cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Machines and models for parallel computing

It is widely believed that superscalar and superpipelined extensions of RISC style architecture will dominate future processor design, and that needs of parallel computing will have little effect on processor architecture. This belief ignores the issues of memory latency and synchronization, and fails to recognize the opportunity to support a general semantic model for parallel computing. Efforts to extend the shared-memory model using standard microprocessors have led to systems that implement no satisfactory model of computing, and present the programmer with a difficult interface on which to build parallel computing applications. A more satisfactory model for parallel computing may be obtained on the basis of functional programming concepts and the principles of modular software construction. We recommend that designs for computers be built on such a general semantic model of parallel computation. Multithreading concepts and dataflow principles can frame the architecture of these new machines.
Biotransformation of pesticides in saturated-zone materials

Many studies have been conducted to evaluate pesticide contamination of groundwater in the United States, but investigations of pesticide biotransformation in saturated zones are much less numerous than in surface soils. Because results of studies using soils are not directly applicable to the subsurface, the purpose of this paper is to illustrate examples of pesticide biotransformation in saturated-zone materials. Although it must be considered with caution, the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) "Pesticides in Ground Water Database" was used to focus the discussion on the biotransformation potential of dibromoethane (EDB), atrazine, acetanilide herbicides, and aldicarb, all of which have been detected in groundwater in the United States. Results of more than two dozen studies indicate that a biotransformation potential for these pesticides exists in saturated-zone materials, although for any given pesticide substantial differences in biotransformation occurred. These variations were due both to differences in experimental methods and to heterogeneities in the subsurface materials under investigation. However, because biotransformation mechanisms were not well investigated, it is generally not possible to extrapolate predictions of biotransformation potential beyond the specific sites investigated. These results highlight the need to better understand microbial genetic regulation of biotransformation processes so that genetic information may be effectively incorporated into future investigations of biotransformation potential in the subsurface.
An Endogenous Calcium-Dependent, Caspase-Independent Intranuclear Degradation Pathway in Thymocyte Nuclei: Antagonism by Physiological Concentrations of K + Ions

Calcium ions have been implicated in apoptosis for many years, however the precise role of this ion in the cell death process remains incomplete. We have extensively examined the role of Ca(2+) on nuclear degradation in vitro using highly purified nuclei isolated from non-apoptotic rat thymocytes. We show that these nuclei are devoid of CAD (caspase-activated DNase), and DNA degradation occurs independent of caspase activity. Serine proteases rather than caspase-3 appear necessary for this Ca(2+) -dependent DNA degradation in nuclei. We analyzed nuclei treated with various concentrations of Ca(2+) in the presence of both a physiological (140 mM) and apoptotic (40 mM) concentration of KCl. Our results show that a 5-fold increase in Ca(2+) is required to induce DNA degradation at the physiological KCl concentration compared to the lower, apoptotic concentration of the cation. Ca(2+) -induced internucleosomal DNA degradation was also accompanied by the release of histones, however the apoptotic-specific phosphorylation of histone H2B does not occur in these isolated nuclei. Interestingly, physiological concentrations of K(+) inhibit both Ca(2+) -dependent DNA degradation and histone release suggesting that a reduction of intracellular K(+) is necessary for this apoptosis-associated nuclear degradation in cells. Together, these data define an inherent caspase-independent catabolic pathway in thymocyte nuclei that is sensitive to physiological concentrations of intracellular cations.
Regulation of leukocyte glass adherence and tube leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) reactivity by serum factors in dogs with progressing or spontaneously regressing canine transmissible venereal sarcoma (CTVS)

We examined the regulation of leukocyte glass adherence and tube leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) reactivity by serum factors in dogs with regressing or progressing canine transmissible venereal sarcomas (CTVS). Both regressor and progressor peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL), draining and nondraining lymph node cells (LNC), and splenic leukocytes were significantly responsive to CTVS antigen extract in tube LAI. In contrast, a significant decrease in basal glass adherence of progressor PBL, draining and nondraining LNC, and splenic leukocytes was observed. Normal glass adherence was restored to progressor leukocytes by extensive washing with warm serum-free media, while significant tube LAI responsiveness to CTVS antigen extract was maintained. Preincubation of regressor PBL and LNC with progressor sera in two-stage tube LAI decreased the basal glass adherence of treated leukocytes. This effect of progressor sera was heat labile, a characteristic of CTVS antigen. Collectively, these findings suggest that progessor leukocytes and progressor sera treated regressor leukocytes were activated by interaction with serum CTVS antigen and thus behaved in tube LAI as stimulated cells, even in the absence of CTVS antigen. Regressor but not progressor sera were shown to contain anti-CTVS IgG with specific arming activity for normal dog PBL, but not LNC in two-stage tube LAI. The nonadherent response of peripheral blood neutrophils in two-stage tube LAI was proportional to the concentration of arming IgG, whereas no change was observed in glass adherence of PBL. The results of this study define the role of progressor and regressor serum factors in the mechanism of tube LAI and demonstrate a relationship between leukocyte glass adherence and the clinical course of CTVS. These findings show that tube LAI is a simple and reproducible measure of active factors in the immune response to a tumor.
Entropy and the complexity of graphs: III. Graphs with prescribed information content

