cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applications of empirical processes in learning theory: algorithmic stability and generalization bounds

This thesis studies two key properties of learning algorithms: their generalization ability and their stability with respect to perturbations. To analyze these properties, we focus on concentration inequalities and tools from empirical process theory. We obtain theoretical results and demonstrate their applications to machine learning. First, we show how various notions of stability upper- and lower-bound the bias and variance of several estimators of the expected performance for general learning algorithms. A weak stability condition is shown to be equivalent to consistency of empirical risk minimization. The second part of the thesis derives tight performance guarantees for greedy error minimization methods---a family of computationally tractable algorithms. In particular, we derive risk bounds for a greedy mixture density estimation procedure. We prove that, unlike what is suggested in the literature, the number of terms in the mixture is not a bias-variance trade-off for the performance. The third part of this thesis provides a solution to an open problem regarding the stability of Empirical Risk Minimization (ERM). This algorithm is of central importance in Learning Theory. By studying the suprema of the empirical process, we prove that ERM over Donsker classes of functions is stable in the L1 norm. Hence, as the number of samples grows, it becomes less and less likely that a perturbation of o( n ) samples will result in a very different empirical minimizer. Asymptotic rates of this stability are proved under metric entropy assumptions on the function class. Through the use of a ratio limit inequality, we also prove stability of expected errors of empirical minimizers. Next, we investigate applications of the stability result. In particular, we focus on procedures that optimize an objective function, such as k-means and other clustering methods. We demonstrate that stability of clustering, just like stability of ERM, is closely related to the geometry of the class and the underlying measure. Furthermore, our result on stability of ERM delineates a phase transition between stability and instability of clustering methods. In the last chapter, we prove a generalization of the bounded-difference concentration inequality for almost-everywhere smooth functions. This result can be utilized to analyze algorithms which are almost always stable. Next, we prove a phase transition in the concentration of almost-everywhere smooth functions. Finally, a tight concentration of empirical errors of empirical minimizers is shown under an assumption on the underlying space. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Views of Women and Clinicians on Postpartum Preparation and Recovery

To explore important domains of women’s postpartum experiences as perceived by postpartum mothers and obstetricians/midwives, and to investigate how postpartum care could enhance patient preparation for the postpartum period. Qualitative research study was conducted to explore women’s and clinicians’ perceptions of the postpartum experience. Four focus groups of postpartum women (n = 45) and two focus groups of obstetric clinicians (n = 13) were held at a large urban teaching hospital in New York City. All focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using grounded theory. Four main themes were identified: lack of women’s knowledge about postpartum health and lack of preparation for the postpartum experience, lack of continuity of care and absence of maternal care during the early postpartum period, disconnect between providers and postpartum mothers, and suggestions for improvement. Mothers did not expect many of the symptoms they experienced after childbirth and were disappointed with the lack of support by providers during this critical time in their recovery. Differences existed in the major postpartum concerns of mothers and clinicians. However, both mothers and clinicians agreed that preparation during the antepartum period could be beneficial for postpartum recovery. Results from this study indicate that many mothers do not feel prepared for the postpartum experience. Study findings raise the hypothesis that capturing patient-centered domains that define the postpartum experience and integrating these domains into patient care may enhance patient preparation for postpartum recovery and improve postpartum outcomes.
The seasonal occurrence of Neocalanus cristatus, Neocalanus plumchrus, and Eucalanus bungii over the shelf of the northern Gulf of Alaska

Abstract Field collections of zooplankton from the northern Gulf of Alaska demonstrate that the large oceanic copepods Neocalanus cristatus, N. plumchrus , and Eucalanus bungii are seasonal members of shelf and coastal zooplankton communities. They account for more than 25% of the net zooplankton biomass (0.333 mm) during the spring and summer months. The presence, absence, and subsequent reappearance of these copepods over the shelf is apparently related to their seasonal shifts in vertical distributions and to a persistent pattern of onshore Ekman transport. During periods when these copepods occur in the surface water of the bordering deep ocean (late autumn to summer) they are swept shoreward over the shelf. During times when they occur below the Ekman layer, they are generally absent from the shelf. The ecological significance of this seasonally introduced biomass is discussed in terms of what is understood about these species from studies elsewhere in the North Pacific Ocean.
Spasms of the iris sphincter

A patient is described who suffered from intermittent spasms of the pupillary sphincter and ciliary muscle. Both intraocular muscles contracted several times a minute, producing sporadic darkening of vision in the affected eye. The spasms continued for eleven days, so it was possible to document them pupillographically. This curious phenomenon seems to have been the result of a transient "irritability" of the ciliary ganglion.
Hoopfest: Using longitudinal economic impact data to assess the success of a strategic reorientation

