cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Family of Z-Source Matrix Converters

This paper extends the Z-source concept to matrix converters and explores a family of Z-source matrix converters. Their principles and characteristics are analyzed, and a simplified voltage-fed Z-source matrix converter is used as an example to demonstrate its operation, voltage gain versus modulation index, PWM method, boost control, and implementation of the control. Both simulation and experimental results verify operation of the proposed Z-source matrix converter, analytical results, and control method. The Z-source converters can achieve buck and boost operation with reduced number of switches needed, therefore achieving low cost, high efficiency, and reliability, compared to the traditional matrix converters.
Assessing student understanding of physical hydrology

Abstract. Our objective is to devise a mechanism to characterize and assess upper division and graduate student thinking in hydrology. We accomplish this through development and testing of an assessment tool for a physical hydrology class. The instrument was piloted in two sections of a physical hydrology course. Students were asked to respond to two questions that probed understanding and one question that assessed their ability to apply their knowledge, both prior to and after the course. Student and expert responses to the questions were classified into broad categories to develop a rubric to score responses. Using the rubric, three researchers independently blind-coded the full set of pre- and post-artifacts, resulting in 89% inter-rater agreement on the pre-tests and 83% agreement on the post-tests. The majority of responses made by students at the beginning of the class were characterized as showing only recognition of hydrology concepts from a non-physical perspective; post surveys indicated that the majority had moved to a basic understanding of physical processes, with some students achieving expert understanding. Our study has limitations, including the small number of participants who were all from one institution and the fact that the rubric was still under development. Nevertheless, the high inter-rater agreement from a group of experts indicates that the process we undertook is potentially useful for assessment of learning and understanding physical hydrology.
Digitalis Intoxication Following Conversion to Sinus Rhythm

The records of 28 patients receiving digitalis and converted from atrial fibrillation or flutter to sinus rhythm with direct-current countershock were reviewed. Electrocardiographic signs suggesting digitalis intoxication following conversion occurred in 20 of these cases. Two of these patients died as a result of ventricular fibrillation several hours after apparently successful conversion. Six patients on digitalis treated with countershock but not converting and five patients converted with countershock who were not receiving digitalis or in whom digitalis had been discontinued for several days failed to show these electrocardiographic abnormalities. The results indicate that digitalis intoxication will often appear following conversion to sinus rhythm when no indication of digitalis intoxication was present prior to conversion. It is recommended that digitalis be withheld for several days in subjects for whom a conversion attempt is planned.
A generalized multiobjective particle swarm optimization solver for spreadsheet models: application to water quality

This paper presents an application of an evolutionary optimization algorithm for multiobjective analysis of selective withdrawal from a thermally stratified reservoir. A multiobjective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm is used to find nondominated (Pareto) solutions when minimizing deviations from outflow water quality targets of: (i) temperature; (ii) dissolved oxygen (DO); (iii) total dissolved solids (TDS); and (iv) potential of hydrogen (pH). The decision variables are the flows through each port in the selective withdrawal structure. The MOPSO algorithm, implemented as an add-in for Excel, is able to find nondominated solutions for any combination of the four abovementioned objectives. An interactive graphical method was also developed to display nondominated solutions in such way that the best compromise solutions can be identified for different relative importance given to each objective. The method allows the decision maker to explore the Pareto set and visualize not only the best compromise solution but also sets of solutions that provide similar compromises.
Of Decoherent Electrons and Disordered Conductors

Electron decoherence at low temperatures is important for the proper understanding of the metallic ground state, usually studied within the framework of Fermi liquid theory. It is also fundamental to various insulating transitions in low-dimensional disordered conductors, such as Anderson localization, which similar to the Fermi liquid theory relies on a vanishing decoherence rate at zero temperature. I review a series of interference experiments designed to study decoherence by a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms. The goal is to determine if there is a truly intrinsic— and, in a sense, unavoidable—source of decoherence, coming from electron- electron interaction. The interference experiments do indicate that there is an ultimate source of decoherence even at zero temperature.
Phosphate uptake by the yeast, Rhodotorula rubra, and the green alga, Selenastrum capricornutum Printz, after phosphate additions to steady-state continuous cultures

We examined phosphate (Pi) uptake by two well-characterized microorganisms: a green alga (Selenastrum capricornutum) and a heterotrophic yeast (Rhodotorula rubra). Phosphate uptake was measured in dual- and single-species continuous cultures after perturbation of a phosphorus (P)-limited steady-state culture by additions of varying concentrations of Pi. We found that, under these conditions, both organisms had very high transport rates for Pi. The yeast was able to attain higher internal P concentrations than predicted from either steady-state or from P-starved batch culture data. Because the yeast was able to sequester and store Pi more efficiently than the alga under dilute Pi continuous culture conditions, co-existence of the two organisms was ultimately controlled by the concentration of carbon available for growth of the yeast.
Thermal Conductivity of Nearly Stoichiometric Single-Crystal and Polycrystalline UO2

