cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maneuvering Liquid Assets in a Multi-National Company: Formulation and Deterministic Solution Procedures

Over a finite horizon each national subsidiary of a multi-national company can be forecast to be a net source or sink of funds. Each of these subsidiaries in each year is considered to be the node of a network; funds flow along the directed arcs connecting the nodes. Liquid assets carried by the subsidiaries on the arcs between time periods earn interest minus adjustments for expected devaluations. In each time period a flow of funds between each pair of subsidiaries can be achieved by manipulating transfer prices and managerial fees, by making short term intersubsidiary loans, and by paying dividends up the intersubsidiary ownership tree. The costs and constraints on these flows are outlined with particular attention given to the IRC Subpart F regulations of the U.S. 1962 Revenue Act, and to the 1968 regulations of the Office of Foreign Direct Investment. It is shown to be extremely important that subsidiary dollar accounts count toward the compensating balance requirements of a U.S. bank, and it is also shown that there are benefits to a global tax consolidation under Subpart F. The problem can be solved as a generalized network weighted distribution problem. This avoids the need to guess at the average discount rate if it is to be solved as an ordinary network.
Fracto-emission accompanying adhesive failure in a model fiber pull-out system

Fracto-emission (FE) is the emission of particles and photons during and after fracture of materials. The observed emission includes electrons, negative and positive ions, neutral species in both ground states and in excited states, and visible photons. This emission can often serve as a sensitive probe of crack growth and may prove to be a useful tool for investigating molecular and microscopic events accompanying crack growth and for studying the details of failure modes in a variety of materials. Here, we examine photon and electron emission during failure of axially loaded stainless steel fixtures (e.g., rods) embedded in epoxy. These experimental data provide time resolved information on the sequence of events leading to interfacial fracture proceeding pullout. In addition, we examine the emissions during frictional pullout which over a large range of strain rates exhibits stick-slip behavior. Relations of these emissions to the fracture and pullout processes are discussed.
The future of e-Commerce logistics

This paper focus on how the logistic industries especially which dealing with e-Commerce match another approaching trend of e-Commerce. This paper suggest the concept e-Commerce Logistics which integrates logistic services and e-Commerce application services based on the integration theories and studied the developing trend of international logistic company, and also suggest that the e-Commerce logistics is the future trend of logistic industries.
(+)-3,12-Dioxo-5β-cholanic acid: hydrogen bonding in a diketo bile-acid derivative

The asymmetric unit of the title crystal structure, C24H36O4, contains two independent mol­ecules, differing only in their side-chain conformations and linked though O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds by carboxyl pairing [O⋯O = 2.6715 (17) and 2.6544 (17) A; O—H⋯O = 170 and 179°]. Six inter­molecular C—H⋯O=C close contacts were found.
The Effects of Client and Preparer Risk Factors on Workpaper Review Effectiveness

Both client risk and workpaper preparer risk are important contextual factors that reviewers must manage. In this study, we experimentally investigate how combined client risk and preparer risk impact workpaper review effort and accuracy. We found that reviewers allocated more effort when reviewing workpapers of a high‐risk client, relative to a low‐risk client, but preparer risk did not drive effort. With respect to review accuracy, we found that in a high client risk environment, reviewers were more accurate when preparer risk was high than when preparer risk was low. However, when client risk was low, review accuracy was invariant to preparer risk. These results suggest that although preparer risk is not a driver of review effort, it nevertheless can affect accuracy when client risk is high. Together, the results suggest that review effort does not appear to be the sole determinant of review accuracy.
Referral of discharged emergency department patients to primary and specialty care follow-up.

Abstract Background Emergency department (ED) patients often need urgent primary or specialty care follow-up, but access is particularly difficult for those without insurance. Objective To characterize follow-up options for uninsured ED patients and to evaluate differences based on ED characteristics. Methods We mailed a survey to all ED Directors in Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Oregon (n = 351 EDs). Typical referrals for urgent primary and specialty care follow-up for uninsured patients were classified as: a) private physician or clinic affiliated with the same hospital; b) external public clinic or university hospital; or c) no referral system/policy. Results Of the 298 (85%) responding EDs, 215 (72%) reported primary care referral to private physicians or clinics at the same hospital and 231 (78%) for specialty care. Twenty (7%) and 27 (9%) EDs had no referral system for primary and specialty care, respectively. Factors associated with typical referral to primary care follow-up at the same hospital were: lower visit volume (85% for EDs with 1 patient per hour vs. 67% for EDs with ≥ 3 patients per hour); rural area (79% for rural vs. 68% for urban areas), and critical access hospital status (81% critical access vs. 69% non-critical access). Conversely, higher visit volume (87% vs. 58%), urban (81% vs. 72%), and non-critical access hospitals (83% vs. 53%) were more likely to refer for specialty care follow-up at the same hospital. Conclusion Referral of uninsured ED patients to local follow-up was high for primary and specialty care. Smaller, rural EDs referred within their own hospital more often for primary care but less often for specialty care.
Generator excitation systems sensitivity analysis and their model parameter's reduction

