cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sub-2-ps, Static Phase Error Calibration Technique Incorporating Measurement Uncertainty Cancellation for Multi-Gigahertz Time-Interleaved T/H Circuits

A foreground digital calibration method is presented that calibrates the timing offsets between the multiple T/H (track/hold) circuits of time-interleaved analog-to-digital converters and multi-phase serial links. Two quantizer-based phase detectors sample the outputs of adjacent track/hold circuits, detecting any phase offsets arising from process mismatches in both the timing verniers and the T/H switches, and store the resulting digital decisions in histogram counters. Measurement inaccuracies resulting from quantizer offset are averaged away statistically by a round-robin rotation of the dual samplers, compensating for comparator imprecision. Built in a 90-nm CMOS process, the proposed calibration technique, after three iterations of both the phase measurement and subsequent timing vernier adjustment, reduces the static phase offset of each channel to less than ±0.5 ps in an 8-channel, 8 GS/s time-interleaved system. Further measurements using a T/H circuit as a down-conversion mixer confirm a residual phase error of less than ±2 ps.
UNRAVELING THE ECONOMIC PARADOX OF FEMALE‐HEADED HOUSEHOLDS IN MEXICO: The Role of Family Networks

An extensive amount of research has shown that female-headed households are among the most disadvantaged in the United States. By contrast, households headed by single mothers in Mexico have median...
Nonuniversal behavior of the susceptibility in random dipolar uniaxial ferromagnets

Abstract Under certain conditions, the temperature dependence of the susceptibility in the critical region for a random dipolar uniaxial ferromagnet is characterized by concentration dependent effective exponents.
Interference From a Hand Held Radiofrequency Remote Control Causing Discharge of an Implantahle Defibrillator

A 46-year-old man with a history of sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia underwent an implantation of a third generation multiprogrammable implantable cardioverter defibrillator. One year post implant, while manipulating a remote control to a radiofrequency modulated toy car, the patient experienced a defibrillator discharge not preceded by an arrhythmia prodrome. Subsequent interrogation of the defibrillator revealed that a 34-ioule shock had been delivered and had been preceded by RR intervals ranging from 141–406 msec, consistent with sensing lead noise. The remote control utilizes a 12-volt battery and has a carrier frequency of 75.95 MHz and a modulating frequency of 50 Hz. Evaluation of the remote control and de/ibrillator interaction revealed that the remote control was able to trigger tachyarrhythmia sensing and reproduce the clinical episode. Interference was present only when the remote control was within 8 cm of the pulse generator and at specific angles relative to the device and only when the antenna length was > 45 cm. Interference was eliminated when a ground wire was attached to the antenna and when an aluminium shield was placed between the pulse generator and the remote control. This case report suggests that patients with third generation multiprogrammable defibrillators should be cautioned against close contact with potential sources of electromagnetic interference, such as remote control units.
iDiff: Interaction-based program differencing tool

When a software system evolves, its program entities such as classes/methods are also changed. System comprehension, maintenance, and other tasks require the detection of the changed entities between two versions. However, existing differencing tools are file-based and cannot handle well the common cases in which the methods/classes are reordered/moved or even renamed/modified. Moreover, many tools show the program changes at the text line level. In this demo, we present iDiff, a program differencing tool that is able to display the changes to classes/methods between two versions and to track the corresponding classes/methods even they were reordered/moved/renamed and/or modified. The key idea is that during software evolution, an entity could change its location, name, order, and even its internal implementation. However, its interaction with other entities would be more stable. iDiff represents a system at a version as an attributed graph, in which the nodes represent program entities, the edges represent the interactions between the nodes. Entities between two versions are matched via an incremental matching algorithm, which takes into account the similarity of interactions for matching. The differences of two versions of the entire system including its program entities are detected based on the matched entities.
Server-side script polumorphism: Techniques of analysis and defense

It is said that more than 50% of web-based malware originates in malicious IFRAME injection attacks. But what is behind those pesky URLs? A while back, it was an easy task to find out - the code behind it was plain or just slightly obfuscated. Lately though, script encryption routines have become more and more elegant and sophisticated. As attackers deploy exploits for a wide range of vulnerable components, it becomes not only an issue of evading security products, but also a way of protecting intellectual property (0-day vulnerabilities are a ldquovaluablerdquo asset).
INDUSTRY-GOVERNMENT-ACADEMIC COOPERATION: POSSIBLE BENEFITS FOR GEOGRAPHY

Some current developments outside of academe and their relationship to geography are presented; comments are based on experience from a three year National Science Foundation Faculty Fellowship. Suggestions for improving our educational efforts are discussed, including new roles for the AAG, changes in teaching methods, establishment of advisory boards, and closer ties with industry and government.
RNA Chaperones Exist and DEAD Box Proteins Get a Life

The RNA chaperone hypothesis suggests the existence of proteins that resolve misfolded RNA structures in vivo. A recent study (Mohr et al., 2002) has found an RNA-dependent ATPase that functions in this manner.
The Optimization Plastic Coefficient in AWC Research and Application

