cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fixing the Convergence Problems in Parallel Asynchronous Dual Coordinate Descent

Solving L2-regularized empirical risk minimization (e.g., linear SVMs and logistic regression) using multiple cores has become an important research topic. Among all the existing algorithms, Parallel ASynchronous Stochastic dual Co-Ordinate DEscent (PASSCoDe) demonstrates superior performance compared with other methods. Although PASSCoDe is fast when it converges, the algorithm has been observed to diverge on several cases especially when a relatively large number of threads are used. This is mainly due to the delayed parameter access problem — the parameters used for the current update may be delayed and are not the latest ones. In theory, the algorithm converges only when the delay is small enough, but in practice the delay depends on the underlying parallel computing environment and cannot be guaranteed. In this work, we propose a simple and computational efficient way to fix the convergence problem of PASSCoDe. Instead of allowing all worker threads to conduct asynchronous updates wildly, we add periodic check points to the procedure, where all workers need to stop and refine the current solution at each check point. The resulting "semi-asynchronous" algorithm is guaranteed to converge for any problem even when PASSCoDe diverges, and for the cases where PASSCoDe converges they have almost identical speed.
Numerical Simulations of Peristalsis in Unobstructed Human Ureters

Urine is transported from the kidney to the urinary bladder through the ureter by peristalsis and pressure gradients. The contractile force acting on the ureter wall has drawn considerable interest in the field of biomechanics. Backflow of urine from bladder to the kidney can occur due to failure of the ureterovesical (ureteral-bladder) junction or blockage in the ureter passage because of recurrent urinary tract infection and also due to formation of stone in kidney. To understand the nature of the flow as well as its effect on the ureter wall, two-way fluid-solid interaction (FSI) modeling of the ureter peristaltic flow at different pressure is required. A transient 2D axisymmetric numerical calculation of ureteral wall peristalsis and urine flow is performed with a fully-coupled monolithic solver using an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) method. The ureter is assumed to be a circular tube with successive compression waves traveling downstream. The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved to calculate the laminar flow of urine. The ureter wall is modeled as a non-linear hyper-elastic, nearly incompressible material, by curve fitting the biaxial test data of a human ureter, obtained from literature. Displacement due to peristalsis on ureteral wall is created with a compressive force having a Gaussian bell-curve variation along the length of the ureter, and a certain wavelength specified according to the data found from previous studies. It is observed that, as the compression wave travels from the abdominal part of the ureter towards to the pelvis, it is more likely for urine reflux to occur due to the failure of the ureteropelvic junction rather than the ureterovesical junction.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
StaticGen: Static Generation of UML Sequence Diagrams

UML sequence diagrams are visual representations of object interactions in a system and can provide valuable information for program comprehension, debugging, maintenance, and software archeology. Sequence diagrams generated from legacy code are independent of existing documentation that may have eroded. We present a framework for static generation of UML sequence diagrams from object-oriented source code. The framework provides a query refinement system to guide the user to interesting interactions in the source code. Our technique involves constructing a hypergraph representation of the source code, traversing the hypergraph with respect to a user-defined query, and generating the corresponding set of sequence diagrams. We implemented our framework as a tool, StaticGen, analyzing a corpus of 30 Android applications. We provide experimental results demonstrating the efficacy of our technique.
Considering the Role of the State: Comment on “Criminalizing Sexual Violence Against Women in Intimate Relationships”

International human rights frameworks offer powerful support for a range of reforms to address marital rape. Melanie Randall and Vasanthi Venkatesh’s valuable commentary, Criminalizing Sexual Violence against Women in Intimate Relationships, correctly shines a spotlight on the extent to which marital rape is still accepted in too many countries around the world, and calls for its explicit criminalization under international human rights laws. The commentary serves as an important reminder of the challenges and enduring stereotypes that prevent marital rape from being recognized globally as a human rights violation. But the commentary’s focus on criminalization as the fundamental response is unduly limited. While criminalization, whether explicit or implicit, is a core part of states’ obligations under international human rights law, centering criminal justice risks both shortchanging other approaches and obscuring the problems with criminal justice interventions. Although Randall and Venkatesh acknowledge that criminalization is but one element of a broader strategy, this essay urges a broader view. International human rights laws’ due diligence framework requires a range of responses that include the obligation to prevent, protect, and provide redress, along with the obligation to prosecute and punish. Explicitly framing states’ obligations in terms of that more comprehensive approach would reach broadly to address the cultural and social barriers that allow marital rape to continue without sanction.
Parameters for Ordering Blood Cultures in Major Burn Injury Patients: Improving Clinical Assessment.

