cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the Amount of Nondeterminism and the Power of Verifying

The relationship between nondeterminism and other computational resources is investigated based on the "guess-then-check" model GC. Systematic techniques are developed to construct natural complete languages for the classes defined by this model. This improves a number of previous results in the study of limited nondeterminism. Connections of the model GC to computational optimization problems are exhibited.
An O(n log n) approximation scheme for Steiner tree in planar graphs

We give a Polynomial-Time Approximation Scheme (PTAS) for the Steiner tree problem in planar graphs. The running time is O(n log n).
Maximum number of binary collisions for three relativistic point particles.

Maximum number of binary collisions for three particles with zero range forces in relativistic rescattering singularities studies
Orders and Eras in American Politics

In the abstract, periodization is a major element of what was once known as "empirical theory", the attempt to assemble what we believe that we know about various aspects of politics, and then to "connect the dots" so that larger propositions-and a bigger picture-emerge for further testing. As method, periodization is a device for reducing social complexity, so as to compare hypotheses and generate theory. In application, here to American politics, it promises an analysis different from most other approaches, precisely by driving toward that larger framework. Both aspects of periodization-as intellectual strategy and as substantive outcome-deserve attention. Yet, the enterprise is often far less abstract than that. For the attempt to periodize appropriately surfaces everywhere in practical politics, as one homely example may suggest. When I came to the APSA panel that generated this symposium, I came directly from a Republican National Convention where the proper periodization of the war on terror was a central theme. To wit, was the war in Iraq the logical culmination of a conflict beginning, at least, with the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1993? Or was it a disconnected event, tied instead to personal histories of the principals, which actually harmed response to the overall conflict? Both sides sensed that the public's answer might be crucial to the election's outcome.
Flex Circuit Sensor Array for Surface Unsteady Pressure Measurements

Introduction T HE acquisition of high-fidelity, high-frequency response surface pressure measurements are of interest to experimentalists in gas-turbine aeromechanical research because these data provide a means to measure indirectly the unsteady aerodynamic loading acting on an airfoil. Airfoils are typically (traditionally) instrumented from commercially available miniature pressure transducers that are flush mounted to the airfoil to prevent the transducer from aerodynamically disturbing the flow. Cavities are machined into the airfoil to accommodate the transducers, and trenches are machined to route the lead wires away from the transducer.1−5 The main difficulty in the use of traditional transducers for high spatial resolution comes from the congestion and interference caused by the cavities and trenches required for each sensor location and the number of locations desired. A high spatial resolution array of high-frequency pressure transducers was designed and fabricated that eliminates most of the difficulty associated with having a large concentration of transducers in a given area. Two pressure sensor arrays were applied to the suction and pressure surfaces of two inlet guide vanes (IGVs) of a transonic research compressor to measure the unsteady loading distribution induced by the passage of the bow shocks and the potential field emanating from the downstream rotor.
Clinimetric analysis of pressure biofeedback and transversus abdominis function in individuals with stabilization classification low back pain.

Study Design Descriptive laboratory study. Objective To determine if a proposed clinical test (pressure biofeedback) could detect changes in transversus abdominis (TrA) muscle thickness during an abdominal drawing-in maneuver. Background Pressure biofeedback may be used to assess abdominal muscle function and TrA activation during an abdominal drawing-in maneuver but has not been validated. Methods Forty-nine individuals (18 men, 31 women) with low back pain who met stabilization classification criteria underwent ultrasound imaging to quantify changes in TrA muscle thickness while a pressure transducer was used to measure pelvic and spine position during an abdominal drawing-in maneuver. A paired t test was used to compare differences in TrA activation ratios between groups (able or unable to maintain pressure of 40 ± 5 mmHg). The groups were further dichotomized based on TrA activation ratio (high, greater than 1.5; low, less than 1.5). Sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios were calculated. Res...
Effects of chronic copper exposure on the nutritional composition of Hyalella azteca

