cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Wood anatomy of selected Cucurbitaceae and its relationship to habit and systematics

Qualitive and quantitative data are presented on wood anatomy and cambial conformations of four species of Cucurbitaceae. Although all woody to various degrees, the four species were selected to show a wide range of habits and therefore to discern possible correlations between habit and wood anatomy. Vessels are widely spaced and libriform fibers are minimal where storage of water and carbohydrates is prominent. Axial parenchyma is dimorphic: lignified thick-walled paratracheal may lend strength to the vessel elements (which are wider than long), whereas thin-walled apotracheal parenchyma may lend flexibility to stems (especially in lianoid species) and serve for storage. Rays are multiseriate only and alter little from primary rays (but large multiseriate rays originate suddently in fascicular areas of one species). Distribution and abundance of libriform fibers relate to habit: most abundant in the shrubby Acanthosicyos, least in the storage-oriented lower stems of Apondanthera). Vasicentric tracheids extend radially and interconnect vessels, potentially providing a subsidiary conductive system that would maintain the conductive pathways of the large vessels if some of those vessels were to be disabled or deactivated. Cucurbitaceae are characterized by septate fibers, vasicentric tracheids, and storied wood structure. Each of these features is found in at least half of the families now commonly included in Violales, to which Cucurbitaceae are thought to belong.
Structural characterization of holo- and apo-myoglobin in the gas phase by ultraviolet photodissociation mass spectrometry

Ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) mass spectrometry is employed to investigate the structure of holo-myoglobin as well as its apo form transferred to the gas phase by native electrospray. UVPD provided insight into the stability of native structural elements of holo-myoglobin. The fragmentation yields from UVPD showed the greatest overall correlation with B-factors generated from the crystal structure of apo-myoglobin, particularly for the more disordered loop regions. Solvent accessibility measurements also showed some correlation with the UVPD fragmentation of holo-myoglobin. Comparison of UVPD of holo- and apo-myoglobin revealed similarities in fragmentation yields, particularly for the lower charge states (8 and 9+). Both holo- and apo-myoglobin exhibited low fragmentation yields for the AGH helical core, whereas regions known to interact with the heme show suppressed fragmentation for holo-myoglobin. The fragment yields from HCD showed the lowest correlation with B-factor values and rather reflected preferential charge-directed backbone cleavages.
Two results on exact boundary control of parabolic equations

(1) The known nullcontrollability result for boundary control ofut = uxx + q(x)u is generalized to consider a time-dependent coefficientq. (2) For boundary control ofut =Au (where it is known thatCT: (initial data) → (optimal nullcontrol for timeT) exists for allT>0) it is shown that log∥CT∥ =145-1 asT → 0.
Oxidatively Activated DNA‐Modifying Agents for Selective Cytotoxicity

DNA-modifying agents are stalwarts of chemotherapeutic cancer treatments, but require significant design improvements to improve selectivity, minimize side effects, and for their widespread use to continue. Herein we present a novel design strategy in which DNA-modifying agents contain an oxidizable leaving group and a nitrogen mustard. The agents form strong electrophiles specifically when oxidized. Activation, measured by hydrolysis, illustrates that oxidants increase reactivity 1700-fold. Reaction in the presence of 2'-deoxyguanosine leads to the formation of lesions. Cytotoxicity measured in HeLa cells showed that low IC(50) values require an oxidizable hydroquinone and a nitrogen mustard fragment. Cytotoxicity measurements in 15 cancer cell lines demonstrates that oxidatively activated DNA-modifying agents are highly selective, as the analogue tested has IC(50) values less than 10 μM for only three of the 15 cell lines; in contrast, cisplatin is highly toxic to 13 of the 15 cell lines. The selective cytotoxicity of oxidatively activated DNA-damaging agents could be useful against kidney cancer cells, as the 786-O cell line model assay resulted in an IC(50) value of 5 μM.
Role of Cardiac Resynchronization in End-Stage Heart Failure Patients Requiring Inotrope Therapy

Abstract Background Outcomes among inotrope-treated heart failure (HF) patients receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) have not been well characterized, particularly in those requiring intravenous inotropes at the time of implant. Methods We analyzed 759 consecutive CRT-defibrillator recipients who were categorized as never on inotropes (NI; n=585), weaned from inotropes before implant (PI; n=124), or on inotropes at implant (II; n=50). Survival free from heart transplant or ventricular assist device and overall survival were compared using the Social Security Death Index. A patient cohort who underwent unsuccessful CRT implantation and received a standard defibrillator (SD; n=94) comprised a comparison group. Propensity score analysis was used to control for intergroup baseline differences. Results Compared with the other cohorts, II patients had more comorbidities. Both survival endpoints differed significantly ( P P Conclusions Inotrope-dependent HF patients show significantly worse survival despite CRT than inotrope-naive patients, in part because of more comorbid conditions at baseline. CRT may not provide a survival advantage over a standard defibrillator among patients who have received inotropes before CRT. Weaning from inotropes and initiating neurohormonal antagonists before CRT should be an important goal among inotrope-dependent HF patients.
Chalcogen-based aerogels as a multifunctional platform for remediation of radioactive iodine

