cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sclerochronological records of temperature and growth from shells of Mercenaria mercenaria from Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island

Annual internal growth increments in shells of hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) provide an accurate record of both growth history and some types of environmental change. These increments were used to determine age and growth rate of hard clams collected in 1984–1985 from ten sites in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA, and to assess geographic variation in growth within the bay. The regional comparisons were facilitated by modeling the clam growth using the von Bertalanffy equation and the ω parameter of Gallucci and Quinn. The optimum region for hard clam growth was near the head of the bay, with areas further north (Providence River) and south (lower bay) not as productive. The relationship between size and age was similar to that reported for hard clams from northern New Jersey. Using dendrochronological techniques, variations in growth were analyzed on a temporal (year-to-year) basis. The comparative longevity of the hard clams (individuals with 40 annual bands were encountered) demonstrated that sclerochronologies of several decades were possible. A 26 yr growth record based upon 100 individuals was established, covering the years 1959–1984. Significant temporal variations occurred in bivalve growth, and a broad trend of increasing growth indices over the last two decades of the record was noted. The yearly standardized growth index values were highly and positively correlated with mean annual water temperatures in Narragansett Bay for the same time interval. The incremental shell records of these bivalves provide a quantitative indication of marine climatic (temperature) variability and growth which can be used in hindcasting the effects of natural or anthropogenic environmental perturbations.
A radiology archive using a digital library

The Radiology Department of a leading university medical school and IBM are developing a Digital Radiology Archive (DRA) that provides a robust and highly scaleable repository for the radiology images generated by the university's existing Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS) and relevant patient information currently maintained in the hospital's Hospital Information System (HIS). This archive extends the current storage capacity of the university's radiology PACS, and provides an integrated storage of the patient demographics, the images, and the ®nal diagnostic report. Using IBM Digital Library as the foundation for the software architecture, images, patient demographics, and the ®nal diagnostic report can be viewed together in electronic form. This joint viewing was not previously possible because the PACS data and HIS data are in dierent formats and on dierent platforms. In addition to integrating the PACS and supporting HIS information, other goals of the project include extending the current infrastructure to support other departments at the university, extending imaging services into the community, providing text and image search capabilities to support research in Radiology, and support for education using on demand and distance learning. The IBM Digital Library architecture will enable the university to achieve its objectives by ensuring a robust and reliable means of storing and retrieving this data for use in clinical services and research without compromising data integrity. This paper describes this system and its key design characteristics, with a focus on how such a system can be realized using the IBM Digital Library data management system.
Condition monitoring methods applied to degradation of chlorosulfonated polyethylene cable jacketing materials

Abstract Three promising polymer material condition monitoring (CM) methods were applied to eight commercial chlorosulfonated polyethylene cable jacket materials aged under both elevated temperature and high-energy radiation conditions. The CM methods examined, cross-sectional modulus profiling, solvent uptake and NMR T 2 relaxation time measurements of solvent-swelled samples, are closely related since they are all strongly influenced by the changes in overall crosslink density of the materials. Each approach was found to correlate well with ultimate tensile elongation measurements, the most widely used method for following degradation of elastomeric materials. In addition approximately universal failure criteria were found to be applicable for the modulus profiling and solvent uptake measurements, independent of the CSPE material examined and its degradation environment. For an arbitrarily assumed elongation “failure” criterion of 50% absolute, the CSPE materials typically reached “failure” when the modulus increased to ∼35 MPa and the uptake factor in p -xylene decreased to ∼1.6.
Sliding Mode Control for Inverse Compensated Hysteretic Smart Systems

Ferroelectric (e.g., PZT), ferromagnetic (e.g., Terfenol-D) and ferroelastic (e.g., shape memory alloy (SMA)) materials offer unique capabilities for a range of present and emerging control applications. To fully realize the capabilities these materials offer, model-based control designs must account for the nonideal effects (e.g., creep, rate-dependent hysteresis, and constitutive nonlinearities) that the materials exhibit. In this paper, we employ the homogenized energy model (HEM) to characterize rate-dependent hysteresis behavior, construct an approximate inverse algorithm to compensate the material nonlinearities, and combine this with a sliding mode controller to accommodate uncertainties in the model. We illustrate this in the context of an actuator employing the ferroelectric material PZT but note that the general framework is also applicable to magnetic and shape memory alloy transducers. Through numerical examples, we illustrate the effectiveness of the HEM inverse-based sliding mode design for tracking a reference trajectory in the presence of modeling and inversion errors.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Wavelength-selective and diffuse emitter enhanced by magnetic polaritons for thermophotovoltaics

