cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultralow-Power Design in Near-Threshold Region

Operation in the subthreshold region most often is synonymous to minimum-energy operation. Yet, the penalty in performance is huge. In this paper, we explore how design in the moderate inversion region helps to recover some of that lost performance, while staying quite close to the minimum-energy point. An energy-delay modeling framework that extends over the weak, moderate, and strong inversion regions is developed. The impact of activity and design parameters such as supply voltage and transistor sizing on the energy and performance in this operational region is derived. The quantitative benefits of operating in near-threshold region are established using some simple examples. The paper shows that a 20% increase in energy from the minimum-energy point gives back ten times in performance. Based on these observations, a pass-transistor based logic family that excels in this operational region is introduced. The logic family operates most of its logic in the above-threshold mode (using low-threshold transistors), yet containing leakage to only those in subthreshold. Operation below minimum-energy point of CMOS is demonstrated. In leakage-dominated ultralow-power designs, time-multiplexing will be shown to yield not only area, but also energy reduction due to lower leakage. Finally, the paper demonstrates the use of ultralow-power design techniques in chip synthesis.
Multi-item service constrained (s, S) policies for spare parts logistics systems

Many organizations providing service support for products or families of products must allocate inventory investment among the parts (or, identically, items) that make up those products or families. The allocation decision is crucial in today's competitive environment in which rapid response and low levels of inventory are both required for providing competitive levels of customer service in marketing a firm's products. This is particularly important in high-tech industries, such as computers, military equipment, and consumer appliances. Such rapid response typically implies regional and local distribution points for final products and for spare parts for repairs. In this article we fix attention on a given product or product family at a single location. This single-location problem is the basic building block of multi-echelon inventory systems based on level-by-level decomposition, and our modeling approach is developed with this application in mind. The product consists of field-replaceable units (i.e., parts), which are to be stocked as spares for field service repair. We assume that each part will be stocked at each location according to an (s, S) stocking policy. Moreover, we distinguish two classes of demand at each location: customer (or emergency) demand and normal replenishment demand from lower levels in the multiechelon system. The basic problem of interest is to determine the appropriate policies (siSi) for each part i in the product under consideration. We formulate an approximate cost function and service level constraint, and we present a greedy heuristic algorithm for solving the resulting approximate constrained optimization problem. We present experimental results showing that the heuristics developed have good cost performance relative to optimal. We also discuss extensions to the multiproduct component commonality problem.
RTA, a candidate G protein-coupled receptor: cloning, sequencing, and tissue distribution.

Abstract Genomic and cDNA clones, encoding a protein that is a member of the guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory protein (G protein)-coupled receptor superfamily, were isolated by screening rat genomic and thoracic aorta cDNA libraries with an oligonucleotide encoding a highly conserved region of the M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor. Sequence analyses of these clones showed that they encode a 343-amino acid protein (named RTA). The RTA gene is single copy, as demonstrated by restriction mapping and Southern blotting of genomic clones and rat genomic DNA. Sequence analysis of the genomic clone further showed that the RTA gene has an intron interrupting the region encoding the amino terminus of the protein. RTA RNA sequences are relatively abundant throughout the gut, vas deferens, uterus, and aorta but are only barely detectable (on Northern blots) in liver, kidney, lung, and salivary gland. In the rat brain, RTA sequences are markedly abundant in the cerebellum. RTA is most closely related to the mas oncogene (34% identity), which has been suggested to be a forebrain angiotensin receptor. We cannot detect angiotensin binding to the RTA protein after introducing the cognate cDNA or mRNA into COS cells or Xenopus oocytes, respectively, nor can we detect an electrophysiologic response in the oocyte after application of angiotensin peptides. We conclude that RTA is not an angiotensin receptor; to date, we have been unable to identify its ligand.
Coverings and matchings in r -partite hypergraphs

Ryser's conjecture postulates that for r -partite hypergraphs, τ ≤ (r - 1)ν where τ is the covering number of the hypergraph and ν is the matching number. Although this conjecture has been open since the 1960s, researchers have resolved it for special cases such as for intersecting hypergraphs where r ≤ 5. In this article, we prove several results pertaining to matchings and coverings in r -partite intersecting hypergraphs. First, we prove that finding a minimum cardinality vertex cover for an r -partite intersecting hypergraph is NP-hard. Second, we note Ryser's conjecture for intersecting hypergraphs is easily resolved if a given hypergraph does not contain a particular subhypergraph, which we call a “tornado.” We prove several bounds on the covering number of tornados. Finally, we prove the integrality gap for the standard integer linear programming formulation of the maximum cardinality r -partite hypergraph matching problem is at least r - k where k is the smallest positive integer such that r - k is a prime power. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 2012 © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
MULTIVARIATE SEXUAL DIMORPHISM, SEXUAL SELECTION, AND ADAPTATION IN GREATER ANTILLEAN ANOLIS LIZARDS

