cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An iterative algorithm for robust kernel principal component analysis

We introduce a technique to improve iterative kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) robust to outliers due to undesirable artifacts such as noises, alignment errors, or occlusion. The proposed iterative robust KPCA (rKPCA) links the iterative updating and robust estimation of principal directions. It inherits good properties from these two ideas for reducing the time complexity, space complexity, and the influence of these outliers on estimating the principal directions. In the asymptotic stability analysis, we also show that our iterative rKPCA converges to the weighted kernel principal kernel components from the batch rKPCA. Experimental results are presented to confirm that our iterative rKPCA achieves the robustness as well as time saving better than batch KPCA.
Design and fabrication of microchannel test rig for ultra-micro wave rotors

Wave rotor technology has shown a significant potential for performance improvement of thermodynamic cycles. The wave rotor is an unsteady flow machine that utilizes shock waves to transfer energy from a high energy fluid to a low energy fluid, increasing both the temperature and the pressure of the low energy fluid. At microscale, shock wave compression was shown analytically to have higher efficiency than compression by mechanical devices such as impellers or pistons. A second step in proving this superiority of shock wave compression is to design and test a microscale shock tube, which is a perfect model for one of the wave rotor channels. Last step is fabrication of a full wave rotor manufactured using traditional MEMS technology. The paper summarizes the conclusions of the analytical study, describes the details of fabrication of micro shock tube test rig and the design of the ultra-micro wave rotor (UμWR).
Use of lst elements in elastic-plastic solutions

Abstract Elastic-plastic finite element analyses using the Mises and Tresca yield conditions have become quite well-known since their introduction several years ago. Constant strain triangular (CST) elements have generally been utilized in these solutions. A 6-node linear strain triangular (LST) element with the capability of modeling partial plasticity is presented in this paper. A plane stress tensile specimen with a 90 degree notch subjected to a monotonically increasing load is solved by both the CST and LST element models within the inelastic range. It is shown that although the growth of plastic regions predicted by LST elements is smoother and more accurate when compared with those due to CST elements, there is a penalty to be paid in terms of the needed computer time. Consequently, unless very accurate strain and stress distributions are required in a specific problem, the use of CST elements in elastic-plastic analyses should be preferred.
Central and Peripheral Blockade of the Sympathetic Nervous System

Agents that work primarily by inhibiting effects of the sympathetic nervous system continue to be widely used for the therapy of hypertension. There are two principal types of drugs: those that work in the central nervous system, and those that act primarily at peripheral neuromuscular sites. Both types of drugs are often effective as single-agent therapy although they also work well in combination with diuretics and other anti hypertensive agents. Recently, there has been interest in a new transdermal method for administering the centrally-acting drug clonidine; the consistency of the plasma drug concentrations achieved by this form of treatment appears to minimize adverse effects while providing continuous therapeutic efficacy. Interest is also focusing on the ability of sympathoinhibitory agents such as alpha-methyldopa to produce regression of left ventricular hypertrophy, possibly by mechanisms independent of their anti hypertensive action.
Thrombolytic Therapy in Unstable Patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Saves Lives but Underused

Abstract Background Data are sparse and inconsistent regarding whether thrombolytic therapy reduces case fatality rate in unstable patients with acute pulmonary embolism. We tested the hypothesis that thrombolytic therapy reduces case fatality rate in such patients. Methods In-hospital all-cause case fatality rate according to treatment was determined in unstable patients with pulmonary embolism who were discharged from short-stay hospitals throughout the United States from 1999 to 2008 by using data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Unstable patients were in shock or ventilator dependent. Results Among unstable patients with pulmonary embolism, 21,390 of 72,230 (30%) received thrombolytic therapy. In-hospital all-cause case fatality rate in unstable patients with thrombolytic therapy was 3105 of 21,390 (15%) versus 23,820 of 50,840 (47%) without thrombolytic therapy ( P 0001). All-cause case fatality rate in unstable patients with thrombolytic therapy plus a vena cava filter was 505 of 6630 (7.6%) versus 4260 of 12,850 (33%) with a filter alone ( P 0001). Case fatality rate attributable to pulmonary embolism in unstable patients was 820 of 9810 (8.4%) with thrombolytic therapy versus 1080 of 2600 (42%) with no thrombolytic therapy ( P 0001). Case fatality rate attributable to pulmonary embolism in unstable patients with thrombolytic therapy plus vena cava filter was 70 of 2590 (2.7%) versus 160 of 600 (27%) with a filter alone ( P 0001). Conclusion In-hospital all-cause case fatality rate and case fatality rate attributable to pulmonary embolism in unstable patients was lower in those who received thrombolytic therapy. Thrombolytic therapy resulted in a lower case fatality rate than using vena cava filters alone, and the combination resulted in an even lower case fatality rate. Thrombolytic therapy in combination with a vena cava filter in unstable patients with acute pulmonary embolism seems indicated.
Bax345/BLyS: A novel, completely human fusion protein targeting malignant B cells and delivering a unique mitochondrial toxin

