cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Style of Knowing Regarding Uncertainties

AbstractThis article addresses a key contrast in how teachers may regard the uncertainties of their work, considering how an orientation to uncertainty can be regarded as a decision-making style. Through the use of case studies, the author contrasts two teachers. One is oriented toward uncertainties in her work and describes her herself as being always “on the edge” of her capabilities, constantly seeking out perspectives that differ from and challenge her own and remaining vigilant to the need for improvising to respond to the circumstances of the moment. The other is oriented away from uncertainties and describes herself as prepared and deliberate; committed to achieving outcomes in line with her articulated goals and purposes; and purposeful about which unresolved questions she chooses to pursue. This contrast has implications not only for how these teachers make decisions and view their professional growth, but also for how some teachers may be understood, and misunderstood, by others. In a culture th...
Hemispherical emissivity of V, Nb, Ta, Mo, and W from 300 to 1000 K

The hemispherical emissivities of five transition elements, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, and W, have been measured from 300 to 1000 K, complementing earlier higher-temperature results. These low-temperature data, which are similar, are fitted to a Drude model in which the room-temperature parameters have been obtained from optical measurements and the temperature dependence of the dc resistivity is used as input to calculate the temperature dependence of the emissivity. A frequency-dependent free-carrier relaxation rate is found to have a similar magnitude for all these elements. For temperatures larger than 1200 K the calculated emissivity is always greater than the measured value, indicating that the high-temperature interband features of transition elements are much weaker than those determined from room-temperature measurements.
Slide-and-Cluster Models for Spindle Assembly

Summary Background Mitotic and meiotic spindles are assemblies of microtubules (MTs) that form during cell division to physically separate sister chromosomes. How the various components of spindles act together to establish and maintain the dynamic bipolar structure of spindles is not understood. Interactions between MTs and motors have been studied both experimentally and theoretically in many contexts, including the self-organization of arrays of MTs by motors and the competition between different classes of motors to move a single load. This work demonstrates how the interplay between two types of motors together with continual nucleation of MTs by chromosomes could organize the MTs into spindles. Results We propose a slide-and-cluster model based on four known molecular activities: MT nucleation near chromosomes, the sliding of MTs by a plus-end-directed motor, the clustering of their minus ends by a minus-end-directed motor, and the loss of MTs by dynamic instability. Our model applies to overlapping, nonkinetochore MTs in anastral spindles, and perhaps also to interpolar MTs in astral spindles. We show mathematically that the slide-and-cluster mechanism robustly forms bipolar spindles with sharp poles and a stable steady-state length. This model accounts for several experimental observations that were difficult to explain with existing models. Three new predictions of the model were tested and verified in Xenopus egg extracts. Conclusions We show that a simple two-motor model could create stable, bipolar spindles under a wide range of physical parameters. Our model is the first self-contained model for anastral spindle assembly and MT sliding (known as poleward flux). Our experimental results support the slide-and-cluster scenario; most significantly, we find that MT sliding slows near spindle poles, confirming the model's primary prediction.
Quantized helicon absorption and nonlocal effects in a semiconductor superlattice.

The plateaus found previously in the imaginary part of the helicon-mode frequency are shown to be independent of the wave vector over a range of values of the latter. However, at still larger values of the wave vector, the plateaus become distorted due to the dominance of nonlocal effects, and finally disappear when the helicon modes themselves cease to exist. It is also shown that the plateaus in the imaginary part of the helicon frequency are primarily related to the plateaulike structure exhibited by the diagonal component of the conductivity tensor.
An Individualized Approach to Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease, Pick’s Disease, and Other Dementias

Treatment options for dementia are now available, and increasing numbers of individuals with cognitive disorders are being evaluated for intervention. Little effort is made to select patients who will benefit from the various treatments. Widespread use of medication places patients at risk for developing side effects, which is one reason to target patients likely to benefit from specific interventions. We have limited health care resources and a growing population of elderly individuals with dementia, so our current system of "hit or miss" intervention will become increasingly costly and inefficient. Selecting those likely to benefit from specific interventions would improve efficiency. This article reviews some current approaches for treating dementia and describes a strategy that may help predict which individuals will respond to specific dementia-related treatments. This individualized approach has potential to increase the beneficial effects of medications, reduce the likelihood of side effects, and preserve health care resources.
Simulation of intracranial aneurysm stenting: Techniques and challenges

Recently, there has been considerable interest in the use of stents as endovascular flow diverters for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Simulating this novel method of treatment is essential for understanding the intra-aneurysmal hemodynamics in order to design better stents and to personalize and optimize the endovascular stenting procedures. This paper describes a methodology based on unstructured embedded grids for patient-specific modeling of stented cerebral aneurysms, demonstrates how the methodology can be used to address specific clinical questions, and discusses remaining technical issues. In particular, simulations are presented on a number of patient-specific models constructed from medical images and using different stent designs and treatment alternatives. Preliminary sensitivity analyses with respect to stent positioning and truncation of the stent model are presented. The results show that these simulations provide useful and valuable information that can be used during the planning phase of endovascular stenting interventions for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms.
Use of simulation for estimation of travel time savings: a case of highway widening

