cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Labyrinthine influence on cat forelimb motoneurons.

1. Intracellular responses in forelimb motoneurons to electrical stimulation of the whole labyrinth and of individual semicircular canal nerves were studied in decerebrated, unanesthetized cats. 2. Stimulation of the whole labyrinth typically produced EPSPs, usually bilaterally, in forelimb extensor (LON, LAT, MED) and shoulder (SI) motoneurons and bilateral IPSPs in forelimb flexor (BIC) motoneurons. 3. Latencies of PSPs indicated that most of those in extensor motoneurons were trisynaptic and many seen in flexor motoneurons may involve four synapses. 4. In the cells sampled, stimulation of the anterior, horizontal or posterior canal nerves often evoked EPSPs in extensor and IPSPs in flexor motoneurons, both ipsi-and contralaterally. Responses to canal stimulation were weaker and more variable than those to stimulation of the whole nerve. 5. Transection of the MLF in the lower medulla had no effect on PSPs evoked in forelimb motoneurons. Lesions in the medulla in the area of the LVST greatly reduced the occurrence of contralateral EPSPs in extensor and IPSPs in flexor motoneurons. The pathway linking labyrinths to forelimb motoneurons therefore appears to include the LVST. Hemisection shows that the pathway to contralateral motoneurons descends in the cord on the side of the stimulated labyrinth before crossing to influence these cells. 6. Labyrinthine control of forelimb motoneurons is less direct than control of neck and back motoneurons. It is suggested that the interneuron in the pathway to forelimb motoneurons is the site of integration of labyrinthine with other reflexes.
Differences in estrogen modulation of tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 and matrix metalloproteinase-1 expression in cultured fibroblasts from continent and incontinent women.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of increasing estrogen concentrations on metalloproteinase and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase protein expressions in cultured pelvic fibroblasts that were obtained from continent and incontinent women. Study Design: Periurethral vaginal wall tissues were taken from four stress incontinent and three continent premenopausal women who underwent gynecologic surgery for benign indications. Protein was extracted from these tissues, and Western blot analysis was performed to document that fibroblasts from continent and incontinent women differed with respect to metalloproteinase and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase production. One age-matched tissue pair was prepared for fibroblast culture. Cells were cultured with increasing concentrations of estradiol (0-500 pg/mL). Extracellular metalloproteinase and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase were assessed semiquantitatively with Western blotting. Results: Periurethral vaginal tissues from incontinent women expressed less tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase when compared with tissue from the control subjects; there was no difference in the expression of cleaved, active metalloproteinase protein. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase expression from fibroblasts of continent women significantly increased with increasing estradiol concentrations (0-100 pg/mL, P Conclusion: This preliminary in vitro study suggested that, in fibroblasts that were derived from the continent woman, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase protein production increases with increasing estrogen levels and that, in stress incontinent fibroblasts, no similar increase occurs. Neither group demonstrated a change in metalloproteinase production in response to varying estrogen levels, which suggests that estrogen may inhibit collagen degradation in continent women by increasing tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase production but exerts a reduced inhibitory effect on collagenolysis in women with stress urinary incontinence. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;189:59-65.)
Respiratory insufficiency at birth: A predictor of mortality for infants with omphalocele

Abstract For infants with omphalocele, the size of the defect and the presence of associated anomalies are well known prognostic factors. However, the prognostic importance of the respiratory status at birth has not been well defined. The authors reviewed the records of 30 infants with omphalocele (treated during a 10-year period) to determine whether respiratory insufficiency at birth affected survival. Eighteen infants did not require ventilatory support before repair of the omphalocele. The mean gestational age and birth weight were 38.2 ± 2.6 weeks and 3.4 ± 0.6 kg, respectively. Cardiac or other major associated anomalies were present in six infants (33%). Seven (39%) had a "giant" omphalocele (ie, liver-containing and/or omphalocele sac > 5 cm in diameter). The average length of ventilatory support was 3.2 days. All infants in this group were managed by primary (14) or staged closure of the omphalocele (4) immediately after birth. One infant died, but the remainder survived without any significant complications. Twelve infants had severe respiratory distress at birth and required positive pressure ventilation (mean peak inspiratory pressure, 31.4 ± 1.2 cm H 2 O; meanFio 2 , 0.8 ± 0.1). The mean gestational age and birth weight were 32.7 ± 3.5 weeks and 1.9 ± 0.8 kg, respectively. Cardiac or other major associated anomalies were present in nine infants (75%), and eight (67%) had a giant omphalocele. The average length of ventilatory support was 57.7 days, which was significantly longer than for the previous group ( P P
Detailed example of interconnecting piece-wise solutions

