cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a Search Tool to Identify Structural Design Principles for Bioinspired Materials Design

Natural materials are often more efficient and tend to have a wider range and combination of properties than do present-day engineered materials. Biological materials are composed from a limited set of components, but are able to achieve great diversity in their properties. The variation in properties is largely due to the different arrangements of the materials components, which form unique structures. We believe that there are underlying structural design principles, relating material structure to material properties, that commonly appear in biological materials. Because nature itself achieves highly effective design solutions, the utilization of these natural design principles could similarly improve the effectiveness of engineered materials. Materials scientists need a way to abstract relevant structural design principles from the myriad of biological materials articles for the development of bioinspired materials.This research involves the development of a data mining tool that will quickly identify potential structural design principles of biological materials with respect to a chosen material property or combination of properties. This paper presents the first stage of this process: information retrieval. An algorithm is developed to extract structural design principles’ key terms and relevant passages for specified material properties from a corpus of materials journal articles. The development of this search tool is explained beginning with the determination of search term categories and appropriate search terms and continuing to the refinement of the program algorithm. An evaluation of the tool is also described comparing the program’s results to those of a manual search for the structure-property relationships. The program identified 98% of the manually found structural design principle key terms, although many unanticipated passages were returned as well. Finally, the future work needed to improve the program is presented.© 2014 ASME
The Automated Student Advisor: a large project for expert systems courses

The paper examines a large project for an Expert Systems course, the Automated Student Advisor, which assists students in selecting courses for the next semester. The system was designed and implemented in the last third of a semester course by students and the instructor working as a software group. The result was a software system that is now in use at the university.
Friction coefficient of soft contact lenses: measurements and modeling

Tribological conditions for contact lenses have very low contact pressures in the range 3–5 kPa and sliding speeds around 12 cm/s. Using a microtribometer a series of experiments was run on commercially available contact lenses made from Etafilcon-A. These tests were run using 10–50 mN of normal load at speeds from 63 to 6280 μm/s using a 1-mm radius glass sphere as a pin. The resulting contact pressures are believed to be nearly an order of magnitude larger than the targeted 3–5 kPa. It is hypothesized that the viscoelastic nature of the hydrogel, viscous shearing of the packaging solution, and interfacial shear between the glass sphere and the contact lens all contribute to the friction forces. A model that includes all three of these contributors is developed and compared to the experimental data. The experimental friction coefficients vary from μ = 0.025 to 0.075. The calculated fluid film␣thicknesses were between 1 and 30 nm. The average surface roughness of the lens and the glass sphere are Ra=15 nm and Ra=8 nm, respectively, suggesting that the contact is not in full elastohydrodynamic lubrication. Finally, the largest contributors to the friction force in these experiments were found to be viscous dissipation within the hydrogel and interfacial shear within the contact zone.
The hydrolysis of Al(III) in NaCl solutions--a model for Fe(III).

There is a lot of interest in the behavior of Fe(III) in natural waters because of its importance in the productivity of phytoplankton. The hydrolysis of Fe(III) in natural waters limits the solubility of Fe(III) in aqueous solutions. At the present time, reliable hydrolysis constants for Fe(III) are limited to low temperatures (5−50 °C) in NaCl to 5 m. The hydrolysis constants of Fe(III) and Al(III) are linearly related over a wide range of temperatures (0−50 °C) and ionic strengths (0−5 m NaCl). The near linear correlations allow one to make reasonable estimates for the values of Fe(III) from 0 to 300 °C in dilute solutions and from 0 to 100 °C to 5 m in NaCl solutions. In this paper, the stoichiometric (βi) and thermodynamic (Ki) hydrolysis constants for Al(III) in NaCl have been fit to equations of the form logβi − logKi = a0I0.5 + a1I0.5/T + a3I + a4I/T + a5I2 This equation has been used to estimate the hydrolysis constant for Fe(III) in dilute solutions to 300 °C and in NaCl solutions to 5 m and 100...
In Vitro Assembly and Recognition of Lys-63 Polyubiquitin Chains

Polyubiquitin chains assembled through lysine 48 (Lys-48) of ubiquitin act as a signal for substrate proteolysis by 26 S proteasomes, whereas chains assembled through Lys-63 play a mechanistically undefined role in post-replicative DNA repair. We showed previously that the products of the UBC13 andMMS2 genes function in error-free post-replicative DNA repair in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and form a complex that assembles Lys-63-linked polyubiquitin chains in vitro. Here we confirm that the Mms2·Ubc13 complex functions as a high affinity heterodimer in the chain assembly reaction in vitro and report the results of a kinetic characterization of the polyubiquitin chain assembly reaction. To test whether a Lys-63-linked polyubiquitin chain can signal degradation, we conjugated Lys-63-linked tetra-ubiquitin to a model substrate of 26 S proteasomes. Although the noncanonical chain effectively signaled substrate degradation, the results of new genetic epistasis studies agree with previous genetic data in suggesting that the proteolytic activity of proteasomes is not required for error-free post-replicative repair.
Regarding the structures and fluxionality of tricyclopentadienylaluminum compounds

