cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamically Amplified Dual-mass Gyroscopes with In-situ Shock Survival Mechanism

This paper reports on development of Dynamically Amplified dual-mass Gyroscope (DAG) and introduces, for the first time, a Trap-and-Hold (TAH) concept intended to increase survivability of gyroscopes to mechanical shocks and vibrations. The TAH concept utilizes out-of-plane electrodes to electrostatically excite the gyroscope’s proof-mass at resonance in the direction perpendicular to the substrate, trap the proof-mass electrostatically, and then keep the sensor structure locked to the substrate during the events of shock. We discuss our fabrication process to realize the TAH mechanism and present initial experimental results. In our demonstration, the operational device measuring rotation was instantaneously immobilized by TAH before the event of shock, and was subsequently released to its normal operation after the event of shock. The device preserved its functionality and fundamental characteristics, Angle Random Walk (ARW) and in-run bias instability (IrBS), before (ARW: 0.048 deg/rt-hr, IrBS: 0.6 deg/hr) and after the experiment (ARW: 0.0483 deg/rt-hr, IrBS: 0.69 deg/hr).
New Results on Cooperative Multi-Vehicle Deterministic Learning Control: Design and Validation in Gazebo Simulation

In this paper, new results on the cooperative deterministic learning (CDL) control method originally proposed in [1] for a group of unicycle-type ground vehicles are presented by considering a generalized nonholonomic uncertain vehicle dynamics. The new controller is capable of (i) controlling the vehicles to their respective desired reference trajectories; (ii) locally accurately learning/identifying, during the real-time control process, the vehicle’s uncertain dynamics using radial basis function neural networks; and (iii) re-utilizing the learned knowledge to control the multi-vehicle system with guaranteed control performance and significantly reduced computational complexity. In addition, a Gazebo-based simulator is developed, based on which simulation validations have been conducted for the proposed algorithm.
Experimental Calculation of the Main Characteristics of Thermoelectric EMF Source for the Cathodic Protection Station of Heat Supply System Pipelines

The scientific paper considers the design of an experimental thermoelectric power source for cathodic protection station of heat network pipelines from electrochemical corrosion; It allows you to utilize lower-grade heat with subsequent direct conversion into electricity in thermoelectric converters which are made of two metals with different thermionic properties using the effect of thermoelectricity. In this case, the generated electric current can be used as an autonomous power supply for the cathodic protection station. The experimental technique has been developed, as well as experimental studies have been performed with the subsequent analysis of the main characteristics of thermoelectric generator.
Use of Pericranial Flaps with Dermal Substitute for Scalp Reconstruction: A Case Series.

Skin cancer incidence has been rapidly increasing over the past 2 decades, and the resulting defects from excision have significant aesthetic and functional implications. In particular, wound coverage for large scalp and forehead defects with calvarial exposure can lead to hairline distortion, contour irregularities, and alopecia. We describe a 2-stage technique for scalp reconstruction, which preserves the normal hairline, covers exposed bone with vascularized tissue, and restores an aesthetic soft-tissue contour. Methods This is a retrospective case series of 13 adults with ages ranging from 50 to 89 years. All patients underwent Mohs surgery on the forehead or scalp between July 2014 and April 2017. Patients underwent a 2-staged reconstruction with an initial pericranial flap and dermal substitute placement followed by the placement of a split-thickness skin graft within 4-6 weeks. Results Over a 3-year period, 13 patients had successful reconstruction of the scalp defect without alteration of the hairline or contour irregularity. Two patients had minor complications after the first-stage procedure with successful aesthetic reconstruction. Conclusions Full-thickness defects of the scalp and forehead with bone exposure provide a reconstructive challenge for plastic surgeons. Reconstructive algorithms continue to evolve and should be tailored to best suit patients' needs and medial comorbidities. Two-staged reconstruction with local pericranial flap provides a safe and efficacious reconstruction that minimizes hairline distortion, contour irregularity, and donor site morbidity.
Indirect Interaction Frequency Shift of Radiation

This paper discusses a form of parametric interaction of radiation with matter. What seems novel about this interaction is that a change is brought about in the temporal spectrum of scattered flux of radiation that arises from physical properties of matter with which the field does not directly interact.
Community College Student Well-Being and Implications for Care

The objective of this study was to examine differences across developmental groups of community college students to compare anxiety, depression, positive coping, and negative coping with particular...
Individual and environmental correlates of childhood maltreatment and exposure to community violence: Utilizing a latent profile and a multilevel meta-analytic approach.