Sexual variation in body form is a common phenomenon in the natural world. Although most research has focused on dimorphism in size, examination of differences in shape can provide insight into ecological factors that may differ in importance to the sexes. In this study, we investigated the patterns of body shape dimorphism in 15 species of Greater Antillean Anolis lizards and investigated whether these patterns can be explained by allometry, phylogenetic effect, or sexual differences in habitat use. We found extensive shape and ecological variation between males and females. Previous studies have been conducted on males only; we found that females have also evolved morphologies to match their habitats. However, we concluded that adaptive patterns differ for the sexes and that interspecific ecological variation is related more strongly to shape than to size for each sex. Previous studies on males have revealed repeated convergent evolution of morphology to habitat types (termed ''ecomorphs''). Here, we found that ecomorphs also differ in the magnitude and direction of shape dimorphism. These results cannot be accounted for by allometric scaling or by phylogenetic similarity (regardless of assumptions regarding evo- lutionary process); they support previous studies that have found important life-history differences for species of different habitat types. We found some evidence for independent adaptation of the sexes, but with more complex ecological patterning occurring between sexes than can be explained by sexual selection alone. Consequently, some combination of functional differences and sexual selection is required.
Viscoplastic Constitutive Modeling of High Strain-Rate Deformation, Material Damage, and Spall Fracture

The Perzyna viscoplastic constitutive theory, is used. The damage parameter for materials, is taken to be the void volume fraction. The hardening law is a nonlinear law that allows for the saturation of the hardening with increase of strain. The modified constitutive equations are then specialized to uniaxial deformation with multiaxial stress, which is typical of that occurring in flyer plate impact experiments
The effect of monomolecular films on the rate of gas absorption into a quiescent liquid

An experimental technique has been developed for measuring the permeability (or surface resistance) of various monolayers to gases, as well as their effectiveness in hindering any substrate motion which accompanies the absorption process. Results are reported for sulfur dioxide absorbing into water and into aqueous gels in the presence of several surface-active agents. Measured surface resistances extend from a maximum of 200 sec./cm. for a condensed layer of hexadecanol to an indeterminably small value for expanded and gaseous films. After an initial period in which transfer is by diffusion alone, convective motion sets in. The onset and magnitude of the convective motion is displayed by measured absorption rates into water covered with monomolecular films and into viscous gels. The relative magnitude of the convective retardation of the various films parallels their permeabilities, both effects being proportional to the compressibility of the monolayer.
Differential effects of exercise on body weight gain and adiposity in obesity-prone and -resistant rats.

Differential effects of exercise on body weight gain and adiposity in obesity-prone and -resistant rats
Nucleotide sequence and transcription of the soybean mitochondrial ATPase subunit 9 gene.

Elizabeth A. Grabau, ~* Catherine M. Asleson 2 and Burle G. Hegenbach Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA; 1 Present address: Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology and Weed Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA (*author for correspondence); 2Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
Symbolic Incorporation of External Procedures into Process Modeling Environments

Despite the widespread availability of sophisticated, user-friendly process modeling environments, the use of external procedures within these software packages will be necessary for quite some time. This paper illustrates the importance of properly handling these external procedures and describes a novel automated, symbolic approach for incorporating them correctly into an equation-oriented modeling environment.
Use of the dicarboxylate ligand m -phenylenedipropionate for the synthesis of new Mn/O clusters. Synthesis, characterization and magnetic properties

Abstract The quest for new Mn clusters that display large spin ground states or that can serve as a synthetic model for the water oxidation center in PSII has been pursued by using the dicarboxylate ligand m-phenylenedipropionate (mpdp2−). Ligand substitution of the acetate groups by this ligand in preformed clusters yields the compounds [Mn2O(mpdp)(bpy)2(MeCN)(H2O)](ClO4)2 (1) and [Mn3O(mpdp)3(py)3](ClO4) (2), both similar in structure and properties to their acetate analogs. In a different reaction, mpdp2− has allowed access to [Mn6O7(mpdp)3(bpy)3](ClO4) (3), a new structural type whose electronic structure has been explored by measurements of its DC susceptibility and data indicate that it possesses a S=3/2 ground state.
Application of LDGM-LDPC codes to secrecy coding for the type-II binary symmetric wiretap channel

This paper studies the problem of secrecy coding for the type-II binary symmetric memoryless wiretap channel. In this model, the main channel is binary-input and noiseless and the eavesdropper channel is binary-symmetric memoryless. A coding strategy based on secure nested codes is proposed. A capacity achieving length-n code for the eavesdropper channel bins the space {0, 1}n into co-sets which are used for secret messaging. The resulting co-set scheme achieves secrecy capacity of the type-II binary symmetric memoryless channel. As an example, the ensemble of capacity-achieving regular low-density generator-matrix/low-density parity-check (LDGM-LDPC) codes is studied as a basis for binning.
Make No Enemies: The Tourist Contending With The Terrorist

This article examines the relationship between terrorism and tourism. Although the travel and tourism industry and government have done much to control it, terrorism remains a powerful form of communication which utilizes the tourist to convey messages. Despite their understandable expectations of government and industry action against terrorism, potential tourists must assess risk on their own and take action to protect themselves as they travel and recreate. An analogy may be drawn to touristic medicine: just as the first line of defense in health care is the tourist, so the first line of defense against terrorism lies with the tourist.
Review: vasomotor symptoms peak at 1 year after final menstrual period and may persist for many years.

