cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studying the clustering paradox and scalability of search in highly distributed environments

With the ubiquitous production, distribution and consumption of information, today's digital environments such as the Web are increasingly large and decentralized. It is hardly possible to obtain central control over information collections and systems in these environments. Searching for information in these information spaces has brought about problems beyond traditional boundaries of information retrieval (IR) research. This article addresses one important aspect of scalability challenges facing information retrieval models and investigates a decentralized, organic view of information systems pertaining to search in large-scale networks. Drawing on observations from earlier studies, we conduct a series of experiments on decentralized searches in large-scale networked information spaces. Results show that how distributed systems interconnect is crucial to retrieval performance and scalability of searching. Particularly, in various experimental settings and retrieval tasks, we find a consistent phenomenon, namely, the Clustering Paradox, in which the level of network clustering (semantic overlay) imposes a scalability limit. Scalable searches are well supported by a specific, balanced level of network clustering emerging from local system interconnectivity. Departure from that level, either stronger or weaker clustering, leads to search performance degradation, which is dramatic in large-scale networks.
Hurricane Katrina impacts on forest trees of Louisiana's Pearl River basin

Abstract Hurricane disturbance has the potential to markedly affect coastal forest structure and ecosystem processes. This study focused on the impacts of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana's Pearl River basin, which lies just west of Katrina's final landfall at the Louisiana–Mississippi border. Prior to landfall, composition and structure of bottomland hardwood forests in this region were studied with permanent forest inventory plots sampled in 1989, 1998, 2005 and following the storm in 2006. This enabled a direct comparison of forest structure and dynamics before and after the disturbance, including species-specific tree mortality and damage rates, biomass production, and differences among forest types having varied hydrologic regimes. Background tree mortality rate before Hurricane Katrina was 1.9%, while average annual mortality was 20.5% for the census interval including the disturbance. Change in live tree biomass estimated from allometric models demonstrated a shift from an average annual production of 3.5 Mg ha −1 before the disturbance, to an average loss of 77.6 Mg ha −1 from the storm. Damage associated with Hurricane Katrina varied significantly with tree species but not tree size. Flooded cypress-tupelo swamp forests sustained the least damage and frequently flooded bottomland hardwood forests sustained the highest damage. Hurricane disturbance influenced the structure and composition of these coastal forests through species-specific differences in damage and mortality rates, and varied impacts dependent on forest flooding regime.
Bridge Pile Bent Number of Piles and X-Bracing System: Impact on Pushover Capacity as Scour Increases

A common design/construction procedure for highway bridges over marshes, small creeks, and streams is to have the bridge superstructure supported on pile bents. The focus of this article is to compare the relative lateral stiffness and pushover capacities of X-braced three-, four-, five-, and six-pile bents under combined gravity loadings and extreme flood/scour events. The relative performances of single- and two-story X-braced bents with and without a horizontal bracing strut at the bottom of the lower X-bracing were examined. Bent pushover capacities for the various combinations of the numbers of bent piles, bent heights, and X-bracing conditions previously described are presented in this paper.
Fabrication of antibody arrays using thermally responsive elastin fusion proteins

A general method has been developed to immobilize antibodies onto an array surface by employing fusion proteins consisting of an elastin domain with tunable hydrophobic properties and an antibody-binding domain with high binding affinity and specificity for antibodies. Antibodies conjugated with the elastin fusion proteins can be directly printed on a self-assembled monolayer-modified glass slide in a functionally active orientation with a spatially defined pattern. An antibody array sensor for detection of tumor markers was fabricated to demonstrate the utility of the method. We expect that the method presented here could be a simple and universal platform to immobilize antibodies for the fabrication of a variety of antibody array sensors.
The role of executive function in perspective taking during online language comprehension

During conversation, interlocutors build on the set of shared beliefs known as common ground. Although there is general agreement that interlocutors maintain representations of common ground, there is no consensus regarding whether common-ground representations constrain initial language interpretation processes. Here, I propose that executive functioning—specifically, failures in inhibition control—can account for some occasional insensitivities to common-ground information. The present article presents the results of an experiment that demonstrates that individual differences in inhibition control determine the degree to which addressees successfully inhibit perspective-inappropriate interpretations of temporary referential ambiguities in their partner’s speech. Whether mentioned information was grounded or not also played a role, suggesting that addressees may show sensitivity to common ground only when it is established collaboratively. The results suggest that, in conversation, perspective information routinely guides online language processing and that occasional insensitivities to perspective can be attributed partly to difficulties in inhibiting perspective-inappropriate interpretations.
Septicemia in dialysis patients: incidence, risk factors, and prognosis.

