cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel approach for partitioning iteration spaces with variable densities

Efficient partitioning of parallel loops plays a critical role in high performance and efficient use of multiprocessor systems. Although a significant amount of work has been done in partitioning and scheduling of loops with rectangular iteration spaces, the problem of partitioning non-rectangular iteration spaces --- e.g., triangular, trapezoidal iteration spaces --- with variable densities has not been addressed so far to the best of our knowledge. In this paper, we present a mathematical model for partitioning N-dimensional non-rectangular iteration spaces with variable densities. We present a unimodular loop transformation and a geometric approach for partitioning an iteration space along an axis corresponding to the outermost loop across a given number of processors to achieve near-optimal performance, i.e., to achieve near-optimal load balance across different processors. We present a case study to illustrate the effectiveness of our approach.
The determination of selenium in urine

The selenium excreted in urine can be measured to assess the dietary status of selenium, an essential trace element in human nutrition. The objectives of this work were: 1) to develop a procedure, capable of high sample throughout, by which the major interferences can be reduced such that selenium concentrations can be measured in urine by Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) using77mSe (17.4 s; and 2) to apply the method to a human dietary selenium study in which several selenium monitors were compared. The method involves a pre-irradiation arsenic-coprecipitation separation of the selenium from urine in the presence of a high specific-activity75Se tracer. The processed urine samples are analyzed using NAA. The procedure was applied to 58 urine specimens longitudinally collected from 12 subjects consuming three different levels of selenium. A dose-response relationship was observed in urine as well as a high correlations with both serum and whole blood selenium concentrations.
Creating ethical work climates: A socioeconomic perspective

Abstract In this essay, I introduce a theory of ethical work climates and describe how ethical climates can be created in business firms by applying a socioeconomic perspective to the process of organizational design. I begin by discussing moral climate in general—presenting the concept of a moral climate continuum and identifying the positive moral climate as one especially conducive to ethical behavior by agents of the firm. Next, I suggest a process for determining where a firm falls along the continuum by obtaining information about prevailing organizational norms. I then proceed to outline the theory itself, analyzing how management can move a firm from the negative to the positive end of the continuum. In this analysis, I argue that a socioeconomic management perspective provides a particularly strong foundation for establishing positive moral climate. I then propose a strategy for designing key organizational processes to transmit this perspective throughout the firm. The essay concludes with an agenda for future research.
NON-REPRESENTATIVE TRADING FREQUENCIES AND THE DETECTION OF ABNORMAL PERFORMANCE

Numerous studies employ betas computed with the ordinary least squares technique and daily returns. However, betas computed with OLS and daily returns are biased and inconsistent due to nonsynchronous trading periods or differences in trading frequency. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of trading frequency on event studies. Brown and Warner (1985) investigated this and several other problems associated with daily returns and found no effect. However, they did not analyze the trading frequencies of the securities in their sample. This study uses a computer simulation for which trading frequency is an input, and, thus, tests stocks with known trading frequency.
Seed lipids of the American cranberry (vaccinium macrocarpon)

Abstract The lipids from cranberry seeds have been shown to contain phosphatidyl choline, serine and ethanolamine, mono- and digalactosyl glycerides and a number of neutral components including glycerides, hydrocarbons and several triterpenoids. Glyceride fatty acids were determined, and the hydrocarbon and triterpenoid fractions examined in further detail.
MR imaging of the fetal brain

Fetal MRI is clinically performed to evaluate the brain in cases where an abnormality is detected by prenatal sonography. These most commonly include ventriculomegaly, abnormalities of the corpus callosum, and abnormalities of the posterior fossa. Fetal MRI is also increasingly performed to evaluate fetuses who have normal brain findings on prenatal sonogram but who are at increased risk for neurodevelopmental abnormalities, such as complicated monochorionic twin pregnancies. This paper will briefly discuss the common clinical conditions imaged by fetal MRI as well as recent advances in fetal MRI research.
A standard test of heat-pain responses using CASE IV

