cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
FastTrack: Toward Nanoscale Fault Masking With High Performance

High defect rates are associated with novel nanodevice-based systems owing to unconventional and self-assembly-based manufacturing processes. Furthermore, in emerging nanosystems, fault mechanisms and distributions may be very different from CMOS due to unique physical layer aspects, and emerging circuits and logic styles. Development of analytical fault models for nanosystems is necessary to explore the design of novel fault tolerance schemes that could be more effective than conventional schemes. In this paper, we first develop a detailed analytical fault model for the nanoscale application specific integrated circuits (NASIC) computing fabric and show that the probability of 0-to-1 faults is much higher than of 1-to-0 faults. We then show that in fabrics with unequal fault probabilities, using biased voting schemes, as opposed to conventional majority voting, could provide better yield. However, due to the high defect rates, voting will need to be combined with more fine-grained structural redundancy for acceptable yield. This entails degradation in performance (operating frequency) due to an increase in circuit fan-in and fan-out. We, therefore, introduce a new class of redundancy schemes called FastTrack that combine nonuniform structural redundancy with uniquely biased nanoscale voters to achieve greater yield without a commensurate loss in performance. A variety of such techniques are employed on a wire streaming processor (WISP-0) implemented on the NASIC fabric. We show that FastTrack schemes can provide 23% higher effective yield than conventional redundancy schemes even at 10% defect rates along with 79% lesser performance degradation.
Development and Implementation of a Telehealth-Enhanced Intervention for Pain and Symptom Management

Managing chronic pain effectively is often challenging for health care providers and patients. Telehealth technologies can bridge geographic distance and improve patients' quality of care in communities where access to pain specialists has previously been unavailable. This paper describes the development and evaluation of a telehealth intervention (TelePain) designed to address the need for pain specialist consultation regarding pain and symptom management issues in non-academic medical centers. We describe the theoretical foundation and development of a multifaceted intervention using a cluster randomized clinical trial design. Health care providers and their patients with chronic pain are enrolled in the study. Patient participants receive the intervention (report of symptoms and receipt of a pain graph) weekly for 8 weeks and are contacted at 12 weeks for completion of post-intervention follow-up measures. Their providers attend TelePain sessions which involve a didactic presentation on an evidence-based topic related to pain management followed by patient case presentations and discussion by community clinicians. Symptom management recommendations for each patient case are made by a panel of pain specialists representing internal medicine, addiction medicine, rehabilitation medicine, anesthesiology, psychiatry, and nursing. The outcomes assessed in this randomized trial focus on pain intensity, pain's interference on function and sleep, and anxiety, depression, and cost-effectiveness. Some of the challenges and lessons that we have learned early in implementing the TelePain intervention are also reported.
The decay of 12.9 d Cs136

Abstract The radiations accompanying the decay of 12.9 d Cs 136 have been studied by magnetic electron spectrometry, by NaI-scintillation spectrometry, by gamma-gamma coincidence spectrometry and by sum-coincidence spectrometry. Conversion electrons and gamma rays were observed, arising from gamma transitions of energies 66.7 ± 0.1, 86.2 ± 0.1, 153 ± 0.2, 163.7 ± 0.2, 176.2 ± 0.2, 273 ± 5, 340.2 ± 0.2, 818.0 ± 0.5, 1053 ± 10 and 1240 ± 10 keV. Beta groups of end-point energies of 342 ± 5 and 680 ± 80 keV were also observed. The conversion coefficient values and log ft values derived from the measured intensities allow classification of the majority of the transitions observed, and hence deduction of spin and parity changes. A decay scheme is proposed which is consistent with the present data, previously reported information and shell-model predictions. The decay scheme includes an isometric state in Ba 136 at an excitation of 2035 keV and spin 7 − , which decays by means of a 164 keV E3 transition. The calculated half-life for such a state is 0.28 sec; this evidently corresponds to the 0.3 sec isomer Ba 136m previously observed in the reaction Ba 135 (n, γ)Ba 136m . Other energy levels in Ba 136 are postulated with energies in keV (and spins and parities) of 818(2 + ), 1871(4 + ), 2058(4 + ), 2144(5 − ) and 2211(6 + )
Safety Encoding in the Basal Amygdala

Learning to fear and avoid life-threatening stimuli are critical survival skills but are maladaptive when they persist in the absence of a direct threat. Thus, it is important to detect when a situation is safe and to increase behaviors leading to naturally rewarding actions, such as feeding and mating. It is unclear how the brain distinguishes between dangerous and safe situations. Here, we present a novel protocol designed to investigate the processing of cues that predict danger, safety, or reward (sucrose). In vivo single unit recordings were obtained in the basal amygdala of freely behaving rats undergoing simultaneous reward, fear, and safety conditioning. We observed a population of neurons that did not respond to a Fear Cue but did change their firing rate during the combined presentation of a fear cue simultaneous with a second, safety, cue; this combination of Fear + Safety Cues signified “no shock.” This neural population consisted of two subpopulations: neurons that responded to the Fear + Safety Cue but not the Fear or Reward Cue (“safety” neurons), and neurons that responded to the Fear + Safety and Reward Cue but not the Fear Cue (“safety + reward” neurons). These data demonstrate the presence of neurons in the basal amygdala that are selectively responsive to Safety Cues. Furthermore, these data suggest that safety and reward learning use overlapping mechanisms in the basal amygdala.
Cytogenetic and comorbidity profile of Down syndrome in Mansoura University Children's Hospital, Egypt

