cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The use of small malleable endoscopes to assess pedicle screw placement : Technical note

Because the improper insertion of pedicle screws can be associated with significant neurologic morbidity, attempts are being made to improve on the accuracy of pedicle screw placement. As a possible strategy we have studied the use of small malleable endoscopes to explore the pedicle and exiting nerve root during and after pedicle screw placement. These small endoscopes are 1.2 mm in diameter and can be bent so that the superior, medial and inferior walls of the pedicle can be visualized. Additionally, the nerve roots superior to and inferior to the pedicle can be seen throughout their entire intraspinal course. Using these endoscopes in ten patients requiring the placement of forty-four pedicle screws we were able to visualize the pedicles and nerve roots in all cases. The endoscope demonstrated that one screw had penetrated the inferior cortex of the pedicle. This penetration was not palpable with blind probing of the pedicle and foramina. These cases suggest that this simple technique may be of use in limiting improper pedicle screw placement.
Battlefield digitization with Discoverer II

Discover II is a technology demonstration program to develop an demonstrate an affordable space-based radar (SBR) with High Range Resolution Ground Moving Target Indication, SAR imaging capabilities and Digitized Terrain Elevation Data (DTED) that will revolutionize surveillance and precision geolocation support to the tactical warfighter. The near- continuous, global access provided by the objective Discoverer II concept, in combination with emerging capabilities to develop and exploit information on stationary targets, moving targets, and terrain elevation, will provide new and significantly enhanced mission capabilities to operational commanders.
Authentic Education: Resolving the Process-Content Dichotomy in Curriculum Debates

Authentic education can be distinguished from curriculum intents in that it combines the motives of learners and educational purposes into meaningful learning that enables the learner to deal with increasing amounts of the world that surrounds him or her.
Effects of region of origin and geographic mobility on perceptual dialect categorization

Recent findings have shown that listeners' region of origin and geographic mobility affect their perception of dialect-specific properties of speech in vowel identification and dialect categorization tasks. The present study examined the perceptual dialect classification performance of four groups of listeners using a six-alternative forced-choice categorization task. The residential history of the listeners was manipulated so that the four groups of listeners differed in terms of region of origin (Northern or Midland United States) and geographic mobility (Mobile or Non-Mobile). Although residential history did not significantly affect accuracy in the categorization task, both region of origin and geographic mobility were found to affect the underlying perceptual similarity structure of the different regional varieties. Geographically local dialects tended to be confused more often than nonlocal dialects, although this effect was attenuated by geographic mobility.This work was supported by NIH NIDCD T32 Training Grant DC00012 and NIH NIDCD R01 Research Grant DC0111 to Indiana University. The authors would like to thank Robert Nosofsky for his assistance with the statistical analyses. The first author (C. G. Clopper) is now at the Department of Linguistics, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208.
Meeting the challenge of permanent nuclear waste disposal in an expanding Europe: Transparency, trust and democracy

Abstract Experiences of siting nuclear waste disposal facilities in Sweden and the Czech Republic are examined in order to explore differences in state – society relations between the established democracies of western Europe and the fledgling democracies of post-communist Central and Eastern Europe. Sweden's success in moving toward selection of a publicly acceptable nuclear waste disposal site contrasts with the failure of the siting exercise in the Czech Republic, and highlights the importance of three key variables: open public consultation: widespread and reciprocal trust between society and government and industry; and resilient democratic institutions to efficiently channel opinion. The legacy of communist rule continues to undermine the ability of post-communist states to cope with the demands on their political systems that have accompanied membership in the European Union.
Development of Uniform Chitosan Thin-Film Layers on Silicon Chips

Nature creates selectively refractive materials in butterfly wings and crab shells by alternating layers of chitin with different refractive indices. To mimic this construction, control of both thi...
Family living in a Neotropical bird: variation in timing of dispersal and higher survival for delayed dispersers

Prompt natal dispersal and reproduction of offspring is viewed as the strategy to maximize lifetime reproductive success. Yet, across many species, offspring remain with their parents after independence rather than disperse. Why some species live in family groups and the behavioural mechanisms influencing the extent of family living remain unresolved. Family living is predicted to arise through slow life history traits predisposing certain lineages to family living, and then through social and ecological factors resulting in greater benefits of remaining with parents compared to dispersing. We studied family living in the western slaty-antshrike, Thamnophilus atrinucha, a bird with a slow life history, in Panama. We quantified the extent of delayed dispersal, and examined both the behavioural mechanisms influencing dispersal as well as the survival consequences. We observed that delayed dispersal increased offspring survival. Parental aggression towards offspring increased with offspring age and, in particular, when parents renested. Thus, offspring dispersed earlier when their parents renested. Fledging date and mass of offspring also influenced timing of dispersal. Although we observed higher survival of delayed dispersers, only a small proportion of offspring delayed dispersal until the next year and all dispersed to wander within other breeding pairs’ territories (i.e. ‘float’). Our results support theoretical predictions stating that benefits to parents from offspring retention decrease with offspring age and with renesting, leading to natal dispersal. Furthermore, we observed a reduced survival benefit of retention once offspring reached a certain age. Examining parental tolerance, the costs of floating, and how they vary with offspring age are essential to understand the costs/benefits of family living.
Incidence of epilepsy in a racially diverse, community-dwelling, elderly cohort: Results from the Einstein aging study

