cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Write amplification analysis in flash-based solid state drives

Write amplification is a critical factor limiting the random write performance and write endurance in storage devices based on NAND-flash memories such as solid-state drives (SSD). The impact of garbage collection on write amplification is influenced by the level of over-provisioning and the choice of reclaiming policy. In this paper, we present a novel probabilistic model of write amplification for log-structured flash-based SSDs. Specifically, we quantify the impact of over-provisioning on write amplification analytically and by simulation assuming workloads of uniformly-distributed random short writes. Moreover, we propose modified versions of the greedy garbage-collection reclaiming policy and compare their performance. Finally, we analytically evaluate the benefits of separating static and dynamic data in reducing write amplification, and how to address endurance with proper wear leveling.
Role of Carboxylmethylation in Chemoattractant Receptor-Stimulated G Protein Activation and Functional Responses

The role of G protein γ subunit carboxylmethylation was examined in HL-60 granulocytes using an inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methylation, periodate-oxidized adenosine (Adox). A 40-60% reduction in γ subunit carboxylmethylation was associated with attenuation of fMet-Leu-Phe-stimulated GTPγS binding and GTP hydrolysis, while plasma membrane density of formyl peptide receptors, αi2, αi3, β, γ5, and γ7 were not reduced. Reduced pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation was re-established by in vitro methylation or addition of transducin βγ subunits. Superoxide release and inositol phosphate generation stimulated by fMet-Leu-Phe were significantly inhibited by Adox treatment. Carboxylmethylation contributes to transmembrane signalling and functional responses by enhancing association of α and βγ subunits.
Bonds, bands, charge transfer excitations and superconductivity of YBa2Cu3O7-δ

Abstract The different energy dispersion and Fermi surfaces arising from the bands which dominate the electronic band structure near EF in YBa2Cu3O7-δ are presented and related to their orbital charge density distributions for the Cu2 plane and Cu1 chain arrangements thereby relating their physical and chemical descriptions. Magnetic isolation of the Y ions is found to explain the existence of high Tc superconductivity of the RBa2Cu3O7-δ compounds (where R = magnetic heavy lanthanides). A conventional phonon mechanism is found to be inadequate for obtaining high Tc. Charge transfer excitations (“excitons”) of occupied Cu1-O dpπ bonding orbitals into their empty Cu1-O dpσ antibonding orbital partners result in poorly screened Cu3+-Cu4+-like charge fluctuations which induce attractive interactions (-U centers) both in the chains and to the 2D (Cu2) bands-thereby promoting the high Tc via exchange of these “excitons”.
Evaluating three simple methods to assess the microbial quality of drinking water in Indonesia

Three simple microbial tests [H2S paper strip, lauryl tryptose broth + 4-methyl-umbelliferyl-β-d-glucoronide (LTB + MUG), Colilert] were used to assess the microbial quality of water in the distribution system of Banjarmasin, the capital city of South Kalimantan Province (Borneo), Indonesia. Martapura River, the source of the drinking water, is contaminated with total coliform, Escherichia coli, and hydrogen sulfide producing bacteria. However, this water is treated and chlorinated to a residual of 1.0 mg/L before it is distributed to the city. No coliform or hydrogen sulfide producing bacteria were detected in the chlorinated water leaving the treatment plant. A total of 46 water samples were obtained from public taps at three subdistricts in the city located 2–8 km from the water treatment plant. Residual chlorine levels ranging from 0.0 to 0.8 mg/L were detected in the 46 drinking water samples. Of these, 47.8% was positive by the H2S test and the Colilert test. The LTB + MUG test was positive in 45.7% of these 46 water samples. Virtually all (96–100%) of the coliform positive samples contained E. coli. The H2S test appears to be a reliable, inexpensive, and especially suitable to assess the microbiological quality of drinking water in Indonesia.
The ALS on completion of its first decade

Abstract The Advanced Light Source (ALS), a third-generation synchrotron facility optimized for ultraviolet and soft X-rays, started operation in 1993. The current status of the facility will be described, and highlights of recent research in areas such as condensed-matter physics, EUV lithography, and nanomagnetism will be presented. A strategic vision for the ALS into its next decade and beyond will be outlined.
Effects of test temperature, alloy composition, and heat treatment on iodine-induced stress corrosion cracking of unirradiated zircaloy tubing

Abstract Pressurization tests were run on specimens from three batches of Zircaloy tubing that differed in composition (Zir-caloy-2 versus Zircaloy-4) and heat treatment (stress-relieved versus annealed). The behavior in tests at ~593 K and ~633 K in which specimens were internally pressurized with helium containing a nomical iodine concentration of 60 g/m 2 Zircaloy surface is contrasted with baseline data obtained in the absence of iodine. It is shown that test temperature and heat treatment significantly affect the susceptibility of Zircaloy tubing to iodine-induced stress corrosion cracking (SCC) whereas alloy composition is unimportant. The results suggest that the hoop stain rate is more influential in determining the failure time in iodine SCC tests than either hoop stress or strain, indicating that film rupture may be an important step in the overal SCC process. At ~593 K, iodine SCC of unirradiated Zircaloy-2 tubing appears to be confined to hoop strain rates between about 2 × 10 −8 and 5 × 10 −5 /s, irrespective of the heat treatment of the tubing.
Passage of host immunoglobulin G from blood meal into hemolymph of selected mosquito species (Diptera: Culicidae).

