cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Combined effects of the orally active cisplatin analog, JM216, and radiation in antitumor therapy.

Purpose: We evaluated the orally administered platinum agent, JM216, in combination with ionizing radiation both in vivo and in vitro against human tumor cells. Methods: H460 human lung carcinoma cells were used as a subcutaneous xenograft in nude mice. JM216 (30 mg/kg) was administered orally, and radiation treatments (2 Gy) were given 1 h after JM216 delivery for five consecutive days. For in vitro analysis, attached H460 cells were treated with JM216 (15 μM) for 1 h and then irradiated. Cells were rinsed 20 min later, and survival was determined by clonogenic assay. Results: Tumor growth delay measurements showed that the combination of JM216 and radiation was additive in vivo, with an enhancement ratio of 1.24. In vitro clonogenic survival experiments demonstrated a dose enhancement ratio of 1.23. Isobologram analysis showed that this interaction was also additive. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that the combination of JM216 and fractionated radiotherapy is more effective against human lung cancer xenografts than either agent alone, and the in vivo results were supported by those observed using an in vitro system with the same tumor cell line.
EUV airglow during active solar conditions: 2. Emission between 530 and 930 Å

Instrumentation on the Astrobee F sounding rocket on June 27, 1980 gathered EUV airglow data in the 530-930 A range. The 2-4 A resolution data were examined specifically for O II emission lines below 800 A, which were centered at 537-539 A. The emision was attributed to doublet and quartet components and exhibited a branching ratio of 3. A separate identification was made of O II emissions at 581 A. Inclusion of the 2s2p(4)2P state is therefore recommended in photoinization models of cometry and planetary atmospheres.
The heat conduction problem with temperature-dependent material properties

Abstract The heat conduction problem in a semi-infinite region with temperature-dependent material properties is investigated. The problem is linearized by dividing the complete temperature range into a finite number of subintervals. These subintervals are chosen small enough so that the material functions can be considered constant. The resulting problem resembles that of a composite material, except that the interfaces between elements are unknown functions to be solved. It also resembles the Stefan problem of a multi-phase or a polymorphous material. A similarity solution is found and determined. The existence and uniqueness of the solution is thoroughly examined and proved. Finally, when the material functions are temperature independent, the known solution is recovered.
Enhancing Problem-Solving Capabilities Using Object-Oriented Programming Language.

This study integrated object-oriented programming instruction with transfer training activities in everyday tasks, which might provide a mechanism that can be used for efficient problem solving. Sp...
Phase relations in neptunium, americium and the binary alloy systems Np-Am and Np-Ln (Ln = La, Nd, Lu)

Abstract High-temperature differential thermal analysis has been used to characterize the phase relations in neptunium, americium and the binary alloy systems, Np-Am, Np-La, Np-Nd, Np-Lu, Sm-Ce and Ce-Gd. The temperatures previously reported for the two solid-solid transformations and the fusion of Np, and for the β(fcc) → γ(bcc?) and the fusion transitions of Am were confirmed. A small endothermic event ( ~ 0.4 kJ mol −1 ) evident at 758°C for americium was assigned to its dhcp → fcc transition; this temperature is ~ 100°C higher than previously derived from dilatometry. Although the Np-Am DTA studies were limited in the range of alloy compositions which could be investigated, the results were useful in deciphering the nature of the phase diagram. Measurements on a sample of aggregate composition Np 0.54 -Am 0.46 suggested some degree of mutual solubility, although two (terminal) solid phases, one Np-rich and one Am-rich, were found to coexist. The supporting studies of Np-Ln and Ln-Ln' (Ln and Ln' = selected lanthanides) alloy systems established the efficacy of the DTA technique and augmented the results for the Np-Am system.
The Top Five Resources in Children's Ministries

As Jack Seymour, editor of Religious Education, has described in introducing this new feature, the thematic review essays will highlight “must know about” or “the top five” resources in a particula...
Carbamylphosphonates and Related Compounds—Nuclear-Magnetic-Resonance and Infrared Spectra

Proton magnetic resonance and infrared spectra were obtained for 44 carbamylphosphonates and related compounds, the common structural features being the grouping [Equation] As with ordinary amides, slow rotation is observed around the carbonyl-to-nitrogen bond, but the chemical shift between nitrogen substituents is three to five times as great. Evidence is presented for long range coupling of phosphorus to protons in N-substituents. Correlations are observed between the carbonyl and phosphoryl stretching frequencies and substituents both on nitrogen and on phosphorus.
Proceedings of the 6th international conference on Information processing in sensor networks

