cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Digital Video Tracking System

The application of image processing and pattern recognition techniques to object identification and tracking at video rates is a problem of wide interest. Previous attempts have been limited to simple thresholding or correlations within a restricted window. New high-speed algorithms have been implemented using micropro-grammable (bit-slice) processors and specialized digital logic to produce an "intelligent" imaging tracker. Adaptive statistical clustering and projection based classification algorithms are applied in real time to identify and track objects that change in appearance through complex and nonstationary background/foreground situations. The system comprises four pipelined processors which, in turn, separate the target image from the background, locate and describe the target shape, establish an intelligent tracking strategy, and generate control signals which drive the telescope mount and optimize the size and orientation of the output image and the gain of the image tube.
Breast-Feeding Exposure of Infants To Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury: a Public Health Viewpoint

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the public health implications of exposure via breast milk to cadmium, lead, and mercury for nursing infants and to provide health-based guidance. Daily intakes were calculated and compared with guidance values used for public health assessments at hazardous waste sites. Cadmium, lead, and mercury under normal conditions are found in breast milk at concentration ranges of < 1 microgram/L, 2-5 micrograms/L, and 1.4-1.7 micrograms/L, respectively. Women exposed environmentally or occupationally can have higher levels in their breast milk. Concentrations of about 5 micrograms/L (cadmium), 20 micrograms/L (lead), and 3.5 micrograms/L (mercury) appear to be adequate screening levels. Many factors affect both the distribution of cadmium, lead, and mercury in breast milk and the health consequences to an infant. It is not clear what additional impact low-level exposure via breast milk may have on an infant born with a body burden to one of these metals. There is sufficient evidence to make the case that contaminated breast milk is a source of potential risk to infants in certain populations. Prevention strategies that include behavior modification and proper nutrition should be communicated to women at risk. Identification and elimination of exposure pathways and a critical analysis of the benefits of breast feeding versus heavy metal exposure are needed on a site-specific or individual basis. Research is required to better understand the impact of low-level exposure to heavy metals via breast milk. Breastfeeding should be encouraged under most circumstances.
Nonlinear absorption of CO2 laser radiation by nonequilibrium carriers in germanium

Abstract Nonlinear absorption of CO 2 laser pulses at the multi-MW level has been studied in n-type germanium at room temperature. This nonlinear absorption limits the level of CO 2 laser intensity that can be transmitted through an optical grade germanium crystal. The observed nonlinearity may be interpreted in terms of nonequilibrium electron-hole pairs generated by hot electrons created by the intense laser field. The number of nonequilibrium carriers generated is measured by photoconductivity experiments, and the results are correlated to the absorption measurements.
Aerosol Delivery During Mechanical Ventilation: From Basic Techniques to New Devices

Pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs) and nebulizers are routinely employed for aerosol delivery in mechanically ventilated patients. A significant proportion of the aerosol deposits in the ventilator circuit and artificial airway, thereby reducing the inhaled drug mass. Factors influencing aerosol delivery during mechanical ventilation differ from those in spontaneously breathing patients. The English language literature on aerosol delivery during mechanical ventilation was reviewed. Marked variations in the efficiency of drug delivery with pMDIs and nebulizers occur due to differences in the technique of administration. Careful attention to five factors, viz., the aerosol generator, aerosol particle size, conditions in the ventilator circuit, artificial airway, and ventilator parameters, is necessary to optimize aerosol delivery during mechanical ventilation. Factors influencing drug delivery during NPPV are not well understood, and the efficiency of aerosol delivery in this setting is lower than that during invasive mechanical ventilaiton. With an optimal technique of administration the efficiency of aerosol delivery during mechanical ventilation is similar to that achieved during spontaneous breathing. Further research is needed to optimize aerosol delivery during NPPV.
Die Charakterisierung der strahlungslosen Desaktivierung des ersten Singulett-Anregungszustandes von N-Methylacridon mittels Triplett-sensibilisierter (E) → (Z)-Photoisomerisierung von (E)-Stilben

Characterization of the Radiationless Deactivation of the Lowest Excited Singlet State of N-Methylacridone by Means of the Triplet Sensitized (E) (Z) Photoisomerization of (E)-Stilbene The (E) (Z) isomerization of (E)-stilbene photosensitized by N-methylacridone (A) has been studied under anaerobic conditions at 298 K in dependence on the solvent as well as the concentration of iodoethane as heavy atomquencher. For the experimental conditions the quantum yield of the triplet-triplet energy transfer 3A* 3E* is unity and the photoreaction is homogenous. The ISC quantum yield of the sensitizer N-methylacridone was determined from the initial slopes of the plotted concentration-time functions in the solvents methanol, N-methylformamide, acetonitrile, dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran, benzene and tetrachloromethane, respectively. The comparison of the ISC quantum yields ψisc and the quantum yields of fluorescence ψf indicate that ψf + ψisc = 1 is true for the used solvents; the IC process is negligible.
A national resource grammar

The syntax of English is largely a solved problem. Yet all natural language projects devote a large amount of their effort to developing grammars. The reason for this situation is that there is no very large, generally available grammar of English based on current technology---unification grammar. The solution is to develop a very broad-coverage National Resource Grammar in a unification formalism, perhaps under the auspices of the Linguistic Data Consortium (LDC) and freely available to its members.
Subpicosecond-time-domain reflectometry.

