cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PENGEMBANGAN MODEL PEMBELAJARAN KOLABORATIF MELALUI PENDEKATAN CSCL (COMPUTER SUPPORTED COLLABORATIVE LEARNING) PADA FAKULTAS TEKNIK UNIVERSITAS NEGERI MAKASSAR

Tujuan yang akan dicapai dalam penelitian ini adalah: (1) Mengetahui bagaimana mengembangkan model pembelajaran kolaboratif melalui pendekatan CSCL (Computer Supported Collaborative Learning) pada FT- UNM; (2) Mengetahui bagaimana desain model pembelajaran kolaboratif melalui pendekatan CSCL; (3) Mengetahui bagaimana hasil pengembangan pembelajaran kolaboratif melalui pendekatan CSCL telah memenuhi kriteria valid, praktis, efektif, dan efisien. Penelitian yang direncanakan merupakan penelitian dan pengembangan pendidikan (educational research and development). Sesuai dengan pengertiannya bahwa penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menghasilkan produk. Model pembelajaran computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) merupakan bagian dari fungsi pembelajaran dengan model pembelajaran yang berpusat pada siswa. Model pembelajaran CSCL merupakan kombinasi model pembelajaran kooperatif dan penggunaan komputer serta internet sebagai media dalam pembelajarannya. Dengan teknologi yang semakin canggih, individu-individu yang berada pada lokasi yang berjauhan memungkinkan untuk berkolaborasi secara on-line. Penelitian di bidang Computer Supported Collaborative Learning atau biasa disebut dengan CSCL ini, memberikan sebuah pengalaman baru bahwa Blog merupakan salah satu model yang dapat digunakan untuk meningkatkan kolaborasi di dalam pembelajaran. Pemanfaatnya di dalam peningkatan kolaborasi dalam pembelajaran memberikan suatu masukan bahwa Blog memang baik bila diintegrasikan ke dalam pembelajaran. Seperti halnya pada penelitian ini, yang dapat disimpulkan bahwa Kolaborasi antara dosen dan mahasiswa dalam memanfaatkan Blog memberikan hubungan yang baik terhadap peningkatan kolaborasi antara Dosen dan mahasiswa. Pemanfaatan Blog ini memberikan kemudahan bagi Dosen dan mahasiswa untuk berbagi informasi serta berinteraksi baik itu secara personal ataupun kelompok/general. Kegiatan kolaborasi pun tidak hanya terjadi di lingkungan kampus saja tetapi kapan saja dan dimana saja. Efektivitas dan efisiensi penggunaan Blog sebagai media CSCL dengan beberapa indikator diperoleh penilaian Sangat Efektif dan Sangat Baik. Kata Kunci : Pembelajaran Kolaboratif, Blog
A history of the axiomatic formulation of probability from Borel to Kolmogorov: Part I

This paper, the first of two, traces the origins of the modern axiomatic formulation of Probability Theory, which was first given in definitive form by Kolmogorov in 1933. Even before that time, however, a sequence of developments, initiated by a landmark paper of E. Borel, were giving rise to problems, theorems, and reformulations that increasingly related probability to measure theory and, in particular, clarified the key role of countable additivity in Probability Theory.
Negative Sagittal Balance Following Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery.

Study Design:Retrospective cohort study.Objective:Elucidate negative sagittal balance following adult spinal deformity surgery.Methods:We conducted a retrospective review of adult spinal deformity ...
The United States Action Plan

I will discuss the National Communication submitted by the U.S. under the Framework Convention on Climate Change and will also offer some thoughts on the national communications that other countries have submitted.
Lower Urinary Tract Pharmacotherapy for Nocturia

A variety of pharmacologic agents have been reported to have an effect on nocturia. Desmopressin is the agent most commonly specifically prescribed worldwide for nocturia related to nocturnal polyuria, and substantial evidence has been accrued using desmopressin for this indication. This chapter, however, focuses on reported results of treatment of nocturia with drugs directed toward the therapy of overactive bladder and lower urinary tract symptoms attributed to benign prostatic hyperplasia.
The AJCC 8th Edition Staging System for Soft Tissue Sarcoma of the Extremities or Trunk: A Cohort Study of the SEER Database

Background: The AJCC recently published the 8th edition of its cancer staging system. Significant changes were made to the staging algorithm for soft tissue sarcoma (STS) of the extremities or trunk, including the addition of 2 additional T (size) classifications in lieu of tumor depth and grouping lymph node metastasis (LNM) with distant metastasis as stage IV disease. Whether these changes improve staging system performance is questionable. Patients and Methods: This retrospective cohort analysis of 21,396 adult patients with STS of the extremity or trunk in the SEER database compares the AJCC 8th edition staging system with the 7th edition and a newly proposed staging algorithm using a variety of statistical techniques. The effect of tumor size on disease-specific survival was assessed by flexible, nonlinear Cox proportional hazard regression using restricted cubic splines and fractional polynomials. Results: The slope of covariate-adjusted log hazards for sarcoma-specific survival decreases for tumors >8 cm in greatest dimension, limiting prognostic information contributed by the new T4 classification in the AJCC 8th edition. Anatomic depth independently provides significant prognostic information. LNM is not equivalent to distant, non-nodal metastasis. Based on these findings, an alternative staging system is proposed and demonstrated to outperform both AJCC staging schemes. The analyses presented also disclose no evidence of improved clinical performance of the 8th edition compared with the previous edition. Conclusions: The AJCC 8th edition staging system for STS is no better than the previous 7th edition. Instead, a proposed staging system based on histologic grade, tumor size, and anatomic depth shows significantly higher predictive accuracy, with higher model concordance than either AJCC staging system. Changes to existing staging systems should improve the performance of prognostic models. Until such improvements are documented, AJCC committees should refrain from modifying established staging schemes.
HIV Persistence in Adipose Tissue Reservoirs

