cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resource and Instance Hour Minimization for Deadline Constrained DAG Applications Using Computer Clouds

In this paper, we address the resource and virtual machine instance hour minimization problem for directed-acyclic-graph-based deadline constrained applications deployed on computer clouds. The allocated resources and instance hours on computer clouds must: (1) guarantee the satisfaction of a deadline constrained application’s end-to-end deadline; (2) ensure that the number of virtual machine (VM) instances allocated to the application is minimized; (3) under the allocated number of VM instances, determine application execution schedule that minimizes the application’s makespan; and (4) under the decided application execution schedule, determine a VM operation schedule, i.e., when a VM should be turned on or off, that minimizes total VM instance hours needed to execute the application. We first give lower and upper bounds for the number of VM instances needed to guarantee the satisfaction of a deadline constrained application’s end-to-end deadline. Based on the bounds, we develop a heuristic algorithm called minimal slack time and minimal distance (MSMD) algorithm that finds the minimum number of VM instances needed to guarantee the application’s deadline and schedules tasks on the allocated VM instances so that the application’s makespan is minimized. Once the application execution schedule and the number of VM instances needed are determined, the proposed VM instance hour minimization (IHM) algorithm is applied to further reduce the instance hours needed by VMs to complete the application’s execution. Our experimental results show that the MSMD algorithm can guarantee applications’ end-to-end deadlines with less resources than the HEFT [32] , MOHEFT [16] , DBUS [9] , QoS-base [40] and Auto-Scaling [25] heuristic scheduling algorithms in the literature. Furthermore, under allocated resources, the MSMD algorithm can, on average, reduce an application’s makespan by 3.4 percent of its deadline. In addition, with the IHM algorithm we can effectively reduce the application’s execution instance hours compared with when IHM is not applied.
Deafferentation studies on motor activity in the chick. I. Activity pattern of hindlimbs.

A study of the effects of deafferentation of the brachial level of the spinal cord in chick embryos was undertaken to examine the influence of afferent input on activity patterns of the wings, during embryonic, hatching and posthatching periods. Neural crest precursors of dorsal root ganglia were destroyed by superficial cauterization at somite levels 17 to 21 in embryos of stages 13–14. Between nine and 17 days of incubation no significant differences were observed in the frequency of wing movements as part of either total or local activity patterns. The prehatching and hatching behavior patterns were typical except that none of the experimental embryos managed to tuck the head under the right wing (tucking phase). Wing lifting and lowering were absent between day 18 and hatching. In hatched chicks, wings were incable of making synchronous bilateral flapping movements. The results indicate that afferent input from the wings to the spinal cord is probably involved in the patterning of wing movements. In the absence of afferent input, the chick embryos show gross disturbances in the pattern of behavior involving the wings during hatching and after hatching.
Lumbar ureteral shunt-an unusual cause of ureteral obstruction

Abstract In a neurosurgical patient with a lumbar ureteral shunt in place for many years ureteral obstruction and hydronephrosis developed. The shunt tubing was removed surgically from the ureter leaving a portion of the shunt in the subarachnoid space without sequelae. Historically, most patients undergoing this type procedure had an ipsilateral nephrectomy performed at the time of shunt placement; however, this patient did not. It is important to be aware of this “antique” procedure as it may cause urologic complications.
High Performance State Lattice Planning Using Heuristic Look-Up Tables

This paper presents a solution to the problem of finding an effective yet admissible heuristic function for A* by precomputing a look-up table of solutions. This is necessary because traditional heuristic functions such as Euclidean distance often produce poor performance for certain problems. Here, the technique is applied to the state lattice, which is used for full state space motion planning. However, the approach is applicable to many applications of heuristic search algorithms. The look-up table is demonstrated to be feasible to generate and store. A principled technique is presented for selecting which queries belong in the table. Finally, the results are validated through testing on a variety of path planning problems.
Local systems of shapovalov elements

Shapovalov introduced elements in the enveloping algebra of a semi-simple Lie algebra that when applied to the highest weight vector of a Verma module generated a Verma submodule. A Shapovalov element induces a containment of Verma modules uniformly across all highest weights in a particular root hyperplane. As a consequence of the Jantzen conjecture, the generator of a Verma submodule is known to lie in a definite level of the Jantzen filtration of the Verma module. Is it possible to choose a Shapovalov element that will place itself naturally into the correct filtration level uniformly across the root hyperplane? This paper considers this problem in the case of sl(n). There are weights, called singular weights, where such Shapovalov elements cannot exist even in a local sense. What then can be said for the non-singular weights? A system of elements is introduced using Carter’s theory of lowering operators ([C]). In the examples, given any non-singular weight, there is an element of this system that prov...
The dimensions of perfectionism.

