cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interaction of Dihydrogen with Gold (I) Hydride: Prospects for Matrix-Isolation Studies

Most discussions have described the AuH3 molecule as a T-shaped complex. A recent study showed that a nonclassical Au(η2-H2)H complex was more stable than the classical AuH3 “aurane” complex by roughly 30 kcal/mol. The present study shows that the nonclassical isomer is only loosely bound (ΔEdis = 13.44 kcal/mol) vs AuH and dihydrogen, and that the dimerization of AuH3 units to a Au2H6 “diaurane” molecule is exothermic by roughly 20 kcal/mol. Additional data is provided which may prove useful for matrix-isolation experiments.
A pilot study of prolonged exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder delivered via telehealth technology

The authors present a pilot study of 12 veterans diagnosed with combat-related PTSD and treated with prolonged exposure therapy (PE) via telehealth technology. A reference sample of 35 combat veterans treated with in-person PE in the same clinic is also included for a comparison. Feasibility and clinical outcomes of interest include technical performance and practicality of the telehealth equipment, patient safety, treatment completion rates, number of sessions required for termination, and clinical outcomes. Results indicated large statistically significant decreases in self-reported pathology for veterans treated with PE via telehealth technology. Preliminary results support the feasibility and safety of the modality. Suggestions for the implementation of PE via telehealth technology are discussed.
The Zephyr Help Instance: promoting ongoing activity in a CSCW system

If Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) systems are to be successful over time, it will be necessary to promote ongoing and continuing activity, not just initial adoption. In this paper, we consider what technical and social affordances are required to encourage the continued use of a CSCW system. To explore these issues, we examine a chat-like system, the Zephyr Help Instance, which is used extensively at MIT. The Help Instance facilitates users asking questions of one another, and is an example of a distributed help and problem-solving system. We provide an overview of the systemOs use as well as those mechanisms, both technical and social, that facilitate continuing its use over time.
Lubricin Distribution in the Goat Infraspinatus Tendon: A Basis for Interfascicular Lubrication

Background: This study was motivated by the need to better understand the tribology of the rotator cuff, as it could provide insights into degenerative processes and suggest therapeutic approaches to cuff disorders. The objective was to evaluate the distribution of a known lubricating protein in the infraspinatus tendon of the rotator cuff in adult goats. The hypothesis was that lubricin, also known as superficial zone protein or proteoglycan 4, serves as an interfascicular lubricant. Methods: Eight infraspinatus tendons were resected from eight Spanish goats, and five patellar tendons and articular cartilage samples were also resected from five of the goats. Samples were processed for immunolocalization of lubricin with use of a purified monoclonal antibody and for histological analysis with Masson trichrome staining for collagen. The locations of lubricin within the tendon were documented, and measurements were made of the distance to which lubricin was detected in the tendon, relative to the humeral insertion site, and the depth of lubricin staining into the fibrocartilage of the fascicle bordering the humeral joint space. Images from polarized light microscopy were used to measure the fascicle diameter and the crimp length. Results: Lubricin was prominent in layers separating the fascicles in the infraspinatus tendon, with occasional intrafascicular staining. The fibrocartilaginous portion of the fascicle bordering the humeral joint space displayed diffuse lubricin staining. The Masson trichrome staining of the collagen in this lubricin-containing fibrocartilage indicated that it was not being tensioned at the time of fixation, whereas the collagen contained in the body of the tendon was under tension. The crimp of the fascicles near the humeral joint side of the tendon displayed a shorter peak-to-peak length than the crimp of the fascicles in the superior region of the tendon. Only the surface of two of the five patellar tendon samples stained for lubricin; there was no staining within these ligaments. Conclusions: The sheaths of the fascicles of the infraspinatus tendon near the bone insertion site contain lubricin, indicating that this lubricating protein may be facilitating interfascicular movement. The fact that the crimp pattern of fascicles changes with location in the tendon provides support for the supposition that fascicles move relative to one another as the tendon is loaded, underscoring the importance of a lubricating protein in the layer separating the fascicles. Clinical Relevance: The results provide a basis for the hypothesis that the loss of lubricin may favor the wear of tendons during interfascicular movement. Moreover, should lubricin in the infraspinatus be found to serve as a lubricant, the present work provides a rationale for the investigation of an injectable form of lubricin as a therapeutic agent to treat certain rotator cuff problems.
Leaf based biocatalytic membrane electrodes

A new class of bioselective membrane electrodes, in which leaf discs are combined with potentiometric gas sensors, is proposed and described. The principle is illustrated for a L-cysteine sensor, where cucumber leaves are employed as biocatalysts in conjunction with an NH3 gas sensing electrode. This novel arrangement offers possible advantages of simplicity and low cost owing to the structural integrity and good biocatalytic activity of plant leaves.
Towards a unifying hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease: cholinergic system linked to plaques, tangles and neuroinflammation.

