cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tuning of the Temperature Window for Unit‐Cell and Pore‐Size Enlargement in Face‐Centered‐Cubic Large‐Mesopore Silicas Templated by Swollen Block Copolymer Micelles

The unit-cell size and pore diameter as functions of temperature are investigated in the syntheses of FDU-12 silicas with face-centered cubic structure templated by Pluronic (PEO-PPO-PEO) block copolymer micelles swollen by toluene. The temperature range in which the unit-cell size and pore size strongly increase as temperature decreases is correlated with the critical micelle temperature (CMT) of the surfactant. While Pluronic F127 affords a wide range of unit-cell parameters (28-51 nm) and pore diameters (16-32 nm), it renders moderately enlarged pore sizes at 25 °C. The use of Pluronic F108 with higher CMT affords FDU-12 with very large unit-cell size (∼49 nm) and large pore diameter (27 nm) at 23 °C. Large unit-cell size (40-41 nm) and pore size (22 nm) were obtained even at 25 °C. The application of Pluronics F87 and F88 with much smaller molecular weights and higher CMTs also allows one to synthesize FDU-12 with quite large unit-cell parameters and pore sizes at room temperature. The present work demonstrates that one can judiciously select Pluronic surfactants with appropriate CMT to shift the temperature range in which the pore diameter is readily tunable.
Food Security in the Face of Salinity, Drought, Climate Change, and Population Growth

Global climate change, including rising average temperatures, more severe droughts and more extreme weather variability, is seriously challenging marginal, already-stressed agricultural ecosystems. In the Middle East, these drivers of food insecurity are exacerbated by a rapidly increasing population. The world’s current major crops are proving inadequate to supply the calories, proteins, fats, and nutrients that people need in their diets. Given the additional stresses of political and economic instability, it appears that new, locally developed and adapted crops are needed. To find agricultural solutions appropriate to feeding people in this new world, halophytes can be one potential source of new crops, particularly if their growth and reproductive performance can be adjusted to the needs of the human population.
Managing technology: challenges in the public policy arena

The former Chairman and Chief Executive of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, USA, examines the nature of public responses to industrial technology. In the public arena, technology managers face policy challenges in the areas of: product use and disposition, pollution control and waste management, disclosure; risk reduction, regulatory complexity, and litigation and liability. These aspects are examined by reference to a case of an emerging technology (in the field of biotechnology). Recommendations are made for improving the dialogue and interaction between technology managers and the public.
A Planning Model for Construction Minerals

The problem of allocating construction minerals is rarely considered by those who plan the destiny of our urban environment. The purpose of this research is: 1 to delineate in dollar terms the magnitude of the result of not planning for the consumption of construction minerals, and 2 to develop a computer simulation model which will provide planners with an indication of the effects of decisions. affecting these resources. Construction mineral aggregates sand, gravel, and crushed stone are among the earth's most plentiful, yet are rapidly being rendered inaccessible in those areas which need them most. They are characterized by a low intrinsic value, a high bulk, and a delivered price which is very sensitive to the transportation cost associated with moving them from the quarries to their points of demand, It is ironic that the cities which create the demands for mineral aggregates are, at the same time, preventing their extraction by being built over them or by legally limiting their use through zoning restrictions. The simulation model which has been developed enables the planner to investigate the effects of various zoning strategies. It allows him to investigate the results of limiting individual operations and to force the removal of material from a site before it is covered by urban development. It does not attempt to search for decisions which yield “optimal” solutions; rather it indicates the results, over a simulated time period, of various planning strategies, thus providing the planner with greater insight into the effects of the decisions that he alone can make.
Clinical and economic benefits of an anticoagulation management service (AMS) for cardiac surgery patients

Department of Pharmacy, Anticoagulation Management Service, Allegheny General Hospital, 320 East North Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212-4772, USA; Division of Hematology, Anticoagulation Management Service, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, 1830 E Monument Street, Suite 7300, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Pharmacy, Ohio Northern University, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wolfe Street/Carnegie 180, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Department of Pharmacy, Clinical and Decentralized Services, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wolfe Street/Carnegie 180, Baltimore, MD 21287-6180, USA; Department of Pharmacy, Center for Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wolfe Street/Carnegie 180, Baltimore, MD 21287-6180, USA
The growth morphology of the {100} surface of KDP (archerite) on the molecular scale