Passage of ingested host antibody (IgG) from the digestive tract into the hemolymph was examined in six species of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes were fed upon either an immune host (typhus-immune rat) or nonimmune host (control) rat. At selected intervals after ingestion, hemolymph samples and midgut contents were collected and assayed for specific rat IgG using indirect immunofluorescent assay techniques. Within 3 h after ingestion, antibody appeared in the hemolymph of Anopheles stephensi Liston, An. gambiae Giles, and An. albimanus Wiedemann. In these species, the persistence of host antibody was longer in the gut (24–48 h after ingestion) than in the hemolymph (18–24 h after ingestion). Host antibody was detected at low levels in the hemolymph of Culex pipiens L. at 3 h after ingestion but not thereafter. Antibody passage was undetectable in An. freeborni Aitken and Aedes aegypti (L.) Those species that exhibited marked antibody passage stayed on the host and fed for extended periods of time while simultaneously excreting red fluid from the anus (prediuresis). Mosquito species not displaying antibody passage fed relatively quickly, left the host, and exhibited little, if any, prediuretic activity while feeding.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging in clinical practice: look before you leap.

It has been only about a decade and a half since the first human studies reported on the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to map the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) response associated with neural activation (Bandetinni et al., 1992; Frahm et al., 1992; Kwong et al., 1992; Ogawa et al., 1992). Since 1992, there has been a rapid growth of studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study normal and disordered function. A search of PubMed papers from 1992 to the present reveals just under 4,000 papers identified by the search terms “functional magnetic resonance imaging and cognition” and nearly 1,300 papers for the terms “functional magnetic resonance imaging and emotion.” Although some of these papers focused on structural brain imaging and daily function, while others were review articles, the large majority of these papers presented original fMRI data. The breadth of application of fMRI is as impressive as its frequent use in published studies. Researchers have used fMRI not only to study classical brain functions, but also deception, the inference of intention, selfconcept, phantom pain, the influence of culture on charitable donations, socioeconomic deprivation, and persistent vegetative state. Moreover, investigators are using fMRI to provide information about applied problems in law, economics, and marketing. This issue of Neuropsychology Review focuses on the use of fMRI in clinical practice. As readers will see in the
Superposition and Macroscopic Observation

The principle of superposition has long plagued the quantum mechanics of macrosopic bodies. Macroscopic objects are taken to be composed of a large number of interacting constituents, each in its interaction with others governed by the laws of quantum mechanics. For any two systems already represented, quantum theory represents the composite by a vector in the tensor product of the Hilbert spaces representing the systems separately. Thus, an n-body system is represented by a vector in the Hilbert space \( {H^n} = {H_I} \otimes {H_{II}} \otimes ... \otimes {H_N} \). When n becomes large enough to constitute a macroscopic body the treatment is problematic. Macroscopic states, it appears, do not superpose. Macroscopic bodies seem to possess sharp values for all observable quantities simultaneously.
Efficient distributed backup with delta compression

Inexpensive storage and more powerful processors have resulted in a proliferation of data that needs to be reliably backed up. Network resource limitations make it increasingly difficult to backup a distributed file system on a nightly or even weekly basis. By using delta compression algorithms, which minimally encode a version of a file using only the bytes that have changed, a backup system can compress the data sent to a server. With the delta backup technique, we can achieve significant savings in network transmission time over previous techniques. Our measurements indicate that file system data may, on average, be compressed to within 10% of its original size with this method and that approximately 45% of all changed files have also been backed up in the previous week. Based on our measurements, we conclude that a small file store on the client that contains copies of previously backed up files can be used to retain versions in order to generate delta files. To reduce the load on the backup server, we implement a modified version storage architecture, version jumping, that allows us to restore delta encoded file versions with at most two accesses to tertiary storage. This minimizes server workload and network transmission time on file restore.
Synchronization of the 14 kTon NOνA neutrino detector with the Fermilab NuMI beam