Abstract The toxicity of dietborne metals currently is a topic of high interest in aquatic toxicology. We hypothesized that, in addition to causing direct physiological effects when ingested by organisms, dietborne metals might also cause indirect foodweb effects. One such indirect effect might be alteration of the nutritional content of prey, leading to decreased growth and (or) survival of consumers. Because dietborne and waterborne metal exposures usually occur concurrently in aquatic ecosystems, we exposed two generations of a representative grazer species—the freshwater amphipod Hyalella azteca—to dietborne copper (Cu) concurrent with waterborne Cu in the laboratory for a total of 27 days (first generation) and 45–57 days (second generation). The aqueous Cu concentrations were 0.0099 (control), 0.054 and 0.11 μM (0.6, 3.4 and 7.0 μg Cu per l, respectively) at 24 °C, pH 7.5–8.3, alkalinity of ∼3 mEq/l and hardness of ∼4 mEq/l; whereas the dietborne Cu exposures were via biofilm growing on cotton gauze in the same exposure aquaria. In a preliminary test, we demonstrated that the highest Cu concentrations were at the threshold for adversely affecting survival and reproduction. In the two-generation test, first- and second-generation amphipods exposed to the intermediate and high aqueous Cu concentrations accumulated significantly higher amounts of Cu than control amphipods. However, none of the traditional nutritional composition categories (protein, total lipid, ash and ‘other’) differed among the treatments. The only significant difference in nutritional composition was an elevated concentration of linolenic acid (18:3 n−3) in the second-generation amphipods exposed to 0.054 μM Cu.
Free Transverse Vibration of Thin Rotating Disks: Nonlinear Analysis

An analytical method is adopted to determine natural frequencies for a nonlinear spinning disk. The disk is assumed to be isotropic and rotating under steady state conditions. The effects of amplitude and rotating speed on natural frequencies are determined. The developed procedure is also capable of analyzing natural frequencies of linear free vibration, which is independent of amplitude. Attention is confined to determine natural frequencies for different numbers of nodal diameters. The developed procedure does not consider modes of vibration corresponding to nodal circles. Validity of this procedure is verified by comparing some of the computed results with those established for certain cases.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
A sufficient condition for the asymptotic stability of certain linear processes

A sufficient condition is given for the Laplace transforms of some linear processes to be analytic in the closed right half-plane.
Considerations of aortic elastin chemistry in the genesis of the intimal plaque (Broad-Breasted White turkey)

Abstract Fragmentation of internal and external elastic membranes occurs in the abdominal but not in the thoracic aorta of the Broad-Breasted White turkey during the early developmental period. In this early period, isolated elastin from the abdominal aorta contains more polar amino acid residues than elastin of the thoracic aorta. Additionally, the relative amount of a chemically unstable elastin cross-link, dehydrolysinonorleucine, is greater in the abdominal as compared to the thoracic aorta during the early developmental and adult periods. Cells of the abdominal aorta exposed to a higher arterial pressure and a greater rate of arterial pressure rise ( dp dt ) and in a region with a higher collagen:elastin ratio (reduced compliance to pulse-pressure-volume deformations) may synthesize a chemically unstable elastin which breaks down in regions of accentuated wall stress. Though these breaks of the internal elastic membranes, modified smooth muscle cells may migrate, proliferate and ultimately synthesize new elastin in forming the intimal plaque.
Fiber laser sensor system with interferometric readout and wavelength multiplexing

We describe a fiber Bragg grating laser sensor which utilizes a read-out interferometer for detecting weak measurand induced wavelength shifts in the lasing wavelength. The advantages of the system include simple 'in-line' sensor design, high sensitivity, and the capability to support multiple sensors from a single pump laser using wavelength division multiplexing.
Lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity: Two pathways and multiple effector molecules

Pierre A. Henkart Experimental Immunology Branch National Cancer Institute National Institutes of Health Bethesda, Maryland 20892 Important progress has been made over the last several years in our understanding of the mechanism of lympho- cyte cytotoxicity. Experiments published in recent months have built on this to provide definitive answers to basic questions, as I will review here. The Granule Exocytosis Pathway: Effects of CytolysinlPerforin Deletion Until recently, the granule exocytosis pathway had been the only molecularly defined cytotoxicity pathway, and is diagrammed in the right portion of Figure 1. This basic process and the considerable evidence supporting it have been reviewed elsewhere (Podack et al., 1991; Henkart et al., 1994). The functional cytotoxic mediator delivered by the killer lymphocyte in this pathway has traditionally been thought to be the membrane-damaging agent cytolysin or perforin. This interesting protein is found uniquely in cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) granules, and is a potent lytic agent after its release into the physiological ionic environment. The pores it forms in the target cell have been shown to allow passage of large proteins, as well as ions, and it was proposed that this damage was lethal to the target cell. Although avery considerable body of evidence had been developed to support the granule exocytosis model, per- sistent questions arose regarding its in vivo relevance (Berke, 1991). The issue came down to whether the rela- tively small level of granule components in in vivo CTL, detectable in some studies but not others, could account for the cytotoxic function, and no definitive answer emerged. The recent development of knockout mice in which the gene for cytolysinlperforin is disrupted either in the germ- line or in B and T lymphocytes selectively has allowed these in vivo questions to be addressed in a particularly clear way. The report of Kagi et al. (1994a), one of four labs that have developed such mice, is a beautiful example of the success of the gene disruption appproach, since problems with indirect effects of the knockout and redun- dant molecular pathways seem not to be significant. Thus, CD8’ T cells were found in normal levels in lymphoid or- gansof the knockout mice, and became activated normally in response to LCMV infection. However, specific in vitro cytotoxic activity was negligible when spleen cells from virus- infected knockout mice were compared with infected con- trol mice. Alloreactive CTL originating from primary in vitro cultures as well as in vivo immunizations likewise were severely crippled in terms of their ability to lyse the appro- priate allospecific fibroblasts, and to a considerable ex- tent, allogeneic tumor cells as well. NK activity also ap-
Regulation of myocardial ketone body metabolism by the gut microbiota during nutrient deprivation