We generated a fusion protein Bax345/BLyS containing the truncated form of Bax (Bax345) at the N-terminus followed by a 218 linker to the B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS). Bax345/BLyS was cytotoxic to a panel of diffuse large B cell lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma lines expressing the BLyS receptors. Specific delivery of Bax345/BLyS to malignant B cells drove cells into apoptosis by mitochondrial dysfunction and treatment of cells with Bax345/BLyS induced down-regulation of Mcl-1, X-IAP, and survivin. Bax345/BLyS represents a new class of targeted therapeutic agents with a unique mechanism of action and may have therapeutic potential for malignant B cells.
Drought in the sertão as a natural or social phenomenon: establishing the Inspetoria Federal de Obras Contra as Secas, 1909-1923

This paper examines interpretations of the drought problem in Brazil's northeast sertao during the First Republic. It compares analysis of drought as primarily a natural or climatic phenomenon - embraced by civil engineers working for the Inspetoria [Federal] de Obras Contra as Secas (IFOCS) - with analyses emphasizing social and political conditions that made drought a crisis for the sertanejo poor. The latter are evident in the report of doctors Belisario Penna and Artur Neiva describing their expedition through the sertao sponsored by IFOCS in 1912. This comparison allows for consideration of the intersection between natural (geographic, climatic) and social (political, cultural) factors that produced the region's periodic crisis. The analysis is informed by the work of social scientists who highlight the multi-dimensional causes underlying natural disasters in politically marginal communities. Technocrats' faith in the context-independent utility of their expertise lay at the heart of IFOCS's ultimate failure to rescue sertanejos from famine, migration and poverty. Because the drought agency's technical personnel never had the political will or muscle to confront the social organization underlying the sertao's recurrent calamity, their ability to alleviate the human suffering that droughts precipitated was severely limited.
Outcomes of the Fifth International Conference on Pediatric Mechanical Circulatory Support Systems & Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Perfusion.

The overall objective of the Conference was to bring together internationally know clinicians, bioengineers, and basic scientists involved in research on pediatric mechanical cardiac support systems and pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass procedures. The primary focus was to explicitly describe the problems with current pediatric mechanical circulatory support systems, methods, and techniques during acute and chronic support. The organizers were able to bring together respected international scholars from over 25 different countries at past conferences that has already made a significant impact on the treatment of pediatric cardiac patients during the past three years. Over 1,300 participants (250–300 participants each year) from many countries, including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, have participated in the 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 events. To date, The Fifth International Conference on Pediatric Mechanical Circulatory Support Systems and Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Perfusion is the only conference solely dedicated to pediatric cardiac devices used during acute and chronic mechanical circulatory support. There is no other national or international conference to precisely define the problems with pediatric cardiac patients, and to suggest solutions with new methodologies and devices for pediatric patients, but specifically for neonates and infants.
The effects of maternal nicotine absorption or hypoxic episodes upon appetitive behavior of rat offspring

Offspring of rats which had received either daily nicotine injections or hypoxic episodes throughout gestation were tested at adulthood on various appetitive schedules in a double-bar Foringer chamber. The hypoxic offspring and the offspring whose mothers had received nicotine throughout gestation and the nursing period performed more poorly on fixed-ratio, variable interval discrimination, and discrimination reversal schedules. Possible explanatory hypotheses are discussed.
Photolithographic patterning of vacuum-deposited organic light emitting devices

We demonstrate a photolithographic technique to fabricate vacuum-deposited organic light emitting devices. Photoresist liftoff combined with vertical deposition of the emissive organic materials and the metal cathode, followed by oblique deposition of a metal cap, avoids the use of high processing temperatures and the exposure of the organic materials to chemical degradation. The unpackaged devices show no sign of deterioration in room ambient when compared with conventional devices fabricated using low-resolution, shadow mask patterning. Furthermore, the devices are resistant to rapid degradation when operated in air for extended periods. This work illustrates a potential foundation for the volume production of very high-resolution, full color, flat panel displays based on small molecular weight organic light emitting devices.
Disorganized, Unilateral, and Participative Organizations: New Insights from the Ethnographic Literature

Disorganized workplaces are often overlooked in contemporary models of the workplace. Contemporary accounts more typically analyze organizations in terms of tight management control or in terms of participative workplace models. This article examines 109 organizational ethnographies describing a wide range of workplaces, including many poorly run and disorganized (“anomic”) workplaces. Such workplaces evidence high levels of worker resistance. In contrast, participative workplaces evidence high levels of citizenship behaviors. Unilateral or “top-down” organizations are expected to encourage accommodation behaviors, but this hypothesis is not supported. Instead, both accommodation and resistance are highest in disorganized workplaces. The continuing importance of disorganized workplaces—workplaces that provoke strong worker resistance—represents an unmet challenge to organizational theory and practice.
Ethical Judgments in Business Ethics Research: Definition, and Research Agenda.

