cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Active LeZi: An Incremental Parsing Algorithm for Sequential Prediction

Prediction is an important component in a variety of domains in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, in order that Intelligent Systems may make more informed and reliable decisions. Certain domains require that prediction be performed on sequences of events that can typically be modeled as stochastic processes. This work presents Active LeZi (ALZ), a sequential prediction algorithm that is founded on an Information Theoretic approach, and is based on the acclaimed LZ78 family of data compression algorithms. The efficacy of this algorithm in a typical Smart Environment – the Smart Home, is demonstrated by employing this algorithm to predict device usage in the home. The performance of this algorithm is tested on synthetic data sets that are representative of typical interactions between a Smart Home and the inhabitant. In addition, for the Smart Home environment, we introduce a method of learning a measure of the relative time between actions using ALZ, and demonstrate the efficacy of this approach on synthetic Smart Home data.
The timed asynchronous distributed system model

We propose a formal definition for the timed asynchronous distributed system model. We present extensive measurements of actual message and process scheduling delays and hardware clock drifts. These measurements confirm that this model adequately describes current distributed systems such as a network of workstations. We also give an explanation of why practically needed services, such as consensus or leader election, which are not implementable in the time-free model, are implementable in the timed asynchronous system model.
Two general methods for population pharmacokinetic modeling: non-parametric adaptive grid and non-parametric Bayesian

Population pharmacokinetic (PK) modeling methods can be statistically classified as either parametric or nonparametric (NP). Each classification can be divided into maximum likelihood (ML) or Bayesian (B) approaches. In this paper we discuss the nonparametric case using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches. We present two nonparametric methods for estimating the unknown joint population distribution of model parameter values in a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) dataset. The first method is the NP Adaptive Grid (NPAG). The second is the NP Bayesian (NPB) algorithm with a stick-breaking process to construct a Dirichlet prior. Our objective is to compare the performance of these two methods using a simulated PK/PD dataset. Our results showed excellent performance of NPAG and NPB in a realistically simulated PK study. This simulation allowed us to have benchmarks in the form of the true population parameters to compare with the estimates produced by the two methods, while incorporating challenges like unbalanced sample times and sample numbers as well as the ability to include the covariate of patient weight. We conclude that both NPML and NPB can be used in realistic PK/PD population analysis problems. The advantages of one versus the other are discussed in the paper. NPAG and NPB are implemented in R and freely available for download within the Pmetrics package from www.lapk.org.
Trajectory planning for two manipulators to deform flexible beams

Abstract Coordinating two manipulators to deform a flexible and uniform beam is studied in this paper. Two coordination methods are identified for the manipulators. The first method allows the relative position to be altered, but no relative orientation changes. The second method allows both the position and the orientation changes. By studying the mechanics of elastic deformation, the performance of the methods, in terms of the interaction forces and moments between the object and the manipulators, is analyzed. The analysis shows that the second method may result in less interaction forces and moments than the first method. Optimal motion trajectories for generating zero interaction moments in the second method are then derived. To reduce the computation load for specifying the optimal trajectory, a piece-wise linear motion is proposed to replace the optimal trajectory. The performance of the piece-wise linear motion is then analyzed. Finally, experimental results are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Sonic boom theory-its status in prediction and minimization

This paper gives a brief review of the currently accepted understanding of sonic boom phenomena and describes the manner in which modified linearized theory and geometric acoustics are used to predict the sonic boom caused by a complex aircraft configuration. Minimization methods that have evolved in recent years are discussed, with particular attention given to a method developed by Seebass and George for an isothermal atmosphere which was modified for the real atmosphere by Darden. An additional modification which permits the relaxation of the nose bluntness requirement in the defining aircraft also is discussed. Finally, an overview of current areas of sonic boom research is given.
On the Analytic Structure of Commutative Nilmanifolds

In the classification theorems of Vinberg and Yakimova for commutative nilmanifolds, the relevant nilpotent groups have a very surprising analytic property. The manifolds are of the form \(G/K = N\rtimes K/K\) where, in all but three cases, the nilpotent group \(N\) has irreducible unitary representations whose coefficients are square integrable modulo the center \(Z\) of \(N\). Here we show that, in those three “exceptional” cases, the group \(N\) is a semidirect product \(N_{1}\rtimes \mathbb {R}\) or \(N_{1}\rtimes \mathbb {C}\) where the normal subgroup \(N_{1}\) contains the center \(Z\) of \(N\) and has irreducible unitary representations whose coefficients are square integrable modulo \(Z\). This leads directly to explicit harmonic analysis and Fourier inversion formulae for commutative nilmanifolds.
Interfacial adhesion between graphene and silicon dioxide by density functional theory with van der Waals corrections

