cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How far should we spread using DS-CDMA in time and frequency selective fading channels?

Spreading is used to provide diversity in frequency and results in a number of benefits. However, recent literature has shown that for a channel that decorrelates in time and frequency, the capacity of a wideband system in a fading channel goes to zero in the limit of infinite bandwidth (given second and fourth moment constraints that decay with the spreading bandwidth). We first extend to the two-user case the upper bound from Medard and Tse (Ref.5). Together with a lower bound based on binary transmission, meaningful bounds to the optimal spreading bandwidth using DS-CDMA are obtained. Given typical system and channel parameters, the minimum spreading bandwidth behaves as a linear function of channel strength. We will show that this result can be meaningfully applied as guidelines in the design of future communication systems.
Keyword Translation from English to Chinese for Multilingual QA

The Keyword Translator is a part of the Question Analyzer module in the JAVELIN Question-Answering system; it translates the keywords, which are used to query documents and extract answers, from one language to another. Much work has been in the area of query translation for CLIR or MLIR, however, many have focused on methods using hard-to-obtain and domain-specific resources, and evaluation is often based on retrieval performance rather than translation correctness. In this paper we will describe methods combining easily accessible, general-purpose MT systems to improve keyword translation correctness. We also describe methods that utilize the question sentence available to a question-answering system to improve translation correctness. We will show that using multiple MT systems and the question sentence to translate keywords from English to Mandarin Chinese can significantly improve keyword translation correctness.
The Case for an Open Data Model

The trend in modern software systems such as Java is to support “reflection” where independent software can query to find out the properties of objects. We have been investigating the implications of taking this property even further—so that all aspects of an application are open and available to inspection by external software. By making the fundamental data structures of the application have a standard format, external components can access the information they need without requiring a complex protocol. We have found that this gives the application developer and end users many important benefits, including support for increased automation, extensive end-user customization capabilities, external agents and tutors, sophisticated search and replace, scripting and macros, alternative interfaces without re-implementing the application, plug-ins that operate in the same space, and significantly higher re-use of common code. Many of these benefits are demonstrated in our Amulet user interface development environment which uses the open data model.
Bacteriophage T7 deoxyribonucleic acid replication in vitro: VI. Synthesis of biologically active T7 DNA

In the presence of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I, extracts of E. coli infected with bacteriophage T7 are capable of synthesizing full-sized T7 DNA molecules ( Masker & Richardson, 1976 ). We have tested the DNA produced in this in vitro system for its ability to infect spheroplasts of E. coli to produce T7 phage. Density -labeled DNA templates and isopycnic centrifugation have been used to separate the product from the exogenous DNA. Genetic markers have been used to distinguish the product from the endogenous DNA. The fidelity of the in vitro DNA replication is of sufficient accuracy to produce biologically active DNA. Either in the presence or absence of DNA polymerase I only the DNA product having approximately the same molecular weight as a whole T7 DNA molecule is infective.
Two-Dimensional TBR Calculations for Conceptual Compact Reversed-Field Pinch Reactor Blanket

A detailed two-dimensional nucleonic analysis was performed for a conceptual first wall, blanket, and shield design for the Compact Reversed-Field Pinch Keactor. The design includes significant two...
Polymers and Copolymers Containing Covalently Bonded Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes Moieties

The use of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POS or POSS®) as a moiety in polymers and copolymers is an area of research that has gained tremendous popularity in recent years. A number of excellent review articles have been published [1-8], as well as articles that elaborate on the larger field of silsesquioxanes [9-10]. In this chapter, we discuss T8 POS compounds, which are represented by the general formula Si8O12R8, where R is an organic group, or group suitable for polymerization or grafting. For ease of illustration, we have chosen to schematically represent the POS moiety as a cubic structure in many of the subsequent schemes that will appear in this chapter; this representation is shown in Fig. 4.1.
Study of 14O as a test of the unitarity of the CKM matrix and the CVC hypothesis

The study of superallowed beta decay in nuclei, in conjunction with other experiments, provide a test of the unitarity of the quark mixing matrix or CKM matrix. Nonunitarity of the CKM matrix could imply the existence of a fourth generation of quarks, right handed currents in the weak interaction, and/or new exotic fermions. Advances in radioactive beam techniques allow the creation of nearly pure samples of nuclei for beta decay studies. The subject of this thesis is the development of a radioactive beam of 14O and the study of the 14O halflife and branching ratio. The radioactive beam is produced by ionizing 12C14O radioactive gas and then accelerating with an ECR ion source. The 14O nucleus decays via superallowed beta decay with a branching ratio > 99 percent. The low Z of 14O is important for calculating reliable corrections to the beta decay that generally increase in with Z. The > 99 percent branching ratio can be established with modest precision on the complementary branching ratio.When this work began the experimentally determined CKM matrix was nonunitary by 2.5 standard deviations. Recent studies of Kaon, Hyperon, and B meson decays have been used to determine Vus and Vub matrix elements. In this work the halflife and branching ratio of 14O are measured and used to establish Vud. The unitarity of the CKM matrix is then assessed. The halflife of 14O was determined to be 70.683 +- 0.015 s and the GamowTeller branching ratio was found to be 0.643 +- 0.020 percent. Using these results the value of Vud is 0.9738 +- 0.0005. Incorporating the new values for Vus of 0.2272 +- 0.0030 and Vub of 0.0035 +- 0.0015 the squared sum of the first row of the CKM matrix is 0.9999 +- 0.0017 which is consistent with unitarity.
The Structure of the Broad-Line Region in Well-Studied AGNs