Studies in mice indicate that the gut microbiota promotes energy harvest and storage from components of the diet when these components are plentiful. Here we examine how the microbiota shapes host metabolic and physiologic adaptations to periods of nutrient deprivation. Germ-free (GF) mice and mice who had received a gut microbiota transplant from conventionally raised donors were compared in the fed and fasted states by using functional genomic, biochemical, and physiologic assays. A 24-h fast produces a marked change in gut microbial ecology. Short-chain fatty acids generated from microbial fermentation of available glycans are maintained at higher levels compared with GF controls. During fasting, a microbiota-dependent, Pparα-regulated increase in hepatic ketogenesis occurs, and myocardial metabolism is directed to ketone body utilization. Analyses of heart rate, hydraulic work, and output, mitochondrial morphology, number, and respiration, plus ketone body, fatty acid, and glucose oxidation in isolated perfused working hearts from GF and colonized animals (combined with in vivo assessments of myocardial physiology) revealed that the fasted GF heart is able to sustain its performance by increasing glucose utilization, but heart weight, measured echocardiographically or as wet mass and normalized to tibial length or lean body weight, is significantly reduced in both fasted and fed mice. This myocardial-mass phenotype is completely reversed in GF mice by consumption of a ketogenic diet. Together, these results illustrate benefits provided by the gut microbiota during periods of nutrient deprivation, and emphasize the importance of further exploring the relationship between gut microbes and cardiovascular health.
Spectrum of the Kerzman–Stein Operator for Model Domains

For a domain Ω ⊂ C, the Kerzman-Stein operator is the skew- hermitian part of the Cauchy operator acting on L 2 (bΩ), which is defined with respect to Euclidean measure. In this paper we compute the spectrum of the Kerzman-Stein operator for three domains whose boundaries consist of two circular arcs: a strip, a wedge, and an annulus. We also treat the case of a domain bounded by two logarithmic spirals.
Hadamard Techniques In Optics And Their Relationship To Other Multiplexing Schemes

Some general properties of multiplexing optical systems for astronomical applications are described. The advantages and disadvantages which characterize Fourier and digitally encoded instruments when faced with any of ten sources of noise are discussed.
Neural responses during emotional processing before and after cognitive trauma therapy for battered women.

Abstract Therapy for combat and accident-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been reported to influence amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) response during emotional processing. It is not yet understood how therapy influences different phases of emotional processing, and whether previous findings generalize to other PTSD populations. We hypothesized that cognitive trauma therapy for battered women (CTT-BW) would alter insula, amygdala, and cingulate responses during anticipation and presentation of emotional images. Fourteen female patients with PTSD related to domestic violence completed the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before and after CTT-BW. The fMRI task involved cued anticipation followed by presentation of positive versus negative affective images. CTT-BW was associated with decreases in CAPS score, enhanced ACC and decreased anterior insula activation during anticipation, and decreased dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and amygdala response during image presentation (negative–positive). Pre-treatment ACC activation during anticipation and image presentation exhibited positive and negative relationships to treatment response, respectively. Results suggest that CTT-BW enhanced efficiency of neural responses during preparation for upcoming emotional events in a way that reduced the need to recruit prefrontal-amygdala responses during the occurrence of the event. Results also suggest that enhancing ACC function during anticipation may be beneficial for PTSD treatment.
The so-called congenital epulis.