The primary purpose of this paper is to illustrate the use of discrete simulation technique for estimating travel time savings using as a case study a small highway improvement project. The project involves widening from two to four lanes a 2.4 mile section of Farrington Highway on the Leeward side of Oahu. Current and projected traffic flows in the area affected by the project were modelled using IBM/GPSSV. Reduction of travel time attributable to the project was estimated.
Radium and its Disintegration Products

IN NATURE of December 6, 1906, Mr. H. S. Allen has suggested that the difficulty encountered in introducing actinium with its four α-ray products between uranium and radium can be removed by assuming that the α particle is one-half of the helium atom, and he has applied this suggestion in a table showing six α-ray changes between uranium and radium. There would appear to be two serious and insurmountable objections to this view, however, viz., (1) the continuation of the same line of reasoning would lead to the assumption of no less than seven α-ray changes between radium and its final disintegration product, lead, while but four are known; and (2) the activity of the actinium in equilibrium with radium in minerals is entirely too low to permit any such conclusion.
Pathogen Resistance as the Origin of Kin Altruism

Abstract It is suggested that pathogen and parasite avoidance act as a driving force for kin selection. Preferential association with relatives decrease the probability of infection with unfamiliar pathogens. Altruistic behavior towards kin will further decrease the danger of infection by increasing the representation of relatives in a group. Such a behavioral strategy could evolve if pathogen resistance were heritable. Highly polymorphic major histocompatibility (MHC) genes largely determine heritable resistance to particular pathogens. The degree of relatedness within a group correlates with the degree of similarity in MHCs. It has been shown that detection of MHC type by mice guides preferential kin association. Pathogen avoidance appears to be the simplest explanation for the existence of a direct link between detecting the heritable component of the immune system and kin altruism. Detection of MHC also serves kin avoidance in mating. Periodic introduction of new genes including MHCs through mating provides resistance to the unavoidable appearance of foreign virulent pathogens (Hamiltonet al., 1990,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.87, 3566–3573). It is suggested that kin preference favoring homogeneity punctuated by introduction of new genes through mating provides an optimal strategy for pathogen avoidance. Aggression might also serve to decrease infection by isolating or eliminating individuals with unrelated MHCs.
Non-null interferometer for measurement of aspheric transmitted wavefronts

Testing in a non-null manner causes the test and reference rays in the interferometer to follow different optical paths through the system. The retrace errors generated by this difference are test dependent and must be calibrated independently for each test piece. Optical design software can be used to perform reverse optimization of the interferometer and data. An iterative reverse optimization process has been developed which eliminates weighting sensitivity and improves optimization efficiency. However, implementation of reverse optimization generates constraints on the interferometer design. These include constraints on lens parameters, system apertures, and component verification considerations. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer has been built for non-null transmitted aspheric wavefront testing. The large aspheric departures and steep wavefront slopes are detected and reconstructed using Sub-Nyquist interferometry (SNI). Experiments on several test parts were performed to verify the iterative reverse optimization process and extend the use of SNI to non-rotationally symmetric aspheric wavefronts. Wavefront departures up to 200λ were characterized to λ/6 PV and λ/47 rms. The reverse optimization process was shown to remove up to 25λ of induced aberration from an aspheric measurement. The results indicate potential for application of the iterative method and its associated design constraints to routine aspheric testing.
Computerized tomography and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus

A case of adenocarcinoma of the stomach spreading to the esophagus is described. It was well seen on computerized tomography and appeared more ominous than the esophagram. The latter illustrated an appearance simulating narrowing secondary to peptic esophagitis; the former demonstrated a relatively large encompassing mass. The definitive diagnosis was made during endoscopy and confirmed by biopsy. Although computerized tomography is not considered the method of choice for establishing an abnormality in this organ, it can occasionally help. It can usually show the total extent of the tumor better. Additional cases are presented.
Epitaxial growth of erbium silicide nanowires on silicon(001)

Submonolayer amounts of Er deposited onto Si(001) react with the substrate to form epitaxial nanowires of crystalline ErSi2. The ErSi2 nanowires are <1 nm high, a few nanometers wide, close to a micron long, and crystallographically aligned to Si〈110〉 directions. The growth of uniaxial structures occurs because the different crystal structures of ErSi2 and Si have a good lattice match along one Si〈110〉 crystallographic axis (−1.3%) but a significant mismatch along the perpendicular Si〈110〉 axis (+6.5%). An energetic model explains the formation of the ErSi2 nanowires.
Optimal controller synthesis with D stability