Background: Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal disorder. It has three chromosomal patterns. Aim: To determine the cytogenetic and comorbidity profiles of DS in the Genetic Unit of Mansoura University Children's Hospital, Mansoura, Egypt. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the case records of 712 cytogenetically diagnosed cases of DS at the Genetic Unit of Mansoura University Children's Hospital, Egypt, during a 10-year period. Results: About 19% of the cases had one or more cardiac anomalies and about 8% were hypothyroid. Nondisjunction was the most common type of abnormality, followed by translocation and lastly mosaic: 96.1, 3.1, and 0.8%, respectively. Hypothyroidism was significantly more common in translocation and mosaic karyotypes than in the nondisjunction karyotypes. First and second birth orders were significantly higher in the translocation and mosaic groups than in the nondisjunction group. Mothers are significantly older at the index pregnancy in the nondisjunction group than in the other two groups. We compared our findings with those of previous studies. Conclusion: Knowing karyotype of DS will help in genetic counseling of the parents. Wide-scale national community-based survey with DS registry could help in estimating the size of the problem.
The measurement of fugacity and the Henry's law constant for volatile organic compounds containing chromophores

Abstract A new method for the measurement of the fugacity and the Henry's law constant for volatile organic compounds containing chromophores is described; this was tested with benzene, toluene and ethylbenzene distributed between air and water. The steadily flowing vapor phase of fixed composition is prepared with a mass-flow controller and syringe pump, a method that has been used to calibrate the adsorption by fibres in solid phase micro extraction. The vapor phase flows in and out of the headspace above pure water in a 1-cm spectrophotometric cell housed in a temperature-controlled holder in a UV–vis spectrophotometer. The approach to equilibrium, as the chemical is transferred from the vapor to the stirred liquid phase, is monitored by following the absorbance of the liquid phase at a selected wavelength. Calibration leads to the following molar absorption coefficients (±standard errors, units of L mol −1 cm −1 ) in water at 25 °C; for benzene at 260 nm, 101 ± 1; for toluene at 261 nm, 284 ± 1; and, for ethylbenzene at 257 nm, 253 ± 3. The fugacities are linear with respect to the mole fractions in the water. The resulting Henry's law constants (±standard errors, units of 10 4 kPa) are comparable to published values; at 25 °C, these are for benzene, 2.22 ± 0.05; for toluene, 3.99 ± 0.04; and for ethylbenzene, 5.14 ± 0.06.
Evidence that Neurotensin Participates in the Central Regulation of the Preovulatory Surge of Luteinizing Hormone in the Rat

Neurotensin (NT) has been implicated in the central regulation of LH and PRL secretion in the rat. We investigated the importance of NT release to the neural events that trigger the preovulatory LH surge and coincident PRL surge, using as our animal model ovariectomized (OVX) rats treated with estrogen and progesterone to induce reliable and robust surges. To interfere with the action of endogenous NT in the basal forebrain, we administered a NT antiserum (NTAS) in a series of bilateral microinjections aimed at the anterior border of the medial preoptic area. One week after OVX, rats bearing cerebral guide cannulae received Silastic capsules (3 x 15 mm; sc) containing 17 beta-estradiol. Two days later, beginning at 0830 h, conscious rats were administered either NTAS or control serum bilaterally in a series of four 100-nl injections spaced at 30-min intervals. After an initial blood sample, rats received progesterone (4 mg, sc) at 1200 h; blood samples were then taken at 1-h intervals from 1400-2100 h. Blood samples were obtained from conscious, freely moving rats via a chronic atrial catheter implanted previously. Plasma levels of LH and PRL were measured by RIA, and the location of microinjection sites was verified histologically. Administration of NTAS caused a 66% reduction in the magnitude of the LH surge without altering its timing, whereas the PRL surge was unaffected. These results provide strong evidence that NT in the basal forebrain participates in the steroid-induced LH surge and suggest that NT plays a role in the preovulatory LH surge.
Extraction of short-latency evoked potentials using a combination of wavelets and evolutionary algorithms

