cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A path information caching and aggregation approach to traffic source identification

Probabilistic packet marking (PPM) is a technique designed to identify packet traffic sources with low storage and processing overhead on network routers. In most previous PPM approaches, individual path messages carry only partial path information. These methods are susceptible to "path falsification" attacks, which greatly reduce their effectiveness. This work proposes a path-falsification-attack free PPM algorithm called Path Information Caching and Aggregation (PICA) that records paths of packet streams in fix-length path messages, thus eliminating the need of path reconstruction at the receiver end. Besides, by using a router's forwarding table to decompose packet volume, this semi-stateful method is more accurate in traffic volume report. It also supports both a packet rate-based path message generation algorithm and a redundant path message suppression mechanism to further eliminate path messages with the same destination. Finally, PICA protects PICA routers from being attacked by faked path messages. We have performed a trace-driven simulation study on the proposed PICA algorithm and compared its effectiveness with IETF's iTrace scheme by varying the sampling probability, the number of attack sources, and attack traffic rate. Compared to iTrace, the PICA algorithm reduces the total number of path messages required by a factor of more than 2, while reporting traffic volume more accurately.
A coupled-sliding-surface approach for the robust trajectory control of a horizontal two-link rigid/flexible robot

This paper proposes a new robust trajectory control scheme for a two-link rigid/flexible robot. First, the energy dynamics of the flexible link is derived based on a distributed-parameter dynamic model (a partial differential equation). Second, a coupled sliding surface is defined based on the energy dynamics. Third, a new trajectory control scheme is designed based on the coupled sliding surface, and then extended to an adaptive scheme to cope with parametric uncertainties, where the Lyapunov stability theorem is used as a mathematical tool. The proposed control is a collocated control designed based on the distributed-parameter dynamic model and is free from the so-called spillover instability. Using only two joint actuators, the proposed control guarantees stability throughout the entire trajectory control and asymptotic stability at desired goal positions. Furthermore, the proposed control guarantees zero steady-state joint-tracking errors even in the presence of low-frequency disturbances due to unav...
The Camera-Driven Interactive Table

One emerging application of computing technology is that of interactive rooms and furniture. For instance, Interactive Tables allow for a workspace that is intuitive, natural, and conducive to creating multi-user collaborative work environments. Although several interactive table prototypes have been developed, we have engineered a method using a computer vision system instead of touch screen technology, which allows increased flexibility to the end user because of its ability to ignore or even make use of objects placed upon the table and its decreased likelihood of accidental input. In this work we present a method for implementing such a camera-driven interactive table with a ceiling-mounted camera and demonstrate some of its potential uses. The vision system makes use of a novel hand detection and segmentation technique designed to be tolerant of any level of background complexity on the display and any reasonable range of indoor lighting conditions, thus allowing the highest level of freedom to the end user. It searches the results of multi-scale line and curve finding systems to locate thimble-shaped finger models, marking them as candidate fingers and performing a set of geometric and texture-based tests on each to remove false positives. Finally, it groups finger detections that are similar to each other in location and appearance, while allowing the reintroduction of weak candidates that are supported by strong neighbors, into hand detections with finger and palm locations. Results demonstrate the system's ability extract enough information from images of hands in very complex backgrounds to allow for finger and palm placement recognition
Uterine Histotroph and Conceptus Development. I. Cooperative Effects of Arginine and Secreted Phosphoprotein 1 on Proliferation of Ovine Trophectoderm Cells via Activation of the PDK1-Akt/PKB-TSC2-MTORC1 Signaling Cascade

The greatest limitation to reproductive performance in most mammals, including humans, is embryonic mortality, which, in general, claims 20%-40% of the embryos during the peri-implantation period of pregnancy. Both arginine and secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) are multifunctional molecules that increase significantly in ovine uterine histotroph during early pregnancy. However, little is known about the relationship and underlying mechanisms for synergistic effects of arginine and SPP1, if any, on conceptus (embryo/fetus and associated extraembryonic membranes) development. Therefore, we conducted in vitro experiments using our established ovine trophectoderm cell line (oTr1) isolated from Day 15 ovine conceptuses to determine their proliferative response to individual and synergistic effects of arginine and recombinant SPP1 (rSPP1) that contains an RGD binding sequence. At physiological concentrations, arginine (0.2 mM) stimulated oTr1 cell proliferation 1.7-fold (P < 0.05) at 48 h, whereas rSPP1 (10 ng/ml) had no such effect. However, an additive effect on oTr1 cell proliferation was induced by combination of arginine and SPP1 as compared to the control (2.1-fold increase; P < 0.01), arginine alone (1.3-fold increase; P < 0.05), and rSPP1 alone (1.5-fold increase; P < 0.01). This additive effect was mediated through cooperative activation of the PDK1-Akt/PKB-TSC2-MTORC1 cell signaling cascade. Collectively, results suggest that arginine and SPP1 in histotroph act cooperatively to enhance survival, growth, and development of ovine conceptuses.
Transmission Line Attenuation-Impedance Realistic Corner Modeling by Scaled-Down Tolerance Boundary Scan