I he central role of cholinergic system in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathway is becoming increasingly significant as reports linking the various components of cholinergic neurotransmission with the other pathological hallmarks emerge. This review, while addressing the molecular mechanisms associated with the pathological hallmarks of the disease and their close interactions, also makes an attempt to address the critical question that evades an answer: Given the significant role played by cholinergic system in AD pathway, why do the cholinergic-mechanism-based drugs are not successful in reversing or arresting the disease progress? Further, as molecules of diverse structural features were shown to inhibit amyloid aggregation, an understanding of the generic pathway of amyloid aggregation slowly emerges. For the first time, a coherent view of amyloid aggregation is presented in this review. The possible role of neuroinflammatory response in the events leading to the degeneration of cholinergic neurons is also discussed.
A view of the limitations, opportunities, and challenges in parallel nonlinear optimization

Abstract The availability and power of parallel and distributed computers is having a significant impact on how expensive problems are solved in all areas of numerical computation, and is likely to have an even larger impact in the future. This paper presents a view of how the consideration of parallelism is affecting, and is likely to affect, one important field within numerical computation, the field of nonlinear optimization. It does not attempt to survey the research that has been done in parallel nonlinear optimization. Rather it presents a set of examples, drawn mainly from our own research, that illustrate many of the limitations, opportunities, and challenges inherent in incorporating parallelism into the field of nonlinear optimization. These examples include parallel methods for unconstrained optimization problems with a small to moderate number of variables, parallel methods for large block bordered systems of nonlinear equations, and parallel methods for small-scale and large-scale global optimization problems. Our overall conclusions are mixed. For most generic optimization problems with a small to moderate number of variables, the consideration of parallelism does not appear to be leading to major algorithmic innovations. For many classes of large-scale problems, however, the consideration of parallelism appears to be creating opportunities for the development of interesting new methods that may be advantageous on parallel and sometimes even on sequential computers. In addition, a number of large-scale parallel optimization algorithms exhibit irregular, coarse-grain structure, which leads to interesting computer science challenges in areas such as dynamic scheduling and load-balancing.
CUBIC: a nondispersive diffuse x-ray background spectrometer

The Cosmic Unresolved X-ray Background Instrument using CCDs (CUBIC) is designed to obtain spectral observations of the Diffuse X-ray Background (DXRB) with moderate spectral resolution over the energy range 0.2-10 keV, using mechanically-collimated CCDs. At this time, it is the only planned satellite payload devoted to the study of the spectrum of the DXRB. Over the anticipated 3 year lifetime of the satellite, CUBIC will be able to study up to 50 percent of the sky with 5 x 5 deg spatial resolution for the subkilovolt Galactic diffuse background, and with 10 x 10 deg spatial resolution for the extragalactic diffuse background above 2 keV. CUBIC will obtain high quality nondispersive spectra of soft X-ray emission from the interstellar medium, supernova remnants, and some bright sources, and will make a sensitive seach for line emission or other features in the extragalactic cosmic X-ray background from 2-10 keV.
Data Transport Networks: Case Studies in a Public Transit Environment

Ethernet has become the de facto standard for providing data transport not only throughout the Internet but also for numerous private and industrial networks. Before Ethernet's dominance, circuit-switched networks (or time-division multiplexed networks such as synchronous optical network (SONET) are popular choices for applications that require flexible and reliable data transport. Over the past ten years, packet-switched networks in general (and Ethernet in particular) usurped the role formerly played by these circuit-switched networks. But is this a good development given that not all applications that require data transport are created equally? This article explores the current trend of using packet-switched as opposed to circuit-switched networks in the context of providing data transport for rail-based public transit agencies and, after examining five case studies, draws conclusions that are relevant for public transit agencies.
Experiments on Particle Deposition in the Human Upper Respiratory System

ABSTRACT In this study, the deposition of particles (0.3 μm to 2.5 μm in diameter) within a silicone rubber model of the human upper respiratory system was studied. The domain of the respiratory tract under investigation begins at the entrance (nostrils and mouth) and continues through to the second generation of the tracheobronchial airways (main bronchi). The particle deposition efficiency of the sample respiratory system was computed by measuring particle concentration at the inlet and outlet of the model. The regional deposition patterns of fluorescent particles (0.3 μm to 0.7 μm in diameter) was examined by measuring the fluorescent intensity with a fluorescence spectrophotometer. For simulated oral inhalation, the deposition efficiency of the oral cavity (0.9%-5.4%) is approximately the same as that of the oropharynx-trachea region (0.8%-4.8%). During simulated nasal inhalation, the deposition efficiency of the nasal region (20%-43.6%) is greater than the values of the nasopharynx-trachea region (2....
Animist Intersubjectivity as Argumentation: Western Shoshone and Southern Paiute Arguments Against a Nuclear Waste Site at Yucca Mountain