Interfacial adhesion between graphene and a SiO2 substrate is studied by density functional theory (DFT) with dispersion corrections. The results demonstrate the van der Waals (vdW) interaction as the predominant mechanism at the graphene/SiO2 interface. It is found that the interaction strength is strongly influenced by changes of the SiO2 surface structures due to surface reactions with water. The adhesion energy is reduced when the reconstructed SiO2 surface is hydroxylated, and further reduced when covered by a monolayer of adsorbed water molecules. Moreover, it is noted that vdW forces are required to accurately model the graphene/SiO2 interface with DFT and that the adhesion energy is underestimated by empirical force fields commonly used in atomistic simulations.
Precise Monte Carlo simulation of single-photon detectors

We demonstrate the importance and utility of Monte Carlo simulation of single-photon detectors. Devising an optimal simulation is strongly influenced by the particular application because of the complexity of modern, avalanche-diodebased single-photon detectors. Using a simple yet very demanding example of random number generation via detection of Poissonian photons exiting a beam splitter, we present a Monte Carlo simulation that faithfully reproduces the serial autocorrelation of random bits as a function of detection frequency over four orders of magnitude of the incident photon flux. We conjecture that this simulation approach can be easily modified for use in many other applications.
A Provably Consistent Method for Imposing Sparsity in Feature-Based SLAM Information Filters

An open problem in Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) is the development of algorithms which scale with the size of the environment. A few promising methods exploit the key insight that representing the posterior in the canonical form parameterized by a sparse information matrix provides significant advantages regarding computational efficiency and storage requirements. Because the information matrix is naturally dense in the case of feature-based SLAM, additional steps are necessary to achieve sparsity. The delicate issue then becomes one of performing this sparsification in a manner which is consistent with the original distribution.
Design of a 140 GHz, 100 W gyroklystron amplifier

Summary form only given. We present the preliminary design and the simulation results for a 140 GHz, 100 W CW gyroklystron amplifier for use in dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) experiments. The amplifier operates with a 10 kV, 100 mA electron beam and simulations show a saturated gain of 32 dB at /spl alpha/=1.4 for the TE/sub 02/ mode with an efficiency of 9% and output power of 86 W. The use of photonic band gap (PBG) cavities to suppress mode competition is also under evaluation.
Understanding Options for Public-Private Partnerships in Infrastructure : Sorting Out the Forest from the Trees--BOT, DBFO, DCMF, Concession, Lease . . .

This paper provides a methodology for categorizing public-private partnerships in infrastructure, based on the following key characteristics: whether the project involves new or existing business, the nature of the private sectors construction obligations, the need for the private sector to mobilize significant private funding ab initio, the nature of the private sectors service delivery obligations, and the source of the project revenue stream. The purpose of this methodology is to facilitate mapping, referencing, cross-comparison, analytical studies, and descriptions of public-private partnerships in infrastructure projects with similar key characteristics across sector, commercial, regional, and geopolitical lines. The methodology is tested against 15 case studies representing different infrastructure sectors, regional applications, and commercial approaches to public-private partnerships.
Optimistic parallel simulation of a large-scale view storage system

In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a complex view storage system model. Here, a hierarchy of view storage servers are connected to an array of client-side local disks. The term view refers to the output or result of a query made on the part of an application that is executing on a client machine. These queries can to be arbitrarily complex and formulated using SQL. The goal of this system is to reduce the turnaround time of queries by exploiting locality both at the local disk level as well as between clients and servers prior to making the request to the highest level database server. This model has been designed for execution with an optimistic simulation engine. One of the primary drawbacks of this parallel synchronization mechanism has been high overheads due to state-saving. We attack this problem by implementing the model using reverse computation. Here, the event processing routines are made reversible, which avoids having incrementally state-saving values that can be reverse computed, such as ++ and --. Destructive assignments of the form a = b are saved using a swap operation, which precludes the need for additional state space. In our performance study of this application, we find that speedups range from 1.5 to over 5 on four processors. Super-linear speedups are attributed to a slow memory subsystem and the increased availability of level-1 and level-2 cache when moving to a larger number of processors.
Bio-logging of marine migratory species in the law of the sea

The use of advanced and emerging remote data-collection technologies, and in particular bio-logging of marine migratory species, raises fundamental questions about the scope of authority of coastal states to regulate marine scientific research in the waters under their jurisdiction. Bio-logging involves the attachment of devices to marine animals that collect and transmit data about their movements and aspects of the local marine environment, and is now routinely used by marine scientists to support conservation programs and augment oceanographic data collection. Tagged marine life, including seabirds, marine mammals, sea turtles and pelagic fishes, may interact unpredictably with the territorial seas and exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of numerous coastal states. This article explores the legal implications of bio-logging within the legal regime of marine scientific research in the law of the sea. Although bio-logging is a form of marine scientific research, when it is initiated outside a coastal state's jurisdiction it does not later fall within it, even if the tagged animals subsequently enters a coastal state's territorial sea or EEZ.
Two-dimensional optical spectroscopy of excitons in semiconductor quantum wells: Liouville-space pathway analysis