Hypermetabolic and catabolic states in large TBSA burns lead to higher basal body temperature and tachycardia. These metabolic changes complicate the diagnosis of bacteremia and sepsis. Current indications for obtaining blood cultures (BCs) in this population are poorly described and nonstandardized. Fever, leukocytosis, and lactic acidosis are common during sepsis. This study aims to identify limits of these parameters with the highest rates of bacteremia. A retrospective review was performed for burn patients with > 20% TBSA between January 2009 and June 2011. BCs were collected with corresponding body temperature, white blood cell (WBC) count, and serum lactate levels. Positive culture rates were analyzed with univariate and multivariate analysis. Seventy-one patients met inclusion criteria and 360 BCs were included in data analysis. Cultures taken with temperature > 38.9°C were significantly more positive (P = .01) than temperatures between 38 and 38.9°C. There were significantly more positive cultures when the WBC count was 38.9°C, WBC < 4.5 × 103/µl, and serum lactate ≥ 2.5 mg/dL have the highest rate for positive BCs in severe burn patients. A combination of leukopenia and pyrexia as well as lactic acidosis and pyrexia represent even higher specificity for positive BC in these patients.
What the Mind-Independence of Color Requires

The early modern distinction between primary and secondary qualities continues to have a significant impact on the debate about the nature of color. An aspect of this distinction that is still influential is the idea that the mind-independence of color requires that it is a primary quality. Thus, using shape as a paradigm example of a primary quality, a longstanding strategy for determining whether color is mind-independent is to consider whether it is sufficiently similar to shape to be a primary quality. However, I'll argue that the idea that the mind-independence of color requires that it is a primary quality is mistaken, and that, to the contrary, while color is not a primary quality, it is mind-independent. I'll propose an alternative understanding of what the mind-independence of color requires. This alternative models color perception on an information filter. According to this model, mental qualities that I'll call media qualities are involved in color perception. The involvement of mental qualities suggests mind-independence. However, I'll argue, their involvement is modeled after the qualities of a kind of filter that provides access to, but does not constitute, filtered qualities.
Multiconfiguration Pair-Density Functional Theory and Complete Active Space Second Order Perturbation Theory. Bond Dissociation Energies of FeC, NiC, FeS, NiS, FeSe, and NiSe

We investigate the performance of multi-configuration pair-density functional theory (MC-PDFT) and complete active space second-order perturbation theory for computing the bond dissociation energies of the diatomic molecules FeC, NiC, FeS, NiS, FeSe, and NiSe, for which accurate experimental data have become recently available [Matthew, D. J.; Tieu, E.; Morse, M. D. J. Chem. Phys. 2017, 146, 144310]. We use three correlated participating orbitals (CPO) schemes (nominal, moderate, and extended) to define the active spaces (CAS), and we consider both the complete active space (CAS) and the separated-pair (SP) schemes to specific the configurations included for a given active space. We found that the moderate SP-PDFT scheme with the tPBE on-top density functional has the smallest mean unsigned error (MUE) of the methods considered. This level of theory provides a balanced treatment of the static and dynamic correlation energies for the studied systems. This is encouraging because the method is low in cost ev...
Synchrotron X-ray scattering study on amorphous poly(ethylene furanoate) under uniaxial deformation

Abstract Uniaxial deformation of amorphous poly(ethylene furanoate) (PEF) was studied using synchrotron-based simultaneous wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS/SAXS) techniques, at four temperatures, namely, 90 ° C , 100 ° C , 110 ° C , and 120 ° C . Local ordering of the chains with a preferred orientation occurred before onset of strain-induced crystallization. The ordered domain in the amorphous phase displayed two characteristic length scales (∼4 A and ∼2 A ), associated with the lateral inter-chain distance and staggering along the polymer chain direction, respectively. Fibrillar crystal morphology was induced, containing ∼ 2–3 unit cells on average in the direction of each lattice primitive basis, due to crystallization from highly-oriented polymer chains in amorphous phase. Time-resolved in situ scattering studies have allowed direct correlations between structure and stress-strain behavior. In the early stage of deformation, stress increased slowly with strain, leading to a degree of orientation in the amorphous phase reaching ≈ 0.3 before strain-induced crystallization was first observed. The onset of strain-hardening occurred immediately after crystallization occurred, which could be explained by the reinforcement of material due to small amounts of crystals serving as physical cross-linking points.
Assembly of ER-PM Junctions: A Critical Determinant in the Regulation of SOCE and TRPC1

Store-operated calcium entry (SOCE), a unique plasma membrane Ca2+ entry mechanism, is activated when ER-[Ca2+] is decreased. SOCE is mediated via the primary channel, Orai1, as well as others such as TRPC1. STIM1 and STIM2 are ER-Ca2+ sensor proteins that regulate Orai1 and TRPC1. SOCE requires assembly of STIM proteins with the plasma membrane channels which occurs within distinct regions in the cell that have been termed as endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-plasma membrane (PM) junctions. The PM and ER are in close proximity to each other within this region, which allows STIM1 in the ER to interact with and activate either Orai1 or TRPC1 in the plasma membrane. Activation and regulation of SOCE involves dynamic assembly of various components that are involved in mediating Ca2+ entry as well as those that determine the formation and stabilization of the junctions. These components include proteins in the cytosol, ER and PM, as well as lipids in the PM. Recent studies have also suggested that SOCE and its components are compartmentalized within ER-PM junctions and that this process might require remodeling of the plasma membrane lipids and reorganization of structural and scaffolding proteins. Such compartmentalization leads to the generation of spatially- and temporally-controlled Ca2+signals that are critical for regulating many downstream cellular functions.
The internationalization of franchising systems into industrialized economies

