cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Precision Test of AdS_{6}/CFT_{5} in Type IIB String Theory.

Superconformal field theories (SCFTs) in dimensions greater than 4 have become an integral part in the general understanding of quantum field theory, with many interesting implications in lower dimensions. They are hard to define using traditional methods, but can be engineered in string theory. Recently, a large class of $\mathrm{AdS}/\mathrm{CFT}$ dualities has been constructed for five-dimensional SCFTs, which further supports their existence and allows for quantitative studies. We confront these dualities with a decisive test. We obtain the partition functions and central charges in gauge theory deformations of the SCFTs and extrapolate the results to the conformal fixed points. In the appropriate large $N$ limits, this precisely matches the $\mathrm{AdS}/\mathrm{CFT}$ predictions, providing strong support for the proposed dualities.
Thermal Characterization of Quasi-Vertical GaAs Schottky Diodes Integrated on Silicon

This paper presents the first thermal characterization of terahertz quasi-vertical GaAs Schottky diodes integrated on silicon. The devices are characterized using a thermoreflectance measurement technique. Heating and cooling temperature profiles and 2-D temperature maps are obtained for 5.5- $\mu \text{m}$ diameter diodes. From the measurements, we extracted the device thermal resistances, anode temperatures, and thermal time constants. Equivalent circuit and finite-element models are developed to study the device geometry, and extract unknown material thermal parameters. The devices are also characterized using an electrical transient method, and the temperature and cooling transients found from both techniques are compared. The quasi-vertical diodes show comparable thermal resistance and a faster transient response compared to other terahertz Schottky diodes reported in the literature.
“Blowin’ in the Wind”: Bob Dylan, Sam Shepard and the Question of American Identity

Katherine Weiss’s chapter addresses the ways both Dylan and Sam Shepard work to destabilize American myths while insisting upon the very necessity of such myths—in the form of masks, or always mutating performances. By focusing specifically on Shepard’s relationship with and effort to understand him, Weiss reveals the significance of Dylan’s protean nature (as it relates to America’s tendency to get trapped in, or to reify, its necessary myths). At the same time, she shows how Dylan and Shepard collaborated to break down outmoded myths by resurrecting, necessarily, new, albeit more temporary, unstable, performative ones—especially in their interrogation of the concept of American identity. Weiss draws particular attention to Shepard and Dylan’s collaboration on the song “Brownsville Girl” (1986).
Are university health services meeting the needs of transgender college students? A qualitative assessment of a public university.

AbstractObjective: This exploratory study sought to assess transgender college students’ experiences accessing primary, gynecological, and/or mental health care through university health services (...
Integrating cross-modality hallucinated MRI with CT to aid mediastinal lung tumor segmentation.

Lung tumors, especially those located close to or surrounded by soft tissues like the mediastinum, are difficult to segment due to the low soft tissue contrast on computed tomography images. Magnetic resonance images contain superior soft-tissue contrast information that can be leveraged if both modalities were available for training. Therefore, we developed a cross-modality educed learning approach where MR information that is educed from CT is used to hallucinate MRI and improve CT segmentation. Our approach, called cross-modality educed deep learning segmentation (CMEDL) combines CT and pseudo MR produced from CT by aligning their features to obtain segmentation on CT. Features computed in the last two layers of parallelly trained CT and MR segmentation networks are aligned. We implemented this approach on U-net and dense fully convolutional networks (dense-FCN). Our networks were trained on unrelated cohorts from open-source the Cancer Imaging Archive CT images (N = 377), an internal archive T2-weighted MR (N = 81), and evaluated using separate validation (N = 304) and testing (N = 333) CT-delineated tumors. Our approach using both networks were significantly more accurate (U-net \(P <0.001\); denseFCN \(P <0.001\)) than CT-only networks and achieved an accuracy (Dice similarity coefficient) of \(0.71\pm 0.15\) (U-net), \(0.74\pm 0.12\) (denseFCN) on validation and \(0.72\pm 0.14\) (U-net), \(0.73\pm 0.12\) (denseFCN) on the testing sets. Our novel approach demonstrated that educing cross-modality information through learned priors enhances CT segmentation performance.
Reconstruction of shear wave speed in layered media using time-harmonic excitation and pulse-echo imaging

