cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Planning with Markov Decision Processes: An AI Perspective

Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) are widely popular in Artificial Intelligence for modeling sequential decision-making scenarios with probabilistic dynamics. They are the framework of choice when designing an intelligent agent that needs to act for long periods of time in an environment where its actions could have uncertain outcomes. MDPs are actively researched in two related subareas of AI, probabilistic planning and reinforcement learning. Probabilistic planning assumes known models for the agent's goals and domain dynamics, and focuses on determining how the agent should behave to achieve its objectives. On the other hand, reinforcement learning additionally learns these models based on the feedback the agent gets from the environment. This book provides a concise introduction to the use of MDPs for solving probabilistic planning problems, with an emphasis on the algorithmic perspective. It covers the whole spectrum of the field, from the basics to state-of-the-art optimal and approximation algorithms. We first describe the theoretical foundations of MDPs and the fundamental solution techniques for them. We then discuss modern optimal algorithms based on heuristic search and the use of structured representations. A major focus of the book is on the numerous approximation schemes for MDPs that have been developed in the AI literature. These include determinization-based approaches, sampling techniques, heuristic functions, dimensionality reduction, and hierarchical representations. Finally, we briefly introduce several extensions of the standard MDP classes that model and solve even more complex planning problems. Table of Contents: Introduction / MDPs / Fundamental Algorithms / Heuristic Search Algorithms / Symbolic Algorithms / Approximation Algorithms / Advanced Notes
Average error rate analysis for pilot-aided OFDM receivers with frequency-domain interpolation

In OFDM receivers, pilot tones should be inserted among the sub-carriers in order to estimate the channel in high delay spread environments. To estimate the channel at all the sub-carriers, using the pilot tones, different frequency-domain interpolators can be used. For a given number of pilot tones, these interpolators will have different levels of complexity depending on the number of adjacent pilot tones that they use to estimate the channel at each sub-carrier. For high delay-spread channels, as the number of adjacent pilot tones used by an interpolator increases, channel estimation improves resulting in a tradeoff between performance and complexity. In this paper, we first find an analytical average error rate formula for a pilot-aided OFDM receiver in a delay spread fading environment. This analysis will provide a framework to evaluate the performance of different interpolators. As an example, we then evaluate and compare the performance of two interpolators with different levels of complexity: a trigonometric interpolator and a linear one. We derive the average error rate formulas of the interpolators and confirm that the former one has a considerably better performance as the delay spread increases. However, for flat fading channels, we show that the linear interpolator has a 3 dB gain. Finally, our simulation results support the mathematical analysis and comparison.
Measurements of absolute CH concentrations by cavity ring-down spectroscopy and linear laser-induced fluorescence in laminar, counterflow partially premixed and nonpremixed flames at atmospheric pressure.

We report quantitative, spatially resolved measurements of methylidyne concentration ([CH]) in laminar, counterflow partially premixed and nonpremixed flames at atmospheric pressure by using both cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) and linear laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) in the A-X (0, 0) band. Three partially premixed (ϕB = 1.45, 1.6, 2.0) flames plus a single nonpremixed methane-air flame are investigated at a global strain rate of 20 s-1. These quantitative measurements are compared with predictions from an opposed-flow flame code when utilizing two GRI chemical kinetic mechanisms (versions 2.11 and 3.0). The LIF measurements of [CH] are corrected for variations in the electronic quenching rate coefficient by using predicted major species concentrations and temperatures along with quenching cross sections for CH that are available in the literature. The peak CH concentration obtained by CRDS is used to calibrate the quenching-corrected LIF measurements. Excellent agreement is obtained between CH concentration profiles measured by using the CRDS and LIF techniques. The spatial location of the CH layer is very well predicted by GRI 3.0; moreover, the measured and predicted CH concentrations are in good agreement for all the flames of this study.
Discretion and Service Use Among Older Adults: The Behavioral Model Revisited

Research applying the behavioral model to the use of services among older adults could be enriched by the classification of services along a discretionary dimension. Survey responses from 2,178 community-dwelling older adults were used to test the hypothesis that predisposing, enabling, and need characteristics are better predictors of discretionary than nondiscretionary service use. Logistic regression results predicting the use of a variety of community-based and medical services categorized as most discretionary, partially discretionary, and least discretionary generally support our hypothesis, underscoring the importance of need characteristics for least discretionary service use.
On a cross-correlation property for stationary random processes

Given two stationary random processes x_1 (t) and x_2 (t) , the cross-correlation property of interest is the following: If one of the two processes is distorted by an instantaneous nonlinear device, then the cross correlation after the distortion is proportional to the cross-correlation function prior to the distortion. Using an expansion of the second-order joint probability distribution p(x_1, x_2) introduced by Barrett and Lampard, a necessary and sufficient condition for the above cross-correlation property is given in terms of requirements on the expansion coefficients. In certain cases, the constant of proportionality involved in the cross-correlation property is equal to the "equivalent gain" of the nonlinear device as defined by Booton. A necessary and sufficient condition for these two constants to be identical is formulated in terms of the expansion coefficients of p(x_1, x_2) . The class of distributions satisfying this condition is a subclass of the set of distributions for which the cross-correlation property is valid.
Pulsating Flame Instability in Two Dimensions

