cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interrupting Short-Circuit Direct Current Using an AC Circuit Breaker in Series with a Reactor

This paper describes and demonstrates the principle and efficacy of a novel direct current fault interruption scheme using a reactor in series with a controlled rectifier and a conventional AC circuit breaker. The presence of the series reactor limits the capacitive discharge current from the DC filter capacitor at the output terminals of the phase-controlled rectifier. In addition, the series reactor along with the filter capacitor forms an underdamped series RLC circuit which forces the fault current to oscillate about zero. This synthetic alternating current can then be interrupted using a conventional AC circuit breaker. The selection criteria for the series reactor and overcurrent protection are presented as well. Using the proposed scheme for an example case, a DC fault current magnitude is reduced from 56 kA to 14 kA, while the interruption time is reduced from 44 ms to 25 ms.
Organizational Implications of Automation

Explains the implications of automation to business management. Assessment of industrial productivity in line with technological innovations; Responsibilities of supervisors in an automated environ...
Acute toxic effects of club drugs.

Abstract This article summarizes the short-term physiological toxicity and the adverse behavioral effects of four substances (GHB, ketamine, MDMA, and Rohypnol®) that have been used at late-night dance clubs. The two primary data sources were case studies of human fatalities and experimental studies with laboratory animals. A safety ratio was calculated for each substance based on its estimated lethal dose and its customary recreational dose. GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) appears to be the most physiologically toxic; Rohypnol® (flunitrazepam) appears to be the least physiologically toxic. The single most risk-producing behavior of club drug users is combining psychoactive substances, usually involving alcohol. Hazardous drug-use sequelae such as accidents, aggressive behavior, and addiction were not factored into the safety ratio estimates.
Symbolic structures in numeric reinforcement for learning optimum robot trajectory

Abstract This article contributes to the understanding of how symbols can profitably be integrated into a numeric reinforcement learning approach so as to realize a learning robot in a continuous problem setting. An initial experiment clearly revealed that the underlying task could not be learned merely on the basis of numeric reinforcement values. The unstructured utilization of sensory values of the reinforcement approach is dealt with by incorporating readily available domain knowledge. The domain knowledge pre-labels the task space into different regions and builds a connection between the direct sensory experience and the high level features. Teams of networks, each dedicated to a particular feature, exploit the differential characteristics of the regions to rapidly learn the sub-tasks. In addition, a pre-wired fuzzy controller whose function is to restrict the set of actions from which the learner composes a control policy is integrated into the learner. The task faced by the robot has interesting characteristics that are unknown initially, and must be learned. Experimental results indicate that after the robot has been placed in the task space and given the externally motivated needs, it has been able to learn, with a handful of trials, the right policy that fulfills the external needs.
Operation of a helical resonator plasma source

A helical resonator plasma source is a resonant, slow-wave, plasma-loaded structure. It consists of a cylindrical plasma generated by a surrounding helical coil, which, in turn, is surrounded by an earthed coaxial cylinder. Such sources can be efficiently matched to an external power source and can operate at low gas pressures. A quasi-static approximation is used to obtain the fields, which are then employed to calculate the electron heating. The equations of particle and energy balance are used to obtain plasma density and temperature. To solve these equations simultaneously, an iterative procedure is used. Experimental measurements of density and coil voltage as a function of input power are obtained for argon and nitrogen, at 20 mTorr and 2 mTorr. Comparison with theory indicates qualitative agreement. Observed differences between theory and experiment are discussed.
A method of selecting foam inhibitors

Most foam inhibitors arc insoluble. A criterion is described for selecting foam inhibitors {from insoluble liquids3which form emulsions with the liquid to be defoamed. By determining the surface tensions of the liquid to be defoamed and of the additive saturated with that liquid and the interfacial tension between them, a rupture coefficient may be calculated. A high positive rupture coefficient is characteristic of a liquid with a high foam inhibiting ability for the specified foaming liquid. “A negative rupture coefficient is characteristic of liquids which will not reduce foaming. Fifty-four experimental cases are cited, for three foaming systems, to which the principle has been applied with high correlation. A mechanism of defoaming is described. Bubble coalescence rather than bubble rupture at the top of the foam is emphasized. It is shown that a spread film of a foam inhibitor on the surface of the foaming liquid may actually stabilize bubbles at the surface, although promoting rapid coalescence.
Framing the health reform debate.

