cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Definition and Examples of DTMCs

The objective of this article is to describe a special type of stochastic process called discrete-time Markov chain (DTMC). We first provide definitions for DTMCs using simple language as well as mathematics. Then, we describe a systematic technique to model a system as a DTMC. Finally, we provide examples to both illustrate the modeling technique and motivate the breadth of real-world applications where DTMCs can be used. Keywords: DTMC; time homogeneous; transition probability matrix; stochastic process; Markov property
Measuring the Accessibility of the U.S. State Government Web Sites

Web accessibility has become an important issue since the dramatic rise in the use of the Web. Web accessibility deals with overcoming barriers users with disabilities face when trying to access information on Web sites. The U.S. has passed laws relating to Web accessibility to improve the usability of the Internet for disabled users. Technical advancements have improved assistive tools such as page readers for users with disabilities, but accessibility requires more than assistive tools. Web page design causes many accessibility problems. This study examines the accessibility of the home pages of the official government Web sites of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, based on the assumption that government Web sites should be an example for other organizations to follow regarding Web accessibility. However, nearly a third of the home pages tested did not meet the most fundamental requirements for Web accessibility. Fixes for many of these accessibility problems require rather minor adjustments to underlying page code.
A Unified Model for Subaqueous Bed Form Dynamics

[1] Bed form evolution remains dynamic even in the special case of steady, uniform flow. Data from the sandy, braided North Loup River, Nebraska, show that roughness features on the channel bottom display a statistical steady state and robust scaling that are maintained through the collective interactions of transient (short-lived) bed forms. Motivated by such field data, and laboratory observations of bed form growth, we develop a nonlinear stochastic surface evolution model for the topography of bed load dominated sandy rivers in which instantaneous sediment flux explicitly depends on local elevation and slope. This model quantitatively reproduces laboratory observations of initial growth and saturation of bed forms from a flat surface, and also generates long-term dynamical behavior characteristic of natural systems. We argue that the variability in geometry and kinematics of bed forms in steady flow, and the existence of roughness at all wavelengths up to the largest dunes, are a consequence of the nonlinear relationship between sediment flux and topography, subject to noise.
Local Structure of Thermoelectric Ca3Co4O9

We have combined temperature-dependent local structural measurements with first-principles density-functional calculations to develop a three-dimensional local structure model of the misfit system $[{\text{Ca}}_{2}{\text{CoO}}_{3}]{[{\text{CoO}}_{2}]}_{1.61}$ (referred to as ${\text{Ca}}_{3}{\text{Co}}_{4}{\text{O}}_{9}$) which has a rocksalt structure stacked incommensurately on a hexagonal ${\text{CoO}}_{2}$ lattice. The local structural measurements reveal a low coordination of Co(2)-O bonds in the rocksalt layer with large static structural disorder. The temperature dependence of the Co(1)-Co(1) bond correlations in the ${\text{CoO}}_{2}$ layer is found to be normal above $\ensuremath{\sim}75\text{ }\text{K}$ and has very small static disorder. An anomalous enhancement in the Co(1)-Co(1) correlations occurs at the onset of long-range magnetic order. Density-functional computations suggest that the reduction in the coordination of Co(2) is due to the formation of chains of $\text{Co}(2){\text{O}}_{x}$ in the $a\text{\ensuremath{-}}b$ plane linked to the Ca-O layers by $c$-axis Co(2)-O bonds. The reduced dimensionality introduced by the chainlike structure in the rocksalt layer and high atomic order in the ${\text{CoO}}_{2}$ layer may enable low thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity in the respective layers.
Rheology of Polymers Near Liquid-Solid Transitions

Polymeric materials near the liquid-solid transition (LST) exhibit a very distinct relaxation pattern. The reference point for analyzing these patterns is the instant of LST at which relaxation becomes self-similar over wide ranges of the relaxation time. The universality of this transition and its consequences have been explored extensively during the past decade. This study will present an overview of rheological implications inherent in liquid-solid transitions of polymers. The LST can be most reliably detected in a dynamic mechanical experiment in which the frequency independence of the loss tangent marks the LST. A wide variety of rheological observations of materials in the vicinity of an LST are discussed with respect to their universality. It is shown that polymer chemistry, molecular weight, stoichiometry, temperature, inhomogeneities, etc. greatly influence the material behavior near the LST. However, the characteristic self-similar relaxation is shown by all investigated materials, independent of the nature of the LST (e.g., both, physically and chemically crosslinking polymers). Several theories predict chemical and rheological properties in the vicinity of an LST. They are briefly discussed and compared with experimental results. A variety of applications for polymers near LST are presented that either already exist or can be envisioned. The self-similar relaxation behavior which results in a power law relaxation spectrum and modulus is not restricted to materials near LST. Different classes of polymers are described that also show power law relaxation behavior. What makes the self-similar relaxation specific for materials at LST is its occurrence at long times with the longest relaxation time diverging to infinity.
Genocidal mutation and the challenge of definition

