cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Infrared and carbon dioxide chemisorption study of Mo/ZrO2 catalysts

The interaction of Mo with zirconia has been investigated by infrared spectroscopy (IR) and carbon dioxide chemisorption. Quantitative analysis of the IR results indicated that Mo interacts preferentially with the most basic hydroxyl group (high frequency band at 3775 cm−1). An approximately 79% decrease in the 3775 cm−1 band is observed vs. 21% for the low frequency band at 3673 cm−1, with increasing the Mo loading up to 1 wt%. The relative decrease of the IR band at 3775 cm−1 was identical to that measured for the CO2 uptake. The Mo cross-sections estimated from CO2 chemisorption results were much higher than those typically reported for the Mo system. It was concluded that, as previously reported for the Mo/Al2o3 system, CO2 chemisorption overestimates the surface coverage of Mo/ZrO2 catalysts.
Development and Validation of Statistical Models of Femur Geometry for Use with Parametric Finite Element Models

Statistical models were developed that predict male and female femur geometry as functions of age, body mass index (BMI), and femur length as part of an effort to develop lower-extremity finite element models with geometries that are parametric with subject characteristics. The process for developing these models involved extracting femur geometry from clinical CT scans of 62 men and 36 women, fitting a template finite element femur mesh to the surface geometry of each patient, and then programmatically determining thickness at each nodal location. Principal component analysis was then performed on the thickness and geometry nodal coordinates, and linear regression models were developed to predict principal component scores as functions of age, BMI, and femur length. The average absolute errors in male and female external surface geometry model predictions were 4.57 and 4.23 mm, and the average absolute errors in male and female thickness model predictions were 1.67 and 1.74 mm. The average error in midshaft cortical bone areas between the predicted geometries and the patient geometries was 4.4%. The average error in cortical bone area between the predicted geometries and a validation set of cadaver femur geometries across 5 shaft locations was 2.9%.
Initial conditions and entanglement sudden death

Abstract We report results bearing on the behavior of non-local decoherence and its potential for being managed or even controlled. The decoherence process known as entanglement sudden death (ESD) can drive prepared entanglement to zero at the same time that local coherences and fidelity remain non-zero. For a generic ESD-susceptible Bell superposition state, we provide rules restricting the occurrence and timing of ESD, amounting to management tools over a continuous variation of initial conditions. These depend on only three parameters: initial purity, entanglement and excitation. Knowledge or control of initial phases is not needed.
Genetic Diversity and Seed Quality of the “Badda” Common Bean from Sicily (Italy)

The genetic structure of the “Badda” common bean cultivated at Polizzi Generosa, a village of Sicily (Palermo, Italy), was investigated using biochemical and molecular markers. Seed storage protein analysis by using SDS-PAGE, confirmed the attribution to the Andean gene pool. Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) (or microsatellite) molecular markers provided useful information on genetic variation and relationships between “Badda bianco” and “Badda nero” morphotypes. Based on SSR data, the nine accessions examined were grouped in three sub-clusters. The first sub-cluster included all the accessions belonging to the “Badda bianco”. Conversely, “Badda nero” was constituted by two well-distinguished sub-clusters, one of them forming a well-separated branch. This result suggests that two constitutive nuclei contributed to the genetic background of “Badda nero”. Moreover, technological and nutritional data evidenced a good seed protein content (mean value 240.7 g kg−1) and differences in seed hydration rate among accessions. Knowledge of genetic structure appear to be fundamental in planning safeguard strategies of an appreciate landrace such as the “Badda” bean.
Toward a Taxonomy of Situations.

MF-$0.65 HC-$3.29 Behavior; *Behavioral Science Research; *Behavior Patterns; Classification; Environmental Criteria; Individual Differences; Multiple Regression Analysis; Performance Criteria; Personality Tests; *Predictor Variables; *Research Methodology; Situational Tests; Stimulus Behavior; *Taxonomy Criteria and methods for developing a taxonomy for dif2erent situational categories are presented. (CK)
Changes in Plasma Calcium Concentration During Egg Formation

ABSTRACT DURING egg formation, large quantities of calcium are deposited as carbonate on the developing shell. The site of shell formation, the oviduct shell gland, is not a calcium storage organ; consequently, calcium must be mobilized rapidly from body stores to meet the periodic requirements of shell formation. Since the body calcium is located almost entirely in osseous tissue, it must pass through the circulatory system in rather large quantities during each period of active shell formation (about 14 hours; Bradfield, 1951). There is also an increase in calcium absorption from the gut during shell formation (Buckner et al., 1930), which contributes to the fluctuation in blood calcium concentration. The literature contains several reports of the influence of shell formation on blood calcium. Charles and Hogben (1933) found that plasma calcium concentration during egg formation was about 20% higher than during non-laying periods. However, their data for hens with a forming . . .
A critical period for the influence of peripheral targets on the central projections of developing sensory neurons

