cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structured Exploratory Data Analysis Applied to Mode of Inheritance

Publisher Summary The assessment of mode of inheritance is paramount for understanding the familial aggregation of a trait. Related individuals might express similar phenotypes because of a common genetic constitution or because of the transmission and sharing of cultural and environmental factors, or the similarity might be the result of interactions among these forces. The principal theoretical models of inheritance of quantitative traits are: (1) the trait expression is because of segregation at a single locus or a few major loci; (2) the variation in the trait values results from a blend of many approximately equal small genetic effects plus a myriad of environmental perturbations; (3) the trait expression reflects a combination of major gene and multifactorial components; and (4) the trait values behave as in sporadic models, which are special limiting cases where no transmission takes place between parents and offspring or among siblings and thus serve to portray purely random environmental effects.
Meaning without consequence: virtue ethics and inconsequential choices in games

Video games can create ethical experiences and encourage ethical reflection in their players. Usually, this potential is understood in the context of the results or consequences of a player's actions and decisions. For example, choosing whether to save some innocent people instead of rescuing a player character's friend or lover. We use virtue ethics as a lens for examining what meaningful choices in games are actually like. We explore these insights by examining The Walking Dead Season 2's choice system as it relates to characterization, Mass Effect 2's binary morality system and its effect on the outcome of the narrative, and Life is Strange's use of player choice as a tool of expression. Although these games have often been criticized for providing inconsequential choices that don't significantly affect the outcome or ending, we argue that-when viewed from a virtue ethics perspective---the choices afforded the player are significant, impactful, and more importantly meaningful. We conclude by outlining future research questions and discussing some challenges and limitations of this perspective.
A systematic review of requirement traceability techniques and tools

Requirement Traceability (RT) is a significant method to analyze the effect of changes among various software development lifecycle artifacts. The RT not only improve the change management process but also assure the correctness and quality of the entire system. Although several RT techniques and models have been proposed by the researches, no research study is available yet to the best of our knowledge that analyze and summarize the latest RT developments. Therefore, in this article, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is performed to recognize 33 studies (2010–2017) in the area of RT. This leads to identify 7 models, 10 challenges and 14 tools. Subsequently, a comprehensive analysis of models and tools is presented. The findings of this study are highly valuable for the practitioners and researchers of the domain.
Health reform in the USA

The United States of America passed early this year the bill enforcing their health reform. this reform aims at achieving universal insurance, cost containment and improving quality of care. The debate around this reform has been long and unable to arrive to an agreement between the parts. Even if the expansion in the medical coverage system does not reduce to zero the current degree of inaccessibility to the health system, these achievements could be considered a very important first step. Nonetheless, chances are that this reform will continue being as polemic as the negotiations previous to its conception.
Interferon and Macrophages

Interferons are proteins, produced by a variety of cell types, which were originally of interest for their ability to induce in cells a state of resistance to viral replication. Characteristically, interferons are relatively specific for cells of the animal species from which the interferon is made, but are nonspecific with respect to viruses. There are at least three molecular species of interferons (Table 1) defined by physicochemical and immunological characteristics, and reviews concerning their comparative biology have been published (Epstein, 1979, 1981, 1984; Wiranowska-Stewart et al., 1980; Epstein et al, 1981).
COPI: mechanisms and transport roles

Coat protein I (COPI) is considered one of the best characterized coat complexes, which represent the core machinery by which vesicle formation and cargo sorting are coupled to initiate vesicular transport (Bonifacino and Lippincott-Schwartz 2003; McMahon and Mills 2004). Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which COPI acts and the transport path- ways in which it operates has evolved significantly over the years, and with considerable accompanying controversy. These aspects of COPI research will be reviewed. See also Fig. 1 for a timeline that summarizes its key discoveries.
Shrub Willow (Salix) Biomass Crop Performance on Five Sites Over Two Rotations in Michigan, USA and the Implications of Adequate Field Testing to Commercial Producers

Fifteen varieties of willow (Salix) hybrids were observed in a replicated study on five diverse sites in Michigan during the establishment year and over two subsequent 3-year rotations. Sixty-one percent of the total variation in yield observed was due to environmental factors, 11% was due to genetic factors, and the remainder was unexplained. Biomass yield over 6 years ranged from 50.5 oven-dry Mg ha−1 at one site to 22.9 oven-dry Mg ha−1 at another. Warmer and wetter sites tended to produce more biomass than colder drier sites, but correlations between yield and other edaphic and climatic factors were less clear. High-yielding varieties tended to be taller, but survival and number of stems per stool were uncorrelated with yield. A cohort of elite varieties selected based on test-wide performance produced up to 26% more biomass than randomly chosen varieties. Cohorts of elite varieties selected based on performance in local tests did better, producing up to 31% more biomass than randomly chosen varieties. Because of ranking changes, selections made after two rotations outperformed those made after only one rotation by as much as 9%. Adequately tested planting stock has the potential to increase the financial return to a willow energy farmer by nearly $100 ha−1 year−1. This will multiply rapidly as willow is planted on some of the 700 million hectares of retired cropland in the USA. The nominal cost of breeding and field testing willow energy crops can be easily justified as we proceed to the envisioned billion-ton bioeconomy.
Black, white, or green? The effects of racial composition and socioeconomic status on neighborhood-level tobacco outlet density