Franchising began in the United States in the 1850s with the Singer Sewing Machine Company. One of the most famous beginning franchisors was Henry Ford, who figured out that the value of franchise systems was to distribute cars quickly to yearning first-time car buyers, while not being encumbered with the cost of inventory. Today, franchising encompasses a system that is used around the world to sell over 1 trillion dollars' worth of goods and services from Tokyo to New York (Reynolds, 2002). Franchising is powerful. Franchising is here to stay. This chapter summarizes the preeminent research in the field of international franchising, concentrating on North America, the Pacific Rim and other industrialized countries. These countries can be considered to have the most advanced forms of franchising with the most market penetration. It is worth noting that North America is the home of the most franchisors' headquarters. The two other countries that are experiencing phenomenal growth in franchising that we will cover in this chapter are Israel and South Africa.
Protein targeting: Strategic planning for optimizing protein products through plant biotechnology

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews various types of protein expression systems and analyzes how protein targeting is incorporated into those systems. Protein targeting within the context of an appropriate plant, organ, tissue, and subcellular location is still a somewhat empirical science. However, due to the intensity of research in plant-made pharmaceutical, vaccine, and industrial proteins, a great deal of information has been gathered on the use of various combinations. The cytoplasm is often an inhospitable compartment for high-level protein accumulation but works well for selectable marker proteins such as for kana-mycin or bialaphos resistance.The process of choosing a plant system and the mechanisms of how to direct a protein to a particular site in a tissue or cell are discussed. The endomembrane system is necessary for proteins that require post-translational modifications. The most common sites for recombinant protein accumulation use trafficking through the endomembrane system and include the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the vacuole, and protein bodies.
Operational characteristics of modern malware: PCO threats

Active network threats are substantial hurdles for achieving absolute network security. This hurdle is due to the ability of highly infectious threats, like viruses and worms to propagate and duplicate autonomously and automatically, over a network. Currently, many of these active threats have been programmed to "evolve" during their duplication and propagation by means of adaptive coding and thus, defending against them proves to be a huge challenge. This article proposes a new intrusion detection and prevention system architecture, to provide significant improvement in defending against active and evolving threats. In particular, this approach focuses on the actively evolving threats which employ three mechanisms: Polymorphic Blending, Camouflaging, and Obfuscation, hereby collectively called "PCO Threats". PCO threats are different from classic category of active attacks due to their ability to: 1) modify environment variables and 2) obtain reconnaissance information from a large group of machines over a set period of time, in order to evade detection. To counter these threats and to stay one pace ahead of the malicious programmers, we propose an enhanced architecture which enforces defense in depth principles and cross-layer serial module reporting to greatly increase the probability of detecting and preventing the PCO threats.
Analysis and Design of Capacitive Parametric Ultrasonic Transducers for Efficient Ultrasonic Power Transfer Based on a 1-D Lumped Model

There is an increasing interest in wireless power transfer for medical implants, sensor networks, and consumer electronics. A passive capacitive parametric ultrasonic transducer (CPUT) can be suitable for these applications as it does not require a dc bias or a permanent charge. In this paper, we present a 1-D lumped parameter model of the CPUT to study its operation and investigate relevant design parameters for power transfer applications. The CPUT is modeled as an ultrasound-driven piston coupled to an RLC resonator resulting in a system of two coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations. Simulink is used along with an analytical approximation of the system to obtain the voltage across the capacitor and displacement of the piston. Parametric resonance threshold and ultrasound-to-electrical conversion efficiency are evaluated, and the dependence of these performance metrics on the load resistance, input ultrasound intensity, forcing frequency, electrode coverage area, gap height, and the mechanical Q-factor are studied. Based on this analysis, design guidelines are proposed for highly efficient power transfer. Guided by these results, practical device designs are obtained through COMSOL simulations. Finally, the feasibility of using the CPUT in air is predicted to set the foundation for further research in ultrasonic wireless power transfer, energy harvesting, and sensing.
Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensing on Naturally Derived Membranes: A Remyelination-Promoting Human Antibody Binds Myelin with Extraordinary Affinity.

rHIgM22 is a recombinant human monoclonal IgM designed to promote remyelination, and it is currently in Phase I clinical trials in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). In animal models of demyelination, a single low dose of rHIgM22 stimulates oligodendrocyte maturation, induces remyelination, preserves axons, and slows the decline of locomotor deficits. Natural autoantibodies like rHIgM22 typically bind to multiple antigens with weak affinity. rHIgM22 binds to oligodendrocytes and myelin. Because the antigens for rHIgM22 is prevalent within and exclusive to central nervous system (CNS) myelin, we used CNS myelin particles in combination with surface plasmon resonance to determine the kinetic and affinity constants for the interaction of rHIgM22 to myelin. We found that both the serum and recombinant forms of the antibody bind to myelin with very small dissociation constants in the 100 pM range, which is highly unusual for natural autoantibodies. The extraordinary affinity between rHIgM22 and myelin may ...
Erythrocytes and erythroblasts give up iron

In this issue of Blood, by comparing wild-type vs erythroid-specific ferroportin knockout mice, Zhang et al1 have shown that ferroportin-mediated export of iron from erythroblasts and erythrocytes contributes to the systemic iron economy and prevents hemolysis.
Chapter 8 – SOLUTION OF PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

The aim of this chapter is to discuss finite-difference techniques for the solution of partial differential equations. It presents various techniques for pure convection problems, pure diffusion or dispersion problems, and mixed convection diffusion problems. It illustrates each case with common physical examples. It also introduces Special techniques for one- and two-dimensional flow through porous media. It also introduces the method of weighted residuals. Low-order weighted residual approximations work well when the solution varies smoothly over the entire domain of the trial function. When there are rapid changes over a varying portion of the domain, then the method requires high-order approximations. In that case, the finite-difference approach is more effective. Convective-diffusion problems are particularly difficult for the weighted residual method, whereas pure conduction problems can be treated very efficiently by this approach.
Physical Impairment and Access to Kidney Transplantation.

BACKGROUND The short physical performance battery (SPPB) test is an objective measurement of lower extremity function (walk speed, balance, chair stands). SPPB impairment is associated with longer length of stay and increased mortality in kidney transplant (KT) recipients. Furthermore, the SPPB test may represent an objective quantification of the "foot of the bed test" utilized by clinicians; therefore, impairment may translate with decreased access to KT. METHODS We studied 3255 participants (2009-2018) at 2 KT centers. SPPB impairment was defined as a score of ≤10. We estimated time to listing, waitlist mortality, and transplant rate by SPPB impairment status using Cox proportional hazards, competing risks, and Poisson regression. RESULTS The mean age was 54 years (SD = 14; range 18-89) and 54% had SPPB impairment. Impaired participants were less likely to be listed for KT (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.64-0.77, P < 0.001). Also, once listed, impaired candidates had a 1.6-fold increased risk of waitlist mortality (adjusted subhazard ratio: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.18-2.06, P = 0.002). Furthermore, impaired candidates were transplanted 16% less frequently (adjusted incidence rate ratio: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.73-0.98, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS SPPB impairment was highly prevalent in KT candidates. Impaired candidates had decreased chance of listing, increased risk of waitlist mortality, and decreased rate of KT. Identification of robust KT candidates and improvement in lower extremity function are potential ways to improve survival on the waitlist and access to KT.
Is There Folly When Worker A Is Better Than Worker B? Heterogeneous responses to Incentives

Although it is commonly suggested that employees of different skill levels respond in different ways to performance pay, there is little research documenting such a relationship. In this study, I e...
Interhemispheric transfalcine approach to a medial frontal arteriovenous malformation: operative video with positioning illustrations.

Abstract Brain arteriovenous malformations (AVM) are a complex and challenging subset of neurosurgical disease, the optimal treatment of which is nuanced and dependent on numerous patient- and disease-specific factors. Clinical features that may predispose toward resection as front-line treatment include lower grade lesions, particularly those in non-eloquent locations, as well as active pregnancy. In all AVM resections, minimization of risk to exposed healthy brain adjacent to the lesion is a key surgical principle. In this illustrative case report, we discuss the management of a young woman who presented with a new diagnosis of AVM following an intracranial hemorrhage, at which time she was also identified as newly pregnant. Resection via the contralateral transfalcine approach with preoperative embolization was recommended, the intraoperative and postoperative courses proceeded uneventfully, and the patient was cured of her AVM and went on to successfully deliver twins. Recording and description of procedure are shown in Video Case Report.
Datos sobre la niacina

La niacina es una de las vitaminas del grupo B (vitamina B3). Nuestro cuerpo necesita la niacina para usar los carbohidratos, las grasas y las proteinas. La niacina tambien se necesita para reparar el ADN y para el uso normal del calcio en el cuerpo. This 2-page fact sheet was written by R. Elaine Turner and Wendy J. Dahl and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, November 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1340
Diagnostic Challenges in Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. Since its discovery over 100 years ago, research has led to great strides in describing pathophysiologic mechanisms of anaphylaxis; however, there is still imprecision regarding its definition and a lack of reliable, confirmatory testing. In this paper, we review definitions of anaphylaxis, highlighting studies examining the utility of the current clinical consensus definition. In addition, we evaluate current difficulties and limitations for both providers in acute care settings managing episodes and allergists evaluating patients after an episode has resolved. Finally, we provide an algorithm for outpatient evaluation of patients with a history of possible anaphylaxis.
Regulation of monocot and dicot plant development with constitutively active alleles of phytochrome B

The constitutively active missense allele of Arabidopsis phytochrome B, AtPHYBY276H or AtYHB, encodes a polypeptide that adopts a light-insensitive, physiologically active conformation capable of sustaining photomorphogenesis in darkness. Here, we show that the orthologous OsYHB allele of rice phytochrome B (OsPHYBY283H ) also encodes a dominant "constitutively active" photoreceptor through comparative phenotypic analyses of AtYHB and OsYHB transgenic lines of four eudicot species, Arabidopsis thaliana, Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco), Nicotiana sylvestris and Solanum lycopersicum cv. MicroTom (tomato), and of two monocot species, Oryza sativa ssp. japonica and Brachypodium distachyon. Reciprocal transformation experiments show that the gain-of-function constitutive photomorphogenic (cop) phenotypes by YHB expression are stronger in host plants within the same class than across classes. Our studies also reveal additional YHB-dependent traits in adult plants, which include extreme shade tolerance, both early and late flowering behaviors, delayed leaf senescence, reduced tillering, and even viviparous seed germination. However, the strength of these gain-of-function phenotypes depends on the specific combination of YHB allele and species/cultivar transformed. Flowering and tillering of OsYHB- and OsPHYB-expressing lines of rice Nipponbare and Kitaake cultivars were compared, also revealing differences in YHB/PHYB allele versus genotype interaction on the phenotypic behavior of the two rice cultivars. In view of recent evidence that the regulatory activity of AtYHB is not only light insensitive but also temperature insensitive, selective YHB expression is expected to yield improved agronomic performance of both dicot and monocot crop plant species not possible with wild-type PHYB alleles.
Efficacy of a Novel Mitochondrial-Derived Peptide in a Porcine Model of Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

Highlights •A mitochondrial-derived peptide therapy, HNG, was safe and was delivered as adjunctive therapy with standard-of-care reperfusion in a translational large animal model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. •HNG reduced infarct size per area-at-risk by 41% with an ischemic time of 60 min followed by 48 h of reperfusion. •The infarct-sparing effects of HNG were abolished when the ischemic time was increased to 75 min followed by 48 h of reperfusion. •The use of rigorous translational large animal models that account for clinically relevant variables is a prerequisite to better predict the clinical efficacy and outcomes of novel therapeutic strategies.
A Multidisciplinary Approach for Patients with Preexisting Lung Diseases and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Toxicities.

This commentary outlines the strategy employed by a multidisciplinary immune‐related toxicity team to evaluate patients who may be at high risk for the development of immune‐related toxicity, in particular, those with preexisting lung conditions and subsequent immune‐related pneumonitis.
Elucidating the genome of Emydura subglobosa through manual annotation and computational biology tools

Rapid advancements in automated genomic technologies have uncovered many unique findings about the turtle genome and its associated features including olfactory gene expansions and duplications of toll-like receptors. However, automated technologies often result in a high frequency of errors through the process of assembly and annotation and highlight the need for manual annotation. In this study, we have manually annotated four genes of the red-bellied short-neck turtle (Emydura subglobosa), an understudied outgroup of turtles representing a diverse lineage. We improved upon initial ab initio gene predictions through homology-based evidence and generated refined consensus models. Through functional, localization, and structural analyses of the predicted proteins, we have discovered conserved genes encoding proteins that play a role in C21-steroid hormone biosynthetic processes, Vitamin A uptake, collagen/elastin integrity, tumor suppression, and fatty acid catabolism. Overall, these findings further our knowledge about the genetic features underlying turtle physiology, morphology, and longevity, which could have important implications for the treatment of human diseases and evolutionary studies.
Knot of the soul: madness, psychoanalysis, Islam: by Stefania Pandolfo, Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 2018, 384 pp., $37.50 (paperback), ISBN-13: 978-0226465081

Stefania Pandolfo’s profoundly interdisciplinary meditation on life and the soul in despair and hope is an ethnography of the experience and treatment of madness and trauma in Morocco. It is presen...
A SIMPLE FLOW ANALYSIS OF DIFFUSER-GETTER-DIFFUSER SYSTEMS

Tritium clean-up systems typically deploy gas processing technologies between stages of palladium-silver (Pd/Ag) diffusers/permeators. The number of diffusers positioned before and after a gas clean-up process to obtain optimal system performance will vary with feed gas inert composition. A simple method to analyze optimal diffuser configuration is presented. The method assumes equilibrium across the Pd/Ag tubes and system flows are limited by diffuser vacuum pump speeds preceding or following the clean-up process. A plot ofsystem feed as a function of inert feed gas composition for various diffuser configuration allows selection of a diffuser configuration for maximum throughput based on feed gas composition.
High-resolution encoding process for an integrated optical analog-to-digital converter

