cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A divide and conquer algorithm for d-dimensional arrangement

We give an O(√log n)-approximation algorithm for d-dimensional arrangement - the problem of mapping a graph to a d-dimensional grid (for constant d ≥ 2) to minimize the sum of edge lengths. This improves the previous best O(log n log log n) approximation of Even, Naor, Rao and Schieber. The d = 1 case is the well studied Minimum Linear Arrangement problem. The problem is equivalent to the question of mapping a graph to integer points on a line so as to minimize the sum of edge costs, where edge costs are measured by edge lengths raised to the exponent α = 1/d. We give a simple recursive partitioning algorithm for this variant of linear arrangement for any exponent α e (0, 1). Our analysis also applies to a directed version of the problem: given a directed graph, the goal is to map vertices to the line so as to minimize the sum of costs of forward edges. As before, edge costs are edge lengths raised to the exponent α. The α = 0 case is the well known Minimum Feedback Arc Set problem, and the α = 1 case is essentially the Minimum Storage-Time Product problem. We analyze an extremely simple divide and conquer algorithm that uses a balanced cut subroutine with approximation ratio β to recursively partition the graph. Our analysis shows that this approach gives an approximation ratio of O(β) for the minimum linear arrangement problem with exponent α for any fixed α e (0, 1).
Catalytic hydrodenitrogenation of an SRC-II coal liquid: effect of nucleophiles and acids

Abstract The effect of adding nucleophiles and acids on the hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) of an SRC-II coal liquid with a sulphided CoMo catalyst was investigated. Of the nucleophiles, H 2 S provided the greatest HDN enhancement, in the order H 2 S > H 2 O > − HS > NH 3 . The addition of H 2 O caused no enhancement, whereas NH 3 retarded all activity. The effect of H 2 S was found to be more pronounced when used with a CoMo catalyst than with a NiMo catalyst. Acids were found to enhance HDN in direct relationship to the pK a of the additives. The HDN products of the SRC-II liquid were analysed using field ionization mass spectrometry and were found to have differences in the nitrogen containing groups consistent with the effects of the additive.
Discriminative training using non-uniform criteria for keyword spotting on spontaneous speech

In this work, we formulate the problem of keyword spotting as a non-uniform error automatic speech recognition (ASR) problem and propose a model training methodology based on the non-uniform minimum classification error (MCE) approach. The main idea is to adapt the fundamental MCE criteria to reflect the cost-sensitive notion in that errors on keywords are much more significant than errors on non-keywords in an automatic speech recognition task. The notion of cost sensitivity leads to emphasis of keyword models in parameter optimization. Then we present a system which takes advantage of the weighted finite-state transducer (WFST) framework to efficiently implement the non-uniform MCE. To enhance the approach of non-uniform error cost minimization for keyword spotting, we further formulate a technique called "adaptive boosted non-uniform MCE" which incorporates the idea of boosting. We validate the proposed framework on two challenging large-scale spontaneous conversational telephone speech (CTS) datasets in two different languages (English and Mandarin). Experimental results show our framework can achieve consistent and significant spotting performance gains over both the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) baseline and conventional discriminatively-trained systems with uniform error cost.
Speech-Aware Multimedia

Computer users have long desired a personal software agent that could execute verbal commands. Today's World Wide Web (WWW or Web), with its point and click hypertext interface, makes a tremendous amount of information readily available online. A speech interface would make the Web even more powerful, allowing us to access information by surfing the Web by voice. TI have developed Speech Aware Multimedia (SAM) with this in mind, to make information on the Web more accessible and useful. They combined an innovative speech recognition engine with the Web to let anyone browse arbitrary Web pages using only speech as the input medium. Speech brings added flexibility and power to the classical Web interface and makes information access more natural. Today's speech recognition capability is well matched to Web browsing. The Web page provides a natural, well defined context for a speech recognition application. The recognition engine does not need to recognize any and all possible phrases, but only those phrases pertaining to the specific page in view at the moment. This context imposes limits that significantly aid recognition performance. Furthermore, the visual information on a page prompts the user on what to request and how to request it by voice.
Black Women in Nursing Education Completion Programs: Issues Affecting Participation.

The purpose of this study was to explain factors that encouraged and discouraged the participation of Black women in RN completion programs. A qualitative design and a Black feminist theoretical framework guided the study. Ten Black women were interviewed: 7 attended RN completion programs, and 3 were recent graduates. Factors that encouraged the participation of Black women can be grouped into two areas: intrapersonal and cultural factors. Factors that discouraged participation of the Black women in the study can be grouped into two areas: the experience of being the "other" and the culture of racism. The study concludes that Black women in RN completion programs are constantly aware of themselves as the "other" in the classroom as well as in practice and that individual and institutional racism is a barrier in RN completion programs.
Subtleties of structure and bonding in Ta−S−Se and Ta−Nb−S solid solutions

