cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Review of Some Functionals of Compound Poisson Processes and Related Stopping Times

The paper reviews recent results of D. Perry, W. Stadje and S. Zacks, on functionals of stopping times and the associated compound Poisson process with lower and upper linear boundaries. In particular, formulae of these functionals are explicitly developed for the total expected discounted cost of discarded service in an M/G/1 queue with restricted accessibility; for the expected total discounted waiting cost in an M/G/1 restricted queue; for the shortage, holding and clearing costs in an inventory system with continuous input; for the risk in sequential estimation and for the transform of the busy period when the upper boundary is random.
Solution principles for a new generation of precision self-correcting multi-axis machines

Abstract Based on the premise that machinery cannot be built perfectly, this paper formulates plausible solutions for the active correction of the inherent inaccuracies of “less-than-perfect” machines in order to achieve or exceed the performance of precision machinery built by conventional methods which typically aim to build a “perfect machine”. Three problem areas central to the attainment of active or self-correcting capabilities are addressed. First of all, error correcting strategies based on mathematical models of error propagation are addressed through the development of a generalized first order volumetric error model of a multi-axis machine. Second, examples of real-time in-process error sensing methods are analyzed. Finally, strategies based on adaptive and conventional control approaches by which corrections can be fed back and executed by the machine's controller are introduced. For all three elements above, examples of developed systems are presented. It has been shown that the development of self-correcting machines is within the realm of current technology and that significant improvements in precision can be achieved at a relatively modest cost.
The Limiting Mass of a Neutron Star

ASSUMING that pulsars are spinning, contracted stellar objects of enormous mass, we can divide the interior of a pulsar into three distinct density regions. Region 1 has a density below 5 × 1011 g cm−3, region 2 has a density from 5 × 1011 to 1015 g cm−3 and region 3 has a density > 1015 g cm−3. In region 1, the pressure is generated by an electron gas obeying the laws of atomic physics and the semi-empirical nuclear mass formula plays an important part in the equation of state. The unsolved problems will not require new methods, but only better accuracy.
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of the lipopolysaccharide core biosynthetic enzyme ADP-l-glycero-d-mannoheptose 6-­epimerase from Escherichia coli K-12

ADP-l-glycero-d-mannoheptose 6-epimerase is a 240 kDa NAD-dependent nucleotide diphosphosugar epimerase from Escherichia coli K12 which catalyzes the interconversion of ADP-d-glycero-d-mannoheptose and ADP-l-glycero-d-mannoheptose. ADP-l-glycero-d-mannoheptose is a required intermediate for lipopolysaccharide inner-core and outer-membrane biosynthesis in several genera of pathogenic and non-pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria. ADP-l-glycero-d-mannoheptose 6-epimerase was overexpressed in E. coli and purified to apparent homogeneity by chromatographic methods. Three crystal forms of the epimerase were obtained by a hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method. A native data set for crystal form III was collected in-house on a Rigaku R-AXIS-IIC image plate at 3.0 A resolution. The form III crystals belong to the monoclinic space group P21. The unit-cell parameters are a = 98.94, b = 110.53, c = 180.68 A and β = 90.94°. Our recent results show that these crystals diffract to 2.0 A resolution at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source. The crystal probably contains six 40 kDa monomers per asymmetric unit, with a corresponding volume per protein mass (Vm) of 4.11 A3 Da−1 and a solvent fraction of 70%.
Comparing the Determinants of Persistence for First-Generation and Continuing-Generation Students

In this study we examined and compared the determinants of first-to-second-year persistence for 1,167 first-generation and 3,017 continuing-generation students at four-year institutions, using data from the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Survey (Wine, et al., 2002). Because first-generation students are overrepresented in the most disadvantaged racial, income, and gender groups, we used a critical theorist perspective to frame the research problem, guide inquiry, and interpret results.
Quantitative portable gamma spectroscopy sample analysis for non-standard sample geometries

Utilizing a portable spectroscopy system, a quantitative method for analysis of samples containing a mixture of fission and activation products in nonstandard geometries was developed. The method can be used with various sample and shielding configurations where analysis on a laboratory based gamma spectroscopy system is impractical. The portable gamma spectroscopy method involves calibration of the detector and modeling of the sample and shielding to identify and quantify the radionuclides present in the sample. The method utilizes the intrinsic efficiency of the detector and the unattenuated gamma fluence rate at the detector surface per unit activity from the sample to calculate the nuclide activity and Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA). For a complex geometry, a computer code written for shielding applications (MICROSHIELD) is utilized to determine the unattenuated gamma fluence rate per unit activity at the detector surface. Lastly, the method is only applicable to nuclides which emit gamma rays and cannot be used for pure beta emitters. In addition, if sample self absorption and shielding is significant, the attenuation will result in high MDA`s for nuclides which solely emit low energy gamma rays. The following presents the analysis technique and presents verification results demonstrating the accuracy of the method.
Differential effects of phosphoramidon and captopril on NK1 receptor-mediated plasma extravasation in the rat trachea.

