cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mildly irritating: a WAP usability study

The Internet is poised to go mobile. Much has been said about the technology that will make this possible, but little about what potential users expect from WAP and mobile Internet. This article is based on the experiences of 20 test users who participated in a usability evaluation. The users were given WAP enabled phones to use for one week. The conclusion of the research was that WAP is not a user‐friendly servicde. Connection times are far too long and even when the user is able to get connected to a WAP site their connection is often timed out even before any data is downloaded. When the test users were asked whether they thought they would have a WAP enabled phone within one year, 70 per cent said no. However, when they were asked whether they would like one within three years the negative responses dropped to 20 per cent. So there is hope for the service. Indeed the research shows that there is a market for data services delivered through a mobile Internet and gives a strong indication as to what the users would want from such a service.
Evolution of data communications at the University of Missouri

The University of Missouri system is composed of four campuses, in Columbia, Kansas City, Rolla and St. Louis. The University has been in the data communications business since the fall of 1971, when a remote job entry connection was established between the St. Louis campus and a then large cpu in Columbia. A large central computer facility, consisting of an Amdahl 470 V/7 and an IBM 3031, now serves all four campuses of the University, other Missouri institutions of higher education, and several state and federal government agencies.
Evaluating policies and mechanisms to support distributed real‐time applications with CORBA

To be an effective platform for performance-sensitive real-time systems, commodity-off-the-shelf (COTS) distributed object computing (DOC) middleware must support application quality of service (QoS) requirements end-to-end. However, conventional COTS DOC middleware does not provide this support, which makes it unsuited for applications with stringent latency, determinism, and priority preservation requirements. It is essential, therefore, to develop standards-based, COTS DOC middleware that permits the specification, allocation, and enforcement of application QoS requirements end-to-end. The real-time CORBA and messaging specifications in the CORBA 2.4 standard are important steps towards defining standards-based, COTS DOC middleware that can deliver end-to-end QoS support at multiple levels in distributed and embedded real-time systems. These specifications still lack sufficient detail, however, to portably configure and control processor, communication, and memory resources for applications with stringent QoS requirements. This paper provides four contributions to research on real-time DOC middleware. First, we illustrate how the CORBA 2.4 real-time and messaging specifications provide a starting point to address the needs of an important class of applications with stringent real-time requirements. Second, we illustrate how the CORBA 2.4 specifications are not sufficient to solve all the issues within this application domain. Third, we describe how we have implemented portions of these specifications, as well as several enhancements, using TAO, which is our open-source real-time CORBA ORB. Finally, we evaluate the performance of TAO empirically to illustrate how its features address the QoS requirements for certain classes of real-time applications. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modeling side-chain conformation for homologous proteins using an energy-based rotamer search.

Abstract We have developed a computational method for accurately predicting the conformation of side-chain atoms when building a protein structure from a known homologous structure. A library of rotamers is used to model the side-chains, allowing an average of five to six different conformations per residue. Local sites of adjacent side-chains, are defined throughout the protein, and all combinations of side-chain rotamers are evaluated within each site using a molecular mechanics force field enhanced by the inclusion of a solvation term. At each site, the lowest energy combination of side-chains is identified and added onto the fixes protein backbone, A series of test cases using the refined X-ray structure of α-lytic protease has shown that: (1) the force field can correctly predict up to 90% of side-chain rotamers; (2) the assumption of side-chain rotamer geometry is usually a very good approximation; and (3) the complete combinatorial conformation search is able to overcome local minima and identify the lowest energy rotamer set for the protein in the absence of a starting bias to the correct structure. Tests with several pairs of homologous proteins have shown that the algorithm is quite successful at predicting side-chain conformation even when the protein backbone used to generate side-chain positions deviates from the correct conformation. The root-mean-square (r.m.s.) deviation of predicted side-chain atoms rises from 1·31 A (average r.m.s.d. 0·73 A) in a test case with the correct backbone to only 2·68 A (1·95 A average r.m.s.d.) in a test case with
Chromosomal Deficiencies and the Embryonic Development of Drosophila Melanogaster