Aerogels employing chalcogen-based (i.e., S, Se, and/or Te) structural units and interlinking metals are termed chalcogels and have many emerging applications. Here, chalcogels are discussed in the context of nuclear fuel reprocessing and radioactive waste remediation. Motivated by previous work on removal of heavy metals in aqueous solution, we explored the application of germanium sulfide chalcogels as a sorbent for gas-phase I2 based on Pearson's Hard/Soft Acid–Base (HSAB) principle. This work was driven by a significant need for high-efficiency sorbents for 129I, a long-lived isotope evolved during irradiated UO2 nuclear fuel reprocessing. These chalcogel compositions are shown to possess an affinity for iodine gas, I2(g), at various concentrations in air. This affinity is attributed to a strong chemical attraction between the chalcogen and I2(g), according to the HSAB principle. The high sorption efficiency is facilitated by the high porosity as well as the exceptionally large surface area of the chalcogels. This paper briefly discusses the current and alternative waste forms for 129I, elaborates on preliminary work to evaluate a Pt-Ge-S chalcogel as a I2(g) sorbent, and discusses the unknown chalcogel properties related to these materials in waste form.
A Concise Frequency and Duration Approach to Generating System Reliability Studies

A concise approach to radial power system reliability analysis is presented. This method builds up the outage table (system margin table) of a radial power system from the outage tables of its constituent elements in a systematic way requiring less computation than has been hitherto possible. The constituents of the outage table are cumulative probability and frequency functions of operating capacity and are the only parameters of the formulas for combining elements. An "outage table" for a load model compatible with the method is also presented. Examples based on the IEEE Reliability Test System are discussed.
The Accessibility Quotient: A New Measure of Open Access

INTRODUCTION The Accessibility Quotient (AQ), a new measure for assisting authors and librarians in assessing and characterizing the degree of accessibility for a group of papers, is proposed and described. The AQ offers a concise measure that assesses the accessibility of peer-reviewed research produced by an individual or group, by incorporating data on open availability to readers worldwide, the degree of financial barrier to access, and journal quality. The paper reports on the context for developing this measure, how the AQ is calculated, how it can be used in faculty outreach, and why it is a useful lens to use in assessing progress towards more open access to research. METHODS Journal articles published in 2009 and 2010 by faculty members from one department in each of MIT’s five schools were examined. The AQ was calculated using economist Ted Bergstrom’s Relative Price Index to assess affordability and quality, and data from SHERPA/RoMEO to assess the right to share the peer-reviewed version of an article. RESULTS The results show that 2009 and 2010 publications by the Media Lab and Physics have the potential to be more open than those of Sloan (Management), Mechanical Engineering, and Linguistics & Philosophy. DISCUSSION Appropriate interpretation and applications of the AQ are discussed and some limitations of the measure are examined, with suggestions for future studies which may improve the accuracy and relevance of the AQ. CONCLUSION The AQ offers a concise assessment of accessibility for authors, departments, disciplines, or universities who wish to characterize or understand the degree of access to their research output, capturing additional dimensions of accessibility that matter to faculty.
Multimodal Transportation Demand Forecast using System Dynamics and Agent Based Models

As the starting point of any transportation related study, an accurate analysis and forecast for transportation demand is important for appropriate planning of necessary technological improvements. Multiple modeling and simulation techniques are available, including bottom-up agent-based modeling and top-down system dynamics. The purpose of this research is to build a multi-modal transportation model using the System Dynamics approach (Ground and Air Modes Explorer) supported by an existing agent-based model Mi. These two complementary models were calibrated against each other to ensure equivalency of the outputs within a given range of input values. The system dynamics model matched historic data and generated future forecasts for various scenarios including different economic situations, capacity constraints on the air transportation system, and the
A Decomposition-Based Pricing Procedure for Large-Scale Linear Programs: An Application to the Linear Multicommodity Flow Problem

We propose and test a new pricing procedure for solving large-scale structured linear programs. The procedure interactively solves a relaxed subproblem to identify potential entering basic columns. The subproblem is chosen to exploit special structure, rendering it easy to solve. The effect of the procedure is the reduction of the number of pivots needed to solve the problem. Our approach is motivated by the column-generation approach of Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition. We test our procedure on two sets of multicommodity flow problems. One group of test problems arises in routing telecommunications traffic and the second group is a set of logistics problem which have been widely used to test multicommodity flow algorithms.
The two single nucleotide polymorphisms in the H37/RBM5 tumour suppressor gene at 3p21.3 correlated with different subtypes of non-small cell lung cancers

