cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Key consequences of the cloud for business

Thinking of “cloud computing” as equivalent to an electrical utility, focused on the cheap production of a standardized commodity, is akin to calling a car a “motorized horse”. What's going on is much more fundamental. We don't use the phrase “personal computer” when we talk about our tablet, smartphone, or set-top box. Nor, beyond 2020, will we be talking about the “cloud”. We will be talking about something else entirely, something that today we don't even know what it is. But we know what the contours will be, because we know the main agents will still be humans, and humans don't change much. We know it will be about making money, socializing, being entertained, and 10 billion people struggling for a role and a voice in the first truly planetary medium. It will change our society in a manner like no previous single revolution, instead bringing the incremental revolutions of printing press, telegraphy, photography, telephony, radio, video, computer, cell phone, and internet into a single digital realm. In this talk I'll briefly cover some of the driving forces behind the change, some of the key consequences for business over the next decade, and some thoughts on what lies beyond 2020.
Gas transmission in irradiated polyethylene

The transmission of helium, nitrogen, methane, and propane was studied in samples of a high pressure, branched polyethylene (46% crystalline) irradiated to a dose in air of 10/sup 8/ roentgens from a Co/sup 60/ source. By using a time-lag apparatus the permeability, diffusion, and solubility constants were measured in the temperature range 0 to 55 nif- C. These data were compared with those obtained in samples of the above polymer before in irradiation. Infrared analysis indicated that oxidation, unsaturation, and crosslinking had resulted from irradiation of the polymer. Because of a possible gradient in chemical composition through the irradiated films, the usual analysis of the time-lag data may not have been applicable to the present work. The apparent diffusion and solubility constants were, however, qualitatively consistent with the anticipated effect of the chemical and physical changes resulting from irradiation. The apparent solubility constants were uniformly higher by 40% in the irradiated film as compared to the values in the unirradiated films. No reduction in crystallinity was observed upon irradiation, so this increase was ascribed to the effect of chemical composition changes. A thermodynamically consistent increase in the apparent heats of solution was also observed. The apparent diffusion constants were lowermore » in the irradiated samples with the fractionial reduction increasing with gas molecular diameter. The reduction for helium was 30%, while that for propane was 54%. The apparent energies of activation for diffusion showed no significant change upon irradiation. Arguments are presented to indicate that the reduced apparent diffusion constants apparently arose from the mild crosslinking which had occurred in the amorphous phase. Comparisons are made between the gas transmission data obtained in the unirradiated samples with those for other high pressure, branched polyethylenes studied in light of a simple model for gas flow in the crystallineamorphous matrix. (auth)« less
Sequence analysis of the gene cluster encoding toluene-3-monooxygenase from Pseudomonas pickettii PKO1

The nucleotide (nt) sequence and gene organization of the locus encoding the initial step of the toluene-3-monooxygenase (Tbu) pathway from Pseudomonas pickettii PKO1 has been determined. This is the first reported nt sequence for a toluene monooxygenase which hydroxylates the C-3 position of toluene. Six tightly assembled structural genes encoding several Tbu were identified and were designated tbuA1, tbuU, tbuB, tbuV, tbuA2 and tbuC. Comparison of the deduced amino acid (aa) sequences of each open reading frame (ORF) with translated sequences from the GenBank database revealed significant overall homology to peptides from the toluene-4-monooxygenase (Tmo) from Pseudomonas mendocina KR1, the multicomponent phenol hydroxylase (Dmp) from Pseudomonas sp. strain CF600 and the methane monooxygenases (Mmo) from both Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) and Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b. Similarities in both size and aa sequence between the peptides from these multicomponent oxygenases and the putative peptides from Tbu suggested roles for the TbuA1, TbuB, TbuV, TbuA2 and TbuC proteins.
Seasonal variability in CDOM absorption and fluorescence properties in the Barataria Basin, Louisiana, USA.

Abstract Absorption and fluorescence properties of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) along a 124 km transect in the Barataria Basin, a large estuary located in Louisiana, USA, were investigated during high and low flow periods of the Mississippi River in the spring and winter of 2008–2009. Mean CDOM absorption at 355 nm from the marine to the freshwater end member stations ranged from (3.25 ± 0.56) to (20.76 ± 2.43) m −1 for the three month high flow period whereas it varied from (1.48 ± 1.08) to (25.45 ± 7.03) m −1 for the same stations during low flow period. Corresponding salinity values at these stations indicated the influence of river and shelf exchanges in the lower basin and precipitation and runoff in the upper basin. An inverse relationship of CDOM absorbance and fluorescence with salinity observed in the basin could be a useful indicator of salinity. CDOM fluorescence also varied over a large range showing an approximately 8 to 12-fold increase between the marine and freshwater end members for the two flow seasons. Excitation-emission matrix spectral plots indicated the presence of various fluorescence components with highest being the A-peak, lowest the T-peak, and the C and M-peaks showing similar trends along the transect. During low flow season the A/C ratio were well correlated with station locations indicating increased terrestrial influence towards the upper basin. CDOM absorption and fluorescence at 355 nm were highly correlated and independent of CDOM sources suggesting that fluorescence could be used to characterize CDOM in the basin.
Oscillations in Certain Nonlinear Driven Systems

