cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-sensor investigations of optical emissions and their relations to directed energy deposition processes and quality

Abstract Optical Emissions Spectroscopy and plume imaging were utilized to investigate flaws generated during directed energy deposition additive manufacturing. Ti-6Al–4 V coupons were built using varying laser power, powder flow rate, and hatching pattern to induce random and systematic flaws. X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT) scans were completed on each part to determine flaw density and flaw locations. Three quantifiable metrics based on the state of the plume during processing are developed, analyzed and compared to the post-build CT scans: (1) line-to-continuum ratio around 430 nm, (2) line-to-continuum ratio around 520 nm, and (3) total plume area. For coupons built with constant laser power, variations in either powder flow rate or hatch pattern that led to an increase in flaw density were accompanied by an increase in median line-to-continuum ratios around 430 and 520 nm and in total plume area. It is also shown that all three metrics appear to measure the same phenomena, i.e. they are internally consistent with each other. These results present a path forward for real-time flaw detection and assessment of build quality in directed energy deposition and powder bed fusion processes.
A mechanism design approach to dynamic price-based control of multi-agent systems

We show how ideas and tools from the field of mechanism design in economics can be brought to bear on the problem of price-based control of dynamical systems. Specifically, we take inspiration from the Vickrey-Clarkes-Groves mechanism to design strategy-proof dynamic price-functions, which can induce subsystems to apply socially efficient control inputs even though they are self-interested and possibly strategically misreport their cost and dynamics’ models to the control designer.
Topology of Steady Fluid Flows

Steady flows of an ideal fluid have a very special topological structure. For three dimensional analytic flows the region is fibered into tori and annuli invariant under the flow (V. Arnold’s theorem). It turns out that the analogous picture holds in four dimensional case as well: four dimensional steady flows have invariant tori and are similar to integrable Hamiltonian systems with two degrees of freedom. We also established a strong relation between existence conditions of a smooth steady two-(and any even-) dimensional flow and the topology of the corresponding vorticity function. For instance, there is a well known example of a steady flow on the disk with vorticity monotonically decreasing along the radius. It turns out that on the disk there exists no smooth flow whose vorticity function is constant on the boundary and has local maximum and minimum inside this disk.
Nanotechnology occupational and environmental health and safety: Education and research needs for an emerging interdisciplinary field of study: Research Articles

Commercialization of nanotechnology (NT) has the potential to affect the health and safety of the industrial workforce and the general public. The main objective of this position paper is to present an education and research framework for the emerging interdisciplinary field of NT occupational and environmental health and safety. The specific aims of this program are to (a) establish evidence-based guidelines for the protection/promotion of individual health and safety along the life cycle of nano-based products in light of the best available scientific information, technologies, and best practices; (b) present and address issues of importance to individual health and safety in nanomanufacturing enterprises in different industry sectors, environment, and public consumer health (civilian and military); (c) provide a forum for idea exchange and research agenda on the use of NT in prevention/treatment of specific occupational/environmental diseases; and (d) disseminate the latest research findings on NT and occupational and public health, and nano-health technologies for occupational diseases. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 16: 247–253, 2006.
Die extrem laterale interkorporelle Fusion

Die extrem laterale interkorporelle Fusion („extreme lateral interbody fusion“, XLIF) stellt eine interkorporelle Fusionstechnik dar, die uber einen streng seitlichen, transpsoatischen Zugang gefuhrt wird. Der Zugang ist fur die Segmente kranial von L5 bis ca. Th5 moglich. Im lumbalen Bereich ist fur die Psoaspassage zum Schutz des Plexus lumbosacralis ein Neuromonitoring obligat. Die Arbeit befasst sich mit den ersten Ergebnissen der XLIF-Technik sowie einem Vergleich zu Standardtechniken. Die bisherigen relevanten Publikationen zu den Themen „Indikation, Technik, spezifische Komplikationen, Ergebnisse“ werden zusammengestellt und auf diesem Hintergrund diskutiert. Anhand der Literaturubersicht werden Vor- und Nachteile der XLIF-Technik diskutiert. Die Methode stellt hinsichtlich der Indikation und der technischen Optionen fur die Segmentrekonstruktion eine Alternative zur anterioren interkorporellen Fusion (ALIF) sowie zu ventrolateralen interkorporellen Fusionen dar. Die XLIF-Technik bietet aufgrund des minimal-invasiven Zugangs potentiell eine geringere Zugangsmorbiditat als offene Verfahren, weiterhin ist der Zugangsweg hinsichtlich der Komplikationsmoglichkeiten der grosen Gefase gunstig. Die Technik findet zunehmend Anwender. Verfugbare Ergebnisse zeigen eine sichere und reproduzierbare Anwendung bei Deformitaten, Anschlussversorgungen und Instabilitaten.
Challenges and Opportunities in New Drug Development

