cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An in-memory relevance feedback technique for high-performance image retrieval systems

Content-based image retrieval with relevant feedback has been widely adopted as the query model of choice for improved effectiveness in image retrieval. The effectiveness of this solution, however, depends on the efficiency of the feedback mechanism. Current methods rely on searching the database, stored on disks, in each round of relevance feedback. This strategy incurs long delay making relevance feedback less friendly to the user, especially for very large databases. Thus, scalability is a limitation of existing solutions. In this paper, we propose an in-memory relevance feedback technique to substantially reduce the delay associated with feedback processing, and therefore improve system usability. Our new data-independent dimensionality-reduction technique is used to compress the metadata to build a small in-memory database to support relevance feedback operations with minimal disk accesses. We compare the performance of this approach with conventional relevance feedback techniques in terms of computation efficiency and retrieval accuracy. The results indicate that the new technique substantially reduces response time for user feedback while maintaining the quality of the retrieval.
A haptically accurate practice carillon

Mastery of musical instruments remains both a rewarding and challenging haptic task. The carillon is a particularly difficult instrument to practice due to its public nature and variability from location to location. A dynamic model of the carillon key (baton) is presented and a design for a haptically accurate practice carillon is proposed. The Passive Dynamics Practice Carillon (PDPC) is able to emulate a range of actual carillons using adjustment of passive masses and a spring. To evaluate the necessary fidelity of such a design, a study was conducted in which participants were asked to discriminate between batons with differing impedance parameters. The results showed that subjects are more sensitive to the force parameter and less sensitive to the stiffness and inertial parameters. In all cases, the passive adjustment increments on the PDPC were well below the sensitivity of the test participants. This leads us to two conclusions: a) a passive dynamic system is sufficient for a haptically accurate practice carillon and b) the Passive Dynamics Practice Carillon can be simplified to be less accurate but more cost effective while still sufficiently matching the haptic feel of real carillons.
Auditory Hallucinations, Source Monitoring, and the Belief That “Voices” Are Real

The term source monitoring refers to a variety of cognitive processes individuals use to determine whether an experience originated within the self or came from an external source. A belief that auditory hallucinations are real entities independent of the self may be considered an error in source monitoring. The Source Monitoring Framework (SMF) is the most developed and empirically validated model of how ordinary individuals judge whether an event was self-generated or occurred in the outside world. This study of 41 acute inpatients is a first attempt to apply the SMF to autobiographical reports of auditory hallucinations in a clinical setting. Consistent with the SMF, results suggest that similarities between "voices" and real speakers may offer a partial explanation of why patients believe the voices are real. While the SMF provides a useful conceptual background for examining the phenomenology of these voices, the types of source monitoring errors typically encountered in normal individuals do not fully account for this belief as it occurs in psychotic individuals.
Stem cell ageing and non-random chromosome segregation.

Adult stem cells maintain the mature tissues of metazoans. They do so by reproducing in such a way that their progeny either differentiate, and thus contribute functionally to a tissue, or remain uncommitted and replenish the stem cell pool. Because ageing manifests as a general decline in tissue function, diminished stem cell-mediated tissue maintenance may contribute to age-related pathologies. Accordingly, the mechanisms by which stem cell regenerative potential is sustained, and the extent to which these mechanisms fail with age, are fundamental determinants of tissue ageing. Here, we explore the mechanisms of asymmetric division that account for the sustained fitness of adult stem cells and the tissues that comprise them. In particular, we summarize the theory and experimental evidence underlying non-random chromosome segregation—a mitotic asymmetry arising from the unequal partitioning of chromosomes according to the age of their template DNA strands. Additionally, we consider the possible consequences of non-random chromosome segregation, especially as they relate to both replicative and chronological ageing in stem cells. While biased segregation of chromosomes may sustain stem cell replicative potential by compartmentalizing the errors derived from DNA synthesis, it might also contribute to the accrual of replication-independent DNA damage in stem cells and thus hasten chronological ageing.
Total quality management in higher education institutions: challenges and future directions

Quality management tools and concepts such as total quality management (TQM) were introduced into higher education in late 1980s. Compared to business implementations, the impact of quality management concepts and tools in higher education institutions has not been as significant. Although TQM has been implemented with success in other service sectors, its implementation in higher education has been mostly limited to non-academic, administrative processes. Unlike manufacturing and other service sector implementations of TQM, in higher education institutions, customer-based quality definition has been problematic, limiting its spread and success. This paper discusses the challenges TQM implementations face in higher education and provides directions to overcome these challenges.
Female temperament, tumor development and life span: Relation to glucocorticoid and tumor necrosis factor α levels in rats