BACKGROUND Childhood maltreatment (CM) and exposure to community violence (ETV) are correlated with physical/mental health and psychosocial problems. Typically, CM and ETV are examined separately, by subtypes within category, or collapsed across both into one category of adversity. Consequently, research is limited in identifying subgroups of individuals with different amounts of exposure to both CM and ETV. Accordingly, we lack sufficient understanding of the extent to which problems associated with CM and ETV vary based on the amount (i.e. dose) of exposure to both of these experiences. METHODS We used 20 samples (28,300 individuals) to estimate person-centered profiles of CM and ETV occurrence and co-occurrence within each sample. An individual data multilevel meta-analytic framework was used to determine the average effect size across samples for different profiles and conditional probability correlations within sociodemographic, neighborhood, health, mental health, and psychosocial domains. RESULTS The profile characterized by high levels of CM and high levels of ETV correlated with stressful life events, depression and anxiety symptoms, and general indicators of externalizing behaviors. CM predominant profiles were associated with mental health diagnoses and treatment. ETV predominant profiles associated with risk-taking/violent behavior and neighborhood-level disadvantage. However, nuance based on the dose of CM or ETV was evident. CONCLUSIONS It is important to identify subgroups based on the amount of exposure to CM and ETV. These subgroups have differential relationships with correlates across domains. Greater delineation and description of the lived experience will allow for more precision in addressing the burden of childhood adversity.
Anti-Racist Curriculum and Digital Platforms: Evidence from Black Lives Matter

In this paper, we examine the impact of racially charged events on classroom curriculum in US public schools. We use requests made by teachers on DonorsChoose.org, the largest crowdfunding platform for public school teachers, as a measure of demand for anti-racism curriculum in the classroom. We use the precise timing of high-profile police brutality and related events in the US (2010-2020) to identify their effect on anti-racism requests relative to a control group. We find a significant increase in anti-racism book requests following the killing of George Floyd in 2020, and a null effect for all other events in the decade. In just a few months following George Floyd's death $3.4 million worth of books featuring Black authors and/or Black protagonists were successfully funded, reaching over half a million students. The effect is strongest for teachers whose students are younger than 10 years old. Though the Black Lives Matter movement was only focused on racism directed towards African-Americans, we also find a sharp increase in requests for books that depict Latinx, Asian, Muslim, and Jewish cultures, suggesting a general shift towards a more inclusive curriculum. Event studies suggest a causal impact of local protests such that protest incidence in a city leads to to a significantly larger impact on teacher requests. Text analysis of impact notes posted by teachers months later imply that hundreds of thousands of young students are being engaged in positive, constructive discussions about the representation and acceptance of African-Americans and other minority groups.
A Nitrogen-Strengthened Austenitic Stainless Steel for Cryogenic Magnet Structures

The work described in this paper is part of a major program of developing, designing, and manufacturing a large superconducting magnet in support of the Large Coil Program. The oval-shaped toroidal magnet weighs approximately 397 kN, has bore diameters of 3.35 m and 2.35 m, and is designed for a maximum magnetic field of 8 T at 10.65 kA. The limitations on magnet weight and available space for structural components coupled with extremely large magnetic forces presented a major challenge in the selection of a suitable structural material. After detailed considerations of the design and fabrication requirements of the coil, type 316LN stainless steel was selected for major structural components.
Silent Revolution of a Muslim Arab American Scholar-Activist

Copyright 2003, Texas University Press. This is a pre-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication in the edited book Muslim Women Activists in North America, following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available through the University of Texas Press. http://www.utexas.edu/utpress/excerpts/exbulmus.html. See also: http://www.eself-learning-arabic.cornell.edu/publications.htm#2
Cardiovascular Pathology in AIDS

The heart is not the most frequent site for opportunistic infectious or neoplastic processes in patients with AIDS (table 1). However, cardiovascular pathologic findings may occur in up to 40% of AIDS patients at autopsy [2–4]. Cardiac lesions are the immediate cause of death in 1–3% of AIDS patients [5]. The most common significant manifestations of cardiac disease, which can occur at any stage of HIV infection and can lead to death, include cardiomyopathy, dysrhythmias and pericardial effusion with tamponade [6]. Clinical cardiac findings may be present in a fourth to three fourths of adult AIDS patients and may be accompanied by findings that include chest pain, tachycardia, electrocardiographic changes including various arrhythmias, effusions and congestive heart failure. There may be mild cardiomegaly on chest roentgenograms [7]. The prevalence of HIV-related cardiac disease appears to be decreasing with the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) [8]. Overall, deaths from cardiovascular diseases in patients dying of AIDS increased slightly from 1987 to 1999, as advances in antiretroviral therapy reduced deaths due to HIV infection after 1995 and the proportion of deaths caused by other conditions increased [9].
A topological study of the human γ-glutamyl carboxylase

