cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stretched membrane with electrostatic curvature (SMEC) mirrors for extremely large space telescopes

Very lightweight mirrors can be constructed by stretching a membrane to form a flat surface. Adding tension to the membrane, making it flat, can be done by discrete attachment points, or by using a continuous boundary. Such lightweight mirrors are very attractive for space telescopes where a 100-m aperture can be made up of smaller mirror segments. Adding a slight curvature to each segment simplifies the optical train. This article looks at the making of a curved membrane mirror, and demonstrates its use. Measurements of the flat membrane, and the curved figure will be shown.
Functions of mononuclear phagocytes in mice exposed to diethylstilbestrol: a model of aberrant macrophage development.

Administration of the synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES) lowers the systemic resistance of mice to challenge with either tumor cells or the facultative intracellular parasite Listeria monocytogenes. To assess the potential role of impaired mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) function in this depression of host resistance, we addressed the question of systemic perturbations of the MPS induced by administration of DES. A panel of objective quantitative markers which have been previously shown to identify and characterize macrophages in the several stages of development of activation was employed. DES perturbed the resident population of peritoneal macrophages by increasing their number approximately twofold and by enhancing their competence for phagocytosis, cytostasis of tumor cells, and secretion of plasminogen activator. When we examined the competence of the MPS in DES-treated mice to respond to challenge with activating stimuli, we found that DES systemically suppressed the development of macrophages, in response to either pyran copolymer or BCG, to develop tumoricidal function and to gain competence for secretion of reactive oxygen intermediates such as H2O2. Since these data suggested that DES inhibited the development of macrophages from a precursor stage (i.e., responsive macrophages) to activated macrophages in vivo, we tested this possibility directly by applying known activating signals in vitro to responsive macrophages. Responsive macrophages from DES-treated mice did not become activated in response to the application of two known potent activating signals (i.e., MAF + LPS). Taken together, the data indicate that DES systemically perturbs the MPS and does so by enhancing development of the early stages of maturation and suppressing subsequent development.
Atmospheric transport of polychlorobiphenyls to the North Atlantic

Concentrations of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) were measured in the atmosphere over the western North Atlantic. Both the particulate and vapor phase were extracted, using a new sampler designed for this work. Previously PCB levels ranged from 5 ng m−3 near the northeast coast of the U.S. to 0.05 ng m−3 on the Grand Banks. The PCB concentration in the atmosphere decreases expotentially with distance from land. It is concluded that wind transport is the major source of chlorinated hydrocarbons in the oceans.
Fourier Analysis of the Ostracode Margin

Abstract: Fourier analysis can be used as an objectivedescriptor of the ostracode margin. Results of the three examples suggest that the method explained may give information of interest to systematist. Use of Fourier analysis issuggested both for research on specimens and for study of illustrations from the literature.
Assay of the human leukocyte enzymes myeloperoxidase and eosinophil peroxidase

Abstract Conditions were optimized for measuring the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and the eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) with tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) as the substrate. Detergents caused a small increase in the measured activity of the purified enzymes and were required when isolated neutrophils or eosinophils were assayed. Sharp concentration optima were observed with both ionic and non-ionic detergents. Activity was also influenced by halide ions. Bromide or iodide caused up to a 7-fold increase in EPO activity and a 1.5-fold increase in MPO activity. The effect of bromide is notable because the bromide-containing detergent CETAB is often used to extract the enzymes for assay and purification. Stimulation by bromide or iodide was consistent with peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of the halides to hypohalous acids (HOBr and HOI), which oxidized TMB. MPO catalyzes the oxidation of chloride to hypochlorous acid (HOC1), which also oxidized TMB, but chloride up to 20 mM had little effect on the assay. Both MPO and EPO catalyze thiocyanate oxidation, but the product (HOSCN) was a poor oxidant for TMB, and thiocyanate inhibited the measured activities. Stimulation by bromide or iodide could be used to facilitate detection of EPO and to distinguish between MPO and EPO. Activities could also be distinguished based on the greater sensitivity of EPO to inhibition by thiocyanate, azide, aminotriazole, and dapsone. Methods reported here may prove useful for measuring leukocyte influx into inflamed tissues, detecting MPO or EPO deficiencies, and measuring enzyme synthesis and secretion.
Thermopower and Mott formula for a Majorana edge state

We study the thermoelectric effect between a conducting lead and a Majorana edge state. In the tunneling limit, we first use the Landauer-Buttiker formalism to derive the Mott formula relating the thermopower and the differential conductance between a conducting lead and a superconductor. When the tunneling takes place between a conducting lead and a Majorana edge state, we show that a nonvanishing thermopower can exist. Combining measurements of the differential conductance and the voltage induced by the temperature difference between the conducting lead and the edge state, the Mott formula provides a unique way to infer the temperature of the Majorana edge state.
The English and Spanish Self-Efficacy to Manage Chronic Disease Scale measures were validated using multiple studies