The surface morphology of the {100} face growth hillock of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) is examined through first-principles calculations and using periodic-bonded-chain (PBC) theory. KDP, or archerite ([K, NH 4 ]H 2 PO 4 ), is used extensively in industry and is an excellent model for more complicated materials that have considerable ionic and hydrogen bonding as part of their structure. Here, we have calculated the gas-phase detachment energies of KH 2 PO 4 growth units adsorbed to steps oriented normal to the [010] and [001] PBC directions. The detachment energies of growth units adsorbed to the two different terminations of the {010}-facing step are +4.2 and +4.5 eV, and detachment from the {001}-facing step is +3.8 eV. Detachment from the {010}-facing step is more unfavorable, indicating that the adsorbed species will be less labile and the step will advance more quickly than the {001}-facing step. The relative detachment energies are qualitatively consistent with experimentally observed fast and slow step velocities on the {100} growth hillock. Detachment energies of growth units adsorbed subsequently to the {010}-facing step are similar, but detachment of a second growth unit from the {001}-facing step is much more unfavorable, +5.1 eV. The increase in detachment energy indicates that the high rate of detachment of the initial KH 2 PO 4 unit from the {001}-facing step may limit the advance of the step, whereas the second growth unit detaches much more slowly. To explain this behavior, we propose that the first growth unit adsorbed to the {001 }-facing step has a higher lability because of the lack of hydrogen bonds to the step edge. This study provides a qualitative picture of how crystal structure may control growth morphology of KDP and emphasizes the importance of anisotropic hydrogen bonding in the system.
The Effect of the Radial Velocity Profile oh Band-Broadening in Preparative Scale Gas-Liquid Chromatography: A Critical Analysis

Abstract The approximations necessary to compare theory and performance in large-scale chromatographic columns are critically analyzed. The existence of carrier gas velocity gradients across the column cross section is the major cause of band-broadening and inefficiency in large-scale columns. Estimates of these radial velocity gradients based on existing particle size and velocity measurements are shown to be too inexact to test the presently accepted theory. A radial velocity profile, which has the major features of profiles measured in somewhat similar systems, is proposed. The need for accurate measurements of velocity profiles is emphasized.
Magnetic Moments of Odd Nuclei

To understand the grouping of the nuclear magnetic moments a generalization of Schmidt's single-particle model is considered. In the first approximation, the ground state of an odd nucleus is taken to be a doublet state with definite partition quantum numbers, but involving both possible values of the azimuthal quantum number $L$. Only very general assumptions are made concerning the detailed composition of the wave function. On this basis the orbital part of the magnetic moment turns out to be essentially that following from the liquid drop model; the spin part is identical with that of Schmidt. The limits of the magnetic moments, when plotted against $J$, are given by the solid lines on Fig. 1. Next, we have calculated the deviations from the magnetic moments thus obtained which arise from the admixture of states with higher partition quantum numbers to the original wave function. The result is that the magnetic moment is not greatly changed even when the partition quantum numbers are no longer sharp. (Cf. Fig. 2.) The present model fails to explain the near equality of the moments of isotopes which has been found experimentally.
Trimethylamine oxide transport across plasma membranes of elasmobranch erythrocytes.

The aim of this study was to characterize the erythrocyte cell membrane transport of trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) in the little skate, Raja erincea. Uptake of TMAO occurs by two processes, Na(+)-dependent and Na(+)-independent. 2,4 dinitrophenol (2,4 DNP), a known ATP synthesis inhibitor, inhibited TMAO uptake, suggesting the involvement of the Na(+)/K(+)-ATP pump in Na(+)-dependent TMAO transport. Na(+)-independent TMAO uptake was stimulated by cell swelling when erythrocytes were incubated in hypotonic elasmobranch incubation medium. Swelling-activated, Na(+)-independent TMAO uptake was inhibited by the anion transport inhibitors quinine and 4, 4'-diisthiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS), two blockers of the swelling-activated osmolyte channel in skate erythrocytes. TMAO efflux was stimulated by hypotonic stress in the erythrocytes of the spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias. DIDS also inhibited this efflux, indicating that TMAO is transported by the organic osmolyte channel in the erythrocytes of this elasmobranch as well. J. Exp. Zool. 284:605-609, 1999.
On the Reliability of the IBM MVS/XA Operating System

This paper describes an analysis of system-detected errors on the MVS operating system under the eXtended Architecture (XA) for two IBM 3081 systems. The analysis classifies the errors in categories and examines the effectiveness of the recovery system of the MVS/XA. Comparison of the results for the two IBM 3081's confirm the dependence of the error distribution on the type of system utilization. The results for one of the machines are compared to those obtained for the same system when operating under MVS/SP. The comparison of the MVS/XA to the MVS/SP reveals the following: more addressing errors, a better error recording system and improved reliability and fault tolerance.
A yield-driven regular layout synthesis

The continuous devices shrinking has introduced new challenges to integrated circuit design, mainly to deal with the overall yield loss (Beckett 2002). Designers start to take into account process variability impact in the early design stages to successful deal with yield loss. Process variability have a critical effect on integrated circuits increasing power consumption to out of design specifications, accelerating circuit degradation or introducing erroneous circuit functionality. Routing ... This work proposes two main contributions to improve yield: explore regular detailed routing reducing the number of vias and explore new approaches of basic cells in a regular layout synthesis.
Review of nanoscale memristor devices as synapses in neuromorphic systems