Aimed at the main factors of hot rolled strip steel product width fluctuation, rolled piece is put forward to plasticity coefficient and entrance width as the input variables of feedforward AWC control algorithm.Expounds a kind of optimization of plasticity coefficient Q feedforward AWC control system principle and plasticity coefficient Q of linear prediction algorithm.Field application shows that the Q prediction feedforward AWC has significant effect on inhibition of hot rolled strip width deviation.
Offshore Wind Resource Assessment in Rhode Island Waters

The validity and accuracy of the Weibull distribution to represent wind speed distributions and estimate the wind power resource is assessed for Southern New England coastal waters. Excellent agreement is found between Weibull-derived and measured mean power resource estimates, confirming the validity of the two-parameter Weibull distribution in the study area. The mean power resource and its spatial variability are assessed and mapped in terms of theoretical and technical power estimates. Finally, a sensitivity study is performed to assess the impact on power estimates at hub height of a hypothetical wind turbine, of uncertainties of three main controlling factors : (1) mean wind speed, (2) Weibull shape parameter, and (3) shear coefficient of the lower atmospheric boundary layer. Results are presented in terms of expected mean theoretical and technical power, and confidence interval, at a hypothetical 110 meters hub height, on a high resolution grid (10 arc-seconds) based on stochastic estimations.
Distributed manufacturing support systems : the integration of distributed group support systems with manufacturing support systems

Current Manufacturing Support Systems (MSS), such as Computer-aided Manufacturing (CAM) Systems, Computer-aided Design (CAD) Systems, Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) Systems, Material Resource Planning (MRP) Systems, and Manufacturing Accounting Control (MAC) Systems, are mostly independent systems that are operated in limited decision spaces, provide mainly formal and quantitative information, and thus pursue a goal of local optimization. To assist modern manufacturing in meeting the needs for integration, communication, collaboration, and decision making, we introduce the concept of integrating MSS with Distributed Group Support System (DGSS) into a Distributed Manufacturing Support System (DMSS). A rigorous system design approach is taken to model the manufacturing information requirements from a global perspective and pattern decision making processes within the structural (organizational design) and infrastructural (information system design) elements of manufacturing. The result is a conceptual DMSS design that provides an intelligent interface, accommodates incremental manufacturing integration, offers controllable message exchange facilities, and allows configurable communication networks.
Reduction of functional disability with atypical antipsychotic treatment: a randomized long term comparison of ziprasidone and haloperidol.

Abstract Background Recent interest has focused on the definition and measurement of clinical remission in people with schizophrenia. This study examined the process of development of “functional remission” in a long-term comparative double-blind study of haloperidol and the atypical antipsychotic medication ziprasidone. Methods Community dwelling patients with schizophrenia were randomized to treatment with haloperidol (n = 47) or ziprasidone dosed either once or twice daily (n = 139). They were re-examined at follow-up intervals that ranged up to 196 weeks. Their community functioning was examined with the Heinrichs-Carpenter Quality of Life Scale (QLS). Total scores for occupational and interpersonal functioning and achievement of improvement milestones across the individual items were both analyzed. Results Mixed model repeated measures analyses detected a significant (p Implications Long term treatment with ziprasidone was associated with greater functional gains than treatment with haloperidol, even when the time course of dropout was controlled. Both treatment retention and functional gains favored the atypical treatment in this long-term study. Future long-term studies will be needed to clarify the determinants of these functional changes.
MACROSCOPIC DESCRIPTION OF INTERFACE MIGRATION BY LEDGE AND KINK MOTION CONTROLLED BY VOLUME DIFFUSION

A macroscopic description is developed of the diffusion-limited migration of an interface on which only certain preferred interface sites(e.g., kinks or ledges) serve as diffusion sinks. The interface is assumed to be macroscopically flat and is represented by a mathematical plane, ∑. The description is developed by (1) deriving a one-dimensional diffusion equation forc, the concentration averaged over planes parallel to ∑, (2) establishing a macroscopic boundary condition relatingc to the normal gradient ofc at ∑ in terms of the interface structure(i.e., sink site distribution), and (3) evaluating the boundary condition, in the limit of very low super-saturation, for several idealized models of ledged or kinked interfaces. Two types of growth problems are then treated in the low supersaturation limit: a macrosteady-state problem, in which the interface grows into a finite slab of matrix in which the gradient of c is approximately uniform, and a time-dependent problem, in which an interface of fixed structure advances into a semi-infinite slab of uniform initial concentration. The results are compared to computer simulations and to previous work. Possible extensions of the approach to nonplanar interfaces are discussed.
Outcomes of transplantation with partial T-cell depletion of matched or mismatched unrelated or partially matched related donor bone marrow in children and adolescents with leukemias

