cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear Self-Tuning Control for Soft Landing of an Electromechanical Valve Actuator

Abstract Electromechanical valve actuators (EVA) can be used for electronic control of the engine valves. Their operation requires fast and precise motion of an armature between two stiff springs and two voltage-controlled electromagnets. Low contact velocities or “soft landing᾿ of the actuator on the solenoid faces and between the actuator and the valve is also necessary in order to maintain similar noise and wear levels with conventional camshaft-driven engines. We analyze the control difficulties, review the actuator model and extend our previous work by introducing impact dynamics. We then design a self-tuning nonlinear controller using extremum seeking that achieves impact velocities below 0.1 m/s and maximum transition time of 4.0 ms.
Complementary and Alternative Therapies

Multiple studies confirm complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), or integrative therapy use is common among children with IBD. Pediatric prevalence rates are compatible with or exceed CAM use in adult IBD. Surveys indicate that biologically based therapies are the most frequently utilized modality among the pediatric IBD population. Concurrent use of biologically based CAM, such as herbals and supplements, and prescription medication is common and may cause untoward drug interactions. In this chapter, we review the available evidence for the safety and efficacy of the most commonly used biologically based therapies in IBD. Clinicians ought to appreciate the prevalence of CAM utilization in the pediatric IBD population, parent’s receptivity toward these modalities as adjuvant therapies, and the reticence to disclose utilization. We suggest that the maintenance of a cursory level of understanding and awareness of CAM modalities, including knowledge of efficacy, interactions, and contraindications, are essential to ensure patient safety.
Engineering of Bacteriophage T4 Genome Using CRISPR-Cas9

Bacteriophages likely constitute the largest biomass on Earth. However, very few phage genomes have been well-characterized, the tailed phage T4 genome being one of them. Even in T4, much of the genome remained uncharacterized. The classical genetic strategies are tedious, compounded by genome modifications such as cytosine hydroxylmethylation and glucosylation which makes T4 DNA resistant to most restriction endonucleases. Here, using the type-II CRISPR-Cas9 system, we report the editing of both modified (ghm-Cytosine) and unmodified (Cytosine) T4 genomes. The modified genome, however, is less susceptible to Cas9 nuclease attack when compared to the unmodified genome. The efficiency of restriction of modified phage infection varied greatly in a spacer-dependent manner, which explains some of the previous contradictory results. We developed a genome editing strategy by codelivering into E. coli a CRISPR-Cas9 plasmid and a donor plasmid containing the desired mutation(s). Single and multiple point mutation...
Marijuana Use and Driving Under the Influence among Young Adults: A Socioecological Perspective on Risk Factors.

ABSTRACTBackground: Given increases in marijuana use and driving under the influence (DUI), it is critical to identify those at risk in order to inform intervention efforts. Objectives: We used a socioecological framework to examine correlates of level of marijuana use and DUI in the past month among young adult marijuana users. Methods: We recruited 1567 participants aged 18–34 years via Facebook ads targeting tobacco and marijuana users in August 2014 to complete an online survey assessing marijuana use and DUI, as well as related multilevel factors. Analyses focused on 649 participants reporting past 30-day marijuana use. Results: The sample was an average age of 24.48 (SD = 5.10), 43.9% female, and 76.4% White and used marijuana an average of 17.86 (SD = 11.29) days in the past month. Notably, 48.4% reported driving after marijuana use at least once in the past month, and 74.0% were passengers. Multivariable regression indicated that greater use was associated with: being older; being male; greater sy...
Schooltalk: Rethinking What We Say About —and to—Students Every Day By Mica Pollock

Schooltalk: Rethinking What We Say About—and to—Students Every Day By Mica Pollock (The New Press, 2017). Reviewed by Emily Schnee.
Recruiting older adults as participants in applied social research: Applying and evaluating approaches from clinical studies

While issues of recruiting older persons in clinical trials are well known, efficacious strategies in the recruitment process in applied social research are less explored. As more research becomes ...
Resonance Reactions and Anomalous Scattering