Objectives: Self-efficacy theory, as developed by Bandura, suggests that self-efficacy is an important predictor of future behavior. The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program was designed to enhance self-efficacy as one approach to improving health behaviors and outcomes for people with varying chronic diseases. The six-item Self-Efficacy to Manage Chronic Disease Scale (SEMCD) and the four-item Spanish-language version (SEMCD-S) were developed to measure changes in self-efficacy in program participants and have been used in a numerous evaluations of chronic disease self-management programs. This study describes the development of the scales and their psychometric properties. Study Design and Setting: Secondary analyses of questionnaire data from 2,866 participants in six studies are used to quantify and evaluate the SEMCD. Data from 868 participants in two studies are used for the SEMCD-S. Subjects consisted of individuals with various chronic conditions, who enrolled in chronic disease self-management programs (either small group or Internet based). Subjects came from United States, England, Canada, Mexico, and Australia. Descriptive statistics are summarized, reliability tested (Cronbach alpha), and principal component analyses applied to items. Baseline and change scores are correlated with baseline and change scores for five medical outcome variables that have been shown to be associated with self-efficacy measures in past studies. Results: Principal component analyses confirmed the one-dimensional structure of the scales. The SEMCD had means ranging from 4.9 to 6.1 and the SEMCD-S 6.1 and 6.2. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach alpha, 0.88e0.95). The scales were sensitive to change and significantly correlated with health outcomes. Conclusion: The SEMCD and SEMCD-S are reliable and appear to be valid instruments for assessing self-efficacy for managing chronic disease. There was remarkable consistency across a range of studies from varying countries using two languages. 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Stochastic version of second-order (Newton-Raphson) optimization using only function measurements

Consider the problem of loss function minimization when only (possibly noisy) measurements of the loss function are available. In particular, no measurements of the gradient of the loss function are assumed available (as required in the steepest descent or Newton-Raphson algorithms). Stochastic approximation (SA) algorithms of the multivariate Kiefer-Wolfowitz (finite-difference) form have long been considered for such problems, but with only limited success. The simultaneous perturbation SA (SPSA) algorithm has successfully addressed one of the major shortcomings of those finite-difference SA algorithms by significantly reducing the number of measurements required in many multivariate problems of practical interest. This SPSA algorithm displays the classic behaviour of 1st-order search algorithms by typically exhibiting a steep initial decline in the loss function followed by a slow decline to the optimum. This paper presents a 2nd-order SPSA algorithm that is based on estimating both the loss function gradient and inverse Hessian matrix at each iteration. The aim of this approach is to emulate the acceleration properties associated with deterministic algorithms of Newton-Raphson form, particularly in the terminal phase where the 1st-order SPSA algorithm slows down in its convergence. This 2nd-order SPSA algorithm requires only three loss function measurements at each iteration, independent of the problem dimension. This paper includes a formal convergence result for this 2nd-order approach.
C. elegans neuroscience: genetics to genome

From their earliest experiments, researchers using Caenorhabditis elegans have been interested in the role of genes in the development and function of the nervous system. As the C. elegans Genome Project completes the genomic sequence, we review the accomplishments of these researchers and the impact that the Genome Project has bad on their research. We also speculate on future directions in this research that are enabled by the efforts of the Genome Project.
Some current issues in haptics research

This is a survey of research issues for haptic and locomotion interfaces. A key issue is the workspace and dexterity of haptic devices. In the simulation of real environments, interactive geometric computations on complex models are a fundamental problem. Haptic rendering of forces of contact are increasingly based on measurements on real environments. Scientific visualization is another promising area for haptic interfaces, but the issue of how to usefully display data haptically needs to be worked out. Locomotion rendering issues include the display of inertial forces, slope, unilateral constraints, and turning. Examples of approaches to these issues are presented.
A Rapid Method for Estimating the Shear Stress and the Separation Point in Laminar Incompressible Boundary-Layer Flows

With this value of ju, compute the maximum deflection fmax from Eq. (9). Compare this value of rmax with that obtained by a simple experiment on the disc whose e and k are as given above. If experimental value agrees with the computed value, then the assumption of Eq. (11) holds. If the computed fmax is greater than the observed fmax> then \x as given by Eq. (11) is an underestimate and, hence, one may conclude that /x is positively greater than that given in Eq. (11). Furthermore, \x according to Eq. (10) must be less than 1. Therefore, \x should lie between 'V 4(eA)and 1, that is, </±(e/k) < M < 1 (12)
A machine learning information retrieval approach to protein fold recognition