The thermal conductivities, λ, of single-crystal and polycrystalline UO2 were measured from 80° to 420°K. The results indicate no observable difference in λ between single-crystal and polycrystalline UO2, and both materials have broad peaks in λ at ∼220°K. The results were used with literature values to determine the effect of closed porosity on λ. The thermal conductivity of theoretically dense UO2 is described phenomenologically from 80° to 1400°K, where conduction is dominated by the phonon component. The phonon conduction is analyzed by comparison with ThO2. This analysis indicates that the high-temperature λ is limited by 3-phonon Umklapp scattering processes. Scattering by the disordered spins associated with the paramagnetic U ions contributes a large temperature-independent phonon scattering term. This mechanism has a mean free path of about 51 A, which implies that grain boundaries and impurities have a relatively insignificant effect on the phonon conduction far above the antiferromagnetic-para-magnetic transition at ∼ 30°K. This implication agrees with the experimental results.
Evaluation of a Shaker Dust Collector for Use in a Recirculating Ventilation System

General ventilation with recirculated air may be cost-effective to control the concentration of low-toxicity, contaminants in workplaces with diffuse, dusty operations, such as in agriculture. Such systems are, however, rarely adopted with little evidence showing improved air quality and ability to operate under harsh conditions. The goal of this work was to examine the initial and long-term performance of a fabric-filter shaker dust collector (SDC) in laboratory tests and as deployed within a recirculating ventilation system in an agricultural building. In laboratory tests, collection efficiency and pressure drop were tracked over several filter loading cycles, and the recovery of filter capacity (pressure drop) from filter shaking was examined. Collection efficiencies of particles larger than 5 μm was high (>95%) even when the filter was pristine, showing effective collection of large particles that dominate inhalable concentrations typical of agricultural dusts. For respirable-sized particles, collecti...
Distributed multirate interacting multiple model (DMRIMM) filtering with out-of-sequence GMTI datal

This paper develops a distributed approach for fusing GMTI data with out-of-sequence (OOS) measurements. A multirate interacting multiple model (MRIMM) fusion algorithm is developed for effectively fusing multirate information. To incorporate an OOS measurement, two major steps are needed: retrospection from current time to OOS time and updating the current estimate with the OOS measurement, which imposes a high computation and memory burden on implementing OOS filtering. The multirate approach provides an excellent framework for efficient information retrospection and forward update. The combination of global MRIMM fusion and local MRIMM tracking proves to be powerful for tracking and fusing maneuvering and nonmaneuvering targets in an environment of OOS measurement reporting.
Failure to Replicate Two Mate Preference QTLs across Multiple Strains of Drosophila pseudoobscura

Behavioral genetic mapping studies in model organisms predominantly use crosses originating from a single pair of inbred lines to determine the location of alleles that confer genetic variation in the trait of interest, and they often make sweeping generalizations about the genetic architecture of the trait based on these results. A previous study fine mapped mate preference variation between one pair of Drosophila pseudoobscura lines and identified 2 strong-effect behavioral quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Here, we replicated the previous study's mapping design to examine the extent of variation at these behavioral QTLs across 6 pairs of lines, but we were unable to detect effects of either QTL region in the pairs of lines studied. We suggest that the low-discrimination alleles at these 2 QTLs may occur at low frequency within D. pseudoobscura, although other explanations for the inconsistency are possible. These results underscore the need to examine multiple strains across a species when describing the genetic variation underlying behavioral traits.
Pathway to a Baccalaureate in STEM Fields Are Community Colleges a Viable Route and Does Early STEM Momentum Matter

This study examines the effect of beginning at a community college on baccalaureate success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. In addition, drawing upon a new concept of “STEM momentum,” this research explores whether and how STEM baccalaureate success is related to early STEM momentum, as well as whether and how such momentum is shaped differently in community colleges as compared with public 4-year institutions. Results indicate that, overall, students beginning at community colleges were less likely to achieve STEM baccalaureate success. However, this negative effect was reduced to some extent by the positive influence of community colleges on a key STEM momentum indicator, quality points students achieved in STEM courses during the first term, which in turn positively impacted STEM baccalaureate success.
Consistency and Enforcement of Access Rules in Cooperative Data Sharing Environment

In this paper we consider the situation where a set of enterprises need to collaborate to provide rich services to their clients. An enterprise may need information from several other collaborating parties to satisfy its business requirements. Such collaboration often requires controlled access to one another’s data, which we assume is stored in standard relational form. We assume that a set of access rules is given to the parties to regulate the data sharing, and such rules are dened over the join operations over the relational data. It is expected that the access rules will be designed according to business needs of the involved enterprises and although some negotiation between them will be involved, only a comprehensive analysis of the rules can uncover all issues of consistency between rules and their adequacy in answering the authorized queries (which we call enforceability). In this paper, we provide such an analysis and provide algorithms for checking and removing inconsistency, checking for rule enforceability, and minimally updating the rules to ensure enforceability whenever possible using only the existing parties. The involvement of specialized third parties for consistency and enforcement purposes is not addressed in this paper.
Strong polarization enhancement in asymmetric three-component ferroelectric superlattices