The purpose of this review is to examine the evidence describing adipose tissue as a reservoir for HIV-1 and how this often expansive anatomic compartment contributes to HIV persistence. Memory CD4 T cells and macrophages, the major host cells for HIV, accumulate in adipose tissue during HIV/SIV infection of humans and rhesus macaques. Whereas HIV and SIV proviral DNA is detectable in CD4 T cells of multiple fat depots in virtually all infected humans and monkeys examined, viral RNA is less frequently detected, and infected macrophages may be less prevalent in adipose tissue. However, based on viral outgrowth assays, adipose-resident CD4 T cells are latently infected with virus that is replication-competent and infectious. Additionally, adipocytes interact with CD4 T cells and macrophages to promote immune cell activation and inflammation which may be supportive for HIV persistence. Antiviral effector cells, such as CD8 T cells and NK/NKT cells, are abundant in adipose tissue during HIV/SIV infection and typically exceed CD4 T cells, whereas B cells are largely absent from adipose tissue of humans and monkeys. Additionally, CD8 T cells in adipose tissue of HIV patients are activated and have a late differentiated phenotype, with unique TCR clonotypes of less diversity relative to blood CD8 T cells. With respect to the distribution of antiretroviral drugs in adipose tissue, data is limited, but there may be class-specific penetration of fat depots. The trafficking of infected immune cells within adipose tissues is a common event during HIV/SIV infection of humans and monkeys, but the virus may be mostly transcriptionally dormant. Viral replication may occur less in adipose tissue compared to other major reservoirs, such as lymphoid tissue, but replication competence and infectiousness of adipose latent virus are comparable to other tissues. Due to the ubiquitous nature of adipose tissue, inflammatory interactions among adipocytes and CD4 T cells and macrophages, and selective distribution of antiretroviral drugs, the sequestration of infected immune cells within fat depots likely represents a major challenge for cure efforts.
Cysteine- and glycine-rich protein 3 regulates glucose homeostasis in skeletal muscle.

Skeletal muscle is the major site of postprandial peripheral glucose uptake, but in obesity-induced insulin-resistant states insulin-stimulated glucose disposal is markedly impaired. Despite the im...
PLASMA MEMBRANE BIOGENESIS AND VESICLE TRAFFIC IN POLARIZED HEPATOCYTES: WHAT CAN PERTURBATIONS TELL US?

Plasma membrane (PM) biogenesis in polarized epithelial cells involves the generation of specialized PM domains, each facing a different environment and containing a distinct set of proteins. Many domain specific integral membrane proteins have complex type glycosylation and are cotranslationally inserted into the rough endoplasmic reticulum and pass through the Golgi complex together. Afterwards, they must be sorted to the correct membrane domain. We are studying PM biogenesis in the rat hepatocyte, a polarized epithelial cell with multiple basal (sinusoidal) and apical (bile canalicular) domains.
Ultrasonic Testing for Determining Dynamic Soil Moduli

Determination of dynamic E- and G-moduli of a silty clay material were made by measuring directly the velocity of both ultrasonic longitudinal and shear waves transmitted through the material. The equipment, developed at the University of Missouri-Rolla, allows dynamic, nondestructive testing of soil materials to be conducted rapidly and easily.
Maximum Weighted Loss Discrepancy.

Though machine learning algorithms excel at minimizing the average loss over a population, this might lead to large discrepancies between the losses across groups within the population. To capture this inequality, we introduce and study a notion we call maximum weighted loss discrepancy (MWLD), the maximum (weighted) difference between the loss of a group and the loss of the population. We relate MWLD to group fairness notions and robustness to demographic shifts. We then show MWLD satisfies the following three properties: 1) It is statistically impossible to estimate MWLD when all groups have equal weights. 2) For a particular family of weighting functions, we can estimate MWLD efficiently. 3) MWLD is related to loss variance, a quantity that arises in generalization bounds. We estimate MWLD with different weighting functions on four common datasets from the fairness literature. We finally show that loss variance regularization can halve the loss variance of a classifier and hence reduce MWLD without suffering a significant drop in accuracy.
[4 + 2] Dimerization and Cycloaddition Reactions of alpha,beta-Unsaturated Selenoaldehydes and Selenoketones.

