cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Verification and design aspects of "true concurrency"

Most abstract models of a set of parallel processes define a computation of the model to be a sequence. It is either a sequence of actions taken by the system [Lip] or a sequence of states of the system existing between actions [Kel, Lau, Ash]. Parallelsim is represented only by the fact that following a given action or state, the "next" action or state is not necessarily unique. That is, parallesim is represented by nondeterminism. A. W. Holt has called this representation approach "serializable concurrency" as opposed to "true concurrency" [Hol]. He, among others, has questioned the appropriateness of implying a total ordering between events that are only known to be partially ordered.In this paper, a definition of an algebraic model of a set of concurrently-executing sequential processes is presented. The "computations" of this model are directed acyclic graphs. The nodes of each computation graph represent computer operations and the edges represent the partial ordering of operations with respect to time.Examples demonstrate that these directed acyclic graphs aid in focusing a programmer/verifier's attention on the most important features of a computation. The model suggests the following verification paradigm: since systems often execute a certain sequence of actions to achieve a certain goal, verification procedures should identify these sequences, whether or not each is performed within a single process.A key notion in the abstract model is the treatment of synchronization mechanisms as full-fledged processes. A programming language syntax called "path programs" which is suggested by this notion is presented. Path programs are a generalization of the path expressions of Campbell and Habermann [CamHab]. The programming notation is based on the assumption that a processor can be dedicated to each shared data structure in the system. The duty of this processor is to control the synchronization of operations on the data structure.
Magnetic Nanoparticles Produced in Spontaneous Cationic-Anionic Vesicles: Room Temperature Synthesis and Characterization

Abstract Unilamellar vesicles formed spontaneously by forming solutions of single-tailed cationic and anionic surfactants [cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (HDBS), respectively] have been used as reactors for the direct, room temperature synthesis of nanometer-sized magnetic particles within their internal cores. A micellar anionic surfactant solution was titrated slowly into a micellar cationic surfactant solution containing ferrous chloride, forming defect-free unilamellar vesicles that contained the reactant ferrous ions. CTAB/HDBS molar ratios of 13/7 and 6/4 and ferrous chloride concentrations of 0.1 and 0.05 M were used. Extravesicular ferrous ions were replaced with sodium ions by passing this suspension through a gel permeation chromatography column saturated with isotonic sodium chloride solution. Addition of sodium hydroxide to the extravesicular region caused hydroxyl ions to permeate into the vesicles and react with the available ferrous ions to form the product. Powder X-ray diffraction of the particulate sample showed the intense peaks of magnetite or γ-ferrite. Bragg peak broadening was characteristic of crystallites of roughly the same diameter as particles measured by transmission electron microscopy, indicating that each particle was monocrystalline. All of the intense peaks were distinctly asymmetric. Magnetization measurements showed that the particles were superparamagnetic. Using the Langevin function folded with the particle size distribution to model the magnetization of the sample in response to an applied magnetic field yielded "magnetic" diameter distributions that were consistently smaller than particle size distributions obtained from transmission electron microscopy. The magnetic size is consistent with the existence of a magnetically anomalous surface layer on each particle, as has been reported with other ferrites. The asymmetric diffraction peaks may be explained with a model that permits surface relaxation, and it is possible that the two phenomena are linked.
Biological weapons: an introduction for surgeons.

Although the risk of an intentional biological weapon release is small for any one location, the chance that there will be an attack somewhere is real. Because surgeons will certainly be called on should this happen, they need to know the basics about the potential agents. This review covers the history of biological weapons,the major agents, and the possible specific roles for surgeons. Language: en
The Politics of Inclusion: Black Political Incorporation and the Use of Lethal Force

Scholarship on the incorporation of Blacks in government and politics has focused on electoral gains and representational styles, but the broad, substantive benefits of inclusion have yet to be established. Utilizing data from 1994 to 2004 for 30 of the 60 largest U.S. cities, random-effects negative binomial regressions for panel data show that the political incorporation of Black elected officials reduces the likelihood of the incidence of lethal force over time, with significance reaching the .01 level in each of 3 models. This study confirms that inclusion contributes to democratic policing by reducing enforcement costs and increasing legitimacy.
Robustness of minimax controllers to nonlinear perturbations