Perfectionism is a major diagnostic criterion for one DSM-III diagnosis, and it has been hypothesized to play a major role in a wide variety of psychopathologies. Yet there is no precise definition of, and there is a paucity of research on, this construct. Based on what has been theorized about perfectionism, a multidimensional measure was developed and several hypotheses regarding the nature of perfectionism were tested in four separate studies. The major dimension of this measure was excessive concern over making mistakes. Five other dimensions were identified, including high personal standards, the perception of high parental expectations, the perception of high parental criticism, the doubting of the quality of one's actions, and a preference for order and organization. Perfectionism and certain of its subscales were correlated with a wide variety of psychopathological symptoms. There was also an association between perfectionism and procrastination. Several subscales of the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS), personal standards and organization, were associated with positive achievement striving and work habits. The MPS was highly correlated with one of the existing measures of perfectionism. Two other existing measures were only moderately correlated with the MPS and with each other. Future studies of perfectionism should take into account the multidimensional nature of the construct.
Amorphous silicon thin-film transistors with DC saturation current half-life of more than 100 years

We report amorphous silicon thin film transistors (a-Si TFT's) with an extrapolated DC saturation current half-life of more than 100 years, an improvement of over 1000 times compared to the previous art (1-4). This TFT half-life is higher than the luminance half-life of high-quality green phosphorescent OLED's, showing that the TFT's are promising for driving OLED's in active-matrix OLED displays.
The Effects of Critical Team Member Assertiveness on Team Performance and Satisfaction

In an effort to extend theory and research linking personality to team effectiveness, this study used the workflow networks literature to investigate the effects of critical team member dispositional assertiveness on team performance and satisfaction. Results from 64 teams working on a command-and-control simulation indicated that critical team member dispositional assertiveness positively affected team performance and team satisfaction. Results also indicated that both of those effects were due to improvements in the team's transactive memory system.
Pathway of Oxidative Folding of α-Lactalbumin: A Model for Illustrating the Diversity of Disulfide Folding Pathways†

The pathway of oxidative folding of α-lactalbumin (αLA) (four disulfide bonds) has been characterized by structural and kinetic analysis of the acid-trapped folding intermediates. In the absence of calcium, oxidative folding of αLA proceeds through highly heterogeneous species of one-, two-, three-, and four-disulfide (scrambled) intermediates to reach the native structure. In the presence of calcium, the folding intermediates of αLA comprise two predominant isomers (αLA-IIA and αLA-IIIA) adopting exclusively native disulfide bonds, including the two disulfide bonds (Cys61−Cys77 and Cys73−Cys91) located within the β-sheet calcium binding domain. αLA-IIA is a two-disulfide species consisting of Cys61−Cys77 and Cys73−Cys91 disulfide bonds. αLA-IIIA contains Cys61−Cys77, Cys73−Cys91, and Cys28−Cys111 disulfide bonds. The underlying mechanism of the contrasting folding pathways of calcium-bound and calcium-depleted αLA is congruent with the cause of diversity of disulfide folding pathways observed among many ...
DEPRESSION IN SPINAL CORD INJURED PATIENTS

Many regard depression as an inevitable psychological sequela of spinal cord injury. This assumption, if inaccurate, may confound the rehabilitation process. We evaluated 22 patients with recent spinal cord injuries (less than 6 months), using a standardised interview and diagnostic process. Five patients (22 per cent) had diagnosable depressions after their injury. This is higher than the incidence of depression in the general population, but less than anticipated.
The History (and Philosophy) of Religions

In a paper given at a Roundtable at the American Academy of Religion (AAR) National Annual Conference in Montreal in November of 2009, jointly organized by the North American Association for the Study of Religion and the Critical Theory and Discourses in Religion Group of the AAR, I argued for the ineluctably philosophical nature of what is most commonly called ‘method and theory in the study of religion.’ That paper (Rennie, 2010) also argues that what is conventionally referred to as ‘philosophy of religion’ does not, strictly speaking, warrant that name since it is in fact a form of theology that utilizes philosophical methodologies to consider principally, if not exclusively, Christian concerns. I also argued that a philosophy of religion(s) constituted along the lines of the philosophy of science would be a potential improvement in both ‘philosophy of religion’ and ‘method and theory in the study of religion.’ In this paper I would like to consider—with the help of a closer look at contemporary philo...
Does Delivering Preventive Services in Primary Care Reduce Adolescent Risky Behavior

PURPOSE: To determine whether the delivery of preventive services changes adolescent behavior. This exploratory study examined the trajectory of risk behavior among adolescents receiving care in three pediatric clinics, in which a preventive services intervention was delivered during well visits. METHODS: The intervention consisted of screening and brief counseling from a provider, followed by a health educator visit. At age 14 (year 1), 904 adolescents had a risk assessment and intervention, followed by a risk assessment 1 year later at age 15 (year 2). Outcomes were changes in adolescent behavior related to seat belt and helmet use; tobacco, alcohol, and drug use; and sexual behavior. Analysis involved age-related comparisons between the intervention and several cross-sectional comparison samples from the age of 14-15 years. RESULTS: The change in helmet use in the intervention sample was 100% higher (p Language: en
The biomass, community structure, and spatial distribution of the sedimentary microbiota from a high-energy area of the deep sea

