cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Readings in artificial intelligence and software engineering

Research at the intersection of artificial intelligence and software engineering is important to both AI researchers and software engineers. For AI, programming is a domain that stimulates research in knowledge representation and automated reasoning. In software engineering, AI techniques are being applied to a new generation of programming tools. This book covers a wide spectrum of work in this area. Some of the topics covered include deductive synthesis, program verification, and transformational approaches.
Investigation of the Hydrogen State in IRMOF-1 from Measurements and Modeling of Adsorption Isotherms at High Gas Densities

The measurements and analysis of hydrogen adsorption isotherms on the metal−organic framework Zn4O(benzenedicarboxylate)3, IRMOF-1, at temperatures ranging from 50 to 100 K and pressures up to 40 b...
Cyclomorphosis of Daphnia pulex spined morphs1

Chaoborus-induced spined phenotypes of Daphnia pulex were present at frequencies > 80% in two Wisconsin ponds during summer 1983 but were rare earlier in the year, even though predaceous instars of Chaoborus americanus were common. Laboratory induction experiments with one clone revealed that the proportion of Daphnia juveniles which bore the Chaoborus-induced spines (% SM) was a positive function of both temperature and Chaoborus density, and C. americanus from different times of year could induce high percentages of spined morphs. For both ponds, clonal descendants of Daphnia isolated during the spring were less sensitive to a standard Chaoborus treatment than descendants of summer Daphnia. The results suggest that the changing frequency of spined rnorphs in the field was due in part to a shift of Daphnia populations, one unresponsive and another responsive to the Chaoborus factor. Phenotypic plasticity to environmental factors may also influence the distribution of morphs in the field.
Automated selection of mathematical software

Current approaches to recommending mathematical software are qualitative and categorical. These approaches are unsatisfactory when the problem to be solved has features that can “trade-off” in the recommendation process. A quantitative system is proposed that permits tradeoffs and can be built and modified incrementally. This quantitative approach extends other knowledge-engineering techniques in its knowledge representation and aggregation facilities. The system is demonstrated on the domain of ordinary differential equation initial value problems. The results are significantly superior to an existing qualitative (decision tree) system.
Duplex Ultrasonography After Prostaglandin E1 Injection of the Clitoris in a Case of Hyperreactio Luteinalis

We report an unusual case of persistent postpartum clitorimegaly due to ovarian hyperreactio luteinalis. Duplex ultrasonography of the clitoris after intracorporeal injection of prostaglandin E1 revealed marked clitoral erection and increased arterial flow, as in the penis.
Aggregation Behavior and Chromonic Liquid Crystal Phase of a Dye Derived from Naphthalenecarboxylic Acid

Polarizing microscopy, X-ray scattering, and absorption spectroscopy are used to investigate the aggregation process and chromonic liquid crystal of the anionic compound Bordeaux dye, a product of the sulfonation of the dibenzimidazole derivative of naphthalenetetracarboxylic acid. Polarizing microscopy reveals that the liquid crystal phase forms at room temperature when the concentration is only about 6 wt%, a value lower than what is found in many aggregating systems. The X-ray results indicate that the aggregation is via columns, with a cross-sectional area about 2.5 times larger than the individual molecule. Absorption spectroscopy shows a significant change in the absorption spectrum due to aggregation, which is nicely explained by a simple theory of isodesmic aggregation and excitonic coupling between the molecules in an aggregate. The “stacking free energy change” for a molecule in an aggregate relative to a molecule in solution is estimated to be about 9 kBT, a larger value than that found in the ...
Ethanol production from mixtures of dried cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and solid glucose exposed to relative humidities less than 100

Dried cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mixed with solid glucose can produce ethanol when incubated over a range of relative humidities less than 100%. Solid glucose can be added repeatedly during the fermentation. The results suggest that vapour-solid methodology can be used with whole yeast cells to generate volatile products that require multi-enzymic bioconversions, as well as cofactor regeneration or conversion of ADP to ATP.
MOOCLink: Building and utilizing linked data from Massive Open Online Courses

Linked Data is an emerging trend on the web with top companies promoting their own means of marking up data semantically, publishing and connecting data on Web. Despite the increasing prevalence of Linked Data, there are a limited number of applications that implement and take advantage of its capabilities, particularly in the domain of education. In this project we are using Semantic technologies to create a semantic data model for educational data, more specifically data about Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and publishing this data as linked data on the Web. Data from various MOOC providers is integrated and published as Linked Data. We present a web portal called MOOCLink that utilizes the data to discover and compare open courseware.
Epidermal cells functioning as lenses in leaves of tropical rain-forest shade plants.

