cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneous Spacecraft Networks: Performance analysis for low-cost Earth Observation missions

Heterogeneous Spacecraft Networks (HSNs) are network environments in which spacecraft from different missions and institutions can communicate with each other at low cost and with low impact on overall system resources. The Mission Design Center (MDC) at NASA Ames Research Center has been studying solutions for low cost multi-spacecraft systems for a number of years. One may now build on the idea to interconnect clusters of spacecraft with each other to have them act as mobile nodes belonging to the same collaborative mission. Recent progress in small satellite technology is significant, and one of the advantages of small satellites lies precisely in the large quantity of spacecraft that can be produced at accessible costs. It follows naturally that small satellites are an interesting candidate platform for development and demonstration of the HSN concept. This paper is the second in a series of three companion papers. The general concept of operations for HSNs in LEO and a number of future applications are proposed in the first paper [6], while enabling technology such as devices and lower layer protocols are discussed in paper three [7]. In this paper, we pick up the scenario of a low-cost and multi-institutional network of Earth Observation (EO) missions in LEO and conduct network performance analysis using the AGI System Tool Kit (STK) and the open-source Network Simulator (NS-3). A multi-spacecraft network consolidates the individual capabilities of each spacecraft from different institutions by combining benefits of both frequent revisit and concentrated observation. Complementary and correlated data could be collected simultaneously from a large set of distributed spacecraft utilizing HSN capability. In this specific configuration, communication distance between spacecraft, related delays and error rate are the major factors in network performance. Also, average duration of communication opportunities between spacecraft is usually very limited. Thus, it is important to simulate orbital dynamics, link margins, and protocols simultaneously to analyze network performances. In this paper, we compare some existing protocols to obtain a measure for the practical performance of the candidate network. We focus on best-effort data delivery, an approach necessitated by the severe constraints on communications resulting from low-cost and low system resource small spacecraft. In the application layer, we show that packet size and data rate of a source node also affect overall performance of the network. We present the resulting figures of merit from our simulations. The paper concludes with a summary of the simulation results.
Synthesis and Characterization of Temperature and pH-Responsive Pentablock Copolymers

Abstract A family of amphiphilic ABCBA pentablock copolymers based on commercially available Pluronic ® F127 block copolymers and various amine containing methacrylate monomers was synthesized via Cu(I) mediated controlled radical polymerization. The block architecture and chemical composition of the pentablock copolymers were engineered to exhibit both temperature and pH responsive self-assembly by exploiting the lower critical solution temperature of the poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(propylene oxide) blocks and the polycationic property of the poly(amine methacrylate) blocks, respectively. In aqueous solutions, the pentablock copolymers formed temperature and pH-responsive micelles. Concentrated aqueous solutions of the copolymer formed a pH-responsive, thermoreversible gel phase. The controlled radical synthesis route yielded well-defined copolymers with narrow molecular weight distributions with the benefit of mild reaction conditions. Small angle X-ray scattering, laser light scattering, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and dynamic mechanical analysis have been used to characterize the self-assembled structures of the micellar solution and gel phases of the aqueous copolymer system. These copolymers have potential applications in controlled drug delivery and non-viral gene therapy due to their tunable phase behavior and biocompatibility.
Ultrasonic relaxation from trapped hydrogen in rapidly cooled niobium.

A relaxation in the ultrasonic response of rapidly cooled niobium containing hydrogen and oxygen is found. Measurements of attenuation and velocity as a function of temperature, frequency, polarization, hydrogen isotope, and annealing temperature are made. Evidence is obtained that the quenched-in defect is an ${\mathrm{OH}}_{2}$ complex with tetragonal symmetry.
End-tidal carbon dioxide (CO2) monitoring in small animals.

Abstract A simple modification of a commericially available capnometer (Traverse Medical Monitors model 2000) is described which suits it for use with small animals such as rats. The modification involves the omission of the fluids separator from the gas pathway, while maintaining a connection to the separator to permit the continued function of the “automatic zero” feature, which corrects for any zero-drift. The capnometer has several functions which recommend its use even when artificial ventilation is not required.
Operational normality of α-chymotrypsin solutions by coulometric-amperometric titrimetry☆

Abstract A coulometric-amperometric procedure was developed for the determination of the normality of α-chymotrypsin solutions. The procedure utilizes the specific inactivator, N,N -diphenylcarbamyl chloride as the titrant. Its reaction with active chymotrypsin releases one equivalent of chloride ion for every equivalent of enzyme inactivated. The chloride ion concentration, which, therefore, is equivalent to the concentration of active enzyme, is measured by a coulometric-amperometric procedure. As little as 0.1 μeq of enzyme at concentrations as low as 10 −4 M can be titrated with a precision of ±3%. It is suggested that this type of analytical procedure might be applicable for the titration of other enzyme systems.
Quadratic filtering of 2-D signals by use of coherent optical processors

Abstract A coherent optical processor is used for performing second-order nonlinear transforms on a 2-D signal.
Differences in technology use to support community crime prevention

This paper describes how three Chicago communities that vary by socio-economic status, race, and crime rate appropriate information and communication technologies (ICTs) to aid in grassroots, community-based crime prevention efforts. Using interviews, observations, and online content analysis, we found three major differences in how ICTs were appropriated: 1) the formats of the technologies, 2) the selection of the online leaders, and 3) the type of information shared. We describe how historical relationships between communities and government officials may impact digital organizing.
Population of the 3s State in Hydrogen Due to H+, H+2 and H+3 Impact on Ethylene, 1-Butene and Cis-2-Butene

Absolute cross sections were measured for capture or dissociation into the 3s state of atomic hydrogen due to impact of 14-28 keV H+, H+2 and H+3 ions on ethylene, 1-butene and cis-2-butene. The cross sections obtained for the butene targets were almost identical and support the additive rule for cross sections. Ethylene cross sections were 21% lower than the values predicted by the additive rule, which agrees well with the observed trend toward reduction in total electron capture cross sections for protons on these gases at much higher energies.
The effect of phlorizin on amino acid transport in rat-kidney-cortex slices

Abstract Phlorizin has been shown to enhance the accumulation of amino acids by the rat-kidney-cortex slice. Evidence has been presented that this drug has no effect on the affinity of the carrier site(s) for amino acids but inhibits the efflux of amino acid from the intracellular fluid, possibly by increasing the intracellular binding of amino acids. Phlorizin was found to diminish the incorporation of amino acids into protein and to cause an increased oxidation of amino acids.
Simplicity in transformer protection

WHENEVER a fault in a transformer is beginning to form, heat is produced locally, which begins to decompose solid or liquid insulating material and, consequently, to produce inflammable gas. This fact has led to the development of gas-actuated relays for transformer fault protection. Such relays have been in use abroad for many years, and more recently in Canada, but the applications in the United States have been negligible. Small faults develop only slight amounts of gas per time unit. Severe faults, however, quickly develop large amounts of gas and rapidly increase pressure inside the tank. The gas-actuated relays contain two elements: one is a highly sensitive gas-element which operates if gas is developed slowly and which indicates the faults in their incipient stage; the other is a quickly acting pressure element which operates the circuit breakers of the transformer when faults are grave. The experiences have been very good, and the early indications of faults in their incipient stage have reduced greatly the time for, and cost of, repairs. The sensitivity of the gas-actuated relays is considerably greater than that of any type of electrical transformer protection because of the extremely sensitive gas-element which is an important part of the protection. The gas-actuated relay is a simple and economical protective device which also can be applied to special transformers in which electrical methods are complicated, expensive, of very reduced sensitivity, and, therefore, of limited protective value.
Elements of death anxiety and meanings of death

The objectives of this study were: (1) to test hypotheses that women would have higher death anxiety than men and that older persons would have lower death anxiety than younger people; and (2) to probe for meanings of death among a large, heterogeneous sample. A group of 599 adolescents and adults completed a death anxiety scale; factor analysis of the resultant data revealed seven orthogonal factors. Both hypotheses were supported at acceptable levels of significance. Item analysis revealed additional information on meanings of death: Older respondents indicated a concern over the existence of an afterlife and over loss of personal control; women expressed more fear of pain and bodily decomposition. The strongest finding was variation in death anxiety by age, which confirms Butler's contention that the life review helps the aged to resolve conflicts and relieve anxiety.
Competition for dissolved glucose between meiobenthos and sediment microbes

Abstract Meiobenthos, small invertebrates inhabiting the surface layers of marine sediments, can absorb dissolved organic matter (DOM). Experiments were performed to test if meiobenthos can compete with sediment microbes for uptake of small amounts of [ 14 C]glucose. Meiofaunal glucose uptake rates were measured by themselves and in the presence of sediment microbes. Glucose uptake by meiofauna was not inhibited by the presence of bacteria, nor did it appear that bacterial uptake was inhibited by meiofauna. Thus, there was no direct or interference competition. Uptake rates by 1 cm 3 of sediment (bacteria) were four orders of magnitude greater than those of individual meiofauna, but on a biomass specific basis, meiofaunal uptake was in the same range if not higher than that of sediment bacteria. Thus, the potential for indirect or resource competition exists. Since bacterial biomass dominated the system studied, uptake of glucose was dominated by bacteria. The results support the hypothesis that in natural sediments, where the biomass of bacteria is higher than that of meiofauna, heterotrophic uptake is primarily a microbial process. However, resource competition between meiofauna and bacteria for DOM in sediments probably exists where bacterial biomass is low relative to meiofaunal biomass.
RKO Film Grosses, 1929–1951: the C. J. Tevlin ledger

(1994). RKO Film Grosses, 1929–1951: the C. J. Tevlin ledger. Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television: Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 37-49.
A quantitative review of crisis communication research in public relations from 1991 to 2009

Abstract This study quantitatively examines 18 years (1991–2009) of data, 66 published articles, from the crisis communication domain in public relations using Coombs’ situational crisis communication theory and Benoit's image restoration theory as the theoretical foundation for analysis. Overall recommendations indicate crisis communication research in public relations may be enriched both theoretically and pragmatically through more diverse contextual and methodological applications and could be less descriptive and more prescriptive through richer scholarly commentary and criticism in support for the models.
Uniform Inference in Autoregressive Models

The purpose of this paper is to provide theoretical justification for some existing methods for constructing confidence intervals for the sum of coefficients in autoregressive models. We show that the methods of Stock (1991), Andrews (1993), and Hansen (1999) provide asymptotically valid confidence intervals, whereas the subsampling method of Romano and Wolf (2001) does not. In addition, we generalize the three valid methods to a larger class of statistics. We also clarify the difference between uniform and pointwise asymptotic approximations, and show that a pointwise convergence of coverage probabilities for all values of the parameter does not guarantee the validity of the confidence set.
Opening the “Black Box”: Water Chemistry Reveals Hydrological Controls on Weathering in the Susquehanna Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory

We investigated variations of Mg concentration, δD and δO in precipitation, soil water along a planar hillslope, groundwater, and first-order stream water at the Susquehanna Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory (SSHO). Water flows vertically in the unsaturated zone of the hillslope, but hydrological saturation periodically causes lateral flow along interfaces of permeability contrast between the A–B and B–C soil horizons. Changes in soil water Mg concentration respond to hydrological changes and are ultimately controlled by the kinetics of clay mineral dissolution, but are buffered by the soil exchange capacity. Clay dissolution predominantly occurs within the A and B horizons, and Mg released from these zones of “low-flow” diffuses or flows into the “high-flow” zones at horizon interfaces. The Mg concentrations are low in these high-flow zones because fresher (younger) water flows in through macropores. The amplitude of seasonal variations in water isotopes (data from 2008–2010) decreases in the following order: precipitation (δD: 286‰) >> soil water (δD: 86‰) > shallow groundwater (δD: 26‰), indicating water becomes progressively older along the flowpath. Fractures and preferential high-flow paths make the watershed hydrologically responsive: the average time water stays in the shallow subsurface is inferred to be <2 yr. The stream water chemistry is affected by inputs of old groundwater that is relatively high in Mg concentration but relatively limited in range in δD, as well as by inputs from young soil water that is relatively low in Mg concentration with a wide range in δD. The relative contributions of these two sources to the stream change seasonally.
Experimental analysis of oil flooded R410A scroll compressor

Abstract Approaching quasi-isothermal compression is possible by flooding the refrigerant vapor stream with a liquid that has high specific heat to absorb some heat of compression. To evaluate the benefits of liquid flooded compression, an R410A scroll compressor was tested over a wide range of operating conditions while flooding POE oil into the compression chamber using a hot-gas bypass test stand. The experimental results indicate that oil flooded compression leads to an increase in refrigerant mass flow rate and a decrease in compressor discharge temperature. Also, every operating condition has a maximum limit of possible oil injection, which depends on the system pressure ratio and the dimensions of the injection and discharge ports. By fitting the experimental data, a performance map for the compressor with oil flooding is developed using a semi-empirical model. This map can be used to assess the benefits of the oil flooding technology for various conditions employed in other applications.
Critical Monitoring Issues for Surgery Performed in a Non-hospital Setting

Tremendous strides are evident in the nonsurgical interventional care delivered to patients outside of the operating rooms. In the past, both surgical and nonsurgical procedures were performed on sick patients primarily in the operating room (OR). However, recent technologic advances have facilitated the performance of a variety of procedures on complex patients outside of the OR. Many conditions that formerly required surgical intervention are now amenable to noninvasive treatment in interventional suites throughout the hospital. Unfortunately, however, the physiological monitoring standards for patients undergoing these sophisticated procedures outside of the OR have not evolved concomitantly, and often they are below the standards of care being provided in the OR environment. The reasons for this disparity are that anesthesiologists are not involved in all aspects of care outside of the operating room (OOR), they may not be included in the initial planning stages of the OOR projects, and medical proceduralists are unfamiliar with the monitoring standards that are mandatory within the OR environment for similar procedures. Improved standards of care in the OR have resulted in a remarkable decrease in morbidity and mortality in the last few decades, which is reflected by the significant decrease in the malpractice premiums of anesthesiologists. To ensure a safe environment for all patients, there is an urgent need to set forth and implement monitoring standards for the procedures performed outside of the ORs and to bring them into alignment with those of ORs. This is particularly necessary for patients with multiple comorbidities and will be increasingly important as non-OR procedures increase in complexity. Although definitive data are lacking, some findings have suggested that
The Effect and Possible Mode of Action of α-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone on Gonadotropin Release in the Ovariectomized Rat: An in Vivo and in Vitro Analysis*

This study was designed to examine the possible effects of cvMSH on gonadotropin release. Injection of αMSH into the third ventricle of the brain and sampling at 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 min postinjection produced a significant lowering of plasma LH, but not of FSH, in conscious ovariectomized (OVX) rats. The minimum effective dose was 1 μg. This procedure did not affect plasma levels of LH or FSH in estradiol benzoateprimed, OVX rats. Multiple blood sampling every 10 min before and after intraventricular injection of αMSH (2 μg) produced a significant reduction in the area under the secretion curve of LH. Intravenous injection of αMSH had little effect; however, a slight lowering of plasma LH occurred in OVX rats after a 50-μg dose. The effect of αMSH on LH release was blocked by pretreatment of the animals with α-methyl-paratyrosine, an inhibitor of catecholamine synthesis, as well as by pretreatment with an iv injection of spiroperidol, a dopamine receptor blocker. The peptide failed to alter basal or K+-...
Seeing gray through the ON and OFF pathways

Color appearance judgments revealed fundamental differences in visual processing of incremental and decremental lights. First, the balance of cone activation required for a light to appear achromatic was different for increments and decrements (Judd, 1940; Helson & Michels, 1948). Second, adaptation--the visual system's adjustment to background light--affected achromatic decrements more than increments. Third, the regulation of adaptation for incremental and decremental stimuli depended differently on background signals from the three cone types. We interpret these asymmetries as differences in mechanisms of adaptation in the ON and OFF pathways, and suggest that they evolved to accommodate the range and physical sources of color signals in the two pathways.
Preconditioning in fast dual gradient methods

First order optimization methods often perform poorly on ill-conditioned optimization problems. However, by preconditioning the problem data and solving the preconditioned problem, the performance of the first order method can be significantly improved. In this paper, we show how to compute such preconditioners when solving the dual of strongly convex optimization problems using fast dual proximal gradient methods. The proposed preconditioning is evaluated by solving ill-conditioned optimization problems that arise from controlling the pitch angle in an aircraft using model predictive control. The numerical example shows improvements of two to three orders of magnitude in the fast dual proximal gradient method compared to when no preconditioning is used.
A modest proposal: an approach to making the internal R system extensible

The R computing environment has become an important part of the statistical community and fostered the development of over a thousand add-on packages, many representing state-of-the-art research in statistical methodology. Although it is relatively easy to develop functionality on top of the system, it is very difficult for developers to directly extend the core system itself—the language, the interpreter and the internal data structures. Yet the ability to easily introduce new core, first-class data structures into the system that are customized and efficient is becoming essential in this era of large, complex data sets and innovative algorithms and data structures. While the community that might use such a facility to introduce new data types may be small, it is potentially very talented and important, and may lead to significant innovations that allow us to continue to leverage R for the next 5 years or more in rich new ways. I describe some of the difficulties that people encounter in extending the system and suggest that an object-oriented architecture for the internal implementation of R (or any system) would make such low-level internals extensible by package developers and not just the core development team. This would promote potentially rich experimentation that would allow us and others to approach new styles of computation in R, while simultaneously maintaining the existing important community which provides so much value-added to the R environment. Specifically, transforming the R implementation from a representation-specific architecture to a C++ abstract/virtual interface-based architecture may be the least disruptive approach to the continued evolution of R, and would bring many advantages and some technical challenges. Such an approach involves many technical details and potential degradations in performance. Due to the length of the this paper, I do not explore these issues in great detail but introduce the basic concepts. I do, however, refer to some technical aspects that are best understood with some knowledge of the implementation of R at the level of using the .Call () interface in R.
Transition of young people with respiratory diseases to adult health care

As many more young people with chronic health conditions survive well into adulthood, transition of affected young people from paediatric to adult health care is increasingly becoming the expected standard of care. Despite this, there is still little objective or long-term evidence to guide the development or deployment of developmentally appropriate transition processes or to define the precise manner in which the transfer of care should take place. Nevertheless, certain principles of transition have now received nearly universal endorsement. In this paper, the rationale for transition is discussed, practical strategies for transition are described, the existing evidence base supporting transition is reviewed and limitations in our knowledge are outlined. Ultimately, a carefully planned transition to adult health care should improve self-reliance, enhance autonomy and independence and support young people in attaining their maximum potential and meaningful adult lives.
Electronic instruments for production testing of camera shutters

The test instruments used for checking time synchronization between the shutter switch contact “make” and the opening of the shutter aperture, the equivalent energy transfer of the “momentary make” type of shutter switches, and an instrument for checking the life of shutters during production are briefly described.
Nonparametric Estimates of the Asymptotic Covariance Matrix Associated with BICKEL's Estimate for Multivariate Shift Parameters

Nonparametric estimates are proposed for the asymptotic covariance matrix associated with the vector of medians of averages of pairs when estimating the shift parameter in the multivariate one sample problem. These estimates are based on density estimation and are competitors to the “natural” estimate proposed by BICKEL (1965). Weak and strong consistency of the estimates as well as asymptotic normality are presented.
Implementation and stability study of phase-locked-loop nonlinear dynamic measurement systems

Abstract We study the stability and convergence of a phase-locked-loop applied to a nonlinear system. It has been shown through numerical simulations by previous investigators that nonlinearity gives rise to oscillatory instability. By applying the method of averaging to the nonlinear system, we found that the nonlinear system has the identical criterion for stability as the linear system. However, the stable equilibrium has a shrinking domain of attraction as the nonlinearity increases. We show this by examining the feedback function. Moreover, we propose a nonlinear feedback which has faster convergence rate.
Investigation of Coal Char−Slag Transition during Oxidation: Effect of Temperature and Residual Carbon

The transition of coal char to molten slag at high conversion was studied for a bituminous coal using a laminar entrained-flow reactor under oxidizing conditions. Post-oxidized char particles were ...
Phytoplankton pigments in the gut concents of planktonic copepods from coastal waters off southern California

Phytoplankton xanthophylls in the gut contents of the copepods Calanus pacificus, Corycaeus anglicus, and Paracalanus parvus, collected from 5 stations off San Onofre, California, in June 1982, were measured by reverse phase, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The dinoflagellate pigment, peridinin, was usually the most abundant xanthophyll in the guts of all three species of copepods. Evidently, feeding was principally on dinoflagellates (which dominated the phytoplankton biomass). The level of feeding activity, rather than the class of phytoplankton ingested, seemed to differentiate the behaviors of the copepods. Xanthophyll content per unit copepod wet weight was higher in Corycaeus anglicus and Paracalanus parvus than in Calanus pacificus. Chlorophyll a fluorescence of the copepod gut contents was measured in conjunction with the analysis of gut xanthophylls. The xanthophyll content of the gut varied directly with the concentration of chlorophyll a in the gut. Xanthophyll content was not related to the concentration of pheopigments in the gut. Apparently, the xanthophylls that were detected were due to the presence of recently ingested phytoplankton biomass.
Tl-205 NMR study of thallium perchlorate in the solid state

Abstract The chemical shift anisotropy (δσ = 117 ppm) of the 205Tl nucleus in pure solid TlClO4 was determined from the powder pattern and single-crystal rotation. The chemical shift anisotropy of the 205Tl nucleus in a KClO4 matrix was also determined. The spin-lattice relaxation time of the 205Tl nucleus in pure solid TlClO4 was determined as a function of temperature.
Early Growth Response Gene–1 Expression in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells: Effects of Insulin and Oxidant Stress

Background Cardiovascular mortality is increased in individuals with insulin resistance, and increased oxidant stress is strongly implicated in atherogenesis. Early growth response gene–1 (Egr-1) may be an important link between insulin resistance and oxidant stress. In this study we examined the effects of insulin and oxidant stress on Egr-1 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), and identified mechanisms for these effects on Egr-1. Methods Rat VSMC were used to obtain time course and dose–response curves for insulin and oxidant stress on Egr-1 protein expression. Intracellular signaling pathway inhibitors and adenoviral vectors with dominant negative effects on specific signaling pathways were used to determine mechanisms for these effects. Results Insulin and oxidant stress each significantly stimulate Egr-1 protein expression. Insulin and oxidant stress combined have a greater effect on Egr-1 than either alone. Insulin effects are mediated via the ERK1/2 MAP kinase pathway, whereas oxidant stress effects may be mediated via the ERK5 and p38 MAP kinase pathways. Conclusions We demonstrated that insulin and oxidant stress stimulate Egr-1 expression in VSMC. Insulin effects are mediated via the ERK1/2 MAP kinase pathway, whereas oxidant stress effects may be mediated via the ERK5 and p38 MAP kinase pathways. As insulin resistance is characterized by compensatory hyperinsulinemia and selective impairment of the PI 3-kinase pathway with intact signaling along the ERK1/2 MAP kinase pathway, this may have implications for accelerated atherosclerosis in insulin resistance.
Two New Living Species of Saipanetta (Ostracoda, Podocopida)

Deux nouvelles especes vivantes de Saipanetta (Podocopida, Ostracoda) sont decrites. S. bensoni, n. sp., a ete trouvee dans l'Ocean Pacifique pres des Isles Galapagos, a la profondeur de 2489 metres S. kelloughae, n. sp., a ete trouvee a 50 metres dans le sable d'un petit banc de corail dans le nord du Golfe de Mexique. Les caracteres des pattes sont assez primitifs, surtout les sept rayons de l'exopodite de la mandibule et les deux ou quatre rayons des exites ventraux des deuxieme et troisieme pattes thoraciques. Bien que les pattes de Saipanetta ressemblent un peu a celles de quelques Bairdiacea, Cypridacea, et meme a Darwinula, il vaudrait mieux conserver le sousordre des Metacopina pour les Saipanettidae et les ancetres healdiaceens des podocopines.
Simultaneous stabilization and synchronization for multi-agent systems via a low gain method

We study a simultaneous stabilization and synchronization (SSS) problem for one class of linear multi-agent systems with non-identical agents and a directed connection graph. The agent dynamics can be different and the orders of agents are not necessarily equal. We show that a single control loop can be designed for each agent to enable some agent states, named as internal states, to be stabilized while some other states, named as external states, to be synchronized. We design a distributed control law based on local measurements and partial information (external states only) exchanged from neighboring agents to enable SSS. To avoid internal state coupling in the SSS control law, a low gain approach is proposed for control law synthesis. Perturbation analysis, decoupling coordinate transformation, and weighted Laplacian are exploited for convergence and stability analysis. The sufficient conditions to achieve SSS are obtained, followed by specific approaches of designing the control gain matrices.
Effect of beta-1 adrenergic receptor polymorphisms on the tolerability of metoprolol CR/XL in heart failure

β1-adrenergic receptor (β1AR) polymorphisms at codons (c) 49 (Ser49Gly) and 389 (Arg389Gly) have functional effects and have been associated with the blood pressure lowering effect of β-blockers. We hypothesized that these polymorphisms would be associated with differences in initial tolerability of β-blocker therapy in heart failure (HF) patients. We prospectively enrolled 60 β-blocker naive patients with NYHA II-III systolic HF. Patients were initiated on metoprolol CR/XL (MXL) 12.5-25 mg and titrated q 2 weeks (as tolerated) to 200 mg/day or maximum tolerated dose over 8 weeks. Tolerability to MXL was assessed by the Minnesota Living with HF questionnaire (MLWHF), 6-minute walk distance (6-min WD), and final MXL dose. Decompensation was defined as death, HF hospitalization, increase in other HF meds, or need to discontinue MXL over a 6-month period. Response data by c389 revealed no significant differences across genotype in any measure (Table). At baseline, Gly49 carriers demonstrated lower 6–min WD compared to Ser49Ser (346 meters vs. 296 meters, p=0.06). There were no significant differences in end of study response by c49 genotype; decompensated HF occurred in 35% of Ser49Ser patients and 29% of Gly49 carriers. In conclusion, the c49 and 389 polymorphisms of the β1AR do not appear to be associated with the initial tolerability of β-blockers in HF patients.Table Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2004) 75, P16–P16; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2003.11.059 Table 1. Response Stratified by c389 Genotype (mean ± SE, unless noted) Arg389Arg; n = 28 Gly 389 Carriers; n = 32 P* Baseline Final Baseline Final * Final comparison. Decompensation, n(%) 7 (25%) 13 (40%) 0.27 6-min WD (meters) 330 ± 21 357 ± 27 298 ± 13 302 ± 18 0.09 MLWHF 28 ± 4 21 ± 4 37 ± 4 31 ± 3 0.10 HR (bpm) 80 ± 2 >64 ± 2 79 ± 1 70 ± 2 0.10 SBP (mm Hg) 120 ± 3 110 ± 4 119 ± 3 110 ± 3 0.97 MXL Dose (mg/day) 119 ± 13 100 ± 13 0.34
MO‐A(SAM)‐211‐03: Dosimetry in Pregnant Patients Undergoing CT and Fluoroscopy

This session will include discussions on estimating fetal dosimetry in patients undergoing CT and Fluoroscopy. Even though patients are screened for potential pregnancy, imaging is done on patients who are later found to be pregnant. In many instances, x‐ray imaging is performed even it is known that the patient is pregnant since the life‐saving situations trumpets the x‐ray risks, such as in emergency situations (trauma patients) and complications during pregnancy. Medical physicists are often consulted to estimate fetal dosimetry retrospectively. In such cases, fetal exposure can be estimated by many different methods. Such methods will be discussed in this session with focus on CT and Fluoroscopy procedures. Educational Objectives: 1. To become familiar with estimating fetal dose due to CT and Fluoroscopy. 2. To understand the radiation dose and risk of imaging pregnant patients.
Female Promotions in Male-Dominant Organizations: The Case of the United States Military

This article reports the outcome of more than 350,000 promotion decisions affecting middle-grade military officers. Data indicate males have higher promotion rates than females in the Army and Navy, while females have higher promotion rates than males in the Air Force. However, male and female promotion rates are similar in the combined services, and male promotion-rate advantages generally have diminished or disappeared in recent years. Data further indicate women leave the officer corps at high rates and are still grossly underrepresented among those promoted to middle-grade officer ranks.
The microbiome in pediatric cystic fibrosis patients: the role of shared environment suggests a window of intervention

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by mutations in the CFTR gene that predispose the airway to infection. Chronic infection by pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa leads to inflammation that gradually degrades lung function, resulting in morbidity and early mortality. In a previous study of CF monozygotic twins, we demonstrate that genetic modifiers significantly affect the establishment of persistent P. aeruginosa colonization in CF. Recognizing that bacteria other than P. aeruginosa contribute to the CF microbiome and associated pathology, we used deep sequencing of sputum from pediatric monozygotic twins and nontwin siblings with CF to characterize pediatric bacterial communities and the role that genetics plays in their evolution. Findings: We found that the microbial communities in sputum from pediatric patients living together were much more alike than those from pediatric individuals living apart, regardless of whether samples were taken from monozygous twins or from nontwin CF siblings living together, which we used as a proxy for dizygous twins. In contrast, adult communities were comparatively monolithic and much less diverse than the microbiome of pediatric patients. Conclusion: Taken together, these data and other recent studies suggest that as patients age, the CF microbiome becomes less diverse, more refractory to treatment and dominated by mucoid P. aeruginosa, as well as being associated with accelerated pulmonary decline. Our studies show that the microbiome of pediatric patients is susceptible to environmental influences, suggesting that interventions to preserve the community structure found in young CF patients might be possible, perhaps slowing disease progression.
A Comparison of Four Monte Carlo Methods for Estimating the Probability of s-t Connectedness

This paper describes and compares the performance of four alternative Monte Carlo sampling plans for estimating the probability that two nodes, s and t, are connected in an undirected network whose arcs fail randomly and independently. Models of this type are commonly used when computing the reliability of a system of randomly failing components. The first method, dagger sampling, relies for its advantage on inducing negative correlation between the outcomes of the replications in the sample. The second method, sequential destruction/construction exploits permutation properties of arc failures and successes. The third method uses easily determined bounds on the reliability probability to gain an advantage. The fourth approach enumerates all failure sets of the network to achieve its appeal. An example based on a 30-arc 20-node network illustrates the variance reducing features and the time and space needs of each sampling plan. Dagger sampling and sequential construction offer limited benefits when compared to the bounds and failure-sets methods. The failure-sets method performs best on the example for small failure probabilities. However, in general it offers no guarantee of a smaller variance than crude Monte Carlo and requires substantially more memory than the other methods. Moreover, this memory requirement can grow rapidly as the size of the network increases. By contrast, the bounds method guarantees a smaller variance than for crude Monte Carlo sampling and has modest memory requirements.
Monoclonal Proteins and Renal Disease

Renal insufficiency, which is present initially in almost half of patients with multiple myeloma, usually results from myeloma kidney or hypercalcemia. Neither the class of light chain nor the isoelectric point plays an important role in kidney failure. Acute renal failure must be treated with appropriate fluids and with electrolytes and hemodialysis if necessary. Plasma exchange may be helpful, but has not been proven as such. The presence of a nephrotic syndrome and a monoclonal kappa or lambda light chain in the urine almost always indicates primary amyloidosis (AL) or light-chain deposition disease. Amyloid fibrils must be distinguished from the fibrils of immunotactoid glomerulopathy.
A Psychological Adaptive Model For Video Analysis

Extracting key-frames is the first step for efficient content-based indexing, browsing and retrieval of the video data in commercial movies. Most of the existing research deals with "how to extract representative frames?" However the unaddressed question is "how many key-frames are required to represent a video shot properly?" Generally, the user defines this number a priori or some heuristic methods are used. In this paper, we propose a psychological model, which computes this number adaptively and online, from variation of visual features in a video-shot. We incorporate it with an iterative key-frame selection method to automatically select the key-frames. We compare the results of this method with two other well-known approaches, based on a novel effectiveness measure that scores each approach based on its representational power. Movie-clips of varying complexity are used to underscore the success of the proposed model in real-time.
Transmission Problems for Holomorphic Fiber Bundles

In a previous paper ([9]) the author considered transmission problems for holomorphic fiber bundles over Riemann surfaces and families of Riemann surfaces. In this context the question arose as to how to treat analogous problems for fiber bundles over complex spaces X. The situation in higher dimensional complex spaces is by necessity different from the one dimensional case since only in more than one complex dimension the phenomenon of pseudoconvexity appears. At the same time it turned out to be desirable to deal with a more general geometric and analytic situation as in [9], thus making it possible to interpret “topologically correct” transmission problems as cycles in a certain homology theory, so that two such topological transmission problems are isomorphic if the corresponding cycles are homologous.
Singers of the Virgin in Thirteenth-century Spain

Thirteenth century Spain was blessed with four outstanding singers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and—though they wrote in different languages—they tell much the same story, and with comparable lyric passion. Three of these, Berceo, Alfonso X and Llull, need no introduction, but the fourth may profit from a short preamble. Johannes Aegidii (commonly called Gil) de Zamora is often cited in connection with Alfonso and the Cantigas, but discussion of him is usually brief.1 We know little about him: he was a Franciscan friar, entering the order c. 1270, secretary to Alfonso and tutor of his son, Sancho, he had studied in Paris in 1266–1269 and became Master of Theology in Zamora in 1278. He held many posts in the Franciscan order, ending a long life as Minister Fratrum Minorum Provincialis. While he is better known for the historical works he wrote for Sancho (De viris illustribus and De preconiis Hispanie,2 Ars musica 3 and Dictaminis epithalamium), he wrote for Alfonso a Liber Mariae which was highly prized by...
Self-enclosed vs. LOPOS-terminated lateral planar p/sup +/n and n/sup +/p junctions in 3C-SiC/Si

Lateral p/sup +/n and n/sup +/p diodes in 3C-SiC/Si, with different isolation terminations, have been compared at both room and elevated temperatures, up to 250/spl deg/C. The ion-implanted, planar diodes have been demonstrated with leakage currents as low as 2.65/spl times/10/sup -6/ A/cm/sup 2/ at room temperature, the lowest known for 3C-SiC. The forward drop for N-implanted junctions is found to be tightly distributed at 1.6-1.7 V, and that for Al-implanted diodes around 1.7-1.9 V. The ideality factor for the diodes is found to lie between 1.8 and 2.5. The N-implanted diodes show better reverse leakage characteristics than the Al-implanted junctions, with almost an order of magnitude lower leakage current. Two different termination schemes, self-enclosed vs. LOPOS-terminated, have been compared for the two diodes. Specific contact resistivity, as low as 1/spl times/10/sup -7/ /spl Omega/-cm/sup 2/ is obtained for ohmic contacts to the implanted regions.
Regime Change Cascades: What We Have Learned from the 1848 Revolutions to the 2011 Arab Uprisings

Works on the 1848 revolutions, 1989 collapse of European communism, 1998–2005 postcommunist color revolutions, and 2011 Arab uprisings frequently cross-reference each other, implying what is called here the concept of a “regime change cascade.” Research on these “Big Four” events shows that cascading can occur in protest calling for regime change as well as revolution in the name of regime change, but these rarely lead to actual regime change. Regime change cascades can occur through demonstration effects and active mediation, although common external causes and contemporaneous domestic triggers can cause events outwardly resembling them. Regime change cascades tend to occur where (a) there exists a common frame of political reference, (b) unpopular leaderships are becoming lame ducks; (c) elites lack other focal points for coordinated defection, and (d) structural conditions supporting a new regime type are in place. Cascading to hybrid regimes or autocracy may be more likely than cascading to democracy.
Down syndrome and thyroid function

Thyroid dysfunction in children with Down syndrome (DS) can occur as early as birth. As children with DS age, their risk for thyroid autoimmunity manifested as autoimmune hypothyroidism or Graves disease increases. The optimal timing and method for thyroid screening in children with DS remains controversial. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends annual screening in this population. Consensus is needed to establish working definitions of euthyroidism and mild hypothyroidism in all infants, but especially in those with DS.
Monolithic VLSI vs. MCM a perspective on performance, yield, and manufacturing

MCMs are touted as the emerging challenge to monolithic VLSIs. The purported driving forces are performance and economics. While the potentials are attractive, many practical problems remain before MCMs become viable. Furthermore, it is not at clear that MCMs will replace monolithic VLSIs as suggested. The author contrasts these technologies. Using the implementation of a CPU function as an example, he examines the evolution of performance, yields, economics, of both the VLSI implementation and the MCM alternative. It is evident that, at the present time, the lack of a well-developed MCM technical and manufacturing infrastructure limits its penetration. An agenda to address these concerns will be presented. He concludes that MCM is an emerging technology that builds on the continued success of monolithic VLSIs and will augment rather than replace VLSIs. >
Victim perspective of bank robbery trauma and recovery

This study examines an expanded debriefing model used with bank robbery victims. The model provides organizational consultation before a trauma and aids recovery after the incident through individual assessment and organizational support. Victims' perspective of the bank robbery, the recovery process, and satisfaction with the intervention was studied. Although victims' stated their functioning level stabilized with a supportive organization environment, continued efforts must be made to explore effective assistance in dealing with traumatic workplace-related events. Language: en
Panegyric Decorum in the Reigns of William III and Anne

The tradition of English verse panegyric began in the reign of James I when the accession of the Stuart line called “for a formal and specific expression of the subject's allegiance and of the values which commend it.” First adapted from Latin models by Samuel Daniel and Ben Jonson, panegyric verse combined praise of the new monarch with conciliatory rhetoric aimed at uniting the king with his subjects. Still regarded as a branch of classical oratory at the beginning of James I's reign, verse panegyric underwent important transformations in succeeding decades. While Abraham Cowley adapted the panegyric themes of national revival and monarchic restraint to his version of the Pindaric ode, Edmund Waller and John Dryden made it a “branch of epic” by depicting the king as an epic hero. Thus enshrined among the neo-classical poetic genres, panegyric verse remained both a potent form of propaganda and an outlet for traditional literary aspirations through the reign of James II. Following the constitutional upheavals of 1688, however, panegyric began to lose its traditional ceremonial function, and in following years the great Tory satirists made the decadence of panegyric conventions an object of their ridicule. Nevertheless verse panegyric did not immediately lose its credibility as literature or its efficacy as propaganda. Writing poems of public praise and celebration remained one way for the loyalists of a new regime—and for others who longed for restoration of the old—to articulate political sentiments, respond to the obligations of political patronage, and fulfill ambitions to write heroic verse.