During development, the projections that sensory neurons make within the spinal cord are influenced by the specific targets they contact in the periphery. If sensory ganglia normally supplying principally cutaneous targets are forced to grow into limb muscles, in early stage tadpoles, many sensory neurons within these ganglia innervate limb muscles and subsequently develop spinal projections appropriate for muscle spindle afferents. If the same procedure is performed with adult frogs, however, these novel projections do not form. In this study, we have determined the developmental stages at which this sensitivity to peripheral targets exists. Axons from sensory neurons in thoracic (largely cutaneous) dorsal root ganglia were re-routed into the front leg at various stages through metamorphosis, and the central spinal projections of these re-routed fibers were assessed with HRP labeling. We found that thoracic sensory axons could be made to project to limb muscles throughout development, but that the central projections of these neurons were only appropriate for spindle afferents if the fibers were re-routed before stage XVIII, shortly before metamorphic climax. Because sensory neurons can regenerate specifically into the appropriate spinal laminae even in adult frogs, these results suggest that changes in either the DRG or the arm musculature occur by stage XVII so that DRG neurons cannot respond to novel peripheral targets.
Trafficking of CD44‐deficient murine lymphocytes under normal and inflammatory conditions

CD44 has been implicated in hyaluronan (HA)-dependent primary adhesion between leukocytes and endothelium. We studied the trafficking of lymphocytes of CD44-deficient DBA/1 mice under normal conditions, and during chronic and transient forms of inflammation. Animals homozygous for the CD44 mutation (CD44(-/-)) showed no abnormalities in the composition of the lympho-hemopoietic system, but their leukocytes could not recognize HA as an adhesion ligand. T cells from CD44-deficient mice responded normally to immunization with type II collagen or stimulation with a bacterial superantigen. Lymphocytes harvested from naive CD44(-/-) and wild-type (WT) animals showed similar trafficking properties when injected into naive recipients. However, cells from WT and CD44-deficient mice with collagen-induced arthritis showed distinct migration kinetics upon transfer to arthritic recipients. While lymphocytes from CD44(-/-) mice preferentially homed to lymph nodes, their entry into the inflamed synovial joints was delayed as compared with WT cells. Similar differences were observed in the migration kinetics of CD44-deficient and CD44-competent (CD44(+/+)) lymphocytes in bacterial superantigen-induced peritonitis. These results suggest that CD44 plays opposite roles in the regulation of leukocyte traffic to inflammatory sites versus the lymph nodes. CD44-deficient lymphocytes from animals with chronic arthritis, but not from those with transient peritonitis, expressed markedly reduced levels of the lymph node homing receptor, L-selectin. Extreme down-modulation of L-selectin from CD44(-/-) cells in arthritic condition might be a counter-regulatory response, which, by extending lymphocyte transit time in the circulation at the expense of lymph node homing, allows CD44-deficient cells to gain entry to the site of chronic inflammation via secondary adhesion mechanisms.
Quality Attestation for Clinical Ethics Consultants: A Two-Step Model from the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities

Clinical ethics consultation is largely outside the scope of regulation and oversight, despite its importance. For decades, the bioethics community has been unable to reach a consensus on whether there should be accountability in this work, as there is for other clinical activities that influence the care of patients. The American Society for Bioethics and Humanities, the primary society of bioethicists and scholars in the medical humanities and the organizational home for individuals who perform CEC in the United States, has initiated a two-step quality attestation process as a means to assess clinical ethics consultants and help identify individuals who are qualified to perform this role. This article describes the process.
Cellular organization in the marine demosponge callyspongia diffusa

Fine-structural analysis of the tissues of the marine demosponge Callyspongia diffusa was carried out using scanning electron microscopu and ethanol cryofracture. Micrographic data reveal the pathway of water movement through the sponge, and allow accurate measurement of the dimensions of successive structural filters in the aquiferous system. Understanding the organization and cytoarchitecture of the normal tissues of this sponge provides a basis for comparison where histopathology is being investigated, e.g. in allograft rejection reactions.
The safety goals of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

In August 1986, after 6 years of effort, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission adopted a Policy Statement on safety goals for nuclear power reactors. The commission's qualitative goals state that individual members of the public should be provided a level of protection from the consequences of nuclear power plant operation such that they bear no significant additional risk to life and health, and societal risks to life and health from nuclear power should be comparable to or less than the risks of generating electricity by viable competing technologies and should not be a significant addition to other societal risks. The commission's safety goal Policy Statement also includes quantitative design objectives.
‘Kindling’ a sleep disorder: degree of sleep pathology predicts kindled seizure susceptibility in cats