Abstract Objective To determine age-specific incidence and cumulative incidence of epilepsy in a well-defined cohort of elderly people, and to examine how rates of epilepsy are modified by sex, race, stroke, dementia, head injury, and depression. Methods The authors examined data from a reconstructed cohort based on 1919 community-dwelling volunteers, followed as part of a large ongoing prospective aging study. Results Age-specific incidence was 10.6 (per 100,000 person-years) between ages 45 and 59, 25.8 between ages 60 and 74, and 101.1 between ages 75 and 89. Cumulative incidence was 0.15% from age 45 to age 60, 0.38% to age 70, 1.01% to age 80, and 1.47% to age 90. In addition, the difference in cumulative incidence among African-American subjects approached statistical significance (57.6/100,000 person-years versus 26.1 in Caucasian, p = 0.10), and the difference in incidence among subjects reporting a history of stroke was significantly elevated (p = 0.029). Incidence of epilepsy was not statistically elevated among males, those with dementia, or individuals reporting a history of head injury or treatment for depression. Among “healthy” subjects without history of stroke, head injury, or dementia, we observed a cumulative risk of epilepsy with onset after age 60 of only 1.1%. Conclusions The incidence of epilepsy was low in this relatively healthy cohort of elderly people, especially among subjects without known risk factors. In this study we identified African-American race as a risk factor in the elderly for epilepsy independent of stroke.
Extraction and analysis of histone protein from the roots of three plant species

Des essais reiteres ont montre aux auteurs que la proteine extraite des racines d'Allium cepa, deVicia faba et dePisum sativum est identifiable a l'histone. L'analyse de l'amine acide des hydrolysates des histones ne revele pas de differences entre les trois especes vegetales citees et le thymus de veau. Dans les vegetaux, cependant, le rapport lysine-arginine est plus eleve.
eyeSelfie: self directed eye alignment using reciprocal eye box imaging

Eye alignment to the optical system is very critical in many modern devices, such as for biometrics, gaze tracking, head mounted displays, and health. We show alignment in the context of the most difficult challenge: retinal imaging. Alignment in retinal imaging, even conducted by a physician, is very challenging due to precise alignment requirements and lack of direct user eye gaze control. Self-imaging of the retina is nearly impossible. We frame this problem as a user-interface (UI) challenge. We can create a better UI by controlling the eye box of a projected cue. Our key concept is to exploit the reciprocity, "If you see me, I see you", to develop near eye alignment displays. Two technical aspects are critical: a) tightness of the eye box and (b) the eye box discovery comfort. We demonstrate that previous pupil forming display architectures are not adequate to address alignment in depth. We then analyze two ray-based designs to determine efficacious fixation patterns. These ray based displays and a sequence of user steps allow lateral (x, y) and depth (z) wise alignment to deal with image centering and focus. We show a highly portable prototype and demonstrate the effectiveness through a user study.
Sensitivity analysis of pico and femto sliders

The flying height sensitivity of pico and femto sliders on air bearing contour design, operating conditions and manufacturing tolerances was studied numerically. A Monte Carlo analysis was performed to evaluate the distribution of flying height, pitch angle and roll angle, assuming the selected independent variables have normal distributions. Two types of pico sliders and one type of femto sliders were modeled and simulated. The results show that flying height is strongly influenced by the contour design of the air bearing slider. The resulting distributions of flying height, pitch angle and roll angle are near Gaussian.
Superfluid fraction of4He from 1.5 K toTλ(P) and from vapor pressure to the melting curve

New measurements of the first-, second-, and fourth-sound velocities are reported and used to obtain the superfluid fraction ρ s /ρ at pressures from vapor pressure to the melting curve and from 1.5 K to within 1% of the superfluid transition temperatureTλ(P). Close toTλ, the new results agree very well with previous measurements by Greywall and Ahlers. At low temperatures they agree well with the tabulations by Maynard; but in the range within 10% or so ofTλ(P) and at the higher pressures they differ from Maynard's values by several percent.
A Time-Efficient Scooping Method to Prepare Cover Crop Seed for Cone Planters

