cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent improvements in the particle performance of a varian 350D ion implanter

Abstract The level of particulate contamination deposited on a wafer surface during the ion implant process is a subject of great concern in the semiconductor industry. Particle performance requirements have become increasingly stringent in terms of both quantity and size of particles added during a process step. Recent studies have shown that the majority of particles being added to a wafer undergoing the implant process are added during its transition between atmospheric and high vacuum environments. This paper outlines the effects that various modifications to gas flow patterns within the vacuum lock have on particle contamination levels. Data will be presented which documents improvements achieved at particle sizes of 0.5 μm and larger.
Pantothenate synthesis in plants

Pantothenate, vitamin B5, is the key precursor to the essential co-factors coenzyme A (CoA) and acyl carrier protein. Biosynthesis of pantothenate takes place only in bacteria, fungi and plants, while animals must obtain it from their diet. The biochemistry, mechanism and regulation of the biosynthetic pathway of pantothenate have been thoroughly characterized in microorganisms, but our knowledge of this pathway in plants remains fragmented. Here, we review recent research that led to establishing possible routes to pantothenate in plants.
REDUCING MIGRATION-INDUCED MISSES IN AN OVER-SUBSCRIBED MULTIPROCESSOR SYSTEM

In a large multiprocessor server platform using multicore chips, the scheduler often migrates a thread or process, in order to achieve better load balancing or ensure fairness among competing scheduling entities. Each migration incurs a severe performance impact from the loss of cache and Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) footprints and subsequent higher cache misses and page walks. Such impact is likely to be more severe in virtualized environments, where high over-subscription of CPUs is very common for server consolidation workloads or virtual desktop infrastructure deployment, causing frequent migrations and context switches. We demonstrate the performance benefit of preserving a portion of L2 cache—in particular, MRU cache lines—and warming the destination L2 cache by prefetching those cache lines under different migration scenarios. We observed a 1.5-27% reduction in CPI (cycles per instruction) following a migration. We also study the effectiveness of preserving TLB entries over a context switch or migration.
Stream size and human influences on ecosystem production in river networks

The quality and amount of productivity plays a central role in determining community structure and biogeochemical dynamics in ecosystems. Humans have altered river ecosystems in multiple ways that are likely to influence annual rates of ecosystem productivity and metabolism, but the net affects of such modifications on these processes are poorly known, especially at annual scales. An analysis of annual, whole ecosystem productivity for over 200 streams and rivers shows that human activities shift the amount, quality, and spatial distribution of production in river networks via enrichment of resources that limit autotrophic production. Human actions increased primary production to a greater degree than heterotrophic respiration, shifting streams (i.e., sites <100 km2 watershed area) toward greater autochthony. Whereas human activities change multiple aspects of environmental conditions in streams, and often result in habitat degradation, reduction in biodiversity, and elevated contaminants, these analyses ...
Nearly 100% internal phosphorescence efficiency in an organic light emitting device

We demonstrate very high efficiency electrophosphorescence in organic light-emitting devices employing a phosphorescent molecule doped into a wide energy gap host. Using bis(2-phenylpyridine)iridium(III) acetylacetonate [(ppy)2Ir(acac)] doped into 3-phenyl-4(1′-naphthyl)-5-phenyl-1,2,4-triazole, a maximum external quantum efficiency of (19.0±1.0)% and luminous power efficiency of (60±5) lm/W are achieved. The calculated internal quantum efficiency of (87±7)% is supported by the observed absence of thermally activated nonradiative loss in the photoluminescent efficiency of (ppy)2Ir(acac). Thus, very high external quantum efficiencies are due to the nearly 100% internal phosphorescence efficiency of (ppy)2Ir(acac) coupled with balanced hole and electron injection, and triplet exciton confinement within the light-emitting layer.
Regime crystallization in syndiotactic polypropylenes : re-evaluation of the literature data

Abstract The Lauritzen and Hoffman secondary nucleation theory was applied to linear growth rate data of syndiotactic polypropylene taken from the literature. Observation of the distinctive upward change of slope in plots of log G+U∗/2.303R(Tc−T∞) versus 1/2.303Tc(ΔT)f suggested the regime II→III transition at the crystallization temperature of 110°C. Based on the input parameters judged to be the most accurate, the ratios of Kg,III/Kg,II were found to range from 1.7 to 2.2. Regardless of the crystal structure, if the growth is assumed to occur on the bc plane, the lateral surface free energy, σ=11.3 erg cm−2 and the fold surface free energy σe=63.7±7.1 erg cm−2 were found. The latter leads to the average work of chain folding of q =7.4±0.8 kcal mol−1. If the growth is assumed to occur on the ac plane, the fold surface free energy is found to be σe=82.4±9.1 erg cm−2, while the lateral surface free energy is the same as previously noted. In this case, the work of chain folding of q =9.6±1.1 kcal mol−1 is found. These values are applicable to both regimes II and III. A detailed evaluation of the effects of changes in input parameters was also carried out.
Identifying regional seismic relationships by cross-correlation

