cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perceived risk and outcome differences in multi‐level service relationships

Service relationships are often complex, involving multi‐level relationships. Customers can have relationships with the firm and interpersonal relationships with service personnel that vary in terms of strength and intensity. A study was designed to examine the relationship between perceived risk and type of service relationship. It also examined outcomes differences between different types of service relationships. The results suggest that consumers who have strong interpersonal relationships have the highest perceptions of category risk and the lowest perceptions of specific provider risk. The results also indicate that outcomes vary across different types of relationships. Customers who have strong interpersonal or strong person‐to‐firm relationships are less interested in alternatives, but only customers with strong interpersonal relationships are more dedicated, evidenced by greater cooperation, enhancement, identity, and advocacy.
Test requirements of locomotive fuel tank blunt impact tests

The Federal Railroad Administration’s Office of Research and Development is conducting research into passenger locomotive fuel tank crashworthiness. A series of impact tests are planned to measure fuel tank deformation under two types of dynamic loading conditions. Current design practice requires that Tier 1 locomotive fuel tanks have minimum properties adequate to sustain a prescribed set of static load conditions. In accidents, fuel tanks are subjected to dynamic loading, often including a blunt or raking impact from various components of the rolling stock or trackbed. Current research is intended to increase understanding of the impact response of fuel tanks under dynamic loading. This paper describes test requirements for conducting two preliminary tests. These tests are referred to as preliminary because they will be used to evaluate the loading setup and instrumentation planned for the larger series of tests. These preliminary tests will evaluate a blunt impact on the bottom surface of two conventional passenger locomotive fuel tanks.
Update-in-place analysis for true multidimensional arrays

Applicative languages have been proposed for defining algorithms for parallel architectures because they are implicitly parallel and lack side effects. However, straightforward implementations of applicative-language compilers may induce large amounts of copying to preserve program semantics. The unnecessary copying of data can increase both the execution time and the memory requirements of an application. To eliminate the unnecessary copying of data, the Sisal compiler uses both build-in-place and update-in-place analyses. These optimizations remove unnecessary array copy operations through compile-time analysis. Both build-in-place and update-in-place are based on hierarchical ragged arrays, i.e., the vector-of-vectors array model. Although this array model is convenient for certain applications, many optimizations are precluded, e.g., vectorization. To compensate for this deficiency, new languages, such as Sisal 2.0, have extended array models that allow for both high-level array operations to be performed and efficient implementations to be devised. In this article, we introduce a new method to perform update-in-place analysis that is applicable to arrays stored either in hierarchical or in contiguous storage. Consequently, the array model that is appropriate for an application can be selected without the loss of performance. Moreover, our analysis is more amenable for distributed memory and large software systems.
Persistence of pine species in late‐successional forests: evidence from habitat‐related variation in stand age structure

Questions By what mechanisms do early-successional tree species such as pines persist in late-successional forests in regions where recurrence intervals for stand-replacing disturbance are much longer than maximum tree life spans? How are recruitment patterns affected by habitat variation? Location Old-growth, mixed species stands of Pinus strobus, Pinus resinosa, Tsuga canadensis and Acer saccharum at 36 locations in three subregions of northeast Wisconsin and west upper Michigan, USA. Methods Four to nine stands were located in each of six habitats and sampled in 200-m2 plots. Increment cores were collected from 1456 trees, and charcoal collected and dated to characterize stand age structure and disturbance history. Stands on upland mesic sites, with strong successional trends toward late-successional species, were compared to those on ‘marginal’ habitats (rock outcrops, sandy inclusions and lake, river and wetland edges), where competition is comparatively low. We developed a new methodology that utilizes uncertainty in establishment dates to more rigorously distinguish even-aged stands (the null hypothesis) from those with multiple age classes. Results Analysis of tree germination dates suggests that some stands with an apparently broad range of pine ages primarily reflect uncertainty in age estimates rather than actual periods of extended pine recruitment. Nevertheless, multi-aged populations of pine (rejection of the even-aged null hypothesis) were found in 86% of the stands and in all habitats. Marginal habitats had more age classes than mesic sites (mean 2.8 vs 1.7; P = 0.007) and greater age diversity. Disturbances that initiated pine cohorts were more often severe and more often caused by fire on mesic sites than on marginal habitats. Pine establishment was somewhat episodic in all three subregions, but age-class peaks across subregions had limited synchrony and were not strongly correlated with severe drought. Conclusions These findings are consistent with growing evidence that age structures of early-successional tree species in primary forests are often more complex than commonly believed, and that population structure and persistence are strongly influenced by habitat variation. Pine age structures provide indirect support for ‘refuge-based’ landscape persistence, with dispersal limitation overcome by persistent seed sources in nearby marginal habitats.
Are one or two dangerous? Opioid exposure in toddlers