Theoretical predictions--motivated by recent advances in epitaxial engineering--indicate a wealth of complex behaviour arising in superlattices of perovskite-type metal oxides. These include the enhancement of polarization by strain and the possibility of asymmetric properties in three-component superlattices. Here we fabricate superlattices consisting of barium titanate (BaTiO3), strontium titanate (SrTiO3) and calcium titanate (CaTiO3) with atomic-scale control by high-pressure pulsed laser deposition on conducting, atomically flat strontium ruthenate (SrRuO3) layers. The strain in BaTiO3 layers is fully maintained as long as the BaTiO3 thickness does not exceed the combined thicknesses of the CaTiO3 and SrTiO3 layers. By preserving full strain and combining heterointerfacial couplings, we find an overall 50% enhancement of the superlattice global polarization with respect to similarly grown pure BaTiO3, despite the fact that half the layers in the superlattice are nominally non-ferroelectric. We further show that even superlattices containing only single-unit-cell layers of BaTiO3 in a paraelectric matrix remain ferroelectric. Our data reveal that the specific interface structure and local asymmetries play an unexpected role in the polarization enhancement.
The efficacy of superactivated charcoal in treating rats exposed to a lethal oral dose of potassium cyanide.

Due to the apparent low binding capacity of activated charcoal for potassium cyanide (KCN) in vitro , the use of oral activated charcoal therapy for oral exposure to cyanide compounds is controversial. In our study, rats were given a lethal oral dose of ground granular KCN (35 or 40 mg/kg) in a gelatin capsule followed immediately by either 4 g/kg of superactivated charcoal in a 20% suspension or a similar volume of deionized water. Signs of cyanide toxicosis occurred rapidly, with a mean time to signs of 3.3 and 2.7 minutes in control animals receiving 35 or 40 mg/kg KCN, respectively. All 26 of the control rats showed signs, and all but one in the 35 mg/kg group died within 19 minutes. Only 12 of 26 rats treated with superactivated charcoal showed signs of KCN toxicosis and eight of those animals died. Oral exposure of rats to lethal doses of KCN can be treated effectively by immediate administration of superactivated charcoal.
Defining Authenticity and Its Determinants: Toward an Authenticity Flow Model:

The purpose of this study was to broaden the understanding of authenticity through an empirical examination of Scottish goods sold to tourists at retail outlets and festivals. The focus was on vendors selling Scottish merchandise in the United States and Canada. A majority of the vendors describe authenticity as a representation of Scottish traditions, and their definitions do not vary with their socioeconomic characteristics but with the percentage of income obtained from festivals. The study further traces the authenticity flow in the marketing system on a continuum of 1 to 4, with 1 being the originator and 4 being the receiver. The results indicate that authenticity is supply driven and that producers are its determinants who obtain verifications from the trade fair, historians, and ancestral heritage. Vendors act as liaisons between the producers and the consumers, and, contrary to expectations, tourists are the receivers of authenticity.
Localization of the gene whose mutations underlie Hailey—Hailey disease to chromosome 3q

Hailey-Hailey disease (familial benign chronic pemphigus) is an autosomal dominant skin disease characterized by impaired keratinocyte cohesion and consequent blister formation. In the present study we have used linkage analysis to map the gene for this disease to a region of chromosome 3q between D3S1589 and D3S1316. The maximum combined two point lod score in four families studied was 14.60 at theta = 0 at the D3S1290 microsatellite repeat. These findings suggest the presence of a gene not previously known to be involved in keratinocyte cohesion at this site.
Effect of Chemically Modified 70S RNA from Avian Myeloblastosis Virus (AMV) upon the Activity of AMV DNA Polymerase

Adenine residues of 70S avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) RNA are modified when reacted with chloroacetaldehyde. This modification introduces characteristic fluorescent epsilon-adenosine (epsilonA) probes which were used to monitor the reaction. Under suitable conditions, modified 70S(epsilonA) RNA was maintained intact and was inactive as a template for the AMV DNA polymerase. Furthermore, it inhibited the reaction catalyzed by AMV polymerase when 70S RNA was used as template-primer and had no effect on the two tested bacterial polymerases. Protection against the 70S (epsilonA) RNA inhibition was observed when 70S RNA was primed with oligo(dT) indicating preference of the polymerase for the oligo(dT) primed regions.
BIS(PORPHYRIN)ACTINIDE COMPLEXES AND THEIR RADICAL CATIONS AND DICATIONS

