cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neural networks with linear threshold activations: structure and algorithms.

In this article we present new results on neural networks with linear threshold activation functions. We precisely characterize the class of functions that are representable by such neural networks and show that 2 hidden layers are necessary and sufficient to represent any function representable in the class. This is a surprising result in the light of recent exact representability investigations for neural networks using other popular activation functions like rectified linear units (ReLU). We also give precise bounds on the sizes of the neural networks required to represent any function in the class. Finally, we design an algorithm to solve the empirical risk minimization (ERM) problem to global optimality for these neural networks with a fixed architecture. The algorithm's running time is polynomial in the size of the data sample, if the input dimension and the size of the network architecture are considered fixed constants. The algorithm is unique in the sense that it works for any architecture with any number of layers, whereas previous polynomial time globally optimal algorithms work only for very restricted classes of architectures.
The central executive network and executive function in healthy and persons with schizophrenia groups: a meta-analysis of structural and functional MRI.

This meta-analysis evaluated the extent to which executive function can be understood with structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Studies included structural in schizophrenia (k = 8; n = 241) and healthy controls (k = 12; n = 1660), and functional in schizophrenia (k = 4; n = 104) and healthy controls (k = 12; n = 712). Results revealed a positive association in the brain behavior relationship when pooled across schizophrenia and control samples for structural (pr = 0.27) and functional (pr = 0.29) modalities. Subgroup analyses revealed no significant difference for functional neuroimaging (pr = .43, 95%CI = -.08-.77, p = .088) but with structural neuroimaging (pr = .37, 95%CI = -.08-.69, p = .015) the association to executive functions is lower in the control group. Subgroup analyses also revealed no significant differences in the strength of the brain-behavior relationship in the schizophrenia group (pr = .59, 95%CI = .58-.61, p = .881) or the control group (pr = 0.19, 95%CI = 0.18-0.19, p = 0.920), suggesting concordance.
Go when you know: Chimpanzees’ confidence movements reflect their responses in a computerized memory task

Three chimpanzees performed a computerized memory task in which auditory feedback about the accuracy of each response was delayed. The delivery of food rewards for correct responses also was delayed and occurred in a separate location from the response. Crucially, if the chimpanzees did not move to the reward-delivery site before food was dispensed, the reward was lost and could not be recovered. Chimpanzees were significantly more likely to move to the dispenser on trials they had completed correctly than on those they had completed incorrectly, and these movements occurred before any external feedback about the outcome of their responses. Thus, chimpanzees moved (or not) on the basis of their confidence in their responses, and these confidence movements aligned closely with objective task performance. These untrained, spontaneous confidence judgments demonstrated that chimpanzees monitored their own states of knowing and not knowing and adjusted their behavior accordingly.
Recent developments in dea : the mathematical programming approach to frontier analysis

Abstract This paper discusses the mathematical programming approach to frontier estimation known as Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). We examine the effect of model orientation on the efficient frontier and the effect of convexity requirements on returns to scale. Transformations between models are provided. Methodological extensions and alternate models that have been proposed are reviewed and the advantages and limitations of a DEA approach are presented.
A proposed method for creating VCR functions using MPEG streams

The development of video-on-demand (VOD) systems for movie delivery requires that the user be able to perform VCR functions over a broadband network system. These functions include Play, Pause, Fast Forward, and Fast Rewind. No standard method exists between content developers, server manufacturers and client applications to provide these functions. This paper proposes a standard method for implementing these functions using MPEG streams and discusses some of the important tradeoffs. The encoding and distribution of content has become one of the most important issues facing video information providers. Today, in the case of movies, every service provider must encode the material for the specific equipment being deployed in the network. Therefore, the ease of use and speed of the algorithms employed to encode the material are extremely important. In the future, the creator of the content may encode the material once and distribute it to the service providers in compressed form, but this is not the case today due to the lack of standards.
The Pediatric Internship as a Teaching Technique: A Comparison of Learning Experiences in Five Hospitals

Five interns joined in a collaborative study to assess their learning experiences during the internship year. A 3 times 5-inch data form was completed for each patient for whom the intern was responsible. Information was gathered on demongraphic characteristics of the patient, the teaching that involved this patient, and what skills were acquired. Nearly 30% of the patients were under 1 year of age; 55% were boys. More than one half of the contacts were in an outpatient or emergency department. Over 80% of the patients had not been seen before; continuity patients made up less than 9% of the contacts. Well-child care was the largest care category (19%), followed by respiratory problems (15%) and injuries (9%). About 40% of the contacts involved a teaching input, mainly from residents, attending physicians, and faculty. Care skills most frequently acquired were physical examination (49%), reading (15%), and interviewing (11%). Cross-tabulations showed that most learning was reported for inpatients, for patients with rare diseases, and when some teaching was involved.
Serum Protein Changes in Malignant Diseases. I. The Acute Leukemias