Somatosensory evoked potentials, recorded at the spine or scalp of a patient, are contaminated by noise. It is common practice to use ensemble averaging to remove the noise, which usually requires a large number of responses to produce one averaged signal. In this paper a post-processing technique is shown which uses a combination of wavelets and evolutionary algorithms to produce a representative waveform with fewer responses. The most suitable wavelets and a set of weights are selected by an evolutionary algorithm to form a filter bank, which enhances the extraction of evoked potentials from noisy recordings.
Auroral boundary correlations between UVI and DMSP

[1] Equatorward and poleward auroral boundaries from latitude profiles of Polar Ultraviolet Imager (UVI) auroral images were correlated with over 23,000 boundaries derived from 2 years of Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) electron precipitation data. Latitude differences between DMSP and UVI boundaries were averaged into 1-hour and 3-hour sectors of magnetic local time (MLT). The statistical distributions of these differences generally peak near zero but have Gaussian-like shapes with widths of about 3°–4° in magnetic latitude. The mean values of these offsets exhibit systematic trends in MLT, with the largest disagreement near 05 MLT for the poleward boundaries and near noon for the equatorward boundaries. The mean offsets were fit to second-order harmonic expansions, which approximately “calibrate” image boundaries with respect to the precipitating electron boundaries. The harmonic fits suggest that the images can yield approximate precipitation boundaries for such purposes as estimating the area of the polar cap.
A note on density for the core of unbounded Bergman operators

In this paper, we identify a large collection of open subsets of the complex plane for which the core of corresponding unbounded Bergman operators is densely defined. This result gives the necessary background to investigate the concept of invariant subspaces, index, and cyclicity in the unbounded case.
Photodynamic inactivation of selected intracellular enzymes by hematoporphyrin derivative and their relationship to tumor cell viability in vitro.

Abstract The photosensitivity of freshly dissociated R3230AC mammary adenocarcinoma cells was examined by measurement of the activities of selected intracellular enzymes after treatment with hematoporphyrin derivative (Hpd) and exposure to light in vitro. Enzymes selected as representative of the cytosolic cell compartment showed no loss in activity, whereas malate dehydrogenase, located in the mitochondrial matrix, displayed a modest decrease (∼15%) in activity. In contrast, cytochrome c oxidase and succinate dehydrogenase, enzymes associated with the mitochondrial membrane, demonstrated a very rapid and more marked inhibition of activities, ∼45% and 25%, respectively. The time-course of inhibition of these mitochondrial membrane enzymes preceded the loss of cell viability, which displayed slower kinetics as seen by a more gradual and progressive pattern of loss in viability. These data suggest that the mitochondria are an early-affected and important intracellular site for Hpd photosensitization.
Discovering New Orleans

For the National ACS Convention in August 1999, the authors give an overview of the sites to see and things to do in New Orleans, where the cultures of the Old World blend with the new.
Image smoothing and enhancement via min/max curvature flow

We present a class of PDE-based algorithms suitable for a wide range of image processing applications. The techniques are applicable to both salt-and-pepper gray-scale noise and full- image continuous noise present in black and white images, gray-scale images, texture images and color images. At the core, the techniques rely on a level set formulation of evolving curves and surfaces and the viscosity in profile evolution. Essentially, the method consists of moving the isointensity contours in an image under curvature dependent speed laws to achieve enhancement. Compared to existing techniques, our approach has several distinct advantages. First, it contains only one enhancement parameter, which in most cases is automatically chosen. Second, the scheme automatically stops smoothing at some optimal point; continued application of the scheme produces no further change. Third, the method is one of the fastest possible schemes based on a curvature-controlled approach.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Heart rate in spiders: influence of body size and foraging energetics

Resting heart rates in 18 species of spiders as determined by a cool laser transillumination technique range from 9 to 125 beats per minute. Cardiac frequencies obtained in this fashion may readily serve as a measure of standard rates of metabolism. A spider's resting heart rate is a function of body size and of foraging energetics.
The Caenorhabditis elegans microtubule minus-end binding homolog PTRN-1 stabilizes synapses and neurites

Microtubules are tiny tubular structures made from many copies of proteins called tubulins. Microtubules have a number of important roles inside cells: they are part of the cytoskeleton that provides structural support for the cell; they help to pull chromosomes apart during cell division; and they guide the trafficking of proteins and molecules around inside the cell. Most microtubules are relatively unstable, undergoing continuous dis-assembly and re-assembly in response to the needs of the cell. The microtubules in the branches of nerve cells are an exception, remaining relatively stable over time. Now Marcette et al. and, independently, Richardson et al., have shown that a protein called PTRN-1 has an important role in stabilizing the microtubules in the nerve cells of nematode worms. Marcette et al. became interested in the PTRN-1 protein after conducting a screen of randomly mutated worms to look for those with abnormally developed nerve cells. Although worms with a mutation in the gene encoding the PTRN-1 protein could form nerve cells that looked normal during early development, the pattern of branches on the nerve cells went awry later on. Moreover, the mutant worms lost the swellings that are normally found at the junctions between nerve cells, and they also moved their bodies in an odd way. Engineering the mutant worms to produce the PTRN-1 protein in their nerve cells, but nowhere else, restored normal movement, and experiments with fluorescently tagged PTRN-1 proteins revealed that they are found on the microtubules within the nerve cells. Marcette et al. suggest that the microtubules become less stable when this protein is not present, and that this switches on a repair mechanism that remodels the nerve cells, providing that the active form of a protein called DLK-1 is present. Other mutations that reduce the stability of microtubules also triggered the same remodeling process. Future work will be necessary to uncover exactly what triggers the remodeling process, and to identify the other proteins that are involved in repairing the nerve cells.
Managed Relocation of Species: Noah's Ark or Pandora's Box?: Assisted Migration: Evaluating a New Strategy for Species Conservation; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1–3 August 2008