Summary Allele loss and genetic alteration in chromosome 3p, particularly in 3p21.3 region, are the most frequent and the earliest genomic abnormalities found in lung cancer. Multiple 3p21.3 genes exhibit various degrees of tumour suppression activity suggesting that 3p21.3 genes may function as an integrated tumour suppressor region through their diverse biological activities. We have previously demonstrated growth inhibitory effects and tumour suppression mechanism of the H37/RBM5 gene which is one of the 19 genes residing in the 370 kb minimal overlap region at 3p21.3. In the current study, in an attempt to find, if any, mutations in the H37 coding region in lung cancer cells, we compared nucleotide sequences of the entire H37 gene in tumour versus adjacent normal tissues from 17 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. No mutations were detected; instead, we found the two silent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), C1138T and C2185T, within the coding region of the H37 gene. In addition, we found that specific allele types at these SNP positions are correlated with different histological subtypes of NSCLC; tumours containing heterozygous alleles (C + T) at these SNP positions are more likely to be associated with adenocarcinoma (AC), whereas, homozygous alleles (either C or T) are associated with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) ( p = 0.0098). We postulate that, these two silent polymorphisms may be in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with a disease causative allele in the 3p21.3 tumour suppressor region which is packed with a large number of important genes affecting lung cancer development. In addition, because of prevalent loss of heterozygosity (LOH) detected at 3p21.3 which precedes lung cancer initiation, these SNPs may be developed into a marker screening for the high risk individuals.
Examining the Time to Therapeutic Effect of Pregabalin in Spinal Cord Injury Patients With Neuropathic Pain

Abstract Purpose In 2 large-scale, placebo-controlled trials, pregabalin improved both pain and pain-related sleep interference in patients with neuropathic pain due to spinal cord injury (SCI). In both trials, pregabalin found statistically significant improvement compared with placebo after 1 week of treatment. However, the effects of pregabalin in the days immediately after initiation of treatment are unknown. The purpose of the present analysis was to determine timing of pregabalin's therapeutic effect in the days after initiation of treatment. Methods Data were derived from 2 trials of pregabalin in patients with SCI-related neuropathic pain. Each day patients rated severity of pain and pain-related sleep interference over the past 24 hours on a scale from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating greater severity. To quantify timing of therapeutic effect, we compared (pregabalin [vs] placebo) daily average pain and pain-related sleep interference scores over the first 14 days of treatment. Significant improvement was defined as the first day, of ≥2 consecutive days, that pregabalin significantly ( P Findings In both trials, significant improvement of pain and pain-related sleep interference occurred within 2 days of initiating treatment with pregabalin. Among patients reporting a clinically meaningful and sustained response to treatment (patients with ≥30% improvement from baseline to end point), the time to a ≥1-point improvement of pain and pain-related sleep interference occurred significantly earlier among pregabalin-treated patients than among placebo-treated patients. Finally, the timing of pregabalin's effect on pain and pain-related sleep interference was unaffected by the use of concomitant medications that were allowed for treatment of neuropathic pain in both trials. Implications Treatment with pregabalin results in rapid time to significant improvement in both pain and pain-related sleep interference in patients with neuropathic pain due to SCI. These findings should only be used as a guide to physicians and patients as to when clinical response to pregabalin may be expected.
Habitat specificity and home-range size as attributes of species vulnerability to extinction: a case study using sympatric rattlesnakes

Large home-range size and habitat specificity are two commonly cited ecological attributes that are believed to contribute to species vulnerability. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake Crotalus adamanteus is a declining species that occurs sympatrically with the more abundant canebrake rattlesnake Crotalus horridus in a portion of the south-eastern Coastal Plain, USA. In this study, we use the ecological similarities of the two species as experimental controls to test the role of home-range size and habitat specificity in the imperilment of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake. We used analysis of variance to investigate differences in home-range size between the two species, and home-range selection was modeled as habitat use versus availability with a case control sampling design using logistic regression. We failed to detect differences in home-range size between the two species; therefore, we could not identify home-range size as an attribute contributing to the imperilment of eastern diamondback rattlesnakes. Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes selected pine savannas to a degree that suggests that the species is a habitat specialist. Of the two factors examined, habitat specificity to the imperiled longleaf pine ecosystem may be a significant contributor to the decline of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake.
Nonprofits and evaluation: Empirical evidence from the field