Decades of empirical and theoretical research has produced an extensive literature on the ethical judgments construct. Given its importance to understanding people’s ethical choices, future research should explore the psychological processes that produce ethical judgments. In this paper, the authors discuss two steps needed to advance this effort. First, they note that the business ethics literature lacks a single, generally accepted definition of ethical judgments. After reviewing several extant definitions, the authors offer a definition of the construct and discuss its advantages. Second, future ethical judgment research would benefit from greater integration between theories of ethical decision making and theories of social cognition. Drawing upon the Hunt–Vitell (Journal of Macromarketing 6(Spring), 5–15, 1986; In: N. C. Smith and J. A. Quelch (eds.), Ethics in Marketing. Irwin, Homewood, IL, pp. 775–784, 1992) model and the heuristic-systematic model (Chaiken, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 39(November), 752–766, 1980), the authors present a brief research agenda intended to stimulate research on the psychological processes behind ethical judgments.
Defect microstructures in NiO scales and Ni/NiO interfaces

Abstract The defect microstructure of NiO scales, formed by oxidation of pure Ni substrates at 1275 K in 3 kPa p(O2) for times between 5 s and 25 h, has been studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of sections cut and thinned parallel and transverse to the NiO/Ni interface. It has proven possible in both sectioning techniques to preserve portions of the Ni substrate, so that the NiO/Ni interface itself could be studied. The NiO/oxygen interface was additionally retained in transverse sections by electroplating a Ni layer onto the NiO scale surface before sectioning and thinning by argon ion bombardment. The microstructure of scales invariably comprises a submicron layer of fine-grained NiO topotactically related to the substrate in several orientation relationships and overlaid by thick columnar-grained oxide resulting from subsequent renucleation and competitive growth. Enhanced oxidation is observed at the emergence of NiO grain boundaries at the scale surface. Interface structure is observed ...
Characterization of electroencephalographic and biochemical responses at 5-HT promoting drug-induced onset of serotonin syndrome in rats

Many psychotropic substances used either for medications or illicit recreational purposes are able to produce an increase in extracellular serotonin (5HT) in the CNS. 5HT is well known to improve mood; however, only when the levels of its release are in an appropriate range. Excessive 5HT is harmful, and will generally result in serotonin syndrome. To date, clinical diagnosis of serotonin syndrome relies exclusively on observation of symptoms because of a lack of available laboratory tests. The goal of this study was to characterize the onset of the syndrome using laboratory settings to determine excessive 5HT-evoked neurological abnormalities. Experiments were carried out in rats with the syndrome being elicited by three groups of 5HT-promoting drugs: (i) (±)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA); (ii) a combination of the monoamine oxidase inhibitor clorgyline with the 5HT precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan; (iii) clorgyline combined with the serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor paroxetine. The onset of the syndrome was characterized by electroencephalography (EEG), tremor, and brain/plasma 5HT tests. We found that a mild syndrome was associated with reduced EEG amplitudes while a severe syndrome strongly with seizure-like EEG activity and increased tremor activity. The occurrence of the syndrome was confirmed with microdialysis, showing excessive 5HT efflux in brain dialysate and the increased concentration of unbound 5HT in the plasma. Our findings suggest that the syndrome onset can be revealed with EEG recording, measurements of tremor activity and changes of unbound 5HT concentration in the plasma.
Planetary boundaries: Rethinking biodiversity

A boundary that expresses the probability of families of species disappearing over time would better reflect our potential impacts on the future of life on Earth.
How Do Trait Dimensions Map onto ADHD Symptom Domains

Theories of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) implicate dysfunctional regulation mechanisms that have been conceptually grouped into “top-down” control and “bottom-up” affective/reactive processes. This dual-process account can be invoked in relation to temperament or personality traits and may clarify how traits relate to ADHD. Two samples were examined to illuminate developmental effects. The younger sample was 179 youngsters aged 7 to 12 years (113 boys; 107 with ADHD). The older sample was 184 adolescents (109 boys; 87 with ADHD) aged 13 to 18 years. Structural equation models included parent-rated traits, teacher-rated ADHD symptoms, and laboratory-obtained executive functions. A control or “top-down” factor included cognitive control and conscientiousness/effortful control. A second factor labeled affective or “bottom-up” included neuroticism/negative emotionality, agreeableness, and reactive control. In the younger sample, these two factors were differentially and specifically related to inattention and hyperactivity, respectively. However, in the older sample, the first factor was related to inattention and hyperactivity, whereas the second factor was related to hyperactivity. Personality traits appear to map onto ADHD symptoms in a meaningful manner consistent with a dual-process model of temperament and ADHD.
On the average number of nodes in a subtree of a tree