Since power systems have large scale, nonlinear parameters, including uncertainty, researchers have presented many methods for model simplification. Voltage dip and transients are known for their importance in dynamic studies and as a result of short circuits or starting a large induction motor, generator excitation systems come into effect in order to compensate voltage oscillations and voltage dips during such transients. This paper will address model parameter reduction of generator excitation systems. An objective function and a simple method for sensitivity analysis will be proposed to identify which excitation parameters are more sensitive and have more impact on generator voltage response. Moreover, the proposed method can be used to determine which parameters do not have significant effect on the excitation system. The objective function will stress voltage dip and overshoot rather than small oscillations and transients. A small stand-alone micro gird, with three induction motors and a generator with IEEE ST2A excitation system have been selected to simulate and verify the method performance.
Voice recognition software programs: are they right for you?

The increasing power of PCs, in particular, the advances in Pentium III and the AMD‐K6 with 3DNow technology have boosted speech recognition. Decades of research and development have yielded impressive results. The new generation of speech recognition software programs turns spoken phrases, paragraphs, and punctuation in to text at a conversational pace. This article reviews advantages and disadvantages of these programs.
Textile heat release properties measured by microscale combustion calorimetry: experimental repeatability

SUMMARY In this research, we evaluated the repeatability of microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC) measurement of heat release properties for different textile fabrics including polypropylene, cotton, polyester, Kevlar, acrylic, nylon, silk, and the cotton treated with an organophosphorus flame retardant. The repeatability investigation was mostly based on the measurement of peak heat release rate (PHRR) and heat release capacity (HRC), the two most important heat release parameters measured by MCC. We found that PHRR and HRC of most textile fibers had coefficient of variance (CV) lower than and in the vicinity of 3.0. The CVs were influenced by both the standard deviation (SD) of measurements and by the values of these measurements. The use of an aerobic pyrolysis environment (80/20 nitrogen/oxygen) for MCC experiments did not affect the repeatability of measurement. We also evaluated the shift of the oxygen analyzer as a result of long-term usage, and found that PHRR and HRC of cotton decreased between−4.0 and−3.9, respectively, after an 11-month period, indicating that the shift of the oxygen analyzer is limited. Experimental factors influencing the MCC repeatability were also discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the sociobiology of four puerto rican parrotfishes (Scaridae)

Behavioral observations were made during SCUBA excursions out of the PRINUL underwater laboratory, off the west coast of Puerto Rico. Most of the work involved four species of parrotfishes, Sparisoma viride, Sparisoma aurofrenatum, Scarus croicensis and Scarus taeniopterus. The species of Sparisoma are relatively patrilocal, solitary, slowly and steadily feeding fishes; the terminal phase (termphase) males of S. aurofrenatum hold large territories that encompass the home ranges, possibly territories, of a number of females. The two species of Scarus are roving, aggregating fish that periodically descend to the bottom where they feed rapidly. Reproductive males are of two types, either highly dimorphic, brilliantly colored termphase males, or midphase males that resemble the females. At times, termphase males become territorial and are visited by females and midphase males. Females spawn with termphase and with midphase males. Aggression in all four species was directed largely to conspecific individuals. All species show the ability to change color rapidly, sometimes dramatically, in social interactions.
Cloning, structural characterization, and chromosomal localization of the gene encoding the human prostaglandin E2 receptor EP2 subtype

Northern blot analysis of human placental RNA using a probe to the 5' end of the human prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) EP2 receptor subtype coding region revealed the existence of a high abundance, low molecular weight transcript. To investigate the origin of this transcript, and its possible relationship to the human EP2 mRNA, we have cloned and characterized the gene encoding the human PGE(2) EP2 receptor subtype, identified transcriptional initiation and termination sites in two tissues (spleen and thymus), and determined its chromosomal localization. The human EP2 gene consists of two exons separated by a large intron, utilizes a common initiation site in both spleen and thymus at 1113 bp upstream of the translation initiation site, and has 3' transcript termini at 1140 bp and 1149 bp downstream of the translation stop site in spleen and thymus respectively. Southern and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis demonstrated the human EP2 gene to be a single copy gene located in band 22 of the long arm of chromosome 14 (14q22). Though our initial interest in this gene was to investigate potential differential splicing of the human EP2 gene in placenta, this work demonstrates that the atypical transcript observed in placenta probably arises from a distinct, yet related, gene. Knowledge of the sequence, structure, and transcription events associated with the human EP2 gene will enable a broader understanding of its regulation and potential role in normal physiology and disease.
Nitrogen utilization from diets with refined and blended poultry by-products as partial fish meal replacements in diets for low-salinity cultured Florida pompano, Trachinotus carolinus