The identification of relationships between seismicity in different regions is commonly based on establishing the statistical significance of the largest absolute value in the cross-correlogram between time series of seismicity. The assessment of significance typically ignores the selection of the largest absolute value in the cross-correlogram and consequently exaggerates significance. In this note, a simple method for correcting the significance level for selection is presented. The method is valid as long as the two series are each serially independent. An example concerning seismicity in Mexico and Kamchatka is presented. In this case, correcting for selection has a dramatic effect.
A Collaborative Care Model to Improve Access to Pediatric Mental Health Services

To examine if an innovative collaborative care model known as Targeted Child Psychiatric Services designed for primary care pediatricians (PCPs) and child psychiatrists (1) was associated with improved access to child psychiatry services, (2) had the potential to identify optimal care settings for pediatric mental health care and (3) examined if pediatricians appeared as likely to accept children back into their practices at discharge from TCPS depending upon diagnostic category, controlling for severity of illness and function. The diagnostic classes examined were ADHD (39%), depression (31%) and anxiety (13%). This prospective cohort design study collected medical records of 329 children referred to TCPS by 139 PCPs. To detect the likelihood of return to referring pediatricians for follow-up care at discharge from TCPS, we employed logistic regression models. Mean age was 12.3 (SD = 4.0); 43% were female. Ninety-three percent of parents complied with pediatricians' recommendations to have their child assessed by a child psychiatrist. A total of 28.0% of referrals returned to PCPs for follow-up care; the remainder were followed in mental health. Regression findings indicated that children with major depression (OR = 7.5) or anxiety disorders (OR = 5.1) were less likely to return to PCPs compared to ADHD even though severity of psychiatric illness and functional levels did not differ across diagnostic groups. Families widely accepted pediatricians' recommendations for referral to child psychiatrists. Depression and anxiety were strong correlates of retention in mental health settings at discharge from TCPS though children with these disorders appeared to be no more severely ill or functionally limited than peers with ADHD. These children possibly could be managed in a less intensive and expensive primary care treatment setting that could access mental health specialty services as needed in a collaborative model of care. TCPS is contrasted with the well-known collaborative model for adult depression in primary care. TCPS could serve as a feasible model of care that addresses the daunting barriers in accessing pediatric mental health services.
Selective alterations in prefrontal cortical GABA neurotransmission in schizophrenia: a novel target for the treatment of working memory dysfunction

Rationale Disturbances in critical cognitive processes, such as working memory, are now regarded as core features of schizophrenia, but available pharmacological treatments produce little or no improvement in these cognitive deficits. Although other explanations are possible, these cognitive deficits appear to reflect a disturbance in executive control, the processes that facilitate complex information processing and behavior and that include context representation and maintenance, functions dependent on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Studies in non-human primates indicate that normal working memory function depends upon appropriate GABA neurotransmission in the DLPFC, and alterations in markers of GABA neurotransmission are well documented in the DLPFC of subjects with schizophrenia.
Measurement of Defects in Ultraviolet-irradiated DNA by the Kinetic Formaldehyde Method

ULTRAVIOLET irradiation of DNA converts a portion of the adjacent pyrimidine bases into cyclobutane dimers of the form . As a consequence, hydrogen bonding and base stacking at these sites are disrupted, and localised denatured regions may appear. (Ultraviolet-induced denaturation has been reviewed in ref. 2.) Treatment of DNA with formaldehyde results in a preferential reaction at these denatured sites (or defects) because formaldehyde reacts only with free but not hydrogen-bonded amino groups3.
Magnetic flux and particle transport in the plasma sheet

[1] Sets of 12 long-term averaged three-dimensional (3-D) data-based models were created to show how the structure of the plasma sheet depends upon particle transport rates and upon magnetic flux transport rates. The volume V and content N of unit flux tubes and the entropy parameters PV 5/3 and TV 2/3 were evaluated for each model. It was found that V and PU 5/3 depend only weakly on the transport rates. In contrast, N was much smaller and TV 2/3 was much larger when the transport rates were large. Most parameters depended strongly upon x. The long-term averaged x dependence of PV 5/3 was closely associated with the x dependence of N. Earthward and tailward transport nearly cancelled during periods of slow and moderate flow. The transport and spatial dependence of the measured variables therefore were attributed primarily to the confined, intermittent, high-temperature, low-density, fast or bursty bulk flows. Several mechanisms were described that can contribute to the observed earthward decreases of N and of PU 5/3 or to the pressure balance inconsistency. A sequence of events involving reconnection was shown to be one mechanism that is capable of producing the observed spatial variations.
Towards developing a framework for measuring organizational impact of IT- enabled BPR: case studies of three firms