The connection between the adjacency matrix and the automorphisms of a digraph is used to develop a method for studying the automorphism group and, thus, the information content (Mowshowitz 1968a, b) of a digraph. An algorithm is given for constructing digraphs with zero information content, and the properties of such digraphs are examined. Moreover, an algorithm for computing the automorphism group of a digraph is presented and is used to find conditions which insure that two digraphs have the same information content. This algorithm is further used to determine the information content of digraphs whose adjacency matrices have prescribed properties.
Hiding behavior in domestic goat kids

Abstract This study assessed hiding behavior of domestic goat newborns when presented with appropriate hiding sites. The results indicate that hiding behavior in domestic goats has not been lost due to domestication. Newborn kids moved away from their mother and birth site 15–26 h after parturition, and secluded themselves from conspecifics for 4–7 days following birth. Mothers participated in the process by not attempting to induce following, by rejoining the adult herd group, and by maintaining a considerable distance from their young. Mothers were primarily responsible for determining the daily activity pattern and suckling frequency of their young. Kids were primarily responsible for choosing hiding sites, and achieving physical proximity to their dams at mother-infant reunions. These results demonstrate the importance of the active role of the domestic goat kid to the development of the mother-infant relationship.
Undergraduate political communication in action: volunteer experiences in a situated learning course

In many college classes, students spend their time learning about the theories from the linear logic of a textbook. However, true learning occurs when these theories are integrated with hands‐on authentic experiences. Situated learning courses are designed to bridge the gap between the theoretical and the authentic. Students apply classroom material to their experiences and bring their experiences to the classroom discussion. Professors help to make connections between the two. In this paper, I present an example of a situated learning course in political communication that places students as volunteers within a local mayoral campaign.
The impact of country risk ratings on U.S. firms in large cross-border acquisitions

Abstract This study investigates the impact of country risk ratings on the wealth gains to large U.S. bidders involved in cross-border acquisitions. The findings indicate that U.S. bidders experience positive wealth gains during the merger announcements, though this is concentrated in transactions involving European targets. There are also differences in wealth gains to bidders with respect to industry classification and location of foreign targets. The country risk factors including economic, political, and financial risk ratings all play a significant role in explaining the wealth gains to bidders. Furthermore, the wealth gains are higher for the firms with acquisitions in developed countries and are significantly related to GNP growth rate.
STABILITY AND AXIAL RATIOS OF VARIOUS CLOSE-PACKED STRUCTURES.

Abstract The structural energy of various close-packed phases has been analysed using the method of the interactions between pairs of close-packed planes first formulated by Blandin, Friedel and Saada .( 1 Using this method we explain a correlation between the structure and the deviation of its axial-ratio from ideality, which exists in the rare-earths and in one or two other cases. We also discuss the conditions for the appearance of complex phases such as the d.h.c.p. and Sm structures.
Management of brain metastases from ovarian and endometrial carcinoma with stereotactic radiosurgery.

BACKGROUND Metastases to the brain from ovarian and endometrial carcinoma are uncommon and to the authors' knowledge consensus regarding optimal management is lacking. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has proven useful for the treatment of many benign and malignant brain tumors. In the current study, the authors evaluated outcomes after SRS in patients with ovarian and endometrial carcinoma. METHODS Twenty-seven patients with brain metastases underwent gamma–knife SRS. Six patients had endometrial carcinoma, whereas 21 patients had ovarian carcinoma. Eighteen patients also received whole–brain radiotherapy. A total of 68 tumors were treated with gamma–knife SRS. RESULTS At the time of last follow–up, 1 patient was still alive and 26 had died. The median survival was 7 months after the initial diagnosis of brain metastasis and 5 months after SRS. The 1-year survival rate after radiosurgery was 15% and that from the diagnosis of brain metastases was 22%. On final imaging, all tumors were controlled without further growth. Two patients (7.4%) developed new or progressive neurologic deficits after SRS. CONCLUSIONS SRS is an acceptable choice for the treatment of brain metastases resulting from ovarian and endometrial carcinoma, and provides local tumor control with limited morbidity. Careful patient selection is warranted in the setting of patients with uncontrolled systemic disease in whom a limited survival benefit is expected. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
Insights into the Molecular Mechanisms of Temperature Compensation from the Drosophila Period and Timeless Mutants