Heat-pain threshold and stimulus response characteristics can be evaluated with graduated heating pulses from a radiant heat source or a contact thermode. Results may be used to: (1) evaluate differences in sensation among anatomical sites, sides of the body, and with development and aging; and (2) provide an end-point for the study of the efficacy of drugs; or to follow the course of sensory alteration in disease (medical practice, epidemiologic studies, and controlled clinical trials). Because there is great variability in how tests of this kind are performed and scored, comparisons of results among medical centers are difficult. To meet this need, we have developed, and here describe, a standardized and validated test of heat-pain. We use both pyramidal and trapezoid-shaped stimuli. The range of stimulus magnitudes we recommend is sufficient to test heat-pain at a sensitive region (the face) of young people and an insensitive region (the foot) of healthy old people. From tests on healthy subjects and patients, we find that neither our previously published forced-choice or 4, 2, and 1 stepping algorithms are suitable for testing heat-pain sensation. We, therefore, introduce the Non-Repeating Ascending with Null Stimuli (NRA-NS) algorithm which performs satisfactorily. The graphed data points of responses to increasingly stronger heat pulses were made up of two components-the no pain (0) response line and the heat-pain response line (> or = 1 numerical scaling of the pain responses graded from 1 [least] to 10 [greatest]). For the pain responses, we found that usually a curve could be fit using a quadratic equation. Using this equation, or interpolation where necessary, it is possible to compute the heat-pain detection threshold (HPDT or HP:0.5), an intermediate heat-pain response (HP:5.0), and the difference between the two (HP:5.0-0.5). Our studies show that a certain time is needed between successive stimuli and tests to minimize changing basal skin temperature or threshold. We also demonstrated that low or high baseline skin temperatures can affect heat-pain responses, therefore, we advocate specific testing conditions. Based on a study of 25 healthy subjects, the reproducibility of the test falls within +/-1 stimulus steps 88% of the time for HP:5.0 and 76% of the time for HP:0.5. The precise approaches employed to make the test standard and reproducible are described. We illustrate that the algorithm and testing system is able to document altered pain threshold with skin abrasion, with intradermal injection of nerve growth factor, and with diabetic polyneuropathy.
The Greek Civil War: An examination of America's first cold war victory

Abstract This article contains an analysis of the events of the Greek Civil Kir from 1944–49, why the Greek government won, why the communists lost, and what the U.S. government contributed to the outcome.
Anomalous difference signal in protein crystals

A scattering-angle-dependent formula is obtained for estimation of anomalous diffraction signals in Friedel pairs in protein crystals. In addition to the angle dependences of atomic form factor and temperature factor, a correlation form factor is introduced for the first time to take into account anomalous-scattering clusters such as disulfide bonds. Good agreements with experimental observations suggest that such correlated anomalous difference signals may be visible from measurements before a complete structural solution is obtained.
Meta-Analysis of Antidepressant Treatment for Patients With Poststroke Depression

To the Editor: Because of our pharmacoepidemiologic research focus, we reviewed the recent article by Hackett et al entitled “Management of depression after stroke” in the May 2005 issue of Stroke .1 The article provided a critical systematic review of antidepressant therapies after stroke based on 7 treatment trials and 9 prevention trials. In Figure 2,1 the authors compared the antidepressants with placebo in term of average change in depression scores between the baseline and end of treatment. Although there were considerable variations of depression measures as authors mentioned, we believe that it would be more meaningful to provide quantitative overall effectiveness comparisons by using …
Regulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis during stress: feedback, facilitation and feeding

Abstract Stressors stimulate the release of corticotropin-releasing factor and/or vasopressin from the hypothalamic paraventricular nuclei causing secretion of adrenocorticotropin from the pituitary and corticosteroids from the adrenal cortex. Corticosteroids inhibit activity in the adrenocortical system by association with high affinity, type I and lower affinity type II corticosteroid receptors in brain. Despite the potent inhibitory effects of exogenously infused corticosteroids on basal and stress-induced adrenocorticotropin, sustained or repeated stress causes facilitated responses to novel stressors. Feedback and facilitation of stress responses are observed during the trough of the basal circadian rhythm but not at the peak. We discuss evidence for the hypothesis that the circadian rhythm in energy acquisition determines the rhythms in stress responsiveness and suggest that the adrenocortical system is embedded in a larger hypothalamic neural network that regulates energy balance.
Comment and reflection

Each paper in this section explores aspects of the classroom environment that promote creativity. While the commonalities might appear to end there, there emerges at least one unifying theme. The lesson to be learned is that motivation plays a central role in the creative process. It all boils down to a question of control. Students must be allowed to gain a certain degree of autonomy. Recommendations are offered to teachers wishing to shape a classroom situation conducive to creativity. In addition, suggestions are made as to how my colleagues and I might learn from one another. No single investigative or theoretical orientation can carry the day. Attention must be paid to all aspects of the classroom environment if researchers and educators are to make substantial strides in fostering students' creativity.
James Hutton's Edinburgh: The Historical, Social, and Political Background