The authors explore what evaluation looks like, in practice, among today's nonprofit organizations on the basis of their survey results. The types of evaluation activities nonprofit organizations are engaging in on a regular basis, as well as the types of data they are collecting and how they are using these data, are described. How nonprofits think about evaluation and a three-pronged typology, based on a factor analysis of the survey data, is presented. This analysis shows that nonprofit organizations tend to think about evaluation in three distinct ways: as a resource drain and distraction; as an external, promotional tool; and as a strategic management tool. The authors recommend how funders, evaluators, and nonprofit managers can change the way they think about evaluation and build upon the way they currently use evaluation to maximize its potential. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
EBETX: An energy-balanced reliable routing metric method for wireless sensor network

An energy-balanced reliable routing metric method based on ETX was proposed, which aimed at the limited energy and the special requirement of transmission reliability for wireless sensor network. This method improves the ETX routing metric method. It avoids the data packets transmit along the lower energy path, and selects the path which has more surplus energy. Thus, it makes the energy of the nodes in the network keep balance. Simulation results show that this method can prolong the lifetime of the network and implement the effective balance of transmission reliability and energy balance.
Friendship Maintenance: An Analysis of Individual and Dyad Behaviors

Abstract In three studies, friendship maintenance behaviors were investigated. In the first study, a psychometrically valid measure of friendship maintenance behaviors was developed via exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Friendship maintenance behaviors of positivity, supportiveness, openness, and interaction were identified as key factors. Furthermore, maintenance behaviors differed by friendship status (best, close, or casual friends) and gender. Best friends engaged in more maintenance behaviors than close or casual friends. Gender differences in maintenance behaviors were found, such that female same-sex friendships reported using more supportiveness, openness, and interaction than male same-sex friendships. In the second study, a confirmatory factor analysis revalidated the four-factor scale structure. In the third study, the interdependence of maintenance behaviors among friendship dyads was examined. Results indicated that friendships are equitable, display self-other agreement, and perc...
Maintenance of hardware after early postoperative infection following fracture internal fixation.

Background: The development of a deep wound infection in the presence of hardware after open reduction and internal fixation presents a clinical dilemma, and there is scant literature to aid in decision-making. The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of osseous union with maintenance of hardware after the development of postoperative infection within six weeks after internal fixation of a fracture. Methods: The present study included 121 patients from three level-I trauma centers, retrospectively identified from billing and trauma registries, in whom 123 postoperative wound infections with positive intraoperative cultures had developed within six weeks after internal fixation of acute fractures. The incidence of fracture union without hardware removal was calculated, and the parameters that predicted success or failure were evaluated. Results: Eighty-six patients (eighty-seven fractures; 71%) had fracture union with operative debridement, retention of hardware, and culture-specific antibiotic treatment and suppression. Predictors of treatment failure were open fracture (p = 0.03) and the presence of an intramedullary nail (p = 0.01). Several variables were not significant but trended toward an association with failure, including smoking, infection with Pseudomonas species, and involvement of the femur, tibia, ankle, or foot. Conclusions: Deep infection after internal fixation of a fracture can be treated successfully with operative debridement, antibiotic suppression, and retention of hardware until fracture union occurs. These results may be improved by patient selection based on certain risk factors and the specific bacteria and implants involved. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Quantitative SPECT reconstruction using multiray projection integrators

In pursuit of the goal of absolute quantitation with SPECT, the authors have previously developed a method for deriving optimal multiray projection integrators. These integrators are derived based on models of the depth-dependent blurring associated with collimated detectors. Here, the authors demonstrate the use of these integrators in iterative SPECT reconstruction codes. Data for these studies was acquired on the emission-transmission CT (ETCT) system developed in the authors' laboratory. The authors modeled the efficiency of the HPGe array used on the ETCT system using Monte Carlo methods, and they derived quantitative multiray integrators for the ETCT collimator. The projection integrators also accounted for attenuation, however, scatter was ignored. Using these methods, and without the use of a calibrated reference, the authors found they can reconstruct images of a uniformity phantom with activities within 10% of the known activity. In addition, the authors observe improved contrast and resolution in SPECT cardiac images of pigs using these methods, as well as better accuracy. However, the authors could not discern differences in the precision of the uptake methods in these studies.
Structure of Mycobacteria: Recent Developments in Defining Cell Wall Carbohydrates and Proteins

