cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Knowledge Composition for Efficient Analysis Problem Formulation: Part 2 — Approach and Analysis Meta-Model

In Part 1 we presented technical background and a gap analysis leading to the identification of five requirements for a methodology for efficient formulation of analysis problems for VTMB design alternatives. These requirements are founded on (a) abstraction of analysis knowledge as modular, reusable, computer-interpretable, analyst-intelligible building blocks, and (b) automated creation, reconfiguration, and verification of analysis models. In this paper (Part 2), we present an example scenario to overview the Knowledge Composition Methodology (KCM) that is aimed at satisfying these requirements. The methodology is founded on analysis knowledge building blocks and a model transformation process based on graph transformations. With KCM an analyst may automatically compose an analysis model from a design model and these building blocks. In this paper, we focus on the analysis knowledge component of this methodology (illustrated for structural and thermal disciplines), and describe four dimensions of analysis knowledge. Using these dimensions, we develop a decision template for analysts to create specifications for analysis models. Analysis models can be automatically created from a given specification using model transformation techniques (not described in this paper). We leverage the notion of choices and decisions to (a) define primitive and complex building blocks of analysis knowledge, and (b) formalize an analysis meta-model that represents the structure of analysis models. We also relate this analysis meta-model to the NIST Core Product Model (CPM2). The envisioned methodology impact is a formal and systems-oriented foundational approach for analysis problem formulation that is time- and cost-effective.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
“So wat do u want to wrk on 2day?”: The Ethical Implications of Online Counseling

Internet counseling is an area of rapid expansion in the field of applied psychology. Internet counseling or psychotherapy involves a variety of activities such as psychoeducation, individual therapy, and automated self-help interventions delivered via the Internet. Although other professional societies such as the National Association of Social Workers, the American Counseling Association, and the National Board of Certified Counselors have tackled the issues of Internet counseling ethics head on, the American Psychological Association has been conspicuously absent from this debate. Yet online therapy clinics are operating, and intervention efficacy is being studied. This discussion provides an overview of online counseling modalities, details the ethical concerns associated with each, and offers suggestions for the ethical practice of online counseling.
Teaching Automatic Control of Engineering Systems Using Open Source CH Control System Toolkit and Web-Based Design and Analysis System

Ch Control System Toolkit (CCST) is a software package for design and analysis of control systems. It is implemented as a class with member functions to run in the user-friendly C/C++ interpreter Ch. Based on the CCST, a Web-based Control System Design and Analysis System (WCDAS) has been developed. In this article, using CCST and WCDAS to teach automatic control of engineering systems is presented. Using CCST, students are able to write programs easily with a few lines of C/C++ code to solve practical engineering problems. By solving control system design and analysis problems in C/C++ , the programming skills gained in the course are applicable to other areas of engineering. CCST and WCDAS are open source. Students are able to examine the source code to understand the implementation of theories and algorithms in software. Based on CCST and WCDAS, the Web-based Controller/Compensator Design Module (WCCDM) has also been developed for teaching and student learning. Using these Web-based tools, students can perform design and analysis of control systems interactively through a Web browser remotely. The CCST, WCDAS, and WCCDM have been used to teach an undergraduate course on Automatic Control of Engineering Systems at the University of California, Davis. All software packages and teaching materials for this course are available on the internet. They can be downloaded and modified to teach similar courses with different requirements.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Use of hospital services by AIDS patients with psychiatric illness

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of psychiatric illness on length of stay and patterns of admission among AIDS patients hospitalized for medical illnesses. Medical records were abstracted for AIDS patients admitted to hospitals in Washington State from 1990 through 1992. Psychiatric comorbidity was defined by the presence of an International Classification of Disease-9 code reflecting psychiatric illness. Medical morbidity was addressed using CD4 count and AIDS-defining illnesses as markers of disease severity. Of 2834 admissions, 15% included one or more psychiatric diagnoses. Psychiatric illness (F 39.1; df 1,2830; p < 0.001) and discharge disposition (F 81.2; df 2,2830; p < 0.001) contributed significantly to the model, explaining increased length of stay (F 67.2; df 3,2830; p < 0.001). Future research needs to address the possible etiology of psychiatric comorbidity's contribution to length of stay and the effect on quality and cost of care.
Does the endogenous opiate system play a role in the Restless Legs Syndrome?: A pilot post-mortem study

