cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fate of small homograft conduits after early repair of truncus arteriosus

Abstract Neonatal repair of truncus arteriosus is being performed in a number of centers, often with the use of small homograft conduits. The fate of the homograft and the risk of replacement were the subjects of this study. Between January 1987 and October 1991, 43 infants aged less than 3 months (range, 3 to 90 days) underwent primary repair of truncus arteriosus including implantation of a valved homograft conduit (diameter, 7 to 12 mm). Twenty-nine had follow-up of more than 6 months (range, 6 to 65 months; mean, 21.9 months). After a mean period of 31 months (range, 8 to 65 months), 7 patients showed obstruction with right ventricular pressures at least 75% systemic and underwent either a conduit change (n = 5) or a patch augmentation (n = 2). Mean cardiopulmonary bypass time at reoperation was 99 minutes; mortality was zero. Five other children are known to have a right ventricular pressure of 50% to 60% systemic, 2 having undergone balloon dilation. Statistical comparison of the patients with conduit reoperation or high right ventricular pressure (n = 12) with the rest of the population (n = 17) revealed an elevated pulmonary artery to right ventricular pullback gradient on postoperative day 1 after the repair (7.7 versus 1.3 mm Hg; p = 0.001) and choice of an aortic over a pulmonary homograft (100% versus 64.7%; p = 0.065) as significant risk factors. Age and weight at repair, postoperative pulmonary artery pressure, length of follow-up, and size of the homograft showed no significant differences between the two groups. A postoperative pulmonary artery to right ventricular pressure gradient is a risk factor for conduit replacement within 2 years, possibly reflecting subtle technical factors or small branch pulmonary arteries. Very small homografts (7 to 9 mm in diameter) are not, but, most interestingly, aortic homografts are a significant risk factor for early replacement. The use of small pulmonary homografts should be encouraged.
Mitigating inductive noise in SMT processors

Simultaneous multi-threading, although effective in increasing processor throughput, exacerbates the inductive noise problem such that more expensive electronic solutions are required even with the use of previously proposed microarchitectural approaches. We use detailed microarchitectural simulation together with the Pentium 4 power delivery model to demonstrate the impact of SMT on inductive noise, and to identify thread-specific microarchitectural reasons for high noise occurrences. We make the key observation that the presence of multiple threads actually provides an opportunity to mitigate the cyclical current fluctuations that cause noise, and propose the use of a prior performance enhancement technique to achieve this purpose.
Effects of sacral dorsal rhizotomy on bladder function in patients with spastic cerebral palsy

A newly revised operation for controlling spasticity in cerebral palsy patients, selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR), has the potential to affect bladder function. The goal of this multidisciplinary study is to investigate the potential change in bladder function by characterizing and comparing pre- and post-operative symptoms and bladder function, both qualitatively and quantitatively, in 34 pediatric patients over the age of three with spastic cerebral palsy as the indication for selective dorsal rhizotomy. Video urodynamics were performed in a subset of patients. Almost all patients with quadriplegia were incontinent (8/9) and none were significantly helped with bladder control. Almost half (5/11) of patients with diplegia who failed prior bladder control training were able to gain continence post-operatively No patient experienced permanent damage to the function of their bladder. In conclusion, selective dorsal rhizotomy using the revised technique of Peacock [Peacock et al. (1987): Pediatr Neurosci 13:61–66.] appears to be safe for spastic cerebral palsy patients' bladder function. It can help decrease symptoms and improve bladder capacity and control in almost half of those symptomatic cerebral palsy patients with diplegia.
Condensation polymers from 3,9‐bis(7‐carbomethoxyheptyl)‐2,4,8,10‐tetraoxaspiro[5.5]undecane. I. Poly(ester‐acetals) and a novel method for crosslinking them

3,9-Bis(7-carbomethoxyheptyl)-2,4,8,10-tetraoxaspiro[5.5]-undecane (the pentaerythritol acetal of methyl azelaaldehydate) in the presence of basic catalysts underwent condensation polymerization with ethylene glycol to give linear polymers, either alone or in conjunction with other dibasic esters. These linear poly(ester-acetals) were susceptible to crosslinking by p-toluenesulfonic acid and by various metal oxides and salts, such as zinc oxide, zinc acetate, litharge, and magnesium oxide. The crosslinked polymers were insoluble, infusible, transparent solids which were strongly adherent to glass.
“It’s all by someone else!”: Sacred Writing and the Contemporary Poet

James Merrill’s The Changing Light at Sandover is the outstanding visionary long poem of late twentieth-century American literature. Despite its somewhat unusual mode of composition and the rather eccentric heavenly pantheon with which Merrill claims to have communicated, Sandover is presented as the transmission of an authentic prophetic message and the narrative of the manner in which that message was received. One of the more intriguing aspects of the text is its self-reflexive nature. A substantial amount of the poem’s dialogue and a number of narrative manipulations interrogate the technologies of the poem’s composition and the relation of Merrill’s medium and method to his task as the author of a sacred text in a skeptical age. These internal tests ultimately confirm his efforts by celebrating the most basic element of any author’s craft—language—as not only the medium for the message but also the mechanism of humankind’s redemption.
A study of bacteriological media: the examination of casamin E.