γ-Glutamyl carboxylase (GC), a polytopic membrane protein found in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), catalyzes vitamin K–dependent posttranslational modification of glutamate to γ-carboxyl glutamate. In an attempt to delineate the structure of this important enzyme, in vitro translation and in vivo mapping were used to study its membrane topology. Using terminus-tagged full-length carboxylase, expressed in 293 cells, it was demonstrated that the amino-terminus of the GC is on the cytoplasmic side of the ER, while the carboxyl-terminus is on the lumenal side. In addition, a series of fusions were made to encode each predicted transmembrane domain (TMD) followed by a leader peptidase (Lep) reporter tag, as analyzed by the computer algorithm TOPPRED II. Following in vitro translation of each fusion in the presence of canine microsomes, the topological orientation of the Lep tag was determined by proteinase K digestion and endoglycosidase H (Endo H) cleavage. From the topological orientation of the Lep tag in each fusion, the GC spans the ER membrane at least 5 times, with its N-terminus in the cytoplasm and its C-terminus in the lumen.
Magnetoconvection patterns in rotating convection zones

In addition to the well-known granulation and supergranulation of the solar convection zone (the “SCZ”), the presence of so-called “giant cells” has been postulated. These are supposed span the entire thickness of the SCZ and to stretch from pole to pole in a sequence of elongated cells like a “cartridge belt” or a bunch of “bananas” strung uniformly round the Sun. Conclusive evidence for the existence of such giant cells is still lacking, despite strenuous observational efforts to find them. After analyses of sunspot motion, Ribes and others believe that convective motions near the solar surface occurs in a pattern that is the antithesis of the cartridge belt: a system of “toroidal” or “doughnut” cells, girdling the Sun in a sequence that extends from one pole to the other. Galloway, Jones and Roberts have recently tried to meet the resulting theoretical challenge, with the mixed success reported in this paper.
Bedside Ultrasonography for Arteriovenous Fistula Cannulation

Difficulty in accessing a new arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is a common technical issue in hemodialysis patients, which often leads to interventional radiology and/or vascular surgery referral. As a consequence, the patient who needs dialysis may require a temporary dialysis catheter with its known potential complications. We present a case where bedside ultrasonography facilitated successful cannulation of a difficult AVF. Ultrasonography (US) training in this procedure may allow early cannulation of new AVFs when the venous diameter is large enough (>0.6 cm) but the fistula is too deep (>0.6 cm). Real-time, US-guided AVF cannulation may also decrease the number of failed venous punctures per hemodialysis (HD) session minimizing vessel wall damage and subsequent potential hematoma and aneurysm formation.
Relaxation methods for minimum cost ordinary and generalized network flow problems

We propose a new class of algorithms for linear cost network flow problems with and without gains. These algorithms are based on iterative improvement of a dual cost and operate in a manner that is reminiscent of coordinate ascent and Gauss-Seidel relaxation methods. We compare our coded implementations of these methods with mature state-of-the-art primal simplex and primal-dual codes, and find them to be several times faster on standard benchmark problems, and faster by an order of magnitude on large, randomly generated problems. Our experiments indicate that the speedup factor increases with problem dimension.
Temperature aspects of pulsed ion bombardment in an austenitic alloy

Abstract The influence of pulsed ion irradiation to a damage level of 10 dpa at temperatures from 843 to 1023 K has been studied in a quaternary Fe-17% Cr-17% Ni-2.5% Mo austenitic alloy. Pulsing periods of either 60 s on/60 s off or 1 s on/1 s off were used, together with continuous bombardment as a control. Helium (200 appm) was supplied either by simultaneous or room temperature preimplantation, or omitted. While most specimens experienced only 2 to 3 K temperature fluctuations with the beam pulses, certain specimens were deliberately allowed to undergo 15 to 50 K variations. Pulsed irradiation effects were found to range from little effect at 843 K, through a notable modification in the relationship between helium and cavity parameters at 938 K (near the peak swelling temperature), to a substantial reduction of swelling at 1023 K. The influence of the simultaneous temperature excursions compared with constant-temperature pulsed ion bombardment (mostly compared at 843 K) was small. These results are interpreted in terms of the effects of pulsing and helium on the stability of cavities at high temperatures through the critical size and number of gas atoms needed for a small cavity to begin bias-driven void growth.
The Mommy and Me Play Program: A Pilot Play Intervention for Low-Income, African American Preschool Families

In this study the author examined the effects of a dyadic, mother-paired play intervention—The Mommy and Me Play Program—an innovative intervention program designed using a live-action modeling technique in which mothers serve as “natural helpers” to each other. By identifying natural strengths in mothers and employing opportunities for scaffolded learning, this intervention aimed to enhance mother–child play interactions and children's social and emotional competence. Fifty mother–child dyads from a single, low-income, African American, urban community were assessed in this study on measures of mother–child play interactions and children's social and emotional competency. Results from this pilot were not statistically significant, but provide important information regarding future research with this intervention program. These preliminary findings indicated that mothers with fewer play skills pre-intervention demonstrated improvement in their play skills post-intervention beyond other intervention partic...
Quantitative Autoradiography of Dihydrorotenone Binding to Complex I of the Electron Transport Chain