Cone planters (CP) uniformly distribute seed over research plots; however, preparing seed for CP by weighing is time-consuming. This study evaluated (i) the effect of seed preparation method (scooping with a calibrated cup vs. weighing) on population density of monoculture cover crops planted with a CP, (ii) time required for scooping vs. weighing, and (iii) the effect of scooping on segregation of pre-made cover crop mixtures. Monocultures included mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.], rye (Secale cereale L.), common vetch (Vicia sativa L.), and faba bean (Vicia faba L.) planted at 1×, 2x, and 4x seeding rates; 1× rates in pure live seed m -2 were 24 (faba bean), 43 (common vetch), 291 (rye), and 310 (mustard). Mixtures contained rye, oat (Avena sativa L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), faba bean, common vetch, or pea (Pisum sativum L.), and by weight included: Mix 1 (10% rye, 90% faba bean), Mix 2 (10% oat, 90% faba bean), Mix 3 (10% barley, 90% faba bean), Mix 4 (10% common vetch, 90% rye), and Mix 5 (10% rye, 25% pea, 30% common vetch, 35% faba bean). Seed preparation method did not affect the population densities of the monocultures. Preparing seed packets was at least two times more time-consuming with the weighing than scooping method. Calibrating cups to scoop within 1% of the desired seed packet weight was not difficult. However, segregation occurred while scooping some mixtures from a bucket whereby smaller-seeded components increased with scooping depth. Simple methods to detect seed segregation in mixtures are discussed.
The relationship between fossil diatom assemblages and limnological conditions

Fossil diatom assemblages from the sediment/water interface in 105 Minnesota lakes were compared with measurements of alkalinity, sulphate, total phosphorus, transparency, and water depth at the sample site. Similar assemblages were placed together using cluster analysis and comparisons of environmental variables between diatom clusters were made using an analysis of variance. Total alkalinity and transparency showed the greatest difference among clusters. Samples from shallow eutrophic prairie lakes were dominated by Melosira granulata, Stephanodiscus niagarae and, occasionally, by Stephanodiscus hantzschii. Deep oligotrophic lakes had modest percentages of Cyclotella comta. Dilute acid lakes were dominated either by Melosira distans and M. italica or by Tabellaria fenestrata, Cyclotella stelligera, and in some cases C. glomerata. Assemblages with Cyclotella glomerata and Synedra nana were found in naturally meromictic lakes. Stephanodiscus hantzschii showed a preference for extremely eutrophic lakes. The relationships between recently deposited diatom assemblages and the lake environmental conditions studied here can be used to evaluate the extent of past environmental change in lakes.
Environmental enrichment selectively increases glutamatergic responses in layer II/III of the auditory cortex of the rat

Prolonged exposure to environmental enrichment (EE) induces behavioral adaptation accompanied by detectable morphological and physiological changes. Auditory EE is associated with an increased auditory evoked potential (AEP) and increased auditory gating in the primary auditory cortex. We sought physiological correlates to such changes by comparing synaptic currents in control vs. EE-raised rats, in a primary auditory cortex (AI) slice preparation. Pharmacologically isolated glutamatergic or GABA(A)-receptor-mediated currents were measured using perforated patch whole-cell recordings. Glutamatergic AMPA receptor (AMPAR)-mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) displayed a large amplitude increase (64+/-11% in EE vs. control) accompanied by a rise-time decrease (-29+/-6% in EE vs. control) and decrease in pair pulse ratio in layer II/III but not in layer V. Changes in glutamatergic signaling were not associated with changes in the ratio between N-methyl-D aspartate-receptor (NMDAR)-mediated vs. AMPAR-mediated components, in amplitude or pair pulse ratio of GABAergic transmission, or in passive neuronal properties. A realistic computational model was used for integrating in vivo and in vitro results, and for determining how EE synapses correct for phase error of the inputs. We found that EE not only increases the mean firing frequency of the responses, but also improves the robustness of auditory processing by decreasing the dependence of the output firing on the phase difference of the input signals. We conclude that behavioral and electrophysiological differences detected in vivo in rats exposed to an auditory EE are accompanied and possibly caused by selective changes in cortical excitatory transmission. Our data suggest that auditory EE selectively enhances excitatory glutamatergic synaptic transmission in layer II/III without greatly altering inhibitory GABAergic transmission.
Allergic Reaction Following Insertion of a Pd-Cu-Au Fixed Partial Denture: A Clinical Report

A severe allergic reaction to a porcelain-fused-to-metal fixed partial denture containing 79% palladium, 2% gold, and 19% copper, resulting in a variety of symptoms and hospitalization of the patient, is reported. The reaction occurred 4 hours after cementation of the fixed partial denture. Suggestions for use of nongold metal alloys are discussed.
NMOS realization of digital circuits with digital summation threshold gates

Abstract A systematic procedure is presented for NMOS realization of digital circuits with threshold gates. The procedure is especially effective for symmetric multiple-output logic circuits, such as arithmetic circuits. The method is also extended to multiple-valued logic circuits. The results are compared to standard NMOS realization in terms of speed, power dissipation, and complexity.
Least-squares estimations of the first hydrolysis constant of Pu(IV)

The numerical value of the first hydrolysis constant of tetravalent plutonium is uncertain by a factor of about ten. This article illustrates the estimation of that constant by a least squares method applied to simultaneous equations involving all of the Pu oxidation states.
Skutterudites: Their structural response to filling