In the 18th century, mercury was the treatment of choice for syphilis.1 Mercury was so commonly used, in fact, that physicians rarely saw a patient who had not taken it, even though it was eventually proven ineffective.2 As a result, it was virtually impossible to separate the effects of the disease from the treatment. Many physicians even insisted that mercury had no toxic effects.
A SHOE FOR MEASURING FOOT-TO-GROUND FORCES WHILE RUNNING

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a shoe for measuring foot-to-ground forces while running. The small investment in equipment—a pair of running shoes—pays excellent dividends in cardiovascular condition and general health. The increase in runners has led to a similar increase in sports medicine problems related to running. Concurrently, work on the design of running shoes and training methods has been directed at increasing performance and decreasing injuries. The chapter describes the application of the methods of gait analysis to study the biomechanics of running. Most gait analysis is done while walking using accelerometers, goniometers, force plates, cinematography and electromyography. When adapting these techniques to running, it has generally been more difficult to obtain reliable data. The difficulties with using force plates while running are that they require the subject to aim for a particular spot on the floor and possibly affect his gait, and they only sample a limited number of steps. A method of continuously measuring ground reaction forces during running would be a most useful tool to further the study of the biomechanics of running and shoe design. The chapter presents a battery-powered data collection system that consists of three major parts. The data acquisition section contains a 20-channel analog multiplexer, signal conditioning amplifier, and analog-to-digital converter. This system gives a continuous record of foot-to-ground forces for ten minutes of experimental time per cassette tape.
Resin infiltration: An effective adjunct strategy for managing high caries risk-A within-person randomized controlled clinical trial.

Abstract Objectives Micro-invasive resin-infiltration has shown to inhibit lesion progression of proximal non-cavitated carious lesions, suggesting an alternative to early operative treatment. This split-mouth, randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluated the effects of proximal lesion infiltration supplementary to standard-of-care management in high caries risk (HCR)-patients. Methods Forty-two HCR-subjects with two similar interproximal posterior lesions received professional HCR-regimen including repeated F-varnish applications. Two affected E2/D1-surfaces were randomized and concurrently treated by resin-infiltration or mock-infiltration (control). Individually standardized digital radiographs provided visual determination of lesion-size distribution at baseline and 2-year follow-up. Data were analyzed by logistic regression and McNemar’s test. Results Thirty-two lesion pairs (76%) were evaluated after 2 years. Categorical lesion depths were not different between groups (P > .5). Comparative pairwise assessment (image sets BL-2 yr) showed significantly more progression in control (7) versus infiltration (1) lesions (P = .035). Cumulative prevented fraction after two years was 97% for infiltrated lesions versus 74% for control lesions. Conclusions Two-year follow-up showed resin infiltration to be a highly efficacious (RRR: 86–89%) therapy. Long-term follow-up is needed to strengthen the evidence for efficacy of resin-infiltration as an adjunct to standard-of-care HCR-regimen including F-varnish. Clinical significance Showing 24% more stabilized lesions, the resin-infiltrated group performed significantly better than their controls, confirming successful early lesion management. Adjunct resin-infiltration provided an effective micro-invasive approach to inhibit short-term lesion progression.
Exploring information technology-business alignment through stakeholder theory: a review of literature

Stakeholder theory (ST) argues that providing value to external stakeholders is the best way to ensure long-term business health. However, when the theory was formed, information technology (IT) played a small role in organizational operations and strategy. Although IT research recognizes stakeholders, the theoretical underpinnings of ST are rarely recognized within this context. The purpose of this paper is to remedy this issue by reviewing ST through the lens of technology adoption and training and presenting propositions for business alignment and organizational success.,This paper conducted a comprehensive literature review to examine all extant research at the intersection of ST, IT and information systems (IS). A total of 25 papers were retained, published between 1993 and 2016, using multiple sources for search.,Too little IT research has recognized the theoretical foundations of ST. These theoretical foundations have the potential to expand the focus of research and practice to recognize the wider impacts of technological developments. A total of six propositions are presented to highlight the need for a greater focus on external stakeholders throughout all stages of IS design, development and implementation to improve the performance of IT-related projects and IT-business units.,The paper addresses the research gap by integrating ST with IT and IS, providing theory-based recommendations to improve their functions within organizations. A review of all extant research at the intersection of these topics is provided.
Revisions to FHFA's House Price Index in the Recent National House Price Boom and Bust

This Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) research paper examines the history of House Price Index (HPI) revisions over the recent national boom-bust cycle in house prices. The paper is part of FHFA’s ongoing effort to enhance public understanding of the nation’s housing finance system. The paper was prepared by Jesse Weiher of the Office of Policy Analysis and Research. Andrew Leventis, Robert Seiler and Robert Collender provided valuable comments.
A novel method for well placement design in groundwater management: Extremal optimization

