cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Labeler as an Influence on Labeling Outcomes

Focusing upon labeling processes at the level of interpersonal relations, this paper points out the general inattention to the labeler as an influence on labeling outcomes. In addition, recent empirical findings suggest not only that labeler variables may be associated with outcomes, but that different labelers are influenced in different ways by different factors in their interpersonal labeling. Consequently, an effort is made to incorporate knowledge from social perception theory into the labeling perspective in order to enhance our understanding of interpersonal labeling processes. Several labeler related variables which might be expected to influence labeling outcomes are suggested. One of the major assumptions made by the labeling perspective is that the deviant label is applied discriminately to rule violators (Becker, 1963; Schur, 1971; Quinney, 1970); that is, while the deviant status may to some extent be earned, it may also be ascribed on the basis of charactTristics of the subject other than his or her own deviant behavior. This paper focuses upon labeling processes at the level of interpersonal relations and, specifically, sources of variance in how and upon what bases the deviant label is applied. Particular attention is given to labeler related variables that may affect the labeling outcome. The existing literature in the area of interpersonal labeling is reviewed briefly, noting a general lack of attention to the labeler as an influence on labeling outcomes. In addition, an implicit assumption of existing labeling theory, that all labelers operate in basically the same way, is called into queston on the basis of recent empirical evidence. Accordingly, a revision of the theory of interpersonal labeling is proposed incorporating knowledge from the areas of person perception and cognition. The result, hopefully, will increase the theoretical understanding of labeler related influences in interpersonal labeling, and will also provide a more realistic basis on which to conduct further empirical investigations. *The author wishes to thank John R. Hepburn and Carl E. Pope for helpful comments on earlier drafts.
Chromatin: Nucleosome Positioning – the GAL Promoter

The yeast GAL1–10 genes provide an attractive system for examining nucleosome structure–function relationships, due to their tight regulation and ability to be studied in single copy using combined genetic/biochemical approaches. The GAL1–10 promoter possesses a functionally distinctive chromatin organization. The major promoter elements (the gene-specific upstream activation sequences (UAS G )), which are the binding sites for the major activator (Gal4p), reside in a constitutively nucleosome-free domain. Positioned nucleosomes cover the surrounding regions, including the TATA and transcription start sites, when the genes are inactive. These nucleosomes are completely disrupted during gene activity. Moreover, promoter nucleosome-regulatory factor interplay is a major aspect of GAL1–10 gene regulation.
Thinking Like a Family Therapist

This paper will deal with two interrelated subjects; first, the nature of the family therapy training program we have developed in response to the setting in which we work; and second, the theoretical framework which is the cornerstone of our training program. Family therapy training at the Cambridge Hospital exists in what may be thought of as an educational marketplace of ideas and techniques, and in an institution mandated to care for any and all patients who require service. These two forces have caused us to emphasize theory rather than technique in our training program.
Contrasuppression: The Second Law of Thymodynamics, Revisited

The data discussed here touch upon several issues in the evolving story of T cell contrasuppression, the underlying theme being that of heterogeneity. First, there is the issue of function. We are considering here only those cells that affect the function of secretory differentiation. We have evidence that different contrasuppressor cells exist for clone growth, but have not yet studied them in the same depth as those for secretory differentiation. Second, there is the important issue of target cells. In this article by Green and Gershon it is pointed out that there is clear evidence that contrasuppressor effects can work by protecting helper cells from suppressor cell effects in vitro. On the other hand, direct additional inhibition of the suppressor cells themselves has not been excluded. The latter point is also true in our system. However, we must suppose for the sake of simplicity in many of our experiments that if suppressors are not the target of the contrasuppressor effects then the B cells themselves probably are. This is because the tumor cells engage in a spontaneous rate of growth and differentiation in the absence of help or suppression. When T cell-dependent, specifically triggered effects reduce this spontaneous behavior, then a suppressive effect must have been delivered directly to the B cells. This is a simplifying assumption which is attractive, but since the experiments are carried out in vivo and thus may be affected by some factors that we have not yet recognized, we are not confident on its "intuitive" appeal. A third issue revolves around triggering specificity. One of our contrasuppressors exhibits the phenomenon of carrier crossreactivity (CRCS) and is thus behaving in accord with expectations aroused by Green and Gershon in this review. The other cell is apparently quite carrier specific (SCS). The meaning of this is not at all clear, but its potential significance may somehow be related to a sort of "mirror image" relationship of the two cells. Thus, for example, in other experiments not discussed here, we have noted that the CRCS binds to 315 protein-coated plates, but as noted here counteracts a suppressive effect which is generated by cells which do not adhere to these plates. In contrast to SCS does not bind to 315 plates and yet, as noted here, appears to counteract a suppressor effect generated by cells which do adhere to 315 plates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Storage and routing of water in the deep critical zone of a snow dominated volcanic catchment