Abstract For any tree T (labelled, not rooted) of order n , it will be shown that the average number of nodes in a subtree of T is at least (n + 2) 3 , with this minimum achieved iff T is a path. For T rooted, the average number of nodes in a subtree containing the root is at least (n + 1) 2 and always exceeds the average over all unrooted subtrees. For the maximum mean, examples show that there are arbitrarily large trees in which the average subtree contains essentially all of the nodes. The mean subtree order as a function on trees is also shown to be monotone with respect to inclusion.
Oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate for preanaesthetic medication of paediatric cardiac surgery patients

The safety and efficacy of oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate (OTFC) as a preanaesthetic medication were evaluated in 42 children aged two to twelve years scheduled to undergo general anaesthesia for open cardiac surgery. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo lozenge or a lozenge of 15-20 micrograms.kg-1) OTFC 45 min preoperatively and were managed in a double-blinded manner. Heart rate, respiratory rate (RR), blood pressure, and digital pulse oximetry (SpO2) were monitored throughout the study. Scoring systems were utilized to evaluate sedation, anxiety, cooperation, and ease and quality of parental separation and anaesthetic induction. Adverse effects were noted. Preoperatively, sedation was observed in both groups, but children receiving OTFC had significantly less distress at time of separation from parents. Clinically significant less distress at and SpO2 were observed more frequently in children in the OTFC group than in the placebo group. The authors conclude that, in paediatric cardiac surgical patients, OTFC induces preoperative sedation and facilitates separation of the patients from their parents, but is associated with decreases in respiratory rate and SpO2 that may be of clinical importance.
Reflex modification: a method for assessing cutaneous dysfunction.

A brief and innocuous electrocutaneous stimulus applied to the lip or to the fingers altered the amplitude of reflexive eyeblinks elicited by a more intense stimulus to the forehead. The effectiveness of the initial stimulus was determined by its lead time—increasing to a maximum and then declining with an increase in the interval between the two stimuli—and by its intensity—steadily increasing with an increase in stimulus voltage. At both sites, lip and fingers, the intensities of the stimuli that approximated the sensory detection threshold (determined by a conventional method of limits) had reliable inhibitory effects on the response to the subsequent eliciting stimulus. The sensitivity of the reflex modification process to relatively weak stimuli suggested the potential value of these procedures for the objective evaluation of cutaneous loss and paresthesia. An example is provided in the history of a case in which two of three fingers that had been amputated were replanted. Ten weeks later, a test revealed that stimulation delivered to an injured finger had lost the inhibitory control it normally exerts on an intact finger.
Retail marketing: From distribution to integration

Abstract Retailing represents the culmination of the marketing process, the contact point between consumers and manufacture products, marketing communications and customer service. This paper reviews the research on retail marketing that has appeared in the academic literature in the last several years. The review will address the revolutionary changes occurring in retailing today brought on by the availability of purchase transaction databases and new forms of marketing communications. The author suggests a reorientation of the role of retailers away from the prevailing focus on distribution toward an emphasis on integrated communications and the management of customer relationships. Research on many aspects of both store and nonstore retailing are discussed in terms of this orientation.
Architecture of the San Francisco frameworks

The San FranciscoTM project is an IBM initiative, with over 130 independent software vendors, to provide business process components that can form the basis of rapidly developed distributed solutions for mission-critical business applications. This paper describes the original objectives of the San Francisco project and discusses the methodology, skills, and architecture that were used to achieve those objectives. The paper includes discussion of the importance of design patterns, extension points, and a well-defined programming model used in the San Francisco components. Most topics are touched on briefly to give an overview; some knowledge of object-oriented development techniques is assumed.
A Theory of the Trial

Acknowledgments IX Introduction 3 I. The Received View of the Trial 10 II. The Trial's Linguistic Practices 34 III. The Trial's Constitutive Rules 73 IV. An Interpretation from One Trial 103 V. The Trial's Most Basic Features and Some Observed Consequences 124 VI. Thinking What We Do 155 VII. The Two Sides of the Trial Event 183 VIII. The Truth of Verdicts 220
[Comment on “Should Memphis build for California's earthquakes?”] from A.D. Frankel

