cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A performance simulation of local area networks using CSMA/CD and token protocols

Abstract This paper presents performance results obtained by simulating the behavior of a local area network (LAN) based on the IEEE 802.2 Type 3 Logical Link Control (LLC) service. Two different Medium Access Control (MAC) protocols were used, the carrier sense multiple access with collision detection (CSMA/CD) bus and token bus. The LLC, placed above the MAC and independent of the MAC, provides for the reliable transfer of data across the physical link. The simulation model has been designed to evaluate the mean response time observed by the user of the LLC service by using a simulation tool called NETWORK II.5. Built-in access protocols from NETWORK II.5 were used to model the MAC methods directly. The simulated system was established through the hardware and software entities and the interactions of the modules that implement the operations of the designated service. It was found that the user's request frequency and the MAC protocols employed both contribute to the response time experienced by the LLC user.
Measurements in Film Cooling With Lateral Injection: Adiabatic Effectiveness Values and Temperature Fields

Temperature fields were taken in a film cooling lateral injection configuration with pitch-to-hole-diameter of 3.0. These measurements were done with a traversing thermocouple. Momentum flux ratios of 0.25, 1.0 and 2.25 were used. Results are presented as fields of dimensionless temperatures, given by Display Formulaθ=Tprobe-T∞Tc-T∞. Near-surface values of this quantity over an unheated surface are adiabatic effectiveness values. Streamwise evolutions of these temperature fields are documented. It is seen how with higher blowing ratio the film cooling jets tend to lift off the surface. Comparisons are made to previous data and computational results. It is verified that lateral injection yields a more uniform distribution of effectiveness immediately downstream of injection. It is shown also how interaction of adjacent film cooling jets leads to such improved uniformity. This interaction depends on the pitch to diameter ratio, P/D. In order to study the effect of this parameter, additional data with P/D = 6.0 are presented. The present thermal field data complement previous velocity field measurements taken in the same flow.© 2000 ASME
Observations on the Pupae of Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman and A. grandis thurberiae Pierce (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Typical pupae of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman, from the southeastern United States were found to differ in certain respects from typical pupae of the thurberia weevil, A. grandis thurberiae Pierce, from Arizona. The differences are found in the relative length of a pair of tubercles on the rostrum, in the number of well-developed setae on the posterolateral areas of the prothorax, and in the spacing of the setae on the anterolateral areas of the prothorax. A small portion of the specimens examined was observed to vary from the normal pattern of differences. It was found possible to distinguish the sex of pupae of both kinds of weevil by the pair of lobes present near the anal opening in females. The lobes are not present in males.
A COMPARISON OF RESULTS OF DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS FOR MEASURING REFLECTANCE

The reflectance of a set of six standard white porcelain enameled panels of various enamel thicknesses was measured by six different types of reflectivity instruments used for the purpose. A brief description of each instrument and also the comparative measurements are given.
Measuring spatial coupling in inhomogeneous dynamical systems

We propose coherence as a tool to quantify spatiotemporal dynamics, in particular, in spatially inhomogeneous dynamical systems. We demonstrate coherence to be an appropriate measure of predictability and, hence, spatial coupling in nonlinear systems, using analysis and via experimental results from a circular jet flow. Coherence measurements reveal sizable regions of strong spatial coupling in this spatially developing open flow, in contrast to much smaller coupling regions indicated by conventional correlation. Decaying coherence, indicating spatiotemporal dynamics, is also found in the jet, and possible physical mechanisms are discussed. In addition, the causes for coherence decay are explained analytically. @S1063-651X~97!00204-3#
Frequency-stable microstripline X-band Gunn oscillator

Microstripline circuits were constructed which control the oscillating frequency of Gunn diodes prepared with various GaAs slices to within ±0.7 percent. An output of at least 17.3 mW is achievable using the circuits and fabrication techniques described.
Differential tyrosine phosphorylation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunits.

Protein-tyrosine phosphorylation has recently been suggested to play an important role in synaptic transmission at the neuromuscular junction. The role of tyrosine phosphorylation in the modulation of synaptic function in the central nervous system, however, is not clear. In this study, immunocytochemical staining with an anti-phosphotyrosine antibody demonstrates that there are high levels of phosphotyrosine, which co-localizes with glutamate receptors at excitatory synapses on cultured hippocampal neurons. In addition, the tyrosine phosphorylation of various subtypes of glutamate receptors were examined using subunit-specific antibodies. Glutamate receptors are the major excitatory neurotransmitter receptors in the central nervous system and are classified into three major classes: α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole proprionate, kainate, and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, based on their electrophysiological and pharmacological properties. NMDA receptors play a central role in synaptic plasticity, synaptogenesis, and excitotoxicity and are thought to be heteromeric complexes of the two types of subunits: NR1 and NR2(A-D) subunits. Immunoaffinity chromatography of detergent extracts of rat synaptic plasma membranes on anti-phosphotyrosine antibody-agarose showed that the NR2A and NR2B subunits but not the NR1 subunit are tyrosine-phosphorylated. Conversely, immunoprecipitation of the NR1, NR2A, and NR2B subunits with subunit specific antibodies followed by immunoblotting with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies confirmed that the NR2A and NR2B subunits but not the NR1 subunit were phosphorylated on tyrosine residues. No tyrosine phosphorylation of the AMPA (GluR1-4) and kainate (GluR6/7, KA2) receptor subunits was detected. It was estimated that 2.1 ± 1.3% of the NR2A subunits and 3.6 ± 2.4% of the NR2B subunits were tyrosine-phosphorylated in vivo. In addition, endogenous protein-tyrosine kinases in synaptic plasma membranes phosphorylated the NR2A subunit in vitro, increasing its phosphorylation 6-8-fold but did not phosphorylate NR1 or NR2B. These studies demonstrate that NMDA receptor subunits are differentially tyrosine-phosphorylated and suggest that tyrosine phosphorylation of the NR2 subunits may be important for regulating NMDA receptor function.
Nonlinear theory of the Weibel instability