President Clinton's health reform speech to Congress in September 1993 was notable in two ways. Besides being the first U.S. president since Truman to recommend a major overhaul of the American health care system, he also took care to identify the most important moral values that served to justify his proposal. In part, his statement of values was based on the deliberations of an ethics advisory group, one of the thirtyfive working groups convened in the spring of 1993 to advise the White House on the substance of health reform. The optimistic voter tends to assume that the health reform debate is about the policy and economics of health care; the pessimistic voter tends to assume that the debate is a smoke screen behind which the various powerful interest groups will assure that no change in health care cuts too deeply into their profits or privileges. Either way, ethics appears to be a foreign language to the debate. There are, however, important reasons to follow in President Clinton's footsteps and to continue to frame the debate in terms of the moral values at stake. One reason is the greater likelihood of principled compromise. All agree that the health care system eventually resulting from today's debate will be some sort of compromise plan rather than the full implementation of any current proposal. In playing the inevitable game of "mix and match," we might end up with a practical plan that continues to promote the most basic moral values at stake; we may end up with a plan that best suits the interest groups with the most power; or we may end up with a plan whose individual elements are defensible, but fail to cohere into a meaningful and workable whole. Continuing to remind ourselves which basic values are at stake, and continuing to hold feet to that fire when important decisions must be voted on, seem a good way to raise the odds of a desirable outcome. Another reason to frame the debate in moral terms is that it ought to engage the public at large and not just the so-called wonks. The technical terms of reform are unfamiliar to even the educated voter--not surprisingly, since we have not seen such a debate in the American political arena within the past fifty years; as recently as the summer of 1991 no one would have predicted that health reform would be a major issue in the 1992 presidential elections. By contrast, the moral values at stake--universal access, reasonable equality of benefits, fairness of burdens, quality and efficiency of care, and so forth--are readily grasped by most people, and form the basis for a serious community discussion of what sort of system would best suit this nation and what sorts of trade-offs ought to be made in implementing it. Starting with the Oregon Health Decisions project and spreading to numerous other states through the "grassroots bioethics" movement, numerous citizens and communities have become educated participants in the debate, and elected officials have been served notice that thoughtfulness and not mere rhetoric will be demanded of them. …
How companies engage customers around accessibility on social media

Social media offers a targeted way for mainstream technology companies to communicate with people with disabilities about the accessibility problems that they face. While companies have started to engage with users on social media about accessibility, they differ greatly in terms of their approach and how well they support the ways in which their users want to engage. In this paper, we describe current use patterns of six corporate accessibility teams and their users on Twitter, and present an analysis of these interactions. We find that while many users want to interact directly with companies about accessibility, companies prefer to redirect them to other channels and use Twitter for broadcast messages promoting their accessibility work instead. Our analysis demonstrates that users want to use social media to become part of the process of improving accessibility of mainstream technology, and suggests the extent to which a company is able to leverage this input depends greatly on how they choose to present themselves and interact on social media.
MOLECULAR DYNAMICS COMPUTATIONS FOR THE HARD SPHERE SYSTEM

Fast electronic computers were employed to solve exactiy the simultaneous classical equations of motion of several hundred rigid elastic spheres. The equation of state for 32 particles shows a first-order transition with a loop of the van der Waals type at a density corresponding to about 50% expansion from close packing. The dependence of thc equation of state and in particular the transition on the number of particles used is discussed. The relatively slow rate of the configurational distribution to rcach equilibrium is contrasted with the quite fast establishment of the Maxwellian velocity distribution. The approach of the Boltzmann H-function to equilibrium is monotonic even at high density. The equilibrium collision rate can be accurately evaluated at all densities by means of the Enskog theory, while this theory gives good results for the self-diffusion coefficient only up to the transition point. Above that density the Enskog theory correctly predicts the initial decay of the fractional relaxation but fails to take into account the non- Markoffian character in the further time evolution of the relaxation. (auth)
Chronic arthropathy and musculoskeletal symptoms associated with rubella vaccines. A review of 124 claims submitted to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program

Objective. To report the outcome of 124 claims of chronic arthropathy associated with rubella vaccine submitted to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Methods. Medical records and testimony were reviewed separately by physicians and Special Masters to determine the clinical diagnosis and eligibility for compensation under the Program. Results. Among the 124 subjects with chronic arthropathy, the onset occurred between 1 week and 6 weeks after the rubella vaccination in 72, and 6 weeks after the vaccination in 52. Various conditions developed in the 2 onset groups (1–6 weeks postvaccination, 6 weeks postvaccination), including, respectively, unspecified arthritis (n = 29, n = 1), specified arthritis (n = 11, n = 19), arthralgia (n = 24, n = 7), fibromyalgia (n = 4, n = 11), and multiple symptoms with minimal arthralgia or myalgia (n = 4, n = 14). Concordance of medical recommendations by Program physicians and Special Masters' decisions in 56 completed claims was 91%, with awards mainly to patients with chronic unspecified arthritis and arthralgia. Conclusion. The Program and the US Court of Federal Claims have accepted a causal relationship between currently used rubella vaccine in the US and some chronic arthropathy with an onset between 1 week and 6 weeks after vaccine administration.
Proteomic approaches to analyzing hepatitis C virus biology