The development of the theory of nonlinear oscillating systems has given rise to some rather intractable nonlinear differential equations. The formerly used isoclyne method of solution is inadequate for the solution of the equation of the nonlinear system producing relaxation oscillations under the influence of an impressed periodic force. In this paper, using the specific example of a triode oscillator with impressed sinusoidal electromotive force, differential analyzer solutions of the governing diferential equation, are given. A brief study of the phenomena of automatic synchronization and frequency demultiplication is made on the basis of the nonlinear theory.
Autonomous multirover system for complex planetary surface retrieval operations

As the complexity of the missions to planetary surfaces increases, so too does the need for autonomous operation of the rover systems. This is coupled with the power, weight and computer storage restrictions on such systems. This paper presents a multirover system that is capable of cooperative planetary surface retrieval operations such as a multiple cache recovery mission to Mars. The system employs autonomous navigation, and is coupled through a low bandwidth communication channel. We also report the results of some experimental studies in simulated multiple cache retrieval operations in planetary environments.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Echocardiographic and Roentgenographic Determination of Left Ventricular Size after Coronary Arterial Bypass Graft Surgery

In 38 patients undergoing elective coronary arterial bypass graft surgery, the radiographic dimension of the left side of the heart was determined and echocardiographic studies were performed before and after surgery. On the plain chest x-ray film one week after surgery, all patients showed an increase in the size of the left side of the heart, which usually was not accompanied by an increase in the echocardiographic left ventricular end-diastolic dimension; however, in 25 patients, pericardial fluid was detected soon after surgery, which would explain the enlarged cardiac silhouettes. Several months after surgery, the radiographic size of the heart returned to the preoperative value in most patients, and pericardial fluid was no longer demonstrated on the echocardiogram. Thus, pericardial fluid frequently is found in the first week following coronary arterial bypass graft surgery and may give the impression of increased cardiac size on plain chest x-ray films; however, echocardiographic studies provide a more accurate estimate of left ventricular size and reveal the presence of pericardial effusion.
Gas carburizing of steel with furnace atmospheres formedin situ from methane and air and from butane and air

Carburizing experiments were conducted at 927 °C (1700 °F) and 843 °C (1550 °F) using furnace atmospheres formed from methane and air and from butane and air introduced directly into the carburizing furnace. Gas flow rates were low to promote equilibration of the reaction products within the furnace. The air flow rate was held constant while the methane or butane flow was automatically regulated to maintain a constant oxygen potential, as measured by a zirconia oxygen sensor, within the furnace. In comparing the results of these experiments with earlier results obtained using propane and air, several differences were noted: (a) The methane content of the furnace atmosphere, measured by infrared analysis, was about twice as great when methane was the feed gas rather than propane or butane. This was true despite the fact that the mean residence time of the gas within the furnace was greater in the methane experiments. Methane appears to be less effective than propane or butane in reducing the CO2 and H2O contents to the levels required for carburizing. (b) There was a greater tendency for the CO content of the furnace atmosphere to decrease at high carbon potentials when methane is used instead of propane or butane. The decrease in CO content is due to hydrogen dilution caused by sooting in the furnace vestibule. These differences in behavior make propane or butane better suited than methane for in situ generation of carburizing atmospheres. However, there is no difference in the amount of carburizing occurring at a specified carbon potential when methane, propane, or butane are used as the feed gas in this process.
Zero-Shrinkage Whisker Fraction in Ceramic Matrix-Ceramic Whisker Composites

A Monte Carlo computer simulation that percolates soft-core, pseudographic whiskers in a discrete matrix has been developed, and two- and three-dimensional whisker percolation thresholds were determined for various whisker aspect ratios. The percolation thresholds were found to agree with the predictions of the excluded volume theory of percolation; moreover, the thresholds were found to coincide with the zero-shrinkage whisker fraction in ceramic matrix-ceramic particle composites.
Entrepreneur as trust-builder: interaction frequency and relationship duration as moderators of the factors of perceived trustworthiness

Trust is considered essential for effective relationships both in the context of new venture creation and outside the entrepreneur’s workshop. With interpersonal trust, dyadic relationships prosper even amidst contextual pressures of uncertainty and risk. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of empirical support for how interpersonal trust is developed between an entrepreneur and the various stakeholders and resource providers in the creation of a new venture. This research examines this development by proposing the impact of time as a moderator on the antecedents of trust, as perceived by key stakeholders (i.e., customers, suppliers, investors, cofounders, employees) in the early history of a new venture. Specifically, this research includes frequency of interaction and relationship duration as two variables of time. In earlier proposed models of interpersonal trust development, time has either been left out entirely or innocently subsumed in other factors. The propositions and research implications from this conceptual study offer a new lens to investigate the process by which trust is developed in and by an entrepreneur.
Evolution of the spectrum of solar wind velocity fluctuations from 0.3 to 5 AU