Abstract In this paper, we consider the problem of finding controllers which place the eigenvalues of the closed-loop system matrix in a prespecified circular region in the left-half plane and minimize an associated quadratic cost function. We give solutions to both state-feedback and output-feedback synthesis problems.
Case Report: Autofluorescence Imaging and Phenotypic Variance in a Sibling Pair with Early-Onset Retinal Dystrophy Due to Defective CRB1 Function

Purpose: To phenotype two siblings with autosomal recessive early-onset retinal dystrophy due to CRB1 mutations. Methods: Autofluorescence (AF) imaging, high resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT), and full-field electroretinography (ERG) were performed. The results of DNA sequencing from polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products of the CRB1 gene were obtained from hospital records. Results: Two siblings, 14 years old and 17 years old, were compound heterozygotes for 749 del Ser and C948Y mutations in the gene encoding CRB1. AF imaging documented the preservation of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) along the arterioles. High-resolution OCT showed abnormally thick retinae with increased lamination. Conclusion: Leber congenital amaurosis caused by CRB1 is a unique form of early-onset retinal dystrophy because it spares the para-arteriolar RPE and causes abnormal retinal lamination with thickening. These findings, detectable with AF imaging and high-resolution OCT, can be combined with electrophysiolog...
Response styles and negative affect among adolescents

This study examined several tenets of the response styles theory of depression (RST, Nolen-Hoeksema, 1991) and its generalizability to adolescent populations. Using a short-term longitudinal design, we evaluated whether response styles (i.e., ruminative and distractive responses to depressed mood) predict depression severity and whether they do so beyond the effects attributable to other cognitive variables. Anxiety was also assessed to investigate the specificity of RST to depression. Finally, we investigated gender differences in response style and whether these differences account for the gender difference in depression that emerges during adolescence. Self-reported affective symptoms and cognitive predictors (attributional style and private self-consciousness) were assessed in 397 adolescents. Results indicated that response style variables predicted concurrent and future (6-week followup) mood scores beyond effects accounted for by other cognitive variables. Rumination was less specific to the prediction of depression than was distraction, but only rumination predicted future depressed mood. Although girls reported more rumination, controlling for response style did not eliminate the gender difference in depression. Results are discussed with respect to the current status of RST, including construct measurement and its relevance to adolescent depression.
Pantothenic Acid Deficiency and Conjugation Reactions. III. Inhibitory Effect of ω-Methylpantothenic Acid.∗

SummaryAn analog of pantothenic acid, the sodium salt of N(α, γ-dihydroxy-β,β-di-methylvaleryl) β-alanine (termed ω-methylpantothenic acid) has been found to prevent pantothenic acid deficient rats from responding normally to calcium pantothenate as measured by an acetylation test using sulfanilamide. When 140 mg of the analog were administered over a period of 3 days only a small response was noted; 230 mg over a sixday period prevented any response. After the analog was withdrawn and pantothenic acid administered, the animals exhibited a marked increase in acetylation.
Individual differences in religiosity as a function of cognitive ability and cognitive style

Abstract The current study examines the degree to which individual differences in cognitive ability and cognitive style (rational thinking vs. experiential thinking) uniquely and jointly account for differences in religiosity. Using an array of measures of religiosity, results show that cognitive ability has a medium to large negative effect on various aspects of religiosity. Though also negatively related to religiosity, rational thinking style did not add significant unique effects, nor did it convey a significant indirect effect from cognitive ability. Experiential thinking was generally unrelated to ability but was positively related to some aspects of religiosity. Overall the results confirm that those with higher cognitive ability are less likely to accept religious doctrine or engage in religious behaviors and those with lower ability are more likely to accept religious doctrine and exhibit higher levels of fundamentalism. Cognitive style appears to play a lesser role in explaining individual differences in religiosity than cognitive ability.
Prognostic impact of definitive local therapy of the primary tumor in men with metastatic prostate cancer at diagnosis: A population-based, propensity score analysis.

