cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing the complexity of software architecture

A central activity of software architecture design is decomposing the system into subsystems (i.e. components) that work together to satisfy the required functionality. The purpose of this activity is to reduce problem complexity into smaller manageable parts. Complexity can never be totally eliminated; however the designer/architect can reduce it.The decomposition process is an art form; the architect must decide whether to assign a specific functionality to a given component or to defer some or all of the functionality to other components, with a goal of minimizing complexity. Deferring work decreases the responsibilities of a component (intracomponent complexity) but also may increase the dependencies between components (inter-component complexity).In this paper, our goal is to formulate an approach that identifies and measures those complexity factors that reflect interand intra-complexity for the purpose of introducing a new metric for assessing the overall complexity of software architecture. To accomplish this, we have chosen to use Full Function Points (FFP) methodology, which is the latest form of Functional Size Measure (FSM), as a building block for measuring complexity.However, since FFP was designed to measure the size of architecture; it fails to address some important issues with regard to complexity. Therefore, we identify those areas of weakness for FFP and exploit them to measure overall system complexity. The main feature of the approach is the integration of Full Function Points measure with a specification of the architecture to evaluate its overall complexity.
Enthalpy determinations on the helium‐nitrogen system

Experimental isobaric heat capacity and differential latent heat measurements have been made on the helium-nitrogen system. Compositions studied were nominal 5, 25, 50, and 100% helium in nitrogen over the range 0 to 2,000 lb./sq.in.abs. and −250° to 50°F. These data, combined with the previously reported work on nitrogen and the Joule-Thomson coefficients of Roebuck, are used to construct the complete pressure-enthalpy-composition network over the investigated limits of pressure and temperature. The enthalpies obtained from experimental heat capacity and Joule-Thomson data are compared with enthalpies computed from PVT data. The changes of phase determined by differential latent heat measurements are compared with literature vapor-liquid equilibrium data. This information is used to prepare pressure-enthalpy diagrams for all the mixtures investigated. A three-dimensional representation of the data on a pressure-enthalpy-composition diagram is presented. Constructions are outlined from which heats of mixing and partial molal enthalpies can be obtained. The thermodynamic network developed is believed accurate within 1% and should be of use to those concerned with low-temperature separation of helium from nitrogen.
Magnetic surface anisotropy

Abstract Selected aspects of magnetic surface anisotropy are reviewed. The emphasis is on methods for deducing reliable surface anisotropy values from experiments such as ferromagnetic resonance at microwave frequencies and Brillouin scattering at optical frequencies. The methods used are the “general exchange boundary condition method” and the “effective volume anisotropy method”. The essence of the former is the supplementing of the equation of motion of the magnetization with the general exchange boundary condition whereas the latter consists of using the “stratagem” of effective volume anisotropy. We find that use of the general exchange boundary condition method is not only preferable in principle but often actually necessary to prevent the prediction of wrong surface anisotropy values and to permit the prediction of some observable Brillouin shifts.
Long-term outcome of nonoperative pediatric splenic injury management.

BACKGROUND: Nonoperative management (NOM) of blunt splenic trauma is the standard of care in hemodynamically stable children. The long-term risk of this strategy remains unknown. The object of this study was to investigate the incidence of long-term complications after NOM of pediatric splenic injury. METHODS: All children who underwent NOM for blunt splenic trauma over an 11-year period were identified. Patients were interviewed for any ailments that could be related to their splenic injury, and hospital data were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 266 patients were identified, and 228 patients (86%) were interviewed. Mean follow-up time was 5 +/- 3 years. One patient had a delayed complication, a splenic pseudocyst. Pain more than 4 weeks after injury was unusual. Time until return to full activity varied broadly. CONCLUSION: The incidence of long-term complications after NOM of pediatric splenic injury was 1 (0.44%) in 228 patients. Nonoperative management of pediatric blunt splenic trauma in children is associated with a minimal risk of long-term complications. Language: en
Alteration of basalts from site 396 B, DSDP: Petrographic and mineralogic studies

Samples of crystalline basalt from Site 396 B are all more or less altered, usually in strongly zoned patterns. Evidence has been found for several related or independent alteration stages, including (1) minor localized deuteric (amphibole and mixed clay minerals in miarolitic voids); (2) minor widespread nonoxidizing (pyrite on walls of vugs and cracks); (3) localized diffusion-controlled vug filling (“ glauconite ” in black halos); (4) pervasive low level oxidizing (transformation of titanomagnetite to cation-deficient titanomaghemite); (5) localized diffusion-controlled strongly oxidizing (breakdown of olivine and titanomaghemite in brown zones). Plagioclase and pyroxene are essentially unaltered. Detailed analyses of gray and brown zones in pillow basalts show that low temperature oxidation has proceeded in a step-wise fashion, with the relative stabilities of the igneous minerals controlling the steps. Secondary minerals that crystallized from pore fluids on to the walls of vugs may or may not be related to local alteration of primary phases.
Optically pumped superfluorescent Na2 molecular laser