This article reports on a case study of three firms which examined the organizational-level measures and process-level measures that were used to identify the effects of IT-enabled BPR (Business Process Redesign) projects. Firms in three distinct industry sectors provided the context for document review and semi-structured interview studies to identify those measures used to determine whether the firm's project was considered successful and how the firm had made the determination. A theoretical framework is proposed and provisionally confirmed demonstrating the link between IT-payoffs and BPR payoffs and the creation of intermediate assets that were identifiable and measurable. Lessons learned and opportunities for future research are presented.
Knowledge and the Systematic Reader: The Past and Present of Encyclopedic Learning

Though digital media have unquestionably affected the features and functions of modern encyclopedias, such works also continue to be shaped by factors thoroughly conventional by the end of the historical Enlightenment. As William Smellie, editor of the first Encyclopaedia Britannica (1768-71) wrote, “utility ought to be the principal intention of every publication. Wherever this intention does not plainly appear, neither the books nor their authors have the smallest claim to the approbation of mankind.” The “instructional designers” and “user-experience specialists” of the online Britannica are the inheritors of all those authors and editors who before and after Smellie’s time devised different plans and methods intended to maximize the utility of their works. The definition of utility and with it the nature of encyclopedic knowledge continues to change both because of and despite technological difference; if digitization has in some ways advanced the ideals of Enlightenment encyclopedias, then it has in other ways allowed for the re-inscription of certain flaws and limitations that encyclopedias like the Britannica were specifically designed to overcome. By examining not only what one might read in the encyclopedia but also the ways in which one might read it, this article demonstrates the extent to which the notion of encyclopedic utility depends on historical context.
A new species of Aphelandra (Acanthaceae: Acantheae) from Panama with notes on some Colombian species

Aphelandra merelloae, a new species from north-central Panama is described, illustrated, and mapped. It is compared to morphologically similar species from southern Central America (A. dolichantha) and Colombia (A. cuatrecasasii). It differs from both by its pinkish to purplish limb of the corolla, among other characters. Aphelandra killipii is treated as distinct from its Colombian congener A. cuatrecasasii based on color and pubescence of the corollas and pubescence of the medial and distal bracts. Twenty species of Aphelandra are now known to occur in Panama.
Effects of several hormones after total pancreatectomy in alligators

Total pancreatectomy in Alligator mississipiensis (3–4 ft long) produced in 24 hours a rise in blood sugar from the normal average of 73 mg% to 321 mg%, attaining progressively a final value of 606 mg% after 16 weeks. Death in ketosis takes place from 2 to 4 months after the operation. Glucagon, injected intraperitoneally, had its maximal hyperglycemic effect at 24 hours in the control group. The effect persisted for 1 week. In the depancreatized animals the maximal response occurred on the day 8 and the effect persisted for 2 weeks. In the normal animals insulin, injected intraperitoneally, produced a maximum decrease of the blood sugar (from 82 to 16 mg%) in 24 hours. After pancreatectomy the insulin effect was maximal at 96 hours (from 389 to 68 mg%), and the blood sugar values returned to initial levels 10 to 12 days after the injection. Epinephrine hyperglycemia is maximal at 24 hours after intraperitoneal injection in normal alligators and at 5 days in the depancreatized group. In the normal animals after intraperitoneal injection of a glucose load, the blood sugar reached maximal values 8 hours after the injection and approached the initial values only after 5 days. Depancreatized alligators had maximum values at 24 hours and returned to the base line in 7 days. Growth hormone or triamcinolone intraperitoneally injected daily for 1 week produced a mild hyperglycemia in the normal alligators and seveerly impaired the diabetic state of the depancreatized ones, as well as a marked increase in the levels of the ketone bodies.
Agricultural Intensification and Labor Productivity in a Philippine Vegetable Gardening Community: A Longitudinal Study

This paper concerns the evolution of commercial vegetable gardening as a source of household livelihood in a Philippine farming community during 1971-1988. This period was locally marked by dramatic population growth and agricultural intensification, the latter evidenced by a growing emphasis on gardening at the expense of more land-extensive agricultural systems, and by a two-to threefold increase in labor invested per unit of land in gardening itself. Despite such intensification, the returns to gardening labor were, like the returns to gardening land, considerably greater in 1988 than in 1971. Reasons for greater labor productivity in 1988 included increased market opportunity, improved efficiency in production and marketing, and technological change. These and other changes that have made gardening a more attractive production choice today are in turn related to the changing economic and social characteristics of community residents, and to the role of the state in influencing the local development pr...
Time-Distance Sunspot Seismology with GONG Data

We present time-distance analyses of several active regions and a region of quiet Sun observed with the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG). Analyzing temporal correlations between the p-mode oscillation signal observed within the sunspots with the signals integrated within surrounding annuli, we confirm the recent finding of Duvall and his colleagues that travel times (τ+) for outward propagating p-modes are smaller by approximately 1 minute than corresponding inward travel times (τ-). We also analyze correlations of the oscillation signal integrated within annuli of different radii. By varying the radius of the inner annulus (that which is closer to the target) we show that the radial extent of the region giving rise to the travel time perturbations is coincident with the outer boundary of the sunspot penumbrae. A comparison of independent methods designed to determine the mean travel time perturbations of p-modes passing through the sunspots is made. We find the surprising result that time-distance correlations that do not utilize the signal within the sunspot itself (employing "two-skip" trajectories) yield mean travel times that differ substantially from the average of τ+ and τ- and that are significantly closer in agreement with times predicted from scattering phase shifts measured by Hankel decomposition techniques. These observations suggest that it unlikely that Doppler shifts caused by subsurface flows are responsible for the travel time differences determined from center-annuli correlations targeted on sunspots.
The effect of microcracks on the elastic moduli of brittle materials

