cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The German Minority in Interwar Poland

The German Minority in Interwar Poland analyzes what happened when Germans from three different empires - the Russian, Habsburg and German - were forced to live together in one new state. After the First World War, German national activists made regional distinctions among these Germans and German-speakers in Poland, with preference initially for those who had once lived in the German Empire. Rather than becoming more cohesive over time, Poland's ethnic Germans remained divided and did not unite within a single representative organization. Polish repressive policies and unequal subsidies from the German state exacerbated these differences, while National Socialism created new hierarchies and unleashed bitter intra-ethnic conflict among German minority leaders. Winson Chu challenges prevailing interpretations that German nationalism in the twentieth century viewed 'Germans' as a single homogeneous group of people. His revealing study shows that nationalist agitation could divide as well as unite an embattled ethnicity.
Perceived Environmental Uncertainty and Perceptions of the Channel Relationship

Despite recent research, Achrol and Stern (1988) state that knowledge about environmental effects on marketing channels remains limited. This paper attempts to empirically investigate the effects of the environment upon the nature of the relationship between a supplier and a retailer involved in dyadic exchange. It is suggested that perceptions of the dyad's environment will affect how dyad members perceive their social economic relationship, and in turn, their behavior. In this study, perceived environmental uncertainty serves as the independent variable, while the dependent variables involve perceived self dependency, attributed supplier dependency, channel conflict, cooperation, and satisfaction.
Identification of a gene encoding a thioredoxin-like product necessary for cytochrome c biosynthesis and symbiotic nitrogen fixation in Rhizobium leguminosarum.

Abstract A Tn5-induced mutant of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae could not form nitrogen-fixing nodules on pea or vetch because of a lesion in electron transport to oxygen. The mutant lacked spectroscopically detectable cytochromes c and aa3. No proteins containing c-type cytochrome could be identified in the mutant by heme staining of proteins fractionated on polyacrylamide gels, indicating that the mutant was defective in maturation of all c-type cytochromes. The Tn5 mutation was determined to be located in a gene that was called cycY. The cycY gene product is homologous to the thioredoxin-like protein HelX involved in the assembly of c-type cytochromes in Rhodobacter capsulatus and to an open reading frame from a Bradyrhizobium japonicum gene cluster containing other genes involved in cytochrome c biogenesis. Our observations are consistent with CycY functioning as a thioredoxin that reduces cysteine residues in apocytochromes c before heme attachment.
Efficiently Downdating, Composing and Splitting Singular Value Decompositions Preserving the Mean Information

Three methods for the efficient downdating, composition and splitting of low rank singular value decompositions are proposed. They are formulated in a closed form, considering the mean information and providing exact results. Although these methods are presented in the context of computer vision, they can be used in any field forgetting information, combining different eigenspaces in one or ignoring particular dimensions of the column space of the data. Application examples on face subspace learning and latent semantic analysis are given and performance results are provided.
Invariants of Families of Coplanar Conics and Their Applicationsto Object Recognition

This paper presents mutual invariants of families of coplanar conics. These invariants are compared with the use of invariants of two conics and a case is presented where the proposed invariants have a greater discriminating power than the previously used invariants. The use of invariants for two conics is extended to any number of coplanar conics. A lambda-matrix is associated with each family of coplanar conics. The use of lambda-matrices is extended from the single variable polynomial to multi-variable polynomials. The Segre characteristic and other invariants of the lambda-matrix are used as invariants of the family of conics.
On lifecycle constraints of artifact-centric workflows

Data plays a fundamental role in modeling and management of business processes and workflows. Among the recent "data-aware" workflow models, artifact-centric models are particularly interesting. (Business) artifacts are the key data entities that are used in workflows and can reflect both the business logic and the execution states of a running workflow. The notion of artifacts succinctly captures the fluidity aspect of data during workflow executions. However, much of the technical dimension concerning artifacts in workflows is not well understood. In this paper, we study a key concept of an artifact "lifecycle". In particular, we allow declarative specifications/constraints of artifact lifecycle in the spirit of DecSerFlow, and formulate the notion of lifecycle as the set of all possible paths an artifact can navigate through. We investigate two technical problems: (Compliance) does a given workflow (schema) contain only lifecycle allowed by a constraint? And (automated construction) from a given lifecycle specification (constraint), is it possible to construct a "compliant" workflow? The study is based on a new formal variant of artifact-centric workflow model called "ArtiNets" and two classes of lifecycle constraints named "regular" and "counting" constraints. We present a range of technical results concerning compliance and automated construction, including: (1) compliance is decidable when workflow is atomic or constraints are regular, (2) for each constraint, we can always construct a workflow that satisfies the constraint, and (3) sufficient conditions where atomic workflows can be constructed.
Noise characterization of mode-locked laser pulses using second harmonic generation

We report here a method to obtain the noise information on pulse width, intensity, cross-correlation of pulse width and intensity, and pulse timing jitter by comparing the noise power spectra of the fundamental and the second harmonic (SH) from a CW mode-locked laser source. The experimental results of the noise parameters of an active mode-locked Nd:LiYF/sub 4/ laser system are also presented.
Cortical-evoked responses in pyridoxine-deficient rats.