: The optimum definition of the term “genocide” has been hotly contested almost since the term was coined. Definitional boundaries determine which acts are covered and excluded and thus to a great extent which cases will benefit from international attention, intervention, prosecution, and reparation. The extensive legal, political, and scholarly discussions prior to this article have typically (1) assumed “genocide” to be a fixed social object and attempted to define it as precisely as possible or (2) assumed the need for a fixed convention and sought to stipulate the range of events that should be denoted by the term. Even if its meaning is a matter of convention, however, “genocide” is not a fixed object but varies by context and evolves in methods and forms over time. In fact, as relevant laws, legal interpretations, and political commitments develop, so do would-be perpetrators modify what genocide is in order to avoid political and legal consequences. This article advances an approach to a definition of “genocide” that allows even legal definitions to keep pace with this evolutionary process.
Thermodynamic properties of complexes of iodine with polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract A manometric technique was developed to measure the vapor pressures of the iodine complexes of six polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. Iodine vapor pressure measurements were made at temperatures of 40–140°C. A supplementary aqueous electrochemical technique was employed to obtain data at lower temperatures. Enthalpies and entropies of complexation were calculated from the data.
Effects of infection rate and selection pressure on gene expression from an internal promoter of a double gene retroviral vector

Many commonly used retroviral vectors express one gene from the viral long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter and another gene from an internal promoter. We have investigated factors affecting the expression of the luciferase reporter gene from the internal cytomegalovirus-derived promoter of the retroviral vector, LNCX, which contains a LTR-drivenneo gene as a selectable marker. A subline of human HT1080 cells, expressing the murine ecotropic receptor, was infected with retrovirus generated by transient transfection of BOSC 23 packaging cells. Mass populations of cells infected under conditions resulting in different initial infection rates (IIR) and selected with G418, showed highly variable luciferase activity. Luciferase expression in cell populations with IIR≤5% was generally low; many populations with IIR 1% maintained in the absence of G418. Increasing the selective concentration of G418 or prolonged maintenance of cell populations in the presence of G418 resulted in higher incidence of provirus rearrangements and decreased luciferase expression. These results indicate that the negative effect of selection for the LTR-driven gene on gene expression from an internal promoter depends on the selection stringency and can be obviated by increasing the infection rate.
Recovery of proliferative capacity of agar colony-forming cells and spleen colony-forming cells following ionizing radiation or vinblastine.

The effects of sublethal radiation and the mitotic inhibitor, vinblastine sulphate, on the number of cells in mouse bone marrow capable upon transplantation of forming macroscopic colonies on the surface of the spleens of irradiated recipient mice (CFU) and on the number of cells capable of forming colonies in soft agar after cell culture (ACFU) were studied as a function of time after injury. The results show that ACFU are radiosensitive and vinblastine-sensitive cells, comparable in sensitivity to erythropoietin-sensitive cells. The temporal pattern of recovery following radiation of ACFU, different from that for CFU, is compatible with the concept that these are two distinct but closely related stem cell populations. The relevance of these findings to models of hematopoiesis and to studies on the precursors of macrophages and monocytes in inflammatory exudates is discussed.
Careers in Cancer Prevention: What You May Not See from Inside Your Academic Department—A Report from the American Society of Preventive Oncology's Junior Members Interest Group

The American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) is a professional society committed to advancing cancer prevention and control and providing meaningful career development opportunities for members at every stage in their career ([www.aspo.org][1]). The Junior Members Interest Group was formed in
Fourth-order parallel rosenbrock formulae for stiff systems

Rosenbrock methods are frequently used for the numerical solution of stiff initial value problems. Such linearly implicit methods are characterized by a relatively easy implementation together with excellent linear stability properties. In this paper, we consider modified Rosenbrock methods with s external linearly implicit stages each of which contains p additional linearly implicit internal stages. The internal stages are already parallel so that they can be solved for independently of each other and, consequently, the processors need to exchange their results only after the completion of each of the s external stages. We focus on the design of fourth-order methods with three external stages. Using embedded third-order methods, a variable step size implementation is compared with well-known Rosenbrock codes for performance on the Robertson problem.
A finite world, earth sciences, and public trust.

