cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lower bounds for sorting with few random accesses to external memory

We consider a scenario where we want to query a large dataset that is stored in external memory and does not fit into main memory. The most constrained resources in such a situation are the size of the main memory and the number of random accesses to external memory. We note that sequentially streaming data from external memory through main memory is much less prohibitive.We propose an abstract model of this scenario in which we restrict the size of the main memory and the number of random accesses to external memory, but do not restrict sequential reads. A distinguishing feature of our model is that it admits the usage of unlimited external memory for storing intermediate results, such as several hard disks that can be accessed in parallel. In practice, such auxiliary external memory can be crucial. For example, in a first sequential pass the data can be annotated, and in a second pass this annotation can be used to answer the query. Koch's [9] ARB system for answering XPath queries is based on such a strategy.In this model, we prove lower bounds for sorting the input data. As opposed to related results for models without auxiliary external memory for intermediate results, we cannot rely on communication complexity to establish these lower bounds. Instead, we simulate. our model by a non-uniform computation model for which we can establish the lower bounds by combinatorial means.
Caregiver Role Overload and Network Support in a Sample of Predominantly Low-Income, African-American Caregivers of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis

While informal caregivers play an important role in improving the health of disadvantaged persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLHAs) in the United States, caregiver role overload has the potential for distress. We used latent profile analysis (LPA) to classify caregivers based on their perceived level of support and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the relationships among role overload, perceived support, caregiver demographic characteristics, and social network members’ characteristics in a sample of 215 predominantly low-income, African-American informal caregivers. The LPA resulted in two classes of caregivers with higher and lower perceived support. The SEM results indicated that caregiver role overload was associated with being in the less supported class, younger age, and limited physical functioning, while social support class was associated with being female and being HIV seropositive in addition to support network characteristics. Interventions should address the support needs of HIV caregivers to reduce their potential for distress.
The Social Life of Numbers: A Quechua Ontology of Numbers and Philosophy of Arithmetic

The Social Life of Numbers:. Quechua Ontology of Numbers and Philosophy of Arithmetic. GARY URTON. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1997. xv. 267 pp., figures, tables, appendix, notes, bibliography, index.
Class-level spectral features for emotion recognition

The most common approaches to automatic emotion recognition rely on utterance-level prosodic features. Recent studies have shown that utterance-level statistics of segmental spectral features also contain rich information about expressivity and emotion. In our work we introduce a more fine-grained yet robust set of spectral features: statistics of Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients computed over three phoneme type classes of interest - stressed vowels, unstressed vowels and consonants in the utterance. We investigate performance of our features in the task of speaker-independent emotion recognition using two publicly available datasets. Our experimental results clearly indicate that indeed both the richer set of spectral features and the differentiation between phoneme type classes are beneficial for the task. Classification accuracies are consistently higher for our features compared to prosodic or utterance-level spectral features. Combination of our phoneme class features with prosodic features leads to even further improvement. Given the large number of class-level spectral features, we expected feature selection will improve results even further, but none of several selection methods led to clear gains. Further analyses reveal that spectral features computed from consonant regions of the utterance contain more information about emotion than either stressed or unstressed vowel features. We also explore how emotion recognition accuracy depends on utterance length. We show that, while there is no significant dependence for utterance-level prosodic features, accuracy of emotion recognition using class-level spectral features increases with the utterance length.
An Analysis of the Readability of Selected Management Journals

The article presents a study which examined the readability scores of selected management journals over a five year period (1967 to 1971). The study measured ease of understanding and comprehension...
Scanning tunneling microscopy study of terminal oxygen structures on WO3(100) thin films

Abstract Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was used to characterize the surface reconstructions on epitaxial WO 3 (1 0 0) thin films on LaAlO 3 (1 0 0) in a reducing environment. As the films were annealed between 600 and 770 K, a myriad of surface structures related to terminal oxygen were observed. Upon initial reduction the surface was covered with small c(2 × 2), p(2 × 2), c(4 × 2), and poorly ordered terminal oxygen terraces all coexisting with (1 × 1) islands. Further reduction caused large flat terraces of poorly ordered terminal oxygen to coexist with strand terminated p( n × 2) terraces with n = 3–5. Continued reduction led to a zigzag arrangement on top of the p( n × 2) surface, half-height p(2 × 2) and c(4 × 2) islands, and a local (15 × 2) structure. The latter three structures could only be explained by crystallographic shearing of the surface plane. In contrast to higher annealing temperatures, the exclusively p( n × 2) terminated surface characterized by alternating strands and troughs was not observed, suggesting that at lower temperatures crystallographic shear competes with the bulk migration responsible for trough formation as the dominant surface reduction mechanism.
Equivalence of the free-particle and magnetic masses of the polaron

A proof is presented of the equivalence between the polaron masses as determined by the low-lying energy states of a free polaron and of a polaron in a weak magnetic field.
Interferometric characterization of Raman redistribution among perturbed Rydberg states of barium.

