cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Review of McKinsey report: How the world’s best performing school systems come out on top

These are heady times in the world of international survey assessments. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which sponsors the Program in International Student Assessment (PISA) and the International Adult Literacy Strategy (IALS), and the International Education Agency (IEA), which sponsors the Trends In Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Progress in International Reading and Literacy Study (PIRLS), have achieved substantial, if indirect, influence on education policy in many nations. Over the last two decades, these four assessments have expanded in both scope and coverage. Each successive administration has involved a larger number of jurisdictions and garnered greater coverage in the media when scores are announced. More significantly, in many of these jurisdictions policy makers attend to the outcomes (particularly the so-called league tables) and new governmental policies are enacted as a result. Of course, the interest in education stems largely from an appreciation of the role of human capital development in economic growth (Hanushek et al. 2008). At the same time, education researchers have taken advantage of the treasure trove of data to conduct sophisticated analyses: some focus on the relationships among student performance, student background characteristics and school contexts; others look for connections between student outcomes and classroom practices. More often than not, an important goal is to identify those conditions that account for the success of the ‘‘highflyers,’’ those jurisdictions that top the charts. To this ever-growing corpus, McKinsey and Company has contributed the present report, a study of 25 jurisdictions selected on the basis of their performance on PISA 2003, TIMSS or the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a bi-annual assessment carried out in the United States. Most were either top scoring or displayed clear improvement trajectories over a number of administrations. A few countries in the Middle East and Latin America were included for comparison purposes, although they are not much mentioned in the text. The authors conducted an extensive literature review and a large number of interviews. In the end, they reached a rather unsurprising conclusion;
The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Helicase Rrm3p Facilitates Replication Past Nonhistone Protein-DNA Complexes

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae RRM3 gene encodes a 5' to 3' DNA helicase. While replication of most of the yeast genome was not dependent upon Rrm3p, in its absence, replication forks paused and often broke at an estimated 1400 discrete sites, including tRNA genes, centromeres, inactive replication origins, and transcriptional silencers. These replication defects were associated with activation of the intra-S phase checkpoint. Activation of the checkpoint was critical for viability of rrm3Delta cells, especially at low temperatures. Each site whose replication was affected by Rrm3p is assembled into a nonnucleosomal protein-DNA complex. At tRNA genes and the silent mating type loci, disruption of these complexes eliminated dependence upon Rrm3p. These data indicate that the Rrm3p DNA helicase helps replication forks traverse protein-DNA complexes, naturally occurring impediments that are encountered in each S phase.
Convenient categories for topology

Abstract The paper begins with a general construction of a coreflective subcategory of an epireflective subcategory of TOP. Such a category is called convenient if it is generated by a class of compact Hausdorff spaces and satisfies certain conditions, k-spaces and sequential spaces from convenient categories. It is shown that convenient categories are cartesian closed, and some consequences of this fact are obtained.
Defining the Southwestern End of the Blytheville Arch, Northeastern Arkansas: Delimiting a Seismic Source Zone in the New Madrid Region

Vibroseis seismic-reflection profiles around the southwestern end of the Blytheville arch document the southwesterly extent of the arch and refine the length of a fault zone that coincides with the arch. The 74.3 km of newly interpreted profiles and previously described profiles form a network of lines across and around the southern end of the arch. The southwestern terminus of the arch is defined by the absence of significantly upwarped or extensively disrupted reflectors, which are diagnostic traits of the arch where it is well developed. The arch is 134 km long as documented here, which is only slightly longer than the length reported by previous studies. Differing opinions about the magnitude of the 1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes could be partly explained by substantially longer seismic source zones, but this minor increase in source zone length does not reconcile the large differences in magnitude estimates of the events. If future earthquake ruptures associated with the arch are confined to areas of extensive deformation, then this well documented southwestern termination precludes a rupture substantially longer than ∼134 km along the zone of seismicity that coincides with the axis of the Reelfoot rift.
Biomechanical function of the distal radioulnar and ulnocarpal wrist ligaments.

Abstract Purpose: This study was designed to provide quantitative information concerning the functions of the ligaments that stabilize the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ). This joint permits the radius to rotate around a nearly fixed ulna allowing supination and pronation of the hand. Understanding their function is important in developing procedures for reconstruction. Methods: Using a ligament tension transducer that hooked under the center of the ligament and deflected it laterally while measuring the force required, we determined the tensions in 6 ligaments in 9 cadaver arms in pronation and supination of the hand. These ligaments included those of the DRUJ: palmar distal radioulnar ligament (PDRUL) and dorsal distal radioulnar ligament (DDRUL); and the ulnocarpal joint ligaments: ulnolunate ligament (ULL), ulnotriquetral ligament (UTL), and the ulnocarpal collateral ligament (UCCL), which includes the subsheath of the extensor carpi ulnaris, and the dorsal ulnocarpal ligament (DUCL). Results: For the ligaments of the DRUJ in supination, the mean tension in the PDRUL (2.6 N) was greater than that of the DDRUL (0.8 N), whereas in pronation the mean tension in the PDRUL (1.1 N) was less than that of the DDRUL (1.7 N). For the ulnocarpal ligaments in supination, the ligament tensions in the ULL, UTL, and the UCCL were significantly greater than the same ligaments with the forearm pronated. The DUCL tension remained unchanged throughout supination and pronation. Conclusions: In supination of the forearm all ligaments except for the DDRUL had equivalent tensions, indicating their role in stabilizing the joint to this motion. In pronation ligament tensions generally were lower but were distributed over all 6 ligaments tested. DUCL tension was equivalent in both supination and pronation, unlike the other ligaments that had greater tensions in supination.
Insecticide Resistance and Esterase Enzyme Variation in the California Red Scale (Homoptera: Diaspididae)