Chromosome aberrations have marked effects upon the development of an organism. Many such aberrations are lethal. In Drosophila this is particularly true of chromosomal deficiencies, as first described by Bridges [2]. A more detailed study of the effects of such aberrations made by Li [3] shows that in all the cases he investigated deficiencies are lethal in the homozygous condition the organisms dying in the egg or larval stages. Heterozygous deficiencies result in death in later stages, although many are not lethal. A few exceptional cases of viable homozygous deficiencies have been described [4,5]. In such instances the deficiencies are among the smallest known, probably for very few genes. These facts emphasize the importance of the chromosomes in the developmental processes. Just what the chromosomal functions may be, however, is by no means clear; nor is the role of the individual gene evident. An ideal approach, such as the removal of one gene at a time, then of combinations of genes, to determine the part played by each and its interactions with others, presents many practical difficulties. The existence of numerous deficiencies, however, makes an approximation to this approach possible by the study of the effects of larger or smaller blocks of genes. The present study is concerned with the effects of certain deficiencies upon the embryonic development of D. melanogaster. The deficiencies used involved greater or lesser portions of the X-chromosome, ranging from the total absence of the X to a small deficiency involving relatively few "bands" as seen in the salivary gland chromosome. The technique of Huettner and Rabinowitz [6] was used, in a somewhat modified form, for the observation of living eggs, and details of internal structure were studied by means of sectioned material. Only timed eggs were used. Usually females were allowed to lay for half an hour and the eggs allowed to develop to the desired stage at a temperature of 22-23°C.
Real-time, two-way interaction during ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction management improves door-to-balloon times

Abstract Objectives The study aimed to determine if utilization of the CodeHeart application (CHap) reduces door-to-balloon (DTB) times of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Background A pre-hospital electrocardiogram improves the management of patients with STEMI. Current telecommunication systems do not permit real-time interaction with the initial care providers. Our institution developed a novel telecommunications system based on a software application that permits real-time, two-way video and voice interaction over a secured network. Methods All STEMI system activations after implementation of the CHap were prospectively entered into a database. Consecutive CHap activations were compared to routine activations as controls, during the same time period. Results A total of 470 STEMI system activations occurred; CHap was used in 83 cases (17.7%). DTB time was reduced by the use of CHap when compared to controls (CHap 103 minutes, 95% CI [87.0–118.3] vs. standard 149 minutes, 95% CI [134.0–164.8], p Conclusion The implementation of a two-way telecommunications system allowing real-time interactions between interventional cardiologists and referring practitioners improves overall DTB time. In addition, it has the potential to decrease the frequency of false activations, thereby improving the cost efficiency of a network's STEMI system.
Uncommon Equivocation in Geoffrey Hill

Abstract This essay considers Hill’s expression “common equivocation,” which he associates with Richard Hooker. The expression comes about as a response to Christopher Ricks’s admiration of T. S. Eliot’s Four Quartets. In that late poem Ricks finds that Eliot has confidence in cliches, “in their generous common humanity.” Hill responds by asking Ricks to think about how this expression would fare within the field of Hooker’s “common equivocation.” But what is “common equivocation?” Is Hill guilty of it as a poet? Or does he practice something else? I argue that he practices “uncommon equivocation.” Hooker thought that equivocation is a consequence of original sin. Hill believes in original sin, and his poetry is about its effects. This is the root of Hill’s “difficulty.” Yet “difficulty” is not just the opposite of ease; it is also hindrance to action. Hill’s best poems are often difficult in both senses.
Comparison of Hospital Costs and Length of Stay for Community Internists, Hospitalists, and Academicians

BACKGROUND The model of inpatient medical management has evolved toward Hospitalists because of greater cost efficiency compared to traditional practice. The optimal model of inpatient care is not known.
Healing of intestinal inflammation by IL-22

An interleukin (IL)-10 family cytokine, IL-22 is characterized by several unique biological properties, including 1) the target restricted to innate cells; 2) the distinct expression pattern between large and small intestines; 3) alteration of the cellular source depending on several factors; 4) the dual abilities to serve as protective versus proinflammatory mediators in inflammatory responses; and 5) the close association with some major inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) susceptibility genes. The major functions of IL-22 in the intestine are the stimulation of epithelial cells to produce a wide variety of antibacterial proteins, the reinforcement of mucus barrier through stimulation of mucin 1 production under intestinal inflammatory conditions, and the enhancement of epithelial regeneration with goblet cell restitution. Through these beneficial functions, IL-22 contributes to the improvement of some types of experimental chronic colitis, which are mediated by T helper (Th)1 or Th2 responses. Most important, studies using both loss-of-function and gain-of-function approaches have clearly demonstrated the ability of IL-22 to promote intestinal wound healing from acute intestinal injury. These findings highlight IL-22 as an attractive and promising target for future IBD therapy. Alternatively, the enormous progress in the field of IL-22 biology has also suggested more complicated mechanisms with the IL-22 pathway than previously predicted. This review article briefly summarizes previous and current knowledge on IL-22 particularly associated with intestinal inflammation.
Yeast flocculation: Cationic inhibition

Yeast flocculation was inhibited by high concentrations of a number of salts. Calcium and magnesiun salts were potent inhibitors and cesium salts were least effective. Partial inhibitors by different salts additive and were completely reversible by salt removal. Inhibition by salts was time dependent; prolonged incubation increased the degree of inhibition. Salt inhibition was partly caused by the action of salts lowering the buffer pH value, and partly caused by chaotropic inhibition of proteins on the surfaces of flocculent cells. Flocculation receptors on non-flocculent cells were ubaffected by high salt concentration. At sub-inhibitory salt concentrations, there was an enhancement of flocculation in both rate and extent.
Resale and Rent-Seeking: An Application to Ticket Markets*

