cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Making Proportional Bandwidth Guarantees in IEEE 802.11e Enhanced Distributed Channel Access

In this paper, we derive, based on the analytical model developed by Cali et al., a multi-class model to study how to adaptively tune parameters in IEEE 802.11e EDCA and support service differentiation in WLANs. Through analytical modeling, we demonstrate that by assigning appropriate different attempt probabilities (or contention window sizes) to stations of different classes, it is feasible to provide (proportional) service differentiation and achieve pre-specified targeted throughput ratios among different classes, while at the same time, maximizing the total system capacity. We also extend the derived theoretical model to analyze the role of AIFS and TXOP values on service differentiation perceived by different traffic classes. We show that, to achieve QoS guarantees (i.e. throughput differentiation) and high channel utilization, it may not be desirable to allow tuning of multiple parameters (e.g., both the contention window sizes and the AIFS values). Instead, the design dimension should be kept small by turning only one set of parameters, while keeping the other two sets of parameters for all the access categories fixed (i.e., setting the AIFS values of all access categories to 2, which is equivalent to AIFS = DIFS). We also elaborate on how to on-line measure parameters needed for calculating the best value of the contention window size. Both the analytical models and the proposed approaches for practically incorporating theoretical findings into IEEE 802.11e EDCA are validated through detailed ns-2 simulations and empirical experimentation on a Linux-based MADWifi driver for wireless LAN devices with the Atheros chipset.
Minicomputer systems in business: what are the limiting factors?

Minis and micros have been praised for their low cost, flexibility, and general upheavel of traditional Renaissance Computers (general purpose computers). Indeed, minicomputers have revolutionized computing because of their special-purpose, dispersed, Common Computer image.
Art, public spaces, and private property along the streets of New Orleans

In this article, I investigate how and why a street art controversy that emerged in post-Katrina New Orleans was transformed from a dispute over property transgressions to a broader struggle over the meanings of art amidst the city’s devastated condition. The controversy began when a street art initiative by the New Orleans artist Rex Dingler invoked a backlash of anti-graffiti activism. In response, local artists began painting on the walls. When the locals were joined by artists from different cities, the discussion intensified about the merits of street art as well as commentary on and reflection of a city facing systemic decline and property abandonment. Street artists, anti-graffiti activists, and property owners negotiated local private property by placing, removing and retaining graffiti, and both locals and those with no New Orleans attachments had influence. The controversy illustrates how private property functions as a public institution in addition to a system of private ownership.
Stimulated decay of nonselectively pumped optical phonons in GaAs

We have considered the processes determining the steady-state population of longitudinal optical ~LO! phonons being intensively produced in GaAs by electrons optically excited or accelerated in strong external electric field. The emitted LO phonons pass their energy to acoustic phonon systems through anharmonic decay into longitudinal acoustic ~LA! phonons. The latter emerge as almost monoenergetic and concentrated in a narrow layer in the reciprocal space. Had the occupation numbers of k states within this layer grown to unity, the decay process would have become stimulated, effectively desolating the built-in LO states and giving rise to various nonlinear phenomena. We show that this is actually the case by tracing LA phonon kinetics and calculating the number of phonons in each k state available for feedback. The results obtained substantially clarify the physical picture of energy transfer processes mediating heat removal in GaAs. @S0163-1829~99!02131-1#
Constraints on the gravitational properties of antiprotons and positrons from cyclotron-frequency measurements

Tests of the weak equivalence principle for antiprotons and positrons are inferred from the results of particle-antiparticle cyclotron-frequency comparisons. The potential improvements from future, higher-precision experiments are discussed.
Just for Fun: The Playful Image of Nanotechnology

In 1959, Richard Feynman suggested that the most compelling reason to pursue nanoscale research might be ‘just for fun.’ This article traces a history of playful images and ludic practices in nanotechnology. Two case studies—nanocars and nanosoccer—exemplify the ways in which scientific research mobilizes speculative futures, less through engineering design or stepwise protocol than through the recreational dynamics of play. Although such molecular toys might appear frivolous, they index the increasingly widespread conditions of play labor, or ‘playbor’, shaping today’s technoculture. Exploring the processes of transmutation and transvaluation by which technological imaginaries are rendered operative, this article tells a story of how the nanoworld became an everyday reality by becoming a game.
Magnitude, Frequency, and Duration Relations for Suspended Sediment in Stable (``Reference'') Southeastern Streams1