This paper discusses a method to generate transmission line attenuation-impedance realistic corner models by scaled-down tolerance boundary scan. Based on nominal and tolerance specifications of the transmission line physical and geometric parameters, the scaled-down tolerance boundary scan is used to find the realistic corners in the attenuation-impedance space. The tolerance scaling factor is determined or verified by comparing the derived corners with the attenuation-impedance distribution by Monte Carlo statistical electromagnetic simulations. This scaling factor can be used for similar structures in future applications. The system eye diagrams based on different bounding models are shown.
Front-End Integration Effects on Gate Oxide Quality

In this paper, the impact of several front-end processing steps (up to gate oxidation) on gate oxide integrity (GOI) is evaluated. In PBL isolation processing, the use of as-deposited amorphous silicon (a-Si), subsequently annealed during nitride deposition, results in better structural and electrical properties compared to as-deposited polysilicon or as-deposited a-Si with an extra anneal step prior to nitride deposition. Thicker or dual sacrificial schemes exhibit improved gate oxide low voltage breakdown and charge-to-breakdown. Dilute RCA chemistries during pre-gate cleaning produce equal or better surfaces for gate oxidation than the conventional non-dilute RCA with less chemical usage. As gate oxides are scaled below 100A, lowering gate oxidation temperature is proven to result in far better gate oxide quality than maintaining process temperatures at or above 900°C and diluting oxygen in either argon or nitrogen.
Charged Higgs and Scalar Couplings in Semileptonic Meson Decay

We present a new charged Higgs search technique using the effects of scalar dynamics in semileptonic meson decay. Applying this method to a modest sample of B meson decays yields sensitivity to the high tan(beta) region well beyond existing charged Higgs searches. We present a new charged Higgs search technique using the effects of scalar dynamics in semileptonic meson decay. Applying this method to a modest sample of B meson decays yields sensitivity to the high tan(beta) region well beyond existing charged Higgs searches.
Cognitive substrates of thought disorder, II: Specifying a candidate cognitive mechanism

Objective:In part I of this series, the authors found that semantic knowledge and organization accounted for most of the variance in thought disorder in a group of chronic schizophrenic patients. In the present study, they examined a possible cognitive mechanism within the semantic system that might produce thought disorder.Method:Twenty patients with chronic schizophrenia and 21 normal comparison subjects were assessed on priming (the ability to respond to a stimulus word more quickly when it is preceded by a semantically related word than when it is preceded by an unrelated word). The patients were divided into subgroups with high (N=9) and low (N=11) levels of thought disorder. The word pairs in the priming paradigm differed in their degree of association but shared a categorical membership. The paradigm involved short stimulus onset asynchronies to maximize automatic processing and required pronunciation of words to minimize decision making. All subjects were also administered neuropsychological tests...
Neurolab 2003: a simulator that produces biologically-based experimental alternatives that aid in designing detailed experiments

NeuroLab 2003 is an expert simulation system that helps the laboratory experimenter design better experiments while accounting for multiple circuit levels in the brain. The levels make network connections (i.e., any level connected to any other level) as well as hierarchical relations between adjacent levels. The experimenter is required to become thoroughly prepared through multiple hypotheses discussions and brainstorming sessions with senior advisors and collaborators. This preparation is necessary for the proper utilization of NeuroLab's extensive expert system variations. NeuroLab 2003 provides a systematic means to conduct multi-tiered, alternative hypotheses testing and to clarify relations between neural levels.
Resident work duty hour requirements: medical educators' perspectives.

From the Association of Pediatric Program Directors (Drs Burke, Rushton, Guralnick, Hicks); Department of Pediatrics, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton, Ohio (Dr Burke); Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind (Dr Rushton); Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY (Dr Guralnick); and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Pediatrics, the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa (Dr Hicks) Address correspondence to Ann E. Burke, MD, Dayton Children’s Medical Center, Medical Education Department, One Children’s Plaza, Dayton, Ohio 45419 (e-mail: Ann.burke@wright.edu).
X-Ray Crystal Diffraction Study of Zr,Na-β-Alumina

The reaction of crystalline lithium-stabilized Na-β′-Alumina with zirconium(IV) chloride at 400°C for 303h has caused sodium ions to exchange with zirconium ions. An X-ray crystal diffraction study of both the parent lithium stabilized Na-β"-alumina (1) and the partially zirconium exchanged product (2) have been made at 147 K. Crystal data for I: rhombohedral, R3m, a = 5.6037 (3), c = 33.6210 (86) A, V = 914.31 (24) A3. Crystal data for 2: rhombohedral, R3m, a = 5.5994 (5), c = 33.7711 (51) A, V = 916.96 (16) A3. Zirconiums in 2 reside, predominately, in the Beevers-Ross type site.
Thermodynamic Interrogation of the Assembly of a Viral Genome Packaging Motor Complex

