cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Online Parameter Estimation via Real-Time Replanning of Continuous Gaussian POMDPs

An accurate dynamics model of a robot is an important ingredient of many algorithms used to solve robotics problems, including motion planning, control, localization, and mapping. Models derived from first principles often contain parameters (e.g. mass, moment of inertia, arm lengths, etc.) for which values are unknown. Those which cannot be easily measured must be estimated from the observed behavior of the robot. A good approach to address this problem is to plan control policies for the robot that elicit maximal amounts of information about the parameters of the system, while still achieving other objectives specified for the robot. In case of parameters subject to drift, this must be done continuously over the lifetime of the robot if costly re-calibrations are to be avoided. In this paper, we introduce a new method that formulates the parameter estimation problem as a continuous partially-observable Markov decision process (POMDP), which plans control policies that optimally trade-off the effort spent on learning parameters and effort spent on achieving regular robot objectives (exploration vs. exploitation), and allow for online, continual parameter estimation. While POMDPs have, until recently, been mostly of theoretical interest due to their inherent complexity, we build on recent advances that allow continuous, Gaussian POMDPs to be approximately-optimally solved in near-real-time rates. We show that the computed control policies lead to improved convergence of the belief of the parameters compared to system identification approaches based on applying random controls.
Computer-generated three-dimensional morphology of the hepatic hilar bile ducts in biliary atresia

Background/Purpose: In biliary atresia (BA), although the intrahepatic bile ducts are reported to appear in the fetal configuration in about 20% to 60% of cases, information about the 3-dimensional (3-D) morphology of the hilar biliary structures is limited. The authors, therefore, have applied the technique of computer-generated 3-D reconstruction, to study the morphology of the hilar biliary structures in patients who have undergone biliary decompression. Methods: Computer-generated 3-D reconstructions were performed from serial sections of the hepatic hilum of 4 BA patients and compared with those obtained from a 3-day old infant who had no apparent biliary disease but died of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and with normal human fetal ductal plate at 11 weeks of gestation. Results: In all 4 BA patients, the hilar bile ducts strongly resembled the ductal plate structures of the fetus rather than the bile ducts of the CDH infant. This leads the authors to suggest that these abnormal biliary structures are the result of improper ductal plate remodeling at the hepatic hilum. In 3 of the BA patients there were some tubular bile ducts that probably are the result of delayed and abnormal attempt at ductal plate remodeling.
Use of a real-time polymerase chain reaction-based fluorogenic 5' nuclease assay to evaluate insect vectors of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infections in horses.

Objective To develop and use a sensitive molecular assay for detecting the phospholipase D (PLD) exotoxin gene of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis in an attempt to identify insect vectors that may be important in transmission of clinical disease in horses. Sample population 2,621 flies of various species. Procedure A real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based fluorogenic 5' nuclease (TaqMan) system (ie, TaqMan PCR assay) was developed for the detection of the PLD gene in insects. Flies were collected monthly (May to November 2002) from 5 farms in northern California where C. pseudotuberculosis infection in horses is endemic. Three of the 5 farms (which housed a total of 358 horses) had diseased horses during the study period. A total of 2,621 flies of various species were tested for the PLD gene of C. pseudotuberculosis. Results Evidence of bacterial DNA for the PLD gene was detected in skin biopsy specimens from clinically affected horses and from 3 fly species collected from farms where affected horses were housed. Farms with a high incidence of diseased horses had a high proportion of insects carrying the organism. High percentages of flies with positive results for the PLD gene were observed in October, when most clinically affected horses were observed. Conclusions and clinical relevance Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that C. pseudotuberculosis may be vectored to horses by flies. Three potential vectors were identified, including Haematobia irritans, Stomoxys calcitrans, and Musca domestica. The organism can be identified in up to 20% of house flies (Musca domestica) in the vicinity of diseased horses.
Direct venous pressure determinations by use of a new instrument.

Abstract The use of an apparatus for direct determination of venous pressure is described. Its advantages include: 1. 1. The facility with which it may be used on small veins. 2. 2. The ease with which it may be stored and transported. 3. 3. The ease with which results are read. 4. 4. Opportunity for frequent reuse in the absence of a sterilizer. Comparison of this technique with a standard technique for direct determination of venous pressure showed satisfactory results.
Feasibility of time-lapse gravity and gravity gradiometry monitoring for steam-assisted gravity drainage reservoirs

ABSTRACTThere is presently an increased need to monitor production efficiency as heavy oil reservoirs become more economically viable. We present a feasibility study of monitoring steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) reservoirs using time-lapse gravimetry and gravity gradiometry. Even though time-lapse seismic has historically shown great success for SAGD monitoring, the gravimetry and gravity gradiometry methods offer a low-cost interseismic alternative that can complement the seismic method, increase the survey frequency, and decrease the cost of monitoring. In addition, both gravity-based methods are directly sensitive to the density changes that occur as a result of the replacement of heavy oil by steam. Advances in technologies have made both methods viable candidates for consideration in time-lapse reservoir monitoring, and we have numerically evaluated their potential application in monitoring SAGD production. The results indicate that SAGD production should produce a strong anomaly for both meth...
Effect of Oxytocin Upon Litter Weight Gain in Rats.