Abstract Three trials were performed to evaluate partial fish meal (FM) replacement with poultry by-products in a practical-type diet for Florida pompano, Trachinotus carolinus reared in low-salinity. Two blended poultry by-product meals (BP67, BP70), two blended chicken concentrates (CC66, CC70) and one standard pet-food grade poultry by-product meal (E150) were evaluated. The diets were formulated to contain 48% crude protein (CP) and 21 MJ/kg. Poultry by-products replaced 67% of the FM protein on an isonitrogenous basis. Trial 1 was a 10 week growth trial with juvenile (3.3 ± 0.10 g) Florida pompano. No differences were detected in growth, efficiency, feed intake, protein productive value, or body composition between the by-product diets and a FM reference diet. Trial 2 examined protein, energy, dry matter, and organic matter digestibility and amino acid availability in 50.0 ± 3.8 g Florida pompano. Apparent CP digestibility (65.6–72.9%) was significantly lower (P
Hormone action at the membrane level VI. Binding of (—)-[3H]dihydroalprenolol and (±)-[3H]isoproterenol to turkey erythrocytes and correlation with adenylate cyclase activity

The binding of (±)-[3H]isoproterenol and (—)-[3H]dihydroalprenolol to intact turkey erythrocytes was studied using a rapid centrifugation technique. The binding of both ligands is rapid, dissociable, stereospecific and inhibited by (—)-propranolol. The total number of isoproterenol binding sites is 2800 sites/ cell. This consists of a low and high affinity site both of which show stereospecific binding. The high affinity isoproterenol site has a Kd of 15.5—19.5 nM and has 600 sites/cell. The low affinity isoproterenol site has a Kd of 195 nM and has 2200 sites/cell. The binding of (—)-[3H]dihydroalprenolol shows one type of site with a Kd of 7.8 nM and has 2500 sites/cell. The agonists epinephrine, norepinephrine, soterenol and p-hydroxyphenylisoproterenol which were tested by competition for binding showed a 6—25-fold greater affinity for the high affinity site determined by (±)-[3H]isoproterenol as compared to the (—)-[3H]dihydroalprenolol binding site. However, the antagonists propranolol, practolol and metrapolol showed similar affinities for the binding sites as determined by competition of binding of either labeled isoproterenol or dihydroalprenolol. These studies indicate that isoproterenol binding can recognize two independent stereospecific β-adrenergic receptors or can recognize two different conformational states of a single receptor. Provisional calculations are made on the turnover number of adenylate cyclase under physiological conditions using intact erythrocytes. The turnover number is 4000 molecules of cyclic AMP/10 min per high affinity receptor.
Effects of voice therapy on vocal process granuloma: a phonoscopic approach.

Abstract Purpose This study reviewed the effects of a voice therapy program in patients who had failed other treatments for vocal process granuloma related to laryngopharyngeal reflux. The program was offered to 16 patients, all of whom demonstrated contact of the vocal processes at the site of pathology on voicing. During an initial evaluation, each patient was counseled regarding the need for voice conservation and improved vocal hygiene. Of the 16 patients, 10 agreed to undergo voice therapy and were subsequently enrolled in the treatment program. Methods The primary therapy objective was to modify each patient's vocal fold contact pattern so that a small gap remained between the vocal processes during voicing. A “phonoscopic” approach to therapy was used. That is, the clinician and the patient were able to observe the larynx endoscopically while also listening to the voice. This combined aural and visual approach enabled the clinician to guide the patient toward the treatment objective with precision and provided patients with immediate feedback regarding their progress. Results Of the 10 patients who underwent therapy, 8 were able to achieve the treatment objective, and all 8 experienced resolution of pathology or a marked reduction in its extent. Six patients who did not undergo treatment, and the 2 who were unable to achieve the treatment objective, demonstrated minimal or no improvement, or worsening of their pathology, over the same period. Conclusions The treatment program described may be of value to similar patients with resistant granuloma related to extraesophageal reflux.
Spectrum Sharing in MIMO Cognitive Radio Networks Based on Cooperative Game Theory

In a MIMO cognitive radio network, multiple secondary users sense the spatial channels and share the spectrum use with incumbent primary users. Each secondary transmitter competes with others to increase its own information rate while generating limited total interference to the primary receivers. In order to maximize the sum-rate of the cognitive radio network, the problem of secondary user transmission is modeled as a cooperative game. The strategy of each secondary user is the transmit covariance matrix, and the utility is an approximation of the information rate. The secondary users negotiate over the allocation of the interference budget and reach at a bargaining solution that maximizes the network utility. With well-designed individual utility and network utility functions, the bargaining solution is unique and Pareto optimal. An efficient distributed algorithm is developed that converges quickly to the optimal solution with moderate signaling within the network. Numerical results show the performance improvement in sum-rate of the MIMO cognitive radio network at the bargaining solution of the cooperative game compared with the Nash-equilibrium solution of the non-cooperative game.
The disparity of the size of the liver as determined by physical examination and by hepatic gammascanning in 504 patients