Viral terminase enzymes serve as genome packaging motors in many complex double-stranded DNA viruses. The functional motors are multiprotein complexes that translocate viral DNA into a capsid shell, powered by a packaging ATPase, and are among the most powerful molecular motors in nature. Given their essential role in virus development, the structure and function of these biological motors is of considerable interest. Bacteriophage λ-terminase, which serves as a prototypical genome packaging motor, is composed of one large catalytic subunit tightly associated with two DNA recognition subunits. This protomer assembles into a functional higher-order complex that excises a unit length genome from a concatemeric DNA precursor (genome maturation) and concomitantly translocates the duplex into a preformed procapsid shell (genome packaging). While the enzymology of λ-terminase has been well described, the nature of the catalytically competent nucleoprotein intermediates, and the mechanism describing their assembly and activation, is less clear. Here we utilize analytical ultracentrifugation to determine the thermodynamic parameters describing motor assembly and define a minimal thermodynamic linkage model that describes the effects of salt on protomer assembly into a tetrameric complex. Negative stain electron microscopy images reveal a symmetric ring-like complex with a compact stem and four extended arms that exhibit a range of conformational states. Finally, kinetic studies demonstrate that assembly of the ring tetramer is directly linked to activation of the packaging ATPase activity of the motor, thus providing a direct link between structure and function. The implications of these results with respect to the assembly and activation of the functional packaging motor during a productive viral infection are discussed.
Twitches Versus Movements: A Story of Motor Cortex

Modern study of the neurophysiology of the cerebral cortex began with Fritsch and Hitzig's discovery that electrical stimulation of the cortex produces movements. The importance of this discovery was threefold: it was the first demonstration of cortex devoted to motor function, the first indication that the cortex was electrically excitable, and the first evidence of a topographically organized representation in the brain. Fritsch and Hitzig's basic findings were soon replicated by Ferrier, but there were differences between the two studies in both method and interpretation. These different approaches have continued to reverberate in research on the function of motor cortex from the late 19th century to the present day.
Review of The Truth of Stories: A Native Narrative by Thomas King

Purpose – This is a review of The Truth of Stories by Thomas King.Design/methodology/approach – This review examines the ways in which the Native American stories collected by Thomas King have been used to shape lives, value systems and public policies. It pays special attention to the controversial way stories have been used both to reflect and to manipulate images of oppressed ethnic groups.Findings – In six essays, a Canadian professor of literature gives a Native North American perspective on the relationship between stories, culture, and social history. Thomas King's blend of storytelling and analysis models a creative approach to critical methodology.Originality/value – This review not only introduces an important interpreter of Native American stories, but also suggests ways in which Euro/American scholarship can learn from Native American traditions.
Clinical outcome of single porcelain-fused-to-zirconium dioxide crowns: a systematic review.

Statement of problem The increasing demand by patients for esthetic and metal-free restorations has driven the development of ceramic restorations with good esthetic and mechanical stability. Recent clinical studies have investigated the use of zirconium dioxide as a core material for complete crowns and computer-aided-design/computer-aided-manufacturing fabricated restorations. Purpose The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the clinical survival rates of porcelain-fused-to-zirconia (PFZ) single crowns on anterior and posterior teeth and to compare them with metal ceramic (MC) crowns. Material and methods A systematic search was conducted with PubMed and manual research to identify literature written in English that refers to in vivo studies published from January 1, 1950 through July 1, 2011. Clinical trials that evaluated PFZ and MC single crowns on natural teeth were selected for further analysis. Titles and/or abstracts of articles identified through the electronic searches were reviewed and evaluated for appropriateness. In addition, a hand search of relevant dental journals was peformed, and reference lists of culled articles were screened to identify publications. Results The search resulted in a total of 488 initial matches. Nineteen studies with a total of 3621 crowns met the inclusion criteria. The survival rates of PFZ crowns (total 300) ranged from 92.7% to 100% for a follow-up time of 24 to 39 months, whereas those of MC crowns (total 3321) ranged from 70% to 100% for a follow-up time of 12 to 298 months. Studies that reported long-term results were found only for the MC crown group. Conclusions The scientific clinical data available to compare PFZ and MC crowns are limited. The survival rates may well be influenced by the selection and appropriate use of the veneering ceramic, and, therefore, additional prospective long-term clinical trials are necessary to draw reliable conclusions.
A fault tolerant protocol for massively parallel systems

