cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Competence or flexibility? Survival and growth implications of competitive strategy preferences among small US businesses

– Research in strategic management has provided a wealth of contributions to the study of competition between firms, yet most strategic management theories were developed and refined for large firm contexts. This suggests the assumed theoretical relationships between strategy preference and performance may break down in the small business setting. , – The paper uses a data set from the National Federation of Independent Businesses to test hypotheses relating the strategy preferences of 754 small firms with the performance outcomes of survival and expected growth. , – Small businesses can focus on both survival and growth when they pursue competency-based strategies, but they risk their very survival when pursuing flexibility-based strategies. Virtually all small firms pursue strategies to compete, but some of the strategies they follow to pursue growth endanger their survival. , – Because of life-cycle and resource endowment factors, researchers should carefully parse differences between large and small firms when studying the relationship between strategy preferences and organizational performance. , – Small business owners should be aware that their choices of strategies to pursue growth may lead to unintended consequences, such as the demise of their firms. , – The paper demonstrates to researchers and practitioners how strategic preferences that presumably allow larger firms both to survive and grow do not have the same effects for smaller firms. The paper establishes boundary conditions for the effectiveness of flexibility strategies on performance in terms of firm size.
Ultraviolet photoabsorption spectrum of gaseous nitryl fluoride

Abstract The absorption spectrum of nitryl fluoride (FNO 2 ) was quantitatively studied over the near u.v.—visible region at room temperature. The absorption obeys Beer's law and is a continuum having photoabsorption cross sections (σ) ranging from (2.2 ± 0.8) × 10 −18 cm 2 at 195 nm to (3.0 ± 2.8) × 10 −20 cm 2 at 300 nm. No appreciable absorption (σ −20 cm 2 ) occurs at wavelengths longer than 300 nm.
AskUs: An Opinion Search Engine

The proliferation of blogs and social networks presents a new set of challenges and opportunities in the way information is searched and retrieved. Opinions expressed in blogs and social networks are playing an important role influencing everything from the products people buy to the presidential candidate they support. This demonstration presents AskUs, a search engine that highlights opinions about the search results. AskUs analyses the overall sentiment of a document/review, but also identifies the semantic orientation of specific components of the review that lead to a particular sentiment. Thus the results include both the overall tone of the review and a summary of sentiments of the most important features of the item reviewed.
Electronic Continuum Model for Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Biological Molecules

Electronic polarizability is an important factor in molecular interactions. In the conventional force fields such as AMBER or CHARMM, however, there is inconsistency in how the effect of electronic dielectric screening of Coulombic interactions, inherent for the condensed phase media, is treated. Namely, the screening appears to be accounted for via effective charges only for neutral moieties, whereas the charged residues are treated as if they were in a vacuum. As a result, the electrostatic interactions between ionized groups are exaggerated in molecular simulations by a factor of about 2. The model discussed here, MDEC (Molecular Dynamics in Electronic Continuum) provides a theoretical framework for modification of the standard nonpolarizable force fields to make them consistent with the idea of uniform electronic screening of partial atomic charges. The present theory states that the charges of ionized groups and ions should be scaled, i.e., reduced by a factor of about 0.7. In several examples, inclu...
Serving Maps of Public Library Customer Data over the Internet (www.geolib.org/PLGDB.cfm)

Purpose – Aims to provide the reasons why cartographic and spatial information have become increasingly important in different library settings.Design/methodology/approach – Presents very clear insights about the reasons cartographic and spatial information have become increasingly important and valuable in many different library settings.Findings – Less intimidating than in the past, with better tools available to help libraries serve users with online maps, data, and cartographic information this article focuses on how the Public Library Geographic Database can provide a range of utility. Not often is the public library included as a source of GIS, but the ease of use supports this direction well and offers a new service point with www.GeoLib.org Originality/value – This paper is useful for information management professionals who seek greater understanding of geographic information systems in information management work.
Carl Wilhelm Scheele, the discoverer of oxygen, and a very productive chemist

Carl Wilhelm Scheele (1742–1786) has an important place in the history of the discovery of respiratory gases because he was undoubtedly the first person to prepare oxygen and describe some of its p...
Berry phases for composite fermions: Effective magnetic field and fractional statistics

The quantum Hall superfluid is presently the only viable candidate for a realization of quasiparticles with fractional Berry phase statistics. For a simple vortex excitation, relevant for a subset of fractional Hall states considered by Laughlin, nontrivial Berry phase statistics were demonstrated many years ago by Arovas, Schrieffer, and Wilczek. The quasiparticles are in general more complicated, described accurately in terms of excited composite fermions. We use the method developed by Kj\o{}nsberg, Myrheim, and Leinaas to compute the Berry phase for a single composite-fermion quasiparticle and find that it agrees with the effective magnetic field concept for composite fermions. We then evaluate the ``fractional statistics,'' related to the change in the Berry phase for a closed loop caused by the insertion of another composite-fermion quasiparticle in the interior. Our results support the general validity of fractional statistics in the quantum Hall superfluid, while also giving a quantitative account of corrections to it when the quasiparticle wave functions overlap. Many caveats, both practical and conceptual, are mentioned that will be relevant to an experimental measurement of the fractional statistics. A short report on some parts of this article has appeared previously.
Neuronally activated metabolism of brain serotonin: effect of lithium.