We have optically pumped an Na2 molecule at 0.473 and 0.659 μm and obtained superfluorescent laser emission on a series of green and yellow molecular B‐X–band transitions and laser oscillation in the near infrared on A‐X–band transitions. Pump saturation, laser gain, and laser saturation intensity are reported.
Current trends in the prevention of bacterial endocarditis in susceptible patients receiving dental care

Abstract The clinical features and sequelae of bacterial endocarditis have been enumerated, and it has been pointed out that the eradication of all foci of infection in the oral cavity is vitally important in patients with congenital or acquired valvular lesions. Procedures to this end should be performed with the help of an antibiotic cover in order to curtail a bacteremia or to eradicate microorganisms if intravascular invasion occurs. The use of newer antibiotics has been discussed, and treatment schedules have been suggested for the four different groups of patients that the dentist may encounter. The proper timing of treatment while the patient is receiving antibiotics has been stressed, and the general practitioner is urged to refer patients with cardiac prostheses to a hospital for dental treatment.
The R-phase transition and associated shape memory mechanism in Ti-Ni single crystals

The shape memory mechanism associated with the R-phase transition was investigated using age-treated Ti-Ni single crystals. Tensile tests and in situ optical microscopic observations were carried out. Four distinct variants of the R-phase were found, and these could be correlated with each other by twinning relationships. Six twinning planes in each variant were determined using two-surface analysis and were found to consist of three {110} and three {100} planes. A specific morphology consisting of the four types R-phase variants was formed upon cooling below the TR point. The combination of the four variants produces a zero macroscopic strain, indicating that the specific morphology is the result of self-accommodation. By stressing, the most favorable R-phase variant was formed from the remaining variants by twinning deformation. Upon heating after unloading, the specimen showed a shape recovery which is a function of temperature or rhombohedral angle of the R-phase. Most of the shape recovery was brought about by a change in the lattice parameter of the R-phase, but not by the reverse-transition. The manner of the shape recovery is quite different from that associated with the reverse martensitic transformation. On the basis of the results obtained, the mechanism of the shape memory associated with the R-phase transition in alloys of the Ti-Ni type has been clarified.
Comparison of explicit and implicit finite element methods in the quasistatic simulation of uniaxial tension

On the basis of simple one-dimensional finite element analyses, comparison in simulations of uniaxial tension using explicit dynamic and implicit static tonnulations has been made. Results show that for materials having a Hollomon-type constitutive law with power-law strain rate sensitivity, the explicit dynamic method can be employed for the quasistatic simulations of tensile tests only below the critical test velocities or critical normalized material densities. These critical values are determined numerically as a function of material parameters.
Mixed methods for time integration

Abstract The time integration of fluid-structure and soil-structure problem is often quite uneconomical when performed with a single integration method and a single time step. Three techniques for enhancing computational efficiency are presented: explicit-implicit partitions, explicit-explicit partitions with different time steps, and implicit-implicit partitions. The latter two require interpolation and extrapolation on the interface. A model problem is presented for examining the stability of these procedures and stabilization techniques are examined.
High resolution Raman spectroscopy of gases with laser sources. XIV—The pure rotational spectra of dimethylacetylene and dimethyldiacetylene

The pure rotational Raman spectra of dimethylacetylene (DMA), dimethylacetylene-d6 (DMA-d6) and dimethyldiacetylene (DMDA) vapor excited by the λ0 = 4579 A,4765 A,4880 Aand 5145 A lines of a single mode argon ion laser have been photographed under high resolution. The spectra were recorded on Kodak IIIa-J spectroscopic plates hypersensitized by baking in nitrogen. The spectra of DMA and DMA-d6 are those of symmetric top rotors showing the R- and S-branches, whereas in the spectrum of DMDA only the S-branch is observed. The spectra of DMA and DMA-d6 were analyzed by including an Hj (J + 3/2)5 term in the frequency formula for the S-branch, while for DMDA the conventional expression was employed. The results for the molecular constants are, in cm−1, These constants are average over the ground and excited vibrational states. The quoted errors are five standard deviations. The rCC and rCC bond lengths in dimethylancetylene are related by the expression .
Effects of institutional attributes on enrollment choice: Implications for postsecondary vocational education

Abstract This paper examines the postsecondary enrollment decision of individual high school graduates with particular focus on the effects of institutional cost and proximity. Using data from the High School and Beyond Survey of 1980 high school seniors, a multinomial logit model of enrollment probability is estimated. The results are then used to calculate own and cross-alternative elasticities of enrollment probabilities with respect to changes in institutional cost and distance. Both trade school and two-year college vocational programs are explicitly included in the choice set in order to examine how institutional attributes might best be altered in an attempt to increase enrollments in vocational postsecondary training of students who would otherwise have chosen non-enrollment.
Insights into PEMFC Performance Degradation from HCl in Air

