cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mapping mountain vegetation using species distribution modeling, image‐based texture analysis, and object‐based classification

Objective:The objective of this study was to map vegetation composition across a 24 000 ha watershed. Location: The study was conducted on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, USA. Methods: Automated image segmentation was used to delineate image objects representing vegetation patches of similar physiognomy and structure. Image objects were classified us ing a decision tree and data sources extracted from individual species distribution models, Landsat spectral data, and life form cover estimates derived from aerial image-based texture variables. Results: A total of 12 plant communities were mapped with an overall accuracy of 75% and a κ-value of 0.69. Species distribution model inputs improved map accuracy by approximately 15% over maps derived solely from image data. Automated mapping of existing vegetation distributions, based solely on predictive distribution model results, proved to be more accurate than mapping based on Landsat data, and equivalent in accuracy to mapping based on all image data sources. Conclusions: Results highlight the importance of terrain, edaphic, and bioclimatic variables when mapping vegetation communities in complex terrain. Mapping errors stemmed from the lack of spectral discernability between vegetation classes, and the inability to account for the confounding effects of land use history and disturbance within a static distribution modeling framework.
On singularity attacks in MIMO channels

All multiple-input multiple-output MIMO systems need a method to estimate and equalise their channel, whether through channel reciprocity or sounding, and most modern orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM-based MIMO waveforms use sounding via OFDM pilot tones. Previous research has focused on jamming data transmissions. We instead focus on jamming channel sounding symbols and introduce the MIMO singularity attack, which attempts to reduce the rank of the channel gain matrix estimate by the receiver through transmission of specific jamming signals. More specifically, we introduce and analyse the MIMO singularity attack, in which a multi-antenna jammer tries to manipulate pilot tones to skew the channel state information obtained at the receiver. We prove singularity jamming can be more destructive than data jamming attacks such as barrage or pilot jamming by studying its effects on channel bit error rate and capacity. We develop the constraints associated with jamming MIMO sounding channels and further describe how these attacks specifically impact data symbol estimates for OFDM pilot-based sounding systems. Through simulation, we demonstrate efficiency gains over barrage jamming. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Polyphenol content, polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase activity in certain Nicotiana species, varieties and interspecific hybrids.

Eight Nicotiana species including the putative progenitors of N. tabacum, Kostoff's amphidiploid (N. sylvestris × N. tomentosiformis), and 19 cultivars have been compared for total polyphenols, polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase activity in the leaf and/or root by a small plant technique. Greater variations for these chemical constituents occurred in the species than in the cultivars. N. tomentosiformis was highest in polyphenol content. Root extracts contained more polyphenoloxidase than the leaf, but its peroxidase content may not exceed the concentration in the leaf. The Kostoff's amphidiploid tended to resemble more the low oxidase and polyphenol parent. An additional study based on mature green leaves of Burley 21, the progenitor species, and their F1 hybrids confirmed the quantitative differences of these chemical constituents in the species. The magnitude of the heterosis appeared to be greater in the hybrids of N. tomentosiformis or N. otophora crossed to N. sylvestris than those between the Tomentosae members or involving Burley 21 as the parent. An exception was the hybrid Burley 21 × N. tomentosiformis which showed heterosis for oxidase activities.
The value of cross sectional neuroanatomical studies as a conceptual framework for prospective clinicopathological studies.

quence of apolipoprotein E genotype in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:9649–9653; 1993. 25. Terry, R. D.; Masliah, E.; Salmon, D. P. Physical basis of cognitive alterations in Alzheimer’s disease: Synapse loss is the major correlate of cognitive impairment. Ann. Neurol. 41:572–580; 1991. 26. Wilcock, G. K.; Esiri, M. M. Plaques, tangles and dementia. A quantitative study. J. Neurol. Sci. 56:343–356; 1982. 27. Wolozin, B.; Iwasaki, K.; Vito, P/.; Ganjei, J. K.; Lacana, E.; Sunderland, T.; Zhao, B.; Kusiak, J. W.; Wasco, W.; D’Adamio, L. Participation of presenilin 2 in apoptosis: enhanced basal activity conferred by an Alzheimer mutation. Science 274:1710–1713; 1996. 28. Yamaguchi, H.; Hirai, S.; Morimatsu, M.; Shoji, M.; Ihara, Y. A variety of cerebral amyloid deposits in the brains of the Alzheimertype dementia demonstrated by b protein immunostaining. Acta Neuropathol. 76:541–549; 1988.
Intensity- and distortion-invariant pattern recognition with complex linear morphology

