cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inventing social capital: Evidence from African American inventors, 1843–1930

Abstract Much recent work has focused on the influence of social capital on innovative outcomes. Little research has been done on disadvantaged groups who were often restricted from participation in social networks that provide information necessary for invention and innovation. Unique new data on African American inventors and patentees between 1843 and 1930 permit an empirical investigation of the relation between social capital and economic outcomes. I find that African Americans used both traditional, i.e., occupation-based, and nontraditional, i.e., civic, networks to maximize inventive output and that laws constraining social-capital formation are most negatively correlated with economically important inventive activity.
Analysis of the tremor induced by injection of cholinergic agents into the caudate nucleus.

Abstract Several cholinergic compounds (acetylcholine analogues, oxotremorine, and arecoline), all possessing muscarinic activity in the peripheral autonomic nervous system, evoked tremor after injection into the caudate nucleus of unanesthetized cats. Of the alkaloids and synthetic agents administered, carbachol was the most potent. Similar tremorogenic responses were not demonstrated after nicotine. Carbachol tremor was blocked by subsequent intracaudate injections of muscarinic antagonists, such as the belladonna alkaloids and their synthetic counterparts, but was not altered by other locally injected cholinergic antagonists, e.g. those which block the peripheral actions of nicotine. These results indicate that the cholinergic tremorogenic agents produce involuntary movements by a specific neuropharmacologic action on “muscarinic” receptors in the caudate. Tremor also develops after intracaudate physostigmine, an anticholinesterase, which permits the accumulation of endogenous acetylcholine. Therefore, it seems reasonable to propose that the “muscarinic” receptors in the caudate also participate neurophysiologically in a complex cholinergic mechanism regulating involuntary motor activity.
Protein Crystallization by Surface Entropy Reduction: Optimization of the Ser Strategy

A strategy of rationally engineering protein surfaces with the aim of obtaining mutants that are distinctly more susceptible to crystallization than the wild-type protein has previously been suggested. The strategy relies on replacing small clusters of two to three surface residues characterized by high conformational entropy with alanines. This surface entropy reduction (or SER) method has proven to be an effective salvage pathway for proteins that are difficult to crystallize. Here, a systematic comparison of the efficacy of using Ala, His, Ser, Thr and Tyr to replace high-entropy residues is reported. A total of 40 mutants were generated and screened using two different procedures. The results reaffirm that alanine is a particularly good choice for a replacement residue and identify tyrosines and threonines as additional candidates that have considerable potential to mediate crystal contacts. The propensity of these mutants to form crystals in alternative screens in which the normal crystallization reservoir solutions were replaced with 1.5 M NaCl was also examined. The results were impressive: more than half of the mutants yielded a larger number of crystals with salt as the reservoir solution. This method greatly increased the variety of conditions that yielded crystals. Taken together, these results suggest a powerful crystallization strategy that combines surface engineering with efficient screening using standard and alternate reservoir solutions.
Invited Discussion Paper Constrained Optimization of Experimental Design

This is an attempt to discuss various approaches developed in experimental design when constraints are imposed. These constraints may be on the total cost of the experiment, the location of the supporting point, the value of auxiliary objective functions, and so on. The basic idea of the paper is that all corresponding optimization problems can be imbedded in the convex theory of experimental design. Part 1 is concerned with the properties of optimal designs, while Part 2 is devoted mainly to numerical methods. We have tried to avoid details, emphasizing ideas rather than technicalities. This is not intended as a literature review. The authors subjectively surely left many excellent papers behind.
Parameter optimizations of multiple-mirror reactors

The diffusion density profile model for multiple-mirror devices is limited to machines with a large number of cells and high mirror ratios. A new discrete staircase density profile model, without those limitations, has been developed. This model, along with the diffusion model, has been used to study the parameters of steady-state multiple-mirror reactors. A linear fusion device consisting of a central solenoid and multiple mirrors at each end has been considered. The magnetic field is taken to be produced by a solenoid and mirror-quadrupole assemblies which produce an average-minimum-B stable configuration. Different means of supplying the re-circulating power, including high-energy neutral-D injectors, are considered. Distribution functions of alpha particles and beam particles in this machine have been calculated. Trade-offs among the length of the machine, Q ≡ fusion power/beam power, and other machine parameters in two different operating modes: wetwood burner (pure-T plasma background) and conventional (T and D background plasma) have been studied. It is found that the staircase density profile results in shorter reactors with a larger number of cells, compared to those of the diffusion-determined density profile.
Some physicochemical properties of anticatalase.