Recent work has shown that at 1 AU from the Sun the power spectrum of the solar wind magnetic field has the -5/3 spectral slope expected for Kolmogorov turbulence, but that the velocity has closer to a -3/2 spectrum. This paper traces the changes in solar wind velocity spectra from 0.3 to 5 AU using data from the Helios and Ulysses spacecraft to show that this is a transient stage in solar-wind evolution. The spectrum of the velocity is found to be flatter than that of the magnetic field for the higher frequencies examined for all cases until the slopes become equal (at -5/3) well past 1 AU when the wind is relatively nonAlfvenic. In some respects, in particular in the evolution of the frequency at which the spectrum changes from flatter at larger scales to a "turbulent" spectrum at smaller scales, the velocity field evolves more rapidly than the magnetic, and this is associated with the dominance of the magnetic energy over the kinetic at "inertial range" scales. The speed of the flow is argued to be largely unrelated to the spectral slopes, consistent with previous work, whereas high Alfvenicity appears to slow the spectral evolution, as expected from theory. This study shows that, for the solar wind, the idea of a simple "inertial range" with uniform spectral properties is not realistic, and new phenomenologies will be needed to capture the true situation. It is also noted that a flattening of the velocity spectrum often occurs at small scales.
The Degree of Short-Circuit Protection Afforded Small Low-Voltage A-C and D-C Starters by Means of Fuses and Circuit Breakers

AIEE technical paper 42–79, entitled “Thermal Co-ordination of Motors, Control, and Their Branch Circuits on Power Supplies of 600 Volts and Less,”1 was presented in April 1942. The purpose of the article as stated was “to show what the characteristics of the protective devices should be in order that the power will be disconnected from the main feeders under all conditions of excess current before excess temperatures are attained.” After the overload protecting requirements were discussed, it was pointed out that “to protect the conductors in the branch circuit adequately, the control devices, and the motor winding, we must use a device that is both fast in opening the circuit and also has the necessary interrupting ability.” In discussing the speed and the interrupting abilities of circuit breakers and fuses which were used to protect the motors and the controls against short circuits, the following statement was made:
Information Power Goes Online: Teaching Information Literacy to Distance Learners

Marylhurst University, located about ten miles south of Portland, Oregon, traditionally has appealed to adult students wishing to complete degrees or change careers, but an increase in “traditional” students and international students has become evident. In 1992, the staff began teaching a three‐credit course called “Information Power: Accessing, Assessing, and Acting on Information in an Era of Overload.” Since Spring 1997, the class has been offered also in an online format. In this article, Parise evaluates the pros and cons of Web‐based instruction. Although Web‐based classes are not for everyone, she concludes, the positive evaluations of those who have taken the class online make the effort worth while.
ITA: an algorithm for I DDQ testability analysis

This paper presents the IDDQ Testability Analysis (ITA) algorithm for the estimation of a circuit design's leakage fault testability. The algorithm is based on the calculation of the probability of applying each of a set of “essential vectors” to each gate in the circuit. The essential vectors for each gate represent the minimal vector set that provides maximal leakage fault coverage.
Sensitivity of Three Sensor Hot Wire Probe to Yaw and Pitch Angle Variation

The use of a three sensor hot wire probe for the measurement of three-dimensional flow field is increasing rapidly. This probe is very sensitive to yaw and pitch angle variations and existing laws for single sensor wires cannot be utilized to provide the correct hotwire response equations. A systematic study at various yaw and pitch angles (maximum values of ± 40 deg, nearly 220 different yaw and pitch angles) is carried out to determine the nature of response of a triple sensor hot wire probe. These results are analyzed to provide a correlation for the hot wire response equation which includes both pitch and yaw angles as variables.
Pyramidalized Cycloalkenes (Cyclohexene, Cycloheptene, and cis-Cyclooctene): An MM4 and ab Initio Study

The molecular geometries of the most stable conformers of cis-cycloalkenes, CnH2n-2, with n = 6−8, were optimized by both the MM4 molecular mechanics force field and by MP2 calculations using the 6-31G** basis set. Both computational methods agree that in each of these molecules the olefinic carbon atoms show small but definite pyramidality, contrary to the usual assumption made in structural studies. This is in agreement with both computational and experimental studies of related systems and can be understood in terms of the molecular mechanics model.
Effect of loop shape on the drag-induced lift of fly line

This note explains why casting a loop with a positive angle ofattack is advantageous in distance ﬂy casting. Several loopshapes, one with a positive angle of attack, one with a negativeangle of attack, and two symmetrical loops with zero angle ofattack are studied. For each loop, we compute the vertical dragcomponent, i.e., the ‘‘lift.’’ It is found that a loop with a positiveangle of attack generates lift about four times larger than a sym-metrical loop. Thus, loops with positive angles of attack stay ‘‘ae-rialized longer’’ which is consistent with observations made by(competition) distance ﬂy casters. @DOI: 10.1115/1.1778414#
PATTERNS OF BIAS IN SAMPLES BASED ON TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES

The increasing use of telephone surveys raises the question of the patterns of bias of listings in telephone directories. This paper presents data on the characteristics of households without telephones and of households with unlisted telephones, thus providing a measure of the potential bias in utilization of telephone directories as a sample source. The debacle of the Literary Digest, which depended in part upon telephone directories, made researchers hesitant to use telephone directories as a sample source. However the comparatively lower cost of telephone interviews, as compared to personal interviews, and the increasingly widespread ownership of telephones have stimulated renewed interest in telephone surveys.' Some researchers, such as Schmiedeskamp and Sudman, have reported on the use of telephones in special situations, such as reinterviews or making appointments.2 The problem of unlisted telephones has been considered by Cooper, who found that 9 to 18 per cent of the telephone subscribers in Cincinnati were not listed in the directory, depending upon the age of the directory. Cooper suggested a procedure of random digit dialing in order to telephone these homes, and to avoid overrepresenting homes which had more than one listing for one number.3 However, Cooper has estimated that this process takes 5 to 2o per cent more interviewer time than a process based on drawing numbers from a directory, and undoubtedly many researchers are not aware of it or choose not to follow it. The question then arises of what bias, if any, occurs in their use of telephone directories as a base for their sample. Our data on telephone listings were generated in surveys conducted
Role of hydrophobic partitioning in substrate selectivity and turnover of the ricinus communis stearoyl acyl carrier protein delta(9) desaturase.

Stearoyl acyl carrier protein Delta(9) desaturase (Delta9D) uses a diiron center to catalyze the NADPH- and O(2)-dependent desaturation of stearoyl acyl carrier protein (ACP) to form oleoyl-ACP. The reaction of recombinant Ricinus communis Delta9D with natural and nonnatural chain length acyl-ACPs was used to examine the coupling of the reconstituted enzyme complex, the specificity for position of double-bond insertion, the kinetic parameters for the desaturation reaction, and the selectivity for acyl chain length. The coupling of NADPH and O(2) consumption and olefin production was found to be maximal for 18:0-ACP, and the loss of coupling observed for the more slowly desaturated acyl-ACPs was attributed to autoxidation of the electron-transfer chain. Analysis of steady-state kinetic parameters for desaturation of acyl-ACPs having various acyl chain lengths revealed that the K(M) values were similar ( approximately 2.5-fold difference) for 15:0-18:0-ACP, while the k(cat) values increased by approximately 26-fold for the same range of acyl chain lengths. A linear increase in log (k(cat)/K(M)) was observed upon lengthening of the acyl chain from 15:0- to 18:0-ACP, while no further increase was observed for 19:0-ACP. The similarity of the k(cat)/K(M) values for 18:0- and 19:0-ACPs and the retained preference for double-bond insertion at the Delta(9) position with 19:0-ACP (>98% desaturation at the Delta(9) position) suggest that the active-site channel past the diiron center can accommodate at least one more methylene group than is found in the natural substrate. The DeltaDeltaG(binding) estimated from the change in k(cat)/K(M) for increasing substrate acyl-chain length was -3 kJ/mol per methylene group, similar to the value of -3.5 kJ/mol estimated for the hydrophobic partition of long-chain fatty acids (C-7 to C-21) from water to heptane [Smith, R. , and Tanford, C. (1973) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 70, 289-293]. Since the K(M) values are overall similar for all acyl-ACPs tested, the progressive increase in hydrophobic binding energy available from increased chain length is apparently utilized to enhance catalytic steps, which thus provides the underlying physical mechanism for acyl chain selectivity observed with Delta9D.
Nitric oxide production and apoptosis in cells of the meniscus during experimental osteoarthritis.

Objective. To examine the pathologic changes in meniscus tissue during experimental osteoarthritis (OA) and to determine the relationship between nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, apoptosis, and meniscus degradation. Methods. OA was induced in rabbits by anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) transection. Knees were harvested after 9 weeks and assessed for OA severity. Menisci were subjected to histologic, immunohistochemical, and electron microscopic analyses for the presence of nitrotyrosine and apoptosis. Menisci were also cultured for analysis of NO production. Results. All menisci from joints with ACL transection demonstrated degenerative changes. A high number of apoptotic cells was present in the medial part of menisci, which contains chondrocytic cells. Menisci from nonoperated contralateral knees contained only small numbers of cells in apoptosis. Conditioned media from meniscus cultures contained similarly elevated levels of nitrite as cartilage cultures from the same arthritic knees. Nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity, an indicator of in vivo NO production, was prominent in menisci from knees with ACL transection. In addition, menisci from normal knees produced high levels of NO in response to in vitro stimulation with interleukin-1b or lipopolysaccharide. Conclusion. These observations suggest that pathologic changes in menisci are a regular feature of experimentally induced OA and are associated with NO production and meniscus cell apoptosis.
Minimum detectable change for knee joint contact force estimates using an EMG-driven model.