Abstract Detailed description is given of allthe steps involved in inverting on a small digital computer (such as the CPC) a special type of 63 × 63 matrix. This matrix may represent the linear equivalent circuit of the field equations of Maxwell, or the diffusioon equation of a nuclear reactor, etc. Or it may represent the equivalent circuit of a non-linear partial differential equation for one particular situation These networks have, however, the special property that each subdivision is separately grounded. In the example given, the physical system is torn apart into four parts, each part is solved independently of the others, then the solutions are interconnected. The inverse matrix is given also in a factorized form, more suitable than an actual inverse for many purposes. A simple numerical example is also worked out step-by-step.
Pressurized artificial muscles

Pressurized artificial muscles are reviewed. These actuators consist of stiff reinforcing fibers surrounding an elastomeric bladder and operate using a pressurized internal fluid. The pressurized a...
Ensuring the chain of recovery for stroke in your community. Chain of Recovery Writing Group.

Until recently, the prehospital and emergency department management of nonhemorrhagic stroke was largely supportive care. Studies now have demonstrated the potential of certain therapeutic interventions to reverse the debilitating consequences of such strokes. But despite the potential benefit, there exists a clear time dependency for such interventions, not only to ensure therapeutic efficacy, but also to diminish the likelihood of significant therapeutic complications. In turn, to optimize the chances of a better outcome for the patient with stroke, each community must establish and continue to refine a chain of recovery for stroke patients. The chain of recovery is a metaphor that describes a series of sequential actions that must take place in a timely fashion to optimize the chances of recovery from stroke. Each of these sequential actions forms an individual link in the chain, and each link must be intact. The links include: identification of the onset of stroke symptoms by the patient or bystanders...
Electron Density and Turbulence Gradients within the Extended Atmosphere of the M Supergiant Betelgeuse (α Orionis)

The extended atmosphere of the M supergiant Betelgeuse is complex with cool plasma dominating the structure by mass and small amounts of embedded hotter chromospheric plasma. A major challenge is to understand the interrelationship and juxtaposition of these different components, which in turn may provide clues to the nature of the process of nonradiative heating and the mechanisms that drive mass loss. We examine the chromospheric C II] λ2325 multiplet emission line electron density diagnostic using spatially scanned HST STIS echelle spectra. Escape probability models for the electron density-sensitive line ratios reveal that the mean electron density decreases by 0.6 dex as the sight line goes from disk center to ±75 mas. Radiative transfer simulations using spherical model atmospheres show that this trend can be explained if the electron density declines with radius by nearly 2 dex across ΔR ~ 2R*. The emission profiles indicate that the chromospheric material corotates with the star and then becomes decoupled by ±75 mas from disk center. We find no evidence for radial outflow in the chromospheric plasma. We find that the strongest C II] λ2325 emission lines are opacity broadened and that the gradient of atmospheric turbulence is surprisingly small. Using empirical constraints, we derive a relation between the relative C II column densities in the cool and chromospheric atmospheric components and the excitation temperature. These UV chromospheric results and previous radio analyses suggest that the chromosphere is pervasive but has a small filling factor at ~3R*, suggestive of confinement and heating in magnetic structures.
A target cell assay for friend virus

Abstract A method has been developed for the in vitro infection and subsequent quantification of murine hemopoietic target cells with FV grown in vivo . The number of infected FV releasing cells is quantified in a spleen colony assay for infectious centers. The hemopoietic nature of these cells is demonstrated by the fact that bleeding increases the number of target cells in spleen and bone marrow of mice. This procedure may be of significance in the study of both FV-target cell interactions and the problem of oncogenic transformation by FV.
Mutagenesis and Morphological Transformation of Mammalian Cells by a Non-Bay-Region Polycyclic Cyclopenta(cd)pyrene and Its 3,4-Oxide

Abstract Cyclopenta(cd)pyrene, a constituent of environmental emissions, has been found to mutate and transform mammalian cells in culture. Cyclopenta(cd)pyrene 3,4-oxide, a presumed metabolite, was found to be a direct-acting mutagen and to transform mammalian cells. These results suggest that cyclopenta(cd)pyrene 3,4-oxide may be an ultimate mutagenic form of the parent hydrocarbon.
Radiologic percutaneous gastrostomy and related enterostomies

Radiologic percutaneous gastrostomy (PG) provides access to the gastrointestinal tract for nutrition, decompression, or enteric manipulation. The procedure is common and may be performed de novo, if the patient is not a candidate for PG, or after unsuccessful percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy attempt. Outgrowths of PG include percutaneous gastroenterostomy or direct puncture of the duodenum, jejunum, or ileum; percutaneous cecostomy is used for decompression of the colon. An interplay of fluoroscopy, ultrasound, and computed tomography permits guidance for virtually any patient to undergo PG. PG is popular because the likelihood of success is very high, and the complication rate is quite low.
Information Sharing Preferences of Older Patients and Their Families