A study of the serum protein changes and clinical events in acute myeloblastic and acute lymphoblastic leukemia was undertaken as a part of investigations on the effects of malignancies in man. In order to appraise the effects of the leukemic processes, an evaluation of the effects of disease type, activity, complications and therapy was also undertaken. Over a five-year period, clinical appraisal and electrophoretic serum protein analyses were compared 171 times in 82 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 64 times in 28 patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia. Serum electrophoretic evaluation showed characteristic patterns in the two types of acute leukemia studied. Analyses conducted in the absence of fever, infection or liver disease typically revealed elevation of the gamma globulins in myeloblastic but not in lymphoblastic leukemia. Alpha-2 globulin elevation, however, was representative of active lymphoblastic leukemia. Serum albumin was significantly lowered, and the beta globulins component remained essentially normal in both myeloblastic and lymphoblastic leukemia. Alpha-1 and alpha-2 globulin values were notable for the wide range of values obtained. Hematologic remission in some patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia was associated with a return of albumin and alpha globulin values toward normal, but the total experience indicated a general persistence during remission of the abnormalities seen in active diseases. Fever, in the absence of infection, was associated with elevation of the alpha-1 globulin component. Bacterial infection was associated with similar elevation of the alpha-1 globulin fraction and, in addition, a further fall in serum albumin levels. Marked depression of the gamma globulins was unusual. The mild decreases encountered in lymphoblastic leukemia could not be related to the frequency of bacterial infection. Administration of antimetabolites or adrenal corticosteroids could not be shown to produce any direct effect on the serum electrophoretic components.
Dendrochronology and Dendroclimatology

Dendrochronology is the science of tree-ring analysis. It derives from the Greek root words dendron for tree and chronos for time. Thus, dendrochronology uses the history of tree growth, as expressed in its annually produced radial growth rings, to provide information about the past. The realization that trees growing in suitable environments put on one annual ring of growth per year has a very long history going back at least to Theophrastus in ancient Greece. However, it was not until the early twentieth century that the basic principles of dendrochronology were formally developed and exploited. Annual tree-ring chronologies can also be used to reconstruct past climate. This branch of dendrochronology is called dendroclimatology.
Regulation of Interleukin-8 Expression in Human Melanoma Cells by the Organ Environment

Abstract The in vitro expression level of interleukin-8 (IL-8) correlates with the metastatic potential of human melanoma cells. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the expression level of IL-8 in human melanoma cells is influenced by the organ microenvironment. A375P cells, a low metastatic human melanoma, and A375SM cells, a highly metastatic variant, were injected into the subcutis (s.c.), spleen (to produce liver metastases), and lateral tail vein (to produce lung metastases) of athymic nude mice. Northern blot and immunohistochemical analyses determined that s.c. tumors, lung lesions, and liver lesions expressed high, intermediate, and low IL-8, mRNA, and protein, respectively. This differential regulation of IL-8 was not due to the size or density of the lesions or to selection of subpopulations of cells. We based this conclusion on the results of three experiments: ( a ) melanoma cell lines established in culture from in vivo -growing tumors exhibited similar levels of IL-8 mRNA transcripts; ( b ) in a crossover experiment, the level of IL-8 mRNA was always high in A375 tumors reestablished in the skin and low in the tumors reestablished in the liver, regardless of whether the melanoma cells had been first harvested from s.c. or liver tumors; and ( c ) A375 melanoma cells cocultured with human keratinocytes produced high levels of IL-8 protein, whereas A375 cells cocultured with highly differentiated human hepatoma cells produced decreased levels. When A375P cells were then incubated with cytokines associated with keratinocytes (IL-1 and interferon β) or hepatocytes (transforming growth factor α or β), IL-1 enhanced the production of IL-8 protein, whereas TGF-β decreased its production. These data show that IL-8 expression in melanoma cells is modulated by local host factors.
Characteristics Of Flash X-Ray Sources

AbstractA wide variety of sources yield short pulses of x -rays. Some of these, especiallyelectron- impact devices, have long been used as FXR sources but advances in their perform-ance have been made recently. Other classes of sources, notably high temperature plasmasand synchrotron radiation devices, have become available only in the last few years. Theoperational and physical characteristics of FXR devices are compared. Flash x -ray machineshave powers which range from around 108 W to over 1013 W. The characteristics of x -rayemission generated by such devices are also reviewed. X -ray pulse lengths as short as 10psec and x -ray powers in excess of 1010 W have been realized. X -ray lasers could yieldpulses shorter than 100 fsec with powers greater than 1012 watts. Applications of presentflash x -ray sources include stop- motion photography of fast events and rapid production ofradiation effects in materials.IntroductionMeasurements using short (flash) x -ray pulses fall into two categories. In the firstgroup, the duration of the x -ray pulse is short compared to the event being studied. Forexample, a flash x -ray (FXR) source is used to illuminate an event such as a hypervelocityprojectile impact. The time resolution is set by the x -ray pulse length and no time resolu-tion is needed in the detector. In the second group, the x -ray source is itself the objectof study. For example, the emission history of a high- temperature plasma is needed.
AIPaint: a sketch-based behavior tree authoring tool

