Using NUMA interconnects for highly available filers

The paper discusses the clustered failover configuration which connects two independent file-server appliances via a nonuniform-memory-access network. Combining NUMA interconnects and a proprietary, log-structured file system results in file service that survives hardware faults with minimal disruption to clients     

Effects of culture,social presence,and group composition on trust in technology‐supported decision‐making groups

This study examines trust in technology‐supported groups from the perspectives of culture, social presence and group composition. Our results demonstrate that, in culturally homogeneous groups, individualism has a negative impact on the level of interpersonal trust; however, in culturally heterogeneous groups consisting of Chinese and U.S. participants, individualism has a positive impact on interpersonal trust among members. There were also significant differences in the level of trust between homogeneous Chinese groups and heterogeneous groups consisting of Chinese and U.S. participants. In addition, the mediating role of communication quality was identified to explain the effect for trust‐of social presence on trust. These findings have important implications on building and communication in global technology‐supported decision‐making groups.     

Cell lineage tracing in the developing enteric nervous system: superstars revealed by experiment and simulation

Cell lineage tracing is a powerful tool for understanding how proliferation and differentiation of individual cells contribute to population behaviour. In the developing enteric nervous system (ENS), enteric neural crest (ENC) cells move and undergo massive population expansion by cell division within self-growing mesenchymal tissue. We show that single ENC cells labelled to follow clonality in the intestine reveal extraordinary and unpredictable variation in number and position of descendant cells, even though ENS development is highly predictable at the population level. We use an agent-based model to simulate ENC colonization and obtain agent lineage tracing data, which we analyse using econometric data analysis tools. In all realizations, a small proportion of identical initial agents accounts for a substantial proportion of the total final agent population. We term these individuals superstars. Their existence is consistent across individual realizations and is robust to changes in model parameters. This inequality of outcome is amplified at elevated proliferation rate. The experiments and model suggest that stochastic competition for resources is an important concept when understanding biological processes which feature high levels of cell proliferation. The results have implications for cell-fate processes in the ENS.     

Biodegradable poly(lactic acid)/hydroxyl apatite 3D porous scaffolds using high-pressure molding and salt leaching

Scaffolds comprising poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and hydroxyl apatite (HA) were fabricated by combination of the high-pressure compression-molding plus salt-leaching techniques. The optimized HA content was determined in terms of the pore morphology, porosity, storage modulus, degradation behavior, hydrophilicity as well as the cell growth ability of the scaffolds. At HA content of 20 wt%, the scaffolds exhibited an interconnected open pore structure with the high porosity of 82.2 %. More importantly, the storage modulus of PLA/HA scaffolds (87.6 MPa) achieved almost three times higher compared with pure PLA scaffolds, while under low-pressure condition, the increase of modulus caused by HA does not reach 150 %. The obvious contrast indicated that HA and high pressure had a synergistic effect on enhancing mechanical properties of porous scaffolds. It was truly interesting that the hydrophilicity of PLA/HA scaffolds was significantly improved by alkaline hydrolysis treatment, which eventually led to the excellent cellular biocompatibility of the scaffolds, as revealed from the morphology and spreading of the cells cultured in our scaffolds. On the whole, the resultant PLA/HA scaffolds are well-suited candidates for the design of tailor-made matrices in tissue engineering.     

Resolving the impasse in American energy policy: The case for a transformational R&D strategy at the U.S. Department of Energy

From its inception in 1977, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has been responsible for maintaining the nation's nuclear stockpile, leading the country in terms of basic research, setting national energy goals, and managing thousands of individual programs. Despite these gains, however, the DOE research and development (R&D) model does not appear to offer the nation an optimal strategy for assessing long-term energy challenges. American energy policy continues to face constraints related to three “I's”: inconsistency, incrementalism, and inadequacy. An overly rigid management structure and loss of mission within the DOE continues to plague its programs and create inconsistencies in terms of a national energy policy. Various layers of stove-piping within and between the DOE and national laboratories continue to fracture collaboration between institutions and engender only slow, incremental progress on energy problems. And funding for energy research and development continues to remain inadequate, compromising the country's ability to address energy challenges. To address these concerns, an R&D organization dedicated to transformative, creative research is proposed.     

Intrusion detection and virology: an analysis of differences, similarities and complementariness

In this paper, we analyze the differences, similarities and complementariness which exist between two major domains of nowadays information security: intrusion detection on one hand, virology and anti-viruses technologies on the other hand. This analysis is built from two points of view. First, we compare, through the definitions that have been proposed by researchers of the two communities, the goals that are actually pursued in each domain. Then, we compare the techniques that have been developed to reach these goals. In the conclusion, we summarize our analysis and suggest that alert correlation is one way to make the two fields cooperate.     

Radiation-resistant and radiation-sensitive forms of host resistance to polyomavirus

Newborn mice of several inbred strains develop few or no tumors following inoculation with highly tumorigenic strains of polyomavirus. Here we show that such resistant strains can be divided into two groups based on the responses of adult mice to radiation followed by virus inoculation. Most strains show a radiation-sensitive form of resistance (Rr-s) and develop tumors following radiation and virus challenge. This type of resistance has previously been recognized as immunological, based on T-cell responses against virus-encoded neoantigen(s) expressed in tumor cells. Other strains exhibit a radiation-resistant form of resistance (Rr-r) and fail to develop tumors when treated in the same manner. Three additional properties of Rr-r mice distinguish them from Rr-s mice: (i) survival of newborns following inoculation with a highly virulent and usually lethal strain of virus, (ii) resistance to virus spread in newborns inoculated with either tumorigenic or virulent virus strains, and (iii) dominant or semidominant transmission of resistance in crosses with a highly susceptible strain. The Rr-r phenotype reflects a constitutive nonimmunological type of resistance that is targeted to the virus and blocks its dissemination.     

22nm技术节点的成品率目标

半导体行业正在开发必要的缺陷量测和薄膜量测解决方案,但22nm技术节点的监测还需开发新的成像套刻目标结构。