Abstract The skutterudite structure, M4Pn12 (cubic Im- 3 ¯ ), where M = Group VIII transition metal and Pn = pnicogen, can be filled to varying degree by up to one atom per formula unit of a lanthanide, actinide, alkaline earth, alkali, or thallium atom, A1−xM4Pn12. Skutterudite phases are of interest as promising thermoelectric materials. The available database of all reported crystal structure refinements of filled and unfilled skutterudites are analyzed to identify common structural responses to filling. As the filling fraction increases, the cell volume increases by about 3.6%, both the y and z positional parameters of the 24g Wyckoff sites occupied by the pnicogen increase, the four-membered pnicogen ring becomes more square, and the mean-square displacement of the filling atom decreases. Details of the structural response to filling can be correlated with physical properties and used as input to build more accurate theoretical models. Crystal structure refinements of neutron powder diffraction data also are reported for three Tl-filled skutterudites, Tl0.25Co4Sb12, Tl0.51Co4Sb11.5Sn0.5, and Tl0.75Co3FeSb12.
The Application of An Electronic Particle Counter with A Mean Cell Volume Computer and An Hematocrit Accessory to Avian Hematology

The accuracy and precision of an electronic cell counter equipped with a mean cell volume and packed cell volume accessory were evaluated for avian blood, and the results were compared with those of "standard" avian hematological techniques. Precision on replicate determinations with the electronic instruments was excellent and the mean results compared well with those of standard methods when the instrument was carefully standardized and calibrated.
Proton Longitudinal Relaxation Rates of Water in Aqueous Orthophosphoric Acid

Abstract Longitudinal relaxation rates of water protons were determined for aqueous solutions of orthophosphoric acid at concentrations up to 85% by weight, and their concentration dependence was investigated. An appropriate choice of variables yielded an essentially linear plot for concentrations up to at least 15% by weight. Deviations from linearity are discussed and are interpreted in terms of mass-law effects. The use of parameters of this plot for deriving values for correlation coefficients and for a hydration parameter is illustrated by application to observed data and data from the literature.
Implications of metric choice for common applications of readmission metrics.

Readmission rates have come to the forefront as measures of interest for assessing several dimensions of health care quality. Readmissions related to infections and other complications of care may reflect overall aspects of hospital quality—while evidence is mixed, several studies have linked hospital quality deficits to higher readmission rates (Ashton et al. 1997; Benbassat and Taragin 2000). Lower readmission rates may also signal more successful care transitions, or higher quality of outpatient chronic disease care. Readmissions are costly and may also provide an indication of care inefficiency in some cases (Friedman and Basu 2004; Jencks, Williams, and Coleman 2009). Efforts have begun to integrate readmission measures into policy frameworks. The National Quality Forum has endorsed four readmission measures for comparative reporting, including All-Cause Readmissions and condition-specific readmission measures (National Quality Forum 2011). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act also contains provisions to measure and reduce readmissions in an effort to improve quality and reduce costs (2010). A number of ways of measuring readmissions have been proposed. These metrics differ in various ways, along a couple of key dimensions. First, the time period over which readmissions are measured ranges widely, with some metrics capturing readmissions within 7 days of the first admission and others going as far as 90 days. Thirty-day rates are the most common. Some metrics focus on readmissions for any cause (“all-cause readmissions”), but other metrics attempt to exclude subsequent admissions likely to be planned or unrelated to the initial admission (Halfon et al. 2006; Goldfield et al. 2008). Some metrics count all readmissions that occur for a given patient, while others count only whether a patient has at least one readmission in a given time period. Finally, the risk adjustment approaches employed in different metrics also vary. Each of these definitional differences has the potential to affect the conclusions drawn from readmission metrics. However, there is currently no quantitative assessment of the impact of these differences. Effective efforts to reduce readmissions and to develop fair reimbursement policies related to readmissions will require reliable and well-understood metrics, and an important step toward having such a metric set is understanding how variations in metrics affect assessment of hospital performance. This study aimed to quantify the differences in measured hospital performance when applying three commonly used readmission metrics.
Analysis and Visualization of the Contact Force Solution Space for Multi-Limbed Mobile Robots With Three Feet Contact

A new analytical method for determining, describing, and visualizing the solution space for the contact force distribution of multi-limbed robots with three feet in contact with the environment in three-dimensional space is presented. The foot contact forces are first resolved into strategically defined foot contact force components to decouple them for simplifying the solution process, and then the static equilibrium equations are applied to find certain contact force components and the relationship between the others. Using the friction cone equation at each foot contact point and the known contact force components, the problem is transformed into a geometrical one to find the ranges of contact forces and the relationship between them that satisfy the friction constraint. Using geometric properties of the friction cones and by simple manipulation of their conic sections, the whole solution space which satisfies the static equilibrium and friction constraints at each contact point can be found. Two representation schemes, the “force space graph” and the “solution volume representation,” are developed for describing and visualizing the solution space which gives an intuitive visual map of how well the solution space is formed for the given conditions of the system.© 2003 ASME
What Does An Observation Mean In Archeology