We sought to confirm the identity of the tachykinin receptor subtype that mediates plasma extravasation in the rat trachea, and assess the respective contributions of neutral endopeptidase (NEP) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in regulating this tachykinin-induced response. To achieve these aims, we determined the relative potencies of several natural tachykinins and receptor-selective synthetic agonists, both before and after inhibiting NEP with phosphoramidon and ACE with captopril. We also determined the effects of these peptidase inhibitors, and the NK-1 receptor antagonist L-703,606, on the plasma extravasation produced by capsaicin, which releases tachykinins endogenously from sensory nerve endings. We found that the rank order of potency for producing plasma extravasation in the rat trachea was NK-1 receptor agonist ([Sar9, Met(O2)11] SP)>substance P>neurokinin A> neurokinin B. The NK-2 ([Nle10]NKA (4–10)) and NK-3 ([MePhe7]NKB) receptor agonists were without effect. We observed no change in the relative potencies of these peptides after giving rats phosphoramidon or captopril, which suggests that the different peptide potencies are not simply the consequence of different rates of enzymatic degradation. Nevertheless, the responses to substance P and neurokinin A were clearly potentiated in rats given phosphoramidon, indicating that NEP effectively degrades tachykininsin vivo. No significant potentiation was evident for any peptide in rats given captopril. Similarly, the plasma extravasation produced by capsaicin was potentiated in rats given phosphoramidon, but not in those given captopril. Pretreating rats with L-703,606 abolished the response to capsaicin. We conclude from these observations that NK-1 receptors mediate tachykinin-induced plasma extravasation in the rat trachea, and that NEP regulates this response with little or no contribution from ACE.
EFFECTS OF SELF-DIRECTED BEHAVIOR-MODIFICATION TRAINING ON A MEASURE OF LOCUS OF CONTROL

One of the latest developments emanating from behavior modification is the application of behavioral principles to one's own behavior. While the learning of behavioral principles to modify simple habits could be of significant benefit, the gain would be of even greater importance if learning to “control” one's own behavior resulted in a generalized attitude of control over the environment. The present experiment examined the hypothesis that self-directed behavior-modification training increases one's feelings of control over the environment as measured by the Locus of Control Scale. The Solomon four-group design was utilized. The Locus of Control Scale was administered to half of the students in a class on self-directed behavior modification and to half of the students in a class on community psychology, at the beginning and the end of the semester and to the remaining half of both classes at the end of the semester. Statistical analysis provided qualified support for the hypothesis. Alternative explanati...
Reading the “Kamasutra”: the strange & the familiar

Ihe Kamasutra is the oldest extant Hindu textbook of erotic love, and one of the oldest in the world. It is not, as most people think, a book about the positions in sexual intercourse. It is a book about the art of living finding a partner, maintaining power in a mar riage, committing adultery, living as or with a courtesan, using drugs and al so about the positions in sexual inter course. It was composed in Sanskrit, the literary language of ancient India, prob ably sometime in the second half of the third century of the Common Era, in North India, perhaps in Pataliputra (near the present city of Patna, in Bihar). Virtually nothing is known about the author, Vatsyayana Mallanaga, other than his name and what little we learn
Incidence of geographic tongue and median rhomboid glossitis in 3.319 Negro college students

G eographic tongue (erythema migrans, wandering rash of the tongue, benign wandering glossitis) is a benign condition in which smooth, erythematous patches with discrete borders appear on the dorsum of the tongue. The remainder of the tongue frequently has a gray or pale yellow coating, accentuating the bald areas. Histologically, the process is usually superficial, consisting of desquamation of the keratin layers of the papillae and inflammation of the corium. In severe cases, the epithelium may ulcerate. The condition tends to be chronic or intermittent in nature, but in many cases it apparently regresses without recurrence.4 The form and configuration of the geographic pattern of the tongue may change definitely and visibly during the course of a 2-hour period of observation.5 Median rhomboid glossitis is a reddish area, roughly rhomboid in shape, located in the midline of the dorsum of the tongue just anterior to the circumvallate papillae. It is thought to result “from the failure of the lateral halves of the tongue to fuse before the tuberculum impar becomes interposed between them, just anterior to the circumvallate papillae.“2 The redness is due not to inflammation but to lack of papillae. Sometimes the anomaly is polypoid in character and is located further anteriorly. This congenital defect, often undiscovered until adulthood, has no clinical significance and should not be confused with carcinoma, which is extremely rare in this location.1 Several studies of the incidence of geographic tongue and median rhomboid glossitis have been made. In most instances, Negroes were not included in the sampling of patients. In samples in which Negroes were included, the number
The “Bourgeois” Dimension: A Provocation About Institutions, Politics, and the Future of Labor History