Objective: To compare predominantly-Black and predominantly-White Maryland areas with similar socioeconomic status to examine the role of both race and socioeconomic status on tobacco outlet availa...
Validity Evidence for a State-Specific Assessment of In-Session Counselor Empathy: The State-Empathic Concern Scale

AbstractMany researchers assessing counselor empathy have inferred state-specific counselor empathy in a counseling session using trait empathy assessments. This article introduces the State-Empath...
Models of spike encoding and their use in the interpretation of motor unit recordings in man.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the postsynaptic mechanisms and their effects on the relation among synaptic inputs and on firing rate. Three different locations within the motoneuron that influence this transformation are highlighted: (1) the dendrites, (2) the soma, and (3) the initial segment and axon hillock. Evoked or spontaneous activity in excitatory pre-synaptic fibers leads to transmitter release from their terminals (symbolized by the open triangle contacting the dendritic cable) and a portion of the current flowing through the ligand-gated channels reaches the soma. Spread of the current from the soma to the adjacent spike initiation zone increases the probability of spike initiation, which is reflected as a peak in the peri-stimulus time histogram (PSTH). The vast majority of synaptic contacts are found on the dendrites, as they account for over 90% of the surface area of motoneurons. Thus, factors that affect the transfer of synaptic current from a dendritic site to the soma will alter the effect of the synaptic input on motoneuron discharge behavior.
Selenium Accumulation, Speciation and Localization in Brazil Nuts (Bertholletia excelsa H.B.K.).

More than a billion people worldwide may be selenium (Se) deficient, and supplementation with Se-rich Brazil nuts may be a good strategy to prevent deficiency. Since different forms of Se have different nutritional value, and Se is toxic at elevated levels, careful seed characterization is important. Variation in Se concentration and correlations of this element with other nutrients were found in two batches of commercially available nuts. Selenium tissue localization and speciation were further determined. Mean Se levels were between 28 and 49 mg kg−1, with up to 8-fold seed-to-seed variation (n = 13) within batches. Brazil nut Se was mainly in organic form. While present throughout the seed, Se was most concentrated in a ring 1 to 2 mm below the surface. While healthy, Brazil nuts should be consumed in moderation. Consumption of one seed (5 g) from a high-Se area meets its recommended daily allowance; the recommended serving size of 30 g may exceed the allowable daily intake (400 μg) or even its toxicity threshold (1200 μg). Based on these findings, the recommended serving size may be re-evaluated, consumers should be warned not to exceed the serving size and the seed may be sold as part of mixed nuts, to avoid excess Se intake.
Voices of madness in Foucault and Kierkegaard

The central idea of this paper is that Michel Foucault and Soren Kierkegaard are unexpected allies in the investigation into the relation between madness and reason. These thinkers criticize reason’s presumption of purity and call into question reason’s isolation from madness. Strategies of indirect communication and regard for paradox from Kierkegaard’s nineteenth-century works find new ground in Foucault’s twentieth-century archaeological undertaking as Foucault illuminates “both-and” moments in the history of madness, uncovering points where rationalism paradoxically conceives of madness or where madness is not unreasonable. Furthermore, for both thinkers, form and content meet, as Kierkegaard and Foucault’s occasionally “delirious lyricism” (in the phrase of Dominick LaCapra) exemplifies the intertwining of logical and illogical forces.
Measuring System Visual Latency through Cognitive Latency on Video See-Through AR devices

Measuring Visual Latency in VR and AR devices has become increasingly complicated as many of the components will influence others in multiple loops and ultimately affect the human cognitive and sensory perception. In this paper we present a new method based on the idea that the performance of humans on a rapid motor task will remain constant, and that any added delay will correspond to the system latency. We ask users to perform a task inside different video see-through devices and also in front of a computer. We also calculate the latency of the systems using a hardware instrumentation-based measurement technique for bench-marking. Results show that this new form of latency measurement through human cognitive performance can be reliable and comparable to hardware instrumentation-based measurement. Our method is adaptable to many forms of user interaction. It is particularly suitable for systems, such as AR and VR, where externalizing signals is difficult, or where it is important to measure latency while the system is in use by a user.
Liver failure and x-linked immunodeficiency type 47.

