cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EM-based segmentation-driven color standardization of digitized histopathology

The development of tools for the processing of color images is often complicated by nonstandardness – the notion that different image regions corresponding to the same tissue will occupy different ranges in the color spectrum. In digital pathology (DP), these issues are often caused by variations in slide thickness, staining, scanning parameters, and illumination. Nonstandardness can be addressed via standardization, a pre-processing step that aims to improve color constancy by realigning color distributions of images to match that of a predefined template image. Unlike color normalization methods, which aim to scale (usually linearly or assuming that the transfer function of the system is known) the intensity of individual images, standardization is employed to align distributions in broad tissue classes (e.g. epithelium, stroma) across different DP images irrespective of institution, protocol, or scanner. Intensity standardization has previously been used for addressing the issue of intensity drift in MRI images, where similar tissue regions have different image intensities across scanners and patients. However, this approach is a global standardization (GS) method that aligns histograms of entire images at once. By contrast, histopathological imagery is complicated by the (a) additional information present in color images and (b) heterogeneity of tissue composition. In this paper, we present a novel color Expectation Maximization (EM) based standardization (EMS) scheme to decompose histological images into independent tissue classes (e.g. nuclei, epithelium, stroma, lumen) via the EM algorithm and align the color distributions for each class independently. Experiments are performed on prostate and oropharyngeal histopathology tissues from 19 and 26 patients, respectively. Evaluation methods include (a) a segmentation-based assessment of color consistency in which normalized median intensity (NMI) is calculated from segmented regions across a dataset and (b) a quantitative measure of histogram alignment via mean landmark distance. EMS produces lower NMI standard deviations (i.e. greater consistency) of 0.0054 and 0.0034 for prostate and oropharyngeal cohorts, respectively, than unstandardized (0.034 and 0.026) and GS (0.031 and 0.017) approaches. Similarly, we see decreased mean landmark distance for EMS (2.25 and 4.20) compared to both unstandardized (54.8 and 27.3) and GS (27.1 and 8.8) images. These results suggest that the separation of broad tissue classes in EMS is vital to the standardization of DP imagery and subsequent development of computerized image analysis tools.
Slowing of Cortical Somatosensory Evoked Activity by Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol and Dimethylheptylpyran in Alpha-Chloralose-Anesthetized Cats

Somatosensory and visual evoked potentials in the classical afferent primary pathways in cats anesthetized with α-chloralose were studied in order to characterize the effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the synthetic analog, dimethylheptylpyran (DMHP) on central sensory processing. THC and DMHP slowed primary cortical responses to radial nerve or ventralis posterolateralis (VPL) stimulation in a dose dependent manner. THC did not alter VPL activity evoked by radial nerve stimulation. Amplitude of the primary somatic response was depressed at the 4 mg/kg dose. Responses of visual cortex and lateral geniculate nucleus, evoked by stimulation of optic chiasm, were unchanged at the doses studied However, the nonmodality-specific response of the anterior marginal association cortex to stimulation of either modality was depressed by THC. Data suggest the association cortex which exhibits sensory convergence was most sensitive to the effects of THC. Findings were consistent with a thalamocortical site of action for THC. DMHP produced similar effects and was more potent.
Temporal and Anatomic Risk Profile of Brain Injury With Neonatal Repair of Congenital Heart Defects

Background and Purpose— Brain injury is common in newborns with congenital heart disease (CHD) requiring neonatal surgery. The purpose of this study is to define the risk factors for preoperative and postoperative brain injuries and their association with functional cardiac anatomic groups. Methods— Sixty-two neonates with CHD were studied with preoperative MRI, and 53 received postoperative scans. Clinical and therapeutic characteristics were compared in newborns with and without newly acquired brain injuries. A subset of 16 consecutive patients was monitored with intraoperative cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy. Results— Brain injury was observed in 56% of patients. Preoperative brain injury, seen in 39%, was most commonly stroke and was associated with balloon atrial septostomy (P=0.002). Postoperative brain injury, seen in 35%, was most commonly white matter injury and was particularly common in neonates with single-ventricle physiology and aortic arch obstruction (P=0.001). Risk factors associated ...
Weakly Pseudoconvex Domains with Non-Compact Automorphism Groups

