cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Update on 2015 OPTN/UNOS Strategic Plan: Allocation of Effort and Distribution of Manpower

The process by which the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) allocates its effort is central to the pursuit of its mission. UNOS serves to support the field of solid organ and vascularized composite allograft transplantation and donation, and its many members, as well as to meet the requirements in its role as the contractor for the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). As the responsibilities of UNOS have increased markedly over the past three decades, the role of strategic planning has become increasingly critical in providing direction to the organization. Over the course of the past 18 months, the organization has undertaken a re-assessment of its strategic goals and generated a modified set of goals to guide its function from 2015 to 2018. A key feature of this new strategic plan is the delineation of not only the goals to be pursued but also the relative effort to be deployed in support of each goal, as determined by the transplant community. The process by which these goals were developed and resources allocated in support of the goals is detailed.
Effects of non-pharmacological treatment of substance use in Medicare elderly with prostate cancer

or intravenous route, but the relationship between these studies and effects on abuse has yet to be confirmed. The preferred design of these studies is a randomized, double-blind, placeboand positive comparator-controlled crossover study. However, several methodological challenges arise when evaluating the AD properties of these products for the intranasal route of administration. For example, some AD products have a much larger weight and/or volumeormay, upon crushing, result in a powder of a different particle size distribution than the positive control used in the study. Because of these differences, a large sequence effect and period by treatment interaction may be observed. Some pros and cons of the current accepted designs for intranasal studies will be discussed, and a modified Williams square design will be proposed. Conclusions: To addressmethodological challengeswhen evaluating the intranasal deterrent properties of AD opioid products in human abuse potential studies a modified Williams square design is proposed. Theproposeddesigndoesnot requireweightmatching across treatments and allows for the evaluation of whether weight itself is an abuse-deterrent factor in a proposed abuse-deterrent product. Financial support: N/A.
Information Technology: A Study Of Ac-countants Skills And Knowledge Levels

This article examines the results of a survey mailed to 940 accounting professionals in which they identify the categories of IT skills and knowledge that are required to perform their job. Using cluster analysis, this article next examines whether - and to what extent -relationships exist between different categories of IT skills and knowledge. Survey results are then presented regarding methods by which accounting professionals acquire needed job-related IT skills and knowledge.
CAMERA-LADEN LEATHERBACKS DOCUMENT FEEDING

![][1] There are obvious barriers for marine scientists interested in characterizing the foraging success of endangered marine predators. Issues ranging from decreasing animal numbers, to vast migratory patterns and sheer oceanographic scale must be considered. Prior to technological
Plastic Surgery and Acellular Dermal Matrix: Highlighting Trends from 1999 to 2013

The last decade has ushered in a rapidly expanding global discussion regarding acellular dermal matrix (ADM) applications, economic analyses, technical considerations, benefits, and risks, with recent emphasis on ADM use in breast surgery. This study aims to evaluate global trends in ADM research using bibliometric analysis. The top nine Plastic Surgery journals were determined by impact factor (IF). Each issue of the nine journals between 1999 and 2013 was accessed to compile a database of articles discussing ADM. Publications were further classified by IF, authors’ geographic location, study design, and level of evidence (LOE, I-V). Productivity index and productivity share were calculated for each region. In total, 256 ADM articles were accessed. The annual global publication volume increased significantly by 4.2 (0.87) articles per year ( p<0.001), with a mean productivity index of 36.3 (59.0). The mean impact factor of the nine journals increased significantly from 0.61 (0.11) to 2.47 (0.99) from 1993 to 2013 (p<0.001). Despite this increase in the global ADM literature, the majority of research was of weaker LOE (level I: 2.29% and level II: 9.17%). USA contributed the most research (87%), followed by Asia (4.76%) and Western Europe (4.71%). USA contributed the greatest volume of research. Regarding clinical application of ADM, the majority of publications focused on ADM use in breast surgery, specifically breast reconstruction (154 articles, 60.2%). The majority of research was of lower LOE; thus, efforts should be made to strengthen the body of literature, particularly with regard to cost analysis.
Theorem Proving in Intel Hardware Design

For the past decade, a framework combining model checking (symbolic trajectory evaluation) and higher-order logic theorem proving has been in production use at Intel. Our tools and methodology have been used to formally verify execution cluster functionality (including floating-point operations) for a number of Intel products, including the Pentium(Registered TradeMark)4 and Core(TradeMark)i7 processors. Hardware verification in 2009 is much more challenging than it was in 1999 - today s CPU chip designs contain many processor cores and significant firmware content. This talk will attempt to distill the lessons learned over the past ten years, discuss how they apply to today s problems, outline some future directions.
Regulatory Behavior of Enzymes