The liver extended a minimum of 5 cm inferior to the right costal margin in 51% of the 504 patients studied. In 53% of these patients, experienced, mature physicians declared that the liver was not palpable on physical examination. In 3% of the cases, a mass was palpated which was believed to be liver by the examining physician but was found to be extrahepatic upon scanning and laparotomy. The unreliability of physical examination in determining whether or not the liver extends inferior to the costal margin in many instances is demonstrated.
A comparison of some confidence intervals for the mean quality-adjusted lifetime with censored data

Quality-adjusted lifetime (QAL) has been playing an important role in clinical trials to evaluate treatments for chronic diseases. Much research has been focused on estimating the mean QAL when the data are subject to right censoring. The estimated mean QAL is often presented with a confidence interval, obtained by using either the available variance estimator or the bootstrapping method. However, no research has shown which method yields confidence intervals with better coverage probability and shorter length, especially when the sample size is not big. In this paper, we examine the confidence intervals obtained by some available methods for the mean QAL with censored data. Simulation studies are employed to compare the performance of these methods with various sample sizes and different censoring rates. Methods with the best performance will be identified. A data example from a breast cancer clinical trial study is used to illustrate the application of these methods.
Estuarine Dispersion from Tidal Trapping: A New Analytical Framework

Observations of tidal trapping in a channel connected to large volumes along its perimeter showed that the exchange between them is driven by advection due to tidal flows. Therefore, quantifying the longitudinal dispersion of scalars in the channel that results from tidal trapping was not possible using traditional frameworks, which assume that the exchange is a diffusive process. This study uses the concentration moment method to solve analytically for the dispersion coefficient of a solute in a tidal channel which exchanges advectively with volumes along its edges. This constitutes a new framework for analyzing the longitudinal dispersion that results from tidal trapping in systems such as a branching tidal channel or the breached salt ponds of San Francisco Bay. A comparison of dispersion coefficients from traditional, diffusion-driven frameworks for tidal trapping, the new advective framework derived in the present study, and observations show that the new formulation is best suited to this environment.
Hypertension: Impact of blood pressure lowering in type 2 diabetes.

Strategies for the management of hypertension in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are controversial. New data from a landmark meta-analysis support the use of antihypertensive therapy in these patients but the impact of blood pressure-lowering on albuminuria and progression of chronic kidney disease remains unclear.
Effects of spatial variation of soil properties on seismic performance of port structures

Abstract From past seismic events such as the 1995 Kobe (Hyogoken-Nanbu) and 2001 Nisqually earthquakes, it was found that liquefaction-induced lateral spread has caused significant damage to structures such as buildings and bridges, in addition to underground utility facilities like pipelines. In this respect, seaport facilities are particularly vulnerable to these liquefaction-related damages, because they are usually constructed on poorly consolidated natural deposit or fills. This study investigates the effect of the liquefaction and lateral spread on the seismic response of caisson type quay walls. For this purpose, 2D nonlinear dynamic analyses of soil–structure system are carried out with the aid of finite difference software, FLAC. The unique feature of this study lies in the fact that the 2D soil system is idealized as homogeneous non-Gaussian random field. A simulation algorithm is then used to generate a set of digital realizations of 2D random field sample. Each realization is used for the dynamic analysis to generate a unique response of the soil–structure system. Repeating this analysis for the entire set of realizations, the probabilistic nature of the response is characterized in the Monte Carlo sense. This result based on random field is compared with the response obtained under the uniform field assumption with the mean value of soil property. The comparison shows that in general the uniform model provides unconservative result compared with the response from the random field model due to nonlinear behavior of the soil–structure system. It is also found that the consideration of spatial variation of soil can capture the dispersion of observed response of quay walls.
885 FREE ERYTHROCYTE PROTOPORPHYRIN IN SICKLE CELL ANEMIA

We recently conducted a screening program to determine the incidence of iron deficiency in 66 patients with sickle cell disease. We found mean free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) values of 168 μg/dl RBC in 50 HbSS patients in contrast to 81 μg/dl RBC in 16 HbSC patients and 60 μg/dl RBC in 9 normals. Six of the pts with sickle cell disease had iron deficiency anemia documented by response to iron. None of the sickle cell patients had evidence for lead poisoning. FEP in iron deficient HbSS patients was 308 μg/dl RBC, and in iron sufficient HbSS patients was 153 μg/dl RBC. The correlation between FEP and retic count was excellent (p<.001). Reticulocyte rich fractions prepared by stractan density gradient separation from HbSS, hereditary spherocytosis, and pyruvate kinase deficient RBC samples had 40% higher FEP levels than reticulocyte poor fractions. Spectrofluorometric analysis of red cell protoporphyrin extracted in acetone-acetic acid revealed a four-fold increase in the ratio of protoporphyrin IX/zinc-protoporphyrin in reticulocyte rich fractions compared to normal or reticulocyte poor fractions. We found iron deficiency in 26% of non-transfused sickle cell patients. Our FEP results suggest that elevated reticulocyte counts contribute to high FEP values in HbSS patients and that the protoporphyrin distribution in reticulocytes differs from that in mature erythrocytes. We suggest that if FEP is used to screen for iron deficiency in HbSS patients that the FEP value be adjusted for the reticulocyte count. Supported by NHLB Grant No. HL 20985-2 from NIH.
HYDRODYNAMICS OF FLUIDIZATION: EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL BUBBLE SIZES IN A TWO-DIMENSIONAL BED WITH A JET

