cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Study in the BV Space of a Denoising—Deblurring Variational Problem

In this paper we study, in the framework of functions of bounded variation, a general variational problem arising in image recovery, introduced in [3]. We prove the existence and the uniqueness of a solution using lower semicontinuity results for convex functionals of measures. We also give a new and fine characterization of the subdifferential of the functional, together with optimality conditions on the solution, using duality techniques of Temam for the theory of time-dependent minimal surfaces. We study the associated evolution equation in the context of nonlinear semigroup theory and we give an approximation result in continuous variables, using Γ -convergence. Finally, we discretize the problems by finite differences schemes and we present several numerical results for signal and image reconstruction.
Stability of metal ion complexes of N,N′-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)ethylenediamine-N,N′-diacetic acid

Abstract The stability constants of 1:1 complexes of N,N ′-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)ethylenediamine- N,N ′-diacetic acid (HBED) with trivalent and divalent metal ions have been determined by potentiometric and spectrophotometric methods in KCl supporting electrolyte (0.100 M) at 25.0 °C. The log stability constants for the Fe(III), Ga(III) and In(III) chelates are 39.01, 38.51 and 27.76, respectively, while that for the weaker complex with Gd(III) is 18.89. The results in this work are compared with those of analogous ligands.
Mexico's border industry and the international division of labor

The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature and significance of northern Mexico's rapidly-growingmaquiladora (assembly plant) industry, which has been promoted by policies in both the United States and Mexico. It is argued that this phenomenon is one aspect of the new international division of labor, which can be explained in terms of the related product cycle and spatial-industrial filtering concepts. The evidence suggests that despite problems, both countries have benefited on balance. In addition, the long-term implications of U.S.-Mexican interdependency are considered. The findings indicate that both countries need to adapt to changing international circumstances, but the potential gains from internal reforms are especially great for Mexico.
THE EFFECT OF DOSE ON THE INCORPORATION OF 3H-THYMIDINE IN THE NUCLEI OF THE LIVER CAPSULE CELLS IN THE NEWT, TRITURUS VIRIDESCENS.

Abstract Adult newts were given an IP injection of one of the following doses of 3H-thymidine/g wt: 1 μc; 0.1 μc; 0.05 μc; 0.01 μc. Maximum uptake of 3H-thymidine in liver capsule cells occurred at 24–48 hr after 1 μc; at 18 to 30 hr after 0.1 μc; at 12 to 18 hr after 0.05 μc and at 4 to 12 hr 0.01 μc. These results show that 3H-thymidine is available to liver capsule cells in the newt for a longer period of time than thus far reported in other cell systems, and also shows a definite dose dependency of availability time of 3H-thymidine in the newt.
Voltage dependence of bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cell function

Abstract Vascular mediator synthesis in endothelial cells is Ca 2+ sensitive. Bradykinin increases [Ca 2+ ] i by releasing it from intracellular stores and by increasing influx across the plasmalemma. The latter is believed to occur through receptor-operated channels. Although gating of these plasmalemmal channels is voltage-insensitive, we hypothesized that Ca 2+ influx would still be dependent on the Ca 2+ electrochemical gradient and relative cation permeability. Using cultured bovine pulmonary endothelial cells we therefore measured: membrane voltage ( E m ) in single cells using the “tight seal” whole cell recording technique, Ca 2+ i in endothelial cell monolayers using fura-2, and arachidonic acid (AA) release using 3 H-AA prior to and following exposure to bradykinin at different [K + ] 0 . Our data indicate that the resting membrane potential of these cells is at least −67 mV in physiological saline and that the background resting membrane properties can be described with a ( P Na P K ) ratio of ∼0.027–0.040. Varying [K + ] 0 is shown to be an effective means for altering and controlling membrane potential and thus the calcium electrochemical gradient. Increases in [K + ] 0 lead to a concentration-dependent decrease in the magnitude of the Ca 2+ transient and in the relative amount of arachidonic acid released following exposure to bradykinin suggesting that Ca 2+ influx through the plasmalemma and AA release are regulated by the Ca 2+ electrochemical gradient. In addition, a simple theoretical membrane conductance model is presented which is able to reconcile the wide range in apparent resting membrane potentials which have been reported for endothelial cells.
A new use for M-mode echocardiography in detecting left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in coronary artery disease.