The purpose of the present paper is to give a derivation of the resonance formula for nuclear reactions which is free from artificial assumptions. Mathematically, the method used amounts to a Taylor series development of the wave function with respect to the energy. It is assumed that the first (energy independent) term in this development is, within a region of configuration space where all particles are close together, the same, no matter in which way the compound state is formed and that this is, in that region of configuration space, already a good approximation. The second term in the development of the wave function with respect to the energy difference from the resonance energy can then be calculated very easily and this calculation is carried out in Section II for resonance scattering, in Sections III and IV for resonance reactions. It is assumed in both calculations that the colliding particles have zero orbital angular momentum around their center of mass. The third term in the same expansion is estimated for resonance scattering in Section VI and it is shown that, if there were no other resonances in the neighborhood, the effect of the third term would be negligible over a very wide energy range (several hundred kilovolt). The formulae for the cross sections, as obtained, are of greater generality than the customary ones inasmuch as they contain extra terms which could be interpreted as potential scattering and potential reaction. The existence of such terms has been noticed already by Bethe. However, as discussed in Section V, the extra terms are, particularly in the neighborhood of the resonance, much smaller than the resonance terms so that one is led back, in practice, to the ordinary resonance formulae, as given, e.g., by Bethe. In particular, the disintegration probability is, as function of energy, proportional to the velocity with which the reaction products separate if the orbital angular momentum of the separating particles vanishes. It may be worth while to remark that the resonance part of the collision matrix has a particularly simple form and is, e.g., of rank 1. The case of orbital angular mementum $1\ensuremath{\hbar}$ is discussed in Section VII. In this case, the disintegration probability of the compound state is proportional to the third power of the velocity of the separating particles so that the scattering is, at very low energies, proportional to the square of the energy. The same holds, in this case, of the "potential scattering" also. Section VII also contains an investigation of the region of validity of the formulae in case of angular momentum $1\ensuremath{\hbar}$ between the colliding particles and shows that this region will extend to the neighboring resonances.
Prediction of sudden death risk in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: Potential for refinement of current criteria.

Abstract Background In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) prevents sudden cardiac death (SCD). In obstructive HCM patients, we sought to determine a) prognostic utility of European Society of Cardiology (ESC) SCD-risk score and b) if additional factors modulate SCD risk. Methods We studied 1809 consecutive obstructive HCM patients (50±14 years, 63% men, maximal outflow tract gradient 93±40 mm Hg). Major SCD risk factors were recorded (none, 1, ≥2) and % 5-year ESC SCD risk score was calculated. Need for surgical myectomy and a composite endpoint (SCD and/or appropriate ICD discharge) were recorded. Results 65% patients had zero, 26% had 1 and 8% had ≥2 major SCD risk factors; while 65% patients had low ( 6%) %5-year ESC risk, while 1160 (64%) underwent surgery and 361 (20%) had AF. At 8.8±4 years, 169 patients had a composite event (154 SCD). At 5-years, despite a wide range of expected events (2.5%-9 %), the observed events ranged from 4.6%-5% across 3 SCD risk categories (Hosmer-Lemeshow p-value = 0.32). On multivariable competing risk analysis, myectomy (subHazard ratio or sHR0.69 [0.47-0.83]) was associated with lower risk of longer-term composite events (p Conclusions In obstructive HCM patients, despite a wide range of expected 5-year primary event rate, the observed primary events were similar across the 3 ESC SCD risk categories, with myectomy mitigating SCD risk. In obstructive HCM patients, SCD risk may have to be refined for patients following myectomy.
Appropriate Duration of Intravenous Treatment of Candidemia and Timing of Step Down to Oral Therapy in Non-neutropenic Patients.

In this review we have analyzed the available literature pertaining to the total duration of intravenous (IV) therapy and the appropriate timing of step down to oral therapy in the management of candidemia. Overview of the guidelines and literature seem to indicate that a minimum of 14 days of antifungal therapy is required in the treatment of candidemia without deep seated infection. However, this was never based on evidence. Furthermore, step down to oral therapy seems to be dependent on the clinical stability criteria of the patient with candidemia after 4 to 7 days of IV therapy. Further studies are required to evaluate the appropriate total duration of IV therapy, appropriate timing of step down to oral therapy and to validate the clinical criteria that would allow the switch to happen.
Schrifttum und Firmen

Zum weiteren Eindringen in das Gebiet der Spannvorrichtungen dienen die folgenden Hinweise.
Raman spectra of gases: XIV. Hexachlorodisiloxane

Abstract The Raman spectra (50–1200 cm −1 ) of gaseous, liquid, and solid (Cl 3 Si) 2 O have been recorded. The infrared spectra of the gas and solid have been recorded from 55–2000 cm −1 . The spectra of the gas have been interpreted in detail on the basis of C 2v symmetry with the A 1 skeletal Si-O-Si bend assigned at 63 cm −1 . The spectra gave evidence that there are structural changes upon condensation of the gas and the Si-O-Si angle approaches linearity in the solid state. The opening of this angle is probably due to crystal packing factors.
Global Perspectives on Family Life Education: Synthesis and Future Directions

Throughout this book, each set of authors has encouraged readers to gain a better understanding of how family life education is perceived and accomplished in each of the highlighted countries. While various educational practices unique to each country’s cultural and political/economic situation have been highlighted, several themes have emerged to exemplify just how similar or congruent some of the educational practices that have been implemented throughout the world are. In this concluding chapter, we felt it important to highlight some of these overarching themes.
Pulsatile flow drivers in brain parenchyma and perivascular spaces: a resistance network model study.