We present results of fully compressible Navier-Stokes simulations of pulsating flame instability in two dimensions using single-step, first-order Arrhenius kinetics. Model parameters correspond to Ze = 9.5, Le = 10, and flame Mach numbers ML between 4.62× 10−3 and 2.31 × 10−2. The results show that the pulsating instability in two dimensions creates three types of transverse waves: spontaneous waves, deflagrations, and detonations. All three types of waves can coexist for the same reactive system, but transverse detonations become more likely as ML increases. They propagate inside the large preheat zone of the pulsating flame and do not spread into cold material.
Are existing measures of overall diet quality associated with peak bone mass in young premenopausal women

How to cite this article Zagarins S.E., Ronnenberg A.G., Gehlbach S.H., Lin R. & Bertone-Johnson E.R. (2012) Are existing measures of overall diet quality associated with peak bone mass in young premenopausal women? J Hum Nutr Diet.25, 172–179 Abstract Background: Low peak bone mass in young adulthood is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis and fracture after menopause, and an understanding of the modifiable factors that contribute to low peak bone mass is important for fracture prevention. Diet is an important modifiable factor linked to bone health and, although studies have examined the role of individual dietary components in bone health, bone growth and maintenance are complex processes, and such studies may not adequately represent the role of diet in these processes. Methods: To address this issue, a cross-sectional analysis of 226 healthy, premenopausal women aged 18–30 years was conducted to determine whether existing indices of overall diet quality are associated with bone density in premenopausal women nearing peak bone mass. Bone density was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and diet quality was measured using two overall diet scores based on current dietary guidelines: the Recommended Food Score and the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). Results: In the multiple linear regression, bone density did not increase across quartiles of either diet quality score and was not associated with continuous diet quality variables. Furthermore, none of the individual AHEI components (e.g. fruit intake, vegetable intake) were associated with bone density. Conclusions: These findings suggest that existing diet quality scores are not appropriate for studies of peak bone mass, most likely because they do not give sufficient weight to foods and nutrients important to bone health. We recommend the development of a diet pattern index that better predicts bone mass measures.
The STAGA Subunit ADA2b Is an Important Regulator of Human GCN5 Catalysis

Human STAGA is a multisubunit transcriptional coactivator containing the histone acetyltransferase GCN5L. Previous studies of the related yeast SAGA complex have shown that the yeast Gcn5, Ada2, and Ada3 components form a heterotrimer that is important for the enzymatic function of SAGA. Here, we report that ADA2a and ADA2b, two human homologues of yeast Ada2, each have the ability to form a heterotrimer with ADA3 and GCN5L but that only the ADA2b homologue is found in STAGA. By comparing the patterns of acetylation of several substrates, we found context-dependent requirements for ADA2b and ADA3 for the efficient acetylation of histone tails by GCN5. With human proteins, unlike yeast proteins, the acetylation of free core histones by GCN5 is unaffected by ADA2b or ADA3. In contrast, the acetylation of mononucleosomal substrates by GCN5 is enhanced by ADA2b, with no significant additional effect of ADA3, and the efficient acetylation of nucleosomal arrays (chromatin) by GCN5 requires both ADA2b and ADA3. Thus, ADA2b and ADA3 appear to act at two different levels of histone organization within chromatin to facilitate GCN5 function. Interestingly, although ADA2a forms a complex(es) with GCN5 and ADA3 both in vitro and in vivo, ADA2a-containing complexes are unable to acetylate nucleosomal H3. We have also shown the preferential recruitment of ADA2b, relative to ADA2a, to p53-dependent genes. This finding indicates that the previously demonstrated presence and function of GCN5 on these promoters reflect the action of STAGA and that the ADA2a and ADA2b paralogues have nonredundant functional roles.
ATTITUDES TOWARD PARTNER ABUSE AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE INCIDENCE OF PARTNER ABUSE AMONG FIRST GENERATION KOREAN-AMERICANS

This study examined various demographic characteristics, the attitudes toward partner abuse, and the relationship between the attitudes toward partner abuse and the incidence of partner abuse among first generation Korean-Americans. The study employed a correlational explanatory design using a cross-sectional survey technique utilising a total of 223 Korean immigrant adults currently residing in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. A three-part instrument was used for data collection. The use of domestic violence among Korean immigrants was highly prevalent. Korean-Americans generally did not approve the use of interpersonal violence against spouses/partners. The relationship between the attitudes toward partner abuse and the incidence of partner abuse as perpetrator was significantly correlated.
An automated hearing screening technique for newborns.