This chapter gives a brief overview of enzyme regulation, followed by a quantitative treatment of enzyme-ligand binding interactions, including the early models of Hill, Adair, and Pauling to emphasize the origins of cooperativity. These models are followed by thermodynamic treatments of the Monod-Wyman-Changeux and Koshland-Nemethy-Filmer models for cooperativity. The focus of this chapter is the kinetic characterization of regulatory enzymes, mainly as isolated components and as coordinated units within metabolic pathways. Later sections deal with the kinetic behavior of oligomerizing enzymes, multicyclic cascades of covalently interconvertible enzymes, substrate channeling, and metabolic control analysis. Enzymes are the primary mediators of cellular regulation. They operate within a hierarchy of metabolic pathways—some enzymes producing or degrading the basic building blocks for cell growth, others transducing and amplifying sensory inputs, others mediating DNA replication, transcription, and protein synthesis, and still others generating the forces needed for cell motility, chromatin remodeling, cell division, and chemotaxis. Because enzymes are such powerful catalysts, they must be highly regulated at every level. By minimizing side-reactions and preventing the formation of potentially toxic by-products, enzyme specificity/selectivity constitutes a first level of regulation. The ability of every enzyme to sense and respond to changes in the concentration of its substrates, cofactors, and reaction products represents a second level of regulation. But the most identifiable properties of metabolic regulation are enzyme cooperativity, allostery, interconversion by enzyme-catalyzed covalent modification, effector molecule-stimulated signal amplification, and substrate channeling.
Actin-based Motile Processes in Tumor Cell Invasion

Tumor cell invasion and metastasis is a multi-step process where tumor cells escape from the primary tumor and seed at distant sites in the body. The invasion of tumor cells through the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) and intravasation through the endothelium to enter the bloodstream requires several highly regulated actin-based motile processes including: 1. Chemotaxis 2. Formation of invasive protrusions 3. Active cell migration, and 4. Active focal degradation of the ECM. The invasive tumor cell generates highly specialized actin-based invasive protrusions known as lamellipodia to initiate active cell migration and invadopodia to actively degrade through dense areas of ECM. The formation of both lamellipodia and invadopodia requires precise control of the activities of several proteins that function to regulate the actin cytoskeleton including: cortactin, cofilin, the Arp2/3 complex, diaphanous-related formins (DRFs), and myosin. In this chapter, we will discuss the molecular mechanisms that are known to control the actin cytoskeleton during the formation and maturation of both lamellipodia and invadopodia, and the contribution of these actin-based motile processes to the invasive tumor cell phenotype during metastasis in vivo.
Data-Driven Statistical Analysis and Diagnosis of Networked Battery Systems

This paper analyzes system-level capacity, stored energy, and power loss, and introduces methods for their diagnosis with reliability characterization, for networked battery systems. Since system-level features of a networked battery system are functions of its member battery packs, it is of essential importance to establish rigorously this component-to-system relationship. The paper provides a method to calculate accurately diagnosis error probabilities on the system-level quantities when individual batteries’ measurements are subject to measurement errors and their characterizing parameters are estimated from such measurements. These results are then used to choose diagnosis decision variables such as the thresholds for detecting faulty batteries and data sizes for estimation. Focusing on stored energy, capacity, and power loss, this paper characterizes error statistics of estimation algorithms for these quantities. Convergence of the algorithms, asymptotic probability distributions of the estimates, and diagnosis reliability analysis are performed rigorously by using stochastic differential equations, central limit theorems, and large deviations principles. Simulated case studies and experimental data are used to illustrate the methods and their usefulness.
Algorithms for Flow-Shop Scheduling to Meet Deadlines

Abstract In a multiprocessor or distributed system, jobs may need to be executed on more than one processor. When all the jobs execute on different processors in turn in the same order, the problem of end-to-end scheduling on the processors is known as the flow-shop problem. This paper describes two optimal polynomial-time algorithms for scheduling jobs in flow shops to meet deadlines, for two special cases where the scheduling problem is tractable. For the general case, where an optimal polynomial-time algorithm is unlikely to be found, a heuristic algorithm is presented. The traditional flow-shop model is generalized to model jobs that are serviced more than once by some processors. We present an algorithm for scheduling jobs to meet deadlines in this more general type of flow shop. Some considerations are made about scheduling periodic flow shops.
Justice Luck and the Law of Negligence

Juries possess the power to forgive even obvious negligence and frequently exercise it. Judges and courts facilitate this disposition of cases and regularly affirm juries' decisions to forgive negligence. This practice creates a problem for corrective justice theories of negligence, which commonly assert that the purpose of negligence law is to repair harm. This reparative purpose is not achieved in the many cases in which juries forgive negligence. In addition, juries impose negligence liability on many acts and omissions that are not wrongs in any moral sense. Negligence liability is best understood not as a moral system, but as a "stochastic tax." Someone whose negligence has been forgiven by a jury has experienced "justice luck."
Teaching professional skills in microwave circuit design classes

In addition to solid grounding in technical skills of their chosen specialty, engineering students are expected to also acquire various professional skills during their studies. One description of such skills is given by various accreditation agencies, e.g., ABET. Arguably, need for extensive training in the area of professional skills is even more important for graduate students. In this paper we describe a somewhat expanded set of these skills and how they are honed in two senior / graduate courses in microwave circuit design. They include: critical thinking, metacognition, writing, reading and teamwork. Details of implementation and possible transfer to similar courses are discussed. In particular, we describe educational use of systematic literature reviews in graduate engineering education as a tool to teach all of these skills.
The yttrium-bismuth alloy system

Abstract The yttrium-bismuth alloy system was studied using microscopic, X-ray, thermal, and chemical analyses. An inverted peritectic reaction develops as a result of bismuth additions lowering the 1475 °C transformation temperature of yttrium to 1460 °C. Eutectic reactions occur at 18.5 at.% Bi and 1145 °C, and greater than 99.9 at.% Bi and 209 °C. There are only two intermetallic compounds in the system. The compound YBi melts congruently at 2020 °C and Y 5 Bi 3 results from a peritectic reaction at 1530 °C. The crystal structure of this second compound is discussed.
A New Era of Insurgent Recruitment: Have ‘New’ Civil Wars changed the Dynamic?

This article surveys the way in which political scientists and non-traditional scholars have analysed insurgencies and counterinsurgencies. We contend that insurgent recruitment is different in ‘ne...
Tumor suppressor protein p53 negatively regulates ischemia-induced angiogenesis and arteriogenesis.

Abstract Objective The tumor suppressor protein p53 regulates angiogenesis and is a key regulatory mediator of cellular apoptosis, proliferation, and growth. p53 expression is induced in response to ischemia; however, its role in regulating ischemia-induced angiogenesis and arteriogenesis remains undefined. The objective of this study was to define the role of p53 in regulating ischemia-induced angiogenesis and arteriogenesis and to identify mechanisms by which this regulation occurs in vivo. Methods Surgically induced hindlimb ischemia or mesenteric artery ligation was performed in wild-type (p53+/+) and p53 knockout (p53−/−) mice. Limb perfusion and revascularization were assessed by laser Doppler perfusion imaging, capillary density, and collateral artery development. Mesenteric collateral artery flow and development were determined by arterial flow measurement and by histologic analysis, respectively. An in vitro aortic ring assay was performed on p53+/+ and p53−/− aortic tissue to evaluate endothelial function. The p53 inhibitor and activator pifithrin-α and quinacrine, respectively, were used to modulate p53 activity in vivo after ischemia. Results Absence of p53 in mice resulted in increased limb perfusion (P Conclusions p53 negatively regulates ischemia-induced angiogenesis and arteriogenesis. Inhibition of p53 increases ischemia-induced arteriogenesis and limb perfusion and thus represents a potential therapeutic strategy for arterial occlusive disease.
Allostatic Load Biomarker Associations with Depressive Symptoms Vary among US Black and White Women and Men

The prevalence and severity of depression differ in women and men and across racial groups. Psychosocial factors such as chronic stress have been proposed as contributors, but causes of this variation are not fully understood. Allostatic load, a measure of the physiological burden of chronic stress, is known to be associated with depression. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2010, we examined the associations of nine allostatic load biomarkers with depression among US black and white adults aged 18–64 years (n = 6431). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionaire-9; logistic models estimated adjusted odds of depression based on allostatic load biomarkers. High-risk levels of c-reactive protein were significantly associated with increased odds of depression among white women (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1–2.5) and men (aOR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1–2.8) but not black women (aOR = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.6–1.1) or men (aOR = 0.9, 95% CI: 0.5–1.5). Among black men, hypertension (aOR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1–2.7) and adverse serum albumin levels (aOR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.0–2.9) predicted depression, while high total cholesterol was associated with depression among black women (aOR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.0–2.7). The associations between allostatic load biomarkers and depression varies with gendered race, suggesting that, despite consistent symptomatology, underlying disease mechanisms may differ between these groups.
High performance LCD for augmented reality and virtual reality displays

For augmented reality and virtual reality displays, high-resolution density, high luminance, and fast response time are critically needed. High-resolution density helps eliminate the screen-door ef...
A Pilot Study Examining Religious Organization Affiliation, Sexual Health Information Sources, and Sexual Behaviors among College Students.

We conducted an online survey to examine religiosity, sexual health knowledge, and behavior and sexual health information sources among undergraduate students affiliated with student religious orga...
The role of vocational counseling for the American Indian student

American Indian students have been neglected over the years in educational settings more apparently than other minority groups. Problems resulting from poor basic skills and motivation have placed them at a disadvantage when competing with other people for employment. Moreover, the values conflict between Indian and dominant European-American culture has created acculturation difficulties. Persons knowledgeable regarding the particular problems of Indians are greatly needed in educational and counseling situations to move toward a more fulfilling future for the Indian people. Tapping into the special capabilities of the Indian people can enhance the quality of living for all who share this earth.
A Broadband CMOS Pulse Generator for UWB Systems

A broadband pulse generator (PG) for ultra-wideband (UWB) systems, which includes a Gaussian pulse generator, 5 double balanced (DB) Gilbert-cell up-converter mixers, an analog adder, and an LO clock generator unit, respectively, was fabricated in 65 nm CMOS. Measurement shows that generated dc-free multi-tone pulse has a flat spectrum and linear phase change within 1 GHz bandwidth, with a peak-to-peak amplitude of 280 mV and linear phase change. The die area is only 0.082 mm2 and power consumption is ∼4.5 mW from a 1 V supply.
Validation of scoring system predicting permanent pacemaker implantation after transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Background Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is being increasingly performed in patients with severe aortic stenosis. Despite newer generation valves, atrioventricular (AV) conduction disturbance is a common complication, necessitating permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation in about 10% of patients. Hence, it is imperative to improve periprocedural risk stratification to predict PPM implantation after TAVR. The objective of this study was to externally validate a novel risk-stratification model derived from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database that predicts risk of PPM from TAVR. Methods Components of the score included pre-TAVR left and right bundle branch block, sinus bradycardia, second-degree AV block, and transfemoral approach. The scoring system was applied to 917 patients undergoing TAVR at our institution from November 2011 to February 2017. We assessed its predictive accuracy by looking at two components: discrimination using the C-statistic and calibration using the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test. Results Ninety patients (9.8%) required PPM. The scoring system showed good discrimination with C-statistic score of 0.6743 (95% CI: 0.618-0.729). Higher scores suggested increased PPM risk, that is, 7.3% with score ⩽3, 19.23% with score 4-6, and 37.50% with score ≥7. Patients requiring PPM were older (81.4 versus 78.7 years, P = .002). Length of stay and in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in PPM group. Conclusions The NIS database derived PPM risk prediction model was successfully validated in our database with acceptable discriminative and gradation capacity. It is a simple but valuable tool for patient counseling pre-TAVR and in identifying high-risk patients.
Byzantine Lattice Agreement in Synchronous Message Passing Systems

We propose three algorithms for the Byzantine lattice agreement problem in synchronous systems. The first algorithm runs in min {3h(X) + 6,6√{f_a} + 6}) rounds and takes O(n² min{h(X), √{f_a}}) messages, where h(X) is the height of the input lattice X, n is the total number of processes in the system, f is the maximum number of Byzantine processes such that n ≥ 3f + 1 and f_a ≤ f is the actual number of Byzantine processes in an execution. The second algorithm takes 3log n + 3 rounds and O(n² log n) messages. The third algorithm takes 4 log f + 3 rounds and O(n² log f) messages. All algorithms can tolerate f < n/3 Byzantine failures. This is the first work for the Byzantine lattice agreement problem in synchronous systems which achieves logarithmic rounds. In our algorithms, we apply a slightly modified version of the Gradecast algorithm given by Feldman et al [Feldman and Micali, 1988] as a building block. If we use the Gradecast algorithm for authenticated setting given by Katz et al [Katz and Koo, 2006], we obtain algorithms for the Byzantine lattice agreement problem in authenticated settings and tolerate f < n/2 failures.
Die Erzeugung von Stoßwellen

Sollen Stoswellen fur chemische Untersuchungen verwendet werden, dann mus man sich die Frage stellen, wie man diese Stoswellen erzeugt. Es gibt dazu viele Moglichkeiten, fur die meisten chemischen Untersuchungen wurde bisher jedoch dem „Stosrohr” der Vorzug gegeben. Aus diesen und auch aus anderen, weiter unten angefuhrten Grunden, befast sich dieser Abschnitt fast ausschlieslich mit der Erzeugung von Stoswellen in einem Stosrohr. Die anderen Verfahren werden vorher nur kurz behandelt.
Plasma Cell Myeloma and Other Plasma Cell Dyscrasias

This chapter covers plasma cell neoplasms, including plasma cell myeloma and lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL)/ Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) involving the bone marrow. LPL involving extramedullary sites is discussed in Chap. 15.
Stellar spots - physical implications.

Studies of certain late-type stars have revealed evidence for appreciable changes in their photospheric radiation. These stars are rotating much more rapidly than the Sun and/or are younger, and exhibit much enhanced examples of many kinds of solar activity, such as flares. The surface brightness distributions of these stzellar photospheres are nonuniform; dark areas are called “spots” in solar analogy. Areas of up to 30% may be covered by such spots, again indicating activity on a far greater scale than typical of the Sun.
Basic amino acid transport in Escherichia coli. II. Purification and properties of an arginine-specific binding protein.

Abstract Osmotic shock of Escherichia coli results in the release of a protein which specifically binds arginine. Its release is associated with the loss of arginine-specific transport. Other methods were sought for the isolation of the arginine-specific binding protein. The protein was purified by diethylaminoethylcellulose, Sephadex G-100, hydroxylapatite, and isoelectric focusing, which gave a pI of 5.10. The protein has a Kd of 3 x 10-8 m, and binds 1 mole of arginine per mole of protein using a molecular weight of 27,700, as determined by high speed equilibrium ultracentrifugation. Amino acid analyses of the arginine-specific and lysine-arginine-ornithine (LAO)-binding proteins show the presence of 2 half-residues of cystine per molecule of protein. Antiserum prepared against the arginine-specific protein did not react with the LAO-binding protein, nor did antiserum prepared against the LAO protein react with the arginine-specific protein. While arginine has been shown to be an inhibitor of the LAO transport system but not a substrate, two other inhibitors of the LAO system, citrulline and canavanine, were shown to be substrates as well. Attempts at reconstitution of arginine transport in osmotically shocked cells by the addition of purified protein were unsuccessful. A new method for measuring arginine transport was devised, the coupling of transport to decarboxylation, which may be useful in studying reconstitution.
Tradition, Territory, and Terroir in French Viniculture: Cassis, France, and Appellation Contrôlée