The NOνA experiment is a neutrino oscillation experiment designed to measure parameters related to the neutrino mixing matrix, mass hierarchy and CP violation. The experiment measures neutrino and anti-neutrino interactions from the NuMI beam line at Fermilab in a Near Detector and a Far Detector located 810 kilometers away. Making these measurements requires precise synchronization of 344,064 channels in the Far Detector to an absolute wall time with a channel to channel variation of less then 10 ns. The experiment must correlate the presence of the relatively narrow neutrino beam in the detector with data readout. This paper will discuss the performance of the NOνA timing system during the first few months of operation at the Far Detector.
Detailed design and transport properties of a helium droplet nozzle from 5 to 50 K

Abstract This paper reports our efforts to engineer a robust, user-friendly, and broadly tunable helium droplet nozzle, and to quantitatively measure its thermal and mass transport performance. In addition to describing the physical design in detail, we report helium throughput measurements for a 6.4 μm diameter nozzle over stagnation conditions ranging from 5 to 50 K and 10 to 100 bar. The measured flow rates were in excellent agreement with those predicted by a simple effusive flow model for nozzle temperatures above 20 K, but were systematically lower for both sub-critical and super-critical jets as the temperature was lowered. The helium flow through a 500 μm skimmer was also measured, and the skimmed fraction was found to vary by two orders of magnitude over the range of stagnation conditions investigated. These results indicate a substantial narrowing of the total jet angle spread from ∼90° to 5° at temperatures below 10 K. Efforts to image the low temperature jet with Schlieren and shadowgraph techniques were unsuccessful. These details combined with previously reported theory and experiments on the droplet size distributions provide the necessary foundation to predict cluster production rates and to customize nozzle/pump designs for specific applications.
Neoliberalism and affirmative action

This essay surveys the origins and development of race-conscious affirmative action in the United States. It tracks opposition to affirmative action and the ascendancy of neoliberal ideology in American law and policy. All important legal and policy changes concerning affirmative action have their roots in conflict over the meaning of constitutional equality. It is not surprising, therefore, that the neoliberal account of racial equality would be fought on those grounds as well. The curious aspect of this conflict is its oddly dehistoricized texture. Although the state is deeply implicated in the racial inequality we still observe today, the state is largely prohibited from taking that role into account in fashioning remedies if it departs from a stance of racial objectivity. Neoliberalism has succeeded because its proponents have been able to fix the current deeply racialized and deeply unequal reality as the neutral baseline. Action by the state to move from this baseline thus requires a robust justific...
Monitoring pulsed power on ship electrical systems

In this paper, forthcoming distributed generation and energy storage systems for ships are monitored by Sampled State Estimation (SSE). The paper demonstrates how a high data rate from transducers on the electrical system can be used in a discrete version of State Estimation that is effective in transient conditions as well as in steady operation. Various energy storage devices such as batteries are distributed around the ship and employed in conjunction with rotating machine generation in order to deliver pulses of power that far exceed the capability of the rotating machines. The distributed energy storage is coordinated to serve high pulse loads and employed to service local loads via dc/dc or dc/ac converters for fail-safe local power operation. The advantages of State Estimation on ship power systems are demonstrated for sampled data from current and voltage transducers.
Stability Analysis of Lifting Rigs—Part 2: Sufficient Stability Criteria and Design Guidelines

When heavy equipment is moved by cranes or derricks the rigging used must be stable. Based on the results in Part I, various sufficient stability criteria are derived which can be used to make rapid determinations of stability. A set of guidelines are developed as an aid in the loading or designing of a lifting rig in order to avoid unstable configurations, and stability boundary plots are presented which express the necessary and sufficient stability criterion in a readily usable chart form.
Relative contribution of energy intake and energy expenditure to childhood obesity: a review of the literature and directions for future research.

Relative contribution of energy intake and energy expenditure to childhood obesity: a review of the literature and directions for future research
Use of energy derivative of the radial solution in an augmented plane wave method: application to copper

By a suitable combination inside the muffin-tin sphere of a radial solution to the Schrodinger equation and its energy derivative, the dependence of the APW matrix elements on the energy E used to construct the basis functions can be greatly reduced. This has a number of advantages. The authors present an application of the method, previously suggested by Marcus (1967) and analysed by Andersen to the Chodorow copper potential and examine its precision and its convergence properties. It was found the method converges about equally well or somewhat more slowly than the standard APW method in number of basis functions. The eigenvalue error of the method is proportional to (E-E0)4. The error of the wavefunction is proportional to (E-Eo)2. The d states limit the range of mod E-E0 mod <0.1 Ryd for acceptable wavefunctions. The limit for non-d states is larger than 1 Ryd.
Periodic Lotka-Volterra competition equations.