The world's human population is growing rapidly. Annually we may now move more earth than natural geological processes, and our dependence on fossil fuels is causing wholesale changes in climate and many ecosystem processes. Although human impacts on the globe have long had major consequences for the Earth's other inhabitants, the current combination of massive habitat change and rapid climate change poses an especially daunting challenge for many species. Rates of anthropogenic global change, from habitat alteration to modifications of the atmosphere, are so high that many species do not possess the capacity to “track” these changes through natural dispersal. In addition, “humanized” landscapes are now so pervasive in some parts of the globe that natural dispersal corridors have all but completely disappeared.
Phase locking in charge-density-wave transport.

Steps of constant current are observed in the dc I-V characteristic of charge-density-wave (CDW) systems subjected to combined ac and dc drives. The step widths are calculated by using a proposed form for the pinning potential, and by assuming phase locking between the applied ac drive and the CDW. Preliminary results indicate good qualitative and quantitative agreement with experiment for both harmonic and subharmonic steps in ${\mathrm{NbSe}}_{3}$.
Tax and Government Policy Implications for Corporate Foundation Giving

Even though there were over four million firms in 1988, only 1,300firms had foundations. However, these foundations contributed nearly $1.3 billion to charities. This article examines the effects o...
Asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss evaluation with T2 FSE-MRI in a public hospital.

Conclusions. T2-weighted fast-spin echo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be an economically beneficial protocol for screening patients with asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss without other n...
Aesthetics of Qi : Building on the Internalist-Essentialist Philosophy of Art

A work of art is an intentional transformation of qi 氣 into a dynamic structure. The philosophy of qi is presented here as a means to develop the aesthetic theories of Richard Wollheim and Eliot Deutsch. Both Wollheim and Deutsch present their arguments, in part, as rejections of George Dickie’s “New Institutional Theory of Art.” I develop a robust qi aesthetic drawn from traditional sources and their contemporary commentaries as a way of joining the debate between Dickie and Wollheim/Deutsch, taking the side of the latter, but attempting to provide a thicker vocabulary and a stronger rationale for challenging Dickie.
Design and Modeling of a Peptide Based NanoTweezer

The design hypothesis, architectures, and preliminary computational results of a peptide based nanoTweezer are presented in this paper. We engineered the α-helical coiled coil portion of the yeast transcriptional activator peptide called GCN4 to obtain an environmentally-responsive nanoTweezer. The dimeric coiled coil peptide consists of two identical ~4.5 nm long and ~3 nm wide polypeptide chains. The actuation mechanism depends on the modifying electrostatic charges along the peptide by varying the pH of the solution resulting in the reversible movement of helices and therefore, creating the motion of the tweezer. Preliminary molecular dynamics results indicated that pH changes led to a reversible deflection of 1–2 nm with the nanoTweezer. The force profile of the nanoTweezer motion and some potential applications are also discussed.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Efficient Nested Simulation for Estimating the Variance of a Conditional Expectation

In a two-level nested simulation, an outer level of simulation samples scenarios, while the inner level uses simulation to estimate a conditional expectation given the scenario. Applications include financial risk management, assessing the effects of simulation input uncertainty, and computing the expected value of gathering more information in decision theory. We show that an ANOVA-like estimator of the variance of the conditional expectation is unbiased under mild conditions, and we discuss the optimal number of inner-level samples to minimize this estimator's variance given a fixed computational budget. We show that as the computational budget increases, the optimal number of inner-level samples remains bounded. This finding contrasts with previous work on two-level simulation problems in which the inner-and outer-level sample sizes must both grow without bound for the estimation error to approach zero. The finding implies that the variance of a conditional expectation can be estimated to arbitrarily high precision by a simulation experiment with a fixed inner-level computational effort per scenario, which we call a one-and-a-half-level simulation. Because the optimal number of inner-level samples is often quite small, a one-and-a-half-level simulation can avoid the heavy computational burden typically associated with two-level simulation.
Collisional evolution of the asteroid belt