Antikatalase isoliert aus dem Katalase-Antikatalase-Prazipitin nach Denaturierung, hat einen S 20 o ,w-Wert von 6,9, ein Molekulargewicht von 177 600 (Archibald-Verfahren), ein E lem 1% (280 mµ, pH 5,7) von 15,2 und Alanin als freie endstandige NH2-Gruppe. Diese Merkmale, wie auch der Aminosaure-Gehalt der Antikatalase, sind mit den generellen Antikorpern des Kaninchens vergleichbar.
Need For Ultrasonic Tissue Equivalent Test Objects For Routine Performance Checks Of Pulse-Echo Equipment

This paper discusses needs for tissue equivalent test objects for use in ultrasound quality control. Currently available test objects are useful for assessing specific aspects of an ultrasound imaging system such as depth calibration and B-scan registration accuracy. A phantom which yields scattered echo signals of a similar magnitude as detected in tissues and producing the same frequency dependent attenuation of the beam would be useful for scan uniformity checks, evaluation of swept gain settings, and possibly for gray scale checks. The phantom material would also be useful for measuring pulse-echo response profiles of ultrasonic transducers.© (1977) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Fissile material detection using a prompt fission neutron chamber system

Abstract The calculations supporting the design of a chamber system to detect and verify fissile material in items such as mail packages or luggage are described. Stimulated neutrons from fission are separated from those produced by the system 14 MeV neutron generators by time delay. The proposed system design has a chamber volume of 60×60×90 cm. It is anticipated that at least 1 g of fissile material could be detected in as little as 5 s of interrogation.
Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog on Chromosome 10 Is Phosphorylated in Primary Effusion Lymphoma and Kaposi's Sarcoma

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma driven by Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus. It is uniquely sensitive to mTOR, PI3K, and Akt inhibitors; however, the basis of this requirement for the mTOR pathway remains to be elucidated. The phosphatase and tensin homolog gene (PTEN) on chromosome 10 controls the first step in the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)-Akt-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway and is genetically inactivated in many solid tumors. We find an absence of PTEN deletions, mutations, or protein mislocalization in PEL. However, we find consistent hyperphosphorylation at serine 380 of PTEN, which is an inactivating modification, in PEL cell lines and in tumor xenografts. We also evaluated a large tissue microarray of Kaposi's sarcoma biopsies and observed concordant high levels of phospho-PTEN, phospho-Akt, and phospho-S6 ribosomal protein. Reintroduction of PTEN into PEL inhibited colony formation in soft agar, verifying the functional dependence of PEL on PI3K signaling. This was also true for PEL cell lines that carried mutant p53 and for KS-like cell lines. Activating PTEN in these cancers may yield a new treatment strategy for PEL, KS, and similar PTEN wild-type lymphomas.
Solving Dynamical Systems Involving Piecewise Restoring Force Using State Event Location

Abstract Many theoretical and experimental studies of complex path-dependent dynamic systems lead to restoring forces expressed as piecewise nonlinear algebraic equations. Examples include, but are not limited to, bilinear hysteretic, Ramberg-Osgood, Masing, generalized Masing, Clough, and Takeda models, which are popular in engineering mechanics applications. These models relate restoring force to displacement and velocity by means of piecewise relations having only C0 continuity, which leads to two sorts of challenges in numerical simulation. First, the equations of motion may not simply be a set of ordinary differential equations, rather they may fall within the framework of differential-algebraic equations (DAEs). Second, there are unknown locations of discontinuities of low-order derivatives of the solution. This study seeks accurate and efficient numerical solutions of the DAEs with C0 continuity, enabling robust simulation of these complex nonlinear dynamic systems. This study focuses on explicit t...
Small group process: Learning from women

Synopsis The small group is the primary process and structure of the international feminist movement. However, traditional academic researchers have shown little interest in female groups, apparently considering them subordinate or marginal to men's groups. Women are beginning to examine women's groups and their findings call into question the traditional models of group dynamics. This is a review of information compiled from a variety of sources ranging from personal accounts to empirical studies. Through pooling the knowledge and insights gained from these records and studies we hope to further the development of feminist group process and point the way for future study.
Densest translational lattice packing of non-convex polygons

A translational lattice packing of k polygons P"1,P"2,P"3,...,P"k is a (non-overlapping) packing of the k polygons which is replicated without overlap at each point of a lattice i"0v"0+i"1v"1, where v"0 and v"1 are vectors generating the lattice and i"0 and i"1 range over all integers. A densest translational lattice packing is one which minimizes the area |v"0xv"1| of the fundamental parallelogram. An algorithm and implementation is given for densest translational lattice packing. This algorithm has useful applications in industry, particularly clothing manufacture.
A New Paradigm for Complex Midface Reconstruction - A Reversed Approach