James Hutton (1726-1797) was born and bred in Edinburgh. Having decided to be a farmer, he went to Norfolk aged twenty-four to learn new methods of husbandry. From that base, he travelled widely and developed an interest in geology. In 1767 he left his Berwickshire farm and returned to Edinburgh, where he became a valued member of the remarkable group of men who founded the Royal Society of Edinburgh and made the city an unrivalled intellectual centre of the age.Edinburgh was a capital without the distractions of king and parliament. When the Industrial Revolution began, many disciplines were already represented by men of world-renown who knew each other—many, indeed, were related. There were still no boundaries between narrowly defined disciplines; there was shared interest in all knowledge.Geological structure had constricted Edinburgh's growth, keeping the compact Old Town on its ancient defensive ridge. The North Bridge, completed soon after Hutton's return to Edinburgh, made possible the planned New ...
Proposed method for the production of a magnetically confined hot, dense plasma

Abstract A method for dissociating high energy H 2 + ions injected into a magnetic mirror container is proposed. The dissociating medium is a highly ionized plasma consisting of relativistic electrons and cold protons. Electrons emitted in the decay of unstable He 6 introduced into the mirror region will be trapped by the magnetic field. The dissociating plasma is accumulated by a continuous flow of He 6 through the mirror region for several minutes. Then the plasma is scrubbed by a flow of hydrogen and finally compressed magnetically to a density of about 2.5 × 10 11 /cm 3 . The resulting plasma provides an efficient dissociating medium for the injected H 2 + ions while charge exchange losses of the trapped high energy protons are reduced to a minimum.
Family and Schooling in Colonial and Nineteenth-Century America:

Throughout the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries, both parents and schools played an important part in the education of young Ameri cans. While historians of the family and of education have frequently acknowledged these complementary, if not sometimes conflicting, institutions in the training of the young, very little effort has been made to examine the interactions between them. The family was an important source of education for children in colonial and nineteenth- century America. But from the very beginning churches and schools were directed to assist parents in the socialization of the young. Indeed, by the mid-nineteenth century, the role of the schools had expanded to such an extent that many of the educational tasks initially assigned to parents, such as teaching children the alphabet and how to read, became the responsibility of the schools.
Performance and Scalability of Finite Element Analysis for Distributed Parallel Computation

A two-dimensional (h, p) finite element scheme for distributed parallel computation is developed. The approach is based on an element-by-element domain decomposition and is implemented on the nCUBE2 system. Example problems are used to demonstrate performance of the algorithm for a range of (h, p) and to validate a run-time model. The run-time model is then used to examine the scaling properties of conjugate gradients and the (h, p) FEM over a range of p.
The Isolated S4 Voltage Sensor Helix Translocates Spontaneously Across Membranes

The first complete structure of a voltage-gated potassium channel gave rise to a controversial model that, unexpectedly, placed the four cationic arginine residues in the S4 segment of the voltage sensor domain in direct contact with the membrane lipids. The S4 segment was hypothesized to move as much as 20 A across the membrane during channel gating, contradicting the expectation that highly charged peptides will be excluded from membranes. To assess whether the S4 sequence can insert into and move across a membrane without being chaperoned by any other part of the protein, we tested the ability of an isolated S4 peptide to spontaneously translocate across synthetic lipid vesicles. Translocation of S4 was compared to that of an arginine-containing peptide that we recently selected from a combinatorial peptide library specifically for its high translocation efficiency. Importantly, the arginines in the selected peptide are present in the same sequence motif as the arginines in S4, despite the unbiased nature of the library. While control peptides and polar dyes were excluded, the S4 sequence translocated into multi-bilayer vesicles with the same efficiency as the previously selected translocating peptide. The membrane hydrocarbon is not an effective barrier to the transbilayer movement of the highly charged S4 sequence. These results support the idea that the S4 segment in the sensor domain of voltage gated potassium channels interacts directly with the lipid bilayer and moves across the membrane during channel gating without being chaperoned by other parts of the voltage sensor domain.
Intraocular lens calculations after hyperopic refractive surgery.

