cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the Multiuser Capacity of WDM in a Nonlinear Optical Fiber: Coherent Communication

Previous results suggest that the crosstalk produced by the fiber nonlinearity in a WDM system imposes a severe limit to the capacity of optical fiber channels, since the interference power increases faster than the signal power, thereby limiting the maximum achievable signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR). We study this system in the weakly nonlinear regime as a multiple-access channel, and show that by optimally using the information from all the channels for detection, the change in the capacity region due to the nonlinear effect is minimal. On the other hand, if the receiver uses the output of only one wavelength channel, the capacity is significantly reduced due to the nonlinearity, and saturates as the interference power becomes comparable to the noise, which is consistent with earlier results. The results hold in channels with or without memory. Every point in the capacity region can be achieved without knowledge of the nonlinearity parameters at the transmitters. The structures of optimal/suboptimal receivers are briefly discussed
The Inhibition of Aggressive Behavior by Sound in the Cichlid Fish, Cichlasoma centrarchus

Zusammenfassung Fruhere Arbeiten uber die Lautproduktion von Cichlasoma centrarchus deuteten darauf hin, das Laute aggressives Verhalten der Fische untereinander verringern (Schwarz 1974). Diese Hypothese wurde experimentell gepruft. Test-♂♂ bekamen gleichzeitig den Anblick eines Artgenossen und entweder Schweigen (S) oder vom Band gespielte Kontrollaute (CN) oder Fischlaute (FN) geboten; dann wurde die Zahl der darauf folgenden hoch aggressiven (HAE) und schwach aggressiven (LAE) Begegnungen bestimmt. Vorspielen der CN anderte die Anzahl der HAE nicht, Vorspielen der FN verringerte sie erheblich. FN hemmte HAE bei ♂♂ mehr als bei ♀♀. Da die ♀♀ Laute produzieren, die denen der ♂♂ in Art und Wirkung ahneln (Schwarz in prep.), kann man dieses Ergebnis durch gelegentliches nichtaggressives, optisch auffallendes Verhalten der ♀♀ zum Teil erklaren.
Importance of IP Alias Resolution in Sampling Internet Topologies

Internet measurement studies utilize traceroute-based path traces to build representative Internet maps. These maps are then used to analyze various topological characteristics of the Internet. IP alias resolution is an important step in building a map from a set of collected path traces. In this paper, we study the impact of incomplete IP alias resolution on Internet measurement studies. Using a set of synthetic topologies and a genuine topology map, we experimentally show that the accuracy/completeness of alias resolution has an important effect on the observed topological characteristics. The results obtained in this work point out the importance of IP alias resolution and call for further research in alias resolution.
Towards modeling the query processing relevant shape complexity of 2D polygonal spatial objects

Abstract The shape complexity of two-dimensional (2D) polygonal spatial objects has implications for how the object can be best represented in a spatial database, and for the query-processing performance of that object. Nevertheless few useful definitions of query-processing relevant spatial complexity are available. A query-processing oriented shape complexity measure is likely to be different from a fractal measure of shape complexity that focused on compression/decompression or a shape complexity measure that would be used for pattern recognition, and should give better performance for the analysis of query processing. It could be used to classify spatial objects, cluster spatial objects in multiprocessor database systems. In a recent paper Brinkhoff et al. (T. Brinkhoff, H-P. Kriegel, R. Shneider, A. Braun, Measuring the complexity of spatial objects, Proceedings of the 3rd ACM International Workshop on Advances in Geographic Information Systems, Baltimore, MD, 1995, pp. 109–117) demonstrated the usefulness of a spatial complexity measure. They did not, however, offer much theoretical justification for their choice of parameters nor for the functional form that they used. In this paper we present a conceptual framework for discussing the query processing oriented shape complexity measures for spatial objects. It is hoped that this will lead to the development of improved measures of spatial complexity.
The Pensieve project: a compiler infrastructure for memory models

The design of memory consistency models for both hardware and software is a difficult task. It is particularly difficult for a programming language because the target audience is much wider than the target audience for a machine language, making usability a more important criterion. Adding to this problem is the fact that the programming language community has little experience with designing programming language consistency models, and therefore each new attempt is very much a voyage into uncharted territory. A concrete example of the difficulties of the task is the current Java memory model. Although designed to be easy to use by Java programmers, it is poorly understood, and at least one common idiom (the "double-check idiom") to exploit the model is unsafe. In this paper, we describe the design of an optimizing Java compiler that accepts, as either input or as an interface implementation, a consistency model for the code to be compiled. The compiler uses escape analysis, D. Shasha and M. Snir's (1988) delay set analysis, and our own CSSA (concurrent static single assignment) program representation to normalize the effects of different consistency models on optimizations and analysis. The compiler is intended to serve as a testbed to prototype new memory models and to measure the differences between different memory models in terms of program performance.
Using an on-line dictionary to extract a list of sense-disambiguated synonyms

The feasibility of extracting both explicit and implicit synonym references from a machine readable dictionary is investigated; the extracted synonyms, both symmetric and asymmetric, are then sense-disambiguated. At the same time lemma numbers and unbound parts-of-speech of synonyms become instantiated. The dictionary source is also a resource for parsing the definitions, but its comprehensiveness is often a mixed blessing as a disambiguation tool.
Absolute and relative cues for the auditory perception of egocentric distance.