We study the robustness of minimax controllers, originally designed for nominal linear or nonlinear systems, to unknown static nonlinear perturbations in the state dynamics, measurement equation, and performance index. When the nominal system is linear, we consider both perfect state measurements and general imperfect state measurements; in the case of nominally nonlinear systems, we consider perfect state measurements only. Using a differential game theoretic approach, we show for the former class that, as the perturbation parameter (say, e>0) approaches zero, the optimal disturbance attenuation level for the overall system converges to the optimal disturbance attenuation level for the nominal system if the nonlinear structural uncertainties satisfy certain prescribed growth conditions. We also show that anH∞-controller, designed based on a chosen performance level for the nominal linear system, achieves the same performance level when the parameter e is smaller than a computable threshold, except for the finite-horizon imperfect state measurements case. For that case, we show that the design of the nominal controller must be based on a decreased confidence level of the initial data, and a controller thus designed again achieves a desired performance level in the face of nonlinear perturbations satisfying a computable norm bound. In the case of nominally nonlinear systems, and assuming that the nominal system is solvable, we obtain sufficient conditions such that the nominal controller achieves a desired performance in the face of perturbations satisfying computable norm bounds. In this way, we provide a characterization of the class of uncertainties that are tolerable for a controller designed based on the nominal system. The paper also presents two numerical examples; in one of these, the nominal system is linear; in the other one, it is nonlinear.
Effects of Turn Stability on the Kinetics of Refolding of a Hairpin in a β-sheet

As part of our continuing study of the effects of the turn sequence on the conformational stability as well as the mechanism of folding of a beta-sheet structure, we have undertaken a parallel investigation of the solution structure, conformational stability, and kinetics of refolding of the beta-sheet VFIVDGOTYTEV(D)PGOKILQ. The latter peptide is an analogue of the original Gellman beta-sheet VFITS(D)PGKTYTEV(D)PGOKILQ, wherein the TS(D)PGK turn sequence in the first hairpin has been replaced by VDGO. Thermodynamics studies revealed comparable conformational stability of the two peptides. However, unlike the Gellman peptide, which showed extremely rapid refolding of the first hairpin, early kinetic events associated with the refolding of the corresponding hairpin in the VDGO mutant were found to be significantly slower. A detailed study of the conformation of the modified peptide suggested that hydrophobic interactions might be contributing to its stability. Accordingly, we surmise that the early kinetic events are sensitive to whether the formation of the hairpin is nucleated at the turn or by sequestering of the hydrophobic residues across the strand, before structural rearrangements to produce the nativelike topology. Nucleation of the hairpin at the turn is expected to be intrinsically rapid for a strong turn. However, if the process must involve collapse of hydrophobic side chains, the nucleation should be slower as solvent molecules must be displaced to sequester the hydrophobic residues. These findings reflect the contribution of different forces toward nucleation of hairpins in the mechanism of folding of beta-sheets.
Low-Coverage Decanethiolate Structure on Au(111): Substrate Effects

The effects that a reconstructed (herringbone) and stepped Au(111) surface have on the structure of submonolayers of decanethiolate were studied by variable-temperature scanning tunneling microscop...
Social skills and social problem-solving training for shy young adolescents

Few behavioral interventions have attempted to remediate the social skills and social problem-solving deficits of shy young adolescents, even though this is a developmental period where the establishment of successful peer relationships appears quite important. In the current study, a group training procedure was used to improve the effectiveness of adolescents' solutions to peer relationship problems and to improve the behavioral skill shown during their conversations with one another. In addition, data suggestive of posttreatment improvement in other areas (self-esteem and number of monitored interactions with others) were obtained. Improved global ratings for ease of conversing with others and social interactions made by the subjects, their parents, and teachers demonstrated social validity of the intervention.
The Role of Value Congruity in Intraorganizational Power

To understand better the differences in power between subunits, this paper examines the relationship between perceived departmental power and the extent to which departments appear to share important organizational values with top management. Critical contingency perspectives on intraorganizational power are used as a catalyst for exploring similarity of organizational values as an additional determinant of power. Interview and survey data from a quick-service restaurant chain and a robotics company are used to provide support for the role of perceived similarity in values for determining power. Perceived value congruity between department members and top managers, examined from the perspectives of both groups, was found to account for unique variance in departmental power when controlling for the effects of critical contingencies. An objective measure of the similarity of values between department members and top managers, however, was unrelated to departmental power.
End Fields of CBA Superconducting Magnets

Measurements of the two dimensional harmonic content of the end fields generated by the Brookhaven CBA dipole and quadrupole superconducting magnets are presented. Both the local longitudinal structure and the integrated end effects are examined.
Systematic construction of order-recursive LS estimation algorithms with elementary orthogonal transformations

This paper demonstrates that order-recursive least squares (ORLS) algorithms based on orthogonal transformations and hyperbolic transformations can be systematically constructed in two steps. The first step is to determine the structure of the ORLS algorithm according to the property of the data vector in the LS estimation and the requirements to the output. The second step is to determine the proper implementation of building blocks of the ORLS structure using orthogonal or hyperbolic transformations. The canonical ORLS structure and some possible orthogonal/hyperbolic implementations of their building blocks are presented. It is also shown that some of the orthogonal transformations are only applicable to certain types of ORLS structures and not to others.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Mid-infrared interband cascade emission in InAs/GaInSb/AlSb type-II heterostructures