Patients with defects in the ATP6AP1 gene have rarely been described. ATP6AP1-related disorders are a subtype of CDG, which result in enzyme deficiencies affecting multiple organ systems ranging from mild to life-threatening. Of the 13 patients described, all had hepatopathy, but this is the first case to be successfully transplanted. We describe two brothers who developed hyperbilirubinemia shortly after birth and progressed to liver failure, case 1 by 12 months of age, with successful transplant 2 years later, and case 2 by 4 months of age, who passed away while awaiting liver transplant. Both boys were found to have a new variant in the ATP6AP1 gene: c.932/p.Leu311Gln. Although the identified ATP6AP1 gene variant was classified as unknown significance at the time, both children's phenotypes fit with what has been described for ATP6AP1-related disorders. Therefore, this result appears to have been diagnostic for both boys. This rare type of CDG, X-linked immunodeficiency type 47 (OMIM #300972), particularly in patients who progress to liver failure requiring transplant, should be included on the differential of liver failure in infants and toddlers, and its gene should be added to the diagnostic workup for such cases.
Current Distribution Monitoring of Paralleled GaN HEMTs

Based on the recent advancements of the Wide Bandgap (WBG) semiconductor technology, substantial interests have been evolved towards high-power high-frequency WBG power converters. Given the superior characteristics of the WBG devices, it is possible to achieve higher power density by paralleling these power MOSFETs. In order to optimize the performance of such designs, it is crucial to ensure balanced current distribution between all paralleled devices. Therefore, it is necessary to have means of monitoring this current distribution, to ensure optimized design performance. In this work, performance of a point field detector is simulated and experimented in detail to serve as the current mismatch detector. This novel measurement technique allows direct measurement of current difference between each pair of paralleled GaN HEMT devices. Detailed electromagnetic simulations prove the mismatch sensor concept and confirmed a sensitivity of 12.7mV/A for a single-turn coil. Moreover, the experimental results confirm the sensitivity of about 23mV/A for the four-turn coil prototyped. The added auxiliary current mismatch sensor provides sufficient information about current sharing that can be further used to optimize and protect WBG power modules.
The confidence gap predicts the gender pay gap among STEM graduates

Women make less than men in some science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. While explanations for this gender pay gap vary, they have tended to focus on differences that arise for women and men after they have worked for a period of time. In this study we argue that the gender pay gap begins when women and men with earned degrees enter the workforce. Further, we contend the gender pay gap may arise due to cultural beliefs about the appropriateness of women and men for STEM professions that shape individuals' self-beliefs in the form of self-efficacy. Using a three-wave NSF-funded longitudinal survey of 559 engineering and computer science students that graduated from over two dozen institutions in the United States between 2015 and 2017, we find women earn less than men, net of human capital factors like engineering degree and grade point average, and that the influence of gender on starting salaries is associated with self-efficacy. We find no support for a competing hypothesis that the importance placed on pay explains the pay gap; there is no gender difference in reported importance placed on pay. We also find no support for the idea that women earn less because they place more importance on workplace culture; women do value workplace culture more, but those who hold such values earn more rather than less. Overall, the results suggest that addressing cultural beliefs as manifested in self-beliefs-that is, the confidence gap-commands attention to reduce the gender pay gap.
Mechanisms, mediators, and surrogate estimation of crash modification factors.

Abstract In road safety, a commonly-used measure of treatment effectiveness is the crash modification factor, usually defined as a ratio of the expected crash frequency with the treatment to the expected frequency without. This paper explores the possibility of using surrogates to estimate crash modification factors. As in other situations where observational data are used to estimate causal effects, it is necessary to leverage background causal knowledge with the observational results. When the background knowledge is such that a crash-generating mechanism can be represented with a directed acyclic graph, the connectivity structure of the graph can be used to identify candidate surrogates. The modification factor associated with a safety-related improvement can then, in principle, be estimated from knowledge of how the improvement affects the surrogates, together with information on how the surrogates are distributed in the population of crashes. After developing this relationship between surrogates and crash modification factors, its potential usefulness is illustrated with two simulation studies, where estimates of CMFs using surrogates are compared to estimates computed from crash frequencies.
Analysis of Networked Structural Control With Packet Loss

This brief considers the analysis of networked structural control systems with measurement loss. This is modeled as a sampled-data system that integrates the discrete-time operation of the controller with a fast-sampling approximation of the continuous-time structural (plant) dynamics. Random measurement loss in each channel due to the use of the wireless transmission is modeled as a Bernoulli process. This leads to a discrete-time, Markov jump linear model for the feedback system. An H₂-norm analysis is proposed to assess the stability and the performance of the structural control. An example of a three-story building model is used to illustrate this approach. The H₂-norm results are shown to be in agreement with the numerical simulations. The analysis can, thus, be used to assess various design choices. For example, the relationship between the probability of signal loss and the H₂-norm depends on the method used to handle the signal loss. Moreover, the analysis shows that, for a jump controller setup using steady-state Kalman gains, the system can become unstable at very small probabilities of signal loss.
Protrusion of placental tissue through the cervical os as an unusual presentation of placenta accreta: A case report.