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of liver disease worldwide. Acute infection often progresses to chronicity resulting frequently in fibrosis, cirrhosis, and in rare cases, in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Although HCV has proven to be an arduous object of research and has raised important technical challenges, several experimental models have been developed all over the last two decades in order to improve our understanding of the virus life cycle, pathogenesis and virus-host interactions. The recent development of direct acting-agents, leading to considerable progress in treatment of patients, represents the direct outcomes of these achievements. Proteomic approaches have been of critical help to shed light on several aspect of the HCV biology such as virion composition, viral replication, and virus assembly and to unveil diagnostic or prognostic markers of HCV-induced liver disease. Here, we review how proteomic approaches have led to improve our understanding of HCV life cycle and liver disease, thus highlighting the relevance of these approaches for studying the complex interactions between other challenging human viral pathogens and their host.
Observation of color center peaks in calcium fluoride

Alkali halides such as calcium fluoride all have color center defects that absorb light in the visible region. Using a moncochromator equipped, aberration corrected, scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) we recorded spectra showing the time evolution of the generation of F and H centers in calcium fluoride. The final stage of electron beam irradiation is the formation of metallic calcium nanoparticles. High resolution low loss spectra for the Vacuum Ultraviolet region were also recorded.
M-form organization and firm profitability

Theoretical discussions of internal organization stress the importance of organization for firm success and profitability. The Williamsonian hypothesis that firms organized using M-form should be more profitable than firms organized using U-form or other organizational structures is the focus of empirical testing in this paper. Pairs of firms are observed over two periods of time. In the first period, the principal firm adopts M-form while the control firm is organized with a non-M-form structure. In the second period, the control firm adopts the M-form structure. Using this matched firm technique across a number of industries, we find the adoption of M-form leads to statistically significant increases in return on asset and return on equity measures.
Developmental differences in subjects' associative-learning strategies and performance: Assessing a hypothesis

Abstract Fifth-, seventh-, and ninth-grade (11-, 13-, and 15-year-old) subjects were presented with a list of paired associates to learn and were interviewed about the strategies used to learn them. Although a majority of fifth graders reported simply rehearsing the pairs in order to remember them, very few ninth graders relied exclusively on rehearsal. Consistent with a hypothesis advanced by Rohwer (1973), the number of subjects who elaborated some or all of the pairs increased with age. Paired-associate performance increased with age, but the level of paired-associate learning was much more related to the type of strategy reported by the subject than to the age of the subject per se.
Diel vertical migration bySalpa aspera and its potential for large-scale particulate organic matter transport to the deep-sea

In mid-summer 1975 throughout the Western Slope Water of the North Atlantic Ocean, massive numbers ofSalpa aspera performed a diel vertical migration of at least 800 m. This resulted in a movement of 85 to 90% of the total zooplankton biomass out of the upper 500 m during the day. Fecal pellet production and losses from this salp population were estimated to contribute approximately 12 mg C m-2 day-1 to the deep planktonic and benthic populations. If all this organic matter reached the deep-sea floor, it would represent over 100% of the daily deep-sea benthic infauna energy requirements.
Resonance Analysis of High Temperature Piezoelectric Materials for Actuation and Sensing

The current NASA Decadal mission planning effort has identified Venus as a significant scientific target for a surface in-situ sampling mission.
A Transitional Variant of Castleman's Disease Presenting as a Chylous Pleural Effusion

Castleman's disease is an uncommon clinicopathologic entity that results in unregulated growth of lymphoid tissue. It may present as benign involvement of one lymph node group or as multicentric disease with serious systemic symptoms. Pleural effusions are an uncommon manifestation of Castleman's disease. We present a patient with Castleman's disease who initially presented with a chylous pleural effusion.
Purified influenza A virus N2 neuraminidase vaccine is immunogenic and non-toxic in humans

The immunogenicity and toxicity of a purified influenza virus (N2) neuraminidase vaccine (NAV) were investigated in 88 human subjects aged 18-40, and compared to response to a conventional trivalent influenza vaccine, Fluogen (Parke-Davis). NAV doses ranged from 2.6 to 69.9 micrograms and were given intramuscularly. Serologic neuraminidase-inhibiting (NI) and neuraminidase-specific ELISA responses in this N2-primed population were roughly proportional to the dose administered. Maximal response was seen in 14-21 days and NI antibody titers persisted unabated for the 6-month post-vaccination follow-up period. All doses were well tolerated with respect to local and systemic reactions. NI tests performed with the putative (1975) priming N2 antigen demonstrated anamnestic response but did not reveal responses not already shown with the homologous (1992) antigen. Response to this purified, non-adjuvanted preparation encourages continuing investigation of the induction of infection-permissive immunity with influenza virus neuraminidase.
Sodium meta-autunite colloids: Synthesis, characterization, and stability