Avantages de l'utilisation d'une relation module d'Young ― module cisaillement comme test des previsions theoriques a la place d'une relation similaire. Module d'Young ― coefficient de Poisson; mise en evidence de l'impossibilite de choix parmi les modeles theoriques existants par ce type de relation
Inhibition of lipopolysaccharide activation of Kupffer cells by transition metals.

Background—Bacterial endotoxins are the principal agents causing sepsis and septic shock. Cytokine cascades produced by cellular interactions to endotoxins can cause cardiovascular failure followed by multi-organ failure and death. Endotoxin intravenously administered to mice can have fatal consequences. Previous studies have shown that the transition metals Mn ++ , Cr +++ can be protective. Methods—The effects of Mn ++ , Cr +++ , Zn ++ and Cu ++ on LPS binding to rat Kupffer cell extracts were analyzed using dot blots, SDS-PAGE, and western transfer. Kupffer cells were isolated from rat livers by collagenase perfusion, differential centrifugation and adhesion to plastic. Results—5mM Mn ++ , Zn ++ , Cr +++ and Cu ++ completely inhibited LPS binding. Isolated Kupffer cells were also exposed to Mn ++ and to LPS and TNF-α release measured. The presence of Mn ++ significantly (p<0.05) reduced TNF-α production by Kupffer cells in response to LPS. Experiments to determine if these effects were mediated by binding to LPS-binding proteins showed this was not the case. More likely a complex occurs between the metal and LPS. We also showed significantly enhanced uptake of LPS into Kupffer cells in the presence of Mn++. Conclusions—The data is consistent with the metals binding to LPS via its two phosphate groups and neutralizing their charge. These data also support the hypothesis that there is enhanced cellular up-take by non-receptor mediated methods such as absorptive pinocytocis. At the same time receptor binding and activation of the cells is inhibited. This can explain the effects of transition metals on LPS toxicity.
Placement of Roadside Equipment in Connected Vehicle Environment for Travel Time Estimation

Vehicle-to-infrastructure (VTI) communication technology offers great potential to improve safety and mobility in transportation systems. One application of VTI communication to mobility is the measurement of travel time in an urban road network. The presence of traffic control at intersections in an urban network makes it challenging for traditional traffic-monitoring methods to provide accurate travel times. The use of several new technologies (e.g., Bluetooth) has been proposed to alleviate this problem. One of the features of the VTI communication technology is probe vehicle data collection, in which vehicles collect information on, for example, their location and speed. The speed information can be used for travel time estimation. This paper proposes a methodology for determining the optimal placement of roadside equipment (RSE) for travel time estimation in a VTI communication environment. A connected vehicle simulation test bed of Boise, Idaho, was developed in VISSIM traffic simulation software ac...
Some Features of the Phase Diagram of the Square Lattice SU($N$) Antiferromagnet

Abstract We study the properties of the nearest-neighbor SU(N) antiferromagnet a square lattice as a function of N and the number of rows (m) and columns (nc) in the Young tableau of the SU(N) representation on the A sublattice; the sites of the B sublattice have the conjugate representation (the familiar Heisenberg antiferromagnet has N = 2, m = 1 and nc = 2 S). We study the global phase diagram in the (N, m, nc) space using 1 N expansions; in particular: (i) for N large with m proportional to N and nc arbitrary, we find spin-Peierls (dimerized) ground states with short-range spin correlations; (ii) with m = 1, the model is shown to be equivalent, at order 1 N , to a generalized quantum dimer model. We discuss the relationship of these results to the SU(N) generalization of recent arguments by Haldane on the effect of “hedgehog” point singularities in the space-time spin configuration. As an intermediate step in our calculation, we present a simple new derivation of the coherent state path integral representation of SU(N) spin models.
Calculating postnatal growth velocity in very low birth weight (VLBW) premature infants.