A ray tracing model has been developed to investigate the possible focusing effects of the convexly curved epidermal cell walls which characterize a number of shade-adapted plants. The model indicates that such focusing occurs, resulting in higher photosynthetic photon flux densities at certain locations within the leaf. It is postulated that there will be a corresponding increase in the rate of photosynthesis. In addition, leaf reflectance measurements indicate that this is generally less for the shade plants compared with sun species and would be advantageous in increasing the efficiency of energy capture. Either effect is important for plants which must survive at extremely low light levels.
Determination of the natural modes for a rectangular plate (transient scattering)

A coupled surface integral equation formulation for determination of the natural frequencies of a rectangular plate is proposed. The method of moments solution to this formulation and the subsequent numerical results are presented. The natural frequencies predicted by the theory have been verified by an experiment. In comparison with the existing formulation of this problem, the present formulation predicts equally well for the first few dominant modes but better for the higher modes. Also, in the present formulation, no convergence problem has been encountered. >
Hypergeometric tests for 2 x k contingency tables

The underlying probability distribution appropriate for a 2 X 2 contingency table depends upon how the data are collected, and whether the various marginal frequencies are fixed or are free to take on various possible values when the data are collected. Whether the rowand/or column marginal frequencies are fixed or are free to vary determines classification into one of three possible experimental designs, called Cases I, II, ~nd. III. With Case 1, the correlational model, a populatIon IS sampled randomly and two binomial aspects, such as sex (male or female) and cigarette smoking (smoker or non-smoker), are measured. Because the subjects are sampled randomly, one cannot know prior to data collection how many males and females or how many smokers and nonsmokers will be found; therefore, no marginal frequencies are fixed. With Case II, the experimental model, a certain number of subjects from each of two groups are tested, (e.g., 20 males and 20 females), and a dichotomous variable is measured (e.g., smoking or non-smoking). For Case II, the independent variable (sex in this example) is fixed, and the dependent variable (smoking), which is free to take on a number of outcomes, is not fixed. With Case ill, the randomization model, both marginal frequencies are fixed; therefore, prior to data collection, the user knows the marginal frequencies. Examples of such data are considerably rarer than Case I and Case II data, but there are some examples. A psychology department, for instance, decides to move to a new building. There are 20 faculty members: 13 full professors and 7 of lower rank. Of the 20 available offices, 12 have phones, but 8 do not. We wish to know whether or not office assignment is independent of rank. Prior to the specific allocation of offices, we know precisely what the marginal frequencies will be. For Case I and Case II data, the correct distributions are the multinomial and a product of two binomials respectively; however, these distributions cannot be used directly because that would require the specification of certain population parameters that are not known. Instead, Pearson's chi-square test is used to approximate the probabilities in both cases, and when the sample sizes are large, the approximation is fairly accurate. For Case III data, the correct underlying distribution is the hypergeometric, and the application of this distribution to 2 x 2 tables was described independently by Fisher (1934) and Irwin (1935); the test is commonly called the Fisher Exact Test (FET). Yates (1934) offered a correction for continuity
Capacity of Markov Channels with Partial State Feedback

We study the capacity of Markov channels with causal deterministic partial (quantized) state feedback. We assume the feedback channel to be memoryless, the channel state process to be Markovian, belong to a finite set, and the state and observation transitions to satisfy some general mixing conditions. For such channels, we obtain a single-letter characterization for the capacity with feedback. We further show that for every e > 0, there exists a finite length memory (sliding) encoder structure that leads to an epsiv-optimal capacity; hence practically optimal performance can be achieved. We show that the non-linear filter generating the conditional state density provides the sufficient statistic for the optimal coding scheme.
Negative transfer as a function of preliminary learning and degree of first task mastery

This study investigated negative transfer between code-symbol tasks as a function of degree of first task mastery and preliminary learning. Preliminary learning was provided in large amounts, small amounts, or not at all for 384 college students. Where no preliminary learning was given, the finding of most earlier studies was obtained (i.e., as first task learning level increased, negative transfer first increased then decreased, becoming positive transfer when the first task was learned to a high degree.) For Ss given either one or six preliminary learning tasks, no decrease in negative transfer was found with increases in first task learning level. The results are interpreted as support for the applicability of Postman’s two process analysis of transfer to code-symbol learning.
The ins and outs of cross-presentation.

A recent pair of Nature papers potentially provide some of the missing pieces to the puzzle of how antigens are cross-presented.
Calibration of Gas Turbine Blade Temperature Predictions Using Surrogate Models

Actual gas turbine performance and component life at specific engine installations is highly dependent on the actual operating conditions, since not all engines are operated in the same manner. Due to the variability in turbine operation, it may be prudent to evaluate the operation of hot section components for turbine inlet conditions that are specific to a single installation. However, determining the actual turbine inlet conditions can be a difficult and expensive process that is usually only done on test bed gas turbines. This paper presents a method to determine turbine inlet conditions using a model calibration approach. Two-stage CFD and thermal analyses are developed to predict blade temperature. By varying the model inputs, computational predictions of blade temperature are calibrated to blade interdiffusion zone thickness measurements. In order to speed up calculations, surrogate models are used in place of the full-scale analysis codes during the calibration analysis. The result of the study is a prediction of the turbine inlet profile necessary to obtain the best agreement between predicted and measured blade temperatures.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Convective transport of water vapor into the lower stratosphere observed during double-tropopause events