Abstract Waste forms of uranium (U), such as those in the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site, often contain high concentrations of sodium and phosphorus. Low solubility sodium uranyl phosphates such as sodium meta-autunite have the potential to form mobile colloids that can facilitate transport of this radionuclide. To understand the stability behavior of uranyl phosphate colloids, we synthesized sodium meta-autunite colloids and characterized their morphology, chemical composition, structure, dehydration, and surface charge. The stability of these synthetic, plate-shaped colloids was tested with respect to time and pH. We observed the highest aggregation rate to be at pH 3, with the rate decreasing as pH increases, indicating a higher stability of colloid dispersion under neutral and alkaline pH conditions. The synthetic colloids are all negatively charged, and no isoelectric points were found over a pH range of 3–9. The zeta potentials (ζ) of the colloids in the phosphate solution show a strong pH-dependence in the more acidic range over time, but are relatively constant in the neutral and alkaline pH range. Using Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek theory, the stability behavior of these synthetic colloids was interpreted. The high stability of sodium meta-autunite colloids under neutral–alkaline conditions suggests that formation of sodium meta-autunite colloids can enhance the transport of U in U-contaminated sediments.
Male fecundity and optimal gametocyte sex ratios for Plasmodium falciparum during incomplete fertilization

A mathematical model of the within-vector dynamics of Plasmodium falciparum in an Anopheles mosquito with unbiased random mating and incomplete fertilization is used to investigate the effects of varying fecundity and population size on the gametocyte sex ratio when strains maximize their individual fitnesses. Previous studies considered either the effects of variable fecundity or the effects of incomplete fertilization. Here we investigate the simultaneous effects of variable fecundity, incomplete fertilization, and variable number of ingested gametocytes per strain on the optimal gametocyte sex ratio. Our model results agree with others in the case of two identically sized populations in that large differences in fecundities lead to female-biased total population sex ratios. When the assumption of identically sized populations is relaxed in our model, population sex ratios vary from highly female-biased to slightly male-biased, depending on relative strain fecundities and population sizes. Our results provide a plausible explanation for the high variation in gametocyte sex ratios of P. falciparum observed in nature.
Reasons for conversion from laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy in an urban teaching hospital

BACKGROUND: Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy has replaced open cholecystectomy for the majority of patients, it is clear that a substantial minority will require laparotomy for safe and successful removal of the gallbladder. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seven hundred forty-six laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed at LAC+USC Medical Center from January 1991 to May 1993 were retrospectively reviewed. Hospital stay, laboratory values, and complications, as well as the need for and region for conversion to open cholecystectomy were recorded. There were 661 females and 45 males, with a mean age of 34 years (range 15 to 92). RESULTS: One hundred one (14%) of the 746 patients were converted to open cholecystectomy. Difficult dissection secondary to inflammation or adhesions and the need to treat common-bile-duct stones were the most common reasons for conversion. Patients requiring conversion to open cholecystectomy were more likely to have been admitted through the emergency department (72% versus 46%, P<0.0001), have had prolonged hospital stays prior to surgery (mean time from admission to surgery 4.4 days versus 2.4 days, P<0.0001), and to have had a thickened gallbladder wall on preoperative ultrasound (54% versus 20%, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The most common reasons for conversion to open cholecystectomy are inflammation and adhesions secondary to severe acute and chronic disease and/or the need for clearance of the common bile duct. Patients who were admitted to the emergency department, particularly if they were managed nonoperatively for a period of time and had a preoperative diagnosis of acute cholecystitis, were more likely to require conversion to open cholecystectomy
Su1391 Safety of Non-Intubated Versus Intubated ERCP: A Retrospective Review of Gastrointestinal and Cardiopulmonary Complications

Su1391 Safety of Non-Intubated Versus Intubated ERCP: A Retrospective Review of Gastrointestinal and Cardiopulmonary Complications Serge A. Sorser*, David S. Fan, Emily Tommolino, Roberto M. Gamarra Gastroenterology, Providence Hospital and Medical Center, Southfield, M
Inertial properties and loading rates affect buckling modes and injury mechanisms in the cervical spine

Cervical spine injuries continue to be a costly societal problem. Future advancements in injury prevention depend on improved physical and computational models which, in turn, are predicated on a better understanding of the responses of the neck during dynamic loading. Previous studies have shown that the tolerance of the neck is dependent on its initial position and its buckling behavior. This study uses a computational model to examine the mechanical factors influencing buckling behavior during impact to the neck. It was hypothesized that the inertial properties of the cervical spine influence the dynamics during compressive axial loading. The hypothesis was tested by performing parametric analyses of vertebral mass, mass moments of inertia, motion segment stiffness, and loading rate. Increases in vertebral mass resulted in increasingly complex kinematics and larger peak loads and impulses. Similar results were observed for increases in stiffness. Faster loading rates were associated with higher peak loads and higher-order buckling modes. The results demonstrate that mass has a great deal of influence on the buckling behavior of the neck, particularly with respect to the expression of higher-order modes. Injury types and mechanisms may be substantially altered by loading rate because inertial effects may influence whether the cervical spine fails in a compressive mode, or a bending mode.
Pulmonary Resection for Metastatic Adrenocortical Carcinoma: The National Cancer Institute Experience

Background Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare neoplasm with a high propensity for locoregional recurrences and distant metastases for which there are no effective systemic therapies. This study was undertaken to determine outcomes of patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy for ACC. Methods A single-institution retrospective review was performed of patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy for ACC from 1979 to 2010. Results Twenty-six patients underwent 60 pulmonary metastasectomies. Fifteen patients (58%) underwent unilateral thoracotomy, 6 (23%) had staged thoracotomies, and 5 (19%) underwent median sternotomy as the initial thoracic procedure. Median number and size of lesions were 6 and 2 cm, respectively. Twenty-three patients (88%) were rendered free of disease in the lung, and 14 (54%) were rendered completely free of disease. Median overall and 5-year actuarial survivals from initial pulmonary metastasectomy were 40 months and 41%, respectively, with a median potential follow-up of 120 months. Median recurrence-free survival (RFS) and 5-year RFS for ipsilateral thoracic recurrences were 6 months, and 25%, respectively. The median RFS in the contralateral thorax was 5 months. Time to first recurrence after adrenalectomy and T stage of the primary tumor, but not adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy, were associated with increased overall survival after pulmonary metastasectomy. Conclusions This study represents the most comprehensive review of outcomes of patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy for ACC. Given the lack of effective systemic therapies, pulmonary metastasectomy may be beneficial in properly selected patients.
A novel design of sensor chips based on photonic crystal correlators

We demonstrate a new way to design ultra-compact RF sensors by the combination of photonic crystals (PhCs), spiral antennas, and Schottky diode mixers. PhCs offer the opportunity to construct ultra-small integrated circuits in the optical wavelength of electromagnetic spectrum. In this talk, we experimentally demonstrate hybrid lattice PhC channelizers in the RF regime which can function as a compact correlator if it is combined with mixers. Using this correlator and spiral anteenas, we design an ultrosmall size sensor which has the ability of both detecting and processing signals.
Indoor Air Flow and Pollutant Removal in a Room with Task Ventilation

In a furnished experimental facility with three workstations separated by partitions, we studied indoor air flow patterns and tobacco smoke removal efficiency of a desk-top task ventilation system. The task ventilation system permits occupant control of the temperature, flow rate and direction of air supplied through two desk-mounted supply nozzles. In the configuration evaluated, air exited the ventilated space through a ceiling-mounted return grill. To study indoor air flow patterns, we measured the age of air at multiple indoor locations using the tracer gas step-up procedure. To study the intra-room transport of tobacco smoke particles and the efficiency of panicle removal by ventilation, a cigarette was smoked mechanically in one workstation and particle concentrations were measured at multiple indoor locations including the exhaust airstream. Test variables included the direction of air supply from the nozzles, supply nozzle area, supply flow rate and temperature, percent recirculation of chamber air, and internal heatloads. With nozzles pointed toward the occupants, 100% outside air supplied at the desk-top, and air supply rates of approximately 40 L/s per workstation, the age of air at the breathing level of ventilated workstations was approximately 30% less than the age of air that would occur throughout the testmore » space with perfectly mixed indoor air. With smaller air supply rates and/or air supplied parallel to the edges of the desk, ages of air at breathing locations were not significantly lower than the age with perfect mixing. Indoor tobacco smoke particle concentrations at specific locations were generally within 12% of the average measured indoor concentration and concentrations of particles in the exhaust airstream were not significantly different from concentration of particles at breathing locations.« less
Comment: A growing role for nerve ultrasound in diagnosis and management of CIDP?

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is an immune-mediated polyneuropathy characterized by segmental demyelination, sometimes accompanied by axonal loss. Nerve size and architecture are altered. Despite composite criteria, diagnosis can be challenging. Furthermore, objective measurements to follow disease activity are limited. High-resolution nerve ultrasound could potentially aid in diagnosis and disease monitoring; it is inexpensive, widely available, noninvasive, and can rapidly image long segments of multiple nerves. However, few studies have examined the relationship between nerve morphology and function in CIDP using ultrasound.1
HST/COS OBSERVATIONS OF THE QUASAR HE 2347-4342: PROBING THE EPOCH OF He II PATCHY REIONIZATION AT REDSHIFTS z = 2.4-2.9