Abstract The authors report the economic impact of a strategy change for a nonprofit sport association, Hoopfest, over an eight year period. Hoopfest organizes the largest annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament in the world. The study employs an economic impact methodology because the local community expressed a concern with related economic development issues. An initial assessment indicated the two-day tournament had an overall economic impact on the region of about seventeen million dollars. Twenty-two thousand people competed in the tournament and at least another one hundred thousand people watched the event. Hoopfest officials were challenged by a simple question: how could they enhance the economic benefits of this basketball tournament?
Assessing precipitation products in the Indian Ocean using an ocean model

[1] Precipitation is one of the main forcings for sea surface salinity (SSS). The accuracy of precipitation products over open oceans, however, remains a problem due to the lack of in situ measurements. In this study, we use an ocean model to test the performance of precipitation products in the Indian Ocean, where large salinity contrasts exist. The model consists of four active layers overlying a deep, inert ocean, the top-most layer being a mixed layer governed by Kraus-Turner physics. Solutions are forced by monthly-mean precipitation climatologies, and their surface salinity fields (S1) are compared with observed SSS. In the Indian Ocean, both river runoff and the Indonesian throughflow significantly influence the long-term mean SSS distribution, and hence adequate treatment of these boundary forcings is a prerequisite for the model to be useful as a tool for evaluating precipitation products. We also explored the sensitivity of solutions to various model parameters and forcing, making sure they are not the main source of the bias. The model produces the best annual-mean S1 field when it is forced by the Climate Prediction Center Merged Analysis of Precipitation (CMAP) product, a merged precipitation product based on rain-gauge data and several satellite estimates. An amplitude adjustment of the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) product is suggested by the model S1, supporting the notion that merged products give reliable spatial patterns but not necessarily correct magnitudes. Problems with some other precipitation products are also discussed, in terms of their potential distortion of mixed-layer thickness.
Scholars of the Law: English Jurisprudence From Blackstone to Hart

Law has been the missing link in modern British studies. Richard Cosgrove has begun single-handedly to change that. In unpretentious prose Cosgrove expertly guides the reader through the major works of half a dozen 'greats' as well as shrewdly assessing their current reputations. Scholars of the Law should inspire many more! --John V. Orth, The University of North Carolina School of Law Richard Cosgrove's Scholars of the Law begins with the emergence of the positivist belief that jurisprudence can solve the important social issues of the day. Legal theory in the twentieth century has become narrow and abstract, and contemporary theory, ever anxious to debunk elitism, ironically has become elitist itself. Charting the history of English jurisprudence through its key figures--William Blackstone, Jeremy Bentham, John Austin, Henry Maine, Thomas Erskine Holland, and H. L. A. Hart--Richard Cosgrove argues that jurisprudence must return to its interdisciplinary roots and draw upon economics, politics, and sociology. In short, theory and practice must be recombined.
Electrodes modified with Nafion films incorporating amphiphilic ferrocene derivatives

Abstract The electrochemical behavior of electrodes modified with Nation® films containing several ferrocene derivatives was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The derivatives used were alkyldimethyl (methylferrocene) ammonium salts, where the alkyl group was methyl (1), heptyl (2), or hexadecyl (3). The rate of charge propagation across the Nafion film was found to decrease as the length of the alkyl chain increased. This finding was confirmed by rotating disk electrode experiments in which the Nafion-bound ferrocene derivatives mediated the oxidation of ferrocyanide ions in solution. On the other hand, the longer chain derivatives 2 and 3 were retained inside Nafion films more strongly (or for longer times than the methyl derivative 1. Therefore, 2 and 3are suited for use as electrochemical probes to monitor microenvironmental changes in the polyelectrolyte matrix resulting from the incorporation of other species. This was demonstrated using 3 as the probe and tetrabutylammonium ions as microenvironment modifiers.
Lymphohematopoietic cytokines in the female reproductive tract.

Abstract The past year has seen an avalanche in publications describing the synthesis of lymphohematopoietic cytokines by the uterus and placenta. Dissection of the particular contributions of these factors will require genetic as well as biochemical approaches. The major events of the year, therefore, were the identification and creation of mouse mutants that have provided novel insights into the roles of various cells and cytokines during gestation.
Metabolism of prostaglandin A II. Isolation, characterization, and synthesis of PGA1 renal metabolites