We demonstrate a new method of optical time-domain reflectometry using subpicosecond pulses and nonlinear detection. The high-spatial-resolution (≃15-μm) temporal resolution and sensitivity put new limits on the size and nature of defects that can be detected, localized, and analyzed in optical fibers.
Phenylquinoxaline-Aryl ester block copolymers

Des oligomeres de phenylquinoxaline a groupes terminaux 4-hydroxyphenyl sont prepares et copolycondenses avec le bisphenol A et le dichlorure d'isophtaloyle. La majorite des copolymeres ont une morphologie a phase unique. L'incorporation des motifs esters ameliore l'allongement a la rupture par rapport au homopoly(phenylquinoxaline) en alterant faiblement le module
Cytologic effects of photodynamic therapy in body fluids

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been used in phase I clinical trials at the National Institutes of Health for the treatment of malignancies disseminated within the peritoneal and pleural cavities. Review of records revealed 18 patients who were treated with PDT between April 1988-June 1993. Sixty-five pleural and peritoneal fluids, 22 pre- and 43 post-PDT, were available for evaluation. Mesothelial cell changes seen post-PDT included: increased nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratios in 7/18 (39%), cytomegaly in 9/18 (50%), and multinucleation in 12/18 (67%), with Touton-like giant cells in 3/18 (17%). Additional changes noted post-PDT comprised histiocytic aggregates in 9/18 patients (50%), with granuloma-like clusters in 3/18 (17%), acute and chronic inflammation in 13/18 (72%), and eosinophilia in 8/18 (44%). Residual tumor was present in 7/18 (39%) patients post-PDT. In 2 patients with malignant mesothelioma, benign mesothelial cells with cytologic changes post-PDT were difficult to distinguish from malignant cells. Mesothelial cell changes following PDT, specifically increased nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratios and cytomegaly, should be recognized to avert false-positive diagnoses of tumor. In patients with malignant mesothelioma, and less commonly with adenocarcinoma, benign mesothelial cells with changes secondary to PDT may be difficult to distinguish from tumor cells.
A numerical study of the inverse problem of breast infrared thermography modeling

Infrared thermography has been shown to be a useful adjunctive tool for breast cancer detection. Previous thermography modeling techniques generally dealt with the "forward problem", i.e., to estimate the breast thermogram from known properties of breast tissues. The present study aims to deal with the so-called "inverse problem", namely to estimate the thermal properties of the breast tissues from the observed surface temperature distribution. By comparison, the inverse problem is a more direct way of interpreting a breast thermogram for specific physiological and/or pathological information. In tumor detection, for example, it is particularly important to estimate the tumor-induced thermal contrast, even though the corresponding non-tumor thermal background usually is unknown due to the difficulty of measuring the individual thermal properties. Inverse problem solving is technically challenging due to its ill-posed nature, which is evident primarily by its sensitivity to imaging noise. Taking advantage of our previously developed forward-problemsolving techniques with comprehensive thermal-elastic modeling, we examine here the feasibility of solving the inverse problem of the breast thermography. The approach is based on a presumed spatial constraint applied to three major thermal properties, i.e., thermal conductivity, blood perfusion, and metabolic heat generation, for each breast tissue type. Our results indicate that the proposed inverse-problem-solving scheme can be numerically stable under imaging noise of SNR ranging 32 ~ 40 dB, and that the proposed techniques can be effectively used to improve the estimation to the tumor-induced thermal contrast, especially for smaller and deeper tumors.
Possible Association of Thymus Dysfunction with Fading Syndromes in Puppies and Kittens