X-ray crystallographic studies, low-temperature 1H and 13C NMR studies, and 27Al NMR studies of a series of homoleptic tricyclopentadienylaluminum compounds [(C5H5)3Al (1), (MeC5H4)3Al (2), (1,2,4-Me3C5H2)3Al (3), (1,2,3,4-Me4C5H)3Al (4)] are reported along with ab initio calculations on model cyclopentadienylaluminum compounds. The ring-coordination geometries exhibited by the tricyclopentadienylaluminum compounds in the solid state vary with the number of methyl substituents on the cyclopentadienyl rings. The X-ray crystal structure of compound 1 revealed two unique molecules in the unit cell, one with an {η2, η1.5, η1.5} combination of ring geometries and the other with an {η2, η1.5, η1} combination of ring-coordination geometries. In the crystal structure of compound 3, one cyclopentadienyl ring is coordinated η5 to the aluminum while the other two rings are η1. Compound 4 exhibits monohapto coordination of all three tetramethyl-substituted cyclopentadienyl rings in the solid state. These compounds ar...
Radiation Detector Materials: An Overview

Due to events of the past two decades, there has been new and increased usage of radiation-detection technologies for applications in homeland security, nonproliferation, and national defense. As a result, there has been renewed realization of the materials limitations of these technologies and greater demand for the development of next-generation radiation-detection materials. This review describes the current state of radiation-detection material science, with particular emphasis on national security needs and the goal of identifying the challenges and opportunities that this area represents for the materials-science community. Radiation-detector materials physics is reviewed, which sets the stage for performance metrics that determine the relative merit of existing and new materials. Semiconductors and scintillators represent the two primary classes of radiation detector materials that are of interest. The state-of-the-art and limitations for each of these materials classes are presented, along with possible avenues of research. Novel materials that could overcome the need for single crystals will also be discussed. Finally, new methods of material discovery and development are put forward, the goal being to provide more predictive guidance and faster screening of candidate materials and thus, ultimately, the faster development of superior radiation-detection materials.
I/O-efficient techniques for computing pagerank

Over the last few years, most major search engines have integrated link-based ranking techniques in order to provide more accurate search results. One widely known approach is the Pagerank technique, which forms the basis of the Google ranking scheme, and which assigns a global importance measure to each page based on the importance of other pages pointing to it. The main advantage of the Pagerank measure is that it is independent of the query posed by a user; this means that it can be precomputed and then used to optimize the layout of the inverted index structure accordingly. However, computing the Pagerank measure requires implementing an iterative process on a massive graph corresponding to billions of web pages and hyperlinks.In this paper, we study I/O-efficient techniques to perform this iterative computation. We derive two algorithms for Pagerank based on techniques proposed for out-of-core graph algorithms, and compare them to two existing algorithms proposed by Haveliwala. We also consider the implementation of a recently proposed topic-sensitive version of Pagerank. Our experimental results show that for very large data sets, significant improvements over previous results can be achieved on machines with moderate amounts of memory. On the other hand, at most minor improvements are possible on data sets that are only moderately larger than memory, which is the case in many practical scenarios.
Studies of Partially Transforming Polyomavirus Mutants Establish a Role for Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase in Activation of pp70 S6 Kinase

Infection of mouse fibroblasts by wild-type polyomavirus results in increased phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 (D.A. Talmage, J. Blenis, and T.L. Benjamin, Mol. Cell. Biol. 8:2309-2315, 1988). Here we identify pp70 S6 kinase (pp70S6K) as a target for signal transduction events leading from polyomavirus middle tumor antigen (mT). Two partially transforming virus mutants altered in different mT signalling pathways have been studied to elucidate the pathway leading to S6 phosphorylation. An upstream role for mT-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) complexes in pp70S6K activation is implicated by the failure of 315YF, a mutant unable to promote PI3K binding, to elicit a response. This conclusion is supported by studies using wortmannin, a known inhibitor of PI3K. In contrast, stable interaction of mT with Shc, a protein thought to be involved upstream of Ras, is dispensable for pp70S6K activation. 250YS, a mutant mT which retains a binding site for PI3K but lacks one for Shc, stimulates pp70S6K to wild-type levels. Mutants 315YF and 250YS induce partial transformation of rats fibroblasts with distinct phenotypes, as judged from morphological and growth criteria. Neither mutant induces growth in soft agar, indicating that an increase in S6 phosphorylation, while necessary for cell cycle progression in normal mitogenesis, is not sufficient for anchorage-independent cell growth. In the polyomavirus systems, the latter requires integration of signals from mT involving both Shc and PI3K.
Relationships among four genera of mojarras (Teleostei: Perciformes: Gerreidae) from the western Atlantic and their tentative placement among percomorph fishes