A canonical distribution function is proposed to describe the instantaneous state of a single nonlinear wave–plasma system as it evolves quasi-statically in time. This function is based on two single particle constants of motion for a charged particle in a zero-frequency transverse magnetic wave and determines a wavenumber condition and two system energy constants. In the case of a onecomponent bi-Maxwellian plasma with T⊥/T‖>1, these relations are particularly simple and yield expressions for the energy in the magnetic wave field, the wavenumber, the temperatures, and the entropy of the system in terms of one unknown parameter, chosen to be the instantaneous temperature ratio, T⊥/T‖ The maximum value of the field energy is expressed in terms of only the initial temperature anisotropy, and is shown to be always less than of the system's total energy. The results are in good agreement with computer simulations of the electron Weibel instability.
Dietary supplementation with conjugated linoleic acid does not improve nutritional status of tumor-bearing rats.

Tumor necrosis factor–α (TNF) is an immunoregulatory cytokine that plays a major role in tumor-induced anorexia and weight loss. Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) are naturally occurring isomers of linoleic acid that, when added to the diet, improve food intake and body weight in mice injected with TNF. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of a diet supplemented with 0.5% CLA on the nutritional status of rats implanted with the Morris 7777 hepatoma. Body weight, food intake, serum levels of insulin-like growth factor, and splenocyte synthesis of TNF were not different in tumor-bearing animals fed CLA versus the control diet. However, insulin levels were increased in both tumor-bearing and control animals given CLA. The 0.5% CLA did not improve the nutritional status nor alter TNF synthesis in hypophagic tumor-bearing rats. The biological significance of increased insulin levels in animals given CLA remains to be determined. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Res Nurs Health 25:49–57, 2002.
Erectile dysfunction therapy in special populations and applications: coronary artery disease.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) and coronary artery disease (CAD) interact in complex ways: ED is increasingly recognized as a harbinger or risk factor for CAD; a small proportion of cases (about 1%) of acute coronary syndromes (ACS), including acute myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death, occur during or after sexual activity; the absolute risk associated with coitus, including that associated with the use of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors to treat ED, is extremely low; virtually all patients experiencing ACS have previously existing (but usually undiagnosed) CAD; and patients often have ED after ACS as a result of psychological factors or drugs, such as β-blockers, used to treat CAD. The Princeton Guidelines provide a pragmatic approach to stratifying the risk of ACS in patients with established CAD or at high risk for future ACS. Only a minority of patients destined to experience ACS, including those events related to coitus, have established CAD. Yet, most have ≥2 coronary risk factors. The most pragmatic approach to decreasing the risk of ACS in such individuals is to maximize risk factor control and institute combination pharmacotherapy, including statins. The PDE5 inhibitors ameliorate not only ED but also endothelial cell dysfunction. Research to establish the role for PDE5 inhibitors in the prevention and control of ACS is in its early stages. The recognition that ED is a potential harbinger of underlying CAD and future ACS is an important milestone in the management of ED. Progress in integrating PDE5 inhibitors into clinical practice will depend on the success with which patients with ED are evaluated and aggressively treated for endothelial cell dysfunction.
Inventive packaging corporation

Emerson said, “Build dream castles in the air, but put rock solid foundations under them.” This company's management was so deluded by the mirage of limitless potential that they forgot their competitors could put them out of business in short order.
Regularity preserving modifications of regular expressions

This paper is concerned with the problem of determining whether a set of sequences R \t', obtained by some given rule from a regular set of sequences R , is again a regular set. A number of such problems are solved in this paper and a basic technique is used which is easy to apply to problems of this type. This technique yields an explicit construction of the sequential machine which recognizes the sequences in R \t', if R \t' is a regular set. Among other things it is shown that: (i) the derivative of a regular set R with respect to any set of sequences W is a regular set, although a regular expression designating this set cannot in general be computed; (ii) the set of sequences obtained from a regular set R by removing “arbitrary halves” of the sequences in R and the set of these removed “halves” are both regular sets; (iii) the set of sequences, obtained from a regular set R by making no more than k changes in any m consecutive digits in sequences from R , is regular; (iv) the set of sequences which can be concatenated in one and only one way from sequences in R is regular.
Cancer risk with alemtuzumab following kidney transplantation.