Substitution of selenium by sulfur and tantalum by niobium into the 1 x [Ta 5 Ta] chains characteristic of Ta 3 S 2 and Ta 2 S is attempted in an effort to understand the structural diversity of a metal-rich chalcogenides. Neither Ta 2 S nor Ta 3 S 2 incorporates a significant amount of selenium, while Ta 2 Se-like structures are found to persist in Ta 2 S 1−x Se x for 0.2≤x≤1.0, a and c progressively increasing with x . The Ta 2 Se-like structure is stable to annealing at temperatures ≥1000°C for 0.5≤ x ≤1.0, and compositions with x ≤0.5 disproportionate to Ta 3 S 2 , Ta 6 S, and Ta 1− x Se 2 on annealing. Both our work and research completed in Franzen's laboratories show that niobium substitution into the 1 x [Ta 5 Ta] chains does not occur to any large extent, instead layered Ta 2 Se-like structures ( M 4 S 2 and M 5 S 2 ) are stabilized. At the composition Ta 2− x Nb x S ( x =0.6) as-cast samples are virtually single phase, adopting a Ta 2 Se-like structure. A single crystal structure determination for a crystal with composition Ta 1.4 Nb 0.6 S was carried out: space group P 4/ nmm (No. 129), a =3.339(1), c =9.089(7) A, V =101.33(9) A 3 , Z =2. While electronic structure calculations nicely rationalize the metal-metal bonding in any of these structures, the ability to predict which structures will be stabilized for which systems remains out of reach.
The Significance of the Armenian Genocide after Ninety Years

Each genocide provides a foundation for subsequent horrors. Each historical misrepresentation of efforts to exterminate a particular ethnic group increases the likelihood that such efforts will be undertaken again in another time and place. That over one million Armenian men, women, and children could have been subjected to genocide by the Young Turk government in 1915 and that the world for many years would not remember is profoundly disturbing. Not to remember the suffering of the victims is, above all, a failure of humanity and compassion on our part—a lack of respect and care for fellow humans who have fallen victim to the ultimate outrage against justice, the death of a people. We do not ordinarily think of the dead as having rights, but there is at least one they possess: the right to have the world ‘‘hear and learn the truth about the circumstances of their death.’’ This is the one right that, ninety years later, can still be restored to them, and surely we can do no less. But genocide is not only a crime against a particular people; it is also a crime against humankind. Its inherent potential is to distort and alter the very meaning of ‘‘humankind,’’ erasing for all time particular biological and cultural possibilities. Furthermore, for a particular group to claim for itself a right to determine what groups are, in effect, human, possessing the right to life, is a threat to the existence of all other humans. In a period in which genocide has claimed an enormous number of victims, with no end to the carnage in sight, the prevention of future acts of genocide becomes a task for all human beings and governments throughout the world. Yet without remembrance of past examples of genocide, there will be no sense of urgency in the present, no perceived need to prevent future atrocities. Further, we will cut ourselves off from the knowledge of the causes and sequences of genocide, knowledge that might help prevent other peoples from being subjected to this crime against humanity. The Armenian Genocide is particularly instructive in that it is the prototype for much of the genocide in the twentieth century and the new millennium. However, when governments look the other way or actively cover up genocide out of short-term self-interest, a signal is sent to would-be perpetrators that they can resolve political and social issues through massive destruction without danger of outside intervention and, through a continual denial of the atrocities, can expect the world to forget these events entirely. Not remembering is not a neutral act—not to remember is to side with the executioners of whole groups and peoples. The Armenian Genocide, in fact, illuminates with special clarity the dangers inherent in the political manipulation of truth through distortion, denial, intimidation, and economic blackmail. In no other instance has a government gone to such extreme lengths to deny that a massive genocide took place. That democratic governments (the United States and Israel) have supported Turkey in that effort raises significant
Numerical modeling of laser produced plasmas: the dynamics and neutron production in dense spherically symmetric plasmas

A series of numerical experiments have been conducted to investigate the dynamics and neutron production in laser irradiated, dense spherically symmetric plasmas. The results have led to the development of scalings for energy absorption, shock strength and optimum neutron production for sub-nanosecond, high energy pulses.
Multiplicities and minijets at the Tevatron

Abstract We show that the KNO scaling violation in the parton branching model is due to the increase of the gluon contribution to the hadronic multiplicities. This results in the widening of the probability distribution in agreement with experimental data. We also find excellent agreement with experimental data on multiplicity moments in different rapidity regions. We present theoretical predictions for the multiplicities and moments at the Tevatron energies. We also show that QCD minijet cross section with pTmin of order 3 GeV and K factor of order 2 gives a very good description of the minijet data. We extrapolate our theoretical predictions to Tevatron energies indicating that measurements of the minijet production at these energies will have some resolving power to distinguish between different sets of structure functions.
Bayesian semiparametric modeling for stochastic precedence, with applications in epidemiology and survival analysis.