The beginning of the 21st century has coincided with our recognition that life-sustaining earth cycles are remarkably fine-tuned, and that humans have developed technological abilities to perturb these cycles. Also, inspired by the gifts of freedom and democracy, humans have given themselves laws to exploit nature for profit. The upshot is that nature's balance, governed by immutable physical laws, is being confronted by social laws driven by human aspirations. This conflict and its implications to the human relevance of the earth sciences are explored in the context of an extraordinary tradition of European culture known as public trust.
Generation of CMV-specific T lymphocytes using protein-spanning pools of pp65-derived overlapping pentadecapeptides for adoptive immunotherapy

Cell-mediated immunity is essential for control of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection. We used a pool of 138 synthetic overlapping pentadecapeptides overspanning the entire pp65 protein to generate polyclonal CMV-specific T-cell lines from 12 CMV-seropositive donors inheriting different HLA genotypes. Autologous monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed with this complete pool consistently induced highly specific T cells that selectively recognized 1-3 pentadecapeptides identified by secondary responses to a mapping grid of pentadecapeptide subpools with single overlaps. Responses against peptide-loaded targets sharing single HLA class I or II alleles identified the restricting HLA alleles. HLA-A*0201+ donors consistently responded to pentadecapeptides containing HLA-A*0201-binding epitope(aa495-503)NLVPMVATV. T-cell lines from other donors contained high frequencies of CD4 and/or CD8 T cells selectively reactive against peptides presented by other HLA alleles, including both known epitopes such as (aa341-350)QYDPVAALF (HLA-A*2402) as well as unreported epitopes such as (aa267-275)HERNGFTVL (HLA-B*4001 and B*4002) and (aa513-523)FFWDANDIYRI (HLA-DRB1*1301). These T cells consistently lysed CMV-infected target cells. Thus, this approach fosters expansion and selection of HLA-restricted CMV-pp65-reactive T-cell lines of high specificity that also lyse CMV-infected targets, and from a functional and regulatory perspective, may have advantages for generating virus-specific T cells for adoptive immunotherapy.
Creating Social Capital in the Early American Republic: The View from Connecticut

During the early years of the American republic, Connecticut's elite helped to develop a new form of social order, based on voluntary association, replacing the authoritarian, theological hierarchy of the old regime. Social relations, which were once thought fixed in nature by divine sanction, became amenable to the initiatives of the populace. By the antebellum era, Americans had also discovered that social capital could be created through the ordinary activities of people engaged in civil society.
Mediated education in a creative arts context: research and practice at Whittier Elementary School

Many students' learning styles are not well served by traditional classroom educational approaches. While interactive media tools can be effective in addressing shortcomings in traditional approaches, few projects provide practical solutions that support collaborative, discovery-based educational models while simultaneously addressing different student learning styles.In this paper, we describe the realization and outcomes of a recent 15-week after-school mediated education program undertaken with elementary school students in our region. We present our integrated approach to research and practice in the design of new tools, curricula, and assessment strategies for K-12 education that employ emerging interactive media technologies in the classroom. We focus on our efforts to support learners through discovery-based activities, cooperative and collaborative learning strategies, and the realization of new expressive forms that arise from the intersection of arts education and technology.
The effects of annealing prior to dealloying on the mechanical properties of nanoporous gold microbeams

Abstract Freestanding nanoporous gold beams fracture during dealloying owing to volume shrinkage. This study illustrates that annealing after release, yet prior to dealloying, prevents failure during the selective dissolution step. Experiments in which annealing was performed at temperatures ⩽400 °C illustrate that permanent buckling of the freestanding solid alloy beams is required to prevent failure of the nanoporous beams during dealloying. In contrast, annealing of beams prior to release, or annealing temperatures ⩽200 °C (which do not cause permanent buckling deformation), do not mitigate dealloying failures. This work illustrates that the fabrication yield and the residual stresses (in the final nanoporous beams) correlate with the permanent buckling deflection of the alloy due to annealing, with the maximum yield (>95%) and the minimum residual stress (∼4–7 MPa) occurring for annealing at ∼300 °C. The present experimental results are used with elementary elastic buckling models to explain the critical temperature that produces permanent deflection, as well as discuss the mechanisms underlying the above phenomena.
IGF-Binding Protein-4 Expression and IGF-Binding Protein-4 Protease Activity Are Regulated Coordinately in Smooth Muscle During Postnatal Development and After Vascular Injury

Recent studies support a critical role for the paracrine IGF/IGF-binding protein system in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell growth. In this study we have explored the hypothesis that the abundance of individual IGF-binding proteins in smooth muscle is subject to regulation during postnatal life and in response to injury. IGF-binding protein-2 was the predominant binding protein secreted by neonatal rat vascular smooth muscle cells, whereas IGF-binding protein-4 was most prevalent in adult vascular smooth muscle cells coincident with increased IGF-binding protein-4 protease activity. After arterial injury, IGF-binding protein-4 mRNA increased, associated with greater IGF-binding protein-4 proteolytic activity, resulting in stable steady state levels of the IGF-binding protein-4 protein. Expression of pregnancy-associated plasma protein A mRNA, recently identified as an IGF-binding protein-4 protease, was expressed at higher levels in adult than neonatal vascular smooth muscle cell lines, but did not change significantly after arterial injury. The peak of immunoreactive pregnancy-associated plasma protein A from hydrophobic interaction chromatography fractions of smooth muscle cell-conditioned medium coincided, but did not fully overlap, with the fractions containing maximal IGF-binding protein-4 protease activity. In conclusion, our data point to a developmental switch from IGF-binding protein-2 to IGF-binding protein-4 in vascular smooth muscle cells postnatally. Moreover, IGF-binding protein-4 expression is coregulated with IGF-binding protein-4 protease activity, suggesting that biosynthesis and degradation of this binding protein are coordinated events important for regulating biological activity of IGF-I.
Star and black-hole formation: What's hot and what's not

