cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) for LED-based Visible Light Inter-Satellite Communications

Efficient multiple access (MA) schemes are one of the major components in enabling Visible Light Communication among multiple small satellites with the aim of optimizing throughput and lifetime of the network. Small satellites are becoming a popular choice for satellite missions involving multiple satellites due to their relatively low costs of production and deployment as well as improvement in temporal and spatial resolution which results in enhanced quality of data from these missions. These satellite missions involve communications among multiple satellites deployed as a wireless sensor network. Visible light communication using LEDs is preferred for inter-satellite communication due to the higher data rates it delivers. Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access has the potential of delivering high throughput relative to other multiple access schemes with Visible Light Communications. In this work, the feasibility of Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) is investigated for a cluster of small satellites with the aim of maintaining high throughput. Simulation results show a BER performance of 10−6 which is required for stable communications at a minimum transmit power of about 12W. This paves way for further development in aspects of multiple access involving VLC among small satellites.
The legacy of the Black Church: older African Americans’ religiousness

The pronounced ways religion manifests itself in African-American attitudes, beliefs, and behavior remains one of the most fascinating areas of social gerontology and the sociology of religion. Usi...
The Genetic Algorithm Approach: Why, How, and What Next?

When man wanted to fly, he first turned to natural example — the bird — to develop his early notions of how to accomplish this difficult task. Notable failures by Daedulus and numerous bird-like contraptions (ornithopters) at first pointed in the wrong direction, but eventually, persistence and the abstraction of the appropriate knowledge (lift over an airfoil) resulted in successful glider and powered flight. In contrast to this example, isn’t it peculiar that when man has tried to build machines to think, learn, and adapt he has ignored and largely continues to ignore one of nature’s most powerful examples of adaptation, genetics and natural selection. The primary mechanisms for adaptation in most optimization and learning systems depend upon man’s own artificial creations such as calculus and counting. The rich and efficient performance of nature’s own adaptation algorithm-of-choice is just starting to receive the attention it deserves in artificial system adaptation and learning.
Impact of Race, Insurance Status, and Primary Language on Presentation, Treatment, and Outcomes of Patients with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma at a Safety-Net Hospital

Background Social determinants of health impact the delivery of care and outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer. We explored the relationship between social determinants of health and presentation, treatment, and outcomes of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma at an urban safety-net medical center. Design A single-institution retrospective chart review of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma was conducted. Demographic, tumor, and treatment characteristics were obtained. Median overall survival, stage-specific survival, receipt of curative operation, and receipt of perioperative therapy were analyzed. Chi-square tests were used for categorical variables. Survival was determined by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results We identified 240 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma treated between January 2006 and December 2017. Median age was 66 years, 51% were female, 48% were non-white, 22% were non-English-speaking, 16% were Hispanic, and 40% were Medicaid/uninsured. There were 74 (31%) patients with early-stage (I/II) disease. There were no statistically significant differences between race, primary language, or ethnicity and receipt of surgical therapy or receipt of perioperative therapy. Relatively more patients with private insurance (100%) received perioperative therapy compared with Medicaid/uninsured (64%) and Medicare-insured (50%) patients (p = 0.018). Nearly 30% of patients with operable disease either declined having an intervention or were found to be too frail to undergo surgical intervention. Conclusions There were no statistically significant relationships between examined social determinants of health and use of operation or perioperative therapy. Patients treated at an urban safety-net hospital with a focus on vulnerable patient populations are able to provide outcomes similar to national averages. Additional exploration of factors affecting outcomes for pancreatic cancer in these patients will be important, as many centers absorb higher immigrant and indigent populations.
Autophagy and cancer cell metabolism

Autophagy is an ancient catabolic process used by cells to clear excess or dysfunctional organelles and large subcellular structures and thus performs an important housekeeping role for the cell. Autophagy is acutely sensitive to nutrient availability and is upregulated at a transcriptional and posttranslational level in response to nutrient deprivation. This serves to promote turnover of cellular content and recycling of nutrients for continued growth and survival. While important for most normal tissues, tumor cells appear to be particularly dependent on autophagy for survival under ischemic or therapeutic stress, and in response to loss of matrix attachment; autophagy is upregulated markedly in cancers as they progress to malignancy. Ras-driven tumors appear to be particularly dependent on autophagy and thus inhibition of autophagy is being pursued as a productive clinical approach for such cancers. However, this enthusiasm needs to be offset against possible negative effects of autophagy inhibition on normal tissue function and on limiting antitumor immune responses. In addressing all of these topics, we focus in on understanding how autophagy is induced by nutrient stress, its role in recycling metabolites for growing tumors, how selective forms of autophagy, such as mitophagy and ribophagy contribute specifically to tumorigenesis, how autophagy in the tumor microenvironment and throughout the animal affects access of the tumor to nutrients, and finally how different oncogenic pathways may determine which tumors respond to autophagy inhibition and which ones will not.
A 10-MHz 14.3W/mm 2 DAB Hysteretic Control Power Converter Achieving 2.5W/247ns Full Load Power Flipping and above 80% Efficiency in 99.9% Power Range for 5G IoTs