Abstract Regional left ventricular (LV) diastolic function affects the global rate and pattern of LV filling. These changes may be detected by changes in the magnitude and timing of the increase in LV basal diameter during diastole. Because M-mode echocardiography possesses the high temporal and spatial resolution to detect such abnormalities, a group of 8 normal control subjects were compared with a group of 12 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) to determine differences in the rate and timing of ventricular filling. The CAD patients had lower rates of fast filling expansion than the control subjects. The proportion of LV diastolic expansion during fast filling was lower. During atrial systole the increased rate of LV expansion was not significantly higher in the CAD patients, but the proportion of diastolic expansion occurring with atrial systole was increased. These changes may reflect a decrease in the rate and magnitude of early diastolic filling in the non-compliant ventricle and an increased reliance on active atrial transport. Thus, CAD alters the rate and pattern of LV filling. Changes in LV diameter as measured by M-mode echocardiography may be useful in detecting altered patterns of LV diastolic filling and identifying patients with CAD.
Alkynenitriles: chelation-controlled conjugate additions.

Chelation between γ-hydroxybutynenitrile and Grignard reagents triggers a particularly facile anionic conjugate addition reaction. Structurally diverse Grignard reagents add with equal efficiency, providing an intermediate anion that stereoselectively alkylates benzaldehyde in an overall addition−alkylation reaction.
Impact of reduced training on performance in endurance athletes.

Many endurance athletes and coaches fear a decrement in physical conditioning and performance if training is reduced for several days or longer. This is largely unfounded. Maximal exercise measures (VO2max, maximal heart rate, maximal speed or workload) are maintained for 10 to 28 days with reductions in weekly training volume of up to 70 to 80%. Blood measures (creatine kinase, haemoglobin, haematocrit, blood volume) change positively or are maintained with 5 to 21 days of reduced training, as are glycogen storage and muscle oxidative capacities. Submaximal exercise measures (economy, heart rate, postexercise lactate) and muscular power are maintained or improved with a 70 to 90% reduction in weekly volume over 6 to 21 days, provided that exercise frequency is reduced by no more than 20%. Athletic performance is improved or maintained with a 60 to 90% reduction in weekly training volume during a 6 to 21 day reduced training period, primarily due to an enhanced ability to exert muscular power. These findings suggest that endurance athletes should not refrain from reduced training prior to competition in an effort to improve performance, or for recovery from periods of intense training, injury, or staleness.
A SOCIOLOGY FOR OUR TIMES: Alvin Gouldner's Message

For the St. Louis meeting of the Midwest Sociological Society, the author organized a special session to reflect on the particular sociological tradition associated with Washington University, with a particular focus on Alvin Gouldner's work. From that session came this symposium, for which various papers presented were developed into articles. The session and these articles raise important issues for what they tell us both about Gouldner's work and about where sociology is as a discipline today. Among these issues are (1) the optimistic quest for objective value-free knowledge positivism entailed in the past versus a self-reflexive quest for knowledge that entails a tragic acceptance of its limits at present, (2) the effort to distinguish social theory from sociology, ideology, and politics, with all of whom it overlaps as they strive to be both social diagnosis and social therapy, (3) the production of knowledge as dependent both on the lived experiences that shape our biographies and on the intellectual influences available in the local settings where we work, (4) the effort to warn us against the various excesses to which our disciplinary and personal commitments give way, and (5) the role social theory can play as a search light that illuminates our way in the darkness of the empirical world in which we live, while it simultaneously casts a shadow.
Specular and nonspecular, thickness-dependent, spectral holes in a slanted chiral sculptured thin film with a central twist defect

Abstract We demonstrate analytically that two types of spectral holes located approximately in the center of the Bragg regime could be exhibited by a slanted chiral sculptured thin film (STF) containing a 90° twist defect midway through its thickness. One is a nonspecular spectral reflection hole excited by an incident circularly polarized plane wave of the same handedness as the chiral slanted STF, and the other a specular transmission hole excited by an incident circularly polarized plane wave of the opposite handedness. The occurrences of these holes depend on the device thickness, and a crossover thickness can be defined. The existence of both types of spectral holes is sensitive to the dual-periodicity of the slanted chiral STF, and can be completely subverted by the Rayleigh–Wood phenomenon.
Fluvial sediment transport in response to moderate storm flows following chaparral wildfire, Ventura County, southern California

