cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lumpy demand forecasting using neural networks

Abstract The current study applies neural network (NN) modeling in forecasting lumpy demand. It is, to the best of our knowledge, the first such study. Our study compares the performance of NN forecasts to those using three traditional time-series methods (single exponential smoothing, Croston's method, and the Syntetos–Boylan approximation). We find NN models to generally perform better than the traditional methods, using three different performance measures. We also independently validate earlier findings that the Syntetos–Boylan approximation performs better than the Croston's and single exponential smoothing methods in lumpy demand forecasting.
β-Adrenergic Binding and Secretory Responses of the Anterior Pituitary*

Our studies demonstrated that β-adrenergic agonists stimulate the release of GH from rat anterior pituitary (AP) cells in vitro. Concentration-response experiments with β- adrenergic agonists demonstrated that β2-adrenergic receptors mediated this phasic GH release, while having no apparent effect on PRL or LH release. The ACTH response to β-adrenergic agonists was equivocal. Half-maximal stimulation of GH release occurred at 14 ± 2 (±SE) nm isoproterenol, 160 ± 30 nm epinephrine, and over 1 μm l-norepinephrine (n = 4). Direct binding studies in membrane particulates of rat AP confirmed receptors of the β2-subtype. Iodocyanopindolol binding to β-adrenergic receptors of rat AP yielded a dissociation constant of 4.6 ± 0.1 pm and a maximal capacity of 1.9 ± 0.4 fmol/mg protein (n = 3). In contrast, porcine AP contained β1-adrenergic receptors. These results support the hypothesis that the endogenous fcadrenergic agonist l-epinephrine may be a GH-releasing factor of physiological significance in the rat. (End...
Getting to No

You obviously haven't been listening to my negotiation sermons," I said. "All those training programs I've done for you guys must have been failures." My caller knew I was joking, but he understood the irony in asking me to create a seminar to teach his colleagues to say no. Up to that point, all the workshops I'd developed for his company had been aimed at getting people to break impasses and reach agreement, not to foster disagreement. "But isn't this just the other side of the same coin?" he asked. He was right, of course, and I was intrigued by the novelty of the assignment. What would I teach and how would I teach it? Just as musicians learn to listen for silences and sculptors visualize negative space, focusing on no instead of yes might prompt me to see negotiation in a somewhat different light. I am not certified to offer assertiveness training, however, nor am I inclined to urge people to give themselves permission to get in touch with their stubborn inner child. Trying to organize my own thinking about the difficulty of saying no — when it's appropriate — I sketched several simple lists. The first was of famous nos; I figured that if they weren't inspirational, they might at least be provocative. For example, the memorable line former Union general William T. Sherman used to withdraw his name from consideration at the Republican convention of 1884: "I will not accept if nominated and will not serve if elected." With little affinity for and no experience in politics, Sherman was wise to say no.1
Renal morphological and immunological changes associated with acute viral hepatitis

Renal morphological and immunological changes associated with acute viral hepatitis.Percutaneous renal biopsy was performed on seven patients with acute viral hepatitis.At the time of biopsy four were Australia-antigen positive and three were negative.A slight focal increase in PAS-positive material was present in the mesangial area in all seven.Immunofluorescent staining of glomeruli for immunoglobulins revealed the presence of IgG, IgM, IgA, and β1-C as discrete focal nodular deposits.Electron micrographs showed focal basement membrane thickening and deposition of homogeneous, finely granular, electron dense material; focal foot process fusion; and endothelial cell degeneration and hyperplasia.Endothelial cytoplasmic inclusions of closely packed tubular structures measuring 200 to 280 A and similar to the "virus-like" particles described in systemic lupus etythematosus were present in all biopsy specimens examined.L.E.cell preparations and anti-nuclear antibody titers were negative in all specimens.These findings indicate that some degree of renal damage, immune complex deposits, and intracellular cytoplasmic inclusions may be present in patients with acute viral hepatitis. Modifications morphologiques et immunologiques renales associees a l'hepatite virale aigue.Sept malades atteints d'hepatite virale aigue ont ete soumis a une biopsie renale per-cutanee.Au moment de la biopsie quatre d'entre eux avaient une reaction positive pour l'antigene Australie et les trois autres une reaction negative.Une augmentation minime et focale du materiel PAS positif a ete observee dans le mesangium dans les sept cas.L'immunofluorescence des glomerules a revele la presence d'IgG, d'IgM, d'IgA et de β1-C sous forme de discrets depots nodulaires.La microscopie electronique a montre un epaississement de la membrane basale et le depot d'un materiel dense, homogene et finement granulaire; la fusion focale des pieds des podocytes; une degenerescence et une hyperplasie des cellules endotheliales.Des inclusions cytoplasmiques endotheliales de structures tubulaires rassemblees, mesurant 200 a 280 A, semblables aux particules d'allure virale decrites dans le lupus erythemateux dissemine, existaient dans tous les fragments examines.La recherche de cellules L.E.et d'anticorps anti nucleaires etait negative dans tous les cas.Ces constatations indiquent qu'un certain degre d'atteinte renale, depots d'immuns complexes et inclusions cytoplasmiques, peut etre observe chez les malades atteints d'hepatite virale aigue.
NMDA Receptor Inhibition of L-Type Calcium Channels via ER Calcium Depletion and Activation of STIM1 in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons

We have found that, in cultured hippocampal neurons, NMDA receptors (NMDAR) inhibit voltage-gated L-type Ca2+ channels through Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and subsequent engagement of STIM1 with L channels. Here we employed laser spot photo-uncaging of glutamate near single dendritic spines combined with fluorescence Ca2+ imaging to investigate the relationships between stimulus frequency (glutamate uncaging) and Ca2+ release from the ER. Measurements of cytosolic Ca2+ were made with the genetically-encoded Ca2+ indicator, RGECO1, and simultaneously, measurements of [Ca2+]ER made with a genetically-encoded Ca2+ indicator targeted to the ER, D1ER. Using a laser pulse duration of 2 ms to photo-uncage glutamate near a single spine, simultaneous measurements of Ca2+cyto and [Ca2+]ER revealed that stimulation at 1 second intervals (1 Hz) for 60 seconds triggered a rapid rise in Ca2+cyto followed by release of Ca2+ from the ER. Spine stimulation at 6 second intervals (0.167 Hz) for 60 seconds elicited a large cytosolic Ca2+ transient, but no significant Ca2+ release from ER stores. At various stimulus frequencies, pharmacological analysis using the L-type Ca2+ channel blocker, nimodipine, uncovered a direct correlation between the magnitude of the nimodipine-sensitive, L-channel Ca2+ transient and Ca2+ release from the ER. Together, these results suggest that even though the lowest frequency stimulation is capable of generating a cytosolic Ca2+ signal, the NMDAR Ca2+ signal must contain the necessary details to activate L-channels by membrane depolarization and integrate with the L-channel Ca2+ signal to regulate Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release in a single dendritic spine. If this frequency dependence holds true for the activation of STIM1 to regulate L-channel, this work will have important implication in how we think about channel regulation.
Effects of Fe nanoparticles on bacterial growth and biosurfactant production

Environmental conditions can have a major impact on bacterial growth and production of secondary products. In this study, the effect of different concentrations of Fe nanoparticles on the growth of Serratia sp. and on its production of a specific biosurfactant was investigated. The Fe nanoparticles were produced using the foam method, and the needle-shaped nanoparticles were about 30 nm in diameter. It was found that Fe nanoparticles can have either a positive or a negative impact on the bacterial growth and biosurfactant production, depending on their concentration. At 1 mg/L of Fe nanoparticle concentration the bacterial growth increased by 57 % and biosurfactant production increased by 63 %. When the Fe nanoparticle concentration was increased to 1 g/L, the bacterial growth decreased by 77 % and biosurfactant activity was undetectable. The biosurfactant itself was not directly affected by Fe nanoparticles over the range of concentrations studied, indicating that the observed changes in biosurfactant activity resulted indirectly from the effect of nanoparticles on the bacteria. These negative effects with nanoparticle exposures were temporary, demonstrated by the restoration of biosurfactant activity when the bacteria initially exposed to Fe nanoparticles were allowed to regrow in the absence of nanoparticles. Finally, the kinetics of bacterial growth and biosurfactant production were modeled. The model’s predictions agreed with the experimental results.
The sensitivity of inventory models with demand trend

Abstract This paper conducts sensitivity analysis on inventory models with demand trends. Four demand trend models are considered. These are linear, quadratic exponential decay, and exponential growth trend models. The sensitivity analysis tests the effect of errors in estimating holding and setup costs on the ordering policy and total cost. The result shows that if either of these costs is changed by a factor of 2 in either direction of the actual cost, the total cost and ordering policy become sensitive. However, the total cost for the exponential growth model is insensitive to changes in setup cost. More importantly, our results show that approximately the same magnitude of change on the cycle time is obtained for any change on the setup cost or the holding cost irrespective of the demand trend. Thus, the magnitude of change on cycle time is not a function of the demand trend. However, the magnitude of change in the total cost is a function of the demand trend.
Worker environment research. IV. The effect of dust derived from several soil types on the dissipation of parathion and paraoxon dislodgable residues on citrus foliage.

Parathion sorbed to dust can persist as dislodgable residues on citrus leaves. Semi-logarithmic plots of parathion dislodgable residue data were initially linear for the 6 soils studied and then a distinct change to lower rates occurred with 5 of the soils. As initial rates and the residue level at the rate change are dependent on the soil, foliar dust is implicated as a causative factor in the non-uniformity of residue dissipation rates.
Stress analysis of cylindrical rock discs subjected to axial double point load

Abstract An axisymmetric finite element method was used to determine the stress distribution developed in cylindrical rock discs of various diameter/thickness ratios subjected to double point loading. The characteristics of tensile radial and tangential stress distributions were discussed in detail. Stress fields tend to stabilize when the ratio of diameter to thickness is larger than one. Due to the complexity of the stress field, it is rather difficult to develop a simplified tensile fracture strength criterion. But it is a reliable method of determining preferred orientation of fracture plane due to the predominance of tensile tangential stress.
Stochastic electrodynamics. II. The harmonic oscillator-zero-point field system