Three experiments were performed to examine the reverberation cue to egocentric auditory distance and to determine the extent to which such a cue could provide ‘absolute’, as contrasted with ‘relative’, information about distance. In experiment 1 independent groups of blindfolded observers (200 altogether) were presented with broadband noise from a speaker at one of five different distances (0·55 to 8 m) in a normal hard-walled room. Half of each group of observers were presented with the sound at 0 deg azimuth, followed (after a delay) by the identical sound at 90 deg azimuth. The order of presentation was reversed for the remaining observers. Perceived distance varied significantly as a function of the physical distance to the speaker, even for the first presentations. The change in the binaural information between the 0 deg and 90 deg presentations did not significantly modify the results. For both orientations, near distances were overestimated and far distances were underestimated. Experiments 2 and ...
A 108 dB SNR, 1.1 mW Oversampling Audio DAC With A Three-level DEM Technique

A low power audio oversampling SigmaDelta digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with a three-level (+1, 0,-1) dynamic-element-matching (DEM) technique and an inter-symbol interference-free (ISI) output stage is presented. Solutions for design challenges such as ISI, clock jitter sensitivity, and out-of-band noise are presented. The converter is fabricated in a 0.18 mum CMOS process, occupies 0.55 mm2, achieves 108 dB dynamic range, -98 dB THD + N while consumes a total of 1.1 mW per channel at 1.8 V supply.
Bioenergy Production via Microbial Conversion of Residual Oil to Natural Gas

World requirements for fossil energy are expected to grow by more than 50% within the next 25 years, despite advances in alternative technologies. Since conventional production methods retrieve only about one-third of the oil in place, either large new fields or innovative strategies for recovering energy resources from existing fields are needed to meet the burgeoning demand. The anaerobic biodegradation of n-alkanes to methane gas has now been documented in a few studies, and it was speculated that this process might be useful for recovering energy from existing petroleum reservoirs. We found that residual oil entrained in a marginal sandstone reservoir core could be converted to methane, a key component of natural gas, by an oil-degrading methanogenic consortium. Methane production required inoculation, and rates ranged from 0.15 to 0.40 μmol/day/g core (or 11 to 31 μmol/day/g oil), with yields of up to 3 mmol CH4/g residual oil. Concomitant alterations in the hydrocarbon profile of the oil-bearing core revealed that alkanes were preferentially metabolized. The consortium was found to produce comparable amounts of methane in the absence or presence of sulfate as an alternate electron acceptor. Cloning and sequencing exercises revealed that the inoculum comprised sulfate-reducing, syntrophic, and fermentative bacteria acting in concert with aceticlastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogens. Collectively, the cells generated methane from a variety of petroliferous rocks. Such microbe-based methane production holds promise for producing a clean-burning and efficient form of energy from underutilized hydrocarbon-bearing resources.
E-business ROI Simulations

This chapter addresses concepts that should be considered in simulating the financial environments and conditions that would affect corporate investments in e-business projects. It discusses the creation of a basic, standard simulation structure and discusses a project-centric and framework-derived approach for collecting cost and benefit estimates. It emphasizes the specific complexities of e-business projects and the need to recognize that complexity in creating and using simulations for a project analysis. It also provides several methodologies that can be used to prepare a simulation to improve outcome accuracy. Keywords: capital expenditure; capital investment; E-business; financial analysis; investments in information technology; simulations
Workflow-centric distribution of organizational knowledge: the case of document flow coordination

Workflow-centric knowledge distribution mechanisms have been proposed recently by a number of researchers to coordinate the flow of codified knowledge in large organizations. This has led to a new research area referred to as "process-driven knowledge distribution". We apply the concepts and techniques in this area to the case of document flow coordination. We first propose a notion of document world and then develop a document distribution methodology. In particular, we create a new graphical model called Organizational Knowledge Networks (OK-Nets) that consists of work-nets and awareness nets. An analytical method, Knowledge Association Algebra (KA-Algebra) is also developed for initializing and maintaining the OK-Nets. Finally, we delineate our prototyping efforts based on the methodology propose in the paper.
Denial-of-service attacks on battery-powered mobile computers