Chaparral wildfire has a profound effect on erosion and sedimentation in southern California. The Wheeler Fire in July 1985 burned the entire basin of a tributary (drainage area 2.14 km 2 ) of the north fork of Matilija Creek, near Ventura, California. After the fire, fine gravel was delivered to the channel by the process of dry ravel (dry particle-by-particle sliding of debris under the force of gravity) at a rate of 0.29 m 3 /km 2 /month. The first winter flow (2.1 m 3 /s) following the fire deposited 550 m 3 of fine gravel in the 270-m study reach near the mouth of the tributary. At least 90% of this fine gravel was derived from colluvium delivered by dry ravel processes from hillslopes near the channel. The second winter flow (2.5 m 3 /s) eroded the channel to the pre-fire thalweg. A reduction in particle size and critical shear stress associated with deposition of small gravel following the fire allowed these moderate-magnitude flows to transport large volumes of sediment. Deposits of two debris flows were identified in the tributary basin. Radiocarbon dating of these deposits gives dates of 1045 ± 95 yr B.P. for the older deposit and between 295 ± 35 and 385 ± 84 yr B.P. for the younger deposit. These dates indicate that the recurrence interval of large debris flows in the study basin is at least an order of magnitude greater than the recurrence interval of fire in the area.
THE WEST COAST OF BRITAIN: STATISTICAL SELF‐SIMILARITY VS. CHARACTERISTIC SCALES IN THE LANDSCAPE

Mandelbrot (Science, 1967, 156, 636–638) used the west coast of Britain as an example of a naturally occurring statistically self-similar fractal. Evidence from this study indicates that the west coast of Britain is not statistically self-similar over the range of scale of measurement, and that complexity reaches maxima at characteristic scales related to identifiable features on the coastline. A fractal analysis is conducted using the divider method, and although the resulting log–log plot of measured length against steplength appears linear, statistical tests for linearity strongly suggest that the coastline is not statistically self-similar. An angle measure technique (AMT) developed by the author to examine changes in line complexity with scale, shows that within the range of scale of measurement there are two peaks in complexity for the west coast of Britain, suggesting that two processes acting at different scales have influenced coastal development. The AMT is also used to identify differences in complexity between northern and southern sections of the coastline. Additionally, high r2 values associated with regressions of log L(G) against log G are shown to be insufficient evidence of statistical self-similarity, and apparently linear segments (fractal elements) often found in Richardson plots may contain systematic curvature revealed only by more rigorous tests for non-linearity.
Towards a universal marketplace over the web: statistical multi-label classification of service provider forms with simulated annealing

There is a growing number of service providers that a consumer can interact with over the web to learn their service terms. The service terms, such as price and time to completion of the service, depend on the consumer's particular specifications. For instance, a printing services provider would need from its customers specifications such as the size of paper, type of ink, proofing and perforation. In a few sectors, there exist marketplace sites that provide consumers with specifications forms, which the consumer can fill out to learn the service terms of multiple service providers. Unfortunately, there are only a few such marketplace sites, and they cover a few sectors.At HP Labs, we are working towards building a universal marketplace site, i.e., a marketplace site that covers thousands of sectors and hundreds of providers per sector. One issue in this domain is the automated discovery/retrieval of the specifications for each sector. We address it through extracting and analyzing content from the websites of the service providers listed in business directories. The challenge is that each service provider is often listed under multiple service categories in a business directory, making it infeasible to utilize standard supervised learning techniques. We address this challenge through employing a multilabel statistical clustering approach within an expectation-maximization framework. We implement our solution to retrieve specifications for 3000 sectors, representing more than 300,000 service providers. We discuss our results within the context of the services needed to design a marketing campaign for a small business.
Personality disorder–not otherwise specified evidence of validity and consideration for DSM-5

Abstract Personality disorder–not otherwise specified (PD-NOS) has received little study despite being a very prevalent diagnosis of personality disorder (PD). Although some studies suggest that PD-NOS is intermediate in severity between subjects with, and without, formal PD, studies examining a comprehensive set of measures and control subjects have not been reported. Nearly 800 subjects were studied with semi-structured diagnostic interviews and with a variety of measures of temperament, character, and specific dimensions of personality and behavior. The subjects were divided into healthy controls (n = 176), Axis I controls (n = 87), PD subjects (n = 344) and PD-NOS subjects (n = 177). Subjects who met General Diagnostic Criteria for Personality Disorder (GDCPD), but not criteria for any one, specific PD, were designated as PD-NOS. On nearly all measures, PD-NOS differed from Healthy and from Axis I Controls in the direction of more pathology. Although subjects meeting criteria for specific PDs appeared more pathological than PD-NOS, this was always due to severity of PD as reflected by the Structured Interview for the Diagnosis of DSM Personality 4 severity score. When compared with subjects with only one specific PD diagnosis, subjects with PD-NOS did not differ in any way. When diagnosed by GDCPD, subjects with PD-NOS are similar to subjects with specific personality disorders and differ, as expected, from Healthy and Axis I Controls on measures of psychosocial function and on various dimensions of personality and related behavior. Accordingly, PD-NOS by GDCPD is as valid a PD as any other specific PD by DSM criteria.
Development of a ReaxFF Reactive Force Field for Aqueous Chloride and Copper Chloride

