cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The design and performance analysis for several new classes of codes for optical synchronous CDMA and for arbitrary-medium time-hopping synchronous CDMA communication systems

New families of spread-spectrum codes are constructed, that are applicable to optical synchronous code-division multiple-access (CDMA) communications as well as to arbitrary-medium time-hopping synchronous CDMA communications. Proposed constructions are based on the mappings from integer sequences into binary sequences. The authors use the concept of number theoretic quadratic congruences and a subset of Reed-Solomon codes similar to the one utilized in the Welch-Costas frequency-hop (FH) patterns. The properties of the codes are as good as or better than the properties of existing codes for synchronous CDMA communications: both the number of code-sequences within a single code family and the number of code families with good properties are significantly increased when compared to the known code designs. Possible applications are presented. To evaluate the performance of the proposed codes, a new class of hit arrays called cyclical hit arrays is recalled, which give insight into the previously unknown properties of the few classes of number theoretic FH patterns. Cyclical hit arrays and the proposed mappings are used to determine the exact probability distribution functions of random variables that represent interference between users of a time-hopping or optical CDMA system. Expressions for the bit error probability in multi-user CDMA systems are derived as a function of the number of simultaneous CDMA system users, the length of signature sequences and the threshold of a matched filter detector. The performance results are compared with the results for some previously known codes. >
Path Planning for Network Performance

Path planning and network design are often treated by architects of mobile communication networks as separate problems. In fact, most mobile ad hoc network (MANET) designs do not consider the path that the network nodes would take as part of the objective set, but incorporate them in an abstract form as general constraints on mobility (limit on the initial configuration and the node velocity). It appears that significant performance improvement may be possible if multiobjective optimization is attempted on performance indices such as connectivity of the network and arrival time of all nodes at a specified terminal set. In this study we provide an efficient decentralized method for computing the Pareto optimal set of plans, and show the benefit of path planning under six different metrics of MANET performance.
Characteristic mode-based design and analysis of an electrically small planar spiral antenna with omnidirectional pattern

The antenna under consideration is a five-turn Archimedean rectangular two-arm wire spiral antenna, which is 46 x 15.7cm in size is presented in this paper. It is placed in the x-y plane. There are two ports (one per arm) located at the center. Normally, a two-arm spiral antenna cannot practically radiate spiral mode 2, as it requires the two-ports at the center to be excited in phase (i.e. an unbalanced feed), but it can be simulated using a method of moments code (MoM) without any problems. All simulation results are obtained using an MoM code. The goal is to produce the best possible horizontally polarized omnidirectional pattern. The reader should note that all gain values cited in this section do not include mismatch losses. Absolute gain, which includes matching networks, will be presented at the conference.
Effects of the Great Recession: Health and Well-Being

The existing evidence linking recessions to individual and population health presents a puzzle. Some studies show that people who experience the kinds of labor market, housing, and asset shocks that proliferate in recessions suffer negative health consequences, whereas other studies show that mortality rates fall when the economy worsens. This review synthesizes evidence from these distinct research traditions in light of emerging findings from the Great Recession of 2007–2009. It traces pathways by which macroeconomic changes “get under the skin” and generate contradictory aggregate- and individual-level consequences. Research on the longer-term health effects of recessions could be strengthened by integrating theoretical and analytical approaches from sociology. These include a multilevel perspective that considers how individuals cope with recessions as members of families and communities embedded in different policy environments, and attention to cascades of recessionary shocks, individuals' strategie...
In vivo imaging of cortical membrane remodeling in rats with chronic unilateral ablation of nucleus basalis magnocellularis: use of radiolabeled palmitic acid

Membrane remodeling was imaged in vivo in brains of rats with a 2-week-old right-sided ablation of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM). To do this, [9,10-3H]palmitic acid ([3H]PAM) was injected intravenously and regional brain incorporation k* of tracer was determined with quantitative autoradiography after 20 min circulation. In NBM-lesioned animals, k* was elevated significantly (by up to 17%) in 11 ipsilateral frontal or parietal cortical regions, more so in layer 1 than in layers IV and V. Unoperated animals showed no right-left difference in k*, whereas sham-operated animals showed some unilateral effects of damage due to the needle track. Circulating [3H]PAM is incorporated into sn-1 positions of brain phospholipids, mainly phosphatidylcholine, and its rate of turnover is thought to reflect turnover of neuronal and glial membranes. These results, when related to published evidence of altered cortical phospholipid metabolism in NBM-lesioned rats, suggest that images of increased [3H]PAM incorporation into ipsilateral cortex reflect increased membrane remodeling involving phospholipids.
Sequence, assembly and analysis of pX01 and pX02

Bacillus anthracis plasmids pX01 and pX02, harboured by the Sterne and Pasteur strains, respectively, have been sequenced by random 'shotgun' cloning and high throughout sequence analysis. These sequences have been assembled (Sequencher) to generate a circulate pX01 plasmid containing 181 656 bp and a single linear (gapped) pX02 contig containing at least 93.479 bp. Initial annotation suggests that the two plasmids combined contain at least 200 potential open reading frames (ORFs) with < 40% having significant similarity to sequences registered in open databases. Collectively, only 118 566 bp of the pX01 DNA (65%) represent predicted coding regions. This value is similar to published gene densities for other plasmids and is indicative of the larger intergenic spaces in plasmids vs those found in the chromosomes of the parental microbes (85-93% gene density). A 70 kbp region including the toxin genes (cya, lef and pag) is distinct from the remainder of the pX01 sequence: (1) it has a lower gene density (58 vs 70%) than the remaining 111 kbp; (2) it contains all but one of the co-regulated transcriptional fusions identified by transposon mutagenesis (Hoffmaster & Koehler 1997) and (3) it contains a significantly higher proportion of positive BLAST scores (62 vs 20%) for putative ORFs. These data suggest different origins for the two regions of pX01.
Stereotypes About Vocational Programming for Female Inmates

Some criminologists have argued that vocational programs for female inmates continue to emphasize and to reinforce traditional sex-role stereotypes. These stereotypes are a form of social control if they result in limiting women to a narrow range of behaviors and roles. There is, however, a paucity of research that clearly focuses on who stereotypes whom as well as how these stereotypes affect behavior. This lack of understanding makes it difficult to assess how stereotypes affect correctional programming and practices. This exploratory study examined stereotypes pertaining to vocational programming for female inmates. Attitudes relevant to vocational programming for female inmates were compared between four groups: (a) female inmates, (b) peer counselors, (c) correctional officers, and (d) prison program staff. Group membership was significantly related to two of the attitudinal measures. Behavioral measures hypothesized to be related to these attitudes were also measured (i.e., the likelihood to perform...
EGFR and HER2 receptor kinase signaling mediate epithelial cell invasion by Candida albicans during oropharyngeal infection

The fungus Candida albicans is the major cause of oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC). A key feature of this disease is fungal invasion of oral epithelial cells, a process that can occur by active penetration and fungal-induced endocytosis. Two invasins, Als3 and Ssa1, induce epithelial cell endocytosis of C. albicans, in part by binding to E-cadherin. However, inhibition of E-cadherin function only partially reduces C. albicans endocytosis, suggesting that there are additional epithelial cell receptors for this organism. Here, we show that the EGF receptor (EGFR) and HER2 function cooperatively to induce the endocytosis of C. albicans hyphae. EGFR and HER2 interact with C. albicans in an Als3- and Ssa1-dependent manner, and this interaction induces receptor autophosphorylation. Signaling through both EGFR and HER2 is required for maximal epithelial cell endocytosis of C. albicans in vitro. Importantly, oral infection with C. albicans stimulates the phosphorylation of EGFR and HER2 in the oral mucosa of mice, and treatment with a dual EGFR and HER2 kinase inhibitor significantly decreases this phosphorylation and reduces the severity of OPC. These results show the importance of EGFR and HER2 signaling in the pathogenesis of OPC and indicate the feasibility of treating candidal infections by targeting the host cell receptors with which the fungus interacts.
The nonexistence of a factorization formula for Cayley numbers

Let C be the Cayley algebra denned over the real field. If, for given elements α, β, and γ of a quaternion subalgebra of C , α = βγ, it follows, by associativity, that for any nonzero element δ of the same quaternion subalgebra, α = (βδ)(δ -1 γ). For Cayley numbers ζ ξ, and η with ζ = ξη, the relation ζ = (ξδ)(δ -1 η) in general only holds when δ is a nonzero real number. Because of the existence of factorization results [1, 2] in the orders of C , the question naturally arises of whether it is possible to choose one-to-one mappings, θ and φ, of C onto itself such that ζ = θξ. φη whenever ζ = ξη. To discuss this question, we make the following definition.
Numerical Analysis of Bloch Theory for Acoustic Wave Propagation in One-Dimensional Periodic Composites

For applications in high-frequency medical ultrasonics, periodic composite materials made by combining a piezoelectric ceramic and an epoxy have aroused interest because of their high electromechanical coupl ing and low acoustic impedance. Composite transducers therefore have high sensitivity and broad band width. These significant advantages have led to considerable theoretical and experimental work on these kinds of new artificial materials. The general Bloch theory for solving acoustic wave propagation in periodic structures in two- and three-dimensions has already been presented in previous papers. Here, numerical calculations for one-dimensional Bloch coupled equation set will be described. This numerical result calculated using truncated Bloch matrix will be compared with the exact solution using the m atrix transmission line method. The purpose of this comparison is to test the accuracy of the truncated Bloch solution, which can not be done for the n ultidimension case, because no exact solution exists. Of special interest is the wide stopband splitting and material loss, characteristic of ceramic-epoxy compos i t es .
Are patients with cirrhotic stage primary sclerosing cholangitis at risk for the development of hepatocellular cancer

Abstract Background/Aims: The risk of cholangiocarcinoma in primary sclerosing cholangitis is widely recognized to be 8–30%, whereas the risk of acquiring hepatocellular carcinoma in primary sclerosing cholangitis is unknown. As in other chronic liver diseases, the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma in a patient with primary sclerosing cholangitis undergoing evaluation for orthotopic liver transplantation would clearly impact on the candidacy, diagnostic evaluation, and alternative treatment options. Thus, the aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patient undergoing liver transplantation for primary sclerosing cholangitis. Methods: The records of the 520 patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation our institution between 1985 and May 1995 were reviewed. Of the 134 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis, three (2%) had hepatocellular carcinoma. In the 386 patients without primary sclerosing cholangitis under-going orthotopic liver transplantation, 22 (6%) had hepatocellular carcinoma. Results: Neither the duration of primary sclerosing cholangitis (range 7–23 years) nor the presence of ulcerative colitis (two of three patients) distinguished those patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis plus hepatocellular carcinoma from those with primary sclerosing cholangitis alone. None of the three patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis plus hepatocellular carcinoma had evidence for hepatitis B or C, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, or hemochromatosis. None of the tumors was of the fibrolamellar variety of hepatocellular carcinoma. Conclusions: The prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation is 2%. These data suggest that patients with advanced cirrhotic-stage primary sclerosing cholangitis are at increased risk for developing hepatocellular carcinoma and should be screened for hepatocellular carcinoma as well as for cholangiocarcinoma prior to orthotopic liver transplantation.
How life began on Earth: a status report

There are two fundamental requirements for life as we know it, liquid water and organic polymers, such as nucleic acids and proteins. Water provides the medium for chemical reactions and the polymers carry out the central biological functions of replication and catalysis. During the accretionary phase of the Earth, high surface temperatures would have made the presence of liquid water and an extensive organic carbon reservoir unlikely. As the Earth’s surface cooled, water and simple organic compounds, derived from a variety of sources, would have begun to accumulate. This set the stage for the process of chemical evolution to begin in which one of the central facets was the synthesis of biologically important polymers, some of which had a variety of simple catalytic functions. Increasingly complex macromolecules were produced and eventually molecules with the ability to catalyze their own imperfect replication appeared. Thus began the processes of multiplication, heredity and variation, and this marked the point of both the origin of life and evolution. Once simple self-replicating entities originated, they evolved first into the RNA World and eventually to the DNA/Protein World, which had all the attributes of modern biology. If the basic components water and organic polymers were, or are, present on other bodies in our solar system and beyond, it is reasonable to assume that a similar series of steps that gave rise of life on Earth could occur elsewhere.
The epidemiology of firework-related injuries in the United States: 2000-2010.

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study is to examine the epidemiology of firework-related injuries among an emergency department (ED) nationally representative population of the United States for the years 2000–2010, including whether the type of firework causing the injury is differential by patient demographics and whether the severity of injury is associated with the firework type. Methods The data analysed in this study was collected from the Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC's) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). Results A total of 2812 injuries represented an estimated 97,562 firework-related injuries treated in emergency departments within the United States from 2000 to 2010. The incidence generally decreased over time. With respect to age, the rate was higher for children, with the highest rates being observed for 10–19 year olds (7.28 per 100,000 persons) and 0–9 year olds (5.45 per 100,000 persons). The injury rate was nearly three times higher for males compared to the female counterparts (4.48 vs. 1.57 per 100,000 persons). Females were less likely than males to severely injure themselves with all types of fireworks besides sparklers/novelty devices (OR 1.08, CI 0.26–4.38). Discussion The results from this suggest that firework-related injuries have decreased by nearly 30% over the 11-year period between 2000 and 2010. Moreover, there has been a decreasing trend in the type of firework causing injury for every firework type excluding the unspecified firework type. However, adolescents of 10–19 years old had the highest rate of injury for fireworks over the 11-year period. In addition odds of injury are differential by firework type. Conclusion Understanding the specific types of fireworks may lead to better preventative methods and regulations. Moreover, preventative methods should be taken to reduce the rate of firework-related injuries among U.S. youths [1] , and possibly more regulations and enforcement of laws geared towards prohibiting novice use of fireworks.
Testing the Independence of Two Diagnostic Tests

Consider two diagnostic procedures having binary outcomes. If one of the tests results in a positive finding, a more definitive diagnostic procedure will be administered to establish the presence or absence of a disease. The use of both tests will improve the overall screening sensitivity when the two tests are independent, compared with employing two tests that are positively correlated. We estimate the correlation coefficient of the two tests and derive statistical methods for testing the independence of the two diagnostic procedures conditional on disease status. The statistical tests are used to investigate the independence of mammography and clinical breast exams aimed at establishing the benefit of early detection of breast cancer. The data used in the analysis are obtained from periodic screening examinations of three randomized clinical trials of breast cancer screening. Analysis of each of these trials confirms the independence of the clinical breast and mammography examinations. Based on these three large clinical trials, we conclude that a clinical breast exam considerably increases the overall sensitivity relative to screening with mammography alone and should be routinely included in early breast cancer detection programs.
Sp1 trans-activates the murine H+-K+-ATPase α2-subunit gene

Despite its key role in potassium homeostasis, transcriptional control of the H(+)-K(+)-ATPase alpha(2)-subunit (HKalpha(2)) gene in the collecting duct remains poorly characterized. cAMP increases H(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity in the collecting duct, but its role in activating HKalpha(2) transcription has not been explored. Previously, we demonstrated that the proximal 177 bp of the HKalpha(2) promoter confers basal collecting duct-selective expression. This region contains several potential cAMP/Ca(2+)-responsive elements (CRE). Accordingly, we examined the participation of CRE-binding protein (CREB) in HKalpha(2) transcriptional control in murine inner medullary collecting duct (mIMCD)-3 cells. Forskolin and vasopressin induced HKalpha(2) mRNA levels, and CREB overexpression stimulated the activity of HKalpha(2) promoter-luciferase constructs. Serial deletion analysis revealed that CREB inducibility was retained in a construct containing the proximal 100 bp of the HKalpha(2) promoter. In contrast, expression of a dominant negative inhibitor (A-CREB) resulted in 60% lower HKalpha(2) promoter-luciferase activity, suggesting that constitutive CREB participates in basal HKalpha(2) transcriptional activity. A constitutively active CREB mutant (CREB-VP16) strongly induced HKalpha(2) promoter-luciferase activity, whereas overexpression of CREBdLZ-VP16, which lacks the CREB DNA-binding domain, abolished this activation. In vitro DNase I footprinting and gel shift/supershift analysis of the proximal promoter with recombinant glutathione S-transferase (GST)-CREB-1 and mIMCD-3 cell nuclear extracts revealed sequence-specific DNA-CREB-1 complexes at -86/-60. Mutation at three CRE-like sequences within this region abolished CREB-1 DNA-binding activity and abrogated CREB-VP16 trans-activation of the HKalpha(2) promoter. In contrast, mutation of the neighboring -104/-94 kappabeta element did not alter CREB-VP16 trans-activation of the HKalpha(2) promoter. Thus CREB-1, binding to one or more CRE-like elements in the -86/-60 region, trans-activates the HKalpha(2) gene and may represent an important link between rapid and delayed effects of cAMP on HKalpha(2) activity.
Weathering a Meta-Level Identity Crisis: Forging a Coherent Collective Identity for an Emerging Field

We employed a longitudinal, grounded-theory approach to investigate the occurrence of an identity crisis in an emerging collective of organizations attempting to form a new academic field. The findings indicate that legacy identities and the nested structure of such organizations have implications for the formation of identity at this level. Specifically, the co-evolution of organization-level and collective-level identities, and the interdependencies between the levels, rendered the collective identity formation process as multiphased, complex, contentious, and continuously precarious--ultimately leading to an identity crisis that was resolved not by arriving at a "consensual identity," but, rather, a "coherent identity." The findings contribute to the nascent stream of literature on collective identity beyond the organizational level by explicating identity-work processes involved in the precipitation, manifestation, and resolution of an identity crisis in an emerging field.
Simulated Conversation as a CAI Strategy

Research in artificial intelligence demonstrated some time ago the feasibility of truly conversational, interactive computer programs. However, this capability has not been exploited in most computer-assisted language instruction programs, which have tended to adhere to a more Skinnerian fill-in-the-blank format. This paper describes an experimental Spanish program which employs simulated conversation strategies that allow students considerably more freedom in their responses, at the same time that error-checking routines monitor for syntactic errors.
URINARY UNDIVERSION IN 35 PATIENTS WITH NEUROGENIC BLADDER AND AN ILEAL CONDUIT

Urinary undiversion was performed in 21 male and 14 female patients with neurogenic bladder and an ileal conduit urinary diversion, 3–17 years after the original operation. Twenty-six patients had surgery for ileal conduit complications but nine had an elective undiversion. In 24 patients, reconstruction was achieved by ureteroureteriac anastomoses, in six by ureteroneocystotomy and in five by primary enterocystoplasty. Tranasureteroureterostomy (tuu) was an essential part of almost all the reconstructive procedures. Secondary operations were necessary in 10 patients, seven of whom had an enterocystoplasty. Improvement or stabilization of the upper urinary tract was eventually achieved in all patients. Twelve male patients void normally with complete urinary control in eleven and incontinence in one. Eight male and all 14 female patients are managed by clean intermittent catheterization (cic) with complete urinary control in 12, acceptable dampness in eight and incontinence in two. One male patient is managed by an indwelling urethral catheter. All patients showed an improved physical and emotional status and preferred life without a urinary stoma. Urinary undiversion should be considered in all patients with ileal conduit complications and in selected patients with an uncomplicated ileal conduit.
Analog very large scale integration implementation of dendrite segment with voltage dependent spiking behavior

This paper describes a set of aVLSI circuits and a subsystem composed of these circuits that reproduce the electrical functionality of a dendrite.
Comparison of guide wires in urology. Which, when and why?

ABSTRACT Purpose: We compared and contrasted various guide wires with regard to their physical properties as they apply to their use for the access or coaxial passage of other catheters. Materials and Methods: Certain 0.035-inch diameter guide wires were tested with regard to tip bending force, shaft bending force, pull force and tip puncture force, namely the Roadrunner PC and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) wire guide (Cook Urological, Spencer, Indiana), Glidewire, Bentson type 15 cm flexible tip PTFE coated guide wire and Amplatz super stiff Urowire XF (Boston Scientific Microvasive, Miami, Florida), Bentson guide wire and Amplatz guide wire (Applied Medical, Rancho Santa Margarita, California) and the PTFE coated Bard guide wire (Bard Urological Division, Covington, Georgia). Results: Regarding guide wires used for access, the Boston Scientific PTFE guide wire with a 15 cm flexible tip required the least amount of force to deflect the tip. Of the 3 cm flexible tip guide wires the Applied Bentson guide wire had the most flexible tip and the Bard guide wire had the stiffest flexible tip. The Boston Scientific Glidewire required the least amount of force to pull from a tortuous pathway and this guide wire also required the greatest force (4 times as much force as the other guide wires) to puncture the aluminum foil (p Conclusions: Brand name guide wires designed for the same purpose appear to differ markedly with regard to flexibility, lubricity and shaft stiffness. In general, floppy tip and nitinol based guide wires appear to be best used for access with an emphasis on tip flexibility and a low friction coating, while the stiffer shaft guide wires are selected for coaxial passage of catheters, stents and sheaths.
In-Home Occupational Performance Evaluation (I-HOPE).

OBJECTIVE. We describe the development and preliminary psychometric properties of an assessment to quantify the magnitude of an environmental barrier�s influence on occupational performance. METHOD. The assessment was developed and then piloted on a group of 77 older adults before and after an occupational therapy intervention focused on environmental barrier removal. Refinements were made to the assessment before it was evaluated for interrater reliability in a sample of 10 older adults using 2 raters. RESULTS. The In-Home Occupational Performance Evaluation (I�HOPE) is a performance-based measure that evaluates 44 activities in the home. The 4 subscales of Activity Participation, Client�s Rating of Performance, Client�s Satisfaction With Performance, and Severity of Environmental Barriers are sensitive to change in the environment. The subscales� internal consistency from .77 to .85, and intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from .99 to 1.0. CONCLUSION. This preliminary study suggests that the I�HOPE is a psychometrically sound instrument that can be used to examine person�environment fit in the home.
The wide and the narrow: DARPA/MTO programs for RF applications in wide bandgap and antimonide-based semiconductors

This paper discusses two DARPA/MTO III-V semiconductor material development programs, the wide bandgap semiconductor for RF applications (WBGS-RF) program and the antimonide-based compound semiconductor (ABCS) program. For WBGS-RF, results are detailed from the recently-completed phase I effort with a focus on semi-insulating substrates and epitaxial growth. Also detailed are the goals and early progress report from phase II of WBGS-RF. Near the end, summarized are results achieved in the recently-completed ABCS program.
The Neighborhood Law Office Experiment

group-the group above the Legal Aid clientele. He further believed that there was a vast field of preventive law which had scarcely been explored by the lawyer in general practice. In his original discussion of the subject, the writer pointed out that "the average householder in a large city, faced with a medical problem, usually consults a doctor. But when he has a legal question, he visits a real estate man, a notary public or a neighborhood petty politician."' He went on to state: "If the young lawyer of no particular connections, setting out to practice in an urban community, is not content to spend his life like the filament in an electric light bulb-merely glittering in a vacuumhe must be available when he is needed, as is the neighborhood doctor, the neighborhood druggist and the neighborhood real estate man."2 He ended his discussion with a program for decentralization for lawyers, stating that the program for such decentralization ought to involve:
Prevention of Cancer by Vitamin B3 (Nicotinamide and Nicotinic Acid)

Protease inhibitors (PIs) occur widely throughout plant and animal systems. Their role in preventing diseases in animals includes controlling blood clotting and contributing to the prevention of cancer. A workshop organized by the National Cancer Institute on “Protease Inhibitors as Cancer Chemopreventive Agents” concluded with the following recommendations for future research: (1) research and development of sources of PIs, (2) analysis of human foods for PI content, (3) evaluation of cancer incidence data in relation to PI content and characteristics in the diet of human populations, (4) animal studies on the efficacy of PIs in cancer prevention, and (5) studies on the mechanism of action of anticarcinogenic PIs (Troll et al., 1987).
SAWS: synchronization aware GPGPU warp scheduling for multiple independent warp schedulers

General-purpose computing on Graphics Processing Units (GPGPUs) became increasingly popular for a wide range of applications beyond traditional graphic rendering workloads. GPGPU exploits parallelism in applications via multithreading to hide memory latencies, and handles control complexity by barrier synchronizations. Warp scheduling algorithms have been optimized to increase memory latency hiding capability, improve cache behavior, or alleviate branch divergence. To date, there is no scheduler that accounts for the synchronization behavior among warps under the presence of multiple warp schedulers. In this paper, we develop a warp scheduling algorithm that is synchronization aware. The key observation is that excessive stall cycles may be introduced due to synchronizing warps residing in different warp schedulers. We propose that schedulers coordinate with each other to avoid warps from being blocked on a barrier for overly long. Such coordination will dynamically reorder the execution sequence of warps so that they are issued in proximity when a barrier is encountered. Performance evaluations demonstrate that our proposed coordinated schedulers can improve the performance of synchronization-rich benchmarks by 10% on average when compared to the state-of-the-art non-coordinating schedulers.
Ni9Te6(PEt3)8C60 Is a Superatomic Superalkali Superparamagnetic Cluster Assembled Material (S3-CAM)

First-principles theoretical studies enable an electronic and magnetic characterization of the recently synthesized Ni9Te6(PEt3)8C60 ionic material consisting of Ni9Te6(PEt3)8 superatoms and C60. The PEt3 ligands are shown to create an internal coulomb well that lifts the quantum states of the Ni9Te6 cluster, lowering its ionization potential to 3.39 eV thus creating a superalkali motif. The metallic core has a spin magnetic moment of 5.3 μB in agreement with experiment. The clusters are marked by low magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE) of 2.72 meV and a larger intra-exchange coupling exceeding 0.2 eV, indicating that the observed paramagnetic behavior around 10K is due to superparamagnetic relaxations. The magnetic motifs separated by C60 experience a weak superexchange that stabilizes a ferromagnetic ground state as observed around 2 K. The calculated MAE is sensitive to the charged state that could account for the observed change in magnetic transition temperature with size of the ligands or anion.
Susceptibility of twelve genotypes of triticale to the rice weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and the lesser grain borer (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae).

Population development by the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.) and feeding damage caused by the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), were assessed on twelve triticale (X Triticosecale ...
Efficient Aeroelastic Energy Harvesting From HVAC Ducts

Piezoelectric energy harvesters can be used to scavenge energy for unattended sensors in heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) ducts. In this paper, an aeroelastic energy harvester using a pinned-pinned beam is designed, modeled, and analyzed. To obtain the desired model, we use nonlinear Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, a linear piezoelectric constitutive law, and nonlinear pressure dynamics. Compared with the traditional cantilever beam used by previous researchers, the pinned-pinned beam has a higher frequency limit cycle and more efficient mode shape, which ensure higher power output at the same strain level. The pinned-pinned boundary condition also self-limits the response amplitude, limiting strain in the piezoelectric beam and premature failure. Simulation results show that the pinned-pinned beam can harvest at least 4 times more average power than a cantilever beam with the same maximum strain.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Cardiomyopathy in children: Can we rely on echocardiographic tricuspid regurgitation gradient estimates of right ventricular and pulmonary arterial pressure?

UNLABELLED Introduction Agreement between echocardiography and right heart catheterisation-derived right ventricular systolic pressure is modest in the adult heart failure population, but is unknown in the paediatric cardiomyopathy population. METHODS All patients at a single centre from 2001 to 2012 with a diagnosis of cardiomyopathy who underwent echocardiography and catheterisation within 30 days were included in this study. The correlation between tricuspid regurgitation gradient and catheterisation-derived right ventricular systolic pressure and mean pulmonary artery pressure was determined. Agreement between echocardiography and catheterisation-derived right ventricular systolic pressure was assessed using Bland-Altman plots. Analysis was repeated for patients who underwent both procedures within 7 days. Haemodynamic data from those with poor agreement and good agreement between echocardiography and catheterisation were compared. RESULTS A total of 37 patients who underwent 48 catheterisation procedures were included in our study. The median age was 11.8 (0.1-20.6 years) with 22 males (58% total). There was a modest correlation (r=0.65) between echocardiography and catheterisation-derived right ventricular systolic pressure, but agreement was poor. Agreement between tricuspid regurgitation gradient and right ventricular systolic pressure showed wide 95% limits of agreement. There was a modest correlation between the tricuspid regurgitation gradient and mean pulmonary artery pressure (r=0.6). Shorter time interval between the two studies did not improve agreement. Those with poor agreement between echocardiography and catheterisation had higher right heart pressures, but this difference became insignificant after accounting for right atrial pressure. CONCLUSION Transthoracic echocardiography estimation of right ventricular systolic pressure shows modest correlation with right heart pressures, but has limited agreement and may underestimate the degree of pulmonary hypertension in paediatric cardiomyopathy patients.
Implications of the Dual Banking System in the US

This paper examines the differences in characteristics of federal and state chartered banks by using individual commercial bank’s data sets from 1984 to 2006. The findings indicate significant differences between these two groups of banks in terms of their asset and liability management strategies. In line with these differences, credit channel of monetary policy is found to work differently for state and federal banks. Federal banks are found to be more responsive to monetary policy changes.
Monoclinic phases arising across thermal inter-ferroelectric phase transitions