We report ultraviolet spectra of the high-redshift (z{sub em} {approx} 2.9) quasar, HE 2347 - 4342, taken by the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) on the Hubble Space Telescope. Spectra in the G130M (medium resolution, 1135-1440 A) and G140L (low resolution, 1030-2000 A) gratings exhibit patchy Gunn-Peterson absorption in the 303.78 A Ly{alpha} line of He II between z = 2.39-2.87 (G140L) and z = 2.74-2.90 (G130M). With COS, we obtain better spectral resolution, higher signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), and better determined backgrounds than previous studies, with sensitivity to abundance fractions x{sub He{sub II}} {approx} 0.01 in filaments of the cosmic web. The He II optical depths from COS are higher than those with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer and range from {tau}{sub He{sub II}} { =} 5, with a slow recovery in mean optical depth to ({tau}{sub He{sub II}}) {<=} 2 at z < 2.7. The He II/H I optical-depth ratio varies ({eta}{approx} 10-100 for 2.4 < z < 2.73 and {eta} = 5-500 for 2.75 < z < 2.89) on scales {Delta}z {approx}< 0.01 (10.8 Mpc in comoving radial distance at z = 2.8), with numerous flux-transmission windows between 1135 and 1186 A. The Hemore » II absorption extends to 1186.26 A (z = 2.905), including associated absorbers with z{sub abs} {approx} z{sub QSO} and minimal 'proximity effect' of flux transmission at the He II edge. We propose a QSO systemic redshift z{sub QSO} = 2.904 {+-} 0.002, some {Delta}z = 0.019 higher than that derived from O I {lambda}1302 emission. Three long troughs (4-10 A or 25-60 Mpc comoving distance) of strong He II absorption between z = 2.75and2.90 are uncharacteristic of the intergalactic medium if He II reionized at z{sub r} {approx} 3. Contrary to recent indirect estimates (z{sub r} = 3.2 {+-} 0.2) from H I optical depths, the epoch of He II reionization may extend to z {approx}< 2.7.« less
Can Nanotechnology Improve the Sustainability of Biobased Products

Summary Recent developments in nanotechnology, especially in the area of nanoclay composites, are improving the technical performance of biobased polymers and moving them toward technicalandeconomiccompetitivenesswithpetroleum-basedpolymers and conventional composites. We assess whether these developments also improve the environmental sustainability of biopolymers, by using a life cycle approach. We estimate energy use and emissions from the nanoclay production process and compare these with prior life cycle data for biopolymers as well as other fibers, and we find that nanoclay production results in lower energy use and greenhouse gas emissions than production of many common biopolymers and glass fibers. Nanoclay composites hence can improve the life cycle environmental performance of several common biopolymers. However, for some biopolymers the relative performance depends on the functional unit.
Respiratory Effects of Non-Tobacco Cigarettes: A Longitudinal Study in General Population

Data from four consecutive surveys of Tucson longitudinal study of airways obstructive disease were used to examine the relation of respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function to non-tobacco cigarette smoking. The surveys were conducted over a six-year period and provided data on 1802 subjects 15-60 years of age, with a total of 5659 individual questionnaires. Estimated odds ratio (OR) of current non-tobacco smoking for chronic cough was 1.73, for chronic phlegm: 1.53, and for wheeze: 2.01 (p less than 0.05). These estimates were adjusted for age, tobacco smoking and occurrence of the symptom in preceding survey. The increased risk of the symptoms was related to the habit continued for several years, and there was no immediate remission of the symptoms after quitting smoking. A significant (p less than 0.05) reduction in pulmonary function (FEV1, Vmax50 and their ratios with FVC) was found a year or more after current non-tobacco smoking was reported. Although the average consumption of non-tobacco cigarettes, believed to be marijuana smoking, was less than one per day, significant effects were still detectable in both pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms.
Melengestrol acetate in experimental diets as an effective alternative to induce a decline in egg production and reversible regression of the reproductive tract in laying hens I. Determining an effective concentration of melengestrol acetate

Induced molting increases egg quality and egg production and extends the productive life of hens. Molting is accomplished by feed withdrawal, which has been criticized for not addressing hen well-being, and current alternatives have resulted in poor postmolt performance and inadequate well-being. Molting leads to regression of follicles on the ovary and causes loss of steroidogenic support for the oviduct, leading to cessation of lay. Melengestrol acetate (MGA), an orally active progestin, may decrease support for the ovary, resulting in loss of support for the oviduct, while hens are fed a balanced diet. In this experiment, a dose response study, Hy-Line W-36 hens were fed 0, 0.1, 1, 4, or 8 mg of MGA per hen/d in a balanced diet for 28 d and then returned to a normal diet. Four birds on d 0 and 4 birds per treatment on d 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, and 44 were euthanized. The weight of the ovary with follicles, magnum, shell gland, and oviduct were determined. A decrease in egg production was observed in those groups receiving 4 and 8 mg of MGA, until removal of MGA from the diet. After d 28, egg production increased to the production level of hens fed 0, 0.1, or 1 mg of MGA. The weight of the ovary with follicles, oviduct, magnum, and shell gland were unchanged throughout in groups fed 0, 0.1, or 1 mg of MGA. However, groups fed 4 or 8 mg of MGA exhibited a decrease (P < 0.05) in the weight of the ovary with follicles, oviduct, magnum, and shell gland until d 28. Recrudescence of the large yellow follicles as well as rejuvenation of the oviduct and its components, the magnum and shell gland, in the 4 and 8 mg MGA groups occurred by d 44. Melengestrol acetate, fed to hens on a balanced layer diet, caused reversible regression of follicles and, therefore, removal and return of support for the oviduct.
Precision of pulse-coupled networks of integrate-and-fire neurons.