11182 newborn infants have had their hearing thresholds screened by automatically, recording crib motion before and after a test sound. An inexpensive motion transducer translates the baby(s) movements onto a multichannel strip-chart recorder (batch testing) or a single channel recorder (individual testing). Records are read off-line and scored positive if there is a change in movement within 2.5 sec after the test sound. “Passing or failing” a baby requires about one minute's clerical scoring time, and is therefore both economical and simple. We have detected 33 neonates with serious hearing losses and perhaps missed one on long-term follow-up. This amounts to a deafness incidence of 1:329 live births. In the Intensive Care/Premature nurseries the incidence is 1:62.
The Future of Pluralism

Psychological findings relevant to the concept of pluralism are examined in an attempt to increase understanding of a major social issue. Exchange theory's view of a good relationship as involving interactions consistent with expectations is applied to intergroup relations, particularly black-white relations. Integration which is mere contact between two groups is held to be potentially counterproductive as a remedy for the inequality seen between blacks and whites, an inequality consequent to persisting exploitation by the majority of the minority group. A three-pronged strategy to achieve additive multiculturalism, an essential step forward to a pluralist society, is advocated. The development of interdependence, appreciation, and the skills to interact intimately with persons from other cultures are the requirements laid down.
Gall Flies, Inquilines, and Goldenrods: A Model for Host-race Formation and Sympatric Speciation

SYNOPSIS. Host shifts and subsequent host-race formation likely play a more common role in the speciation of herbivorous insects than has generally been recognized. Our studies of the interactions of goldenrod host plants (Solidago: Compositae), the gall fly Eurosta solidaginis (Diptera: Tephritidae), and the stem- and gall-boring Mordellistena convicta (Coleoptera: Mordellidae) provide behavioral, ecological, and genetic evidence of insect host races that may represent incipient species formed via sympatric speciation. Eurosta solidaginis has developed genetically differentiated and reproductively isolated host races that are associated with the ancestral host Solidago altissima and the derived host S. gigantea. Conventional wisdom suggests that shifts even to closely related host plants are limited by host preferences or the inability to utilize a chemically and developmentally distinct host. However, our preliminary work with Eurosta from S. gigantea implies that host choice and gall induction do not deter a shift to S. canadensis. The galling of Solidago by Eurosta created a new resource that has led to a subsequent host range expansion by the stem-boring beetle. Mordellistena convicta from stems and galls are genetically distinct and likely shifted from stems to galls. Beetles from S. altissima versus S. gigantea galls exhibit assortative mating and higher preference for and/or performance on their natal host. The present-day distributions of the Eurosta host races and their behavioral isolating mechanisms do not suggest that geographic isolation was required for their formation; rather these characteristics suggest a sympatric mode of differentiation. Our findings lend credence to recent assertions that sympatric speciation may be an important source of biodiversity.
Consumer demand for counterfeit goods.

Research on counterfeiting has focused on the supply side, with scant attention to consumer demand for counterfeit goods. Anticounterfeiting efforts would benefit from the identification of the segment(s) of consumer counterfeiting accomplices, consumers who knowingly purchase counterfeit products. This article reports on three studies, conducted at flea markets and malls, that attempted to identify consumer accomplices. Study 1 investigated prepurchase factors, Study 2 focused on factors active during purchasing, and Study 3 concentrated on postpurchase factors. The results suggest the existence of a typology of consumer accomplices, sly shoppers who purposely purchase counterfeit goods to demonstrate their consumer shrewdness and economically concerned shoppers whose intentional purchase of fake goods is driven by economic concerns. Implications for marketing practitioners are discussed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Regional Roots of Developmental Politics in India: A Divided Leviathan

The Regional Roots of Developmental Politics in India: A Divided Leviathan. By Aseema Sinha. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2005. 384p. $64.95 cloth, $27.95 paper. This excellent study by Aseema Sinha is a pathbreaker in the fields of political economy and comparative politics generally, and an especially welcome addition to India studies. Conventional wisdom has it that low economic growth rates in India until liberalization in the 1990s were the result of centralized control, especially in the area of the issuance of licenses governing investments known as the license raj. On this view, licensing controls and cumbersome bureaucratic implementation procedures—supported by an ideology that sought to prevent concentration of economic power in the hands of a small group of private entrepreneurs at the expense of the wider social good—have been a drag on the Indian economy. Far better, the argument goes, would have been to let the market function to determine investment patterns. In essence, the debate about Indian growth has been framed around two alternatives—the classical free market and the dirigiste state.
Clinical stage I pure yolk sac tumor of the testis in adults has different clinical behavior than juvenile yolk sac tumor.

