cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stochastic Optimization of Areas Under Precision-Recall Curves with Provable Convergence

Areas under ROC (AUROC) and precision-recall curves (AUPRC) are common metrics for evaluating classification performance for imbalanced problems. Compared with AUROC, AUPRC is a more appropriate metric for highly imbalanced datasets. While stochastic optimization of AUROC has been studied extensively, principled stochastic optimization of AUPRC has been rarely explored. In this work, we propose a principled technical method to optimize AUPRC for deep learning. Our approach is based on maximizing the averaged precision (AP), which is an unbiased point estimator of AUPRC. We cast the objective into a sum of {\it dependent compositional functions} with inner functions dependent on random variables of the outer level. We propose efficient adaptive and non-adaptive stochastic algorithms with {\it provable convergence guarantee under mild conditions} by leveraging recent advances in stochastic compositional optimization. Extensive experimental results on image and graph datasets demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms prior methods on imbalanced problems in terms of AUPRC. To the best of our knowledge, our work represents the first attempt to optimize AUPRC with provable convergence.
Exploring the universe through Discovery Science on NIF

Highlights from research done on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) through the Discovery Science program will be presented. Plasma nuclear reactions relevant to stellar nucleosynthesis and nuclear reactions in high energy astrophysical scenarios are being studied. [1] Equations of state (EOS) at very high pressures (1-1000 Mbar, or 0.1-100 TPa) relevant to planetary cores, brown dwarf interiors, and white dwarf envelopes are being measured on NIF, and show that the level of ionization can significantly affect the degree of compressibility of the EOS. [2] - [6] Studies of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in planar and cylindrical geometries at high Reynolds number relevant to supernovae explosions and ICF implosions are being investigated. [7] - [12] Relativistically hot plasmas [13] , [14] and target-normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) proton acceleration [15] , [16] are also being studied on the NIF ARC laser. Experiments to study magnetic reconnection at high energy densities are underway. [17] High velocity, low density interpenetrating plasmas that generate collisionless astrophysical shocks, magnetic fields, bursts of neutrons, and accelerate particles relevant to cosmic ray generation are being studied on NIF. [18] - [20] And NIF experiments have demonstrated strong suppression of heat conduction in a laboratory replica of galaxy-cluster turbulent plasmas. [21]
How the Past of Outsourcing and Offshoring is the Future of Post-Pandemic Remote Work: A Typology, a Model, and a Review*

Information and communication technology (ICT) challenges traditional assumptions about the capacity to manage workers beyond organizational and physical boundaries. A typology connects a variety of non-traditional work organizations made possible by ICT, including offshoring, outsourcing, remote work, virtual companies, and platforms. A model illustrates how new technology serves as a proximate cause for a revision of social contracts between capital, labor and government reached through bargaining, and how external shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the institutional environment, and limitations in practice influence how technology changes the organization of work. An historical case illustrates the general features of the model, and a review of the outsourcing and offshoring literature provides instructive examples of how features of the model will potentially influence the future of post-pandemic remote work.
RECREATIONAL SURFING ON HAWAIIAN REEFS

Recreational surfing has been studied in Hawaii to develop criteria for the preservation, enhancement and design of surf sites. The criteria will aid in planning compatible uses of the coastal zone. Surfing characteristics and wave transformations were studied in the field and related to ocean bottom features at prime surf sites. A small scale, three dimensional, hydraulic model study was conducted to determine the effect that a given bottom feature had upon the surfing wave. A concept of a multiple-purpose surfing shoal to be compatible with several varied interests in the coastal zone was hypothesized from field, analytic, and model studies.
Hormonal responses to intravenous and oral glucose tolerance testing in a patient with a gastrinoma and a gastrojejunostomy.

A case is reported of a patient with recurrent ulcer disease and a previous gastrojejunostomy in whom a gastrinoma was diagnosed and subsequently confirmed at surgery. Prior to surgery, hormonal responses to intravenous and oral glucose tolerance testing were recorded and are reported because of three main unexpected and unusual abnormalities: (1) a sudden increase in serum gastrin level after oral glucose ingestion but not after intravenous infusion; (2) failure of suppression of pancreatic glucagon during ingestion-induced hyperglycemia with normal suppression during infusion-induced hyperglycemia; and (3) the failure of insulin release in response to infusioninduced hyperglycemia with preservation of insulin release after oral glucose ingestion. The possibility is raised that chronic hypergastrinemia may inhibit or suppress certain insulin pools, unlike acute or bolus type gastrin "pulses" which have been associated with transient elevations of plasma insulin levels.
The Next Ten Years in Copyright Law: An Asian Perspective

This paper was prepared for the Queen Mary (UK) - Fordham Law School (US) - IP Academy (Singapore) London Trilogue in February 2007. It aims to briefly predict some of the copyright issues that are likely to present significant legal and policy challenges over the next ten years. The discussion is based on certain recent trends and developments, such as a proliferation of bilateral free trade agreements, the rise of user-generated content, and the growth of the free software/open source and access to knowledge movements.
g J (H)/g S (e) Determination: Preliminary Results