Abstract Since the renal cortex has recently been shown to be a major site of prostaglandin A1 (PGA1) metabolism, studies were undertaken to isolate and characterize the major metabolites. Homogenates of rabbit cortex (500g) were incubated with 3H-PGA1 (50mg) in the presence of NAD+ (50mg). Acidic lipid extracts were subjected to linear gradient silicic acid chromatography. Six radioactive peaks were recovered, of which peak 4 was unconverted PGA1. The major metabolites (1,3) were further subjected to reversed phase partition chromatography and TLC with and without silver nitrate. Three PGA1 analogs were then synthesized via oxidation of the secondary alcohol group at C-15 by manganese dioxide (15-keto-PGA1). The second compound was synthesized by hydrogenation of 15-keto-PGA1 (15-keto 13, 14-dihydro PGA1). The third compound (13, 14-dihydro PGA1) was obtained by direct catalytic hydrogenation of PGA1. Purification of these substances were achieved by a combination of silicic acid and thin layer chromatography. It was found that metabolite 1 cochromatographed on TLC (AgNO3) with synthesized 15-keto 13, 14-dihydro PGA1. Both compounds were 100 times less potent than PGA1 in lowering rat blood pressure. Metabolite 3 cochromatographed on TLC (AgNO3) with synthesized 13, 14-dihydro PGA1. Both were as potent as PGA1 in lowering rat blood pressure. Metabolites 1 and 3 absorbed UV at 221 nm but not at 280 nm following alkali treatment. These studies suggest that rabbit renal cortex metabolizes PGA1 to what appears to be biologically active 13, 14-dihydro PGA1 and biologically inactive 15-keto 13, 14-dihydro PGA1. It remains possible that the hypotensive effect of PGA1 is the result of its conversion to its biologically active 13, 14-dihydro derivative.
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy--technical considerations.

Since the advent of the laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the last 2 decades, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has evolved through advances in videoscopic technology, instrumentation, and surgical techniques. As surgeons have gained experience with the laparoscopic approach, conditions once considered contraindications to laparoscopic cholecystectomy, such as the inflammation of acute cholecystitis and common bile duct obstruction, are now frequently treated with MIS. The following serves as a review of the basic technique of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Brain Activation by Umami Substances via Gustatory and Visceral Signaling Pathways, and Physiological Significance

Monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) elicits a unique taste termed umami and is widely used as a flavor enhancer in a variety of cuisines. Recent studies suggest the existence of L-glutamate (GLU) receptors and its transduction molecules in the gut mucosa as well as in the oral cavity. The vagal gastric afferent fibers respond specifically to the luminal stimulation of GLU in the stomach. GLU administration in the stomach also activates several brain areas (insular cortex, basal ganglia, limbic system, and hypothalamus). Ingestion of MSG enhanced secretion of digestive juices and insulin. Spontaneous ingestion of an MSG solution at the most preferred concentration (1% (w/v)) reduced weight gain, fat deposition, and plasma leptin levels without affecting food intake, naso-anal length (an index of somatic development), and lean mass in rats. These results suggest that umami signaling via gustatory and visceral pathways may play an important role in the process of digestion, absorption, metabolism, and other physiological functions via activation of the brain.
A CdSe-CdTe thin-film transistor

Thin-film transistors were made on polycrystalline CdSe-CdTe semiconducting films prepared by flash evaporation of mixed CdSe and CdTe powders.
The analysis of pecan leaves by atomic absorption spectroscopy

Abstract The analysis of plant tissue, generally leaves, is considered to be an important step in diagnosing and confirming a mineral element deficiency. The mineral element status of the plant can be accurately measured by the analysis of plant tissue if the tissue is properly sampled. Tissue analysis is often the best indication for recommending fertilizer or supporting nutrient spray treatments. The development of a relatively fast and accurate method of analyzing plant tissue has been made possible with the advent of atomic absorption spectroscopic techniques.
A factor analysis of the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND).

Psychometric study of the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) provides insight into its structure and the dimensions of nicotine addiction it assesses. We evaluated the factor structure of the FTND in 541 research volunteers, most with histories of polysubstance use. Tetrachoric and phi correlation techniques were utilized and promax- and varimax-rotated solutions are reported. Two factors were found. Factor 1 was defined by questions regarding time to first cigarette in after waking, which cigarette is most preferred, and prominence of morning smoking. Factor 2 was defined by questions regarding difficulty refraining from smoking, amount smoked, and smoking while ill. The question "How soon on waking do you smoke your first cigarette?" loaded substantially on both Factor 2 and Factor 1. Repeating the analyses after stratification by gender did not change the results. The factor structure from our sample population was similar to results reported by previous studies with different types of populations. We propose that Factor 1 assesses the degree of urgency to restore nicotine levels to a given threshold after nighttime abstinence, whereas Factor 2 reflects the persistence with which nicotine levels are maintained at about that threshold during waking hours. Thus, the FTND may assess distinguishable self-reportable pharmacological dimensions of nicotine addiction. These two dimensions may provide indirect assessment of a smoker's daily nicotine intake. Testing this hypothesis requires correlation of biomarkers and responses to specific items of the FTND.
Role of Dynamin in the Formation of Transport Vesicles from the Trans-Golgi Network

Dynamin guanosine triphosphatases support the scission of clathrin-coated vesicles from the plasmalemma during endocytosis. By fluorescence microscopy of cultured rat hepatocytes, a green fluorescent protein-dynamin II fusion protein localized with clathrin-coated vesicles at the Golgi complex. A cell-free assay was utilized to demonstrate the role of dynamin in vesicle formation at the trans-Golgi. Addition of peptide-specific anti-dynamin antibodies to the assay mixture inhibited both constitutive exocytic and clathrin-coated vesicle formation. Immunodepletion of dynamin proteins also inhibited vesicle formation, and budding efficiency was restored upon readdition of purified dynamin. These data suggest that dynamin participates in the formation of distinct transport vesicles from the trans-Golgi network.
Epidemic dynamics at the human-animal interface