In animal models, dissolved compounds in the subarachnoid space and parenchyma have been found to preferentially transport through the cortex perivascular spaces (PVS) but the transport phenomena involved are unclear. In this study two hydraulic network models were used to predict fluid motion produced by blood vessel pulsations and estimate the contribution made to solute transport in PVS and parenchyma. The effect of varying pulse amplitude and timing, PVS dimensions, and tissue hydraulic conductivity on fluid motion was investigated. Periodic vessel pulses resulted in oscillatory fluid motion in PVS and parenchyma but no net flow over time. For baseline parameters, PVS and parenchyma peak fluid velocity was on the order of 10 μm/s and 1 nm/s, with corresponding Peclet numbers below 103 and 10−1 respectively. Peak fluid velocity in the PVS and parenchyma tended to increase with increasing pulse amplitude and vessel size, and exhibited asymptotic relationships with hydraulic conductivity. Solute transport in parenchyma was predicted to be diffusion dominated, with a negligible contribution from convection. In the PVS, dispersion due to oscillating flow likely plays a significant role in PVS rapid transport observed in previous in vivo experiments. This dispersive effect could be more significant than convective solute transport from net flow that may exist in PVS and should be studied further.
Radiant heat recovery by thermoelectric generators: A theoretical case-study on hot steel casting

Abstract We present a detailed numerical analysis to quantify the power generation performance of a thermoelectric module in radiant heat recovery application. Due to the large temperature difference typically involved in such a system, temperature-dependent material properties of thermoelectric elements are taken into account for accurate performance prediction by employing an iterative algorithm based on the one-dimensional finite element method. Careful analysis on the radiation heat transfer with optical parameters such as surface emissivity and view factor is performed to precisely quantify the heat input to the thermoelectric system. Parasitic heat losses such as air convection loss at the hot surface and conduction through the substrates and gap fillers are also taken into account to analyze their impacts on the power output. A case study on the radiant waste heat recovery from hot steel casting slabs in steel industry is discussed in detail to theoretically estimate the power output performances and optimize the module design. We find that a power density as high as ∼1.5 kW/m2 and a system efficiency as high as ∼4.6% can be achieved at a 2 m distance from the 1200 K hot steel slab using the state-of-the-art Bi2Te3 alloys with a relatively small leg thickness of 3 mm and a 20% fill factor. This optimal design with small form factors ensures a reduced material cost while keeping the power output near the maximum, so that an estimated power cost remains as low as ∼0.2 $/Watt.
A reduced regularization strategy for economic NMPC

Abstract Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) enables the incorporation of detailed dynamic process models for nonlinear, multivariable control with constraints. This optimization-based framework also leads to on-line dynamic optimization with performance-based and so-called economic objectives. Nevertheless, economic NMPC (eNMPC) still requires careful formulation of the nonlinear programming (NLP) subproblem to guarantee stability. In this study, we derive a novel reduced regularization eNMPC approach with stability guarantees. Compared with full state regularization, the proposed strategy is less conservative and easier to implement. The resulting eNMPC framework is firstly demonstrated on a nonlinear continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) example and a large-scale double distillation system example. Then the proposed strategy is applied to a challenging nonlinear CO2 capture model, where bubbling fluidized bed models comprise a solid-sorbent post-combustion carbon capture system. Our results indicate the benefits of this improved eNMPC approach over tracking to the setpoint, and better stability over eNMPC without regularization.
Dehydration, Rehydration, and Hyponatremia

Current health culture suggests that sedentary individuals should be consuming at least eight, eight ounce glasses of water each day. This injunction further stipulates that the water requirement cannot be adequately met by consumption of sweetened, caffeinated, or alcohol containing fluids. An additional concern is that thirst may not serve as an adequate early indicator of hydration needs. These propositions are reviewed in light of current research findings and suggestions are submitted for appropriate emendation of these rules.
Filling the Justice Capacity Gap

The world’s justice systems are under stress. Political commitments to democratization and human rights protection, private economic transactions, counterterrorism, and globalization impose new burdens on justice institutions for more impartial and transparent conflict resolution. The intrinsic need of a modern state to be both strong and self-limiting requires a strong and independent judiciary to realize these rule-of-law objectives.
New Asian American Voters: Political Incorporation and Participation in 2016:

In 2016, Asian Americans represented the fastest growing racial minority group in the United States largely due to the flow of new immigration. As a result, Asian Americans are poised to be the nex...
A Quantitative Portrait of Legislative Change in Ukraine

Over the past decade, Ukraine has undergone tremendous socio-political changes, which continue to this day. While such changes may be analyzed and interpreted from a variety of sources, we utilize recent advancements in the quantitative analysis of culture to identify how these changes are encoded within Ukraine’s legislation. Our goal is to provide a new picture of Ukrainian governance that may be used by subject matter experts as a complement to existing forms of political data. To do so, we apply probabilistic topic modeling to compress over a decade of Ukrainian legislation into patterns of word usage. We then apply a recently developed calculation of novelty to measure how different each draft law is from the draft laws which precede it. We find an interesting pattern of legislative changes and identify some of the drivers of these changes. Finally, we discuss the relationship between our results and the broader context of Ukrainian political changes and suggest steps to explore this relationship further.
The Nazi Conspiracy Theory: German Fantasies and Jewish Power in the Third Reich

Scholars have long recognised the role that propaganda played in bringing the Nazi regime to power and sustaining its rule over the period 1933 − 45. While sound intelligence and data were essentia...
A Primer on Mixed Methods for Pediatric Researchers.