Abstract Introduction Abnormal placentation commonly occurs in women with a history of uterine surgery or placenta previa. Placenta accreta spectrum can occur in the setting of lesser-known risk factors and anatomical locations. Case A 41-year-old woman (G6P4014) at 18 weeks of gestation without major risk factors was diagnosed with a placenta accreta after presenting for desired termination of pregnancy. On examination, placental tissue was found to be protruding through the cervical os and this was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Management included pregnancy termination with intracardiac potassium chloride injection, uterine artery embolization, and a total abdominal hysterectomy. Conclusion Protruding cervical tissue should raise suspicion for placenta accreta. Appropriate evaluation and surgical planning should be performed to ensure a safe delivery.
When Gender Matters in Scientific Communication: The Role of Generic Language

Prior research has documented gender differences in self-presentation and self-promotion. For example, a recent analysis of scientific publications in the biomedical sciences reveals that articles with women in lead author positions (first and last) included fewer positive words to describe their results than articles with men in lead author positions. Here we examined the role of gender in peer-reviewed publications in psychology, with a focus on generic language. When authors describe their results using generic statements (e.g., “Introverts and extraverts require different learning environments”), those statements gloss over variability, frame an idea as broad, timeless, and universally true, and have been judged to be more important. In a sample of 1,149 psychology articles published in 2015–16 from 11 journals, we found that women in lead author positions were less likely to employ generic language than men in lead author positions, and that publications with more generic language received more citations (as did publications authored by men). We discuss how a subtle gender difference in self-presentation may have direct consequences for how a scientific finding is interpreted and cited, with potential downstream consequences for career advancement for women and men.
Jewish Identity and Civil Rights in America

1. The dilemma of Jewish difference 2. The Jewish question in civil rights enforcement 3. The nature of the new campus anti-Semitism 4. Criticisms 5. First Amendment issues 6. Misunderstanding Jews and Jew-hatred 7. Institutional resistance 8. The originalist approach 9. Scientific theories 10. Social perception 11. The subjective approach 12. Anti-Semitism as harm to racial identity.
Next-Generation Sequencing for Pathogen Discovery in Meningoencephalitis (P2.306)

Objective: Describe a clinical case in which next-generation sequencing (NGS) rapidly identified a rare but treatable bacterial cause of meningoencephalitis resulting in a favorable patient outcome. Background: Over 100 pathogens cause meningoencephalitis, complicating the development of any comprehensive diagnostic workup. Unbiased NGS is revolutionizing our ability to identify new pathogens, especially novel viruses. However, the utility of NGS in the context of critical illness has not been established. Design/Methods: A 14 year-old boy with severe combined immunodeficiency presented with 4 months of headache and fever progressing to hydrocephalus and coma. An exhaustive diagnostic workup including brain biopsy was unrevealing. NGS was performed on the patient’s cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood. The extracted samples were put through a modified TruSeq protocol (Illumina, San Diego, CA) to generate sequencing libraries. The libraries were sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq instrument using 150/350 base pair paired-end sequencing. Using the SNAP nucleotide aligner, the sequences were analyzed using an in-house computational pipeline for viral, bacterial and fungal sequences. Results: The sequencing run yielded 16,375,474 raw reads. In the untreated CSF, 955 reads aligned to the Leptospiraceae bacterial family, and 483 reads aligned to this family in the pre-DNAsed CSF sample. No reads aligned in the pre-DNAsed serum sample. Further analysis showed the reads aligned to Leptospira santarosai with coverage spanning the entire genome. These results were obtained within 48 hours of obtaining the specimens. The Centers for Disease Control9s standard PCR assay was negative, but the 16s ribosomal RNA PCR was positive. The patient received appropriate Leptospira anti-microbials and made a dramatic recovery. He is now at home near his pre-morbid baseline. Conclusions: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease that occurs throughout the world. The disease phenotype is widely variable, and meningitis is common. Diagnostic assays for Leptospira are imperfect and rarely pursued. NGS rapidly detected this rare pathogen leading to a dramatic, real-time impact on this patient’s care. Disclosure: Dr. Wilson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Samayoa has nothing to disclose. Dr. Naccache has nothing to disclose. Dr. Somasekar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Yu has nothing to disclose. Dr. DeRisi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chiu has nothing to disclose.
Associations between diet and cancer, ischemic heart disease, and all-cause mortality in non-Hispanic white California Seventh-day Adventists