Septicemia in dialysis patients: Incidence, risk factors, and prognosis. Background Infection is second to cardiovascular disease as a cause of death in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and septicemia causes a majority of these infectious deaths. To identify patients at high risk and to characterize modifiable risk factors for septicemia, we examined the incidence, risk factors, and prognosis for septicemia in a large, representative group of U.S. dialysis patients. Methods We conducted a longitudinal cohort study of incident ESRD patients in the case-mix study of the U.S. Renal Data System with seven years of follow-up from hospitalization and death records. Poisson regression was used to examine independent risk factors for hospital-managed septicemia. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to assess the independent effect of septicemia on all-cause mortality and on death from septicemia. Separate analyses were performed for patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD). Results Over seven years of follow-up, 11.7% of 4005 HD patients and 9.4% of 913 PD patients had at least one episode of septicemia. Older age and diabetes were independent risk factors for septicemia in all patients. Among HD patients, low serum albumin, temporary vascular access, and dialyzer reuse were also associated with increased risk. Among PD patients, white race and having no health insurance at dialysis initiation were also risk factors. Patients with septicemia had twice the risk of death from any cause and a fivefold to ninefold increased risk of death from septicemia. Conclusions Septicemia, which carries a marked increased risk of death, occurs frequently in patients on PD as well as HD. Early referral to a nephrologist, improving nutrition, and avoiding temporary vascular access may decrease the incidence of septicemia. Further study of how race, insurance status, and dialyzer reuse can contribute to the risk of septicemia among ESRD patients is indicated.
What to Do When Your Role Model Jumps Ship: Lián Amaris's Swimming to Spalding

Swimming to Spalding, written and performed by Lian Amaris and directed by Richard Schechner, is, at its heart, a trans-generational journey to find Spalding Gray. Through their production, Amaris and Schechner negotiate the complexities of Gray's legacy and their relationship with the late actor.
Current concepts in the validity, diagnosis and treatment of paediatric bipolar disorder.

Despite ongoing controversy, the view that paediatric bipolar disorder is rare or non-existent has been increasingly challenged not only by case reports but also by systematic research. This research strongly suggests that paediatric bipolar disorder may not be rare but that it may be difficult to diagnose. Since children with bipolar disorder are likely to become adults with bipolar disorder, the recognition and characterization of childhood-onset bipolar disorder may help identify a meaningful developmental subtype of bipolar disorder worthy of further investigation. As recommended by Robins and Guze [ American Journal of Psychiatry (1970), 126 , 983–987], a psychiatric disorder may be considered a valid diagnostic entity if it can be shown to have differentiating features, evidence of familiality, specific treatment responsivity and a unique course. The goal of this article is to review our work and the extant literature within this framework to describe the evidence supporting bipolar disorder in children as a valid clinical diagnosis.
Interannual forcing mechanisms of California Current transports I: Meridional Currents

Abstract An ensemble of eddy-resolving ocean model hindcasts integrated from 1950 to 2008 is used to examine and quantify the interannual variability of large-scale (>200 km) alongshore equatorward flow in the California Current System (CCS). We also develop a single index of this transport in order to determine what fraction of variance is driven locally, by changes in wind stress curl, and remotely, by the arrival of coastally trapped waves of tropical origin. In agreement with previous studies, coastally trapped waves dominate large-scale interannual CCS sea surface height variability. In contrast, we find that large-scale alongshore currents ( v ) are driven predominantly by local wind stress curl variability rather than coastally trapped waves. A simple wind-driven diagnostic model of the time-dependent large-scale geostrophic meridional transport captures ~50% ( R =0.7) of the total variance. The local wind-stress curl gradient that controls the largest fraction of meridional transport is not independent of the modulations in atmospheric circulation that drive the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), and a significant fraction of the monthly transport variability in the model ensembles is correlated to the PDO ( R =0.4).
On the residence time of water in Narragansett Bay

For Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, newly calculated and archival data for the area, mean depth, total volume, mean salinity and fresh water input are presented. Estimates of the residence time of the water, derived from 22 sets of monthly mean values, were related to estimates of the fresh water input according to the empirical relationship T=41.8 e−0.00435(FW), where T is the flushing time in days, and FW is the fresh water input in m3 per s; the r2 value is 0.841. Adding estimates of the mean wind speed into a multiple regression increased the correlation coefficient only to 0.864. At the long-term mean rate of fresh water input (105 m3 per s) the flushing time is 26 days. At the lowest mean monthly input rate observed the flushing time was nearly 40 days, while at the highest mean monthly input rate in the data set (325 m3 per s) the flushing time was about 10 days. Known sources of random error appear sufficient to account for most of the deviations from the relationship. The evidence suggests that variation in the flushing time is largely determined by variation in the fresh water input.
Quantum Dot FRET-Based Probes in Thin Films Grown in Microfluidic Channels