Opioids are an effective treatment for the signs and symptoms of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and the signs and symptoms of RLS return when the opiate receptor blocker naloxone is given to opioid treated RLS patients in a blinded fashion. These data suggest that the opioid effect is specific to the opiate receptor in RLS and implicate the endogenous opioid system with its enkephalins and endorphins in the pathogenesis of RLS. We therefore measured Beta endorphin, Met-enkephalin and Leu-enkephalin levels in thalamus and substantia nigra of RLS patients (5 F - avg age 80.2 years) compared to controls (5 F, 1 M - avg age 76.3 years). One half of each brain was fixed in paraformaldehyde (PFA) in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) for pathologic evaluation and paraffin sections were stained with antibodies. Cell numbers were counted in a blinded fashion. In the thalamus, there were reductions of Beta-endorphin and Met-enkephalin positive cells by 37.5% (p=.006, effect size 2.16) and 26.4% (p=.028, effect size 1.58), respectively, in RLS patients compared to controls. There was no difference in Leu-enkephalin in the thalamus or changes in Beta endorphin, Met-enkephalin, Leu-enkephalin or Tyrosine Hydroxylase, the rate limiting step for dopamine synthesis, in the substantia nigra. Although one of the main hypotheses for pathogenesis has been that there is a dopaminergic hypofunction in RLS, this lack of decrease in Tyrosine Hydroxylase in substantia nigra is consistent with previously published post-mortem data in RLS. With Bonferroni correction, the decrease in thalamic Beta endorphin remained significant (p= .006 x 7= .042). These results suggest that there may be altered central processing of pain in RLS and these data further implicate the endogenous opioid system in the pathogenesis of RLS. The mu opiate receptor subtype may be involved in the pathogenesis of RLS as it is the target of Beta-endorphin and Met-enkephalin but not Leu-enkephalin. However, these results should be viewed as only preliminary and more advanced techniques such as stereology should be employed in future post-mortem studies. In addition, other opioid rich areas need to be explored as well as areas implicated in the pathogenesis of RLS such as the red nucleus and raphe nucleus.
III. Symposia: A. The Teaching of Religion Some Guiding Principles

(1959). III. Symposia: A. The Teaching of Religion Some Guiding Principles. Religious Education: Vol. 54, No. 2, pp. 108-109.
The control of errors in infrared spectrophotometry—II the residual shape distortion in “pseudo-deconvoluted” spectra

Abstract The efficacy of the ψ-deconvolution process for band shape recovery, described in the preceding paper, has been tested on two sets of curves simulating Cauchy (Lorentzian) envelopes of infrared absorption bands. In the first set the bands were separated and in the second set they overlapped to varying degrees. The effects on the peak height, half-band width, incomplete second moments and area have been evaluated over the true peak absorbance range 0.05—1.4 at true slit-width to half-band width ratios up to 0.5. Both triangular and Gauss slit functions were considered. Appreciable recovery of the true band parameters, is observed under all conditions, but the improvement is optimal within the range 0.2 1 2 ]T ν 0.35 The effect of quadratic smoothing functions on the bands was also measured; smoothing was found to produce negligible distortion under the conditions used for the ψ-deconvolution, but the distortion became significant when smoothing convolutes involving more than seven points were used. The implications of this for the more general use of the ψ-deconvolution technique are considered.
Effect of Erythropoietin on Exercise Capacity in Patients With Moderate to Severe Chronic Heart Failure

Background— Patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) are frequently anemic. An increase in hemoglobin could enhance exercise performance by increasing oxygen delivery. We investigated the effect of erythropoietin (EPO) on exercise performance in anemic patients with CHF. Methods and Results— Twenty-six anemic patients aged 57±11 years were randomized to receive EPO (15 000 to 30 000 IU per week) or placebo for 3 months. Parameters measured at baseline and end therapy included blood parameters (hemoglobin, hematocrit, plasma volume), exercise parameters (peak oxygen consumption [Vo2], exercise duration, 6-minute walk), muscle aerobic metabolism (half-time of Vo2 and near infrared recovery), and forearm vasodilatory function. EPO was well tolerated by all patients. Twelve patients in the EPO group felt improvement versus 1 in the placebo group (P<0.05). There were significant increases in hemoglobin (11.0±0.5 to 14.3±1.0 g/dL, P<0.05), peak Vo2 (11.0±1.8 to 12.7±2.8 mL · min−1 · kg−1, P<0.05) and exerci...
Synthesis of discrete systems subject to control-signal saturation

A simple solution is presented for the design of time optimal-control for discrete-data systems subject to control signal saturation. The state-space approach is used to determine the optimum control policy which is required to take the process, as represented by the state vector x(t), from a given initial state to a prescribed desired state in minimum time. Numerical examples are worked out to illustrate the design technique. The result is also verified by means of analog simulation.
A New Type of Structure in the α-Copper-Zinc Alloys

CERTAIN banded structures seen in cast α-brass after annealing have been identified by several investigators as true twins. Recently we have made an observation which suggests that there may exist structures that appear to be twins, but that are not twins. The observations were made upon two large cast copper crystals joined at a natural boundary which lay almost perpendicular to the external surface of the sample. Into this bicrystal, zinc was diffused by exposing it to the vapour from α-brass turnings at a temperatiire of 775° C. The system was enclosed in an evacuated silica tube. Zinc penetrated to a uniform depth over the entire surface of the specimen and gave a layer of perhaps half a millimetre of yellow brass.
Congenital Adduction Palsy and Synergistic Divergence