Abstract Rats pretreated with lithium or sodium chloride were killed at various intervals and the forebrains analyzed for 5-HT and 5-HIAA. Pretreatment of rats with lithium chloride increased the rate of brain serotonin turnover. This effect of lithium was accentuated by electrical stimulation of serotonincontaining neuronal perikarya in the dorsal raphe nucleus.
"The life blood of the navy": recruiting sailors in eighteenth-century Spain.

(2001). ‘THE LIFE BLOOD OF THE NAVY’: RECRUITING SAILORS IN EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY SPAIN. The Mariner's Mirror: Vol. 87, No. 4, pp. 420-445.
Score Tests for Regression Models

Abstract Many score statistics used for testing trends in means, either based on the observed values of the response variables or their ranks, can be expressed in terms of quadratic forms. This article explores systematically the robustness of optimality of these statistics, as well as the optimal properties of the associated tests.
Conformation of N-formyl-1,3-dihydroxy-Δ31-pentene, a model compound of sphingomyelin☆

Abstract The conformations of 2S,3R-2-(N-formyl)amino-l,3-dihydroxy-Δ31-pentene, a model compound of sphingomyelin, have been studied both by the classical potential function and by the INDO molecular orbital method. The results suggest that the preferred conformation of sphingomyelin in the membrane is such that the olefinic double bond of the γ-hydrocarbon chain and the planar amide group of the β-chain are parallel and stack in an antiparallel manner with dihedral angles β1′(C3-C2-N21-C21) = −100 ° and γ1(C2-C3-C31-C32) = −100 °.
Infusional floxuridine-based therapy for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND The treatment of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) continues to pose a major clinical challenge. Previous studies have suggested that infusional floxuridine (FUDR) has antitumor efficacy and is well tolerated. To the authors knowledge the combination of infusional FUDR with biologic response modifiers (BRMs) has not been evaluated extensively in patients with metastatic RCC. METHODS Thirty-nine previously untreated patients with metastatic RCC were treated with infusional FUDR at 0.075 mg/kg/day for 14 days of a 28-day cycle. Beginning with the second cycle of FUDR, 24 patients received subcutaneous interferon-α-2b (3 million U 3 times a week for Weeks 1 and 2) and 15 received subcutaneous interleukin-2 (IL-2) (5 million U/m2 5 days a week for 3 weeks, followed by 1 week off). The dose of FUDR was increased by 0.025 mg/kg each cycle until the maximum tolerated dose for each patient was reached. RESULTS Five patients receiving FUDR plus interferon achieved a partial response and 1 achieved a complete response whereas 3 patients receiving FUDR plus IL-2 achieved a partial response, for an overall response rate of 23%. The median survival for all patients was 21 months, and 8 patients still were alive 6–57+ months after the initiation of therapy. Toxicity was mild to moderate, and was comprised primarily of fatigue, diarrhea, dacryocystitis, and fluid retention (in the IL-2 cohort). CONCLUSIONS FUDR in conjunction with IL-2 or interferon appears to produce response rates comparable to those observed with other programs utilizing BRMs and generally is well tolerated. FUDR regimens may be useful in the treatment of metastatic RCC in the outpatient community setting. Cancer 2000;88:1310–6. © 2000 American Cancer Society.
The language tester's statistical toolbox

Abstract Using analogy to carpentry, various statistical analysis tools in language testing are described, chiefly Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory. Computer software for statistical analysis is briefly reviewed and divided into three tiers: commonly available (e.g. Excel); statistical packages (e.g. SPSS); and speciality software (e.g. FACETS). Simplicity is stressed: often the most challenging aspect of statistics in language testing is interpretation, not the actual computational analysis. Regardless of the complexity of the analysis, it is unwise for statistics to drive language test development. Statistical determinism is a dangerous epistemological force.
Spermine decreases peripheral vascular resistance in the dog and relaxes the isolated aorta of the guinea pig

Polyamines, found in all nucleated cells, have been shown to relax uterine, gastrointestinal, and respiratory tract smooth muscle. When parenterally administered to the rat or dog they cause hypotension. To determine the range of the relaxing effect of polyamines on smooth muscle and the mechanism of the hypotensive effect anaesthetised dogs were infused with increasing intravenous bolus doses of spermine while cardiovascular measurements were made. At doses of greater than or equal to 2 mg X kg-1 spermine a reversible hypotensive effect was produced that is accounted for by changes in peripheral vascular resistance. It is unlikely that this effect was due to the known propensity of polyamines to release histamine because the hypotensive action of 2 mg X kg-1 spermine was unaltered by pretreatment with the H1 and H2 blockers, diphenhydramine and cimetidine. Evidence that the spermine effect is not mediated by circulating agents was shown by the ability of spermine to relax the precontracted guinea pig isolated aorta. These results in vascular smooth muscle may be added to those in other types of smooth muscle shown to be relaxed by polyamines; the polyamine effect on smooth muscle may be ubiquitous. These data also raise the possibility that changing concentrations of tissue polyamines may play a role in the regulation of tissue blood flow.
Fayetteville Green Lake, New York. 6. The role of turbidity currents in lake sedimentation1