Large amounts of high quality UV and optical data have been obtained in massive multi-wavelength monitoring campaigns on a small number of active galactic nuclei, and these data are changing our understanding of the central engines in these sources in a fundamental way. Preliminary analyses have shown that more comprehensive approaches will be necessary to make full use of these data. We propose to undertake a complete set of photoionization equilibrium calculations with a state-of-the-art computer code in order to determine the radial structure of the broad-line region in a way that is consistent with the emission-line fluxes, profiles, and transfer functions.
Bulk-boundary correspondence of topological insulators from their respective Green's functions

Topological insulators are noninteracting, gapped fermionic systems which have gapless boundary excitations. They are characterized by topological invariants, which can be written in many different ways, including in terms of Green's functions. Here we show that the existence of the edge states directly follows from the existence of the topological invariant written in terms of the Green's functions, for all ten classes of topological insulators in all spatial dimensions. We also show that the resulting edge states are characterized by their own topological invariant, whose value is equal to the topological invariant of the bulk insulator. This can be used to test whether a given model Hamiltonian can describe an edge of a topological insulator. Finally, we observe that the results discussed here apply equally well to interacting topological insulators, with certain modifications.
Teaching old drugs new tricks to stop malaria invasion in its tracks

Malaria is a common and life-threatening disease endemic in large parts of the world. The emergence of antimalarial drug resistance is threatening disease-control measures that depend heavily on treatment of clinical malaria. The intracellular malaria parasite is particularly vulnerable during its brief extracellular stage of the life cycle. Wilson et al. describe a screen targeting these extracellular parasite stages and make the surprising discovery that clinically used macrolide antibiotics are potent inhibitors of parasite invasion into erythrocytes.
An accessory sec locus of Streptococcus gordonii is required for export of the surface protein GspB and for normal levels of binding to human platelets

The translocation of proteins across the bacterial cell membrane is carried out by highly conserved components of the Sec system. Most bacterial species have a single copy of the genes encoding SecA and SecY, which are essential for viability. However, Streptococcus gordonii strain M99 encodes SecA and SecY homologues that are not required for viability or for the translocation of most exported proteins. The genes (secA2 and secY2) reside in a region of the chromosome required for the export of GspB, a 286 kDa cell wall-anchored protein. Loss of GspB surface expression is associated with a significant reduction in the binding of M99 to human platelets, suggesting that it may be an adhesin. Genetic analyses indicate that M99 has a second, canonical SecA homologue that is essential for viability. At least two other Gram-positive species, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, encode two sets of SecA and SecY homologues. One set is more similar to SecA and SecY of Escherichia coli, whereas the other set is more similar to SecA2 and SecY2 of strain M99. The conserved organization of genes in the secY2-secA2 loci suggests that, in each of these Gram-positive species, SecA2 and SecY2 may constitute a specialized system for the transport of a very large serine-rich repeat protein.
Host Selection and Invasion by the Douglas-fir Beetle, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins, in Coastal Douglas-fir Forests

The dispersal flight of the Douglas-fir beetle, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins, is oriented toward fresh windthrown and cut trees when these are present in the stand, the beetle being attracted by oleoresin, particularly its alpha-pinene, camphene, and limonene fractions. In the absence of such material the pioneer beetle dispersal appears to be rather uniform throughout the stand. This host attraction precedes the beetle attraction which is produced by unmated females shortly after entering the host and which results in mass concentration of beetles around the center of attraction. Of these two phases in the attraction process, the secondary attraction is far stronger than that caused by the fractions of the host oleoresin.Attraction centers are established only in freshly downed trees and in standing trees of subnormal physiological condition under both latent and epizootic conditions; however, under epizootic conditions, the beetles can invade even vigorous trees in the perimeter of attraction. The survival of such trees depends on their ability to exude oleoresin, which in turn is influenced greatly by environmental factors. The susceptibility of trees to successful beetle invasion is characterized by their oleoresin exudation pressure, which reflects water disturbances in the tree. Diurnal and seasonal fluctuations of the resin pressure are discussed in relation to beetle flight and invasion, and the resin effects upon the beetle (both mechanical and chemical) are considered. The beetles are found to be repelled by Douglas-fir resin and its fractions, i.e. alpha- and beta-pinene, camphene, limonene, terpineol and geraniol, when tested at close range in the laboratory.
Schooling, Jobbing, Marrying: what's a girl to do to make life better? Empowerment Capabilities of Girls at the Margins of Globalization in China