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Sixth International Symposium on Information Processing in Sensor Networks (IPSN 2007). The symposium continues its tradition of excellence with a vibrant program this year that combines two high quality tracks; the Information Processing track and the Sensor Platforms track (SPOTS). The goal is to bring together researchers and practitioners from industry and academia to address the gamut of challenges from theoretical foundations of information processing in sensor networks to new hardware architecture and platform prototypes. I sincerely thank the program chairs Leonidas Guibas, William Kaiser, Ralph Kling, and Matt Welsh. We owe the quality of this year's IPSN/SPOTS program to their dedicated efforts. Among other new features, this year's program presents a more unified treatment of symposium tracks, exemplified, for instance, in maintaining a common page-length across both IPSN and SPOTS paper. The main event is preceded by two workshops and a tutorial. The International Workshop on Wireless Sensor Network Architecture, co-organized by Jack Stankovic and Tian He, explores new directions in sensor network architecture and essential principles that guide sensor network software design. The Workshop on Data Sharing and Interoperability on the World-wide Sensor Web, organized by Mark Hansen and Suman Nath, focuses on tools to manage, share, analyze, and understand the sensory data and their interoperability implications. Finally, a hands-on tutorial on Wireless Sensing Systems for Acoustic and Seismic Monitoring is organized by Lewis Girod and Vinayak Naik. I sincerely thank all the organizers of these events for greatly enriching the diversity of the symposium. This year's IPSN is also co-located with the TinyOS Technology Exchange. Thanks to Phil Levis and other members of the TinyOS community for making this possible. In addition to paper presentations, the symposium features a poster and demonstration session. Special thanks to Phil Levis, the Demo Chair, and Haiyun Luo, the Poster Chair, for organizing it. The symposium also includes, for the first time, an Extreme Sensing Competition. Special thanks to Kamin Whitehouse, the Competition Chair, for masterminding and organizing this exciting new event.
Timeliness and follow-up patterns of cervical cancer detection in a cohort of medically underserved California women.

Introduction This study examines factors associated with timely follow-up after Pap test in a program providing cervical cancer detection services to medically underserved California women.
A generalized modeling framework for public benefit fund program valuation

Abstract A generalized modeling framework to value Public Benefit Fund (PBF) programs is developed. The potential economic and environmental impact associated with PBF programs at the state-level is described through a simulation model that values energy savings and emissions reduction and an input–output model that estimates the total economic benefit of the program. The valuation strategy is based on publicly-available data and infer results under a reasonable assumption set. The methodology is illustrated through a case study for a proposed PBF program targeted for Louisiana across the residential and commercial sector.
Experimental aspects of high energy neutrino physics

Abstract Neutrino physics from the viewpoint of the high energy results from Fermilab are discussed. The high energy experiments are described and their results are discussed. The status of both the charged current reactions are reviewed in detail. Also, the important observations of topologies indicating new particle production by neutrinos are covered. Comparisons between results of different experiments are made where relevant.
The L'vov platform for furnace atomic absorption analysis

Abstract The L'vov Platform converts the Massmann-type graphite furnace into a furnace that provides a constant temperature environment for the more volatile metals. A very great reduction of matrix interferences for Pb, Cd and Tl is reported, so long as the matrix concentration provides a background signal during atomization that is small enough to be controlled by the deuterium arc background corrector. Interferences for Cu, Mn and Sn are also reduced to some extent. L'vov's recent theory relating to vapor phase thermodynamics makes it possible to predict both qualitatively and semi-quantitatively many of the remaining interference effects. This provides potential solutions to remaining problems which are herein explored. The continued test of interferences reported in the literature indicates that most are not present in the modern furnaces when they are used in an optimum manner.
Domicile selection and risk pooling for trucking networks

Less-than-TruckLoad (LTL) carriers transport small to medium sized shipments through networks of terminals. One of the issues in designing an LTL network is to determine how drivers should be distributed among locations, with the goal of reducing total variability through risk pooling. By concentrating drivers at a limited number of terminals, the carrier has greater flexibility to respond to random variations in demand, because they can be more readily shifted among routes. The problem is challenging because the risk-pooling objective is concave/minimization, leading to multiple locally optimal solutions. Each solution is defined by a rank ordering of terminals according to assigned demand. When a tour visits multiple terminals, it is assigned to the terminal with the highest rank (i.e., the one with the largest total demand). Based on the rank-ordering concept, a heuristic algorithm and an exact (branch-and-bound) algorithm are developed and applied to test problems. The exact algorithm offers reasonabl...
An interferometric analysis of nucleoli in cultured mesothelial cells

Previous studies have indicated that total nucleolar area and volume remain constant regardless of the number of nucleoli. The question remains whether this relationship is valid for mass. To answer this, total nucleolar mass values were obtained from nuclei of living mesothelial cells in culture possessing one to four nucleoli. The nucleolar mass was calculated using interferometry. The mean total nucleolar dry mass for cells with one, two, three, and four nucleoli was 40 x 10(-12)gm, 38.4 x 10(-12)gm, 39.1 x 10(-12)gm, and 41.4 x 10(-12)gm, respectively. These data suggest that on the average, each cell had approximately the same total nucleolar dry mass regardless of the number of nucleoli. In an additional study, interferometry was employed to reveal changes in nucleolar mass and concentration during a seven-hour period. It was concluded that the nucleolus is a dynamic organelle, with its total mass varying in time from an average 40 x 10(-12)gm with a mean concentration of 22.2gm/100cm3.
Development of Plasma Textile for Nanoparticle Filtration and Bacterial Deactivation