Within the last few years, Zeeman spectroscopy of atoms and ions has seen rapid progress in the level of precision attained. Theoretical treatments1 of the hydrogenic atom in a magnetic field have provided a detailed expression giving the ratio of g-factors of the electron bound in the IS state to that of the free electron, gJ(H)/gS(e). Recent experimental activity2 has centered on determinations of gJ(H)/gJ(D); comparison with theory then concerns only the mass-dependent terms. We have begun an experimental determination of gJ(H)/gS(e) itself, so that the leading mass- independent correction terms can be checked.
The Social Motivations of People with Low Self-Esteem

Low self-esteem people have always been a puzzle to researchers. For years, many theorists began with the plausible yet probably false assumption that people with low self-esteem were generally the opposite of those with high self-esteem; by this reasoning, if people with high self-esteem want to succeed and be liked, then people with low self- esteem must want to fail and be disliked. More recent theorists (e.g., S. Jones, 1973; Shrauger, 1975) have suggested that the notion that low self-esteem people desire failure and rejection is false. The question remains, however: What do these people want?
Perceptual Attentional Set-Shifting Is Impaired in Rats with Neurotoxic Lesions of Posterior Parietal Cortex

The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) is believed to be involved in the representation of spatial information, including spatial attentional processing. Because the PPC is extensively interconnected with frontal cortical regions involved in attention and executive function, we sought to determine whether PPC was involved in nonspatial attentional processes such as those of the frontal areas to which it projects. Lesions of the medial frontal cortex (in rats) or lateral prefrontal cortex (in nonhuman primates) impair the ability to shift attention from one perceptual dimension of a stimulus to another (referred to as an extradimensional shift). Rats with neurotoxic lesions of the PPC tested in an attentional set-shifting paradigm demonstrated a pattern of impairment identical to that of rats with medial frontal cortex lesions: they were selectively impaired on the extradimensional shift phase of the task. Performance in other phases of the task was indistinguishable from that of control rats, including the ability to reverse a previously learned discrimination. These findings are consistent with models that assign the PPC a prominent role in cortical attentional processing networks, as well as a role for the PPC in processing information about expectancy and surprise. They also suggest, importantly, that the interaction between the PPC and the frontal cortex is not limited to spatial attentional processing.
Flutter-like response in visual cortex of the semi-isolated turtle brain.

activity of nearby receptors in the eye that see an object becomes correlated (5). The lateral eye is highly sensitive to the flickering light from the overhead waves. A large component of the light reflected from grey targets centers at -2-4 Hz which is the peak of the temporal transfer function of the eye (Fig. 1B; 6, 7, 8). Phototransduction mechanisms set the underlying shape of the transfer function, which two inhibitory processes then sharpen and amplify (6, 7). As a result, the power spectrum of the spike train recorded from receptors viewing the grey target grows considerably in the range of 2-4 Hz (Fig. 1 B). In this paper we show that a consideration of the natural environment of an animal can lead to a better understanding of its visual system. The Limulus eye appears to be adapted to a particular feature of its environment-the flickering light reflected off the carapace of a potential mate. These light signals help males detect a female irrespective of the contrast of her carapace. Frequency tuning of vision is not unique to horseshoe crabs and has been observed in many animals, such as cats (9) and humans (10). Perhaps their lighting environment also deserves a closer look. Supported by NSF grant BNS9309539 and NIH grants MH4974 1 and EY00667.
Mengzi and the Archimedean Point for Moral Life

“The Archimedean point for moral life” discussed in this article refers to the starting point of one's moral reasoning and what ultimately makes moral life possible. The article intends to show that Mengzi's doctrine of the Four Beginnings may throw some light on our search for such an Archimedean point. More specifically, it argues for the following: (1) Mengzi's doctrine of the Four Beginnings actually takes moral sentiments as the Archimedean point for moral life; (2) Mengzi's view of the starting point of moral reasoning and the ultimate ground for moral life not only can be empirically supported to a great extent, but also logically plausible.
Glycogen resynthesis and exercise performance with the addition of fenugreek extract (4-hydroxyisoleucine) to post-exercise carbohydrate feeding

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of adding fenugreek extract (FG) to post-exercise carbohydrate feeding on glycogen resynthesis and subsequent exercise performance in normoglycemic male endurance athletes. A muscle biopsy sample was obtained from the vastus lateralis from subjects prior to exercise for 5 h at 50% of peak cycling power (52.1 ± 3.3% of VO2 peak). A second muscle biopsy sample was obtained immediately after exercise. Immediately after and 2 h after the second biopsy subjects ingested either an oral dose of dextrose (GLU) (1.8 g · kg BW−1) or GLU with FG containing 1.99 ± 0.20 mg · kg−1 4-hydroxyisoleucine (GLU + FG) in a randomized, cross-over, double blind design. At 4 h post-exercise a third biopsy was taken and subjects received a standardised meal along with FG or a placebo capsule. At 15 h post-exercise subjects underwent their final muscle biopsy before completing a simulated 40 km cycling time trial. There was no difference in muscle glycogen at any time between GLU and GLU + FG. Additionally, 40 km time trial performance was similar for average power output (221 ± 28 vs. 213 ± 16 watts) and for time to completion (69.7 ± 3.7 vs. 70.5 ± 2.2 min) for the GLU and GLU + FG, respectively. Despite earlier data to the contrary, the present results do not support an effect of fenugreek supplementation on glycogen resynthesis, even though this may have been the result of differences in experimental protocol.
Interruptions Disrupt Reading Comprehension

