cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bridging Offline Reinforcement Learning and Imitation Learning: A Tale of Pessimism

Offline (or batch) reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms seek to learn an optimal policy from a fixed dataset without active data collection. Based on the composition of the offline dataset, two main categories of methods are used: imitation learning which is suitable for expert datasets and vanilla offline RL which often requires uniform coverage datasets. From a practical standpoint, datasets often deviate from these two extremes and the exact data composition is usually unknown a priori. To bridge this gap, we present a new offline RL framework that smoothly interpolates between the two extremes of data composition, hence unifying imitation learning and vanilla offline RL. The new framework is centered around a weak version of the concentrability coefficient that measures the deviation from the behavior policy to the expert policy alone. Under this new framework, we further investigate the question on algorithm design: can one develop an algorithm that achieves a minimax optimal rate and also adapts to unknown data composition? To address this question, we consider a lower confidence bound (LCB) algorithm developed based on pessimism in the face of uncertainty in offline RL. We study finite-sample properties of LCB as well as information-theoretic limits in multi-armed bandits, contextual bandits, and Markov decision processes (MDPs). Our analysis reveals surprising facts about optimality rates. In particular, in all three settings, LCB achieves a faster rate of $1/N$ for nearly-expert datasets compared to the usual rate of $1/\sqrt{N}$ in offline RL, where $N$ is the number of samples in the batch dataset. In the case of contextual bandits with at least two contexts, we prove that LCB is adaptively optimal for the entire data composition range, achieving a smooth transition from imitation learning to offline RL. We further show that LCB is almost adaptively optimal in MDPs.
Canadian Contributions to the Manhattan Project and Early Nuclear Research

During the Second World War, Canada made several important contributions to wartime nuclear research efforts. The three main contributions were: establishing a domestic nuclear research laboratory ...
Why randomize? Minimax optimality under permutation invariance

Abstract This paper studies finite sample minimax optimal randomization schemes and estimation schemes in estimating parameters including the average treatment effect, when treatment effects are heterogeneous. A randomization scheme is a distribution over a group of permutations of a given treatment assignment vector. An estimation scheme is a joint distribution over assignment vectors, linear estimators, and permutations of assignment vectors. The key element in the minimax problem is that the worst case is over a class of distributions of the data which is invariant to a group of permutations. First, I show that given any assignment vector and any estimator, the uniform distribution over the same group of permutations, namely the complete randomization scheme, is minimax optimal. Second, under further assumptions on the class of distributions and the objective function, I show the minimax optimal estimation scheme involves completely randomizing an assignment vector, while the optimal estimator is the difference-in-means under complete invariance and a weighted average of within-block differences under a block structure, and the number of treated units is determined by the Neyman allocation.
Idiopathic ventricular outflow tract arrhythmias: Avoid the use of a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Ventricular outflow is a common site for idiopathic PVCs and repetitive ventricular arrhythmias. Sites of origin of these arrhythmias may vary from the sites of earliest activation mapped. Better definition of the site of origin can help avoid unnecessary large volume ablation to suppress these arrhythmia.
Double/Debiased Machine Learning for Dynamic Treatment Effects.

We consider the estimation of treatment effects in settings when multiple treatments are assigned over time and treatments can have a causal effect on future outcomes. We formulate the problem as a linear state space Markov process with a high dimensional state and propose an extension of the double/debiased machine learning framework to estimate the dynamic effects of treatments. Our method allows the use of arbitrary machine learning methods to control for the high dimensional state, subject to a mean square error guarantee, while still allowing parametric estimation and construction of confidence intervals for the dynamic treatment effect parameters of interest. Our method is based on a sequential regression peeling process, which we show can be equivalently interpreted as a Neyman orthogonal moment estimator. This allows us to show root-n asymptotic normality of the estimated causal effects.
The Six-Port Reflectometer: An Alternative Network Analyzer

Although the six-port measurement technique is rapidly gaining the attention of the microwave community, the theoretical development, to date, yields but limited practical insight into its operation. Following a brief review of the prior art, such that the six-port techniques may be placed in proper perspective, this paper presents an alternative introduction leading to much better insight, and to design criteria for a six-port circuit which optimally exploits the concept.
Experimental evolution of the megaplasmid pMPPla107 in Pseudomonas stutzeri enables identification of genes contributing to sensitivity to an inhibitory agent

Horizontally transferred elements, such as plasmids, can burden host cells with various metabolic and fitness costs and may lead to other potentially detrimental phenotypic effects. Acquisition of ...
The short flagella 1 (SHF1) gene in Chlamydomonas encodes a Crescerin TOG-domain protein required for late stages of flagellar growth

Length control of flagella represents a simple and tractable system to investigate the dynamics of organelle size. Models for flagellar length control in the model organism, Chlamydomonas reinhardt...
Learning Diagonal Gaussian Mixture Models and Incomplete Tensor Decompositions