At a moment when labor history risks becoming an elegy for dashed hopes, I wish to tell a cautionary tale of missed opportunities and to counsel an alteration in intellectual focus. Not just a profound shift in the political climate, East and West, but a sustained assault on the operational premises of our craft from within has raised issues more challenging than those encompassed by the usual range of inquiries devoted to improving methods, incorporating neglected topics, and critiquing extant literatures.Not surprisingly, there has been a burst of historiographical stock-takings of late. When fields are in trouble, their practitioners are tempted to become planners. I fully agree with William Sewell's orienting judgment (in one of the most thoughtful of these recent considerations) that labor history cannot be judged to be in a state of scholarly crisis, even if the field has lost its unitary theoretical grounding. After all, assessed by the standards of the craft of history, more excellent work is being done now than ever before. Read as an empirical genre, irrespective of trends in the world or normative commitments, labor history has never been better, more diverse, or asrichly textured. Impressively, it is the site of important epistemological debates. Further, labor history has extended its domain to include subjects such as drink, crime, leisure, sexuality, and the family it once either ignored or relegated to the periphery of its concerns. Like Sewell, however, I am struck by labor history's loss of elan, directionality, and intellectual purpose. Engaged history, in possession at least of the conceit of making a difference, has moved elsewhere, to other subject areas.
Nicotine Enhances the Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase-Mediated Phosphorylation of α4 Subunits of Neuronal Nicotinic Receptors

Studies determined whether alpha4beta2 or alpha3beta2 neuronal nicotinic receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes are substrates for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and whether nicotine affects receptor phosphorylation. The cRNAs for the subunits were coinjected into oocytes, and cells were incubated for 24 h in the absence or presence of nicotine (50 nM for alpha4beta2 and 500 nM for alpha3beta2 receptors). Nicotine did not interfere with the isolation of the receptors. When receptors isolated from oocytes expressing alpha4beta2 receptors were incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP and the catalytic subunit of PKA, separated by electrophoresis, and visualized by autoradiography, a labeled phosphoprotein with the predicted molecular size of the alpha4 subunit was present. Phosphorylation of alpha4 subunits of alpha4beta2 receptors increased within the first 5 min of incubation with nicotine and persisted for 24 h. In contrast, receptors isolated from oocytes expressing alpha3beta2 receptors did not exhibit a labeled phosphoprotein corresponding to the size of the alpha3 subunit. Results suggest that the PKA-mediated phosphorylation of alpha4 and not alpha3 subunits may explain the differential inactivation by nicotine of these receptor subtypes expressed in oocytes.
Legal and safety regulatory considerations

This paper presents a PowerPoint presentation on the legal and safety regulatory considerations in the industry. The presentation included discussions on criminal law framework, procurement and supply of safety related systems, and seeking assurance through conformity assessment. It concludes with a list of some key issues that a safety manager would consider.
Hypothesis testing and confidence interval construction in 2 × 2 tables of correlated proportions

The 2 × 2 table is an invaluable tool for displaying bivariate binary data. It is easy to find examples of correlated binary response in biopharmaceutical experiments and clinical research and analysis of these data is a current research topic. The most common hypothesis tested for 2 × 2 tables of correlated proportions is that of homogeneity of the marginal proportions or, equivalently, the hypothesis of table symmetry. The 2 × 2 table of correlated proportions is rich with information and we present a survey of some of the analyses relevant for these data. Using asymptotic theory, we develop estimators of relevant parameters and associated test statistics that are of interest. We discuss interval estimation using arguments proposed by Quesenberry and Hurst (1) and Goodman (2). These interval estimators do not rely on estimation of the covariance matrix and are not necessarily equivalent to those obtained using modified chi-square statistics.
Let Women be Silent in the Churches (1 Cor. 14.33b-36): What Did Paul Really Say, and What Did It Mean?:

Le " taceat mulier in ecclesia " de I Corinthiens 14 : 33-36. L'A. explore les differentes sortes d'explication proposees : la phrase est de Paul et a un sens general| elle est de Paul, mais envisage un cas particulier| il s'agit d'une interpolation du paulinisme de la seconde generation. L'A. montre l'insuffisance de ces explications. Il propose son hypothese : ces versets proviennent d'une autre lettre ou Paul reprenait, pour les refuser, les propositions du groupe corinthien marque par le service synagogal, le " taceat " etant le resume des propositions de ce groupe
675 Effects of Monohydroxy Bile Acids on Bile Acid Transport in Newborn Rabbit Hepatccytes