A phylogenetic study of the percoid family Gerreidae at both lower and higher taxonomic levels is presented based on DNA sequence data of four genes: mitochondrial 12S and 16S, and nuclear genes rhodopsin and recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1). The taxonomic sampling includes four genera of Gerreidae from the western Atlantic, 39 additional percomorph representatives and two outgroups. Phylogenetic results confirm the monophyly of the Gerreidae and suggest that the family is divided into two sub-groups (Diapterus auratus plus Eugerres plumieri and Eucinostomus gula plus Gerres cinereus), which correspond to two previously defined taxonomic assemblages characterized by the shape of the preoperculum. Gerreids are placed at an intermediate position in the percomorph tree between two basal clades (L and Q) and a terminal clade N (grouping tetraodontiforms, acanthuroids, lophiiforms, caproids and several percoids). In addition, topology tests indicate that two traditional assemblages, Labroidei (seven representatives sampled) and Percoidei (22 representatives sampled) are not natural groups. Labrids and scarids appear to be more closely related to gerreids and to the members of clade N than to any other basal percomorphs, including their labroid ‘allies’ sampled in this study, Embiotocidae, Pomacentridae and Cichlidae, which are all nested within clade Q that also includes atherinomorphs, mugiliforms and Chandidae. The percoid taxa included in this study are widely distributed among various percomorph lineages. The percomorph phylogeny obtained is highly congruent with results from recent molecular studies.
A novel flow for reducing clock skew considering NBTI effect and process variations

Negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) has emerged as a major concern not only to the functional circuits, but also to the clock tree. Further aggravated by process variations, aging-induced reliability issue becomes more challenging when technology further scales. Development of effective solutions for reducing clock skew and compensating aging effect under process variations remains as a challenge. Taking the impact from NBTI and process variations into account, we propose a novel flow for reducing clock skew by selectively replacing standard-Vth clock buffers with their high-Vth counterparts. An extended “divide and conquer” algorithm is developed to identify the critical clock buffers for replacement. The area overhead of our proposed flow is negligible, and the power consumption is reduced as well. Simulation results show that the proposed flow can effectively reduce the clock skew by at least 20% by replacing only 1.08% clock buffers on average for 10 years of degradation, even under an extremely constrained condition. The efficiency of our flow will be higher when the clock tree structure has a higher depth, rendering it more favorable for large-scale industry designs.
VIP1, an Arabidopsis protein that interacts with Agrobacterium VirE2, is involved in VirE2 nuclear import and Agrobacterium infectivity

T-DNA nuclear import is a central event in genetic transformation of plant cells by Agrobacterium. This event is thought to be mediated by two bacterial proteins, VirD2 and VirE2, which are associated with the transported T-DNA molecule. While VirD2 is imported into the nuclei of plant, animal and yeast cells, nuclear uptake of VirE2 occurs most efficiently in plant cells. To understand better the mechanism of VirE2 action, a cellular interactor of VirE2 was identified and its encoding gene cloned from Arabidopsis. The identified plant protein, designated VIP1, specifically bound VirE2 and allowed its nuclear import in non-plant systems. In plants, VIP1 was required for VirE2 nuclear import and Agrobacterium tumorigenicity, participating in early stages of T-DNA expression.
The ignored question of workplace democracy in political discourse

Reports that although there has been significant progress towards greater worker participation and even fuller forms of workplace democracy in recent decades, its potential is all but ignored in modern political discourse. Addresses the compelling reasons why it should receive greater attention. States that greater workplace democracy offers the only viable and sustainable strategy for transcending the divergence of interests between capital and labour. Reveals that this conflict of interests slows productivity growth in a number of ways, most especially underinvestment in human capital, and problems of worker motivation. Also, explains that because of capital’s ever‐increasing mobility, this conflict heightens the pace of community disintegration.
A versatile stereo implementation on commodity graphics hardware

This paper presents a detailed description of a real-time correlation-based stereo algorithm running completely on the graphics processing unit (GPU). This is important since it allows to free up the main processor for other tasks including high-level interpretation of the stereo results. We first introduce a two-view stereo algorithm that includes some advanced features such as adaptive windows and cross-checking. Then we extend it using a plane-sweep approach to allow multiple frames without rectification. By taking advantage of advanced features of recent GPUs the proposed algorithm runs in real-time. Our implementation running on an ATI Radeon 9800 graphics card achieves up to 289 million disparity evaluations per second including all the overhead to download images and read-back the disparity map, which is several times faster than commercially available CPU-based implementations.
Factors Affecting Women's Verbal Immediacy to Sexually Risky Situations