Abstract 1. 1. The so-called “congenital epulis” is a “granular-cell fibroblastoma.” 2. 2. Fibroblasts of the subepithelial connective tissue, of the peri- and endoneurium of its numerous nerves, and of the tooth sac may become transformed into large granular cells. 3. 3. Islands of epithelial cells were not observed in the examined tumor. Their occasional occurrence in the neoplasm indicates that normally present parts of the dental lamina were accidentally included into, and carried along with, the centrifugal neoplastic proliferation of fibroblasts.
Generation of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells from Small Molecules and OCT4 Reprogrammed Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Autologous retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) grafts derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) may be used to cure blinding diseases in which RPE dysfunction results in photoreceptor degeneration. Four-, two-, and one-factor-derived iPSCs (4F-, 2F-, and 1F-iPSCs, respectively) were differentiated into fully functional cuboidal pigmented cells in polarized monolayers that express RPE-specific markers. 1F-iPSCs-RPE (1F-iPS-RPE) strongly resembles primary human fetal RPE (hfRPE) based on proteomic and untargeted metabolomic analyses, and using novel in vivo imaging technology coupled with electroretinography, we demonstrated that 1F-iPS-RPE mediate anatomical and functional rescue of photoreceptors after transplantation in an animal model of RPE-mediated retinal degeneration. 1F-iPS0RPE cells were injected subretinally as a suspension and formed a monolayer dispersed between host RPE cells. Furthermore, 1F-iPS-RPE do not simply provide trophic support to rescue photoreceptors as previously speculated but actually phagocytose photoreceptor outer segments in vivo and maintain visual cycling. Thus, 1f-iPS-RPE grafts may be superior to conventional iPS-RPE for clinical use because 1F-IPS-RPE closely resemble hfRPE, mediate anatomical and functional photoreceptor rescue in vivo, and are generated using a reduced number of potentially oncogenic reprogramming factors.
Cellular delivery of peptide nucleic acids and inhibition of human telomerase.

Background Human telomerase has an essential RNA component and is an ideal target for developing rules correlating oligonucleotide chemistry with disruption of biological function. Similarly, peptide nucleic acids (PNAs), DNA analogs that bind complementary sequences with high affinity, are outstanding candidates for inducing phenotypic changes through hybridization. Results We identify PNAs directed to nontemplate regions of the telomerase RNA that can overcome RNA secondary structure and inhibit telomerase by intercepting the RNA component prior to holoenzyme assembly. Relative potencies of inhibition delineate putative structural domains. We describe a novel protocol for introducing PNAs into eukaryotic cells and report efficient inhibition of cellular telomerase by PNAs. Conclusions PNAs directed to nontemplate regions are a new class of telomerase inhibitor and may contribute to the development of novel antiproliferative agents. The dependence of inhibition by nontemplate-directed PNAs on target sequence suggests that PNAs have great potential for mapping nucleic acid structure and predictably regulating biological processes. Our simple method for introducing PNAs into cells will not only be useful for probing the complex biology surrounding telomere length maintenance but can be broadly applied for controlling gene expression and functional genomics.
Mechanisms of growth for protein and virus crystals

The growth of six protein and virus crystals was investigated in situ using atomic force microscopy. Most of the crystals grew principally on steps generated by two-dimensional nucleation on surfaces though some grew by development of spiral dislocations. Apoferritin grew by a rarely encountered mechanism, normal growth, usually associated only with melt or vapour phase crystallization. Cubic crystals of satellite tobacco mosaic virus (STMV) grew, at moderate to high levels of supersaturation, by the direct addition of three-dimensional nuclei followed by their rapid normal growth and lateral expansion, a mechanism not previously described to promote controlled and reproducible crystal growth from solutions. Biological macromolecules apparently utilize a more diverse range of growth mechanisms in their crystallization than any previously studied materials.
Radon profiles over Kilauea, the Hawaiian Islands and Yukon Valley snow cover

Three radon (222Rn) samples collected on 10 February, 1972, in the plume of Kilauea volcano averaged 3.26 pCi m−3 (1 pCi=2.22 dpm). Radon measurements up to an altitude of 5 km on the windward side of the Hawaiian Islands in early February 1972 show concentrations largely independent of height. Concentrations measured during four days of observations were in the range of 3 to 4 pCi m−3. On 7 February, concentrations of 6 to 7 pCi m−3 were measured and suggest an air mass that had moved more rapidly from (or had accumulated more radon while over) continental areas. Over-ocean measurements, made in transit to and from Hawaii and Alaska at 2 to 3 km altitudes, averaged 3.6 pCi m−3. A strong inversion and radon concentrations as high as 260 pCi m−3 at an altitude of 90 m were observed over the thick snow cover in the Yukon Valley in Alaska in mid-February 1972. These radon data are compared to theoretical radon profiles for conditions of strong inversion up to an altitude of 2 km and are consistent with an exhalation rate of 0.33 atom cm−2 sec−1 (19×10−18 Ci cm−2 sec−1) at the surface of the snow. Above 2 km the radon concentrations showed large variations and probably respond to large-scale weather conditions.
Impeding the Juggernaut of Innovation Diffusion: A Production-Constrained Model