We estimate an equilibrium model of ticket resale in which consumers' and brokers' decisions in the primary market reflect rational expectations about the resale market. Estimation is based on a unique dataset that merges transaction details from both the primary and secondary markets for tickets to major rock concerts. In our model, the presence of a resale market permits tickets to be traded from low-value to high-value consumers, but it also stimulates costly efforts by consumers and brokers to obtain underpriced tickets in the primary market. We estimate that observed levels of resale increase allocative efficiency by 5% on average, but that a third of this increase is offset by increases in costly rent-seeking in the primary market and transaction costs in the resale market. Copyright 2014, Oxford University Press.
Scattering matrix approach to direct solution of the Schrödinger equation

We discuss a numerically stable method, the Usuki method, which is closely related to both the scattering matrix approach and recursive Green's functions. This approach provides a viable approach to directly solving the Schrodinger equation in simulations of semiconductor devices. It has a major advantage over the Green's function in that the electron density can be obtained far more efficiently for use in the self-consistent loop. Various applications of this approach have been studied, although here we focus upon the application of the method to study MOSFETS.
Head Start classroom teachers’ and assistant teachers’ perceptions of professional development using a LEARN framework

This study investigates early childhood education teachers’ and assistant teachers’ views about a year-long professional development model that focuses on developing intentional teaching. The study shares the results of interviews conducted with the teachers at the end of the implementation of a one-year experimental professional model in Head Start settings in a large metropolitan area. The purpose was to gather feedback on the model, which included large-group, on-site and one-on-one interactions. Teachers and assistant teachers were asked about the various components of the model and the influence the professional development opportunities had on their practice and classroom interactions. The results of this study support the importance of providing networking opportunities across sites and sharing usable knowledge and strategies that can be applied directly to their work with young children.
TOWARD AN AUTOMATED TECHNIQUE OF PROBING INTO EMOTIONAL BLOCKS.

(1963). Toward an Automated Technique of Probing Into Emotional Blocks. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 56, No. 2, pp. 385-404.
Use of the dramaturgical metaphor in the measurement of self-monitoring

Factor analyses of the self-monitoring scale consistently reveal an acting ability factor, which refers to performance in the sense of theatrical entertainment and may have little to do with self-presentation in real-life interactions. A set of social acting items having face validity for ability to modify self-presentation in everyday life is shown to have very little in common with stage acting items of Snyder's Self-Monitoring Scale. The results point to the necessity of distinguishing between contingent and noncontingent self-presentation.
Assessment of Near-Field Sonic Boom Simulation Tools

A recent study for the Supersonics Project, within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, has been conducted to assess current in-house capabilities for the prediction of near-field sonic boom. Such capabilities are required to simulate the highly nonlinear flow near an aircraft, wherein a sonic-boom signature is generated. There are many available computational fluid dynamics codes that could be used to provide the near-field flow for a sonic boom calculation. However, such codes have typically been developed for applications involving aerodynamic configuration, for which an efficiently generated computational mesh is usually not optimum for a sonic boom prediction. Preliminary guidelines are suggested to characterize a state-of-the-art sonic boom prediction methodology. The available simulation tools that are best suited to incorporate into that methodology are identified; preliminary test cases are presented in support of the selection. During this phase of process definition and tool selection, parallel research was conducted in an attempt to establish criteria that link the properties of a computational mesh to the accuracy of a sonic boom prediction. Such properties include sufficient grid density near shocks and within the zone of influence, which are achieved by adaptation and mesh refinement strategies. Prediction accuracy is validated by comparison with wind tunnel data.
Successional trends and apparent Acer saccharum regeneration failure in an oak-hickory forest in central Missouri, USA