The purpose of this paper is to prove a uniform extendibility result for sequences of biholomorphic mappings between weakly pseudoconvex domains. Suppose that f21 and 02 are bounded weakly pseudoconvex domains in {E" with real analytic boundaries and suppose that {fi} is a sequence of biholomorphic mappings J~ : I2t--,O2 which converges to a holomorphic mapping f of ~2~ into the closure of 122. (We remark that a strictly pseudoconvex domain is not a weakly pseudoconvex domain.) Cartan's Theorem states that either f is a biholomorphic map of f2~ onto 02, or f is a mapping of f21 into the boundary of f22. We shall prove that, in either case, there exists a domain D which contains 121 together with all the strictly pseudoconvex boundary points of f2x such that each of the mappings f~ extend to be hoIomorphic on D. Furthermore, the limit map fextends holomorphically to D and the sequence {fi} converges uniformly on compact subsets of D to f. It is interesting to note that the corresponding statement for a sequence of maps between strictly pseudoconvex domains with real analytic boundaries is not true. Indeed, if I21 is strictly pseudoconvex and the limit map f maps into bf22, then both O t and I22 are biholomorphic to the ball by Wong's theorem. In this situation, if the inverse mappings Fi =f~-1 also converge, then there is an open set D which contains the closure of O1 minus a single point in bf21 to which all the f~ extend, and the sequence f~ converges uniformly on compact subsets of D to f. If no assumption is made about the convergence of the inverses, then the maps./~ need not converge uniformly up to the boundary near any boundary point of O1. When f21 and 02 are assumed to be weakly pseudoconvex, and therefore not biholomorphic to the ball, the assumption about the convergence of the inverse maps is not needed.
An empirical assessment of the financial performance of Malcolm Baldrige Award winners

The Malcolm Baldrige Award was created in 1987 to curtail the US loss of market share to foreign producers and to encourage a focus on management of quality and customer satisfaction. However, since its inception there has been a long‐running controversy on whether winning this award does enhance future financial performance and ultimately shareholders' wealth. Examines how Baldrige Award winners perform with respect to several accounting and financial metrics. Specifically, assesses Baldrige Award winners' financial performance relative to industry benchmarks and a control group of similar firms. The results suggest that award winners are superior financial performers and are valued higher by investors compared with similar sized firms and industry benchmarks. However, no evidence was found that winning the award causes changes in firm value in the award year and subsequent years. The results suggest that the Baldrige Award winners are examples of firms that stand out as performance leaders in their industries. Since one of the purposes of the award is to stimulate quality awareness among US firms, the Baldrige recipients may be construed as a conspicuous centerpiece of the US quality management movement.
PATHOLOGY OF THE AORTA OF CHICKS FED A COPPER-DEFICIENT DIET.

Abstract Day-old chicks were fed normal and copper-deficient diets for 6 weeks. Approximately 50% of the birds on the deficient diet died of hemorrhages. The principal pathologic alteration found in the syndrome was elastic fiber degeneration of the aorta. According to electron microscopy, elastic fiber degeneration occurred in three steps. Initially, there was swelling of elastic fibrils and increased electron density of involved elastic fibers. Secondly, there was partial dissolution of the matrix portion of elastic fibers so that they had a vacuolated pattern. The last retrograde stage consisted of complete dissolution of the matrix with persistence of naked, twisted, swollen elastic fibrils. Degeneration of elastic fibers originated in the periphery and eventually extended to the central area.
Influence of Aging and Temperature on Intrinsic Healing of Asphalt Binders

It is well recognized that asphalt binders have the ability to self-heal or reverse microdamage during rest periods between load cycles. The ability of an asphalt mixture to self-heal depends on the physical and chemical properties of the asphalt binder, mixture properties, magnitude of damage before the rest period, and external conditions such as temperature. A thorough understanding of the healing mechanism is required to develop a comprehensive damage model that accounts for both fracture and healing on the basis of material properties and external factors such as temperature. Previous studies have hypothesized that healing was a two-step process comprising microcrack closing, referred to as crack wetting, and strength gain, referred to as intrinsic healing. Intrinsic healing or strength gain was further demonstrated to be the sum of two components: instantaneous strength gain immediately on wetting and time-dependent strength gain. A test method using the dynamic shear rheometer was developed to meas...
Phototropins 1 and 2: versatile plant blue-light receptors

Blue and ultraviolet-A light regulate a wide range of responses in plants, including phototropism, chloroplast migration and stomatal opening. However, the photoreceptors for these light responses have been identified only recently. The phototropins (phot1 and phot2) represent a new class of receptor kinases that appear to be exclusive to plants. Recent genetic analysis has shown that phot1 and phot2 exhibit partially overlapping functions in mediating phototropism, chloroplast migration, and stomatal opening in Arabidopsis. Although significant progress has been made in understanding the early photochemical and biochemical events that follow phototropin excitation, the details of how this excitation activates such different responses remain to be elucidated.
WASTE MINIMIZATION CONCEPTS APPLIED TO OIL SPILL RESPONSE

ABSTRACT Lessons learned from past U.S. oil spill response histories show that prudent waste management principles have not been a primary consideration in making decisions for tactical response to major open-water oil spills. Contingency planners (government and industry) consistently choose a mechanical response strategy usually resulting in significant shoreline impact and waste generation (secondary pollution from response actions). Generally, the Environmental Protection Agency's waste minimization hierarchy is not used when managing a major open-water oil spill, subsequent cleanup of oiled shorelines, response to oiled wildlife, and final disposal of oily waste. Contingency plans do not adequately weigh the ecological ramifications from response-generated waste and response-generated pollution when deciding how to protect the environment. This paper shows how the EPA's waste minimization hierarchy should be used during all phases of an oil spill response: strategic planning, tactical planning, and r...
A method for the biological preparation of deuterium-labeled cholesterol from the hen's egg.