Abstract Well placement design refers to finding the optimal well locations to install with a set of constraints. This is important for both petroleum engineering and water resource management. This study presents a novel optimization method for well placement design in groundwater management. The proposed method, EO-WPP, is based on the Extremal Optimization (EO) algorithm. EO works by modifying the components of a solution that contribute the least to its overall performance. EO-WPP extends the EO algorithm to the fields of groundwater management and well field optimization for the first time. Groundwater Management program (GWM) is coupled with EO-WPP and used to rank wells in terms of pumping rate, given well locations. In the first testing phases of this work, EO-WPP was applied to a problem of simple geometry and a simple synthetic model in order to study its performance and its emergent spatial behaviors. Results show that the proposed method was faster than Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and the Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno (BFGS) algorithms. EO-WPP then was applied to a field problem involving the Aberdeen groundwater model in South Dakota. The results show that EO-WPP was able to generate a series of possible of well fields that can be used to pump effectively groundwater from the Elm aquifer.
Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, PD-L1 expression, and survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer receiving first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

46Background: Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is known to be prognostic for patients with various types of cancer, including those who are treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). We e...
Activity of Cefiderocol and Comparators against Isolates from Cancer Patients.

Cefiderocol inhibited 97.5% of 478 Gram-negative isolates from cancer patients at ≤4 mg/liter. It had potent activity against extended-spectrum β-lactamase-positive Enterobacteriaceae, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), and nonfermenting Gram-negative bacilli, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and Acinetobacter species isolates. Amikacin, ceftazidime-avibactam, and meropenem had appreciable activity against non-CRE Enterobacteriaceae No comparators were active against multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa isolates. Only trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole had appreciable activity against S. maltophilia isolates. Overall, cefiderocol was associated with the lowest level of resistance.
Risk Behavior in Driving

This paper begins with a discussion of the various types of risk behavior found in automobile driving. A model is proposed which describes a perceptual approach to risk acceptance in specific driving manevers. Risk acceptance in lane merging within freeway construction zones is discussed and exemplified by field observations of merging in construction zones. The short gaps accepted led to an experimental study to examine gap acceptance thresholds and driver gap estimation capabilities. Studies were conducted both staticly and dynamicly at 55 miles per hour. Subjects elect short gaps (under 100') and gaps with less than 1 3/4 seconds at 55 miles per hour. Shorter rear gaps are accepted than front gaps. Gaps are grossly underestimated in both static and dynamic experiments. No difference was found for left vs. right merges and use of mirror vs. direct vision for rear gap estimation. The experimental data was consistent with field observations.
Chapter 17 – Nature Therapy

Publisher Summary Nature is more than an intimate part of each individual, and humans are a part of nature. Upon examination, nature therapy can exist as part of every biophilic value. It is human interaction with all facets of nature as well as the human's part in and connection to the entire biosphere. Three fields of organized professional application of nature therapy have been identified—animal-assisted therapy, horticultural therapy, and natural environmental therapies. The connection can be as simple as food to eat or a complex philosophical or spiritual, guiding connection. Nature-assisted therapy is delivered or directed by professional therapists or health care professionals; it is goal directed, part of the treatment plan, and documented. Similar activities can also be therapeutic, although they are not delivered by a therapist; they can be referred to as nature-assisted activities. Nature activities can occur in settings that provide education and experiences not specifically designed to be therapeutic. Settings of this type might include a nature camp, scouts, and school environmental education programs.
The Poetics of Computer Code: Tracing Digital Inscription in Ada Lovelace’s England

In this essay, I investigate the development of algorithms from a digital paradigm in Victorian England, specifically through the work of Ada Lovelace and the influences of the Jacquard loom. I consider Lovelace’s algorithms through the framework of poetics, that is, how meaning is made and materialized through symbolic inscription. Within the discursive contexts of industrial manufacturing and Romanticism, I find that an algorithmic mode of production emerges from the consideration and inscription of memory. Since the ramifications of inscription and memory echo throughout contemporary computing and the Digital Humanities, examining the logics and paradigms that computational inscriptions reproduce are increasingly vital today. Thus I ultimately argue for the poetic analyses of algorithms and computer code. AbstraiteDans cet article, j’enquete sur le developpement d’algorithmes venant d’un paradigme numerique en Angleterre victorienne, specifiquement a travers l’oeuvre d’Ada Lovelace et les influences du metier a tisser Jacquard. Je considere les algorithmes de Lovelace par le biais du cadre poetique, c’est-a-dire, comment l’inscription symbolique cree et materialise le sens. Dans les contextes discursifs de la fabrication industrielle et du Romantisme, je trouve qu’un mode de production algorithmique emerge de la consideration et de l’inscription de memoire. Puisque les ramifications d’inscriptions et de memoire resonnent au sein de l’informatique contemporaine et des Humanites numeriques, examiner les logiques et les paradigmes que les inscriptions computationnelles reproduisent devient actuellement de plus en plus primordial. Ainsi, je plaide en fin de compte en faveur des analyses poetiques d’algorithmes et de codes informatiques.
Multiobjective Optimization of SAR Reconstruction on Hybrid Multicore Systems