Results associating diet with chronic disease in a cohort of 34192 California Seventh-day Adventists are summarized. Most Seventh-day Adventists do not smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol, and there is a wide range of dietary exposures within the population. About 50% of those studied ate meat products or =3 times/wk compared with vegetarians], significant protective associations between nut consumption and fatal and nonfatal IHD in both sexes (RR approximately 0.5 for subjects who ate nuts > or =5 times/wk compared with those who ate nuts <1 time/wk), and reduced risk of IHD in subjects preferring whole-grain to white bread. The lifetime risk of IHD was reduced by approximately 31% in those who consumed nuts frequently and by 37% in male vegetarians compared with nonvegetarians. Cancers of the colon and prostate were significantly more likely in nonvegetarians (RR of 1.88 and 1.54, respectively), and frequent beef consumers also had higher risk of bladder cancer. Intake of legumes was negatively associated with risk of colon cancer in nonvegetarians and risk of pancreatic cancer. Higher consumption of all fruit or dried fruit was associated with lower risks of lung, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. Cross-sectional data suggest vegetarian Seventh-day Adventists have lower risks of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and arthritis than nonvegetarians. Thus, among Seventh-day Adventists, vegetarians are healthier than nonvegetarians but this cannot be ascribed only to the absence of meat.
Global seasonal variations of midday planetary boundary layer depth from CALIPSO space‐borne LIDAR

[1] We present a new global analysis of the depth of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) and consider regional variations throughout the year. PBL depth is estimated from the vertical variance of CALIPSO space-borne LIDAR backscatter associated with aerosol and shallow clouds during midday satellite overpasses and is only retrieved in the absence of optically thick clouds. The resulting analysis of over 100 million retrievals per year is therefore only a sample with higher frequency over deserts and other regions of strong subsidence, and lower frequency over regions of deep convection such as the ITCZ, tropical rainforests, and the Asian Monsoon. The mean of sampled PBL depths ranges from 500 m over cold oceans to more than 3000 m over hot deserts. The seasonal cycle of analyzed PBL depth is stronger over land than over water, and seasonality over land and midlatitude oceans is of opposite sign. Wintertime storm tracks and stratocumulus regions over subtropical oceans are prominent features of the analysis. Although evaluation of the new analysis is difficult due to previous sparse sampling by other methods, comparison of LIDAR-retrieved PBL depth with data collected by commercial aircraft generally shows good agreement.
CDM-reliable T-coil techniques for high-speed wireline receivers

An inherent CDM hazard exists in T-coil circuits due to magnetic coupling. An “inductance halving” technique is proposed to reduce magnetic coupling during ESD. From simulation, the proposed solution can effectively suppress voltage overshoot and minimize bandwidth degradation, compared to the conventional secondary ESD protection.
Cognitive Outcomes After Neonatal Encephalopathy

OBJECTIVES: To describe the spectrum of cognitive outcomes of children with and without cerebral palsy (CP) after neonatal encephalopathy, evaluate the prognostic value of early developmental testing and report on school services and additional therapies. METHODS: The participants of this study are the school-aged survivors of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network randomized controlled trial of whole-body hypothermia. Children underwent neurologic examinations and neurodevelopmental and cognitive testing with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development–II at 18 to 22 months and the Wechsler intelligence scales and the Neuropsychological Assessment–Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment at 6 to 7 years. Parents were interviewed about functional status and receipt of school and support services. We explored predictors of cognitive outcome by using multiple regression models. RESULTS: Subnormal IQ scores were identified in more than a quarter of the children: 96% of survivors with CP had an IQ 84 (95% confidence interval, −49.3 to −35.0; P < .001). Twenty percent of children with normal IQ and 28% of those with IQ scores of 70 to 84 received special educational support services or were held back ≥1 grade level. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive impairment remains an important concern for all children with neonatal encephalopathy.
Studies of the outer membrane proteins of Branhamella catarrhalis

Abstract purpose: Branhamella catarrhalis has emerged as an important human pathogen in the past several years. Therefore, studies of the outer membrane have been undertaken in order to identify virulence factors and begin to understand the immune response to infection. materials and methods: The outer membrane of B. catarrhalis has been purified by sucrose density centrifugation. The outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of 50 strains from diverse sources were isolated by simpler methods and studied by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Experiments were designed to identify OMPs that express determinants on the surface of the intact bacterium. results: Eight major OMPs have been identified (OMPs A through H). The OMP patterns from diverse strains were strikingly similar. OMP E (approximately 56,000 daltons) and OMP G (approximately 28,000 daltons) have determinants that are surface-exposed and these determinants are shared among a majority of strains of B. catarrhalis . conclusion: These observations have important implications with regard to the immune response to infection and future vaccine development.
Finite deformation of elastic membranes with application to the stability of an inflated and extended tube