Previous research suggests that being interrupted while reading a text does not disrupt the later recognition or recall of information from that text. This research is used as support for Ericsson and Kintsch's (1995) long-term working memory (LT-WM) theory, which posits that disruptions while reading (e.g., interruptions) do not impair subsequent text comprehension. However, to fully comprehend a text, individuals may need to do more than recognize or recall information that has been presented in the text at a later time. Reading comprehension often requires individuals to connect and synthesize information across a text (e.g., successfully identifying complex topics such as themes and tones) and not just make a familiarity-based decision (i.e., recognition). The goal for this study was to determine whether interruptions while reading disrupt reading comprehension when the questions assessing comprehension require participants to connect and synthesize information across the passage. In Experiment 1, interruptions disrupted reading comprehension. In Experiment 2, interruptions disrupted reading comprehension but not recognition of information from the text. In Experiment 3, the addition of a 15-s time-out prior to the interruption successfully removed these negative effects. These data suggest that the time it takes to process the information needed to successfully comprehend text when reading is greater than that required for recognition. Any interference (e.g., an interruption) that occurs during the comprehension process may disrupt reading comprehension. This evidence supports the need for transient activation of information in working memory for successful text comprehension and does not support LT-WM theory.
Quantitative analysis of amounts of coronary arterial narrowing in cocaine addicts.

Abstract From January 1979 to February 1989, 22 cocaine addicts were studied at necropsy. The 22 patients were divided into 2 groups: death associated with increased cocaine levels at necropsy (13 patients, aged 23 to 45 years [mean 32], and mean total blood cocaine level, 0.36 mg/dl) and noncocaine-related death (9 patients, aged 15 to 50 years [mean 32]). Of the 22 patients, 17 were men and 5 were women; 19 were black and 3 were white. Gross examination in the 22 patients disclosed that 8 patients (36%) had 1 or more of the 4 major (left main, left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right) coronary arteries narrowed at some point >75% in cross-sectional area by atherosclerotic plaque. In 17 cases, the 4 major epicardial coronary arteries were divided into 805 five-mm long segments and a histologic section was prepared from each segment: of the 12 patients with a cocaine-related death, 41 (8%) of 544 five-mm coronary segments were narrowed 76 to 100% and 106 segments (19%) were narrowed 51 to 75% in cross-sectional area by plaque. Of the 5 cocaine addicts who did not die from cocaine overdose, 8 (3%) of 261 five-mm coronary segments were narrowed 76 to 100% and 19 segments (7%) were narrowed 51 to 75% in cross-sectional area by plaque. The frequency of coronary artery disease was greater in patients dying with cocaine in their blood at necropsy compared to those whose death was not cocaine related. Also the frequency of severe coronary arterial narrowing is considerably greater than expected for the entire group of patients whose mean age was only 32 years. Thus, either of 2 possibilities, alone or in combination, may explain our findings: coronary atherosclerosis is accelerated by cocaine addiction for reasons as yet undetermined, or cocaine provides a fatal stress in patients with premature coronary atherosclerosis from other causes.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Part 1. Clinical features, pathology, and ethical issues in management.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive degenerative disease of the motor system in adults that occurs in sporadic, familial, and Western Pacific forms. Involvement of non-motor pathways has been increasingly recognized, both clinically and pathologically. Although the usual course is relentlessly progressive with death in half the cases within three years from onset, it can sometimes be protracted. Degeneration and loss of large motor neurons in the cerebral cortex, brainstem, and cervical and lumbar spinal cord are characteristic. Marked reduction in the number of large myelinated fibers is notable in the cervical and lumbar ventral roots. Peripheral nerves show reduced numbers of large myelinated fibers, acute axonal degeneration at all levels, and distal axonal atrophy. Motor end-plates reveal small or absent nerve terminals. Subclinical non–motor system involvement includes neuronal loss in Clarke's nucleus and dorsal root ganglia, degeneration of non-motor tracts in the spinal cord, loss of receptors in the dorsal horns of the spinal cord, and myelinated fiber loss with segmental demyelination in sensory and mixed nerves. The serious implications of the diagnosis of ALS make it mandatory to exclude similar potentially treatable disorders. Management should be multidisciplinary, and discussions with the patient and family members should be frank and frequent. Discussions about ventilatory support should take place early in the disease so that death from respiratory failure can be prevented, when that is desired, and conversely to obviate the discontent and anger that accompany involuntary life on a ventilator.
Regional and cellular distribution of DREAM in adult rat brain consistent with multiple sensory processing roles.

