cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-accuracy gravitational waveforms for binary black hole mergers with nearly extremal spins

Motivated by the possibility of observing gravitational waves from merging black holes whose spins are nearly extremal (i.e. 1 in dimensionless units), we present numerical waveforms from simulations of merging black holes with the highest spins simulated to date: (1) a 25.5-orbit inspiral, merger and ringdown of two holes with equal masses and spins of magnitude 0.97 aligned with the orbital angular momentum; and (2) a previously reported 12.5-orbit inspiral, merger and ringdown of two holes with equal masses and spins of magnitude 0.95 anti-aligned with the orbital angular momentum. First, we consider the horizon mass and spin evolution of the new aligned-spin simulation. During the inspiral, the horizon area and spin evolve in remarkably close agreement with Alvi's analytic predictions, and the remnant hole's final spin agrees reasonably well with several analytic predictions. We also find that the total energy emitted by a real astrophysical system with these parameters—almost all of which is radiated during the time included in this simulation—would be 10.952% of the initial mass at infinite separation. Second, we consider the gravitational waveforms for both simulations. After estimating their uncertainties, we compare the waveforms to several post-Newtonian approximants, finding significant disagreement well before merger, although the phase of the TaylorT4 approximant happens to agree remarkably well with the numerical prediction in the aligned-spin case. We find that the post-Newtonian waveforms have sufficient uncertainty that hybridized waveforms will require far longer numerical simulations (in the absence of improved post-Newtonian waveforms) for accurate parameter estimation of low-mass binary systems.
AIR: Application-Level Interference Resilience for PDES on Multicore Systems

Parallel discrete event simulation (PDES) harnesses parallel processing to improve the performance and capacity of simulation, supporting bigger and more detailed models simulated for more scenarios. The presence of interference from other users can lead to dramatic slowdown in the performance of the simulation. Interference is typically managed using operating system scheduling support (e.g., gang scheduling), a heavyweight approach with some drawbacks. We propose an application-level approach to interference resilience through alternative simulation scheduling and mapping algorithms. More precisely, the most resilient simulators allow dynamic mapping of simulation event execution to processing resources (a work pool model). However, this model has significant scheduling overhead and poor cache locality. Thus, we investigate using application-level interference mitigation where the application detects the presence of interference and reacts by changing the thread task allocation. Specifically, we propose a locality-aware adaptive dynamic mapping (LADM) algorithm that adjusts the number of active threads on the fly by detecting the presence of interference. LADM avoids having the application stall when threads are inactive due to context switching. We investigate different mechanisms for monitoring the level of interference and different approaches for remapping tasks. We show that LADM can substantially reduce the impact of interference while maintaining memory locality.
Parameter-dependent Lyapunov functions and the discrete-time Popov criterion for robust analysis

Abstract Parameter-dependent Lyapunov functions are developed for discrete-time systems with constant real parameter uncertainty. This construction of a family of Lyapunov functions is then used to analyze robust stability with H 2 performance bounds for state space systems. A special case of these results generalizes the classical discrete-time Popov criterion.
New urbanism: a new approach to the way american builds

Este artigo apresenta uma visao geral sobre o New Urbanism - um movimento urbanistico com a grande influencia no planejamento e na arquitetura americanas. Este advoga um retorno a formas tradicionais do urbanismo e oferece um conjunto de principios projetuais e urbanisticos para as mais diferentes escalas. O artigo discute algumas das licoes apreendidas na ultima decada pela acao desse movimento e os principios adotados para sua implementacao.
Anthropological Models of Incest Laws in the United States

The incest laws of the fifty states are esoteric folk models or norms. The fifty state laws seem haphazard in their prohibitions and do not scale. However, using two different approaches, anthropological models may be constructed to explain the data.
Social Ties and Foreign Market Entry: An Empirical Inquiry

Abstract and Key Results This study attempts to document the influence of social ties on two critical components of foreign market entry (FME) decisions by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): timing of entry and resource commitment. An ethnic Chinese group serves as the best candidate to underlie this research because ethnic Chinese networks often build on personal connections that are based on regional collegiality and kinship. From a sample of 173 Taiwanese SMEs, hierarchical regression results indicate that social ties are significantly related to FME decisions by Taiwanese SMEs in terms of both the timing of entry and resource commitments.
Effect of pressure on bone cement stiffness: An in vitro study