Objective To provide a primer on conducting and analyzing mixed methods research studies, and to provide guidance on the write-up of mixed methods research. Methods A question and answer format is used to provide an overview of mixed methods research study designs, tasks and considerations related to conducting and analyzing mixed methods studies, and recommendations for the write-up of results for mixed methods studies. Results Individuals who conduct mixed methods research are encouraged to delineate the quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods features of the research and how these features fit with the overall study questions. Research teams will benefit from including individuals with expertise in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research. Data integration should be a central component to the analysis and write-up of mixed methods research. Conclusions Increasing the use of mixed methods research in the field of pediatric psychology will contribute to advances in observational studies with children and families, intervention development and evaluation, and creation of new tools and assessments that aim to optimize child and family health outcomes.
Mackaman, Frank H., and Sean Q. Kelly, Eds. Robert H. Michel: Leading the Republican House Minority

Bob Michel of Illinois had the misfortune to be the leader of the House Republican party during the longest period of one-party dominance of a national elected institution in American history. For ...
[Analysis of transmission characteristics of COVID-19 in Shaanxi Province]

A total of 245 cases of COVID-19 in Shaanxi Province reported in the China information system for disease control and prevention as of February 24, 2020 were selected as the research objects, the cases are divided into imported cases (116 cases, 47 3%) and local cases (129 cases, 52 7%), their basic characteristics, time distribution, transmission mode, intergenerational interval and latent period transmission are analyzed The age of local cases [(51 74+/-15 67) years old], female patients (69 cases, 53 5%), housework and retired staff (40 cases, 31 0%), and patients isolated at the time of onset (50 cases, 38 8%) were higher than imported cases, respectively[(40 66+/-15 41) years old, (45 cases, 38 8%), (21 cases, 18 1%), (17 cases, 14 6%)] (P values were < 0 05);The infection rate was 0 8% (31/3 666) in close contacts with local cases, which was lower than imported cases 2 0% (69/3 435) (P<0 001);The main source of infection in local cases was relatives (70 cases, 54 3%), and the main way of infection was living together and party (90 cases, 69 8%);the proportion of latent period transmission in our province was 15 5% (20 cases), and the interval between the second-generation case and the source of infection was about 4 days, and the interval between generations was about 6 days In summary, the main way of infection of local cases in Shaanxi Province was living together and party, there were a certain proportion of latent period transmission cases at present, it's suggested that the investigation of close contacts should be started 4 days or earlier before the onset of the case
Humanistic Management and Religion: a Case for the Constructivist Approach to Jewish Business Ethics

Humanistic management theory and religiously grounded business ethics are both important research avenues for the study of business management. This paper links these two domains by examining to what extent a religiously grounded business ethics can potentially contribute to the broad and burgeoning literature on humanistic management through an exploration of the case of Jewish business ethics. Specifically, this paper examines three distinct ways of doing Jewish business ethics. These three ways are labeled here as traditionalist, integrationist, and constructivist. Each of these distinct paths begins with a different conception of the fundamental relationship between Judaism and business. Traditionalists believe that the creation of wealth is a legitimate practice, but only because Judaism says so. Integrationists, by contrast, consider wealth creation as a legitimate practice on its own terms. From this perspective, wealth creation is viewed as a positive human activity, independent of its grounding in religious thought. Judaism contributes to wealth creation by setting and guarding its appropriate boundaries and limits and by serving as an external source of morality and meaning, often invoking broad aspirational Jewish values like tikkun olam (repair of the world). Finally, constructivists agree with the integrationists about the stand-alone value of wealth creation. Constructivists push even further, though, and assert that business is not only a legitimate practice, but it is a potentially meaningful one. Business is imagined as an ongoing and open-ended constructive project, one that includes a broad and complex set of human values including wealth creation, but potentially other values like covenantal leadership, kindness, everyday redemption, and other higher purposes. Here, business is no longer viewed merely as a source of material wealth for society but business is envisioned as a potentially important location and source of human meaning and fulfillment. For the constructivists, the role of Jewish business ethics is not to judge business from the outside, but it is to actively participate and contribute to an expansive dialogue with other business ethics voices, centered on the construction of new and evolved forms of business as a human enterprise.
Predictors of Free Flap Volume Loss in Nonosseous Reconstruction of Head and Neck Oncologic Defects.

