cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design Fixation in Physical Modeling: An Investigation on the Role of Sunk Cost

Physical models are very commonly used as tools for engineering idea generation, yet the guidelines in literature about their implementation are conflicting. A prior study has shown that physical models have the potential to supplement designers’ erroneous mental models; whereas a few observational studies have shown that physical models can cause a high degree of fixation under certain circumstances. At the same time, a previous controlled study fails to show the presence of fixation in idea generation with physical models. This study hypothesizes that prior observed fixation in physical modeling is due to Sunk Cost Effect, which is the reluctance to choose a different path of action once significant money, time or effort is invested in present one. Consistent with the prior study, this study also hypothesizes that physical models supplement designers’ mental models. These hypotheses are investigated through a controlled between-subject experiment. The results show that cost of building plays a vital role in fixation and fixation is not likely inherent in physical representations. Results also show that physical models supplement designers’ mental models and lead them to higher quality ideas.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Measurement of plant water status: Historical perspectives and current concerns

The slow development of concepts and methods for evaluating plant water status is reviewed. These include visual symptoms such as wilting and leaf rolling, measurement of water content, osmotic potential, and total water potential. The best method depends on the objectives of the user, but none of the methods are very well correlated with the effects of water stress on enzyme-mediated processes. Although some investigators claim that relative water content is better correlated with physiological processes than water potential, the latter has the advantage of providing results in well recognized physical units that apply to both plant and soil water status.
Creatures, Corporations, Communities, Chaos, Complexity: A Naturological View of the Corporate Social Role

The corporation's social role is usually presented as a cultural phenomenon in which the corporation learns socially acceptable behaviors through voluntary social responsibility, government regulations/public policies, and/or acceptance of ethics principles. This article presents an alternative view of corporationcommunity relations as a natural phenomenon based on complexity-chaos theory and a biological-physical conception of corporate values. Corporation and community are depicted as interacting nonlinear adaptive systems having unpredictable futures, the corporate social role is depicted as largely indeterminate, and competing values are depicted as key factors driving change in corporationcommunity linkages. Normative duties of corporate and community leaders are described.
An effect-size analysis of pharmacologic treatments for generalized anxiety disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a prevalent and impairing disorder, associated with extensive psychiatric and medical comorbidity and usually characterized by a chronic course. Different drugs have been investigated in GAD; among them are the following: 1) SSRIs: paroxetine, sertraline, fluvoxamine and escitalopram; 2) SNRI1s: venlafaxine; 3) benzodiazepines (BZs): alprazolam, diazepam and lorazepam; 4) azapirones (AZAs): buspirone; 5) antihistamines (AHs): hydroxyzine; 6) pregabalin (PGB); and 7) complementary/alternative medicine (CAM): kava-kava and homeopathic preparation. We conducted an effect size (ES) analysis of 21 double-blind placebo-controlled trials of medications treating DSM-III-R, DSM-IV or ICD-10 GAD using HAM-A change in score from baseline or endpoint score as the main efficacy measure. Literature search was performed using MEDLINE and PsycINFO databases including articles published between 1987 and 2003 and personal communications with investigators and sponsors. comparing all drugs versus placebo, the ES was 0.39. Mean ESs, excluding children, were PGB: 0.50, AH: 0.45, SNRI: 0.42, BZ: 0.38, SSRI: 0.36, AZA: 0.17 and CAM: -0.31. Comparing ES for adults versus children/adolescents (excluding CAM) and conventional drugs versus CAM (excluding children/adolescents) we found significantly higher ES for children/adolescents and for conventional drugs (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). No significant differences were found when comparing date of publication, location of site (i.e. US versus other), fixed versus flexible dosing, number of study arms, or number of outcome measures used. Medications varied in the magnitude of their ES, ranging from moderate to poor. Adolescents and children showed a much greater ES compared with adults. Subjects taking CAM had worse outcomes than placebo.
Soft Tissue Morphometry of the Malleus–Incus Complex from Micro-CT Imaging

The malleus–incus complex (MIC) is unique to mammalian hearing. To develop a comprehensive biomechanical MIC model for the human middle ear, measurements regarding its anatomical features are a necessity. Micro-scale X-ray computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging, which is known to be a suitable method for imaging high-density tissue such as middle-ear ossicles and surrounding bones, is used in this study to determine the three-dimensional (3-D) morphometry of the soft tissue attachments of the MIC. The MIC morphometry is based on their 3-D reconstruction from micro-CT image slices with resolutions ranging from 10 to 20 μm. The suspensory ligament and tendon attachments of the malleus and the incus as well as the incudomalleal joint (IMJ), are quantified in terms of dimensions, positions, and orientations for four human cadaver temporal bones. The malleus principal frame, the incus principal frame, and the MIC principle frame are calculated and the morphometry is reported in relation to each of these frames for the first time. The resulting values show significant variation across ear samples, suggesting that models of the MIC should be based on individual anatomy. The IMJ morphometry dimensions appear to be proportional to the ossicular mass. The micro-CT imaging modality is a nondestructive and relatively fast method for obtaining soft tissue morphometry and provides accurate anatomical features in relation to the principal axes of bones.
T-cell responses to multiple antigens presented by RNA-transfected APCs: a possible immunomonitoring tool

The increasingly deeper understanding of how the immune system recognizes and destroys tumors promises to enable the development of new approaches for gene therapy and immunotherapy. However, a treatment that induces safe and potentially beneficial antitumor responses is expected to require stepwise refinements. As part of this challenge, assays are needed to measure specific antitumor immune responses in patients. This becomes problematic because most tumors express unknown tumor antigens and it is often difficult to obtain sufficient amounts of viable tumor material for in vitro assays. Recently it was demonstrated that RNA derived from tumor cells stimulated T cells in an antigen-specific manner. These studies have formed the basis for the development of dendritic cell vaccines that express tumor antigens following translation of tumor RNA. Therefore, it occurred to us that antigen-presenting cells transfected with total tumor RNA might also be valuable in monitoring the antitumor responses induced in patients who participate in clinical trials. To test this hypothesis, we developed a model in which Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines were used as a source of RNA. Since this RNA encodes for known EBV antigens, it was possible to determine whether the expected responses were observed. Our results show for the first time that T cells primed to APC transfected with RNA isolated from EBV-infected lymphocytes exhibited a fine specificity that enabled them to recognize individual EBV antigens.
Network Topologies and Dynamics Leading to Endotoxin Tolerance and Priming in Innate Immune Cells

The innate immune system, acting as the first line of host defense, senses and adapts to foreign challenges through complex intracellular and intercellular signaling networks. Endotoxin tolerance and priming elicited by macrophages are classic examples of the complex adaptation of innate immune cells. Upon repetitive exposures to different doses of bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) or other stimulants, macrophages show either suppressed or augmented inflammatory responses compared to a single exposure to the stimulant. Endotoxin tolerance and priming are critically involved in both immune homeostasis and the pathogenesis of diverse inflammatory diseases. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. By means of a computational search through the parameter space of a coarse-grained three-node network with a two-stage Metropolis sampling approach, we enumerated all the network topologies that can generate priming or tolerance. We discovered three major mechanisms for priming (pathway synergy, suppressor deactivation, activator induction) and one for tolerance (inhibitor persistence). These results not only explain existing experimental observations, but also reveal intriguing test scenarios for future experimental studies to clarify mechanisms of endotoxin priming and tolerance.
Speeding up Karmarkar's algorithm for multicommodity flows

We show how to speed up Karmarkar's linear programming algorithm for the case of multicommodity flows. The special structure of the constraint matrix is exploited to obtain an algorithm for the multicommodity flow problem which requires O(s 3.5 v 2.5 eL) arithmetic operations, each operation being performed to a precision of O (L) bits. Herev is the number of vertices ande is the number of edges in the given network,s is the number of commodities, andL is bounded by the number of bits in the input. We obtain a speed up of the order of (e 0.5/v 0.5)+(e 2.5/v 2.5s2) over Karmarkar's modified algorithm which is substantial for dense networks. The techniques in the paper can also be used to speed up any interior point algorithm for any linear programming problem whose constraint matrix is structurally similar to the one in the multicommodity flow problem.
Effect of an inelastic aortic synthetic vascular graft on exercise hemodynamics

This study compared aortic input impedance characteristics between patients with aortic interposition Dacron grafts placed for traumatic aortic injury and normal age-matched control subjects. All subjects were examined at rest and after treadmill exercise. Magnetic resonance imaging was conducted to rule out anatomic (stenosis) effects. Exercise increased characteristic impedance (ie, reduced aortic distensibility) by 29% and decreased total systemic arterial compliance by 21% in the patient group, whereas the normal control group showed insignificant change in these variables after exercise. Peripheral pressure wave reflection was reduced substantially with exercise (27%) in the control group, with much less reduction observed in the patient group. These abnormal vascular hemodynamics were associated with significantly high cardiac energetic costs in the patient group. A plausible explanation for the observed differences lies in the exaggerated vascular impedance mismatch between compliant aorta and inelastic graft, when cardiac output increases dramatically.
Web services discovery in secure collaboration environments

Multidomain application environments where distributed domains interoperate with each other is a reality in Web-services-based infrastructures. Collaboration enables domains to effectively share resources; however, it introduces several security and privacy challenges. In this article, we use the current web service standards such as SOAP and UDDI to enable secure interoperability in a service-oriented mediator-free environment. We propose a multihop SOAP messaging protocol that enables domains to discover secure access paths to access roles in different domains. Then we propose a path authentication mechanism based on the encapsulation of SOAP messages and the SOAP-DISG standard. Furthermore, we provide a service discovery protocol that enables domains to discover service descriptions stored in private UDDI registries.
Resistance Exercise with Older Fallers: Its Impact on Intermuscular Adipose Tissue

Objective. Greater skeletal muscle fat infiltration occurs with age and contributes to numerous negative health outcomes. The primary purpose was to determine whether intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) can be influenced by an exercise intervention and if a greater reduction in IMAT occurs with eccentric versus traditional resistance training. Methods. Seventy-seven older adults (age 75.5 ± 6.8) with multiple comorbidities and a history of falling completed a three-month exercise intervention paired with either eccentric or traditional resistance training. MRI of the mid-thigh was examined at three time points to determine changes in muscle composition after intervention. Results. No differences in IMAT were observed over time, and there were no differences in IMAT response between intervention groups. Participants in the traditional group lost a significant amount of lean tissue (P = 0.007) in the nine months after intervention, while participants in the eccentric group did not (P = 0.32). When IMAT levels were partitioned into high and low IMAT groups, there were differential IMAT responses to intervention with the high group lowering thigh IMAT. Conclusions. There is no decrease in thigh IMAT after a three-month exercise intervention in older adults at risk for falling and no benefit to eccentric training over traditional resistance training for reducing IMAT in these individuals.
Inhibitor resistance and in situ capability of nanoparticle based gene quantification.

We have demonstrated the preliminary results of the in situ monitoring capability of an inhibitor resistant gene quantification assay using magnetic bead (MB) and quantum dot (QD) nanoparticles (hereafter “MB–QD assay”) for the detection ofE. coli O157:H7 in environmental samples. The selectivity of the MB–QD assay was demonstrated via the discrimination of the target bacteria in the presence of nonspecific microbial populations. The effect of temperature on the assay was examined to evaluate the necessity of elevated temperature incubation. The reagents (i.e., particle complex and particle–DNA conjugate) were also shown to have a stability of at least 10 days without refrigeration, therefore enabling prior preparation and the subsequent storage of these reagents. In addition, it was found that the MB–QD assay was resistant to the presence of naturally occurring inhibitors (i.e., humic acids, Ca2+) and residual reagents from DNA extraction (i.e., surfactant, ethanol). Overall the results indicated that the MB–QD assay is potentially suitable for further development as an in situ bacteria monitoring method for working with inhibitor laden samples without requiring additional purification steps and elevated temperature processes.
Self-coexistence in the dense case for white spaces

In this paper we look at the downlink interference mitigation problem in 802.22 wireless regional area networks. We study the case where the density of TV bands is such that a group of white space base stations can obtain access to only one communications channel, a scenario likely to occur close to urban centers. We propose a self-organizing power control and design strategy to mitigate interference among base stations as well as an optimal approach for the problem.
Factors affecting the freeze-thaw stability of emulsions

Abstract Many food emulsions are frozen to provide long-term stability to the product or as a necessary part of the food itself (e.g., ice cream), but very often the thawed emulsion is significantly destabilized and sometimes completely broken down into an oily and an aqueous phase. The phase behaviour of the frozen emulsion and hence the potential stresses can be calculated from the composition of the aqueous phase. For example, a 20% o/w emulsion prepared with 10% sucrose in the aqueous phase when frozen to −20 °C about 85% of the aqueous phase has frozen to ice leaving the unfrozen phase concentrated to about 62% with respect to droplets and 67% with respect to sucrose. The high-volume fraction and expanding ice press the droplets together and the high sugar (and other solute) concentration can affect the interdroplet forces. A combination of these effects can lead to the membrane separating the droplets rupturing and is responsible for the coalescence seen on thawing. The published studies on freeze–thaw stability of emulsions are reviewed within the framework provided by the phase diagram calculations.
Health risk behaviors of rural sixth graders

The purposes of this study were to examine the frequency and risk factors (correlates) of single and concurrent health risk behaviors (HRBs) including obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, and alcohol use in a sample of 352 rural, predominately African-American sixth graders. This study was guided by Jessor's (1992) adolescent risk behavior conceptual framework. Data were collected using physical measures and a self-report questionnaire. Thirty-two percent of the sample had no HRB, 44% had one HRB, and 24% had two or more HRBs. Obesity and physical inactivity were more prevalent in this sample than in the general population. Gender differences in risk factors were evident. Our findings suggest the testing of interventions that focus on the social needs of girls and that influence behavioral modeling for boys to reduce single and concurrent health risk behaviors.
Unlike other chemicals, etoposide (a topoisomerase-II inhibitor) produces peak mutagenicity in primary spermatocytes of the mouse.

Abstract The cancer chemotherapy agent, and topoisomerase-II inhibitor, etoposide (VP-16) produced both recessive mutations at specific loci and dominants at other loci with peak frequencies in primary spermatocytes, a cell type in which the topo-II gene has been shown to be activated. Etoposide thus differs from all other chemicals whose germ-cell-stage specificity has been analyzed. No effects of etoposide exposure of spermatogonial stem cells (∼ 15,000 offspring scored) were detectable by either mutagenicity or productivity endpoints. The significant mutagenic response that followed exposure of poststem-cell stages (∼ 25,000 offspring scored) showed a clear peak, with three of four specific-locus mutants, and three of four dominant mutants conceived during weeks 4 or 5 (days 22–35) post-injection, a period that also encompassed the dominant-lethal peak. For this period, the induced specific-locus rate (with 95% confidence limits) at a weighted-average exposure of 75.1 mg etop/kg was 59.5 (14.6, 170.9) × 10−6/locus. At least 3 of the 4 specific-locus mutations were deletions, paralleling findings with etoposide or analogs in other test systems where a recombinational origin of the deletions has been suggested. Because, unlike other chemicals that induce deletions in male germ cells, etoposide is effective in stages normally associated with recombinational events, it will be of interest to determine whether this chemical can affect meiotic recombination.
Numerical modeling and simulation of condensation heat transfer of a flue gas in a bundle of transport membrane tubes

Abstract In this paper, a numerical study has been carried out to investigate the heat and mass transfer characteristics of a condensing combustion flue gas in a cross-flow transport membrane tube bundle. The tube wall is made of a porous material that is able to extract condensate liquid from the flue gas. The flue gas investigated consists of one condensable water vapor (H2O) and three noncondensable gases (CO2, O2, and N2). A simplified multi-species transport model was developed for the heat and mass transfer of flue gas. The condensation-evaporation process was simulated as a two-step chemical reaction. The RNG two-equation turbulence model was used for the turbulent flow. The numerical study was conducted within ranges of Reynolds number of 1.0 × 103–7 × 104 based on hydraulic diameter of flue gas channel, and 6.4 × 100–3.3 × 102 based on inner diameter of the water tube. Flue gas inlet temperature is within the range of 333.2–360.9 K. Numerical results were compared with our experimental data. It has been found that the developed multi-species transport model was able to predict the flue gas heat and mass transfer in the tube bundle with fairly good accuracy. The heat and mass depletion levels decrease with the increase of the flue gas Reynolds numbers. A new Nusselt number correlation was developed for flue gas convection in the tube bundle. Detailed results about temperature, mass fraction, enthalpy, and skin fraction factors are also presented and discussed.
Clinical course of atherosclerotic renovascular disease.

Abstract The clinical course of atherosclerotic renovascular hypertension was evaluated in 109 patients, and the changes in the renal artery disease were observed by serial renal arteriography in 30 patients. The estimated five year survivorship was 66.7 ± 6.4 per cent, compared to 91.7 per cent in the normal population. Associated symptomatic cardiovascular disease (angina, myocardial infarction, transient or completed stroke, intermittent claudication) was noted in 41 per cent at the initial examination, and 39 per cent of those initially free developed this during the period of observation. These episodes frequently were multiple and were not related to continued hypertension. The five year survivorship free of symptomatic cardiovascular disease was estimated to be 53.2 ± 8.0 per cent. Renovascular surgery in 46 patients did not affect survivorship. The incidence of new symptomatic cardiovascular disease was higher in the surgical group. Blood pressures were 100 mm. Hg or less at follow-up in 86 per cent of the surgically treated group and in 65 per cent in the medically treated group. Good blood pressure control appeared to improve the prognosis for life but not for symptomatic cardiovascular episodes. The serial studies of the renal vasculature in 30 patients demonstrated progression of the disease in half of the involved arteries. Three previously normal arteries became diseased. Changes for the worse were noted in the artery to one kidney in 13 patients (including 2 with prior nephrectomy) and in the arteries to both kidneys in 6. The progressive nature of renal artery atherosclerosis was reflected by impairment of function and loss of mass (clearance studies and isotopic and excretory urography); the converse was often true after successful revascularization of affected kidneys. In the presence of hypertension, atherosclerotic disease in other parts of the body should suggest the possibility of renal artery involvement. In view of the progressive nature of atherosclerosis in general, the status of the heart, brain and peripheral arteries also should be assessed initially and periodically regardless of the degree of blood pressure control.
Knowing and Supposing in Games of Perfect Information

The paper provides a framework for representing belief-contravening hy- potheses in games of perfect information. The resulting t-extended information structures are used to encode the notion that a player has the disposition to behave rationally at a node. We show that there are models where the condition of all players possessing this disposition at all nodes (under their control) is both a necessary and a su!cient for them to play the backward induction solution in centipede games. To obtain this result, we do not need to assume that rationality is commonly known (as is done in (Aumann (1995))) or commonly hypothesized by the players (as done in (Samet (1996))). The proposed model is compared with the account of hypothetical knowledge presented by Samet in (Samet (1996)) and with other possible strategies for extending information structures with conditional propositions. 1
The politics of disgust and shame

This is a critical study of Martha Nussbaum’s Hiding from Humanity. Central to Nussbaum’s book are arguments against society’s or the state’s using disgust and shame to forward the aims of the criminal law. Patrick Devlin’s appeal to the common man’s disgust to determine what acts of customary morality should be made criminal is an example of how society might use disgust to forward the aims of the criminal law. The use of so-called shaming penalties as alternative sanctions to imprisonment is an example of how society might use shame for this purpose. I argue that despite Nussbaum’s own view to the contrary, her arguments against such uses of disgust and shame are best understood as criticisms of programs of conservative political philosophy like Devlin’s and not of the emotions themselves.
Block structures, indirect addressing, and garbage collection

Programming languages have included explicit or implicit block structures to provide a naming convenience for the programmer. However, when indirect addressing is used, as in SNOBOL, naming constraints may be introduced. Two modifications to SNOBOL are described, resulting in two desirable consequences: (1) naming constraints disappear even when there is indirect addressing within function definitions; and (2) there is a significant saving in the number of calls to the garbage collector, because some garbage is collected, at little expense, each time a function returns to its calling program. These modifications have been implemented as an extension to a SNOBOL dialect.
The effects of distractors in multiple object tracking are modulated by the similarity of distractor and target features

Is the effect of distractors in multiple object tracking dependent on the distractors sharing the features of the targets? In experiment 1, observers tracked five targets among five distractors that were identical to the targets and a number of additional distractors that were either identical to or featurally distinct from the targets. Results showed that distractors that are distinct from the targets in shape or color, or are stationary, impair tracking less than distractors that are identical to the targets. However, tracking performance declined as the number of distractors increased, even for featurally distinct distractors. Experiment 2 showed that distractors that differ from the targets on two features impair tracking less than distractors that differ from the targets on only one feature, but only when target tracking load is low. These results indicate that shape, color, and motion information about distractors can be used to distinguish them from targets during tracking, although even distractors with a different feature from the targets produce some interference with tracking. These findings suggest that the effect of distractors on tracking is dependent on top-down settings for target features.
Ecosystem services and fictitious commodities

There is a great deal of discussion in conservation about the possibility of quantifying and paying for the services to societies that nature performs. Functions such as carbon sequestration and water provision can be valued and payments made for them. Advocates argue that payments for ecological/environmental services (PES) will generate substantial sums, render environmental values legible to politicians and make protecting nature common sense to rational people.
Simulation of a Birdstrike Impact on Aircraft Canopy Material

The simulation of a birdstrike on a material used in aircraft canopies is performed using the ABAQUS finiteelement code. The results of the simulation are compared to the response of a test coupon struck by a rubber ball with properties that provide a load on the coupon comparable to a bird. The displacement-time history of the test coupon is recorded using a high-speed camera. The results of the impact test are compared to the finite-element results. One of the major tasks in developing the simulation was obtaining a load history to apply to the model. The impact load associated with a birdstrike is hydrodynamic, time dependent, and decreases exponentially from the centerline of the impact region. The velocity of impact indicates that material properties at high-strain rates would be required for the simulation. Published material properties at lower strain rates provided adequate information to demonstrate good correlation for the loads examined. Good correlation was achieved in comparing the centerline deflection time histories recorded in the impact test and obtained from the finite-element simulation.
Perception of active and passive turning in Parkinson disease.

Background. Many individuals with Parkinson disease (PD) experience difficulty with turning, yet little is known about the reasons for this difficulty.Objective. The authors sought to determine whether individuals with PD can use visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive cues to estimate how far they have turned.Methods. Fifteen PD subjects and 11 controls performed active and passive turns to the left and right, with and without vision, with amplitudes of 90, 180, 270, and 360 degrees. For active conditions, subjects were told the direction and amplitude of the desired turn and then attempted to turn in place the specified amount via actively stepping. For passive conditions, subjects were told that the disc they stood on would turn and they were to press a button when they had traveled the specified amplitude.Results. There were no differences between PD and control groups in any of the conditions, suggesting that those with PD effectively used sensory cues available in the different conditions to accurate...
Stability criteria for linear periodic switched systems

A fundamental matrix inequality is used to improve upon existing stability bounds for linear periodic switched systems. The inequality is further used to derive an upper stability bound for the singular perturbation parameter in the case of linear periodic singularly perturbed switched systems.
Assumptions and trade-offs in device simulation programs

The author examines the physical assumptions which underlie device simulation programs and considers their implications for advanced bipolar transistors. The limits of drift-diffusion equations are discussed, and advanced techniques such as hydrodynamic and Monte Carlo approaches are described. Some thoughts on the device simulation requirements for future generation bipolar transistors are also presented. >
ELECTROKINETIC PHENOMENA IV. A COMPARISON OF ELECTROPHORETIC AND STREAMING POTENTIALS

1. The conditions are described which are necessary for the comparison of certain types of electrokinetic potentials. An experimental comparison is made of (a) electrophoresis of quartz particles covered with egg albumin; and (b) similar experiments by Briggs on streaming potentials. A slight, consistent, difference is found between the electrophoretic potential and the streaming potential. This difference is probably due to the difference in the protein preparations used rather than to real difference in the electrophoretic and streaming potentials. 2. Data are given which facilitate the measurements and enhance the precision of the estimation of electrical mobilities of microscopic particles.
Motion-partitioned adaptive block matching for video compression

We present a motion compensation technique called motion-partitioned adaptive block matching algorithm (MPA-BMA) for motion compensated video compression. The algorithm offers a good degree of scene adaptation to reduce prediction errors while maintaining a slightly increased amount of side motion data and being computationally affordable. It detects the motion boundaries, partitions the motion field into consistent motion groups and computes more reliable motion data by using variable-sized matching blocks that are adaptively composed. Experiments compare its good performance with the full-search block matching algorithm (BMA).
Testing for parametric faults in static CMOS circuits

The authors compare the cost of testing for excess of I/sub DDQ/ caused by bridge, break, and transistor stuck-on faults versus the cost of traditional testing methods. It is shown that, since many defects, cause nonlogical faults, I/sub DDQ/ monitoring during the application of test vectors to an IC provides significantly higher defect coverage than using only conventional testing. The costs for I/sub DDQ/ testing are compared with those for SSF (single-stuck-at-fault) testing by modifying an existing SSF ATPG (automatic test pattern generation) system. It is concluded that test generation for I/sub DDQ/ faults is quicker and more complete than for equivalent SSF faults, and even without explicit I/sub DDQ/ test generation, I/sub DDQ/ monitoring can be added to existing SSF testing for increased defect coverage. >
Mercury-induced renal autoimmunity in the MAXX rat

Inbred Brown Norway (BN) rats treated with mercuric chloride develop autoantibodies to renal basement membranes and an immunologically mediated membranous glomerulonephritis. To date, this experimental rat model of chemically induced autoimmunity has been obtained only in the BN strain, whereas rats from 17 other strains were found to be resistant. This is a disadvantage for mechanistic studies, especially since BN rats have poor fertility. In the present paper we report that the same model can be obtained in another inbred strain of rats, the MAXX, which after exposure to mercury develop a glomerulonephritis characterized by the production of autoantibodies to renal basement membranes. The kinetics of the autoimmune response observed in MAXX rats, as well as the immunohistopathology, histopathology, and proteinuria, are similar to those previously described in BN rats. In addition, the MAXX strain is endowed with excellent fertility. Therefore, both rat strains can be used for comparative studies of the mechanisms of mercury-induced autoimmunity.
Temporal or phonetic processing deficit in dyslexia? That is the question

Katz, Healy and Shankweiler investigated poor and good readers' performance on two order recall tasks which were differentiated by the extent to which phonetic memory strategies were employed. Contrary to their predictions, they found that poor readers were significantly impaired on both tasks. They attributed this unexpected finding to the rate at which stimuli were presented. However, results of studies that have experimentally manipulated rate of stimulus presentation in order recall tasks have demonstrated the opposite results to those predicted by these authors. The results of the present study support the hypothesis that poor readers are impaired in recalling the order of rapidly presented successive events.
Galactic chemical abundance distributions in a ΛCDM universe

Observations suggest systematic differences between chemical abundances of stars in satellite galaxies and those in the Milky Way halo. Specifically, for the same [Fe/H] values, stars in surviving satellite galaxies display significantly lower [α/Fe] ratios than stars in the stellar halo. Here we investigate whether the observed differences can be explained in the framework of hierarchical structure formation. We model the chemical enrichment of a typical Milky Way galaxy in a ΛCDM Universe using, in combination, i) a semi-analytical code and numerical simulations that model the accretion and disruption of halo substructure and ii) a chemical evolution model that takes into account each satellite’s star formation, metal enrichment and stellar feedback. Our results suggest that the observed chemical abundance patterns are a natural outcome in the process of hierarchical assembly of the Galaxy. We find that the stellar halo is built up from satellite galaxies accreted early on (more than 8–9 Gyr ago) and enriched in αelements produced in Type II supernovae (average [α/Fe] values between 0.2–0.5). In contrast, satellites which survive today were typically accreted late (within the last 4–5 Gyr) and had at the time of accretion nearly solar [α/Fe] values as a result of the longer contribution of Type Ia supernovae.
Recombination between directly repeated origins of conjugative transfer cloned in M13 bacteriophage DNA models ligation of the transferred plasmid strand