Summary form only given. As parallel machines grow larger, the mean time between failure shrinks. With the planned machines of near future, therefore, fault tolerance will become an important issue. The traditional method of dealing with faults is to checkpoint the entire application periodically and to start from the last checkpoint. However, such a strategy wastes resources by requiring all the processors to revert to an earlier state, whereas only one processor has lost its current state. We present a scheme for fault tolerance that aims at low overhead on the forward path (i.e. when there are no failures) and a fast recovery from faults, without wasting computation done by processors that have not faulted. The scheme does not require any individual component to be fault-free. We present the basic scheme and performance data on small clusters. Since it is based on Charm++ and Adaptive MPI, where each processor houses several virtual processors, the scheme has potential to reduce fault recovery time significantly, by migrating the recovering virtual processors.
Teaching Cell and Molecular Biology for Gender Equity

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, including cell biology, are characterized by the “leaky pipeline” syndrome in which, over time, women leave the discipline. The pipeline itself and the pond into which it empties may not be neutral. Explicating invisible norms, attitudes, and practices by integrating social studies of science into science education may be the necessary first step in helping female students persist in STEM disciplines. In 2003 and 2004, a sophomore Cell and Molecular Biology course at Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA) was taught integrating social studies of science with standard material. The course was successfully implemented, teaching students factual content while increasing awareness of the cultures of science and their self-confidence in engaging with the subject. Course evaluation data indicated that females in particular perceived greater gains in logical thinking and problem-solving abilities than females in a traditional cell biology course. Consistent with K–12 studies, males in this class were likely to view scientists as male only, whereas females viewed scientists as male and female. This pilot project demonstrates that social studies can be integrated successfully in a cell biology course. Longitudinal studies of this cohort of students will indicate whether this approach contributes to the retention of women in the field.
Redefining Affective Disorders: Relevance for Drug Development

The evaluation of new drug entities with specific modes of action may be hampered by rigid diagnostic classification systems and patient selection processes that do not focus on the anticipated symptomatic, behavioral, and functional outcomes to be achieved. Patients enrolled in central nervous system (CNS) clinical trials may present with a heterogeneous group of symptoms representing several syndromes or subtypes, subsumed under the same diagnosis in the DSM-IV classification system. As a result, enrolled patients may not have the valid illness characteristics of interest to the particular study. We propose that clinical drug development needs to focus on the primary nosological entity likely to be affected by a new drug entity's mode of action. Ideally, a valid patient will have the acute primary symptoms that the novel drug is supposed to influence. In this article, we propose operational criteria to delineate a more symptom-specific and ecologically valid approach to the identification of the valid patient for clinical trials.
Numerical Simulation of Local Heat Transfer and Scaling of a Synthetic Impinging Jet in a Canonical Geometry

Synthetic jets are generated by an equivalent inflow and outflow of fluid into a system. Even though such a jet creates no net mass flux, net positive momentum can be produced because the outflow momentum during the first half of the cycle is contained primarily in a vigorous vortex pair created at the orifice edges whereas in the backstroke, the backflow momentum is weaker, despite the fact that mass is conserved. As a consequence of this, the approach can be potentially utilized for the impingement of a cooling fluid over a heated surface. In the present study, a canonical geometry is presented, in order to study the flow and heat transfer of a purely oscillatory jet that is not influenced by the manner in which it is produced. The unsteady Navier-Stokes equations and the convection-diffusion equation were solved using a fully unsteady, two-dimensional finite volume approach in order to capture the complex time dependent flow field. A detailed analysis was performed on the correlation between the complex velocity field and the observed wall heat transfer. A fundamental frequency, in addition to the jet forcing frequency, was found, and was attributed to the coalescence of consecutive vortex pairs. In some instances, this vortex pairing can lead to zones of low heat transfer. Two point correlations showed that the Nusselt number Nu , showed stronger correlation with the vertical velocity v although the spatial-temporal dependencies are not yet fully understood. It was found that the Reynolds number and the Strouhal number, are sufficient to successfully scale the problem at larger dimensions and this is presently being exploited in order to design validation experiments using jets large enough to allow careful local measurements.
The Pharmacogenetics of Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE We performed a systematic review to identify which genetic variants predict response to diabetes medications. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We performed a search of electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database) and a manual search to identify original, longitudinal studies of the effect of diabetes medications on incident diabetes, HbA1c, fasting glucose, and postprandial glucose in prediabetes or type 2 diabetes by genetic variation. Two investigators reviewed titles, abstracts, and articles independently. Two investigators abstracted data sequentially and evaluated study quality independently. Quality evaluations were based on the Strengthening the Reporting of Genetic Association Studies guidelines and Human Genome Epidemiology Network guidance. RESULTS Of 7,279 citations, we included 34 articles ( N = 10,407) evaluating metformin ( n = 14), sulfonylureas ( n = 4), repaglinide ( n = 8), pioglitazone ( n = 3), rosiglitazone ( n = 4), and acarbose ( n = 4). Studies were not standalone randomized controlled trials, and most evaluated patients with diabetes. Significant medication–gene interactions for glycemic outcomes included 1 ) metformin and the SLC22A1 , SLC22A2 , SLC47A1 , PRKAB2 , PRKAA2 , PRKAA1 , and STK11 loci; 2 ) sulfonylureas and the CYP2C9 and TCF7L2 loci; 3 ) repaglinide and the KCNJ11 , SLC30A8 , NEUROD1/BETA2 , UCP2 , and PAX4 loci; 4 ) pioglitazone and the PPARG2 and PTPRD loci; 5 ) rosiglitazone and the KCNQ1 and RBP4 loci; and 5 ) acarbose and the PPARA , HNF4A , LIPC , and PPARGC1A loci. Data were insufficient for meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS We found evidence of pharmacogenetic interactions for metformin, sulfonylureas, repaglinide, thiazolidinediones, and acarbose consistent with their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. While high-quality controlled studies with prespecified analyses are still lacking, our results bring the promise of personalized medicine in diabetes one step closer to fruition.
Bible translation and medicine man talk: Missionaries, indexicality, and the "language expert" on the San Carlos Apache Reservation