Copper ions play crucial roles in many enzymatic and aqueous processes. A critical analysis of the fundamental properties of copper complexes is essential to understand their impact on a wide range of chemical interactions. However the study of copper complexes is complicated by the presence of strong polarization and charge transfer effects, multiple oxidation states, and quantum effects like Jahn−Teller distortions. These complications make the experimental observations difficult to interpret. In order to provide a computationally inexpensive yet reliable method for simulation of aqueous-phase copper chemistry, ReaxFF reactive force field parameters have been developed. The force field parameters have been trained against a large set of DFT-derived energies for condensed-phase copper−chloride clusters as well as chloride/water and copper−chloride/water clusters sampled from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The parameters were optimized by iteratively training them against configurations generated fr...
Data of rock analyses-V Bibliography and index of rock analyses in the Australian periodical and serial literature

Abstract … just as each of the American, English, German and French schools has an indiiduality of its own, so will authors in Australia and New Zealand surely leave the impress of their work on contemporary thought. Each is worthily doing his part in laying the foundation stones of the future edifice of the Australasian petrology. W.H. Twelvetrees
Electron Irradiation of InGaAsP LEDs and InGaAs Photodetectors

The effect of 30 MeV electron irradiWon op InGaA LEDs and InGaAs photodiodes was studied. Electron fluxes ranged from 10 12 e/cm 2 to 10 15 e/cm 2 . The beam profile was measured with an improved scanning wire technique. During irradiation, light output, total current, and temperature were monitored for the LEDs. Responsivity and temperature were monitored for the photodiodes. Spectral characteristics and current-voltage curves were measured before and after irradiations. Changes in photodiode dark current were observed and LED lifetime-damage constant products were computed.
Phosphate disruption and metal toxicity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Effects of RAD23 and the histone chaperone HPC2

In cells, there exists a delicate balance between accumulation of charged metal cations and abundant anionic complexes such as phosphate. When phosphate metabolism is disrupted, cell-wide spread disturbances in metal homeostasis may ensue. The best example is a yeast pho80 mutant that hyperaccumulates phosphate and as result, also hyperaccumulates metal cations from the environment and shows exquisite sensitive to toxicity from metals such as manganese. In this study, we sought to identify genes that when over-expressed would suppress the manganese toxicity of pho80 mutants. Two classes of suppressors were isolated, including the histone chaperones SPT16 and HPC2, and RAD23, a well-conserved protein involved in DNA repair and proteosomal degradation. The histone chaperone gene HPC2 reversed the elevated manganese and phosphate of pho80 mutants by specifically repressing PHO84, encoding a metal-phosphate transporter. RAD23 also reduced manganese toxicity by lowering manganese levels, but RAD23 did not alter phosphate nor repress PHO84. We observed that the RAD23-reversal of manganese toxicity reflected its role in protein quality control, not DNA repair. Our studies are consistent with a model in which Rad23p partners with the deglycosylating enzyme Png1p to reduce manganese toxicity through proteosomal degradation of glycosylated substrate(s).
Molecular Weight Effect on the Dynamics of Polystyrene Degradation

The dynamics of polymer decomposition by random-chain scission can depend on the macromolecular chain length (or molecular weight, MW). We have investigated how the MW dependence of the rate coefficient can affect the degradation of polystyrene (2 g/L) dissolved in mineral oil at 275 °C. The evolution in time of polymer MW distributions (MWDs) was monitored by gel permeation chromatography of polymer samples taken from the reactor. The degradation (based on first-order continuous-distribution kinetics) of monodisperse polystyrene of initial MWs ranging from 12 000 to 0.93 million showed a substantial effect of MW. The experimental data indicated that polystyrene degraded mainly by random-chain scission and that chain-end scission was much less significant. The rapid reaction at initial times demonstrated the existence of weak links in the polymer chain. Equations are proposed for obtaining the degradation rate by examining the time evolution of the MWD as measured by the change in MW moments. The moments ...
Strength and Accuracy of Motor Control

Existing references to human strength capabilities and to manual control design provide relatively little information pertaining to the effects of interindividual differences in strength on accuracy of control inputs. In an effort to address that void, a review of the existing journal literature was undertaken. The results yielded little relevant research in spite of the fact that known strength-related factors are strongly expected to have performance-related implications.
Brief announcement: towards a communication optimal fast multipole method and its implications at exascale

This paper presents the first in-depth models for compute and memory costs of the kernel-independent Fast Multipole Method (KIFMM). The Fast Multiple Method (FMM) has asymptotically linear time complexity with a guaranteed approximation accuracy, making it an attractive candidate for a wide variety of particle system simulations on future exascale systems. This paper reports on three key advances. First, we present lower bounds on cache complexity for key phases of the FMM and use these bounds to derive analytical performance models. Secondly, using these models, we present results for choosing the optimal algorithmic tuning parameter. Lastly, we use these performance models to make predictions about FMM's scalability on possible exascale system configurations, based on current technology trends. Looking forward to exascale, we suggest that the FMM, though highly compute-bound on today's systems, could in fact become memory-bound by 2020.
Actin and intermediate-sized filaments of the spines and cytoskeleton of Schistosoma mansoni.