Current behavior authoring tools force game designers to split their attention between the game context and the tool context. We have addressed this problem by developing a behavior authoring tool that merges these two contexts. This paper outlines the design and implementation of a game-independent behavior tree authoring tool, called AIPaint, that allows a designer to create and edit behavior trees via a natural sketching interface overlaid on the game world. We demonstrate the use of AIPaint to author computer-controlled characters in two simple games and report on an observational evaluation.
Finding Galaxies in the Shadows of Quasars with Gaussian Processes

We develop an automated technique for detecting damped Lyman-α absorbers (DLAs) along spectroscopic sightlines to quasi-stellar objects (QSOs or quasars). The detection of DLAs in large-scale spectroscopic surveys such as SDSS-III is critical to address outstanding cosmological questions, such as the nature of galaxy formation. We use nearly 50 000 QSO spectra to learn a tailored Gaussian process model for quasar emission spectra, which we apply to the DLA detection problem via Bayesian model selection. We demonstrate our method's effectiveness with a large-scale validation experiment on over 100 000 spectra, with excellent performance.
Treatment Integrity in School-Wide Programs: A Review of the Literature (1993-2012)

We assessed the reporting of treatment integrity in school-wide prevention programs in K-12 schools. This review was designed to determine (a) the extent to which treatment integrity was reported in school-wide prevention and intervention programs and how the reporting varied by research design, year, and journal; and (b) the procedures (e.g., method, frequency, informant) used to collect treatment integrity data. Results indicated that fewer than half of the studies in the review (n = 36, 45.6 %) measured and reported treatment integrity. Those studies reporting treatment integrity often used multiple methods and informants. Reporting treatment integrity in this body of literature has increased steadily over time.
Utilizing multiple state variables to improve the dynamic range of analog switching in a memristor

Memristors and memristive systems have been extensively studied for data storage and computing applications such as neuromorphic systems. To act as synapses in neuromorphic systems, the memristor needs to exhibit analog resistive switching (RS) behavior with incremental conductance change. In this study, we show that the dynamic range of the analog RS behavior can be significantly enhanced in a tantalum-oxide-based memristor. By controlling different state variables enabled by different physical effects during the RS process, the gradual filament expansion stage can be selectively enhanced without strongly affecting the abrupt filament length growth stage. Detailed physics-based modeling further verified the observed experimental effects and revealed the roles of oxygen vacancy drift and diffusion processes, and how the diffusion process can be selectively enhanced during the filament expansion stage. These findings lead to more desirable and reliable memristor behaviors for analog computing applications. Additionally, the ability to selectively control different internal physical processes demonstrated in the current study provides guidance for continued device optimization of memristor devices in general.
A survey of transmission technologies for planning long distance bulk transmission overlay in US

Abstract There is significant interest in building transmission today all over the world, especially inter-regional transmission to interconnect the cheaper renewables which are geographically diverse to load centers. In US, the nation’s most economically attractive renewable resources are located in the West and Midwest, and most electric consumption is in the East, and a national transmission seems a viable option to supply increasing demand at economical and sustainable manner. This paper presents a short survey of various major electric transmission technologies in terms of their cost and operational characteristics in the context of planning long distance bulk transmission overlay.
Rammed linings for 160-ton steelcasting ladles

The production technology was developed for a silica ramming compound from fine-grained semialiphatic Chasov-Yar quartz sand. The production technology was adopted by the Semiluk Refractories Plant. A machine, viz. the Orbita-1, for ram-lining steelcasting ladles, was designed, constructed, and brought into service. A flow sheet was developed for the production and drying of rammed linings for steelcasting ladles. The rammed lining is as durable as a brick lining. The machine time for ramming the lining has now been reduced to 18–25 min. The cost of the materials is lower and labor productivity in the lining process higher when using ramming compounds for the lining of steelcasting ladles.
Contribution of whole cell and cytoplasmic polypeptides to apparent red cell membrane alterations

We have compared densitometric tracings of whole cell, cytoplasmic and membrane polypeptide electrophoretic patterns in an attempt to distinguish atypical partitioning from intrinsic membrane polypeptide changes occurring as a result of reticulocyte enrichment, metabolic depletion, N-ethylmaleimide treatment and hereditary xerocytosis. We report that membrane alterations seen in a reticulocyte-enriched population of normal cells are present in the whole cells prior to membrane isolation. Some of the membrane alterations in metabolically depleted cells and all of those in N-ethylmaleimide-treated cells are traced to modifications in tary xerocytosis. We report that membrane alterations seen in a reticulocyte-enriched population of normal cells are present in the whole cells prior to membrane isolation. Some of the membrane alterations in metabolically depleted cells and all of those in N-ethylmaleimide-treated cells are traced to modifications in the partitioning of polypeptides between membranes and supernatant (cytoplasm) at hemolysis. The power of this approach in resolving the sources of apparent red cell membrane protein alterations is demonstrated in studies with hereditary xerocytes. Suggested altered partitioning of these cells described earlier (Sauberman, N., Fortier, N.L., Fairbanks, G., O'Connor, R.J. and Snyder, L.M. (1979) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 556, 292-313) is further documented and found to be unrelated to the younger cell population or slight metabolic depletion that occurs during the washing of xerocytes prior to hemolysis.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of Gasoline Compression Ignition