Source Citation Politi MC, Schleinitz MD, Col NF. Revisiting the duration of vasomotor symptoms of menopause: a meta-analysis. J Gen Intern Med. 2008;23:1507-13. 18521690
Nutritional experience and spacing of shock opportunities alter the effects of septal lesions on passive avoidance acquisition by male rats

Abstract Male rats which had received septal lesions or control operations were maintained on a 23 1 2 hour water deprivation schedule. They were tested on the acquisition of a water passive avoidance task under either of two schedules of shock availability. When septal rats were limited to one shock per daily session they did not require more shocks than controls in meeting the acquisition criterion (2 consecutive days without initiating shock). Regardless of shock schedule, rats with septal lesions met the acquisition criterion in the same number of days as controls. A presurgical history of dietary sodium depletion was also found to differentially affect the behavior of septal and control rats under the multiple-shock schedule. These results further indicate the importance of both experiential and situational variables in determining the behavioral effects of septal lesions.
High yield packaging for high-density multi-channel chip integration on flexible parylene substrate

This paper reports a new chip packaging technique for the assembly of retinal prosthesis device. Here, a photoresist is used as glue to attach a chip to the targeted parylene-C substrate so that 94% of the chip area is used as attachment to prevent delamination. As a validation, chips with 268 connections were used to assess the connection yield. The results show that this new technique, combined with an additional parylene-C coating, provide a high connection yield (>90%) and is a promising method for high-lead-count implant devices.
Antagonism of ethanol intoxication in rats by inhibitors of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase

The probable involvement of brain epinephrine in the expression of the acute sedative and intoxicating effects of ethanol and pentobarbital is demonstrated. Two selective inhibitors of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT), LY 134046 and LY78335, proved to be potent and long-lasting antagonists of ethanol intoxication in rats. Acute antagonism of pentobarbital-induced intoxication was observed with LY 134046. The present results are compatible with role for central epinephrine synthesis in ethanol and pentobarbital-induced sedation and intoxication in rats.
Reduction of measurement uncertainty by experimental design in high-order (double, triple, and quadruple) isotope dilution mass spectrometry: application to GC-MS measurement of bromide

Since its introduction a century ago, isotope dilution analysis has played a central role in developments of analytical chemistry. This method has witnessed many elaborations and developments over the years. To date, we have single, double, and even triple isotope dilution methods. In this manuscript, we summarize the conceptual aspects of isotope dilution methods and introduce the quadruple dilution and the concept of exact matching triple and quadruple dilutions. The comparison of isotope dilution methods is performed by determination of bromide ions in groundwater using novel ethyl-derivatization chemistry in conjunction with GC/MS. We show that the benefits of higher-order isotope dilution methods are countered with a greater need for careful experimental design of the isotopic blends. Just as for ID2MS, ID3MS and ID4MS perform best when the isotope ratio of one sample/spike blend is matched with that of a standard/spike blend (exact matching).
E-disclosure of campaign finance information: Divergent interests in the states

This study examines factors that influence transparency and access in e-disclosure of state campaign finances. Although e-disclosure has the potential to increase campaign finance transparency and real-time public access to information, little research has been conducted on the factors that have influenced the extent of state e-disclosure practices. E-disclosure practices are analyzed from 2003 through 2007 for the 50 states using multivariate cross-sectional time series analysis and data from the Campaign Disclosure Project. Findings indicate the positive influence of legislative professionalism and state resources on more comprehensive and transparent e-disclosure approaches. Findings also indicate the importance of political factors not found to be salient in earlier e-government research and an ideological divergence between political elites and the general public on the value of disclosure.
Market Incentives for Safe Foods: An Examination of Shareholder Losses from Meat and Poultry Recalls