Ingestions of opioid analgesics by children may lead to significant toxicity as a result of depression of the respiratory and central nervous systems. A review of the medical literature was performed to determine whether low doses of opioids are dangerous in the pediatric population under 6 years old. Methadone was found to be the most toxic of the opioids; doses as low as a single tablet can lead to death. All children who have ingested any amount of methadone need to be observed in an Emergency Department (ED) for at least 6 h and considered for hospital admission. Most other opioids are better tolerated in ingestions as small as one or two tablets. Based on the limited data available for these opioids, we conclude that equianalgesic doses of 5 mg/kg of codeine or greater require 4 to 6 h of observation in the ED. Data for propoxyphene and all extended-release preparations are limited; their prolonged half-lives would suggest the need for longer observation periods. All opioid ingestions leading to respiratory depression or significant central nervous system depression require admission to an intensive care unit.
A new volume-of-fluid method with a constructed distance function on general structured grids

A second-order volume-of-fluid method (VOF) is presented for interface tracking and sharp interface treatment on general structured grids. Central to the new method is a second-order distance function construction scheme on a general structured grid based on the reconstructed interface. A novel technique is developed for evaluating the interface normal vector using the distance function. With the normal vector, the interface is reconstructed from the volume fraction function via a piecewise linear interface calculation (PLIC) scheme on the computational domain. Several numerical tests are conducted to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the present method. In general, the new VOF method is more efficient than both the high-order level set and the coupled level set and volume-of-fluid (CLSVOF) methods. The results from the new method are better than those from the benchmark VOF method, particularly in the under-resolved regions, and are comparable to those from the CLSVOF method. Breaking waves over a submerged bump and around a wedge-shaped bow are simulated to demonstrate the application of the new method and sharp interface treatment in a two-phase flow solver on curvilinear grids. The computational results are in good agreement with the available experimental measurements.
Effect of yogurt on a urinary marker of bone resorption in postmenopausal women.

Abstract Adding three servings of yogurt to the daily diet of older women with habitually low calcium intakes resulted in a significant reduction in urinary excretion of N-telepeptide, a marker for bone resorption. Results were compared to the effects of three servings of a nutrition-poor snack and differences were apparent 7–10 days of starting the diet change. The satiety effect of the snacks resulted in a decrease in intake of other foods. The added nutrients of the yogurt improved overall diet quality substantially, while diet quality declined with the nutrient-poor snack. The results show that diets low in dairy intake are often marginal for several nutrients and that, so far as calcium is concerned, bone makes up for what the diet lacks. Moreover, bone resorption responds rapidly and sensitively to improvements in calcium intake that are readily achievable by an older female population. J Am Diet Assoc. 2002; 102:1672-1674.
Aggregated Forms of Malate and Citrate Synthase are Localized in Endoplasmic Reticulum of Endosperm of Germinating Castor Bean

The endosperm of 3-day germinated seedlings of Ricinus communis was homogenized in the presence or absence of Mg2+. When the Mg2+ -containing homogenate was fractionated on linear, 20 to 40% sucrose gradients, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) reached equilibrium at a density of 1.146 grams per cubic centimeter. Absence of Mg2+ in the grinding medium resulted in displacement of the ER in the gradient from a density of 1.146 to 1.138 grams per cubic centimeter. At either density, the activities of both malate and citrate synthase were found to overlap the activity of NADH-cytochrome c reductase (an ER marker) in the gradient. Furthermore, this overlap of activities was observed whether the gradients were centrifuged for 3 or 19 hours. An analysis of sedimentation characteristics of the solubilized enzymes revealed that they exist, predominantly, as a 5.2S (s20,w × 10−13) form (malate synthase) and a 6.8S form (citrate synthase) in the glyoxysomes and cytosol. When the two enzymes were released from the ER, they appeared as aggregate forms of 70S and 55S, respectively. These results support the conclusion that the synthases are associated with the ER.
An evaluation of the activities of nurses and pediatricians in a university outpatient department.

A quantitative analysis of the activity of pediatricians and nurses reveals striking differences in the degree to which they function appropriately in a university outpatient department. In general, the physicians were concerned with professional patient care and education; the nurses spent more of their time in administrative and nonprofessional tasks than in nursing tasks. Such quantitative data are valuable for the proper planning of programs and allocation of resources within a pediatric ambulatory care organization.
Empirical Bayes estimation of undercount in the decennial census

Abstract On April 1, 1990, the decennial census for the United States will be conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. By December 31, 1990, the Census Bureau is specified by law to submit state population counts for the purpose of reapportionment of the U.S. House of Representatives, and by March 31, 1991, to submit small-area population counts for the purpose of redistricting. Census counts are used in a variety of other ways: for revenue-sharing formulas between different levels of government, for demographic projections, as a base for morbidity and mortality statistics, and so forth. Inaccurate census counts should be cause for concern for the whole nation. It is universally acknowledged that certain groups of people (e.g., young black males, illegal aliens, etc.) are harder to count than others. If the hard-to-count groups are distributed in equal proportions throughout the United States, there would be far less controversy over what to do about the uncounted people. As it is, many large American ...
Internet Protocol storage area networks