The relative constancy of the circadian period over a wide range of temperatures is a general property of circadian rhythms. Insights into the molecular mechanisms of temperature compensation are emerging from genetic and molecular genetic studies of the period (per) and timeless (tim) genes in Drosophila. These genes encode proteins that are thought to be part of a negative feedback cycle, which results in circadian oscillations of both per and tim mRNA, as well as a complex of the two proteins. Complex formation is temporally regulated and apparently necessary for nuclear localization of both per and tim proteins. While insights into the roles of per and tim in temperature compensation have been intriguing, they have also been somewhat perplexing. For instance, the interaction of wild-type per peptides is relatively insensitive to temperature in the yeast two-hybrid assay or in assays employing in-vitro-translated peptides, while the interaction of perL mutant peptides is reduced at a high temperature. ...
Evidence? For What?.

(1994). Evidence? For what? Western Journal of Communication: Vol. 58, The Dialogue of Evidence: A Topic Revisited, pp. 11-19.
Atypical cortical connectivity and visuospatial cognitive impairments are related in children with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome

Chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is one of the most common genetic causes of cognitive impairment and developmental disability yet little is known about the neural bases of those challenges. Here we expand upon our previous neurocognitive studies by specifically investigating the hypothesis that changes in neural connectivity relate to cognitive impairment in children with the disorder. Whole brain analyses of multiple measures computed from diffusion tensor image data acquired from the brains of children with the disorder and typically developing controls. We also correlated diffusion tensor data with performance on a visuospatial cognitive task that taps spatial attention. Analyses revealed four common clusters, in the parietal and frontal lobes, that showed complementary patterns of connectivity in children with the deletion and typical controls. We interpreted these results as indicating differences in connective complexity to adjoining cortical regions that are critical to the cognitive functions in which affected children show impairments. Strong, and similarly opposing patterns of correlations between diffusion values in those clusters and spatial attention performance measures considerably strengthened that interpretation. Our results suggest that atypical development of connective patterns in the brains of children with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome indicate a neuropathology that is related to the visuospatial cognitive impairments that are commonly found in affected individuals.
Time-varying system characterization for wideband input signals

Abstract Wavelet and group theoretic Fourier transforms are powerful tools for characterizing time-varying linear systems and propagation channels for wideband input signals. It is shown that for such systems and channels, the usual impulse response and transfer function characterizations are invalid. We derive a valid representation for the effects of a time-varying channel on a wideband signal. It is shown that the continuous wavelet transform of the output signal with respect to the input signal provides the correct system characterization. The necessary background for this important application of continuous wavelet transforms and group Fourier transforms is developed.
Phenyl(trimethylsilyl)ketene. Some ketene reactions with diazomethane

Abstract Phenyl(trimethylsilyl)ketene was prepared by the zinc dehalogenation of phenyl(trimethylsilyl)bromoacetyl chloride. This ketene parallels tirmethylsilylketene in stabibility and lack of reactivity in cycloaddition reactions. The reaction of phenyl(ethyl)-, phenyl(trimethylsilyl)- and trimethylsilylketenes with diazomethane at −78°C is described. Only the 2 1 cycloadducts, the cyclobutanones, could be isolated.
Prevention of excess gain.

Obesity prevention trials are designed to promote healthy weight. The success of these trials is often assessed using one of three metrics—means, incidence or prevalence. In this study, we point out conceptual shortcomings of these metrics and introduce an alternative that we call ‘excess gain’. A mathematical demonstration using simulated data shows a scenario in which the statistical power of excess gain compares favorably with that of incidence and prevalence. Prevention of excess gain communicates an easily understood public health message that is applicable to all individuals regardless of weight status.
Alignment algorithms for the Thirty Meter Telescope

A variety of algorithms utilized in the alignment of segmented telescopes were developed for and implemented on the Keck telescopes in the 1990s. The algorithms associated with the Keck segmented primary mirrors are very similar to those that will be used for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT). However, there are alignment or related wavefront measurement tasks associated with the TMT secondary and tertiary mirrors for which the corresponding Keck algorithms either did not exist or are not adequate for TMT. We discuss two particular algorithms associated with the TMT secondary and tertiary mirrors.
Precipitous decline and conservation of Slackwater Darter ( Etheostoma boschungi ) in tributaries of the Tennessee River, Tennessee and Alabama

Etheostoma boschungi (Slackwater Darter) is a migratory fish species endemic to tributaries of the Tennessee River. Although the distribution of this species was historically disjunct and limited, current data suggest that the species is suffering a decline in both distribution and abundance, resulting in critically low population levels. Data collected over a 10-year period demonstrate an approximate 45 % distributional decline relative a previous survey. In addition, numbers of individuals collected at breeding sites has also declined during this time period. Detectability for sites with repeated sampling effort suggest that even where the species persists, it may be in numbers too low for detection with just one effort. Factors affecting persistence of Slackwater Darters may include passage barriers, such as culverts and loss of connectivity to flooded breeding sites due to channel incision, but data on the effects of these environmental factors are largely lacking.
Identification of likelihood and prior dependence structures for hydrologic uncertainty processor