Abstract A unified model based pattern recognition approach is introduced which can be formulated into a variety of techniques to be used for a variety of applications. In this approach, complex phasor addition and cancellation are incorporated into the design of filter(s) to perform implicit logical operations using linear correlation operators. These implicit logical operations are suitable to implement high level gray scale morphological transformations of input images. In this way non-linear decision boundaries are effectively projected into the input signal space yet the mathematical simplicity of linear filter designs is maintained. This approach is applied to the automatic distortion- and intensity-invariant object recognition problem. A set of shape operators or complex filters is introduced which are logically structured into a filter bank architecture to accomplish the distortion and intensity-invariant system. This synthesized complex filter bank is optimally sensitive to fractal noise representing natural scenery. The sensitivity is optimized for a specific fractal parameter range using the Fisher discriminant. The output responses of the proposed system are shown for target, clutter, and pseudo-target inputs to represent its discrimination and generalization capability in the presence of distortion and intensity variations. Its performance is demonstrated with realistic scenery as well as synthesized inputs.
Scatterometry measurement precision and accuracy below 70 nm

Scatterometry is a contender for various measurement applications where structure widths and heights can be significantly smaller than 70 nm within one or two ITRS generations. For example, feedforward process control in the post-lithography transistor gate formation is being actively pursued by a number of RIE tool manufacturers. Several commercial forms of scatterometry are available or under development which promise to provide satisfactory performance in this regime. Scatterometry, as commercially practiced today, involves analyzing the zeroth order reflected light from a grating of lines. Normal incidence spectroscopic reflectometry, 2-theta fixed-wavelength ellipsometry, and spectroscopic ellipsometry are among the optical techniques, while library based spectra matching and realtime regression are among the analysis techniques. All these commercial forms will find accurate and precise measurement a challenge when the material constituting the critical structure approaches a very small volume. Equally challenging is executing an evaluation methodology that first determines the true properties (critical dimensions and materials) of semiconductor wafer artifacts and then compares measurement performance of several scatterometers. How well do scatterometers track process induced changes in bottom CD and sidewall profile? This paper introduces a general 3D metrology assessment methodology and reports upon work involving sub-70 nm structures and several scatterometers. The methodology combines results from multiple metrologies (CD-SEM, CD-AFM, TEM, and XSEM) to form a Reference Measurement System (RMS). The methodology determines how well the scatterometry measurement tracks critical structure changes even in the presence of other noncritical changes that take place at the same time; these are key components of accuracy. Because the assessment rewards scatterometers that measure with good precision (reproducibility) and good accuracy, the most precise scatterometer is not necessarily the best.
Magnetic-Susceptibility—Temperature Peaks in Fe-Cr-Ni Alloys

A generalized molecular-field theory is used to consider the magnetic-susceptibility—temperature behavior of some face-centered-cubic (f.c.c.) Fe-Cr-Ni alloys. These alloys represent the first reported case of the first type of antiferromagnetic behavior with a positive paramagnetic Neel temperature Θ. Es wird eine verallgemeinerte Molekularfeldtheorie benutzt, um das Temperaturverhalten der magnetischen Suszeptibilitat in einigen kubisch-flachenzentrierten (k.f.z.) Fe-Cr-Ni-Legierungen zu unter-suchen. Diese Legierungen stellen den ersten berichteten Fall eines antiferromagnetischen Verhalteas des Typs I mit einer positiven paramagnetischen Neel-Temperatur Θ dar.
A Comparison of the Integration Experiences of Two African Immigrant Populations in a Rural Community

Abstract Most U.S. migration research compares very distinct groups, such as Mexicans and Asians, and virtually ignores the small, but growing number of African immigrants. In contrast, this study describes and compares the integration experiences of two Black, East African refugee populations in a small town in the Midwestern United States. We demonstrate that Muslim Somalis and Christians from southern Sudan encounter similar structural obstacles to social and economic integration, but that their religious affiliations lead to sharply different opportunities and cultural strategies. This paper ends with a discussion of the implications of these findings for social work practice and the potential role of social workers as cultural brokers between new immigrant groups and the general public.
An Analysis of Demographic Characteristic of Consumers Who Read Grocery Brochures Regularly and Those Who Are Willing to Switch Supermarkets to Buy Advertised Specials

Abstract This study analyzed the influence of demographic and behavioral characteristics on the likelihood of a consumer to read food advertisements in grocery brochures and the likelihood of a consumer to shop at more than one store to purchase advertised specials. The results show that 73% and 46% of respondents read food advertisements and shop at multiple stores to purchase advertised specials, respectively. Additionally, attainment of a two-year and above college education and readership of product-ingredient labels influenced reading of food advertisements and shopping at more than one food store to buy advertised specials.
GnRH agonist trigger and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: relook at ‘freeze-all strategy’

A case is reported of early onset ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) after gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) trigger for final oocyte maturation in a GnRH antagonist protocol. The use of GnRHa in place of HCG as a trigger for final oocyte maturation in an antagonist IVF cycle has been proposed as a method for preventing OHSS in predicted high-responders. This approach, however, did not prevent the occurrence of OHSS in our case despite a freeze-all strategy. To the best of our knowledge, this is a possible index case of severe OHSS with GnRHa trigger for oocyte maturation without any luteal HCG rescue for a high responder, despite IVF cycle segmentation.
A new, improved high‐resolution precipitation model