Stars form from gas both dense enough to collapse but diffuse enough to cool into molecules. If cooling is prohibited, a supermassive black hole may form instead. The transition may explain key mysteries of galactic structure.
Electrolytic currents in Europa

The transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) currents at the Europan surface are calculated. The study was performed because of the proximity of Europa to Jupiter, which has a strong magnetic field, and the presence of a conductor (water ice) in copious quantities on the Europan surface. The moon is assumed to have a silica interior, an ice layer and, in places, an intermediate liquid layer. Account is taken of surface eddy currents, the maximum current density in the surface and a saline liquid layer, and the TM magnitudes with different liquid layer thicknesses. The effects of random appearances of vertical cracks in the ice are also considered. The calculations indicate that the surface currents could be higher on Europa than on Io, but may be too weak to produce heating effects sufficient to prevent refreezing of a crack.
The "drinking-buddy" scale as a measure of para-social behavior.

Para-social behavior is a form of quasi-interpersonal behavior that results when audience members develop bonds with media personalities that can resemble interpersonal social interaction, but is not usually applied to political communication. This study tested whether the "Drinking-Buddy" Scale, a simple question frequently used in political communication, could be interpreted as a single-item measure of para-social behavior with respect to political candidates in terms of image judgments related to interpersonal attraction and perceived similarity to self. The participants were college students who had voted in the 2008 election. They rated the candidates, Obama or McCain, as drinking buddies and then rated the candidates' perceived similarity to themselves in attitude and background, and also the social and task attraction to the candidate. If the drinking-buddy rating serves as a proxy measure for para-social behavior, then it was expected that participants' ratings for all four kinds of similarity to and attraction toward a candidate would be higher for the candidate they chose as a drinking buddy. The directional hypotheses were supported for interpersonal attraction, but not for perceived similarity. These results indicate that the drinking-buddy scale predicts ratings of interpersonal attraction, while voters may view perceived similarity as an important but not essential factor in their candidate preference. Language: en
Collecting patent infringement damages on unpatented products

The Federal Circuit - the federal appellate court that handles all patent appeals - has increasingly awarded patent owners damages based on profits that they might have made on products that their patents do not cover. Initially, the idea was that sometimes a patent "convoys" sales of related products. The recent Micro Chemical case- Micro Chemical, Inc. v. Lextron, Inc.-involved the application of this principle to a machine for dispensing microingredients (such as vitamins, antibiotics, and hormones) into livestock feed. The patentee and the infringer both gave their machines away. Apparently grateful users then bought the microingredients-at greatly elevated prices-from whichever company provided the machine. Obviously, the profits on the machines as such, were zero or negative. The profit was on the microingredients, and that is what the Federal Circuit used, at least in principle, as the basis for calculating damages.
Improving patient flow in acute coronary syndromes in the face of hospital crowding.

Abstract Background The current paradigm for the evaluation of patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in the emergency department (ED) is focused on the identification of patients with active underlying coronary disease. The majority of patients evaluated in the ED setting do not have active underlying cardiac disease. Objective To measure the effect of bedside point-of-care (POC) cardiac biomarker testing on telemetry unit admissions from the ED. Furthermore, to evaluate the effect telemetry admissions have on ED length of stay (LOS) and overall hospital LOS. Methods Primary data were collected over two 6-month periods in an urban teaching hospital ED. This was an observational cohort study conducted pre- and post- availability of a POC testing platform for cardiac biomarkers. Major measures included number of overall telemetry admissions, ED LOS, hospital LOS, and disposition. Patients were followed at 30 days for significant cardiac events, repeat ED visit or admission, and death. Results In the post-implementation period there was a 30% (95% confidence interval [CI] 36–44%) reduction in admissions to telemetry with a 33% (95% CI 26–39%) reduction in ED LOS and a 20% (95% CI 7–34%) reduction in hospital LOS. There was a 62% reduction in overall mortality between the pre-implementation period and the post-implementation period ( p =0.001). Conclusion The focused use of a rapid cardiac disposition protocol can dramatically impact resource utilization, expedite patient flow, and improve short-term outcomes for patients with suspected ACS.
Urban Spatial Variations in Office-Commercial Rents: The Role of Spatial Amenities and Commercial Zoning