Abstract We used immunohistochemistry to map the recently discovered EF-hand protein, DREAM (downstream regulatory element antagonist modulator), and compare its expression in rat brain with that of other key neural proteins. DREAM immunoreactivity was most intense in cerebellar granular cortex. That expression pattern matches one reported for Kv4.2, an interaction partner of DREAM in regulation of potassium channels. On the other hand, the regional and cellular expression of DREAM in cerebellum was opposite to that of calbindin D 28k . Other loci for DREAM expression included the hippocampus and retrosplenial granular cortex, which share afferent and efferent connections. A notable trend, however, was the consistent appearance of DREAM at primary sites for sensory processing. These included the optic tract, superior colliculus, olfactory bulb, and several thalamic relay centers such as the anterior dorsal, medial geniculate, dorsolateral geniculate, ventral posteromedial and ventral posterolateral nuclei. Altogether, the results are consistent with multiple functions for DREAM, including a potential role in transfer of sensory information.
SDO-EVE multiple EUV grating spectrograph (MEGS) optical design

The NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), scheduled for launch in 2008, incorporates a suite of instruments including the EUV Variability Experiment (EVE). The EVE instrument package contains grating spectrographs used to measure the solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) irradiance from 0.1 to 105 nm. The Multiple EUV Grating Spectrograph (MEGS) channels use concave reflection gratings to image solar spectra onto CCDs that are operated at -100°C. MEGS provides 0.1nm spectral resolution between 5-105nm every 10 seconds with an absolute accuracy of better than 25% over the SDO 5-year mission. MEGS-A utilizes a unique grazing-incidence, off-Rowland circle (RC) design to minimize angle of incidence at the detector while meeting high resolution requirements. MEGS-B utilizes a double-pass, cross-dispersed double-Rowland circle design. MEGS-P, a Ly-α monitor, will provide a proxy model calibration in the 60-105 nm range. Finally, the Solar Aspect Monitor (SAM) channel will provide continual pointing information for EVE as well as low-resolution X-ray images of the sun. In-flight calibrations for MEGS will be provided by the on-board EUV Spectrophotometer (ESP) in the 0.1-7nm and 17-37nm ranges, as well as from annual under-flight rocket experiments. We present the methodology used to develop the MEGS optical design.
Glial filament protein expression in astroglia in the mouse visual pathway.

Abstract We have studied the onset of expression of glial filament protein (GFP) in astrocytes along a single axon trajectory, the mouse retinal axon pathway, and the relationship of GFP expression to maturation of astroglial morphology. In fetal optic nerve from embryonic day (E)12 to E16, primitive glia (neuroepithelial cells) lack GFP, but express vimentin and contain intermediate filaments. GFP is expressed at E17 in two gradients: Cells in the optic nerve become GFP-positive first in the borders of the nerve, then in the central nerve by postnatal day (P)0. The second gradient is a distoproximal one, with GFP appearing in the optic nerve at E17, in the optic chiasm by PO, and in the optic tract by P3. The expression of GFP in the optic nerve marks the transformation of radial neuroepithelial cells to multipolar astroglia, accomplished by outgrowth of filament-rich glial processes tipped by a growth cone. Several days after the onset of GFP expression in each portion of the pathway astrocytes exhibit a transient increase in staining, and resemble reactive astrocytes after injury. During this period, filaments are arranged in densely packed bundles, and appear coalesced at points. Thus, primitive glial cells in optic nerve express vimentin. In the retinofugal pathway, GFP is expressed in a distinct spatiotemporal sequence from optic nerve to optic tract. Finally, in contrast to neurons, the extension of astroglial processes is accompanied by the increased expression and assembly of intermediate filaments.
Learning control systems and intelligent control systems: An intersection of artifical intelligence and automatic control

A supplement to Fu [1] is presented. Three areas are briefly reviewed: 1) control systems with human controller, 2) control systems with man-machine controller, and 3) autonomous robot systems. Problems for further research are discussed.
A compact free-electron laser design for extremely broadband harmonic operation in the infrared

Abstract Warren has suggested that operational on very high harmonic numbers using electromagnetic undulator may be an appropriate method to achieve short wavelength lasing with a low energy beam of very high brightness. If the short wavelength requirement is relaxed but the need for extreme broadband tuning is added, one finds that higher harmonic lasing is an attractive method to achieve lasing over the entire infrared range in a single device. The undulator required is now a very inexpensive hybrid device with a moderate period. This paper will describe the design of a device utilizing a photocathode equipped microwave gun, and a short accelerator and undulator. The accelerator will have a maximum energy of 25 MeV and a peak current of 125 A in 4 ps bunches. The undulator is a fixed strength undulator with only eight periods. Gain in such a device is in the range of 20% to 50% over the range of 3 to 100 μm via harmonic lasing on harmonics up to the ninth. A ring cavity design is proposed to ease output coupling and diffraction problems. A prototype version of this system could be installed on the Mark III accelerator at Duke.
Finite Element Analysis of Piezoelectric Strips for Modifying Ankle Torques in Active Prosthetic Feet: A Pilot Study