My focus in this essay is Shoshone and Paiute arguments against the Yucca Mountain site that claim that because Yucca Mountain is a culturally significant sacred place it should not be used to store nuclear waste. Within this set of arguments for the cultural value of Yucca Mountain, I focus on arguments that claim that the proposed nuclear waste site will damage Yucca Mountain and its ecosystem—the mountain, plants, and animals themselves. These arguments assume that Yucca Mountain and its ecosystem are animate and will suffer. An understanding of Western Shoshone and Southern Paiute perspectives on the human relationship to nature, particularly adherence to the concept of animist intersubjectivity, is crucial towards interpreting these arguments. As such, my purpose in this essay is an in-depth analysis of the relationship between the cultural presumption of animist intersubjectivity and Shoshone and Paiute arguments against the Yucca Mountain site. In order to explore this relationship, I begin the paper by discussing concept of animist intersubjectivity as a cultural presumption and its relationship to arguments. Then, I analyze Shoshone and Paiute arguments against the Yucca Mountain site to reveal how animist intersubjectivity influences these arguments. I conclude the essay by explaining the implications of this analysis.
RhoB mediates antitumor synergy of combined ixabepilone and sunitinib in human ovarian serous cancer.

Abstract Objective The aim was to evaluate antitumor activity of the combination of ixabepilone and sunitinib in pre-clinical models of chemotherapy naive and refractory epithelial ovarian tumors, and to investigate the mechanism of synergy of such drug combination. Methods HOVTAX2 cell line was derived from a metastatic serous papillary epithelial ovarian tumor (EOC) and a paclitaxel-resistant derivative was established. Dose response curves for ixabepilone and sunitinib were generated and synergy was determined using combination indexes. The molecular mechanism of antitumor synergy was examined using shRNA silencing. Results The combination of ixabepilone and sunitinib demonstrated robust antitumor synergy in naive and paclitaxel-resistant HOVTAX2 cell lines due to increased apoptosis. The GTPase, RhoB, was synergistically upregulated in cells treated with ixabepilone and sunitinib. Using shRNA, RhoB was demonstrated to mediate antitumor synergy. These results were validated in two other EOC cell lines. Conclusions Ixabepilone plus sunitinib demonstrated antitumor synergy via RhoB in naive and paclitaxel-resistant cells resulting in apoptosis. This study demonstrates a novel mechanism of action leading to antitumor synergy and provides ‘proof-of-principle' for combining molecular targeted agents with cytotoxic chemotherapy to improve antitumor efficacy. RhoB could be envisioned as an early biomarker of response to therapy in a planned Phase II clinical trial to assess the efficacy of ixabepilone combined with a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor such as sunitinib. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of antitumor synergy between these two classes of drugs in EOC and the pivotal role of RhoB in this synergy.
Altered neutrophil trafficking during sepsis.

In sepsis, dysregulation of the inflammatory system is well known, as reflected in excessive inflammatory mediator production, complement activation, and appearance of defects in phagocytic cells. In the current study sepsis was induced in rats by cecal ligation/puncture. Early in sepsis the β 1 and β 2 integrin content on blood neutrophils increased in a nontranscriptional manner, and the increase in β 2 , but not β 1 , integrin content was C5a dependent. Similar changes could be induced in vitro on blood neutrophils following contact with phorbol ester or C5a. Direct injury of lungs of normal rats induced by deposition of IgG immune complexes (IgG-IC) caused 5-fold increases in the myeloperoxidase content that was β 2 , but not β 1 , dependent. In contrast, in cecal ligation/puncture lungs myeloperoxidase increased 10-fold after IgG immune complex deposition and was both β 1 and β 2 integrin dependent. These data suggest that sepsis causes enhanced neutrophil trafficking into the lung via mechanisms that are not engaged in the nonseptic state.
Segmental defect of the intestinal musculature of a newborn: Evidence of acquired pathogenesis

Abstract Two cases of premature newborns with a segmental defect of the intestinal musculature are presented. The clinical diagnoses were intestinal obstruction and perforation, respectively. Emergency laparotomy was performed. In the first case, this showed a dilated loop of ileum and proximally dilated small bowel. The second case had ileal perforation with marked pneumoperitoneum. Pathological examination showed multifocal partial or complete absence of the muscularis propria, with relative preservation of the remaining components of the bowell wall in both cases. In addition, foci of recent muscular necrosis was noted in case 1, and early replacement fibrosis in case 2. These findings suggest that the muscle defect was secondary to muscle injury rather than a primary absence of muscle. The different theories of pathogenesis are discussed.
Differential recovery from impairment to the phonological lexicon.