Three batches of Casamin E have been examined quantitatively for their free and total amino acid content. Variation occurs in the free amino acid content in the three batches examined. The peptides were examined qualitatively. The batches were examined for their strepogenin activity using the media of Steele, Sauberlich, Reynolds and Baumann1 and Kodicek and Mistry2. The stimulatory pattern appeared to be different with the two basal media.
Nonholonomic path planning of space robots

The authors discuss the nonholonomic mechanical structure of a space robot and its path planning. The conservation of angular momentum works as a nonholonomic constraint, whereas the conservation of linear momentum is a holonomic one. In this framework a vehicle with a 6-DOF (six-degree-of-freedom) manipulator is described as a nine-variable system with six inputs. This implies the possibility of controlling the vehicle orientation as well as the joint variables of the manipulator by actuating the joint variables only if the trajectory is carefully planned, although both the variables and the trajectory cannot be controlled independently. In planning a feasible path, a system than consists of a vehicle and a 6-DOF manipulator can be treated as a 9-DOF kinematically redundant system. The nonholonomic mechanical structure of the space vehicle/manipulator system is shown, and a path planning scheme for nonholonomic systems using Lyapunov functions is proposed. >
Theories, Boundaries, and All of the Above

Our immediate challenge in computer-mediated communication (CMC) research has to do with refinement of theories, and the most important refinement has to do with the articulation of boundary conditions. Boundary conditions stipulate the contextual conditions in which different theoretical chains-of-events are expected to occur. Boundary specifications will help us understand when one theoretical process applies, or when a different one applies, or even—and this is no easy task—precisely whencommunicatorsshiftfromonetypeofprocesstoanother.Boundariesarebeing foisted upon us by technological developments that may limit (or maybe revise) the scope of our extant theoretical frameworks. There are implicit boundaries that have alwaysbeentherebutwhichwehaveignored,misapprehended,orfailedtoinvestigate. Because we have not done a good job of articulating boundary conditions we have reached a point in the field’s development at which our summaries can appear to college students to be just as incoherent as many more established disciplines’ textbooks. We can talk about how online social interaction phenomena were accounted for in the 1980sin reference to Cause A; in the 90’s, other researchers claimed that the same phenomenon was due to Cause B’s dynamics, and they did an experiment where they did X and Y to show how B was correct and A was not; but in 2002 Him and Her argued that the phenomenon was actually due to Cause C, and their sophisticated study which isolated factor D showed that C was in fact true. We can look back across an extremely short history of research and find that at one time or another, radically different explanations have been applied, quite persuasively, to the same phenomena. Ontheonehand,thiscouldbehealthyprogress.Scientificadvancementshouldbe cumulative and new explanations should be capable of subsuming old findings. But our current state may not reflect knowing which explanation definitively prevails, or failing toexamine whether theyaddress different phenomena and needing to identify which explanation may or may not be true under different specifiable circumstances.
Validation of National Data Buoy Center Directional Wave Measurements Using Swell Waves from Distant Storms

Accuracy of swell wave direction measurements derived from Datawell Hippy 40-second Mark II and National Data Buoy Center angular rate sensor (ARS) are determined using two NDBC west coast stations: 46042 in Monterey Bay and 46028 near Cape San Martin. These are located in deep water 66 nautical miles apart off the central coast of California. Hippy and ARS spectral wave directions are compared to corresponding directions inferred from strong cyclonic wind fields represented by data obtained from National Center for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/ NCAR) Reanalysis project of NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL). Wave energy is assumed to propagate along great circle routes at its frequency-dependent group velocity. Time of wave generation is computed by the ridgeline method. Patterns found in contours of non-directional wave energy on time-frequency plots yield precise information on the time of swell generation. Frequency-dependent wave direction is determined using NDBC techniques. Swell origin position from buoy information is compared to true swell origin, determined to be where high winds exceeding 15 meters per second are found directed toward the station. We present the twelve and only cases from November 2004 to December 2005 in which peak wave period exceeded 20 seconds at NDBC station 46042. In the twelve cases, swell energy reached both stations nearly simultaneously. Storm centers were all deep extra-tropical cyclones, and these ranged across the entire Pacific Ocean. The most distant storm was 3,005 kilometers away in the southern Pacific near 60 degrees south 150 degrees west. Together, these cases show ARS-derived directions marginally exceeding NDBC error limits of 10 degrees. Accuracy of Hippy direction is estimated to be 7 plusmn 10 degrees. The viability of the validation method as a general technique for any directional wave system is discussed. The last of the twelve cases, the one with the least spectral energy density, representing a wave of period 21 seconds with an amplitude of 13 centimeters, is shown requiring further research owing to apparently weak winds around projected point of swell origin
An Adaptive Morphological Filter for Defect Detection in Eddy Current Aircraft Wheel Inspection