The effect of postweanling pyridoxine deficiency on central nervous system (CNS) function in rats has been studied. The latency of the visually evoked cortical response was employed as a measure of CNS reaction to stimulation in rats implanted with chronic electrodes. The deficient animals showed significant increases in the latency which were reversible by pyridoxine treatment. Data on pyridoxal-5'-phos- phate, the coenzyme form of pyridoxine, showed a depletion of about 50% in the brains from the deficient animals as compared with the controls. Since the structural matura tion of the brain is considered to be essentially complete at weaning in rats, the present data suggest that the effects of pyridoxine deficiency on the CNS need not be related to the critical preweanling period of development. J. Nutr. 103: 462-467, 1973.
Ancient sedimentary structures in the <3.7 Ga Gillespie Lake Member, Mars, that resemble macroscopic morphology, spatial associations, and temporal succession in terrestrial microbialites.

Abstract Sandstone beds of the <3.7 Ga Gillespie Lake Member on Mars have been interpreted as evidence of an ancient playa lake environment. On Earth, such environments have been sites of colonization by microbial mats from the early Archean to the present time. Terrestrial microbial mats in playa lake environments form microbialites known as microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS). On Mars, three lithofacies of the Gillespie Lake Member sandstone display centimeter- to meter-scale structures similar in macroscopic morphology to terrestrial MISS that include “erosional remnants and pockets,” “mat chips,” “roll-ups,” “desiccation cracks,” and “gas domes.” The microbially induced sedimentary-like structures identified in Curiosity rover mission images do not have a random distribution. Rather, they were found to be arranged in spatial associations and temporal successions that indicate they changed over time. On Earth, if such MISS occurred with this type of spatial association and temporal succes...
Competing or Collaborating Siblings? Industrial and Trade Policies in India

We investigate the link between industrial deregulation, trade reform and unit-level productivity using two unique microeconomic data sets from India. We use disaggregated data on the dismantling of the the "License Raj" in India (operating from the 1950s onwards) and find that removal of microeconomic constraints (that accompanied a license to produce) as well a rise in the threat of potential entry raised output per worker by 8.5%-17%. We also exploit the chronology of reforms in India and find that industries and firms that were de-licensed in the 1980s tend to perform better vis productivity after trade liberalization in 1991. We use an administrative requirement of the "Licensing Raj" to identify the impact of de-licensing - size-based exemption from licensing requirements. This institutional feature provides within industry variation as well as a specification test - we conduct the analysis for hypothetical thresholds (that is, we falsely assign firms to the treatment) and find that there is no size-based response to de-licensing around these artificial thresholds. We also create a psuedo-panel of firms and find that our results are robust to firm-fixed effects.
A theory for sedimentation in a turbulent fluid

A general theory for suspended sediments is developed. Expressions for the eddy diffusivity are arrived at in terms of nine parameters and the solution for the vertical concentration of the suspended particles is derived for the case of weak and strong turbulence; and it is shown how it can evolve to the well-known concentration of suspended particles.
ECONOMICS AND THE MODELING OF WATER RESOURCES AND POLICIES

Over the last 25 years, economic water policy models have evolved in concept, theoretical and technical methods, scope and application to address a host of water demand, supply, and management policy questions. There have been a number of theoretical and empirical advances over this period, particularly related to estimation of nonmarket, public good water-related values involving different methods of valuation. We discuss modeling advances including modeling multiple, competing demands, types of incentives and technologies and behavioral responses, incorporation of groundwater and other supply alternatives, integration of institutional factors, and increasing attention to system-wide impacts. The largest changes in hydroeconomic policy models have been the integration of the individual demand and supply components, inclusion of environmental values, incorporation of governance and institutional conditions (laws, regulations and policies), and expansion to river basin and even interposing scales of analysis. Important areas of future hydroeconomic model advances will be the use of genetic and neurological based algorithms for solving dynamic, stochastic problems, reconstruction of hydrological and economic relationships for remotely sensed data, and the expansion of models to understand and address transboundary water resource economic, hydrologic, environmental and institutional policy, and interdependencies.
A new process for thinned, back-illuminated CCD imager devices

A manufacturable process for converting a front-illuminated CCD imager to its back-illuminated counterpart is described. Low-light-level imaging is enhanced, especially in the blue and deep-ultraviolet region. Quantum efficiency is significantly improved by forming a shallow p/sup +/ accumulation layer on the back surface using a laser-induced activation of very-low-energy boron implantation. The fabrication process has been applied to 64-*128-, 420-*420-, and 420-*840-pixel imagers. An example of imaging obtained with the 420-*420-pixel imager is shown and discussed. Experimental results showing the enhanced response of the 64-*128-pixel imager are presented. >
THe analysis of beryllium and beryllium oxide—II: The determination of copper