Progressive sleep deficits accompanying the gradual development of a kindled seizure disorder in cats persist at least one month after kindling and correlate with subsequent seizure thresholds. These parallels between the two pathologies suggest the kindling of a sleep disorder which occurs in addition to, and may be a determinant of, the kindled seizure disorder.
Zonal overcurrent protection for smart radial distribution systems with distributed generation

In a smart radial distribution grid (RDS), distributed generators (DGs) will be more prominent. The addition of the DGs changes the topology of RDS, causes bidirectional power flows and contributes to fault current levels. This may result in unwanted tripping of existing overcurrent (OC) protection devices and in permanent outage of a large number of customers. The increased penetration of DGs requires a smarter protection that considers all the network flows while optimizing the system assets. This paper presents an approach that modified an existing overcurrent protection scheme to reduce the number of customers' affected by faults in RDS with DGs. The modified approach involves predefining protection zones in RDS and installing directional OC relays and circuit breakers at the zonal boundaries. Zonal boundary relays determine faulted zones by sharing information on the direction of their detected fault current using binary bit signals over a radio frequency communication medium. The approach was verified through simulations using EMTP™/PSCAD®. Results from simulations showed the selective identification and isolation of faulted zones while allowing some of the DGs to continue to supply the unfaulted parts of the system.
Ultra linear ramp generator for sliding pulsers

Abstract A ramp generator has been developed for use with voltage sampling pulse generators thereby providing pulses the amplitudes of which increase linearly with time (sliding pulser). The basic circuit of the ramp generator is an operational integrator which includes a high gain (∼ 10 8 ) chopper-stabilized amplifier and an integrating capacitor with polystyrene dielectric. The output voltage of the generator is a sawtooth with selectable ramp slopes of 0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 V/sec. Other features include 1) selectable ramp polarity, 2) adjustable ramp amplitude, 3) single or repetitive sweeps, and 4) an end-of-ramp pulse. The change in slope over 85% of the 10 V ramp is less than ±0.01% and over 55% of the range the incremental non-linearity is less than ±0.005%. The main contributors to the ramp non-linearity are dielectric absorption in the integrating capactior, and change in capacitance as a function of the applied voltage. The incremental and differential linearity measurements and the design considerations are discussed.
Evidence for the S = 9 excited state in Mn 12 -bromoacetate measured by electron paramagnetic resonance

We present high-frequency high-field electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements on the $[{\mathrm{Mn}}_{12}{\mathrm{O}}_{12}{({\mathrm{O}}_{2}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_{2}\mathrm{Br})}_{16}{({\mathrm{H}}_{2}\mathrm{O})}_{4}∙4\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_{2}{\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}]$ dodecanuclear manganese complex $({\mathrm{Mn}}_{12}\text{\penalty1000-\hskip0pt}\mathrm{Br}\mathrm{Ac})$. The crystal-field parameters are found to be very similar to those of the original compound ${\mathrm{Mn}}_{12}$-acetate $([{\mathrm{Mn}}_{12}{\mathrm{O}}_{12}{({\mathrm{O}}_{2}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_{3})}_{16}{({\mathrm{H}}_{2}\mathrm{O})}_{4}])$. A detailed analysis of the frequency and temperature dependence of anomalous peaks observed in the EPR spectra of ${\mathrm{Mn}}_{12}\text{\penalty1000-\hskip0pt}\mathrm{Br}\mathrm{Ac}$ enables us to locate the $S=9$ manifold at about $40\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ above the ${M}_{S}=\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10$ ground state of this nominally $S=10$ system. This is very close to the ${M}_{S}=\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}6$ state of the $S=10$ manifold, thus suggesting pathways for the thermally assisted magnetization dynamics and related properties. Finally, the EPR fine structures recently attributed to disorder associated with the acetic acid of crystallization in ${\mathrm{Mn}}_{12}\text{\penalty1000-\hskip0pt}\mathrm{Ac}$ are absent in the present measurements, thus suggesting that the ${\mathrm{Mn}}_{12}\text{\penalty1000-\hskip0pt}\mathrm{Br}\mathrm{Ac}$ complex represents a more suitable candidate for measurements of quantum effects in high symmetry $S=10$ SMMs.
Gate dielectrics on compound semiconductors

An oxide-based high-@k gate dielectric for GaAs has been developed using molecular beam epitaxy. A template layer of Ga"2O"3 is initially deposited on a GaAs(001) surface followed by the deposition of a bulk (Gd"xGa"1"-"x)"2O"3 layer. The Ga"2O"3 layer serves to unpin the GaAs Fermi level while the GdGaO layer forms the high resistive layer to reduce leakage current through the dielectric stack. Deposition conditions during MBE were optimized for oxide surface morphology and interface quality. The use of molecular beam epitaxy also allowed for the control and uniformity of the ternary GdGaO layer along the growth direction. The midgap interface state density for the high-@k stack on GaAs of@?2x10^1^1 cm^-^2 eV^-^1, and a dielectric constant of k@?20 were determined using electrical measurements. MOSFET devices were produced by replacing the GaAs cap layer in a PHEMT-type structure with a thick oxide layer. A contactless method was used to determine the mobilities from such devices which were comparable to those measured on a GaAs PHEMT using conventional Hall measurement.
Gonadal influences on erythrocyte reducing capacity in the adult male.