This paper describes the development of new fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based quantum dot probes for proteolytic activity. The CdSe/ZnS quantum dots are incorporated into a thin polymeric film, which is prepared by layer-by-layer deposition of alternately charged polyelectrolytes. The quantum dots, which serve as fluorescent donors, are separated from rhodamine acceptor molecules, which are covalently attached to the film surface by a varying number of polyelectrolyte layers. When excited with visible light, the emission color of the polyelectrolyte multilayer film appears orange due to FRET between the quantum dots and molecular acceptors. The emission color changes to green when the rhodamine molecules are removed from the surface by enzymatic cleavage. The new probe design enables the use of quantum dots in bioassays, in this study for real-time monitoring of trypsin activity, while alleviating concerns about their potential toxicity. Application of these quantum dot FRET-based probes...
Leptin, insulin resistance, and liver fibrosis in human nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Background/Aims Data from animal models of fibrosis and fatty liver suggest that leptin may mediate the profibrogenic responses in the liver, but the association of leptin and liver fibrosis in human nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains undefined. We aimed at determining the relation between leptin and liver fibrosis in human NAFLD. Methods Human plasma leptin and several indicators of insulin resistance were measured in 88 NAFLD patients and matched controls. Results Leptin levels were significantly greater in patients with more advanced fibrosis ( P =0.005). By multivariate analysis, the significant association between leptin and fibrosis was abolished (adjusted P =0.3) when controlling for confounders including age, gender, BMI, diabetes and insulin resistance. Only age (adjusted P =0.006) and insulin sensitivity (adjusted P =0.04) correlated significantly with fibrosis stage. A second liver biopsy was performed in 39 out of the 88 patients at 27.9±16 months. Leptin levels were not significantly different between patients who had fibrosis progression ( n =10) and those who did not ( n =29). Conclusions In human NAFLD, no relationship between leptin levels and fibrosis stage was demonstrated. The correlation of leptin and fibrosis severity seems to be an indicator of the factors that determine leptin production.
Evaluation of an anaerobic digestion system for processing CELSS crop residues for resource recovery.

Three bioreactors, connected in series, were used to process CELSS potato residues for recovery of resources. The first stage was an anaerobic digestor (8 L working volume; cow rumen contents inoculum; fed-batch; 8 day retention time; feed rate 25 gdw/day) that converted 33% of feed (dry weight loss) to CO2 and "volatile fatty acids" (vfa, 83:8:8 mmolar ratio acetic:propionic:butyric). High nitrate-N in the potato residue feed was absent in the anaerobic effluent, with a high portion converted to NH4(+)-N and the remainder unaccounted and probably lost to denitrification and NH4(+) volatilization. Liquid anaerobic effluent was fed to an aerobic, yeast biomass production vessel (2 L volume; Candida ingens inoculum; batch [pellicle] growth; 2 day retention time) where the VFAs and some NH4(+)-N were converted into yeast biomass. Yeast yields accounted for up to 8% of potato residue fed into the anaerobic bioreactor. The third bioreactor (0.5 L liquid working volume; commercial nitrifier inoculum; packed-bed biofilm; continuous yeast effluent feed; recirculating; constant volume; 2 day hydraulic retention time) was used to convert successfully the remaining NH4(+)-N into nitrate-N (preferred form of N for CELSS crop production) and to remove the remaining degradable soluble organic carbon. Effluents from the last two stages were used for partial replenishment of minerals for hydroponic potato production.
Do Ganglion-Blocking Agents and Reserpine Affect Central Vasomotor Activity?

In a majority of experiments on both dogs and cats, hypotensive doses of tetraethylam-monium chloride or mecamylamine caused no change or moderate increase in efferent electric activity in the largely preganglionic thoracic portion of the splanchnic nerve, and caused complete and prolonged elimination of efferent activity in the postganglionic inferior cardiac and renal nerves. Both drugs failed to suppress changes in splanchnic nerve activity that were elicited refiexly. These results imply strongly that both ganglion-blocking drugs, in dosage used intravenously to induce hypotension, act mainly through their peripheral effects rather than through one on central vasomotor synapses. In both dogs and cats, reserpine caused slowly progressive and marked diminution in efferent splanchnic nerve activity, which supports the hypothesis that the central action of this agent contributes to its hypotensive effect.
Atmospheric optics in art

A brief historical overview of the atmospheric optical phenomena that appear in works of fine art is presented. It is shown that artists have recorded many features of the color and brightness of the sky and clouds, aerial perspective and visibility effects, and phenomena, including crepuscular rays, rainbows, halos, and coronas. Artistic biases resulting from prevailing styles and societal influences are noted. Attention is drawn to a number of phenomena recorded by artists that have not yet been explained or modeled.
Transduction of linked genetic characters of the host by bacteriophage P1

The temperate bacteriophage P1 acts as transducing agent for a large variety of genetic characteristics of strains of Escherichia coli and of Shigella dysenteriae. In E. coli strain K12, markers that behave as closely linked in sexual crosses can be transduced jointly. The frequency of joint transduction decreases sharply with decreasing linkage. A prophage character of phage λ has also been transduced by phage P1. Transduction of characters between bacteria of the coli and dysentery groups indicates genetic homologies between these groups.
Lapses, conflict, and akrasia in torts and crimes: Towards an economic theory of the will