Word production was examined in four aphasics diagnosed acutely with neologistic jargon and who displayed impairment to the lexical stage of phonological production (Kohn & Smith, 1993, 1994a). To investigate the major source of their nonword errors (i.e., neologisms, phonemic paraphasias), single word production was tested at three different times over the first 6 months postonset, with one subject receiving additional testing at 14 months postonset. Two subjects showed signs of recovery to the phonological output system with respect to: (1) improved word production scores, (2) increased frequency of phonemic paraphasias versus neologisms, and (3) increased production of target phonemes. These subjects also displayed above-chance production of target phonemes and no significant tendency to perseverate phonemes across picture-naming trials. It was argued that this pattern reflects a resolving disturbance in retrieving entries from the phonological lexicon. The other two subjects showed no improvement in word production. They also consistently produced target phonemes at chance levels and had a tendency to perseverate phonemes across picture-naming trials. This static pattern of performance was considered to reflect loss of information from the phonological lexicon. The neuroanatomical damage sustained by each case was consistent with these two recovery patterns.
Effect of metabolic acidosis on fetal breathing movements in utero

Abstract Experiments were carried out in 7 unanesthetized fetal lambs in utero in which catheters had previously been placed in the trachea (for intrathoracic pressure measurements), axillary artery (for pH and blood gas determinations), brachial vein (for infusions) and amniotic fluid. Fetal breathing movements (FBM) were noted as negative deflections in intrathoracic pressure recorded simultaneously with intraamniotic pressure and expressed as the incidence per 60-min period, in percent. Intravenous infusion of 0.2 N HCl lowered pH from 7.368±0.012 to 7.128±0.022 (with no significant change in PaCO2) for an 8-hour period. The incidence of FBM did not increase above control levels for the first 4 hours after the initiation of the acidosis. However, in the 5th to 8th hours FBM's occurred 52%, 53%, 59% and 64% of the time, respectively. These are all significantly above the control levels of 23%, 30%, 27% and 21% observed during these same hours on other days in the same animals. We conclude that fetal respiratory activity in utero is stimulated by hydrogen ion (H+) possibly mediated by central chemoreceptive structures.
Transition to turbulence for flow through a dumped bed of spheres

Abstract A transition from laminar to turbulent flow in a dumped bed of spheres occurs over the Reynolds number range 110 to 150. (Reynolds number is based on the diameter of the particle and the fluid velocity in the empty column.) The transition was detected by measuring the local rates of mass transfer around the circumference of one of the packings. The change from a steady to an unsteady mass transfer rate occurred over the whole surface of the test sphere at approximately the same Reynolds number. These results are supported by visual studies similar to those performed by Reynolds in his studies of the stability of laminar flow in a pipe. Time averaged mass transfer rates in a packed bed do not change dramatically in the transition range.
Simulating watersheds using loosely integrated model components: Evaluation of computational scaling using OpenMI

Complicated research and management questions regarding watershed systems often require the use of more than one simulation model. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a means to integrate multiple simulation models to predict holistic system response. In this paper we explore the use of a component-based approach for the runtime integration of models, implemented as ''plug-and-play'' software components. The motivation for this work is to quantify performance overhead costs introduced by adopting a component-based paradigm for loosely integrating hydrologic simulation models. We construct a standard rainfall/runoff watershed model using the Open Modeling Interface (OpenMI) Software Development Kit (SDK) where infiltration, surface runoff, and channel routing processes are each implemented as independent model components. We then analyze the performance of this loosely integrated model to quantify computational scaling, using the Hydrologic Engineering Center's Hydrologic Modeling System (HMS) for comparison. Our results suggest that the overhead introduced by runtime communication of data is not significant when applied for semi-distributed watershed modeling. Our analysis was limited to semi-distributed watershed modeling, however, and future research is needed to understand performance and accuracy for more data demanding hydrologic models.
The future of crime in the united states from now to the year 2000

Societal factors are identified which are driving toward qualitative and quantitative changes in the pattern of crime in the United States. Some of these factors will amplify while others will diminish the importance of current categories of crime. They will also lead to new crimes or increased relative significance to certain crime categories. On the other hand, the interaction of these factors also may lead to the virtual extinguishment of some crimes or to their removal from the rosters of illegality. Against that background some opportunities and needs for public policy decisions and related research are suggested.
Opportunistic spectrum access in multiple-primary-user environments under the packet collision constraint