A theory is formulated for the finite deformation of a thin membrane composed of homogeneous elastic material which is isotropic in its undeformed state. The theory is then extended to the case of a small deformation superposed on a known finite deformation of the membrane. As an example, small deformations of a circular cylindrical tube which has been subjected to a finite homogeneous extension and inflation are considered and the equations governing these small deformations are obtained for an incompressible material. By means of a static analysis the stability of cylindrically symmetric modes for the inflated and extended cylinder with fixed ends is determined and the results are verified by a dynamic analysis. The stability is considered in detail for a Mooney material. Methods are developed to obtain the natural frequencies for axially symmetric free vibrations of the extended and inflated cylindrical membrane. Some of the lower natural frequencies are calculated for a Mooney material and the methods are compared.
4′-Hydroxystyryldiazines: Synthesis and fluorescence properties

Abstract In order to investigate the effect that additional nitrogen substitution in the 4′-hydroxystyryl pyridine system would have on the photophysical properties of this molecule, we have synthesized a series of four isomeric 4′-hydroxystyryl diazines : the 2,4-diaza ( 3e ), 2,5-diaza ( 3f ), 2,3-diaza ( 3g ), and 3,4-diaza ( 3h ) isomers [the positions of the nitrogens relative to the site of styryl attachment are given as italicized numbers], and we have studied their UV absorbance and fluorescence emission in a variety of solvents and under different pH conditions. These compounds are prepared readily by the condensation of the appropriate methyldiazine with 4-methoxybenzaldehyde; deprotection with boron trifluoride-dimethylsulfide complex results in partial rehydration of the styrene double bond, but dehydration is readily effected by treatment with acid. The UV spectra of compounds 3e-h in ethanol show under neutral conditions a long wavelength absorbance at 330–350 nm, which shifts sharply to the red in both acid and base (390–420 nm). The most marked shift is seen with the 2,4- and 3,4-diaza isomers ( 3e and 3h ). These four styryl diazines also show long wavelength fluorescence that is highly solvatochromic and sensitive to pH. Emission in acetonitrile is at 400–435 nm, but shifts in acid or base to 500–560 nm with the 2,4- and 3,4-diaza isomers ( 3e and 3h ) and to 590–640 nm with the 2,5- and 2,3-diaza isomers ( 3f and 3g ). The high environmental and pH sensitivity of these 4-hydroxystyryldiazine fluorophores makes them potentially useful as probes for biological systems.
Improved rooting method for source localisation

The paper describes a new, improved version of the polynomial rooting approach to direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation with linear equispaced arrays. It is based on FINE, one of the CLOSEST approaches to spatial-spectrum estimation, and is motivated to reduce resolution thresholds. The authors show that, with the new algorithm in comparison with established rooting algorithms, resolution can be improved without compromise to DOA estimate variance for the case of ideal array response vectors. It is also shown that, as the array response vectors depart from the ideal case, the performance of root-FINE degrades only slightly more rapidly than that of root-MUSIC at high SNR; for lower SNR, root- FINE is able to partially maintain its performance advantage over root-MUSIC for the case studied.
Joint cumulative distribution functions for Dempster---Shafer belief structures using copulas

We first introduce the Dempster---Shafer belief structure and highlight its role in the representation of information about a random variable for which our knowledge of the probabilities is interval-valued. We investigate the formation of the cumulative distribution function (CDF) for these types of variables. It is noted that this is also interval-valued and is expressible in terms of plausibility and belief measures. The class of aggregation operators known as copulas are introduced and a number of their properties are provided. We discuss Sklar's theorem, which provides for the use of copulas in the formulation of joint CDFs from the marginal CDFs of classic random variables. We then look to extend these ideas to the case of joining the marginal CDFs associated with Dempster---Shafer belief structures. Finally we look at the formulation CDFs obtained from functions of multiple D---S belief structures.
Noise triggering of radiation damping from the inverted state

Abstract Spontaneous radiation damping in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of sharp lines is commonly encountered in highly magnetized samples following magnetization inversion. The time delay for the maximum of the hyperbolic secant like signal to develop following inversion is measured and calculated. The distribution function of the measured delay times is Gaussian–Boltzmann and can be used to predict the sensitivity of both signal delay and phase to inversion errors.
Theoretical and experimental studies of optical absorption in strained quantum-well structures for optical modulators.

Theoretical and experimental results on excitonic and band-to-band absorption spectra in strained multiple-quantum-well structures are presented and discussed. The study is particularly motivated by the need to enhance optical absorption in devices such as optical modulators and high-speed photodiodes. We show that it is possible to merge the heavy- and light-hole excitonic resonances through use of biaxial tensile strain in the well regions. Calculations and experiments show a strong increase in optical absorption, by almost a factor of 2, due to this merger. The calculations include the heavy-hole--light-hole coupling which is essential to understand this phenomenon. The electric field dependence of optical absorption in strained quantum wells is also presented.
Glial Tumors in the MNU Rat Model: Induction of Pure and Mixed Gliomas that Do Not Require Typical Missense Mutations of p53