Purpose To evaluate the effect of hyperopic refractive surgery on intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation, compare published methods of IOL power calculation after refractive surgery, evaluate the effect of prerefractive surgery refractive error on IOL deviation, and introduce a new alternative formula for IOL calculation in patients who have had refractive surgery for hyperopia. Design Retrospective noncomparative case series. Participants Twenty eyes from 13 patients who had undergone cataract surgery after previous hyperopic refractive surgery. Methods Seven different methods of IOL calculation were performed retrospectively: clinical history (IOL hisK ), clinical history method at spectacle plane (IOL hisKs ), vertex (IOL vertex ), back calculated (IOL BC ), calculation based on average keratometry (IOL avgK ), calculation based on steepest keratometry (IOL steepK ), and calculation based on the double K formula (IOL doubleK ). Each method's result was compared with an exact IOL (IOL exact ), which would have resulted in emmetropia. Each method was then compared with change in spherical equivalent induced by refractive surgery (SE h ). A paired t test was used to determine statistical significance. Main Outcome Measure Mean error in IOL power prediction for each method when compared to IOL exact . Results When evaluating different methods of IOL calculations, IOL vertex was the most accurate, with a mean deviation from emmetropia of 0.42±1.75 diopters (D), followed by IOL BC (+0.54±1.86 D), IOL hisK (+1.56±2.35 D), IOL hisKs (+1.57±2.35 D), IOL steepK (+1.59±2.25 D), IOL doubleK (+1.65±2.56 D), and IOL avgK (+2.24±2.46 D). There was no statistical difference between IOL vertex , IOL BC , and IOL exact . The power of IOL avgK would be inaccurate by 0.27 x +1.53, where x = SE h . Thus, most patients without the adjustment to IOL avgK would be left myopic. However, when IOL avgK is adjusted with this formula, there is no statistical difference to IOL exact . Conclusions For IOL power selection in previously hyperopic patients, a predictive formula based only on SE h and current average keratometry readings was not found to statistically differ from IOL exact . The IOL vertex and IOL BC , which also did not statistically differ from IOL exact , require prerefractive surgery keratometry readings that are often not available to the cataract surgeon.
Effect of crystalline morphology on fatigue crack propagation in polyethylene

An investigation of the influence of crystalline morphology on fatigue crack propagation (FCP) resistance in a slightly branched polyethylene is presented. Various thermal histories have been utilized to generate samples with different crystalline microstructures and the samples were characterized thoroughly using standard methods. Estimation of tie molecule densities was obtained from measurements of brittle fracture stress. Differences in FCP behaviour for the quenched and annealed samples were shown to be dictated by a competing effect between the degree of crystallinity and tie molecule density. Further, larger spherulite size and distribution appeared to have a deleterious effect on fatigue properties. In general, crystalline microstructure is shown to have a significant influence on fatigue crack propagation behaviour.
Displaywide visual features associated with a search display's appearance can mediate attentional capture.

Whether or not the capture of visual attention is driven solely by the salience of an attention-capturing stimulus or mediated by top-down control has been a point of contention since Folk, Remington, and Johnston (1992) introduced their contingent involuntary orienting hypothesis, which states that the capture of attention by a salient stimulus depends on its relevance to a feature distinguishing the target from nontargets. Gibson and Kelsey (1998) extended Folk et al.’s (1992) hypothesis by demonstrating that features associated with the appearance of the target display also mediate capture. Although similar to Folk et al. (1992), Gibson and Kelsey’s displaywide contingent orienting hypothesis makes it difficult to demonstrate stimulus-driven capture, because an observer must always use some perceptible feature as a signal of the target display’s appearance; hence, such features could always be mediating capture. The present article reviews and applies the logic of Gibson and Kelsey’s and Folk et al.’s (1992) hypotheses to experiments from the attentional capture literature, and assesses whether previously reported capture effects were mediated by top-down attentional control. It concludes that these capture effects were not stimulus-driven.
Detection of elastic light-by-light scattering at SLAC

Abstract We discuss the possibility of detecting γγ → γγ at SLAC. The experiment consists in colliding the presently available 19.5 GeV γ beam with a 4.66 eV laser light. We give the differential cross section for this set-up. We suggest beam-splitting the present laser, and discuss the advantages of frequency conversion.
Confinement Studies in the Columbia Non‐Neutral Torus

We present results from a systematic study of confinement of pure electron plasmas in the Columbia Non-neutral Torus (CNT) stellarator. Recent results show more than an order of magnitude improvement in con-finement, with the new best confinement time measured to be 0.32 seconds. This large improvement is the combined result of lower neutral pressure (nearly a factor of five lower), higher magnetic field (a factor of two), and the installation of a conducting boundary designed to control electrostatic boundary conditions. New external diagnostics are being developed in preparation for electron-positron plasma operation. Confinement times measured with an edge potential probe are in good agreement with confinement times calculated based on the steady state emission current of static discharges. Plasmas created from an emitter that is extracted in 0.02 seconds do not survive after extraction even in cases where the confinement time is initially much longer than the rod retraction time (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Microbial translocation in HIV infection: causes, consequences and treatment opportunities

Systemic immune activation is increased in HIV-infected individuals, even in the setting of virus suppression with antiretroviral therapy. Although numerous factors may contribute, microbial products have recently emerged as potential drivers of this immune activation. In this Review, we describe the intestinal damage that occurs in HIV infection, the evidence for translocation of microbial products into the systemic circulation and the pathways by which these products activate the immune system. We also discuss novel therapies that disrupt the translocation of microbial products and the downstream effects of microbial translocation.
Impurity photovoltaic effect in cadmium sulfide