A technique is described for extending the resolution of an integrated optical multi-interferometer guided-wave analog-to-digital converter. The optical output waveform for each interferometer is symmetrically folded at twice a proper modulus. A small comparator ladder mid-level quantizes each interferometer's detected output to encode the analog signal in a symmetrical number system (SNS) format. By incorporating the SNS encoding, resolution greater than 1 bit per interferometer can be provided. Analog signal levels that can cause possible encoding errors are examined and their impact on the overall amplitude analyzing function is discussed. The maximum laser pulse width and maximum fluctuation in the sampling interval that can be tolerated is also discussed. Results indicate that 11-bit resolution can be provided with three interferometers and 39 comparators.
Low-Power GaAs ICs

For high-speed GaAs integrated circuits ICs) of LSI complexity to be realized, a technology with low-power dissipation with maintaining circuit speed must be used. Previous GaAs research at Honeywell has focused on the conventional depletion-mode GaAs MESFET, which is capable of only MSI circuits [1-2]. Depletion-mode gate arrays using buffered FET logic (BFL) have demonstrated 1.3 mW at 740 ps per cell [3]. Enhancement-mode and depletion-mode gate arrays have shown gate delays of 42 ps at 500 ?W. The enhancement-mode MESFET self-aligned gate process has dononstrated numerous LSI circuits, including a 2K gate array [4], a 16 × 16-bit multiplier [5], and a 16K-bit static RAM [6]. This paper describes the design fabrication and circuit results using the self-aligned gate MESFET technology for low-power depletion-mode Schottky diode FET logic (SDFL) and very low-power enhancement-mode direct-coupled FET logic (DCFL). Figure 1 is a photograph of the GaAs self-aligned test chip with the 2K-cell SDFL gate array. This self-aligned gate process is capable of fabricating both the high-transconductance depletion- and enhancement-mode devices necessary for LSI circuits. Transconductances of the enhancement-mode MESFET as high as 216 mS/mm are obtained for 0.7-?m gates and 170 mS/mm for 1-?m gates with a corresponding output conductance of 8 mS/mm. This low-output conductance is achieved without the use of "T" gate structures but with the proper choice of implant parameters. For deplection-mode circuits, SDFL operating at 108 ?W per gate has shown propagation delays of 1.6 ns.
Growth kinetics of attached iron-oxidizing bacteria.

A model of growth and substrate utilization for ferrous-iron-oxidizing bacteria attached to the disks of a rotating biological contactor was developed and tested. The model describes attached bacterial growth as a saturation function in which the rate of substrate utilization is determined by a maximum substrate oxidation rate constant (P), a half-saturation constant (Ks), and the concentration of substrate within the rotating biological contactor (S1). The maximum oxidation rate constant was proportional to flow rate, and the substrate concentration in the reactor varied with influent substrate concentration (S0). The model allowed the prediction of metabolic constants and included terms for both constant and growth-rate-dependent maintenance energies. Estimates for metabolic constants of the attached population of acidophilic, chemolithotrophic, iron-oxidizing bacteria limited by ferrous iron were: maximum specific growth rate (μmax), 1.14 h−1; half-saturation constant (Ks) for ferrous iron, 54.9 mg/liter; constant maintenance energy coefficient (m1), 0.154 h−1; growth-rate-dependent maintenance energy coefficient (m′), 0.07 h−1; maximum yield (Yg), 0.063 mg of organic nitrogen per mg of Fe(II) oxidized.
The Family Business: Entertainment Products and the Network Morning News Shows

The morning news programs provide an excellent forum for television broadcast networks to benefit from “corporate synergy,” but do they simultaneously compromise the intent of the social responsibility theory of the press? This study measured the entertainment content of the three network morning shows and correlated that to the ownership of the programs and the products being promoted. Results show the morning programs fill their daily news hole at least 20% of the time with entertainment and sports topics, that the entertainment products covered are more likely to have been produced by the networks' parent companies, and that the coverage of entertainment topics is almost certain to be favorable. The results are further evidence in support of calls for revision and update of the Social Responsibility Theory of the Press. The authors suggest that the adoption of the concept of stakeholder theory, applied in the business literature, offers a framework for making responsible editorial decisions in an atmos...
Insomnia associated with valerian and melatonin usage in the 2002 National Health Interview Survey.

MANY PEOPLE SEEK TREATMENT FOR INSOMNIA USING ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE. VALERIAN, AN HERBAL PREPARATION DERIVED FROM the root of valeriana officinalis, has been suggested to have some, but not unequivocal, efficacy as a sedative/hypnotic in a number of placebo-controlled clinical trials1,2 and is widely available throughout the United States as a botanical product unregulated by Food and Drug Administration. Similarly, melatonin, classified as a dietary supplement, has seen widespread use for insomnia. Very little systematically collected data on the use of such substances exist. In this report, we present data on the use of valerian and the use of melatonin, as represented in the National Survey of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Use Among Adults: United States, 20023. This survey was conducted as a part of the 2002 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), an annual epidemiologic survey conducted under the auspices of the National Center for Health Statistics and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Science curriculum restructuring: an Earth system view