This paper studies how to learn parameters in diagonal Gaussian mixture models. The problem can be formulated as computing incomplete symmetric tensor decompositions. We use generating polynomials to compute incomplete symmetric tensor decompositions and approximations. Then the tensor approximation method is used to learn diagonal Gaussian mixture models. We also do the stability analysis. When the first and third order moments are sufficiently accurate, we show that the obtained parameters for the Gaussian mixture models are also highly accurate. Numerical experiments are also provided.
Development of Carbohydrate Nomenclature

The term “carbohydrate” was introduced early when gravimetric methods of analysis permitted the assignment of empirical formulas and it became recognized that starch, cane sugar, and the fibrous material of plant cell-walls were all comprised of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, with the latter elements being present in the same ratio as in water. The German term “Kohlenhydrate” and the French “hydrates de carbone” originated similarly. The generic suffix “-ose” in conjunction with the French “cellule” (for cell) led to the name “cellulose”, the most abundant natural organic compound; however, the constitution of this compound as an acetal-linked linear biopolymer of a polyhydroxyaldehyde monomer was not recognized until some two centuries after its discovery.
A dynamic link adaptation algorithm for IEEE 802.11 a wireless LANs

We present a simple but powerful dynamic link adaptation mechanism for wireless LANs, which are based on the IEEE 802.11a standard. Using this method, a transmitter is able to detect whether the quality of the link is improving or deteriorating, and based on this information to switch to a higher or lower transmission rate, respectively. For determining the link quality, the transmitter employs only information that is available locally. Therefore, the proposed method can be implemented without changes or enhancements to the current IEEE 802.11 standard. The efficiency of our method is investigated and evaluated by means of simulations.
Meteors and meteorites: Origins and observations, by Martin Beech

Book Review: Meteors and Meteorites: Origins and Observations, Martin Beech. Crowood Press (2006).
Monitor: molecules and profiles

Abstract Monitor provides an insight into the latest developments in drug discovery through brief synopses of recent presentations and publications together with expert commentaries on the latest technologies. There are two sections: Molecules summarizes the chemistry and the pharmacological significance and biological relevance of new molecules reported in the literature and on the conference scene; Profiles offers commentary on promising lines of research, emerging molecular targets, novel technology, advances in synthetic and separation techniques and legislative issues.
Electroconvulsive therapy for depression in a cardiac transplant patient.

Received August 25, 2000; revised February 13, 2001; accepted February 23, 2001. From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD. Address reprint requests to Dr. Lee, Meyer 248, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287–5371. Email: hochang@jhmi.edu Copyright 2001 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Lingering limitations in social, occupational, and social functioning may limit a patient’s quality of life after a heart transplant. The survival rate of patients at 1 year and 3 years post—heart transplant are 85% and 75%, respectively. A 1996 epidemiological study of 154 heart transplant recipients (83% men) reported lifetime prevalence rates of major depression at 23.7% and 17.3% preand 12 months posttransplant, respectively. When pharmacotherapy fails, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is often a lifesaving treatment option for the treatment of depression. There have been two case reports of the successful use of ECT in patients with major depressive disorder who had cardiac transplant surgery 13 months and 5 years before receiving ECT. The following case report describes the successful use of ECT in a depressed patient who was treated less than 3 months after cardiac transplant surgery. To our knowledge, this is the shortest duration between heart transplant surgery and a successful course of ECT.
Linear Combination of Atomic Orbital-Molecular Orbital Treatment of the Deep Defect Level in a Semiconductor: Nitrogen in Diamond

A deep defect level in a semiconductor is simulated by a large cluster of host atoms surrounding the defect. The electronic states of the entire system are then computed by linear combination of atomic orbital-molecular orbital techniques. The nitrogen donor in diamond is treated as an example. A large Jahn-Teller distortion is predicted which forces the donor state down close to the valence band, in good agreement with experiment. The calculated donor wave function agrees with EPR and electron-nuclear double resonence results.
The search for bishomoaromatic semibullvalenes and barbaralanes: computational evidence of their identification by UV/Vis and IR spectroscopy and prediction of the existence of a blue bishomoaromatic semibullvalene.

Time-dependent B3LYP/6-31G* calculations have been performed at the optimized C2 or C2v geometries of several substituted semibullvalenes (1deloc) and barbaralanes (2deloc), to compare the computed...
Fiscal Deficits and InflationA New Look at the Emerging Market Evidence

Empirical studies have had little success in finding a statistically significant relationship between fiscal deficits and inflation in broad cross-country panels. This paper provides new econometric estimates for a panel of 23 emerging market countries during 1970-2000. Unlike previous studies, we allow for a rich dynamic specification and focus on the long-run relationship between the two variables controlling for differences in the inflation tax base. We find that a 1 percentage point reduction in the ratio of fiscal deficit to GDP typically lowers long-run inflation by 1½ to 6 percentage points, depending on the size of the inflation tax base.
The Effect of Infusing Hypoxanthine or Xanthine During Cerebral Hypoxia-Ischemia on Brain Injury in Rabbits. • 1743