Turbidity currents are formed in Fayetteville Green Lake by sediment shmlping on the sides of the lake basin. Deposition from these currents accounts for about 50% of all sediment accumulation on the floor of the main basin. Rate of sediment loss from the basin sides through the formation of turbidity currents approximately equals nonturbidite scdimentation rates on the gently sloping basin floor. Major turbidity currents arise most frequently where sources of terrestrial sediment are present. Major turbidity currents involve about 200-300 m3 (dry volume) sediment and cxtcnd over about 6 x 10’ m2. Turbidity currents may play an important role in lake sedimentation. Not only do they affect sedimentation rates but they apparcntly contribute to the development of both lateral and vertical variation in the sediments of larger lakes. Turbidity currents have apparently played a major role in sedimentation in l?ayetteville Green Lake (43”03’03”N, 75’57’59”W ) in north-central New York State. The sedimentary column is exccptionally well preserved showing varves composed of a dark and an overlying pale lamina and turbidites ( Ludlam 1969). The meromictic condition of this lake, along with its small size (0.258 km”), simple and regular morphology, and small, uniform watershed ( Brunskill and Ludlam 1969)) combine to eliminate or moderate many processes that would otherwise affect sedimentation. The lake, therefore, provides an cxccllent system in which to study the role of lacustrine turbidity currents in the deposition and distribution of sediment.
HYBRIDIZATION BETWEEN ANOPHELES CRUCIANS AND ANOPHELES BRADLEYI.

In the southeastern United States there exists the so-called crucians complex which consists of three species of the genus Anopheles: crucians, bradleyi and georgianus. They are morphologically very similar, and may be separated with certainty only as fourth instar larvae. Their ecological requirements are somewhat similar, as they have been found together in the same breeding places; however, bradleyi is usually found in more stagnant water than crucians which prefers fresher, clearer water. A. bradleyi also may occur in brackish water. The members of this species group have until recently been classified as subspecies of the species crucians. A study was made of the salivary gland chromosomes of crucians and bradleyi (Kreutzer and Kitzmiller, in press), which indicated that in addition to the morphological similarities there existed a close chromosomal similarity between the two species. The banding patterns of the chromosome arms were not only similar at the ends of the autosomes, which is common among the members of the subgenus, but also extensive areas in the interior of the autosomes showed striking similarities. In addition the X chromosome of the two species showed distinct similarities, a phenomenon not demonstrated before in Nearctic anophelines (Kitzmiller et al., 1967). The banding patterns of the salivary chromosomes of these species differed by probably no more than five paracentric inversions, plus a few single band differences in each arm. Due to these morphological and chromosomal similarities a further study was undertaken to determine the amount of gene flow that might be possible between the two species. The method used to measure the gene flow was a series of interspecific crosses and backcrosses. The crosses made were as follows :
Simulation and experiment validation of simultaneous vibration control and energy harvesting from buildings using Tuned Mass Dampers

For the protection of the structure safety and occupant comfort, the vibrations of the tall buildings are serious concerns for both engineers and architects. In order to mitigate the vibration, different approaches have been proposed, among which Tuned Mass Dampers (TMDs) are one of the most preferable and have been widely used in practice. Instead of dissipating the vibration energy into heat waste via the viscous damping element, this paper presents an approach to harvest the vibration energy from tall buildings with TMDs, by replacing the damping element with electromagnetic harvester. This paper demonstrates that vibration control and energy harvesting can be obtained simultaneously. Based on the proposed switch based energy harvesting circuit with both power regulation and force control functions, two control strategies are investigated in this paper. One is the clipped Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) control, where the TMD is controlled in a semi-active way with practical force constraints while electricity is harvested. The other one is an implemented energy-harvesting TMD with the duty cycle of the energy harvesting circuit controlled by Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). In this case, the vibration performance is quite close to the traditional TMD while the vibration energy is converted into electricity. An experiment using the second control strategy is conducted based on a three-stories building prototype with electricity generating TMD composed of a rotational motor and rack-pinion mechanism.
Spin-Flipping Associated With the Antiferromagnet IrMn