Both wavelength selectivity and directional insensitivity are highly desired in thermophotovoltaic applications. A concept of a magnetic-polariton-enhanced thermophotovoltaic emitter is presented. The predicted normal emittance from such a nanoengineered surface exceeds 0.8 in the wavelength region from 0.62 to 1.98 μm and is below 0.2 at wavelengths longer than 2.4 μm. Furthermore, thermal emission from the proposed structure is diffuse-like as the emittance changes little with the direction up to 75° from the normal. The strip width allows tuning of the emittance spectrum to match particular photovoltaic cells to potentially enhance power generation with improved conversion efficiency.
Characterization of the natural killer T-cell response in an adoptive transfer model of atherosclerosis

Natural killer T (NKT) cells have recently been implicated in atherogenesis, primarily for their ability to recognize and respond to lipid antigens. Because the atherosclerotic lesion is characterized by the retention and modification of lipids in the vascular wall, NKT cells may be involved in promoting the local vascular inflammatory response. Here, we investigate the proatherogenic role of NKT cells in an adoptive transfer model of atherosclerosis, using as recipients immune-deficient, atherosclerosis-susceptible RAG1−/−LDLR−/− mice. The adoptive transfer of an NKT cell-enriched splenocyte population from Vα14Jα18 T-cell receptor transgenic mice resulted in a 73% increase in aortic root lesion area compared with recipients of NKT cell-deficient splenocytes derived from CD1d−/− mice after 12 weeks of Western-type diet feeding. The total serum from hypercholesterolemic mice leads to a small but significant activation of Vα14Jα18 T-cell receptor-expressing hybridoma line by dendritic cells that is CD1d-dependent. Therefore, these studies demonstrate that NKT cells are proatherogenic in the absence of exogenous stimulation, and this activity is likely associated with endogenous lipid antigens carried by lipoproteins in the circulation and perhaps also in the atherosclerotic plaque.
Remote salmonella infections

The salmonella group of bacteria, consisting of over 1,700 subtypes, causes widespread gastroenteric disease throughout the world, there being approximately 2,000,000 cases yearly in the United States alone. An uncommon but interesting complication is the hematogenous lodgment of organisms in other areas of the body with resultant localized abscess formation, often months or years later.
Microdebonding investigation of the effects of thermal residual stress on the bond strength of a graphite/polymide composite

Abstract The microdebonding test was used to investigate the effects of thermal residual stresses resulting from different lay-ups in fabrication on the fiber/matrix bond strength of a graphite-fiber-reinforced polyimide composite. This was accomplished by comparing the results of a cross-plied laminate with those of a unidirectional laminate. The results indicated that the measured interfacial bond strength of the unidirectional composites was greater than that of the cross-plied laminate. The thermal radial stress distribution around the fiber for the unidirectional and the [0 2 , 90 2 ] s laminates were estimated, to explain this reduction of the interfacial bond strength.
Dipole Antenna Radiation Fields in Stratified Antarctic Media

Radiation fields from a horizontal dipole antenna in stratified Antarctic media are described with ground and space waves. The stratified media of Antarctica are upper layers of ice above lower layers of soil and sea water. Horizontal dipole field descriptions are made initially in terms of the media parameters. These parameters are the ice temperature, depth, and signal frequency for the upper layer, and conductivity, dielectric constant, and signal frequency for the lower layer.
Splash and wash dynamics: An experimental investigation using an Oxisol

Abstract Limited data are available in the literature on the partitioning of interrill erosion into splash and wash components. Laboratory rainfall simulation experiments were conducted on an Oxisol at 5, 10 and 20° slopes at a constant rainfall intensity. Rainwash was separated from front splash and lateral splash using a novel experimental design. Results indicate that output of sediment from the 0.18 m 2 erosion plots was dominated by splash with a geometric mean aggregate diameter (GMAD) similar to that of the original soil. The most easily detached aggregate size by splash was 500 to 1000 μm, i.e., coarse sand-sized aggregates. Wash was dominated by aggregates with a GMAD significantly finer than the soil matrix, and this reflected the limited energy available to transport coarse aggregates detached by splash. Wash and splash sediment flux, and the runoff coefficient increased significantly with slope angle. Peak front splash was associated with a different dimensionless water depth (DWD) for each slope angle. As slope angle increased the DWD at peak output increased from 0 to 0.4 at 5°, and from 1.4 to 1.7 at 20°. Time trends of front splash output for 5 and 10° slopes were similar to those presented in the literature. However, data for the 20° slopes were more complicated, with a series of pulses related to periodic migrating waves of wash sediment superimposed on the general pattern. These migrating bedload waves are interesting in that they seem analogous to those documented in the fluvial environment at steady or even decreasing discharge. Data indicate that front splash flux exceeded wash transport on all slopes tested. These data reflect the boundary conditions of the experiment, but may be applicable under certain field situations, such as on short, steep, furrow side-slopes.
Micro-well texture printed into PEG hydrogels using the FILM nanomanufacturing process affects the behavior of preadipocytes