The treatment of secondary complex post-traumatic midface deformities is particularly challenging.1 The conventional approach used in this type of reconstruction involves three steps. The first step is to recreate the original fractures by performing a series of osteotomies; the second step is to reposition the malpositioned segments in their normal anatomical alignment; and the third step is to fixate these segments with plates and screws. Unfortunately, this approach frequently produces less than ideal outcomes because the healed fracture lines and the post-traumatic bony contours distorted the normal anatomical reference points. The advent of three-dimensional (3D) computer simulation has improved our ability to accurately assess the deformity and subsequently to develop a 3D surgical plan.2, 3 However, the transfer of the computerized surgical plan to the patient at the time of the surgery still poses a challenge. To this end, our Surgical Planning Laboratory has developed new techniques that have markedly improved our abilities to plan and treat patients who require distraction osteogenesis4, 5, orthognathic surgery2, 5, 6 and TMJ reconstruction7. These techniques involve the used of computer-generated templates and surgical navigation. In patients with secondary posttraumatic midface deformities, we tried first to solve the transfer problem by using computer-generated templates. However, we found this technique often not to be feasible due to the limited surgical access and irregular surface geometry. We also tried to use surgical navigation, but the need for large navigational sensors to track the position of a multitude of small segments was too cumbersome. In addition, it was also extremely difficult to adapt and fix the plates while holding segments in their ideal position. Eventually, we were able to solve this problem by creating a new technique that combines the use of prebent plates (templates) and navigation. It also reverses the steps of the conventional approach. The ultimate goal of this technique is to quickly and accurately place the displaced bony segments in their normal anatomical alignment. In our “reversed approach”, the new segment position is automatically attained. At the time of surgery, under navigation guidance, this is accomplished by pre-drilling the screw holes for the fixation plates prior to the osteotomies, and then by installing the pre-bent plates in these screw holes after the osteotomies have been completed. The prebent plates with the pre-drilled screw holes have all the information needed to accurately reposition the segments. The simple act of installing the plates automatically repositions the segments. This approach represents a new paradigm in skeletal midface reconstruction. The purpose of this paper is to present the protocol for this technique.
Detection of Clostridium difficile Toxin: Comparison of Enzyme Immunoassay Results with Results Obtained by Cytotoxicity Assay

Several kinds of laboratory techniques are available to detect Clostridium difficile toxin in fecal samples. Because questions have been raised about the reliability of immunoassays compared to the accepted standard, cytotoxicity assay, we studied three enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) and one rapid EIA, which demonstrated relatively good sensitivities and specificities compared to cytotoxicity assay.
Residency requirements and public perceptions of the police in large municipalities

Proponents of police officer residency requirements maintain that police officers who live in the area they serve contribute to the local tax base, provide better information dissemination, and represent community interests in their agencies. However, little research has been conducted to assess the extent to which residency requirements affect public perceptions of the police. This paper explores the relationship between police residency requirements at the municipal level and citizen satisfaction with law enforcement – specifically, the connection between residency requirements and reported confidence in the abilities of the police to prevent crime, solve crime, and protect citizens. Data derived from a national survey of citizen satisfaction with criminal justice institutions conducted during 1995 and from the 1993 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey of agencies with more than 100 sworn officers reveal, among other things, that residency requirements affect citizens’ perceptions of the police in a negative way.
Concanavalin A mediated hemagglutination and binding properties of LM cells.

Summary Changes in the extent of concanavalin A binding and concanavalin A-mediated hemadsorption to mouse LM cells were observed at 5–7° and 15–19°. Incubation of LM cells at 7° or less caused a dramatic inhibition of subsequent concanavalin A-mediated hemagglutination at 22°. Reversal of this inhibition required 20–30 min of subsequent incubation at 22°, indicating that factors other than membrane lipid “fluidity” are determinants of agglutinability.
Fin Prin: Analysis and Optimization of FinFET Logic Circuits under PVT Variations

Continued scaling of bulk CMOS technology is facing formidable challenges. As an alternative, FinFETs offer a promising solution for the 22nm technology node and beyond though they still suffer from process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) variations. Thus, in order to analyze the delay of FinFET logic circuits, statistical static timing analysis (SSTA) is more suitable than traditional static timing analysis (STA). In this paper, we consider voltage and temperature variations in addition to process variations. We propose a simplified FinFET timing model with an average absolute error of 3.4% and 4.4%, respectively, for gate output slope and gate delay over all logic gates and sizes, compared to accurate quasi Monte-Carlo (QMC) simulations. We extend an existing SSTA algorithm to statistical leakage and dynamic power analysis as well, and evaluate its performance relative to Monte-Carlo (MC) simulation. Finally, we show that FinFET logic circuits need to be carefully optimized with temperature taken into consideration, since the ratio between the leakage and dynamic power of a circuit can vary drastically depending on the operating temperature assumed.
Thymine 7-hydroxylase activity in normal and leukemic leukocytes.