SummaryThe influence of one or more hormones on the intensity of milk secretion in rats has been determined by a method developed in this laboratory. Significant increases in milk yield have been observed. However, the litter weights of the control and experimental groups have been quite similar. In explanation of these observations, it has been suggested that when milk secretion is intense that the litters do not obtain all of the milk available due to the limited amount of oxytocin discharged and its short biological half-life. When 1 unit of oxytocin was injected at 6-hour intervals/day to enable the nursing young to obtain more of the available milk, the mean litter weight was increased 29 g, a highly significant increase of 13%. It was shown also that not all of the milk is removed at the regular hourly nursing period, by the removal of 7.33 g of milk when 1 unit of oxytocin was injected at nursing time compared to 1.7 g of milk without exogenous oxytocin.
Effects of low carbohydrate provision on isomyosin expression in the isoproterenol stressed rat heart.

Abstract While previous findings suggest that increased carbohydrate (CHO) provision and/or utilization can be involved in the up regulation of V1 cardiac isomyosin expression in both the insulin deficient and the semi-starved rat, little is known about the role of CHO provision and/or utilization in regulating isomyosin expression in normal animals. This study was undertaken to ascertain whether a limited carbohydrate provision combined with repeated episodes of an increased cardiac energy demand can induce a down regulation of the V1 cardiac myosin inoenzyme in normal, young adult rats, i.e., a response similar to that seen in insulin deficient/food restricted rats. Animals were assigned to one of three major groups according to diet and/or drug treatment: (1) a mixed-diet control group; (2) a low-carbohydrate (LC)/high-fat-diet group; and (3) a low-carbohydrate-diet group treated with 3-mercaptopicolinic acid (MPA), an inhibitor of gluconeogenesis. In each of the above groups, subgroups of animals were metabolically challenged with daily isoproterenol injections (0.2 mg/kg/day) sufficient to markedly elevate cardiac work for at least 3 h. Four weeks of treatment reduced myofibrillar calcium activated ATPase activity by 17% (P
Proteomic Analysis of Propiconazole Responses in Mouse Liver: Comparison of Genomic and Proteomic Profiles

We have performed for the first time a comprehensive profiling of changes in protein expression of soluble proteins in livers from mice treated with the mouse liver tumorigen, propiconazole, to uncover the pathways and networks altered by this fungicide. Utilizing two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry (MS), we identified 62 proteins that were altered. Several of these protein changes detected by 2-DE/MS were verified by Western blot analyses. These differentially expressed proteins were mapped using Ingenuity Pathway Analyses (IPA) canonical pathways and IPA tox lists. Forty-four pathways/lists were identified. IPA was also used to create networks of interacting protein clusters. The protein-generated IPA canonical pathways and IPA tox lists were compared to those pathways and lists previously generated from genomic analyses from livers of mice treated with propiconazole under the same experimental conditions. There was a significant overlap in the specific pathways and lists generated from the proteomic and the genomic data with 27 pathways common to both proteomic and genomic analyses. However, there were also 17 pathways/lists identified only by proteomics analysis and 21 pathways/lists only identified by genomic analysis. The protein network analysis produced interacting subnetworks centered around hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4 alpha), MYC, proteasome subunit type 4 alpha, and glutathione S-transferase (GST). The HNF4 alpha network hub was also identified by genomic analysis. Five GST isoforms were identified by proteomic analysis and GSTs were present in 10 of the 44 protein-based pathways/lists. Hepatic GST activities were compared between mice treated with propiconazole and 2 additional conazoles and higher GST activities were found to be associated with the tumorigenic conazoles. Overall, this comparative proteomic and genomic study has revealed a series of alterations in livers induced by propiconazole: nuclear receptor activation, metabolism of xenobiotics, metabolism of biochemical intermediates, biosynthesis of biochemical intermediates, and oxidative stress in mouse liver. The present study provides novel insights into toxic mechanisms and/or modes of action of propiconazole which are required for human health risk assessment of this environmental chemical.
Novel color HWML descriptors for scene and object image classification

Several new image descriptors are presented in this paper that combine color, texture and shape information to create feature vectors for scene and object image classification. In particular, first, a new three dimensional Local Binary Patterns (3D-LBP) descriptor is proposed for color image local feature extraction. Second, three novel color HWML (HOG of Wavelet of Multiplanar LBP) descriptors are derived by computing the histogram of the orientation gradients of the Haar wavelet transformation of the original image and the 3D-LBP images. Third, the Enhanced Fisher Model (EFM) is applied for discriminatory feature extraction and the nearest neighbor classification rule is used for image classification. Finally, the Caltech 256 object categories database and the MIT scene dataset are used to show the feasibility of the proposed new methods.
Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 gene expression is required for cardiomyocyte proliferation and is repressed by Sp3