Decision makers in economic theory possess preferences and information. Rationality consists in making decisions that maximize the expected satisfaction from available opportunities. This simple model of decision making does not encompass conflicting motives. It has no scope for tension between one desire and another, or between a desire and a duty. It offers no account of how or why a person might vacillate between alternatives when deciding what to do, or regret what he did. Nor does it explain why a person with the same preferences and information might act differently at different times in the same circumstances. The rationality assumptions in standard economics are too severe to encompass conflicting motives and inconsistent behavior. The power of a person to suppress conflicts between motives and act consistently is usually called strength of will. Conversely, responding to immediate circumstances and acting from impulse is often called weakness of will. People often commit torts or crimes due to weakness of will. To illustrate, Stanton Wheeler summarized six years of research on white collar crime by citing a felon’s “sad tale”: “. . . when my brothers told me that the scheme [to defraud the bank] was necessary to save the business, I agreed to the plan, even though I knew it was wrong . . . If my brothers were so close to closing those deals, that would save everyone, I had to give them a chance. To take a chance for them and their families and I for my own family. I am sorry I broke the law, sorry for all my mistakes, sorry so many innocent people got hurt.“’ Economics cannot make sense of such an utterance without an account of psychological conflict and regret. Philosophers traditionally include “will” as one of the major faculties of mind, along with reason and the appetites.? Wrongdoing resulting from weakness of will
Assessment of blood-brain barrier permeability using the in situ mouse brain perfusion technique.

Purpose To assess the blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability of 12 clinically-used drugs in mdr1a(+/+) and mdr1a(−/−) mice, and investigate the influence of lipophilicity, nonspecific brain tissue binding, and P-gp-mediated efflux on the rate of brain uptake.
The Gendered Nature of Contraception in France: Neo-Malthusianism, 1900-1920

As the first nation to undergo the fertility transition, France also experienced a demographic “crisis” concerning its drop in population. Contemporary reactions to the Neo-Malthusian effort to provide female contraceptives, and particularly to the feminist rhetoric of birth-control advocate Nelly Roussel, however, suggest that what was most threatening about female contraception was not the prospect of further depopulation but the idea of making motherhood a choice, thereby “de-naturalizing” women's bodies and threatening civilization itself.
Multiscale modeling of self-assembled monolayers of thiophenes on electronic material surfaces

Computer simulation programs, spanning different time and length scales, are used to describe the fundamentals of thin film growth morphology in organic self-assembled monolayers using thiophenes on gold as representative systems. Ab initio calculations created a catalog of the energetics between two N-[4-(thien-2ylethynyl)phenyl] hydroxyl ("1P" molecules) in vacuum and interactions in three orthogonal orientations (parallel, perpendicular, and gamma-phase) to a Au (111) surface. This energetic dataset was supplied as the input for kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of dimer and trimer representations of small organic molecules to describe both sub-monolayer and multilayer growth on a series of hypothetical model substrates. On strongly binding metallic-like substrates, sub-monolayers of the model organic molecules formed ordered phases in the x and y directions at high temperatures and a disordered polycrystalline structure at low temperatures with the molecules lying down. Only at high temperatures was a "phase inversion" observed from a completely flat to an upright structure, suggesting the upright phase to be kinetically limited. Results for multilayer deposition of 1P molecules on three substrates which differ in their binding energy to the molecule (from non-interacting to strongly binding substrates) provided a rich view of the polymorphism that can result from differing choices of temperature and flux conditions. Irrespective of the binding energy of the molecule to the substrate, on highly corrugated surfaces we always observed 3D-island growth of multiple layers of the thiophenes, in contrast to Stranski-Krastanov or Frank-van der Merwe growth on more uniform substrates. The qualitative picture we obtained agrees with the growth habits of other small organic molecule systems like the acene series. Finally, molecular dynamics studies were used to understand the packing structures of stable polymorphs of thiophene SAMs. Different deposition conditions and substrate-molecule binding captured different regimes of growth morphology, some of which have already been observed experimentally.
The Emergence of Leadership Studies: Linking the Traditional Outcomes of Liberal Education with Leadership Development

Traditional liberal education essentially involves a "just-in-case" learning approach, exposing students to content they might need in the future. The authors argue that while liberal arts education is indeed a needed preparation for leadership education, the traditional approach to liberal learning is insufficient. To foster the learning outcomes intended by leadership educators, students must encounter a liberal learning "dynamic" in which they are active participants in situations that actually engage the content of liberal and leadership education. The Leadership Studies Program at Fort Hays State University is outlined and presented as an example of program design based on this conceptual foundation.
Diversity Measure of Co-polarized and Polarized MIMO Architectures over Wideband Mobile-to-Mobile Channels