In this second paper in a series on stochastic electrodynamics the system of a charged harmonic oscillator (HO) immersed in the stochastic zero-point field is analyzed. First, a method discussed by Claverie and Diner and Sanchez-Ron and Sanz permits a finite closed form renormalization of the oscillator frequency and charge, and allows the third-order Abraham-Lorentz (AL) nonrelativistic equation of motion, in dipole approximation, to be rewritten as an ordinary second-order equation, which thereby admits a conventional phase-space description and precludes the runaway solutions of the AL equation. Second, following several authors, a momentum is defined that reduces to the usual canonical momentum in the limit of no radiation reaction, and the statistical moments of the oscillator position and this momentum are calculated in closed form to all orders of the radiative corrections. As has been shown by many authors, the velocity second moment is unbounded; semiquantitative arguments are given to support the conjecture that the use of the point-particle dipole approximation is responsible for this divergence. Third, it is shown that, to zeroth order in the radiative corrections, the renormalized HO has the same expectation energy found by other authors, that of the quantum ground state.
The formation and distribution of intercellular junctions in the rhesus monkey optic cup: the early development of the cilio-iridic and sensory retinas.

Abstract The eyes of prenatal monkeys from 30 to 102 ± 2 days old were examined by light microscopy, conventional electron microscopy, and the freeze-fracturing technique. At 30 days, invagination of the optic vesicle has begun, and the inner and outer walls of the forming optic cup are closely apposed anteriorly; invagination is complete at 45 days. By 58 days, the rudiment of the ciliary body and iris has appeared; at 71 days, primitive ciliary processes are present and retinal photoreceptors begin to differentiate. The distribution of intercellular junctions varies both in different regions of the optic cup and at different stages of development. At 30 days, adjacent ventricular and adjacent pigmented cells are joined throughout the optic cup by zonulae adhaerentes and gap junctions. The anterior region of the cup, however, contains two additional junctional specializations: (1) fasciae occludentes between ventricular cells and (2) intermediate and gap junctions between the apposing luminal surfaces of ventricular and pigmented cells. By 36 days the fasciae occludentes between ventricular cells in the anterior optic cup become zonular, signaling the morphological development of the blood-aqueous barrier. In the posterior optic cup, zonulae occludentes appear between adjacent pigmented cells at 36 days; furthermore, with the continuing obliteration of the optic ventricle, luminal junctions spread toward the optic stalk but do not reach the optic disc until 45 days, when invagination is complete. Between 58 and 102 days there are no further changes in the distribution of the junctions anteriorly between the primitive cilio-iridial epithelial cells, whereas in the posterior optic cup the luminal gap and intermediate junctions between pigmented cells and differentiating photoreceptors decrease in number and finally disappear. Two main conclusions can be drawn from this study. (1) In the optic cup, intermediate junctions are consistently present in regions of the plasma membrane which later contain junctional complexes. The temporal and spatial pattern of junctional development suggests that intermediate junctions are necessary for the establishment of tight and gap junctions. (2) Twenty days before the ciliary body-iris anlage becomes visible in the light microscope, the distribution of junctions in the anterior part of the optic cup is identical to that in the adult cilio-iridic retina. The time-honored view that the cilio-iridic retina appears late in development is, therefore, no longer tenable. In the monkey, the optic cup is divided into a cilio-iridic and a sensory region soon after the onset of invagination.
Temporal and spatial distribution of the spectral components of foF2

A spectral analysis of almost all available monthly median of the maximum plasmafrequency in the F-region (foF2) was performed. Some evidence for a significant tidal influence on the diurnal and semidiurnal variation has been found. The declination effect (Eyfrig, 1963) appears in our spectral presentation as a dependence of the degree of the seasonal variation and of the phase of the 24 hour period on the magnetic declination. The most peculiar phenomenon is the different variation of the annual component in North America and Eurasia with the sunspot number. There are several indications that the variation of (foF2) is also influenced by the variation of the gravitational potential. Some other results are presented which are believed to be related to dynamic processes in the F-region.
Bartonella spp. in deer keds, Lipoptena mazamae (Diptera: Hippoboscidae), from Georgia and South Carolina, USA

Deer keds, Lipoptena mazamae (Diptera: Hippoboscidae), were collected from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and humans in Georgia and South Carolina, USA (1 October 2001-6 January 2005) and screened for the presence of DNA from Bartonella spp. Forty deer keds were screened for Bartonella spp. by polymerase chain reaction using primers specific to the riboflavin synthase gene (ribC) of Bartonella. Bartonella species closely related to Bartonella schoenbuchensis and to the etiologic agent of cat-scratch disease (Bartonella henselae) were detected in 10 keds and one ked, respectively.
A FRAMEWORK FOR CREATING A FUNCTION-BASED DESIGN TOOL FOR FAILURE MODE IDENTIFICATION