Work from this laboratory on the immunogens of Mycobacterium species has focused on those based on carbohydrates (with a view to the development of specific tools for the serodiagnosis of mycobacterioses) and on the cell-wall proteins, as a source of protective immunity and as a means of observing specific delayed-type hypersensitivity. Most mycobacteria are endowed with specific, highly antigenic glycolipids that are powerful for the serodiagnosis of individual mycobacterial infections: e.g., the phenolic glycolipids of Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium bovis, the glycopeptidolipids of the Mycobacterium avium complex, and the acylated trehalose-containing lipooligosaccharides of species such as Mycobacterium kansasii, Mycobacterium szulgai, and Mycobacterium malmoense. A search for analogous structures in Mycobacterium tuberculosis has revealed an antigenic diglycosyl diacylglycerol and the immunogenic phosphomannoinositides. Others have reported on the presence of a novel phenolic glycolipid in the Canetti strain of M. tuberculosis. The dominant carbohydrate-containing antigen of M. tuberculosis (responsible for the high-titer anti-arabinofuranosyl activity in tuberculous sera) is lipoarabinomannan, which has been purified in the native state from M. tuberculosis and shown to contain both phosphatidylinositol and phosphoinositol side-branches. The cell wall of M. tuberculosis--more precisely, the peptidoglycan skeleton--is a source of a few distinct, highly immunogenic protein antigens. The recognition, isolation, and characterization of these antigens will also be described.
Phase‐field dithering for active catheter tracking

A strategy to increase the robustness of active MR tracking of microcoils in low signal-to-noise ratio conditions was developed and tested. The method employs dephasing magnetic field gradient pulses that are applied orthogonal to the frequency-encoding gradient pulse used in conventional point-source MR tracking. In subsequent acquisitions, the orthogonal dephasing gradient pulse is rotated while maintaining a perpendicular orientation with respect to the frequency-encoding gradient. The effect of the dephasing gradient is to apply a spatially dependent phase shift in directions perpendicular to the frequency-encoding gradient. Since the desired MR signal for robust MR tracking comes from the small volume of nuclear spins near the small detection coil, the desired signal is not dramatically altered by the dephasing gradient. Undesired MR signals arising from larger volumes (e.g., due to coupling with the body coil or surface coils), on the other hand, are dephased and reduced in signal intensity. Since the approach requires no a priori knowledge of the microcoil orientation with respect to the main magnetic field, data from several orthogonal dephasing gradients are acquired and analyzed in real time. One of several selection algorithms is employed to identify the “best” data for use in the coil localization algorithm. This approach was tested in flow phantoms and animal models, with several multiplexing schemes, including the Hadamard and zero-phase reference approaches. It was found to provide improved MR tracking of untuned microcoils. It also dramatically improved MR tracking robustness in low signal-to-noise-ratio conditions and permitted tracking of microcoils that were inductively coupled to the body coil. Magn Reson Med 63:1398–1403, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Treasured Possessions: Indigenous Interventions into Cultural and Intellectual Property (Geismar)

This work is a book review considering the title Treasured Possessions: Indigenous Interventions into Cultural and Intellectual Property by Haidy Geismar.
Multi robot mapping using force field simulation

This paper describes a novel approach, called Force Field Simulation, to multi robot mapping that works under the constraints given in autonomous search and rescue robotics. Extremely poor prealignment, lack of landmarks, and minimal overlap between scans are the main challenges. The presented algorithm solves the alignment problem of such laser scans utilizing a gradient descent approach motivated by physics, namely simulation of movement of masses in gravitational fields, but exchanges laws of physics with constraints given by human perception. Experiments on different real world data sets show the successful application of the algorithm. We also provide an experimental comparison with classical ICP implementation and a Lu/Milios-type alignment algorithm. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sketch-Based Summarization of Ordered XML Streams

In this paper, we tackle the problem of approximately answering a continuous aggregate query over an XML stream using limited memory. This problem is key in the development of tools for the on-line monitoring and analysis of streaming XML data, such as complex event streams, RSS feeds, or workflow traces. We introduce a novel technique that supports XML queries with any combination of the common XPath axes, namely, ancestor, descendant, parent, child, following, preceding, following-sibling, and preceding-sibling. At the heart of our approach lies an efficient transform that reduces a continuous XML query to an equi-join query over relational streams. We detail the transform and discuss its integration with randomized sketches as a basic mechanism to estimate the result of the XML query. We further enhance this mechanism with structural sieving, a technique that takes advantage of the XML data and query characteristics in order to improve the accuracy of the sketch-based approximation. We present an extensive experimental study on real-life and synthetic data sets that validates the effectiveness of our approach and demonstrates its advantages over existing techniques.
Resolving chemical/bio-compatibility issues in microfluidic MEMS systems