The performance degradation of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is studied in the presence of HCl in the air stream. The cathode employing carbon-supported platinum nanoparticles (Pt/C) was exposed to 4 ppm HCl in air while the cell voltage was held at 0.6 V. The HCl poisoning results in generation of chloride and chloroplatinate ions on the surface of Pt/C catalyst as determined by a combination of electrochemical tests and ex-situ chlorine K-edge X-Ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. The chloride ions inhibit the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and likely affect the wetting properties of diffusion media/catalyst layer, while the chloroplatinate ions are responsible for enhanced platinum particle growth most likely due to platinum dissolution-redeposition. The chloride ions can cause corrosion of the Pt nanoparticles in the presence of aqueous HCl in air even if no potential is applied. Although the majority of chloride ions are desorbed from the Pt surface by hydrogen treatment of the cathode, they partially remain in the system and re-adsorb on platinum at cell voltages of 0.5-0.9 V. Chloride ions are removed from the system and fuel cell performance at 0.5-0.7 V is restored by multiple exposures to low potentials.
Mathematical Models to Help Understand Developmental Biology and Cancer

Abstract As the understanding of cellular regulatory networks grows, system dynamics and behaviors resulting from feedback effects of such systems have proven to be sufficiently complex so as to prevent intuitive understanding. Mathematical modeling in engineering and in physics or chemistry has traditionally sought to extrapolate from existing information and underlying principles to create complex descriptions of various systems, which could be analyzed or simulated, and from which further abstractions could be made. However, in studying biological systems, often only incomplete abstracted hypotheses exist to explain observed complex patterning and functions. The challenge has become to show that enough of a network is understood to explain the behavior of the system. Mathematical modeling must simultaneously characterize the complex and nonintuitive behavior of a network, while revealing deficiencies in the model and suggesting new experimental directions. In this talk, we describe the process of modeling two biological networks: planar cell polarity in development, and treated regulatory networks in breast cancer. We demonstrate the use of the mathematical models, both in understanding the system behavior, and in suggesting new treatments.
Guarding the guard: Using meta formal specifications to guard assertions

The promise of formal verification of system-of-systems is in harnessing the power and accuracy of modern day computers to create trust-worthy systems. The success of formal verification techniques depends, to large degree, on the existence of a sound and complete collection of formally written requirements. To date, there is no known methodology for assuring that a collection of requirements, formal or otherwise, is complete. The use of meta-assertions suggested in this paper is a step in that direction. As their name suggests, meta-assertions are (second level) assertions about (first-level) assertions. While first-level assertions are formal, executable statements about desired or undesired system behavior, second-level (meta)-assertions are formal and executable statements about desired or undesired behavior of level-one assertions. This paper examines an example of meta-assertions and discusses their use within a run-time verification environment.
Using Motivational Interviewing to Increase Retention in Supported Education

Individuals who experience a psychiatric disability experience much higher dropout rates in postsecondary education programs than do those in the broader population. Supported education (SEd) was developed to provide intensive assistance to individuals with psychiatric disabilities in order to help them stay enrolled in classes and obtain educational goals. Although initial SEd outcome studies have yielded encouraging findings, there are still retention issues within SEd programs. Even participants who succeed in obtaining a postsecondary degree through SEd often cycle through the program many times before finding success. This article introduces motivational interviewing (MI) as an intervention that has the potential to increase retention in SEd programs and increase the number of individuals with psychiatric disabilities who complete a postsecondary education.
Resistance, susceptibility, and immunity to Eimeria tenella in major histocompatibility (B) complex congenic lines