Twenty-two canine femora were injected with PMMA cement at pressures varying between 0.2 and 1.3 MPa. Sections cut from the femora were tested in bending in several planes and under axial loading. Cement penetration was determined for each section. The bending and axial stiffness values were correlated with the cement penetration values. Both bending and axial stiffness were related linearly to penetration and nonlinearly to the cement intrusion pressure. The stiffness values increased with the intrusion pressure: slowly at low pressures, rapidly at medium pressures, slowly again at higher pressures, and leveling off at about 1.2 MPa. The 75 per cent of the maximum bending and axial stiffness values were achieved with a cement intrusion pressure of 0.55 MPa.
Geometric modeling and computer vision

Geometric matching algorithms and geometric representations are examined for point sets, curves, surfaces, volumes, and their space-time trajectories. The author focuses mainly on general-purpose techniques. Geometric matching benefits greatly from taking advantage of symmetries and special features, e.g. dihedral edges and circles or any three reliably identifiable feature points. Volume matching and representation techniques are also presented. Texture and fractal representations are briefly described. >
Effects of calcium and lanthanum on glycerol removed rabbit atria

Abstract Continuously driven rabbit atria were equilibrated in Ringer-Locke solution, incubated in glycerol and then returned to normal Ringer's solution. Calcium was added (final concentration of 7.2 or 12.0 mM) at the beginning of glycerol removal or at the time of maximum decline in tension during the removal (10 min). There is an immediate increase in tension to a maximum followed by a slow decline to control levels after the addition of calcium. The glycerol removal effect is intensified by the addition of lanthanum (0.1–1.0 mM). Evidence would suggest that the glycerol removal effect results from a change of tissue calcium.
Trends in pediatric uroradiology

Excretory urography, conventional and radionuclide voiding cysto)urethro)graphy, ultrasonography, radionuclide renal imaging and computed tomography are all currently readily available in most locales for the evaluation of the child’s urinary tract. It is the responsibility of the radiologist to determine which studies are best for which children and the order in which they should be performed to minimize “cost” while maximizing the information obtained. A description of such an approach and its consequences are presented.
The use of public library roles for effectiveness evaluation

Abstract This article examines the roles from the Public Library Association planning and measurement tools for their usefulness in evaluating public library effectiveness. It addresses four questions: What roles are chosen most often?, Can we distinguish among libraries based on their role choices?, Do libraries with different role choices perform differently?, and, Can performance differences form an empirical basis for role definitions? Data for this study came from the Public Library Effectiveness Study (PLES), a survey of 2,418 stakeholders in 84 public libraries nationwide. Respondents from the sampled libraries evidenced both uniformity and diversity in their choice of roles; the favorite roles were those historically associated with public libraries. The libraries could be divided into one group serving smaller populations and focusing on the more popular roles and another serving larger populations and aspiring to fulfill a greater variety of roles. The cluster with a greater variety of roles also performed better than did the other group on more than half of the effectiveness indicators tested. This study has implications for future revisions in standardized role statements and for future research Unking performance to organizational goals.
Natural history of thromboembolism in AL amyloidosis

To determine the natural history of thromboembolism in patients with biopsy-proven AL amyloidosis, medical records of 2,132 patients evaluated at Mayo Clinic between 1975 and 2000 were reviewed. Forty patients (21 male) were found to have objectively documented thromboembolism. The median age was 65 years. Four patients had a monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, 20 had an unspecified plasma cell proliferative disorder, 11 had multiple myeloma, and 1 had Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia. Twelve patients had cardiac amyloid, and 20 had renal amyloid. Neither the extent of the amyloid nor the type of monoclonal protein was predictive of the development of thromboembolic events. Thromboembolism preceded the diagnosis of AL amyloidosis in 11 patients, occurred at the time of diagnosis or within 1 month after diagnosis in 11 patients, and occurred 1 month or more after diagnosis in 18 patients. Twenty-nine patients (73%) had venous thrombosis and 11 (28%) had arterial thrombosis. Eight patients (20%...
Kinetic Isotope Effects and Variable Reaction Coordinates in Barrierless Recombination Reactions

The factors affecting kinetic isotope effects in barrierless recombination reactions are considered from the perspective of variational transition state theory (VTST). Despite the broad application of VTST methods, a general consideration of kinetic isotope effect predictions of the theory has not previously been undertaken, especially for cases where changes in the internal structure and vibrational frequencies of the fragments (i.e., the conserved modes) can be assumed to be negligible. Use of the center-of-mass separation as the reaction coordinate in such a case entails some restriction on the range of kinetic isotope effects which can be accommodated. Larger effects are possible within a variable reaction coordinate implementation of transition state theory, and the predicted kinetic isotope effects are shown to be strongly dependent on the location of the pivot point. Illustrative model calculations demonstrate the feasibility of reproducing the experimentally observed kinetic isotope effects for th...
Parametric eddy current defect depth model and its application to graphite epoxy