Sleep deprivation attacks are a form of denial of service attack whereby an attacker renders a pervasive computing device inoperable by draining the battery more quickly than it would be drained under normal usage. We describe three main methods for an attacker to drain the battery: (1) service request power attacks, where repeated requests are made to the victim for services, typically over a network - even if the service is not provided the victim must expend energy deciding whether or not to honor the request; (2) benign power attacks, where the victim is made to execute a valid but energy-hungry task repeatedly, and (3) malignant power attacks, where the attacker modifies or creates an executable to make the system consume more energy than it would otherwise. Our initial results demonstrate the increased power consumption due to these attacks, which we believe are the first real examples of these attacks to appear in the literature. We also propose a power-secure architecture to thwart these power attacks by employing multi-level authentication and energy signatures.
On the Nature of Time, Entropy, Gravity and the Universe

In this paper, an outline of an alternative to standard LCDM theories is presented. Specifically, in contrast to an initial singularity, an initial energy continuum in an infinite number of dimensions is assumed. In response to a dimensional catastrophe, a subset of the energy continuum was confined to three spatial dimensions thereby initiating dimensional boundary conditions leading to the gradual quantization of phase space. It is then proposed that this initial quantization of phase space led to the Second Law of Thermodynamics and the statistical flow of time. In addition, the appearance of fundamental quantities such as mass (and, hence, gravity), charge and spin can then be explained as a natural consequence of the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
Carbonyl sulfide produced by abiotic thermal and photodegradation of soil organic matter from wheat field substrate

Carbonyl sulfide (COS) is a reduced sulfur gas that is taken up irreversibly in plant leaves proportionally with CO2, allowing its potential use as a tracer for gross primary production. Recently, wheat field soil at the Southern Great Plains Atmospheric Radiation Measurement site in Lamont, Oklahoma, was found to be a measureable source of COS to the atmosphere. To understand the mechanism of COS production, soil and root samples were collected from the site and incubated in the laboratory over a range of temperatures (15–34°C) and light conditions (light and dark). Samples exhibited mostly COS net uptake from the atmosphere in dark and cool ( 25°C), consistent with field observations, and at a lower temperature (19°C) when a full spectrum lamp (max wavelength 600 nm) was applied. Sterilized soil and root samples yielded only COS production that increased with temperature, supporting the hypothesis that (a) COS production in these samples is abiotic, (b) production is directly influenced by temperature and light, and (c) some COS consumption in soil and root samples is biotic.
Programming process productivity measurement system for System/370

Discussed in this paper are the underlying principles of a programmer productivity measuring system. The key measures (or metrics) are people and lines of code. Definitions of these metrics are refined and qualified, according to the conditions under which they are used. Presented also is a data base design for retaining and retrieving these metrics under a wide variety of applications and other circumstances. Depending on definitions, applications, and other circumstances, productivity measurements may differ widely. On the other hand, after suitable productivity metrics have been defined, consistency of application of the same metrics yields comparable results from project to project.
Rural migration and agrarian reform in Russia: a research note.

IT IS A WELL KNOWN FACT that for decades in the Soviet Union the predominant migratory pattern was rural-urban.1 This pattern was not unique, as all industrialising countries experienced a similar process. Moreover, the Soviet leadership itself encouraged rural outmigration in order to have sufficient urban labour for factories. It was not until the 1970s that the leadership began to express concern at the depopulation of rural villages, particularly in central Russia, but by then Soviet demographers already considered the rural population 'exhausted',2 and official programmes adopted during the 1970s and 1980s did little to improve the rural demographic situation. It is likely that contemporary Russian agrarian reform has been affected by decades-long rural outmigration. A weak demographic base influenced agrarian reform potential and was a key determinant in individual choices about forms of land privatisation, leading to an emphasis on small-scale, low-risk individual agricultural activities such as private plots and collective gardening. New data suggest that a historic shift in migration patterns is underway in Russia, a change that may have profound long-term effects on agrarian reform and the nature of the Russian countryside. We begin with a short review of past rural migration trends and the rural demographic situation, in part using archival data for an oblast' in central Russia. We will then present new data on rural migration. Finally, we assess the implications of rural migratory trends for agrarian reform in Russia. Historical patterns of rural outmigration Historically, the general boredom and low standard of rural life often served as primary motivations to leave for the city. One Soviet author divided the main reasons for rural migration into three groups. The first group of reasons had to do with work conditions in the countryside, including the unattractiveness of manual labour, the lack of shift work, and low wages. Possibilities for upward mobility were blocked in rural localities by substandard education and an egalitarian rural social policy. The second broad group included cultural-service conditions, including primarily the low quality of available services, the isolation of rural life, and the lack of anonymity (everyone knows everyone else and their business). The third group of reasons concerned a change in social psychology, in which people became oriented towards
Heinz Kohut and the Future of Psychoanalysis