In this paper, we propose an SNR-dependent diversity measure that quantifies the amount of correlation and diversity present in MIMO propagation channels. The measure is used to compare the diversity of 4×4 space-polarization (SP), 2×2 dual-polarized (DP) and 2×2 co-polarized (CP) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. To enable the performance evaluation a wideband mobile-to-mobile channel model based on geometry-based stochastic channel model (GSCM) is employed. The simulation results show that, in the case of constant transmit power, the average diversity measure of 4×4 SP-MIMO is up to four times than that of 2×2 CP-MIMO counterparts, depending upon the SNR, in a variety of multipath propagation environments.
Structural Tuning of Ligand-Based Two-Electron Intervalence Charge Transfer

The lowest-energy optical transition of two-electron-oxidized porphyrinogens [LΔM] is a ligand-based charge transfer. The color of the intermediary, two-electron mixed-valent oxidation state shifts from vermilion (λmax = 480 nm) to yellow (λmax = 270 nm) upon increasing the ionic radius of the central metal dication from Mg2+ to Zn2+ and Ca2+. Structural, spectroscopic, and computational studies establish that the relative energies of the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied orbitals, between which the intervalence charge-transfer optical transition occurs, are modulated by the molecular dipole moment, which in turn depends on the only structural variable among the [LΔM] compounds, the position of M2+ relative to the dianionic dipyrrole unit.
A fluorescent spot test for creatine kinase.

Abstract A fluorescent spot test for creatine kinase in serum is described. Sensitivity varied with DPNH concentration, incubation period, size, and type of sample. Under optimum conditions samples with varying degrees of excess enzyme were distinguished from those with normal activity (
Unstable inheritance of maize B-type chromosomes that lack centric heterochromatin

The B chromosome of maize undergoes frequent non-disjunction at the second pollen mitosis. In B–A translocations, the B–A chromosome retains the capacity for non-disjunction. We have collected deletion-derivative TB-9Sb stocks. One derivative, the "type 1 telocentric", has a B–9 chromosome that lacks centric heterochromatin. It produces few recessive (non-disjunctional) phenotypes in pollen parent testcrosses of the translocation heterozygote, 9 9–B telo B–9. The finding helped demonstrate the role of centric heterochromatin in non-disjunction. An isochromo some derivative of the type 1 telocentric was also recovered. It was tested in the 9–B 9–B iso B–9 constitution. This is equivalent to 9 9–B telo B–9 in terms of chromosome 9 dosage. Surprisingly, crosses with the isochromosome gave significant levels of recessive phenotypes. In addition, high levels of variegated phenotypes were found. Recently, a circumstance was found that makes inheritance of the type 1 telocentric chromosome somewhat similar to th...
Double Greibach operator grammars

Every context-free grammar can be transformed into one in double Greibach operator form, that satisfies both double Greibach form and operator form. Examination of the expressive power of various well-known subclasses of context-free grammars in double Greibach and/or operator form yields an extended hierarchy of language classes. Basic decision properties such as equivalence can be stated in stronger forms via new classes of languages in this hierarchy.
Transfer of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from retail pork products onto food contact surfaces and the potential for consumer exposure.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a pathogen that has developed resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and has been isolated at low population numbers in retail meat products. The objectives of this study were to estimate the potential transfer of MRSA from contaminated retail pork products to food contact surfaces and to estimate the potential for human exposure to MRSA by contact with those contaminated surfaces. Pork loins, bacon, and fresh pork sausage were inoculated with a four-strain mixed MRSA culture over a range of populations from approximately 4 to 8 log, vacuum packaged, and stored for 2 weeks at 5°C to simulate normal packaging and distribution. Primary transfer was determined by placing inoculated products on knife blades, cutting boards, and a human skin model (pork skin) for 5 min. Secondary transfer was determined by placing an inoculated product on the contact surface, removing it, and then placing the secondary contact surface on the initial contact surface. A pork s...
Effect of memory on relaxation in a scalar field theory

We derive a kinetic equation with a non-Markovian collision term that includes a memory effect from Kadanoff-Baym equations in ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}^{4}$ theory within the three-loop level for the two-particle irreducible effective action. The memory effect is incorporated into the kinetic equation by a generalized Kadanoff-Baym ansatz. Based on the kinetic equations with and without the memory effect, we investigate the influence of this effect on the decay of a single particle excitation with zero momentum in 3+1 dimensions and the spatially homogeneous case. The numerical results show that, while the time evolution of the zero mode is completely unaffected by the memory effect due to a separation of scales in the weak coupling regime, this effect leads first to faster relaxation than the case without it and then to slower relaxation as the coupling constant increases.
The NoX router