The Lotka-Volterra competition equations with periodic coefficients derived from the MacArthur-Levins theory of a one-dimensional resource niche are studied when the parameters are allowed to oscillate periodically in time. Specifically, niche positions and widths, resource availability and resource consumption rates are allowed small amplitude periodicities around a specified mean value. Two opposite cases are studied both analytically and numerically. First only resource consumption rates are allowed to oscillate while niche dimensions and resource availability are held constant. The resulting oscillations in population densities and the strength of the system stability as they depend upon crucial relative phase and amplitude differences between the species' consumption rates are studied. This leads to a clear notion of “temporal niche” and of the effects that such oscillations can have on competitive coexistence. Secondly, all system parameters are allowed to oscillate, although the oscillatory consumption rates are assumed identical for both species. The effects on the population density oscillations and their averages are studied and the “best” choice of the common, periodic resource consumption rate for these two “identical” species competing for similar (even identical) niches is considered.
Progress on 300-mm wafer lithography equipment and processes

SEMICONDUCTOR300 was the first pilot-production facility for 300mm wafers in the world. The company, a joint venture between Motorola, Inc. and Infineon Technologies started in early 1998 to test and compare process, metrology and probe equipment, develop robust processes, and manufacture products using a 300mm wafer tool set. The lithography tools included I-line steppers, an I-line scanner, a DUV stepper, and DUV scanners. All of these exposure tools were running in-line with various photoresist coat and develop tracks. The lithography tools were used to build both 64M and 256M DRAM devices and aggressive test vehicles. The process capability of the initial 0.25 micrometers reference process was done and compared to the 200mm data set of the sister factory. Automation issues for lithography tools were addressed and the cost metrics were calculated. SC300 demonstrated that a manufacturable 300mm lithography tool set and process for various ground rule devices was possible with the required performance in image transfer, CD control, and overlay. Further testing on 0.18micrometers and 0.15micrometers ground rule features indicated a sufficient process window for potential manufacturing. Additionally, it was demonstrated that non-concentric subfield stepping was feasible.
The phenomenology of sunset at the Palace of the Jaguars, Teotihuacan

Although archaeoastronomically significant alignments throughout Mesoamerica are usually described solely in architectural terms (that is, as monumental aspects of calendric notation), in this article I present evidence (in the form of a case study of the Palace of the Jaguars, Teotihuacan) that alignments may have been utilized to engineer complex optical transformations of pictorial artifacts. To describe the interplay between light and color manifest in the structure's murals throughout the day, I utilize a virtual reconstruction of the structure. Drawing on recent developments in cognitive science, I explain how polychromatic assemblages could indeed appear to ‘come alive’.
Regulation of salt metabolism after hypophysectomy in man.

THE control of sodium metabolism in the absence of the pituitary gland has not been clearly defined in man. Experiments in patients with panhypopituitarism have been inconclusive because of the variability of anterior pituitary function and the reliance upon inappropriate tests. We shall present our experiences with the hypophysectomized patient subjected to sodium restriction and shall show that sodium conservation remains efficient in the absence of the anterior pituitary gland. There are decisive experimental data in animals (1) which demonstrate normal sodium metabolism after hypophysectomy. The secretion of aldosterone in response to sodium restriction and its relative independence of corticotropin (2) amply explain these findings. Aldosterone excretion has also been shown to be normal in the patient with panhypopituitarism (3) and to increase after hypophysectomy in response to sodium restriction (4). These considerations suggest that adrenal control of sodium metabolismis independent of pituitary f...
Land mine detection using backscattered x-ray radiography

The implementation of a backscattered x-ray landmine detection system has been demonstrated in laboratories at both Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and the University of Florida (UF). The next step was to evaluate the modality by assembling a system for fieldwork and to evaluate the systems performance with real laboratories. To assess the system's response to a variety of objects, buried simulated plastic and metal antitank landmines, surface simulated plastic antipersonnel landmines, and surface metal fragments were used as targets for the field test. The location of the test site was an unprepared field at SNL. The tests conducted using real landmines were held at UF using various burial depths. The field tests yielded the same levels of discrimination between soil and landmines that had been detected in laboratory experiments. The tests on the real landmines showed that the simulated landmines were a good approximation. The real landmines also contained internal features that would allow not only the detection of the landmines, but also the identification of them.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Advances in retroviral transduction of hematopoietic stem cells for the gene therapy of atherosclerosis.