The sheer scale of the storage needs of most organizations makes block storage management an important system administration problem. Application servers, databases, and file systems rely on an efficient underlying block storage system. The storage area network paradigm is fast emerging as a desirable block storage solution, due to its performance, resource-sharing, and capacity-scaling benefits. This paper shows that the ubiquitous Internet Protocol (IP) network is technically well-suited to host a storage area network. The paper presents the storage protocol, management, and security building blocks that are necessary for making IP storage a reality. The paper then discusses performance issues that must be addressed in order to make IP storage area networks competitive with other storage area network technologies.
Listeria monocytogenes: a potent vaccine vector for neoplastic and infectious disease

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a promising candidate vaccine vector that naturally infects antigen-presenting cells, and targets antigen delivery to both the class I MHC pathway of endogenous antigen presentation and the class II pathway of exogenous antigen presentation. At the same time, L. monocytogenes stimulates the innate immune response to produce cytokines that enhance antigen-presenting function and induce a Th1-type cytokine profile associated with cell-mediated immune responses. Immune responses with these features are considered to be particularly important for clearance of viruses, tumors, and intracellular infections. In this review, we describe the development of methods to transform L. monocytogenes to express and secrete foreign antigens and the studies that have demonstrated that genetically engineered L. monocytogenes mutants are highly effective vectors for the induction of potent immune responses against viral antigens and tumor cells. In addition, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of L. monocytogenes as a vaccine vector.
The physiology of exercise at and above maximal aerobic capacity in a theraphosid (tarantula) spider, Brachypelma smithi (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge)

The physiology of activity in a large (ca. 30 g) mygalomorph (‘tarantula’) spiderBrachypelma smithi, was investigated for 10 min runs at speeds of 2.0, 2.5, and 5.0 cm/s. No differences in $$\dot V_{O_2 } $$ were observed at the different speeds suggesting that maximum steady-state aerobic metabolism was achieved. These, levels were eight times greater than those measured in resting spiders and in agreement with predictions based on estimates of the functional capacity of their book lungs (Table 3). Heart rates increased from 18 to 58 beats/min during activity (Fig. 4) while ventilation rates increased from 10/h to 114/h (Table 2). Changes in heart rates indicate, systemic hemolymph perfusion is maintained during activity in contradiction to reports suggesting circulation is compromised by fluid pressures generated during hydraulic leg extension in these animals. Hemolymphd-lactate concentrations increased ca. nine fold during running at 5 cm/s from a resting concentration of 1.7 mM. Peak values occurred from one to two h after the end of exercise (Fig. 5). Anaerobic contributions during exercise, via lactate production, accounted for no more than 30% of the total ∼P synthesized (Table 4). Lactate removal was slow: four h after activity, concentrations in the hemolymph remained ca. 8.5 mM (Fig. 5). Maximum $$\dot V_{O_2 } $$ in spiders are much lower than those in active insects, a difference that reflects the effectiveness of tracheal gas exchange of insects compared with respiratory gas transport book lungs and an open circulatory system found in spiders (Table 5). Direct measurements of body temperatures indicate theraphosids are not endothermic during activity.
Block of afferent impulses in the dorsal horn of monkey. A possible mechanism of anesthesia.

Abstract Extracellular microelectrodes were placed in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord of anemically decerebrated rhesus monkeys. Halothane, a widely used general anesthetic, progressively suppresses the response of neurons in lamina 4 to natural stimulation of the skin and to volleys in a cutaneous nerve. This contrasts with the negligible effect of halothane on deeper structures in the dorsal horn which responded to movement of joints. Cutaneous anesthesia may result from failure of impulses from the skin to excite the cells in lamina 4 whose axons enter the nonlemniscal afferent pathways.
Structure of the catalytic domain of the hepatitis C virus NS2-3 protease

Hepatitis C virus is a major global health problem affecting an estimated 170 million people worldwide. Chronic infection is common and can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. There is no vaccine available and current therapies have met with limited success. The viral RNA genome encodes a polyprotein that includes two proteases essential for virus replication. The NS2-3 protease mediates a single cleavage at the NS2/NS3 junction, whereas the NS3-4A protease cleaves at four downstream sites in the polyprotein. NS3-4A is characterized as a serine protease with a chymotrypsin-like fold, but the enzymatic mechanism of the NS2-3 protease remains unresolved. Here we report the crystal structure of the catalytic domain of the NS2-3 protease at 2.3 A resolution. The structure reveals a dimeric cysteine protease with two composite active sites. For each active site, the catalytic histidine and glutamate residues are contributed by one monomer, and the nucleophilic cysteine by the other. The carboxy-terminal residues remain coordinated in the two active sites, predicting an inactive post-cleavage form. Proteolysis through formation of a composite active site occurs in the context of the viral polyprotein expressed in mammalian cells. These features offer unexpected insights into polyprotein processing by hepatitis C virus and new opportunities for antiviral drug design.
Mobility and cycling of synaptic protein–containing vesicles in axonal growth cone filopodia