The current study used a word count measure of verbal immediacy to analyze undergraduate women's responses to a set of written vignettes describing hypothetical situations involving sexual risk. Several influences on verbal immediacy were examined, including severity of previous victimization, sexual-risk proximity, relationship intimacy, and response effectiveness. Results revealed that women with a more severe history of victimization evidenced less immediacy in their responses than both women with a less severe or no history of victimization. Responses higher in immediacy were rated as more effective by a group of undergraduate peers. The interaction of risk proximity and relationship intimacy also predicted verbal immediacy. Women responded with greater immediacy to distal risk situations involving nonintimates, and less immediacy to proximal risk situations as well as distal risk situations involving intimates.
Characterization of 13 newly isolated strains of anaerobic, cellulolytic, thermophilic bacteria

Characteristics of 13 newly isolated thermophilic, anaerobic, and cellulolytic strains were compared with previously described strains of Clostridium thermocellum: ATCC 27405 and JW20 (ATCC 31549). Colony morphology, antibiotic sensitivity, fermentation end-products, and cellulose degradation were documented. All 13 strains were sensitive to erythromycin (5 microg/ml) and chloramphenicol (25 microg/ml), and all strains but one were sensitive to kanamycin (20 microg/ml). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification using primers based on gene sequences from C. thermocellum ATCC 27405 was successful for all 13 strains in the case of the hydrogenase gene and 11 strains in the case of phosphotransacetylase/acetate kinase genes. Ten strains amplified a product of the expected size with primers developed to be specific for C. thermocellum 16SrRNA primers. Two of the 13 strains did not amplify any product with the PCR primers designed for the phosphotransacetylase/acetate kinase and 16SrRNA primers. A MboI-like GATC- recognizing restriction activity was present in all of the five strains examined. The results of this study have several positive implications with respect to future development of a transformation system for cellulolytic thermophiles.
Lesion-to-lesion independence of restenosis after treatment by conventional angioplasty, stenting, or directional atherectomy. Validation of lesion-based restenosis analysis.

BACKGROUND Since many restenosis trials include patients in whom more than one lesion is treated, analysis of the angiographic data on a "per lesion" basis might be confounded by potential correlations of restenosis among multiple treated lesions within each patient. The goals of this study were: 1) to determine whether there was any correlation in the rate of restenosis among multiple lesions that underwent conventional angioplasty, stenting, or directional atherectomy within the same patient and 2) to determine whether lesions treated in a multilesion intervention experience a different magnitude of restenosis than lesions undergoing single-lesion procedures. METHODS AND RESULTS Of 441 patients treated by Palmaz-Schatz stenting (n = 114), directional atherectomy (n = 100), or conventional balloon angioplasty (n = 227), 67 underwent multilesion procedures involving treatment of 146 lesions. A general linear model with intraclass correlation (GLIMIC) was used to calculate the coefficient of correlation (rho) of the change in the measured minimum luminal diameter (late loss) from the time of the initial procedure to 6-month angiogram among the multiple lesions within the same patient for all 441 patients. This showed no correlation among multiple lesions within the same patient for the late loss in minimum luminal diameter (rho = -0.12 [95% CI: -0.40, 0.12]), among lesions in the same vessel (rho = 0.14 [95% CI: -0.34, 0.62]), or among different vessels (rho = -0.18 [95% CI: -0.52, 0.16]), suggesting that the magnitude of late loss is independent among multiple lesions within the same patient. There was no difference (p = 0.96) between the observed incidence of zero-, one-, and two-vessel restenosis (> or = 50% diameter stenosis at follow-up) for patients with multiple-lesion treatment and that predicted assuming lesion-to-lesion independence. Similarly, there was no difference in late loss or in the overall binary restenosis rate when single-lesion procedures were compared with multilesion procedures. Multivariable analysis of the late loss in lumen diameter (which adjusted for the effects of the acute result and the device used) demonstrated no independent effect (p = 0.20) of single-lesion versus multilesion status. CONCLUSIONS Luminal encroachment appears to occur at independent rates among multiple lesions treated in a single patient. The observed incidence of restenosis for patients with multiple treated lesions is accurately predicted assuming independent probabilities of restenosis. Lesion-based analysis, even when including multiple treated lesions within the same patient, is thus valid for evaluating conventional angioplasty, stenting, or directional atherectomy.
A domain-specific software architecture for adaptive intelligent systems

A good software architecture facilitates application system development, promotes achievement of functional requirements, and supports system reconfiguration. We present a domain-specific software architecture (DSSA) that we have developed for a large application domain of adaptive intelligent systems (AISs). The DSSA provides: (a) an AIS reference architecture designed to meet the functional requirements shared by applications in this domain, (b) principles for decomposing expertise into highly reusable components, and (c) an application configuration method for selecting relevant components from a library and automatically configuring instances of those components in an instance of the architecture. The AIS reference architecture incorporates features of layered, pipe and filter, and blackboard style architectures. We describe three studies demonstrating the utility of our architecture in the subdomain of mobile office robots and identify software engineering principles embodied in the architecture. >
Should All Athletes Do Explosive Lifting