Abstract A multivariate hydrologic uncertainty processor (HUP) is required by the Bayesian forecasting system that will produce a short-term probabilistic stage transition forecast. The HUP must supply a family of posterior joint distributions of the actual river stage process, conditional on the model river stage process. A posterior joint distribution can be factorized into posterior one-step transition distributions, each of which being obtained via Bayes theorem from a likelihood function and a prior distribution. A systematic procedure is presented for identifying the dependence structure of the model–actual river stage process. The procedure seeks to reduce the conditioning of the likelihood functions and the prior distributions to the smallest dimension that is necessary to capture the empirical dependence structures. Tests for removing extraneous variates are derived following the Bayesian inference principle. For the likelihood functions, there are tests for causal, acausal, instantaneous, and conditional Markov dependence. For the prior distributions, there is a test for conditional Markov dependence. The identification procedure is applied to daily river stage processes at four forecast points. The main conclusion is twofold. First, the HUP must have a two-branch structure that allows for (i) the conditioning on the occurrence or nonoccurrence of precipitation and (ii) the nonstationarity of both the prior distributions and the likelihood functions. Second, in each of the branches, (i) the first-order Markov dependence structure is sufficient for modeling the prior one-step transition distributions, and (ii) the second-order conditional dependence structure is sufficient for modeling the likelihood functions.
Prevention of organophosphate intoxication with presynaptic cholinergic blockers

In Vivo cardiovascular neuromuscular preparation of rats was used to study the prophylaxis and mechanism of diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) intoxication by presynaptic cholinolytic agents (ganglionic blocking agents), including hexamethonium, trimethaphan and mecamylamine. The lethal action of DFP was partially or completely prevented by pretreatment of rats with hexamethonium (10 mg/kg), trimethaphan (80 mg/kg) and mecamylamine (30 mg/kg). Combined use of these drugs with 2-PAM (100 mg/kg) improved further the prophylaxis of DFP lethality. The mechanism of prophylaxis could be due to the reduction of acetylcholine turnover and accumulation at the synaptic cleft as hemicholinium prevented the DFP intoxication efficiently. In all cases, DFP caused cardiovascular suppression before neuromuscular blockade indicating that the cardiovascular system is much more sensitive than the neuromuscular junction to DFP intoxication.
PREDICTION OF BOUNDARY-LAYER FLOW SEPARATION IN V/STOL ENGINE INLETS

The paper provides a theoretical description of the development of the boundary layer on the lip and diffuser surface of a subsonic inlet at arbitrary operating conditions of mass flow rate, freestream velocity, and incident angle. Both laminar separation on the lip and turbulent separation in the diffuser are discussed. The agreement of the theoretical results with model experimental data illustrates the capability of the theory to predict separation location. The effects of throat Mach number, inlet size, and surface roughness on boundary-layer development and separation are illustrated.
Prospective changes in body image dissatisfaction among adolescent bariatric patients: the importance of body size estimation

Abstract Background Body image dissatisfaction (BID) is pervasive among patients presenting for bariatric surgery but improves significantly postoperatively. These findings have been determined primarily from studies of adults. The objective of the present study was to examine the changes in BID among adolescents with extreme obesity from baseline/preoperatively to 6 and 12 months after receiving bariatric surgery at a pediatric medical center using body size estimation. Methods BID was prospectively assessed among 16 adolescent bariatric patients (mean age 16.3 ± 1.2 years, mean body mass index [BMI] 66.2 ± 12.0, 67% female) using a standard visual/perceptual measure (i.e., Stunkard Figure Rating Scale). Participants identified their current and ideal body size, with a discrepancy score (current minus ideal) indicating BID. The body size estimation ratings were compared with attitudinal (i.e., Impact of Weight on Quality Of Life–Kids: Body Esteem and Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents: Physical Appearance) body image scores, BMI, and total weight-related quality of life. Results A significant reduction occurred in the current body size (from 7.9 to 6.4, P r = −.68), with a trend toward significance for body esteem ( r = −.65) at 12 months. Conclusion Adolescents undergoing bariatric surgery experience a significantly decreased BID within the first 12 months after surgery, with the most substantial change occurring from baseline to 6 months. The postoperative weight-related quality of life is more closely associated with the body size discrepancy than with the current body size.
Plaques and tangles in Alzheimer's Disease: Cause, consequence or epiphenomenon?