Abstract Adequate test–retest reliability of model estimates is a necessary precursor to examining treatment effects or longitudinal changes in individuals. Purpose The purpose of this study was to establish thresholds for minimal detectable change (MDC) for joint contact forces obtained using a patient specific EMG-driven musculoskeletal model of the knee. Design A sample of young, active individuals was selected for this study, and subjects were tested on 2 separate days. Three-dimensional motion analysis with electromyography (EMG) was used to obtain data from each subject during gait for model input. An EMG-driven modeling approach was used to estimate joint contact forces at each session. Results MDC's for contact force variables ranged from 0.30 to 0.66 BW. The lowest MDC was for peak medial compartment force (0.30 BW) and the highest was for peak tibiofemoral contact force (0.66 BW). Test–retest reliability coefficients were also reported for comparison with previous work. Conclusions Using the present model, changes in joint contact forces between baseline and subsequent measurements that are greater than these MDCs are greater than typical day-to-day variation and can be identified as real change.
How sensitive is commodity trade flows between US and India to currency depreciation

Previous studies that investigated the impact of real depreciation of the rupee on Indian trade balance used aggregate trade data and provided no support for real depreciation to be effective in improving India's trade balance. In this article we disaggregate the Indian trade data by commodity and consider the sensitivity of each industry's inpayments (export value) and outpayments (import value) to real rupee–dollar exchange rate. Annual data over the period of 1962 to 2004 from 40 industries that trade between the two countries as well as bounds testing approach are used to show that while in half of the industries real depreciation of rupee has short-run effects on inpayments and outpayments, the short-run effects do not last into the long-run in majority of the cases.
Cytolytic Effects of Mumps Virus in Tissue Cultures of Epithelial Cells.

SummaryUpon inoculation of cultures of HeLa or monkey kidney epithelial cells with large amounts of several strains of mumps virus at various stages of chick embryo-adaptation lesions resembling “giant cells” were observed, which however were shown to be caused by a cytolytic property of the agents. This effect could not be maintained on serial passage when allantoically-adapted strains were employed. Cytolysis was specifically prevented by human mumps convalescent and post-vaccination sera but not, or to a lesser extent, by sera taken during the acute stage of the disease or prior to immunization. The cytolytic activity was found to be more resistant to ultraviolet light than the infectious property. The possible relation of the cytolytic effect to the hemolytic activity of the virus is discussed.
Contemporary open ureteral reimplantation without morphine: assessment of pain and outcomes.

Purpose: The recent literature places significant emphasis on decreased pain and length of stay after endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux compared to historical open ureteroneocystostomy. We documented postoperative pain and outcomes of a contemporary series of minimally invasive ureteral reimplantation.Materials and Methods: For 100 consecutive patients who underwent ureteroneocystostomy we examined the association of the variables patient age, weight, gender, reflux grade, year of surgery, extravesical or intravesical approach and operative time with the outcomes length of hospital stay and pain score (0 to 10), with univariate linear and multivariate regression analyses.Results: Mean patient age was 5.5 years and median followup was 16 months. All patients received ketorolac and acetaminophen with codeine for pain, and early in the series 7 patients received morphine. Average pain scores were mean 1.2, median 0.9 and maximum 3.4. Mean length of stay was 24.4 hours. Multiple regression analyse...
Reduction of U(VI) in goethite (α-FeOOH) suspensions by a dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium

Abstract Dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria (DMRB) can utilize Fe(III) associated with aqueous complexes or solid phases, such as oxide and oxyhydroxide minerals, as a terminal electron acceptor coupled to the oxidation of H2 or organic substrates. These bacteria are also capable of reducing other metal ions including Mn(IV), Cr(VI), and U(VI), a process that has a pronounced effect on their solubility and overall geochemical behavior. In spite of considerable study on an individual basis, the biogeochemical behavior of multiple metals subject to microbial reduction is poorly understood. To probe these complex processes, the reduction of U(VI) by the subsurface bacterium, Shewanella putrefaciens CN32, was investigated in the presence of goethite under conditions where the aqueous composition was controlled to vary U speciation and solubility. Uranium(VI), as the carbonate complexes UO2(CO3)3(aq)4− and UO2(CO3)2(aq)2−, was reduced by the bacteria to U(IV) with or without goethite [α-FeOOH(s)] present. Uranium(VI) in 1,4-piperazinediethhanesulfonic acid (PIPES) buffer that was estimated to be present predominantly as the U(VI) mineral metaschoepite [UO3 · 2H2O(s)], was also reduced by the bacteria with or without goethite. In contrast, only ∼30% of the U(VI) associated with a synthetic metaschoepite was reduced by the organism in the presence of goethite with 1 mM lactate as the electron donor. This may have been due to the formation of a layer of UO2(s) or Fe(OH)3(s) on the surface of the metaschoepite that physically obstructed further bioreduction. Increasing the lactate to a non-limiting concentration (10 mM) increased the reduction of U(VI) from metaschoepite to greater than 80% indicating that the hypothesized surface-veneering effect was electron donor dependent. Uranium(VI) was also reduced by bacterially reduced anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) in the absence of cells, and by Fe(II) sorbed to goethite in abiotic control experiments. In the absence of goethite, uraninite was a major product of direct microbial reduction and reduction by AH2DS. These results indicate that DMRB, via a combination of direct enzymatic or indirect mechanisms, can reduce U(VI) to insoluble U(IV) in the presence of solid Fe oxides.
Offense Specialization of Arrestees An Event History Analysis