Abstract Sediments from an abyssal area subjected to high-energy currents showed a total cellular biomass, measured as extractable phospholipid, 6 to 10 times greater than that of other sediments of comparable depths, and approximately one-third that of a subtidal estuarine sediment. Community structure of these abyssal sediments, assessed by ester-linked phospholipid fatty acids, was characterized by increased bacterial dominance and a greater proportion of anaerobic bacteria when compared to a subtidal estuarine sediment. Although there is geochemical evidence for mixing of sediments to depths > 10 cm below the sediment surface, biomass in the 9 to 10 cm layer is approximately one-third of the 0 to 1 cm layer. A distinct community structure occurs in this deeper stratum, as reflected by increased proportions of fatty acids typical of anaerobic bacteria. A three-level, nested sampling design allowed an assessment of spatial distribution of microbial assemblies. The major source of variance was among subcores within a box core. This small-scale patchiness parallels that determined for a subtidal estuarine sediment.
Mixed integer programming & heuristic scheduling for space communication networks

We introduce mixed integer programming and heuristic scheduling for space communication networks in this paper. The considered communication network consists of space and ground assets with the link dynamics between any two assets vary with respect to time, distance, and telecom configurations. One asset could be communicating with another at very high data rates at one time and at other times, communication is impossible, as the asset could be inaccessible from the network due to planetary occultation. Based on the network's geometric dynamics and link capabilities, the start time, end time, and link configuration of each view-period are optimized so that the resulting schedule meets the objectives and satisfies the operation constraints imposed by the missions. Mathematical framework for the constrained optimization along with the software, Mars Relay Network Planning Tool (MRNPT), was developed in 2003 at Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In this paper, we broaden the study to include communication networks whose nodal elements can simultaneously support multiple spacecrafts and vice versa. Sample scenarios include multiple combinations of ground stations at a DSN site can form an antennas array to track a spacecraft and conversely a single ground station can support multiple spacecrafts simultaneously. Such unique network capabilities make the schedule optimization problem more challenging. Namely, the number of passes between a spacecraft and a set of ground stations soars from linear to exponential. As a result, the search space for the network optimization using start times and end times grows intractably. The new framework, casted in this paper as a mixed integer problem, provides the means to keep the search space dimensions to the linear order. The difficulty is now in the court of the optimization process. Traditional methods such as the Sequential Quadratic Optimization (SQP), used in MRNPT, are time-consuming and do not guarantee a global solution. In this paper, we propose to solve the constrained optimization problem in two phases. The first phase uses heuristic methods such as the ant colony method, particle swarming optimization, and genetic algorithm to seek a near optimal solution among a list of feasible initial populations. The final optimal solution can be found by using the solution of the first phase as the initial condition to the SQP algorithm. We demonstrate the above problem formulation and optimization schemes with a large-scale network that includes the DSN ground stations and a number of spacecraft of deep space missions.
Control Hierarchies in Biological Systems

A performance analysis of the oxygen transport system emphasizes the importance of peripheral versus central control, implying a complex balance within an overall control hierarchy. Experimental results support this hypothesis and indicate that the relative importance of any level in the hierarchy is state- and time-dependent.
A Mobile Market: Opportunities and Strategies in Higher Education

As schools deploy mobile web capabilities, students have the ability to connect anytime, anywhere giving universities an important tool to engage and connect with university target markets. With mobile based internet usage expected to exceed desktop usage within the next four years this study focuses on understanding the role of this technology in connecting with prospective and current students. Research conducted with college students demonstrates that the usage of mobile technology is highest among this age segment and must be taken into consideration when communicating to its student base. Furthermore, the implications from this study suggest that mobile app features have value for current students and is in line with their usage of mobile technology and represent an important channel for reaching students. Finally, the paper focuses the need to develop content that can be measured and analyzed for effectiveness and that is in line with the universityâ€™s brand.
Conservative management of nontubal ectopic pregnancies.