Abstract An empirical eddy current model of defect depth has been developed. The model applies to idealized defects (notches and flat bottom holes) both in metals and in electrically conductive composite materials. The phase angle of the response of a ferrite pot core probe to a subsurface defect, normalized with respect to the lift-off angle, was found to depend on the ratio of the product of the depth of the defect and the mean core radius to the square of the skin depth. This relationship between the phase angle difference and this product provided estimates of defect depth to within 10% independent of the defect geometries considered.
Legibility and completeness of physicians' handwritten medication orders

OBJECTIVE: To assess handwritten medication orders for legibility and completeness, legibility of physician signatures, and presence of date and time the orders were written. DESIGN: Descriptive. SETTING: Three patient care units in one hospital in Texas. SAMPLE: One hundred seventy-six medication orders and 55 signatures by 36 different physicians for 39 patients. METHODS: Six experienced nurses evaluated medication orders and signatures for legibility using a rating scale developed for the study. Completeness of medication orders and presence of date and time were determined. RESULTS: Twenty of the medication orders and 78% of the signatures were illegible or legible with effort. Twenty-four percent of the medication orders were incomplete. Date was omitted on 18% of the medication orders, and time was missing on 58%. CONCLUSION: Difficult-to-read and incomplete medication orders continue to be an important system problem that can increase risk for medication errors and patient harm. Good penmanship and complete orders are unrealistic goals without system support.
Pediatric retropharyngeal abscesses

Abstract Pediatric retropharyngeal infections are often symptomatically indolent and difficult or impossible to diagnose on physical exam. Classic findings, such as respiratory distress and pharyngeal bulge, are uncommon in the current era, as patients now present to the emergency department earlier in the disease process. Fever, dysphagia, and, in particular, torticollis or limitation of neck motion should prompt the emergency department physician to consider the diagnosis and obtain radiographic studies. The best diagnostic study is a contrast-enhanced computed tomograpy scan, with delayed images through the area of infection. Controversy exists as to the management of diagnosed abscesses, with some advocating prompt surgical drainage and some recommending a trial of intravenous antibiotics for smaller abscesses. The need for careful follow-up is particularly important in children treated with intravenous antibiotics who may have a progression of abscess despite resolution of clinical symptoms. It is also critical to maintain an awareness of the distinction between pus contained within a lymph node or abscess cavity and pus that has escaped the abscess cavity and is dissecting freely in the neck and chest. The latter situation, while very rare, requires extremely aggressive surgical debridement and may have appreciable mortality.
Retrograde Drilling of Osteochondral Lesions of the Medial Talar Dome

Sixteen patients (16 ankles) with symptomatic osteochondral lesions of the medial talar dome were treated arthroscopically with percutaneous retrograde drilling through the sinus tarsi. The surgical technique allows preservation of intact articular cartilage, in contrast to traditional methods. All patients treated with this technique during a 24-month period were included in the study. Patient age ranged from 16 to 44 years (mean, 33 years). Follow-up ranged from 19 to 38 months (mean, 24 months). A staging system based on magnetic resonance imaging examination was used to grade the lesions preoperatively. Outcome was evaluated using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Ankle-Hindfoot Scale. Preoperative scores ranged from 35 to 75 points, with a mean of 53.9 points. Postoperative American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society scores ranged from 48 to 100 points, with a mean of 82.6 points. Mean improvement was 25 points. There were no surgical complications. Short-term results were comparable to...
Lymphatic mapping and sentinel node biopsy in women with high-risk endometrial cancer

Objective. To evaluate fundal injection of blue dye and radiocolloid for lymphatic mapping and sentinel node identification in women with high-risk endometrial cancer. Methods. At laparotomy, 18 women with high-risk endometrial cancer had isosulfan blue and technitium-99 radiocolloid injected into the uterine fundus subserosally. Sentinel nodes were then identified either by direct observation of blue dye, by radioactive counts using a handheld gamma counter, or by a combination of both methods. The number and location of sentinel node(s) were recorded and compared with the final lymph node specimens after hysterectomy and selective lymphadenectomy. Results. A sentinel node was identified in only 8 (45%) of the cases. Four patients had sentinel nodes only in the pelvis, 2 had sentinel nodes in the pelvis and above the bifurcation of the aorta, and 2 patients had sentinel nodes above the bifurcation of the aorta only. Seven (88%) patients had unilateral drainage of dye and the radiocolloid; the other patient had bilateral drainage. No patients had metastatic disease to sentinel or nonsentinel lymph nodes. Conclusions. Subserosal fundal injection of blue dye and the radiocolloid is a poor technique for identifying sentinel lymph nodes in patients with high-risk endometrial cancer.
Relationship between Extrinsic Rewards and Intrinsic Motivation