To date, biomaterial scaffolds for adipose tissue engineering have focused on macro- and upper micro-scale fabrication, biocompatibility, and biodegradation, but have failed to recapitulate the sub-micron dimensions of native extracellular matrix (ECM) and, therefore, have not optimized material–cell interactions. Here, we report the findings from a study investigating the effects of a quasi-mimetic sub-micron (<1 μm) surface texture on the qualitative behavior of preadipocytes (PAs). We found that PAs in contact with tread-like micro-well structures exhibit a different morphology relative to PAs seeded onto control smooth glass surfaces. Additionally, the micro-well topography induced isolated PAs to undergo adipogenesis, which usually occurs in the presence of aggregates of contact-inhibited PAs. The micro-well structures were printed into polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) using the recently reported nanomanufacturing process called Flash Imprint Lithography Using a Mask Aligner (FILM). FILM is a simple process that can be utilized to fabricate micro- and nanostructures in UV-curable materials (D.Y. Fozdar, W. Zhang, M. Palard, C.W. Patrick Jr., S.C. Chen, Flash Imprint Lithography Using A Mask Aligner (FILM): A Method for Printing Nanostructures in Photosensitive Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering. Nanotechnology 19, 2008). We demonstrate the utilization of the FILM process for a tissue engineering application for the first time. The micro-well topographical theme is characterized by contact angle and surface energy analysis and the results were compared with those for smooth glass and unpatterned PEGDMA surfaces. Based on our observations, we believe that the micro-well texture may ultimately be beneficial on implantable tissue scaffolds.
Eventual partition of conserved quantities in wave motion

Abstract Let u be a classical solution to the wave equation in an odd number n of space dimensions, with compact spatial support at each fixed time. Duffin (J. Math. Anal. Appl.32 (1970), 386–391) uses the Paley-Wiener theorem of Fourier analysis to show that, after a finite time, the (conserved) energy of u is partitioned into equal kinetic and potential parts. The wave equation actually has (n + 2)(n + 3) 2 independent conserved quantities, one for each of the standard generators of the conformal group of (n + 1)-dimensional Minkowski space. Of concern in this paper is the “zeroth inversional quantity” I0, which is commonly used to improve decay estimates which are obtained using conservation of energy. We use Duffin's method to partition I0 into seven terms, each of which, after a finite time, is explicitly given as a constant-coefficient quadratic function of the time. Zachmanoglou has shown that under the above assumptions if n ⩾ 3, the spatial L2 norm of u is eventually constant. A consequence of the analysis here is a bound on this constant in terms of the energy and the radius of the support of the Cauchy data of u at a fixed time.
Targeting the optimum steam system for power generation with increased flexibility in the steam power island design

The importance of the steam cycle design to maximize power generation is demonstrated using pinch analysis targeting techniques is demonstrated. Fixed steam headers, such as assumed in total site analysis, give no allowance for reheating before turbine expansion, which can be valuable to consider when optimizing the steam system for certain plant configurations. Additionally, previous work optimizes the steam pressure level based on its saturation temperature alone. The present work examines the effect of including both sensible and latent heating of steam in the balanced composite curve. It is shown that including sensible heating allows for better thermal matching between the process and steam system which results in improving the overall efficiency while minimizing cost. A case study using an IGCC plant with CCS is analyzed to assess changes in steam cycle design on the plant efficiency and cost.
Bioreactive Self-Assembled Monolayers on Hydrogen-Passivated Si(111) as a New Class of Atomically Flat Substrates for Biological Scanning Probe Microscopy

This is the first report of bioreactive self-assembled monolayers, covalently bound to atomically flat silicon surfaces and capable of binding biomolecules for investigation by scanning probe microscopy and other surface-related assays and sensing devices. These monolayers are stable under a wide range of conditions and allow tailor-made functionalization for many purposes. We describe the substrate preparation and present an STM and SFM characterization, partly performed with multiwalled carbon nanotubes as tapping-mode supertips. Furthermore, we present two strategies of introducing in situ reactive headgroup functionalities. One method entails a free radical chlorosulfonation process with subsequent sulfonamide formation. A second method employs singlet carbenemediated hydrogen-carbon insertion of a heterobifunctional, amino-reactive trifluoromethyl-diazirinyl crosslinker. We believe that this new substrate is advantageous to others, because it (i) is atomically flat over large areas and can be prepared in a few hours with standard equipment, (ii) is stable under most conditions, (iii) can be modified to adjust a certain degree of reactivity and hydrophobicity, which allows physical adsorption or covalent crosslinking of the biological specimen, (iv) builds the bridge between semiconductor microfabrication and organic/biological molecular systems, and (v) is accessible to nanopatterning and applications requiring conductive substrates.
The making of 3D multi-resolution motion pictures for the microscopic world

We outline the development of the 3D multi-resolution microscopy (10-nm localization precision in XYZ and 10 micro-second time resolution, integrated with micron / seconds confocal imaging), as well its applications in drug delivery and energy biosciences.
Peer Editing in College Composition A Teacher’s Analysis of Successful Practices

Peer editing is a method used by English teachers to actively involve students in the writing process and to facilitate the development of the final draft of an essay. Controversy regarding the effectiveness of peer editing is prevalent for both instructors and students. The purpose of this paper is to share results of a classroom study that focuses on the effectiveness of peer editing practices in 2-year college composition classes. This review reveals the outcomes of several methods of peer editing, addresses both the difficulties and benefits of this process, and examines how to adapt the experience to meet the individual needs of each classroom environment.
Vascular tumours in infants. Part I: benign vascular tumours other than infantile haemangioma.