Abstract. This study combines major ion and isotope chemistry, age tracers, fracture density characterizations, and physical hydrology measurements to understand how the structure of the critical zone (CZ) influences its function, including water routing, storage, mean water residence times, and hydrologic response. In a high elevation rhyolitic tuff catchment in the Jemez River Basin Critical Zone Observatory (JRB-CZO) within the Valles Caldera National Preserve of northern New Mexico, a periodic precipitation pattern creates different hydrologic flow regimes during spring snowmelt, summer monsoon rain, and fall storms. Hydrometric, geochemical, and isotopic analyses of surface water and groundwater from distinct stores, most notably a perched aquifer in consolidated collapse breccia and deeper groundwater in a fractured tuff aquifer, enabled us to untangle the interactions of these groundwater stores and their contribution to streamflow across one complete water year. Despite seasonal differences in groundwater response due to water partitioning, major ion chemistry indicates that deep groundwater from the highly fractured site is more representative of groundwater contributing to streamflow across the entire water year. Additionally, comparison of streamflow and groundwater hydrographs indicates hydraulic connection between the fractured welded tuff aquifer and streamflow while the perched aquifer within the collapse breccia deposit does not show this same connection. Furthermore, analysis of age tracers and stable water isotopes indicates that groundwater is a mix of modern and older waters recharged from snowmelt and downhole neutron probe surveys suggest that water moves through the vadose zone both as vertical infiltration and subsurface lateral flow, depending on lithology. We find that in complex geologic terrain like that of the JRB-CZO, differences in CZ architecture of two hillslopes within a headwater catchment control water storage and routing through the subsurface and suggest that the perched aquifer does not contribute significantly to streams while deep fractured aquifers contribute most to streamflow.
Universal Coding of the Reals using Bisection

We propose a simple yet expressive framework for encoding any real number as a binary string based on bisecting intervals, starting with (--∞, +∞). Each bit of such a string represents the outcome of a binary comparison with a value contained in the interval. Our framework draws upon ideas from unbounded search and binary search, and requires only the specification of two functions: a generator for producing a monotonic sequence that brackets the number being encoded, and a refinement operator that computes an "average" of two finite numbers. Our framework is flexible enough to support many well-known representations, including Posits, Elias codes, logarithmic number systems, and a slightly modified version of ieee floating point. We show that the associated generators are simple expressions given by hyperoperators. Moreover, the generality of our approach allows for exponent-less number systems based on Fibonacci and other sequences. We further analyze the probability densities associated with known and new encoding schemes and show how a compatible refinement operator and density can be derived from the bracketing sequence. This gives an almost everywhere smooth mapping between bit strings and real numbers and shows, for instance, that Posits follow a Pareto distribution. Contributions of our work include new insights into existing number systems, suggestions for how to build new, perhaps exponent-less number systems, a method for designing number systems that match a desired density, and a much simpler and verifiably correct implementation of existing representations using as few as two lines of code.
Traditional Food Intake Is Positively Associated with Diet Quality among Low-Income, Urban Alaska Native Women

Our objectives were to understand the links between intake of traditional foods, food security and diet quality in low-income Alaska Native women living in an urban center. Seventy-three Alaska Nat...
Use of a balloon-expandable sheath for transfemoral complex endovascular aortic repair

Abstract Authors’ Note: On April 30, 2019, Terumo Medical Corporation issued a voluntary product recall for and discontinued manufacturing of the SoloPath Balloon Expandable Sheath System, the device used for the procedures outlined in this article. Data collection, data analysis, and manuscript submission occurred prior to notice of this recall. The authors of this article were unaware of adverse events associated with this device and the 15 procedures reviewed for this series were free of events related to the reason for this device recall. Management of iliac artery disease remains a challenging problem in the setting of complex endovascular aortic procedures. In spite of the nonavailability of the device outlined in this article, the authors feel that the value of innovative solutions to this clinical problem (including the use of a balloon expandable sheath) merits public review of this technique and its results. Vascular access complications contribute to the morbidity of fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair (FEVAR). As the ability to perform these procedures progresses, new techniques emerge to overcome difficult peripheral vascular anatomy and to minimize these complications. We describe our use of a balloon-expandable sheath to accommodate the multiple accesses needed for bridging stent placement during FEVAR in patients with highly calcified, tortuous, or small-diameter access vessels. We used this sheath for successful completion of FEVAR in 15 patients with challenging iliofemoral disease. There was one iliofemoral complication and no limb loss. Given the significant source of morbidity that vascular access complications contribute to endovascular procedures, we believe that a balloon-expandable sheath is a useful adjunct in FEVAR with complex iliac anatomy.
Near-optimal sample complexity bounds for circulant binary embedding