Abstract A method is described for the determination of cobalt in beryllium or beryllium oxide by extraction of the cobalt thiocyanate complex with acetylacetone (2:4-pentanedione). The method is accurate to ±2% or 2 μg of cobalt, whichever is greater. Of the 68 elements investigated only manganese and chromium interfere in 10 mg amounts. No interference was observed when 1g of each had been removed by ion-exchange or volatilisation (of chromium only) before extraction.
Upconverting luminescent nanomaterials: application to in vivo bioimaging

In this report, the development of multi-channel anti-Stokes luminescent Y2O3nanoparticles for application to in vivo upconversion imaging is detailed.
Observer Perceptions of Would‐Be Provider and Would‐Be Recipient Reactions to Rejected Social Support1

Role-playing observers predicted the reactions of hypothetical would-be recipients whose requests for social support were unmet as well as those of hypothetical would-be providers for their rejection of such requests. The extent to which the would-be recipient was depicted at fault for the problem was predicted to affect perceived reactions since support may be less likely when potential recipients are blameworthy than when they are innocent of responsibility for their predicament. Observers perceived would-be recipients of support as believing that would-be providers blamed them. Observers saw would-be providers as blaming the would-be recipients rather than themselves, especially if the victim was blameworthy. When the victim was not blameworthy, would-be providers were more likely than would-be recipients to be judged to use a mixture of rationalizations and excuses rather than blame.
Halogen-substituted triarylpyrazoles: Potential estrogen receptor-alpha selective radiopharmaceuticals

Halogen-substituted analogs of a pyrazole ligand for the estrogen receptor have been synthesized. These analogs retain much of the affinity preference of the parent ligand for the estrogen receptor alpha subtype (ERα) vs the beta subtype (ERβ).
Reading, writing, and the rural

Abstract Multifarious changes have made it increasingly difficult to make sense of the rural. This paper reviews the attempts of a new volume entitled Writing the Rural to adapt to these circumstances. The approaches of the book's five authors vary widely and occasion friction and instability as often as they complement one another. David Matless investigates the rural as an object written and read about in a variety of ways, discerning themes of boundary, frontier, and meaning which concern not only the spatial aspects of the rural but also the historical. This palimpsest identity is explored further by Martin Phillips, who contextualizes the rural with regard to the interplay of public, private, official unofficial, and intermediate social spaces. His efforts to widen the analytical lens by doing so employ notions of claims to validity and the possibility of their evaluation found in the contentious but engaging perspectives on ‘communicative action’ developed by Jurgen Habermas. By contrast, Nigel Thrift's chapter concludes that insofar as boundaries between human, nature, and machine are increasingly transgressed, interpretation of the rural is challenged. Marcus Doel goes further, refusing the urge to consider analysis as capable of making any complete statement about the rural. Nonetheless, Paul Cloke insists on not discounting the multiplicity of cultural expectations and competences which ‘crisscross’ the exercise of power in rural Britain, autobiographically recognizing especially the psychosocial particularities of the scholar engaged in the production of an account of it.
Natural Synergy of Conferences and Journals

This PDF file contains the editorial “Natural Synergy of Conferences and Journals” for OE Vol. 53 Issue 12
Dufour's gland triglycerides from Anthophora, emphoropsis (Anthophoridae) and Megachile (Megachilidae) bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea).

Abstract 1. 1. Lipids secreted from the Dufour's glands of the bees Anthophora centriformis, Anthophora californica tarsata, Emphoropsis miserabilis, Megachile (Delomegachile) gemula, M. (Phaenosarus) fortis, M. (Argyropile) parallela , and M. (Melanosarus) xylocopoides primarily consist of short chain (C2–C20) fatty acid triglycerides. 2. 2. Nearly 95% of the triglycerides from Anthophora and Emphoropsis have one palmitoyl-, stearoyl- or arachidoyl moiety, plus two shorter acids (C2–C16). 3. 3. Virtually all triglycerides (98%) from the four Megachile species possess only short-chain fatty acids (C2–C16), often with one like pair of acids.
A market perspective of the HDTV interoperability standards questions

Some industry actions in connection with HDTV (high-definition television) standards are suggested. It is believed that the best practical course of action is to encourage vendors to work toward interoperability and extensibility to the maximum extent possible within the framework of their existing developments and on a voluntary basis. It is concluded that the United States is very fortunate in having achieved a lead in the development of digital compression systems, and that this lead should not be lost by striving for more standardization than the industries can agree upon within a reasonable time. >
Evolution of optical subassemblies in IBM data communication transceivers