Summary Vascular anomalies can be subdivided into vascular tumours and vascular malformations (VMs). While most VMs are present at birth and do not exhibit significant postnatal growth, vascular tumours are characterized by their dynamics of growth and (sometimes) spontaneous regression. This review focuses on benign vascular tumours other than infantile haemangiomas (IHs), namely pyogenic granuloma, eruptive pseudoangiomatosis, glomangioma, rapidly involuting and noninvoluting congenital haemangioma, verrucous haemangioma and spindle cell haemangioma. While some of them bear clinical resemblance to IH, they can be separated by age of appearance, growth characteristics and/or negative staining for glucose transporter 1. Separation of these tumours from IH is necessary because their outcome and therapeutic options are different. Semimalignant and malignant vascular tumours will be addressed in a separate review.
Mice Lacking CD8+ T Cells Develop Greater Numbers of IgA-Producing Cells in Response to a Respiratory Virus Infection

Antibody production profiles have been compared for Sendai virus infection of normal mice and mice that lack CD8+ T cells as a consequence of treatment with a lymphocyte subset-specific monoclonal antibody or homozygous disruption of the beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-m(-/-)) gene encoding the light chain of the class I major histocompatibility complex glycoprotein. Using the single-cell ELISPOT assay, we show a relative increase in IgA antibody forming cell (AFC) numbers in the mediastinal lymph node (MLN), spleen, and bone marrow of the CD8-depleted mice. This is reflected in higher serum IgA titers. Similarly, secondary infection with a large dose of Sendai virus leads to greater prevalence of virus-specific IgA AFCs as early as Day 5 postinfection in the beta 2-m(-/-) mice. Also, in primed beta 2-m(-/-) mice challenged with vaccinia constructs containing the genes for the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN), nuclear protein, or the fusion protein of Sendai virus, the majority of the virus-specific AFCs in the MLN are specific for HN and secrete IgA.
The New Chinese Documentary Film Movement

Berry, Chris, Lu Xinyu, and Lisa Rofel, eds. The New Chinese Documentary Film Movement: For the Public Record. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2010; 304 + xiv pp., ill. Hbk. ISBN 978-988-802...
SANS study of the early stages of crystallization in polyethylene solutions

Crystallization of low molecular weight polyethylene from solution has been studied using small angle neutron scattering (SANS). The detection sensitivity of the volume fraction degree of crystallinity is estimated to be 10−5, allowing for the measurement of the very early stages of crystal growth. SANS spectra for both the early and late stages of crystallization can be satisfactorily interpreted with a lamellar crystal model; there is no evidence of diverging or spinodal-decomposition-like density fluctuations during the early stage of crystallization in polyethylene solutions. A possible explanation of the dominant wavevector in small angle X-ray scattering that led to the proposal of ‘spinodal decomposition’ mechanism for early stage crystallization is suggested.
Gas prices, beer taxes and GDL programmes: effects on auto fatalities among young adults in the US

Efforts to reduce teenage driving fatalities can be categorized as: enhancing driving skills, constraining driving behaviour and limiting the exposure of young drivers to the road. This article uses state-year specific Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data on the motor vehicle fatalities of young adults aged 15–24 to estimate the effects of gasoline prices, beer taxes and the enactment of Graduated Drivers License (GDL) programmes over the 1985–2006 period. Results indicate that a 10% increase in gasoline prices reduce fatalities by 3.2–6.2%. The largest percentage reductions occurred among 15- to 17-year-old drivers. 10% higher beer taxes were estimated to reduce motor vehicle fatalities among young drivers by approximately 1.3%. In this case, there was virtually no effect on 15- to 17-year-old drivers. Finally, the introduction of more restrictive GDL programmes, those with a 6-month learner's permit phase and subsequent limits on early nighttime driving or on the number of passengers, reduced ...
Electrocardiographic imaging of patients with heart failure with left bundle branch block and response to cardiac resynchronization therapy