This article sketches the effects of 100 years of missionary presence on how people in the San Carlos Apache community regard language and the idea of a "language expert." Evangelical Christian practice demands an Apache language emptied of all indexical associations with non-Christian Apache cultural practices. The reservation is home to perhaps two dozen missions and churches, each of which takes a slightly different view of the role of Apache language and culture in religious practice. In an exploration of the translation practices of Phillip Goode, a San Carlos Apache interpreter, and of early Lutheran missionaries on the reservation, it is argued that Bible translation is a key factor in shifting ideas about language as a purely referential system on the reservation. This shifting language ideology has repercussions on how people in the community consider the prospects for language revitalization. (San Carlos Apache, missionaries, language ideology, translation.)
Perturbation biology models predict c-Myc as an effective co-target in RAF inhibitor resistant melanoma cells

Systematic prediction of cellular response to perturbations is a central challenge in biology, both for mechanistic explanations and for the design of effective therapeutic interventions. We addressed this challenge using a computational/experimental method, termed perturbation biology, which combines high-throughput (phospho)proteomic and phenotypic response profiles to targeted perturbations, prior information from signaling databases and network inference algorithms from statistical physics. The resulting network models are computationally executed to predict the effects of tens of thousands of untested perturbations. We report cell type specific network models of signaling in RAF-inhibitor resistant melanoma cells based on data from 89 combinatorial perturbation conditions and 143 readouts per condition. Quantitative simulations predicted c-Myc as an effective co-target with BRAF or MEK. Experiments showed that targeting c-Myc, using the BET bromodomain inhibitor JQ1, and the ERK pathway is both effective and synergistic in this context. We propose these combinations as pre-clinical candidates to prevent or overcome RAF inhibitor resistance in melanoma.
Single-Gene Determinants of Epilepsy Comorbidity

Common somatic conditions are bound to occur by chance in individuals with neurological disorders as prevalent as epilepsy, but when biological links underlying the comorbidity can be uncovered, the relationship may provide clues into the origin and mechanisms of both. The expanding list of monogenic epilepsies and their associated clinical features offer a remarkable opportunity to mine the epilepsy genome for coordinate neurodevelopmental phenotypes and examine their pathogenic mechanisms. Defined single-gene-linked epilepsy syndromes identified to date include all of the most frequently cited comorbidities, such as cognitive disorders, autism, migraine, mood disorders, late-onset dementia, and even premature lethality. Gene-linked comorbidities may be aggravated by, or independent of, seizure history. Mutations in these genes establish clear biological links between abnormal neuronal synchronization and a variety of neurobehavioral disorders, and critically substantiate the definition of epilepsy as a complex spectrum disorder. Mapping the neural circuitry of epilepsy comorbidities and understanding their single-gene risk should substantially clarify this challenging aspect of clinical epilepsy management.
Legal Tails: Policing American Cities through Animals

“I don’t worry about the four-legged animals,” Officer Armatys tells me as I scramble to catch up when he enters a backyard with a fierce-looking dog. “It’s the two-legged animals I am concerned about.” I interviewed Officer Armatys twice, first in his office in the Erie County’s Society for the Protection of Animals (ESPCA) and, a few months later, on a ride-along during a routine workday. Based on these encounters and numerous others with members of the ESPCA and with city administrators of animal control, this essay conveys bits and pieces of the story of how the City of Buffalo polices its nonhuman population. Specifically, I focus on the regulation and enforcement of dog laws in the city, what I refer to as “legal tails.” I argue that although seemingly enacted to control dogs, animal laws and ordinances are very much a way to monitor and control the conduct of humans. In the city, human-animal relations are expressed, regulated, and surveilled more closely than anywhere else. Animal laws instruct us which animals are allowed into the city and under what conditions. More than regulating the everyday of urban life as it pertains to animals, humans, and the interrelations thereof, such laws and their enforcement help define the very essence of the city. Indeed, such regulations and systems of surveillance define not only the limits of human conduct, but also the limits of the city itself. Through its distinct matrix of animal-human relationships, the city is distinguished from its significant other, the country, where a different set of animal-human relations is permitted to take place.
The Rasch Model for Item Analysis