Abstract A new synthesis of asteroid collisional evolution is motivated by the question of whether most asteroids larger than ∼1 km size are strengthless gravitational aggregates (rubble piles). NEAR found Eros not to be a rubble pile, but a shattered collisional fragment, with a through-going fracture system, and an average of about 20 m regolith cover. Of four asteroids visited by spacecraft, none appears likely to be a rubble pile, except perhaps Mathilde. Nevertheless, current understanding of asteroid collisions and size-dependent strength, and the observed distribution of rotation rates versus size, have led to a theoretical consensus that many or most asteroids larger than 1 km should be rubble piles. Is Eros, the best-observed asteroid, highly unusual because it is not a rubble pile? Is Mathilde, if it is a rubble pile, like most asteroids? What would be expected for the small asteroid Itokawa, the MUSES-C sample return target? An asteroid size distribution is synthesized from the Minor Planet Center listing and results of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, an Infrared Space Observatory survey, the Small Main-belt Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey and the Infrared Astronomical Satellite survey. A new picture emerges of asteroid collisional evolution, in which the well-known Dohnanyi result, that the size distribution tends toward a self-similar form with a 2.5-index power law, is overturned because of scale-dependent collision physics. Survival of a basaltic crust on Vesta can be accommodated, together with formation of many exposed metal cores. The lifetimes against destruction are estimated as 3 Gyr at the size of Eros, 10 Gyr at ten times that size, and 40 Gyr at the size of Vesta. Eros as a shattered collisional fragment is not highly unusual. The new picture reveals the new possibility of a transition size in the collisional state, where asteroids below 5 km size would be primarily collisional breakup fragments whereas much larger asteroids are mostly eroded or shattered survivors of collisions. In this case, well-defined families would be found in asteroids larger than about 5 km size, but for smaller asteroids, families may no longer be readily separated from a background population. Moreover, the measured boulder size distribution on Eros is re-interpreted as a sample of impactor size distributions in the asteroid belt. The regolith on Eros may result largely from the last giant impact, and the same may be true of Itokawa, in which case about a meter of regolith would be expected there. Even a small asteroid like Itokawa may be a shattered object with regolith cover.
A residence-time-based transport approach for the groundwater pathway in performance assessment models

This paper presents the theoretical development and numerical implementation of a new modeling approach for representing the groundwater pathway in risk assessment or performance assessment model of a contaminant transport system. The model developed in the present study, called the Residence Time Distribution (RTD) Mixing Model (RTDMM), allows for an arbitrary distribution of fluid travel times to be represented, to capture the effects on the breakthrough curve of flow processes such as channelized flow and fast pathways and complex three-dimensional dispersion. Mathematical methods for constructing the model for a given RTD are derived directly from the theory of residence time distributions in flowing systems. A simple mixing model is presented, along with the basic equations required to enable an arbitrary RTD to be reproduced using the model. The practical advantages of the RTDMM include easy incorporation into a multi-realization probabilistic simulation; computational burden no more onerous than a one-dimensional model with the same number of grid cells; and straightforward implementation into available flow and transport modeling codes, enabling one to then utilize advanced transport features of that code. For example, in this study we incorporated diffusion into the stagnant fluid in the rock matrix away from the flowing fractures, using a generalized dual porosity model formulation. A suite of example calculations presented herein showed the utility of the RTDMM for the case of a radioactive decay chain, dual porosity transport and sorption.
Low-sodium diet self-management intervention in heart failure: pilot study results

Background:Self-care management of a low-sodium diet is a critical component of comprehensive heart failure (HF) treatment.Aims:The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of...
Modeling of magnetizing processes

Quasi-static magnetic processes such as those found in magnetic recording are examined. The hysteresis in medium-hard magnetic materials of the type used in recording media and the magnetizability of soft magnetic materials such as those used in recording heads are discussed. Two general modeling techniques are used to describe these processes: physical modeling and phenomenological modeling. In physical modeling, the basic processes involved are simulated in order to be able to describe the basic magnetizing modes. In phenomenological models, the gross behavior of the material is described mathematically by Preisach-type models in order to couple the material properties to Maxwell's equations so as to obtain solutions of field problems. The latter models are computationally more efficient than the former, but they do not give any insight into the physical principles involved. >
Theoretical Analysis of Faceted Void Dynamics in Metallic Thin Films Under Electromigration Conditions

A theoretical analysis is presented of the electromigration-induced dynamics of transgranular voids in metallic thin films. The analysis is based on self-consistent dynamical simulations of current-driven void surface propagation coupled with the distribution of the electric field in the metallic film. The simulation predictions highlight the rich nonlinear dynamics of current-driven evolution of voids that become faceted due to the strongly anisotropic nature of surface diffusion. The numerical results are analyzed based on approximate analytical solutions to faceted void migration and a linearized theory for the morphological stability of planar void facets.
Zooplankton swim softly to stymie predators