SummaryA simple, relatively inexpensive method for the biological preparation of deuterium-labeled cholesterol from hen's eggs has been described. The daily incorporation and subsequent disappearance of the deuterium into the cholesterol has been followed.
Application of Spherical Statistics to Change Vector Analysis of Landsat Data: Southern Appalachian Spruce–Fir Forests

Abstract This study sought to develop a modified change vector analysis (CVA) using normalized multidate data from Landsat TM to examine spruce–fir ecosystems. The introduction of the balsam woolly adelgid ( Adelges piceae ) to the Great Smoky Mountains in the late 1950s resulted in widespread mortality of Fraser fir ( Abies fraseri ), prompting the need for research on disturbance and regeneration. Drawing from methods in spherical statistics, the extended CVA technique measured absolute angular changes and total magnitude of Tasseled Cap indices (brightness, greenness, and wetness). Polar plots and spherical statistics summarized change vectors to quantify and visualize both magnitude and direction of change. Results separated vectors for forest stands by extent and time interval since infestation, as found along the crest of Smokies Range. Changes in the greenness–wetness plane improved prediction of fir class more than brightness–greenness change. Linear discriminant functions found that magnitude and vector angles combined to predict change class 72% correct with three classes and 57% correct in six spruce-fir classes. The technique demonstrates the ability of change vectors in multiple biophysical dimensions to differentiate forest disturbance and regeneration trends as an alternative to nominal forest or land cover classifications. Introduction High elevation conifer forests in the Southern Appalachians are one of the rarest and most endangered forest types in the eastern United States, encompassing only c. 100 km 2 of which 75% is contained within Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Saunders, 1979; White et al., 1993) . These ecosystems, which are dominated by red spruce ( Picea rubens ) and Fraser fir ( Abies fraseri ), have been impacted by a number of human actions in recent decades, the most serious of which has been the introduction of the balsam woolly adelgid ( Adelges piceae ) in the 1950s. Adelgid-caused mortality of mature Fraser firs has surpassed 90% on some mountains (e.g., Mount Mitchell and Mount Collins; Eagar, 1984; Busing et al., 1988; Smith and Nicholas, 1999 ), and the wave of tree deaths has in turn affected avi-faunal communities (e.g., Alsop and Laughlin, 1991; Rabenold et al., 1998 ).
Investigating phenological changes using MODIS vegetation indices in deciduous broadleaf forest over continental U.S. during 2000-2008

Abstract Vegetation phenology describing the seasonal cycle of plants is currently one of the main concerns in the study of climate change and carbon balance estimation in ecosystems. Remote sensing techniques which can capture canopy reflectance allow vegetation photosynthetic capacity to be assessed. In this study, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and Leaf Area Index (LAI) derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) measurements were used to identify onset date of greenness in deciduous broadleaf forest (DBF) over the continental United States from year 2000 to 2008. Onset dates determined by these three indices were compared with North American First Leaf Lilac Phenology Data over the same time period. NDVI has a best agreement with the field data among the three vegetation indices. Spatial analysis was performed on the onset dates predicted with NDVI. Four major conclusions were drawn from this study are: 1) onset dates are not only dependent on latitude but also associated with ecoregions and altitudes; 2) onset of greenness moves northward gradually and the average change of onset dates along latitude is about 3 days per degree. Interannual variability of onset dates is greater at higher latitudes (> 43 °N) than at lower latitudes (≤ 43 °N); 3) at the same latitude, DBF in mountain area tends to green up latter and coastal forest tends to green up earlier than other ecoregions; and 4) the impact of altitude is more obvious when the range of elevation achieves more than 1000 m. These conclusions provide insight for assessing vegetation indices in determining onset date of greenness at regional scale, and can be exploited to analyze the impacts of climate change on terrestrial ecosystem.
COMPARISON OF CONSENSUS METHODS FOR PRIORITY RANKING PROBLEMS

Various consensus methods proposed for ranking problems yield controversial rankings and/or tied rankings which are vulnerable to considerable dispute. These include Borda-Kendall (BK) and minimum-variance (MV) methods. This paper compares three continuous (ratio-scale) consensus scoring methods with BK and MV ranking methods. One method, termed GM, is an eigenvector scaling of the geometric-mean consensus matrix. GM allows for (1) paired-comparison voting inputs (as opposed to all-at-once ranking), (2) pick-the-winner preference voting, and (3) ratio-scale preference voting. GM is relatively simple to calculate on small computers or calculators, and merging of “close” candidates into tied rankings can be achieved by using an e-threshold tie rule discussed in this paper. The GM method thus can be used for paired-comparison voting to calculate both a ratio-scaled consensus index (based on a consensus eigenvector) and a ranking of candidates that allows for ties between “close” candidates. Eigenvalue analysis is used as a means of evaluating voter inconsistencies.
Psychological features affecting valuation of life

