cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiscale Analysis of Heart Rate Dynamics: Entropy and Time Irreversibility Measures

Cardiovascular signals are largely analyzed using traditional time and frequency domain measures. However, such measures fail to account for important properties related to multiscale organization and non-equilibrium dynamics. The complementary role of conventional signal analysis methods and emerging multiscale techniques, is, therefore, an important frontier area of investigation. The key finding of this presentation is that two recently developed multiscale computational tools--multiscale entropy and multiscale time irreversibility--are able to extract information from cardiac interbeat interval time series not contained in traditional methods based on mean, variance or Fourier spectrum (two-point correlation) techniques. These new methods, with careful attention to their limitations, may be useful in diagnostics, risk stratification and detection of toxicity of cardiac drugs.
Far Infrared Spectroscopy Of Hg1-xCdxTe And Related Materials

Far infrared measurements between 10 and 250 cm-1 characterize and probe II-VI semiconductor systems of current scientific and technical interest including: the leading infrared detector material Hg1-xCdxTe; the substrate materials CdTe and Cd1-xZnxTe; the magnetic semiconductor Hgl-xMnxTe; and the new HgTe-CdTe superlattice. The advantages, the theory and the technique of these measurements are reviewed and applications to these materials are described.© (1986) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Investigation of techniques for minimizing resistivity of thin metallic films at submillimeter wavelengths

Experimental investigations of the substrate deposition temperature and annealing temperature influence on aluminum films deposited on diamond substrates were conducted. Tests were performed at direct current and at 101.55 GHz. Minimum resistivity levels, near theoretical predictions, occurred for deposition temperatures in the range of 50–160°C and for peak annealing temperatures of 100–120°C. Both colder and hotter substrate temperatures resulted in larger resistivity levels.
Using commercial AMLCD panels for a wide range of dual-use applications

This paper describes the application of commercially available, active matrix liquid crystal panels to a wide variety of environments both commercial and military. Such environments include the dashboard of a city transportation bus and agricultural vehicle, the cockpit of a commercial jet airliner, and hard mounted on a howitzer field artillery piece. Each environment will be discussed and then a comparison will be made between the environments and how they relate to the display design. The application of finite element analysis to the design methodology will also be discussed. Test results will then be presented for the various applications as well as results of usage in the field. Design techniques of ruggedization for utilization of the same panels in other severe environments such as Army tanks will also be discussed.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
S K-edge XAS and DFT calculations on square-planar NiII-thiolate complexes: effects of active and passive H-bonding.

S K-edge XAS for a low-spin NiII−thiolate complex shows a 0.2 eV shift to higher pre-edge energy but no change in Ni−S bond covalency upon H-bonding. This is different from the H-bonding effect we observed in high-spin FeIII−thiolate complexes where there is a significant decrease in Fe−S bond covalency but no change in energy due to H-bonding (Dey, A.; Okamura, T.-A.; Ueyama, N.; Hedman, B.; Hodgson, K. O.; Solomon, E. I. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 12046−12053). These differences were analyzed using DFT calculations, and the results indicate that two different types of H-bonding interactions are possible in metal−thiolate systems. In the high-spin FeIII−thiolate case, the H-bonding involves a thiolate donor orbital which is also involved in bonding with the metal (active), while in the low-spin NiII−thiolate, the orbital involved in H-bonding is nonbonding with respect to the M−S bonding (passive). The contributions of active and passive H-bonds to the reduction potential and Lewis acid properties of a...
Experimental aerosol infection of cattle (Bos taurus) with ovine herpesvirus 2 using nasal secretions from infected sheep

Infection of clinically susceptible ruminants, including domesticated cattle and American bison, with ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2) can result in the fatal lymphoproliferative and vasculitis syndrome known as malignant catarrhal fever (MCF). A reliable experimental infection model is needed to study the pathogenesis of MCF and to develop effective vaccination strategies to control the disease. An experimental aerosol infection model using sheep, the natural carriers of OvHV-2, has been developed (Taus et al., 2005). Using the protocol and OvHV-2 inoculum established in the previous study, eight calves were nebulized with four different doses of OvHV-2 in nasal secretions from infected sheep. Two control calves were nebulized with nasal secretions from uninfected sheep. Infection status of all calves was monitored using competitive inhibition ELISA, PCR and clinical parameters. Six of eight nebulized calves became infected with OvHV-2. One calf receiving the highest dose of virus developed typical clinical, gross and histological changes of MCF. This study showed that nasal secretions collected from sheep experiencing OvHV-2 shedding episodes were infectious for cattle and capable of inducing MCF. The data also indicate that cattle are relatively resistant to disease following infection. The use of more susceptible species as experimental animal models, such as bison and selected cervid species should be examined.
Role of 2′,5′-oligo(adenylic acid) polymerase in the degradation of ribonucleic acid linked to double-stranded ribonucleic acid by extracts of interferon-treated cells

RNA covalently linked to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) is preferentially degraded in extracts of interferon-treated HeLa cells [Nilsen, T. W., & Baglioni, C. (1979) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 2600-2604]. The size of the dsRNA required for this preferential degradation has been determined by annealing poly(I) of known length to the poly(C) tract of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) RNA or by annealing poly(U) to poly(A) of known length of vesicular stomatitis virus mRNA. The dsRNA must be longer than about 60 base pairs to observe the preferential degradation of RNA. Moreover, triple-stranded regions that do not activate synthesis of 2',5'-oligo(A) and ethidium bromide, which intercalates in dsRNA and blocks 2',5'-olido(A) polymerase activation, prevent this degradation. Ethidium also blocks the degradation of the replicative intermediate of EMCV by extracts of interferon-treated cells. These experiments indicate that synthesis of 2',5'-oligo(A) is required for the degradation of RNA linked to dsRNA. The 2',5'-oligo(A)-dependent endonuclease does not cleave single- or double-stranded DNA, nor does it cleave homopolyribonucleotides. The potential role of the 2',5'-oligo(A) polymerase/endonuclease system in the inhibition of viral RNA replication is discussed.
Geographic disparities in state and district policies targeting youth obesity.

Background States and school districts nationwide have enacted policies targeting youth obesity, but many policies lack specific requirements or enforcement language. Geographic disparities in youth obesity could worsen if policies are weaker in areas with higher obesity prevalence. Purpose To determine if state or district policy strength varies with youth obesity prevalence across Census divisions. Methods Policies in five domains related to nutrition and physical activity in schools were obtained from all states and nationally representative samples of 578 and 592 public school districts in the 2006–2007 and 2008–2009 school years, respectively. Policy language strength was rated on a 0–100 scale on both the state and district level. Regression models were used to determine if mean 2006–2007 strength scores, and changes in mean scores from 2006–2007 to 2008–2009, were associated with youth obesity prevalence across Census divisions. Analyses were conducted in 2010. Results State and district policies governing foods sold outside of school meal programs (“competitive foods”) were stronger in 2006–2007 in the two divisions with the highest youth obesity prevalence (East South Central, West South Central). Furthermore, mean competitive food policy strength increased the most from 2006–2007 to 2008–2009 in these divisions. The West South Central had the weakest district physical education policies in 2006–2007, however, and was the only division in which average strength of district school meal policies decreased. Conclusions State and districts in Census divisions with the highest youth obesity prevalence are taking steps to restrict competitive foods in schools, but many have not targeted other policy domains as aggressively.
Evolution of the multidomain protein wheat germ agglutinin

We compared the homologous amino acid sequences of hevein and each of the four domains (A, B, C, and D) of wheat germ agglutinin and used them to construct a pseudophylogenetic tree relating these sequences to a hypothetical common ancestor sequence. In the crystal structure of the wheat germ agglutinin dimer, six pseudo-twofold rotational symmetry axes have previously been located in addition to the true twofold axis. Four of these relate two nonidentical domains to each other in each of the four possible pairs constituting the sugar-binding sites (A1D2, A2D1, B1C2, and B2C1). The remaining two relate contiguous unique pairs of sugar-binding sites to each other (A1D2 to B1C2, and A2D1 to B2C1). These latter two sets of pairs are related to each other by the true twofold axis. Side chains that mediate sugar binding in the interfaces of each of the four pairs were found to be largely conserved. The sequence homology, taken together with these pseudo-symmetry elements in the dimer structure, suggests a pathway for the evolution of the four-domain molecule from a single-domain dimer that can be correlated with simultaneous development of the saccharide-binding sites.
The Reactions of Carbon Monoxide and Phenols Promoted by Palladium Complexes

Abstract The reaction of phenols with carbon monoxide at atmospheric pressure and room temperature in the presence of palladium cholrode and tertiary amine produces diaryl carbonates and aryl salicylates. Only diaryl cabonates are produced when palladium carbonyl cholride is substituted for palladium chloride. Reaction pathways are proposed.
Basic limits on protocol information in data communication networks

We consider basic limitations on the amount of protocol information that must be transmitted in a data communication network to keep track of source and receiver addresses and of the starting and stopping of messages. Assuming Poisson message arrivals between each communicating source-receiver pair, we find a lower bound on the required protocol information per message. This lower bound is the sum of two terms, one for the message length information, which depends only on the distribution of message lengths, and the other for the message start information, which depends only on the product of the source-receiver pair arrival rate and the expected delay for transmitting the message. Two strategies are developed which, in the limit of large numbers of sources and receivers, almost meet the lower bound on protocol information.
Semantic similarity, predictability, and models of sentence processing

The effects of word predictability and shared semantic similarity between a target word and other words that could have taken its place in a sentence on language comprehension are investigated using data from a reading time study, a sentence completion study, and linear mixed-effects regression modeling. We find that processing is facilitated if the different possible words that could occur in a given context are semantically similar to each other, meaning that processing is affected not only by the nature of the words that do occur, but also the relationships between the words that do occur and those that could have occurred. We discuss possible causes of the semantic similarity effect and point to possible limitations of using probability as a model of cognitive effort.
On the optimization of solution model parameter values of phases and the calculation of phase diagrams

Abstract Phase equilibrium data are always used in addition to thermodynamic data in the optimization of model parameter values for all the phases in a binary or higher order system. The common strategy used to carry out the optimization is to compare the differences between the partial Gibbs energy values of the component elements at equilibrium. Three drawbacks inherent in this strategy are pointed out in the present study. An improved strategy is formulated to avoid these drawbacks. In the improved strategy, the objective functions used in the optimization are direct comparisons between the model-calculated compositions and/or temperatures of heterogeneous equilibria, and the experimentally determined values. The new strategy is used to optimize the model parameter values for all the phases and subsequent calculation of the phase diagrams for at least four binary and one ternary systems. These systems are Cu-In, Al-Zn, Al-Mg, Mg-Cu and Al-Mg-Cu. The new strategy is found to be much more powerful than the existing strategy.
Spectral-based propagation schemes for time-dependent quantum systems with application to carbon nanotubes

Effective modeling and numerical spectral-based propagation schemes are proposed for addressing the challenges in time-dependent quantum simulations of systems ranging from atoms, molecules, and nanostructures to emerging nanoelectronic devices. While time-dependent Hamiltonian problems can be formally solved by propagating the solutions along tiny simulation time steps, a direct numerical treatment is often considered too computationally demanding. In this paper, however, we propose to go beyond these limitations by introducing high-performance numerical propagation schemes to compute the solution of the time-ordered evolution operator. In addition to the direct Hamiltonian diagonalizations that can be efficiently performed using the new eigenvalue solver FEAST, we have designed a Gaussian propagation scheme and a basis transformed propagation scheme (BTPS) which allow to reduce considerably the simulation times needed by time intervals. It is outlined that BTPS offers the best computational efficiency allowing new perspectives in time-dependent simulations. Finally, these numerical schemes are applied to study the AC response of a (5,5) carbon nanotube within a 3D real-space mesh framework.
Variation in Neutral Detergent Fiber Intake of Holstein Cows

Abstract Published data representing 1284 Holstein cows over 149 treatment periods were used to evaluate alternative methods of predicting DMI. Stepwise multiple regression analyses of ration and cow characteristics against DMI and NDF intake were used (regression set) to develop DMI prediction equations and to test against DMI models (test set). After 70 DIM, DMI was correlated with BW, DIM, FCM, and ration NDF (R 2 = .99; standard deviation of the regression=1.79). Intake of NDF was correlated with DIM, FCM, and ration NDF (R 2 = .99; standard deviation of the regression=.096), and NDF intake increased with increasing ration NDF. When evaluated against the test set, the regression model had an average bias of 3% and an error of 1.6 kgld. A DMI model of Chase and Sniffen (11) that predicts DMI from BW and FCM underestimated DMI but had less bias and error than the NRC model (1.5 vs 1.7kg), which overestimated DMI. Using a constant NDF intake of 1.2% of BW, the model of Mertens, which predicts DMI from NDF, had the greatest error (2.5kg). When variable NDF intake, which was estimated by the NDF regression, was used in the model of Mertens, the DMI error decreased to 1.6 kgld of DM.
Use of a radio frequency shield during 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging: experimental evaluation.

Radiofrequency (RF) shields have been recently developed for the purpose of shielding portions of the patient’s body during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations. We present an experimental evaluation of a commercially available RF shield in the MRI environment. All tests were performed on 1.5 T and 3.0 T clinical MRI scanners. The tests were repeated with and without the RF shield present in the bore, for comparison. Effects of the shield, placed within the scanner bore, on the RF fields generated by the scanner were measured directly using tuned pick-up coils. Attenuation, by as much as 35 dB, of RF field power was found inside the RF shield. These results were supported by temperature measurements of metallic leads placed inside the shield, in which no measurable RF heating was found. In addition, there was a small, simultaneous detectable increase (∼1 dB) of RF power just outside the edges of the shield. For these particular scanners, the autocalibrated RF power levels were reduced for scan locations prescribed just outside the edges of the shield, which corresponded with estimations based on the pick-up coil measurements. Additionally, no significant heating during MRI scanning was observed on the shield surface. The impact of the RF shield on the RF fields inside the magnet bore is likely to be dependent on the particular model of the RF shield or the MRI scanner. These results suggest that the RF shield could be a valuable tool for clinical MRI practices.
Comparison of alumina-, silica-, titania-, and zirconia-supported FePO4 catalysts for selective methane oxidation

Abstract FePO4 catalysts supported on Al2O3, ZrO2, TiO2 and SiO2 and with iron loading from 2 to 16 wt% were tested in selective oxidation of methane, using molecular oxygen, in a continuous-flow reactor, at atmospheric pressure. The main products of the reaction were HCHO, CO and CO2. For the silica-supported catalysts, small but quantifiable amounts of CH3OH were also identified. Catalytic activity and selectivity exhibited a clear dependence on the oxide support and on FePO4 loading. FePO4 on silica produced the highest yield of the desired oxygenates, while alumina-supported FePO4 exhibited the lowest selectivity to formaldehyde. The highest selectivity and space–time yield to formaldehyde and methanol were observed at lower FePO4 loading levels for the SiO2, ZrO2, and TiO2 supports. Loading had no effect on yield for FePO4 supported on alumina. Mossbauer spectra suggest that when FePO4 is supported on silica or zirconia, Fe species in fivefold coordination are formed. XPS results indicate a lower surface oxidation state for Fe on the silica support, and a substantial enrichment of the surface in phosphorus relative to less selective catalysts. The presence of easily reducible iron, in high coordination and isolated by phosphate groups is proposed to be responsible for the superior performance of the silica-supported FePO4 catalyst. Stability of the desired products on the support also plays an important role in achieving a high yield.
Capillary electrophoretic separations of peptides using micelle-forming compounds and cyclodextrins as additives

The value of electrokinetic capillary chromatography for separating structurally similar model peptides and tryptic digests is demonstrated. The behavior of model peptides in buffer systems containing dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, sodium dodecyl sulfate and two cyclodextrins as additives is described. These additives, under different analytical circumstances, exhibit certain beneficial effects for peptides with similar net charges but different hydrophobicities. Separations of underivatized peptides, utilizing UV detection, are presented. In addition, separation of fluorescent products of peptides derivatized with o-phthalaldehyde, fluorescamine, and a new reagent, 3-(4-carboxybenzoyl)-2-quinolinecarboxaldehyde, are demonstrated and discussed. Beneficial spectroscopic detection effects with cyclodextrin are also noted.
The effect of slow heating rates on the reaction mechanisms of nano and micron composite thermite reactions

Thermal analyses were performed on Al+MoO3 thermite reactions as a function of Al particle size (ranging from 50 to 20 μm) and heating rate (from 2.5 to 15 K min–1 ). Results include ignition (onset) temperatures and heats of reaction. The nano-thermites initiate prior to reactant phase changes and at least 300°C below micron-thermites. The differences in ignition temperatures are suggestive of different ignition mechanisms. Nano-thermites display higher heats of reaction that are dependent on experimental conditions.
Influence of GaAs surface stoichiometry on the interface state density of as-grown epitaxial ZnSe/epitaxial GaAs heterostructures

Epitaxial ZnSe/epitaxial GaAs interfaces have been formed by molecular beam expitaxy and evaluated by several techniques including capacitance‐voltage measurements. In the study reported here, the GaAs surface stoichiometry was systematically varied prior to the nucleation of ZnSe. A dramatic reduction of interface state density occurred when the GaAs epilayer was made As deficient. The resulting interface state densities of as‐grown structures are comparable to values obtained with (Al,Ga)As/GaAs interfaces.
Echocardiographic determination of left ventricular dimensions, volumes and performance.

Abstract Left ventricular dimensions determined by echocardiography in 21 patients were compared by linear regression analysis to biplane angiographic measurements. The results showed significant correlations between the end-diastolic diameter, wall thickness and dimensional ejection fraction obtained by ultrasound and by angiography. The left ventricular volumes derived by the area-length method related closely to the echocardiographic volumes at end-diastole and end-systole. Angiographic stroke volumes showed high correlations with the volumetric change during the cardiac cycle. Determinations of left ventricular mass by echocardiography proved to correlate well with those derived from angiocardiograms. However, satisfactory ultrasonic examinations could not be obtained from 6 (22 percent) of the patient group, who had pulmonary emphysema, cardiomegaly or an exceptionally thick anterior chest wall which caused attenuation of the sound energy. These results suggest that the indirect, noninvasive technique of echocardiography could be a useful diagnostic tool in monitoring cardiac dimensions in most clinical situations, but its usefulness in monitoring serial change remains to be proved.
Mineral sources and transport pathways for arsenic release in a coastal watershed, USA

Metasedimentary bedrock of coastal Maine contains a diverse suite of As-bearing minerals that act as significant sources of elements found in ground and surface waters in the region. Arsenic sources in the Penobscot Formation include, in order of decreasing As content by weight: lollingite and realgar ( c. 70%), arsenopyrite, cobaltite, glaucodot, and gersdorffite (in the range of 34–45%), arsenian pyrite ( glaucodot, arsenopyrite-cobaltian > arsenopyrite, cobaltite, gersdorffite, fine-grained pyrite, Ni-pyrite > coarse-grained pyrite. Reactions illustrate that oxidation of Fe-As disulphide group and As-sulphide minerals is the primary release process for As. Liberation of As by carbonation of realgar and orpiment in contact with high-pH groundwaters may contribute locally to elevated contents of As in groundwater, especially where As is decoupled from Fe. Released metals are sequestered in secondary minerals by sorption or by incorporation in crystal structures. Secondary minerals acting as intermediate As reservoirs include claudetite ( c. 75%), orpiment (61%), scorodite ( c. 45%), secondary arsenopyrite ( c. 46%), goethite (
STORYTELLING AND ETHICS IN FINANCIAL ECONOMICS

Examination of financial economic stories told at a conference on hostile takeovers demonstrates the power of stories to frame thinking about issues and to compel and convince listeners. Assumptions of financial economic stories include ethical properties ascribed to market forces, primacy of shareholder wealth maximization, and presumption that managers are the enemy. When market efficiency and agency theory assumptions are questioned, financial economic stories fail to provide a convincing response to the concerns of economic justice. Ethical shortcomings of financial economic theory are relevant since financial economic theory underlies accounting practice and research. Accountants ability to portray perfor mance and value becomes critical if market prices do not adequately represent this information. If the social benefits of shareholder wealth maximization are questioned, accounting must be expanded to adequately meet the needs of stakeholders other than shareholders and accounting researchers must investigate the wealth distribution effects of financial reporting.
Convergence, Divergence, and Homogenization in the Ecological Structure of Emydid Turtle Communities: The Effects of Phylogeny and Dispersal

Studies that have explored the origins of patterns of community structure from a phylogenetic perspective have generally found either convergence (similarity) in community structure between regions through adaptive evolution or lack of convergence (dissimilarity) due to phylogenetic conservatism in the divergent ecological characteristics of lineages inhabiting different regions. We used a phylogenetic approach to document a third pattern in the structure of emydid turtle communities. Emydid communities in southeastern North America tend to have a higher proportion of aquatic species than those in the northeast. This pattern reflects phylogenetic conservatism in the ecology and biogeography of two basal emydid clades, limiting convergence in community structure between these regions. However, differences in community structure between northeastern and southeastern North America have also been homogenized considerably by the dispersal of species with phylogenetically conserved ecological characteristics between regions. This pattern of ecologically conservative dispersal may be important in many continental and oceanic systems.
Capital inflows, external shocks, and the real exchange rate

Abstract This paper examines the effects of a fall in world interest rates on capital flows and the real exchange rate in an optimizing framework with imperfect capital markets. A permanent fall leads to a steady-state reduction in net foreign assets and a real depreciation, regardless of whether the country is initially a net creditor or net debtor. On impact, the real exchange rate appreciates in the net debtor case, but may either appreciate or depreciate in the net creditor case. The dynamics associated with a temporary shock depend not only on its duration but also on the initial asset position.
Enhancing the performance and interpretation of freshwater biological indices: an application in arid zone streams

Abstract We assessed the performance of biological indices developed for invertebrate assemblages occurring in arid zone streams: a multimetric index (MMI) and an O/E index of taxonomic completeness. Our overall goal was to advance our understanding of the factors that affect performance and interpretation of biological indices. Our specific objectives were to (1) develop biological indices that are insensitive to natural environmental gradients, (2) develop a general method to determine if the biological potential of an assessed site is adequately represented by the population of reference sites, (3) develop a robust method to select metrics for inclusion in MMIs that ensures maximum independence of metrics, and (4) determine if a fundamental sample property (the evenness of taxa counts within a sample) affects index performance. Random Forest modeling revealed that both individual metrics and taxa composition were strongly associated with natural environmental heterogeneity, which meant both the MMI and O/E index needed to be based on site-specific expectations. We produced a precise, responsive, and ecologically robust MMI by using principal components analysis to identify 7 statistically independent metrics from a list of 31 candidate assemblage-level metrics. However, the O/E index we developed was relatively imprecise compared with O/E indices developed for other regions. This imprecision may be the consequence of low predictability in local taxa composition associated with the relatively high spatial isolation of aquatic habitats within arid regions. We were also able to assess the likelihood that the biological potential of assessed sites were adequately characterized by the population of reference sites by developing and applying a multivariate, nearest-neighbor test that determined if an assessed site occurred within the environmental space of the reference site network. This approach is robust and applicable to all biological indices. We also demonstrate that the evenness of taxa counts within a sample is positively related to estimates of sample taxa richness and thus the scores of both indices. The relationship between richness and sample evenness can potentially compromise inferences regarding biological condition, and post hoc adjustments for the effects of evenness on index scores might be desirable. Further improvements in the performance and interpretation of biological indices will require simultaneous consideration of the effects of incomplete sampling on characterization of biological assemblages and the physical and biological factors that influence community assembly.
Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of Semitic languages identifies an Early Bronze Age origin of Semitic in the Near East

The evolution of languages provides a unique opportunity to study human population history. The origin of Semitic and the nature of dispersals by Semitic-speaking populations are of great importance to our understanding of the ancient history of the Middle East and Horn of Africa. Semitic populations are associated with the oldest written languages and urban civilizations in the region, which gave rise to some of the world's first major religious and literary traditions. In this study, we employ Bayesian computational phylogenetic techniques recently developed in evolutionary biology to analyse Semitic lexical data by modelling language evolution and explicitly testing alternative hypotheses of Semitic history. We implement a relaxed linguistic clock to date language divergences and use epigraphic evidence for the sampling dates of extinct Semitic languages to calibrate the rate of language evolution. Our statistical tests of alternative Semitic histories support an initial divergence of Akkadian from ancestral Semitic over competing hypotheses (e.g. an African origin of Semitic). We estimate an Early Bronze Age origin for Semitic approximately 5750 years ago in the Levant, and further propose that contemporary Ethiosemitic languages of Africa reflect a single introduction of early Ethiosemitic from southern Arabia approximately 2800 years ago.
Using input condition monitoring to improve the stability of digitally controlled power factor correcting converters

An adaptive controller for a PFC converter is proposed and demonstrated. This controller is applied to a converter with a boost topology operating in continuous conduction mode with average current control. The compensator adjusts a variable gain in the current loop so as to counteract the effects of the time-varying source impedance and input voltage. Experimental results verify that the proposed controller improves the stability of the interaction between the converter and a non-ideal source.
Age-Related Changes in Rat Interstitial Matrix Hydration and Serum Proteins

Measurements of effects of age-related changes on loose connective tissue protein concentrations and water are lacking. Tissue hydration is an important determinant of tissue protein diffusion coefficients and hydraulic conductivity. Sprague-Dawley rats (ages 11, 30, 57, and 89 wk) were anesthetized. Blood and mesenteric tissue samples were taken. Tissue water content was determined by microgravimetric technique. Protein content was determined by electrophoresis. Tissue hydration decreased 18% between 11 and 89 wk with one-half the fall occurring between 57 and 89 wk. Tissue albumin concentration decreased 37% between 11 and 89 wk. Serum albumin increased 22% between 11 and 30 wk and then decreased by 37% to 1.4 g/dl in 89-wk rats. Serum total protein concentration increased by 13% between 11 and 89 wk, whereas tissue total protein concentration decreased 30% with age to 1.9 g/dl at 89 wk. The results suggest that age-related tissue dehydration is due, in part, to a shift in the colloid osmotic pressure components of Starling equilibrium favoring fluid reabsorption.
Finding cars, goddesses and enzymes: parametrizable acquisition of labeled instances for open-domain information extraction

A method is given for the extraction of large numbers of semantic classes along with their corresponding instances. Based on the recombination of elements clustered through distributional similarity, experimental results show the procedure allows for a parametric trade-off between high precision and expanded recall.
Responses of midlatitude blocks and wave amplitude to changes in the meridional temperature gradient in an idealized dry GCM

The response of atmospheric blocks and the wave amplitude of midlatitude jets to changes in the midlatitude to pole, near-surface temperature difference (ΔT), is studied using an idealized dry general circulation model (GCM) with Held-Suarez forcing. Decreasing ΔT results in slower zonal winds, a mean state with reduced meridional gradient of the 500 hPa geopotential height (Z500), a smaller variance of Z500 anomalies, and a robust decrease in blocks and meridional amplitude of waves. Neglecting the decrease of variance associated with reduced ΔT would lead to the incorrect expectation that mean states with smaller Z500 gradients produce more blocks and higher wave amplitudes. Our results suggest further investigation of the hypothesis that reduced ΔT due to Arctic Amplification would increase blocking events and wave amplitude, hence leading to more midlatitude extreme weather events.
Impact of Photovoltaic Orientation on its Relative Economic Value in Wholesale Energy Markets

Most calculations of optimum photovoltaic (PV) performance focus on maximizing annual energy production. However, given the seasonally and daily time varying electricity demand and resulting variation in price, the PV orientation resulting in maximum energy yield may not yield the maximum economic benefit. With the use of historical solar irradiance and wholesale market prices for several locations in the USA, we evaluate the benefits of a variety of orientations for fixed and tracking PV arrays. We find that orienting fixed arrays slightly to the west of due south generally increases their economic value in the simulated systems because the reduced generation on an annual basis is more than offset by increased generation in high-value hours in late summer afternoons. However, this effect is small, typically providing an increase in value from 1% to 5%. The economic value of adjusting the orientation semi-annually (May 1st and September 1st) and monthly shows a modest increase in value from 3% to 5%. Several other implications of this analysis are also discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Breakdown Voltage Multiplier for High Voltage Swing Drivers

A novel breakdown voltage (BV) multiplier is introduced that makes it possible to generate high output voltage swings using transistors with low breakdown voltages. The timing analysis of the stage is used to optimize its dynamic response. A 10 Gb/s optical modulator driver with a differential output voltage swing of 8V on a 50 Omega load was implemented in a SiGe BiCMOS process. It uses the BV-Doubler topology to achieve output swings twice the collector-emitter breakdown voltage without stressing any single transistor
Afferent and Efferent Arteriolar Vasoconstriction to Angiotensin II and Norepinephrine Involves Release of Ca2+ From Intracellular Stores

Renal vascular responses to angiotensin II (Ang II) and norepinephrine (NE) are reported to involve both mobilization of calcium from intracellular stores and activation of calcium influx pathways. The present study was conducted to determine the contribution of calcium release from intracellular stores to afferent and efferent arteriolar responses to Ang II and NE. Experiments were performed in vitro using the blood-perfused, juxtamedullary nephron technique combined with videomicroscopy. The responses of afferent and efferent arterioles to Ang II and NE were determined before and after depletion of intracellular calcium pools with 1 mumol/L thapsigargin. Positive control responses were obtained with 55 mmol/L KCI. Ang II concentrations of 0.1, 1.0, and 10 nmol/L decreased afferent arteriolar diameter by 10 +/- 4%, 17 +/- 4%, and 29 +/- 6%, respectively (P < .05; n = 8). NE also decreased afferent diameter by 5 +/- 1%, 13 +/- 1%, and 57 +/- 9% at concentrations of 10, 100, and 1000 nmol/L, respectively (P < .05; n = 6). Thapsigargin treatment shifted the afferent arteriolar concentration-response curves for both Ang II and NE significantly to the right. Nevertheless, KCI evoked a pronounced vasoconstriction and decreased afferent diameter by 56 +/- 7% (P < .05; n = 6). Postglomerular responses to Ang II and NE were abolished by thapsigargin. During the control period, efferent diameter decreased by 3 +/- 1%, 7 +/- 2%, and 14 +/- 4% for the three Ang II concentrations and 3 +/- 1%, 5 +/- 1%, and 15 +/- 4% in response to the three NE concentrations, respectively. These responses were completely eliminated in the presence of thapsigargin, whereas KCI evoked an efferent arteriolar vasoconstriction of 57 +/- 9% (P < .05). These data demonstrate that agonist-induced calcium release from intracellular stores represents an essential component in the afferent and efferent arteriolar response to Ang II and NE. Furthermore, they suggest that efferent arteriolar responses to these agents may rely more heavily on calcium release from this store, whereas afferent responses may include activation of other pathways.
Modification of thermal techniques: Derivative, digital filter, Fourier transform

Continued efforts to identify compatible or incompatible blends have demonstrated a need to separate overlapping curves or peaks in a thermal trace. One way to do this is by using the derivatives of these curves. While the function is available on most modern thermal analysis units, its usefulness is often limited by noise in the system. Two techniques which can help to greatly reduce noise are digital filtering and Fourier transformation of the data. Both approaches have been used on identical sets of noisy data. The FT method appears to offer greater potential for producing useful derivatives from noisy composite curves.
Computer-aided design of the flood beam system for a direct view storage CRT

The flood beam in a direct view storage CRT must uniformly illuminate the storage surface. Variable persistence operation of the CRT also requires that the electron trajectory at the storage surface be within about 5 degrees from perpendicular. Thus, an initially diverging beam must be collimated near the screen.
Global Justice and Health Systems Research in Low‐ and Middle‐Income Countries

Scholarship focusing on how international research can contribute to justice in global health has primarily explored requirements for the conduct of clinical trials. Yet health systems research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has increasingly been identified as vital to the reduction of health disparities between and within countries. This paper expands an existing ethical framework based on the health capability paradigm - research for health justice - to externally-funded health systems research in LMICs. It argues that a specific form of health systems research in LMICs is required if the enterprise is to advance global health equity. "Research for health justice" requirements for priority setting, research capacity strengthening, and post-study benefits in health systems research are derived in light of the field's distinctive characteristics. Specific obligations are established for external research actors, including governments, funders, sponsors, and investigators. How these framework requirements differ from those for international clinical research is discussed.
Prehospital Evaluation and Management of Traumatic Brain Injury in Children

Prehospital providers are often the first line of response for the triage and treatment of children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). New advances in diagnosis and management in the prehospital setting have led to a dramatic improvement in the care of patients with TBI. The past 3 decades have witnessed an estimated 20% reduction in mortality rates from TBI. However, a great deal of variation still exists in practice with respect to the diagnosis and management of pediatric head trauma. Training programs should be developed to educate emergency medical services providers and medical control physicians on evidence-based management of pediatric TBI. Early intervention with new therapies should be incorporated into prehospital care to decrease secondary injury.
Neurological and developmental outcomes of prenatally cocaine-exposed offspring from 12 to 36 months.

Second generation studies of prenatal cocaine exposure failed to find gross deficits after controlling for confounders. Concern remained that exposure could cause subtle deficits. This prospective, cohort study evaluated effects of cocaine on development at 12, 18, 24, and 36 months. From 1991–1993, 361 mother‐infant pairs were recruited from the Children's Hospital of New York, Presbyterian Medical Center's prenatal clinic or delivery room suite. Mothers were assigned to the cocaine group based on report of prenatal cocaine use or positive urine toxicology. Control mothers were enrolled from the same clinic and matched for age and socioeconomic status (SES). Women with serious medical problems were excluded from either group. Of the retained cohort, at 12 months, 147 infants were exposed and 89 were unexposed case controls. Both groups were raised in impoverished environments with few supports. Developmental evaluations were conducted blinded to group. Cross‐sectional analysis revealed cocaine‐related de...
Resistance to late blight in Solanum bulbocastanum is mapped to chromosome 8

Somatic hybrids between potato and Solanum bulbocastanum, a wild diploid (2n=2x=24) Mexican species, are highly resistant to late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans. Both randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers that are closely linked to the resistance have been noted by analysis of three different backcross-2 populations derived from two different somatic hybrids. With reference to previously published potato and tomato maps, resistance appears to be on the long arm of chromosome 8 and is flanked by RFLP markers CP53 and CT64. In a population of BC2 plants derived from a cross between the BC1 line J10lK6 [(S. tuberosum PI 203900+S. bulbocastanum PI 243510) ×Katahdin)]×Atlantic, late blight resistance cosegregated with RFLP marker CT88 and RAPD marker OPG02–625.
Vulnerability-Specific Execution Filtering for Exploit Prevention on Commodity Software

Exploits for new vulnerabilities, especially when incorporated within a fast spreading worm, can compromise nearly all vulnerable hosts within a short amount of time. This problem demonstrates the need for fast defenses which can react to a new vulnerability quickly. In addition, a realistic defense system should (a) not require source code since in practice most vulnerable systems do not have source code access nor is there adequate time to involve the software vendor, (b) be accurate, i.e., have a negligible false positive rate and low false negative rate, and (c) be efficient, i.e., add little overhead to normal program execution. We propose vulnerability-specific execution-based filtering (VSEF) – a new approach for automatic defense which achieves a lower error rate and wider applicability than input filters and has better performance than full execution monitoring. VSEF is an execution-based filter which filters out attacks on a specific vulnerability based on the vulnerable program’s execution trace. We present VSEF, along with a system for automatically creating VSEF filters and a hardened program without access to source code. In our system, the time it takes to create the filter and generate the hardened program is negligible. The overhead of the hardened program is only a few percent in most cases. The false positive rate is zero in most cases, and the hardened program is resilient against polymorphic variants of exploits on the same vulnerability. VSEF therefore achieves the required performance, accuracy, and response speed requirements to defend against current fast-spreading exploits.
A Tragedy With a Happy Ending?: The Lynching of George White in History and Memory

22, 2003 marked the 100th anniversary of the lynching of can-American laborer George White in Wilmington, Delaware. It was one of the most sensational lynchings of its time garnering national and international attention for both the loca tion of the act, a "border state," and for the method of execution: White was burned at the stake.1 In the one hundred years since members of the mob scraped through the ashes of a muddy field searching for souvenirs presumably with which to remember the act, the lynching itself has all but disappeared from the collective memory of Delawareans. This, at least, is the premise of a provoca tive film by Wilmington filmmaker Stephen Labovsky, In the Dead ? ire's Ashes?The Lynching a Town Torgot. Premiering in March 2004, Labovsky s documentary was the first film adaptation of the lynching. From a technical standpoint Labovsky brings Wilmington at the dawn of the twentieth century to life in brilliant living color. Through the use of carefully laden live
Regulation des Wabenbaus

Einen wesentlichen Bestandteil im Gesamtprozes der gemeinschaftlichen Nahrungsbeschaffung bei einem Bienen-volk stellt der Bau der Waben aus Bienenwachs dar, in denen die Pollen- und Honigvorrate des Volkes gespeichert werden. Fur den Bau dieser Waben wird viel Energie benotigt — die Herstellung eines Gramms Wachs verbraucht mindestens sechs Gramm Honig (Hepburn 1986) — deshalb bauen Bienenvolker bei der Besiedlung eines neuen Nistplatzes zunachst noch keinen vollstandigen Wabensatz. Statt dessen beschrankt das Bienenvolk seine Investitionen in den Wabenbau auf das unumganglich notwendige Mas. Anfangs, baut es lediglich eine kleine Garnitur von Waben, und erweitert diese nur, wenn es zusatzlichen Stauraum unbedingt benotigt (Kapitel 6.3). Der Wabenbau bei Honigbienenvolkern wirft folgende Fragen auf: Wie werden der Zeitpunkt und der Umfang dieses Produktionsprozesses gesteuert? Wie wird der Produktionstyp gesteuert, denn Honigbienenvolker konstruieren zwei Wabentypen mit verschieden grosen Zellen: das sogenannte Arbeiterinnenmuster mit engeren und das Drohnenmuster mit weiteren Zellen (Abbildung 7.1 im Farbbogen). Dabei wird der Anteil der Drohnenzellen auf ziemlich genau 15% der gesamten Wabenflache im Bienenstock begrenzt. Ferner kann man fragen, wie der Ort und die Form der Produktion gesteuert werden, das heist, wie es das Bienenvolk erreicht, einen Satz von parallel und in regelmasigen Abstanden angeordneten Waben zu bauen, die alle aus einem gleichmasigen Muster sechseckiger Zellen bestehen. Die Fragen nach dem Typ, dem Ort und der Form des Wabenbaus beziehen sich auf Sachverhalte, die unabhangig von der sozialen Organisation des Nahrungserwerbs von Bienenvolkern sind, und werden deshalb in diesem Buch nicht besprochen.