We present in situ observations of convectively injected water vapor in the lower stratosphere from instruments aboard two aircraft operated during the Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry experiment. Water vapor mixing ratios in the injected air are observed to be 60–225 ppmv at altitudes 1–2 km above the tropopause (350–370 K potential temperature), well above observed background mixing ratios of 5–10 ppmv in the lower stratosphere. Radar observations of the responsible convective systems show deep overshooting at altitudes up to 4 km above the lapse rate tropopause and above the flight ceilings of the aircraft. Backward trajectories from the in situ observations show that convectively injected water vapor is observed from three distinct types of systems: isolated convection, a convective line, and a leading line-trailing stratiform mesoscale convective system. Significant transport of additional tropospheric or boundary layer trace gases is observed only for the leading line-trailing stratiform case. In addition, all observations of convective injection are found to occur within large-scale double-tropopause events from poleward Rossby wave breaking. Based on this relationship, we present a hypothesis on the role of the large-scale lower stratosphere during convective overshooting. In particular, the reduced lower stratosphere stability associated with double-tropopause environments may facilitate deeper levels of overshooting and convective injection.
BUCKLING AND INITIAL POSTBUCKLING OF OVAL CYLINDRICAL SHELLS UNDER COMBINED AXIAL COMPRESSION AND BENDING

Buckling and initial postbuckling of an oval cylindrical shell under pure bending and under combined uniform axial compression and bending is investigated. The first- and second-order stability equations are developed from the Donnell-type equations that are shown to be appropriate. The solution of these two sets of equations determines, respectively, the buckling characteristics and a “sensitivity parameter.” The buckling loads are found to be in good agreement with the engineering approximation based on the assumption that buckling occurs when the local axial stress equals that corresponding to the classical buckling stress of a locally equivalent circular cylindrical shell under uniform axial compression. Results also show that an oval cylinder can be stronger or weaker than the equivalent circular cylinder, depending on the orientation of the couples. However, in any case the oval shell is always found to be sensitive to imperfections; the greater the load-carrying capacity, the greater the sensitivity. Furthermore, in contrast to the behavior of the circular and weak oval cylinders, buckling of the strong oval cylinder need not initiate at the position of maximum compressive stress.
Effect of medium on resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to quaternary ammonium compounds.

ConclusionsData have been presented to show that the resistance of Staph, aureus to quaternary ammonium compounds is materially increased by growing the test cultures in Difco “disinfectant testing” broth as compared with standard F.D.A. broth.
The break-in stage of cylinder-ring wear: A correlation between fired engines and a laboratory simulator

Abstract The wear of the piston ring-cylinder wall contact area in fired engines has not been satisfactorily simulated in bench testers so far. This paper reports the development of a successful test device in which the same progression of surface change occurs as in fired engines. These changes were observed by microscopy, by hardness indentations and by the use of the stylus roughness tracer. The test device uses ring and cylinder segments and it oscillates at 350 cycles min -1 over a stroke of 19 mm. It is apparently not necessary to duplicate the temperature, atmosphere, fluid film thickness and other obvious conditions in an engine to achieve simulation. At least, the materials in the engine were not affected by the conditions in the engine that were not duplicated in the laboratory tester. The purpose in developing the tester was to study the role of the honed roughness pattern found on most cylinder walls. Several engine manufacturers attempt to achieve “fplateau honing”. No manufacturer polishes new cylinder walls. The reason for the honed roughness is to allow a high wear rate, without catastrophic scuffing, in locations of high stress between poorly conforming parts.
Diagnostic Value of Morone Dentition

Abstract Widespread introductions of Morone species and hybrids have led to occasional difficulties in their identification. As the number of Morone morphotypes in individual water bodies continues to expand, or if introgression occurs, there will be an increasing need for diagnostic tools such as the dentition patterns described here. Two sets of specialized teeth are found in the soft tissue at the margins of the tongue–elongate tooth plates lateral to the basihyal and scattered teeth or tooth patches near the tip of the tongue. Variations among six species in these tooth formations, incorporated into a dental key, provide additional discriminatory information to supplement the oft-cited differences in dentition at the rear of the tongue. The presence of a single basihyal tooth patch as diagnostic for white bass Morone chrysops is not reliable as usually claimed because nearly all juvenile and many adult specimens examined bore two basihyal tooth patches. White perch Morone americana and yellow bass M. ...
Solid oxide fuel cell power generation systems