SummaryThe effect of an intravenous infusion of sodium thiosulfate on erythrocyte reducing capacity was determined in 8 male patients with disturbances of gonadal function. A reductivity index was then determined for each patient which is inversely proportional to the erythrocyte reducing capacity. In 5 patients with reduced urinary gonadotrophin titers, the reductivity index was significantly higher than that of normal males. In the 3 remaining patients with normal or elevated urinary gonadotrophins, there was a normal or equivocally elevated reductivity index. These results indicate that hypogonadism in the human male may be associated with a decrease in reducing capacity of the red blood cell. This probably reflects an inadequate activity of reduced glutathione in the erythrocyte.
Optimal numerical approximation of a linear operator

Abstract Let S be a bounded linear transformation from a. Hilbert space B to a Hilbert space Σ. Then Su can be thought of as the solution of a linear differential equation with right-hand side, initial data, or boundary data u . Given the incomplete information Nu = v , ∥ u ∥ B ⩽ 1 about the data, where N is a linear operator from B to a Euclidean space E n , and a linear interpolation M from E m to Σ, one defines the optimal approximation to Su to be the point Mâ(v) in the range of M which is the center of the smallest ball containing all points of the form Su with Nu = v and ∥ u ∥ B ⩽ 1 and centered in M . A characterization is given for the optimal approximation Mâ(v) . It is shown to be unique and, in general, nonlinear. Simpler approximations and relations with other concepts of optimality are investigated.
Single-neuron labeling with inducible Cre-mediated knockout in transgenic mice

To facilitate a functional analysis of neuronal connectivity in a mammalian nervous system that is tightly packed with billions of cells, we developed a new technique that uses inducible genetic manipulations in fluorescently labeled single neurons in mice. Our technique, single-neuron labeling with inducible Cre-mediated knockout (SLICK), is achieved by coexpressing a drug-inducible form of Cre recombinase and a fluorescent protein in a small subsets of neurons, thus combining the powerful Cre recombinase system for conditional genetic manipulation with fluorescent labeling of single neurons for imaging. Here, we demonstrate efficient inducible genetic manipulation in several types of neurons using SLICK. Furthermore, we applied SLICK to eliminate synaptic transmission in a small subset of neuromuscular junctions. Our results provide evidence for the long-term stability of inactive neuromuscular synapses in adult animals and demonstrate a Cre-loxP compatible system for dissecting gene functions in single identifiable neurons.
Video object detection speedup using staggered sampling

This paper presents an enhancement of the standard sampling strategy for filter-based object detection and tracking in video streams. The proposed method, called staggered sampling, seeks to maximize the sampling density across video frames, thus reducing the number of patches sampled while retaining proportionally high recall rates. The method can be tailored to virtually any constraint on resources and may be used in conjunction with any filter-based object detector / tracking algorithm combination. We test our method using a modified version of the face detector in the OpenCV library and a simple tracking algorithm. The resulting detector was applied to some video sequences from the QCIF collection. Our results show that staggered sampling can achieve around 90% of the recall of full (dense) sampling while only evaluating the detector on around 10% of the image locations. At the same time the precision of the detector increases. The staggered sampling approach therefore addresses the problem of acquiring new objects in an object tracking framework by enabling a low-cost background scan of the video stream to run continuously. The simplicity and robustness of this approach make it an excellent enhancement to existing video object detection methods.
A Crisis in Historical Archaeology

“It is with theories as with wells: you may see to the bottom of the deepest if there be any water there, while another shall pass for wondrous profound when ‘tis merely shallow, dark, and empty” (Allibone 1890:698). Jonathan Swift, the celebrated author of Gulliver’s Travels, penned these words in 1726 during his tenure as dean of the majestic St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. Many of today’s best literary scholars applaud Swift for his insightful social commentaries, and generations of schoolchildren learn the fine art of satire by reading his essays and poems. Though sometimes biting and often obscure, Swift always gave freely of his now timeless wisdom.
Sleeve gastrectomy: 5-year outcomes of a single institution.