When two, directly-repeated copies of the origin of transfer (oriT) of the conjugatively mobilizable, broad host-range plasmid R1162 are cloned into bacteriophage M13mp9 DNA, they undergo recombination in the presence of one of the R1162-encoded proteins required for mobilization [Meyer, R. (1989) J. Bacteriol., 171, 799-806]. Mutations in the outer arm of the inverted repeat within oriT inhibit this recombination. These mutations also affect a late step in transfer. We propose that recombination on the phage DNA models the processing of single-stranded DNA after entry into a recipient cell. The two, directly-repeated oriTs are not equivalent during the recombination reaction, because they are differently affected by the outer-arm mutations. A mutation was also isolated that reduces the specificity of the cleavage site in one of the two oriTs. Together, the results with the mutations suggest that phage recombinants can form only when the first cleavage occurs at one of the two oriTs. This is followed by the resulting free 3' end joining to the 5' end at the cleavage site of the other oriT.
The Effect of Furosemide Dose Administered in the Out-of-hospital Setting on Renal Function Among Patients with Suspected Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Background The most effective dose of prehospital furosemide in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) has not yet been identified and concerns of worsening renal function have limited its use. Objective To assess if administering high-dose furosemide is associated with worsening renal function. Methods The authors conducted a 2-center chart review for patients who presented via a single Emergency Medical Service (EMS) from June 5, 2009 through May 17, 2013. Inclusion criteria were shortness of breath, primarily coded as ADHF, and the administration of furosemide prior to emergency department (ED) arrival. A total of 331 charts were identified. The primary endpoint was an increase in creatinine (Cr) of more than 0.3 mg/dL from admission to any time during hospital stay. Exploratory endpoints included survival, length-of-stay (LOS), disposition, urine output in the ED, change in BUN/Cr from admission to discharge, and change in Cr from admission to 72 hours and discharge. Results When treated as a binary variable, there was no association observed between an increase in Cr of more than 0.3 mg/dL and prehospital furosemide dose. Baseline characteristics found to be associated with dose were included in the logistic regression model. Lowering the dose of prehospital furosemide was associated with higher odds of attaining a 0.3 mg/dL increase in Cr (adjusted OR = 1.49 for a 20 mg decrease; P = .019). There was no association found with any of the exploratory endpoints. Conclusions Patients who received higher doses of furosemide prehospitally were less likely to have an increase of greater than 0.3 mg/dL in Cr during the hospital course. Nieves LC , Mehrtens GM , Pores N , Pickrell C , Tanis J , Satty T , Chuang M , Young TC , Merlin MA . The Effect of Furosemide Dose Administered in the Out-of-hospital Setting on Renal Function Among Patients with Suspected Acute Decompensated Heart Failure. Prehosp Disaster Med . 2015;30(1):1-8 .
ON NONRIGIDITY OF HARMONIC MAPS INTO SPHERES

This note studies nonrigidity of equivariant harmonic maps /: M -» S" of a Riemannian homogeneous space M into the Euclidean «-sphere S" via represen- tation theory applied to the induced module structure on R" and, for specific M, produces (divergence-free) Jacobi fields along / which do not come from isometric deformations of/on the range. 1. Introduction. This note, originating from the works of R. T. Smith (5) and Do Carmo and Wallach (3), continues the studies (7-9) on rigidity of a harmonic map/: M —> S", n > 2, with constant energy density e(f) = A/2, A g Spec(M), of a compact Riemannian manifold M into the Euclidean «-sphere S" via the (finite- dimensional) vector space K(f) of all divergence-free Jacobi fields along/. Recall (4) that / is harmonic iff AMf = X ■ f. Furthermore, by translating tangent vectors of S" c Rn + 1 to the origin of R" + 1, a vector field v along / gives rise to a vector function v: M -* R" + 1, (v, /> = 0. Then (9), v g K(f) iff AMv = X ■ v. The vector space so(« + 1)°/ of infinitesimal isometric deformations of / is a linear subspace of K(f) and / is said to be rigid if so(n + 1)°/= K(f). The importance of K(f) is shown by the generalized Do Carmo-Wallach classification theorem (9) which states that, for oriented (isotropy) irreducible Riemannian homo- geneous M, the equivalence classes of full harmonic maps/: M —> S" with e(f) = X/2 can be parametrized by a compact convex body lying in K(fx)/so(Vx)° fx, where fx. M -» S"{X) (= unit sphere in Vx) is a standard minimal immersion given by an orthonormal base in the eigenspace Vx corresponding to X. Though there is no immediate generalization of this classification to aribitrary Riemannian homoge- neous M the object of this note is to show that the occurrence of rigidity is rare. In §2, we reformulate the condition of rigidity in terms of representation theory. This is then applied in §3 to prove nonrigidity of harmonic maps in various instances.
Climate-induced changes in rates of headland-beach progradation along the southern coast of Lake Erie