Knowledge of potential failure modes during design is critical for prevention of failures. Currently industries use procedures such as Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Fault Tree analysis, or Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality analysis (FMECA), as well as knowledge and experience, to determine potential failure modes. When new products are being developed there is often a lack of sufficient knowledge of potential failure mode and/or a lack of sufficient experience to identify all failure modes. This gives rise to a situation in which engineers are unable to extract maximum benefits from the above procedures. This work describes a function-based failure identification methodology, which would act as a storehouse of information and experience, providing useful information about the potential failure modes for the design under consideration, as well as enhancing the usefulness of procedures like FMEA. As an example, the method is applied to fifteen products and the benefits are illustrated.
Reduced-Hours Job-Role Quality and Life Satisfaction among Married Women Physicians with Children

Interest in reduced-hours career options has been sparked by recent studies indicating an increase in the work week, especially among professional and managerial employees, a preference among all e...
The collective dynamics of smoking in a large social network.

BACKGROUND The prevalence of smoking has decreased substantially in the United States over the past 30 years. We examined the extent of the person-to-person spread of smoking behavior and the extent to which groups of widely connected people quit together. METHODS We studied a densely interconnected social network of 12,067 people assessed repeatedly from 1971 to 2003 as part of the Framingham Heart Study. We used network analytic methods and longitudinal statistical models. RESULTS Discernible clusters of smokers and nonsmokers were present in the network, and the clusters extended to three degrees of separation. Despite the decrease in smoking in the overall population, the size of the clusters of smokers remained the same across time, suggesting that whole groups of people were quitting in concert. Smokers were also progressively found in the periphery of the social network. Smoking cessation by a spouse decreased a person's chances of smoking by 67% (95% confidence interval [CI], 59 to 73). Smoking cessation by a sibling decreased the chances by 25% (95% CI, 14 to 35). Smoking cessation by a friend decreased the chances by 36% (95% CI, 12 to 55 ). Among persons working in small firms, smoking cessation by a coworker decreased the chances by 34% (95% CI, 5 to 56). Friends with more education influenced one another more than those with less education. These effects were not seen among neighbors in the immediate geographic area. CONCLUSIONS Network phenomena appear to be relevant to smoking cessation. Smoking behavior spreads through close and distant social ties, groups of interconnected people stop smoking in concert, and smokers are increasingly marginalized socially. These findings have implications for clinical and public health interventions to reduce and prevent smoking.
Quantitative measures of organization for multiagent systems.

A set of “information theoretic” measures has been developed to quantify the degree of constraint inherent in the organization of a multiagent system. Separate measures can be provided to quantify spatial organization, trophic organization and, more generally, the overall structure of interactions. The additive character of these quantities allows them to be distributed in various fashions among species and places in a way that allows one to assign an “Importance Index” to those taxa and places. In addition, a measure to gauge the degree of adaptation of a species to a particular environment is proffered. The proposed measures allow one to formulate the following hypotheses in quantitative fashion: (1) that any disturbance of an ecosystem at a location associated with a high spatial Importance Index will exert a greater impact on the population dynamics than will a similar disturbance aimed at a place where the values of these indexes are lower; (2) that any disturbance in an ecosystem affecting a particular species with high individual Importance Indexes will cause a greater impact on the overall population dynamics than will a disturbance aimed at a species with a lower values of these indexes; (3) that the ascendancy of evolving system has a propensity to increase. The precise quantitative formulation of these hypothesis would permit them to be tested via multiagent simulation. Estimating the probablities pertaining to these hypotheses presents a number of problems that merit discussion. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Jean Lorrain: Impresario de l'Art Nouveau

Depuis ses premiers poemes (1882) preconisant des concepts de la beaute de l'inertie prones par Huysmans et Gustave Moreau jusqu'a son attaque contre certains fanatiques de Debussy dans Pelleastres, Jean Lorrain consacre ses talents d'homme de lettres et de journaliste a promouvoir l'art nouveau sous toutes ses formes. Les paradoxes inherents entre la danse (mouvement) et les attitudes hieratiques (temps fige, immobilite) l'intriguent et lui ouvrent le vaste champ des analogies esthetiques. Bien que Moreau reste son mentor, le gout de Lorrain dans les arts plastiques et decoratifs se veut pourtant eclectique, embrassant a la fois les theories d'esprits aussi divers que William Morris, James Ensor, Loie Fuller, Felicien Rops, Emile Galle et Rene Lalique. Si le public francais prend connaissance des efforts bizarres de Lachenal a manier la pâte de verre, de la peinture telle que la concoivent Levy-Dhurmer ou Jeanne Jacquemin, des affiches de Jules Cheret, c'est en majeure partie grâce au proselytisme de Lorrain, leur «valet de gloire.» Il ne neglige pas non plus les arts graphiques, comme le demontrent les illustrations «dernier cri» executees par Bottini, Sem, Bataille, Nilsson, et Lorant-Heilbron pour orner certains œuvres de Lorrain. Les conceptions de la nature, des objets et de l'humanite refletees dans les ecrits de cet impresario sont a leur tour fortement influencees par les effets de couleur et de mouvement qu'il admire dans les arts visuels.
Geometric Optimization of Radiant Enclosures Containing Specular Surfaces