Motivation: Recognizing proteins that have similar tertiary structure is the key step of template-based protein structure prediction methods. Traditionally, a variety of alignment methods are used to identify similar folds, based on sequence similarity and sequence-structure compatibility. Although these methods are complementary, their integration has not been thoroughly exploited. Statistical machine learning methods provide tools for integrating multiple features, but so far these methods have been used primarily for protein and fold classification, rather than addressing the retrieval problem of fold recognition-finding a proper template for a given query protein. Results: Here we present a two-stage machine learning, information retrieval, approach to fold recognition. First, we use alignment methods to derive pairwise similarity features for query-template protein pairs. We also use global profile--profile alignments in combination with predicted secondary structure, relative solvent accessibility, contact map and beta-strand pairing to extract pairwise structural compatibility features. Second, we apply support vector machines to these features to predict the structural relevance (i.e. in the same fold or not) of the query-template pairs. For each query, the continuous relevance scores are used to rank the templates. The FOLDpro approach is modular, scalable and effective. Compared with 11 other fold recognition methods, FOLDpro yields the best results in almost all standard categories on a comprehensive benchmark dataset. Using predictions of the top-ranked template, the sensitivity is ∼85, 56, and 27% at the family, superfamily and fold levels respectively. Using the 5 top-ranked templates, the sensitivity increases to 90, 70, and 48%. Availability: The FOLDpro server is available with the SCRATCH suite through http://www.igb.uci.edu/servers/psss.html. Contact: pfbaldi@ics.uci.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at http://mine5.ics.uci.edu:1026/gain.html
Phylogeny and biogeography of Valerianaceae (Dipsacales) with special reference to the South American valerians

Species of Valerianaceae are a common component of the alpine flora throughout the Northern Hemisphere as well as the Andes of South America.Sequence data from three chloroplast markers ( psbA-trnH intron, trnK-matK intron, and the trnL-F region) along with the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA were used to infer relationships within Valerianaceae.Both genomes, as well as a combined data set, provide support for the major clades within the group and do not support a monophyletic Valeriana.In addition, these data indicate that Plectritis is nested within South American Valeriana, as opposed to being sister to Centhranthus as previously hypothesized. Valerianaceae appear to have originated in Asia, probably in the Himalayas, and subsequently to have dispersed several times to Europe and to the New World.Our results imply that Valerianaceae colonized South America on multiple occasions from the north.In one of these cases there appears to have been a substantial and rapid radiation, primarily in the high elevation paramo habitat.A variety of methods were used to estimate divergence times to determine when Valerianaceae might have colonized South America.Regardless of the method and fossil constraints applied, our estimates suggest that Valerianaceae colonized South America prior to the formation of the Isthmus of Panama.
Adolescent Risk-Taking Behavior and the Occurrence of Sexual Assault

• The medical records of adolescent sexual assault victims presenting to Harborview Medical Center's Emergency Trauma Center, Seattle, were examined to determine behavioral risk factors preceding the assault. Twenty-six percent of the group were impaired by alcohol or other drugs during the assault. Forty-six percent of the assaults occurred after social interactions with strangers In unprotected surroundings. Five percent occurred after adolescents "hitchhiked" and accepted rides from strangers. Many of the assaults occurred between 10pmand 4am. The Incidence of injuries in victims was high (39%), while the Incidence of serious injury was zero. Risk-taking behaviors were commonly encountered in adolescent sexual assault victims. ( AJDC 1988;142:770-772)
Primary care: choices and opportunities for racial/ethnic minority populations in the USA and UK--a comparative analysis.

This paper examines and compares the choices made and the opportunities provided by the United States and the United Kingdom in delivering primary care services to their racial/ethnic minority populations. While both nations agree that the most effective strategy for health service delivery to a diverse population lies in primary care, their approaches to obtaining this goal have been quite different. Sociological theories of functionalism and conflict perspective provide the analytical and organizing framework of the paper. Within this theoretical context, the health systems in place in each country are examined as an outgrowth of the larger socio-political, economic and cultural structures of the US and UK. Analysis of the advance of managed care in the US and the recent NHS reforms are also discussed in terms of lessons learned and the difficulties that lay ahead in order to ensure that these new developments contribute significantly to eliminating the disproportionately worse health status of racial e...
Ontologies for cancer nanotechnology research

Cancer nanotechnology research data are diverse. Ontologies that provide a unifying knowledge framework for annotation of data are necessary to facilitate the sharing and semantic integration of data for advancing the research via informatics methods. In this work, we report the development of NanoParticle Ontology (NPO) to support the terminological and informatics needs of cancer nanotechnology. The NPO is developed within the framework of the Basic Formal Ontology (BFO) using well-defined principles, and implemented in the Ontology Web Language (OWL). The NPO currently represents entities related to physical, chemical and functional descriptions of nanoparticles that are formulated and tested for applications in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. Public releases of the NPO are available through the BioPortal web site, maintained by the National Center for Biomedical Ontology. Expansion of the scope and application of the NPO will depend on the needs of and feedback from the user community, and its adoption in nanoparticle database applications. As the NPO continues to grow, it will require a governance structure and well-organized community effort for the maintenance, review and development of the NPO.
Three-dimensional multicolor holographic display