Recent advances in high-frequency ultrasound imaging have opened new possibilities for quantitative characterization of skin properties. Noninvasive, accurate measurements of elasticity for multiple layers (e.g., stratum corneum, epidermis, dermis) are potentially beneficial for development and validation of new skin treatments. Here, pulse-echo ultrasound imaging using linear arrays is used to measure time-harmonic tissue displacements induced by a mechanical shaker. It is shown that reconstruction of time-harmonic displacement amplitude and phase in induced elastic waves is feasible for frame rates exceeding the Nyquist frequency and for echoes acquired using multiple transmits per frame. Measured wavefields are inverted using spatial Fourier analysis, numerical solution of the Helmholtz equation by finite difference methods, and direct observation of shear wavelengths. These approaches are validated using a 5 MHz diagnostic imaging array with a clinical scanner (Zonare z.one, L8-1 array) and multlilayered phantoms with varying elastic properties and echogenicity. Further verification of these methods is performed by comparing with finite-element simulations employing a linear elasticity model. Feasibility for measurement of skin layer elastic properties using high-frequency ultrasonic imaging is demonstrated using a 50 MHz linear array and a small-animal scanner (Vevo 2100, MS700 array) for measurements on porcine skin.Recent advances in high-frequency ultrasound imaging have opened new possibilities for quantitative characterization of skin properties. Noninvasive, accurate measurements of elasticity for multiple layers (e.g., stratum corneum, epidermis, dermis) are potentially beneficial for development and validation of new skin treatments. Here, pulse-echo ultrasound imaging using linear arrays is used to measure time-harmonic tissue displacements induced by a mechanical shaker. It is shown that reconstruction of time-harmonic displacement amplitude and phase in induced elastic waves is feasible for frame rates exceeding the Nyquist frequency and for echoes acquired using multiple transmits per frame. Measured wavefields are inverted using spatial Fourier analysis, numerical solution of the Helmholtz equation by finite difference methods, and direct observation of shear wavelengths. These approaches are validated using a 5 MHz diagnostic imaging array with a clinical scanner (Zonare z.one, L8-1 array) and multlilaye...
Chapter 6 – Gaming Optimizations

Publisher Summary This chapter examines and elucidates the level of detail (LOD) techniques used in games in the context of current and future game platforms. Since interactive gaming is the biggest consumer of advanced LOD techniques, LOD is particularly important to developers of game software and hardware. Games are also the most commercial environment using level of detail and the algorithms must be as robust and visually appealing as possible. In game environments, offline preprocessing of render data is vital for optimum efficiency, and this has a momentous impact on the use of LOD. Games operate under tighter memory constraints than any other medium for 3D graphics. A modern video game platform has the processing power of the highest-end workstation, but only 16 megabytes of memory with which to feed its graphics pipeline. Games give unique advantages when dealing with detail. The crux is how a particular set of restrictions and performance characteristics can affect the selection of techniques and the particular application of those techniques. Game platforms provide an appealing case study because they are very constrained in some ways. Games are an interesting case study for LOD because they are affected at so many levels by the concept. Games must deal with an ever-changing and often unpredictable rendering load while simultaneously being more closely bound to a constant refresh rate than any other commercial graphics application.
Spectral identification of nonlinear multi-degree-of-freedom structural systems with fractional derivative terms based on incomplete non-stationary data

Abstract A novel spectral identification technique is developed for determining the parameters of nonlinear and time-variant multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) structural systems based on available input-output (excitation-response) realizations. A significant advantage of the technique relates to the fact that it can readily account for the presence of fractional derivative terms in the system governing equations, as well as for the cases of non-stationary, incomplete and/or noise corrupted data. Specifically, the technique relies on recasting the governing equations as a set of multiple-input/multiple-output systems in the wavelet domain. Next, an l 1 -norm minimization procedure based on compressive sampling theory is employed for determining the wavelet coefficients of the available incomplete non-stationary input-output data. Finally, these wavelet coefficients are utilized to reconstruct the non-stationary incomplete signals, and consequently, to determine system related time- and frequency-dependent wavelet-based frequency response functions and associated parameters. Two illustrative MDOF systems are considered in the numerical examples for demonstrating the reliability of technique. The first refers to a nonlinear time-variant system with fractional derivative terms, while the second addresses a nonlinear offshore structural system subjected to flow-induced forces. It is worth noting that for the offshore system, a novel recently proposed evolutionary version of the widely used JONSWAP spectrum is employed for modeling the non-stationary free-surface elevation in cases of time-dependent sea states.
The Silenced Voices of Hidden Survivors: Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Among Women With Disabilities Through a Combined Theoretical Approach:

As one of the world’s most vulnerable populations, women with disabilities are frequent victims of physical, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse. Indeed, they experience abuse at higher rates th...
The Presenter’s Paradox in customer service interactions

Abstract This study examines the Presenter’s Paradox in the context of customer–server interactions. Our findings from four studies suggest that, in response to service predicaments, restaurant servers frequently exhibit two tendencies that are misaligned with the preferences of their customers: they offer uninformative explanations to avoid revealing information that conveys an unfavorable impression, and they manage impressions on behalf of coworkers that cause service predicaments. These efforts lead to behaviors that do not satisfy the information needs of customers and result in less favorable financial outcomes (e.g., lower tips) for servers. This study contributes to the knowledge on impression management and customer service interactions.
Toward Minimum Startle After Take-Over Request: A Preliminary Study of Physiological Data