The data set employed in the present study came from interviews with arrestees conducted between 1999 and 2001 as well as from their official arrest records obtained from jail administrators. A total of 238 arrestees ages 18 to 25 constituted the final sample. Event history analysis examined each arrestee's movement from periods of no arrests to periods including arrests for any of four types of offense; background variables were controlled, and relevant time-varying factors became the explanatory factors. The results show a tendency among these arrestees to specialize, to varying degrees, in violent offenses, drug offenses, miscellaneous offenses, and property offenses. Evidence of versatility is presented. Anticrime measures are also discussed.
An adaptable usability heuristic checklist for online courses

Creating a rich online learning environment is a challenge and requires thoughtful User Experience Planning (UEP) for the effective presentation of the course interface. The user experience of an online course from a human-computer interaction point-of-view is not a naturally occurring process; it must be planned for. Instructors can apply the UEP process with measurable usability attributes and adaptable heuristics to evaluate the user experience in an online course. As a tool, UEP could be used to locate specific usability problems related to navigation, error recovery, locating information, and the selection of hyperlinks. An adaptable usability heuristic checklist for online courses will be presented. The checklist includes 13 heuristic categories, including: visibility, functionality, aesthetics, feedback and help, error prevention, memorability, course management, interactivity, flexibility, consistency, efficiency, reducing redundancy, and accessibility
FPGA integrated co-design

The main problem in hardware/software co-design is how to design an embedded system that contains both hardware in the form of FPGAs or ASICs and a microprocessor for which software must be written. A critical decision that has a profound effect on overall system cost is how to partition the system into its hardware and software components. A mistake made in this decision, which must be corrected by reworking the entire design, can add significant delay and cost to the design process. The longer the irrevocable decision of how to partition the hardware and software can be delayed, the better is the chance to keep overall system cost to a minimum. This paper describes an approach that has been tested in a graduate course on FPGA design that will allow the hardware/software partition decision to be delayed to the very end of the design process.
Nitrogen uptake, fixation and response to fertilizer N in soybeans: A review

Abstract Although relationships among soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr) seed yield, nitrogen (N) uptake, biological N2 fixation (BNF), and response to N fertilization have received considerable coverage in the scientific literature, a comprehensive summary and interpretation of these interactions with specific emphasis on high yield environments is lacking. Six hundred and thirty-seven data sets (site–year–treatment combinations) were analyzed from field studies that had examined these variables and had been published in refereed journals from 1966 to 2006. A mean linear increase of 0.013 Mg soybean seed yield per kg increase in N accumulation in aboveground biomass was evident in these data. The lower (maximum N accumulation) and upper (maximum N dilution) boundaries for this relationship had slopes of 0.0064 and 0.0188 Mg grain kg−1 N, respectively. On an average, 50–60% of soybean N demand was met by biological N2 fixation. In most situations the amount of N fixed was not sufficient to replace N export from the field in harvested seed. The partial N balance (fixed N in aboveground biomass − N in seeds) was negative in 80% of all data sets, with a mean net soil N mining of −40 kg N ha−1. However, when an average estimated belowground N contribution of 24% of total plant N was included, the average N balance was close to neutral (−4 kg N ha−1). The gap between crop N uptake and N supplied by BNF tended to increase at higher seed yields for which the associated crop N demand is higher. Soybean yield was more likely to respond to N fertilization in high-yield (>4.5 Mg ha−1) environments. A negative exponential relationship was observed between N fertilizer rate and N2 fixation when N was applied on the surface or incorporated in the topmost soil layers. Deep placement of slow-release fertilizer below the nodulation zone, or late N applications during reproductive stages, may be promising alternatives for achieving a yield response to N fertilization in high-yielding environments. The results from many N fertilization studies are often confounded by insufficiently optimized BNF or other management factors that may have precluded achieving BNF-mediated yields near the yield potential ceiling. More studies will be needed to fully understand the extent to which the N requirements of soybean grown at potential yields levels can be met by optimizing BNF alone as opposed to supplementing BNF with applied N. Such optimization will require evaluating new inoculant technologies, greater temporal precision in crop and soil management, and most importantly, detailed measurements of the contributions of soil N, BNF, and the efficiency of fertilizer N uptake throughout the crop cycle. Such information is required to develop more reliable guidelines for managing both BNF and fertilizer N in high-yielding environments, and also to improve soybean simulation models.
Is Data Publication the Right Metaphor