This chapter explores the relationship between social imagery and observation in archeology. Several examples are provided which indicate that what archeologists “see” in/as the archeological record is more closely linked to shifting fashions in their own cultural contexts than generally imagined. If correct, this raises interesting questions concerning the nature of knowledge in archeology.
Cefazolin versus cefazolin/ metronidazole for antibiotic prophylaxis at cesarean delivery

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and costs of cefazolin, compared with the broader spectrum and less expensive regimen of cefazolin plus metronidazole when used for prophylaxis at cesarean delivery. Methods: Women undergoing cesarean delivery who did not demonstrate exclusion criteria were randomly selected to receive either cefazolin, 2 g, (average wholesale price $5.66) or cefazolin, 1 g, plus metronidazole, 500 mg, (average wholesale price $4.83) intravenously for prophylaxis after umbilical cord clamping. Women who developed postoperative infection were generally treated with a combination of ampicillin/gentamicin/clindamycin (average wholesale price $10.60/day). Results: There were 37 cases of postoperative endomyometritis in 160 women enrolled in the study (23% postoperative infection rate). Conclusions: Metronidazole plus cefazolin results in less postoperative infections, decreased hospitalization, and lower costs than cefazolin alone when used for prophylaxis at cesarean delivery. Cefazolin (n = 81) Cefazolin metronidazole (n = 79) Hospital days 6.17 ± 5.2 4.89 ± 2.8 (P = 0.05) Postoperative days 4.46 ± 4.7 3.12 ± 0.8 (P = 0.01) Antibiotic days 1.98 ± 5.2 0.4 ± 1.04 (P = 0.009) Infections 26 (32%) 11 (14%) (P = 0.01) Estimated antibiotic cost $553.39 $52.06
Objective Summary Of U.S. Army Electro-Optical Modeling And Field Testing In An Obscuring Environment

Fifteen electro-optical obscuration models in use within the Army are examined in terms of input and output requirements, and 18 data bases from major Army obscuration effectiveness tests are examined and summarized. Tables showing side-by-side model data requirements and test measurements on hand are presented along with short descriptions of each model and test. The results are discussed in relation to strengths and deficiencies in current modeling and testing capabilities.
Perspective: PhD Scientists Completing Medical School in Two Years: Looking at the Miami PhD-to-MD Program Alumni Twenty Years Later

AbstractProducing and retaining physician–scientists remains a major challenge in advancing innovation, knowledge, and patient care across all medical disciplines. Various programs during medical school, including MD–PhD programs, have been instituted to address the need for continued production of
On claws belonging to every tournament

A directed graph is said to ben-unavoidable if it is contained as a subgraph by every tournament onn vertices. A number of theorems have been proven showing that certain graphs aren-unavoidable, the first being Redei's results that every tournament has a Hamiltonian path. M. Saks and V. Sos gave more examples in [6] and also a conjecture that states: Every directed claw onn vertices such that the outdegree of the root is at most [n/2] isn-unavoidable. Here a claw is a rooted tree obtained by identifying the roots of a set of directed paths. We give a counterexample to this conjecture and prove the following result:any claw of rootdegree≤n/4 is n-unavoidable.
Traffic-Driven Dynamic Spectrum Auctions

Wireless growth has been limited by the shortage of radio spectrum. While the spectrum assigned to legacy technologies remain unused, new prominent technologies such as Mesh/WiFi networks are forced to crowd into a small unlicensed band, suffering from significant interference and degraded performance. Using economic incentives, dynamic spectrum auctions redistribute spectrum to make it available to new technologies while providing financial benefits to legacy owners. In this paper, we investigate the performance of dynamic spectrum auctions under traffic dynamics. Using measured traffic traces from deployed WiFi access points, we evaluate the advantages and artifacts of dynamic auctions over plain channel sharing, and investigate the impact of bidding formats and auction intervals. Our results show that short-term dynamic auctions with traffic-aware bidding can significantly improve system throughput and provide bidders with cost-effective spectrum usage.
Simulation based optimization for the loading-unloading strategies of railway container terminal

It is difficult to build a mathematical model for a railway container terminal because its complexity and randomicity. A simulation based optimization(SBO) algorithm is adopted to search optimal solution on deployment of equipments and the loading-unloading strategies in the railway container terminal, where simulation model is combined with GA. The definition of suppositional evaluation is presented which helps to decrease computing time. To compute fitness quickly and distribute the computing resource rationally, methods of case retrieval and adjusting time step and simulating times are used. All of these make the algorithm not only decrease the computing time evidently but also have the ability to gain satisfied solutions. The performance of the algorithm is demonstrated by a simulation of loading-unloading operation in a railway container terminal. Finally, optimal loading-unloading strategies are analyzed and compared.
Adaptation of a support vector machine algorithm for segmentation and visualization of retinal structures in volumetric optical coherence tomography data sets