"Wasting" or "fading" syndromes are common causes of puppy and kitten mortality. Numerous infectious and toxic, metabolic, or nutritional factors could potentially be responsible for wasting and death in young animals. Evidence has been presented that infectious canine hepatitis virus infection, beta-hemolytic streptococcus infection, and feline infectious peritonitis virus infection are responsible for a significant number of deaths due to wasting syndrome. However, many cases of wasting syndrome cannot be attributed to infectious agents or other specific etiologies. The thymus gland warrants special attention when one is evaluating an animal with a wasting syndrome because it is known that, in some species, neonatal thymectomy results in wasting and death. Unfortunately, most reports describing fading syndromes in puppies and kittens do not mention the gross or histologic appearance of the thymus gland at postmortem examination. When examining the thymus gland, one must keep in mind that the thymus may be hypoplastic owing to a congenital or genetic defect in its structure and function or it may be atrophic secondary to whatever is causing the fading syndrome. If a thorough history, clinical examination, and/or postmortem examination do not reveal a cause for the fading syndrome, then defective thymus function should be considered as a possible causative or contributing factor to the fading syndrome. In these cases, therapy designed to replace or improve the defective thymus function should be considered. At least one form of wasting syndrome in puppies (immunodeficient dwarfism) has been found to respond to short-term therapy with a thymus hormone (thymosin fraction 5) or with bovine growth hormone (which is thymotropic) in limited clinical trials. It is possible that other forms of wasting or fading syndromes would also respond to therapy with thymus hormone or growth hormone. Certain thymus hormones (thymopoietin pentapeptide, thymosin alpha 1, facteur thymique serique, and rabbit thymus acetone powder) and bovine growth hormone are commercially available. Before initiating therapy, one should consider that if the cause of the wasting syndrome is genetic, then successful treatment may perpetuate a genetic defect. More research (both basic and clinical) is needed to determine the role of thymus gland dysfunction in fading syndromes of puppies and kittens and if therapy with one or several of the thymus hormones or with growth hormone could reverse the symptoms of wasting.
Bayesian spatial modeling of disease risk in relation to multivariate environmental risk fields.

The relationship between exposure to environmental chemicals during pregnancy and early childhood development is an important issue which has a spatial risk component. In this context, we have examined mental retardation and developmental delay (MRDD) outcome measures for children in a Medicaid population in South Carolina and sampled measures of soil chemistry (e.g. As, Hg, etc.) on a network of sites which are misaligned to the outcome residential addresses during pregnancy. The true chemical concentration at the residential addresses is not observed directly and must be interpolated from soil samples. In this study, we have developed a Bayesian joint model which interpolates soil chemical fields and estimates the associated MRDD risk simultaneously. Having multiple spatial fields to interpolate, we have considered a low-rank Kriging method for the interpolation which requires less computation than Bayesian Kriging. We performed a sensitivity analysis for a bivariate smoothing, changing the number of knots and the smoothing parameter. These analyses show that a low-rank Kriging method can be used as an alternative to a full-rank Kriging, reducing computational burden. However, the number of knots for the low-rank Kriging model need to be selected with caution as a bivariate surface estimation can be sensitive to the choice of the number of knots.
Natural Killer Cell Recognition of “Self” and “Non-Self” Triggering Antigens on Normal Lymphoblasts

NK cell specificity for normal lymphoblasts was tested in mice by direct cytotoxicity and competitive inhibition assays. IL-2-activated NK cells lysed Hh-1 incompatible but not Hh-1 compatible or Hh-1[null] allogeneic and semisyngeneic lymphoblasts. NK cells also lysed some syngeneic blasts. NK alloreactivity was inhibited by unlabeled targets which shared at least one Hh-1 determinant with the labeled target. NK self-reactivity was inhibited by syngeneic cells as well as by some allogeneic cells. Class I molecule-deficient beta2m-/- blasts universally inhibited NK lysis of all normal blasts. Cold targets appeared to specifically inhibit NK lysis by competing for recognition by NK activatory receptors rather than by competing for NK lysis by sharing with hot targets the absence of MHC class I inhibitory molecules recognized by NK cell Ly49 molecules. Backcross analysis revealed that a single non-MHC-linked gene locus regulates the accessibility of some normal lymphoblast target antigens to recognition by triggering receptors on self-reactive BALB/c NK cells. The results suggest that target lymphoblast class I molecules may differentially control the accessibility of universally expressed polymorphic NK triggering antigens to positive recognition by distinct sets of alloreactive and self-reactive NK cells.
Evaluating students’ perceptions of library and science inquiry: Validation of two new learning environment questionnaires

As part of a larger study, the How My Library Supports Inquiry and the How My Science Class Supports Inquiry questionnaires were developed for evaluating the extent of inquiry-based teaching in classrooms and school libraries and the effect of this instruction on student literacy and, by extension, the social good. Each has 28 items in seven scales measuring students’ perceptions of the degree to which certain psychosocial factors are prevalent in the science class and the school library. Using data from 872 elementary students and 639 secondary students, principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation and Kaiser normalization confirmed the a priori structure of the questionnaires. The factor structure, internal consistency reliability, discriminant validity, and the ability to distinguish between different classes and groups were supported for both instruments. Validation of these instruments enables consideration of a new approach for assessing the contribution of school libraries to the field of education, with specific emphasis on science education through the study. In addition, this study makes a unique contribution to the field of learning environments by evaluating the relationship between school library programs and classroom environments.
A contrarian view of postmodern society and information technologies