We have demonstrated that a multicolor 3D hologram with a large perspective view can be stored and reproduced using a photorefractive crystal. This display is advantageous because of its simple recording process and large storage capacity.
Involvement of TLR2 and TLR4 in cell responses to Rickettsia akari

A better understanding of the pathogenesis of rickettsial disease requires elucidation of mechanisms governing host defense during infection. TLRs are primary sensors of microbial pathogens that activate innate immune cells, as well as initiate and orchestrate adaptive immune responses. However, the role of TLRs in rickettsia recognition and cell activation remains poorly understood. In this study, we examined the involvement of TLR2 and TLR4 in recognition of Rickettsia akari, a causative agent of rickettsialpox. Transfection-based complementation of TLR2/4-negative HEK293T cells with human TLR2 or TLR4 coexpressed with CD14 and MD-2 enabled IκB-α degradation, NF-κB reporter activation, and IL-8 expression in response to heat-killed (HK) R. akari. The presence of the R753Q TLR2 or D299G TLR4 polymorphisms significantly impaired the capacities of the respective TLRs to signal HK R. akari-mediated NF-κB reporter activation in HEK293T transfectants. Blocking Ab against TLR2 or TLR4 markedly inhibited TNF-α release from human monocytes stimulated with HK R. akari, and TNF-α secretion elicited by infection with live R. akari was reduced significantly only upon blocking of TLR2 and TLR4. Live and HK R. akari exerted phosphorylation of IRAK1 and p38 MAPK in 293/TLR4/MD-2 or 293/TLR2 stable cell lines, whereas only live bacteria elicited responses in TLR2/4-negative HEK293T cells. These data demonstrate that HK R. akari triggers cell activation via TLR2 or TLR4 and suggest use of additional TLRs and/or NLRs by live R. akari.
Novel Bi-partitioned Scan Architecture to Improve Transition Fault Coverage

In very deep submicron era, high transition fault coverage is crucial to ensure low levels of Defective Parts Per Million(DPPM). In this paper, the role of bi-partitioning a netlist for transition fault test is analyzed and novel bi-partitioned scan architectures are proposed to improve transition fault coverage with slow speed scan enable. Experiments on 5 industrial ASIC designs show a consistent increase in transition fault coverage.
Breaking the barrier of parallel simulation of digital systems

We show that digital systems contain significantly more parallelism than previously thought. By reducing the dependency on time as the mechanism for synchronization. significant speedups are possible. By using asynchronous control ad Virtual Time synchronization with Lazy Cancellation, limited component sizes, special clock distribution and bounding windows, we get up to 23X speedup on a 32 processor system over a good sequential algorithm for mixed-level simulation.
Automated generation of basic custom sensor-based embedded computing systems guided by end-user optimization criteria

We describe a set of fixed-function and programmable blocks, eBlocks, previously developed to provide non-programming, non-electronics experts the ability to construct and customize basic embedded computing systems. We present a novel and powerful tool that, combined with these building blocks, enables end-users to automatically generate an optimized physical implementation derived from a virtual system function description. Furthermore, the tool allows the end-user to specify optimization criteria and constraint libraries that guide the tool in generating a suitable physical implementation, without requiring the end-user to have prior programming or electronics experience. We summarize experiments illustrating the ability of the tool to generate physical implementations corresponding to various end-user defined goals. The tool enables end-users having little or no electronics or programming experience to build useful customized basic sensor-based computing systems from existing low-cost building blocks.
Identification of PADI2 as a potential breast cancer biomarker and therapeutic target

Background: We have recently reported that the expression of peptidylarginine deiminase 2 (PADI2) is regulated by EGF in mammary cancer cells and appears to play a role in the proliferation of normal mammary epithelium; however, the role of PADI2 in the pathogenesis of human breast cancer has yet to be investigated. Thus, the goals of this study were to examine whether PADI2 plays a role in mammary tumor progression, and whether the inhibition of PADI activity has anti-tumor effects. Methods: RNA-seq data from a collection of 57 breast cancer cell lines was queried for PADI2 levels, and correlations with known subtype and HER2/ERBB2 status were evaluated. To examine PADI2 expression levels during breast cancer progression, the cell lines from the MCF10AT model were used. The efficacy of the PADI inhibitor, Cl-amidine, was tested in vitro using MCF10DCIS cells grown in 2D-monolayers and 3D-spheroids, and in vivo using MCF10DCIS tumor xenografts. Treated MCF10DCIS cells were examined by flow-cytometry to determine the extent of apoptosis and by RT 2 Profiler PCR Cell Cycle Array to detect alterations in cell cycle associated genes. Results: We show by RNA-seq that PADI2 mRNA expression is highly correlated with HER2/ERBB2 (p = 2.2 × 10 6 )i n luminal breast cancer cell lines. Using the MCF10AT model of breast cancer progression, we then demonstrate that PADI2 expression increases during the transition of normal mammary epithelium to fully malignant breast carcinomas, with a strong peak of PADI2 expression and activity being observed in the MCF10DCIS cell line, which models human comedo-DCIS lesions. Next, we show that a PADI inhibitor, Cl-amidine, strongly suppresses the growth of MCF10DCIS monolayers and tumor spheroids in culture. We then carried out preclinical studies in nude (nu/nu) mice and found that Cl-amidine also suppressed the growth of xenografted MCF10DCIS tumors by more than 3-fold. Lastly, we performed cell cycle array analysis of Cl-amidine treated and control MCF10DCIS cells, and found that the PADI inhibitor strongly affects the expression of several cell cycle genes implicated in tumor progression, including p21, GADD45α, and Ki67. Conclusion: Together, these results suggest that PADI2 may function as an important new biomarker for HER2/ERBB2+ tumors and that Cl-amidine represents a new candidate for breast cancer therapy.
Decline in the quality of suspended fine particulate matter as a food resource for chironomids downstream of an urban area