We demonstrate how dynamic correlations of heavy-hole and light-hole excitons in semiconductor quantum wells may be investigated by two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy. The coherent response to three femtosecond optical pulses is predicted to yield cross (off-diagonal) peaks that contain direct signatures of many-body two-exciton correlations. Signals generated at various phase-matching directions are compared.
PEP II 16-channel corrector controller using BITBUS

A 16-channel controller has been implemented to control the PEP II corrector switching power converters. The design and performance are discussed.
Low fertility at the turn of the twenty-first century

In the past few decades, demographic concerns have shifted from rapid population growth fueled by high fertility to concerns of population decline produced by very low, sub-replacement fertility levels. Once considered a problem unique to Europe or developed nations, concerns now center on the global spread of low fertility. Nearly half of the world's population now lives in countries with fertility at or below replacement levels. Further, by the mid-twenty-first century three of four countries now described as developing are projected to reach or slip below replacement fertility. We review the research on low fertility through the predominant frameworks and theories used to explain it. These explanations range from decomposition and proximate determinant frameworks to grand theories on the fundamental causes underlying the pervasiveness and spread of low fertility. We focus on the ability of theory to situate previous and future findings and conclude with directions for furthur research.
Computing the Visibility Polygon of an Island in a Polygonal Domain

Given a set $${\mathcal {P}}$$P of h pairwise-disjoint polygonal obstacles with a total of n vertices in the plane, we study the problem of computing the (weak) visibility polygon from a polygonal obstacle $$P^*$$Pź (an island) in $${\mathcal {P}}$$P. The problem was previously solved in $$O(n^4)$$O(n4) time, which has been proved worst-case optimal. However, since h may be much smaller than n, it is desirable to have an algorithm whose running time is also a function of h. In this paper, we present such an algorithm of $$O(n^2h^2)$$O(n2h2) time, and our algorithm improves the previous result when $$h=o(n)$$h=o(n). In addition, when all obstacles in $${\mathcal {P}}$$P (including $$P^*$$Pź) are convex, our algorithm runs in $$O(n+h^4)$$O(n+h4) time.
Formation of large NAT particles and denitrification in polar stratosphere: possible role of cosmic rays and effect of solar activity

Abstract. The formation of large nitric acid trihydrate (NAT) particles has important implications for denitrification and ozone depletion. Existing theories have difficulty in explaining the formation of large NAT particles at temperatures above the ice frost point, which has been observed recently over wide Arctic regions. Our analyses reveal that high-energy comic ray particles might induce the freezing of supercooled HNO3-H2O-H2SO4 droplets when they penetrate these thermodynamically unstable droplets. The cosmic ray-induced freezing (CRIF) appears to be consistent with the observed, highly selective formation of NAT particles. We suggest a possible physical process behind the CRIF mechanism: the reorientation of polar solution molecules into the crystalline configuration in the strong electrical fields of moving secondary ions generated by passing cosmic rays. A simple formula connecting the CRIF rate to cosmic ray flux is derived with an undefined parameter constrained by observed NAT formation rates. Our simulations indicate that strong solar proton events (SPEs) may significantly enhance the formation of large NAT particles and denitrification. The CRIF mechanism offers a possible explanation for the observed high correlations between the thin nitrate-rich layers in polar ice cores and major SPEs, and the observed enhancement in the aerosol backscattering ratio at PSC layers shortly after an SPE and the significant precipitation velocity of the enhanced PSC layers. The key uncertainty in the CRIF mechanism is the probability (P) of freezing when a CR particle hits a thermodynamically, unstable STS droplet. Further studies are needed to either confirm or reject the CRIF hypothesis.
Operated semigroups, Motzkin paths and rooted trees

Combinatorial objects such as rooted trees that carry a recursive structure have found important applications recently in both mathematics and physics. We put such structures in an algebraic framework of operated semigroups. This framework provides the concept of operated semigroups with intuitive and convenient combinatorial descriptions, and at the same time endows the familiar combinatorial objects with a precise algebraic interpretation. As an application, we obtain constructions of free Rota-Baxter algebras in terms of Motzkin paths and rooted trees.
Synthesis of Ultrafine Grain Ferrites

Methoxides of nickel(II) and iron(III) were synthesized, mixed in the ratio to form NiFe2O4, aerosolized, hydrated, and then fired in a streamline tubular reactor. Submicrometersized spherical particles were obtained from pyrolysis at temperatures up to 570°. At 425°, the sudden loss of volatiles shattered the particles to much smaller spheres (with 30% less than 0.1 μm) giving a remarkable increase in surface area. Pyrolysis up to 570° caused a gradual increase in the powder density toward that of NiFe2O4. Heating the aerosol product up to just 600° with a heating rate of 5°/min yielded pure crystalline nickel ferrite.
A comparison of outcomes of transurethral versus suprapubic catheterization after Burch cystourethropexy