Objectives:Free tissue reconstruction of the head and neck must be initially overcorrected due to expected postoperative free flap volume loss, which can be accelerated by adjuvant radiation therap...
Health seeking behavior and associated factors among individuals with cough in Yiwu, China: a population-based study.

Previous studies have shown that a certain proportion of the population did not seek medical treatment after coughing, and understanding the potential reasons is crucial for disease prevention and control. A population-based study was conducted with the probability proportional to population size sampling in Yiwu, Zhejiang, China. A total of 5855 individuals aged ≥15 years lived in Yiwu for more than 6 months were included. All participants completed a laptop-based questionnaire to collect detailed information by a face-to-face interview. Characteristics of individuals were described by categories of health seeking behavior using frequency and percentage. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the associations of social-demographic and cough characteristics with health seeking behavior. 19.3% (1129/5855) of participants had a cough in the past month, 40% (452/1129) had sought medical treatment. Of these, 26.5% (120/452) chose hospitals at county level or above. Individuals aged ≥65 years old (OR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.23, 4.12), female (OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.21, 2.06), living in rural areas (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.003, 1.69), persistent cough for 3–8 weeks (OR = 2.91, 95% CI: 1.72, 4.92) and with more accompanying symptoms (P trend 8 weeks were not (p > 0.5). Female (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.21, 0.54) and people living in rural areas (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.92) were less likely to choose hospitals at county level or above while the higher educated were more likely to (OR = 3.29, 95% CI: 1.35, 8.02). Those who coughed for more than 2 weeks were more likely to choose hospitals at or above the county level. But the number of accompanying symptoms does not show any significant relationship with the choice of medical facility. The present study found that age, sex, living areas and features of cough were associated with health seeking behavior. It is worth noting that those who coughed for too long (e.g. > 8 weeks) were less likely to seek medical treatment. Targeted measures should be developed based on the key factors found in this study to guide persons to seek medical treatment more scientifically.
Protocol for the use of focused ion-beam milling to prepare crystalline lamellae for microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED).

Summary We present an in-depth protocol to reproducibly prepare crystalline lamellae from protein crystals for subsequent microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) experiments. This protocol covers typical soluble proteins and membrane proteins embedded in dense media. Following these steps will allow the user to prepare crystalline lamellae for protein structure determination by MicroED. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Martynowycz et al. (2019a , 2020a) .
The Veil of Bureaucracy: How Officials Evade Partisan Politics in Participatory Settings

In theory, participatory democracies are thought to empower citizens in local decision-making processes. However, in practice, community voice is rarely representative, and even in cases of equal r...
National Survey of Point-of-Care Ultrasound Scholarly Tracks in Emergency Medicine Residency Programs.

Introduction: Residency scholarly tracks are educational programs, designed to help trainees develop an area of expertise. Although the breadth of residency point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) education has developed considerably in recent years, there is no literature to date describing scholarly tracks specifically in POCUS. In this study we sought to determine the prevalence, characteristics, and outcomes of POCUS scholarly tracks in emergency medicine (EM). Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of EM residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Surveys were distributed between March-August 2020 using a listserv followed by targeted emails to residency and ultrasound leadership. We summarized data using descriptive statistics, and performed logistic regression to identify factors associated with a POCUS scholarly track. Results: Of 267 residency programs 199 (74.5%) completed the survey. Fifty-seven (28.6%) had a POCUS scholarly track as of the 2019-2020 academic year. Scholarly tracks in POCUS were more common in university-based/academic sites and larger residency programs. Of the 57 programs with POCUS scholarly tracks, 48 (84.2%) required residents to present at least one POCUS lecture, 45 (78.9%) required residents to serve as instructor at a hands-on workshop, and 42 (73.7%) required residents to participate in quality assurance of departmental POCUS scans. Only 28 (49.1%) tracks had a structured curriculum, and 26 (45.6%) required POCUS research. In total, 300 EM residents completed a POCUS scholarly track over the past three academic years, with a median of 4 (2-9) per program. Seventy-five (25.0%) proceeded to a clinical ultrasound fellowship after residency graduation, with a median of 1 (interquartile range 0-2) per program. A total of 139 POCUS-specific abstracts (median 2 [0-3]) and 80 peer-reviewed manuscripts (median 1 [0-2]) were published by scholarly track residents over the past three years. Conclusion: This survey study describes the current prevalence, characteristics, and outcomes of POCUS scholarly tracks across EM residency programs. The results may inform the decisions of residency programs to create these tracks.
Leveraging Market Sentiment for Stock Price Prediction using GAN