An increasing worldwide demand for premium power, emerging trend towards electric utility deregulation and distributed power generation, global environmental concerns and regulatory controls have accelerated the development of advanced fuel cell based power generation systems. Fuel cells convert chemical energy to electrical energy through electrochemical oxidation of gaseous and/or liquid fuels ranging from hydrogen to hydrocarbons. Electrochemical oxidation of fuels prevents the formation of Nox, while the higher efficiency of the systems reduces carbon dioxide emissions (kg/kWh). Among various fuel cell power generation systems currently being developed for stationary and mobile applications, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) offer higher efficiency (up to 80% overall efficiency in hybrid configurations), fuel flexibility, tolerance to CO poisoning, modularity, and use of non-noble construction materials of low strategic value. Tubular, planar, and monolithic cell and stack configurations are currently being developed for stationary and military applications. The current generation of fuel cells uses doped zirconia electrolyte, nickel cermet anode, doped Perovskite cathode electrodes and predominantly ceramic interconnection materials. Fuel cells and cell stacks operate in a temperature range of 800-1000 *C. Low cost ($400/kWe), modular (3-10kWe) SOFC technology development approach of the Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) initiative of the USDOE will bemore » presented and discussed. SOFC technology will be reviewed and future technology development needs will be addressed.« less
Kundt's rule: the spectral absorbance of visual pigments in situ and in solution.

Abstract The spectral absorbances of extracts and of sucrose suspensions of outer segments from three species have been studied. In Rana pipiens the displacement to longer wavelengths which was noted in the difference spectra obtained from cell suspensions as compared to extracts was removed by hydroxylamine. In Plecostomus plecostomus a 5-nm displacement still remained after treatment with hydroxylamine and partial bleaching showed that this was due to a second pigment, possibly from cones, which was not present in extracts. In Gekko gekko no red shift was observed in the P521 1 . It is concluded that the spectral absorbance of a visual pigment extract is identical to the absorbance of the pigment in situ , and that the displacement to longer wavelengths of the difference spectra obtained from cellular suspensions is primarily due to photoproducts which absorb within the visible region of the spectrum.
Alcohol abuse among clinically anxious patients.

Abstract Of 156 patients meeting DSM-III criteria for either agoraphobia with panic attacks, panic disorder, simple or social phobia, or generalized anxiety disorder, 27 (17.3%) were found to score in the alcoholic range (⩾ 5) on the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test. This pattern of alcohol abuse was primarily associated with the diagnosis of agoraphobia. Agoraphobic patients with a concurrent affective disorder were especially prone to abuse alcohol.
Steroid receptors and their associated proteins.

Those investigators involved in the purification and characterization of steroid receptors have been confronted with a number of difficulties, one being the expanding list of cellular proteins that can bind and copurify with these receptors. Research over the past 8-10 yr has established a high degree of acceptance for the concept that most inactive steroid receptors are sequestered in a complex with the 90-kilodalton (kDa) heat shock protein, hsp90 (see refs. 1, 2 for review). Initial observations on the copurification of this 90-kDa protein were confusing, and in some cases it was thought to be a contaminant or to actually be the receptor. Clarification of a receptor:hsp90 complex was provided by several approaches which mainly involved the use of antibodies to rapidly and gently isolate receptor complexes. That such a complex exists in the cell is supported primarily by three types of experiments The metabolic labeling studies of Howard and Distelhorst (3) argued that hsp90 binding was not simply occurring after cell lysis. Yeast mutants having an abnormally low level of hsp90 have been shown to be inefficient for the expression of functional steroid receptors (4). Most recently, Gehring and coworkers (5) have used chemical cross-linking in intact cells to show an association of glucocorticoid receptor with hsp90 and a second protein, p59. While a role of hsp90 in receptor structure is strongly supported, the topic of receptor-associated proteins is still quite confusing and uncertain. Most more recent members of this list (see Table 1) suffer from a lack of information regarding their identity and their presence or absence in a variety of receptor systems. Whether they truly represent intracellular receptor-associated proteins of significance to hormone action is unknown, and this represents a key topic for future research in this area. In this brief review, we will attempt to consolidate studies from a variety of systems, clarify some of the confusing terminology about receptor-associated proteins, and suggest some rationale for their participation
Electrochemical synthesis of asymmetric gold-silver iodide nanoparticle composite films

Noncentrosymmetric gold−silver iodide nanoparticles ca. 32 nm in diameter and ca. 120 nm in length are prepared in an anodic aluminum oxide matrix via electrochemical deposition. The deposition tec...
GENERALIZED CONTINUUM FIELD REPRESENTATIONS FOR LATTICE VIBRATIONS

Abstract Various representations of lattice displacement fields in the harmonic approximation are discussed. A method for defining a continuous field whose properties are systematically related to the lattice fields is developed. Using this method the usual elastic continuum and couple-stress continuum approximations at long waves appear as the leading terms in a generalized continuum description of the harmonic lattice. The magnitude of the couple-stress effects can be estimated from molecular vibration data; at macroscopic wave lengths the couple-stress effects will be negligible in normal solids. Another application is the generalization of the method of long waves; this leads to “effective modulus” equations for arbitrary points K0 in the B.Z. instead of just K0 = 0. Application to study of extended defects is indicated.
Monitoring of coral reefs with linear transects: A study of storm damage☆