Summary 1. Urbanization and its associated contamination could degrade the quality of suspended fine particulate organic matter (SFPM) (20 μm to 1 mm) as a food resource for aquatic insects. SFPM was collected at four sites along the main stem of the Chattahoochee River, which drains metropolitan Atlanta at base and high flow during four seasons. 2. Composition of SFPM was estimated using measures conventionally associated with food quality: bacteria, N/C ratio, caloric content, % inorganic, and % lipids, and metal (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) concentration. In SFPM collected during base flow, % inorganic matter, calories, Cu, Pb, and Zn concentrations increased with cumulative permitted wastewater treatment discharge (an indicator of extent of urbanization upstream). In SFPM samples collected during high flow, % diatoms, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations increased with urbanization. 3. A growth assay was used as an integrated and direct measure of SFPM quality as a food resource. The instantaneous growth rate (IGR) of chironomids fed SFPM collected during base flow declined downstream of the city. IGRs of chironomids fed SFPM collected at all sites during high flow were as low as the lowest IGR measured during base flow. 4. Insects fed SFPM collected from the Chattahoochee River had IGRs only 20% of those of chironomids fed SFPM collected from the Little Tennessee River, a relatively undisturbed river in North Carolina. The mortality rate of chironomids fed SFPM was not different among sites or rivers. While the decline in SFPM quality in the Chattahoochee River is probably attributable to some aspect of urbanization, the decline was not related to conventional measures of food quality or metal contamination.
Membranous glomerulopathy with superimposed pauci-immune necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephritis

We describe a 61-year-old woman with acute kidney injury, nephrotic range proteinuria and hematuria. Kidney biopsy showed membranous glomerulopathy (MG) with superimposed pauci-immune necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephritis (PNCGN). Coexistent MG and PNCGN is a rare occurrence. The diagnosis of such an exceptionally rare combination relies on the combination of renal biopsy findings and serologic testing. We also review previous reported cases and discuss possible pathogenesis of this rare dual glomerulopathy.
Living in Two Different Worlds or Living in the World Differently: A Qualitative Study with American Indian Nurses

Nurses of American Indian heritage address unique challenges in their professional and personal lives. A qualitative study is described that investigates how such nurses bring unique qualities to nursing based on their spiritual beliefs, which stem from tradition and ritual, belief in the family, and harmony and oneness with the earth and with all creatures. The imperative to do cross-cultural research as well as the difficulties encountered in doing such research are discussed.
Gender Differences in Caregiving at End of Life: Implications for Hospice Teams

Abstract Background: Researchers have identified important gender differences in the experience of caring for a family member or friend living with advanced disease; however, trends suggest that these differences may be diminishing over time in response to changing gender roles. In addition, while many studies have found caregiving experiences and outcomes to be poorer among female caregivers, noteworthy exceptions exist. Objective: The primary aim of this exploratory study was to determine how, if at all, current day caregiving at end of life varies by gender. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a multisite randomized controlled trial of a family caregiving intervention performed between 2010 and 2014. We compared female and male hospice family caregivers on baseline variables using χ2 tests for association of categorical variables and t-tests for continuous variables. Our sample included 289 family caregivers of individuals receiving services from one of two hospice agencies located ...
Do mean-based ranking and selection procedures consider systems' risk?