Hybrid multicore processors (HMPs) are poised to dominate the landscape of the next generation of computing on the desktop as well as on exascale systems. HMPs consist of general purpose CPU cores along with specialized coprocessors and can provide high performance for a wide spectrum of applications at significantly lower energy requirements per floating-point operations per second (FLOP). In this article, we develop parallel algorithms and software for constructing multiresolution synthetic aperture radar images on HMPs. We develop several load balancing algorithms for optimizing time performance and energy on HMPs. We also present a systematic approach for deriving the energy-time performance tradeoffs on HMPs in the presence of dynamic voltage frequency scaling. Pareto-optimal curves are presented on a system consisting of 24 traditional cores and a GPU.
‘Very great strife’: the monks of Saint-Clément as competitors in twelfth-century Metz

Dynamic growth sparked fierce competition in early twelfth-century Metz. One community vying to get ahead was the suburban Benedictine abbey of Saint-Clement. This article examines the competition ...
Justified-Envy-Minimal Efficient Mechanisms for Priority-Based Matching

We study priority-based matching markets with public and private endowments. We show that efficiency-adjusted deferred acceptance (EADA) is justified-envy minimal in the class of efficient mechanisms, while Top trading cycles (TTC) and other popular mechanisms are not. Our findings highlight EADA as an interesting alternative to TTC in the context of transplantation-organ markets. Restricting attention to strategyproof mechanisms, we show that TTC is justified-envy minimal, strengthening the result of Abdulkadiroglu et al. (2020).
¿De tal palo, tal astilla? Una comparación de la política exterior de George H.W. Bush y George W. Bush

This article applies cognitive (i.e., leadership) and poliheuristic approaches to foreign-policy decision making to explain variances in the policies of George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. Juxtaposing these related approaches highlights the how and why of presidential decision making, providing a synthetic, though more cogent, understanding of foreign-policy analysis -- especially as it pertains to presidencies. The initial section of the article discusses the two theories. The following section examines important decisions via case studies – one for each administration. The final section analyzes the decisions in the context of the theories. While this article emphasizes the individual level of analysis, structural as well as domestic factors will also be discussed.
Forecasting Demand for New Products: Combining Subjective Rankings with Sales Data

A major obstacle to wider adoption of the newsvendor model is the difficulty of obtaining its key input---the demand distribution forecast, specifically when the products are new and no historical data are available. In such cases, judgmental forecasting methods are a commonly suggested solution, in particular, the Sport Obermeyer approach which collects point forecasts of demand quantity from a panel of experts and uses the degree of disagreement between experts as a proxy for demand uncertainty. However, our attempt to implement this approach at fashion retailer Moods of Norway was a failure. We were not able to recruit a sufficiently large and diverse crowd because many potential experts found it difficult to provide quantity inputs. In response to this issue, we started asking the experts to rank the products within their respective categories. While this new type of input boosted participation, its conversion to quantities requires additional data and new methodology. To that end, we propose to use category-wise historical data, and we constructed a framework for this conversion based on a tripartite decomposition of the demand vector into total demand, ordered proportions, and ranking. We also propose several new evaluation metrics and test our framework on a dataset from Moods of Norway.
Relations between social comparisons and physical activity among women in midlife with elevated risk for cardiovascular disease: an ecological momentary assessment study.

Women in midlife (ages 40–60) show decreases in physical activity (PA) that exacerbate risk for cardiovascular disease. Social comparisons (i.e., self-evaluations relative to others) are known to influence PA in other groups, but their association in this population is unknown. The present study used ecological momentary assessment to examine this relation among women in midlife with hypertension or another CVD risk condition (N = 75, MBMI = 34.0 kg/m2). Participants completed 5 surveys per day and wore tri-axial accelerometers for 10 days. PA engagement was lower after women reported more comparisons than were typical for them (7–14% reductions in PA for each additional comparison). These relations varied across days of observation and relations were positive on 34–58% of days. Findings call for careful consideration of how best to harness any potential benefits of social comparison for promoting PA in this and other groups.
A convex optimization framework for robust-feasible series elastic actuators