Alemtuzumab has been employed for induction therapy in kidney transplantation with low rates of acute rejection and excellent graft and patient survival. Antibody induction therapy has been linked to increased vulnerability to cancer. Data regarding malignancy rates with alemtuzumab are limited. We studied 1350 kidney transplant recipients (between 2001 and 2009) at the University of Pittsburgh Starzl Transplant Institute, for post-transplant de novo and recurrent malignancy, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer, among patients receiving alemtuzumab, thymoglobulin, and no induction therapies. Of the 1350 patients, 1002 (74.2%) received alemtuzumab, 205 (15.2%) received thymoglobulin, and 122 (9%) received no induction therapy. After excluding cancers occurring within 60 d post-transplantation, 43 (3.25%) malignancies were observed during a median follow-up time of 4.0 yr. The incidence of malignancy was 5.4% (1.09 per 100 patient-years [PY]) with thymoglobulin, 2.8% (0.74 per 100 PY) with alemtuzumab, and 3.3% (0.66 per 100 PY) with no induction (across all groups; p = 0.2342, thymoglobulin vs. alemtuzumab; p = 0.008). Thus, with the exception of non-melanoma skin cancer which we did not evaluate, alemtuzumab induction was not associated with increased cancer incidence post-kidney transplantation when compared to no induction therapy and was associated with lower cancer incidence when compared to thymoglobulin.
Comparing operating characteristics of high-speed rail and Maglev systems: Case study of Beijing-Shanghai corridor

The need for high-speed ground transportation systems (HSGT) has become more urgent than ever, evidenced by congestion in both urban and intercity travel. Congestion problems are no longer confined to densely developed urban areas or industrialized countries but also spread into suburban regions and developing countries. Characterized by high speed, operating reliability, passenger riding comfort, and an excellent safety record, HSGT presents a vital solution for our congestion problems, intercity or urban. There are two distinguished technologies under the general HSGT umbrella: high-speed rail (HSR) and magnetic levitation (Maglev). Sharing some common characteristics of HSGT, such as very high speed and riding comfort, these two technologies are dramatically different in guideway requirements, propulsion sources, operating characteristics, environmental impacts, and costs. Ongoing debates among the academic community have not presented any strong evidence to favor one over another in lieu of specific c...
Characterization of the hydrodynamic flow regime in bubble columns via computed tomography

Abstract The current work evaluates the potential of Computed Tomography (CT) measurements for flow regime characterization. Experiments were carried out in a pilot scale (0.162 m diameter) bubble column using an air–Therminol LT system at ambient as well high operating pressures (0.4 and 1 MPa). The superficial gas velocities were varied from 1 to 20 cm/s at intervals of 1 cm/s. The steepness of the gas holdup radial profile was analyzed to demarcate the hydrodynamic flow regime. The regime transition velocities obtained from CT measurements are compared with the drift flux model. An increase in operating pressure was found to delay the regime transition and at higher pressures, a transition occurred over a range of superficial gas velocities. The current state of correlation prediction is evaluated against the experimental transition velocities.
TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR-BETA 1 REGULATES DIFFERENTIATION OF PORCINE GRANULOSA CELLS IN VITRO

Abstract Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a potential regulator of ovarian function and follicular development. It is speculated that TGF-β mediates the events in the follicle which culminate in ovulation of the oocyte. The complex processes which ultimately leads to this natural phenomenon must involve interactions between the 2 major follicular cell types, theca and granulosa cells, and the oocyte. Furthermore, a complex local regulatory system must exist to determine which follicles should undergo development and, eventually, which of those should ovulate or undergo atresia. To begin to understand this perplexing process, we must first understand the variables which control the function of each individual cell type. This study investigated the effect of TGF-β 1 on FSH-induced porcine granulosa cell differentiation in vitro. Transforming growth factor-β 1 was shown to inhibit progesterone production at high concentrations (0.1 and 10.0 ng/ml) after 12-, 24- and 48-hour treatment. However, TGF-β 1 produced a biphasic effect on FSH-induced progesterone production during the 12-hour interval between the 36- and 48- hour treatment periods; TGF-β 1 stimulated progesterone production at a low concentration (0.001 ng/ml) and inhibited production at high concentrations (0.1 and 10.0 ng/ml). The results obtained from the biphasic effect were not observed during any of the other incubation periods or intervals investigated. These results show that TGF-β 1 has opposing effects on the differentiation of porcine granulosa cells as compared with those on rat granulosa cells. Moreover, TGF-β 1 can produce opposing effects within the porcine granulosa cell itself which are specific to the concentration and treatment period used. The results of this study seem to suggest that TGF-β 1 is species- and time-specific in its regulatory actions on FSH-induced porcine granulosa cell differentiation.
Testing for dependence in the input to a linear time series model