In this short paper—little more than a note, even a short “contrarian” sermon for this anniversary volume—what I do is argue that even the allegedly most “revolutionary” inventions of our computer-driven age are not revolutionary in the sense that their impacts are “driving” society. Some of them are genuinely revolutionary, I admit, but in the reverse direction. The inventions don’t “impact societies”; rather, particular communities within society use the technical languages that are at their core, invent them, embed them in machines, and so on. It is not inventions but particular groups within modern—and so-called postmodern—societies that have invented and use technical languages which are embedded in gadgets that are said to “drive” modern or postmodern societies. And they do so only in one sense: they were invented and are used by various communities in our kinds of societies for a variety of ends. And if this is so, and if we feel those ends are undemocratic or positively anti-democratic, I conclude that we should resist them any way we can, even politically.
OFF BALANCE: The Unintended Consequences of Fiscal Federalism in China *

This paper argues that neither the developmental state nor the marketpreserving federalism models are applicable to contemporary China. Despite superficial similarities with elements of each model, the political economy of reform in China violates key assumptions and expectations in both. In contrast to the expectations of the developmental state model, the center has not systematically allocated credit to the most productive sectors of the economy; instead the latter has had to rely on informal finance. And in contrast to the expectations of market-preserving federalism, fiscal decentralization has lead to a host of unintended consequences at the local level—namely, the hoarding of off-budget revenues for public goods provision, reliance on informal finance for private sector development, and local protectionism. These unintended and informal coping strategies depart substantially from the core components of both the developmental state and market-preserving federalism models.
Growth charts for use in pediatric practice

10. Ronchese, F.: Arch. Dermat. & Syph. 47: 613~ 1943. 11. Brown 7 E . L . : Arch. Pedlar. 61: 233, 1944. 12. Connor, A., and Gonce, J . E . : J. PEDIAT. 23: 335~ 1943. 13. Freud, P.: Monats chr. f. Kinderh. 51: 28~ 1931. 14. Freund~ H~: Dermat. Wehnschr. 98: 52, 1934. 15. Friihwald, R.: Dermat. Wchnschr. 99: 922, 1934. 16. Bentley, F. l~.: Brit . J. Dermat. 52: 222, 1940. 17. Platou, E .S . : Am. J. Dis. Child. 48: 333~ 1934. 18. Brain, R. L., and Lewis, B.: Brit . J. Dermat. 49: 551, 1937. 19. Seidenberg, S.: Schwelz. Ztschr. f. Path. n. Bakt. 4: 398~ ]941. 20. Strickler, A.: Urol. & Cutan. Rev. 48: 340, 1944. 21. ~Wenner, H . A . : Am. J. Dis. Child. 67: 247, 1944. 22. Barton, 1~. L , and Brunsting, L . A . : Proc. Staff Meet., l~ayo Clin. 18: 199, ]943; Arch. Dermat. & Syph. 50: 99, 1944. 23. Blattner~ R. J., }teys, F. 1VI., and Harrison, 1~. L . K . : Science 99: 432, 1944. 24. Blattner, R. 5 , t teys, F. M., and Go]lub~ S .W. : J. Immunol. 46: 207~ 1943. 25. Lane, C. W., and Herold~ W. C.: Arch. Dermat. & Syph. 50: 396, 1944.
Dog Model for Cerebrovascular Studies of the Proximal-to-Distal Distribution of Sequentially Injected Emboli

This study was undertaken to determine whether microemboli injected in a predetermined sequence would maintain that sequence once they came to rest in brain microvessels. If so, the injection of different-colored microspheres at different times could be used to bracket-in-time emboli that are known to be released into the circulation during cardiopulmonary bypass. We injected different-colored microspheres into the arterial circulation of anesthetized dogs before and after the injection of fat emboli and before and after cardiopulmonary bypass. Coronal slices of the dog brains were embedded in celloidin, sectioned at 100 microns, and stained for alkaline phosphatase. The afferent cerebrovasculature stained dark brown against a light background, and the proximal/distal orientation of many of the arterioles could be determined by following their course within the thick sections. When different types of emboli were found in a single arteriole, they appeared in the order injected or the order of occurrence in the bypass protocol in 99.3% of the 867 such arterioles counted. Therefore, the microemboli maintained their ordered sequence with only a very small degree of mixing. Once they came to rest, there was not sufficient collateral blood flow in the brain microvessels to move them into disordered positions. This dog model should facilitate studies of the time of release of microemboli within narrower windows of time during cardiopulmonary bypass.
Effects of plant ingestion in rats determined by the conditioned taste aversion procedure.

Abstract The conditioned taste aversion procedure was used to compare the aversive effects produced by 40 plants (mostly common household varieties) to those of amphetamine, lithium chloride and ethyl alcohol. Test substances (plant homogenates or drug solutions) were given to rats by force-feeding 5 min after the subjects' first exposure to 0·1% saccharin solution, which was available for 15 min from a water bottle. The comparison of the consumption of saccharin solution, two days after test substance administration, to the initial saccharin consumption was taken as a measure of the aversive effects produced by the test substance, e.g. greater suppression of saccharin intake indicating greater aversive properties. Dose dependent suppression of saccharin intake was obtained with most of the substances tested at more than one concentration. Administration of Pokeberry seeds, Japanese Yew, Norfolk Island Pine and Oleander leaves suppressed saccharin intake more than ethyl alcohol. The rest of the plants tested produced less conditioned aversion than ethyl alcohol. Some plants which are frequently called poisonous (Poinsettia, Philodendron and Dieffenbachia) were not particuarly effective in producing conditioned taste aversion. Good correlation existed between suppression of saccharin intake produced by the three drugs tested and their approximate acute lethal doses in rats and humans, suggesting that the conditioned taste aversion procedure may indicate the approximate acute lethality of these substances. Good correlation was also found between the dry weight of the plants and the suppression of saccharin intake.
Transfer of training from virtual reality