We have used current-perpendicular-to-plane magnetoresistance measurements of Py-based exchange-biased spin-valves containing IrMn inserts of thickness t to estimate the spin-flipping probability of the antiferromagnet IrMn. From t=0 to t= 1 nm, we find a rapid decrease in A?R=A(RAP - RP) , by about a factor of 50-here A is the area through which the CPP current flows, and RAP and RP are the resistances with the moments of the two Py layers oriented anti-parallel (AP) or parallel (P) to each other. We attribute this decrease to very strong spin-flipping in the IrMn/Cu interfacial region, with effective spin diffusion length l sf IrMn/Cu= 0.24 nm, only about 1 monolayer (ML). But for t from 2 to 5 nm, the decrease of A?R with increasing IrMn thickness is much slower. The reason for this slowing is not yet clear.
Chromatin Remodeling Factor Brg1 Supports the Early Maintenance and Late Responsiveness of Nestin-Lineage Adult Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells

Insights from embryonic development suggest chromatin remodeling is important in adult neural stem cells (aNSCs) maintenance and self-renewal, but this concept has not been fully explored in the adult brain. To assess the role of chromatin remodeling in adult neurogenesis, we inducibly deleted Brg1--the core subunit of SWI/SNF-like Brg1/Brm-associated factor chromatin remodeling complexes--in nestin-expressing aNSCs and their progeny in vivo and in culture. This resulted in abnormal adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus, which initially reduced hippocampal aNSCs and progenitor maintenance, and later reduced its responsiveness to physiological stimulation. Mechanistically, deletion of Brg1 appeared to impair cell cycle progression, which is partially due to elevated p53 pathway and p21 expression. Knockdown of p53 rescued the neurosphere growth defects caused by Brg1 deletion. Our results show that epigenetic chromatin remodeling (via a Brg1 and p53/p21-dependent process) determines the aNSCs and progenitor maintenance and responsiveness of neurogenesis.
Predictors of the persistence of male aggression in early marriage

The prediction of husband-to-wife physical aggression was examined in a sample of 94 community couples in which the husband had engaged in at least one act of physical aggression toward his partner during the engagement period. Predictors were measured approximately one month prior to marriage, and physical aggression was assessed again at 6, 18, and 30 months postmarriage. Over seventy-six percent of the men who were physically aggressive during the engagement period were physically aggressive at one or more of the next three assessments across the initial 30 months of marriage. Nearly 62% were severely aggressive at one or more assessments. Results were generally supportive of the hypothesis that risk factors for persistent antisocial behavior would predict the persistence of aggression. More frequent physical partner aggression, aggressive personality styles, general aggression, and witnessing interparental aggression in the family of origin were associated with continued aggression. Only general aggression, and premarital physical aggression predicted the persistence of severe aggression.
Enabling Rapid Feature Deployment on Embedded Platforms with JeCOM Bridge

A new class of embedded devices is emerging that has a mixture of traditional firmware (written in C/C++) with an embedded virtual machine (e.g., Java). For these devices, the main part of the application is usually written in C/C++ for efficiency and extensible features can be added on the virtual machine (even after product shipment). These late bound features need access to the C/C++ code and may in fact replace or extend functionality that was originally deployed in ROM. This paper describes the JeCOM bridge that dramatically simplifies development and deployment of such add-on features for the embedded devices and allows the features to be added without requiring the firmware to be reburned or reflashed. After being dynamically loaded onto the device’s Java virtual machine, the JeCOM bridge facilitates transparent bi-directional communication between the Java application and the underlying firmware. Our bridging approach focuses on embedded applications development and deployment, and makes several significant advances over traditional Java Native Interface or other fixed stub/skeleton COM/CORBA/RMI approaches. In particular, we address object discovery, object lifecycle management, and memory management for parameter passing. While the paper focuses on the specific elements and experiences with an HP proprietary infrastructure, the techniques developed are applicable to a wide range of mixed language and mixed distributed object-based systems.
The rise of Clostridium difficile infection in lung transplant recipients in the modern era.

Purpose Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) rates have been rising in recent years. We aimed to characterize CDI in lung transplant recipients in the modern era and hypothesized that CDI would increase the mortality risk. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of patients undergoing transplantation at our center from 1/2006 to 7/2011. Attributes of CDI+ and CDI− groups were compared using Student's t- and chi-square tests (α = 0.05). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to control for confounding factors. Results Overall CDI incidence was 22.5%. Seven of 151 patients (4.6%) developed CDI during the initial hospitalization after transplantation (mean time 10.6 ± 6 d) while 27 patients (19.7%) developed CDI after discharge (mean time 467 ± 471 d). Incidence rate was 224.6 cases/100 000 patient-days compared to 110 cases/100 000 patient-days (rate for entire hospital). CDI was not predictive of mortality (HR 2.06, 95% CI 0.94–4.52). Conclusion CDI rates in lung transplant recipients are high in the modern era. No risk factors for CDI were identified. Although not statistically significant, CDI+ patients had a higher risk of death. The economic burden of CDI and trend toward worse outcomes for CDI patients have important implications for post-operative surveillance of CDI-related complications and need for CDI prophylaxis.
The effect of delayed postoperative irradiation on local control of soft tissue sarcomas of the extremity and torso.