Plaques, tangles and amyloid are characteristic of Alzheimer's Disease. Study of the composition and origin of these proteins will be of value in determining the etiology and pathogenesis of AD if they are causally related to the neural damage, but of uncertain usefulness if they are merely secondary epiphenomena.
Effect of gadolinium substitution on the linear thermal expansion of barium sodium niobate

Abstract Ba2NaNb5O15 (BSN) exhibits a large thermal contraction in its c-axis between 350° and 750°C. This behaviour contributes to a serious cracking problem during its crystal growth. The substitutions of Gd for Ba and/or Na in BSN can be made with either anion or cation compensation. The former, namely, type A, compositions were found to eliminate the thermal contraction behaviors, and had small variations in their linear thermal expansion coefficients, α, between 50° and 650°C. With good ferroelectric and dielectric properties, they showed potentials to replace the BSN crystal in electro-optic devices.
Constant-False-Alarm-Rate Signal Processors for Several Types of Interference

Distribution-free methods and maximum-likelihood estimation technique have been previously suggested for constant-false-alarm-rate (CFAR) processors. The first technique assumes no a priori environmental knowledge and the second assumes almost complete environmental knowledge. Several intermediate environmental assumptions are considered. The performance of single-pulse transmission signal processors that produce CFAR for the different environments is analyzed. Probability of target detection is evaluated for Rayleigh interference and Swerling I target. It is shown that adaptive threshold techniques implemented by logarithmic amplifiers, instead of linear amplifiers, can attain better false-alarm-rate control with only small loss in target detectability.
Current management of appendicitis

Appendicitis is the most common surgical disease of the abdomen in children. Pediatric appendicitis varies considerably in its clinical presentation, contributing to delay in diagnosis and increased morbidity. The methods of diagnosis and treatment of appendicitis also vary significantly among clinicians and medical centers according to the patient's clinical status, the medical center's capabilities, and the physician's experience and technical expertise. Recent trends include the increased use of radiologic imaging, minimally invasive and nonoperative treatments, shorter hospital stays, and home antibiotic therapy. Little consensus exists regarding many aspects of the care of the child with complicated appendicitis. This article examines the most debated aspects of the diagnosis and management of the diseased pediatric appendix.
The role of context in metaphor comprehension

Abstract The effect of three primes which facilitated metaphor comprehension in a study by P. Gildea and S. Glucksberg ( Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior , 22 , 577–590, 1983) was investigated in three experiments. When primes were embedded in a passage context, they affected neither the comprehensibility nor the reading times of the following metaphors. In contrast to Gildea and Glucksberg's findings, some primes interfered with metaphor comprehension when the word prime alone was presented. The primes affected comprehension of literal and metaphorical sentences in a similar manner. This evidence suggests that comprehension processes that integrate a sentence with the preceding context for both metaphorical and literal materials may be very similar. A model of that process is presented and a possible explanation for the discrepancy between Gildea and Glucksberg's and our findings is suggested.
Time-Optimal Control of a Bounded Phase-Coordinate Process II: High-Order Systems with Multiple Control Inputs

This paper considers the problem arising from the design of an autopilot for a large booster. The motion-controlling actuators of the booster have both position and rate limits. The problem is formulated as a bounded phase-coordinate problem and analyzed by the ``backing out of the target'' procedure. A method of constructing the optimal control is presented. An example of an oscillatory system with two control inputs is given, and the optimal control is expressed as an explicit time function.
Using information systems as a basis for teaching accounting

Abstract This paper describes how Brigham Young University reorganized the way it teaches financial, managerial, auditing, tax, law, and information systems (the accounting core). It discusses why information systems (IS) is the first topic taught, why it is a central focus throughout the core, and how teaching the functional areas of accounting is integrated. The paper discusses the results of a survey of core students. The survey shows that studying systems first helped these students integrate IS and accounting concepts, understand the underlying accounting framework, and understand other areas of accounting. Integrating systems with other subjects helped the students understand the role of systems in accounting and how systems relates to other accounting areas. Survey results show systems concepts can be taught in an intensive manner without reducing the level of coverage or affecting student comprehension. Finally, the results show professors can receive high teacher evaluations in systems courses and students can have both a quality and an enjoyable learning experience.
Formation of C n Molecules in Oxygen-rich Interiors of Type II Supernovae

Two reaction-rate-based kinetic models for condensation of carbon dust via the growth of precursor linear carbon chains are currently under debate: the first involves the formation of C2 molecules via radiative association of free C atoms, and the second forms C2 molecules by the endoergic reaction CO + C → C2 + O. Both are followed by C captures until the linear chain eventually makes an isomeric transition to ringed carbon on which rapid growth of graphite may occur. These two approaches give vastly different results. Because of the high importance of condensable carbon for current problems in astronomy, we study these competing claims with an intentionally limited reaction rate network which clearly shows that initiation by C + C → C2 + γ is the dominant pathway to carbon rings. We propose an explanation for why the second pathway is not nearly as effective as its proponents calculated it to be.
Does emotional support during the luteal phase decrease the stress of in vitro fertilization