The legacy simulation approach in ranking and selection procedures compares systems based on a mean performance metric. The best system is most often deemed as the one with the largest (or smallest) mean performance metric. In this paper, we discuss the limitations of the mean-based selection approach. We explore other selection criterion and discuss new approaches based on stochastic dominance using an appropriate section of the distribution function of the performance metric. In this approach, the decision maker has the flexibility to determine a section of the distribution function based on the specific features of the selection problem representing either the downside risk, upside risk, or central tendency of the performance metric. We discuss two different ranking and selection procedures based on this new approach followed by a small experiment and present some open research problems.
Change in Self-identity in a Management Training Conference

In this experiment, the amount of feedback (communicated objective public identity-COPI) was systematically varied and was related to responses on questionnaires asking about self-perception.Three hypotheses were tested: (i) the major hypothesis-the greater the amount of COPI, the greater the change in self-identity; (2) the greater the centrality (importance) of a dimension of self-perception to the subject, the greater the change in his self-identity on that dimension; (3) the lower a person's selfevaluation (or the higher his dissatisfaction) on a dimension of self-perception, the greater the change in his self-identity along that dimension.The setting for the experiment was a two-week conference in human relations training for 20 middle-management personnel. Questionnaire measurements of self-identity were made at the beginning, half way through, and at the end of the conference. In addition, a follow-up questionnaire was mailed to all participants ten months after the end of the conference to measure...
Optimizing prey-capture behaviour to maximize expected net benefit

Biologists have long known that predators vary (modulate) their prey-capture behaviour in response to different prey. We propose an optimization model to predict when and why capture behaviour should vary. The predator’s attack ‘effort’ (reflecting any unidimensional kinematic variable such as acceleration) determines both the probability of capturing the prey and the energetic cost of attack. The optimal capture effort then reflects a balance between the marginal benefit of greater success and the marginal cost of added energy outlay. Using this model, we explore how the optimum responds to variation in prey traits (evasiveness and energy value). The model predicts three different types of response to prey variation: (1) no modulation, (2) increased effort for more elusive prey and (3) decreased effort for more elusive or lower energy prey.
Constraint relaxation in approximate linear programs

Approximate Linear Programming (ALP) is a reinforcement learning technique with nice theoretical properties, but it often performs poorly in practice. We identify some reasons for the poor quality of ALP solutions in problems where the approximation induces virtual loops. We then introduce two methods for improving solution quality. One method rolls out selected constraints of the ALP, guided by the dual information. The second method is a relaxation of the ALP, based on external penalty methods. The latter method is applicable in domains in which rolling out constraints is impractical. Both approaches show promising empirical results for simple benchmark problems as well as for a realistic blood inventory management problem.
Increased Prevalence of Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy

The prevalence and severity of dyskinetic cerebral palsy (DCP) in European children born 1976-1996 were analyzed in a multicenter study in Goteborg, Sweden; Cork, Ireland; Tubingen, Germany; and Grenoble, France.
Efficient Code Assignment Techniques for Local Memory on Software Managed Multicores

Scaling the memory hierarchy is a major challenge when we scale the number of cores in a multicore processor. Software Managed Multicore (SMM) architectures come up as one of the promising solutions. In an SMM architecture, there are no caches, and each core has only a local scratchpad memory [Banakar et al. 2002]. As the local memory usually is small, large applications cannot be directly executed on it. Code and data of the task mapped to each core need to be managed between global memory and local memory. This article solves the problem of efficiently managing code on an SMM architecture. The primary requirement of generating efficient code assignments is a correct management cost model. In this article, we address this problem by proposing a cost calculation graph. In addition, we develop two heuristics CMSM (Code Mapping for Software Managed multicores) and CMSM_advanced that result in efficient code management execution on the local scratchpad memory. Experimental results collected after executing applications from the MiBench suite [Guthaus et al. 2001] demonstrate that merely by adopting the correct management cost calculation, even using previous code assignment schemes, we can improve performance by an average of 12p. Combining the correct management cost model and a more optimized code mapping algorithm together, our heuristics can reduce runtime in more than 80p of the cases, and by up to 20p on our set of benchmarks, compared to the state-of-the-art code assignment approach [Jung et al. 2010]. When compared with Instruction-level Parallelism (ILP) results, CMSM_advanced performs an average of 5p worse. We also simulate the benchmarks on a cache-based system, and find that the code management overhead on SMM core with our code management is much less than memory latency of a cache-based system.
Field Responses of Gypsy Moths and Some Parasitoids to Colored Surfaces

The responses of the gypsy moth, Porthetria dispar (L.), (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae); of an egg parasitoid of the gypsy moth, Ooencyrtus kuwanai (Howard) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae); and a parasitoid of the larvae of noctuids, Apanteles laeviceps Ashmead (Hymenoptera : Braconidae); to differently colored surfaces in the field were investigated by hanging Stikem®-coated panels (white, yellow, red, blue, black, clear Plexiglas®, and aluminum) in 2 sites in Stonington, Connecticut, in the summer of 1971. Numbers of insects caught varied according to species and date as well as color. O. kuwanai was attracted mainly to white and blue panels, A. laeviceps to clear Plexiglas panels, and gypsy moth males to red, blue, and black panels. The results are discussed as they relate to orientation in these organisms.
Belowground Response to Drought in a Tropical Forest Soil. II. Change in Microbial Function Impacts Carbon Composition