Though girls' education is a well-established part of the anti-poverty canon, its importance in the lives of girls on the margins of China's globalization is more complex than a utility approach might suggest. This article uses a capabilities approach of empowerment to understand what educational opportunities a set of multiply marginalized girls value - that is, might have reason to value. The article foregrounds rural girls' voices to tell us what capabilities they treasure, how they develop agency, and what well-being they experience while living under severely constrained gendered socio-economic and cultural circumstances. Findings show that the opportunity structure is embedded in how and what the girls value in their world related to education. Hence, understanding and strengthening the fabric of this embedded opportunity structure can lay the foundation for an effective educational development policy toward the Millennium Development Goals. Findings showed that with schooling, the girls gained confidence, and psychological as well as cognitive control; some went against their parents' wishes, and stayed in school. After they 'went into society', they continued to develop their voice and capability of making strategic life choices about school, work and marriage. They imagined social change in their relation to their birth families, though they accepted the prevailing preference for sons, but they sought alternatives to marrying and returning to 'grow crops' (zhong tien) and have babies. One early school leaver put it this way, 'If I don't change, I won't make progress. It would be like living in the past (the village). I have to adapt to society (in the larger world).' Powerless and poor girls make up the most disadvantaged group in education. (United Nations Girls' Education Initiative, 2010) Girls' education is the most effective means of combating many of the most profound challenges to human development. (UNICEF, 2004) I hope my daughter will be versatile. I think it's far from enough to gain knowledge only from school in order to find a job and to get along in society. (Ren Qiqi (a Guanlan Sister), 2010) Girls' education is a well-established part of the anti-poverty canon and of initiatives to reach the Millennium Development Goals, but why is it important to girls?(1) This question has motivated my research in China for the past 10 years. In this article, I am using a 'capabilities approach' (Sen,
Phase-Lock Loop Jump Phenomenon in the Presence of Two Signals

Jump phenomena are known to exist in many non-linear systems [I], [2], [3]. The non-linear analysis presented in this paper explains and predicts the conditions for the jump phenomenon that is observed in a phase-locked loop (PLL) preceded by an automatic gain control (AGC). The jump phenomenon occurs when the frequency separation AM of two sinusoids at the input to the AGC is greater than the bandwidth B of the linearized PLL. If the loop is initially locked to the stronger signal, the weaker signal will frequency-modulate the PLL voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) with a modulation frequency AI. The amplitude S2 of the weaker signal al can be increased until it becomes greater than the amplitude Si of the signal being tracked, without causing the loop to lose lock; i. e., the VCO continues to track the original signal. However, if the ratio of the amplitudes S2 S1 = R is increased above some critical value RC > 1, the loop will lose lock on the original signal, and jump to track the interfering signal. If the frequency separation is at least twice the PLL bandwidth, a good approximation for this critical ratio is Rc ? ?w/B.
Social tolerance of the mentally ill in the Mexican American community.

This work is a comparative study of social tolerance toward mental illness. The central concern is with the orientation of the Chicano toward these phenomena. The aim is to determine whether or not attitudes that Mexican Americans hold toward mental illness differ from those of other Americans. Survey research methods are used to conduct a comparative study of two ethnically distinct groups — Anglo and Mexican American.Attitudes toward mental illness are measured by a social distance scale. High to low tolerance toward the mentally ill is measured. The questions range from close personal to more distant association, such as whether or not one would mind having his or her children marry someone considered to be mentally ill, to whether or not one would mind working with such a person.We have found that sex, age and education are the primary variables associated with attitudes towards mental illness. Better educated Chicanos are clearly more tolerant of the mentally disabled than the little schooled. The ge...
CELLULAR PRODUCTION SYSTEMS: A CONCURRENT CLUSTER ANALYTIC FRAMEWORK

We propose an agglomerative heuristic cluster analysis framework for application to the part-family and machine-cell formation problems associated with group technology. This framework addresses the notion of concurrently forming clusters of parts (families) and machines (cells) based on natural between-part and between-machine relationships and the strength of association relating pairs of parts with pairs of machines. An illustrative model is presented and operational aspects demonstrated using a small problem.
Fundamental aspects of creep in metal matrix composites

The primary characteristics of the creep of metal matrix composites (MMCs) are reviewed, including the shapes of the creep curves, the origin of the threshold stresses, and the nature of the rate-controlling processes. A detailed analysis of two representative MMCs provides no support for the concept of a constant substructure model for creep with a stress exponent (n) of 8. Analysis of the data demonstrates that creep is controlled by deformation in the matrix alloys and, as in solid solution alloys, there is a division into control by viscous glide (class A) and climb (class M), respectively.
Ultraviolet Irradiation Increases Matrix Metalloproteinase-8 Protein in Human Skin In Vivo