For day-to-day needs, high-resolution weather radar observations can provide an accurate baseline from which to assess future rainfall patterns. For longer time horizons, such as those considered in flood risk assessments or water resource management work, however, stochastic models of precipitation statistics are needed. Relying on a number of randomized simulations gives water managers a more overarching assessment of possible future rainfall scenarios.
Tapped Ring Resonators Fabricated In Glass

Double tap ring resonators fabricated by silver ion-exchange in glass yielded a finesse of 55 and an extraction efficiency of 55%. These numbers imply a propogation loss of 0.86 dB/cm and that as much as 10% of the energy in the input tap appears at the output tap after filtering through the ring resonator. We also measured the back scatter in the ring resonators and found it to be only 1% of the forward propogating intensity. This back scattered light can result in destabilization of the laser diode.
Transport of succinate by Pseudomonas putida.

Abstract Induced succinate uptake and transport (defined as transport of a compound followed by its metabolism and transport in the absence of subsequent metabolism) by Pseudomonas putida are active processes resulting in intracellular succinate concentrations 10-fold that of the initial extracellular concentration. Uptake was studied with the wild-type strain P. putida P2 and transport with a mutant deficient in succinate dehydrogenase activity. Addition of succinate, fumarate, or malate to the growth medium induces both processes above a basal level. Induction is dependent on protein synthesis and subject to catabolite repression. When extracts of induced and noninduced wild-type cells were assayed for succinate dehydrogenase, fumarase, and malate dehydrogenase only malate dehydrogenase increased in specific activity. Transport is inhibited by iodoacetamide, KCN, NaN3, and 2,4-dinitrophenol and shows pH and temperature optima of 6.2 and 30 °C. Kinetic parameters are: basal uptake (cells grown on glutamate) Km 11.6 μ m , v 0.32 nmoles per min per mg dry cell mass; induced uptake (cells grown on succinate plus NH4Cl) Km 12.5 μ m , v 5.78 nmoles per min per mg dry cell mass; induced transport (cells grown on nutrient broth plus succinate) Km 10 μ m , V 0.98 nmoles per min per mg dry cell mass. It was not possible to determine the kinetic parameters of basal transport. Malate and fumarate were the only compounds exhibiting competitive inhibition of uptake and transport suggesting common transport system for all three compounds. The Ki values for competitive inhibition and the Km for succinate indicate the order of affinity for both uptake and transport are succinate > malate > fumarate. Data from kinetic parameters of uptake and transport and studies on succinate metabolism provide evidence consistent with concurrent increases in transport and metabolism to account for induced succinate uptake by P. putida.
Normal and abnormal functions of adenosine receptors in the central nervous system revealed by genetic knockout studies

Endogenous adenosine is a widely distributed upstream regulator of a broad spectrum of neurotransmitters, receptors, and signaling pathways that converge to contribute to the expression of an array of important brain functions. Over the past decade, the generation and characterization of genetic knockout models for all four G-protein coupled adenosine receptors, the A1 and A2A receptors in particular, has confirmed and extended the neuromodulatory and integrated role of adenosine receptors in the control of a broad spectrum of normal and abnormal brain functions. After a brief introduction of the available adenosine receptor knockout models, this review focuses on findings from the genetic knockout approach, placing particular emphasis on the most recent findings. This review is organized into two sections to separately address (i) the role of adenosine receptors in normal brain processes including neuroplasticity, sleep-wake cycle, motor function, cognition, and emotion-related behaviors; and (ii) their role in the response to various pathologic insults to brain such as ischemic stroke, neurodegeneration, or brain dysfunction/disorders. We largely limit our overview to the prominent adenosine receptor subtypes in brain-the A1 and A2A receptors-for which numerous genetic knockout studies on brain function are available. A1 and A2A receptor knockouts have provided significant new insights into adenosine's control of complex physiologic (e.g., cognition) and pathologic (e.g., neuroinflammation) phenomena. These findings extend and strengthen the support for A1 and A2A receptors in brain as therapeutic targets in several neurologic and psychiatric diseases. However, they also emphasize the importance of considering the disease context-dependent effect when developing adenosine receptor-based therapeutic strategies.
Phase transitions in uniformly frustrated XY models.