Gasoline compression ignition (GCI) is a low temperature combustion (LTC) concept that has been gaining increasing interest over the recent years owing to its potential to achieve diesel-like thermal efficiencies with significantly reduced engine-out nitrogen oxides (NOx) and soot emissions compared to diesel engines. In this work, closed-cycle computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are performed of this combustion mode using a sector mesh in an effort to understand effects of model settings on simulation results. One goal of this work is to provide recommendations for grid resolution, combustion model, chemical kinetic mechanism, and turbulence model to accurately capture experimental combustion characteristics. Grid resolutions ranging from 0.7 mm to 0.1 mm minimum cell sizes were evaluated in conjunction with both Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) and large eddy simulation (LES) based turbulence models. Solution of chemical kinetics using the multizone approach is evaluated against the detailed approach of solving chemistry in every cell. The relatively small primary reference fuel (PRF) mechanism (48 species) used in this study is also evaluated against a larger 312-species gasoline mechanism. Based on these studies, the following model settings are chosen keeping in mind both accuracy and computation costs—0.175 mm minimum cell size grid, RANS turbulence model, 48-species PRF mechanism, and multizone chemistry solution with bin limits of 5 K in temperature and 0.05 in equivalence ratio. With these settings, the performance of the CFD model is evaluated against experimental results corresponding to a low load start of injection (SOI) timing sweep. The model is then exercised to investigate the effect of SOI on combustion phasing with constant intake valve closing (IVC) conditions and fueling over a range of SOI timings to isolate the impact of SOI on charge preparation and ignition. Simulation results indicate that there is an optimum SOI timing, in this case −30 deg aTDC (after top dead center), which results in the most stable combustion. Advancing injection with respect to this point leads to significant fuel mass burning in the colder squish region, leading to retarded phasing and ultimately misfire for SOI timings earlier than −42 deg aTDC. On the other hand, retarding injection beyond this optimum timing results in reduced residence time available for gasoline ignition kinetics, and also leads to retarded phasing, with misfire at SOI timings later than −15 deg aTDC.
Effect of Packaging-Film Thicknesses on Thermal Inactivation of Salmonella and Listeria innocua in Fully Cooked Chicken Breast Meat

: The study was conducted to determine the effect of packaging-film thicknesses on thermal inactivation of Salmonella and Listeria innocua in cooked chicken breast meat. The meat was inoculated to contain 107 CFU/g of Salmonella or L. innocua and vacuum-packaged in a thickness of 0.0762- or 0.2032-mm film. The packaged meat was heat-treated in a water bath at 68°C for 10 to 120 s and then cooled in an ice-water bath. The survivors of Salmonella or L. innocua were enumerated. This study revealed that packaging-film thicknesses affected thermal inactivation of Salmonella and L. innocua. The results are useful for surface pasteurization of fully cooked and vacuum-packaged meat and poultry products.
Sustained release hormonal preparations: I. Diffusion of various steroids through polymer membranes.

This study defines the rates of diffusion of various steroids through dimethyl-polysiloxane membranes (Silastic 372 sheet material) into 60 ml of distilled water at 37 degrees C. The diffusion was found to be proportional to the thickness of the membrane and its area. Calculated values for standard conditions are given. The rates of diffusion through other polymers (acetylcellulose fluoroethylene polyester polycarbonate polyethylene polyamid and polystyrene copolymer) were of the order of 1% or less compared with 3H progesterone used as a control and assigned the arbitrary value of 100. Diffusion of megestrol acetate from dimethyl-polysiloxane capsules into distilled water at 37 degrees was also tested. There was no correlation between the diffusion of various steroids and their structure. Different solvation in water is suggested as the reason. Sources of materials are noted.
MUADEE: A discovery-class mission for exploration of the upper atmosphere of Mars