The organization of spines and filaments in whole worms and cytoskeletal fractions of adult Schistosoma mansoni was investigated. The ultrastructure of the spine revealed a closely packed filamentous organization of 3.5- to 5.6-nm elements and electron-lucent areas. Spines were surrounded at the base by electron-dense bodies and membrane invaginations, and covered at the tip by the syncytial surface membrane. Filaments, 7.5–11.1 nm in diameter, were closely associated with the base of the spines, between muscles, near mitochondria or nuclei, and in spaces of the subtegument.
Evolution and developmental regulation of the major histocompatibility complex

The ontogeny and evolution of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are blossoming fields that grant insight into the origins of the adaptive immune system and into the strategies adopted by particular groups of vertebrates for expression of MHC during development. This review surveys general topics concerning MHC evolution, with special emphasis on the significance of linkage of gene families within the MHC; a model is proposed in which the MHC class III region is the "primordial immune complex" with its members giving rise to classical MHC molecules. The developmental expression of MHC, both of the classical and non-classical genes, is described in detail with a concentration on differential expression by extraembryonic tissues in mammals and by tissues in "transition" during metamorphosis in amphibians.
Biosensor for Direct Determination of Organophosphate Nerve Agents Using Recombinant Escherichia coli with Surface-Expressed Organophosphorus Hydrolase. 2. Fiber-Optic Microbial Biosensor

A fiber-optic microbial biosensor suitable for direct measurement of organophosphate nerve agents was developed. The unique features of this novel microbial biosensor were the recombinant Escherichia coli cells expressing the enzyme organophosphorus hydrolase on the cell surface and the optical detection of the products of enzyme-catalyzed organophosphate hydrolysis. The use of cells with the metabolic enzyme expressed on the cell surface as a biological sensing element provides advantages of no resistance to mass transport of the analyte and product across the cell membrane and low cost due to elimination of enzyme purification, over the conventional microbial biosensors based on cells expressing enzyme intracellularly and enzyme-based sensors, respectively. The use of an optical transducer allows the detection of different organophosphates in a mixture, presently not feasible with acetylcholinesterase-based biosensors. E. coli cells expressing organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) on the cell surface were im...
Magnesium isotope fractionation in biogenic and abiogenic carbonates: implications for paleoenvironmental proxies

Abstract Geochemical variations in marine biogenic carbonates that are preserved in the geological record serve as proxies of past environmental change. However, interpreting most proxies is complicated by biologically-mediated vital effects, highlighting the need to develop new tools for reconstructing paleoenvironmental change. Recently, magnesium (Mg) isotope variability in carbonates has been explored extensively to determine its utility as a paleoenvironmental proxy. We review the results of these works, which have yielded valuable information on the factors affecting Mg isotope fractionation between carbonates and solution (Δ26Mgcarb-sol) in biogenic and abiogenic carbonate minerals. Strong evidence exists for a mineralogical control on Δ26Mgcarb-sol, with the negative offset from 0‰ following the sequence aragonite ∼3 mol/mol) and saturation states (Ω >∼3) that are similar to seawater suggest that Δ26Mgcarb-sol has a temperature dependence of ∼0.01‰ °C−1 and is insensitive to precipitation rate. In contrast, a significant precipitation rate dependence is observed in calcites precipitated from solutions with relatively low Mg/Ca ratios (
Runx expression is mitogenic and mutually linked to Wnt activity in blastula-stage sea urchin embryos.