This experiment compared the value of real-world training, virtual reality training, and no training in the transfer of learning to the same task performed in real-world conditions. Results provide no evidence of transfer from a virtual reality training environment to a real-world task. There was no significant difference between the virtual reality training group and the group that received no training on the task. The group that received real-world training performed significantly better than both of the other two groups. The results question the utility of virtual training and suggest that in the present configuration, individuals learn performance characteristics specific only to the virtual reality context. Needed improvements to virtual reality for the purpose of enabling the transfer of training are indicated.
Matching versus cultural competence in research: Methodological considerations

Researcher/participant matching has been used in nursing research as a strategy for the development of culturally competent knowledge. In this manuscript, the complexities inherent in matching in nursing research are discussed. In raising and discussing issues and questions related to matching, we argue that although matching may be one of the strategies used to generate culturally competent knowledge, it is frequently too complex for operationalization. Therefore, we propose that researchers reflect on questions related to their knowledge of culture, their cultural sensitivity, and the nature of collaboration during every phase of the research. Reflecting on and responding to these questions in every research project may facilitate the development of more culturally competent knowledge.
Measuring Latinos’ Perceptions of Depression: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Illness Perception Questionnaire

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire adapted for a clinical sample of low-income Latinos suffering from depression. Participants (N = 339) were recruited from public primary care centers. Their average age was 49.73 years and the majority was foreign born females of either Mexican or Central American descent. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the factor structure of this measure. Construct and discriminant validity and internal consistency were evaluated. After the elimination of three items because of low factor loadings (< .40) and the specification of seven error covariances, a revised model composed of 24 items had adequate goodness-of-fit indices and factor loadings, supporting construct validity. Each of the subscales reported satisfactory internal consistency. Intercorrelations between the 5 illness perception factors provided initial support for the discriminant validity of these factors in the context of depression. The establishment of the psychometric properties of this adapted measure will pave the way for future studies examining the role illness perceptions play in the help seeking and management of depression among Latinos.
Kinetics of radical copolymerization between α-methylstyrene and methyl methacrylate

The theoretical treatment of copolymerization with propagation and depopagation is presented in order to estimate r1 r2, and K11 (the equilibrium constant for propagation and depropagation) in the copolymerization of α-methylstyrene (αMSt: M1) and methyl methacrylate (MMA: M2). The values of r1 r2, and K11 are found to be 0.48, 0.47, and 5.0, respectively. The termination rate constant in the copolymerization is estimated to be 3.3×107 regardless of monomer feed composition. This means that a φ-factor proposed by Walling is equal to unity.
A New Genus and Species of Small Minnow Mayflies (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) from Far Northern North America

ABSTRACT A newly discovered larva of Baetidae (Insecta, Ephemeroptera) is described from Nunavut, Canada as Kirmaushenkreena zarankoae, n. gen. and n. sp. The new taxon has a unique combination of generic characteristics, including unusual claw armature that is diagnostic. Closest relatives of the new genus may possibly be in the Indobaetis complex of genera. The absence of a villopore sets the new species apart from other far northern North American baetine species, and other differences and convergent similarities such as claw setation and gill dimensions among that fauna are discussed.
Masquerade Politics in Contemporary Southeastern Nigeria

Eli Bentor The period following the Nigerian Civil War (1967– 70) was marked by a deliberate revival of masquerade festivals and elaborate burial ceremonies by the Igbo of Southeastern Nigeria. From an Igbo perspective, the Civil War was devastating proof that their earlier attempt to become Nigerians at the expense of their ethnic identity had failed. The prevailing slogan of early independence days, “From Tribe to Nation,” gave way to a new one: “Unity in Diversity.” The belief of early independent days that a modern Nigerian identity would supplant local or “tribal” identities was seen as naive. In its place emerged a recognition that to become part of Nigeria, each ethnic element would have to operate from within its localized sense of identity. Thus, many aspects of Igbo culture that had been in decline in the late colonial and early independence days were intentionally revived (Afigbo 1979, Ejiofor 1984). Fueled by the prosperity derived from rising oil revenues, during the 1970s and ‘80s masquerade performances flourished, from rural festivals and burial ceremonies to the state-sponsored Mmanwu festival in Enugu. Some of this renewed interest in masking was a continuation of earlier patterns, while much of it could be classified under “invented tradition,” as new elements were constantly introduced to the iconography and manner of performance. This revival is now a thing of the past. Masked performances have largely disappeared from public view. Eastern Nigerian television stations that routinely broadcasted burial ceremonies and festivals have ceased to do so. Most burials do not feature masks, and even traditional festivals where masking was a prominent aspect, drawing in large crowds, are now more subdued. Specific religious, political, and economic factors influence the current state of masked performances. In this paper, I will focus on the reasons behind the current challenges to masquerade performances in the region:
SHiP: signature-based hit predictor for high performance caching