Abstract The paper argues that traditional bid-rent modeling is inadequate in providing the framework for empirically analyzing the whole array of location demand and, most importantly, supply-side influences on office-commercial rents within multinodal metropolises. The analysis then proceeds with an alternative modeling scheme, setting the stage for specifying long-run reduced-form office-commercial rent functions differing from traditional hedonic formulations both within competitive and constrained land market settings. Using recent data on office-commercial rents across nodes in Greater Los Angeles, the empirical analysis lends considerable support to those alternative model specifications accounting not only for firm amenities, but also for worker amenities and local institutional controls.
Subtractive Router for Tree-Driven-Grid Clocks

A tree-driven clock grid has become the choice of clock delivery for most microprocessors, due to its ability to achieve lower skew and lower variability than clock trees, and is becoming the choice of clock delivery for certain high-end application-specific integrated circuit designs. This paper reports on a clock routing tool that was used in designing multiple tree-driven clock grids in a 2.3 GHz processor system-on-chip, which achieved below 5 ps skew within 500 μm Manhattan distance and below 10 ps skew across each clock grid. This clock routing tool employs a nonsequential algorithm comprised of linear programming and combinatorial heuristics. Its robust length-matching capability enables flexible buffer placement, improved clock signal quality, and robustness to variations.
Subchronic (13-week) toxicity of heptachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in male Sprague-Dawley rats

A 13-week oral toxicity study with 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (HpCDD) was performed in Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats received HpCDD at five different dose levels or 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) at one dose level. The doses were divided into 4 daily loading doses and 6 biweekly maintenance doses. At the end of the 13-week dosing period half of the rats were scheduled for necropsy and the other half after another 13-week off-dose period. This preliminary report contains only data from male rats during the 13-week main study period. At the two highest doses of HpCDD and in the TCDD dosage group the body weight or body weight gain was reduced. Mortality was 15, 50 and 5%, respectively. Wasting syndrome was the primary cause of death, but some rats died of hemorrhage without wasting, which may be related to the dose-dependent decrease in platelet counts. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), the rate limiting enzyme of gluconeogenesis, was decreased only at the two highest dose levels of HpCDD and in the TCDD group, all of which also showed mortality. Ethoxyresorufin O-deetylase (EROD) was induced dose-dependently in all treated groups. Serum total thyroxine (T4) concentrations were decreased beginning at the middle dose of HpCDD. The study demonstrates that the toxicity observed after subchronic exposure to HpCDD is very similar to that of TCDD. Most importantly, most of the effects after subchronic and acute dose exposure are identical, confirming the validity of 0.007 as the toxic equivalency factor for HpCDD.
Noise and Attention Span

The effect of emotional arousal, as induced by broad-band noise, upon breadth of attention was investigated. Four intensity levels were employed (no noise, 75 db, 85 db, and 100 db). Two of the tasks, Stroop color-word test, rod-and-frame test, required narrowed attention and the third, Tsai-Partington pathways test, required broader attention. Arousal level did not significantly affect performance on the rod-and-frame test or the pathways test, although in the latter a curvilinear trend was suggested. A complex relationship between arousal level and Stroop performance was obtained; performance of the 85-db group was superior to that of other groups, which did not differ significantly from one another. Results were discussed in terms of Easterbrook's (1959) arousal hypothesis.
User-controlled optimization of task scheduling for imprecise computer systems

Abstract The performance of imprecise computer systems with optimized task scheduling is studied. An imprecise computer system trades off computational accuracy for faster response time of tasks (when necessary) and is therefore potentially useful in real-time applications. In the authors' system, tasks arrive randomly during runtime. Each task has two levels of computation time requirements: the full-level computation requirement and the reduced-level computation requirement. The reduced-level computation of a task takes less time to accomplish than the full-level one and produces results that are acceptable as, though less precise than, those of the full-level computation. The tasks are scheduled in the following way: if the total number of tasks in the system is no more than M — a system parameter — the tasks are executed at the full level; otherwise, the tasks are executed at the reduced level. An optimization procedure that is driven by user requirements is studied. It is proposed to select the system parameter M such that an objective function is optimized and a set of user-specified requirements is met. The optimization procedure aims to give the user the control in determining the parameter M according to performance requirements. The performance of the system under the control of the optimization procedure is examined.
An efficient approach for statistical calculations with globally gridded filtered time series

The formulas for performing several statistical calculations based on Fourier coefficients are presented for use in atmospheric observational studies. The calculations discussed include a method for estimating the degree of temporal freedoms of two correlated time series and a method for performing seasonal analyses using a half-year summer/winter projection operator in the frequency domain. A modified lag-correlation calculation is proposed for obtaining lag correlations in the frequency domain. Also, a spectral approach for Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) and Extended EOF analysis is given which reduces the size of the matrix to be solved in the eigenproblem.
Compatible stochastic observables that do not commute

It is shown that stochastic observables defined by an instrument need not, and generally do not, commute.
Mitigating Near-field Interference in Laptop Embedded Wireless Transceivers