Abstract Background This study investigated whether definitive local therapy [radical prostatectomy (RP) or brachytherapy (BT)] of the primary tumor improves survival in men with metastatic prostate cancer (PrCA) at diagnosis. Methods Data on newly diagnosed metastatic PrCA cases (stage IV, N = 7858) were obtained from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program. Conventional multivariable survival analysis and propensity score analysis were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) comparing men who underwent definitive local therapy of the primary tumor to those who did not. Results After adjusting for sociodemographic and tumor attributes, having RP after diagnosis with metastatic PrCA was associated with 73% (HR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.20–0.38) lower risk of all-cause mortality and 72% (HR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.20–0.39) reduced risk of death from PrCA. Having BT also was associated with 57% (HR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.31–0.59) and 54% (HR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.33–0.64) lower risk of all-cause and PrCA-specific mortality. Similar results were observed in propensity score-adjusted analysis as well as when stratified by age and extent of tumor metastasis. Conclusions These findings suggest that definitive local therapy improves survival in men with metastatic PrCA at diagnosis. Future work should consider comorbidities, diet, physical activity and smoking status.
An ecological Theory of Motion Sickness and Postural Instability

In this article we present a new theory of motion sickness. In the sensory conflict theory, changes in stimulation of perceptual systems are believed to be responsible for motion sickness. We discuss the fact that these changes in stimulation are not independent of the animal-environment interaction, but are determined by corresponding changes in the constraints operating on the control of action. Thus, provocative situations may be characterized by novel demands on the control of action as well as by novel patterns of stimulation. Our hypothesis is that animals become sick in situations in which they do not possess (or have not yet learned) strategies that are effective for the maintenance of postural stability. We identify a broad range of situations over which the occurrence of motion sickness is related to factors that should influence postural stability. This allows us to establish a logical link between motion sickness and postural stability. Our analysis implies that an understanding of stability s...
Seeding and fertilization effects on plant cover and community recovery following wildfire in the Eastern Cascade Mountains, USA

Slope stabilization treatments are frequently applied following high severity wildfires to reduce erosion, protect water quality, and mitigate threats to human life and property. However, the effectiveness of many treatment options has not been well established. Furthermore, treatments may unintentionally inhibit natural vegetation recovery or facilitate exotic species invasion, compromising long-term ecosystem function. We evaluated the effects of seeding and fertilization treatments on plant cover and vegetation recovery following the Deer Point fire in the Eastern Cascade Mountains of Washington State, surveying vegetation for three consecutive years following fire. We applied a fertilization treatment and two seeding treatments in factorial combination on experimental plots at four sites within the fire. Natural vegetation recovered rapidly on control plots, exceeding 40% average cover the second post-fire year and 53% cover the third year. Seeding and fertilization, applied alone and together, did little to increase total plant cover in any of the three post-fire years. A seed mix containing mostly native species increased seeded species cover, but failed to increase in total plant cover, as reductions in non-seeded species cover largely offset increases in seeded species cover. The seed mix also reduced the cover and frequency of several disturbance-adapted native species and reduced tree seedling abundance by the third year after fire. Exotic species averaged less than 0.5% cover across all treatments, and were not significantly affected by any treatment. Minimal treatment effects on total plant cover suggest that seeding and fertilization did little to reduce erosion hazards. However, seeding with the species mix did interfere with natural vegetation recovery, despite the use of native species and low realized seeded species cover.
Polar Kerr-effect observation of perpendicular surface anisotropy for ultrathin fcc Fe grown on Cu(100).

The predicted perpendicular surface anisotropy is observed for ferromagnetic fcc Fe/Cu(100) via in situ polar Kerr-effect measurements. Square hysteresis loops are obtained for films 1.5 to 5.7 monolayers thick for 100-K growth. The region of stability of the perpendicularly magnetized state as a function of growth temperature and film thickness is delineated. Combined longitudinal and polar Kerr-effect measurements show that the anisotropy reverts to being in plane for films thicker than \ensuremath{\simeq}6 monolayers.
Dibasic phosphorylation sites in the R domain of CFTR have stimulatory and inhibitory effects on channel activation.

To better understand the mechanisms by which PKA-dependent phosphorylation regulates CFTR channel activity, we have assayed open probabilities (Po), mean open time, and mean closed time for a serie...
The myelinization of the central nervous system of the American water snake (Natrix sipedon).

Summary. 1 The descending fibre tracts extending from the brain to the spinal cord (the medial longitudinal bundle, the reticulo-spinal and the direct vestibulo-spinal tracts) become medullated earlier than the afferent fibre paths from the spinal cord to the brain. 2 In the brain stem the vestibular nerve, the direct vestibulo-spinal tract, medial longitudinal bundle, and reticulo-spinal fibres are medullated very early. 3 The lateral lemniscus is medullated, and can be traced to the inferior corpora quadrigemina and nucleus isthmi, at a relatively early stage of Natrix sipedon. 4 The tectal component of the dorsal tecto-bulbar fibre tract does not become medullated until quite late. The dorsal tecto-bulbar fibre tracts are medullated earlier than the ventral ones. 5 The fibre tracts of the spinal cord, medulla, and midbrain in Natrix sipedon become medullated in the same order as those of the opossum and the cat. The phylogenetically most ancient fibre tracts become medullated sooner than the newer tracts. 6 The order of medullation of the cranial nerves and fibre tracts in Natrix sipedon resembles that of amphibia.
Reproductive mode and fine-scale population genetic structure of grape phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae) in a viticultural area in California.