We propose a prior probability model for two distributions that are ordered according to a stochastic precedence constraint, a weaker restriction than the more commonly utilized stochastic order constraint. The modeling approach is based on structured Dirichlet process mixtures of normal distributions. Full inference for functionals of the stochastic precedence constrained mixture distributions is obtained through a Markov chain Monte Carlo posterior simulation method. A motivating application involves study of the discriminatory ability of continuous diagnostic tests in epidemiologic research. Here, stochastic precedence provides a natural restriction for the distributions of test scores corresponding to the non-infected and infected groups. Inference under the model is illustrated with data from a diagnostic test for Johne’s disease in dairy cattle. We also apply the methodology to the comparison of survival distributions associated with two distinct conditions, and illustrate with analysis of data on survival time after bone marrow transplantation for treatment of leukemia.
Predicting future threats to the long-term survival of Gila trout using a high-resolution simulation of climate change.

Regional climates are a major factor in determining the distribution of many species. Anthropogenic inputs of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere have been predicted to cause rapid climatic changes in the next 50–100 years. Species such as the Gila trout (Oncorhynchus gilae) that have small ranges, limited dispersal capabilities, and narrow physiological tolerances will become increasingly susceptible to extinction as their climate envelope changes. This study uses a regional climate change simulation (Leung et al., Clim Change 62:75–113, 2004) to determine changes in the climate envelope for Gila trout, which is sensitive to maximum temperature, associated with a plausible scenario for greenhouse gas increases. These regional climate changes are downscaled to derive surface temperature lapse rates using regression models. This procedure indicates that suitable, warm season habitat for Gila trout will be reduced by 70% by decreasing the size of their climate envelope. Warmer temperatures coupled with a decrease in summer precipitation would also tend to increase the intensity and frequency of forest fires that are a major threat to their survival. The climate envelope approach utilized here could be used to assess climate change threats to other rare species with limited ranges and dispersal capabilities.
Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic characterization of the origin-binding domain of the bacteriophage λ O replication initiator

The bacteriophage λ O protein binds to the λ replication origin (oriλ) and serves as the primary replication initiator for the viral genome. The binding energy derived from the binding of O to oriλ is thought to help drive DNA opening to facilitate initiation of DNA replication. Detailed understanding of this process is severely limited by the lack of high-resolution structures of O protein or of any lambdoid phage-encoded paralogs either with or without DNA. The production of crystals of the origin-binding domain of λ O that diffract to 2.5 A is reported. Anomalous dispersion methods will be used to solve this structure.
Monitoring Gold Nanorod Synthesis by Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance

Surfactants can direct the growth of gold nanoparticles to create anisotropic structures in high yield by simple means, yet the exact roles of surfactants and other reactants are not entirely understood. Here we show that one can exploit the geometrical dependence of the localized surface plasmon resonant extinction spectrum of gold nanorods to monitor their synthesis kinetics. By using quantitative measurements of nanorod extinction cross sections, Gans' theory for the spectral extinction of prolate spheroids can be normalized to provide values for the nanorod length and diameter from extinction spectra measured during growth. The nanorod length growth rate was first observed at 0.15 nm/s and decayed during the growth reaction. The rate dependence on nanorod size did not correspond to any simple reaction-limited or diffusion-limited growth mechanisms.
The interrelationship of dietary copper and amine oxidase in the formation of elastin.

Abstract Recent investigations have revealed that copper deficiency results in abnormal elastin formation ( O'Dell et al. , 1961 ; Coulson and Carnes, 1963 ; Shields et al. , 1962 ; Starcher et al. , 1964 ). The abnormality is characterized by both a decrease in elastin synthesis and an increase in the lysine content of the elastin that is synthesized. Partridge et al. (1964) reported that the cross linkage groups of elastin are synthesized from lysine residues and proposed that the epsilon amino group of lysine was oxidized to an aldehyde prior to condensation to the cross-linkage groups, desmosine and isodesmosine. Such a reaction would be catalyzed by an amine oxidase. The fact that those amine oxidases which have been isolated contain copper ( Yamada and Yasunobu, 1962 ; Hill and Mann, 1962 ; Buffoni and Blaschko, 1964 ) led to the speculation that the role of copper in elastin formation is a reflection of its role in amine oxidase activity. The investigations presented in this report were undertaken to examine this hypothesis.
A comparison of the NMR, mass spectral, and molecular structure data for [R2AlN(CH2Ph)2]2, where R=Me, Et, Prn, Bun, and Bui

Abstract Aminoalane dimers of the formula [R2AlN(CH2Ph)2]2, where R=Prn, Bun, and Bui, were synthesized by thermolysis of the corresponding 1:1 mixtures of the trialkylaluminum and dibenzylamine at 120 °C. The 1H and 13C NMR spectra of the series [R2AlN(CH2Ph)2]2, where R=Me (1), Et (2), Prn (3), Bun (4), and Bui (5), were fully assigned using a combination of 1-D and 2-D NMR techniques. This series was also characterized by electron impact (EI) mass spectrometry and fragmentation patterns are discussed. The single-crystal X-ray structural data of [Et2AlN(CH2Ph)2]2 and [Bun2AlN(CH2Ph)2]2 were determined and the data compared with those of [Me2AlN(CH2Ph)2]2 to identify any structural trends in the series with respect to R. The structural data for these three compounds are also compared with data for [MeAlN(H)CH2Ph]2, [RAlN(CH2Ph)-μ-(CH2C6H4)]2, and Me3Al·HN(CH2Ph)2. Finally, the molecular structure data of [Me2MN(CH2Ph)2]2 and Me3M·HN(CH2Ph)2, where M=Al, Ga and In, are discussed in terms of the influence of the Group 13 metal.
Vitamin B12-mediated electrochemical cyclopropanation of styrene