In this work, we introduce the preliminary analysis of driver’s physiological data after receiving take-over request (TOR). Studies have shown that physiological measurements on drivers may provide better insights into the cognitive behavior and performance of drivers. Our goal is to examine the effect of two common TOR modalities (visual-auditory and generic auditory), in the limited take-over time budget, on psychophysical states and take-over behavior of the drivers. We applied multimodal physiological data streams -i.e. eye-tracker, EEG, GSR and PPG to have a comprehensive overview of driver’s workload, stress and reaction time for each TOR modality. The preliminary results suggest that visual-auditory modality leads to a safer take-over behavior than generic auditory tone. EEG and heart rate variability results showed a significantly greater engagement on the visual-auditory TOR than for the auditory TOR. Results of this study can be used to investigate the safer modality inducing the least startle reactions.
Searching for H→γγ in weak boson fusion at the LHC

Weak boson fusion is a copious source of intermediate mass Higgs bosons at the LHC, with a rate σB(H→γγ) of up to 9 fb. The additional very energetic forward jets in these events provide for a unique signature. A parton level analysis of the dominant backgrounds demonstrates that this channel allows the observation of H→γγ in a low background environment, with modest luminosity.
Leveraging American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Guidelines for Point-of-Care Decision Support in Obstetrics.

Background The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) provides numerous narrative documents containing formal recommendations and additional narrative guidance within the text. These guidelines are not intended to provide a complete “care pathway” for patient management, but these elements of guidance can be useful for clinical decision support (CDS) in obstetrical and gynecologic care and could be exposed within electronic health records (EHRs). Unfortunately, narrative guidelines do not easily translate into computable CDS guidance. Objective This study aimed to describe a method of translating ACOG clinical guidance into clear, implementable items associated with specific obstetrical problems for integration into the EHR. Methods To translate ACOG clinical guidance in Obstetrics into implementable CDS, we followed a set of steps including selection of documents, establishing a problem list, extraction and classification of recommendations, and assigning tasks to those recommendations. Results Our search through ACOG clinical guidelines produced over 500 unique documents. After exclusions, and counting only sources relevant to obstetrics, we used 245 documents: 38 practice bulletins, 113 committee opinions, 16 endorsed publications, 1 practice advisory, 2 task force and work group reports, 2 patient education, 2 obstetric care consensus, 60 frequently asked questions (FAQ), 1 women's health care guidelines, 1 Prolog series, and 9 others (non-ACOG). Recommendations were classified as actionable (n = 576), informational (n = 493), for in-house summary (n = 124), education/counseling (n = 170), policy/advocacy (n = 33), perioperative care (n = 4), delivery recommendations (n = 50), peripartum care (n = 13), and non-ACOG (n = 25). Conclusion We described a methodology of translating ACOG narrative into a semi-structured format that can be more easily applied as CDS in the EHR. We believe this work can contribute to developing a library of information within ACOG that can be continually updated and disseminated to EHR systems for the most optimal decision support. We will continue documenting our process in developing executable code for decision support.
Variation in Vaginal Hysterectomy Rates in an Integrated Healthcare System.

STUDY OBJECTIVE To describe trends in minimally invasive hysterectomy (MIH), and assess patient, surgical, and provider characteristics associated with differences in vaginal versus laparoscopic rates within integrated healthcare system. DESIGN A retrospective cohort study. SETTING Kaiser Permanente Northern California from 2008 to 2018. PATIENTS Patients who underwent MIH for benign conditions excluding uterine prolapse and incontinence surgeries. INTERVENTIONS Hysterectomies. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS A total of 27,518 hysterectomies were performed for benign indications. Of these, the proportion of MIH increased from 29.1% (2008) to 96.7% (2018) (P 250g (P<.001). The differences persisted after controlling for patient demographic, clinical and surgery characteristics. Low surgical volume was inversely associated with VH (adjusted relative risk 7.19, 95% confidence interval 6.62-7.81, P<.001). The VH rate ranged from 11.5% to 27.8% across service areas (hospitals). Service area remained a significant predictor of VH after controlling for patient (including BMI and uterine weight) and surgery-related characteristics. Postoperative hospital stay decreased from 33.8±16.4 hours (2008) to 6.1±12.2 (2018) for VH. Operative time was shorter for VH compared to laparoscopic hysterectomies (LH) (1.7 versus 2.5 hours, P<.001). Overall operative/perioperative complications were low and not significantly different (VH versus LH). CONCLUSION As the proportion of MIH increased, LH became the preferred route despite similar rates of postoperative stay and intraoperative complications, and shorter operative time for VH compared to LH. Service area and provider volume were independent predictors of MIH route, suggesting that training and evidence-based guidelines for route selection may help preserve VH rates.
General Stress Analysis for Rings with One Axis of Symmetry

A general stress analysis for monocoque fuselage rings is presented, which is applicable not only to circular and elliptical rings but also to any other shape which is symmetrical about a vertical axis. The formulae developed apply to rings with either constant or variable moment of inertia. By proper choice of the system of coordinates the three unknowns are obtained directly from three equations instead of from three simultaneous equations. General equations for the circular ring are worked out, taking into account the difference of ring radius and skin radius.
Pepsin stimulated by topical hydrochloric and acetic acids.