Abstract The major histocompatibility (B) complex influence on resistance, susceptibility, and immunity to Eimeria tenella was examined in UCD B complex congenic chicken lines. In Experiment 1, 6-wk-old chicks from 12 UCD congenic lines were weighed and assigned to either challenge or control groups. The challenge group received a dose of 10,000 E. tenella oocysts. Response to challenge was evaluated by body weight gain and cecal lesion scores. Cecal lesion scores in B3B3 chickens were significantly lower than those of all other genotypes. Genotype B2B2 had the highest lesion scores, which were significantly different from the lesion scores calculated for B3B3, B18B18, and B21B21 chickens but were not significantly different from B14B14, B15B15, B17B17, B19B19, B24B24, BCBC, BJBJ, and BQBQ genotypes. The B21B21 chickens had significantly lower lesion scores than B2B2, B14B14, and BCBC chickens. No other significant lesion score differences were found among the remaining lines. The highest weight gain found in B19B19 chickens was significantly different from that of B3B3, B14B14, B15B15, B17B17, B18B18, B24B24, and BCBC chickens. The B15B15 chickens had the lowest weight gain, which was significantly different from that of B2B2, B19B19, B21B21, B24B24, BJBJ, and BQBQ chickens. Experiment 2 tested the immune response to E. tenella after low dose oocyst immunization. Chicks from 10 UCD 003 congenic lines were divided into three groups: control, challenge, and immune. At 5 wk of age, the immune group was immunized with 500 E. tenella oocysts for 5 consecutive d. Fourteen days after the last immunization all chicks were weighed, and 10,000 E. tenella oocysts were administered to the challenge and immune groups. Significant lesion score differences existed among all three treatments: control (0), immune (2.14 +/- 0.1); challenge (3.13 +/- 0.1). Among immune birds, B3B3 and BQBQ chickens had significantly lower lesion scores than B19B19, B24B24, B14B14, and B2B2 chickens. Neither B19B19 nor B24B24 chickens were well-protected, as indicated by their higher lesion scores. No significant differences in weight gain were found in immune birds. The B complex affected resistance and susceptibility as well as the immune response to E. tenella. Cecal lesion scores following challenge in naive birds or after immunization were influenced by the B complex, whereas weight gain was affected in naive birds only. These effects may be manifested through differences in immune competence at the time of challenge or immunization, the amount of parasite antigen production, or the threshold doses for effective immunization.
Syntheis and structural characterization of cyclo-pentakis [bis(μ-trimethylsilylthiomethane)nickel(II)], [Ni(SCH2SiMe3)2]5, a pentametallic tiara structure

Abstract Reaction of (NEt4)2NiCl4 with HSCH2SiMe3 in acetonitrile yields lustrous dark brown crystals of [Ni(SR)2]5 (1). The structure of 1 consists of a nearly regular pentagon of Ni atoms, bridged by pairs of thiolate ligands and represents an unusual example of a pentametallic “tiara” structure. Crystal data: space group P21/c; a = 16.483(3), b = 22.219(4), c = 23.439(4) A, β = 108.07(1)°, V = 8160.5(13) A3; current R = 0.0611, based on 6246 reflections.
Public commitment as a motivator for weight loss

Many long-term services, e.g., weight-loss programs, require that customers comply with instructions, provide the inputs, and thus co-create a major portion of the service. This article investigates the role of public commitment in influencing motivation and behavior in a weight-loss setting. The role of susceptibility to normative influence (SNI) is also examined. The publicness with which a commitment to weight loss is made has a significant and favorable impact on long-term weight-loss compliance behavior. Short- and long-term public commitment resulted in higher levels of weight-loss motivation and higher levels of weight loss. Weight-loss motivation partly mediates the effect of public commitment on weight loss, while SNI moderates the effect of public commitment on weight loss. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Olivier syndrome: traumatic asphyxia.

A 51 year-old woman was found confused while crawling across a field. She had marked facial cyanosis and edema with cutaneous petechiae, subconjuctival hemorrhages, and echymosis across her anterior neck (image 1). Mild cerebral edema and a non-displaced thyroid cartilage fracture were found on computed tomography (CT). The patient recovered full neuro-cognitive function within 24 hours and reported that she had been assaulted and choked by the throat. Her airway remained stable and the laryngeal injury was treated conservatively; she was discharged home after three days. Figure. Patient with facial cyanosis and edema with cutaneous petechiae, subconjuctival hemmorhages, and echymosis across the anterior neck. Olivier described this syndrome over 150 years ago after thoraco-abdominal crush injuries. It is essentially a prolonged valsalva maneuver that results in increased venous pressure and stasis above the level of the compressive force.1,2 The consequent findings on the chest, neck and face are startling but of no prognostic significance, and the majority of patients have a favorable outcome.2,3
Factors affecting activity and selectivity during cyclohexanone hydrogenation with colloidal platinum nanocatalysts

Abstract The hydrogenation of cyclohexanone was carried out with 100% selectivity to cyclohexanol by utilizing 1–10 nm size poly(vinylpyrrolidone)-capped colloidal platinum nanocatalysts dispersed in the aqueous-phase. Particle sizes for these synthesized nanocatalysts were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and open adsorption sites on the metal nanoparticle surface were established through attenuated total reflectance infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopic studies of chemisorbed carbon monoxide. The effect of the reaction conditions (temperature, hydrogen pressure, and cyclohexanone concentration) on turnover frequencies (TOFs) was examined to calculate apparent activation energies and reaction orders. In addition, platinum nanoparticle size and PVP molecular weight were varied to investigate effects of nanocatalyst properties on catalytic activity and reaction selectivity. In situ ATR-IR spectroscopy was used to verify adsorbed cyclohexanone as being present on the nanocatalyst surface during the reaction. Combining kinetic parameters with identification of adsorbed species is essential for developing a molecular-level mechanism for the reaction, thereby allowing factors controlling activity and selectivity in these aqueous-phase hydrogenations to be elucidated. Taken together, these results permit the ingredients essential for a highly active and selective catalyst to be discerned.
Effects of carbon dioxide on deep-sea harpacticoids revisited