![][1] It's true that zooplankton are drifters; tiny, often microscopic, organisms floating en masse through the seas, oceans and freshwaters of the world. But they don't just drift. Up close, they are really quite active. Just like many animals, zooplankton move to find food and
Total Cross Sections of 208-Mev and 315-Mev Protons for Light Elements

Transmission measurements were performed with an external collimated proton beam of The University of Chicago 170-inch synchrocyclotron. Total cross sections of the neutron and ten light elements (H and D, Li, B, Be, C, N, O, Al, S, and Cl) were measured by coincidence and anticoincidence methods at proton energies of 208 and 315 Mev at several subtended angles.The cross sections obtained include all processes except the Coulomb scattering, for which corrections were applied. The corrected cross sections, measured at different subtended angles ("poor geometries") were plotted with their statistical uncertainties as a function of the solid angle subtended or of the angle, and extrapolated to zero degrees ("good geometry").Only a limited number of previous investigations of the light elements at high particle energies have been made. The results found in the present study for the proton total cross sections for the various elements were comparable to the available published neutron total cross sections measured at the same energies.It was found, by application of the transparent optical model, that cross sections measured were consistent with a nuclear radius $R=1.23{A}^{\frac{1}{3}}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}$ cm and an absorption coefficient $K=0.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{13}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$.
Un tratado sobre la extranjería de lo propio (El uruguayo de Copi)

El uruguayo de Copi es un tratado sobre la lengua, una descripcion desopilante de un pais, un acido comentario politico, una burla impiadosa de los valores culturales, una pesadilla personal, un golpe de teatro donde cualquier version de la realidad se vuelve precaria y se trastoca al compas de una imaginacion afiebrada que no hace mas que dar rienda suelta a los materiales del inconsciente. Pero sobre todo, es la vision desnuda de la relacion imposible de un escritor con el pais que ha dejado atras. Un tratado sobre el horror de confrontarse con la realidad carcelaria del pasado. Un intento de "calmar" los fantasmas, es decir, de hacerlos hablar y moverse y morir y resucitar en una trama que transita en medio de cadaveres y mares desaparecidos y un territorio que se achica constantemente. Un texto fundamental para indagar cuestiones relacionadas con la "identidad" nacional y con las maneras en que los desplazamientos culturales (con su concomitante transito entre lenguas y visiones del mundo), tan comunes en el mundo actual, afectan la escritura.
Poly(ethylene glycol)methacrylate-acrylamide copolymer media for hydrophobic protein and low temperature electrophoresis

The properties of poly(ethylene glycol)methacrylate-acrylamide copolymer media (PEGMACs) were exploited in two ways: (i) in the first-dimensional gel of two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) of hydrophobic proteins and (ii) for high speed, high-resolution electrophoresis at low temperatures. In the first application, improved resolution and yield of isoelectric focusing (IEF) separations for the hydrophobic protein zein was achieved compared to IEF in standard polyacrylamide gels. This appears promising as a candidate approach for higher resolution 2-DE mapping of uncharacterized hydrophobic proteins. In the second application, PEGMACs compatible with hydroorganic antifreeze buffer systems below cooling of the gels to low temperatures (-20 degrees C), which allowed greater current to be tolerated during electrophoresis. PEGMAC gels enabled us to perform sixfold faster electrophoretic separations and achieve threefold improved resolution of six standard proteins at the lower temperatures in a direct comparison with the normal sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) system. If this approach is coupled with more precise instrumentation to control low temperatures during electrophoresis, greater separation speeds and resolution may be anticipated.
Modelling, evaluation, and adaptive control of an instrumentation system

We present results from modeling and evaluating the JEWEL instrumentation system (IS), which is being used for runtime data collection from a distributed, real-time application. Our modeling and evaluation effort addresses two objectives: (1) providing early feedback to the system developers regarding the JEWEL IS configuration options for this application; and (2) evaluation of the design alternatives for an adaptive controller to control the overhead and intrusion of the JEWEL IS to a real-time video conferencing application. For JEWEL IS design, we compare two data collection and forwarding policies (collect-and-forward and batch-and-forward). For the design of the adaptive controller, we compare two adaptation policies (static and dynamic adaptation) and two policies to schedule the implementation of the control decisions (distributed and centralized scheduling). Results reported in this paper indicate that the batch-and-forward policy for IS design static adaptation policy with distributed scheduling for the adaptive controller design meet the domain-specific requirements.
Genome scan among Nigerians linking blood pressure to chromosomes 2, 3, and 19.