Humans express three distinct collagenases, MMP-1, MMP-8, and MMP-13, that initiate degradation of fibrillar type I collagen. We have previously reported that ultraviolet irradiation causes increased expression of MMP-1, but not MMP-13, in keratinocytes and fibroblasts in human skin in vivo. We report here that ultraviolet irradiation increases expression of MMP-8 in human skin in vivo. Western analysis revealed that levels of the full-length, 85 kDa proenzyme form of MMP-8 increased significantly within 8 h post ultraviolet irradiation (2 minimal erythema doses). Increased full-length MMP-8 protein was associated with infiltration into the skin of neutrophils, which are the major cell type that expresses MMP-8. Immunofluorescence revealed coexpression of MMP-8 and neutrophil elastase, a marker for neutrophils. Immunohistology demonstrated MMP-8 expression in neutrophils in the papillary dermis between 4 and 8 h post ultraviolet irradiation, and in the epidermis at 24 h post radiation. MMP-8 mRNA expression was not detected in nonirradiated or ultraviolet-irradiated human skin, indicating that increased MMP-8 following ultraviolet irradiation resulted from preexisting MMP-8 protein in infiltrating neutrophils. Pretreatment of skin with the glucocorticoid clobetasol, but not all-trans retinoic acid, significantly blocked ultraviolet-induced increases in MMP-8 protein levels, and neutrophil infiltration. In contrast, all-trans retinoic acid and clobetasol were equally effective in blocking ultraviolet induction of MMP-1 and degradation of collagen in human skin in vivo. Taken together, these data demonstrate that ultraviolet irradiation increases MMP-8 protein, which exists predominantly in a latent form within neutrophils, in human skin in vivo. Although ultraviolet irradiation induces both MMP-1 and MMP-8, ultraviolet-induced collagen degradation is initiated primarily by MMP-1, with little, if any, contribution by MMP-8.
Dentin ablation with three infrared lasers.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Lasers are used for caries removal in enamel and dentin, but are currently limited in their ability to remove sound tooth structure. In this study plasma interaction regimes are investigated as the principal factor determining the ablation characteristics. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS Three ablation parameters are considered: ablation rates (AR), surface temperatures (ST), and surface morphological characteristics. The three lasers investigated were Er:YSGG with wavelength (WL) of 2.94 mu m and pulse duration (PD) of 250 mu s, Ho:YSGG at 2.1 mu m and 250 mu s and an Nd:YAG with WL of 1.06 mu M and PD of 15ns. RESULTS The highest surface temperatures were observed during Er:YSGG treatment (> 300 degrees C), moderate temperatures with the Ho:YSGG (150 degrees C), and lowest with the Nd:YAG (with highest surface temperature generally lower than 80 degrees C). Ablation rates were also compared and were shown to be highest with the Er:YSGG and Ho:YSGG, and lower with the Nd:YAG (< 3 mu m). In all systems, efficient ablation was observed only in the presence of plasma. In spite of their different wavelengths, for similar spot sizes, energy, and pulse duration, ablation rates of Ho:YSGG and Er:YSGG were found to be comparable. These were an order of magnitude larger than the ablation rates observed with the nanosecond system. CONCLUSION Possible explanation for these observations is given in terms of plasma characteristics.
Current Therapeutic Approaches to Patients With Newly Diagnosed Low-Grade Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Follicular lymphoma, the most common type of low-grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), is conventionally considered incurable. However, recent treatment advances have demonstrated significant improvements in long-term progression-free and overall survival. In particular, rituximab has demonstrated impressive efficacy in follicular lymphoma, with a single dosing cycle resulting in an 80% overall response rate when used as initial therapy. Rituximab has also shown activity within maintenance regimens, following both rituximab induction and chemotherapy induction, although significant long-term benefit compared to re-treatment upon relapse has not yet been demonstrated. A newer treatment modality, radioimmunotherapy, is also effective in prolonging progression-free survival in follicular lymphoma patients, and it is being actively compared to rituximab in phase III clinical trials. Overall, only 5% of follicular lymphoma patients are estimated to participate in clinical trials, suggesting that trial enrollment should be increased to improve patient outcomes using the therapies discussed herein.
Broadband quasiphasematching for large-scale entanglement in quantum optical frequency combs

We observed a remarkably broad sum frequency generation quasi-phasematching bandwidth in periodically poled KTiOPO4, consistent with theory. This is key to large-size quantum computing registers by generating continuous-variable cluster states in quantum optical frequency combs.
The metabolism of D-arabinose: alternate kinases for the phosphorylation of D-ribulose in Escherichia coli and Aerobacter aerogenes.

d-Ribulose is the first catabolic intermediate in the metabolism of d-arabinose and ribitol by Aerobacter aerogenes, and in the metabolism of d-arabinose by Escherichia coli. In A. aerogenes the d-ribulose is converted to d-ribulose-5-phosphate by the enzyme d-ribulokinase, whereas phosphorylation in E. coli is at the 1-carbon position of d-ribulose, a reaction catalyzed by l-fuculokinase. By selection of kinase-deficient mutants of these two organisms the possibility of replacing the kinase normally responsible for the phosphorylation of d-ribulose, by other kinases possessing activity on this ketose, has been demonstrated. A mutant of E. coli which had lost the ability to grow on d-arabinose, by the loss of l-fuculokinase activity, was able to regain the ability to grow on this compound by using l-ribulokinase from the l-arabinose catabolic pathway. Not only did this second kinase replace the l-fuculokinase deficiency, but it also altered the route by which d-arabinose was metabolized. A ribitol-negative mutant of A. aerogenes, deficient in the synthesis of d-ribulo-kinase activity, was found to “revert” to the wild-type phenotype at a relatively high frequency. Eight of 63 of these “revertants” had regained the ability to grow on ribitol by a mutation to constitutive synthesis of l-ribulokinase. The same strain of A. aerogenes, which had lost the ability to synthesize a functional d-ribulokinase, was also able to utilize l-fuculokinase in its place. Preinduction of this strain on a medium containing l-fucose resulted in linear growth on ribitol and on d-arabinose. In addition, by utilization of l-fuculokinase in place of the missing d-ribulokinase, further metabolism of d-ribulose had been diverted through the d-ribulose-1-phosphate pathway common to growth of E. coli on d-arabinose.
The effect of severing the spinal cord of fetal lambs on length of gestation

Lambs with spinal cords that had been severed near the head at 50 days of gestation were born after a shortened gestation of about 128 days. Lambs with severed spinal cords born as a twin with an intact lamb had a normal gestation of 148 days. The presence of an intact spinal cord or the signals that it might carry apparently influence the length of gestation in the ewe.
An Eden model for randomly branched structures

The Eden growth model has been modified to generate dense branched structures in which a unique directed path connects each occupied site to the cluster origin. A measure μ(r) can be assigned to each site on the cluster at position r such that if this site were removed μ(r) other sites would be disconnected from the cluster. By focussing attention on only those sites with large values of μ(r) tenuous ramified structures emerge that resemble a variety of natural tree-like structures. Although these structures superficially resemble those associated with fractal growth models, they can be described in terms of a crossover from a dimensionality of 1 on short length scales to 2 on long length scales. It is suggested that some real networks might exhibit such a crossover geometry and that this should be considered as an alternative to a fractal network with a non-integer dimensionality.
Evaluation of propeller-aspirator-pump aerators

Abstract Propeller-aspirator-pump aerators of 0.38, 1.5, and 2.24 kW transferred averages of 1.73 to 1.91 kg oxygen/kW · h in standardized oxygen transfer tests (tap water; 20°C; 0 mg/l dissolved oxygen) conducted in a shallow basin (1.04 m of water depth). In comparison tests, spray-type surface aerators transferred 1.34 to 1.41 kg oxygen/kW · h and a diffused-air system transferred 1.08 kW · h. The water-mixing capabilities of aerators were estimated from the time to completely mix salt (NaCl) throughout the volumes of ponds, and from the time required to spread a dye over surfaces of ponds. The propeller-aspirator-pump was effective in mixing pond water. A 1.5-kW propeller-aspirator-pump spread dye over a 0.4-ha pond in 32 min and mixed salt throughout 3000 m 3 of water in 90 min. A larger spray-type surface aerator (2.24 kW) required 1.5 h to spread dye and 1.75 h to mix salt in the same pond.
Myopic prediction, self-destructive secrecy, and the unexpected benefits of revealing final deadlines in negotiation

Abstract Three studies explored the psychology of social prediction by examining negotiators’ predictions of the effects of time pressure and comparing those predictions with actual outcomes. The results show that revealing final deadlines in negotiation can lead to better outcomes for the negotiator with the deadline because revelation speeds concessions by the other side. However, both naive and experienced negotiators consistently predicted the opposite. As a result, when given the choice of revealing their final deadlines to their negotiating opponents, negotiators chose not to. The reasons for these erroneous expectations can be explained by myopic processes of prediction in which people anticipate the effects of constraints like deadlines more on their own behavior than on the behavior of others.
Romance on the Early Modern Stage

In Shakespeare studies, the term romance is widely understood to refer to a group of plays from the late period of the Shakespearean canon. In looking at two plays from the period of 1590–1610, Orlando Furioso and the Arthurian romance Tom a Lincoln, this essay identifies an earlier history for the genre. I term this kind of drama ‘stage romance’, a popular genre that originated in the earliest days of the Elizabethan theater. These plays demonstrate the emergence of ‘romance’ out of a global history: the social, intellectual, and economic changes prompted by England's increasing role in an expanding global economy.
Temperature dependence of structural and electrical properties of Ta‐Si thin alloy films

In situ electrical resistivity measurement and structural analysis methods including MeV 4He+ ion backscattering, x‐ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy combined with Ar+ sputtering, scanning and transmission electron microscopies have been used to investigate the properties and characteristics of the Ta‐Si thin alloy film system as a function of temperature. Stoichiometric TaSi2 films were deposited by double electron‐gun coevaporation on Si, oxidized Si, and sapphire substrates. A distinct drop in resistivity near 300 °C has been determined to be a transformation of the amorphous to crystalline phase. The kinetics of the transformation has been obtained by isothermal treatment over the temperature interval of 240–280 °C. The results are interpreted in terms of a classical solid‐state phase transformation model with a t4 (time) dependence and an apparent activation energy of 1.85 eV. Subsequent annealing causes further decrease of resistivity. The microstructures of films at various stages of ann...
An Atmospheric–Hydrologic Forecasting Scheme for the Indus River Basin