Abstract Thymine 7-hydroxylase activity was detected in normal and leukemic leukocytes of Fischer 344 rats as witnessed by the conversion of thymine-2- 14 C to 5-hydroxymethyluracil. All the enzyme activity was found inside the cells, but occasionally low levels of activity were recovered from the plasma. The catalysis of the reaction was stimulated by ascorbic acid, α-ketoglutaric acid and Fe 2+ . Leukemic cells produced up to eight times as much product as normal leukocytes.
Quantification of thermal contact conductance in electronic packages

Numerically obtained values of typical electronic package interface pressures are presented. Combining these predicted pressures and the results of previous investigations, the individual thermal contact resistances and overall package resistance were determined for an 18-lead plastic dual-in-line package constructed from typical commercially available materials. The results indicate that the summation of the contact resistances may make up as much as 43% of the total package thermal resistance for the packages investigated. The results also indicate that models in which these contact resistances are neglected may predict mean chip temperatures significantly below those actually present. The results also indicate that materials with thermal expansion coefficients below that of silicon tend to result in higher interface pressures and, hence, higher contact conductance than expansion matched materials. However, if placed incorrectly, these higher pressures can have a detrimental effect on the overall reliability of semiconductor devices. >
The Economic Impacts of Tourism: A Special Issue

Economic impact analysis is a broad category of analytic methods including some of the most common tools for travel and tourism planning. The consensus of recent work appears to be that economic impact analysis can be an important element of the tourism planner’s toolbox but also can be subject to considerable risk of misuse and misinterpretation. This article highlights many of the issues involved in the appropriate use and interpretation of economic impact analysis and summarizes the contributions of articles included in this special issue. These articles address a wide range of topics, including the measurement of benefits and costs, modeling of indirect and induced impacts, and the testing, validation, and use of impact estimates.
Ultrawideband vector antennas for sensing and positioning

Over the last decade, there has been a growing recognition that ultra-wideband (UWB) radios offer several unique capabilities that can enable new sensing, positioning and communication applications. Most UWB systems currently use single- or dual-polarized antennas, which can measure at most two components of the received electromagnetic (EM) signal. Since the received signal consists of six field components, however, potentially useful information is neglected. In principle, a "vector antenna" that can independently detect or excite three or more EM field components enables the UWB system to access additional signaling dimensions, which can be used to enhance performance in the same way as antenna arrays. In this paper, we consider the potential advantages of UWB vector antenna systems for range and direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation. We first introduce a general model for an UWB vector antenna system that incorporates the possibility of arbitrary space- and frequency-selective antenna coupling. We then use this model to derive a frequency-domain Cramer-Rao lower bound on the position error covariance for arbitrary polarized UWB signals. For two particular 3-element UWB vector antennas, we then use the bound as a design criterion to derive optimal UWB polarized signals that minimize a lower bound on mean-square angular estimation error.
Adventures in the Pathophysiology of Brain Ischemia: Penumbra, Gene Expression, Neuroprotection The 2002 Thomas Willis Lecture

Background— The pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia is well studied in small-animal models, which offer reproducibility and control of confounding variables—factors essential to hypothesis-testing. This presentation first highlights insights into the ischemic penumbra enabled by a multimodal experimental approach; second, discusses gene expression in ischemia; and third, confronts the challenges of neuroprotectant therapy. Summary of Review— The ischemic penumbra: Transient (2-hour) middle cerebral artery suture-occlusion in anesthetized rats gives rise to highly consistent neurological and histopathological sequelae. Autoradiographic local cerebral blood flow (LCBF) studies at 2 hours of occlusion define the penumbra as a region of intermediate CBF depression (20% to 40% of control) surrounding the densely ischemic core (5% to 20% of control) and constituting one half of the entire lesion. Local glucose metabolic rate in the acute penumbra is not reduced despite the critical CBF reduction, so that the p...
Sensor scheduling in mobile robots using incomplete information via Min-Conflict with Happiness

This paper develops and applies a variant of the Min-Conflict algorithm to the problem of sensor allocation with incomplete information for mobile robots. A categorization of the types of contention over sensing resources is provided, as well as a taxonomy of available information for the sensor scheduling task. The Min-Conflict with Happiness (MCH) heuristic algorithm, which performs sensor scheduling for situations in which no information is known about future assignments, is then described. The primary contribution of this modification to Min-Conflict is that it permits the optimization of sensor certainty over the set of all active behaviors, thereby producing the best sensing state for the robot at any given time. Data are taken from simulation experiments and runs from a pair of Nomad200 robots using the SFX hybrid deliberative/reactive architecture. Results from these experiments demonstrate that MCH is able to satisfy more sensor assignments (up to 142%) and maintain a higher overall utility of sensing than greedy or random assignments (a 7-24% increase), even in the presence of sensor failures. In addition, MCH supports behavioral sensor fusion allocations. The practical advantages of MCH include fast, dynamic repair of broken schedules allowing it to be used on computationally constrained systems, compatibility with the dominant hybrid robot architectural style, and least-disturbance of prior assignments minimizing interruptions to reactive behaviors.
On the interface resistance of regrown GaInAs on InP