Abstract Purpose: The impact of delayed adjuvant radiotherapy in patients treated by surgical resection for peripheral or torso soft tissue sarcoma has not been well characterized. We retrospectively examined this issue in an institutional patient cohort. Methods and Materials: One hundred two adult patients were treated at the University of Washington Medical Center between 1981 and 1998 with postoperative radiotherapy for cure of a newly diagnosed soft tissue sarcoma. Of this group, 58 patients had primary intermediate- or high-grade disease of the extremity or torso (50 extremity/8 torso). Tumor histology was predominantly malignant fibrohistiocytoma, synovial cell sarcoma, and leiomyosarcoma. The group was dichotomized according to time interval from definitive resection to the start of adjuvant radiation. Twenty-six patients had a short delay, defined as Results: Overall local relapse-free survival at 5 years from the time of definitive resection was 74%. On univariate analysis, estimated 5-year local relapse-free survival was significantly improved in the short-delay group (88% vs. 62% for the long-delay group, p = 0.048 by log rank). Overall distant relapse-free survival, disease-free survival, and overall survival at 5 years were 77%, 68%, and 86%, respectively. These survival outcomes were statistically equivalent in both radiation delay groups. There was no evidence to suggest that delaying adjuvant systemic therapy for postoperative radiation negatively impacted distant relapse-free survival, disease-free survival, or overall survival. Patterns of failure analysis revealed that 11/12 disease failures in the long-delay group had a local component, with five patients presenting with solitary local recurrences. Severe chronic radiation-related soft tissue or peripheral nerve morbidity was infrequent (5/58 or 8.6%) and similar in both groups. Conclusions: Postoperative radiation delays of 4 months or greater were associated with inferior local disease control for intermediate- and high-grade soft tissue sarcomas of the extremity and torso. Our results suggest that timing postoperative radiation before postoperative chemotherapy may optimize local therapy for such patients without adversely affecting distant disease control, long-term morbidity, or overall survival. Prospective testing of this hypothesis is warranted.
The Calculation of the Armature Reactance of Synchronous Machines

This paper presents new and simplified formulas for the armature leakage reactance of synchronous machines, and compares the results obtained with tests on 100 machines of varied types. The new formulas are characterized by novel expressions for the end leakage and for the ``air-gap'' or ``differential leakage'' reactances. Formulas for zero phase-sequence reactances are also given. The definitions of armature leakage and armature reaction reactances used are those proposed by Doherty and Nickle in 1926, and as a result the leakage reactance has a much smaller value than has heretofore been assigned to it, thus requiring a rather fundamental revision of the ordinary conceptions of the flux densities existing in the various parts of a loaded synchronous machine.
Design of a 5-6 GHz single balanced Schottky diode mixer

This paper discusses the design of a 5-6 GHz single balanced mixer using Agilent's HSMS-286B. The mixer development begins with simulations on the diode's impedance using Agilent's advanced design system (ADS). Based on simulated data, a single diode mixer is then designed and verified through ADS. Assumptions were made in the IF matching requirement when combining the two single diode mixers into a balanced form and the entire balanced structure is again verified using ADS. The actual mixer was physically built and fairly good performance was obtained.
Early detection of stator voltage imbalance in three-phase induction motors

Abstract Online health monitoring of electric motors is of paramount interest to various applications. As the operation of industrial processes becomes more complex, the cost of health monitoring increases dramatically. To this end, much efforts have been directed towards enhancement of fault diagnostics and prognostics in electric motors, largely based on conventional signal processing and pattern classification. This paper formulates and experimentally validates a recently reported technique, called Symbolic Dynamic Filtering (SDF), for early detection of stator voltage imbalance in three-phase induction motors. The SDF-based imbalance detection algorithm is built upon the principles of wavelet transforms and symbolic time series analysis.
Mechanism synthesis theory and the design of robots

The synthesis theory for spatial linkage systems can be formulated in a way that is compatible with the geometric design of serial and parallel chain robotic systems. Mechanism design generally seeks exact solutions for a finite approximation, to the trajectory of a moving frame. In contrast, robots must have a six-degree-of-freedom workspace with specific characteristics such as shape and size. The paper describe an inventor's environment that fits these workspaces to a designers specification. Current results yield the five-degree-of-freedom TS robot and four-degree-of-freedom CC robot that fit a desired continuous task.
Human live birth and sperm–sex ratios compared

The human secondary sex ratio is compared with the percentage of Y-chromosome bearing spermatozoa in human semen. Live birth sex ratio is about 51.3%, whereas the overall percentage of Y-chromosome bearing spermatozoa in our study samples was 50.3%, i.e. 1% closer to the proportion expected by Mendelian segregation. The observed difference between live birth and sperm-sex ratios was significant (P < 0.0001). A possible effect of male age on the percentage Y-bearing spermatozoa was found to be non-significant.
Complications associated with percutaneous nephrolithotomy