Abstract Kinematic and kinetic requirements for robotic actuators are subject to uncertainty in the motion of the load. Safety factors account for uncertainty in the design stage, but defining factors that translate to reliable systems without over-designing is a challenge. Bulky or heavy actuators resulting from overdesign are undesirable in wearable or mobile robots, which are prone to uncertainty in the load due to human–robot or robot–environment interaction. In this paper, we use robust optimization to account for uncertainty in the design of series elastic actuators. We formulate a robust-feasible convex optimization program to select the optimal compliance–elongation profile of the series spring that minimizes one or multiple of the following objectives: spring elongation, motor energy consumption, motor torque, or motor velocity. To preserve convexity when minimizing energy consumption, we lump the energy losses in the transmission as viscous friction losses, which is a viable approximation for series elastic actuators powered by direct or quasi-direct drives. Our formulation guarantees that the motor torque, winding temperature, and speed are feasible despite uncertainty in the load kinematics, kinetics, or manufacturing of the spring. The globally optimal spring could be linear or nonlinear. As simulation case studies, we design the optimal compliance–elongation profiles for multiple series springs for a robotic prosthetic ankle. The simulation case studies illustrate examples of our methodology, evaluate the performance of robust feasible designs against optimal solutions that neglect uncertainty, and provide insight into the selection of different objective functions. With this framework the designer specifies uncertainty directly in the optimization and over the specific kinematics, kinetics, or manufacturing parameters, aiming for reliable robots that reduce overdesign.
Monitoring heterogeneity in therapeutic samples using Schlieren

Antigen, antibodies, and other therapeutic biomolecule solutions are likely to undergo physical and chemical processes during their development, manufacturing, transport, and storage. This can induce internal stresses in the sample, resulting in aggregation, heterogeneities, and an overall reduction in the sample quality, e.g., freeze-thawing of samples for storage. Monitoring mixing is thus crucial to ensure homogeneity and consistency while further optimizing downstream processes. We present a simple and portable all-lens Schlieren setup to detect, visualize, and quantify heterogeneities in the protein/antigen or other pharmaceutical solutions during and after thawing in real-time. We illustrate the capabilities of the proposed method by visualizing and quantifying heterogeneities during the thawing of BSA and IgG in four different formulation buffers. The local concentration gradients in a thawing sample lead to light intensity variations which are captured using the Schlieren technique. The sample heterogeneity can then be quantified by relating these light intensity variations to concentration gradients. To this end, we first measure the refractive index of the sample solutions, which varies linearly with the sample concentration. This linear relation is then used to extract the concentration gradient field from the light intensity data. We establish the validity of the proposed approach by demonstrating its accuracy in measuring the diffusion coefficient of a diffusing interface. The portability of the setup and its applicability to a wide range of pharmaceutical solutions make this Schlieren-based technique suitable for monitoring the mixing, heterogeneity, and stability of pharmaceutical samples.
Metabolism as a driver of immunity.

Erika Pearce reflects on some of the early studies that helped to ignite the field of immunometabolism.
The white-man effect: How foreigner presence affects behavior in experiments

Abstract We experimentally vary white foreigner presence in dictator games across 60 villages in Sierra Leone, and find that the simple presence of a white foreigner increases player contributions by 19 percent. To separate the impact of the white foreigner's race and nationality from other characteristics, we test additional predictions. First, the white foreigner's presence may heighten demand effects, prompting players to try to impress the white foreigner by being more generous. This should make behavior in the game less indicative of true generosity. Consistent with this, we find that game contributions are no longer predicted by real-world public good contributions when the white foreigner is present. Second, those more familiar with aid may perceive the games as a form of means-testing, and therefore give less to signal that they are poor. Consistent with this, in the presence of the white foreigner, players in more aid-exposed villages give less, and are more likely to believe that the games are testing them for aid suitability. Together, these results suggest that players’ giving decisions respond to the white foreigner's race and nationality. Behavioral measures are increasingly used to infer cross-national differences in social preferences or to assess aid effectiveness—our results suggest that we should be cautious in these uses.
Characterization of Atmospheric Saharan Dust Plumes Using Remote Hyperspectral Imagery for Public Health

Atmospheric dust affects climate, biogeochemistry, and human health, with total emissions estimated at 1,500 to 3,000 Tg yr−1. The Bodele Depression, Chad (17˚N, 18˚E) in the Saharan Desert is the largest single point source of dust in the world, and dust from the Bodele, and the Sahara in general, has been tracked across much of the world, including to the Caribbean and the Americas. Although it has been linked to negative health effects in sink regions, few have worked to understand its local health effects in Africa. The lack of ground-based stations in North Africa and the inaccessibility of much of the region call for a remote technique to track dust concentration and composition as it moves across Africa. Such a method would provide a more detailed understanding of dust dynamics in North Africa and reveal the potential health effects of dust in the region. Here, we combine aerosol optical thickness measurements from MODIS and dust concentrations from the DREAM model with hyperspectral imagery from t...
The anesthetic management of ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair in a child with mitochondrial cytopathy.