Defective complex I activity has been linked to Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease, but little is known of the regional distribution of this enzyme in the brain. We have developed a quantitative autoradiographic assay using [3H]dihydrorotenone ([3H]DHR) to label and localize complex I in brain tissue sections. Binding was specific and saturable and in the cerebellar molecular layer had a KD of 11.5 +/- 1.3 nM and a Bmax of 11.0 +/- 0.4 nCi/mg of tissue. Unlabeled rotenone and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion competed effectively for DHR binding sites. Binding was markedly enhanced by 100 microM NADH. The distribution of complex I in brain, as revealed by DHR autoradiography, is unique but somewhat similar to that of cytochrome oxidase (complex IV). This assay may provide new insight into the roles of complex I in brain function and neurodegeneration.
Cholinergic control of male mating behavior in hamsters: Effects of systemic agonist or antagonist treatment

Sexual behavior in male rats is thought to depend in part on central cholinergic activity. In particular, previous studies of responses to systemically administered cholinergic drugs suggest that male rat behavior can be facilitated by the muscarinic agonist oxotremorine but is disrupted by the muscarinic antagonist scopolamine. However, it is not clear how broadly these effects generalize across species. To address this issue, we observed the impact on sexual behavior in male hamsters of systemic treatment with oxotremorine or scopolamine. In each case, the peripheral muscarinic antagonist methylscopolamine was used as an auxiliary or control treatment to better isolate central cholinergic effects. Both oxotremorine and scopolamine disrupted male behavior in hamsters. For example, both increased the likelihood of failure to achieve intromission or ejaculation. Further, even on completed tests oxotremorine treatment led to changes including increases in mount latency and postejaculatory interval while scopolamine treatment caused changes including increases in ejaculation latency and intromission frequency. The many changes caused by these treatments suggest that acetylcholine helps to control many elements of male behavior, probably by acting at multiple brain sites. The generally similar responses to a cholinergic agonist and antagonist suggest the dependence of efficient mating behavior on optimal levels of central cholinergic activity.
A simplified explicit guidance scheme for orbital injection.

Onboard computer equations for rocket vehicle guidance to elliptical orbit, discussing iteration absence from computations and digital simulation results
Analyzing the impact of high temperature and CO2 on net photosynthesis: biochemical mechanisms, models and genomics

Abstract Determining plant response at the biochemical/physiological level to a changing global environment is a prerequisite for constructing accurate models to predict plant productivity. High temperature and CO2 impact plant biomass accumulation by altering the rate of net photosynthesis such that the measured rates differ greatly from the potential rates predicted from commonly used models. Such models are based on assumptions pertaining to biochemical limitations to net photosynthesis by the capacity of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), the enzyme that ultimately limits the rate of photosynthetic CO2 fixation in C3 and C4 plants, or the capacity of electron transport to supply energy for Calvin cycle activity. Here we provide evidence that the impact of high temperature and CO2 on net photosynthesis can be accurately calculated from predictive models based solely on Rubisco kinetics if the modeled rate of photosynthesis is adjusted for heat and CO2-induced changes in the activation state of Rubisco. The activation state of Rubisco, which is regulated by the activity of Rubisco activase, thus appears to be the primary limitation to net photosynthesis at high temperature and/or CO2. This limitation to net photosynthesis has not been incorporated into common biochemical models, thus compromising their effectiveness. The expression of activase mRNA was not indicative of the central role of activase in the response of photosynthesis to high temperature thus revealing limitations of using a broad genomics approach to identify the impact of environmental stress on plant metabolism.
Nasal tip complications of primary cleft lip nasoplasty.

Background and Purpose: Complications of primary nasoplasty, at the time of definitive primary cheiloplasty, are underreported in the literature. This study endeavors to examine the occurrences of these complications at our cleft-craniofacial center, in an effort to identify causative factors and management strategies. A case series of patients with postoperative nasal complications after primary cleft lip nasal surgery is presented. Methods: A retrospective chart review of primary cleft lip nasal repairs was conducted at our cleft-craniofacial center between January 2003 and December 2007. Consecutive cases of 3 staff surgeons were evaluated. Specific data points included number and type of complications, subsequent required interventions, and relevant history, with particular attention paid to the details of the primary nasoplasty. Results: Eighty-six primary cleft lip nasoplasties were completed between the years 2003 and 2007. Six complications (6.9%) related to the primary cleft lip nasoplasty were identified. Four patients (4.6%) experienced nasal tip infections; all 4 required surgical drainage. Twenty-four patients (27.9%) undergoing primary cleft lip and nose repair had postoperative nostril conformers placed, and 2 (8.3%) of them experienced complications deemed conformer related. Conclusions: Postoperative nasal complications of primary cheiloplasty occur and are likely underreported. In this series, complications resulted from infection, often occurring late, and secondary to the use of nostril conformers. Surgeon awareness and caregiver education, to identify the early signs of postoperative nasal complications, are critical to the successful treatment of these occurrences. Although this study did not intend on examining antibiotic use, the significance of nasal tip infections might support the regular use of antibiotics in this population, and the use of postoperative nostril conformers must be followed closely.
Oat plant effects on net nitrogen mineralization