Abstract Vitamin B 12 (a cobalt corrin complex) mediated the reduction of methylene chloride in the presence of styrene to give cyclopropylbenzene in quantitative yields in DMF containing tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) and acetic acid with current efficiency 45% and turnover rate 4-fold larger than a typical vitamin B 12 -mediated 6-membered ring cyclization. A pathway involving formation and electroreductive cleavage of a chloromethylene-Co III intermediate to yield a chloromethylene radical that adds to styrene is suggested. The reaction is highly sensitive to solvent composition, and water in the solvent acts as a proton donor to facilitate production of 1-chloro-3-phenylpropane in a competitive pathway.
Combining metrics for mesh simplification and parameterization

We present a mesh simplification strategy for generating polygonal meshes with well-shaped faces in the presence of constraints. We introduce a novel combination of metrics to drive the simplification process while generating high-quality meshes. Our method handles the creation of coarse triangle or triangle/quad meshes with tagged features. The metrics favor "ideal" vertex valences (six or four) and element shapes (equilateral triangles or rectangles). We illustrate this method in the context of remeshing and texture-mapping scenarios.
Wheatstone bridge for admittance determinations of highly conducting materials at low frequencies

The determination of reactive properties requires the use of sensitive bridge techniques, whenever the reactance is very small compared with the resistance. The following article describes an accurate Wheatstone bridge which permits resistance and reactance determinations within the frequency range from 10 to 200,000 cycles per second. The maximum accuracy for resistance determinations is one part in 10?7 the accuracy for reactance depends on frequency and power factor. The various inductance values of the resistance coils cause negative capacities, which are especially high when the resistance values are smaller than 100 ohms. A simple and accurate technique for determination of these capacities is described.
Microbial reduction of chromium from the hexavalent to divalent state

Abstract We demonstrate that Shewanella oneidensis , a metal-reducing bacteria species with cytoplasmic-membrane-bound reductases and remarkably diverse respiratory capabilities, reduced Cr(VI) to Cr(II) in anaerobic cultures where chromate was the sole terminal electron acceptor. Individual cell microanalysis by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) demonstrates Cr(II) concentrated near the cytoplasmic membrane, suggesting the terminal reduction pathway is intracellularly localized. Further, estimated cellular Cr(II) concentrations are relatively high at upwards of 0.03–0.09 g Cr/g bacterium. Accumulation of Cr(II) is observed in S. oneidensis cells prior to the formation of submicron-sized precipitates of insoluble Cr(III) on their surfaces. Furthermore, under anaerobic conditions, Cr(III) precipitates that encrust cells are shown to contain Cr(II) that is likely bound in the net negatively charged extracellular biopolymers which can permeate the surfaces of the precipitates. In otherwise nearly identical incubations, Cr(III) precipitate formation was observed in cultures maintained anaerobic with bubbled nitrogen but not in three replicate cultures in an anaerobic chamber.
Performance metrics for state-of-the-art airborne magnetic and electromagnetic systems for mapping and detection of unexploded ordnance

Over the past decade, notable progress has been made in the performance of airborne geophysical systems for mapping and detection of unexploded ordnance in terrestrial and shallow marine environments. For magnetometer systems, the most significant improvements include development of denser magnetometer arrays and vertical gradiometer configurations. In prototype analyses and recent Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) assessments using new production systems the greatest sensitivity has been achieved with a vertical gradiometer configuration, despite model-based survey design results which suggest that dense total-field arrays would be superior. As effective as magnetometer systems have proven to be at many sites, they are inadequate at sites where basalts and other ferrous geologic formations or soils produce anomalies that approach or exceed those of target ordnance items. Additionally, magnetometer systems are ineffective where detection of non-ferrous ordnance items is of primary concern. Recent completion of the Battelle TEM-8 airborne time-domain electromagnetic system represents the culmination of nearly nine years of assessment and development of airborne electromagnetic systems for UXO mapping and detection. A recent ESTCP demonstration of this system in New Mexico showed that it was able to detect 99% of blind-seeded ordnance items, 81mm and larger, and that it could be used to map in detail a bombing target on a basalt flow where previous airborne magnetometer surveys had failed. The probability of detection for the TEM-8 in the blind-seeded study area was better than that reported for a dense-array total-field magnetometer demonstration of the same blind-seeded site, and the TEM-8 system successfully detected these items with less than half as many anomaly picks as the dense-array total-field magnetometer system.
Critical-temperature/Debye-temperature correlation in (La-M)2CuO4 superconductors