Purpose: We evaluated the clinical behavior of clinical stage I pure yolk sac tumor of the testis in adults to determine whether the behavior of this entity is different than that of clinical stage 1 nonseminoma.Materials and Methods: We searched the testis cancer database at our institution for adults with clinical stage I pure yolk sac tumor of the testis who underwent retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. We identified 12 such patients and reviewed the database and hospital charts to determine clinical behavior.Results: Disease was pathological stage I in 8 of the 12 patients (66%), including 1 with recurrence after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. Disease was pathological stage II in 14 patients (33%), including 1 who remains disease-free after electing adjuvant bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin. Of the 3 patients who elected observation after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection only 1 has had recurrence, while 2 (66%) were cured by retroperitoneal lymph node dissection only.Conclusions: Con...
Identification of significant process parameters in variable frequency microwave curing

Variable frequency microwave (VFM) curing of polymer dielectrics can reduce process time compared to conventional thermal methods drastically without compromising intrinsic material properties. However, the interactions that occur during VFM curing are not well understood. This paper presents a statistical experimental design to determine the significance of VFM processing parameters. A D-optimal experiment is performed on samples of polyimide spin-cast on silicon wafers cured in a VFM furnace. During VFM processing, the temperature of the polyimide samples is ramped to a specific temperature and held for a selected amount of time. Temperature calibration is conducted to guarantee accurate temperature exposure. The input variables analyzed are cure time, ramp rate, hold temperature, center frequency, bandwidth, and sweep rate. The output variables of interest are the in-plane and through-plane indices of refraction, birefringence, and the percent of imidization of polyimide. The percent imidization is measured using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Birefringence is derived from the in-plane and through-plane indices of refraction, both of which are measured with a metricon prism coupler. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is used to determine the input variables with the greatest effect. Cure time is found to be the only significant parameter.
Status and Distribution of the Streamside Salamander, Ambystoma barbouri, in Middle Tennessee

Abstract Middle Tennessee populations of the Streamside Salamander, Ambystoma barbouri, delimit the southern extent of the species' range and are geographically isolated from more northerly populations. Few populations have been discovered in Tennessee, and all of them are located in the Inner Nashville Basin ecological subregion of the Interior Plateau. We surveyed for breeding activity in first- and second-order streams in the southern Inner Nashville Basin to determine the species distribution and to examine the status of and existing threats to extant populations. Streamside salamanders were found at five of 40 localities in southern Rutherford, northern Bedford and northeastern Marshall County, and at only 4 of 6 previously known breeding sites. Continued habitat fragmentation and alteration in association with the urbanization of Rutherford County threaten existing A. barbouri populations, which may represent the last remaining populations in the state. We recommend state and local agencies develop ...
Precapillary O2 loss and arteriovenous O2 diffusion shunt are below limit of detection in myocardium.

Is venous PO2 an index of tissue PO2, of end capillary PO2, or neither of these because of diffusive shunting from arterioles to venules? To evaluate diffusive shunting and venous PO2 in myocardium we determined hemoglobin (Hb) saturation in arterioles and venules and myoglobin (Mb) saturation in individual subepicardial myocytes by use of a cryomicrospectrophotometric method (Gayeski, 1981, Degner and Gayeski, 1987).
Análise da trajetória dos pais latinos, variáveis culturais nas atitudes sexuais dos adolescentes, normas, auto-eficácia, e intenções sexuais

Objetivo: testar um modelo teorico com base na Expansao Parental da Teoria do Comportamento Planejado, examinando a relacao entre pais selecionados, adolescentes e variaveis culturais e as intencoes dos jovens latinos ao se envolverem com comportamento sexual. Metodo: um design correlacional de corte transversal baseado em uma analise de dados secundarios de 130 pares de pais e adolescentes latinos. Resultados: procedimentos de regressao e de analise de trajetoria foram usados para testar sete hipoteses e os resultados demonstraram um apoio parcial para o modelo. O familismo parental e o conhecimento sobre sexo foram significativamente associados com as atitudes dos pais em relacao a comunicacao sexual com seus filhos. A aculturacao dos pais latinos foi negativamente relacionada com sua auto-eficacia na comunicacao sexual com os adolescentes e positivamente relacionada com suas normas subjetivas na comunicacao sexual com os jovens. O conhecimento do adolescente sobre sexo foi consideravelmente associado com os mais altos niveis de suas atitudes e normas subjetivas sobre a comunicacao sexual com seus pais. Apenas o preditor das atitudes dos adolescentes sobre ter relacoes sexuais nos proximos tres meses foi significativamente associado com as intencoes dos adolescentes em ter relacoes sexuais nos proximos 3 meses.. Conclusao: os resultados deste estudo fornecem informacoes importantes para guiar pesquisas futuras que possam informar o desenvolvimento de intervencoes para prevenir o comportamento sexual arriscado de adolescentes entre os latinos.
Fostering creativity in students

A short, two step synthesis project for students in organic chemistry provides practical experience in scale up, purification, isolation, and modification of synthetic procedures.
Unusual Association of Autoimmune Myopathy and Acute Hemorrhagic Leukoencephalitis (P01.010)