This paper is a review paper of a promising study towards the creation of artificial synaptic networks using memristor based synapse devices and other promising research in the field of neuromorphic circuit development. In 2010, Lu et. al utilized Ag/Si memristors incorporated into crossbar synapse networks with CMOS based pre and post synaptic neurons to effectively demonstrate that changes in both pulse height and width from CMOS neurons caused corresponding changes in memductance of memristor synapse. This proved the memristor neuromorphic circuit exhibited behavior analogous to spike timing dependant plasticity, a process which governs strength of interconnects between neurons and vital to learning and memory processes. In this paper we will present overview of the memristor device, and its applications to mimic the neurological processing.
Beyond Jackie Robinson: Racial Integration in American College Football and New Directions in Sport History

This article seeks to unite a narrative of African American integration in collegiate football with the broader narrative of the Civil Rights Movement. It emphasizes the nebulous history of athletic integration and explores how that process compared to the overall course of civil rights during the twentieth century. Rather than focus on a myriad of schools and regions, it introduces the popular discourse surrounding the largest conflicts over integration in college football. Beyond Jackie Robinson points to four case studies that exemplify how reaction to a game could draw national media attention, transcend sport, and influence the mainstream discourse of race in America. By shifting focus away from the biographies of professional African American sporting figures, Beyond Jackie Robinson contends that collegiate athletic integration was a movement of young student athletes that more closely resembles the broader African American struggle for civil rights in postwar America.
Fluorescence from excitation of CH4, CH3OH and CH3SH by extreme vacuum ultraviolet radiation

The photoabsorption and fluorescence cross sections of CH4, CH3OH, and CH3SH were measured in the wavelength regions of 52-106, 48-106, and 48-106 nm, respectively. The fluorescence spectra were dispersed to identify the emitting species. Emissions from the excited species of H(asterisk) and CH(asterisk) are commonly observed for all three molecules. Emission from the excited CH2(asterisk) is observed from CH4, OH(asterisk) from CH3OH and CS(asterisk) from CH3SH. The photoexcitation processes that may produce the observed emission bands are discussed.
Bad Romance: Sex Differences in the Longitudinal Association Between Romantic Relationships and Deviant Behavior

The current study investigates how romantic relationships are related to antisocial behavior longitudinally among delinquent males and females (n=354; ages 14-25). While being in a relationship or not is unrelated to antisocial behavior, romantic partner characteristics (antisocial behavior and antisocial influence) are associated with greater antisocial behavior. As males age, they become increasingly resistant to romantic partner characteristics. In contrast, females become increasingly vulnerable to the effects of romantic partner characteristics on antisocial behavior as they age, particularly when these relationships are relatively shorter. Females in shorter romantic relationships with partners who are antisocial or exert antisocial influence are at risk of persisting in antisocial behavior.
Traits Attributed to Stuttering and Normally Fluent Males

To determine if a stereotype of the “typical stutterer” exists and to identify possible differences in that stereotype due to exposure to stuttering, seven groups of subjects having a wide range of...
Intervertebral Disk Repair by Protein, Gene, or Cell Injection: A Framework for Rehabilitation-Focused Biologics in the Spine

Low back pain carries an enormous socioeconomic burden. Current treatment modalities for symptomatic intervertebral disk (IVD) degeneration have limited and often inconsistent clinical benefits. Novel approaches with the potential to halt or even reverse disk degeneration and restore physiologic disk function, such as biological treatments, are therefore very attractive. The following barriers are impeding the development of successful therapeutic interventions: (1) the biology and pathophysiology of disk degeneration are not well understood, and (2) the precise relationship between IVD degeneration and low back pain remains unclear. This article reviews the structural changes that take place during IVD degeneration and their relationship to diskogenic back pain. It also presents treatment modalities that currently are under laboratory investigation and are being studied in clinical trials. The authors of recent studies have shown that the content of large proteoglycans, such as aggrecan and versican, decreases with aging and IVD degeneration, whereas the content of certain small proteoglycans, such as biglycan, increases. Proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-α also are associated with IVD degeneration and are potential biomarkers of IVD degeneration and repair. Our group of investigators and others have developed in vitro models of IVD cell and explant culture in addition to in vivo animal models to study IVD degeneration and repair. With the use of these models, we have tested candidate therapeutic agents to assess their therapeutic potential for matrix restoration. When a rabbit annular puncture model of IVD degeneration was used, injections of either bone morphogenetic protein-7 (also known as osteogenic protein-1) or bone morphogenetic protein-14 (also known as growth differentiation factor-5) were shown to be effective in restoring IVD structures. On the basis of these data, the Food and Drug Administration has recently allowed the initiation of Investigational New Drug clinical trials on osteogenic protein-1 and growth differentiation factor-5 in the United States. Protein therapies such as other growth factors, inhibitors of degradation enzymes or cytokines, and cell therapies also are being investigated in laboratory settings with the goal of restoring disk function and alleviating back pain symptoms. These therapies may be used by physiatrists with the skills required to administer intradiskal injections and supervise a comprehensive rehabilitation program after the procedures. Ultimately, the clinical use of any biological treatment discussed in this article would require the collective efforts of clinicians and researchers.
Restoring Mill Creek: Landscape Literacy, Environmental Justice and City Planning and Design