Optical subassemblies (OSAs) are the highest-cost component of datacom transceivers, and therefore the component that is most constrained by production cost concerns. While transceiver costs have declined, operating rates have increased from 266 Mb/s to 10.3 Gb/s. Corresponding OSA designs, based on multimode fiber, have evolved incrementally through several generations, to 2.4 Gb/s. Costs have been lowered in successive generations by reducing the number of parts, material costs, and complexity of assembly, and by using lower-cost optoelectronic devices--vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). This paper traces the mechanical aspects of OSAs that have been developed and introduced into products or developed as demonstration projects.
A thermal-gradient block for the determination of temperature relationship in microorganisms

A thermal-gradient block is described which can be used to determine the maximum, optimum and minimum temperatures of growth of microorganisms. Methods are given for the use of this instrument, together with data pertaining to several yeasts.
Evaluation of solution procedures for material and/or geometrically nonlinear structural analysis by the direct stiffness method.

This paper presents an assessment of the solution procedures available for the analysis of inelastic and/or large deflection structural behavior. A literature survey is given which summarized the contribution of other researchers in the analysis of structural problems exhibiting material nonlinearities and combined geometric-material nonlinearities. Attention is focused at evaluating the available computation and solution techniques. Each of the solution techniques is developed from a common equation of equilibrium in terms of pseudo forces. The solution procedures are applied to circular plates and shells of revolution in an attempt to compare and evaluate each with respect to computational accuracy, economy, and efficiency. Based on the numerical studies, observations and comments are made with regard to the accuracy and economy of each solution technique.
Acquisition of instrumental responding following noncontingent reinforcement: Failure to observe “learned laziness” in rats

Two experiments examined the possibility that presenting hungry rats with noncontingent food would interfere with the acquisition of instrumental responding for food reward. In Experiment 1 groups of rats received 0, 1, 10, or 20 50-min sessions, during which Noyes pellets were presented noncontingently on a variable time (VT) 60-sec schedule, and were subsequently trained to barpress for food reward. All three groups that received noncontingent food acquired instrumental responding for food reward more rapidly than the 0-session controls, but there was no indication that 10 or 20 sessions of exposure to noncontingent food produced slower acquisition of the instrumental response than 1 session. In Experiment 2 two groups were exposed to 1 or 30 1-h sessions, with food delivered on a VT 60-sec schedule. A third group lived 24 h/day in operant chambers for 15 days; food was delivered noncontingently on a VT 6-min schedule throughout the day. The latter group was then given a single 1-h session in the test chamber with food delivered noncontingently on a VT 60-sec schedule. During tests of instrumental responding for food, all three groups acquired the barpress response at similar rates. The present experiments fail to confirm earlier reports that prior exposure to noncontingent food impairs subsequent acquisition of food-rewarded responding by rats.
Spectral characteristics of short-pulse amplifiers

Abstract The theory of short-pulse amplification presented by Frantz and Nodvik for homogeneously broadened media is extended to include broad spectral bandwidth input signals. The output intensity, energy gain and spectral narrowing of the amplified radiation pulse is studied. In the small and large signal regimes, approximate analytic expressions are obtained and compared with numerical results.
CONCENTRATION POLARIZATION ANALYSIS AT THE ENTRANCE REGION OF A FLAT SHEET PERVAPORATION MODULE FOR VOC REMOVAL

ABSTRACT Concentration polarization is a phenomenon that is inherent in all membrane separation processes, which is difficult if not impossible to measure experimentally. Concentration polarization in a pervaporation module causes flux decline and is therefore an important issue in predicting the performance of the membrane unit for evaluation and optimization. Short-form (small L/D ratio) membrane configurations, commonly used for membrane evaluations or certain material separations, compound the complexity of process modeling that addresses concentration polarization since a substantial portion of the membrane flow channel would be considered as an “entrance region” based on the flow profile that is not fully developed. This article employed the classic boundary layer theory, combined with mass transfer phenomena in a pervaporation process that is used in volatile organic compound (VOC) removal from contaminated water sources, to theoretically analyze the concentration polarization severity in the entra...
Inpatient insulin therapy

Abstract Background: Many diabetic, as well as nondiabetic, hospitalized patients develop hyperglycemia. Numerous studies have demonstrated that critically ill, as well as noncritically ill, hospitalized patients who develop hyperglycemia are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality. Objective: The objective of this article was to review the risks associated with hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients, the biologic rationale for using insulin to prevent increases in glucose levels, and strategies for managing hyperglycemia in the hospital setting. Methods: We conducted a computerized search of biomedical journal literature from MEDLINE, PubMed, and Ovid published from 1994 to March 2008. We reviewed English-language original and review articles found under the subject headings “hospitalization and insulin therapy,” “inpatient diabetes and complications,” and “insulin and inflammation.” Results: More than 200 references were found during the literature search. According to the literature, the adverse outcomes that are associated with hyperglycemia may be attributed to the inflammatory and pro-oxidant effects of elevated glucose levels. The use of insulin, which has anti-inflammatory, vasodilatory, and antioxidant properties as well as the ability to inhibit lipolysis and platelet aggregation, can prevent many of these adverse outcomes. Conclusions: Hospitals should have protocols in place for using insulin to treat and prevent hyperglycemia. Subcutaneous insulin may be used for both purposes in most noncritically ill patients, whereas intravenous infusion of insulin is preferred in critically ill patients.
Synthesis of long prebiotic oligomers on mineral surfaces