The evolution of a ``dark'' wave packet in Ba is probed using a bound-state interferometric method. The wave packet is created by photoionizing the 5d7d component of a perturbed Rydberg state having predominantly 6snd character, and thereby redistributing population to neighboring states. Information on which Rydberg-Rydberg Raman transitions dominate the transfer of population to each state is obtained. A closed-form expression for the observed strong-field interferograms is developed for the limit of very short pulses. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Effect of polarization on two-color laser-induced damage

Laserinduced damage of optical materials due to the presence of radiation at two different frequencies has received little attention in the literature even though this is not an uncommon occurrence in the laboratory. Recent studies on the inultiphoton ionization of single atoms have shown that the ionization threshold depends strongly on the frequencies of the incident fields and their polarizations. In this paper we explore the extent to which these results can be applied to laserinduced damage. The results for a single atom are presented for the case where one field has a comparatively high frequency and low intensity. This field is responsible for the ionization. The other field has a higher intensity and much lower frequency such that it does not ionize by itself. However it substantially modifies the ionization threshold due to the first field. Both fields are circularly polarized. The behavior of the ionization rate near the thresholds is found to depend strongly on whether the fields have the same or opposite circular polarizations. We also speculate on how these results will influence laser induced damage thresholds.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Desulfurization of Petroleum Coke via Alkali Calcination

Alkali desulfurization of petroleum coke is an important technology, can improve the performance of the final products of petroleum coke, while reducing air pollution. This paper studied the conditions for desulfurization of calcined petroleum coke using NaOH solid powders. The experimental results show that, the grain size in the range of experiment did not seem to influence desulphurization. With the increase of temperature, adding alkali coke ratio, reaction time, desulfurization of petroleum coke rate increased. In the alkali coke ratio of 2, the reaction temperature is 500°C, the reaction time is 2 h, the desulfurization of petroleum coke ratio reached 98.1%. Desulfurization of petroleum coke rate by prolonging the reaction time, to a certain extent, maintains the same level of lowing alkali coke ratio.
Outcome of patients with radiation enteritis treated with home parenteral nutrition.

Abstract OBJECTIVES: Intestinal failure requiring either surgery or home parenteral nutrition (HPN) develops in approximately 5% of patients treated with radiation. The aim of the study was to determine survival, duration of HPN, and complications associated with HPN in patients with intestinal failure after radiation therapy. METHODS: Fifty-four patients with radiation enteritis who received HPN were studied (39 women and 15 men with a mean age of 57.9 yr). Retrospective data were collected from the patients’ medical records dated between 1975 and 1999. The probability of survival was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: HPN was initiated a median of 20 months (range = 2–432) from the start of radiation therapy. The mean number of intestinal operations for radiation-related complications was 2.2/patient (range = 0–6). The causes of intestinal failure resulting from radiation therapy were intestinal obstruction (27 patients), short bowel (17), malabsorption (five), fistula (three), and dysmotility (two). The mean duration of HPN was 20.4 months (range = 2–108). At last follow-up, 37 patients (68%) were dead, most as a result of recurrent cancer. One patient died of catheter sepsis, and no other deaths were directly related to HPN. The overall estimated 5-yr probability of survival on HPN calculated by Kaplan-Meier analysis was 64%. CONCLUSIONS: HPN is a reasonable treatment option in patients with intestinal failure as a result of radiation enteritis. Survival and complications associated with HPN in patients with radiation enteritis seem to be similar to those in other HPN-treated groups.
Heterogeneity of alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes in various tissues

Abstract The total aldehyde reducing capacity of various tissues, including liver, lung, brain, heart and testes, was determined with propionaldehyde or m -nitrobenzaldehyde as substrate. With each of these substrates, measurements of aldehyde reducing capacity were conducted with NADPH as well as NADH as the cofactors in the absence or presence of pyrazole. The capacity of heart, lung, brain and testes tissues to reduce m -nitrobenzaldehyde was 2- to 10-fold greater than the capacity to reduce propionaldehyde with either NADH or NADPH. However, aldehyde reductase activity in liver tissue was greater with propionaldehyde than with m -nitrobenzaldehyde as substrate. Propionaldehyde reducing capacity of various tissues was inhibited by pyrazole 98–100 per cent with NADH as cofactor, and 25–60 per cent with NADPH as cofactor, depending upon the tissue examined. On the other hand, pyrazole inhibited m -nitrobenzaldehyde reduction only 12–70 per cent with NADH as cofactor, and little inhibition was observed with NADPH as co-substrate. Separation and isolation of two aldehyde reductase fractions from rat liver, which were distinct from alcohol: NAD oxidoreductase (EC 1.1.1.1), was achieved. These fractions differed in substrate and cofactor specificities and in their sensitivity to inhibition by pyrazole and pentobarbital. Similar separations of aldehyde reducing activities were performed with bovine brain tissues, and two distinct enzyme fractions were isolated and compared with the fractions isolated from liver.
Interaction of Hydrogen and Thiophene with Ni/MoS2 and Zn/MoS2 Surfaces: A Molecular Orbital Study