Meat and poultry recalls, while voluntary, are carried out under governmental oversight. If firms have financial incentives to avoid being implicated in a recall situation, governmental involvement in recalls may cause firms to internalize social costs when making investment decisions concerning food safety controls. To examine these incentives, we analyze federally supervised meat and poultry recalls from 1982 to 1998 within an event study. Results show significant shareholder losses when publicly traded food companies are implicated in a recall involving serious food safety hazards. We find no evidence that the stock market reacts negatively when recalls involve less severe hazards. Each year unsafe foods sicken millions and lead to losses in terms of life and productivity. Mead et al. estimate that foodborne pathogens account for 76 million illnesses and 5,000 deaths in the United States. Given human error and the limitations of food safety technology, food items that pose undue risks to the public will be distributed from time to time. When this occurs, the firms involved stand to incur expenses related to recovering, disposing of, or reconditioning potentially contaminated products already placed on the market. In addition, negative publicity can lead to reductions in product demand and may erode prior investments in reputation and brand capital. These firms may also face costs from liability claims associated with an outbreak of food-related illnesses or injury. Our main objective in this paper is to examine reductions in food company valuations that result from food contamination incidents. We focus specifically on meat and poultry firms that have shipped products that were later recalled for food safety reasons. Because preventative actions taken by firms can affect the probability of being implicated in a product recall situation, the wealth that is lost when companies are required to recall
General schema for [0 0 1] tilt grain boundaries in dense packing cubic crystals

Abstract Atomic resolution Z-contrast images from a series of CeO2 [0 0 1] tilt grain boundaries at coincident site lattice (CSL) or near-CSL misorientations can all be explained within a structural unit model. These structural units (which cover all boundaries from 0° to 90°) show striking similarities to comparable CSL boundaries observed in cubic crystal structures that are also derived from dense packing (face centered cubic metal; rocksalt, perovskite, etc.). A general model for the structure of grain boundaries in such similarly structured materials systems has been developed that is based on the crystallography of the parent structures. Changes away from these predicted grain boundary symmetries can be interpreted as showing the frustration of symmetry caused by the incorporation of point defects (vacancies and impurities). This general model for grain boundary structures can, in principle, provide a means to infer the structure–property relationships in broad classes of materials.
Differential impaction of aerosols

Abstract A generalized expression for computing coagulation rates of aerosol by differential impaction is developed. This is solved for an aerosol flow past a cylinder and in an impactor. Potential flow conditions are used to obtain the velocity field. Significant enhancement of deposition of small particles occurs under high aerosol number concentration situations. Upper limits on number concentrations that can be used for unbiased sampling in impactors are developed.
Operation of Cap Orifice in a Rain Garden

AbstractThe rain garden is one of the most commonly used, low-impact development (LID) devices. Rain gardens are designed to reduce runoff volume, delay peak flow, and improve water quality in stormwater. A rain garden consists of surface and subsurface components: The surface component is a storage basin that stores the water quality capture volume (WQCV), whereas the subsurface structure is formed with a two-layered filtering medium. The drain time is the most important design parameter for the rain garden’s operation. A short drain time will lead to an inadequate residence time for the sedimentation process, whereas a long drain time will result in potential hazards to the public. A new rain garden usually has a high infiltration capacity through its filtering layers. Over years of service, the clogging effect will slow down its infiltration rate. To improve the performance of a rain garden through its life cycle, it is recommended that a cap orifice be installed at the outlet of the perforated underdr...
Synthesis and structure-property relationships of bismaleimides containing oxyalkylene linkages☆

Abstract The synthesis and the effects of variation in structure on the resulting processing and final properties of a series of bismaleimides based on diamines containing flexible units of variable length or flexible units of fixed length with varying-length pendent groups is presented. Thermal analysis, parallel-plate rheometry and torsion impregnated-cloth analysis were utilized to characterize the processing, cure and final properties. It was found that, by appropriately choosing the size of main-chain and pendent aliphatic groups in bismaleimides containing oxyalkylene linkages, one can control the breadth of the cure window without adversely affecting either thermal stability or final glass transition temperatures.
Enhancing an OAI-PMH Service Using Linked Data: A Report from the Sheet Music Consortium

This article discusses the metadata records aggregated by the Sheet Music Consortium using the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting. The consortium's website serves as a union catalog for more than a quarter of a million records, harvested from 27 providers. During a recent period of revision, the consortium decided to experiment with normalizing data and publishing authority data related to sheet music. A pilot project focused on sheet music publishers is discussed and the results are presented.
Endothelial–neutrophil interactions during ischemia and reperfusion injury: basic mechanisms of hyperbaric oxygen

Ischemia/reperfusion injury plays a central role in the development of tissue injury during multiple central nervous system diseases including acute stroke. Neutrophil adhesion to the endothelium indicates a major component of ischemia/reperfusion pathophysiology, and may be a target for therapeutic intervention. Hyperbaric oxygen has been documented to reduce ischemia/reperfusion injury in a number of different experimental models and in a single human randomized clinical trial. One mechanism responsible for the beneficial effect of hyperbaric oxygen in treatment of ischemia/reperfusion injury involves suppression of neutrophil-endothelial adhesion. This review intends to describe the current basic mechanisms responsible for hyperbaric oxygen-mediated inhibition of neutrophil-endothelial interactions following ischemia/reperfusion injury.
Dose de-escalation with gamma knife radiosurgery in the treatment of choroidal melanoma.