Grape phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae) is one of the world’s most important viticultural pests. However, the reproductive mode, genetic structure and host adaptation of phylloxera in various viticultural environments remains unclear. We examined reproductive mode and genetic structure of phylloxera by analyzing microsatellite makers across the samples from four vineyard-sites in California. The phylloxera populations in California are believed to have predominantly parthenogenetic reproduction. Therefore, genetic diversity of phylloxera is expected to be limited. However, this study showed relatively high levels of diversity in Napa and Yolo county populations with a large number of unique genotypes, average number of alleles (2.1 to 2.9) and observed heterozygosities (0.330 to 0.388) per vineyard-sites. Reproduction diversity index (G: N—unique genotypes versus number of samples) ranged from 0.500 to 0.656 among vineyard-sites. Both significant and non-significant Psex (probability of sexual reproduction) were observed among different repeated genotypes within each vineyard. Moreover, high variation of FIS was observed among different loci in each vineyard-site. Genetic structure analysis (UPGMA) and various measures of population differentiations (FST, PCA, and gene flow estimates) consistently separated AXR#1 (Vitis vinifera x V. rupestris—widely planted in California during the 1960s and 1970s) associated populations from the populations associated with other different rootstocks. Genetic diversity, G: N ratio, Psex and FIS consistently suggested the occurrence of both parthenogenetic and sexual reproduction in California populations. This study clearly identified two major groups of phylloxera obtained from various rootstocks, with one group exclusively associated with only AXR#1 rootstock, defined as “biotype B”, and another group associated with vinifera-based rootstocks, known as “biotype A”.
Formation of a Single Pinhole on Self-Assembled Monolayer Modified Nanometer-Sized Gold Electrode and Its Electrochemical Behaviors

In this paper, a nanometer-sized gold electrode with an effective radius around several tens of nanometers has been modified with a monolayer of alkanethiols. There are pinholes in the monolayer, and the pinholes can be used as very small electrode. Our evaluation shows that it is possible to have only one pinhole on the monolayer covered electrode. The single pinhole electrode has been used to study the electrochemical behaviors of fast and slow electrochemical reactions. Our results show that the electrochemical response of a slow electrochemical reaction is not a Butler–Volmer response if the electrode is small enough.
Protest, Deterrence, and Escalation: The Strategic Calculus of Government Repression

The theoretical literature on government repression has mostly taken a choice theoretic perspective, wherein either the protest group optimally chooses a protest tactic in response to government behavior or the government optimally chooses a repression strategy. This approach is insufficient for capturing the strategic nature of protest and repression. The theoretical shortcomings of this approach are reflected in contradictory empirical findings on the effects of repression on dissent. The article develops an extensive strategic game between the government and an opposition group that allows one to identify the conditions for successful deterrence or protest. Introducing incomplete information and a third-party threat additionally produces equilibria with repression and escalating violence. The model produces novel testable hypotheses that shed new light on the effect of repression on dissent, the likelihood of violence, and the possibility of a coup. Implications for the domestic democratic peace and “m...
Flexible cystoscopic bladder biopsies: A technique for outpatient evaluation of the lower urinary tract urothelium

Routine urothelial biopsies of the lower urinary tract are obtained using the cold cup biopsy technique. This procedure is most often performed in the surgical suite and requires rigid endoscopic access and the use of biopsy forceps and Bugbee electrodes to obtain tissue for histologic examination. A new single-step biopsy forceps has been used through the flexible cystoscope. Using a 16 F actively deflectable, flexible cystoscope and the 5.4 F Therma Jaw Hot Urologic Forceps, bladder biopsies were obtained in 27 patients for a variety of indications. This biopsy forceps allows simultaneous tissue sampling and electrocoagulation of the biopsy site, thus eliminating the need for exchange of instruments through the flexible cystoscope. Tissue samples are somewhat protected from thermal changes during coagulation through the use of a Faraday cage. Biopsies were frequently obtained in an outpatient setting, requiring only local topical anesthesia (2% lidocaine jelly). Carcinoma in situ, transitional cell carcinoma, acute and chronic inflammation, and normal bladder mucosa were differentiated histologically. Using this technique, lower urinary tract urothelial mapping can be performed safely in the office with minimal patient discomfort.
Interaction of uropathogenic Escherichia coli with host uroepithelium

Investigation into the pathogenesis of Escherichia coli urinary tract infection has provided numerous insights into the mechanisms by which bacteria adhere, grow and persist in association with host tissue. Many molecular details concerning the interaction of these bacteria with their host have been elucidated, and the murine model of cystitis has generated a new paradigm by which acute and recurrent urinary tract infections may proceed. These advances could potentially result in the development of novel vaccines and therapies for this very costly disease.
Creep-fatigue interaction in OFHC-copper