MUADEE, an acronym for Mars Upper Atmosphere Dynamics, Energetics, and Evolution, was recently selected by NASA as one of several candidates for future Discovery-class missions. MUADEE will use a combination of simple remote and in situ instruments to explore for the first time the Martian upper atmosphere between 60 and 200 km. An understanding of the Dynamics and Energetics of this region will require measurements of atmospheric tides, gravity waves, global circulation and temperature. An understanding of atmospheric Evolution will require an evaluation of the thermal and non-thermal atmospheric escape rates based on measurements of constituent energies and the isotopic ratios of certain atoms. MUADEE will be complementary to the planned Planet B and Mars 94 missions which will focus on the ionosphere, magnetosphere, and solar wind interactions with the planet. MUADEE will also be complementary to the new Mars Surveyor mission which will provide remote measurements of the lower atmosphere. This paper briefly outlines the results of the MUADEE feasibility study that was recently completed by a consortium of scientists and engineers from the University of Michigan, Lockheed Missiles and Space Corporation (our industrial partner), the Jet Propulsion Lab, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and co-investigators from the University of Colorado, the University of Texas at Dallas, and the University of Arizona.
Photoluminescence from Intertube Carrier Migration in Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Bundles

Photoluminescence (PL) identifies spectroscopic signatures of intertube transfer of optically pumped carriers in single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) ensembles. Resonant photoexcitation of large band gap SWNTs produces strong PL from smaller band gap SWNTs. Magnetic alignment measurements associate the energy-transfer PL peaks with the formation of SWNT bundles, suggesting that efficient coupling results from physical contact.
The Political Spectacle of Arizona's Proposition 203

Arizona's Proposition 203 places restrictions on bilingual and English-as-asecond-language programs and essentiality mandates English-only education for English language learners (ELLs). This artic...
Construction of multifunctional cuboctahedra via coordination-driven self-assembly.

We present a general strategy for the synthesis of stable, multifunctional cuboctahedral complexes in which coordination-driven self-assembly allows for precise control over positioning of either ferrocene or crown ether functionalities. The appropriate stoichiometric combination of functionalized 120° diplatinum acceptor units with tritopic donor units afforded supramolecular cuboctahedra with covalently linked functional groups. The compounds are characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and electrochemistry.
Footshock stress differentially affects responses of two subpopulations of spinal dorsal horn neurons to urinary bladder distension in rats

This investigation examined the effect of footshock on responses of 283 spinal dorsal horn neurons (DHNs) to urinary bladder distension (UBD). Female rats were treated with seven daily sessions of footshock (chronic footshock, CFS), six accommodation sessions followed by one exposure to footshock (acute footshock, AFS) or handled similarly without receiving any footshock (no footshock, NFS). After the final footshock or NFS session, rats were anesthetized, a laminectomy performed and extracellular single-unit recordings of L6-S1 DHNs obtained in intact or spinalized preparations. Neurons were classified as Type I-inhibited by heterotopic noxious conditioning stimuli (HNCS) or as Type II-not inhibited by HNCS-and characterized for spontaneous activity and for neuronal discharges evoked by graded UBD. A differential effect of footshock-induced stress was noted on neuronal subgroups. In intact preparations, Type I neurons were less responsive to UBD after either chronic or acute stress, while Type II neurons demonstrated significantly augmented responses to UBD. This enhanced neuronal responsiveness to UBD was present in spinalized preparations following exposure to CFS but not AFS. Type I neurons were still less responsive to stress in spinalized preparations following CFS and AFS. This study provides further evidence that (1) at least two populations of spinal neurons exist which encode for visceral stimuli and are likely to have distinct roles in visceral nociception, and that (2) the chronic stress-induced enhancement of DHN responses to UBD involves changes at the spinal level while the acute stress effects are dependent on a supraspinal substrate.
Effect of synthesis inhibition on the levels of brain catecholamines in barbital-dependent rats.

Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were made barbital dependent by the long-term consumption of increasing concentrations of this compound in their drinking water. At the end of the drug regimen, the rats were sacrificed immediately or 1 or 2 days following barbital withdrawal. Some animals in each of these groups as well as control animals were treated with α methyl-para-tyrosine (250 mg/kg) (αMPT) or FLA-63 (40 mg/kg) 2 h before sacrifice. Following sacrifice, the telencephalon and brain stem of each animal were collected for subsequent analysis of dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) concentration. No changes in NA concentration were observed in either brain area of any of the experimental groups. On the other hand, when compared to the same parameter in control rats, the depletion of NA produced by αMPT or by FLA-63 pretreatment was significantly greater in the telencephalons of rats following 1 day of barbital withdrawal. Compared to control animals, the depletion of NA after FLA-63 pretreatment was also significantly greater in the brain stems of rats 1 and 2 days following barbital withdrawal. The concentration of DA in the telencephalons of drug-dependent rats was significantly decreased when compared to the levels in control animals by the second day of barbital withdrawal. The present data are consistent with an increase in utilization of brain NA and perhaps DA following the abrupt withdrawal of barbital from dependent rats. Further studies are required to determine if these changes in the brain catecholamines are a significant factor in the manifestation of the barbiturate abstinence syndrome.
Non-specific DNA binding interferes with the efficient excision of oxidative lesions from chromatin by the human DNA glycosylase, NEIL1.