Objective To report successful conservative management of nontubal ectopic pregnancies. Design Retrospective case series. Setting University tertiary-care hospital. Patient(s) Sixty-four women with diagnosis of nontubal ectopic pregnancies (cervical, cornual, and cesarean section scar) were treated with minimally invasive procedures. Intervention(s) Systemic methotrexate alone or combined with ultrasound-guided fetal intracardiac injection of potassium chloride. Main Outcome Measure(s) Success of the treatment, preservation of the uterus, rate of serious complications, and the need for additional interventions. Result(s) Conservative treatment was successful in 63 patients with nontubal ectopic pregnancies. One patient had rupture of cornual pregnancy and underwent cornual resection. None of the patients in this case series required hysterectomy. This series included four patients with heterotopic pregnancies, three of whom continued intrauterine pregnancy to term gestation after conservative treatment. Seven patients experienced minimal morbidity that was treated with additional nonsurgical interventions. Conclusion(s) Conservative management and fertility preservation is feasible in most nontubal ectopic pregnancies.
Three-dimensional acoustical imaging using micromechanical hydrophones

This paper describes aspects of the design of a 3D acoustic imaging system for use in turbid waters based upon recently-developed micromechanical hydrophones. By "three-dimensional", it is implied that the system is selective in two spatial axes (azimuth and elevation) and one temporal dimension (time/range). System concepts for both acoustic lens and beamformed systems are presented, and critical issues are identified for both system types. A laboratory test system for acoustic image acquisition is described, followed by test results and acoustic lens-based images. The images are remarkable by acoustics standards. Such a system would be of significant utility to anyone operating in otherwise zero visibility water.
A LEUCINE TRIPLET REPEAT SEQUENCE (LXX)4 IN P6GAG IS IMPORTANT FOR VPR INCORPORATION INTO HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS TYPE 1 PARTICLES

Incorporation of Vpr into human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) virions is mediated by the Gag protein, independently of other viral components. We have coexpressed Vpr and Gag constructs in a vaccinia virus expression system in order to map the region of Gag involved in Vpr packaging. Deletion of the carboxyl-terminal p6 region of Gag impaired the ability of Gag to package Vpr. To confirm the role of p6 in Vpr packaging, Rous sarcoma virus (RSV)-HIV chimeras containing HIV-1 p6 were constructed. Although RSV Gag does not package Vpr into virus particles, a chimera containing HIV-1 p6 is sufficient for Vpr incorporation. To map the region of p6 involved in Vpr packaging, a series of p6 point mutations and deletion mutations was analyzed. Mutations in the N-terminal p6 proline-rich domain, for which preliminary evidence shows a marked decrease in virion incorporated RNA, did not affect Vpr incorporation. Deletion of residues 1 to 31 of HIV-1 p6 did not affect Vpr packaging, but residues 35 to 47, including an (LXX)4 domain, were required for Vpr incorporation into virus particles.
Gender, Paid Work, and Symptoms of Emotional Distress in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Objective. To evaluate the relative contribution of gender-related work conditions, gender-related socialization practices, and disease characteristics to the explanation of emotional distress in men and women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. Three hundred sixty-nine RA patients who were employed outside the home were recruited from a national randomized sample of rheumatology practices. Data on paid work and disease characteristics were obtained by telephone interview. Emotional distress was measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Hierarchical ordinary least-squares regression was used to assess the relationship of sex, class, work characteristics, and disease characteristics to both the CES-D summary scale and the CES-D factor structure. Results. Differences in emotional distress were explained best by functional ability and pain and secondarily by the characteristics of paid work, with no independent effect for sex. Distress increased with decreasing functional ability, increasing pain, and exposure to such work characteristics as low autonomy, low income, and high demands. No sex differences in any of the CES-D subscales remained after controlling for disease and work variables. Conclusion. Among employed RA patients with high levels of functional disability and exposure to stressful work characteristics, men and women are at equal risk of experiencing emotional distress.
The roles of demography and genetics in the early stages of colonization.

Colonization success increases with the size of the founding group. Both demographic and genetic factors underlie this relationship, yet because genetic diversity normally increases with numbers of...
Venlafaxine and desvenlafaxine in the management of menopausal hot flashes.

Vasomotor flushes are common complaints of women during and after menopause, affecting about 75 percent of this population. Estrogen therapy is the most effective treatment for hot flashes. However, there are a significant number of women who have contraindications or choose not to use estrogen due to potential risks such as breast cancer and thromboembolic disorders. These women need alternative options. The selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, venlafaxine and desvenlafaxine, have shown efficacy in alleviating hot flashes. Objective: The purpose of this review is to assess the efficacy and tolerability of these two agents for treatment of hot flashes in healthy postmenopausal women. Methods: A literature search of the MEDLINE and Ovid databases from inception to June 2011 was conducted. Randomized controlled trials, published in English, with human participants were included. Studies included postmenopausal women, and trials with breast cancer only populations were excluded. Results: Venlafaxine reduced hot flashes by 37 to 61 percent and desvenlafaxine by 55 to 69 percent. Both agents were well tolerated. The most common adverse effects were headache, dry mouth, nausea, insomnia, somnolence, and dizziness. Conclusion: Based on the evidence, venlafaxine and desvenlafaxine are both viable options for reducing the frequency and severity of hot flashes.
Long-Term Human-Robot Interaction: The Personal Exploration Rover and Museum Docents

As an increasing number of robots have been designed to interact with people on a regular basis, research into human-robot interaction has become more widespread. At the same time, little work has been done on the problem of long-term human-robot interaction, in which a human uses a robot for a period of weeks or months. As people spend more time with a robot, it is expected that how they make sense of the robot-their “cognitive model” of it-may change over time. In order to identify factors that will be critical to the future development of a quantitative cognitive model of long-term human-robot interaction, a study was conducted involving the Personal Exploration Rover (PER) museum exhibit and the museum employees responsible for it. Results of the study suggest that these critical factors include how people experience successes and failures with the robot (as opposed to how they understand its capabilities) and how people anthropomorphize the robot and talk about anthropomorphization.
Comparative Analysis of Cervical Lateral Mass Screw Insertion among Three Techniques in the Korean Population by Quantitative Measurements with Reformatted 2D CT Scan Images: Clinical Research.

