cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent Results for the Stepping Stone Model

Let G be a graph, and C = {0,1,...,κ-1} a set of colors. We want to discuss a continuous time random process ζt with state space CG = configurations of colors from C on the graph G. This system ζt, known as the stepping stone model, has very simple dynamics: in any state ζ and at any site x, the color at that site waits a mean 1/2 exponential holding time and then paints a randomly chosen neighboring vertex with its color. We will also be treating a companion process ξt on {subsets of G} called coalescing random walks. As the name implies, ξt consists of rate 1/2 continuous time random walks on G which coalesce when they collide. Let us write ξ t A to denote the evolution of those walks which start on a subset A ⊂ G. The graphs of principal interest to us are: GN = the complete graph on {0,1,...,N-1}, Z N d = the d-dimensional integers with period N, Zd = the d-dimensional integers. Tropical interpretations of the dimension d are good therapy for a Minnesota February: Baja California (d=1), Society Islands (d=2), Caribbean Marine World (d=3), and of course Mathematical Physics (d > 4). The cardinality κ of the color set C might be 2 or 32,768 or even ∞.
Crafting Contemporary Enterprise Application User Experiences

This paper outlines the field research program defined by an enterprise application user experience organization designed to collect data from globally distributed corporations. The goal of the research program was to drive the next generation user experience of enterprise applications. This paper discusses the top five lessons learned and their design solutions.
An Empirical Study of Translation Rule Extraction with Multiple Parsers

Translation rule extraction is an important issue in syntax-based Statistical Machine Translation (SMT). Recent studies show that rule coverage is one of the key factors affecting the success of syntax-based systems. In this paper, we first present a simple and effective method to improve rule coverage by using multiple parsers in translation rule extraction, and then empirically investigate the effectiveness of our method on Chinese-English translation tasks. Experimental results show that extracting translation rules using multiple parsers improves a string-to-tree system by over 0.9 BLEU points on both NIST 2004 and 2005 test corpora.
Pharmacokinetics of PF-00562271, a focal adhesion kinase inhibitor, in patients with advanced non-hematologic malignancies

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 12-16, 2008; San Diego, CA 231 Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) transduces signaling from integrins and growth factors to modulate tumor cell invasion, proliferation and survival. PF-00562271, a potent FAK inhibitor, is under development as an anticancer agent. In the first-in-human, dose escalation trial, serial serum samples were collected to characterize single dose and steady-state pharmacokinetics (PK) of PF-00562271 after BID or QD oral dosing in patients with non-hematologic malignancies. Clinical safety and other outcome data from this study have been described previously (Siu L et al, Proc. ASCO, 2007). Serum PF-00562271 concentrations were determined using a validated HPLC-MA/MS method. The concentration-time data were analyzed by non-compartmental methods using WinNonlin (Pharsight®, CA). After the lead-in single dose, PF-562,271 was readily absorbed with the maximum serum concentration (Cmax) achieved between 0.5 to 5 hr; the increase in systemic exposure (AUCinf) was dose proportional at doses from 5 mg to 25 mg, but was more than dose proportional at higher doses. After repeated oral dosing, there was a more than proportional accumulation in the PF-00562271 steady-state exposure. The mean ratio of AUC during a dose interval at steady state (AUC0-τ,ss) to AUC0-inf after the lead-in dose ranged from 1.5 to 5.72, indicating a non-linear PK following repeated oral dosing. At the highest doses tolerated on an empty stomach of 80 mg BID and 175 mg QD, the average steady-state serum PF-00562271 concentrations were 29-fold and 46-fold, respectively, higher than the predicted efficacious concentration based on preclinical xenograft models. (W.G. Roberts, Cancer Res, 2008) In summary, the PK results demonstrated that PF-00562271 displayed a time- and dose-dependent non-linear PK, which is consistent with the in vitro observation of mechanism-based inhibition of the primary metabolic enzyme CYP 3A4 by PF-00562271. The PK results support both BID and QD regimens as viable options for further evaluation of PF-00562271 in Phase 2 studies. #
Mitochondrial and cytosolic roles of PINK1 shape induced regulatory T-cell development and function.

Mutations in PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1), a serine/threonine kinase linked to familial early-onset Parkinsonism, compromise mitochondrial integrity and metabolism and impair AKT signaling. As the activation of a naive T cell requires an AKT-dependent reorganization of a cell's metabolic machinery, we sought to determine if PINK1-deficient T cells lack the ability to undergo activation and differentiation. We show that CD4(+) T cells from PINK1 knockout mice fail to properly phosphorylate AKT upon activation, resulting in reduced expression of the IL-2 receptor subunit CD25. Following, deficient IL-2 signaling mutes the activation-induced increase in respiratory capacity and mitochondrial membrane potential. Under polarization conditions favoring the development of induced regulatory T cells, PINK1(-/-) T cells exhibit a reduced ability to suppress bystander T-cell proliferation despite normal FoxP3 expression kinetics. Our results describe a critical role for PINK1 in integrating extracellular signals with metabolic state during T-cell fate determination, and may have implications for the understanding of altered T-cell populations and immunity during the progression of active Parkinson's disease or other immunopathologies.
Intermediary Metabolism of Organic Matter in the Sediments of a Eutrophic Lake