Impurity levels in photovoltaic cells fabricated by evaporating thin copper layer on low resistivity single crystal n-type cadmium sulfide
Base selection in estimating sparse foreground in video

We investigate effective means of building robust dictionaries for detecting the sparse foreground in videos with static background. This work is an extension to our existing solution [1] to foreground/background segmentation problem using the linear programming method [2] proposed to detect sparse errors in signals, which are created by a known dictionary. The dictionary building methods we study are established robust component analysis techniques in the literature (i.e. k-SVD [3] & robust-PCA [4]) as well as a heuristic (running median) inspired by the highly correlated nature of the static video background signal. We compare the effectiveness of the new methods with our original system as well as a baseline method, which is the commonly used single Gaussian model of the background pixels.
Origin of the cosmic network in ΛCDM: Nature vs nurture

The large-scale structure of the Universe, as traced by the distribution of galaxies, is now being revealed by large-volume cosmological surveys. The structure is characterized by galaxies distributed along filaments, the filaments connecting in turn to form a percolating network. Our objective here is to quantitatively specify the underlying mechanisms that drive the formation of the cosmic network: By combining percolation-based analyses with N-body simulations of gravitational structure formation, we elucidate how the network has its origin in the properties of the initial density field (nature) and how its contrast is then amplified by the nonlinear mapping induced by the gravitational instability (nurture).
Pickup and Delivery with Split Loads

Splitting loads such that the delivery of certain loads is completed in multiple trips rather than one trip results in opportunities for a reduction in cost and the number of vehicles used. Several studies have shown the benefit of split deliveries for the vehicle routing problem, in which a vehicle operating out of a depot makes a series of deliveries on each route. In this paper, we quantify the benefit of using split loads for the pickup and delivery problem. A heuristic to solve the pickup and delivery problem with split loads is developed and applied to a set of random large-scale problem instances, revealing the potential benefit of split loads. This benefit is reduced when the heuristic is applied to a real-world trucking industry problem because of several problem instance characteristics. The benefit of split loads is found to be most closely tied to three characteristics: load size, cost associated with a pickup or delivery, and the frequency with which loads have origins or destinations in common. Prior to a discussion of these results, we define the pickup and delivery problem with split loads and prove that for a set of given origins and destinations the most benefit can occur with load sizes just above one half of vehicle capacity.
Age-related slowing of memory retrieval: Contributions of perceptual speed and cerebral white matter integrity

Previous research suggests that, in reaction time (RT) measures of episodic memory retrieval, the unique effects of adult age are relatively small compared to the effects aging shares with more elementary abilities such as perceptual speed. Little is known, however, regarding the mechanisms of perceptual speed. We used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to test the hypothesis that white matter integrity, as indexed by fractional anisotropy (FA), serves as one mechanism of perceptual slowing in episodic memory retrieval. Results indicated that declines in FA in the pericallosal frontal region and in the genu of the corpus callosum, but not in other regions, mediated the relationship between perceptual speed and episodic retrieval RT. This relation held, though to a different degree, for both hits and correct rejections. These findings suggest that white matter integrity in prefrontal regions is one mechanism underlying the relation between individual differences in perceptual speed and episodic retrieval.
The Development of Judgment and Decision Making During Childhood and Adolescence

Research on adult judgment and decision making has focused on deviations from normative models, demonstrating biases and reliance on heuristic shortcuts, thus presenting a very different picture than developmental theories that describe a unidirectional progression toward greater logic and efficiency. Recent research related to this apparent contradiction indicates that children develop competencies to reason effectively and make normative decisions, but also develop biased judgment strategies that are used inappropriately in some situations. We suggest potential explanations for the findings, highlighting the need to consider models that incorporate development in both experiential and analytic information processing systems.
Lexical and grammatical inference

Children are facile at both discovering word boundaries and using those words to build higher-level structures in tandem. Current research treats lexical acquisition and grammar induction as two distinct tasks; doing so has led to unreasonable assumptions. State-of-the-art unsupervised results presuppose a perfectly segmented, noise-free lexicon, while largely ignoring how the lexicon is used. This paper combines both tasks in a novel framework for bootstrapping lexical acquisition and grammar induction.
Human C1 inhibitor attenuates liver ischemia-reperfusion injury and promotes liver regeneration