The author begins with a discussion of Heinz Kohut's musings on the future of psychoanalysis at the celebration of his 60th birthday party in 1973. In that speech, Kohut clearly defines the paradigm shift he introduced. Kohut's robust enthusiasm for the future of psychoanalysis leads to discussion of four themes, three of which represent incomplete thoughts in his body of work, which are particularly relevant for understanding his impact on psychoanalysis as it has developed since his death in 1981: First, empathy, the coin of the realm, raises questions about the nature of interpretation; second, termination is murky, at best, in self psychology, although it may be that anything more concrete would be inappropriate to our basic assumptions; third, boundaries that were once too rigid may have become too loose; finally, Kohut's ideas on rage provide a fundamentally important idea for understanding the current world of terrorism and political violence. El autor empieza con una discusion de las reflexiones d...
E-mail Communication and the Policy Process in the State Legislature

E-mail has changed the policy process in state legislatures because political actors now have a new way to present their message to state legislators. What little research has been conducted on this topic examines e-mail communication generally and does not compare results by policy actor. Using an original survey of state legislators in eight states, we test for systematic effects of variables on general e-mail views and for effects specific to particular policy actors. We find that legislators have a nuanced approach to e-mail usage in the policy process with their assessment of its impact differing significantly for constituents, intermediary groups, and policy insiders. Only gender consistently shapes legislators’ beliefs about e-mail with all groups, but institutional features, legislator characteristics, and legislator beliefs shape views on e-mail with different target groups. Clearly, legislators are attuned to the audience communicating via e-mail, and they value e-mail with each group differently.
In Vivo Imaging of Tumor-Propagating Cells, Regional Tumor Heterogeneity, and Dynamic Cell Movements in Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) is an aggressive pediatric sarcoma of muscle. Here, we show that ERMS-propagating potential is confined to myf5+ cells and can be visualized in live, fluorescent transgenic zebrafish. During early tumor growth, myf5+ ERMS cells reside adjacent normal muscle fibers. By late-stage ERMS, myf5+ cells are reorganized into distinct regions separated from differentiated tumor cells. Time-lapse imaging of late-stage ERMS revealed that myf5+ cells populate newly formed tumor only after seeding by highly migratory myogenin+ ERMS cells. Moreover, myogenin+ ERMS cells can enter the vasculature, whereas myf5+ ERMS-propagating cells do not. Our data suggest that non-tumor-propagating cells likely have important supportive roles in cancer progression and facilitate metastasis.
A morphometric analysis of algal response to low dose, short-term heavy metal exposure

Summary Three algae, Melosira granulata, Fragilaria capucina, and Anacystis cyanea, collected as part of a natural phytoplankton assemblage were found to differ in their cytological responses to low dose shot>term exposure to copper and lead. In general, all were more sensitive to copper than to lead. Fragilaria was more sensitive to both metals than the other species examined. Most immediate changes in relative volume categories can be ascribed to changes in vacuole volume that are most likely the result of changes in membrane permeability. There was some degree of accommodation in all three species at 24 hours. These results are discussed in view of the natural environment of the algae, as well as in relationship to previous studies.
Filling in a Jurisdictional Void: The New U.S. Territorial Sea

This article examines the constitutionality of President Ronald Reagan’s 1988 Proclamation extending the U.S. territorial sea from three-to-twelve nautical miles, along with the question whether a proviso disclaiming any effect upon federal or state law is effective absent congressional approval. The article further examines resulting ambiguities with respect to ocean management in the new territorial sea, and urges coastal states to push for legislation to clarify the nature of this zone.
A rigorous test of a model of employees' resource recovery mechanisms during a weekend

Summary Employees' recovery from the effects of occupational stress can be affected by their actions during time away from work. Conservation of resources theory argues that a key to an effective stress recovery process is the replenishment of resources during off-work time (a weekend in the present study). We test a model of the stress recovery process during a weekend whereby two recovery mechanisms (weekend activities and recovery experiences) improve two personal resources (self-regulatory capacity and state optimism), subsequently affecting psychological outcomes (work engagement and burnout) at the start of the next workweek. Employees (n = 233) from various jobs responded to online surveys before and after a weekend. Controlling for pre-weekend resource levels and psychological outcomes assessed on Friday, the two weekend stress recovery mechanisms (weekend activities and recovery experiences) contributed to improving or maintaining self-regulatory and optimism resources on Monday. Of note, psychological detachment may result in less rather than more of the resource of state optimism on Monday. Monday resource levels were linked to improved work engagement and burnout. As proposed by conservation of resources theory, employees can benefit from participating in activities that replenish resources necessary to meet work demands upon returning to work after a weekend. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Partnership Allocations from Nickel-on-The-Dollar Substance

