cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Far-infrared studies of the phase transitions in β -quinol-methanol and methanol-D4 clathrates

Low-temperature far-infrared transmission studies of \ensuremath{\beta}-quinol-methanol and \ensuremath{\beta}-quinol-methanol-D4 clathrates have been performed. Far-infrared transmission spectra in the region of 30 to 100 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ at 4.6 K reveal the presence of lattice lines that are not present in \ensuremath{\beta}-quinol clathrates with small guest inclusions and which shift and broaden as the temperature is increased. In order to further investigate these effects, a cw far-infrared laser has been employed to interrogate the behavior of these lattice lines as a function of both temperature and density of filled cages. Utilizing the coincidence between the 54.25-${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ emission from a ${\mathrm{CH}}_{2}$${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$ far-infrared laser and a guest-induced 55.2-${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ lattice line, we find the absorption coefficient exhibits an abrupt change in slope at the same temperatures at which heat capacity and low-frequency dielectric absorption anomalies have been reported. The temperature at which the absorption coefficient anomaly occurs increases linearly from 22 to 67 K for methanol densities of 40% to 95%, respectively. We believe these effects can be attributed to cooperative behavior due to long-range strain-mediated interactions.
One-year follow-up results of "culprit" versus multivessel coronary angioplasty trial.

Abstract Since its introduction 16 years ago, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) has increasingly been applied to patients with multivessel coronary artery disease 1–4 with steadily improving results. The approach to such patients may involve attempted dilation of all significant stenoses in an attempt to achieve complete revascularization. An alternative strategy that might carry lower procedural risk is identifying and dilating only the "culprit" stenosis, i.e., the stenosis judged responsible for the patient's ischemic manifestations. 5–7 Enthusiasm for such an approach has been tempered by studies showing that patients who have undergone incomplete revascularization with PTCA have a higher incidence of recurrent angina and more often require repeated revascularization procedures. 8–13 However, not all studies have shown such results, 14 and a recent study found that when baseline differences from patients with complete and incomplete revascularization are taken into account, the completeness of revascularization does not influence late outcome. 15 We undertook a randomized trial of culprit versus multivessel PTCA in patients with multivessel coronary disease in order to determine whether there were any differences in acute procedural outcome or in clinical status 1 year later.
The Influence of Preference and Choice of Activity on Problem Behavior

A growing body of research suggests that assigning preferred tasks or providing opportunities for choice among tasks can lead to reduced levels of problem behavior in individuals with developmental...
The Ten Commandments of Experiments

Because political science draws heavily from other disciplines—psychology and economics—in its use of experimental methods, we often fail to note how each experimental tradition developed in ways, while serving those field's primary goals, that often present contradictory imperatives that may not serve political science equally well. I provide a brief history of experimental traditions in psychology and economics, and then suggest, in all humility, an integrated set of best practices for the use of experiments in political science.
A study of memory system performance of multimedia applications

Multimedia applications are fast becoming one of the dominating workloads for modern computer systems. Since these applications normally have large data sets and little data-reuse, many researchers believe that they have poor memory behavior compared to traditional programs, and that current cache architectures cannot handle them well. It is therefore important to quantitatively characterize the memory behavior of these applications in order to provide insights for future design and research of memory systems. However, very few results on this topic have been published. This paper presents a comprehensive research on the memory requirements of a group of programs that are representative of multimedia applications. These programs include a subset of the popular MediaBench suite and several large multimedia programs running on the Linux, Windows NT and Tru UNIX operating systems. We performed extensive measurement and trace-driven simulation experiments. We then compared the memory utilization of these programs to that of SPECint95 applications. We found that multimedia applications actually have better memory behavior than SPECint95 programs. The high cache hit rates of multimedia applications can be contributed to the following three factors. Most multimedia applications apply block partitioning algorithms to the input data, and work on small blocks of data that easily fit into the cache. Secondly, within these blocks, there is significant data reuse as well as spatial locality. The third reason is that a large number of references generated by multimedia applications are to their internal data structures, which are relatively small and can also easily fit into reasonably-sized caches.
The language of children with spina bifida and hydrocephalus: meeting task demands and mastering syntax.

Children with hydrocephalus are thought to exhibit deficiencies in their linguistic performance, including the production of numerous off-topic utterances and semantically immature responses to lin...
New paradigm in NLO chromophore design through a gradient bridge concept

In pursuit of greater understanding of structure property relationships in NLO chromophores, a series of molecules consisting of three aromatic rings was synthesized. The relative positions of benzene and thiophene rings in these molecules were varied. Theoretical calculations also suggest that the use of a slightly electron deficient heteroaromatic, such as thiazole, can increase β through the concept of an electronic gradient. The use of this heteroaromatic in the correct orientation can compensate for the energetic barrier that benzene presents during charge-transfer. Hyper-Raleigh Scattering (HRS) measurements on three of these “gradient bridge” type chromophores show that benzene located at the donor end provided the highest hyperpolarizability. The poor solubility of these three-ring systems severely limited their processability and gave considerable synthetic challenges. The difference in theoretical and experimental trends of β are discussed.
Disembodied Minds and the Problem of Identification and Individuation