Abstract Background Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) for patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction has variable responses. We hypothesized that conduction delays in intrinsic rhythm and responses to pacing may be influenced by electrophysiologic substrate. To determine this, we used electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI), which maps epicardial ventricular excitation noninvasively. Methods and Results Electrocardiographic imaging was conducted in 8 patients undergoing CRT. During intrinsic conduction with LBBB (6 patients), ventricular activation was heterogeneous, with regions of delayed and/or absent conduction, reflecting varied LV pathology. Latest LV activation occurred in the lateral LV base in 3 patients but variably in the remainder. The anterior LV was susceptible to block and slow conduction. Cardiac resynchronization therapy usually improved interventricular electrical synchrony, but this did not correlate with changes in QRS duration. In some patients, during CRT, regions of slow conduction appeared in the LV in response to pacing, indicating functional electrical characteristics of local tissue. Conclusion In LBBB and LV dysfunction, LV activation is heterogenous and unpredictable, with areas of slow and/or absent conduction. Functional lines of block generate complex barriers and may interfere with paced wave fronts. Thus, patient-specific electrophysiologic substrate properties may determine outcome of CRT.
An alternate synthesis of 6-substituted-5-deazapteridines

A procedure for synthesis of 2,4-diamino-6-substituted-5-deazapteridines (pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines) is described. Condensation of 1-piperidino-1-propene with ethoxymethylenemalononitrile afforded an enamino malononitrile adduct, which when treated with ammonia yielded 2-amino-3-cyano-5-methylpyridine. Cyclization to 2,4-diamino-6-methyl-5-deazapteridine could be effected with guanidine. Similar condensation of piperidinopropene with ethyl methoxymethylenecyanoacetate followed by cyclization with hydroxylamine gave 2-amino-3-carbethoxy-6-methylpyridine 1-oxide. Reduction with phosphorus trichloride afforded the pyridine base, however, attempts to cyclize the amino ester to 2-amino-4-hydroxy-6-methyl-5-deazapteridine were unusccessful.
Anchor: connecting sailors to home

Maintaining a connection to home is difficult for deployed sailors in the US Navy. At sea, data transfer and personal privacy are limited, the consequences of which are detrimental to the romantic relationships of sailors with stateside partners. We propose Anchor, a tablet application that uses asynchronous messages to synthesize synchronous communication when there is no data transfer. Anchor helps sailors and their romantic partners communicate using media-rich messages, and it creates a connection to home no matter where service takes them.
Adenylation of plant miRNAs

The modification or degradation of RNAs including miRNAs may play vital roles in regulating RNA functions. The polyadenylation- and exosome-mediated RNA decay is involved in the degradation of plant RNAs including the primary miRNA processing intermediates. However, plant miRNA levels are not affected by exosome depletion. Here, we report the cloning of a large number of 5' and/or 3' truncated versions of the known miRNAs from various tissues of Populus trichocarpa (black cottonwood). It suggests that plant miRNAs may be degraded through either 5' to 3' or 3' to 5' exonucleolytic digestion. We also show that a significant portion of the isolated miRNAs contains, at the 3'-end, one or a few post-transcriptionally added adenylic acid residues, which are distinct in length from the polyadenylate tail added to other plant RNAs for exosome-mediated degradation. Using an in vitro miRNA degradation system, where synthesized miRNA oligos were degraded in extracts of P. trichocarpa cells, we revealed that the adenylated miRNAs were degraded slower than others without adenylation. It indicates that addition of adenylic acid residues on the 3'-end plays a negative role in miRNA degradation. Our results provide new information for understanding the mechanism of miRNA degradation.
Of “Crashes” and “Accidents,” a Comment on Stewart and Lord

A. E. Stewart and J. H. Lord (2002) call for abandoning the term motor vehicle accident and substituting motor vehicle crash on definitional and patient care grounds. We disagree on definitional grounds and because of the absence of empirical data from accident survivors to support their contentions.
Coordinated Sampling to Improve the Efficiency of Wireless Network Monitoring

Wireless networks are deployed in home, university, business, military and hospital environments, and are increasingly used for mission-critical applications like VoIP or financial applications. Monitoring the health of these networks, whether it is for failure, coverage or attacks, is important in terms of security, connectivity, cost, and performance. Effective monitoring of wireless network traffic, using commodity hardware, is a challenging task due to the limitations of the hardware. IEEE 802.11 networks support multiple channels, and a wireless interface can monitor only a single channel at one time. Thus, capturing all frames passing an interface on all channels is an impossible task, and we need strategies to capture the most representative sample. When a large geographic area is to be monitored, several monitoring stations must be deployed, and these will typically overlap in their area of coverage. The competing goals of effective wireless monitoring are to capture as many frames as possible, while minimizing the number of those frames that are captured redundantly by more than one monitoring station. Both goals may be addressed with a sampling strategy that directs neighboring monitoring stations to different channels during any period. To be effective, such a strategy requires timely access to the nature of all recent traffic. We propose a coordinated sampling strategy that meets these goals. Our implemented solution involves a central controller considering traffic characteristics from many monitoring stations to periodically develop specific sampling policies for each station. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our coordinated sampling strategy by comparing it with existing independent strategies. Our coordinated strategy enabled more distinct frames to be captured, providing a solid foundation for focused sampling and intrusion detection.
Dynamic UAV relay positioning for the ground-to-air uplink

In this paper we consider a collection of mobile single-antenna ground nodes communicating with a multi-antenna unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on a multiple-access ground-to-air wireless communications link. The UAV uses beamforming to mitigate the inter-user interference and achieve spatial division multiple access (SDMA). In addition, the UAV dynamically adjusts its heading in order to maximize a lower bound on either the ergodic sum rate of the uplink channel or the minimum ergodic rate of the worst-case user, using a Kalman filter to track the positions of the mobile ground nodes. We present simulation results that demonstrate the benefits of adapting the UAV heading in order to optimize the uplink communications performance.
Parasitic pole approximation techniques for active filter design

A method of approximating the parasitic poles of active filters employing one, two, or three operational amplifier(s) is presented. These approximations are good for both a single-pole and two-pole model of the operational amplifier and are useful for determining filter stability. The approximation expressions are sufficiently simple that they may be included in the active filter design process. Stability criteria for active filters employing two-pole operational amplifiers are stated in terms of the parasitic pole approximations obtained using the simpler single-pole model of the operational amplifier. The necessity of including the more accurate two-pole model of an operational amplifier in some applications is discussed. Detailed comparisons of the actual and approximate parasitic poles in two examples are made.
Phase noise effects on signal detection for UWB/WiMAX coexistence

The effect of local oscillator (LO) phase noise of an ultra-wide band (UWB) receiver on the detection of a nearby WiMAX receiver is investigated. An expression for the spectrum broadening effect due to the phase noise is derived, and a practical method is presented to estimate the in-band interference due to the phase noise interaction with an interfering adjacent channel signal.
High mobility group B proteins facilitate strong estrogen receptor binding to classical and half-site estrogen response elements and relax binding selectivity.

The estrogen receptor α (ER) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that regulates the expression of estrogen-responsive genes. A key step in the activation process is the initial binding of the ER dimer to the estrogen response element (ERE). We examined the effect of the coactivator proteins, HMGB1 and HMGB2, in enhancing ER binding affinity to single and tandem EREs. Using EMSAs, both HMGB proteins are shown to enhance ER binding and induce cooperative ER binding on tandem ERE elements. We demonstrate that HMGB proteins facilitate strong ER binding to ERE consensus half-sites, exhibiting binding affinities comparable with ER binding to consensus ERE in the absence of HMGB proteins. These findings reveal that although HMGB proteins enhance binding affinity, they also relax ER binding specificity. Deoxyribonuclease I footprinting demonstrates that ER binds very differently to consensus ERE and ERE consensus half-sites, whereas both deoxyribonuclease I and exonuclease III digestions show that the pres...
A nutrition home study course for food and health professionals

Professional nutritionists and dietitians have long recognized that they share nutrition education opportunities with others who mayor may not be qualified to provide nutrition advice (1, 2). Health professionals, e.g., physicians, nurses, and dentists, who have direct, personal contact with individuals at a teachable moment, provide much nutrition education. Foodservice professionals often control the food selection available to individuals. Home economists, whether they are employed in industry, education, or homemaking, find themselves viewed as an important community resource for nutrition information. While all of these groups have an understanding of basic nutrition, they need to build upon and update that knowledge (2-5). To meet this need, we have developed a home study course in intermediate nutrition. The course, entitled Nutrition Concerns and Controversies, was offered through the Cooperative Extension Service of the state university (Note 1). Our goals in offering the course were 1) to strengthen and update the nutrition knowledge of health, foodservice , and home economics professionals; 2) to support personal dietary changes consonant with the U.S. Dietary Guidelines; and 3) to improve the quality of nutrition advice and information available in the community.
Ultrafiltration of W/CO2 Microemulsions in Ceramic Membranes

Abstract Water‐in‐CO2 (W/CO2) reverse microemulsions stabilized with 1100 Da poly(ethylene glycol)‐poly(propylene glycol)‐poly(ethylene glycol) block copolymer were recovered using an ultrafiltration ceramic membrane in a custom high‐pressure cross‐flow separation unit. Viscosity‐corrected liquid CO2 flux (298 K) through the membrane was investigated as a function of time and surfactant concentration to determine the cake layer mass transfer resistance. Rapid CO2 flux decline was observed with increasing surfactant concentration, denoting cake layer buildup on the membrane surface. For instance, at 0.09 and 0.55 wt% surfactant, the ratio of cake resistance to membrane resistance was 0.4 and 3.8, respectively. Based on our previous work, the reverse‐micelles retain their aqueous core and are not altered during filtration. Ultimately, inorganic membrane separations can reduce energy consumption associated with compression/expansion cycles typically used in CO2‐based processes.
Prospective study of the link between overweight/obesity and diabetes incidence among Mexican older adults: 2001-2012