The increasing global prevalence of nephrolithiasis continues to burden the healthcare delivery systems of industrialized nations and exact a disproportionate humanitarian toll on populations of the developing world (1). In the United States alone, the prevalence of nephrolithiasis is nearly twice the rate reported in the 1960s (2-5). The subsequent rise in surgical interventions for nephrolithiasis has resulted in the development of new minimally invasive technologies and techniques, but it has also led to the resurgence of established methods such as percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL).
Symbol-Level Synchronization and LDPC Code Design for Insertion/Deletion Channels

We investigate a promising coding scheme over channels impaired by insertion, deletion, and substitution errors, i.e., interleaved concatenation of an outer low-density parity-check (LDPC) code with error-correction capabilities and an inner marker code for synchronization purposes. To limit the decoding latency, we start with a single-pass decoding algorithm, that is, marker code-based synchronization is performed only once per received packet and iterative decoding with information exchange between the inner decoder and outer decoder is not allowed. Through numerical evaluations, we first find the marker code structures which offer the ultimate achievable rate when standard bit-level synchronization is performed. Then, to exploit the correlations in the likelihoods corresponding to different transmitted bits, we introduce a novel symbol-level synchronization algorithm that works on groups of consecutive bits, and show how it improves the achievable rate along with the error rate performance by capturing part of the rate loss due to interleaving. When decoding latency is not an issue and multiple-pass decoding is performed, we utilize extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) charts to analyze the convergence behavior of the receiver, which leads to design of outer LDPC codes with good degree distributions. Finally, design examples are provided along with simulation results which confirm the advantage of the newly designed codes over the ones optimized for the standard additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels, especially for channels with severe synchronization problems.
“They’re Shocked That I’m Doing Research!”: Supporting an Early Career Teacher’s Inquiry in Teaching Informative Writing

An early career sixth grade classroom teacher and a teacher educator undertook a qualitative inquiry to investigate implementing the Common Core Writing standards. Using Feiman-Nemser’s (2001) theoretical framework of Central Tasks of Learning to Teach, this article closely examines supportive factors that can sustain and contribute to early career teachers’ learning and their commitment to the teaching profession. Data included teacher pre- and postinterviews, transcripts of monthly meetings, and teacher reflection. Findings revealed that a collaborative partnership between classroom teachers and teacher educators can help to anchor early career teachers in reform-minded teaching through coherent, connected learning opportunities, to afford talk with like-minded colleagues to study one’s own teaching practices, to sustain learning and cultivate an ongoing disposition toward reflective practice, and to encourage questions that matter as integral to their intellectual work. Implications for continuing teac...
Low complex ganglioside expression characterizes human neuroblastoma cell lines

Low (≤35%) or absent expression of the complex ‘b’ pathway gangliosides GD1b, GT1b and GQ1b (CbG) correlates with an aggressive biological phenotype in human neuroblastoma tumors. To develop an in vitro model to probe mechanisms by which CbG may contribute to neuroblastoma behavior, we have comprehensively evaluated ganglioside expression in nine well-established human neuroblastoma cell lines, all derived from poor prognosis tumors. Total cellular ganglioside content ranged from 8 to 69 nmol/108 cells. High performance thin layer chromatography revealed that the simple disialoganglioside GD2 was prominent in eight of the cell lines (up to 60% of total gangliosides), whereas CbG were low (1–21%) in all nine cell lines. The structurally most complex ‘b’ pathway species, GQ1b, was not detected in any of the cell lines. The prominence of GD2 in neuroblastoma cell lines mirrors the high expression of GD2 that characterizes human neuroblastoma tumors, and the low CbG expression in the cell lines is analogous to that found in clinically and biologically unfavorable neuroblastoma tumors, thus establishing these neuroblastoma cell lines as valuable model systems for study of the role of CbG in the pathobiology of human neuroblastoma.
Integral Image Optimizations for Embedded Vision Applications

This paper illustrates the importance of both algorithmic and embedded software techniques for an optimal embedded implementation of an image analysis and computer vision function: the integral image. A naive, straightforward implementation of the integral image on an embedded processor will likely produce an unacceptable execution time. However, by applying recursion and double buffering, one can improve execution time by several orders of magnitude. We compare execution times and memory utilization for each of the optimization techniques applied. These techniques can also be applied to implement other computer vision functions on programmable processor architectures.
SHAPE-Seq: High-Throughput RNA Structure Analysis.