The effects of Ni and Zn on the electronic and chemical properties of MoS2 clusters have been investigated using INDO/S and ab initio SCF calculations. The deposition of Ni or Zn atoms on a series of clusters (Mo5S10, Mo6S12, Mo8S18, Mo9S18, Mo12S24, and Mo18S36) that resemble the MoS2(0002)-S and MoS2(1010)-Mo surfaces produces a substantial reduction (0.5−2 eV) in the stability of the HOMOs of these systems. In all the cases examined, there was an admetal→MoS2 charge transfer that increased the negative charge on S and reduced the positive charge on Mo. The electronic and chemical perturbations induced by Ni were much larger than those induced by Zn. Ab initio SCF results for Ni-promoted MoS2(1010)-Mo clusters showed a simultaneous increase in the electron density on Mo and in the reactivity of this metal toward H2 and thiophene. On the (1010)-Mo surface, Ni facilitated the dissociation of H2 by largely increasing the stability of the transition state and products for this reaction. The bonding inter...
Limbic projections to the ventromedial hypothalamus of the opossum.

Abstract Limbic projection systems which influence neuronal activity of the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus of the opossum were studied by an evoked potential method. Bipolar concentric recording electrodes were placed in the ventromedial nucleus to monitor activity while exploring the forebrain with a stimulating electrode delivering single rectangular pulses (0.5 msec, 0.4 ma, 0.5–1/sec). Responses in the ventromedial nucleus were consistently evoked by stimulating three forebrain systems. From the dorsal septum, responses with one monophasic component were evoked (latency 3–9 msec). Stimulation more ventrally in the septum evoked, in addition, a second slower component. Stimulation of the corticomedial amygdala produced biphasic responses in the ventromedial nucleus at latencies of 4–9 msec; stimulation of the stria terminalis, the efferent pathway from this division of the amygdaloid complex, yielded almost identical responses at 4- to 6-msec latencies. Responses in the ventromedial nucleus were also recorded to stimulation of the dorsal hippocampus and adjacent fimbria (latencies, 3–7 msec). These responses demonstrate three possibly direct limbic influences on the ventromedial nucleus of a metatherian mammal, and provide new data on the anatomic relationships of this behaviorally significant hypothalamic area.
Shaft Crack Detection Using Statistical Analysis

Cracks and voids are common defects in rotating systems and are a precursor to fatigue-induced failure. The application of statistical analysis, as a tool for damage identification and health monitoring in rotating machinery, is investigated. Experimental vibration data were collected for a set of health and cracked shafts. Formal statistical models have been proposed to describe the relationship between the vibration signals and the existence of damage. Damage detection and diagnosis are implemented based on statistical estimation and hypothesis testing. Such a statistical model provides a screening technique to detect other damage types. As a result, the proposed methods can improve the power of damage detection.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Cathodoluminescence Spectroscopy of Boron Nitride Films

We report results from cathodoluminescence spectroscopy of boron nitride films grown on Si (100) substrates by ECR ion source assisted magnetron sputtering of a hexagonal BN target. Three main peaks are observed in the near-bandgap region for hexagonal boron nitride films at energies of 4.90 eV, 5.31 eV, and 5.50 eV. In addition, deep-level emission spectra of predominantly cubic boron nitride films are correlated with sample growth conditions. In particular we show that the emission intensity, position, and linewidth are strongly dependent on the substrate bias voltage used during sample growth.
SU‐FF‐J‐34: Can Functional Imaging Be Used to Individualize Adaptive Radiation Therapy for Non‐Small Cell Lung Cancer?

Background/purpose: To determine the changes in tumor and lung function during the course of radiation and their potentials in adaptive radiation therapy for non‐small cell lungcancer(NSCLC).Materials/Methods: FDG‐PET‐CT and Ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) SPECT were acquired prior to and after the delivery of 45 Gy during the course of radiation in 15 patients with NSCLC.Tumor activity was measured by relative standard uptake value (RSUV). V/Q SPECT was evaluated blindly by radiobiologist, through comparing to healthy normal controls. Results: After 45 Gy radiation, the mean RSUV decreased from 4.6±1.9 to 2.1±1.0 for primary tumors (p<0.0001) and from 3.2+1.3 to 1.7+0.5 for nodal diseases (p=0.0008). Mean reduction in PET tumor volume was 78% (67–100%). There was 28% (4/15) and 0% (0/15) complete responders on PET and CT, respectively. Three patients achieved a complete CT response at 3 month follow‐up, all of them were PET complete responders at 45 Gy. Boosting after 45 Gy, normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) could be reduced by 50%, V20 by 28%, and mean lungdose by 29% while keeping the total dose constant. Keeping the NTCP constant, dose could be escalated by 50%. Lung functional mapping also changed remarkably at 45 Gy during radiation. Fifteen of 15 patients had V/Q defects at or adjacent to tumor on the baseline SPECT, while 14/15 patients had at least one defect located remotely from tumor. For those defects located adjacent to tumor, 79% improved remarkably, while only 7.9% of the others had notable change (p<0.001). Lung NTCP adjusted by V/Q SPECT obtained during radiation was significantly different from those generated from the pretreatment V/Q SPECT and simulating CT.Conclusions:Tumor and lung functional imaging during the course of radiation may provide useful information for adaptive radiation therapy in patients with NSCLC.
Sequence of the genome RNA of rubella virus: evidence for genetic rearrangement during togavirus evolution.