Abstract OFHC-copper which is more susceptible to interaranular cavitation than the aluminum-five percent magnesium alloy in monotonic loading is also more susceptible to intergranular fracture under fatigue loading. The difference is most remarkable for the equal-ramp cycle shape. Attempts to predict fatigue life of copper specimens using stress rupture data and assuming linear time-dependent integration of damage, consistently overestimated the fatigue life. Less constraint to the growth of cavities in the fatigue case, because of a change in the grain morphology, and because of a lowered creep resistance of the grain matrix, are suggesteed as possible reasons for the discrepancy.
High-Order Computational Techniques for Unsteady Vortical Flows Over Delta Wings

A high-order computational method for the highly unsteady, complex vortical flows over delta wings is presented. A sixth-order compact difference scheme with an eighth-order low pass filter is used to solve the Navier-Stokes equations. Two approaches to turbulence modeling are investigated. The first scheme is an implicit LES (ILES) method which exploits the high-order accuracy of the compact difference scheme and uses the discriminating higher-order filter to regularize the flow. The second approach is a new hybrid RANS/ILES method which employs a standard k–e model in regions where the grid resolution is unable to capture the turbulent behavior, and transitions to the ILES method in the vortical flow region where large scale turbulent structures are resolved. Computational simulations have been performed for a 50° sweep delta wing at 15° angle of attack and a moderate Reynolds number, Re = 2 × 106 . Solutions employing the two turbulence models are evaluated on a baseline grid. A fine mesh computation has been performed for the ILES approach to investigate the impact of mesh resolution on this scheme. Computed results are also compared with the limited experimental measurements available. Computations exploring the control of the vortical flows above a swept delta wing by use of a dialectric-barrier-discharge actuator are also presented. With the actuator located near the apex, significant movement of the vortex breakdown location and a dramatic transformation of the shear-layer sub-structures are demonstrated.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Enhancement of decompressed images at low bit rates

Transform coding at low bit rates introduces artifacts associated with the basis functions of the transform. For example, decompressed images based on the DCT (discrete cosine transform)-- like JPEG--exhibit blocking artifacts at low bit rates. This paper proposes a post-processing scheme to enhance decompressed images that is potentially applicable in several situations. In particular, the method works remarkably well in `deblocking' of DCT compressed images. The method is non-linear, computationally efficient, and spatially adaptive--and has the distinct feature that it removes artifacts while yet retaining sharp features in the images. An important implication of this result is that images coded using the JPEG standard can be efficiently post-processed to give significantly improved visual quality in the images.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Efficient multi-party computation with collusion-deterred secret sharing

Many secure multiparty computation (SMC) protocols use Shamir's Secret Sharing (SSS) scheme as a building block. Unlike other cryptographic SMC techniques such as garbled circuits (GC), SSS requires no data expansion and achieves information theoretic security. A weakness of SSS is the possibility of collusion attacks from participants. In this paper, we propose an evolutionary game-theoretic (EGT) approach to deter collusion in SSS-based protocols. First, we consider the possibility of detecting the leak of secret data caused by collusion, devise an explicit retaliation mechanism, and show that the evolutionary stable strategy of this game is not to collude if the technology to detect the leakage of secret is readily available. Then, we consider the situation in which data-owners are unaware of the leakage and thereby unable to retaliate. Such behaviors are deterred by injecting occasional fake collusion requests, and detected by a censorship scheme that destroys subliminal communication. Comparison results show that our collusion-deterred SSS system significantly outperforms GC, while game simulations confirm the validity of our EGT framework on modeling collusion behaviors.
Avoiding Tragedies of the Intellectual Commons through Integrated Impact Assessments

This paper suggests that an ex ante assessment of future social, environmental, and economic impacts - i.e., an Integrated Impact Assessment, as advocated by the European Commission - might be precisely the sort of interdisciplinary and numerate analytical tool to give administrative reality to the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). For these assessments to be an effective administrative tool for IWRM, the general public must be able to use them to transparently compare environmental, social, and economic values and to compel states to pursue policies consistent with their underlying analyses. In making this argument, this paper compares the use of integrated assessments by the European Union and the United States in addressing mercury pollution.
Inhibition of 50S ribosomal subunit assembly in Haemophilus influenzae cells by azithromycin and erythromycin.