Knowledge of RNA structure is critical to understanding both the important functional roles of RNA in biology and the engineering of RNA to control biological systems. This article contains a protocol for selective 2′-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension and sequencing (SHAPE-Seq) that, through a combination of structure-dependent chemical probing and next-generation sequencing technologies, achieves structural characterization of hundreds of RNAs in a single experiment. This protocol is applicable in a variety of conditions, and represents an important tool for understanding RNA biology. The protocol includes methods for the design and synthesis of RNA mixtures for study, and the construction and analysis of structure-dependent sequencing libraries that reveal structural information of the RNAs in the mixtures. The methods are generally applicable to studying RNA structure and interactions in vitro in a variety of conditions, and allows for the rapid characterization of RNA structures in a high-throughput manner.
Martian post-impact hydrothermal systems incorporating freezing

Abstract We simulate the evolution of post-impact hydrothermal systems within 45 km and 90 km diameter craters on Mars. We focus on the effects of freezing, which alters the permeability structure and fluid flow compared with unfrozen cases. Discharge rates, total discharge and water–rock ratios increase with permeability. Systems with permeabilities of 10−10 m2 or higher exhibit convection in the hydrosphere, allowing them to derive heat from greater depths. Surface discharges persist for ∼103–105 years under freezing surface conditions, with higher permeabilities permitting longer lifetimes. Maximum discharge rates and total discharges range from 0.1 to 10 m3 s−1 and 109 to 1012 m3, respectively, for systems with permeabilities between 10−14 and 10−12 m2. Near-surface water–rock ratios range from
Amidoxime-functionalized microcrystalline cellulose–mesoporous silica composites for carbon dioxide sorption at elevated temperatures

Amidoxime-functionalized microcrystalline cellulose (MCC)–mesoporous silica composites were prepared for the first time by a two-step process. First, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC)–mesoporous silica with cyanopropyl groups (MCC-CP) was obtained by solvent evaporation-induced self-assembly of MCC, tetraethylorthosilicate, and (3-cyanopropyl)triethoxysilane in the presence of a Pluronic P123 triblock copolymer under acidic conditions. In the next step, the resulting material was treated with hydroxylamine hydrochloride to convert cyanopropyl groups into amidoxime functionalities to obtain a mesoporous MCC-AO composite. A series of MCC-CP and MCC-AO samples was examined for CO2 sorption at ambient (25 °C) and elevated (120 °C) temperatures. While the MCC-CP and MCC-AO samples showed relatively low CO2 uptake under ambient conditions, they performed very well at elevated temperatures (120 °C) reaching CO2 sorption capacities of 2.15–2.41 mmol g−1 (MCC-CP) and 2.84–3.85 mmol g−1 (MCC-AO). The CO2 sorption capacity of MCC-AO at 120 °C exceeds the values reported so far for many other sorbents, which makes this material attractive for CO2 capture in addition to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-toxicity, low cost, cycle stability, and good thermal and mechanical stability.
Fracture Modes in Ll2 Compounds

This paper reports a study of grain boundary segregation and fracture modes in Ll2 intermetallic compounds. Data obtained on Ni3A1, Ni3Si, Ni3Ga, Ni3Ge, and Pt3Ga will be presented. It will be shown that the amount of boron segregation and its ability to improve cohesion depends on the total composition of the compound. The beneficial effects of boron can be counteracted by the presence of borides on the grain boundaries. Carbon additions also produce some improvement in ductility in Ni3Si.
Food intake and activity of rats with rostral hypothalamic lesions.

SummaryRats with lesions placed bilaterally in the region of the anterior hypothala-mus, when compared with control rats, eat more food in the heat, eat less food at cool and cold temperatures, and run less in response to cold stress. In addition, it was demonstrated that abnormalities in temperature regulation following the lesions are not transitory, but are clearly evident 9 months after the operations.
Pain and Suffering Awards for Consumer Product Accidents: Effects of Suggesting Day-Rate Information:

Studies of juror decisions regarding pain and suffering awards in product liability litigation tend to show substantial variability across participants. A possible explanation is that jurors do not...
Molecularly resolved images of peptide-functionalized gold surfaces by scanning tunneling microscopy

Peptide-terminated monolayers were formed through a Huisgen cycloaddition reaction between an α-helical peptide containing two propargylglycine unnatural functional groups 20 A apart and an alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on a gold surface containing 25% surface density of reactive azide terminal groups. The azide- and peptide-terminated surfaces were imaged by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) using a low tunneling current of 10 pA. On the peptide-terminated surface, oblong features ∼30 A long and ∼20 A wide were observed and attributed to individual surface-bound α-helical peptides oriented parallel to the gold surface. These features covered an area of the surface corresponding to a density of 0.11 ± 0.01 peptides nm–2, compared with a theoretical density of ∼0.14 peptides nm–2 for a fully reacted surface. Finally, no evidence of peptide aggregation was observed on either short (<10 nm) or long (∼100 nm) length scales.
Measuring intramuscular fat in beef with ultrasonic frequency analysis.