Abstract Many French wines, and now other kinds of agricultural products, manifest the process of “patrimonialization” as a counterforce to the homogenizing trends in the globalization of world food systems. The appellation controlee (AOC) concept, which dates from 1935, is the oldest expression of that patrimonial process. In it, the characteristics of a place—the terroir—are used to gloss its legally protected, territorial definition on which hinge claims to a place-based product authenticity and, by extension, quality. AOC implementation, now with almost seven decades of experience in France, serves as the model to understand how the application of terroir to place has focused on land-use practice, wine definition, vinicultural tradition, and landscape preservation. A complementary process at work is product salience that establishes its individuality in an interactive expectation between producer and consumer. Fieldwork in the commune of Cassis (Department of Bouches-du-Rhone) in the South of France s...
Squamous cell carcinoma cells differentially stimulate NK cell effector functions: the role of IL-18.

Tumor cells stimulate natural killer (NK) cell effector functions, but the regulation of cytokine secretion and cytolysis is incompletely understood. We tested whether oral and pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines differentially stimulated NK cell interferon-γ (IFN-γ) secretion and cytolysis using a clone of the NK-92-transformed human NK cell line, NK92.35. SCC-4 and SCC-25 cells, but not FaDu or Cal 27 cells, stimulated robust NK92.35 IFN-γ secretion. All four carcinoma cell lines were lysed by NK92.35 cells. These findings indicate that carcinoma cells differentially stimulate NK cell IFN-γ secretion and cytolysis. In Transwell experiments, a combination of SCC-4 or SCC-25 cell soluble factors and contact with FaDu cells synergistically stimulated NK92.35 cell IFN-γ secretion. Stimulatory SCC-4 cells constitutively secreted IL-18, a cytokine that potently augments IFN-γ secretion by T cells and NK cells. In contrast, poorly stimulatory FaDu cells produced little or no IL-18, but synergized with recombinant IL-18 to stimulate NK92.35 IFN-γ secretion. mAb to IL-18 or IL-18 receptor diminished SCC-4-stimulated IFN-γ secretion by NK92.35 cells and by nontransformed NK cells. Thus, IL-18 was necessary for optimal carcinoma stimulation of NK cell IFN-γ secretion. In vivo, oral and upper aerodigestive tract epithelia and carcinomas produced IL-18, but one squamous cell carcinoma had heterogeneous IL-18 expression. Thus IL-18 production can account for squamous cell carcinoma differential stimulation of NK cell effector functions in vitro and may be important for stimulation of NK cells in vivo.
Model Studies of Denver Whitewater Channel

Hydraulic model studies on a scale of 1:20 are described for a 500 ft-long (152-m) whitewater kayak and boating channel with a 6 ft (1.8-m) drop. Details of site conditions, hydraulic criteria, model construction, testing, measurement, and the development of the channel configurations are reviewed. The recreational whitewater channel will vary from 25 ft - 40 ft (7.6 m - 12.2 m) in width, have minimum flow depths of 2 ft - 3 ft (0.6m - 0.9 m) and operate at discharges from 150 cfs - 320 cfs (4.2 m³/s - 9 m³/s. The selected inlet control gate structure is described, as well as the steps taken to make the channel a safe recreational facility. The boating channel is proposed for construction on the South Platte River in Denver, Colo.
Omega-Resolution: An Inference Rule for Regular Multiple-Valued Logics

The inference rule Ω-resolution for regular multiple-valued logics is developed. One advantage of Ω-resolution is that linear, regular proofs are possible. That is, unlike existing deduction techniques, Ω-resolution admits input deductions (for Horn sets) while maintaining regular signs. More importantly, Ω-resolution proofs are at least as short as proofs for definite clauses generated by the standard inference techniques--annotated resolution and reduction--and pruning of the search space occurs automatically.
Learning spectral-temporal dependencies using connectionist networks

Describes the application of a layered connectionist network for continuous digit recognition using syllable based segmentation. Knowledge is distributed over many processing units. The behavior of the network in response to a particular input pattern is a collective decision based on the exchange of information among the processing units. A supervised back-propagation learning algorithm is used to repeatedly adjust the weights in the network, to minimize the difference between the actual output vector and the desired output vector. The performance of the network is compared to that of a nearest neighbor classifier trained and tested on the same database. Speaker-dependent continuous digit recognition experiments were performed using a total of 540 digit strings with an average length of 4 digits, collected from six speakers (4 male and 2 female). >
Picosecond Relaxation Kinetics of Highly Photogenerated Carriers in Semiconductors