Importance Elderly patients often share control of their personal health information and decision making with family and friends when needed. Patient portals can help with information sharing, but concerns about privacy and autonomy of elderly patients remain. Health systems that implement patient portals would benefit from guidance about how best to implement access to portals for caregivers of elderly patients. Objective To identify how patients older than 75 years (hereinafter, elders) and family caregivers of such patients approach sharing of health information, with the hope of applying the results to collaborative patient portals. Design, Setting, and Participants A qualitative study was conducted from October 20, 2013, to February 16, 2014, inviting participants older than 75 years (n = 30) and participants who assist a family member older than 75 years (n = 23) to 1 of 10 discussion groups. Participants were drawn from the Information Sharing Across Generations (InfoSAGE) Living Laboratory, an ongoing study of information needs of elders and families based within an academically affiliated network of senior housing in metropolitan Boston, Massachusetts. Groups were separated into elders and caregivers to allow for more detailed discussion. A professional moderator led groups using a discussion guide. Group discussions were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed inductively using immersion/crystallization methods for central themes. Main Outcomes and Measures Central themes regarding sharing of health information between elderly patients and family caregivers. Results Seven lessons emerged from 2 main themes. First, sharing information has consequences: (1) elders and caregivers have different perspectives on what is seen as the “burden” of information, (2) access to medical information by families can have unintended consequences, and (3) elders do not want to feel “spied on” by family. Second, control of information sharing is dynamic: (4) elders wish to retain control of decision making as long as possible, (5) transfer of control occurs gradually depending on elders’ health and functional status, (6) control of information sharing and decision making should be fluid to maximize elders’ autonomy, and (7) no “one-size-fits-all” approach can satisfy individuals’ different preferences. Conclusions and Relevance Information sharing and control are complex issues even under the most well-meaning circumstances. While elders may delegate control and share information with family, they want to retain granular control of their information. When using patient portals, simple proxy access may not adequately address the needs and concerns of aging patients.
Regret from Postpurchase Discovery of Lower Market Prices: Do Price Refunds Help?

Abstract Consumer regret can result in unfavorable outcomes for marketers. To prevent regret, many retailers promise to refund money to consumers who discover lower prices after purchase. The authors show that a refund's effect on felt regret depends on how consumers view these promises. If consumers mainly view them as protective tools (i.e., adopt a protection focus), postrefund regret is minimal. If consumers primarily view such promises as sources of information about the retailer's price status (i.e., adopt an information focus), regret persists even after refund. The authors show that regret persists with these consumers because finding a lower price results in a perception of trust violation. They find that subject to boundary conditions, using a disclaimer that states that the retailer does not claim to offer the lowest prices helps avoid this negative outcome for information-focused consumers. The authors contribute to the literature on outcome reversibility and regret by showing that outcome rev...
Navigating in the Cayley Graphs of \({\rm SL}_{N}(\mathbb{Z})\) and \({\rm SL}_{N}(\mathbb{F}_{p})\)

We give a nondeterministic algorithm that expresses elements of \({\rm SL}_{N}(\mathbb{Z})\), for N ≥ 3, as words in a finite set of generators, with the length of these words at most a constant times the word metric. We show that the nondeterministic time-complexity of the subtractive version of Euclid’s algorithm for finding the greatest common divisor of N ≥ 3 integers a1, ..., aN is at most a constant times \(N \log \max \{|a_{1}|, \ldots, |a_{N}|\}\). This leads to an elementary proof that for N ≥ 3 the word metric in \({\rm SL}_{N}(\mathbb{Z})\) is biLipschitz equivalent to the logarithm of the matrix norm – an instance of a theorem of Mozes, Lubotzky and Raghunathan. And we show constructively that there exists K>0 such that for all N ≥ 3 and primes p, the diameter of the Cayley graph of \({\rm SL}_{N}(\mathbb{F}_{p})\) with respect to the generating set \(\{e_{ij} | i \neq j\}\) is at most \(K N^{2} \log p\).
The Order of Things in Anglo‐Saxon Studies: Categorization and the Construction of a Discipline

This essay surveys the effects of disciplinary categorization on the study of Anglo-Saxon literature. Because its languages and forms are so different from later British literature, Anglo-Saxon literature receives short shrift in literary studies. The institutional location of Anglo-Saxon studies within English departments encourages readers to approach early medieval texts through critical categories that often hamper their understanding of the texts themselves. Survey textbooks often cast Anglo-Saxon literature as a quaint and curious ancestor of British literature, while scholarly editions and critical studies reinforce anachronistic categories of genre, form, and language that do not best describe Anglo-Saxon texts. Anglo-Saxon literature in languages other than Old English is generally ignored, and texts that are not easily categorized as poetry or prose narrative are likewise overlooked. The author argues that students and scholars can use Anglo-Saxon literature to question the basic definitions and literary categories that have dominated and distorted the discipline.
Gas Turbine Inlet Salt Monitoring for Filtration and Hot Section Prognostics