Abstract Economists have studied a variety of consumer, technological and workplace hazards to determine the value of life. These studies have produced widely divergent results. This paper investigates whether or not cognitive characteristics of different hazards may explain part of the diversity. Our findings are that while catastrophic hazards such as nuclear accidents engender heightened psychological fear and a high willingness-to-pay to reduce risks, the same is not true for more everyday hazards. Small sample size and dubious source data may be responsible for this counter-intuitive result, which suggests there is a need for additional joint work by psychologists and economists.
Aspirin alone or combined with nadroparin did not increase live birth rates in women with unexplained recurrent miscarriage

Source Citation Kaandorp SP, Goddijn M, van der Post JA, et al. Aspirin plus heparin or aspirin alone in women with recurrent miscarriage. N Engl J Med. 2010;362:1586-96. 20335572
Tuning magnesium sensitivity of BK channels by mutations.

Intracellular Mg2+ at physiological concentrations activates mSlo1 BK channels by binding to a metal-binding site in the cytosolic domain. Previous studies suggest that residues E374, Q397, and E399 are important in Mg2+ binding. In the present study, we show that mutations of E374 or E399 to other amino acids, except for Asp, abolish Mg2+ sensitivity. These results further support that the side chains of E374 and E399 are essential for Mg2+ coordination. To the contrary, none of the Q397 mutations abolishes Mg2+ sensitivity, suggesting that its side chain may not coordinate to Mg2+. However, because Q397 is spatially close to E374 and E399, its mutations affect the Mg2+ sensitivity of channel gating by either reducing or increasing the Mg2+ binding affinity. The pattern of mutational effects and the effect of chemical modification of Q397C indicate that Q397 is involved in the Mg2+-dependent activation of BK channels and that mutations of Q397 alter Mg2+ sensitivity by affecting the conformation of the Mg2+ binding site as well as by electrostatic interactions with the bound Mg2+ ion.
Ferroelectric and Structural Properties of the Pb(Sc1/2Nb1/2)1-x,Tix,O3 System

Extensive solid solution was observed in the system Pb(Sc1/2/,Nb1/2,)1-x,Tix,O3. In the range 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.425 a rhombohedral ferroelectric phase was stable at 25° C. In the range 0.45 ≤ x ≤ 1.00 a tetragonal ferroelectric phase was stable at this temperature. The phase diagram of the system below 500° C strongly resembles that of PbZrO3−PbTiO3. The compound Pb(Sc1/2Nb1/2)O3 exhibited rhombohedral perovskite cell symmetry below the ferroelectric ↔ paraelectric transition temperature, and the angle a was acute. The radial coupling coefficient was 0.46 for the composition Sc1/2Nb1/2)0.575Ti0.4250O3. At 25°C this composition consisted primarily of the rhombohedral phase with a small amount of the tetragonal phase present. The ferroelectric ↔ paraelectric transition occurred over a temperature range in the rhombohedral phase field. The spontaneous polarization was finite at temperatures considerably above the temperature of the permittivity maximum for a given rhombohedral solid solution.
Wafer-scale uniformity of vertical-cavity lasers grown by modified phase-locked epitaxy technique

By using discrete 180° substrate rotations during phase-locked growth of vertical-cavity laser diodes, 1.5% uniformity of lasing wavelength has been achieved over a 50 mm wafer. For 30 × 30 μm2 devices, the threshold current distribution is 18 ± 4 mA, and the peak CW power distribution is 5 ± 3 mW.
Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando By Richard E. Foglesong. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2001. 251p. $27.95.

This account of the development of Walt Disney World in Florida is an engaging contribution to the growing literature on tourism and urban politics. The many pleasures of reading this book include learning that Disney World was initially slated for St. Louis, that Henry Kissinger declared that Epcot would enhance world peace more than this shuttle diplomacy, that Disney prepared a proposal for a HUD planning grant for Disney World, and that even Walt Disney thought that Disneyland Anaheim was tacky. Foglesong meticulously details more than three decades of negotiations among the Walt Disney corporate conglomerate, the city of Orlando, and Orange and Osceola counties in Florida over the location and development of Walt Disney World and its spinoff theme parks. Not surprisingly, the Mouse wins most of the battles.
LITE aerosol retrievals revisited in support of CALIPSO and GLAS

The Lidar In-space Technology Experiment (LITE) shuttle mission demonstrated that spaceborne lidar offers an effective means for detecting the spatial features of significant regional aerosol concentrations resulting, for example, from Saharan dust, African and South American biomass burning, urban plumes and the like. Quantitative retrievals of aerosol backscatter and extinction profiles have also been obtained from the LITE 532 nm data using initial LITE calibrations and preliminary assumptions/modeling constraints regarding the aerosol extinction-to-backscatter ratio, S/sub a/, or auxiliary transmittance information. Two upcoming satellite lidar missions, GLAS (Geoscience Laser Altimeter System) and CALIPSO(Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations) have provided impetus for continued analysis of LITE data as a testbed for developing and validating improved aerosol retrieval approaches for these satellite missions. This paper presents updated LITE aerosol retrievals, including uncertainty assessments, enabled by revised calibration approaches (including the 1064 nm channel) and techniques/models for reducing the range in S/sub a/ values assumed for the retrievals.
Carbon-13 n.m.r. studies of purines and 8-azapurines in basic aqueous medium