Gliomas were induced in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats by continuous exposure to 100 ppm of N-nitrosmethy-lurea (MNU) in drinking water. Latency periods for such tumors were 20 and SO weeks following completion of exposure intervals of 20, 15, and 10 weeks, respectively. Based on histomorphology and the pattern of GFAP immunoreactivity, a large percentage of MNU-induced tumors (>40%) were anaplastic mixed gliomas, having both neoplastic astrocytic and oligoden-droglial components. Typical oligodendrogliomas and astrocytomas also occurred less frequently. Unlike the majority of tumors induced by ethylnitrosourea (ENU), MNU yielded glial tumors that did not express synaptophysin. Anaplastic mixed gliomas and glioblastoma multiforme (GBMs) had no missense p53 mutations in the commonly mutated exons 4 through 8 and did not overexpress wild-type p53, suggesting that MNU-induced oncogenesis in rat brain tumors may not require inactivation/alteration of the p53 tumor suppressor gene. The K-ras gene was also analyzed and found to have no activating mutations in brain tumors. This model is suitable for studying genetic events leading to the majority of gliomas that apparently express functional p53.
Cross-Cultural Career Psychology: Comment on Fouad, Harmon, and Borgen (1997) and Tracey, Watanabe, and Schneider (1997)

This article uses the theoretical framework of cultural validity and cultural specificity in career psychology proposed by F. T. L. Leong and M. Brown (1995) to comment on the theoretical and methodological issues raised by N. A. Fouad, L. W. Harmon, and N. H. Borgen (1997) and T. J. G. Tracey, N. Watanabe, and P. L. Schneider (1997) in the Special Section on Cross-Cultural Career Psychology. In terms of theoretical issues, the important distinction between etic and emic approaches to cross-cultural research is discussed, as well as the role of the cultural context in understanding vocational behavior. Methodologically, the specific issues surrounding the problem of equivalence of measurement (functional, conceptual, linguistic, and metric equivalence) as it relates to the two studies are discussed. Finally, the importance of studies of both internal and external validity as means of advancing cross-cultural career psychology is highlighted.
The dragging of small oxide particles by migrating grain boundaries in copper

Abstract Grain boundaries, introduced into a copper single crystal by indenting and annealing the crystal, are shown to drag certain small (4000 A diameter) oxide particles with them when they migrate. GeO 2 and B 2 O 3 particles are dragged rapidly (with speeds up to 1 μ/min) at temperatures between 650 and 1050°C SiO 2 particles are rather less mobile, and Al 2 O 3 particles are, within the accuracy of our experiments, immobile. Measurements of the distance through which particles are dragged as a function of time and temperature yield activation energies for the dragging process, and mobilities for each sort of particle. Fluid particles, like B 2 O 3 , behave roughly like bubbles. But more solid particles, like SiO 2 , are much less mobile, and their mobility is controlled by transport, or self-diffusion, within the particles.
8 th international workshop on graphical documentation: SOA-based systems

Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) is a way of designing, developing, deploying, and managing enterprise systems where business needs and technical solutions are closely aligned. SOA-based systems can be large and complex, so the role of documentation as a means of communicating information about them is very important. This workshop will explore the current state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice in documenting SOA-based systems, leveraging work such as the “Views and Beyond” approach to documenting software architecture from Carnegie Mellon University's Software Engineering Institute.
The epidemiology, economic burden, and pharmacological treatment of chronic low back pain in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK: a literature-based review.

Objective: This study's objective was to review the literature on the epidemiological and economic burden and treatment of chronic low back pain (CLBP) in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. Methods: A literature search was conducted for 1997 – 2007, focusing on CLBP burden and treatment in the countries of interest. Results: The literature search yielded 1552 articles; 23 sources were included in this review. General population prevalence estimates for CLBP were available for two countries: 5.91% (Italy) and 6.3 – 11.1% (UK). Resource utilization estimates were available for Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. Patients visited general practitioners and osteopaths. Annual direct costs of low back pain were available only for Germany: > € 7000 per person. Work absenteeism accounted for 75% of the total per-patient cost of low back pain in Germany. The five identified treatment guidelines recommended a multimodal approach. Recommended pharmacotherapies included NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, analgesics and a...
Force Sensing of an Asymmetric Dielectric Barrier Discharge Using Mechanical Resonators

Current research into force sensing of a single dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuator using mechanical resonators is examined. DBD plasma actuators, using alternating current, generate pulses of plasma at frequencies in the kHz range. The body force from the plasma changes with each pulse cycle, and can be measured and profiled using remote sensing from sensitive laser interferometry. Instead of simply measuring displacement of the actuator, different harmonics of the base frequency are measured to a high degree of precision using mechanical resonators. The frequency-dependent displacement data obtained from the resonator measurements are used to compute time-varying force generated by the plasma discharge. An example resonator is demonstrated to amplify motion more than 100X, and three harmonics with representative resonators are shown to accurately reconstruct the force profile of a DBD actuator.
Dissimilar material joints with and without free-edge stress singularities: Part II. An integrated numerical analysis