Cognitive radio (CR) technology has great potential to alleviate spectrum scarcity in wireless communications. It allows secondary users (SUs) to opportunistically access spectrum licensed by primary users (PUs) while protecting PU activity. The protection of the PUs is central to the adoption of this technology since no PU would accommodate SU access to its own detriment. In this paper, we consider an SU that must protect multiple PUs simultaneously. We focus on the PU packet collision probability as the protection metric. The PUs are unslotted and may have different idle/busy time distributions and protection requirements. Under general idle time distributions, we determine the form of the SU optimal access policy and identify two special cases for which the computation of the optimal policy is significantly reduced. We also present a simple algorithm to determine these policies using principles of convex optimization theory. We then derive the optimal policy for the same system when an SU has extra “side information” on PU activity. We evaluate the performance of these policies through simulation.
Integrated flight control problem on decentralized sliding modes

The paper proposes applying sliding mode stabilization to aircraft flight controls. The nonlinear multiple input, multiple outputs problem of controlling aerodynamic angles, trajectory angles, attitude angles and energy, is addressed by methods of variable structure control. The decentralized algorithm of sliding mode control has been applied to the stabilization of the four following channels: pitch, roll, yaw and energy channels. The output stabilization errors of each channel have the desired response characteristic and are perfectly decoupled from the perturbation of the other channels, and from external perturbations while the results obtained are relative to aircraft configured with conventional nonredundant aerodynamic controls, and with nonorientable engine nozzles, they could be extended easily to redundant controls. >
Ecohydrology in practice: strengths, conveniences, and opportunities

Fifteen years after the term ‘ecohydrology’ came into use to describe integrative research spanning the two parent disciplines, we discuss methodological traditions of the parent disciplines and assess trends in the methodologies utilized in the young hybrid field of ecohydrology. In particular, we explore whether the marriage between the disciplines is built on a marriage of methodological strengths from the parent fields or a marriage of convenient arenas of methodological overlap. In surveying 267 research articles from January 1996 to June 2010, we found that very few studies integrated the strongest methodological approaches from both parent disciplines. Hydrological strengths in the form of modelling studies are much more prevalent than ecological strengths of manipulative experimentation and hypothesis testing, and the two approaches are almost entirely decoupled in ecohydrological studies. Thus, there remains great opportunity to leverage the strengths of ecological and hydrological traditions to more aggressively build our understanding of coupled ecological and hydrological system functions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the Relationship between the Vocabulary of Bug Reports and Source Code

Text retrieval (TR) techniques have been widely used to support concept and bug location. When locating bugs, developers often formulate queries based on the bug descriptions. More than that, a large body of research uses bug descriptions to evaluate bug location techniques using TR. The implicit assumption is that the bug descriptions and the relevant source code files share important words. In this paper, we present an empirical study that explores this conjecture. We found that bug reports share more terms with the patched classes than with the other classes in the system. Furthermore, we found that the class names are more likely to share terms with the bug descriptions than other code locations, while more verbose parts of the code (e.g., comments) will share more words. We also found that the shared terms may be better predictors for bug location than some TR techniques.
Nursing care delivery models in ambulatory oncology

Oncology nurse leaders are challenged to design ambulatory nursing care delivery models that are cost-effective, efficient, and facilitate positive patient outcomes. Many of the models used in the inpatient setting can be adapted to the ambulatory setting. Whatever model is implemented, it is important to delineate practice expectations.
Political Consequences of the Carceral State

Contact with the criminal justice system is greater today than at any time in our history. In this article, we argue that interactions with criminal justice are an important source of political socialization, in which the lessons that are imprinted are antagonistic to democratic participation and inspire negative orientations toward government. To test this argument, we conduct the first systematic empirical exploration of how criminal justice involvement shapes the citizenship and political voice of a growing swath of Americans. We find that custodial involvement carries with it a substantial civic penalty that is not explained by criminal propensity or socioeconomic differences alone. Given that the carceral state has become a routine site of interaction between government and citizens, institutions of criminal justice have emerged as an important force in defining citizen participation and understandings, with potentially dire consequences for democratic ideals.
Behavioral and Neurophysiological Demonstration of a Lateralis Skin Photosensitivity in Larval Sea Lampreys