Few infectious diseases are entirely human-specific: Most human pathogens also circulate in animals or else originated in nonhuman hosts. Influenza, plague, and trypanosomiasis are classic examples of zoonotic infections that transmit from animals to humans. The multihost ecology of zoonoses leads to complex dynamics, and analytical tools, such as mathematical modeling, are vital to the development of effective control policies and research agendas. Much attention has focused on modeling pathogens with simpler life cycles and immediate global urgency, such as influenza and severe acute respiratory syndrome. Meanwhile, vector-transmitted, chronic, and protozoan infections have been neglected, as have crucial processes such as cross-species transmission. Progress in understanding and combating zoonoses requires a new generation of models that addresses a broader set of pathogen life histories and integrates across host species and scientific disciplines.
Exposure to Ribavirin Aerosol

Abstract The antiviral drug ribavirin is administered as an aerosolized mist via nasal and oral inhalation for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to highly compromised infants and young children. The excess aerosol is exhausted directly into the patient treatment room, potentially exposing anyone who enters. Since the drug has demonstrated teratogenic effects in animal toxicity studies, exposure of women of child-bearing age to ribavirin is contraindicated. The population at risk includes female physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, other hospital staff, and patient visitors (e.g., family members). In Phase One of this study, ribavirin aerosol was characterized with cascade impaction, revealing a mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of 1.0 mm. Ribavirin aerosol is produced by a Small Particle Aerosol Generator (Model SPAG-2). Changes in the SPAG-2 output concentration as a function of time and the corresponding changes in hospital treatment room air concentrations were evaluated. ...
Iterated Coleman integration for hyperelliptic curves

The Coleman integral is a p-adic line integral. Double Coleman integrals on elliptic curves appear in Kim’s nonabelian Chabauty method, the first numerical examples of which were given by the author, Kedlaya, and Kim [3]. This paper describes the algorithms used to produce those examples, as well as techniques to compute higher iterated integrals on hyperelliptic curves, building on previous joint work with Bradshaw and Kedlaya [2].
Stress-assisted isothermal martensitic transformation: Application to TRIP steels

Low-temperature plastic flow in TRIP steels has been found to be controlled by stress-assisted isothermal martensitic transformation. For these conditions, the thermodynamics and kinetic theory of martensitic transformations leads directly to constitutive relations predicting the dependence of flow stress on temperature, strain, strain-rate, and stress-state, consistent with the observed behavior of TRIP steels. Guidelines are obtained for the control of temperature sensitivity, σ -ɛ curve shape, and stress-state effects to achieve novel mechanical properties.
Language: the perspective from organismal biology

The evolution of language and its mechanisms has been a topic of intense speculation and debate, particularly considering the question of innate endowment. Modern biological sciences – neurobiology and neuroethology – have made great strides in understanding proximate and ultimate causes of behavior. These insights are generally ignored in the debate regarding linguistic knowledge, especially in the realm of syntax where core theoretical constructs have been proposed unconstrained by evolutionary biology. The perspective of organismal biology offers an approach to the study of language that is sensitive to its evolutionary context, a growing trend in other domains of cognitive science. The emergence of a research program in the comparative biology of syntax is one concrete example of this trend.
Flame Front Propagation in Nonsteady Hydrodynamic Fields

Abstract We show asymptotically and numerically that a constant-density flame will exhibit different geometrical shapes which depend on the flow time-scales. In particular, a frozen flow may yield a flame surface composed of bulges connected by cusps, whereas a pulsating flow may dampen the flame motion to the extent that only a flat, laminar flame surface will be possible. The cusp nature disappears when the eddy frequency becomes comparable to uLk, where uL is the laminar flame speed and k is a characteristic wave number of the flow. Flame shapes obtained with a sheet of laser light within a spark-ignited engine show a cusp nature only at low engine RPM, in agreement with the frequency criteria given above.
Does critical diversity pay in higher education? Race, gender, and departmental rankings in research universities

“Critical diversity” is the equal inclusion of people from varied backgrounds on a parity basis throughout all ranks and divisions of an organization. The critical diversity perspective argues that as organizations become more diverse, they benefit relative to their competitors. This is in contrast to other accounts that view diversity as either inconsequential to success or actually detrimental. Using data from the 2011 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Rankings of U.S. Research Universities, this paper examines whether racial and gender diversity “pay” in terms of the rankings of academic programs at research universities. The NAS data set consists of several indicators relating to research productivity, student support and outcomes, and program diversity from over 5000 doctoral programs at US research universities. The results show that net of factors such as publication rates, grants, scholarly awards, program size, region, and whether the institution is public or private, racial and gender diversity...
Electromagnetic wave backscattering across a magnetic field in a bounded plasma