The reactions of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones with bis(dimethylaluminum) selenide, (Me2Al)2Se, yield the corresponding α,β-unsaturated selenoaldehydes and selenoketones. They are too unstable to be isolated in the monomeric form, but they undergo regioselective [4 + 2] dimerization via a “head-to-head” oriented transition state to afford diselenin derivatives (trans and cis isomers). Theoretical calculations at the density functional theory level show that this selectivity occurs because the “head-to-head” dimerization is thermodynamically favored over the “head-to-tail” by about 14 kcal/mol. Both dimerization reactions have low energy barriers: 1.5 and 2.8 kcal/mol for the former and 0.9 and 1.3 kcal/mol for the latter. In the presence of norbornadiene, these compounds function as 4π heterodienes (CC−CSe) to give the respective cycloadduct products. On the other hand, they act as 2π dienophiles (CSe) in the reactions with cyclopentadiene except for selenoacrolein which serves as a 4π diene and ...
Are Postoperative Hip Precautions Necessary After Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty Using a Posterior Approach? Preliminary Results of a Prospective Randomized Trial.

Abstract Background It is unclear whether posterior hip precautions after primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) reduce the incidence of early postoperative dislocation. Methods We performed a prospective randomized study to evaluate the effect of hip precautions on incidence of early dislocation after primary THA using a posterior approach. Between January 2016 and April 2019, 587 patients (594 hips) were consented and randomized into restricted or unrestricted groups. No significant demographic or surgical differences existed between groups. The restricted group was instructed to refrain from hip flexion >90°, adduction across midline, and internal rotation for 6 weeks. 98.5% (585 of 594) of hips were available for minimum 6-week follow-up (291 restricted and 294 unrestricted). Power analysis showed that 579 hips per group are needed to demonstrate an increase in dislocation rate from 0.5% to 2.5% with 80% power. Results At average follow-up of 15 weeks (range, 6-88), there were 5 dislocations (incidence, 0.85%). Three posterior dislocations occurred in the restricted group at a mean of 32 days (range, 17-47), and 2 posterior dislocations occurred in the unrestricted group at a mean of 112 days (range, 21-203), with no difference in dislocation rate between groups (1.03% vs 0.68%; odds ratio, 0.658; 95% confidence interval, 0.11-3.96; P = .647). At 6 weeks, unrestricted patients endorsed less difficulty with activities of daily living, earlier return to driving, and more time spent side sleeping (P Conclusion Preliminary analysis suggests that removal of hip precautions after primary THA using a posterior approach was not associated with early dislocation and facilitated return to daily functions. Investigation to appropriate power is warranted.
Input Shaping Control of Paralleled DC-DC Converters

Input shaping control is type of control method that is focused on to find a control policy such that desired objective is achieved while reaching target state of the system. In this paper, numerical and analytical methods are presented to find input policy for DC-DC converters operating under step load change scenario. Primary focus of the paper is to find solution to input shaping control through numerical and analytical methods and compare their computational performances. Simulation results from these methods are discussed and compared for their computational performances. Effectiveness and significant computational speed up achieved from minimum time control algorithm(MTCA) is highlighted in this paper.
Fast Calculation of a Family of Elliptical Gravitational Lens Models

Because of their simplicity, axisymmetric mass distributions are often used to model gravitational lenses. Since galaxies are usually observed to have elliptical light distributions, mass distributions with elliptical density contours offer more general and realistic lens models. They are difficult to use, however, since previous studies have shown that the deflection angle (and magnification) in this case can only be obtained by rather expensive numerical integrations. We present a family of lens models for which the deflection can be calculated to high relative accuracy (10-5) with a greatly reduced numerical effort, for small and large ellipticity alike. This makes it easier to use these distributions for modeling individual lenses as well as for applications requiring larger computing times, such as statistical lensing studies. A program implementing this method can be obtained from the author.
The rise of tech giants in the fund sales industry: an example of how information and digital technology rebuild platform economy

Unlike its American counterpart, the Chinese financial industry has been challenged by tech giants through their digital platforms. As the entrance of the asset management industry, the fund sales industry is at the center of the revolution, with commercial banks and tech giants fighting for its control. Some scholars have discussed the competition, but none of them discussed the competition by comparing their common features as platforms. Moreover, the competition is in a two-sided multihoming market that has long been ignored by scholars but will prevail in the future. With similar coverage rates for both fund managers and investors, how do fintechs use information and digital technology gobbling a big chunk of commercial banks’ profit. This article filled the gap by examining the common features of commercial banks and tech giants as platforms, including membership externality, usage externality, and multihoming behavior. Usage externality is crucial in this competition. It promoted market efficiency by unlocking the scale effect and using big data analysis. However, unlike the competition between other platforms, membership externality has little impact on the competition among commercial banks and tech giants. With prevailing multihoming behaviors to a high degree, newly entered platforms provided almost no additional membership externality.
Tissue Engineering Through 3D Bioprinting to Recreate and Study Bone Disease