The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of patients with transurethral vs suprapubic catheterization after Burch cystourethropexy. This is a retrospective cohort study of patients who had an anti-incontinence procedure primarily including Burch cystourethropexy with hysterectomy or Burch alone between July 1997 and June 2002 and comparing the outcomes of transurethral vs suprapubic catheters. The suprapubic and transurethral catheter placed were both 16-Fr Foley catheters. The variables analyzed were length of hospital stay, length of catheterization, postoperative fever, and urinary tract infection. The number of postoperative visits and complications within each group were also compared. Analysis was done utilizing Fisher’s exact test and Wilcoxon’s rank-sum analysis when indicated. We analyzed the charts of 217 patients. The outcomes of surgery (i.e., blood loss, postoperative morbidity, incidence of urinary tract infection, length of hospital stay) in each group did not statistically differ. There was a significant difference in length of cauterization: 7.1 days for the transurethral group and 9.61 days for the suprapubic group, a 1.79 day difference (p=0.001) and a difference in the number of visits for complaints of pain, 2.5 visits for the suprapubic group, 3.5 visits for the transurethral group (p=0.01). There were no differences in outcomes whether a transurethral or suprapubic catheter was used. There was a significant difference in duration of catheterization and extra visits to the clinic or hospital with a practitioner for the complaint of pain. Patients with a transurethral catheter had on the average one more visit than those with the suprapubic catheter.
Optimal scaling of digital controllers

Scaling the inputs and outputs of a digital controller is necessary to guarantee that these signals do not exceed the dynamic range of the analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters. This paper gives two optimization problems that can be used to efficiently compute full-scaling matrices. An example that demonstrates the advantages of full scaling over the more conventional diagonal scaling is given.
A column approximate minimum degree ordering algorithm

Sparse Gaussian elimination with partial pivoting computes the factorization PAQ = LU of a sparse matrix A, where the row ordering P is selected during factorization using standard partial pivoting with row interchanges. The goal is to select a column preordering, Q, based solely on the nonzero pattern of A, that limits the worst-case number of nonzeros in the factorization. The fill-in also depends on P, but Q is selected to reduce an upper bound on the fill-in for any subsequent choice of P. The choice of Q can have a dramatic impact on the number of nonzeros in L and U. One scheme for determining a good column ordering for A is to compute a symmetric ordering that reduces fill-in in the Cholesky factorization of ATA. A conventional minimum degree ordering algorithm would require the sparsity structure of ATA to be computed, which can be expensive both in terms of space and time since ATA may be much denser than A. An alternative is to compute Q directly from the sparsity structure of A; this strategy is used by MATLAB's COLMMD preordering algorithm. A new ordering algorithm, COLAMD, is presented. It is based on the same strategy but uses a better ordering heuristic. COLAMD is faster and computes better orderings, with fewer nonzeros in the factors of the matrix.
List decoding subspace codes from insertions and deletions

We present a construction of subspace codes along with an efficient algorithm for list decoding from both insertions and deletions, handling an information-theoretically maximum fraction of these with polynomially small rate. Our construction is based on a variant of the folded Reed-Solomon codes in the world of linearized polynomials, and the algorithm is inspired by the recent linear-algebraic approach to list decoding [4]. Ours is the first list decoding algorithm for subspace codes that can handle deletions; even one deletion can totally distort the structure of the basis of a subspace and is thus challenging to handle. When there are only insertions, we also present results for list decoding subspace codes that are the linearized analog of Reed-Solomon codes (proposed in [15, 8], and closely related to the Gabidulin codes for rank-metric coding), obtaining some improvements over similar results in [10].
Convenient preparation of quinones via the catalytic autoxidation of hydroquinones with nitrogen oxides

Abstract An efficient, inexpensive, catalytic method for the autoxidation of hydroquinones utilizes the gaseous (NO x ) catalyst which allows a simple workup procedure for quinone isolation merely by solvent removal.
Simulation of Aircraft Landing Gears with a Nonlinear Dynamic Finite Element Code

Recent advances in computational speed have made aircraft and spacecraft crash simulations using an explicit, nonlinear, transient-dynamic,e niteelement analysiscodemore feasible.This paperdescribes thedevelopment of a simplelanding-gearmodel, which accurately simulatestheenergy absorbed by thegearwithoutaddingsubstantial complexity to the model. For a crash model the landing gear response is approximated with a spring where the force applied to the fuselage is computed in a user-written subroutine. Helicopter crash simulations using this approach are compared with previously acquired experimental data from a full-scale crash test of a composite helicopter.
Electromigration early failure distribution in submicron interconnects