Power efficient, low latency interconnects are increasingly important in a computing era dominated by growing core counts and diminishing power budgets. This paper proposes the use of a novel coding-based crossbar architecture to perform packet arbitration in parallel with switch traversal. The use of a lightweight exclusive-OR (XOR) coding scheme enables the productive transmission of packets, without waiting for arbitration, even under contention. For marginal cost compared to fully speculative techniques, switch arbitration latency can be hidden while eliminating power consuming misspeculations, increasing router throughput, and maintaining fairness. The new NoX router is compared to traditional sequential and speculative single cycle router implementations on a 64-node CMP mesh. Physical implementation of all routers is modeled using synthesized RTL, detailed floorplans, and accurate channel models. Performance evaluation is carried out utilizing cycle-accurate simulation and detailed power models on both synthetic and application traffic. Overall we find the NoX architecture capable of bettering average packet energy-delay2 product by 2.7%–34.4% on application workloads as well as improving network throughput by up to 9.9% on synthetic traffic patterns.
Reactivity of biologically important reduced pyridines: Part 9. Effect of substitution on rotational energetics in 1-phenyl-1,4-dihydropyridine, the 1-phenylpyridinium cation and related systems

Abstract The effect of substitutional manipulation of 1-phenyl-1,4-dihydropyridine, 1-phenyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide, the 1-phenylpyridinium cation and the 1-phenylnicotinamide cation on rotational tractability was examined using the AM1 molecular orbital approximation. The 1-phenyl-1,4-dihydropyridines are associated with energy barriers of almost equal magnitude at planarity and perpendicularity. Substitution at the 4-position of the phenyl moiety with electron-withdrawing functionalities acted to increase the barrier at 90° ( E 90 ) and decrease the energy of the planar form ( E 0 ) relative to the unsubstituted compounds. Electron-donating species had the opposite effect. The interannular C-N bond had decidedly more double bond characteristics than the parent system when a nitro substituent was present and decidedly less when a dimethylamino substituent was present. Changes in atomic orbital contributions to the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) were fairly independent of substitution. The quaternary derivatives were characterized by a significantly higher E 0 than E 90 for all substituents examined. In addition, the pattern of atomic orbital contributions to the HOMO was highly dependent on the substituent. Finally, reactivity of the dihydropyridines towards one-electron oxidants such as potassium ferricyanide may be affected by phenyl ring rotation, as this parameter directly influences the HOMO energy and, according to Koopmans theorem, the vertical ionization potential.
A new magnetic bead-based, filterless bio-separator with planar electromagnet surfaces for integrated bio-detection systems

Abstract A new filterless bio-separator separating magnetic microbeads from a carrier fluid has been designed, fabricated, and characterized as a core component of biological cell sampling and detecting systems. To maximize the sampling capability, a planar electromagnet surface with a serpentine coil and semi-encapsulated permalloy has been realized. Using this bio-separator, antibody-coated magnetic beads have been successfully separated from the bio-buffer suspension solution and characterized in dynamic fluid flow. The magnetic characteristics of the bio-separator have been simulated and experimentally studied to establish and validate the design rules for fabrication. The realized filterless bio-separator has a high potential in biomedical and biological detection systems. It is especially useful in selective sampling and separation of small amounts of bio-molecules (e.g., antigen) for on-chip micro total analysis systems (μ-TAS) or remote detection systems.
Fine-Structure Contamination: Observations and a Model of a Simple Two-Wave Case

Abstract Internal waves advect vertical structure past Eulerian (fixed depth) sensors, leading to “fine-structure contamination,” wherein the intrinsic frequency spectrum is Doppler shifted by the advective motions. Shear, velocity, and isopycnal displacement records collected at low latitude (6.5°S, Coriolis frequency f = 1/4.4 cpd) with an ADCP and a loosely tethered vehicle are used to demonstrate this mechanism in a simple case. In contrast to the usual midlatitude situation where the intrinsic and advective frequencies are broadband and overlapping, the low Coriolis frequency at low latitude allows clear identification of heaving of near-inertial shear layers by the diurnal internal tide. Specifically, Eulerian shear and velocity frequency spectra show peaks at f ± K1, where K1 = 1 cpd is the diurnal tidal frequency. A simple two-wave model illustrates the mechanism and correctly predicts the magnitude of the shifted peaks. The shifted peaks are absent in spectra of quantities computed in an isopycna...
Replication Restart after Replication-Transcription Conflicts Requires RecA in Bacillus subtilis