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a major barrier to successful hematopoietic stem cell transplant for patients who lack a matched related donor. Partial T-cell depletion (TCD) of the graft may decrease the risk of severe GVHD with unrelated donors (URD) and partially matched related donors (PMRD) while retaining an antileukemic effect. We analyzed our experience using URD and PMRD for pediatric patients with leukemias from 1990 to 2001. A subgroup of 'matched' URD donor pairs was retrospectively analyzed for high-resolution class I. Partial TCD was accomplished with monoclonal antibody T10B9 or OKT3 and complement. There were 76 URD (45% matched) and 28 PMRD recipients. Event-free survival (EFS) was 38.3%, and overall survival (OS) 45.1% at 3 years. On multivariate analysis, there was no difference in survival based upon marrow source, but nonrelapse mortality was higher with the use of PMRD. Relapse occurred in 6% of ALL patients, and 22.8% of AML/MDS patients. Grades III-IV GVHD was observed in only 6.7% of patients. Partial TCD allows use of matched or mismatched URD, or PMRD with little mortality from GVHD, durable engraftment, and no increase in relapse risk.
Triplets Contribute to Both an Increase and Loss in Fluorescent Yield in Organic Light Emitting Diodes

Nonradiative triplets in fluorescent organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) can lead to increased efficiency through triplet-triplet annihilation, or to decreased efficiency due to singlet-triplet annihilation. We study the tradeoff between the two processes from the electroluminescence transients of an OLED comprising a tetraphenyldibenzoperiflanthene (DBP) doped rubrene emissive layer, whose emission spectrum peaks at a wavelength of 610 nm. The electroluminescent transients in the current density range, 4 mA/cm(2)<J<57 A/cm(2), are modeled based on singlet and triplet density dynamics. Our analysis shows that triplets positively contribute to the OLED efficiency at J<2.2 A/cm(2), while decreasing the efficiency at higher J. The high OLED peak external quantum efficiency of 6.7% and rapid efficiency roll-off with J are quantitatively explained by the tradeoff between triplet-triplet and singlet-triplet annihilation. The model suggests optimal materials properties needed for achieving high efficiency at high brightness in fluorescent OLEDs.
REACTIONS OF URANIUM-238 WITH CARBON IONS

The excitation functions for some reactions of ${\mathrm{U}}^{238}$ with monoenergetic ${\mathrm{C}}^{12}$ ions have been measured by use of the stacked-foil technique. The (C, $4n$) and (C, $6n$) reactions were found to occur through the formation of a compound nucleus followed by neutron evaporation. The results were consistent with calculations made by a modified Jackson-type treatment. Application of the information from the ${\mathrm{U}}^{238}(\mathrm{C}, xn)$ reactions to the calculation of cross sections for the ${\mathrm{Pu}}^{242}(\mathrm{C}, 4n){\mathrm{Fm}}^{250}$ reaction was found to give agreement with experimental results.The (C, $\ensuremath{\alpha}4n$) reaction probably proceeds mainly by a stripping mechanism, but there is also an indication of evaporation of alpha particles from a compound system.
Genetic determinants of vascular remodelling.

Vascular remodelling is an important physiological mechanism that occurs as a result of changes in hemodynamics, and is a pathological process that plays a major role in the clinical manifestations of cardiovascular diseases. Using a mouse model, it was recently established that vascular remodelling is partially based on ligation of the carotid. In this model, low flow was associated with intima media thickening (IMT). IMT is a major manifestation of atherosclerosis of the carotid artery, and it is an important predictor of cardiovascular events. Carotid IMT has a strong genetic component. It was hypothesized that there would be genetically determined differences in outward remodelling and IMT induced by carotid flow alterations. Vascular remodelling among five inbred strains of mice were compared. Despite similar changes in flow in the left carotid among the strains, dramatic differences in remodelling of the partially ligated left carotid relative to control were observed. IMT correlated significantly with heart rate, outward remodelling and changes in plasminogen activator expression, cell proliferation and apoptosis. There were significant straindependent differences in the remodelling index (measured as the ratio of vessel area to IMT), which suggest fundamental alterations in sensing or transducing hemodynamic signals among strains. This model should be useful to identify and characterize the role of genes that mediate vascular remodelling.
Re)Presentation and Voice

This article considers the accessibility of language in scholarly work and discusses what makes a work boring and what the implications are for those who have a broad range of inquiry. In particular, the author discusses the development of the text in qualitative research and the struggles authors face as qualitative researchers. The author first considers the role of the author in the text and he then takes up the issue of readership. He subsequently discusses the relationship between the researched and the researcher and offers avenues for further consideration.
Subcellular localization of immunoreactive dynorphin and vasopressin in rat pituitary and hypothalmus

Abstract Dynorphin is found mainly in the particulate fraction of rat pituitary gland and hypothalamus homogenates. Dynorphin-like immunoreactivity (DYN-LI) from neurointermediate lobe (NIL) homogenates migrates at the same rate as vasopressin-like immunoreactivity (AVP-LI), in sucrose density gradients, whereas DYN-LI from the hypothalamus appears to migrate principally in a less dense region of the gradient. This suggests that dynorphin and vasopressin from pituitary are present in organelles of similar size and density, while the bulk of the dynorphin in the hypothalamus appears to be stored in a different subcellular organelle. Anterior lobe (AL) dynorphin appears to migrate in two separate bands on density gradients: the less dense band (slower) migrates at a similar rate to that of dynorphin and vasopressin from NIL. When α-neo-endorphin was measured in sucrose gradients of NIL and hypothalamus, it was found to co-migrate with DYN-LI.
The role of viruses in the development of ocular tumors.