Over the last fifty years there has been a steady advance in prosthetic foot technologies. These advances have primarily focused on more accurately mimicking the biologic foot for amputees. One field of research currently being explored is active/powered prosthetic feet in which the movement of the foot is actively controlled through the use of electric motors. Some of these feet also seek to reproduce the ankle torques seen in the biologic foot. This paper proposes a novel method for more accurately reproducing these ankle torques through the use of piezoelectrics in conjunction with the electric motors. FEA software is used to simulate the modification of ankle torques through the use of piezoelectric bending actuators in a general case. A number of different configurations for the piezoelectric strips are examined to test the versatility of the piezoelectrics in this application. The general trends of the ankle torque vs gait cycle found in the literature have been reproduced in the simulations.© 2012 ASME
Color and color mixture: Scalar and vector fundamentals†

This article explores the consequences of the Wyszecki hypothesis, that every color stimulus (radiometric function) comprises two parts, a fundamental and a residual. (Wyszecki's terms were fundamental color stimulus and metameric black.) The fundamental alone is processed by the visual system and evokes the color sensation. The residual is not processed and is without effect on color sensations. Metamers, color stimuli evoking the identical color sensation but with different radiometric functions, have the same fundamental but different residuals. Matrix R, an orthogonal projector, resolves any radiometric function into its fundamental and residual. Unlimited numbers of metamers may be generated by adding other residuals to the same fundamental. The color-matching equation has historically been written with tristimulus values as coefficients, but so written, the equation balances only psychologically. When the stinuli of the color-matching equation are replaced by the fundamentals processed by the visual system (after the residuals are ejected by matrix-R operations), the equation balances psychologically, physically, and mathematically. Wyszecki's fundamental has two representations, the scalar fundamental as conceived by Wyszecki and the vector fundamental as developed in this article. Vector fundamentals define a fixed, invariant, fundamental color space governed by Euclidean geometry. The properties of this space are explored. The article develops relationships between color-matching functions, fundamentals, and orthonormal color functions. Two new specifications for color stimuli or sensations are introduced, tricolor values and tricolor coordinates. The article assumes knowledge of ordinary algebra and geometry, and procedures for computation of tristimulus values.
Devazepide antagonizes the inhibitory effect of cholecystokinin on intake in sham-feeding rats

3S(-)-N-(2,3-Dihydro-1-methyl-2-oxo-5-phenyl-1H-1,4-benzodiazepine-3-yl) -1H-indole-2-carboxamide (devazepide), a potent and selective cholecystokininA (CCKA) antagonist, has been shown to reverse the inhibitory effect of exogenously administered CCK-8 on food intake. In all tests, however, the inhibition of food intake could have been due not only to the CCK-8 administered but also to synergistic interactions between administered CCK-8 and endogenous satiety signals, such as glucagon or CCK released from the small intestine, elicited by the postingestive effects of the test diet. To eliminate these possible interactions, we investigated the effect of devazepide on the inhibitory effect of CCK-8 on the intake of a milk diet during 30 min of sham feeding, a procedure that minimizes or eliminates the postingestive satiating effect of food. Under these conditions, devazepide was a potent antagonist of the inhibitory effect of CCK-8 (16 mumol/kg, IP): The approximate ED50 was 625 ng/kg (1.3 nmol/kg) and the threshold dose was between 62.5 and 625 ng/kg.
Effect of insulin on donor hepatic energy charge during cross-dialysis liver support.

Nucleotide energy charge (EC) was calculated in 10 cross-dialysis and cross-circulation experiments involving paired pigs, one liverless and one normal. In two other experiments, paired normal pigs were cross-dialyzed as controls. Supporting animals dialyzed with anhepatic partners and not given insulin demonstrated a linear fall in EC (0.817±0.001 to 0.706±0.001) during the 6-hour experimental period. Insulin in a dose of 1 unit/kg given prior to the support period maintained high energy phosphate concentrations near normal. Animals directly cross-perfused without an intervening membrane had a transient fall in liver EC (0.821 to 0.743) in 30 minutes, but the EC returned essentially to normal (0.818) within 6 hours. The beneficial effect of insulin on the energy charge of the liver of a supporting animal connected to a liverless partner (probably by increasing mitochondrial phosphorylation) suggests its use in liver support cross-dialysis systems.
Characterization of High-Frequency Surface Modulation Using the Transport-of-Intensity Equation

The transport-of-intensity equation is used to describe the influence of small-scale phase fluctuations present on the surface of optical elements, which can be characterized from the diffraction-induced modifications of the intensity of a coherent source.
Methyl 2-bromo-3-(4-chloro­benzene­sulfonamido)­benzoate