Currently, there is no standardized approach to the calculation of growth velocity (GV; g kg –1 day–1) in hospitalized very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. Thus, differing methods are used to estimate GV, resulting in different medical centers and studies reporting growth results that are difficult to compare. The objective of this study was to compare actual GV calculated from infant daily weights during hospitalization in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with estimated GV using two mathematical models that have been shown earlier to provide good estimated GVs in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants: an exponential model (EM) and a 2-Point model (2-PM). Daily weights from 81 infants with birth weights (BWs) of 1000 to 1499 g were used to calculate actual GV in daily increments from two starting points: (1) birth and (2) day of life (DOL) of regaining BW. These daily GV values were then averaged over the NICU stay to yield overall NICU GV from the two starting points. We compared these actual GV with estimated GV calculated using the EM and 2-PM methods. The mean absolute difference between actual and EM estimates of GV showed <1% error for 100% of infants from both starting points. The mean absolute difference between actual and 2-PM estimates showed <1% error for only 38 and 44% of infants from birth and regaining BW, respectively. The EM was unaffected by decreasing BW and increasing length of NICU stay, whereas the accuracy of the 2-PM was diminished significantly (P<0.001) by both factors. In contrast to the 2-PM, the EM provides an extremely accurate estimate of GV in larger VLBW infants, and its accuracy is unaffected by common infant factors. The EM has now been validated for use in all VLBW infants to assess growth and provides a simple-to-use and consistent approach.
Steroid Hormone Metabolites are Barbiturate-Like Modulators of the GABA Receptor

Two metabolites of the steroid hormones progesterone and deoxycorticosterone, 3 alpha-hydroxy-5 alpha-dihydroprogesterone and 3 alpha, 5 alpha-tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone, are potent barbiturate-like ligands of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor-chloride ion channel complex. At concentrations between 10(-7) and 10(-5)M both steroids inhibited binding of the convulsant t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate to the GABA-receptor complex and increased the binding of the benzodiazepine flunitrazepam; they also stimulated chloride uptake (as measured by uptake of 36Cl-) into isolated brain vesicles, and potentiated the inhibitory actions of GABA in cultured rat hippocampal and spinal cord neurons. These data may explain the ability of certain steroid hormones to rapidly alter neuronal excitability and may provide a mechanism for the anesthetic and hypnotic actions of naturally occurring and synthetic anesthetic steroids.
Corrosion of similar and dissimilar metal crevices in the engineered barrier system of a potential nuclear waste repository

Crevice corrosion is considered possible if the corrosion potential (Ecorr) exceeds the repassivation potential for crevice corrosion (Ercrev). In this study, potentiodynamic polarization and potentiostatic hold were used to determine the Ercrev of similar and dissimilar metal crevices in the engineered barrier system of the potential Yucca Mountain repository in 0.5 M NaCl, 4 M NaCl, and 4 M MgCl2 solutions at 95 °C. The results were compared with data previously obtained using crevices formed between Alloy 22 and polytetrafluoroethylene. It was observed that, except for Type 316L stainless steel, all other metal-to-metal crevices were less susceptible to crevice corrosion than the corresponding metal-to-polytetrafluoroethylene crevices. Measurements of galvanic coupling were used to evaluate the crevice corrosion propagation behavior in 5 M NaCl solution at 95 °C. The crevice specimens were coupled to either an Alloy 22 or a Titanium Grade 7 plate using metal or polytetrafluoroethylene crevice washers. Crevice corrosion of Type 316L stainless steel propagated without repassivation. For all the tests using a polytetrafluoroethylene crevice washer, crevice corrosion of Alloy 22 was initiated at open circuit potential by the addition of CuCl2 as an oxidant, whereas no crevice corrosion of Alloy 22 was initiated for all the tests using Alloy 22 or Titanium Grade 7 metals as crevice washer. However, crevice corrosion propagation was found to be very limited under such test conditions.
Construction of a Quadruple Auxotrophic Mutant of an Industrial Polyploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strain by Using RNA-Guided Cas9 Nuclease

Industrial polyploid yeast strains harbor numerous beneficial traits but suffer from a lack of available auxotrophic markers for genetic manipulation. Here we demonstrated a quick and efficient strategy to generate auxotrophic markers in industrial polyploid yeast strains with the RNA-guided Cas9 nuclease. We successfully constructed a quadruple auxotrophic mutant of a popular industrial polyploid yeast strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 4124, with ura3, trp1, leu2, and his3 auxotrophies through RNA-guided Cas9 nuclease. Even though multiple alleles of auxotrophic marker genes had to be disrupted simultaneously, we observed knockouts in up to 60% of the positive colonies after targeted gene disruption. In addition, growth-based spotting assays and fermentation experiments showed that the auxotrophic mutants inherited the beneficial traits of the parental strain, such as tolerance of major fermentation inhibitors and high temperature. Moreover, the auxotrophic mutants could be transformed with plasmids containing selection marker genes. These results indicate that precise gene disruptions based on the RNA-guided Cas9 nuclease now enable metabolic engineering of polyploid S. cerevisiae strains that have been widely used in the wine, beer, and fermentation industries.
Accelerated predictive-transform

This paper presents a novel accelerated predictive-transform (APT) modeling methodology for use in compression. The APT scheme is illustrated with a monochrome 2D image compression application yielding very promising results. For example, when the Lena image is compressed to 0.056 bits per pixel and the pixel blocks are of dimension 16×16, it is shown that both the design and implementation computational complexity of the prior predictive-transform (PT) modeling art is improved by a factor of 12 without any loss in the visual quality of the compressed image. The APT methodology can also be used in other application areas such as estimation; detection, identification, channel and source integrated coding, and control and other related areas.
Personalization of Supermarket Product Recommendations