Purpose of review Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that is the primary cause of morbidity and mortality in the developed world. Many studies have shown that macrophages and T-cells play critical roles in multiple aspects of the pathogenesis of the disease. Given that these cells are ultimately derived from bone marrow precursors, the concept of performing gene therapy for atherosclerosis through the retroviral transduction of hematopoietic stem cells has received much attention. This review will highlight recent advances that will help bring this goal closer. Recent findings The clinical application of retroviral gene transfer into hematopoietic stem cells has been hampered, in part, by the absence of vectors that can direct long-lasting, cell-type specific gene expression. In this review we will detail recent developments in the design of novel retroviral and lentiviral vectors that appear to overcome these problems, offering approaches to express therapeutic genes in specific cell-types within atherosclerotic lesions. We will also highlight advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis that may offer new gene therapeutic targets. Summary The use of retroviral transduction of hematopoietic stem cells for treatment of patients with atherosclerosis still remains a long-term goal. However, the recent development of retroviral vectors capable of directing expression to specific cell types within the lesion will allow more targeted therapeutic strategies to be devised. In addition, these vectors will provide powerful experimental tools to further our understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease.
Measurement and Prediction of Tape Cupping Under Mechanical and Hygrothermal Loads and Its Influence on Debris Generation in Linear Tape Drives

Magnetic tapes, which may be modeled as three-ply laminates, exhibit transverse curvature, or cupping, as manufactured and when mechanical and hygrothermal loads are applied. Among other things, this cupping affects debris generation since it influences the contact between the flawed tape edge and head, the point where much of the debris generation occurs. This influence on debris generation is demonstrated experimentally in this study. Much more debris accumulates near the tape edge-head contact than at other contact locations. No difference in debris generation was found for two tapes with slightly different residual cupping (which is controlled during manufacturing). The target residual cupping is usually negative, which means that the tape bows out towards the tape so that the edges are farther away from the head than the center of contact is, so as to reduce contact pressure with the tape edges. However cupping generally changes upon application of a tension and generally reduces the importance of residual cupping, which accounts for the failure to find a difference in debris generation for tapes with slightly different residual cupping. A finite element method model that uses laminate shell elements and accounts for in-plane stress stiffening, thus making it suitable for thin laminate modeling, was created. This modeling demonstrates that application of tensile and normal (used to simulate head contact) loads leads to cupping movement in the positive direction, which indicates a more severe edge contact, for an increase in front coat Young's modulus and/or an increase in front coat thickness. The same trends hold for an increase in back coat Young's modulus and/or an increase in back coat thickness. Modeling also demonstrates that cupping moves in the positive direction for an increase in the substrate's Young's modulus in the transverse direction for MP and ME tapes. An analytical model demonstrates that increases in temperature and front coat thermal expansion coefficient leads to cupping movement in the negative direction. The same trends hold for changes in relative humidity.
Future of computing: inspiration from nature

The intersection of biology and computer science is pushing computation beyond its traditional limits---forget algorithms think evolution.
The immune response to islets in experimental diabetes and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Over the past year, a number of important observations have been made in the nonobese diabetic mouse and in clinical insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus concerning the autoimmune response to islets. Assays have advanced to the point where individuals at risk for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus can be readily identified prior to the onset of symptoms and a number of peptides of proteins expressed by the beta cell have been shown to protect nonobese diabetic mice from developing diabetes. The contributions of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells to beta cell destruction are beginning to be understood and this information will probably be of value in the design of intervention strategies for use in human subjects.
A virtuous circle model of rural‐urban development: Evidence from a Kenyan small town and its Hinterland

Using data from Kenya, this article explores several propositions of a ‘virtuous circle’ model of rural‐urban development, to determine when the model might operate within a local economy. It is shown that: the cycle of reinforcing linkages hinges on a vigorous export base; external demand is only effective when farmers are connected to markets; small towns help raise agricultural productivity by allowing farmers to spread risk by diversifying incomes; vibrant agriculture spurs the proliferation of local non‐farm activities, which in turn create demand for farm produce, though not necessarily from the same area; and, finally, the virtuous circle model can be undermined by inappropriate macroeconomic policies.
Dynamic program visualizations for Java (abstract only)

This workshop will focus on using the new jGRASP viewer canvas which provides an exciting new dimension to dynamic program visualization. The canvas allows students and instructors to organize dynamic viewers of multiple objects and primitives to quickly form coherent program visualizations. Students can quickly build and save visualizations of their own programs, and faculty can create visualizations and provide them to students with example programs. "Playing" a program in canvas mode brings the visualization to life as objects come into scope and the canvas is updated automatically. All educators who teach Java will benefit from this workshop. It will be especially suitable for instructors who teach CS1 (introduction to programming), CS2 (introduction to data structures), and CS3 (introduction to algorithms), as well as for instructors of AP courses in high schools. jGRASP is a freely available educational IDE (http://www.jgrasp.org/); no prior experience with jGRASP is expected. Laptop required.
The effect of butyrate on the cell cycle in root meristems of Pisum sativum

Sodium butyrate at 5 mM in aerated White's medium reduced the mitotic index in root meristems of seedlings of Pisum sativum to < 1% after 12 h. This effect was lessened as the butyrate concentrations were lowered. The fraction of the root meristem nuclei in G2 increased to ~ 70% after 12 h in butyrate. After 12 h exposure to butyrate, seedlings transferred lo medium without butyrate gradually re-established their normal root meristem mitotic pattern, with a burst of mitosis at 10 h after the transfer. Even a brief exposure to butyrate inhibited DNA synthesis, and nuclei released from butyrate exposure were still unable to resume normal DNA synthesis even after 12 h. This information suggests that butyrate halts progression through the cell cycle by arresting meristem nuclei in G2 and inhibiting DNA synthesis.
Stationary table CT dosimetry and anomalous scanner-reported values of CTDIvol