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C14H11BrClNO4S, the mol­ecules form inversion dimers with R22(8) motifs through pairs of N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. The benzene rings are not coplanar and subtend a dihedral angle of 66.27 (8)°. The carbomethoxy group makes a dihedral angle of 75.1 (1)° with the ring to which it is attached.
An Active Multimedia Information System for Information Retrieval, Discovery and Fusion

To accomplish the retrieval, discovery and fusion of multimedia information from diverse sources, an active multimedia information system capable of retrieving, processing and filtering multimedia information, checking for consistency, and structuring the relevant information for distribution is needed. We describe a framework for the human- and system-directed retrieval, discovery and fusion of multimedia information, which is based upon the observation that a significant event often manifests itself in different media over time and space. Therefore if we can index such manifestations and dynamically link them, then we can check for consistency and discover important and relevant multimedia information. This dynamic indexing technique is based upon the theory of active index. For the discovery of significant events, a powerful newly developed artificial neural network is used to serve as the decision network subsystem of the proposed information system. An experimental system is implemented for further empirical research.
Self-protective motivation and avoidance of heuristically threatening outgroups

Because hostile outgroup members have been a recurrent source of danger, self-protective motivation leads people to display psychological processes that reduce vulnerability to outgroup threats. The current research examines the consequences of self-protective motivation for intergroup behavior. The current research provides evidence that self-protective motivation causes individuals to automatically avoid heuristically threatening outgroup members. Across two studies, priming self-protective motivation led White participants to display faster avoidance behaviors when presented with images of Black individuals (members of an outgroup culturally stereotyped as violent) than White individuals (members of the ingroup) and Asian individuals (members of an outgroup not stereotyped as violent). This research sheds light on the way in which evolved mechanisms interact with cultural cognitions to shape intergroup behavior.
Prognostic significance of silent myocardial ischemia in patients >61 years of age with extracranial internal or common carotid arterial disease with and without previous myocardial infarction

Abstract Patients with extracranial carotid disease (ECD) have an increased incidence of coronary events. 1–3 We are reporting data from a prospective study correlating silent myocardial ischemia detected by 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography with the incidence of new coronary events at 43-month mean follow-up in elderly patients with 40 to 100% ECD with and without coronary artery disease (CAD).
TU-D-204B-03: Lung CBCT Motion Deblurring Using Tumor Tracking in Rotational Cone-Beam Projections

Purpose: To develop an algorithm for the removal of motion blurring artifacts from CBCTimages of lungtumors using knowledge of a tumor's motion on the day of treatment acquired by tracking the tumor in rotational cone‐beam projections. Method and Materials:DRR templates derived from 4DCT were used to track lungtumors in rotational cone‐beam projections. Tracking results acquired during a CBCT scan were used to estimate a motion pdf. This pdf was incorporated into a deconvolution algorithm which removes motion artifacts from the reconstructed CBCT volume. Deconvolution is performed through iterative minimization of a cost function E = ‖f * g − i‖ 2 2 + λ‖g‖ TV , where i is the original CBCTimage,g is the deblurred image,f is the motion pdf, and λ is a weighting parameter. The second term is a total variation norm regularization defined as ‖g‖ TV = ∫|∇g(x)|dx . The algorithm is tested on physical phantom and patient data. For the phantom, CBCT scans were acquired for moving and stationary phantoms. Deconvolution was performed on the image of the moving phantom, which was then compared to the image of the stationary phantom. For patient data, deconvolution is performed on a CBCT acquired on the day of treatment, then compared to 4DCT acquired during simulation. Results:Images of the physical phantom show a good match between deblurred, and stationary cases. Line profiles show that the correct tumor dimensions are recovered. For the patient case, motion artifacts are significantly suppressed in the deblurred volume, which appears qualitatively similar to the 4DCT. Conclusion: An algorithm has been developed to remove motion blurring artifacts from CBCTtumorimages based on a tumor's tracked motion during the CBCT scan. The algorithm successfully recovered motion‐corrected images in a phantom study, and removes some artifacts in the patient case.
A 7‐Day Mouse Model to Assess Protection from Sulfur Mustard (SM) Skin Injury

The mouse ear vesicant model (MEVM) is a screening tool used to identify protective compounds against acute sulfur mustard (SM)‐induced skin injury. It provides endpoints of edema and histopathology 24 h following a topical SM exposure to assess protection against inflammation and tissue damage. To further evaluate successful compounds, the MEVM was modified for use as a 7‐day model. Dose response studies were conducted with SM to select an optimal challenge dose for the new model. Due to severity of SM‐induced tissue damage by Day 7, edema and histopathology were determined unreliable endpoints. Therefore, a modified Draize scoring system (no damage to extensive necrosis) was incorporated as an endpoint to evaluate tissue damage out to Day 7. To aid in optimal SM dose selection, retro synthetic capsaicin (RSCAP), a protective compound in the MEVM, was evaluated as a treatment 15 min before exposure to 0.06, 0.08, and 0.16 mg SM. The RSCAP compound provided similar significant protection at Day 7 against ...
Going the distance [2D geometry]