The spatial distribution and coordination of vesicular dynamics within growth cones are poorly understood. It has long been thought that membranous organelles are concentrated in the central regions of growth cones and excluded from filopodia; this view has dramatically shaped conceptual models of the cellular mechanisms of axonal growth and presynaptic terminal formation. To begin to test these models, we studied membrane dynamics within axonal growth cones of living rat cortical neurons. We demonstrate that growth cone filopodia contain vesicles that transport synaptic vesicle proteins bidirectionally along filopodia and fuse with the filopodial surface in response to focal stimulation, allowing for both local secretion of vesicular contents and rapid changes in the plasma membrane composition of individual filopodia. Our results suggest a new model in which growth cone filopodia are actively involved in both emitting and responding to local signals related to axon growth and early synapse formation.
Endoreduplication of nuclear DNA in the developing maize endosperm

Multiparametric flow cytometry was used to analyze the development of the endosperm in Zea mays L. during the period from 8 to 20 days after pollination (dap). Nuclear size, DNA content per nucleus, and frequencies of nuclei with varying properties were measured in preparations that included all of the endosperm nuclei of single kernels of the inbred strain Al88. Characteristics of nuclear populations from different kernels on the same ear showed minimal variation. The dynamic changes of non-mitotic cells involved in endosperm development consisted of alternating periods of DNA replication with non-replication. Seven rounds of DNA replication had occurred in some nuclei in the later developmental stages with the rate averaging approximately one round per 24-hour period. Analysis of the DNA levels in the nuclei showed an exact doubling pattern indicating an endoreduplication process, that is, replication of the entire genome during each round. The loosely organized polytenization of the chromatin occurred to varying extents among the nuclei within an endosperm. A weak positive correlation existed between DNA content and size of nuclei suggesting that DNA increases and nuclear growth may not be highly coordinated in this tissue. Increased proportions of the larger nuclei occurred in the later stages of endosperm development. Considering the entire endosperm, the average DNA content per nucleus at the 15-dap peak level was approximately 12.8 C constituting a 2.7-fold overall increase from 8 dap.
Support effects on hydrotreating of soybean oil over NiMo carbide catalyst

Abstract As an alternative to conventional sulfide catalysts, NiMo carbide catalysts were prepared by impregnation method and studied for the hydrotreating of soybean oil to produce hydrocarbons in the gasoline to diesel range. The effect of the catalyst supports on activity and selectivity was investigated by using three different types of materials: mesoporous material (Al-SBA-15), alumina (γ-Al 2 O 3 ) and zeolites (ZSM-5, Zeolite β and USY). The structural characterization of the catalysts was performed using XRD, BET and TEM. Catalytic tests were carried out in a bench scale flow reactor at 400 °C and 650 psi. The results showed that the Al-SBA-15 supported catalyst has the highest surface area of 711.5 m 2 g −1 and largest pore volume of 0.71 cm 3 g −1 . Among the five catalysts, hydrotreating on NiMoC/Al-SBA-15 gave the highest yield of organic liquid product (96%) and highest selectivity (97%) to hydrocarbons in the boiling range of the diesel fraction. For the three zeolite-supported catalysts, hydrotreating of soybean oil produced more hydrocarbon products in the boiling range of green gasoline (about 15–40%).
Background and mathematical analysis of diffusion MRI methods

The addition of a pair of magnetic field gradient pulses had initially enabled the measurement of spin motion to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. In the adaptation of diffusion weighted (DW)-NMR techniques to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the taxonomy of mathematical models is divided in two categories: model matching and spectral methods. In this review, the methods are summarized starting from early DW NMR models followed up with their adaptation to DW MRI. Finally, a newly introduced Fourier analysis based unifying theory, so-called Complete Fourier Direct MRI, is included to explain the mechanisms of existing methods. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 22, 44–52, 2012 © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Optimal packet size via marginal utility image compression and expansion delay minimization for theater of war and theater missile defense: congestion controlled combination protocol

The CCC (congestion controlled combination) protocol, realizing the simulation characteristics of the theater missile defense SDIO (BMDO) packet ground to satellite communication protocols and the theater of war SG/ATM/DSI or SG/ATM/Internet PDU communication, requires the specialized optimal packet length delay minimization. The MMCR protocol will provide these parameters to the TOW protocol, by the linkage of the MMCR protocol to the UIS protocol in the TMD protocol. The minimized packet delay developed for optimal, specialized PDU sizes for war games in the MMCR protocol contains the theatre of war image compression and expansion function in the Lagrange multiplier, contained within the UIS protocol gateway characteristics. The MMCR protocol enables optimal SG/ATM/DSI or SG/ATM/INTERNET access during STOW (synthetic theatre of war) games. This optimal PDU size obtained from the Lagrange multiplier i.e. marginal utility in game theory, optimization for minimizing delay, imaging reduction and expansion factor, enables representation of the object oriented code implementation imaging criteria for various sections of the CCC protocol geometric software structure planes.
SALT STRESS DISTURBS THE CALCIUM NUTRITION OF BARLEY (HORDEUM VULGARE L.)