To investigate the cascade process, we study two sets of mid- infrared InAs/GaInSb/AlSb multiple quantum well electroluminescent devices. Each set has nominally the same device parameters, differing only by the number of periods. We find, as expected, that for the same driving current the larger the device period the more intense is the emission. We also find that the scaling is far from ideal. We correlate the deviation of the exact scaling with the variation of the wafer-to-wafer structural quality.
Phase locked narrow zinc diffused stripe laser arrays

Phase locked operation of an array of narrow diffused stripe conventional double heterostructure laser elements grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition is reported. Six‐element arrays (length 356 μm) show threshold currents of 33 mA per stripe and peak power outputs of at least 160 mW per facet with total external differential quantum efficiencies of 33%. Complex near‐field patterns are shown which result from two opposing mechanisms involved in guiding of the lateral modes. Three major lobes in far‐field patterns, which correspond to expected patterns for the lateral modes of gain guided arrays, are described.
Gluon-gluon contributions to the production of continuum diphoton pairs at hadron colliders

We compute the contributions to continuum photon pair production at hadron colliders from processes initiated by gluon-gluon and gluon-quark scattering into two photons through a four-leg virtual quark loop. Complete two-loop cross sections in perturbative quantum chromodynamics are combined with contributions from soft parton radiation resummed to all orders in the strong coupling strength. The structure of the resummed cross section is examined in detail, including a new type of unintegrated parton distribution function affecting azimuthal angle distributions of photons in the pair's rest frame. As a result of this analysis, we predict diphoton transverse-momentum distributions in gluon-gluon scattering in wide ranges of kinematic parameters at the Fermilab Tevatron and the CERN Large Hadron Collider.
The Laocoön and the Book of Job as Micrography: The Influence of Miniature Hebrew Illumination on the Work of William Blake

This article argues that the practice of micrography, an art form which creates designs and images using miniature Hebrew text, can be found in two of William Blake's late works, the Laocoon and Illustrations of the Book of Job. While Blake is known to have studied Hebrew and to have been influenced by Jewish mysticism, the influence on Blake of Hebrew micrography has been overlooked by scholars. By inscribing his works with this “Hebrew Art,” Blake rewrites the genealogy of western art history, claiming primacy for a unique and independent branch. The reclamation of a uniquely Hebrew art form in his prints allows Blake to pose an alternative to the narrative of classical influence on British art and poetry. It also allows for a new understanding of the breakdown between word and image in Blake.
Thermoelastic effects in lubricated rolling/sliding line contacts

A numerical model was developed to investigate the subsurface mechanical and thermal stresses in rolling/sliding machine elements operating under elasto-hydrodynamic (EHD) lubrication of line contacts. A thermal non-Newtonian EHD lubrication model was modified to include the thermoelastic displacement of the solids. The pressure, film thickness, and temperature distribution obtained from the model were used to calculate the subsurface mechanical and thermal stresses within the rolling/sliding machine elements. The thermoelastic effects on the magnitude and location of the maximum shear stresses are presented.
Interaction reduction and consensus for multi-agent systems

This paper studies a coordination strategy to utilize less data received from interactions among agents in a network. A distributed scheme is presented for each agent to perform interaction reduction independently using only the status information from its neighbors. As a result of the proposed scheme, agents can make their own decisions locally for a coordination purpose by ignoring the data received through deleted links. A consensus coordination problem is used as an example in the paper to illustrate the effect of interaction reduction on steady states and transient response of the consensus process.
A specific histamine-stimulated phosphoprotein in isolated parietal cells

Histamine-stimulated phosphorylation was studied in isolated rabbit parietal cells. Secretion of acid, as assessed by aminopyrine uptake, was linear at 15 min of stimulation with histamine. By utilizing two dimensional gels, a specific 30,000-Da protein (pp30) was identified whose phosphorylation was prominently stimulated by histamine after 15 min of incubation. The pp30 protein displayed an isoelectric point of 6.0. Furthermore, cAMP-dependent pp30 phosphorylation could also be demonstrated in vitro in a preparation of parietal cell cytosol. The results suggest that pp30 may represent an important histamine-stimulated cAMP-dependent phosphoprotein involved in the initiation or maintenance of parietal cell secretion.
Ornithine synthesis from glutamate in rat intestinal mucosa homogenates: Evidence for the reduction of glutamate to γ-glutamyl semialdehyde

