cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low temperature physical properties of Co-35Ni-20Cr-10Mo alloy MP35N®

Abstract Multiphase Co-35Ni-20Cr-10Mo alloy MP35N® is a high strength alloy with excellent corrosion resistance. Its applications span chemical, medical, and food processing industries. Thanks to its high modulus and high strength, it found applications in reinforcement of ultra-high field pulsed magnets. Recently, it has also been considered for reinforcement in superconducting wires used in ultra-high field superconducting magnets. For these applications, accurate measurement of its physical properties at cryogenic temperatures is very important. In this paper, physical properties including electrical resistivity, specific heat, thermal conductivity, and magnetization of as-received and aged samples are measured from 2 to 300 K. The electrical resistivity of the aged sample is slightly higher than the as-received sample, both showing a weak linear temperature dependence in the entire range of 2–300 K. The measured specific heat Cp of 430 J/kg-K at 295 K agrees with a theoretical prediction, but is significantly smaller than the values in the literature. The thermal conductivity between 2 and 300 K is in good agreement with the literature which is only available above 77 K. Magnetic property of MP35N® changes significantly with aging. The as-received sample exhibits Curie paramagnetism with a Curie constant C = 0.175 K. While the aged sample contains small amounts of a ferromagnetic phase even at room temperature. The measured MP35N® properties will be useful for the engineering design of pulsed magnets and superconducting magnets using MP35N® as reinforcement.
Seeing eye to eye: A meta-analysis of self-other agreement of leadership

Abstract The agreement between a leader's self-rating of leadership and ratings from the leader's subordinates, peers, and superiors (i.e., self-other agreement) is critical to understanding leadership, but questions remain regarding the extent to which leaders are aware of their behaviors. This meta-analysis investigates whether leader-observer agreement is influenced by type of observer and type of leadership. First, we examined the convergence (i.e., correlation) between leader- and observer-ratings along several dimensions of leadership (e.g., initiating structure, consideration, contingent reward, and transformational leadership). Our results indicated that leader-observer correlations were generally moderate and of similar magnitudes for task- and relation-oriented behaviors (with the exception of a strong correlation for contingent reward). Next, we compared leaders' and observers' mean-level ratings (i.e., Cohen's d ), and found that leaders generally reported lower or similar levels of task-oriented behaviors but higher levels of relation-oriented behaviors. Last, several variables (e.g., sampling method and study purpose) moderated leader-observer convergence. Implications of these findings for research, theory, and practice are discussed.
Impact of a pharmacist-led vaccine recommendation program for pediatric kidney transplant candidates.

Pediatric transplant recipients commonly have deficient vaccination status at the time of transplantation. Utilizing transplant pharmacists to improve vaccination rates has not previously been described. This single-center, retrospective study evaluated the impact of transplant pharmacist interventions on the completion rate of vaccination schedules at time of kidney transplant. Patients who received pharmacist-led vaccination recommendations prior to transplant were compared to patients without pharmacist recommendations. Forty-seven pediatric patients were included: 24 intervention patients and 23 control patients. The median percentage of up-to-date vaccinations at time of transplant was significantly higher in intervention group (91%; IQR 86%-100%) vs. control group (80%; IQR 71%-80%) (P<.0001). The median change in up-to-date vaccinations from time of evaluation to time of transplant was also significantly higher in the intervention group (7.5%) compared to the control group (0%) (P<.0001). There was no difference in live vaccination rates. No patients in either group were readmitted for a vaccine-preventable disease within 6 months post-transplant. With pharmacist intervention, significantly more patients were up to date with vaccination schedules at the time of transplant. These results suggest that a transplant pharmacist may serve as a valuable resource to increase vaccination schedule compliance between time of evaluation and transplantation.
Stability of Autism Symptoms in Young Children

The study of early diagnosis and intervention has been a central theme in recent autism research. In support of the validity of early autism diagnoses, researchers have found discriminating variables that are identifiable within the first three years of life. In addition, autism diagnoses made within this time period are typically stable over time. Separate symptoms, however, seem to exhibit differential patterns across development. The current study examined the stability of autism screening outcomes and symptomology in 637 toddlers between the age of 17 and 36 months. Confirmatory of previous findings, results of the current study suggest that overall screening outcomes and symptom severity across three domains (i.e., socialization/nonverbal communication, restricted repetitive behaviors and interests, and communication) are stable across time. Further, the effects of age and time between testing were found to vary between groups. Implications of these results are discussed.
Discrete Multi-Scale Transforms in Signal Processing