Current law allows allocation of partnership income to a partner if the allocation has consequences at liquidation of the partnership. For liquidations that are far away, the present value impact of liquidation is modest, typically a nickel per dollar of allocation. Nickel on the dollar impact is a pretense of economic substance. Deductions can be sold to highest bidder and revenue can be absorbed by tax indifferent partner with only a pretense of economic substance. The proposal would require partnership deductions and accumulated income to be allocated among partners in proportion to their capital accounts. Proportionate allocation makes the partnership consistent with 100 percent ownership. A partnership that does not maintain proper capital accounts would allocate deductions and accumulated income according to a partner’s interests in the partnership, defined by net present value of the interest. A partner’s share of partnership debt would similarly require the partner to share both the principal payment of the debt and the interest burden. Income distributed during the tax year or shortly thereafter would be taxed by allocation of partnership income to the partner who received the distribution. Distributions not pro rata to capital accounts or partnership interest would not be considered attributable to capital and could not, for example, be considered capital gain or tax-exempt income. An anti-abuse rule would also be applied for large deductions that vary materially from reduction in net present value change to the partnership interest and for allocations of taxable income that are materially in excess of the present value increase the partner gets. The proposal is offered as a part of the Shelf Project, a collaboration of tax professionals to develop proposals to raise revenue without a VAT or a rate increase. Shelf Project proposals raise revenue while making the tax system more efficient and reducing deadweight loss. Shelf projects follow the format of a congressional tax writing committee report in explaining current law, what is wrong with it, and how to fix it.
Brain connectivity reflects human aesthetic responses to music

Humans uniquely appreciate aesthetics, experiencing pleasurable responses to complex stimuli that confer no clear intrinsic value for survival. However, substantial variability exists in the frequency and specificity of aesthetic responses. While pleasure from aesthetics is attributed to the neural circuitry for reward, what accounts for individual differences in aesthetic reward sensitivity remains unclear. Using a combination of survey data, behavioral and psychophysiological measures and diffusion tensor imaging, we found that white matter connectivity between sensory processing areas in the superior temporal gyrus and emotional and social processing areas in the insula and medial prefrontal cortex explains individual differences in reward sensitivity to music. Our findings provide the first evidence for a neural basis of individual differences in sensory access to the reward system, and suggest that social-emotional communication through the auditory channel may offer an evolutionary basis for music making as an aesthetically rewarding function in humans.
Field Studies on the Reproductive Capacity and Development of Cassida rubiginosa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on Musk and Canada Thistles

The reproductive capacity and development of Cassida rubiginosa Muller, a defoliator of Canada thistle, were examined on Canada thislee and musk thistle under field conditions. Field-collected, overwintered females produced 61.1 ± 29.9 oothecae per individual during a 15-wk period. They showed no preference for oviposition between musk and Canada thistle. Development from egg to adult in field cages required 27.4 ± 1.7 d when reared on Canada thistle and 28.5 ± 2.1 d on musk thistle. Mortality of the immature stages caused by incomplete development totaled 52.5% when reared on Canada thistle and 79.0% on musk thistle. Survival from egg to adult beetles was 18.3% in the 1st yr and 26.7% in the 2nd yr.
On the Sieve Parametersακandβκfor Largeκ

Abstract Two parameters,ακandβκ, play a central role in the sieve method of Diamond, Halberstam, and Richert. For each value of the sieve dimensionκ>1,ακis the point beyond which the DHR upper sieve improves upon the upper bound sieve function of Ankeny and Onishi; and the sieving limitβκis the point beyond which the DHR lower sieve yields a nontrivial (i.e., positive) lower bound. We show that for all large enoughκ,ακlies within a bounded distance ofρκ, the largest positive zero of Iwaniec's functionqκ(·) and thatβκis smaller thanνκ, the sieving limit of the Ankeny–Onishi sieve.
CRITICAL PARAMETER SELECTION IN THE VIBRATION SUPPRESSION PROBLEM OF LARGE FLEXIBLE SPACE STRUCTURES

The paper addresses the application of parameter sensitivity analysis to large flexible space structure models with uncertain parameters such as modal dampings, modal frequencies, mode shape slopes at actuator (sensor) locations. A criterion that allows the specific control objective to influence the parameter selection process is given to delineate the critical parameters in linear regulator problems. The quantitative measure is labeled 'Parameter Error Index (PEI) '. Explicit and simple formulas are obtained in terms of modal data for PEI for the vibration suppression problem of an LSS. The proposed procedure is applied to the 'Purdue Model', a generic two dimensional LSS model. Results are presented which indicate that, for this problem modal frequencies are more critical parameters than mode shapes. This type of information is useful in parameter estimation, robust control design, structure redesign, etc.
Is Marketing Education Driving or Drifting