Injustices occur when human law and social practice ignore natural processes and when those who plan, design and build the city focus on a neighbourhood's problems and fail to recognize its resources. The story of the Mill Creek neighbourhood in Philadelphia illustrates these themes. Mill Creek is shaped by all the processes at work in inner-city America. It was laid waste by the flow of water and capital, and by the violence of redevelopment and neglect. Known locally as ‘The Bottom’, Mill Creek is one of many such ‘Black Bottoms’ in the US. They are at the bottom, economically, socially and topographically. Here, harsh socio-economic conditions and racial discrimination are exacerbated by health and safety hazards posed by a high water table and unstable ground. Landscape literacy is a means for recognizing and redressing those injustices through urban planning and design and community development, just as verbal literacy was a cornerstone of the American Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
Advances in scoliosis brace treatment for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Orthotic treatment with a brace remains the treatment of choice for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in the immature patient with documented progression or a curve magnitude of 25° to 40°. Studies of natural history and bracing consistently show high rates of curve progression and surgery with observation and significantly less so with brace treatment. Brace treatment is difficult in overweight patients and challenging in males. Many of the variations in brace study results may be attributable to differing rates of compliance with brace wear, a parameter that is becoming easier to measure.
Safe, highly selective use of pulmonary artery catheters in coronary artery bypass grafting: an objective patient selection method

Abstract Background . Routine versus selective use of pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) monitoring in coronary artery bypass grafting operations is a topic of significant debate. Accordingly, we retrospectively examined operative outcomes in 2,685 consecutive (1994 to 1998) coronary artery bypass grafting patients in whom PAC use was highly selective. Next, we developed a quantitative model of PAC use in terms of its multivariate predictors as a means of providing an objective criterion for patient PAC use selection. Methods . Safety of the implemented selective PAC use was assessed by comparisons to contemporaneous coronary artery bypass grafting outcome reported by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons' national data. Continuous relations describing PAC use in terms of continuous univariate predictors were obtained using overlapping-range patient cohorts. Next, independent predictors of PAC use were derived by multivariate regression to best fit the categorical variable PAC (Yes = 1, No=0). Model estimates were a continuous variable (PAC score) with values between 0 and 1. Results . Planned use of PAC was based on collective consideration of preoperative patient variables, and was not limited to low-risk or preserved ejection fraction patients. Planned and unplanned use of PAC was limited to 176 (planned, 6.6%) and 66 (unplanned, 2.4%) patients, respectively, whereas no PAC was used in 2,443 (91%). Overall patient characteristics and risk factors in this series were comparable to contemporaneous Society of Thoracic Surgeons data, and the incidence of operative deaths was 2.31% (n = 61; observed-to-expected [Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk] mortality=0.73). Independent predictors of PAC use were ejection fraction, Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk, intraaortic balloon pump, congestive heart failure, reoperative surgery, and New York Heart Association class IV. Expectedly, PAC scores were substantially different for PAC (mean ± standard deviation, 0.37 ± 0.20; median, 0.38) and no PAC (0.14 ± 0.11; median, 0.10) patients ( p Conclusions . Our results indicate that highly selective use of PAC in coronary artery bypass grafting can be accomplished safely, and it need not be limited to patients with preserved ejection fractions or low operative risk. Indeed, coronary artery bypass grafting without PAC may be preferable in the vast majority of patients as it reduces catheter-associated risks and resource utilization without incurring an increased operative risk. Also, pending further prospective confirmation, our analysis suggests that collective consideration of PAC use predictors to derive a PAC score provides an objective criterion to minimize unnecessary use of PAC with an acceptably low probability of error.
Review of proton pump inhibitors for the initial treatment of heartburn: Is there a dose ceiling effect?