Models of innovation diffusion typically depict an inexorable momentum once the process begins to roll. Limited production capacity, however, can place a cap on this process, leading to waiting lines of potential customers, thus diminishing overall service quality and the speed of diffusion. Identifying the minimum production capacity needed for unimpeded and unimpaired diffusion can ensure that there are no customers waiting to adopt the product. We propose a production-capacity-constrained diffusion model that considers an exogenous industry production capacity and accounts for word-of-mouth effects from adopters as well as waiting customers. We derive analytical expressions for minimum capacity needed under multiple production scenarios. We present a dual-objective non-linear least squares procedure with large-scale grid search for estimating the parameters. We apply our model to several new product innovation data sets, ranging from vacuum cleaners to sports utility vehicles in the United States to iPhones globally. Our estimates show that product shortages exist, ranging from mild to severe, in all of these product markets. We are able to corroborate some of our findings with independent external sources of evidence. We find that information on industry capacity can be recovered with as few as 5 years of sales data. Our model has practical implications for policy makers and can help equity analysts triangulate industry capacity better, particularly when such information is closely held.
The variability of delivered dose of aerosols with the same respirable concentration but different size distributions.

The influences of aerosol size distribution and breath tidal volume on respirable dose estimates were examined for mouth breathing using the ACGIH/ISO/CEN criterion for respirableequivalent aerosols. Actual tissue doses predicted from a set of pulmonary empirical deposition equations, the Heyder–Rudolf equations, were compared with deposition assumed to occur under the penetration-based respirable dust sampling criterion. Deposition estimate errors ranged from ∼1/10- to 10-fold, with aerosol mass median aerodynamic equivalent diameter and geometric standard deviation as well as tidal volume each showing a substantial influence under appropriate conditions. These findings demonstrate that reliance on respirable aerosol sampling data obtained with devices performing on a penetration-based sampling criterion may lead to erroneous dose–response relationships in exposure standard development as well as exposure misclassification errors during epidemiological studies. A more reliable dose estimate would be obtained using devices with collection efficiency performance closely matching the alveolar deposition prediction curves of Heyder and Rudolf. We believe that if it is not currently required, the development of a deposition-based aerosol sampling methodology will soon be required for the determination and quantification of inhaled aerosol-induced adverse health effects.
FGF signaling induces mesoderm in the hemichordate Saccoglossus kowalevskii

FGFs act in vertebrate mesoderm induction and also play key roles in early mesoderm formation in ascidians and amphioxus. However, in sea urchins initial characterizations of FGF function do not support a role in early mesoderm induction, making the ancestral roles of FGF signaling and mechanisms of mesoderm specification in deuterostomes unclear. In order to better characterize the evolution of mesoderm formation, we have examined the role of FGF signaling during mesoderm development in Saccoglossus kowalevskii, an experimentally tractable representative of hemichordates. We report the expression of an FGF ligand, fgf8/17/18, in ectoderm overlying sites of mesoderm specification within the archenteron endomesoderm. Embryological experiments demonstrate that mesoderm induction in the archenteron requires contact with ectoderm, and loss-of-function experiments indicate that both FGF ligand and receptor are necessary for mesoderm specification. fgf8/17/18 gain-of-function experiments establish that FGF8/17/18 is sufficient to induce mesoderm in adjacent endomesoderm. These experiments suggest that FGF signaling is necessary from the earliest stages of mesoderm specification and is required for all mesoderm development. Furthermore, they suggest that the archenteron is competent to form mesoderm or endoderm, and that FGF signaling from the ectoderm defines the location and amount of mesoderm. When considered in a comparative context, these data support a phylogenetically broad requirement for FGF8/17/18 signaling in mesoderm specification and suggest that FGF signaling played an ancestral role in deuterostome mesoderm formation.
Night vision goggle visual acuity assessment: Results of an interagency test

There are several parameters that are used to characterize the quality of a night vision goggle (NVG) such as resolution, gain, field-of-view, visual acuity, etc. One of the primary parameters is visual acuity or resolution of the NVG. These two terms are often used interchangeably primarily because of the measurement methods employed. The objectives of this paper are to present: (1) an argument as to why NVG visual acuity and resolution should be considered as distinctly different parameters, (2) descriptions of different methods of measuring visual acuity and resolution, and (3) the results of a blind test by several agencies to measure the resolution of the same two NVGs (four oculars).
Second language acquisition reconceptualized? The impact of firth and wagner (1997)

THE THEME CHOSEN FOR THE 2007 MODERN Language Journal (MLJ) Focus Issue centers on the exploration of the extent to which ideas raised by Firth and Wagner's (hereafter F&W) 19971 article "On Discourse, Communication, and (Some) Fundamental Concepts in SLA Research" have had an impact on SLA theory, empirical research, and praxis over the last 10 years. This article has been prominent in the ongoing debate in the field of second language acquisition (SIA) between those researchers who see the acquisition of a second language (L2) as an individual cognitive process taking place in the mind of the learner and other researchers who believe that
Food energy supply and demand: A discrepancy between particulate organic carbon flux and sediment community oxygen consumption in the deep ocean1