A novel woven textile material capable of generating stable low temperature plasma was created. This resulted in enhancing the capture efficiency of nanoparticles when the material was used as a filter as well as exhibiting anti-bacterial properties. The primary supposition of the study is that a micro-plasma array can be embedded into a textile fabric to induce a plasma sheath that filters and deactivates bacterial pathogens coming into contact with the fabric. The work proceeded through a series of steps: (1) determining the optimal type of plasma discharge; (2) finding the ideal wire electrode material, radii and placement to achieve stable uniform generation of non-thermal plasmas; (3) modeling the electric field surrounding the electrodes to evaluate the impact of an insulating textile on the electrode system; (4) testing various polymers and developing a plasma textile based on electrode geometries found in experimentation; (5) measuring the filtration efficiencies of the plasmas using a differential mobility and a condensation particle counter; and (6) testing the textile fabric’s ability to deactivate bacteria. The work confirmed the existence of sustainable, uniform plasma on the surface of the developed fabric capable of capturing over 98% of bacteria-sized particles and deactivating tested bacteria.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
SPECT Thallium-201 combined with Toxoplasma serology for the presumptive diagnosis of focal central nervous system mass lesions in patients with AIDS.

Objective: To determine the utility of brain thallium-201 single photon emission computerized tomography (Tl-201 SPECT) combined with Toxoplasma serology for the diagnosis of focal CNS lesions in patients with AIDS. Methods: Sixty-one consecutive HIV-infected patients with focal CNS lesion(s) on head computed tomography (CT) or MRI scan who underwent brain Tl-201 SPECT and serum Toxoplasma serology were evaluated, retrospectively. Thallium-201 uptake ratios were calculated by comparing lesion activity to contralateral scalp activity. Diagnoses were made by a combination of histology, serology, PCR, and empirical response to therapy. Toxoplasma serologies (IgG IFA) were compared in the patients with central nervous system (CNS) toxoplasmosis and those without CNS toxoplasmosis. Results: Fifty-six patients were evaluable and a definitive diagnosis was made in 38 patients: toxoplasmosis (17), lymphoma (14), PML (three), Aspergillus (one), tuberculoma (one), Cryptococcus (one), varicella-zoster virus (one). Patients with lymphoma had significantly higher lesion/contralateral scalp ratios compared to patients without lymphoma: 1.03 vs. 0.67, P\0.05. Using a cut-off of 0.90 for the lesion/scalp uptake ratios (based on analysis of ROC curves) the sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of lymphoma were 86% and 83%, respectively. Serum Toxoplasma IgG titres were significantly higher in patients diagnosed with toxoplasmosis compared to those with a diagnosis other than toxoplasmosis, 1:5444 vs. 1:15, P\0.05. Only one patient with confirmed toxoplasmosis had a Toxoplasma serology \1:256, while no patients without toxoplasmosis (including all lymphoma patients) had serologies [1:256. Conclusions: In a series of HIV-infected patients, Tl-201 SPECT was able to accurately differentiate primary brain lymphoma from other causes of focal CNS lesions in most patients; however, both false positive and false negative results occurred. By combining Tl-201 SPECT with serum Toxoplasma IgG, diagnostic accuracy was improved. © 2000 The British Infection Society
SU‐GG‐T‐187: Predicting Calibration Curves for Kodak XV Film Using Model‐Based Parameters

Purpose: Film calibration is time‐consuming work necessary to achieve good accuracy for film dosimetry. This study analyzed the calibration curves varying with the depth, field size and delivery day using model‐based parameters in order to predict calibration curves for future use. Method and Materials: The Kodak XV film was placed perpendicular to the beam axis in Solid Water phantom (30×30 or 40×40 cm2). Standard calibration films (one dose point per film) were irradiated at 90 cm SSD with various doses (0–128 cGy) at several depths (0.2, 0.5, 1.5, 5, 10 cm) for 5×5, 10×10, and 20×20 cm2 fields. Standard calibration responses were compared to an 8‐field calibration response (eight doses per film), irradiated at 5 cm depth and 95 cm SSD with doses from 16 to 128 cGy. All films were developed using a Kodak X‐OMAT 3000RA Processor and digitized with a Lumiscan75. All curves were fitted with single‐target‐single‐hit model (y=y 0 +a(1−e −bD )) . The parameters were compared for different delivered days, calibration methods, field sizes and depths. The method to predict the calibration curve was verified with previous data for 20×20 cm2 fields. Results: The daily variation of y0, a, and b parameters were 2.2%, 2.9%, and 11.4% using the 8‐field method. The “a” ratio of standard to 8‐field curves was 1.083. The “b” ratio ranged from 0.91 to 0.97 depending on the field size and depth. The “b” ratio decreases with increasing depth below 0.5 cm for the three field sizes. This ratio increases with increasing depths above 0.5 cm except for 5×5 cm2 field. The local differences between expected and measured calibration curves were within 5%. Conclusion: Predicting the calibration curve using one calibration film is possible by using a model‐based parameter relationship. This method reduces film processing and batch errors without re‐acquiring complete calibration curves.
Effects of a Diazinon formulation on unialgal growth rates and phytoplankton diversity.