The rates, products, and controls of the metabolism of fermentation intermediates in the sediments of a eutrophic lake were examined. 14C-fatty acids were directly injected into sediment subcores for turnover rate measurements. The highest rates of acetate turnover were in surface sediments (0- to 2-cm depth). Methane was the dominant product of acetate metabolism at all depths. Simultaneous measurements of acetate, propionate, and lactate turnover in surface sediments gave turnover rates of 159, 20, and 3 μM/h, respectively. [2-14C]propionate and [U-14C]lactate were metabolized to [14C]acetate, 14CO2, and 14CH4. [14C]formate was completely converted to 14CO2 in less than 1 min. Inhibition of methanogenesis with chloroform resulted in an immediate accumulation of volatile fatty acids and hydrogen. Hydrogen inhibited the metabolism of C3-C5 volatile fatty acids. The rates of fatty acid production were estimated from the rates of fatty acid accumulation in the presence of chloroform or hydrogen. The mean molar rates of production were acetate, 82%; propionate, 13%; butyrates, 2%; and valerates, 3%. A working model for carbon and electron flow is presented which illustrates that fermentation and methanogenesis are the predominate steps in carbon flow and that there is a close interaction between fermentative bacteria, acetogenic hydrogen-producing bacteria, and methanogens.
Behavior of Li-Ion Cells in High-Intensity Radiation Environments II. Sony/AEA/ComDEV Cells

Batteries with good tolerance to high γ-radiation environments are critical to NASA's future exploration missions to the outer planets, particularly Jupiter and its neighbors. Lithium-ion cells are generally expected to be less tolerant to radiation, due to their organic electrolyte solutions, polymer binders, and separators. Our earlier studies on aerospace lithium-ion prototype cells reveal a fairly good tolerance of the lithium-ion chemistry. A more detailed experimental evaluation has been carried out here on Sony/AEA/ComDev's 18650 cells to determine the effects of exposure to various levels of cumulative radiation levels, up to about 18 Mrad, and at different levels of intensities, on the performance of lithium-ion cells. The discharge performance, at ambient temperatures and at 0°C, and the electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) responses at ambient temperature were determined after each exposure. The EIS data were analyzed for the electrochemical rate parameters and their changes upon irradiation. In addition, such measurements were made on control cells that went through the same degree of storage and/or cycling as the irradiated cells, without being subjected to radiation. Thus, these studies serve to quantify the performance loss sustained by lithium-ion cells subjected to γ-radiation, in contrast to the previous studies, in which there are no control cells. Postradiation cycling tests were also carried out on these cells to assess their cyclability subsequent to radiation exposure.
Dual biofunctional polymer modifications to address endothelialization and smooth muscle cell integration of ePTFE vascular grafts.

Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) grafts were coated on the luminal surface with a cell-adhesive fluorosurfactant (FSP) polymer to promote endothelialization, followed by ethanol hydration to degas the pores and subsequent cell-adhesive, enzymatically degradable poly(ethylene glycol)-based hydrogel incorporation into the graft interstices to accommodate potential smooth muscle cell integration in the graft wall. The FSP coating on ePTFE was stable as demonstrated by a significantly reduced receding water contact angle on FSP-coated ePTFE (14.5 ± 6.4°) compared to uncoated ePTFE (105.3 ± 4.5°, P < 0.05) after ethanol exposure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of the same surfaces confirmed FSP presence. Localization of the FSP and hydrogel within the ePTFE graft construct was assessed using fluorescently labeled polymers, and demonstrated hydrogel infiltration throughout the thickness of the graft wall, with FSP coating limited to the lumen and adventitial surfaces. FSP at the luminal surface on dual-coated grafts was able to bind endothelial cells (EC) (98.7 ± 23.1 cells/mm2) similar to fibronectin controls (129.4 ± 40.7 cells/mm2), and significantly higher than uncoated ePTFE (31.6 ± 19 cells/mm2, P < 0.05). These results indicate that ePTFE grafts can be simultaneously modified with two different polymers that have potential to directly address both endothelialization and intimal hyperplasia. Such a construct is a promising candidate for an off-the-shelf synthetic graft for small-diameter graft applications. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2015.
A Theory of Child Rights

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most ratified treaty in the World. There are more state parties to the CRC than members to the United Nations. The only non members to the CRC are the United States of America and Somalia.
Unprecedented Restoration of a Native Oyster Metapopulation

Native oyster species were once vital ecosystem engineers, but their populations have collapsed worldwide because of overfishing and habitat destruction. In 2004, we initiated a vast (35-hectare) field experiment by constructing native oyster reefs of three types (high-relief, low-relief, and unrestored) in nine protected sanctuaries throughout the Great Wicomico River in Virginia, United States. Upon sampling in 2007 and 2009, we found a thriving metapopulation comprising 185 million oysters of various age classes. Oyster density was fourfold greater on high-relief than on low-relief reefs, explaining the failure of past attempts. Juvenile recruitment and reef accretion correlated with oyster density, facilitating reef development and population persistence. This reestablished metapopulation is the largest of any native oyster worldwide and validates ecological restoration of native oyster species.
Arthrodesis of the proximal interphalangeal joint of the finger: Comparison of the use of the Herbert screw with other fixation methods