Sediment community oxygen consumption (SCOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC) flux to the benthic boundary layer were concurrently measured at five deep-sea stations on a transect across the eastern and central North Pacific at various times of year. A free vehicle grab respirometer and Alvin-manipulated grab respirometer were used to measure SCOC. Paired particle interceptor traps (PITS) were used to collect sedimenting small POC at 100 and 600 m above the bottom. SCOC decreased across the transect from the eutrophic coastal areas off southern California to the oligotrophic central Pacific gyre. These rates were generally highest in June and lowest between fall and early spring across the transect with a recurrent pattern in the magnitude of rates measured during the same months but different years. Flux of POC into the benthic boundary layer decreased across the transect from the eutrophic eastern to the oligotrophic central Pacific. No consistent temporal trends were evident in POC flux across the transect, possibly because of small sample sizes, high intra-station variability, and short-term deployments (57 d). Comparison of concurrently measured supply of POC with organic carbon demand of the sediment community as estimated from SCOC reveals a supply deficit across the transect for all seasons measured. For one nearly synoptic sampling period across the transect in June 1982, the supply-to-demand ratio is lowest at the two nearshore stations where current speeds are highest. A predictive equation for SCOC with a least-squares regression analysis and log-transformed data revealed that POC flux as the independent variable accounted for only 59% of the variability in SCOC. Direct coupling between SCOC and POC flux is not confirmed by these results, which may be attributed to the limitations of the measurements or other organic carbon sources.
Sentence interpretation in bilingual speakers of English and Chinese

This study examines patterns of transfer in the sentence processing strategies displayed by Chinese-English and English–Chinese bilinguals. Our results indicate that late bilinguals display strong evidence for forward transfer: late Chinese–English bilinguals transfer animacybased strategies to English sentences; late English–Chinese bilinguals transfer English-like word order strategies to Chinese. Early bilinguals display a variety of transfer patterns, including differentiation (use of animacy strategies in Chinese and word order strategies in English) and backward transfer (use of L2 processing strategies in L1, a possible symptom of language loss). These unusual transfer patterns reflect a complex interaction of variables, including age of exposure to L2 and patterns of daily language use. Implications of these findings for the critical period hypothesis are discussed, together with some new hypotheses concerning the interaction between acquisition of L2 and maintenance of L1.
Feature uncertainty arising from covariant image noise

Uncertainty estimates related to the position of image features are seeing increasing use in several computer vision problems. Many of these have been recast from standard least squares model fitting to techniques that minimize the Mahalanobis distance, which weighs each error vector by covariance of the observations. These include structure from motion and traditional geometric camera calibration. Uncertainty estimates previously derived for the case of corner localization are based on implicit assumptions that preclude sophisticated image noise models. Uncertainties associated with these features tend to be over estimated. In this work, we introduce a new formulation for feature location uncertainty that supports arbitrary pixel covariance to derive a more accurate positional uncertainty estimate. The method is developed and evaluated in the case of a traditional interest operator that is in widespread use. Results show that uncertainty estimates based on this new formulation better reflect the error distribution in feature location.
Anchoring of bovine chromosomes 4, 6, 7, 10, and 14 linkage group telomeric ends via FISH analysis of lambda clones

We report the placement of 34 new microsatellite (ms) markers, isolated from a lambda phage genomic clone library, on the bovine genetic map by linkage to published markers. Five of these markers lie at or near the ends of linkage groups and are used to establish chromosomal coverage and orientation. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis demonstrates that the linkage groups on the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) map extend to the telomeric region of Chromosomes (Chrs) 7 and 10. Linkage groups on Chrs 4, 6, and 14 appear to be less inclusive.
Sperm Binding to the Mouse Egg Plasmalemma

The sperm binding properties of the mouse egg plasmalemma were assessed following an in vitro challenge of zona-free eggs with capacitatedepididymal sperm. Unpenetrated eggs were capable of binding more sperm than were theirin vivo or in vitro penetrated counterpartsover a wide range in sperm concentration. Only capacitatedsperm bound and binding was physiologic because it culminated in penetration of the vitellus. Kinetic analysis of these phenomena indicated that sperm detached after the egg was penetrated and it is suggested that this is a cause and effect relationship reflecting early aspects of the block to polyspermy response.
Physico-Chemical Properties of Supported and Unsupported γ-Al2-O3 and TiO2 Ceramic Membranes