Thermotropic phase boundaries (TPBs), as thermal analogs of morphotropic phase boundaries (MPBs), are associated with the thermal inter-ferroelectric phase transitions. Similar to an MPB, a TPB exhibits a characteristically flattened energy profile which favors polarization rotation, thus giving rise to a structurally bridging low-symmetry phase. We report on the kinetic process of thermal inter-ferroelectric phase transitions in BaTiO3 and KNbO3 using the phase-field method. The domain structures are found to play key roles in stabilizingthemonoclinicphase.Insimpledomainstructures,themonoclinicphaseisatransientphaseandcannot be stabilized into its neighboring phase regimes. However, by introducing structural inhomogeneity (orthogonal in-planedomaintwins),wefoundthatthemonoclinicphasecanbestabilizedoverarangeofover100Kacrossthe transition.Asaresult,thepiezoelectricpropertiesareenhancedduetothestabilizedmonoclinicphase.Inaddition to the emergence of new piezoelectric components with monoclinic symmetry, most of the original components present in the tetragonal symmetry also show substantial enhancement with the rotation of polarization.
Reversible inhibition of the beat in heart fragment tissue cultures by desoxycorticosterone.

SummaryDOC reversibly inhibits the pulsation of mouse or chick heart fragments in vitro. The inhibition can be removed by serum but not by cortisone, and is more effective in the absence of potassium. DOC and cortisone have no influence upon potassium inhibition of the heart. Epinephrine will almost completely counteract potassium inhibition but revives only a few DOC-poisoned fragments.
Perspectives: Changes in Reference Assistance and Collection Development in the Digital Age*

ABSTRACTLaw librarians are well aware that it is difficult to maintain print and electronic collections in today's law library. The author of this article compares his personal experience in reference assistance and collection development with findings from the literature and from responses to an open-ended questionnaire. The author looks for trends and differences in reference assistance and collection development among academic, firm, and government law libraries.
Connectors of Supramolecular Assemblies

An underlying theme of this meeting is the search for potential biophysical relationships between the extracellular matrix and the cytoskeleton. We found that the fruit fly, Drosophila melanoqaster. shares with vertebrates some major extra-cellular matrix components that are adjacent to cell surfaces, and also a transmembrane receptor of the integrin type. Actin filaments are probably indirectly linked to the cytoplasmic portion of such receptors in vertebrates and very similar actins exist in Drosophila. This suggests that parts of the molecular relationships between the extracellular matrix and the cytoplasm have been conserved during evolution, and that these mechanisms are likely to have important roles in cell biology.
Die Wahl des Phasensystems in der Flüssigkeits-Chromatographie

In Kap. 1 haben wir die Haupttypen der Chromatographie und eine Zahl von chromatographischen Arbeitsweisen eingefuhrt und kurz beschrieben: DC, GC, HPLC etc. Wir haben auch diskutiert, welche Art von Information man aus der Chromatographie gewinnen kann: qualitative, quantitative oder praparative Ergebnisse. In Kap. 2 ist dann die Gas-Chromatographie ausfuhrlicher behandelt worden. In diesem Kapitel wollen wir die verschiedenen Methoden und Uberlegungen betrachten, die bei der Auswahl einer flussigchromatographischen Methode (LC) zur Trennung eines Gemisches eine Rolle spielen.
A Lower Terrace Compound at San Cayetano Del Tumacacori

ABSTRACTAdditional excavations carried out at San Cayetano del Tumacacori in connection with the Arizona Highway Archaeological Salvage Program did not substantially alter conclusions presented in DiPeso's (1956) The Upper Pima of San Cayetano del Tumacacori. Certain typological problems are indicated and some new data are made available.
Kappa-Opioid Antagonists for Psychiatric Disorders: From Bench to Clinical Trials.

Kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) antagonists are currently being considered for the treatment of a variety of neuropsychiatric conditions, including depressive, anxiety, and substance abuse disorders. A general ability to mitigate the effects of stress, which can trigger or exacerbate these conditions, may explain their putative efficacy across such a broad array of conditions. The discovery of their potentially therapeutic effects evolved from preclinical research designed to characterize the molecular mechanisms by which experience causes neuroadaptations in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a key element of brain reward circuitry. This research established that exposure to drugs of abuse or stress increases the activity of the transcription factor CREB (cAMP response element binding protein) in the NAc, which leads to elevated expression of the opioid peptide dynorphin, which in turn causes core signs of depressive- and anxiety-related disorders. Disruption of KORs—the endogenous receptors for dynorphin—produces antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like actions in screening procedures that identify standard drugs of these classes, and reduces stress effects in tests used to study addiction and stress-related disorders. Although interest in this target is high, prototypical KOR antagonists have extraordinarily persistent pharmacodynamic effects that complicate clinical trials. The development of shorter-acting KOR antagonists together with more rapid designs for clinical trials may soon provide insight on whether these drugs are efficacious as would be predicted by preclinical work. If successful, KOR antagonists would represent a unique example in psychiatry where the therapeutic mechanism of a drug class is understood before it is shown to be efficacious in humans.
Determination of the laser intensity applied to a Ta witness plate from the measured x-ray signal using a pulsed micro-channel plate detector