Abstract Background Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is the most recent bariatric surgical procedure to gain universal acceptance by providers and payers. Long-term clinical data on outcomes is limited at this time. Methods We retrospectively examined 5-year outcomes (weight loss, complications, and resolution of co-morbid conditions) of patients undergoing SG at our institution. Results Our initial SG was performed in 2005, and we operated on 55 consecutive patients who are 5 years out from surgery. Six patients were excluded from the long-term results. Four patients underwent conversion to a duodenal switch, and 2 patients died in the first year outside the perioperative period. Average starting body mass index was 65 kg/m 2 . Five-year average percent excess weight loss was 86% (range 50%–103%). Percentage of co-morbidities resolved: hypertension (95%), type 2 diabetes mellitus (100%), hyperlipidemia (100%), and obstructive sleep apnea (100%). Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was resolved in 53%, and new GERD symptoms developed in 11% of patients. There was 1 staple line leak (1.9%), no strictures, no gastrointestinal bleeding, and no perioperative deaths. Conclusion In this study, SG is a well-tolerated and effective bariatric surgical procedure with good long-term weight loss and resolution of co-morbid medical conditions.
Education, Ethnicity, and Political Socialization In Kenya:

This study of a purposively selected cohort group of 525 Kenyan adolescents at varying levels of education (no education, primary education only, and secondary education) attempts to shed light on the role of education in the political socialization of youth in Africa. Hypotheses relating to the effects of education and selected demographic variables on the level of political information and interest, value orientations, and the level of diffuse support found among the members of this cohort group are tested. Employing cross tabulation, bivariate analysis, and regression analysis, it is found that education has an extremely important effect on the levels of political interest and knowledge of individuals. Findings with respect to values are less convincing, but education does appear to be closely related to support for the political system. Of the demographic variables, ethnic identity explains the most variance in levels of diffuse support, but this effect diminished when education was controlled. Given ...
Small-angle AVO response of PS-waves in tilted transversely isotropic media

Field records for small source-receiver offsets often contain intensive converted PS-waves that may be caused by the influence of anisotropy on either side of the reflector. Here, we study the small-angle reflection coefficients of the split converted PS1and PS2-waves RPS1 and RPS2 for a horizontal interface separating two transversely isotropic TI media with arbitrary orientationsofthesymmetryaxis.
Chronic infusion of nitric oxide in experimental pulmonary hypertension: pulmonary pressure-flow analysis

Inhaled-nitric oxide (NO) is a selective pulmonary vasodilator in short-term clinical studies. Use of NO inhalation in chronic pulmonary hypertension is complicated by potential problems with ambulatory NO delivery. We hypothesized that long-term infusion of NO solution into the central venous circulation, which did not suffer from this drawback, might reduce chronic pulmonary hypertension. Saturated NO solution was infused in chronically hypoxic rats by implantable minipumps at a rate which was effective in reducing acute hypoxic vasoconstriction in isolated, Krebs' albumin perfused lungs (2.5 microL.h-1). Pulmonary haemo dynamics and the pressure-flow relationship were studied after 4 weeks of infusion. NO was still present in the minipumps at the end of the infusion period. Despite causing methaemoglobinaemia, NO infusion did not significantly attenuate pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, right ventricular hypertrophy, or the parameters of the pulmonary vascular pressure-flow relationship. Pressure-flow curves, analysed with the nonlinear, distensible vessel model, indicated increased near-zero pressure resistance (Ro) in chronic hypoxia. The tendency of chronic NO infusion to reduce Ro did not reach statistical significance. Long-term infusion of nitric oxide solution is technically feasible but does not effectively reverse chronic pulmonary hypertension. The failure of infused NO to reduce pulmonary hypertension is explained by the fact that the inactivation of NO by haemoglobin is much faster than anticipated.
Comparison of the solution nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray crystal structures of human recombinant interleukin-1β

Abstract The solution structure of interleukin-1β determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is compared to three independently solved X-ray structures at 2Aresolution. It is shown that the solution and X-ray structures are very similar, both locally and globally. The atomic root-mean-square (r.m.s.) difference between the solution and X-ray structures is ∼0·9Afor backbone atoms, ∼1·5Afor all atoms and ∼1Afor all atoms of internal residues. The largest differences are confined to some of the loops and turns connecting β-strands. The atomic r.m.s. distribution of the 32 calculated solution structures about their mean co-ordinate positions (∼0·4Afor backbone atoms, ∼0·8Afor all atoms and ∼0·5Afor all atoms of internal residues) is approximatley the same as the atomic r.m.s. differences between the three X-ray structures, indicating that the positional errors in the atomic co-ordinates determined by the two methods are similar.
Perceptual causality and animacy

Abstract Certain simple visual displays consisting of moving 2-D geometric shapes can give rise to percepts with high-level properties such as causality and animacy. This article reviews recent research on such phenomena, which began with the classic work of Michotte and of Heider and Simmel. The importance of such phenomena stems in part from the fact that these interpretations seem to be largely perceptual in nature – to be fairly fast, automatic, irresistible and highly stimulus driven – despite the fact that they involve impressions typically associated with higher-level cognitive processing. This research suggests that just as the visual system works to recover the physical structure of the world by inferring properties such as 3-D shape, so too does it work to recover the causal and social structure of the world by inferring properties such as causality and animacy.
Analyzing the trade-off between multiple memory controllers and memory channels on multi-core processor performance