We describe a personalized recommender system designed to suggest new products to supermarket shoppers. The recommender functions in a pervasive computing environment, namely, a remote shopping system in which supermarket customers use Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to compose and transmit their orders to the store, which assembles them for subsequent pickup. The recommender is meant to provide an alternative source of new ideas for customers who now visit the store less frequently. Recommendations are generated by matching products to customers based on the expected appeal of the product and the previous spending of the customer. Associations mining in the product domain is used to determine relationships among product classes for use in characterizing the appeal of individual products. Clustering in the customer domain is used to identify groups of shoppers with similar spending histories. Cluster-specific lists of popular products are then used as input to the matching process. The recommender is currently being used in a pilot program with several hundred customers. Analysis of results to date have shown a 1.8% boost in program revenue as a result of purchases made directly from the list of recommended products. A substantial fraction of the accepted recommendations are from product classes new to the customer, indicating a degree of willingness to expand beyond present purchase patterns in response to reasonable suggestions.
A prospective study of hearing changes after beginning zidovudine or didanosine in HIV-1 treatment-naïve people.

While hearing loss in HIV-infected people after beginning nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) has been reported, there have been no prospective studies that measured hearing changes longitudinally in treatment-naive HIV-infected subjects following initiation of regimens containing NRTIs. The goal of this study was to conduct a prospective assessment of the contribution of zidovudine (ZDV) and didanosine (ddI) to hearing loss A prospective observational pilot study to determine whether ZDV or ddI, alone or in combination, are associated with sensorineural hearing loss in HIV-infected persons. Changes in hearing levels at all frequencies and in low and high frequency pure tone averages were measured at baseline, 16, and 32 weeks after initiating antiretroviral therapy. Treatment with ZDV and ddI did not result in loss of hearing, even after taking into account noise exposure, immune status and age. The results of this prospective pilot study do not support the notion that treatment with nucleoside antiretrovirals damages hearing.
On explicit exact solutions to the compound Burgers-KdV equation

Abstract In this Letter, applying the theory of commutative algebra, we propose a new approach which is currently called the first integral method to study the compound Burgers–KdV equation and Burgers–KdV equation. The results indicate that the solutions obtained in the previous literature contain errors.
Robust Schur stability and eigenvectors of uncertain matrices

This paper reveals the relationship between eigenvectors and robust Schur stability of uncertain matrices, including the relationship between eigenvectors and Schur stability of matrices. The results are derived and valid for robust pole clustering in a general circle region for uncertain system matrices of discrete-time systems or continuous-time systems. Robust Schur stability is dealt as a special case of robust pole clustering in a general circle region. The conditions on eigenvectors for robust pole clustering (or pole clustering) within a general circle are necessary and sufficient conditions. These conditions of eigenvector directions are viewed in some fixed basis which is constituted by the orthonormal eigenvectors of a symmetric matrix, called a criterion matrix. Three types of criterion matrices are adopted: the direct symmetric criterion matrix, the similarity transformed criterion matrix and the Lyapunov-type criterion matrix. The concerned uncertainties include both structured/unstructured uncertainties.
Periodontal Healing Following Open Debridement Flap Procedures: I. Clinical Assessment of Soft Tissue and Osseous Repair

The healing response of the periodontium was evaluated after periodontal flap and debridement procedures in patients with different levels of postsurgical plaque control. Thirty-one sites in 19 patients were included. Measurements were performed from a fixed reference point presurgically and before reentry surgery. All reentries were performed 24 to 28 weeks after surgery. Surgery consisted of elevating an inverse bevel mucoperiosteal flap, debriding root accretions and osseous defects, penetrating into the marrow, and suturing with interrupted sutures at or near the presurgical level. All patients were recalled at least once every 4 weeks after surgery fof professional maintenance. The number of postsurgical maintenance visits and plaque scores (NPI) before reentry were recorded for each surgical site. Average pocket depth at the 31 sites was 7.4 mm initially and 4.1 mm at the time of reentry. This reduction in pocket depth consisted of gingival recession, which averaged 2.0 mm, and a gain in attachment level, which averaged 1.4 mm. At no site was there a loss in attachment level. Average osseous depth of the 31 defects was 3.7 mm presurgically and 1.7 mm at reentry. In addition, there was an average crestal resorption of 0.8 mm and an average osseous fill of 1.2 mm. A significant positive correlation (P less than 0.001) was found between gain in attachment, osseous fill and number of postsurgical maintenance visits. A significant negative correlation was found between the amount of plaque (NPI) at the study site and both gain in soft tissue attachment and osseous fill. Multiple measurements at various points within several osseous defects revealed that osseous remodeling and fill varied significantly at different locations within the same defect.
Neurobehavioural outcomes of penetrating and tangential gunshot wounds to the head.