A population of California red scale, Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell), was found to be resistant to the organophosphates chlorpyrifos and methidathion, and to the carbamate carbmyl when compared with a susceptible population. The esterase inhibitor S,S,S-tributyl phosphorotrithioate increased chloropyrifos toxicity in the resistant population to a greater extent than in the susceptible population, suggesting that esterase enzymes were involved in chlorpyrifos, but not methidathion or carbaryl resistance. The esterase banding patterns of both populations were characterized using cellulose acetate electrophoresis. As many as 5 esterase bands were detected in 2nd-instar females, early 3rd-instar nongravid females, late 3rd-instar nongravid females, 2nd-instar males, pupal males, and adult males. There was variation between sexes and stages of scale in the relative mobility, frequency of occurrence, and activity of the esterase bands. There was no consistent trend in the number of bands relative to insecticide resistance. However, there was a trend in 5 of 6 scale stages tested for the insecticide-resistant population to exhibit higher esterase activity in band EST-3 compared with the susceptible population. When tested on the same cellulose acetate plate, insecticide-resistant, nongravid 3rd-instar females exhibited significantly greater esterase activity in band EST-3 compared with susceptible individuals. When staining duration was reduced from 45 to 5 min, fewer esterase bands were detected; however, the EST-3 band remained and showed even greater differentiation in activity between susceptible and resistant individuals. These data suggest that the EST-3 band is involved in insecticide resistance in California red scale and that the EST-3 band in nongravid 3rd-instar females could be used for a diagnostic test for resistance.
Dual action of 2-decynoyl coenzyme A: Inhibitor of hepatic mitochondrial trans-2-enoyl coenzyme A reductase and peroxisomal bifunctional protein and substrate for the mitochondrial β-oxidation system☆

The present study was designed to determine the action of the 2-acetylenic acid thioester on mitochondrial fatty acid chain elongation and beta-oxidation. Addition of 2-decynoyl CoA to a rat liver mitochondrial suspension resulted in a significant stimulation of the rate of oxidation of NADPH and NADH. This enhanced oxidation rate was not due to the mitochondrial trans-2-enoyl CoA reductase-catalyzed conversion of the 2-acetylenic acid thioester to the saturated product, decanoate, as measured by gas-liquid chromatography. On the contrary, the mitochondrial trans-2-enoyl CoA reductase activity was markedly inhibited by the 2-acetylenic acid derivative, as evidenced by the decrease in the reduction of trans-2-decenoyl CoA to decanoic acid. Incubation of the mitochondrial fraction with either NADPH or NADH and 2-decynol CoA resulted in the gas chromatographic identification of three products: beta-ketodecanoate, beta-hydroxydecanoate, and trans-2-decenoate. In the absence of reduced pyridine nucleotide, a single product was formed and identified as beta-ketodecanoate. Confirmation of the identity of this product was obtained by the observation of the formation of the Mg2+-enolate complex (303-nm absorbance peak). These results suggest that, although the 2-decynoyl CoA is an inhibitor of mitochondrial trans-2-enoyl CoA reductase activity, it is a substrate for the mitochondrial trans-2-enoyl CoA hydratase (crotonase). This was confirmed by incubation of 2-decynoyl CoA with commercially purified liver mitochondrial crotonase. The beta-ketodecanoate is formed in a two-step process: hydration of the 2-decynoyl CoA to an unstable enol intermediate which undergoes rearrangement to the beta-ketodecanoyl CoA. Interestingly, although the mitochondrial crotonase can utilize the 2-acetylenic acid thioesters, this was not the case for the peroxisomal bifunctional hydratase which was markedly inhibited by varying concentrations of 2-decynoyl CoA.
Asymptotic behavior of form factors for two- and three-body bound states. II. Spin- 1 2 constituents