Abstract Transients in 1D/2D signals often carry critical information, and hence constitute useful features for analysis and inference. A 2D signal for example, is visually represented as an image, and typically contains spatially distributed geometrical shapes that can be characterized by edges that signal the transients from one object to other objects. The edges are the discontinuities in an image intensity function along curves, contours, or lines, and can be more closely studied by zooming onto the most important isotropic or anisotropic features in an image. This is the of multi-scale analysis which is the primary focus of this chapter. Aimed as a tutorial, this provides a basic introduction, with some perspective and a somewhat high level exposition of the theoretical frameworks of classical wavelets and the anisotropic wavelets, including the curvelets, the contourlets, and the shearlets. Our main goal is to provide a working knowledge of these tools focusing on their discrete scenarios as well as their potential for applications in information sciences and image processing in general, rather than the deep theoretical aspects which may be found in the extensive bibliography.
A GMR-based magnetic flow cytometer using matched filtering

In this work, signal processing techniques such as matched filtering and cross-correlation were applied to improve the detection efficiency in magnetic flow cytometry measurements with a SNR as low as 4.5 dB, a 3-fold improvement over thresholding alone. A multi-stripe GMR sensor was fabricated to improve the discrimination between magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and interference/noise such as motion artifacts. Time-of-flight between successive sensors in the array enables multiparametric and hydrodynamic analysis of cells. Detection of 4.5 pm MNPs and polymer microbeads decorated with MNPs, serving as a biomimetic model of cells, shows proof-of-principle. This setup was then optimized for future cell detection experiments.
How Perceptions of Programming Differ in Children with and without Prior Experience: (Abstract Only)

The computing and STEM industries face challenges in attracting people to fill expanding needs. The literature shows that computing preconceptions shape interest in and impact decisions of whether or not to enter computing disciplines, especially for women and underrepresented minorities. In this study, our research questions focused on how perceptions of programming in elementary and middle school students varied based on prior programming experience. We examined the programming constructs they found challenging. Our study was in the context of a week-long summer camp dedicated to Scratch-based game development. We conducted semi-structured interviews at the beginning, middle, and end of the weeklong program with 28 students who agreed to participate. During the interviews, we asked students about their perceptions of programming in general and which programming constructs they found easy and/or hard. We found that all students perceived programming as a means of creating artifacts, but that students with prior programming experience went deeper by associating programming with process and function. We also characterize the specific Scratch programming constructs that beginning versus experienced children perceive as easy and/or hard. These findings will help experts and educators better understand how children think about programming and how experience changes these perceptions over time. These findings also have implications on the design of curricula and instructional resources to address difficulties children face while learning to program.
Electrochemical Aptamer-Based Sensors for Rapid Point-of-Use Monitoring of the Mycotoxin Ochratoxin A Directly in a Food Stream

The ability to measure the concentration of specific small molecules continuously and in real-time in complex sample streams would impact many areas of agriculture, food safety, and food production. Monitoring for mycotoxin taint in real time during food processing, for example, could improve public health. Towards this end, we describe here an inexpensive electrochemical DNA-based sensor that supports real-time monitor of the mycotoxin ochratoxin A in a flowing stream of foodstuffs.
Extensive drought-associated plant mortality as an agent of type-conversion in chaparral shrublands

Contents Summary 498 I. Introduction 498 II. Ecological drought and vegetation type-conversion 499 III. Chaparral mortality during extreme drought events 501 IV. Some species survive drought and others do not 501 V. Recovery potential 502 VI. Conclusions 503 Acknowledgements 503 References 503 SUMMARY: California experienced an intense drought from 2012 to 2015, with southern California remaining in drought to the present. Widespread chaparral shrub mortality was observed during the peak of the drought in 2014. Some species were more impacted than others and shallow-rooted shrub species were the most vulnerable to drought-associated mortality. This type of drought represents what is termed an 'ecological drought' during which an ecosystem is driven beyond thresholds of vulnerability, triggering impairment of ecosystem services and feedbacks that may result in long-term type-conversion of natural communities. The ability of shrublands to recover will depend on the timing, intensity and seasonality of future extreme climate events, post-fire recruitment potential of species with obligate fire-associated recruitment, and interactions with other stresses.
Non-Anticoagulant Actions of Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) relationship with brain structures is analyzed in view of their role in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD or SDAT; senile dementia Alzheimer’s type). The difference between Proteoglycans (PGs) and GAGs is considered the key for the interpretation of the two opposite roles played by these molecules. PGs are one of the possible determinants of AD whereas GAGs are tied to tentative therapeutical approaches in AD. These opposite positions are considered referring to both the main microstructures of the brain (e.g. cell surface, basement membrane, Extracellular Matrix) and the functional macrostructures (e.g. blood-brain barrier; BBB). A particular emphasis was given to the main AD markers:[amyloid substance, neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and cerebral vessel microangiopathy] in order to show the background of AD therapy with GAP(glycosaminoglycan polisulfate). The modification of the basement membrane of the BBB, the reaction of the Extracellular Matrix (ECM) and the consequent neuronal damage could derive from the presence of antibodies against the protein core of a HSPG (heparan sulfate proteoglycan). The positive data obtained in Phase II, III and IV clinical trials with GAP administration suggest that GAGs may represent more than an orphan theory in the management of AD.*
CVBEM Modeling Techniques

The use of the CVBEM to develop approximations for potential problems involving sources, sinks, regional inhomogeneity, or other sophisticated conditions is addressed in this chapter. Several computer programs are presented which can be applied to various practical modeling problems, and case studies are considered which demonstrate the utility of the overall CVBEM modeling approach.
Bullous arthropod bite reaction.