The early failure issue in electromigration (EM) has been an unresolved subject of study over the last several decades. A satisfying experimental approach for the detection and analysis of early failures has not yet been established. In this study, a new technique utilizing large interconnect arrays in conjunction with the well-known Wheatstone bridge is presented. A total of more than 20,000 interconnects were tested. The results indicate that the EM failure mechanism studied here follows log-normal behaviour down to the 4 sigma level.
Analysis of estimation of distribution algorithms and genetic algorithms on NK landscapes

This study analyzes performance of several genetic and evolutionary algorithms on randomly generated NK fitness landscapes with various values of n and k. A large number of NK problem instances are first generated for each n and k, and the global optimum of each instance is obtained using the branch-and-bound algorithm. Next, the hierarchical Bayesian optimization algorithm (hBOA), the univariate marginal distribution algorithm (UMDA), and the simple genetic algorithm (GA) with uniform and two-point crossover operators are applied to all generated instances. Performance of all algorithms is then analyzed and compared, and the results are discussed.
Separate Tables: Schools and Sects in Political Science

“Miss Cooper: Loneliness is a terrible thing don't you agree?Anne: Yes, I do agree. A terrible thing ….Miss Meacham: She's not an ‘alone’ type.Miss Cooper: Is any type an ‘alone’ type, Miss Meacham … ?”(From Terence Rattigan's Separate Tables, (1955, 78, 92)In Separate Tables, the hit of the 1955 New York theatrical season, the Irish playwright, Terence Rattigan, used the metaphor of solitary diners in a second-rate residential hotel in Cornwall to convey the loneliness of the human condition. It may be a bit far fetched to use this metaphor to describe the condition of political science in the 1980s. But in some sense the various schools and sects of political science now sit at separate tables, each with its own conception of proper political science, but each protecting some secret island of vulnerability.It was not always so. If we recall the state of the profession a quarter of a century ago, let us say in the early 1960s, David Easton's (1953) and David Truman's (1955) scoldings of the profession for its backwardness among the social science disciplines, had been taken to heart by a substantial and productive cadre of young political scientists. In 1961 Robert Dahl wrote his Epitaph for a Monument to a Successful Protest reflecting the sure confidence of a successful movement, whose leaders were rapidly becoming the most visible figures in the profession. Neither Dahl nor Heinz Eulau, whose Behavioral Persuasion appeared in 1963 made exaggerated or exclusive claims for the new political science.
Macrostrain measurement using radial collimators at LANSCE

A series of 'short' radial collimators have been implemented in the 90 degree scattering geometries on the neutron powder diffractometer at Los Alamos. The capability to perform macrostain measurements has been improved by the commensurate ability to rapidly select a sampling volume appropriate to the specimen. The compact design of the collimators was dictated by the need to fit them in a cylindrical vacuum chamber as well as providing space in which to manipulate a specimen in three dimensions. Collimators of different vane lengths were fabricated to give 4 different resolutions for which 2/3 of the diffracted intensity comes from distances of 0.75, 1.25, 2.5 and 4mm along the incident beam. Qualifying scans and a demonstration on a cracked ring, containing a steep stress gradient, are included.
Binding versus final-offer arbitration: a combination is best

A new procedure is proposed for settling disputes which combines binding arbitration BA and final-offer arbitration FOA. Unlike either of the two pure procedures, combined arbitration CA induces the two parties to converge in making their final offers. Under BA, the arbitrator's settlement is binding on the two sides; under FOA, the arbitrator chooses the final offer of the party closer to what he/she considers a fair settlement. Under CA, FOA is used if the arbitrator's notion of a fair settlement falls between the two final offers or if the final offers converge or crisscross; otherwise, BA is used. When modeled as a two-person, zero-sum game of imperfect information, in which the two parties make final offers to maximize their expected payoffs-based on their perception of the arbitrator's probability distribution of fair settlements-convergence is to the median and constitutes a global equilibrium if the probability distribution is continuous, unimodal, and symmetric about the median. When the distribution is not symmetric or the two parties have different distributions, alternative solutions are derived-including one based on the parties' being within a "critical distance" of each other-and illustrated by examples. Alternatives to the arbitrator's decision calculus are considered, and questions about applying the new arbitration procedure are discussed.
Design for validation

An approach is outlined for the development of ultrareliable avionics for civil air transports using a design-for-validation philosophy that includes rigorous application of formal methods. The basic concept of the methodology is introduced, and the role of formal methods is explored. The impact of the design-for-validation philosophy on the system design process is then demonstrated by two simple examples. More details about the design-for-validation methodology are then given. >
MAPS hybrid formal qualification performance test results