Background The Runt homology domain (Runx) defines a metazoan family of sequence-specific transcriptional regulatory proteins that are critical for animal development and causally associated with a variety of mammalian cancers. The sea urchin Runx gene SpRunt-1 is expressed throughout the blastula stage embryo, and is required globally during embryogenesis for cell survival and differentiation. Methodology/Principal Findings Depletion of SpRunt-1 by morpholino antisense-mediated knockdown causes a blastula stage deficit in cell proliferation, as shown by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and direct cell counts. Reverse transcription coupled polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) studies show that the cell proliferation deficit is presaged by a deficit in the expression of several zygotic wnt genes, including wnt8, a key regulator of endomesoderm development. In addition, SpRunt-1-depleted blastulae underexpress cyclinD, an effector of mitogenic Wnt signaling. Blastula stage cell proliferation is also impeded by knockdown of either wnt8 or cyclinD. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) indicates that Runx target sites within 5′ sequences flanking cyclinD, wnt6 and wnt8 are directly bound by SpRunt-1 protein at late blastula stage. Furthermore, experiments using a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter transgene show that the blastula-stage operation of a cis-regulatory module previously shown to be required for wnt8 expression (Minokawa et al., Dev. Biol. 288: 545–558, 2005) is dependent on its direct sequence-specific interaction with SpRunt-1. Finally, inhibitor studies and immunoblot analysis show that SpRunt-1 protein levels are negatively regulated by glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3. Conclusions/Significance These results suggest that Runx expression and Wnt signaling are mutually linked in a feedback circuit that controls cell proliferation during development.
Thermal distributions of first, second and third quantization

Abstract We treat first quantized string theory as two-dimensional gravity plus matter. This allows us to compute the two-dimensional density of one string states by the method of Darwin and Fowler. One can then use second quantized methods to form a grand microcanonical ensemble in which one can compute the density of multistring states of arbitrary momentum and mass. It is argued that modelling an elementary particle as a d−1-dimensional object whose internal degrees of freedom are described by a massless d-dimensional gas yields a density of internal states given by σ d (m)∼m −a exp ((bm) 2(d−1) d ) . This indicates that these objects cannot be in thermal equilibrium at any temperature unless d⩽2; that is for a string or a particle. Finally, we discuss the application of the above ideas to four-dimensional gravity and introduce an ensemble of multiuniverse states parameterized by second quantized canonical momenta and particle number.
Hands-on: creating XML solutions with DB2 pureXML and WebSphere application server

Over the last decade XML has become a de-facto standard to represent and exchange business data. As a result XML is now widely used to build applications that integrate databases, enterprise systems and the Web.
An analysis of binarization ground truthing

The accuracy of a binarization algorithm is often calculated relative to a ground truth image. Except for synthetically generated images, no ground truth image exists. Evaluating binarization on real images is preferred. The ground truthing between and among different operators is compared. Four direct metrics were used. The variability of the results of five different automatic binarization algorithms were compared to that of manual ground truth results. Significant variability in the ground truth results was found.
Optimization of generalized LT codes for progressive image transfer

Rateless codes allow a user to incrementally send additional redundancy, so they can be useful for heterogeneous and time-varying networks for which the choice of redundancy level in advance is difficult. Rateless codes are an attractive application layer forward error correction solution due to their flexibility and capacity-approaching performance. The original rateless codes were developed for the delivery of equally important information. In many multimedia applications, some data symbols are more important than others. Unequal error protection (UEP) designs are attractive solutions for such transmissions. However previous UEP rateless code designs were aimed for coarsely layered sources and might exhibit poor performance for fine-grained progressive coding. The main objective of this paper is to introduce a more generalized coding scheme, parameters of which can be tailored for progressive multimedia transmission. We present the optimization of a generalized rateless code using two different progressive source transmission protocols. Proposed coding scheme is shown to exhibit better unequal protection and recovery time properties than other published results.
Social science and health

Few areas in academic research receive as much attention as health and its corollaries, and the Social Science Journal is devoting this special issue to the interaction between health and the socia...
Marangoni instability at a contaminated liquid–vapor interface of a burning thin film

We consider the evaporation and subsequent burning of thin films of liquid fuels on which a nonsoluble surface active agent (surfactant) is present. This work complements a previous study where we have considered the same problem but in the absence of surfactant.Surfactant may result from impurities of the liquid fuel or from backward diffusion of unoxidized combustion intermediaries and heavy soot precursors. When burning occurs in a quiescent ambient, the mathematical problem can be systematically reduced to a pair of nonlinear evolution equations for the film’s thickness and surfactant’s concentration. These equations contain, in particular, the temperature and mass flux at the liquid–vaporinterface as additional parameters, determined from full consideration of the gas-phase processes. We show that in the absence of combustion or, when the heat released by the chemical reactions is relatively small, thermo-capillary effects tend to destabilize a nominally planar interface. The presence of surfactant brings about a slower growth and can possibly stabilize the film. Combustion generally acts to reverse these trends: When the heat release is large, thermo-capillary effects stabilize the liquid–vaporinterface while the presence of surfactant leads to destabilization.
Biomaterial implants mediate autologous stem cell recruitment in mice