High-density nonequilibrium electrons and holes can be produced in semiconductors through interaction with picosecond laser pulses. Picosecond photoluminescence and absorption spectroscopy is an extremely useful experimental tool for probing the time evolution of the elementary excitations in semiconductors.
Exact mean field dynamics for epidemic-like processes on heterogeneous networks

We show that the mean field equations for the SIR epidemic can be exactly solved for a network with arbitrary degree distribution. Our exact solution consists of reducing the dynamics to a lone first order differential equation, which has a solution in terms of an integral over functions dependent on the degree distribution of the network, and reconstructing all mean field functions of interest from this integral. Irreversibility of the SIR epidemic is crucial for the solution. We also find exact solutions to the sexually transmitted disease SI epidemic on bipartite graphs, to a simplified rumor spreading model, and to a new model for recommendation spreading, via similar techniques. Numerical simulations of these processes on scale free networks demonstrate the qualitative validity of mean field theory in most regimes.
Stretched excitations and the spin-dependent part of the pion-nucleon interaction

The $p$-wave form of the spin-orbit operator provides the basis for a single scattering model for the excitation of unnatural parity levels in pion-nucleus scattering in the region of the $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ resonance. The model is found to give a reasonable description of the ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ and ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ experimental cross sections for the excitation of stretched ${4}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and ${6}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ states in $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ and $^{28}\mathrm{Si}$. In the calculations the interaction strength was fixed from the free pion-nucleon data and the spin transition densities were determined from recent ($e, {e}^{\ensuremath{'}}$) and ($p, {p}^{\ensuremath{'}}$) data. A schematic discussion of possible corrections to the model is also presented.
Obtaining International Environmental Protection through Epistemic Consensus

It is widely accepted that transboundary pollution problems require international co-operation for their solution, because many countries suffer the effects of such degradation and no country is unilaterally capable of managing the issue. While most environmental issues share these characteristics, which inhibit their resolution internationally, these issues are really little different from other global issues involving ‘common property resources’ — for example, trade and security. In all of these matters, national leaders are usually averse to serious co-operative efforts because of their doubts about reciprocity and verification, as well as common political antipathies among states.1 While these problems appear to reflect some mutual interests — all countries are affected by environmental degradation and a unified response is universally preferable to a patchwork of disjointed efforts — enduring and profound differences of interest impede co-operation. Differences about who pays, states’ unwillingness to forego short-term economic welfare and other distributional disagreements typically inhibit the formation of strong collective arrangements. Environmental issues are little different from the type of zero-sum bargaining efforts with which students of international relations are so familiar. Further, many less developed countries (LDCs) view efforts by the developed world to promote environmental protection as duplicitous efforts to retard economic growth in the Third World.2 In short, mutual interests are actually quite weak, and countries are often reluctant to co-operate unless they are certain that the protection costs will be equally distributed.
Nodular mesothelial hyperplasia in hernia sacs. A benign reactive condition simulating a neoplastic process

Thirteen cases of hernia sacs exhibiting mesothelial hyperplasia of such a degree as to simulate a malignant process are presented. There were 2 infants, 7 children, and 4 adults. The hernias were inguinal in 12 patients and epigastric in the remaining. In 7 cases (52%) there was a history of trauma or some other source of injury to the sac, such as incarceration. Microscopically, solid nodules of atypical mesothelial cells were seen in the hernia sac, either free or attached to the wall. Mitoses, multinucleated cells, and "strap cells" were sometimes present. Clues to the mesothelial nature of the proliferation were the cytologic features and the presence of similar changes in the lining of the hernia sac.
The stimulus suffix effect as a memory coding phenomenon

Two short-term memory experiments examined the nature of the stimulus suffix effect on auditory linguistic and nonlinguistic stimulus lists. In Experiment 1, where subjects recalled eight-item digit lists, it was found that a silently articulated digit suffix had the same effect on recall for the last list item as a spoken digit suffix. In Experiment 2, subjects recalled lists of sounds made by inanimate objects either by listing the names of the objects or by ordering a set of drawings of the objects. Auditory suffixes, either another object sound or the spoken name of an object, produced a suffix effect under both recall conditions, but a visually presented picture also produced a suffix effect when subjects recalled using pictures. The results were most adequately explained by a levels-of-processing memory coding hypothesis.
Generalization of Conditioned Muscle Tension: Sharpening The Focus

Common approaches to the analysis of response generalization are reviewed and related to muscle tension conditioning. Both theoretical and empirical considerations favor the position that generalized EMG responding decreases as training proceeds.
Teratogenic Evaluation of Epichlorohydrin in the Mouse and Rat and Glycidol in the Mouse