We report a retrospective review of 224 proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodeses in the digits using Herbert screws (37), Kirschner wires (100), tension band wiring (69), plates (11), and other miscellaneous techniques (7) for fixation. Average time to clinical union was 7 weeks and time to radiographic union was 10 weeks. Nonunion occurred in 31 cases (24 digits). The primary nonunion rate was highest in psoriatic arthritis, intermediate in rheumatoid arthritis, lower in acute trauma and post-traumatic reconstruction, and nonexistent in osteoarthritis. The primary nonunion rate was highest using Kirschner wires, intermediate using tension band wires, and lowest using Herbert screws. All Kirschner wires, six tension band wires and one Herbert screw were removed after fusion. The Herbert screw provides secure fixation, is easy to insert, and affords a rapid and reliable arthrodesis at the proximal interphalangeal joint.
The phase evolution and microstructural stability of an orthorhombic Ti-23Al-27Nb alloy

The phase evolution and microstructural stability were studied for an orthorhombic Ti-23Al-27Nb alloy. Monolithic sheet materials were produced through conventional thermomechanical processing techniques comprising nonisothermal forging and pack rolling. Phase evolution studies showed that, depending on the heat treatment schedule, this alloy may contain several constituent phases including: α2 (ordered close-packed hexagonal D019 structure), B2 (ordered body-centered cubic, bcc), β (disordered bcc), and O (ordered orthorhombic based on Ti2AlNb). Differential thermal analysis studies indicated that the B2 transus temperature was 1070 °C. Heat treatment and transmission electron microscopy studies showed that the α2+B2 phase field extended between 1010 and 1070 °C. From 875 to 975 °C, a two-phase O+B2 field existed. Sandwiched between these two-phase regimes was a narrow three-phase α2+B2+O field. Below 875°C, an O+β field existed. All heat treatments at or above 875°C, followed by quenching, resulted in equiaxed microstructures. However, below 875 °C, the B2 phase transformed into a mixture of O and bcc phases with lenticular morphologies. Cellular precipitation of O+β platelets at O/B2 and α2/B2 grain boundaries occurred depending on solutionizing and aging temperatures, which is explained by the compositional gradient between the bcc phases.
Evidence for Quantized and Variable Redshifts in the Cosmic Background Rest Frame

Evidence is presented for redshift quantization and variability as detected in global studies done in the rest frame of the cosmic background radiation. Quantization is strong and consistent with predictions derived from concepts associated with multidimensional time. Nine families of periods are possible but not equally likely. The most basic family contains previously known periods of 73 and 36 km s-1 and shorter harmonics at 18.3 and 9.15 km s-1. Several approaches to evaluating the significance of quantization are employed and the dependence on redshift, the width and shape of 21 cm profiles and morphology is discussed. Common properties between samples define several basic classes of galaxies. Quantization is consistently optimized for a transformation vertex very close to the vertex of the cosmic background dipole. Relationships between cosmocentric and galactocentric rest frames are discussed.
Aging of silica-filled PDMS/PDPS copolymers in desiccating environments: a DSC and NMR study

The involvement of water in the reinforcing mechanism in silica-filled polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based composite systems, potentially leaves the polymer composite susceptible to mechanical property changes when exposed to desiccating environments. We have studied the effects of thermal and chemical desiccation on a silica filled PDMS/PDPS copolymer system by DSC and NMR analysis. Our results show that as the polymer was desiccated, segmental dynamics in the polymer network were reduced significantly and changes in melt heats of fusion and stress relaxation were observed. NMR 1 H relaxation measurements have measured a change in 1 H T 2e of 30% after storage in desiccating environments longer than 1 year. The experimental data presented argue that the reduced mobility of the PDMS chains in the interfacial domain after desiccation reduced the overall, bulk, motional properties of the polymer, thus causing an effective stiffening of the polymer matrix.
Ethanol Inhibition of Neuronal Giutamate Receptor Function

Acute ethanol intoxication is associated with changes in the activity of neurons in the central nervous system. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these changes are poorly understood. We have examined the acute effects of ethanol on excitatory synaptic mechanisms in neurons from mammalian central nervous system, and observed that intoxicating concentrations of ethanol can inhibit the ion current activated by the giutamate receptor agonist N-methyl-D-aspartate in cultured neurons from mouse hippocampus, cortex and spinal cord. This inhibition is seen under a variety of experimental recording conditions. On the other hand, ethanol is less effective in inhibiting ion current produced by activation of non-N-methyl-D-aspartate giutamate receptors. Intoxicating concentrations of ethanol also inhibit excitatory synaptic transmission mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in hippocampal slices from adult rodents. These observations support the hypothesis that the N-methyl-D-aspartate re...
Lipid biosynthesis in neuron-enriched and glial-enriched fractions of rat brain: sterol formation.