Abstract Behavioral characteristics closely associated with specific physiological profiles present an important area of research in understanding health disparities. In particular, glucocorticoid overproduction may be an important factor moderating disease progression; natural variance in production of this steroid has been proposed as one mechanism underlying individual differences in health and disease. In the current paper, we examined immune parameters in female rats of two different behavioral types previously shown to have differential glucocorticoid production and life spans. We categorized young female rats according to their behavioral response to novelty (high- or low-locomotion), and compared their glucocorticoid production, adrenal size, thymus size, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production, tumor development and life span. As expected, high-locomotion females produced more glucocorticoids and had larger adrenal glands during young adulthood than did low-locomotion females. High-locomotion females had significantly smaller thymuses and reduced TNF-α levels compared to low-locomotion, suggesting altered immune function in young adulthood. Finally, high-locomotion females had shorter life spans than did low-locomotion females, and this was particularly true in females that developed pituitary tumors, but not in those that developed mammary tumors. These results, along with other published findings, suggest that high-locomotion rodent females experience life-long elevations in glucocorticoid responses to novelty, and that these elevated levels may be comparable to chronic stress. This naturally occurring endocrine profile may influence immune responses which in turn could affect disease susceptibility. Variance in immune function across personality types may be partially moderated by natural variance in glucocorticoid production.
Developmental prosopagnosia in childhood

Developmental prosopagnosia (DP) is defined by severe face recognition problems resulting from a failure to develop the necessary visual mechanisms for processing faces. While there is a growing literature on DP in adults, little has been done to study this disorder in children. The profound impact of abnormal face perception on social functioning and the general lack of awareness of childhood DP can result in severe social and psychological consequences for children. This review discusses possible aetiologies of DP and summarizes the few cases of childhood DP that have been reported. It also outlines key objectives for the growth of this emerging research area and special considerations for studying DP in children. With clear goals and concerted efforts, the study of DP in childhood will be an exciting avenue for enhancing our understanding of normal and abnormal face perception for all age groups.
Cold-seeps and authigenic carbonate formation in Monterey Bay, California

Abstract Authigenic carbonate associated with modern `cold seep' biological communities and their extinct analogues exhibit a broad range in stable isotope and mineral composition within the limited geographic area of Monterey Bay. Although such variations in ancient samples have been used to infer differing tectonic settings, these carbonates all formed within a faulted continental margin environment and chemical variations reflect local differences in the sources and flux of carbon to sediment pore fluids. The slow seepage of fluid, and with it dissolved carbon, along the transform-faulted continental margin results in discrete areas of enhanced microbial sulfate reduction, oxidation of methane from both biogenic and thermogenic origins, as well as the active precipitation of both high-Mg calcite (HMC) and dolomite. The authigenic carbonates include semicontinuous pavements of shallow cemented sediments surrounding benthic communities; circular or pipe-like `chimneys' interpreted as cemented conduits formed as a result of methane gas expulsion; centimeter- to meter-scale rings, doughnuts or slabs winnowed from variable depths within sediments; and carbonate veins (ankerite or calcite) or cements in faulted basement rocks draped with bacterial mat. Abundant pyrite framboids, preferentially filling the tests of the benthic foraminifer Uvigerina peregrina and characteristic of the HMC-bearing samples, are products of a zone of shallow microbial sulfate reduction, a process fundamental to the nourishment of the chemosynthetic cold seep communities. Sites on a sedimented ridge west of the San Gregorio Fault Zone have carbon isotopic values between −35 and −56‰ that are strongly influenced by carbon derived from methane. The higher values of δ 18 O (more enriched in 18 O ) are found closer to the active fault zone. Carbonates from sites within the San Gregorio Fault Zone or from Monterey Canyon floor exposures of Miocene sediments have carbon isotope values between −7 and −26‰ that are mixtures of sedimentary organic carbon and microbially oxidized hydrocarbons from organic-rich, petroleum source rocks. Dolomite-bearing samples are more enriched in both 18 O and 13 C . Bulk carbonate samples with heavier 18 O ( δ 18 O >3.5‰) result from the abundance of authigenic dolomite and low temperatures of formation. Local destabilization of clathrates might also create pore fluids that are more enriched in both 13 C and 18 O .
The Intersection of Gang Definition and Group Process: Concluding Observations

This chapter advances an argument that the issues of street gang definition and group process are more closely related than anticipated. We provide the context for the selection and timeliness of these themes in comparative gang studies. As we discuss the contributions of the foregoing chapters, we reflect on the intersection of these themes insofar as aspects of group process can determine what groups get defined as street gangs. Moreover, components of gang definitions—the basic elements that comprise the way in which we understand street gangs—engage a focus on group process. We consider the implications of this work for directing further research and activity in the Eurogang Program of Research.
The effect of coupled mass transport and internal reforming on modeling of solid oxide fuel cells part II: Benchmarking transient response and dynamic model fidelity assessment