Larval lampreys respond to skin illumination with a delayed burst of swimming in an attempt to escape the light. The photoresponse, which is independent of the lateral eyes and pineal organs, is most readily elicited by light shone on the tail. Behavioral studies in larval lampreys demonstrate that photosensory afferents innervating the tail are carried by a trunk lateral line nerve supplying regions caudal to the head. The present results confirm that bilateral transection of this nerve in larval sea lampreys markedly diminishes the photoresponse. The trunk lateral line nerve consists of the recurrent ramus of the anterior lateral line nerve and a ramus of the posterior lateral line nerve. Bilateral transection of the recurrent ramus does not affect the photoresponse, indicating that lateralis photosensory afferents enter the brain via the posterior lateral line nerve and terminate in the medial octavolateralis nucleus. Photosensory units were subsequently recorded in the trunk lateral line nerve, posterior lateral line nerve and the lateral line area of the medulla. Medullary photosensory units were localized to the medial nucleus, previously regarded as the primary mechanosensory nucleus. Photosensory units in lateral line nerves and the brain exhibited low, irregular spontaneous activity and, after latencies of 17–4 s, responded to tail illumination with repeated impulse bursts. Response thresholds were 0.1-0.9 mWcm −2 . Responses to sustained illumination were slowly adapting. A skin photosense is thus an additional lateralis modality in lampreys.
Differential Diagnosis and Management of Childhood Strabismus

HE ULTIMATE GOAL in the manageT ment of children with strabismus is the development of single binocular vision. The prerequisites for the attainment of this goal are bilateral normal visual acuity, ocular alignment to enable bifoveal fixation, and a normal neurologic status. The most common form of strabimus in a pediatric practice is esotropia. It is important to recall that esotropia is the result of an underlying process and not a specific diagnosis. The question the physician must first ask is what is the cause of the strabismus? ESOTROPIA Idiopathic Congenital Esotropia
End-to-end scheduling to meet deadlines in distributed systems

Algorithms for scheduling a class of systems in which all the tasks execute on different processors in turn in the same order are described. This end-to-end scheduling problem is known as the flow-shop problem. Two cases in which the problem is tractable are presented, and a heuristic for the NP-hard general case is evaluated. The traditional flow-shop model is generalized in two directions. First, an algorithm for scheduling flow shops in which tasks can be serviced more than once by some processors is presented. Second, a heuristic algorithm for scheduling flow shops with periodic tasks is described. Scheduling systems with more than one flow shop are considered. >
Power estimation techniques for integrated circuits

With the advent of portable and high-density microelectronic devices, the power dissipation of very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits is becoming a critical concern. Accurate and efficient power estimation during the design phase is required in order to meet the power specifications without a costly redesign process. Recently, a variety of power estimation techniques have been proposed, most of which are based on: 1) the use of simplified delay models, and 2) modeling the long-term behavior of logic signals with probabilities. The array of available techniques differ in subtle ways in the assumptions that they make, the accuracy that they provide, and the kinds of circuits that they apply to. In this tutorial, I will survey the many power estimation techniques that have been recently proposed and, in an attempt to make sense of all the variety, I will try to explain the different assumptions on which these techniques are based, and the impact of these assumptions on their accuracy and speed.
Hmm State Clustering Based on Efficient Cross-Validation

Decision tree state clustering is explored using a cross validation likelihood criterion. Cross-validation likelihood is more reliable than conventional likelihood and can be efficiently computed using sufficient statistics. It results in a better tying structure and provides a termination criterion that does not rely on empirical thresholds. Large vocabulary recognition experiments on conversational telephone speech show that, for large numbers of tied states, the cross-validation method gives more robust results.
Progress, challenges, and responsibilities in retrovirology

In this editorial, Retrovirology's choice for best basic science "retrovirus paper of the year" and a perspective on challenges and responsibilities facing HIV-1 and HTLV-I research are presented.
The Influence of Semantic Neighbours on Visual Word Recognition.

Although it is assumed that semantics is a critical component of visual word recognition, there is still much that we do not understand. One recent way of studying semantic processing has been in terms of semantic neighbourhood (SN) density, and this research has shown that semantic neighbours facilitate lexical decisions. However, it is not clear if this facilitation reflects actual word recognition processes or is instead due to participant strategies used during the lexical decision task. To address this, the current research used college students as participants and tested the effect of SN density using the semantic categorisation and progressive demasking tasks. Both of these tasks require word identification and are not susceptible to the participant strategies that are seen when using the lexical decision task. The results show that SN facilitates responding in both tasks, indicating that SN effects are not due to task-specific strategies.
Vascular and degenerative processes differentially affect regional interhemispheric connections in normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer disease