Numerical investigations were conducted on plane and axisymmetric convex joints of polycarbonate—aluminum and poly(methyl methacrylate)—aluminum interfaces to gain a better understanding of the stress state along the interface and also to aid an experimental study conducted on the same issue. Two-dimensional plane—stress investigations of convex joints revealed the successful elimination of the free-edge stress singulatities along the specimen width although stress singularities, along the thickness direction, persisted. A convex axisymmetric design, with the same material combination and joining angles, proves to be a better design in order to achieve an overall elimination of free-edge stress singularities of dissimilar materials and structures.
Stabilities of hypervalent chlorine fluorides (ClF3, ClF5 and ClF7)

Abstract Ab initio electronic structure calculations have been performed on the hypervalent chlorine fluorides, ClF3, ClF5 and ClF7 in order to determine their thermodynamic stabilities with respect to dissociation to ClF and nF2. Results of the calculations, which included electron correlation and utilized extended basis sets, led to estimates of 24 and 42 kcal/mol for the predicted stability of ClF3 and ClF5, respectively. Calculations on the D5th symmetry structure of ClF7 indicate that this system is 16 kcal/mol unstable. Although this molecule appears to be a minimum at the Hartree—Fock level, the question of whether this molecule is a true minimum on the correlated potential energy surface was not fully addressed.
Non-profit-maximizing behavior and the short-run incidence of the corporation income tax

Abstract This paper presents a two-sector, general equilibrium model in which firms in one sector are imperfectly competitive non-profit-maximizers. The model is used to examine the incidence of a profits tax on the non-profit-maximizing firms. A crucial factor in the analysis is that the tax falls on both pure profits and normal profits. The paper shows that the possibility of significant forward shifting of such a profits tax is less likely than previous analyses suggest.
Long Term Favorable Prognostic Value of Negative Treadmill Echocardiogram in the Setting of Abnormal Treadmill Electrocardiogram: A 95 Month Median Duration Follow-Up Study

Background The aim of this retrospective study was to assess if negative treadmill echocardiographic (NTME) results retained their favorable prognosis over a long period of follow-up (median, 95 months) in the setting of ischemic stress electrocardiographic (ISECG) results. Methods Consecutive patients with NTME results were analyzed as 2 groups (those with ISECG results and those with normal stress electrocardiographic results). Patients were followed up for a median duration of 95 months to identify major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), including all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and coronary revascularization. Results Six hundred seventy-seven patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Fifty-eight patients had MACEs (8.6%). The annual event rate was 1%. There was an increased unadjusted rate of MACEs among patients with ISECG results (15% vs 8%; P = .025). After adjusting for clinical and stress variables, ISECG results were not independently predictive of MACEs ( P = .2). Female gender, prior coronary artery disease, metabolic equivalents achieved, and chest pain at stress were the independent predictors of MACEs. Conclusions Patients with NTME results had excellent long-term outcomes, regardless of ISECG results, over a median 95-month follow-up period. The findings of this study reaffirm the importance of benign long-term outcomes in the setting of good exercise capacity.
Globally integrated power and clock distribution network

The global networks within a conventional integrated circuits (IC) consists of three major types: power, ground, and clock networks. These three networks consumes most of the metal resources in the highest metal layers. The signals traversing the power and clock distribution networks are fundamentally different in terms of signal frequency and current flow. Combining the power and clock network into a globally integrated network is therefore possible. In this paper, the general concept of a globally integrated power and clock (GIPAC) system is proposed. The circuitry supporting this GIPAC system is also presented. Simulation results based on a 90 nm CMOS technology demonstrate the potential of GIPAC.
Enceladus plume variability and the neutral gas densities in Saturn's magnetosphere

[1] Neutral particle dominance over charged particles in Saturn's magnetosphere was evident prior to Cassini's arrival at Saturn in 2004. The observation of active plumes emanating from the south pole of Enceladus suggests that this small moon is likely to be the principal source of neutrals in Saturn's magnetosphere. Cassini has flown through the plumes on several occasions, and the resulting data imply the source rate is variable (∼1027 to 1028 water molecules/s). Here we use Cassini plasma spectrometer and Cassini magnetospheric imaging instrument observations to update neutral particle lifetimes and then use the most recent processed versions of Cassini ion neutral mass spectrometer observations made during encounters E2, E3, and E5 to constrain a 3-D multispecies neutral particle model. This procedure improves constraints on the plume source rate, ejection velocity, and plume divergence. We find that the plume source rate varies by at least a factor of 4 over the 7 month period considered. Additionally, we find that previous estimates of the plume source rates based on E2 observations are most likely overestimated because the background neutral torus has not been adequately account for. On the basis of these results, we discuss the implications of this variability on global neutral particle distributions.