During the past three years we have developed a tentative cold bed hydrodynamic model for an idealized fluidized bed gasifier. The computer program calculates the pressure, the void fraction and the velocities for a single size solid and for a gas. The fluid bed never reaches a steady slate, but continually oscillates, as bubbles form, rise through the bed and collapse on top of the bed. In this paper we show that the hydrodynamic model can predict bubbles forming in the fluidized bed. Photographically determined bubble sizes agree with the predicted bubble sizes. They increase with height of bed and with jet velocity. The model produces bubble splitting which agrees with observations at higher jet velocities.
E. Using Prepared Instructional Kits and Improvised Equipment

In this article, Mr. Davis identifies two common shortcomings in science education— over-use of the textbook and over-reliance on teacher demonstrations—and proposes a remedy for each. To extend pupils' learning experience beyond their contacts with their own textbook, he describes the use of teaching kits—collections of printed materials on a given topic which can be borrowed by interested classes. To provide more pupil participation in experimentation, he suggests a wide variety of improvised and inexpensive, yet highly useful, science equipment. He concludes his article with a bibliography of things-to-do publications in experimental science.
Packaging technology for microwave ICs and high speed logic

The problems of packaging for high-speed logic and microwave ICs have much in common. The issues of circuit partitioning, propagation delay, circuit density, power dissipation, testing and service are as appropriate to microwaves as to high performance computers . . . The number of technical approaches to these problems has grown with the evolution of semiconductor and packaging technologies . . . This panel will review the latest developments in the field from a variety of industries and seek common ground among these. Focus will be on realizable systems of today, plus a view to emerging technology.
Thermal Aspects of Grinding: Heat Transfer to Workpiece, Wheel, and Fluid

A model of heat transfer in grinding has been developed that considers heat removed from the grinding zone by the workpiece, abrasive grains, and grinding fluid. This model eliminates the need to specify the fraction of the total grinding power that enters the workpiece, or the convection coefficient due to the grinding fluid. The dependence of the workpiece temperature on the various grinding parameters has been explored.
Cycling characteristics of high energy density, electrochemically activated porous-carbon supercapacitor electrodes in aqueous electrolytes

Carbon-based supercapacitors typically have low energy density but high cycle lifetime relative to batteries. Surface functionalization can significantly increase charge storage through reversible faradaic reactions at the electrode/electrolyte interface, a phenomenon known as pseudocapacitance. However, pseudocapacitive reactions, if not completely reversible, can contribute to reduced cycling performance. In this letter, we describe an electrochemical activation procedure on porous carbon synthesized via pyrolysis of photoresist which yields high specific capacitance and energy density of ∼250 F cm−3 and 35 mW h cm−3. We also demonstrate that the choice of aqueous electrolyte has a significant effect on both overall capacitance and cycle lifetime, through a comparison of KCl and H2SO4 electrolytes. Cycling in acid electrolyte yields excellent capacitance retention of 97% after 10 000 cycles.
Deterring domestic violence: Do criminal sanctions reduce repeat offenses?

This study presents an empirical analysis of domestic violence case resolution in North Carolina for the years 2004 to 2010. The key hypothesis is that penalties at the level set for domestic violence crimes reduce recidivism (re-arrest on domestic violence charges or conviction in 2 years following an index arrest). We use state court data for all domestic violence-related arrests. Decisions to commit an act of domestic violence are based on a Bayesian process of updating subjective beliefs. Individuals have prior beliefs about penalties for domestic violence based on actual practice in their areas. An individual’s experience with an index arrest leads to belief updating. To address endogeneity of case outcomes, we use an instrumental variables strategy based on decisions of prosecutors and judges assigned to each index arrest in our sample. Contrary to our hypothesis, we find that penalities, at least as set at the current levels, do not deter future arrests and convictions.
Distributed stream method for tray optimization