The 13C n.m.r. spectra of a variety of purines and 8-azapurines have been studied in aqueous basic medium; the shifts were measured using dioxane as reference, and corrected to the TMS scale. The compounds studied include adenine, hypoxanthine, 6-mercaptopurine, guanine, xanthine, 8-azaadenine, 8-azahypoxanthine, 8-azaguanine, 8-azaxanthine, and 2-thio-8-azaxanthine. Resonances were assigned using noise-decoupling, selective deuteration at the 8-position of purines, and coupled spectra. The general effect of changing from a purine to its 8-aza analog is to produce a downfield shift of C-2, C-5, and C-6 and an upfield shift of C-4.
Noninvasive Transcranial Focal Stimulation Via Tripolar Concentric Ring Electrodes Lessens Behavioral Seizure Activity of Recurrent Pentylenetetrazole Administrations in Rats

Epilepsy affects approximately 1% of the world population. Antiepileptic drugs are ineffective in approximately 30% of patients and have side effects. We have been developing a noninvasive transcranial focal electrical stimulation with our novel tripolar concentric ring electrodes as an alternative/complementary therapy for seizure control. In this study we demonstrate the effect of focal stimulation on behavioral seizure activity induced by two successive pentylenetetrazole administrations in rats. Seizure onset latency, time of the first behavioral change, duration of seizure, and maximal seizure severity score were studied and compared for focal stimulation treated (n = 9) and control groups (n = 10). First, we demonstrate that no significant difference was found in behavioral activity for focal stimulation treated and control groups after the first pentylenetetrazole administration. Next, comparing first and second pentylenetetrazole administrations, we demonstrate there was a significant change in behavioral activity (time of the first behavioral change) in both groups that was not related to focal stimulation. Finally, we demonstrate focal stimulation provoking a significant change in seizure onset latency, duration of seizure, and maximal seizure severity score. We believe that these results, combined with our previous reports, suggest that transcranial focal stimulation may have an anticonvulsant effect.
PDGF, TGF-β, and Heterotypic Cell–Cell Interactions Mediate Endothelial Cell–induced Recruitment of 10T1/2 Cells and Their Differentiation to a Smooth Muscle Fate

We aimed to determine if and how endothelial cells (EC) recruit precursors of smooth muscle cells and pericytes and induce their differentiation during vessel formation. Multipotent embryonic 10T1/2 cells were used as presumptive mural cell precursors. In an under-agarose coculture, EC induced migration of 10T1/2 cells via platelet-derived growth factor BB. 10T1/2 cells in coculture with EC changed from polygonal to spindle-shaped, reminiscent of smooth muscle cells in culture. Immunohistochemical and Western blot analyses were used to examine the expression of smooth muscle (SM)-specific markers in 10T1/2 cells cultured in the absence and presence of EC. SM-myosin, SM22α, and calponin proteins were undetectable in 10T1/2 cells cultured alone; however, expression of all three SM-specific proteins was significantly induced in 10T1/2 cells cocultured with EC. Treatment of 10T1/2 cells with TGF-β induced phenotypic changes and changes in SM markers similar to those seen in the cocultures. Neutralization of TGF-β in the cocultures blocked expression of the SM markers and the shape change. To assess the ability of 10T1/2 cells to contribute to the developing vessel wall in vivo, prelabeled 10T1/2 cells were grown in a collagen matrix and implanted subcutaneously into mice. The fluorescently marked cells became incorporated into the medial layer of developing vessels where they expressed SM markers. These in vitro and in vivo observations shed light on the cell–cell interactions that occur during vessel development, as well as in pathologies in which developmental processes are recapitulated.
Boundaries and Applications: The Teacher Quality Debate in America.

The teacher quality debate in America remains an important one. Many feel that teachers are leaving teacher preparation programs without the appropriate knowledge and skills to be effective classroom practitioners. School districts have spent a considerable amount of time and economic resources addressing the teacher quality provisions of No Child Left Behind legislation, yet there is still substantial disagreement as to what exactly “teacher quality” is and how “quality” teachers can be developed and convinced to teach in schools that need them most. This article describes the current parameters and arguments surrounding the teacher quality debate in America and makes suggestions as to how teacher quality and teaching quality can be improved. Two major aims of the article are to explore how teacher quality can be assessed and articulate how schools can implement reasonable systems to attract quality teachers. This article argues that a bold, balanced, and open-minded systemic approach to reform is most likely to provide a productive definition of teacher quality and allow schools to attract, develop, and retain quality teacher candidates.
Increasing Participation in Volunteer Computing