The shared last-level caches in CMPs play an important role in improving application performance and reducing off-chip memory bandwidth requirements. In order to use LLCs more efficiently, recent research has shown that changing the re-reference prediction on cache insertions and cache hits can significantly improve cache performance. A fundamental challenge, however, is how to best predict the re-reference pattern of an incoming cache line. This paper shows that cache performance can be improved by correlating the re-reference behavior of a cache line with a unique signature. We investigate the use of memory region, program counter, and instruction sequence history based signatures. We also propose a novel Signature-based Hit Predictor (SHiP) to learn the re-reference behavior of cache lines belonging to each signature. Overall, we find that SHiP offers substantial improvements over the baseline LRU replacement and state-of-the-art replacement policy proposals. On average, SHiP improves sequential and multiprogrammed application performance by roughly 10% and 12% over LRU replacement, respectively. Compared to recent replacement policy proposals such as Seg-LRU and SDBP, SHiP nearly doubles the performance gains while requiring less hardware overhead.
Vertical chip-to-chip coupling using silicon strip waveguide cantilever couplers

We demonstrate vertical chip-to-chip light coupling using silicon strip waveguide cantilever couplers. A chip-to-chip coupling loss of 2.5 dB per connection is measured for TE polarization at 1550 nm wavelength.
Determining Stone Tool Use: Chemical and Morphological Analyses of Residues on Experimentally Manufactured Stone Tools

We report on experimental and chemical investigation of bamboo and bone residues on used and unused modern stone tools. Flakes used were manufactured from a chert nodule and employed in three ways: splitting of bamboo, scraping and splintering of bone; others were left unused. Specimens were examined using light microscopy, SEM, and EDS elemental analysis. Tools used to process bamboo and bone exhibited chemically and morphologically distinct bamboo and bone residues. Similarity in morphology between isolated bamboo mineral and residue on stone tools used to process bamboo indicates the bamboo mineral material adheres to tool surfaces. All residue morphologies persisted through a treatment designed to simulate diagenesis, suggesting that processing residues may persist on ancient tools. The elemental signatures of the residues were slightly altered by the diagenesis treatment, but remained distinctly different from one another. EDS elemental analysis and SEM examination, when used in conjunction with the chemical signature and morphology of suspected residue sources, has potential to yield definitive answers to questions of ancient tool use.
Migration of the Pee Dee River system inferred from ancestral paleochannels underlying the South Carolina Grand Strand and Long Bay inner shelf

Several generations of the ancestral Pee Dee River system have been mapped beneath the South Carolina Grand Strand coastline and adjacent Long Bay inner shelf. Deep boreholes onshore and high-resolution seismic-reflection data offshore allow for reconstruction of these paleochannels, which formed during glacial lowstands, when the Pee Dee River system incised subaerially exposed coastal-plain and continental-shelf strata. Paleochannel groups, representing different generations of the system, decrease in age to the southwest, where the modern Pee Dee River merges with several coastal-plain tributaries at Winyah Bay, the southern terminus of Long Bay. Positions of the successive generational groups record a regional, southwestward migration of the river system that may have initiated during the late Pliocene. The migration was primarily driven by barrier-island deposition, resulting from the interaction of fluvial and shoreline processes during eustatic highstands. Structurally driven, subsurface paleotopography associated with the Mid-Carolina Platform High has also indirectly assisted in forcing this migration. These results provide a better understanding of the evolution of the region and help explain the lack of mobile sediment on the Long Bay inner shelf. Migration of the river system caused a profound change in sediment supply during the late Pleistocene. The abundant fluvial source that once fed sand-rich barrier islands was cut off and replaced with a limited source, supplied by erosion and reworking of former coastal deposits exposed at the shore and on the inner shelf.
The Nephrotic Syndrome in Children Differentiation Into Two Clinically Recognizable Groups

The observations here described indi cate that the nephrotic syndrome in chil dren in its "uncomplicated" form can be recognized clinically without renal bi opsy, responds well to steroid therapy, and carries a good prognosis.
Tidal diffusivity: A mechanism for frontogenesis