Purpose Single-fraction targeted radiation therapy delivered by the Leksell Gamma Knife system is a minimally invasive treatment option for choroidal melanoma that has been used as an alternative to enucleation, proton beam therapy, or brachytherapy. Previously reported Gamma Knife series involved the treatment of choroidal melanomas with a dose of 40 to 50 Gy at the tumor margin. We report our institutional experience using a significantly lower dose. Methods and Materials Fourteen patients with choroidal melanoma were treated with the Leksell Gamma Knife at our institution over a 7-year period. The treatment and clinical data were analyzed in a retrospective fashion after a mean follow-up of 32.2 months. Results The mean dose to the tumor margin was 22.2 ± 2.4 Gy (range, 20– 25 Gy). Mean treated tumor volume was 1.1 ± 1.2 cc. Local control was achieved in 13 cases (93%). In 1 patient both intraocular spread and distant metastatic disease developed after treatment. Visual function of the affected eye was preserved in 5 patients (36%) at latest follow-up, in 9 patients (64%) visual loss ensued. Mild to moderate radiation toxicity developed in 8 patients. Conclusions Choroidal melanoma can be safely and effectively treated using Leksell Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery with a marginal dose of less than 25 Gy.
WAT is a functional adipocyte

In vertebrates, adipose tissue is the main storage site for lipids within specialized lipid-laden mature adipocytes. While many species have evolved cells capable of lipid storage, the adipocyte represents a unique specialized cell involved in fuel storage, endocrine, nervous and immune function. However, the adipocytes are not the only cell type in mammals that can accumulate lipid droplets. The ectopic accumulation of lipid in non-adipose tissues including the liver, skeletal muscle, bone, pancreas, and heart in combination with its excessive accumulation in adipose tissue contributes to metabolic disease. Determining the lipid processing components that are necessary and sufficiently for lipid accumulation in adipose and non-adipose tissues, in addition to endocrine function, will lead to a clearer definition of an adipocyte.
Feminist Interventions in Electronic Environments

Abstract Recent feminist cultural studies of technology analyze how discourses and practices that circulate in high-tech culture reproduce and enact the same unequal power relations embedded in our institutions and day-to-day activities. Feminist interventions are communicative acts that bring attention to the shifting power relations within a specific discursive context. An analysis of the assumptions about audience that operate in electronic artifacts demonstrates how power relations play out within particular communities. The author argues that enacting feminist interventions in online environments changes the online community's identify and sense of audience, and that creating feminist multimedia can help ensure a more human, diverse and gender balanced human presence in all forms of technology and new media.
The p-torsion of the Farrell—Tate cohomology of the mapping class group Γp − 1

The mapping class group of a closed orientable surface of genus g, denoted Γg, is defined as the group of path components of the group of orientation preserving diffeomorphisms of the surface. We completely calculate the p-torsion of the Farrell-Tate cohomology of Γp − 1. The Farrell-Tate and ordinary cohomologies of Γg coincide above the virtual cohomological dimension 4g − 5. The basic method is to describe for Zp⊂Γp − 1 the quotient group N(Z / p) / Z / p as a finite extension of the pure mapping class group, where N(·) is the normalizer in Γp−1. Then putting a result of Cohen about the cohomology of the pure mapping class group into the Lyndon- Hochschild-Serre spectral sequence, we obtain the ordinary (and Farrell-Tate) cohomology of the normalizer group. The result about the p-torsion of the Farrell-Tate cohomology of Γp−1 then follows.
The Mouse Primary Visual Cortex Is a Site of Production and Sensitivity to Estrogens

The classic female estrogen, 17β-estradiol (E2), has been repeatedly shown to affect the perceptual processing of visual cues. Although gonadal E2 has often been thought to influence these processes, the possibility that central visual processing may be modulated by brain-generated hormone has not been explored. Here we show that estrogen-associated circuits are highly prevalent in the mouse primary visual cortex (V1). Specifically, we cloned aromatase, a marker for estrogen-producing neurons, and the classic estrogen receptors (ERs) ERα and ERβ, as markers for estrogen-responsive neurons, and conducted a detailed expression analysis via in-situ hybridization. We found that both monocular and binocular V1 are highly enriched in aromatase- and ER-positive neurons, indicating that V1 is a site of production and sensitivity to estrogens. Using double-fluorescence in-situ hybridization, we reveal the neurochemical identity of estrogen-producing and -sensitive cells in V1, and demonstrate that they constitute a heterogeneous neuronal population. We further show that visual experience engages a large population of aromatase-positive neurons and, to a lesser extent, ER-expressing neurons, suggesting that E2 levels may be locally regulated by visual input in V1. Interestingly, acute episodes of visual experience do not affect the density or distribution of estrogen-associated circuits. Finally, we show that adult mice dark-reared from birth also exhibit normal distribution of aromatase and ERs throughout V1, suggesting that the implementation and maintenance of estrogen-associated circuits is independent of visual experience. Our findings demonstrate that the adult V1 is a site of production and sensitivity to estrogens, and suggest that locally-produced E2 may shape visual cortical processing.
Run-Time versus Compile-Time Instruction Scheduling in Superscalar (RISC) Processors