Stock market is a heavily explored subject in the realms of Machine Learning and Deep Learning. With thousands of people investing into the stock market and many more joining the suit lured by its lucrativeness or by the idea of paying lower taxes, it has become necessary to read this stochastic time series data, popularly known as the stock price data. Through this paper, we want to display most of the recent research done in this domain and propose a new state-of-the-art GAN architecture that consists of a hybrid of Naive Bayes Classifier for Sentiment Analysis of Financial News and LSTM for prediction as the Generator and MLP as the Discriminator. The proposed system forecasts stock values using financial data and conducts sentiment analysis on financial news.
Asymptotic and approximate formulas in the inverse scattering problem for the Schrödinger operator

with positive constants C O and B satisfying B > i, (1.3) i.e., Q(x) is a short-range potential. H and H 0 denote uniaue self-adjoint extensions of h and h 0 : -A restricted to C0OR3) in L2~R3), respectively. Since the multiplication operator Q(x)x is a bounded linear operator on L2OR3), the domain D(H) of H coincides with the domain D(H0) of H 0 and they are equal to H2~.3), the Sobolev space of the second order on ~3 (see, e.g., Kato [i0], Chapter 5).
Linking Technology and Business Strategies: A Methodological Approach and an Illustration

Linking technology and business strategies is a demanding task that has central importance in strategy formation. Now that technology is a critical source to achieve and sustain competitive advantage, the ability to incorporate technology into a business strategy can make the difference between a winning or a losing strategic alternative. This paper discusses a methodology that can be used to explore systematically the way to link business and technology strategies. The authors illustrate the application of the suggested methodology in a real life setting.
Escritas de ouvido na literatura brasileira

If we listen closely, we can hear the pulse of an auditory writing at work in several authors at the heart of Brazilian literature. The aim of this text is to develop the concept of “Writing by Ear”, and the form it takes in fictional prose, especially in novels. Machado de Assis, Clarice Lispector, and Guimaraes Rosa are the central authors of this research also applicable to other key authors of prose fiction, including Oswald de Andrade, Mario de Andrade, and Graciliano Ramos. This text thinks the ear as a third term beyond the dyad speech and writing, the novel, as a space of listening, and authorship, as a place of reception more than a place of production. It hopes to contribute to a poetics of resonance and an aural history of literature written in Portuguese with multilingual accents.
Evaluation of Measurement Techniques for the Validation of Agent-Based Simulations Against Streaming Data

This paper presents a study evaluating the applicability of several different measures to the validation of Agent-Based Modeling simulations against streaming data. We evaluate the various measurements and validation techniques using pedestrian movement simulations used in the WIPER system. The Wireless Integrated Phone-based Emergency Response (WIPER) system is a Dynamic Data-Driven Application System (DDDAS) that uses a stream of cellular network activity to detect, classify and predict crisis events. The WIPER simulation is essential to classification and prediction tasks, as the simulations model human activity, both in movement and cell phone activity, in an attempt to better understand crisis events.
6 Attention and unit formation: A biased competition account of object-based attention

ABSTRACT Because the visual system cannot process all of the items present in a visual scene, some stimuli must be selected over others to prevent the visual system from becoming overloaded. Visual attention allows some stimuli or events to be processed instead of others. Most research on attentional selection has focused on spatial or location-based attention, in which the locations occupied by stimuli are selected for further processing. Recent research, however, has demonstrated the importance of objects in guiding attentional selection. Because of the long history of spatial attention research, theories of spatial attention are more mature than theories of other visual processes, such as object segregation and object attention. In the present chapter, we outline a biased competition account of object segregation and attention, following similar accounts that have been developed for visual search ( Desimone & Duncan, 1995 ). In the biased competition account, there are two sources of visual information that allow an object to be processed over other objects: bottom-up information carried by the physical stimulus and top-down information based on an observer’s goals. We use the biased competition account to combine many diverse findings from both behavioral and neurobiological studies of object attention.
Estimating Law Schools' Cumulative Passage Rates on the California Bar Exam: Some Observations and Conjectures

This article uses data reported by the State Bar of California to estimate, evaluate, and compare law schools’ cumulative passage rates on the California bar exam over the periods from 2007 to 2012 and 1997 to 2012. It also estimates law schools’ repeat taker passage rates, aggregate passage rates, and the average number of times their graduates who failed repeated the California bar exam over the same periods. Because of the limitations of the data, only tentative inferences can be drawn. Nonetheless, the results appear to have some important implications. First of all, some law schools with relatively low first-time taker passage rates on the California bar exam have cumulative passage rates close to those of the elite law schools; others, however, do not. Thus, cumulative passage rates may provide important information that is not captured by first-time taker passage rates. Second, the cumulative passage rates of Californian law schools generally appear to be higher than those of out-of-state law schools. This is no doubt in part because of a bias against the out-of-state schools in the way the cumulative passage rates are calculated, but it may also reflect some advantages to attending Californian law schools in preparing for the California bar exam. Finally, it appears that a small but significant percentage of the law graduates who wish to pass the California bar exam never do so. At some schools, the percentage may be less than two or three percent; at other schools it may be greater than fifteen percent. This is a matter that warrants further attention. Failing the bar exam on the first attempt is at best a stumble along the career path for any new law graduate. But a law graduate who wishes to practice law and is unable to pass the bar exam, even after repeated attempts, would probably consider her legal education a failure.
Surface modification and stability of detonation nanodiamonds in microwave gas discharge plasma

Abstract Detonation nanodiamonds (DND), with low hydrogen content, were exposed to microwave plasma generated in pure H2, N2, and O2 gases and their mixtures, and investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. Considerable alteration of the DND surface was observed under the plasma conditions for all used gases, but the diamond structure of the DND particle core was preserved in most cases. The stabilizing effect of H2 in H2/N2 and H2/O2 binary gas plasmas on the DND structure and the temperature-dependent formation of various CNHx surface groups in N2 and H2/N2 plasmas were observed and discussed for the first time. DND surface oxidation and etching were the main effects of O2 plasma, whereas the N2 plasma led to DND surfaces rich in amide groups below 1073 K and nitrile groups at higher temperatures. Noticeable graphitization of the DND core structure was detected only in N2 plasma when the substrate temperature was above 1103 K.
Information loss, made worse by quantum gravity?

Quantum gravity is often expected to solve both the singularity problem and the information-loss problem of black holes. This article presents an example from loop quantum gravity in which the singularity problem is solved in such a way that the information-loss problem is made worse. Quantum effects in this scenario, in contrast to previous non-singular models, do not eliminate the event horizon and introduce a new Cauchy horizon where determinism breaks down. Although infinities are avoided, for all practical purposes the core of the black hole plays the role of a naked singularity. Recent developments in loop quantum gravity indicate that this aggravated information loss problem is likely to be the generic outcome, putting strong conceptual pressure on the theory.
AAOA allergy primer: immunodeficiency.

Background Primary immunodeficiency is rare but should be considered in patients who present to the otolaryngologist with recurrent, severe, or treatment refractory infections. Methods Recent literature and consensus statements on immunodeficiency were reviewed for clinically important information of relevance to otolaryngologists. Results The most common and most relevant immunodeficiencies are humoral deficiencies with inadequate antibody production or an impairment in the production of specific antibody after antigen exposure. For otolaryngologists the most important immunodeficiencies include immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency, common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), and specific antibody deficiency. Simple screening tests can be used by the otolaryngologist to exclude the most common immunodeficiencies. The general treatment approach to patients with these immunodeficiencies includes airway hygiene, early and aggressive treatment of infections, immunization, and antibody replacement therapy. Conclusion By virtue of their scope of practice, otolaryngologists are in a position to recognize and initiate the diagnostic workup of patients with immunodeficiency. Patients with a diagnosed primary immunodeficiency are best managed in a multidisciplinary manner with close cooperation among the otolaryngologist, immunologist, and other specialists that are involved in treating these multisystem diseases.
Enantioselective total synthesis of briarellins E and F: the first total syntheses of briarellin diterpenes.

Enantioselective total syntheses of briarellin E (4) and briarellin F (5) have been achieved starting with (S)-(+)-carvone and (S)-(−)-glycidol. These total syntheses are the first of briarellin diterpenes. The central step in these syntheses is acid-promoted condensation of cyclohexadienyl diol 15 and (Z)-α,β-unsaturated aldehyde 16 to form, with complete stereocontrol, the hexahydroisobenzofuran core and six stereocenters of these coral metabolites. These syntheses also feature stereospecific photolytic deformylation of β,γ-unsaturated aldehyde 17 to remove the extraneous carbon introduced in the Prins-pinacol step, chemo- and stereoselective hydroxyl-directed epoxidation of dienyl alcohol 18 to incorporate the C3 oxygen stereocenter, regio- and stereoselective rearrangement of epoxy ester 19 to install the C4 oxygen substituent, efficient dehydrative cyclization of a 1,6-diol intermediate to form the oxepane ring, and diastereoselective Nozaki−Hiyama−Kishi cyclization of vinyl iodide aldehyde 25 to for...
Sudden-Onset Fatal Asthma: A Distinct Entity with Few Eosinophils and Relatively More Neutrophils in the Airway Submucosa?