This paper presents a simple test for dependence in the residuals of a linear parametric time series model fitted to non gaussian data. The test statistic is a third order extension of the standard correlation test for whiteness. but the number of lags used in this test is a function of the sample size. The power of this test goes to one as the sample size goes to infinity for any alternative which has non zero bicovariances c e3(r,s)= E[e(t)e(t + r)e(t + s)] for a zero mean stationary random time series. The asymptotic properties of the test statistic are rigorously determined. This test is important for the validation of the sampling properties of the parameter estimates for standard finite parameter linear models when the unobserved input (innovations) process is white but not gaussian. The sizes and power derived from the asymptotic results are checked using artificial data for a number of sample sizes. Theoretical and simulation results presented in this paper support the proposition that the test wi...
Tetrasomy 13q mosaicism associated with phylloid hypomelanosis and precocious puberty

Various forms of pigmentary dysplasias have been known to be associated with chromosomal mosaicism. One of these disorders, known as phylloid hypomelanosis, has been found to be predominantly associated with abnormalities in chromosome 13. Most of the reported literature involves mosaic trisomy 13 with clinical evidence of abnormal pigmentation in the form of leaf-like or oblong achromic macules following Blaschko's lines. Here, we report on an 8-year-old girl with phylloid hypomelanosis and precocious puberty who was found to have mosaicism for tetrasomy 13q in the form of inverted dup(13)(q21) on her skin fibroblasts as well as peripheral blood karyotype. A higher resolution (244K) chromosomal microarray was done on DNA from skin fibroblasts confirming the breakpoint and gain of distal 13q, which made her tetrasomic for 13q21-qter. This is the first-ever reported association of tetrasomy 13q with phylloid hypomelanosis and precocious puberty. Our report further emphasizes the need to exclude any type of abnormalities of chromosome 13 in patients with phylloid hypopigmentation.
Crystalline polymer inclusion compounds : potential models for the behaviour of polymer chains in their bulk, ordered phases

Abstract Several small-molecule hosts form clathrates or inclusion compounds (ICs) with polymers. In these polymer ICs the guest polymer chains are confined to occupy narrow channels in the crystalline matrix formed by the host. The walls of the IC channels are formed entirely from the molecules of the host, and they serve to create a unique solid-state environment for the included polymer chains. Each polymer chain included in the narrow, cylindrical IC channels (ca. 5.5 A in diameter) is highly extended and also separated from neighbouring polymer chains by the host matrix channel walls. The net result is a solid-state environment where extended, stretched (as a consequence of being squeezed) polymer chains reside in isolation from their neighbours inside the narrow channels of the crystalline matrix provided by the small-molecule host. Comparison of the behaviour of isolated, stretched polymer chains in their crystalline ICs with observations made on ordered, bulk samples of the same polymer are beginning to provide some measure of the contributions made by the intrinsic nature of a confined polymer chain and the pervasive, cooperative, interchain interactions which can complicate the behaviour of bulk polymer samples. In the same way that dilute polymer solutions at the Θ temperature have been effectively used to model disordered, bulk polymer phases (both glasses and melts), polymer ICs may be utilized to increase our understanding of the behaviour of polymer chains in their ordered, bulk phases, such as those found in crystalline and liquid-crystalline samples.
Computer-Aided Negotiation for Classroom Instruction

This article describes a computer system being developed to support two-party negotiation. It is currently used for classroom instruction; eventually it could be used by one and/or both parties in real-world negotiation situations. In using the software, the negotiator enters his/her weights for each issue, function forms, and estimates of the partner's importance weightings. The system will then generate a graph depicting the utility for each side of all possible negotiation agreements. A click on the mouse allows users to see what contract(s) each dot in the graph represents, or where a specific contract would appear on the graph. At any time weights or estimates can be easily manipulated. The system helps teach the decision-analytic approach to negotiation and demonstrates how changes in preferences on the issues being negotiated affect the possible outcomes.
Excited-state absorption spectroscopy of metallo-porphyrin dyes with both Q- and B-band excitation

Summary form only given. Optical limiting based on reverse-saturable absorber (RSA) dyes has been the subject of extensive investigation in recent years. In particular, we have been studying metallophthalocyanine and metallo-porphyrine derivatives, both of which have strong absorption bands in the red/near-infrared (Q-band) and the blue/ultraviolet (B-band) spectral regions. With picosecond pulses, strong excited-state absorption (ESA) is observed from the bottom of this manifold. The strong RSA exhibited by these materials at 532 nm prompted us to study the excited-state absorption and refraction at other wavelengths throughout the visible.
NYNET Communication System (NCS): a multithreaded message passing tool over ATM network