Recent developments in Fourier domain-optical coherence tomography (Fd-OCT) have increased the acquisition speed of current ophthalmic Fd-OCT instruments sufficiently to allow the acquisition of volumetric data sets of human retinas in a clinical setting. The large size and three-dimensional (3D) nature of these data sets require that intelligent data processing, visualization, and analysis tools are used to take full advantage of the available information. Therefore, we have combined methods from volume visualization, and data analysis in support of better visualization and diagnosis of Fd-OCT retinal volumes. Custom-designed 3D visualization and analysis software is used to view retinal volumes reconstructed from registered B-scans. We use a support vector machine (SVM) to perform semiautomatic segmentation of retinal layers and structures for subsequent analysis including a comparison of measured layer thicknesses. We have modified the SVM to gracefully handle OCT speckle noise by treating it as a characteristic of the volumetric data. Our software has been tested successfully in clinical settings for its efficacy in assessing 3D retinal structures in healthy as well as diseased cases. Our tool facilitates diagnosis and treatment monitoring of retinal diseases.
Exact feedback linearization with state derivative feedback for high-performance field-oriented induction motor speed/position control

This paper presents a novel nonlinear speed/position control method for the induction motor utilizing exact feedback linearization with state and state derivative feedback. The control scheme is derived in rotor field coordinates and employs an appropriate estimator for the estimation of the rotor flux angle, flux magnitude, and their derivatives. An error sensitivity analysis is included. Simulation and experimental results validate the theoretical part of the paper and reveal the high performance and advantages of the novel control scheme.
Clinicians' perceptions of digital vs. paper-based decision support interventions.

Rationale, aims and objectives Despite extensive evidence on the value of patient decision support interventions (DESIs), there is no consensus on optimal DESI formats. Assessing clinicians' perceptions about DESI formats can help facilitate their adoption. The aim of this study was to assess clinicians' perceptions of DESIs formats and potential use in practice. Methods Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with doctors from diverse practice areas (internal medicine, OB/GYN, surgery, medical oncology, emergency medicine) and elicited perceptions toward patient DESIs formats (digital vs. paper) and timing of administration. Questions also elicited beliefs underlying attitudes, perceived social norms and self-efficacy for using DESIs and the feasibility of doing so. Data analysis was conducted using a thematic analysis approach. Results Participants identified strengths of both more comprehensive digital and shorter paper-based tools and thought they could complement each other. Participants consistently expressed the advantages of using DESIs outside the consultation to supplement clinical discussions about cancer decisions given the amount of information to discuss during these emotion-laden conversations. Participants felt that patients with older age and lower socio-economic status were more likely to use a paper-based compared with a digital DESI. Participants also noted challenges related to reliable resources such as computers and Internet in the practice setting, which would be necessary for implementing the digital DESIs on site. Conclusions Clinicians' perceptions and opinions about value of DESIs can vary widely across doctor, patient and clinic characteristics. A one-size-fits-all approach to implementation might not be feasible, suggesting that flexible approaches to providing decision support for patients are needed to drive broader adoption.
The high molecular weight neurofilament subunit plays an essential role in axonal outgrowth and stabilization.

Neurofilaments (NFs) are thought to provide structural support to mature axons via crosslinking of cytoskeletal elements mediated by the C-terminal region of the high molecular weight NF subunit (NF-H). Herein, we inhibited NF-H expression in differentiating mouse NB2a/d1 cells with shRNA directed against murine NF-H without affecting other NF subunits, microtubules or actin. shRNA-mediated NF-H knockdown not only in compromised of late-stage axonal neurite stabilization but also compromised early stages of axonal neurite elongation. Expression of exogenous rat NF-H was able to compensate for knockdown of endogenous NF-H and restored the development and stabilization of axonal neurites. This rescue was prevented by simultaneous treatment with shRNA that inhibited both rat and murine NF-H, or by expression of exogenous rat NF-H lacking the C-terminal sidearm during knockdown of endogenous NF-H. Demonstration of a role for NF-H in the early stages of axonal elaboration suggests that axonal stabilization is not delayed until synaptogenesis, but rather that the developing axon undergoes sequential NF-H-mediated stabilization along its length in a proximal–distal manner, which supports continued pathfinding in distal, unstabilized regions.
Portable, high-bandwidth frequency-domain photon migration instrument for tissue spectroscopy

We describe a novel frequency-domain photon migration instrument employing direct diode laser modulation and avalanche photodiode detection, which is capable of noninvasively determinating the optical properties of biological tissues in near real time. An infinite medium diffusion model was used to extract absorption and transport scattering coefficients from 300-kHz to 800-MHz photon-density wave phase data. Optical properties measured in tissue-simulating solutions at 670 nm agreed to within 10% of those expected.
A WH/GSMT based full-wave analysis of the power leakage from conductor-backed coplanar waveguides

A full-wave analysis using the Wiener-Hopf procedure and the generalized scattering matrix technique (WH/GSMT) is applied to study the EM field propagation of conductor-backed coplanar waveguides. The power leakage from the dominant mode and the effect of finite extent lateral ground planes are emphasized. The WH/GSMT developed is especially suitable for studying planar transmission lines with conductors of finite lateral extent. >
Lionel Trilling and the Institutionalization of Humanism