Climate model projections for tropical regions show clear perturbation of precipitation patterns leading to increased frequency and severity of drought in some regions. Previous work has shown declining soil moisture to be a strong driver of changes in microbial trait distribution, however, the feedback of any shift in functional potential on ecosystem properties related to carbon cycling are poorly understood. Here we show that drought-induced changes in microbial functional diversity and activity shape, and are in turn shaped by, the composition of dissolved and soil-associated carbon. We also demonstrate that a shift in microbial functional traits that favor the production of hygroscopic compounds alter the eﬄux of carbon dioxide following soil rewetting. Under drought the composition of the dissolved organic carbon pool changed in a manner consistent with a microbial metabolic response. We hypothesize that this microbial ecophysiological response to changing soil moisture elevates the intracellular carbon demand stimulating extracellular enzyme production, that prompts the observed decline in more complex carbon compounds (e.g., cellulose and lignin). Furthermore, a metabolic response to drought appeared to condition (biologically and physically) the soil, notably through the production of polysaccharides, particularly in experimental plots that had been pre-exposed to a short-term drought. This hysteretic response, in addition to an observed drought-related decline in phosphorus concentration, may have been responsible for a comparatively modest CO2 eﬄux following wet-up in drought plots relative to control plots.
Familial Congenital Facial Palsy

Three males with congenital facial palsy from 3 generations in the same family are reported from the Floating Hospital for Children, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, MA.
The Design Method of Positive Section Bent Bearing Capacity Under the Compressive Region of the Concrete will Be Arched or Be Triangular

Sometimes the circle-section element bears bigger moment with less axial force in a project.In this condition, the compressive region of the concrete will be arched,occasionally will be triangular for sometime.Although the above two situations are not so common as the situation of rectangular pressed,the solutions are still have certainly realistic meaning to the project.This article describes the design method of the positive section bent bearing capacity under the above two situations. According to the test,the operation under the two situations is quite simple and convenient. Problems can be solved by simple calculation with hand.
The Influence of Seasonal Changes and Headwaters on Physico-chemical Dynamics of Temengor Reservoir, Malaysia

A study on physico-chemical dynamics of Temengor Reservoir was conducted to determine whether headwaters and seasonal changes play a major role in regulating physico-chemical dynamics of Temengor Reservoir. Temengor Reservoir receives water from its surrounding water catchments and headwaters. Then, the water flows into a series of hydroelectric dams, namely the Bersia, Kenering and Chenderoh dams. Generally, water quality in Temengor Reservoir can be classified as Class I. Physico-chemical trends showed that water quality in euphotic zone of Temengor Reservoir is stable and consistent. Two-way ANOVA analyses showed that seasonal variations only affected water temperature, Secchi disc’s depth and nitrate-nitrogen. Based on Tukey’s post-hoc test, all three headwaters in this study exert no influence to the reservoir’s water quality. These insignificant differences were probably due to water temperature and the size of the headwaters and the reservoir itself. In situ parameters profiling showed that the epilimnion zone in Temengor Reservoir is from the surface to 6 m depth, the metalimnion zone is from 6 m to 12 m depth and the hypolimnion zone is from 12 m depth onwards to the bottom of the reservoir. Thus, continuous water profiling monitoring that covers high and low water levels need to be conducted to determine characteristics of the physico-chemical dynamics in the water column and also to analyse changes in reservoir layers. Through these studies, discontinuity trends in the Perak River could be determined and suggestions to the respective agencies could be made to conserve and to sustain downstream biodiversity.
The Iliac Crest Microsurgical Free Flap In Mandibular Reconstruction

The iliac microsurgical free flap is an effective, reliable method of mandibular reconstruction. Its anatomic and physical properties are suited ideally to this purpose. From its conception in the 1970s, the flap has undergone a series of refinements. Donor site morbidity has been reduced by the split inner cortex modification. Innovations in prosthodontics, internal fixation, and temporomandibular joint reconstruction provide a more thorough oromandibular rehabilitation.
Computational neuroanatomy using brain deformations: From brain parcellation to multivariate pattern analysis and machine learning

The past 20 years have seen a mushrooming growth of the field of computational neuroanatomy. Much of this work has been enabled by the development and refinement of powerful, high-dimensional image warping methods, which have enabled detailed brain parcellation, voxel-based morphometric analyses, and multivariate pattern analyses using machine learning approaches. The evolution of these 3 types of analyses over the years has overcome many challenges. We present the evolution of our work in these 3 directions, which largely follows the evolution of this field. We discuss the progression from single-atlas, single-registration brain parcellation work to current ensemble-based parcellation; from relatively basic mass-univariate t-tests to optimized regional pattern analyses combining deformations and residuals; and from basic application of support vector machines to generative-discriminative formulations of multivariate pattern analyses, and to methods dealing with heterogeneity of neuroanatomical patterns. We conclude with discussion of some of the future directions and challenges.
Plasma characterization using ultraviolet Thomson scattering from ion-acoustic and electron plasma waves (invited).