Efficient duplication of genomes depends on reactivation of replication forks outside of the origin. Replication restart can be facilitated by recombination proteins, especially if single or double stranded breaks form in the DNA. Each type of DNA break is processed by a distinct pathway, though both depend on the RecA protein. One common obstacle that can stall forks, potentially leading to breaks in the DNA, is transcription. Though replication stalling by transcription is prevalent, the nature of DNA breaks and the prerequisites for replication restart in response to these encounters remain unknown. Here, we use an engineered site-specific replication-transcription conflict to identify and dissect the pathways required for the resolution and restart of replication forks stalled by transcription in Bacillus subtilis . We find that RecA, its loader proteins, RecO and AddAB, and the Holliday junction resolvase, RecU, are required for efficient survival and replication restart after conflicts with transcription. Genetic analyses show that RecO and AddAB act in parallel to facilitate RecA loading at the site of the conflict, but that they can each partially compensate for the other9s absence. Finally we find that RecA, and either RecO or AddAB, is required for the replication restart and helicase loader protein DnaD to associate with the engineered conflict region. These results suggest that conflicts can lead to both single stranded gaps and double stranded breaks in the DNA, and that RecA loading and Holliday junction resolution are required for replication restart at regions of replication-transcription conflicts. Importance Head-on conflicts between replication and transcription occur when a gene is expressed from the lagging strand. These encounters stall the replisome and potentially break the DNA. We investigated the necessary mechanisms for Bacillus subtilis cells to overcome a site-specific, engineered conflict with transcription of a protein-coding gene. We found that the recombination proteins RecO and AddAB both load RecA onto the DNA in response to the head-on conflict. Additionally, RecA loading by one of the two pathways was required for both replication restart and efficient survival of the collision. Our findings suggest that both single stranded gaps and double stranded DNA breaks occur at head-on conflict regions and demonstrate a requirement for recombination to restart replication after collisions with transcription.
Toward a Two-Factor Theory of One Type of Mathematics Disabilities.

A two-factor theory is proposed in an attempt to explain the difficulty that children with math disabilities have in mastering the basic number facts. The theory is based on the premise that weak cognitive representations lead to poorer retrieval of information from long-term memory. Two groups of children with disabilities are discussed: those with math disabilities alone (MD) and those with co-morbid math and reading disabilities (MD/RD). It is proposed that weak phonological processing abilities underlie the learning difficulties of MD/RD children, and that weak number sense is a causal factor in the math-fact learning difficulties of MD only and some MD/RD children.
Photovoltaic enhanced UHF RFID tag antennas for dual purpose energy harvesting

The most significant barrier to improving passive RFID tag performance for both fixed function ID tags and enhanced RFID tags is the limitation on the amount of power that can be harvested for operation. This paper presents a novel approach for incorporating solar harvesting capability into existing passive RFID tags without increasing the parts count or changing the tag assembly process. Our approach employs the tag's antenna as a dual function element in which the antenna simultaneously harvests RF energy, communicates with the RFID reader, and harvests solar energy for auxiliary power. This is accomplished by using low cost, printable photovoltaics deposited on flexible substrate to form part of the antenna's radiating structure. Several prototype UHF RFID antennas are demonstrated using commercially available thin film, amorphous solar cells. To quantify the improvement in tag performance, Intel's WISP was used as an initial test vehicle. The effective read range of the tag was increased by six times and exceeded the reader's sensitivity limitations. Additionally, the new antenna allowed for sensing and computing operations to take place independent of the RFID reader under typical office lighting conditions.
Comparison of Life Participation Activities Among Adults Treated by Hemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis, and Kidney Transplantation: A Systematic Review

Background A comprehensive assessment of the association of patients' renal replacement therapy (RRT) modality with their participation in life activities (physical function, travel, recreation, freedom, and work) is needed. Study Design Systematic review of peer-reviewed published studies. Setting & Population Adults undergoing RRT (hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or transplantation). Selection Criteria for Studies We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE from January 1980 through April 2012 for English-language articles that compared participation in life activities among patients receiving: (1) hemodialysis compared with peritoneal dialysis, (2) hemodialysis compared with kidney transplantation, or (3) peritoneal dialysis compared with kidney transplantation. Predictor RRT modality. Outcomes Reported rates of physical function, travel, recreation, freedom, and work-related activities by RRT modality. Results 46 studies (6 prospective cohort, 38 cross-sectional, and 2 pre-post transplantation) provided relevant comparisons of life participation activities among patients treated with hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplantation. Studies were conducted in 1985-2011 among diverse patient populations in 16 distinct locations. A majority of studies reported greater life participation rates for patients with kidney transplants compared with patients receiving either hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. In contrast, a majority of studies reported no differences in outcomes between patients receiving hemodialysis and patients receiving peritoneal dialysis. These results were consistent throughout the study period, across diverse populations, and among the subset of studies that performed appropriate adjustments for potential confounding factors. Limitations Many studies included in the review had significant design weaknesses. Conclusions Evidence suggests that patients with kidney transplants may experience better rates of life participation compared with patients receiving dialysis, whereas patients receiving hemodialysis and patients receiving peritoneal dialysis may experience similar rates of life participation. Rigorously performed studies are needed to better inform patients about the association of RRT with these important patient-reported outcomes.
The Parallel Image Processing Environment (PIPE): automated parallelization of satellite data analyses