Summary Soil salinity decreased the Ca contents of shoots of two cultivars of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grown under field conditions, particularly in younger leaves. Reduction in Ca content was more pronounced in cv. Arivat (the more salt-sensitive cultivar) than in cv. Briggs. In seedlings grown in solution culture, relatively low concentrations of NaCl inhibited the transport of Ca to the shoot. This inhibition was not due to effects of NaCl on Ca influx into the root or on transpiration. We propose that NaCl inhibits Ca transport from root to shoot by interfering with the release of Ca into the root xylem, possibly via an effect on the active loading of Ca into xylem vessels.
Simulation of Nitroxide Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectra from Brownian Trajectories and Molecular Dynamics Simulations

A simulated continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of a nitroxide spin label can be obtained from the Fourier transform of a free induction decay. It has been previously shown that the free induction decay can be calculated by solving the time-dependent stochastic Liouville equation for a set of Brownian trajectories defining the rotational dynamics of the label. In this work, a quaternion-based Monte Carlo algorithm has been developed to generate Brownian trajectories describing the global rotational diffusion of a spin-labeled protein. Also, molecular dynamics simulations of two spin-labeled mutants of T4 lysozyme, T4L F153R1, and T4L K65R1 have been used to generate trajectories describing the internal dynamics of the protein and the local dynamics of the spin-label side chain. Trajectories from the molecular dynamics simulations combined with trajectories describing the global rotational diffusion of the protein are used to account for all of the dynamics of a spin-labeled protein. Spectra calculated from these combined trajectories correspond well to the experimental spectra for the buried site T4L F153R1 and the helix surface site T4L K65R1. This work provides a framework to further explore the modeling of the dynamics of the spin-label side chain in the wide variety of labeling environments encountered in site-directed spin labeling studies.
Transforming growth factor-beta blocks myelination but not ensheathment of axons by Schwann cells in vitro

Mechanisms regulating Schwann cell differentiation into a myelinating or a mature nonmyelinating phenotype during development are poorly understood. Humoral factors such as members of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) family, which are found in the developing and adult mammalian nervous system and are known to affect cell differentiation, could be involved. We tested the effects of TGF-beta isoforms on the ensheathment and myelination of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons by Schwann cells in vitro. Rat embryonic DRG neurons and Schwann cells from the sciatic nerve were isolated, purified, and recombined. In serum-free conditions, TGF-beta blocked both Schwann cell myelination and the expression of the myelin-related molecules galactocerebroside, P0, myelin-associated glycoprotein, and myelin basic protein. In contrast, the expression of molecules characteristic of mature nonmyelinating Schwann cells, including neural-cell adhesion molecule, L1, and nerve growth factor receptor, was maintained when compared to Schwann cells in nondifferentiated cultures. Notably, the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein, which is expressed only in mature nonmyelinating Schwann cells in vivo, was increased 10-fold in our cultures by TGF-beta. Electron microscopic analysis indicated that in the presence of TGF-beta, basal lamina deposition by Schwann cells was slightly increased. Most importantly, many axons in TGF-beta-treated cultures received ensheathment typical of mature nonmyelinated nerves. These effects of TGF-beta were partially reversed by specific neutralizing anti-TGF-beta antibodies. We interpret these results as evidence that TGF-beta regulates Schwann cell differentiation in vitro by blocking the expression of the myelinating phenotype and promoting the development of the nonmyelinating phenotype.
Life Event Timing Synchrony

This paper traces the evolution of "life event timing" with particular emphasis on the derived concept, "life event timing synchrony." Life event timing synchrony refers to the degree to which an experience is perceived as harmonious and congruent with an individual's temporal expectations. Pregnancy serves as an illustration for application. Suggestions for further theoretical and empirical development are provided.
Third Strikers under Three Strikes and You’re Out: Politics and Prosecutions