The applications of 3D bioprinting are becoming more commonplace. Since the advent of tissue engineering, bone has received much attention for the ability to engineer normal bone for tissue engraftment or replacement. While there are still debates on what materials comprise the most durable and natural replacement of normal tissue, little attention is given to recreating diseased states within the bone. With a better understanding of the cellular pathophysiology associated with the more common bone diseases, these diseases can be scaled down to a more throughput way to test therapies that can reverse the cellular pathophysiology. In this review, we will discuss the potential of 3D bioprinting of bone tissue in the following disease states: osteoporosis, Paget’s disease, heterotopic ossification, osteosarcoma, osteogenesis imperfecta, and rickets disease. The development of these 3D bioprinted models will allow for the advancement of novel therapy testing resulting in possible relief to these chronic diseases.
Domestic bliss, or technological diss? Problematic media use, partner responsiveness, and relationship outcomes:

The purpose of this study was to examine how problematic media use (technoference, internet gaming disorder symptoms, and pornography use) predicted later partner relationship outcomes, operating t...
Initiative to Increase the Rate of Emergency Department Physician Preprocedure Time-out Documentation.

The preprocedure time-out is an important safety measure to verify patient identity and accuracy of a planned procedure. The time-out is an institutional and Joint Commission requirement. However, physicians in our emergency departments (EDs) document it inconsistently. We aimed to improve physician preprocedure time-out documentation for deep sedation (ketamine and/or propofol) from 75% to 90%, and separately for cutaneous abscess incision and drainage (ID our process measure was physician engagement. Our interventions included education, monthly reminders and updates, individualized feedback for insufficient documentation, EMR deep sedation, and I&D procedure note optimization, and academic and financial incentives. We used statistical process control chart quality improvement rules for discerning special versus common cause variation. Results Physician documentation of a preprocedure time-out improved from 75% to 100% for deep sedation and from 94% to 99.3% for I&D. These improvements remained sustained. All physicians were eligible for the financial bonus, and 40 (63%) met Maintenance of Certification credit requirements. Conclusions Using quality improvement methodology, we increased physician time-out documentation for deep sedation and I&D through education, feedback, and systems enhancement. We improved Joint Commission regulatory compliance and reduced potential harm through these safety checks. Future studies may quantify patient safety effects and examine the efficacy of similar interventions for other procedures.
SU‐E‐T‐239: Design and Evaluation of a Nozzle Shielding System in Passively Scattered Proton Therapy

Purpose: To design, implement and evaluate a shielding system that will reduce out-of-field dose experienced by the patient and associated electronic systems in passively scattered proton therapy treatment. Methods: A multi-stage neutron shielding system was retrofitted to the Gantry 1 treatment nozzle at Loma Linda University Medical Center. The system uses multiple borated polyethylene plates staged after the primary beam modifying devices to attenuate and absorb neutrons produced by such devices. This arrangement locates increasing levels of shielding between the sources of secondary particles in the nozzle and the patient. Additionally, the design of this shielding structure allows it to be easily retrofitted to an existing proton nozzle system without impacting design or treatment beam characteristics. The effectiveness of the shielding was evaluated both through experimental measurements and Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations. Results: Measurements were completed with Landauer Luxel+ dosimeters that use optically stimulated luminescence and CR-39 to detect fast neutrons, thermal neutrons, protons, photons and beta particles. Measurements of a 250 MeV proton beam indicated that the shielding system reduced out-of-field dose to the patient by almost half with dose equivalent values at 50 and 40 cm from the field edge decreasing from 0.965 and 1.262 mSv/Gy to 0.596 and 0.777 mSv/Gy respectively. The installation of the multi-stage shielding system also reduced dose equivalent experienced by electronic systems installed in the treatment room by up to 80%. Geant4 simulations were also used to evaluate the neutron fluence at various positions in the treatment room as well as provide information on microdosimetry spectra within the patient and treatment room. Conclusion: The shielding system described above proved to be an effective an inexpensive method of reducing out-of-field doses to the patient and electronic systems and can be easily retrofitted to existing passive scattering nozzles.
Fast Particle Interaction With Waves In Fusion Plasmas

There are two well-known motivations for theoretical studies of fast particle interaction with waves in magnetic confinement devices. One is the challenge of avoiding strong collective losses of alpha particles and beam ions in future burning plasma experiments. The other one is the compelling need to quantitatively interpret the large amount of experimental data from JET, TFTR, JT-60U, DIII-D, and other machines. Such interpretation involves unique diagnostic opportunities offered by MHD spectroscopy. This report discusses how the present theory responds to the stated challenges and what theoretical and computational advances are required to address the outstanding problems. More specifically, this paper deals with the following topics: predictive capabilities of linear theory and simulations; theory of Alfven cascades; diagnostic opportunities based on linear and nonlinear properties of unstable modes; interplay of kinetic and fluid nonlinearities; fast chirping phenomena for non-perturbative modes; and global transport of fast particles. Recent results are presented on some of the listed topics, although the main goal is to identify critical issues for future work.
Cluster Model Description of Polarized Cu K-Edge Spectra of Nd2-xCexCuO4-δ