Abstract One- and ‘quasi’ two-dimensional (2-D) dynamic, interface charge transport models of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) developed previously in a companion paper, are benchmarked against other models and simulated to evaluate the effects of coupled transport and chemistry. Because the reforming reaction can distort the concentration profiles of the species within the anode, a ‘quasi’ 2-D model that captures porous media mass transport and electrochemistry is required. The impact of a change in concentration at the triple-phase boundary is twofold wherein the local Nernst potential and anode exchange current densities are influenced, thereby altering the current density and temperature distributions of the cell. Thus, the dynamic response of the cell models are compared, and benchmarked against previous channel-level models to gauge the relative importance of capturing in-situ reforming phenomena on cell performance. Simulation results indicate differences in the transient electrochemical response for a step in current density where the ‘quasi’ 2-D model predicts a slower rise and fall in cell potential due to the additional volume of the porous media and mass transport dynamics. Delays in fuel flow rate are shown to increase the difference observed in the electrochemical response of the cells.
The Three Laws of Thermodynamics and the Theory of Production

(2004). The Three Laws of Thermodynamics and the Theory of Production. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 38, No. 1, pp. 201-226.
Anisotropic Spin Transport and Strong Visible-Light Absorbance in Few-Layer SnSe and GeSe.

SnSe and GeSe are layered compound semiconductors that can be exfoliated to form two-dimensional materials. In this work, we use predictive calculations based on density functional and many-body perturbation theory to study the electronic and optical properties of single-layer, double-layer, and bulk SnSe and GeSe. The fundamental band gap is direct in single-layer and double-layer GeSe, but indirect in single-layer and double-layer SnSe. Moreover, the interplay of spin–orbit coupling and lack of inversion symmetry in the monolayer structures results in anisotropic spin splitting of the energy bands, with potential applications in directionally dependent spin transport. We also show that single-layer and double-layer SnSe and GeSe exhibit unusually strong optical absorbance in the visible range. Our results suggest that single-layer and double-layer SnSe and GeSe are promising materials for ultrathin-film photovoltaic applications with theoretical upper bounds to the conversion efficiency that approach th...
Updating Probability: Tracking Statistics as Criterion

ABSTRACTFor changing opinion, represented by an assignment of probabilities to propositions, the criterion proposed is motivated by the requirement that the assignment should have, and maintain, th...
Judgment of covariation in classical and instrumental conditioning contexts

College students judged the covariation of noncontingent events in both classical and instrumental conditioning contexts. The type of early contingency and the overall probability of events were varied. The subjects rated the covariation higher in the instrumental conditioning context and in conditions in which the probability of events was higher. The type of early contingency did not consistently affect the magnitude of the ratings. It appeared that the act of responding increased the ratings of covariation in noncontingent situations.
Assessments of posttraumatic stress disorder by functional near infrared spectroscopy: A preliminary report

Post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) affect up to 20% of service members in the global war on terror. We use a portable multi-channel fNIRS device to assess student veterans with PTSD; preliminary results are reported.
Precise Dosage Delivery Method for Sulfuryl Fluoride in Small-chamber Fumigations

A method for introducing and monitoring precise quantities of sulfuryl fluoride (SF) in a small fumigation chamber is described. SF is transferred to a 500-cm3 sample cylinder from which a pressure-regulated dosage is introduced into the chamber. Fumigant dosage is measured by continuous monitoring of net cylinder weight loss. Concentrations of SF are validated from chamber air samples by gas chromatography using thermal conductivity detection.
Is Breaking Up Hard To Do? A Qualitative Investigation of the Resignation Process

Although much is known about why employees decide to resign from their jobs, scant research has examined what occurs after employees decide to leave their jobs but before they exit their organizati...
Fusion of uncertain location data from heterogeneous sources

Many applications of high societal relevance -- e.g., transportation and traffic management, disaster remediation, location-aware social networking, (tourist) recommendation systems, military logistics (to name but a few) -- rely on some kind of Location Based Services (LBS). The crucial components to support such services, in turn, rely on efficient techniques for managing the data capturing the information pertaining to the whereabouts in time of the moving entities -- storing, retrieving and querying such data. Traditionally, such topics were subjects of the fields called Spatial/Spatio-Temporal Databases, Moving Objects Databases (MOD) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) [2, 5, 11]. To give an intuitive idea about the magnitude -- according to Mc Kinsey survey from 2011 [9], the volume of location-in-time data exceeds the order of Peta-Bytes per year just from smartphones -- and this is only the "pure" GPS (Global Positioning System) data. Including the cell-towers location data would boost the size by two orders of magnitude -- however, this is not even close to the full magnitude of the variety of location-related data contained in numerous tweets and other social networks based communications (which is of interest for applications such as behavioral marketing).
DESCRIPTION OF THE MALE NIHONOGOMPHUS LUTEOLATUS CHAO ET LIU (ODONATA:GOMPHID)

According to the specimen from Jingyun County, Zhejiang Province, the male Nihono-gomphus luteolatus Chao et Liu is described in this paper for the first time.
Monocrotaline pyrrole alters DNA, RNA and protein synthesis in pulmonary artery endothelial cells.