Binary embedding is the problem of mapping points from a high-dimensional space to a Hamming cube in lower dimension while preserving pairwise distances. An efficient way to accomplish this is to make use of fast embedding techniques involving Fourier transform e.g. circulant matrices. While binary embedding has been studied extensively, theoretical results on fast binary embedding are rather limited. In this work, we build upon the recent literature to obtain significantly better dependencies on the problem parameters. A set of N points in ℝn can be properly embedded into the Hamming cube {±1}k with δ distortion, by using k ∼ δ−3 logN samples which is optimal in the number of points N and compares well with the optimal distortion dependency δ−2. Our optimal embedding result applies in the regime logN ≲ n1/3. Furthermore, if the looser condition logN ≲ √n holds, we show that all but an arbitrarily small fraction of the points can be optimally embedded. We believe the proposed techniques can be useful to obtain improved guarantees for other nonlinear embedding problems.
Microbubbles in therapeutic ultrasound

Microbubbles have been developed as ultrasound contrast agents as an emulsion of stabilized gas bubbles that can be injected systemically and circulate throughout the body. Contrast between vascular structures and other tissues is due to the high echogenicity of the bubbles and the significantly different nonlinear response of these bubbles compared to nonlinear signals due to finite amplitude distortion of the ultrasound field. Microbubbles can also be introduced as superheated perfluorocarbon droplets that when activated by ultrasound, vaporize to form gas bubbles in a process termed acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV). The droplets have a range of sizes depending on their purpose in diagnostic and therapeutic application. For therapy, such droplets can be used as vascular agents, can be extravascular such as for delivery in tumor tissue or even formulated into implantable constructs used in tissue engineering and used for spatial/temporal control of factors affecting incorporation of the construct. In each case, formulation can include encapsulate drugs for local release. When bubble are present in an ultrasound field, microbubbles can also affect tissue heating and can undergo stable and/or inertial cavitation resulting in physical effects to tissue ranging from petechial hemorrhage sites to complete cellular disruption. The latter is termed Histotripsy and has developed into an alternative treatment strategy to ultrasound therapies based on the heating of tissue. This presentation will discuss how microbubbles are being used in medical ultrasound and the advances being made in both diagnosis and therapy.
Acoustical ocean ecology in the era of the robot revolution

Over the past decade, the field of oceanography has experienced a robotic revolution. A proliferation of autonomous surface and underwater platforms is providing new ways to obtain environmental, chemical, and biological data. Bioacoustical oceanographic sensors are increasingly being added to the payload of these platforms to provide increased spatial and temporal coverage as well as access to unexplored areas. Integrating relatively large, high power draw sensors like scientific echosounders is a challenge, however, and each platform type and size have specific tradeoffs with respect to these payloads. I will present case studies employing echsounders from autonomous surface vessels to study the deep scattering layer, a deep-diving, short endurance autonomous underwater vehicle for examining bathypelagic squid, and a moderate endurance underwater glider for examining the relationship between forage species and their environment. These studies illustrate the challenges of integration of echsosounder payloads into platforms as well as the opportunities of robotic approaches for bioacoustical oceanography. Finally, a recent experiment integrating nine robotic platforms and a cabled observatory will highlight how the integration of various sensor technologies and platforms can be used to study dynamic biological processes like diel vertical migration in the ocean.
Substituted α-Alkylidene Cyclopentenones via the Intramolecular Reaction of Vinyl Cations with Alkenes

Substituted α-alkylidene cyclopentenones are formed in up to 93% yield by the intramolecular capture of vinyl cations with pendent alkenes. An increased level of substitution at the β-position of the β-hydroxy-α-diazoketone starting material changed the course of the reaction to instead give a lactone product. A reaction path that involves bond reorganization via an acylium ion intermediate is proposed to explain these results. Substrate scope studies showed that more stable vinyl cations gave higher α-alkylidene cyclopentenone yields. This study provides a mild and efficient method to form α-alkylidene cyclopentenones that complements C–H insertion and Nazarov cyclization strategies.
The Effectiveness of Collaborative Care on Depression Outcomes for Racial/Ethnic Minority Populations in Primary Care: A Systematic Review.