Pre-ischemic inhibition of xanthine oxidase (XO) improves neurologic recovery. This has been given as evidence that XO generates free radicals and causes brain damage, but other mechanisms are possible. We hypothesized that if XO causes cerebral injury by generating free radicals, then infusing the XO substrates hypoxanthine (hx) or xanthine (xan) during hypoxia-ischemia should potentiate brain damage. If the beneficial effects seen with XO inhibition are due to increased purine recovery, infusing hx should reduce brain injury, since only hx can be salvaged. METHODS: Anesthetized, immature rabbits were subjected to cerebral hypoxia-ischemia by 1st breathing 3.0% O2 for 8 min and then raising intracranial pressure equal to mean arterial pressure for 8 min by infusing a mock CSF. XAN (n=9) or HX (n=9) rabbits received 30 mM xan or hx at 600 μmoles/kg/hr starting 30 min before injury and continuing for the 1st 30 min of the 4 hr reperfusion period. Control (CTL) animals (n=8) received the vehicle. Brain damage was assessed by somatosensory evoked potential recovery (SEP;% baseline), brain water content(drying to constant weight) and measurement of regional neurofilament (NF) 68 kD protein (dot-immunoblotting). Data are mean± SEM.RESULTS: Infusing hx significantly (p 0.05) in gray or white matter brain water content among the groups. Infusing xan did not alter SEP recovery or NF 68 kD protein(p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Infusing xan during hypoxia-ischemia did not increase brain damage while giving hx reduced brain injury. This study does not support a major role for free radical generation by XO in hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and suggests that the benefits of increased purine salvage outweigh any harmful effects of free radical production by XO. Funded by the United Cerebral Palsy Research & Educational Foundation& the Hearst Foundation.
Pigou, Tiebout, Property Taxation, and the Underprovision of Local Public Goods

Abstract Pigou's proposition that the use of distorting taxes rather than neutral head taxes reduces public service levels is examined in this paper. A simple model with a national system of competing local governments is utilized to demonstrate that the use of a distorting property tax on mobile capital decreases the level of residential public services. The case where public services are an intermediate producer good is also considered.
Production of griseofulvin nanoparticles using supercritical CO2 antisolvent with enhanced mass transfer

Abstract Griseofulvin (GF) is a poor water soluble, antifungal agent. The bioavailability of the drug and its absorption from the gastrointestinal tract can be greatly improved by particle size reduction. In this work, supercritical antisolvent precipitation with enhanced mass transfer (SAS-EM) has been proposed for the production of GF nanoparticles. SAS-EM is a modification of the currently existing supercritical antisolvent (SAS) precipitation technique and also utilizes supercritical CO 2 as the antisolvent. In SAS-EM however, the solution jet is deflected by a surface vibrating at an ultrasonic frequency that atomizes the jet into small micro droplets. Further, the ultrasound field generated by the vibrating surface inside the supercritical media enhances mass transfer and prevents agglomeration due to increased mixing. GF nanoparticles of different sizes and morphologies have been obtained by varying the vibration intensity of the deflecting surface, which in turn is adjusted by changing the power supply to the attached ultrasound transducer. GF nanoparticles as low as 130 nm in size have been obtained corresponding to a power supply of 180 W. The effect of using different solvents on the size and morphology of the particles has also been studied.
Novel Electrochemical Detection Scheme for DNA Binding Interactions Using Monodispersed Reactivity of Silver Ions

This work demonstrates a label-free strategy for probing the interaction of DNA with small organic molecules. A solid-phase monolayer of silver deposited on a gold quartz-crystal electrode that is modified with DNA is used as the probe template. Results indicate that, by oxidizing the silver monolayer and in the presence of immobilized DNA molecules, highly reactive oxides of silver ions are generated in-situ, causing a change in the electronic properties of the immobilized dsDNA molecules. By scanning in the reverse direction, current is measured which is attributed to the reduction of the oxide layers. If a low molecular weight, organic DNA binding molecule is introduced into the medium, a structural change in the DNA may occur that is evidenced by a corresponding change in the redox properties of the silver monolayer. This ultimately presents a barrier to the interfacial charge transfer and related “site-blocking effects” of the organic molecules. The variation in the redox current is proportional to t...
Renal Artery Occlusion Due to Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibition and Reintervention for in-Stent Stenosis.

Renal artery angioplasty and stenting is the first-line therapy for many patients with renal insufficiency or hypertension caused by atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis. Unfortunately, like all stents, renal artery stents are prone to restenosis. When this process occurs, repeated intervention is usually necessary.
Evolutionary analysis of five bryophyte families using virtual fossils

Traditional taxa paraphyletic or polyphyletic on a molecular phylogenetic tree may be interpreted as populations of surviving ancestors that are evolutionarily static in expressed traits though labile in DNA traits used to track genetic continuity. In those cases in which re-evolution (convergence) of such taxa is deemed improbable, such heterophyly may be used to infer evolutionary series of virtual fossils reflecting macroevolution. Descent with modification of taxa is here demonstrated by reinterpreting published cladograms of molecular studies of Dicranaceae, Pottiaceae, Grimmiaceae, Hypopterygiaceae, and Mniaceae as taxon trees. Given this argument, superimposed inferred ancestors are support for the theory of punctuated equilibrium.
Robotically-assisted laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch: the utility of the robotic system in bariatric surgery.

Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD/DS) is considered the most effective surgical option for morbidly obese patients. Several techniques have been described: open, laparoscopic, and the combination of open and laparoscopic. Only a few centers in the world perform robotically-assisted laparoscopic BPD/DS and the published literature is limited. We describe our experience using this technique as a safe alternative for treatment of morbid obesity. A review of a prospectively maintained database from 2008 to 2011 was conducted. A total of 107 consecutive patients (F:M = 83:24) were included in this series. Average age was 44.76 years (range 20–67), body mass index 49.97 kg/m2 (range 37–70), and the number of preoperative comorbidities was 6.24 (range 3–11). The mean operative time for a typical BPD/DS with or without an appendectomy was 264 min (range 192–413), which increased to 298 min (range 210–463) when lysis of adhesion or additional procedures were performed. All study cases were completed using a minimally invasive approach. There were no intraoperative or 30-day major postoperative complications. Two patients returned to the operating room: one for endoscopic release of an inadvertently-sutured nasogastric tube during creation of the duodeno-ileal anastomosis and another patient for a port-site infection. Minor postoperative complications included carpal tunnel syndrome exacerbation (n = 1), which did not require surgical intervention. The median length of stay was 3.0 days (range 2–13). Two patients were readmitted within 30 day due to fluid retention and incarcerated umbilical hernia. The percentages of excess body weight loss (EBWL) at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months were 18.9, 36.4, 54.5, 67.4, 73.9, and 82.42 %, respectively. No mortality occurred in this study. Robotically-assisted laparoscopic technique for BPD/DS is a feasible, safe, and effective alternative for weight loss surgery with excellent outcomes.
Addison's disease in a boy with hypoparathyroidism.

INTRODUCTION TWO and possibly 3 cases of hypoparathyroidism with Addison's disease have been presented in the literature. Leonard (1) described a patient who had hypoparathyroidism at the age of 3 years. Superimposed adrenal insufficiency occurred at the age of 101/2 years. Postmortem examination verified the clinical impression of hypoparathyroidism and Addison's disease. The second patient, an 8-year-old girl with moniliasis, adrenal insufficiency and superimposed hypoparathyroidism, was mentioned briefly in a preliminary report by Talbot et at. (2). In addition, Sutphin, Albright and McCune (3) presented what seems to be a third patient with these two diseases. Their patient had Addison's disease and tetany with low serum concentrations of calcium and phosphorus. Because of a history of pleural infusion and a positive tuberculin reaction, they suggested that this was probably the result of tuberculous infection. The patient reported here was a 10-year-old boy in whom Addison's disease developed after h...
Normal pattern of labeling of cerebral cortical corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors in alzheimer's disease: Evidence from chemical cross-linking studies

Recent data have demonstrated that in Alzheimer's disease, the concentrations of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) were reduced and that there were reciprocal increases in CRF receptors in affected cerebrocortical areas. In order to determine whether the increases in CRF receptors in Alzheimer's disease were due to altered molecular composition of the binding protein, we compared the labeling pattern of 125I-Tyr0ovine CRF in temporal neocortex of Alzheimer's patients and age-matched controls using chemical cross-linking techniques. A similar pattern of 125I-Tyr0ovine CBF labeling was seen in Alzheimer's and control brains, with the major CRF binding protein corresponding to an apparent molecular weight of 58,000 Da. These data indicate that the increased CRF receptor population in cerebral cortex in Alzheimer's disease comprises bona fide CRF receptor binding subunits with no apparent change in the molecular structure.
Viscerosomatic interaction induced by myocardial ischemia in conscious dogs.

Studies tested the hypothesis that myocardial ischemia induces increased paraspinal muscular tone localized to the T2–T5 region that can be detected by palpatory means. This is consistent with theo...
Insights into the alkaline transformation of ferricytochrome c from 1H NMR studies in 30% acetonitrile–water