Objective Our purpose of this study is to compare insertion angles and screw lengths from Roy-Camille, Magerl, and our designed method for cervical lateral mass screw fixation in the Korean population by quantitative measurement of reformatted two dimensional (2D) computed tomography (CT) images. Methods We selected thirty Korean patients who were evaluated with thin section CT scans and reconstruction program to obtain reformatted 2D-CT images of the transversal plane passing the cranio-caudal angle using three different techniques. We measured the minimum angle to avoid vertebral artery (VA) injury, the ideal angle and depth for bicortical screwing of cervical lateral mass. Morphometric measurements of the lateral masses from C3-C7 were also taken. Results In all three techniques, the mean safety angles from the VA were less than 8 degrees and the necessary depth of the screw was about 14 mm for safety to the VA and for the bicortical purchase. In our designed technique, the mean beta angles of each level from C3 to C7 were 29.0, 29.8, 29.5, 26.3, and 23.9 degrees, respectively. Conclusion Results of this study and data from the literature indicate that differences may exist between the Korean and Western people in the length and angle for ideal lateral mass screw fixation. In addition, our technique needs further cadaveric and clinical study for safety and efficacy for being performed as alternative method for cervical lateral mass fixation.
Application of a Vital Fluorescent Staining Method for Simultaneous, Near-Real-Time Concentration Monitoring of Two Bacterial Strains in an Atlantic Coastal Plain Aquifer in Oyster, Virginia

Two differentially labeled bacterial strains were monitored in near-real time during two field-scale bacterial transport experiments in a shallow aquifer in July 2000 and July 2001. Comamonas sp. strain DA001 and Acidovorax sp. strain OY-107 were grown and labeled with the vital fluorescent stain TAMRA/SE (5 [and -6]-carboxytetramethylrhodamine, succinimidyl ester) or CFDA/SE (5 [and -6]-carboxyfluorescein diacetate, succinimidyl ester). Fluorescently labeled cells and a conservative bromide tracer were introduced into a suboxic superficial aquifer, followed by groundwater collection from down-gradient multilevel samplers. Cells were enumerated in the field by microplate spectrofluorometry, with confirmatory analyses for selected samples done in the laboratory by epifluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, and ferrographic capture. There was general agreement in the results from all of the vital-stain-based enumeration methods, with differences ranging from <10% up to 40% for the analysis of identical samples between different tracking methods. Field analysis by microplate spectrofluorometry was robust and efficient, allowing thousands of samples to be analyzed in quadruplicate for both of the injected strains. The near-real-time data acquisition allowed adjustments to the predetermined sampling schedule to be made. The microplate spectrofluorometry data sets for the July 2000 and July 2001 experiments allowed the transport of the injected cells to be related to the site hydrogeology and injection conditions and enabled the assessment of differences in the transport of the two strains. This near-real-time method should prove effective for a number of microbial ecology applications.
INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF FIRE AND MICROHABITAT ON PLANTS OF FLORIDA SCRUB

Fire, microhabitat, and their interactions affect Florida scrub ecosystems and their plant species. Concepts of vegetation change in the Florida upland landscape have followed successional theory, with recent models emphasizing the resilience of Florida scrub to fire and the interactive effects of the vegetation and fire regime. We extend these models by incorporating greater complexity in vegetation types and emphasizing that departures from modal fire frequencies may alter vegetation. In particular, fire exclusion leads to structural and compositional changes that, in turn, alter vegetation changes following the reintroduction of fire. Individual species responses to fire can be categorized by the demographic mechanisms of the response (e.g., resprouting, clonal growth, seedling recruitment) and by typical patterns of abundance during fire-free intervals. Various types of scrub differ in these life-history traits. For example, xeric rosemary scrub supports more herbs, more endemics, more specialized spe...
A 135mV 0.13μW process tolerant 6T subthreshold DTMOS SRAM in 90nm technology