Administration of monocrotaline pyrrole (MCTP) to animals results in pulmonary vascular injury. Pulmonary vascular endothelium is a likely target for this pneumotoxicant. Cultured porcine pulmonary...
Diagnostic value of positive urinary cytology in the detection of recurrent urothelial carcinoma: 10-Year Experience at the Papanicolaou Cytology Laboratory

Introduction Urothelial carcinoma (UCC) of the bladder is the most common malignancy of the urinary tract. The performance of urine cytology (UCy) after radical cystectomy (RC) and urinary diversion is quite variable and there is no consensus regarding its role in post-treatment surveillance. The goal of this study is to retrospectively review the diagnostic value of positive (suspicious or positive for malignancy) diverted urine cytology (DUCy) in the detection of urinary tract recurrence of UCC. Materials and Methods A retrospective 10-year (January 2005 to January 2015) computerized search for all DUCy specimens was conducted. All suspicious (Susp) or positive for malignant cells (PMC) ThinPrep cases were identified and retrospectively reviewed. Clinical, surgical, and pathological follow-up for patients with Susp or PMC UCy were tabulated and analyzed. Results During the 10-year-period, 1,525 DUCy cases from 408 patients were identified. Of these, 25 cases (1.64%) from 10 patients were called either Susp (13; 0.85%) or PMC (12; 0.79%). The 25 DUCy cases occurred within a mean of 20 months post-RC. Out of 10 patients, 9 had a concurrent biopsy or a subsequent resection of the recurrent site. Of these 9 patients, 8 (89%) had subsequent biopsy or resection, which showed recurrent UCC. In 5/8 patients, positive DUCy was the very first manifestation of recurrence, which was subsequently confirmed by imaging or histology. Conclusion It is our experience that patients with positive UCy after RC have a high likelihood of recurrent UCC and should be counseled and managed accordingly. Diagn. Cytopathol, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ACHIEVING THE AMERICAN SOUL

In 1963—as good a date as any to serve as a pivot between “fifties” and “sixties” America—James Baldwin remarked, “The American Negro has the great advantage of having never believed the collection of myths to which white Americans cling: that their ancestors were all freedom-loving heroes, that they were born in the greatest country the world has ever seen, or that Americans are invincible in battle and wise in peace.” It was a bracing declaration, a bit gentler than Malcolm X's designation of Negroes as “victims of Americanism” and perhaps by now, as historians focus ever greater attention on the nationally constitutive role of slavery and white supremacy, almost a commonplace. Yet Baldwin's idea remains challenging to plumb and to fully inhabit. For at that moment, which both Kevin Schultz and Andrew Hartman suggest was preoccupied with “the very question of America and its meaning,” Baldwin's little book, The Fire Next Time , upended the whole debate. He was no black nationalist and, notwithstanding his expatriate life in France, no “emigrationist,” for he believed that blacks in the United States were, socially and culturally, wholly of, if not in, this country; and yet, given the deep corruption in the national past, there was no “meaning” to return to, reclaim, realize, or vindicate as a promise of black freedom. The verb Baldwin chose, in a determinedly existentialist vein, was to “ achieve our country”—to create a viable moral meaning for national identity where none as yet existed. If Schultz's subjects, William F. Buckley Jr, and Norman Mailer, were “vying for the soul of the nation” and Hartman's warriors fighting “for the soul of America,” they were—in Baldwin's perspective—chasing a chimera. Such a thing wasn't there; it was yet to come, if at all.
TrAgent: A Multi-Agent System for Stock Exchange

TrAgent is a software-agent based model for a stock exchange such as the New York Stock Exchange and the procedure of trading securities on the trading floor. The model comprises the complete process from the initiation of a trading order until its execution. The software agent paradigm is the framework for implementing the proposed model. The properties of intelligent software agents meet the characteristics of the actors on the trading floor and provide capabilities for efficient distributed computing. Because of the space restriction, the main focus of this paper is on stock broker agent, one of the most important agents in TrAgent. Intelligence is provided to the stock broker agent in order to make reasoning and decisions on the profitability of a firm. This intelligence is provided using Fuzzy Expert System. The paper further discusses the design and development issues concerning different components of the model.
S100B: Correlation with Active Vitiligo Depigmentation

Vitiligo, the most common depigmenting disorder, is caused by immune destruction of melanocytes by cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. One weakness in vitiligo management is the lack of an assessment method for active depigmentation. Beginning with reports about increased S100B levels in different inflammatory and tissue damage processes, Speeckaert et al. explored correlations between the S100B dynamics and vitiligo activity, identifying high circulating S100B levels in patients with active depigmentation which were strongly correlated with the extent of affected skin surface. These authors have proposed S100B as a potential disease activity marker in vitiligo.
The little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata: distribution, impact, and control.