Eddy current technique is a widely used nondestructive testing (NDT) method in aircraft wheel inspection. Commercial wheel inspection systems used by airlines perform a helical scan of the wheel outer surface and produce a strip chart record of the inspection signal. In practice, the eddy current signals are often contaminated by noise, which makes the interpretation of the strip chart record very difficult In commercial systems, the problem of data interpretation is rendered difficult due to the fact that the hardware configuration (narrow band pre-filter and low sampling rate) eliminates the information about the shape and spectral differences between the defect signal and noise. In order to improve the performance of the wheel inspection system, a PC based signal analysis system was developed to obtain a more accurate interpretation of the eddy current inspection signal.
Chronic metabolic acidosis reversibly inhibits extracellular matrix gene expression in mouse osteoblasts

Chronic metabolic acidosis induces net calcium efflux from bone mineral through an increase in osteoclastic resorption and a decrease in osteoblastic matrix deposition and mineralization. To determ...
Accelerating incast and multicast traffic delivery for data-intensive applications using physical layer optics

We present a control plane architecture to accelerate multicast and incast traffic delivery for data-intensive applications in cluster-computing interconnection networks. The architecture is experimentally examined by enabling physical layer optical multicasting on-demand for the application layer to achieve non-blocking performance.
Reliability assessment of energy conversion components in geographically distributed power grid through a modern communication network

This paper presents fault diagnosis of electric motors for geographically-distributed power grid systems. With the advancement of modern communication tools in industry, the power electronics and energy system have been efficiently monitored and reliably controlled through the information technology (IT) networks. Among those, remote monitoring in real-time requires large communication bandwidth as the signal acquisition device in drive system commonly adopts high resolution analogue to digital converters (ADCs). This paper presents an efficient transmission of the acquired signal for remote motor current signature analysis (MCSA) diagnosis purpose. It is proven that the proposed diagnosis scheme provides high enough accuracy and low signal bandwidth in implementation.
Characterization of the mouse tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (trap) gene promoter

Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) is an iron-binding protein that is highly expressed in osteoclasts. To characterize the regulation of TRAP gene expression, progressive 5' and 3' deletions of a 1.8 kb fragment containing the 5'-flanking sequence were fused to a luciferase reporter gene. Two nonoverlapping regions of this 1.8 kb fragment had promoter activity. The upstream promoter (P1) was located within the region from -881 bp to -463 bp relative to the ATG, while the downstream promoter (P2) was located between -363 bp to -1 bp in a region we have previously shown to be an intron in transcripts originating from the upstream promoter. A putative repressor region for the P2 promoter at -1846 bp to -1240 bp and a putative enhancer region at -962 bp to -881 bp relative to the ATG were identified. PCR analysis of promoter-specific transcription of the TRAP gene in various murine tissues showed that both promoters were active in several tissues. Transferrin-bound iron increased P1 promoter activity 2.5-fold and hemin decreased P1 promoter activity, but neither had any effect on P2 activity. These data show that the transcriptional regulation of the TRAP gene is complex and that iron may play a key role in TRAP gene regulation.
Gene × Environment interactions in speech sound disorder predict language and preliteracy outcomes

Few studies have investigated the role of gene x environment interactions (G x E) in speech, language, and literacy disorders. Currently, there are two theoretical models, the diathesis-stress model and the bioecological model, that make opposite predictions about the expected direction of G x E, because environmental risk factors may either strengthen or weaken the effect of genes on phenotypes. The purpose of the current study was to test for G x E at two speech sound disorder and reading disability linkage peaks using a sib-pair linkage design and continuous measures of socioeconomic status, home language/literacy environment, and number of ear infections. The interactions were tested using composite speech, language, and preliteracy phenotypes and previously identified linkage peaks on 6p22 and 15q21. Results showed five G x E at both the 6p22 and 15q21 locations across several phenotypes and environmental measures. Four of the five interactions were consistent with the bioecological model of G x E. Each of these four interactions involved environmental measures of the home language/literacy environment. The only interaction that was consistent with the diathesis-stress model was one involving the number of ear infections as the environmental risk variable. The direction of these interactions and possible interpretations are explored in the discussion.
Artificially and Sugar-Sweetened Carbonated Beverage Consumption Is Not Associated with Risk of Lymphoid Neoplasms in Older Men and Women