Abstract The role of viruses as a cause of human cancer has been investigated by a variety of techniques in recent years. While no definitive answer exists at present, several lines of evidence indicating a viral role in human tumors are reviewed. These include the well-documented role of viruses in causing animal tumors; evidence for an association of certain viruses with human tumors; and virally induced animal models of human tumors, melanoma, retinobla~toma, and ocular malignant melanoma.
DIRECT REFERENCE AND ASCRIPTIONS OF BELIEF

It is often supposed that demonstratives and indexicals are devices of direct reference that they are, as David Kaplan puts it, terms which "refer directly without the mediation of a Fregean Sinn [or individual concept, set of properties, etc.] as meaning."" Most of the resistance to this view, I think, arises from the suspicion that it is not possible to give an acceptable treatment of the semantics of belief ascriptions and other so-called propositional attitude contexts which is consistent with the thesis of direct reference. For it seems that a straightforward construal of the thesis (along with some plausible semantical assumptions) requires that demonstratives, when co-referential, be intersubstitutable everywhere, even in belief contexts, salva veritate. But many feel that it is obvious that such substitutions do not always preserve truth. The purpose of this paper is to motivate and present a semantics for a first-order treatment of belief ascriptions which is both consistent with the thesis of direct reference and intuitively satisfactory. The paper is structured as follows: In Section I, I discuss semantical consequences of the thesis of direct reference in particular, what it does and does not require with respect to the overall form of a semantical treatment of belief ascriptions. I also discuss a view about belief, championed by Kaplan and John Perry, which I call the triadic view of belief. Crudely put, it is the view that belief is a triadic relation among a person, a proposition, and a sentential meaning, the latter entity a different sort of thing than a proposition. On this view, to believe a proposition is to do so 'under' a sentential meaning. The champions of the triadic view of belief have shied away from using the view to motivate a semantic account of belief ascriptions.2 But the triadic view of belief suggests, as I note at the end of Section I, that ascriptions of belief not only imply that a proposition is an object of belief, but that it is believed in a certain way. The purpose of Sections II and III of the paper is to show that an account of belief ascriptions, on which they behave in just this way, can be formalized rather easily, and that it nicely handles certain cases which, at first blush, seem quite problematic for those who
Selection of optimal management strategies based on stochastic dynamic ecological models

Abstract Ecological models can be evaluated by their impact on natural resource management strategies selected with optimization models. Stochastic dynamic programming (DP) provides an extremely versatile solution procedure for a wide range of optimization problems and a convenient way of expressing system dynamics. However, many practical problems are too large to solve readily as stochastic DP problems. In addition, the actual solutions found by stochastic DP may not be appreciably different than those of simpler techniques. This paper examines some classes of problems where the use of serialized (or dynamic) linear programming (LP) or deterministic DP, updated at intervals as new information becomes available, and will give results that are equally as useful as those generated by stochastic DP. In general, these are problems where the system dynamics can be treated as linear-in-a-neighborhood, statistical errors are not strongly skewed, and the prediction or model error is high in relation to the measurement error. The result in these cases will be a strategy developed from serialized (or dynamic) LP or deterinistic DP that will be the same over the viable life of the strategy as that which would result from stochastic DP.
Preparation and properties of crystalline and amorphous vanadium pentoxide

Abstract A special technique has been developed for the preparation of single crystals of vanadium pentoxide having dimensions of 5 cm × 5 cm × 0.5 cm. Amorphous films of V 2 O 5 have also been prepared by vapor deposition. The expansion coefficient, density and electrical resistivity of these phases have been measured.
Volcanic geology and eruption frequency, São Miguel, Azores