Neonatal obstructive jaundice, neonatal hepatitis, and congenital biliary atresia are thought to be caused by the toxic effects of bile acids, especially toxic monohydroxy bile acids. These studies were performed to examine the effects of lithocolic acid (LCA) and taurolithocholic acid (TLCA) on cellular toxicity, bile acid uptake and secretion in freshly isolated hepatccytes from newborn and 23 day old rabbits. Cellular bile acid uptake and secretion were quantitated using radiolabelled glycocholic acid. Both control and treated hepatocytes were incubated for one hour in the presence of varying concentrations of monohydroxy bile acids prior to kinetic analysis of bile acid transport. A summary of transport data for hepatocytes from 23 day old rabbits is presented in the table. Hepatocytes from 4 day old rabbit under control conditions showed only negligible secretion of bile acid. The effects of LCA and TLCA on bile acid uptake in hepatocytes from 4 day old rabbits were similar to those observed with hepatccytes from 23 day old rabbit. Electron microscopy revealed that the most striking effects of monohydroxy bile acids were on the bile canaliculi (BC). The EC were greatly dilated with prominent thickening and fewer and irregular microvilli. It is concluded that BC function is selectively sensitive to disruption by monohydroxy bile acids and demonstrates significant post natal maturation.
Phasing the primary mirror segments of the Keck telescopes: a comparison of different techniques

We have developed and tested extensively three different methods for phasing the primary mirror segments of the Keck telescopes. Two of these, referred to as the broadband and narrowband algorithms respectively, are physical optics generalizations of the Shack-Hartmann technique. The third, Phase Discontinuity Sensing, is a physical optics generalization of curvature sensing. We evaluate and compare experimental results with these techniques with regard to capture range (as large as 30 micrometers ), run-to-run variation (as small as 6 nm), execution time (as short as twenty minutes), systematic errors, ease of implementation, and other factors, in the context of the Keck telescopes and also of future very large ground-based telescopes.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Single Dose Versus Two Doses of Betamethasone for Lung Maturation in Preterm Rabbits

Most previous studies of induced lung maturation have used fetal exposures to multiple doses of hormones, and such treatments are associated with fetal growth retardation in rodents and rabbits. This study was designed to evaluate whether single-dose maternal corticosteroid treatments could induce lung maturation without causing fetal growth retardation. Lung maturation was evaluated in 27-d gestational age rabbits by measurements of lung function after preterm delivery and ventilation. Lung function was assessed by measurements of ventilatory requirements, responses to exogenous surfactant, measurements of the recovery of intravascular albumin in the lungs, and surfactant pool sizes. As demonstrated previously, 0.1 mg/kg betamethasone (1 mg = 2.13 mumol betamethasone) given 48 and 24 h before delivery caused both growth retardation (birth weight 20% lower than controls, p < 0.01) and lung maturation (improved compliance, decreased radiolabeled albumin recoveries) despite lower alveolar saturated phosphatidylcholine pool sizes (p < 0.05 versus controls). A single dose of 0.2 mg/kg betamethasone given 48 h before delivery had an equivalent effect on birth weight as the divided doses of 0.1 mg/kg betamethasone, with the only lung maturational effect being a decrease in recovery of labeled albumin in alveolar washes (p < 0.01). A single dose of 0.1 mg/kg betamethasone given 48 h before delivery decreased birth weight by 9.4% (p < 0.01 versus control) but had no effect on any of the lung maturation indicators. Fetal lung maturation caused by maternal corticosteroid is associated with global fetal growth retardation, and a single low dose of corticosteroid can cause growth retardation without inducing lung maturation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Overcoming barriers to HIV testing: Preferences for new strategies among clients of a needle exchange, a sexually transmitted disease clinic, and sex venues for men who have sex with men

Objective: To determine strategies to overcome barriers to HIV testing among persons at risk. Methods: We developed a survey that elicited testing motivators, barrier, and preferences for new strategies among 460 participants at a needle exchange, three sex venues for men who have sex with men, and a sexually transmitted disease clinic. Results: Barriers to testing included factors influenced by individual concern (fear and discrimination); by programs, policies, and laws (named reporting and inability to afford treatment); and by counseling and testing strategies (dislike of counseling, anxiety waiting for results, and venipuncture). The largest proportions of participants preferred rapid testing strategies, including clinic-based testing (27%) and home self-testing (20%); roughly equal proportions preferred oral fluid testing (18%), urine testing (17%), and standard blood testing (17%). One percent preferred home specimen collection. Participants who had never tested before were significantly more likely to prefer home self-testing compared with other strategies. Blacks were significantly more likely to prefer urine testing. Conclusions: Strategies for improving acceptance of HIV counseling and testing include information about access to anonymous testing and early treatment. Expanding options for rapid testing, urine testing, and home self-testing; providing alternatives to venipuncture; making pretest counseling optional; and allowing telephone results disclosure may encourage more persons to learn their HIV status.
Spectral broadening measurements of the ionospheres of Jupiter and Saturn