Determining the optimum number of trays in a distillation column has been an important process optimization problem for over 50 years, which over the past decade has been addressed successfully as a mixed-integer nonlinear-programming (MINLP) problem. But tools for solving MINLPs are not widespread, especially in connection with detailed simulation models. In a differentiable distribution function (DDF), all streams around a column, except top and bottom products, are directed to all of the column trays and the distributed flow rate of entry or exit streams is directed to a specific tray based on the value of its DDF at that tray. It allows the placement of feeds, sidestreams, and number of trays in the column to be continuous variables in the DDF, and in the optimization problem it eliminates the need for integer variables. Instead, the tray optimization problem is formulated as an NLP using the original MESH model. It is critical to deal with trays that have no liquid or vapor flows. To describe this phenomenon properly in the optimization, complementary constraints are formulated and added to the NLP, by taking advantage of a smoothing algorithm developed by Gopal and Biegler for phase equilibrium. Also, since pressure in each tray affects distillation calculations substantially, the pressure drops across each tray depend on the optimal number of trays and a related smoothing function formulation removes the pressure drop on dry trays. Pressure in the condenser or reboiler is then adjusted accordingly. The results of the methods applied to three distillation problems show significant cost reductions in distillation design.
A Cost-Effective Weighing Chamber for Particulate Matter Filters

Particulate matter (PM) is a ubiquitous air pollutant that has been receiving increasing attention in recent years due in part to the association between PM and a number of adverse health outcomes, including mortality and increases in emergency room visits and respiratory symptoms, as well as exacerbation of asthma and decrements in lung function. As a result, the ability to accurately sample ambient PM has become important, both to researchers and to regulatory agencies. The federal reference method for the determination of fine PM as PM2.5 in the atmosphere recommends that particle-sampling filters be conditioned and weighed in an environment with constant temperature and relative humidity (RH). It is also recommended that vibration, electrostatic charges, and contamination of the filters from laboratory air be minimized to reduce variability in filter weight measurements. These controls have typically been maintained in small, environmentally controlled "cleanrooms." As an alternative to constructing an elaborate cleanroom, we have designed, and presented in this paper, an inexpensive weighing chamber to maintain the necessary level of humidity control.
Brief announcement: the impact of classical electronics constraints on a solid-state logical qubit memory

We present and analyze an architecture for a logical qubit memory that is tolerant of faults in the processing of silicon double quantum dot (DQD) qubits. A highlight of our analysis is an in-depth consideration of the constraints faced when integrating DQDs with classical control electronics.
The 5th International Conference on Grey Literature

Reports on the International Conference on Grey Literature held in Amsterdam in December 2003. The theme of the conference was "Grey Matters in the World of Networked Information".
Retinal not systemic oxidative and inflammatory stress correlated with VEGF expression in rodent models of insulin resistance and diabetes.

Purpose. To correlate changes between VEGF expression with systemic and retinal oxidative stress and inflammation in rodent models of obesity induced insulin resistance and diabetes.
Measurement of sputtered efflux from 5-, 8-, and 30-cm diameter mercury ion thrusters

A study was undertaken to investigate the sputtered efflux from 5-, 8-, and 30-cm diameter mercury ion thrusters. Quartz crystal microbalances and fused silica samples were used to analyze the sputtered flux. Spectral transmittance measurements and spectrographic analysis of the samples were made after they were exposed to different thruster effluence by operating the thrusters at various conditions and durations of time. These measurements were used to locate the source of the efflux and determine its accumulated effect at various locations near the thruster. Comparisons of in situ and ex situ transmittance measurements of samples exposed to thruster efflux are also presented.
Functional properties of precooked taro flour in sorbets

Abstract The replacement of commercial food gums such as locust bean gum (LBG), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and carrageenan gum (CG) with precooked taro flour in tropical fruit (pineapple, guava, pineapple and passion fruit) sorbet manufacturing was investigated. Functional properties such as viscosity, firmness and melting characteristics were compared. Results indicated that precooked taro flour can replace LBG, CMC and CG successfully without noticeable change in functional properties.
L-edge x-ray-absorption systematics of the noble metals Rh, Pd, and Ag and the main-group metals In and Sn: A study of the unoccupied density of states in 4d elements.

X-ray-absorption L-edge spectra have been obtained for the noble metals Rh, Pd, and Ag and the main-group metals In and Sn. The systematics derived from these spectra reveal that (a) the x-ray-absorption near-edge structure (XANES) is primarily related to the density of states in these systems, (b) the energy distribution of the states above the Fermi level in noble metals is qualitatively consistent with the general band-theory description and semiquantitatively in agreement with the single-particle theory of M\"uller, Jensen, and Wilkins, and (c) the ${L}_{\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I},\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I}\mathrm{I}}$ ``white-line'' intensity ratio depends on the distribution of the ${d}_{5/2}$ and ${d}_{3/2}$ population above the Fermi level and this distribution deviates significantly from the statistical distribution when the d band of the metal is nearly full. The applicability of XANES in the investigation of the charge-distribution systematics in 4d elements is discussed.
The Human Element Bureaucracy, Gender, and Race

Research on the people who deliver public services offers a useful alternative perspective in an applied field with an orientation toward organizational systems, performance, and accountability. It...
A case study on refactoring in Haskell programs

Programmers use refactoring to improve the design of existing code without changing external behavior. Current research does not empirically answer the question, "Why and how do programmers refactor functional programs?" In order to answer the question, I conducted a case study on three open source projects in Haskell. I investigated changed portions of code in 55 successive versions of a given project to classify how programmers refactor. I found a total of 143 refactorings classified by 12 refactoring types. I also found 5 new refactoring types and propose two new refactoring tools that would be useful for developers.
Development of phantom limb pain after femoral nerve block.