Between 1994 and 2012, California's Three Strikes Law mandated that first and second strikes must be either violent or serious, but allowed any felony to qualify as a third strike. Moreover, defendants could have been struck out on a "wobbler" offense, which granted discretion to the District Attorney to determine whether the offense should be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. Starting in 1994, hotly contested elections for California's District Attorneys often featured position taking on third strike cases with some candidates promising to strike out on any and all felonies while others positioned themselves away from felo- nies that were not serious or violent. As several legal scholars noted, some repeat offenders convicted of minor crimes for their third strike were sent away for life, while others received much lighter sentences. Disparities in the application of the law appeared to depend on geography among the 58 California jurisdictions. Using California Department of Corrections data and other county data we find a relationship between county ideology, county finances, and the number of third strike convicts incarcerated on a third strike from non-serious, non-violent offense and "wobbler" offenses.
VCONF: a reinforcement learning approach to virtual machines auto-configuration

Virtual machine (VM) technology enables multiple VMs to share resources on the same host. Resources allocated to the VMs should be re-configured dynamically in response to the change of application demands or resource supply. Because VM execution involves privileged domain and VM monitor, this causes uncertainties in VMs' resource to performance mapping and poses challenges in online determination of appropriate VM configurations. In this paper, we propose a reinforcement learning (RL) based approach, namely VCONF, to automate the VM configuration process. VCONF employs model-based RL algorithms to address the scalability and adaptability issues in applying RL in systems management. Experimental results on both controlled environments and a testbed of clouds with Xen VMs and representative server workloads demonstrate the effectiveness of VCONF. The approach is able to find optimal (near optimal) configurations in small scale systems and shows good adaptability and scalability.
Cellular Responses to DNA Damage: One Signal, Multiple Choices

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) produce a number of cellular responses, some mutually exclusive. Depending on where on the chromosome it occurs, a DSB may become preserved inside a telomere or eliminated by repair. A cell may arrest division via checkpoint activation to fix DSBs or commit suicide by apoptosis. What determines the outcome: to bury, fix, or succumb to DNA DSBs? With this question in mind, we review recent data on cellular responses to DSBs.
Verbal Intellectual and Verbal Memory Performance of Youths with Childhood-Onset Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

Tested the hypothesis that memory dysfunction mediated the decline in verbal intellectual performance (as measured by the WISC-R Vocabulary test) that we detected previously in a prospective study of children who developed IDDM between the ages of 8 to 13 years. Three tests of verbal learning and memory were administered to 57 diabetic youths at end-of-study who had been followed for 8 years, on average. Memory performance at end-of-study was predicted only by Vocabulary test score at study entry. IDDM duration, long-term metabolic control, depression/anxiety, demographic variables, or blood glucose level at the time of assessment were not associated with memory test scores. Stepwise multiple regression revealed that level of performance on a test of short-term or working memory was associated with magnitude of decline in verbal intellectual performance over time, providing partial support for our hypothesis.
Invoking Inherent Powers: A Primer

This special issue was organized to give scholars of different disciplines and persuasions an opportunity to analyze the nature and scope of the president’s power to exercise inherent authorities. What is the origin and legitimacy of this type of authority? Is it drawn solely from Article II of the Constitution or also located outside as an extraconstitutional power? What checks from the other branches operate against it? How does the assertion and exercise of this power by President George W. Bush compare to and differ from those of his predecessors? How compatible is presidential inherent power with the U.S. system of republican government and constitutional limits? Across a broad front, the presidency of George W. Bush claims inherent powers to create military commissions and determine their rules and procedures; designate U.S. citizens as “enemy combatants” and hold them indefinitely without being charged, given counsel, or ever tried; engage in “extraordinary rendition” to take a suspect from the United States to another country for interrogation and possible torture; and authorize the National Security Agency to listen to phone conversations between the United States and a foreign country involving suspected terrorists. This is not the first time that an American president has invoked inherent powers under Article II and the Commander-in-Chief Clause. Other precedents exist. Some are poorly understood and taken out of context to promote a scope of executive power that was never originally intended. In other cases, there are clear examples of presidents who invoked inherent, extraconstitutional, and exclusive power. Still, at no time in America’s history have inherent powers been claimed with as much frequency and breadth as the presidency of George W. Bush. How much power fits under the umbrella of “inherent”? We are familiar with express and implied powers used by presidents to discharge their constitutional duties. Express powers are clearly stated in the text of the Constitution; implied powers are those Louis Fisher is a specialist in constitutional law with the Law Library of the Library of Congress. He has published numerous works on the presidency, national security, war powers, and other constitutional issues. AUTHOR’S NOTE: The views expressed here are my own.
Using the image grand tour to visualize fluvial deltaic architectural elements in south Texas, USA

AbstractSpectral decomposition can produce dozens of attributes for a single data set, far exceeding the ability for direct visualization. Some solutions have been proposed. The state-of-the-art approach is via the use of principal component analysis. However, this approach has significant inherent weaknesses, such as a lack of inclusion of spatial information and a tendency to inflate noise. Previous work has shown the ability of the image grand tour to construct lower-dimensional views of spectral information resulting in multiple images showing distinct architectural components. I propose a novel workflow for constructing color images to display multiple structures simultaneously. These images are constructed in a way that makes them complementary, leading to rich color images that are useful for interpretation. I demonstrate the value of this workflow though application to a land survey over Tertiary channels from south Texas.
Influencing Common Sense Interpretations Of An Urban Setting: The Freeway Coffee Shop*