The so-called Rasch model, now widely employed for item analysis, is only one of a complete family of models described by Rasch in his 1960 text. All may be properly called “Rasch Models” since they share a common feature which Rasch labeled “specific objectivity”. This is a property of most measurement systems which requires that the comparison of any two objects that have been measured shall not depend upon which measuring instrument or instruments were used. It is a familiar feature of many everyday physical measurements (length, time, weight, etc.). In the context of mental testing, it means that the comparison of two individuals who have been tested should be independent of which items were included in the tests. Traditional test analysis based on “true scores” does not have this property since “scores” on one test cannot be directly compared to “scores” on another. The particular virtues of specific objectivity and the conditions needed to achieve it are discussed later in this chapter.
Party Competition and Welfare Policies in the American States

Recent comparative, quantitative studies of state politics conclude that party competition and other political variables have little or no impact on important state policies such as per pupil expenditure, old age assistance, unemployment compensation, and aid to dependent children. These are rather unexpected and disturbing conclusions for they disconfirm relationships predicted by some of the most important theoretical formulations concerning democratic politics. Before re-examining the bases for these conclusions, a review of theory is in order. V. O. Key, Jr., set the context for examining the effects of political variables on state policies. He stressed the importance of two-party competition, or bi-factionalism in one-party states, as a determinant of policy. Key sees the degree of party competition as crucial because it reflects the extent to which politics is organized or unorganized. Party competition by producing some semblance of an organized politics lessens the difficulty of lower status groups in sorting out political actors and issues, thereby enabling them to promote their own interests more effectively. Since state social welfare policies are undoubtedly relevant to the interests of â€œhave-nots,â€ we can utilize state expenditures in this area as a measure of the success that these groups have enjoyed. Key's formulation, then, would lead to a simple two variable model: P = e1 S = k1P + ez Where P is inter-party competition, S is expenditure on social welfare, and e1 and ez represent error or variables left out of the system, and k1 is a constant.
Overview of High Performance Packaging Materials

High Performance Integrated Circuits form the basic building blocks of modern electronic systems that are designed to process ever larger numbers of electrical signals at greater signal velocity and fidelity. In such applications, each circuit must be packaged in order to provide it with necessary mechanical support, environmental protection, electrical interconnection and thermal cooling. The package, however, can also impose certain constraints on the chip. It can degrade electrical performance, add size and weight, introduce reliability problems and increase cost. Thus, packaging can be viewed as a complex balance between the provision of desired functions and the reduction of associated constraints. The ability to strike a proper balance has become increasingly difficult in recent years due to the relentless march of integrated circuits toward higher levels of complexity, size, speed, heat flux and customization. It is anticipated that the continuing evolution of high performance circuits and systems will soon be limited by the package designs and materials-of-construction, rather than by the devices on the semiconductor chip. The intent of this talk is to provide a brief overview of high performance packaging and the related materials issues. The approach is to (a) present the forecasted trends in relevant circuit performance characteristics, (b) discuss the impact of these characteristics on current chip and board level packaging methods, and (c) present new package and materials concepts that might furnish potential solutions to the developing circuit-package performance gap.
Property of Aeolian Sand and Design of the Uplift Bearing Capacity for the Sand Foundation of Transmission Line Structures

The properties of aeolian sand and design of the uplift bearing capacity of this kind of foundation is one of the key issues that need to be studied for power grid engineering construction in China.Based on a statistical analysis of the testing data of various desert aeolian sands in China,the mean values of their main physical and mechanical property parameters are obtained,such as the grain size and gradation,water content,unit weight,specific gravity of soil particles,porosity,relative density,internal friction angle.An introduction is made in this paper of a new design method for uplift bearing capacity,the earth cone method,in which the uplift angle of aeolian sands is a decisive and key parameter for determining the uplift bearing capacity of the aeolian sand foundations.Based on the available data of 11 in-site prototype uplift tests carried out in various desert aeolian sand foundations for power transmission lines in China,including four tests of uplift combined with horizontal loads performed on pad and chimney foundations in the Mu Us Desert in Ninxia,four tests of uplift combined with horizontal loads performed on assembly foundations in the Taklimakan Desert in Xinjiang,and one test on flexible concrete foundation and two tests on anchoring plate foundation in the Hobq Desert in Inner Mongolia,the obtained nominal value of ultimate uplift angle of aeolian sand is 16.9°.According to the specification of some codes in China that the differential coefficient of uplift bearing capacity of subgrade foundation soils is 1.65,the design uplift angle of 10.3° is thus obtained for aeolian sand foundations.With a comprehensive consideration of various influential factors of aeolian sand foundations,including the differences of regions,foundation types,foundation geometry sizes and loading conditions,this value can be used as a basis for design of transmission line foundations in various desert regions in China.
The Resistome: A Comprehensive Database of Escherichia coli Resistance Phenotypes