AbstractSouth Asia is vulnerable to extreme weather events, and the Indus River basin (IRB) is subject to flood risk. Flooding occurred in Pakistan during the monsoon seasons from 2010 to 2012, causing major economic damage and significant loss of life. The nature of slow-rise discharge on the Indus and overtopping of riverbanks in the IRB indicates the need for extended warning time (1–10 days). Daily mean streamflow at Tarbela Dam, a major control structure on the Indus River, is reproduced by using numerical weather prediction initialization data from the ECMWF to drive the Variable Infiltration Capacity macroscale hydrologic model. A one-dimensional routing model conducts base flow and surface runoff from each grid cell through a stream network. Comparisons of reconstructions with inflow data at Tarbela Dam over a 3-yr period yield an R2 correlation of 0.93 and RMSE of 692 m3 s−1. From 2010 to 2012, 276 daily ensemble hindcasts are generated. In comparing the ensemble mean of 10-day hindcasts to recon...
A simulated annealing solution to the cell formation problem

This research develops a simulated annealing (SA) based heuristic for cell formation problems. We apply the SA based heuristic to many popular examples for cell formation problems. The computational results show that the SA based heuristic performs very well in all these examples, and the SA based heuristic has several advantages that most of the existing algorithms do not have.
Men and information: a psychologist’s view

In the context of a Course on information theory, a psychologist feels strongly tempted to start his speech with a series of caveats. I will say only this, that in spite of the assurances that you have been given it is still not true that a man can be considered a priori as anything predictable. I would also say that all tile assumptions made by mathematicians and engineers about men were certainly false, so that if I contradict anything said by anyone else up to this point, I am asserting categorically that they are wrong and I am right. It is perhaps almost a commonplace that a man can be regarded as a communication system. He receives sensory impressions (information) from his environment (a source). This ilfformation is transformed (recoded) initially in the sense organs and subsequently in successive centers of the nervous system. It is transmitted over nerve trunks from one station to another and amplified in the course of its transmission. It is stored both for short times necessary to effect sequential recoding and for long times in something that, remarkably enough, is called nlenlory. Finally, the inform~tion is retransformed into environmental events that contain some fraction of the information that entered the sensory end of the channel. The system is noisy as any real system is bound to be, but it is amazingly economical, highly portable, easily programmed and has been proved out in service in essentially the present model for at least 5000 years for which ~,e have records. Quite a machine! At the same time, many people have had the reverse idea, that nature, including' machines, often imitates the behavior of men. Primitive man ascribed human motives to the wind and storms, to the mountains and to nature about him. He saw devils and spirits in the inanimate world. The recent fascination with robots and (~ Giant Brains ~) has about it some of the same uncritical
Germinal centres: role in B-cell physiology and malignancy

Over the past several years, studies on normal and malignant B cells have provided new insights into the unique physiology of the germinal centre (GC). In particular, advances in technology have allowed a more precise dissection of the phenotypes of GC B cells and the specific transcriptional programmes that are responsible for this phenotype. Furthermore, substantial progress has been made in the understanding of the mechanism controlling the exit of B cells from the GC and the decision to become a memory B cell or plasma cell. This Review focuses on these recent advances and discusses their implications for the pathogenesis of B-cell lymphomas.
Sources of intraocular light scatter from inversion of an empirical glare function

Many questions remain concerning the sources of intraocular light scatter. One approach, inversion of the empirical disability glare function, implies that refractive-index fluctuations extend over distances of tens of micrometers. Randomly placed inhomogeneities of these sizes, such as protein aggregates, are ruled out. It is argued that refractive-index fluctuations associated with the lens fiber lattice are capable of contributing significantly to intraocular scatter and that they provide the necessary large spatial extent.
Rebuilding War-Torn States: The Challenge of Post-Conflict Economic Reconstruction , by Graciana Del Castillo

In this book, Graciana Del Castillo draws on theory, her own experiences as senior economist in the Cabinet of the United Nations secretary-general and as an International Monetary Fund staffer, and qualitative case studies to critically reconsider the challenges of postconflict economic reconstruction. The core argument is as follows. Countries making the shift from war to peace face a multipronged transition in the economic, legal, political, social, and security sectors. Given this multifaceted transition, economic reconstruction is fundamentally different from the “development as usual” approach taken by the international community to address typical socioeconomic challenges faced by peaceful developing countries. Instead, economic reconstruction in postconflict countries is a “development plus” challenge, meaning that these countries face the same challenges as other developing countries plus the added challenge of achieving reconciliation and peace. Del Castillo concludes that many post–Cold War reconstruction efforts have failed because of the development as usual approach to reconstruction, a lack of comprehensive planning, insufficient aid and assistance, and the inadequacies of international organizations (e.g., the United Nations and international financial institutions) in dealing with the challenges of reconstruction.
Retrograde intubation in patients undergoing open heart surgery.