The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD) Gas Turbine Emerging Technologies Code 934 has been working, in conjunction with Vibro-Meter Incorporated, to evaluate and further develop the Vibro-Meter Flame Contaminant Detector (FCD). This device has been used on various commercial gas turbine platforms to quantify the level of sodium entrained in fuel. The FCD consists of a spectrometer device, fiber optic cabling, and a lens assembly, which is mounted in an open combustor port. The combustion flame is continuously monitored for sodium wavelength intensity during gas turbine operation. The FCD was initially of interest to NSWCCD for use in fuel filtration system health monitoring. However, based on known Ship Service Gas Turbine Generator (SSGTG) hot section corrosion issues, it was believed that the FCD would also serve as useful tool for quantifying inlet air salt concentration. Testing was performed at the Philadelphia Land Based Engineering Site in 2003. It was determined that the FCD was able to detect salt concentrations as low as 0.003 parts per million. Initial indications are that airborne salt can be differentiated from fuel entrained salt based on continuous vs. intermittent sodium levels. Continuing efforts are centered on optimizing the existing FCD algorithm to properly differentiate between and quantify inlet air and fuel-entrained salt concentration.
Synthesizing operating system based device drivers in embedded systems

This paper presents a correct-by-construction synthesis method for generating operating system based device drivers from a formally specified device behavior model. Existing driver development is largely manual using an ad-hoc design methodology. Consequently, this task is error prone and becomes a bottleneck in embedded system design methodology.Our solution to this problem starts by accurately specifying device access behavior with a formal model, viz. extended event driven finite state machines. We state easy to check soundness conditions on the model that subsequently guarantee properties such as bounded execution time and deadlock-free behavior. We design a deadlock-free resource accessing scheme for our device access model. Finally, we synthesize an operating system (OS) based event processing mechanism, which is the core of the device driver, using a disciplined methodology that assures the correctness of the resulting driver.We validate our synthesis method using two case studies: an infrared port and the USB device controller for an SA1100 based handheld. Besides assuring a correct-by -construction driver, the size of the specification is 70% smaller than a manually written driver, which is a strong indicator of improved design productivity.
Effects of rodent community diversity and composition on prevalence of an endemic bacterial pathogen - Bartonella

By studying Bartonella prevalence in rodent communities from 23 geographic sites in the western United States and one site in northern Mexico, the present study focused on the effects of rodent com...
Effect of delay on racial differences in thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction.

Objective To analyze the effect of delay times on racial differences in thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction. Background Lower rates of thrombolytic therapy in blacks with acute myocardial infarction have recently been reported, but the reasons for this disparity are unknown. We hypothesized that lower rates of thrombolysis are caused by delay in presentation after symptom onset. Methods From November 1992 through November 1996, consecutive patients with a first acute myocardial infarction presenting to a large, urban teaching hospital were prospectively enrolled. Delay times were determined retrospectively from review of medical records. Patients were prospectively followed up for in-hospital cardiac events and death. A multivariable regression model was built to relate presentation times and other variables to thrombolysis administration. Results A total of 395 patients were included in the study, of which 33% were black. Symptom onset to emergency department presentation and door-to-needle times were significantly longer in blacks. Thrombolysis was administered significantly less often in blacks compared with whites (47% vs 68%, P = .001). Black race and age above 60 years were independently associated with delayed presentation and prolonged door-to-needle times. Black race, time to presentation, and non-Q-wave myocardial infarction were independently associated with not receiving thrombolysis. In-hospital mortality rates were similar in both groups. Conclusions Blacks presented later than whites for first acute myocardial infarction. Late arrival strongly influenced the rate of thrombolysis administration. Lower rates of thrombolysis and prolonged door-to-needle times were apparent in blacks after adjustment for delay times and other clinical factors, a finding that merits further investigation. (Am Heart J 2000;140:643-50.)
Association between insulin resistance and cognition in patients with depressive disorders: exploratory analyses into age-specific effects.

Abstract The current preliminary cross sectional study sought to examine the effects of insulin resistance (IR) and body mass index (BMI) on cognitive performance in adult patients with a history depression, currently not in an acute Major Depressive Episode (MDD). As an exploratory post hoc investigation, special consideration was given to adults Subjects included men and women ages 19-71 (N = 39) with a history of a non-psychotic, non-melancholic MDD. All subjects underwent an insulin suppression test to determine Steady-State Plasma Glucose (SSPG), a battery of neuropsychological tests, and measurement of BMI. Multiple linear regressions were conducted to determine whether there were differential effects of direct (SSPG) and indirect (BMI) measures on cognition in the whole sample and within dichotomized age groups ( Preliminary results showed that in the sample as a whole, SSPG was not associated with worse performance on any cognitive variables, while higher BMI was associated with worse dominant hand fine motor skills. Within age groups, differential effects on cognition were found in relation to SSPG and BMI. Higher SSPG was associated with worse cognitive flexibility in the group The potential negative impact of IR in younger adults with depression raises concerns regarding the long-term impact on cognition and risk for Alzheimer's disease in undiagnosed younger adults with IR and depression. These negative consequences may not be seen with indirect measures of IR in younger adult populations. Overweight and obesity in older adults with a history of depression appear to have further negative impacts on cognition similar to deficits seen in patients with diabetes. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier Clinical Trial NCT01106313
Changes in leaf hydraulic conductance during leaf shedding in seasonally dry tropical forest