Purpose: Anomalous, scanner-reported values of CTDI{sub vol} for stationary phantom/table protocols (having elevated values of CTDI{sub vol} over 300% higher than the actual dose to the phantom) have been observed; which are well-beyond the typical accuracy expected of CTDI{sub vol} as a phantom dose. Recognition of these outliers as “bad data” is important to users of CT dose index tracking systems (e.g., ACR DIR), and a method for recognition and correction is provided. Methods: Rigorous methods and equations are presented which describe the dose distributions for stationary-table CT. A comparison with formulae for scanner-reported values of CTDI{sub vol} clearly identifies the source of these anomalies. Results: For the stationary table, use of the CTDI{sub 100} formula (applicable to a moving phantom only) overestimates the dose due to extra scatter and also includes an overbeaming correction, both of which are nonexistent when the phantom (or patient) is held stationary. The reported DLP remains robust for the stationary phantom. Conclusions: The CTDI-paradigm does not apply in the case of a stationary phantom and simpler nonintegral equations suffice. A method of correction of the currently reported CTDI{sub vol} using the approach-to-equilibrium formula H(a) and an overbeaming correction factor serves to scale the reportedmore » CTDI{sub vol} values to more accurate levels for stationary-table CT, as well as serving as an indicator in the detection of “bad data.”.« less
THE IMPACT OF VINTAGE AND SURVIVAL ON PRODUCTIVITY: EVIDENCE FROM COHORTS OF U.S. MANUFACTURING PLANTS

This paper examines the evolution of productivity in U.S. manufacturing plants from 1963 to 1992. We define a vintage effect as the change in productivity of recent cohorts of new plants relative to earlier cohorts of new plants, and a survival effect as the change in productivity of a particular cohort of surviving plants as it ages. Both factors contribute to industry productivity growth, but play offsetting roles in determining a cohort's relative position in the productivity distribution. Recent cohorts enter with higher productivity than earlier entrants did, whereas surviving cohorts show productivity increases as they age. These two effects roughly offset each other, however, so there is a rough convergence in productivity across cohorts in 1992 and 1987.
Social networks and electronic commerce in China

Communications technologies that make up the emerging global information infrastructure have the power to regulate online behavior. Social networks in Chinese society have survived the growth of formal legal institutions and liberalization of China's economy, but it is not clear whether they can survive the regulatory pressures created by global information technology networks. The spread of electronic commerce technologies in China may strengthen legal institutions and open local markets to international competition, but is likely to be resisted by all the same interests that resist those changes in other contexts. The Chinese response to the spread of electronic commerce might take several forms: assimilation; marginalization; or localization of new forms of commercial activity that rely on new technologies.
Media Review: Helping College Students: Developing Essential Support Skills for Student Affairs Practice

(2010). Media Review: Helping College Students: Developing Essential Support Skills for Student Affairs Practice. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice: Vol. 47, No. 2, pp. 255-258.
Banks and Liquidity

Banks perform valuable activities on either side of their balance sheets. On the asset side, they make loans to difficult, illiquid borrowers. On the liability side, they provide liquidity on demand to depositors. But there seems to be a fundamental incompatibility between the two activities: the demands for liquidity by depositors may arrive at an inconvenient time and force the fire-sale liquidation of illiquid assets. Furthermore, because depositors are served in sequence, the prospect of fire sales may precipitate self-fulfilling runs that further jeopardize bank activities. Is this an aberration, stemming from historical accident, and enshrined by deposit insurance? Or is there logic, hitherto unnoticed, for the bank’s choice of activities? Our recent work suggests that the answer to the latter question is yes. In order to describe why a bank’s fragile capital structure allows it to create liquidity and to explain why bank loans are illiquid, we present a simple example based on Diamond and Rajan (2001a).
Adherence, expectations and the placebo response: why is good adherence to an inert treatment beneficial?