Living plants have been reported to stimulate, inhibit, or have no effect on net nitrogen mineralization in soil. A series of experiments were conducted to evaluate the influence of living oat plants Avena sativa on net N mineralization. Oat plants were grown in plastic cylinders containing soil, and net N mineralization was assessed by determining the N balance in these microcosms. Measured N inputs included N contained in the oat seeds and N2 fixation. N losses by NH3 volatilization and denitrification were also measured. We observed that in some soils net N mineralization was stimulated by as much as 81%, but in other soils there was no effect of living oat plants on net N mineralization. N mineralization responses are related to past cropping histories of the soils.
A branch and price solution approach for order acceptance and capacity planning in make-to-order operations

Abstract Make-to-order (MTO) operations have to effectively manage their capacity to make long-term sustainable profits. This objective can be met by selectively accepting available customer orders and simultaneously planning for capacity. We model a MTO operation of a job-shop with multiple resources having regular and non-regular capacity. The MTO firm has a set of customer orders at time zero with fixed due-dates. The process route, processing times, and sales price for each order are given. Since orders compete for limited resources, the firm can only accept some orders. In this paper a Mixed-Integer Linear Program (MILP) is proposed to aid an operational manager to decide which orders to accept and how to allocate resources such that the overall profit is maximized. A branch-and-price (B&P) algorithm is devised to solve the MILP effectively. The MILP is first decomposed into a master problem and several sub-problems using Dantzig–Wolfe decomposition. Each sub-problem is represented as a network flow problem and an exact procedure is proposed to solve the sub-problems efficiently. We also propose an approximate B&P scheme, Lagrangian bounds, and approximations to fathom nodes in the branch-and-bound tree. Computational analysis shows that the proposed B&P algorithm can solve large problem instances with relatively short time.
Use and Usability of a Discovery Tool in an Academic Library

In order to assess the use and usability of a new discovery tool, staff at the University of Kansas Libraries conducted usability tests with 27 users and analyzed three semesters of the tool's usage as measured by custom event tracking implemented in Google Analytics and usage statistics drawn from the discovery tool and server logs. An initial study with sixteen users was conducted prior to launching the new tool, and a subsequent study with eleven users was conducted a semester after the launch. This article describes test participants’ success using the new tool to complete basic library research tasks, details the specific features they used in their attempts (e.g., facets, “did you mean” suggestions), and identifies areas where changes were made to address problems identified in the studies, including changes outside the tool itself. In addition, comparisons between feature use in the discovery system as observed in usability testing and feature use as measured by event tracking and log analysis are ...
Extreme outcome expectations and affect intensity

Two studies tested the hypothesis that extreme outcome expectations are associated with affect intensity. Study 1 (N=104) measured extreme outcome expectations in response to one's idiosyncratic goals, and Study 2 (N=93) measured extreme outcome expectations in response to common life events. Higher levels of affect intensity were associated with higher levels of extreme outcome expectations in both studies. The association between affect intensity and extreme outcomes expectations held even after controlling for shared variance with other affective variables (i.e., trait pleasant affect, trait unpleasant affect, affect variability) and other variables that might overlap with extreme outcome expectations (i.e., optimism, pessimism).
Elevated soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor levels in non-obese adults with the atherogenic dyslipoproteinemia

Abstract Adipose tissue expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity-linked insulin resistance and the dyslipoproteinemia of insulin resistance. This study has two aims: (1) to compare select inflammatory mediators in non-smoking, normoglycemic male subjects with and without the atherogenic dyslipoproteinemia (ADL), and (2) to determine the effects of statin therapy on select inflammatory mediators. ADL subjects had higher levels of insulin (16.7 ± 7.5 versus 11.6 ± 5.9μIU/mL, P = 0.008), soluble TNF receptor superfamily 1B (sTNFRSF1B) (3.3 ± 0.7 versus 2.7 ± 0.5ng/mL, P = 0.005), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (2.6 ± 2.2 versus 1.3 ± 1.8pg/mL, P = 0.006) as compared to those of the non-ADL subjects. After adjustment for age, sTNFRSF1B ( P = 0.003) was more predictive of ADL than high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) ( P = 0.047). Statin therapy did not change sTNFRSF1B, TNF-α, IL-6, hs-CRP, whereas soluble TNF receptor superfamily 1A (sTNFRSF1A) increased slightly ( P = 0.048). A high level of sTNFRSF1B is a strong marker of the pro-inflammatory state in this sample of male ADL subjects.
Development of polymorphic anonymous nuclear DNA markers for the endangered Mitchell's satyr butterfly, Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