Research on the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation suggests that in certain contexts the effect of task extrinsic incentives is to undermine subsequent interest in the task. Extrinsic rewards have also produced deleterious effects on the process of learning and quality of performance. Evidence concerning the variables which affect this interaction, such as contingency of reward, expectation of reward, threats of punishment, and positive feedback is reviewed. In, addition, the various dependent variables used in measurement of intrinsic motivation are compared and contrasted. Future directions for research are suggested.
A model of activity I and sleep

Abstract Two models of activity and sleep are presented, each of which is based on the notion of an internal state of arousal. The first model is essentially an activity drive model which fails because it predicts that the organism will never sleep. The second model makes more direct physiological assumptions about the build-up of arousal in the brain. For reasonable parameters, arousal builds up so far beyond the optimal level that the only way to bring it back into bounds is to cut off all external stimulation. Thus the model predicts a circadian rhythm not because of a biological clock but as the byproduct of the interaction between two processes (activity and arousal) neither of which is separately periodic in function.
Marital Quality and Quality of Life Among Cancer Patients and Their Spouses

Research on the quality of life of cancer patients has stressed the significance of social support from their marital relationship. In this study, patients and spouses were asked to assess their current marital relationship and how they remembered it as being before the cancer diagnosis. Marital quality was assessed by interactional style, level of intimacy, and coping with problems. Personality was assessed by measuring stage of ego development: preconformist, conformist, and postconformist. The study produced two major findings. First, affiliation with the spouse had the highest correlation with the patients' quality of life, whereas coping with problems had the highest correlation with the spouses' quality of life. Second, patients who were at the postconformist stage of ego development were most likely to report that their marital relationship had become stronger over the course of their illness. The study carries implications for the structuring of differential psychosocial interventions for patients...
Approach to Spacelab Payload mission management

The nucleus of the approach to Spacelab Payload mission management is the establishment of a single point of authority for the entire payload on a given mission. This single point mission manager will serve as a 'broker' between the individual experiments and the STS, negotiating agreements by two-part interaction. The payload mission manager, along with a small support team, will represent the users in negotiating use of STS accommodations. He will provide the support needed by each individual experimenter to meet the scientific, technological, and applications objectives of the mission with minimum cost and maximum efficiency. The investigator will assume complete responsibility for his experiment hardware definition and development and will take an active role in the integration and operation of his experiment.
Speech-language pathologists' training and confidence in serving Spanish-English bilingual children.

Abstract The purpose of the investigation was to determine the level of training and confidence of speech–language pathologists in serving Spanish–English bilingual children. Surveys were completed by 213 speech–language pathologists working in the public schools. Comparisons were made among responses from non-diverse rural, non-diverse urban, and diverse urban areas. Results revealed that approximately one-third of the sample did not receive training in multicultural/multilingual issues as undergraduates or graduate students. Approximately, one-fifth of the sample could not recall whether or not they had received training in this area. Eighteen to 25% of the respondents in the three groups received information through lectures in one or more courses. A larger percentage of speech–language pathologists from non-diverse urban areas received training on specific topics related to multicultural/multilingual topics and participated in a larger number of continuing education activities than speech–language pathologists from diverse urban and non-diverse rural areas. No differences were found among the three groups with regard to their confidence in serving bilingual children. Although speech–language pathologists had some confidence when assessing bilingual children whose primary language was English, and when working with bilingual parents and interpreters, respondents lacked confidence when assessing bilingual children whose primary language was Spanish and when working with parents who do not speak English. Implications for the profession are discussed. Learning outcomes 1. As a result of this activity, the participant will be able to discuss the training speech–language pathologists have received in the area of multilingual/multicultural children. 2. As a result of this activity, the participant will be able to discuss speech–language pathologists’ level of confidence when serving bilingual, Hispanic children. 3. As a result of this activity, the participant will be able to articulate the implications of this study for current training programs and the profession.
Does functional vision behave differently in low-vision patients with diabetic retinopathy?--A case-matched study.