This paper presents an optimization methodology for designing radiant enclosures containing specularly-reflecting surfaces. The optimization process works by making intelligent perturbations to the enclosure geometry at each design iteration using specialized numerical algorithms. This procedure requires far less time than the forward ‘‘trial-anderror’’ design methodology, and the final solution is near optimal. The radiant enclosure is analyzed using a Monte Carlo technique based on exchange factors, and the design is optimized using the Kiefer-Wolfowitz method. The optimization design methodology is demonstrated by solving two industrially-relevant design problems involving twodimensional enclosures that contain specular surfaces. @DOI: 10.1115/1.1599369#
Finding the Most Probable Ranking of Objects with Probabilistic Pairwise Preferences

This paper discusses the ranking of a set of objects when a possibly inconsistent set of pairwise preferences is given.We consider the task of ranking objects when pairwise preferences not only can contradict each other, but in general are not binary - meaning, for each pair of objects the preference is represented by a pair of non-negative numbers that sum up to one and can be viewed as a confidence in our belief that one object is preferable to the other in the absence of any other information. We propose a probability function on the sequence of objects that includes non-binary preferences and evaluate methods for finding the most probable ranking for this model using it to rank results of a Microsoft On-line Handwriting Recognizer.
Elevated CO2 stimulates grassland soil respiration by increasing carbon inputs rather than by enhancing soil moisture

It is not clear whether the consistent positive effect of elevated CO2 on soil respiration (soil carbon flux, SCF) results from increased plant and microbial activity due to (i) greater C availability through CO2-induced increases in C inputs or (ii) enhanced soil moisture via CO2-induced declines in stomatal conductance and plant water use. Global changes such as biodiversity loss or nitrogen (N) deposition may also affect these drivers, interacting with CO2 to affect SCF. To determine the effects of these factors on SCF and elucidate the mechanism(s) behind the effect of elevated CO2 on SCF, we measured SCF and soil moisture throughout a growing season in the Biodiversity, CO2, and N (BioCON) experiment. Increasing diversity and N caused small declines in soil moisture. Diversity had inconsistent small effects on SCF through its effects on abiotic conditions, while N had a small positive effect that was unrelated to soil moisture. Elevated CO2 had large consistent effects, increasing soil moisture by 26% and SCF by 45%. However, CO2-induced changes in soil moisture were weak drivers of SCF: CO2 effects on SCF and soil moisture were uncorrelated, CO2 effect size did not change with soil moisture, within-day CO2 effects via soil moisture were neutral or weakly negative, and the estimated effect of increased C availability was 14 times larger than that of increased soil moisture. Combined with previous BioCON results indicating elevated CO2 increases C availability to plants and microbes, our results suggest that increased SCF is driven by CO2-induced increases in substrate availability. Our results provide further support for increased rates of belowground C cycling at elevated CO2 and evidence that, unlike the response of productivity to elevated CO2 in BioCON, the response of SCF is not strongly N limited. Thus, N limited grasslands are unlikely to act as a N sink under elevated CO2.
Production of 6-Keto-Prostaglandin F1α by Rat Granulosa Cells in Vitro*

The production of 6-keto-prostaglandin (PG)-F1 alpha by rat granulosa cells in vitro was measured in order to determine if the precursor of this compound, prostacyclin (PGI2), is a potential mediator of preovulatory changes in follicular function. Granulosa cells were collected from immature rats (27-29 days old) 48 h after an injection of PMSG (20 IU). The cells were incubated in medium 199 containing 1% BSA with or without arachidonic acid and various treatments for up to 5 h. PGI2 synthesis was determined by extracting the combined cells and medium, purifying the extract by thin layer chromatography, and measuring 6-keto-PGF1 alpha using a sensitive RIA. PGE synthesis was also determined by RIA in order to compare and contrast effects of treatments on PGE synthesis with those on 6-keto-PGF1 alpha synthesis. Both exogenous arachidonic acid and LH stimulated 6-keto-PGF1 alpha synthesis approximately 4-fold in comparison to controls during 5-h incubations. Maximum stimulation was achieved by the combination of arachidonic acid and LH. The effect of arachidonic acid was evident as early as 1 h of incubation, but LH had no effect until 3 h of incubation. PGE synthesis was also stimulated by arachidonic acid within 1 h of incubation and by LH within 3 h of incubation. A potent LHRH agonist also significantly stimulated 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and PGE production during a 5-h incubation, whereas three vasoactive agents (histamine, bradykinin, and angiotensin II) had no stimulatory effect on the synthesis of either compound. Based on the measurement of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, it is concluded that rat granulosa cells have the capability to synthesize PGI2 and that this synthesis is stimulated by LH and a potent LHRH agonist. Therefore, PGI2 is a potential mediator of hormone actions in the preovulatory follicle.
Performance modeling of infrared linescanners and FLIRs