Autologous stem cells, recognized as the best cells for stem cell therapy, are associated with difficult extraction procedures which often lead to more traumas for the patients and time-consuming laboratory work, which delays their subsequent application. To combat such challenges, it was recently uncovered that, shortly after biomaterial implantation, following the recruitment of inflammatory cells, substantial numbers of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) were recruited to the implantation sites. These multipotent MSC could be differentiated into various lineages in vitro. Inflammatory signals may be responsible for the gathering of stem cells, since there is a good relationship between biomaterial-mediated inflammatory responses and stem cell accumulation in vivo. In addition, the treatment with the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone substantially reduced the recruitment of both MSC and HSC. The results from this work support that such strategies could be further developed towards localized recruitment and differentiation of progenitor cells. This may permit the future development of autologous stem cell therapies without the need for tedious cell isolation, culture and transplantation.
The Love Canal: Beyond science?

When in 1978, the New York State Department of Health issued the report, ‘Love Canal—Public Health Time Bomb,’ the serious effects of chemical waste contamination in the Love Canal area became an issue of national concern. A few ‘studies’ since then have produced results in concert with those of initial reports that described ‘conditions of acute health effects’ as being linked to hazardous wastes incorporated in landfill in the Love Canal site near Niagara Falls, New York. Now that a ‘blue ribbon’ panel of experts from the medical sciences has reviewed the problems of Love Canal, however, a different view has emerged. The ‘Report of the Governors' Panel to Review Scientific Studies and the Development of Public Policy on Problems Resulting from Hazardous Wastes,’ transmitted in October of this year, identifies the following factors about the health effects at Love Canal:
Instructional Tasks and the Development of Student Capacity to Think and Reason: An Analysis of the Relationship between Teaching and Learning in a Reform Mathematics Project

Abstract In the present study the relationship between teaching and learning was examined using a conceptual framework that links dimensions of instructional tasks with gains in student learning outcomes. The greatest student gains on a performance assessment consisting of tasks that require high levels of mathematical thinking and reasoning were related to the use of instructional tasks that engaged students in the “doing of mathematics” or the use of procedures with connections to meaning. In addition, student performance gains were greater for those sites whose tasks were both set up and implemented to encourage the use of multiple solution strategies, multiple representations, and explanations. Whereas, student performance gains were relatively small for those sites whose tasks tended to be both set up and implemented in a procedural manner and that required a single solution strategy, single representations, and little or no mathematical communication.
The role of psychiatry in the public mental health delivery system: an introduction.

We appreciate this opportunity to be guest editors of several papers contained in this issue of Psychiatric Quarterly concerned with the role of psychiatry in the public mental health delivery system. These papers were originally presented at a conference entitled ~Improving Florida's Services for the Mentally Ill: The Role of Psychiatry," which was held on October 7-8, 1986 in Tallahassee, Florida. The conference was organized by the Florida Mental Heal th Institute, Universi ty of South Florida, and sponsored by the Florida Department of Heal th and Rehabilitative Services through the Committee on Public Psychiatry. The conference was originally developed out of a concern for the "fate" of the public mental heal th delivery system in general and particularly the role of psychiatry in the public mental health system in Florida. These issues have also been of national concern to the field of psychiatry. 1,2,8 During the past forty years, there have been revolutionary
Quantitative Modeling of Cerenkov Light Production Efficiency from Medical Radionuclides

There has been recent and growing interest in applying Cerenkov radiation (CR) for biological applications. Knowledge of the production efficiency and other characteristics of the CR produced by various radionuclides would help in accessing the feasibility of proposed applications and guide the choice of radionuclides. To generate this information we developed models of CR production efficiency based on the Frank-Tamm equation and models of CR distribution based on Monte-Carlo simulations of photon and β particle transport. All models were validated against direct measurements using multiple radionuclides and then applied to a number of radionuclides commonly used in biomedical applications. We show that two radionuclides, Ac-225 and In-111, which have been reported to produce CR in water, do not in fact produce CR directly. We also propose a simple means of using this information to calibrate high sensitivity luminescence imaging systems and show evidence suggesting that this calibration may be more accurate than methods in routine current use.
Addition theorem for the resistance to flow of composite systems and its relationship with the pumping speed in the region of molecular flow

On the basis of the theory of molecular flow there is developed a theorem for the total probability of particle transmission, W 1n , and the total conductance, C equations (29) and (31), for a series connection of any number n of kinds of baffle of cross-section area A i and transmission probability W i . The expressions which have been given by Harries 4 and Oatley 5 for the values of W 1n and C for assembled structure of tubes and apertures arise as simple special cases of the equation. For a given conductance structure, the reciprocity law, A 1 w 1n = A n w 1n is valid, which signifies that the conductance C is independent of the direction of flow.If the construction elements have different cross-section areas A i , in general, the values of W 1n and C depend on the connection sequence; these values are largest if the construction elements are connected so that the values of A i either increase or decrease uniformly. For the throttling of the pumping speed by a baffle, it is not the conductance C, but the modified conductance C m = C/(1 − w 1n ) which is decisive.
Brief Dichotomic basis approach to solving hyper-sensitive optimal control problems