Single crystals Nd2-xCexCuO4-δ with x=0.0 and 0.2 are studied by polarized X-ray absorption measurements at Cu K-edge. The positions and intensities of the 1s→ 4pσ transition features in the K-edge spectra are analyzed with a modified cluster model and functional curve fitting procedure. All of the experimental results including the energies of the spectral features, the energy separations between features and the variation of feature intensities, can be well explained by the cluster model parameters obtained from the curve fitting. Particularly, it is found that the charge transfer energy gap Δ in the Nd2-xCexCuO4-δ system decreases from about 1.4 eV at x=0 to 0.5 eV at x = 0.2. Our analysis in this paper provides a method for quantitative X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) study of the charge transfer gap for electron-doped cuprate superconductors and related materials.
Review of Planning for Place and Plexus

Levinson and Krizek rightly put accessibility at the center of everything: “acces- sibility is a measure of the glue holding place and plexus together... it is what ties land use to transportation” (pg. 46). The problem in metropolitan regions is not con- gestion, they say, but accessibility, formally defined as “the ease of reaching land use (place) given the transportation system (plexus)” (pg. 44). The challenge for planning is not how to reduce congestion but rather “how to satisfy people’s needs and desires for where and how to live” (pg. 14). The concept of accessibility also plays a prominent role in their explanation of how the metropolitan system works.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Children’s Emergency Mental Health After Economic Downturns

African American children—more than other race/ethnicities—rely on emergency psychiatric care. One hypothesized cause of this overrepresentation involves heightened sensitivity to economic downturns. We test whether the African American/white difference in psychiatric emergency visits increases in months when the regional economy contracts. We applied time-series methods to California Medicaid claims (1999–2008; N = 7.1 million visits). One month following mass layoffs, African American youths use more emergency mental health services than do non-Hispanic whites. Economic downturns may provoke or uncover mental disorder especially among African American youth who by and large do not participate in the labor force.
Effect of information feedback upon intertrial consistency of time judgment.

Abstract Male college students made verbal estimations of time intervals ranging from five to 80 sec on six blocks of five trials. Some subjects were given information feedback (IF) about judgment errors after each trial and the remaining subjects were given no IF. Judgments of the no-IF group changed from initial overestimations to final underestimations of the intervals across blocks of trials. Judgments of the IF group did not significantly change across blocks. In the no-IF group, each block of trials correlated strongest with immediately adjacent blocks; i.e., the correlation matrix had a superdiagonal form. Interblock correlations were weakened by IF, and the superdiagonal form was not obtained in the matrix of the IF group. Previous theories of the superdiagonal form are considered inadequate to explain these results. An alternative hypothesis, based on changing decision criteria with blocks, which IF attenuates, is proposed to explain these data.
Accurate calculations of nuclear defect wave functions

Abstract A new method is developed for the accurate determination of the defect wave function χ. Examples are calculated for 4 He using the Reid potential and are found to exhibit characteristic differences from the reference spectrum approximation for χ.
Candida esophageal perforation and esophagopleural fistula: a case report

Introduction Esophageal perforation is a rare disease, which can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Its clinical presentation can mimic other disease processes and, therefore, it can be easily misdiagnosed. Candida infection of the esophagus is an extremely rare cause of esophageal perforation.
Molecular characterization of an enzyme that degrades neuromodulatory fatty-acid amides

Endogenous neuromodulatory molecules are commonly coupled to specific metabolic enzymes to ensure rapid signal inactivation. Thus, acetylcholine is hydrolysed by acetylcholine esterase and tryptamine neurotransmitters like serotonin are degraded by monoamine oxidases. Previously, we reported the structure and sleep-inducing properties of cis-9-octadecenamide, a lipid isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of sleep-deprived cats. cis-9-Octadecenamide, or oleamide, has since been shown to affect serotonergic systems and block gap-junction communication in glial cells (our unpublished results). We also identified a membrane-bound enzyme activity that hydrolyses oleamide to its inactive acid, oleic acid. We now report the mechanism-based isolation, cloning and expression of this enzyme activity, originally named oleamide hydrolase, from rat liver plasma membranes. We also show that oleamide hydrolase converts anandamide, a fatty-acid amide identified as the endogenous ligand for the cannabinoid receptor, to arachidonic acid, indicating that oleamide hydrolase may serve as the general inactivating enzyme for a growing family of bioactive signalling molecules, the fatty-acid amides. Therefore we will hereafter refer to oleamide hydrolase as fatty-acid amide hydrolase, in recognition of the plurality of fatty-acid amides that the enzyme can accept as substrates.
Photoelectrochemical behavior of mixed ZnO and GaN (ZnO:GaN) thin films prepared by sputtering technique

Abstract Mixed zinc oxide and gallium nitride (ZnO:GaN) thin films with significantly reduced bandgaps were synthesized by using zinc oxide and gallium nitride target at 100 °C followed by post-deposition annealing at 500 °C in ammonia for 4 h. All the films were synthesized by RF magnetron sputtering on Fluorine-doped tin oxide-coated glass. We found that mixed zinc oxide and gallium nitride (ZnO:GaN) thin films exhibited significantly reduced bandgap, as a result showed improved PEC response, compared to ZnO thin film. Furthermore, mixed zinc oxide and gallium nitride (ZnO:GaN) thin films with various bandgaps were realized by varying the O 2 mass flow rate in mixed O 2 and N 2 chamber ambient.
Dynamic Modeling of a Piggybacked Cantilever Beam System