The RISC revolution has spurred the development of processors with increasing degrees ofinstruction level parallelism(ILP). In order to realize the full potential of these processors, multiple instructions must continuously be issued and executed in a single cycle. Consequently,instruction schedulingplays a crucial role as an optimization in this context. While early attempts at instruction scheduling were limited to compile-time approaches, the current trends are aimed at providingdynamicsupport in hardware. In this paper, we present the results of a detailed comparative study of the performance advantages to be derived by the spectrum of instruction scheduling approaches: from limited basic-block schedulers in the compiler, to novel and aggressive schedulers in hardware. A significant portion of our experimental study via simulations, is devoted to understanding the performance advantages of run-time scheduling. Our results indicate it to be effective in extracting the ILP inherent to the program trace being scheduled, over a wide range of machine and program parameters. Furthermore, we also show that this effectiveness can be further enhanced by a simple basic-block scheduler in the compiler, which optimizes for the presence of the run-time scheduler in the target; current basic-block schedulers are not designed to take advantage of this feature. We demonstrate this fact by presenting a novel basic-block scheduling algorithm that is sensitive to the lookahead hardware in the target processor. Finally, we outline a simple analytical characterization of the performance advantage that run-time schedulers have to offer.
Fast computation of zero order Hankel transform

Abstract An algorithm for numerical evaluation of zero order Hankel transform is developed. The method involves one FFT evaluation and a summation of the interpolated FFT components. It compares favorably with other available techniques with regard to speed, accuracy, and ease of usage.
Domain and network aggregation of CdTe quantum rods within Langmuir–Blodgett monolayers

Control over the organization of quantum rods was demonstrated by changing the surface area at the air‐liquid interface by means of the Langmuir‐Blodgett (LB) technique. The LB isotherm of CdTe quantum rods capped with a mixture of alkylphosphines shows a transition point in the liquid‐solid state, which is caused by the inter-rod reorganization. As we observed, at low surface pressure the quantum rods are assembled into round-shaped aggregates composed of a monolayer of nanorods packed in limited-size clusters with random orientation. The increase of the surface pressure leads to the rearrangement of these aggregates into elongated bundles composed of uniformly oriented nanorod clusters. Further compression results in denser packing of nanorods aggregates and in the transformation of monolayered domains into a continuous network of locally ordered quantum rods.
Non-Alignment Features Based Enzyme/Non-Enzyme Classification Using an Ensemble Method

As a growing number of protein structures are resolved without known functions, using computational methods to help predict protein functions from the structures becomes more and more important. Some computational methods predict protein functions by aligning to homologous proteins with known functions, but they fail to work if such homology cannot be identified. In this paper we classify enzymes/non-enzymes using non-alignment features. We propose a new ensemble method that includes three support vector machines (SVM) and two k-nearest neighbor algorithms (k-NN) and uses a simple majority voting rule. The test on a data set of 697 enzymes and 480 non-enzymes adapted from Dobson and Doig shows 85.59% accuracy in a 10-fold cross validation and 86.49% accuracy in a leave-one-out validation. The prediction accuracy is much better than other non-alignment features based methods and even slightly better than alignment features based methods. To our knowledge, our method is the first time to use ensemble methods to classify enzymes/non-enzymes and is superior over a single classifier.
Engaging Students in Practice Evaluation: Defining and Monitoring Critical Initial Interview Components

Abstract The social work profession has strived for nearly a century to implement scientific methods to evaluate practice. Evidence indicates, however, that social workers currently do not evaluate their own practice. In this article, the author describes a method of engaging social work students in the evaluation of their own practice. Using this method, students focus on their implementation of the critical components of the initial interview in classroom role plays, field placements, and class assignments. The rationale for this approach is grounded in adult learning theories and the literature on research use by practitioners. An initial interview checklist is presented as one example of a tool for operationally defining initial interview components and for monitoring the implementation of these components.
A Comparison of Responses on the Attitudes Toward Women Scale and Attitudes Toward Feminism Scale: Is There a Difference Between College-Age and Later-Life Adults With the Original Norms?