Using data obtained from radio occultation experiments of Pioneer 10 and 11, the theory for spectral broadening is compared with the theory of weak intensity scintillation. This comparison is possible because Pioneer's observed spectral broadening occurred when the intensity scintillations were weak. Good agreement is found, and the inferred characteristics of the electron density irregularities for the ionospheres of both Jupiter and Saturn are presented.
Observations and analysis of lunar radio emission at 3.09 mm wavelength

An analysis of data on lunar radio emission at 3.09 mm wavelength is presented. The data were obtained during a single lunation in a manner that facilitates their comparison with a calculated model. Specific regions of the moon (Copernicus, Sea of Serenity, Sea of Tranquillity, Ocean of Storms, and an highland region near the mean center) were studied with enough angular resolution to distinguish between different types of terrain. The data were absolutely calibrated and yield a new measurement of the lunation average brightness temperature of the center of the moon.
The redox active components H2O2 and N-acetyl-L-cysteine regulate expression of c-jun and c-fos in lens systems

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is implicated in human cataract development. At the molecular level H2O2 has been observed to cause damage to DNA, protein and lipid. It is now demonstrated, for the first time in a lens system, that H2O2 at concentrations found in cataract patients induces expression of both c-jun and c-fos. At optimal concentrations of H2O2, mRNA accumulation of c-jun and c-fos in the rat lenses is induced 20- and 18-fold above normal levels respectively, but with distinct kinetics. This induction occurs at the transcriptional level. H2O2 also induces transactivation by activating protein-1 (AP-1) in rabbit lens epithelial cells. The antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) has a dual effect on the induction of c-jun and c-fos. Preincubation of rat lenses with 5 mM NAC inhibits the induction by H2O2, while 30 mM and 50 mM NAC induce expression of these genes and mask the H2O2 effect. H7 (50 microM), genistein (2 microM) and okadaic acid (20 nM), all block the induction of c-jun and c-fos mRNA accumulation in the H2O2-treated rat lenses. These results suggest that H2O2 activates protein kinase and phosphatase dependent signal transduction pathways to induce c-jun and c-fos expression which may regulate lens crystallin genes and other genes containing AP-1 binding sites.
Enacting our field

This keynote address examines the pedagogical challenges facing the field of nonprofit management in American higher education. It interrogates four binary distinctions that are commonly used in scholarship and teaching about the social sector but that now show signs of eroding: for-profit versus nonprofit, funder versus grantee, local versus global, and secular versus faith based. Each distinction is examined with the aim of answering two questions: What are the implications for new theorizing about this field? What are the implications for teaching and action? In closing, the article explores innovations in structuring social sector management programs to educate cross-sector leaders capable of addressing critical societal problems.
Histone deacetylase inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid reduces acute graft-versus-host disease and preserves graft-versus-leukemia effect

Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and leukemic relapse are the two major obstacles to successful outcomes after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT), an effective therapy for hematological malignancies. Several studies have demonstrated that the dysregulation of proinflammatory cytokines and the loss of gastrointestinal tract integrity contribute to GVHD, whereas the donor cytotoxic responses are critical for graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) preservation. Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) is currently in clinical trials as an antitumor agent; it inhibits the activity of histone deacetylases and at low doses exhibits antiinflammatory effects by reducing the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Using two well characterized mouse models of BMT, we have studied the effects of SAHA on GVHD severity and GVL activity. Administration of SAHA from day +3 to day +7 after BMT reduced serum levels of the proinflammatory cytokines and decreased intestinal histopathology, clinical severity, and mortality from acute GVHD compared with vehicle-treated animals. However, SAHA had no effect on donor T cell proliferative and cytotoxic responses to host antigens in vivo or in vitro. When mice received lethal doses of tumor cells at the time of BMT, administration of SAHA did not impair GVL activity and resulted in significantly improved leukemia-free survival by using two different tumor and donor/recipient combinations. These findings reveal a critical role for histone deacetylase inhibition in the proinflammatory events contributing to GVHD and suggest that this class of pharmacologic agents may provide a strategy to reduce GVHD while preserving cytotoxic T cell responses to host antigens and maintaining beneficial GVL effects.
Passive avoidance in goldfish: Lack of evidence for stimulus specificity