Summary For 25 years, glutamate has been considered to be the source of the carbon and nitrogen atoms of ornithine and proline synthesized in mammalian tissues. However, the first enzyme reaction for these syntheses, namely the reduction of glutamate to γ-glutamyl semialdehyde, has not been observed in homogenates of mammalian tissues. These studies present evidence for this reaction in rat intestinal mucosa homogenates incubated with [U-14C]glutamate. The 14C-labeled ornithine was separated from other radioactive chemicals by ion-exchange chromatography, and was specifically identified by its capacity to serve as a substrate for ornithine transcarbamylase. The synthesis of ornithine required ATP, Mg2+ and NADPH in addition to glutamate.
The role of low-coordinate oxygen on Co3O4(110) in catalyticCO oxidation

A complete catalytic cycle for carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation to carbon dioxide (CO2) by molecular oxygen on the Co3O4(110) surface was obtained by density functional theory plus the on-site Coulomb repulsion (DFT + U). Previously observed high activity of Co3O4 to catalytically oxidize CO at very low temperatures is explained by a unique twofold-coordinate oxygen site on Co3O4(110). The CO molecule extracts this oxygen with a computed barrier of 27 kJ/mol. The extraction leads to CO2 formation and an oxygen vacancy on Co3O4(110). Then, the O2 molecule dissociates without a barrier between two neighboring oxygen vacancies (which are shown to have high surface mobility), thereby replenishing the twofold-coordinate oxygen sites on the surface and enabling the catalytic cycle. In contrast, extracting the threefold-coordinate oxygen site on Co3O4(110) has a higher barrier. Our work furnishes a molecular-level mechanism of Co3O4's catalytic power, which may help understand previous experimental results and oxidation catalysis by transition metal oxides.
Giovannoni et al . reply

Replying to S. Vage, J. E. Storesund & T. F. Thingstad Nature 499, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature12387 (2013). In the debate about top-down versus bottom-up control, most would argue that both are important. The most probable scenario is that in the absence of high rates of transport, the equilibrium between these competing processes determines bacterial abundance. In their Brief Communication Arising, Vage and co-workers respond to our Letter, arguing the case for defense specialism. ‘Defence specialism’ is not synonymous with ‘defence’. Because of the prevalence of viruses, it is probable that most bacteria have acquired defences against predation. ‘Defence specialism’ refers to success by defence, in the sense that a cell might allocate a large proportion of its resources to defence and thereby become successful.
On withholding political voice: An analysis of the political vocabulary of a “nonpolitical” speech community

This analysis attempts to identify and explain some underlying rationales for the withholding of citizen voice from the democratic political arena. Of special interest are the ways in which such rationales are located in speakers’ everyday political words and meanings. For support, this analysis examines the political vocabulary of lumber‐industrial workers who claim to know virtually nothing about politics and to detest what little they do know about it. Contrary to scholars who commonly treat those who withhold their voice from the democratic political arena as individual cases, this analysis of the workers’ vocabulary of politics shows the withholding of voice to be an active choice grounded in community‐based meanings that are discursively produced in ongoing interactions within the speech community.
Canada’s Stem Cell Corporation: Aggregate Concerns and the Question of Public Trust

This paper examines one nascent entrepreneurial endeavour intended by Canada’s Stem Cell Network to catalyze the commercialization of stem cell research: the creation of a company called “Aggregate Therapeutics”. We argue that this initiative, in its current configuration, is likely to result in a breach of public trust owing to three inter-related concerns: conflicts of interest; corporate influence on the university research agenda; and the failure to provide some form of direct return for the public’s substantial tax dollar investment. These concerns are common to many efforts to commercialize academic science but are rendered particularly acute in this case given the therapeutic promise of stem cell research and the considerable number of resources related to stem cell research in Canada, which Aggregate Therapeutics is expected to pool. We do, however, believe that the company can be altered to guard against a violation of the public’s trust, and so we present concrete modifications to its structure, which we contend should be given immediate consideration.
The Coffin-Lowry syndrome: an inherited faciodigital mental retardation syndrome.

Eight patients in three families had mental retardation, characteristic facies and hands, and skeletal changes;the clinical features suggested to us that they had a syndrome previously thought to represent two entities described by Lowry and associates 1 and by Coffin and associates, 2 respectively. New findings include skeletal, orodental, and dermatoglyphic abnormalities and histopathologic changes suggesting that the syndrome is a heritable disorder of connective tissue. Severe expression in males and transmission through mildly affected females suggest X-linked or sex-influenced autosomal dominant inheritance.
Role-Specific Control, Personal Meaning, and Health in Late Life

The purpose of this study is to develop and empirically evaluate a latent variable model that examines the relationships among role-specific control, personal meaning, and health in late life. It is hypothesized that older adults with high levels of role- specific control are likely to develop a deep sense of personal meaning. This conceptual scheme further specifies that elderly people who derive a sense of meaning will, in turn, enjoy better health than older adults who are unable to find meaning in life. Data from a nationwide survey of older people provide support for this theoretical rationale.
A HYPERGEOMETRIC MEAN VALUE