The little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata, has been increasing in importance as an exotic pest. Here we review published and unpublished information on its distribution, ecology, impact, and control. Wasmannia auropunctata occurs throughout most of the warmer parts of the New World, from subtropical Argentina to subtropical Mexico and through much of the Caribbean, though it is not clear whether this species is native to this entire region. During the past century, exotic populations of W. auropunctata have become established in numerous other places, including the Galapagos Islands, West Africa (Gabon, Cameroon, and possibly the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo), Melanesia (New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and possibly Tuvalu), Polynesia (Wallis and Futuna and Hawaii), the mainland US (Florida and possibly California), and on subtropical Atlantic islands (the Bahamas and Bermuda). The latitudinal range of known outdoors populations of W. auropunctata is from 32o40'S in Argentina to 32o20'N in Bermuda. Wasmannia auropunctata is also a greenhouse pest in more temperate regions, such as England and Canada. In many areas, W. auropunctata can be a significant agricultural pest, not only stinging agricultural workers, but also enhancing populations of Homoptera. Homoptera cause damage both through sapping plants of nutrients and by increasing the occurrence of diseases, including viral and fungal infections. In addition, W. auropunctata has negative impacts on many animals, both invertebrates and vertebrates, though most reports on such impact have been anecdotal. The impacts of W. auropunctata populations seem to be most severe on tropical islands where it is not native, such as the Galapagos, New Caledonia, and the Solomon Islands. Reports of widespread blindness in both domestic and native mammals caused by W. auropunctata stings deserve serious attention. Chemical control of W. auropunctata may be possible for small exotic populations spread over a few dozen hectares or less. For large exotic infestations, the only hope for long-term control appears to be classical biocontrol.
Computing Curriculum in Middle Schools: An Experience Report

This paper explores the results of a piloting and field-testing of Alice in the Middle East (Alice ME), a computing curriculum for students in Middle Schools in Qatar. Alice ME is a project aimed at designing and delivering a Qatari context appropriate computing curriculum using Alice software. Curricular materials and professional development were created to help participating teachers deliver the course. An evaluation of the effectiveness of the implementation was carried out during all stages of the project. Results show that students who studied computing through Alice ME showed an improvement in their critical thinking and problem solving skills. Moreover, students and teachers became more motivated to learn programing as a result. This paper suggests best practices in teacher training and CS teaching in K-12 schools in Qatar in addition to sharing lessons learned from the process.
Chapter 8 The Common Law and Its Impact on the Internet

Abstract This chapter begins with a discussion of the English common law, the basis for much of American law today, and its evolving role in regulating the cyberworld. The common law, based on case precedents, has proven to be very adept at resolving new and difficult problems, at times more quickly and competently than legislation. This same mechanism is being used today to solve problems to protect Internet users from destructive “cyberevils” such as spamming and other kinds of cybertorts. In the second part of our chapter, we contrast the cases of Doe v. XYC Co. and Delfino v. Agilent to illustrate the application of common law doctrines in managing risks arising from employees' use of the Internet.
Trying to bridge the worlds of home visitation and child welfare: Lessons learned from a formative evaluation

Young children in families contacting the child welfare system are at high risk of recurrent maltreatment and poor developmental outcomes. Home visitation programs to support parenting may offer hope as a preventive resource but these programs are rarely linked with child welfare. This article describes findings from a formative evaluation of a program designed to connect child welfare-involved families to an existing evidence-supported home visitation program. The program, Early Childhood Connections (ECC), was developed by a field-university partnership including leaders from a public state child welfare system, regional early childhood education systems, and several local agencies providing family support services. Despite extensive and rigorous planning by the workgroup and collaborative refining of the intervention approach as agency needs changed, the continued structural and policy changes within both the home visitation agency and the child welfare agencies created significant ongoing barriers to implementation. On the other hand, child welfare-involved families were receptive to engaging with home visitation. Implications of lessons learned for ongoing program development in this area are discussed.
Pathogenicity and virulence of Cephalosporium gramineum is independent of in vitro production of extracellular polysaccharides and graminin A

Mutant isolates of Cephalosporium gramineum were used to evaluate graminin A and extracellular polysaccharides as factors in disease development of cephalosporium stripe of wheat. In vitro production of these metabolites was compared between a number of C. gramineum mutants varying in their virulence ratings ascertained through a wheat seedling bioassay. No relationship between in vitro polysaccharide production and virulence was found. Analysis by gas chromatography mass spectroscopy revealed that graminin A was not produced in vitro by some moderately to highly virulent mutants. The data suggest that graminin A is not required for pathogenicity and raises doubts about its role as a factor in virulence.
NaK-ATPase pump sites in cultured bovine corneal endothelium of varying cell density at confluence.

