cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Satellite geodesy: Methods

General Theory. Analytic solutions for the motion of a near-earth satellite are of practical importance for orbit prediction and establishment of reference orbits I (intermediaries) for minimizing perturbations from which the geodetic information is extracted. The best known ones currently in use at various computing laboratories are those of Brouwer and Vinti. Bonavito et al. [1969] favor Vinti's method because of its apparently better speed and accuracy. However, this preference has been questioned by Break- well and Vagners [1970], who claim that it is possible to choose initial conditions for the generation of a Brouwer orbit that keep the errors within acceptable bounds. The Vinti solution has been generalized to hold for triaxially ellipsoidal coordinates [Madden, 1970] so that the equatorial ellipticity can be made part of the reference potential. Deprit and Rom [1970] have refined Brouwer's solution to higher orders of the oblateness by the application of Lie transforms and by the development of requisite literal expansions on a computer. A new intermediary that has received much favorable attention because of its ability to generate higher-order terms in relatively simple fashion is Aksnes' [Garfinkel and Aksnes, 1970].
A Summary of Misconceptions of High School Basic Programmers

This study examined high school students' knowledge about constructs in the BASIC programming language. A screening test was administered to ninety-six students, fifty-six of whom were interviewed. Students were asked to trace simple programs and predict their output. Errors in virtually all BASIC constructs we examined were observed, with many of the misconceptions arising from the application of knowledge and reasoning from informal domains to programming. It is argued that a lack of knowledge of basic features of programming language will prevent students from developing the higher-level cognitive skills that much programming instruction is intended to foster.
The Fat-Link Computation on Large GPU Clusters for Lattice QCD

Graphics Processing Units (GPU) are becoming increasingly popular in high performance computing due to their high performance, high power efficiency and low cost. In this paper, we present results of an effort to implement the fatlink computation -- an important component of many lattice quantum chromo dynamics (LQCD) calculations -- on GPU clusters using the QUDA framework. Two implementations, one similar to the original CPU algorithm in the MILC code and one based on the idea of reduced communication by redundant computations, are presented and their relative advantages are discussed. In strong-scaling tests on up to 384GPUs on Longhorn and 256 GPUs on Keene land GPU clusters, where the CPU core to GPU ratio is 4:1 in both clusters, we achieved up to 11.4x and 8.7x node speedup when running on the two GPU clusters, respectively.
Sleep paralysis and “the bedroom intruder”: The role of the right superior parietal, phantom pain and body image projection

Sleep paralysis (SP) is a common condition occurring either at sleep onset or sleep offset. During SP the sleeper experiences gross motor paralysis while the sensory system is clear. Hypnogogic and hypnopompic hallucinations are common during SP and may involve seeing, hearing, and sensing the presence of menacing intruders in one’s bedroom. This ‘‘intruder’’ is often perceived as a shadowy humanoid figure. Supernatural accounts of this hallucinated intruder are common across cultures. In this paper, we postulate that a functional disturbance of the right parietal cortex explains the shadowy nocturnal bedroom intruder hallucination during SP. This hallucination may arise due to a disturbance in the multisensory processing of body and self at the temporoparietal junction. We specifically propose that this perceived intruder is the result of a hallucinated projection of the genetically ‘‘hard-wired’’ body image (homunculus), in the right parietal region; namely, the same circuits that dictate aesthetic and sexual preference of body morphology. One way to test this hypothesis would be to study clinical populations who may have genetically acquired ‘‘irregularities’’ in their internal hard-wired body image in the right superior parietal lobule (SPL); for example, individuals with apotemnophilia or anorexia nervosa. If such individuals experience SP (e.g., induced in a sleep lab), and they hallucinate this shadowy figure, one would predict that they would see humanoid shadows and shapes with body irregularities, mirroring their own internal body image morphology. If correct, our hypothesis will offer a neurological explanation for this nocturnal bedroom intruder that has been a source of controversy, and striking and implausible cultural interpretations throughout history. Indeed, if our proposed hypothesis is tested and corroborated, dissemination of such findings would provide great relief to SP experiencers worldwide and could potentially be used in a therapeutic context.
Defining, measuring, and predicting impulsive aggression: a heuristic model

Aggression research does not lack data--it lacks a model for integrating data. One of the problems confronting aggression researchers is the extensive body of multidisciplinary data that is difficult to synthesize to generate new directions in research. This paper proposes one solution that starts by asking "what is the minimal number of categories of concepts and measurements which are necessary to describe a person?". The answer is four categories of concepts: biological; cognitive; behavioral; environmental (physical and social). One way of many for integrating these four categories of concepts is a proposed discipline neutral heuristic model that is used herein to compare two different research approaches to the study of impulsive aggression. This comparison identifies clearly the differences in the two approaches with regard to different emphases among the four categories of constructs for each program. Using the model an example of common ground between the two approaches is sought as a basis for extending aggression research. The main conclusion of one of the research programs was that central nervous arousal is related to impulsive aggression. This program demonstrated that phenytoin will reduce impulsive aggressive acts and has an effect on CNS arousal. The other research program on impulsive aggression has been at the forefront in demonstrating the well established inverse relationship between serotonin levels and aggression. The comparison resulted in the suggestion that both serotonin and phenytoin may relate to a common neurochemical substrate which interacts in part to control CNS arousal, especially at the cortical level. The proposed heuristic model made obvious the need to use synthesizing concepts (e.g. information processing or language) which can interrelate multidisciplinary concepts and data from different research programs within the four categories of constructs when comparing interdisciplinary research.
Empirical Research in International Marketing: 1976–1982

This paper reviews empirical research in international marketing published during the period 1976–82. The review focuses on what has been researched and how the research has been conducted. This research is evaluated; a cooperative, multidisciplinary empirical research program in international marketing is then proposed.
An analysis of the driving forces for Web services adoption

Web services are supported by major IT vendors and have been adopted by some enterprises in various applications. However, due to the hype surrounding Web services, information technology (IT) personnel and business managers often have difficulty assessing the potential uses, impacts, and benefits of Web services. Based on literature review and technical information, as well as field and Web-based case studies, we have developed a framework for analyzing the driving forces for Web services adoption. The framework and detailed benefits analysis model can be used by IT and business strategy planners to identify technical options and business opportunities, as well as to formulate Web services implementation strategies.
Formation and evolution of grain structures in thin films

We describe an approach to studying grain structure formation and evolution in polycrystalline thin films using a ''grain continuum'' representation of the solid. Formation and evolution of grain structure are tracked using level-set-based geometry software we call PLENTE. We demonstrate the approach using two processes; (1) vapor deposition and (2) grain boundary migration during curvature-driven coarsening. We employ several codes in concert to track the development of grains during deposition while accounting for reaction kinetics, ballistic transport, and re-emission of reactive species.
Benefit-cost analysis of fishery rehabilitation projects: A great lakes case study

Abstract Tools of benefit-cost analysis are used to evaluate a project to rehabilitate the yellow perch fishery of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Both sport and commercial fishers harvest from this stock, which has been suffering from much reduced productivity since the early 1960s. The project is composed of commercial quotas and other regulations. Measures of benefits and costs were used that explicitly incorporate uncertainty about the potential level of success of the project. The analysis shows that commercial fish producers will more or less break even compared to where they would have been without the project, but that substantial recreational benefits can be expected. This case study illustrates how benefit-cost analysis can provide useful insights into the potential economic returns from rehabilitation projects. It also dramatizes unresolved research issues, particularly in the area of sport fishing valuation.
Mechanistic studies on the decomposition of carbon suboxide in a cometary ice analog

Abstract A cometary ice analog sample consisting primarily of carbon suboxide ice (C3O2) was produced from the irradiation of its precursor, carbon monoxide. This carbon suboxide sample was subjected to irradiation with energetic electrons at 10 K to simulate the interaction of carbon suboxide-rich cometary analog ices with ionizing radiation. The destruction of carbon suboxide as well as the production of the primary degradation products, dicarbon monoxide (C2O), and carbon monoxide (CO), were monitored quantitatively by infrared spectroscopy in situ; the gas phase was simultaneously sampled via quadrupole mass spectrometry. A kinetic model was produced to help explain the decomposition kinetics of carbon suboxide in cometary ices and to infer the underlying reaction mechanisms.
Three‐Dimensional Electron Microscopy of Macro‐molecular Assemblies: Visualization of Biological Molecules in Their Native State. By Joachim Frank. Oxford University Press, New York (2006). ISBN 0195182189; softback; 432 pages

Three-Dimensional Electron Microscopy of Macro-molecular Assemblies: Visualization of Biological Molecules in Their Native State. By Joachim Frank. Oxford University Press, New York (2006). ISBN 0195182189; softback; 432 pages
Identification of Nitric Oxide Synthase as a Thiolate-ligated Heme Protein Using Magnetic Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy COMPARISON WITH CYTOCHROME P-450-CAM AND CHLOROPEROXIDASE

Nitric oxide (NO) has recently been recognized as an important biomolecule playing diverse physiological roles. It is synthesized in several different tissues from L-Arg and O2, using NADPH as an electron donor, by a family of heme-containing catalytically self-sufficient monooxygenases known as nitric oxide synthases (NOS). Recently, the CO complex of reduced NOS has been shown to exhibit an absorption maximum near 450 nm, a characteristic spectral feature of cytochrome P-450 (P-450). Yet, the amino acid sequences of NOS and P-450 have no homology. To further probe the active site heme coordination structure and the heme environment of NOS, we have employed magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and CD spectroscopy in the present study. MCD spectra of several derivatives of rat brain neuronal NOS strikingly resemble those of analogous derivatives of bacterial P-450-CAM and fungal chloroperoxidase, two known thiolate-ligated heme proteins. Given the proven fingerprinting capability of MCD spectroscopy, this provides convincing evidence for endogenous thiolate (cysteinate) ligation to the heme iron of NOS. Furthermore, the heme-related Soret CD bands of NOS (positive) and P-450s (negative), as represented by P-450-CAM, are almost mirror images, whereas chloroperoxidase exhibits totally different CD band shapes. This suggests that the active sites of NOS and P-450 may share some common structural features, but significant distinctions exist between their heme environments in certain aspects such as hydrophobicity or size.
Abusive Abdominal and Thoracic Trauma

Abdominal trauma is the second most common cause of death due to abuse, with the reported mortality rate as high as 40% to 50%. The infrequent and inconsistent use of screening studies in abused patients without abdominal findings may result in both a lower reported incidence and a higher reported mortality rate for abusive abdominal injuries. The young age of a large percentage of abuse victims, neurologic impairment due to concomitant brain injury or hemodynamic compromise, and the common delay in seeking care all impact the reliability of clinical findings related to abdominal trauma. In abuse patients, liver enzyme levels can be elevated without clinical signs of abdominal trauma, and liver lacerations have been diagnosed by computed tomography scan in patients without obvious abdominal trauma. An evaluation for occult abdominal trauma should be considered in patients being evaluated for possible physical abuse. This article will review both common and occult presentations of abusive abdominal trauma and will briefly discuss thoracic injuries as well.
From paxos to CORFU: a flash-speed shared log

Introduction In a 2006 talk [11], Jim Gray predicted that “flash is the new disk”; five years later, indeed, flash is making headway into data centers, but it is usually disguised as standard block storage. We posit that new abstractions are required to exploit the potential of large-scale flash clusters. It has been observed that each individual flash drive is best utilized in a log-structured manner due to the intrinsic properties of flash [6]. Further to that, in order to harness the aggregate bandwidth of a cluster of flash units, we propose to organize the entire cluster as a single shared log. CORFU is a new storage system for flash clusters which demonstrates the feasibility of this approach. The key idea in CORFU is to expose a cluster of network-attached flash devices as a single, shared log to clients running within the data center. Applications running on the clients can append data to this log or read entries from its middle.
Localized aggressive periodontitis is linked to human chromosome 1q25

Localized aggressive periodontitis (LAP; previously known as localized juvenile periodontitis) is one of the rapidly progressive periodontal diseases. Certain forms of familial LAP show a simple Mendelian pattern of transmission. However, no gene mutation has been identified to be responsible for the LAP phenotype. As an initial step to identify a gene mutation associated with LAP, we have performed genetic linkage analysis with four multigenerational families exhibiting the LAP phenotype. Affected individuals in the families were identified based on clinical and laboratory criteria in an attempt to define a homogeneous phenotype, since the clinical presentation of LAP may represent a manifestation of a heterogeneous group of diseases. The LAP phenotype is linked to a DNA marker, D1S492, with LOD score 3.48, θ=0.00. The haplotype analysis of the chromosome interval associated with D1S492 indicates that a LAP locus is located between D1S196 and D1S533 on chromosome 1, covering about 26 million DNA basepairs. We have also examined the DNA sequence of prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2 or cyclooxygenase 2, COX2) since prostaglandin 2 (PGE2), the product of COX2, is upregulated in LAP patients and COX2 is located between D1S196 and D1S533. No mutation in COX2 was identified in the patients.
Note on a Band System of Caesium

A further attempt is made to analyze a band system of ${\mathrm{Cs}}_{2}$ at 6250A. It has been possible to arrange a number of bands, degraded to the red, into a square array and to assign quantum numbers to the lower state. An assignment reported for this system by Matuyama is shown to be incorrect.
Gas-Phase Reaction Pathways of Aluminum Organometallic Compounds with Dimethylaluminum Hydride and Alane as Model Systems

Gas-phase molecular association reactions of dimethylaluminum hydride have been studied with density functional theory (DFT) and ab initio MP2 methods to understand the dimer ⇄ trimer equilibrium. A mechanism involving DMAH oligomers from monomers through hexamers is proposed as the equilibrium reaction pathway, and the kinetics and thermodynamics of the mechanism have been investigated. Optimized structures, heats of reaction, and transition states have been computed for the proposed reaction pathways. For transition-state optimizations, alane oligomers (AlH3)n were used as model systems to simplify electronic structure calculations for quantification of the kinetics of DMAH reaction pathways. The proposed reaction pathways consist of a sequence of unimolecular and concerted bimolecular steps with activation barriers substantially less than for alternative ring-opening pathways. On the basis of the current results, experimental observations of a complex DMAH dimer ⇄ trimer equilibrium can be understood i...
Epstein-Barr Virus–Infected Resting Memory B Cells, Not Proliferating Lymphoblasts, Accumulate in the Peripheral Blood of Immunosuppressed Patients

When Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infects B cells in vitro, the result is a proliferating lymphoblast that expresses at least nine latent proteins. It is generally believed that these cells are rigorously controlled in vivo by cytotoxic T cells. Consistent with this, the latently infected cells in the peripheral blood of healthy carriers are not lymphoblasts. Rather, they are resting memory B cells that are probably not subject to direct immunosurveillance by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). When patients become immunosuppressed, the viral load increases in the peripheral blood. The expansion of proliferating lymphoblasts due to the suppressed CTL response is believed to account for this increase and is considered to be a major risk factor for posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) and AIDS-associated B cell lymphoma. Here we show that there is an increase in the numbers of latently infected cells in the peripheral blood of immunosuppressed patients. However, the cells are not proliferating lymphoblasts. They are all latently infected, resting, memory B cells-the same population of infected cells found in the blood of healthy carriers. These results are discussed in the context of a model for EBV persistence that explains why PTLD is usually limited to the lymph nodes.
On-chip manipulation of nonmagnetic particles in paramagnetic solutions using embedded permanent magnets

This study develops a method for embedding permanent magnets into poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-based microfluidic chips. Magnets can be brought very close to the planar microchannels for enhanced magnetic field and field gradients, which enables on-chip continuous-flow manipulation of nonmagnetic particles in typical paramagnetic solutions. We performed a systematic study of the transport of polystyrene particles suspended in manganese (II) chloride (MnCl2) solutions through a rectangular microchannel. Owing to their smaller magnetization than the suspending fluid, particles experience negative magnetophoresis and are deflected away from the magnet. The effects of particle position (relative to the magnet), particle size, MnCl2 salt concentration, and fluid flow velocity on the horizontal magnetophoretic deflection are examined using a combined experimental and theoretical approach. The experimental results agree quantitatively with the predictions of an analytical model. The demonstrated nonmagnetic particle deflection may be used with the potential to focus and sort cells in lab-on-a-chip for bio-applications.
New Word Sources: A Selective Annotated Bibliography

Reference questions about recently coined words or phrases or new meanings of old words present library users and librarians with a sometimes bewildering maze of information sources that range in quality from the scholarly to the amateur. In this article, Isaacson discusses some of the lexical issues concerning new words and evaluates new information in 1) unabridged dictionaries, 2) collegiate desk dictionaries, 3) new word dictionaries, 4) a journal devoted to new words, 5) a journal column and a magazine column about new words, 6) dictionaries of words that don’t exist, 7) various specialized dictionaries that may contain new and old words, and 8) Internet resources that may be helpful. All sources have to do with the English language; most were published since 1980 and include new words coined since 1960.
Capillary rise method for the measurement of the contact angle of soils

The contact angle quantitatively describes the contact on the liquid–solid interface and is thus critical to many physical processes involving interactions between soils and water. However, the role of the contact angle in soils is far from being adequately recognized. This paper reports a comprehensive study on the application of the capillary rise method (CRM) to measure the contact angles of soils. The deviations of analytical solutions to various forms of the Lucas–Washburn equation were presented to offer a detailed study on the theoretical basis for applying CRM to soils, which is absent in existing studies. The disadvantages of the conventional CRM investigations were demonstrated with experiments. Based on a comparative study, a modified CRM was proposed based on the analytical solution to one form of the Lucas–Washburn equation. This modified CRM exhibited a reliable performance on numerous unsieved and sieved (different average particle sizes) specimens made of a subgrade soil and a silicon dioxide sand. Procedures for the specimen preparation were designed and strictly followed, and innovative apparatuses for the preparation, transport, and accommodation of soil specimens were fabricated to ensure repeatability. For the modified CRM, experimental results for unsieved specimens exhibited good repeatability, while for sieved soils, clear trends were observed in the variations of the contact angle with particle size. Contact angles much greater than zero were observed for all of the tested soil specimens. The results indicate that the assumption of perfect wettability, which is adopted in many existing geotechnical studies involving the contact angle, is unrealistic.
Supersonic wing-body inteference at high angles of attack with emphasis on low aspect ratios

A systematic NASA data base for cruciform wing-body combinations has been analyzed to extract the values of the wing and body interference factors. The fin planforms vary in aspect ratio from 0.5 to 2.0, the Mach number from 2.5 to 4.5, and the angle of attack from 0 deg to 40 deg. Sufficient data are available to permit interpolation with respect to fin aspect ratio, taper ratio, Mach number, and angle of attack. The data base described in this paper can be used in an engineering prediction method to determine the normal force of planar wing-body combinations and for scaling the effects of body radius-fin semispan ratio.
Factors influencing the phagocytosis, neoplastic transformation, and cytotoxicity of particulate nickel compounds in tissue culture systems

Abstract Seven particulate nickel compounds were studied for their cell transformation activity using cultured Syrian hamster embryo cells and for their phagocytotic activity in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells. The crystalline nickel compounds (αNi3S2, αNiS, and Ni3Se2) had significantly more cell transforming activity and were more actively phagocytized than the other nickel compounds examined (amorphous NiS, metallic Ni, Ni3O2, and NiO). Therefore, the crystalline structure of nickel compounds is one factor influencing their toxic activity upon biological systems. A second influencing factor was the particle size of the water-insoluble nickel compounds. Particles of crystalline αNiS ranging from 2 to 4 μm were phagocytized six times more than αNiS particles having mean diameters of 5–6 μm. Differences in amorphous NiS particle size had little effect on its already low susceptibility to be phagocytized by cells and ability to cause a reduction of cell plating efficiency. The presence of Mn dust inhibited the neoplastic transformation of crystalline nickel sulfide and also reduced the phagocytosis of crystalline αNiS and αNi3S2 particles by cultured cells. The phagocytosis of crystalline NiS particles was inhibited by the presence of amorphous NiS, Mn or MnCl2. Therefore, the presence of noncarcinogenic metals which are not themselves actively phagocytized diminishes the transforming effects of crystalline metal compounds probably by reducing their internalization. Various metabolic inhibitors such as dansylcadaverine, cycloheximide, and actinomycin D reduced the phagocytosis of crystalline αNiS.
Perineural invasion associated with increased cancer-specific mortality after external beam radiation therapy for men with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer

Purpose: To identify an association between perineural invasion (PNI) and cancer-specific survival in patients with prostate cancer after standard-dose external beam radiation therapy (RT). Methods and Materials: A total of 517 consecutive patients who underwent RT (median dose, 70.5 Gy) between 1989 and 2003 for low-risk or intermediate-risk prostate cancer were studied. A genitourinary pathologist (AAR) scored presence or absence of PNI on all prostate needle-biopsy specimens. A Cox regression multivariable analysis was performed to assess whether the presence of PNI was associated with risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality after RT when the recognized risk-group variables were factored into the model. Estimates of cancer-specific mortality were made using a cumulative incidence method. Comparisons of survival were made using a two-tailed log–rank test. Results: At a median follow-up of 4.5 years, 84 patients (16%) have died, 15 of 84 (18%) from prostate cancer. PNI was the only significant predictor of prostate cancer-specific mortality after RT ( p = 0.012). The estimated prostate cancer–specific mortality was 14% at 8 years for PNI+ patients vs. 5% for PNI− patients ( p = 0.0008). Conclusions: Patients with low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer who have PNI on prostate needle biopsy have a significantly higher rate of prostate cancer–specific mortality after standard-dose radiation therapy than patients without PNI. Although this analysis is retrospective, this association argues for consideration of the use of more aggressive therapy, such as hormonal therapy with RT or dose escalation, in these select patients.
Effects of thermocycling and occlusal force on the margins of provisional acrylic resin crowns.

Abstract Transitional acrylic crowns were examined for changes in axial contour and increases in marginal gap width after simultaneous thermocycling and occlusal loading. Two groups of 10 crowns—one with a shoulder finish line and another with a chamfer finish line—were treated with 3400 thermocycles and 50,000 load cycles simultaneously within an artificial oral environment chamber in an MTS Dental Materials Testing System. The marginal gaps were increased for both groups after treatment. However, the group of crowns with the shoulder finish lines demonstrated a smaller gap width (x = 90 μm) after treatment than the crowns with chamfer finish lines (x = 210 μm). A statistical comparison identified a significant difference in gap width between groups ( p
A pluralistic, pragmatic and evolutionary approach to natural resource management

Abstract This paper demonstrates the partial nature of individual academic disciplines with respect to natural resource management. The paper states the requirements of a satisfactory approach to natural resource management. It provides the philosophic justification for pluralism, pragmatism, and evolution in natural resource policy and thereby provides a framework for interdisciplinary communication.
Application and limits of IC and PCB scanning methods for immunity analysis

Immunity scanning methods can be used to locate sensitive areas on PCBs and ICs. For the analysis of emissions near field scanning is used to determine the local field strength. Both methods have many similarities and differences. For both methods it is difficult to correlate between board level scanning and system level test results as neither method shows the coupling path directly. The paper shows the implementation of an immunity scanning system and analyzes the advantages and limitations of immunity near field scanning.
Differential gene expression in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

AbstractOur objective was to analyze gene expression pattern in muscles from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) compared to controls. Biopsied skeletal muscles from three ALS, three MMN and three control subjects had total RNA extracted and subjected to genome-wide gene expression analysis using Affymetrix GeneChip Exon 1.0 ST array. The most significant expression pattern differences were confirmed with RT-PCR in four additional ALS patients. Results showed that over 3000 genes were identified across the groups using q < 10%. Among 50 genes that were overexpressed only in the ALS group were: leucine-rich repeat kinase-2, follistatin, collagen type XIX alpha-1, ceramide kinase-like, sestrin-3 and CXorf64. No genes were significantly overexpressed in MMN alone. Underexpressed genes only in ALS included actinin α3, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase-2 and homeobox C10; whereas only in MMN: hemoglobin A1 and CXorf64. Ankyrin repeat domain-1 was overexpressed in b...
Iterational retiming: maximize iteration-level parallelism for nested loops

Nested loops are the most critical sections in many scientific and Digital Signal Processing (DSP)applications.It is important to study effective and efficient transformation techniques to increase parallelism for nested loops.In this paper, we propose a novel technique,iterational retiming,that can satisfy any given timing constraint by achieving full parallelism for iterations in a partition. Theorems and efficient algorithms are proposed for iterational retiming. The experimental results show that iterational retiming is a promising technique for parallel embedded systems.It can achieve 87% improvement over software pipelining and 88%improvement over loop unfolding on average.
A comparison of confidence region estimators for multivariate simulation output

Three previously proposed methods for constructing joint confidence regions on the mean of multivariate simulation output are described and tested using data generated by Gaussian vector autoregressive moving average models. The methods that use an estimate of the variance-covariance matrix of the data are found to yield regions with lower volumes than the method that does not use an estimate of the variance-covariance matrix. The experimental design included the factors run length, dimension, autocorrelation and cross correlation.
A hierarchical learning architecture with multiple-goal representations based on adaptive dynamic programming

In this paper we propose a hierarchical learning architecture with multiple-goal representations based on adaptive dynamic programming (ADP). The key idea of this architecture is to integrate a reference network to provide the internal reinforcement representation (secondary reinforcement signal) to interact with the operation of the learning system. Such a reference network serves an important role to build the internal goal representations. Furthermore, motivated by recent research in neurobiological and psychology research, the proposed ADP architecture can be designed in a hierarchical way, in which different levels of internal reinforcement signals can be developed to represent multi-level goals for the intelligent system. Detailed system level architecture, learning and adaptation principle, and simulation results are presented in this work to demonstrate the effectiveness of this work.
Cryptic and exposed invariable regions of VlsE, the variable surface antigen of Borrelia burgdorferi sl.

Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease spirochete, possesses a surface protein, VlsE, which undergoes antigenic variation. VlsE contains two invariable domains and a variable one that includes six variable and six invariable regions (IRs). Five of the IRs are conserved among strains and genospecies of B. burgdorferi sensu lato. IR6 is conserved, immunodominant, and exposed at the VlsE surface but not at the spirochete surface, as assessed in vitro. In the present study, the remaining conserved IRs (IR2 to IR5) were investigated. Antisera to synthetic peptides based on each of the IR2 to IR5 sequences were produced in rabbits. Antipeptide antibody titers were similarly high in all antisera. Native VlsE was immunoprecipitable with antibodies to IR2, IR4, and IR5 but not to IR3, indicating that the first three sequences were exposed at the VlsE surface. However, negative surface immunofluorescence and in vitro antibody-mediated killing results indicated that none of the IRs were accessible to antibody at the spirochetal surface in vitro.
Sacrifice for the Sake of the Family: Expressions of Familism by Latina Teens in the Context of Suicide

Familism is a core value promoted by many individuals of Hispanic or Latino descent that emphasizes the primacy of the family over the individual. This study illuminates some aspects of the relationship between familism and adolescent suicidal behavior. Qualitative data from 24 female Hispanic teens with and without a history of suicidal behaviors and their parents were analyzed to understand the ways in which familism is expressed in their lives. Both suicide attempters and nonattempters demonstrate familism by making material or emotional (or both) sacrifices for the sake of their families. However, for those attempters who expressed a clear intent to die, a third type of sacrifice emerged: Girls expressed a desire to kill themselves in order to make things better for their families, literally sacrificing themselves for the sake of family. Findings point to the complexity of familism in understanding the risks of suicide attempts among teen Latinas and to the value of mixed methods in studying deeply the cultural factors that influence problem behaviors.
Dual-task motor performance with a tongue-operated assistive technology compared with hand operations

To provide an alternative motor modality for control, navigation, and communication in individuals suffering from impairment or disability in hand functions, a Tongue Drive System (TDS) has been developed that allows for real time tracking of tongue motion in an unobtrusive, wireless, and wearable device that utilizes the magnetic field generated by a miniature disk shaped magnetic tracer attached to the tip of the tongue. The purpose of the study was to compare the influence of a concurrent motor or cognitive task on various aspects of simple movement control between hand and tongue using the TDS technology. Thirteen young able-bodied adults performed rapid and slow goal-directed movements of hand and tongue (with TDS) with and without a concurrent motor (hand or tongue) or cognitive (arithmetic and memory) task. Changes in reaction time, completion time, speed, correctness, accuracy, variability of displacement, and variability of time due to the addition of a concurrent task were compared between hand and tongue. The influence of an additional concurrent task on motor performance was similar between the hand and tongue for slow movement in controlling their displacement. In rapid movement with a concurrent motor task, most aspects of motor performance were degraded in hand, while tongue speed during rapid continuous task was maintained. With a concurrent cognitive task, most aspects of motor performance were degraded in tongue, while hand accuracy during the rapid discrete task and hand speed during the rapid continuous task were maintained. Rapid goal-directed hand and tongue movements were more consistently susceptible to interference from concurrent motor and cognitive tasks, respectively, compared with the other movement.
Distortions of the Mitral Valve in Acute Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation

Abstract Background . In the absence of papillary muscle rupture, the precise deformations that cause acute postinfarction mitral valve regurgitation are not understood and impair reparative efforts. Methods . In 6 Dorsett hybrid sheep, sonomicrometry transducers were placed around the mitral annulus (n = 6) and at the tips and bases of both papillary muscles (n = 4). Later, specific circumflex coronary arteries were occluded to infarct approximately 32% of the posterior left ventricle and produce acute 2 to 3+ mitral regurgitation. Before and after infarction, distance measurements between sonomicrometry transducers produced three-dimensional coordinates of each transducer every 5 ms. Results . After infarction, the annulus dilated asymmetrically orthogonal to the line of leaflet coaptation, but the annular area increased only 9.2% ± 6.3% ( p = 0.02). At end-systole, posterior papillary muscle length increased 2.3 ± 0.9 mm ( p = 0.005); the posterior papillary muscle tip moved closer to the annular plane and centroid, and the anterior papillary muscle tip moved away. Conclusions . Small deformations in mitral valvular spatial geometry after large posterior infarctions are sufficient to produce moderate to severe mitral regurgitation. The most important changes are asymmetric annular dilatation, prolapse of leaflet tissue tethered by the posterior papillary muscle, and restriction of leaflet tissue attached to the anterior papillary muscle.
Solution of large dense complex matrix equations utilizing wavelet-like transforms

This paper presents the wavelet-like transforms, which are quite different from the wavelet transform for the solution of large dense complex matrix equations. From a purely numerical standpoint, these wavelet-like transforms are not true orthogonal transforms as the condition number of the resulting matrix changes after the thresholding. These effects are illustrated through examples.
Properties of Internal Water Exchange in Leaves of Ilex opaca Ait. and Cornus florida L.

Resistances, capacitances, and time constants for internal water transfer were estimated in leaves from naturally-occurring individuals of Ilex opaca Ait. and Cornus florida L., both common under story tree species in the North Carolina piedmont deciduous forest. The water exchange properties depended strongly on the current water status of the leaf tissue. Resistance to water transfer from leaf storage sites, capacitance of storage sites, and the time constant for transfer of water out of storage sites all increased as tissue water deficits developed. The exchange properties were determined over a range of leaf water potentials which the plants typically experienced in the field. The measured responses are viewed as properties integrally associated with other aspects of water transfer elsewhere in the plant and in the soil and atmosphere, and may be significant in determining leaf water deficits under a fluctuating environment.
Fast Substrate Noise Aware Floorplanning for Mixed Signal SOC Designs

In this paper, we introduce a novel substrate noise estimation technique during early floorplanning for mixed signal system-on-chip (SOC), based on block preference directed graph (BPDG). Given a set of analog and digital blocks, BPDG is constructed based on their inherent noise characteristics to capture the preferred relative locations for substrate noise minimization. For each instance of floorplan in sequence pair or B*-tree, we efficiently count the number of violations against BPDG which correlates remarkably well with accurate but computation-intensive substrate noise modeling. Thus, our BPDG-based model can guide fast substrate noise-aware floorplanning and layout optimization for mixed signal SOC. Our experimental results show that the proposed approach is significantly faster than conventional full-blown substrate model-based floorplanning.
Na+-dependent transport of large neutral amino acids occurs at the abluminal membrane of the blood-brain barrier

Several Na+-dependent carriers of amino acids exist on the abluminal membrane of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). These Na+-dependent carriers are in a position to transfer amino acids from the extra...
Early Detection and Screening for Colorectal Neoplasia: Making Sense of the Guidelines

Each year, approximately 1 million new cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) occur worldwide, with substantial morbidity and mortality. For colon cancer in the United States, 147,000 new cases and 50,000 colon cancer-related deaths have been estimated for the coming year. The long natural history of colorectal neoplasia affords the opportunity to improve survival from this disease through preventive measures. Currently, screening for adenomatous polyps and early-stage cancers provides the best opportunity to improve survival. Growing knowledge of CRC pathogenesis and its natural history is allowing the development of new tools to identify those who will benefit most from colon cancer screening and is defining proper surveillance intervals. Recently, guidelines for screening for colorectal neoplasia were revised substantially by several organizations, based on developing technologies and a growing body of data regarding the efficacy of CRC screening.
Some Physical Properties of Milk. I. Density