I isolated and characterized 8 polymorphic anonymous nuclear loci from the federally endangered Mitchell’s satyr butterfly, Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). All loci reported here are polymorphic and will serve as important tools in the conservation of this rare butterfly.
Remote Sensing and Climate Change? The Role Earth Observation

This book is a collection of 15 lectures presented at a summer school session, “Remote Sensing and Long-term Global Datasets for Climate Studies,” held at Dundee University, August 2–13, 1999. The lectures, each of which is covered in a chapter, have been revised and updated. Thus,they provide a nice balance between understanding and modeling global climate change while presenting the potential that remote sensing data sets have for observing global climate. Since global change has been in the media quite frequently lately with the recent Senate committee hearings, this book serves as an excellent resource. From it, readers can glean a better understanding of where the United States and other nations stand in terms of global climate change issues.
Identification of cellular sections with imaging mass spectrometry following freeze fracture.

Freeze-fracture techniques have been used to maintain chemical heterogeneity of frozen-hydrated mammalian cells for static TOF-SIMS imaging. The effects the fracture plane has on scanning electron microscopy and dynamic SIMS images of cells have been studied, but the implications this preparation method has on static SIMS have not been addressed to date. Interestingly, the chemical specificity and surface sensitivity of TOF-SIMS have allowed the identification of unique sections of rat pheochromocytoma cells exposed to the sample surface during freeze fracture. Using the extensive chemical information of the fractured surface, cellular sections have been determined using TOF-SIMS images of water, sodium, potassium, hydrocarbons, phosphocholine, and DiI, a fluorescent dye that remains in the outer leaflet of the cell membrane. Higher amounts of potassium have been imaged inside a cell versus the surrounding matrix in a cross-fractured cell. In other fractures exposing the cell membrane, phosphocholine and ...
Quantitative evaluation of a rotary blueberry mechanical harvester using a miniature instrumented sphere

Southern highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum interspecific hybrids) are predominantly for the fresh market and, with a few exceptions, are hand harvested. Though mechanical harvesting systems are available for processed blueberries, low harvest efficiency and high fruit damage have limited their use for picking blueberries for fresh market. To improve the current machine harvester design, it is apparent that the interaction between the machine harvester and fruit should be well understood. The goal of this study was, therefore, to provide such an understanding by using a custom-made miniature instrumented sphere. The miniature Berry Impact Recording Device (BIRD) was used to measure the mechanical impacts created by a rotary mechanical harvester during fruit harvesting. A closeup video recorded the harvesting to pinpoint critical control points where most impacts were created. The results showed that the catch plates on the rotary harvester accounted for over 30% of all mechanical impacts imposed on the BIRD, followed by the empty fruit collection box (lug) (>20%). Impacts created by the conveyer belt and shaking rods combined accounted for only 25% of mechanical impacts. Thus, the most significant reduction in bruising could be achieved through modifications in the catch plates and lugs. The impact of three contacting surfaces (the catch plates, conveyer belt, and steel tunnel) on the harvester and three commercial padding materials (Cellular Silicone, Slow Rebound, and No Bruze) were evaluated. Harvester surface evaluations revealed that the catch plate was the hardest surface. Among the three padding materials evaluated, the Cellular Silicone provided the best cushioning. This study proved the efficacy of using a customized miniature instrumented sphere in measuring mechanical impacts created by various machine parts during harvesting. It provided a better understanding of how the berries interact with different machine parts of a rotary harvester.
Magnetic dipole strength in 16O

Abstract The strength of magnetic dipole excitation from the 16 O ground state is calculated. One anticipates a relatively large amount of the M1 strength between 16 MeV and 18 MeV which is about one third of that of the 15.1 MeV, 1 + state in 12 C.
Detection and avoidance of simulated potholes in autonomous vehicle navigation in an unstructured environment

In the navigation of an autonomous vehicle, tracking and avoidance of the obstacles presents an interesting problem as this involves the integration of the vision and the motion systems. In an unstructured environment, the problem becomes much more severe as the obstacles have to be clearly recognized for any decisive action to be taken. In this paper, we discuss a solution to detection and avoidance of simulated potholes in the path of an autonomous vehicle operating in an unstructured environment. Pothole avoidance may be considered similar to other obstacle avoidance except that the potholes are depressions rather than extrusions form a surface. A non-contact vision approach has been taken since potholes usually are significantly different visually from a background surface. Large potholes more than 2 feet in diameter will be detected. Furthermore, only white potholes will be detected on a background of grass, asphalt, sand or green painted bridges. The signals from the environment are captured by the vehicle's vision systems and pre-processed appropriately. A histogram is used to determine a brightness threshold to determine if a pothole is within the field of view. Then, a binary image is formed. Regions are then detected in the binary image. Regions that have a diameter close to 2 feet and a ratio of circumference to diameter close to pi are considered potholes. The neuro-fuzzy logic controller where navigational strategies are evaluated uses these signals to decide a final course of navigation. The primary significance of the solution is that it is interfaced seamlessly into the existing central logic controller. The solution can also be easily extended to detect and avoid any two dimensional shape.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Monsoon Regimes and Processes in CCSM4. Part II: African and American Monsoon Systems