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) is the only high-affinity FGFR in the vertebrate myocardium. FGFR1 is a tyrosine kinase receptor and has a non-redundant role in proliferation and differentiation of cardiomyocytes during embryogenesis. Results presented here demonstrate that FGFR1 gene expression declines as neonatal cardiomyocytes develop into adult cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, silencing FGFR1 gene expression reduced neonatal cardiomyocyte proliferation, indicating that FGFR1 gene expression is required for the optimal proliferative capacity of cardiomyocytes. To determine the mechanism that governs FGFR1 gene expression in cardiomyocytes, sequence analysis of the proximal mouse FGFR1 promoter identified a potential binding site for Sp transcription factors. Mutation of this site increased FGFR1 promoter activity compared to the wild-type promoter, indicating the presence of a negative transcriptional regulator of the FGFR1 promoter at this site in cardiomyocytes. Sp3 expression in neonatal cardiomyocytes and Drosophila SL2 cells reduced FGFR1 promoter activity in a dose-dependent manner. Western blots and immunocytochemistry indicated that Sp3 was present in the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments of neonatal cardiomyocytes. Chromatin-immunoprecipitation studies verified that endogenous Sp3 in cardiomyocytes interacts with the FGFR1 promoter. Transient chromatin-immunoprecipitation studies using wild-type and mutated FGFR1 promoter constructs in SL2 cells identified the specific Sp3 binding site within the FGFR1 promoter. These studies implicate Sp3 as a negative transcriptional regulator of FGFR1 promoter activity in cardiomyocytes and as a suppressor of cardiomyocyte proliferation.
The incorporation of cysteine into an acceptor protein of human endometrium tissue.

Abstract Studies indicate that components of a pathway for the incorporation of cysteine into preformed proteins are present in the 105 000 × g supernatant fraction of human endometrium. The incorporation required ATP and Mg 2+ , but not tRNA, mRNA or ribosomes. The reaction is between the amino group of cysteine, and a specific protein or group of proteins with similar characteristics present in the supernatant fraction of the cell.
Gravity Anomalies, Basement Rocks, and Crustal Structure, Central and Southeast Texas: ABSTRACT

Regional gravity surveys have been conducted (1) between Bryan-College Station and Austin, Texas, across the margin of the Gulf Coast geosyncline and the buried Ouachita fold belt, and (2) across the northwestern Llano uplift, in the Llano-Mason-San Saba-Brady area. These new gravity data have been incorporated with those previously published in order to construct a regional gravity-anomaly map, contoured at a 5-mgal interval, of a large part of central and southeast Texas. Gravity anomalies in the Llano region can be interpreted readily in terms of exposed major Precambrian rock units. Characteristic anomaly patterns then can be used to interpret basement lithology where concealed around the periphery of the uplift. Gravitational effects of the thick wedge of Cenozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks in the Gulf Coast geosyncline were calculated for several different density contrasts; thicknesses were based on extrapolations of regional well data. Similarly, gravitational effects of Paleozoic clastic rocks in the "foreland basin" between the metamorphosed Ouachita facies and the crystalline rocks of the Llano uplift were calculated End_Page 1825------------------------------ for several density contrasts and basin configurations. Combined gravitational effects of the models have been applied as corrections to the Bouguer anomaly map to obtain a gravity-anomaly profile that generally represents effects of changes in crustal thickness or density. The granitic crust is considerably thicker under the Llano uplift than under the Gulf Coast geosyncline. At present, the region is at or near isostatic equilibrium, but near the end of the Paleozoic it was out of equilibrium, with an excess mass at the present site of the Gulf Coast geosyncline. The writers speculate that gulfward migration of depocenters during Mesozoic and Cenozoic has taken place in response to a mechanism for gradual restoration of regional isostatic equilibrium. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1826------------
Assessment of Catfish Stocking in Public Fishing Lakes in Alabama

Abstract From 1974 to 1993, nearly 2 million catfish Ictalurus spp. (primarily channel catfish I. punctatus), weighing about 500,000 lb, were stocked into 18 public fishing lakes throughout Alabama where natural recruitment to the fishery was nil. Using stocking and angler catch and effort records for these lakes, we examined factors related to catfish harvest, identified the most and least successful catfish fisheries, and attempted to determine optimal stocking size and cost-benefit ratio. About 1 million catfish, weighing 1.5 million pounds, were harvested; this conferred a minimum exploitation rate of 52% and a net return of 300% by weight. Harvest rates were highly variable and ranged from 0.4 to 311 fish/acre and from 1 to 320 lb/acre. In multiple regressions for all lakes and years pooled, biomass and number of catfish stocked and angler effort explained the most variation in catfish harvest rates. These models explained 68% of the variation in number of catfish harvested and 56%o of the weight har...
Recommendations for modification of terminology of neuroblastic tumors and prognostic significance of Shimada classification. A clinicopathologic study of 213 cases from the pediatric oncology group