This paper presents the formal qualification test-performance (FQT-P) results of the Modular Azimuth Position System Hybrid (MAPSH) program. The MAPSH land navigation and orientation system consists of the Honeywell dynamic reference unit-hybrid, the precision lightweight GPS receiver (PLGR), the vehicle motion sensor, and a system unique control and display unit. The MAPSH program is being developed by the US Army PM Paladin/FAASV Program Office which is upgrading the present MAPS DRU to integrate with the PLGR. Current US Army systems using the MAPS are the M109A6 155 mm self propelled howitzer (Paladin), the AN/TPQ-36(V)7 and AN/TPQ-37 FireFinder radar systems. This paper provides the results of the following tests: HMMWV performance testing; M109A6 Paladin SP howitzer performance testing, TPQ-36 FireFinder radar performance testing.
Joint Universal Lossy Coding and Identification of Stationary Mixing Sources With General Alphabets

In this paper, we consider the problem of joint universal variable-rate lossy coding and identification for parametric classes of stationary beta -mixing sources with general (Polish) alphabets. Compression performance is measured in terms of Lagrangians, while identification performance is measured by the variational distance between the true source and the estimated source. Provided that the sources are mixing at a sufficiently fast rate and satisfy certain smoothness and Vapnik-Chervonenkis (VC) learnability conditions, it is shown that, for bounded metric distortions, there exist universal schemes for joint lossy compression and identification whose Lagrangian redundancies converge to zero as radic{Vn logn /n} as the block length n tends to infinity, where Vn is the VC dimension of a certain class of decision regions defined by the n-dimensional marginal distributions of the sources; furthermore, for each n, the decoder can identify n-dimensional marginal of the active source up to a ball of radius O(radic{Vnlogn/n}) in variational distance, eventually with probability one. The results are supplemented by several examples of parametric sources satisfying the regularity conditions.
Prognostic value of radiographic extracapsular extension in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell cancers.

Summary Objectives We investigated associations between radiographic evidence of nodal extracapsular extension (rECE) and outcomes for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell cancers (LAHNC). Materials and methods We conducted a single-institution retrospective study of 258 consecutive LAHNC patients with accessible pretreatment contrast-enhanced neck CT scans, who completed definitive or adjuvant radiation therapy. All scans were reviewed by an expert head and neck radiologist for evidence of rECE. Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression multivariate analyses (MVA) were performed to evaluate the impact of rECE on overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), distant control (DC), and locoregional control (LRC). Results One-hundred forty patients were rECE-positive and 118 were rECE-negative. The rECE-positive cohort had more cN3 disease (11.6% vs. 0.8%) and heavier smoking histories (60.0% vs. 44.9% with ⩾10-pack-years). The rECE-positive cohort had significantly worse 3-year OS (64.3% vs. 82.8%, p = 0.002), PFS (58.9% vs. 76.0%, p = 0.001), DC (72.3% vs. 90.6%, p p = 0.002). On MVA, rECE independently predicted for worse OS, PFS, DC, and LRC for LAHNC overall. On subset analysis of HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers, rECE was not a significant prognosticator. Conclusion For all sites of LAHNC, except HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers, presence of rECE independently predicts for worse disease control and survival. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and demonstrate whether rECE may be considered for risk-stratifying patients for clinical trial design and treatment decisions.
DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF A RESIDUE MANAGEMENT WHEEL FOR HOE-TYPE NO-TILL DRILLS

Adoption of conservation tillage in the Pacific Northwest lags that of the U.S. in part due to the lack of reliable seeding equipment for planting into the high residue densities encountered in this region. To overcome this problem, a drill attachment was developed to manage heavy residue next to the furrow opening tines of hoe-type no-till drills. The U.S. patented device consists of a fingered rubber wheel, a rubber inner ring, and a spring-loaded arm that pivots about vertical and horizontal axes. The performance of the device was evaluated in terms of stand establishment and yield in Oregon and Washington. Test site locations varied significantly in the amount and condition of crop residue and were planted to a variety of different crops. As compared to the standard no-till drill without the attachment, use of the residue management wheel was found to increase the stand establishment of small seeded crops such as canola and mustard by over 40% and large seeded crops such as wheat and barley by approximately 17%. Increases in stand establishment were attributed to fewer piles of residue covering the seed row. Use of the device also significantly increased crop yield by up to 12% in 8 of the 20 trials conducted (P < 0.10). Although the residue management wheel costs $300 per unit to fabricate, using the device may be economically feasible if it results in significant improvements in both stand establishment and yield.
Crystalline polymers with exceptionally low thermal conductivity studied using molecular dynamics

Semi-crystalline polymers have been shown to have greatly increased thermal conductivity compared to amorphous bulk polymers due to effective heat conduction along the covalent bonds of the backbone. However, the mechanisms governing the intrinsic thermal conductivity of polymers remain largely unexplored as thermal transport has been studied in relatively few polymers. Here, we use molecular dynamics simulations to study heat transport in polynorbornene, a polymer that can be synthesized in semi-crystalline form using solution processing. We find that even perfectly crystalline polynorbornene has an exceptionally low thermal conductivity near the amorphous limit due to extremely strong anharmonic scattering. Our calculations show that this scattering is sufficiently strong to prevent the formation of propagating phonons, with heat being instead carried by non-propagating, delocalized vibrational modes known as diffusons. Our results demonstrate a mechanism for achieving intrinsically low thermal conductivity even in crystalline polymers that may be useful for organic thermoelectrics.
Gender and Time to Arrival among Ischemic Stroke Patients in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Stroke Study