To determine the histologic differences in the airways of patients who died from sudden-onset asthma and the more common slow-onset asthma, we studied seven cases of fatal asthma. The numbers of eosinophils and neutrophils, as well as extracellular deposition of their respective granule contents in the airway mucosa and submucosa, were determined and statistically analyzed. Four of the seven patients had slow-onset asthma attacks in which the time interval between onset of asthma and death was more than 2.5 h. In contrast, three patients had sudden-onset asthma in which the time interval between onset of asthma attack and death was less than 1 h. The four patients with slow-onset fatal asthma had more eosinophils (34.1 +/- 6.3 in slow-onset; 9.7 +/- 3.5 in sudden-onset; p = 0.002) and fewer neutrophils (4.8 +/- 2.0 in slow-onset; 16.8 +/- 5.4 in sudden-onset; p = 0.008) in the airway submucosa than did patients with sudden-onset fatal asthma. In addition, within the slow-onset fatal asthma group, eosinophils exceeded neutrophils in the airway submucosa (eosinophils > neutrophils, p = 0.002). By contrast, within the sudden-onset fatal asthma group, neutrophils exceeded eosinophils (neutrophils > eosinophils, p = 0.04). We suggest that sudden-onset fatal asthma is immunohistologically distinct from slow-onset fatal asthma and that it is characterized by a relative paucity of eosinophils in the face of an excess of neutrophils in the airway submucosa.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Properties of Rubidium Atoms Trapped in a Solid Argon Matrix

This paper reports studies of the optical absorption spectrum and the $X$-band electron spin resonance spectrum of rubidium atoms trapped in an argon matrix. The samples were formed by deposition from a mixed beam of the two constituents onto a cold plate. The optical absorption measurements showed two groups of lines. The red group, whose absorption lines are near those of the free atom, has a triplet structure; the blue group, whose absorption lines are shifted roughly 1650 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ to the blue, has four lines. The ESR measurements showed three major trapping sites. A motorized circular polarizer was used to measure the differential absorption of right and left circularly polarized light. By monitoring the differential absorption of right and left circularly polarized light in the presence of a microwave field, a correlation was found between the optical absorption sites and the microwave absorption sites. A crystal-field model is employed in an attempt to fit the data and to understand the nature of the sites.
Soft x-ray resist characterization: studies with a laser plasma x-ray source

Little work has been performed to characterize the exposure sensitivity, contrast, and tone of candidate resists for photon energies between 100-300 eV, the range in which projection soft x-ray lithography will be developed. We report here the characterization of near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectra, exposure sensitivity, contrast, and post-exposure processing of selected polysilane resists at photon energies close to the Si L2,3 absorption edge (100 eV). We find absorption resonance features in the NEXAFS spectra which we assign to excitation into Si-Si and Si-C *orbitals. Using monochromatized XUV exposures on the Si-Si cs* resonance at 105 eV, followed by solvent dissolution development, we have measured the exposure sensitivity curves of these resists. We find sensitivities in the range of 600-3000 mJ/cm2 and contrasts in the range from 0.5 - 1.4, depending on the polysilane side chain. We have also performed exposure sensitivity measurements at 92 eV, below the edge. Sensitivity decreases slightly compared to 105 eV exposures and the saturation depth and contrast both increase, as expected. We find also that exposing resist films to oxygen after XUV exposure, but before development, increases the sensitivity markedly.
Amalgam exposure and neurological function

Concerns regarding the safety of silver–mercury amalgam fillings continue to be raised in the absence of any direct evidence of harm. The widespread population exposure to amalgam mandated that a thorough investigation be conducted of its potential effects on the nervous system. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and U.S. Air Force investigators collaborated in the ongoing Air Force Health Study (AFHS) of Vietnam era veterans. The primary study question involved adverse health effects associated with exposure to herbicides or dioxin. An assessment of exposure to dental amalgam fillings was added to the 1997–1998 health examination to investigate possible associations between amalgam exposure and neurological abnormalities. Our study population consisted of 1663 dentate AFHS participants, comprised of 986 AFHS controls and 677 Ranch Hand veterans who were exposed to dioxin in Vietnam. Two hundred and fifty-two of the participants had confirmed diabetes mellitus. Study outcomes included clinical neurological signs, vibrotactile thresholds, and summary variables for different levels of peripheral neuropathy. A limitation of our study is that our database did not include more sensitive continuous measures such as nerve conduction studies. No significant associations were found between amalgam exposure and clinical neurological signs of abnormal tremor, coordination, station or gait, strength, sensation, or muscle stretch reflexes or for any level of peripheral neuropathy among our study participants. A statistically significant association was detected between amalgam exposure and the continuous vibrotactile sensation response for the combined non-diabetic participants and separately for non-diabetic AFHS controls. No significant association in this measure was detectable for non-diabetic Ranch Hand veterans or among the combined diabetic participants. The association is a sub-clinical finding that was not associated with symptoms, clinically evident signs of neuropathy, or any functional impairment. Overall, we found no association between amalgam exposure and neurological signs or clinically evident peripheral neuropathy. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that exposure to amalgam produces adverse, clinically evident neurological effects.