Background Concern about the carcinogenic potential of aspartame was raised after an increase in lymphomas and leukemia was reported in an animal study at doses similar to human exposure. Two prospective cohort studies published after the report found inconsistent results for estimated aspartame intake, artificially sweetened beverage consumption, and risk of lymphoid neoplasms. Objective The objective of this study was to examine associations of artificially and sugar-sweetened carbonated beverage consumption (for comparison) and aspartame intake with risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) overall and by major histologic subtype in the Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort. Methods Among 100,442 adult men and women who provided information on diet and lifestyle factors in 1999, 1196 NHL cases were verified during a 10-y follow-up period. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate multivariable-adjusted RRs and 95% CIs. Results In women and men combined, there were no associations of consumption of ≥1 (355 mL) servings/d of artificially (RR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.73, 1.17; P-trend: 0.14) or sugar- (RR: 1.10; 95% CI: 0.77, 1.58; P-trend: 0.62) sweetened carbonated beverages with NHL risk, compared to no consumption (P-heterogeneity by gender: 0.11-1.00). Similarly, aspartame intake was not associated with NHL risk (RR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.84, 1.24; P-trend: 0.69, top vs. bottom quintile). Associations with NHL subtype (multiple myeloma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma, and follicular and other B-cell lymphoma) were generally null. Conclusion These findings do not support associations of daily consumption of artificially or sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages, or aspartame, with NHL risk.
The toxicity of chlorine to a common vascular aquatic plant

Abstract Myriophyllum spicatum was exposed to various chlorine concentrations on a continuous and intermittent basis in 96-h toxicity studies utilizing a proportional diluter. Continuous exposure to chlorine concentrations as low as 0.05 mg l −1 total residual chlorine (TRC) depressed shoot and total plant dry weights approx. 30% relative to controls. Shoot length was depressed approx. 16% at this concentration. Chlorophyll a was depressed 25% at 0.1 mg l −1 TRC. However, intermittent exposure of plants to chlorine for three 2-h periods daily for 96 h indicated an insensitivity to repeated short term chlorine exposure at all concentrations but 1.0 mg l −1 TRC. These results indicate that high level chlorine discharges from waste water facilities and electric generating plants could be a contributing factor impacting nearby submerged aquatic vegetation.
Experiences with Formative Assessment in Engineering Classrooms

Assessment in many engineering courses is mostly summative in nature. We have introduced an electronic Classroom Communication System (CCS) into undei^adiiate en^neering courses to provide students with formative assessment on a regular basis. Kxpcriences with the system are presented, including both student and instructor evaluations. Students like it because it is anonymous and lets them know in a timely manner when they have difficulty understanding new concepts. The system also helps iiifonn the instnictor about student comprehension of various concepts, well in advance of an examination, resulting in better retention of ftmdamental eoncepts. The system can help an instnictor adjust the pace of the course to match the aptitude of the students. Therefore, instnictors might reduce the variance in students" conceptual understanding of fi.indamental concepts early in the course, allowing for more uniform coverage of advanced topics later in the course.
Burner Rig Hot Corrosion of Silicon Carbide and Silicon Nitride

A number of commercially available SiC and Si3N4 materials were exposed to 1000 C for 40 h in a high-velocity, pressurized burner rig as a simulation of an aircraft turbine environment. Na impurities (2 ppm) added to the burner flame resulted in molten Na2SO4 deposition, attack of the SiC and Si3N4, and formation of substantial Na2O+x(SiO2) corrosion product. Room-temperature strength of the materials decreased as a result of the formation of corrosion pits in SiC and grain-boundary dissolution and pitting in Si3N4.
Rhizoctonia communities in soybean fields and their relation with other microbes and nematode communities

Soybean root rot, caused by Rhizoctonia solani, is one of the most serious soybean diseases in the North Central Region of the United States. There is no report of the relationship between Rhizoctonia root rot and soil physical and chemical properties, or microbial and nematode communities. A commercial soybean field with a long history of Rhizoctonia root rot was examined to explore this relationship. Results demonstrated that high disease incidence in sampled areas was positively correlated with high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, manganese, populations of soil Rhizoctonia, thermophiles and fungi, root Rhizoctonia colonies, populations of lesion and stunt nematodes, and negatively correlated with high levels of calcium, magnesium, sodium, base saturation, and populations of Pseudomonas based on correlation analysis and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). Cluster analysis showed that the communities of both Rhizoctonia and bacteria in sampled areas were separated based on healthy and diseased plants using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE); however, there was no clear separation for Fusarium, Pythium and Trichoderma communities in sampled areas based on healthy and diseased plants, indicating these species might not be directly associated with Rhizoctonia root rot. Moreover, the disease suppression seems to be more related to the quantity of soil beneficial microorganisms rather than specific species. In addition, DGGE is a reliable technique to characterize microbial communities and identify fungal and bacterial species in complex soil systems.
High-throughput screen for identifying small molecules that target fungal zinc homeostasis.