Abstract Supported and unsupported γ-Al2O3 and TiO2 ceramic membranes have been prepared by sol-gel techniques from alkoxide precursors. Several physico-chemical properties of these materials have been determined. N2 sorption analysis has been used to determine pore size distributions and mean pore sizes. Particle sizes of sols as measured by “in situ” quasi-elastic light scattering are discussed in the light of SEM analyses of the sintered membranes prepared from these sols. Crack-free unsupported monoliths of Al2O3 with thicknesses up to 100 μm have been prepared. Similarly, supported Al2O3 and TiO2 membranes with thicknesses of 0.5 μm have been produced. Preliminary measurements of the permselectiyities of supported membranes have also been made.
Uveodermatologic (VKH-like) syndrome in American Akita dogs is associated with an increased frequency of DQA1*00201

The Akita breed of dog is affected by a number of distinct immune-mediated diseases, including thyroiditis, sebaceous adenitis, pemphigus foliaceus, uveitis, polyarthritis, myasthenia gravis, and uveodermatologic (UV) syndrome. UV syndrome is manifested by progressive uveitis and depigmenting dermatitis that closely resembles the human Vogt – Koyanagi – Harada syndrome. This study examined the allelic diversity of the three DLA class II loci (DRB1, DQA1, and DQB1) in the American Akita dog, and the relationship of specific DLA class II alleles to the UV. Low allelic variation was demonstrated within genes of DLA class II. American Akita dogs possessed six of the reported 16 DQA1 alleles, but only eight of 61 reported alleles in DRB1 and nine of 47 reported alleles in DQB1. Almost one-half of American Akita dogs were homozygous for a single allele at DQA1 and up to a quarter at DRB1 and DQB1. DLA-DQA1*00201 was associated with a significantly higher relative risk (RR ¼ 15.3) or odds ratio (OR ¼ 15.99) for UV syndrome than other DLA class II alleles. No significant association was noted with haplotypes of DRB1, DQB1, and DQA1 alleles; DRB1*03201-DQA1*00201 trended toward significance. This study confirmed loss of DLA genetic diversity in the American Akita dog in common with other pure breeds of dog and suggested a role for certain DLA class II gene alleles in the pathogenesis of UV.
Introduction to the Special Issue on Mining Software Repositories in 2010

This special issue of Empirical Software Engineering consists of revised and extended versions of three selected papers originally presented at the 7th IEEE Working Conference on Mining Software Repositories (MSR 2010). The conference was held in Cape Town, South Africa, on May 2–3, and was co-located with the 32nd ACM/IEEE International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE 2010). This conference brings together researchers who share an interest in advancing the science and practice of software engineering via the analysis of data stored in software repositories. The Mining Software Repositories field analyzes the rich data available in software repositories to uncover interesting and actionable information about software systems and projects. Thanks to the ready availability of software configuration management, mailing list, and bug tracking repositories from open source projects, it has gained popularity since 2004 with the first instance of the MSR workshop (now conference) and continues to be one of the fastest growing fields in the area of software engineering. Researchers in this field empirically explore a range of software engineering questions using software repository data as the primary source of information. Some commonly explored areas include software evolution, models of software development processes, characterization of developers and their activities, prediction of future software qualities, use of machine learning techniques on software project data, software bug prediction, analysis of software change patterns, and analysis of code clones. There has also been a stream of work on tools for mining software repositories, and techniques for visualizing software repository data. In recent years the importance of the field has further increased as today’s society and businesses become more data-driven. Industry has a strong interest in transforming software repository data into actionable insights to inform better development decisions. Analytics is already commonly used in many businesses—notably in marketing, to better reach and understand customers (Thornton 2009). The application of analytics to software development is becoming more popular. Empir Software Eng (2012) 17:500–502 DOI 10.1007/s10664-012-9206-z
Family accounts: a new paradigm for user accounts within the home environment

In this paper we present Family Accounts, a new user account model for shared home computers. We conducted a study with sixteen families, eight who used individual profiles at home, and eight who shared a single profile. Our results demonstrate that Family Accounts is a good compromise between a single shared profile and individual profiles for each family member. In particular, we observed that because Family Accounts allowed individuals to switch profiles without forcing them to interrupt their tasks, family members tended to switch to their own profiles only when a task required some degree of privacy or personalization.
Coping, Productive Time Use, and Negative Mood among Adults with Severe Mental Illness: A Daily Diary Study

Most studies on coping among persons with severe mental illness have relied on retrospective self-report methods; a limitation of this methodology is susceptibility to recall bias. The purpose of the present investigation was to expand the current understanding of the impact of coping among persons with severe mental illness by examining coping strategies, mood, and social functioning (operationalized as productive time use) using a daily process design. Twenty-seven adults diagnosed with severe mental illness completed baseline clinical interviews and up to 20 days of nightly telephone interviews addressing coping and daily life. A total of 198 coping efforts were reported for 387 days. Mixed-effects regression analyses examined the association between type of daily coping strategy (problem-centered, neutral, or avoidant) and both daily proportion of time participants spent in productive activity and daily negative mood, controlling for demographic and clinical variables. The results indicated that productive time use was significantly lower on days when avoidant strategies were used, in contrast with days when problem-centered strategies and neutral strategies were used. There was no significant main effect of coping on negative mood, although there was a trend in the expected direction. Findings support the hypothesis that the types of coping strategies adults with severe mental illness use are related to better social functioning on a daily level.
A Fault Taxonomy for Service-Oriented Architecture