We develop the Hubbard-Stratanovich transform for uniformly frustrated XY models both on a square lattice and on a triangular lattice, and construct the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson Hamiltonians, which reflect the formation of various superlattices according to values of the frustration f. Near the critical point the system f=(1/4) on a triangular lattice is shown to belong to the same universality class as the fully frustrated (f=(1/2)) system on a square lattice. By decomposing two-mode systems into two coupled XY models and by applying the Migdal-Kadanoff approximation, we show the possibility of Ising-like or three-state Potts-like transitions in addition to the Kosterlitz-Thouless--like ones.
In situ structural characterization of phosphatidylcholines in brain tissue using MALDI-MS/MS

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is one of the most abundant classes of phospholipids and is a major component of membranes in biological systems. Recently, PCs have been detected by direct tissue analysis using MALDI-TOFMS. However, these studies did not allow for the structural characterization of PCs in tissue. In the current study, an in situ method for detection and structural analysis of PC species in brain tissue was developed using a MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometer. Initial profiling of lipids in tissue is performed by MALDI-TOFMS, which allows for the assignment of PC species. However, to confirm the structure of the PC species detected in tissue, MALDI-MS/MS analysis was employed. In this work, protonated, sodiated, and potassiated PC species were detected in brain tissue using DHA matrix. MALDI-MS/MS analysis of these species yielded fragments that verified a phosphocholine head group, but did not supply any fragments that would permit the identification of acyl substituents. To obtain more structural information, lithium adducts of PC species were produced using DHA matrix dissolved in 100 mM lithium chloride. MALDI-MS/MS analysis of lithiated PC species produced fragments that allowed for the identification and positional assignment of acyl groups in PC species.
Hybrid laser/arc welding of advanced high strength steel in different butt joint configurations

Abstract An experimental procedure was developed to join thick advanced high strength steel plates by using the hybrid laser/arc welding (HLAW) process, for different butt joint configurations. The geometry of the weld groove was optimized according to the requirements of ballistic test, where the length of the softened heat affected zone should be less than 15.9 mm from the weld centerline. The cross-section of the welds was examined by microhardness test. The microstructure of welds was investigated by scanning electron microscopy and an optical microscope for further analysis of the microstructure of fusion zone and heat affected zone. It was demonstrated that by changing the geometry of groove, and increasing the stand-off distance between the laser beam and the tip of wire in gas metal arc welding (GMAW) it is possible to reduce the width of the heat affected zone and softened area while the microhardness stays within the acceptable range. It was shown that double Y-groove shape can provide the optimum condition for the stability of arc and laser. The dimensional changes of the groove geometry provided substantial impact on the amount of heat input, causing the fluctuations in the hardness of the weld as a result of phase transformation and grain size. The on-line monitoring of HLAW of the advanced high strength steel indicated the arc and laser were stable during the welding process. It was shown that less plasma plume was formed in the case where the laser was leading the arc in the HLAW, causing higher stability of the molten pool in comparison to the case where the arc was leading.
ADP and glucose as possible synergistic partners in the stimulation of liver glycogen synthase activation

Glucose administered either intravenously or orally causes liver glycogen synthase activation independent of a rise in circulating insulin. In vitro, physiological concentrations of glucose stimulate synthase phosphatase activity but only in the presence of a second effector which reduced the A0.5 for glucose. Caffeine and certain methylxanthines have been in vitro models for a putative natural effector. The present study demonstrates that, in vitro, ADP also reduced the A0.5 for glucose comparable to the effect of caffeine. The maximum stimulation by glucose in the presence of caffeine or ADP was comparable. The effect of ADP was specific among the major nucleoside diphosphates. However, the A0.5 for ADP was greater than the normal liver concentration which does not change in response to either glucose or insulin administration. The effect of ADP appeared distinct from that of the methylxanthines since it was observed that at near saturating concentrations of ADP and of glucose, stimulation was increased by addition of theophylline. Similarly, addition of adenosine, a natural cell constituent, caused increased stimulation. Subsequently, it was shown that adenosine reduced the A0.5 for ADP to a nearly physiological concentration. Thus, while ADP is not the inducible putative effector which has been predicted it may be part of an intracellular amplification system for glycogen synthase activation which increases the sensitivity to an induced effector. The present work suggests that the effective concentration of the natural ligand may be less than originally anticipated. This work also suggests that the putative effector could be structurally related to adenosine. Phosphorylase phosphatase activity known to be stimulated by ADP and glucose is further stimulated by the combination which may be acting in synergy.
Energy Optimization of the Wire Part Driven by Three Different Motors in Paper Machine

This paper defines the efficiency similarity of different motor driving devices. Based on the efficiency function characteristics which can be approximately considered a concave, non-negative function through the origin, we present a kind of optimal control method for a felt driven by three different motors in paper machine. It gives the minimum total power consumption. The optimal control method is to keep the same torque rate for each motor driving device. This method is independent of the linearity or nonlinearity of the system and has no need for the system’s state equation or transfer function. Since the shapes of efficiency functions in nature are similar, the conclusion can also be applied to the energy optimization of other general devices.
Advanced Basal Cell Carcinoma: Epidemiology and Therapeutic Innovations