Purpose. The driving force for ion and water flow necessary for efficient deturgesence of the corneal stroma resides in the ouabain-sensitive sodium (Na) pump of corneal endothelial cells. Using a cell culture model of corneal endothelial cell hypertrophy, the authors examined the expression of Na pumps at the cell surface to see how this central element of the endothelial pump changed as corneal endothelial cell density decreased to a level associated with corneal decompensation in vivo. Methods. 3 H-ouabain binding to NaK-ATPase at saturating conditions was used to quantitate the number of Na pump sites on cultured bovine corneal endothelial cells as the confluent density decreased from ∼2750 cells/mm 2 to ∼275 cells/mm 2 . Results. The mean number of Na pump sites per cell at confluence (1.92 ± 0.07 x 10 6 ) did not change as the cell density decreased 2.7-fold from 2763 cells/mm 2 to 1000 cells/mm 2 . However, pump site expression doubled to ∼4 x 10 6 sites/cell as the cell density decreased from 1000 cells/mm 2 to 275 cells/mm 2 . Despite the incremental increase in Na pump site expression that occurred as the cells hypertrophied below a density of 1000/mm 2 to achieve confluence, this increase was insufficient to prevent a decrease in Na pump site density of the intact monolayer, expressed as pump sites/mm 2 . Conclusion. The confluent cell density of cultured bovine corneal endothelial cells can be varied from that found in the normal native cornea to that associated with corneal decompensation. In confluent cultures with cell densities ranging from 2750 cells/mm 2 to 1000 cells/mm 2 , the number of pump sites per cell remains relatively unchanged. Below cell densities of 1000 cells/mm 2 , the number of pump sites per cell progressively increases. The increased Na pump site abundance in markedly hypertrophied endothelial cells cannot adequately compensate for the progressive reduction in the number of transporting cells per unit area within the intact monolayer. Even when considered with the decrease in the size of the paracellular ion conductive pathway that is a consequence of progressive endothelial hypertrophy, the overall pumping capacity of the intact endothelial monolayer declines. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1995 ;36 :1317-1326.
Probabilistic Approximate Identification

In this chapter and the next, we shall adopt a different model of identification in order to focus on two of the weaknesses of the preceding theory: the lack of robustness, and the lack of a complexity measure.
Large crack tip opening in thin elastic-plastic sheets

Large deformation, three-dimensional finite element analysis has been used to study the blunting of a mode I crack tip in a thin elastic-plastic sheet. The near tip stress and deformation fields were analyzed, and the results compared with two-dimensional plane stress solutions. A double shear band was found ahead of the crack tip which created a three-dimensional zone extending several sheet thicknesses before the crack. This mechanism leads to an irregular blunt tip shape at the midplane of the sheet. Distinct differences in crack tip shape and the deformation fields were found between the perfect plasticity solution and the strain hardening solution. The analysis was also compared with experimental results obtained by other investigators.
Determination of the Polarization Observables $${\varvec{C}}_{{\varvec{x}}}$$ C x , $${\varvec{C}}_{{\varvec{z}}}$$ C z , and $${\varvec{P}}$$ P for the $$\mathbf {\gamma }{\varvec{d}}\rightarrow {\varvec{K}}^{\mathbf{0}}{\varvec{\varLambda }}({\varvec{p}})$$ γ d → K 0 Λ ( p ) Reaction

Many excited nucleon states ( $$N^{*}$$ s) predicted by quark models, but not observed in $$\pi N$$ channels, are expected to couple strongly to kaon–hyperon (KY) channels. While in the last decade data have been published for KY photoproduction off the proton, data off the neutron are scarce. In this paper we present preliminary results for the polarization observables P, $$C_x$$ , and $$C_z$$ for the reaction $$\gamma d\rightarrow K^{0}\varLambda (p)$$ , where (p) denotes the spectator proton. The observables cover photon energies, $$E_{\gamma }$$ , between 0.9 and 2.6 GeV and kaon center-of-mass angles, $$\cos \theta _{K^{0}}^{{ CM}}$$ , between $$-\,0.9$$ and 1. The data were collected in experiment E06-103 (g13) with the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility using a circularly-polarized photon beam and an unpolarized liquid deuterium target. We also discuss the effect of neutron binding on the observables. Our study is part of a broader effort by the g13 group to provide cross sections and polarization observables for meson photoproduction off the neutron and is expected to have a significant impact on the $$N^{*}$$ research.
Ergot Resistant Tetraploid Bahiagrass and Fungicide Effects on Seed Yield and Quality

ABSTRACT Seed production is a critical component in agricultural systems based on bahiagrass and ergot has been reported to significantly reduce seed quality in tetraploid cultivars. Seed yield and...
Manifolds in Time and Space

When we say “global music,” we mean several things. Although “global” refers to things which relate to the world geographically, we can also use “global” to describe things that relate to the entirety of something in general. We explain the concept of global-ness using the Earth as an analogy. When looking at a small local region of the earth, say, your backyard, this region appears perfectly flat. The Earth is a collection of many such regions, but has a new characteristic: it is round. We can therefore say that the earth is a global collection of many flat regions. In each chapter of Part VI, we describe a different set of musical ‘regions’ and how they contribute to a global music.
Herding in the consumption and purchase of digital goods and moderators of the herding bias