Abstract The first bis(porphyrin)actinide complexes have been prepared by reaction of the diethylamide complexes M(NR2)4 (where M = Th, U and R = Me, Et) with 5, 10, 15, 20-tetraphenylporphyrin (H2TPP) or 2, 3, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18-octaethylporphyrin (H2OEP). The coordination geometry of Th(TPP)2 is a distorted square-antiprism where the thorium center is displaced 1.47 A from each of the porphyrin N4 planes; the porphyrin N4 planes are threrefore separated by 2.94 A. In Th(OEP)2, the two porphyrin N4 planes are separated by 2.89 A in a nearly perfect square-antiprismatic coordination geometry around the thorium center. The porphyrin macrocycles, held in such close proximity, interact electronically as shown by a blue-shift in the porphyrin Soret band and by unusually low oxidation potentials relative to related monoporphyrin species. Chemical oxidations of M(TPP)2 and of Th(OEP)(TPP) yield porphyrin-based radical cation complexes [M(porph)2 +][SbCl6 −] and dicationic complexes [M(porph)2 2+][SbCl6 −]2. T...
Fat graft-assisted internal auditory canal closure after retrosigmoid transmeatal resection of acoustic neuroma: Technique for prevention of cerebrospinal fluid leakage

The retrosigmoid transmeatal approach remains an important strategy in the surgical management of acoustic neuromas. Gross total resection of acoustic neuromas requires removal of tumor within the cerebellopontine angle as well as tumor involving the internal auditory canal (IAC). Drilling into the petrous bone of the IAC can expose petrous air cells, which can potentially result in a fistulous tract to the nasopharynx manifesting as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea. We describe our method of IAC closure using autologous fat graft and assessed the rates of postoperative CSF leakage. We performed a retrospective study of 24 consecutive patients who underwent retrosigmoid transmeatal resection of acoustic neuroma who underwent our method of fat graft-assisted IAC closure. We assessed rates of postoperative CSF leak (incisional leak, rhinorrhea, or otorrhea), pseudomeningocele formation, and occurrence of meningitis. Twenty-four patients (10 males, 14 females) with a mean age of 47 years (range 18-84) underwent fat graft-assisted IAC closure. No lumbar drains were used postoperatively. There were no instances of postoperative CSF leak (incisional leak, rhinorrhea, or otorrhea), pseudomeningocele formation, or occurrence of meningitis. There were no graft site complications. Our results demonstrate that autologous fat grafts provide a safe and effective method of IAC defect closure to prevent postoperative CSF leakage after acoustic tumor removal via a retrosigmoid transmeatal approach. The surgical technique and operative nuances are described.
Studies in the Capparaceae XXIV: Edward Palmer in Corumbá, Brazil and the first collection of Capparis coimbrana

Abstract Iltis, H. H. (Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison Wisconsin 53706, U.S.A.; tscochra@facstaff.wisc.edu). Studies in the Capparaceae XXIV: Edward Palmer in Corumba, Brazil and the first collection of Capparis coimbrana. Brittonia 57: 162–166. 2005.—The new Bolivian endemic, Capparis coimbrana, was first collected by the 22-year-old Edward Palmer while a member of the U.S. Navy's “Exploration of the River La Plata” expedition, supervised under Captain T. J. Page from 1853–1856. Since the plant specimen lacks a specific geographic location, it was necessary to interpret carefully the cryptic, penciled notes that accompany it, and to correlate these with the published itinerary of the expedition's sailing vessel, the Water Witch. This historical research revealed that the plant must have been collected on 2 Dec 1853 at Corumba, Matto Grosso, Brazil, which was then a tiny village just across the Rio Paraguay from Puerto Suarez, Bolivia. This site is at the very edg...
Institutionalizing Political and Civic Engagement on Campus

In this quasi-experimental design, I examine the impact of a political engagement program on students, looking at traditional measures of internal efficacy, as well as other areas of political engagement including levels of political knowledge, the development of political skills, and interest in media coverage of politics.
A method for coupling phasor and time domain networks

A method for coupling dynamic phasor models to time domain resistive companion networks is proposed for power system simulation. The method uses controlled sources, modified nodal analysis, and a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) phasor estimation. A coupling device using this technique is implemented in Virtual Test Bed (VTB). The accuracy and stability of the method is verified with two test systems, including a system consisting of a phasor electrical network attached to a three phase induction motor. The hybrid simulations produce exact steady-state results, nearly exact results for slow transients (on the order of 10 cycles), and good approximations for faster transients (on the order of 1 cycle). Unbalanced fault conditions are also simulated with satisfactory results.
Zeus Asset Management, Inc

This case features an entrepreneur who must decide whether to sell his small distribution company. The case explores several issues for class discussion: (1) valuation of a private company, (2) assessing the entrepreneur's perspective and alternatives, (3) deal structuring (including earnouts), (4) risks and their effect on value, and (5) advice from a banker's perspective.
A New MAC Address Spoofing Detection Technique Based on Random Forests

Media access control (MAC) addresses in wireless networks can be trivially spoofed using off-the-shelf devices. The aim of this research is to detect MAC address spoofing in wireless networks using a hard-to-spoof measurement that is correlated to the location of the wireless device, namely the received signal strength (RSS). We developed a passive solution that does not require modification for standards or protocols. The solution was tested in a live test-bed (i.e., a wireless local area network with the aid of two air monitors acting as sensors) and achieved 99.77%, 93.16% and 88.38% accuracy when the attacker is 8-13 m, 4-8 m and less than 4 m away from the victim device, respectively. We implemented three previous methods on the same test-bed and found that our solution outperforms existing solutions. Our solution is based on an ensemble method known as random forests.
Evaluation of structural contributors in myopic eyes of preterm and full-term children.