A 61-year-old woman with a medical history of hypothyroidism presented to the office with blistering skin lesions on bilateral lower legs ([figure 1][1]). The lesions first appeared about 5 days prior to her office visit. The patient stated she was bitten multiple times by what she believes were
Singing the Alien: Velvet Goldmine and David Bowie’s Glam Semiotics

David Bowie’s legacy is one of self-determination and freedom for his fans. That legacy is clearest in Bowie’s subversive reuse of popular culture signs in his music, lyrics, and appearance...
The New Left and the Marxian Legacy: Early Encounters in the United States, France, and Germany

In the mid-1960s, as the Cold War seemed frozen into place after the Soviet repression of the Hungarian uprising in 1956, and the stalemate that defused the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, the spirit of a ‘New Left’ began to emerge in the West. Although encouraged by events in the Third World, its common denominator was the idea that the misunderstood (or misused) work of Karl Marx must have offered a theory that both explained the discontent with the present among a new generation of youth and could also offer them guidelines for future action. At once personal and social, critical and political, this expectation was encouraged by publications of the writings of the young Marx as well as the discovery of non-orthodox theorists and political activists whose critical work had been ignored or suppressed by Soviet-dominated communist parties. These theories represented an ‘unknown dimension’ that became the object of vigorous debate in the 1960s and early 1970s. The searching candle burned bright for a decade before it flamed out.
World trauma education: hemorrhage control training for healthcare providers in India

Background Hemorrhage remains a major cause of death around the world. Eighty percent of trauma patients in India do not receive medical care within the first hour. The etiology of these poor outcomes is multifactorial. We describe findings from the first Stop the Bleed (StB) course recently offered to a group of medical providers in southern India. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 101 participants who attended StB trainings in India was performed. Pre-training and post-training questionnaires were collected from each participant. In total, 88 healthcare providers’ responses were analyzed. Three bleeding control skills were presented: wound compression, wound packing, and tourniquet application. Results Among participants, only 23.9% had received prior bleeding control training. Participants who reported feeling ‘extremely confident’ responding to an emergency medical situation rose from 68.2% prior to StB training to 94.3% post-training. Regarding hemorrhage control abilities, 37.5% felt extremely confident before the training, compared with 95.5% after the training. For wound packing and tourniquet application, 44.3% and 53.4%, respectively, felt extremely confident pre-training, followed by 97.7% for both skills post-training. Importantly, 90.9% of StB trainees felt comfortable teaching newly acquired hemorrhage control skills. A significant majority of participants said that confidence in their wound packing and tourniquet skills would improve with more realistic mannequins. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first StB training in India. Disparities in access to care, long transport times, and insufficient numbers of prehospital personnel contribute to its significant trauma burden. Dissemination of these critical life-saving skills into this region and the resulting civilian interventions will increase the number of trauma patients who survive long enough to reach a trauma center. Additionally, considerations should be given to translating the course into local languages to increase program reach. Level of Evidence Level IV.
A comprehensive survey of issues in solid state drives

Abstract Flash memory-based solid state drives (SSDs) have become ubiquitous in modern computing systems, such as high-performance servers, workstation, desktops, and laptops, due to their performance and density. The architecture of SSDs has evolved to exploit the advantages of flash memories and at the same time conceal their shortcomings. SSD concurrency techniques such as channel striping, flash-chip pipelining, die interleaving, and plane sharing utilize the available parallelism of flash memories, while the flash translation layer (FTL) operations minimize the latency overhead of flash memories. This chapter provides a comprehensive survey of SSD topics that span across from the physical properties of a flash memory cell to the architecture of SSDs. The FTL-related topics are discussed in the context of inter-related system-level operations, which include address mapping, garbage collection, wear leveling, bad block management, SSD concurrency techniques, and page allocation strategies. This chapter also surveys recent research efforts on SSDs.
Disability Studies and Biblical Studies: Retrospectives and Prospects:

The integration of the field of disability studies with biblical scholarship has grown rapidly since the 1990s. This essay provides an overview of some of the main developments and explores some di...
Understanding and Analyzing Public Policy Design

There has been a surge in scholarship on policy design over the last ten years, as scholars seek to understand and develop existing concepts, theories, and methods engaged in the study of policy design in the context of modern governance. This Element adds to the current discourse on the study of policy design by (i) presenting behavioral assumptions and structural features of policy design; (ii) presenting a multi-level analytical framework for organizing policy design research; (iii) highlighting the role of policy compatibility and policy adaptability in influencing policy efficacy; and (iv) presenting future research recommendations relating to these topics.
Abstract P128: Age-related Patterns In Systolic And Diastolic Blood Pressure In Adults From The United States And India

The purpose of this cross-sectional, exploratory analysis was to describe age-related patterns of blood pressure (BP) among participants in India (using the 2014 Annual Health Survey) and the Unite...
Dedicated Residency Research Time and Its Relationship to Urologic Career Academic Success.

Abstract OBJECTIVE To explore the relationship between research time during urologic training and career academic success. METHODS We included urologists graduating residency between 2002 and 2008 from 36 programs affiliated with a top 50 hospital for urology as ranked by the United States News and World Report, and collected research time during residency, fellowship training, current appointment (private practice, assistant professor, associate professor, professor, chair), national institutes of health (NIH) grant accrual, NIH R01 grant accrual, and current H-index in Scopus database. Publication output during and after residency was identified through the PubMed database. RESULTS In our cohort of 543 urologists, 66.3% of graduating trainees pursued private practice. Increasing residency research time was associated with increased publication count (P CONCLUSION Although a minority of trainees enter academics, dedicated time for research in urologic residency is associated with career academic success, with more research time associated with increased publication output, academic appointments, and grant funding.
Survey of the passive protection on board of the ship against low and high frequency electromagnetic fields

The study of the shielding materials used in shipbuilding is an important element both for the protection of electronic systems onboard ships and of the crew against electromagnetic disturbances. By its approach, this paper has as a starting point, a brief presentation of the calculation method for determining the attenuation expression, by reflection and absorption, known as the impedance method, for a common frequency range between 50 Hz and 20 GHz. for both civilian and military vessels. Also, some aspects of the shielding of the near fields (at low frequencies) and of the far-field (at high frequencies) are analyzed. Based on the theoretical study and some of the magnetic and non-magnetic materials properties, several solutions have been proposed in order to reduce the effects of these types of electromagnetic fields.
Onset of Skin, Gut, and Genitourinary Prodromal Parkinson's Disease: A Study of 1.5 Million Veterans

Background Prodromal Parkinson's disease of skin, genitourinary, and gastrointestinal systems offers a unique window for understanding early disease pathogenesis and developing disease modifying treatments. However, prior studies are limited by incomplete timing information, small sample size, and lack of adjustment for known confounders. Verifying prodromal timing and identifying new disorders in these accessible organs is critically important given their broad use. Objective We aimed to measure onset timing for gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and skin disorders in a large, nationwide clinically characterized cohort of 1.5 million participants. Methods Patients with Parkinson's disease (n = 303,693) were identified using diagnostic codes in the medical records database of the United States Veterans Affairs healthcare system and were compared 4:1 with matched controls. Disorder prevalence and estimated onset times were assessed for 20 years preceding diagnosis. Results The earliest significantly increased prodromal disorders were gastroesophageal reflux, sexual dysfunction, and esophageal dyskinesia at 17, 16, and 15 years before diagnosis. Estimated onset times for each disorder occurred 5.5 ± 3.4 years before the first measured increase. The earliest estimated onset times were smell/taste, upper gastrointestinal tract, and sexual dysfunction at 20.9, 20.6, and 20.1 years before diagnosis. Onset times for constipation and urinary dysfunction were notably longer by 7 and 9 years compared to prior studies in sleep disorder patients. Dermatophytosis and prostatic hypertrophy were identified as new high prevalence prodromal disorders. Conclusions Gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and skin disorders manifest decades before diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, reiterating their potential as sites for developing early diagnostic testing and understanding pathogenesis.
Cytogenetics of orthopteroid insects.

Publisher Summary The term Orthopteroid insects is employed in this chapter to designate the miscellaneous assemblage of forms commonly called Orthoptera. This chapter presents a systematic review of the cytology of the orthopteroida. It discusses the chromosomes and taxonomy in the orthopteroid groups, cytological polymorphism in the orthopteroid insects, and parthenogenesis in the orthopteroid groups. Visible cytological differences between the closely related species are rare in the Orthopteroid groups. However, in certain groups of Orthoptera the visible cytological differences between the closely related forms are considerable. The centromeres of all orthopterous chromosomes seem to be strictly localized structures. Two kinds of chromosomal elements occur: (1) rod-shaped chromosomes, and (2) J-shaped or V-shaped elements. The meiotic divisions of most of the Orthoptera follow the “typical” or “normal” course— that is, to say the anomalous modifications of the meiotic divisions that occur in so many of the Diptera, Scale Insects, Lice, and other orders of insects are not known to occur in the Orthopteroid groups. In few species of Orthopteroid insects, parthenogenesis is the normal method of reproduction; males being either unknown or extremely rare. Apart from these cases, there are a number of instances on record in which unfertilized eggs of normally bisexual species are known to have undergone development.
A 1-V 10-MHz clock-rate 13-bit CMOS /spl Delta//spl Sigma/ modulator using unity-gain-reset op amps

The problem of low-voltage operation of switched-capacitor circuits is discussed, and several solutions based on using unity-gain-reset of the opamps are proposed. Due to the feedback structure, the opamps do not need to be switched off during the reset phase of the operation, and hence can be clocked at a high rate. A low-voltage /spl Delta//spl Sigma/ modulator, incorporating pseudodifferential unity-gain-reset opamps, is described. A test chip, realized in a 0.35-/spl mu/m CMOS process and clocked at 10.24 MHz, provided a dynamic range of 80 dB and a signal-to-noise+distortion (SNDR) ratio of 78 dB for a 20-kHz signal bandwidth, and a dynamic range of 74 dB and SNDR of 70 dB for a 50-kHz bandwidth, with a 1-V supply voltage.
Bone Marrow Engraftment Studies

Bone marrow engraftment studies are used to evaluate the level of donor versus recipient cells in post-transplant peripheral blood or bone marrow specimens. Unique DNA fingerprints identified from the recipient and the donor are used to determine the proportion of each contained within the total DNA extracted from the post-transplant specimen. These percentages correspond to relative amounts of donor and recipient cells in the specimen. Engraftment studies are sequentially performed on transplant patients to monitor closely the levels of donor and recipient cells so that appropriate therapeutic intervention can proceed if and when needed. This unit describes the use of fluorescent PCR for amplification of genomic short tandem repeats (STR). STR analysis is now considered the gold standard for engraftment studies and provides a quick and accurate assessment of the contribution of both donor and/or recipient hematopoietic cells in post-transplantation specimens.
The effect of ethanol on the activities of the key gluconeogenic and glycolytic enzymes of rat liver.

A systematic study was conducted to determine the effects of an acute dose of ethanol (1-5 g/kg body weight) on all of the key regulatory enzymes of glucose metabolism in rat liver. The effect of ethanol on the activities of these enzymes varied depending on the dose of ethanol, whether or not the rats were fed or fasted, and whether or not the enzymes were assayed in the presence of their specific activators. In general, ethanol increased the total activities of the key gluconeogenic enzymes and decreased the total activities of the key glycolytic enzymes in the livers of fed rats. For example, ethanol increased the activities of pyruvate carboxylase and glucose 6-phosphatase and decreased the activities of glucokinase, hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, and pyruvate kinase. The extent of the inhibition of phosphofructokinase activity by ethanol was greater when this enzyme was assayed in the absence of its specific activators (70% inhibition) than when assayed in their presence (20% inhibition). Similarly, the inhibition of the activity of pyruvate kinase was greater when assayed in the absence of its activator. In fasted rats, ethanol decreased the activities of liver pyruvate carboxylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, and increased the activities of phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase. Ethanol-induced changes in glucose levels may be related to the differential effect of ethanol on these enzymes. Ethanol increased the ratio of the activities of the key gluconeogenic enzymes to glycolytic enzymes in the livers of fed animals. For example, with ethanol, 5 g/kg of body weight, the activity at the glucose 6-phosphatase/hexokinase + glucokinase step increased by 55%; at the fructose bisphosphatase/phosphofructokinase step, by 200%; and at the pyruvate carboxylase + phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase/ pyruvate kinase step, by 88%. In contrast, in fasted rats, ethanol decreased the activity at the fructose bisphosphatase/phosphofructokinase step by 7%, and at the pyruvate carboxylase + phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase/pyruvate kinase step by 41%. These results suggest that ethanol-induced hyperglycemia in fed animals may be a consequence of an increase in the ratio of the activities of the key gluconeogenic enzymes to the glycolytic enzymes. A decrease in the ratio of the activities of these enzymes may be responsible for the ethanol-induced hypoglycemia in fasted animals. Ethanol may alter the activities of these enzymes by influencing the transition of the active-inactive forms or by affecting the total content of these enzymes.
Cindese: Computing Indirect Effects and Standard Errors in the Jöreskog Covariance Structure Model:

Users of structural equation models have found it useful to consider both the direct and indirect effects in a covariance structure model. However, the study of indirect effects has been hampered by the absence of a known statistical distribution for these effects. Recently, Sobel (1986) has derived general expressions for obtaining the standard errors for total indirect effects in the Joreskog covariance structure model, or the LISREL model (Joreskog and Sorbom, 1981). The purpose of this paper was to introduce a FORTRAN computer program for implementing Sobel's procedures. The computer program can accomodate structural models which feature feedback conditions, latent variables, and equality constraints among the direct effects.
Toward an evaluation framework for gap filling radars in adaptive distributed sensor networks

A framework is presented for comparing sensor coverage between networks of different spatial and temporal resolutions (long-range vs. short-range adaptive), in the context of their operational constraints. A simulation case study evaluates five levels of spacing between adaptive sensors (30km, 35km, 40km, 45km, 50km) in the context of neighboring long-range sensors that provide complementary data. Total system performance is assessed with measures of sensor coverage quality based on the number of radar nodes, tilts and cycles and the fraction of the analysis region's horizontal and vertical domain scanned. Using a squall line weather scenario, results show that 3D scanning performance is significantly lower with 45km and 50km spaced adaptive sensors than with 30km spaced nodes. Comparison with complementary long-range sensors shows that short-range adaptive sensors perform significantly greater at altitudes below 20000 ft. Network performance at all altitudes is shown to be significantly improved by considering both network types together when compared to either network alone. The analysis framework presented can help inform decision makers of the expected value added by deploying sensors relative to their type and quantity, for the context in which they will be operating.
Towards a System for Controlling Client-Server Traffic in Virtual Worlds using SDN

Scaling virtual worlds in the age of cloud computing is complicated by the problem of efficiently directing client-server traffic in the face of agile and dynamic compute resources. In this proposed model, Software Defined Networking and compact encoding of avatar data in packet headers are combined to make a fast, scalable, high capacity proxy server that can hide the server infrastructure while fitting well with the IaaS paradigm of modern cloud providers.
First-Principles Thermodynamics of Coherent Interfaces in Samarium-Doped Ceria Nanoscale Superlattices

Nanoscale superlattices of samarium-doped ceria layers with varying doping levels have been recently proposed as a novel fuel cell electrolyte. We calculate the equilibrium composition profile across the coherent {100} interfaces present in this system using lattice-gas Monte Carlo simulations with long-range interactions determined from electrostatics and short-range interactions obtained from ab initio calculations. These simulations reveal the formation of a diffuse, nonmonotonic, and surprisingly wide (11 nm at 400 K) interface composition profile, despite the absence of space charge regions.
Computer experiments on ion-beam neutralization with initially cold electrons

BS>Trajectories of electrons and ions shot into an initially field-free space, as in the ion-propulsion problem, were obtained using a one-dimensional model. The results of a set of computer experiments are presented, in which the ratios of election-to-ion injection velocities and currents are varied for large but finite ratios of ion-to-electron mass. For electron-to-ion velocity ratios less than about 2, static theories of neutralization are confirmed. For unneutralized and partially neutralized beams, oscillations, and in some cases, randomization of electron trajectories are observed. For electron-to-ion velocity ratios greater than 2 and electron-to-ion current ratios greater than a critical value, neutralization is obtained by means of an oscillating electron sheath that feeds electron current to the ion beam in a self-compensating manner. (auth)
Finding Documents in a Digital Institutional Repository: DSpace and Eprints

Institutional repositories are “digital collections that capture and preserve the intellectual output of universities” (Crow, 2002). While still in their initial stages of development, much attention has been paid to the technical and administrative components. This paper examines the usability of the interfaces of two of the most commonly used institutional repository systems: DSpace and Eprints. By using heuristic evaluation and usability testing, eighteen undergraduate students were tested using a between subjects experimental design. Measures included time for completing tasks, the number of errors, and users’ satisfaction from post-test questionnaires. Results of the study indicated that DSpace users spent less time completing tasks and made fewer errors than Eprints users. Overall satisfaction of DSpace was also higher than Eprints. Based on this analysis of problem areas, the study suggests guidelines for institutional repository interfaces.
Effects of kinetic mechanisms and hydrocarbon composition on oxidant-precursor relationships predicted by the ekma isopleth technique

Abstract Predictions of oxidant-precursor relationships and of hydrocarbon control requirements for ozone reductions made using the “empirical kinetic modeling approach” (EKMA) were found to depend significantly on the kinetic mechanism employed and on the aldehyde content assumed in the hydrocarbon mixture. Calculations employing the photochemical model which has been previously used in EKMA analyses are compared with those employing an updated mechanism whose validation against the extensive set of “surrogate” hydrocarbon-NOx-air smog chamber experiments performed at the University of California, Riverside is described. The updated mechanism predicted that ~ 10–50% less hydrocarbon reduction would be required to attain a given O3 reduction than predicted by the previously employed mechanism. The largest discrepancy between the predictions of the respective mechanisms occurs if aldehydes are not included in the hydrocarbon mixture. The updated mechanism was much more sensitive to the aldehyde content, which is shown to be more important in affecting EKMA predictions than the OH reactivity of the hydrocarbon mixture. The discrepancies between the kinetic mechanisms result primarily from the differences concerning several radical initiation and termination reactions, which cannot be unambiguously tested against smog chamber data because of unknown radical sources in smog chamber systems. It is concluded that an accurate knowledge of oxygenate emissions, and of radical initiation and termination reactions important in the atmosphere, are critical to EKMA analyses.
Estimating the Macroeconomic Consequence of 9/11

We perform an empirical investigation to estimate the macroeconomic cost of September 11 attacks on the United States economy. We estimate the impact of the attacks to be approximately a 0.50 percentage point decrease in GDP growth or $60 billion. Our upper bound estimate of the impact of September 11 is approximately twice that or $125 billion.
How much do respondents in the health and retirement study know about their contributions to tax-deferred contribution plans? A cross-cohort comparison*

We use information from Social Security earnings records to examine the accuracy of survey responses regarding participation in tax-deferred pension plans. As employer-provided defined benefit pensions are replaced by voluntary contribution plans, employees’ understanding of the link between their annual contributions and their post-retirement wealth is becoming increasingly important. We examine the extent to which wage-earners in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) correctly report their inclusion in tax-deferred contribution plans and, conditional on inclusion, their annual contributions. We use three samples representing different cohorts in three different periods: the original HRS cohort interviewed in 1992 at ages 51–56, the War Babies cohort interviewed in 1998 at ages 51–56, and the Early Baby Boomer cohort interviewed in 2004 at the same ages. Our findings indicate that while respondents interviewed in 1998 and 2004 were more likely to correctly report whether they were included in defined contribution plans, they were no more accurate when reporting whether they had contributed to their plans than respondents interviewed in 1992. Contributors in the three cohorts, moreover, overstated their annual contributions and thus would be likely to realize lower than expected account balances at retirement. The magnitude of this error is not negligible. In all three cohorts, the mean reporting error (the absolute difference between respondent-reported and Social Security earnings record contributions) was approximately 1.5 times larger than the mean contribution in the W-2 earnings record.
RASSF1A, a critical gene inactivated during nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis?

Commentary to:High Frequency Somatic Mutations in RASSF1A in Nasopharyngeal CarcinomaZhi-Gang Pan, V. I. Kashuba, Xiao-Qiong Liu, Jian-Yong Shao, Ru-Hua Zhang, Ju-Hong Jiang, Can Guo, Eugene Zabarovsky, Ingemar Ernberg and Yi-Xin Zeng
Understanding multimedia application characteristics for designing programmable media processors

As part of our research into programmable media processors, we conducted a multimedia workload characterization study. The tight integration of architecture and compiler in any programmable processor requires evaluation of both technology-driven hardware tradeoffs and application-driven architectural tradeoffs. This study explores the latter area, providing an examination of the application-driven architectural issues from a compiler perspective. Using an augmented version of the MediaBench multimedia benchmark suite, compiling and analysis of the applications are performed using the IMPACT compiler. Characteristics including operation frequencies, basic block and branch statistics, data sizes, working set sizes, and scheduling parallelism are examined for purposes of defining the architectural resources necessary for programmable media processors.
Stability of Vlasov equilibria. Part 3. Models

In this third of a series of papers on the stability of Vlasov equilibria, the dispersion functional technique developed in part 1 is applied to the multi-species Vlasov plasma and to the Vlasov-fluid model. An alternative form of the dispersion functional is derived for the Vlasov-fluid model in which magnetohydrodynamic and kinetic aspects of the problem are separated explicitly. A necessary and sufficient condition is derived for stability with the Vlasov-fluid model. Stability of the multi-species Vlasov plasma is discussed and a necessary and sufficient condition for stability near a marginal point is derived. Explicit formulae for quantities occurring in the dispersion functional are given in cylindrical co-ordinates for the Vlasov-fluid model when there is one nonignorable co-ordinate in the equilibrium. The dispersion functional for a multi-species Vlasov plasma is shown to be related to the ponderomotive Hamiltonian.
Using genetic tools to track desert bighorn sheep colonizations

Understanding colonization is vital for managing fragmented populations. We employed mitochondrial DNA haplotypes and 14 microsatellite (nuclear DNA) markers to infer the origins of newly established populations of desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) and to assess loss of genetic diversity during natural colonizations. We used haplotype distribution, F-statistics, Bayesian population clustering, and assignment tests to infer source populations for 3 recent colonies and identified a previously undetected colonization from multiple source populations. Allelic richness declined in 3 of 4 colonies in comparison to the primary source populations, but not as much as has been reported for translocated populations. Heterozygosity declined in only one colony. We also demonstrated that both native and translocated desert bighorn sheep have naturally recolonized empty habitats and suggest that colonization may partially offset population extinction in the region as long as connectivity is maintained. Genetic techniques and mitochondrial DNA haplotypes we described will allow managers to determine the origins of future colonizations by bighorn sheep in California, USA, and prioritize protection of linkages between known sources and colonies.
The pericyte: Cellular regulator of microvascular blood flow

The vascular system – through its development, response to injury, and remodeling during disease – constitutes one of the key organ systems sustaining normal human physiology; conversely, its dysregulation also underlies multiple pathophysiologic processes. Regulation of vascular endothelial cell function requires the integration of complex signals via multiple cell types, including arterial smooth muscle, capillary and post-capillary pericytes, and other perivascular cells such as glial and immune cells. Here, we focus on the pericyte and its roles in microvascular remodeling, reviewing current concepts in microvascular pathophysiology and offering new insights into the specific roles that pericyte-dependent signaling pathways may play in modulating endothelial growth and microvascular tone during pathologic angiogenesis and essential hypertension.
An Investigation of Female Adolescent Twins With Both Major Depression and Conduct Disorder

ABSTRACT Objective Conduct disorder (CD) and major depression (MDD) frequently co-occur in adolescents, but little is known about the characteristics and functioning of youths, especially females, with both disorders. This study describes the functioning of female adolescents with histories of both CD and MDD. Method Subjects were selected from an epidemiological sample of 17-year-old female twins based on having a lifetime DSM-III-R diagnosis of MDD and/or CD; control subjects had no history of either disorder. Results In nearly all domains examined, including measures of academic success (including academic achievement and school adjustment), personality, quality of peer relationships, and high-risk behavior (including substance dependence and early sexual experience), main effects of one or both disorders were found and related to impaired functioning. In addition, interaction effects were found in the areas of substance dependence symptoms (for all classes of substances), negative school-related events, and a personality-based predisposition not to experience positive emotions, indicating that those with both diagnoses were especially impaired. Conclusions In some domains, histories of MDD and CD interact and relate to particularly severe problems. The implications of these findings for research and treatment, including the high likelihood of substance and school adjustment problems in these youths, are discussed.
Some aspects of the biology and life history of Bothitrema bothi (Monogenea: Bothitrematidae) from the flounder Scophthalmus aquosus (Bothidae) from New Jersey, USA.

Bothitrema bothi (MacCallum, 1913), a monopisthocotylean monogenean (Bothitrematidae) found on gills and occasionally on the olfactory rosette within the nares of the bothid flounder, Scophthalmus aquosus (Mitchill, 1815), is distributed along the Atlantic coast of the USA from Woods Hole, Massachusetts to Delaware Bay. This study details aspects of the morphology, microecology and biology of the oncomiracidium, juvenile and adult. Adult worms occur almost exclusively between rakers on the first and second gill arches while juveniles occupy secondary gill filaments. Analysis of variance revealed significant arch, side and position effects. Worm attachment and position is maintained largely by suction generated by a circular seal using its 54 radially arranged accessory haptoral sclerotised elements and a marginal valve. A small anterior appendix with two marginal hooks lies dorsal to a deep anteromedian cleft in the haptor, which, together with wall muscles, creates and releases the negative pressure required for attachment. Four pairs of gland openings in the ventrolateral margins of the anterior adhesive area produce secretions for attachment. Operculate eggs with four rounded protuberances and a filament are laid individually at four-minute intervals at 22oC. Hatching occurs in five days at 20°C. Oncomiracidia have two pairs of eyes, with the posterior pair fused, show both positive and negative phototaxis and swim at a mean rate of 5.2 mm/s at 22°C. Larvae have a circle of 16 hooks and a pair of hamulus primordia. Other accessory haptoral sclerotised structures arise de novo in juveniles after attachment to the host. These data will help to resolve more clearly the relationships of the Bothitrematidae within the Monopisthocotylea.
PERINATAL OUTCOME OF INBORN INFANTS BORN AT 24 TO 26 WEEKS GESTATION BETWEEN 1/1990 & 12/1994. † 1312

PERINATAL OUTCOME OF INBORN INFANTS BORN AT 24 TO 26 WEEKS GESTATION BETWEEN 1/1990 & 12/1994. † 1312
The interaction of KOH with the basal surface of graphite

Abstract The interaction of in-situ evaporated KOH with the basal plane of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite was investigated using UPS, AES and LEED from 30 to 600°C and multilayer to submonolayer coverage. The monolayer is more thermally stable than the multilayer. He II UPS results in the monolayer regime show emission from the potassium 3p level and the 3σ and 1π levels associated with the hydroxyl. Heating in vacuum decreases the intensity of these features concomitant with decreases in the potassium and oxygen AES signals. A constant oxygen-to-potassium stoichiometry is observed independent of coverage under UHV conditions. These results indicate reversible adsorption of KOH and maintenance of the OH bond in the adsorbed state. Adsorbed KOH causes a uniform shift in initial and final state graphite UPS features, which implies electron transference to the graphite due to the adsorbed salt. The presence of H 2 O or O 2 in the residual gas increases the oxygen content in the adsorbed layer and decreases the shifts in graphite UPS features.