Abstract Monitoring of coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands through repeated sampling of linear transects revealed that Hurricane David (August 1979) caused significant changes in the amounts of live and dead hard coral cover on these reefs, i.e., cover by scleractinians and the hydrozoan Millepora. Mean percent cover of the most abundant coral species, spatial indices (a measure of bottom topographical complexity), the number of species within transects, the diversity index (H'), and the evenness (J'), did not, however, change significantly as a result of this storm. Mortality in corals did not appear to be species specific. Monitoring of established transects proved to be an effective way of quantifying storm damage. With the increasing interest in management of coral reefs, this technique could also be useful for assessing other types of reef destruction.
Optical-Fiber Source of Polarization-Entangled Photons in the 1550 nm Telecom Band

We present a fiber-based source of polarization-entangled photons that is well suited for quantum communication applications in the 1550 nm band of standard fiber-optic telecommunications. Polarization entanglement is created by pumping a nonlinear-fiber Sagnac interferometer with two time-delayed orthogonally polarized pump pulses and subsequently removing the time distinguishability by passing the parametrically scattered signal and idler photon pairs through a piece of birefringent fiber. Coincidence detection of the signal and idler photons yields biphoton interference with visibility greater than 90%, while no interference is observed in direct detection of either signal or idler photons. All four Bell states can be prepared with our setup and we demonstrate violations of the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt form of Bell's inequality by up to 10 standard deviations of measurement uncertainty.
Cytochrome c folding triggered by electron transfer

Abstract Background: Experimental and theoretical studies of protein folding suggest that the free-energy change associated with the folding process is a primary factor in determining folding rates. We have recently developed a photochemical electron-transfer-triggering method to study protein-folding kinetics over a wide range of folding free energies. Here, we have used this technique to investigate the relationship between folding rate and free-energy change using cytochromes c from horse (h-cyt c ) and yeast (y-cyt c ), which have similar backbone folds but different amino-acid sequences and, consequently, distinct folding energies. Results: The folding free energies for oxidized and reduced h-cyt c and y-cyt c are linear functions of the denaturant (guanidine hydrochloride) concentration, but the concentration required to unfold half of the protein is 1.5 M lower for y-cyt c . We measured the folding rates of reduced h-cyt c and y-cyt c over a range of guanidine hydrochloride concentrations at two temperatures. When driving forces are matched at the appropriate denaturant concentrations, the two homologs have comparable folding rates. The activation free energies for folding h-cyt c and y-cyt c are linearly dependent on the folding free energies. The slopes of these lines are similar (∼0.4) for the two proteins, suggesting an early transition state along the folding reaction coordinate. Conclusions: The free-energy relationships found for h-cyt c and y-cyt c folding kinetics imply that the height of the barrier to folding depends upon the relative stabilities of the unfolded and folded states. The striking correspondence in rate/free-energy profiles for h-cyt c and y-cyt c suggests that, despite low sequence homology, they follow similar folding pathways.
Frailty Syndrome in Geriatric Medicine

Frailty syndrome is frequently encountered in elderly populations. Frailty has been defined as a geriatric syndrome of increased vulnerability to environmental factors. Although knowledge of this syndrome continues to develop, there are still many areas of uncertainty. The pathophysiological pathways, role of biomarkers in the early identification of this syndrome and best management strategies are still under investigation. This study is a literature review of articles published on frailty syndrome in English, French and Spanish. Frailty and aging are similar processes with some differences. Multiple pathophysiological models of frailty have been studied. Factors associated with frailty include hormonal adjustments, sarcopenia and vitamin deficiencies among others. Biomarkers have been studied, but they are not specific. Phenotypes have been developed, but early recognition and prevention of this syndrome are still difficult. In conclusion, early recognition of this syndrome is of paramount importance. Preventative strategies need to be studied. The role of specific biomarkers in early detection of frailty needs to be defined. Clinical trials are needed to find better interventions for this syndrome.
CT of unusual mediastinal vascular abnormalities

The previously unreported CT findings of supracardiac anomalous pulmonary venous return and Takayasu arteritis are presented. CT demonstration of a left vertical vein and an enlarged superior vena cava strongly suggests a diagnosis of supracardiac anomalous venous return. Dynamic scanning of the mediastinum following bolus injection of urographic contrast with close attention to vascular enhancement patterns is required to suggest a diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis. CT is not the preferred diagnostic modality for either entity, but may prove definitive in some patients and may serve to triage other patients to the appropriate diagnostic modalities.
Design and fabrication of dielectric nanostructured Luneburg lens in optical frequencies

A dielectric subwavelength Luneburg lens structure was designed using Hamiltonian ray tracing, and fabricated using electron beam lithography. Analysis from Hamiltonian ray tracing was in agreement with finite difference in time domain (FDTD) method with wavefront error between the two methods below λ/8, while an improvement in speed of approximately 100 times was observed. The fabricated Luneburg lens structure was tested with a fiber laser with a wavelength of λ=1.55µm, and proved its capabilities of focusing.
Rendering Cubic Curves on a GPU with Floater's Implicitization