It is hypothesized that tidal mixing may provide a ‘‘diffusivity’’ mechanism for frontogenesis. It stems from the fact that tidal diffusivity varies in the opposite sense from the water depth, so the vertically integrated diffusivity may exhibit a minimum at midshelf, thus giving rise to a maximum in the property gradient—even in the absence of flow convergence. An analytical model assuming a tidal diffusivity dominated by shear dispersion is used to elucidate the mechanism, which shows additionally that the front is located at a water depth that is about twice the tidal frictional depth—a prediction not inconsistent with some observed fronts. The proposed frontogenesis is demonstrated by numerical calculations using the Princeton Ocean Model (POM), which show the emergence of a front from an initial field of uniform gradient after tides are switched on, and the diagnosis of the numerical solution and its parameter dependence has corroborated the analytical model. It is suggested moreover that this diffusivity mechanism may be extended to the wind-induced mixing to explain the shelfbreak front off of the northeastern United States.
Time interleaved converter arrays

High-speed monolithic converters normally use a variation of the flash technique, which 2/SUP n/ comparators in parallel to obtain a fast n-bit conversion. Although this method allows for high converter bandwidth, it is not very area efficient, and results in large die sizes for even modest resolution converters. In the technique presented here, a number of small but area efficient converters are operated in a time-interleaved fashion to achieve the bandwidth of a flash circuit, but in a substantially smaller area. This technique is analyzed with respect to noise and distortion resulting from nonideal array characteristics, and is demonstrated by way of a four-way array test-chip. This chip consists of four time-interleaved 7-bit weighted-capacitor A/D converters fabricated in a 10 /spl mu/m metal-gate CMOS process. Full 7-bit linearity is maintained up to a 2.5 MHz conversion rate, with operation at reduced linearity continuing to approximately 4 MHz. The design of this chip, and anticipated characteristics if fabricated in a modern 4-5 /spl mu/m process are described.
Diagnostic value of cervical fetal fibronectin in detecting extrauterine pregnancy

Abstract Objective: To determine whether fetal fibronectin (FFN) might serve as a marker to distinguish intrauterine versus extrauterine pregnancy. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Academic research center. Patient(s): Cervicovaginal FFN samples were obtained from 46 women who were at high risk for or presented with signs and/or symptoms of extrauterine pregnancy. Intervention(s): Samples of blood were analyzed for FFN with use of an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). Main Outcome Measure(s): Fetal fibronectin level. Result(s): The rate of extrauterine pregnancy in our study was 26.1%, with 12 extrauterine and 34 intrauterine pregnancies identified by ultrasonography or at time of surgery. Seventeen samples had FFN levels of >50 ng/mL and were considered positive (range, 0–1,000 ng/mL). Positive FFN levels were observed in 41.7% (5 of 12) of women with extrauterine pregnancies versus 35.3%) (12 of 34) of women with intrauterine pregnancies. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for extrauterine pregnancy were 41.7%, 64.7%, 29.4%, and 75.9%, respectively. Conclusion(s): The use of FFN does not appear to alter significantly the likelihood of identifying extrauterine pregnancy over current laboratory or ultrasonographic methods.
Circadian rhythms in electric waveform structure and rate in the electric fish Brachyhypopomus pinnicaudatus

Weakly electric fish have long been known to express day–night oscillations in their discharge rates, and in the amplitude and duration of individual electric organ discharges (EODs). Because these oscillations are altered by social environment and neuroendocrine interactions, electric fish are excellent organisms for exploring the social and neuroendocrine regulation of circadian rhythm expression. Previous studies asserting that these oscillations are circadian rhythms have been criticized for failing to control temperature and randomize feeding regimes, or for running the fish under constant conditions for just 2–3 days. Here we show that the day–night oscillations in the EODs of the neotropical gymnotiform fish Brachyhypopomus pinnicaudatus free-run for over a week under constant photic and thermal conditions, and randomized food provisioning. Sex differences were apparent in strength and magnitude of the circadian oscillations; male oscillations were stronger and larger. All three parameters retain a common oscillation period while differing in the persistence of oscillation strength and magnitude, a difference consistent with proposals by others that declines of behavioral circadian rhythms may result from breakdowns downstream of the central oscillator.
Stimulation of molting in megalopae of the Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus: physical and chemical cues

The Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus is a recent invader and abundant mem- ber of rocky intertidal coastlines of the eastern USA. Understanding factors influencing the settlement and metamorphosis of its larvae is important for predict- ing colonization of the species. For many species of brachyuran crustaceans studied to date, chemical cues in the natural environment stimulate molting of megalopae, the final larval stage, to the first crab stage, whereas physical cues alone have little or no effect. However, physical structure can influence the abundance of juvenile and adult crabs. In this study, I tested whether physical/structural and chemical cues stimulate molting of H. sanguineus in the labo- ratory. Molting rates of megalopae exposed to exu- dates from adult crabs (H. sanguineus and the green crab Carcinus maenas) and different physical cues varying in structural complexity (rocks with or with- out biofilms, silt particles, nylon mesh used in aqua- culture) were monitored. Megalopae molted sooner to the first crab stage in the presence of exudates of both crab species, rocks with and without biofilms, and all nylon meshes tested regardless of the size of mesh openings. By separating the effects of chem- ical and physical cues, this study shows both to be important during settlement and metamorphosis of Asian shore crab megalopae, potentially contributing to its successful colonization of North Atlantic coast- lines.
Improved estimates of net primary productivity from modis satellite data at regional and local scales.