Normally the gastric mucosa is relatively impermeable to hydrogen ions. When, however, the barrier to diffusion is broken, acid enters the mucosa, causing damage. Back diffusion of H + and damage in dogs produces conditions similar to those existing in patients with gastric ulcer, and it has been suggested that the primary defect in gastric ulcer disease may be an abnormally permeable gastric mucosa. Pepsin secretion during the presence of noninjurious and damaging amounts of hydrochloric and acetic acid was studied in 4 dogs with vagally denervated pouches of the oxyntic gland area. Irrigation with 200 mn HCl caused a 40% rise in pepsin output, 250 mn HCl increased pepsin output 75%, and 300 mn HCl caused a 300% increase over control levels obtained during irrigation with 100 mn HCl. Pepsin outputs were directly proportional to the flux of H + out of the pouch. Irrigation with 100 mn acetic acid caused a 3-fold increase in pepsin output as well as increases in Na + and K + movement into the pouch fluid and H + movement out. Intravenous atropine (100 μg per kg-hr) prevented the acetic acid induced increase in pepsin secretion without significantly altering ion fluxes. It is concluded that: (1) back diffusion of H + stimulates pepsin output, (2) a local cholinergic reflex is probably involved in this stimulation, and (3) the increased pepsin output is due to actual secretion.
Three-Wheeled ATV – A No-Suspension Rigid Rider System, Part I: Modeling and Parameter Values

This paper presents the dynamical equations of motion governing a six degrees-of-freedom mathematical model of a three-wheeled all-terrain vehicle/rigid-rider system. The parameter values associated with two commercially available three-wheeled all-terrain vehicles, a 1980 Honda ATC 110D and a 1980 Kawasaki KLT 200, are presented. In addition, tire properties such as non-rolling vertical stiffness, cornering stiffness and damping ratio for a 22x11-8 Ohtsu tire and a 22x11-8 Goodyear tire are given. These parameter values are used to simulate the motions of the vehicle/rider system with the results presented in Part II.
Efficient Bayesian task-level transfer learning

In this paper, we show how using the Dirichlet Process mixture model as a generative model of data sets provides a simple and effective method for transfer learning. In particular, we present a hierarchical extension of the classic Naive Bayes classifier that couples multiple Naive Bayes classifiers by placing a Dirichlet Process prior over their parameters and show how recent advances in approximate inference in the Dirichlet Process mixture model enable efficient inference. We evaluate the resulting model in a meeting domain, in which the system decides, based on a learned model of the user's behavior, whether to accept or reject the request on his or her behalf. The extended model outperforms the standard Naive Bayes model by using data from other users to influence its predictions.
Monoclonal antiidiotypic antibodies induce humoral immune responses specific for simian virus 40 large tumor antigen in mice

Mouse monoclonal anti-Id antibodies were generated against a mouse mAb (Ab-1) preparation specific for SV40 large tumor Ag (T-Ag). Four monoclonal anti-Id preparations each inhibited the binding of the monoclonal anti-SV40 T-Ag Ab-1 preparation to SV40 T-Ag. These anti-Id preparations appeared to recognize similar idiotopes on the monoclonal anti-SV40 T-Ag Ab-1 based on competitive cross-inhibition studies. One of these anti-Id preparations, designated 57B, was examined further for its in vivo modulatory capacity in mice. This anti-Id induced an Ab-3 response in BALB/c mice that recognized SV40 T-Ag (Ag+) and expressed an Id that was shared by the monoclonal anti-SV40 T-Ag Ab-1 preparation (Id+). The Id expressed on the Ab-3 differed from the Id induced in BALB/c mice immunized with the nominal SV40 T-Ag. Furthermore, characterization of the humoral immune response induced by anti-Id immunization indicated that the Ab-3 also recognized different epitopes on SV40 T-Ag when compared to the anti-SV40 T-Ag Ab-1 preparation used to generate the anti-Id. These studies indicate that monoclonal anti-Id can be used to induce humoral immune responses to a viral encoded tumor-associated Ag in vivo with 1) and Id specificity that differs from that expressed on antibodies produced by immunization with the nominal Ag and 2) an epitope specificity distinct from the Ab-1 preparation used for the production of the anti-Id.
Fixed point subalgebras of rational higher-dimensional non-commutative tori

We consider the fixed point subalgebras of higher–dimensional rational non–commutative tori induced by finite order automorphisms derived from a diagonal extension of the canonical SL(2,Z) action on rotation algebras. We give an alternative characterization and determine their K–theory.
Administrative Law, Patents, and Distorted Rules

Since 1935, courts have embraced a uniformly lenient approach towards congressional delegations of authority to agencies across different regulatory areas with one notable exception. The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has crafted its own limitations on the authority of a presidentially-controlled agency, the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Amid ongoing efforts to reform the patent system, this Article provides the first analysis of the development of this administrative law anomaly. It shows that the Federal Circuit’s approach derives little support from the Constitution, the Agency’s organic statute, Supreme Court precedent, or, for that matter, any other appellate court decision. Rather, the approach arose out of a few haphazard lines of dicta in a case that has been inadequately examined. This Article further demonstrates that the Federal Circuit’s approach has generated an incoherent and normatively dysfunctional distinction between valid procedural rules and invalid substantive rules that (1) creates perverse incentives for the Agency to keep the public out of its decision making process, (2) stifles the Agency’s ability to upgrade its notoriously slow and ineffective review process, and (3) sets a precedent that the judicial branch may distort congressional delegations of authority.
An M-step preconditioned conjugate gradient method for parallel computation