We consider three La 1.85 M 0.15 CuO 4 compounds with M=Ca, Ba, Sr. By measuring ultrasonic sound velocities, we determined the acoustic Debye temperature θ D which at T=0 K equals the specific-heat Debye temperature. Like conventional BCS materials, T c depends regularly on θ D . Unlike BCS materials where T c decreases with increasing θ D (lattice softening increases T c ), T c increases with increasing θ D . This difference reflects in how the electron-phonon parameter λ depends on θ D . In McMillan's analysis, λ ∼ θ −2 D . Thus, for conventional materials, the T c -θ D curve increases, passes through a maximum at λ=2, and then decreases. Keeping the usual T c (θ D ,λ) models requires us to abandon the λ ∼ θ −2 D relationship and adopt λ ∼ θ n D , where n > −λ.
The effect of acetate pathway mutations on the production of pyruvate in Escherichia coli.

We compared pyruvate accumulation in six strains of Escherichia coli and their corresponding ppc mutants. Each strain contained a mutation of a gene involved in the pathway to acetate synthesis. Strains with mutations in genes encoding the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex generally exhibited the greatest pyruvate accumulation of which CGSC6162 (an aceF mutant) and CGSC6162 Δppc were studied in greater detail in controlled fermenters. Both CGSC6162 and CGSC6162 Δppc accumulated greater than 35 g/l pyruvate in a medium supplemented with acetate. We observed pyruvate mass yields from glucose of 0.72 in CGSC6162, with volumetric productivities above 1.5 g l−1 h−1. For CGSC6162 Δppc, we observed pyruvate yields of 0.78 and volumetric productivities above 1.2 g l−1 h−1. CGSC6162 consumed all initially supplied acetate, while CGSC6162 Δppc first consumed and then generated acetate during the course of a 36 h fermentation. Acetate generation and pyruvate oxidase activity was pH- and temperature-dependent, with a pH of 7.0 and the lowest temperature studied (32°C) favoring the greatest pyruvate generation. Lactate was an unexpected by-product even though measured lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was very low.
MicroRNAs: new Players in Cancer Prevention Targeting Nrf2, Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Pathways

miRNAs are endogenous small non-coding RNAs of 20-22 nucleotides that repress gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. There is growing interest in the role of miRNAs in cancer chemoprevention, and several naturally occurring chemopreventive agents have been found to be modulators of miRNA expression both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, these chemopreventive phytochemicals commonly possess anti-oxidative and/or anti-inflammatory properties, and Nrf2 has been extensively studied as a molecular target in cancer prevention. The crosstalk between miRNAs and the traditional cellular signaling pathways of chemoprevention remain to be fully elucidated. This review summarizes the data regarding the potential interactions between miRNAs and anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory pathways. Cellular redox homeostasis can affect the biogenesis and processing of miRNAs, which in turn regulate the Nrf2 pathway of detoxifying/anti-oxidative genes. We also discuss the miRNA regulatory mechanisms in relation to inflammation-related cancer signaling pathways.
COMMENT ON BELL ARTICLE

Almost by definition, all disruptive technologies or innovations threaten vested interests. If markets and the legal environment are sufficiently flexible – and in the United States, for the most they are – innovations that buyers want diffuse throughout the economy despite the opposition. There are cases, however, where the existing order uses the legal system to fight back, to forestall or delay change. Napster is a case in point: it threatened the established recording industry, which eventually persuaded the courts to shut down that particular form of peer-to-peer file transfer. But even in this case, “the law” has failed to stop innovation. Other peer-to-peer networks have found ways to legally permit free Internet-based file transfers, while some companies – notably Apple – have developed business models around paid file transfer
The Nixon Group1

A sociometric analysis and an examination in terms of group process offer some clues toward the understanding of the actions and decisions by former President Nixon's advisory group, the young team. Review of the transcripts of the White House tapes and the hearings of the Senate Select Committee and the House Judiciary Committee suggests that, in contrast to the Kennedy group, the Nixon group was not a closely knit team with high esprit de corps and mutual respect. Rather, there were two strongly competing factions: Haldeman/Ehrlichman/Colson and Mitchell/Dean. The group was held together by a common dependence upon the president who set the basic tone and ideal for the group—to succeed one had to be driving, hard-hitting against all “enemies,” willing to be pragmatic in accomplishing team goals. The existence of competing factions contributed to acceleration of riskiness and extreme measures and to a reduction of moral restraints. In that sense, the groupthink phenomenon described by Janis was evident in the Nixon group.
On the determination of the minority carrier lifetime from the reverse recovery transient of pnR diodes