Typically, active resonators for vibration suppression of flexible systems are uniaxial and can only affect structure response in the direction of the applied force. The application of piezoelectric bender actuators as active resonators may prove to be advantageous over typical, uniaxial actuators as they can dynamically apply both torque and translational force to the base structure attachment point; this minimizes the likelihood that the attachment location is the node of a mode (rotary or translational). In this paper, Hamilton’s Principle is used to develop the equations of motion for a continuous two-beam system composed of a cantilevered, primary base beam with a secondary piezoelectric bender mounted to its surface. A disturbance force is applied near the fixture location of the base beam and the system response is estimated using a sufficient quantity of assumed eigenfunctions that satisfy the geometric boundary conditions. A theoretical study is performed to compared the continuous system eigenfunctions to a finite element model (FEM) of the two-beam structure and the required number of eigenfunctions required to yield a convergent solution for an impulse excitation is explored. In addition, the frequency response function for the dynamic system is presented and compared to that of a FEM.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Membrane potentials in cell-free preparations from guinea pig cerebral cortex: effect of depolarizing agents and cyclic nucleotides.

: The distribution of [3H]triphenylmethylphosphonium ion between the medium and vesicular entities was examined in a cell-free, particulate preparation from guinea pig cerebral cortex. This distribution followed the Nernst relationship with regard to the external potassium ion concentration and, in physiological media, indicated the maintenance of a mean trans-membrane potential ranging from –58 to –78 mV. The neurotoxins batrachotoxin, veratridine, and grayanotoxin I, partially depolarized the preparation. Tetrodotoxin blocked the depolarization by batrachotoxin, veratridine, and grayanotoxin I. The depolarization by these neurotoxins was potentiated by the presence of anemone toxin II and presumably reflected the response of vesicular components of neuronal origin. An additional potassium-sensitive depolarization probably represented the response of vesicular components of glial origin with an apparent transmembrane potential of –8 to –35 mV. No correlation could be demonstrated between changes in transmembrane potential and stimulation of cyclic AMP generation by a variety of agents in this preparation.
A prototype epithermal neutron beam for boron neutron capture therapy.

An epithermal neutron beam has been designed and tested at the Georgia Insitute of Technology’s 5‐MW Research Reactor. The prototype facility consists of aluminum and sulfur disks in a tangential beam port for fast neutron filtration. A cadmium sheet at the port exit removes the thermal neutrons from the transmitted beam, leaving an intensely epithermal neutron beam spanning five energy decades, each contributing to the flux demanded by boronneutron capture therapy. The thermal neutron flux generated by the incident epithermal neutrons in a polyethylene head phantom peaks at a depth of 3 cm and remains above the incident thermal flux to a 7‐cm depth. The beam thus provides the penetration required for treating deep‐seated gliomas. Photon contamination in the prototype facility is high, and a number of basic modifications are proposed for reducing it to safer levels.
A Power Management Integrated System for Biomass-based Marine Sediment Energy Harvesting

This paper presents the design of an underwater energy harvesting system, which would provide persistent and sustainable power supply for remote underwater sensing and surveillance devices. The system consists of Distributed Benthic Microbial Fuel Cell (DBMFC) and the associated power management integrated circuit. The DBMFC exploits bacterial metabolic activities associated with the redox reaction to generate electrical energy directly from biodegradable substrates. The power management circuit collects the energy harvested by the DBMFC and boosts the output voltage to a sufficient and stable level for loads such as sensor devices. Simulation results of the power management system in a 90nm CMOS process demonstrate the expected functions and the significant improvement in energy conversion efficiency.
Sensor Fusion for Attitude and Bias Estimation for a VTOL UAV

In this paper, a nonlinear complementary filter is presented to estimate the attitude of a Vertical Take Off and Landing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VTOL UAV). The measurements are taken from a low-cost IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) which consists of 3-axis accelerometers, 3-axis gyroscopes and 3-axis magnetometers. From the proposed estimators, the full orientation matrix R will be retrieved. The proposed observers will estimate the instantaneous quaternions as well as the gyroscope bias. This representation of orientation by the rotation matrix and quaternions allows overcoming the problem of singularities that appear in local parametrization such as Euler angles. Therefore, both estimators may be used to describe any kind of 3-D motion. Convergence of the two observers is theoretically proved and simulations are conducted taking data from a real platform in hovering flight conditions.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Key issues in data center security: An investigation of government audit reports

Abstract The rising volume of electronic data, the growth in cloud computing and the need for secure and affordable large-scale data storage all contribute to the increasing reliance on data centers in society. This paper provides an overview of security issues relevant to data centers. We offer an aggregation and exploratory analysis of four audit reports of government data centers operating in the United States. Using the information security common body of knowledge to categorize audit findings, we identify the key issues from the reoccurring findings in the reports, particularly in regards to operations security, data center management, physical security, and disaster planning. The security of data centers has become a paramount concern for both government and the information technology industry. Both practitioners and academics can benefit from our research results because it provides insight into the key security issues facing modern data centers.
The effects of cells on oxygen transfer coefficients I: Cell accumulation around bubbles