• The hydraulic conductance of leaves ( k leaf ) was examined to determine whether this little understood component of the water transport pathway plays a role in governing leaf phenology of two deciduous dry forest trees ( Calycophyllum candidissimum and Rhedera trinervis ). • k leaf was monitored in parallel with stem hydraulic conductivity (K stem ) during the transition from wet to dry season. The relationships between declining photosynthetic quantum yield during senescence and declining k leaf and K stem were compared. • Divergent patterns were observed in the response of K stem to seasonal drying; however, the behaviour of k leaf was essentially similar in both species. Large (five- to ten-fold) decreases in leaf hydraulic conductance occurred before, and during the later stages of leaf senescence. During senescence, declining k leaf , which continued until leaves were ultimately shed, was associated with a concomitant decline in quantum yield. • We conclude that, in these species, the loss of hydraulic conductance of the leaf vascular system is linked to, and possibly responsible for, the loss of photosynthetic capacity during leaf senescence.
Collaborative psychosocial capacity building in Northern Uganda

Armed conflicts affect an increasing number of children and families worldwide. War-torn communities often require external resources to address the overwhelming psychosocial needs during and after such violence. This article provides information about a psychosocial training-of-trainers (TOT) program designed by a team of United States and Ugandan practitioners to enhance the knowledge and skills of local community members providing psychosocial support. The conceptual framework of collaboration was used to analyze the work of the TOT facilitators and participants, and identify implications for continued efforts. Discussions among facilitators and between facilitators and participants were essential to developing shared goals, exchanging knowledge and skills, and integrating Western concepts of psychosocial healing with non-Western approaches to individual and community healing.
Design, Simulation, and Fabrication of a Novel Vibration-Based Magnetic Energy Harvesting Device

In this paper, we have described a vibration-based magnetic energy harvesting device (VMEHD). The VMEHD converts mechanical energy from the environment to electrical energy by using the piezoelectric effect and frequency rectification. Magnetic arrays are used to rectify the incoming frequency to a higher frequency using non-contact mechanisms. The finite element analysis is used to simulate the VMEHD. Testing results show that the output voltage is between 8 volts to 12 volts with input frequency of 10 Hz and a rectified frequency of 22 Hz. This provides large power densities to be obtained in a mechanical energy harvesting device.
Skeletal Morphology of a New Genus of Eocene Insectivore (Mammalia, Erinaceomorpha) from Utah

A new genus and 2 new species of erinaceomorph insectivores from the Eocene of Utah are named and described. Both come from Member B of the Uinta Formation, which consists of terrestrially deposited rocks of Early Uintan age. The best specimen consists of dentaries, a few teeth, and several associated elements of the postcranial skeleton; additional dental and postcranial remains also have been recovered. Dentally, the new genus resembles the smaller erinaceomorphs known from earlier in the Rocky Mountain region of North America rather than the contemporary large ones from southern California, indicating that large body size and omnivory evolved independently in different regions of North America during the Eocene. The new genus is primitive in lacking many specializations of the ankle seen in extant erinaceids and other Eocene insectivores. The morphology of the forelimb suggests some digging behavior in having an expanded entepicondyle and the presence of distinct tubercles for insertion of the extensor carpi radialis on the bases of metacarpals II and III. The hind limb exhibits a mosaic of features typical of terrestrial runners, such as anteroposteriorly deep femoral condyles and a deep patellar groove, along with features seen in arboreal climbers, such as a medially and plantarly inflected calcaneal heel. We conclude that the new genus was terrestrial, perhaps moving rapidly over an uneven substrate such as a littered forest floor, but it could probably dig and climb as well.
Region-of-interest-based ultra-low-bit-rate video coding

In this paper, we present a region-of-interest-based video coding system for use in real-time applications. Region-of-interest (ROI) coding methodology specifies that targets or ROIs be coded at higher fidelity using a greater number of available bits, while the remainder of the scene or background is coded using a fewer number of bits. This allows the target regions within the scene to be well preserved, while dramatically reducing the number of bits required to code the video sequence, thus reducing the transmission bandwidth and storage requirements. In the proposed system, the ROI contours can be selected arbitrarily by the user via a graphical user interface (GUI), or they can be specified via a text file interface by an automated process such as a detection/tracking algorithm. Additionally, these contours can be specified at either the transmitter or receiver. Contour information is efficiently exchanged between the transmitter and receiver and can be adjusted on the fly and in real time. Coding results are presented for both electro-optical (EO) and infrared (IR) video sequences to demonstrate the performance of the proposed system.
Switching Capacitor PWM DC/DC Converters and Its Variations

This paper proposes novel switching capacitor PWM converters. The converter is a combination of a switching capacitor converter and a PWM converter, and it has the following advantages: 1) Zero voltage switching of all the MOSFETs. 2) Using an auto transformer self-driven method to eliminate SR drivers and save driver loss. Therefore there is no need to adjust the synchronous rectifier (SR) control timing, and this reduces body diode conduction loss. 3) Its efficiency is not sensitive to leakage inductor, so that the discrete transformer can be used and it is suitable for both VRM and VRD application. 4) Single phase option makes it more flexible, and it can achieve higher efficiency in whole load range with phase shedding control strategy. A 700kHz 1.2V/35A POL prototype and a four-phase 700kHz 1.2V/130A output VRM prototype were built to verify the analysis.
The JPL “Long Ephemeris”, DE102/LE51

A number of applications exist in astronomical research for planetary and lunar ephemerides covering an extended length of time. This paper discusses such a set of ephemerides, DE102/LE51, produced at JPL, covering the time 1411 B.C. to 3001 A.D. The ephemerides are dynamically self-consistent, in that the equations of motion were integrated simultaneously. They also represent the most accurately known positions covering such a time span. They have already been used by a number of different users in a variety of different applications.
Another Look at Blinking Displays

Twelve subjects scanned displayed prose passages to detect randomly inserted letter substitution errors. In comparison with steady displays, this check-reading task was performed 10% more slowly bu...
Thermodynamics of Oxides with Substitutional Disorder: A Microscopic Model and Evaluation of Important Energy Contributions

The first-principles calculation of finite-temperature phase stability and thermodynamic properties of multicomponent oxides presents a significant challenge. The time scale on which substitutional disorder occurs prevents the use of standard simulation methods, and a correct description of entropic effects requires that excitation energies can be calculated accurately on the scale of k{sub B}T. A model is presented in which substitutional disorder is parameterized with a cluster expansion. The thermodynamics of this model can be easily obtained with lattice model statistical mechanics. The only input required to the procedure is a description of bonding in the system, which is used to calculate the energy of ordered ionic configurations. This method is applied to the CaO-MgO, Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3}-ZrO{sub 2}, CaO-ZrO{sub 2} systems, and to Li{sub x}CoO{sub 2} (x between 0 and 1) electrodes for rechargeable lithium batteries. In almost all cases, a correct description of the charge state of the ions is essential to obtain the proper mixing behavior. Only for a highly ionic material such as CaO-MgO does the charge state of the ions remain unvaried upon mixing. The authors find that approximate energy models that employ fixed charges will tend to overestimate the energy required for mixing, hence themore » order-disorder transition temperature.« less
On seeing ourselves as others see us: Self–other agreement and discrepancy in personality ratings.

Subjects' descriptions of their own personalities were found to correlate quite well with descriptions contributed by their peers, especially on traits high in social desirability. As would be predicted from attribution research, subjects tend to rate themselves higher than do their peers on traits pertaining to inner states (e.g., “is introspective”), while peers tend to rate them higher on traits pertaining to behaviors especially salient to an external observer (e.g., “is personally charming”). But in general, self and peer ratings exhibit a considerable degree of covariance. It is concluded that self and peer trait attributions, since they tend to agree, must inevitably have an important impact on a person's life, and therefore are important to the understanding of personality.
The California fuel cell partnership: an avenue to clean air

Abstract The California Fuel Cell Partnership presently consists of eight private companies, two state agencies and a federal government representative that will attempt to demonstrate the feasibility of fuel cell cars and buses. California has attempted to advance the commercialization of zero-emission vehicles for much of the past decade to help the state reduce its high levels of air pollution. A special advisory panel convened by the California Air Resources Board concluded last year that fuel cell technology could meet the key requirements for automobiles. The successful commercialization of fuel cell vehicles would help to reduce the levels of ozone, fine particles and toxic air contaminants that pose health risks to California's population. This technology can also help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. California regulations now encourage the development of zero and near-zero emission vehicle technologies, including fuel cells. The Fuel Cell Partnership will operate approximately 50 fuel cell cars and buses until the year 2003 in order to produce important information on the vehicles and fueling infrastructure needed to support them.
Impact of advanced collaborative architectures on intelligence analysis