Most theories of the origin of biological organization assume that polymers with lengths in the range of 30-60 monomers are needed to make a genetic system viable. But it has not proved possible to synthesize plausibly prebiotic polymers this long by condensation in aqueous solution, because hydrolysis competes with polymerization. The potential of mineral surfaces to facilitate prebiotic polymerization was pointed out long ago. Here we describe a system that models prebiotic polymerization by the oligomerization of activated monomers -both nucleotides and amino acids. We find that whereas the reactions in solution produce only short oligomers (the longest typically being a 10-mer), the presence of mineral surfaces (montmorillonite for nucleotides, illite and hydroxylapatite for amino adds) induces the formation of oligomers up to 55 monomers long. These are formed by successive "feedings" with the monomers; polymerization takes place on the mineral surfaces in a manner akin to solid-phase synthesis of biopolymers.
Carbon and metals: a path to single-wall carbon nanotubes

Abstract Adding metals to carbon vapor leads to the formation of a rich variety of molecular structures. Examples include endohedral fullerenes, metallocarbohedrenes, metal–carbide nanocrystallites and perhaps most spectacularly, single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT). We discovered that pure carbon SWNT catalytically self-assemble when cobalt is co-vaporized with carbon in a fullerene generator. Third elements added to the metal and carbon can have important effects. Sulfur and bismuth can greatly increase the production efficiency of SWNT, leading to aggregation of SWNT into nanotube bundles or ropes, and can significantly extend the tube diameter distribution. Tubes larger than 5 nm were produced and S increased the mean tube diameter by ∼60%. A different type of ‘third atom’ effect was recently found at Virginia Tech: adding nitrogen to a scandium/carbon vapor leads to the formation of Sc 3 N@C 80 , a new type of endohedral fullerene. Erbium can substitute for any of the scandium atoms and we have measured the emission spectra and lifetimes of Er m Sc 3− m N@C 80 ( m =1–3). These were the first emission lifetime measurements reported for light coming from species trapped inside fullerenes.
Naive, Biased, yet Bayesian: Can Juries Interpret Selectively Produced Evidence?

In an idealized model of civil litigation, interested parties incur costs to produce statistical evidence. A subset of this evidence is then presented to a naive decisionmaker (e.g., a jury). The jury is naive in that it views evidence as a random sample when in fact the evidence is selectively produced. In addition to being naive, the jury is also biased by prior beliefs that it carries into the courtroom. In spite of the jury's naivete and biasedness, a full-information decision is reached as long as both litigants choose to produce evidence. Our results suggest that criticisms of the jury process based on jury bias or the jury's use of simple or heuristic rules may be overstated, and underscore the potential importance of competitively produced evidence in legal decision-making. Copyright 1996 by Oxford University Press.
Drospirenone: a novel progestin

Drospirenone is a novel progestin available in combined oral contraceptives and menopausal hormonal therapy. Similar to its parent compound spirolactone, an analog of spironolactone, drospirenone has antimineralocorticoid and antiandrogenic activity. Combined with ethinyl estradiol in oral contraceptive formulations, drospirenone-containing contraceptives have similar efficacy and safety profiles to other low-dose oral contraceptives, but seem to offer improved tolerability with regard to weight gain, mood changes, acne and treatment of a severe form of premenstrual syndrome called premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Combined with estradiol as a continuous hormone therapy regimen, the compound was shown to reduce vasomotor symptoms, maintain bone mass, have a beneficial effect on body weight and, more importantly, was shown to lower blood pressure in postmenopausal women.
Computer Technology: An Essential Component for Teaching a Fashion Production Management Course

This paper describes an innovative course wherein students and faculty collaborate to design, manufacture, manage, and sell organic cotton tote bags. Students remained responsible for the project from start to finish. Responsibilities included all aspects of product development from market research and design conceptualization to producing, promoting and selling the finished tote bag embellished with a heat transfer printed department logo. Moreover, the project required students to develop proficiency in multiple specific computer software programs to facilitate the product development process and ongoing management of promoting, distributing and selling the goods. With the development of fashion design and management skills and applications of computer technology, student projects were successfully executed. Based on positive student evaluations and profitable sales, the course was highly rated.
Conductivity tensor of field induced spin density waves

Abstract We calculate the conductivity tensor of field induced spin density waves (SDW) in Bechgaard salts within a model of quasi-two dimensional electrons interacting via the on-site Coulomb interaction. In the normal state our result reproduces an earlier result by Cooper et al. In the SDW we find that only σxx depends strongly on E the electric field, while σxy and σyy are independent of E. Furthermore we don't have contribution to σxy related to the quantized Hall term but σxy at low temperatures exhibits a steplike behavior as function of magnetic field with the step size comparable to 4e2h−1.
Bumpless Transfer Filter for Exogenous Feedforward Signals

This brief presents a bumpless transfer filter to attenuate signal magnitude bumps at transitions between exogenous feedforward (FF) signals in a feedback/FF control architecture. Importantly, this filter does not modify the carefully constructed exogenous FF signal at time indices away from a signal transition. Filter architecture, stability criteria, and performance considerations are detailed. An example application demonstrates filter efficacy with a piecewise iterative learning control scheme applied to a serial positioning robot. The bumpless transfer filter attenuates exogenous signal magnitude bumps at transitions between signal segments; a smoothed exogenous signal yields improved performance at transition locations and thereby decreases the 2-norm of the error signal by 12% on average.
A bilateral cortical network responds to pitch perturbations in speech feedback.

Abstract Auditory feedback is used to monitor and correct for errors in speech production, and one of the clearest demonstrations of this is the pitch perturbation reflex. During ongoing phonation, speakers respond rapidly to shifts of the pitch of their auditory feedback, altering their pitch production to oppose the direction of the applied pitch shift. In this study, we examine the timing of activity within a network of brain regions thought to be involved in mediating this behavior. To isolate auditory feedback processing relevant for motor control of speech, we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to compare neural responses to speech onset and to transient (400 ms) pitch feedback perturbations during speaking with responses to identical acoustic stimuli during passive listening. We found overlapping, but distinct bilateral cortical networks involved in monitoring speech onset and feedback alterations in ongoing speech. Responses to speech onset during speaking were suppressed in bilateral auditory and left ventral supramarginal gyrus/posterior superior temporal sulcus (vSMG/pSTS). In contrast, during pitch perturbations, activity was enhanced in bilateral vSMG/pSTS, bilateral premotor cortex, right primary auditory cortex, and left higher order auditory cortex. We also found speaking-induced delays in responses to both unaltered and altered speech in bilateral primary and secondary auditory regions, left vSMG/pSTS and right premotor cortex. The network dynamics reveal the cortical processing involved in both detecting the speech error and updating the motor plan to create the new pitch output. These results implicate vSMG/pSTS as critical in both monitoring auditory feedback and initiating rapid compensation to feedback errors.
Spontaneous Onset of Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia With High Grade Intranodal Block

A 45-year-old man with no significant medical history presented with exertional palpitations. A diagnostic electrophysiological study demonstrated a supraventricular tachycardia with a cycle length of 330 ms (180bpm), prominent electrical alternans, a short RP interval, and P-wave morphology consistent with retrograde atrial activation of the atrioventricular (AV) node (Figure 1). The mechanism of the tachycardia was determined to be AV nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) as proven by: (1) concentric retrograde atrial activation, (2) reproducible termination with ventricular premature extrastimuli not reaching the atrium, (3) no atrial advancement with delivery of premature ventricular …
Explorations of dynamic power processes within copreneurial couples

Abstract Recent researchers have called for a more detailed and nuanced investigation of the behavioral dynamics of an important family firm and entrepreneurial unit of analysis, the married copreneurial couple. In this study, we provide a rare examination of the dynamic power processes within copreneurial couples as a bridge between entrepreneurship and family firm research. Multiple methods, including self-reports, observational coding of team interviews, and analytic induction with team and individual interviews, found support for the importance of copreneurial power structures and interactions for business productivity. Rich field data illustrate the foundational role of an inclusive power structure. Moreover, findings suggest that copreneurial businesses where spouses are seen as equal partners engaging in collaborative power interactions are likely to result in a more productive business decision team that has the resilience to creatively solve important business problems. Several theory-building propositions for copreneurial couple power processes are proposed. Implications for copreneurial couples, entrepreneurial teams, family business consultants, and future research in power structure and power interaction dynamics are discussed.
Long-Term Clinical Outcome Analysis of Poly-Methyl-Methacrylate Cranioplasty for Large Skull Defects