Abstract To determine whether cells have any enhancement effect on the transfer of oxygen we must first measure the number of cells adsorbed at the air—culture interface. A rising bubble captures cells by interception. The capture efficiency is much higher if the bubble interface is moving than if it is stationary. Measurements of capture efficiency for bubbles of approximately 0.5 – 1.1 mm in broths of Escherichia coli show a mobile interface, contradicting the belief that broths contain sufficient surface-active material to keep interfaces of small bubbles stationary. The drag on adsorbed cells may be forcing the interface to move, thus increasing the capture efficiency, the number of adsorbed cells and hence the drag in a “snowball” effect. Adsorbed cells move around the bubble into the wake. Some form a packed mass near the rear stagnation point, which may affect aeration, cell flocculation etc.
Performance analysis of multiprocessor cache consistency protocols using generalized timed Petri nets

We use an exact analytical technique, based on Generalized Timed Petri Nets (GTPNs), to study the performance of shared bus cache consistency protocols for multiprocessors. We develop a general framework within which the key characteristics of the Write-Once protocol and four enhancements that have been combined in various ways in the literature can be identified and evaluated. We then quantitatively assess the performance gains for each of the four enhancements. We consider three levels of data sharing in our workload models. One of the enhancements substantially improves system performance in all cases. Two enhancements are shown to have negligible effect over the range of workloads analyzed. The fourth enhancement shows a small improvement for low levels of sharing, but shows more substantial improvement as sharing is increased, if we assume a “good access pattern”. The effects of two architectural parameters, the blocksize and the main memory cycle time are also considered.
On the test for the homogeneity of a parameter matrix with some rows constrained by synchronized order restrictions

The tests on the homogeneity of the columns of the coefficient matrix in a multiple multivariate linear regression with some rows of the matrix constrained by synchronized orderings, using the test statistics obtained by replacing the unknown variance-covariance matrix with its estimator in likelihood ratio test statistics, form a family of ad hoc tests. It is shown in this paper that the tests in the family share the same alpha-level critical values and follow the same distributions for computing their p-values. A sufficient condition is established for other tests to enjoy these properties, and to be more powerful. Two such more powerful tests are examined.
Adherence to NICU transfusion guidelines : data from a multihospital healthcare system

We critically reviewed every NICU blood component transfusion (packed erythrocytes, platelets, frozen plasma (FP) and cryoprecipitate) administered during a one-year period. This was done to determine the proportion of transfusions given out of compliance with the Intermountain Healthcare transfusion guidelines, and to look for patterns of non-compliance that could be addressed by quality improvement measures. A detailed review was made of every transfusion administered to patients with a date of birth of 1 January 2006 through 31 December 2006, in any of three level III, perinatal-center-associated NICUs within Intermountain Healthcare. During 2006 the three NICUs cared for 1759 neonates. Seventeen percent of these received one or more (median 3) erythrocyte transfusions, 4% received one or more (median 3) platelet transfusions, 6% received one or more (median 1) FP infusions and 2% received cryoprecipitate (median 1 dose). Seventy percent of the erythrocyte transfusions were given in compliance with the guidelines, as were 69% of the platelet transfusions, 65% of the FP transfusions and 94% of the cryoprecipitate administrations. Patients who received large numbers of transfusions were more likely to receive transfusion that violated the guidelines. Forty-five percent of patients who received 1 to 3 transfusions received all transfusions within guidelines. However, only 18% of patients who received 4 to 10 transfusions received all within guidelines. No patient who received >10 transfusions received all within the guidelines. Erythrocyte transfusions given early in the hospital course were likely to be within guidelines; 72% (588/818) in the first 29 days were compliant with guidelines, but compliance fell to 61% (144/237) for transfusions administered after 29 days (P=0.002). About half of the platelet transfusions given early in the hospital course were in violation of guidelines, but after day 9, 83% of platelet transfusions were compliant with guidelines (P=0.000). Opportunities exist in our healthcare system to improve compliance with our transfusion guidelines. Such opportunities are greatest among neonates receiving multiple transfusions, among those receiving erythrocyte transfusions late in their NICU course and among those receiving platelet transfusions early in their NICU course.
Assessment of the utility of biomarkers of osteoarthritis in the guinea pig