Resistance to traditional antifungal drugs has increased significantly over the past three decades, making identification of novel antifungal agents and new targets an emerging priority. Based on the extraordinary zinc requirement of several fungal pathogens and their well-established sensitivity to zinc deprivation, we developed an efficient cell-based screen to identify new antifungal drugs that target the zinc homeostasis machinery. The screen is based on the zinc-regulated transcription factor Zap1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which regulates transcription of genes like the high-affinity zinc transporter ZRT1. We generated a genetically modified strain of S. cerevisae that reports intracellular zinc deficiency by placing the coding sequence of green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the Zap1-regulated ZRT1 promoter. After showing that the GFP fluorescence signal correlates with low intracellular zinc concentrations in this strain, a protocol was developed for screening small-molecule libraries for compounds that induce Zap1-dependent GFP expression. Comparison of control compounds and known modulators of metal metabolism from the library reveals a robust screen (Z′ = 0.74) and validates this approach to the discovery of new classes of antifungal compounds that interfere with the intracellular zinc homeostasis. Given that growth of many pathogenic organisms is significantly impaired by zinc limitation; these results identify new types of antifungal drugs that target critical nutrient acquisition pathways.
Evidence for "type I" excitability in molluscan neurons

The transition between silent and oscillatory activity as a function of a change in parameters is known as a bifurcation in nonlinear dynamical systems theory. The role of the saddle-node and Hopf bifurcations in such transitions have become ubiquitous in computational models and underly a classification scheme of spiking mechanisms: type I (saddle-node) and type II (Hopf). Here we present experimental evidence from molluscan neurons of bifurcation diagrams that are similar in structure to those from type I neuron models. These results mark one of the first attempts at validating such bifurcation mechanisms in single neurons.
Relationship of scattering from the PEC screen with infinite periodicity and its complementary structure

The frequency selective surface (FSS) [1]-[6], which is a doubly periodical array of patches and apertures, has the frequency filtering property. FSS has been applied as antenna radomes for control of electromagnetic wave transmission and reflection. The FSS reflector also can be employed to separate feeds of different frequency bands in reflector antenna systems [1].
Comparison of Ozone and Formaldehyde as Poultry Hatchery Disinfectants

Ozone and formaldehyde were compared as poultry hatchery disinfectants in a poultry setter, and evaluated for effectiveness. Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Salmonella typhimurium, and Proteus spp. were inoculated onto open petri plates and exposed to ozone or onto filter paper strips and exposed to ozone or formaldehyde in a poultry setter. Ozone (1.41 to 1.68% by weight) resulted in significant bacterial reductions of greater than 4 log10 on the open plates and greater than 3 log10 on filter paper strips, whereas formaldehyde (triple strength) resulted in greater than 7 log10 reduction on filter paper strips. Ozone was similarly lethal to organisms on filter paper strips at 90% relative humidity (RH) and 13.9 C, and at 50% RH and 37.7 C. Although under the conditions of this study formaldehyde (triple strength) was more lethal than ozone, ozone killed greater than 99.9% of the starting microbial populations. In the event that formaldehyde can no longer be used in the hatchery, an effective alternative may be ozone.
Ground-penetrating radar study of North Padre Island: implications for barrier island internal architecture, model for growth of progradational microtidal barrier islands, and Gulf of Mexico sea-level cyclicity.

Abstract Padre Island is the widest and longest barrier island in the world. It is 200 km long, up to 3 km wide, and 10–15 m thick. This 2,000-year-old barrier island was formed predominantly from northward longshore-drifted sediments from the Rio Grande River Delta. A 3-km-long, shore-normal, 50 MHz ground-penetrating radar (GPR) profile was collected across Padre Island from the Gulf of Mexico to Laguna Madre at the northern end of the Padre Island National Seashore. A 1-km-long, shore-parallel GPR profile was also collected and intersects the shore-parallel profile approximately 1 km landward of the Gulf of Mexico. Vibracores taken along the shore-normal profile, at the beach foreshore, in the center of the island, at the lagoon margin, and at a recent washover fan were used, in conjunction with the description of a deep rotary core taken through the northern part of the island, to constrain the GPR interpretations. In the shore-normal profile, GPR reflectors indicate both seaward- and landward-dipping clinoforms, as well as concave-upward scour-and-fill features. Seaward-dipping reflectors indicate approximately 2 km of progradation of the barrier island, suggesting an average progradation rate of 1 m/year. Landward-dipping reflectors, in the landward 1 km of the GPR profile, indicate approximately 1 km of landward growth, suggesting an average landward growth rate of 0.5 m/year. Nested concave-upward scour-and-fill features in the central part of the island are interpreted as tidal and washover channels 3–8 m deep. In strike cross section these scours are channel-form in outline and contain nearly horizontal, to slightly inclined, radar reflectors. The presence of channel-form scours supports the interpretation that landward growth was dominantly due to deposition by short-lived tidal deltas and storm washovers. Even though there was periodic landward island growth, North Padre Island has been progradational throughout its history due to a high sediment supply. The understanding of the architecture and growth history of Padre Island provides much needed information about the internal geometry and the evolution of modern barrier-island systems. In addition, systematic variations in scour depths across the island suggest that storm frequency and intensity varied during the island’s history and provides a proxy for estimating sea-level fluctuations.
Closest Vector Problem