Abstract Background Racial/ethnic minorities experience a greater burden of mental health problems than white adults in the United States. The collaborative care model is increasingly being adopted to improve access to services and to promote diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric diseases. Objective This systematic review seeks to summarize what is known about collaborative care on depression outcomes for racial/ethnic minorities in the United States. Methods This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses method. Collaborative care studies were included if they comprised adults from at least one racial/ethnic minority group, were located in primary care clinics in the United States, and had depression outcome measures. Core principles described by the University of Washington Advancing Integrated Mental Health Solutions Center were used to define the components of collaborative care. Results Of 398 titles screened, 169 full-length articles were assessed for eligibility, and 19 studies were included in our review (10 randomized controlled trials, 9 observational). Results show there is potential that collaborative care, with or without cultural/linguistic tailoring, is effective in improving depression for racial/ethnic minorities, including those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Conclusions Collaborative care should be explored as an intervention for treating depression for racial/ethnic minority patients in primary care. Questions remain as to what elements of cultural adaptation are most helpful, factors behind the difficulty in recruiting minority patients for these studies, and how the inclusion of virtual components changes access to and delivery of care. Future research should also recruit individuals from less studied populations.
On the Gaudin model of type G2

We derive a number of results related to the Gaudin model associated to the simple Lie algebra of type G2. We compute explicit formulas for solutions of the Bethe ansatz equations associated to the...
Quantitative cross-species translators of cardiac myocyte electrophysiology: model training, experimental validation, and applications

Animal experimentation is key in the evaluation of cardiac efficacy and safety of novel therapeutic compounds. However, inter-species differences in the mechanisms regulating excitation-contraction coupling can limit the translation of experimental findings from animal models to human physiology, and undermine the assessment of drugs9 efficacy and safety. Here, we built a suite of translators for quantitatively mapping electrophysiological responses in ventricular myocytes across species. We trained these statistical operators using a broad dataset obtained by simulating populations of our biophysically detailed computational models of action potential and Ca2+ transient in mouse, rabbit, and human. We then tested our translators against experimental data describing the response to stimuli, such as ion channel block, change in beating rate, and β-adrenergic challenge. We demonstrate that this approach is well suited to predicting the effects of perturbations across different species or experimental conditions, and suggest its integration into mechanistic studies and drug development pipelines.
The Mortgage Market in the Time of COVID

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, collectively known as the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs), have been in conservatorship for more than a decade. These organizations continue to dominate the hous...
A Memory Efficient Lock-Free Circular Queue

Hardware queues are import in many applications, such as data transfer, synchronization of concurrent modules with the need of mutual exclusion constructs. State of the art bounded (of a fixed size) lock free circular queues are implemented either by read/write atomic operations, or barrier conditions, or by separating dequeue and enqueue operations. However, these queues always require an unused element at all the times to safeguard the front and rear pointers of the queue, so as to avoid data race conditions, which leads to the waste of memory. The waste of memory is especially disadvantageous in applications such as I/O data transfer, and image transfer between processing filters, when large element size is needed, We propose a lock- free solution of the bounded circular queue through read/write atomic operations, but without the need of an extra element in the queue. The proposed solution is implemented and verified in both Verilog and 'C' languages. We also demonstrate its effectiveness by comparing its area and delay metrics with the implementations of other existing designs of queue.
Geo-Context Aware Study of Vision-Based Autonomous Driving Models and Spatial Video Data.

Vision-based deep learning (DL) methods have made great progress in learning autonomous driving models from large-scale crowdsourced video datasets. They are trained to predict instantaneous driving behaviors from video data captured by on-vehicle cameras. In this paper, we develop a geo-context aware visualization system for the study of Autonomous Driving Model (ADM) predictions together with large-scale ADM video data. The visual study is seamlessly integrated with the geographical environment by combining DL model performance with geospatial visualization techniques. Model performance measures can be studied together with a set of geospatial attributes over map views. Users can also discover and compare prediction behaviors of multiple DL models in both city-wide and street-level analysis, together with road images and video contents. Therefore, the system provides a new visual exploration platform for DL model designers in autonomous driving. Use cases and domain expert evaluation show the utility and effectiveness of the visualization system.
Geometry of Interaction and the Dynamics of Proof Reduction: A Tutorial

Girard’s Geometry of Interaction (GoI) is a program that aims at giving mathematical models of algorithms independently of any extant languages. In the context of proof theory, where one views algorithms as proofs and computation as cut-elimination, this program translates to providing a mathematical modelling of the dynamics of cut-elimination. The kind of logics we deal with, such as Girard’s linear logic, are resource sensitive and have their proof-theory intimately related to various monoidal (tensor) categories. The GoI interpretation of dynamics aims to develop an algebraic/geometric theory of invariants for information flow in networks of proofs, via feedback.
Agile Information Systems