Modeling infrared sensors, such as Infrared Linescanners and FLIRs, is important to air-borne reconnaissance, because it allows predic-tion of sensor performance during actual use. To date, considerable effort has been expended on modeling FLIR performance so as to include the CRT display and the observer in a real-time environment. Less effort has been directed toward modeling infrared linescanners in real-time situations where a CRT is used for onboard display. The traditional sensor figures of merit, such as MTF, NET, MRT and MRTD, are re-viewed as well as some of the most useful com-putational programs, such as the NV&EOL Static Performance Model (Ratches Model). These programs must be slightly modified to adapt them to the prediction of infrared line-scanner performance in real-time reconnaissance, and some simple adaptations are noted. Efforts to extend the modeling to predict performance when an automatic target screener is inserted between the sensor and the display or between the sensor and observer are briefly noted.
Mutant mice: sleep starved and chronologically clueless.

human brain performance in realms no less important than judgment, problem solving, creativity, memory, and mood is powerfully modulated by brain state, particularly the underlying level of alertness. The latter varies in a predictable way across the 24-h day under the influence of both circadian (
JPEG2000 code-stream interpreter

A code-stream interpreter able to parse and determine image features, file attributes, and perform error detection utilizing an effective error classification method for JPEG2000 compressed images is proposed. The proposed implementation performs analysis on a JPEG2000 image to provide insight primarily for JPEG2000 encoder and decoder research and development. Results of the interpreter presented in this paper are demonstrated for various JPEG2000 compressed images. Parameter changes are made on these test images to both emulate different types of encoders and simulate prototype encoder bugs, even simulating a small amount of data loss which can occur after going through a transmission channel. The resulting JPEG2000 code-streams are then decoded by mainstream, commercial image decoders with JPEG2000 decoding capabilities and also tested with the proposed JPEG2000 code-stream interpreter. Results are demonstrated which reveal that the proposed interpreter provides information about the image which is occasionally unknown, overlooked, or even sometimes misinterpreted by commercial image decoders. Due to its dynamic error detection and classification capabilities, the JPEG2000 code-stream interpreter has potential to be adapted as an automated error correction system as a future area of research for either pre-decoder processing, or post-encoder processing after data transmission losses.
Detecting the subtle shape differences in hemodynamic responses at the group level

The nature of the hemodynamic response (HDR) is still not fully understood due to the multifaceted processes involved. Aside from the overall amplitude, the response may vary across cognitive states, tasks, brain regions, and subjects with respect to characteristics such as rise and fall speed, peak duration, undershoot shape, and overall duration. Here we demonstrate that the fixed-shape or adjusted-shape methods may fail to detect some shape subtleties. In contrast, the estimated-shape method (ESM) through multiple basis functions can provide the opportunity to identify some subtle shape differences and achieve higher statistical power at both individual and group levels. Previously, some dimension reduction approaches focused on the peak magnitude, or made inferences based on the area under the curve or interaction, which can lead to potential misidentifications. By adopting a generic framework of multivariate modeling (MVM), we showcase a hybrid approach that is validated by simulations and real data. Unlike the few analyses that were limited to main effect, two- or three-way interactions, we extend the approach to an inclusive platform that is more adaptable than the conventional GLM, achieving a practical equipoise among representation, false positive control, statistical power, and modeling flexibility.
Mineralization and immobilization of nitrogen in heath soil under intact Calluna, after heather beetle infestation and nitrogen fertilization

Abstract The maintenance of low availability of mineral N in heath soils is thought to be a key factor for the stability of heathland ecosystems. We investigated the turnover of NH 4 + and NO 3 − in the organic surface layer of soils from a Danish heathland using 15 N isotope techniques in laboratory incubations. The soils were sampled under intact and dead Calluna vegetation. The dead Calluna vegetation had been fertilized at rates of 0, 15 or 35 kg N ha −1 per year and the death of vegetation had been caused by a naturally occurring heather beetle infestation. In the soil under intact Calluna , the NH 4 + pool was very low with no net mineralization, while a substantial mineralization-immobilization turnover of NH 4 + was found with a large capacity for short term net NH 4 + immobilization (36 μg N g −1 during 1 h; 135 μg N g −1 during 24 h). The metabolic inhibitor mercury chloride completely inhibited assimilation of NH 4 + indicating the process was biological. The immobilization of NH 4 + had no short or long-term (38 days) effect on soil respiration while NH 4 + immobilization stimulated net mineralization of soil N during long-term incubation. The soils sampled under dead and dead/fertilized Calluna had large pools and high net mineralization rates of NH 4 + with a decrease of gross NH 4 + immobilization relative to the soil under intact Calluna . Neither net nor gross nitrification activity could be detected in any of the soils. The results indicate that the effects of an increased atmospheric N deposition to the heathland may be delayed because of the tight cycling of NH 4 + and the storage capacity for N in the soil and vegetation. The ecosystem may, however, be susceptible to disruption of the tight NH 4 + cycling because of the limited capacity of the ecosystem to remove excess mineral N from the soil. This may increase the risk of conversion of the heath into grassland.
Multivariate Correlation in the Framework of Support and Spatial Scales of Variability