Skills that are learnt implicitly (i.e., without the accumulation of task-related rules and knowledge) have been shown to result in performance that displays stability in conditions of psychological stress, fatigue, multi-tasking, and over prolonged periods of time. Despite the wealth of evidence supporting the use of implicit motor learning strategies, the majority of this evidence has been generated from studies of novice performers rather than of experts. The aim of this paper is to describe some of the challenges faced by high-performance coaches and athletes who may wish to use implicit motor learning and to frame potential solutions with respect to the elite Australian National Rugby League competition. Practical training activities and techniques (e.g., errorless learning, random practice, cues, dual-tasking, and analogies), designed to facilitate the development of implicit skills that transfer robustly to high-performance competition environments, are presented.
Multifactorial Inheritance of White Facial Markings in the Arabian Horse

The hypothesis was tested that white facial markings in the Arabian horse show multifactorial inheritance. The hypothesis assumes that (1) alleles at different loci acting in a cumulative manner influence the variation in white facial markings, (2) the amount of whiteness is correlated with the number of genes, and (3) interacting nongenetic factors influence the variation. The study was based on computerized data obtained from the Arabian Horse Registry of America, Inc. The facial region was divided into five areas, and each horse was given a score according to the number of areas with a white marking. Twenty-two sire families were analyzed. Each sire family consisted of a sire, his foals, and the dams of those foals. The results of the investigation, including dam-foal and sire-foal regression analyses, were totally compatible with the hypothesis. A heritability study suggested that about two-thirds of the phenotypic variation in white facial markings among Arabian horses is attributable to genetic differences.
REDUCTION OF LEVEL OF L‐GLUTAMIC ACID DECARBOXYLASE BY γ‐AMINOBUTYRIC ACID IN MOUSE BRAIN1

— The effects of accumulated endogenous GABA on the activity of L-glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) were studied in mouse brain. When the content of GABA in the brain was increased after administration in vivo of aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA), there was a reduction of GAD activity which could not be reversed by the addition of pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP). Since inhibition of GAD activity by AOAA could be readily reversed by PLP, the reduction of GAD activity measured in the presence of added PLP indicated a decrease in the level of GAD apoenzyme. Similarly, increase of GABA content by hydrazine was also accompanied by a reduction in the level of GAD. Thiosemicarbazide and hydroxylamine did not affect the content of GABA appreciably, and in both cases levels of GAD remained unchanged when measured in the presence of added PLP. The correlation of the reduction in the levels of GAD with the increases in content of GABA suggests that GABA may regulate its own synthesizing enzyme by feedback repression.
Structure of cellular ESCRT-III spirals and their relationship to HIV budding

Cells contain compartments called organelles that are enclosed within membranes similar to the plasma membrane that surrounds the cell itself. Cells police the proteins on their membranes and move old or damaged proteins into a type of organelle called an endosome. This involves the membrane folding in on itself to form a multivesicular body. The multivesicular bodies deliver their contents to organelles called lysosomes where the old proteins are destroyed. Although it is known that over 30 proteins are involved in the formation of multivesicular bodies, many aspects of how they operate are not well understood. Moreover, disruptions to this process contribute to a large number of diseases including forms of cancer and neurodegeneration. Importantly, the same proteins are hijacked by viruses such as HIV to help them escape from the cells they have infected. Most of the proteins involved in forming multivesicular bodies are part of the ESCRT (Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport) system of proteins. A special set of these proteins—ESCRT-III—is thought to cut the membrane to release vesicles and viruses, as well as helping the membrane to deform. Previously, researchers have been unsure how the ESCRT-III complex works because it has a short lifespan and is too small to see on cellular membranes using standard techniques. Now Cashikar, Shim et al. have used a technique called deep-etch electron microscopy in combination with gene knockdown strategies to reveal the structure of the ESCRT-III complex inside cells. A protein called Vps4 is known to recycle ESCRT-III complexes, so Cashikar, Shim et al. studied cells in which the levels of Vps4 had been depleted in order to increase the lifespan of ESCRT-III complexes. In these cells filaments made of ESCRT-III complexes tended to form conical spirals that matched the size and shape of the vesicles and viruses ESCRT-III is thought to produce. ESCRT-III filaments also accumulated as rings around the molecules destined for incorporation into a vesicle or virus. This indicated a new role for Vps4: it separates ESCRT-III from the contents of the vesicle, leaving it free to form a spiral that drives release of the vesicle or virus from the cell. The next challenge will be to test the predictions of this model using techniques that can capture individual vesicle formation events in real time. Understanding the function of ESCRT-III in greater detail may suggest ways to manipulate this pathway to limit the replication of viruses or the degradation of membrane proteins.
Balloon aortic valvuloplasty as a bridge to aortic valve replacement in critically ill patients