Six volcanic zones comprise Sao Miguel, the largest island in the Azores. All are Quaternary in age except the last, which is partly Pliocene. From west to east the zones are (1) the trachyte stratovolcano of Sete Cidades, (2) a field of alkali-basalt cinder cones and lava flows with minor trachyte, (3) the trachyte stratovolcano of Agua de Pau, (4) a field of alkali-basalt cinder cones and lava flows with minor trachyte and tristanite, (5) the trachyte stratovolcano of Furnas, and (6) the Nordeste shield, which includes the Povoacao caldera and consists of alkali basalt, tristanite, and trachyte. New radiocarbon and K-Ar ages augment stratigraphic data obtained during recent geologic mapping of the entire island and provide improved data to interpret eruption frequency. Average dormant intervals for the past approximately 3000 years in the areas active during that time are about 400 years for Sete Cidades, 145 for zone 2, 1150 for Agua de Pau, and 370 for Furnas. However, the average dormant interval at Sete Cidades increased from 400 to about 680 years before each of the past two eruptions, and the interval at Furnas decreased from 370 to about 195 years before each of the past four eruptions. Eruptions in zone 4 occurred about once every 1000 years during latest Pleistocene and early Holocene time; none has occurred for about 3000 years. The Povoacao caldera truncates part of the Nordeste shield and probably formed during the middle to late Pleistocene. Calderas formed during latest Pleistocene time at the three younger stratovolcanoes in the sequence: outer Agua de Pau (between 46 and 26.5 ka), Sete Cidades (about 22 ka), inner Agua de Pau (15.2 ka), and Furnas (about 12 ka). Normal faults are common, but many are buried by Holocene trachyte pumice. Most faults trend northwest or west-northwest and are related to the Terceira rift, whose most active segment on Sao Miguel passes through Sete Cidades and zone 2. A major normal fault displaces Nordeste lavas 150–250 m and may mark the location of an ancestral Terceira rift. Recent seismicity (e.g., in the 1980s) generally has been scattered, but some small earthquake swarms have occurred beneath the north-eastern flank of Agua de Pau.
Cell cycle-specific effects of sodium arsenite and hyperthermic exposure on incorporation of radioactive leucine and phosphate by stress proteins from mouse lymphoma cell nuclei

Abstract Cultured mouse lymphoma cells incorporated [ 3 H]leucine and [ 32 P]phosphate into nuclear stress proteins within 3 h after exposure to either elevated temperature (45°C) or sodium arsenite. Radiolabeled proteins were detected by autoradiography after two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. To determine the cell cycle stage specificity of labeling, nuclei were isolated and sorted into two cell cycle phases using a fluorescent activated cell sorter. After either heat shock or sodium arsenite treatment, the majority of [ 3 H]leucine incorporation into stress proteins occurred during the G 0 + G 1 phase with minimal labeling in the G 2 phase. On the other hand, 32 P labeling of stress proteins occurred in both the G 0 + G 1 and G 2 phases after exposure to sodium arsenite, while incorporation of 32 P was limited after heat stress. Following sodium arsenite treatment, a distinct set of four stress proteins (80–84 kDa) was detected with [ 3 H]leucine only in G 0 + G 1 phase, but with [ 32 P]phosphate these stress proteins were labeled in both G 0 + G 1 and G 2 . There was differential [ 32 P]phosphate labeling between proteins of the 80–84 kDa set during cell cycling. Individual proteins of this set were isolated from gel plugs after sodium arsenite or heat-shock treatment. Coelectrophoresis of proteins from the two treatment groups showed that they had similar electrophoretic mobilities. All four proteins of the 80–84 kDa set (sodium arsenite induced) possessed similar polypeptide maps after digestion with V8 protease. Cytofluorometric analysis demonstrated a reduction in the number of nuclei in both S and G 2 phases of the cell cycle two h after heat shock, but not following sodium arsenite treatment. However, there was a significant depression in the number of nuclei in S and G 2 4 h after exposure to sodium arsenite and very modest labeling with 32 P of stress proteins was observed at this time.
The effect of specimen geometry and lateral constraint on the isothermal compressibility of low-strength polymeric materials

Significant errors can be present in the isothermal pressure-volume relationships that have been obtained from laterally constrained compression tests of low-strength polymeric materials. Laterally constrained compression tests on PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) have shown these errors to result from (1) stress gradients in the specimen caused by constraint friction and (2) unknown volume changes resulting from extrusion of the test specimen. Test-specimen geometry was an important parameter.
Sperm nuclear dispersion coordinate with meiotic maturation in fertilized Spisula solidissima eggs

Abstract Investigations were carried out with fertilized Spisula solidissima eggs, in which changes in incorporated sperm nuclei were determined by measurement of the diameter of dispersing paternal chromatin. Results of such an analysis demonstrated that sperm nuclear dispersion does not proceed at a constant rate and consists of four phases (1–4), coordinate with major changes in the status of the maternal chromatin. (1) The first phase was a short lag period prior to germinal vesicle breakdown in which the size of the sperm nucleus increased only slightly. (2) This was followed by a rapid dispersion of the sperm nucleus coordinate with germinal vesicle breakdown. With the development of the first meiotic spindle, sperm chromatin dispersion slowed dramatically; this phase (3) lasted until the completion of the meiotic divisions at which time the sperm chromatin underwent a second rapid increase in size (4) that was correlated with development of the female pronucleus. When zygotes were treated with agents that inhibited germinal vesicle breakdown (verapamil, sodium-free seawater, and chloroquine), sperm nuclear dispersion did not occur. Evidence is presented indicating that nucleocytoplasmic interactions coincident with germinal vesicle breakdown induce sperm nuclear dispersion in Spisula zygotes.
Optical transitions, XPS, electronic states in NiPS3