We are currently developing a generic microfluidic system (on chip) for the detection of bio -organisms. Numerous bio/chemical compatibility issues arise in development of these chip based microfluidic systems. The resolution of bio/compatibility issues often necessitates a change in materials and, on occasions, leads to redesigning of the system itself. We have successfully decoupled the fabrication and compatibility issues that arose in the fabrication of a generic microfluidic system for chemical detection. We have successfully developed techniques for coating the offending surfaces with a Teflon ® like amorphous fluorocarbon polymer CYTOP™ and assembling the coated components. In this paper we briefly discuss the microfluidic system being developed by us and the bio/chemical compatibility issues that need to be addressed in this system. Next we discuss the material CYTOP and its application to surfaces and devices. The bonding technique developed to bond the polymer coated structures and some of the components fabricated using this material are also discussed.
Anti-spoofing cooperative localization in cellular networks

Although proven possible, not many spoofing attacks were reported for the GPS [1]. With the introduction of cooperative localization, spoofing attacks can be easier and more effective, resulting in users, and eventually the whole network, not knowing their exact location. This paper shows that the effects of any spoofing attack can be minimized by processing information from seven or more transmitting users instead of the main stream approach of using only three or four information transmitting users or anchors (base stations). Then by filtering the extreme estimates resulting from the spoofing attack, the user is able to estimate his location close to the location estimate of the case when no spoofing attack happened.
A Summary: Boolean Networks Applied to Systemic Risk

The application of Boolean networks to systemic risk is introduced. Network architecture, connectivity, connection matrix and debt maturity can be used in both deterministic and random networks. For deterministic networks the trajectory of the node-state voctor can be obtained where it is known exactly when a specific bank defaults. For random networks, Markov transition matrices can be derived to calculatre the trajectory of the distribution function of the number of defaulted or down-graded firms. Calculations can be made for both netted and non-netted cldaring systems. The connectivity which maximizes the speed of default propagation is not invariant to netting rules.
Effect of Infectious Myxoma Virus on Glycolysis of Chorioallantoic Membrane of Chick Embryo.

SummaryThe lactic acid formation from glucose is increased in the chorioallantoic membrane of the chick embryo after inoculation with infectious myxoma virus. This increase must be due to an activation of glycolysis since respiration at this stage is not impaired.
Luminescent Excitation Spectra of F and M Centers in KCl

Luminescent excitation spectra were measured for the $F$ and the $M$ centers in KCl; in particular, for the $F$ center and for two transitions of the $M$ center: the ${M}_{1}$ and ${M}_{2}$ transitions. In all three cases, the excitation spectra were nearly double-Gaussian in shape, and the efficiency for luminescence was nearly independent of the wavelength of the exciting light. A comparison of the dichroic absorption spectrum with the excitation spectrum of the $F$-band region of crystals with $M$ centers present and oriented provided further evidence for the existence of the ${M}_{2}$ transition proposed by van Doorn and Haven and by Okamoto. The efficiency for luminescence for $M$ centers upon $M$-band excitation was equal to the efficiency for luminescence for $F$ centers in pulse-annealed crystals of low $F$-center concentrations. New absorption and luminescent excitation bands in NaF are also reported.
Malignant lymphoma occurring in a family.

Three patients, a 57-year-old man, his 60-year-old sister, and 81-year-old mother, developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma within an interval of 12 months. There were histologic similarities of the biopsy material from these patients, but the clinical response was variable. Two patients achieved a sustained remission, and one expired after similar chemotherapy. Studies revealed slightly decreased numbers of circulating T lymphocytes in both surviving patients, and decreased cellular reactivity to mitogens in the man. HLA typing was not conclusive; HLA haplotypes were not the same as those reported in other families with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Electron microscopy of biopsy material revealed no viral inclusions. Except for the familial relationship, no common etiologic factors were identified.
Porting μC/OS-II on TMS320LF2407A

This paper introduced the works for porting the real time kernel μC/OS-II on the DSP controller TMS320LF2407A. The problem of the protection for critical code, task switch and the software stack of the 2407 are discussed. The mechanism on which the μC/OS-II uses the task stack is analyzed, then the limitation of using much RAM is pointed out and finally the optimizing methods for this limitation are produced.
Development situation and countermeasures on Guangdong rice industry in the first half of 2013

Absbract: In the first half of 2013, the rice industry of Guangdong remained a relatively stable situation. The sown acreage of early season rice decreasd, and the yield per unit area remained steady. Under the situation of rising costs, the farmers' interests of the early season rice still increased. Prices of early season rice fluctuated significantly under the impact of the market supply and demand deposits. Because of the "cadmium rice" incident and cheap importing rice, the rice processing industry suffered a bad situation. Measures need to be taken in the future include improving support for agriculture, effectively motivating farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain, strengthening the regulatory and supervisory control of the industry, preventing the problems of quality and security, and establishing circulation classification guidance and differential pricing policies.
Long-Distance Rhythmic Dependencies and their Application to Automatic Language Identification.