This paper attempts to make explicit the process and strategies by which one urban setting (a freeway coffee shop) attempts to guide, influence, and direct the interpretations of passersby. In this way, we might begin to see how urban settings and organizations construct and manage impressions which facilitate the codification schemes of urbanites. Finally, the approach suggested in this paper is one which will hopefully contribute to the broader study of urban social organization. The data were collected through informal conversations, unstructured interviews, and participant observation.
Antisense RNA Targeting of Primase Interferes with Bacteriophage Replication in Streptococcus thermophilus

The putative primase gene and other genes associated with the Sfi21-prototype genome replication module are highly conserved in Streptococcus thermophilus bacteriophages. Expression of antisense RNAs complementary to the putative primase gene (pri3.1) from S. thermophilus phage κ3 provided significant protection from κ3 and two other Sfi21-type phages. Expression of pri3.10-AS, an antisense RNA that covered the entire primase gene, reduced the efficiency of plaquing (EOP) of κ3 to 3 × 10−3 and reduced its burst size by 20%. Mutant phages capable of overcoming antisense inhibition were not recovered. Thirteen primase-specific antisense cassettes of different lengths (478 to 1,512 bp) were systematically designed to target various regions of the gene. Each cassette conferred some effect, reducing the EOP to between 0.8 and 3 × 10−3. The largest antisense RNAs (1.5 kb) were generally found to confer the greatest reductions in EOP, but shorter (0.5 kb) antisense RNAs were also effective, especially when directed to the 5′ region of the gene. The impacts of primase-targeted antisense RNAs on phage development were examined. The expression of pri3.10-AS resulted in reductions in target RNA abundance and the number of phage genomes synthesized. Targeting a key genome replication function with antisense RNA provided effective phage protection in S. thermophilus.
Diffusivity calculation on noble gas silica systems using first-principles molecular simulations

First-principles molecular dynamics simulations are carried out to investigate the diffusivity of noble gases dissolved in silica melts. The simulations are performed for a range of molar volumes, corresponding to pressures ranging from ambient pressure to ∼50 GPa at temperatures above the SiO2 melting point. The Chi-square merit function, weighted by the statistical certainty of the data, was used to regress the mean-square displacement against time relationship and to calculate self-diffusion coefficients for noble gases, Si, and O atoms. The results are in good agreement with the available literature data. We found that the higher the temperature and smaller the noble gas atom, the higher the diffusivity; noble gas diffusivity decreased almost linearly with the square of the atomic radius. With molar volume decreasing, the self-diffusion coefficient of small noble gases decreased, while Si and O showed an abnormal dependence on molar volume. In the temperature range simulated, the diffusivity for He, S...
Evaluation and Optimization of DNA Extraction and Purification Procedures for Soil and Sediment Samples

We compared and statistically evaluated the effectiveness of nine DNA extraction procedures by using frozen and dried samples of two silt loam soils and a silt loam wetland sediment with different organic matter contents. The effects of different chemical extractants (sodium dodecyl sulfate [SDS], chloroform, phenol, Chelex 100, and guanadinium isothiocyanate), different physical disruption methods (bead mill homogenization and freeze-thaw lysis), and lysozyme digestion were evaluated based on the yield and molecular size of the recovered DNA. Pairwise comparisons of the nine extraction procedures revealed that bead mill homogenization with SDS combined with either chloroform or phenol optimized both the amount of DNA extracted and the molecular size of the DNA (maximum size, 16 to 20 kb). Neither lysozyme digestion before SDS treatment nor guanidine isothiocyanate treatment nor addition of Chelex 100 resin improved the DNA yields. Bead mill homogenization in a lysis mixture containing chloroform, SDS, NaCl, and phosphate-Tris buffer (pH 8) was found to be the best physical lysis technique when DNA yield and cell lysis efficiency were used as criteria. The bead mill homogenization conditions were also optimized for speed and duration with two different homogenizers. Recovery of high-molecular-weight DNA was greatest when we used lower speeds and shorter times (30 to 120 s). We evaluated four different DNA purification methods (silica-based DNA binding, agarose gel electrophoresis, ammonium acetate precipitation, and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration) for DNA recovery and removal of PCR inhibitors from crude extracts. Sephadex G-200 spin column purification was found to be the best method for removing PCR-inhibiting substances while minimizing DNA loss during purification. Our results indicate that for these types of samples, optimum DNA recovery requires brief, low-speed bead mill homogenization in the presence of a phosphate-buffered SDS-chloroform mixture, followed by Sephadex G-200 column purification.
Service Delivery within an IMS Environment

The IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) standard is being widely adopted by both wireline and wireless service providers to support the next wave of multimedia communication applications. As currently defined, that IMS standard proposes a detailed architecture for the transport and control layers of the next-generation telecommunication networks, but leaves many questions unanswered on how the application layer should be structured. A more structured approach to service delivery will be required in order to deliver new multi-media applications in an efficient and cost-effective way. An approach based on service delivery platform (SDP) proposes a layered service architecture, with a strong emphasis on re-use of common service enablers and on open APIs. This paper describes work being undertaken within HP's IMS Experience Center to validate a horizontal service delivery architecture for next-generation IP multimedia applications.
Furtive selves: Proletarian contradictions, self-presentation, and the party in 1950s Romania

This paper examines the special challenges faced by working-class people in writing convincing autobiographical self-presentations for membership to the Romanian Workers' Party during the early 1950s. Special attention is paid to the nature of the verification process [verificare] required for existing and new members of the Party. I argue that the experience of one's self as always-already proletarian made the process of writing one's autobiography particularly difficult given the Party's desire for a narrative that stressed conversion to a proletarian identity.
What law really requires.

Most health reform efforts focus on devising legal norms and procedures that will push the practice of health care professionals in the desired direction. In fact, although the law is a powerful influence on health care delivery and treatment decision-making, many health reform efforts that rely on changes in the law fail to produce the expected good effect. Experience teaches that there are many reasons a legal requirement can fail to work as expected. In health care, one occasion for slippage between good intentions and good outcomes for law reform is the transformation of legal standards through the formal and informal standards and procedures established within health care organizations.
MR-Graph: A Customizable GPU MapReduce

The MapReduce programming model has been widely used in Big Data and Cloud applications. Criticism on its inflexibility when being applied to complicated scientific applications recently emerges. Several techniques have been proposed to enhance its flexibility. However, some of them exert special requirements on applications, while others fail to support the increasingly popular coprocessors, such as Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). In this paper, we propose MR-Graph, a customizable and unified framework for GPU-based MapReduce, which aims to improve the flexibility, scalability and performance of MapReduce. MR-Graph addresses the limitations and restrictions of the traditional MapReduce execution paradigm. The three execution modes integrated in MR-Graph facilitates users to write their applications in a more flexible fashion by defining a Map and Reduce function call graph. MR-Graph efficiently explores the memory hierarchy in GPUs to reduce the data transfer overhead between execution stages and accommodate big data applications. We have implemented a prototype of MR-Graph and experimental results show the effectiveness of using MR-Graph for flexible and scalable GPU-based MapReduce computing.
1574PA TRANSLATIONAL PHASE 2 STUDY OF CABOZANTINIB IN MEN WITH METASTATIC CASTRATION RESISTANT PROSTATE CANCER WITH VISCERAL METASTASES WITH CHARACTERIZATION OF CIRCULATING TUMOR CELLS AND LARGE ONCOSOMES

ABSTRACT Aim: Cabozantinib (XL184) is a potent multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that is under active investigation in several malignancies including prostate cancer (PC). The mechanism of action in PC has not been well characterized at this time. While considerable attention has been given to the impact of this agent on Tc-bone scans, less is known about its activity in men with visceral metastases. Methods: This study was designed as a single arm phase 2 study of cabozantinib 60 mg daily for men with visceral disease. The primary endpoint of this study is clinical benefit rate at 12 weeks (CBR12) which included stable disease and radiographic response. PSA was not used as an endpoint. Beyond standard clinical assessments, blood and urine were collected for circulating tumor cell (CTC) assessments using CellSearch (CS) and NanoVelcro (NV) chips and large oncosome selection. Biopsies before treatment and at progression are being collected when possible. Circulating tumor cell RNA and large oncosome content were profiled at baseline and 2 weeks for all patients. Results: Eight pts. have been treated of the anticipated 40 patient cohort. 13% had pulmonary metastatic lesion; 88% had hepatic metastases; 88% had concurrent osseous metastases. CBR12 was 83% at the time of this report. Two patients discontinued treatment without evidence of progression due to grade 3 toxicity (diarrhea, corneal defect). Discordant responses were noted between visceral metastases and bone scans. Other grade 3 toxicities included hypertension, hand-foot syndrome, and GGT. CTC numbers by NV and CS declined within 2 weeks and increased at progression. Updated results of CTC and oncosome analysis will be presented including alterations in MET and SChLAP1 expression. Conclusions: Cabozantinib is a TKI with activity in PC even in men with visceral metastasis who are typically considered to have more aggressive disease. The activity in the viscera appears to be lower than that seen in osseous metastases. Further understanding of the biology of cabozantinib based on CTC, oncosomes, and tissue studies will refine our use of this active agent. Disclosure: L.W.K. Chung: research funding from Exelixis. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.