Objective: We report a case of Unusual presentation of acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis with autoimmune myopathy, this association has never been reported in the literature.Patient responded well with Steroid and plamapheresis and made a complete recovery. Background Acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis(AHLE) is a rare acute inflammatory myelinopathy of the central nervous system (CNS) with high mortality, its association with autoimmune myopathy has not been reported before .This provide a strong evidence of CNS & peripheral nervous system involvement. Design/Methods: A 24 yr old female admitted with generalized seizure. She was lethargic, but moving all four extremities, without any focal neurological signs. Her Serum chemistries were all normal. MRI of Brain demonstrated mass lesion with abnormal signal & multiple small hemorrhages.Pathology showed white matter demyelinating lesions with necrotizing destruction of small vessels and acute inflammation. Later on pt developed severe paraplegia. EMG was consistent with demyelinating diffuse polyneuropathy &myopathy.Pathology of muscle showed myopathic changes suggestive of autimmune myopathy. Results: Pt was initially treated with Dexamethasone, Keppra, Antibiotics & Acyclovir. But when she developed diffuse polyneuropathy & myopathy, she was given Plasmapheresis. The patient responded to treatment and made a full recovery. Conclusions: The etiology of AHLE remains unclear ,with a prevailing theory that infectious agents trigger inflammatory cascade targeting myelin basic protein.Usually the antigen target Central nervous system myelin and spare the peripheral and vice versa in this case there was diffuse involvement of central/peripheral myelin and muscle,this require further investigation in autoimmune process and consistent with peripheral demylination some time seen in Multiple Sclerosis. Disclosure: Dr. Ahmed has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ahmed has nothing to disclose.
Residual Stresses in Co-Sputtered Films of Ta and Si on Substrates of Silicon and Oxide

We have measured the stresses in TaSi. films both as a function of annealing temperature and of composition of the as-deposited films. Substrates of Si, polysilicon and SiO 2 were used. The residual, room temperature stresses in samples annealed at 900°C are noticeably dependent on the initial Si/Ta ratio. This effect appears to to be related to microstructural differences between Si-rich and Ta-rich films. The stresses are largely due to the mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients (TEC) between the silicide and silicon although there is also evidence that samples annealed at lower temperatures (500°C) may have a sizable component of intrinsic stress as well. Despite tensile stresses as high as 1500 MPa, the x-ray topographs of Si wafers with patterned silicide/polysilicon structures show that no substrate dislocations are present after- annealing.
"Pain Is a Public Health Problem" --What Does That Mean and Why Should We Care?

In recent years AAPM’s Presidents have selected a theme to emphasize during their term of office even as they continue to support the diverse range of activities conducted by this inclusive professional society. AAPM’s immediate Past President Bill McCarberg chose pain control in primary care based upon his decades of experience as a family medicine physician and pain specialist. His predecessor Sean Mackey co-chaired, with Linda Porter of the National Institutes of Health, the panel that produced a comprehensive National Pain Strategy presenting specific plans to advance multiple dimensions of pain. This monumental effort (see below) was a prime focus of his presidency. Earlier Presidents have emphasized patient advocacy, the safe use of opioids, and the needs of veterans returning from combat. I have selected “pain is a public health problem” as the focus of my term; this AAPM President’s Message describes the context and implications of this choice. In May of 1999, shortly before assuming his uniquely successful, ongoing role as inaugural Editor-in-Chief of Pain Medicine , Rollin (“Mac”) Gallagher wrote a visionary essay for a topical issue on chronic pain in Medical Clinics of North America . Titled “Primary Care and Pain Medicine”, this essay bore the subtitle “A community solution to the public health problem of chronic pain”. Drawing upon his own education (he holds a Masters in Public Health as well as an MD), he proposed a model of chronic pain that integrated – as an epidemiologist might – environment, host and causative agents in the progression from injury to chronic disability. Presciently, he called for community-based rehabilitation of the patient with chronic pain based upon a collaboration between primary care provider and pain medicine specialist. This stratified model of care was articulated further in a later white paper by Mac and two other senior leaders …
How the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Should Apply Wynne

In this special report, Knoll and Mason discuss how the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court should apply Wynne when it hears on remand First Marblehead v. Commissioner of Revenue. The authors conclude that when it originally heard the case, the Massachusetts court mistakenly considered, as part of its internal consistency analysis, whether Gate Holdings Inc. experienced double state taxation. As developed by the U.S. Supreme Court and most recently applied in Wynne, the internal consistency test is not concerned with actual double taxation that may arise from the interaction of different states’ laws. Rather, the test is designed to determine whether the challenged state’s law alone discriminates against interstate commerce. The authors show how this standard applies to the challenged Massachusetts apportionment rules, and they conclude that in order to ascertain the constitutionality of the challenged Massachusetts law, the Massachusetts court must determine how the other states would tax Gate if the other states applied Massachusetts law for non-domiciled taxpayers.
Application of Virtual Reality in Educational Training