The perception of rhythmic differences among languages relies on varieties in periodicity within prominence groups. But the consensus in phonetic research on rhythm is that existing measures don’t capture true rhythm by that definition instead, they merely measure short-term timing. This work proposes a new rhythm measure, the Generalized Variability Index (GVI), that examines durational contexts over arbitrarily long linguistic distances. To evaluate this new measure, we conducted a set of experiments in automatic language identification using large amounts of data from 11 languages in the Globalphone and TIMIT corpora. When added to baseline rhythm measures, these new GVI features offer absolute improvement in 11-way language classification accuracy by as much as 12%. Moreover, the addition of wider and wider durational context in the GVI continues to contribute information useful for automatic language ID, abating in usefulness only at a distance of about 10 syllables.
“Vati’s home!”: From Defeated Nazi to Antifascist Hero

Schools and the emerging state viewed the family as a key partner with schools in the antifascist socialization of young people. Families were all the more important as an institution, since churches in the Soviet zone played almost no role in the overtly secular program of antifascist democratic education. With the elimination of religious instruction from the school curriculum, in fact, educational reformers sought to limit, even eliminate, the influence of the churches upon young people’s education. But was the family, so recently the object of a broad National Socialist policy designed to permanently fix parents and children in the service of that state, adequately prepared to assume suddenly its role as coantifascist educator? Popular representations of the family suggested that the answer was a worrisome no. At the heart of this concern was the rehabilitation of the father, whose war experience had often left him dejected and confused—when he was even lucky enough to have survived.
Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus Colonization and Bacteremia and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Outcomes.

Abstract The association between pre–hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) colonization, HSCT-associated VRE bacteremia, and HSCT mortality is disputed. We studied 161 consecutive patients with acute leukemia who underwent HSCT at our hospital between 2006 and 2014, of whom 109 also received leukemia induction/consolidation on our unit. All inpatients had weekly VRE stool surveillance. Pre-HSCT colonization was not associated with increases in HSCT mortality but did identify a subgroup of HSCT recipients with a higher risk for VRE bacteremia and possibly bacteremia from other organisms. The major risk factor for pre-HSCT colonization was the number of hospital inpatient days between initial admission for leukemia and HSCT. One-third of evaluable patients colonized before HSCT were VRE-culture negative on admission for HSCT; these patients had an increased risk for subsequent VRE stool surveillance positivity but not VRE bacteremia. Molecular typing of VRE isolates obtained before and after HSCT showed that VRE strains frequently change. Postengraftment VRE bacteremia was associated with a much higher mortality than pre-engraftment VRE bacteremia. Pre-engraftment bacteremia from any organism was associated with an alternative donor and resulted in an increase in hospital length of stay and cost. Mortality was similar for pre-engraftment VRE bacteremia and pre-engraftment bacteremia due to other organisms, but mortality associated with post-engraftment VRE bacteremia was higher and largely explained by associated severe graft-versus-host disease and relapsed leukemia. These data emphasize the importance of distinguishing between VRE colonization before HSCT and at HSCT, between pre-engraftment and postengraftment VRE bacteremia, and between VRE bacteremia and bacteremia from other organisms.
CMOS energy efficient integrated radios for emerging low power standards

This paper describes IEEE 802.15.6 standard compliant 2.36–2.484GHz transmitter and receiver frontends suitable for emerging low power standards. The transmitter digitally multiplexes the appropriate phases from an 800MHz poly-phase filter output to generate π/4 DQPSK signals at 2.4GHz. Modulation at 1/3rd the RF frequency reduces the total power consumption and enables channel selection using a PLL running at 800MHz. The prototype transmitter has an energy efficiency of 2.5nJ/bit at 1.2Mbps while delivering −10dBm RF power. The receiver uses a passive coupling based frequency translated mutual noise cancellation technique which allows for low supply operation thereby saving power. The FOM is 10dB higher than the state-of-the-art and the power consumption is 194μW which is 0.5X lower than the state-of-the-art.
Liqquid crystal polymers containing macroheterocyclic ligands

The synthesis and cationic polymerization of 1-[2-methyl-4-(4′-carboxybenzo-15-crown-5)phenyl]ethynyl-4-(11-vinyloxyundecan-1-yloxy)benzene (8) are described. Both 8 and poly (8) were characterized by a combination of thermal optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Both 8 and poly(8) display an enantiotropic nematic mesophase and side chain crystallization. The isotropization temperature of poly(8) is 19°C higher than that of 8.
An Analysis of a Scholarship Program for Underrepresented Ethnic and Women Engineering Students and its Impact on Retention and Academic Performance