In laptop and desktop computers, clocks and busses generate significant radio frequency interference (RFI) for the embedded wireless data transceivers. RFI is well modeled using non-Gaussian impulsive statistics. Data communication transceivers, however, are typically designed under the assumption of additive Gaussian noise and exhibit degradation in communication performance in the presence of RFI. When detecting a signal in additive impulsive noise, Spaulding and Middleton showed a potential improvement in detection of 25 dB at a bit error rate of 10???5 when using a Bayesian detector instead of a standard correlation receiver. In this paper, we model RFI using Middleton Class A and Symmetric Alpha Stable (S ?S) models. The contributions of this paper are to evaluate (1) the performance vs. complexity of parameter estimation algorithms, (2) the closeness of fit of RFI models to the measured interference data from a computer platform, (3) the communication performance vs. computational complexity tradeoffs in receivers designed to mitigate RFI modeled as Class A interference, (4) the communication performance vs. computational complexity tradeoffs in filtering and detections methods to combat RFI modeled as S ?S interference, and (5) the approximations to filtering and detection methods developed to mitigate RFI for a computationally efficient implementation.
Brillouin and Raman spectroscopy of the ferroelastic rutile-to- CaCl 2 transition in SnO 2 at high pressure

The high-pressure behavior of SnO 2 has been examined by Brillouin and Raman scattering spectroscopy to pressures of 30 GPa at ambient temperature. The elastic constants c 1 1 , c 1 2 , c 4 4 , and c 6 6 of rutile-type SnO 2 were determined as a function of pressure to 13 GPa by Brillouin spectroscopy and the Raman-active modes have been measured up to 30 GPa. The transition from the rutile- to the CaCl 2 -type structure was observed. The Raman-active soft mode and the elastic soft mode behavior were fit to an order parameter model with bilinear coupling of the Raman-active order parameter and the elastic strain. It is shown that the pressure dependence of the Raman-active soft mode is controlled in part by the characteristic frequencies of the two coupled soft modes. No further indications for soft-mode-driven phase transitions at higher pressures were found.
Proton-Assisted Activation of Dihydrogen: Mechanistic Aspects of Proton-Catalyzed Addition of H2 to Ru and Ir Amido Complexes

This study examines the acid-catalyzed hydrogenation of ketones by amido-amine chelates of Ru and Ir, focusing on the hydrogen activation step. Addition of H2 to the catalyst Cp*Ir(TsDPEN-H) (1, TsDPEN = racemic H2NCHPhCHPhNTs−) is more favorable than for corresponding (cymene)Ru derivatives. Depending on the acid, the rate of the proton-catalyzed addition of H2 to 1 varies over 3 orders of magnitude even for strong acids. Acids protonate the NH center in the five-coordinate diamides to give the amido-amine, e.g., [Cp*Ir(TsDPEN)]+ ([1H]+). The rate of proton-catalyzed hydrogenation of 1 was found to be first order in both H2 and in [1H]+ for X− = BF4−, OTf−, ClO4−, NO3−. For X− = ClO4− and BArF4− (BArF4− = B(C6H3-3,5-(CF3)2)4−), the rate showed an additional dependence on [1]. The hydrogenation of 1 is proposed to occur via the dihydrogen complex ([1H(H2)]+) followed by proton transfer to 1, either directly (third-order pathway) or via anion-assisted proton transfer (second-order pathway). The pKa (H−H bo...
Subway suicide rates and national suicide rates.

The suicide rates on the subway systems of 17 major cities were not associated with the suicide rates of the nations in which those cities were located.
A comparison of abstract data type and constraint database approaches to GIS query languages

Designing query languages for geographic information systems using the traditional approach of constantly adding new data types and operations on the new data types has reached a limit beyond which the query language is no longer easy to understand or convenient to use. We advocate instead the design of query languages based on constraint databases. We show that many formerly difficult-looking queries, such as the shortest path query, can be expressed using simple SQL-like queries of constraint databases.
Engineering lymphocyte subsets: tools, trials and tribulations

Recent advances in the techniques for genetically engineering various lymphocyte subsets hold great promise for cell-based therapies to improve or correct aberrant immune responses. With several new approaches now entering clinical trials, continued efforts will focus on improving their safety and efficacy. Cell-based therapies with various lymphocyte subsets hold promise for the treatment of several diseases, including cancer and disease resulting from inflammation and infection. The ability to genetically engineer lymphocyte subsets has the potential to improve the natural immune response and correct impaired immunity. In this Review we focus on the lymphocyte subsets that have been modified genetically or by other means for therapeutic benefit, on the technologies used to engineer lymphocytes and on the latest progress and hurdles in translating these technologies to the clinic.
Reduced Cβ statistical potentials can outperform all‐atom potentials in decoy identification