Earth Systems Education is a national program providing guidance to school systems in their efforts to develop integrated science curricula that meet the various recommendations of national panels far science curriculum restructure such as those of the National Research Council. It is a unique effort in that it uses the Earth System as the conceptual focus for this development. With its focus on the Earth System it provides an opportunity for the use of modem technology in student activities that emulate the modern nature of science research.
ANALYSIS OF ERRORS IN DIGITIZED STRONG-MOTION ACCELEROGRAMS

To devise the optimum procedures for the processing of digitized strong-motion accelerograms, detailed error analysis is required. This paper summarizes some aspects of previous error analyses (Trifunac, 1970; Trifunac et al. , 1971) and adds the results of several recent investigations. The error analysis described here is divided into two main parts. The first part deals with particular sources of errors. Each major source of error is analyzed individually with the aim of developing methods of error correction at the source wherever feasible. The second part deals with the overall effects of all errors at high and low frequencies. The objective of this part is to find the optimum frequency band in which the digitized accelerograms are least affected by the errors in the recordings and in the data processing steps, and which can be used to derive accurate velocity and displacement curves. The digitized accelerograms were found to represent accurately the absolute ground acceleration in the frequency band between 0.07 and 25 cps. This frequency band is significantly wider than anticipated and indicates a wide range of new research possibilities in strong-motion seismology and earthquake engineering based on strong-motion accelerograms.
Critical factors in NUMA memory management

The authors identify and incorporate the critical factors that influence nonuniform memory access (NUMA) memory management into their performance metrics. Using trace-driven simulations, it is shown that under certain conditions no replication is better than replication. It is also concluded that the effectiveness of replication depends on: (1) the ratio of access times to remote and local memory, (2) virtual address assignment to data, (3) data sharing characteristics, (4) overhead of enforcing consistency, and (5) amount of physical memory available relative to the data sharing characteristics. >
Obstructive jaundice in rats results in exaggerated hepatic production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and systemic and tissue tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels after endotoxin.

Abstract Background. Obstructive jaundice (OJ) predisposes patients to postoperative sepsis. We determined whether OJ led to an increased endotoxin stimulated tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production by macrophage-rich organs and whether a lack of intraluminal gut bile contributed to this increased sensitivity. Methods. Rats underwent laparotomy and common bile duct ligation and division (CBDL) or sham operation after they were given low-dose endotoxin or saline solution (NS). TNF-α levels in plasma, perfusate from the isolated perfused rat liver, and tissue from lung, spleen, and liver were measured 90 minutes later. An additional group underwent creation of a choledochal-vesical fistula and endotoxin administration. Results. The plasma TNF-α, liver perfusate TNF-α, and the tissue TNF-α levels in liver, lung, and spleen were significantly elevated in the CBDL + endotoxin (CBDL + ETX) group compared with the SHAM + ETX and CBDL + NS groups (p Conclusions. OJ sensitizes macrophage-rich organs to produce larger amounts of TNF-α in response to endotoxin. This sensitization is not solely due to decreased intraluminal gut bile.
Layer-by-Layer Surface Modification and Patterned Electrostatic Deposition of Quantum Dots

Modification of ZnS-capped CdSe quantum dot (QD) surfaces with polyelectrolyte coatings and subsequent layer-by-layer deposition to build hierarchical structures are presented. Mercaptoacetic acid (MAA)-treated QDs were sequentially coated with polyallylamine (PAA) and polyvinylsulfonic acid (PVSA) and analyzed using zeta potentials, absorbance spectra, and transmission electron microscopy. The modified QDs were deposited on patterned hyaluronic acid (HA) glass substrates to produce self-assembled heterostructures (QDs-MAA/QDs-PAA/HA/glass), as revealed by fluorescence and atomic force microscopy.
Interactive Molecular Modeling with Virtual Reality and Empirical Energy Simulations

Abstract Virtual reality tightly coupled to high performance computing and communications ushers in a new era for the study of molecular recognition and the rational design of pharmaceutical compounds. We have created a combined virtual reality and molecular dynamics method, which consists of (1) massively parallel computing to simulate the physical and chemical properties of a molecular system, (2) the Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) for immersive display and interaction with the molecular system, and (3) a high-speed network interface to exchange data between the simulation and the CAVE. This system enables molecular scientists to have a visual, auditory, and haptic experience with a chemical system. while simultaneously manipulating its physical properties by steering, in real-time, a simulation executed on a supercomputer.
Measurement of brain metabolites by 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy in patients with schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