Background and Purpose— Despite the critical importance of the corpus callosum (CC) to the connection between brain hemispheres, little is known about the independent contribution of degenerative and vascular processes to regional changes in the microstructural integrity of the CC. Here, we examine these changes in subjects with mild cognitive impairment, with Alzheimer disease, and in cognitively normal elderly adults. Methods— We used 3-dimensional brain MRI with diffusion tensor imaging in 47 Alzheimer disease, 77 mild cognitive impairment, and 107 cognitively normal subjects, and we calculated mean fractional anisotropy (FA) values for 4 CC regions corresponding to 4 homologous regions of cortical gray matter (GM). To assess vascular and degenerative processes, we also measured cortical GM and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume in corresponding regions and evaluated their vascular risk. Results— We found that GM volumes in anterior and posterior regions were significantly related to FA values in...
Detection of Topology Errors by State Estimation

In modern energy management systems (EMS), there are two types of measurement data collected by the SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system, namely, status data of breakers and switches, and analog data of real and reactive power flows, injections, and bus voltages. The status data are used to determine real-time topology of the network. The analog data are used to determine line and transformer loading and voltage profile. These data are noisy due to measurement errors, communication noise, missing data, etc. In addition to simple checking of the analog data locally, in most modern EMS, state estimation is used to process these data globally to correct errors in the raw analog measurement data. In this paper, the use of global information in state estimation to correct errors in the direct measurements of the status data is proposed and conditions for detectability of errors are analyzed. The telemetered data of breaker and switch status are processed in the EMS computer to determine the present network topology of the system, and this function is called network topology processor. Errors in status data will show up as errors in the network topology. Sasson et al and Dy Liacco et al used a tree search algorithm for the network topology processor. The method is widely used in practice. Bonanomi et al proposed a sequential search method through the network graph. Recently Lugtu et al suggested the approach of using state estimation results for topology error detection.
Time Travel, Coincidences and Counterfactuals

In no possible world does a time traveler succeed in killing herearlier self before she ever enters a time machine. So if many,many time travelers went back in time trying to kill theirunprotected former selves, the time travelers would fail inmany strange, “coincidental” ways, slipping on bananapeels, killing the wrong victim, and so on. Such cases producedoubts about time travel. How could ``coincidences'' beguaranteed to happen? And wouldn't the certainty of coincidentalfailure imply that time travelers are not free to killtheir earlier selves? But if so, what would inhibit theirfreedom? Despite initial appearances, these and other doubtsmay be answered: the possibility of time travel survives yetanother challenge.
Predictive algorithms in the management of computer systems

Predictive algorithms play a crucial role in systems management by alerting the user to potential failures. We report on three case studies dealing with the prediction of failures in computer systems: (1) long-term prediction of performance variables (e.g., disk utilization), (2) short-term prediction of abnormal behavior (e.g., threshold violations), and (3) short-term prediction of system events (e.g., router failure). Empirical results show that predictive algorithms can be successfully employed in the estimation of performance variables and the prediction of critical events.
Evidence for direct protein kinase-C mediated modulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor current.

Protein kinase-C (PKC) activation differentially affects currents from N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) type glutamate receptors depending upon their subunit composition. Experiments using chimeras initially indicated that the cytoplasmic C-terminal tails of NR2B (responsive to PKC) and NR2C (unresponsive to PKC) subunits contain the amino acid residues responsible for the observed disparity of PKC effects. However, truncation and point mutation experiments have suggested that PKC action on NMDA receptors may be entirely indirect, working via the phosphorylation of associated proteins. Here we suggest that PKC does, in fact, affect NR2B/NR1‐ 011 NMDA currents by direct phosphorylation of the NR2B tail at residues S1303 and S1323. Replacement of either of these residues with Ala severely reduces PKC potentiation. To verify that S1303 and S1323 are sites of direct phosphorylation by PKC, synthetic peptides from the regions surrounding these sites were used as substrates for in vitro assays with purified rat brain PKC. These results indicate that PKC can directly phosphorylate S1303 and S1323 in the NR2B C terminus, leading to enhanced currents through NMDA receptor channels. The direct action of PKC on certain NMDA receptor subtypes may be important in any physiological or pathological process where PKC and NR2B/NR1 receptors interact.
Inventory policies for supply chains a system dynamics model based study

A two player, Manufacturer — Retailer, System Dynamics (SD) model is used to understand the effect of various changes in inventory policies in meeting different objectives in supply chains. Depending upon the definition of the objective function policies could be specifically formulated to achieve them. While information visibility is a desirable feature to reduce the safety stock levels both at supplier and retailer facilities, maintenance of certain levels of safety stocks could definitely come in handy when there are unexpected disruptions in the production process or the transportation between supply chain partners.
A double paradox in catchment hydrology and geochemistry