Frequency analysis of Fourier spectra from ultrasonic signals was used for predicting intramuscular fat content of beef tissue. The most significant parameter in the frequency domain for predicting intramuscular fat concentration in beef was the number of local maxima. It represents the discontinuity of the Fourier spectrum caused by inhomogeneous fat concentrations in the longissimus muscle, which had the correlation coefficient .89 (P < .05) when a 2.25-MHz shear probe was used. The optimum frequency for predicting the amount of intramuscular fat content in the longissimus muscle was found to be 1.92 MHz. A multivariate regression model was developed using parameters in the frequency domain as follows: percentage of fat concentration = 1.790 - 2.373x (lower frequency) + .049x (bandwidth) + 1.178x (local maxima) (R2 = .82). Validation demonstrated that the multivariate model in the frequency domain was capable of predicting intramuscular fat concentration with an average of 1.17 percentage of fat error (P < .05). The multivariate model was most appropriate for predicting intramuscular fat below 4%. The mean accuracy of the model in the frequency domain was approximately 79%.
Social-Based Routing for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks in Fixed-Route Transportation Scenarios

A social-based fixed-route transportation routing scheme in vehicle networks is designed in this paper. First, to manage the messages effectively and to ensure the messages with high deliverability being sent preferentially, a messages management mechanism designed by the inspiration of real-human social regularity is proposed. Second, nodes in the network are divided into different communities according to the contact periodicity regularity of vehicles with fixed-routes, which will be easy to design different routing algorithms under two cases, that are selected by nodes sending messages effectively. Further, by the selection of the social parameters fit for different cases via analyzing the characteristics of fixed-route transportation, as well as the consideration of the signal strengthen between the nodes, the routing algorithms are design finally. Simulation results have shown that the proposed scheme is both feasible and effective.
de Sitter Space is Unstable in Quantum Gravity

Graviton loop corrections to observables in de Sitter space often lead to infrared divergences. We show that these infrared divergences are resolved by the spontaneous breaking of de Sitter invariance.
Using Cost Analysis for Strategic Technology Development of Advanced Ceramics Manufacturing

AbstractA methodology called Technical Cost Modeling has been developed at IBIS Associates and applied to the understanding of advanced ceramic production economics. This understanding has been used to focus and direct technology development strategy.
Reliability aging and modeling of chip-package interaction on logic technologies featuring high-k metal gate planar and FinFET transistors

Despite chip-package interaction (CPI) has been extensively used in nano-electronics industry, impact of CPI stress on transistor performance and reliability remains unclear. In this work, performance change of transistor featuring HK/MG planar and FinFET by 4-point bending experiments were conducted to study stress evolution. Finite-element modeling (FEM) simulation revealed that P-FinFET mobility change is less sensitive to applied stress than planar. Device reliability as BTI/HCI and ring oscillator frequency drift of both planar and FinFET are all immune to strain. Moreover, FinFET mobility degradation caused by NBTI is independent of strain type, due to its fully-depleted regime. Management of carrier mobility shifts and transistor aging by optimized chip package technology are also presented in this study.
Transcript Polymorphism Rates in Soybean Seed Tissue Are Increased in a Single Transformant of Glycine max

Transgenic crops have been utilized for decades to enhance agriculture and more recently have been applied as bioreactors for manufacturing pharmaceuticals. Recently, we investigated the gene expression profiles of several in-house transgenic soybean events, finding one transformant group to be consistently different from our controls. In the present study, we examined polymorphisms and sequence variations in the exomes of the same transgenic soybean events. We found that the previously dissimilar soybean line also exhibited markedly increased levels of polymorphisms within mRNA transcripts from seed tissue, many of which are classified as gene expression modifiers. The results from this work will direct future investigations to examine novel SNPs controlling traits of great interest for breeding and improving transgenic soybean crops. Further, this study marks the first work to investigate SNP rates in transgenic soybean seed tissues and demonstrates that while transgenesis may induce abundant unanticipated changes in gene expression and nucleotide variation, phenotypes and overall health of the plants examined remained unaltered.
Tribology behavior on scratch tests: Effects of yield strength

A three-dimensional (3D) scratch model is proposed to investigate the effects of yield strength of both coatings and substrates. With the help of combined Coulomb and plastic friction, the obtained results comprehensively interpret the experimental phenomena in most metals that with the growth of hardness after heat treatment the scratch friction coefficient (SFC) increases. This interpretation could not be done before. Scratch tests on the surface with or without the coating are discussed. Without the coating the SFC increases due to the decrease of the area with plastic slippage and/or the increase of friction stress during the increase of the yield strength in the material. With a softer substrate the friction stress decreases but the SFC increases, which is caused by the growth of the entire contact area and surface deformation. Conversely, with a stronger substrate the SFC decreases due to an intensified plastic slippage. The obtained results pave a new way to understanding the effects of yield strength on scratch tests, interpret experimental phenomena, and should be helpful for an optimum design in experiments.
Single-Cell RNA Sequencing: Unraveling the Brain One Cell at a Time

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is an exciting new technology allowing the analysis of transcriptomes from individual cells, and is ideally suited to address the inherent complexity and dynamics of the central nervous system. scRNA-seq has already been applied to the study of molecular taxonomy of the brain. These works have paved the way to expanding our understanding of the nervous system and provide insights into cellular susceptibilities and molecular mechanisms in neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. We discuss recent progress and challenges in applying this technology to advance our understanding of the brain. We advocate the application of scRNA-seq in the discovery of targets and biomarkers as a new approach in developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.