Current advances in processor technology, and the rapid development of high speed networking technology, such as ATM, have made high performance network computing an attractive computing environment for large-scale high performance distributed computing (HPDC) applications. However, due to the communications overhead at the host-network interface, most of the HPDC applications are not getting the full benefit of high speed communication networks. This overhead can be attributed to the high cost of operating system calls, context switching, the use of inefficient communication protocols, and the coupling of data and control paths. We present an architecture and implementation for a low-latency, high-throughput message passing tool, that we refer to as the NYNET (ATM wide area network testbed in New York state) Communication System (NCS), which can support a variety of HPDC applications with different Quality of Services (QOS) requirements. NCS uses multithreading to provide efficient techniques that overlap computation and communication. NCS uses read/write trap routines to bypass traditional operating system calls. This reduces latency and avoids using inefficient communication protocols. By separating data and control paths, NCS eliminates unnecessary control transfers. This optimizes the data path and improves performance. Benchmarking results show that the performance of NCS is at least a factor of two better than the performance of corresponding p4 and PVM primitives.
Microwave sea surface brightness temperature and radar backscatter as a function of wind speed

The dependence of microwave brightness temperature and backscatter of the sea surface as a function of wind speed is considered. The analysis is based on near-nadir radiometric measurements and VV scatterometric measurements at view angles 40-60 degree from nadir that are published in the literature. Wind exponents estimated from radiometric data agree well with scatterometric results. The maximum of wind exponents was found to be at Bragg's wavenumber which corresponds to phase velocity minimum (K/sub min//spl ap/2.8 rad/cm).
Seasonal and individual variation in response to GnRH challenge in male dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis)

Concentrations of gonadal steroids such as testosterone (T) often vary widely in natural populations, but the causes and particularly the consistency of this variation is relatively unexplored. In breeding males of a wild population of the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis), we investigated seasonal and individual variation in circulating T during two breeding seasons by measuring the responsiveness of the HPG axis to a standardized injection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Individuals were bled prior to and 30 min after injection. Pre- and post-challenge levels of T were measured using EIA. Many subjects were sampled repeatedly across multiple breeding stages. Plasma T concentrations nearly doubled in response to GnRH during early spring, but showed signiWcantly smaller increases in later breeding stages. When controlling for seasonal variation in response to challenge, we also found repeatable diVerences among individuals, indicating individual consistency in the release of T in response to a standardized stimulus. These seasonal and individual diVerences may arise from comparable variation in responsiveness of the pituitary or a decline in gonadal sensitivity to downstream gonadotropins. In contrast, pre-challenge T showed almost no seasonal changes and did not diVer consistently among individuals. To our knowledge, this is the Wrst demonstration of individual repeatability of short-term hormonal changes in a wild population. Such repeatability suggests that hormonal plasticity might evolve in response to changing selection pressures.
Resilience as the ability to bounce back from stress: A neglected personal resource?

The purpose of this study was to examine resilience, as the ability to bounce back from stress, in predicting health-related measures when controlling for other positive characteristics and resources. We assessed resilience, optimism, social support, mood clarity, spirituality, purpose in life, and health-related measures in two large undergraduate samples. In Study 1, resilience was related to both health-related measures (less negative affect and more positive affect) when controlling for demographics and other positive characteristics. In Study 2, resilience was related to all four health-related measures (less negative affect, more positive affect, less physical symptoms, and less perceived stress) when controlling for the other variables. None of the other positive characteristics were related to more than three of the six possible health-related measures when controlling for the other variables. Resilience, as the ability to bounce back, may be an important personal resource to examine in future stu...
Antisense RNA: Function and Fate of Duplex RNA in Cells of Higher Eukaryotes

There is ample evidence that cells of higher eukaryotes express double-stranded RNA molecules (dsRNAs) either naturally or as the result of viral infection or aberrant, bidirectional transcriptional readthrough. These duplex molecules can exist in either the cytoplasmic or nuclear compartments. Cells have evolved distinct ways of responding to dsRNAs, depending on the nature and location of the duplexes. Since dsRNA molecules are not thought to exist naturally within the cytoplasm, dsRNA in this compartment is most often associated with viral infections. Cells have evolved defensive strategies against such molecules, primarily involving the interferon response pathway. Nuclear dsRNA, however, does not induce interferons and may play an important posttranscriptional regulatory role. Nuclear dsRNA appears to be the substrate for enzymes which deaminate adenosine residues to inosine residues within the polynucleotide structure, resulting in partial or full unwinding. Extensively modified RNAs are either rapidly degraded or retained within the nucleus, whereas transcripts with few modifications may be transported to the cytoplasm, where they serve to produce altered proteins. This review summarizes our current knowledge about the function and fate of dsRNA in cells of higher eukaryotes and its potential manipulation as a research and therapeutic tool.
Formal specification and verification of communication protocols using automated tools

The paper compares and contrasts various methods presently available for specification, validation and verification, with emphasis on verification. We describe an application of formal methods to protocol specification, validation, and verification, using an actual protocol as an example. We use a process algebra to build models of an OSI protocol and test these models using a model checker. Model checking allows us to verify large and complex models and use formal methods as practical solutions. We also show an example with an automated theorem prover.
Designing broad-band patch antennas using the sequential quadratic programming method