The appearance of Virtual Reality causes educational training to change b y greatness.Because Virtual Reality has the advantange that the traditional trai ning method can't assimilate.The virtual education training is that using Virtua l Reality to simulates the real environment.During the course of training,studen ts feel themself to be on the spot.Students apperceive the objects in the virtual environment by the advanced mutual equipment at vision,hearing,touching.This pap er introduces the necessity of Virtual Reality in educational trai ning by the example of construction of Virtual electronic training system,bringss up h ow to construct Virtual training system by 3DS Max and OpenGL, implements ideal c ombination of Virtual Reality and educational training.
Extraction of Data Mining Technology in the Application of the Computer Audit

Under the information environment,as the golden audit project,more and more widely applied in the field of data min ing technology in the audit.It can assist the auditor in the audit data found in the hidden knowledge and useful information,to form effective auditing thought clear,the right audit conclusion.This paper briefly introduces the data mining technology,and discusses the data mining technology in the application of computer audit,and puts forward the data mining technology in the application of computer audit steps.
SQL Server Database Automatic Backup in Automatic Hydrological Data Acquisition and Transmission System

The basic function of automatic hydrological data acquisition and transmission system is introduced.It is described that database backup regimen automatic forecasting system in the design,implementation and application of importance.On this basis,a design scheme of full automatic database backup is further proposed.It can solve the complex and error-prone problem in user manual backup process.
Bacterial colonization: pathogenesis and clinical significance.

SUMMARY Bacterial colonization of the respiratory tract frequently precedes the onset of serious invasive infection. It is increasingly evident that the risk for colonization is greatest in patients with serious underlying illness. These patients have been shown to have increased bacterial binding to their respiratory mucosa. In addition to the patients’ own predisposition to infection, many of our medical interventions may further compromise the respiratory tract host defenses and permit successful bacterial growth. Methods for prevention of bacterial colonization have not been very successful to date. Although methods to decrease the introduction of exogenous bacteria to patients have been developed, problems persist with the patients’ endogenous enteric gram-negative bacilli. It is hoped that increased understanding of bacterialmucosal interactions will lead to new therapeutic strategies to prevent bacterial invasion of the respiratory tract.
Cardiomyocyte GTP Cyclohydrolase 1 Protects the Heart Against Diabetic Cardiomyopathy

Diabetic cardiomyopathy increases the risk of heart failure and death. At present, there are no effective approaches to preventing its development in the clinic. Here we report that reduction of cardiac GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (GCH1) degradation by genetic and pharmacological approaches protects the heart against diabetic cardiomyopathy. Diabetic cardiomyopathy was induced in C57BL/6 wild-type mice and transgenic mice with cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of GCH1 with streptozotocin, and control animals were given citrate buffer. We found that diabetes-induced degradation of cardiac GCH1 proteins contributed to adverse cardiac remodeling and dysfunction in C57BL/6 mice, concomitant with decreases in tetrahydrobiopterin, dimeric and phosphorylated neuronal nitric oxide synthase, sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) handling proteins, intracellular [Ca(2+)]i, and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) content and increases in phosphorylated p-38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and superoxide production. Interestingly, GCH-1 overexpression abrogated these detrimental effects of diabetes. Furthermore, we found that MG 132, an inhibitor for 26S proteasome, preserved cardiac GCH1 proteins and ameliorated cardiac remodeling and dysfunction during diabetes. This study deepens our understanding of impaired cardiac function in diabetes, identifies GCH1 as a modulator of cardiac remodeling and function, and reveals a new therapeutic target for diabetic cardiomyopathy.
Osteomyelitis of the skull base, etiology unknown

OSB can occur in the absence of an obvious contiguous source of infection. When a patient has persistent unilateral headache, elevated ESR, and radiographic evidence of a lytic skull-base lesion, the clinician should consider OSB as a potential diagnosis. A baseline gallium scan should be obtained before biopsy, since surgery or trauma can also produce positive results on radionuclide scans. Technetium-phosphate bone scans should also be performed before any surgical manipulation. However, positive results from a gallium or technetium scan in this setting are not conclusive evidence of infection. At biopsy, the otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon should consider sending a specimen to the microbiology department for culture in addition to the specimen sent for routine pathologic study; this procedure could minimize delay in diagnosis. Establishing the diagnosis in these patients without obvious contiguous infection can be difficult, demanding perseverance and an appropriate index of suspicion. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, intravenous antibiotic therapy should begin immediately. The duration of therapy must be individualized; patients may require from 4 weeks to several months of treatment. Response to therapy is indicated by resolution of symptoms, normalization of ESR, and reversal of abnormalities on radionuclide scans. Serial gallium scans are particularly useful in following response to treatment.
Molecular phylogeny and systematics of the Polysphincta group of genera (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae)