Diazinon and other organophosphorus insecticides are used primarily for their broad effectiveness, short persistence, and relatively low mammalian toxicity. Although these insecticides are less toxic to algae than most organochlorines, the extensive use of Diazinon and the subsequent exposure to aquatic communities may pose a serious threat to algal growth and population diversity. The significance of phytoplankton as primary producers as well as their ability to intrinsically alter the balance of aquatic ecosystems has warranted greater concern for the toxic effects of this widely accepted insecticide. Few reports are available on the effects of Diazinon on nontarget aquatic organisms and even less is known about its effects on algal growth and phytoplankton diversity. In light of the sparse information available on the effects of Diazinon on phytoplankton population dynamics, the objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the effects of a Diazinon formulation on the growth rates of three widely distributed species of freshwater algae, (2) to ascertain the effects of this formulation on the diversity of a natural phytoplankton assemblage.
Movements after the clinical diagnosis of brain death: supraspinal motor responses or spinal reflexes

In a recent issue of Critical Care, Wu and Orizaola Balaguer [1] hypothesized that nociceptive head turning after brain death (BD) is a spinal reflex. We argue that it can be a supraspinal response, which would invalidate a diagnosis of BD. The sternocleidomastoid and trapezius are innervated by the spinal nucleus of the accessory nerve extending from the lower medulla to the ventral horn of the spinal cord (C1-C4) [2]. Lower motor neurons from the lower medulla to C2 project to the sternocleidomastoid [2], contributing to the reported motor responses. The spinal nerve roots of the accessory nerve ascend through the foramen magnum and descend through the jugular foramen. Compression of the vertebral-basilar arteries (causing intracranial circulatory arrest) and the spinal nerve roots by cerebellar tonsillar herniation at the foramen magnum would abolish the spinal accessory nerve reflex as well as cause cervicomedullary infarction. The pyramidal tract projecting from the telencephalon controls voluntary movements. Subcortical nuclei in the diencephalon, mesencephalon, and rhombencephalon control non-voluntary movements. Complex movements are generally explained as spinal reflexes rather than supraspinal motor responses, despite an incidence of 40% to 50% in heart-beating donors [3]. Dismissal of supraspinal motor responses is incongruent with the finding [4] that, on histopathological examination, about 60% of heart-beating donors have normal or minimal ischemic injury to the brainstem. If (as these histopathological findings show) the subcortical nuclei are possibly uninjured, then the supraspinal origin of movements cannot be excluded [5]. The absence of brainstem injury at autopsy raises doubt that all movements in BD are spinal motor reflexes. Additional histopathological data are needed to determine whether movements originate from supraspinal or spinal nuclei.
NO2/NO response of Cr2O3- and SnO2-based potentiometric sensors and temperature-programmed reaction evaluation of the sensor elements

Abstract The NO 2 and NO sensing behavior of a MO x /YSZ/Pt (MO x = Cr 2 O 3 and SnO 2 ) potentiometric sensor in 1–21% O 2 at 450–700 °C are described and their sensing mechanism is discussed based on temperature-programmed reaction (TPR) results. TPR results show a lower NO 2 decomposition activity of MO x compared to Pt, resulting in a higher local NO 2 concentration at the MO x /YSZ/gas triple phase boundary (TPB) than at the Pt/YSZ/gas TPB at the sensor operating temperature. The higher NO 2 concentration at the MO x /YSZ/gas TPB provides for an increased cathodic reaction at this electrode as compared to the Pt electrode, resulting in a positive sensor emf. Selective NO 2 detection is achieved with both MO x electrodes against CO and CO 2 and is consistent with a CO- and CO 2 -independent NO 2 profile in the TPR results. In contrast, the Cr 2 O 3 sensor is not NO selective against CO. The NO + CO + O 2 TPR profile showing no gas concentration change to 800 °C indicates that the CO-induced change in the NO sensitivity is non-catalytic in nature.
Regenerable MgO-Based SOx Removal Sorbents Promoted with Cerium and Iron Oxide in RFCC

The aims of this work were verifying the roles of various promoters in absorption and regeneration. In particular, we focus our attention on the oxidation properties of Ce, Co, and Fe and regeneration property of Fe of the MgO-based sorbents. The MgO-based SO2 sorbents promoted with Ce, Co, Fe, and Cu were developed for use in RFCC and FCC units. Their ability for SO2 absorption as well as regeneration was investigated in a fixed-bed reactor under RFCC and FCC reaction conditions. The promoters played an important role in transforming SO2 into SO3, which could be easily absorbed into MgO. Their oxidation ability increased in the following order Fe < Co < Ce. In addition, their reuse through the regeneration of sorbents with hydrogen in a FCC unit depended on these promoters. In particular, the MgO sorbent which was promoted simultaneously with Ce and Fe showed excellent characteristics in SO2 removal and regeneration in that this material satisfies the requirements of a large amount of SO2 absorption (ads...
Evolution of optical thin films by sputtering.