The utility of numerical codes is greatly enhanced if they can be used in design, a situation that typically involves iterative optimization algorithms. An attractive way is to use gradient-based algorithms developed for solving nonlinear programming (NLP) problems. We examine the performance of a general sequential quadratic programming (SQP) optimization algorithm for designing patch antennas in conjunction with a finite-element boundary-integral code.
Breastfeedilzg Support Services in the Neonutd Intensive-Care Unit

Abstract Objective: To describe a model for providing breastfeeding support in the neonatal intensive-care unit (NICU). Abstract Design: Naturalistic, participant observation. Abstract Setting: Suburban Level III NICU. Abstract Patients: One hundred thirty-two mother-infant pairs over 1 year. Infants were hospitalized In the NICU, and mothers had initiated lactation efforts. Abstract Interventions: Investigators provided breastfeeding interventions for the mother-infant pairs, based on identified problems, the research literature, or both. Abstract Main Outcome Measures: Percentage of mothers who were breastfeeding at the time of discharge from the NICU. Abstract Results: Interventions were classified into jive categories: expression and collection of mothers' milk, gavage feeding of expressed mothers' milk, in-hospital breastfeeding sessions, postdischarge breastfeeding management, and additional consultation. Abstract Conclusions: This model was effective In preventing breastfeeding failure for this population. The model can provide the basis for NICU breastfeeding standards of care, protocols, and chart records, or for reimbursement purposes. The model also provides a framework for studying a specific category or breastfeeding intervention.
Comparison of Apprehension about Communication between Koreans and Americans

Prior research on apprehension about communication has yielded results inconsistent with expectations based upon cultural differences, specifically between Koreans and American samples. The present study reexamined these differences focusing on problems of decentering and translation of the scale. 513 mainstream American college students and 535 Korean college students participated. Analysis indicated that contrary to previous tests administered in English, when translated into Korean there was a significant difference between responses of the subjects from the two cultures, with Koreans reporting higher apprehension than Americans. The significance of translation of survey materials in cross-cultural studies is discussed as well as implications of these cultural differences for various contexts of communication.
Performance of ALOHA and CSMA in Spatially Distributed Wireless Networks

In this paper the performance of unslotted ALOHA and CSMA are analyzed in spatially distributed wireless networks. Users/packets arrive randomly in space and time according to a Poisson process, and are thereby transmitted to their intended destinations using a fully-distributed MAC protocol (either ALOHA or CSMA). An SINR-based model is considered, and a packet transmission is successful if the received SINR is above a threshold value for the duration of the packet. Accurate bounds to the probability of outage, which is a function of the density of transmissions, are developed for both MAC protocols. These bounds are used to evaluate the performances of ALOHA and CSMA, and to gain insight into the design of general MAC protocols for ad hoc networks. Moreover, CSMA with receiver- sensing is proposed to improve the performance of CSMA.
Effects of histological processing on lectin binding patterns in oral mucosa and skin.

The effects of fixation and wax processing on lectin binding to C3H mouse palate and tail skin were evaluated using eight FITC-conjugated lectins. Sections and blocks of tissue were fixed in acetone, ethanol, methanol, formalin, glutaraldehyde or Bouin's picric-acetic-formalin fixative. Tissue blocks were then processed to paraffin wax.
Splitting the Difference: Performance and Its Double in American Culture

Performance theory after Antonin Artaud and Judith Butler: dissociative identity disorder, Karen Finley, and charismatic religion.
Effects of soil temperature and depth to ground water on first-year growth of a dryland riparian phreatophyte, Glycyrrhiza lepidota (American licorice)

Abstract We investigated the effects of soil temperature and depth to ground water on first-year growth of a facultative floodplain phreatophyte, Glycyrrhiza lepidota, in a 2-×-2 factorial greenhouse experiment. We grew plants in mesocosms subirrigated with water low in dissolved oxygen, mimicking natural systems, and set depth of ground water at 63 or 100 cm and soil temperature at cold (ambient) or warm (≤2.7°C above ambient). We hypothesized the moister (63 cm) and warmer soil would be most favorable and predicted faster growth of shoots and roots and greater nitrogen-fixation (thus, less uptake of mineral nitrogen) under those conditions. Growth in height was significantly faster in the moister treatment but was not affected by soil temperature. Final biomass of shoots and of roots, total biomass of plants, and root:shoot ratio indicated a significant effect only from depth of ground water. Final levels of soil mineral-nitrogen were as predicted, with level of nitrate in the moister treatment more tha...
Do We Know Who Will Drop Out?: A Review of the Predictors of Dropping out of High School: Precision, Sensitivity, and Specificity

The purpose of this study is to review the literature on the most accurate indicators of students at risk of dropping out of high school. We used Relative Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis to compare the sensitivity and specificity of 110 dropout flags across 36 studies. Our results indicate that 1) ROC analysis provides a means to compare the accuracy of different dropout indicators, 2) the majority of dropout flags to date have high precision yet lack accuracy, 3) longitudinal growth models provided the most accurate flags, while 4) the most accurate cross-sectional flags examine low or failing grades. We provide recommendations for future policy and practice.
A FEMINIST ETHIC THAT BINDS US TO MOTHER EARTH