An understanding of the genetic influences on hypertension would help unravel the pathophysiology of this complex disorder and improve our understanding of causal mechanisms. Contemporary technology makes it possible to examine enough genetic markers to support a generalized search across the entire genome for candidate regions. In the present study, a family set was recruited from southwest Nigeria, and 378 microsatellite markers were typed on 792 individuals in 196 families. Multipoint variance component analysis identified linkage signals (logarithm of the odds (LOD)1.74, P0.0023) for systolic blood pressure on 19p (D19S714) and 19q (D19S246), whereas for diastolic blood pressure, linkage was observed on 2p (D2S1790), 3p (D3S1304), 5q (D5S1462), 7p (D7S3046), 7q (D7S821), and 10q (D10S1221). Other regions of interest (1.18LOD1.74, 0.0023P0.01) were found on chromosomes 1, 6, 8, 9, and 11. These results provide additional evidence of linkage between blood pressure and several genomic regions reported in previous studies. Some of these regions additionally harbor hypertension candidate genes. Although evidence of linkage for blood pressure has been very slow to accumulate, even in comparison to other complex traits, the sum of current evidence appears to implicate, in particular, 2p, 3p, and 19p. Study designs that make it possible to confirm these results with association analysis and narrow the genomic interval are needed in order to make progress in this field. (Hypertension. 2002;40:629-633.)
mTOR inhibitors suppress homologous recombination repair and synergize with PARP inhibitors via regulating SUV39H1 in BRCA-proficient triple-negative breast cancer

Purpose: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly heterogeneous disease and has the worst outcome among all subtypes of breast cancers. Although PARP inhibitors represent a promising treatment in TNBC with BRCA1 / BRCA2 mutations, there is great interest in identifying drug combinations that can extend the use of PARP inhibitors to a majority of TNBC patients with wild-type BRCA1 / BRCA2 . Here we explored whether mTOR inhibitors, through modulating homologous recombination (HR) repair, would provide therapeutic benefit in combination with PARP inhibitors in preclinical models of BRCA-proficient TNBC. Experimental Design: We have studied the effects of mTOR inhibitors on HR repair following DNA double-strand breaks (DSB). We further demonstrated the in vitro and in vivo activities of combined treatment of mTOR inhibitors with PARP inhibitors in BRCA-proficient TNBC. Moreover, microarray analysis and rescue experiments were used to investigate the molecular mechanisms of action. Results: We found that mTOR inhibitors significantly suppressed HR repair in two BRCA-proficient TNBC cell lines. mTOR inhibitors and PARP inhibitors in combination exhibited strong synergism against these TNBC cell lines. In TNBC xenografts, we observed enhanced efficacy of everolimus in combination with talazoparib (BMN673) compared with either drug alone. We further identified through microarray analysis and by rescue assays that mTOR inhibitors suppressed HR repair and synergized with PARP inhibitors through regulating the expression of SUV39H1 in BRCA-proficient TNBCs. Conclusions: Collectively, these findings strongly suggest that combining mTOR inhibitors and PARP inhibitors would be an effective therapeutic approach to treat BRCA-proficient TNBC patients. Clin Cancer Res; 22(7); 1699–712. ©2015 AACR .
A complete regional anesthesia technique for cardiac pacemaker insertion

Sixteen consecutive adult patients scheduled for permanent transvenous cardiac pacemaker insertion received as their total anesthetic the combination of a cervical plexus block and blocks of the second, third, and fourth intercostal nerves using a combination of 1% mepivacaine and 0.2% tetracaine with epinephrine, 1:200,000. This technique consistently provided complete surgical anesthesia of the third cervical (C3) through the fourth thoracic (T4) dermatomes, without anesthesia of the brachial plexus. Anesthesia was adequate for the surgical procedure without the need for supplemental analgesia or anesthesia in all cases. Because fluoroscopy was used routinely for the surgical procedure, it was possible to document that there were no instances of diaphragmatic paralysis or pneumothorax. In contrast to other reports, this technique provides surgical anesthesia that is adequate for all of the approaches used for transvenous pacemaker implantation, except for placement of a battery in an abdominal pouch. There were no serious complications and/or side effects in any of the patients studied.
Flutterometer: An On-Line Tool to Predict Robust Flutter Margins

Robust eutter margins can be computed for an aeroelastic model with respect to an associated uncertainty descriptionthatdescribes modelingerrors. Anon-lineimplementationtocomputetheserobustmarginsisconsidered. The on-line approach generates uncertainty descriptions at test points and can account for time-varying errors in themodel.A eutterometer isintroduced as an on-linetool toindicateameasure ofdistancetoe utterduringaeight e utter test. Suchatool is formulated based on robust euttermargin analysis. A e ight test of an F/A-18 is simulated todemonstrate theperformance ofthee utterometer.Thistool isclearly more informativethantraditional tracking of dampingtrends and provides accurate information about the true eutter margin throughout the e ight test. The simulation demonstrates characteristics of the eutterometer that could improve eight test efe ciency by increasing safety and reducing eight time for envelope expansion.
The Fuel Cycles of Electricity Generation: A Comparison of Land Use