Liver ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a well-known cause of morbidity and mortality after liver transplantation (LT). Activation of the complement system contributes to the pathogenesis of IRI. Effective treatment strategies aimed at reducing hepatic IRI and accelerating liver regeneration could offer major benefits in LT. Herein, we investigated the effect of C1-esterase inhibitor (human) [C1-INH] on IRI and liver regeneration. Mice were subjected to 60-min partial IRI, with or without 70% partial hepatectomy, or CCl4-induced acute liver failure. Before liver injury, the animals were pretreated with intravenous C1-INH or normal saline. Liver IRI was evaluated using serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, serum interleukin-6, and histopathology. Liver samples were stained for specific markers of regeneration (5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine [BrdU] staining and proliferating cell nuclear antigen [PCNA]). Histology, serum interleukin-6, and alanine aminotransferase release revealed that C1-INH treatment attenuated liver injury compared with controls. Improved animal survival and increased number of BrdU- and PCNA-positive cells were observed in C1-INH-treated animals which underwent IRI + partial hepatectomy or CCl4 injection compared with control group. These data indicate that complement plays a key role in IRI and liver regeneration. C1-INH represents a potential therapeutic strategy to reduce IRI and promote regeneration in LT.
Ionic and substrate mechanisms of atrial fibrillation: rotors and the excitation frequency approach

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in humans, however its mechanisms are poorly understood and its therapy is often sub-optimal. This article reviews recent experimental, numerical and clinical data on dynamics of wave propagation during AF and its mechanistic link to ionic and structural properties of the atria. At the onset, the article presents numerical and optical mapping data suggesting that a presence of periodic source with increasingly high dominant frequency (DF) of excitation underlies observations of disper- sion of local activation rate during AF. Further optical mapping studies in isolated normal sheep hearts in the presence of acetylcholine (ACh) reveals that rotors localized to the left atrium (LA) drive the arrhythmia and are faster than those in the right atrium (RA). Patch-clamp data from isolated cardiomycytes shows that the ACh-modulated potassium inward rectifier current is higher in the LA than in the RA which may explain the higher DFs and sensitivity of LA rotors to ACh compared with RA rotors. Following, the role of fibrosis in governing the propagation dynamics with a decrease in excitation frequency is presented in AF in failing sheep hearts and complex activation in cell cultures. Translation into the clinical setting is then discussed: DF distribution in patients with paroxysmal AF follows the LA-to-RA gradients found in the acute cholinergic AF of sheep hearts with highest DFs localized primarily to the posterior LA wall and pulmonary veins (PV) region; however in patients with persistent AF, the highest DFs localize mainly outside of the PVs region with possible implication on the outcome of ablation proce- dures. Next, intravenous injection of adenosine to patients in AF is demonstrated to result in further acceleration of high DF sites and suggests that reentrant activity, rather than triggered or automatic activity, maintains the arrhythmia. Finally, analysis of excitation during AF deve- loped in patients post-cardiac surgery suggests a DF distribution similar to that of patients with paroxysmal AF with dependency on fibrosis as found in sheep failing hearts and cell cultures. In sum, the article presents data demonstrating the use of DF of excitation in linking wave propagation mechanisms to ionic and structural properties in both experimental and human AF.
Millimeter-wave, multi-access wireless over fiber technologies and applications

A system architecture based on millimeter-wave wireless over fiber sensor communication networks for avionic system sensing, control and communications is investigated here. The objectives are to study and define the optimal network structures and protocols for the proposed millimeter-wave WSCNs, and evaluate the system performance in terms of reliability, scalability, power consumption and cost. We have experimentally demonstrated the wireless over fiber access schemes in proposed millimeter-wave WSCNs. Different multi-access schemes have been investigated and analyzed. We believe the proposed system architecture is suitable for high-throughput wireless sensor communication network using wireless over fiber technologies.
A full-duplex radio-over-fiber system based on optical carrier suppression and reuse

We have experimentally demonstrated a full-duplex radio-over-fiber system using a single light source at central station (CS). Optical carrier suppression modulation scheme was employed to generate 40-GHz optical millimeter wave and up-convert the baseband signal simultaneously at CS for downlink transmission while the same optical carrier was reused at base station for uplink connection. The bidirectional full-duplex 2.5-Gb/s data was successfully transmitted over 40-km standard single-mode fiber (SMF-28) for both upstream and downstream channels with less than 2-dB power penalty. This system shows simple cost-efficient configuration and good performance over long-distance delivery
Light-Weight Free-Standing Carbon Nanotube-Silicon Films for Anodes of Lithium Ion Batteries