The scholarly literature is replete with theories and philosophical perspectives on feminist ethics, including feminist ethics founded in ecology or environmentalism. This essay contributes to the ongoing discussion about what constitutes a feminist ethic. My purpose in this paper is to endorse the position that any feminist ethic is necessarily an ecofeminist ethic, one that is tied to the sustainability of the planet. Feminist scholars and philosophers have paid heed to the need for ethics and practices that tie humanity to the Earth, not as separate beings, but as part of the Earth community. Nel Noddings’ proposed ethic of caring is a central theme in this discussion. Noddings’ ideas about a caring ethic are tied to the projects of feminist philosophers and activists who endorse the perspectives known as ecological feminism and ecofeminism , weaving the perspectives into a feminist ethic of care that binds humanity to Mother Earth.
Revolution or Evolution

In the preceding article, Robert H. Nelson suggests that states should replace municipalities with private community associations. In response to Nelson, I want to make both a positive and a normative argument. The positive point is that neighborhood associations have not displaced any municipality or induced any municipality to give up its regulatory powers. My normative point is that it would probably be a bad idea to displace municipal governance entirely with private governance.
Flocculus Purkinje cell signals in mouse Cacna1a calcium channel mutants of escalating severity: an investigation of the role of firing irregularity in ataxia.

Mutation of the Cacna1a gene for the P/Q (CaV2.1) calcium channel invariably leads to cerebellar dysfunction. The dysfunction has been attributed to disrupted rhythmicity of cerebellar Purkinje cells, but the hypothesis remains unproven. If irregular firing rates cause cerebellar dysfunction, then the irregularity and behavioral deficits should covary in a series of mutant strains of escalating severity. We compared firing irregularity in floccular and anterior vermis Purkinje cells in the mildly affected rocker and moderately affected tottering Cacna1a mutants and normal C57BL/6 mice. We also measured the amplitude and timing of modulations of floccular Purkinje cell firing rate during the horizontal vestibuloocular reflex (VOR, 0.25–1 Hz) and the horizontal and vertical optokinetic reflex (OKR, 0.125–1 Hz). We recorded Purkinje cells selective for rotational stimulation about the vertical axis (VAPCs) and a horizontal axis (HAPCs). Irregularity scaled with behavioral deficit severity in the flocculus but failed to do so in the vermis, challenging the irregularity hypothesis. Mutant VAPCs exhibited unusually strong modulation during VOR and OKR, the response augmentation scaling with phenotypic severity. HAPCs exhibited increased OKR modulation but in tottering only. The data contradict prior claims that modulation amplitude is unaffected in tottering but support the idea that attenuated compensatory eye movements in Cacna1a mutants arise from defective transfer of Purkinje cell signals to downstream circuitry, rather than attenuated synaptic transmission within the cerebellar cortex. Shifts in the relative sizes of the VAPC and HAPC populations raise the possibility that Cacna1a mutations influence the development of floccular zone architecture.
How Big Data Can Increase Originalism’s Methodological Rigor: Using Corpus Linguistics to Reveal Original Language Conventions

Big Data is everywhere. The Big Data revolution is not only the collection of information; it is also the use of that data to disclose new, previously unknown information about us and our lives.Originalism is on the cusp of its own Big Data revolution. For the first time, both a body of data of the Constitution’s original meaning and the technology to effectively utilize that data are available. In this Article, I argue that originalism should embrace its own Big Data transformation and that doing so will help originalism achieve greater methodological rigor. I argue that originalists who embrace a Big Data transformation will be able to reliably and accurately reveal original language conventions.In this Article, I bring together a widely observed phenomenon — the theoretical move toward original meaning originalism — with an emergent phenomenon — the use of computer-assisted research technologies and techniques (“CART”) in originalism. I argue that originalists’ conceptual move toward original meaning originalism, when coupled with their adoption of CART, will reduce the force of the Inaccuracy Critique — the claim that originalism’s reliance on history makes any resulting constitutional law inaccurate.Originalism rests on the premise that it is able to ascertain the Constitution’s meaning with reasonable accuracy. A recurring criticism of originalism is that, on the contrary, originalism leads to inaccuracy in constitutional law. Originalism leads to inaccuracy because it depends on an activity — the recovery of the Constitution’s meaning via the methods of history — that cannot bear the weight. Unlike criticisms that originalism leads to normatively bad constitutional interpretations, the Inaccuracy Critique contends that originalism fails on its own terms — that its methodology is flawed.In response to this criticism, many originalists made a major conceptual move: they rearticulated originalism as original meaning originalism in place of original intent originalism. In this Article, I build on that conceptual move, and I tie it to a modification to the method of historical research for originalism that will make the process more accurate. In particular, I argue that original meaning originalism’s focus on the text’s original conventional meaning, coupled with now-widely available CART, blunts the Inaccuracy Critique. By harnessing the power of Big Data, originalism moves toward a more rigorous methodology.
Three-Dimensional Imaging of Urethral Stricture Disease and Urethral Pathology for Operative Planning