Background Some studies of stroke patients report longer prehospital delays in women, but others conflict; studies vary in their inclusion of factors including age and stroke severity. We aimed to investigate the relationship between gender and time to emergency department (ED) arrival and the influence of age and stroke severity on this relationship. Methods Ischemic stroke patients 20 years old or older who presented to 15 hospitals within a 5-county region of Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky during 2010 were included. Time from symptom onset to ED arrival and covariates were abstracted by study nurses and reviewed by study physicians. Data were analyzed using logistic regression with time to arrival dichotomized at 3 hours or less in the overall sample and then stratified by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and age. Results 1991 strokes (55% women) were included. Time to arrival was slightly longer in women (geometric mean 337 minutes [95% confidence interval {CI} 307-369] versus 297 [95% CI 268-329], P = .05), and 24% of women versus 27% of men arrived within 3 hours ( P = .15). After adjusting for age, race, NIHSS, living situation, and other covariates, gender was not associated with delayed time to arrival (OR = 1.00, 95% CI .78-1.28). This did not change across age or NIHSS categories. Conclusions After adjusting for factors including age, NIHSS score, and living alone, women and men with ischemic stroke had similar times to arrival. Arrival time is not likely a major contributor to differences in outcome between men and women.
An Efficient and Rapid Synthesis of β-Carboxamide Derivatives using 2,2-dimethyl-2H,4H-1,3-dioxin-4-ones by Microwave Irradiation

Abstract A general, efficient and rapid method for the synthesis of various β-carboxamide derivatives using microwave irradiation is described. Excellent isolated yields were obtained in very short reaction times when conventional heating was replaced by microwave irradiation.
Evidence for a nonplanar amplituhedron

The scattering amplitudes of planar N = 4 super-Yang-Mills exhibit a number of remarkable analytic structures, including dual conformal symmetry and logarithmic singularities of integrands. The amplituhedron is a geometric construction of the integrand that incorporates these structures. This geometric construction further implies the amplitude is fully specified by constraining it to vanish on spurious residues. By writing the amplitude in a dlog basis, we provide nontrivial evidence that these analytic properties and “zero conditions” carry over into the nonplanar sector. This suggests that the concept of the amplituhedron can be extended to the nonplanar sector of N = 4 super-Yang-Mills theory.
On the congruence kernel for simple algebraic groups

This paper contains several results about the structure of the congruence kernel C(S)(G) of an absolutely almost simple simply connected algebraic group G over a global field K with respect to a set of places S of K. In particular, we show that C(S)(G)) is always trivial if S contains a generalized arithmetic progression. We also give a criterion for the centrality of C(S)(G) in the general situation in terms of the existence of commuting lifts of the groups G(Kv) for v ∉ S in the S-arithmetic completion Ĝ(S). This result enables one to give simple proofs of the centrality in a number of cases. Finally, we show that if K is a number field and G is K-isotropic, then C(S)(G) as a normal subgroup of Ĝ(S) is almost generated by a single element.
A Framework for Developing Manufacturing Service Capability Information Model

Rapid formation and optimization of manufacturing production networks (MPN) requires manufacturing service capability (MSC) information of each party be accessible, understandable, and processible by all others in the network. However, at the present time, MSC information is typically encoded according to local proprietary models, and thus is not interoperable. Related existing works are primarily for integration in “isolated automation” of pair-wise or small size networks and thus are not adequate to deal with the high degree of diversity, dynamics, and scales typical for a MPN. In this paper, we propose a model development framework which enables to evolve a reference model for MSC information based on the inputs from proprietary models. The developed reference model can serve as a unified semantic basis supporting interoperability of MSC information across these local proprietary models. Methodology for resolving structural and other semantic conflicts between deferent models in model development is also presented.
THERMODYNAMICS | Moist (Unsaturated) Air

This article is reproduced from the previous edition, volume 5, pp 2274–2278, © 2003, Elsevier Ltd.
An emotion-based “conscious” software agent architecture

Evidence of the role of emotions in the action selection processes of environmentally situated agents continues to mount. This is no less true for autonomous software agents. Here we are concerned with such software agents that model a psychological theory of consciousness, global workspace theory. We briefly describe the architecture of two such agents, CMattie and IDA, and the role emotions play in each. Both agents communicate with humans in natural language, the first about seminars and the like, the second about job possibilities. IDA must also deliberate on various scenarios and negotiate with humans. In CMattie emotions occur in response to incoming stimuli from the environment and affect behavior indirectly by strengthening or weakening drives. In IDA the emotions are integrated with the “consciousness” mechanism, and bidirectionally connected with all the major parts of the architecture. Thus, emotions will affect, and be affected by, essentially all of the agent’s disparate cognitive processes. They will thus play a role in essentially all cognitive activity including perception, memory, “consciousness”, action selection, learning, and metacognition. These emotional connections will provide a common currency among the several modules of the agent architecture. These connections will also allow for the learning of complex emotions. The emotions serve to tell the agent how well it’s doing.
Demand-driven incremental object queries