In Chapter 2 we described algorithms to (approximately) solve SVP and CVP. These algorithms exhibit relatively good performance as far as the running time is concerned. In particular, they terminate within a time bound that is polynomial in the size of the input. However, these algorithms offer very poor guarantees on the quality of the solution returned: the worst-case approximation factor achieved by the best known polynomial time algorithm is essentially exponential in the rank of the lattice. To date no efficient algorithm that provably approximates SVP or CVP within small factors (e.g., factors that are polynomial in the rank of the lattice) is known. In this chapter we start studying lattices from a computational complexity point of view, and, in particular we investigate the hardness of the closest vector problem. We first consider the problem of solving CVP exactly, and prove that this problem is hard for NP. Therefore no efficient algorithm to solve CVP exists, unless P equals NP.
Assessing The Validity Of The Teacher Perceiver Interview As A Predictor Of Faculty Performance

The Teacher Perceiver Interview (TPI), developed by SRI/Gallup researchers, has been used by over 1000 secondary school districts to identify strengths specific to effective teachers. College administrators have traditionally relied on resumes, letters of recommendation, transcripts and on-campus interviews with no assurance that this process will properly identify a successful classroom teacher. Could the TPI serve as a valid assessment instrument to supplement current hiring processes and provide a quantitative prediction of classroom instructional success while screening out applicants who might not perform to minimum standards? This research correlates TPI scores with other assessment measures to validate the TPI as a predictor of faculty performance.
GOAL-DIRECTED PATTERN RECOGNITION

Publisher Summary In theoretical investigations of pattern recognition, it is common practice to represent the system-environment context minimally, usually by a partitioned set indicating the pattern categories. While this can be fruitful, as it has been for some kinds of character recognition, both thought and practice point up its limitations. It is particularly inadequate in goal-directed situations where the patterns to be recognized depend heavily on those features of the environment relevant to attainment of the system's goals. The object of a goal-directed pattern recognition system is to discover, consistently recognize, and utilize critical features of any environmental situation within its competence. This chapter highlights the problems entailed in constructing such systems and with ways of resolving these problems. It explores relevant aspects of Samuel's well-known work, with the intent of exhibiting some features of goal-directed pattern recognition in a familiar context.
Models of ventricular dynamics

A number of models of ventricular dynamics are discussed from the point of view of understanding the function of the heart and possible methods of diagnosis and treatment. In particular, work at Rutgers University, including studies of a variety of models, has been presented. These models include an hydraulic pressure source model, an ellipsoided shell model and a segmented shell model. Some of these models are interacted with each other to provide further insight into the use of models in understanding the physiology of the heart.
Terrestrial and Longitudinal Linkages of Headwater Streams

Abstract Headwater streams are important habitats for aquatic organisms. Within forested regions, headwater streams and riparian corridors function as zones of deposition, storage, processing, and subsequent transport of organic matter. In forested streams, organic matter from the adjacent forest provides the major fuel for the aquatic ecosystem. Along with habitat, headwater streams perform many valuable ecosystem services such as nutrient, hydraulic, and sediment retention; provide thermal refuges; and function as important sites of secondary production for higher animals. Headwater streams are being subjected to many anthropogenic impacts including dams, urbanization, agriculture, forestry, and mining. Ecologists should promote the importance of headwater streams, as well as devote more research to examining entire stream networks, rather than just studying individual longitudinal linkages.
The Distinctiveness of Trial Narrative

Scholars have drawn on the rich literature on narrative in their research into the American trial, a perspective at least implicitly endorsed by the United States Supreme Court in the Old Chief case. This is all to the good. However, the real power of the "narrative approach" emerges when one thinks concretely about what is distinctive to the different kinds of narrative employed at trial. This article explores the rhetorical and epistemological significance of trial narrative in the full context of the "consciously structured hybrid" of language practices that make up the American trial. Such a perspective enables us to admire a well-tried case as realizing practical truths beyond story-telling.
Near-linear response of mean monsoon strength to a broad range of radiative forcings

Theoretical models have been used to argue that seasonal mean monsoons will shift abruptly and discontinuously from wet to dry stable states as their radiative forcings pass a critical threshold, sometimes referred to as a "tipping point." Further support for a strongly nonlinear response of monsoons to radiative forcings is found in the seasonal onset of the South Asian summer monsoon, which is abrupt compared with the annual cycle of insolation. Here it is shown that the seasonal mean strength of monsoons instead exhibits a nearly linear dependence on a wide range of radiative forcings. First, a previous theory that predicted a discontinuous, threshold response is shown to omit a dominant stabilizing term in the equations of motion; a corrected theory predicts a continuous and nearly linear response of seasonal mean monsoon strength to forcings. A comprehensive global climate model is then used to show that the seasonal mean South Asian monsoon exhibits a near-linear dependence on a wide range of isolated greenhouse gas, aerosol, and surface albedo forcings. This model reproduces the observed abrupt seasonal onset of the South Asian monsoon but produces a near-linear response of the mean monsoon by changing the duration of the summer circulation and the latitude of that circulation's ascent branch. Thus, neither a physically correct theoretical model nor a comprehensive climate model support the idea that seasonal mean monsoons will undergo abrupt, nonlinear shifts in response to changes in greenhouse gas concentrations, aerosol emissions, or land surface albedo.
The Market Value of Modularity and Supply Chain Integration: Theory and Evidence from the Solar Photovoltaic Industry