Abstract The determination of the minority carrier lifetime of pn diodes with abrupt junctions and recombination (R) contacts is discussed. It is confirmed that the base transit time of diodes with sufficiently small base widths (less than approximately three minority carrier diffusion lengths) affects the reverse recovery transient and that large error can be introduced if the minority carrier lifetime of a diode with a small base width is computed using an expression which was derived for diodes with an infinite base width. Approximations to the general expression for the minority carrier lifetime as a function of the storage time and base width are developed, and the errors associated with their use are analyzed. In addition the effect of measurement errors on the determination of lifetime in short base diodes is discussed. A procedure is described which can be used to compute the minority carrier lifetime of pnR diodes which the ratio of the base width to the minority carrier diffusion length is larger than some small number. The applicability of the procedure and the approximations which are developed are a function of the ratio of the diode base width to the minority carrier diffusion length ( W L ) , and the forward to reverse current ratio ( I f I r ) at which the experimental measurements are made. An example is given which shows that less than 1 per cent error is introduced in the computed lifetime by the approximations if the lifetime is computed from measurements made at I f I r = 4 and 8 for diodes such that W L > 2 × 10 −2 .
Simplified methods of evaluating colonies for levels of Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH)

SummaryVarroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH) is a trait of honey bees, Apis mellifera, that supports resistance to Varroa destructor mites. Components of VSH were evaluated to identify simple methods for selection of the trait. Mite population growth was measured in colonies with variable levels of VSH in two field trials using 24 and 16 colonies. Mite population growth was significantly lower in VSH and hybrid colonies than in control (i.e., unselected) colonies. In resident brood with mite infestations below 5%, the percentage of uncapped pupal cells did not differ significantly among VSH, hybrid and control colonies, but the percentage of recapped cells was highest in VSH colonies (P = 0.03). When brood from more highly infested colonies (9–49% of pupae infested) was introduced for forty hours, VSH colonies reduced infestation more than control colonies (P< 0.01) but final mite fertility was similar (P= 0.12). When infested brood was exposed in colonies for one week, VSH colonies reduced both mite fertility (...
Circumstances surrounding relapse in a group of recent exsmokers.

This study examined the situational factors leading to relapse in a group of 69 smokers who quit and returned to smoking during a 1-year period following participation in a stop smoking clinic. Two-thirds of relapses occurred in the first 3 months after quitting, with the largest percentage (13/47 = 40%) occurring in the first week following cessation. Results showed that the circumstances leading to relapse varied as a function of the amount of time off of cigarettes. Among subjects relapsing in the first week after quitting, withdrawal symptoms and craving a cigarette was the most frequently cited reason for relapse. After the first week of cessation, coping with crisis situations and exposure to certain smoking triggers, such as the presence of other smokers and consumption of alcohol and coffee, were the main reasons given for relapse. The findings from this study suggest that pharmacologic influences associated with withdrawal from nicotine play an important role in early relapse, while psychosocial aspects of the smoking habit (i.e., coping with stress, other smokers) are the main causes of later relapse. The implications of these findings for relapse prevention are discussed.
Opposing Regulation of Choline Deficiency-induced Apoptosis by p53 and Nuclear Factor κB

We have previously shown that fetal rat brain cells, preneuronal (PC12), and hepatocyte (CWSV-1) cells undergo apoptosis during choline deficiency (CD). The PC12 and epithelial cell culture models were used to determine the molecular mechanism by which CD induces apoptosis. Our data indicate that CD leads to both growth arrest and apoptosis in a subpopulation of cells, which correlate with the up-regulation of the tumor suppressor protein p53 and concurrent up-regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase-inhibitor p21WAF1/CIP1. Additionally, CD induced both a G1/S and a G2/M arrest. Transient transfection of a dominant negative p53 (p53DN) construct into PC12 cells, which inhibited endogenous p53 activation, significantly reduced the induction of apoptosis associated with CD. Interestingly, CD also induced the persistent activation of the transcription factor NF-κB. Activation of NF-κB has been shown to promote cell survival and proposed to antagonize p53. Consistent with this, expression of a super-repressor form of IκBα (SR-IκBα) that functions to strongly inhibit NF-κB activation, profoundly enhanced cell death during CD. In summary, these results suggest that the effects of CD on apoptosis and subsequent cell survival are mediated through two different signaling pathways, p53 and NF-κB, respectively. Taken together, our data demonstrates the induction of opposing mechanisms associated with nutrient deficiency that may provide a molecular mechanism by which CD promotes carcinogenesis.
Uncertainty, loss aversion, and markets for energy efficiency

Increasing energy efficiency is critical to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from fossil-fuel combustion, reducing oil dependence, and achieving a sustainable global energy system. The tendency of markets to neglect apparently cost-effective energy efficiency options has been called the “efficiency gap” or “energy paradox.” The market for energy efficiency in new, energy-using durable goods, however, appears to have a bias that leads to undervaluation of future energy savings relative to their expected value. This paper argues that the bias is chiefly produced by the combination of substantial uncertainty about the net value of future fuel savings and the loss aversion of typical consumers. This framework relies on the theory of context-dependent preferences. The uncertainty-loss aversion bias against energy efficiency is quantifiable, making it potentially correctible by policy measures. The welfare economics of such policies remains unresolved. Data on the costs of increased fuel economy of new passenger cars, taken from a National Research Council study, illustrate how an apparently cost-effective increase in energy efficiency would be uninteresting to loss-averse consumers.
Methodological Individualism, Spontaneous Order and the Research Program of the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis

This paper is an exercise in the archeology of knowledge that seeks to understand the intellectual precursors to the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis. This perspective reveals that the research agenda of the Ostroms draws signiﬁcantly from the ideas and themes developed in the ﬁrst half of the 20th century by Knight, Mises, and Hayek. In so doing, we argue, they usefully deploy and expand the economic way of thinking beyond its traditional boundaries while avoiding most of the criticisms of economic imperialism.
Teaching Residents about Child Neglect and Parental Alcoholism: A Controlled Pilot Study.