We developed a series of statistical potentials to recognize the native protein from decoys, particularly when using only a reduced representation in which each side chain is treated as a single Cβ atom. Beginning with a highly successful all-atom statistical potential, the Discrete Optimized Protein Energy function (DOPE), we considered the implications of including additional information in the all-atom statistical potential and subsequently reducing to the Cβ representation. One of the potentials includes interaction energies conditional on backbone geometries. A second potential separates sequence local from sequence nonlocal interactions and introduces a novel reference state for the sequence local interactions. The resultant potentials perform better than the original DOPE statistical potential in decoy identification. Moreover, even upon passing to a reduced Cβ representation, these statistical potentials outscore the original (all-atom) DOPE potential in identifying native states for sets of decoys. Interestingly, the backbone-dependent statistical potential is shown to retain nearly all of the information content of the all-atom representation in the Cβ representation. In addition, these new statistical potentials are combined with existing potentials to model hydrogen bonding, torsion energies, and solvation energies to produce even better performing potentials. The ability of the Cβ statistical potentials to accurately represent protein interactions bodes well for computational efficiency in protein folding calculations using reduced backbone representations, while the extensions to DOPE illustrate general principles for improving knowledge-based potentials.
Activation of the Drosophila MLK by Ceramide Reveals TNF-α and Ceramide as Agonists of Mammalian MLK3

Mixed lineage kinases (MLKs) are MAPKKK members that activate JNK and reportedly lead to cell death. However, the agonist(s) that regulate MLK activity remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate ceramide as the activator of Drosophila MLK (dMLK) and identify ceramide and TNF-alpha as agonists of mammalian MLK3. dMLK and MLK3 are activated by a ceramide analog and bacterial sphingomyelinase in vivo, whereas a low nanomolar concentration of natural ceramide activates them in vitro. Specific inhibition of dMLK and MLK3 significantly attenuates activation of JNK by ceramide in vivo without affecting ceramide-induced p38 or ERK activation. In addition, TNF-alpha also activates MLK3 and evidently leads to JNK activation in vivo. Thus, the ceramide serves as a common agonist of dMLK and MLK3, and MLK3 contributes to JNK activation induced by TNF-alpha.
Health indicators associated with falls among middle-aged and older women enrolled in an evidence-based program

Abstract Background Evidence-based fall prevention programs primarily attract older women, who are increasingly burdened by fall-related injuries. However, little is known about the relationship between older female participants' baseline health status and self-reported falls over the course of fall prevention interventions. Using data from A Matter of Balance/Volunteer Lay Leader Model (AMOB/VLL) workshops, this study examines female participants' sociodemographics and health indicators associated with self-reported falls at baseline and postintervention. Methods Data were analyzed from 837 older women ( M = 76.2 years) collected during the statewide AMOB/VLL dissemination in Texas. Longitudinal Poisson regression models, using the generalized estimating equation method, were used to investigate the associations of personal characteristics and health indicators with and reductions in the number of self-reported falls from baseline to postintervention. Findings Approximately 21% of participants reported falling at baseline, and the number of reported falls significantly decreased from baseline to postintervention ( β = -0.443). At baseline, more unhealthy physical days ( β = 0.022), more unhealthy mental days ( β = 0.018), and lower Falls Efficacy Scale scores ( β = -0.052) were significantly associated with more falls reported at baseline. More falls at baseline was also associated with worse program attendance ( β = -0.069). Greater improvements in Falls Efficacy Scale Scores ( β = -0.069) and decreases in unhealthy physical health days ( β = 0.026) over the course of the intervention were significantly associated with greater reductions in reported falls at postintervention, respectively. Conclusions Findings have implications for identifying at-risk older women upon enrollment, expanding the reach of AMOB/VLL, and leveraging AMOB/VLL to refer participants to other evidence-based exercise, disease management, and mental health interventions.
Abnormal growth of the thyroid cartilage in the digeorge syndrome

Larynges from 17 patients with DiGeorge syndrome (DGS) and from 14 patients with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) (11 non-DGS and 3 possible but unproven DGS) were dissected, measured, and compared to a control population of comparable body length. The patients with DGS and the 3 patients with TOF suspected of having DGS showed the following: small thyroid cartilages with increased anterior angle, abnormally short superior cornua, low ratio of mean superior cornual length to distance between superior cornual tips, and delayed time of maximal rate of increase in superior cornual length relative to increase in body length. The hypoplasia, delayed maximal growth rate and persistent fetal shape of the thyroid cartilage (predominantly a derivative of the fourth branchial arch) in DGS, indicates that the causative process in the syndrome affects not only the third and fourth branchial pouches, but also, by a contiguous field defect, other derivatives than great vessels of the fourth-sixth branchial arches.
Bereavement and Unresolved Grief in Psychiatric Outpatients

Of 1000 consecutive outpatients seen at a university-run psychiatric clinic, 430(43%) had experienced the death of a first degree relative at some time in their lives. Of those who responded to a questionnaire item asking whether they were still having difficulty dealing with the loss, 211 patients had evidence of unresolved grief. The incidence of unresolved grief was greatest among patients who had lost children and lowest among patients who had lost parents. Unresolved grief was associated with: increased intensity of affective symptomatology; past histories of depression, suicide attempts, and alcohol abuse; and family histories of depression. The significance of these findings and the relationship between unresolved grief and depression are discussed.
Expression of MT-3 mRNA in human kidney, proximal tubule cell cultures, and renal cell carcinoma.