Abstract Glial-enriched fractions were shown to synthesize sterol from [2- 14 C] mevalonic acid. Neuron-enriched fractions incubated with [2- 14 C] mevalonic acid, formed much less labeled neutral lipid than did glial-enriched fractions incubated under identical conditions. Sterol esters were produced only in the presence of neuron-enriched fractions. Labeled squalene and lanosterol were identified in the neutral fraction from glial-enriched incubations.
Asymptotocally nonparametric tests with censored paired data

A class of asymptotically nonparametric test with contains a test proposed by Wei(1980), is considered for testing the equality of two continuous distribution funcitons when paired observations are subject to arbitrary right censorship. It is shown that under the null hypothesis each test statistic converges in distribution to the standard normal random variable. Furthermore. the Monte Carlo simulation results indicate that some tests in this class are more powerful than Wei's test. A generalization to incomplete censored paired data is also included.
The orientation dependence of the work hardening coefficient of Cu3Au

Abstract Measurements of the stage II hardening coefficient, θII, were made over the temperature range 77 to 650 K on single crystals of ordered Cu3Au having four different orientations. The work hardening coefficient has a peak at about 300 K and is an increasing function of N, the ratio of the Schmid factors, [ 01) (010)/[ 01] (111), but does not show any significant dependence upon M, the Schmid factor ratio [011] ( 1)/[ 01] (111). This result is in agreement with the viewpoint that the so-called intermediate cross slip from (111) planes to (010) planes plays an important role in the work hardening process and it also indicates that antiphase boundary tubes probably do not play a large role.
Understanding contemporary health and welfare services: The Social Security Act of 1935 and the Public Health Service Act of 1944

The Social Security Act of 1935 and the Public Health Service Act of 1944, along with their amendments, have played a major role in the provision of health and welfare services that nurses are able to provide for clients. Understanding these two legislative acts assists nurses to assess current health care reform debate and the services that they are able to offer to their clients.
A Cautionary Note on the Use of Principal Components Analysis: Supportive Empirical Evidence

In a recent edition of this journal, Borgatta et al. (1986), using hypothetical data, illustrated how the results produced by principal components analysis can be substantially different from those of common factor analysis. The present article, using seven well-known data sets, extends their work into the empirical domain, and also compares the results of the maximum likelihood factor analysis model with those of the principal components model. The results strongly support those of Borgatta et al. Indeed, the discrepancies in the empirical results reported here are often larger than their hypothetical example suggests. It was found that, when comparing the performance of the principal components model with the common factor and maximum likelihood models, differences can be expected to occur in (1) the magnitudes of the factor loadings, (2) the signs attached to the factor loadings, and, most important, (3) the interpretation of the factors themselves.
Sum-Rate Maximization in Distributed-Antenna Heterogeneous MIMO Downlinks: Application to Measured Channels

In a distributed antenna multiple-input multiple- output (MIMO) multiuser channel, multiple nodes simultaneously access the wireless channel by cooperating to achieve virtual MIMO links, enabling improved exploitation of the channel spatial dimensions. However, practical considerations dictate that in such a system, the transmit power from each cooperating node must be constrained in a per-antenna power constraint, which differs from the sum-power constraint typical of multiuser MIMO signaling. Furthermore, existing multiuser MIMO communication algorithms are appropriate for specific assumptions regarding the signaling strategy allowed. This paper provides a general framework able to accommodate a variety of multiuser MIMO channel topologies, precoding techniques (linear or nonlinear), and power constraints including the per-antenna constraint appropriate for the cooperative MIMO channel involving heterogeneous nodes. In contrast to prior work incorporating per-antenna power constraints, the algorithm enables reduced implementation and computational complexity by avoiding the requirement of numerical optimization. Simulation results using both modeled and measured cooperative channel responses demonstrate that the sum rate of a cooperative broadcast channel with a per-antenna power constraint is very close to the optimal bound achieved using a sum-power constraint, even in practical scenarios. Additional results demonstrate the straightforward application of the algorithm to different practical multiuser topologies.
Suppression of glial glutamine release to the extracellular fluid studied in vivo by NMR and microdialysis in hyperammonemic rat brain.