Abstract Although DNA in eukaryotes is packaged in nucleosomes, it remains vulnerable to oxidative damage that can result from normal cellular metabolism, ionizing radiation, and various chemical agents. Oxidatively damaged DNA is repaired in a stepwise fashion via the base excision repair (BER) pathway, which begins with the excision of damaged bases by DNA glycosylases. We reported recently that the human DNA glycosylase hNTH1 (human Endonuclease III), a member of the HhH GpG superfamily of glycosylases, can excise thymine glycol lesions from nucleosomes without requiring or inducing nucleosome disruption; optimally oriented lesions are excised with an efficiency approaching that seen for naked DNA [1] . To determine if this property is shared by human DNA glycoylases in the Fpg/Nei family, we investigated the activity of NEIL1 on defined nucleosome substrates. We report here that the cellular concentrations and apparent k cat / K M ratios for hNTH1 and NEIL1 are similar. Additionally, after adjustment for non-specific DNA binding, hNTH1 and NEIL1 proved to have similar intrinsic activities toward nucleosome substrates. However, NEIL1 and hNTH1 differ in that NEIL1 binds undamaged DNA far more avidly than hNTH1. As a result, hNTH1 is able to excise both accessible and sterically occluded lesions from nucleosomes at physiological concentrations, while the high non-specific DNA affinity of NEIL1 would likely hinder its ability to process sterically occluded lesions in cells. These results suggest that, in vivo , NEIL1 functions either at nucleosome-free regions (such as those near replication forks) or with cofactors that limit its non-specific binding to DNA.
Bayesian analysis of vector-autoregressive models with noninformative priors☆

In this paper, we investigate the properties of Bayes estimators of vector autoregression (VAR) coefficients and the covariance matrix under two commonly employed loss functions. We point out that the posterior mean of the variances of the VAR errors under the Jeffreys prior is likely to have an over-estimation bias. Our Bayesian computation results indicate that estimates using the constant prior on the VAR regression coefficients and the reference prior of Yang and Berger (Ann. Statist. 22 (1994) 1195) on the covariance matrix dominate the constant-Jeffreys prior estimates commonly used in applications of VAR models in macroeconomics. We also estimate a VAR model of consumption growth using both constant-reference and constant-Jeffreys priors.
Mechanics and computational simulation of blood flow in microvessels

Blood is a concentrated suspension of red blood cells (RBCs). Motion and deformation of RBCs can be analyzed based on knowledge of their mechanical characteristics. Axisymmetric models for single-file motion of RBCs in capillaries yield predictions of apparent viscosity in good agreement with experimental results for diameters up to about 8 μm. Two-dimensional simulations, in which each RBC is represented as a set of interconnected viscoelastic elements, predict that off-centre RBCs in an 8-μm channel take asymmetric shapes and drift toward the centre-line. Predicted trajectories agree with observations in microvessels of the rat mesentery. An isolated RBC initially positioned near the wall of a 20-μm channel is deformed into an asymmetric shape, migrates away from the wall, and then enters a complex tumbling motion with continuous shape change. Realistic simulation of multiple interacting RBCs in microvessels remains as a major challenge.
Effect of Thiouracil on Plasma PBI131 in the Fowl

Abstract BLOOD protein-bound iodine (PBI) level has been reported to be a useful index of thyroid status in mammals; but according to at least two reports, it is low in the fowl and is not a good criterion of thyroid activity in that species (Bumgardner and Shaffner, 1957; Mellen and Hardy, 1957). Consistent with this conclusion is the observation that hormonal radioactivity in chicken plasma is weak compared to that in rats and mice given the same dose of I131 per unit of body weight (Wentworth, 1960). An explanation for these phenomena was recently reported by Tata and Shellabarger (1959), who showed rather conclusively that chickens and ducks lack the specific thyroxine-binding globulin found in mammals. In spite of the above observations on birds, there are reports which indicate that real differences in PBI level and in the ratio of PBI to total plasma iodine can be detected by measuring PBI131…
The Relevance of Humanistic Psychology

Humanistic psychology, as with any paradigm, is defined by its position with respect to matters of content, method, and approach. This article reviews how the humanistic paradigm defined itself in ...
Interferometric study of the hypersonic blunt body problem

Abstract An experimental investigation of the flow fields around spheres in free flight was made using the optical interferometer. Data were taken for Mach numbers approximately 5 in argon, nitrogen, and air. A discussion of the accuracy of the resulting density measurements is given. For the temperatures existing behind the shock in nitrogen, vibrational excitation should occur but is not found. This is explained, using a simple but fairly accurate model of the flow, by the long relaxation path length compared to the scale of the experiment. If relaxation occurs at all it will be confined to a thin layer contiguous to the body. Evidence of molecular vibrations is found for the air test but slightly more than would be expected assuming that the oxygen is excited and the nitrogen frozen. A method of obtaining all flow variables, given the density, is explained; it uses only the principles of conservation of mass and energy. Some representative results are shown and compared with three recently developed numerical methods for computing the flow over blunt bodies.
CAD/Generative process planning with TIPPS