This paper describes a preconditioned conjugate gradient method that can be effectively implemented on both vector machines and parallel arrays to solve sparse symmetric and positive definite systems of linear equations. The implementation on the CYBER 203/205 and on the Finite Element Machine is discussed and results obtained using the method on these machines are given.
What the Synapse Tells the Neuron

How do neurons integrate the thousands of synaptic inputs to their dendrites that arrive from other nerve cells? In his Perspective, Mel discusses new findings in the pyramidal neurons of rat brain that show how synaptic responses vary depending on their site of origin in the dendritic tree and how tiny signals from far out in the dendrites can be boosted so that the cell body receives a large signal (Williams and Stuart).
CoGeNT, DAMA, and Light Neutralino Dark Matter

Abstract Recent observations by the CoGeNT collaboration (as well as long standing observations by DAMA/LIBRA) suggest the presence of a ∼ 5 – 10 GeV dark matter particle with a somewhat large elastic scattering cross section with nucleons ( σ ∼ 10 − 40 cm 2 ). Within the context of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM), neutralinos in this mass range are not able to possess such large cross sections, and would be overproduced in the early universe. Simple extensions of the MSSM, however, can easily accommodate these observations. In particular, the extension of the MSSM by a chiral singlet superfield allows for the possibility that the dark matter is made up of a light singlino that interacts with nucleons largely through the exchange of a fairly light ( ∼ 30 – 70 GeV ) singlet-like scalar higgs, h 1 . Such a scenario is consistent with all current collider constraints and can generate the signals reported by CoGeNT and DAMA/LIBRA. Furthermore, there is a generic limit of the extended model in which there is a singlet-like pseudoscalar higgs, a 1 , with m a 1 ∼ m h 1 and in which the χ 0 χ 0 and b b ¯ , s s ¯ coupling magnitudes of the h 1 and a 1 are very similar. In this case, the thermal relic abundance is automatically consistent with the measured density of dark matter if m χ 0 is sufficiently small that χ 0 χ 0 → b b ¯ is forbidden.
A flexible iron(II) complex in which zero-field splitting is resistant to structural variation

The relationship between electronic structure and zero-field splitting dictates key design parameters for magnetic molecules. In particular, to enable the directed synthesis of new electronic spin based qubits, developing complexes where zero-field splitting energies are invariant to structural changes is a critical challenge. Toward those ends, we report three salts of a new compound, a four-coordinate iron(II) complex [Fe(C3S5)2]2− ([(18-crown-6)K]+ (1), Ph4P+ (2), Bu4N+ (3)) with a continuous structural variation in a single parameter, the dihedral angle (θd) between the two C3S52− ligands, as a function of counterion (θd = 89.98(4)° for 1 to 72.41(2)° for 3). Electron paramagnetic resonance data for 1–3 reveal zero-field splitting parameters that are unusually robust to the structural variation. Mossbauer spectroscopic measurements indicate that the structural variation in θd primarily affects the highest-energy 3d-orbitals (dxz and dyz) of the iron(II) ion. These orbitals have the smallest impact on the zero-field splitting parameters, thus the distortion has a minor effect on D and E. These results represent the first part of a directed effort to understand how spin state energies may be fortified against structural distortions for future applications of qubits in non-crystalline environments.
New 3D hybrid FDTD-FETD method with non-conformal mesh

A new efficient 3D hybrid FDTD-FETD method is proposed to exploit the advantages of FDTD and FETD for electromagnetic modeling. The proposed method implements the hybrid of FDTD and FETD with a buffer region and allows non-conformal mesh for spatial discretization, which preserves the mesh flexibility as in FETD and thus facilitates the hybrid method for practical application. Furthermore, discontinuous Galerkin method is employed to realize field communication at the interface between the non-conformal mesh in different subdomains. Finally, numerical results are shown to validate the proposed hybrid method and demonstrate its flexibility for modeling cases with fine structures.
Are the oviposition traits of the South India strain of Callosobruchus maculatus maintained by natural selection