Responses from college-age students and those 50 years and older were compared using the Attitudes Toward Women Scale and the Attitudes Toward Feminism Scale. Results from a multigroup confirmatory...
Towards cost-effective reliability through visualization of the reliability option space

In planning a complex system's development there can be many options to improve its reliability. Typically their sum total cost exceeds the budget available, so it is necessary to select judiciously from among them. Reliability models can be employed to calculate the cost and reliability implications of a candidate selection. However, there will typically be many such candidate selections, so we employ heuristic search techniques to explore reliability cost-benefit spaces, and visualization to present the results of these machine-conducted searches back to the expert designers to assist them in their decision making. This helps them understand (1) the overall cost-benefit trade space (how much reliability can be attained for a given level of expenditure, and how much additional reliability can be had for a modest increase in expenditure), and (2) the contribution of individual options (when an individual option (e.g., a test) contributes cost-effectively to the overall reliability). The net result is that expert human designers can make cost and benefit informed decisions on attainment of reliability. This approach is demonstrated on data drawn from planning the developments of advanced technologies for spacecraft.
Shedding light on avian influenza H4N6 infection in mallards: modes of transmission and implications for surveillance.

Background: Wild mallards (Anas platyrhychos) are considered one of the primary reservoir species for avian influenza viruses (AIV). Because AIV circulating in wild birds pose an indirect threat to agriculture and human health, understanding the ecology of AIV and developing risk assessments and surveillance systems for prevention of disease is critical. Methodology/Principal Findings: In this study, mallards were experimentally infected with an H4N6 subtype of AIV by oral inoculation or contact with an H4N6 contaminated water source. Cloacal swabs, oropharyngeal swabs, fecal samples, and water samples were collected daily and tested by real-time RT-PCR (RRT-PCR) for estimation of viral shedding. Fecal samples had significantly higher virus concentrations than oropharyngeal or cloacal swabs and 6 month old ducks shed significantly more viral RNA than 3 month old ducks regardless of sample type. Use of a water source contaminated by AIV infected
Genome-Wide Analyses in Bacteria Show Small-RNA Enrichment for Long and Conserved Intergenic Regions

Interest in finding small RNAs (sRNAs) in bacteria has significantly increased in recent years due to their regulatory functions. Development of high-throughput methods and more sophisticated computational algorithms has allowed rapid identification of sRNA candidates in different species. However, given their various sizes (50 to 500 nucleotides [nt]) and their potential genomic locations in the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions as well as in intergenic regions, identification and validation of true sRNAs have been challenging. In addition, the evolution of bacterial sRNAs across different species continues to be puzzling, given that they can exert similar functions with various sequences and structures. In this study, we analyzed the enrichment patterns of sRNAs in 13 well-annotated bacterial species using existing transcriptome and experimental data. All intergenic regions were analyzed by WU-BLAST to examine conservation levels relative to species within or outside their genus. In total, more than 900 validated bacterial sRNAs and 23,000 intergenic regions were analyzed. The results indicate that sRNAs are enriched in intergenic regions, which are longer and more conserved than the average intergenic regions in the corresponding bacterial genome. We also found that sRNA-coding regions have different conservation levels relative to their flanking regions. This work provides a way to analyze how noncoding RNAs are distributed in bacterial genomes and also shows conserved features of intergenic regions that encode sRNAs. These results also provide insight into the functions of regions surrounding sRNAs and into optimization of RNA search algorithms.
Impact of anesthesia and storage on posttranslational modifications of cardiac myofilament proteins

Although high fidelity measurements of posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of cardiac myofilament proteins exist, important issues remain regarding basic techniques of sample acquisition and storage. We investigated the effects of anesthetic regimen and sample storage conditions on PTMs of major ventricular sarcomeric proteins. Mice were anesthetized with pentobarbital (Nembutal), ketamine/xylazine mixture (Ket/Xyl), or tribromoethanol (Avertin), and the ventricular tissue was prepared and stored for 1, 7, 30, 60, or 90 days at −80°C. Myofilament protein phosphorylation and glutathionylation were analyzed by Pro-Q Diamond stain and Western blotting, respectively. With up to 7 days of storage, phosphorylation of troponin T was stable for samples from mice anesthetized with either Nembutal or Ket/Xyl but not Avertin; while myosin-binding protein C (MyBP-C) phosphorylation was reduced at 7 days with Nembutal and Ket/Xyl, though generally not significant until 90 days. Tropomyosin and regulatory myosin light chain phosphorylation were stable for up to 7 days regardless of the anesthetic regimen employed. In the case of Troponin I, by 7 days of storage there was a significant fall in phosphorylation across all anesthetics. Storage of samples from 30 to 90 days resulted in a general decrease in myofilament phosphorylation independent of the anesthetic. S-glutathionylation of MyBP-C presented a trend in reduced glutathionylation from days 30–90 in all anesthetics, with only day 90 being statistically significant. Our findings suggest that there are alterations in PTMs of major myofilament proteins from both storage and anesthetic selection, and that storage beyond 30 days will likely result in distortion of data.
Scale Effects in Flume Experiments on Flow around a Spur Dike in Flatbed Channel