Abstract Two approaches to computer aided process planning are defined—variant and generative. The variant approach retrieves existing plans for a similar part while the generative approach synthesizes plans from built-in knowledge. The generative approach to process planning is normally considered more complex and the more automated of the two approaches. This paper discusses a generative process planning system called Totally Integrated Process Planning System (TIPPS). TIPPS uses a computer aided design (CAD) model as direct input, eliminating part coding or description from the planning process. Currently, TIPPS is capable of planning prismatic parts with one access direction. Relevant issues encountered in constructing a generative process planning system as well as the TIPPS design philosophy are discussed. Process planning using TIPPS is illustrated. This paper also discusses future research directions in automated process planning.
Asymmetric membrane preparation from nonsolvent casting systems

Abstract The use of two nonsolvents serving as a cosolvent system, to replace the traditional solvent-nonsolvent system, in the formation of asymmetric phase inversion membranes was investigated. The nonsolvent components of the cosolvent system, as well as the gelation medium, were selected based on the three-dimensional solubility parameter concept of Hansen. The structure of each membrane was evaluated using Scanning Electron Microscopy; the performance was evaluated for use in pressure-driven membrane separation processes. The membranes were found to be dependent on the history of the solution, as depicted on a triangular polymer solubility diagram.
Fine-grained policy control in U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) multimodal signatures database

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Multimodal Signatures Database (MMSDB) consists of a number of colocated relational databases representing a collection of data from various sensors. Role-based access to this data is granted to external organizations such as DoD contractors and other government agencies through a client Web portal. In the current MMSDB system, access control is only at the database and firewall level. In order to offer finer grained security, changes to existing user profile schemas and authentication mechanisms are usually needed. In this paper, we describe a software middleware architecture and implementation that allows fine-grained access control to the MMSDB at a dataset, table, and row level. Result sets from MMSDB queries issued in the client portal are filtered with the use of a policy enforcement proxy, with minimal changes to the existing client software and database. Before resulting data is returned to the client, policies are evaluated to determine if the user or role is authorized to access the data. Policies can be authored to filter data at the row, table or column level of a result set. The system uses various technologies developed in the International Technology Alliance in Network and Information Science (ITA) for policy-controlled information sharing and dissemination1. Use of the Policy Management Library provides a mechanism for the management and evaluation of policies to support finer grained access to the data in the MMSDB system. The GaianDB is a policy-enabled, federated database that acts as a proxy between the client application and the MMSDB system.
Trophic interactions and benthic animal community structure in the Colorado River, Arizona, U.S.A.

SUMMARY 1. Cladophora glomerata is the dominant filamentous green alga in the tailwaters of the Colorado River, U.S.A., below Glen Canyon Dam, but becomes co-dominant with filamentous cyanobacteria, Oscillatoria spp., below the confluence of the Paria River (26km below the dam) where suspended sediments are elevated. 2. Benthic algal assemblages played an important role in the distribution of the amphipod, Gammarus lacustris, in the dam-controlled Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. Cladophara and G. lacustris showed a weak positive relationship at ten cobble-riffle habitats in the Colorado River from Lees Ferry (25km below the dam) to Diamond Creek (362km downstream), while no relationship was found between Oscillatoria and G. lacustris. 3. The relationship between algal substrata and G. lacustris was tested by a series of in situ habitat choice experiments. G. lacustris showed a significant preference for Cladophora (with epiphytes) over Oscillatoria spp., detritus and gravel in treatment pans at Lees Ferry. 4. Epiphytic diatoms (i.e. food) were the overriding determinant of subtratum choice by G. lacustris in laboratory experiments. Gammarus chose the Cladophora/epiphytic diatom community over sonicated Cladophora with few diatoms. The amphipods also chose string soaked in diatom extract over string without diatom extract. 5. Importance of mutualistic interactions in aquatic benthic community structure is discussed.
Growth and Infestation by Hemlock Woolly Adelgid of Two Exotic Hemlock Species in a New England Forest

ABSTRACT The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA, Adelges tsugae Annand) an invasive exotic insect, may extirpate eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere) trees from native forests, but other hemlock species could be planted to occupy their ecological niche. This study tests two of the most likely replacement species candidates: western hemlock (T. heterophylla (Raf.) Sargent) and Chinese hemlock (T. chinensis (Franchet) Pritzel). Low survival rates, slow growth, and infestation by HWA of western hemlock in eastern hemlock forests shows that the western hemlock is not a likely candidate for planting in the northern portion of eastern hemlock's range. In contrast, Chinese hemlock grew at rates similar to eastern hemlock and did not show any signs of HWA infestation. In this study, damage from deer was a much bigger problem than growth reductions from HWA.
Improved identification and relative quantification of sites of peptide and protein oxidation for hydroxyl radical footprinting.