Objective : The objective of this study was to compare penetrating and tangential gunshot wounds to the head with regards to demographic, neurobehavioural and clinical outcome measures. Methods : T...
Bubble domain memory chips

Three memory chip organizations (major/minor loops, decoders, and dynamically ordered shift registers) are described and assessed in terms of memory performance objectives.
Dll4-Notch signaling as a therapeutic target in tumor angiogenesis

Tumor angiogenesis is an important target for cancer therapy, with most current therapies designed to block the VEGF signaling pathway. However, clinical resistance to anti-VEGF therapy highlights the need for targeting additional tumor angiogenesis signaling pathways. The endothelial Notch ligand Dll4 (delta-like 4) has recently emerged as a critical regulator of tumor angiogenesis and thus as a promising new therapeutic anti-angiogenesis target. Blockade of Dll4-Notch signaling in tumors results in excessive, non-productive angiogenesis with resultant inhibitory effects on tumor growth, even in some tumors that are resistant to anti-VEGF therapies. As Dll4 inhibitors are entering clinical cancer trials, this review aims to provide current perspectives on the function of the Dll4-Notch signaling axis during tumor angiogenesis and as a target for anti-angiogenic cancer therapy.
Has there been progress in the treatment of older patients with acute myeloid leukemia

The treatment of older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has become increasingly important as the population ages. Progress, measured by overall survival rates, has improved in younger patients, perhaps due to the use of intensive post-remission therapies, but it is unclear what will enable progress for older AML patients. The older AML patient population is very heterogeneous, and both patient-specific and leukemia-specific factors must be taken into consideration when choosing the therapy that will most benefit each patient. In addition to standard and intensive chemotherapy regimens, a number of alternative therapies for previously untreated older AML patients are currently being investigated. These include gemtuzumab ozogamicin, azacitidine, decitabine, and clofarabine.
ESL Student Perspectives on University Classroom Testing Practices.

ESL students struggle to represent accurately on tests what they know. Understanding what constitutes equitable testing practices in university settings for ESL students poses a significant challenge to educators. This study reports on the content analysis of semi-structured interview data obtained from 13 university-level ESL students on their opinions, concerns, strategies, and preferences in testing. ESL students provide evidence that language proficiency, test anxiety, and preferences for particular test formats, such as multiple-choice over essay questions, affect their ability to demonstrate content knowledge. Students describe context, culture, and seven language-related problems in testing, and show awareness of various test-taking strategies. The results suggest practical implications for making testing outcomes more equitable for ESL students.
Classification tree for detection of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-by-SNP interactions related to heart disease: Framingham Heart Study

The aim of this study was to detect the effect of interactions between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on incidence of heart diseases. For this purpose, 2912 subjects with 350,160 SNPs from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) were analyzed. PLINK was used to control quality and to select the 10,000 most significant SNPs. A classification tree algorithm, Generalized, Unbiased, Interaction Detection and Estimation (GUIDE), was employed to build a classification tree to detect SNP-by-SNP interactions for the selected 10 k SNPs. The classes generated by GUIDE were reexamined by a generalized estimating equations (GEE) model with the empirical variance after accounting for potential familial correlation. Overall, 17 classes were generated based on the splitting criteria in GUIDE. The prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in class 16 (determined by SNPs rs1894035, rs7955732, rs2212596, and rs1417507) was the lowest (0.23%). Compared to class 16, all other classes except for class 288 (prevalence of 1.2%) had a significantly greater risk when analyzed using GEE model. This suggests the interactions of SNPs on these node paths are significant.
Optimal camera placement with adaptation to dynamic scenes

The use of cameras is becoming more prevalent by the day owing to the variety of applications they have. However, each application requires a specific placement of the cameras for best performance. Therefore, determining this placement has been a problem of much work in the field of computer vision. However, most of the current approaches deal with a scene that does not change once the cameras have been placed. In this paper a system is developed and successfully tested that can not only distribute cameras around a scene such that the observability is improved, but can reorganize the cameras if the pattern of activity within a scene changes with time. The cameras can be distributed in either two or three dimensional space, and this was tested with the use of mobile robotic cameras and stationary cameras.
Multi-Wavelength Photoacoustic Visualization of High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Lesions