Cell stability and tolerance to process variation are of primary importance in subthreshold SRAMs. We propose a DTMOS based 6T SRAM suitable for subthreshold operation. For variation tolerant memory peripheral circuitry, we apply beta-ratio modulation technique. DTMOS SRAM array fabricated in 90 nm technology operates down to 135 mV consuming 0.13 muW at 750 Hz. The proposed SRAM achieves 200% improvement in read static noise margin at iso-area compared to the conventional 6T SRAM at a supply voltage of 200 mV.
Investigation of a dual channel N/P-LDMOS and application to LDO linear voltage regulation

A simulation analysis of a configurable dual channel n/p LDMOS is presented. The n, p and combined n/p channel regimes are analyzed, showing the transistors potential for enhanced saturation current density without high-temperature Safe Operating Area (SOA) degradation. Possible circuit applications are proposed. In particular, it is shown that the device is a good candidate for implementation in Low-Dropout (LDO) voltage regulators, in which it allows reducing the need for a charge pump circuit, and thus increasing performances in terms of power consumption, noise and Electromagnetic Interferences (EMI).
The Debate over Schooling: Influences of Dewey and Thorndike

(1991). The Debate over Schooling: Influences of Dewey and Thorndike. Childhood Education: Vol. 68, No. 2, pp. 71-75.
Ease of Grading and Enrollments in Secondary School Science, I. A. Model and Its Possible Tests.

Low enrollments in the physical sciences have been a professional concern for some time, primarily because of their adverse effect on the general education of high school students, but also because of their effect on the teaching of the physical sciences and their possible impact on vocational choice, notably that of potential teachers. A model that relates ease of grading in the sciences to science enrollments is presented. Its central assumption is that an appropriate measure of ease of grading in a science course is the discrepancy between students' grade values in the science course and their grade values in other academic subjects, averaged across students in the course. Consideration of possible tests of the model leads to the conclusion that the most sensible initial test will be provided by a correlational study of the effects of ease of grading, following the secondary career of students in a single graduating class from a number of high schools by using data in existing school records.
Review of experimental work in biomimetic foils

Significant progress has been made in understanding some of the basic mechanisms of force production and flow manipulation in oscillating foils for underwater use. Biomimetic observations, however, show that there is a lot more to be learned, since many of the functions and details of fish fins remain unexplored. This review focuses primarily on experimental studies on some of the, at least partially understood, mechanisms, which include 1) the formation of streets of vortices around and behind two- and three-dimensional propulsive oscillating foils; 2) the formation of vortical structures around and behind two- and three-dimensional foils used for maneuvering, hovering, or fast-starting; 3) the formation of leading-edge vortices in flapping foils, under steady flapping or transient conditions; 4) the interaction of foils with oncoming, externally generated vorticity; multiple foils, or foils operating near a body or wall.
Cue validity in Hebrew sentence comprehension

This study investigated the degree to which cue validity, as estimated from textual analyses, predicts the actual strength of grammatical cues as they are used by speakers of Hebrew. An experiment was conducted to determine the differential strengths of the linguistic cues employed by Hebrew speakers when assigning the role of patient in sentences. Monolingual Hebrew-speaking subjects 4, 5, 7, and 9 years old, as well as adults, were tested using a sentence-picture verification task. Six cues were included in the study: word order, the accusative object marker, the reflexive noun phrase and three verbal derivations. By presenting subjects with sentences which set these cues in competition with one another, a measure of the strength of each cue was obtained. The results of a regression analysis revealed strong positive correlations between estimated cue validities and actual cue strengths for all but the youngest age groups. These results were interpreted as suggesting that cue validity is highly predictive of actual cue strengths. In addition, the strengths of the six cues varied as a function of the subject's age. Two additional factors were hypothesized to account for the performance of the older subjects: increased sensitivity to the reliability of cues and discourse-based constraints.
A Survey on Array Storage, Query Languages, and Systems

Since scientific investigation is one of the most important providers of massive amounts of ordered data, there is a renewed interest in array data processing in the context of Big Data. To the best of our knowledge, a unified resource that summarizes and analyzes array processing research over its long existence is currently missing. In this survey, we provide a guide for past, present, and future research in array processing. The survey is organized along three main topics. Array storage discusses all the aspects related to array partitioning into chunks. The identification of a reduced set of array operators to form the foundation for an array query language is analyzed across multiple such proposals. Lastly, we survey real systems for array processing. The result is a thorough survey on array data storage and processing that should be consulted by anyone interested in this research topic, independent of experience level. The survey is not complete though. We greatly appreciate pointers towards any work we might have forgotten to mention.
Determining the viability response of pine pollen to atmospheric conditions during long-distance dispersal