Abstract As part of the evaluation of the environmental impact of sequestering carbon dioxide in the deep ocean, we exposed the sediment-dwelling fauna at a station in Monterey Submarine Canyon (36.378°N, 122.676°W, 3262 m) to carbon dioxide-rich seawater and found that most of the harpacticoid copepods were killed. In an expanded, follow-on experiment on the continental rise nearby (36.709°N, 123.523°W, 3607 m), not only did harpacticoids survive exposure to carbon dioxide-rich seawater, but we found no evidence from seven additional metrics that the harpacticoids had been affected. We infer that during the second experiment the harpacticoids were not exposed to a stressful dose. During the second experiment, carbon dioxide-rich seawater appears to have been produced more slowly than in the first, probably because of differences in the near-bottom flow regimes. We conclude that local physical circumstances can substantially influence the results of experiments of this type and will complicate the evaluation of the environmental consequences of deep-ocean carbon dioxide sequestration.
High-efficiency push-pull magnetic amplifier and its use as a D-C shunt motor drive

This paper describes a d-c push-pull magnetic amplifier which is used to drive a d-c shunt motor. A circuit called the high-efficiency push-pull magnetic amplifier circuit was used successfully to drive a 1/20-horsepower d-c shunt motor.1
Ecoregions and benthic diatom assemblages in Mid-Atlantic Highlands streams, USA

AbstractEcoregional differences in geology and hydrology may affect physical and chemical conditions in streams and, consequently, the species composition of algal assemblages. Stresses resulting from human disturbance, however, may constrain species membership in algal assemblages and reduce regional diversity. We expected that ecoregional differences in diatom assemblages, if they were present, would be more evident in relatively undisturbed sites than in randomly selected sites. Benthic diatom and water chemistry samples were collected from streams in 7 ecoregions of the Mid-Atlantic Highlands to evaluate correspondence between ecoregional classification and diatom assemblages. Ecoregional differences were assessed using 196 randomly selected stream sites (probability sites) and 60 sites with less disturbance by humans (reference sites). Multivariate analyses showed that significant ecoregional differences in diatom assemblages were observed only in probability sites and not in reference sites. Water c...
Lithium aluminum hydride reduction of 1,2-dimethyl-1-fluorosilacylopentane; The role of extra-coordinate intermediates

Abstract Isomerization occurs in the course of LiAlH 4 reduction of the geometric isomers of 1,2-dimethyl-1-fluorosilacyclobutane (I). Neither I nor the hydr
United States Department of Agriculture—Agriculture Research Service research on targeted management of the Formosan subterranean termite Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)†‡

The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki is currently one of the most destructive pests in the USA. It is estimated to cost consumers over US dollars 1 billion annually for preventative and remedial treatment and to repair damage caused by this insect. The mission of the Formosan Subterranean Termite Research Unit of the Agricultural Research Service is to demonstrate the most effective existing termite management technologies, integrate them into effective management systems, and provide fundamental problem-solving research for long-term, safe, effective and environmentally friendly new technologies. This article describes the epidemiology of the pest and highlights the research accomplished by the Agricultural Research Service on area-wide management of the termite and fundamental research on its biology that might provide the basis for future management technologies. Fundamental areas that are receiving attention are termite detection, termite colony development, nutrition and foraging, and the search for biological control agents. Other fertile areas include understanding termite symbionts that may provide an additional target for control. Area-wide management of the termite by using population suppression rather than protection of individual structures has been successful; however, much remains to be done to provide long-term sustainable population control. An educational component of the program has provided reliable information to homeowners and pest-control operators that should help slow the spread of this organism and allow rapid intervention in those areas which it infests.
Disaffection or expected outcomes: Understanding personal Internet use during work

Many contemporary analyses of personal Internet use during work explain the behavior in terms of workplace disaffection. However, evidence for this interpretation is mixed. This article posits that an approach emphasizing the expected outcomes of Internet use more effectively explains the behavior. The 2 approaches are tested using survey data collected from more than 1,000 U.S.-based computer-using workers. About 4/5 of those workers do engage in personal Internet use during work. Regression analyses show that workplace disaffection factors, such as stress and dissatisfaction, have no significant influence on the extent of web surfing or personal e-mail use during work. In contrast, factors which shape the expected outcomes of personal Internet use during work, such as a generalized positive perception of the utility of the Internet, routinized use of computers, job commitment, and organizational restrictions on computer use, are very significant predictors of such behavior. These results suggest that employees use the Internet for personal purposes at work for many of the same reasons that they use it elsewhere. Implications of these findings are explored.
Antihypertensive activity of some novel pyridinylidene arylurea derivatives in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