We consider and reject a variety of attempts to provide a ground for identifying and differentiating disembodied minds. Until such a ground is provided, we must withhold inclusion of disembodied minds from our picture of the world.
A study of ACSN comparison between spin-stand and magnetic force microscopy

Characterizing media noise and then improving media signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are important issues for successfully implementing perpendicular recording technology. In this work, the measurements of the autocorrelation signal-to-noise (ACSN) have been conducted using both spin-stand testing and magnetic force microscopy (MFM) method. The ACSN was measured as a function of the linear density so as to analyze the media noise origins. The results obtained from two different methods show a good correlation if a saturation effect of the GMR read sensor is taken into consideration, indicating that the saturation process of GMR readers could actually improve the ACSN values at low linear density situations.
Precoat Filtration of Coal Liquid Feasibility Study of Bottom Ash Precoat

Abstract In this work, the suitability of using coal bottom ash as a precoat material for pressure filtration of liquefied coal was studied experimentally. Filtration of SRC I filter feed was accomplished in a laboratory filtration unit (1.5 in2) using both coal bottom ashes and a commercial diatomaceous filter aid (celite 550). Filtration experiments were carried out at temperatures ranging from 150° to 200°, and pressure differentia ranging from 35 psid to 100 psid. Both materials were comparable in terms of the resistance of the cake and precoat media to filtration. Also both gave filtrates with less than 0.1% ash and 0.7% sulfur, thus meeting EPA combustion emission standards.
The alteration of blood-borne metastases by oriented electric fields

Abstract To show the effect of oriented electric fields on the development of metastases, an intraaortic injection of rabbit V-2 carcinoma cells was made and negatively or positively charged electric fields were applied. The number of metastases in the charged extremity was compared with those in the untreated opposite limb. It was shown that a negative electric field in all cases caused a significantly decreased number of metastases in the treated limb versus the control limb. The difference was more highly significant in those animals in which the common femoral vessels were treated than for the superficial femoral vessels. The difference was more highly significant when the current was applied one hour before injection of tumor cells than when the current followed injection. There was no significant difference (p > 0.10) in the metastases produced in the positively charged limb versus the opposite uncharged leg. Manipulations of the vessel and other tissues of the extremity were found to increase the total number of metastases in the current treated groups versus the animals to which no current had been applied.
Anorexia nervosa: A cause of pericardial effusion?

Echocardiographic studies revealed the presence of pericardial effusion in 4 patients with anorexia nervosa, whose weights had fallen by 38 to 53% of their body weight at the onset of disease. Each patient had a normal or small cardiac image on chest roentgenogram. The presence of increased pericardial fluid may partially explain the decreased voltage on the electrocardiogram, and the distant heart sounds heard in some of these patients. The cause of the pericardial effusion is not clear. It may possibly occur in other diseases that produce marked weight loss and cachexia.
A retrospective analysis of the utility of an artificial neural network to predict ED volume.

Abstract Objective The objectives of this study are to design an artificial neural network (ANN) and to test it retrospectively to determine if it may be used to predict emergency department (ED) volume. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of patient registry data from February 4, 2007, to December 31, 2009, from an inner city, tertiary care hospital. We harvested data regarding weather, days of week, air quality, and special events to train the ANN. The ANN belongs to a class of neural networks called multilayer perceptrons. We designed an ANN composed of 37 input neurons, 22 hidden neurons, and 1 output neuron designed to predict the daily number of ED visits. The training method is a supervised backpropagation algorithm that uses mean squared error to minimize the average squared error between the ANN's output and the number of ED visits over all the example pairs. Results A linear regression between the predicted and actual ED visits demonstrated an R 2 of 0.957 with a slope of 0.997. Ninety-five percent of the time, the ANN was within 20 visits. Conclusion The results of this study show that a properly designed ANN is an effective tool that may be used to predict ED volume. The scatterplot demonstrates that the ANN is least predictive at the extreme ends of the spectrum suggesting that the ANN may be missing important variables. A properly calibrated ANN may have the potential to allow ED administrators to staff their units more appropriately in an effort to reduce patient wait times, decrease ED physician burnout rates, and increase the ability of caregivers to provide quality patient care. A prospective is needed to validate the utility of the ANN.
Idiotypic Analysis of Human Anticentromere Autoantibodies