Abstract The nucleotide sequence of the rubella virus (RUB) genomic RNA was determined. The RUB genomic RNA is 9757 nucleotides in length [excluding the poly(A) tail] and has a G/C content of 69.5%, the highest of any RNA virus sequenced to date. The RUB genomic RNA contains two long open reading frames (ORFs), a 5′-proximal ORF of 6656 nucleotides and a 3′-proximal ORF of 3189 nucleotides which encodes the structural proteins. Thus, the genomic organization of RUB is similar to that of alphaviruses, the other genus of the Togavirus family, and the 5′-proximal ORF of RUB therefore putatively codes for the nonstructural proteins. Sequences homologous to three regions of nucleotide sequence highly conserved among alphaviruses (a stem-and-loop structure at the 5′ end of the genome, a 51-nucleotide conserved sequence near the 5′ end of the genome, and a 20-nucleotide conserved sequence at the subgenomic RNA start site) were found in the RUB genomic RNA. Amino acid sequence comparisons between the nonstructural ORF of RUB and alphaviruses revealed only one short (122 amino acids) region of significant homology, indicating that these viruses are only distantly related. This region of homology is located at the NH2 terminus of nsP3 in the alphavirus genome. The RUB nonstructural protein ORF contains two global amino acid motifs conserved in a large number of positive-polarity RNA viruses, a motif indicative of helicase activity and a motif indicative of replicase activity. The order of the helicase motif and the nsP3 homology region in the RUB genome is reversed with respect to the alphavirus genome indicating that a genetic rearrangement has occurred during the evolution of these viruses.
Gas chromatographic behavior of long chain alcohols and their derivatives.

Abstract The gas chromatographic behavior of a number of long chain and alicyclic alcohols and aliphatic diols and their derivatives has been studied with three stationary phases. It is evident that a wide choice of derivatives possessing excellent gas chromatographic properties is available; these may be used in identification and structure—retention time correlation work. The relative response of the hydrogen flame ionization detector for a number of long chain compounds was determined.
Sleep deprivation impairs performance in the 5-choice continuous performance test: Similarities between humans and mice

Several groups undergo extended periods without sleep due to working conditions or mental illness. Such sleep deprivation (SD) can deleteriously affect attentional processes and disrupt work and family functioning. Understanding the biological underpinnings of SD effects may assist in developing sleep therapies and cognitive enhancers. Utilizing cross-species tests of attentional processing in humans and rodents would aid in mechanistic studies examining SD-induced inattention. We assessed the effects of 36h of: (1) Total SD (TSD) in healthy male and female humans (n=50); and (2) REM SD (RSD) in male C57BL/6 mice (n=26) on performance in the cross-species 5-choice continuous performance test (5C-CPT). The 5C-CPT includes target trials on which subjects were required to respond and non-target trials on which subjects were required to inhibit from responding. TSD-induced effects on human psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) were also examined. Effects of SD were also examined on mice split into good and poor performance groups based on pre-deprivation scores. In the human 5C-CPT, TSD decreased hit rate and vigilance with trend-level effects on accuracy. In the PVT, TSD slowed response times and increased lapses. In the mouse 5C-CPT, RSD reduced accuracy and hit rate with trend-level effects on vigilance, primarily in good performers. In conclusion, SD induced impaired 5C-CPT performance in both humans and mice and validates the 5C-CPT as a cross-species translational task. The 5C-CPT can be used to examine mechanisms underlying SD-induced deficits in vigilance and assist in testing putative cognitive enhancers.
Effective shear viscosity and dynamics of suspensions of micro-swimmers from small to moderate concentrations.