One of the fun aspects of non-Euclidean geometries is discovering how familiar shapes change under new rules. The new rules mean we have to think about distances differently than in the world Euclid described. The author looks at a couple of simple 2D geometries that obey different distance rules than those that Euclid described.
Search Orientation in Adult Drosophila melanogaster: Responses of Rovers and Sitters to Resource Dispersion in a Food Patch

Drosophila melanogasteradults were employed in single resource patches of varying density and size and in a multiple-patch array to determine the degree to which resource dispersion influences searching success. Individuals from rover and sitter selected lines, with extreme genotypes for local search duration, are not as successful as control-line (wild-type) flies in locating sucrose drops in single patches varying in size and density. The number of new drops located differed significantly between fly lines in all patch types, except in a high-density patch, and within each fly line over the different patch sizes and densities. The similarities in number of drops found by rovers and sitters in all patch types are not reflected in the time periods spent searching. In the multiple-patch array sitters never left the central patch, whereas most rovers and con-trol-line flies found additional patches. The proximate explanations for the success or failure of the three fly lines in different patch sizes and densities relate to the looping locomotor pattern characterizing local search in D. melanogaster.The reactivation of searching each time a drop is ingested or revisited keeps an individual in the immediate vicinity of the last encountered resource. Flies from the selected lines, each exhibiting extreme types of locomotor patterns, leave patches relatively unexploited because local search consists either of rapid, nearly linear movement away from a drop in rovers or of relatively long bouts of local search in sitters, which promotes revisiting rather than locating new drops. Control-line flies locate more drops than either rovers or sitters and in less time than sitters, suggesting that their intermediate phenotype for search behavior allows for more flexibility in searching in various patch sizes and resource densities. The results are discussed with reference to environmental and physiological factors that may modify searching behavior and, possibly, enhance the survival of individuals with extreme genotypes.
An Improved Physical Optics Formulation for Scattering by a Thin Resistive Strip

Abstract A closed-form approximation for the current induced on a thin resistive strip by an incident plane wave is presented. The formula provides a significant improvement in accuracy over the traditional physical optics approximation. A closed-form result for the radar cross-section is also derived for the case of uniform surface resistance. A comparison is given to the standard physical optics approximation, to the results found by solving integral equations, and to the experiment. Finally, efficient methods are provided for computing the special functions appearing in the closed-form approximation. The views of the second and third authors expressed in this article do not reflect the official policy of the U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense, or U.S. Government.
Nonperturbative analysis of a model quantum system under time periodic forcing

Abstract We analyze the time evolution of a one-dimensional quantum system with an attractive delta function potential whose strength is subjected to a time periodic (zero mean) parametric variation η(t) . We show that for generic η(t) , which includes the sum of any finite number of harmonics, the system, started in a bound state will get fully ionized as t→∞ irrespective of the magnitude or frequency of η(t) . For the case η(t)=r sin (ωt) we find an explicit representation of the probability of ionization. There are however exceptional, very non-generic η(t) , that do not lead to full ionization. These include rather simple explicit periodic η(t) for which the system evolves to a nontrivial localized stationary state related to eigenfunctions of the Floquet operator.
Quantitative radioimmunocytochemical evidence taht haloperidol and SCH 23390 induce opposite changes in substance P levels of rat substantia nigra

Abstract Chronic blockade of the dopamine (DA) D 2 receptor by repeated systemic administration of the butyrophenone neuroleptic, haloperidol (HAL), is known to lead to a decrease in levels of the neuroactive peptide, substance P (SP), in the rat striatum and substantia nigra (SN). Using a high-resolution, quantitative radioimmunocytochemistry (RIC) technique, we have shown the HAL-induced decrease in rat nigral SP to be both dose- and time-dependent. In addition, chronic administration of the highly selective D 2 antagonist, S(-)-sulpiride, also decreased nigral SP. Following blockade of the dopamine D 1 receptor by chronic administration of the selective D 1 antagonist, SCH 23390, we found, in contrast, that levels of SP in SN were increased in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. The magnitude of the maximum SCH 23390-induced elevation (20–30%) of nigral SP was approximately equal to that of the maximum HAL-induced decrease. The opposite response of nigral SP levels to repeated injections of a D 1 or D 2 antagonist suggests that the two DA receptor subtypes exert tonic, opposing, modulatory influences on the SP content of the striatonigral pathway.
TheK-shell conversion coefficient of the 135.5 keVM4 transition in193m Pt decay

TheK conversion coefficient of the 135.5 keVM4 transition in193mpt has been determined by the XPG method. The result isαK=135.2±10.5 and the value exhibits a deviation 3.4% below the theoretical prediction of Hager and Seltzer. Similar deviations have been systematically observed in precision values ofE3 andM4 conversion coefficients reported in the literature.
Configuration cloning: exploiting regularity in dynamic DSP architectures