The stimulated backscattering of electromagnetic ordinary waves from extraordinary waves propagating normal to a magnetic field in a plasma of finite length is studied. A pair of coupled differential equations for the amplitudes of the backscattered and scatterer waves is derived from Maxwell's equations and the moment equations for an inhomogeneous magnetized plasma. Solution of the coupled equations for a homogeneous plasma yields an expression for the growth rate of the absolute instability as a function of plasma length and damping rates of the product waves. The convective regime in which only spatial amplification occurs is discussed. A numerical study of the effects of the magnetic field on Raman and Brillouin backscattering is presented.
Optic nerve hypoplasia : Absence of posterior pituitary bright signal on magnetic resonance imaging correlates with diabetes insipidus

Purpose Magnetic resonance imaging has been used to examine children with optic nerve hypoplasia for pituitary abnormalities who may be at risk for anterior pituitary hormonal deficiencies. We correlated the sellar and optic pathway anatomic findings on magnetic resonance imaging in children with optic nerve hypoplasia with findings from their endocrinologic and ophthalmologic examinations to determine whether magnetic resonance imaging findings predict anterior and posterior pituitary dysfunction. Methods A retrospective review identified five children with optic nerve hypoplasia and endocrinopathy who also underwent high resolution volumetric magnetic resonance imaging. Results All children had severe bilateral optic nerve hypoplasia and anterior pituitary hormone deficiencies. Three children had no recognizable intrasellar or ectopic posterior pituitary bright spot on magnetic resonance imaging; all had clinical evidence of diabetes insipidus. Two patients with a recognizable but ectopic posterior pituitary did not have diabetes insipidus. Conclusion Children with optic nerve hypoplasia and no recognizable posterior lobe of the pituitary gland on magnetic resonance imaging are at risk for both anterior and posterior pituitary dysfunction, whereas those with a posterior lobe on magnetic resonance imaging appear to have intact posterior pituitary function.
Fetal-maternal metabolic fuel adaptations to caloric deprivation in human pregnancy

Although glucose is considered the sole metabolic fuel utilized by the fetus to meet its energy requirrements, induction of ketone-oxidizing enzymes in fetal brain tissue has recently been demonstrated in experimental animals fasted during pregnancy. The significance of such enzyme induction to fetal fuel economy is dependent ultimately on substrate availability. To examine the latter during caloric deprivation in human pregnancy, 14 physically healthy pregnant women (PW) undergoing theraputic abortion for pychiatric reasons during week 16–22 of gestation and 6 non-pregnant women (NP) were fasted for 84 hours. In PW, blood β-OH-butyrate and acetoacetate rose to 4.2 and 0.9 mM/L respectively, and were 2–3 fold higher than in NP for the first 60 hours of the fast. Throughout the fast plasma glucose was significantly lower (P < .005) in PW falling to 47 ± 1 mg%, 25% below NP levels. Maternal ketonemia and hypoglycemia influenced fetal substrate levels as reflected in amniotic fluid obtained at termination of the fast and from 11 additional non-fasted PW. Ketone acid levels in amniotic fluid increased 30–40 fold in fasted Pw to levels comparable to maternal blood (4–5 ,M/L); glucose levels in amniotic fluid in fasted PW (21 ± 1 mg%) were 40% below those in non-fasted PW (P < .001). In contrast, free fatty acid levels in amniotic fluid were not consistently increased by starvation though markedly elevated in maternal plasma. Conclusions: Pregnancy accelerates and exaggerates the ketogenic and hypoglycemic response to starvation. Increased ketone availability to the conceptus suggests that ketones become an important metabolic fuel for the fetus during maternal caloric deprivation.
Analytic relations for reconstructing piecewise linear interfaces in triangular and tetrahedral grids

In volume of fluid methods for interfacial flow simulations, one essential process is the so-called interface reconstruction, in which an approximate interface is reconstructed from a given discrete volume fraction field. In [J. Comput. Phys. 164 (2000) 228-237], Scardovelli and Zaleski presented analytical relations connecting linear interfaces and volume fractions in rectangular grids. Here, we present analytical relations connecting linear interfaces and volume fractions in triangular and tetrahedral grids. For computing the volume of fluid in an arbitrary polygonal or polyhedral fluid element, we also cite some of the most efficient formulas for polygon area and polyhedron volume computations. Simple test cases show that this analytic method of interface reconstruction is about 18 times faster than an iterative method in two dimensions, and four to six times faster in three dimensions. The results can be in general applied to other fields as well.
Sodium-calcium exchange in Purkinje fibers: Electrical and mechanical effects