The idiotypes (Ids) of anticentromere antibodies (ACA) have been studied using a fusion protein obtained from cloned cDNA of the major centromere antigen, CENP-B, for isolation of the autoantibodies. IgG-ACA were affinity purified from 4 patient sera and anti-Ids prepared in rabbits. Analysis revealed the existence of two distinct types of immunodominant Ids. One Id is near the antibody combining site and one is framework associated. A longterm longitudinal study of Id expression in a patient who seroconverted from ACA (-) to ACA(+) when she developed Raynaud's phenomenon showed a close correlation between Id expression and ACA titers (r = 0.94). These results may be interpreted as evidence for an autoantigen driven process in the anticentromere immune response.
Factors Affecting Habitat Use and Distribution of Desert Mule Deer in an Arid Environment

We studied habitat use by desert mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus eremicus) in the Sonoran Desert to understand the relative importance of vegetation, terrain characteristics, human disturbances, and water sources in determining their distribution. We located 44 radiocollared female mule deer weekly over 5 years. In spring, when water was most scarce, deer were in areas with lower elevations, shallower slopes, and greater normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) rates, when compared to random locations. Use of water developments (i.e., catchments) during spring was evident but their effect on deer distribution was small relative to other factors, and their importance varied by animal. More deer locations were recorded in areas of higher NDVI rate in spring, summer, and autumn, but they were also further from washes in autumn. The deer we monitored used lower elevations in spring and higher elevations during the rest of the year. The effect of slope was strong in all seasons. However, deer tended to select shallow slopes in spring and steep slopes during the rest of the year. Deer avoided roads in summer and autumn but were closer to them in winter. They avoided rivers or canals in summer but were closer to those features in autumn. Our results suggest that terrain characteristics in all seasons (slope and elevation), as well as forage quality in 3 of 4 seasons (as indexed by NDVI rate) were most important in determining distribution of deer. Concomitantly water catchments had a measurable, but minor, role during hot, dry conditions. We recommend investigators continue to evaluate the importance of water developments relative to other habitat factors, particularly via the use of multivariate studies, global positioning system technology, adaptive management, and temporary closure of water developments known to be used by radiocollared deer.
Arterial steroid receptors and their putative role in the mechanism of hypertension.

Summary Data from clinical and experimental studies indicate that mechanism(s) for action of mineralocorticoids, other than renal, must be involved in the overall effect of mineralocorticoids on circulation—increased peripheral resistance and hypertension. We have postulated existence of such a mechanism in the arterial wall and have looked for the evidence for its presence. We have found high affinity, specific binders for mineralocorticoids, and glucocorticoids, with characteristics of steroid receptors, in the cytosol of rabbit aorta and femoral and carotid arteries. These binders possess physico-chemical properties of steroid receptors and, moreover, they translocate to cell nuclei (as steroid-receptor complexes) and bind to relatively specific “acceptor-sites” on nuclear chromatin. This provides evidence for the existence in the arterial wall of a molecular mechanism for a direct in situ action of mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids. The mineralocorticoid receptors are not present in veins. We have also found that chronically elevated levels of 11-desoxycorticosterone (DOC) result in a marked increase in permeability of arterial smooth muscle cell membrane to sodium ions; this is in accord with findings of other investigators in the rat. This change presumably leads, through a chain of biochemical events, to increased arterial and arteriolar smooth muscle contractility, increased peripheral resistance and hypertension. Study is in progress to determine whether the effect of DOC on arterial smooth muscle cell-membrane permeability to eletrolytes is elicited through the receptor-mediated mechanism for the in situ action of mineralocorticoids in the arterial wall. It is postulated that this mechanism is primarily responsible for “mineralocorticoid hypertension”, but may well be instrumental also in pathogeneses of various other forms of hypertension, including “essential”.
Clinical manifestation of mediastinal fibrosis and histoplasmosis

We treated 20 patients thought to have mediastinal fibrosis secondary to Histoplasma capsulatum. All but 1 were symptomatic. The most common symptoms were dyspnea (8), hemoptysis (6), postobstructive pneumonia (5), and superior vena caval obstruction (2). Nine patients had severe stenosis of the trachea, carina, or main bronchus. Special stains identified Histoplasma capsulatum in surgical specimens in 9 patients. Surgical procedures were done for 18 of 20 patients (resection of subcarinal mass, 6; right middle and lower lobectomy, 5; carinal pneumonectomy, 4; esophagoplasty, 4; sleeve resection, 3 (with right main bronchus in 1, right lower and middle lobectomy in 1, and carina in 1); right upper lobectomy, 1; middle lobectomy, 1; and bronchoplasty of left main bronchus, 1. There were 4 deaths, 3 after complications of carinal pneumonectomy and 1 in a patient with tracheobronchial obstruction that could not be dilated. Two patients were treated with amphotericin and 4 with ketoconazole. Sclerosing mediastinitis secondary to histoplasmosis presents tremendous surgical challenges because of the intense fibrosis encountered. Bronchoplastic procedures are possible in spite of the intense fibrosis. High mortality rates after carinal resection may be encountered. The exact role of antifungal therapy is as yet undefined.
Blender: upgrading tenant-based data center networking