A Beowulf-type cluster can: (1) mitigate many issues associated with the analysis of large, complex remotely sensed data sets; (2) shorten the response time of operational agencies to crisis-management situations; and (3) expedite the reanalysis of large archives of satellite data. Whereas most Beowulf-type designs support modeling applications, the Parallel Image Processing Environment (PIPE) addresses the unique requirements of remote sensing applications. PIPE has four hierarchical layers: hardware, operating system, middleware and applications. Rocks, a middleware sublayer, manages the cluster. DIAL-developed interprocess communication and control daemons form the second middleware sublayer. They encapsulate user-defined applications and thereby support automated, user-transparent parallelization of satellite data analyses, implemented in the applications layer using generalized constructs. The daemons also monitor resource (computational and I/O) utilization on a node/thread basis, a feature not supported by other generally available monitoring utilities. The application support libraries are fully extensible, facilitate the reuse of modular and commonly used software functions in new applications and thereby reduce both the cost and time to implement new applications. Two applications (signal analysis, image classification) show PIPE's versatility and performance characteristics. PIPE is intrinsically scalable, reliable and can be incrementally implemented. A comparison with other embarrassingly parallel systems is also provided. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Earth Reflected Solar Radiation Input to Spherical Satellites

A general calculation is given for the earth's albedo input to a spherical satellite, with the assumption that the earth can be considered a diffusely reflecting sphere. The results are presented in general form so that appropriate values for the solar constant and albedo of the earth can be used as more accurate values become available. The results are also presented graphically; the incident power is determined on the assumption that the mean solar constant is 1.353 x 10( exp 6) erg/(sq cm.sec) and the albedo of the earth is 0.34.
Retinal Distortion and Cottonwool Spots Associated with Epiretinal Membrane Contraction

Purpose and Background: Several articles on surgery for macular pucker have noted the presence of intraretinal white spots, presumably cotton-wool spots, associated with epiretinal membranes. It was proposed that membrane contraction and resultant nerve fiber layer distortion might lead to blockage of axoplasmic flow and thus a cottonwool spot. To see whether the observations supported this concept, the authors studied patients with epiretinal membranes associated with intraretinal white spots involving the center of the fovea, where there are normally no retinal vessels and the only axons are in Henle fiber layer. Methods: Four patients with epiretinal membranes associated with prominent areas of intraretinal whitening involving the center of the fovea were examined before and after surgery. Observations and measurements were made from projected fundus photographs. Results: The intraretinal white spots, which appeared preoperatively to lie in the center of the fovea, proved to have been pulled in from more peripheral retina by the epiretinal membrane. These white areas were associated with surprisingly great distortion of the inner retina. Stretching of the inner retina seemed to play a larger role in the retinal distortion than full-thickness retinal folding. Conclusion: The appearance and time course of these intraretinal white lesions were consistent with cotton-wool spots caused by mechanical disruption of axonal flow. The marked retinal stretching and distortion of the innermost layers of the retina were the most striking findings in this study and also seemed consistent with the concept that membrane contraction and resultant nerve fiber layer distortion might lead to blockage of axoplasmic flow and thus a cotton-wool spot.
The Application of DTI to Investigate White Matter Abnormalities in Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a serious and disabling mental disorder that affects approximately 1% of the general population, with often devastating effects on the psychological and financial resources of the patient, family, and larger community. The etiology of schizophrenia is not known, although it likely involves several interacting biological and environmental factors that predispose an individual to schizophrenia. However, although the underlying pathology remains unknown, it has been believed that brain abnormalities would ultimately be linked to the etiology of schizophrenia. This theory was rekindled in the 1970s, when the first computer-assisted tomography (CT) study showed enlarged lateral ventricles in schizophrenia. Since that time, there have been many improvements in MR acquisition and image processing, including the introduction of positron emission tomography (PET), followed by functional MR (fMRI), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). These advances have led to an appreciation of the critical role that brain abnormalities play in schizophrenia. While structural MRI has proven to be useful in investigating and detecting gray matter abnormalities in schizophrenia, the investigation of white matter has proven to be more challenging as white matter appears homogeneous on conventional MRI and the fibers connecting different brain regions cannot be appreciated. With the development of DTI, we are now able to investigate white matter abnormalities in schizophrenia.
Modified logarithmic Sobolev inequalities for some models of random walk

Abstract Logarithmic Sobolev inequalities are a well-studied technique for estimating rates of convergence of Markov chains to their stationary distributions. In contrast to continuous state spaces, discrete settings admit several distinct log Sobolev inequalities, one of which is the subject of this paper. Here we derive modified log Sobolev inequalities for some models of random walk, including the random transposition shuffle and the top-random transposition shuffle on S n , and the walk generated by 3-cycles on A n . As an application, we derive concentration inequalities for these models.