The practice of product development and delivery has shifted increasingly from an individual firm to collaborative efforts along its supply chain and as such, effective supply chain management is seen as a way of obtaining competitive advantage for all firms within the supply chain. If firms are indeed competing in the product markets based on their supply chains, then one would expect to see superior supply chain performance reflected in the capital valuation of these firms. In this proof of concept research, we explore how decisions regarding usage of standards, customization, product and production modularity relate to the stock market valuation of all the firms within the supply chain and then develop a procedure to disentangle the supply chain integration effect on the value of the firm. We construct measures to assess relevant decisions and test hypotheses around the synergy between these constructs in the context of 42 supply chains drawn from the solar photovoltaic energy sector. The results indicate the varying role of modularity, customization and standards in the value of the firm and the supply chain, and quantify the significance of integration and fixed assets in the supply chain valuation.
Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL): Induction therapy with HyperCVAD/High-dose methotrexate and cytarabine (M-C) (±rituximab) improves results of autologous stem cell transplant in first remission

7511 Background: Although patients (pts) with MCL have a high response rate to standard chemotherapy, they continue to relapse with no plateau in long term disease-free survival. The use of dose in...
Substance use among highly sexually active gay and bisexual men: Examining sexual compulsivity, hypersexuality, and substance use

s / Drug and Alcohol Dependence 156 (2015) e102–e182 e157 Symmetrical discounting of the future and the past in heavy smokers and alcohol drinkers Lara Moody2,1, Warren K. Bickel2 1 Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA, United States 2 Addiction Recovery and Research Center, Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Roanoke, VA, United
Population Structure as a Predictor of Spatial Association between Sigmodon hispidus and Microtus ochrogaster

Terman's (1974) model of interspecific competition based on the frequency of interspecific contact (FIC) predicted that the degree of spatial association between cotton rats and prairie voles could be determined from characteristics of the cotton rat population. To test Terman's model, annual changes in cotton rat population structure were examined for correlations with spatial association between voles and cotton rats. Coefficients of association varied systematically with changes in cotton rat population density, numbers of adults, and numbers of reproductive adults. The results tend to support Terman's general model based on FIC. However, the relationships between cotton rat population structure and spatial association were not linear.
Decreased DJ-1 Leads to Impaired Nrf2-Regulated Antioxidant Defense and Increased UV-A–Induced Apoptosis in Corneal Endothelial Cells

Purpose. To investigate the role of DJ-1 in Nrf2-regulated antioxidant defense in corneal endothelial cells (CECs) at baseline and in response to ultraviolet A (UV-A)–induced oxidative stress.
Effect of Digitoxin on Latent Period of Frog Gastrocnemius Muscle

SummaryDigitoxin solution applied by immersion technic prolongs the latent period of isolated frog gastrocnemius muscle.
Consumer Rights: The Perception of Business Managers in Hong Kong

This paper presented an exploratory study which used a sample of business managers to understand their attitude towards consumer rights. It is expected that the findings would be useful for international marketing managers when making relevant marketing decsion in Hong Kong. This study indicated that most business managers had confidence in products in the market place and valued highly the system of free-enterprises in Hong Kong. Most respondents thought that consumers in Hong Kong had not many opportunities to be heard and to redress and businessmen were not aware of the polluted environment by advertisements and products.
Differential inhibition of cultured cell types by alpha-amanitin-bovine serum albumin conjugates.

A protein conjugate of α-amanitin was prepared by covalently linking an α-amanitin spacer derivative to bovine serum albumin with carbodiimide. This conjugate had an apparent KI toward calf thymus DNA dependent RNA polymerase (RNA nucleotidyl transferase, E.C. 2.7.7.6) of 69 x 10-9 M compared with an apparent KI of 1.8 x 10-9 M for free α-amanitin. The conjugate was 5.2, 2.5, and 0.52 fold more effective than free α-amanitin in inhibiting cell proliferation in human amnionic cells (AV3), chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO), and mouse lymphocytic leukemia cells (EL4), respectively. Measurement of pinocytotic activity by uptake of [125I] bovine serum albumin indicated that AV3 cells were 3.6 fold more active than CHO cells whereas EL4 cells possessed negligible pinocytotic activity under the conditions studied. While differential susceptibility of the three cell lines to conjugated α-amanitin may be a function of differences in pinocytotic capability, conjugated α-amanitin is clearly more toxic to cultured cells than would be expected from its in vitro inhibition of calf thymus RNA polymerase II. These observations suggest the protein carrier of the conjugate may facilitate binding and possibly uptake of the bound amanitin by cells after which the amanitin may be cleaved, resulting in the inhibition of RNA synthesis and cell growth.
Foreign Bodies in the Spermatic Cord