Seth Stein et al. [2003] argue that the city of Memphis, Tennessee should not adopt the seismic design provisions of the new International Building Code (IBC), which are based on the national seismic hazard maps produced by the US.Geological Survey [Frankel et al., 1996; Frankel et al., 2000]. They contend that the USGS national seismic hazard maps overestimate the earthquake hazard from the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) in the central United States. As project chief for the USGS national seismic hazard maps, I think that constructive criticism is always useful. However, Stein et al. [2003] do not present any valid scientific reason why they think the ground motion values in the USGS maps are too high. They also ignore important scientific research that has been conducted over the past 20 years on earthquakes and ground motions in intra-plate areas, research that is included in the USGS maps. They do not mention the extensive consensus process among scientific experts involved in developing the USGS hazard maps, as well as the elaborate consensus and vetting process among engineers in the decisions made in constructing the IBC design maps from the hazard maps. They also present a cost-benefit analysis to argue against adopting the IBC. I contend that their cost-benefit analysis is unrealistic.
Vibration characteristics of shear loaded post-buckled aluminum panels

Structural buckling can lead to failure, but beyond the initial onset of buckling there exists a stable region within which there may be no material damage, the structure retains the load carrying capacity, and can recover fully elastically when unloaded. Reclaiming this region as valid design space requires the full understanding of changes in the structure that take place in this post buckled region that precede failure. In addition, there is also a critical need for a monitoring technique that can measure the extent of excursion of a given structural element into the post buckled region and ensure that there is sufficient margin of safety. Such a monitoring technique based on vibration characteristics of buckled structures is proposed in this paper. In this research, to determine the feasibility of such an approach, the natural frequencies and mode shapes of an aluminum shear panel were monitored while the panel was undergoing different levels of buckling under uniform edge shear. The changes seen in frequencies and mode shapes were found to a measure indicative of the level of buckling deformation.
Legacy perceptions among host and non-host Olympic Games residents: a longitudinal study of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games

Abstract This study examined host and non-host residents' legacy perceptions of the Olympic Games utilizing social exchange theory. The importance and legacy outcome evaluation relative to residents' quality of life six months prior, during, and six months after the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games were evaluated. Data were collected using a telephone survey from a sample of residents living in Vancouver and Ottawa, Canada. Results revealed environmental legacies as the most important across cities and over time followed by economic and socio-cultural legacies. During the event and six months after the event, residents in both cities and over time evaluated tourism, socio-cultural, and psychological legacies as satisfactory, while expected economic legacies were not satisfactory. Psychological legacies were valued mostly during and post-event. The study's theoretical implications involve the differential weight of legacy outcomes for host and non-host residents and the dynamic processes involved in the evalua...
Directive-based GPU programming for computational fluid dynamics

Abstract Directive-based programming of graphics processing units (GPUs) has recently appeared as a viable alternative to using specialized low-level languages such as CUDA C and OpenCL for general-purpose GPU programming. This technique, which uses “directive” or “pragma” statements to annotate source codes written in traditional high-level languages, is designed to permit a unified code base to serve multiple computational platforms. In this work we analyze the popular OpenACC programming standard, as implemented by the PGI compiler suite, in order to evaluate its utility and performance potential in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) applications. We examine the process of applying the OpenACC Fortran API to a test CFD code that serves as a proxy for a full-scale research code developed at Virginia Tech; this test code is used to asses the performance improvements attainable for our CFD algorithm on common GPU platforms, as well as to determine the modifications that must be made to the original source code in order to run efficiently on the GPU. Performance is measured on several recent GPU architectures from NVIDIA and AMD (using both double and single precision arithmetic) and the accelerator code is benchmarked against a multithreaded CPU version constructed from the same Fortran source code using OpenMP directives. A single NVIDIA Kepler GPU card is found to perform approximately 20× faster than a single CPU core and more than 2× faster than a 16-core Xeon server. An analysis of optimization techniques for OpenACC reveals cases in which manual intervention by the programmer can improve accelerator performance by up to 30% over the default compiler heuristics, although these optimizations are relevant only for specific platforms. Additionally, the use of multiple accelerators with OpenACC is investigated, including an experimental high-level interface for multi-GPU programming that automates scheduling tasks across multiple devices. While the overall performance of the OpenACC code is found to be satisfactory, we also observe some significant limitations and restrictions imposed by the OpenACC API regarding certain useful features of modern Fortran (2003/8); these are sufficient for us to conclude that it would not be practical to apply OpenACC to our full research code at this time due to the amount of refactoring required.
Prominent Forehead Hematomas (“Goose-Eggs”) as an Initial Manifestation of Hemophilia

Prominent forehead hematomas, "goose-eggs," may suggest an underlying disorder of coagulation. We reviewed records of 324 children with hemophilia and confirmed that a goose-egg was the presenting feature leading to a diagnosis of hemophilia in 14 of them. Primary care providers should be aware of this unique presentation of hemophilia.
Notes on Spread-Spectrum History