This book presents cutting-edge research and thinking on agile information systems. The concept of agile information systems has gained strength over the last 3 years, coming into the MIS world from manufacturing, where agile manufacturing systems has been an important concept for several years now. The idea of agility is powerful: with competition so fierce today and the speed of business so fast, a company's ability to move with their customers and support constant changing business needs is more important than ever. Agile information systems: . have the ability to add, remove, modify, or extend functionalities with minimal penalties in terms of time, cost, and effort . have the ability to process information in a flexible manner . have the ability to accommodate and adjust to the changing needs of the end-users. This is the first book to bring together academic experts, researchers, and practitioners to discuss how companies can create and deploy agile information systems. Contributors are well-regarded academics known to be on the cutting-edge of their fields. The Editor, Kevin Desouza, has organized the chapters under three categories: . discussion of the concept of agile information systems (i.e. defining agile information management, its attributes, antecedents, consequences, etc.) . discussion of information systems within the context of agility (i.e., descriptions of agile information systems and their attributes, how to build agile information systems, etc.) . discussion of organizational management issues in the context of agile information systems (i.e., how to prepare the organization for agile information systems, management of agile information systems for improved organizational performance, etc.) *First book to address the hot topic of agile information systems *Contributions break new ground and provide concrete applications for practice *Contributors include highly respected academics from around the world
Batched Interpolation Searching on databases

This paper examines the effect of batching search requests in the Interpolation Search Algorithm on ordered tables in main-memory as well as in a more typical database environment, i.e. a blocked secondary memory. Experiments are performed on several hybrid interpolation search algorithms over non-uniformly distributed data. The effect of batching on these algorithms is examined in terms of algorithms, analysis and experiments. Algorithms, analytic expressions and experimental results of these extensions are given and described. Analytic expressions of these algorithms are validated by experiments.
Gunn or Transferred-Electron Devices

Transferred-electron devices are the only microwave devices whose operation is solely based on the bulk-material properties of semiconductors such as GaAs or InP. These devices are mainly employed in low-noise medium-power oscillators up to high millimeter-wave frequencies. James B. Gunn was the first scientist to observe the underlying physical phenomenon in an experiment and, therefore, these devices are often referred to as Gunn devices. This chapter describes the principles of operation, basic fabrication technologies, and common oscillator circuits for them. Different device structures for performance optimization, optimization procedures, and simulation tools are discussed. The chapter also summarizes the current state of the art of Gunn devices and the outlook covers the prospects of more recent device structures and material systems. Keywords: Gunn effect; Ridley-Watkins-Hilsum effect; transferred-electron effect; satellite valley; conduction band; uniform field mode; accumulation layer mode; dipole layer mode; domain; oscillator; noise measure; phase noise
Ulcerative colitis: dead or alive.

In this issue, Bewtra and colleagues report a study that compared the outcomes of medical versus surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis.
Task force on cosmic microwave background research

One of the most spectacular scientific breakthroughs in past decades was using measurements of the fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) to test precisely our understanding of the history and composition of the Universe. This report presents a roadmap for leading CMB research to its logical next step, using precision polarization measurements to learn about ultra-high-energy physics and the Big Bang itself.
The Nature and Evolution of Public Support for European Integration Over the Long Run

Despite the proliferation of analyses of public support for European integration, and the common suggestion that public opinion about integration has become more volatile, negative, or important for understanding the dynamics of the integration process, fundamental questions about Europeans’ support for the integration project and process remain. First, do different survey items measure separable dimensions of support for Europe or is there a general underlying preference for and against the integration process? Second, have preferences for Europe become more structured as the integration process has grown in size, scope, and importance in people’s lives? Third what exactly is the nature of the long-term trajectory of public support for integration? To answer these questions, we rely on all publicly available public opinion data since the genesis of the integration project (1952-2008) in seven member states. Using Stimson’s (1991) dyad ratios algorithm, we assess how well different survey questions tap the same underlying support construct over time. Our findings suggest that Europeans’ attitudes for Europe reflect one underlying dimension. Based on these findings, we develop the most comprehensive measure of support for integration examined to date in order to evaluate the underlying dynamics of support for Europe over almost six decades. Stationarity tests reveal that, over the long historical run, support for Europe is characterized by limited fluctuations around a stable mean in most countries.
Social Science in Wal-Mart Stores v. Dukes: A Reply to the ASA’s Missed Opportunity to Promote Sound Science in Court by Mitchell, Monahan, and Walker

In a paper recently posted on SSRN entitled 'The ASA’s Missed Opportunity to Promote Sound Science in Court,' the authors criticize the Amicus Brief filed by the American Sociological Association (ASA) and the Law and Society Association (LSA) in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Betty Dukes, et al. a case that currently is before the Supreme Court of the United States. The authors of Missed Opportunity make a variety of claims about Professor Bielby’s research, the ASA’s treatment of it, and the position of the ASA regarding social science evidence in court. This essay focuses on two kinds of claims made by the authors of Missed Opportunity. The first claims we address are about the ASA’s characterization of and Professor Bielby’s use of sources. In particular, Missed Opportunity questions Professor Bielby’s methodological sources, how he represented the state of the field of workplace inequality, and whether court documents are a reliable source of data for expert analysis. The second, and perhaps more significant, claims made in Missed Opportunity are around the disciplinary standards for data analysis, replicability, and causal claims.
The Climate of Rebellion in the Early Modern Ottoman Empire: Disasters of the Late Sixteenth Century