Pregnant outbred albino rats (CD) and mice (CD‐1) were given epichlorohydrin by gastric intubation on d 6–15 of gestation. The rats were killed on d 21 (d 18 for mice) and the offspring checked for gross, visceral, and skeletal malformations. Epichlorohydrin caused a significant reduction in the weight gain of pregnant rats at 80 mg/kg·d as compared with the control group treated only with the vehicle. However, there was no evidence of teratogenicity in the rat fetuses even at a dose level (160 mg/kg·d) that caused the death of some of the treated dams. Epichlorohydrin also did not produce a statistically significant increase in the average percent of malformed mouse fetuses, even at 160 mg/kg·d, a dose that killed 3 of 32 treated dams. The 120 and 160 mg/kg·d levels did cause a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in the average fetal weight as compared with controls. In addition, the 120 mg/kg·d dose produced a statistically significant increase in the liver weight of the pregnant mouse. These observations ...
LIGHTCRAFT PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY FOR LOW-COST ACCESS TO SPACE

THE IMAGE OF LASERS PROPELLING ROCKETS INTO SPACE, A CONCEPT PREVIOUSLY RESERVED FOR THE PAGES OF SCIENCE FICTION NOVELS, MAY ONE DAY BECOME A REALITY. THIS ARTICLE LOOKS AT THE VIABILITY OF SUCH AN ENDEAVOR AND EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO BRING IT ABOUT.
Cytotoxicity of selenium nanoparticles in rat dermal fibroblasts

BACKGROUND Ventilator-associated pneumonia is a deadly nosocomial infection caused by contaminated endotracheal tubes. It has been shown that polyvinyl chloride (PVC, the endotracheal tube substrate) coated with elemental selenium nanoparticles reduces bacterial adherence and proliferation on PVC by over 99%. However, it is not known if selenium nanoparticles elicit a cytotoxic effect in vitro. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effects of PVC coated with selenium nanoparticles on fibroblasts, which are mammalian cells central to endotracheal tube intubation. METHODS Different concentrations of selenium nanoparticles were precipitated onto the PVC surface by reduction of selenium salts using glutathione. Characterization of PVC coated with selenium nanoparticles was done by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray, and contact angle measurements. For the cytotoxicity experiments, fibroblasts were seeded at a density of 5000 cm(2) onto PVC coated with three different concentrations of selenium nanoparticles (high, medium, low) and incubated for 4 hours (adhesion) as well as for 24 hours and 72 hours (proliferation). The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) value was determined after 72 hours using an ultrahigh concentration. MTT assays were used to assess cell viability at the indicated time points. RESULTS The three concentrations of selenium nanoparticles did not elicit a cytotoxic effect after 72 hours (P < 0.01, n = 3). It was found that the IC(50)value was at the ultrahigh concentration of selenium nanoparticles. The nanoparticulate elemental selenium concentration previously shown to decrease the function of bacteria was shown not to cause a cytotoxic effect on fibroblasts in vitro. CONCLUSION These findings demonstrate great selectivity between bacteria and healthy cells, and are a viable option for coating endotracheal tubes in order to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia.
Effects of race on psychotherapy process and outcome: An exploratory investigation.

This study examined the effects of the race of therapist and client on the process and short-term outcome of psychotherapy. Fourteen female clients, evenly divided by race, and carefully matched in age and education were seen in individual, psychodynamically oriented psychotherapy by black and white therapists. All four possible therapist-client racial matches were represented (black-black, black-white, white-black, and whitewhite). Outcome was measured by both therapist and client responses to questionnaires concerning their impressions of therapy after ten sessions. Process data consisted of therapists' tape recordings and process notes of approximately the first ten therapy hours with each of their clients, and were rated with a specially designed Q-sort, constructed to be descriptive both of the therapeutic process in general as well as issues pertaining to race. Results indicated there were no differences in outcome as a function of racial matching; however, there were clear differences in therapy process. A cluster analysis produced seven dimensions of psychotherapy process, four of which varied significantly across racial match. A subsequent analysis of Q-sort items demonstrated significant changes in therapy process over time, many of them occurring between the first therapy hour and subsequent sessions. This finding raises serious questions about the generalizability of the results of previous studies on the effects of race in psychotherapy that base their conclusions on data acquired solely in an initial interview.
Conserved cryptic recombination signals in Vκ gene segments are cleaved in small pre-B cells

Background The cleavage of recombination signals (RS) at the boundaries of immunoglobulin V, D, and J gene segments initiates the somatic generation of the antigen receptor genes expressed by B lymphocytes. RS contain a conserved heptamer and nonamer motif separated by non-conserved spacers of 12 or 23 nucleotides. Under physiologic conditions, V(D)J recombination follows the "12/23 rule" to assemble functional antigen-receptor genes, i.e., cleavage and recombination occur only between RS with dissimilar spacer types. Functional, cryptic RS (cRS) have been identified in VH gene segments; these VH cRS were hypothesized to facilitate self-tolerance by mediating VH → VHDJH replacements. At the Igκ locus, however, secondary, de novo rearrangements can delete autoreactive VκJκ joins. Thus, under the hypothesis that V-embedded cRS are conserved to facilitate self-tolerance by mediating V-replacement rearrangements, there would be little selection for Vκ cRS. Recent studies have demonstrated that VH cRS cleavage is only modestly more efficient than V(D)J recombination in violation of the 12/23 rule and first occurs in pro-B cells unable to interact with exogenous antigens. These results are inconsistent with a model of cRS cleavage during autoreactivity-induced VH gene replacement.
A Duopoly Pricing Game for Wireless IP Services