A double adaptive bound (DAB) hysteretic control power converter is designed for 5G IoTs, which require nanosecond power load flipping and high efficiency across full power range. In response to 1A/3ns load step-up/step-down, it achieves 1% $\mathrm{t}_{settle}$ of 247ns/387ns, thanks to the DAB control. This is 6× faster than the best of the arts on $0.18 \mu \mathrm{m}$ CMOS. A synchronized DCR offset cancellation scheme improves $V_{O}$ regulation accuracy by 10×. As power scales from full to ultra-light load, the controller self-reconfigures to remove redundant controller loss and facilitate adaptive system power delivery. It achieves $\gt80$% efficiency over 99.9% of 2.5W full power range. Highly efficient design leads to the highest reported chip power density of 14.3W/mm2.
Oxidation Behavior Across Composition Space Relevant to Co-based γ/γ′ Alloys

A multi-source ion-plasma deposition technique was used to create a series of three combinatorial libraries across the Co-Ni-Al-W-Cr-Ta composition space relevant to the formation of Co-based γ/γ′ microstructures. Alloys were isothermally oxidized for 1 hour in air at 1100 °C, and screened for Al2O3 scale formation using a high-throughput photo-stimulated luminescence spectroscopy technique. Select compositions were then analyzed in cross-section via EDS in the SEM and TEM. The resulting oxide microstructures are presented, and paths to explain their evolution are proposed. Compositions forming α-Al2O3 with thinner amounts of overlying oxides are highlighted. The thinnest scale observed was ~ 1 μm, comparable to second-generation Ni-base superalloys oxidized under the same conditions.
Batch Equalization with a Generative Adversarial Network

Advances in automation and imaging have made it possible to capture large image datasets for experiments that span multiple weeks with multiple experimental batches of data. However, accurate biological comparisons across the batches is challenged by the batch-to-batch variation due to uncontrollable experimental noise (e.g., different stain intensity or illumination conditions). To mediate the batch variation (i.e. the batch effect), we developed a batch equalization method that can transfer images from one batch to another while preserving the biological phenotype. The equalization method is trained as a generative adversarial network (GAN), using the StarGAN architecture that has shown considerable ability in doing style transfer for consumer images. After incorporating an additional objective that disentangles batch effect from biological features using an existing GAN framework, we show that the equalized images have less batch information as determined by a batch-prediction task and perform better in a biologically relevant task (e.g., Mechanism of Action prediction).
3D printed solid-phase extraction sorbents for removal of volatile organic compounds from water

Abstract A carbon black modified polylactic acid (PLA) sorbent was 3D printed from a commercially available conductive PLA filament on a personal 3D printer. The internal porosity of the sorbent was controlled through software-controlled infill print densities from 15 to 50%. The 3D printed sorbent was evaluated for its ability to remove model VOC contaminants (benzene, toluene, and ethyl benzene) from water where the pseudo-second order rate constants for VOC sorption were found to increase with a decrease of internal pore size of the sorbent infill density. The ability to 3D print carbon-based sorbents for on-demand, point-of-use water purification presents a potentially useful mechanism for in-home or emergency purification situations where consumption of clean water is not possible.
High Performance 1.3 μm Aluminum-Free Quantum Dot Lasers Grown by MOCVD

MOCVD grown aluminum-free quantum dot lasers have been demonstrated with a maximum wall-plug efficiency of 30%, a lowest threshold current of 8 mA, and a maximum single-facet output power of 200 mW.
TRENDS AND OUTCOMES OF HEART RE-TRANSPLANTATION: INSIGHTS FROM THE UNITED NETWORK FOR ORGAN SHARING (UNOS)

Donor and recipient-related factors may limit long-term graft survival and a selected subset of heart transplantation recipients are candidates for re-transplantation (HRT). However, outcomes of HRT are inferior to those of primary HT. HT recipients ≥ 18 years old that underwent HRT, were
Relative cooling power modeling of lanthanum manganites using Gaussian process regression

Efficient solid-state refrigeration techniques at room temperature have drawn increasing attention due to their potential for improving energy efficiency of refrigeration, air-conditioning, and temperature-control systems without using harmful gas in conventional gas compression techniques. Recent developments of increased magnetocaloric effects and relative cooling power (RCP) in ferromagnetic lanthanum manganites show promising results of further developments in magnetic refrigeration devices. By incorporating chemical substitutions, oxygen content modifications, and various synthesis methods, these manganites experience lattice distortions from perovskite cubic structures to orthorhombic structures. Lattice distortions, revealed by changes in lattice parameters, have significant influences on adiabatic temperature changes and isothermal magnetic entropy changes, and thus RCP. Empirical results and previous models through thermodynamics and first-principles have shown that changes in lattice parameters correlate with those in RCP, but correlations are merely general tendencies and obviously not universal. In this work, the Gaussian process regression model is developed to find statistical correlations and predict RCP based on lattice parameters among lanthanum manganites. This modeling approach demonstrates a high degree of accuracy and stability, contributing to efficient and low-cost estimations of RCP and understandings of magnetic phase transformations and magnetocaloric effects in lanthanum manganites.
The effects of climate change on infectious diseases with cutaneous manifestations.