We conducted a cross-sectional study to test the hypothesis that the structural contributions to myopia in preterm and full-term born children are different. In this study, 93 children ranging from ages 2 to 13 who had myopia ≥ −3 diopters in at least one eye were examined with A-scans. The following data was collected and analyzed: history of birth, refractive error (RE), cornea thickness (CT) and average corneal curvature (AVK), depth of anterior chamber (ACD), lens thickness (LT), and axial length (AL) of the eye. Eyes were tested and categorized into four groups: myopic eyes in full-term children (group 1), myopic eyes in premature children (group 2), non-myopic eyes in full-term children (group 3), and non-myopic eyes in preterm children (group 4). The RE were similar between group 1 and group2, and between group 3 and group 4. Myopic eyes in group 2 had higher AVK as compared to group 3; 45.4 ± 0.4 D vs. 43.5 ± 0.7 D, p = 0.008. The ACD in group 2 was shallower than that in group 1 (2.5 ± 0.5 vs. 3.2 ± 0.3, p = 0.01). The LT measurements in group 2 were thicker than those in group 1 (mean LT = 4.9 ± 1.0 vs 4.1 ± 0.3 mm, p = 0.001, respectively). Finally, AL of myopic eyes in group 1 was longer than that of group 2, p = 0.01. These results suggest that increased axial length plays an important role in myopia in full-term children, whereas corneal curvature and lens thickness are major contributors to myopia in preterm children.
Phase Coherent Manipulation of Light: From Precision Measurement to Ultrafast Spectroscopy

Precise phase control of ultra-wide-bandwidth optical frequency combs has produced remarkable and unexpected progress in precision metrology and ultrafast science. The combination of the ability to do completely arbitrary, optical, waveform synthesis with recently developed optical pulse measurement techniques is analogous to the development of oscilloscopes and waveform generators in the early 20th century. The development of ultra-stable optical frequency standards into optical atomic clocks and optical frequency synthesizers again complement and rival the similar technologies developed in the radio frequency domain. I will cover a range of key advances that have been enabled by this revolutionary merge between the ultrafast and ultra-precision fields, including direct optical frequency measurement, carrier-envelope phase control, alloptical atomic clocks, optical frequency synthesizers, coherent pulse synthesis and distribution, and nonlinear spectroscopy.
MicroRNAs in neurobiology

MicroRNAs have emerged as a new regulatory factor of gene expression. They mediate translational repression or degradation of their target mRNAs by RNA interference (RNAi). The expression of each microRNA is tightly regulated in a development- and cell-specific manner by various mechanisms such as blockade of let-7 family expression by Lin-28 or RNA editing. They also act as regulatory switches for development, organogenesis, and cellular differentiation or for controlling distinct functions that are required for the maintenance of each tissue and cell subtypes. The abundant expression of microRNAs as well as the exclusive expression of certain microRNAs in the central nervous system highlights their biological importance at all stages of neural development and in postmitotic and differentiated neurons. Further, some microRNAs, such as miRNA-134, and miRNA-132 are localized and are synthesized in part at synaptic sites in dendrites to regulate synaptic formation and plasticity. In addition to the imparting of basic knowledge about the biogenesis and mechanism of action of microRNAs, this review focuses on the recent advances in microRNA studies in neurobiology, including the expression pattern of microRNAs in the mammalian brain, the role of microRNAs in neural differentiation and maturation, formation and plasticity of synaptic connections, and maintenance of neural function such as the synthesis of the neurotransmitters in selected neurons. Finally, the possible connection between microRNA dysfunction and neurological diseases, and future implications for diagnosis, and treatment of defects in human brain development and neurodegenerative diseases are discussed.
Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of 4 cases of human infection with avian influenza A ( H7N9) virus in Xiacheng district of Hangzhou,Zhejiang