Objective. To prospectively assess the relationship between overweight/obesity and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among Mexicans aged 50+, assessing effects of age, genetic predisposition, education, physical activity, and place of residence. Materials and methods. The Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) was used to prospectively follow respondents free of diabetes in 2001 who became diabetic by 2012. Multivariate random effects logistic regression was used to assess covariates effects on the incidence of T2DM. Results. Obese or overweight individuals at baseline (2001) were about 3 and 2 times, respectively, significantly more likely to become diabetic by 2012. Genetic predisposition increases the risk of diabetes by about three times compared to those with no family history of diabetes. Conclusion. Overweight/ obesity and genetic predisposition are the primary drivers of diabetes incidence among Mexican older adults. Reducing body weight and having access to health care may ameliorate the disease burden of T2DM.
Location Choice Behavior of Gulf of Mexico Shrimpers under Dynamic Economic Conditions

This study uses a mixed logit model to analyze monetary and nonmonetary factors that influence location choice behavior of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico shrimpers. Shrimpers’ responses to economic conditions are compared and contrasted for two periods related to changing economic conditions in the industry. Results show that even though shrimpers are generally revenue driven in choosing a fishing site, their past experience also plays an important role. Further, changes in economic conditions appear to exhibit an influence on the risk attitudes of some shrimpers.
An evaluation of the routine use of contrast radiography as a screening test for cervical anastomotic integrity after esophagectomy.

Abstract Background The use of contrast radiography as a screening test for anastomotic integrity after esophagectomy is unclear. Methods Consecutive patients undergoing either transhiatal esophagectomy (THE) or pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy (PLE) with the cervical anastomosis performed by the same single surgeon were registered into a database. Anastomotic leak rate, modality of detection, and the result of esophagram (if performed) were recorded. Results A total of 132 patients underwent esophagectomy (THE, 93 patients; PLE, 39 patients). Ninety-nine patients (75%) underwent contrast radiography. The overall leak rate was 12.1% (n = 16). Nine of 16 anastomotic leaks (56.3%) were detected without contrast radiography. Seven additional patients with anastomotic leaks underwent contrast radiography, 2 (28.6%) were true positives, 4 (57.1%) were false negatives, and 1 was equivocal (14.3%). Results of contrast esophagography modified patient management in only 2 instances, whereas 4 leaks were missed by this modality. Conclusions Most leaks (56.3%) were diagnosed without contrast esophagography. Contrast studies changed clinical management correctly in only 2 of 132 patients, while failing to diagnose 4 of 7 possible leaks. This study suggests that its routine use after THE or PLE is not indicated.
A Design-Centric Activity-Based Cost Estimation Model for PCB Fabrication

Electronic products are built in a competitive environment that demands constant miniaturization, increased functionality of each new generation of products, and compressed design cycles in order to be the first to market with a new product. One repercussion of these business conditions is the designer often does not have time to adequately explore all the design alternatives and select the best alternative. Tools are needed to aid the designer in evaluating the design early in the product development phase. Often reliable estimations of product cost are either lacking early in the design process or difficult and time-consuming to obtain. To address these problems an activity-based printed circuit board (PCB) cost estimation model is developed that estimates PCB cost based on the design parameters. The activities are defined so that the design decisions become the cost drivers and thus enable the cost estimation model to be utilized early in design process when sufficient time remains to make design chang...
Interaction of phenanthrene and its primary metabolite (1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid) with estuarine sediments and humic fractions.

Experiments were conducted to compare the sorption and desorption of phenanthrene and its primary degradation product, 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (HNA), in estuarine sediment, humic acid (HA) and humin. Ionic composition, ionic strength (0.4 M) and pH (7.6) were employed to mimic native estuarine pore water at the sediment–water interface. Sorption to whole sediment and organic matter (OM) fractions was significantly lower for HNA than for phenanthrene. Whereas HNA did not sorbtoHA,uptaketosedimentandhuminwasobserved,suggestingthatHNAdoesnotbinddirectlyto OM. Phenanthrene uptake was characterized by hysteretic behavior and exhibited slow desorption. In contrast,HNAinitiallywasmorereadilydesorbedfromsedimentandhumicfractions,butasignificant fraction was not recovered in repeated desorption runs. The lower sorption of HNA reflects its greater polarity and water solubility, but the consistent retention of a non-desorbing fraction suggests strong binding and/or chemical transformation reactions may be important. It was postulated that abiotic transformation of HNA may occur in estuarine sediments, in part due to the presence of redox active minerals (Fe(III) and Mn(IV) oxides). The presence of Fe and Mn solids in the estuarine sediment was verified by sequential extraction and studies were then conducted to investigate the transformation of HNA in the presence of synthetic goethite (a-FeOOH) and birnessite (y-MnO2) as model solids. Reaction with birnessite led to transformation of all HNA in solution within 24 h and resulted in the formation of partial oxidation products (POPs). Following reaction with goethite, HNAwas present in solution and POPs were observed in the weakly bound fraction. This study indicates that degradation
Multiple Sclerosis is not a Disease of the Immune System