A systematic review of the literature identified 64 published English-language papers that used proton (1H) magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure N-acetylaspartate (NAA) concurrently in healthy controls and in patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (SZ). A total of 1209 controls and 1256 patients have been evaluated, with 88% of studies carried out at 1.5 T field strength, and 77% of studies focused on patients with chronic SZ. There is consistent evidence that NAA is reduced in a broad range of tissues in the SZ brain. Broad consensus (⩾10 studies) is emerging that NAA levels are reduced ⩾5% in hippocampus and in both cortical gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) of the frontal lobe. There is no evidence to support a hypothesis that relative NAA levels are reduced to a different degree in frontal lobe GM and WM, nor is there robust evidence of a difference in NAA levels between patients with first-episode and chronic SZ. Study reliability may be a problem, as most studies appear to be underpowered. With simple assumptions about the inherent difference in NAA levels between patients and controls, it can be calculated that a minimum sample size of approximately 39 patients and 39 controls is required for acceptable statistical power. Only three of 64 studies included enough subjects to have 80% power to detect a 10% NAA reduction in patients, and no studies were adequately powered to detect a 5% NAA reduction with 80% power.
Preoperative patient planning and margin evaluation

Preoperative assessment of the cancer patient can be broken down into: (1) What is it? (2) Where is it? and (3) What is the status of the patient? Evaluation of local disease begins with obtaining and interpreting cytologic or histologic (biopsy) samples. Tumor staging involves the assessment of tumor invasion into local tissues, draining lymph nodes, and distant sites, especially the pulmonary parenchyma. Staging is performed with the aid of imaging techniques and special procedures such as lymph node and bone marrow aspiration. Because many veterinary cancer patients are geriatric, examination of physiologic patient status through laboratory and other diagnostic avenues is vital to the appropriate selection and success of therapy. After these questions are answered, appropriate treatment options and an ultimate treatment plan can be formulated. This article describes logical and practical approaches for diagnosis, staging, patient assessment, and treatment planning of the animal presented with tumor disease. With appropriate preoperative assessment, we can offer our patients and clients the best care possible.
Deformation-Induced Mobility in Polymer Glasses during Multistep Creep Experiments and Simulations

Optical photobleaching experiments and molecular dynamics computer simulations were used to investigate changes in segmental mobility during tensile creep deformation of polymer glasses. Experiments were performed on lightly cross-linked PMMA, and the simulations utilized a coarse-grained model. For both single-step and multistep creep deformations, the experiments and simulations show remarkably similar trends, with changes of mobility during deformation exceeding a factor of 100. Both experiment and simulation show a strong correlation between strain rate and mobility in single-step creep. However, in multistep creep, the correlation between strain rate and mobility is broken in both experiment and simulation; this emphasizes that no simple mechanical variable is likely to exhibit a simple relationship with molecular mobility universally. Both simulations and experiments show many features that are inconsistent with the Eyring model.
Alternative Method for the Thermospheric Atomic Oxygen Density Determination

Atomic oxygen density in the upper thermosphere (approximately 300 km) can be calculated using ground based incoherent scatter radar and Fabry-Perot interferometer measurements. Burnside et al. was the first to try this method, but Buonsanto et al. provided an extensive treatment of the method in 1997. This paper further examines the method using 46 nights of data collected over six years and the latest information on the oxygen collision frequency. The method is compared with the MSIS (Mass Spectrometer Incoherent Scatter)-86 atomic oxygen prediction values, which are based upon in situ rocket born and satellite measurements from the 70s to the mid-80s. In general, the method supports the MSIS-86 model, but indicates several areas of discrepancy. Furthermore, no direct correlation is found between the geomagnetic conditions and the difference between the method and MSIS-86 predictions.
Modulation of pulmonary macrophage superoxide release and tumoricidal activity following activation by biological response modifiers

Abstract Following immunologic activation, pulmonary macrophages may prevent or cause regression of lung metastases by mechanisms which remain largely unknown. The studies described here were designed to determine if enhanced oxygen metabolite release was related to postactivation tumoricidal activity. We have shown that in vitro activation of Fischer 344 rat pulmonary macrophages by either free or liposome-encapsulated muramyl dipeptide leads to both enhanced release of superoxide anions and marked tumoricidal activity against syngenic (Fischer 13762), allogeneic (Schmidt-Ruppin RR 1022) and xenogeneic (Fibrosarcoma MCA-F) 125I-deoxy-uridine-labeled target cells. This immune modulator did not, however, metabolically activate pulmonary macrophages as effectively as liposome-encapsulated lipopolysaccharide. A 24-h in vitro incubation with either 150 U or 300 U of interferon-γ (3 × 106 U/mg) or 30 U, 150 U or 300 U of interferon-α (6 × 105 U/mg) caused a significant elevation in superoxide release above controls, whereas short-term exposure (2 or 4 h) had little or no effect. Free or encapsulated 6-O-stearoyl muramyl dipeptide, on the other hand, did increase superoxide levels at all 3 time periods. When either interferon-γ or free or encapsulated muramyl dipeptide derivative were administered to intact rats by either i.v. injection, intratracheal instillation or osmotic minipump infusion, pulmonary macrophage tumoricidal activity was observed 96 h after cell harvesting. Zymosan-stimulated superoxide release, however, was not consistently elevated above control or empty liposome treatment following this course of in vivo activation. The data collectively suggest that in vivo pulmonary macrophage activation to a tumoricidal state and metabolic activation resulting in enhanced superoxide may be separable events.