Abstract We have measured the optical absorption below the fundamental threshold, the normal-incidence reflectivity between 1.5 and 30 eV and the X-ray photoemission spectra of NiPS3. Shake-up satellites present at the Ni 2p and 3p core levels are strong evidence for the ionicity of the NiS bonds. We have also derived a qualitative molecular orbital model of NiPS3 in which the trigonal crystal field splits the P and S 3pxpy-3pa states, and strong covalent hybridization between P and S pxpy orbitals leads to covalent electronic bonding. Ni is envisaged as a divalent ion which plays little role in the electronic bonding and its 3d levels are localized, lying near the top both of the valence states. This model accounts well for both the valence band XPS data and the low energy optical transitions. Our model should represent, at the center of the Brillouin zone but not at the boundaries, the energy level sequence in NiPS3 and other related MPX3 layer-type compounds where M Co2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Zn2+ and X is sulfur or selenium. The XPS spectra and optical properties of NiPS3 have been obtained and interpreted on a qualitative molecular orbital model in which the Ni is a divalent positive ion which plays little role in the bonding. Evidence for such ionicity appears in the optical properties and XPS satellite structures, as well as in the magnetic properties. The model should represent qualitatively the band structure at the center of the Brillouin zone, but not at the boundaries. It should also be valid for other compounds similar to NiPS3, i.e. those with other metals in place of Ni and those with Se in place of S.
Mass media campaigns and organ donation: managing conflicting messages and interests

Mass media campaigns are widely and successfully used to change health decisions and behaviors for better or for worse in society. In the United States, media campaigns have been launched at local offices of the states' department of motor vehicles to promote citizens' willingness to organ donation and donor registration. We analyze interventional studies of multimedia communication campaigns to encourage organ-donor registration at local offices of states' department of motor vehicles. The media campaigns include the use of multifaceted communication tools and provide training to desk clerks in the use of scripted messages for the purpose of optimizing enrollment in organ-donor registries. Scripted messages are communicated to customers through mass audiovisual entertainment media, print materials and interpersonal interaction at the offices of departments of motor vehicles. These campaigns give rise to three serious concerns: (1) bias in communicating information with scripted messages without verification of the scientific accuracy of information, (2) the provision of misinformation to future donors that may result in them suffering unintended consequences from consenting to medical procedures before death (e.g, organ preservation and suitability for transplantation), and (3) the unmanaged conflict of interests for organizations charged with implementing these campaigns, (i.e, dual advocacy for transplant recipients and donors). We conclude the following: (1) media campaigns about healthcare should communicate accurate information to the general public and disclose factual materials with the least amount of bias; (2) conflicting interests in media campaigns should be managed with full public transparency; (3) media campaigns should disclose the practical implications of procurement as well as acknowledge the medical, legal, and religious controversies of determining death in organ donation; (4) organ-donor registration must satisfy the criteria of informed consent; (5) media campaigns should serve as a means of public education about organ donation and should not be a form of propaganda.
Posterior reversible encephalopathy and cerebral vasoconstriction in a patient with hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Abstract Background We report a patient with hemolytic uremic syndrome who presented with radiological manifestations suggestive of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome and reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome. Patient A 13-year-old girl presented with fever and bloody diarrhea and progressed to develop hemolytic uremic syndrome. She subsequently developed encephalopathy, aphasia, and right-sided weakness. Results Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed presence of vasogenic edema in the left frontal lobe, in addition to T2 and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery changes in white matter bilaterally, compatible with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. Magnetic resonance angiography showed beading of the cerebral vessels. Neurological deficits reversed 8 days after symptom onset, with resolution of the beading pattern on follow-up magnetic resonance angiography after 3 weeks, suggesting reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome. Conclusions Both posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome and reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome may represent manifestations of similar underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. Recognition of the co-existence of these processes in patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome may aid in judicious management of these patients and avoidance of inappropriate therapeutic interventions.
Investigation into the removal of sulfur from tire derived fuel by pyrolysis

There is growing interest in the use of scrap tires as both a fuel and a feed material for petroleum feedstocks due to their abundance and their chemical composition. However, the sulfur content of scrap tires is a potential obstacle to scrap tires utilization as a fuel. In this paper, the partitioning of sulfur was investigated from the two major pyrolytic products from passenger car tires, liquid oils and solid chars, and the potential of producing a low sulfur char for fuel applications. The removal of sulfur during tire pyrolysis offers the greatest potential for the separation of sulfur products from the evolved gases and vapors. The influences of heating rate and pyrolysis temperature were investigated from 325 to 1000 °C, a range where substantial devolatilization occurs. The pyrolysis char and derived oil were analyzed for sulfur, and compared to the original parent sulfur content in tire derived fuel (TDF) samples. The results of sulfur determination verify that the overall desulfurization from the pyrolysis reaction is essentially unaffected by the heating rate but is affected by the ultimate pyrolysis temperature.
Ultrafast Nonradiative Relaxation Dynamics of Eumelanin