Digital goods are increasingly produced by average individuals in a serialized fashion. However, it is unclear whether users engage in herding in the consumption and purchase of such digital goods and what the moderators of the herding effect are. Thus, we propose a simultaneous equations model based on herding theory to theoretically examine users’ potential herding behavior through two competing effects: the private signal effect and the sequential actions effect, which refer to the impact of the private signals and observed sequential actions of others on user quality inference and herding, respectively. The model is implemented in a hierarchical Bayes framework, and it is estimated using data from the top Chinese literature site. The empirical results suggest that users engage in rational herding in both digital book consumption and purchase on the focal site and that the herding bias is surprisingly stronger for purchasing. Product features significantly mitigate the herding bias, while the reputation of the producer and competition exacerbate the herding effect. The impact of this rational herding is also quantified. This study offers new insights and important theoretical and managerial implications for marketing researchers, amateur producers, marketing managers, and publishers.
Supercomputing for Full-Wave Tomographic Image Reconstruction in Near-Real Time

This paper demonstrates large full-wave inverse-scattering solutions on the Blue Waters supercomputing facility. The high computational complexity of the distorted-Born iterative method (DBIM) is reduced with the multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA). A hierarchical parallelization of DBIM and MLFMA provides scaling to thousands of computing nodes of the supercomputer. Furthermore, we obtain considerable speedup with modern CPU+GPU architectures over conventional CPU+CPU ones. Results obtained on 4,096 GPU nodes demonstrate a near-real-time tomographic reconstruction, which is crucial for real-life imaging applications.
Toroidal Decompositions of Manifolds Yield Factors of Manifolds

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the techniques developed by Andrews-Rubin [A-R], who proved that if G is a trivial toroidal decomposition of E 3 , then ( E 3 /G ) × E is congruent to E 4 . Their techniques immediately extend to show that if G is a trivial toroidal decomposition of E n , then ( E n /G ) × E n–2 is congruent to E 2n–2 . The chapter presents the proof that ( E n /G ) × E is congruent to E n+1 . As a corollary, if G is a trivial toroidal decomposition of an m-manifold M and N is an n-manifold (or an n-manifold with boundary, provided n ≥2), then ( M/G ) × N is congruent to M × N .
Capacity Based Optimization of Compact Wideband Antennas

In this paper, we propose a framework for designing and optimizing compact wideband antennas using the Shannon capacity formula. We present a new single port Gamma matching network that enhances the system’s spectral efficiency apart from satisfying the antenna’s figures of merit. We provide an in-depth analysis of the designed antenna by using a circuit theoretic approach. To optimize the allocated power across the frequency range of interest, we implement the waterfilling method. Finally, we develop interesting insights on the importance of optimizing impedance matching networks from an information theoretic perspective.
Relativistic Control: Feedback Control of Relativistic Dynamics.

Strictly speaking, Newton's second law of motion is only an approximation of the so-called relativistic dynamics, i.e., Einstein's modification of the second law based on his theory of special relativity. Although the approximation is almost exact when the velocity of the dynamical system is far less than the speed of light, the difference will become larger and larger (and will eventually go to infinity) as the velocity approaches the speed of light. Correspondingly, feedback control of such dynamics should also take this modification into consideration (though it will render the system nonlinear), especially when the velocity is relatively large. Towards this end, we start this note by studying the state-space representation of the relativistic dynamics. We then investigate on how to employ the feedback linearization approach for such relativistic dynamics, based upon which an additional linear controller may then be designed. As such, the feedback linearization together with the linear controller compose the overall relativistic feedback control law. We also provide discussions on, e.g., controllability, state feedback and output feedback, as well as PID control, in the relativistic setting.
International Law and the Precarity of Ottoman Sovereignty in Africa at the End of the Nineteenth Century

As a state that occupied an unstable position on the continuum of late nineteenth-century European inter-imperial system of sovereignty—oscillating between a subject and an object of new forms of i...
Measurement Based Performance Evaluation of DevOps

Software Development has gone through a long journey from waterfall to DevOps. This journey includes Agile methodologies, Continuous Integration, Continuous Delivery and Continuous Deployment approach. With time IT organizations realized that recent approaches are better than traditional approaches in every manner. Recent trends like DevOps are very popular among software industry, still facing many challenges. Performance Evaluation is one of the biggest challenges in this approach. In this paper we shall deal with this challenge by not only introducing measurement-based quality attributes but also evaluating the same. To achieve this objective DevOps implementation will be done and a comparative analysis with traditional method will be executed to show desired targets.
Short-Term Outcomes of Lower Trapezius Tendon Transfer With Achilles Allograft for Irreparable Posterosuperior Rotator Cuff Tears.