Protein oxidation is typically associated with oxidative stress and aging and affects protein function in normal and pathological processes. Additionally, deliberate oxidative labeling is used to probe protein structure and protein–ligand interactions in hydroxyl radical protein footprinting (HRPF). Oxidation often occurs at multiple sites, leading to mixtures of oxidation isomers that differ only by the site of modification. We utilized sets of synthetic, isomeric “oxidized” peptides to test and compare the ability of electron-transfer dissociation (ETD) and collision-induced dissociation (CID), as well as nano-ultra high performance liquid chromatography (nanoUPLC) separation, to quantitate oxidation isomers with one oxidation at multiple adjacent sites in mixtures of peptides. Tandem mass spectrometry by ETD generates fragment ion ratios that accurately report on relative oxidative modification extent on specific sites, regardless of the charge state of the precursor ion. Conversely, CID was found to generate quantitative MS/MS product ions only at the higher precursor charge state. Oxidized isomers having multiple sites of oxidation in each of two peptide sequences in HRPF product of protein Robo-1 Ig1-2, a protein involved in nervous system axon guidance, were also identified and the oxidation extent at each residue was quantified by ETD without prior liquid chromatography (LC) separation. ETD has proven to be a reliable technique for simultaneous identification and relative quantification of a variety of functionally different oxidation isomers, and is a valuable tool for the study of oxidative stress, as well as for improving spatial resolution for HRPF studies.
New approach to antibacterial treatment of cotton fabric with silver nanoparticle–doped silica using sol–gel process

In this study, cotton fabric was successfully modified to have an antibacterial property through use of the sol–gel process. Dodecanethiol-capped silver nanoparticles, which have powerful antibacterial activity, were incorporated in silica sol. The starting materials were silver nitrate, tetraoctylammonium bromide, sodium borohydride, chloroform, 1-dodecanethiol, ethanol, tetraethylorthosilicate, and water. The cotton fabric was padded with dodecanethiol-capped silver nanoparticle–doped sol, dried at 60°C, and cured at 150°C. Scanning electron microscopy showed a uniform and continuous layer of doped sol on the fiber surface. The antibacterial effects of the treated cotton fabric against Escherichia coli were examined and found to be excellent. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101:2938–2943, 2006
Exploring relationships between semi-variogram and spatial autoregressive models

This paper seeks to continue the building of a common foundation for spatial statistics and geostatistics. Equations from the conditional autoregressive (CAR) model of spatial statistics for estimating missing geo-referenced data have been found to be exactly those best linear unbiased estimates obtained with the exponential semi-variogram model of kriging, but in terms of the inverse covariance matrix rather than the covariance matrix itself. Further articulation of such relations, between the moving average (MA) and simultaneous autoregressive (SAR) or autoregressive response (AR) models of spatial statistics, and, respectively, the linear and Gaussian semi-variogram models of kriging, is outlined. The exploratory graphical and numerical work summarized in this paper indicates the following: (a) there is evidence to pair the moving average and linear models; (b) the simultaneous autoregressive and autoregressive response model pair with a Bessel function (modified of the second kind and order one) rather than the Gaussian semi-variogram model; (c) both specification error and measurement error can give rise to the nugget effect discussed in geostatistics; (d) restricting estimation to a geographic subregion introduces edge effects that increasingly bias semi-variogram model parameter estimates as the degree of spatial autocorrelation increases toward its upper limit; and (e) the theoretical spectral density function for a simultaneous autoregressive model is a direct extension of that for the conditional autoregressive model.
Ultrahigh energy density Li-ion batteries based on cathodes of 1D metals with –Li–N–B–N– repeating units in α-LixBN2 (1 ⩽ x ⩽ 3)

Ultrahigh energy density batteries based on α-LixBN2 (1 ⩽ x ⩽ 3) positive electrode materials are predicted using density functional theory calculations. The utilization of the reversible LiBN2 + 2 Li+ + 2 e− ⇌ Li3BN2 electrochemical cell reaction leads to a voltage of 3.62 V (vs Li/Li+), theoretical energy densities of 3251 Wh/kg and 5927 Wh/l, with capacities of 899 mAh/g and 1638 mAh/cm3, while the cell volume of α-Li3BN2 shrinks only 2.8% per two-electron transfer on charge. These values are far superior to the best existing or theoretically designed intercalation or conversion-based positive electrode materials. For comparison, the theoretical energy density of a Li–O2/peroxide battery is 3450 Wh/kg (including the weight of O2), that of a Li–S battery is 2600 Wh/kg, that of Li3Cr(BO3)(PO4) (one of the best designer intercalation materials) is 1700 Wh/kg, while already commercialized LiCoO2 allows for 568 Wh/kg. α-Li3BN2 is also known as a good Li-ion conductor with experimentally observed 3 mS/cm ion...