Permanent vegetation plots established in 1968 at the Baskett Research and Education Area (BREA) were remeasured in 2004/2005 to assess trends in canopy composition, vegetation–environment relationships, and regeneration patterns. Quercus spp. [particularly Quercus alba (white oak)] remained dominant in BREA forests. However, Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling Ordination of a dataset composed of tree importance values from both samples indicated the two most common community types (Dry Ridge and Slope; Mesic Slope) were shifted away from Quercus spp. abundance toward greater importance of Acer saccharum (sugar maple) in ordination space. Plots in glade-like environments shifted toward greater Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar) importance. Environmental analysis indicated that soil properties (pH, organic matter, Ca, Mg, and K) and slope position were highly correlated with ordination axes. Saplings of Quercus spp. exhibited greatly reduced abundance in the most recent sample and the reduction in Quercus spp. density was highest in plots with greatest canopy cover. While Acer saccharum saplings were still quite abundant in BREA forests, smaller sapling size classes were becoming notably depleted, reflecting growth of a cohort of plants established before the 1968 sample toward and into tree-sized individuals. Seedlings surveys emphasized that A. saccharum seedlings have become very rare in BREA forests, while Quercus spp. seedling densities are higher, but likely below those needed for eventual adequate recruitment to the canopy. Although a number of mechanisms to explain apparent A. saccharum regeneration failure can be developed, herbivory, recent climate trends (warming late-winter conditions) and increased litter layer depth are the most plausible explanations for the observed scarcity of A. saccharum seedlings. Although increasing importance of A. saccharum in the canopy of BREA forests appears inevitable in coming decades, longer-term trends are unclear given the shortage of seedling regeneration.
Immunophenotypic comparison of salivary gland oncocytoma and metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Objectives/Hypothesis: The differential diagnosis of oncocytic neoplasms of salivary glands includes both primary and metastatic tumors, one of which is renal cell carcinoma. This study compared immunohistochemical staining characteristics of oncocytomas arising from salivary gland to metastatic renal cell carcinoma using a panel of markers. Study Design: Immunohistochemistry for cytokeratin 7 (CK7), cytokeratin 20 (CK20), epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), vimentin, CD10, and renal cell carcinoma marker (RCC) was performed on 10 oncocytomas and compared with ten metastatic renal cell carcinomas. Results: There were overlapping histologic findings in the oncocytomas and metastatic renal cell carcinomas, with oncocytomas displaying clear cell changes in 2 of 10 cases. CK7 was positive in 9 of 10 oncocytomas and CK20 in 8 of 10 (7/10 stained for both), and vimentin was only weakly positive in 4 of 10 oncocytomas. All oncocytomas were EMA positive, with membranous staining, and all were negative for CD10 and RCC. Metastatic renal cell carcinoma was strongly positive for vimentin, EMA, and CD10 in most cases. RCC and CK7 were variably positive in metastatic renal cell carcinomas (4/10), and only 1 of 10 showed weak staining with CK20. Conclusions: Salivary gland oncocytomas and metastatic renal cell carcinomas share some similar histologic and immunohistochemical characteristics. CD10 and CK20 were the most useful markers to distinguish metastatic renal cell carcinoma from oncocytomas in the salivary gland, whereas RCC, EMA, CK7, and vimentin are not as useful.
Gorham-stout disease of costo-vertebral localization: Radiographic, scintigraphic, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging findings

Gorham-Stout disease is a clinical, radiographic, and histological entity characterized by progressive osteolysis as a result of a histologically benign vascular proliferation involving bone. We present a case involving the cervical and thoracic spine and the osseous thorax, with attention to the clinical, radiographic, scintigraphic, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging findings. These subjects are discussed in the light of the literature.
US views of British university research

A university researcher with long experience of British universities, but now working in the United States, reflects on the differences between the two systems and advocates modest reforms.
Effects of paradigmatic response training on children's word associations☆

Abstract A free association task was given to 30 kindergarten and 30 fifth grade children followed by systematic training in producing paradigmatic associates (response words in the same grammatical form class as the stimulus words). Training involved instructions, prompting, and examples. Candy rewards were given for correct responses. Under all conditions fifth graders produced more paradigmatic responses than did kindergarteners. Training led to a slight increase in paradigmatic responding to verbs and adjectives for both groups, and a slight decrease in noun responses given to noun stimulus words by kindergarteners. The latter result was interpreted as a reduction in the frequency of “primitive” noun responses. The implications of the results for syntactic models of child word association were discussed.
Crystal structure and magnetic behavior of Cu3(O2C16H23)6·1.2 C6H12. An unexpected structure and an example of spin frustration

Abstract A copper(II) carboxylate has been obtained from the reaction of basic copper carbonate, CuCO3·Cu(OH)2, with 2,4,6-triisopropylbenzoic acid. It contains a trinuclear Cu36+ core with three-fold symmetry, with each pair of copper atoms bridged by two carboxylate ligands. The Cu···Cu separations are 3.131(3) A, precluding any direct bonding. Magnetic susceptibility data from 1.8 to 380 K at 1 000 G indicate a doublet ground state, (g ≈ 2.1) between 10–50 K (μeff = 1.80 μB). Above 50 K, the magnetic moment increases to 2.69 μB at 380 K, as expected for an equilateral triangular system of CuII with antiferromagnetic interactions between spin carriers.
The Venus ultraviolet aurora - Observations at 130.4 nm

Continuous and highly variable emissions at 130.4 nm are observed on the night-side of Venus by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter ultraviolet spectrometer. The emissions have a typical intensity of 10-20 R, occasionally exceed 100 R, and have a dawn-dusk symmetry in brightness during periods of unusual intensity. Possible energy source for this 'aurora' is the precipitation of suprathermal electrons. Field and particle observations suggest an additional source for the brightest emissions which is associated with solar flares and/or interplanetary shocks.
The morphology of molybdenum catalysts