Pollen of forest trees can move on the scales of tens to hundreds of kilometers, but the question of its viability during this long distance dispersal (LDD) has yet to be answered. While empirical studies of pollen viability in forest tree species are rare, controlled and scalable data to outdoor studies of the contribution of UV irradiation on pollen viability are not available. A simple protocol that allows the quantification of the viability response of pollen to UV, temperature, and humidity is developed and described here. Bench-scale conditions that approximate a wide range of atmospheric conditions including different humidity, temperature, and UV irradiation condition are used to determine the independent effects of each abiotic stress factor, and empirical functions are fitted and used to scale these bench-scale experiments to outdoor conditions. As a case study, pollen was sampled from two populations of Pinus taeda during two years and was used to quantify the decrease in viability due to atmospheric conditions during LDD. Contrary to maize pollen, P. taeda pollen viability decreased due to humid and cold conditions. The viability response of pollen to UV-A and UV-B corresponded to a viability reduction of about 10% after a full day of exposure. These laboratory findings were corroborated by an outdoor solar exposure experiment. The Fu-Liou online radiation model and a data set of radiosonde observations were used to estimate the typical conditions that would be encountered by LDD pollen. If initially caught in a strong updraft, dispersing P. taeda pollen could be carried many days and thousands of kilometers in the air. The empirical equations for P. taeda pollen viability reduction due to abiotic stresses predicted that 50% of the pollen would survive 24 hours of LDD under typical external conditions. The viable range of the pollen is, therefore, shorter than the physical dispersal distance. The methods used in our experiments are applicable for determination of dispersing pollen viability, especially when effects of different adverse conditions need to be separated. The empirical viability equations that resulted from our experiments can be used in an atmospheric dispersal model to estimate the viable range of tree pollen.
Binding Specificity of Protein Phosphatase 2A Core Enzyme for Regulatory B Subunits and T Antigens

The core enzyme of protein phosphatase 2A is composed of a regulatory subunit A and a catalytic subunit C. It is controlled by three types of regulatory B subunits (B, B′, and B") and by tumor (T) antigens, which are unrelated by sequence but bind to overlapping regions on the A subunit. To find out whether the different B subunits and T antigens bind to identical or distinct amino acids of the A subunit, mutants were generated and their abilities to bind B subunits and T antigens were tested. We found that some amino acids are involved in the binding of all types of B subunits, whereas others are specifically involved in the binding of one or two types of B subunits. T-antigen-binding specificity does not correlate with that of a particular type of B subunit.
DOAV estimation using planar array, a 4D capon approach

In this paper a four dimensional Capon approach is proposed to estimate the direction of arrival and angular velocities (DOAV) of moving sources using a rectangular array of antennas. The movement of the source is modeled using linear polynomial approximation in order to estimate the DOA and angular velocities of a point source impinging a signal on the planar array. The resulting four dimensional problem is computation intensive and precludes the use of the approach in real time applications. In order to reduce the computational complexity of the problem, we exploit the geometry of this array and decoupling techniques to perform two two-dimensional searches in parallel instead of a four dimensional search. We also relate the high resolution Capon approach, which we demonstrate herein, to the DOAV formulation presented in this paper. The excellent performance of the combined technique is demonstrated via simulation results.
Gain hands-on experience in process control using control station

Training simulators enhance learning by integrating the theoretical abstraction of textbooks with the tactile nature of the lab. The primary objective of training simulators is education. They motivate, help with visualization, and provide hands-on practice and experience. This paper explores the use of training simulators for process control education. The methods used and experiences gained in developing Control Station, a training simulator used in the curriculum of hundreds of academic institutions worldwide are discussed.
Nonlinear analysis of macaque V1 color tuning reveals cardinal directions for cortical color processing

Understanding color vision requires knowing how signals from the cone photoreceptors are combined in the cortex. Here the authors record from V1 neurons while an automated system identified stimuli that differed in cone contrast, but evoked the same response. They report that many V1 neurons combine cone signals nonlinearly and provide a new framework for color processing in V1.
Variable-rate noncoherent M-FSK modulation for power limited systems over Nakagami-fading channels

We propose a variable-rate and fixed-power noncoherent M-ary frequency shift keying (NC-MFSK) modulation scheme for power limited systems over Nakagami-fading channels. We first address the system performance from the average link spectral efficiency, the average bit-error rate (BER), and the probability of outage perspectives assuming that perfect channel estimates are available at the transmitter within a permissible delay. We compare the proposed system with two versions of the noncoherent binary FSK (NC-BFSK) scheme. The former is the fixed or the blind one, which has no feedback information, and the latter is a kind of an adaptive one wherein a feedback channel is provided to inform the transmitter whether to transmit or not. Our results show that the proposed adaptive MFSK scheme exhibits the following gains: up to a 9- and 37-dB power gain from the average spectral efficiency perspective compared to those for the adaptive and fixed NC-BFSK schemes, respectively, at very low values of the received carrier-to-noise ratio and improvements of about four orders and one order of magnitude from the average BER and probability of outage perspectives, respectively, compared to those of the fixed NC-BFSK scheme. We then study the system performance in the case of outdated estimates. It is shown that only the average BER gets affected by outdated estimates. Our analysis shows that the system is insensitive to normalized delays f/sub d//spl tau/ up to 10/sup -2/ where f/sub d/ is the doppler frequency and /spl tau/ is the time delay. We also propose an adaptive switching thresholds scheme to better mitigate the effect of the feedback delay.
Commentary on: ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate assays in clinical trials, interpretation, and limitations: results of a dose ranging alcohol challenge study and 2 clinical trials.