This paper presents Blender, a framework that enables network operators to improve tenant performance by tailoring the network's behavior to tenant needs. Tenants may upgrade their provisioned portion of the network with specific features, such as multi-path routing, isolation, and failure recovery, without modifying hosted application code. Network operators may differentiate themselves based on upgrades they offer, creating new upgrades via a light-weight programming interface. Blender safely executes multiple tenants' selections simultaneously across a shared network infrastructure. We show that the Blender model can express and extend recently proposed network functionality on existing SDN networks. We use an OpenFlow-based prototype to quantify Blender's performance and potential for deployment at scale.
FEATURED ABSTRACT Intraluminal catheter directed irreversible electroporation in the porcine ureter

Purpose Irreversible Electroporation (IRE) is a non-thermal ablation technique that has been shown to preserve the extracellular matrix within an ablation zone, maintaining patency of luminal structures such as blood vessels and bile ducts. Preservation of luminal architecture may enable IRE ablation of malignant transitional cells in the bladder, ureter or renal pelvis. Due to a lack of catheter based IRE devices, there is little known about intraluminal IRE ablation. We investigated the feasibility, safety and efficacy of catheter-mounted IRE ablation in normal porcine ureters. Materials and Methods We performed image-guided catheter-mounted intraluminal IRE ablation on normal porcine ureters in an acute study on five animals. Catheters were used to create transmural circumferential lesions in each animal followed by post-ablation fluoroscopic and contrast enhanced CT imaging to assess ureteral patency. Mathematical models were used to select parameters to achieve transmural ablation and predict the ablation zone diameter. These models were analyzed with respect to histopathologic findings in the ablated regions. Results IRE was successfully performed in all animals with preservation of luminal diameter and urine flow in the immediate post-ablation period. The extent of ureter ablation assessed histopathologically (radial and longitudinal distance) confirmed the utility of mathematical modeling for prediction and selection of treatment parameters. Early signs of injury in the ablated region include hyperemia, coagulative necrosis, and complete sloughing of epithelial layers with sharp boundaries between treated and untreated regions. Conclusion Transmural intraluminal IRE can be performed using a catheter-mounted device with acute preservation of ureteric architecture and function. Intraluminal IRE holds promise for treatment of predominantly intraluminal malignancies such as transitional cell carcinoma.
Free-solution electrophoresis with amplification of small mobility differences by helical flow

Abstract A description and theoretical analysis is given of a free-solution, three-dimensional electrophoretic field-flow fractionation separation in a concentric circular annulus, in which an axisymmetric swirl flow with velocity components in the axial and azimuthal directions is used to amplify a small difference between the electrophoretic mobilities of two species in a radial electric field. Separation is achieved in the azimuthal direction. The potential of this process is illustrated by calculations (neglecting diffusion) of azimuthal separations of β-lactoglobulins A and B, and racemic denopamine complexed to a stereoselective cyclodextrin. The relative mobility difference for the β-lactoglobulins is about 7%, while that the denopamine enantiomers (one of which is a potent cardiotonic agent) is about 2%. (Diffusionless) separations of 180° can be achieved with relatively modest angular rotation rates.
Predictive Validity of the First Grade Screening Test.

The predictive validity of the First-Grade Screening Test (FGST) was investigated with a sample of 72 kindergarten students. Comparison of the FGST with end of the year kindergarten performance and midyear achievement testing in first grade suggested moderate predictive utility. Additionally, the strong relationships with concept learning and direction following tasks indicated that the construct validity of this test needs to be examined carefully.
Initiation of cell proliferation in livers of the viviparous fish Poeciliopsis lucida with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene.

Stimulation of liver cell proliferation by sublethal exposures to 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) is examined in the small, viviparous fish Poeciliopsis lucida. Poeciliopsis is susceptible to induction of liver tumors by repeated short-term exposures, under 24 hr, to waterborne DMBA at 5 ppm. Exposures to 5 ppm for 24 hr was lethal to fish under 1 month old and resulted in 60% mortality of adult females 20–25 mm in length. Response to 16-, 20-, and 22-hr exposures of 5 ppm DMBA, as measured by mitotic index, was similar in females of two size classes, 20–25 mm and 26–30 mm. Differences were observed in the onset of mitosis in livers of fish exposed for 16 hr vs 20 or 22 hr. Hepatocyte proliferation did not begin until 10–11 days after the 16-hr exposure and lasted for only 3 days. When exposure was increased to 20 or 22 hr, mitotic activity was observed earlier, 2 days following treatment, and continued for 6–8 days. The peak period of cell proliferation also varied, occurring 12 days after a 16-hr exposure, 4 days after a 20-hr exposure, and at least 10 days after a 22-hr exposure. The mitotic index was the highest on the final day specimens of the 22-hr treatment were collected. These results suggest that the toxic properties of DMBA in stimulating cell proliferation may function as an important cofactor in hepatocarcinogenesis.
Performance evaluation of consumer-grade 3D sensors for static 6DOF pose estimation systems