: Sediment is listed as one of the leading causes of water-quality impairments in surface waters of the United States (U.S.). A water body becomes listed by a State, Territory or Tribe if its designated use is not being attained (i.e., impaired). In many cases, the prescribed designated use is aquatic health or habitat, indicating that total maximum daily loads (TMDL) targets for sediment should be functionally related to this use. TMDL targets for sediment transport have been developed for many ecoregions over the past several years using suspended-sediment yield as a metric. Target values were based on data from “reference” streams or reaches, defined as those exhibiting geomorphic characteristics of equilibrium. This approach has proved useful to some states developing TMDLs for suspended sediment, although one cannot conclude that if a stream exceeds the target range, the aquatic ecosystem will be adversely impacted. To address this problem, historical flow-transport and sediment-transport data from hundreds of sites in the Southeastern U.S. were re-examined to develop parameters (metrics) such as frequency and duration of sediment concentrations. Sites determined as geomorphically stable from field evaluations and from analysis of gauging-station records were sorted by ecoregion. Mean-daily flow data obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey were applied to sediment-transport rating relations to determine suspended-sediment load for each day of record. The frequency and duration that a given concentration was equaled or exceeded were then calculated to produce a frequency distribution for each site. “Reference” distributions were created using the stable sites in each ecoregion by averaging all of the distributions at specified exceedance intervals. As with the “reference” suspended-sediment yields, there is a broad range of frequency and duration distributions that reflects the hydrologic and sediment-transport regimes of the ecoregions. Ecoregions such as the Mississippi Valley Loess Plains (#74) maintain high suspended sediment concentrations for extended periods, whereas coastal plain ecoregions (#63 and 75) show much lower concentrations.
Methyl 3,5-bis(cyclo-hexyl-meth-oxy)benzoate.

In the title compound, C22H32O4, the atoms of the methyl ester group and the alk­oxy O atoms are all coplanar with the central aromatic ring, with an r.m.s. deviation of 0.008 A. Bonds to the methyl­ene and cyclo­hexyl groups are also very close to this plane, so that the mol­ecule is essentially flat, apart from the cyclo­hexyl groups. The mean planes through the cyclo­hexyl groups are tilted by 30.08 (9) and 36.14 (7)° with respect to the central aromatic ring. In the crystal, pairs of mol­ecules linked by C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds form planar units which are stacked along the a axis, with an average inter­planar distance of 3.549 (2) A. Stacking appears to be stabilized by further weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.
A comprehensive analysis of classification algorithms for cancer prediction from gene expression

With the advent of inexpensive microarray technology, biologists have become increasingly reliant on gene expression analysis for detecting disease states, including diagnosis of cancerous tissue [12]. While random forests and SVMs have proven to be popular methods for expression analysis, little work has been done to compare these methods with AdaBoost, a popular ensemble learning algorithm, across a wide array of cancer prediction tasks. Our work shows AdaBoost outperforms other approaches on binary predictions while random forests and SVMs are the best choice in multi-class predictions.
Solvent effects in the reaction of 2,3,6-tri-O-methyl D-glucopyranose and phenyl isocyanate

Abstract The reaction of a 3:1 mixture of 2,3,6-tri- O -methyl-α- andβ- D -glucopyranose ( 1 ) with phenyl isocyanate, in acetone, benzene, dimethyl sulfoxide, 1,4-dioxane, pyridine, and tetrahydrofuran, showed the isomer ratio in the product mixture to be solvent-dependent. The ratio varied from 4.55β/α in benzene to 0.49 in Me 2 SO. It is proposed that an activated complex formed between 1 and a 1 -isocyanate complex provides for the simultaneous attack of a nucleophile on the anomeric hydroxyl proton, and of an electrophile on the ring-oxygen atom of 1 , causing mutarotation. The rate of mutarotation of the activated complex is dependent on the degree of solvation of the anomeric hydroxyl group. Solvent association is highest in ME 2 SO and lowest in benzene. The reaction rate is higher in benzene than 1,4-dioxane and is slowest in Me 2 SO. The hydroxyl group at C-1 is ≈ 3 times as reactive as the one at C-4.
Reverse Electrodialyis Salinity Gradient Power Experiment

Today’s rate of fossil fuel consumption rapidly depletes fuel reserves and leads to a number of adverse environmental effects. Although the scope of these effects has yet to be fully realized, it is clear that the development of alternative energy sources is very important. A relatively new form of alternative energy known as reverse electrodialysis (RED) appears to be one of the promising energy sources of the future. This technology harvests the energy stored in the salinity gradient between two different liquids, and converts it directly into electric power. This power is generated by pumping water through an array of alternating pairs of cation and anion exchange membranes called cells. Various academic sources calculate the available energy to be 1.5 MJ for every cubic meter of sea and river water mixed, making all river basins a potential location for power production.Small prototype systems using 50 cells with areas of 100 cm2 were assembled by a group in the Netherlands, but larger stacks remain to be tested. An understanding of the feasibility of RED as a possible energy source relies on testing of cells with larger membrane area and different numbers of membrane pairs. An experimental system was designed with cells 61 cm × 16.5 cm, which will increase the output by nearly a factor of 10. Along with having much larger dimensions than previous systems, the design has an adjustable number of cells in the stack, allowing users obtain test results at a variety of settings. Comparing the output of systems with few cells to systems with many cells will help us to optimize the stack size in terms of hydrodynamic losses.Initial testing of the system resulted in a positive result. The tests showed that the system produced power, and the 1.98 volts measured was 83% of the predicted value. Leakage of the electrode rinse solution contaminated the membranes, and prevented more testing. Once the electrode rinse system is redesigned, more testing will be done.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Next generation hazard detection via ultrafast coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy

Multiplex coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (MCARS) is used to detect an explosive precursor material and two chemical warfare simulants. The spectral bandwidth of the femtosecond laser pulse used in these studies is sufficient to coherently and simultaneously drive all the vibrational modes in the molecule of interest. The research performed here demonstrates that MCARS has the capability to detect an explosive precursor (e.g., acetone) and hazardous materials, such as dimethyl methylphosphonate and 2-chloroethyl methyl sulfide (a sarin and a mustard gas chemical warfare simulant, respectively), with high specificity. Evidence shows that MCARS is capable of overcoming common the sensitivity limitations of spontaneous Raman scattering, thus allowing for the detection of the target material in milliseconds with standard USB spectrometers as opposed to seconds with intensified spectrometers. The exponential increase in the number of scattered photons suggests that the MCARS technique may be capable of overcoming range detection challenges common to spontaneous Raman scattering.
Personality traits and the prediction of personal goals

Abstract Trait and motive concepts are widely used in the description and analysis of individual differences in personality, but relatively little work has examined how these personality units relate to one another. In the present research, we report relations between self-generated, idiographic goals and the Big Five personality trait dimensions. Undergraduate participants ( N = 1443) each listed 10 personal goals and completed a measure of the Big Five. Results from multiple logistic regression demonstrated that traits were associated with 52 of 96 goal categories. Two prominent themes emerged: Goals that if attained would compensate for perceived deficits associated with personality traits (e.g., be less shy and low Extraversion) and goals that complement trait characteristics (e.g., travel to Europe and high Openness to Experience). Observed relations are discussed in terms of goals to alter one’s perceived personality traits or facilitate long-term and not easily attained outcomes.
Identifying Proteins Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization In-Source Fragmentation Data Combined with Database Searching

Metastable ion decay in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) has become a routine method for obtaining primary structures of peptides. Significant fragmentation occurs in the MALDI ion source and can be observed via delayed ion extraction TOF-MS. In-source decay (ISD) can provide C- and N-terminal primary sequence data for even moderate-sized peptides (<5000 Da). The unique cn series fragmentation that occurs in ISD has been exploited to obtain partial C-terminal sequences for proteins as large as human apotransferrin (75 kDa). Two approaches for combining this ISD MALDI-generated partial sequence information with protein database searching techniques are presented. In one approach, cyanogen bromide is used to cleave relatively large peptide fragments from a sample of human apotransferrin. One of the larger cleavage products (6034.84 Da) was isolated by HPLC and subjected to ISD MALDI analysis. An easily identified cn fragment ion series allowed two noncontiguous segments of the peptide's s...
Visual and acoustic confusability a visual search task

Visual and acoustic confusability between a target item and background items was varied in a visual search task. Visual confusability was a highly significant source of difficulty while acoustic confusability had no effect. The results do not seem to be interpretable within a theory which assumes compulsory auditory encoding of visual information.
Birth Weight Is Inversely Associated With Central Adipose Tissue in Healthy Children and Adolescents

Objective: Previous studies have explored the association between birth weight and excess childhood body fat, but few have used precise measures of body composition, leading to equivocal and sometimes contradictory results. Research Methods and Procedures: Subjects included 101 children who underwent DXA measurements between 1995 and 2000. Birth weight and gestational age were assessed using maternal recall. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between birth weight and the following four outcome variables: total fat mass (FM), truncal fat mass (TrFM), percentage body fat (%BF), and TrFM adjusted for FM (TrFMadj), controlling for current weight and Tanner stage. Results: The mean age of the children studied was 12.9 ± 2.4 years, and the mean birth weight reported by subjects’ mothers was 3.3 ± 0.5 kg. The FM and TrFM were 12.8 ± 8.7 kg and 5.1 ± 4.1 kg, respectively, and the mean %BF was 22.9 ± 10.3%. Birth weight was a significant predictor of FM (p = 0.02) and %BF (p = 0.038). However, birth weight adjusted for gestational age (BWTadj) was a significant (p = 0.03) negative predictor of TrFMadj, independently of race, sex, Tanner stage, and current weight. Discussion: These results provide evidence that, even in childhood and adolescence, a higher birth weight is associated with higher FM and %BF, while a low birth weight is associated with TrFM, adjusted for FM.
Proteomic Profiling of Human Plasma Exosomes Identifies PPARγ as an Exosome-associated Protein