Degenerate pump−probe femtosecond spectroscopy is used to examine the primary photodynamics of eumelanin from Sepia officinalis following UV-A excitation. Exciting and probing at 320, 350, and 380 nm produces a transient absorption that rises within the instrument response and decays with a lifetime less than approximately 50 fs. Following the rapid decay of this transient signal, the recovery dynamics associated with the bleaching of the ground-state absorption are observed. The transient pump−probe data are compared to reported photoacoustic and time-resolved emission data. This comparison shows the dominant nonradiative process in eumelanin is repopulation of the ground electronic state and that the time constants revealed by the nonexponential decays of the emission and absorption data are associated with chemically distinct species.
Sulfate reduction rates and low molecular weight fatty acid concentrations in the water column and surficial sediments of the Black Sea

Sulfate reduction rates and concentrations of low molecular weight organic acids were measured in the water column and surficial sediments at two sites in the central Black Sea. Water column sulfate reduction rates were much lower than previously reported. The highest rate measured was 3.5 nM day−1 and on a depth integrated basis values of 1.2 and 0.22 mmol m−2 day−1 were obtained for the two sites. Sediment sulfate reduction rates were within the ranges previously reported but were higher than some for comparable abyssal sites. Rates were about 21 μM day−1 in the flocculent layer at the sediment-water interface, decreasing to 2–3μM day−1 at 20 cm depth. On an areal, depth integrated basis, rates at the two sites were 1.45 and 1.29 mmol m−2 day−1. Thus, the water column and sediments have comparable areal rates, but on a volume basis the sediment rates are several thousand times higher than the water column rates. Organic acid concentrations in the anoxic Black Sea water column were surprisingly high, reaching several μM in some cases. One deep sample contained 60μM acetate. Lactate, acetate and formate were the only acids detected in the water column. Some propionate was seen in sediment porewaters. Apparent turnover times of the organic acids in the water column, calculated for utilization solely by sulfate reducing bacteria, are tens to hundred of years. This suggests that sulfate reduction rates in the water column were not limited by organic substrate supply. In the sediments, apparent acid turnover times calculated in this way are generally less than one day, suggesting that sulfate reduction may be limited to by the supply of these substrates through fermentation reactions.
A Critical Review of Five Commonly Used Social-Emotional and Behavioral Screeners for Elementary or Secondary Schools.

The goal of this paper was to critically review and evaluate five common social-emotional and behavioral screeners: Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (Kamphaus and Reynolds 2007), Behavior Intervention Monitoring Assessment System (McDougal et al. 2011), Social Skills Improvement System Performance Screening Guide (Elliott and Gresham 2008), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman Journal of Child Psychology, Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 38, 581–586, 1997), and Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders (Walker and Severson 1992). School professionals are often involved in choosing universal screening assessments; therefore, this review was intended to inform the audience about important features such as use, standardization sample and norms, scores and interpretation, and psychometric properties of commonly used social-emotional universal screeners.
DENSIFIED RADIATA PINE FOR STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES

A novel wood-based composite has been developed for use in structural applications. The process was designed to utilize rapidly-grown, low density, wood species. Plantation grown radiata pine is particularly well suited to this process. This is a laminated composite, where the lamina may be comprised of various materials, some of which have been treated with the viscoelastic thermal compression (VTC) process. The VTC process increases the density of wood, without causing fractures in the cell wall, thus increasing strength and stiffness of the wood material. The process may be applied to veneer, sawn wood, or strand composites. The VTC lamina is then bonded to other lamina to produce the final product. The strength and stiffness of this VTC composite exceeds any wood-based composite that is currently on the market. For example, modulus of elasticity in bending of over 20 GPa is easily obtainable.
Troponin T Levels and Infarct Size by SPECT Myocardial Perfusion Imaging

Objectives To evaluate the relationship between serial cardiac troponin T (cTnT) levels with infarct size and left ventricular ejection fraction by gated single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging (SPECT-MPI) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Background Current guidelines recommend the use of cTnT as the biomarker of choice for the diagnosis of AMI. Data relating cTnT to SPECT-MPI in patients with AMI are limited. Methods A subset of patients with their first AMI participating in a community-based cohort of AMI in Olmsted County, Minnesota, were prospectively studied. Serial cTnT levels were evaluated at presentation, Results A total of 121 patients (age, 61 ± 13 years; 31% women) with AMI underwent gated SPECT-MPI at a median (25th percentile, 75th percentile) of 10 (5, 15) days post-AMI. The type of infarct was non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in 61%, and 13% were anterior in location. The median infarct size was 1% (0%, 11%) and the median gated left ventricular ejection fraction was 54% (47%, 60%). Fifty-nine patients (49% of the population) had no measurable infarction by SPECT-MPI. Independent predictors of measurable SPECT-MPI infarct size included cTnT at days 1, 2, and 3 and peak cTnT, but not at presentation or Conclusions In a community-based cohort of patients with their first AMI, independent predictors of measurable SPECT-MPI infarct size included cTnT at days 1, 2, and 3 and peak cTnT. In contrast, cTnT level at presentation and
Xinjiang as Portrayed in Qing’s Historical Gazetteers Housed at the Library of Congress