Abstract Background Anthropogenic climate change affects the burden of infectious diseases via several interconnected mechanisms. In recent years, there has been greater awareness of the ways in which climate-sensitive infectious diseases pose a growing threat to global public health. Objective This study aimed to categorize and describe the effects of climate change on infectious diseases with skin manifestations. Methods A scoping review of the MEDLINE and PubMed online databases for climate-sensitive infections was performed in February and March 2020. A representative selection of conditions with skin manifestations was included in this review. Results Several representative climate-sensitive infectious diseases were identified in each of the following categories: vector-borne infectious diseases, infectious diseases associated with extreme weather events, and infectious diseases linked to human migration. Conclusion Climate variables directly influence the survival and reproduction of infectious microorganisms, their vectors, and their animal reservoirs. Due to sustained warmer temperatures at higher latitudes, climate change has expanded the geographic range of certain pathogenic microbes. More frequent climate change-related extreme weather events create circumstances where existing infectious microorganisms flourish and novel infections emerge. Climate instability is linked to increased human migration, which disrupts health care infrastructure as well as the habitats of microbes, vectors, and animal reservoirs and leads to widespread poverty and overcrowding. Dermatologists should understand that climate change will affect the burden and geographic distribution of infectious diseases, many of which have cutaneous signs and might be encountered in their regular practice.
AggreCount: an unbiased image analysis tool for identifying and quantifying cellular aggregates in a spatially defined manner

Protein quality control is maintained by a number of integrated cellular pathways that monitor the folding and functionality of the cellular proteome. Defects in these pathways lead to the accumulation of misfolded or faulty proteins that may become insoluble and aggregate over time. Protein aggregates significantly contribute to the development of a number of human diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. In vitro, imaging-based, cellular studies have defined key biomolecular components that recognize and clear aggregates; however, no unifying method is available to quantify cellular aggregates, limiting our ability to reproducibly and accurately quantify these structures. Here we describe an ImageJ macro called AggreCount to identify and measure protein aggregates in cells. AggreCount is designed to be intuitive, easy to use, and customizable for different types of aggregates observed in cells. Minimal experience in coding is required to utilize the script. Based on a user-defined image, AggreCount will report a number of metrics: (i) total number of cellular aggregates, (ii) percentage of cells with aggregates, (iii) aggregates per cell, (iv) area of aggregates, and (v) localization of aggregates (cytosol, perinuclear, or nuclear). A data table of aggregate information on a per cell basis, as well as a summary table, is provided for further data analysis. We demonstrate the versatility of AggreCount by analyzing a number of different cellular aggregates including aggresomes, stress granules, and inclusion bodies caused by huntingtin polyglutamine expansion.
Exchanges in a Virtual Environment for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support: Social Network Analysis.

Background: Diabetes remains a major health problem in the United States, affecting an estimated 10.5% of the population. Diabetes self-management interventions improve diabetes knowledge, self-management behaviors, and clinical outcomes. Widespread internet connectivity facilitates the use of eHealth interventions, which positively impacts knowledge, social support, and clinical and behavioral outcomes. In particular, diabetes interventions based on virtual environments have the potential to improve diabetes self-efficacy and support, while being highly feasible and usable. However, little is known about the patterns of social interactions and support taking place within type 2 diabetes–specific virtual communities. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine social support exchanges from a type 2 diabetes self-management education and support intervention that was delivered via a virtual environment. Methods: Data comprised virtual environment–mediated synchronous interactions among participants and between participants and providers from an intervention for type 2 diabetes self-management education and support. Network data derived from such social interactions were used to create networks to analyze patterns of social support exchange with the lens of social network analysis. Additionally, network correlations were used to explore associations between social support networks. Results: The findings revealed structural differences between support networks, as well as key network characteristics of supportive interactions facilitated by the intervention. Emotional and appraisal support networks are the larger, most centralized, and most active networks, suggesting that virtual communities can be good sources for these types of support. In addition, appraisal and instrumental support networks are more connected, suggesting that members of virtual communities are more likely to engage in larger group interactions where these types of support can be exchanged. Lastly, network correlations suggest that participants who exchange emotional support are likely to exchange appraisal or instrumental support, and participants who exchange appraisal support are likely to exchange instrumental support. Conclusions: Social interaction patterns from disease-specific virtual environments can be studied using a social network analysis approach to better understand the exchange of social support. Network data can provide valuable insights into the design of novel and effective eHealth interventions given the unique opportunity virtual environments have facilitating realistic environments that are effective and sustainable, where social interactions can be leveraged to achieve diverse health goals.
A Hands-on Project to Improve Student Learning Experience in Electronics: Building Ship Storage Room Security System