Historically, phantom limb pain (PLP) develops in 50–80% of amputees and may arise within days following an amputation for reasons presently not well understood. Our case involves a 29-year-old male with previous surgical amputation who develops PLP after the performance of a femoral nerve block. Although there have been documented cases of reactivation of PLP in amputees after neuraxial technique, there have been no reported events associated with femoral nerve blockade. We base our discussion on the theory that symptoms of phantom limb pain are of neuropathic origin and attempt to elaborate the link between regional anesthesia and PLP. Further investigation and understanding of PLP itself will hopefully uncover a relationship between peripheral nerve blocks targeting an affected limb and the subsequent development of this phenomenon, allowing physicians to take appropriate steps in prevention and treatment.
Compensating Heterogeneous Salesforces: Some Explicit Solutions

This paper considers the question of how a sales manager should design the optimal compensation scheme for his salesforce when it consists of salespersons of varying selling skills, i.e., when the salesforce is heterogeneous. The manager's problem is to reward the salespersons based on observable, uncertain sales achieved by the salespersons. Under the assumption that both the manager and the salespersons are risk neutral, the optimal compensation scheme is derived. It consists of the manager offering a menu of plans, consisting of a quota, a payment for meeting quota, and a constant commission rate for sales above or below quota. Such schemes using constant commission rates are also called menus of linear plans. Salespersons choose the quota which best suits them, achieve sales, and are then rewarded based on their actual performance. This scheme, variants of which are often observed in practice, is shown to be optimal for sales environments characterized by commonly encountered sales response functions, and a large class of frequency distributions of selling skills in the salesforce. The problem is solved using the methods of principal-agent models. The key differences in managing homogeneous and heterogeneous salesforces are highlighted. Finally, the paper discusses the issues involved in practically implementing the optimal compensation scheme.
The experimental performance of a mobile manipulator control algorithm

Results of an experimental study of a motion control algorithm for mobile manipulators are presented. The dynamic interactions between a mobile manipulator and its vehicle are shown to lead to poor performance when a conventional fixed-base controller, which neglects these interactions, is used. The mobile manipulator control algorithm, which accounts for dynamic vehicle motions caused by manipulator motions, is shown to be stable and to perform well, while using only limited sensory data, such as would be practically available in highly unstructured field environments. >
Two Systems of Economic Exchange in Village India1

THIS paper will summarize the jajmani system which regulates the economic interdependence of various castes in many rural areas of India, and will then describe the types of relationships between occupational groups found in a particular area of South India. Following a comparison of these two systems, one based upon the growing of a subsistence crop, the other upon a crop sold for cash, an explanation is proposed as to why the system found in a small area of India cannot conform to the more dominant Indian pattern.
English Further Education through American Eyes

This article examines various commonalities and divergences between the English further education system and its nearest US equivalent, the community college system. In terms of commonalities, the article discusses the reliance on sub-university institutions to provide access to higher education, persistent dilemmas attendant to that reliance and conflicts over efforts to make non-university post-secondary institutions become more specialised in their missions. With regard to divergences, this article examines differences between the two types of institution in the strength of transfer arrangements, the ability to award the baccalaureate degree, the competitive environment and the balance between national and sub-national governance.
Characterization of contact and via failure under short duration high pulsed current stress

Contact and via failure under short-duration, high current pulses has been characterized for the first time. It is shown that the critical current is strongly dependent on the pulse width, and contact/via cross section area. It is also found that for contact structures the critical current depends on the thermal conductivity of the underlying diffusion region and is independent of the electrical properties such as sheet resistance. Further, it is shown that single Al contacts can sink similar currents as compared to W contacts, and multiple W/Al contact structures will fail under smaller current density as a result of lower heat dissipation capacity. The effect gets stronger with thicker contact liner metal. Critical current density is also found to be decreasing with increasing number of vias due to lower heat dissipating capacity of multiple vias. Furthermore, the contact/via failure thresholds were found to be independent of the direction of electron flow. The contact breakdown mechanism has been shown to be related to the TiN-TiSi/sub 2/ interface reaction which causes a sudden increase in contact resistance. The via failure mechanism has been shown to be due to thermal runaway resulting in a complete destruction of the structures.
Feature engineering on event-centric surrogate documents to improve search results