AbstractThis is the second part of a two part series studying simulation characteristics of the Community Climate System Model, version 4 (CCSM4) for various monsoon regimes around the global tropics. Here, the West African, East African, North American, and South American monsoons are documented in CCSM4. Comparisons are made to an Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) simulation of the atmospheric component in CCSM4 (CAM4), to deduce differences in the monsoon simulations run with observed SSTs and with ocean–atmosphere coupling. These simulations are also compared to a previous version of the coupled model (CCSM3) to evaluate progress. In most, but not all instances, monsoon rainfall is too heavy in the uncoupled AMIP run with the Community Atmosphere Model, version 4 (CAM4), and monsoon rainfall amounts are generally better simulated with ocean coupling in CCSM4. Some aspects of the monsoon simulations are improved in CCSM4 compared to CCSM3. Early-season rainfall in the West African monsoo...
Hysterectomy facilitates preceptive behavior in rats

The effects of hysterectomy on proceptive behavior were investigated using several doses of estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone (P) in female rats. One week after surgery, ovariectomized (OV) and ovariectomized-hysterectomized (OH) rats were given three daily injections of 1.0 or 2.0 micrograms EB followed by 0.5 mg P or oil on the fourth day and were tested for solicitation 4 hr later. The same animals received 1.0 or 2.0 micrograms EB plus 0.1 mg P, or 4.0 micrograms EB plus oil on the same schedule a week following the first test and were tested again. Ovariectomized-hysterectomized animals receiving 0.5 mg P, regardless of the EB dose, showed significantly higher solicitation scores than OV animals, but the scores of the EB-primed OV and OH rats receiving 0.1 mg P or oil vehicle did not differ.
Coordinated autonomous driving with 100 connected vehicles

This study investigates a number of control and coordination aspects of autonomous navigation in real-life urban traffic, focusing on connected vehicles as the means to achieve the required coordination. The proposed architecture includes a mixture of human driven, partial and fully autonomous experimental vehicles that are equipped to seamlessly interact with each other and the virtual traffic around them. Challenges to achieve a coherent implementation for a cyber-physical system are investigated and novel test methods are developed.
Electron beam machining of ceramic green-sheets for multilayer ceramic electronic packaging applications

Abstract High power electron beams can be used to machine vias and interconnecting structures in ceramic green-sheets. The advantages of this technology are: direct maskless metallization, noncontact machining of high density via and interconnecting structures of fine dimensions. These features translate themselves into design and development of state of the art multilayer ceramic (MLC) packaging on a quick turn around basis from design to build. Electron beam technology offers accurate machining of three dimensional interconnecting line structures. Vias of aspect ratio > 3 and diameters as small as 30 μm have been fabricated.
Power/energy metrics for controller evaluation of actuators similar to biological systems

Abstract An evaluation of controller design is performed on an actuator, which resembles a biological system (pneumatic muscle actuator). The procedures studied herein do not require any presumptions of linearity or stationarity. A comparison across various controllers was obtained by considering a pneumatic muscle system being used in a force control sense over a full cycle of operation. Such an actuator has many advantages (extremely high power/weight, power/volume and power/energy ratios). A number of power and energy related measures were assessed including: (1) a workloop metric to specify the external work output of the actuator produced on the environment, (2) a power ellipsoid method to examine efficiency over one cycle of operation, and (3) other key power and energy related criteria, e.g. when peak power varies as a function of the velocity produced.
Movement preparation in Parkinson's disease. The use of advance information.

The effects of advance information on movement planning in parkinsonism were assessed by means of movement precuing. Using this technique, the response latencies of identical sets of movements were compared across conditions in which the degree and type of advance movement information were manipulated. Specifically, prior information concerning three movement dimensions (the direction and extent of forthcoming movements, as well as the limb to be used) was or was not provided. Eight patients with Parkinson's disease and 8 neurologically normal age-matched controls served as subjects The experiment showed that the elevated reaction times of the parkinsonian subjects are not primarily caused by delays in response selection. Estimates of specification times for each of the three dimensions showed only a modest slowing in parkinsonians. The specification of those movement dimensions unknown before the response signal appears to occur serially, and can occur in a variable order as in normals. Since parkinsonians can initiate movements with shorter latencies when partial or complete information is available, albeit more slowly than normals, we conclude that response selection and specification processes preceding rapid discrete movements are relatively unaffected by the disease. The overall slowness in movement initiation in parkinsonians as compared with normals may in part be caused by excessive delays in motor time and, in general, to those ‘input’ and/or ‘output’ processes which are unaffected by advance information.
Marriage in the Context of Immigration