Objective To understand the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of 4 confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus in Xiacheng district of Hangzhou,Zhejiang province,and provide evidence for the prevention and control of this kind of human infection.Methods All the confirmed cases and their close contacts were surveyed,and respiratory tract specimens were taken form the confirmed cases to detect the nucleic acid of H7N9 virus with real-time PCR.Results Four cases were diagnosed with severe and progressive pneumonia,The average interval between the onset of the disease and the first medical care seeking was 2 days,the average interval between the onset and the first hospitalization was 5 days and the average interval between the onset and the diagnosis was 7 days.The 4 cases were highly sporadic and no epidemiological links were found among them.All the cases occurred in spring and had the histories of farm produce market exposure,all the cases were isolated and treated,and all the close contacts received medical observation.Terminal disinfection was conducted and farm produce markets were closed.The epidemic was under control effectively.Conclusion The 4 cases of human infection with H7N9 were associated with farmer produce markets exposure,and no evidence of human to human transmission was found.Early detection and treatment of the cases infected with H7N9 are essential for the improvement of patients' prognosis,and it is necessary to strengthen the surveillance of H7N9 epidemic and conduct appropriate response to stop the spread of H7N9 virus.
The effects of CO2 pneumoperitoneum on hemodynamics in hemorrhaged animals

Background. Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), the primary gas currently used for pneumoperitoneum, has been known to cause systemic effects on acid-base balance and hemodynamic stability. We studied the hemodynamic effects of CO 2 pneumoperitoneum in a hemorrhagic shock model to assess the safety of laparoscopic procedures in acute trauma patients. Methods. After 1 hour of baseline, 32 anesthetised adult pigs were randomised into four groups. Group 1 animals had no hemorrhage, serving as a control group. Group 2 animals had a mild hemorrhage of 10 ml/kg/hr. Group 3 animals had a moderate hemorrhage of 20 ml/kg/hr. Group 4 animals had a moderate hemorrhage but were resuscitated with 40 ml/kg of lactated Ringer's solution
Central Control of Frequency in Biosonar Emissions of the Mustached Bat

Doppler-compensating, echolocating bats like the mustached bat (Pteronotus p. parnellii) present excellent models for studying how sensory feedback controls subsequent motor behavior, i.e., how auditory feedback may regulate vocalization. The mustached bat emits stereotyped orientation sounds consisting of a brief rising frequency modulation (FM) followed by a long constant frequency (CF) component and ending in a short downward sweeping FM. Doppler-shifts of the echo frequency result from the difference in the bat’s velocity with respect to its surroundings. During “Doppler-shift compensation ” (DSC), these bats actively compensate for Doppler-shifts in the echo by offsetting the frequency of the orientation sound in order to stabilize the echo at the “reference frequency” (about 100–150 Hz higher than the “resting frequency” emitted when the bat detects no Doppler-shift; Schnitzler, 1968, 1970). The variability in the CF frequency emitted during DSC as observed during obstacle avoidance tests is typically ±10 to ±110 Hz (Jen and Kamada, 1982). The precision with which mustached bats control the frequency of their emitted sounds, and consequently echo frequency, is regulated directly by feedback of information from echoes. The aims of this study were to define central vocal control regions, clarify their role in the production of echolocation sounds, and investigate the role of auditory processing in the control of vocal frequency.
How Does a Threat in the Initial Cover Letter Affect Mail Survey Response

A mail survey experiment was conducted to determine whether a mild threat in the initial cover letter would affect survey response. Subjects were mailed either a threat appeal or a casual appeal. The results indicated that the threat appeal did not affect the rate of response, speed of response, or group answer bias.
ISAAC: a voice activated speech response system for wearable computers

ISAAC (Integrated Speech Activated Application Control) is a technology feasibility prototype which explored capabilities in the low-weight, low-energy area assuming communication over short distances. ISAAC employs speech for communicating with infrastructure in special rooms around campus. A wireless microphone transmits analog speech to a speech recognition system on a base computer: The base computer can control devices through infrared repeaters. It also communicates with the user via an infrared wireless headset. The user can read electronic mail or control the presentation (e.g., VCR, slide projector etc.) using audio input/output.
Effects of B Vitamins in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease caused by the immune system attacking and demyelinating axons in the brain. In recent years there has been some hypotheses regarding the effect of B vitamin deficiency on multiple sclerosis. There is thought to be a clear distinction between the inflammatory neuropathology of multiple sclerosis and the noninflammatory neuropathology of B vitamin deficiency. Mouse models have shown that vitamin B1 and vitamin B9 deficiency can cause slight neurological degradation, whereas there are no clear results regarding vitamins B6 and B12, even though they are known to be key vitamins used in the brain. Vitamin B12, the most clinically examined B vitamin with regard to multiple sclerosis seem to only slightly benefit patients with multiple sclerosis. Deficiency of vitamin B12 can impede the immunological process, which may explain why it is likely that vitamin B12 is necessary for myelin formation and stability. Although there is no causal link between multiple sclerosis and vitamin B12 deficiency currently, the overlap and correlations are significant enough to warrant more research.
YELP: masking sound-based opportunistic attacks in zero-effort deauthentication

Deauthentication is an important component of any computing system that promises to offer legitimate access to restricted services residing on the system. As computing devices are ubiquitous, it has underscored the need to design zero-effort deauthentication systems from a usability perspective. While the design of such deauthentication systems is geared towards making them more usable, often the security implication of these deigns overlook the physical security of the system resulting in various side channel vulnerabilities in the system. This issue highlights the need to design a defense mechanism that is capable of minimizing the threat posed by such side channel attacks while having minimal impact on the design of the system.In this paper, we aim to address the sound-based vulnerability recently introduced in the literature, against one of the prominent zero-effort deauthentication schemes, called ZEBRA, that transparently and continuously authenticates the user using a wearable device wirelessly connected with the authentication terminal. To this end, we propose YELP, a novel and practical defense mechanism based on the principle of sound masking. YELP uses two different types of masking sounds, namely "white noise", and "music" for cloaking the acoustic side channel leakage underlying the ZEBRA system. We believe that the use of such masking sounds at a reasonable volume level can hide the acoustic leakage emanating from the physical component of the system, and thereby reduce, if not eliminate, the imposed sound-based vulnerability. Indeed, our results show that white noise, as a masking sound, can effectively hide the acoustic leakage from ZEBRA system, thereby significantly reducing the attack success rate of an audio-based side channel attacker while music can moderately hide the acoustic leakage from the system. Our work therefore shows that sound masking can be used as an effective tool in improving the security of (de)authentication systems against an audio-based side channel attack without affecting its original design and without requiring additional effort from the user.
Psychometric evaluation of the nursing child assessment teaching (NCAT) scale in a community-based sample

The effect of the mother-child relationship on long-term child development has received research attention for decades. Because the quality and quantity of mother-infant interactions have been established as important predictors of the child's development, early identification of areas in the relationship requiring support and intervention is essential for promoting positive child outcomes. The Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scale (NCAT) is an instrument long used to quantify the quality of interaction in the mother-child relationship during the first 36 months of a child's life. While the NCAT has been shown to be a reliable and valid instrument, limited evidence exists of the theoretical congruence between the Barnard Model it is based on and the NCAT scale. The psychometric properties of the NCAT scale and subscales were examined using item response theory in relation to characteristics of interactions in the Barnard Model using data collected during a clinic visit at 12 months of infant age in a sample of mothers and children (N = 1,121 dyads) from a community-based sample in Shelby County, TN. In this secondary analysis, descriptive statistics, reliabilities, and factor loadings for the NCAT were obtained using confirmatory factor analysis and augmented to form multiple indicators, multiple causes models, linking demographic predictors of the mothers and children to the NCAT subscales. Results supported scale abbreviation and theoretical congruence with the Barnard Model, which may provide researchers and practitioners with a more concise, reliable way of measuring maternal-child interaction in community settings.
Synchronizing Separation Flow Control With Unsteady Wakes in a Low-Pressure Turbine Cascade

Particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements were made on a highly loaded low-pressure turbine blade in a linear cascade. The Pack B blade has a design Zweifel coefficient of 1.15 and a peak Cp at 63% axial chord on the suction surface. Data were taken at Rec = 20K with 3% inlet freestream turbulence and a wake passing flow coefficient of 0.8. Without unsteady wakes, a non-reattaching separation bubble exists on the suction surface of the blade beginning at 68% axial chord. The time averaged separation zone is reduced in size by approximately 35% in the presence of unsteady wakes. Phase-locked hot-wire and PIV measurements were used to document the dynamics of this separation zone when subjected to synchronized, unsteady forcing from a spanwise row of vortex generator jets (VGJs) in addition to the unsteady wakes. The phase difference between VGJ actuation and the wake passing was optimized. Both steady state Cp and phase-locked velocity measurements confirm that the optimal combination of wakes and jets yields the smallest separation.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Singularities of Nonlinear Circuit Theory and Applications: Achievements of Professor Leon Ong Chua

Professor Leon O. Chua is globally recognized as a profound founder of modern nonlinear circuit theory and original researcher. It was my personal fortune to become one of Leon's early graduate students at the University of California, Berkeley in 1972 soon after his move to UC Berkeley from Purdue University. The Circuits and Systems faculty at that time included late professors Ernest Kuh, Charles Desoer and professors Lofti Zadeh, Elijah Jury, and Lucien Polak, among others. The Integrated Circuits faculty was consisted of late professor Donald Peterson and professor David Hodges, and their associates. Leon?s graduate research group included Robert Schilling, Douglas Green, formerly of UCLA, John Wyatt of MIT, and some years later Stephen Boyd of Stanford University, Michael Peter Kennedy of the University College Cork, Ireland, and Chai Wah Wu of IBM Yorktown Heights, NY. His brilliance and passion for research attracted many talents. For CAS Society Leon hosted the 1974 San Francisco ISCAS and served as president in 1977. I met many distinguished visitors and many of them have become life-long colleagues- to mention a few, professor Timothy Trick of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, late professor Tamas Roska from Hungary, professor Akio Ushida of Tokushima University, Japan. It is difficult to list Leon's life-long achievements in a limited space. Here I will try to describe a subset that I have had some involvement under Leon's guidance. My own research topics included modeling of nonlinear devices and systems. The world of nonlinear circuits and systems is considered broad and Leon's research strategy was to classify and investigate particular classes of nonlinear systems. Leon's first book on nonlinear network theory [1] describes specific nonlinear systems. One of projects that I was initially worked on was on development of a canonical representation of piecewise linear functions using a combination of linear functions, absolute value functions with different breakpoints and jump discontinuities as [2]
Pragmatic Variation Among Specificity Markers