The microbial ability to resist stressful environmental conditions and chemical inhibitors is of great industrial and medical interest. Much of the data related to mutation-based stress resistance, however, is scattered through the academic literature, making it difficult to apply systematic analyses to this wealth of information. To address this issue, we introduce the Resistome database: a literature-curated collection of Escherichia coli genotypes–phenotypes containing over 5,000 mutants that resist hundreds of compounds and environmental conditions. We use the Resistome to understand our current state of knowledge regarding resistance and to detect potential synergy or antagonism between resistance phenotypes. Our data set represents one of the most comprehensive collections of genomic data related to resistance currently available. Future development will focus on the construction of a combined genomic–transcriptomic–proteomic framework for understanding E. coli’s resistance biology. The Resistome ca...
Student and Teacher Perspectives on Classroom Management

As these quotations suggest, both students and teachers have strong beliefs about what it takes to be an effective manager. These individuals are the central participants in classroom interactions and their relationships are at the heart of classroom management concerns and consequences. To ignore the thinking of these important players is to court failure in teaching and teacher education. Fully understanding their perspectives should allow us to create better learning environments for both students and teachers. This chapter on the beliefs of students and teachers is located in a section about alternative paradigms, not because thework represents a particular paradigm, but because teachers’ and students’ perspectives are important in every paradigm. In fact, the research on teachers’ perspectives includes studies grounded in cognitive, process-product, ethnographic, narrative, and phenomenological approaches to research. The studies of students’ perspectives tend to be more paradigmatic, in that they share questions and research approaches, but here too there are some divergences in method.
Streoptozotocin, Chlorozotocin and Related Nitrosourea Antitumour Agents

In 1959, 1 -methyl-1 -nitroso-3-nitroguanidine (MNNG) was found to increase the life span of mice bearing leukaemia L1210 ( 1). While MNNG did not have sufficient activity to warrant extensive clinical testing, the demonstration of antitumour effect gave impetus for further evaluation of the N-nitroso class of compounds as potential antineoplastic agents. In 1961 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea (MNU) was reported to be not only more effective against intraperitoneally implanted L1210 than MNNG, but also was capable of penetrating the blood-brain barrier; MNU produced limited but reproducible antitumour activity in mice with intracerebral leukaemic cells ( 1). Since that time over 300 aIkyInitrosourea compounds have been screened for antitumour activity, the majority of the synthetic work having been undertaken by Montgomery, Johnston and co-workers at the Southern Research Institute (3).
Application of Digital Signal Processing in USRP Satellite Signal Detection

The Universal Software Radio Peripheral development technique is designing and implementing radio frequency based systems. The distinctiveness originates from the interchangeable daughterboard within the USRP. The system is designed around the Xilinx Vertex 3 FPGA chip. This means C++, Python, and VHDL can be used to program this device. The project consists of creating a receiver. The objective of the project is to research and comprehend the hardware functionalities of the USRP. The purpose is to create codes in C++ and Python to implement receiving capabilities of the device. The goal of this project was to design a GPS receiver that is capable of recording the L1 signal from a DirecTV satellite. The USRP is used a lot for research. This project consisted of more than just one method. We used GNU Radio Companion and Matlab/Simulink. GNU Radio is open source for building software defined radios. It is also known as GRC. While using GRC the USRP1 was the device used. This software has rapid development. It runs in Ubuntu, a Linux operating system. Within this software there are logic blocks. Each block consists of information to create a flow graph. The flow graph builds and generates the program. Simulink can be compared to GRC. They both have logic blocks that have to be connected to run. Simulink can be used to create a transmitter or a receiver for software radio development and signal processing. Software-defined radio can only be defined if its baseband operations can be completely defined by software. A SDR converts digital to analog signals. The USRP can also convert digital signals from a computer to Radio Frequency Signals RF. This software is one way to communicate between hardware and software.
Modeling prediction error improves power of transcriptome-wide association studies

Transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) test for associations between imputed gene expression levels and phenotypes in GWAS cohorts using models of transcriptional regulation learned from reference transcriptomes. However, current methods for TWAS only use point estimates of imputed expression and ignore uncertainty in the prediction. We develop a novel two-stage Bayesian regression method which incorporates uncertainty in imputed gene expression and achieves higher power to detect TWAS genes than existing TWAS methods as well as standard methods based on missing value and measurement error theory. We apply our method to GTEx whole blood transcriptomes and GWAS cohorts for seven diseases from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium and find 45 TWAS genes, of which 17 do not overlap previously reported case-control GWAS or differential expression associations. Surprisingly, we replicate only 2 of 40 previously reported TWAS genes after accounting for uncertainty in the prediction.
Competing dopants grain boundary segregation and resultant seebeck coefficient and power factor enhancement of thermoelectric calcium cobaltite ceramics