"Because of its fundamental and continuing interest in marketing education, the Marketing Science Institute has completed a factual study of trends in marketing course offerings and enrollments in the member schools of the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business. "Although the accompanying background study raises many questions, it does provide a foundation for identification and discussion of some major issues. The full report of the findings of MSI's study is available from the Marketing Science Institute, 3625 Walnut Street, Philadelphia 4, Pennsylvania." (Wendell R. Smith, Pres., Marketing Science Institute)
Infantile Convulsions and Retinal Hemorrhages

The prevalence of retinal hemorrhages in infants presenting with convulsions was studied at Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Deu, Barcelona, Spain.
Probability statistics method of computing hydrocarbon generating quantity of source rock

In order to evaluate the reliability computing hydrocarbon generating quantity of source rock,we researched and applied a probability statistics method which may reflect the uncertainty of geology parameters and the exploration risks.Firstly,we analyzed the probability distribution of parameters related to source rock by Markov method.Secondly,we carried out random sampling according to the probability distribution and restricting with the raw data.Thirdly,we computed the hydrocarbon generating quantity with the data of samples.Through repetition of the second and the third step,we found a statistical rule and gained the hydrocarbon generating quantity of source rock in different probability.We computed the hydrocarbon generating quantity of superficial-middle layer in Binbei area of Songliao basin with the method.Compared with method of chemical kinetics,its reliability may achieve 75%,and compared with method of simulation experiment,its reliability may achieve 100%.It can be an auxiliary method during evaluating exploration risk.
Toward a Better Measure of Real Time Economic Conditions: An Application of the Stock/Watson Methodology to the Case of Rhode Island

This study develops an economic indicator tailored to measure economic conditions at the state level by recognizing a state's economy is an integrated part of the region and responds to both regional and national economic outlooks. This paper applies our methodology to the state of Rhode Island. In the case of Rhode Island, the addition of a regional economic indicator appears to make a significant improvement over the the Philadelphia FED Coincident Index. Moreover, the robustness analysis above shows that economic indicator developed to tracks the business cycles in Rhode Island perform quite well and that the indicator is robust to various identification schemes. Therefore, we believe this preliminary study indicates that it is worthwhile to expand this project to include all fifty states.
Arthropods of Steel Creek, Buffalo National River, Arkansas. III. Heteroptera (Insecta: Hemiptera)

Background This is the third in a series of papers detailing the terrestrial arthropods collected during an intensive survey of a site near Steel Creek campground along the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. The survey was conducted over a period of eight and a half months using twelve trap types - Malaise traps, canopy traps (upper and lower collector), Lindgren multifunnel traps (black, green, and purple), pan traps (blue, purple, red, white, and yellow), and pitfall traps - and Berlese-Tullgren extraction of leaf litter. New information We provide collection records for 54 species of Heteroptera, 11 of which were new state records for Arkansas: (Aradidae) Aradus approximatus, Aradus duzeei, Aradus ornatus, Neuroctenus elongatus, Neuroctenus pseudonymus, Notapictinus aurivilli; (Cydnidae) Sehirus cinctus; (Lygaeidae) Nysius raphanus; (Miridae) Prepops insitivus; (Reduviidae) Zelus tetracanthus; (Rhyparochromidae) Kolenetrus plenus.
A Philosophy of Weakness: Merleau-Ponty on Fugitive Love and the Wisdom in Letting Die

ABSTRACTThis essay provides a sketch of Merleau-Ponty’s understanding of love in relation to human experience and to the conceptualization of φιλία and σοφία outlined in his later works. In response to what he calls a “cruel thought … that is more fear of error than it is a love of truth”, Merleau-Ponty’s reflections on love and jealousy in Proust offer a concept of “fugitive love”. Opposed to the Cartesian desire for apodicticity that seeks to seize and arrest, fugitive love means withholding one’s touch and letting the beloved die. In its offer of dispossession rather than possession, love requires faith. This faith, the opposite of faith in an absolute λόγος, invites and accepts being’s occultation as the very means of its openness. Merleau-Ponty’s thought offers a mode of philosophizing that no longer aims to make being its captive but a philosophy of weakness that allows for its withdraw.
Assessment of Personality Disorders in Older Adults