Purpose To present the anesthetic management for the correction of a ventricular septal defect (VSD) in a patient with multiple acyl CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (glutaric aciduria type II; GAII). A review of the literature about anesthetic management of patients with mitochondrial diseases undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is also included.
MMIC designers trained on real chips without expensive fabrication

Without many lengthy and expensive design/fabrication/test iterations, we have trained a number of MMIC designers who can contribute to the industry even before they graduate. The approach involves mainly large-signal modeling and internal-node microwave waveform probing of existing MMIC chips. Typically, it starts by a company asking us to help diagnose a certain MMIC. Students then extract large-signal transistor models themselves and use the models to simulate the internal-node waveforms of the MMIC. By comparing the modeled and measured results, students gain insight of the MMIC working principles. Next, design improvement is suggested and verified by novel cutting and pasting techniques. Lastly, by focusing on microwave waveforms students are proficient in both frequency- and time-domain techniques, making them particularly suitable for modern wireless communication applications which involve complex signal-modulation schemes.
Congenital Ataxia and Otolith Defects Due to Manganese Deficiency in Mice

Manganese deficiency in mice caused congenital ataxia in some prog eny. The most diagnostic means of detecting the ataxia was to place all mice in a tank of water and observe their ability to maintain a normal, upright position. The incidence of ataxia increased approximately in proportion to the duration and severity of the manganese-deficient state of the mother. Cleared otic capsules revealed that otoliths were reduced in size, or were absent, in many of the manganese-deficient progeny. Supplementation of the manganese-deficient females after day 14 of gestation was ineffective in reducing the incidence of the otolithic effect. Supplementation between days 12 and 14 was only partially effective, whereas supplementation starting on day 11 was sufficient for completely normal development of otoliths. The absence of oto lithic crystals is attributed to a defect in the synthesis of the organic matrix which appears to be composed of acid mucopolysaccharides. The absence of otoliths was also found in manganese-deficient chicks and presumably explains the long-standing reports of ataxia due to manganese deficiency in poultry and other domestic animals.
A 75 MHz BW 68dB DR CT-ΣΔ modulator with single amplifier biquad filter and a broadband low-power common-gate summing technique

A wide bandwidth, power efficient continuous-time ΣΔ modulator (CTΣΔM) is presented. The modulator introduces a 3rd order filter implemented with a lossless integrator and a multiple-feedback (MFB) single-amplifier biquad (SAB) with embedded loop stability compensation. An active summing block is implemented with a common-gate amplifier followed by a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) that achieves optimum bandwidth (BW) vs power consumption tradeoff, making it suitable for over GHz operation. Fabricated in 40 nm CMOS, and clocked at 3.2 GHz, the CTΣΔM achieves a signal-to-noise and distortion ratio (SNDR) of 64.9 dB over 75 MHz BW while consuming 22.8 mW of power. The obtained Walden's Figure of Merit (FoM) is 106 fJ/conv-step.
Raman spectroscopy of palladium oxide on γ-alumina applicable to automotive catalysts: Nondestructive, quantitative analysis; oxidation kinetics; fluorescence quenching

Abstract Raman scattering is used to analyze a series of model catalysts consisting of γ-alumina powder with up to 20 wt.-% Pd, and two monolithic catalyst samples with palladium concentrations typically employed in automotive emission control. By using the 514.5 nm Ar laser line to take advantage of a resonant Raman effect, the 651-cm −1 Raman line in PdO can be detected in the oxidized catalysts with palladium loadings as small as 0.2 wt.-%. A strong fluorescence signal is observed in reduced pure γ-Al 2 O 3 . This signal is quenched by the addition of palladium, admixed either from aqueous solution or from Pd black, provided the palladium was allowed to interact with the γ-Al 2 O 3 during at least one oxidation treatment at 600°C, followed by reduction in hydrogen at 300°C. Raman spectroscopy is found to be applicable for a quantitative, nondestructive analysis of PdO on γ-alumina, including automotive formulations, within certain limitations. At low concentrations, some palladium may interact with the support and thus may not contribute to the signal associated with crystalline PdO. The analysis is also suited for studying sintering and reduction/oxidation kinetics in situ.
Decade-long trends (1999-2009) in the characteristics, management, and hospital outcomes of patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction with prior diabetes and chronic kidney disease

BACKGROUND Despite the increasing magnitude and impact, there are limited data available on the clinical management and in-hospital outcomes of patients who have diabetes mellitus (DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) at the time of hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The objectives of our population-based observational study in residents of central Massachusetts were to describe decade-long trends (1999-2009) in the characteristics, in-hospital management, and hospital outcomes of AMI patients with and without these comorbidities. METHODS We reviewed the medical records of 6,018 persons who were hospitalized for AMI on a biennial basis between 1999 and 2009 at all eleven medical centers in central Massachusetts. Our sample consisted of the following four groups: DM with CKD (n=587), CKD without DM (n=524), DM without CKD (n=1,442), and non-DM/non-CKD (n=3,465). RESULTS Diabetic patients with CKD were more likely to have a higher prevalence of previously diagnosed comorbidities, to have developed heart failure acutely, and to have a longer hospital stay compared with non-DM/non-CKD patients. Between 1999 and 2009, there were marked increases in the prescribing of beta-blockers, statins, and aspirin for patients with CKD and DM as compared to those without these comorbidities. In-hospital death rates remained unchanged in patients with DM and CKD, while they declined markedly in patients with CKD without DM (20.2% dying in 1999; 11.3% dying in 2009). CONCLUSION Despite increases in the prescribing of effective cardiac medications, AMI patients with DM and CKD continue to experience high in-hospital death rates.
Preconsumption Mood, Causal Explanations, and Postrecovery Reactions