PURPOSE. A retrospective case-matched study designed to compare patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and other ocular diseases, managed in a low-vision clinic, in four different types of functional vision. METHODS. Reading, mobility, visual motor, and visual information processing were measured in the patients (n = 114) and compared with those in patients with other ocular diseases (n = 114) matched in sex, visual acuity (VA), general health status, and age, using the Activity Inventory as a Rasch-scaled measurement tool. Binocular distance visual acuity was categorized as normal (20/12.5-20/25), near normal (20/32-20/ 63), moderate (20/80-20/160), severe (20/200-20/400), profound (20/500-20/1000), and total blindness (20/1250 to no light perception). Both Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test and the sign test of matched pairs were used to compare estimated functional vision measures between DR cases and controls. RESULTS. Cases ranged in age from 19 to 90 years (mean age, 67.5), and 59% were women. The mean visual acuity (logMar scale) was 0.7. Based on the Wilcoxon signed rank test analyses and after adjusting the probability for multiple comparisons, there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) between patients with DR and control subjects in any of four functional visions. Furthermore, diabetic retinopathy patients did not differ (P > 0.05) from their matched counterparts in goal-level vision-related functional ability and total visual ability. CONCLUSIONS. Visual impairment in patients with DR appears to be a generic and non-disease-specific outcome that can be explained mainly by the end impact of the disease in the patients' daily lives and not by the unique disease process that results in the visual impairment.
KBDA - a knowledge based design system for assembly

Abstract This paper presents an expert design system, KBDA, for product assembly analysis and refinement. The system performs analysis for system products and provides advises for design refinement. The program is constructed by four different modules. The assembly method is determined first by the criteria of production functions. The analysis for either manual or automatic assembly is then performed to obtain the assembly efficiency. Based on the assembly efficiency and the part features, the design improvements are suggested to enhance products assembly. The bell roller assembly is presented to verify the KBDA model. Some useful design guidelines such as part number minimization and features for assembly time reduction are suggested. The improvement on the product design is found significant.
Wilms Tumor Gene on X Chromosome (WTX) Inhibits Degradation of NRF2 Protein through Competitive Binding to KEAP1 Protein

WTX is a tumor suppressor protein that is lost or mutated in up to 30% of cases of Wilms tumor. Among its known functions, WTX interacts with the β-transducin repeat containing family of ubiquitin ligase adaptors and promotes the ubiquitination and degradation of the transcription factor β-catenin, a key control point in the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway. Here, we report that WTX interacts with a second ubiquitin ligase adaptor, KEAP1, which functions to regulate the ubiquitination of the transcription factor NRF2, a key control point in the antioxidant response. Surprisingly, we find that unlike its ability to promote the ubiquitination of β-catenin, WTX inhibits the ubiquitination of NRF2. WTX and NRF2 compete for binding to KEAP1, and thus loss of WTX leads to rapid ubiquitination and degradation of NRF2 and a reduced response to cytotoxic insult. These results expand our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of WTX and reveal a novel regulatory mechanism governing the antioxidant response.
Rutting characterization of warm mix asphalt and high RAP mixtures

The objectives of this study were to perform a rutting characterization of warm mix asphalt (WMA) mixtures and mixtures containing high reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and to determine the effects of production temperature and material type on permanent deformation. This study was based on data from the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) Test Track Phase IV research cycle and included a control section, two WMA sections and two sections with 50% RAP. Field measurements indicated that high RAP mixes had higher moduli and experienced lower vertical pressures than virgin mixes. The use of WMA technologies tended to increase permanent deformation while the addition of high RAP contents resulted in less rutting. Laboratory tests on recovered binders showed increased binder stiffness for high RAP mixes and no significant effect for virgin WMA mixes. Mixture tests of laboratory compacted samples did not reflect the observed field performance accurately.
Speaking up: Six Korean students’ oral participation in class discussions in US graduate seminars

Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that influenced the oral classroom participation of six Korean students attending graduate school in the US, and how these factors impacted their oral interaction in class discussions. Data came from formal and informal interviews and class observations over the course of the semester. Participants included three masters’ students and three doctoral students, two males and four females, enrolled in two education courses. The study showed that multilayered factors, including the students’ English proficiency, differences in sociocultural values and educational practices between two cultures, individual differences, and classroom environment were intertwined, and each factor singly and together influenced the students’ oral participation in class discussions (OPCD). While the students in this study demonstrated many cultural similarities with other Asian students, they also revealed unique Korean cultural features. Regardless of their length of study in the US, all students felt challenged to participate in whole class discussions. However, in small group discussions, participation varied greatly among the individual students. In particular, the female students, with one exception, participated more actively than the male students. The findings suggest pedagogical implications for promoting the oral classroom participation of Asian international students, especially Korean students.
Optimising the degree of customisation for products in mass customisation systems

Most of the literature views the degree of customisation as how early the customer is integrated in the production cycle, which is defined as the order decoupling point. This paper presents a model that will determine the optimal degree of customisation from a product's structural design perspective. In this paper we first introduce the term 'Magnitude of Customisation' (MOC) as a unit to measure the degree of customisation for products on a customisation scale. The MOC value is based on quantifying the extent of options per module or the extent of customisable features per component for a product in a mass customisation system. Second, a multicriteria optimisation tool is used to generate an optimal solution to how far an organisation should customise a product to best satisfy its own organisational strategic goals. A case study of an aluminium windows and doors company is used to evaluate the model.
Effects of nitroglycerin in patients with angina, normal coronary arteries, and left ventricular hypertrophy

The coronary hemodynamic and left ventricular mechanical responses to nitroglycerin were studied in eight patients with angina, normal coronary arteries, and pressure overload left ventricular hypertrophy (POLVH) and in five control subjects. Elevated mean and end-diastolic pressure and end-diastolic meridional stress characterized the POLVH group, although systolic meridional stresses were not significantly different from the control group. Thermodilution coronary sinus flow and estimated myocardial oxygen consumption declined significantly following nitroglycerin in both patient groups. Systolic and diastolic mechanical loads also decreased in both groups, although diastolic tone remained elevated in the patients with POLVH. The decrease in coronary sinus flow in the POLVH group was in excess of that expected from the decrease in systolic mechanical load, which suggests a combination of perfusion pressure-dependent decreases in coronary flow as well as an increased resistance to coronary inflow in these patients. The beneficial clinical response to nitroglycerin may reflect the lowered myocardial metabolic demand as well as the decrease in diastolic myocardial tensile and compressive forces.
Multipoint side illuminated absorption based optical fiber sensor for relative humidity

A side illuminated optical fiber sensor with three sensing points and an absorption-based indicator in the cladding was demonstrated for the first time. This device is easy to manufacture, uses leaky modes as the signal carrier and can measure RH in air, soil, concrete and other environments. So far, only side illuminated fluorescence sensors have been reported. They were thought, erroneously, to have their entire signal generated by evanescent wave coupling when, in fact, leaky modes also play an important role. This, coupled to the prevailing misconception that leaky modes propagate for very short lengths of fiber, prevented the earlier discovery of this absorption-based configuration. A 25 cm long fiber, with a cladding doped with an absorption dye sensitive to Relative Humidity (RH), was used in this demonstration. The fiber was side illuminated by a broadband LED, a fraction of this light was absorbed by the cladding and the remaining light guided to the fiber tip as low loss leaky modes. A total of three sensors, two with three sensing points and one with two, were calibrated using a low cost photometer. The signal was linear, stable, increased with RH and had resolutions between 0.11% and 0.25% in RH. With 5 mm diameter LEDs, devices with at least two sensing points per centimeter of fiber can be easily fabricated resulting in sensors with a very high density of sensing points. Compared to the prevailing axial illumination approach, the side illuminated sensor was found to be far simpler and inexpensive.
Systematic offset of kV and MV localization systems as a function of gantry angle

Mechanical flex of the gantry and mounted imaging panels leads to systematic offsets in localization image isocenter as a function of gantry angle for linear accelerator-mounted image guidance systems. Subsequently, object positions obtained from localization radiographs may be offset, resulting in greater target positioning uncertainty. While current QA procedures measure kV/MV image agreement, these measurements do not provide insight to apparent isocenter position for either single imaging system as a function of gantry rotation. This study measures offset as a function of gantry angle in kV and MV imaging systems on four treatment machines to investigate the magnitude of systematic offsets and their reproducibility between systems and machines, as well as over time. It is shown that each machine and energy has a reproducible pattern of offset as a function of gantry angle that is independent of kV/MV agreement, and it varies by machine. kV and MV offset ranges are on the order of 1.5 mm in the R/L and A/P directions, and 0.5mm in the S/I direction. Variability of kV-MV agreement is on the order of 0.7 mm. At certain angles, combinations of localization images could show a compounded offset of over 2 mm, exceeding the desired certainty threshold. Since these trends are persistent over time for each machine, online correction for image offsets as a function of gantry angle could improve the margin of positioning uncertainty.
Effects of an Intervention Brochure on Emergency Department Patients' Safe Alcohol Use and Knowledge

Alcohol abuse is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, contributing to over 100,000 deaths and costing society over 185 billion dollars each year. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the American College of Emergency Physician's brief alcohol use intervention brochure on patients' hazardous drinking behavior and knowledge of safe alcohol use. We conducted a controlled trial comparing Emergency Department (ED) subjects receiving the alcohol use intervention brochure vs. receiving no brochure. One-month outcome measures included the following: 1) change in days of hazardous drinking; 2) change in knowledge of safe alcohol use; and 3) movement along a readiness-to-change continuum for excessive alcohol use. Of 277 subjects, 252 (91.0%) agreed to participate, and 188 of these (74.6%) were successfully contacted for 1-month follow-up assessment. We did not find any significant decreases in days of hazardous drinking or increases in knowledge of safe drinking limits for either the intervention or comparison groups. However, among the subgroup of excessive alcohol users (n = 100), we found that significantly more intervention subjects had advanced along the readiness-to-change continuum than comparison subjects (p < 0.01). This effect was even greater among the intervention group subjects who stated that they read the brochure (p < 0.001). A brief alcohol use intervention brochure does not affect ED patients' hazardous drinking behavior or knowledge of safe alcohol use. The brochure, however, may affect certain patients' motivation to change their drinking behavior. Changing drinking behavior requires more than simply handing out a brochure in the ED; referral to community resources for those motivated to change is likely an important component to successful management of this problem.
Blood donation patterns of undergraduate students: Family and friendship correlates

This study examined the responses of university undergraduates to two surveys dealing with various factors directly and indirectly related to the blood donation process. Questions assessed such factors as the number of family and friends who have donated blood, how many times the respondent might donate over a 1-year period given an accepted maximum of six, and the degree to which family members and close friends did influence donors and might influence nondonors to donate blood. The results suggest that both friends and, to a lesser extent, family members appear to have an impact on past, present, and future donation behavior.
Two-dimensional SPICE-linked multiresolution impedance method for low-frequency electromagnetic interactions

A multiresolution impedance method for the solution of low-frequency electromagnetic interaction problems typically encountered in bioelectromagnetics is presented. While the impedance method in its original form is based on the discretization of the scattering objects into equal-sized cells, our formulation decreases the number of unknowns by using an automatic mesh generation method that does not yield equal-sized cells in the modeling space. Results indicate that our multiresolution mesh generation scheme can provide a 50%-80% reduction in cell count, providing new opportunities for the solution of low-frequency bioelectromagnetic problems that require a high level of detail only in specific regions of the modeling space. Furthermore, linking the mesh generator to a circuit simulator such as SPICE permits the addition of arbitrarily complex passive and active circuit elements to the generated impedance network, opening the door to significant advances in the modeling of bioelectromagnetic phenomena.
RpoS Controls the Vibrio cholerae Mucosal Escape Response

Vibrio cholerae causes a severe diarrhoeal disease by secreting a toxin during colonization of the epithelium in the small intestine. Whereas the initial steps of the infectious process have been intensively studied, the last phases have received little attention. Confocal microscopy of V. cholerae O1-infected rabbit ileal loops captured a distinctive stage in the infectious process: 12 h post-inoculation, bacteria detach from the epithelial surface and move into the fluid-filled lumen. Designated the “mucosal escape response,” this phenomenon requires RpoS, the stationary phase alternative sigma factor. Quantitative in vivo localization assays corroborated the rpoS phenotype and showed that it also requires HapR. Expression profiling of bacteria isolated from ileal loop fluid and mucus demonstrated a significant RpoS-dependent upregulation of many chemotaxis and motility genes coincident with the emigration of bacteria from the epithelial surface. In stationary phase cultures, RpoS was also required for upregulation of chemotaxis and motility genes, for production of flagella, and for movement of bacteria across low nutrient swarm plates. The hapR mutant produced near-normal numbers of flagellated cells, but was significantly less motile than the wild-type parent. During in vitro growth under virulence-inducing conditions, the rpoS mutant produced 10- to 100-fold more cholera toxin than the wild-type parent. Although the rpoS mutant caused only a small over-expression of the genes encoding cholera toxin in the ileal loop, it resulted in a 30% increase in fluid accumulation compared to the wild-type. Together, these results show that the mucosal escape response is orchestrated by an RpoS-dependent genetic program that activates chemotaxis and motility functions. This may furthermore coincide with reduced virulence gene expression, thus preparing the organism for the next stage in its life cycle.
The relationship between body mass index and unintended pregnancy: results from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth.

Abstract Background The study was conducted to characterize the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and unintended pregnancy, contraceptive use patterns, and perceived fertility. Methods This study employed a cross-sectional, nationally representative database (2002 National Survey of Family Growth). Unintended pregnancy was compared among BMI groups [normal ( 2 ), overweight (25–30 m/kg 2 ) and obese (>30 m/kg 2 )]. Analyses also evaluated the association between demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral and health-related variables and BMI. Multiple logistic regression with adjustment for sampling design was used to measure associations of interest. Results BMI data were available from 6690 nonpregnant women. Of these, 3600 (53.6%) were normal weight, 1643 (25%) were overweight and 1447 (21.4%) were obese. Compared to women with normal BMIs, the risk of unintended pregnancy in the last 5 years did not differ among overweight [adjusted OR 0.95 (95% CI 0.77–1.17)] or obese [adjusted OR 0.87 (95% CI 0.70–1.09)] women. There were no differences in contraceptive use patterns or perceived fertility among BMI groups. Conclusion Data from the 2002 NSFG do not support an association between obesity and unintended pregnancy.
Modeling of NBTI-Induced PMOS Degradation under Arbitrary Dynamic Temperature Variation

Negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) is one of the primary limiters of reliability lifetime in nano-scale integrated circuits. NBTI manifests itself in a gradual increase in the magnitude of PMOS threshold voltage, resulting in the degradation of circuit performance over time. NBTI is highly sensitive to operating temperature, making the amount of degradation strongly dependent on the thermal history of the chip. In order to accurately predict the amount of threshold voltage increase, the precise temperature profile must be utilized. The existing models are based on the simplified analysis which assumes that the temperature takes up to two possible fixed values over time. These models are inaccurate when predicting the impact of continuously-changing temperature that spans a large range. Our experiments show that proposed model accounting for temperature variation provides a significantly tighter bound for the simulation than that from the model that ignores the temperature variation and assumes a constant (worst-case) temperature. In our experiment, the amount of degradation predicted by the proposed dynamic temperature model is on average 46% less conservative compared to the model based on the worst-case temperature.
Adaptive Privacy-Preserving Visualization Using Parallel Coordinates

Current information visualization techniques assume unrestricted access to data. However, privacy protection is a key issue for a lot of real-world data analyses. Corporate data, medical records, etc. are rich in analytical value but cannot be shared without first going through a transformation step where explicit identifiers are removed and the data is sanitized. Researchers in the field of data mining have proposed different techniques over the years for privacy-preserving data publishing and subsequent mining techniques on such sanitized data. A well-known drawback in these methods is that for even a small guarantee of privacy, the utility of the datasets is greatly reduced. In this paper, we propose an adaptive technique for privacy preser vation in parallel coordinates. Based on knowledge about the sensitivity of the data, we compute a clustered representation on the fly, which allows the user to explore the data without breaching privacy. Through the use of screen-space privacy metrics, the technique adapts to the user's screen parameters and interaction. We demonstrate our method in a case study and discuss potential attack scenarios.
"Girls don't waste time": pre-adolescent attitudes toward ICT

Relying on naturalistic observation, via video self-documentaries, contextual interviews, and focus groups, we explored gender differences in the information and communication technology (ICT) perception and use of United States middle school students. Our study revealed four key dimensions which foreground the significant gender differences in how students of this age approach and interact with technology. These differences should be considered when developing age appropriate technology and education programs. Our later research will explore the relationship among ICT use, self-efficacy, and career choices through a large-scale survey.
From selfish auctioning to incentivized marketing

Auction and market-based mechanisms are among the most popular methods for distributed task allocation in multi-robot systems. Most of these mechanisms were designed in a heuristic way and analysis of the quality of the resulting assignment solution is rare. This paper presents a new market-based multi-robot task allocation algorithm that produces optimal assignments. Rather than adopting a buyer's "selfish" bidding perspective as in previous auction/market-based approaches, the proposed method approaches auctioning from a merchant's point of view, producing a pricing policy that responds to cliques of customers and their preferences. The algorithm uses price escalation to clear a market of all its items, producing a state of equilibrium that satisfies both the merchant and customers. This effectively assigns all robots to their tasks. The proposed method can be used as a general assignment algorithm as it has a time complexity ( $$O(n^3 \text {lg} n)$$ O ( n 3 lg n ) ) close to the fastest state-of-the-art algorithms ( $$O(n^3)$$ O ( n 3 ) ) but is extremely easy to implement. As in previous research, the economic model reflects the distributed nature of markets inherently: in this paper it leads directly to a decentralized method ideally suited for distributed multi-robot systems.
The effects of pre-test social deprivation on a natural reward incentive test and concomitant 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalization production in adolescent and adult male Sprague-Dawley rats.

Abstract In rats, ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) are often used as a measure of affect, with 22 kHz USVs reflecting negative affect and 50 kHz USVs reflecting positive affect. This study used a modified reward approach task to assess behavioral approach and concomitant USV production toward either a food or social stimulus following varied amounts of pre-test social deprivation in both adolescent and adult rats. Adolescents spent significantly more time investigating the social stimulus than adults, although in the presence of the social stimulus isolate housed adults emitted more 50 kHz USVs than isolate housed adolescents. Isolate housed adults emitted more USVs to a social stimulus than adults that received less pre-test social isolation, a social deprivation effect not evident in the social approach data or any measure when animals were tested with a food stimulus. When tested with a food stimulus, adults emitted more 50 kHz USVs than adolescents, although they spent the same (or even less) time investigating that stimulus than did adolescents. Together, these data demonstrate that 50 kHz USV production and time spent investigating a rewarding stimulus are clearly dissociable and hence seemingly measure different states.