Project Based Learning (PBL) approach is known to motivate students to investigate and integrate knowledge of several domains to solve real-life problems. It drives students’ intrinsic curiosity to connect isolated concepts to optimize their learning outcomes. Taking the advantages of PBL, a ship storage room security system project was designed and implemented in a junior-level Electronics Lab course at our university. The purpose of the project was to help students to improve their understanding of electronic element characteristics and their abilities to interpret electronic diagrams, conFigure and operate of electronic equipment. During the project, students needed to (1) design an electronic diagram that is able to detect ship storage room door open/closed status, trigger an alarm system, and reset the alarm system, and then (2) build an integrated circuit on a breadboard by using various electronic elements following the electronic diagram. Students had to dig into different course contents instructed in class and at the same time learn other new knowledge from external resources, such as internet, industrial documents, etc, to combine them effectively to produce a practical solution. It has been observed that the project has successfully led the students to explore the underlying connections of a variety of electronic concepts from class and new knowledge from external resources reaching their increased understanding of electronics and overall course satisfaction. The student survey results indicate the project has demonstrated strong positive impacts on the improvement of their knowledge and skills in electronic elements, diagrams and equipment.
Comprehensive characterization of protective face coverings made from household fabrics.

Background Face coverings constitute an important strategy for containing pandemics, such as COVID-19. Infection from airborne respiratory viruses including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can occur in at least three modes; tiny and/or dried aerosols (typically 0.5 μm) generated during coughing and sneezing, and macro drops transmitted via fomites. While there is a growing number of studies looking at the performance of household materials against some of these situations, to date, there has not been any systematic characterization of household materials against all three modes. Methods A three-step methodology was developed and used to characterize the performance of 21 different household materials with various material compositions (e.g. cotton, polyester, polypropylene, cellulose and blends) using submicron sodium chloride aerosols, water droplets, and mucous mimicking macro droplets over an aerosol-droplet size range of ~ 20 nm to 0.6 cm. Results Except for one thousand-thread-count cotton, most single-layered materials had filtration efficiencies 80% of larger droplets, even at sneeze-velocities of up to 1700 cm/s. Three or four layers of the same material, or combination materials, would be required to stop macro droplets from permeating out or into the face covering. Such materials can also be boiled for reuse. Conclusion Four layers of loosely knit or woven fabrics independent of the composition (e.g. cotton, polyester, nylon or blends) are likely to be effective source controls. One layer of tightly woven fabrics combined with multiple layers of loosely knit or woven fabrics in addition to being source controls can have sub-micron filtration efficiencies > 40% and may offer some protection to the wearer. However, the pressure drop across such fabrics can be high (> 100 Pa).
Sonicprint: Discovering the Voice of Fingerprint for Adoptable Biometrics

Although fingerprint technology holds great promise for user authentication, commercial scanners face significant challenges in terms of security (e.g., fake finger) and adoptability (e.g., wearables). SonicPrint pushes the boundary of fingerprint biometrics beyond smartphones to any smart devices without the need for specialized hardware. To achieve this, it listens for fingerprintinduced sonic effect (FiSe) caused when a user swipes his/her fingertip on smart device surface. Compared to other biometrics including physiological patterns and passive sensing, SonicPrint is a low-cost, privacyoriented and secure approach to identify users across smart devices of unique form-factors.
Interactions during growth eclipse interactions during flowering for determining plant fecundity in pollinator-sharing annual plants

Abstract Species interactions are foundational to ecological theory, but studies often reduce the complex nature of species interactions. In plant ecology, the result is that interactions during vegetative growth and flowering are considered separately, though both can affect fecundity. Here we use a system of annual flowering plants in the genus Clarkia to ask how interactions during flowering and growth contribute to plant interactions, and if pollinator behaviors explain apparent patterns in plant interactions during flowering. We measure seed success and fecundity of Clarkia focal plants in experimental interaction plots with the effect of pollinators experimentally removed or retained. We also observe pollinator behaviors in the plots and experimental arrays. During flowering, pollinators significantly changed the effect of Clarkia interactions on seed success in 31% of species interactions, and these changes corresponded to pollinator behaviors. Whole-plant fecundity, however, did not depend on interactions between Clarkia; instead, non-Clarkia forbs that grew earlier in the season limited fecundity, constituting a priority effect during vegetative growth. Our study shows that interactions during vegetative growth can preclude the effect of pollinator-mediated interactions on fecundity by limiting potential reproductive output, and that simultaneously studying different modes of interaction allows for understanding the contingency of ecological outcomes.
Introvert: Human Trajectory Prediction via Conditional 3D Attention