To develop consistency in terminology and pathologic criteria, the authors reviewed the literature and 213 cases of neuroblastic tumors (NT) registered with Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) protocols 8104 and 8441. The patients were given standardized therapy stratified according to POG stage and patient age, and four or more histologic sections of primary tumor resected before therapy were available in each of these 213 cases. All stages were represented. The recommended nomenclature combines conventional terms and criteria with those used by Bove and McAdams and Shimada et al. The main features of the recommended nomenclature are as follows: (1) the terms neuroblastoma (NB) and ganglioneuroblastoma (GNB) are retained instead of stroma-poor NB and stroma-rich NB, recommended by Shimada et al.; (2) undifferentiated NB is considered a subtype separate from poorly differentiated NB; and (3) the term GNB is used only when there is a predominant ganglioneuromatous component admixed with the minor neuroblastomatous component. With the use of these criteria and terms, the Shimada classification was determined in the 213 cases. The results showed that, even after stratification for age, POG stage, and primary site, there is a statistically significant difference in survival rate between favorable histologic and unfavorable histologic prognostic subgroups. The authors recommend that definitive prognostic categorization of an NT according to Shimada classification should be done only when adequate histologic material is available from a primary tumor resected before any other therapy. Categorization done on histologic material from small biopsy specimens, previously treated primary tumors, or meta-static sites should be considered tentative.
DNA functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes for electrochemical detection.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were effectively dispersed and functionalized by wrapping with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). The ssDNA−SWNTs attach strongly on glass substrate and easily form a uniform film, making it possible for electrochemical analysis and sensing. The film was fabricated into a working electrode, which exhibited good electrochemical voltammetric properties, such as flat and wide potential window, well-defined quasi-reversible voltammetric responses, and quick electron transfer for a Fe(CN)63-/Fe(CN)64 system, indicating that the ssDNA−SWNTs film should be a good analytical electrode for electrochemical detection or sensing. This was demonstrated by highly selective and sensitive detection of a low concentration of dopamine in the presence of excess ascorbic acid.
The Cliché, the Discourse, and Desire of the Other in MADAME BOVARY

It has become commonplace to refer to Gustave Flaubert's Emma Bovary as an avid reader of bad literature. Emma was familiar with the great writers of the time (Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, Francois-R...
Relationship of genes for resistance to protection by diffusates from incompatible interactions of Phaseolus vulgaris with Colletotrichum lindemuthianum

Abstract Phaseolus vulgaris hypocotyls were protected against cultivar-pathogenic races of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum by a factor which diffused into water droplets on incompatible interactions. The factor protected the cultivar from which it was obtained. It also protected cultivars having the same disease reaction to a nonpathogenic race as the cultivar from which the factor was obtained. At least two different factors can be produced in incompatible interactions. Conidial germination fluids and mycelial sonicates of beta and gamma races did not protect. A mixture of diffusates from incompatible interactions of the beta race on Perry Marrow and gamma race on Topcrop protected both cultivars from challenges by the gamma and beta races, respectively. When diffusates from incompatible and compatible interactions on Perry Marrow were mixed, the level of protection was reduced on Perry Marrow to a challenge by a cultivar-pathogenic race of C. lindemuthianum. Diffusates from C. truncatum, a nonpathogen of bean, on Perry Marrow and Stringless Green Pod reduced the size of lesions produced on these cultivars in response to challenges by cultivar-pathogenic races of C. lindemuthianum.
Combined chemical (ozone) and biological treatment of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) adsorbed to sediments

Laboratory experiments were conducted to test the feasibility of ozone sparging to oxidize PCBs in sediments, and to determine the organic acid content and biodegradability of the oxidation products. Two PCBs were tested; 2-,2′-dichlorobiphenyl (DCB) and 2-,3-,4-,2′-,3′-,4′-hexachlorobiphenyl (HCB). DCB and HCB were allowed to adsorb onto solids in slurries of pure kaolinite and river sediments containing 2% native organic matter (NOM). Ozone was sparged through the slurries while concentrations of PCBs and Cl−, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were measured with time. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to identify the organic acids produced from the reaction of ozone with DCB and HCB. After sparging, the liquid was placed in bioreactors with inoculum from a domestic wastewater treatment plant and nutrients. Ozone sparging in the kaolinite slurries removed 94% of HCB and 97% of DCB in 30 days. In contrast, 55 days were required to achieve the same PCB removal in river sediment slurries. Ozone doses per g of DCB and HCB in kaolinite were 19 g and 30 g, respectively. Doses were 13–14 times greater in river sediments. Formic and oxalic acids were ozonation products of both PCBs. Specific ozonation products of DCB and HCB were 2-hydroxybenzoic acid and 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzoic acid, respectively. The results show that ozone caused ring cleavage of PCBs and stoichiometric replacement of Cl with OH groups. Over 93% of the soluble COD from ozone sparging was biodegraded within 20–26 days in the bioreactors. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry
Tuning of electronic states in self-assembled InAs quantum dots using an ion implantation technique