3 novel pyridinylidene arylurea derivatives were found to lower arterial pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Their relative oral potency ranged from 6 to 32 times that of guanethidine. The onset of antihypertensive action following their oral administration was less than 1 h and the duration of action ranged from 8 to over 24 h. The antihypertensive activity of the pyridinylidene arylureas was found to be associated with depletion of tissue catecholamines. Compound C depleted cardiac norepinephrine with little or no effect on total brain norepinephrine levels. It is suggested that compound C may have useful antihypertensive properties without CNS depressant activity.
A search for nitrogen on Triton

Improved spectrophotometry of Triton at 2.16 microns was obtained with the MMT infrared photometer at a resolution of 1.0 percent. The observations do not reveal an absorption feature due to liquid nitrogen. Three explanations are consistent with this finding: (1) there is liquid nitrogen on the surface but it is not distributed uniformly; (2) the feature varies with time, e.g., it is sometimes obscured by cloud cover; and (3) the feature might be relatively broad.
Charge density wave transport in a novel inorganic chain compound, (TaSe4)2I

Abstract We report the observation of nonlinear conductivity with a well-defined threshold electric field ET, and frequency dependent ac conductivity, in a novel linear chain compound, (TaSe4)2I. The material undergoes a phase transition to a semiconducting phase at T ∼ 260 K, and nonlinear and frequency dependent transport is observed below this temperature. We argue that the material is a new example of collective mode transport provided by a Peierls-Frohlich charge density wave condensate.
A Checklist of the Mosquitoes of New Jersey with Notes on Established Invasive Species

A checklist of 63 species of mosquitoes endemic in New Jersey is presented. Although Aedes albopictus was included in the previous checklist, the species has dramatically increased its geographic range and population numbers in recent years, and it is now prevalent in 19 of New Jersey's 21 counties. The invasive Aedes japonicus japonicus is also now widespread throughout the state and is an addition to the previous checklist. Culex erraticus, an endemic species with a previous distribution primarily in the southern portion of the state, has also expanded its range significantly in New Jersey in recent years and is now detected state-wide. Mosquito control personnel periodically discover localized populations of Ae. aegypti, but the species fails to overwinter successfully in New Jersey and is not included on the checklist.
Learning and Building Together in an Immersive Virtual World

This paper describes the design, evaluation, and lessons learned from a project involving the implementation of an immersive virtual environment for children called NICE (Narrative-based, Immersive, Constructionist/Collaborative Environments). The goal of the NICE project was to construct a testbed for the exploration of virtual reality as a learning medium within the context of the primary educational reform themes of the past three decades. With a focus on informal education and domains with social content, NICE embraces the constructivist approach to learning, collaboration, and narrative development, and is designed to utilize the strengths of virtual reality: a combination of immersion, telepresence, immediate visual feedback, and interactivity. Based on our experiences with a broad range of users, the paper discusses both the successes and limitations of NICE and concludes with recommendations for research directions in the application of immersive VR technologies to children's learning.
Fetal frontal cortex transplanted to injured motor/sensory cortex of adult rats. I. NADPH-diaphorase neurons

Fetal frontal cortex from 18-d-old embryonic rat brain was transplanted into cavities of juvenile host motor/sensory cortex. Two to seven months later, sections were reacted for NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) enzyme histochemistry. NADPH-d-positive neurons survived in 11 of 13 grafts. All but one of the transplants had reduced numbers of these neurons, although in 3 transplants the reductions were moderate and not statistically significant. The distribution and morphology of NADPH-d neurons within most grafts was comparable to that of NADPH-d neurons in normal host cortex. At the margin of the 2 transplants with no NADPH-d neuronal perikarya, NADPH-d fibers crossed from host to transplant as far as a millimeter into the transplant, and on rare occasions, the host neurons that gave rise to these fibers were identified. This suggests that host-transplant interactions are possible. One transplant had an abnormally large number of NADPH-d-positive neurons and fibers, possibly due to selective survival of these neurons. The data reported here for NADPH-d in cortical transplants may also apply to neuropeptide Y (NPY), since nearly all neocortical NPY neurons also contain NADPH-d.
A novel error critic for variable structure control with an ADALINE

This paper discusses a novel method for variable structure control. The method aims to create and maintain a predefined sliding motion in the phase space by adjusting the parameters of an ADALINE-type controller. The objective of the paper is to demonstrate that the task can be achieved under the assumption that the plant under control could be driven towards the sliding manifold. The approach presented assumes the structure of the dynamic representation of the plant is known but the analytical details embodying it are unavailable. The results obtained confirm the prescribed form of tracking claim together with low computational cost due to the adjustment of the controller parameters.
Intramolecular folding of triblock copolymers via quadrupole interactions between poly(styrene) and poly(pentafluorostyrene) blocks

β-Hairpin formation is one of the fundamental folding actions in biomacromolecules. We present a linear triblock copolymer synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, that is able to mimic on a very basic level hairpin formation by using π–π stacking interactions between phenyl and 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorophenyl residues.
On the optimal shape and location of silicided source and drain contacts