Azithromycin is an important antibiotic for the treatment of several different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial infections. Erythromycin and clarithromycin are less useful antibiotics against Gram-negative infections. This difference in inhibitory activity was explored by comparing the effects of azithromycin and erythromycin on cellular functions in Haemophilus influenzae cells. Effects of both antibiotics on translation, cell viability, and growth rates have been measured. An IC50 of 0.4 μg/ml was found for the effects of azithromycin on each of these processes. For erythromycin, an IC50 of 1.5 μg/ml was observed, indicating a fourfold lower sensitivity of the organisms to this compound. The features of a second target for macrolide antibiotic inhibition in H. influenzae cells have also been examined. Inhibition of the synthesis of the large 50S ribosomal subunit was measured. Subunit formation was prevented in a concentration dependent fashion, with azithromycin showing a ninefold greater effect on this process compared with erythromycin. Synthesis of the 30S ribosomal subunit was not effected. Pulse and chase labeling kinetics confirmed the slower synthesis rate of the 50S particle in the presence of each antibiotic. The results are discussed in terms of the stronger effect of azithromycin on ribosome biosynthesis in this organism.
Late Quaternary paleohydrology of the central Atacama Desert (lat 22°–24°S), Chile

In northern Chile, precipitation in the High Andes (>3500 m) recharges groundwater systems that flow down the Pacific slope and feed large aquifers in the hyperarid Atacama Desert. Wetlands, which are often found along the base of the Andes, mark locations where the water table intersects the land surface. At these locations, paleo–wetland deposits, which are present as terraces between 3 and 20 m above modern wetlands, record past water-table heights along the Andean front and are used to reconstruct changes in groundwater discharge. Paleo–wetland deposits in the central Atacama Desert (lat 22°–24°S) record an episode (>15.4–9 ka) of high water tables followed by an episode (8–3 ka) of moderately high water tables. Elevated water tables result from increased groundwater discharge and ultimately from enhanced recharge in the Andes. The concordance of results from three separate hydrologic systems suggests that changes in groundwater discharge and recharge are regional and reflect climatic fluctuations. This interpretation is supported by close agreement with other paleoclimatic records in the region. The periods of greater groundwater discharge were separated by episodes (9–8 and 3–0 ka) of significant groundwater lowering and stream incision, implying greatly diminished discharge. The central Atacama and Andes (lat 22°– 24°S) receive precipitation mainly from moist air masses transported from the Amazon Basin by the South American Summer Monsoon (SASM). Increases in groundwater recharge are therefore thought to reflect an increase in the frequency and/or moisture content of SASM air masses crossing the Andes. Fluctuations in SASM precipitation have previously been linked to summer insolation in the Southern Hemisphere. The wettest period in the central Atacama (>15.4–9 ka), however, coincides with a minimum in austral-summer insolation at 10 ka, suggesting that regional summer insolation is not a dominant influence on the SASM. Instead, intensification of the SASM may be linked to extraregional forcings such as the Walker Circulation.
Structural elements of antizymes 1 and 2 are required for proteasomal degradation of ornithine decarboxylase.

The antizymes constitute a conserved gene family with at least three mammalian orthologs. As described previously, in a degradation system utilizing rabbit reticulocyte lysate, antizyme 1 (AZ1) accelerates proteasomal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) degradation, but antizyme 2 (AZ2) does not. To examine the relationship between antizyme structure and function, we further characterized the properties of AZ1 and AZ2 and protein chimeras composed of elements of the two. AZ1 binds to ODC with about a 3-fold higher potency than AZ2, but this cannot account for their distinct degradative activities. The dissimilar degradative capacity of AZ1 and AZ2 is also observed using purified proteasomes. A series of reciprocal AZ1/AZ2 chimeras was used to determine the sequence elements needed to direct ODC degradation. An element contained within amino acids 130–145 of AZ1 is essential for this function. Constructs in which amino acids 130–145 were exchanged between the antizymes confirmed the critical nature of this region. Within this region, amino acids 131 and 145 proved responsible for the functional difference between the two forms of AZ.
Parallelized rigid body dynamics

Physics engines are collections of API-like software designed for video games, movies and scientific simulations. While physics engines often come in many shapes and designs, all engines can benefit from an increase in speed via parallelization.Despite this need for increased speed, it is uncommon to encounter a parallelized physics engine today. Many engines are long-standing projects and changing them to support parallelization is too costly, as parallelization should be considered from the design stages through completion to ensure adequate implementation.In this project we develop a realistic approach to simulate physics in a parallel environment. Utilizing many techniques we establish a practical approach to significantly reduce the run-time on a standard physics engine. Unlike many engines, this engine will be targeted towards hardware limited platforms such as mobile devices.
Phase Variation of Regulatory Elements in Maize