Summary During a study of some physical properties of milk, several observations were made regarding the density of milk. Unlike water, milk does not exhibit a maximum density at 4° C. However, at 4° C, there appeared to be an irregular change in density of milk. Between 18° and 44° C, the density of milk was within 0.0005 g. per milliliter, a linear function of temperature. A temperature coefficient of 0.00038 was calculated to convert density determinations at any temperature between 18° and 44° C. to any other temperature in that range. Homogenization of milk at pressures ranging from 500 to 3,000 p.s.i. had no significant effect upon density. However, a very highly significant increase in density of milk occurred with each increase in homogenization pressure until 300 p.s.i. was reached.
On the magnetic sounding of planetary interiors

Abstract Two ways have been suggested for using the magnetic field of a planet to estimate the radius of its electrically conducting core, assumed spherical and concentric with the planet's surface. In the frozen flux method, the core radius is assumed to have the value rFF for which the integrated unsigned radial magnetic flux, from the sphere of that radius, is most nearly constant in time. In the flat spectrum method, the core radius is assumed to have the value rFS for which the power spectrum of the field, defined as the mean square energy density in the lth spherical harmonic component of the field at that radius, is most nearly independent of l. These two methods are here applied to a new geodynamo integration that is a continuation of a recently published simulation (see Glatzmaier and Roberts, 1995a, Phys. Earth Planet. Inter., 91: 63–75; Glatzmaier and Roberts, 1995b, Nature, 377: 203–209) and which, like the Earth, maintains a more strongly dipole dominated magnetic field. The rate of change of the unsigned flux was averaged over two different 300 year intervals at a number of radii, r, from the geocenter. The resulting functions of r were found to have zeros at rFF of approximately 3550 km and 3477 km, respectively. This demonstrates how sensitive this method is to the time interval selected for the computation. Even if, as is often done when the flat spectrum method is applied to the Earth, the centered dipole (l = 1) is excluded, the spectrum of our model could not be made convincingly flat; but a radius rFS at which it is most flat can be defined. The value of rFS is, however, very sensitive to the number of spherical harmonics retained in the spectrum and to a lesser extent is time dependent. On the basis of these studies, and impressed by the lack of a sound physical justification for the flat spectrum method, we conclude that that method provides a less certain way of estimating the radius of a planetary core than does the frozen flux approximation, and that even the latter should be employed with caution.
Advanced thermal packaging for high power TR modules

The higher output power densities required of modern radar architectures, such as the proposed DESDynI [Deformation, Ecosystem Structure, and Dynamics of Ice] SAR [Synthetic Aperture Radar] Instrument (or DSI) require increasingly dense high power electronics. To enable these higher power densities, while maintaining or even improving hardware reliability, requires advances in integrating advanced thermal packaging technologies into radar transmit/receive (TR) modules. New materials and techniques have been studied and compared to standard technologies.
Database in crisis and transition: a technical agenda for the year 2001

The current paper outlines a number of important changes that face the database community and presents an agenda for how some of these challenges can be met. This database agenda is currently being addressed in the Enterprise Group at Microsoft Corporation. The paper concludes with a scenario for 2001 which reflects the Microsoft vision of “Information at your fingertips.”
Autismus-Spektrum-Störungen

Autistische Storungen sind in der Kategorie der tiefgreifenden Entwicklungsstorungen der ICD-10 gelistet. Diese Kategorie umfasst verschiedene Subgruppen. Entsprechend dem aktuellen Forschungsstand werden der fruhkindliche Autismus (F84.0), der atypische Autismus (F84.1), das Asperger-Syndrom (F84.5), die nicht naher bezeichnete Entwicklungsstorung (F84.9) und sonstige tiefgreifende Entwicklungsstorungen (F84.8) unter dem Begriff Autismusspektrumstorungen (ASS) zusammengefasst und somit von den anderen tiefgreifenden Entwicklungsstorungen wie dem Rett-Syndrom (F84.2), der desintegrativen Storung (F84.3) oder der uberaktiven Storung mit Intelligenzminderung und Bewegungsstereotypien (F84.4) abgegrenzt.
The Gains from International Trade

[1] In a recent paper the thesis was advanced that while it is not possible to demonstrate rigorously that free trade is better (in some sense) for a country than all other kinds of trade, it nevertheless can be shown conclusively that (in a sense to be defined later) free trade or some trade is to be preferred to no trade at all. I should like here to amplify these remarks with respect to the last point, that some trade is better than no trade. This is by no means a novel proposition. Indeed, it can be traced back to the beginnings of the Classical theory of international trade. It has become associated, however, quite unnecessarily in my opinion, with a labour theory of value, or a “real cost” theory of value, or more recently, with an opportunity cost theory of value. All of these have come in for considerable criticism in recent years as restrictive special cases of the so-called theory of general equilibrium. Those writers who have insisted on the need for a modern theory of value for a positive description of behaviour in international trade have in general ignored the normative aspects of international trade, presumably in the belief that as soon as one gives up the inadmissible special theories indicated above, nothing can be said concerning this problem. It will be argued here that this is a mistake, that from the most general theories of equilibrtlim all valid normative propositions can be derived.