Generalization of hypergeometric mean value from hypergeometric function without loss of homogeneity - derivation and properties of hypergeometric mean value
Autonomous detection of ISO fade point with color laser printers

Fading is one of the issues of most critical concern for print quality degradation with color laser electro- photographic printers. Fading occurs when the cartridge is depleted. ISO/IEC 19798:2007(E) specifies a process for determining the cartridge page yield for a given color electro-photographic printer model. It is based on repeatedly printing a suite of test pages, followed by visual examination of the sequence of printed diagnostic pages. But this method is a very costly process since it involves visual examination of a large number of pages. And also the final decision is based on the visual examination of a specially designed diagnostic page, which is different than typical office document pages, since it consists of color bars, and contains no text. In this paper, we propose a new method to autonomously detect the text fading in prints from home or office color printers using a typical office document page instead of a specially designed diagnostic page. In our method, we scan and analyze the printed pages to predict where expert observers would judge fading to have occurred in the print sequence. Our approach is based on a machine-learning framework in which features derived from image analysis are mapped to a fade point prediction.
Determination of the preliminary orbits of artificial lunar and planetary satellites

Preliminary orbit determination theories for artificial lunar and planetaiy satellites ate developed in this paper The theories are based on Doppler obseivations alone Both circular and elliptical preliminary orbits are treated The portions of classical specti oscopic binai y star theory that are applicable to the pioblem are pointed out The secular bulge peituibations, which accumulate during the observation interval, are taken into account in the development These terms heretofore have been neglected in pieliminary orbit determination theories for artificial planetary satellites It is important that they be included if the theory is to have practical application Particular attention is directed to lunar and Martian artificial satellite orbits, but the theories aie applicable to satellites of other planets as well A numerical verification of the theory for a lunar satellite reveals that the observations used in the orbit determination must be selected with considerable care Also, moie than the minimum number of observations and a least-squares solution foi the elements are necessary in order to obtain satisfactory results
An Analysis of Inter-Unit Control in Channel Systems:

Control within a channel can be effected by either wholly- or quasi-integrating the system. The degree of control exercised can range from a maximum to a minimum level, with each extreme along the continuum offering a unique set of relative advantages. It is contended that the level of control practiced should be determined by an examination of the environmental factors that prevail in a given situation. For the most part, wholly-integrated systems have emerged to satisfy those environments which call for maximum control. However, there appear to be numerous opportunities for more aggressive application of quasi-integration.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Population-Based Incidence Study in Rochester, Minn

† The records linkage resources of the Rochester Epidemiology Program Project were used to identify 169 incident first cases of invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in the population of Rochester, Minn, between 1976 and 1984. The overall age-standardized incidence was 38.8/100000 persons (63.1 in men; 22.5 in women). Metastasis occurred in 3.6%, and during an average of 3.8 years of follow-up, recurrence was seen in 3.6% while subsequent new lesions occurred in 12%. The demographics and course of patients with squamous cell carcinoma were different from either those of Bowen's disease or basal cell carcinoma in these population-based data. ( Arch Dermatol . 1990;126:185-188)
Hölder regularity of the SLE trace

S. Rohde and O. Schramm have recently shown that the SLE trace is Holder continuous (2005). However, their results are not optimal for all values of κ and only yield a Holder exponent near 1 2 for κ near 0. In this paper, we give improved lower bounds on the optimal Holder exponent for two natural parametrizations of the SLE trace. Our estimates give a Holder exponent near 1 for κ near 0, as expected. The work of I. Binder and B. Duplantier (2002) suggests that our results are optimal for the two parametrizations considered.
Differential effects of the microbial metabolite, acetic acid, on sprouting of aquatic plant propagules.

Abstract Subterranean vegetative propagules are important life cycle stages for some species of rooted aquatic plants. Sediments contain numerous compounds resulting from anaerobic degradation of organic matter, including acetic acid. Tubers, turions, and winter buds of Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle, Potamogeton gramineus L., and Potamogeton pectinatus L. were exposed to acetic acid concentrations from 0 to 696 mmol l−1 for 1–8 days. Hydrilla verticillata propagules were more sensitive to acetic acid exposure than those of either Potamogeton species. Monoecious H. verticillata propagules did not sprout at acetic acid concentrations of 17 mmol l−1 or over, even at the shortest exposure time. Potamogeton gramineus winter buds and P. pectinatus tubers were less inhibited between 17 and 87 mmol l−1 if the exposure time was short (2 days or less). Sediment type did not influence the differential response to acetic acid, but the presence of sediments ameliorated the effects of acetic acid somewhat. More than two-thirds of P. pectinatus tubers sprouted after a 24 h exposure to 696 mmol l−1 at 4°C, at higher temperatures sprouting was greatly reduced. Hydrilla verticillata tubers did not sprout following exposure to 17 mmol l−1 at any temperature (4, 13, 19, and 25°C) examined.
Production frontiers, panel data, and time-varying technical inefficiency

Abstract This paper uses a panel-data framework and models firm-specific technical inefficiency which is allowed to vary over time. The specification is flexible enough to accommodate increasing, decreasing, and time-invariant behavior of technical inefficiency. Time-varying firm- and input-specific allocative inefficiency is also incorporated. The estimation method suggested uses a parametric production function and cost-minimization hypothesis.
Temperature dependency of protein synthesis in toadfish liver in vivo

Abstract 1. 1. Elongation of polypeptide chains in toadfish liver in vivo shows two temperature dependencies: Q10 = 2.5 (Ea = 16 kcal/mol) in 17–30°C range; Q10 = 5 (Ea = 26 kcal/mol) in the 7–17dgC range. 2. 2. Total protein synthesis measured by fractional leucine incorporation is proportional to elongation rate from 7 to 30°C. Synthesis is inhibited below 7°C. 3. 3. The results suggest a relationship between protein turnover and overall metabolic rate in poikilotherms and provide a framework for evaluation of mechanisms of temperature acclimation and adaptation.
Two long geological records of continental ecosystems

Abstract The early Paleogene continental sequence of northwestern Wyoming and south central Montana (USA) and the Neogene Siwalik sequence of northern Pakistan are exceptionally long, fossiliferous, and well studied in terms of geology, paleontology, mammalian evolution, paleoecology, and paleoclimatology. Each record spans about 15 myr of alluvial deposition in a foreland basin. The fluvial systems differed in size, drainage of floodplains, and change in alluvial architecture through time. Both sequences preserved abundant paleosols, which are a source of paleoclimatic signals in stable isotopes from soil carbonates. Fossil collections from both records are dominated by vertebrate remains and especially by mammals; the Paleogene sequence also preserved abundant floral remains. Patterns of vertebrate preservation differed markedly between the two sequences, placing inherent limitations on paleoecological reconstruction and on the scope of evolutionary studies of mammalian lincages. In this introductory paper, we summarize the major similarities and differences in geologic setting, chronology and time resolution, and mammalian faunal composition of these two long sequences. Finally, we present a brief overview of the organization of papers in this special issue.
An equilateral four point property which characterizes generalized euclidean spaces

Various characterizations of generalized euclidean spaces among complete metric spaces which contain a metric line joining each two points make use of euclidean four point properties, which require that every quadruple from a suitably chosen class of quadruples of points of the metric space be isometric with a quadruple of euclidean points. The present paper shows if every quadruple which contains an equilateral triple and a linear triple is embeddable, the space is generalized euclidean.
Mitral Valve Surgery With The Da Vinci Robotic Surgical System

The public has long been familiar with media portrayals of "robots" as machines carrying out activities with near-human characteristics. The official definition of a robot by The Robotics Institute of America is more prosaic: "a reprogrammable multifunctional manipulator designed to move material, parts, tools, or specialized devices through variable programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks." Devices under direct manual control are one of the four categories specified.1 Autonomous, programmed machines have been used widely in industry for decades to perform a variety of tasks. Indeed, it is estimated that there are almost one million robots in use worldwide for these applications. Robots designed to directly assist humans in medical, military, or domestic applications are estimated at about 40,000 units. This category is anticipated to increase two-fold by 2010.2
Cold potassium cardioplegia versus topical hypothermia and intermittent aortic occlusion for myocardial protection during coronary artery surgery: a randomized clinical study.

Abstract The effect of two different myocardial preservation techniques on perioperative myocardial necrosis during coronary artery bypass surgery was assessed by serial myocardial creatine kinase determinations in 100 consecutive patients operated on by the same surgeon. Topical hypothermia with cold potassium cardioplegia was used randomly in 50 patients (group 1), and topical hypothermia with local interruption of the coronary circulation was used in the other 50 patients (group 2). Myocardial creatine kinase was measured by column chromatography every 6 hours for 36 hours after surgery. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age, sex, functional class, extent of coronary artery disease, number of bypassed arteries, ejection fraction, or cardiopulmonary bypass time. Myocardial creatine kinase release (mean ± standard error of the mean) was 193 ± 33 IU/L × hours in group 1 patients operated on with cardioplegia and 210 ± 31 IU/L × hours in group 2 patients operated on with topical hypothermia ( p > 0.5). Myocardial creatine kinase peaks were 9.2 ± 1.9 IU/L and 10.0 ± 1.6 IU/L, respectively ( p > 0.5). Perioperative myocardial infarction, as defined by serum enzyme activity and electrocardiographic criteria, occurred in 4 patients in group 1 and 3 patients in group 2. Thus, the addition of cardioplegia to topical hypothermia, although perhaps offering technical advantages, does not appear to improve myocardial protection over topical hypothermia with local interruption of the coronary circulation during coronary artery bypass surgery.
Solution 1H NMR investigation of the seating and rotational "hopping" of centrosymmetric etioheme-I in myoglobin: effect of globin origin and its oxidation/spin state on heme dynamics

Solution 1H NMR spectroscopy was used to investigate the heme active-site structure and dynamics of rotation about the Fe-His bond of centrosymmetric etioheme-I reconstituted into sperm whale and horse myoglobin (Mb). Comparison of the NOESY cross-peak pattern and paramagnetic relaxation properties of the cyanomet complexes confirm a heme pocket that is essentially the same as Mb with either native protoheme or etioheme-I. Dipolar contacts between etioheme and the conserved heme pocket residues establish a unique seating of etioheme that conserves the orientation of the N-Fe-N vector relative to the axial His plane, with ethyl groups occupying the vinyl positions of protoheme. Saturation transfer between methyls on adjacent pyrroles in etioheme-reconstituted horse Mb in all accessible oxidation/spin states reveals rotational hopping rates that decrease dramatically with either loss of ligands or reduction of the heme, and correlate qualitatively with expectations based on the Fe-His bond strength and the rate of heme dissociation from Mb. The rate of hopping for etioheme in metMbCN, in contrast to hemes with propionates, is the same in the sperm whale and horse proteins.
Hope-Filled Sanctification: A Reformed Appropriation of the Theological Virtue of Hope

Abstract Roman Catholic scholar Josef Pieper has suggested that the Protestant teaching of salvation by grace alone promotes a type of false assurance that undermines the necessity of striving for Christlikeness in the lives of Christians. Protestants do sometimes sound as if justification and sanctification are identical therefore downplaying the importance of good works and the pilgrim character of the Christian life. Nonetheless, a proper understanding of the distinction between justification and sanctification maintains both the Reformation emphasis on grace and a robust place for human striving toward sanctification in cooperation with the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the Thomist tradition’s understanding of the theological virtues, as interpreted by Pieper, has the potential to offer a category for understanding the striving of sanctification as the fitting action of one with the disposition of hope.
WE-C-110-02: Influence of ASIR on Spatial Resolution: A Study for Objects of Varying Contrast Levels

Purpose: Since the introduction of Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction (ASIR), multiple studies have been conducted to demonstrate its potential in noise reduction and dose saving. On the other hand, the influence of ASIR on system resolution has not been fully studied: high contrast measurements such as MTF and bar patterns could not explain the blurring effect of ASIR on low contrast objects, and an objective evaluation on the system resolution for objects of different contrast levels is missing. Here we tried to fill this gap. Methods: A novel method is proposed under the assumption that the effect of ASIR on low contrast images can be characterized by transfer functions, which can be determined from noise power spectra acquired with and without ASIR. To verify the effectiveness of this method, synthesized images were obtained by filtering low contrast FBP images with the transfer functions, and were then compared with ASIR images. For objects with intermediate contrasts, the effect of ASIR was studied by mimicking objects of the same geometry but different contrast levels through partial volume effect. A thin tungsten wire was imaged with its length covering different portions of the slice thickness, and then profiles and FWHM were obtained to compare the resolving power of the system. Results: Agreement between the synthesized images and ASIR images verified the effectiveness of the proposed method. For 10 cm DFOV and SS100, ASIR's blurring effect on low contrast images was measured as 0.5 lp/cm drop on the 5% MTF. For ASIR images of the tungsten wire with 30–500 HU signal difference, the FWHM of the wire varied with a COV of 2.23%, showing that ASIR did not significantly change the system resolution on intermediate‐contrast objects. Conclusions: ASIR's blurring effect on objects of varying contrast levels could be objectively determined using the proposed methods.
A cautionary aspect of stationary random processes

A problem associated with determining the stationarity of a random process from discrete time samples is noted. >
On a Simultaneous Decision Model for Marketing, Production and Finance: A Rejoinder

The primary focus of Welam's comment [Welam, Ulf Peter. 1977. On a simultaneous decision model for marketing, production and finance. Management Sci.23 9, May 1005--1009.] is the criticism of the specific form of the demand function used to Damon and Schramm [Damon, William W., Richard Schramm. 1972. A simultaneous decision model for production, marketing and finance. Management Sci.19 October 161--172, 13]. His criterion for evaluating the model appears to be the degree to which individual equations faithfully represent the modelled phenomena for all possible values of the endogenous variables. This test of model validity would reject the quadratic approximations of production costs in the Holt, Modigliani, Muth and Simon study [Holt, Charles C. et al. 1960. Planning Production, Inventories, and Work Force. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs.], and would reject the use of quadratic utility functions, since at some level of income or wealth marginal utility becomes negative.
Impact of potential vorticity intrusions on subtropical upper tropospheric humidity