The author argues that to study the relationship between China and the Middle East it is unavoidable to form an understanding of the Xinjiang region as a bridge between the regions. Focusing on the expansion of China control of Xinjiang and the bordering regions of Central Asia during the Qianlong period (1736-95) and the signification of these regions from the 18th century to the present, this article demonstrates the fervent relationship between East Asia and the Middle East. Due to current political considerations, many contemporary studies focus only on the more recent separatist movements in the region and Xinjiang’s possible ties to terrorism. Hoh shows that it is essential to delve into the historical roots and landscape for any meaningful assessment of contemporary politics and society. Moreover, in dealing with the current Chinese government on Xinjiang related issues, it is imperative to study the relevant historical documents in order to form a full understanding of the current Chinese thinking. As an attempt to bridge this gap, this article emphasizes on Xinjiang’s regional development during the Qing dynasty, as well as the Qing’s attitude toward Xinjiang’s bordering countries in the historical Chinese documents. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of the Library of Congress.
Dimension reduction for the conditional kth moment in regression

The idea of dimension reduction without loss of information can be quite helpful for guiding the construction of summary plots in regression without requiring a prespecified model. Central subspaces are designed to capture all the information for the regression and to provide a population structure for dimension reduction. Here, we introduce the central kth-moment subspace to capture information from the mean, variance and so on up to the kth conditional moment of the regression. New methods are studied for estimating these subspaces. Connections with sliced inverse regression are established, and examples illustrating the theory are presented.
Multiple Interventions Used to Lower Clostridium difficile– Associated Diarrhea Rates in a Large Urban Hospital

BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea (CDAD) is a common nosocomial infection. CDAD has been associated with prolonged use of antibiotics. C. difficile spores, which are present in stool, can live for up to 70 days and are often spread by the hands of healthcare professionals. METHODS: An increased rate of CDAD was noted in June and July 2002 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, a 1442-bed tertiary care hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. The CDAD rate for the hospital in the first 5 months of 2002 was 2.8 cases/1000 patient-days. The rate in June and July was 6.2 cases/1000 patient-days (p<0.001). A computerized laboratory surveillance tool helped infection control specialists promptly identify the rise in CDAD rates. Unit-specific interventions were performed in two ICUs. The surgical ICU (SICU) (10.4 cases/1000 patient-days in July 2002) instituted enhanced environmental cleaning, including bleach, in rooms of CDAD patients. The medical ICU (MICU) (25 cases/1000 patient-days in June 2002) intensified active surveillance, including monthly reporting of CDAD rates to the ICU staff. Additionally in this unit, rooms of CDAD patients were bleached at discharge. A hospital-wide hand hygiene intervention was also implemented between January and April 2003. RESULTS: The hospital's overall CDAD rate decreased to 2.5 cases per 1000 patient-days in the last 5 months of 2002 (p<0.001). The CDAD rate in the SICU dropped to 4.8 cases/1000 patient-days (p=.20) after the start of the intervention. Since the implementation of the intervention in the MICU, the CDAD rate has decreased to 5.1 cases/1000 patient-days (p<0.001). The hospital CDAD rate dropped to 2.1 cases/1000 patient-days (p<0.001) in the months following the hand hygiene intervention. CONCLUSION: Early recognition allows prompt interventions to address infection control issues such as this increase in CDAD rates. The use of multidisciplinary interventions to reduce CDAD infection rates was a successful strategy in this case.
Relict trout lilies Erythronium mesochoreum in Central Texas: A multivariate analysis of habitat for conservation

Abstract Employing 46 environmental variables at each of four study sites in central Texas, a principal components analysis of the habitat of Erythronium mesochoreum var. coloratum reveals that soil structure, K, and pH are limiting geographically, while woodland structure and attendant light and temperature values are limiting locally. Grazing has a more severe impact than trampling or a motorcycle path and, together with natural stress factors at the range-margin, reduces the density of the isolated colonies.
A 16-beam non-scanning swath mapping laser altimeter instrument

We have developed and successfully flown a 16-beam, non-scanning laser altimeter instrument with a swath width of 80 m and spatial resolution of 5 m. The Airborne Lidar Surface Topography Simulator (ALISTS) instrument was developed to demonstrate key technologies and a measurement approach achieving the efficiency required for the Lidar Surface Topography (LIST) mission. The approach employs a 10 kHz, near-infrared, microchip laser transmitter, beam splitting optics and waveform capture using a photon-sensitive, linear-mode detector array. In this paper we will present the instrument development effort and access the performance achieved during our two airborne campaigns.