Collective Thomson scattering is a technique for measuring the plasma conditions in laser-plasma experiments. Simultaneous measurements of ion-acoustic and electron plasma-wave spectra were obtained using a 263.25-nm Thomson-scattering probe beam. A fully reflective collection system was used to record light scattered from electron plasma waves at electron densities greater than 1021 cm−3, which produced scattering peaks near 200 nm. An accurate analysis of the experimental Thomson-scattering spectra required accounting for plasma gradients, instrument sensitivity, optical effects, and background radiation. Practical techniques for including these effects when fitting Thomson-scattering spectra are presented and applied to the measured spectra to show the improvements in plasma characterization.
Conclusions: Politics, History, and the East of Suez Decision

The decision to withdraw from the east of Suez role was, as one participant observes, ‘epoch-making and revolutionary.’1 From that point forward, Britain became principally a European rather than a global power, although the country was certainly still capable of significant, albeit intermittent, performances on the global stage. Conventional explanations of this momentous decision tend to emphasize its economic determinants. Alan Sked and Chris Cook, for example, claim that the most important single factor in seeing the end of Britain’s ‘world role’ was … the harsh facts of economic life…. It was the German mark more than any socialist belief that brought the end of Britain’s ‘east of Suez’ role, that caused the abandonment of expensive defence weaponry and finally caused Wilson to turn to the Common Market.2
Case 59: Watch Out

A visiting anesthesiologist, who was on sabbatical at our department, introduced us to a new monitoring equipment. We were all very excited. He had published his results in several journals. After reading his many papers, we could understand the need for more studies. We got IRB approval and completed a study with 60 patients. The methodology we used in our study was identical to his previous work. The results were interesting and worthy of publication, as they added more to the knowledge of this equipment. We all felt that the results could benefit patient care. We did not think there would be a problem in getting this work published.
Experimental and field evaluation of otolith strontium as a marker to discriminate between river-spawning populations of walleye in Lake Erie

Otolith microchemistry is a commonly used tool for stock discrimination in fisheries management. Two key questions remain with respect to its effectiveness in discriminating among river-spawning populations. First, do larvae remain in their natal river long enough for their otoliths to pick up that system’s characteristic chemical signature? Second, are larval otolith microchemical differences between natal rivers sufficiently large to overcome spatiotemporal variation in water chemistry? We quantified how larval age, the ratio of ambient strontium to calcium concentrations (Sr:Ca), and water temperature influence otolith Sr in both lab-reared and wild-collected Lake Erie walleye (Sander vitreus). Otolith microchemistry shows promise as a spawning stock discrimination tool, given that otolith Sr in larval walleye (i) is more strongly influenced by ambient Sr:Ca than by temperature; (ii) reflects Sr:Ca levels in the natal environment, even in larvae as young as 2 days old; and (iii) can effectively discrim...
An overview of the Iris object-oriented DBMS

The Iris database management system, a research prototype of a next-generation DBMS (database management system) is presented. Iris is intended to meet the needs of new and emerging database applications such as office information and knowledge-based systems, engineering test and measurement, and hardware and software design. In addition to providing for permanence of data, controlled sharing, backup, and recovery, Iris will also provide a number of needed capabilities that include rich data-modeling constructs, uniform access to specialized storage subsystems and to foreign DBMSs, novel data types (images, voice, text, vectors, matrices), prolonged transactions, direct database support for inference, and version control. Iris will also provide sharing of objects across applications and programming languages. >
Coagulation Abnormality and Its Management

The liver plays a major role in the process of hemostasis because hepatocytes synthetize most of the factors of the clotting and fibrinolytic systems and because the liver influences both activation and inhibition of these systems. Generally patients with severe liver disease are considered to have considerable coagulopathy, the result of reduced synthesis of coagulation factors by the liver, reduced platelet count, and possibly platelet dysfunction. Recently however it has become clear that the coagulopathy is not nearly as severe as suggested by the abnormal traditional coagulation tests because of several compensatory mechanisms that are not reflected in these tests. These changes usually result in the restoration towards a new balance between the pro- and anticoagulant systems, but this new equilibrium has very little “reserve,” meaning that relatively small triggers can rapidly and excessively move the balance in either direction (not enough clot, too much clot). These new insights affect the interpretation of coagulation tests, and in combination with other tests based on viscoelasticity of the forming clot should result in a more appropriate and rational management of the coagulation system during liver transplantation. The overall goal is to avoid excessive pro-coagulant or anticoagulant activity, thereby maintaining this new delicate balance.