It was not population pressure alone, but population pressure combined with natural disaster and imperial missteps that drove the empire into rebellion and crisis. To understand how the catastrophe unfolded, we need first to examine the empire's vulnerabilities and responses to natural disaster more closely. In the generation leading up to the crisis of the 1590s, the Ottomans weathered a number of violent storms, both literal and metaphorical. These events tested the strength of imperial authority and its systems of population and resource management against the vagaries of man and nature. The threats came from the usual suspects: famine, pestilence and death, and war – the classic Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The underlying causes of disaster, however, were frequently meteorological, above all the severe winters and spring droughts that characterized the onset of the Little Ice Age.
Optimum series compensated high voltage transmission lines

Reduction in the line reactance of power transmission lines can be best obtained by the use of capacitors in series with the line conductors. The important application of the series power capacitor is to decrease voltage flicker problems. In this article, the steady-state stability limits, with series power capacitors at various locations of power transmission lines, are analyzed. The series power capacitor can be located at the sending end, the receiving end or at the center of the power line, or one-third of the distance from either end. The performance of the series power capacitor arrangement has been compared for various locations. The center of the transmission line is shown to be the most suitable choice for the optimum compensation effect of a series power capacitor.
Modulation design analysis for two-way relay channels

This paper deals with the joint modulation relaying (JMR) design for the two-way relay channel where two users exchange information via a half-duplex relay node. We studied in particular the broadcast mode where the relay node combines the bits received from the two users and retransmit the combined information to both users. Symmetric and asymmetric data rate transmissions are considered. We show that the performance of the JMR scheme that uses a higher order modulation is improved using asymmetric constellations. This was verified by calculation the capacity of the channel and by determining the bit error probability of an LDPC coded JMR scheme using Monte Carlo simulation. Moreover, increasing the degree of asymmetry will lead asymptotically to a lower order signal constellation as in a network coding scheme. Therefore, there's no need for a higher order modulation at the relay node in order to retransmit data but only to apply network coding and modulation using the constellation of the stronger link.
A New Adaptive Rejection Sampling Method Using Kernel Density Approximations and Its Application to Subset Simulation

AbstractIn stochastic analysis of engineering systems, the task of generating samples according to a target probability distribution involving some performance function of the system response often arises. This paper introduces an adaptive method for rejection sampling that uses adaptive kernel sampling densities (AKSD) as proposal densities for the rejection sampling algorithm in an iterative approach. The AKSD formulation relies on having available (1) a small number of samples from the target density, as well as (2) evaluations of the system performance function over some other sample set. This information is then used to establish the adaptive features of the stochastic sampling involving (1) an explicit optimization of the kernel characteristics for reduction of the computational burden, and so maximizing sampling efficiency, and (2) selection of the exact model parameters to target so that potential problems when forming proposal densities for high-dimensional vectors are avoided. Beyond this theore...
Multiple forms of sialic acids

Abstract Incremental titrations and paper chromatography have shown the presence of multiple forms of sialic acids. Additional evidence was obtained by X-ray diffraction, n.m.r. spectroscopy, and determination of the mutarotation. It was found that the different forms of sialic acids may represent an equilibrium mixture of the open chain and of the anomers. At lower pH values, a fraction of the N -acetyl groups has been cleaved from N -acetylneuraminic acid by the action of the acidic medium.
Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance studies of spironolactone and several related steroids.

Abstract The 13c chemical shifts for all the carbon atoms in spironolactone have been assigned. Assignments for nine additional steroids which include the C-7β isomer of spironolactone, its C-7 thiol hydrolysis product, the 7α-thioacetate derivative of testosterone and its thiol hydrolysis product are also reported.
Tropospheric Oxidation Mechanism of Dimethyl Ether and Methyl Formate

The oxidation mechanism of dimethyl ether is investigated using ab initio methods. The structure and energetics of reactants, products, and transition structures are determined for all pathways involved in the oxidation mechanism. The detailed pathways leading to the experimentally observed products of dimethyl ether oxidation are presented. The energetics of over 50 species and transition structures involved in the oxidation process are calculated with G2 and G2(MP2) energies. The principal pathway following the initial attack of dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3) by the OH radical is the formation of the methoxymethyl radical (CH2OCH3). Oxidation steps lead to the formation of methyl formate, which is consistent with the experimentally observed products. Oxidation pathways of methyl formate are also considered.
Changes in youth smoking participation in California in the 1990s.