Abstract The contact resistance of regrown ohmic contacts on n-InP are characterized. Ga0.47In0.53As doped by Si in excess of 1018 cm−3 is used as the regrowth material. TLM measurements are carried out between 80 and 300 K. It is found that at low temperatures, non-annealed contacts made on regrown samples still preserve their linear ohmic behavior, whereas standard non-annealed metal contacts on n-InP show Schottky diode like characteristics. Contact resistance measurements made on annealed contacts are compared with theoretical calculations based on thermionic emission and thermionic field emission theories as applied to the electron transport across the heterostructure interface and good agreement is reported.
The cosmic microwave background dipole as a cosmological effect

A conventional explanation of the dipole anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation is in terms of the Doppler effect: our galaxy is moving with respect to CMB frame with $ \sim 600 ~ km ~ s^{-1} $. However, as the deep redshift surveys fail to reveal a convergence of the large scale flow to zero at distances as large as $ d \sim H^{-1} 15,000 ~ km ~ s^{-1} $ (Lauer & Postman, 1994), the uniqueness of the conventional interpretation has to be investigated. A possible alternative might be a cosmological entropy gradient, as suggested by Paczy\'nski & Piran (1990). We find that contrary to that suggestion a quadrupole anisotropy is generically of the same order of magnitude as the dipole anisotropy (or larger) not only for adiabatic but also for iso-curvature initial perturbations. Hence, the observed dipole cannot be explained with a very large scale perturbation which was initially iso-curvature.
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia in a Patient With Autosomal Dominant Chronic Mucocutaneous Candidiasis

Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis is a heterogeneous immunodeficiency syndrome characterized by recurrent candidal infections of the skin, nails, and mucous membranes. The syndrome can be associated with autoimmune conditions, especially endocrine disorders. Typically, inheritance is autosomal recessive, and abnormal T-cell-mediated immunity is thought to be the underlying deficit. We describe a 27-year-old man with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion, in whom both lymphocyte blastogenesis and delayed-type skin reactivity to Candida antigens were normal. Notable features of the case include autoimmune hemolytic anemia, probable hypoparathyroidism, and hypogonadal hypogonadism.
Negative regulation of ligand-initiated Ca2+uptake by PKC-βII in differentiated HL60 cells

In phagocytic cells, fMet-Leu-Phe triggers phosphoinositide remodeling, activation of protein kinase C (PKC), release of intracellular Ca2+ and uptake of extracellular Ca2+. Uptake of extracellular...
The role of oxidative stress in the development of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations after cavopulmonary anastomosis

Abstract Background: Cavopulmonary anastomosis is used for palliation of cyanotic heart disease. Clinically significant pulmonary arteriovenous malformations occur in up to 25% of patients after surgical intervention. Cavopulmonary anastomosis creates several modifications to pulmonary physiology that may contribute to the development of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations, including reduced pulmonary blood flow and the exclusion of inferior vena caval effluent. Objective: By comparing the expression of angiogenic and stress-related proteins after cavopulmonary anastomosis and pulmonary artery banding, we sought to determine which genes were upregulated independent of reduced pulmonary blood flow. Methods: Lambs aged 35 to 45 days were placed into 1 of 3 groups: cavopulmonary anastomosis (n = 6), pulmonary artery banding (n = 6), and sham control (n = 6) animals. In our model pulmonary arteriovenous malformations are detectable by means of bubble-contrast echocardiography 8 weeks after cavopulmonary anastomosis. Lung tissue was harvested for Western blotting at 2 and 5 weeks after surgery. Results: Cavopulmonary anastomosis and pulmonary artery banding both increased angiogenic gene expression, but only cavopulmonary anastomosis induced the expression of endothelial stress-related genes. Vascular endothelial growth factor was upregulated 2.5-fold after both cavopulmonary anastomosis ( P =.002) and pulmonary artery banding ( P =.007). Only cavopulmonary anastomosis upregulated 2 stress-related genes, HO1 and GLUT1 , 2.7-fold ( P =.002) and 3.8-fold ( P =.03), respectively. Hypoxia-inducible factor was upregulated 4-fold ( P =.003) after cavopulmonary anastomosis. Pulmonary artery banding failed to induce the increased expression of any of these proteins. Conclusions: Reduced pulmonary blood flow induces a pulmonary angiogenic response but not an endothelial stress response. These results suggest that oxidative stress is more relevant to the formation of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations than angiogenic signaling alone because pulmonary artery banding does not result in pulmonary arteriovenous malformations. Oxidative stress of the pulmonary endothelium resulting from cavopulmonary anastomosis may predispose the affected vasculature to arteriovenous shunting. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2002;124:479-85
MPICH performance characteristics and considerations