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used in clinical practice. However, concerns have been expressed about their long-term use, particularly with regard to bone health, Clostridium difficile infections, and drug interactions with platelet aggregation inhibitors. There has been limited guidance for clinicians concerning appropriate dose selection of PPIs for the initial treatment of heartburn. This review explored whether published clinical trials provide evidence of a ceiling above which higher PPI doses do not provide additional clinical benefit over the lowest approved dose. All articles of randomized, controlled clinical trials in nonerosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in which the effects of two or more doses of the same PPI on symptomatic relief of heartburn were quantified as a study endpoint were identified and analyzed through PubMed searches up to the end of September 2010. The majority of trials evaluated provided no evidence that higher PPI doses were superior to the lowest approved dose for the initial treatment of heartburn. There were no clinically relevant findings with respect to dose dependence and safety outcomes in these studies. Efficacy outcomes from the trials suggest there may be a dose ceiling effect and highlight the need for further research on the use of the lowest effective PPI doses as an appropriate strategy in the initial treatment of uncomplicated heartburn. Observational studies and some meta-analyses have suggested that long-term PPI pharmacotherapy might be associated with safety concerns, which necessitate the periodic evaluation of therapeutic benefit in terms of symptom resolution and regimen tolerability. However, evidence to date suggests that use of the lowest effective dose for the indication is not associated with significant adverse events, particularly in the short term. Clinical practice suggests that patients requiring long-term treatment should be maintained on the lowest dose necessary to control symptoms, and monitored for potentially confounding factors that may lead to safety concerns.
Noninvasive analysis of aldose reductase activities in rat testis: 3-FDG NMR spectroscopy and imaging

Noninvasive investigation of aldose reductase activities in rat testis was performed using 3-fluoro-3-deoxy-D-glucose (3-FDG) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy/imaging. Quantitative determination of testis aldose reductase activities, expressed as the sorbitol index, showed a value similar to that of brain. Sorbitol imaging demonstrated aldose reductase activities in testis to be confined primarily to the central region of this organ. The 3-FDG 19F NMR method appears to have clinical potential in the evaluation of testicular function, especially that of spermatogenesis, noninvasively.
Unpoetic Justice: Ideology and the Individual in the Genre of the Presentence Investigation

Despite the legal and social ramifications of presentence investigation reports, little is known about them outside the legal community. The author uses the frameworks of genre theory and activity ...
Message-Oriented Discrete Event Simulation:

A message-oriented discrete event simulation algorithm has been developed which incorporates the concepts of object- oriented programming, distributed simulation and concurrent programming to simulate concurrent objects in a seguential environment. This algorithm extends the concept of messages from a means of program execution to a criterion for event scheduling. Two functions, Sync msg and Async-msg, were defined to control the interaction, concurrency and event scheduling among objects in a simulation model. The message approach, compared to the conventional algorithms, provides a more flexible and intuitive way to develop simulation models. This simulation approach allows models to represent their real-world counterparts more accurately. Also, it provides an opportunity for the simulation developers to view a model in a seguential environment as if it were in a concurrent environment. Consequently, such simulation techniques improve the overall structure of a model and provide an intuitive approach fo...
Telling your own bad news: Eliot Spitzer and a test of the stealing thunder strategy

Abstract This study explored the concept of stealing thunder, or telling your own bad news. Unlike previous research which used surveys and experiments, this study examined actual news coverage following crises that involved individuals. One case study compared media coverage of two New York governors while the second case study compared media coverage of a high profile athlete and a late night talk show host. In each of the two studies, one of the individuals in crisis stole thunder from reporters by revealing negative information before the media did; while the other person in crisis engaged in silence and allowed the media to break the story. Results indicate there may be an association between stealing thunder and the amount of news coverage one receives. Both studies found that the source who stole thunder received considerably less news coverage than the source who did not. Additionally, results from both studies showed that stealing thunder was associated with more positively framed stories and headlines and fewer negative media frames.
Risks of congenital malformations and perinatal events among infants exposed to calcium channel and beta-blockers during pregnancy

Purpose Calcium channel blockers and beta-blockers (BBs) are widely used during pregnancy, but data on their safety for the developing infant are scarce. We used population-based data from 5 HMOs to study risks for perinatal complications and congenital defects among infants exposed in-utero. Methods We studied women older than 15 years delivering an infant between 1/1/96 and 12/31/00, who had been continuously enrolled with prescription drug coverage for ≥1 year prior to delivery. Information on prescription drug dispensings, inpatient, and outpatient diagnoses and procedures was obtained from automated databases at each HMO. Results There were 584 full-term infants exposed during pregnancy to BBs and 804 full-term infants exposed to calcium-channel blockers, and over 75 000 unexposed mother–infant pairs with ≥30 days follow-up. Infants exposed to BBs in the third trimester of pregnancy had over threefold increased risk for hypoglycemia (RR 3.1; 95% CI 2.2, 4.2) and an approximately twofold increased risk for feeding problems (RR 1.8; 95% CI 1.3, 2.5). Infants exposed to calcium-channel blockers in the third trimester had an increased risk for seizures (RR 3.6 95% CI 1.3, 10.4). Chart review confirmed the majority of the exposed seizure and hypoglycemia cases. There were no increased risks for congenital anomalies among either group of infants, except for the category of upper alimentary tract anomalies; this increased risk was based on only two exposed cases. Conclusions Infants whose mothers receive BBs are at increased risk for neonatal hypoglycemia, while those whose mothers take calcium-channel blockers are at increased risk for neonatal seizures. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A 12-bit 32MS/s SAR ADC using built-in self calibration technique to minimize capacitor mismatch