Abstract Two rare instances of foreign bodies in the spermatic cord are reported and the related literature is reviewed.
Toxic Air Pollutants and Noncancer Health Risks

In a recent agency-wide comparison of environmental risks, noncancer risks associated with exposure to toxic air pollutants were among the agency’s highest concerns. To better understand these potential risks, a study was conducted comparing reported health effects of 132 pollutants to monitored or modeled concentrations in more than 700 geographic locations in the United States. The study assessed (1) individual chemicals, (2) mixtures of chemicals reported to effect the same organ systems, and (3) the impact of the combined emissions of multiple facilities on ambient air concentrations of toxics. The study concluded that data to adequately assess air toxics in the United States is very limited. Available data, however, suggests that (1) increased but ill-defined risks are associated with exposure to toxic air pollutants, (2) exposure to multiple chemicals are of concern in many geographic areas studied, and (3) the combined emissions of multiple facilities may add to levels of concern.
Discovering the ‘I’ in Avatar: Performance and Self-therapy

The famous theatre director Peter Brook wrote, ‘In the theatre the slate is wiped clean all the time. In everyday life, “if” is a fiction, in the theatre “if” is an experiment’ (Brook, 1968, p. 175). For those of us who research theatre and performance, the concept of taking on a role, wiping the slate clean and taking on a new personality is not foreign or unusual; on the contrary, it is our specialty, our daily experiment. With that in mind, it seems appropriate to consider the ways in which theatre studies can illuminate issues within the metaverse, specifically in the way identity is shaped, reformed, and challenged.
TASI Lectures on the Higher Spin - CFT duality

In these lectures we give an overview of the duality between gravitational theories of massless higher spin fields in AdS and large N vector models. We first review the original higher spin/vector model duality conjectured by Klebanov and Polyakov, and then discuss its generalizations involving vector models coupled to Chern-Simons gauge fields. We proceed to review some aspects of the theory of massless higher spins, starting with the Fronsdal equations for free fields and moving on to the fully non-linear Vasiliev equations in four dimensions. We end by reviewing some recent tests of the higher spin/vector model duality at the level of correlation functions and one-loop partition functions.
Evaluating Anchor-Item Designs for Concurrent Calibration With the GGUM.

Concurrent calibration using anchor items has proven to be an effective alternative to separate calibration and linking for developing large item banks, which are needed to support continuous testi...
Electric utility system applications of fast–acting energy storage as illustrated by SMES

Utility energy storage media can be classified as fast– or slow–acting in reference to command and control response times ranging from milliseconds to less than a minute. World–wide, the generation and delivery of electric power typically relies on less fast–acting energy storage per unit of capacity than may be optimal. The present situation is expected to change as utility planners respond to new demands and begin to recognize that the near–instant availability of stored energy offers many high–value, cost–effective system benefits. This paper summarizes two application studies of superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) to illustrate some generation and transmission benefits of fast–acting storage. Emphasis is placed on the performance and economic criteria that can justify utility adoption and use of SMES options.
Price Variations and Their Trends in U.S. Hospitals

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) publishes hospital-specific charges for frequently billed discharges in over 3,300 hospitals. Actual payments differ widely from these, however, because Medicare payments are set administratively and commercial prices are negotiated between hospitals and insurers. This study tracks trends in prices paid to hospitals by commercial insurers over the period 2008 to 2014 using private sector claims data that contain actual payments. We contrast these with trends in the CMS published charges. Results indicate that variation in actual commercially-transacted prices is substantially lower than variation in published charges, and that while there is a downward trend in variation among prices over time, variation in charges is increasing.
Resource productivity and resource use efficiency in soybean production

Investigation was carried out during the year 2014-15. About 48 non-residential farms were randomly selected from sixteen villages of two tehsils in Parbhani district of Maharashtra. Data were related to soybean output and input like area under crop, hired human labour, bullock labour, machine labour, seed, nitrogen, phophorus, potash, plant p rotection and family human labour. The result revealed that, partial regression co-efficient of area under crop was 0.385 followed by that hired human labour was (0.110) and family human labour (0.165) which were positive and singficant at 1 per cent and 5 per cent level, respectively. Patrial regression co-efficient of bullock labour, manchine labour, phosphorus and potash were positive but non-significant. Marginal product of area under soybean was 5.399 quintals followed by that of bullock labour (0.370q), machine labour (0.220 q) and family human labour (0.142 q). MVP to price ratio with respect to family human labour was 2.16 followed by bullock labour (1.70) and machine labour (1.34). Optimum use of area under soybean was found to be 1.94 hectares and optimum use of phosphorus was 60.24 kg.