The role of Na and Ca in the modulation of electrical and mechanical events was studied in canine cardiac Purkinje fibers perfused in vitro. The results show that: 1) A low Na-Ca solution (Na 80.8 mM, Ca 1.08) increased contractile force and shortened the action potential transiently; during the recovery, the force decreased below and increased transiently above control; the action potential lengthened transiently. 2) A low Na solution increased force and transiently shortened the action potential; during the recovery, the force transiently decreased and the action potential lengthened again. 3) A low Ca solution decreased force and prolonged the action potential; during the recovery, the force increased transiently and the action potential shortened. 4) In low Na-Ca solution, verapamil, manganese or a fast driving rate did not prevent the transient increase in force but in the steady state the force was lower. 5) If the low Na-Ca solution was begun during quiescence, resuming activity after one minute already resulted in a higher force. 6) Caffeine and high K decreased force but only caffeine markedly decreased the inotropic effects of low Na. 7) The initial increase in force was reversed in calcium-overloaded fibers. And 8) The Na-Ca ratio necessary to maintain force is smaller for Purkinje than myocardial fibers. It is concluded that a low Na-Ca solution increases force by increasing cellular calcium stores probably in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, that the maintenance of force is critically dependent on a smaller slow inward current, and that there are substantial differences between Purkinje and ventricular muscle fibers.
Crip Theory: Cultural Signs of Queerness and Disability

Foreword: Another Word Is Possible, by Michael Berube Acknowledgments Introduction: Compulsory Able-Bodiedness and Queer/Disabled Existence 1 Coming Out Crip: Malibu Is Burning 2 Capitalism and Disabled Identity: Sharon Kowalski, Interdependency, and Queer Domesticity 3 Noncompliance: The Transformation, Gary Fisher, and the Limits of Rehabilitation 4 Composing Queerness and Disability: The Corporate University and Alternative Corporealities 5 Crip Eye for the Normate Guy: Queer Theory, Bob Flanagan, and the Disciplining of Disability Studies Epilogue: Specters of Disability Notes Works Cited IndexAbout the Author
Partial Least Squares (PLS) Applied to Medical Bioinformatics

Abstract PLS initially creates uncorrelated latent variables which are linear combinations of the original input vectors Xi, where weights are used to determine linear combinations, which are proportional to the covariance. Secondly, a least squares regression is then performed on the subset of extracted latent variables that lead to a lower and biased variance on transformed data. This process, leads to a lower variance estimate of the regression coefficients when compared to the Ordinary Least Squares regression approach. Classical Principal Component Analysis (PCA), linear PLS and kernel ridge regression (KRR) techniques are well known shrinkage estimators designed to deal with multi- collinearity, which can be a serious problem. That is, multi-collinearity can dramatically influence the effectiveness of a regression model by changing the values and signs of estimated regression coefficients given different but similar data samples, thereby leading to a regression model which represents training data reasonably well, but generalizes poorly to validation and test data. We explain how to address these problems, which is followed by performing a PLS hypotheses driven preliminary research study and sensitivities analysis by not doing a combinatorial analysis as PLS will eliminate the unnecessary variables using a microarray colon cancer data set. Research studies as well as preliminary results are described in the results section.
Slipping sideways into the dreams of women: The female dream work of power feminism in Margaret Atwood's the robber bride

(1995). Slipping sideways into the dreams of women: The female dream work of power feminism in Margaret Atwood's the robber bride. Lit: Literature Interpretation Theory: Vol. 6, Margaret Atwood, pp. 149-166.
Brightness contrast in the cat

Using both the method of paired comparisons and the method of constant stimuli, degree of brightness contrast was determined for two cats. Brightness contrast varied with relative luminance of various parts of the stimulus configuration in a manner comparable to that found in human Ss; brightness constancy was not obtained. The data indicate a fixed, nonadaptive basic visual process rather than a cognitive or adaptive perceptual constancy.
Magnetic resonance imaging: A reliable test for the evaluation of proximal atherosclerotic renal arterial stenosis

Abstract Symptomatic renal artery stenosis is a significant and treatable clinical problem. A reliable and accurate noninvasive method of screening for renal artery stenosis has not yet been found. We used magnetic resonance imaging to study 37 patients who had undergone recent renal angiography. Fourteen patients had normal renal arteries by angiography. In 23 patients either unilateral or bilateral stenosis or occlusion was present. The disease process in all patients appeared to be atherosclerosis. The average age of the 37 patients was 68 years. The magnetic resonance scans and angiograms were read independently by two different radiologists, each of whom was blinded to the clinical history and the results of the other study. Renal arterial stenoses found on angiogram and magnetic resonance scans were graded as absent (0% to 24%), mild (25% to 49%), moderate (50% to 74%), or severe (75% to 99%). The magnetic resonance imaging results concurred with the angiographic findings in 70 of 77 arteries (91%). Magnetic resonance imaging predicted the presence of a greater than 50% stenosis of the renal artery with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 94%. Magnetic resonance imaging may prove to be the best noninvasive screening test for proximal atherosclerotic renal arterial stenosis. (J VASC SURG 1991;13:311-8.)
Acid amplifiers: proton transfer or direct acid formation