Object queries are essential in information seeking and decision making in vast areas of applications. However, a query may involve complex conditions on objects and sets, which can be arbitrarily nested and aliased. The objects and sets involved as well as the demand---the given parameter values of interest---can change arbitrarily. How to implement object queries efficiently under all possible updates, and furthermore to provide complexity guarantees?This paper describes an automatic method. The method allows powerful queries to be written completely declaratively. It transforms demand as well as all objects and sets into relations. Most importantly, it defines invariants for not only the query results, but also all auxiliary values about the objects and sets involved, including those for propagating demand, and incrementally maintains all of them. Implementation and experiments with problems from a variety of application areas, including distributed algorithms and probabilistic queries, confirm the analyzed complexities, trade-offs, and significant improvements over prior work.
Diagnostic accuracy and clinical relevance of an inflammatory biomarker panel in early sepsis in adult critical care patients

Low awareness, late recognition and delayed treatment of sepsis are still common. CD64 is a marker of the innate immune response upregulated in sepsis. The primary goal of this prospective, double-blind study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of neutrophil CD64 and other cellular markers, along with C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) levels, in early sepsis.
Metal Work Design of High Intensity Radiation Cells

Special factors to consider in design, engineering, detailing, and building cells; information concerning pertinent aspects of radiation shielding; examination of heavy shielding concrete, surface finishes, and requirements of related appurtenances.
Thousands of Positive Reviews: Distributed Mentoring in Online Fan Communities

Young people worldwide are participating in ever-increasing numbers in online fan communities. Far from mere shallow repositories of pop culture, these sites are accumulating significant evidence that sophisticated informal learning is taking place online in novel and unexpected ways. In order to understand and analyze in more detail how learning might be occurring, we conducted an in-depth nine-month ethnographic investigation of online fanfiction communities, including participant observation and fanfiction author interviews. Our observations led to the development of a theory we term distributed mentoring, which we present in detail in this paper. Distributed mentoring exemplifies one instance of how networked technology affords new extensions of behaviors that were previously bounded by time and space. Distributed mentoring holds potential for application beyond the spontaneous mentoring observed in this investigation and may help students receive diverse, thoughtful feedback in formal learning environments as well.
SDF-1/CXCL12 modulates mitochondrial respiration of immature blood cells in a bi-phasic manner

SDF-1/CXCL12 is a potent chemokine required for the homing and engraftment of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Previous data from our group has shown that in an SDF-1/CXCL12 transgenic mouse model, lineage(-) Sca-1(+) c-Kit(+) (LSK) bone marrow cells have reduced mitochondrial membrane potential versus wild-type. These results suggested that SDF-1/CXCL12 may function to keep mitochondrial respiration low in immature blood cells in the bone marrow. Low mitochondrial metabolism helps to maintain low levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can influence differentiation. To test whether SDF-1/CXCL12 regulates mitochondrial metabolism, we employed the human leukemia cell line HL-60, that expresses high levels of the SDF-1/CXCL12 receptor, CXCR4, as a model of hematopoietic progenitor cells in vitro. We treated HL-60 cells with SDF-1/CXCL12 for 2 and 24h. Oxygen consumption rates (OCR), mitochondrial-associated ATP production, mitochondrial mass, and mitochondrial membrane potential of HL-60 cells were significantly reduced at 2h and increased at 24h as compared to untreated control cells. These biphasic effects of SDF-1/CXCL12 were reproduced with lineage negative primary mouse bone marrow cells, suggesting a novel function of SDF-1/CXCL12 in modulating mitochondrial respiration by regulating mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, ATP production and mitochondrial content.
An exploration of the transition to the full-time faculty role among associate degree nurse educators

AIM The purpose of this study was to examine the experience of transition into the full-time faculty role among nurse educators who teach in associate degree nursing (ADN) programs. BACKROUND As the nursing profession responds to both the nursing and faculty shortages, understanding the experience of the transition at the ADN level becomes important. Faculty roles and responsibilities differ among program types. METHOD A qualitative research design was used to explore the transition experience of 14 participants, identified through purposive sampling, who taught in ADN programs in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. RESULTS Themes that emerged include: a) difficulties, b) learning the role, c) embracing the role, d) the need for support, and e) personal experience of confidence and love of teaching. CONCLUSION Findings suggest that role-specific orientation programs with a strong mentoring component are needed to ease the transition into the full-time faculty role at the ADN level of education.