We report the tunability of up to 150 meV of the ground state transition of self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs) using Mn ion implantation and subsequent annealing. Because of the exciton localization in the quantum dots, the photoluminescence efficiency (T=12K) of the quantum dot transition remains at 80% of its original value after implantation with a Mn dose of 1×1013 cm−2ions. Strong luminescence still remains at room temperature. At a high implantation dose (1×1015 cm−2) and rapid thermal annealing (700°C for 60s) about 25% of the QD luminescence intensity is recovered at T=12K.
Using Plan Do Study Act to Transform a Simulation Center

Abstract This article describes one school's transformation of clinical education in the simulation center. The school used Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) to shift its focus from skills training to quality improvement, patient safety, and professionalism. The PDSA quality improvement model was selected to frame the transformation and infuse quality into the curriculum. Each phase of the PDSA process is fully described. The project goals were met, and future goals were identified. The levels of technology and innovative instruction were advanced with administrative and financial support. Updating our simulation center's physical environment, using active learning strategies, and promoting a culture of safety have greatly enhanced the student learning experience.
Critical habitat designation: Is it prudent?

The critical habitat provision of the US Endangered Species Act was believed by many to be a key feature of the Act. It was believed that this provision would benefit federally listed endangered and threatened species. However, only 23% of the listed species in the United States have their critical habitats designated. The current trend is to forego critical habitat designation because the federal government believes that the Endangered Species Act can protect most listed species without resort to the critical habitat provision. Required publication of critical habitat locations in theFederal Register may draw vandals and collectors to rare species. In other cases, existing habitat protection already provides adequate protection for species. In a few instances critical habitat changes over time and is difficult to delineate. Lastly, designating critical habitat is time consuming, delays species listing, and is controversial, detracting from the positive image of the Endangered Species Act.
Occupational turnover intentions among substance abuse counselors.

Abstract This study examined predictor, moderator, and mediator variables of occupational turnover intention (OcTI) among substance abuse counselors. Data were obtained via questionnaires from 929 counselors working in 225 private substance abuse treatment (SAT) programs across the United States. Hierarchical multiple regression models were conducted to assess predictor, moderator, and mediator variables of OcTI. OcTI scores were relatively low on a 7-point scale, indicating that very few counselors definitely intended to leave the SAT field. Age, certification, positive perceptions of procedural and distributive justice, and hospital-based status negatively predicted OcTI. Counselors' substance use disorder–impacted history moderated the association between organizational commitment and OcTI. Organizational turnover intention partially mediated the link between organizational commitment and OcTI. Workforce stability might be achieved by promoting perceptions of advantages to working in a particular treatment program, having organizational commitment, showing appreciation for counselors' work, and valuing employees from diverse backgrounds.
A technique for the study of mode cut-offs in multimode optical fibres

We describe a technique of using a variable wavelength source to study mode cut-offs up to aV value of 20 for the optical fibre by means of the radiated (scattered) power leaving the fibre. This allows the identification of individual modes in a fibre carrying up to 80 or 100 modes in all and provides a non-destructive method for the study of the length and bend dependence of the energy carried by the highest order modes.
Experimental control and data acquisition with BASIC in the Apple computer

Laboratory experiments can be precisely controlled and data can be collected using the BASIC language on an Apple II+ computer with 48-KB RAM, disk drive, and two timer-I/O cards. The Apple BASIC makes machine language output control routines necessary, but quite convenient. By compiling BASIC, 50–100 inputs/sec are handled. Applications range from operant research and analog data collection to use of the Apple color display capability for stimulus presentations and response recording.
Antibiotic sensitivities of oral mycoplasma.

Antibiotic sensitivities of five human species and one saprophytic species of mycoplasma were determined by the disk method. All were resistant to the antibiotics that act on cell walls. All were sensitive to the tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, and neomycin. Only Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Mycoplasma laidlawii B were sensitive to erythromycin, oleandomycin, streptomycin, and dihydrostreptomycin.
A rapid method of obsidian characterisation by inelastic scattering of protons

A new, and non-destructive method of characterising obsidians for archaeological purposes is described. Sodium, fluorine, and aluminium are determined by inelastic scattering of a beam of protons from a 3 MeV Van de Graaff accelerator. Irradiation and counting are simultaneous and take five minutes per sample, while data analysis is automated and requires about 20 sec per sample.
Deconstructing The New York Trilogy: Paul Auster's Anti-Detective Fiction