We investigate the area of land used and/or transformed during conventional (i.e., coal, natural gas and nuclear), and renewable fuel cycles (i.e., photovoltaics, wind, biomass, and geothermal). Both direct and indirect land use/transformation are examined in a life cycle framework. For average US insolation, the photovoltaic fuel cycle disturbs the least amount of land per GWh among renewable options, requiring less area than the coal fuel cycle. Renewable technologies could harvest infinite amount of energy per unit area and eliminates the need for restoring disturbed mine lands. Further investigations would be necessary for secondary and accidental land disturbance by conventional fuel cycles through transport of effluents and emissions to adjacent land.
Investigating receptiveness to sensing and inference in the home using sensor proxies

In-home sensing and inference systems impose privacy risks and social tensions, which can be substantial barriers for the wide adoption of these systems. To understand what might affect people's perceptions and acceptance of in-home sensing and inference systems, we conducted an empirical study with 22 participants from 11 households. The study included in-lab activities, four weeks using sensor proxies in situ, and exit interviews. We report on participants' perceived benefits and concerns of in-home sensing applications and the observed changes of their perceptions throughout the study. We also report on tensions amongst stakeholders around the adoption and use of such systems. We conclude with a discussion on how the ubicomp design space might be sensitized to people's perceived concerns and tensions regarding sensing and inference in the home.
An affordable modular mobile robotic platform with fuzzy logic control and evolutionary artificial neural networks

Autonomous robotics projects encompass the rich nature of integrated systems that includes mechanical, electrical, and computational software components. The availability of smaller and cheaper hardware components has helped make possible a new dimension in operational autonomy. This paper describes a mobile robotic platform consisting of several integrated modules including a laptop computer that serves as the main control module, microcontroller-based motion control module, a vision processing module, a sensor interface module, and a navigation module. The laptop computer module contains the main software development environment with a user interface to access and control all other modules. Programming language independence is achieved by using standard inputsoutput computer interfaces including RS-232 serial port, USB, networking, audio input and output, and parallel port devices. However, with the same hardware technology available to all, the distinguishing factor in most cases for intelligent systems becomes the software design. The software for autonomous robots must intelligently control the hardware so that it functions in unstructured, dynamic, and uncertain environments while maintaining an autonomous adaptability. This paper describes how we introduced fuzzy logic control to one robot platform in order to solve the 2003 Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (IGVC) Autonomous Challenge problem. This paper also describes the introduction of hybrid software design that utilizes Fuzzy Evolutionary Artificial Neural Network techniques. In this design, rather than using a control program that is directly coded, the robot's artificial neural net is first trained with a training data set using evolutionary optimization techniques to adjust weight values between neurons. The trained neural network with a weight average defuzzification method was able to make correct decisions to unseen vision patterns for the IGVC Autonomous Challenge. A comparison of the Lawrence Technological University robot designs and the design of the other competing schools shows that our platforms were the most affordable robot systems to use as tools for computer science and engineering education. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A New Data Set for Full-Scale Reinforced Concrete Columns under Collapse-Consistent Loading Protocols:

A series of eight full-scale reinforced concrete column tests was recently carried out at the NEES (Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation) Multi-Axial Subassemblage Testing (MAST) site at t...
Temperature-Dependent Electrical Characterization of Multiferroic BiFeO3 Thin Films

The polarization hysteresis and current leakage characteristics of bismuth ferrite, BiFeO 3 (BFO) thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition was measured while varying the temperature from 80 - 300 K in increments of 10 K, to determine the feasibility of BFO for capacitive applications in memory storage devices. Data is compared to the performance of prototypic ferroelectric barium strontium titanate, Ba x Sr 1-x TiO 3 (BST) under similar conditions. Finding contacts on the BFO samples that exhibited acceptable dielectric properties was challenging; and once identified, the polarization characteristics between them varied greatly. However, the non-uniformity among the contact points within each sample suggests that either the samples were defective (by contamination or growth process), or that the deposition process of the contacts may have undermined the functionality of the devices. Subjected to increasing temperatures, BFO's polarization improved, and though its polarizability was shown to be inferior to BST, the dielectric loss was less.
Trying to Lose Weight and Alcohol Misuse Among High School Girls: Findings From the U.S. National 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

Background: Trying to lose weight has been associated with alcohol use among college-aged females. Excessive drinking along with purging as a method for weight control has been documented in this population. However, little is known about the relationship between alcohol use and trying to lose weight among high school girls. Objectives: To examine the relationship between trying to lose weight and past 30-day (1) alcohol use and (2) binge drinking (separately). Methods: Using data from the National 2011 YRBS, we examined these relationships among 5,106 girls aged 14–18+ who reported ever using alcohol. Survey-weighted iterative logistic regression models were conducted. Results: 44.0% of girls reported current alcohol use with 27.8% reporting binge drinking. While a significant relationship was not found between trying to lose weight and current alcohol use in the final multivariable model, a significant relationship was found between trying to lose weight and binge drinking (AOR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.02–1.52)...