Advanced basal cell carcinomas are a subset of basal cell carcinomas that can be difficult to treat either due to their local invasiveness, proximity to vital structures, or metastasis. The incidence of all basal cell carcinoma is increasing in the United States, although it is not known whether advanced basal cell carcinomas (aBCCs) are also increasing. Recently, highly targeted therapy based on knowledge of the basal cell carcinoma pathogenesis has become available either commercially or through human clinical trials. These orally available drugs inhibit the Hedgehog signaling pathway, and lead to advanced basal cell carcinoma shrinkage that can enable preservation of adjacent vital organs. In this review, we outline the role of Hedgehog pathway inhibitors as well as other treatment modalities such as excision, radiotherapy and more traditional chemotherapy in treating advanced basal cell carcinomas. We also highlight current gaps in knowledge regarding the use and side effects of this targeted therapy.
Sensor Deployment as an Optimal Control Problem

Wireless sensor networks are widely used for detection and surveillance applications. In this paper, we develop a novel sensor deployment algorithm by formulat- ing the deployment problem as an optimal control theory problem. Specifically, the problem at hand is modeled as a linear quadratic regulator. In contrast to prior efforts, that mainly rely on heuristics, our formulation offers a complete theoretical framework for deployment. As the complexity of the optimal control based solution is high, we develop a low complexity approximation called Max Deficiency algorithm. Using simulation results, we show that the proposed algorithms outperform existing methods by using 10% to 30% fewer number of sensors to satisfy detection requirements. I. INTRODUCTION and introduce the Minn Miss algorithm, which is a heuristic algorithm that is used to deploy sensors in an area with uniform detection requirements. In (4), the deployment problem is represented by a Linear Shift- Invariant (LSI) system. The sensor deployment is then described as an integer programming (IP) problem that is in general NP hard. Due to the complexity of an op- timal solution for the IP problem, a heuristic algorithm, Diff Deploy, is introduced. It is shown that Diff Deploy uses a fewer number of sensors than the Minn Miss to satisfy the same detection requirements. However, since Diff Deploy is a heuristic algorithm, it is difficult to guarantee optimality. Therefore, there is a strong need to bring theoretical rigor to the analysis of the sensor deployment problem. In this paper, we introduce a novel sensor deploy- ment algorithm that is based on optimal control theory. Given K sensors, we can interpret the deployment of a single sensor as one step in the evolution of the linear quadratic regulator (LQR). The control vectors at each discrete step in the evolution of the system correspond to the best locations at which sensors can be deployed. The solution (control vectors) is computed using the sweep method, which is a common solution method for LQR problems. Simulation results show that the proposed deployment algorithm is more efficient than the Diff Deploy algorithm, since it uses a smaller number of sensors to satisfy detection requirements. In addition, unlike Diff Deploy and prior efforts that mainly rely on heuristics, the proposed framework provides a the- oretical formulation for the sensor deployment problem. Finally, a low-complexity algorithm is proposed as an alternative to the optimal control based algorithm which is called the Max Deficiency algorithm. We illustrate using simulations, that the low complexity algorithm is comparable to the optimal control based strategy in terms of detection performance and both these proposed approaches employ 10% to 30% fewer number of sensors relative to Diff Deploy.
Retrospective comparison of minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis and open reduction and internal fixation of radius-ulna fractures in dogs.

Objective To compare the efficacy of reduction, time to union, and clinical outcome of radius and ulna fractures stabilized using either minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) or open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). Study Design Retrospective, case-controlled study. Animals Dogs with radius and ulna fractures stabilized with plates applied using MIPO (n = 15) or ORIF (n = 15). Methods Dogs in each stabilization group were matched for type and location of fracture, age, and body weight. Outcome measures including surgical time, fracture alignment, gap width, plate length, plate bridging and span ratio, working length and screw density, and time to union were compared between the groups using an unpaired t-test. Statistical significance was set at P < .05. Results All fractures obtained radiographic union although infection developed in 1 dog in each stabilization group. Dogs treated with MIPO had a significant longer plate working length and lesser screw-density (P < .05). No statistical difference was found in operating time, postoperative alignment, gap width, or time to union (MIPO: 51.9 ± 18.4 days; ORIF: 49.5 ± 26.5 days). Conclusions Radius and ulna fractures managed with MIPO had similar alignment, reduction, and time to union as fractures managed with ORIF. Future prospective clinical studies are warranted and should assess healing more frequently and in a standardized manner to compare MIPO to ORIF in a larger population of dogs.
The National Electrical Code and Proposed Changes for 1968

This paper gives a short history of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the publishers of the National Electrical Code (NEC). It indicates the procedures and time schedules used in revising the Code. It also gives a history of the formulation of the Code-Making Panels, their responsibilities, and how they operate. Included also is a brief description of some of the more important proposals that were considered.
Essential role for autophagy in the maintenance of immunological memory against influenza infection

