cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Training Effectiveness of Wearable and Desktop Simulator Interfaces

The availability of increasingly advanced simulation interfaces has led researchers to question whether these newer interfaces provide a more effective means of providing simulation-based training. An empirical evaluation was conducted comparing the knowledge gained from training with three different systems: narrated computer animations (Flash videos) that are currently in use in the U.S. Army, an interactive virtual environment presented on a standard desktop PC, and the same virtual environment presented on a wearable simulator with head-mounted display. Results indicated no difference in the knowledge gained from any of the training methods, although the Flash videos were deemed less engaging, enjoyable, and elicited less presence than both of the virtual environment training methods. The wearable simulation interface was also found to cause greater levels of simulator sickness than either the desktop PC or Flash video training methods. The results of the current study show no evidence of a benefit of...
A calcium questionnaire — validation using weighed intake

Abstract A questionnaire was designed and tested against 3-day weighed dietary records to assess calcium intake in 41 subjects. The daily mean calcium intake for all subjects from the questionnaire was 1233mg compared with 1122mg estimated by weighed records (r=0.71). The questionnaire gave a higher estimate of mean daily dairy calcium intake than the weighed records (734mg against 557 mg; r=0.56) and lower mean daily non-dairy calcium intake (499 mg against 566 mg; r=0.60). Calcium intake estimated from both methods was ranked in ascending order, and the subjects split into three groups; 20 subjects from the questionnaire fell into the same third as the weighed records, 18 in adjacent thirds and 2 in opposite thirds. On the basis of the results, questionnaires can provide an acceptable estimate of calcium for use in screening and epidemiological surveys.
Learning to explore scientific workflow repositories

Scientific workflows are gaining popularity, and repositories of workflows are starting to emerge. In this paper we describe TopicsExplorer, a data exploration approach for myExperiment.org, a collaborative platform for the exchange of scientific workflows and experimental plans. Our approach uses a variant of topic modeling with tags as features, and generates a browsable view of the repository. TopicsExplorer has been fully integrated into the open-source platform of myExperiment.org, and is available to users at www.myexperiment.org/topics. We also present our recently developed personalization component that customizes topics based on user feedback. Finally, we discuss our ongoing performance optimization efforts that make computing and managing personalized topic views of the myExperiment.org repository feasible.
Abstract 5598: A comprehensive study to analyze tumor sensitivity to HSP90 inhibition therapy.

There have been great advances in receptor-targeted breast cancer therapeutics. However, limited sensitivity and tumor resistance remain significant problems for many patients. To overcome these obstacles our laboratory has focused on targeting HSP90, a global mediator of oncogenic pathways involved in nearly all cancer types. Our laboratory has developed PU-H71 which selectively inhibits oncogenic HSP90 and is one of the first targeted therapies to show preclinical potent activity in the treatment of triple negative breast cancers. Here, we investigate how the complex biology of different types of breast tumors influences response to HSP90 inhibition. Our preliminary data indicate that sensitivity to PU-H71 goes beyond a tumor9s receptor status and is highly driven by its intracellular protein composition. Our objective is to identify specific pharmacodynamic changes in select HSP90 onco-client proteins and regulators of apoptosis associated with HSP90 inhibition as a tool to monitor therapeutic response. Using several different breast cancer cell lines we evaluate how alterations in specific onco-client phosphorylated species as well as the induction of pro-apoptotic protein cleavage correlates to a tumor9s sensitivity to HSP90 inhibition. In addition to testing cell lines, we have developed a system to investigate PU-H71 on primary tumors by treating surgery specimens ‘ex vivo’ (fresh tissue sectioning) to determine response and pharmacodynamic alterations in patient samples. Our long term goal is to establish specific pharmacodynamic changes (PD markers) that correlate to tumor sensitivity allowing us to better predict those patients more likely to benefit from HSP90 inhibition i.e. PU-H71 therapy. Citation Format: Matthew Riolo, Shanu Modi, Adriana Corben, Clifford Hudis, Mary Alpaugh, Gabriela Chiosis. A comprehensive study to analyze tumor sensitivity to HSP90 inhibition therapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5598. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5598
Combined Effect of Loading and Cold Temperature on the Stiffness of Glass Fiber Composites

Because of the short construction season and cold winters in Alaska, the prestressed concrete decked bulb-tee bridge system is very popular. However, the concrete deck is an integral part of the bridge superstructure and cannot be easily replaced when it deteriorates. Obviously, there is merit in combining durable “premanufactured” fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite deck with stiffer prestressed concrete girders in cold regions. However, the effects of long-term exposure to extreme temperature variations and various moisture conditions typical of cold regions on the performance of FRP composite materials are not fully understood. This paper summarizes the combined effect of low-temperature and deformation strain levels on the longitudinal modulus of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) samples. The modulus of elasticity of GFRP laminate coupons was tested at various temperatures down to −31 °F ( −35°C ) by temporarily subjecting the samples to three strain levels of 1,000, 2,000, or 3,000 microstra...
Amorphous Terfenol-D films using nanosecond pulsed laser deposition

Thin films of Terfenol-D were produced by nanosecond pulsed laser deposition (PLD) at two fluences. Electron dispersive spectroscopy conducted using scanning electron and transmission electron microscopes showed that the film compositions were similar to that of the PLD target. Contrary to previous assertions that suggested that nanosecond PLD results in crystalline films, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that the films produced at both fluences were amorphous. Splatters present on the film had similar compositions to the overall film and were also amorphous. Magnetic measurements showed that the films had high saturation magnetization and magnetostriction, similar to high quality films produced using other physical vapor deposition methods.
Membrane-assisted online renaturation for automated microfluidic lectin blotting.

Aberrant glycosylation plays a pivotal role in a diverse set of diseases, including cancer. A microfluidic lectin blotting platform is introduced to enable and expedite the identification of protein glycosylation based on protein size and affinity for specific lectins. The integrated multistage assay eliminates manual intervention steps required for slab-gel lectin blotting, increases total assay throughput, limits reagent and sample consumption, and is completed using one instrument. The assay comprises non-reducing sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) followed by online post-sizing SDS filtration and lectin-based affinity blotting. Important functionality is conferred through both device and assay advances that enable integration of nanoporous membranes flanking a central microchamber to create sub-nanoliter volume compartments that trap SDS–protein complexes and allow electrophoretic SDS removal with buffer exchange. Recapitulation of protein binding for lectin was optim...
An empirical portrait of youthful offenders who sell drugs

Abstract Purpose This study explores the drug dealing behaviors of youthful offenders who sell drugs and examines differences between these offenders and those who do not sell drugs across a variety of measures including types of drugs sold, substance use and behaviors. Methods The sample consists of 227 youthful offenders in two juvenile residential facilities. Chi-square and t-tests are used to assess differences between youth who sell marijuana, hard drugs, and prescription drugs and those youthful offenders who do not sell drugs across a variety of measures. Results The majority of youthful offenders in our sample are involved in drug dealing and many are extensively involved. Drug dealing, however, is not tied solely to economic motivations but is connected to patterns of substance use. Youthful offenders who sell drugs are also engaged in patterns of delinquent and other risky behavior at higher levels but the magnitude of differences in substance use and delinquent or risky behaviors varies by type of drugs sold. Conclusions Youthful offenders who sell drugs are embedded in patterns of substance use and delinquent behavior that differ from those who do not sell drugs and interventions for these youth need to be targeted at multiple levels.
Causal attribution and punishment for crime

This paper analyzes survey respondent's perceptions of the causes and prescribed punishment for crimes described in 25 vignettes. Respondents’ sociodemographic characteristics, chiefly race, affect the perceived cause, whether personal or environmental. Perceived cause in turn affects severity of punishment, with heavier punishment for crimes attributed to personal traits.
Improving the Internet with ICN

Efficient static content distribution is the focus of most ICN efforts. But content distribution is just one of many Internet pain points. An Information Centric approach could potentially spur major advances on most of the Internet's most pressing problems. This talk will discuss where, why, and how ICN could make a difference on a broader scale.
Comparison of self-report versus agency records of service utilization in a community sample of individuals with alcohol use disorders

Health services research has become an important area for evaluating the cost effectiveness of interventions. When used in treatment outcome research, the accuracy of self-report data is essential. The reliability and validity of self-report service utilization among alcohol and drug addicted individuals is questionable and largely unexplored. This study assessed the accuracy of self-report utilization of services compared to service record abstraction in a sample of treatment seeking individuals with alcohol use disorders. The results of the comparative analysis found that the level of agreement for some services, particularly medical, psychiatric and substance abuse inpatient admissions, and social service involvement was good. There was less agreement in emergency room visits and arrests. Factors related to discrepancies between self-report and records were explored.
Storytelling as a Tool for Providing Holistic Care to Women

This article discusses storytelling as a tool for assisting nurses in providing holistic care to women. General information about the function of stories and storytelling is followed by an overview of cultural influences on story development and sharing. Specific examples of how storytelling has been used in clinical practice or by researchers are provided. The article concludes with a discussion of how storytelling can be used to (1) gather pertinent client information, (2) strengthen client-nurse communication, (3) provide client education, and (4) enhance staff and clinician development.
Food and drink in computer labs: why not?

Traditionally, computer labs have a number of logical policies, one of which is to ban or highly restrict food and drink consumption. Evolving usage patterns of computer labs point to the desire by users to make computer labs more "lounge-like" and less "cave-like". Managers of these spaces are accommodating this desire, and some managers have begun to relax these restrictions and allow some food or drink consumption under limited circumstances. Most are still uncomfortable with the idea of unlimited food and drink. Two years ago, the College of Engineering at Colorado State University removed a 30-year ban on food and drink in its computer labs. The results are far from the increase in filthiness and equipment damage that are generally feared from consumables near computing equipment. In fact, the insignificant cost increases are far outweighed by the savings in staff time spent enforcing this unenforceable policy, and by the dividends of goodwill that our organization receives from its users. We explain why computer lab managers should reconsider their policies toward food and drink, and the potential benefits they can derive from relaxing or removing these policies.
Atherectomy of the left main coronary artery with percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass support.

Abstract Left main (LM) coronary artery stenoses have conventionally been precluded from percutaneous coronary angioplasty because of the prohibitive risk of irreversible hemodynamic collapse after acute closure of the artery, and a relatively high risk of late sudden death. 1 When protected by left anterior descending and circumflex coronary artery by-pass grafts, angioplasty of the LM coronary artery can be safely performed but is limited by a rate of recurrent stenosis in excess of 50%. 2 Coronary atherectomy has recently been advocated as an alternative procedure because of preliminary data suggesting a lower incidence of acute closure and restenosis after peripheral atherectomy. 3 A percutaneous cardiopulmonary support system has also been reported to reduce the hazards of high risk conventional angioplasty including angioplasty of the LM coronary artery. 4 We report the successful combined use of percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass and LM coronary atherectomy in a patient incompletely protected by aortocoronary bypass grafts.
Sensory representation in reptilian optic tectum: Some comparisons with mammals

The sensory representations in the tectum of Iguana iguana were studied with electrophysiological recording techniques, and visual, somatic, and auditory cells were found to be represented here. These cells were not equally distributed throughout the tectal laminae. Upper tectal laminae were populated exclusively by visual cells, and deeper laminae were primarily nonvisual. The intermediate laminae had nonvisual, as well as visual, cells. Maps of the visual and somatic representations were constructed, and both representations were topographic and in register with no another. When electrical stimulation was presented via implanted electrodes, orientation responses were evoked that were predictable on the basis of the visuotopic and somatotopic maps. The organizational features of the iguana tectum are strikingly similar to those described in various mammalian species. It is suggested that the pattern of sensory and motor representation used in the midbrain of mammals is an ancient scheme that was retained during the transition from reptilian to mammalian forms more than 180 million years ago.
Adolescent exposure to cocaine, amphetamine, and methylphenidate cross-sensitizes adults to methamphetamine with drug- and sex-specific effects

The increasing availability, over-prescription, and misuse and abuse of ADHD psychostimulant medications in adolescent populations necessitates studies investigating the long-term effects of these drugs persisting into adulthood. Male and female C57Bl/6J mice were exposed to amphetamine (AMPH) (1.0 and 10 mg/kg), methylphenidate (MPD) (1.0 and 10 mg/kg), or cocaine (COC) (5.0 mg/kg) from postnatal day 22 to 31, which represents an early adolescent period. After an extended period of drug abstinence, adult mice were challenged with a subacute methamphetamine (METH) dose (0.5 mg/kg), to test the long-term effects of adolescent drug exposures on behavioral cross-sensitization using an open field chamber. There were no sex- or dose-specific effects on motor activity in adolescent, saline-treated controls. However, AMPH, MPD, and COC adolescent exposures induced cross-sensitization to a subacute METH dose in adulthood, which is a hallmark of addiction and a marker of long-lasting plastic changes in the brain. Of additional clinical importance, AMPH-exposed male mice demonstrated increased cross-sensitization to METH in contrast to the female-specific response observed in MPD-treated animals. There were no sex-specific effects after adolescent COC exposures. This study demonstrates differential drug, dose, and sex-specific alterations induced by early adolescent psychostimulant exposure, which leads to behavioral alterations that persist into adulthood.
Cardiac and skeletal myopathy in beta myosin heavy-chain simian virus 40 tsA58 transgenic mice.

Abstract The mechanisms regulating cardiac muscle differentiation and development are incompletely understood. To examine the relationships between cardiocyte proliferation and differentiation, we tested the ability of a fragment from the rat beta myosin heavy-chain (MHC beta) gene to correctly target expression of a thermolabile simian virus 40 large tumor antigen allele (tsA58) in the developing mouse. Transgene expression in the heart was observed as early as 10 days postconception and was developmentally regulated in parallel with the endogenous MHC beta gene. Expression was also detected in developing skeletal muscle, although at low levels. Despite the temperature sensitivity of the mutant large tumor antigen protein, a subset of transgenic mice in several lineages developed marked cardiac and skeletal myopathies.
Near earth propagation study

Networks of small ground sensors and other near earth devices deployed in the battlefield are postulated to be of considerable value to the future warfighter. The radio frequency (RF) link between devices will dictate the resilience of the network in communicating critical information in the battlespace. A prior knowledge of the RF environment inches above the ground is required to properly design the sensor network. Signal strength was measured with antennas at 4, 7, and 120 inches above the ground over a range of 10 to 400 feet. The source consisted of a 1780 MHz, 1/4 watt transmitter feeding a quarter wave vertical monopole. The receive equipment consisted of a corner reflector monopole, spectrum analyzer and data logger program. Data points were taken at 10-foot increments over the 400-foot range. The received signal, at heights of 4 and 7 inches, were compared to the measurements taken at a height of 120 inches (close to “free space”). It was found that there is a significant increase in path loss as the antenna approached the ground. There was a 15 dB increase in path loss from when the antennas were at 120 inches to 7 inches off the ground and 18 dB increase in path loss with the antenna 4 inches off the ground. Variations in path loss (10 dB) over time (seconds) were also noted.
Asymmetric Synaptic Plasticity Based on Arbitrary Pre- and Postsynaptic Timing Spikes Using Finite State Model

A new computational synaptic plasticity model is presented to embody the relative firing rates between pre-and postsynaptic spikes. The proposed synaptic plasticity model is developed in two steps. Firstly, a finite state model is used to explain diverse protocols of interactive firing spikes, in which an action is produced over state transition to change synaptic efficacy. The produced action denotes synaptic efficacy change rate reliant on a double-stochastic process. Secondly, the total synaptic efficacy update is defined as a nonlinear bounded function dependent on both synaptic efficacy change rate and previous synaptic efficacy value. The proposed synaptic efficacy model is tested experimentally and shows a high degree of similarities with biological data. The inherently determined critical timing window for pre-and-postsynaptic spike pair has a non-zero time shift for peak potentiation or depression, which agrees with the biological synaptic transmission delays in axons and dendrites. Further, numerical analysis shows that the present model is in agreement with well-accepted synaptic learning rule, BCM.
Lovastatin therapy reduces low density lipoprotein apoB levels in subjects with combined hyperlipidemia by reducing the production of apoB-containing lipoproteins: implications for the pathophysiology of apoB production.

We investigated the metabolism of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL), and low density lipoprotein (LDL) apolipoprotein B (apoB) in seven patients with combined hyperlipidemia (CHL), using 125I-labeled VLDL and 131I-labeled LDL and compartmental modeling, before and during lovastatin treatment. Lovastatin therapy significantly reduced plasma levels of LDL cholesterol (142 vs 93 mg/dl, P less than 0.0005) and apoB (1328 vs 797 micrograms/ml, P less than 0.001). Before treatment, CHL patients had high production rates (PR) of LDL apoB. Three-fourths of this LDL apoB flux was derived from sources other than circulating VLDL and was, therefore, defined as "cold" LDL apoB flux. Compared to baseline, treatment with lovastatin was associated with a significant reduction in the total rate of entry of apoB-containing lipoproteins into plasma in all seven CHL subjects (40.7 vs. 25.7 mg/kg.day, P less than 0.003). This reduction was associated with a fall in total LDL apoB PR and in "cold" LDL apoB PR in six out of seven CHL subjects. VLDL apoB PR fell in five out of seven CHL subjects. Treatment with lovastatin did not significantly alter VLDL apoB conversion to LDL apoB or LDL apoB fractional catabolic rate (FCR) in CHL patients. In three patients with familial hypercholesterolemia who were studied for comparison, lovastatin treatment increased LDL apoB FCR but did not consistently alter LDL apoB PR. We conclude that lovastatin lowers LDL cholesterol and apoB concentrations in CHL patients by reducing the rate of entry of apoB-containing lipoproteins into plasma, either as VLDL or as directly secreted LDL.
Indexing Uncertain Categorical Data

Uncertainty in categorical data is commonplace in many applications, including data cleaning, database integration, and biological annotation. In such domains, the correct value of an attribute is often unknown, but may be selected from a reasonable number of alternatives. Current database management systems do not provide a convenient means for representing or manipulating this type of uncertainty. In this paper we extend traditional systems to explicitly handle uncertainty in data values. We propose two index structures for efficiently searching uncertain categorical data, one based on the R-tree and another based on an inverted index structure. Using these structures, we provide a detailed description of the probabilistic equality queries they support. Experimental results using real and synthetic datasets demonstrate how these index structures can effectively improve the performance of queries through the use of internal probabilistic information.
Darwin's ““Imaginary Illustrations””: Creatively Teaching Evolutionary Concepts & the Nature of Science

ABSTRACT An overlooked feature of Darwin's work, is his use of “imaginary illustrations” to show that natural selection is competent to produce adaptive, evolutionary change. When set in the context of Darwin's methodology, these thought experiments provide a novel way to teach natural selection and the nature of science.
“Imprólogo” de Octavio Paz. Apuntes poético-poetológicos sobre la poesía de Vasko Popa

Thi s study is a close-reading of Octavio Paz' "Imprologo" ( Arbol adentro ), a poem that served as prologue to the fi rst anthology of poetry of the Serbian poet Vasko Popa. I propose to analyze the text under three aspects: first, it is a poetic practice that evolves through the examination of the poetry of Paz' friend and colleague. Second, "Imprologo" is a study of the value of negation, a lyrical exercise carried out through the repeated deferral to being carried out. Thirdly, the poem offers a new, poetological reflection on intertextuality, conceived as a poetic dialogue in suspense. Thus, Paz reaffi rms -on the new terrains of negation combined with intertextuality- the potential of the poetic to allude, through the words, to something beyond words.
Sioux: a scab resistant red Potato variety.

Sioux is a uniform round, red, slightly scaly russet variety of medium maturity. The variety is resistant to scab (Streptomyces scabies) and susceptible to Fusarium, Verticillium and late blight. In Nebraska, Sioux produces moderate to high yields, but higher yields of U.S. #1 potatoes when compared with the standard red table varieties Norland and Bounty. The specific gravity of Sioux is higher than that of the standard red table and white chipping varieties Haig, Platte and Kennebec. The variety is suitable for chipping and the production of frozen products. When grown as a late summer crop, Sioux is of good color and carries to market in better condition than the standard red varieties. In the 12 States in the North Central Regional Trials, Sioux was equal to the standard variety Red Pontiac in total yield and superior in yield of U.S. #1 potatoes. The specific gravity of Sioux was higher than that of Irish Cobbler or any of the other standard varieties. The yield of Sioux was as high and the specific gravity was higher than any of the standard varieties in Texas and Alabama trials.
Cholera at the Crossroads: The Association Between Endemic Cholera and National Access to Improved Water Sources and Sanitation

We evaluated World Health Organization (WHO) national water and sanitation coverage levels and the infant mortality rate as predictors of endemic cholera in the 5-year period following water and sanitation coverage estimates using logistic regression, receiver operator characteristic curves, and different definitions of endemicity. Each was a significant predictors of endemic cholera at P < 0.001. Using a value of 250 for annual cases reported in 3 of 5 years, a national water access level of 71% has 65% sensitivity and 65% specificity in predicting endemic cholera, a sanitation access level of 39% has 63% sensitivity and 62% specificity, and an infant mortality rate of 65/1,000 has 67% sensitivity and 69% specificity. Our findings reveal the tradeoff between sensitivity and specificity for these predictors of endemic cholera and highlight the substantial uncertainty in the data. More accurate global surveillance data will enable more precise characterization of the benefits of improved water and sanitation.
Clustering methods for the identification of structured composite sources

Results are presented concerning the problem of identifying temporal structure in composite sources. An alternative class of techniques for identifying the underlying structure of a SCS (structured composite source) from its estimated transition matrix is proposed. These techniques are postulated directly with respect to the discrete elements of a Markov chain and allow for non-hierarchical and hierarchical decomposition. The general structure of this class is developed, and examples based on a specific clustering algorithm are discussed. >
The timing of growth promotion and conversion to indole-3-acetic acid for auxin precursors

Using a high resolution continuous recording technique, the length of the latent period preceding the growth response to two suspected precursors of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) indole-3-acetonitrile (IAN), and indole-3-ethanol was studied in corn (Zea mays L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and peas (Pisum sativum L.). The timing of the conversion in vivo of these presumed precursors to IAA was also examined. In wheat the rate of conversion of IAN to IAA is rapid, and the latent period in the growth response to IAN is correspondingly short. In corn the rate of conversion in vivo of IAN to IAA is slow, and there is a long latent period in the growth response. In peas there is no conversion of IAN to IAA, and there is no measurable growth response to IAN. These data indicate that IAN is active in promoting growth only after conversion to IAA. This conclusion is strengthened by transport studies. Using a similar approach, we have also obtained data indicating that indole-3-ethanol is active only after conversion to IAA.
LINC power amplifier combiner method efficiency optimization

Linear amplification using nonlinear components (LINC) is a method of vector summing two constant amplitude phase-modulated signals to achieve power amplification. The theoretical efficiency of the LINC power amplifier has been reported as 100% since highly efficient nonlinear constant amplitude amplifiers can be used. However, the 100% efficiency performance is only possible at one or two loads along the power output curve. The bulk of the papers regarding LINC has focused on clever implementations of the signal vector decomposition as well as methods to achieve highly linear signal separation. There has been little regard in the literature to the signal combiner implementation necessary to achieve the high power-added efficiency (PAE) of the LINC radio frequency (RF) power amplifier. Efficiency is not an intrinsic property of the combiner implementations, however, the combiner method is the single biggest contributor to efficient performance of a LINC RF power amplifier. This paper develops an analysis method that determines the efficiency of the LINC power amplifier as a function of the amplitude modulation statistics. This can be employed to design the RF communication system amplitude modulation characteristics and to tradeoff and optimize the RF transmitter PAE.
An Explicit, Characteristic-Free, Equivariant Homology Equivalence Between Koszul Complexes

Let E and G be free modules of rank e and g, respectively, over a commutative noetherian ring R. The identity map on E*⊗ G induces the Koszul complex and its dual Let H&#x1d4a9;(m,n,p) be the homology of the top complex at Sym m E*⊗ Sym n G⊗ ∧ p (E*⊗ G) and Hℳ(m,n,p) the homology of the bottom complex at D m E⊗ D n G*⊗ ∧ p (E⊗ G*). It is known that H&#x1d4a9;(m,n,p)≅ Hℳ(m′, n′, p′), provided m + m′ = g − 1, n + n′ = e − 1, p + p′ = (e − 1)(g − 1), and 1 − e ≤ m − n ≤ g − 1. In this article, we exhibit a complex &#x1d550; and explicit quasi-isomorphisms from &#x1d550; to two complexes, as described above, for the appropriate choice of parameters, which give rise to this isomorphism. Our quasi-isomorphisms may be formed over the ring of integers; they can be passed to an arbitrary ring or field by base change. All of our work is equivariant under the action of the group GL(E) × GL(G); that is, everything we do is independent of the choice of basis. Knowledge of the homology of the top complex is equivalent to knowledge of the modules in t...
Efficiency of unstable resonator semiconductor lasers

The external quantum efficiency, ηd of an unstable resonator semiconductor laser is calculated in terms of the eigenvalue of the oscillating field. Design considerations for optimising ηd by controlling the mirror reflectivities are given.
Experiences of Teacher Reflection: Reggio Inspired Practices in the Studio.

A teacher educator phenomenologically researches with two studio teachers, creating a dynamic of three reflective practitioners making meaning of their time in the studios. They are reflective practitioners as they claim to practice learning and teaching in reflection, action and reflective action. In their team of three, they explore the question: How can reflective practices help us make meaning of our experiences in the early childhood studio? This team ventures to find meaning in their reflective studio encounters as they work together to reflect back on their experiences in a school’s studios. Working with small groups of children in two studios, these teacher researchers co-learn with children, in one studio about making family faces and the other about creating birds and nests. They bring together their trails and traces of learning – their documentation – to collaborate on reflecting back their experiences and make meaning of them to move forward in their work. In reflecting, problems arise with c...
Dosimetric accuracy of proton therapy for chordoma patients with titanium implants.

Purpose: To investigate dosimetric errors in proton therapy treatment planning due to titanium implants, and to determine how these affect postoperative passively scattered proton therapy for chordoma patients with orthopedic hardware. Methods: The presence of titanium hardware near the tumor may affect the dosimetric accuracy of proton therapy. Artifacts in the computed tomography (CT) scan can cause errors in the proton stopping powers used for dose calculation, which are derived from CT numbers. Also, clinical dose calculation algorithms may not accurately simulate proton beam transport through the implants, which have very different properties as compared to human tissue. The authors first evaluated the impact of these two main issues. Dose errors introduced by metal artifacts were studied using phantoms with and without titanium inserts, and patient scans on which a metal artifact reduction method was applied. Pencil-beam dose calculations were compared to models of nuclear interactions in titanium and Monte Carlo simulations. Then, to assess the overall impact on treatment plans for chordoma, the authors compared the original clinical treatment plans to recalculated dose distributions employing both metal artifact reduction and Monte Carlo methods. Results: Dose recalculations of clinical proton fields showed that metal artifacts cause range errors up to 6 mm distal to regions affected by CT artifacts. Monte Carlo simulations revealed dose differences >10% in the high-dose area, and range differences up to 10 mm. Since these errors are mostly local in nature, the large number of fields limits the impact on target coverage in the chordoma treatment plans to a small decrease of dose homogeneity. Conclusions: In the presence of titanium implants, CT metal artifacts and the approximations of pencil-beam dose calculations cause considerable errors in proton dose calculation. The spatial distribution of the errors however limits the overall impact on passively scattered proton therapy for chordoma.
Factors Influencing the Quantity of Abdominal Fat in Broilers 2. Cage Versus Floor Rearing

Abstract A practical-type diet was fed to broilers reared in cages and litter-floor pens. A temperature of 29° C. was maintained for the entire growing period. Results show that more abdominal fat and ether extract percentage of body weight were obtained for broilers reared in cages as compared to birds reared in litter-floor pens.
Row spacing effects on N2-fixation, N-yield and soil N uptake of intercropped cowpea and maize

In the tropics, cowpea is often intercropped with maize. Little is known about the effect of the intercropped maize on N2-fixation by cowpea or how intercropping affects nitrogen fertilizer use effiency or soil N-uptake of both crops. Cowpea and maize were grown as a monocrop at row spacings of 40, 50, 60, 80, and 120 cm and intercropped at row spacing of 40, 50, and 60 cm. Plots were fertilized with 50 kg N as (NH4)2SO4; microplots within each plot received the same amount of15N-depleted (NH4)2SO4. Using the15N-dilution method, the percentage of N derived from N2-fixation by cowpea and the recovery of N-fertilizer and soil N-uptake was measured for both crops at 50 and 80 days after planting.
Balancing horizontal accuracy and data collection efficiency with mapping-grade GPS receivers

Weusedmapping-gradeglobalpositioningsystem(GPS)receiverstoexaminepost-processedhorizontalmeasurement accuraciesduring nine separate visitstosix sitesthat eachcontained 10 test points withina second-growth Douglas-firforest.OurprimaryobjectivewastocompareGPSaccuraciesresultingfromtwodifferentreceiverconfigurations that vary in productivityand accuracy. A secondaryobjective wasto determine howaccuracies would change with recordinginterval (whether we averaged 1, 5, 10, 30 or 60 positions). We also examined which environment-andGPS-relatedfactorsmostinfluencedGPSaccuracy.Rootmeansquareerror(RMSE)atthe95percent confidencelevel(RMSE95)usingthe‘default’GPSsetting(positiondilutionofprecision(PDOP):6;SNR39;minimum elevation158)was6.0 m,whileRMSE95using ‘maximum’settings(PDOP: 20;SNR33;minimumelevation:58)was 8.0 macrossallsitesandrecordingintervals.Usingdefaultsettings,RMSE95decreasedfrom7.3 mwhenaveraging one position to 4.4 m when averaging 60. For maximum settings, RMSE95 decreased from 9.1 to 6.5 m. Our best models selected basal area, dilution of precision and weather, but not terrain. When using default settings the averagewait timewas 55 sec whencollecting one position and 236 sec whenaveraging60. Using maximum settings,averagewaittimewas8 secwhencollectingoneposition,and74 secwhenaveraging60positions.Theerrors that we report are acceptable for many forestry applications. These results should help users to balance productivity with accuracy when using mapping-grade GPS receivers in second-growth Douglas-fir forests.
Empirical modeling and comparison of robotic tasks

How can we describe and measure real robotic systems? Implemented robotic systems for intelligent tasks are are often extremely complicated, depending not only on 'interesting' theoretical parameters and models, but on many assumptions and constants which may be set almost arbitrarily. In order to evaluate and compare systems which employ diverse components and methods, we are obliged to employ empirical, performance based methods. We model task implementations as particular parameterizations of the task goals they represent. Through fractional factorial experiments and analysis of variance we establish the statistically significant parameters and parameter interactions for a pair of part-orienting tasks. Sensitivity analysis determines optimal parameter values and reveals relationships among parameters as they affect task performance.
Integrating bioinformatics and algorithm design

A staple in any accredited undergraduate curriculum in Computer Science is a course in 'The Design and Analysis of Algorithms'. Additionally, an increasing number of universities now offer bioinformatics courses and majors. This paper provides some specific algorithms and problems from bioinformatics that can be used to illustrate a variety of design techniques in an algorithms course. It first describes some fundamental biochemical prerequisite knowledge needed for a basic understanding of bioinformatics. The paper then discusses the major algorithm design techniques including brute force, divide-and-conquer, transform-and-conquer, dynamic programming, and the greedy approach. For each of these design techniques, the bioinformatics problem of nucleotide and protein sequence alignment is discussed and solved. The motivation for this project stems from a desire to spice up the traditional 'Design and Analysis of Algorithms' course by introducing students to concepts from the exciting and rapidly expanding field of bioinformatics.
Dynamic Frailty and Change Point Models for Recurrent Events Data

We present a Bayesian analysis for recurrent events data using a nonhomogeneous mixed Poisson point process with a dynamic subject-specific frailty function and a dynamic baseline intensity func- tion. The dynamic subject-specific frailty employs a dynamic piecewise constant function with a known pre-specified grid and the baseline in- tensity uses an unknown grid for the piecewise constant function. Imple- mentation of Bayesian inference using a reversible jump Markov Chain Monte Carlo (RJMCMC) algorithm is developed to handle the change of the dimension in the parameter space for models with a random num- ber of change points. A data set provided by Grubbs et al. (1991) with recurrent times to mammary tumors for 59 rats is used to illustrate the application of the new models. We compare several models including constant or piecewise constant subject-specific frailty and a fixed num- ber or a random number for the change points in the baseline using the pseudo-marginal likelihood criterion. We show that models with a ran- dom number of change points in the baseline improve upon that of a fixed number.
Bad Legislative Intent

This Article focuses on the role, if any, that a legislative body's bad intent in passing election laws should play when courts assess the constitutionality of those laws. For purposes of this Article, by bad intent in the election law area, I mean a legislative intent to protect incumbents, a political party, or the two major political parties, from political competition. I argue that, despite the arguments of some leading election law scholars, including Professor Richard H. Pildes, proof of such bad intent should be neither necessary nor sufficient for an election law challenge to succeed, though it should be relevant in getting courts to take a hard look at election laws. Rather than focus on intent, courts should primarily examine the effect of election laws on the rights of individuals and groups, and, when the effects are severe enough, carefully balance those bad effects against the stated and proven interests of the state in the election law.Part I of this Article offers three reasons why proof of bad legislative intent should not be necessary to strike down an election law. First, bad election laws can emerge even when the legislature has noble intentions. Second, bad legislative intent sometimes is going to be difficult to prove. Legislators often will have an incentive to hide incumbency or party-protecting intent. Third, a rule premised on proof of bad legislative intent will be easy to circumvent, and could quickly become useless rule for policing anti-competitive election laws.Part II argues that proof of bad legislative intent should not be sufficient for courts to strike down election laws on constitutional grounds because the test will allow for more arbitrary and pretextual judicial decisionmaking. The risk exists because it is sometimes difficult to draw the line between good and bad legislative intent, even among the class of laws that appear to be driven, at least in part, by anticompetitive aims.Part III then discusses my alternative to an intent-based test. I argue for a careful balancing of asserted state interests against the rights of individuals and groups to engage in collective action for political purposes. Although courts have purported to engage in balancing, balancing has been tepid (or even a sham) and its protections against legislative self-dealing largely illusory. I offer recent examples of the courts' weak balancing efforts. Courts should engage in closer means-ends scrutiny.Finally, Part IV uses the analysis developed in the first three parts to offer some very tentative thoughts about how the arguments against reliance on bad legislative intent in the election law context might apply to other constitutional claims, such as Establishment Clause, free speech, and race discrimination claims.
Noninvasive Ventilation After Extubation in Obese Critically Ill Subjects

Obesity has become a major public health problem, with recent data demonstrating that about a third of the US population is obese [1]. The economic impact of obesity is significant because of the associated comorbidities and the increased health-care utilization of obese subjects [2]. This increasing proportion of obesity among the overall population is reflected by the high proportion of obese subjects who are admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). Some series have estimated that 18–25 % of critically ill subjects are obese [3, 4]. In this particular population, the most common reason for admission to an ICU is respiratory failure, and up to 55 % of obese subjects who are admitted to an ICU require mechanical ventilatory support [5, 6]. This emphasizes the importance of understanding the mechanisms of respiratory failure, ventilatory strategies, and the approach to weaning and extubation to decrease the risk for reintubation and improve the outcomes in critically ill obese patients. This last aspect is the focus of this chapter.
A silicon/plastic hybrid tissue multimodal assay tweezer with integrated polysilicon strain gauge displacement sensor

Surgeons make decisions on the use of different surgical tools providing a spectrum of contact forces to cut and manipulate tissue. These decisions are mostly made without quantitative data about the mechanical integrity and mechanical properties of the tissue. Here we demonstrate an instrumented silicon/plastic hybrid tweezer that can be used for measuring multiple tissue properties. Two different types of microprobes with various penetration force versus distance are designed to measure indentation and insertion. Eight strain gauges are integrated for measuring indentation and insertion force. Two platinum electrodes are integrated on insertion probes for electrical impedance measurement. Moreover, two sets of polysilicon strain gauges are integrated for measuring the tweezer gap displacement are integrated into the hinge structure. We demonstrated the displacement sensor with a sensitivity of 101.2 μV/μm. With these thin-film sensors, insertion force, electrical impedance and elastic properties of tissue can be monitored simultaneously in time-critical surgeries. We also report for the first time, simultaneous multimodal measurement of tissue properties to distinguish different tissue type and changes in tissue types after aging. We measured the Young's modulus of tissue in the range of 13.2 to 47.4 kPa, the electrical impedance in the range of 150.7 to 7.53 kOhms from 0.3 to 1000 kHz, and insertion force in the range of 6.42 to 1.64 mN.
Multiple-Time Step Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Based on Two-Electron Integral Screening.

A multiple-timestep ab initio molecular dynamics scheme based on varying the two-electron integral screening method used in Hartree-Fock or density functional theory calculations is presented. Although screening is motivated by numerical considerations, it is also related to separations in the length- and timescales characterizing forces in a molecular system: Loose thresholds are sufficient to describe fast motions over short distances, while tight thresholds may be employed for larger length scales and longer times, leading to a practical acceleration of ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. Standard screening approaches can lead, however, to significant discontinuities in (and inconsistencies between) the energy and gradient when the screening threshold is loose, making them inappropriate for use in dynamics. To remedy this problem, a consistent window-screening method that smooths these discontinuities is devised. Further algorithmic improvements reuse electronic-structure information within the dynamics step and enhance efficiency relative to a naive multiple-timestepping protocol. The resulting scheme is shown to realize meaningful reductions in the cost of Hartree-Fock and B3LYP simulations of a moderately large system, the protonated sarcosine/glycine dipeptide embedded in a 19-water cluster.