less than 20%) and very moist air ahead (east) of the intrusions (RH around 80%). The dry air within the intrusion is consistent with air from the lowermost stratosphere, while the increase in RH ahead of the intrusions is consistent with the known deep convection and poleward flow in this region, which rapidly transports moist air from the equatorial lower troposphere into the subtropical UT. As the water vapor content of the ambient air in the subtropical UT is already low, the net impact of intrusions is most likely to increase RH in the subtropical UT. Citation: Waugh, D. W. (2005), Impact of potential vorticity intrusions on subtropical upper tropospheric humidity, J. Geophys. Res., 110, D11305, doi:10.1029/2004JD005664.
Effects of resonant mode coupling on optical Characteristics of InGaN-GaN-AlGaN lasers

The phenomenon of resonant mode coupling is modeled and numerically investigated in InGaN-based multiple-quantum-well laser structures. It is shown that under resonant conditions, the internal mode coupling can lead to severe distortions of both near- and far-field characteristics. Taking into account the carrier-induced change of the modal effective index for the lasing mode, we show that the resonant internal mode coupling can result in a strongly nonlinear dependence of the modal gain on injection current, with possible region of negative differential modal gain.
Social support of children of divorce: direct and stress buffering effects.

This study examined the direct and stress-buffering effects of support from family adults, nonfamily adults, family children, and nonfamily children on the adjustment of 104 children of divorce. For children's reports of adjustment, significant stress-buffering (i.e., Stress x Support) interactions for support from family adults and support from nonfamily adults occurred. The lower the level of social support, the stronger the positive relation between stress and adjustment problems. In addition, at high levels of stress, children with high support from nonfamily and family adults reported fewer adjustment problems than did children with low support. However, at the lowest level of stress, children with high support from nonfamily adults were significantly more poorly adjusted than were children with low support. For parental reports of children's adjustment, support from family adults was marginally positively related to adjustment whereas support from nonfamily adults was inversely related to adjustment. Implications for intervention programs for children of divorce are discussed.
Heterotetramers of Human Liver Mitochondrial (Class 2) Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Expressed in Escherichia coli A MODEL TO STUDY THE HETEROTETRAMERS EXPECTED TO BE FOUND IN ORIENTAL PEOPLE

About 50% of the Oriental population have less liver mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) activity than do other people. It was found that they possessed an enzyme with a lysine at position 487 (E487K) instead of glutamate (Glu487). We previously found that the Km for NAD of recombinant human and rat E487K enzymes increased more than 150-fold (Farres, J., Wang X., Takahashi, K., Cunningham, S. J. , Wang, T.T., and Weiner, H (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 13854-13860). Many aldehyde dehydrogenase-deficient people were found to be heterozygous when genotyped for ALDH2. In this study liver tissue from heterozygous people was analyzed and found to possess mRNAs for both the glutamate and the lysine subunits. Western blot analysis showed that the glutamate subunit was present. The cDNAs for Glu487 and E487K were coexpressed on one plasmid in Escherichia coli, and the enzyme forms were separated from each other by isoelectric focusing to show that heterotetramers were formed. Only one Km value for NAD could be measured with the purified heterotetrameric enzyme that possessed just 16-18% activity of the glutamate homotetrameric enzyme. The E487K homotetramers had 8% specific activity of the Glu487 enzyme. There was no pre-steady state burst of NADH formation with the heterotetramer, a property found with the glutamate enzyme. Similar results were found for the coexpressed rat liver enzyme, except that a higher specific activity, 48%, was obtained. Thus, we conclude that presence of the lysine subunit altered the activity of the glutamate subunit in the heterotetramer to make it function more like an E487K enzyme.
Domain‐decomposition approach to local grid refinement in finite element collocation

Advection-dominated flows occur widely in the transport of groundwater contaminants, the movements of fluids in enhanced oil recovery projects, and many other contexts. In numerical models of such flows, adaptive local grid refinement is a conceptually attractive approach for resolving the sharp fronts or layers that tend to characterize the solutions. However, this approach can be difficult to implement in practice. A domain decomposition method developed by Bramble, Ewing, Pasciak, and Schatz, known as the BEPS method, overcomes many of the difficulties. We demonstrate the applicability of BEPS ideas to finite element collocation on trial spaces of piecewise Hermite cubics. The resulting scheme allows one to refine selected parts of a spatial grid without destroying algebraic efficiencies associated with the original coarse grid. We apply the method to steady-state problems with boundary and interior layers and a time-dependent advection-diffusion problem.
Temporal Course of Perceived Vowel Duration

The current study explored the temporal course of the perception of vowel duration. A backward recognition masking paradigm was employed in which the subject was to determine which of two target vo...