Recently, there has been a number of experimental studies convincingly demonstrating that a suspension of self-propelled bacteria (microswimmers in general) may have an effective viscosity significantly smaller than the viscosity of the ambient fluid. This is in sharp contrast with suspensions of hard passive inclusions, whose presence always increases the viscosity. Here we present a 2D model for a suspension of microswimmers in a fluid and analyze it analytically in the dilute regime (no swimmer–swimmer interactions) and numerically using a Mimetic Finite Difference discretization. Our analysis shows that in the dilute regime (in the absence of rotational diffusion) the effective shear viscosity is not affected by self-propulsion. But at the moderate concentrations (due to swimmer–swimmer interactions) the effective viscosity decreases linearly as a function of the propulsion strength of the swimmers. These findings prove that (i) a physically observable decrease of viscosity for a suspension of self-propelled microswimmers can be explained purely by hydrodynamic interactions and (ii) self-propulsion and interaction of swimmers are both essential to the reduction of the effective shear viscosity. We also performed a number of numerical experiments analyzing the dynamics of swimmers resulting from pairwise interactions. The numerical results agree with the physically observed phenomena (e.g., attraction of swimmer to swimmer and swimmer to the wall). This is viewed as an additional validation of the model and the numerical scheme.
Rearrangements of the BCL6 gene in diffuse large cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

The pathogenesis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) with a large cell component (DLLC, including diffuse large cell, DLCL; diffuse mixed cell, MX-D; and immunoblastic, IMB) is unknown. A novel candidate proto-oncogene, 6CL6, that is involved in chromosome band 3q27 aberrations in NHL has been recently identified. We have investigated the incidence and diseasespecificity of 6CL6 rearrangements in a large panel of lymphoid tumors, including acute and chronic lymphoid leukemias (96 cases), various NHL types (125 ON-HODGKIN’S LYMPHOMA (NHL), the most frequent tumor occurring in patients between the ages of 20 and 40, includes several distinct clinico-pathologic subtypes, among which diffuse lymphoma with a large cell component (DLLC) is the most clinically relevant in terms of morbidity and mortality.’ DLLC include intermediategrade lymphomas with pure diffuse large (DLCL), or mixed small and large cell (MX-D) histology, as well as high-grade immunoblastic (IMB) lymphoma. These tumors can occur “de novo,” accounting for 30% to 40% of initial NHL diagnosis and, in addition, can represent the, final “transformation” stage of follicular lymphomas (FL), small lymphocytic lymphoma, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Considered together, “de novo” and “posttransformation” DLLC account for up to 80% of NHL mortality.’ During the past decade, abnormalities involving protooncogenes and tumor suppressor genes have been identified in association with distinct NHL subtypes.’ These genetic lesions represent important steps in lymphomagenesis as well as tumor-specific markers that have been exploited for diagnostic and prognostic purposes.334 Examples include alterations of the MYC oncogene in Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL), and of the BCL2 and BCLl oncogenes in FL and mantle-cell NHL, respectively. With respect to DLLC, several molecular alterations have been detected at variable frequency, but none has been specifically or consistently associated with the disease.* We and others have recently cloned the chromosomal junctions of cytogenetic translocations involving band 3q27:” which are common in NHL.8.9 A candidate protooncogene BCM was identified at 3q27 that is structurally altered as a consequence of the trans location^.^^^^ The BCM gene codes for a zinc-finger protein sharing homologies with several transcription factor^.^." In multiple NHLs, rearrangements of BCM truncate the gene in its 5’ noncoding region, presumably leading to deregulated protein expression.” In this study, we report the frequency and diseasespecificity of BCL6 rearrangements among the principal categories of lymphoproliferative disease, including different NHL subtypes, acute and chronic lymphoid leukemias, and multiple myeloma. N
Elucidating the transdiagnostic dimensional structure of trauma-related psychopathology: Findings from VA cooperative study 504 - risperidone treatment for military service related chronic post traumatic stress disorder

Abstract Background Three of the most common trauma-related mental disorders—posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)—are highly comorbid and share common transdiagnostic symptom dimensions of threat (i.e., fear) and loss (i.e., dysphoria) symptomatology. However, empirical evaluation of the dimensional structure of component aspects of these disorders is lacking. Methods Using structured clinical interview data from U.S. military veterans with chronic military-related PTSD, we evaluated the transdiagnostic dimensional structure of PTSD, MDD, and GAD symptoms. We then examined the relationship between the best-fitting transdiagnostic model of these symptoms, and measures of physical and mental functioning, and life satisfaction and well-being. Results Exploratory factor analysis revealed that a 3-factor transdiagnostic model comprised of loss (i.e., dysphoria), threat (i.e., anxious arousal, re-experiencing, and avoidance symptoms), and somatic anxiety (i.e., physiological manifestations of anxiety) symptoms provided the best representation of trauma-related PTSD, MDD, and GAD symptoms. Somatic anxiety symptoms were independently associated with physical functioning, while loss symptoms were independently associated with mental functioning and life satisfaction and well-being. Limitations Evaluation of study aims in a relatively homogeneous sample of veterans with chronic, military-related PTSD. Conclusions Results of this study suggest that a 3-factor transdiagnostic model best characterizes the dimensional structure of PTSD, MDD, and GAD symptoms in military veterans with chronic military-related PTSD. This model evidenced external validity in demonstrating differential associations with measures of physical and mental functioning, and life satisfaction and well-being. Results provide support for emerging contemporary models of psychopathology, which emphasize transdiagnostic and dimensional conceptualizations of mental disorders. Such models may have utility in understanding the functional status of trauma survivors.
Using Unlabeled Data for Supervised Learning