International attention to scientific data continues to grow. Opportunities emerge to re-visit long-standing approaches to managing data and to critically examine new capabilities. We describe the cognitive importance of metaphor. We describe several metaphors for managing, sharing, and stewarding data and examine their strengths and weaknesses. We particularly question the applicability of a “publication” approach to making data broadly available. Our preliminary conclusions are that no one metaphor satisfies enough key data system attributes and that multiple metaphors need to co-exist in support of a healthy data ecosystem. We close with proposed research questions and a call for continued discussion.
Computer Software Design for Children's Recording of Food Intake

Abstract Computers provide exciting possibilities for enhancing children's dietary recording. Class discussions were conducted with 20 third- through fifth-grade classes (n = 337 students) to identify preferred computer game formats, assess student ability to quantify and record portion sizes, and collect information on recall of eating habits. Receiving immediate gratification (e.g., challenging, fun) was the most frequent reason for playing computer games. Quantifying food amounts was difficult. Most students preferred selecting “mounds” (not measuring cups) to record amount eaten. Although most students could identify type of milk consumed, they were less sure of margarine/butter or mayonnaise type.
Dilemas de autenticidad: la restauración de la Casa Freeman de Frank Lloyd Wright

El articulo expone una breve descripcion historica ilustrativa del proceso de encargo, diseno y construccion de la casa con los bloques prefabricados caracteristicos de la etapa californiana de Wright y de la vida posterior del edificio, centro neuralgico de la actividad de vanguardia artistica de Los Angeles, con sustanciales modificaciones llevadas a cabo por otros arquitectos afamados como Rudolph Schindler, Gregory Ain and John Lautner. En el texto se refleja no solo la tremenda complejidad tecnica de restaurar esta casa erigida con un sistema constructivo sugerente pero tremendamente fragil y problematico y la dificultad anadida de su presencia en zona sismica y los danos sufridos por el terremoto de Los Angeles de 1994, sino tambien el dilema que surge a la hora de escoger eventualmente que fase restaurar del edificio entre toda la estratificacion de intervenciones de arquitectos estrella que caracteriza a este edificio.
Evidence for 4-chlorobenzoic acid dehalogenation mediated by plasmids related to pSS50.

Abstract The biodegradation of 4-chlorobiphenyl usually proceeds through the intermediate 4-chlorobenzoate. Few bacterial strains can degrade 4-chlorobiphenyl to 4-chlorobenzoate and 4-chlorobenzoate to CO2. This study demonstrates that the 4-chlorobiphenyl-degrading Alcaligenes sp. strain ALP83 can degrade 4-chlorobenzoate to 4-hydroxybenzoate. The dehalogenase activity is correlated with a 10-kb fragment carried on plasmid pSS70.
Offline Evaluation and Optimization for Interactive Systems

Evaluating and optimizing an interactive system (like search engines, recommender and advertising systems) from historical data against a predefined online metric is challenging, especially when that metric is computed from user feedback such as clicks and payments. The key challenge is counterfactual in nature: we only observe a user's feedback for actions taken by the system, but we do not know what that user would have reacted to a different action. The golden standard to evaluate such metrics of a user-interacting system is online A/B experiments (a.k.a. randomized controlled experiments), which can be expensive in terms of both time and engineering resources. Offline evaluation/optimization (sometimes referred to as off-policy learning in the literature) thus becomes critical, aiming to evaluate the same metrics without running (many) expensive A/B experiments on live users. One approach to offline evaluation is to build a user model that simulates user behavior (clicks, purchases, etc.) under various contexts, and then evaluate metrics of a system with this simulator. While being straightforward and common in practice, the reliability of such model-based approaches relies heavily on how well the user model is built. Furthermore, it is often difficult to know a priori whether a user model is good enough to be trustable.Recent years have seen a growing interest in another solution to the offline evaluation problem. Using statistical techniques like importance sampling and doubly robust estimation, the approach can give unbiased estimates of metrics for a wide range of problems. It enjoys other benefits as well. For example, it often allows data scientists to obtain a confidence interval for the estimate to quantify the amount of uncertainty; it does not require building user models, so is more robust and easier to apply. All these benefits make the approach particularly attractive to a wide range of problems. Successful applications have been reported in the last few years by some of the industrial leaders.This tutorial gives a review of the basic theory and representative techniques. Applications of these techniques are illustrated through several case studies done at Microsoft and Yahoo!.
A NEW SPECIES OF PELECITUS (FILARIOIDEA: ONCHOCERCIDAE) FROM THE ENDANGERED TEHUANTEPEC JACKRABBIT LEPUS FLAVIGULARIS