The deposition of eggs by this strain of Callosobruchus maculatus (Fab.) (Bruchidae: Coleoptera) departs from randomness in three ways; eggs are uniformly dispersed, oviposition rates drop when beans begin to carry 2 or more eggs, and there are sharp host preferences. Using random egg placement for the unspecialized condition, these traits are evaluated for their effect on a female's contributions of offspring to the next generation (R0, the net reproductive rate). The major increases in R0 result from females dispersing eggs so uniformly that larval competition is either reduced or eliminated. Females reduce their oviposition rate when the larva from an egg added to a bean is almost certain to die in competitive encounters. Host preferences and larval survival in a host are positively associated with the abundance of the host in South India. The three oviposition traits act together to give and R0 that is 25–50% than that of eggs placed at random. These traits are known to be variable and heritable, hence, the conditions necessary for natural selection are satisfied. Resume Les particularites de la ponte d'une souche de Callosobruchus maculatus du Sud de l'lnde sontelles maintenues par selection naturelle? Le taux partiel de reproduction nette (R0*) depend de l'espece de la plante sur laquelle les œufs sont pondus et du nombre de larves entrant dans la graine. La survie larvaire est reduite par 1/(le nombre de larves par graine) parce qu'une seule larve se developpe dans une graine. La fecondite n'est pas modifiee par la competition subie par les larves, la mortalite larvaire a l'effet le plus important sur R0*. Les femelles eliminent ou reduisent la competition larvaire en dispersant leurs œufs uniformement et font si peu d'erreurs avec une hyperdispersion que l'evolution d'un comportement plus precis n'accroitrait R0* que de 4% au maximum. Des femelles retournant a une distribution des œufs au hasard provoqueraient une reduction de R0* de 25% au moins. Les legumineuses generalement cultivees dans l'Inde du Sud sont des hotes acceptables quand elles sont presentees seules. Le choix des femelles entre 2 hotes eleve R0* de 30% ou plus par rapport a une distribution au hasard. Les preferences les plus nettes concernent des combinaisons presentant la plus grande difference de R0*. Les femelles qui hyperdispersent leurs œufs, choisissent leurs hotes et evitent les pertes par competition en empechant que les œufs ne donnent plus de descendants que ne le ferait une ponte au hasard. Les particularites de la ponte sont variables et heritables. Les lignees se selectionnent bien, en fonction de la dispersion de leurs œufs sur les graines, de la discrimination des plantes hotes, et de la modulation de leur taux de ponte. La selection naturelle maintient ces particularites du comportement d'une facon sedentaire.
Differences in Customers’ Online Service Satisfaction Across Cultures: The Role of Thinking Style

ABSTRACTOnline retailers constantly strive to improve customer satisfaction. However, satisfaction levels can vary significantly across cultures when customers experience mixed quality services, that is, services with a mixture of high and low quality service attributes. Based on two studies, we find that Westerners (e.g., European Americans) react more negatively than East Asians (e.g., Chinese) toward mixed quality online services. Our findings show that due to differences in thinking style, Westerners (analytic thinkers) are more likely to focus on negative service attributes than East Asians (holistic thinkers), who tend to consider the amalgam of high and low quality service attributes as an integrated whole when forming their overall perceptions and levels of satisfaction. Moreover, the results suggest that for online retailers marketing across cultures, providing superior quality on each individual service attribute may be more important to achieving satisfaction for customers from Western rather t...
Maternal Mortality and Female Literacy Rates in Developing Countries during 1970–2000: A Latent Growth Curve Analysis

Background. The gross longitudinal relationship between female literacy and maternal mortality ratios has not been adequately investigated even though the knowledge of the relationship is crucial for designing maternal mortality reduction programs through female literacy campaigns and improvements. The objective of the study was to examine the dynamic relationship between female literacy and mortality ratios. A longitudinal study design spanning three decades, 1970–2000, was used. Country level data on 143 nations belonging to six geographical regions for the duration 1970–2000 were secured from websites hosted by global agencies such as World Bank and the United Nations were utilized. Maternal mortality ratios (1970–2000) ranged from 147 to 271 across the six regions. The longitudinal relationship between female literacy rates and maternal mortality ratios was examined using a latent growth curve approach. The study found that rates of change in female literacy and maternal mortality ratios are negatively related. Steady rates of increase in female literacy were associated with declining maternal mortality ratios as well. We find that female literacy programs are of immense value in reducing maternal mortality ratios given their ability to yield sustained reductions in mortality levels in developing countries.
CHILDREN'S SNOW SLEDS: AGE APPROPRIATENESS AND SAFETY

Summary.-The guidelines for age-labeling children's toys are summarized. Publications relating to the safe use of snow sleds by children are reviewed. The patent history of sled runners and steering is described. 140 children between the ages of 6 and 12 yr. old participated in the assessment of four different styles of snow sleds, using a downhill course which required a very small directional change. Sled style influenced the children's steering success. A traditional sled with a wooden platform and flexible metal runners provided the best steering for all age groups between 6 and 12 yr. old. Recommendations for parents, park managers, and manufacturers regarding the safety of children's sleds are provided. The importance of labels and instructions indicating the minimum and maximum ages for children's products has been recognized by both manufacturers and consumers. These indicators describe time periods during a child's life span when the product is both safe and functional. The information describing age-appropriateness is important for all children's products such as furniture (cribs, strollers, walkers), toys, and playground equipment. A cooperative effort of the federal government, manufacturers of children's products, retailers, and consumers has resulted in the publication and distribution of guidelines which address age-labeling. Toy-safety guidelines were developed between 1972 and 1976 by the Toy Manufacturers of America in cooperation with the National Bureau of Standards (10). These guidelines address age-labeling by stating the toy or the toy-packaging should have a label which indicates the minimum age for intended use. If a toy was intended for use by all children between birth and age 14, it was not necessary to provide age-labeling. These toy-safety guidelines were revised by the American Association of Testing and Materials and published in 1986 (14). The 1986 toy-safety guidelines indicate that good age-grading practices are important to assure a toy is appropriate at particular stages of physical and mental development. Also, these guidelines indicate that age-labeling is intended to provide point of sale-guidance to consumers for selection of appropriate toys for children with respect to average abilities and interest of various age groups and safety aspects of the toys themselves. The toy-safety guidelines present criteria for establishing age-grades and describe available tools to help guide the establishment of meaningful age-grading for toy
Environmental Factors in Nonmelanoma and Melanoma Skin Cancer