Acid Amplifiers (AA) such as tosylate protected diols are additives to chemically amplified resist (CA) which can generate additional acid during postexposebake. The primary acid formed from the photoacid generator (PAG) induces further acid formation in a 'dark reaction' by the acidolysis of the tosylate acid amplifier. Gains of 2 to 10X in photospeed have been reported by the addition of AA. We have investigated tosylate and camphor sulfonate pinane diols as acid amplifiers in a ketal (KRS-XE) polyhydroxystyrene (PHS) based CA resist and found gains in DUV photospeed or for electron beam exposures. The acid amplifiers gave speed increases of a 1.5 - 2X when used in excess of 2 - 5X mole % of the primary acid generator of triphenylsulfonium triflate. The acid from the AA additive can also be formed directly by the irradiation of the AA in the film. This occurs primarily by the sensitization by the phenolic portion of PHS. The pinanediol tosylate alone was not as efficient as acid source as the triphenylsulfonium PAG. The acid amplifiers also showed thermal lability in the PHS resist film to directly form acid in baking > 100 C. Thus, the host polymer in this case of PHS can affect both the sensitivity and thermal stability of the added acid amplifier. The considerations of the design and use of AA should weigh the thermal stability of the AA, the strength of acid formed from the primary AG, the direct formation of acid from irradiation of the AA, and the strength of the acid produced from the acid amplifier.
Hall and field-effect mobilities in few layered p -WSe 2 field-effect transistors

Here, we present a temperature (T) dependent comparison between field-effect and Hall mobilities in field-effect transistors based on few-layered WSe2 exfoliated onto SiO2. Without dielectric engineering and beyond a T-dependent threshold gate-voltage, we observe maximum hole mobilities approaching 350 cm2/Vs at T = 300 K. The hole Hall mobility reaches a maximum value of 650 cm2/Vs as T is lowered below ~150 K, indicating that insofar WSe2-based field-effect transistors (FETs) display the largest Hall mobilities among the transition metal dichalcogenides. The gate capacitance, as extracted from the Hall-effect, reveals the presence of spurious charges in the channel, while the two-terminal sheet resistivity displays two-dimensional variable-range hopping behavior, indicating carrier localization induced by disorder at the interface between WSe2 and SiO2. We argue that improvements in the fabrication protocols as, for example, the use of a substrate free of dangling bonds are likely to produce WSe2-based FETs displaying higher room temperature mobilities, i.e. approaching those of p-doped Si, which would make it a suitable candidate for high performance opto-electronics.
Making a pragmatic choice for fluid resuscitation in critically ill patients.

One of the oldest debates in medicine is whether patients with hypovolemic shock should be resuscitated with colloids (eg, albumin or hydroxyethyl starch [HES]) or crystalloids (eg, normal saline or Ringer lactate). Despite thousands of patients enrolled in trials of alternative fluid strategies, consensus remains elusive and practice is widely variable.1,2 The argument for colloids is that, because they rely on oncotic pressure gradients created by their suspension of large molecular weight protein or starch, they selectively expand the intravascular space.3 In contrast, crystalloids, which rely on the osmotic gradients of their solutes, equilibrate more rapidly across intra- and extravascular spaces. Thus, to achieve similar restoration of blood volume, more volume of crystalloid may be necessary, with unwanted excess edema.4 However, shock states, such as sepsis, induce endothelial leaking with extravasation of protein and other large molecules,5 which undermines the theoretical advantage of colloids. Furthermore, colloids are considerably more expensive; human-derived colloids, such as albumin, carry theoretical risks of infection; and the large molecule proteins and starches may have unwanted immunogenic effects.4 Some starches also appear to cause renal injury.6
Glucosyl transfer by beta-thioglucosidase☆

Abstract The β-thioglucosidase of black mustard, Brassica nigra, has been shown to carry out the transfer of a d -glucopyranosyl residue to an acceptor other than water. This appears to be the first reported example of transglycosylation catalyzed by a thioglucosidase system. The enzyme was partially purified by salt fractionation and the conditions determined for the hydrolysis of the donor substrate. p-Nitrophenyl-β- d -glucopyranoside was used as the glucosyl donor and glycerol as the acceptor molecule. The enzymatically synthesized glucoside was identified as 1-glyceryl-β- d -glucopyranoside. Thus it appears that the transglucosylation reaction has taken place with overall retention of the configuration of the donor molecule.
Enabling Future Packaging Innovation Through New Materials