Abstract The human metallothionein 3 (MT-3) gene has recently been identified and characterized as a brain-specific MT having growth inhibitory activity for neuronal cells. One objective of the present study was to determine if MT-3 is brain-specific or also present in the renal system, a site for chronic toxicity due to heavy metal exposure. Using RT–PCR methodology, MT-3 mRNA was shown to be expressed in the human renal system at levels below mRNA for the β-actin gene. MT-3 mRNA was shown to be expressed in all samples obtained from both the developing and adult renal systems, from 20 weeks of fetal age to 72 years. Cultures of human proximal tubule (HPT) cells were used to determine if MT-3 mRNA expression is influenced by metal exposure. Exposure of HPT cells to either Zn2+ or Cd2+ resulted in an early (within 24 h), but unsustained increase in MT-3 mRNA. The demonstration of MT-3 mRNA expression in the kidney indicates that MT-3 may play an important early role in the response of the cell to metal exposure. MT-3 mRNA expression was also examined in tissues and cells from three cases of renal cell carcinoma. MT-3 was found to be expressed in all three cases at levels similar to those found for normal kidney, providing evidence that MT-3 mRNA expression is not altered in this cancer.
Finite perturbation of convex programs

This paper concerns a characterization of the finite-perturbation property of a convex program. When this property holds, finite perturbation of the objective function of a convex program leads to a solution of the original problem which minimizes the perturbation function over the set of solutions of the original problem. This generalizes a finite-termination property of the proximal point algorithm for linear programs and characterizes finite Tikhonov regularization of convex programs.
Comparative Tolerability of Systemic Treatments for Plaque-Type Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic, debilitating skin condition that affects millions of people and is attributed to both genetic and environmental factors. Topical therapy is generally considered to be the first-line treatment of psoriasis. However, many patients do not respond to topical therapy or have disease so extensive that topical therapy is not practical. For these patients, systemic therapy is indicated. Presently, there are four available systemic treatments, psoralen with ultraviolet A (PUVA),methotrexate, oral retinoids (acitretin), and cyclosporin. Unfortunately, all of these treatments have significant potential adverse effects. PUVA may acutely cause nausea, pruritis and sunburn. More chronic and concerning is the development of PUVA lentigines, ocular complications and skin cancer. Nonmelanoma skin cancer has been directly linked to PUVA; however, the association with melonoma is more elusive. Methotrexate use most notably carries the risk of hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis, which is not always evident on liver function tests. Other more rare, but potentially life-threatening adverse effects include pancytopenia, lymphoproliferative disorders and acute pneumonitis. The addition of folic acid may help to reduce the risk of increasing liver enzymes and haematological toxicity seen in those taking methotrexate. Both methotrexate and oral retinoids are teratogenic and should never be used in pregnancy. Oral retinoids are probably the least effective available systemic medication for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. The effects are improved with the addition of other systemic therapies. Acitretin has replaced the formerly used etretinate primarily because of the significantly shorter half-life. The adverse effects are generally mild and reversible, making the drug fairly safe for long-term use. The most commonly seen adverse effects include elevated serumlipids, generalised xerosis and alopecia. Bony abnormalities, while somewhat controversial, have also been described and include diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, skeletal calcifications and osteoporosis. Cyclosporin is the most recently approved systemic medication for plaque psoriasis. The nephrotoxicity associated with the use of cyclosporin can be minimised when used in lower doses and for a limited duration. Hypertension is usually mild and can be seen in up to about one-third of patients receiving long-term therapy. Cutaneous and internal malignancies have also been reported with cyclosporin and tend to be correlated with duration of treatment. In this review, we will examine the potential adverse effects with these US Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments in adults, with specific emphasis on the controversies that surround long-term therapy with these agents and their cumulative adverse effects.
Management perspectives on research contributions to practice through collaboration in the U.S. Veterans Health Administration: QUERI Series

The Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) is a unique quality improvement program designed to connect health services researchers to Veterans Health Administration (VHA) management and operations, as well as to provide the science and initiative for making change. Through this process, QUERI stakeholders have learned that success and impact in improving healthcare quality and outcomes largely depends on coordination and collaboration among numerous VHA programs and organizations working to develop and implement evidence-based clinical policies, practices, and quality improvement strategies. This Commentary discusses some of these collaborative efforts and perceived successes in achieving common goals from the viewpoints of two closely involved VHA Operations/Support stakeholders. The Commentary is part of a Series of articles documenting implementation science frameworks and tools developed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI).