cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SPICE-compatible modelling technique for simulating floating-gate transistors

A technique is introduced to enable the simulation of floating-gate transistors within standard analogue circuit simulators, such as SPICE. This technique can be used in all types of circuit simulations, ranging from DC sweeps to charge-modification scenarios. The technique is then used to simulate several analogue circuits, the results of which show strong agreement with identical circuits fabricated in standard CMOS processes.
Attitudes of Pharmacists Toward Rx-to-OTC Switches and Their Effect on Pharmacists' Overall Judgment of Switch Appropriateness

The overall goal of the study was to assess pharmacists' attitudes toward Rx-to-OTC switches and to examine the role these attitudes play in pharmacists' overall judgment of appropriateness of switch candidates. Data were collected from a nationwide sample of 389 pharmacists using a mail questionnaire. Results indicated that although pharmacists favored Rx-to-OTC switching of drug products and concurred with the objectives behind the switch trend, they were concerned about consumers' ability to self-medicate. They perceived a high counseling need for switched products. Discriminant analysis was used to distinguish between pharmacists who approved and pharmacists who disapproved of OTC status for three potential switch candidates. The discriminant function developed by entering attitudinal factor scores and demographic and practice- related variables classified more than 94% of the cases correctly.
The factor of scale in ecosystem mapping

Ecosystems come in many scales or relative sizes. The relationships between an ecosystem at one scale and ecosystems at smaller or larger scales must be examined in order to predict the effects of management prescriptions on resource outputs. A disturbance to an ecosystem may affect smaller component ecosystems, which are encompassed in larger systems that control the operation of the smaller systems. Environmental factors important in controlling ecosystem size change in nature with the scale of observation. This article reviews those environmental factors that are thought to be useful in recognizing and mapping ecosystems at various scales.
Improving mood classification in music digital libraries by combining lyrics and audio

Mood is an emerging metadata type and access point in music digital libraries (MDL) and online music repositories. In this study, we present a comprehensive investigation of the usefulness of lyrics in music mood classification by evaluating and comparing a wide range of lyric text features including linguistic and text stylistic features. We then combine the best lyric features with features extracted from music audio using two fusion methods. The results show that combining lyrics and audio significantly outperformed systems using audio-only features. In addition, the examination of learning curves shows that the hybrid lyric + audio system needed fewer training samples to achieve the same or better classification accuracies than systems using lyrics or audio singularly. These experiments were conducted on a unique large-scale dataset of 5,296 songs (with both audio and lyrics for each) representing 18 mood categories derived from social tags. The findings push forward the state-of-the-art on lyric sentiment analysis and automatic music mood classification and will help make mood a practical access point in music digital libraries.
The development of a teaching model for patients with hemophilia and their families.

Patient education is an essential part of comprehensive health care. However, there are very few standardized teaching guides or materials for nurses to use for developing educational programs and individual teaching plans. As a result, patient education programs vary considerably and few programs have clear goals with measurable outcomes and a systematic method of evaluation.Hemophilia is a lifelong bleeding disorder. Thorough patient and family education is necessary if the patient is to receive optimal care and learn to function independently. A survey of the hemophilia treatment centers in the United States confirmed that the type and amount of patient and family education provided by hemophilia nurse coordinators varied greatly from center to center and that there was a need for a systematic teaching guide as well as specific teaching materials.This article describes the process used by the National Hemophilia Foundation Nursing Committee to develop the Hemophilia Patient/Family Educational Model, a ...
Effect of terbium gallium garnet crystal orientation on the isolation ratio of a Faraday isolator at high average power

We present a comprehensive and systematic investigation of the fundamental physical limitations of Faraday isolation performance at high average powers that are due to thermally induced birefringence. First, the operation of various Faraday isolator designs by use of arbitrary orientation of cubic magneto-optic crystals is studied theoretically. It is shown that, for different Faraday isolator designs, different crystal orientations can optimize the isolation ratio. Second, thermo-optic and photoelastic constants for terbium gallium garnet crystals grown by different manufacturers were measured. Measurements of self-induced depolarization are made for various orientations of crystallographic axes. The measurements are in good agreement with our theoretical predictions. Based on our results, it is possible to select a crystal orientation that optimizes isolation performance at high average powers, resulting in a 5-dB enhancement over nonoptimized orientations.
Circadian Activity of Lutzomyia shannoni (Diptera: Psychodidae) During Late Season Population Peaks

Abstract The phlebotomine sand fly, Lutzomyia shannoni (Dyar), is considered both zoophillic and anthropophillic and may be a potential vector of human and livestock pathogens. While the known range of this species in North America has recently been expanded, many aspects of its natural history, which are fundamental components for assessments of disease risk or development of integrated pest management programs for the vector, remain unclear. One is the time of day when individuals are active and searching for blood meals. Through the use of a rotating trap mechanism, male L. shannoni were found to be active earlier in the evening (1–4 h after sunset), whereas the majority of female activity occurred after midnight.
Serum Vancomycin Concentrations: Reappraisal of Their Clinical Value

Although monitoring serum vancomycin concentrations in clinical practice is commonplace, the data supporting this practice are meager. The rationale for monitoring these concentrations is to improve the effectiveness and/or reduce the toxicity of the drug. However, there are no data to suggest that monitoring serum vancomycin concentrations improves the effectiveness of therapy. In addition, despite many case reports of vancomycin-associated nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity, it is unclear whether this agent truly causes such conditions. Moreover, there is no evidence that adherence to specific ranges of vancomycin concentrations will preclude these events. Finally, vancomycin pharmacokinetics are sufficiently predictable that adequate serum drug concentrations can be obtained with dosing methods that take into account the patient's age, weight, and renal function. Safe and effective vancomycin dosage regimens can be constructed with these empirical dosing methods, whereas monitoring vancomycin levels increases the cost of therapy without improving the safety or efficacy of treatment.
The Letter of Query

A further chapter in a projected book on publishing in technical journals and magazines. This particular chapter discusses the reasons for establishing contact between author and editor prior to th...
Solid-state foaming of Ti-6Al-4V by creep or superplastic expansion of argon-filled pores

Abstract Ti–6Al–4V foams are produced by the expansion of pressurized argon pores trapped in billets created by powder metallurgy. Pore expansion during thermal cycling (840–1030 °C, which induces transformation superplasticity in Ti–6Al–4V) improves both the foaming rate (by reducing the flow stress) and the final porosity (by delaying fracture of the pores and subsequent escape of the gas), as compared to isothermal pore expansion at 1030 °C, where Ti–6Al–4V creep is the controlling mechanism. Raising the argon content in the billet increases the foaming rates for both creep and superplastic conditions, in general agreement with an analytical model taking into account the non-ideal behavior of high-pressure Ar and the pore size dependence of surface tension. Superplastically foamed Ti–6Al–4V with 52% open porosity exhibits a combination of high strength (170 MPa) and low stiffness (18 GPa), which is useful for bone implant applications.
Mathematical analysis of single-cut osteotomy for complex long bone deformity.

This paper presents a model for complex long bone deformity, which is compatible with current medical assessment techniques, and develops a mathematical method for characterization and correction of the deformity.
The lecture method: Villain or victim?

(1973). The lecture method: Villain or victim? Peabody Journal of Education: Vol. 50, No. 4, pp. 298-301.
Constrained Analysis of Fluorescence Anisotropy Decay:Application to Experimental Protein Dynamics

Hydrodynamic properties as well as structural dynamics of proteins can be investigated by the well-established experimental method of fluorescence anisotropy decay. Successful use of this method depends on determination of the correct kinetic model, the extent of cross-correlation between parameters in the fitting function, and differences between the timescales of the depolarizing motions and the fluorophore's fluorescence lifetime. We have tested the utility of an independently measured steady-state anisotropy value as a constraint during data analysis to reduce parameter cross correlation and to increase the timescales over which anisotropy decay parameters can be recovered accurately for two calcium-binding proteins. Mutant rat F102W parvalbumin was used as a model system because its single tryptophan residue exhibits monoexponential fluorescence intensity and anisotropy decay kinetics. Cod parvalbumin, a protein with a single tryptophan residue that exhibits multiexponential fluorescence decay kinetics, was also examined as a more complex model. Anisotropy decays were measured for both proteins as a function of solution viscosity to vary hydrodynamic parameters. The use of the steady-state anisotropy as a constraint significantly improved the precision and accuracy of recovered parameters for both proteins, particularly for viscosities at which the protein's rotational correlation time was much longer than the fluorescence lifetime. Thus, basic hydrodynamic properties of larger biomolecules can now be determined with more precision and accuracy by fluorescence anisotropy decay.
The Origins of American Power in Iraq, 1941–1945

Utilizing archival sources in both the United States and Britain to describe the changes in American policy in Iraq during World War II, and tracing the emergence of the United States as an important factor in Iraq's politics and history, the authors challenge the notion that the United States was a passive bystander to events there during the war. Washington initially followed the British lead, but, beginning in 1942, the United States became more assertive in its relations with Iraq, with American diplomats, State Department officials, postwar planners, and intelligence officers promoting the ideals of the Atlantic Charter while simultaneously aiming to secure Iraq's petroleum and tying it into a network of Western alliances. Iraq's vital strategic position and its rich petroleum resources made it an important part, along with Saudi Arabia and Iran, of the American effort to secure, militarily and economically, the oil-rich Gulf region for the West in the postwar era.
Activation of Two Osmotin-Like Protein Genes by Abiotic Stimuli and Fungal Pathogen in Transgenic Potato Plants

Osmotin-like proteins are encoded by at least six members of a multigene family in Solanum commersonii. A genomic clone ([lambda]pGEM2a-7) that contains two osmotin-like protein genes (OSML13 and OSML81) arranged in the same transcriptional orientation has been isolated. Restriction mapping and sequence analysis indicated that the two intronless genes correspond to the previously characterized pA13 and pA81 cDNAs. To study the transcriptional activation of OSML13 and OSML81 promoters, the 5[prime] flanking DNA sequence (-1078 to +35 of OSML13 and -1054 to +41 of OSML81) was fused to the [beta]-glucuronidase (GUS) coding region, and the chimeric gene fusions were introduced into wild potato (S. commersonii) plants via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Analysis of the chimeric gene expression in transgenic potato plants showed that both 5[prime] flanking DNA sequences are sufficient to impart GUS inducibility by abscisic acid, NaCl, salicylic acid, wounding, and fungal infection. Low temperature activated both chimeric genes only slightly. Infection with Phytophthora infestans resulted in strong GUS expression from both chimeric genes primarily in the sites of pathogen invasion, suggesting a limited diffusion of fungal infection-mediated signals. The expression patterns of both osmotin-like protein genes implicate their dual functions in osmotic stress and plant pathogen defense.
Kidney dialysis-associated amyloidosis: a molecular role for copper in fiber formation.

In the US alone, more than 250,000 people have impaired renal function that necessitates treatment by dialysis. A debilitating complication of long-term treatment is the deposition of β2-microglobulin (β2m) as amyloid fibers within the joint space. However, the intrinsic propensity of isolated β2;m protein to initiate in vitro fiber formation is negligible under conditions matched to the neutral pH and ionic conditions of serum. Here, we present evidence for a novel interaction between β2m and Cu2+ at a concentration within institutionally recommended limits for this metal ion in dialysate solution. Mass spectrometry, using electrospray ionization from native conditions, demonstrates that the binding of Cu2+ is specific over Ca2+ or Zn2+. Despite maintaining a native-like conformation upon Cu2+ binding, the folded protein is unusually destabilized against thermal and urea denaturation. We further demonstrate that destabilization by Cu2+ uniquely promotes de novo fiber formation at 37°C and neutral pH. Since the incidence of amyloidosis is dramatically reduced upon elimination of copper from dialysis membranes, our results provide a molecular understanding for dialysis-associated amyloid formation by β2m.
Commentary on E. Haertel, “How Is Testing Supposed to Improve Schooling?”

Haertel's argument is that we must “expand the scope of test validation to include indirect testing effects” because these effects are often the “rationale for the entire testing program.” I strong...
A server for real-time event tracking in news

As the flood of information continues to grow, it becomes ever more necessary to extract just the portion of the flow which is of interest to each user. The Topic Detection and Tracking (TDT) project [1, 3, 6, 5] addressed and continues to address this need, but has been of necessity applied in a batch-processing context on a static collection. What is required for topic detection and tracking to be of utility to end-users is a real-time system which operates on a live stream of information. This paper describes the extension and modification of a batch-oriented tracking system into a real-time server for event detection, event tracking, document summarization, and translation.
Impact of overall and particle surface heat transfer coefficients on thermal process optimization in rotary retorts.

: This study attempts to examine the significance of recent research that has focused on efforts to estimate values for global and surface heat transfer coefficients under forced convection heating induced by end-over-end rotation in retorting of canned peas in brine. The study confirms the accuracy of regression analysis used to predict values for heat transfer coefficients as a function of rotating speed and headspace, and uses them to predict values over a range of process conditions, which make up the search domain for process optimization. These coefficients were used in a convective heat transfer model to establish a range of lethality-equivalent retort temperature–time processes for various conditions of retort temperature, rotating speed, and headspace. Then, they were coupled with quality factor kinetics to predict the final volume average and surface quality retention resulting from each process and to find the optimal thermal process conditions for canned fresh green peas. Results showed that maximum quality retention (surface and volume average retention) was achieved with the shortest possible process time (made possible with highest retort temperature), and reached the similar level in all cases with small difference between surface and volume average quality retention. The highest heat transfer coefficients (associated with maximum rotating speed and headspace) showed a 10% reduction in process time over that required with minimum rotating speed and headspace. The study concludes with a discussion of the significance of these findings and degree to which they were expected.
Suppressed Carrier Scattering in CdS-Encapsulated PbS Nanocrystal Films

One of the key challenges facing the realization of functional nanocrystal devices concerns the development of techniques for depositing colloidal nanocrystals into electrically coupled nanoparticle solids. This work compares several alternative strategies for the assembly of such films using an all-optical approach to the characterization of electron transport phenomena. By measuring excited carrier lifetimes in either ligand-linked or matrix-encapsulated PbS nanocrystal films containing a tunable fraction of insulating ZnS domains, we uniquely distinguish the dynamics of charge scattering on defects from other processes of exciton dissociation. The measured times are subsequently used to estimate the diffusion length and the carrier mobility for each film type within the hopping transport regime. It is demonstrated that nanocrystal films encapsulated into semiconductor matrices exhibit a lower probability of charge scattering than that of nanocrystal solids cross-linked with either 3-mercaptopropionic a...
Mixed-effects statistical model for comparative LC-MS proteomics studies.

Comparing a protein’s concentrations across two or more treatments is the focus of many proteomics studies. A frequent source of measurements for these comparisons is a mass spectrometry (MS) analysis of a protein’s peptide ions separated by liquid chromatography (LC) following its enzymatic digestion. Alas, LC−MS identification and quantification of equimolar peptides can vary significantly due to their unequal digestion, separation, and ionization. This unequal measurability of peptides, the largest source of LC−MS nuisance variation, stymies confident comparison of a protein’s concentration across treatments. Our objective is to introduce a mixed-effects statistical model for comparative LC−MS proteomics studies. We describe LC−MS peptide abundance with a linear model featuring pivotal terms that account for unequal peptide LC−MS measurability. We advance fitting this model to an often incomplete LC−MS data set with REstricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) estimation, producing estimates of model goodness-of-fit, treatment effects, standard errors, confidence intervals, and protein relative concentrations. We illustrate the model with an experiment featuring a known dilution series of a filamentous ascomycete fungus Trichoderma reesei protein mixture. For 781 of the 1546 T. reesei proteins with sufficient data coverage, the fitted mixed-effects models capably described the LC−MS measurements. The LC−MS measurability terms effectively accounted for this major source of uncertainty. Ninety percent of the relative concentration estimates were within 0.5-fold of the true relative concentrations. Akin to the common ratio method, this model also produced biased estimates, albeit less biased. Bias decreased significantly, both absolutely and relative to the ratio method, as the number of observed peptides per protein increased. Mixed-effects statistical modeling offers a flexible, well-established methodology for comparative proteomics studies integrating common experimental designs with LC−MS sample processing plans. It favorably accounts for the unequal LC−MS measurability of peptides and produces informative quantitative comparisons of a protein’s concentration across treatments with objective measures of uncertainties.
Near-infrared spectroscopic determination of compositions and properties of methanol-water mixtures

Abstract Compositions and physical / chemical properties of methanol-water mixtures have been determined simultaneously by near-infrared (near-IR) spectroscopy. Near-IR spectra of the mixtures measured in the 1100–1870 nm region are correlated with concentrations and various properties by principal component regression. The properties studied include density, refractive index, viscosity, freezing point depression, and osmolality. Both concentrations of methanol and water can be predicted accurately, and very good correlations are found between the near-IR predicted properties and those obtained by traditional methods. Temperature has a strong effect on the near-IR spectra of the mixtures but it can be accounted for by the principal component regression using the spectra of standards measured at different temperatures.
Wigner’s contributions to the quantum theory of measurement

Eugene Wigner was eloquent about the elegance of quantum theory and its precision in accounting for physical phenomena. Nevertheless, he recognized that there are serious problems in the quantum theory of measurement, among them the following: the non-existence of definite experimental procedures corresponding to most self-adjoint operators, limitations on measurement due to the existence of additive conserved quantities, the difficulty that the unitarity (and hence the determinism) of the quantum mechanical time evolution operators poses for obtaining definite results of measurements, tension between the quantum mechanical treatment of position measurement and the special theory of relativity, and tension with general relativity theory resulting from quantum limitations upon the definiteness of the space-time metric. He made penetrating analyses of proposed solutions to these problems and offered some speculations for solving them, such as modifications of unitary dynamics and the possibility that consciousness is responsible for the reduction of the wave packet. The latter suggestion has frequently been called “Wigner’s solution,” without recognition of the tentative and exploratory character of his treatment of the foundations of quantum mechanics. In general, Wigner’s philosophical investigations, concerning life, consciousness and knowledge, impressively exhibit this same exploratory character.
Lens iso-precipitin in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares).

Abstract 1. 1. Electrophoresis has been commonly used in the analysis of nuclear eye lens extracts for intraspecific variation. 2. 2. Experiments with extracts from yellowfin tuna indicate the presence of an iso-precipitin which may provide a simpler, but equally precise method.
A simplified genetic design for mammalian enamel

A biomimetic replacement for tooth enamel is urgently needed because dental caries is the most prevalent infectious disease to affect man. Here, design specifications for an enamel replacement material inspired by Nature are deployed for testing in an animal model. Using genetic engineering we created a simplified enamel protein matrix precursor where only one, rather than dozens of amelogenin isoforms, contributed to enamel formation. Enamel function and architecture were unaltered, but the balance between the competing materials properties of hardness and toughness was modulated. While the other amelogenin isoforms make a modest contribution to optimal biomechanical design, the enamel made with only one amelogenin isoform served as a functional substitute. Where enamel has been lost to caries or trauma a suitable biomimetic replacement material could be fabricated using only one amelogenin isoform, thereby simplifying the protein matrix parameters by one order of magnitude.
Medium modification of meson propagation between two nucleons in finite nuclei.

We derive simple expressions for the effect of medium modifications (or distortions) on the propagation of a pion between two nucleons in a nucleus. Our results are applicable to pion reactions in a variety of situations, but we are particularly interested in the influence of distortions on pion double charge exchange at low energy. We are able to calculate these distortions for a finite nucleus using a realistic choice of optical potential. We represent their effect as a modification of the [ital S]- and [ital P]-wave pion-nucleon scattering amplitudes that occur at the location of the first (or last) nucleon to be struck. We illustrate our method by showing numerical results for a shematic optical potential.
Echo-Ranging Neurons in the Inferior Colliculus of Bats

Bats measure the distance to an object in terms of the time lag between their outgoing orientation sounds and the returning echo. For measurement of the time lag, the latency of response of a neuron to a stimulus must be nearly constant regardless of the stimulus amplitude and envelope. Otherwise, a large error would be introduced into the measurement. Bats have neurons that are specialized for echo ranging.
The simultaneous determination of n, k, and t from polarimetric data

Abstract In principle the complex refractive index n+ik and the thickness t of the most recently deposited material should be simultaneously determinable from the three independent quantities |rp|2, |rs|2 and rprs* returned by polarimetric measurements. However, this goal has generally not been realized due to a lack of accuracy and signal-to-noise capabilities of present technology. By investigating the properties of the Jacobian matrix I show that the need for high accuracy is a direct consequence of the strong correlations among n, k, and t within the polarimetric parameters. Further, I show that this limitation can be circumvented by taking advantage of the spectral correlations between the refractive indices of the substrate and overlayer. As an example I determine n, k, and t independently for a 1.1 A thick layer of GaAs deposited on a GaAs/AlGaAs/GaAs pseudo-substrate from real-time data.
Origins of the Non-DLVO Force between Glass Surfaces in Aqueous Solution

Direct measurement of surface forces has revealed that silica surfaces seem to have a short-range repulsion that is not accounted for in classical DLVO theory. The two leading hypotheses for the origin of the non-DLVO force are (i) structuring of water at the silica interface or (ii) water penetration into the surface resulting in a gel layer. In this article, the interaction of silica surfaces will be reviewed from the perspective of the non-DLVO force origin. In an attempt to more accurately describe the behavior of silica and glass surfaces, alternative models of how surfaces with gel layers should interact are proposed. It is suggested that a lessened van der Waals attraction originating from a thin gel layer may explain both the additional stability and the coagulation behavior of silica. It is important to understand the mechanisms underlying the existence of the non-DLVO force which is likely to have a major influence on the adsorption of polymers and surfactants used to modify the silica surface for practical applications in the ceramic, mineral, and microelectronic industries. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.
Behavior of aggregate state variables in ecosystem models

Abstract Our lack of complete knowledge concerning ecosystems necessitates the use of aggregate (lumped) state variables in ecosystems models. Solutions to the state equations describing these aggregates typically deviate from reference true values found by solving equivalent disaggregated systems. Since the true value is unknown in practice, it is necessary to understand how aggregate state variables behave, so as to (1) understand the error they will generate and (2) be able to minimize unacceptably high error. Analyses are restricted to the ecologically most meaningful case of aggregating within single trophic levels. Results include a general solution for aggregate dynamics under free and forced simulation, other general and specific solutions for nonequilibrium behavior, a recursive method for reducing aggregation error, and a suggested strategy for aiding in sample design.
Tight-binding analysis of Si and GaAs ultrathin bodies with subatomic wave-function resolution

Empirical tight-binding (ETB) methods are widely used in atomistic device simulations. Traditional ways of generating the ETB parameters rely on direct fitting to bulk experiments or theoretical electronic bands. However, ETB calculations based on existing parameters lead to unphysical results in ultrasmall structures like the As-terminated GaAs ultrathin bodies (UTBs). In this work, it is shown that more transferable ETB parameters with a short interaction range can be obtained by a process of mapping ab initio bands and wave functions to ETB models. This process enables the calibration of not only the ETB energy bands but also the ETB wave functions with corresponding ab initio calculations. Based on the mapping process, ETB models of Si and GaAs are parameterized with respect to hybrid functional calculations. Highly localized ETB basis functions are obtained. Both the ETB energy bands and wave functions with subatomic resolution of UTBs show good agreement with the corresponding hybrid functional calculations. The ETB methods can then be used to explain realistically extended devices in nonequilibrium that cannot be tackled with ab initio methods.
Free surface seepage from nonsymmetric channels

The problem of steady, two-dimensional seepage from a nonsymmetric channel through a homogeneous porous medium underlain at a finite depth by a drain, is solved using the Baiocchi transformation and method. Because of the nonsymmetry in the problem, both free surfaces must be included in the solution domain of the problem. Thus, several interesting complexities are introduced into the solution of the problem. First, there are the two solution domain extensions (one across each free surface) and then the formulation of the new dependent variable throughout the extended solution domain. Secondly, the projection operator has two bounds in the numerical scheme. Finally, there are two compatibility conditions—one for the flowrate and one for the value of the new dependent variable at the left-hand side free surface-channel intersection. A secant method for the solution of two simultaneous nonlinear equations was used to obtain the values of these parameters. Results from the proposed method compared favourably with what few results were available in the literature.
Implementing a "moving target" system to protect servers

On the Internet, attackers often compromise systems owned by other people and group these systems into a "botnet" to launch attacks automatically. Current methods to prevent such automated attacks are either are application-specific or use signatures that can that can miss some attacks. We take a different approach by making a key observation: while attackers have a low success rate, they often compensate for it by launching more attacks. To have high throughput, attackers take shortcuts and break protocols. We address these issues by implementing a system that can detect malicious activity and block attacks. We tested this system on a small network and found that it is effective, requires no administrative overhead, and has low performance overheads.
Techniques for building dependable distributed systems: multi-version software testing

To investigate the effectiveness of serializable back-to-back testing and other issues in multiversion software systems, an experiment was performed. The authors discuss the use of multiple implementations for fault prevention throughout development, particularly during the testing phase. The specifications chosen were written in languages that meet industrial standards. The application is a communication protocol based on the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) layered model adopted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 1979. The OSI layered model is introduced, the generation of appropriate test cases is discussed, and the testing environment is presented. The serializable back-to-back testing paradigm is presented in detail, along with testing results. >
Evolutionary Design of Steel Structures in Tall Buildings

This paper presents results of a study on evolutionary computation in the design of the steel structural systems of tall buildings. It describes results of extensive research on both short-term (up to a few hundred generations) and long-term evolutionary design processes (at least a few thousand generations). The experiments were conducted with Inventor 2001, an evolutionary design support tool developed at George Mason University, for generating conceptual and detailed designs of steel structural systems in tall buildings. First, the paper discusses conceptual design of steel structural systems in tall buildings and briefly introduces Inventor 2001 as well as its design representation and evolutionary computation characteristics. Next, it provides the results obtained from systematic parametric design experiments conducted with Inventor 2001. The objective of these experiments was to qualitatively and quantitatively investigate evolution of steel structural systems of tall buildings during a multistage ...
Bayesian adaptive control of time varying systems

Linear stochastic systems corrupted by Gaussian white noise disturbances are considered. An elementary proof of boundedness of the mean square response under a certainty equivalence minimum variance control law is described. The assumptions used in this ideal case indicate that the usual smallness in the mean conditions used in adaptive control could be overly restrictive. The methodology leads naturally to new performance bounds for such time-varying systems. Some simulations are presented to verify the results and to test the tightness of the assumptions used. >
Evolutionary algorithms, Markov decision processes, adaptive critic designs, and clustering: commonalities, hybridization and performance

We briefly review and compare the mathematical formulation of Markov decision processes (MDP) and evolutionary algorithms (EA). In so doing, we observe that the adaptive critic design (ACD) approach to MDP can be viewed as a special form of EA. This leads us to pose pertinent questions about possible expansions of the methodology of ACD. This expansive view of EA is not limited to ACD. We discuss how it is possible to consider the powerful chained Lin Kernighan (chained LK) algorithm for the traveling salesman problem (TSP) as a degenerate case of EA. Finally, we review some recent TSP results, using clustering to divide-and-conquer, that provide superior speed and scalability.
An Examination of the National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS:88) Database to Probe the Correlation Between Computer Use in School and Improvement in Test Scores

The database for the National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS:88), compiled by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), was examined for connections between student use of computers in math and science classes and their academic success. Data were studied from the surveys carried out in the base year in 1988, first follow-up 2 years later, and second follow-up 2 years after that. Composite variables from the three datasets were examined for their connections to socioeconomic status, parent’s level of education, respondent’s race, and respondent’s gender. Race was the only one of these four factors that was not found to correlate to the amount of computer use in schools. Values for the Item Response Theory (IRT) scores and gains in those IRT scores between subsequent followups were examined with respect to average computer use in math and science classes. It was found that gains in IRT scores could be positively correlated to the amount and type of computer use in science and math classes.
Passive and Active L-Band System and Observations during the 2007 CLASIC Campaign

This article describes the upgraded PALS instrument and the characteristics of data acquired from the Cloud Land Atmospheric Interaction Campaign (CLASIC) 2007. The data acquired over lake passes were used to remove the radiometer calibration bias. The calibrated radiometer data showed significant consistency with the L-band land emission model for soil surfaces published in the literature. We observed significant temporal (days) changes of a few dB in the radar data. The change of radar backscatter appeared to correlate well with the change of in situ soil moisture or the soil moisture data derived from the PALS dual-polarized brightness temperatures. The radar vegetation index also correlated well with the vegetation opacity estimated from the radiometer data. The preliminary analyses suggest complementary information contained in the surface emissivity and backscatter signatures for the retrieval of soil moisture and vegetation water content.
p_2Matlab: Productive Parallel Matlab for the Exascale

MATLAB textre gistered and its open-source implementation Octave have proven to be one of the most productive environments for scientific computing in recent years. There have been multiple efforts to develop an efficient parallel implementation of MATLAB including by Math works text registered (Parallel Computing Toolbox), MIT Lincoln Labs (pMatlab) and several other organizations. However, most of these implementations seem to suffer from issues in performance or productivity or both. With the rapid scaling of high-end systems to hundreds of thousands of cores, and discussions of exascale systems in the near future, a scalable parallel Matlab would be of immense benefit to practitioners in the scientific computing industry. In this paper, we first describe our work to create an efficient pMatlab running on the IBM Blue Gene/P architecture, and present our experiments with several important kernels used in scientific computing including from HPC Challenge Awards. We explain the bottlenecks with the current pMatlab implementation on Blue Gene/P architecture, specially at high processor counts and then outline the steps required to develop a parallel MATLAB/Octave implementation, p$^{2}$Matlab, which is truly scalable to hundreds of thousands of processors.
Comparing Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods to Select Sustainable Alternatives in the AEC Industry

Researchers and practitioners in the Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry have been incorporating sustainability (environmental, social, and economic) aspects into decision-making, e.g., designers have selected materials with sustainability in mind. Many have used multi-criteria decision-making methods, appearing to assume that all methods are equal or that the selection of a method does not matter. In this study we argue that methods matter. We see two issues pertaining to method selection. First, what are necessary characteristics of ‘viable’ methods and, correspondingly, what are characteristics that disqualify methods? Second, for those methods screened for viability, what differences between them make some more suitable than others for different applications? This paper focuses on the first issue, specifically on one characteristic that appears to us to govern viability: factors should not be weighted. We compare the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) with Choosing by Advantages (CBA), using an example and argue that AHP does not meet viability requirements.
Pseudorandom construction of low-density parity-check codes using linear congruential sequences

We consider maximal-length linear congruential sequences generated using a simple recursion to generate the bipartite graph of a low-density parity-check (LDPC) code. The main advantage is that the graph structure of the codes (edge connections) can be generated using a recursion, rather than having to store the graph connections in memory, which facilitates hardware implementation of the decoder. For this class of codes, sufficient conditions on the recursion parameters are derived, such that regular LDPC codes can be constructed with no cycles of length four or less. Simulation results show that these codes provide almost the same performance of a constrained pseudorandom construction that explicitly avoids cycles of length less than or equal to four.
A framework for incorporating best practices at nuclear power plants

In ethnographic fieldwork at nuclear power plants in the USA and Germany, the authors observed that capturing the context in which a practice is developed is crucial to preserving its essence and enhancing its transferability. They formalized the concept of context and concluded that the context of a best practice can be captured by recording its underlying rationale in a deliberation- or process-oriented (vs. an artifact- or outcome-oriented) mode. They adapted an existing computer-based decision management system to capture the knowledge that goes into conceiving, designing, and implementing a practice. The main assumption is that while the context is different from plant to plant, the nature of the process in which practices are developed or adapted is the same. The representation of the system is based on invariants of this process, and is thus able to provide a uniform, seamless environment ideally suited for the transfer of useful knowledge for the development or implementation of best practices. Using context-rich data from the nuclear power plants visited, the approach was tested by simulating the development and transfer of a best practice. >
The RhoGAP activity of the Yersinia pseudotuberculosis cytotoxin YopE is required for antiphagocytic function and virulence

A variety of pathogenic bacteria use type III secretion pathways to translocate virulence proteins into host eukaryotic cells. YopE is an important virulence factor that is translocated into mammalian cells via a plasmid-encoded type III system in Yersinia spp. YopE action in mammalian cells promotes the disruption of actin filaments, cell rounding and blockage of phagocytosis. It was reported recently that two proteins with sequence similarity to YopE, SptP of Salmonella typhimurium and ExoS of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, function as GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) for Rho GTPases. YopE contains an 'arginine finger' motif that is present in SptP, ExoS and other Rho GAPs and is essential for catalysis by this class of proteins. We show here that a GST-YopE fusion protein stimulated in vitro GTP hydrolysis by the Rho family members Cdc42, RhoA and Rac1, but not by Ras. Conversion of the essential arginine in the arginine finger motif to alanine (R144A) eliminated the in vitro GAP activity of GST-YopE. Infection assays carried out with a Yersinia pseudotuberculosis strain producing YopER144A demonstrated that GAP function was essential for the disruption of actin filaments, cell rounding and inhibition of phagocytosis by YopE in HeLa cells. Furthermore, the GAP function of YopE was important for Y. pseudotuberculosis pathogenesis in a mouse infection assay. Transfection of HeLa cells with a vector that produces a constitutively active form of RhoA (RhoA-V14) prevented the disruption of actin filaments and cell rounding by YopE. Production of an activated form of Rac1 (Rac1-V12), but not RhoA-V14, in HeLa cells interfered with YopE antiphagocytic activity. These results demonstrate that YopE functions as a RhoGAP to downregulate multiple Rho GTPases, leading to the disruption of actin filaments and inhibition of bacterial uptake into host cells.
Transplantation of osteochondral allografts after cold storage.

Background: Transplantation of fresh osteochondral allografts stored at hypothermia into knee cartilage defects is a common procedure; however, the length of time that allografts can be stored prior to transplantation is controversial and has been determined, in part, by the results of vital stain uptake by chondrocytes. This study was performed to further define the limits of allograft storage. Methods: Articular cartilage from six cadavers was stored for up to fifty-one days in tissue-culture media, and histologic sections were evaluated histomorphometrically to quantify the loss of chondrocytes. Samples of the cartilage were also placed into tissue culture to assess cell growth. Animal studies were performed in parallel on sixteen adult baboons with osteochondral allografts transplanted into the medial femoral condyle. Prior to transplantation, all allografts were stored in RPMI-1640 with 10% fetal calf serum at 4° to 6°C for up to eighty-five days. The transplants were graded on their gross and histological appearance, as well as their histochemical properties. Results: Many of the human samples stored at hypothermia in culture media for up to forty days retained some recognizable chondrocytes, but morphometry showed a gradual, significant decrease in the number of chondrocytes after nine days (p = 0.001). In addition, the cell outgrowth occurred from all specimens stored for up to fifteen days but not in samples stored for longer than thirty-four days. In animal studies, transplanted allograft cartilage that had been stored for less than eighteen days looked smooth and glistening, but grafts stored for over twenty-one days were pale, pitted, fragmented, or yellow, and chondrocytes were absent. Conclusions: Time-dependent loss of chondrocytes in articular cartilage stored at hypothermia, especially in specimens stored for longer than fifteen to twenty days, was observed in this study. Cartilage allografts transplanted into nonhuman primates after twenty-one days of storage underwent more severe degenerative changes than allografts that had been stored for less than twenty-one days. These findings suggest caution when transplanting cartilage stored at hypothermia for over twenty days. Clinical Relevance: Surgeons who perform fresh osteochondral allograft transplantation should be cognizant of the time-dependent changes associated with cold storage of these grafts.
Another Interpretation of V(B)

The aim of this section is to prove that “M is a standard transitive model of ZFcontaining all the ordinals” and “V = M [F]” hold in V(B) for suitable M and F (Theorems 14.21 and 14.24).
Public policy frameworks in environmental settings: an argument for new policy frameworks to support new policy directions

Environmental policy is about solving problems, not creating them. Policy frameworks are meant to be supportive of policy initiatives. Most environmental initiatives are impacted by new information, and as such, policy frameworks should be responsive to new information. Often existing policy frameworks limit the ability of information that suggests a change in policy direction. This article discusses some of the causes for this phenomenon and suggests that new policy frameworks should be considered in supporting new policy directions, rather than relying on the manipulation of existing policy frameworks.