Objective: To assess in pediatric residents the effects of a case-based educational exercise about child neglect and parental alcoholism on their knowledge and attitudes. Design: Quasi-experimental controlled trial of a standardized educational intervention and qualitative analysis of residents’ reactions. Setting: Resident continuity clinic conferences at a large pediatric teaching hospital. Participants: Convenience sample of pediatric residents (n=37). The residents in the control group received no intervention at all, while residents in the intervention group received the educational intervention. Intervention: A structured, 40-minute case discussion (“The Silent Cry”) facilitated by trained faculty. Main Outcome Measures: Learner ratings of materials and methods. Pre/post change in scores on a knowledge quiz and attitude scale. Codes and themes generated from qualitative analysis of focus group transcripts. Results: Intervention group residents rated the experience highly. The two groups did not differ significantly in mean pre-post change on the knowledge quiz or attitude scale. Focus group discussions revealed feelings of frustration and powerlessness when dealing with child neglect and parental alcoholism. Conclusions: While this standardized educational intervention was well received by residents, more time is needed for discussion and multiple teaching sessions may be required. Discussion of emotional responses should be included as a standard part of the educational experience. Keywords: Medical Education, Child Neglect, Substance Abuse, Pediatrics
PETROV-GALERKIN FINITE ELEMENT MODEL FOR COMPRESSIBLE FLOWS

A Petrov-Galerkin method for the solution of the compressible Euler and Navier-Stokes equations is presented. It is based on the introduction of an anisotropic blancing diffusion in the direction of the local direction of propagation of the scalar variables. The local direction in which the anisotropic diffusion is introduced is uniquely determined, and the magnitude of the balancing diffusion is automatically calculated locally using a criterion that is optimal for one-dimensional transport equations. The algorithm has been implemented using four-noded bilinear elements with forward Euler and second-order Runge-Kutta methods of integration in time. Several applications are presented and show the stability and approximation properties of the method.
Clinician-Performed Thyroid Ultrasound

This article is intended to demystify the process for those with a potential interest in acquiring ultrasound skills. It is not intended to be a comprehensive review of head and neck ultrasound but, rather, is focused on the bare minimum requirements and considerations involved in clinician-performed ultrasound. The article covers the initial diagnosis and the unparalleled usefulness of ultrasound for surgical planning just before incision. Further readings are listed at the end of the article to direct the reader to some excellent texts to help build confidence and experience.
Multi-view stereo point clouds visualization

3D reconstruction from image sequences using multiview stereo (MVS) algorithms is an important research area in computer vision and has multitude of applications. Due to its image-feature-based analysis, 3D point clouds derived from such algorithms are irregularly distributed and can be sparse at plain surface areas. Noise and outliers also degrade the resulting 3D clouds. Recovering an accurate surface description from such cloud data thus requires sophisticated post processing which can be computationally expensive even for small datasets. For time critical applications, plausible visualization is preferable. We present a fast and robust method for multi-view point splatting to visualize MVS point clouds. Elliptical surfels of adaptive sizes are used for better approximating the object surface, and view-independent textures are assigned to each surfel according to MRF-based energy optimization. The experiments show that our method can create surfel models with textures from low-quality MVS data within seconds. Rendering results are plausible with a small time cost due to our view-independent texture mapping strategy.
Undulator based synchrotron radiation source in the 5-30 eV spectral region

The design of a 500-MeV electron storage ring with long insertions for undulators is presented. The ring is designed to provide an emittance of 0.1 mm-mrad, an average current of 1 A, and an electron beam lifetime of greater than 3 h. The undulators operating near K=1, yield 10/sup 15/ ph/s/0.1% bandwidth in the fundamental. >
Structural basis for signal transduction by the Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domains