The increasing core-count on current and future processors is posing critical challenges to the memory subsystem to efficiently handle concurrent memory requests. The current trend is to increase the number of memory channels available to the processor's memory controller. In this paper we investigate the effectiveness of this approach on the performance of parallel scientific applications. Specifically, we explore the trade-off between employing multiple memory channels per memory controller and the use of multiple memory controllers. Experiments conducted on two current state-of-the-art multicore processors, a 6-core AMD Istanbul and a 4-core Intel Nehalem-EP, for a wide range of production applications shows that there is a diminishing return when increasing the number of memory channels per memory controller. In addition, we show that this performance degradation can be efficiently addressed by increasing the ratio of memory controllers to channels while keeping the number of memory channels constant. Significant performance improvements can be achieved in this scheme, up to 28%, in the case of using two memory controllers each with one channel compared with one controller with two memory channels.
Synthesis and characterization of oligo(oxyethylene)/carbosilane copolymers for thermoset elastomers via ADMET

Acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization has been used to synthesize latent reactive processable elastomers constructed of carbosilane and polyether segments. Two types of latent modes have been introduced: "chain-internal" and "chain-end" sites through the use of labile silicon methoxy functionalities. These latent reactive groups are inert when exposed to metathesis conditions allowing formation of the linear copolymer; subsequently exposure to moisture triggers hydrolysis of the methoxy groups and formation of a chemically crosslinked thermoset. The thermoset's mechanical response can be potentially varied from plastic to elastic behavior, depending on the ratio of carbosilane and oligooxyethylene monomers employed. Different lengths of glycols and numbers of methylene groups between them in the polymer backbone have been investigated to explore structure/property relationship. Polymers composed of oligooxyethylenes with eight methylene groups in between them exhibited fully amorphous character, while the ones with up to 20 methylene groups between glycol units showed their semicrystalline nature. The concentration of "chain-internal" and "chain-end" crosslink sites enhances strength; modification to the run length and structure of the soft phase enhances elasticity. Resultant materials have been subjected to mechanical tests using Instron; generated stress/strain curves have shown plastic and elastic behavior. Depending on the composition obtained samples have shown moduli from 0.3 to 115 MPa, tensile strengths from 0.6 to 10 MPa and elongations from 20 to 700%.
Fast Decoding and Optimal Decoding for Machine Translation

A good decoding algorithm is critical to the success of any statistical machine translation system. The decoder's job is to find the translation that is most likely according to set of previously learned parameters (and a formula for combining them). Since the space of possible translations is extremely large, typical decoding algorithms are only able to examine a portion of it, thus risking to miss good solutions. In this paper, we compare the speed and output quality of a traditional stack-based decoding algorithm with two new decoders: a fast greedy decoder and a slow but optimal decoder that treats decoding as an integer-programming optimization problem.
MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ETCHED METAL-CATALYSTS

Abstract Etched metal catalysts, 430 stainless-steel wire mesh diffusion coated with aluminum which is subsequently leached away, have been found very active for the reduction of NO by NH 3 . Presented here is characterization work showing the dramatic surface roughening created by this preparation process. Microprobe studies show that a counter diffusion process takes place in which aluminum diffuses into the surface while iron and chromium diffuse out. There is suggestion that two iron/aluminum phases exist similar to a Raney nickel (J. Freel, W. J. M. Pieters, and R. B. Anderson, J. Catal. 16 , 218, 1970). Comparison of the fully leached etched metal catalyst to other deNO x catalysts show it to have one of the highest activities yet seen, on a basis of active surface area as opposed to total weight.
Mechanical and superconducting properties of Nb 3 Al

Nb 3 Al can be quenched from under a solidus into the low T c ductile BCC structure. In the BCC structure a variety of cold working operations can be performed on it without fracture. Later annealing converts this material to the high T c brittle A-15 structure.
Floristics of bamboo-dominated stands in lowland terra-firma forests of southwestern Amazonia1

Abstract We investigated distinctive aspects of the floristic communities associated with bamboo dominance (Guadua sarcocarpa and Guadua weberbaueri) in terra-firma forests of the Tambopata River watershed, southeastern Peru. Data were collected at five sets of paired plots (five bamboo-dominated, five tree-dominated) in which no evidence of prior human disturbance was identified. Three components of the plant community were analyzed: (1) trees (≥ 5 cm diam), (2) tree saplings (< 5 cm diam), and (3) large understory plants (shrubs and herbs ≥ 1.5 meters). We used three statistical techniques (DCA, TWINSPAN, and ANOVA) to identify distinct assemblages of genera associated with the presence/absence of bamboo, and/or other factors (e.g., soil drainage, geographic location). All three statistical techniques produced similar results: the presence of bamboo is associated with a distinctive floristic community of trees and understory plants, but the tree sapling component of the plant communities was not distinc...
The knowledge gradient algorithm for online subset selection