A study of the Argonne National Laboratory/Mississippi State University "MPICH" implementation of MPI is presented. The performance of point-to-point communications on clusters, MPPs, networks of workstations, and SMPs is given. Performance strategies for a range of application and architecture characteristics are discussed. Experiences installing MPICH on these architectures are also discussed.
Media-independent watermarking classification and the need for combining digital video and audio watermarking for media authentication

Watermarking has become a major topic to solve authentication problems and copyright protection as major security demands in digital marketplaces. A wide variety of watermarking techniques have been proposed in the literature. Most techniques have been developed for still images; currently the research community is also enforcing approaches for other multimedia data like video, audio and 3D models. In our paper we summarize the main watermarking parameters and introduce a media independent classification scheme. Our classification scheme is based on the application areas. We show the important parameters and possible attacks. Based on our proposed classification the quality of the watermarking techniques can be evaluated. Furthermore we address the need for combining digital video and audio watermarking for media authentication.
Interpretation of Cenozoic Tectonics in the Right-Lateral Accommodation Zone Between the Ailao Shan Shear Zone and the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis

The region between India and South China has evolved tectonically as an accommodation zone during postcollisional intracontinental deformation between the Indian and Eurasian plates. During postcollisional convergence, and as India rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the eastern Himalayan syntaxis migrated northward, and crustal material between India and South China was subject to increasing amounts of shortening and right-lateral shear. Crustal fragments were extruded to the southeast from north of the syntaxis, bounded on the west by the right-lateral Gaoligong fault and on the east by the left-lateral Ailao Shan shear zone. Between these two shear zones, crustal material was deformed by shortening, strike-slip faulting, and clockwise rotation. Clockwise rotation caused bending and superposed shortening of early structures, leading to the development of NE-trending left-lateral shear zones and E-W extension. Extrusion of crustal material was accompanied by significant internal deformation of crust...
A new bubble dynamics model to study bubble growth, deformation, and coalescence

We propose a new bubble dynamics model to study the evolution of a suspension of bubbles over a wide range of vesicularity, and that accounts for hydrodynamical interactions between bubbles while they grow, deform under shear flow conditions, and exchange mass by diffusion coarsening. The model is based on a lattice Boltzmann method for free surface flows. As such, it assumes an infinite viscosity contrast between the exsolved volatiles and the melt. Our model allows for coalescence when two bubbles approach each other because of growth or deformation. The parameter (disjoining pressure) that controls the coalescence efficiency, i.e., drainage time for the fluid film between the bubbles, can be set arbitrarily in our calculations. We calibrated this parameter by matching the measured time for the drainage of the melt film across a range of Bond numbers (ratio of buoyancy to surface tension stresses) with laboratory experiments of a bubble rising to a free surface. The model is then used successfully to model Ostwald ripening and bubble deformation under simple shear flow conditions. The results we obtain for the deformation of a single bubble are in excellent agreement with previous experimental and theoretical studies. For a suspension, we observe that the collective effect of bubbles is different depending on the relative magnitude of viscous and interfacial stresses (capillary number). At low capillary number, we find that bubbles deform more readily in a suspension than for the case of a single bubble, whereas the opposite is observed at high capillary number.
Better Naive Bayes classification for high-precision spam detection

Email spam has become a major problem for Internet users and providers. One major obstacle to its eradication is that the potential solutions need to ensure a very low false-positive rate, which tends to be difficult in practice. We address the problem of low-FPR classification in the context of naive Bayes, which represents one of the most popular machine learning models applied in the spam filtering domain. Drawing from the recent extensions, we propose a new term weight aggregation function, which leads to markedly better results than the standard alternatives. We identify short instances as ones with disproportionally poor performance and counter this behavior with a collaborative filtering-based feature augmentation. Finally, we propose a tree-based classifier cascade for which decision thresholds of the leaf nodes are jointly optimized for the best overall performance. These improvements, both individually and in aggregate, lead to substantially better detection rate of precision when compared with some of the best variants of naive Bayes proposed to date. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This work was done when the first author was an intern at Microsoft Live Labs Research.
Sexual selection in flour beetles: the relationship between sperm precedence and male olfactory attractiveness