Silicon is an attractive alloy-type anode material because of its highest known capacity (4200 mAh/g). However, lithium insertion into and extraction from silicon are accompanied by a huge volume change, upto300%,whichinducesastrongstrainonsiliconandcausespulverizationandrapidcapacityfadingduetothe loss of the electrical contact between part of silicon and current collector. Si nanostructures such as nanowires, which are chemically and electrically bonded to the current collector, can overcome the pulverization problem, however, the heavy metal current collectors in these systems are larger in weight than Si active material. Herein we report a novel anode structure free of heavy metal current collectors by integrating aflexible, conductive carbon nanotube (CNT) network into a Si anode. The compositefilm is free-standing and has a structure similar to the steel bar reinforced concrete, where the infiltrated CNT network functions as both mechanical support and electrical conductor and Si as a high capacity anode material for Li-ion battery. Such free-standing film has a low sheet resistance of30 Ohm/sq. It shows a high specific charge storage capacity (2000 mAh/g) and a good cycling life, superior to pure sputtered-on siliconfilms with similar thicknesses. Scanning electron micrographs show that Si is still connected by the CNT network even when small breaking or cracks appear in the film after cycling. Thefilm can also "ripple up" to release the strain of a large volume change during lithium intercalation. The conductive compositefilm can function as both anode active material and current collector. It offers10 times improvement in specific capacity compared with widely used graphite/copper anode sheets.
Procom: a web-based tool to compare multiple eukaryotic proteomes

Summary: Each organism has traits that are shared with some, but not all, organisms. Identification of genes needed for a particular trait can be accomplished by a comparative genomics approach using three or more organisms. Genes that occur in organisms without the trait are removed from the set of genes in common among organisms with the trait. To facilitate these comparisons, a web-based server, Procom, was developed to identify the subset of genes that may be needed for a trait. Availability: The Procom program is freely available with documentation and examples at http://ural.wustl.edu/~billy/Procom/ Contact: billy@ural.wustl.edu
Broad Based Tension-Free Synthetic Sling for Stress Urinary Incontinence: 5-Year Outcome

ABSTRACTPurpose: The use of nonabsorbable synthetic material has been questioned due to reports of erosion and infection. We present the 5-year followup outcome of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) treated using polypropylene mesh as a pubovaginal sling.Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of 58 consecutive patients who underwent pubovaginal sling procedures using polypropylene mesh since April 1996 for types II and III SUI at our institution. The technique included a single midline anterior vaginal wall incision with full-thickness flaps. Broad based polypropylene mesh was used to support the vesicourethral junction entering the retropubic space through the endopelvic fascia and bone anchors were used for fixation. Patient satisfaction was evaluated during followup office visits and/or telephone interview by an individual not involved in any surgeries. All procedure failures were evaluated by urodynamics.Results: Of the 58 patients 49 were available for analysis. Average followup...
In response to "The Knowledge of Our Knowledge": a reflection on McAndrews' view of epistemology

This commentary considers one of the articles published in the first volume of this journal and reflects on the status of research and knowledge at that time. The chiropractic profession has witnessed advancement in the use of the scientific method in the past several decades, and scholarly journals have helped support this substantial growth.
Future energy needs and sustainable energy applications for the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) campus: needs for the year 2020 and beyond "a capstone senior design project"

As an integral part of the undergraduate engineering degree program requirements at Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado, all students are required to complete a two-semester long (7 credits) capstone senior design class that is multi-disciplinary in nature. The senior design "team" (consisting of eight students from electrical and mechanical specialty) was given the opportunity to investigate the CSM campus overall total energy needs for the year 2020 and beyond, and perform an economic feasibility study that should include the applications of renewable energy and address the issue of sustainability. It was also expected that a preliminary design and recommendations be included as apart of the project. This project was conceived from the CSM Summer 2004 electrical field session class (EGGN 334) in which the campus' existing electrical power distribution system and overall energy needs was studied in a week-long session. Based on the existing data, future growth projections, and the advancement in renewable energy applications, a simplified economical and technical feasibility study is performed for the sustainable energy applications including the needs for a reliable infrastructure (both short term and long term). This paper expands on the findings and is prepared as an integral part of the senior design project.
Using the introductory simulation course to teach process dynamics and extended operations management concepts

The introductory simulation course is typically structured around a series of exercises designed to successively expand the students' repertoire of modeling and analysis skills. This paper describes an introductory simulation course in which the student exercises, while still providing an introduction to simulation modeling and analysis, are designed and sequenced to develop understanding and intuition regarding the behavior of stochastic dynamic systems. These exercises present an opportunity to extend a number of simpler analyses typically presented in the introductory Operations Management course.
High Flux Heat Removal with Microchannels—A Roadmap of Challenges and Opportunities