Abstract This report highlights our experience in 5 patients with severe aortic stenosis and multiple organ failure undergoing balloon aortic Valvuloplasty as a bridge to conventional aortic valve replacement. Balloon aortic Valvuloplasty successfully stabilized the condition of these patients, improved organ function, and decreased their baseline risk profile. Elective aortic valve replacement was then performed without complications. Short-term palliation with balloon aortic Valvuloplasty should be considered as a bridge to aortic valve replacement in selected patients with critical aortic stenosis and multiple organ failure.
Semiconductor Quantum Dot Lasers: A Tutorial

Semiconductor quantum dot lasers have been extensively studied for applications in future lightwave telecommunications systems. This paper summarizes a tutorial that was presented at the Optical Fiber Communication (OFC) 2010. The motivation for quantum dots in lasers is outlined, and the desirable effects of three dimensional quantum confinement are described. Methods for forming self-assembled quantum dots and the resultant laser characteristics are presented. The formation of patterned quantum dot lasers and the results of this type of quantum dot laser are outlined. Finally, a novel inverted quantum dot structure or nanopore laser containing 3-D quantization formed from an engineered periodicity is introduced.
Shape matching from grasp using a minimal representation size criterion

A robust polynomial-time algorithm for model-based pose estimation from tactile grasp data is presented. A minimal representation criterion is used to formulate the matching problem as a global optimization. The hypothesize-and-test paradigm is invoked to search for the optimal solution. A three-on-three match of model features to data features is used to reduce the transform search space to polynomial size. A polynomial-time assignment algorithm is used to compute the optimal correspondence for each hypothesized pose. The strength of the algorithm lies in its ability to perform with noisy or incomplete data and with missing or spurious features. It is capable of rejecting outliers and finding partial matches, and it produces sensible results even in the presence of large noise. The algorithm has been implemented and tested on actual data. >
Surgical trends in the correction of female stress urinary incontinence in academic centers within the United States

Aims There is a lack of data describing the current state of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) procedures in academic centers. Urologists, gynecologists, and urogynecologists perform these operations, but the relative volume each group accounts for is unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the distribution of cases in academic centers between specialties and associated patient characteristics. Methods A hospital consortium database was used to identify patients treated surgically for SUI between 2009 and 2014. Patient and surgeon variables were evaluated. Patient variables (age, region, insurance, race) and surgeon volume were analyzed. Sub-analysis was conducted to determine concomitant prolapse repairs. Results Of the 50,315 stress urinary incontinence procedures performed, 22% were performed by urologists. Overall volume dropped 39% and mean surgeon volumes for all three groups decreased with time. Average median volume for urogynecologists (29/year) differed from both urologists (3/year) and non-urogynecologists (2/year). There was a significant difference in rate of concomitant prolapse repairs performed by urogynecologists (56%), gynecologists (54%), and urologists (26%). Conclusions These data portray the changing pattern of SUI procedure practice in academic centers. Academic urologists are performing less than 25% of SUI procedures, with an overall decline in number of procedures across all specialties. Urogynecologists and gynecologists are performing a significantly higher proportion of concomitant prolapse repairs. Neurourol. Urodynam. 9999:XX–XX, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Consumer Advertising in India: An Analysis of the Information and Thematic Content

This study explores the information and thematic content of consumer advertising in India. The findings reveal that most consumer-oriented advertising contains some information. However, the typical ad has relatively few informational cues and is likely emotional as opposed to rational. Country-of-origin of the product did not influence the nature of the advertising themes used.
Protecting Our Daughters: The Need for the Vermont Parental Notification Law

This article outlines the provisions of pending Vermont legislation requiring parental notification prior to the performance of an abortion on a minor. It describes the current national consensus in favor of parental involvement laws, and examines the arguments relating to the proposed passage of this law. The article reviews the federal cases addressing the constitutionality of parental involvement laws, as well as cases regarding parental involvement in other medical decisions. It examines the arguments of supporters and opponents of the Vermont legislation, and concludes that parental notification laws benefit minors through improved medical care and protection from sexual assault. The inclusion of a judicial bypass procedure insures the availability of a safe and effective means of protecting the few minors for whom parental involvement is not appropriate.
Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder

The next generation of microwave sounders—the Advanced Technology Micro-wave Sounder (ATMS)—will be flown on the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) starting with the NPOESS Preparatory Program (NPP) in 2006. The ATMS has nearly the same functional requirements as those from the current operational microwave sensor suite of the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU)-A and -B flown on the NOAA Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES). However the instrument design of ATMS is very different. The significant differences are the much smaller volume, weight and power consumption of ATMS and the extended off-nadir view angle which results in no gaps between successive orbits.
Power and pollutant exposure in the context of American Indian health and survival.