Low-cost 3D depth and range sensors are steadily becoming more widely available and affordable, and thus popular for robotics enthusiasts. As basic research tools, however, their accuracy and performance are relatively unknown. In this paper, we describe a framework for performance evaluation and measurement error analysis for 6 degrees of freedom pose estimation systems using traceable ground truth instruments. Characterizing sensor drift and variance, and quantifying range, spatial and angular accuracy, our framework focuses on artifact surface fitting and static pose analysis, reporting testing and environmental conditions in compliance with the upcoming ASTM E57.02 standard.
The management of traumatic subtrochanteric fractures

Abstract The management of subtrochanteric fractures of the femur is a therapeutic challenge to orthopaedic surgeons. The location of these fractures has been variously defined, but most agree that they occur at or below the lesser trochanter and may extend to the level of the isthmus of the diaphysis of the femur. Subtrochanteric fractures are exceedingly difficult to manage, resulting in a high incidence of unsatisfactory results ranging from 20% to 50%. This may be attributed to a combination of factors including high-stress concentration in the subtrochanteric region, poor vascularity caused by the predominance of cortical bone, strong deforming muscular forces, and limited surgeon experience because of the relative infrequency of these fractures. The goal of this article is to develop an understanding of the biomechanics of the subtrochanteric region, variants of fracture pattern, and available treatment options such that an optimal therapeutic plan may be selected.
The Balance of Power: Formal Perfection and Practical Flaws

A game-theoretic model is used to show that the balance-of-power mechanism has much greater formal power than hitherto understood. Under the strong assumption that all threatened countries must be able to function as crucial coalition partners in deterring any threat, all members of minimum winning coalitions are guaranteed not to lose any resources. Under the traditional, weaker assumption that some coalition must be available to deter any threat, even countries that are not members of minimum winning coalitions are guaranteed against losing any resources. These formal results are significant in two ways. First, they make it possible to reconcile apparently contradictory views in the literature, and to offer a satisfying intuitive interpretation of the balance-of-power mechanism. Second, they point to a variety of factors - operating both separately and interactively - that may cause the balance-of-power mechanism to fail. Examples are uncertainty combined with risk-loving preferences, conflict-averse preferences, offensive technological advantages, economic growth, and technological and political rigidities in the formation of alliances and rivalries. It is argued that efforts to test balance-of-power theory should focus on assessing the relative importance of such factors.
Resolving the evolution of sterile worker castes: a window on the advantages and disadvantages of monogamy

Many social Hymenoptera species have morphologically sterile worker castes. It is proposed that the evolutionary routes to this obligate sterility must pass through a 'monogamy window', because inclusive fitness favours individuals retaining their reproductive totipotency unless they can rear full siblings. Simulated evolution of sterility, however, finds that 'point of view' is critically important. Monogamy is facilitating if sterility is expressed altruistically (i.e. workers defer reproduction to queens), but if sterility results from manipulation by mothers or siblings, monogamy may have no effect or lessen the likelihood of sterility. Overall, the model and data from facultatively eusocial bees suggest that eusociality and sterility are more likely to originate through manipulation than by altruism, casting doubt on a mandatory role for monogamy. Simple kin selection paradigms, such as Hamilton's rule, can also fail to account for significant evolutionary dynamics created by factors, such as population structure, group-level effects or non-random mating patterns. The easy remedy is to always validate apparently insightful predictions from Hamiltonian equations with life-history appropriate genetic models.
Mipomersen, an Antisense Oligonucleotide to Apolipoprotein B-100, Reduces Lipoprotein(a) in Various Populations With Hypercholesterolemia Results of 4 Phase III Trials

Objective— Lp(a) is an independent, causal, genetic risk factor for cardiovascular disease and aortic stenosis. Current pharmacological lipid-lowering therapies do not optimally lower Lp(a), particularly in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Approach and Results— In 4 phase III trials, 382 patients on maximally tolerated lipid-lowering therapy were randomized 2:1 to weekly subcutaneous mipomersen 200 mg (n=256) or placebo (n=126) for 26 weeks. Populations included homozygous FH, heterozygous FH with concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD), severe hypercholesterolemia, and hypercholesterolemia at high risk for CAD. Lp(a) was measured 8× between baseline and week 28 inclusive. Of the 382 patients, 57% and 44% had baseline Lp(a) levels >30 and >50 mg/dL, respectively. In the pooled analysis, the mean percent decrease (median, interquartile range in Lp(a) at 28 weeks was significantly greater in the mipomersen group compared with placebo (−26.4 [−42.8, −5.4] versus −0.0 [−10.7, 15.3]; P 30 or >50 mg/dL, attainment of Lp(a) values ≤30 or ≤50 mg/dL was most frequent in homozygous FH and severe hypercholesterolemia patients. In the combined groups, modest correlations were present between percent change in apolipoprotein B-100 and Lp(a) ( r =0.43; P r =0.36; P Conclusions— Mipomersen consistently and effectively reduced Lp(a) levels in patients with a variety of lipid abnormalities and cardiovascular risk. Modest correlations were present between apolipoprotein B-100 and Lp(a) lowering but the mechanistic relevance mediating Lp(a) reduction is currently unknown.
Competition between quantum beatings at 608 cm/sup 1/ and 70 /cm/sup 1/ in Rb observed by parametric four-wave mixing