(1990). Deconstructing The New York Trilogy: Paul Auster's Anti-Detective Fiction. Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction: Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 71-84.
Test data compression and decompression based on internal scan chains and Golomb coding

We present a data compression method and decompression architecture for testing embedded cores in a system-on-a-chip (SOC). The proposed approach makes effective use of Golomb coding and the internal scan chain(s) of the core under test and provides significantly better results than a recent compression method that uses Golomb coding and a separate cyclical scan register (CSR). The major advantages of Golomb coding of test data include very high compression, analytically predictable compression results, and a low-cost and scalable on-chip decoder. The use of the internal scan chain for decompression obviates the need for a CSR, thereby reducing hardware overhead considerably. In addition, the novel interleaving decompression architecture allows multiple cores in an SOC to be tested concurrently using a single ATE I/O channel. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach by. applying it to the ISCAS 89 benchmark circuits.
A relation among geomagnetic reversals, seafloor spreading rate, paleoclimate, and black shales

The Mesozoic-Cenozoic histories of reversals in the earth's magnetic field and of periods of widespread anoxia in the ocean basins show a remarkable correlation (Figure 1); periods of black-shale deposition (“anoxic events”) occur during lengthy periods without magnetic reversals (“quiet” periods). My assembly of published work indicates a remote connection between quiet periods and anoxic events and suggests its form: Magnetic quiet periods coincide with fast seafloor spreading. During these periods, buoyant spreading ridges displace seawater onto broad shelves, thus decreasing earth's albedo and causing global warming. Temperature gradients, and thus density gradients, from pole to equator decrease in surface waters, and the deep ocean currents of oxygenated polar waters wane. Oxygen minimum zones intensify and widen; anoxic conditions throughout entire basins are indicated by black shales deposited in the deep sea. These relations thus suggest that the earth's interior processes and its climate are related and their status recorded by both magnetic polarity and anoxic event chronologies of the earth. A test of the model for the Palezoic is proposed and some implications for mineral resources noted.
Morphological derived-environment effects in gestural coordination: A case study of Norwegian clusters

This paper examines morphophonological alternations involving apicoalveolar tap-consonant clusters in Urban East Norwegian from the framework of gestural Optimality Theory. Articulatory Phonology provides an insightful explanation of patterns of vowel intrusion, coalescence, and rhotic deletion in terms of the temporal coordination of consonantal gestures, which interacts with both prosodic and morphological structure. An alignment-based account of derived-environment effects is proposed in which complete overlap in rhotic-consonant clusters is blocked within morphemes but not across morpheme or word boundaries. Alignment constraints on gestural coordination also play a role in phonologically conditioned allomorphy. The gestural analysis is contrasted with alternative Optimality-theoretic accounts. Furthermore, it is argued that models of the phonetics–phonology interface which view timing as a low-level detail of phonetic implementation incorrectly predict that input morphological structure should have no effect on gestural coordination. The patterning of rhotic-consonant clusters in Norwegian is consistent with a model that includes gestural representations and constraints directly in the phonological grammar, where underlying morphological structure is still visible. On the assumption that Universal Grammar lacks faithfulness constraints on input timing, the phonology is free to include non-contrastive phonetic detail such as intersegmental gestural coordination without the danger of overgenerating impossible contrasts.
Voltage-switchable artificial muscles actuating at near neutral pH

Abstract Novel artificial muscle materials were developed, which can be electrically actuated at near neutral pH environments by low applied potential (3 V or less). The artificial muscle material is based on a hydrogel that is composed of acrylamide and a carboxylic acid derivative, such as acrylic acid, and is doped with a polypyrrole/carbon black composite. The electroactuation response of the artificial muscle is optimized in terms of the constituents of the hydrogel precursor solution and the polymerization conditions. It is shown that the introduction of the dicarboxylic acid monomer maleic acid increases the osmotic pressure arising at the hydrogel/electrolyte interface, increasing the bending response of the material. Additionally, the increase of the polymerization temperature and the use of the crosslinking agent N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide, which promotes intermolecular interactions within the hydrogel network, result in the development of artificial muscles with increased and reproducible electroactuation.
Reactions of Open-Pollinated Sweet Corn Cultivars to Stewart's Wilt, Common Rust, Northern Leaf Blight, and Southern Leaf Blight