AbstractBackground: American Indians and Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) are a highly diverse group in terms of culture and language, but share a history of oppression and attempted extermination that has left many with a legacy of poverty and poor health. Cultural and biological survival are important issues for many AI/AN groups.Methods: Using US criteria, AI/AN groups are more likely to be poor. The US National Center for Health Statistics reports that US AI/ANs have higher mortality and morbidity rates than the US population. While all groups racially defined by the US National Center for Health Statistics have been experiencing a decline in fertility since 1983, AI/ANs seem to be suffering a substantially greater and earlier decline in fertility. Given the importance of fertility in the survival of AI/AN communities, it is important to identify the source of this decline.Results: A recent study of one AI/AN group living along the St. Lawrence River found that obesity and exposure to a particular group of pol...
Field-effect optical modulation based on epsilon-near-zero conductive oxide

Abstract Epsilon-near-zero (ENZ, dielectric constant e r ≈ 0 ) materials have attracted significant research interest, however, their applications in the near-infrared regime are very limited. Conductive oxide (COx), owing to its moderate carrier concentration, is a candidate for ENZ material at telecom wavelengths based on the Drude model. Herein, we report an indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film as an ENZ material with cross-over wavelength, where real part of permittivity crosses zero, and enhanced light absorption at telecom wavelengths. We also report the investigation of electro-absorption modulation based on a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS)-like structure, more specifically a metal-oxide-ITO stack, where ITO works around ENZ. Based on the attenuated total reflectance (ATR) configuration, our test shows great promise for future electro-optical (EO) modulators. The operation speed of the MOS-like structure is limited mainly by RC delay.
FOOD FINDING AND THE INFLUENCE OF INFORMATION, LOCAL ENHANCEMENT, AND COMMUNAL ROOSTING ON FORAGING SUCCESS OF NORTH AMERICAN VULTURES

I investigated foraging behavior and competition for food between Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) and Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) in southern Texas. Turkey Vultures usually located carcasses first, but often were displaced by later-arriving Black Vultures, which used local enhancement to locate the carcasses. Turkey Vultures occurred equally frequently at carcasses of all sizes, but Black Vultures were more likely to visit large carcasses (>5 kg) than small ones. In addition, at very large carcasses (> 100 kg), Black Vultures outnumbered Turkey Vultures. Turkey Vultures apparently depend primarily on small items, which they can consume quickly before Black Vultures usurp them. Both vulture species roost communally and it has been suggested that their roosts may function as information centers. However, because recent research indicates that the information-center hypothesis is unlikely to be a sufficient explanation for communal roosting in vultures, I explored other possible foraging benefits of communal roosting. Specifically, I incorporated field data col- lected on the foraging behavior of vultures into two simulation models designed to evaluate the possibility that communal roosting facilitates the use of local enhancement by roost members, either by promoting the formation of foraging groups (the assembly-point hy- pothesis) or by concentrating birds in space (the spatial-concentration hypothesis). I conclude that birds depending on spatial-concentration effects occasionally may forage more success- fully than noncommunally roosting individuals, but those that form foraging groups do best. Thus, communal roosting may be advantageous because it facilitates the formation of foraging groups. Received 29 September 1995, accepted 10 December 1995.
Influence of nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium in poultry manure on survival, growth, and reproduction in house fly (Diptera : Muscidae)

Larval survival, pupal mass, adult emergence, fecundity, and natality in the house fly, Musca domestica L., are not influenced by the levels of calcium or nitrogen in feces of caged laying hens, Callus gallus L.. Reduced pupal mass, low fecundity, and low natality in flies are correlated with increased manure phosphorus concentration. Estimated pupal mass is inversely proportional to manure phosphorus content and decreases by 2.6 ± 0.5 mg for each 1.0% increase in the phosphorus level. The concomitant decrease in estimated mean fecundity is 27.6 ± 1.5 eggs per fly. Female flies that emerge from 16.5-mg pupae (larvae reared in-low-phosphorus manure) produce an estimated 5 times more eggs (146.3 versus 26.6) than females that emerge from 5.2-mg pupae (larvae reared in high-phosphorus manure).
A Valuable Book: Toward Improving Ph.D. Programs

(1946). A Valuable Book: Toward Improving Ph.D. Programs. The Journal of Higher Education: Vol. 17, No. 7, pp. 391-392.
The effect of serum from patients with acute granulocytic leukemia on granulocyte colony formation in vitro: a search for inhibitors.

SummaryThe incorporation of serum and plasma from patients with AGL into an in vitro culture system failed to influence colony formation by cells of normal bone marrow as well as those from patients with AGL. The significance of these changes and the further approach to the problem have been discussed.
All 113 and 123-configurations are rational

A conjecture of Grunbaum states that everyn3 -configuration in the real plane can also be realized in the rational plane. We prove this conjecture forn ⩽ 12 by computing rational coordinates for all 31 types of 113 -configurations and all 228 types of 123- configurations in the classification of Daublebsky.
PRMT5-dependent p53 escape in tumorigenesis

Extensive studies have characterized mutational disruption of p53 signaling in human cancers. However, the mechanism for bypass of p53 function in tumors retaining wild-type p53 has remained ambiguous. Recent studies suggest that PRMT5, which is frequently elevated in human cancers, cooperates with oncogenic cyclin D1 and leaves marks on p53 by way of arginine methylation, promoting the bypass of wild-type p53, and in doing so, evade apoptosis.
Chapter 22 – Phosphorylation of Ataxin-1: A Link Between Basic Research and Clinical Application in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1