Abstract Graphics processing units (GPUs) provide a great deal of processing capability for rendering 3D scenes that can also be applied to rendering 2D scenes. Loop and Blinn introduced a method for utilizing GPUs to render 2D vector art by representing cubic curves implicitly. I present an alternative method that starts with Floater's implicitization of a cubic curve, rather than Loop and Blinn's. With modest additional GPU support, my method has a more compact representation than that of Loop and Blinn. This support would enable a more compact representation of exclusively quadratic curves.
POSTER: A Hardware Fingerprint Using GPU Core Frequency Variations

Hardware primitives provide significant promises to support cryptographic primitives and security mechanisms against various forms of compromises. In this work, we study the intrinsic hardware characteristics of modern graphics processing units (GPUs) due to random manufacturing variations, and exploits the inherent randomness to generate device-specific signatures. In particular, we present a novel GPU-based hardware fingerprint scheme to generate a unique, stable, physically unclonable, unpredictable, and random bit string from the inherent hardware features of a general purpose GPU (GPGPU). The generated fingerprint can be used to implement a physically unclonable function (PUF), and thus to create a trusted computing environment with GPUs as the trust anchor.
American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine guidelines for outcome studies in electrodiagnostic medicine

Based on a review of the literature and the clinical research experience of the authors and reviewers, the AAEM proposes 17 criteria which should be used to construct and evaluate diagnostic and/or therapeutic outcome studies for patients with symptoms and signs of neuromuscular diseases. Neuromuscular diseases are defined as diseases that cause pathology and/or dysfunction of the sensory, motor, and/or autonomic nerve offers and/or muscles.
Threshold fluctuations in an N sodium channel model of the node of Ranvier

Computer simulations of stochastic single-channel open-close kinetics are applied to an N sodium channel model of a node of Ranvier. Up to 32,000 voltage-gated sodium channels have been simulated with modified amphibian sodium channel kinetics. Poststimulus time histograms are obtained with 1000 monophasic pulse stimuli, and measurements are made of changes in the relative spread of threshold (RS) with changes in the model parameters. RS is found to be invariant with pulse durations from 100 microseconds to 3 ms. RS is approximately of inverse proportion to square-root of N. It decreases with increasing temperature and is dependent on passive electrical properties of the membrane as well as the single-channel conductance. The simulated RS and its independence of pulse duration is consistent with experimental results from the literature. Thus, the microscopic fluctuations of single, voltage-sensitive sodium channels in the amphibian peripheral node of Ranvier are sufficient to account for the macroscopic fluctuation if threshold to electrical stimulation.
Applying marketing to conservation: A case study on encouraging boater reporting of watercraft collisions with Florida manatees

Abstract We illustrate how the application of a traditional marketing approach can be used to address conservation problems. The conservation challenge at hand relates to the low number of reported boat strikes of the Florida manatee ( Trichechus latirostris ), an endangered marine mammal that inhabits coastal Florida. Our objective was to assess why boaters do or do not call the authorities after their boat strikes a manatee and what can be done to increase the rate of reporting. Results of our online survey indicated that over 90% of subjects expressed a willingness to call the authorities if they strike a manatee with their boat. However, this self-reported sentiment has not resulted in frequent calls to the authorities by boaters involved in a collision with a manatee since records have been kept. The outcome of subsequent personal in-depth interviews suggested that most boaters do not know who to call or do not have the proper contact number. Based on our findings, we suggest the implementation of a decal to be positioned in a vessel's cockpit displaying the proper number to call to report a manatee incident. We also recommend including numbers for other marine emergencies on the decal. We discuss barriers to success that need to be considered and caution as to potential market failures.
Two-pion exchange contributions to charge asymmetric and charge dependent nuclear forces

We develop a simple but systematic approach to the $2\ensuremath{\pi}$ exchange contributions to $\mathrm{NN}$ scattering graphs. When applied to $s$-wave $\mathrm{NN}$ scattering lengths, this scheme predicts a $2\ensuremath{\pi}$ contribution of magnitude ${|{a}_{\mathrm{nn}}|}_{2\ensuremath{\pi}}\ensuremath{-}{|{a}_{\mathrm{pp}}|}_{2\ensuremath{\pi}}\ensuremath{\approx}\frac{1}{3}$ fm and ${|{a}_{\mathrm{pn}}|}_{2\ensuremath{\pi}}\ensuremath{-}{|{a}_{\mathrm{nn}}|}_{2\ensuremath{\pi}}\ensuremath{\approx}\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{6}$ fm. If we then combine this effect with simple ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$, ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ and ${\ensuremath{\rho}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$, ${\ensuremath{\rho}}^{0}$ pole graphs, the net charge asymmetric scattering length is $|{a}_{\mathrm{nn}}|\ensuremath{-}|{a}_{\mathrm{pp}}|\ensuremath{\approx}1.2$ fm while the net charge dependent result is $|{a}_{\mathrm{pn}}|\ensuremath{-}|{a}_{\mathrm{nn}}|\ensuremath{\approx}2.7$ fm. This compares favorably with the respective experimental values of approximately 1.5 and 5 fm.NUCLEAR REACTIONS Charge asymmetric and charge dependent nuclear forces, nucleon mass differences in two-pion exchange graphs, effects on low energy nucleon scattering.
Determination of synthesis rate and lifetime of bacterial mRNAs.