Recently, we found that ferricytochrome c (ferricyt c) undergoes significant structural changes in mixed aqueous-nonaqueous media, resulting in the formation of a mixture of alkaline-like species. The equilibrium composition of this mixture of species is dependent on the dielectric constant of the mixed solvent medium. One-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods have now been used to study these alkaline-like forms in 30% acetonitrile-water solution. A native-like (M80-ligated) III* form, two lysine-ligated forms (IVa* and IVb*), and a hydroxide-ligated form (V*) were observed. Heme proton resonance assignments for these forms were accomplished using 1D (1)H NMR and 2D nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy methods at 20 degrees C and 35 degrees C. The chemical exchange between the alkaline forms in 30% acetonitrile solution facilitated heme proton resonance assignments. Based on examination of the heme proton chemical shifts and several highly conserved amino acid residues, the electronic structure, secondary structure, and hydrogen bond network in the vicinity of the heme in the III* form were found to be intact. Similarly, the heme electronic structure of the IVa* form was found to be comparable to that of the IVa form. Differences in the order of the heme methyl resonances in the IVb* form, however, suggest that the heme active site in this form is somewhat different from that observed in aqueous alkaline solution. In addition, resonance assignments for the 8- and 3-methyl heme protons were made for the hydroxide-ligated V* form for the first time. The observation of chemical exchange peaks between all species except IVb* and IVa* or V* was used to propose an exchange pathway between the different forms of ferricyt c in 30% acetonitrile solution. This pathway may be biologically significant because ferricyt c, which resides in the intermembrane space of mitochondria, is exposed to medium of relatively low dielectric constant when it interacts with the mitochondrial membrane.
Wrapping up the package: Critical thoughts on applications software for social data analysis

R a r e l y has the sociology of knowledge provided such an obvious example of technology shaping the formulation of research conception as in the over-packaging of most social science statistical analysis. In this survey of the forces which produced this perhaps inevitable result, we propose to discuss two aspects of this "packaging." First, how well have the available programs served the current generation, and what are the prospects for the students of the 1970s? Second, considering basic design tensionsflexibility and uniformity, elegance and operationality-what directions should future design and dissemination efforts take?
Phylogenetic investigation of Peptide hormone and growth factor receptors in five dipteran genomes.

Peptide hormones and growth factors bind to membrane receptors and regulate a myriad of processes in insects and other metazoans. The evolutionary relationships among characterized and un-characterized (“orphan”) receptors can provide insights into receptor-ligand biology and narrow target choices in deorphanization studies. However, the large number and low sequence conservation of these receptors make evolutionary analysis difficult. Here, we characterized the G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), receptor guanylyl cyclases (RGC) and protein kinase receptors (PKR) of mosquitoes and select other flies by interrogating the genomes of Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae, Culex quinquefasciatus, Drosophila melanogaster , and D. mojavensis . Sequences were grouped by receptor type, clustered using the program CLANS, aligned using HMMR, and phylogenetic trees built using PhyML. Our results indicated that PKRs had relatively few orphan clades whereas GPCRs and RGCs had several. In addition, more than half of the class B secretin-like GPCRs and RGCs remained uncharacterized. Additional studies revealed that class B GPCRs exhibited more gain and loss events that other receptor types. Finally, using the neuropeptide F family of insect receptors and the neuropeptide Y family of vertebrate receptors, we also show that functional sites considered critical for ligand binding are conserved among distinct family members and between distantly related taxa. Overall, our results provide the first comprehensive analysis of peptide hormone and growth factor receptors for a major insect group.
Measurements of the dynamic piezoelectric properties of bone as a function of temperature and humidity.

The utilization of piezoelectricity as a clinical or diagnostic tool in medicine and dentistry is dependent upon an adequate quantitative description of the piezoelectric coefficients. Here, measurements of the dynamic piezoelectric d constant, d∗ = d′ − id″, for bovine bone are presented as a function of temperature (20–60°C), relative humidity (r.h.) (33–98%), frequency of applied stress (10−2–102 Hz). and sample orientation. The anisotropic character of cortical bone requires that d be expressed as a matrix containing 18 coefficients. Dispersion phenomena, i.e. d″ ≠ 0, are present in these coefficients for our frequency-temperature-r.h. range. At low r.h. (≤75%), d12 and d13 show little or no dispersion (d″ = 0), whereas varying degrees of relaxation are observed in the other coefficients. The d14 shear term is notable for a large dispersion at f = 40 Hz, T = 38.6°C and 55% r.h., for which d″14 is negative. The negative imaginary coefficient means that energy is being gained in the 14 coefficient. The change in d14, with a change in temperature and/or r.h., is attributed to a change in sample water content. For 98% r.h., the low frequency data (f < 10 Hz) are dominated by a polarization which varies as the reciprocal of the frequency. This polarization is attributed to an interfacial or Maxwell-Wagner polarization which occurs as a result of ionic conduction under the influence of the piezoelectric polarization field.
Conceptual Design Of The High-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (HIRIS) For Eos

The design concept and practical realization of HIRIS, the imaging spectrometer being developed for the Space Station Earth Observation System (EOS) on the basis of the Shuttle Imaging Spectrometer Experiment (SISEX), are discussed. Nominal operating parameters for HIRIS include altitude 705 km, GIFOV 30 m, swath 48.4 km, spectral sampling interval 10 nm, spectral coverage 400-2450 nm, cross-track pointing +20/-20 deg, down-track pointing +60/-30 deg, and raw data rate (at 8 bits/pixel) 621 Mb/s. The f/1.9 optical configuration for HIRIS is shown in a drawing, and consideration is given to technological challenges being encountered in modifying the SISEX focal-plane detectors, data-reduction procedures, and cooling system to meet the HIRIS requirements.
The Influence of Type of Advertisement, Price, and Source Credibility on Perceived Quality:

There are numerous multiple-cue studies of the impact of price and/or other cues on perceived quality. However, there is virtually no reported empirical evidence that identifies the impact of comparative advertising on perceived quality. This paper reports the results of an experiment that examined the impact of type of advertisement (i.e., direct-comparative and non-comparative), price, and source credibility on perceived quality of a new brand. Results suggest that a direct-comparative advertisement has a more positive effect on perceived quality of a new brand than a noncomparative advertisement. In addition, an interaction effect of price and source credibility on perceived quality was found.
Impressions of the African past: Interpreting ethnographic photographs from Cameroon

This paper applies two modes of interpretation to ethnographic photographs taken between 1884 and 1915 in the then German colony Cameroon (West Africa). The pictures are discussed in light of the recent anthropological debate on constructing knowledge about the Other, be it in written or pictorial form, that perpetuates and reinforces conventional stereotypes. The maker and his or her preconceptions are the main focus of this type of research. This reflexive mode of interpretation is contrasted with the documentary mode, prevalent among historians who emphasize the information on a specific time and place contained in the images. Thus far, both approaches have been applied exclusively of each other. While both modes of interpretation are valid in their own right, it will be shown here that the photographs must be treated as cultural and historical artifacts of their makers and equally as documents about the Other. Only then can their full meaning be grasped.
Neighborhood associations and urban decision making in Albuquerque

Neighborhood associations have the potential to be important players in the urban decision-making process. There are numerous examples of situations in which they have exercised their unique capabilities to influence decisions that have a direct impact on their members. But their role in the larger arena of the city they inhabit is less clear. This study explores the degree to which neighborhood associations, through their newsletters, acknowledge and support citywide goals. A content analysis of 173 newsletters from forty-four neighborhood associations in Albuquerque, New Mexico, revealed that they do provide some support for several citywide goals but not for the majority of them.
The subtemporal interdural approach to dumbbell-shaped trigeminal schwannomas: cadaveric prosection.

Objective Successful resection of dumbbell-shaped trigeminal schwannomas via a subtemporal interdural approach requires an understanding of both the anatomy related to the bone dissection of the petrous apex (Kawase's triangle or quadrilateral) and meningeal anatomy. We studied the meningeal anatomy related to this approach and describe the dural incisions and stepwise mobilization. Methods Meningeal anatomy around Meckel's cave and porus trigeminus was examined during the subtemporal interdural anterior transpetrosal approach in both sides of 15 cadaveric heads. Histological study of the Meckel's cave region was performed in two cadaveric heads. Results The Gasserian ganglion and trigeminal roots have two layers of dura propria on their dorsolateral surface: an inner layer from the posterior fossa dura propria that constitutes the dorsolateral wall of Meckel's cave and an outer layer from the dura propria of the middle fossa. The cleavage plane between these two layers continues distally as the cleavage plane between the epineural sheaths of the trigeminal divisions and the dura propria of the middle fossa. This cleavage plane serves as the anatomic landmark for the interdural exposure of the contents of Meckel's cave. The superior petrosal sinus is sectioned at the medial aspect of Kawase's triangle and reflected along with the porus trigeminus roof. Conclusion Understanding the critical meningeal architecture in and around Meckel's cave allows experienced cranial neurosurgeons to develop a subtemporal interdural approach to dumbbell-shaped trigeminal schwannomas that effectively converts a multiple-compartment tumor into a single-compartment tumor. Dural incisions and stepwise mobilization complements our previous description of the bony dissection for this approach.
Microwave inverse free-electron-laser accelerator using a small phase window''

We analyze, by numerical simulation, an inverse free-electron-laser accelerator for the purpose of accelerating electrons from 1.5 MeV to about 20 MeV in a 1.5 m long undulator (\ensuremath{\sim}13 MeV/m). The initial phase distribution of injected electrons is chosen to lie in a small ``phase window'' from -\ensuremath{\pi}/8 to -3\ensuremath{\pi}/8 so that all the electrons can be trapped in the accelerating bucket. In this case, there is little particle spread in phase space and the electron energy spectrum is a narrow spike.
Microstructure, tensile properties and fracture behaviour of Al2O3 particulate-reinforced aluminium alloy metal matrix composites

The tensile deformation and fracture behaviour of aluminium alloy 2014 discontinuously-reinforced with particulates of Al2O3 was studied with the primary objective of understanding the influence of reinforcement content on composite microstructure, tensile properties and quasi-static fracture behaviour. Results reveal that elastic modulus and strength of the metal-matrix composite increased with reinforcement content in the metal matrix. With increase in test temperature the elastic modulus showed a marginal decrease while the ductility exhibited significant improvement. The improved strength of the Al-Al2O3 composite is ascribed to the concurrent and mutually interactive influences of residual stresses generated due to intrinsic differences in thermal expansion coefficients between constituents of the composite, constrained plastic flow and triaxiality in the soft and ductile aluminium alloy matrix due to the presence of hard and brittle particulate reinforcements. Fracture on a microscopic scale initiated by cracking of the individual or agglomerates of Al2O3 particulates in the metal matrix and decohesion at the matrix-particle interfaces. Failure through cracking and decohesion at the interfaces increased with reinforcement content in the matrix. The kinetics of the fracture process is discussed in terms of applied far-field stress and intrinsic composite microstructural effects.
The prevalence and reliability of self-reported penicillin allergy in a community hospital.