Vaccination has been the most widely used strategy to protect against viral infections for centuries. However, the molecular mechanisms governing the long-term persistence of immunological memory in response to vaccines remain unclear. Here we show that autophagy has a critical role in the maintenance of memory B cells that protect against influenza virus infection. Memory B cells displayed elevated levels of basal autophagy with increased expression of genes that regulate autophagy initiation or autophagosome maturation. Mice with B cell-specific deletion of Atg7 (B/Atg7(-/-) mice) showed normal primary antibody responses after immunization against influenza but failed to generate protective secondary antibody responses when challenged with influenza viruses, resulting in high viral loads, widespread lung destruction and increased fatality. Our results suggest that autophagy is essential for the survival of virus-specific memory B cells in mice and the maintenance of protective antibody responses required to combat infections.
Flows in dynamic networks with aggregate arc capacities

Dynamic networks are characterized by transit times on edges. Dynamic flow problems consider transshipment problems in dynamic networks. We introduce a new version of dynamic flow problems, called bridge problem. The bridge problem has practical importance and raises interesting theoretical issues. We show that the bridge problem is NP-complete. Traditional static flow techniques for solving dynamic flow problems do not extend to the new problem. We give a linear programming formulation for the bridge problem which is based on the time-expanded network of the original dynamic network.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Self-Management & Leadership: Strategies for Success. Seven Steps to Overachieving in Business and Life, 2nd ed. Christopher S. Frings, PhD, CSP. Washington, DC: AACC Press, 2007, 106 pp., $25. ISBN 078-1-59425-069-9.

Christopher Frings is a well-known author and presenter who has been associated with a level of management expertise recognized nationally. This second edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Self-Management and Leadership does not disappoint the reader who wants their information presented in a concise manner. This short compendium on self-management provides a single reference source to kick start the career of those just entering management and an opportunity for those who have been in the business for awhile to realign their goals. This very reasonably priced book is …
Profiles in Comprehension

When children are asked questions that invite them to react and respond thoughtfully to what they have read, teachers can gain a great deal of insight into the thinking habits of their students. Discussions of ideas offer teachers valuable opportunities to observe their students' thinking habits and skills, the breadth and precision of their background knowledge, and the ways that they use that background as they read. Based on an analysis of thousands of student responses to higher level questions, the authors identified eight distinct profiles of thinking, each of which reflects one or more errors in logic or some significant distortion in the reader's view of the nature of reading. The authors then suggest how instructional needs revealed by this analysis can be matched to specific teaching strategies. By removing obstacles to clear and thoughtful response to text, teachers can offer their students more opportunities for engaged and rewarding reading.
Fair real-time traffic scheduling over a wireless LAN

Unpredictable wireless channel errors may cause applications with real-time traffic to receive degraded quality of services due to packet losses. In the presence of such errors, a challenging problem is how to schedule packets to achieve fairness among real-time flows and to maximize the overall system throughput simultaneously. We capture fairness by minimizing the maximum degradation in service over all flows. In this paper, we show that no online algorithm can guarantee a bounded performance ratio with respect to the optimal algorithm. We then compare four different online algorithms and evaluate them using simulations. The first two are EDF (earliest deadline first) and GDF (greatest degradation first) that consider only one aspect of our scheduling goal respectively. EDF is naturally suited for maximizing throughput while GDF seeks to minimize the maximum degradation. The next two are algorithms, called EOG (EDF or GDF) and LFF (lagging flows first), that consider the two aspects of our scheduling goal. EOG simply combines EDF and GDF, whereas LFF tries to favor lagging flows in a non-trivial manner. Our simulation results show that LFF is almost as good as EDF in maximizing the throughput and also is better than GDF in minimizing the maximum degradation. Finally, we also show that there is an optimal polynomial time algorithm for the offline version of the problem.
Outpatient Use of Low Molecular Weight Heparin Monotherapy for First-Line Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism in Advanced Cancer

Background. Evidence-based treatment guidelines recommend low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) monotherapy for cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE). This analysis assessed the first-line treatment strategies for VTE in patients with advanced solid tumors. Methods.Usingadministrativedatafromadvancedlung, prostate, colon, or breast cancer patients diagnosed between January 2000 and December 2007 at four HMOs withintegrateddeliverysystems,patientswithaninpatient or outpatient VTE diagnosed within 2 years after cancer diagnosisandanoutpatientpurchaseofwarfarin,LMWH, and/or fondaparinux anticoagulant within 7 days of the VTE diagnosis were identified. First-line outpatient VTE pharmacological treatment and factors independently associated with receipt/non-receipt of LMWH monotherapy were assessed. Results. Overall, 25% of the 1,089 eligible patients received LMWH monotherapy as primary VTE treatment. The percentage increased steadily over time from 18% among patients diagnosed in 2000 to 31% among those diagnosed in 2007. Factors associated with LMWH monotherapy included VTE diagnosis year, chemotherapy within 60 days prior to VTE diagnosis, history of VTE prior to cancer diagnosis, and invasive surgery in the 90 days following VTE diagnosis. Colorectal and prostate cancer patients versus lung cancer patients and stage III versus stage IV patients were less likely to be treated with LMWH monotherapy. Conclusions. Adoption of LMWH monotherapy as initial treatment for cancer-associated VTE was low but increased steadily over the study period. Future studies should explore reasons underlying the underutilization of thispreferredevidence-basedtreatmentaswellasthecomparative effectiveness of LMWH versus warfarin-based anticoagulation in real-world cancer patients with VTE. The Oncologist 2012;17:419–427
THE TEMPORAL COURSE OF SELF-FORGIVENESS