Abstract A method has been developed to determine the synthesis rate and lifetime of bacterial mRNAs, either bulk mRNA or specific mRNAs, with a minimum of physiological disturbance. The method uses hybridization of pulse-labeled RNA to specific probes followed by an evaluation based on a computer simulation of the labeling kinetics of different classes of RNA. The method was applied to the determination of bulk mRNA in Escherichia coli growing in glucose minimal medium: 60% of the instantaneous rate of RNA synthesis, or 2.3% of the total amount of RNA, was found to be mRNA with an average lifetime of 1.0 ± 0.2 min (=0.7 min half-life).
Non-local gradient dependent operators

Abstract In this paper we study a general class of “quasilinear non-local equations” depending on the gradient which arises from tug-of-war games. We establish a C α / C 1 , α / C 2 , α regularity theory for these equations (the kind of regularity depending on the assumptions on the kernel), and we construct different non-local approximations of the p -Laplacian.
Resonant enhancement in photoemission from GaSe

A giant enhancement in the total photoyield of GaSe has been observed and investigated by measuring photoemitted energy-distribution curves, constant initial- and constant final-energy photoemission spectra using synchrotron radiation. We show that the enhancement, which occurs at the Se $3d$ threshold, can be attributed to decay of the $3d$ core hole into a two-hole excited valence state. Final-state effects in the $3d$ excitation mechanism close to threshold may be responsible for the magnitude of the effect. Above threshold we observe photoelectron-diffraction effects in azimuthal emission plots from both Ga and Se $3d$ showing that such effects are manifest in both forward- and back-scattering cases.
Polyamide 12 (PA12)/clay nanocomposites fabricated by conventional extrusion and water‐assisted extrusion processes

This work aims at comparing the efficiency of three melt compounding methods for preparing polyamide 12 (PA12)/untreated clay composites. Conventional extrusion was compared with two water-assisted extrusion methods previously described in the literature and respectively involving injection of water in the polymer/clay stream or injection of aqueous clay slurry in the polymer stream. The dispersion of the clay in the composites was analyzed at the microscale and at the nanoscale using microscopy (optical and electronic) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). The tensile properties of the composites were evaluated. The results showed that injection of aqueous clay slurry in the polymer stream was the most efficient method for preparing PA12/untreated clay composites, although clay particles remained mainly dispersed at the microscale. This method allowed for a drastic size reduction of the microparticles, accompanied by enhancements of ca. +10 % in tensile modulus and tensile strength (compared with equivalent composites obtained by conventional extrusion). The influence of the pH of the aqueous clay slurry was also investigated: neutralization of the clay slurry generated finer dispersions, probably resulting from a better pre-exfoliation of the clay in the water medium. PA12/organophilic clay composites were also prepared as control samples. When an adequate surface treatment was selected, nanoscale dispersion of the clay platelets was easily achieved. In this case, composites prepared by conventional extrusion showed overall similar properties as their equivalents prepared using injection of water in the polymer/clay stream. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 1959–1974, 2013
USING A STATE TEACHER CERTIFICATION TEST TO ASSESS AN INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM

In this study, we looked at the impact of our specially designed inquiry-based science courses for pre-service elementary teachers on their science content knowledge as measured by a high-stakes state certification test for elementary education. We conducted a pre/post-analysis of the certification test scores of 1,003 pre-service teachers. Cohort 1 consisted of 424 students who took the test prior to implementation of our reformed science courses. Cohort 2 consisted of 579 students taking the test after complete implementation. We examined overall test scores, science subscores, total science credits, age, and science transfer credits. We found that the overall test score dropped significantly from cohort 1 to cohort 2, but the science subscores remained unchanged. Our results showed that students who took all 3 of the science content courses vs. none scored significantly higher on the science portion, non-traditional students (older than 25) scored similarly to traditional-aged students, and there was a negative correlation with the number of science courses transferred. Of importance is the fact that students who took the minimal number of science courses and are less interested in science passed the science portion at the same rate (over 90%) as science majors and minors. We conclude that our pre-service elementary teachers can and do learn science content using inquiry as recommended by the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996).
Improving ion current of sparkplug ion sensors in HCCI combustion using sodium, potassium, and cesium acetates: Experimental and numerical modeling