The competition between quantum beatings at 608 cm-1 and 70 cm-1 in Rb is detected and controlled by using parametric four-wave mixing. The Rb number density, laser intensity and the laser polarization control the competition
Folsom Drought and Episodic Drying on the Southern High Plains from 10,900–10,200 14C yr B.P

The paleoenvironments of late Pleistocene and early Holocene time on the Southern High Plains have been studied for decades, but regionally extensive or long-term, easily recoverable proxy climate indicators are difficult to find. The stratigraphy of valley fill and upland eolian deposits and stable-carbon isotope data, in addition to geographically limited paleontological data, now provide clues to the environment during this time, which includes the earliest, or Paleoindian period (∼11,200–8000 14C yr B.P.) of human occupation. During the Clovis occupation (∼11,200–10,900 14C yr B.P.), valleys contained perennial streams. This was followed in Folsom time (10,900–10,200 14C yr B.P.) by an abrupt change to lakes and ponds (with water levels fluctuating between several meters depth and no surface water) and marshes and accumulation of sheet sands on uplands, starting the earliest phase of construction of the regional dune fields. These changing conditions indicate a shift from relatively wetter to relatively drier conditions with episodic drought. Stable-C isotopes further indicate that warming characterized the Clovis–Folsom transition. During the rest of the Paleoindian period the environment was relatively cool but fluctuated between wetter and drier conditions with an overall trend toward drying that resulted in further enlargement of the dune fields and culminated in the warm, dry Altithermal beginning ∼8000 14C yr B.P. Clovis time probably was the wettest of any Paleoindian period in terms of runoff and spring discharge. The Folsom period was drier and was the earliest episode of regional wind erosion and eolian deposition and may have been the warmest of Paleoindian times. Evidence of a previously hypothesized “Clovis drought” in this region is sparse.
Environmental control of defensive reactions to a cat

Brief familiarization with a strange environment changes the defensive reactions of rats confronted by a cat in that environment, from flight to freezing. Thus flight appears to be a dominant initial reaction to threat stimuli unless the threatened animal is familiar with the lack of availability of escape from the threat situation. Further, as attempts at flight familiarize the subject with the inescapable situation, flight becomes less dominant and freezing emerges as the major defensive reaction. This interpretation supports an elicitation view of flight and freezing, in which features of environmental stimuli, as well as the threat stimuli themselves, determine the topography of elicited defensive reactions.
A memory aware behavioral synthesis tool for real-time VLSI circuits

We introduce a new approach to take into account the memory architecture and the memory mapping in the Behavioral Synthesis of Real-Time VLSI circuits. We formalize the memory mapping as a set of constraints for the thesis, and defined a Memory Constraint Graph and an accessibility criterion to be used in the scheduling step. We use a memory mapping file to include those memory straints in our HLS tool GAUT. Our scheduling algorithm exhibits a relatively low complexity that permits to tackle complex designs in a reasonable time. Several experiments are performed to demonstrate the efficiency of our method, and to compare GAUT with an industrial behavioral synthesis tool. We finally show how to explore, with the help of GAUT, a wide range of solutions, and to reach a good tradeoffs between time, power-consumption, and area.
the cracked pot and the missing sheep

This essay concerns the difficulties of separating “religion” from “political” strategy and tactics, by demonstrating the place of contingencies in ritual performances and the ways they are resolved in a small Ghanaian kingdom. Two rituals are described, both of which in differing ways failed to conform to the actors' precisely and traditionally defined expectations. The rituals themselves became opportunities to realign patterns of political relations and to reinterpret and reconstruct history, and illustrate how conflict may be resolved by appeal for mediation to different levels and hierarchies of authority.[contingency in ritual, micro-politics, symbolism, conflict resolution, spirit possession, Ghana]
Understanding Motivation of Underserved Youth in Physical Activity Settings

In a sample of underserved youth, this study examined the relationship between achievement goal theory and affect and attitudes. The study also explored if constructs of Hellison’s taking personal and social responsibility (TPSR) model mediated the relationship between goal constructs and the dependent variables. Participants were 135 multiethnic boys and girls (mean age of 11.98 years) attending a physical activity summer camp. Dispositional goals, perceptions of the motivational climate, elements of Hellison’s TPSR model, affect, and attitudes were assessed. Hypothesized correlations emerged between goal constructs and affect and attitudes. Path analysis results suggested the data were best fit by a model with TPSR constructs mediating the relationship between goal constructs and the outcome variables. Task orientation and perceptions of a task-involving climate were related to the outcome variables through care for others and/or goal setting and self-responsibility. The conceptual and practical relevan...
Optimal uncoupled impedance matching for coupled MIMO arrays