Purpose The goal of secondary cranioplasty is permanent cerebral protection in an esthetically acceptable fashion. Reconstruction of cranial defects can be performed with several different materials. Alloplastic materials, such as preformed methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) cranioplasties, are an alternative frequently used at our institution. This retrospective analysis was designed to review the outcomes of PMMA cranioplasty for skull defect reconstruction. Materials and Methods Seventy consecutive patients who had 78 PMMA cranioplasties placed from 2003 through 2010 were identified. Mechanism of injury, location of cranioplasty, type of original repair, postoperative complications, and follow-up time were reviewed. Results Of the 70 patients, 6 patients had failure and removal of their original PMMA cranioplasty and reinsertion of another, and 2 patients had failure and removal of 2 cranioplasties with replacement of a third, creating a total of 78 PMMA cranioplasties placed. The predominant mechanism of injury was trauma (64%). The most frequent postoperative complication was infection (13%). With the exception of the 2 patients with implant exposure, no patients reported an unacceptable cosmetic result. An overall complication rate of 24% was seen. Conclusions The results of previous studies have shown that infection and complication rates of cranioplasties accomplished with bone cement are substantially higher, that titanium-based implants may obscure follow-up imaging for tumor patients, and that the outcomes regarding hydroxyapatite-based ceramics, although similar to PMMA, are associated with a much higher cost. PMMA remains a cost-effective and proven method to repair cranial defects that fulfills the goals of cranial reconstruction for skull defects.
Useful extremum principle for the variational calculation of matrix elements

Variational principles are considered for the approximate evaluation of the diagonal matrix elements of an arbitrary known linear Hermitian operator. A method is derived that is immediately applicable to the variational determination of both the off-diagonal and diagonal matrix elements of normal and modified Green's functions.
Regular coal structure and conversion severity

Abstract In two separate coal conversion studies, one dealing with CO-water conversions of Illinois No. 6 coal, and the other with H2S addition to conventional tetralin conversions of the lower-rank Wyodak 2, data have been collected over a range of conversion levels. For both studies the degrees of conversion were increased by increasing the reducing power of the medium, while the conversion temperature was kept constant at 400 °C for all runs. The conversion levels for the CO-water runs ranged from 29 to 60%, while the tetralin-H2S runs yielded conversions from 44 to 67%. Sequential elution solvent chromatography and field ionization mass spectrometry were used for analyses of toluene-soluble fractions from the CO-water runs and THF-soluble fractions from the H2S-tetralin runs, respectively. The analyses showed that the fraction compositions remained constant with increasing degrees of conversion. This finding suggests that there may be some gross regularity in the structure of coal. Moreover, the results here are in contrast to work reported earlier, in which increased conversion levels, reached through greater conversion temperatures, yielded products with successively increased condensation and aromatization. It is thus suggested that severity be considered in terms of two components. Thermal severity reflects the temperature/time component of conversion chemistry, and derives from simple Arrhenius behaviour of competing reactions, while reduction severity reflects only on the reducing power of the system.
The real maccoyii: identifying tuna sushi with DNA barcodes--contrasting characteristic attributes and genetic distances.

Background The use of DNA barcodes for the identification of described species is one of the least controversial and most promising applications of barcoding. There is no consensus, however, as to what constitutes an appropriate identification standard and most barcoding efforts simply attempt to pair a query sequence with reference sequences and deem identification successful if it falls within the bounds of some pre-established cutoffs using genetic distance. Since the Renaissance, however, most biological classification schemes have relied on the use of diagnostic characters to identify and place species. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we developed a cytochrome c oxidase subunit I character-based key for the identification of all tuna species of the genus Thunnus, and compared its performance with distance-based measures for identification of 68 samples of tuna sushi purchased from 31 restaurants in Manhattan (New York City) and Denver, Colorado. Both the character-based key and GenBank BLAST successfully identified 100% of the tuna samples, while the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) as well as genetic distance thresholds, and neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree building performed poorly in terms of species identification. A piece of tuna sushi has the potential to be an endangered species, a fraud, or a health hazard. All three of these cases were uncovered in this study. Nineteen restaurant establishments were unable to clarify or misrepresented what species they sold. Five out of nine samples sold as a variant of “white tuna” were not albacore (T. alalunga), but escolar (Lepidocybium flavorunneum), a gempylid species banned for sale in Italy and Japan due to health concerns. Nineteen samples were northern bluefin tuna (T. thynnus) or the critically endangered southern bluefin tuna (T. maccoyii), though nine restaurants that sold these species did not state these species on their menus. Conclusions/Significance The Convention on International Trade Endangered Species (CITES) requires that listed species must be identifiable in trade. This research fulfills this requirement for tuna, and supports the nomination of northern bluefin tuna for CITES listing in 2010.
Use of Extended Criteria Livers Decreases Wait Time for Liver Transplantation Without Adversely Impacting Posttransplant Survival