As a step toward developing a general method for determining the underlying geometric structure of two time-scale optimally controlled nonlinear systems, we define a degenerate class of two time-scale optimal control problems, called completely hypersensitive problems, and propose an indirect solution method for this class of problems. The method uses a dichotomic basis to split the Hamiltonian vector field into its stable and unstable components. An accurate approximation to the optimal solution is constructed by matching the initial and terminal boundary-layer segments with the equilibrium solution. A variation of the method for the case of an approximate dichotomic basis is also developed and is applied to a nonlinear spring-mass problem. The challenging problem of determining a dichotomic basis or a sufficiently accurate approximation to one is discussed only briefly, but some potential solutions are identified.
Cores, Peripheries, and Contemporary Political Economy

This note underscores the need for more precise causal theories linking the international division of labor, national economies, and public policies. To that end, the author recommends two literatures upon which a revised dependency theory might build, namely, those on economic geography and the political economy of redistribution.
A comparative analysis of several transformations for enhancement and segmentation of magnetic resonance image scene sequences

The performance of the eigenimage filter is compared with those of several other filters as applied to magnetic resonance image (MRI) scene sequences for image enhancement and segmentation. Comparisons are made with principal component analysis, matched, modified-matched, maximum contrast, target point, ratio, log-ratio, and angle image filters. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), segmentation of a desired feature (SDF), and correction for partial volume averaging effects (CPV) are used as performance measures. For comparison, analytical expressions for SNRs and CNRs of filtered images are derived, and CPV by a linear filter is studied. Properties of filters are illustrated through their applications to simulated and acquired MRI sequences of a phantom study and a clinical case; advantages and weaknesses are discussed. The conclusion is that the eigenimage filter is the optimal linear filter that achieves SDF and CPV simultaneously. >
Increasing innovation in change situations through leadership skills.

A role-playing format was used to determine the effect of skill training in the use of leadership acts previously found to be critical. These were: (1) the degree to which the discussion issue is posed as a problem rather than a solution and (2) the readiness to share available data. Trained leaders were not permitted to make suggestions or to favor a solution. Their role was to accept ideas without evaluating them. The problem situation involved a foreman who would like to have three crew members change their work procedure so as to increase production. In 25 groups the leader was trained in the two above-mentioned leadership skills, and in 29 groups the leader was untrained. The solutions were of three types: (1) Old method, or refusal to change; (2) New method, indicated by the time-study data; and (3) an Integrative method which assimilates the facts and feelings of conflicting parties and, in addition, requires innovation. The Trained leader groups produced 68.0% Integrative solutions in contrast to ...
Logic design as an entry point for non-engineers: Increasing diversity in microelectronics education and research

This paper presents specific course content suggestions for creating and teaching an introductory course in logic design to non-engineering students. The primary motivation for the course is to inform and attract non-engineering students to field of microelectronics. Most students have no exposure to wireless systems, IC design, nanotechnology, etc in high school and hence they can not determine their aptitude for work in the field. With the use of logic design and its inherently shallow learning curve, students can preview many aspects of microelectronics. By appealing to a broader university student population, the course has the ability to increase the interest and the diversity of students in microelectronics education and research, overall.
Energy-Efficient Power Loading for a MIMO-SVD System and Its Performance in Flat Fading

In this paper we formulate a power loading problem for the spatial subchannels (parallel channels) of a single-carrier MIMO-SVD system. The power loading solution is designed to minimize the energy-per-goodbit (EPG) of the MIMO-SVD system. The optimum power loading obtained by solving a nonlinear fractional program, has a closed-form expression and is found by applying a water-filling procedure. It is observed that the optimum total transmit power (water level) depends not only on the MIMO channel realization, but also on the ratio of circuit power cost (which depends on the number of antennas) to transmit power cost (which depends on path loss and other factors). We study the statistical performance (using simulation) of the solution in Rayleigh and Rician flat-fading channels. Using outage EPG as a measure of performance, we determine the MIMO configuration (from a set of allowed configurations) that yields the minimum outage EPG. It is observed that the average number of spatial subchannels utilized (which indicates preference for diversity or multiplexing) depends on the ratio of circuit power cost to transmit power cost and fading type (Rayleigh or Rician). For both cases, the results show that both multiplexing and diversity obtained by MIMO systems are critical for energy efficiency.