Predicting human trajectories is an important component of autonomous moving platforms, such as social robots and self-driving cars. Human trajectories are affected by both the physical features of the environment and social interactions with other humans. Despite recent surge of studies on human path prediction, most works focus on static scene information, therefore, cannot leverage the rich dynamic visual information of the scene. In this work, we propose Introvert, a model which predicts human path based on his/her observed trajectory and the dynamic scene context, captured via a conditional 3D visual attention mechanism working on the input video. Introvert infers both environment constraints and social interactions through observing the dynamic scene instead of communicating with other humans, hence, its computational cost is independent of how crowded the surrounding of a target human is. In addition, to focus on relevant interactions and constraints for each human, Introvert conditions its 3D attention model on the observed trajectory of the target human to extract and focus on relevant spatiotemporal primitives. Our experiments on five publicly available datasets show that the Introvert improves the prediction errors of the state of the art.
Permutation properties of Dickson and Chebyshev polynomials with connections to number theory

Abstract The kth Dickson polynomial of the first kind, D k ( x ) ∈ Z [ x ] , is determined by the formula: D k ( u + 1 / u ) = u k + 1 / u k , where k ≥ 0 and u is an indeterminate. These polynomials are closely related to Chebyshev polynomials and have been widely studied. Leonard Eugene Dickson proved in 1896 that D k ( x ) is a permutation polynomial on F p n , p prime, if and only if GCD ( k , p 2 n − 1 ) = 1 , and his result easily carries over to Chebyshev polynomials when p is odd. This article continues on this theme, as we find special subsets of F p n that are stabilized or permuted by Dickson or Chebyshev polynomials. Our analysis also leads to a factorization formula for Dickson and Chebyshev polynomials and some new results in elementary number theory. For example, we show that if q is an odd prime power, then ∏ { a ∈ F q × : a and 4 − a are nonsquares } = 2 .
Photodissociation dynamics of ozone in the ultraviolet

Summary form only given, as follows. Resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization coupled with time-of-flight product imaging has been used to study the O/sub 2/(/sup 3//spl Sigma/g/sup -/)+O(/sup 3/P/sup j/) product channel in the UV photodissociation of ozone at photolysis wavelengths of 226, 230, 240, and 266 nm. For dissociation at 226 and 230 nm the O(/sup 3/P/sub 2/) fragment is produced with a strongly bimodal velocity distribution, in keeping with the previous findings of Miller et al. Syage, and Stranges et al. at photolysis wavelengths of 226 and 193 nm. At the longer dissociation wavelengths of 240 and 266 nm, the bimodal velocity distribution becomes less evident in the O(/sup 3/P/sub 2/) product. The O/sub 2/(/sup 1//spl Delta//sub g/)+O(/sup 1/D) channel has also been investigated for dissociation at 266 nm by resonance-enhanced ionization of the O(/sup 1/D) atom near 205 nm. Images show that the O/sub 2/(/sup 1//spl Delta//sub g/) product is formed in vibrational levels /spl nu/=0 3. Vibrational distributions as a function of dissociation wavelength are presented and discussed.
Cityspace, Cyberspace, and the Spatiology of Information

Published in 1996* but not widely read, this article argues that space and information are so deeply related that the universe at every moment is exactly and only as large as it needs to be to “contain” the information it in fact is. Using three thought experiments—one about data visualization, one about cellular automata and consciousness, and one about the analysis of architectural space using isovists, each experiment blurring (or rather, uniting) the phenomena of psychological and physical space, the article argues that what we experience as “space” is that set of dimensions which provides the largest capacity for the world’s other qualities, objects, and events to express their variety most fully. The natural universe is incompressible, expanding only as, and because, it becomes richer in information (i.e. cools and evolves). Imaginary and virtual worlds obey the same rule: they are “naturally” as big as they are rich in information. But the possibility exists in cyberspace—as it does not in nature—to choose which dimensions will serve as the spatial framework, and which will become/appear as properties of the things themselves. Data visualizers know this well. One wonders why virtual worlds to this day look so similar to ours, then, rather than to the one envisaged by William Gibson in 1984 and 1986 and which he called “cyberspace.” A failure of architectural nerve? A constraint upon computation? Or has cyberspace proper yet to evolve?
CDMA communications systems with constant envelope modulation for CubeSats