Using two competing affect appraisal models (affect priming and affect-as-information) as frameworks, we examined the joint effect of preconsumption mood and explanations/excuses on customer’s postpurchase satisfaction and loyalty. Two factorial experiments were conducted to test the hypotheses. By manipulating the preconsumption mood and the type of service failure information provided after service failure (explanation in Study 1 and excuse in Study 2), the mechanism through which preconsumption mood impacts customer evaluations in the restaurant context was investigated. The findings lend support to the affect priming model, indicating that preconsumption mood can directly impact consumer satisfaction and loyalty in a mood-congruent fashion. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to utilize explanations and excuses to test two competing theories, affect priming and affect-as-information. These results contribute to the hospitality literature by shedding light on mechanism through which p...
Physical and Comparative Mapping of Distal Mouse Chromosome 16

Distal mouse Chromosome 16 (Chr. 16) includes a region of conserved linkage with human Chromosome 21 (Chr. 21). Mouse models of Down syndrome based on trisomy of distal Chr. 16 have several phenotypes similar to those seen in human patients and have proven useful for correlating dosage imbalance of specific genes with specific developmental anomalies. The degree to which such findings can be related to Down syndrome depends on how well the conserved synteny is maintained. Twenty-four genes have been mapped in both species and there are no discordancies, but the region could carry hundreds of genes. Comparative sequence represents the ultimate comparative map and will aid in identification of genes and their regulatory sequences. A physical map of the distal 4.5 Mb of Chr. 16 has been assembled as an essential step toward a map of sequence-ready templates. The map consists of 51 YACs and 15 BACs and includes 18 transcripts, 9 of which are mapped for the first time in mouse, and 3 of which are, for the first time, described in either species. YAC fragmentation was used to precisely localize the 49 markers on the map. Comparison of this physical map with that of the corresponding region on Chr. 21 shows conservation not only of gene order but of size in the 3 Mb from Cbr1 to Ets2; distal to Ets2, the human map is expanded. [The sequence data described in this paper have been submitted to GenBank. See Tables 1 and 2 for accession nos.]
Injection molded microfluidic chips featuring integrated interconnects

An injection molding process for the fabrication of disposable plastic microfluidic chips with a cycle time of 2 min has been designed, developed, and implemented. Of the sixteen commercially available grades of cyclo-olefin copolymer (COC) that were screened for autofluorescence and transparency to ultraviolet (UV) light, Topas 8007 × 10 was identified as the most suitable for production. A robust solid metal mold insert defining the microfluidic channels was rapidly microfabricated using a process that significantly reduces the time required for electroplating. No wear of the insert was observed even after over 1000 cycles. The chips were bonded by thermal fusion using different bonding conditions. Each condition was tested and its suitability evaluated by burst pressure measurements. The COC microfluidic chips feature novel, integrated, reversible, standardized, ready-to-use interconnects that enable operation at pressures up to 15.6 MPa, the highest value reported to date. The suitability of these UV transparent, high pressure-resistant, disposable devices was demonstrated by in situ preparation of a high surface area porous polymer monolith within the channels.
Epiploic Appendagitis in a Female Patient with Situs Ambiguous Abnormality

We report the case of a 23 year-old obese female, with previously diagnosed situs inversus below the diaphragm, who presented with severe left upper quadrant abdominal pain. The patient was believed to have a surgical indication, possibly appendicitis or diverticulitis, and had an emergent abdominal Computed Tomography (CT) scan. The CT was interpreted as epiploic appendagitis with no signs of appendicitis. Epiploic appendagitis is a rare cause of acute abdominal pain, which involves the torsion and eventual necrosis of one of the epiploic appendages. This case was complicated by the fact that the patient had situs inversus below the diaphragm, which made it difficult to relate her localized abdominal pain to the correct anatomic area. The diagnosis allowed the patient to avoid invasive surgery and instead opt for conservative medical management. The utilization of radiologic imaging is of utmost importance in diagnosing this condition, which has characteristic findings on CT, US, and MR, all of which is discussed in this article.
Recombination rates of soybean varieties from different periods of introduction and release.