In this issue, Jatlow and colleagues have provided the field with the report of a well done and timely scientific evaluation of one of the newer alcohol consumption biomarkers, urinary ethylglucuronide (EtG), and a related metabolite, ethylsulfate (EtS). These naturally occurring chemical conjugates between ethanol and glucuronide (EtG) or sulfate (EtS), while elegant in their simplicity, have caused a certain amount of discussion and controversy not only in the literature, but also in clinical practice (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2012; Litten et al., 2010). EtG and EtS have been around for some time (Wurst et al., 2003), but highly structured investigations into their interpretation and utility have been few (Wurst et al., 2004, Hoiseth et. al., 2012). The concerns which have haunted both investigators and clinicians alike, and which have spilled over into forensic circles, involve cut-off levels, windows of detection of alcohol consumption, sensitivity and specificity of measurement, and the potential for use for monitoring abstinence in clinical practice and in clinical trials. In this paper, the authors have provided crucial information that increases the knowledge in most of these areas.
Intrinsic Brain Signaling Pathways: Targets of Neuron Degeneration

Cancer and neurodegenerative disease are two of the greatest worries facing the aging population. Alteration in cell signaling pathways is a molecular process that underlies many cancers and is the targets of therapies. Recent data indicate that these pathways also have a key role in neurodegenerative disease. Glutamine tract expansion triggers nine neurodegenerative diseases most likely by conferring toxic properties to the mutant protein. Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is typically a late-onset fatal autsosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of motor coordination and balance. A characteristic feature of SCA1 pathology is atrophy and loss of Purkinje cells (PCs) from the cerebellar cortex. In SCA1, phosphorylation of ataxin-1 (ATXN1) at Ser776 is one biochemical feature thought to be key for pathogenesis. We found that replacing Ser776 with a phospho-mimicking Asp amino acid converts ATXN1 with a wild type glutamine tract, ATXN1[30Q]-D776, into a pathogenic protein. Yet, in contrast to disease induced by ATXN1[82Q] that progresses from dysfunction to cell death, ATXN1[30Q]-D776-induced disease failed to progress beyond dysfunction. These results support a disease model where disease initiation and subsequent neuronal dysfunction are distinct from progression to cell death. Ser776, presumably its phosphorylation, is critical for the pathogenic pathway leading to neuronal dysfunction, while an expanded polyglutamine tract is essential for further progression to neuronal death. A cerebellar extract-based phosphorylation assay revealed that S776 phosphorylation is regulated by the kinase PKA and the phosphatase PP2A. These date form the basis of a small molecule inhibitor screen that could provide an effective treatment for SCA1.
Real-Time Large Scale 3d Reconstruction by Fusing Kinect and Imu Data

Abstract. Kinect-style RGB-D cameras have been used to build large scale dense 3D maps for indoor environments. These maps can serve many purposes such as robot navigation, and augmented reality. However, to generate dense 3D maps of large scale environments is still very challenging. In this paper, we present a mapping system for 3D reconstruction that fuses measurements from a Kinect and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to estimate motion. Our major achievements include: (i) Large scale consistent 3D reconstruction is realized by volume shifting and loop closure; (ii) The coarse-to-fine iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm, the SIFT odometry, and IMU odometry are combined to robustly and precisely estimate pose. In particular, ICP runs routinely to track the Kinect motion. If ICP fails in planar areas, the SIFT odometry provides incremental motion estimate. If both ICP and the SIFT odometry fail, e.g., upon abrupt motion or inadequate features, the incremental motion is estimated by the IMU. Additionally, the IMU also observes the roll and pitch angles which can reduce long-term drift of the sensor assembly. In experiments on a consumer laptop, our system estimates motion at 8Hz on average while integrating color images to the local map and saving volumes of meshes concurrently. Moreover, it is immune to tracking failures, and has smaller drift than the state-of-the-art systems in large scale reconstruction.
The Compleat Manager: What Works When

This article presents a review of the book “The Compleat Manager: What Works When,” by Alan C. Filley.
Anholocyclic Overwintering of the Green Peach Aphid in Kentucky

Myzus persicae (Sulzer) overwintered anholocyclicly on kale, cabbage, turnips, and wild host plants during 1963–67 in central Kentucky. The aphid’s capability to overwinter in this manner appears to depend on the ability of the host plant to overwinter. Overwintering as eggs on Prunus species was rare and few fundatrigniae, compared with the number of virginogeniae, were found.
Neurologic and EEG Findings in Angelman Syndrome

The neurological and diagnostic aspects of Angelman syndrome (AS) are reviewed by a geneticist at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.