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) thermal therapies are limited by deficiencies in existing image-guidance techniques. Previous studies using single-wavelength photoacoustic (PA) imaging have demonstrated that HIFU lesions generate contrast with respect to native tissues but have not sufficiently assessed lesion extent. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate feasibility of characterization of in vitro HIFU ablation lesion dimensions using 3D multi-wavelength PA imaging. Fresh porcine cardiac and liver tissue samples were embedded in agar phantoms and ablated using a 2.5 MHz small-animal HIFU system. Both 2D and 3D multi-wavelength photoacoustic-ultrasonic (PAUS) scans were performed in the near-infrared (NIR) range to characterize the change in the absorption spectrum of tissues following ablation and were compared to stained gross pathology to assess treatment margins and lesion extent. Comprehensive 2D multi-wavelength PA imaging yielded a spectrum in ablated tissue that did not display the characteristic local maximum in the optical absorption spectrum of deoxy-hemoglobin (Hb) near 760 nm. Two-dimensional tissue characterization map (TCM) images reconstructed from 3D TCM volumes reliably characterized lesion area and showed >70% area agreement with stained gross pathology. In addition, tissue samples were heated via water bath and concurrently interrogated with 2D PAUS imaging. PA signal exhibited an initial amplitude increase across all wavelengths, corresponding to an initial temperature increase, before then exhibiting a spectral change. This study suggests that multi-wavelength PA imaging has potential to obtain accurate characterization of HIFU lesion extent and may be better suited to guide HIFU ablation therapies during clinical treatments than single-wavelength methods.
The Major Reverse Transcriptase–Incompetent Splice Variant of the Human Telomerase Protein Inhibits Telomerase Activity but Protects from Apoptosis

Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT; the catalytic protein subunit of telomerase) is subjected to numerous alternative splicing events, but the regulation and function of these splice variants is obscure. Full-length hTERT includes conserved domains that encode reverse transcriptase activity, RNA binding, and other functions. The major splice variant termed α+β- or β-deletion is highly expressed in stem and cancer cells, where it codes for a truncated protein lacking most of the reverse transcriptase domain but retaining the known RNA-binding motifs. In a breast cancer cell panel, we found that β-deletion was the hTERT transcript that was most highly expressed. Splicing of this transcript was controlled by the splice regulators SRSF11, HNRNPH2, and HNRNPL, and the β-deletion transcript variant was associated with polyribosomes in cells. When ectopically overexpressed, β-deletion protein competed for binding to telomerase RNA (hTR/TERC), thereby inhibiting endogenous telomerase activity. Overexpressed β-deletion protein localized to the nucleus and mitochondria and protected breast cancer cells from cisplatin-induced apoptosis. Our results reveal that a major hTERT splice variant can confer a growth advantage to cancer cells independent of telomere maintenance, suggesting that hTERT makes multiple contributions to cancer pathophysiology.
Bitmap indexes for large scientific data sets: a case study

The data used by today's scientific applications are often very high in dimensionality and staggering in size. These characteristics necessitate the use of a good multidimensional indexing strategy to provide efficient access to the data. Researchers have previously proposed the use of bitmap indexes for high-dimension scientific data as a way of overcoming the drawbacks of traditional multidimensional indexes such as R-trees and KD-trees, which are bulky and whose performance does not scale well as the number of dimensions increases. However, the techniques proposed in previous work on bitmap indexes are not sufficient to address all problems that arise in practice. In experiments with real datasets, we experienced problems with index size and query performance. To overcome these shortcomings, we propose the use of adaptive, multilevel, multi-resolution bitmap indexes, and evaluate their performance in two scientific domains. Our preliminary experiments with a parallel query processor and index creator also show that it is very easy to parallelize a bitmap index.
Temporal dynamics of microbial communities on decomposing leaf litter of 10 plant species in relation to decomposition rate

Few empirical studies have examined how microbial communities on decomposing litters change in relation to litter chemistry or how microbial community composition is related to the rate of decomposition. We examined the relationships among microbial community composition, litter chemistry, and decomposition rates in a common garden experiment of the decomposition of leaf litters of 10 plant species. Microbial community composition, as measured by phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA), and 7 litter chemistry variables (%N, C:N, four carbon fractions, and lignin:N) were examined at 1, 2, and 8 months into decomposition. Both microbial and litter chemistry variables were reduced to a single axis each through nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMS) to examine the relationship between microbes, litter chemistry, and decomposition rates. Although microbial communities were separated according initial litter chemistry and lability, individual measures of litter chemistry had limited ability to predict microbial community composition during decomposition. Decomposition rate constants were explained by litter chemistry of initial, 1-, 2- and, 8-month old litters (60e72% of the variance), and by microbial community composition at the 8-month collection date (67%). The results suggest that initial litter chemistry determines the rate of decomposition and microbial community composition early in decomposition while the composition of the microbial community plays a more important role in determining decomposition rate later in decomposition.
State Spying on the State: Consejo Nacional de Pueblos Indígenas Meetings in 1980

During the 1970s and 1980s, the Direccion General de Investigaciones Politicas y Sociales, an agency within the Secretaria de Gobernacion, produced hundreds of spy reports on the Consejo Nacional de Pueblos Indigenas (National Council of Indigenous People, CNPI), a national indigenous organisation that, in 1975, became part of the state's corporate structure. During a time when social and political realities in Mexico led a number of social sectors to emerge and challenge state power in a way that threatened to destabilise it, these reports indicate that indigenous organisations must now be added to workers, students and guerrillas as targets of intelligence agencies. Carrying out such surveillance on the CNPI reveals how the state was spying on the state.