This paper presents additional historical information relating to the spread-spectrum history described in [1]. Included here are ties with speech scrambling technology, wide-band matched filter design, stimulus of the WHYN system design by British research, ITT's efforts to protect vital information during World War II, and other miscellaneous notes and references.
Avoidance of selenium-treated food by mallards

Adult, male mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) were given a choice between a control diet and a diet containing 5, 10 or 20 ppm selenium as selenomethionine dissolved in water and mixed into the diet. At 10 and 20 ppm, selenium-treated diets were avoided. Avoidance appeared to be caused by a conditioned response, probably to illness caused by the selenium and not to an aversion to the taste of the selenium.
Low Cost RF Receiver Parameter Measurement with On-Chip Amplitude Detectors

This paper describes the theory and chip measurements of a built-in test technique for RF receivers which uses simple RF amplitude detectors. The method has been used to measure the performance parameters of a 940 MHz RF receiver front-end with a mixer and LNA. The detector has small area overhead with low frequency output. The sampled output waveform is analyzed using an FFT, and the low frequency measurements are used to deduce the conversion gain and Third Order Intercept point (TOI, IIP3) of the receiver. A test chip was fabricated in a commercial 0.18 mum CMOS process. By using two detectors, both the system performance and specifications of discrete components have been accurately measured. Measurement results show accurate prediction of system and component specifications.
Character recognition using class 2 dynamical systems

The author introduces the theory of pattern recognition using class 2 dynamical systems. In particular, the theory of fractal learning is considered, and fractal learning theory is applied to character recognition. Fractal image encoding, that is storing image in stable configurations of dynamical systems, is discussed. Image encoding and decoding algorithms are presented. Several types of fractal equations and their solution are also discussed. Some primary results of fractal learning are demonstrated. >
Cost-distortion optimized streaming media over DiffServ networks

We address the problem of multimedia streaming over DiffServ networks that offer various qualities of service (QoS) at different price points. In particular, we seek cost-distortion optimized transmission policies that minimize the distortion seen by the client under a cost constraint. Our results show that for on-demand streaming of stored media, DiffServ networks provide little or no gain over networks that offers only a single, cost-effective, QoS. However, for real-time conversational communication or multicast streaming, optimized transmission over DiffServ networks can perform better than optimized transmission over any single QoS by over 2 dB at the same cost.
Optimization of the HBT and bump configuration for bump heat sink structure and application to HBT power MMICs

Abstract Suitable HBT and bump configuration for the BHS (Bump Heat Sink) structure are experimentally investigated. The best results in terms of thermal and electrical characteristics is obtained from the combination of a single emitter finger and an “H” shaped bump. Power HBTs are demonstrated with typical power added efficiencies ηadd of 70% at 8.0 W and a linear power vs transistor size relation up to 10 W at 0.9 GHz CW with Vcc = 6 V, using the optimized structure. A three-stage HBT MMIC power amplifier and a power amplifier module for GSM class 4 are demonstrated with ηadd of 53% at 5.0 W, for Vcc = 6 V CW operation, also using the optimized structure.
Using grid based feature localization for fast image matching

This paper presents a new model fitting approach to classify tentative feature matches as inliers or outliers during wide baseline image matching. The results show this approach increases the efficiency over traditional approaches (e.g. RANSAC) and other recently published approaches. During wide baseline image matching a feature matching algorithm generates a set of tentative matches. Our approach then classifies matches as inliers or outliers by determining if the matches are consistent with an affine model. In image pairs related by an affine transformation the ratios of areas of corresponding shapes is invariant. Our approach uses this invariant by sampling matches in a local region. Triangles are then formed from the matches and the ratios of areas of corresponding triangles are computed. If the resulting ratios of areas are consistent, then the sampled matches are classified as inliers. The resulting reduced inlier set is then processed through a model fitting step to generate the final set of inliers. In this paper we present experimental results comparing our approach to traditional model fitting and other affine based approaches. The results show the new method maintains the accuracy of other approaches while significantly increasing the efficiency of wide baseline matching for planar scenes.
Semiparametric modeling of repeated measurements under outcome-dependent follow-up

In regression analysis of repeated measurements that are taken at subject-specific times, the availability of the outcome data may be related to the past outcome and to other measured variables that are not in the intended regression model. In this paper we propose a natural extension of the semiparametric regression procedure of Lin and Ying (J. Am. Stat. Assoc. 2001; 96:103-126) by building a class of 'inverse-intensity-rate-ratio' weighted estimators that accommodate such outcome-dependent follow-up. The estimators have a closed form, are radicaln-consistent, asymptotically normal, and do not require estimation of any infinite-dimensional parameters. We give several simulations to demonstrate the estimator's performance and show a sensitivity study under follow-up with various degrees of dependence on outcome-related variables. We illustrate our approach using data from a randomized health services research study with noncompliance to scheduled visits.
Lower bounds for randomized read/write stream algorithms