HASE variation of regulatory elements in maize refers to changes in functioning of these elements from periods of activity to periods of inactivity or vice versa (PETERSON 1965a). For example, a case of pattern variation representing alternative phenotypes (presence or absence of mutability) was observed recently in aleurone tissue. This paper deals with an analysis of the “flow” and ‘‘cr(yw11’’ phenotypic patterns of mutability associated with the mutable a, allele, which is known to be a part of the two-element regulator-controller system that includes the regulatory element, Enhancer, En (PETERSON 1960,1961). In studies of the Ac-Ds system, MCCLINTOCK (1947, 1951) showed that the expression of alternative phenotypes (representing a mutation event) during growth and development of a tissue reflected the transposition of the inhibitory controlling element Ds away from the affected locus. Such mutational changes associated with the movement of a transposable element have been reported for Mp at the P locus (BRINK and NILAN 1952; BRINK 1954), for Spm (MCCLINTOCK 1956, 1957,1961), En (PETERSON 1965c) and Dt (NUFFER 1961) at the aI locus, and for a factor affecting the Ab allele (NEUFFER 1963). In Salmonella, the movement of an episomic element, comparable to the transposition of controlling elements in maize, is also associated with a mutation event (DAWSON and SMITHKEARY 1963). In the above cited cases, the mutation event is associated with transposition of the element which controls the expression of the affected locus. Phase variation implies a phenotypic change that is not to be ascribed to transposition of the inhibitory element but to the inception or termination of its activity. Further examination of this concept will follow the analysis of the “flow” and “crown” pattern types (PETERSON 1965b).
Summary of the American Heart Association’s Scientific Statement on the Relevance of Genetics and Genomics for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major health problem in the United States and around the world.1,2 The development of CVD is a complex process, and evidence demonstrates that family history is associated with CVD.3 There are several mendelian disorders that contribute to CVD, and although the mutations are rare, they have a large relative risk. The most common forms of CVD, however, are believed to be multifactorial and to result from many genes, each with a small effect working alone or in combination with modifier genes or environmental factors. See Circulation. 2007;115:2878–2901 Two main approaches have been used to discover genetic influences on CVD (Figure): genome-wide linkage and gene association studies. For discovery of new genes, the most frequently used method has been genome-wide linkage conducted using genetic and phenotypic data from families. Linkage analysis is a hypothesis-generating method intended to localize genomic regions that might contain genes influencing a trait. Once likely regions have been discovered, efforts shift to identifying the causative genes. Gene maps are scrutinized, and “candidate” genes within regions of interest are identified based on prior knowledge of gene function. Candidate gene association studies are designed to compare genotype frequencies between case and control groups; a statistical difference in frequencies between cases and controls offers evidence that a genotype is associated with the trait. Figure. Fundamentals of the techniques used for the discovery of the genetic basis of CVD. Adapted with permission from: Arnett DK, Baird AE, Barkley RA, Basson CT, Boerwinkle E, Ganesh SK, Herrington DM, Hong Y, Jaquish C, McDermott DA, O’Donnell CJ. Relevance of genetics and genomics for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention, the Stroke Council, and the Functional Genomics and Translational Biology Interdisciplinary Working Group. …
Broadcast storm mitigation techniques in vehicular ad hoc networks

Several multihop applications developed for vehicular ad hoc networks use broadcast as a means to either discover nearby neighbors or propagate useful traffic information to other vehicles located within a certain geographical area. However, the conventional broadcast mechanism may lead to the so-called broadcast storm problem, a scenario in which there is a high level of contention and collisions at the link layer due to an excessive number of broadcast packets. While this is a well-known problem in mobile ad hoc wireless networks, only a few studies have addressed this issue in the VANET context, where mobile hosts move along the roads in a certain limited set of directions as opposed to randomly moving in arbitrary directions within a bounded area. Unlike other existing works, we quantify the impact of broadcast storms in VANETs in terms of message delay and packet loss rate in addition to conventional metrics such as message reachability and overhead. Given that VANET applications are currently confined to using the DSRC protocol at the data link layer, we propose three probabilistic and timer-based broadcast suppression techniques: weighted p-persistence, slotted 1-persistence, and slotted p-persistence schemes, to be used at the network layer. Our simulation results show that the proposed schemes can significantly reduce contention at the MAC layer by achieving up to 70 percent reduction in packet loss rate while keeping end-to-end delay at acceptable levels for most VANET applications.
Graph-based transfer learning

Transfer learning is the task of leveraging the information from labeled examples in some domains to predict the labels for examples in another domain. It finds abundant practical applications, such as sentiment prediction, image classification and network intrusion detection. In this paper, we propose a graph-based transfer learning framework. It propagates the label information from the source domain to the target domain via the example-feature-example tripartite graph, and puts more emphasis on the labeled examples from the target domain via the example-example bi-partite graph. Our framework is semi-supervised and non-parametric in nature and thus more flexible. We also develop an iterative algorithm so that our framework is scalable to large-scale applications. It enjoys the theoretical property of convergence. Compared with existing transfer learning methods, the proposed framework propagates the label information to both the features irrelevant to the source domain and the unlabeled examples in the target omain via the common features in a principled way. Experimental results on 3 real data sets demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm.