cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using Support Vector Machines classification to differentiate spectral signatures of potato plants infected with Potato Virus Y

Abstract Potato Virus Y (Potyviridae, PVY) has resulted in significant economic harm to potato (Solanum tuberosum) farmers and has disrupted seed supplies to commercial growers, especially in varieties with beneficial processing and marketing attributes but high disease susceptibility such as Russet Burbank and Russet Norkotah varieties. Commercial growers rely entirely on seed producers and certification systems to get disease-free seed as they have no recourse to mitigate seed-borne PVY after the seed is planted. Potato seed stock producers currently utilize intensive pesticide applications to suppress insect vectors and human-resource intensive activities where workers visually inspect and remove suspect infected plants during the growing season. Industry stakeholders also depend upon extensive field and tuber sampling coupled with off-season growouts and laboratory testing to ascertain infection levels within certification programs. Despite these efforts, seed producers and certification agencies are currently unable to control PVY infection in the industry’s seed pipeline, and this has a significant impact on commercial markets and regional economies. The industry also lacks a consistent, scalable, accurate, and robust detection system capable of assessing every plant within the seed potato production agro-ecosystem during the production season. Remote sensing technologies coupled with machine learning classifiers are a significant leap forward in the detection and differentiation of plant disease incidence. The continuing advancement of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and unmanned ground vehicles provide access to high spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution instrumentation with which to monitor dynamic agricultural production systems at a leaf-scale resolution. In this study, we demonstrate PVY-infected potato plants in an agricultural production field produce different spectral reflectance profiles in comparison to neighboring non-infected plants. The Support Vector Machines (SVM) classifier differentiated spectral reflectance curves of PVY-infected and non-infected plants at an accuracy of 89.8% using near infrared and shortwave infrared wavelengths. The classification accuracy dropped to 46.9% using red, green, and blue wavelengths that the industry currently utilizes to detect diseased plants visually. This research shows that remote sensing and machine learning classifiers outperform current industry standards and have the potential to greatly enhance PVY detection efforts resulting in improved potato seed stock quality necessary to maximize yields.
Impact of feeding difficulties in the NICU on neurodevelopmental outcomes at 8 and 20 months corrected age in extremely low gestational age infants

The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between neonatal risk factors and feeding difficulties (FDs) in the NICU and the impact of FD on neurodevelopmental (ND) outcome in ELGA infants. Two hundred and eighteen ELGA infants (59 FDs and 159 no-FDs) were compared for neonatal morbidities, feeding milestones, and Bayley-III scores at 8 and 20 mo CA. Multiple regression analyses adjusted for the effect of risk factors on FD and ND outcome. Twenty-seven percent of infants had FD. Postmenstrual age (PMA) at start of oral feeds was the only predictor of FD. At 8 mo CA, FD was the strongest predictor of cognitive <85 (p = 0.018) and motor index <70 (p = 0.019). In linear regression, PMA at start of oral feeds was the only predictor of 8 mo cognitive and motor index (p = 0.006). FD did not predict ND outcome at 20 months CA. FDs are common in ELGA infants and are associated with worse cognitive and motor outcomes in the first year of life.
Probabilistic connection of traffic conflicts with crashes

Abstract A conflict is claimed if the separation between conflicting road users becomes shorter than an already short threshold. A response delay is understood as a further separation reduction below the threshold. A crash is the result of a too long delay in responding to a failure that initiated the conflict. A survival model is proposed to calculate the probability of a crash conditional on a currently observed separation shorter than the threshold. The Lomax distribution of heterogonous response times is derived and proposed to be estimated with observed response delays. The Lomax-based conditional probability of crash multiplied by the number of observed conflicts equals the expected number of crashes. Different but proper separation thresholds applied to observe traffic conflicts produce the same expected number of crashes.
Pulmonary Valve Endocarditis: The Potential Utility of Multimodal Imaging Prior to Surgery

Background:The presence of echocardiographic (echo) evidence is a major criterion for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE) by modified Duke criteria. Pulmonary valve (PV) IE, however, can b...
Climate adaptive silviculture strategies: How do they impact growth, yield, diversity and value in forested landscapes?

Abstract Forest managers have been wrestling with questions of how best to prepare today’s forests for a future climate that may be quite different from the climate under which they were established. We used the LANDIS forest landscape model to conduct a factorial simulation experiment to assess the landscape-wide effects of alternative cutting and planting practices in northern Wisconsin (USA) under three climate change scenarios simulated for 300 years to allow demographic legacies to be overcome by the experimental treatments. Our objective was to assess the relative ability of actionable components of silvicultural strategies to maintain productivity and economical and ecological values of forests under future climates compared to a “business as usual” (BAU) silviculture scenario representing current sustained yield practices. We found that the general effect of climate change was to increase the biomass of all species (CO2 fertilization and increased growing season), although the most cold-adapted species eventually declined under warming climate scenarios. Two alternative silvicultural strategies produced clearly different outcomes compared to the BAU scenario. Total landscape tree biomass was least under BAU, reflecting its high biomass removal rates, and greatest under the most aggressive climate-adapted silviculture strategy coupled with a high CO2 climate scenario due to increased growth and relatively high removal rates. Harvested outputs responded to both climate and silvicultural strategy, with the high CO2 scenario reducing biomass available for harvesting compared to a moderate CO2 scenario, except under the aggressive climate-adapted strategy. Our study suggests that creative silvicultural practices can be developed (and tested) to maintain productive and ecologically healthy forests under future climate conditions.
Chapter 4 - On the Assessment of Language Competence in the Chimpanzee1

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the main accomplishments of a program designed to teach language to a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes). It discusses the functions or exemplars of language—the things an organism must do to give evidence of having language—and describes the strict training procedures. Words; sentences; the interrogative, the conditional, the metalinguistic use of language to teach language; and dimensional concepts, such as color, shape, size, are the major exemplars of language. If language is divided into behavioral constituents and training programs are devised for each constituent, language can be inculcated in organisms that cannot otherwise acquire it. If every complex rule can be broken into simpler components, the only ceiling on the chimp's accomplishments can be the astuteness of the training program. Man and chimpanzee can conceivably attain comparable limits by different steps. The training paradigm involves three steps and the introduction of two words at the same time.
Content-Based Searching and Filtering of Visual Information

Searching and filtering images and videos from large visual information sources calls for efficient algorithms and tools with new functionalities. Content-based tools have proven promising in recent research and development, as they provide powerful techniques that complement the traditional, text-based approach. This paper includes a brief survey of current work in this field, discusses promising directions of research based on experience in developing large-scale prototype systems, and finally describes our views towards the emerging multimedia content description standard, MPEG-7.
Protein Phosphatase 2A and Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis Facilitate Robust Melanopsin Light Responses and Resensitization.

Purpose Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) that express the visual pigment melanopsin regulate non-image-forming visual tasks, such as circadian photoentrainment and pupil constriction, as well as contrast detection for image formation. Sustained ipRGC function throughout the day is, therefore, of great importance. Melanopsin is a bistable rhabdomeric-type (R-type) visual pigment, which is thought to use light to regenerate its chromophore from all-trans-retinal back to 11-cis-retinal and does not depend on constant chromophore supply to the extent required by visual pigment in rod and cone photoreceptors. Like the majority of photopigments and G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), melanopsin deactivation requires C-terminal phosphorylation and subsequent β-arrestin binding. We hypothesize that melanopsin utilizes canonical GPCR resensitization mechanisms, including dephosphorylation and endocytosis, during the light, and together, they provide a mechanism for prolonged light responses. Methods Here, we examined expression of protein phosphatases from a variety of subfamilies by RT-PCR and immunohistochemical analyses of the mouse retina. The expression of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) in ipRGCs was assessed. We also examine the role of phosphatase and endocytic activity in sustaining melanopsin signaling using transiently-transfected HEK293 cells. Results Our analyses suggest that melanopsin-mediated light responses can be rapidly and extensively enhanced by PP2A activity. Light-activated melanopsin undergoes endocytosis in a clathrin-dependent manner. This endocytic activity enhances light responses upon repeated stimulation, implicating a role for endocytic activity in resensitization. Conclusions Thus, we propose that melanopsin phototransduction is maintained by utilizing canonical GPCR resensitization mechanisms rather than reliance on chromophore replenishment from supporting cells.
Rates of Serious Surgical Errors in California and Plans to Prevent Recurrence.

Importance Despite widespread recognition and known harms, serious surgical errors, known as surgical never events, endure. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has developed an oversight system to capture never events and a platform for process improvement that has not yet been critically appraised. Objectives To examine surgical never events occurring in hospitals in California and summarize recommendations to prevent future events. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study identified 386 CDPH hospital administrative penalty reports, of which 142 were ascribable to never events occurring during surgery. These never events were identified and summarized from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2017. A directed qualitative approach was used to analyze CDPH-mandated corrective steps to reduce future errors in this multicenter study of all accredited hospitals in California. Inclusion of surgical never event records was based on definitions established by the US Department of Health and Human Services National Quality Forum. Data analysis was performed from January 1, 2019, to November 30, 2020. Exposures Never events include death or disability of an American Society of Anesthesiologists class I patient, wrong site or wrong surgery, retained foreign objects, burns, equipment failure leading to intraoperative injury, nonapproved experimental procedures, insufficient surgeon presence or privileges, or fall from the operating room table. Main Outcomes and Measures Incident rates, consequences, and improvement plans to prevent additional never events were outcomes of interest. Results A total of 142 never events were reported to the CDPH (1 per 200 000 operations). Annual surgical volume for hospitals with events was 9203 vs 3251 cases for hospitals without events (P < .001). A total of 94 of 142 events (66.2%) were retained foreign objects ranging from Kocher clamps to drain sponges. Wrong site or patient surgery accounted for 22 events (15.5%), surgical burns for 11 (7.7%), and other for 15 (10.6%). Other included insufficient surgeon presence, equipment failure, or falls in the operating room. Improvement plans included 18 unique categories of recommendations from regulators, many focusing on proper use of checklists. Regulators mandated a mean (SD) of 13 (7) corrective actions in the improvement plans. Policy adherence monitoring (119 [90.2%]), revision of existing policy (84 [63.6%]), and education regarding policy (83 [62.9%]) were common action items, whereas disciplinary action toward staff was rare (11 [8.3%]). Conclusions and Relevance Surgical never events are a rare issue in California. Numerous strategies have evolved to reduce errors, many involving the thorough and proper use of intraoperative checklists.
Work-in-Progress–—AR-supported Collaborative Game for Understanding Complex Systems

In our increasingly interconnected and complex world, issues that emerge from local circumstances can give rise to pressing global crises. To successfully address these crises and prepare future generations to become contributing members of society, this paper presents the design of a Work-in-Progress collaborative AR game - Swarm, which aims at helping students' understand how complex systems emerge and the causal mechanism underlying such adaptive systems. The game design process is guided by the PAIR-C framework, an innovative theoretical contribution to conceptual change.
Comparison of Low-Dose Direct Acting Anticoagulant and Warfarin in patients Aged ≥80 years With Atrial Fibrillation.

Low dose direct acting oral anticoagulants (LDDOACS) were approved for elderly atrial Fibrillation (AF) patients with limited information. A retrospective analysis collecting baseline characteristics and outcomes in AF patients ≥ 80 prescribed LDDOAC or warfarin (W), from a multidisciplinary practice between 1/1/11 (First LDDOAC available) and 5/31/17 was conducted. From 9660 AF patients, 514 ≥ 80 received a LDDOAC and 422 W. A multivariable comparison found LDDOAC patients were older (p
FAAH and CNR1 Polymorphisms in the Endocannabinoid System and Alcohol-Related Sleep Quality

Sleep disturbances are common among individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and may not resolve completely with short-term abstinence from alcohol, potentially contributing to relapse to drinking. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is associated with both sleep and alcohol consumption, and genetic variation in the ECS may underlie sleep-related phenotypes among individuals with AUD. In this study, we explored the influence of genetic variants in the ECS (Cannabinoid receptor 1/CNR1: rs806368, rs1049353, rs6454674, rs2180619, and Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase/FAAH rs324420) on sleep quality in individuals with AUD (N = 497) and controls without AUD (N = 389). We assessed subjective sleep quality (from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index/PSQI) for both groups at baseline and objective sleep efficiency and duration (using actigraphy) in a subset of individuals with AUD at baseline and after 4 weeks of inpatient treatment. We observed a dose-dependent relationship between alcohol consumption and sleep quality in both AUD and control groups. Sleep disturbance, a subscale measure in PSQI, differed significantly among CNR1 rs6454674 genotypes in both AUD (p = 0.015) and controls (p = 0.016). Only among controls, neuroticism personality scores mediated the relationship between genotype and sleep disturbance. Objective sleep measures (sleep efficiency, wake bouts and wake after sleep onset), differed significantly by CNR1 rs806368 genotype, both at baseline (p = 0.023, 0.029, 0.015, respectively) and at follow-up (p = 0.004, p = 0.006, p = 0.007, respectively), and by FAAH genotype for actigraphy recorded sleep duration at follow-up (p = 0.018). These relationships suggest a significant role of the ECS in alcohol-related sleep phenotypes.
Nanoparticle-Based Topical Ophthalmic Gel Formulation for Sustained Release of Hydrocortisone Butyrate.

This study was conducted to develop formulations of hydrocortisone butyrate (HB)-loaded poly(d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (PLGA NP) suspended in thermosensitive gel to improve ocular bioavailability of HB for the treatment of bacterial corneal keratitis. PLGA NP with different surfactants such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), pluronic F-108, and chitosan were prepared using oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion evaporation technique. NP were characterized with respect to particle size, entrapment efficiency, polydispersity, drug loading, surface morphology, zeta potential, and crystallinity. In vitro release of HB from NP showed a biphasic release pattern with an initial burst phase followed by a sustained phase. Such burst effect was completely eliminated when nanoparticles were suspended in thermosensitive gels and zero-order release kinetics was observed. In HCEC cell line, chitosan-emulsified NP showed the highest cellular uptake efficiency over PVA- and pluronic-emulsified NP (59.09 ± 6.21%, 55.74 ± 6.26%, and 62.54 ± 3.30%, respectively) after 4 h. However, chitosan-emulsified NP indicated significant cytotoxicity of 200 and 500 μg/mL after 48 h, while PVA- and pluronic-emulsified NP exhibited no significant cytotoxicity. PLGA NP dispersed in thermosensitive gels can be considered as a promising drug delivery system for the treatment of anterior eye diseases.
Generating Synthetic Data to Allow Learning from a Single Exemplar per Class

Recent years have seen an explosion in the volume of historical documents placed online. The individuality of fonts combined with the degradation suffered by century old manuscripts means that Optical Character Recognition Systems do not work well here. As human transcription is prohibitively expensive, recent efforts focused on human/computer cooperative transcription: a human annotates a small fraction of a text to provide labeled data for recognition algorithms. Such a system naturally begs the question of how much data must the human label? In this work we show that we can do well even if the human labels only a single instance from each class. We achieve this good result using two novel observations: we can leverage off a recently introduced parameter-free distance measure, improving it by taking into account the “complexity” of the glyphs being compared; we can estimate this complexity using synthetic but plausible instances made from the single training instance. We demonstrate the utility of our observations on diverse historical manuscripts.
Elements of computer algebra with applications

Part 1 Mathematical foundations and basic algorithms: intergers polynomials. Part 2 Applications: error correcting codes and cryptography greatest common divisors of polynomials over the integers and polynomial remainder sequences factorization of polynomials over the integers isolation and approximation of the real roots of polynomial equations. Appendix: linear algebra.
Induction in Multi-Label Text Classification Domains

Automated classification of text documents has two distinctive aspects. First, each training or testing example can be labeled with more than two classes at the same time—this has serious consequences not only for the induction algorithms, but also for how we evaluate the performance of the induced classifier. Second, the examples are usually described by great many attributes, which makes induction from hundreds of thousands of training examples prohibitively expensive. Both issues have been addressed by recent machine-learning literature, but the behaviors of existing solutions in real-world domains are still far from satisfactory. Here, we describe our own technique and report experiments with a concrete text database.
Allosteric sites of phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5)

To date, relative cellular levels of cGMP and cGMP-binding proteins have not been considered important in the regulation of smooth muscle or any other tissue. In rabbit penile corpus cavernosum, intracellular cGMP was determined to be 18 +/- 4 nM, whereas the cGMP-binding sites of types Ialpha and Ibeta cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) and cGMP-binding cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE5) were 58 +/- 14 nM and 188 +/- 6 nM, respectively, as estimated by two different methods for each protein. Thus, total cGMP-binding sites (246 nM) greatly exceed total cGMP. Given this excess of cGMP-binding sites and the high affinities of PKG and PDE5 for cGMP, it is likely that a large portion of intracellular cGMP is associated with these proteins, which could provide a dynamic reservoir for cGMP. Phosphorylation of PDE5 by PKG is known to increase the affinity of PDE5 allosteric sites for cGMP, suggesting the potential for regulation of a reservoir of cGMP bound to this protein. Enhanced binding of cGMP by phosphorylated PDE5 could reduce the amount of cGMP available for activation of PKG, contributing to feedback inhibition of smooth muscle relaxation or other processes. This introduces a new concept for cyclic nucleotide signaling.
Refinement planning: status and prospectus

Most current-day AI planning systems operate by iteratively refining a partial plan until it meets the goal requirements. In the past five years, significant progress has been made in our understanding of the spectrum and capabilities of such refinement planners. In this talk, I will summarize this understanding in terms of a unified framework for refinement planning and discuss several current research directions.
Design of a bridge vibration monitoring system (BVMS)

The average age of the 607,380 bridges in the U.S. is 42 years old. All bridges are required to be inspected every two years, and the frequency of these inspections increases as they age. The current bi-annual cost to inspect all bridges is $2.7 billion and each bridge requires 1-3 days for on-site inspection, depending on the complexity of the bridge. The longer it takes to identify a deficiency; the more stress that is exerted on other components of the bridge, resulting in a domino effect creating more defects. According to the Federal Highway Administration’s 2009 statistics, $70.9 billion is needed to address the current backlog of deficient bridges. Advances in technology provide an opportunity to reduce the cost by 23.7%-26.9%, and improve the quality of bridge inspections by migrating from a periodic manual bridge inspection paradigm (e.g. once every 2 years or less) to an event-based inspection (e.g. inspect only when needed).
Synthesizing Monitors for Safety Properties: This Time with Calls and Returns

We present an extension of past time LTL with call/return atoms, called ptCaRet , together with a monitor synthesis algorithm for it. ptCaRet includes abstract variants of past temporal operators, which can express properties over traces in which terminated function or procedure executions are abstracted away into a call and a corresponding return. This way, ptCaRet can express safety properties about procedural programs which cannot be expressed using conventional linear temporal logics. The generated monitors contain both a local state and a stack. The local state is encoded on as many bits as concrete temporal operators the original formula has. The stack pushes/pops bit vectors of size the number of abstract temporal operators the original formula has: push on begins, pop on ends of procedure executions. An optimized implementation is also discussed and is available to download.
Comparison of Cysteine and Tryptophan Content of Insoluble Proteins Derived from Wild-Type and mi-1 Strains of Neurospora crassa

The possibility of an amino acid substitution (cysteine for tryptophan) in a membrane protein of the [mi-1] strain of Neurospora crassa has been investigated in detail by using a double radioactive labeling procedure. Auxotrophic strains of Neurospora having wild-type [+] or [mi-1] cytoplasm have been grown under conditions which result in the specific labeling of protein tryptophan with 3 H and protein cysteine with 35 S. Although the least soluble 1 to 20% of the [mi-1] mitochondrial membrane protein was usually found to have a higher Cys/Trp ratio (ratio of cysteine plus half-cystine to tryptophan) than the corresponding [+] fraction, it has been shown that these differences were due mainly to the presence of differential amounts of a very insoluble, cysteine-rich (Cys-rich) material. The same Cys-rich material was found in variable amounts in both [+] and [mi-1] cultures, but the concentration was usually higher in the [mi-1] cultures. The Cys-rich material is clearly distinct from “structural protein” on the basis of amino acid composition and appears to have no direct relationship to the [mi-1] phenotype. In the absence of the Cys-rich material, no difference between the Cys/Trp ratios of corresponding [+] and [mi-1] membrane proteins could be detected. We conclude, therefore, that the previously postulated amino acid substitution of cysteine for tryptophan in [mi-1] membrane protein is incorrect. Images
Interaction of Bacillus subtilis purine repressor with DNA

A purine repressor (PurR) mediates adenine nucleotide-dependent regulation of transcription initiation of the Bacillus subtilis pur operon. This repressor has been purified for the first time, and binding to control site DNA was characterized. PurR binds in vitro to four operons. Apparent Kd values for binding were 7 nM for the pur operon, 8 nM for purA, 13 nM for purR, and 44 nM for the pyr operon. In each case, DNase I footprints exhibited a pattern of protected and hypersensitive sites that extended over more than 60 bp. A GAAC-N24-GTTC sequence in the pur operon was necessary but not sufficient for the PurR-DNA interaction. However, this motif, which is conserved in the four binding sites, was not required for binding of PurR to purA. Thus, the common DNA recognition element for binding of PurR to the four operons is not known. Multiple PurR-pur operon DNA complexes having a binding stoichiometry that was either approximately two or six repressor molecules per DNA fragment were detected. The results of a torsional constraint experiment suggest that control site DNA forms one right-handed turn around PurR.
Stability of a set of matrices: an application to hybrid systems

Asymptotic stability and stabilizability of a set of matrices are defined and investigated. Asymptotic stability of a set of matrices requires that all infinite products of matrices from that set tend to zero. Asymptotic stabilizability of a set of matrices, however, requires that there is at least one such sequence in the set. The upper and lower spectral radius of a set are defined to aid in the analysis. Necessary and sufficient conditions for asymptotic stability and stabilizability are provided leading to some methods using Lyapunov theory. Finally hybrid system stability is considered when the continuous state part of the hybrid system is modeled as a linear discrete time system. It is shown that the concept of stability of matrix sets may be helpful in analysis and control design of such hybrid systems.
Incentive-Based Negotiation Model for System of Systems Acquisition

Lack of collaboration between individual systems and system of systems (SoS) program management is identified as one of the leading problems in SoS acquisition. This is especially a major concern in acknowledged SoS where a designated SoS program management has no authority over the constituent systems. Therefore, it is important to consider mechanisms to persuade individual systems to participate in the SoS development. In SoS where individual systems have their own self-interests, negotiation becomes an important mechanism to increase participation in SoS development. Another mechanism, incentives, is used in a wide range of applications to improve performance and collaboration. In this paper, an incentive based negotiation model is outlined as a mechanism to increase participation of individual systems into the SoS development. The negotiation model is integrated into an SoS Engineering and Architecting multilevel model referred to as Flexible & Intelligent Learning Architectures for SoS (FILA-SoS). Various aspects of SoS acquisition are modeled in the FILA-SoS including SoS meta-architecture generation, evaluation as well as negotiation between SoS and individual systems. Individual systems exhibit behaviors, ranging from selfish to cooperative. The negotiation model is demonstrated on an SoS engineering application: Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) SoS acquisition case where a desired meta-architecture is selected for negotiation, and incentives are determined for systems based on deviation from the desired meta-architecture quality. The analyses of the results from this application domain provide insights into how incentives can be used by decision makers to increase participation in SoS engineering and development.
Solzhenitsyn's Challenge to Russia and the West

Operating out of a Slavophile tradition, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn offers a critique of both Soviet and Western societies that is comprehensive and damning. A review of his writings reveals a profound rejection of many core values and practices of Western civilization. What is viewed as an aberrant Soviet experience is understood as but a logical extension of developments in the West. Solzhenitsyn′s prescription for an identified Soviet and Western moral bankruptcy draws on past Russian Orthodox thinking and practices. Playing to Russian collectivist and conservative instincts, he venerates an idyllic Russian rural setting; but that setting has little relevance to contemporary Soviet reality. Ironically, Solzhenitsyn′s strong reformist inclinations are not unlike those of many reformers now championing change in a post‐Soviet Russia. But his stated political and economic preferences place him solidly in the ranks of contemporary Russian nationalist extremists, making him a leading figure for those promoting ...
School Spending Profiles: A Framework to Enlighten Resource Allocation Decisions*

Despite improved fiscal accounting systems, many district leaders continue to struggle with how to report and use fiscal data for the purpose of strategic resource decisions. This paper proposes the creation and use of school spending profiles as a way to communicate more complete and comparable school spending information. The proposed school spending profile provides not only a complete picture of school expenditures reflecting real costs, but it also indicates spending relative to each school's mix of student needs. Data from Denver Public Schools (DPS) illustrate how profiles can provide dashboard indicators useful for district leadership. Key assumptions and implications are considered.
New designs of work groups: applications of empowerment

Examines new developments in work group design. Autonomous work groups, also called self‐regulated work groups or self‐managing work teams, have been described as originating primarily from socio‐technical work design. The concept of autonomous work groups has also been described as a more comprehensive application of the methods employed in quality circles. Both of these examples will be shown to be inaccurate descriptions of a truly self‐managed work team. Instead, through the implementation and application of self‐managed work teams, a combination of socio‐technical design is utilized with a concept that goes far beyond that of quality circles‐empowerment. Empowerment is the idea that employees and groups can achieve higher levels of productivity, quality, and team member satisfaction through delegation of more task‐related decisions to the team. However, there are considerations in the implementation of autonomous work groups. These include development of trust, appropriate status and reward systems, ...
Heat Transfer Across Ball Bearings in Vacuum

Accurate spacecraft bearing temperature predictions often require both system and bearing level heat source and thermal conductance information. Bearing thermal conductance data is usually the most significant unknown in the development of the thermal model and little has been published in open literature on the subject. Consequently experiments have been conducted at The Aerospace Corporation to address this topic, with special attention given to applications such as high-speed momentum and flywheels. An experiment was designed to measure thermal conductance across a single bearing under both static and dynamic states. This paper will describe the test results for an angular-contact ball bearing under controlled inner race rotational speed, axial load, and thermal conditions. Tests were conducted on both dry and Nye Pennzane SHF2001 synthetic oil lubricated bearings. Test data showed that thermal conductance is sensitive to a complex interdependent set of variables including maximum run-in speed, axial load and temperature. A basic physical understanding of the heat transfer mechanism across a bearing was developed based on experimental results.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
A method for instantaneous frequency tracking of multiple narrowband signals

Abstract An adaptive technique to compute the Fourier coefficients of time-varying signals is presented. The algorithm is based on a decomposition of the signal onto a set of sinusoids which are not constrained to be linearly independent. The Kaczmarz Row Action Projection algorithm is used to solve the decomposition as a constrained least squares problem. An adaptive strategy is used to partition the frequency spectrum into isolated narrowband regions. The algorithm updates the spectral estimates of the resulting frequency bands on a sample by sample basis in the time domain. The new technique produces a signal decomposition with very good localization in both time and frequency domains. The detection of tones spaced closer than that expected by the uncertainty principle is demonstrated. The performance of the method for fast frequency tracking of multiple tones is also presented. The instantaneous frequency tracking capability of the new algorithm is shown by computer simulation to offer certain advantages over that of the analytic signal and the Wigner distribution methods. Computational complexity issues of the new method are also discussed.
Assessment of Worldwide Acute Kidney Injury, Renal Angina and Epidemiology in Critically Ill Children (AWARE): study protocol for a prospective observational study

Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with poor outcome in critically ill children. While data extracted from retrospective study of pediatric populations demonstrate a high incidence of AKI, the literature lacks focused and comprehensive multicenter studies describing AKI risk factors, epidemiology, and outcome. Additionally, very few pediatric studies have examined novel urinary biomarkers outside of the cardiopulmonary bypass population.
Practical algorithm for identifying subgroups of space groups

The problem of identifying subgroups G' of a space group G with respect to a conventional listing is considered. The properties of space groups and subgroups are given in terms of an algebraic rather than a geometric description. In this algebraic description, G' is equivalent to one of the standard listings through a similarity transformation consisting of a linear unimodular component and a translation. A general algorithm is presented to determine which standard listing corresponds to subgroup G'. The algorithm is applied to a specific example, a subgroup of ${D}_{3d}^{6}$.
Blood gene expression profiling in liver transplant recipients with hepatitis C virus and posttransplantation diabetes mellitus.

Background. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a risk factor for developing posttransplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) after liver transplantation; little is known about the biological mechanisms involved with this risk. This study investigated gene expression differences to provide insight into potential mechanisms. Patients and Methods. Gene expression profiles of blood samples obtained from 6 HCV+ liver transplant recipients were determined using Affymetrix U133 Plus 2.0 microarrays. Differential gene expression was assessed between HCV+ recipients with PTDM (n = 3) and without PTDM (n = 3) using the GeneSpring 7.3 software package. The Welch t test was used to identify significant differences (P <.05) between groups. Gene expression profiles for 6 HCV- liver transplant recipients (with PTDM = 3, without PTDM = 3) were used as a blind test set to evaluate a subset of genes to predict PTDM. Results. Expression levels of 347 genes were significantly different between recipients with PTDM and those without PTDM. Seventy-four genes were up-regulated and 270 were down-regulated in PTDM. Genes were categorized into functional classes: apoptosis (n = 69 genes); immune function (n = 110); diabetes (n = 17); hepatitis C (n = 12); liver transplant (n = 69). The expression profile of a subset of genes was evaluated for predicting PTDM in 6 HCV- transplant recipients. We accurately predicted the presence or absence of PTDM in 5/6 recipients. Conclusions. PTDM in HCV+ liver transplant recipients was associated with down-regulated expression of a large number of genes. A subset of these genes was useful to predict PTDM in HCV- recipients. Most genes were associated with apoptosis and immune function. HCV may act as a primer by affecting a group of genes involved in developing diabetes.
Case study, interrupted: the paucity of subject systems that span the requirements-architecture gap

A number of approaches for spanning the requirements-architecture gap have been published in recent years, and we sought to rigorously characterize the gap and to conduct a comparative evaluation of approaches to span the gap using a case study method on a realistic problem. However, our intentions were impeded by the problem of finding appropriate subject systems that included sufficient information in both requirements and architecture document. Most subject systems that we found contained either detailed requirements or detailed architecture description, but not both. In this paper, we report on our search and the seventeen most suitable subject systems with the hope of aiding others undertaking a similar study. We speculate on the reasons for the paucity of suitable subject systems and invite contributions and suggestions for our ongoing work.
Statistical test of anarchy

Abstract “Anarchy” is the hypothesis that there is no fundamental distinction among the three flavors of neutrinos. It describes the mixing angles as random variables, drawn from well-defined probability distributions dictated by the group Haar measure. We perform a Kolmogorov–Smirnov (KS) statistical test to verify whether anarchy is consistent with all neutrino data, including the new result presented by KamLAND. We find a KS probability for Nature's choice of mixing angles equal to 64%, quite consistent with the anarchical hypothesis. In turn, assuming that anarchy is indeed correct, we compute lower bounds on | U e 3 | 2 , the remaining unknown “angle” of the leptonic mixing matrix.
From Renewable to Alternative: Waste Coal, the Pennsylvania Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard, and Public Legitimacy

Efforts to explain the failure of the U.S. federal government to pass energy legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions often turn to the theory of resource dependency. This theory is challenged by Pennsylvania's adoption of a Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) policy, since Pennsylvania produces more coal than any of the other 27 with an RPS policy. However, we resist rejecting a theory that emphasizes resource dependence in this case, because Pennsylvania's RPS policy includes a fossil fuel: waste coal. Instead, we argue that a theory of the state that emphasizes policymakers' role in managing public legitimacy is needed to explain how resource dependence becomes a point of contestation in policy hearings. We demonstrate how Pennsylvania policymakers used rhetorical maneuvers and changed the title of the policy to justify the inclusion of waste coal in a renewable energy policy.
Biliary tract inflammatory disorders: primary sclerosing cholangitis and primary biliary cirrhosis.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) are chronic progressive cholestatic diseases that frequently lead to biliary cirrhosis. The exact pathogenesis of these diseases remains elusive but is likely immunologically based. Complications range from fatigue and pruritus to end-stage liver disease. The risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma is low for patients with PBC, whereas cholangiocarcinoma is common in PSC and carries an ominous prognosis. Although ursodeoxycholic acid is effective in slowing the progression of PBC, no effective medical therapy exists for PSC. Liver transplantation is the only option for patients with endstage liver disease and yields excellent long-term survival in both groups.
3D eigenfunction expansion of sparsely sampled 2D cortical data

Various cortical measures such as cortical thickness are routinely computed along the vertices of cortical surface meshes. These metrics are used in surface-based morphometric studies. If one wishes to compare the surface-based morphometric studies to 3D volume-based studies at a voxel level, 3D interpolation of the sparsely sampled 2D cortical data is needed. In this paper, we have developed a new computational framework for explicitly representing sparsely sampled cortical data as a linear combination of eigenfunctions of the 3D Laplacian. The eigenfunctions are expressed as the product of spherical Bessel functions and spherical harmonics. The coefficients of the expansion are estimated in the least squares fashion iteratively by breaking the problem into smaller subproblems to reduce a computational bottleneck.
Critical size of transitional copper clusters for ground state structure determination: empirical and ab initio study

We studied a critical size of copper (Cu) clusters where the electronic effect and the size effect on the ground state structure become weaker. Identification of these transitional clusters thus provides with the means to efficiently determine the ground state structure of large clusters using density functional theory (DFT). Our work indicated that beyond the critical size of the transitional cluster, geometrical effects become important, and the putative global minimum structure obtained from an empirical method can be used as an initial structure to determine the true ground state structure using DFT. Structural evolution of ground states was also presented with an increase in the cluster size. To investigate low-lying structures of Cu, we used a Monte Carlo (MC)-simulated annealing method that employs the aggregate-volume-bias MC algorithm. Incorporated in the MC method is an embedded atom method potential developed by the authors. This search method identified the low-lying structures in an effective...
Automated synthesis of interface adapters for reusable classes

The need to fit together reusable components and system designs in spite of differences in protocol and representation choices occurs often in object-oriented software construction. It is therefore necessary to use adapters to achieve an exact fit between the available “socket” for a reusable part and the actual part. In this paper we discuss an approach to the construction of tools that largely automate the synthesis of adapter code. Such tools are important in reducing the effort involved in reuse since adapter synthesis can be challenging and error-prone in the complex type environment of an object-oriented language. Our approach is applicable to statically typed languages like C++ and Eiffel, and is based on a formal notion of adaptability which is related to but distinct from both subtyping and inheritance.
Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Liquids: External Ionization Energies.

Abstract A method is reported here for the determination of ionization energies of liquids or solutions by means of photoelectron spectroscopy (PES). It is, to our knowledge, the first determination of its kind in liquid-phase ultraviolet PES. A number of applications is foreseen.
Isolation of the human chromosomal band Xq28 within somatic cell hybrids by fragile X site breakage.

Abstract The chromosomal fragile-site mapping to Xq27.3 is associated with a frequent form of mental retardation and is prone to breakage after induced deoxyribonucleotide pool perturbation. The human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) genes flank the fragile X chromosome site and can be used to monitor integrity of the site in human-hamster somatic cell hybrids deficient in the rodent forms of these activities. After induction of the fragile X site, negative selection for HPRT and positive enrichment for G6PD resulted in 31 independent colonies of HPRT-,G6PD+ phenotype. Southern blot analysis demonstrated the loss of all tested markers proximal to the fragile X site with retention of all tested human Xq28 loci in a majority of the hybrids. In situ hybridization with a human-specific probe demonstrated the translocation of a small amount of human DNA to rodent chromosomes in these hybrids, suggesting chromosome breakage at the fragile X site and the subsequent translocation of Xq28. Southern blot hybridization of hybrid-cell DNA, resolved by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, for human-specific repetitive sequences revealed abundant CpG-islands within Xq28, consistent with its known gene density. The electrophoretic banding patterns of human DNA among the hybrids were remarkably consistent, suggesting that fragile X site breakage is limited to a relatively small region in Xq27-28. These somatic cell hybrids, containing Xq27.3-qter as the sole human DNA, will aid the search for DNA associated with the fragile X site and will augment the high resolution genomic analysis of Xq28, including the identification of candidate genes for genetic-disease loci mapping to this region.
High-field magneto-optic measurements of amorphous Gd-Si alloys

The temperature and magnetic-field dependence of the magneto-optic Kerr effect was used to determine the temperature and field dependence of the magnetization of amorphous ${\mathrm{Gd}}_{x}{\mathrm{Si}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$ films for composition x near the metal-insulator (MI) transition at fields up to 25 T. Amorphous ${\mathrm{Gd}}_{x}{\mathrm{Si}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$ was previously shown to exhibit spin glass freezing and suppression of the magnetization well below the noninteracting Brillouin function for ${\mathrm{Gd}}^{3+}$ at fields to 6 T at 4 K, indicative of strong mixed ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions. The Kerr rotation was found to be proportional to the directly measured magnetization at low fields. The high-field Kerr data show that the magnetization is not saturated even at 25 T and 4 K, reaching a value of approximately 0.6 of the expected saturation magnetization value. The data indicate extremely strong indirect exchange interactions despite the localization of electrons at the MI transition; the strong disorder might be the cause of the observed near perfect balancing of these interactions. The Kerr ellipticity was small.