It has recently been shown that a coupled impedance network is required to maximize the power received by a coupled array for arbitrary incident field. This paper explores the performance of uncoupled terminations under different incident field assumptions. The analysis shows that under certain impinging fields, an uncoupled load can be designed whose performance matches that of the optimal termination. However, as the incident field exhibits reduced directional bias, the performance of the optimized load tends to degrade. This observation suggests that one role of the termination is to effectively form a beam that is matched to the incident field structure.
Going, going, gone? The demise of the accruals anomaly

Consistent with public statements made by sophisticated practitioners, we show that the hedge returns to Sloan's (1996) accruals anomaly have decayed in U.S. markets to the point that they are no longer positive. While we cannot unambiguously identify the causal factor or factors involved, our empirical analyses suggest that the anomaly's demise stems at least in part from a decline in the size of the mispricing signal (as measured by accruals in the extreme accruals deciles and the relative persistence of cash flows and accruals) and an increase in the capital invested by hedge funds into exploiting the signal (as measured by hedge fund assets under management and trading volume in extreme accrual decile firms). In light of the roles played by academic accountants in discovering and exploiting the accruals anomaly, we conclude that accounting scholarship can causally affect, not just associatively study, capital market prices and efficiency.
The Bloomington Workshop: multiple methods, interdisciplinary research, and collective action

This paper examines the tradition of interdisciplinary research developed in the 40-year history of the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis. In the late 1960s, Vincent and Elinor Ostrom began to plant the seeds for a teaching and research environment that would promote deliberation, contestation, and collaboration among their colleagues and students at Indiana University, Bloomington. Based on their experiences of working with a master woodworker in Bloomington, they envisioned a “workshop” setting. From a simple tradition of voluntarily organized weekly colloquia with their colleagues across campus, they crafted an academic environment in which students, visiting scholars, and colleagues from diverse disciplines interacted daily, studying issues of institutional analysis and collective action. This paper examines the historical foundations of the research center created by the Ostroms. Particular focus is placed on the evolution of inquiry that led to the path-breaking research on collective action in the “commons.”
Drift, Diffusion And Boltzmann Distribution In Simple Genetic Algorithm

This paper presents a general diffusion model of a simple genetic algorithm. Unlike the similar previous efforts made for modeling mutation based genetic search, this work includes the effect of crossover by considering the dynamics of spatially averaged observables, under the influence of deterministic and stochastic effects. The analysis shows a possibility of generating Boltzmann distribution in the population. A noise reduction mechanism by means of controlling the distributional bias of the population is conjectured based on observations made on the entropic structure of the representational space.
Metabolic Dysregulation of the Insulin–Glucose Axis and Risk of Obesity-Related Cancers in the Framingham Heart Study-Offspring Cohort (1971–2008)

Background: Obesity-related dysregulation of the insulin–glucose axis is hypothesized in carcinogenesis. We studied impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and other markers of insulin–glucose metabolism in the Framingham Heart Study-Offspring Cohort, which uniquely tracks these markers and cancer >37 years. Methods: Participants were recruited between 1971 and 1975 and followed until 2008 ( n = 4,615; mean age 66.8 years in 2008). Serum glucose, insulin, and hemoglobin A1c were determined from fasting blood in quart-annual exams. Lifestyle and demographic information was self-reported. HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of cancer risk were computed using time-dependent survival analysis (SASv9.3), while accounting for temporal changes for relevant variables. Results: We identified 787 obesity-related cancers, including 136 colorectal, 217 breast, and 219 prostate cancers. Absence versus presence of IFG 10 to 20 years and 20+ years before the event or last follow-up was associated with 44% (95% CI, 1.15–1.79) and 57% (95% CI, 1.17–2.11) increased risk of obesity-related cancers, respectively. When time-dependent variables were used, after adjusting for age, sex, smoking, alcohol, and body mass index, IFG was associated with a 27% increased risk of obesity-related cancer (HR = 1.27; CI, 1.1–1.5). Associations were stronger in smokers (HR = 1.41; CI, 1.13–1.76). Increased risk was noted among persons with higher insulin (HR = 1.47; CI, 1.15–1.88) and hemoglobin A1c (HR = 1.54; CI, 1.13–2.10) for the highest (≥5.73%) versus lowest (≤5.25%) category. A >2-fold increase in colorectal cancer risk was observed for all blood biomarkers of insulin–glucose metabolism, particularly with earlier IFG exposure. Nonsignificant increased risk of breast and prostate cancer was observed for blood biomarkers. Conclusions: Earlier IFG exposure (>10 years before) increased obesity-related cancer risk, particularly for colorectal cancer. Impact: Our study explicitly recognizes the importance of prolonged IFG exposure in identifying links between glucose dysregulation and obesity-related cancers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(10); 1825–36. ©2013 AACR .
Finding the Planning in Financial Planning: An Integrative Framework for Strategy-Making by Financial Planners