Sputter deposition was used to obtain optical thin films of TiO2, ZrO2, and CeO2 having (1) refractive indices greater than those obtained by vacuum vapor deposition techniques, (2) improved abrasion resistance, and (3) better substrate adherence. SiO2 and SiO films with indices of 1.4 and 1.9, respectively, were obtained, but reproducible intermediate indices were not. Films with intermediate refractive indices showed absorption at the short wavelength end of the visible spectrum. Deposition of MgF2 by partial pressure of Freon 14 was moderately successful. The relationship between thickness and time was sufficiently accurate to monitor film thickness. Thickness evaluation with TiO2, CeO2, and SiO2 indicated that reproducibility was within ±2% of desired optical thickness.
Charge transport through α-monoclinic selenium

The existence of surface barriers on α-monoclinic selenium crystals has been demonstrated. Photometric measurements indicate electron barrier energies of 1.05 and 1.3 eV, respectively, for Ga and Au contacts. The mobilities of holes and electrons have been measured by a time-of-flight technique to be about 0.2cm^2/Vsec and 1.6cm^2/Vsec, respectively, at room temperature. The hole mobility was found to be limited by traps 0·23 ± 0.01 eV above the valence levels, while the electron mobility is an intrinsic mobility limited by scattering. It was found that in the region of low carrier density (i.e. no space charge effects) the collection efficiency was limited by diffusion of carriers into the metal contact.
QUORUM: quality of service in wireless mesh networks

Wireless mesh networks (WMNs) can provide seamless broadband connectivity to network users with low setup and maintenance costs. To support next-generation applications with real-time requirements, however, these networks must provide improved quality of service guarantees. Current mesh protocols use techniques that fail to accurately predict the performance of end-to-end paths, and do not optimize performance based on knowledge of mesh network structures. In this paper, we propose QUORUM, a routing protocol optimized for WMNs that provides accurate QoS properties by correctly predicting delay and loss characteristics of data traffic. QUORUM integrates a novel end-to-end packet delay estimation mechanism with stability-aware routing policies, allowing it to more accurately follow QoS requirements while minimizing misbehavior of selfish nodes.
Does a Border Make a Difference? Library Instruction in the United States and Canada

A brief historical overview of the library instruction scene in the United States and Canada, an analysis of library instruction conference themes, and the identification of perceptions of librarians attending the LOEX, WILU, and LOEX of the West conferences in 2000 and 2001 reveal that the border may be responsible for significant differences between the two countries.
Digitalis in non-failing cardiac diseases

Abstract Digitalis augments the contractility of the normal and the failing heart. In nonfailing cardiac disease the positive inotropic action is not translated into increased cardiac output, largely due to increased vascular resistance and decreased cardiac filling. Digitalization does not affect ventilation or cardiac output during physical exercise, and has been shown to reduce the postexercise oxygen debt in patients with enlarged hearts not in failure. In experimental animals, digitalis prevents depression of cardiac function by anesthesia and by anoxia and hemorrhagic shock. There is also evidence that treatment of the overloaded but nonfailing heart may delay or reduce the increment in cardiac hypertrophy. The experimental evidence indicates that digitalis would rarely be harmful in patients with cardiomegaly without overt congestive heart failure, and may have definite prophylactic value when stress is anticipated.
A kinetic study of the reaction of mononuclear RhII rhodoxime with organic halides

Abstract Competition experiments have been used to evaluate rate constants for the reactions of the metal radical Rh(dmgH)2PPh3, generated by flash photolytic dissociation of alkylrhodoximes, and organic halides, which range from 1.5 × 103M−1 s−1 (CHCl3) to 4 × 106 (CHBr3. The rate constants for various polyhalomethanes can be correlated with the activation energies for their reactions with atomic sodium, and are believed to occur by similar mechanisms in which halogen atom abstraction is rate-limiting.
Optical Flow Switching Networks

Present-day networks are being challenged by dramatic increases in data rate demands of emerging applications. A new network architecture, incorporating “optical flow switching,” will enable significant rate growth, power efficiency, and cost-effective scalability of next-generation networks. We will explore architecture concepts germinated 22 years ago, technology and testbed demonstrations performed in the last 17 years, and the architecture construct from the physical layer to the transport layer of an implementable optical flow switching network that is scalable and manageable.
Intratumor heterogeneity of biomarker expression in breast carcinomas.