Publisher Summary Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 1 (SCAl) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by an expanded polyglutamine tract in ataxin-1. Phosphorylation of ataxin-1 at S776 is an important mediator of ataxin-1 turnover and SCAl pathogenesis. Mice expressing a SCA1 transgene are behaviorally indistinguishable from wild-type mice. Pathologically, these mice develop a very mild SCAl phenotype late in life. On a molecular level, S776 has been shown to mediate the interaction between ataxin-1 and 14-3-3. 14-3-3 binding to ataxin-1 stabilizes the ataxin-1 protein. A cell-based assay can also be used to identify two signaling pathways important for regulating S776 phosphorylation. One pathway appears to work in a calcium-dependent manner to phosphorylate both mutant and wild-type ataxin-1. The second pathway is mutant specific and involves PI3K/AKT signaling. The discovery of S776 phosphorylation is an important regulator of ataxin-1 turnover, as well as the identification of two signaling pathways involved in this regulation opened up a new area to explore for therapeutic development in SCAl.
Soils of the Northern Lake States Forest and Forage Region: LRR K

The Northern Lake States Forest and Forage Region is geologically and pedologically young; most of the landforms and parent materials date only to the last glaciation. The soils in this region are therefore mainly formed in recently deposited glacial and eolian parent materials. Hence, many areas have drainage patterns that are poorly integrated and are dotted with lakes and wetlands. Most soils have formed under forest vegetation, in a distinctly humid and normally leaching pedogenic regime. Nonetheless, in the eastern half of the region, parent materials were originally calcareous, and hence, many soils there are only leached of carbonates at a meter or less. In the west, most soils have formed in acidic parent materials and are slightly better developed, but perhaps inherently less fertile. Cropland is mainly restricted to the southern parts of the region. Spatial complexity epitomizes this landscape, due to the complex nature of the glacial parent materials and the seemingly ever-present wetlands (with Histosols) that occur in isolated depressions and across large expanses of former glacial lake plains. Spodosols dominate on coarse-textured parent materials and in the north, whereas Alfisols are commonly observed on loamier materials and are more widespread in the south. Large tracts of Inceptisols and Entisols occur on steeply sloping terrain that is shallow to bedrock, as well as across northern Minnesota. Mollisols are common in the west, where the dominance of forest (typical for the region) yields to grasslands and savannas.
Development of Human Sociosexual Behavior

Sociosexual behavior can be defined as behavior that entails the movements of sexual behavior (e.g., mounting) but occurs in wider social contexts (e.g., intercourse, play, reconciliation). An important goal of research on human evolution and health across the life course is to synthesize the limited data available on human infant and juvenile sociosexual behavior. To many, the subject of this chapter may seem like a non-starter, both because it is morally and religiously off limits to some, and also because of the conventional scholarly view that sexuality appears relatively suddenly at puberty. As we illustrate here, human sociosexual behavior has a start early in development, and an evolutionary perspective can highlight adaptive and health-related aspects of its patterning. Toward those ends, we first discuss the evolution of the human life history, highlighting the early ages of weaning and extended juvenile phases, and how those provide expanded opportunities for sociosexual play. We consider these aspects of the human life history in comparative context, drawing upon nonhuman primate examples of sociosexual development. We then review the scant available data on human subadult (including infants, nursing children, and weaned pre-adolescent juveniles) sociosexual behavior, also pointing toward health-related implications of this body of work.
Understanding autonomous agents: A cybernetics and systems science perspective

Autonomous agents have become a powerful paradigm and a subject of a considerable research interest in a great variety of scientific disciplines over the past 20–25 years. Given that the paradigm has been around for a while, one would expect a broadly agreed-upon, solid understanding of what autonomous agents are and what they are not. This, however, does not appear to be the case. We join the debate on what are the appropriate notions of autonomous agency, when applied to artificial agents (in particular, to software, robotic, unmanned vehicle and other engineered systems). To support the proposed notions of autonomous agency, we draw on both computational and biological paradigms. We discuss different approaches to understanding and classifying various types of artificial autonomous agents. In that context, we point out certain dangers of what we see as excessive “anthropomorphization” of (artificial) autonomous agents and agent systems, namely, the common practice of casually assigning anthropomorphic features (and, in particular, advanced properties of human cognition) to various engineered agent systems. As an alternative, we propose a functionalist, cybernetics and general systems theory inspired approach to characterizing various types of autonomous agents in terms of their core attributes or capabilities, as evidenced and testable by an external observer. We argue that such functionalist and behaviorist view of (artificial) autonomous agents provides a conceptually more natural, more compelling and practically more useful framework for understanding various autonomous agent systems and their classifications, including but not limited to the hierarchical taxonomy of autonomous agents that we propose.