We discuss the role of sunlight, mostly ultraviolet light (UV), in the induction of nonmelanoma and melanoma skin cancer. Whilst the former seems to be correlated with accumulated exposure, the causation of melanoma is more complex, and may also involve the pattern of, and age at, exposure. The efficacy of sunscreens is debatable; while they protect against UVB wavelengths (290-320 nm), and so extend the time that may be spent in the sun before becoming sunburnt, their use may subject wearers to excessive exposure to UVA (320-400 nm) and visible light. Both epidemiological surveys and experiments with animal models suggest that UVA, and perhaps the visible, may induce melanomas. Although Japanese have a much lower incidence of skin cancer than Caucasians, the dramatic rise in skin cancer in Japanese-Americans in Hawaii exposed to high-intensity irradiation raises concerns. If the Japanese people adopt sun-seeking behavior, or should the levels of UV irradiation rise significantly through depletion of the ozone layer, then this could become an important health problem in future.
The Vacuum Design for ATC

The parameters for the design of vacuum vessels for plasma physics experiments usually are base pressure required, plasma volume, and the geometry of the magnetic field coils. For the Adiabatic Toroidal Compressor (ATC) machine now being constructed at Princeton, the plasma's major and minor diameter changes during compression, and the compression field rise time requires a high electrical resistance for the vacuum vessel. These additional parameters dictate a unique vacuum vessel design. We shall discuss the geometry, construction details, and stress considerations for this design.
The cognition–knowledge distinction in Kant and Dilthey and the implications for psychology and self-understanding

Abstract Both Kant and Dilthey distinguish between cognition and knowledge, but they do so differently in accordance with their respective theoretical interests. Kant’s primary cognitive interest is in the natural sciences, and from this perspective the status of psychology is questioned because its phenomena are not mathematically measurable. Dilthey, by contrast, reconceives psychology as a human science. For Kant, knowledge is conceptual cognition that has attained certainty by being part of a rational system. Dilthey also links knowledge with certainty; however, he derives the latter from life-experience rather than from reason. Dilthey’s psychology begins with the self-certainty of lived experience and life-knowledge, but this turns out to fall short of cognitive understanding. In the final analysis, both Kant and Dilthey move beyond psychology to arrive at self-understanding. Because of his doubts about introspection, Kant replaces psychology with a pragmatic anthropology to provide a communal framework for self-understanding. Dilthey supplements psychology with other human sciences as part of a project of anthropological reflection.
Optimally sparse spanners in 3-dimensional Euclidean space

Let V be a set of n points in 3-dimensional Euclidean space. A subgraph of the complete Euclidean graph is a t-spanner if for any u and v in V, the length of the shortest path from u to v in the spanner is at most ttimes d(u, v). We show that for any t > 1, a greedy algorithm produces a t-spanner with O(n) edges, and total edge weight O(1).wt(MST), where MST is a minimum spanning tree of V.
Effects of repetitive formalin treatments on channel catfish juveniles

Abstract Channel catfish Icialurus punctatus ranging from 70 to 148 mm in total length were treated with formalin at a concentration of 25 μL/L for 4 h daily on four successive days each week over a 28-week period beginning in mid-September. Coefficients of condition (weight-tolength ratios) and histological examinations of gill tissues were used to evaluate health of fish exposed to formalin. Gill tissues of both formalin-treated and untreated fish showed effects typical of intensive culture, including hypertrophy, hyperplasia, and excess mucous secretion; no differences were found in gill morphometry between the two groups. Channel catfish periodically treated with formalin had a significantly higher coefficient of condition (P < 0.05) after 28 weeks and no indication of adverse effects attributable to formalin.
The Wigner transform and the Wigner-poisson system

Abstract The Wigner method in (quantum) statistical mechanics was introduced in 19321 as an alternative to the standard formulation2 which involves computation of eigenvalues and eigenvectors (and traces) of linear operators in Hilbert spaces. The Wigner approach uses only integrations over phase space –R6N in the case of an N-particle system–of ordinary functions f:R6n → C.
Voltage Island Aware Energy Efficient Scheduling of Real-Time Tasks on Multi-core Processors

