 cm/s, p Conclusion Despite mechanical unloading, the LAAEV remains reduced in patients with AF. Further studies are warranted to investigate the relation between reduced LAAEV and thromboembolism during CF LVAD support.