ABSTRACT Mattheus, C.R., 2014. Climate-induced changes in rates of headland-beach progradation along the southern coast of Lake Erie. Isolated portions of the sediment-starved U.S. Lake Erie coast have prograded over the last 100 years in response to littoral drift disruption by hard-structure installation. Published nautical charts offer insight into decadal-scale sediment dynamics operating around this erosional coastline's prograding headland beaches. Nearshore-surface models constructed from historical bathymetry data sets show that headland-beach progradation occurs with little change in shoreface-profile shape; beach-area gain therefore provides a metric for sediment-volume change. A time-series analysis of beach growth, lake level, drought occurrence, and winter-ice cover suggests that headland geomorphology is partly climate driven. Decreased rates of beach progradation experienced along studied headlands between the late 1930s and early 1950s followed extreme drought conditions, exceptionally low...
Variability in languages, variability in learning?

In documenting the dizzying diversity of human languages, Evans & Levinson (E&L) highlight the lack of universals. This suggests the need for complex learning. Yet, just as there is no universal structure, there may be no universal learning mechanism responsible for language. Language is a behavior assembled by many processes, an assembly guided by the language being learned.
The MJO as a Dispersive, Convectively Coupled Moisture Wave: Theory and Observations

AbstractA linear wave theory for the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO), previously developed by Sobel and Maloney, is extended upon in this study. In this treatment, column moisture is the only prognostic variable and the horizontal wind is diagnosed as the forced Kelvin and Rossby wave responses to an equatorial heat source/sink. Unlike the original framework, the meridional and vertical structure of the basic equations is treated explicitly, and values of several key model parameters are adjusted, based on observations. A dispersion relation is derived that adequately describes the MJO’s signal in the wavenumber–frequency spectrum and defines the MJO as a dispersive equatorial moist wave with a westward group velocity. On the basis of linear regression analysis of satellite and reanalysis data, it is estimated that the MJO’s group velocity is ~40% as large as its phase speed. This dispersion is the result of the anomalous winds in the wave modulating the mean distribution of moisture such that the moistur...
Effect of Garlic Mustard [Alliaria petiolata (Beib. Cavara & Grande)] Extracts on Plants and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) Fungi

We examined the effects of garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) leachates on germination of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal spores, colonization of plant roots by AM fungi and germination and root growth of monocot and dicot plants under laboratory conditions. In the field we examined the effect of garlic mustard on AM inoculum potential (MIP). Water leachates of garlic mustard prevented germination of spores of the AM fungus Gigaspora rosea, inhibited the formation of AM associations with tomato (Lycopesicum esculentum) and significantly reduced germination of tomato seeds. Garlic mustard leachates also reduced root length of tomato and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) seedlings. Under field conditions we found a significant negative correlation between the density of garlic mustard and the mycorrhizal inoculum potential of the soil in which the plants grew. These results suggest that garlic mustard may reduce the competitive abilities of native plants by interfering with the formation of mycorrhizal associations and root growth.
How Space Augments the Social Structures of Innovation

Research on the enabling factors of innovation has focused on either the social component of organizations or on the spatial dimensions involved in the innovation process. But few have examined the aggregate consequences of the link from spatial layout to social networks to innovation. Preliminary results from this NSF sponsored research were presented at ARCC 2012. The research explores how spatial layout and social networks promote innovation among professionals working indifferent research-intensive organizations. The associations between innovation within these organizations and the organization’s social and spatial structure are investigated. This paper presents results for one of our partner organizations, an international automobile manufacturer. The study applies spatial analysis to map and characterize physical space and sociometric surveys to capture contacts among employees. For the automobile manufacturer, we were able to augment these tools with location tracking methods. Our use of the UWB location system, allowed us to assess contact networks in real time.Social networks play important roles in structuring communication, collaboration, access to knowledge, and knowledge transformation. These processes are both antecedent to and part of the innovation process. Spatial layout structures patterns of circulation, proximity, awareness of others, and encounter in an organization. These interrelationships become fundamental to the development of social networks, especially those networks critical to the innovation process. We hypothesize that network positions and office locations influence workers’ ability to prospect for new ideas and mobilize the resources and attention necessary to implement those ideas, both critical ingredients to innovation. Results demonstrate the salience of both social and spatial dimensions in the processes of innovation. Ourfindings indicate that relationships between salutary network positions and beneficial locales themselves derive from institutional contexts that shape the priorities, opportunities, goals and practices of discovery. Thus, we suggest that innovation is a process that occurs at the intersection of social and physical space, and moves toward a socio-spatial science of design for innovation.