Cardiovascular changes during difficult intubation were studied in 25 patients undergoing open heart surgery. The study was divided into two phases. Phase A from the first laryngoscopy to the fourth unsuccessful one; Phase B from a stabilization period until after retrograde intubation was performed. During phase A, heart rate (HR) increased significantly from 75 ± 6.5 beatslmin before laryngoscopy to 95 ± 8.5 (p < 0.05) after the last laryn-goscopy. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) also increased from 82.5 ± 4.75 mmHgto 105 ± 5.15 (p<0.005) after the last laryngoscopy. Cardiac index (CI) decreased from 2.9 ± 0.3 L·min-1m-2 before to 2.55 ± 0.2 after the last laryngoscopy. Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) increased from 10.5 ± 1 mmHg before to 19.25 ± 1.5 (p< 0.01) after the last laryngoscopy. No statistically significant changes in HR, MAP, CI, and PCWP occurred before and after intubation during Phase B. Three patients had elevated ST segments during Phase A which responded to IV nitroglycerin and propranolol. None was detected during Phase B. There were more lacerated lips and teeth damaged during Phase A. One patient developed a small peritracheal haematoma after the retrograde intubation, for which no treatment was required. This technique is safe and produces minimal cardiovascular changes for difficult intubation in patients undergoing open heart surgery.
Isolation and immunologic characterization of the human platelet alloantigen, P1A1

Abstract Platelets from patients with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, acongential disorder of platelet function, are deficient in the membrane alloantigen. P1a1 (Zwa). present on platelets of nearly all normal subjects. Because thrombasthenic platelets are also deficient in two membrane glycoproteins, designated IIb and IIIa. it has been suggested that one or both of these glycoproteins may carry the P1a1 antigenic determinant. To address this question, the P1a1 antigen was isolated by sequential lectin affinity chromatography of sodium deoxycholate extracts of platelet membranes, by indirect immunoprecipitation of Nonidet P40 extracts of lactoperoxidase-iodinated intact platelets, and by preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of solubilized membrane preparations. By each of the three separatory procedures, the P1a1 antigenic marker was shown to be associated with glycoprotein IIIa. Studies of the effects of proteolytic enzymes, disulfide-reactive agents and temperature on P1a1 activity and of the effect of various sugars on the P1a1-anti-P1a1 reaction indicate that the P1a1 antigen, situated on a portion of the molecule susceptible to cleavage in situ by trypsin, but not by chymotrypsin. bromelain, or papain, requires intact disulfide bonds for its full expression, and is probably determined by a polypeptide sequence in GPIIIa. Virtually all of the P1a1 activity of platelets appears to be located on the external plasma membrane. P1a1 appears to be the first alloantigen to be assigned to a specific platelet membrane constituent and the third peptide-determined alloantigen to be assigned to a human cell membrane protein.
037 Relative importance of cooling and warming rate in obtaining high survivals of mouse oocytes and embryos after vitrification

There is accelerating interest in the cryopreservation of human oocytes and preimplantation embryos, and this has prompted parallel research with mouse oocytes and embryos by us and others. The survival of a cell requires that no more than minimal amounts of small crystals of ice form inside the cell. One way to avoid intracellular ice is to vitrify cells; i.e., to convert cell water to a glass rather than to ice. The belief has been that this demands that both the cooling rate and the concentration of glass-inducing solutes in the cells be very high. But high solute concentrations can themselves be osmotically and chemically damaging. Our studies have shown that the first belief (that cooling needs to be extremely rapid) is not correct with respect to the vitrification of mouse oocytes. The important requirement is that the warming rate be extremely high. We subjected mouse oocytes in the vitrification solution EAFS 10/10 to vitrification procedures using a broad matrix of cooling and warming rates. Morphological survivals exceeded 80% when they were warmed at the highest rate (117,000 °C/min) even when the prior cooling rate was as low as 880 °C/min. Functional survival was >81% and 54% with the highest warming rate after cooling at 69,000 and 880 °C/min, respectively. We have also found the second belief to be erroneous. We show that a high percentage of mouse oocytes survive vitrification in EAFS media that contain only half the usual concentration of solutes, provided they are warmed extremely rapidly; i.e., >100,000 °C/min. Again, the cooling rate is of less consequence. This suggests that the major cause of death is the recrystallization of intracellular ice into large crystals during warming. We have cryomicroscope and thermodynamic evidence that supports that view. Source of funding: NIH R01OD011201. Conflict of interest: None declared. pmazur@utk.edu
Biochemical examination ofRana pipiens epithelial mucus