Multiple sclerosis is a complex neurodegenerative disease, thought to arise through autoimmunity against antigens of the central nervous system. The autoimmunity hypothesis fails to explain why genetic and environmental risk factors linked to the disease in one population tend to be unimportant in other populations. Despite great advances in documenting the cell and molecular mechanisms underlying MS pathophysiology, the autoimmunity framework has also been unable to develop a comprehensive explanation of the etiology of the disease. I propose a new framework for understanding MS as a dysfunction of the metabolism of lipids. Specifically, the homeostasis of lipid metabolism collapses during acute-phase inflammatory response triggered by a pathogen, trauma, or stress, starting a feedback loop of increased oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and proliferation of cytoxic foam cells that cross the blood brain barrier and both catabolize myelin and prevent remyelination. Understanding MS as a chronic metabolic disorder illuminates four aspects of disease onset and progression: 1) its pathophysiology; 2) genetic susceptibility; 3) environmental and pathogen triggers; and 4) the skewed sex ratio of patients. It also suggests new avenues for treatment.
Surveying the hidden attitudes of hospital nurses' towards poverty

Aims and objectives To explore the attitudes held by registered nurses about persons living in poverty. Background As a profession, nursing has strong commitment to advocating for the socioeconomically disadvantaged. The links among poverty and health disparities are well established and research demonstrates that attitudes of providers can influence how those in poverty use health services. Although nurses are the largest sector of healthcare providers globally, little research has been published on their attitudes towards patients they care for who live in poverty. Design Cross-sectional survey. Methods Used a convenience sample of 117 registered nurses who completed the Attitudes Towards Poverty Short Form that contained three subscales. Regression analysis was used to examine the associations between the nurses' age, education, and years of experience, political views and financial security with their total score and subscale scores. Results Nurses were more likely to agree with stigmatising statements than statements that attributed poverty to personal deficiency or structural factors. In the multivariate analysis, years of experience were associated with more positive attitudes towards those living in poverty. Nurses with the most experience had less stigmatising beliefs about poverty and were more likely to endorse structural explanations. Those with a baccalaureate education were also more likely to endorse structural explanations for poverty. Conclusions Gaining knowledge about attitudes towards and the factors influencing those attitudes, for example, education, are important in helping combat the disparities associated with poverty. Relevance to clinical practice Nurses have a duty to evaluate their individual attitudes and biases towards those living in poverty and how those attitudes and biases may influence daily practice. Assessing nurses' attitudes towards poverty may aid in better means of empowering nurses to seek solutions that will improve health conditions for those living in poverty.
Presentation, treatment, and clinical outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, with and without human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Background & Aims Liver-related complications such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), particularly among those also infected with hepatitis B or hepatitis C viruses. There is a lack of consensus regarding the clinical presentation, treatment options, and outcomes in HIV-infected patients with HCC. We compared the clinical presentation, treatment, and survival of patients with HCC, with and without HIV infection. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of cirrhotic patients diagnosed with HCC at a large safety-net hospital between January 2005 and December 2010. Patients without known HIV serologic status were excluded. Demographic features, tumor characteristics, treatment regimens, and survival were compared between patients (n = 26) with and without HIV infection (n = 164). Survival curves were generated by using Kaplan–Meier plots and compared by using the log-rank test. Results A higher percentage of HIV-infected patients presented with compensated liver disease (Child–Turcotte–Pugh stage A) than those without HIV infection (62% vs 32%, respectively; P = .01), as well as those with early-stage tumors (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage A, 39% vs 17%, respectively; P = .04 and Okuda stage I, 50% vs 21%, respectively; P P = .01), but median overall survival times were similar between groups (9.6 vs 5.2 months, respectively; P = .85). The 1-year rates of survival for HIV-infected and uninfected patients were 40% and 38%, respectively. Conclusions HIV-infected patients present with earlier-stage HCC and more preserved liver function than uninfected patients, resulting in more curative treatment options. Despite this difference, overall survival was similar between patients with HCC with and without HIV infection.
Doctors, Nurses, & Patients: Who Has Control Over Death And Dying?

This study explores the amount of control patients have versus the amount of control physicians have in making decisions regarding what course will be taken in the face of disease. This includes decisions about aggressive treatment, alternatives to aggressive treatment, hospice care, and possibly physician-assisted death, if that is an option. The findings of this research conclude that there are many levels of control for physicians and patients, and that in certain cases patients may have limited control and in other circumstances patients are entirely in control over their healthcare decisions. The personalities and education levels of both the physicians and the patients determine what kinds of options and control a patient will have.