Existing FPGAs have fairly simple and inefficient configuration mechanisms due to the relative infrequency of reconfiguration. However a large class of dynamically configurable architectures for DSP and communications can benefit from special-purpose configuration mechanisms which allow significant savings in configuration speed, power and memory. Light weight configuration mechanisms allow much finer grained dynamic reconfiguration techniques of DSP and communications functions that tune algorithm and architecture parameters incrementally to track data and environment variations. These adaptive techniques exploit the time-varying nature of many DSP applications and avoid the power costs associated with worst-case design. In this paper we develop a new FPGA configuration method called configuration cloning from the analogy of biological cloning. The main motivation behind configuration cloning is to exploit spatial and temporal regularity and locality in algorithms and architectures by copying and operating on the configuration bit-stream already resident in an FPGA. This results in a speed and power improvement over off-chip partial reconfiguration techniques but does require additional interconnects and control hardware on the FPGA. But in contrast to multiple-context and striped configuration approaches, cloning requires only a small amount of hardware overhead to greatly increase the on-chip configuration bandwidth. Details of the configuration cloning mechanism are described. Two familiar DSP applications, motion estimation and FIR filtering, are explained to demonstrate order of magnitude reductions in configuration time and power compared to existing configuration techniques. Resource recycling is also presented as a generic method of reclaiming freed up logic resources and using them as local memory to greatly reduce I/O requirements.
Impact of Combat on the Mental Health and Well‐Being of Soldiers and Marines

This presentation introduces a summary of leading edge research and recommendations for a number of changes regarding mental health needs and services for Veterans. Those Veterans who experienced combat exposure and those who have perceived their leadership negatively have greater risks for developing subsequent PTSD. Research data provide support for the use of Battlemind Training as a useful approach to prevent mental health issues at all phases of the deployment cycle. The author also challenges the current use of DSM–IVTR diagnoses with combat Veterans.
Axis I phenomenology of Borderline Personality Disorder

The Axis I phenomenology of 50 outpatients meeting both Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines (DIB) and DSM-III criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), 29 outpatients meeting DSM-III criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD), and 26 outpatients meeting DSM-III criteria for Dsythymic Disorder as well as DSM-III criteria for some other type of Axis II disorder (dysthymic OPD) was assessed blind to clinical diagnosis using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III (SCID). Borderlines were significantly more likely than antisocial controls to have met DSM-III criteria for an affective disorder, particularly Dysthymic Disorder, and an anxiety disorder. They were also significantly more likely than dysthymic OPD controls but significantly less likely than antisocial controls to have met DSM-III criteria for alcohol abuse/dependence and drug abuse/dependence. The authors conclude that: (1) the link between BPD and unipolar affective disorders is less specific than previously suggested, and (2) there is a link between BPD and impulse disorders that may be of equal, if not greater, importance.
Reactivity in aqueous association colloids. Descriptive utility of the pseudophase model

Abstract The ability of aqueous micelles and similar association colloids to control reaction rates is treated in terms of pseudophase models in which micelles and water are regarded as distinct reaction media, with consideration of reactant concentrations and rate constants in the two regions. An alternative model, based on transition state theory, considers the transfer free energy of the activated complex between water and micelles. Both models fit data for reactions in solutions of cetyltrimethylammonium hydroxide, for example. Their values in relating rate effects to reaction mechanism and structures of reactants and surfactants are discussed.
Latex particle size distributions from steady‐state continuous stirred‐tank reactor systems

The particle size distribution (PSD) of latex produced in a continuous reactor depends on recipe ingredients and reactor design and operation. Alfrey and co-workers developed theoretical models to predict PSDs for several cases. This work is briefly reviewed in the present paper, and more recent models are presented. The potential use of PSD data for the quantitative determination of kinetic parameters related to free radical desorption from latex particles is discussed.
The Role of Phosphorylation in Modulating β1Integrin Localization

Abstract The β 1 -integrin subunit localizes to focal contacts during F9 teratocarcinoma stem cell differentiation to parietal endoderm. Concomitantly, this integrin subunit becomes dephosphorylated at serine 790, the only serine in the well-conserved cytoplasmic domain of β 1 . We hypothesized that this dephosphorylation is required for this subunit to move to a focal contact. To test this, we transfected F9 stem cells with distinct cDNAs encoding three forms of chicken β 1 : the wildtype, and two site-specific mutants possessing amino acid substitutions at residue 790 which included methionine and aspartate. The negatively charged aspartate was selected to mimic the phosphorylated serine found at position 790 in the wildtype protein but in a form that cannot be dephosphorylated upon differentiation. The chicken β 1 subunits heterodimerized with endogenous mouse α subunits and, using a chicken β 1 -specific monoclonal antibody, we examined movements of these chimeric integrins to focal contacts using immunofluorescence microscopy. The chimeric integrins possessing either the wildtype or methionine mutant β 1 subunits localized to focal contacts upon F9 differentiation. In contrast, the aspartate chimeric integrins failed to localize. These data suggest that the dephosphorylation of serine 790 is required for the β 1 subunit to localize to focal contacts during F9 differentiation.