Heat fluxes in IC chips and other electronics equipment have reached the current limits of air-cooling technology. Some of the applications require heat fluxes well beyond the limit of 100 W/cm 2 , thus demanding advanced cooling solutions. Liquid cooling technology has also received attention as the advances in single-phase liquid cooling in microchannels have shown considerable promise. The extension of compact heat exchanger technology to microscale applications offers many new possibilities. The liquid cooling technology is expected to reach heat dissipation rates as high as 10 MW/m 2 (1 kW/cm 2 ) with enhanced microchannels and a junction-to-air temperature difference of 50°C. The challenges facing flow boiling systems are also evaluated. This paper reviews the fundamental technological developments in liquid cooling as well as flow boiling and presents possible solutions in integrating the cooling system with a building's HVAC unit in a large server-type application. The opportunities and challenges...
Grand challenges in information security: process and output

Even casual observers can see that our society's computing infrastructure has significant security problems. Technical sources such as CERT, BugTraq, and the Risks Digest - not to mention the popular media - regularly catalog critical vulnerabilities in deployed software. Unless we figure out how to build trustworthy systems in the real world, we're in trouble. Recognizing that fact, the Computing Research Association (CRA, www.cra.org), with support from the US National Science Foundation, recently drafted its Grand Research Challenges in security and assurance, intent on galvanizing the field by focusing attention and stimulating progress on these problems.
Complete primary repair of bladder exstrophy: a single institution referral experience.

Purpose: The reasons for referral and treatment strategies in patients who underwent complete primary repair of bladder exstrophy elsewhere in the newborn period were evaluated.Materials and Methods: An institutionally approved database identified patients who underwent complete primary repair of exstrophy and were subsequently referred for continued care.Results: A total of 10 females and 55 males were referred for treatment between 1996 and 2010. Six females and 23 males were referred for complications following initial complete primary repair of exstrophy. Female complications included dehiscence (3 patients), prolapse (2) and stricture (1). Male complications included dehiscence (10 patients), prolapse (9), pubic separation (1) and stricture (3). Nine males had posterior urethral loss and 13 had major penile soft tissue injuries. Grade V vesicoureteral reflux and severe hydronephrosis were seen in the 4 patients with urethral strictures. Patients with dehiscence or prolapse underwent successful reclos...
FastContact: a free energy scoring tool for protein–protein complex structures

‘FastContact’ is a server that estimates the direct electrostatic and desolvation interaction free energy between two proteins in units of kcal/mol. Users submit two proteins in PDB format, and the output is emailed back to the user in three files: one output file, and the two processed proteins. Besides the electrostatic and desolvation free energy, the server reports residue contact free energies that rapidly highlight the hotspots of the interaction and evaluates the van der Waals interaction using CHARMm. Response time is »1min. The server has been successfully tested and validated, scoring refined complex structures and blind sets of docking decoys, as well as proven useful predicting protein interactions. ‘FastContact’ offers unique capabilities from biophysical insights to scoring and identifying important contacts.
Genetic heterogeneity in tuberous sclerosis. Map position of the TSC2 locus on chromosome 11q and future prospects.

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A Threshold Model of Electoral Policy and Voter Turnout

Voter turnouts differ significantly across societies, and in some polities voting is compulsory. To explain differences in voter turnout it is necessary first to explain the variation in compulsion policies that exists across societies. A threshold model of collective action is used to provide an explanation for compulsion policies, which are treated as endogenous. Governments and parties are viewed as “demanding” turnout as a means to enhance political support. This theory suggests that voter turnout is high, and possibly government mandated, in societies that have high levels of political polarization and that use proportional representation. The predictions of the theory are tested using cross-country data.
The Jones' Fracture in the Nonathlete

A review of the literature concerning Jones' fractures yields a relatively recent description of the entity as a chronic condition frequently arising as a stress fracture in young athletes and not infrequently requiring surgical correction. Over a 5-year period, we have treated 53 patients with Jones' fracture. All patients were nonathletes. Each described, as Jones did originally, an acute injury. Thirty-six patients were followed to union. There were two delayed unions and no nonunions.
Clinical Science Cusp Reinforcement by the Acid-etch Technique

Strain gauges were mounted on 12 maxillary pre-molars which were subjected to a sequence of restorative procedures for MOD preparations. An occlusal stress was applied using servohydraulics, and the cuspal flexure was assessed using a strain gauge. Two bonded and three non-bonded restorative procedures were tested for each tooth. The two bonded conditions showed significantly higher cuspal reinforcement when compared with the MOD preparation and the non-bonded restorative procedures. The non-bonded restorations showed some intragroup differences, with one non-bonded composite showing useful cuspal reinforcement. However, this was much less than that afforded by the bonded technique. The deformation of the cusp under occlusal force in restorations bonded by the acid-etch technique showed much less hysteresis when compared with non-bonded restorations.