Small biopsy samples are used increasingly to assess the biomarker expression for prognostic information and for monitoring therapeutic responses prior to and during neoadjuvant therapy. The issue of intratumor heterogeneity of expression of biomarkers, however, has raised questions about the validity of the assessment of biomarker expression based on limited tissue samples. We examined immunohistochemically the expression of HER-2neu (p185erbB-2), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Bcl-2, p53, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in 30 breast carcinomas using archived, paraffin embedded tissue and determined the extent of intratumor heterogeneity. Each section was divided into four randomly oriented discrete regions, each containing a portion of the infiltrating carcinoma. For each tumor, the entire lesion and four regions were analyzed for the expression of these markers. Scores of both membrane and cytoplasmic staining of HER-2neu and EGFR, scores of cytoplasmic staining of Bcl-2, and sc...
Flex-SURF: A Flexible Architecture for FPGA-Based Robust Feature Extraction for Optical Tracking Systems

In this paper, we propose a novel architecture to accelerate the Speeded Up Robust Features (SURF) algorithm by the use of configurable hardware. SURF is used in optical tracking systems to robustly detect distinguishable features within an image in a scale and rotation invariant way. In its performance critical part, SURF computes convolution filters at multiple scale levels without the need to create down-sampled versions of the original image. However, the algorithm exposes a very irregular memory access pattern. We designed a configurable and scalable architecture to overcome these memory access issues without the need to use any internal block RAM resources of the FPGA. The complete detector and descriptor stage of SURF has been implemented and validated in a Virtex 5 FPGA.
Multimegawatt RF power sources for linear colliders

Issues associated with klystron design, the approaches taken at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) and elsewhere, the available results, and future prospects are discussed. Conceptual designs for a future linear collider operating at 11.4 GHz call for peak RF power as high as 240 MW/m, with an accelerator length of 14 km. This results in requirements for microwave sources that cannot be met with existing microwave tubes. While some new tube concepts are being considered, work is proceeding at several laboratories in the US and abroad on conventional 100-MW klystrons for this application. The electron beam necessary for this power to be generated, unless carefully controlled, can easily cause intrapulse melting at the klystron output circuit. This, coupled with the need for good efficiency, high production yield, and long life, poses some difficult problems to the klystron designer. >
Cardiac hypertrophy associated with impaired regulation of cardiac ryanodine receptor by calmodulin and S100A1.

The cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) is inhibited by calmodulin (CaM) and S100A1. Simultaneous substitution of three amino acid residues (W3587A, L3591D, F3603A; RyR2ADA) in the CaM binding domain...
Review of Solute Transport Modeling: An Introduction to Models and Solution Strategies, 2005 by Randolf Rausch, Wolfgang Schafer, Rene Therrien, and Christian Wagner

The past 4 decades have witnessed an increasing concern worldwide for environmental quality and management. This concern has been for land, water, and air resources as well as ecosystems. Concern for water resources has extended to water over and below the land surface i.e., surface water, unsaturated water, and groundwater , atmospheric water, oceanic waters, as well as snow, ice, and glacier resources. Fundamental to sustained environmental quality and management is solute transport. As a result, a huge amount of literature, including journal papers, technical reports, conference proceedings papers, and books has been published and continues to be published. This is particularly true in the area of groundwater. This book deals with solute transport modeling in groundwater. This is a small book comprising 7 chapters encompassing 205 pages. Chapter 1 introduces main physical and chemical transport processes, derives the transport equation, and discusses the mathematical nature of the equation along with initial and boundary conditions. The discussion in the chapter is presented clearly and is quite easy to understand, even if one has no prior background in the area. Illustrations supplementing the discussion make the reading enjoyable. Chapter 2 presents analytical solutions of the transport equation under different conditions. For one dimensional transport, solutions are provided for instantaneous source, continuous source, and finite-duration source. Two dimensional transport solutions include instantaneous source, continuous source, steadystate plume, and finite aquifer. Analytical solutions are supplemented with a concise and meaningful discussion. Recognizing the limitations of analytical solutions, grid-based numerical methods are presented in Chapter 3. These methods include finite-difference method, finite-volume method, and
Vitamin D deficiency in 2010: Health benefits of vitamin D and sunlight: a D-bate

Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of autoimmune, cardiovascular and infectious diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, as well as the risk of falls and fractures. Several prospective, randomized, controlled trials published in 2010 highlight the importance of improving vitamin D status in children and adults to reduce the risk of upper respiratory tract infections and cardiovascular disease, amongst other disorders.
Measurement of pH Gradients in the Crevice Corrosion of Iron Using a Palladium Hydride Microelectrode

The study of localized corrosion is hindered by the inability to characterize electrolyte compositions inside crevices and pits during the corrosion process. This paper describes the development of a microelectrode systemfor in situ monitoring of the pH in artificial crevices and small recesses. This system permits determination of the pH gradient inside a crevice, even in the presence of a pronounced potential drop. The pH sensor, consisting of a palladium hydride electrode, can be positioned at any desired depth into the crevice while observing the position of the passive to active transition. With increasing time of crevice corrosion, one finds a pronounced pH change in the crevice electrolyte. This work lends further insight toward understanding of crevice corrosion and other localized corrosion phenomena.
Effect of oxygen gas pressure on orientations of Cu2O nuclei during the initial oxidation of Cu(100), (110) and (111)

article Keywords: Oxidation Nucleation Epitaxy Copper In-situ transmission electron microscopy The orientations of oxide nuclei during the oxidation of Cu(100), (110) and (111) surfaces have been exam- ined by in situ transmission electron microscopy. Our results indicate that the epitaxial nucleation of oxide islands on these surfaces cannot be maintained for a whole range of oxygen gas pressure varying from 10 −5
Analog division circuit