The phylogenetic relationships between genera of the Polysphincta group of Pimplinae (Ichneumonidae) were surveyed using molecular markers, partial sequences of cytochrome c oxidase I (COI), 28S rRNA and elongation factor 1α, and maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches to obtain a robust phylogenetic hypothesis to understand the evolution of the group. The Polysphincta group was recovered as monophyletic, although relationships between genera were different from previous hypotheses based on morphological data. Within the Polysphincta group, three major clades were recognized and phylogenetic relationships among them were well resolved as (Schizopyga subgroup + (Acrodactyla subgroup + Polysphincta subgroup)). The Schizopyga subgroup consisted of the genera Piogaster, Schizopyga, Zabrachypus and Brachyzapus. As the genus Schizopyga was found to be polyphyletic, the genus Dreisbachia, which had been synonymized under Schizopyga, was resurrected and Iania gen.n. is proposed for Dreisbachia pictifrons, to maintain monophyletic genera. Species of the Schizopyga subgroup utilize spiders constructing egg-laying chambers or funnel webs as hosts. The genus Piogaster was not recovered as the sister to all other members of the genus group, unlike previous hypotheses, but was nested in this clade as (Zabrachypus + ((Brachyzapus + Schizopyga) + (Dreisbachia + (Iania + Piogaster)))). Members of the Acrodactyla and Polysphincta subgroups attack spiders that weave aerial webs. The host range of the former is centred on tetragnathid and linyphiid spiders, the host range of the latter seems to centre mainly on orb-weaving araneids and partly on theridiids weaving three-dimensional (3D) irregular webs. Based on the obtained phylogeny of the group, the evolution of larval and cocoon morphology, and the mode of parasitism are discussed. Acrodactyla varicarinata Uchida & Momoi and A. inoperta Kusigemati are transferred to the genus Megaetaira (comb.n.). This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0AB1086F-9F23-4057-B7ED-3A3943E19C61.
The Value of Heifer and Calf Characteristics in Bred Heifer Price1

Abstract This study used hedonic modeling toassess the marginal implicit value of bred heifer characteristics, of sire production and carcass characteristic expected progeny differences (EPD) for heifers’ calves, and general market factors. Using sales data for 929 pens of bred heifers over the 2001 to 2004 period, economic value for bred heifer, expected calf characteristics, and market factors were computed. For heifer characteristics, results indicate that heavier heifers were priced $1.28/kg higher than lighter heifers, pens of AI heifers were premium priced $18.70/head, Angus heifers received a $58.96/head premium, and pens that were expected to calve outside a 30 d window were discounted $24.30/head. For expected calf performance characteristics, the impact of EPD birth BW on bred heifer price varied from a $120/head discount for a birth BW EPD below zero to an $18/head premium for a birth BW EPD greater than zero. The marbling carcass characteristic EPD was statistically significant (P
Kinematics of Shooting in High School and Collegiate Lacrosse Players With and Without Low Back Pain.

Background:Low back pain (LBP) and motion alterations can occur in athletes who engage in high-speed throwing motions. The relationship between LBP and shooting motion in lacrosse players is not yet known.Purpose:To quantify the effects of LBP on key kinematic parameters of the lacrosse shot and determine the contribution of the severity of LBP on specific kinematic parameters of the shooting motion.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:High school and collegiate players (N = 24) were stratified into 2 groups based on back pain symptoms (LBP or no pain). Three-dimensional motion capture of overhead throws was used to collect data on knee, pelvis, trunk, and shoulder kinematics as well as crosse stick (the stick capped with a strung net) and ball speed.Results:Mean low back numeric pain rating scale (NRSpain) score was 2.9. Knee flexion at ball release was greater in the LBP than no pain group, indicating a more bent knee (P = .04). The LBP group demonstrated less angular velocity transfer from ...
Wilful Design: The Sampler in Nineteenth-Century Britain

AbstractThis article recovers the cultural significance of the sampler in nineteenth-century Britain. I argue that this mainstay of female education models a circular shape of development in which the young girl painfully revises earlier experience; the subject is conceived of as perpetually reworking herself without obvious linear progression. Though this article is situated against canonical works of Victorian fiction, it focuses primarily on actual samplers to argue that these pieces of childhood embroidery should be recognized as a form of life-writing. After establishing the conventions of the sampler, I turn to an apparently anomalous example that exemplifies the temporal and affective patterns ingrained by the pedagogical exercise of sampler sewing. My central artefact is an autobiographical sampler from the needle of a 17-year-old Sussex girl named Elizabeth Parker. Currently housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum, this textile from 1830 recounts Parker’s childhood experiences in service, and th...
A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE FREEZE HAZARD IN NEW YORK STATE