Abstract The present work demonstrates the feasibility of increasing the values of Seebeck coefficient S and power factor of calcium cobaltite Ca3Co4O9 ceramics through competing dopant grain boundary segregation. The nominal chemistry of the polycrystalline material system investigated is Ca3−xBixBayCo4O9 with simultaneous stoichiometric substitution of Bi for Ca and non-stoichiometric addition of minute amounts of Ba. There is continuous increase of S due to Bi substitution and Ba addition. The electrical resistivity also changes upon doping. Overall, the power factor of best performing Bi and Ba co-doped sample is about 0.93 mW m−1 K−2, which is one of the highest power factor values ever reported for Ca3Co4O9, and corresponds to a factor of 3 increase compared to that of the baseline composition Ca3Co4O9. Systematic nanostructure and chemistry characterization was performed on the samples with different nominal compositions. When Bi is the only dopant in Ca3Co4O9, it can be found at both the grain interior and the grain boundaries GBs as a result of segregation. When Bi and Ba are added simultaneously as dopants, competing processes lead to the segregation of Ba and depletion of Bi at the GBs, with Bi present only in the grain interior. Bi substitution in the lattice increases the S at both the low and high temperature regimes, while the segregation of Ba at the GBs dramatically increase the S at low temperature regime.
Emergent cellular self-organization and mechanosensation initiate follicle pattern in the avian skin

The spacing of hair in mammals and feathers in birds is one of the most apparent morphological features of the skin. This pattern arises when uniform fields of progenitor cells diversify their molecular fate while adopting higher-order structure. Using the nascent skin of the developing chicken embryo as a model system, we find that morphological and molecular symmetries are simultaneously broken by an emergent process of cellular self-organization. The key initiators of heterogeneity are dermal progenitors, which spontaneously aggregate through contractility-driven cellular pulling. Concurrently, this dermal cell aggregation triggers the mechanosensitive activation of β-catenin in adjacent epidermal cells, initiating the follicle gene expression program. Taken together, this mechanism provides a means of integrating mechanical and molecular perspectives of organ formation.
Outcomes in complex ventral hernia repair with anterior component separation in class III obesity patients.

Abstract Background Consensus guidelines recommend against elective ventral hernia repair (VHR) in patients with BMI >30 kg/m2 without preoperative weight loss intervention. We aim to compare hernia recurrence and perioperative complications in VHR utilizing anterior component separation (CS) in patients with class III obesity (BMI >40 kg/m2). Methods A retrospective review of patients undergoing VHR with CS was performed. The primary endpoint was hernia recurrence; secondary endpoints were wound complications, postoperative medical complications, mortality and length of stay. Results 185 consecutive patients were identified from 2008 to 2016. There were no significant differences between groups: hernia recurrence (6.9% BMI >40 kg/m2, 2.4% BMI 40 kg/m2, 47.2% BMI 40 kg/m2, 26% BMI 40 kg/m2, 3.4% BMI 40 kg/m2, 11.2 days BMI Conclusion This study demonstrates similar outcomes in class III obesity patients undergoing elective VHR compared to patients with BMI
PTSD with and without dissociation in young children exposed to interpersonal trauma.

Abstract Background A Dissociative Subtype of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was added to the DSM-5, but little is known about this symptom pattern in young children exposed to trauma. Tailoring treatment to traumatized young children requires understanding the different patterns of trauma-related symptomatology and important correlates. The current study tested the hypothesis that type and number of child traumatic events, caregiver trauma exposure, and caregiver symptomatology would predict whether traumatized young children presented with PTSD, PTSD with clinical dissociation, or non-clinical trauma symptoms. Methods A multinomial regression was conducted using data collected from an ethnically and economically diverse sample of 297 trauma-exposed children between the ages of 3 and 6 and their caregivers. Based on parent-report on a well-validated measure of trauma symptoms, children were categorized into three groups: non-clinical (n = 128), PTSD only (n = 104), or PTSD with dissociation (PTSD-DISS; n = 65). Predictors included trauma exposure, parent trauma symptoms, and child sex. Results Girls were twice more likely than boys to be in the PTSD-DISS group; sexually abused children were almost three times as likely to be in the PTSD-DISS group; and, for every unit increase in parent avoidance symptoms or number of traumatic events, the odds of being in the PTSD-DISS group increased significantly. Limitations Given the cross-sectional study design, conclusions cannot be drawn regarding causality. Measures were completed by a single reporter. Conclusions Findings suggest that subgroups of children may be especially vulnerable to comorbid PTSD and dissociation. Implications for treatment are discussed.