In this paper a communication system for CubeSats in formation to operate in the vicinity of the Lunar Lagrangian L1 is proposed. CubeSats will collect lunar scientific data and will perform surface observations. An improved low complexity CDMA system for CubeSats for communications between the Lunar L1 and Earth station is considered. The complexity of a coded CDMA transmitter is lower than the complexity of the CDMA receiver with decoder therefore for downlink communications it makes sense to use encoders such as space standard LDPC code followed by a spread spectrum transmitter for CDMA systems for CubeSats. For the uplink an uncoded CDMA system is chosen since the uplink transmit power is expected to be high enough to support the use of uncoded CDMA system. The uncoded CDMA yields receivers for CubeSats that have low complexity implementation. For uplink since there would be no multipath the use of orthogonal spreading codes is more appropriate. The choice of orthogonal codes would reduce the multiuser interference at CubeSats. For the downlink, based on the available bandwidth, and the data rates, a reasonable processing gain could be obtained. Thus the multiuser interference degradation due to the other CubeSats could be made small at the Earth station. In this paper we analyzed and simulated the proposed improved CDMA system for a concept Constellation of CubeSats. All system simulations are done using Simulink Matlab platform. For highly efficient nonlinear power amplifiers we use a filtered offset QPSK with phase modulation which is a CCSDS standard for constant envelope signaling. This allows a nonlinear amplifier at CubeSat to operate at saturation point for the highest efficiency. We compare the difference in performance with our current pulse shaped BPSK (using half-sine wave). Certainly if there is no bandwidth limitation (due to the spectral standard masking) we could as well use unfiltered rectangular pulses which would produce constant envelope signaling. But it seems that rectangular pulses will not satisfy the bandwidth limitation imposed by the spectral standard. Filtered offset QPSK with phase modulation is much more bandwidth efficient scheme.
An ontology for large amplitude oscillatory shear flow

Characterizing purely elastic or purely viscous rheological nonlinearities is straightforward. However, a comprehensive framework does not exist to characterize materials which exhibit both modes of nonlinearity simultaneously. We develop a descriptive language and set of unambiguous material measures for quantifying the nonlinear viscoelastic response of materials subjected to large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) deformation, enabling us to develop a unique “rheological fingerprint” of an a priori unknown substance. We examine two representative soft materials with our framework; the new material measures clearly reveal properties such as local strain‐stiffening which are obscured by conventional means. Our technique is universally applicable to any complex material and provides a test bed for new and existing constitutive models.
Magnetic anisotropy in Y1−XRXFe14B permanent magnets

The magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy has been determined for single crystal Y1.8Er0.2Fe14B in the (110) and (100) planes between 5 K and 300 K using torque magnetometry techniques. The results are compared with a model based on crystal field theory. Excellent agreement was obtained between the model and experiment. Both experiment and model showed a first order spin reorientation between the [001] and an angle 70 degrees from the [001] in the (100) plane.
Efficacy of Antimicrobials Extracted from Organic Pecan Shell for Inhibiting the Growth of Listeria spp.

Growers and processors of USDA certified organic foods are in need of suitable organic antimicrobials. The purpose of the research reported here was to develop and test natural antimicrobials derived from an all-natural by-product, organic pecan shells. Unroasted and roasted organic pecan shells were subjected to solvent free extraction to produce antimicrobials that were tested against Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes serotypes to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of antimicrobials. The effectiveness of pecan shell extracts were further tested using a poultry skin model system and the growth inhibition of the Listeria cells adhered onto the skin model were quantified. The solvent free extracts of pecan shells inhibited Listeria strains at MICs as low as 0.38%. The antimicrobial effectiveness tests on a poultry skin model exhibited nearly a 2 log reduction of the inoculated cocktail mix of Listeria strains when extracts of pecan shell powder were used. The extracts also produced greater than a 4 log reduction of the indigenous spoilage bacteria on the chicken skin. Thus, the pecan shell extracts may prove to be very effective alternative antimicrobials against food pathogens and supplement the demand for effective natural antimicrobials for use in organic meat processing.
A Shortened Method for the Fluorometric Determination of Phenylalanine

As a result of a study of the classic ninhydrin reaction with amino acids (which results in the production of Ruhemann’s purple), and the fluorescence reaction occurring between ninhydrin and phenylalanine in the presence of a dipeptide, the initial incubation period in the fluorescence reaction was shortened from 2 hr. to 16 min. This improvement in the fluorometric method for the determination of phenylalanine was accomplished by (1) decreasing the initial incubation pH from 5.8 to 5.0, and (2) increasing the incubation temperature from 60° to 85°. A study of the effect of pH on the fluorescence level in both the acid and alkaline reactions demonstrated the presence of fluorescence pH plateaus. These plateaus indicate that the fluorescence level was relatively unaffected by a change in pH within specified ranges. A study of the specificity led to the discovery that the inclusion of a peptide control was necessary to correct for one type of nonspecific fluorescence. To make this correction, it was necessary to add the reading of the serum blank to that of the reagent blank, and to subtract this total from the sample reading.
To what extent do pediatricians accept computer-based dosing suggestions?