Diagnosing urethral pathology can prove difficult, as clinically, the presentation is often nonspecific and may be suggestive of multiple etiologies. Therefore, detailed and accurate urethral imaging in both males and females is critical. Since the early 1900s, conventional imaging studies including RUG and VCUG, with adjunct cystourethroscopy, have remained the gold standard diagnostic techniques to evaluate urethral pathology. However, limitations of conventional imaging have generated interest in finding alternative imaging modalities with comparable, if not superior, diagnostic accuracy, the goal being a more complete assessment of urethral pathology and anatomy that would allow for appropriate surgical planning. Imaging modalities with three-dimensional (3D) capabilities may provide more comprehensive information regarding urethral diseases through a more detailed illustration of periurethral soft tissue structures. Whether or not these imaging modalities will replace conventional studies is unclear, though there is an increasing body of literature that support their use.
A two-dimensional augmented finite element for dynamic crack initiation and propagation

In this study, an implicit formulation of a 2D finite element based on a recently developed augmented finite element method is proposed for stable and efficient simulation of dynamic fracture in elastic solids. The 2D A-FE ensures smooth transition from a continuous state to a discontinuous state with an arbitrary intra-element cohesive crack, without the need of additional degree of freedoms (DoFs). Internal nodal DoFs are introduced for sub-domain integration and cohesive stress integration and they are then condensed at elemental level by a consistency-check based algorithm. The numerical performance of the proposed A-FE has been assessed through simulations of several benchmark dynamic fracture problems and in all cases the numerical results are in good agreement with the respective experimental results and other simulation results in literature. It has further been demonstrated that, (i) the dynamic A-FE is rather insensitive to mesh sizes and mesh structures; (ii) with similar solution accuracy it allows for the use of time steps 1–2 orders of magnitude larger than those used in other similar studies; and (iii) the implicit nature of the proposed A-FE allows for the use of a Courant number as large as 3.0–3.5 while maintaining solution stability.
A Free-Space Measurement Method for the Low-Loss Dielectric Characterization Without Prior Need for Sample Thickness Data

A free-space measurement method is presented for the characterization of low-loss dielectric materials at millimeter-wave frequencies that does not require any assumption of a priori knowledge of the sample thickness. The method first employs only maximal and minimal envelopes of measured transmission scattering parameters to determine the real part $\varepsilon _{r}^{\prime }$ of the permittivity of test materials. Subsequently, the thickness of the sample is estimated from $\varepsilon _{r}^{\prime }$ and frequencies for maximal and minimal peaks of the transmission scattering parameter. The calculation of the imaginary part $\varepsilon _{r}^{\prime \prime }$ of the permittivity then easily follows. Our method is examined by measuring two cross-linked polystyrene samples, one polytetrafluoroethylene sample and one polymethylpentene sample in the frequency range of 220–325 GHz at the incident angles of 0°, 10°, 20°, and 30°. Moreover, an explicit uncertainty analysis for the permittivity is derived, and uncertainties of the extracted complex permittivity are reported.
Comparison of the Surgical Outcome of Pterional and Frontotemporal-Orbitozygomatic Approaches and Determination of Predictors of Recurrence for Sphenoid Wing Meningiomas.

Objective The pterional/frontotemporal orbitozygomatic (FTOZ) approaches are the 2 most widely used procedures for resection of sphenoid wing meningiomas; however, a comparison of outcomes and complications of these 2 approaches has not been well described yet. Here, we investigated the outcomes, complications, and predictors of favorable outcomes of these 2 approaches. Methods Data of 90 consecutive cases with sphenoid wing meningiomas between 1995 and 2015 was reviewed retrospectively. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to determine the recurrence-free (RFS) survival and independent predictor of RFS. Results In this study, the overall recurrence rate after tumor excision with pterional and FTOZ approaches was 36.5% and 12.2% respectively ( P = 0.001). Based on surgical approach, the median RFS of the patients with sphenoid wing meningiomas also varied significantly (pterional, 114 months vs. FTOZ, 145 months, P = 0.03). The median RFS for patients with sphenoid wing meningiomas also varied according to the extent of resection (gross total resection [GTR], 146 months vs. subtotal resection, 52 months, P = 0.009). In Cox regression analysis, the FTOZ approach ( P = 0.041), GTR ( P = 0.047), and Karnofsky performance score >70 ( P = 0.04) were revealed as significant predictors of favorable outcome after resection of sphenoid wing meningiomas. Conclusions In summary, sphenoid wing meningiomas undergoing extensive skull base approach (FTOZ) and GTR had a low recurrence rate and greater RFS. Even though FTOZ with GTR is preferable to resect the sphenoid wing meningiomas, the procedure should be tailored to each patient depending on the risks and surgical morbidity.