Theory predicts that selection for adaptability during the short term also favors selection for a reduced recombination rate in the population. The objective of this study was to test whether the cyclic short-term selection which has taken place in soybean breeding programs in the USA since the introduction of the crop has measurably reduced recombination frequencies. Thirteen soybean varieties separated into four different release periods (prior to 1940, 1940–1954, 1955–1969, after 1970) were evaluated for their recombination frequencies within three locus pairs. Recombination frequencies among the individual varieties ranged from 7.6 to 24.1 % at thep1r locus pair, from 20.9 to 30.1 % at thelnp2 locus pair, and from 28.7 to 41.6% at thedt1l1 locus pair. Recombination frequencies were significantly different among varieties within a release period for thep1r andlnp2 locus pairs, but recombination frequencies did not differ among release periods for any locus pair. Thus, apparently, plant breeders have developed soybean varieties with improved adaptation without influencing recombination rates.
Simulation using software agents I: linking spatially explicit parallel continuous and discrete models

This paper advocates the use of mobile agents for linking simulations running on different computers. A Mobile Component approach is proposed to enhance reusability of existing simulations and to improve efficiency of component based simulations of complex systems. A basic unit of the mobile component simulation is a simulation server with a communication interface to mobile agents. Each mobile agent links and coordinates component's execution. We used this approach to implement a combined Lyme disease simulation. It consists of a partial differential equation based continuous simulation and parallel discrete event simulation with explicit space representation. The performance of this implementation is presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the Mobile Component approach. In addition, a process-port model of simulation is discussed. Its implementation allows efficient linkage of simulation servers, if they are programmed in a simulation language supporting the process-port model. We finally show that the performance of the Mobile Component approach could be significantly improved by using compiler techniques to eliminate overhead of communication among simulation servers.
Cochleosacculotomy for Meniere's disease: theory, technique and results.

A series of 51 patients with intractable vertigo from Meniere's disease were treated by a surgical procedure termed cochleosacculotomy. In this operation a right-angled pick is introduced through the round window membrane and advanced 3 mm in the direction of the oval window. This passage carries the pick through the cochlear partition causing a fracture-disruption of the osseous spiral lamina and cochlear duct. Within the time limits of this study (mean 4.32 months) 88% were relieved of disabling vertigo. Hearing losses of more than 20 dB occurred in 23% of the patients. Profound hearing losses occurred in two patients, one of which was associated with postoperative otitis media.
Deuteron d-state effects for the reactions 117Sn(d, p)118Sn and 119Sn(d, p)120Sn

Abstract Angular distributions of the differential cross section and the three tensor analyzing powers were measured for the reactions 117 Sn( d , p) 118 Sn and 119 Sn( d , p) 120 Sn at E d = 12 MeV. In addition, excitation functions of the tensor analyzing power T 20 were measured at proton lab angles of 0° and 5° for energies ranging from 10 to 12 MeV. At forward angles, the tensor analyzing powers for the ground state ( l n = 0) transitions are more than an order of magnitude larger than the predictions of distorted-wave calculations which neglect the deuteron D-state. Qualitative agreement with the measurements is obtained when the D-state is included.
Choice of currency basket weights and its implications on trade balance

Abstract This paper seeks to find an optimal choice of currency basket weights for emerging economies that peg their currencies to a currency basket, and to examine the long-run relationship between the real exchange rates of a group of trading partners. A general equilibrium model is set up to establish an optimal set of currency basket weights, coupled with the choice of fiscal policy, to simultaneously stabilize trade balance and aggregate price level of an economy. This optimal set of weights is a weighted average of two sets of weights; each targets at one policy goal (stabilizing either balance of trade or aggregate price level) at a time. Empirical studies including vector autoregression (VAR) analysis and cointegration analysis on the long-run relationship between the Thai baht and the real exchange rates of its major trading partners are presented.
The mitochondrial benzodiazepine receptor: evidence for association with the voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC).

Specific, high-affinity receptors for numerous drugs have recently been localized to mitochondrial membrane proteins. This review discusses the association of the mitochondrial receptor for benzodiazepines (mBzR) with the voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC), indicating a possible auxiliary role for VDAC as a putative drug binding protein. The proposed subunit composition of the purified mBzR complex isolated from rat kidney mitochondria includes VDAC, which functions as a recognition site for benzodiazepines (e.g., flunitrazepam), the adenine nucleotide carrier (ADC), and an 18 kDa outer membrane protein identified by covalent labelling with the mBzR antagonists isoquinoline carboxamides (e.g., PK 14105).
Déjà vu all over again for nuclear power

Recent headlines in many news sources have proclaimed a revival for nuclear power. Eliot Marshall's article “Is the friendly atom poised for a comeback?” (News Focus, 19 Aug., p. [1168][1]) poses the issue as a question rather than a conclusion, but nevertheless falls into step with the other