Sperm precedence, defined as nonrandom differential fertilization success among mating males, is an important postmating component of sexual selection. This study examined the relationship between premating and postmating components of sexual selection in males of the flour beetle (Tribolium castanewn). Male olfactory attractiveness to females was positively correlated with a male's subsequent fertilization success: more attractive males achieved higher second-male sperm precedence when allowed to mate with previously inseminated females. Attractive males may achieve compounded gains in their reproductive success through enhanced mating opportunities as well as through greater fertilization success. Thus, the relationship between these reproductive fitness components may augment differences in reproductive success among males. Female fecundity, estimated as the number of adult progeny produced, increased significantly with multiple malings. This result supports increased female reproductive success as a direct benefit of multiple mating in T. caslaneum and suggests that progeny production is partially limited by sperm availability. Total progeny production by doubly mated females remained constant at all levels of second-male sperm precedence. However, higher sperm precedence was associated with a decline in firstmale progeny and a concomitant increase in second-male progeny. This pattern of progeny production suggests that more attractive males may achieve higher fertilization success through a combination of displacement of previously stored sperm, transfer of greater sperm quantities, or females' preferential use of sperm of attractive males for fertilizations.
A Metadata Driven Approach to Performing Multi-vendor Database Schema Upgrades

This paper discusses problems associated with relational database schema migrations which commonly occur with major upgrade releases of enterprise software. The most prevalent method of performing a schema migration is to execute SQL script files before or after the software upgrade. This approach performs poorly with large or complex database migrations and also requires separate script files for each supported database vendor. A tool was developed for a complex database upgrade of an enterprise product which uses XML in a metadata driven approach. The key advantages include the ability to abstract complexity, provide multi-database vendor support and make the database migration more manageable between software releases.
The prognostic value of body mass index and standard exercise testing in male veterans with congestive heart failure.

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic characteristics of body mass index (BMI) and standard exercise test variables in a consecutive series of patients with mild to moderate congestive heart failure (CHF) referred for standard exercise tests. Background: Controversy exists regarding the prognostic importance of BMI, etiology, and exercise test variables in patients with CHF. Methods: All patients referred for evaluation at two university-affiliated Veterans Affairs Medical Centers who underwent treadmill tests for clinical indications between 1987 and 2000 were determined to be dead or alive using the Social Security Death Index after a mean 6 years follow-up. Clinical and exercise test variables were collected prospectively according to standard definitions; testing and data management were performed in a standardized fashion using a computer-assisted protocol. Survival analysis was performed using all-cause mortality as the endpoint for follow-up. Results: A total of 522 patients with a history and clinical findings of CHF underwent exercise testing. Forty-two percent died during the follow-up period, for an average annual mortality of 6.7%. Cox proportional hazards model chose peak metabolic equivalents (METs), BMI, age, and ischemic etiology in rank order as independently and significantly associated with time to death. A score based on these variables classified patients into low (2% annual mortality), medium (5.2%), and high-risk groups (7% annual mortality). Conclusion: Standard exercise testing and BMI can be used to estimate prognosis in outpatients with heart failure. A score incorporating METs, BMI, age, and etiology efficiently stratified these patients. BMI was chosen by the survival analysis, confirming its surprising inverse relationship to prognosis in CHF patients (i.e., heavier patients do better).
Relating at a distance: Negotiating being together and being apart in long-distance relationships

Partners in various relational types transition between being together and apart, but these transitions are far from seamless in long-distance relationships (LDRs). In this study, a relational dialectics framework was used to examine long-distance romantic relationships (LDRRs) and explore the contradiction(s) experienced by LDRR partners as they negotiate between togetherness and separation. Twenty heterosexual couples participated in audio-taped ‘couple interviews’ in which they answered a series of questions about the mutual influence of togetherness and separation in their relationships. Results showed that across all 20 couples the interaction states of being together and being apart mutually enable and constrain one another in many ways. Implications for the study of long-distance relating using a relational dialectics approach are presented.
A Theory of Sequences

Asequence is a finite list of elements from some set. In this chapter, we develop a theory of sequences by defining them inductively and then defining various operations on them.
Conductive “Smart” Hybrid Hydrogels with PNIPAM and Nanostructured Conductive Polymers