Goldfish, acquiring a passive avoidance response, showed substantially fewer responses in trial intervals than did their yoked controls. A passive procedure, where US reinforcement occurred immediately upon response, produced superior avoidance acquisition to a punishment procedure, where, if response occurred at any time during the trial interval, US reinforcement was administered at the end of the interval. This finding is consistent with the traditional delay of reinforcement gradient. Although goldfish acquired the passive avoidance response, it appeared to be situationally generalized and not stimulus specific, as indicated by a lack of differences between animals trained with a CS and those trained without a CS during trial periods. Also, response suppression between the trial periods was shown by the general ITI response rate suppression. These findings, as well as others showing marked differences between the behavior of goldfish and that of other standard laboratory animals, strongly recommend considerable hesitancy in conclusions of what and how this organism learns.
Cellular automata and discrete neural networks

Abstract Recent results about generalizations of the cellular automaton model to arbitrary digraphs and quasi-linear transition functions are surveyed. Computations by both types of devices can be abstractly regarded as dynamical systems on the Cantor set. This formulation is used as a basis for a systematic comparison of their computational power and their classification. Classifying cellular automata and neural networks on finite graphs by isomorphism of their dynamics diagraphs gives rise to difficult NP -hard and co NP -complete problems. On infinite locally finite graphs one obtains a proper generalization of Turing computability. Neural and automata networks on graphs of finite bandwidth are just as powerful as cellular automata. Computable self-maps of the Cantor set play here the role that partial recursive functions play in classical computability. A characterization of functions computable by neural networks (or equivalently, cellular automata) on a Cantor set in one time step is given. Finally, some open problems are briefly discussed.
Effects of Nitrogen Doping on Basal Plane Dislocation Reduction in 8° Off-Cut 4H-SiC Epilayers

The effectiveness of an in-situ growth interrupt in nitrogen doped 8° off-cut epilayers was investigated using ultraviolet photoluminescence imaging. Low-doped n-type epilayers (
The use of probability techniques in value-based planning

Present techniques used in value-based planning do not properly represent either the durations of power system capacity outage nor the effects of outage on post-interruption demand. Generation outage models do not relate the expected quantum of shortages to particular durations of outage. A model is proposed to compute this expectation by using the generator outage statistics in its entirety. The application of this model to the IEEE test system gave different results, depending on which outage cost data were used. Consequently, there is a need for a uniform procedure to report outage costs. A "bottom-up" procedure based on end use is proposed as a possibility. >
A morphospace of planktonic marine diatoms. II. Sampling standardization and spatial disparity partitioning

Abstract. Morphospace occupation through time provides a view of diversification distinct from the more familiar taxonomic tabulations. However, this view is subject to the same geological biases long recognized in studies of taxonomic diversification, where techniques for correcting secular bias in sampling have become standard practice. In this study, we apply sampling standardization techniques to a morphospace investigation to test whether observed stratigraphic trends in morphospace occupation are artifacts of trends in sampling. When sampling bias is corrected by randomized subsampling, all disparity metrics show stationary patterns, or at most directional changes of small magnitude. Metrics describing the average dispersion of taxa in morphospace are less subject to sampling bias than those describing the total extent of morphospace occupied. We also investigate a measure of disparity that is insensitive to sampling intensity, introducing a geographic component of morphological disparity. By analog...
Predicting the Length of the 2003 U.S.-Iraq War

On April 1, 2003, we published a set of contingent predictions about the likely length of the U.S.–Iraq war that began on March 19, 2003. The predictions were made by applying the statistical model of war duration developed in [Bennett and Stam (1996)][1]. In this article, we assess the accuracy of our (then) forecast, and then present new predictions from the model about the expected length of a punishment/guerrilla war in Iraq, a hypothetical war between the U.S. and Syria, and a hypothetical war between the U.S. and North Korea. Our forecast of the duration of a punishment/guerrilla war in Iraq is 83 months. Our earlier forecast and the new predictions suggest that our model of war duration is a useful tool for thinking about the politics of war duration as well as war initiation. [1]: #ref-2
Sex differences in the relationship of regional dopamine release to affect and cognitive function in striatal and extrastriatal regions using positron emission tomography and [18F]fallypride

The purpose of this study was to examine sex differences in the correla- tions of d-amphetamine (d-AMPH) induced displacements of ( 18 F)fallypride in striatal and extrastriatal regions in relation to affect and cognition. Seven male and six female healthy subjects, whose mean age was 25.9 years, underwent positron emission tomog- raphy (PET) with ( 18 F)fallypride at baseline and 3 h after a 0.43 mg/kg oral dose of d- AMPH. Percent displacements in striatal and extrastriatal regions were calculated using regions of interest (ROI) analysis and on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Subjects under- went neuropsychological testing prior to the baseline PET study and one hour after d- AMPH administration for the second PET. In order to examine the subjective effect of d-AMPH, subjects rated PANAS at baseline and after administration of amphetamine. Correlations of changes in cognition and affect with regional dopamine (DA) release revealed several significant sex related differences. The results of this study demon- strate in vivo sex related differences in the relationship of regional DA release to affect and cognitive function. Synapse 65:99-102, 2011. V
Cluster load balancing for fine-grain network services