Many classification problems have the property that the only costly part of obtaining examples is the class label. This paper suggests a simple method for using distribution information contained in unlabeled examples to augment labeled examples in a supervised training framework. Empirical tests show that the technique described in this paper can significantly improve the accuracy of a supervised learner when the learner is well below its asymptotic accuracy level.
Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein values in type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients

Objective Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) values are reported to be lower in type 1 diabetic patients, and a correction factor is often applied. We sought to determine whether type 2 diabetic patients require the same MSAFP adjustments as type 1 diabetic patients. Study Design We performed a retrospective review of MSAFP levels from a university laboratory in type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients between July 2000 and August 2006, matched 1:2 with controls. Groups were compared using analysis of variance and Student t testing. Results Seventy-seven type 1 and 75 type 2 diabetic patients were compared with 304 controls. Type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients differed significantly from each other and controls before corrections. Diabetic patients were similar to each other, but significantly lower than controls, after weight corrections. These differences were eliminated by a 10% correction factor. Conclusion Type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients require both weight and diabetes corrections to adjust MSAFP values to nondiabetic levels.
Detailed Genomic Analysis of the Wβ and γ Phages Infecting Bacillus anthracis: Implications for Evolution of Environmental Fitness and Antibiotic Resistance

Phage-mediated lysis has been an essential laboratory tool for rapidly identifying Bacillus anthracis for more than 40 years, relying on the γ phage derivative of a Bacillus cereus prophage called W. The complete genomic sequences of the temperate W phage, referred to as Wβ, and its lytic variant γ were determined and found to encode 53 open reading frames each, spanning 40,864 bp and 37,373 bp, respectively. Direct comparison of the genomes showed that γ evolved through mutations at key loci controlling host recognition, lysogenic growth, and possibly host phenotypic modification. Included are a cluster of point mutations at the gp14 tail fiber locus of γ, encoding a protein that, when fused to green fluorescent protein, binds specifically to B. anthracis. A large 2,003-bp deletion was also identified at the γ lysogeny module, explaining its shift from a temperate to a lytic lifestyle. Finally, evidence of recombination was observed at a dicistronic Wβ locus, encoding putative bacterial cell surface-modifying proteins, replaced in γ with a locus, likely obtained from a B. anthracis prophage, encoding demonstrable fosfomycin resistance. Reverse transcriptase PCR analysis confirmed strong induction at the dicistronic Wβ locus and at four other phage loci in B. anthracis and/or B. cereus lysogens. In all, this study represents the first genomic and functional description of two historically important phages and is part of a broader investigation into contributions of phage to the B. anthracis life cycle. Initial findings suggest that lysogeny of B. anthracis promotes ecological adaptation, rather than virulence, as with other gram-positive pathogens.
Connectivity Versus Entropy

How does the connectivity of a neural network (number of synapses per neuron) relate to the complexity of the problems it can handle (measured by the entropy)? Switching theory would suggest no relation at all, since all Boolean functions can be implemented using a circuit with very low connectivity (e.g., using two-input NAND gates). However, for a network that learns a problem from examples using a local learning rule, we prove that the entropy of the problem becomes a lower bound for the connectivity of the network.
Comparison of different types of non-thermal plasma treatment of mammalian cells

Non-thermal plasma is now being widely developed for various clinical applications, e.g. cancer treatment [1], blood coagulation [1, 2] and tissue sterilization [1]. However, the effects of non-thermal plasma on mammalian cells are still unclear. In this paper we investigate the effects of the plasma on mammalian cells. One of the most critical of such effects could be DNA damage, since DNA damage is the most threatening to cell survival. We studied the physical mechanisms of interaction of non-thermal plasma treatment of living cells by comparing direct treatment of cells with indirect treatment of cells by placing a grounded mesh between the sample being treated and the high voltage electrode. The mesh only allows neutral species to come in contact with the cells. We also compared direct treatment of cells with exposure of cells to separately treated medium. In this case cell growth medium was treated separately from the cells and then was poured on top of untreated cells.
The role of propagating modes in silver nanowire arrays for transparent electrodes

Silver nanowires have been shown to demonstrate enhanced transmission and promising potential for next-generation transparent electrodes. In this paper, we systematically investigated the electrical and optical properties of 1D and 2D silver nanowire arrays as a function of diameter and pitch and compared their performance to that of silver thin films. Silver nanowires were found to exhibit enhanced transmission over thin films due to propagating resonance modes between nanowires. We evaluated the angular dependence and dispersion relation of these propagating modes and demonstrate that larger nanowire diameters and pitches are favored for achieving higher solar transmission at a particular sheet resistance. Silver nanowires may achieve achieve solar transmission > 90% with sheet resistances of a few Ω/sq and figure of merit σdc/σop > 1000.
Signalling pathway of nitric oxide in synaptic GABA release in the rat paraventricular nucleus.