Background Penicillin (PCN) accounts for most cases of antibiotic allergies. Reported PCN allergy deprives the patient from this class of antibiotics and creates hesitancy in using other beta-lactam antibiotics. The aim of this study is to report the prevalence of self-reported PCN allergy among adult patients admitted to the hospital and to examine the probable validity of these reports.
Staring and Compliance: A Field Experiment on Hitchhiking

A field experiment was conducted in which a single male, a single female, or a male-female couple attempted to hitch rides at four different traffic locations, under conditions in which the hitchhikers either stared at or looked away from oncoming drivers. It was found that staring increased the probability of a driver stopping from .03 to .067 (z = 2.96, p = .003). The female was a more successful hitchhiker than either the male or the couple, (z = 2.215, p = .026; z = 1.861, p .063, respectively).
High-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry for the detection and quantitation of pyrrolizidine alkaloid-derived DNA adducts in vitro and in vivo.

Pyrrolizidine alkaloid-containing plants are widespread in the world and are probably the most common poisonous plants affecting livestock, wildlife, and humans. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids require metabolism to exert their genotoxicity and tumorigenicity. We have determined that the metabolism of a series of tumorigenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids in vitro or in vivo generates a common set of (±)-6,7-dihydro-7-hydroxy-1-hydroxymethyl-5H-pyrrolizine (DHP)-derived DNA adducts that are responsible for tumor induction. The identification and quantitation of the DHP-derived DNA adducts formed in vivo and in vitro were accomplished previously by 32P-postlabeling/HPLC methodology. In this article, we report the development of a sensitive and specific liquid chromatography−electrospray ionization−tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ES-MS/MS) method to detect DHP-derived DNA adducts formed in vitro and in vivo. The method is used to quantify the levels of DHP-2′-deoxyguanosine (dG) and DHP-2′-deoxyadenosine (dA) adducts by mu...
Clinical review: Type 1 diabetes-associated autoimmunity: natural history, genetic associations, and screening.

Context: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is associated with autoimmune thyroid disease (AIT), celiac disease (CD), Addison’s disease (AD), and other autoimmune diseases. These diseases can occur together in defined syndromes with distinct pathophysiology and characteristics: autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome I, autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome II, and the immunodysregulation polyendocrinopathy enteropathy X-linked syndrome. Evidence Acquisition: Review of the medical literature was performed with particular attention to the natural history, genetic factors, and syndromes associated with T1D, AIT, CD, and AD. Evidence synthesis: Genetic risk for these diseases overlaps and includes genes within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) such as the human leukocyte antigens (HLA) DR and DQ alleles and the MHC I-related gene A (MIC-A). Other genes outside of the MHC have been associated with these autoimmune diseases, including the gene encoding the lymphoid tyrosine phosphatase (PTPN22) and the cytotoxic T lymphocyt...
Performative speech acts, ethnography and fiction

Abstract Zora Neale Hurston was the most prominent woman in the Harlem Renaissance. “As an ethnographer and writer, she … is now considered one of the defining authors of the African American literary tradition” ( Robinson, 2005 :272). Following the suggestion of Hill (1996) and of Plant (1995) , this essay links Hurston's ethnography and fiction with a discussion of performative speech acts. In particular, Hurston's work is linked to a conventionalist/intentionalist debate about how illocutionary speech acts should be interpreted.
Nanofabrication: Opportunities for interdisciplinary research

Abstract Nanofabrication, the fabrication of structures with 100 nm or smaller feature-size using advanced lithography and precision planar processing, offers unique opportunities and challenges in many areas of research. This paper focuses on the diversity in applications of micro and nanofabrication, and on some of the reason why decreasing the size of critical dimensions in many fields of study will continue to grow in importance in the future. The paper draws from our experiences and programs at the National Nanofabrication Facility at Cornell University.
Study of intensification zones in a rectangular acoustic cavity