DuPont is a leading global supplier of materials used in the manufacture of a broad array of electronic components spanning from semiconductors to plasma display panels and photovoltaic modules. We are a science company with very diverse capabilities and a strong heritage of innovation in high performance materials. DuPont's newest innovations in dielectric materials and embedded passives will enable next generation IC substrates and modules by offering continued form factor reduction and electrical performance improvement. Newer extensions of dry film photoresist, polyimide, cleaners and other material technologies offer "One DuPont" solutions to future wafer level and 3D TSV packaging. Novel new thermal substrates enable packaging of high power devices for LED lighting, hybrid vehicles and photovoltaics. Across these different applications are increasingly more demanding electrical, thermal, mechanical and environmental performance requirements on new materials. At DuPont we see these as excellent opportunities to exploit our existing broad technology toolbox in polymers, ceramics, dispersions, coatings and films together with newer areas, in particular nanotechnology.
Sensitivity Analysis for the Cross-Match Test, With Applications in Genomics

The cross-match test is an exact, distribution-free test of no treatment effect on a high-dimensional outcome in a randomized experiment. The test uses optimal nonbipartite matching to pair 2I subjects into I pairs based on similar outcomes, and the cross-match statistic A is the number of times that a treated subject was paired with a control, rejecting for small values of A. If the test is applied in an observational study in which treatments are not randomly assigned, then it may be comparing treated and control subjects who are not comparable, and thus may falsely reject a true null hypothesis of no treatment effect. We develop a sensitivity analysis for the cross-match test and apply it in an observational study of the effects of smoking on gene expression levels. In addition, we develop a sensitivity analysis for several multiple testing procedures using the cross-match test and apply it to 1627 molecular function categories in Gene Ontology.
Flood tide transport of blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, postlarvae: Behavioral responses to salinity and turbulence

Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) postlarvae (megalopae) use flood tide transport to move upstream in estuaries during nocturnal flood tides. The megalopae have a endogenous diel rhythm in activity that is inconsistent with this tidally timed behavior. Thus, it is hypothesized that this behavior is regulated by behavioral changes in response to exogenous cues associated with tidal currents. In a laboratory flow tank, blue crab megalopae were exposed to simultaneous changes in salinity and turbulence to simulate tides in an estuary. On simulated flood tides, megalopae ascended upon exposure to a salinity increase, remained swimming during times of high turbulence, and descended at times of low turbulence. Turbulence stimulated swimming for several hours, approximating the duration of tidal currents in estuaries. Swimming was inhibited by decreasing salinity on simulated ebb tides. These results support a model for regulation of flood tide transport by blue crab megalopae as follows: (1) blue crab megalopae are stimulated to swim into the water column by increasing salinity associated with flood tide; (2) megalopae remain swimming during flood tide in response to high levels of turbulence; (3) megalopae descend at the end of flood tide, when current speed and turbulence decline to low levels; and (4) megalopae are inhibited from swimming on ebb tides by the associated salinity decrease. This is the first model for regulation of flood tide transport in a species lacking a tidal rhythm in activity.
Air-Combat Strategy Using Approximate Dynamic Programming

Unmanned aircraft systems have the potential to perform many of the dangerous missions currently flown by manned aircraft, yet the complexity of some tasks, such as air combat, have precluded unmanned aircraft systems from successfully carrying out these missions autonomously. This paper presents a formulation of a level-flight fixed-velocity one-on-one air-combat maneuvering problem and an approximate dynamic programming approach for computing an efficient approximation of the optimal policy. In the version of the problem formulation considered, the aircraft learning the optimal policy is given a slight performance advantage. This approximate dynamic programming approach provides a fast response to a rapidly changing tactical situation, long planning horizons, and good performance, without explicit coding of air-combat tactics. The method's success is due to extensive feature development, reward shaping, and trajectory sampling. An accompanying fast and effective rollout-based policy extraction method is used to accomplish online implementation. Simulation results are provided that demonstrate the robustness of the method against an opponent, beginning from both offensive and defensive situations. Flight results are also presented using unmanned aircraft systems flown at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's real-time indoor autonomous vehicle test environment.
TALB: A Traffic-Aware Load Balancer for Throughput Improvement in Wireless Mesh Networks

In this paper we design, implement and evaluate a practical flow-based routing architecture for WMNs, called TALB, which exploits traffic measurements to balance traffic load over available mesh paths and gateways. To achieve throughput enhancements while mitigating inter-flow interference, TALB implements a \emph{Constrained Maximal Bottleneck Path} computation algorithm to maximize the bottleneck capacity of the paths used to reach the Internet, while preserving a given degree of traffic locality. The distinctive aspect of our proposed scheme is that it relies on a traffic-aware definition of residual link capacities to properly take into account the heterogeneity of Internet applications (e.g., inelastic vs. elastic traffic) and their service requirements (e.g., fixed vs. adaptive demands). Then, each mesh node monitors the main features of long-lived traffic flows, and reports such information to a network manager, which decides upon the sub-optimal paths to allocate to each new session. Tests performed in a 10-node wireless mesh testbed show that TALB provides remarkably throughput gains over nearest gateway strategies in case of mixed TCP and UDP traffic scenarios, or low to moderate load conditions.