Lionel Trilling is generally regarded as one of the most important American critics self-consciously indebted to Matthew Arnold's idea of critical humanism. But his legacy draws little interest now that humanism has presumably been “unmasked” in academic circles to reveal the various political agendas beneath its program of disinterested idealism. For many critics on the Left, he is remembered, in Cornel West's phrase, as “the godfather of neo-conservatism,” and perhaps a precursor of such recent advocates of the humanities as Allan Bloom and former Secretary of Education William Bennett. Much of this is doubtless due to Trilling's opposition to the general tenor of the 1960s counter-culture, some of whose participants are now today's academic cultural critics. But if Trilling is to be remembered as a kind of mandarin apologist for “high culture,” he should be remembered as a very troubled and ambivalent one.
The design of an acquisitional query processor for sensor networks

We discuss the design of an acquisitional query processor for data collection in sensor networks. Acquisitional issues are those that pertain to where, when, and how often data is physically acquired (sampled) and delivered to query processing operators. By focusing on the locations and costs of acquiring data, we are able to significantly reduce power consumption over traditional passive systems that assume the a priori existence of data. We discuss simple extensions to SQL for controlling data acquisition, and show how acquisitional issues influence query optimization, dissemination, and execution. We evaluate these issues in the context of TinyDB, a distributed query processor for smart sensor devices, and show how acquisitional techniques can provide significant reductions in power consumption on our sensor devices.
Feature level test patterns for characterizing residual process effects

Layout test patterns are being pursued that are more sensitive than circuit patterns in detecting and quantifying residual processing effects. These patterns permit the rapid searching of layouts for the locations of worst-case process impacts, and may facilitate layout compensation at OPC speeds. These patterns have been taped-out along with snippets of circuits in preparation for experimental verification of the ability to link residual process effects to electronic design. The collection includes pattern-and-probe-based targets for measuring aberrations, illumination non-uniformity and etch-depth errors in phase-shifting masks, plasma etching with loading effects related to area and perimeter factors, and patterns for CMP orientation and feature proximity. The goal is to use these test patterns to develop maximum lateral impact functions for each individual process effect for use in fast-CAD techniques capable of inspecting large layouts.
Relaxation Response Induces Temporal Transcriptome Changes in Energy Metabolism, Insulin Secretion and Inflammatory Pathways

The relaxation response (RR) is the counterpart of the stress response. Millennia-old practices evoking the RR include meditation, yoga and repetitive prayer. Although RR elicitation is an effective therapeutic intervention that counteracts the adverse clinical effects of stress in disorders including hypertension, anxiety, insomnia and aging, the underlying molecular mechanisms that explain these clinical benefits remain undetermined. To assess rapid time-dependent (temporal) genomic changes during one session of RR practice among healthy practitioners with years of RR practice and also in novices before and after 8 weeks of RR training, we measured the transcriptome in peripheral blood prior to, immediately after, and 15 minutes after listening to an RR-eliciting or a health education CD. Both short-term and long-term practitioners evoked significant temporal gene expression changes with greater significance in the latter as compared to novices. RR practice enhanced expression of genes associated with energy metabolism, mitochondrial function, insulin secretion and telomere maintenance, and reduced expression of genes linked to inflammatory response and stress-related pathways. Interactive network analyses of RR-affected pathways identified mitochondrial ATP synthase and insulin (INS) as top upregulated critical molecules (focus hubs) and NF-κB pathway genes as top downregulated focus hubs. Our results for the first time indicate that RR elicitation, particularly after long-term practice, may evoke its downstream health benefits by improving mitochondrial energy production and utilization and thus promoting mitochondrial resiliency through upregulation of ATPase and insulin function. Mitochondrial resiliency might also be promoted by RR-induced downregulation of NF-κB-associated upstream and downstream targets that mitigates stress.
Optical measurements of transmembrane potential changes during electric field stimulation of ventricular cells.