This study examined the temporal course of self–forgiveness using 8 waves of data collected from 148 participants. Self–forgiveness increased linearly over time, and fluctuations in 6 time–varying covariates were related to changes in self–forgiveness beyond those accounted for by the self–forgiveness trajectory. Decreases in guilt, perceived transgression severity, and conciliatory behavior toward a higher power were associated with increases in self–forgiveness. Increases in perceived forgiveness from the victim and a higher power and conciliatory behavior toward the victim were also related to increases in self–forgiveness. These findings suggest that self–forgiveness is a dynamic process associated with multiple factors and lend preliminary support to J.H. Hall and F.D. Fincham’s (2005) theoretical model of self–forgiveness.
A p-cycle based survivable design for dynamic traffic in WDM networks

Achieving both high capacity efficiency and fast restoration speed is a primary goal of survivable design in WDM network. The p-cycle method aims to benefit from the fast restoration of ring-like protection and high capacity efficiency of mesh protection. In this paper, we first present a p-cycle based method to deal with dynamic traffic in survivable WDM network design. In this method, we first find an optimal set of p-cycles for the given network topology. Next, we propose three routing strategies for accommodating dynamic requests upon their arrival time. The performance of our p-cycle based design using different routing strategies are compared with that of the shared backup path protection (SBPP). The results show that proposed p-cycle based design method performs better than SBPP in dense networks. Whereas SBPP performs better than the p-cycle based design in sparse networks.
The Effect of U.S. GAAP Compliance on Non-U.S. Firms’ Cross-Listing Decisions and Listing Choices

This paper examines whether complying with U.S. financial reporting requirements impacts non-U.S. firms’ cross-listing decisions and listing choices. Using two constructs (reconciliation and disclosure) established at the firm level to proxy for foreign firms’ U.S. GAAP compliance costs, I find that compliance is a significant cost factor when non-U.S. firms consider whether they should issue or list their shares in the U.S. However, the importance of compliance costs diminishes when foreign firms decide whether they should cross-list on an organized U.S. stock exchange. The reduced significance of compliance costs is likely attributed to the various benefits associated with exchange-listing, which potentially outweigh the compliance costs. The study extends prior research by measuring a major cross-listing cost directly at the firm level. It offers a new perspective on the cost and benefits analyses and contributes to the understanding of the role accounting plays in foreign firms’ cross-listing activities.
Codon usage limitation in the expression of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein

Abstract Background: The expression of both the env and gag gene products of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is known to be limited by cis elements in the viral RNA that impede egress from the nucleus and reduce the efficiency of translation. Identifying these elements has proven difficult, as they appear to be disseminated throughout the viral genome. Results Here, we report that selective codon usage appears to account for a substantial fraction of the inefficiency of viral protein synthesis, independent of any effect on improved nuclear export. The codon usage effect is not specific to transcripts of HIV-1 origin. Re-engineering the coding sequence of a model protein (Thy-1) with the most prevalent HIV-1 codons significantly impairs Thy-1 expression, whereas altering the coding sequence of the jellyfish green fluorescent protein gene to conform to the favored codons of highly expressed human proteins results in a substantial increase in expression efficiency. Conclusion Codon-usage effects are a major impediment to the efficient expression of HIV-1 genes. Although mammalian genes do not show as profound a bias as do Escherichia coli genes, other proteins that are poorly expressed in mammalian cells can benefit from codon re-engineering.
Characterization of “Ultrathin-Cu”/Ru(Ta)/TaN Liner Stack for Copper Interconnects

Barrier property, gap-fill quality, and electromigration (EM) resistance of a TaN diffusion barrier with ultrathin-Cu/Ru(Ta) liner layers were carried out to evaluate its feasibility for back-end-of-the-line Cu/low- k interconnects. Ru/TaN and Ru0.9 Ta0.1/TaN liner stacks show comparable oxidation and Cu diffusion barrier properties to the conventional Ta/TaN bilayer liner stack. Through observed better wettability to ultrathin Cu seed and therefore enhanced gap-fill quality, both Ru/TaN and Ru0.9 Ta0.1/TaN liner stacks show EM resistance improvement over the Ta/TaN bilayer liner system.
Coronary flow obstruction in percutaneous aortic valve replacement. An in vitro study.