This chapter examines the semantics and pragmatics of two markers of epistemic specificity: reduced indefinite this in English (Prince E, On the inferencing of indefinite-this NPs. In: Joshi A, Webber B, Sag I (eds) Elements of discourse understanding, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 231–250, 1981) and reduced odin “one” in Russian. It is shown that while the two markers have many properties in common, they are subject to subtly different pragmatic requirements. It is proposed that while indefinite this carries a felicity condition of noteworthy property (Ionin T, Nat Lang Semant 14:175–234, 2006), reduced odin carries a felicity condition of identifiability (cf. Farkas D, Varieties of indefinites. In: Jackson B (ed) Proceedings of SALT 12, Ithaca, Cornell University/CLC Publications, Ithaca, 2002b). Empirical consequences of this distinction are discussed, and crosslinguistic evidence from German and Hebrew is brought in to show that both types of felicity conditions are attested on specificity markers crosslinguistically.
Pattern Formation in Electrodeposits

Experimental results on electrodeposit patterns of CuSO4 and ZnSO4 solutions in both radial and long cells are presented. The solution is placed either between two plastic blocks (closed cell) or in a dish open to air (open cell). Many different and new patterns, including coexistence of strings and dendrites, and structure transitions in a single experimental run are found. Results from computer models, the Nittmann-Stanley model and a biased random walk model constructed by us, are presented. They compared well with some of the experimental results. Open problems are pointed out and discussed.
Distal interlocking during intramedullary nailing of the humerus.

Distal interlocking of intramedullary humeral nails with current systems is performed from either the anterior or lateral approach. To evaluate the potential complications and difficulties of the lateral approach, the author's early experience with this technique in 14 patients was reviewed. In 13 patients, distal interlocking was performing without difficulty using a nail-mounted targeting device. In 1 patient early in the series, an iatrogenic injury to the posterior antebrachial cutaneous nerve occurred and a screw missed its distal interlocking hole. No radial nerve injuries occurred. There were no malunions or nonunions. Distal interlocking using a lateral approach requires a careful open surgical technique to avoid nerve injury. In addition, the lateral cortex must be visualized to facilitate accurate drilling and screw insertion.
Unpacking Analyst Influence on Managerial Investment Decisions

This paper draws on behavioral, institutional, and agency theories to examine how security analyst pressure originates from different sources, particularly earnings forecasts and stock recommendati...
Perforated cholecystitis in a teenager with Crohn's disease

Abstract Gallbladder perforation is a rare occurrence in children. We report a case of gallbladder perforation in a 15-year-old boy with Crohn's disease currently being treated with immunosuppressive therapy and corticosteroids. He was successfully treated with percutaneous drainage and interval cholecystectomy.
Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) Monitoring Techniques in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary

ABSTRACT Various methods have been used to monitor the striped bass population in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Estuary. Sampling in the spring with towed plankton nets has provided an adequate description of spawning time and area, but this sampling has not adequately measured egg standing crops and larva and post-larva mortality rates. Tow-net sampling effectively measures the abundance of young in midsummer. A midwater-trawl survey is satisfactory for measuring the abundance of young in the fall but not in the winter. Techniques have not been fully evaluated for monitoring one-year-old bass. Catch-per-unit-effort data from sportfishing party boats were useful for monitoring two-year-olds, until a change in angling regulations increased recruitment age. The Petersen method and indices developed from party-boat catches are the best methods for monitoring bass that are three years old and older. Long-term trends in catch can be monitored through postcard surveys and party-boat catches.
An inerter-enhanced nonlinear energy sink

Abstract This short communication proposes a novel nonlinear energy sink (NES) equipped with an inerter for passive vibration control of structures and presents the results related to the performance evaluation of this device. NESs are considered to be robust and effective passive control devices that can resonate in a broadband fashion. The configuration of the proposed nonlinear energy sink-inerter (NESI) is that of a traditional NES with an inerter between the device’s physical mass and a fixed point. Through the conversion of relative translational motion to rotational motion, the inerter is capable of providing an effective mass effect to the NESI. The optimum design values of the proposed device are achieved through a numerical search and the effect of the inerter on the response of the primary structure is presented. It was found that the effectiveness of the NESI can be substantially increased, compared to the NES, by using increasingly large values of inertance. As these results can be achieved by utilizing an inerter with a small physical mass, the NESI has potential to provide similar or better structural control performance as a NES that has more physical mass.