This paper studies cluster load balancing policies and system support for fine-grain network services. Load balancing on a cluster of machines has been studied extensively in the literature, mainly focusing on coarse-grain distributed computation. Fine-grain services introduce additional challenges because system states fluctuate rapidly,for those services and system performance is highly sensitive to various overhead. The main contribution of our work is to identify effective load balancing schemes for fine-grain services through simulations and empirical evaluations on synthetic workload and real traces. Another contribution is the design and implementation of a load balancing system in a Linux cluster that strikes a balance between acquiring enough load information and minimizing system overhead. Our study concludes that: 1) Random polling based load-balancing policies are well-suited for fine-grain network services: 2) A small poll size provides sufficient information for load balancing, while an excessively large poll size may in fact degrade the performance clue to polling overhead; 3) Discarding slow-responding polls can further improve system performance.
Antibacterial and antitubercular activity of fosmidomycin, FR900098, and their lipophilic analogs

The nonmevalonate pathway (NMP) of isoprene biosynthesis is an exciting new route toward novel antibiotic development. Inhibitors against several enzymes in this pathway are currently under examination. A significant liability of many of these agents is poor cell penetration. To overcome and improve our understanding of this problem, we have synthesized a series of lipophilic, prodrug analogs of fosmidomycin and FR900098, inhibitors of the NMP enzyme Dxr. Several of these compounds show improved antibacterial activity against a panel of organisms relative to the parent compound, including activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Our results show that this strategy can be an effective way for improving whole cell activity of NMP inhibitors.
Teaching Real‐World Issues through Case Studies*

Engineering students are expected to be not only technically proficient, but, also to exhibit a sound awareness of real-world issues such as marketing, finance, communications, and interpersonal relations. We found that this is best learned by participating in a case study method of instruction. This paper describes the results of a research undertaken by the authors to develop a teaching methodology to bring real-world issues into engineering classrooms. It describes the steps taken in developing an engineering-management case study, administering this case study in a classroom, and results of evaluating the effectiveness of this method of instruction. In particular, it focuses on the students' and professional engineers' perceptions on the utility of the case study method of instruction in engineering classes. The results of the research lead to recommendations to funding agencies and educators on the need to develop interdisciplinary technical case studies so that the innovations happening in the engineering world can be communicated to the students in the classrooms.
Golden section search as an optimization tool for spreadsheets

This paper outlines the golden section search for determining optimal values of functions described within spreadsheets. Two applications of interest are: (1) to maximize tractive efficiency of a two-wheel drive tractor as a function of wheel slip, and (2) to determine the failure force exerted on a tillage tool as a function of the rupture angle of the soil. Also included are listings of a macro and project file as examples of how this routine can be incorporated into a spreadsheet environment.
Estimation of linear parametric models of nonGaussian discrete random fields with application to texture synthesis

A general (possibly asymmetric noncausal and/or nonminimum phase) 2D autoregressive moving average random field model driven by an independent and identically distributed 2D nonGaussian sequence is considered. The model is restricted to be invertible, i.e., system zeros are not allowed to lie on the unit bicircle. Three performance criteria are investigated for parameter estimation of the system parameters given only the output measurements (image pixels). The proposed criteria are functions of the higher order cumulant statistics of an inverse filter output. One of these criteria is novel and the others have been considered in past only for moving average inverses and without any analysis of their consistency. In the paper strong consistency of the proposed methods under the assumption that the system order is known is proved. The convergence of the proposed parameter estimators under overparametrization is also analyzed. Experimental results involving synthesized as well as real life textures are presented to illustrate the performance of two of the considered approaches. Experimental results of synthesis of 128/spl times/128 textures visually resembling several real life textures in the Brodatz album (and other sources) are presented. >
Shear layers in a rotating stratified fluid with bottom topography

The structure of shear layers due to bottom topography in a rotating stratified fluid is obtained under the restriction σ S [Lt ] E ½ , where σ S = να g Δ T / K Ω 2 L is a measure of the stratification and E = ν/Ω 2 L is the Ekman number. The layers are found to be similar to the side-wall layers discussed by Barcilon & Pedlosky (19673) if σ S [Gt ] E ½ and are Stewartson layers if $\sigma S \ll E^{\frac{2}{3}}$ . Some comments are made on the possibility of Taylor column formation in a stratified fluid.
Nano-Grating Force Sensor for Measurement of Neuron Membrane Characteristics Under Growth and Cellular Differentiation