Objective: Coronary flow obstruction is a serious complication reported in percutaneous aortic valve replacement. In an in vitro study of porcine hearts, the effects of valved stent implantation on coronary artery flow were studied with the native valve’s leaflets intact and excised. Methods: The right and left main coronary arteries of porcine hearts were dissected 20 mm distal to the aortic root and directed into lengths of latex tubing leading to collection flasks. The ascending aorta was cut proximal to the brachiocephalic trunk, cannulated, and attached to a constant-head watersupply. After steadyflow was achieved, theflow rate from each coronary artery was measured.In Group A (n = 10), a tubular pericardial valve sutured into a cylindrical, cobalt—nickel stent was deployed orthotopically using a valvuloplasty balloon catheter. In Group B (n = 10), the native leaflets were removed before similar valve deployment. Coronary flow measurements were repeated post-implantation. Results:In Group A, valve implantation resulted in a significant decrease in both left and right coronaryflows. In Group B, no significant change in either right or left coronary flow was found after valve placement. Conclusion: Implantation of a percutaneous valved stent in the orthotopic position with the native valve in place causes coronary ostial obstruction. This problem highlights the need for modified stents that are designed for implantation in patients with non-retracted, fibrotic, or calcified leaflets. # 2007 European Association for Cardio-horacic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The Potatoes of South America: Bolivia

The Potatoes of South America: Bolivia. Carlos M. Ochoa. Translated by Donald Ugent. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. 512 pp. $140.00 (cloth). ISBN 0–521–38024–3.
Improving instruction cache performance in OLTP

Instruction-cache misses account for up to 40p of execution time in online transaction processing (OLTP) database workloads. In contrast to data cache misses, instruction misses cannot be overlapped with out-of-order execution. Chip design limitations do not allow increases in the size or associativity of instruction caches that would help reduce misses. On the contrary, the effective instruction cache size is expected to further decrease with the adoption of multicore and multithreading chip designs (multiple on-chip processor cores and multiple simultaneous threads per core). Different concurrent database threads, however, execute similar instruction sequences over their lifetime, too long to be captured and exploited in hardware. The challenge, from a software designer's point of view, is to identify and exploit common code paths across threads executing arbitrary operations, thereby eliminating extraneous instruction misses.In this article, we describe Synchronized Threads through Explicit Processor Scheduling (STEPS), a methodology and tool to increase instruction locality in database servers executing transaction processing workloads. STEPS works at two levels to increase reusability of instructions brought in the cache. At a higher level, synchronization barriers form teams of threads that execute the same system component. Within a team, STEPS schedules special fast context-switches at very fine granularity to reuse sets of instructions across team members. To find points in the code where context-switches should occur, we develop autoSTEPS, a code profiling tool that runs directly on the DBMS binary. STEPS can minimize both capacity and conflict instruction cache misses for arbitrarily long code paths.We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on Shore, a research prototype database system shown to be governed by similar bottlenecks as commercial systems. Using microbenchmarks on real and simulated processors, we observe that STEPS eliminates up to 96p of instruction-cache misses for each additional team thread and at the same time eliminates up to 64p of mispredicted branches by providing a repetitive execution pattern to the processor. When performing a full-system evaluation on real hardware using TPC-C, the industry-standard transactional benchmark, STEPS eliminates two-thirds of instruction-cache misses and provides up to 1.4 overall speedup.
Affective aspects of student authoring for foreign language learning

This study compares the attitude toward instruction of two groups of participants: control subjects who used a multimedia instructional module for French created by the researcher, and experimental subjects who created their own module. Quantitative data did not yield statistically significant differences in their attitudes. In the light of additional qualitative data, possible reasons for this result are discussed: high level of satisfaction with the novelty of instruction for both groups; computer problems, lack of adequate orientation, lack of real outlet for the module and difficulty of the texts for the experimental group. Included are conclusions and recommendations for further research.
Long-term memory search across the visual brain.

Signal transmission from the human retina to visual cortex and connectivity of visual brain areas are relatively well understood. How specific visual perceptions transform into corresponding long-term memories remains unknown. Here, I will review recent Blood Oxygenation Level-Dependent functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (BOLD fMRI) in humans together with molecular biology studies (animal models) aiming to understand how the retinal image gets transformed into so-called visual (retinotropic) maps. The broken object paradigm has been chosen in order to illustrate the complexity of multisensory perception of simple objects subject to visual —rather than semantic— type of memory encoding. The author explores how amygdala projections to the visual cortex affect the memory formation and proposes the choice of experimental techniques needed to explain our massive visual memory capacity. Maintenance of the visual long-term memories is suggested to require recycling of GluR2-containing α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPAR) and β2-adrenoreceptors at the postsynaptic membrane, which critically depends on the catalytic activity of the N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF) and protein kinase PKMζ.