Pelecitus meridionaleporinus n. sp. from the Tehuantepec jackrabbit is described. The new species differs from Pelecitus helicinus (Molin, 1860) in having delicate transverse striations, a salient vulva, and a readily apparent preesophageal ring; P. helicinus has teardrop cells around the vulva, which are lacking in the species presently described. The new species is different from Pelecitus scapiceps (Leidy, 1886) in having the vulva anterior to the esophageal-intestinal junction and wider lateral alae. Pelecitus scapiceps is found in the tarsal bursa of the hind feet of lagomorphs, whereas P. helicinus is found around tendons of legs and feet of birds. Pelecitus meridionaleporinus n. sp. occurs in the subcutaneous tissue at the base of both ears. This is the second species in Pelecitus Railliet and Henry, 1910 that occurs in New World lagomorphs, and the third found infecting mammals.
Simulation-based techniques for dynamic test sequence compaction

Simulation-based techniques for dynamic compaction of test sequences are proposed. The first technique uses a fault simulator to remove test vectors from the partially-specified test sequence generated by a deterministic test generator if the vectors are not needed to detect the target fault, considering that the circuit state may be known. The second technique uses genetic algorithms to fill the unspecified bits in the partially-specified test sequence in order to increase the number of faults detected by the sequence. Significant reductions in test set sizes were observed for all benchmark circuits studied. Fault coverages improved for many of the circuits, and execution times often dropped as well, since fewer faults had to be targeted by the computation-intensive deterministic test generator.
Computer program for solution of large, sparse, unsymmetric systems of linear equations

A computer program is presented for in-core solution of a large, sparse, unsymmetric, unbanded system of linear equations. The program employs two partially packed arrays (one for storing non-zero elements, and one for column identifications). Used as the pivotal row is the row with the minimum number of non-zero elements. To avoid instability, the pivot is the largest absolute element in the pivotal row. The method was tested on a system of equations encountered in field application of the three-dimensional Galerkin finite element solution of flow and mass transport through porous media. Performance is compared with that of available alternatives.
Exploiting coarse-grain verification parallelism for power-efficient fault tolerance

As device dimensions continue to be aggressively scaled, microprocessors are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the impact of undesired energy, such as that of a cosmic particle strike, which can cause transient errors. To prevent operational failure due to these errors, system-level techniques such as redundant execution will be increasingly required for fault detection and tolerance in future processors. However, the need for redundancy is directly opposed to the growing need for more power efficient operation. Conventional techniques that use multi-core microarchitectures to provide whole-thread duplication generally incur significant energy overhead which can exacerbate the already severe problem of power consumption and heat dissipation given a certain throughput requirement. In the future, approaches that supply the necessary level of robustness at a given throughput level must also be power-aware. We propose a thread-level redundant execution microarchitecture that significantly reduces the energy overhead of replication without unduly impacting performance. Our approach exploits the fact that with appropriate hardware support, the verification operation can be parallelized and run on a chip multiprocessor with support for frequency scaling together with supply voltage scaling and/or body biasing. To further improve the efficiency of verification, we exploit the information obtained by the leading thread to assist the trailing verification threads. We discuss in detail the required architectural support and show that our approach can be highly energy-efficient: using two checkers, fully replicated execution costs only an average 28% extra energy over non-redundant execution with virtually no performance loss.
The role of androgen ablation with low dose rate brachytherapy in the treatment of prostate cancer

14546 Background: We report a single-institution analysis of the role of androgen ablation (AA) with low-dose rate brachytherapy. Methods: A cohort of 189 consecutive patients (AA: n = 68, no-AA: n...
Predicting the Residual Value of Heavy Construction Equipment

Heavy construction equipment is routinely used on construction projects that entail earthmoving operations. Owning and operating these machines may comprise a significant portion of the project costs. An important element of the owning costs is the residual value. However, the nature of the residual value of construction equipment is largely unknown. Ongoing research at Virginia Tech examines the residual value of different types of construction equipment to provide a better approach than the rules of thumb currently used by equipment managers. This paper argues that the residual value can be predicted accurately based on publicly accessible data from equipment auctions and publications by manufacturers and their distributors. Related research in agriculture and forestry is reviewed. Data collection and preparation and results from the multi-linear regression analysis are described. Statistical measures of the goodness-of-fit for different possible functional forms of the regression model are given and a sample calculation is presented.
Primary proximal epithelioid sarcoma of the lung successfully treated with pneumonectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy

Primary sarcomas of the lung and proximal epithelial sarcomas (PESs) are extremely rare. Inactivation of INI1 has been found in the majority of epithelioid sarcoma (ES). We report the third known case of a primary PES of the lung along with immunohistochemical data. A 41-year-old man with HIV infection, on highly active antiretroviral therapy, presented with haemoptysis, shortness of breath and progressive weight loss for 2 months. He was eventually diagnosed with stage IIA cT2bN0M0 grade-2 primary PES of the lung. This patient underwent pneumonectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy with ifosfamide and doxorubicin. He remains in remission 36 months since diagnosis. Our case stands to help other clinicians as treatment of such rare cases is often reliant on case reports. We also posit a possible pathogenic mechanism given a history of HIV infection in this patient. The association of INI1 mutation with other atypical sarcomas in patients with HIV infection merits further evaluation.