Volunteer computing is a distributed computing model where a large problem requiring the computational power of a supercomputer can be solved by thousands or millions of personal computers. In volunteer computing, people allow their personal computers to work together on a large problem when the computers are not otherwise in use. The owners of the computers are not compensated for the use of their computers. As volunteer computing has become an accepted way to solve large problems, the number of volunteer computing projects has increased significantly over the years. However, as the number of volunteer computing projects increases, the participation in volunteer computing must increase to allow volunteer computing to remain a viable way to solve large problems. We studied the reasons that people do not participate in order to determine how participation can be increased. We found that the likelihood of people participating in such projects was not affected by how these projects were described. We also collected information about factors that influenced the subjects' decisions.
Thermal-induced leakage power optimization by redundant resource allocation

Traditionally, at early design stages, leakage power is associated with the number of transistors in a design. Hence, intuitively an implementation with minimum resource usage would be best for low leakage. Such an allocation would generally be followed by switching optimal resource binding to achieve a low power design. This treatment of leakage power is unaware of operating conditions such as temperature. In this paper, we propose a technique to reduce the total leakage power of a design by identifying the optimal number of resources during allocation and binding. We demonstrate that, contrary to the general tendency to minimize the number of resources, the best solution can actually be achieved if a certain degree of redundancy is allowed. This is due to the fact that leakage is strongly dependent on the on-chip temperature profile. Distributing activity over a higher number of resources can reduce power density, remove potential hotspots and subsequently minimize thermal induced leakage. On the other hand, using an arbitrarily high number of resources will not yield the best solution. In this paper, we show that there is a power density, hence, temperature, at which the total leakage power will reach its optimal value. Such an optimal resource number can be a better starting point for the subsequent switching-driven low power binding. We also present a high-level power density-aware leakage model. Based on the estimates by this model, we optimize the total leakage power by 53.8% on average compared to the minimum resource binding, and 35.7% on average compared to a temperature-aware resource binding technique.
Constructing Thin Subgroups in SL(4, R)

We give a construction for new families of thin subgroups inside SL(4,R). In particular, we show that the fundamental group of a closed hyperbolic 3-manifold can be isomorphic to a thin subgroup of a lattice. © The Author(s) 2013.
Northland Preparatory Academy: An Expansion Controversy

This paper deals with a real case in a real situation. Northland Preparatory Academy (NPA) is a college-preparatory charter school located in Flagstaff, Arizona. In 2004, the school board had to decide whether to expand. Their expansion decision was driven by (1) a desire for additional programs in fine arts and music, (2) a desire for a gymnasium for extra curriculum activities, athletics, and related programs, and (3) a belief that the expansion would help with NPA’s retention problem at the high school level. The school’s principal and several of the school board members were leaning toward constructing a new building. However, there was a minority group on the school board which was adamantly opposed to any expansion and the taking on new debt. Bill Johnson, the school’s principal, had been asked by the Chairman of the school board to develop three years’ worth of projected financial statements and forecasted cash flow statements assuming that expansion did take place. In addition, Bill was challenged to present information as to whether a new bank loan or taking out a new bond would be best for the school.
CBArch: A Case-Based Reasoning Framework for Conceptual Design of Commercial Buildings

The paper describes the first phase of development of a Case-Base Reasoning (CBR) system to support early conceptual design of buildings. As specific context of application, the research focuses on energy performance of commercial buildings, and the early identification of energy-related features that contribute to its outcomes. The hypothesis is that bringing knowledge from relevant precedents may facilitate this identification process, thus offering a significant contribution for early analysis and decision-making. The paper introduces a proof-of-concept for such a system, proposing a novel integration of Case-Based Reasoning, Parametric Modeling (Building Information Modeling), and Ontology Classification. Potential advantages and limitations of this three-level integration approach are discussed along with recommendations for future development.
Reducing International Terrorism: Negotiation Dynamics in the U.S. Cuba Skyjack Crisis

Hijack terrorism was a major national security problem in the United States during the late 1960s; aerial piracy incidents reached an epidemic level. Most events had a common scenario: armed hijackers boarded flights in the US and threatened death to passengers and crew if the aircraft was not diverted to Cuba, where political asylum awaited them in Castro's Communist regime. The problem was resolved through a combination of technology developments to prevent skyjack occurrence and bilateral negotiations between the American and Cuban governments leading to the Anti-Hijacking Accord of 1973. Rates of hijacking fell sharply. What was the role of negotiation in halting terrorism? How did negotiations proceed? Any lessons for ending other terrorist campaigns? This analysis examines the conditions leading parties to negotiate, reach agreement and implement it, drawing on factors identified in other international dispute resolution contexts (mutual hurting stalemate, party willingness, turning points, conflict duration, political pact) plus the meaning attributed to the concept of terrorism by each party. Using terrorist event data, the three phases of hijack acativity and negotiation attempts, Congressional Hearings and US declassified documents, the key finding shows that prospects for resolution depend largely on turning points linked to party shifts in the concept of terrorism, moving the focus from political motivation to criminal act.
Hemolytic potential of methocarbamol