There have been many energy-efficient real-time task scheduling research works on multi-core processors. Most assume that the voltage/frequency level for each core can be individually controlled by using Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS). However, providing individual voltage for each core can be very complicated and expensive. Most modern processors adopt voltage islands, in which a group of cores in an island always operate at the same voltage level. We propose a Voltage Island Largest Capacity First (VILCF) algorithm for energy efficient scheduling of periodic real-time tasks on multi-core processors. It achieves great energy efficiency by fully utilizing the remaining capacity of an island before turning on more islands or increasing the voltage level of the current islands. We provide detailed theoretical analysis of the approximation ratio of the proposed VILCF algorithm in terms of energy efficiency. Furthermore, our experiment results show that VILCF significantly outperforms the existing algorithms when there are more than one cores in each voltage island.
The contribution of supraspinal, peripheral and intrinsic spinal circuits to the pattern and magnitude of Fos-like immunoreactivity in the lumbar spinal cord of the rat withdrawing from morphine

Withdrawal from morphine evokes increases in Fos-like immunoreactivity in the spinal cord, particularly in the superficial dorsal horn, laminae I/II. To determine the origin of the increased Fos-like immunoreactivity, we selectively targeted central or peripheral opioid receptors with naloxone-methiodide, an antagonist that does not cross the blood-brain barrier, or induced withdrawal after eliminating possible sources of input to the superficial dorsal horn. To induce tolerance, we implanted rats with morphine or placebo pellets (75 mg, six pellets over three days). On day 4, withdrawal was precipitated and after 1 h, the rats were killed, their spinal cords removed and 50 microm transverse sections of the spinal cord immunoreacted with a rabbit polyclonal antiserum directed against the Fos protein. In placebo-pelleted rats, none of the different procedures, viz. spinal transection, unilateral dorsal rhizotomy (L4-S2), neonatal capsaicin treatment or direct intrathecal opioid antagonist injection, induced expression of the Fos protein. However, both spinally transected and rhizotomized withdrawing animals showed significant increases in Fos-like immunoreactivity in laminae I/II, compared to intact withdrawing rats. Neonatal treatment with capsaicin, which eliminates C-fibres, did not alter Fos-like-immunoreactivity. Selective withdrawal of morphine from peripheral opioid receptors by naloxone-methiodide did not induce Fos-like immunoreactivity in the lumbar spinal cord greater than that recorded in nonwithdrawing rats. However, intrathecal injection of naloxone-methiodide increased Fos-like immunoreactivity in laminae I/II and the ventral horn to a greater extent than did subcutaneous injection of naloxone. We hypothesize that the increased Fos expression after systemic withdrawal in spinally-transected rats results from a loss of descending inhibitory control that is activated during withdrawal. The increase in withdrawal-induced Fos-like immunoreactivity after rhizotomy may be secondary to loss of inhibitory controls exerted by large diameter primary afferents or to deafferentation-induced reorganization in the dorsal horn. Since capsaicin did not alter the magnitude of Fos-like immunoreactivity in withdrawing rats, we conclude that hyperactivity of opioid receptor-laden C-fibres is not a necessary contributor to the withdrawal-induced increase in Fos-like immunoreactivity in laminae I and II. Taken together with the results recorded after intrathecal injection of naloxone-methiodide in tolerant rats, we conclude that the pattern of lumbar spinal cord Fos expression following systemic withdrawal is primarily a consequence of increased activity in opioid receptor-containing circuits intrinsic to the dorsal horn and that the magnitude of Fos expression is normally dampened by supraspinal and primary afferent-derived inhibitory inputs.
Platelet count and serum thrombopoietin level as predictors for morbidity and/or mortality in thrombocytopenic neonates

Background Serum thrombopoietin in thrombocytopenic infants is largely related to the cause of thrombocytopenia and the underlying disease. Many perinatal factors can affect thrombopoietin level. Patients and methods A prospective cross-sectional study on 119 thrombocytopenic neonates: 54 full term and 65 preterm had been conducted. Thrombopoietin assay was done using a qualitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. The test was repeated on the change of clinical status (recovery or deterioration). Results Lowering of thrombopoietin level was noted on reversal of platelet count to normal (P<0.001). Survival is significantly related to platelet count in full term (P = 0.04), but insignificant among thrombocytopenic preterms. Platelet count is negatively correlated to thrombopoietin level in neonates both in full term and preterm (r = −0.59, −0.69, respectively, P<0.001). Platelet count was found to be the best predictor for duration of recovery of thrombocytopenia in neonates compared with other ...
A new hypothesis for molecular behavior

Abstract In order to understand the living cell, biologists need workable explanations of molecular phenomena. From data in the literature, it is possible to construct a mathematical hypothesis: molecular behavior in the continuum can be represented by a set of simple, logarithmic functions. These functions apply not only to biology, but also to chemistry and to physics. Although empirical in its origins, this hypothesis satisfies criteria which are often associated with good theories. It is comprehensive in its application, and it is mathematically simple. It is easily tested; and it is accurate, when tested. Because it can be correlated with classical atomic and molecular theory, the hypothesis can be used to make strong predictions. The proposal also appears to be consistent with quantum mechanics.