This is a doctoral dissertation. Personal financial planning is an interdisciplinary practice that draws many of its tools and techniques from the fields of finance, economics, law, taxation, and investment theory. The profession’s body of knowledge is dominated by research devoted to these practical and theoretical “sub-sets.” What has largely been missing to date is any significant theoretical work devoted to the actual planning activities of financial planners, wherein they develop comprehensive strategies for using all of a client’s human and material resources to achieve their various life goals. This dissertation for the first time offers an integrating framework for describing the strategy-making activities of financial planners. This framework consists of five modes of strategy-making that fall along the dimension of relative involvement by the planner and the client in the planning process. These modes can also be shown to fall along a parallel dimension that might be described as “planning versus emergence,” with traditional, deterministic planning techniques employed at one extreme and more contingent, open-ended approaches found at the other extreme. It is found that the approaches that are most balanced along both dimensions are also most highly correlated with client trust and commitment. It is also found that distinctive combinations of strategy-making modes are found in different practice environments.
Welcome to the Anthropocene: Rio+20 and the Meaning of Sustainable Development

From June 20 to 22, 2012, 45,000 participants from governments, the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and major groups met in Rio De Janeiro for the “Rio+20” United Nations Conference ...
Data-parallel Micropolygon Rasterization

We implement a tile based sort-middle rasterizer in CUDA and study its performance characteristics when used as a backend for adaptive tessellation down to micropolygons. Tessellation and bucketing map very well to the data-parallel paradigm of CUDA, and the majority of time is spent with rasterization. Despite this, our fastest implementation is able to reach 30-50% of the hardware rasterization performance of an Nvidia GTX 280. Overall we are able to rasterize 4 M textured and Phong shaded microquads into a 1600x1200 framebuffer at 10-12 fps.
Occurrence of Phenotypically Mixed Viruses in the Bryan High-Titer Strain of Rous Sarcoma Virus and RSV(RAV-1) Stocks

SummaryRSV stocks in common laboratory use, BH-RSV and its pseudotype designated as RSV (RAV-1), were examined to demonstrate occult xenogenetic RAV by using genetically different host cells and antisera specific to subgroups A and B avian tumor viruses. The virus stocks contained a phenotypically mixed virus, i.e., subgroup A RAV genome enveloped in subgroups B RAV protein coat. The virus replicated in C/A cells and yields the progeny of subgroup A RAV. The progeny replicated in C/O cells serially but not in C/A cells. The phenotypically mixed virus could not infect C/AB cells and was neutralized by an antiserum specific to subgroup B viruses. The possible origin and the significance of the virus were discussed.The authors are indebted to Dr. William H. Murphy, the University of Michigan, for his helpful comments and criticisms during the preparation of this manuscript.
Online learning in autonomic multi-hop wireless networks for transmitting mission-critical applications

In this paper, we study how to optimize the transmission decisions of nodes aimed at supporting mission-critical applications, such as surveillance, security monitoring, and military operations, etc. We focus on a network scenario where multiple source nodes transmit simultaneously mission-critical data through relay nodes to one or multiple destinations in multi-hop wireless Mission-Critical Networks (MCN). In such a network, the wireless nodes can be modeled as agents that can acquire local information from their neighbors and, based on this available information, can make timely transmission decisions to minimize the end-to-end delays of the mission-critical applications. Importantly, the MCN needs to cope in practice with the time-varying network dynamics. Hence, the agents need to make transmission decisions by considering not only the current network status, but also how the network status evolves over time, and how this is influenced by the actions taken by the nodes. We formulate the agents' autonomic decision making problem as a Markov decision process (MDP) and construct a distributed MDP framework, which takes into consideration the informationally-decentralized nature of the multi-hop MCN. We further propose an online model-based reinforcement learning approach for agents to solve the distributed MDP at runtime, by modeling the network dynamics using priority queuing. We compare the proposed model-based reinforcement learning approach with other model-free reinforcement learning approaches in the MCN. The results show that the proposed model-based reinforcement learning approach for mission-critical applications not only outperforms myopic approaches without learning capability, but also outperforms conventional model-free reinforcement learning approaches.
Striking the target in iron overload disorders

The liver, a major site of body iron stores, mediates key responses that preserve systemic iron homeostasis. In this issue of the JCI, Guo et al. demonstrate that administration of antisense oligonucleotides that reduce expression of Tmprss6, a hepatic protein that plays an essential role in maintaining iron balance, can attenuate disease severity in mouse models of human iron overload disorders. These data reveal the potential of novel TMPRSS6-targeted therapies for the treatment of clinical conditions such as hereditary hemochromatosis and β-thalassemia.