We investigate the task of re-ranking search results based on query log information. Prior work has considered this problem as either the task of learning document rankings of using features based on user behavior, or as the task of enhancing documents and queries using log data. Our contribution combines both. We distill log information into event-centric surrogate documents (ESDs), and extract features from these ESDs to be used in a learned ranking function. Our experiments on a legal corpus demonstrate that features engineered on surrogate documents lead to improved rankings, in particular when the original ranking is of poor quality.
The bispectrum of complex signals: definitions and properties

The symmetry properties and the relationship between all forms of third-order cumulants of complex signals are investigated. It is shown that all cumulants (for different position of the complex conjugate) are related by simple transformations. Autoregressive modeling of complex-valued signals using third-order cumulants is also investigated. It is shown that modeling of complex-valued signals requires a different approach from modeling of real-valued signals. >
Abnormal CA-125 levels in menopausal women without ovarian cancer

Abstract Objective To determine if an abnormal CA-125 level in a menopausal female without ovarian cancer is associated with an increase in mortality. Methods The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Randomized Controlled (PLCO) Trial is a large multicenter prospective trial conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Over 78,000 healthy women aged 55–74 were randomized to a screening arm versus a usual medical care arm to evaluate the efficacy of screening in reducing mortality due to ovarian cancer. Women in the screening arm underwent annual screening for ovarian cancer with transvaginal ultrasound and CA-125 levels. There were 38,818 patients without ovarian cancer that had at least one CA-125 level drawn; 1201 (3.09%) had at least one abnormal level. The current study compares mortality in patients that had one or more abnormal CA-125 levels without ovarian cancer versus those with all normal levels. Results Patients with one or more abnormal CA-125 levels, without ovarian cancer, had a significantly higher mortality than patients with all normal CA-125 levels in the PLCO screening trial ( p Conclusion Menopausal females with an elevated CA-125 and without ovarian cancer are exposed to an increased risk of premature mortality.
Dynamic inversion of quadrotor with zero-dynamics stabilization

For a typical quadrotor model, one can identify the two well known inherent rotorcraft characteristics; under-actuation and strong coupling in pitch-yaw-roll. To confront these problems and design a station-keeping tracking controller, dynamic inversion is used here. Typical applications of dynamic inversion require the selection of the output control variables to render the internal dynamics stable. This means that in many cases tracking can not be guaranteed for the actual desired outputs. Instead, here, the internal dynamics of the feedback linearized system is stabilized with a robust control term. Stability and tracking performance are guaranteed using a Lyapunov-type proof. The approach could be called ldquoforward steppingrdquo in contrast with the well known backstepping design. Simulation with a typical nonlinear quadrotor dynamic model is performed to show the effectiveness of the designed control law in the presence of noise and disturbances.
Efficient support for P-HTTP in cluster-based web servers

This paper studies mechanisms and policies for supporting HTTP/1.1 persistent connections in cluster-based Web servers that employ content-based request distribution. We present two mechanisms for the efficient, content-based distribution of HTTP/1.1 requests among the back-end nodes of a cluster server. A trace-driven simulation shows that these mechanisms, combined with an extension of the locality-aware request distribution (LARD) policy, are effective in yielding scalable performance for HTTP/1.1 requests. We implemented the simpler of these two mechanisms, back-end forwarding. Measurements of this mechanism in connection with extended LARD on a prototype cluster, driven with traces from actual Web servers, confirm the simulation results. The throughput of the prototype is up to four times better than that achieved by conventional weighted round-robin request distribution. In addition, throughput with persistent connections is up to 26% better than without.
Design and evaluation of a high-performance ATM firewall switch and its applications

We present the design of a value-added ATM switch that is capable of performing packet-level (IP) filtering at the maximum throughput of 2.88 Gbit/s per port. This firewall switch nicely integrates the IP level security mechanisms into the hardware components of an ATM switch so that most of the filtering operations are performed in parallel with the normal cell processing, and most of its cost is absorbed into the base cost of the switch. The firewall switch employs the concept of "last cell hostage" (LCH) to avoid or reduce the latency caused by filtering. We analyze in detail the performance of the firewall switch in terms of the throughput and the latency and address related design issues. Applications of our firewall switch as Internet and intranet security solutions are also discussed.
Cell Pattern in the Arabidopsis Root Epidermis Determined by Lateral Inhibition with Feedback

In the root epidermis of Arabidopsis, hair and nonhair cell types are specified in a distinct position-dependent pattern. Here, we show that transcriptional feedback loops between the WEREWOLF (WER), CAPRICE (CPC), and GLABRA2 (GL2) genes help to establish this pattern. Positional cues bias the expression of the WER MYB gene, leading to the induction of CPC and GL2 in cells located in a particular position (N) and adoption of the nonhair fate. The truncated MYB encoded by CPC mediates a lateral inhibition mechanism to negatively regulate WER, GL2, and its own gene in the alternative position (H) to induce the hair fate. These results provide a molecular genetic framework for understanding the determination of a cell-type pattern in plants.