This paper presents a low-power 12-bit 32MS/s suc- cessive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) using a single input with a novel Built-in Self Calibration (BiSC) feature to reduce the capacitor mismatch of the digital-to- analog converter (DAC) and to compensate the comparator input offset voltage. The proposed self-calibration scheme optimize the mismatch of the DAC by changing additional auxiliary capacitor array during calibration mode. In addition, in order to minimize the offset voltage of the comparator in the SAR ADC, a simplified voltage amplifier is proposed. The controller for the proposed algorithm operates as fore-ground operation so that low power consumption is achieved. Consequently, the mismatch error of the DAC can be minimized and the SAR based ADC operates without any extra power dissipation for the circuitry of self calibration during normal operation. The prototype was designed using 0.13μm single poly 6 metal standard CMOS technology. The ADC achieves a SNDR of 65.2 dB and consumes 3.57 mW with 1.2V supply voltage and sampling rate of 32 MS/s. Compared to the converters that use the conventional procedure, INL and DNL are reduced by about 45% and 51%, respectively.
Evaluating the Distorting Effects of Inattentive Responding and Social Desirability on Self-Report Scales in Creativity and the Arts.

Inattentiveness and social desirability might be particularly problematic for self-report scales in creativity and arts research. Respondents who are inattentive or who present themselves favorably will score highly on scales that yield positively skewed distributions and that assess socially valued constructs, such as scales measuring creativity and arts knowledge. A total of 204 undergraduates completed an online survey with several self-report measures (the Creative Achievement Questionnaire, the Biographical Inventory of Creative Behavior, and the Aesthetic Fluency Scale). Many metrics of inattentiveness were included, such as directed response items, self-reported attentiveness, and scales to catch inconsistent and patterned responses. The Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding measured facets of social desirability. We found high rates of inattentive responding. A latent class analysis indicated that around 25% of the sample was potentially inattentive, and inattentive respondents received higher scores on the creativity and arts scales. Excluding problematic participants increased the effect sizes of interest, consistent with the coarsening effect of careless participants. Social desirability, in contrast, had essentially no relationship with the creativity and arts scales. These findings suggest that social desirability is probably less of a problem than researchers fear, but that inattentiveness is an underappreciated threat. Some practical guidelines are suggested.
A sequential Monte Carlo base-calling method for next-generation dna sequencing

Recent development of next-generation sequencing platforms has dramatically increased the efficiency of obtaining genomic data. Their accuracy, reliability, and achievable read-lengths, however, often lag behind those of the conventional Sanger sequencing method. In this paper, we consider the Illumina sequencing platform and propose a novel DNA base-calling algorithm based on the sequential Monte Carlo method. It is demonstrated on experimental data that the developed algorithm is much faster than the best performing base-calling method currently available, while achieving similar accuracy.
Dynamics of a laminated composite plate with interface layers

Guided Rayleigh-Lamb waves in a laminated composite plate with interlaminar bond layers have been studied in this paper. The predictions for the dynamic response of the plate based on the (mass-less) spring model of the bond layer have been compared with those using the exact multilayer formulation and those of a plate without interface bond layers. It is found that all three model predictions agree well at low frequencies when the bond layer stiffnesses are not too low. As the stiffnesses get smaller, however, the response changes drastically even at low frequencies. These results would be useful in predicting weakening of the bond.
A Climatology of Springtime Dryline Position in the U.S. Great Plains Region

Abstract A climatology of dryline frequency and location is presented based on 30 yr (1973–2002) of April, May, and June surface observations from the Great Plains region of the United States. Drylines having a horizontal specific humidity gradient greater than or equal to 3 × 10−8 m−1 [greater than or equal to 3 g kg−1 (100 km)−1] are found to be present on 32% of the days, with the peak frequency occurring in mid- to late May. The most favored longitude of the generally meridionally oriented drylines is near −101°W at 0000 UTC, although the favored longitude tends to shift westward as the April–June period elapses. There is no robust suggestion of a shift in the annual mean dryline position over the period studied. Relationships between dryline position and wind and relative humidity data at mandatory levels (e.g., 850, 700, and 500 mb) also are investigated. Dryline longitude increases with increasing westerly momentum aloft. Dryline longitude also increases with decreasing relative humidity at 850 mb,...
Effect of position and typeface variation on perceptual clarity