Introduction: The use of extended criteria donors (ECDs) could minimize shortage of suitable donor livers for transplantation. In 3 years, the aggressive use of ECD livers has reduced the wait list at our center from 257 to 30 patients with a median wait time of 18 days without using living donors. This study compares the graft/ patient survival from standard (SD) and ECD for our transplant population between 2001 and 2005. Methods: Records of all adult liver transplant recipients over 4 years were reviewed (n = 571). ECD criteria included: age >59 years, BMI >34.9, maximum AST/ALT >500, maximum bilirubin >2.0, peak serum sodium >170, HBV/HCV/HTLV reactive, donation after cardiac death, cold ischemia time > 12 hours, ICU stay >5 days, 3 or more pressors simultaneously, extensive alcohol abuse, cancer history (nonskin), active meningitis/bacteremia, or significant donor liver trauma. Outcomes included graft and patient survival at 90 days, 1 year, and 2 years. Results: Sixty-eight percent of recipients (n = 388) received ECD livers. Primary factors accounting for ECD-liver status included: elevated liver function tests (20%), hypernatremia (12.6%), and extensive alcohol abuse (11.4%). Graft survival was (SD, ECD): 90-day 91%, 88%; 1-year 84%, 80%; 2-year 78%, 77%; patient survival was: 90-day 93%, 90%; 1-year 87%, 82%; 2-year 83%, 79%. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis failed to demonstrate an overall difference in graft or patient survival at any time point. Only donor age >60 years was associated with decreased graft and patient survival. Conclusions: Liver grafts from ECD can be used to dramatically reduce wait list time with outcomes comparable to those for SD without resorting to living donor liver transplantation.
Directly estimated adaptive detectors for code-division multiple-access signals

This paper presents adaptive multiuser detectors for code-division multiple-access (CDMA) signals in wireless communication systems. Directly estimated adaptive (DEA) detectors are developed by formulating CDMA detection as an inverse problem in the presence of channel-induced interference and noise. The detector parameters are computed by a fully sequential adaptive algorithm that requires no matrix inversion, and can be implemented online as the data arrive at the receiver. The proposed DEA detector is experimentally evaluated in terms of its robustness to noise, resistance to the near-far problem, and ability to handle multipath fading signals. This experimental study indicates that the proposed DEA detector requires shorter training sequences of bits to achieve the performance levels attained by existing adaptive implementations of the minimum mean-square error detector.
Who Says? Authority, Voice, and Authorship in Narratives of Planning Research:

Recent developments in communicative planning theory and participatory research methods emphasize collaboration between researcher and research subject in the process of knowledge production. We ask how the ideal of collaboration that is integral to the process of data collection extends to the authorial phase of planning narratives and we identify ethical, pragmatic, and substantive justifications for collaborative authorship. The multidisciplinary literature on the city reveals a variety of approaches to authorship including empathetic evocation, selective deployment, dialogic collaboration, and uninterpreted transcription. More successful collaboration might require the avoidance of abstraction, an emphasis on contextualization and intersubjectivity, and a reimagining of social science from inquiry to conversation. Language: en
In Situ Estimation of Transport Parameters: A Field Demonstration

Linear sorption coefficients and first-order biotransformation rates for para-dichlorobenzene (pDCB) and naphthalene are fit to data from a three-well forced-gradient (injection-production) field test performed at the site of an abandoned creosoting facility in Conroe, Texas. The breakthrough curve of an injected inert tracer, chloride, is used to describe the hydraulics of the field test. Along each streamline, the movement of a reactive solute is described by a one-dimensional transport equation. The hydraulic and streamline transport models are coupled through a combination integral, the evaluation of which yields the effluent concentration (at the production well) of that reactive solute as a function of time. Transport parameters for the field site, sorption coefficients and biotransformation rates for pDCB and naphthalene, are obtained through inverse analysis of effluent data obtained at one of the production wells. The method is formulated such that no formal treatment of dispersion is required.
An inverse dynamics approach to trajectory optimization and guidance for an aerospace plane

The optimal ascent problem for an aerospace planes is formulated as an optimal inverse dynamic problem. Both minimum-fuel and minimax type of performance indices are considered. Some important features of the optimal trajectory and controls are used to construct a nonlinear feedback midcourse controller, which not only greatly simplifies the difficult constrained optimization problem and yields improved solutions, but is also suited for onboard implementation. Robust ascent guidance is obtained by using combination of feedback compensation and onboard generation of control through the inverse dynamics approach. Accurate orbital insertion can be achieved with near-optimal control of the rocket through inverse dynamics even in the presence of disturbances.
Rhetoric, reality, and mass media

The mass media's capacity to create reality senes as the stimuli for rhetorical responses. Two categories of rhetorical activity are directly attributable to the influence of mass media: (1) that exacted by defects and problems in reality as it is created and shaped by media and (2) that exacted by sheer awareness on the part of the spokesmen and audiences that reality can be persuasively shaped, maintained, or altered by media. Each category of response poses special problems and dangers important to critics concerned with the functions of rhetoric and media.
A Strong Test of Exposure Effects

Abstract A strong test of exposure effects was made by eliminating confounding demand characteristics through the use of a between-subject design. Each subject viewed novel stimuli at a single frequency level, and then rated them on several affective scales. Frequency of stimulus exposure was systematically varied across subjects. Stimuli were rated more positively with increasing exposure, despite the fact that subjects were unaware of any differences in exposure frequencies, and clearly unable to identify the experimental hypothesis. An awareness of the relationship between repeated exposure and affect was thus shown to be an unnecessary condition for the occurrence of exposure effects.