In the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus, nitric oxide (NO) inhibits sympathetic outflow through increased GABA release. However, the signal transduction pathways involved in its action remain unclear. In the present study, we determined the role of cGMP, soluble guanylyl cyclase, and protein kinase G in the potentiating effect of NO on synaptic GABA release to spinally projecting PVN neurones. The PVN neurones were retrogradely labelled by a fluorescent tracer injected into the thoracic spinal cord of rats. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings were performed on labelled PVN neurones in the hypothalamic slice. Bath application of the NO donor, S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine (SNAP), reproducibly increased the frequency of miniature GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) without changing the amplitude and the decay time constant. Neither replacement of Ca2+ with Co2+ nor application of Cd2+ to block the Ca2+ channel altered the effect of SNAP on mIPSCs. Also, the effect of SNAP on mIPSCs was not significantly affected by thapsigargin, a Ca2+-ATPase inhibitor that depletes intracellular Ca2+ stores. Application of a membrane-permeant cGMP analogue, pCPT–cGMP, mimicked the effect of SNAP on mIPSCs in the presence of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, IBMX. Furthermore, both the soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor, ODQ, and the specific protein kinase G inhibitor, Rp pCPT cGMP, abolished the effect of SNAP on mIPSCs. Thus, these data provide substantial new information that NO potentiates GABAergic synaptic inputs to spinally projecting PVN neurones through a cGMP–protein kinase G pathway.
Circulatory Effects of Acute Expansion of Blood Volume:: Studies During Maximal Exercise and at Rest

The maximum cardiac output that can be achieved during exercise might be limited either by extracardiac factors influencing ventricular filling, or by the heart itself. In order to investigate this problem, the effect on the cardiac response to maximum exertion of an acute expansion of blood volume was studied in six men with essentially normal cardiovascular systems. Augmentation of blood volume produced by infusion of 1000 to 1200 ml of the subject's own blood resulted in a small increase in central venous pressure at rest (avg = + 1.9 mm Hg) and a substantial increase in cardiac output (avg = + 1.47 liters/min). During exercise, however, the expansion of blood volume caused a large increase in central venous pressure (avg = + 7.4 mm Hg), but no significant increase in cardiac output or maximum O2 uptake. This finding suggests that the maximum cardiac output is not restricted by extracardiac factors and that the upper limit must therefore be determined by the heart itself.
Feature-monitored shape unifying for lossy SPM-JBIG2

Shape unifying is a very efficient preprocessing technique used in lossy SPM-JBIG2 systems. It permits isolated errors between the current bitmap and its reference to improve refinement coding efficiency. Compared to lossless coding, it can improve compression by about 32% while causing very little visual information loss. When bigger error clusters are permitted in shape unifying, further compression gain can be achieved but at the price of more noticeable visual information loss and even character substitution errors. We propose a feature monitored shape unifying procedure that can significantly lower the risk of substitution errors when permitting bigger errors. Experiments show that, compared to the unmonitored shape unifying, the feature monitored version can suppress more than 2/3 of all substitution errors while achieving additional compression improvements of 30-40%.
HD CAG correlated gene expression changes support a simple dominant gain of function

Huntington's disease is initiated by the expression of a CAG repeat-encoded polyglutamine region in full-length huntingtin, with dominant effects that vary continuously with CAG size. The mechanism could involve a simple gain of function or a more complex gain of function coupled to a loss of function (e.g. dominant negative-graded loss of function). To distinguish these alternatives, we compared genome-wide gene expression changes correlated with CAG size across an allelic series of heterozygous CAG knock-in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell lines (Hdh(Q20/7), Hdh(Q50/7), Hdh(Q91/7), Hdh(Q111/7)), to genes differentially expressed between Hdh(ex4/5/ex4/5) huntingtin null and wild-type (Hdh(Q7/7)) parental ES cells. The set of 73 genes whose expression varied continuously with CAG length had minimal overlap with the 754-member huntingtin-null gene set but the two were not completely unconnected. Rather, the 172 CAG length-correlated pathways and 238 huntingtin-null significant pathways clustered into 13 shared categories at the network level. A closer examination of the energy metabolism and the lipid/sterol/lipoprotein metabolism categories revealed that CAG length-correlated genes and huntingtin-null-altered genes either were different members of the same pathways or were in unique, but interconnected pathways. Thus, varying the polyglutamine size in full-length huntingtin produced gene expression changes that were distinct from, but related to, the effects of lack of huntingtin. These findings support a simple gain-of-function mechanism acting through a property of the full-length huntingtin protein and point to CAG-correlative approaches to discover its effects. Moreover, for therapeutic strategies based on huntingtin suppression, our data highlight processes that may be more sensitive to the disease trigger than to decreased huntingtin levels.
Software documentation: from instruction to integration

The field of software documentation is reviewed by examining manual writing before and after 1985. Changes in the field include an increased emphasis on satisfaction of users, improved management strategies and improved design techniques. Three books on software documentation published since 1988 are surveyed, and it is argued that the trends after 1985 reinforce a social constructionist view of documentation. >
Symptomatic Improvement Reported After Receiving Reiki at a Cancer Infusion Center

Objective:To evaluate patient-perceived benefits from receiving Reiki at a cancer infusion center.Methods:During a 6-month period, adults at a university hospital receiving Reiki through volunteer ...
Differentiation of progressive versus regressive Rous virus-induced avian sarcomas according to tumor and infiltrating lymphocyte fine structure.