We derive a one-period look-ahead policy for online subset selection problems, where learning about one subset also gives us information about other subsets. The subset selection problem is treated as a multi-armed bandit problem with correlated prior beliefs. We show that our decision rule is easily computable, and present experimental evidence that the policy is competitive against other online learning policies.
Experiencing the “Good Life”: Literary Views of Craniofacial Conditions and Quality of Life

Abstract Objective: This article is a qualitative approach to understanding how people with craniofacial conditions see quality in their lives and how they understand the components of building a sense of well-being or goodness in their lives. Literary selections from fiction, Web sites, and first-person accounts are examined and categorized into domains and themes to offer some insight into how quality of life is built into the lives of people with craniofacial conditions. Three domains are noted: (1) a personality and psychological domain; (2) a family, work, and social interactive domain; and (3) a cultural and societal domain. Within each domain, a number of themes are noted and discussed. Quotes from affected people and their families are offered to illustrate how they respond to and alter their lives and their world views. Many adults with craniofacial conditions find ways to live with their difference and to succeed using the measures they construct.
Nonlinear Phenomena in Passive Media

The refractive index, which contains the essential information concerning the macroscopic optical properties of a medium, is usually tabulated as a single number, and for most purposes that is sufficient. A supplementary statement with such a table concerning the reference temperature and wavelength reminds us that v is not a constant, but is a function of the density of the medium and of the frequency of the light. When absorption is appreciable, it is necessary to express the index of refraction as a complex number. In birefringent media, there are additional dependences of the index of refraction on the directions of propagation and wave polarization. Careful measurements further reveal weak but significant effects from the application of magnetic and electric fields and of mechanical stress.
Gold nanoparticles enhanced photocurrent in nanostructure-based bulk heterojunction solar cell

In this paper, we report a first hand study of enhanced photocurrent observed in nanostructure-based bulk heterojunction solar cell due to introduction of Au nanoparticles. The bulk heterojunction solar cell was fabricated using chemically synthesized narrow gap, IV–VI group semiconductor nanoparticles (PbS, ~3 nm), wide gap semiconductor ZnO nanowires (~1 μm length, ~50 nm diameter), and gold nanoparticles (~20 nm), by spin-coating method in N2-filled glove box. We have demonstrated that such a bulk heterojunction solar cell can be incorporated with metal nanoparticles (Au) to enhance solar device performance. Three types of solar cell devices were studied. An enhancement in the photocurrent due to introduction of Au nanoparticles was observed, compared to solar cell device without Au nanoparticles. The power conversion efficiency was also increased, possibly due to the plasmonic effects from Au nanoparticles. The fabrication procedures can be readily extended to other nanomaterial systems. Further optimization in the fabrication would be needed to realize high-efficient, stable solar cell devices.
Teaching Real-World Applications of Business Statistics Using Communication to Scaffold Learning:

Our assessment research suggests that quantitative business courses that rely primarily on algorithmic problem solving may not produce the deep learning required for addressing real-world business ...
Constrained Simultaneous Automatic Picking for VVAZ Analysis

Summary Detecting anisotropy from surface seismic data may be useful to detect and characterize stress or fractures in the subsurface. With wide-azimuth data, the velocity or travel time variation with azimuth (VVAZ) information can be used to detect horizontal transverse isotropy (HTI) parameters. Orthogonal residual slowness scan may be a robust method for performing VVAZ analysis. However, simultaneous automatically picking of 5-D semblance volumes (3-D volumes at each common depth point (CDP) location) remains a challenge. By defining the semblance as a variational integral over time, this auto-picking problem can be analogous to ray-tracing problem. When multi-parameter constraints are considered, such auto picking algorithm can provide efficient and effective estimates of residual slowness from semblance volumes.
Orthosilicic acid, Si(OH)4, stimulates osteoblast differentiation in vitro by upregulating miR-146a to antagonize NF-κB activation.