This paper presents the findings from a series of flume experiments conducted to determine scale effects in small-scale models of flow around a single spur dike ~wing-dam, groyne, or abutment! placed in a channel whose bed is fixed and flat. The flow features of primary interest are flow-thalweg alignment ~line of maximum streamwise velocity! around a dike, and area extent of the flow-separation region ~wake! immediately downstream of the dike. Those features are of practical concern in the deployment of dikes for various channel control purposes. The scale effects of concern herein are those attributable to use small length scales together with a bed-shear stress parameter ~e.g., Shields parameter! as the primary criterion for dynamic similitude. Small-scale models, especially micromodels, often are used for investigating channel-control issues. Also, the shear-stress criterion is commonly used for models of flow in loose-bed channels, whereas Froude number commonly is the primary similitude criterion for models of fixed-bed open-channel flows. The experiments show that use of a shear-stress parameter as the primary criterion for dynamic similitude influences the flow thalweg and flow separation region at a dike. It does so by distorting pressure gradients around the model dike and by affecting turbulence generated by the dike. It also is shown that, for a range of small models, thalweg alignment and extent of separation region do not scale with model length scales. These findings are important for interpreting results from small hydraulic models, especially micromodels, of flow in loose-bed channels.
GNU radio open source vehicle detector

Vehicle detection has been dominated for several decades by magneto-inductive sensors including inductive loop sensors. The detection electronics estimate the frequency of an oscillator that changes dependent upon the inductance of the sensor. The algorithms used to estimate the sensor inductance and to detect vehicles are proprietary and vary between manufacturers. This has limited research in this area to using only data provided through manufacturer specific interfaces. Since the signal provided by the sensor is a frequency modulated (FM) signal, communications demodulation techniques may lead to advances in detection and higher fidelity vehicle signatures. This paper describes an open source vehicle detector that is based upon the GNU (GNU's Not Unix) Radio open source software defined radio project.
Real-Time Gravity Gradiometer Utilization to Improve INS Accuracy

This paper details a method for deriving approximate low-order filters for estimation of velocity error in an inertial navigation system. The filter inputs are obtained from two sources—a gravity gradiometer and some external velocity reference. It is the intent here to show that these approximate filters are near-optimal. Covariance comparisons are used to evaluate filter performance. The first of these comparisons reveals that the approximate filter gives very nearly the same rms estimate error as the Kalman filter. This result, however, assumes a rational gravity perturbation model which, although unrealistic, is required to implement the Kalman filter. In addition, a multiple-measu rement scheme employing the external velocity reference appears to significantly improve estimation accuracy. A second covariance study compares the rms estimation accuracy of the approximate filters obtained analytically and numerically when an irrational but more realistic gravity perturbation model is assumed. Agreement of these numbers justifies the "Schuler Dominance" assumption used in all the filter derivations and therefore gives greater weight to the claim of filter near-optimality.
A QoS-based routing algorithm in multimedia satellite networks

Real-time multimedia applications impose strict delay bounds and are sensitive to delay variations. Satellite link handover increases delay jitter and signaling overhead as well as the termination probability of ongoing connections. To satisfy the QoS requirements of multimedia applications, satellite routing protocols should consider link handovers and minimize their effect on the active connections. A new routing algorithm is proposed to reduce both the inter-satellite handover and ISL handover. Once a connection request arrives, the remaining coverage time of satellites is used in the deterministic UDL routing. In the probabilistic ISL routing, the propagation delay and existence probability of ISL links are considered to reduce the delay and ISL handover probability. The rerouting algorithm is called when link handover occurs. Experiments show that this routing algorithm results in small delay jitter, low rerouting frequency, and low rerouting processing overhead.
Effect of pH and Food Ingredients on the Stability of Egg Yolk Phospholipids and the Metal‐Chelator Antioxidant Activity of Phosvitin

Egg yolk phosvitin has been previously shown to inhibit metal-catalyzed phospholipid oxidation. In this study, a phospholipid emulsion system was used to study the effect of pH and food ingredients on the antioxidant activity of phosvitin and the oxidative stability of yolk phospholipid. Oxidation of phospholipids was carried out at five different pH levels (3.0, 5.0, 5.7, 6.1, and 7.8). NaCl and freeze-dried egg albumen were incorporated into the pH 6.1 emulsion. Lipid oxidation was measured by the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assay. Phospholipids were stable at pH 6.1 and 7.8. However, phosvitin was unable to inhibit Cu2+ catalysis at pH 7.8. Neither NaCl nor albumen affected the stability of phospholipids or the activity of phosvitin in inhibiting Fe2+ catalysis at pH 6.1.