Abstract Structures formed from molybdenum supported on planar SiO2 under oxidizing, reducing, sulfiding and carbiding conditions are studied using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to characterize structures which should form in Mo/SiO2 catalysts. Oxidized 10 A Mo films form disordered Mo+6 oxides with particle sizes 300 A diameter form crystalline MoO3 upon treatment in O2. Mo films and particles are converted completely to MoS2 upon heating metal or oxide to 350°C in H2S/H2. Dispersion of Mo is only altered significantly under reducing and carbide forming conditions above 500 °C and during oxidation of MoS2 films above 300 °C. Redispersion of sintered catalysts through oxidation did not occur, although regeneration of sulfided and carbide catalysts was possible through controlled oxidation. Alkali contaminants in the SiO2 substrate strongly influence the molybdenum dispersion.
Transient behaviors of TCP-friendly congestion control protocols

We investigate the fairness, smoothness, responsiveness, and aggressiveness of TCP and three representative TCP-friendly congestion control protocols: GAIMD, TFRC, and TEAR. The properties are evaluated both analytically and via simulation by studying protocol responses to three network environment changes. The first environment change is the inherent fluctuations in a stationary network environment. Under this scenario, we consider three types of sending rate variations: smoothness, short-term fairness, and long-term fairness. For a stationary environment, we observe that smoothness and fairness are positively correlated. We derive an analytical expression for the sending rate coefficient of variation for each of the four protocols. These analytical results match well with experimental results. The other two environment changes we study are a step increase of network congestion and a step increase of available bandwidth. Protocol responses to these changes reflect their responsiveness and aggressiveness, respectively.
Analysis of forming loads for thermoplastic composite laminates

Using Mindlin plate theory, a model for the forming of thermoplastic composite laminates is presented. The transverse strain in the plate theory is used to account for the slippage between adjacent plies. This interply slip is characterized by a rate dependent constitutive model that is adopted from an experimentally determined relation between the interply shear stress and interply slip velocity. A laminate under cylindrical bending assumptions is used to demonstrate the methodology and to examine the contributions of temperature and loading rate to the amount of compressive stress in the surface ply located on the inner radius of curvature. An experiment which allows measurement of the load histories required to form a thermoplastic composite laminate by the matched die molding process is described. Load histories for two laminates and two forming rates at a typical melt-phase forming temperature are presented along with the histories given by the forming model. Using a hydraulic hot press and two-stage matched die mold, the upper limit on forming rate at a specific forming temperature is demonstrated. Forming above this rate results in wrinkling of the plies on the inner radius of curvature.
Total hip replacement in patients with Down syndrome and degenerative osteoarthritis of the hip

Dysplasia of the hip, hypotonia, osteopenia, ligamentous laxity, and mental retardation increase the complexity of performing and managing patients with Down syndrome who require total hip replacement (THR). We identified 14 patients (six males, eight females, 21 hips) with Down syndrome and degenerative disease of the hip who underwent THR, with a minimum follow-up of two years from 1969 to 2009. In seven patients, bilateral THRs were performed while the rest had unilateral THRs. The mean clinical follow-up was 5.8 years (standard deviation (sd) 4.7; 2 to 17). The mean Harris hip score was 37.9 points (sd 7.8) pre-operatively and increased to 89.2 (sd 12.3) at final follow-up (p = 1x10-9). No patient suffered a post-operative dislocation. In three patients, four hips had revision THR for aseptic loosening at a mean follow-up of 7.7 years (sd 6.3; 3 to 17). This rate of revision THR was higher than expected. Our patients with Down syndrome benefitted clinically from THR at mid-term follow-up. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:1455–8.
Creating the Future Biomedical Research Workforce

As an NIH task force ponders the future of the U.S. biomedical research workforce, clinical and translational scientists can contribute crucial insights and should share comments by 7 October 2011.
Optical annular resonators based on radial Bragg and photonic crystal reflectors

A ring resonator based on Bragg reflection is studied in detail. Closed form expressions for the field and dispersion curves for radial Bragg gratings and photonic crystals based resonators are derived and compared to FDTD simulations. For strong confinement, the required gratings exhibit a chirped period and a varying index profile. Small bending radii and low radiation losses are shown to be possible due to the Bragg confinement. The sensitivity of the resonator characteristics to fabrication errors is analyzed quantitatively. A mixed confinement configuration utilizing both Bragg reflection and total internal reflection is also suggested and analyzed.
Attitudes Toward Problem Drinkers: Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Intention Dimensions