Abstract Measuring the ion current with a sparkplug ion sensor in a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine can be used to investigate the ion chemistry in the cylinders during combustion. HCCI engines are similar to a well-stirred reactor and operate at lean equivalence ratios (ϕ). Under these conditions, the ion current becomes increasingly indistinguishable from background noise. This paper investigates various fuel additive effects on ion signal at low ϕ’s, determines side effects of metal acetate addition, and validates a numerical model. The fuel additives added to ethanol were sodium acetate (NaOAc), potassium acetate (KOAc), and cesium acetate (CsOAc). Concentration levels ranging from 0.5 to 4.9 mmol/L of metal acetate-in-ethanol are investigated over ϕ’s 0.11, 0.22, 0.28, and 0.32. The engine operated under naturally aspirated conditions and maintained a constant timing of 2.5° after top-dead-center (ATDC) at the crank angle degree (CAD) where 50% of the heat release occurs (CA50). CsOAc consistently produced the strongest ion signals, followed by KOAc and NaOAc, which NaOAc had the weakest effect on ion signal. No distinguishable ion signals were measured at ϕ = 0.11, but significant ion signal improvements occurred at ϕ = 0.22 using the fuel additives. However, the addition of the metal acetates decreased heat release rates (HRR) and peak cylinder pressures. Although CsOAc produced the largest signal improvements, it also had the largest decrease in HRR and peak cylinder pressure. Additionally, a single-zone engine model that simulates the chemical kinetics and ion chemistry of KOAc addition is presented and validated with the experimental results.
Algorithmic Optimization for H.264 Deblocking Filter on Portable Devices

Deblocking filters are used to reduce or eliminate blocking artifacts that appear when H.264/AVC is utilized for low bit rate video coding applications such as video conferencing, Considering that the H.264/AVC deblocking filter constitutes about one-third of the decoding time, in this paper, we present two optimization steps to reduce the computational complexity of this filter. These steps involve using the mode information of decoded macroblocks and the similarity among adjacent blocks. Experimental results show that these optimization steps significantly reduce the computational complexity with tolerable loss in video quality.
Family involvement in music impacts participation of children with cochlear implants in music education and music activities

Objective Children with cochlear implants (CIs) participate in musical activities in school and daily lives. Considerable variability exists regarding the amount of music involvement and enjoyment. Using the Music Engagement Questionnaire-Preschool/Elementary (MEQ-P/E), we wanted to determine patterns of musical participation and the impact of familial factors on engagement. Methods Parents of 32 children with CIs (16 preschool and 16 elementary) completed a questionnaire regarding the musical involvement of their child with an implant and a normal-hearing (NH) sibling (if one existed). We compared CI children's involvement to that of their NH siblings as well as across groups of children with and without CIs. Correlations between parent ratings of music importance, demographic factors, and involvement of CI and NH children were conducted within and across groups. Results No significant differences were found between children with CIs and NH siblings, meaning children from the same family showed similar levels of musical involvement. When compared at the same developmental stage, no significant differences were found between preschool children with and without CIs. Parents who rated the importance of music as 'low' or 'middle' had children (NH and CI) who were less involved in music activities. Children whose parents rated music importance as 'high' were involved in monthly to weekly music activities with 81.25% reporting daily music listening. Conclusion Despite a less-than-ideal auditory signal for music, preschool and school-aged CI children enjoy and are involved in musical experiences. Families who enjoy and spend a greater amount of time involved in music tend to have children who also engage more actively in music.
Effect of a smooth muscle antagonist on contraction of patched intestinal defects.

Abstract Growing new intestinal mucosa on serosal patches may potentially increase intestinal surface area but is limited by contraction of the serosal patch. Since this might be related to smooth muscle contraction or altered collagen metabolism, our aim was to determine whether the smooth muscle antagonist thiphenamil inhibits contraction. Fifty rabbits had two 2 × 5-cm full-thickness intestinal defects patched with adjacent cecum. Group I (n = 25) received saline and Group II (n = 25) 0.02 M thiphenamil at 10 cc/hr intraluminally. Animals were sacrificed at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 days. Group II had significantly less contraction of the proximal patch until the 10th day after patching (84 ± 8 vs 66 ± 20% Day 1, 67 ± 4vs 52 ± 9% Day 5, 42± 14 vs 42± 7% Day 10). Epithelialization of patches was significantly less in Group II animals at 10 days (88 ± 8 and 86 ± 11% vs 47 ± 20 and 50 ± 16%, P
Neuroleptic-like electroencephalographic changes in schizophrenics through biofeedback.

Nine schizophrenic patients participated in a study which explored whether EEG feedback techniques could effect changes in the EEG similar to those associated with neuroleptic-induced improvement. During five sessions, each patient was presented feedback signals which continuously refected the discrepancy between characteristics of the patient's EEG power spectral profile and spectral profile characteristics associated by past research with neuroleptic induced clinical improvement. Significant within-session changes were observed for two of three EEG power spectrum bands of interest. No significant session-to-session EEG changes were observed. The results suggest that the EEG of schizophrenics can be temporarily altered, using feedback techniques, in a way that mimics the EEG changes that have been shown to occur with neuroleptic induced clinical improvement.