Electromyography of the medial and lateral recti muscles in the right eye of a 7-year-old boy with congenital variable exotropia demonstrated cocontraction. This explained the observed simultaneous abduction on attempted levoversion. Abduction of the right eye increased intraocular pressure to 25 mm Hg from 15 mm Hg. This synergistic divergence should be considered a variant of Duane's syndrome, and, like Duane's syndrome, may occur as the result of anomalies of the peripheral oculomotor nerves or of central synaptic alterations, or of a combined central and peripheral mechanism.
Use of Salt Marshes by Meadow Voles

The behavioral adaptations of the meadow vole,Microtus pennsylvanicus, to tidal salt marshes were examined during a mark-recapture study and snap-trap survey of three tidal salt marshes and four inland sites. Voles were captured throughout the marsh profile in all months except February, and 60 to 70% of the marked population was considered resident to the marsh from June through December. Stomach analysis indicated that the stems of halophytes are the largest component of the marsh voles' diet. During the driest summer months seeds of the halophytes became an important alternate food. Upland voles showed no seasonal dietary alteration, and the pattern of seasonal changes in body weight differed between the two habitats. A body fat index used to measure general nutrition was found to vary seasonally but not between habitats. The selective cropping of only grass stems may result in increased formation of detritus and acceleration of nutrient turnover in the marsh-estuary ecosystem.
Are Preferential Trading Arrangements Trade-Liberalizing or Protectionist?

Preferential trade arrangements, and especially free trade agreements, have mushroomed in importance in the 1990s. This has revived research on the effects of these arrangements, both on the welfare of the member countries and those excluded, and on the momentum for further liberalization of the open multilateral trading system. This paper reviews the analyses and evidence to date as to these effects, showing that analytically anything can happen and that, to date, there has been insufficient experience to draw conclusions from empirical evidence.
The Role of Intefacial Diffuseness on Surface Segregation From Polymer Blends

We present two mean‐field theories for the surface segregation from polymer mixtures at surfaces with variable interface diffuseness. We are motivated to study this issue since surface segregation can dramatically alter the behavior of polymers at surfaces, e.g., the wetting behavior of films, surface roughness, and phase separation in thin films. In particular, we are motivated by two results in the literature. First, experimentally it has been determined that surface segregation at the air surface is always significantly higher than at hard substrates. Second, Klein and his coworkers have prepared a series of cross‐linked polymer films as substrates and found that the segregation from an overlayer polymer blend to these surfaces is directly correlated to the crosslink density. Our theories show that the surface segregation is strongly coupled to interface diffuseness, with the magnitude of the segregation increasing with increasing diffuseness. These results, which are in good agreement with experiments...
A Smart Grid Robust Optimization Framework

Abstract This paper presents a robust optimization framework that integrates three energy sources for superior smart grid economical and environmental operations. The renewable hydro and wind energy sources as well as nonrenewable coal-fired steam energy source are considered to be connected via an asynchronous link. The robust control framework treats the hydro and steam power plants as controllable energy sources while it treats the wind turbine as an exogenous energy source. The proposed robust system framework ensures optimal smart grid power generation for acceptable load demand tracking or for ecological benefits under wind power and model uncertainties. Simulation results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed framework for superior smart grid power source integration under uncertain operation conditions.“
Passy-Muir valve in children with tracheotomy.

Abstract Introduction: Early vocalization and speech production remains a goal in children who require tracheotomy for airway obstruction or chronic ventilation. Although studies document the efficacy of the Passy–Muir valve (PMV) in adults, none have reviewed its efficacy in children. We performed this study to better understand the clinical complexity of its use in children. Materials and methods: Retrospective evaluation of 55 consecutive cases of children with tracheotomy using the PMV. Results: The children ranged in age from 3 days to 18 years at the time of their tracheotomies, and nearly half were 12 months old or younger. Successful use often requires patient and family conditioning. Overall, 52 children out of the 55 who were evaluated as candidates for the PMV tolerated its use. Many required two or more trials prior to the patient and family being comfortable with its use. Conclusions: The PMV may be used successfully in children with a variety of airway pathologies as well as diverse medical problems. Discussed is the current protocol for the evaluation of the patient and the introduction of the valve.
Sheet extrusion of microcomposites based on thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers and polypropylene