Objective: The current study sought to better understand why good adherence to a placebo treatment has been reliably associated with health benefits. We proposed a model where initial expectations shape adherence, which then influences subsequent expectations that affect placebo response. Design: Seventy-two participants were told that they were enrolling in a study of physical activity and memory, and were asked to increase their physical activity by 35% for two weeks (placebo treatment). Main outcome measures: Adherence to this physical activity target was measured by pedometer. Expectations and short-term memory (free recall) were assessed before and after physical activity. Results: Initial expectations predicted adherence to physical activity (r = .27, p < .03), but adherence did not predict subsequent expectations (r = .06, p = .60). Testing a multi-step meditational model revealed that initial expectations predicted better memory even after controlling for adherence, subsequent expectations, baseli...
Ferrous hexacyanocobaltate dodecahydrate

Single crystals of Fe3[Co(CN)6]2·12H2O are synthesized by the slow diffusion method. The cubic form of iron(II) hexacyanocobaltate(III) crystallizes in the space group Fm3m (0h5 No. 225), with a lattice constant a = 10.308(2) A. The calculated density is 1.644 g-cm−3 (π0 = 1.652(9) g-cm−3). The disordered structure contains 1 13 molecules in the unit cell. Cyanide bridging links the divalent Fe atoms to the Co atoms. The final refinement based on 92 unique reflections has yielded an R- value of 0.028 and a “goodness of fit” value of 0.998. Important bond lengths are: FeN = 2.145(9), CoC = 1.876(13), FeO(1) = 2.094(9) and CN = 1.142(14) A. Dehydration, fluorescence and infrared studies are reported for single crystals of the title compound.
A mathematical model for the growth kinetics and synthesis of phenolics in oregano (Origanum vulgare) shoot cultures inoculated with Pseudomonas species

Abstract Elicitation with Pseudomonas sp. reduced hyperhydricity in clonally propagated shoot cultures of oregano under in vitro conditions and over many subcultures without re-inoculation. This was characterized by changes in the growth kinetics, total chlorophyll, total phenolics and moisture content. Total chlorophyll in the inoculant-containing shoot cultures was higher than the control throughout the growth cycle of all subcultures. Moisture content (wb) of the inoculated shoot cultures was 8% lower than the control. The pattern of total phenolics synthesis in the inoculated shoot cultures showing characteristics of a periodic response and significant differences when compared to control was observed. A Leudking-Piret’s logistic model was used to study the growth kinetics of the control and inoculated shoot cultures to describe quantitatively the differences in the growth kinetics. There was a fourfold reduction in the biomass by fresh weight and a twofold reduction by dry weight due to inoculation. The specific growth rate remained unchanged, but the length of the growth cycle was reduced by 6 days for the inoculated shoot cultures. It appeared that the growth reduction was linked to the stress-related response mediated by the elicitation from Pseudomonas sp. to stimulate the synthesis of secondary metabolites. In spite of the growth reduction, the inoculated shoot cultures, however, had similar numbers of shoot node explants for subsequent propagation and all the shoot node explants were unhyperhydrated.
Common and distinct neural inputs to the medial central nucleus of the amygdala and anterior ventrolateral bed nucleus of stria terminalis in rats

The central nucleus of the amygdala (CEA) and lateral bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BST) are highly interconnected limbic forebrain regions that share similar connectivity with other brain regions that coordinate behavioral and physiological responses to internal and environmental stressors. Their similar connectivity is frequently referred to when describing the CEA and lateral BST together as a unified “central extended amygdala”. However, the CEA and BST reportedly play distinct roles in behavioral and physiological responses associated with fear, anxiety, and social defeat, presumably due to differences in connectivity. To identify common and unique sources of input to the CEA and lateral BST, we performed dual retrograde tracing. Fluorogold and cholera toxin β were iontophoresed into the medial CEA (CEAm) and the anterior ventrolateral BST (BSTvl) of adult male rats. The anatomical distribution of tracer-labeled neurons was mapped throughout the brain. Regions with overlapping populations of CEAm- and BSTvl-projecting neurons were further examined for the presence of double-labeled neurons. Although most regions with input to the mCEA also projected to the BSTvl, and vice versa, cortical and sensory system-related regions projected more robustly to the CEAm, while motor system-related regions primarily innervated the BSTvl. The incidence of double-labeled neurons with collateralized axonal inputs to the CEAm and BSTvl was relatively small (~2 to 13%) and varied across regions, suggesting regional differences in the degree of coordinated CEAm and BSTvl input. The demonstrated similarities and differences in inputs to CEAm and BSTvl provide new anatomical insights into the functional organization of these limbic forebrain regions.
Cluster ensembles --- a knowledge reuse framework for combining multiple partitions