Abstract Accumulating evidence over the last 40 years suggests that silicate from dietary as well as silicate-containing biomaterials is beneficial to bone formation. However, the exact biological role(s) of silicate on bone cells are still unclear and controversial. Here, we report that orthosilicic acid (Si(OH)4) stimulated human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) osteoblastic differentiation in vitro. To elucidate the possible molecular mechanisms, differential microRNA microarray analysis was used to show that Si(OH)4 significantly up-regulated microRNA-146a (miR-146a) expression during hMSC osteogenic differentiation. Si(OH)4 induced miR-146a expression profiling was further validated by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), which indicated miR-146a was up-regulated during the late stages of hMSC osteogenic differentiation. Inhibition of miR-146a function by anti-miR-146a suppressed osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3 pre-osteoblasts, whereas Si(OH)4 treatment promoted osteoblast-specific genes transcription, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) production, and mineralization. Furthermore, luciferase reporter assay, Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and immunofluorescence showed that Si(OH)4 decreased TNFα-induced activation of NF-κB, a signal transduction pathway that inhibits osteoblastic bone formation, through the known miR-146a negative feedback loop. Our studies established a mechanism for Si(OH)4 to promote osteogenesis by antagonizing NF-κB activation via miR-146a, which might be interesting to guide the design of osteo-inductive biomaterials for treatments of bone defects in humans. Statement of Significance Accumulating evidence over 40 years suggests that silicate is beneficial to bone formation. However, the biological role(s) of silicate on bone cells are still unclear and controversial. Here, we report that Si(OH)4, the simplest form of silicate, can stimulate human mesenchymal stem cells osteoblastic differentiation. We identified that miR-146a is the expression signature in bone cells treated with Si(OH)4. Further analysis of miR-146a in bone cells reveals that Si(OH)4 upregulates miR-146a to antagonize the activation of NF-κB. Si(OH)4 was also shown to deactivate the same NF-κB pathway to suppress osteoclast formation. Our findings are important to the development of third-generation cell-and gene affecting biomaterials, and suggest silicate and miR-146a can be used as pharmaceuticals for bone fracture prevention and therapy.
Association of Guideline-Based Admission Treatments and Life Expectancy After Myocardial Infarction in Elderly Medicare Beneficiaries.

Abstract Background Guideline-based admission therapies for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) significantly improve 30-day survival, but little is known about their association with long-term outcomes. Objectives This study evaluated the association of 5 AMI admission therapies (aspirin, beta-blockers, acute reperfusion therapy, door-to-balloon [D2B] time ≤90 min, and time to fibrinolysis ≤30 min) with life expectancy and years of life saved after AMI. Methods We analyzed data from the Cooperative Cardiovascular Project, a study of Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for AMI, with 17 years of follow-up. Life expectancy and years of life saved after AMI were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression with extrapolation using exponential models. Results Survival for recipients and non-recipients of the 5 guideline-based therapies diverged early after admission and continued to diverge during 17-year follow-up. Receipt of aspirin, beta-blockers, and acute reperfusion therapy on admission was associated with longer life expectancy of 0.78 (standard error [SE]: 0.05), 0.55 (SE: 0.06), and 1.03 (SE: 0.12) years, respectively. Patients receiving primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) within 90 min lived 1.08 (SE: 0.49) years longer than patients with D2B times >90 min, and door-to-needle (D2N) times ≤30 min were associated with 0.55 (SE: 0.12) more years of life. A dose–response relationship was observed between longer D2B and D2N times and shorter life expectancy after AMI. Conclusions Guideline-based therapy for AMI admission is associated with both early and late survival benefits, and results in meaningful gains in life expectancy and large numbers of years of life saved in elderly patients.
Global Economic Competition in the Post-Cold War Era

In the period immediately following the end of the Cold War, during the Herbert Walker Bush administration, reduced resource flows to Africa signaled a disengagement from African affairs (Cason 1997). During the William Jefferson Clinton administration, however, both the president and Congress promised greater attention to Africa and by the end of Clinton’s second term development assistance levels stopped falling and the groundbreaking African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) was passed. For many scholars of Africa policy the AGOA signaled a shift ‘from aid to trade’, but the neoliberal shift in development assistance during this period was a continuation of previous trends that were gradual and systematic. New policies and adjustments in existing institutions further institutionalized trends in political economy that developed during the Cold War and came to dominate US relations with Africa after it ended. These included close cooperation with international financial institutions in their mission to carry out structural adjustment programs, privatization of development assistance, the expansion of efforts to promote economic relations with Africa, and the effort to channel greater resources through investment funds in the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).
A simple model for estimating a magnetic field in laser-driven coils

Magnetic field generation by laser-driven coils is a promising way of magnetizing plasma in laboratory high-energy-density plasma experiments. A typical configuration consists of two electrodes—one electrode is irradiated with a high-intensity laser beam and another electrode collects charged particles from the expanding plasma. The two electrodes are separated by a narrow gap forming a capacitor-like configuration and are connected with a conducting wire-coil. The charge-separation in the expanding plasma builds up a potential difference between the electrodes that drives the electrical current in the coil. A magnetic field of tens to hundreds of Teslas generated inside the coil has been reported. This paper presents a simple model that estimates the magnetic field using simple assumptions. The results are compared with the published experimental data.