Abstract Electron microscope examination of progressing and regressing Rous virus-induced sarcomas in an inbred line of White Leghorns revealed that regressing tumors contained moderate to marked lymphocyte infiltration, frequent contact between lymphocytes and tumor cells, and extensive areas of necrosis. Lymphocytes infiltrating regressing tumors exhibited a polar accumulation of organelles at the point of contact between lymphocyte and target cell. On the other hand, progressing tumors contained low to moderate numbers of lymphocytes, infrequent lymphocyte-tumor cell interaction and less evidence of tumor cell degeneration. Lymphocytes from progressing tumors lacked the polar organization of organelles. This experimental system is offered as a means of studying the role of lymphocytes in tumor regression.
Justifiable use of the obstetrical forceps

Abstract Having described these few points in technique, especially in regard to the application of the Kielland anterior blade, I would direct attention again to the unnecessary increase in the use of low forceps, and urge that indications be made more strict both in teaching and in practice. Except under most exceptional circumstances true perineal forceps can be avoided by episiotomy combined with fundal pressure, while outlet, midplane and high forceps should always have real indications and favorable conditions.
Observed response of the Hudson River plume to wind forcing using a nested HF radar array

One objective of the Lagrangian Transport and Transformation Experiment (LaTTE) is to determine the relative advantages of studying the Hudson River plume within the spatial and temporal context provided by an operational research observatory. Towards this end, a shelf-wide observational backbone was locally enhanced with high-resolution relocatable systems in the New York Bight apex. The permanent backbone includes local acquisition of international satellite ocean color imagery, a network of long-range High Frequency radars, and a cross-shelf Endurance line occupied by an autonomous underwater glider. The high resolution systems, including higher resolution HF Radar, glider and mooring networks, were moved to the New York Bight Apex to support the specific interdisciplinary process study. During the LaTTE field effort, datasets from the nested observation network, including a triple nested HF Radar array, were assembled in real-time at a shore-based acquisition center, and high-resolution atmospheric forecasts were performed. Surface current observations will be reviewed, with specific emphasis placed on the observed response of the Hudson River plume to local winds. The observatory results provide a spatial and temporal context for viewing the LaTTE dye release, chemical and biological results.
Claims, Errors, and Compensation Payments in Medical Malpractice Litigation

Background In the current debate over tort reform, critics of the medical malpractice system charge that frivolous litigation — claims that lack evidence of injury, substandard care, or both — is common and costly. Methods Trained physicians reviewed a random sample of 1452 closed malpractice claims from five liability insurers to determine whether a medical injury had occurred and, if so, whether it was due to medical error. We analyzed the prevalence, characteristics, litigation outcomes, and costs of claims that lacked evidence of error. Results For 3 percent of the claims, there were no verifiable medical injuries, and 37 percent did not involve errors. Most of the claims that were not associated with errors (370 of 515 [72 percent]) or injuries (31 of 37 [84 percent]) did not result in compensation; most that involved injuries due to error did (653 of 889 [73 percent]). Payment of claims not involving errors occurred less frequently than did the converse form of inaccuracy — nonpayment of claims asso...
The Historical Context of Transformation

As indicated at the volume’s outset, discontent with the positivist-empiricist program for accumulating behavioral knowledge is becoming increasingly apparent. Many of the concerns voiced within these pages are echoed throughout the socio-behavioral sciences.1 In many instances these concerns have been stimulated by significant developments within various sectors of philosophy. In effect, the present arguments are nurtured by a context of generalized ferment and must be located within an historical process. Although previous chapters have touched on various facets of this process, the time is at hand for a more coherent elaboration of both the process and the place of the present arguments within it. Three specific tasks are to be undertaken. First, we shall scan several developments of the past century forming the grounding context for the present theses. This analysis will locate a critical antinomy, the dynamics of which have shaped a number of major colloquies both within philosophy and psychology, and the recapitulation of which we are witnessing in contemporary debate. Second, we shall focus on the current attempts of scholars (and particularly psychologists) to explore alternative orientations toward science. We shall review the efforts of a variety of heterodox schools and assay their progress to date. This analysis will set the stage for a consideration of the future. In particular, we shall be concerned with locating metatheoretical suppositions that form a basis for unification among the dissident encampments. If such a metatheory can be charted, it may serve as a phalanx for the future.