Purpose To evaluate functional outcomes, return to work, and reoperations associated with lower trapezius tendon transfer (LTT) for irreparable rotator cuff tears. Methods This is a retrospective study performed by a single surgeon with minimum 1-year follow-up. LTT was performed using an open (n = 9; 60%) or arthroscopically assisted (n = 6, 40%) technique. Outcomes included failure rate, range of motion, satisfaction, return to work, and pre- and postoperative functional scores, as well as American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, and the Simple Shoulder Test. Results Fifteen patients were included. LTT was performed using an open or arthroscopically assisted technique. Mean age was 52 (range 31-62 years), 13 (92.9%) were manual laborers, and 9 (60%) had a worker's compensation claim. Three patients (20%) underwent conversion to reverse shoulder arthroplasty. Of the remaining 12 patients, there were significant improvements in American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, and Simple Shoulder Test at 24.1 ± 9.6 (range 12-38.5) months. Active forward elevation, abduction, and external rotation were all significantly improved. Postoperative satisfaction ratings indicated 67% of the revision-free cohort was "very satisfied" and 33% was "somewhat satisfied" with their outcome. Seven (50%) returned to full duty, 4 (28.6%) returned to modified duty, and 3 (21.4%) were unable to return to work. Two patients (open techniques) underwent a superficial wound debridement for seroma and wound breakdown. Conclusions LTT results in successful clinical outcomes with a high rate of return to work in a challenging patient population. However, only 67% of patients rated themselves as "very satisfied," and 20% of patients were revised to reverse shoulder arthroplasty before 1 year. Limited preoperative active forward elevation (<90°) appears to predict poor functional results and risk for reoperation. Level of Evidence Level IV, therapeutic case series.
Emerging infections: lessons from the viral hemorrhagic fevers.

Two Institute of Medicine reports since 1992 have emphasized the dangerous and continuing threat to the world from emerging infectious diseases. Working with viral hemorrhagic fevers provides a number of lessons related to the processes that control emergence, the pattern of disease after emergence, and how to cope with these incidents. This short paper uses two arenavirus hemorrhagic fevers to illustrate some of these principles. Argentine and Bolivian hemorrhagic fevers first came to medical attention in the 1950’s. The forces that underlie the emergence of disease in Argentina are not understood, but the Bolivian episode has a reasonably understandable train of events behind it. The Argentine disease had serious impact on the large agricultural economy, and the ecology of the rodent reservoir did not lend itself to control; a vaccine was developed by Argentina and the U.S. with the latter motivated largely by biodefense. The Bolivian disease was controlled in large part by eliminating rodents that invaded towns, and the impact was subsequently below the level needed to trigger drug or vaccine development. These two viruses were important in the recognition of a new family of viruses (Arenaviridae), and this finding of new taxons during the investigation of emerging infectious diseases continues.
Systematic Aspects of Direct Extrasolar Planet Detection

Using the first optical observatory in space, the Hubble Space Telescope, images of possible extrasolar planets will have poor contrast against the background of diffracted and scattered starlight. The very long exposure time required to achieve an adequate signal-to-noise ratio will make their detection infeasible. For a future telescope, a 16-fold increase in either the smoothness or the collecting area of the optics would reduce the exposure time to a tolerable value, but the contrast would remain low and the required photometric precision high. In this situation, the feasibility of detection would be contingent on the careful identification and control of systematic errors.
A Review of “Lost Girls: Sex and Death in Renaissance Florence”

Nicholas Terpstra's Lost Girls takes his long-term investigation of the charitable and religious organizations of Renaissance Italy in a new direction. Terpstra is the author of several important b...
The WD-repeat protein superfamily in Arabidopsis: conservation and divergence in structure and function

The WD motif (also known as the Trp-Asp or WD40 motif) is found in a multitude of eukaryotic proteins involved in a variety of cellular processes. Where studied, repeated WD motifs act as a site for protein-protein interaction, and proteins containing WD repeats (WDRs) are known to serve as platforms for the assembly of protein complexes or mediators of transient interplay among other proteins. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, members of this superfamily are increasingly being recognized as key regulators of plant-specific developmental events. We analyzed the predicted complement of WDR proteins from Arabidopsis, and compared this to those from budding yeast, fruit fly and human to illustrate both conservation and divergence in structure and function. This analysis identified 237 potential Arabidopsis proteins containing four or more recognizable copies of the motif. These were classified into 143 distinct families, 49 of which contained more than one Arabidopsis member. Approximately 113 of these families or individual proteins showed clear homology with WDR proteins from the other eukaryotes analyzed. Where conservation was found, it often extended across all of these organisms, suggesting that many of these proteins are linked to basic cellular mechanisms. The functional characterization of conserved WDR proteins in Arabidopsis reveals that these proteins help adapt basic mechanisms for plant-specific processes. Our results show that most Arabidopsis WDR proteins are strongly conserved across eukaryotes, including those that have been found to play key roles in plant-specific processes, with diversity in function conferred at least in part by divergence in upstream signaling pathways, downstream regulatory targets and /or structure outside of the WDR regions.