We evaluated transmembrane potential changes at the ends of isolated rabbit ventricular myocytes during defibrillation-strength shocks given in the cellular refractory period. The myocytes were stimulated (S1 pulse) to produce an action potential. Then a constant-field shock (S2 pulse) with an electric field of 20 or 40 V/cm was given at an S1-S2 interval of 50 msec. The cells were stained with potentiometric dye (di-4-ANEPPS), and the cell end facing the S2 anode or cathode was illuminated with a laser while the fluorescence was recorded. During S2, the cell end facing the S2 cathode became more positive intracellularly, whereas the cell end facing the S2 anode became more negative intracellularly. The S2-induced transmembrane potential change at the cell end (delta Vm) was determined relative to the amplitude of the S1-induced action potential (APA) in each recording (i.e., delta Vm/APA). In Tyrode's solution containing 4.5 mM potassium, delta Vm/APA for 40-V/cm S2 was 1.36 +/- 0.34 at the cell end facing the S2 cathode and -1.65 +/- 0.61 at the cell end facing the S2 anode (n = 9). For the 20-V/cm S2, delta Vm/APA was 0.61 +/- 0.33 at the cell end facing the S2 cathode and -0.71 +/- 0.33 at the cell end facing the S2 anode (n = 6). The delta Vm/APA was not significantly influenced by 20 mM diacetyl monoxime. These results indicate that large delta Vm values occurred at the ends of the cells during S2. The calculated values of delta Vm, assuming a nominal APA of 130 mV, were 177 and -214 mV for the 40-V/cm S2 and 79 and -93 mV for the 20-V/cm S2. The delta Vm was correlated with cell size (r > or = 0.95) and agreed with values predicted by the S2 electric field strength multiplied by half of the cell length to within 27%. When the potassium concentration was increased to 20 mM, delta Vm/APA for 40 V/cm S2 increased 85% and 67% at the cell ends facing the S2 cathode and anode, respectively (n = 9, p < 0.005 versus 4.5 mM potassium), consistent with reduced APA. Thus, with normal or elevated extracellular potassium, transmembrane potential changes at the ends of cells during defibrillation-type stimulation are large enough to produce activation or recovery of voltage-dependent ion channels and may produce the effects responsible for defibrillation.
The molecular basis for centromere identity and function

The centromere is the region of the chromosome that directs its segregation in mitosis and meiosis. Although the functional importance of the centromere has been appreciated for more than 130 years, elucidating the molecular features and properties that enable centromeres to orchestrate chromosome segregation is an ongoing challenge. Most eukaryotic centromeres are defined epigenetically and require the presence of nucleosomes containing the histone H3 variant centromere protein A (CENP-A; also known as CENH3). Ongoing work is providing important molecular insights into the central requirements for centromere identity and propagation, and the mechanisms by which centromeres recruit kinetochores to connect to spindle microtubules.
ON GRASSLAND BIRD CONSERVATION IN THE NORTHEAST

Populations of many grassland birds in North America have declined significantly during the last 30 years (Knopf 1994, Peterjohn and Sauer 1999). Although population trends of many groups of breeding birds vary across geographic regions (James et al. 1992, Herkert 1995, Sauer et al. 1997), the declining trend for grassland birds is consistent across much of North America, including the Northeast (Bollinger and Gavin 1992, Askins 1993, Peterjohn and Sauer 1999). Declining trends and relatively low population levels for many grassland birds in the Northeast (Shriver et al. 1997), defined here as New York and the six New England states, has led to concern for the status of many species. By the early 1990s, birds of grassland and open habitats were the species most frequently listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern by states in the Northeast, with 12 species classified by three or more states (Vickery 1992). Reasons for grassland bird decline in the Northeast include farmland abandonment with subsequent succession to woodland habitat, decline of hayfield area, and increased haycropping during the nesting season (Andrle and Carroll 1988, Bollinger et al. 1990, Askins 1997, Vickery and Dunwiddie 1997). Because many grassland bird species are area-sensitive, those species are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation (Herkert 1994, Vickery et al. 1994). In New England and New York, grassland area has declined by 60% since the 1930s (Vickery et al. 1994). Concern for grassland birds in the Northeast has stimulated research, educational initiatives, conservation-oriented management, and habitat acquisition by federal, state, and nongovernmental organizations (Vickery et al. 1994, Jones and Vickery 1997, National Resources Conservation Service 1997, Shriver et al. 1997, Vickery and Dunwiddie 1997, Casey 1998). However worthwhile those activities may be, they have occurred without a comprehensive regional plan for managing grassland birds. Such a regional plan, preferably as part of a general plan for all native birds in the region, is crucial for several reasons. First, the plan would provide a rationale for conserving grassland birds in the Northeast in the context of current and historical land-use patterns.
Evaporation–Condensation Effects on Resonant Photoacoustics of Volatile Aerosols

In determining the optical properties of the atmosphere, the measurement of light absorption by aerosols is particularly challenging, and yet it is important because of the influence of strongly absorbing black carbon on climate and atmospheric visibility. The photoacoustic method obtains aerosol light absorption in situ, without use of filters, by acoustic measurement of the heat generated from aerosol light absorption, and its transfer to the surrounding air. However, in the general case, volatile aerosols heated by light absorption may also cool by evaporation (mass transfer). In this paper, the limiting case of the photoacoustic response of a volatile aerosol is compared with that of a dry aerosol to further the understanding of the data obtained with photoacoustic instruments. While the theory of photoacoustics of volatile aerosols for low-frequency, nonresonant cells has already been developed, current methods employ high-frequency, acoustically resonant photoacoustic instruments for quantifying atmospheric aerosol light absorption and vehicle exhaust mass concentration associated with black carbon. In this paper, a complete theory of photoacoustics for volatile aerosols is developed that includes additional terms to allow for higher-frequency devices, large particles, and high particle densities. Numerical calculations are used to determine the limits of various approximations.