Methocarbamol, a compound related to mephenesin, has in vitro hemolytic potential. A study was performed to determine whether any hemolysis was detectable after intravenous injection. Methocarbamol and its vehicle (50% polyethylene glycol-300) was compared with vehicle alone and with normal saline controls in high- and low-dose regimens in normal volunteers. Significant increases in plasma hemoglobin were detected 30 min after intravenous injection of methocarbamol or its vehicle alone. Maximum initial plasma hemoglobin levels were approximately 10 mg/dl with vehicle alone, but only 4 mg/dl with the methocarbamol added. Serum haptoglobin levels fell after both high-dose methocarbamol and vehicle during the 3-day period of treatment. Hemolysis, though detectable, did not exceed levels found under physiologic circumstances such as exercise, and represents only a small fraction of the normal daily hemolysis of aged erythrocytes.
An Agent-based System for Issuing Stock Trading Signals

Simulation-based models are becoming a promising research tool in financial markets. A general Complex Adaptive System can be tailored to different application scenarios. This paper describes an application of a Complex Adaptive System-based agent model in stock trades signalling. The model has been evaluated using historical movement of Bank of America stock. Agents in the system are initialized using random decision rules. Genetic algorithms and machine learning methods are utilized to reduce the sample space and improve the decision rules. Final rules are generated via Monte Carlo simulation and modified with a market momentum estimate. By following the advice suggested by the model. The hypothetical investors have outperformed the S&P 500 index and buy-and-hold investors. Compared with benchmark agents with buy-and-hold strategy on stock and index respectively, the model achieved higher return even in periods of stockâs poor performance. The stock trade-signalling model is implemented using the Netlogo framework.
T1 Signal-Intensity Increase in the Dentate Nucleus after Multiple Exposures to Gadodiamide: Intraindividual Comparison between 2 Commonly Used Sequences.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Different T1-weighted sequences have been used for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of T1 signal intensity related to gadolinium deposition in the dentate nucleus in patients who underwent several enhanced MR imaging studies. Our purpose was to perform an intraindividual qualitative and quantitative comparison between T1-weighted spin-echo and 3D magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition of gradient echo sequences in patients who had multiple exposures to gadodiamide. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our retrospectively selected population included 18 patients who underwent at least 3 administrations of gadodiamide and had a baseline and a final MR imaging performed with both T1-weighted sequences. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were independently performed. Dentate nucleus/middle cerebellar peduncle signal-intensity ratios and signal changes between the baseline and final examinations were compared by using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Correlation between quantitative and qualitative evaluations was assessed by using a polyserial correlation test. RESULTS: The differences between the 2 sequences for both baseline and last examination dentate nucleus/middle cerebellar peduncle ratios were statistically significant (P = .008 and P = .006, respectively); however, the signal-intensity changes of the ratios with time were not (P = .64). The correlation between the qualitative and quantitative analysis was very strong (near-perfect) (r = 0.9) for MPRAGE and strong (r = 0.63) for spin-echo sequences. CONCLUSIONS: T1-weighted spin-echo and MPRAGE sequences cannot be used interchangeably for qualitative or quantitative analysis of signal intensity in the dentate nucleus in patients who received gadodiamide. Baseline and final examination ratios should be evaluated across time by using the same sequence. Qualitative analysis performed with MPRAGE correlated better with quantitative analysis and may offer advantages over spin-echo sequences for research purposes.
Types and forms of knowledge (patterns): contingency tables

Contingency tables are introduced as a form of knowledge. Their evaluation criteria are discussed, as well as applications, strengths, limitations, and relations to other forms of knowledge.
Quantitative histological image analyses of reticulin fibers in a myelofibrotic mouse

Bone marrow (BM) reticulin fibrosis (RF), revealed by silver staining of tissue sections, is associated with myeloproliferative neoplasms, while tools for quantitative assessment of reticulin deposition throughout a femur BM are still in need. Here, we present such a method, allowing via analysis of hundreds of composite images to identify a patchy nature of RF throughout the BM during disease progression in a mouse model of myelofibrosis. To this end, initial conversion of silver stained BM color images into binary images identified two limitations: variable color, owing to polychromatic staining of reticulin fibers, and variable background in different sections of the same batch, limiting application of the color deconvolution method, and use of constant threshold, respectively. By blind coding image identities, to allow for threshold input (still within a narrow range), and using shape filtering to further eliminate background we were able to quantitate RF in myelofibrotic Gata-1low (experimental) and wild type (control) mice as a function of animal age. Color images spanning the whole femur BM were batch-analyzed using ImageJ software, aided by our two newly added macros. The results show heterogeneous RF density in different areas of the marrow of Gata-1low mice, with degrees of heterogeneity reduced upon aging. This method can be applied uniformly across laboratories in studies assessing RF remodeling induced by aging or other conditions in animal models.
National Hopitalization Rates for Sickle Cell Disease in the Hydroxyurea Era