OBJECTIVE. Pediatric medication errors occur frequently among hospitalized patients and are often related to dosing. Computerized physician order entry systems with decision support can decrease dosing errors, as well as other types of errors; however, their use in pediatrics has not been extensively studied. Our objective was to determine physician acceptance of dosing and frequency decision support elements in an inpatient pediatric computerized physician order entry system at 1 academic medical center. PATIENTS AND METHODS. We performed a retrospective analysis of all electronic medication orders entered for pediatric inpatients at a large, urban teaching hospital between April 15, 2004, and December 31, 2004. Rates of physician acceptance of computerized physician order entry system-generated dosing and frequency suggestions were determined. RESULTS. We analyzed 54 413 orders in the computerized physician order entry system, of which 27 313 orders had dosing or frequency decision support. Of the orders with decision support, approximately one third (8822) were accepted exactly by prescribers. Of the 18 491 remaining orders, 8708 were changed for dose, 2466 for frequency, and 7317 for both. Among the 18 491 orders that were changed, the majority 11 322 deviated by a substantial amount (>50%) from the total daily dose initially suggested by the decision support feature. Overall, patient weight was missing 31.3% of the time, although patient age alone sometimes was sufficient for the computer to make a dosing suggestion. CONCLUSIONS. Although dosing-decision support systems have the potential to improve care, more work needs to be done to determine and optimize their effectiveness. Commercial vendors of dosing knowledge bases need to deliver effective products, because most health care organizations will not have the resources to customize decision support rules.
The rotational and hyperfine spectrum and structure of H2CO–HF2

The rotational spectrum of the hydrogen bonded complex formed between hydrogen fluoride and formaldehyde has been obtained from 3 to 55 000 MHz using molecular beam electric resonance spectroscopy. The molecule is found to be a prolate slightly asymmetric rotor with κ=−0.98 and an inertial defect of Δ=0.62 amu A2. The rotational constants determine that the average geometry of the three heavy atoms is bent with an O–F distance of 2.66 A and a C–O–F angle of 109.5°. The large value of μa shows that HF is hydrogen bonded to the oxygen. The average orientation of the HF axis with respect to the inertial axes is obtained from the two components (Sa and Sb) of the direct nuclear spin–spin hyperfine coupling tensor. Both the hyperfine data and the value of μb indicate a nonlinear hydrogen bond in this species. Finally, the observation of hyperfine splittings in the spectrum attributable to the presence of the triplet spin state of formaldehyde provides experimental information regarding the tunneling of the for...
Human papillomaviruses (HPV) vaccines: implementation and communication issues.

The development and use of vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) represents one of the most important medical developments of the 21st century: these vaccines could potentially prevent 70-80% of cervical cancer the number one or two cause of cancer death in women in most countries. HPV vaccines also prevent other significant sequelae of HPV infection including cancers of the anus vulva vagina penis and head and neck. In addition one vaccine prevents more than 90% of genital warts which are a major cause of suffering for millions of people and account for large numbers of medical visits and high costs. The discovery development clinical trials and licensure of these vaccines are great achievements but the greatest challenge may be their delivery to the groups that need it most: women in the developing world. (excerpt)
A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF TEMPERATURE OSCILLATIONS ON A FLAT-PLATE OSCILLATING HEAT PIPE WITH TESLA-TYPE CHECK VALVES

Steady-state, oscillatory temperature signals occurring on the wall of two flat-plate oscillating heat pipes (FP-OHP) – one with Tesla-type check valves (TV FP-OHP) and another without – were analyzed using statistical methods in order to quantify and determine oscillating behavior associated with flow rectification. Using the Expectation-Maximization algorithm, a probability density function (PDF) governing the temperature signal was found to be multi-Gaussian and dependent on heat input and heat pipe region for both FP-OHPs investigated. Results further indicate that the inherent flow rectification within the TV FP-OHP provides for an evaporator temperature signal with a less heat-dependent, higher-kurtosis PDF and, at higher heat inputs, a higher: Pearson correlation coefficient and Shannon entropy. These results provide a unique means to quantify the pseudo-random feature of oscillatory temperature occurring on an OHP.
The safety of interferon-γ-1b therapy for invasive fungal infections after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation†‡