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews current definitions of personality disorders, alternative dimensional approaches to their classification, and assessment procedures that are typically employed in this field. It addresses fundamental problems with the assessment of personality disorders and highlights the specific challenges that arise when later life is considered. Personality disorders that are manifest in later life have important implications for families and society as well as for the affected individuals. Efforts to understand the interaction between personality pathology and the challenges of later life are complicated by problems with the current classification system for personality disorders as well as the relative absence of measurement instruments designed specifically for and validated with older adults. The most widely recognized approach to the assessment of personality disorders, in both research and clinical practice, involves the use of interviews. Another popular approach to the assessment of personality disorders involves the administration of self-report questionnaires. Rather than focusing on diagnostic scales, with an emphasis on somewhat arbitrary thresholds and a categorical view regarding the presence or absence of specific personality disorders, some self-report instruments place greater emphasis on personality dimensions. Because realistic, accurate information about a client's behavior may not be obtained from the clients themselves, it is often useful to collect information from other sources. Family members, friends, and other acquaintances may provide an important perspective.
Effect of intravenous lidocaine on the transcerebral inflammatory response during cardiac surgery: a randomized-controlled trial

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) occurs frequently after cardiac surgery. The pathophysiology of POCD remains elusive, but previous work showed that intravenous lidocaine may be protective against POCD, possibly by modulating cerebral inflammation. We hypothesized that intravenous lidocaine would attenuate the cerebral inflammatory response to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) by reducing the transcerebral activation gradients of platelets, leukocytes, and/or platelet-leukocyte conjugates. We studied 202 patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB in this prospective randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial. Subjects were randomized to receive either intravenous lidocaine (bolus + 48-hr infusion) or placebo (identical infusion volume and duration). Paired jugular venous and radial arterial blood samples were drawn at several time points and analyzed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting to identify activated platelets and platelet-leukocyte conjugates. Transcerebral activation gradients were calculated by subtracting arterial values from venous values and were compared between groups using repeated measures regression models with covariate adjustment for age, sex, surgery type, and CPB duration. Beginning after aortic cross-clamp release and peaking ten minutes after the termination of CPB, the mean (SD) transcerebral activation gradient of platelet-monocyte conjugates decreased in lidocaine-treated vs placebo-treated patients [−1.84 (11.47) mean linear fluorescence intensity (MLFI) vs 1.46 (13.88) MLFI, respectively; mean difference, −4.08 MLFI; 95% confidence interval, −7.86 to −0.29; P = 0.03). No difference was seen at any time point for activated platelets or for platelet-neutrophil conjugates. While lidocaine did not affect the systemic or transcerebral activation of platelets or leukocytes, we did observe a reduction in the transcerebral activation of platelet-monocyte conjugates after aortic cross-clamp release. This may be a manifestation of reduced cerebral inflammation during cardiopulmonary bypass in response to treatment with lidocaine. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT00938964).
Equilibrium properties of the diffusion equation

We saw in the last section that one could obtain considerable information about the time-dependent behavior of the diffusion equation. In particular, one could obtain the exact solution from any initial state as long as the distribution stayed away from the boundary y = 0, but one could also see qualititatively what effect the boundary has. Yet the equilibrium solution as described in section 5 is quite complex. We will not rederive here the equilibrium properties already analyzed in section 5, but we will try to identify the source of the complication.
Performance of Causal Consistency Algorithms for Partially Replicated Systems

Many advances have been made in the design of full replication protocols in distributed systems. Causal consistency in such systems has received great interest. However, most existing works focus on the implementation in full replication because it simplifies designing the algorithm. More recently, interest in full replication has shifted to focus on the development of partial replication protocols which emphasize a better network capacity utilization. In this paper, we present the analytic data to compare the performances of three proposed protocols in partial replication and full replication. We also give simulation results to present the advantage of partial replication over full replication.
Nitrogen fixation associated withEichhornia crassipes

Azotobacter associated withEichhornia crassipes were found to be concentrated in the slime formed around petiole bases. ‘Massive’ colonies formed where raw slime was applied to nitrogen-free medium inoculated with Azotobacter. Slime in which Azotobacter had been killed did not stimulate the formation of massive colonies unless live Azotobacter cells were mixed into it. Acetylene reduction tests indicated that Azotobacter associated with Eichhornia did not fix nitrogen unless the plant was suffering extreme nitrogen deficiency, and that the maximum rate of fixation was inadequate for rapid plant growth.
Arterial traffic signal optimization using Particle Swarm Optimization in an integrated VISSIM-MATLAB simulation environment

Today, a wide range of commercial signal optimization tools have been developed for optimizing traffic signal timing plans. However, incapability of such programs to consider the stochastic variations in traffic conditions calls for integrating optimization techniques with a microscopic simulation environment. In this study, the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm is used as an optimizer for generating arterial traffic signal timing parameters. VISSIM, a microscopic simulator, is used as the evaluation platform for calculating performance measures of the traffic arterial operated by those timing plans. Such an advanced simulation is handled through VISSIM COM interface and implemented in MATLAB. The potentiality of the proposed method is investigated by applying it on a real-world arterial. Comparing the performance of generated timing plans by the proposed method with timing plans yielded by VISTRO, a widely used signal optimization tool, reveals that the proposed method is promising and outperforms for various traffic states.
White matter connections of the inferior parietal lobule: A study of surgical anatomy.