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and the interleukin-1 receptor superfamily (IL-1Rs) are integral to both innate and adaptive immunity for host defence. These receptors share a conserved cytoplasmic domain, known as the TIR domain. A single-point mutation in the TIR domain of murine TLR4 (Pro712His, the Lps(d) mutation) abolishes the host immune response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and mutation of the equivalent residue in TLR2, Pro681His, disrupts signal transduction in response to stimulation by yeast and gram-positive bacteria. Here we report the crystal structures of the TIR domains of human TLR1 and TLR2 and of the Pro681His mutant of TLR2. The structures have a large conserved surface patch that also contains the site of the Lps(d) mutation. Mutagenesis and functional studies confirm that residues in this surface patch are crucial for receptor signalling. The Lps(d) mutation does not disturb the structure of the TIR domain itself. Instead, structural and functional studies indicate that the conserved surface patch may mediate interactions with the down-stream MyD88 adapter molecule, and that the Lps(d) mutation may abolish receptor signalling by disrupting this recruitment.
Health Care Utilization and Barriers Experienced by Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract Objectives To identify from whom individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) seek health care, the percentage who receive preventative care screenings, and the frequency and types of barriers they encounter when accessing primary and specialty care services; and to examine how sociodemographic factors affect access to care and receipt of preventative screenings. Design Cross-sectional, observational study using an Internet-based survey. Setting Internet based. Participants Adults (N=108) with SCI who use a wheelchair as their primary means of mobility in the community. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Health care utilization during the past year, barriers encountered when accessing health care facilities, and receipt of routine care and preventative screenings. Results All but 1 participant had visited a primary care provider within the past 12 months, and 85% had had ≥1 visit to specialty care providers. Accessibility barriers were encountered during both primary care (91.1%) and specialty care (80.2%) visits; most barriers were clustered in the examination room. The most prevalent barriers were inaccessible examination tables (primary care=76.9%; specialty care=51.4%) and lack of transfer aids (primary care=69.4%; specialty care=60.8%). Most participants had not been weighed during their visit (89%) and had remained seated in their wheelchair during their examinations (85.2%). Over one third of individuals aged ≥50 years had not received a screening colonoscopy, 60% of women aged ≥50 years had not had a mammogram within the past year, 39.58% of women had not received a Papanicolaou smear within the previous 3 years, and only 45.37% of respondents had ever received bone density testing. Conclusions Individuals with SCI face remediable obstacles to care and receive fewer preventative care screenings than their nondisabled counterparts. We recommend that clinics conduct Americans with Disabilities Act self-assessments, ensure that their clinical staff are properly trained in assisting individuals with mobility disabilities, and take a proactive approach in discussing preventative care screenings with their patients who have SCI.
Cytoskeletal regulation of chemotactic receptors: Molecular complexation of N-formyl peptide receptors with G proteins and actin

Signal transduction via receptors for N-formylmethionyl peptide chemoattractants (FPR) on human neutrophils is a highly regulated process. It involves direct interaction of receptors with heterotrimeric G-proteins and may be under the control of cytoskeletal elements. Evidence exists suggesting that the cytoskeleton and/or the membrane skeleton determines the distribution of FPR in the plane of the plasma membrane, thus controlling FPR accessibility to different proteins in functionally distinct membrane domains. In desensitized cells, FPR are restricted to domains which are depleted of G proteins but enriched in cytoskeletal proteins such as actin and fodrin. Thus, the G protein signal transduction partners of FPR become inaccessible to the agonist-occupied receptor, preventing cell activation. We are investigating the molecular basis for the interaction of FPR with the membrane skeleton, and our results suggest that FPR, and possibly other receptors, may directly bind to cytoskeletal proteins such as actin.
Evolutionary computation for aesthetic purposes involving an interacting particle simulation

We present the results of our efforts to evolve ldquofountain paintingsrdquo - interacting streams consisting of several hundred encapsulated virtual paint particles that move under the influence of artificial gravity, are subject to collision detection and resolution, and burst open when they impact a virtual canvas. Using algorithmic art examples to motivate the orchestration of such fountains, we explore the formulation of computational criteria for aesthetic fitness evaluation which then lead indirectly to evolved compositions in a new and unexpected style.
Oxygen Activation by N-doped Graphitic Carbon Nanostructures

Fundamental understanding of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalyzed by nitrogen-doped carbon requires a well-defined structure to correlate structure to function. Well-characterized N-doped graphitic nanostructures derived from benzene derivatives have been synthesized in our group, and shown to catalyze a four-electron ORR under alkaline conditions. Density functional theory calculations have been performed on a model N-doped graphitic nanostructure, C50N2H20, to determine an oxygen activation mechanism. With guidance through an experimentally determined Pourbaix diagram, DFT calculations clearly indicate that the catalyst must undergo a 2e−,1H+ reduction to generate a reactive carbanionic intermediate that activates oxygen with a spin inversion.
Realistic volume imaging

We present a set of volume visualization tools that are based on the use of recursive ray tracing as the primary vehicle for realistic volume imaging. The visualization tools include shadows, mirrors, specularity, and constructive solid geometry. The underlying representation for the ray tracer is a 3D raster of voxels that holds the discrete form of the scene. Unlike traditional volume rendering techniques, our discrete recursive ray tracer models many illumination phenomena by traversing discrete rays in voxel space. Our approach provides true ray tracing of sampled or computed datasets, as well as ray tracing of hybrid scenes where sampled or computed datasets, as well as ray tracing of hybrid scenes where sampled or computed data are intermixed with geometric models. We demonstrate that our techniques enhance the understanding of complex biomedical datasets.