Some sensory tasks in the nervous system require highly precise spike trains to be generated in the presence of intrinsic neuronal noise. Collective enhancement of precision (CEP) can occur when spike trains of many neurons are pooled together into a more precise population discharge. We study CEP in a network of N model neurons connected by recurrent excitation. Each neuron is driven by a periodic inhibitory spike train with independent jitter in the spike arrival time. The network discharge is characterized by σW , the dispersion in the spike times within one cycle, and σB, the jitter in the network-averaged spike time between cycles. In an uncoupled network σB ∼ 1/ √ N and σW is independent of N . In a strongly coupled network σB ∼ 1/ log N and σW is close to zero. At intermediate coupling strengths, σW is reduced, while σB remains close to its uncoupled value. The population discharge then has optimal biophysical properties compared with the uncoupled network.
A Review of “Contemporary Urbanism in Brazil: Beyond Brasília”

Postmodern urbanism is characterized by dichotomy, fragmentation, and multiplicity. Contemporary Urbanism in Brazil: Beyond Brasilia places urbanism in Brazil within this framework. Modernism was a...
The impact of process noise on VLSI process improvement

Process improvement is critical to commercial success in VLSI fabrication, especially during ramp-up. This paper investigates one of the factors-process noise-that drives the success of process improvement. Split-lot controlled experiments are vulnerable to confounding by experimental noise, caused by process variability. Fabs with low noise levels have a higher potential for learning (and hence improving their production processes) than high noise fabs. Detailed probe yield data from five semiconductor fabs were examined to estimate process noise levels. A bootstrap simulation was used to estimate the error rates of identical controlled experiments conducted in each fab. Absolute noise levels were high for all but the best fabs, leading to lost learning. The magnitude of lost learning is estimated numerically; it ranges from ten percent to above one hundred percent of the theoretically possible learning in an experiment. In some cases, experiments are little better than coin flipping. Standard statistical methods are either expensive or ineffective for dealing with these high noise levels. Some alternative nonstatistical countermeasures are recommended. >
Simple R. E. Degree Structures

Much of recursion theory centers on the structures of different kinds of degrees. Classically there are the Turing degrees and r. e. Turing degrees. More recently, people have studied α-degrees for α an ordinal, and degrees over E-closed sets and admissible sets. In most contexts, deg(0) is the bottom degree and there is a jump operator' such that d' is the largest degree r. e. in d and d' > d. Both the degrees and the r. e. degrees usually have a rich structure, including a relativization to the cone above a given degree.A natural exception to this pattern was discovered by S. Friedman [F], who showed that for certain admissible ordinals β the β-degrees ≥ 0′ are well-ordered, with successor provided by the jump.For r. e. degrees, natural counterexamples are harder to come by. This is because the constructions are priority arguments, which require only mild restrictions on the ground model. For instance, if an admissible set has a well-behaved pair of recursive well-orderings then the priority construction of an intermediate r. e. degree (i.e., 0 < d < 0′) goes through [S]. It is of interest to see just what priority proofs need by building (necessarily pathological) admissible sets with few r. e. degrees.Harrington [C] provides an admissible set with two r. e. degrees, via forcing. A limitation of his example is that it needs ω1 (more accurately, a local version thereof) as a parameter. In this paper, we find locally countable admissible sets, some with three r. e. degrees and some with four.
Toward empirical evaluation of left ventricle function: a novel mathematical mapping

A strategy is developed to facilitate quantitative analysis of left ventricle morphology based on clinically measured surface geometry and muscle fiber patterns rather than lower order geometric approximations previously required. A transfer function is derived which maps measured three-dimensional ventricle surfaces and associated muscle fiber patterns to a right circular cylinder, while preserving characteristic kinematics of the system. Functional analysis of ventricular morphology at various stages of the cardiac cycle proceeds by using classical methods on the cylindrical ventricle model, with substantially reduced analytical complexity when compared to similar calculations on the real ventricle shape. Functional morphology of the real ventricle shape at any stage of the cardiac cycle is subsequently deduced by applying the inverse of the transfer function in order to map the computed right circular cylinder back to its corresponding real ventricle shape. Limitations of the method are discussed in the context of real left ventricle performance, and extension of the method for analysis of functional morphology in other biomechanical systems is explored.
Exaggerated epinephrine response to hypoglycemia in a physically fit, well-controlled IDDM subject

Abstract Metabolically well controlled insulin-dependent diabetic subjects (IDDM) have deficient autonomic adreno-medullary responses to hypoglycemia. This defect, coupled with the characteristic deficient glucagon response to hypoglycemia, predisposes well-controlled IDDM subjects to an increased incidence of severe hypoglycemic episodes. In this report we describe a physically trained subject with long-duration IDDM (9 years) who was rigorously well-controlled (normal HBA 1c ), yet had exaggerated epinephrine responses to hypoglycemia compared with normal controls. Steady state epinephrine levels during a low-dose insulin (9 pM/kg/min) hypoglycemic clamp (2.9 ± 0.1 mM) were approximately 2-fold higher compared with normal controls (10.6 vs. 5.5 ± 0.7 nM). Epinephrine levels during a high-dose insulin (30 pM/kg/min) hypoglycemic clamp (2.8 ± 0.1 mM) were also increased compared with normal controls (13.1 vs. 8.8 ± 0.6 nM). We conclude that physical training in this metabolically well-controlled IDDM subject was associated with an augmented autonomic adrenomedullary response to hypoglycemia.
The Role of Parental Coping in Children with Asthma's Psychological Well-being and Asthma-related Quality of Life