The epithelial mucus ofRana pipiens is shown to be highly negative by histochemical procedures, uptake of tagged extracellular markers, equilibrium dialysis, and QAE-Sephadex G-25 ion exchange chromatography. The mucus is found to contain 0.4% (dry weight) sulfate, 16% (dry weight) protein and 9% (dry weight) neutral sugars, whereas no sialic acid is detected. A mucin charge of −40 equivalents mole−1 is calculated by equilibrium dialysis using a molecular mass of 100,000 Dalton. An independent determination of in situ charge density by radionuclide uptake onto the frog surface (1.55 meq l−1) suggests that this estimate of mucin charge is correct. Based on analysis of size-exclusion chromatography fractions, it is suggested that mucus contains a sulfated glyco-protein (100,000 Dalton) that forms aggregates of about one million Dalton.
Determinations Of Linear And Nonlinear Phase Distributions

An electronic/optical system capable of determining the linear and/or non-linear phase distribution of a complex amplitude wavefront is described. The use of this scheme in space variant pattern recognition is emphasized and its applicability to other optical data processing cases noted.© (1977) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Linkage mapping of D21S171 to the distal long arm of human chromosome 21 using a polymorphic (AC)n dinucleotide repeat.

An (AC)n repeat within the anonymous DNA sequence D21S171 was shown to be highly polymorphic in members of the 40 Centre d'Etude du Polymorphisme Humain (CEPH) families. Ten different alleles at this marker locus were detected by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels of DNA amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers flanking the (AC)n repeat. The observed heterozygosity was 66%. PCR amplification of DNA from somatic cell hybrids mapped D21S171 to human chromosome 21, and linkage analysis localized this marker close to the loci CD18, PFKL, D21S113 and D21S112 in chromosomal band 21q22.3. In CEPH family 12 a de novo allele has been observed in a maternally derived chromosome.
Continuous removal of glycerol from frozen-thawed red blood cells in a microfluidic membrane device

Cryopreservation of human red blood cells (RBCs) in the presence of 40% glycerol allows a shelf-life of 10 years, as opposed to only 6 weeks for refrigerated RBCs. Nonetheless, cryopreserved blood is rarely used in clinical therapy, in part because of the requirement for a time-consuming (∼1 h) post-thaw wash process to remove glycerol before the product can be used for transfusion. The current deglycerolization process involves a series of saline washes in an automated centrifuge, which gradually removes glycerol from the cells in order to prevent osmotic damage. We recently demonstrated that glycerol can be extracted in as little as 3 min without excessive osmotic damage if the composition of the extracellular solution is precisely controlled. Here, we explore the potential for carrying out rapid glycerol extraction using a membrane-based microfluidic device, with the ultimate goal of enabling inline washing of cryopreserved blood. To assist in experimental design and device optimization, we developed a mass transfer model that allows prediction of glycerol removal, as well as the resulting cell volume changes. Experimental measurements of solution composition and hemolysis at the device outlet are in reasonable agreement with model predictions, and our results demonstrate that it is possible to reduce the glycerol concentration by more than 50% in a single device without excessive hemolysis. Based on these promising results, we present a design for a multistage process that is predicted to safely remove glycerol from cryopreserved blood in less than 3 min.
Quantitative electron energy loss spectroscopy of vanadium carbide

Abstract A dedicated scanning transmission electron microscope equipped with an electron energy loss spectrometer was used to measure the carbon/metal ratio, x , in a specimen of single crystal vanadium carbide, VC x . VC x is normally a non-stoichiometric compound whose properties depend strongly upon the value of x . Inner shell ionization cross-sections for carbon and metal atoms were obtained experimentally from evaporated films. The value of x obtained from the energy loss spectra using these cross-sections was 0.84, in good agreement with the value of 0.833 known to be correct, as the specimen had been annealed to develop the ordered phase V 6 C 5 . With cross-sections calculated by the efficiency factor method and by the hydrogenic model, values of x obtained from the same energy loss spectra were approximately 10% lower and 25% lower, respectively, than the known value.
Immediate rescue designs in pediatric analgesic trials: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Designing analgesic clinical trials in pediatrics requires a balance between scientific, ethical, and practical concerns. A previous consensus group recommended immediate rescue designs using opioid sparing as a surrogate measure of analgesic efficacy. The authors summarize the performanc
Bose-Einstein condensation in dilute atomic gases

We summarize all experimental studies of Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) in dilute atomic gases reported thus far and discuss the experimental techniques used to produce, manipulate and observe nanokelvin samples of atoms.
Teaching Nature of Science to K‐2 Students: What understandings can they attain?

This study explored the influence of a Saturday Science program that used explicit reflective instruction through contextualized and decontextualized guided and authentic inquiry on K‐2 students’ views of nature of science (NOS). The six‐week program ran for 2.5 hours weekly and emphasized NOS in a variety of science content areas, culminating in an authentic inquiry designed and carried out by the K‐2 students. The Views of Nature of Science Form D was used to interview K‐2 students pre‐ and post‐instruction. Copies of student work were retained for content analysis. Videotapes made of each week’s science instruction were reviewed to ensure that explicit reflective NOS instruction took place. Explicit NOS teaching strategies included (1) introducing NOS through decontextualized activities, (2) embedding NOS into science content through contextualized activities, (3) using children’s literature, (4) debriefings and embedded NOS assessments, and (5) guided and student‐designed inquiries. Results indicate t...