Release of glial glutamine (GLN) to the extracellular fluid (ECF), mainly mediated by the bidirectional system N transporter SN1, was studied in vivo in hyperammonemic rat brain, using 15N-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to monitor intracellular [5-15N]GLN and microdialysis/gradient 1H-15N heteronuclear single-quantum correlation NMR to analyse extracellular [5-15N]GLN. GLNECF was elevated to 2.4 ± 0.2 mm after 4.5 h of intravenous ammonium acetate infusion. The [GLNi]/[GLNECF] ratio (i = intracellular) was 9.6 ± 0.9, compared with 17–20 in normal brain. GLNECF then decreased substantially at t = 4.9 ± 0.1 h. Comparison of the time-courses of intra- and extra-cellular [5-15N]GLN strongly suggested that the observed decrease reflects partial suppression of glial GLN release to ECF. Suppression also followed elevation of GLNECF to 1.9 mm, resulting in a [GLN]i/[GLNECF] ratio of 8.4, upon perfusion of α-(methylamino)isobutyrate which inhibits neuronal uptake of GLNECF mediated by sodium-coupled amino acid transporter (SAT). The results provide first evidence for bidirectional operation of SN1 in vivo, and clarify the effect of transmembrane GLN gradient on glial GLN release at physiological Na+ gradient. Implications of the results for SN1 as an additional regulatory site in the glutamine/glutamate cycle and utility of this approach for examining the role of GLN in an experimental model of fulminant hepatic failure are discussed.
Edible coatings composed of methylcellulose, stearic acid, and additives to preserve quality of pear wedges.

The ability of methylcellulose and methylcellulose-stearic acid coatings to preserve the quality of Anjou pear wedges stored at 4C and 78% relative himidity over a period of 12 days was assessed. The effect of some additives (ascorbic acid, calcium chloride, and sorbic acid) alone or in combination with the edible coatings was also evaluated. The use of edible coatings and additives prolonged the shelf life of treated samples by retarding browning and enhancing texture when compared to control samples. Methylcellulose-stearic acid coatings played an important role in avoiding weight loss, while methylcellulose-only coatings showed poor water vapor barrier properties. Pear wedges coated with the methylcellulose-stearic acid formulation contained higher amounts of hexyl acetate throughout the storage period, probably due to synthesis by wounded tissue from the stearic acid contained in the coating. No effect from the applied treatments on the titratable acidity, soluble solids content, and microbial load of treated pear wedges was found.
Earthquakes as a triggering mechanism for debris flows and turbidites on the Calabrian Ridge

Abstract Debris flows and turbidites have been described in piston cores, bottom photographs and side-looking sonar records from basin floors amid the rugged, irregular topography of the Calabrian Ridge. A sediment transport process is inferred which began with a rotational slump on the steep basin wall, subsequently transformed into a debris flow and turbid cloud. Such events occurred approximately every 1500 years. Because the debris flow/turbidite deposits are correlative between basins, some relatively widespread mechanism such as an earthquake is required to initiate the slope failure. The estimated intensity of ground shaking as a result of historical earthquakes on the nearby Calabrian and Hellenic Arcs has been used to develop a relationship between frequency of occurrence and intensity of ground shaking. Extrapolation of this relation to infrequent, large magnitude events shows that the 1500-yr event is small enough to be geologically plausible but large enough to cause slope failure on basin walls. It is possible that the historical record fortuitously contains one of these large magnitude, long repeat time events, which may have caused the most recent of the observed debris flows in 1903.
A Prediction Model of Childhood Immunization Rates

This research begins by providing background on the status and literature of childhood immunization in the USA. Vaccine-preventable diseases have been on the rise in Europe and the USA in the last few years. Cases of measles and pertussis have all been increasing at alarming rates. The article begins with a discussion of the use of immunization exemptions across the states and a brief history of US immunization policy. A review of the literature confirms that socioeconomic status and other demographic characteristics can be important predictors of childhood vaccine uptake. Given the seriousness of this public health issue, the primary objective of this research is to analyze the determinants of a child in the USA being fully vaccinated. A range of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, along with data from the National Immunization Survey, are used to develop an immunization prediction model. Logistic regression is the chosen method in determining whether a preschool-age child in the USA today is likely to be vaccinated based on various demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Model results reveal a number of significant socioeconomic and demographic characteristics that contribute to the likelihood of a child being immunized. The overall logistic regression model was highly significant at the 5 % level and model parameters are significant. Significant variables in the model include categories of educational attainment, first born child, race and ethnicity, age of mother, and census region. This model does not definitively reveal that later born children are less likely to get fully vaccinated than first born children but does confirm the significance of geography in immunization outcomes. All levels of education were found to be significant along with all census regions. Overall, these models reveal that demographic and socioeconomic characteristics are predictors of childhood immunization and if leveraged appropriately can assist policy makers and public health officials to understand immunization rates and craft policy to improve them.
Social self-efficacy and behavior problems in maltreated and nonmaltreated children.

Investigated the relations among child maltreatment, children's social self-efficacy, and behavioral adjustment. Data were collected on 305 maltreated and 195 non-maltreated children from low-income families (ages 5 to 12 years) who were assessed on perceived social self-efficacy and evaluated by camp counselors on internalizing and externalizing symptomatology. Younger ( 8 years), regardless of maltreatment status, higher levels of perceived social self-efficacy in conflict situations were related to lower levels of internalizing symptomatology. The results are discussed as suggestive of the role of children's social self-efficacy as a protective factor in the link between maltreatment and internalizing symptomatology.
An exploration of topologies and communication in large particle swarms

Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) has typically been used with small swarms of about 50 particles. However, PSO is more efficiently parallelized with large swarms. We formally describe existing topologies and identify variations which are better suited to large swarms in both sequential and parallel computing environments. We examine the performance of PSO for benchmark functions with respect to swarm size and topology. We develop and demonstrate a new PSO variant which leverages the unique strengths of large swarms. “Hearsay PSO” allows for information to flow quickly through the swarm, even with very loosely connected topologies. These loosely connected topologies are well suited to large scale parallel computing environments because they require very little communication between particles. We consider the case where function evaluations are expensive with respect to communication as well as the case where function evaluations are relatively inexpensive. We also consider a situation where local communication is inexpensive compared to external communication, such as multicore systems in a cluster.
Isolation of a circular derivative of yeast chromosome III: implications for the mechanism of mating type interconversion

Abstract We describe genetic and physical characterization of rearrangements of chromosome III which result in changes of cell type in S. cerevisiae. Two types of rearrangements were obtained as rare events which caused a change at the locus controlling cell type, MAT , associated with a recessive lethal mutation, in one case from MAT α to MAT a-lethal, and in the other case from MAT a to MAT α-lethal. The MAT a-lethal mutation is a deletion on the right arm of chromosome III, which we demonstrate extends to (or near) HM α. We suggest this deletion removes MAT α and activates cryptic MAT a information stored in HM α as proposed in the cassette model of mating type interconversion. The MAT α-lethal mutation is the result of the formation of a circular chromosome III, which we interpret to remove MAT α and activate the cryptic MAT α information stored at HMa . Strains carrying the MAT α-lethal chromosome contain a circular chromosome of length 62.6 ± 5.7 μm, which is absent in related strains. This chromosome was confirmed to be chromosome III by hybridization of specific yeast DNA fragments to supercoiled DNA obtained from MAT α-lethal strains. The isolation of a large circular derivative of chromosome III allows correlation of genetic and physical distance based on large distances—1 centimorgan corresponds to approximately 2700 base pairs.
PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF SHIGA TOXIN AND TOXOID

1. Shigella dysenteriae (Shiga) can, under the proper cultural conditions, produce a soluble toxin which is independent of the specific somatic polysaccharide antigen. A method is described for the rapid production of this toxin by an avirulent R variant of this organism. 2. The amount of bacterial protoplasm synthesized, and the yield of toxin produced, are very much increased when the culture is grown under conditions which favor aerobic metabolism and which do not permit accumulation of organic acids. 3. Although addition of an excess of inorganic iron to the medium does not interfere with the synthesis of bacterial protoplasm, maximal toxin production is obtained only in media which have been freed of the metal. 4. R Shiga bacilli grown under conditions of extreme aerobiosis at pH 7.0 in a simple medium free of inorganic iron and containing fumaric acid, glucose, meat extract, and peptone, give rise within 24 to 36 hours to cultures exhibiting a high degree of toxicity. The toxic principle rapidly becomes soluble as the cells die; it can be concentrated, purified, and freed of phosphorus by selective precipitation methods. 5. The toxin is fairly resistant to heat at pH 6.0 but rapidly denatured at pH 9.0. It is only slowly inactivated by trypsin. It filters readily and without loss of activity through anionic exchange resins but is precipitated and adsorbed by cationic resins which retain the nitrogen and toxic activity of the preparation. 6. The most active preparations of toxin available possess an LD(50) of 1 to 10 microg. for mice and rabbits. Young mice (up to 5 weeks of age) are more resistant than older animals. 7. The soluble toxin can be detoxified by treatment with 0.5 per cent formalin at pH 8.5; detoxification does not take place at lower pH whereas treatment at higher pH destroys specific antigenicity. Mice immunized with Shiga toxoid (in solution, or in the form of an alum precipitate) develop active immunity to the toxin.
C(α) preserving operators on separable Banach spaces

Abstract Let T be a bounded linear operator from a separable Banach space X to a Banach space Y . A necessary and sufficient condition on T for the existence of a subspace Z of X such that Z is isomorphic to C ( α ) and the restriction of T to Z is an isomorphism is given. The special case where X is the disc algebra is then considered and results similar to those previously obtained by the author for C ( K ) spaces are obtained for the disc algebra. Finally some additional results of the same type are proved for subspaces of C ( K ) with small annihilator.
Linear models for non-Gaussian processes and applications to linear random vibration

Linear models are finite sums of specified deterministic, continuous functions of time with random coefficients. It is shown that linear models provide (i) accurate approximations for real-valued non-Gaussian processes with continuous samples defined on bounded time intervals, (ii) simple solutions for linear random vibration problems with non-Gaussian input, and (iii) efficient techniques for selecting optimal designs from collections of proposed alternatives. Theoretical arguments and numerical examples are presented to establish properties of linear models, illustrate the construction of linear models, solve linear random vibration with non-Gaussian input, and propose an approach for optimal design of linear dynamic systems. It is shown that the proposed linear model provides an efficient tool for analyzing linear systems in non-Gaussian environment.
TCDD Distribution in the Spring River, Southwestern Missouri