This paper introduces the problem of combining multiple partitionings of a set of objects into a single consolidated clustering without accessing the features or algorithms that determined these partitionings. We first identify several application scenarios for the resultant 'knowledge reuse' framework that we call cluster ensembles. The cluster ensemble problem is then formalized as a combinatorial optimization problem in terms of shared mutual information. In addition to a direct maximization approach, we propose three effective and efficient techniques for obtaining high-quality combiners (consensus functions). The first combiner induces a similarity measure from the partitionings and then reclusters the objects. The second combiner is based on hypergraph partitioning. The third one collapses groups of clusters into meta-clusters which then compete for each object to determine the combined clustering. Due to the low computational costs of our techniques, it is quite feasible to use a supra-consensus function that evaluates all three approaches against the objective function and picks the best solution for a given situation. We evaluate the effectiveness of cluster ensembles in three qualitatively different application scenarios: (i) where the original clusters were formed based on non-identical sets of features, (ii) where the original clustering algorithms worked on non-identical sets of objects, and (iii) where a common data-set is used and the main purpose of combining multiple clusterings is to improve the quality and robustness of the solution. Promising results are obtained in all three situations for synthetic as well as real data-sets.
A Conceptual Discussion of Transformational Leadership and Intercultural Competence

Transformational leadership has been defined as a process by which leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of morality and motivation (Burns, 1978). This paper examines the concepts of transformational leadership and intercultural communication competence. A deeper insight is required in order to understand the effectiveness of transformational leadership in various cultural contexts (Migliore, 2011). It has been shown that national culture orientation and intercultural communication competence tend to impact both the leadership framework and transformational leadership dimensions. Further, various aspects of effective leadership and the choice of communication strategies diverge for different cultural contexts. This paper is based on Matveev and Lvina’s (2007) work and reviews various intercultural studies of leadership that expound culturally-oriented leadership models. While universal and particularistic leadership components are present, it has been shown that the leadership styles involving charismatic components contribute the most to the perception of what effective leadership style constitutes.
Water as Life, Death, and Power: Building an Integrated Interdisciplinary Course Combining Perspectives from Anthropology, Biology, and Chemistry.

In response to a request from a campus student organization, faculty from three fields came together to develop and teach an integrated interdisciplinary course on water issues and social activism. This course, "Water as Life, Death, and Power", brought together topics from the fields of anthropology, biology and chemistry to explore water rights, access to clean water, and water treatment methods. Students enrolled in the course developed interdisciplinary projects related to a variety of local and global water issues to present real-world solutions at a university-wide student research showcase. This article describes the process by which the faculty learning community designed the course as a truly integrated whole, and reflects on the challenges and rewards of teaching a course in this way.
A synthetic standard for the analysis of carbon isotopes of carbon in silicates, and the observation of a significant water-associated matrix effect

Due to the biogeochemical fractionation of isotopes, organic material can be heterogeneous at the microscale. Because this heterogentiy preserves in the rock record, the microscale measurement of carbon isotopes is an important frontier of geobiology. Such analyses via secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) have been, however, held back by the lack of an appropriate homogeneous synthetic standard that can be shared between laboratories. Such a standard would need to yield a carbon signal intensity within the same instrument dynamic range as that found for typical rocks, exhibit minimal matrix effects under typical SIMS conditions, and be widely available. In this work, five possible standards were tested with repeated δ13C ion microprobe measurements against the PPRG #215-1 Precambrian chert that has been used as a working standard for these types of analyses by several laboratories. Results showed that silica powder, pressed, and bonded with Ceramacast 905 produced a useful synthetic standard. The material produced has a secondary ion carbon yield of only about 15× that of the PPRG #215-1 organic-rich chert. Finally, the material, once dried sufficiently, did not demonstrate an observable matrix effect when the carbon isotopes were measured. Another similar material (silica nanopowder, pressed, and bonded with Aremco-Bond 526N) appears to have retained its hydration after a substantial effect to dry it. The isotopes measurements of this more hydrated material showed a significant matrix effect that was diminished by intense pre-sputtering. The results indicate water can affect SIMS carbon isotopic measurements, and an intense beam reduces the effect. A hydrated standard might be useful to monitor the effect. A suitable artificial standard for SIMS isotopic measurements of organic material in rocks has been found, and it will allow an acute growth in both the quantity and quality of studies of ancient carbon at the microscale. Also, this work has revealed a novel water-associated matrix effect for carbon isotopes. This newly revealed matrix effect is important because it might have misled previous research. The effect could lead to increased observed heterogeneity of partially hydrated samples and/or produced systematic differences between natural targets and the standards used.
Ablation of epicardial macroreentrant ventricular tachycardia associated with idiopathic nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy by a percutaneous transthoracic approach.

Ablation of Epicardial Macroreentry. Characterization of the substrate and mechanism of epicardial ventricular tachycardia (VT) associated with idiopathic nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy is limited. We report a case of successful mapping and ablation of an epicardial VT by a percutaneous transthoracic approach in a patient with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, frequent VT, and previously unsuccessful endocardial ablation. Evidence of myocardial scar was limited to the epicardium. Electroanatomic and entrainment mapping defined a figure-of-eight macroreentrant circuit within the epicardial scar. VT terminated at the onset of low-power radiofrequency application to the central isthmus of the circuit. VT was no longer induced and did not recur during long-term follow-up.