This work is concerned with the extrusion of sheets from pellets of polypropylene (PP) containing pregenerated microfibrils of thermotropic liquid crystal polymers (TLCPs), referred to as microcomposites. The TLCPs used were HX6000 and Vectra A950. The microcomposites are produced by drawing strands of PP and TLCPs generated by means of a novel mixing technique and pelletizing the strands. The work was undertaken in an effort to improve on the properties for in situ composites in which the TLCP fibrils are generated in contractions in the die and the subsequent drawing step. In situ composites usually exhibit highly anisotropic mechanical properties and the properties do not reflect the full reinforcing potential of the TLCP fibers. Factors affecting the mechanical properties of the composite sheets considered include the effect of in situ composite strand properties and TLCP concentration. In addition, the properties of the extruded sheets are compared to those of microcomposites processed by means of injection molding. It is shown that the sheets produced using microcomposites have a good balance between the machine and transverse direction properties (ratios of these properties ranging from 0.8 to 1.2) and those properties compare well to those obtained by processing microcomposites in injection molding. The tensile modulus of the composite sheets increases with increasing in situ composite strand modulus. The moduli of the 20 wt% Vectra A950 and HX6000 composites are about equal to the modulus of 20 wt% glass reinforced PP (about 2.1 GPa), while the tensile strength of the TLCP reinforced composites is 28% lower than that of the glass reinforced PP. Furthermore, it is shown that the tensile modulus of the 10 wt% TLCP composites approach the predictions of composite theory, while at 20 and 30 wt% TLCP negative deviations from the predictions of composite theory are seen. Finally, it is concluded that the properties of the sheets produced through the extrusion of microcomposites may be further improved by improving the modulus of in situ composite strands and reducing the TLCP fiber diameter.
Leveraging closed‐loop orientation and leadership for environmental sustainability

Purpose – The paper's aim is to develop a closed‐loop supply chain orientation as a strategic alternative available to supply chain organizations seeking competitive advantage in a setting that puts a premium on socially responsible decisions.Design/methodology/approach – The literature describing the concepts of supply chain orientation and supply chain leadership is used to develop a framework for achieving a competitive advantage.Findings – Creating a closed‐loop supply chain orientation may be facilitated when the supply chain leader demonstrates a transformational leadership style, and when socially important environmental issues are present.Research limitations/implications – The paper presents a synthesis of previously unconnected concepts in a conceptual framework that sets a stage for future research in this area.Practical implications – The paper highlights the strategic importance of developing a closed‐loop supply chain orientation in the presence of environmental factors, and a supply chain l...
Near-optimal input distributions in fading channels with large coherent dimension

The fundamental tradeoff between bandwidth and rate for wideband additive Gaussian channels, when there is a constraint in the error exponent is investigated in the previous paper. This paper extends these results to fading channels. Specifically, we consider fading channels with large coherent dimension D. which is the defined to be the product of coherent time and coherent bandwidth. The behavior of R/sub z/(1/D) which is the maximum rate at which one can communicate when the coherent dimension is D and the error exponent is constrained to be at least equal to z is considered and calculates two quantities: R/sub z/(0) and R/spl dot//sub z/(0), which together partially characterize the behavior of R/sub z/(1/D) when D is large. We show that QPSK is near-optimal for fading channels with large coherent dimension, in the sense that both R/sub z/(0) and R/spl dot//sub z/(0) can be achieved.
Substructural Operational Semantics as Ordered Logic Programming

We describe a substructural logic with ordered, linear, and persistent propositions and then endow a fragment with a committed choice forward-chaining operational interpretation. Exploiting higher-order terms in this metalanguage, we specify the operational semantics of a number of object language features, such as call-by-value, call-by-name, call-by-need, mutable store, parallelism, communication, exceptions and continuations. The specifications exhibit a high degree of uniformity and modularity that allows us to analyze the structural properties required for each feature in isolation. Our substructural framework thereby provides a new methodology for language specification that synthesizes structural operational semantics, abstract machines, and logical approaches.
The fast fourier transform for experimentalists, part V: filters

This fifth segment of six discusses filters. Filtering implies a frequency-dependent selection process, passing, for example, frequencies within a certain range and rejecting those outside that range. I describe some essentials for creating frequency-dependent passbands and stopbands. I also briefly cover detrending and the cumulative periodogram.
Regularization-based learning of the Choquet integral

A number of data-driven fuzzy measure (FM) learning techniques have been put forth for the fuzzy integral (FI). Examples include quadratic programming, Gibbs sampling, gradient descent, reward and punishment and evolutionary optimization. However, most approaches focus solely on the minimization of the sum of squared error (SSE). Limited attention has been placed on characterizing and subsequently minimizing model (i.e., FM) complexity. Furthermore, the vast majority of learning techniques are highly susceptible to over-fitting and noise. Herein, we explore a regularization approach to learning the FM for the Choquet FI. We investigate the mathematical motivation for such an approach, its applicability and impact on different types of FMs, and its desirable properties for quadratic programming (QP) based optimization. We show that L\ regularization has a distinct meaning for measure learning and aggregation operators. Experiments are performed and validated with respect to the Shapley index. Specifically, we show that it is possible to reduce the effect of overfitting, we can identify higher quality measures and, if desired, force the learning of fewer numbers of sources.
Relationship between temperature and T2 in subcutaneous fat and bone marrow at 3T.

MR-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for treatment of uterine fibroids and painful bone metastases uses the proton resonant frequency shift (PRF) for temperature monitoring in water-based tissues. However, PRF fails to detect temperature changes in tissues with high lipid content, such as fat and bone marrow. Previous studies have shown a change in T2 of subcutaneous fat, red and yellow bone marrow during treatments with focused ultrasound. The lack of calibration data for 3T acquisitions, however, makes it difficult to convert T2 values into maps of tissue temperature. In this study we investigated the dependence of T2 temperature on temperature in porcine adipose tissue and bovine yellow bone marrow at thermal equilibrium at 3T.
Hippocampal BDNF mediates the efficacy of exercise on synaptic plasticity and cognition

We found that a short exercise period enhanced cognitive function on the Morris water maze (MWM), such that exercised animals were significantly better than sedentary controls at learning and recalling the location of the platform. The finding that exercise increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a molecule important for synaptic plasticity and learning and memory, impelled us to examine whether a BDNF-mediated mechanism subserves the capacity of exercise to improve hippocampal-dependent learning. A specific immunoadhesin chimera (TrkB-IgG), that mimics the BDNF receptor, TrkB, to selectively bind BDNF molecules, was used to block BDNF in the hippocampus during a 1-week voluntary exercise period. After this, a 2-trial-per-day MWM was performed for 5 consecutive days, succeeded by a probe trial 2 days later. By inhibiting BDNF action we blocked the benefit of exercise on cognitive function, such that the learning and recall abilities of exercising animals receiving the BDNF blocker were reduced to sedentary control levels. Inhibiting BDNF action also blocked the effect of exercise on downstream systems regulated by BDNF and important for synaptic plasticity, cAMP response-element-binding protein (CREB) and synapsin I. Specific to exercise, we found an association between CREB and BDNF expression and cognitive function, such that animals who were the fastest learners and had the best recall showed the highest expression of BDNF and associated CREB mRNA levels. These findings suggest a functional role for CREB under the control of BDNF in mediating the exercise-induced enhancement in learning and memory. Our results indicate that synapsin I might also contribute to this BDNF-mediated mechanism.
Histological examination of the effects of corticosterone in larvae of the western toad, Bufo boreas (Anura: Bufonidae), and the Oriental fire-bellied toad, Bombina orientalis (Anura: Discoglossidae).

The effects of corticosterone (CORT)-treatment on various tissues were examined in two species of anuran larvae, the discoglossid Bombina orientalis, and the bufonid Bufo boreas. Corticosterone was administered directly into aquarium water for 15 days. After treatment, histological analyses were conducted on skin, gut, spleen, thymus, and neural and muscle tissue. Corticosterone treatment prevented sloughing of the skin, which resulted in a build-up of stratum corneum, and inhibited the development of gland nests and the subsequent formation of dermal granular and mucous glands in both species. Corticosterone treatment also decreased epithelial folding in the gut and caused vesiculation of the gut epithelial cells. The thymus of CORT-treated animals was significantly reduced in size (P < .05) and cell density (P < .05), and the spleen of CORT-treated animals was completely involuted. The brain and pituitary of CORT-treated animals had a decreased cell density (P < .05) and many pyknotic cells. An examination of muscle revealed that muscle fibers of CORT-treated animals had a decreased cross-sectional area (P < .05). The dose of CORT used (1.1 μM) was within the range used in other studies in the literature and resulted in tissue levels within the range experienced by larvae at metamorphic climax. Thus, this study is appropriate to address the histological effects of CORT in experimental manipulations and the role of increasing CORT at metamorphic climax. The data suggest that increasing endogenous CORT at metamorphosis may be involved in degeneration of larval tissue, prior to regeneration, which is stimulated by thyroid hormones. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Intravesical migration of an intrauterine device with stone formation.

Intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCD) have been used for many decades. A number of complications including uterine perforation and migration into adjacent structures have been recorded. A 75-year-old women with an intrauterine contraceptive device (Lippes loop) that migrated from the uterus into the bladder over a period of 35 years with formation of a stone is reported. This is the longest period of migration that has been reported so far. A 74-year-old multigravid woman presented with a history of frequency urge incontinence and dysuria for 4 months. Physical examination revealed no abnormality. Urinalysis showed an abundance of leucocytes and significant growth of Escherichia coli. She was treated with an oral antibiotic (cotrimoxazole) and her symptoms improved. A Lippes loop had been inserted 35 years ago. Pelvic ultrasound revealed a mass located between the bladder and uterus with a free endometrial cavity. A plain radiography showed a large calcified mass encasing a Lippes loop (Fig. 1) in the pelvis. A cystoscopy revealed a 4.5 cm calculus in the bladder. (excerpt)
Normative shaping of scientific practice: The magic of Merton

Overview of the functionalist vs interpretivist positions on citation behavior. Excerpts of the correspondance between the author and MERTON (theories of citing, counternorms...)
A super-programming approach for mining association rules in parallel on PC clusters

PC clusters have become popular in parallel processing. They do not involve specialized interprocessor networks, so the latency of data communications is rather long. The programming models for PC clusters are often different than those for parallel machines or supercomputers containing sophisticated interprocessor communication networks. For PC clusters, load balancing among the nodes becomes a more critical issue in attempts to yield high performance. We introduce a new model for program development on PC clusters, namely, the super-programming model (SPM). The workload is modeled as a collection of super-instructions (SIs). We propose that a set of SIs be designed for each application domain. They should constitute an orthogonal set of frequently used high-level operations in the corresponding application domain. Each SI should normally be implemented as a high-level language routine that can execute on any PC. Application programs are modeled as super-programs (SPs), which are coded using SIs. SIs are dynamically assigned to available PCs at runtime. Because of the known granularity of SIs, an upper bound on their execution time can be estimated at static time. Therefore, dynamic load balancing becomes an easier task. Our motivation is to support dynamic load balancing and code porting, especially for applications with diverse sets of inputs such as data mining. We apply here SPM to the implementation of an a priori-like algorithm for mining association rules. Our experiments show that the average idle time per node is kept very low.
Comparative analysis of fiber-type composition in the iliofibularis muscle of phrynosomatid lizards (Squamata).

The lizard family Phrynosomatidae com- prises three subclades: the closely related sand and horned lizards, and their relatives the Sceloporus group. This family exhibits great variation in ecology, behavior, and general body plan. Previous studies also show that this family exhibits great diversity in locomotor perfor- mance abilities; as measured on a high-speed treadmill, sand lizards are exceptionally fast sprinters, members of the Sceloporus group are intermediate, and horned lizards are slowest. These differences are paralleled by differ- ences in relative hindlimb span. To determine if muscle fiber-type composition also varies among the three sub- clades, we examined the iliofibularis (IF), a hindlimb mus- cle used in lizard locomotion, in 11 species of phrynoso- matid lizards. Using histochemical assays for myosin ATPase, an indicator of fast-twitch capacity, and succinic dehydrogenase, denoting oxidative capacity, we classified fiber types into three categories based on existing nomen- clature: fast-twitch glycolytic (FG), fast-twitch oxidative- glycolytic (FOG), and slow-twitch oxidative (SO). Sand lizards have a high proportion of FG fibers (64 -70%) and a low proportion of FOG fibers (25-33%), horned lizards are the converse (FG fibers 25-31%, FOG fibers 56 - 66%), and members of the Sceloporus group are intermediate for both FG (41- 48%) and FOG (42- 45%) content. Hence, across all 11 species %FOG and %FG are strongly nega- tively correlated. Analysis with phylogenetically indepen- dent contrasts indicate that this negative relationship is entirely attributable to the divergence between sand and horned lizards. The %SO also varies among the three subclades. Results from conventional nested ANCOVA (with log body mass as a covariate) indicate that the log mean cross-sectional area of individual muscle fibers dif- fers among species and is positively correlated with body mass across species, but does not differ significantly among subclades. The log cross-sectional area of the IF varies among species, but does not vary among subclades. Conversely, the total thigh muscle cross-sectional area does not vary among species, but does vary among sub- clades; horned lizards have slimmer thighs. Muscle fiber- type composition appears to form part of a coadapted suite of traits, along with relative limb and muscle sizes, that affect the locomotor abilities of phrynosomatid lizards. J. Morphol. 250:265-280, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Adenovirus Transformation of Hamster Embryo Cells

Abstract Inoculation of hamster embryo cell cultures with human adenovirus type 12 (Ad12) or simian adenovirus (SA7) resulted in the formation of foci of morphologically transformed cells within 12 days. The rapid appearance of well-defined foci was dependent upon the transfer of cells into new plates, with sufficient dilution after virus adsorption, and was independent of virus dose. Dose-response studies showed linearity of focus formation with dilution of Ad12 or SA7. Results averaged from several experiments show plaque-forming unit to focus-forming unit ratios of approximately 1.8 × 106 for Ad12 and 2.6 × 105 for SA7. Other experiments showed that most of the adenovirus involved in transformation was adsorbed by 3 hr. Cell lines derived from SA7 transformed cells produced tumors within 19 days when inoculated intradermally into young adult hamsters. Such cell-induced tumors histologically resembled SA7 virus-induced hamster tumors. Formation of tumors with SA7 transformed cells was inhibited by prior immunization of test animals with SA7 or Ad12 virus.
Inherent optical property estimation in deep waters

We develop two algorithms for determining two inherent optical properties (IOPs) from radiometric measurements in vertically homogeneous waters. The first algorithm is for estimation of the ratio of the backscattering to absorption coefficients from measurements of only the vertically upward radiance and the downward planar irradiance at depths where the light field is in the asymptotic regime. The second algorithm enables estimation of the absorption coefficient from measurement of the diffuse attenuation coefficient in the asymptotic regime after use of the first algorithm. Multiplication of the two estimates leads to an estimate for the backscattering coefficient. The algorithms, based upon the use of a simplified phase function and the asymptotic eigenmode, are shown to potentially provide good starting conditions for iteratively determining the absorption and backscattering coefficients of a wide variety of waters. The uncertainty in the estimates defines a subspace for IOPs that may reduce ambiguity in such iterative solutions. Because of the ease of estimating the backscattering to absorption ratio from in-water measurements, this IOP deserves further investigation as a proxy for biogeochemical quantities in the open ocean.
Using schematically heterogeneous structures

Schematic heterogeneity arises when information that is represented as data under one schema, is represented within the schema (as metadata) in another. Schematic heterogeneity is an important class of heterogeneity that arises frequently in integrating legacy data in federated or data warehousing applications. Traditional query languages and view mechanisms are insufficient for reconciling and translating data between schematically heterogeneous schemas. Higher order query languages, that permit quantification over schema labels, have been proposed to permit querying and restructuring of data between schematically disparate schemas. We extend this work by considering how these languages can be used in practice. Specifically, we consider a restricted class of higher order views and show the power of these views in integrating legacy structures. Our results provide insights into the properties of restructuring transformations required to resolve schematic discrepancies. In addition, we show how the use of these views permits schema browsing and new forms of data independence that are important for global information systems. Furthermore, these views provide a framework for integrating semi-structured and unstructured queries, such as keyword searches, into a structured querying environment. We show how these views can be used with minimal extensions to existing query engines. We give conditions under which a higher order view is usable for answering a query and provide query translation algorithms.
Paging cost minimization under delay constraints

Efficient paging procedures help minimize the amount of bandwidth expended in locating a mobile unit. Given a probability distribution on user location, the optimal paging strategy which minimized the expected number of locations polled E[L] is to query each location sequentially in order of decreasing probability. However, since sequential search over many locations may impose unacceptable polling delay, D, optimal paging subject to delay constraints is considered. Substantial reductions in E[L] can be had even after moderate constraints are imposed on acceptable D (i.e., D/spl les/3) Since all methods of mobility management eventually reduce to considering a time-varying probability distribution on user location, this work should be applicable to a wide range of problems in the area. Most notably those with additive cost structures.
Merlin, a New Superfamily of DNA Transposons Identified in Diverse Animal Genomes and Related to Bacterial IS1016 Insertion Sequences

Several new families of DNA transposons were identified by computer-assisted searches in a wide range of animal species that includes nematodes, flat worms, mosquitoes, sea squirt, zebrafish, and humans. Many of these elements have coding capacity for transposases, which are related to each other and to those encoded by the IS1016 group of bacterial insertion sequences. Although these transposases display a motif similar to the DDE motif found in many transposases and integrases, they cannot be directly allied to any of the previously described eukaryotic transposases. Other common features of the new eukaryotic and bacterial transposons include similarities in their terminal inverted repeats and 8-bp or 9-bp target-site duplications. Together, these data indicate that these elements belong to a new superfamily of DNA transposons, called Merlin/IS1016, which is common in many eubacterial and animal genomes. We also present evidence that these transposons have been recently active in several animal species. This evidence is particularly strong in the parasitic blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni, in which Merlin is also the first described DNA transposon family.
Abstract 3552: Differential expression of microRNAs in gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA BACKGROUND: Various staging and grading systems are used to classify the gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors (GNTs). These systems attempt to stratify tumors, in order to predict survival after resection and the rate of progression to metastatic disease. At present, no specific molecular markers are available for diagnosis, prognosis or therapeutic targeting of GNTs. Microarray profiling analysis for the expression of miRNAs was performed on GNTs of stomach, small intestine, appendix, colon and rectum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Database search was carried out for patients with GNTs and pathological staging was performed in accordance with AJCC Cancer Staging manual (7th ed). The tumors evaluated included stomach (Stage I & II: 8 cases, Stage III&IV: 3 cases) , Ileum and cecum (Stage I and II:5, Stage III& IV: 17), appendix (Stage I &II: 3, goblet cell carcinoid: 7), and rectum (Stage I and II: 15, Stage III and IV: 3 cases). Kaplan Meir analysis revealed a worse overall survival of Stage III and IV tumors in comparison to Stage I and II in all subgroups. Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded (FFPE) archival tissue was obtained. Total RNA was isolated from FFPE tissue using the RNeasy Kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA, USA). RNA was quantified and its purity was evaluated by the absorption ratio at 260/280nm using NanoDrop 2000 (Thermo Scientific, Pittsburgh, PA, USA). The microRNA profiling was performed by LC Sciences (Houston, TX) using miRBase v20 and data was normalized using selective housekeeping miRNAs. RESULTS: The most significantly altered miRNAs amongst various groups are tabulated (Table no.1) CONCLUSION: Stage III and IV GNTs are biologically distinct in comparison to Stage I and II GNTs. There is a significant up-regulation or down-regulation of specific miRNAs in these tumors. Bioinformatics analysis and further validation by RT-PCR are being performed which will likely provide information on the role of specific genes regulated by these miRNAs in GNTs. View this table: Citation Format: Amarpreet Bhalla, Shadan Ali, Fazlul Sarkar, Anthony Shields, Amy Jencks, Romil Nathan, Vinod B. Shidham. Differential expression of microRNAs in gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3552. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3552
How digital correlation affects the fringe washing function in L-band aperture synthesis radiometry

The phase coherence limitations of L-band digital correlation radiometry are investigated for receiver architectures that use low A/D converter resolution (1-3 bits). Statistical models and measurements of a 1.4 GHz digital radiometer system show that coarse quantization can cause excess fringe washing losses which degrade the spatial resolution capabilities in synthetic thinned array radiometry (STAR) implementations. For single-bit STAR, excess fringe washing is discernible immediately away from the boresight direction and, further from the center of the image, can result in as much as 2 dB loss in visibility information. To accommodate low-bit correlators in remote sensing STAR, a novel band division correlation (BDC) processor is proposed. BDC improves the time-coherence of each correlated brightness signal while it also maintains the system bandwidth and noise-equivalent sensitivity of a conventional STAR radiometer. Analytical and numerical solutions are presented for the point spread function of a 27 m L-band STAR sensor to evaluate the band-slicing technique. The results show that with 4 subband channels, BDC improves swath edge resolution from 17.0 to 10.2 km and reduces correlation loss from 2.5 to 0.2 dB.
Biomechanical Approaches for Studying Integration of Tissue Structure and Function in Mammary Epithelia

The structure and function of each individual mammary epithelial cell (MEC) is largely controlled by a bidirectional interchange of chemical and mechanical signals with the microenvironment. Most of these signals are tissue-specific, since they arise from the three-dimensional (3D) tissue organization and are modulated during mammary gland development, maturation, pregnancy, lactation, and involution. Although the important role played by structural and mechanical signals in mammary cell and tissue function is being increasingly recognized, quantitative biomechanical approaches are still scarce. Here we review currently available biomechanical tools that allow quantitative examination of individual cells, groups of cells or full monolayers in two-dimensional cultures, and cells in 3D cultures. Current technological limitations and challenges are discussed, with special emphasis on their potential applications in MEC biology. We argue that the combination of biomechanical tools with current efforts in mathematical modeling and in cell and molecular biology applied to 3D cultures provides a powerful approach to unravel the complexity of tissue-specific structure-function relationships.
Does the Erlang C model fit in real call centers

We consider the Erlang C model, a queuing model commonly used to analyze call center performance. Erlang C is a simple model that ignores caller abandonment and is the model most commonly used by practitioners and researchers. We compare the theoretical performance predictions of the Erlang C model to a call center simulation model where many of the Erlang C assumptions are relaxed. Our findings indicate that the Erlang C model is subject to significant error in predicting system performance, but that these errors are heavily biased and most likely to be pessimistic, i.e. the system tends to perform better than predicted. It may be the case that the model's tendency to provide pessimistic (i.e. conservative) estimates helps explain its continued popularity. Prediction error is strongly correlated with the abandonment rate so the model works best in call centers with large numbers of agents and relatively low utilization rates.
Chloride Salt Systems for High Temperature Thermal Energy Storage: Properties and Applications

There is substantial potential to increase the operating temperatures of concentrating solar power (CSP) plants, thereby increasing the Carnot efficiency. Coupled with viable thermal energy storage (TES) strategies, this would bring us closer to achieving the goals of the U.S. Department of Energy Sunshot Initiative. Current TES media employ molten inorganic salts (namely, nitrate salts) for thermal storage, but they are limited in application to lower temperatures: generally, below 600°C. While sufficient for parabolic trough power plants, these materials are inadequate for use with the higher operating temperatures achievable in solar power tower-type CSP plants. For these higher temperatures, chloride salts are more ideal candidate storage media, either for sensible heat storage in the molten salt (e.g, a dual-tank storage arrangement) or for sensible and latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) as phase change materials (PCMs). Their melting points and those of their eutectic mixtures cover a broad range of potential operating temperatures, up to and including 800.7°C, the melting point of pure NaCl.This paper examines these salt systems and presents relevant properties and potential applications in high temperature (>400°C) utility scale solar thermal power generation. A preliminary screening of pure chloride salts based on available literature yields a list of promising candidate salts. Eutectic mixtures of these salts are also considered; the eutectic systems were modeled using the thermodynamic database software, FactSage. Thermophysical properties (melting point, latent heat) are summarized for each salt system. Radiative properties are also addressed, since at these temperatures, thermal radiation can become a significant mode of heat transfer. Candidate containment materials and strategies are discussed, along with the attendant potential for corrosion. Finally, cost data for these systems are presented, allowing for meaningful comparison among these systems and other materials in the context of utility scale thermal energy storage units.Copyright © 2015 by ASME