Normal.dotm 0 0 1 301 1718 University of Cincinnati 14 3 2109 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false Research indicates that importance of scholarship for underrepresented engineering student populations as a strategy for increasing their enrollment numbers. This paper examines the results of the 2006 NSF S-STEM award consisting of (32) scholarships for underrepresented ethnic and women students who will entered the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering beginning the fall of 2007, and the impact on the new grant proposal to fund students for 2010 – 2011. The primary objectives of the 2006 grant include the following: 1) In five years, the recruitment of women (non-minority and minority) engineering students will be increased from 16% to 21% of the freshmen students relative to the Fall 2005 enrollment; 2) In five years, the recruitment of minority (women and men) engineering students will be increased from 5% to 10% of the freshmen students relative to the Fall 2005 enrollment; 3) In five years, graduate 74% of the students from these targeted populations relative to Spring 2006. Freshman enrollment for ethnic engineering students increased 53% from fall 2006 to 2007 the year we awarded our current S-STEM Scholarships, and decreased 40% from fall 2007 to 2008 the year after the NSF S-STEM scholarship awards were not available. Data indicates that underrepresented ethnic students required 40% more financial assistance than the majority women engineering students. Finally, we will examine the results of the evaluation of the University of Cincinnati Evaluation Services based on the following questions. 1) To what extent and in what ways has participation in the S-STEM program activities impacted student attrition level? 2) To what extent and in what ways has the student’s interest in attending graduate school changed as a result of participation in the S-STEM program?; 3) To what extent and in what ways has participation in the S-STEM program activities impacted student’s interest in attending graduate school? 4) To what extent and in what ways has participation in the S-STEM program activities impacted student academic performance?
Resurrection of a reservoir sandstone from tomographic data using three-dimensional printing

Three-dimensional (3-D) printing provides an opportunity to build lab-testable models of reservoir rocks from tomographic data. This study combines tomography and 3-D printing to reproduce a sample of the Fontainebleau sandstone at different magnifications to test how this workflow can help characterization of transport properties at multiple scales. For this sandstone, literature analysis has given a porosity of 11%, permeability of 455 md, mean pore throat radius of 15 μm, and a mean grain size of 250 μm. Digital rock analysis of tomographic data from the same sample yielded a porosity of 13%, a permeability of 251 md, and a mean pore throat radius of 15.2 μm. The 3-D printer available for this study was not able to reproduce the sample’s pore system at its original scale. Instead, models were 3-D printed at 5-fold, 10-fold, and 15-fold magnifications. Mercury porosimetry performed on these 3-D models revealed differences in porosity (28%–37%) compared to the literature (11%) and to digital calculations (12.7%). Mercury may have intruded the smallest matrix pores of the printing powder and led to a greater than 50% increase in measured porosity. However, the 3-D printed models’ pore throat size distribution (15 μm) and permeability (350–443 md) match both literature data and digital rock analysis. The powder-based 3-D printing method was only able to replicate parts of the pore system (permeability and pore throats) but not the pore bodies. Other 3-D printing methods, such as resin-based stereolithography and photopolymerization, may have the potential to reproduce reservoir rock porosity more accurately.
Bayesian multi-antenna sensing in cognitive radio networks using Fractional Bayes Factor

This paper proposes a Bayesian detector for spectrum sensing in a multi-antenna cognitive radio (CR) network in which no channel state information (CSI) is available. The Bayesian approach for detection necessitates a prior distribution of the CSI in terms of the spatial covariance matrix, and unfortunately it is often improper and cannot be applied directly. We shall introduce the use of the Fractional Bayes Factor (FBF) approach to handle improper prior, which in turn yields a well-defined Bayes factor as the test statistic for detection. A number of priors of the CSI are examined and a closed-form expression for the test statistics is derived. The developed Bayesian detector is compared with those by using the conjugate priors for both hypotheses and the generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT), and it yields considerable improvement in detection performance.
The Optimal Mechanism for Selling to a Budget Constrained Buyer: The General Case

We consider a revenue-maximizing seller with a single item facing a single buyer with a private budget. The (value, budget) pair is drawn from an arbitrary and possibly correlated distribution. We characterize the optimal mechanism in such cases, and quantify the amount of price discrimination that might be present. For example, there could be up to 3·2k-1 -1 distinct non-trivial menu options in the optimal mechanism for such a buyer with k distinct possible budgets (compared to k if the marginal distribution of values conditioned on each budget has decreasing marginal revenue [CG00], or 2 if there is an arbitrary distribution and one possible budget [CMM11]). Our approach makes use of the duality framework of [CDW16], and duality techniques related to the "FedEx Problem" of [FGKK16]. In contrast to [FGKK16] and other prior work, we characterize the optimal primal/dual without nailing down an explicit closed form.