Emerging technologies and evolving business needs are continually changing the way people work together. People are no longer working in one location where they can easily meet to share information. Instead they are spread out across enterprises and across the world. The intelligence community in particular understands the need for analysts to work together from remote locations, in disparate organizations, to leverage experience and share information to solve the complex problems they are facing today. There is a need for a highly secure, extremely robust collaborative solution that enables self-organizing teams to participate in both ad hoc and structured collaborations. Intelligence analysts need an environment that promotes collaborative problem solving where they not only share ideas and information, but also standard applications, tools, and processes.
Integrating the iPod Touch in K–12 Education: Visions and Vices

Advocates of ubiquitous computing have long been documenting classroom benefits of one-to-one ratios of students to handheld or laptop computers. The recent sophisticated capabilities of the iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPad have encouraged further speculation on exactly how K–12 teaching and learning might be energized by such devices. This paper summarizes the research-to-date on mobile learning for K–12 students, and then delineates specific features and applications available on the iPod Touch that might impact student learning across the curricula. Finally, caveats are offered regarding the introduction and assimilation of these handheld computers into K–12 schools.
Sex-Specific Germination Response in the LiverwortSphaerocarpos texanus(Sphaerocarpaceae)

Abstract The sexually dimorphic liverwort, Sphaerocarpos texanus, can be used to study changes in sex ratios in a cohort of individuals during different life stages, from spore development to germination to senescence. Recent attempts to germinate spores under controlled conditions have been successful. This study used laboratory-derived spores to detect subtle sex-specific differences in germination in a cohort of spores across different dormancy breaking temperatures. Sex ratios were determined for subsets of sporelings held at 35/20, 30/15, and 25/15°C for one to eight wk. Sex ratios were female biased for spores that lost dormancy in the 25/15°C and when the data were pooled across the three dormancy breaking thermoperiods. This pattern coupled with the potential for spore banks formation in S. texanus can lead to a single cohort of spores influencing the sporeling sex ratios across seasons.
A Continuous Bedside Pressure Mapping System for Prevention of Pressure Ulcer Development in the Medical ICU: A Retrospective Analysis.

Objective Patient repositioning to offload high-pressure areas is an essential component of pressure ulcer prevention for bed-bound patients. In most settings, the quantity and quality of offloading and repositioning are difficult to measure. Real-time continuous bedside pressure mapping (CBPM) offers an opportunity to do so. Material and methods Data was collected on 627 patients being treated in a medical intensive care unit (MICU): 307 patients placed on beds with a CBPM system and 320 historical controls placed on the same beds without the CBPM system 1 year prior to the study participants. A pressure ulcer prevention bundle was enhanced by the addition of a CBPM system that provides real-time digital imaging of the patient on the support surface to National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel guidelines. Results During the 2-month study period, 1 (0.3%) patient in the CBPM cohort developed a pressure ulcer compared with 16 (5%) patients in the historical cohort (P = 0.001). In a survey of the MICU care providers, 90% of respondents reported that the CBPM contributed to improved pressure detection and relief, 88% indicated the CBPM assisted them with repositioning protocols, and 84% reported the pressure map provided for more efficient and effective patient repositioning. Conclusion Real-time, ongoing pressure measurement using a pressure-sensing mat may be a useful tool to help care providers effectively reposition patients within the context of existing standardized protocols for the prevention and minimization of pressure ulcers. ﻿﻿﻿.
Economic Returns Using Risk-rated Budget Analysis for Rabbiteye Blueberry in Georgia

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. risk-rated returns, production cost, harvesting, marketing, variable costs, fixed costs SUMMARY. Rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei) is the most important type of blueberry grown in Georgia. This species is classified as a highbush blueberry type, but is distinctively different from highbush blueberry (V. corymbosum) in its ability to withstand high temperatures and low-organic‐matter soils. However, rabbiteye blueberries, like other fruit crops, are subject to price and yield fluctuation. These volatilities depend on several factors, including the cultivar produced and sold, locality, aggregate productivity, targeted market, and timing. As a result, profit margin is hard to determine. The objective of this study was to estimate economic returns using risk-rated budget analysis for rabbiteye blueberry under Georgia conditions. The first-year establishment and maintenance cost of growing rabbiteye blueberry in Georgia was estimated at $5022.04/acre. Total harvesting and marketing costin thesecond year was $719.44/acre. In thethird year, totalvariable andfixedcostwas$3487.50/acre.Inthefullproductionyear(fourthyear),thecost was estimated at $4671.17/acre. The compounded and recaptured establishment annual cost was $2736.11/acre. The risk-rated expected returns over total costs 63% of the time were $679.00/acre. The chances of making a profit were 77% and the base budgeted net revenue was $369.00/acre. The total budgeted cost was $0.94/lb. The estimated annual total fixed machinery cost was $698.00/acre. The total annual cost of drip irrigation was $161.15/acre.
Approximate substring matching over uncertain strings