Thirty years of data are examined for the last spring freeze and first autumn freeze at freeze thresholds of 0°C, -2.2°C, and -4.4°C. Four statistical conclusions of a 1958 Iowa freeze hazard study are tested in New York. The time series of freeze dates are random and normally distributed. Spring and autumn freeze dates are independent at a station. The variances of autumn freeze dates are homogeneous throughout New York and variances of spring freeze dates are homogeneous within each of three regions of similar climate. Statistical properties of the freeze date time series should be examined locally before results of studies in other regions are used. (Key words: freeze, frost, climatology, growing-season, New York, statistical methods.)
Mercury concentrations in wet and dry cat and dog food

Abstract Given that mercury (Hg) concentrates in fish, and this is an important ingredient in pet food, we hypothesized that Hg concentrations could be of concern. To address this hypothesis, total Hg concentrations were measured in a variety of brands of cat (n = 47) and dog (n = 54) food. Since most of the Hg in fish is methylmercury, we assume that this is the form in the pet food. However, this still needs to be tested. Mercury concentrations ranged from 1 to 604 ng g−1. There are no standards for pet food, so values were compared to available consumption advisories: 300–1000 ng g−1 for humans, 30 ng g−1 for kingfishers (fish eating birds), small mammals (70 ng g−1), and river otters (100 ng g−1). Thirty one of the pet food samples had concentrations >30 ng g−1, and 14 > 100 ng g−1. More studies are necessary to understand the health implications of Hg concentrations observed.
The Relationship Between Voice and Breathing in the Assessment and Treatment of Voice Disorders

Coordination between the larynx and lower airways is essential for normal voice production. Dyscoordination may contribute to myriad voice problems. The current study provides an overview of respiratory and laryngeal physiology as it relates to normal and disordered voice production, as well as a review of phonatory aerodynamic assessment practices. Finally, the integration of voice and breathing in common voice therapy programs is explored.
Clay Mineralogy and Chemistry

The clay minerals are of clay-grade phyllosilicates, phyllosilicate minerals whose natural occurrence is confined to the clay-size particle fraction. Clay minerals share another characteristic besides particle size: they form as low-temperature alteration products of igneous and high-temperature metamorphic minerals in the presence of liquid water. Mineralogists studying chemical weathering have come to realize clay minerals form in direct contact with igneous silicate minerals by solid-state rearrangement, appearing early in the chemical weathering sequence and disappearing only in the later stages. Much of the plasticity associated with kaolinite, vermiculite, and illite clay specimens is believed to arise from trace amounts of smectite clays that co-occur with most clay mineral specimens. The co-occurrence of several clay mineral types is an expected consequence to the mechanism of clay mineral formation and transformation.
Shape Grammar-Based Expert Systems for Engineering Design

This paper argues that shape grammars provide a unified foundation for engineering expert systems. Shape grammars maintain the generative and analytical ability of traditional production systems. However, the parametric nature of shape grammars, their ability to deal with physical form rather than abstract elements and their ability to recognize emergent shapes give them significant advantages over traditional production systems for geometry based engineering design.
Dosimetric Comparison of Real-Time MRI-Guided Tri-Cobalt-60 Versus Linear Accelerator-Based Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Lung Cancer Plans.

Purpose:Magnetic resonance imaging–guided radiation therapy has entered clinical practice at several major treatment centers. Treatment of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer with stereotactic b...
Ab Initio Atomistic Thermodynamics Study of the (001) Surface of LiCoO2 in a Water Environment and Implications for Reactivity under Ambient Conditions

We use GGA + U methodology to model the bulk and surface structure of varying stoichiometries of the (001) surface of LiCoO2. The DFT energies obtained for these surface-slab models are used for two thermodynamic analyses to assess the relative stabilities of different surface configurations, including hydroxylation. In the first approach, surface free energies are calculated within a thermodynamic framework, and the second approach is a surface-solvent ion exchange model. We find that, for both models, the −CoO–H1/2 surface is the most stable structure near the O-rich limit, which corresponds to ambient conditions. We find that surfaces terminated with Li are higher in energy, and we go on to show that H and Li behave differently on the (001) LiCoO2 surface. The optimized geometries show that terminal Li and H occupy nonequivalent surface sites. In terms of electronic structure, Li and H terminations exhibit distinct bandgap characters, and there is also a distinctive distribution of charge at the surfac...
High-resolution analysis of the mechanical behavior of tissue

The mechanical behavior and properties of biomaterials, such as tissue, have been directly and indirectly connected to numerous malignant physiological states. For example, an increase in the Young's Modulus of tissue can be indicative of cancer. Due to the heterogeneity of biomaterials, it is extremely important to perform these measurements using whole or unprocessed tissue because the tissue matrix contains important information about the intercellular interactions and the structure. Thus, developing high-resolution approaches that can accurately measure the elasticity of unprocessed tissue samples is of great interest. Unfortunately, conventional elastography methods such as atomic force microscopy, compression testing, and ultrasound elastography either require sample processing or have poor resolution. In the present work, we demonstrate the characterization of unprocessed salmon muscle using an optical polarimetric elastography system. We compare the results of compression testing within different ...