To determine if S’s ability to perceive and to recognize a letter would increase with well spaced repetitions, even if the position and I or the typeface changed from flash to flash, four Ss were shown six flashes of single letters and were asked to guess the letter and to indicate whether or not they saw it clearly. Recognition (measured by both forced-choice guesses and by perceptual reports) increased at a constant rate whether an identical test letter was flashed on each trial or the form and/or position of the letter was varied (over four levels each) between flashes. The mean level of recognition was also unimpaired by variations in typeface and I or position, when measured by forced-choice guesses. With a perceptual report, recognition was lowered by variation of the test stimulus, apparently through a change in report criterion. These data suggest that the perceptual repetition effect must operate through arousal of the letter name or some other representation of the stimulus rather than by a simple sensory facilitation.
The Purification of Xanthene Dyes by Reverse Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract A reliable method for the separation of fluorescein dyes from their impurities was developed using high performance liquid chromatography and involved a μBondapak C18 reverse phase column and mixtures of methanol and ammonium acetate buffer. This technique was used to verify the purity of commercial products as well as to aid in the development of an empirical theory related to retention of halogenated fluorescein dyes by reverse phase columns.
Electron-impact ionization and dissociative ionization of sulfur in the gas phase

We describe the methods and the results of investigation of the yield of positive ions formed as a result of electron-impact ionization of sulfur. The ionization energy for the basic molecule and the energies corresponding to the emergence of fragment ions are obtained from the ionization efficiency curves. The dynamics of formation of molecular sulfur ions in the temperature range 320–700 K is investigated. The energy dependences of efficiency S n of the ion formation for n = 1–6 are analyzed, and their appearance energies are determined. The total cross section of sulfur ionization by a monochromatic electron beam is also investigated. Using the linear approximation method, we marked out features on the ionization function curve, which correspond to the ionization and excitation energies for multiply charged ions. The total cross section of the formation of negative sulfur ions is measured in the energy range 0–9 eV.
Solidification of an aqueous ammonium chloride solution in a rectangular cavity—I. Experimental study

Abstract An experimental study of solidification is performed for a binary NH4Cl-H2O solution in a rectangular cavity with varying initial concentration and thermal boundary conditions. Solutally driven flows are found to strongly influence solidification rates, localized remelting, and macroscopic solute redistribution. Control of these flows is effected through selection of the thermal conditions imposed on the solidification process.
Decoding of multichannel EEG activity from the visual cortex in response to pseudorandom binary sequences of visual stimuli

Electroencephalography (EEG) signals have been an attractive choice to build noninvasive brain computer interfaces (BCIs) for nearly three decades. Depending on the stimuli, there are different responses which one could get from EEG signals. One of them is the P300 response which is a visually evoked response that has been widely studied. Steady state visually evoked potential (SSVEP) is the response to an oscillating stimulus with fixed frequency, which is detectable from the visual cortex. However, there exists some work on using an m-sequence with different lags as the control sequence of the flickering stimuli. In this study, we used several m-sequences instead of one with the intent of increasing the number of possible command options in a BCI setting. We also tested two different classifiers to decide between the m-sequences and study the performance of multi channel classifiers versus single channel classifiers. The study is done over two different flickering frequencies, 15 and 30 Hz to investigate the effect of flickering frequency on the accuracy of the classification methods. Our study shows that the EEG channels are correlated, and although all the channels contain some useful information, but combining them with a multi channel classifier based on the assumption of having conditional independence will not improve the classification accuracy. In addition, we were able to get reasonably good results using the 30 Hz flickering frequency comparing with 15 Hz flickering frequency that will give us the ability of having a shorter training and decision making time. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 21, 139–147, 2011 (Supported by NSF under grants ECCS0929576, ECCS0934506, IIS0934509, IIS0914808, and BCS1027724 and NIH grant 1R01DC009834-01.)
Electron Spin Resonance of the Mono‐tert‐butyltropenyl and Tri‐tert‐butyltropenyl Radicals: A Study of Vibronic Near Degeneracy

The mono‐tert‐butyltropenyl and tri‐tert‐butyltropenyl radicals have been prepared by thermal and photochemical cleavage of di‐tert‐butylbitropenyl and hexa‐tert‐butylbitropenyl. The syntheses of these dimers are reported. Electron spin resonance spectra of the tert‐butyltropenyls (tert‐butyl‐2,4,6‐cycloheptatrien‐1‐yls) have been investigated. Proton hyperfine splittings of both radicals are markedly temperature dependent. In addition, for tri‐tert‐butyltropenyl, the g value and the linewidth are temperature dependent and the proton splittings vary slightly with solvent. The experimental temperature variations are ascribed to vibronic near degeneracy in the tert‐butyltropenyls, and a model is proposed in order to calculate these effects. Approximate spin densities for the two nearly degenerate states are given by ρkkπ ≈ (1 / 7)[1 ∓ P cos(8πk / 7)], where the minus sign corresponds to the ground state, ρkkπ is the diagonal element of the pi‐spin‐density matrix for carbon atom k, and P is a parameter which...
An EPR signal from the "invisible" copper of cytochrome oxidase.