Two very important life events, marriage and immigration, often take place in close relation to one another. It is common, for example, for a couple to marry and emigrate together or for a recent immigrant to marry a native of the new country. In addition to addressing the effect of culture on marriage, the article discusses how these two life events parallel each other and how they interact with each other. In both marriage and immigration, the individual must mourn the loss of old objects and make a commitment to new objects. The personal choices made and reactions to those choices are attempts to meet intrapsychic needs, sometimes normal and sometimes pathological. In addition, both marriage and immigration create intrapsychic needs that the other may be used to fill. A clinical example illustrates these points.
Anatomical Relationships and Branching Patterns of the Dorsal Cutaneous Branch of the Ulnar Nerve

Purpose To describe the variable branching patterns of the dorsal cutaneous branch of the ulnar nerve (DCBUN) relative to identifiable anatomical landmarks on the ulnar side of the wrist. Methods We dissected the ulnar nerve in 28 unmatched fresh-frozen cadavers to identify the DCBUN and its branches from its origin to the level of the metacarpophalangeal joints. The number and location of branches of the DCBUN were recorded relative to the distal ulnar articular surface. Relationships to the subcutaneous border of the ulna, the pisotriquetral joint, and the extensor carpi ulnaris tendon were defined in the pronated wrist. Results On average, 2 branches of the DCBUN were present at the level of the distal ulnar articular surface (range, 1–4). On average, 2.2 branches were present 2 cm distal to the ulnar articular surface (range, 1–4). At least 1 longitudinal branch crossed dorsal to the extensor carpi ulnaris tendon prior to its insertion at the base of the fifth metacarpal in 23 of 28 specimens (82%). In 27 of 28 specimens (96%), all longitudinal branches of the DCBUN coursed between the dorsal-volar midpoint of the subcutaneous border of the ulna and the pisotriquetral joint. In 20 of 28 specimens (71%), a transverse branch of the DCBUN to the distal radioulnar joint was present. Conclusions During exposure of the dorsal and ulnar areas of the wrist, identification and protection of just a single branch of the DCBUN are unlikely to ensure safe dissection because multiple branches normally are present. The 6U, 6R, and ulnar midcarpal arthroscopy portals may place these branches at risk. In the pronated forearm, the area between the DCBUN and the pisotriquetral joint contained all longitudinal branches of the DCBUN in 96% of specimens. Clinical relevance During surgery involving the dorsal and ulnar areas of the wrist, multiple longitudinal branches and a transverse branch of the DCBUN are normally present and must be respected.
A Built-In Repair Analyzer With Optimal Repair Rate for Word-Oriented Memories

This paper presents a built-in self repair analyzer with the optimal repair rate for memory arrays with redundancy. The proposed method requires only a single test, even in the worst case. By performing the must-repair analysis on the fly during the test, it selectively stores fault addresses, and the final analysis to find a solution is performed on the stored fault addresses. To enumerate all possible solutions, existing techniques use depth first search using a stack and a finite-state machine. Instead, we propose a new algorithm and its combinational circuit implementation. Since our formulation for the circuit allows us to use the parallel prefix algorithm, it can be configured in various ways to meet area and test time requirements. The total area of our infrastructure is dominated by the number of content addressable memory entries to store the fault addresses, and it only grows quadratically with respect to the number of repair elements. The infrastructure is also extended to support various types of word-oriented memories.
Non-causal behavior: The cause for concern

The requirement to verify the causality of electromagnetic model response and ensure validity of transient simulations results is gaining momentum for those skilled in the art. In order to capture causal models and verify causal behavior, the engineer must understand which parameters have an impact on model behavior as well as those parameters which inhibit lab verification of said model. Specifically, as dielectric properties continue to trend towards lower-loss, it may become more critical to understand the impact between dissipation factor and model causality. The SI engineer must have a keen understanding of the magnitude by which a model's behavior can deviate from a causal response before he/she becomes concerned about their analysis. It is common knowledge that demand has and continues to drive computer systems data rates to ever-increasing speeds. As communication interface speeds increase, signal integrity engineers require more accuracy out of the transmission line models (models need to account for more effects). The level of accuracy now required has caused the complexity of transmission line models to increase to a point where concatenation of the models may induce significant error. As such, model developers must guarantee model behavior is causal, not merely frequency dependent. Non-causal models may generate inaccurate time domain simulation results as well as complicate a tool's convergence process; even if the model's behavior agrees with measured behavior in the frequency domain. Therefore, model developers must understand the model creation, checking, simulation process, and how to interpret results within chosen tool suites. Equally important, one must realize that model frequency content, step size, length and other parameters that may impact a checking tool's ability to accurately flag causality violations and how those violations, “real” or “false”, may impact system-level simulation results [8]. This paper will discuss the interaction between the measured-model acquisition process, the ability to verify causal behavior and the ramifications of non-causal models or inaccurate interpretation of causality-checking results.