This paper addresses the behavior of the selfish service providers in the form of IP sinks providing high-speed IP access. Service providers compete for mobile users by adjusting the price they charge for their services. Their aim is to maximize the total collected profit. Mobile users are also selfish choosing the service provider offering the best quality of service and price combination. As the service providers come closer to each other, we show the existence of three critical phase transitions in their behavior. Depending on the separation between them, there may exists a unique Nash equilibrium, or a continuum of Nash equilibria, or no Nash equilibrium. We completely characterize the pricing strategies of service providers at Nash equilibria. We also prove that the total social welfare in the presence of selfish providers is close to the maximum social welfare that can reached through non- selfish optimization.
A NEUTRON DIFFRACTION STUDY OF THE TEMPERATURE VARIATION OF THE SPONTANEOUS SUBLATTICE MAGNETIZATION OF FERRITES AND THE NEEL THEORY OF FERRIMAGNETISM

Abstract The neutron diffraction technique is used to study the temperature variation of the sublattice magnetizations of five different ferrites. Qualitative agreement with the Neel theory is obtained in all cases in the respect that the magnetization curve of the tetrahedral ions is more convex than the one due to octahedral ions. The data on magnetite are used in a quantitative analysis in terms of molecular field coefficients. It is shown that coefficients determined from conventional magnetic data do not reproduce the sublattice magnetization. This inconsistency is interpreted as an inability of the molecular field equations to take proper account of the magnetic interactions.
Multi-player multi-armed bandits: Decentralized learning with IID rewards

We consider the decentralized multi-armed bandit problem with distinct arms for each players. Each player can pick one arm at each time instant and can get a random reward from an unknown distribution with an unknown mean. The arms give different rewards to different players. If more than one player select the same arm, everyone gets a zero reward. There is no dedicated control channel for communication or coordination among the user. We propose an online learning algorithm called dUCB 4 which achieves a near-O(log2 T). The motivation comes from opportunistic spectrum access by multiple secondary users in cognitive radio networks wherein they must pick among various wireless channels that look different to different users.
Triple Helical Structure and Stabilization of Collagen-like Molecules with 4(R)-Hydroxyproline in the Xaa Position

In this study, we examine the relationships between the structure and stability of five related collagen-like molecules that have hydroxyproline residues occupying positions not observed in vertebrate collagen. Two of the molecules contain valine or threonine and form stable triple helices in water. Three of the molecules contain allo-threonine (an enantiomer of threonine), serine, or alanine, and are not stable. Using molecular dynamics simulation methods, we examine possible explanations for the stability difference, including considering the possibility that differences in solvent shielding of the essential interchain hydrogen bonds may result in differences in stability. By comparing the structures of threonine- and allo-threonine-containing molecules in six polar and nonpolar solvation conditions, we find that solvent shielding is not an adequate explanation for the stability difference. A closer examination of the peptides shows that the structures of the unstable molecules are looser, having weaker intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The weakened hydrogen bonds result from extended Yaa residue Ψ-angles that prevent optimal geometry. The Φ−Ψ-maps of the relevant residues suggest that each residue's most favorable Ψ-angle determines the corresponding collagen-like molecule's stability. Additionally, we propose that these molecules illustrate a more general feature of triple-helical structures: interchain hydrogen bonds are always longer and weaker than ideal, so they are sensitive to relatively small changes in molecular structure. This sensitivity to small changes may explain why large stability differences often result from seemingly small changes in residue sequence.
Multimaterial Fibers in Photonics and Nanotechnology

I will describe recent progress in leveraging multimaterial fiber fabrication technology is ushering in a new generation of unforeseen applications for fibers in photonics, electronics, and nanotechnology achieved at optical fiber length-scales and costs.
Understanding the kinematics of a simple machine

This paper describes how people visually scan and evaluate a simple machine (a pulley system) in motion. The research provides evidence of the use of a sampling process to inspect a deterministic d...
GM-CSF-secreting melanoma vaccines.

The development of biochemical and genetic schemes to characterize cancer antigens led to the recognition that malignant melanoma frequently evokes a host response. While the generation of brisk T-cell infiltrates in early stage disease is correlated with prolonged survival, host reactions in most cases are insufficient to impede tumor progression. One variable that may limit the potency of the host response against nascent melanoma is the mixture of cytokines present in the tumor microenvironment. In a murine melanoma model, we identified granulocyte–macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) as the most potent molecule for augmenting tumor immunity following gene transfer into melanoma cells. Vaccination with irradiated melanoma cells engineered to secrete GM-CSF enhances host responses through improved tumor antigen presentation by recruited dendritic cells and macrophages. Melanoma-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells, CD1d-restricted NKT-cells, and antibodies mediate tumor rejection. Initial testing of this immunization strategy in patients with metastatic melanoma revealed the consistent induction of cellular and humoral antitumor responses that provoked the extensive necrosis of distant metastases without significant toxicity.