Summary Objective To identify biochemical markers of osteoarthritis (OA) in the guinea pig, we characterized four biomarkers and 17 cytokines for age- and strain-related differences. Methods Two guinea pig strains were examined in this study: (1) the Hartley (OA-prone) and (2) Strain 13 (OA-resistant). Levels of synovial fluid keratan sulfate (KS) and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), as well as levels of serum C2C, CPII, and a panel of cytokines and chemokines were quantified in both guinea pig strains. These included: IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-12p70, IL-17, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-γ, KC, MIP-1α, RANTES, and TNF-α. Results Synovial fluid concentrations of KS and COMP increased coincident with histological OA and correlated positively with the severity of histological damage in both strains. Synovial fluid concentrations of these biomarkers were elevated in the knees of the Hartley compared to the Strain 13 animals, as early as 2 months of age. From as early as 4 months of age, the levels of serum C2C/CPII, representing the ratio of type II collagen degradation and synthesis, were elevated in the OA-prone Hartley compared with Strain 13 animals. Also, at 12 months of age, strain-related differences were apparent for 11 of the 16 cytokines and chemokines. Using multiple linear regression, serum IL-6 and TNF-α concentrations were each strongly associated with strain, weight, and their interaction ( r 2 =0.80, P =0.0002 for IL-6; r 2 =0.55, P =0.02 for TNF-α). Conclusions Biomarkers derived from synovial fluid are reflective of histological severity in the spontaneous model of OA in the guinea pig. The synovial fluid biomarker profiles indicated accelerated cartilage matrix turnover in the Hartley strain as early as 2 months of age, prior to evidence of histological damage. The Hartley strain also exemplified an imbalance in type II collagen metabolism and a serum cytokine/chemokine profile indicative of a pro-inflammatory state. These findings elucidate additional disease-related features in the guinea pig that have relevance to OA in humans.
The determination of the gamma isomer content of hexachlorcyclohexane dipwashes

Abstract The gamma BHC content of dipwashes has been deterimined satisfactorily by a cryoscopic method. The dipwash is treated with chromic acid to precipitate the total BHC and to destroy much of the organic impurity. Portions of the isolated impure BHC arc dissolved in both benzene and pure gamma BHC. By measurement of the resultant freezing point depression of the solvents, the proportion of gamma isomer in tho original sample can be calculated. The principle of the method should be applicable to other systems where the determination of one component in a multi-component mixture is required.
Polystyrene-poly(2-ethylhexylmethacrylate) block copolymers: Synthesis, bulk phase behavior, and thin film structure

Abstract Anionic polymerization was employed to synthesize well-defined diblock copolymers of polystyrene and poly(2-ethylhexylmethacrylate), PS-PEHMA. Diblock morphologies in bulk and in substrate-supported thin films were characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. PS-PEHMA diblocks exhibited thermotropic order-disorder transitions; one diblock showed a thermoreversible transition between lamellae and a higher-temperature morphology assigned as perforated lamellae. Unlike PS-poly(alkylmethacrylate) diblocks where the alkyl group is n-butyl or n-pentyl, PS-PEHMA diblocks showed a typical decreasing Flory interaction parameter with increasing temperature. Thin films of PS-cylinder-forming PS-PEHMA diblocks showed a strong preference for the cylinders to lie in the plane of the film; films of incommensurate thickness readily formed terraces. Films of commensurate thickness were easily aligned over macroscopic areas through the application of mechanical shear.
Diffusion coefficients for direct dyes in aqueous and polar aprotic solvents by the NMR pulsed-field gradient technique

Abstract The nuclear magnetic resonance pulsed-field gradient (NMR-PFG) technique was applied to determine the diffusion coefficients of selected direct dyes, including Congo Red, in D 2 O and a deuterated polar aprotic solvent (DMSO- d 6 ). In addition, the self-diffusion coefficients of the solvents were determined in the presence and absence of dye, to reveal solvent–dye interactions. Diffusion coefficients ranged from about 1.7×10 −10 to 4.4×10 −8 depending on the dye, temperature and solvent employed. It is proposed that dye aggregation exists in DMSO- d 6 and D 2 O, with the level of aggregation depending on the temperature and dye.
Congenital Renal Anomalies in Patients With Classic Bladder Exstrophy

Objective To determine the proportion and type of renal anomalies that occur in children born with classic bladder exstrophy. Material and Methods All patients in a database of 1044 patients with the bladder exstrophy-epispadias-cloacal exstrophy complex were reviewed. Those with classic bladder exstrophy had their complete medical records reviewed and children with radiographic evidence of congenital renal anomalies were identified and characterized. Results A total of 674 patients were identified with classic bladder exstrophy, of whom 462 had renal ultrasounds at the authors' institution. In this population, 13/462 (2.8%) had concomitant renal anomalies. The most common malformation was a duplicated collecting system in 6 patients. Hypoplastic or absent kidneys were present in 3 patients, pelvic kidney in 2, ureteropelvic junction obstruction in 1, and multicystic dysplastic kidney in 1 patient. Conclusion Isolated renal anomalies occur at a rate of 2.8% in children born with classic bladder exstrophy. Although uncommon in this rare birth defect, anatomic understanding of the entire genitourinary system is critical for operative planning and long-term follow-up of patients with bladder exstrophy.
Hydrogen-Bond-Assisted π-Stacking of Shape-Persistent Cyclophanes

The π-stacking interaction between shape-persistent cyclophanes works cooperatively with multiple hydrogen bonding sites to form cyclophane dimers. These findings considerably broaden the applicability of π-stacking interactions as a driving force in self-assembly chemistry. A gel formation effect was also noticed in one of the cyclophanes.