Abstract The laser intensity distribution at the surface of a high-Z material, such as Ta, can be deduced from imaging the self-emission of the produced x-ray spot using suitable calibration data. This paper presents a calibration method which uses the measured x-ray emissions from laser spots of different intensities hitting a Ta witness plate. The x-ray emission is measured with a micro-channel plate (MCP) based x-ray framing camera plus filters. Data from different positions on one MCP strip or from different MCP assemblies are normalized to each other using a standard candle laser beam spot at ∼1 × 1014 W/cm2 intensity. The distribution of the resulting dataset agrees with results from a pseudo spectroscopic model for laser intensities between 4 and 15 × 1013 W/cm2 . The model is then used to determine the absolute scaling factor between the experimental results from assemblies using two different x-ray filters. The data and model method also allows unique calibration factors for each MCP system and each MCP gain to be compared. We also present simulation results investigating alternate witness plate materials (Ag, Eu and Au).
Gastric emptying differences between eggs and oatmeal, with focus on preparation of mixing and not mixing Tc99m-sulfur colloid.

2709 Objectives Although gastric emptying diagnostic imaging scan is used frequently, there is a lack of standardization with regard to the meal preparation and how the technologist administers the Tc-99m sulfur colloid into the meal itself. If the radioactive tracer was introduced into the center of the uncooked food and left unmixed or introduced then mixed, it is conceivable the final results might be affected adversely as a result of the variation in the protocol. Methods A four image procedure was conducted by comparing and drawing ROI’s around each image with a total particle count. Two oatmeal and two egg meals were prepared. One set with mixed sulfur colloid and one set without mixing. A total of 460uCi of Tc-99m sulfur colloid were divided up between the four images. The imaging was conducted on a VXHR collimator with a 64x64 matrix. A one minute static image was taken posteriorly and anteriorly of each prepared meal. Results Even after mixing the radioactive tracer and eggs together for five seconds there remained a count concentration in the middle of the bowl although it was significantly less than the count concentration that remained with no mixing. The images of the oatmeal indicate that the counts were evenly distributed after mixing the radioactive tracer and oatmeal together. Without mixing, the counts still indicated a significant passive distribution of the sulfur colloid. Although the radioactive tracer did disperse more effectively than it did it in the eggs, oatmeal appeared to have no binding property and proved to be a poor choice for a gastric emptying scan Conclusions Variations on gastric emptying studies are expansive and numerous. Modifications of the protocols can be put into place to reduce these variations. Taking into account the results from this particular study, a modification that could be made during meal preparation is mixing the radioactive tracer for a minimum of five seconds prior to cooking. The consumption of eggs over oatmeal is the better choice for a gastric emptying study due to the eggs binding ability from the protein.
Role of the Gut Microbiome in Vertebrate Evolution.

ABSTRACT Darwin referred to life as a struggle. Organisms compete for limited resources in nature, and their traits influence the outcome. Victory carries great weight as winners survive, reproduce, and progenate subsequent generations. Consequently, organismal traits that influence fitness drive adaptation and their discovery clarifies evolution. Recent research implicates the vertebrate gut microbiome as an agent of fitness, selection, and evolution. Going forward, we must define the functional effects of the gut microbiome to determine how it impacts evolution. Specifically, we must quantify how gut microbiome function diversifies in concert with vertebrate radiation and resolve specific functions that influence natural selection. In so doing, we can discover and potentially capitalize upon the mechanisms by which our gut microbiomes impact our physiology and fitness. Ultimately, we may come to find that while life involves struggle, it also depends upon cooperation.
ATTACHMENT OF A PARTIALLY ABSORBABLE TENDON AND LIGAMENT TO SOFT TISSUE

The attachment to living soft tissues of a partially degradable tendon and ligament replacement was investigated in a rabbit model. The replacement tendon was a composite of filamentous carbon-polylactic acid (PLA) polymer. Biological fixation of the synthetic material to the tendinous and myotendinous tissues of the rabbit gastrocnemius system was achieved. This occurs by ingrowth of soft tissues into the composite network. The carbon fibers provide mechanical strength and act as a scaffold for tissue ingrowth while the absorbable PLA polymer protects the fibers upon implantation (Alexander, Weiss, Parsons and colleagues, 1979; Jenkins, Forster, McKibbin and colleagues, 1977). The attachment strengths were tested in tension over a twelve week period. After four weeks, the systems with implants had strengths equivalent to those of unoperated controls. Histologically, the ingrown tissue was found to be highly cellular with collagen oriented longitudinally to the tendon.
Optimality: Minimum-Time for Linear Systems

We consider time-invariant continuous-time linear systems (10.1) with the control-value set U being a compact convex subset of ℝ m . As usual, a control is a measurable map ω: [0,T] → ℝ m so that ω(t) ∈ U for almost all t ∈ [0,T]. We denote by L m ∞ (0,T) the set consisting of measurable essentially bounded maps from [0,T] into ℝ m (when m = 1, just L ∞(0,T)) and view the set of all controls as a subset L U (0,T) ⊆ L m ∞ (0,T). In this chapter, we write simply L U instead of L U ∞ , because, U being compact, all maps into U are essentially bounded.