Motivated by the capabilities of modern storage architectures, we consider the following generalization of the data stream model where the algorithm has sequential access to multiple streams. Unlike the data stream model, where the stream is read only, in this new model (introduced in [8,9]) the algorithms can also write onto streams. There is no limit on the size of the streams but the number of passes made on the streams is restricted. On the other hand, the amount of internal memory used by the algorithm is scarce, similar to data stream model.We resolve the main open problem in [7] of proving lower bounds in this model for algorithms that are allowed to have 2-sided error. Previously, such lower bounds were shown only for deterministic and 1-sided error randomized algorithms [9,7]. We consider the classical set disjointness problemthat has proved to be invaluable for deriving lower bounds for many other problems involving data streams and other randomized models of computation. For this problem, we show a near-linear lower bound on the size of the internal memory used by a randomized algorithm with 2-sided error that is allowed to have o(log N/log log N) passes over the streams. This bound is almost optimal sincethere is a simple algorithm that can solve this problem using logarithmic memory if the number of passes over the streams.Applications include near-linear lower bounds onthe internal memory for well-known problems in the literature:(1) approximately counting the number of distinct elements in the input (F0);(2) approximating the frequency of the mod of an input sequence(F*∞);(3) computing the join of two relations; and (4) deciding if some node of an XML document matches an XQuery (or XPath) query. Our techniques involve a novel direct-sum type of argument that yields lower bounds for many other problems. Our results asymptotically improve previously known bounds for any problem even in deterministic and 1-sided error models of computation.
Architecture and gating of Hv1 proton channels

Voltage-gated proton channels have been described in different cells and organisms since the early ’80s, but the first member of the family, Hv1, was cloned only recently. The Hv1 channel was found to contain a voltage-sensing domain (VSD), similar to those of voltage-gated sodium, potassium and calcium channels. All these other channels also contain a pore domain, which forms a central pore at the interface of the four subunits. The pore domain is missing in Hv1. This raised several questions on the location of the proton pore and on the mechanism of gating. Here, we briefly review our effort to understand the structural organization of Hv1 channels and discuss the relationship between the gating of Hv1 and the gating of ion-conducting pores recently discovered in the VSDs of mutant voltage-gated potassium and sodium channels.
Band-aid solutions to the dental access crisis: Conceptually flawed--a response to Dr. David H. Smith.

Though laudable, “band-aid solutions” are inadequate to solve dental access problems. By nature, such efforts are provider-driven and not designed to match the needs of underserved populations. They do not empower patients, families, or communities or provide for ongoing care. Band-aid solutions do not ensure a workforce with the capacity or geographic distribution to meet the needs of the underserved. Neither do such solutions address systemic issues such as lack of dental insurance or the need to prioritize prevention. Such solutions do not engage other health professionals in promoting oral health. Furthermore, such solutions maintain the prevailing viewpoint that dental volunteer efforts are all that is required of the dental profession; they fail to acknowledge that a response is mandated by the social contract between dentistry and society. Finally, such an approach fails to recognize the complexity of health disparities and the broad solutions that must be advanced. In the case of children, it is possible to outline an approach to defining a basic standard of oral health care and to argue that all children should receive such care. Band-aid solutions could never ensure a population-wide distribution of care and hence are not morally defensible.
Switching Cognitive Gears: From Habits of Mind to Active Thinking

The phrase "switching cognitive gears" is used to call attention to the fact that cognitive functioning involves the capacity to shift between cognitive modes, from automatic processing to conscious engagement and back again. Effectiveness may be as much a function of an actor's capacity to sense when a switch is appropriate, as to process in one or another mode. In this paper the authors develop a perspective on the switch from automatic to active thinking and the conditions that provoke it. They apply the perspective to work settings and identify types of situations in which actors are expected to switch from habits of mind to active thinking. They propose further work to develop a framework for understanding the switch from active thinking to automatic.
Nucleosome Unfolding during DNA Repair in Normal and Xeroderma Pigmentosum (Group C) Human Cells