Attitudes toward problem drinkers were investigated in an experiment utilizing a 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 multivariate analysis of variance design. Subjects read one of eight case vignettes about hypothetical stimulus persons and then completed verbal report inventories to assess attitudes. All vignettes were identical except for references to the stimulus person's drinking behavior (problem or nonproblem drinking), sex, and socioeconomic status (upper-middle or low). Sex of the rater was the other independent variable in the four-way design. Problem drinking elicited a powerful halo effect such that attitudes toward persons exhibiting such behavior were found to be negative relative to normal drinkers in all attitudinal domains and across almost all variables measured.Drinking behavior may have exerted such a strong effect that the potential influence of the other variables was overpowered.
New TRP Channels in Hearing and Mechanosensation

Despite extensive biophysical characterization and the superb example of the bacterial MscL channel, molecular identification of eukaryotic mechanosensitive channels has been slow. New members of the TRP superfamily have emerged as candidate channels to mediate touch, hearing, fluid flow, and osmosensation in sensory and nonsensory cells. Distinguishing between direct mechanical activation and indirect second messenger activation is still a challenge.
On random routing in wireless sensor grids: A mathematical model for rendezvous probability and performance optimization

Random routing protocols in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) forward packets to randomly selected neighbors. These packets are 'agents' carrying information about events or 'queries' seeking such information. A novel mathematical framework is proposed for analyzing random routing protocols. Exact probability of a packet visiting a given node within a given hop count as well as the rendezvous probability of agents and queries meeting at a given node in a 2-D grid-based WSN are derived. The basic relationship needed for extending the models to a 3-D grid topology is provided. Exact probabilities of agents meeting queries are derived while ignoring physical boundary effects and packet losses, under two different strategies for forwarding the packet to a neighbor: (a) with equal probability, and (b) self-avoiding forwarding. We then extend the model to account for packet losses by considering the case where a packet is forwarded to a neighbor with equal probability. Also provided is the extension of the analysis for a network with rectangular boundaries. The exact solutions presented, unlike existing models relying on asymptotic behavior, are also applicable to small and medium scale networks. They can be used to set parameters and optimize performance of several classes of random routing protocols. All the models are validated using Monte Carlo simulations. Simulation results indicate that the model is also a good approximation for sparse arrays with 75% or higher node density. Finally, the utility of the model is demonstrated by determining the protocol parameters to optimize the performance of rumor routing protocol under a fixed energy budget.
Type-safe run-time polytypic programming

Polytypic programming is a way of defining type-indexed operations, such as map, fold and zip, based on type information. Run-time polytypic programming allows that type information to be dynamically computed – this support is essential in modern programming languages that support separate compilation, first-class type abstraction, or polymorphic recursion. However, in previous work we defined run-time polytypic programming with a type-passing semantics. Although it is natural to define polytypic programs as operating over first-class types, such a semantics suffers from a number of drawbacks. This paper describes how to recast that work in a type-erasure semantics, where terms represent type information in a safe manner. The resulting language is simple and easy to implement – we present a prototype implementation of the necessary machinery as a small Haskell library.
Living it on the skin: Italian states, working illness

In this article, I examine the codification of an Italian work-related illness caused by mobbing, a type of psychological harassment that emerged at the moment neoliberal policies transformed Italy's historically protectionist labor market. I trace how the medicalization of mobbing has expanded workers’ access to compensation, resources, and discursive tools for criticizing neoliberal labor conditions, even as it has produced new structures of surveillance. I unravel the neoliberal politics of a state that protects workers’ health yet governs worker–citizens through an apparatus of medical experts. I find that workers’ labor problems are experienced and managed as bodily problems in ways important to remaking Italian citizenship. [neoliberalism, state, labor, biopolitics, citizenship, bodies, Italy]
Effect of hydrogen on work hardening of type 304L austenitic stainless steel

The grain size and strain dependence of work hardening in Type 304L stainless steel were analyzed between 200 and 250 K where hydrogen damage is greatest. Tensile data were obtained for specimens of several grain sizes, both with and without prior exposure to hydrogen gas at 69 MPa pressure. The analysis suggests that hydrogen has little influence on lattice friction stress but has a large effect on dislocation interaction and the back stress of dislocation pileups. This report discusses this study.
Stumbling in Their Shoes: Disability Simulations Reduce Judged Capabilities of Disabled People

Simulating other people’s difficulties often improves attitudes toward those people. In the case of physical disabilities, however, such experience simulations can backfire. By highlighting the initial challenges of becoming disabled, experience simulations decrease the perceived adaptability of being disabled and reduce the judged capabilities of disabled people. In two experiments, participants engaged in a challenging blindness simulation and afterward judged blind people as less capable of work and independent living than did participants after simulating a different impairment (Experiment 1), no impairment (Experiments 1 and 2), or after merely watching someone else simulate blindness (Experiment 2). Blindness simulators forecast that they would be less capable themselves if blind and that they would adapt to blindness more slowly (Experiment 2), highlighting the self-centered nature of judged capabilities of disabled people. The findings demonstrate that experience simulation can sometimes harm rath...
The Indiana University Telephone-Based Assessment of Neuropsychological Status: A new method for large scale neuropsychological assessment