This paper extends the concept of dispersion variance to the multivariate case where the change of support affects dispersion covariances and the matrix of correlation between attributes. This leads to a concept of correlation between attributes as a function of sample supports and size of the physical domain. Decomposition of dispersion covariances into the spatial scales of variability provides a tool for computing the contribution to variability from different spatial components. Coregionalized dispersion covariances and elementary dispersion variances are defined for each multivariate spatial scale of variability. This allows the computation of dispersion covariances and correlation between attributes without integrating the cross-variograms. A correlation matrix, for a second-order stationary field with point support and infinite domain, converges toward constant correlation coefficients. The regionalized correlation coefficients for each spatial scale of variability, and the cases where the intrinsic correlation hypothesis holds are found independent of support and size of domain. This approach opens possibilities for multivariate geostatistics with data taken at different support. Two numerical examples from soil textural data demonstrate the change of correlation matrix with the size of the domain. In general, correlation between attributes is extended from the classic Pearson correlation coefficient based on independent samples to a most general approach for dependent samples taken with different support in a limited domain.
Traffic and failure aware VM placement for multi-tenant cloud computing

In a multi-tenant cloud, tenants want to receive reliable services and the cloud provider intends to reduce intranetwork traffic in order to provide more services. Achieving the requirements of both sides is a challenging problem. Current tenant abstraction models cannot provide enough information for the cloud provider to optimize network traffic while satisfying reliability requirements. Based on the analysis of the traffic traces of a real multi-tenant cloud, we develop a new tenant abstraction model and design a novel virtual machine placement algorithm, called NETMAP. NETMAP optimizes the cost of network traffic incurred by tenant applications under the reliability constraints from the tenants. Trace-driven simulation results show that NETMAP outperforms a number of possible solutions. Even if there is traffic estimation error from the abstraction model, NETMAP still yields an optimized VM placement.
Ferroelectric Thin Films Deposited by Laser Ablation

The deposition of thin films of ferroelectric materials by the laser ablation technique was investigated. The films were grown by ablation from a bulk target of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) exposed to laser pulses from CO2 amd KrF excimer lasers. The effects of deposition and annealing conditions on the structure and stoichiometry of the films were studied.
Evidence of Embryo Formation as a Precursor to the Delta to Alpha-Prime Transformation in a Pu-Ga Alloy

It was experimentally observed that a single Pu-2.0 at% Ga sample can be thermally cycled many times, with nearly the same amount of transformation and reversion during each cycle, provided that the sample is annealed at 375°C for 8 hours and then conditioned at 25°C for at least 6 hours. The ambient temperature conditioning period is crucial for obtaining the same amount of transformation to alpha-prime in each thermal cycle. Here, we present results from a series of experiments that investigate the effects of conditioning time and temperature on alpha-prime_formation. When the sample is conditioned at 25°C for times between 0 and 6 hours, the amount of alpha-prime formed is a function of conditioning time. For conditioning treatments between 6 and 70 hours, however, the amount of alpha-prime_formed is nearly constant. Conditioning treatments at –50°C, 150°C, and 370°C all resulted in less alpha-prime_formation than the 25°C treatments. We hypothesize that embryos of the thermodynamically stable alpha phase form during the conditioning treatments, and these embryos form alpha-prime upon subsequent cooling. This result is an indirect confirmation of the Russian Pu-Ga equilibrium phase diagram.
Nanofiber-based paramagnetic probes for rapid, real-time biomedical oximetry

EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) based biological oximetry is a powerful tool that accurately and repeatedly measures tissue oxygen levels. In vivo determination of oxygen in tissues is crucial for the diagnosis and treatment of a number of diseases. Here, we report the first successful fabrication and remarkable properties of nanofiber sensors for EPR-oximetry applications. Lithium octa-n-butoxynaphthalocyanine (LiNc- BuO), an excellent paramagnetic oxygen sensor, was successfully encapsulated in 300-500 nm diameter fibers consisting of a core of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and a shell of polycaprolactone (PCL) by electrospinning. This core-shell nanosensor (LiNc-BuO-PDMS-PCL) shows a linear dependence of linewidth versus oxygen partial pressure (pO2). The nanofiber sensors have response and recovery times of 0.35 s and 0.55 s, respectively, these response and recovery times are ~12 times and ~218 times faster than those previously reported for PDMS-LiNc-BuO chip sensors. This greater responsiveness is likely due to the high porosity and excellent oxygen permeability of the nanofibers. Electrospinning of the structurally flexible PDMS enabled the fabrication of fibers having tailored spin densities. Core-shell encapsulation ensures the non-exposure of embedded LiNc-BuO and mitigates potential biocompatibility concerns. In vitro evaluation of the fiber performed under exposure to cultured cells showed that it is both stable and biocompatible. The unique combination of biocompatibility due to the PCL 'shell,' the excellent oxygen transparency of the PDMS core, and the excellent oxygen-sensing properties of LiNc-BuO makes LiNc-BuO-PDMS-PCL platform promising for long-term oximetry and repetitive oxygen measurements in both biological systems and clinical applications.
Evaluation of pelvic masses with magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography

Magnetic resonance imaging is becoming increasingly useful in characterizing adnexal masses, whereas endovaginal ultrasound is an invaluable technique for examining the uterus and adnexa. This pictorial essay depicts the internal architectural details necessary for characterization of various adnexal masses imaged with both EVU and MR imaging. Forty consecutive examinations that revealed 51 adnexal masses were reviewed. All patients had MR imaging and EVU examinations within 1 week of each other. T1- and T2-weighted images in coronal, axial, and sagittal planes were included. Fat suppression technique also was used in selected cases. EVU, because of its high spatial resolution, was able to depict better internal architectural details, allowing specific diagnosis of most adnexal masses, whereas MR imaging was superior in differentiating hemorrhagic masses from dermoids when specific fat suppression techniques were used.
Population health--a new discipline.

A new discipline--population health--has emerged with the potential to profoundly impact the U.S. health care system. Multiple forces stimulating the new population health concept include: (1) the increasing dominance of managed care and critical scrutiny of its development; (2) the continued refinement of clinical effectiveness and outcomes assessment research; (3) increasing public policy emphasis on cost-effectiveness accountability for health care services; and (4) a new focus on the importance of collaboration between the medicine and public health enterprises in this country. The need for sophisticated analysis of population health determinants has never been greater in history. New programs, like the University of Wisconsin-Madison's interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Population Health, address the need for analysis, dissemination, and application of information about the many factors affecting the health of populations.
Effect of nitric oxide and cell redox status on the regulation of endothelial cell xanthine dehydrogenase

We have previously reported that endothelial cell (EC) xanthine dehydrogenase/xanthine oxidase (XD/XO) activity correlates inversely with the O2 tension to which the cells are exposed. Whether this effect is related to the production of reactive O2 species is unclear. We exposed bovine pulmonary artery EC to various conditions that altered the redox status of the cells: 1) hypoxia (3% O2) and normoxia (20% O2); 2) menadione (MEN), known to generate O2 radicals; 3) catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione (GSH), which detoxify H2O2; and 4) various NO-generating systems. Changes in intracellular XO and XO + XD activities were correlated with rates of extracellular H2O2 release from the same cells. Conditions that decreased extracellular H2O2 release (hypoxia, CAT, and GSH) produced significant and parallel increases in intracellular XO and XO + XD activities in a time-dependent fashion. MEN treatment increased extracellular release of H2O2 and subsequently reduced intracellular XO and XO + XD activities. NO-generating agents did not change extracellular release of H2O2 but significantly reduced XO and XO + XD activities. The latter effect was prevented by reduced hemoglobin. Scavengers of hydroxyl radicals reversed the inhibition of XO and XO + XD activities produced by MEN but not that produced by NO. While NO significantly inhibited XD/XO activity from rat epididymal fat pad, it did not affect XD/XO mRNA expression in these cells. We conclude that intracellular XD/XO activity is sensitive to changes in oxidant-generating and protective systems. Inhibition of XD/XO activity by NO may be mediated through direct binding of NO to the enzyme iron-sulfur moiety or to its sulfhydryl groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Breast MRI contrast enhancement kinetics of normal parenchyma correlate with presence of breast cancer

We investigated dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) contrast enhancement kinetic variables quantified from normal breast parenchyma for association with presence of breast cancer, in a case-control study. Under a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant and Institutional Review Board-approved protocol, DCE-MRI scans of the contralateral breasts of 51 patients with cancer and 51 controls (matched by age and year of MRI) with biopsy-proven benign lesions were retrospectively analyzed. Applying fully automated computer algorithms on pre-contrast and multiple post-contrast MR sequences, two contrast enhancement kinetic variables, wash-in slope and signal enhancement ratio, were quantified from normal parenchyma of the contralateral breasts of both patients with cancer and controls. Conditional logistic regression was employed to assess association between these two measures and presence of breast cancer, with adjustment for other imaging factors including mammographic breast density and MRI background parenchymal enhancement (BPE). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to assess the ability of the kinetic measures to distinguish patients with cancer from controls. When both kinetic measures were included in conditional logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio for breast cancer was 1.7 (95 % CI 1.1, 2.8; p = 0.017) for wash-in slope variance and 3.5 (95 % CI 1.2, 9.9; p = 0.019) for signal enhancement ratio volume, respectively. These odds ratios were similar on respective univariate analysis, and remained significant after adjustment for menopausal status, family history, and mammographic density. While percent BPE was associated with an odds ratio of 3.1 (95 % CI 1.2, 7.9; p = 0.018), in multivariable analysis of the three measures, percent BPE was non-significant (p = 0.897) and the two kinetics measures remained significant. For the differentiation of patients with cancer and controls, the unadjusted AUC was 0.71 using a combination of the two measures, which significantly (p = 0.005) outperformed either measure alone (AUC = 0.65 for wash-in slope variance and 0.63 for signal enhancement ratio volume). Kinetic measures of wash-in slope and signal enhancement ratio quantified from normal parenchyma in DCE-MRI are jointly associated with presence of breast cancer, even after adjustment for mammographic density and BPE.