Objective To determine if phone calls between ET and pregnancy test, decrease stress levels as determined by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Design Randomized controlled trial. Setting Academic medical center. Patient(s) Women undergoing a first fresh cycle of assisted reproductive technology using autologous oocytes with a day 2 or 3 ET. Intervention(s) Phone calls from specialized social workers or standard of care. Main Outcome Measure(s) Primary outcome was the change in PSS score from day of ET compared with 10 days after ET; secondary outcome was perceived patient benefit. Result(s) A total of 131 patients were randomized to the intervention (n = 66) or control (n = 65) group. No differences were seen in the final PSS score or the change in PSS score between groups. At the completion of the study, the intervention group was more likely to report that participating in this study was helpful (65.9% vs. 21.4%), as well as to recommend emotional support during an IVF cycle (95.4% vs. 78.6%). Conclusion(s) Although we observed no significant change in PSS score, first-cycle IVF patients felt that increased emotional support was needed during the waiting period between ET and pregnancy test. Additional research should be conducted to determine the best interventions for this time period.
Recovery study of negative bias temperature instability

In this work, we report a study of negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) recovery in high-k/metal-gate p-channel field effect transistors (pFETs) with different interfaces. New results on the dependence of recovery on interface, stressing voltage (V"s), stressing temperature and stressing time (t"s) are shown.
Prediction of Network Anomaly Detection through Statistical Analysis

Homeland security concerns continue to grow; protecting the network infrastructure remains a vital priority for government organizations as well as their private sector partners. In this paper we will focus on one-at-a-time Network Intrusion detection. Our goal is to build a Network Intrusion detection model through statistical analysis. We examined TCP/IP packet headers anomalies to predict if an intrusion is occurring or not. This approach, in turn, will provide the model that predicts the number of intrusions by maximizing the true positives ratio (real intrusions) while keeping the false positives (false alarm) ratio small. The resulting model will detect future intrusions more effectively and to protect the valuable network resources at large. The outcome of this research is validated through statistical measures such as model chi-square, its model significance (P-value), and overall model fitness. It can also be verified through ROC curves.
Disintegration, New Consciousness, and Discontinuous Transformation: A Qualitative Investigation of Quantum Change

In the history of psychology, some discontinuous forms of transformation have been overlooked due to conventional theory and research methods that generally focus on continuous, linear change. Following contributions from William James and humanistic emphasis on peak experiences and growth, contemporary psychologists have recently examined transformation following trauma in the form of posttraumatic growth. Given that the qualities of insightful, life-altering experiences are particularly important to contemporary psychology, this study examined experiences of discontinuous transformation using qualitative methods. Prior to transformation, the participants' understandings of self and world were disintegrating due to stress, relationship struggles, hopelessness, losing control/holding on, and psychological turmoil. The participants described responding toward new consciousness and were often supported by the presence of a trusted other. These results have important implications for psychological theory and...
Environmental review of geyser basins: resources, scarcity, threats, and benefits

The world’s geysers are known for providing one of nature’s most unusual water spectacles, with most sending water upwards of about 3 m, but a few “grand” or tall geysers erupt to heights of 60 m o...
Scaling of stack effect and its application for leakage reduction

Technology scaling demands a decrease in both V/sub dd/ and V/sub t/ to sustain historical delay reduction, while restraining active power dissipation. Scaling of V/sub t/ however leads to substantial increase in the sub-threshold leakage power and is expected to become a considerable constituent of the total dissipated power. It has been observed that the stacking of two off devices has smaller leakage current than one off device. In this paper we present a model that predicts the scaling nature of this leakage reduction effect. Device measurements are presented to prove the model's accuracy. Use of stack effect for leakage reduction and other implications of this effect are discussed.
The use of isozyme characters in systematic studies of turtles: preliminary data for Australian Chelids

In this study we explore how various treatments of a small isozyme data set may be used to generate phylogenetic hypotheses for comparison with the results of allozyme analysis involving some of the same taxa. The isozyme data were collected from various tissue samples representing eight species of four genera of Australian chelid turtles: Chelodina, Elseya, Elusor, and Emydura. Treatments of the allozyme components of these data employed a chord distance in a Distance Wagner analysis and particulate characters (‘‘locus-as-character’’) for a Wagner parsimony analysis. Treatments of a tissue expression data set included coding as presence—absent in a given tissue and as tissue arrays; a maximum parsimony analysis was used for both coded data sets. The resultant phylogenetic hypotheses were then compared with the current hypotheses of relationships among these turtles arising from morphological data as well as an independent and much larger allozyme data set. Our results support the conclusions of previous studies that the genus Elseya is polyphyletic. However the schema as to which species-level taxa in this genus are allied to the other chelid genera vary in our study with type of data and their encoding method. The relationship of Elseya dentata to other chelid turtles varied considerably with respect to di⁄erent data sets and di⁄erent means of coding and analysis. ( 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Value of the Sagittal Abdominal Diameter in Coronary Heart Disease Risk Assessment: Cohort Study in a Large, Multiethnic Population