Stimuli-responsive hydrogels with decent electrical properties are a promising class of polymeric materials for a range of technological applications, such as electrical, electrochemical, and biomedical devices. In this paper, thermally responsive and conductive hybrid hydrogels are synthesized by in situ formation of continuous network of conductive polymer hydrogels crosslinked by phytic acid in poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) matrix. The interpenetrating binary network structure provides the hybrid hydrogels with continuous transporting path for electrons, highly porous microstructure, strong interactions between two hydrogel networks, thus endowing the hybrid hydrogels with a unique combination of high electrical conductivity (up to 0.8 S m−1), high thermoresponsive sensitivity (significant volume change within several seconds), and greatly enhanced mechanical properties. This work demonstrates that the architecture of the filling phase in the hydrogel matrix and design of hybrid hydrogel structure play an important role in determining the performance of the resulting hybrid material. The attractive performance of these hybrid hydrogels is further demonstrated by the developed switcher device which suggests potential applications in stimuli-responsive electronic devices.
Proposal for a Vehicle Level Test Procedure to Measure Air Conditioning Fuel Use

A procedure is described to measure approximate real-world air conditioning fuel use and assess the impact of thermal load reduction strategies in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Oncogenes, Tumor Suppressor Genes and Apoptosis-Inducing Genes Utilized in Cancer Gene Therapy

Oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and apoptosis-inducing genes play critical roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, and death. Their expressions are frequently altered in cancer cells by gene mutation, deletion, rearrangement, inactivation, or overexpression. Some of these alterations are directly related to the development and maintenance of malignant phenotypes; others relate to the response of cancer cells to various anticancer therapies. Both preclinical and clinical studies have indicated that restoring the normal function of these genes may be an effective means of cancer therapy although full realization of any anticancer benefit will depend on effective delivery of these genes to cancer cells.
Unintentional Selection and Genetic Changes in Native Perennial Grass Populations During Commercial Seed Production

For habitat restoration, seed of native plant species is frequently transferred over wide geographic areas and planted in environments that differ from the original collection environment. When such collections are grown for seed production in agricultural fields, the genotypes favored under agronomic conditions may differ from those favored at the eventual planting location. The resulting agronomically-produced seed may be poorly matched to intended restoration sites. Populations of two native perennial grasses commonly used in restoration projects in California were grown in typical agronomic conditions for seed production. We compared traits of the plants produced from seed harvested in the first and second years of agronomic production to plants produced from the original seed collections. We found strong evidence for genetic shifts in both species as a result of selection associated with biotic and abiotic factors. A four-population mixture of Elymus glaucus produced seed comprised mainly of two populations, primarily due to differential sensitivity to disease. With two populations of Nassella pulchra , early and late harvests selected for early and late maturing genotypes, respectively, and a reduction in the variance in phenology within the seed from the early harvest. We found that agronomic techniques for seed production have the potential to cause unintentional genotypic selection and result in shifts away from the genetic composition of the original seed collection. We offer recommendations for seed increase protocols to reduce these outcomes.
Drops of Water

When you do not realize that you are one with the river, or one with the universe you have fear. Whether it is separated into drops or not, water is water. Our life and death are the same thing. When we realize this fact, we have no fear of death any more and we have no difficulty in our life. 1 When I was told that I had been assigned a person named Yoshiko Meyers to visit, the questions began. What do you talk about with someone who is dying? Would they be interested in small talk about the weather outside their room? Does the news hold any importance for them? Would they like to talk about their religious beliefs? But what if they have none? Would they want to talk about their feelings? And if they wanted to talk about death, what could I say? I was a hospice volunteer in Boston, a young man on my way to graduate school to become a psychologist. I thought that I was supposed to talk with Yoshiko about dying, and while I reassured myself that I was ready, I knew that I was not. I had worked in emergency rooms, operating rooms, rehabilitation units, and nursing homes. I had seen illness and death. In the hospital I had seen people torn apart by cars and each other. I had seen people gasp their last breaths. I had wheeled dead bodies and body parts into the morgue. I had carried stillborn infants in my arms. And yet, I was full of anxiety. I was well aware that Yoshiko was Japanese, and that was why she was assigned to me. Yet I did not know what that meant for her or for me. Was there any special way of dying that I was supposed to understand? I associated death with Buddhism, be
PPAR trilogy from metabolism to cancer.

Purpose of review This review highlights recent advances related to malignancies in the field of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). It also discusses the implications of cancer research and therapy. Recent findings In the last few years, genetic evidence has implicated the PPARs, specifically PPARgamma and PPARbeta/delta, in tumorigenesis. Also, new insights into the regulation of the nuclear hormone receptors have emerged. Summary Exciting research in PPAR biology has established these nuclear factors as key regulators of metabolism and energy homeostasis. Evidence indicates that PPARs can also affect the pathogenesis and development of tumors. However, the type of effects observed thus far appears to depend on the experimental context. As a result, the findings are generating much debate, as PPAR agonists are widespread targets in the treatment of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and dyslipidemia. Here, we summarize the most recent advances in this field, outline the conflicting reports and discuss their overall implications in cancer research.