Objective The primary purpose of our study was to examine the relationship between parental coping and children with asthma's psychological well-being and asthma-related quality of life (ArQL). Methods Eighty-nine mother-child dyads with a child with asthma ranging in age from 8 to 12-years old participated. During baseline and 6 month follow-up visits, children completed questionnaires assessing anxiety and ArQL; mothers completed questionnaires assessing coping, ArQL, an index of recent stressors, and demographic/medical history forms. Results Mothers who relied more on active coping strategies at baseline had children with better ArQL 6 months later, and those who relied on more avoidance coping strategies at baseline had children with poorer ArQL of life 6 months later. Conclusions These results reveal that maternal coping plays an important role in the ArQL of children with asthma. Implications for interventions aimed at improving the physical and mental health of children with asthma are discussed.
Importance of Hydration and Dynamics on the Selectivity of the KcsA and NaK Channels

Fundamental concepts governing ion selectivity in narrow pores are reviewed and the microscopic factors responsible for the lack of selectivity of the NaK channel, which is structurally similar to the K+-selective KcsA channel, are elucidated on the basis of all-atom molecular dynamics free energy simulations. The results on NaK are contrasted and compared with previous studies of the KcsA channel. Analysis indicates that differences in hydration of the cation in the pore of NaK is at the origin of the lack of selectivity of NaK.
THE INFLUENCE OF THE THYROID ON THE VAGOINSULIN AND SYMPATHETICO′ADRENAL SYSTEMS1

SYMPTOMS indicating increased autonomic activity are very common in clinical and experimental thyrotoxicosis. They have been explained largely on the basis of the increased sensitivity of the peripheral autonomic effectors to adrenalin and to the increased metabolism of the various tissues. In view of the fact that the thyroid hormone has a profound influence on the activity of the central nervous system as shown by the study of conditioned and spinal reflexes in normal, thyrotoxic and thyroidectomiz,ed animals (I) and by the effect of the thyroid hormone on the respiratory center (3), it was thought of interest to investigate the relation of the thyroid hormone to the autonomic centers regulating the secretion of insulin via the vagus and that of adrenalin through sympathetic nerve fibers. It was shown previously (4) that various drugs and procedures including metrazol, electrically induced convulsions and typhoid′paratyphoid vaccine, act on both vago′insulin and sympathetico′adrenal centers.
aDORe: a modular and standards-based digital object repository at the los alamos national laboratory

This paper describes the aDORe repository architecture, designed and implemented for ingesting, storing, and accessing a vast collection of Digital Objects at the Research Library of the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
d‐amino carboxamide‐based recruitment of dinitrophenol antibodies to bacterial surfaces via peptidoglycan remodeling

During the past few decades there has been a rapid emergence of multidrug resistant bacteria afflicting human patients. At the same time, reduced output from pharmaceutical industry in this area precipitated a sharp decrease in the approval of new antibiotics. The combination of these factors potentially compromises the ability to effectively combat bacterial infections. While traditional drug discovery efforts continue in the pursuit of small molecule agents that disrupt bacterial growth, non-traditional efforts could serve to complement antimicrobial strategies. We recently demonstrated our ability to remodel the surface of bacterial cells using unnatural d-amino acids displaying the antigenic dinitrophenyl (DNP) handle. These immune stimulant d-amino acids derivatives were metabolically incorporated onto the peptidoglycan of bacteria via a promiscuous surface-anchored transpeptidase. The covalent modification of DNP moieties onto the peptidoglycan led to the anti-DNP antibody opsonization of the bacterial cell surface. Herein, we show that the amidation of the C-terminus to generate DNP-displaying d-amino carboxamide drastically improves antibody recruitment. Antibody opsonization using the d-amino carboxamide agent is observed at lower concentrations than the d-amino acid counterpart. In addition, the recruitment of endogenous antibodies in pooled human serum to the DNP-modified bacterial cell surface is demonstrated for the first time. We envision that the C-terminus amidation of DNP-conjugated d-amino acids could potentially facilitate translation of these results to in vivo animal disease models. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 104: 351–359, 2015.
Importance of Diet in Maternal Phenylketonuria

Diet has long been recognized as the primary treatment modality for individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU) during infancy and childhood. Recent findings from the Maternal PKU Collaborative Study clearly indicate that dietary restriction of phenylalanine is also necessary to prevent the adverse effects of an elevated plasma phenylalanine concentration during pregnancy, which include microcephaly, physical anomalies, and mental retardation.