Objective: To identify which key transitions in the adolescent smoking uptake process changed during periods of increasing and decreasing adolescent smoking participation in California. Methods: Age groups (12–14 and 15–17 years) from longitudinal surveys of California adolescents, conducted in 1993–1996 (prevalence increasing) and in 1996–1999 (prevalence declining), allowed comparisons of transition rates across these periods for: never smokers (committed and susceptible) to any smoking, experimenters to established smokers, and current established smokers to former smokers (15–17-year-olds only). Analyses adjusted for demographics and other baseline environmental influences on adolescents to smoke, with a variable for ‘time period’ included to test for differential period transition rates. Results: Adjusted analyses indicated a time period effect (1993–1996 versus 1996–1999) on all transitions examined for 12–14-year-olds. For 15–17-year-olds, the time period effect was significant for the transition from committed never smoker to any smoking, but only marginally significant for experimenter to established smoker and from current established to former smoker. Conclusion: Adolescent smoking participation appeared to decline at all phases in the smoking uptake process, with generally larger declines in younger adolescents. Intensified public health measures to curb adolescent smoking beginning in the mid 1990s may have been responsible.
The distribution of particulate iodine in the Atlantic Ocean

Abstract The iodine content of marine suspended matter obtained from thirteen stations in the Atlantic between 75°N and 55°S has been measured. The concentration of particulate iodine is high in the surface, up to 127 ng/kg of seawater being observed. Below the euphotic zone, it drops sharply to 1–2 ng/kg. The iodine-containing particles are probably biogenic. A simple box-model calculation shows that only 3% of the particulate iodine produced in the surface water may reach the deep sea and that the residence time of these particles in the surface water is about 0.1 year.
Identifying environmental antigens that activate myelin-specific T cells

Human genetic and environmental factors underlie susceptibility to the T cell-mediated autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis (MS). How the environment influences the pathogenesis of MS has been difficult to parse. A recent paper in Cell shows that environmental antigens that activate myelin-specific T cells can be identified with unprecedented accuracy.
Hallux valgus and hallux rigidus:Mri findings

The purpose of this article is to describe the MR findings of Hallux Valgus (HV) and Hallux Rigidus (HR). Twenty-four patients (11 with HV, 4 with HR, and 9 with both HV and HR) were studied at 1.5 Tesla MRI. Two separate observers evaluated the first ray blindly for the following signs: sesamoid position, sesamoid proliferation, hypertrophy of the median eminence, presence of a lateral facet, presence of an adventitial bursa, shape of the first metatarsal head, relative length of the first metatarsal, joint space loss, osteophytes (dorsalor lateral), marrow edema, geodes, subchondral sclerosis, intra-articular ossicle, and pes planus. The most common findings observed in HV were a hypertrophic medial eminence (95%), sesamoid proliferation (90%) and adventitial bursitis (70%). The most common findings observed in HR were osteophytes (77% and 69%), geodes, and marrow edema. We conclude that traditional routine radiograph signs of HV and HR may be applied to MR images.
North Central Sociological Association 2012 John F. Schnabel Lecture: Reflections on Teaching, Becoming a Student Whisperer

This lecture focuses on lessons I have learned in my ongoing quest to become “a student whisperer.” I define a student whisperer as an individual who is capable of creating a unique and flexible learning environment that motivates each student to be successful. Some instructors have already achieved this status, but we all have the potential to do so. Drawing on sociological principles, I discuss how we can overcome the final barrier to creating successful life-long learners—student motivation.
Heavy Ion Source with Pulsed Magnetic Field

A compact P.I.G. ion source with pulsed field and end extraction is described. The source produces multiply ionized N, C, Ne, A, Kr and Xe. Pulsed currents of C3+, N3+, Ne3+, A3+, Kr3+ , Xe6+ between a few tens of ?A and a few hundreds of ?A have been obtained. Small size and power consumption make it compatible with a Van de Graaff terminal where space and power are at a premium.
Discrete X-ray sources-a theoretical appraisal

Discrete galactic and extragalactic X ray and gamma ray sources observation, discussing energy spectra, emission mechanisms, properties and suggested models
Antibiotics from microbes: converging to kill

As genetically encoded small molecules, antibiotics are phenotypes that have resulted from mutation and natural selection. Advances in genetics, biochemistry, and bioinformatics have connected hundreds of antibiotics to the gene clusters that encode them, allowing these molecules to be analyzed using the tools of evolutionary biology. This review surveys examples of convergent evolution from microbially produced antibiotics, including the convergence of distinct gene clusters on similar phenotypes and the merger of distinct gene clusters into a single functional unit. Examining antibiotics through an evolutionary lens highlights the versatility of biosynthetic pathways, reveals lessons for combating antibiotic resistance, and provides an entry point for studying the natural roles of these natural products.
A green roof model for building energy simulation programs