Sensitive measures of neuropsychological function were adapted to a telephone administration format for use in a large survey of quality of life in breast cancer survivors (BCS). Healthy controls (HC) and BCS were recruited from the community and administered the same neuropsychological test battery on two occasions separated by 1 week. Subjects were randomly assigned to conditions, stratified by diagnosis: In-person at Time-1 and In-person at Time-2 (P-P); Telephone at Time-1 and Telephone at Time-2 (T-T); T-P; and P-T. Four cognitive (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Controlled Oral Word Association, Digit Span, Symbol Digit) and two self-report measures (Squire Memory Self-Report Scale, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale) were used. The 106 subjects were randomized (54 HC and 52 BCS). Test-retest reliabilities (intraclass correlations) did not differ significantly by condition across the cognitive or self-report measures and ranged from moderate to near perfect (r's .43-.93; p's<.05). Mean scores at Time-1, practice effects (Time-1 to Time-2), and standard errors of measurement were comparable between In-person and Telephone administration formats. Results suggest that memory, attention, information processing speed, verbal fluency, and self-report of mood and memory can be measured reliably and precisely over the telephone.
Evaluating the Medical Malpractice System and Options for Reform

The U.S. medical malpractice liability system has two principal objectives: to compensate patients who are injured through the negligence of healthcare providers and to deter providers from practicing negligently. In practice, however, the system is slow and costly to administer. It both fails to compensate patients who have suffered from bad medical care and compensates those who haven't. According to opinion surveys of physicians, the system creates incentives to undertake cost-ineffective treatments based on fear of legal liability--to practice "defensive medicine." The failures of the liability system and the high cost of health care in the United States have led to an important debate over tort policy. How well does malpractice law achieve its intended goals? How large of a problem is defensive medicine and can reforms to malpractice law reduce its impact on healthcare spending? The flaws of the existing system have led a number of states to change their laws in a way that would reduce malpractice liability--to adopt "tort reforms." Evidence from several studies suggests that wisely chosen reforms have the potential to reduce healthcare spending significantly with no adverse impact on patient health outcomes.
A parallel FFT accelerated transient field-circuit simulator

A novel fast electromagnetic field-circuit simulator that permits the full-wave modeling of transients in nonlinear microwave circuits is proposed. This time-domain simulator is composed of two components: 1) a full-wave solver that models interactions of electromagnetic fields with conducting surfaces and finite dielectric volumes by solving time-domain surface and volume electric field integral equations, respectively, and 2) a circuit solver that models field interactions with lumped circuits, which are potentially active and nonlinear, by solving Kirchoff's equations through modified nodal analysis. These field and circuit analysis components are consistently interfaced and the resulting coupled set of nonlinear equations is evolved in time by a multidimensional Newton-Raphson scheme. The solution procedure is accelerated by allocating field- and circuit-related computations across the processors of a distributed-memory cluster, which communicate using the message-passing interface standard. Furthermore, the electromagnetic field solver, whose demand for computational resources far outpaces that of the circuit solver, is accelerated by a fast Fourier transform (FFT)-based algorithm, viz. the time-domain adaptive integral method. The resulting parallel FFT accelerated transient field-circuit simulator is applied to the analysis of various active and nonlinear microwave circuits, including power-combining arrays.
Burning velocity measurements of methane-oxygen-argon mixtures and an application to extend methane-air burning velocity measurements

AbstractBurning velocities of methane-oxygen-argon mixtures have been measured in two matched constant-volume chambers, one spherical and one cylindrical. Burning velocities in the spherical chamber were determined from the pressure rise using a thermodynamic model based on the conservation of mass and energy. Photographic observations made through end windows in the cylindrical chamber at early times were used to study the effects of flame curvature and stretch on the flame speed under constant pressure conditions. The cylindrical chamber was also used to investigate flame shape, cracking and wrinkling. Substitution of argon for the nitrogen in air increased the range of pressure and temperature at which measurements could be made. A correlation for the burning velocity of methane-oxygen-argon mixtures has been developed for the range of pressures from 1 to 40 atmospheres, unburned gas temperatures from 298 to 650 K and fuel-air equivalence ratios from 0.8 to 1.2. Using this correlation and previous resu...
Histology and tissue chemistry of tidemark separation in hamsters.