INTRODUCTION Interest in the function of the inferior parietal lobule (IPL) has resulted in increased understanding of its involvement in visuospatial and cognitive functioning, and its role in semantic networks. A basic understanding of the nuanced white-matter anatomy in this region may be useful in improving outcomes when operating in this region of the brain. We sought to derive the surgical relationship between the IPL and underlying major white-matter bundles by characterizing macroscopic connectivity. METHODS Data of 10 healthy adult controls from the Human Connectome Project were used for tractography analysis. All IPL connections were mapped in both hemispheres, and distances were recorded between cortical landmarks and major tracts. Ten postmortem dissections were then performed using a modified Klingler technique to serve as ground truth. RESULTS We identified three major types of connections of the IPL. (1) Short association fibers connect the supramarginal and angular gyri, and connect both of these gyri to the superior parietal lobule. (2) Fiber bundles from the IPL connect to the frontal lobe by joining the superior longitudinal fasciculus near the termination of the Sylvian fissure. (3) Fiber bundles from the IPL connect to the temporal lobe by joining the middle longitudinal fasciculus just inferior to the margin of the superior temporal sulcus. CONCLUSIONS We present a summary of the relevant anatomy of the IPL as part of a larger effort to understand the anatomic connections of related networks. This study highlights the principle white-matter pathways and highlights key underlying connections.
A New Approach: Not Agile vs. Traditional QM but Applying the Best of Both

During the long and arduous journey of the Volkswagen group IT towards a better quality culture we have established a better understanding of product quality. We were distressed about our internal struggle whether the traditional or the agile approach of quality management is the only way of life. The authors were involved in these struggles, Alexander for the traditional approach and Mirko for the agile way until we discovered that our goals were exactly the same: how do we produce high quality products with an optimal cost and effect ratio. While reading this paper we want to show our starting point of the discussion about traditional and agile QM and how we evolved the discussion to an integrated QM-Concept which got farer than software development only.
Radial fast interrupted steady-state (FISS) magnetic resonance imaging.

Purpose To report a highly interrupted radial variant of balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) imaging, termed fast interrupted steady-state (FISS), for decreasing flow artifact as well as fat signal conspicuity with respect to bSSFP, and saturation effects vis-a-vis fast low-angle shot (FLASH) imaging. Methods Numerical simulations, phantom studies, and human studies were conducted to examine the imaging contrast, off-resonance behavior, and flow properties of FISS. Human studies applied FISS for cine cardiac imaging and ungated nonenhanced MR angiography (MRA) of the legs, neck, and brain. Comparisons were made with bSSFP and FLASH imaging. Results Simulations revealed that FISS retains the high signal levels of bSSFP for stationary on-resonant spins, while reducing undesirable signal heterogeneity from flowing spins. Phantom studies agreed with the simulations, and showed that FISS reduces fat signal and flow artifact with respect to bSSFP imaging. FISS imaging in human subjects agreed with the simulations and phantom studies, and showed reduced saturation artifact compared with FLASH imaging. Conclusion FISS imaging reduces flow artifact and fat signal conspicuity with respect to bSSFP imaging, and ameliorates arterial signal saturation observed with FLASH imaging. Potential clinical applications include fat-suppressed cine imaging and ungated nonenhanced MRA. Magn Reson Med 79:2077-2086, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Lie Algebras and Lie Algebra Representations

In this chapter, we will introduce Lie algebras and Lie algebra representations, which provide a tractable linear construction that captures much of the behavior of Lie groups and Lie group representations.
Emotion Coregulation Processes between Mothers and their Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder: Associations with Children’s Maladaptive Behaviors

A dyadic microanalysis approach was used to examine emotion coregulation processes in mother-child interactions in relation to children's maladaptive behaviors. Seventy-two mother-child dyads (46 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); 26 neurotypical children) were previously videotaped in a semi-structured play procedure at home and mothers reported on children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Mother-child interactions were reliably coded in 5-second intervals and analyzed using Space State Grid software. Regression analyses supported moderation, whereby greater dyadic flexibility and more mutual-positive engagements were significantly associated with lower levels of maladaptive outcomes for children with ASD. Results have implications for initiating positive interactions and promoting effective parenting that help improve behavior in young children with ASD.
TWIDDLER'S SYNDROME: AN UNUSUAL CAUSE OF REPEATED SHOCKS BY IMPLANTABLE CARDIOVERTER DEFIBRILLATOR

Twiddler's syndrome refers to malfunction of Pacemaker or Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) resulting from deliberate or unintentional twisting of pulse generator in device pocket resulting in lead dislodgment. We report a case of a 65 yo woman with multiple ICD shocks and anti-