Abstract The waste management practices of a now defunct chemical company created several disposal sites containing 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin (TCDD) contaminated materials. A sampling survey of the Spring River, which drains the disposal sites, was conducted to determine if TCDD contamination of this river had occurred. TCDD was found in fish at concentrations of 0.8 to 55 ng/kg (whole fish) and 1.4 to 18. ng/kg (fillet). In addition, TCDD was present in the fish at least as far as 69 mi (111 km) downstream of the disposal sites. The detection limits were generally not sufficient to determine the sediment TCDD concentration in the river. TCDD was only found in the sediments immediately downstream of the former manufacturing facility, at 12 ng/kg.
Critical Point in the Percus-Yevick Theory

Some consequences of the Percus-Yevick theory are studies in the neighborhood of the critical point for adhesive hard spheres and for the 6:12 potential (truncated at $6\ensuremath{\sigma}$). It is shown that the Percus-Yevick theory gives rise to classical behavior at the critical point. In particular, it is shown that for the compressibility equation of state the critical exponents $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ and $\ensuremath{\delta}$ are 1 and 3, respectively, and for the energy equation of state the critical exponents $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ and $\ensuremath{\beta}$ are 0 and \textonehalf{}, respectively. In addition, the behavior of the Percus-Yevick distribution function in the neighborhood of the critical point is examined and it is shown that for the critical isochore the temperature derivative of the distribution function diverges with a critical exponent of \textonehalf{} which is independent of $\mathcal{r}$ and that for the critical isotherm the distribution function is a linear function of the density for all $\mathcal{r}$.
Apparatus for measuring the growth velocity of dendritic ice in undercooled water

A unique apparatus for measuring the dendritic growth velocity of ice crystals in undercooled water is described and a preliminary result at undercooling levels between 5 and 8.5 K is presented. The result appears to show a significant deviation from the theoretical prediction based on the thermal diffusion model possibly due to sluggish interface kinetics which start playing a role in dendritic growth at these undercooling levels. Discussion includes necessary modifications of the diagnostic technique in order to eliminate uncertainties in the preliminary data and improve the accuracy in future measurements.
A comparison of particulate and Onyx embolization in preoperative devascularization of carotid body tumors.

Preoperative embolization of a carotid body tumor (CBT) is a useful adjunct prior to surgical excision because it decreases operative blood loss and improves surgical outcomes. Traditionally, this is performed by transarterial particulate embolization (TAPE). More recently, direct percutaneous embolization (DPE) with Onyx is recognized as a promising technique for preoperative embolization. We compared these two techniques in patients treated for CBTs at our institution. We retrospectively reviewed cases of preoperative devascularization of CBT from 1 January 1995 through 1 September 2012. Patient cases were placed into two groups: TAPE and DPE. Operative blood loss, operative length, angiographic devascularization, embolization procedure complications, operative transfusion requirements, postoperative hospital stay, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and procedure-related mortalities were compared. A total of 17 patients underwent preoperative devascularization of their CBT with TAPE technique and ten patients using the DPE technique with Onyx. Average operative blood loss was significantly higher in the TAPE group (Mann–Whitney U test, p = 0.04). Operative time was also higher, although this difference was not significant. Two patients required intraoperative blood transfusions in the TAPE group while none required transfusions in the DPE group. There was no significant difference in ICU stay or length of hospitalization. One serious embolization procedure complication occurred in the TAPE group and none in the DPE group. Operative blood loss in the DPE group was significantly less than the TAPE group. Blood transfusion requirement, operative time, and complications were less in the DPE group, although they did not reach statistical significance.
Enhancement of breakdown properties of overlay annular diodes by field shaping resistive films

Abstract Breakdown voltage of oxide masked and passivated overlay annular diodes are limited in magnitude and stability by locally high fields in the surface junction region. Topologically, it is demonstrated that these high field regions are influenced by both the overlay radius of curvature and the overlay to annular ring spacing. Breakdown voltages approaching bulk values are achieved only with much reduced average surface fields, requiring excessive area. The use of a highly resistive but essentially ohmic film over the oxide in the high field surface region can shape and homogenize the surface fields. The use of 2000 A polycrystalline silicon layers with sheet resistances in excess of 10 10 Ω/□ for the field shaping element is shown experimentally to lead to reduced surface spacings for a given breakdown voltage and less tendency for surface arcing.
The severity of acute kidney injury predicts progression to chronic kidney disease

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with progression to advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). We tested whether patients who survive AKI and are at higher risk for CKD progression can be identified during their hospital admission, thus providing opportunities to intervene. This was assessed in patients in the Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System hospitalized with a primary diagnosis indicating AKI (ICD9 codes 584.xx). In the exploratory phase, three multivariate prediction models for progression to stage 4 CKD were developed. In the confirmatory phase, the models were validated in 11,589 patients admitted for myocardial infarction or pneumonia during the same time frame that had RIFLE codes R, I, or F and complete data for all predictor variables. Of the 5351 patients in the AKI group, 728 entered stage 4 CKD after hospitalization. Models 1, 2, and 3 were all significant with ‘ c ' statistics of 0.82, 0.81, and 0.77, respectively. In model validation, all three were highly significant when tested in the confirmatory patients, with moderate to large effect sizes and good predictive accuracy (‘ c ' 0.81–0.82). Patients with AKI who required dialysis and then recovered were at especially high risk for progression to CKD. Hence, the severity of AKI is a robust predictor of progression to CKD.
Using an inventory control model to establish biomass harvesting policies