A detailed simulation and analysis of the source/drain resistance is performed. It is shown that the placement and depth of silicide regions can have a strong influence on the total source/drain resistance. Simulations further show that moving the silicided regions closer to the channel of a device will not necessarily decrease source/drain resistance, and may actually cause the resistance to increase. Lumped contact resistance, distributed resistance, Schottky contact models, and a new local distributed resistance model are compared.
Nanostructure, Effective Properties, and Deformation Pattern of the Cochlear Outer Hair Cell Cytoskeleton

We consider the mechanical properties of the outer hair cell cytoskeleton. The cytoskeleton is represented as a set of microdomains of different sizes and orientations composed of actin filaments and spectrin crosslinks. An intermediate material between domains is also introduced. The domain characteristics are randomly generated and the histograms of the cytoskeleton stiffness moduli are obtained. We solve an inverse problem and estimate the stiffness of the crosslink and connective molecule in the intermediate material. We discovered a pattern of highly inhomogeneous deformation of the cytoskeleton where the circumferential strain is primarily determined by the deformation of the intermediate material.
Automated extraction of direct, reactive, and vat dyes from cellulosic fibers for forensic analysis by capillary electrophoresis.

Systematic designed experiments were employed to find the optimum conditions for extraction of direct, reactive, and vat dyes from cotton fibers prior to forensic characterization. Automated microextractions were coupled with measurements of extraction efficiencies on a microplate reader UV–visible spectrophotometer to enable rapid screening of extraction efficiency as a function of solvent composition. Solvent extraction conditions were also developed to be compatible with subsequent forensic characterization of extracted dyes by capillary electrophoresis with UV–visible diode array detection. The capillary electrophoresis electrolyte successfully used in this work consists of 5 mM ammonium acetate in 40:60 acetonitrile–water at pH 9.3, with the addition of sodium dithionite reducing agent to facilitate analysis of vat dyes. The ultimate goal of these research efforts is enhanced discrimination of trace fiber evidence by analysis of extracted dyes.
The New Videomalaise: Effects of Televised Incivility on Political Trust

Does incivility in political discourse have adverse effects on public regard for politics? If so, why? In this study we present a theory suggesting that when viewers are exposed to televised political disagreement, it often violates well-established face-to-face social norms for the polite expression of opposing views. As a result, incivility in public discourse adversely affects trust in government. Drawing on three laboratory experiments, we find that televised presentations of political differences of opinion do not, in and of themselves, harm attitudes toward politics and politicians. However, political trust is adversely affected by levels of incivility in these exchanges. Our findings suggest that the format of much political television effectively promotes viewer interest, but at the expense of political trust.
Micromachined transmissive scanning confocal microscope.

We have developed a miniature scanning confocal microscope that uses electrostatically actuated microlenses for focusing and scanning. Objective lenses, scanners, a pupil, and a pinhole of the confocal microscope are microfabricated and integrated into a volume smaller than 2 mm3 by stacking these components. Objective lenses are composed of two vertically cascaded polymer microlenses integrated into micromachined comb actuators. Raster scanning is implemented by electrostatically actuating each microlens in orthogonal directions. We have demonstrated reflection confocal imaging with 3-µm transverse resolution over a 100-µm field of view and a 0.38-mm working distance at λ=633 nm.
Extracellular Vesicles Present in Human Ovarian Tumor Microenvironments Induce a Phosphatidylserine Dependent Arrest in the T Cell Signaling Cascade

The identification of immunosuppressive factors within human tumor microenvironments, and the ability to block these factors, would be expected to enhance patients' antitumor immune responses. We previously established that an unidentified factor, or factors, present in ovarian tumor ascites fluids reversibly inhibited the activation of T cells by arresting the T-cell signaling cascade. Ultracentrifugation of the tumor ascites fluid has now revealed a pellet that contains small extracellular vesicles (EV) with an average diameter of 80 nm. The T-cell arrest was determined to be causally linked to phosphatidylserine (PS) that is present on the outer leaflet of the vesicle bilayer, as a depletion of PS-expressing EV or a blockade of PS with anti-PS antibody significantly inhibits the vesicle-induced signaling arrest. The inhibitory EV were also isolated from solid tumor tissues. The presence of immunosuppressive vesicles in the microenvironments of ovarian tumors and our ability to block their inhibition of T-cell function represent a potential therapeutic target for patients with ovarian cancer.
Suppression and failures in sensor networks: a Bayesian approach