Whether visceral obesity predicts coronary heart disease (CHD) risk above and beyond overall fatness remains unsettled. Moreover, whether the association between visceral obesity and CHD risk differs by sex, age, race, and overall fatness is poorly understood. The authors conducted a cohort study among 101,765 adult members of Kaiser Permanente of Northern California who underwent multiphasic health checkups between 1965 and 1970. After a median of 12 years and adjustment for age, race, body mass index (BMI), educational level, smoking, alcohol consumption, and hormone replacement therapy (in women), the upper quartile of standing sagittal abdominal diameter, relative to the lowest quartile, was associated with a 1.42-fold increased hazard of CHD in men (95% confidence interval: 1.30, 1.55) and a 1.44-fold increased hazard of CHD in women (95% confidence interval: 1.30, 1.59). Further adjustment for metabolic mediators attenuated the association minimally. Standing sagittal abdominal diameter was a consistent predictor of CHD across racial groups but was more strongly associated with CHD in the younger age group. Joint consideration of BMI/standing sagittal abdominal diameter categories better discriminated risk of CHD compared with use of BMI alone. In conclusion, standing sagittal abdominal diameter was a strong predictor of CHD independently of BMI and added incremental CHD risk prediction at each level of BMI.
SYNTHESIS OF PLANAR, SHAPE-CHANGING RIGID BODY MECHANISMS APPROXIMATING CLOSED CURVES

This paper presents a procedure to synthesize planar linkages, composed of rigid links and revolute joints, that are capable of approximating a shape change defined by a set of closed curves possessing similar arc lengths. The synthesis approach is more rigorous and more broadly applicable to dramatic changes between larger numbers of shapes than existing techniques that employ graphical methods. Link geometry is determined through an existing procedure, and those links are then joined together in a chain using numerical optimization to minimize the error in approximating the shape change. Binary links are added to this chain via a search of the design space such that actuated links can be driven monotonically to exact the shape change. The focus is single-degree-of-freedom (DOF) mechanisms that approximate closed curves, but the methodology is similarly applicable to generating mechanisms approximating sets of open curves and multi-DOF systems. The procedure is applied to synthesize an example mechanism that changes between circular, elliptical, and teardrop shapes as inspired by an aerodynamic flow field modification application.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Blackbody Simulators For Space Platforms

A new type of blackbody simulator design is described that is based on the principle that the projected solid angle of the aperture is constant when viewed from all points on the cavity wall surface. This design provides compact blackbody simulators with excellent spatial uniformity, and they are especially well suited for the calibration of space platform infrared detector arrays.
Bureaucratic Determinants of Foreign Policy: Some Empirical Evidence

A recent development in the study of foreign policy is the growing attention being given to bureaucratic politics explanations of national foreign policy behavior.' In fact, it would be no exaggeration to characterize the bureaucratic politics approach or bureaucratic paradigm as a major research thrust in contemporary international relations theory. Foreign policy behavior, the bureaucratic perspective contends, can be accounted for best in terms of the bargaining dynamics among representatives of large-scale organizations. More specifically, the approach assumes that a nation's behavior is derived primarily from the organizations and individuals comprising the foreign policy elite who act to maximize their diverse interests and goals; thus, rather than interpreting national actions as reactions to foreign stimuli or systemic factors (Singer, 1961), advocates of the bureaucratic politics paradigm view foreign policy behavior as the consequence of decision-makers' efforts to enhance their parochial interests. Thus a researcher adopting this approach would agree with Kissinger's view "that if one wants to understand what the government is likely to do, one has to understand the bureaucratics of the problems" (Kissinger, 1973: 84). Such an explanatory framework analyzes a particular nation's foreign policy by "holding constant" domestic politics and international contextual variables as sources of national behavior and by concentrating instead on the activities of those individuals responsible for formulating the external policies of the nation. According to this perspective foreign policy decisions are not made; rather policy develops as the outcomes of bureaucratic interaction. Participating bureaucrats act to protect their personal and organizational interests, and identify national interests with these interests. Popularized by Graham Allison, the bureaucratic paradigm's influence on international relations theory can be assessed as well by the emergence of numerous critiques of that approach (Allison, 1971; Art, 1973; Allison and Halperin, 1972; Halperin and Kanter, 1973; Krasner, 1972). In short, the objectives of the present study are (1) to confront a major analytic framework with data in order to estimate its ability to explain the external behavior of nations, (2) to develop several prescriptions concerning appropriate research strategies for the construction of positive foreign policy theory, and (3) to raise some methodological questions regarding the use of event/interaction data in comparative foreign policy research.
S-ORAM: a segmentation-based oblivious RAM