The interior acoustic field of a rectangular acoustic cavity, which is excited by the structural vibration of one of its walls, or a portion of the wall, has been studied. Particularly, the spatial variations of sound pressure levels from the peak levels at the boundaries (intensification zones) to the uniform interior are considered. Analytical expressions, which describe the intensification zones, are obtained using the methodology of asymptotic modal analysis. These results agree well with results computed by a discrete summation over all of the modes. The intensification zones were also modeled as a set of oblique waves incident upon a surface. The result for a rigid surface agrees with the asymptotic modal analysis result. In the presence of an absorptive surface, the character of the intensification zone is dramatically changed. The behavior of the acoustic field near an absorptive wall is described by an expression containing the rigid wall result plus additional terms containing impedance information. The important parameter in the intensification zone analysis is the bandwidth to center frequency ratio. The effect of bandwidth is separated from that of center frequency by expanding the expression about the center frequency wave number. The contribution from the bandwidth is second order in bandwidth to center frequency ratio.
SPA dinner, “Dubious Distinction” awards

The Annual SPA Dinner was held at the Wu Kong Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., on December 8, 1992. Over 160 SPA members and their guests attended. Unfortunately, tickets for the event sold out early, and a large number of potential attendees could not attend. The SPA officers and AGU staff promised that a way around this problem would be found for the next dinner.
Centroid energies and widths of nuclear configurations

Abstract Explicit expressions in terms of the interaction parameters are derived for the centroid energy and the width of an arbitrarily complicated configuration. The results are used to study the configuration structure of the nuclear (ds) shell.
Fatty acid composition of oil during maize kernel development

Abstract Dry wt, total oil and fatty acid composition of the oil was determined during kernel development of three maize inbreds. There was significant variability among these inbreds for duration and rate of dry wt, oil and fatty acid accumulation. Relative quantities of the component fatty acids changed as the kernels developed. Palmitic and linolenic decreased while oleic and stearic increased with maturity. Inbred C103, the higher oil inbred, appeared to accumulate oil over a longer period of time while inbred Hy2, the lower oil inbred, accumulated oil over a shorter period of time. However, the latter had higher daily rates of synthesis for some of the unsaturated fatty acids.
Experimental Consideration, Treatments, and Methods in Determining Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration Rates

Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 78:348–360 doi:10.2136/sssaj2013.09.0412 Open Access Received 24 Sept. 2013. *Corresponding author (krolson@illinois.edu). © Soil Science Society of America, 5585 Guilford Rd., Madison WI 53711 USA All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Permission for printing and for reprinting the material contained herein has been obtained by the publisher. Experimental Consideration, Treatments, and Methods in Determining Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration Rates Review & Analysis–Soil & Water Management & Conservation
Identification of certain structures as split opfibrations over Δop

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to show how certain interesting structures, models of coherent first-order theories on the one hand and Grothendieck topologies on the other, may be viewed as split opfibrations. In the course of doing so, two general classes of split opfibrations will be defined of which models and topologies comprise two special examples.
Valve in Valve: Another Milestone for Transcatheter Valve Therapy

The first mechanical heart valve prosthesis, designed by Dr Charles Hufnagel, was implanted to the descending aorta of a 30-year-old woman with severe aortic regurgitation in 1952.1 Eight years after the initial successful prosthetic valve implantation, Dr Harken sutured a prosthetic valve (Starr Edwards Valve) to the aortic annulus after removing the diseased native valve. During the ensuing years, different types of valves made from pyrolytic carbon were tried. Though they successfully remedied the aortic valve disease, mechanical prosthesis required lifelong anticoagulation, resulting in high rates of bleeding and thrombosis complications. Article see p 2335 In the 1960s, valves with leaflets that were made from animal tissue were developed as an alternative without an anticoagulation requirement. Indeed, they were superior to mechanical prosthesis in that regard, but they did not last nearly as long. In randomized trials of bioprosthetic or mechanical valves, which started enrollment in 1970s, primary valve failure and reoperation rates were higher in patients receiving bioprosthetic valves, especially in patients aged <65 years.2–4 Since these initial reports, several important advancements have been made in design and tissue processing to improve valve hemodynamics and durability. With these improvements, the age cutoff to use bioprosthetic valves was gradually lowered to avoid lifelong anticoagulation. Large studies with prospectively collected data and long-term follow-up are not yet available to determine the clinical impact of such a trend.5 Until recently, reoperation was the only choice for symptomatic patients with degenerated aortic bioprosthesis. Advanced age and multiple comorbidities put some patients at a higher risk for a repeat open heart surgery, and for many this risk is so prohibitive that there is no other treatment option.6–9 Advancements in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and the first successful reported case of VIV (valve in valve) in …
An indirect boundary element method for 2-D finite/infinite regions with multiple displacement discontinuities

Abstract An indirect boundary element method based on the superposition of the elastic fields of edge dislocations is derived. Elements having an arbitrarily specified distribution of dislocations is made possible through the use of a specialized numerical integration scheme. The method is applied to finite as well as infinite regions with single or multiple cracks. Sample results indicate that the method is well suited for multiply cracked problems in infinite regions, whereas a large number of degrees of freedom is required for the accurate solution of multiply cracked problems in finite regions. Implementation of the method to nonlinear boundary conditions is discussed. To demonstrate the applicability of the numerical method to nonlinear boundary condition problems, an analysis of the propagation of part-through crack problems in plates under in-plane loadings is performed through the use of the line spring technique and the present numerical method.