Adult articular cartilage is divided by the tidemark into a deep calcified layer and a more su- perficial uncalcified layer. Histologic examination of articular cartilage from the knee joint of golden Syrian hamsters 123 days of age or older revealed defects at the tidemark in the tibia. Defects ranged from small separations of the calcified and uncalcified layers along the tidemark to progressively larger defects apparently formed by dissolution. These larger defects appeared as cavities in the noncalcified cartilage, had smooth rather than rough edges, frequently contained coalesced debris, and often resulted in a bulge in the articular surface. Occasionally, these large defects broke through the articular surface. Defects were not observed in tibial cartilage of younger ( 90 days old) hamsters or in femoral cartilage from hamsters of any age. Exercise neither protected against nor increased the severity of the defects. Collagen cross-linking by pyridinoline was examined as a function of age and increased from 1,090 to 3,062 moles of pyridinoline/mole of hydroxyproline over the period of 1-9 months of age but was not correlated with defect formation. With increasing age, these focal tidemark defects could lead to osteoarthrosis-like cartilage lesions.
Challenges for Scalable Networking in a Virtualized Server

The virtualization of I/O presents new challenges to the already formidable problem of network scalability for servers. The basic problem being addressed is that a finite set of networking resources within a server need to be shared among a number of guest virtual machines, and these network resources need to scale in order to satisfy the aggregate network throughput requirements of those guest virtual machines. Multiple approaches for network and I/O virtualization are being developed. We focus on the IO Virtual Machine (IOVM) model for network virtualization that uses specialized virtual machines that are dedicated for the purpose of sharing the network devices among a set of guests. In this paper, we show how the IOVM architecture maps onto multi-core server platforms, and we present empirical results and analysis on a Xen test-bed that implements a 'scale-up' strategy for network I/O based on the IOVM model.
Tomographic traveltime inversion using natural pixels

Traditionally in the problem of tomographic traveltime inversion, the model is divided into a number of rectangular cells of constant slowness. Inversion consists of finding these constant values using the measured traveltimes. The inversion process can demand a large computational effort if a high‐resolution result is desired. We show how to use a different kind of parameterization of the model based on beam propagation paths. This parameterization is obtained within the framework of reconstruction in Hilbert spaces by minimizing the error between the true model and the estimated model. The traveltimes are interpreted as the projections of the slowness along the beampaths. Although the actual beampaths are described by complicated spatial functions, we simplify the computations by approximating these functions with functions of constant width and height, i.e., “fat” rays, which collectively form a basis set of natural pixels. With a simple numerical example we demonstrate that the main advantage of this ...
Macrophage mitochondrial-derived reactive oxygen species (mtROS) enhances early atherosclerogenesis

Excessive accumulation of mitochondrial-derived reactive oxygen species (mtROS) occurs in different types of cells in the atherosclerotic lesions of both humans and animal models. However, evidences on the causative roles of myeloid cell specific mtROS in atherosclerosis are limited. Mechanistically, lesional factors that stimulate mtROS remain to be determined, and the potential pathogenic intracellular signals require further investigation. We have recently provided new evidences that arteriosclerotic lesions, monocyte infiltration-associated chronic inflammation are enhanced by mtROS accumulation in lesional macrophages. Additionally, our study has revealed an important signaling pathway linking mtROS to the activation of an essential transcription factor NF-kB (RelA) and its downstream chemokine MCP-1. This pathway drives monocyte infiltration and amplifies the chronic inflammation during the early atherosclerogenesis.
Comparison of Microjets with Microtabs for Active Aerodynamic Load Control

Flow around an airfoil with an activated microjet at the trailing edge has been simulated using the two-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solver OVERFLOW-2. Using a Chimera overset grid topology, microjets (small jets blowing normal to the airfoil surface) have been placed near the trailing edge of NACA 0018 and NACA 0012 airfoils. For the baseline case, the jet has a chordwise width hjet = 0.6%c and a velocity equal to that of the freestream velocity, resulting in a momentum coefficient of Cµ = 0.012. The effects on airfoil lift, drag, and moment from changing jet velocity are shown. Comparisons are made to the deployment of a small tab normal to the surface (microtab) in the 95% chord location of the NACA 0012 airfoil. Previous work illustrates the effects of changing the microtab height, deployment time, and angle of attack. It is shown that similar changes in aerodynamic responses can be achieved by using a microjet instead of a microtab.
Land use carbon implications of a reduction in ethanol production and an increase in well-managed pastures

Background: As the debate over governmental subsidization of ethanol continues, the academic and policy communities should prepare for a potential reduction of ethanol production, and be aware of the potential land use impacts. We report a first-order estimate of carbon implications of the change in land use that results from a reduction of ethanol production from current levels and having well-managed pasture as an alternative land management option. Method: An integrated biogeophysical–socioeconomic model is used to evaluate three levels of potential reductions in ethanol production, along with the possibility of conversion of cropland to pasture management. Results: Results indicate that up to 10 million ha of cropland could be converted to pastureland, reducing agricultural land use emissions by nearly 10 teragrams carbon equivalent per year, a 36% decline in carbon emissions from agricultural land use.