Text data is prevalent in life. Some of this data is uncertain and is best modeled by probability distributions. Examples include biological sequence data and automatic ECG annotations, among others. Approximate substring matching over uncertain texts is largely an unexplored problem in data management. In this paper, we study this intriguing question. We propose a semantics called (k, τ)-matching queries and argue that it is more suitable in this context than a related semantics that has been proposed previously. Since uncertainty incurs considerable overhead on indexing as well as the final verification for a match, we devise techniques for both. For indexing, we propose a multilevel filtering technique based on measuring signature distance; for verification, we design two algorithms that give upper and lower bounds and significantly reduce the costs. We validate our algorithms with a systematic evaluation on two real-world datasets and some synthetic datasets.
A super-cusp divertor configuration for tokamaks

Our study demonstrates a remarkable flexibility of advanced divertor configurations created with the remote poloidal field coils. The emphasis here is on the configurations with three poloidal field nulls in the divertor area. We are seeking the structures where all three nulls lie on the same separatrix, thereby creating two zones of a very strong flux expansion, as envisaged in the concept of Takase’s cusp divertor. It turns out that the set of remote coils can produce a cusp divertor, with additional advantages of: (i) a large stand-off distance between the divertor and the coils and (ii) a thorough control that these coils exert over the fine features of the configuration. In reference to these additional favourable properties acquired by the cusp divertor, the resulting configuration could be called ‘a super-cusp’. General geometrical features of the three-null configurations produced by remote coils are described. Furthermore, issues on the way to practical applications include the need for a more sophisticated control system and possible constraints related to excessively high currents in the divertor coils.
The Role of Active Oxygen and the Metabolism of Arachidonic Acid in the Formation of Clastogenic Factor by Human Monocytes

The mouse skin tumor promoter phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) is a potent inflammatory agent that not only elicits the infiltration of neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes to the site of application (1) but also induces human neutrophils and monocytes, but not lymphocytes, to release clastogenic factor(s) (CF) (2). CF are characterized as lipophilic (ethylacetate extractable) substances of relatively low molecular weight (<10 kDa) whose formation is mediated by superoxide anions and whose activity is inhibited by Cn superoxide dismutase (SOD), free-radical scavengers and antagonists of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism (3). A correlation between CF formation and lipid peroxidation has been demonstrated (4). These properties of CF are suggestive of free-radical chain reactions which can give rise to lipid peroxides and possibly account for the formation and/or action of CF.
Introduction to the Special Issue—The Rise and Fall of Chicago’s Organized Crime Family: A Brief History of the Outfit

Chicago's organized crime family emerged from the politically sponsored criminal activities of Jim Colosimo, which were concentrated in the city's corrupt Levee District. Unwilling to take advantage of the lucrative opportunities that accompanied the passage of the Volstead Act (Prohibition), Colosimo was assassinated and replaced by Johnny Torrio who partnered with Al Capone to lead the organization. Capone and his allies outfought other gangs during the Beer Wars and assumed control over bootlegging and other criminal activities, becoming the largest criminal organization at the end of the 1920s. The Outfit was born during Frank Nitti's reign, expanding its reach into labor racketeering, gambling, and extortion. The Outfit thrived from 1930 to 1960, virtually unscathed by law enforcement activities and unchallenged by rival criminal organizations. Changes in the city's political structures, neighborhood compositions, as well as successful FBI investigations, forced the Outfit to contract its membership and activities during the previous 30 years. Language: en
Intertree Distributions of Some Cynipid (Hymenoptera) Galls on Quercus lobata

More galls of the bisexual generation of Neuroterus saltatorius (H. Edwards) were found on Quercus lobata trees whose buds opened earlier than those on surrounding trees. An unidentified leaf vein gall was also more numerous on trees with earlier dates of 1st bud opening as well as on trees that developed more rapidly during early spring. Trees that grew little from May to September supported more galls of the agamic generation of N. saltatorius . More Andricus californicus Bassett galls were found on trees that developed rapidly during April, but fewer galls were found on trees that grew substantially from May to September. The distributions of A. fimbrialis Weld, A. fullawayi Beutenmuller, and Disholcaspis eldoradensis (Beutenmuller) were independent of time of bud opening, tree size, and tree growth rate.
A Model for Ion-Assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy and Application to Synthesis of Epitaxial SNxGE1-x Alloy Films

In this work, we develop a model for ion-assisted molecular beam epitaxy with application to synthesis of epitaxial SnxGe1-x/Ge/Si(001) with compositions up to x=0.34. The model describes the effect of energetic beam deposition on surface segregation during thin film growth. As the value of a Peclet number expressing the ratio of surface ion-mixing rate to growth rate exceeds unity, the segregation coefficient during ion-assisted growth exceeds the value during thermal growth. A comparison of the model with experiments for SnxGei.1-x synthesis is reported. The experimental results are consistent with the model.