BACKGROUND The restoration of normal immune responses, especially of the T-helper type 1 immune response, is an important predictor of fungal infection outcome in patients with malignant disease who undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The authors sought to evaluate the safety of adjuvant recombinant interferon-γ-1b as an immune-modulatory therapy HSCT recipients. METHODS Thirty-two patients received interferon-γ-1b after undergoing HSCT at the author's institution between 1998 and 2003. A retrospective analysis was undertaken after obtaining permission from the Institutional Review Board. RESULTS Twenty-six of 32 patients (81%) received allogeneic stem cell grafts. All but 1 patient received interferon-γ-1b and antifungals to treat infections; the other patients received interferon-γ-1b to promote autologous graft-versus-tumor effect. Interferon-γ-1b usually was administered at a dose of 50 μg subcutaneously every other day. The median duration (± standard deviation) of interferon-γ-1b therapy was 6 ± 6.5 doses (range, 1–29 doses), and the median cumulative dose was 487 ± 453 μg (range, 35–2175 μg). During therapy with interferon-γ-1b, fever was common (n = 9 patients; 28%). In 1 patient (3%), new-onset lymphocytopenia occurred but resolved after cytokine therapy was discontinued; there were no interferon— γ-1b-related episodes of neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, or liver dysfunction. Interferon-γ-1b therapy did not precipitate or exacerbate acute or chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). In fact, in 2 of 7 patients (29%) with acute GVHD and in 3 of 10 patients (30%) with chronic GVHD, significant improvements in GVHD were noted during therapy with interferon-γ-1b. Among the 26 patients with aspergillosis, 14 patients (54%) died. However, 5 of 10 patients (50%) with presumed pulmonary aspergillosis, 3 of 9 patients (33%) with probable pulmonary aspergillosis, 1 of 2 patients (50%) with definite pulmonary aspergillosis, and 3 of 5 patients (60%) with disseminated aspergillosis responded to antifungals and adjuvant interferon-γ-1b. CONCLUSIONS Recombinant interferon-γ-1b was tolerated without serious adverse reactions in HSCT recipients. A large, prospective, randomized study will be needed to evaluate the efficacy of this cytokine in high-risk HSCT recipients who have invasive mycoses. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
'Wild Capitalism’ and ‘Ecocolonialism’: A Tale of Two Rivers

The development and pollution of two rivers, the Danube and Tisza, have been the site and subject of environmental protests and projects in Hungary since the late 1980s. Protests against the damming of the Danube rallied opposition to the state socialist government, drawing on discourses of national sovereignty and international environmentalism. The Tisza suffered a major environmental disaster in 2000, when a globally financed gold mine in Romania spilled thousands of tons of cyanide and other heavy metals into the river, sending a plume of pollution downriver into neighboring countries. In this article, I examine the symbolic ecologies that emerged in the two moments of environmental protest, as well as Hungarian activists' reflections on the changing political ecology of the region in their discourses of “ecocolonialism” (okogyarmatositas) and “wild capitalism” (vadkapitaliszmus).
Influence of sulfooxyanions on oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide fixation, and cytochrome reduction in Nitrobacter agilis

Oxygen uptake coupled with nitrite oxidation by washed cell suspensions was not influenced by persulfate or tetrathionate. Carbon dioxide fixation was insensitive to tetrathionate, and in fact, an enhancement by tetrathionate was observed. Persulfate inhibited the fixation of carbon dioxide only at a high concentration (17 mM S2O2−8). Cytochrome reduction in washed cells of Nitrobacter agilis was demonstrated in the presence and absence of sulfooxyanions. Cytochrome aa3 and cytochrome a1 (α-peak at 590 nm) were sensitive to sulfooxyanions (sulfite, thiosulfate, metabisulfite, dithionate, persulfate, trithionate, and tetrathionate), whereas cytochrome c (β-peak at 520 nm) was insensitive to test ions. All sulfooxyanions inhibited the reduction of cytochrome a1 (γ-peak at 438 nm). This inhibition decreased when the concentration of sulfooxyanions was increased to 17 mM. The reduction of cytochrome c at 550 nm (α-peak) was blocked by the test ions and the inhibition of cytochrome c at 415 nm (γ-peak) was also apparent. Complete inhibition of cytochrome c (γ-peak) was observed in the presence of 17 mM persulfate.
GABAergic neurons in brainstem auditory nuclei of the chick: Distribution, morphology, and connectivity

The second- and third-order auditory nuclei in the brainstem of the chicken, nucleus magnocellularis (NM) and nucleus laminaris (NL), receive afferents that are immunoreactive to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). In order to investigate the source(s) of these GABAergic afferents, we examined the distribution, morphology, and connectivity of GABAergic neurons in and adjacent to NM and NL in chicks from 7 days of incubation to 12 days posthatch. Immunocytochemical techniques revealed the presence of approxi-mately 150 GABA-labeled neurons within the neuropil surrounding NM and NL on each side of the brainstem. Most of these neurons are located between NM and NL and along the lateral border of NM. GABAergic neurons are mul-tipolar; their thick dendritic processes branch extensively and give rise to several thin, secondary processes. Frequently, the GABA-labeled processes arbo-rize within NM or NL. The morphology of these non-NM/NL neurons was investigated further with Golgi impregnation and specific neuronal markers (antisera to microtubule-associated protein). Our observations suggest that a considerable portion of GABAergic input to NM and NL originates from local GABAergic neurons. In order to determine other possible sources of GABAergic input to NM and NL, we injected tracers unilaterally into NM/NL. A small number (20–30)of neurons were retrogradely labeled in the trapezoid body, almost exclusively ipsilaterally. No labeled cells were found in other regions of the brainstem, except for the contralateral NM, Unilateral injections of horseradish-peroxi-dase-labeled wheat germ agglutinin into the paraflocculus revealed only minor terminal labeling in the lateral region of NL bilaterally. The number and dis-tribution of GABAergic terminals in NM and NL appeared normalafter transection of the crossed dorsal cochlear tract.