Abstract Exosomes are nanovesicles that are released from cells as a mechanism of cell-free intercellular communication. Only a limited number of proteins have been identified from the plasma exosome proteome. Here, we developed a multi-step fractionation scheme incorporating gel exclusion chromatography, rate zonal centrifugation through continuous sucrose gradients, and high-speed centrifugation to purify exosomes from human plasma. Exosome-associated proteins were separated by SDS–PAGE and 66 proteins were identified by LC–MS/MS, which included both cellular and extracellular proteins. Furthermore, we identified and characterized peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), a nuclear receptor that regulates adipocyte differentiation and proliferation, as well as immune and inflammatory cell functions, as a novel component of plasma-derived exosomes. Given the important role of exosomes as intercellular messengers, the discovery of PPARγ as a component of human plasma exosomes identifies a potential new pathway for the paracrine transfer of nuclear receptors.
Cultivating Better Nutrition: Can the Food Pyramid Help Translate Dietary Recommendations into Agricultural Goals?

An explicit goal of agricultural production should be good human nutrition. Concurrent trends of chronic disease and obesity in the developed world and energy and micronutrient deficiency in the developing world reflect in part an inadequate correspondence between food production and food needs. Cropland allocation is one leverage point for changing the current system so that food supplies better reflect nutritional requirements. However, most methods for assessing the adequacy of food supplies or agricultural output tend to focus only on calories. Fortunately, recent research by the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) suggests that the Food Pyramid can serve as a basis for estimating how cropland should be allocated to meet nutritional needs. While the Food Pyramid has been subjected to a flurry of criticism in both the academic and the popular press, the methods employed by ERS allow for a whole-diet approach to food supply assessment and are useful irrespective of any future changes in Food Guide recommendations. Moreover, the current critique of the Pyramid completely ignores agricultural sustainability and questions of what kind of diets are possible for the food system to produce in the long term. For this reason, agricultural scientists must become engaged in the discussion of human nutrition to ensure that agroecological concerns are included in determining how to allocate land resources to nutritious ends.
Sex-Specific Aging in Flies, Worms, and Missing Great-Granddads

Two recent studies identify how sex-specific pheromonal factors in flies and worms alter lifespan through metabolic pathways that are shared with mammals. Sex differences in human lifespans imply nonautonomous effects modulated by sex-specific gene-environment interactions that could still include pheromonal mechanisms.
Population-based care of depression: Effective disease management strategies to decrease prevalence

This paper reviews the concepts of population-based care and disease management of major depression. Population-based care and disease management strategies motivated by health care reform provide approaches for organizing health services to lower the prevalence of common medical and psychiatric illnesses in primary care populations. We apply these concepts to the organization of services for patients with major depression.
Communicating six sigma's benefits to top management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to construct a basic profit model of quality so as to highlight the economic implications of process quality in an accessible way.Design/methodology/approach – Economic evaluation of the four profit parameters (price, unit costs, sales, fixed costs) using microeconomic analysis. For each parameter, the effect of better quality is described and a general logic to assess its profit impact developed.Findings – For all four examined parameters, it can be shown that better quality results in better financial performance. Profit and quality are therefore positively correlated.Research limitations/implications – The presented research is of conceptual nature, based on the objective to establish a general profit model of quality. The single parts of the described economic logic of quality might be subjected to empirical examination.Practical implications – The arguments presented in this paper can help quality practitioners to better understand the economics of striving for ...
On the statistical dependence of hits in frequency-hop multiple access

The statistical dependence of hits due to multiple-access interference in an asynchronous slow-frequency-hop packet radio network in which the radios employ memoryless hopping patterns is described. Models in which hits are conditionally independent given the number of interfering packets are investigated. It is shown that if the conditional probability of a hit is chosen appropriately, the distribution function for the number of hits in a packet for these models can be used to compute upper and lower bounds on the true distribution function for the number of hits. Conditions are described for which these models can be used to compute upper and lower bounds on the codeword and packet error probabilities. It is shown that if the ratio of the number of interfering packets to the number of frequency slots is held constant, hits in the asynchronous frequency-hop network are asymptotically independent in the limit as the number of frequency slots increases. This result suggests that when the number of frequency slots is large, error probabilities can be closely approximated by using the distribution for the number of hits that results from assuming that hits are independent. >
Theoretical limits of SAR distributions of a four-element square array of dipole-type antennas

Four‐element dipole microwave antenna arrays with square insertion patterns are commonly used clinically for interstitial hyperthermia. One major disadvantage with this type of antenna array is the presence of a large dead length at the tips because the current gradually decreases from maximum at the junctions to zero at the tips. This dead length is usually 1.5–2 cm along the central axis of a 2×2 cm array of regular dipole antennas. Many attempts to improve the performance of dipole antenna arrays have been made by designing antennas with increased current at the tips. While some dipole antennas of new design show negligible dead lengths at close proximity in the single‐antenna configuration, phantom experiments have demonstrated that these antennas exhibit at least 1.1 cm dead space along the central axis of the four‐antenna array. Therefore, there seems to be a limit to which the array dead length can be reduced by the improvements in the dipole‐type antenna design. The goal of this work is to find the theoretical minimum of the array dead length. This was done by assuming a uniform current distribution along the entire antenna. The specific absorption rate (SAR) patterns were calculated for an array with an insertion depth of 7 cm (resonant length for 915 MHz) and a variable spacing between antennas (1–3 cm). It was found that there is a dead length of 6 mm along the central axis of the 2×2‐cm array with the uniform current distribution, which can be considered as the theoretical limit of the dead length for this array. It was also found that the SAR patterns in the midplane of the array are nearly independent of the separation between antennas and the lateral extensions of the SAR patterns are independent of the current distributions.
Isolation of cell lines possessing functional and serological properties resembling those of thymocyte precursors

Isolation of cell lines possessing functional and serological properties resembling those of thymocyte precursors
The use of a chromosome integration vector to map erythromycin resistance and production genes in Saccharopolyspora erythraea (Streptomyces erythraeus).

Abstract The thiostrepton-resistance-conferring plasmid pIJ702 was integrated into the ermE region of the chromosome of erythromycin (Er)-producing bacterium Saccharopolyspora erythraea (Streptomyces erythraeus) by single, reciprocal (Campbell) recombination between DNA cloned in the vector and homologous nucleotide sequences in the chromosome. Genetic mapping experiments by conjugational transfer were used to establish that the Er gene, ermE, was located close to the Er-production loci eryA34 and eryB25.
Divergent Synthesis of Complex Polyketide-Like Macrolides from a Simple Polyol Fragment

Three stereochemically and structurally complex non-natural polyketide macrolides have been synthesized from the same simple polyol precursor. That this polyol fragment is rapidly available in quantity is key to the practicality of these syntheses and allows the targeting of more highly complex and “natural product-like” macrolides.
Stereotactic radiosurgery for brainstem metastases: Survival, tumor control, and patient outcomes.

Purpose: Patients with brainstem metastases have limited treatment options. In this study, we reviewed outcomes after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in the management of patients with brainstem metastases. Methods and Materials: Records were reviewed of 22 consecutive patients presenting with brainstem metastases who underwent SRS. The most frequent primary malignancy was the lung (n = 11), followed by breast (n = 3) and kidney (n = 2). Three patients (14%) also underwent whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT). The median tumor volume was 0.9 mL (range, 0.1-3.3 mL); the median tumor margin dose was 16 Gy (range, 14-23 Gy). Results: Median survival time after SRS was 8.5 months. Although local tumor control was achieved in all patients with imaging follow-up (n = 19), 5 patients died from development and progression of new brain metastases. Two patients (9%) had symptom improvement after SRS, whereas 1 patient (5%) developed a new hemiparesis after SRS. Conclusions: Radiosurgery is safe and provides a high local tumor control rate for patients with small brainstem metastases. Patients with limited systemic disease and good performance status should be strongly considered for SRS.
Surface analysis of particulates from laboratory hood exhaust manifold

Particulate samples collected from a laboratory ventilation manifold during routine maintenance were analyzed to determine if particulate composition had changed as a result of changes in the laboratory's atmosphere. This ventilation manifold exhausts more than 100 fume hoods. The particulate samples were analyzed using static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The negative SIMS spectra showed abundant Cl-, NO3-, and HSO4-, consistent with the use of mineral acids in the laboratory. Cluster anions containing primarily Zn (but also other transition metals) were detected, which signaled corrosion of the manifold's galvanized steel by the volatilized acids. The most abundant ions in the cation SIMS spectra were derived from cyclohexylamine (CHA), which had been used as an antiscaling agent in the facility's boiler. Steam from the boiler, which contained CHA, was used to humidify the building air; this practice stopped in 1997. The abundances of the CHA-derived ions were significantly lower in the samples collected in 2004 and 2006 than in the 1992 samples, indicating that the CHA is being slowly depleted. Changes in the relative abundances suggest exponential depletion from the manifold with rate constants that are on the order of 0.01 to 0.04 month-1.
Alternative Medicine: The Renaissance of an Unbroken Tradition

It all started with what we now relegate to alternative medicine. Beginning with the mystical origin of primitive medicine’s magical recipes, empirical observations slowly led to the accrual of a body of knowledge on the relative safety and curative properties of a disparate and motley group of natural products. Over time, several of these items were integrated into folk medicine, whereas others were gradually and progressively incorporated into the Materia Medica of medicine as it evolved over time from the priestly medicine of prehistory into that of the ancient world’s early professional physicians. The subsequent use of these early natural medicinal preparations continued to evolve and came to dominate much of Eastern medicine, while their incorporation into Western medicine was more selective and tempered by the Greek idea of disease that developed from their philosophical notion of the four elements (earth, fire, air, and water). The Greek notion of good health was that
Convicting and incarcerating felony offenders of intimate assault and the odds of new assault charges

The effectiveness of harsher sanctions for domestic violence offenders is an important topic given legislative trends in “getting tough” with these offenders. This article takes a rare look at felony domestic violence, specifically felony assaults on female intimates, with an analysis of whether conviction, jail, and imprisonment are related to the odds of subsequent charges among 353 male defendants from twenty-four Ohio trial courts of general jurisdiction. Each defendant was followed up for two years after his original case was closed and his sentence (if any) was served. Conviction and jail sentences were both related to significantly lower likelihoods of recharging for intimate assault, but prison sentences were not related to these odds. These findings are discussed in relation to the potential importance of reducing short-term opportunities for violence in order to prevent future harm.
Modeling variability in software product lines with the variation point model

A major challenge for software reuse is developing components that can be reused in several applications. This paper describes a systematic method for providing components that can be extended through variation points, as initially specified in the software requirements. Allowing the reuser or application engineer to extend components at pre-specified variation points creates a more flexible set of components. The existing variation point methods do not provide enough design detail for the reuser. This paper introduces a method called the Variation Point Model (VPM), which models variation points at the design level, beginning with the common requirements. The product line approach provides a systematic approach for software reuse. A challenge with the product line approach is to model the variability between the core assets and the applications. This paper describes the VPM and how it is used for modeling four different approaches to variability, modeling variability using parameterization, modeling variability using information hiding, modeling variability using inheritance, and modeling variability using variation points. VPM allows a reuser or application engineer to extend components at pre-specified variation points. For this to be possible, a variation point must be modeled such that the reuser has enough knowledge to build a variant.
Individual and Social Recognition: Challenges and Opportunities in Migraine Management

This study investigates how people manage chronic migraine -- an illness characterized by unpredictable, intermittent breakouts in everyday life. Participants in our study must self-identify migraine symptoms, triggers, and effective coping mechanisms while also seeking social recognition and assistance from a social network during migraine attacks. We argue that the challenges in identifying and managing migraine as well as in communicating with clinicians and social networks arise in response to the patients' need to deal with the unpredictability and intermittency of the disease. We suggest technologies that, unlike current chronic care systems, enable patients with migraine and similar diseases to track a wide range of life events across intermittent time stamps and help make sense of subjective information. We argue that technologies should also help patients gain social recognition and assistance during breakouts. This work contributes to the growing body of knowledge in personal informatics and quantified-self research.
In the Soviet House of Culture: A Century of Perestroikas

In the Soviet House of Culture: A Century of Perestroikas. BRUCE GRANT. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1996. xvii + 163 pp., appendix, notes, bibliography, Index.
The absolute refractory periods of self-stimulation neurons

Abstract A new method is described for measuring the separate contributions of absolute refractory periods (ARPs), relative refractory periods (RRPs) and supernormal periods (SNPs) of the directly stimulated neurons mediating rewarding brain stimulation, to behaviorally measured excitability estimates. If pulse pairs are presented in which the first pulse in each pair is either higher, lower or equal in current to the second pulse in each pair, then ARPs, RRPs and SNPs contribute differentially. ARPs were found to make contributions at intrapair intervals between 0.4 and 1.2 msec, but were largest between 0.6 and 1.0 msec. RRPs made inappreciable contributions at all intrapair intervals. SNPs were found to make large contributions, particularly at intrapair intervals of 3.0 and 5.0 msec. Results for a dorsal pons placement were similar to those for two medial forebrain bundle placements.
Serum fluvoxamine levels in breastfed infants.

Background: Between 10% and 15% of new mothers will experience an episode of postpartum depression. Although antidepressants are effective agents for the treatment of postpartum depression, minimal data are available to support their safety in infants of breastfeeding mothers. Method: In this article, we present 2 cases of nursing mother-infant pairs in which the mother was treated with fluvoxamine and in which infant serum fluvoxamine levels were obtained. Both mothers began the fluvoxamine treatment postpartum, and serum levels were obtained from mothers and infants after a minimum of 7 days on a stable maternal dose. One level was obtained from the infant in case 1, and 2 levels were obtained from the infant in case 2. Results: Each of the infant serum fluvoxamine levels obtained was too low to quantify (at a limit of detection of 2.5 ng/mL). Neither of the infants experienced adverse events related to the mother's treatment with fluvoxamine. Each of the infants is reportedly healthy 2 to 3 years after the exposure. Conclusion: While these results are encouraging, they are limited and cannot be generalized to all cases of infants exposed to fluvoxamine. Additional mother-infant serum fluvoxamine levels and infant behavioral observations will facilitate the risk-benefit decision-making process for women who choose to breast-feed while taking fluvoxamine.
Applying the transtheoretical model to health care proxy completion.

Background. For many, an important health decision is whether or not to document end-of-life wishes using an advance directive (e.g., health care proxy). To date, interventions targeting this healt...
Mechanisms of Dendritic Cell Lysosomal Killing of Cryptococcus

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic pulmonary fungal pathogen that disseminates to the CNS causing fatal meningitis in immunocompromised patients. Dendritic cells (DCs) phagocytose C. neoformans following inhalation. Following uptake, cryptococci translocate to the DC lysosomal compartment and are killed by oxidative and non-oxidative mechanisms. DC lysosomal extracts kill cryptococci in vitro; however, the means of antifungal activity remain unknown. Our studies determined non-oxidative antifungal activity by DC lysosomal extract. We examined DC lysosomal killing of cryptococcal strains, anti-fungal activity of purified lysosomal enzymes, and mechanisms of killing against C. neoformans. Results confirmed DC lysosome fungicidal activity against all cryptococcal serotypes. Purified lysosomal enzymes, specifically cathepsin B, inhibited cryptococcal growth. Interestingly, cathepsin B combined with its enzymatic inhibitors led to enhanced cryptococcal killing. Electron microscopy revealed structural changes and ruptured cryptococcal cell walls following treatment. Finally, additional studies demonstrated that osmotic lysis was responsible for cryptococcal death.
Accidental administration of activated charcoal into the lung : aspiration by proxy

We report a case of accidental activated charcoal instillation into the lung of a 30-year-old man being managed for a cyclic antidepressant overdose. The patient was treated with multidose activated charcoal, and between his first and second doses, he pulled his nasogastric tube out of position. The tube was reinserted past the endotracheal tube into the right mainstem bronchus, and a dose of activated charcoal with sorbitol was administered into the lung. He subsequently developed an adult respiratory distress syndrome but gradually improved after bronchoscopic removal of charcoal and supportive care. He was discharged 14 days later.
Architectures and circuits for RF CMOS receivers

This paper presents recent work in receiver architectures and circuits for RF CMOS applications. First, receiver topologies such as heterodyne, direct-conversion, and image-reject configurations together with their trade-offs are described. Next, the design of building blocks, e.g., low-noise amplifiers and mixers, baseband interfaces, and oscillators is studied. Three design examples for ISM, DECT, and cellular applications are then reviewed and unresolved issues in RF CMOS design are summarized.
Septin ring size scaling and dynamics require the coiled-coil region of Shs1p

Septins are conserved GTP-binding proteins that assemble into heteromeric complexes that form filaments and higher-order structures in cells. What directs filament assembly, determines the size of higher-order septin structures, and governs septin dynamics is still not well understood. We previously identified two kinases essential for septin ring assembly in the filamentous fungus Ashbya gossypii and demonstrate here that the septin Shs1p is multiphosphorylated at the C-terminus of the protein near the predicted coiled-coil domain. Expression of the nonphosphorylatable allele shs1-9A does not mimic the loss of the kinase nor does complete truncation of the Shs1p C-terminus. Surprisingly, however, loss of the C-terminus or the predicted coiled-coil domain of Shs1p generates expanded zones of septin assemblies and ectopic septin fibers, as well as aberrant cell morphology. The expanded structures form coincident with ring assembly and are heteromeric. Interestingly, while septin recruitment to convex membranes is increased, septin localization is diminished at concave membranes in these mutants. Additionally, the loss of the coiled-coil leads to increased mobility of Shs1p. These data indicate the coiled-coil of Shs1p is an important negative regulator of septin ring size and mobility, and its absence may make septin assembly sensitive to local membrane curvature.
Nitric Oxide Insufficiency, Platelet Activation, and Arterial Thrombosis

Nitric oxide (NO) was originally discovered as a vasodilator product of the endothelium. Over the last 15 years, this vascular mediator has been shown to have important antiplatelet actions as well. By activating guanylyl cyclase, inhibiting phosphoinositide 3-kinase, impairing capacitative calcium influx, and inhibiting cyclooxygenase-1, endothelial NO limits platelet activation, adhesion, and aggregation. Platelets are also an important source of NO, and this platelet-derived NO pool limits recruitment of platelets to the platelet-rich thrombus. A deficiency of bioactive NO is associated with arterial thrombosis in animal models, individuals with endothelial dysfunction, and patients with a deficiency of the extracellular antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase-3. This enzyme catalyzes the reduction of hydrogen and lipid peroxides, which limits the availability of these reactive oxygen species to react with and inactivate NO. The complex biochemical reactions that underlie the function and inactivation of NO in the vasculature represent an important set of targets for therapeutic intervention for the prevention and treatment of arterial thrombotic disorders.
Measurement and Prediction of the Cooling Characteristics of a Generalized Vibrating Piezoelectric Fan

Piezoelectric fans are thin elastic beams whose vibratory motion is actuated by means of a piezoelectric material bonded to the beam. These fans have found use as a means to enhance convective heat transfer while requiring only small amounts of power. The objective of the present work is to quantify the influence of each operational parameter and its relative impact on thermal performance. Of particular interest are the vibration frequency and amplitude as well as the geometry of the vibrating cantilever beam. The experimental setup consists of a piezoelectric fan mounted normal to a constant heat flux surface. Temperature contours on this surface captured via an infrared camera are used to extract the forced convection coefficient due to the fluid motion generated from the fan. Different fans, with fundamental resonance frequencies ranging from 60 to 250 Hz, are considered. Results show that the performance of the fans is maximized at a particular value of the gap between the fan tip and the heated surface. It is found that when a fan operates at this optimum gap, the heat transfer rate is dependent only on the frequency and amplitude of oscillation. Correlations based on appropriately defined dimensionless parameters are developed and found to successfully predict the thermal performance across the entire range of fan dimensions, vibration frequency and amplitude. An understanding of the dependence of thermal performance on the governing variables allows for improved design of piezoelectric fans as a method of enhancing heat transfer.
Postpneumonectomy-like syndrome presenting in a patient with treated pulmonary tuberculosis: a case report

Postpneumonectomy syndrome is a rare condition that is characterized by dyspnea resulting from an extreme mediastinal shift and bronchial compression of the residual lung following surgical pneumonectomy. It is even rarer for this syndrome to present in patients without a history of prior lung surgery but induced by autopneumonectomy due to parenchymal disease, an entity termed ‘postpneumonectomy-like syndrome’. We present a rare case of a 91-year-old Puerto Rican man presenting with progressively worsening dyspnea with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosed 40 years earlier who developed severe unilateral lung fibrosis. Plain X-ray and computed tomography scans confirmed the presence of postpneumonectomy-like syndrome secondary to his parenchymal lung destruction. The patient developed cor pulmonale due to his extensive lung disease and as a consequence was not a suitable candidate for surgical intervention. The patient was otherwise stable until he developed acute respiratory distress from an acute upper gastrointestinal bleed and died four days into his hospital course. We present a rare case of postpneumonectomy-like syndrome as sequelae of severe pulmonary parenchymal tuberculosis infection along with a review of literature, in the hopes of aiding clinicians to include the differential of postpneumonectomy-like syndrome in patients presenting with worsening dyspnea without a history of surgical lung resection.
GPUs as an opportunity for offloading garbage collection

GPUs have become part of most commodity systems. Nonetheless, they are often underutilized when not executing graphics-intensive or special-purpose numerical computations, which are rare in consumer workloads. Emerging architectures, such as integrated CPU/GPU combinations, may create an opportunity to utilize these otherwise unused cycles for offloading traditional systems tasks. Garbage collection appears to be a particularly promising candidate for offloading, due to the popularity of managed languages on consumer devices.We investigate the challenges for offloading garbage collection to a GPU, by examining the performance trade-offs for the mark phase of a mark & sweep garbage collector. We present a theoretical analysis and an algorithm that demonstrates the feasibility of this approach. We also discuss a number of algorithmic design trade-offs required to leverage the strengths and capabilities of the GPU hardware. Our algorithm has been integrated into the Jikes RVM and we present promising performance results.
Woodrow Wilson on the History of Government: Passing Fad or Constitutive Framework for his Philosophy of Governance?

From the days of independence well into the 1920s, much of the American study of government was defined as the study of political, constitutional, and institutional history. The historical and comp...
MCTP2 is a dosage sensitive gene required for cardiac outflow tract development

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) and hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) have been reported in rare individuals with large terminal deletions of chromosome 15q26. However, no single gene important for left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) development has been identified in this region. Using array-comparative genomic hybridization, we identified two half-siblings with CoA with a 2.2 Mb deletion on 15q26.2, inherited from their mother, who was mosaic for this deletion. This interval contains an evolutionary conserved, protein-coding gene, MCTP2 (multiple C2-domains with two transmembrane regions 2). Using gene-specific array screening in 146 individuals with non-syndromic LVOT obstructive defects, another individual with HLHS and CoA was found to have a de novo 41 kb intragenic duplication within MCTP2, predicted to result in premature truncation, p.F697X. Alteration of Mctp2 gene expression in Xenopus laevis embryos by morpholino knockdown and mRNA overexpression resulted in the failure of proper OT development, confirming the functional importance of this dosage-sensitive gene for cardiogenesis. Our results identify MCTP2 as a novel genetic cause of CoA and related cardiac malformations.
Effects of ozone treatment on microflora of dried figs

Ozone application to control odour, bacteria, germ, virus and mould is widely used in many fields of food processing. To inactivate microbial flora on dried figs ozone was applied in gas form for three and five hours at 5 and 10 ppm. A statistically significant reduction in the total bacterial, coliform and yeast/mould counts were obtained (P < 0.05). Escherichia coli was not found on the samples. Results indicate that to reduce microorganism count on dried figs minimum three hours treatment at 5 ppm is required. Decrease in total aerobic mesophyllic microorganism and yeast/mould counts was approx. 38% and 72% at this level where all coliform bacteria were inactivated.