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a severe inherited hematologic disorder caused by the substitution of valine for glutamic acid on the beta-globin chain of hemoglobin, resulting in sickle hemoglobin (HbS). Under deoxygenation, HbS polymerizes into stiff fibers that cause red blood cell membrane changes, vaso-occlusion and numerous deleterious downstream events. Although the polymerization of HbS remains the principal event in the molecular pathogenesis of SCD, additional cellular events including endothelial cell and platelet activation and heightened leukocyte adhesion are all likely to contribute to in vivo vaso-occlusion. The primary effect of HbF in inhibiting HbS polymerization is through the formation of asymmetrical hybrids α 2 β S γ which participate less readily in polymer formation. The beneficial effect of hydroxyurea (HU) in SCD is primarily due to induction of Hb F, thereby increasing length of time to polymerization. The relative importance of the additional effects in the efficacy of HU is unknown. In the Multicenter Study of Hydroxyurea, a Phase III multi-center randomized placebo-controlled trial of hydroxyurea in patients with SCD, HU showed a reduction hospitalizations for SCD, and an overall reduction in morbidity and was approved for therapy in SCD in adults in 1998. HU remains the only drug with FDA approval for prevention of sickle vaso-occlusive crises. We assessed the impact of HU on SCD, we looked at the trend in hospitalization rates in the US since FDA approval of HU for SCD in adults. We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), a stratified random sample of acute care hospitals in the United States containing about 8 million hospital stays each year, weighted to be representative of the US population, years 1998 to 2004. We identified discharges associated with a diagnosis of SCD by ICD-9-CM codes and limited our analysis to blacks alone. We looked at rates of hospitalizations incorporating population data from the US Census Bureau for each year 1998 – 2004. Poisson test for trend was used to test the trends in hospitalization rates over the years of study and SAS 9.1 for analysis. Between 1998 and 2004 the NIS included data representing between 92846 at the lowest and 119297 at the highest hospital stays in the US for each year. Approximately 70% of hospitalizations were primarily for a diagnosis of SCD. Ninety percent of discharges were in blacks, 3% in Hispanics and 2% in others. We looked at hospitalizations in blacks with SCD where there were 73,089 discharges associated with SCD in 1998 and 82,313 discharges associated with SCD in 2004. The corresponding rates of hospitalization of blacks for SCD in 1998 and 2004 were 223 and 229 per 100,000 blacks respectively (p
Dispersion in Waveguides

One of the strongest motivations for using optical waveguides is the large information capacity of an optical link. Much of this capacity comes from the high carrier frequency of the light itself (on the order of 1014 Hz). If even 1% of the total bandwidth available could be utilized, the information transmitted on one optical beam would be enough to handle over 10$ telephone calls. While it is unlikely there will ever be demand for that many simultaneous telephone calls on one line, applications such as video require large bandwidths and can take advantage of such capacity.
Paneth cells secrete lysozyme via secretory autophagy during bacterial infection of the intestine

Intestinal Paneth cells limit bacterial invasion by secreting antimicrobial proteins, including lysozyme. However, invasive pathogens can disrupt the Golgi apparatus, interfering with secretion and compromising intestinal antimicrobial defense. Here we show that during bacterial infection, lysozyme is rerouted via secretory autophagy, an autophagy-based alternative secretion pathway. Secretory autophagy was triggered in Paneth cells by bacteria-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, required extrinsic signals from innate lymphoid cells, and limited bacterial dissemination. Secretory autophagy was disrupted in Paneth cells of mice harboring a mutation in autophagy gene Atg16L1 that confers increased risk for Crohn’s disease in humans. Our findings identify a role for secretory autophagy in intestinal defense and suggest why Crohn’s disease is associated with genetic mutations that affect both the ER stress response and autophagy.
The Role of Professional Learning Communities In International Education

Hollywood films such as The Blackboard Jungle, To Sir With Love, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Dead Poet’s Society, Stand and Deliver, Dangerous Minds, and Mr. Holland’s Opus all follow what is now a remarkably predictable story line. Good teaching is shown to be the result of individual character and will, while schools are portrayed like out-of-touch churches that either ignore or persecute their own saints. Similar images of schooling exist in non-U.S. movies: In the recent French film, Butterfly, a village teacher is portrayed as a highly effective educator of children, but is left unprotected by the local population when World War II begins.
An Art Criticism Questioning Strategy within the Framework of Bloom's Taxonomy

A review of research on questioning strategies indicates that, when properly sequenced, instructional questions can foster student involvement and the development of complex levels of thinking. Most questions posed in classrooms, however, elicit memory-recall responses. In this paper, these findings on questioning strategies are related to the need for more specific instructional guidelines if art criticism is to be widely implemented. It is proposed that the formulation of art criticism questions within the hierarchical categories of Bloom's taxonomy offers a much-needed methodological specificity that also promotes student interest and the development of analytical skills.
Comparing to ingroup and outgroup members: Do we assimilate, contrast, or neither?

Previous work studying social comparisons suggests that people are likely to assimilate to ingroup members (e.g. Ledgerwood & Chaiken, 2007) but can also contrast from ingroup members if outgroup m...