The asymptotic behavior of form factors for two- and three-particle bound states is investigated in the case of spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ constituents in order to shed some light on the underlying structure of the pion and nucleon. Here the Blankenbecler-Sugar approach proves to be a powerful tool for studying dynamics at infinite momentum. For a two-body interaction which for large momentum transfer behaves as $V(q,k)\ensuremath{\simeq}{[{(q\ensuremath{-}k)}^{2}]}^{\ensuremath{-}1\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\Delta}}$ we obtain for the two- and three-body form factors ${F}_{2}\ensuremath{\simeq}{({Q}^{2})}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{3}{2}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\Delta}}$ and ${F}_{3}\ensuremath{\simeq}{({Q}^{2})}^{\ensuremath{-}3\ensuremath{-}2\ensuremath{\Delta}}$, respectively, in the case of scalar and pseudoscalar couplings and ${F}_{2}\ensuremath{\simeq}{({Q}^{2})}^{\ensuremath{-}1\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\Delta}}$ and ${F}_{3}\ensuremath{\simeq}{({Q}^{2})}^{\ensuremath{-}2\ensuremath{-}2\ensuremath{\Delta}}$ for the vector coupling. The experimental pion and nucleon form factors are, e.g., consistently recovered by assigning a quark-antiquark and three-quark structure to the pion and nucleon, respectively, and assuming that the quarks interact via "vector-gluon exchange" (i.e., $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$).
New processable polyaromatic keto‐sulfones with internal acetylene units

Polyaromatic ketone-sulfones of high molecular weight have been obtained from bis-(3-carboxyphenyl) acetylene dichloride, isophthaloyl chloride, terephthaloyl chloride, and 4,4-diphenoxydiphenyl sulfone in a Friedel-Craft-type polycondensation. The polymer products are white powders and form transparent, strong films. These polymers could be reacted by Diels–Alder cycloaddition with 1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene. These polymers showed only a very slight increase in viscosity over those that were not reacted with diphenylbutadiene.
RACK1, an insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) receptor-interacting protein, modulates IGF-I-dependent integrin signaling and promotes cell spreading and contact with extracellular matrix.

The insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) receptor (IGF-IR) is known to regulate a variety of cellular processes including cell proliferation, cell survival, cell differentiation, and cell transformation. IRS-1 and Shc, substrates of the IGF-IR, are known to mediate IGF-IR signaling pathways such as those of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), which are believed to play important roles in some of the IGF-IR-dependent biological functions. We used the cytoplasmic domain of IGF-IR in a yeast two-hybrid interaction trap to identify IGF-IR-interacting molecules that may potentially mediate IGF-IRregulated functions. We identified RACK1, a WD repeat family member and a G homologue, and demonstrated that RACK1 interacts with the IGF-IR but not with the closely related insulin receptor (IR). In several types of mammalian cells, RACK1 interacted with IGF-IR, protein kinase C, and 1 integrin in response to IGF-I and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate stimulation. Whereas most of RACK1 resides in the cytoskeletal compartment of the cytoplasm, transformation of fibroblasts and epithelial cells by v-Src, oncogenic IR or oncogenic IGF-IR, but not by Ros or Ras, resulted in a significantly increased association of RACK1 with the membrane. We examined the role of RACK1 in IGF-IR-mediated functions by stably overexpressing RACK1 in NIH 3T3 cells that expressed an elevated level of IGF-IR. RACK1 overexpression resulted in reduced IGF-I-induced cell growth in both anchorage-dependent and anchorage-independent conditions. Overexpression of RACK1 also led to enhanced cell spreading, increased stress fibers, and increased focal adhesions, which were accompanied by increased tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase and paxillin. While IGF-I-induced activation of IRS-1, Shc, PI3K, and MAPK pathways was unaffected, IGF-I-inducible 1 integrin-associated kinase activity and association of Crk with p130 CAS were significantly inhibited by RACK1 overexpression. In RACK1-overexpressing cells, delayed cell cycle progression in G1 or G1/S was correlated with retinoblastoma protein hypophophorylation, increased levels of p21 Cip1/WAF1 and p27 Kip1 , and reduced IGF-I-inducible Cdk2 activity. Reduction of RACK1 protein expression by antisense oligonucleotides prevented cell spreading and suppressed IGF-I-dependent monolayer growth. Our data suggest that RACK1 is a novel IGF-IR signaling molecule that functions as a positive mediator of cell spreading and contact with extracellular matrix, possibly through a novel IGF-IR signaling pathway involving integrin and focal adhesion signaling molecules.
DSM-5 Field Trials in the United States and Canada, Part I: Study Design, Sampling Strategy, Implementation, and Analytic Approaches

ObjectiveThis article discusses the design, sampling strategy, implementation, and data analytic processes of the DSM-5 Field Trials.MethodThe DSM-5 Field Trials were conducted by using a test-retest reliability design with a stratified sampling approach across six adult and four pediatric sites in the United States and one adult site in Canada. A stratified random sampling approach was used to enhance precision in the estimation of the reliability coefficients. A web-based research electronic data capture system was used for simultaneous data collection from patients and clinicians across sites and for centralized data management. Weighted descriptive analyses, intraclass kappa and intraclass correlation coefficients for stratified samples, and receiver operating curves were computed. The DSM-5 Field Trials capitalized on advances since DSM-III and DSM-IV in statistical measures of reliability (i.e., intraclass kappa for stratified samples) and other recently developed measures to determine confidence in...
Guided Policy Search

Direct policy search can effectively scale to high-dimensional systems, but complex policies with hundreds of parameters often present a challenge for such methods, requiring numerous samples and often falling into poor local optima. We present a guided policy search algorithm that uses trajectory optimization to direct policy learning and avoid poor local optima. We show how differential dynamic programming can be used to generate suitable guiding samples, and describe a regularized importance sampled policy optimization that incorporates these samples into the policy search. We evaluate the method by learning neural network controllers for planar swimming, hopping, and walking, as well as simulated 3D humanoid running.
High Quality Mammography: Information for Referring Providers

I am pleased that The Breast Journal has taken this opportunity to include the text of “High-Quality Mammography: Information for Referring Physicians” in this issue. This guide is based on “Quality Determinants of Mammography,” a Clinical Practice Guideline from the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) (1). “Quality Determinants of Mammography” is a comprehensive and technical document for physicians, radiologic technologists, and medical physicists involved in providing mammography services. “High Quality Mammography” is a shorter document that focuses on information about mammography of particular interest to health care providers who refer women for mammography. The consumer version, “Things to Know About Quality Mammograms: A Woman's Guide,” is a pamphlet designed for women having mammograms. I highly recommend that referring physicians obtain these pamphlets for their patients. The purpose of each of the documents is to improve the quality and delivery of mammography.
Pigment-based Identification of Ozone-Damaged Pine Needles as a Basis for Spectral Segregation of Needle Conditions

Air pollution affects large areas of forest, and field assessment of these effects is a costly, site-specific process. This paper establishes a biochemical basis for identifying ozone-damaged pine trees to facilitate efficient remote sensing assessment of air pollution damage. Several thousand live needles were collected from ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and Jeffrey pine (P. jeffreyi) trees at three sites in Plumas National Forest and Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park. These needles were assembled into 504 samples (based on the abaxial surface) and grouped according to five dominant needle conditions (green, winter fleck, sucking insect damage, scale insect damage, and ozone damage) and a random mixture of needles. Pigment concentrations per unit needle area of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total carotenoids were measured. The following pigment concentration ratios were calculated for all samples: chlorophyll a/total carotenoids, chlorophyll b/total carotenoids, total chlorophyll/carotenoids, chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b. The group of ozone-damaged needles had significantly lower mean pigment concentrations (family-wise p < 0.01) and significantly lower mean chlorophyll a/total carotenoid and total chlorophyll/total carotenoid ratios (family-wise p < 0.01) than all other groups of needles. Ozone-damaged needles had a significantly lower mean chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratio than all other groups except one (family-wise p < 0.01). Linear discriminant analysis with three factors (chlorophyll a concentration, the chlorophyll a/carotenoid ratio, and the chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratio) and subsequent maximum likelihood classification of damaged and non-damaged needles gave an overall cross-validated accuracy of 96%. These ozone-damaged needles are biochemically unique in relation to other needle conditions in this study, and further research is needed to generalize these results.
Model-Based Verification and Validation of Spacecraft Avionics

Verification and Validation (VV the norm for thermal and structural VV this experiment demonstrated such an approach is possible.
Developers and evaluation of interactive health communication applications

Abstract Background: Developers of Interactive Health Communication (IHC) are capable of providing great benefit by creating interactive programs that serve to protect and improve health. Conducting proper evaluation of these programs will ensure that they achieve these goals more successfully. Conclusions: This article seeks to inform developers of IHC about which types of evaluation are most important to include as a part of the development process and to examine the ways in which such evaluation can be implemented to benefit the producers—and ultimately, the consumers—of IHC.
Towards ITS Map Database Interoperability—Database Error and Rectification

One of the impediments to the implementation of ITS is the lack of map database interoperability. Centreline databases are available from a number of sources, but few were designed specifically for ITS. Consequently there are a variety of problems—coordinate inaccuracy, errors of omission and commission, missing or wrong street names, incorrect topology—that are compounded when communicating parties use databases from different vendors. Many ITS applications (e.g., emergency response, ATIS) rely on the exchange of messages in which location is a component. Map error and interoperability problems can result in a variety of practical difficulties, from inappropriate vehicle routing to delays in delivery of critical services. These problems can be addressed by (a) standards for map databases, (b) intelligent messaging, (c) national integration efforts to improve database quality in the long term. This paper examines the dimensions of the problem, and describes solutions currently under development.
Recognition of O6-benzyl-2′-deoxyguanosine by a perimidinone-derived synthetic nucleoside: a DNA interstrand stacking interaction

The 2 0 -deoxynucleoside containing the synthetic base 1-[(2R,4S,5R)-4-hydroxy-5-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)-1H-perimidin-2(3H)-one] (dPer) recognizes in DNA the O 6 -benzyl-2 0 -deoxyguanosine nucleoside (O 6 -Bn-dG), formed by exposure to N-benzylmethylnitrosamine. Herein, we show how dPer distinguishes between O 6 -Bn-dG and dG in DNA. The structure of the modified Dickerson–Drew dodecamer (DDD) in which guanine at position G 4 has been replaced by O 6 -BndG and cytosine C 9 has been replaced with dPer to form the modified O 6 -Bn-dG:dPer (DDD-XY) duplex [5 0 -d(C 1 G 2 C 3 X 4 A 5 A 6 T 7 T 8 Y 9 G 10 C 11 G 12 )-3 0 ]2 (X =O 6 -BndG, Y = dPer) reveals that dPer intercalates into the duplex and adopts the syn conformation about the glycosyl bond. This provides a binding pocket that allows the benzyl group of O 6 -Bn-dG to intercalate between Per and thymine of the 3 0 -neighbor A:T base pair. Nuclear magnetic resonance data suggest that a similar intercalative recognition mechanism applies in this sequence in solution. However, in solution, the benzyl ring of O 6 -Bn-dG undergoes rotation on the nuclear magnetic resonance time scale. In contrast, the structure of the modified DDD in which cytosine at position C 9 is replaced with dPer to form the dG:dPer (DDD-GY) [5 0 -d(C 1 G 2 C 3 G 4 A 5 A 6 T 7 T 8 Y 9 G 10 C 11 G 12 )-3 0 ]2 duplex (Y = dPer) reveals that dPer adopts the anti conformation about the glycosyl bond and forms a less stable wobble pairing interaction with guanine.
Sorting using BItonic netwoRk wIth CUDA

Novel “manycore” architectures, such as graphics processors, are high-parallel and high-performance shared-memory architectures [7] born to solve specific problems such as the graphical ones. Those architectures can be exploited to solve a wider range of problems by designing the related algorithm for such architectures. We present a fast sorting algorithm implementing an efficient bitonic sorting network. This algorithm is highly suitable for information retrieval applications. Sorting is a fundamental and universal problem in computer science. Even if sort has been extensively addressed by many research works, it still remains an interesting challenge to make it faster by exploiting novel technologies. In this light, this paper shows how to use graphics processors as coprocessors to speed up sorting while allowing CPU to perform other tasks. Our new algorithm exploits a memory-efficient data access pattern maintaining the minimum number of accesses to the memory out of the chip. We introduce an efficient instruction dispatch mechanism to improve the overall sorting performance. We also present a cache-based computational model for graphics processors. Experimental results highlight remarkable improvements over prior CPU-based sorting methods, and a significant improvement over previous GPU-based sorting algorithms.
The Effects of Proton Irradiation on the Performance of High-Voltage n-MOSFETs Implemented in a Low-Voltage SiGe BiCMOS Platform

This paper presents the first comprehensive investigation of the impact of proton irradiation on the performance of high-voltage (HV) nMOS transistors implemented in a low-voltage (LV) SiGe BiCMOS technology. The effects of irradiation gate bias, irradiation substrate bias, and operating substrate bias on the radiation response of these transistors are examined. Experimental results show that the radiation-induced subthreshold leakage current under different irradiation biasing conditions remains negligible after exposure to a total dose of 600 krad(Si). We find that there are differences in the radiation response of LV and HV MOSFETs, suggesting that the mechanisms involved in causing degradation in LV and HV transistors could be of fundamentally different origins.
Pancreatic imaging: current state of the art.

Radiologic imaging is an important component in the evaluation of pancreatic disease. Recent improvements in computed tomography (CT) have led to unprecedented imaging quality. With the addition of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), the clinician can detect neoplasms at an earlier stage, and often find an etiology of “idiopathic” pancreatitis. Certain problematic imaging scenarios remain, such as the detection of occult neoplasms in the setting of acute or chronic pancreatitis, accuracy of preoperative surgical staging of pancreatic malignancy, and assessment of early chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic function. New technologies including sonographic elastography, contrast enhanced or 3-dimensional (3D) ultrasound, secretin-stimulated MRCP, and other methods of pancreatic imaging are under investigation and may soon become a standard part of our clinical armamentarium. This article briefly reviews some recent advances in traditional imaging technology and discusses some of the emerging research in pancreatic imaging.
What is the acidity of a plutonium solution

The determination of the pH of a plutonium solution has traditionally depended on an electrode or a titration in the presence of a complexing agent. A new approach uses the equilibrium distribution of the Pu oxidation states to estimate the hydrogen ion concentration. The method is used to estimate the equilibrium constant of the first hydrolysis reaction of tetravalent plutonium.
Edicts: implementing features with flexible binding times

In a software product line, the binding time of a feature is the time at which one decides to include or exclude a feature from a product. Typical binding site implementations are intended to support a single binding time only, e.g., compile time or run time. Sometimes, however, a product line must support features with variable binding times. For instance, a product line may need to include both embedded system configurations, in which features are selected and optimized early, and desktop configurations, in which client programs choose features on demand.We present a new technique for implementing the binding sites of features that require flexible binding times. Our technique combines design patterns and aspect-oriented programming: a pattern encapsulates the variation point, and targeted aspects---called edicts---set the binding times of the pattern participants. We describe our approach and demonstrate its usefulness by creating a middleware product line capable of serving the desktop and embedded domains. Our product line is based on JacORB, a middleware platform with many dynamically configurable features. By using edicts to select features at compile time, we create a version of JacORB more suited to resource-constrained environments. By configuring four JacORB subsystems via edicts, we achieve a 32.2% reduction in code size. Our examples show that our technique effectively modularizes binding-time concerns, supporting both compile-time optimization and run-time flexibility as needed.
Learning Link-Based Classifiers from Ontology-Extended Textual Data

Real-world data mining applications call for effective strategies for learning predictive models from richly structured relational data. In this paper, we address the problem of learning classifiers from structured relational data that are annotated with relevant meta data. Specifically, we show how to learn classifiers at different levels of abstraction in a relational setting, where the structured relational data are organized in an abstraction hierarchy that describes the semantics of the content of the data. We show how to cope with some of the challenges presented by partial specification in the case of structured data, that unavoidably results from choosing a particular level of abstraction. Our solution to partial specification is based on a statistical method, called shrinkage. We present results of experiments in the case of learning link-based Naive Bayes classifiers on a text classification task that (i) demonstrate that the choice of the level of abstraction can impact the performance of the resulting link-based classifiers and (ii) examine the effect of partially specified data.
Risk assessment of generators bidding in day-ahead market

Competition in power markets exposes companies which participate in physical and financial uncertainties. Generator companies, bidding to supply power in day-ahead markets may face forced outages after bids are accepted by the system operator. When this happens they have to buy power from the real-time hourly spot market and sell to the ISO at the set day-ahead market clearing price. This paper shows simulations of random forced outages for generators and the resulting risk profiles of generators. Value at Risk (VaR) is calculated at 98% confidence level as a measure of financial risk. The risk profiles and the VaR of the generators are changed with changes in bidding functions. The simulations do not consider transmission limits or demand side bidding.
Clustering of Gene Expression Data: Performance and Similarity Analysis

Recent advances of the DNA Microarray technology allow monitoring gene expression profiles of thousands of genes simultaneously. However, the analysis and handling of such fast growing data is becoming the major bottleneck in the utilization of the technology. Clustering analysis is one of the most effective methods for analyzing such gene expression data. In this paper we first experimentally study three major clustering algorithms: Hierarchical Clustering, Self-Organizing Map (SOM), and Self Organizing Tree Algorithm (SOTA), using Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene expression data, and compare their performance. Then, we present a data mining tool, Cluster Diff, which allows the similarity analysis of clusters generated by different algorithms. A case study is conducted based on clusters generated by SOTA and SOM.
Cutaneous Lupus Insights into Pathogenesis and Disease Classification

Skin disease is the second most common manifestation in SLE patients, and a large number of patients have predominantly cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Experimental animal models suggest that modulation of immunologic factors can have a differential impact on the skin relative to the kidney, and therapeutic responses also suggest potential differences in the immunomodulation of skin relative to other organs affected in lupus. There have been recent insights into the etiology of cutaneous LE, including genetic and environmental factors. The growing understanding of the inflammatory cascade includes the role of UV-induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules. Apoptosis, necrosis, autoantibodies, plasmacytoid dendritic cells, T cells, B cells, and vascular changes all play a complex interactive role in the process of induction and maintenance of the lesions of cutaneous LE. Scientific efforts are beginning to clarify the pathophysiologic differences between subsets of cutaneous LE, but there are clearly many areas of investigation needed to elucidate the complex mechanisms that culminate in cutaneous LE.
References and Concluding Remarks

With the advent of Internet and the proliferation of wireless and other communication devices, it is rather easy for someone armed with a set of “keywords” and access to google/google scholar, or other search engines, to launch a search of any of the topics tackled in this text from almost anywhere in the world and come up with an impressive list of references, as is done routinely in some textbooks today. Such a list is of little comfort to a novice in the field and will not be didactical for such an individual.
Oral contraceptives and reproductive system cancer. Benefits and risks.

Large epidemiologic studies conducted to date in the US and abroad have not demonstrated any statistically significant increase in the overall incidence of breast cancer among women who used oral contraceptives (OCs). The cumulative risk of breast cancer among women <60 years of age is clearly not related to OC use although the incidence of breast cancer in certain subgroups of premenopausal women who used OCs many be increased and warrant monitoring. Evidence of a latency period in the development of breast cancer among OC users is not convincing. Studies to date have indicated that the risk of invasive cervical cancer appears to be unaffected by OC use. the data on cervical intraepithelial neoplasia are inconclusive and full of confounding variables. There is however unequivocal evidence that OC use reduces the incidence of other reproductive system cancers notably ovarian and endometrial. (authors modified)
High frequency application of nanosecond pulsed electric fields alters cellular membrane disruption and fluorescent dye uptake

Cells exposed to nanosecond-pulsed electric fields (nsPEF) exhibit a wide variety of nonspecific effects, including blebbing, swelling, intracellular calcium bursts, apoptotic and necrotic cell death, formation of nanopores, and depletion of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate (PIP2) to induce activation of the inositol trisphosphate/diacylglycerol pathway. While several studies have taken place in which multiple pulses were delivered to cells, the effect of pulse repetition rate (PRR) is not well understood. To better understand the effects of PRR, a laser scanning confocal microscope was used to observe CHO-K1 cells exposed to ten 600ns, 200V pulses at varying repetition rates (5Hz up to 500KHz) in the presence of either FM 1-43, YO-PRO-1, or Propidium Iodide (PI) fluorescent dyes, probes frequently used to indicate nanoporation or permeabilization of the plasma membrane. Dye uptake was monitored for 30 seconds after pulse application at a rate of 1 image/second. In addition, a single long pulse of equivalent energy (200V, 6 μs duration) was applied to test the hypothesis that very fast PRR will approximate the biological effects of a single long pulse of equal energy. Upon examination of the data, we found strong variation in the relationship between PRR and uptake in each of the three dyes. In particular, PI uptake showed little frequency dependence, FM 1-43 showed a strong inverse relationship between frequency and internal cell fluorescence, and YO-PRO-1 exhibited a “threshold” point of around 50 KHz, after which the inverse trend observed in FM 1-43 was seen to reverse itself. Further, a very high PRR of 500 KHz only approximated the biological effects of a single 6 μs pulse in cells stained with YO-PRO-1, suggesting that uptake of different dyes may proceed by different physical mechanisms.
Are Shannon entropy and Residual entropy synonyms

At temperatures close to absolute zero, individual symmetric or asymmetric molecules that comprise a thermodynamic system organize themselves into crystals that we can comprehend as macromolecules. Crystals can be ideal (perfect crystals) if they consist of monotonous arrays of aligned symmetric or asymmetric molecules. Unideal (imperfect crystals) comprize nonmonotonic arrays of asymmetric molecules. Therefore, nonmonotonous arrays contain an information code and a certain amount of information, I. The disorder of such a thermodynamic-intofmation system is characetrized by Shannon entropy, H, in informatics and by residual entropy, S0 or R0, in thermodynamics. Both quantities are based on the statistical coin model and in both cases probabilities are determined by the Gaussian normal distribution. However, the probabilities in thermodynamic entropy, S, are described by the Boltzmann distribution. Thus, we see that a thermodynamic system possesses three kinds of entropy: thermodynamic entropy, residual entropy and Shannon entropy. The relationship of these three entropies, however, still remains unclear. In order to shed more light on this problem, a comparative analysis of the three entropies was done. Thermodynamic entropy of an ideal crystal was calculated by the Boltzmann entropy equation, treating it as one large macromolecule. Shannon entropy and residual entropy were found through the Shannon equation and Boltzmann entropy equation, respectively. In the calculation of Shannon entropy, the constant in the Shannon equation was set equal to the Boltzmann constant, in order for it to be comparable with thermodynamic and residual entropy. Entropies of real gasses were also analyzed. Thermodynamic entropy of real gasses was calculated from the high temperature ideal limit to the condensation temperature using van der Waals, Berthelot and Redlich-Kwong models. Our analysis leads us to conclusion that the residual entropy, S0 or R0, of a closed thermodynamic system that contains asymmetric particles (i.e. CO, H2O, N2O) aligned in nonmonotonic series is equal to its Shannon entropy, H. So the information theory and classical thermodynamics have at least one strong common point – the equality of Shannon entropy and residual entropy, H = R0.
Spring migrant green peach aphid control on peach and apricot with systemic insecticides and resultant residues

February soil injection and soil drenching with soluble concentrate oxydemetonmethyl and soil injection with granular aldicarb and April application of foliar sprays of exydemetonmethyl gave excellent control of Myzus persicae (Sulzer) on peaches. April applications of soil treatments were not as effective. No residues of oxy-demetonmethyl were detected in harvest peaches or apricots treated by foliar application or in peaches treated with the soil drench application. However, residues of oxydemetonmethyl were detected in apricots from the soil drench application and in peaches and apricots from the soil injection application.
The role of agreement in clitic-doubled constructions

We began with the premise that doubling with DO- and IO-CLs requires that both elements of the chain agree in features. With IOs, doubling is universal because the features of the IO argument are practically irrelevant (section 1.1). However, since DO-CLs are inherently specific, this feature is crucial for DO-doubling to be grammatical. Animacy is the second feature necessary in most contexts. However, as pointed out in section 1.3.1, doubling may operate even in the absence of the latter. The same matching of features required of doubling constructions is required under extraction (a subset of doubling structures), hence, no special mechanisms are needed to reject ill-formed sentences. What causes ungrammaticality in extractions from CL-D DOs is a clash between the specific referential CL and a nonspecific interpreted object argument, a violation of the Matching Principle. Since lexical partitives and unagreement phenomena are productive ways to signal the specificity of the DO, extractions at LF and in the syntax proper can produce well-formed sentences (section 2.2). Moreover, the Matching Principle follows directly from the unique indexing peculiar to chain coindexing and Spec-head agreement. These results have two main consequences: (a) the hypothesis that CLs are agreement morphemes which do not absorb Case becomes viable. This claim is supported by the doubling of inanimates (section 1.3.1) and even of some animates (17) in the absence of a, by facts about Case with IOs (section 1.3.2), and by weak cross-over effects (section 3.1) where CLs-as-agreement serve to identify the relevant empty category. (b) Since extractions of both CL-D IOs (section 2.1) and CL-D DOs (section 2.2) are possible, it follows that CLs are not theta-role absorbers, because the doubled constituent must be in an argument position. The moral is that the absence of extraction does not itself show that the double is in an A' position. Rather one must look deeper to discover whether independent principles in the language can account for lack of extraction in such contexts. For extensions of our main hypothesis to other Spanish dialects see Suner (1986). Finally, the assumption that datives in a CL-chain are NPs and not PPs (see Appendix) makes possible the generalization that contemporary Spanish CLs — whether direct or indirect — enter only into nominal chains, a generalization confirmed by their parallel behavior with respect to weak crossover and scope (sections 3.1–3.2). This conclusion brings the analysis of Spanish in line with those of French and Rumanian (Steriade 1980/81) where datives have been argued to be NPs, and it opens the door for the possibility that datives in all the Romance languages might be nominal in nature. Interestingly, datives are also NPs in Hebrew (Borer and Grodzinsky 1986).
Investigation of the Ground‐Motion Variability Associated with Site Response for Sites with VS30 over 500 m/s

Abstract Understanding and reducing uncertainties in ground‐motion prediction are high priorities for seismic‐hazard analysis. This article examines , the variability in synthetic ground motions at rock sites caused by the variability in randomly generated velocity profiles of the geological column from 5 km depth to the surface. Only sites with V S 30 of 500 m/s or higher are considered, and linearity is assumed. These synthetic estimates of the mean value of are a complicated but understandable function of magnitude, period, and V S 30 . The distribution of modeled residual response spectral amplitudes at several oscillator periods is not lognormal, but the deviations are in the central part of the distribution, in which the effect on probabilistic seismic‐hazard analysis may not be very large. Adding another constraint to the velocity profile, namely that the shear‐wave velocity of the uppermost layer should be at least 70% of V S 30 , greatly reduces the uncertainty at high frequencies. We tentatively identify sites with this property as nonresonant rock, because it excludes sites with a strong resonance in a thin shallow layer. The reduction in uncertainty that this allows might reduce or eliminate the contradiction between the U.S. National Seismic Hazard Map and precarious rocks in southern California. Furthermore, for nonresonant rock sites, the residual impact of the ergodic assumption might be reduced to more tolerable levels. Online Material: Tables of variability values.
Research on Microstructure of Weld Metal of Novel Heat-resistance Steel P92

The microstructure of novel heat-resistance steel P92 was investigated by optiacal microscope, scanning electron microscopy(SEM), spectroscopy(EDS) and X-ray diffraction(XRD). The results indicate that the microstructure of weld metal of P92 steel includes martensite, retained austenite and precipitated phase. The martensite lath and martensite lath beam size is larger. The content of retained austenite by state is far lower than the normalized one of P92 steel. The precipitated phase mainly consists of V/Nb(C,N), Fe3 C and M23C6. The M23C6 phase contain more W and Mo alloy elements.
HDAC3 Is Required for the Downregulation of RORγt during Thymocyte Positive Selection

To generate functional peripheral T cells, proper gene regulation during T cell development is critical. In this study, we found that histone deacetylase (HDAC) 3 is required for T cell development. T cell development in CD2-icre HDAC3 conditional knockout (cKO) mice (HDAC3-cKO) was blocked at positive selection, resulting in few CD4 and CD8 T cells, and it could not be rescued by a TCR transgene. These single-positive thymocytes failed to upregulate Bcl-2, leading to increased apoptosis. HDAC3-cKO mice failed to downregulate retinoic acid–related orphan receptor (ROR) γt during positive selection, similar to the block in positive selection in RORγt transgenic mice. In the absence of HDAC3, the RORC promoter was hyperacetylated. In the periphery, the few CD4 T cells present were skewed toward RORγt + IL-17–producing Th17 cells, leading to inflammatory bowel disease. Positive selection of CD8 single-positive thymocytes was restored in RORγt-KO Bcl-x L transgenic HDAC3-cKO mice, demonstrating that HDAC3 is required at positive selection to downregulate RORγt.
Santos familiares y brujos. Análisis de creencias y disputas sociales en dos relatos choles

Este articulo relata dos historias choles acerca de creencias religiosas contextualizadas en situaciones especificas de conflicto social. La primera historia relata la fundacion del templo indigena de Santa Martha en Tila, asi como su progresiva separacion cismatica de la parroquia catolica del municipio. El articulo analiza como las diferencias existentes en la congregacion fundadora del templo estan vinculadas con otra serie de tensiones relacionadas con la tenencia ejidal de la tierra en Tila. La segunda historia narra un ajusticiamiento local ante un supuesto caso de brujeria. Este ultimo suceso se vincula con otras tensiones politicas de la comunidad, en la que cohabitan familias de desplazados zapatistas con miembros de la organizacion Paz y Justicia. En ambos casos cobra fuerza una situacion social de trasfondo, manifestada indirectamente por medio de practicas religiosas o creencias especificas en las que la concepcion y naturaleza de la persona indigena juega un papel fundamental.