Abstract The financial performance of a biomass-dependent production system was evaluated using an inventory control model. Dynamic programming was employed to examine the constraints and capabilities of producing ethanol from various biomass crops. In particular, the model evaluated the plantation, harvest, and manufacturing components of a woody biomass supply system. Using inventory control to establish biomass harvesting policies is one way of achieving a cost efficient operation. The optimum wood to ethanol production scheme could produce 38 million 1 of ethanol in any given harvest year, a 13.6 million 1 increase over the least optimal policy. Delivered cost was $0.38 l −1 consistent with the unit costs from other studies. Nearly 60% of the cost was from the manufacturing component of the system. The remaining costs were attributed to growing biomass (14%), harvest and shipment of the crop (18%), storage of the raw material and finished product (7%), and “lost sales” (2%). Inventory control, in all phases of production, could influence total delivered costs of ethanol by as much as 62%. A comparison between the least costly wood system and alternative systems further illustrated the benefits of inventory control.
Novel FIA chemiluminescence fiber optic biosensor for urinary and blood glucose

A chemiluminescence fiber optic biosensor system coupled to FIA was developed to measure glucose in bodily fluids. Glucose oxidase was immobilized on a preactivated nylon membrane and attached to the tip of a fiber optic bundle. This enzyme acts on (beta) -D-glucose to produce hydrogen peroxide which was then reacted with luminol in the presence of ferricyanide to produce a light signal. The sensitivity of the biosensor was determined to be 32 +/- 0.65 nV (mu) M-1 with a minimum detectable level of 5 (mu) M. The addition of a glucose oxidase column with a higher enzyme loading improved the sensitivity by at least 25-fold thus permitting the measurement of the lower glucose levels found in urine. The enzyme membrane could be reused for at least 50 analyses while the glucose oxidase column could be reused for over 500 analyses without losing the original activity. Endogenous ascorbate and urate usually present in urine samples which interfere with the chemiluminescence signal were effectively retained by an upstream ion exchange column. When applied for the determination of urinary and blood glucose levels, the results obtained compared well with those of the widely accepted hexokinase assay.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Lessons from 10 Years of Post-Exxon Valdez Monitoring on Intertidal Shorelines

ABSTRACT Intertidal shorelines impacted by the Exxon Valdez oil spill have been monitored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) since late 1989. Originally intended to docum...
Self-aligned molecular beam epitaxy of CdZnTe for IR focal plane arrays

The crystallographic orientation of Cd1-xZnxTe (x approximately equals 0.045) grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on a clean (planar) (100) GaAs surface can be controlled by the proper choice of the GaAs surface stoichiometry. An As-stabilized surface initiates (100) oriented growth, while the Ga-stabilized surface yields (111) oriented growth. Cd1-xZnxTe (x approximately equals 0.045) MBE layers grown in recesses of shadow masked patterned (100) GaAs substrates were found to be in the (100) orientation regardless of whether precursor surfaces were stabilized with Ga or As. The epitaxial layer's orientation and optical properties were determined by backscattered electron channeling and low temperature photoluminescence measurements, respectively. CdZnTe layers grown in recesses showed improved optical features as compared to the layers grown on planar substrates.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Radiation Effects on the Physical Properties of Low‐Expansion‐Coefficient Glasses and Ceramics

The effects of irradiation on the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), the density, and the elastic moduli of low-CTE materials such as amorphous SiO2, ultra-low-expansion glass, β-SiC, Astrositall, and Zerodur were surveyed. It was found that the properties of all of these materials were affected by radiation exposures up to 2 × 109 rd; SiO2 and SiC were the most radiation-resistant of the materials studied.
A Brief Review of External Mass Balance and Internal Calcium Redistribution in Dialysis Patients—Is Calcium a Uremic Toxin?

Recent debates between 2 schools of thought on calcium mass balance in dialysis patients and its relevance to disease—one emphasizing external calcium mass balance, and the other, internal calcium redistribution—have created controversy. Due to decreased ability to excrete calcium and loss of endocrine function by the kidney, patients suffering from chronic kidney disease, particularly when requiring dialysis, demonstrate varying degrees of positive or negative calcium balance, vitamin D deficiency, and secondary hyperparathyroidism. Consequently, patients are prone to bone demineralization, with diminished bone strength, and are thus prone to fractures that substantially worsen morbid outcomes in this population. However, intra- and interdialytic positive calcium mass balance creates complications of a different kind, which include the occurrence of vascular and cardiac disease and reduced survival. This review aims to shed light on the mechanisms of and relationships between external calcium mass balance and internal calcium redistribution and their consequences. It also discusses the potential to improve current regimens by means of diffusive and convective calcium mass transfer for the achievement of neutral calcium mass balance.