Sensor networks allow continuous data collection on unprecedented scales. The primary limiting factor of such networks is energy, of which communication is the dominant consumer. The default strategy of nodes continually reporting their data to the root results in too much messaging. Suppression stands to greatly alleviate this problem. The simplest such scheme is temporal suppression, in which a node transmits its reading only when it has changed beyond some e since last transmitted. In the absence of a report, the root can infer that the value remains within ±e hence, it is still able to derive the history of readings produced at the node. The critical weakness of suppression is message failure, to which sensor networks are particularly vulnerable. Failure creates ambiguity: a non-report may either be a suppression or a failure. Inferring the correct values for missing data and learning the parameters of the underlying process model become quite challenging. We propose a novel solution, BaySail, that incorporates the knowledge of the suppression scheme and application-level redundancy in Bayesian inference. We investigate several redundancy schemes and evaluate them in terms of in-network transmission costs and out-of-network inference efficacy, and the trade-off between these. Our experimental evaluation shows application-level redundancy outperforms retransmissions and basic sampling in both cost and accuracy of inference. The BaySail framework shows suppression schemes are generally effective for data collection, despite the presence of failures.
Self-Management of Social Initiations by Kindergarten Students With Disabilities in the General Education Classroom

The effectiveness of a self-management intervention on social interaction behaviors was evaluated for students with disabilities and social deficits. Four students enrolled in a general education k...
Improving the performance of coordinated checkpointers on networks of workstations using RAID techniques

Coordinated checkpointing systems are popular and general-purpose tools for implementing process migration, coarse-grained job swapping, and fault-tolerance on networks of workstations. Though simple in concept, there are several design decisions concerning the placement of checkpoint files that can impact the performance and functionality of coordinated checkpointers. Although several such checkpointers have been implemented for popular programming platforms like PVM and MPI, none have taken this issue into consideration. This paper addresses the issue of checkpoint placement and its impact on the performance and functionality of coordinated checkpointing systems. Several strategies, both old and new, are described and implemented on a network of SPARC-5 workstations running PVM. These strategies range from very simple to more complex borrowing heavily from ideas in RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks) fault-tolerance. The results of this paper will serve as a guide so that future implementations of coordinated checkpointing can allow their users to achieve the combination of performance and functionality that is right for their applications.
Delta: a tool for representing and comparing workflows

Tutorials and sample workflows for complicated, feature-rich software packages are widely available online. As a result users must differentiate between workflows to choose the most suitable one for their task. We present Delta, an interactive workflow visualization and comparison tool that helps users identify the tradeoffs between workflows. We conducted an initial study to identify the set of attributes users attend to when comparing workflows, finding that they consider result quality, their knowledge of commands, and the efficiency of the workflow. We then designed Delta to surface these attributes at three granularities: a high-level, clustered view; an intermediate-level list view that contains workflow summaries; and a low-level detail view that allows users to compare two individual workflows. Finally, we conducted an evaluation of Delta on a small corpus of 30 workflows and found that the intermediate list view provided the best information density. We conclude with thoughts on how such a workflow comparison system could be scaled up to larger corpora in the future.
Brutus: A Semantic Role Labeling System Incorporating CCG, CFG, and Dependency Features

We describe a semantic role labeling system that makes primary use of CCG-based features. Most previously developed systems are CFG-based and make extensive use of a treepath feature, which suffers from data sparsity due to its use of explicit tree configurations. CCG affords ways to augment treepath-based features to overcome these data sparsity issues. By adding features over CCG word-word dependencies and lexicalized verbal subcategorization frames ("supertags"), we can obtain an F-score that is substantially better than a previous CCG-based SRL system and competitive with the current state of the art. A manual error analysis reveals that parser errors account for many of the errors of our system. This analysis also suggests that simultaneous incremental parsing and semantic role labeling may lead to performance gains in both tasks.
Serological Method Using Recombinant S2 Protein To Differentiate Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV)-Infected and EIAV-Vaccinated Horses

We recently reported a highly protective attenuated live virus vaccine for equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) based on a proviral construct (EIAVUKDeltaS2) with a genetically engineered mutation in the viral S2 gene that eliminates expression of this accessory protein. While the EIAVUKDeltaS2 vaccine provides protection from detectable infection by experimental challenge with highly virulent virus, the potential for commercial application of this vaccine is complicated by the fact that horses inoculated with the EIAVUKDeltaS2 vaccine strain become seropositive in various reference diagnostic assays based on detection of antibodies to virion core or envelope proteins. To address this issue, we describe here the development and optimization of a new serologic EIAV diagnostic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect serum antibodies to the EIAV S2 protein that are produced in infected horses but not in horses inoculated with the EIAVUKDeltaS2 vaccine virus. The test S2 protein antigen was developed using the S2 gene sequence from the EIAVUK strain of virus and a series of modifications to facilitate production and purification of the diagnostic antigen, designated HS2G. Using this HS2G as antigen, we describe the development of an affinity ELISA that provides a sensitive and specific detection of S2-specific serum antibodies in experimentally and field-infected horses (22 of 24), without detectable reactivity with immune serum from uninfected (12 of 12) or vaccinated (29 of 29) horses. These data indicate that the S2-based diagnostic ELISA has the potential to accurately differentiate horses infected with EIAV from horses inoculated with an attenuated EIAV vaccine strain with a mutant S2 gene.