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is a popular design paradigm for distributed systems today but the high adaptivity and complexity of SOA implementations may also introduce additional sources of faults. We first describe typical steps in SOA to understand possible faults. Then, we provide a corresponding fault taxonomy according to the process of service invocation. Finally, we present possible benefits of our taxonomy for dependability enhancement in SOA-based systems.
A network intrusion detection method using independent component analysis

An intrusion detection system (IDS) detects illegal manipulations of computer systems. In intrusion detection systems, feature reduction, including feature extraction and feature selection, plays an important role in a sense of improving classification performance and reducing the computational complexity. Feature reduction is even more important when online detection, which means less computational power and fast real time delivery compared with offline detection, is needed. In this paper, independent component analysis approach is applied to feature extraction in online network intrusion detection problem. We use the KDD Cup 99 data and try to reduce its 41 features such that significant less number of features would be fed into kNN and SVM classifiers. Also, a decision fusion method is employed to aggregate the results from multiple classifiers to achieve higher accuracy.
Considerations for Therapy of Mixed Infections: Focus on Intraabdominal Infection

Intraabdominal infections are a wide range of diseases that include penetrating abdominal trauma, appendicitis, peritonitis, and abscess. Most are polymicrobic, involving aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. The primary treatment is surgery, but important issues regarding administration of antimicrobials may affect patient outcome. Evaluation of an antimicrobial regimen must include consideration of outcomes--survival, organ failure, adverse drug effects, and superinfection. Single-agent regimens have demonstrated benefit in patients with acute intraabdominal contamination and established infections. Guidelines for selecting antimicrobial agents are available from the Surgical Infection Society. Regimens are effective when active against most bacteria isolated from the focus of abdominal infection. The patient's clinical response, not culture results independent of clinical findings, is the primary guide for directing changes in therapy.
Spiking statistics in noisy hippocampal interneurons

We have studied the e!ects of two types of noise in simple model neurons with Hodgkin} Huxley voltage-gated channels. We have considered Gaussian noise currents, and Poissondistributed excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials. We determined the distribution of interspike intervals, and calculated its average, q ISI , and the coe$cient of variation (CV). The neuronal dynamics is analyzed in the CV}q ISI diagram in terms of equi-noise strength D, and equi-drive I !11 curves. For the Gaussian case one can distinguish four regions of neuronal dynamics. An equivalent analysis is carried out in the Poisson case. In the latter case the behavior is more complicated. ( 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Privacy and Social Networking Sites

College students are increasingly sharing their lives online through social networking sites with little concern for who may be viewing their information. Understanding student use of social networking sites along with privacy rights online will help professionals in the development of appropriate online activity and policies.
Inhibition of Biofilm Formation by Monoclonal Antibodies against Staphylococcus epidermidis RP62A Accumulation-Associated Protein

Staphylococcus epidermidis expresses a 140-kDa cell wall-bound protein accumulation-associated protein (AAP) to adhere to and accumulate as a biofilm on a surface. Potentially blocking AAP with a monoclonal antibody (MAb) could reduce or eliminate S. epidermidis bacterial colonization of biomedical devices. Here, we report on our efforts to (i) isolate AAP, (ii) generate MAbs against AAP, and (iii) determine the efficacy of MAbs to inhibit S. epidermidis biofilm formation. An M7 S. epidermidis mutant, reportedly deficient in AAP expression, was used as a negative control. Postinoculation murine sera, containing polyclonal antibodies against AAP, were able to reduce S. epidermidis biofilm formation by 54%. Select MAbs against AAP were able to reduce S. epidermidis by no more than 66%. Two MAb mixtures, 12C6/12A1 and 3C1/12A1, reduced S. epidermidis accumulation up to 79 and 87%, respectively, significantly more than individual MAbs. Contrary to a previous report, biofilm-deficient S. epidermidis mutant M7 expressed a 200-kDa protein on its cell wall that specifically bound AAP MAbs. Peptide characterization of this M7 protein by microcapillary reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography-nanoelectrospray tandem mass spectrometry resulted in 53% homology with AAP. Ongoing studies will elucidate the dynamic expression of AAP and the M7 200-kDa protein in order to define their roles in biofilm formation.