We fabricated single-layer pitch-variable diffractive nanogratings on silicon nitride probe using e-beam lithography and subsequent pattern transfer techniques. The nanogratings consist of flexure folding beams suspended between two parallel cantilevers of known stiffness. The probe displacement, therefore the force, can be measured through grating transmission spectrum. We measured the mechanical membrane characteristics of PC 12 cells using the force sensors with displacement range of 10 mum and force sensitivity 8 muN/mum. Young's moduli of 425plusmn30 Pa are measured with membrane deflection of 1% for PC 12 cells cultured on polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS) substrate coated with collagen or laminin in Ham's F-12 K medium. We have also observed stimulation of directed neurite contraction up to 6 mum on extended probing for a time period of 30 minutes.
A kinematic model of southern California

A kinematic model for southern California, based on late-Quaternary slip rates and orientations of major faults in the region, is proposed. Internally consistent motions are determined assuming that these faults bound rigid blocks. Relative to North America, most of California west of the San Andreas fault is moving parallel to the San Andreas fault through the Transverse Ranges and not parallel to the motion of the Pacific plate. The velocities of the blocks are calculated along several paths in southern California that begin in the Mojave Desert and end off the California coast. A path that crosses the western Transverse Ranges accumulates the accepted relative North America-Pacific plate velocity, whereas paths to the north and south result in a significant missing component of motion, implying the existence of a zone of active deformation in southern California.
A New 3D Model-Based Minimal Path Segmentation Method for Kidney MR Images

We present a robust, automated, model-based segmentation method for kidney MR Images. We used dynamic programming and a minimal path approach to detect the optimal path within a weighted graph between two end points. We used an energy function to combine distance and gradient information to guide the marching curve and thus evaluate the best path and span a broken edge. We developed an algorithm to automate the placement of initial end points. Dynamic programming was used to automatically optimize and update end points in the procedure for searching curves. A deformable 3D model was generated using principle component analysis (PCA) and it was used as the prior knowledge for the selection of initial end points and for the evaluation of the best path. We used our minimal path method with surface models to segment mouse kidneys slice-by-slice. The method has been tested for kidney MR images of 44 mice. To quantitatively assess the automatic segmentation method, we compared the automatic segmentation results with manual segmentation. The average and standard deviation of the overlap ratios is 0.93 + 0.05. The distance error between the automatic and manual segmentation is 0.85 plusmn 0.41 pixel. The 3D automatic minimal path segmentation method is fast, accurate, and robust. It provides a useful tool for quantification and characterization of kidney MR images.
A transmit/receive twin‐horn feed for spinning remote sensing reflector antennas

A gravitationally balanced reflector antenna with minimized spun inertia has recently been considered for remote sensing applications. The back-to-back reflector antenna structure is used to generate two off-nadir scanned beams. In particular, to overcome the large azimuth displacement between Tx/Rx events due to the high spinning rate and high orbit altitude of the antenna, a customized integrated twin-horn feed with partially overlapped corrugation is designed to transmit and receive signals, respectively. Simulation and measurement results of the twin-horn feed agree very well. The simulated far-field pattern of the reflector antenna matches well with the design goals. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 2505–2510, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24656
Two phase flow in capillary tubes

Thesis (Sc. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1963.
Tourette's Syndrome

The text revision Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatry, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV-TR) lists the following diagnostic criteria for Tourette’s syndrome (TS) (1): 1. Both multiple motor and one or more vocal tics have been present at some time during the illness, although not necessarily concurrently. 2. The tics occur many times a day (usually in bouts) nearly every day or intermittently throughout a period of more than 1 year, and during this period there was never a tic-free period of more than 3 consecutive months. 3. The onset is before age 18 years. 4. The disturbance is not the result of the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., stimulants) or a general medical condition (e.g., Huntington’s disease or post-viral encephalitis).
Thermal and package design of high power laser diodes

Thermal and package design is carried out for high power laser diodes. Both junction-up and flip-chip configurations are studied. The flip-chip technique is far superior to the junction-up method. For a 300- mu m(L)*500- mu m(W) GaAs laser diode chip with active region of 300 mu m(L)*5 mu m(W), the flip-chip design gives a thermal resistance of 30.14 degrees C/W using a diamond heat sink, and 41.72 degrees C/W using a copper-tungsten heat sink. Calculated result shows that the temperature along the active region is uniform for uniform heat flux. It is thus recommended that the laser chip be designed with uniform heat flux rather than uniform current density along the active region. A technology is suggested to perform flip-chip bonding of the laser chip without incurring the danger of solder getting onto the laser facets. >
Analysis of microwave heating of materials with temperature-dependent properties

In this paper transient temperature profiles in multilayer slabs are predicted, by simultaneously solving Maxwell's equations with the heat conduction equation, using Galerkin-finite elements. It is assumed that the medium is homogeneous and has temperature-dependent dielectric and thermal properties. The method is illustrated with applications involving the heating of food and polymers with microwaves. The temperature dependence of dielectric properties affects the heating appreciably, as is shown by comparison with a constant property model.