Abstract Sulfide is both an inhibitor and a slow reductant of oxidized cytochrome c oxidase. When the enzyme is exposed to sulfide for short times (one minute or less) and frozen, the resultant electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signals show clearly: low spin heme a, low spin heme a3, the usual “EPR detectable” Cu2+ signal (g⊥ = 2.17, g⊥ = 2.03), and a new Cu2+ signal superimposed on the same region, with (g⊥ ∼ 2.19, g⊥ = 2.05). This new signal presumably arises because the antiferromagnetic coupling postulated to exist between the iron atom of heme a3 and this copper is disrupted when heme a3 is driven to a low spin state by sulfide. The implications of this result with respect to models of the O2-binding site and redox geometry of oxidase are briefly discussed.
The roles of Gallium-67 scintigraphy, ultrasonography, and computed tomography in the detection of abdominal abscesses.

The evaluation of patients with suspected abdominal abscesses begins with a history and careful physical examination. Gallium-67 ( 67 Ga) scintigraphy, ultrasonography (US), and computed tomography (CT) are utilized only after other routine investigations have failed to localize the abscess. All three modalities are reliable for the detection of abdominal abscesses. The decision regarding which of these three diagnostic tests to use in a particular patient rests upon clinical considerations. If the patient has acute localizing signs and symptoms, 67 Ga should not be used initially. In this type of patient, rapid diagnosis is best provided by either US or CT. Further radiologic investigation may be terminated if the CT or US findings are characteristic of an abscess. A 67 Ga scan should be performed in a patient with acute localizing signs and symptoms if the initial CT or US is negative. In a patient with nonlocalizing signs and symptoms, 67 Ga imaging should be employed as the first procedure since the entire body is easily surveyed. If the 67 Ga images are abnormal, then CT or US should be utilized for further lesion characterization. This diagnostic approach will optimize the rapidity of patient evaluation and will minimize diagnostic errors.
The solubilization of coal with wood pyrolysis oil: The role of phenolic components

Abstract It has been observed that phenols are capable of enhancing the solubility of coal. It is of interest to investigate the ability of a natural, biomass material to react with coal. Such a material has a complex chemical matrix but is rich in phenolic components. The nature of reactions of this type may provide unique insights regarding the reactivity of coal. The results of a preliminary investigation of the ability of a highly phenolic wood pyrolysis oil to convert coal to a more soluble coal product are described. Four coals were studied over a temperature range of 60–460°C. The time of reaction and the wood oil:coal ratio were also considered. The wood oil was recovered and was used in a subsequent reaction with coal. For the two coals tested with this recycled wood oil, it was found that a greater extent of solubility of the coals was achieved. Some of the implications of using such a natural biomass material are discussed.
AN EVALUATIVE REVIEW OF FAMILY INTERACTION RESEARCH

This article will review in detail the current status of quantifiable family interaction research. It will concentrate on the work done since 1960. An extensive reference list and glossary covering key workers and their concepts are appended.
TESTS OF FUNCTIONAL EQUIVALENCE: COMPLEMENTARY ROLES OF SALAMANDERS AND FISH IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

We experimentally tested whether two similarly sized generalist predators found in different habitats had similar effects on prey community patterns. Notophthalmus viridescens (the red-spotted newt) occurs primarily in temporary ponds, while Enneacanthus obesus (the banded sunfish) is restricted to permanent ponds. Larval anurans are an important prey assemblage found in both kinds of ponds. We stocked both predators in artificial ponds together with six species of larval anurans, forming different species assemblages, to assess whether a similar abundance and biomass of each predator would have comparable impacts on community patterns. The predators differed in their effects on prey species composition but had similar impacts on composite community attributes, including prey species diversity and total prey biomass. Enneacanthus eliminated Pseudacris crucifer, Hyla andersonii, Hyla versicolor, and Scaphiopus holbrookii, creating a community dominated by Bufo woodhousii and Rana sphenocephala. Notophthalmus eliminated Bufo, creating an assemblage dominated by Pseudacris but also containing four additional species. Very few anurans survived in ponds containing both newts and fish. The different consequences of predation by newts and fish reflect different effectiveness of anuran antipredator defenses against these predators. Mechanisms that reduced predation by fish, such as unpalatability, were ineffective against newts. Our findings suggest that a patchy distribution of functionally distinct predators across a landscape of discrete habitats will contribute to predictable patterns of spatial variation in community composition and will create a mosaic of communities dominated by different prey species.