We compared estimates of net primary production (NPP) from the MODIS satellite with estimates from a forest ecosystem process model (PnET-CN) and forest inventory and analysis (FIA) data for forest types of the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The regional means were similar for the three methods and for the dominant oak– hickory forests in the region. However, MODIS underestimated NPP for less-dominant northern hardwood forests and overestimated NPP for coniferous forests. Causes of inaccurate estimates of NPP by MODIS were (1) an aggregated classification and parameterization of diverse deciduous forests in different climatic environments into a single class that averages different radiation conversion efficiencies; and (2) lack of soil water constraints on NPP for forests or areas that occur on thin or sandy, coarse-grained soil. We developed the “available soil water index” for adjusting the MODIS NPP estimates, which significantly improved NPP estimates for coniferous forests. The MODIS NPP ...
Embedded multilevel error diffusion

We present an algorithm for image browsing systems that embeds the output of binary Floyd-Steinberg (1975) error diffusion, or a low bit-depth gray-scale or color error diffused image into higher bit-depth gray-scale or color error diffused images. The benefits of this algorithm are that a low bit-depth halftoned image can be directly obtained from a higher bit-depth halftone for printing or progressive transmission simply by masking one or more bits off of the higher bit-depth image. The embedding can be done in any bits of the output, although the most significant or the least significant bits are most convenient. Due to constraints on the palette introduced by embedding, the image quality for the higher bit-depth halftone may be reduced. To preserve the image quality, we present algorithms for color palette organization, or binary index assignment, to be used as a preprocessing step to the embedding algorithm.
Mechanisms of Synergistic Cytokine-Induced Nitric Oxide Production in Human Alveolar Epithelial Cells

Abstract Nitric oxide (NO) derived from inducible NO synthase (iNOS) at sites of inflammation is closely related to host defense against infection and airway inflammation. Cytokines are known to stimulate NO production in human alveolar epithelial cells in a synergistic (nonlinear or nonadditive) manner. The mechanism of this synergy is not known. We measured the activation of the transcription factor NF-κB, the iNOS protein, and NO production in A549 monolayers (human alveolar epithelial cell line) in response to different combinations of IL-1β, INF-γ, and TNF-α (100 ng/ml), and the cofactors FMN, FAD, and BH4. We found that both IL-1β and TNF-α could independently activate cytosolic NF-κB, direct its translocation into the nucleus, and induce iNOS monomer synthesis. In addition, different combinations of cytokines produced synergistic amounts of iNOS monomers. Exogenous BH4 (0.1 μM) had no impact on NO production induced by cytokine combinations that included IL-1β, but significantly enhanced NO production in the presence of INF-γ and TNF-α, and allowed TNF-α independently to produce NO. We conclude that there are at least three mechanisms of synergistic cytokine-induced NO production: (1) the biosynthesis of iNOS monomer due to nonlinear interactions by transcription factors, (2) synergistic cytosolic activation of NF-κB, and (3) parallel biosynthesis of BH4 in the presence of cytokine combinations that include IL-1β.
Moving beyond molecular mechanisms

A major goal in cell biology is to bridge the gap in our understanding of how molecular mechanisms contribute to cell and organismal physiology. Approaches well established in the physical sciences could be instrumental in achieving this goal. A better integration of the physical sciences with cell biology will therefore be an important step in our quest to decipher how cells work together to construct a living organism.
The magical number 4 in short-term memory: a reconsideration of mental storage capacity.

Miller (1956) summarized evidence that people can remember about seven chunks in short-term memory (STM) tasks. How- ever, that number was meant more as a rough estimate and a rhetorical device than as a real capacity limit. Others have since suggested that there is a more precise capacity limit, but that it is only three to five chunks. The present target article brings together a wide vari- ety of data on capacity limits suggesting that the smaller capacity limit is real. Capacity limits will be useful in analyses of information processing only if the boundary conditions for observing them can be carefully described. Four basic conditions in which chunks can be identified and capacity limits can accordingly be observed are: (1) when information overload limits chunks to individual stimulus items, (2) when other steps are taken specifically to block the recoding of stimulus items into larger chunks, (3) in performance discontinuities caused by the capacity limit, and (4) in various indirect effects of the capacity limit. Under these conditions, rehearsal and long-term memory cannot be used to combine stimulus items into chunks of an unknown size; nor can storage mechanisms that are not capacity- limited, such as sensory memory, allow the capacity-limited storage mechanism to be refilled during recall. A single, central capacity limit averaging about four chunks is implicated along with other, noncapacity-limited sources. The pure STM capacity limit expressed in chunks is distinguished from compound STM limits obtained when the number of separately held chunks is unclear. Reasons why pure capacity estimates fall within a narrow range are discussed and a capacity limit for the focus of attention is proposed.