As outsourcing data to remote storage servers gets popular, protecting user's pattern in accessing these data has become a big concern. ORAM constructions are promising solutions to this issue, but their application in practice has been impeded by the high communication and storage overheads incurred. Towards addressing this challenge, this paper proposes a segmentation-based ORAM (S-ORAM). It adopts two segment-based techniques, namely, piece-wise shuffling and segment-based query, to improve the performance of shuffling and query by factoring block size into design. Extensive security analysis proves that S-ORAM is a highly secure solution with a negligible failure probability of O(N-log N). In terms of communication and storage overheads, S-ORAM outperforms the Balanced ORAM (B-ORAM) and the Path ORAM (P-ORAM), which are the state-of-the-art hash and index based ORAMs respectively, in both practical and theoretical evaluations. Particularly under practical settings, the communication overhead of S-ORAM is 12 to 23 times less than B-ORAM when they have the same constant-size user-side storage, and S-ORAM consumes 80% less server-side storage and around 60% to 72% less bandwidth than P-ORAM when they have the similar logarithmic-size user-side storage.
Content and relationship dimensions of communication in decision‐making groups

This study attempts to further inquiry into the content and relationship dimensions of communicative behaviors. Analyses of relational interaction patterns of five groups (previously divided into four decision‐making phases by content interaction analyses] were submitted to Markov data analyses testing for order, homogeneity and stationarity. These results were then compared with conclusions drawn from an earlier study which hypothesized five plausible correlations of content and relationship functions performed by interaction patterning. Most of the earlier hypotheses proved to be consistent with the present data analysis, while others were not. An additional correlation of the content and relationship dimensions of communicative behaviors is also suggested for the context of group decision making.
DETERMINANTS OF SEED REMOVAL DISTANCE BY SCATTER-HOARDING RODENTS IN DECIDUOUS FORESTS

Scatter-hoarding rodents should space food caches to maximize cache recovery rate (to minimize loss to pilferers) relative to the energetic cost of carrying food items greater distances. Optimization models of cache spacing make two predictions. First, spacing of caches should be greater for food items with greater energy content. Second, the mean distance between caches should increase with food abundance. However, the latter prediction fails to account for the effect of food abundance on the behavior of potential pilferers or on the ability of caching individuals to acquire food by means other than recovering their own caches. When considering these factors, shorter cache distances may be predicted in conditions of higher food abundance. We predicted that seed caching distances would be greater for food items of higher energy content and during lower ambient food abundance and that the effect of seed type on cache distance variation would be lower during higher food abundance. We recorded distances moved for 8636 seeds of five seed types at 15 locations in three forested sites in Pennsylvania, USA, and 29 forest fragments in Indiana, USA, across five different years. Seed production was poor in three years and high in two years. Consistent with previous studies, seeds with greater energy content were moved farther than less profitable food items. Seeds were dispersed less far in seed-rich years than in seed-poor years, contrary to predictions of conventional models. Interactions were important, with seed type effects more evident in seed-poor years. These results suggest that, when food is superabundant, optimal cache distances are more strongly determined by minimizing energy cost of caching than by minimizing pilfering rates and that cache loss rates may be more strongly density-dependent in times of low seed abundance.
Relationship Between Obesity, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Fluid Otorrhea

Objectives/Hypothesis: To investigate the relationship between obesity, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) otorrhea. Study Design: Retrospective review of patients presenting with the diagnosis of CSF otorrhea during a 15-year period to a tertiary care medical center. Methods: Patient records were reviewed and the following data were extracted: age, sex, height, weight, past medical/surgical history, laterality of otorrhea, findings at operation, and method of repair. Otorrhea was considered spontaneous in the absence of trauma, otologic surgery, infection, and neoplasm. Results: Of the 29 adult patients identified, 14 patients presented with CSF otorrhea that was spontaneous in nature. The average body mass index among these patients was 35.2 ± 8, which was higher than the average in the nonspontaneous group, 28.5 ± 5 (P = .01). Diagnoses of OSA were also more common in the spontaneous group (n = 4) compared with the nonspontaneous group (n = 0). One case of bilateral spontaneous CSF leaks was recorded. The majority of patients were repaired with hydroxyapatite cement through a transmastoid approach. There were no recurrences. Conclusions: In this series, patients with spontaneous CSF otorrhea were more likely to be severely and morbidly obese than were patients with nonspontaneous otorrhea. OSA was also more common in these patients. The findings from this study support an association between obesity and spontaneous CSF leaks. Patients presenting with spontaneous CSF otorrhea should therefore be screened for OSA and signs of increased intracranial pressure.