Abstract The fate of nucleosomes during nucleotide excision repair is unclear. We have used organomercurial chromatography to capture accessible thiol groups of proteins at (or near) nascent repair sites in normal and xeroderma pigmentosum (group C) human cells. The reactive groups include cysteine 110 of histone H3, which is exposed in unfolded nucleosomes. Immediately after UV irradiation and a short pulse labeling of repair patches, intact nuclei were digested with restriction enzymes to release ∼18% of the chromatin into soluble fragments, which are enriched (∼4-fold) in a constitutively transcribed gene. Upon organomercurial affinity fractionation, ∼1.8% of the soluble chromatin remains bound in high salt (0.5m NaCl) and is released with dithiothreitol. In normal cell chromatin, this fraction is enriched in nascent repair patches (1.5–1.8-fold) over the unbound fraction. This enrichment decreases following short chase periods with a time course similar to the loss of enhanced nuclease sensitivity of these regions (t ½ ≈ 30 min). Much less enrichment of nascent repair patches is observed in the thiol-reactive fraction from XPC cells, which repair primarily the transcribed strand of active genes. These results suggest that transient nucleosome unfolding occurs during nucleotide excision repair in normal human cells, and this unfolding may require the XPC protein.
The Queen's Hand: Power and Authority in the Reign of Berenguela of Castile. By Janna Bianchini. (Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2012. Pp. ix, 350. $69.95.)

This biography of Berenguela of Castile is a welcome addition to the study of medieval women. Using chronicles and charts as her primary sources of information, Janna Bianchini examines the politic...
The most used and most helpful facilitators for patient-centered medical home implementation

Like other transformative healthcare initiatives, patient-centered medical home (PCMH) implementation requires substantial investments of time and resources. Even though PCMH and PCMH-like models are being implemented by multiple provider practices and health systems, little is known about what facilitates their implementation. The purpose of this study was to assess which PCMH-implementation resources are most widely used, by whom, and which resources primary care personnel find most helpful. This study is an analysis of data from a cross-sectional survey of primary care personnel in the Veterans Health Administration in 2012, in which respondents were asked to rate whether they were aware of and accessed PCMH-implementation resources, and to rate their helpfulness. Logistic regression was used to produce odds ratios for the outcomes (1) resource use and (2) resource helpfulness. Respondents were nested within clinics, nested, in turn, within 135 parent hospitals. Teamlet huddles were the most widely accessed (80.4% accessed) and most helpful (90.4% rated helpful) resource; quality-improvement methods to conduct small tests of change were the least frequently accessed (42.4% accessed) resource though two-thirds (66.7%) of users reported as helpful. Supervisors were significantly more likely (ORs, 1.46 to 1.86) to use resources than non-supervisors but were less likely to rate the majority (8 out of 10) of resources as “somewhat/very helpful” than non-supervisors (ORs, 0.72 to 0.84). Longer-tenured employees tended to rate resources as more helpful. These findings are the first in the PCMH literature that we are aware of that systematically assesses primary care staff’s access to and the helpfulness of PCMH implementation resources. Supervisors generally reported greater access to resources, relative to non-supervisors, but rated resources as less helpful, suggesting that information about them may not have been optimally disseminated. Knowing what resources primary care staff use and find helpful can inform administrators’ and policymakers’ investments in PCMH-implementation resources. The implications of our model extend beyond just PCMH implementation but also to considerations when providing implementation resources for other complex quality-improvement initiatives.
Consumer Evaluations of Competing Brands: Perceptual versus Predictive Validity

This study applies the concepts of consumer predictive and confidence values of information to consumer evaluations of food quality. Examining hypothetical findings from a thought experiment, the study offers advances in cue utilization, predictive validity, and achievement of consumer's perceived quality and actual quality. Separately, metrics for these concepts were applied in a consumer product-quality evaluation study of three brands of peanut butter. Actual quality was operationally defined in terms of Consumers Union ratings of the peanut butter. Using a between-groups, posttest only experimental design, female graduate students (n = 98) tasted and rated one of three peanut butters on the basis of quality and nine product attributes. These informants received no knowledge of brand names or comparative qualities prior to the test. The analysis indicates a nonsignificant correlation between actual quality of the brands and quality as perceived by the informants. The major cues used by informants in making their qualitative judgments (cue utilization) differed from the significant dimensions associated with actual quality (predictive validity). The findings inform the suggestion for consumer training in the process of making accurate quality evaluations.
A low-frequency oscillator using PTC and NTC thermistors

A mathematical model and analysis method for discrete parameter thermistor networks are developed. Methods for predicting the static conditions and the stability and sensitivity of the equilibrium points are given. The dynamic behavior is discussed using numerical analysis methods. Experimental results have been obtained to verify the analysis methods for the case of oscillatory behavior. The analysis method is then used to predict the behavior of the oscillator as the applied voltage, thermal capacitance, dissipation factor, and ambient temperature are varied. It is concluded that the mathematical model and analysis methods predict the behavior of the discrete parameter thermistor networks. The temperature gradients in the elements in still air appear to be negligible, but caution must be used in applying the methods to those networks where the temperature gradients may not be negligible.