Pataky, J. K., du Toit, L. J., Revilla, P., and Tracy, W. F. 1998. Reactions of open-pollinated sweet corn cultivars to Stewart’s wilt, common rust, northern leaf blight, and southern leaf blight. Plant Dis. 82:939-944. Over 800 open-pollinated (OP) varieties of sweet corn were grown and named in the century prior to the development of hybrids, but only a few of the historically important OP cu ltivars exist today. Alleles that could improve disease resistance of modern sweet corn may be present in the OP cultivars still in existence. The objectives of this research were to compare 36 OP sweet corn cultivars to modern commercial hybrids for reactions to Stewart’s wilt, common rust, northern leaf blight (NLB), and southern leaf blight (SLB), and to classify the OP cultivars based on phenotypic reactions to these four diseases. Plants were inoculated in 1994, 1995, and 1996 with Erwinia stewartii, Puccinia sorghi, Exserohilum turcicum, or Bipolaris maydis. Symptoms were rated on a whole-plot basis, and ratings were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA). Means were separated by Bayesian least significant difference values. Some of the OP cultivars had phenotypes that were intermediate to moderately resistant to Stewart’s wilt, common rust, NLB, or SLB, but none of the cultivars were more resistant than the best commercial hybrids. Distributions of ratings for rust, NLB, and SLB were less disperse for the OP cultivars than for commercial hybrids. Hence, the resistance of modern sweet corn germ plasm to Stewart’s wilt, rust, and NLB appears to be greater than that of the OP cultivars. OP cultivars and four standard hybrids were pl aced into groups based on a hierarchical cluster analysis of disease reactions. The seven groups formed from the cluster analysis of disease ratings were considerably different than those formed from isozyme variation and morphological characteristics. The partial resistance of some cultivars, e.g., Golden Sunshine, Country Gentleman, Stowell’s Evergreen, and Red, may be relatively diverse since these cultivars were placed in different groups based on isozyme and morphological variation. OP cu ltivars with moderate levels of resistance may be sources of resistance alleles not present in commercial hybrids.
Consolidation of sensorimotor learning during sleep

Consolidation of nondeclarative memory is widely believed to benefit from sleep. However, evidence is mainly limited to tasks involving rote learning of the same stimulus or behavior, and recent findings have questioned the extent of sleep-dependent consolidation. We demonstrate consolidation during sleep for a multimodal sensorimotor skill that was trained and tested in different visual-spatial virtual environments. Participants performed a task requiring the production of novel motor responses in coordination with continuously changing audio-visual stimuli. Performance improved with training, decreased following waking retention, but recovered and stabilized following sleep. These results extend the domain of sleep-dependent consolidation to more complex, adaptive behaviors.
The Structure and Evolution of Hurricane Elena (1985). Part I: Symmetric Intensification

One of the most complete aircraft reconnaissance and ground-based radar datasets of a single tropical cyclone was recorded in Hurricane Elena (1985) as it made a slow, 3-day anticyclonic loop in the Gulf of Mexico. Eighty-eight radial legs and 47 vertical incidence scans were collected aboard NOAA WP-3D aircraft, and 1142 ground-based radar scans were made of Elena’s eyewall and inner rainbands as the storm intensified from a disorganized category 2 to an intense category 3 hurricane. This large amount of continuously collected data made it possible to examine changes that occurred in Elena’s inner-core symmetric structure as the storm intensified. On the first day of study, Elena was under the influence of vertical wind shear from an upper-tropospheric trough to the west. The storm was disorganized, with no discernable eyewall and nearly steady values of tangential wind and relative vorticity. Early on the second day of study, a near superposition and constructive interference occurred between the trough and Elena, coincident with upward vertical velocities and the radial gradient of reflectivity becoming concentrated around the 30-km radius. Once an inner wind maximum and eyewall developed, the radius of maximum winds contracted and a sharp localized vorticity maximum emerged, with much lower values on either side. This potentially unstable vorticity profile was accompanied by a maximum in equivalent potential temperature in the eyewall, deeper and stronger inflow out to 24 km from the eyewall, and mean outflow toward the eyewall from the eye. Within 6–12 h, intensification came to an end and Elena began to slowly weaken. Vorticity and equivalent potential temperature at 850 hPa showed indications of prior mixing between the eye and eyewall. During the weakening stage, an outflow jet developed at the eyewall radius. A strong 850-hPa updraft accompanied the outflow jet, yet convection was less active aloft than before. This feature appeared to represent a shallow, outward-sloping updraft channel associated with the spindown of the storm.
Generative Business Process Prototyping Framework

In many industries, such as finance and insurance, business processes represent products which need to be rolled out to customers within a strict deadline, e.g. new insurance policies. The products are also supposed to be modifiable during their period of service and should be verified and tested before being placed in service. In these industries, being able to create a new process or to change one quickly is providing one competitive advantage; carrying out business processes efficiently provides another. Rapid business process prototyping, in this case, is a practically motivated approach. This contribution presents a realistic business process modeling, verification, and prototyping framework by means of a formal Petri net-based specification language. By specifying process models using this language, executable process controllers can be automatically generated and smoothly integrated into a service-oriented architecture. Furthermore, formal verification techniques and tools can be used to detect errors during the design phase of the process.
Controlling pretension of silicone membranes on micro air vehicle wings