The questions that we ask as scientists shape everything that follows. They can lead us to see the world in new ways, or mundane ones. They can spur the development of new approaches, or the recycling of established ones. They can focus our attention in useful directions, or leave us wandering aimlessly. In science, as in everything else, what you find will largely depend on what you were looking for. Thus, sometimes one can be helpful simply by framing questions, even if-or especially if-the answers are not yet clear. My purpose here is to identify questions that I hope will be productive ones. I make no pretence of presenting answers. These questions have emerged from long hours pondering hydrochemical data like those shown in Figures 1 and 2. The same kinds of data have also been pondered by many others in our community, so I make no particular claim of originality for the observations that follow. I simply hope that presenting these observations in the following way may prove useful.
A data management approach for handling large compressed arrays in high performance computing

Poor parallel i/o performance has recently been recognized as a roadblock to scalability of parallel architectures, algorithms, and data sets. For i/o of large arrays, the storage of arrays by subarray divisions-chunking-has been shown to improve i/o performance substantially in many circumstances, In this paper we show how to increase the performance advantages of chunking by combining it with data compression, and describe the results of experiments with compressed chunks from scientific data sets on the Intel iPSC/860. For a particular fixed array size and compression ratio, uncompressed chunk i/o is faster than compressed chunk i/o when the number of processors is small; the reverse holds when the number of processors is large, as the cost of compression as spread over a larger number of processors. With good compression ratios and large numbers of processors, we obtained an effective logical i/o rate for compressed chunks that exceeds the theoretical possible maximum for uncompressed data, by adding compression to an existing chunked i/o library. Our results suggest that compression may be a good technique for handling sparse arrays in parallel i/o. >
A NOVEL DUAL MODE GATEWAY FOR WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORK AND LTE-A NETWORK CONVERGENCE

In recent years, the number of machine-to-machine (M2M) networks, which do not require direct human intervention, has been increasing at a rapid pace. Meanwhile, the need for a wireless platform to control and monitor these M2M networks, one with both a vast coverage area and a low network deployment cost, continues to be unmet. Mobile cellular networks (MCNs) and wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are emerging as two heterogeneous networks that can meet the challenges of M2M communication through network convergence. In this paper, a model for network convergence between a Long Term Evolution-Advance (LTE-A) cellular network and a WSN is proposed. Qualityof-Service (QoS) issues are assessed by a comparative study of the network delay in tight coupling and loose coupling LTE-A configurations. Simulation results indicate that the network delay in this proposed converged network is acceptable for various M2M applications. Additionally, it is demonstrated through simulation that the energy consumed by the implementation of the proposed protocol is suitable for resource-constrained devices.
Spatial Econometric Model Averaging

Estimates and inferences that arise from use of empirical models include uncertainty arising from a number of sources. Coefficient estimates produced using statistical regression methods embody uncertainty that we attribute to noise that arises in the process that generated our sample data. There are other sources of uncertainty related to issues of model specification that are typically ignored when we conduct statistical inference regarding model parameters. Uncertainty related to various aspects of model specification is typically excluded from inferential considerations by virtue of the assumption that our models are correctly specified to reflect the true model that generated the sample data. Given this assumption, as well as assumptions regarding the nature of statistical distributions assigned to all random deviates in the data generating process, we can use basic principles from statistical theory to derive distributions for the model parameters that serve as the basis for parameter inference.
An Investigation of Particulate Morphology, Microstructures, and Fractal Geometry for ael Diesel Engine-Simulating Combustor

The particulate matter (PM) produced from a diesel engine-simulating combustor was characterized in its morphology, microstructure, and fractal geometry by using a unique thermophoretic sampling and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) system. These results revealed that diesel PM produced from the laboratory-scale burner showed Similar morphological characteristics to the particulates produced from diesel engines. The flame air/fuel ratio and the particulate temperature history have significant influences on both particle size and fractal geometry. The primary particle sizes were measured to be 14.7 nm and 14.8 nm under stoichiometric and fuel-rich flame conditions, respectively. These primary particle sizes are smaller than those produced from diesel engines. The radii of gyration for the aggregate particles were 83.8 nm and 47.5 nm under these two flame conditions. These results were compared with particulate mobility diameters measured by using a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS). Fractal dimensions were also measured to standardize the geometry of the particulates collected from both diesel engines and the combustor. The result for combustor soot showed that the fractal geometry of particulates formed at a stoichiometric condition resembles that of heavy-duty diesel particulates and the fractal geometry of particulates at a fuel-rich condition that of light-duty diesel particulates.