Abstract A physically based model of the energy balance of a vegetated rooftop has been developed and integrated into the EnergyPlus building energy simulation program. This green roof module allows the energy modeler to explore green roof design options including growing media thermal properties and depth, and vegetation characteristics such as plant type, height and leaf area index. The model has been tested successfully using observations from a monitored green roof in Florida. A preliminary set of parametric tests has been conducted on prototypical 4000 m2 office buildings in Chicago IL and Houston TX. These tests focus on evaluating the role of growing media depth, irrigation, and vegetation density (leaf area index) on both natural gas and electricity consumption. Building energy consumption was found to vary significantly in response to variations in these parameters. Further, this response depended significantly on building location (climate). Hence, it is evident that the green roof simulation tool presented here can serve a valuable role in informing green roof design decisions.
HOW MANY RANDOM SUBMODULES OF A FREE MODULE SHOULD BE SUMMED TO YIELD THE FREE MODULE

Let V be an n-dimensional vector space over a finite field F with q elements. In [[3], Theorem 3.4], it was shown that if each F-subspace of V is deemed “equally likely,” then the expected value of...
An empirical study of the returns on defaulted debt

This study empirically analyses the historical performance of defaulted debt from Moody's Ultimate Recovery Database (1987–2010). Motivated by a stylized structural model of credit risk with systematic recovery risk, we argue and find evidence that returns on defaulted debt co-vary with determinants of the market risk premium, firm specific and structural factors. Defaulted debt returns in our sample are observed to be increasing in collateral quality or debt cushion of the issue. Returns are also increasing for issuers having superior ratings at origination, more leverage at default, higher cumulative abnormal returns on equity prior to default, or greater market implied loss severity at default. Considering systematic factors, returns on defaulted debt are positively related to equity market indices and industry default rates. On the other hand, defaulted debt returns decrease with short-term interest rates. In a rolling out-of-time and out-of-sample re-sampling experiment we show that our leading model...
Translation of globin messenger RNA by the mouse ovum

It has been demonstrated that the Xenopus oocyte can translate rabbit haemoglobin messenger RNA (mRNA) following microinjection of the message into the cell1. The Xenopus oocyte has since been shown to be capable of translating a variety of messenger RNAs from different species2–4. This system has proved useful in understanding the mechanism of message translation and has also provided information about the translation capability of the Xenopus oocyte5,6. Several other cell types, including HeLa cells and fibroblasts, can also translate exogenous message injected into the cell7,8. However, there have been no reports of injection of mRNA into oocytes or fertilised one-cell ova of mammalian species. Nevertheless, the latter system could be of considerable use in studying the processing of exogenous messages in a mammalian system undergoing development, as well as providing insight into the way the early embryo processes injected messages and the protein products of such messages. We report here the results of injecting message into the fertilised one-cell mouse ovum and show that both mouse and rabbit globin mRNA are translated in this system.
Platelet Dysfunction after Association with Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Vitro

Granulocytic anaplasmosis is a tick-borne, zoonotic disease caused by an obligate intracellular granulocytotropic bacterium, Anaplasma phagocytophilum. A. phagocytophilum and other Anaplasma and Ehrlichia spp. have been variably implicated with an associated hematologic alteration, platelet dysfunction, that can result in potentially serious clinical sequelae including hemorrhage. The objective of this work was to define an in vitro model to assess alterations in platelet function associated with A. phagocytophilum.
Two-Dimensional Interfacial Colloidal Crystals

Polystyrene spheres (2450 \AA{} in diameter) are trapped in a surface energy well at water/air interface. Because of asymmetry of charge distribution, electrical dipoles are associated with each interfacial particle. The dipole-dipole repulsive interactions organize the polystyrene spheres into a two-dimensional triangular lattice. The direct microscopic observations of such an interfacial colloidal crystal are reported for the first time.
SERIAL MYOGLOBIN DETERMINATIONS IN NEONATES

Rhabdomyolysis resulting in myoglobinemia is associated with renal failure in adults. We examined the hypothesis that birth asphyxia in neonates results in rhabdomyolysis with subsequent release of myoglobin. Serial serum samples were obtained on a population of 20 neonates (9 asphyxiated and 11 non-asphyxiated) during the first four days of life. Serum samples were analyzed by radioimmunoassay for myoglobin (NMS Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Newport Beach, CA). Asphyxia (5 minute Apgar ≤ 5) predicted an elevation of myoglobin (> 200 ng/ml) at 12 and 24 hours (Chi square, p 1000 ng/ml) at 12 hours were associated with severe oliguria at 24 and 48 hours (24 hrs= 0.27 ± .28 cc/kg/hr, 48 hrs = 0.70 ± .46 cc/kg/hr, n = 3). Myoglobinemia may be associated with poor urine output during the neonatal period and serum myoglobin determination may have a value as a marker for birth asphyxia. This preliminary study suggests that birth asphyxia results in rhabdomyolysis with the subsequent release of myoglobin in some neonates.