This study is concerned with a new method to apply consistent and known pretension to silicone rubber membranes intended for micro air vehicles. Pretension has a marked effect on the static and dynamic responses of membrane wings and controls the overall deflections, as such control and measurement of the membrane pretension are important. The technique developed employs thermal expansion to set the pretension and digital image correlation to assess the resulting spatial strain field. Two different frame geometries were fabricated to evaluate the technique. For open-cell frames, the pretension was not uniform, whereas it was for closed-cell frames. Results show developed full-field stress and strain fields as a function of membrane attachment temperature and frame geometry along with experimental iterations to prove repeatability. The membranes can be stretched to a specific pretension according to the temperature at which it adheres to frames.
Statistical Distributions Describing Microbial Quality of Surfaces and Foods in Food Service Operations

Data on the microbial quality of food service kitchen surfaces and ready-to-eat foods were collected over a period of 10 years in Rutgers University dining halls. Surface bacterial counts, total aerobic plate counts, and total and fecal coliform counts were determined using standard methods. Analysis was performed on foods tested more than 50 times (primarily lunch meats and deli salads) and on surfaces tested more than 500 times (36 different surfaces types, including pastry brushes, cutting boards, and countertops). Histograms and statistical distributions were determined using Microsoft Excel and Palisades Bestfit, respectively. All data could be described by lognormal distributions, once data above and below the lower and upper limits of detection were considered separately. Histograms for surfaces counts contained one peak near 1 CFU/4 cm2. Surfaces with higher levels of contamination tended to be nonmetal, with the exception of buffalo chopper bowls, which commonly had high counts. Mean counts for foods ranged from 2 to 4 log CFU/g, with shrimp salad, roast beef, and bologna having higher means. Coleslaw, macaroni salad, and potato salad (all commercially processed products, not prepared in the dining halls) had lowest overall means. Coliforms were most commonly found in sealeg salad (present in 61% of samples) and least commonly found in coleslaw (present in only 7% of samples). Coliform counts (when present) were highest on average in shrimp salad and lowest in coleslaw. Average coliform counts for most products were typically between 1 and 2 log most probable number per gram. Fecal coliforms were not typically found in any deli salads or lunch meats.
Inflammation in the early stages of neurodegenerative pathology

Inflammation is secondary to protein accumulation in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Emerging evidence indicate sustained inflammatory responses, involving microglia and astrocytes in animal models of neurodegeneration. It is unknown whether inflammation is beneficial or detrimental to disease progression and how inflammatory responses are induced within the CNS. Persistence of an inflammatory stimulus or failure to resolve sustained inflammation can result in pathology, thus, mechanisms that counteract inflammation are indispensable. Here we review studies on inflammation mediated by innate and adaptive immunity in the early stages of neurodegeneration and highlight important areas for future investigation.
Characterization of the Higgs boson candidate at CMS

The first studies performed by the CMS collaborations of the properties of the recently discovered Higgs boson candidate are presented. The data sample considered corresponds to the integrated luminosity delivered by the LHC up to September 2012, 5.1 fb 1 at p s=7 TeV and 12.1 fb 1 at 8 TeV. The significance of the signal results 6.9 . The mass is measured to be 125.8 ±0.4 (stat) ±0.4 (syst) GeV. The individual analysis channels are combined and tested in various ways against the predictions of the SM in terms of the coupling structure, observing in all the cases a good agreement. Under the assumption that the observed boson has spin zero, the data disfavour the pseudo-scalar hypothesis 0with a CLs value of 2.4%.
Host range evolution is not driven by the optimization of larval performance: the case of Lycaeides melissa (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) and the colonization of alfalfa

Herbivorous insects that have recently incorporated novel hosts into their diet provide unique opportunities for understanding factors that promote or constrain the evolution of niche breadth. Lycaeides melissa has colonized both cultivated and feral alfalfa (Medicago sativa) throughout much of North America within the past 200 years. We investigated the quality of the novel host as a resource for juvenile development, and asked if the novel host is a preferred host for oviposition relative to a native host (Astragalus canadensis). Larval-performance and oviposition-preference were examined using L. melissa individuals from a population associated with both M. sativa and A. canadensis, and oviposition-preference was also examined in another population associated exclusively with M. sativa. In addition, we investigated the effects of M. sativa and A. canadensis flowers on both preference and performance. Only one of the hosts, M. sativa, has flowers that are accessible to nectaring butterflies, and we hypothesized that the presence of flowers could affect female behavior. We find that the novel host is a relatively poor larval resource: adults that were reared as larvae on M. sativa were roughly one-third the size of adults that were reared on the native host, A. canadensis. The native host, Astragalus canadensis, is the preferred host in choice experiments involving only foliage. However, when flowers were included in preference assays, the native and novel hosts received similar numbers of eggs. Thus, the presence of flowers on hosts in the field might influence the utilization of a novel and inferior larval resource. These results are consistent with a model in which host shifts are driven by adult behavior that does not directly optimize larval performance.