In the field of automatic control, there is a need for simple and reliable devices which perform the operations of analog multiplication and division. This paper describes a circuit containing only-magnetic cores and windings, which produces an alternating voltage output directly proportional to the quotient of two d-c input signals. The output is also directly proportional to the alternating voltage used for excitation, which thus may be employed as a multiplier input signal, otherwise a regulated a-c supply is required. Since the circuit contains no semiconductors and is relatively insensitive to changes in the properties of the magnetic cores, it is well-adapted to operation at elevated temperatures.
Determination of the thickness and dielectric constant of a dielectric slab backed by free-space or a conductor through inversion of the reflection coefficient of a rectangular waveguide probe

Evaluation of thickness and material properties of coatings and dielectric slabs is an important practical issue. Microwave nondestructive testing techniques, using open-ended rectangular waveguide and coaxial probes have shown great potential for this purpose. However, to evaluate one parameter requires that the other be known a priori. This paper discusses the use of a relatively efficient method for evaluating both parameters simultaneously from measurements of the reflection coefficient of a test material. Results of two cases as well as a brief discussion of the limitations of the technique are provided in this paper.
Pruritus in Kidney Disease

Pruritus is a common and distressing symptom in patients with chronic kidney disease. The most recent epidemiologic data have suggested that approximately 40% of patients with end-stage renal disease experience moderate to severe pruritus and that uremic pruritus (UP) has a major clinical impact, being associated strongly with poor quality of life, impaired sleep, depression, and increased mortality. The pathogenesis of UP remains largely unclear, although several theories on etiologic or contributing factors have been proposed including increased systemic inflammation; abnormal serum parathyroid hormone, calcium, and phosphorus levels; an imbalance in opiate receptors; and a neuropathic process. UP can present somewhat variably, although it tends to affect large, discontinuous, but symmetric, areas of skin and to be most symptomatic at night. A variety of alternative systemic or dermatologic conditions should be considered, especially in patients with asymmetric pruritus or other atypical features. Treatment initially should focus on aggressive skin hydration, patient education on minimizing scratching, and optimization of the aspects of chronic kidney disease care that are most relevant to pruritus, including dialysis adequacy and serum parathyroid hormone, calcium, and phosphorus management. Data for therapy specifically for UP remain limited, although topical therapies, gabapentin, type B ultraviolet light phototherapy, acupuncture, and opioid-receptor modulators all may play a role.
Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome Associated with Hemorrhage

Background Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) is a clinico-radiological entity characterized by headache, encephalopathy, visual disturbances, and seizures in association with reversible vasogenic edema on neuroimaging. Intracerebral hemorrhage associated with PRES (PRES-ICH) is generally considered an atypical finding.
A 69dB SNDR, 25MHz BW, 800MS/s continuous-time bandpass ΔΣ ADC using DAC duty cycle control for low power and reconfigurability

A new power-efficient, reconfigurable, 6th-order continuous-time bandpass delta-sigma modulator architecture is presented. A new duty-cycle-controlled DAC halves the number of DACs in the modulator, and also enables the center frequency to be reconfigurable. A prototype 800MS/s modulator achieves 69dB SNDR with a 25MHz bandwidth at a 200MHz IF. The center frequency can be varied from 180MHz to 220MHz. The 65nm CMOS prototype consumes 35mW and occupies a die area of 0.25mm2.
The Conflicting Influences of Religiosity on Attitude Toward Torture

This research examines the thesis that religiosity has conflicting influences on Americans' attitudes about the use of torture on terrorism suspects: an organic influence favoring opposition to torture and a discursively driven influence favoring support of torture. In each of two national samples, religiosity had both a direct effect toward opposition to torture and an indirect effect-via conservative political alignment-toward support of torture. Multiple-group analyses revealed that the direct effect toward opposition to torture did not vary across Americans with differing levels of exposure to political discourse, whereas the indirect effect toward support of torture via conservative political alignment was much stronger among Americans highly exposed to political discourse. Among such individuals, the indirect effect was so strong that it completely counteracted the competing direct effect. Discussion focuses on the competing influences that a single nonpolitical psychological characteristic may have on a political preference.
Circuit and microarchitecture evaluation of 3D stacking magnetic RAM (MRAM) as a universal memory replacement

Magnetic random access memory (MRAM) has been considered as a promising memory technology due to many attractive properties. Integrating MRAM with CMOS logic may incur extra manufacture cost, due to its hybrid magnetic-CMOS fabrication process. Stacking MRAM on top of CMOS logics using 3D integration is a way to minimize this cost overhead. In this paper, we discuss the circuit design issues for MRAM, and present the MRAM cache model. Based on the model, we compare MRAM against SRAM and DRAM in terms of area, performance, and energy. Finally we conduct architectural evaluation for 3D microprocessor stacking with MRAM. The experimental results show that MRAM stacking offers competitive IPC performance with a large reduction in power consumption compared to SRAM and DRAM counterparts.
Relation of coronary calcium progression and control of lipids according to National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines

Tracking of coronary artery calcium (CAC) has been suggested for monitoring the effects of lipid control, but it is not known whether lipid control decreases progression of CAC. Seven hundred sixty-one subjects (mean age 64.5 +/- 7.3 years; 91% men; 69% positive for CAC) in an ongoing cohort study underwent baseline and follow-up (after 7.0 +/- 0.5 years) computed tomography for CAC. Subjects were stratified into low-risk ( or =2 risk factors but or =2 risk factors and >20% risk of coronary heart disease in 10 years or diabetes) groups. Lipid control was defined according to criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program. Two-way analysis of covariance was used to examine the relation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and risk group to change in CAC volume score. Control of levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglycerides was also examined in relation to progression of CAC. After adjustment for other risk factors and baseline CAC volume, CAC progression was similar between those with adequate and those with inadequate control of LDL cholesterol (p = 0.68) and across categories of optimal, intermediate, and higher risk LDL cholesterol (p = 0.40). However, higher levels of HDL cholesterol (> or =1.5 mmol/L [60 mg/dl]) were associated with less progression of CAC volume (151 vs 203 mm(3) in those with HDL cholesterol <1.0 mmol/L [40 mg/dl], p = 0.03). There was no relation between triglycerides and CAC progression (p = 0.54). Our findings do not support the use of CAC assessment for monitoring the control of LDL cholesterol, but greater progression of CAC may occur in those in whom HDL cholesterol is not controlled.
Lexical access experiments with context-dependent articulatory feature-based models

We address the problem of pronunciation variation in conversational speech with a context-dependent articulatory feature-based model. The model is an extension of previous work using dynamic Bayesian networks, which allow for easy factorization of a state into multiple variables representing the articulatory features. We build context-dependent decision trees for the articulatory feature distributions, which are incorporated into the dynamic Bayesian networks, and experiment with different sets of context variables. We evaluate our models on a lexical access task using a phonetically transcribed subset of the Switchboard corpus. We find that our models outperform a context-dependent phonetic baseline.
The Relevance of Operating Lease Capitalization to Current and Future Return on Assets

Abstract - Operating leases are used to acquire the use of assets, not to acquire legal title to assets. Accordingly, accounting procedures require that firms disclose operating lease obligations at values based on the right to use leased assets rather than the underlying value of the assets. In this study we test for associations between three estimates of operating lease asset values and return on assets. The first capitalized lease value, (1) the present value of disclosed future minimum lease payments , estimates the right-to-use asset value from the firms‟ disclosed contractual lease obligations. The second and third capitalized lease values, (2) the present value of an annuity due of the disclosed future operating lease payment and (3) the present value of an annuity due of the projected future operating lease payment extrapolated from past lease cost patterns, estimate the value of the leased assets under firm control. We find that the right-to-use leased asset value is strongly associated with current and future return on assets. However, the two lease asset value measures based on the values of the underlying assets are even more strongly associated with current and future return on assets. In other words, the association between capitalized operating leases and return on assets is strongest when the capitalized value corresponds to the value of the assets being leased.
Selective detection of ethylene gas using carbon nanotube-based devices: utility in determination of fruit ripeness.

Ethylene, the smallest plant hormone, plays a role in many developmental processes in plants. For example, it initiates the ripening of fruit, promotes seed germination and flowering, and is responsible for the senescence of leaves and flowers. The rate-limiting step in the biosynthetic pathway to ethylene, elucidated by Yang et al., is catalyzed by 1aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase. Ethylene production in plants is induced during several developmental stages as well as by external factors. The ripening process is the result of ethylene binding to the receptor ETR1, which leads to the translation of ripening genes and eventually the production of enzymes that induce the visible effects of ripening. The monitoring of the ethylene concentration is of utmost importance in the horticultural industries. The internal ethylene concentration in fruit can serve as an indicator for determining the time of harvest, while the monitoring of the atmospheric ethylene level in storage facilities and during transportation is crucial for avoiding overripening of fruit. We herein present a reversible chemoresistive sensor that is able to detect sub-ppm concentrations of ethylene. Our detection method has high selectivity towards ethylene and is simply prepared in few steps from commercially available materials. The sensing mechanism relies on the high sensitivity in resistance of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) to changes in their electronic surroundings. These principles have been employed in a variety of sensing applications. For the selective recognition of ethylene we employ a copper(I) complex, inspired by nature, where Cu has been found to be an essential cofactor of the receptor ETR1. As a result of its small size and lack of polar chemical functionality, ethylene is generally hard to detect. Traditionally, ethylene concentrations are monitored through gas chromatography or laser acoustic spectroscopy, which both require expensive instrumentation and are not suitable for in-field measurements. Other techniques suggested are based on amperometric or electrochemical methods or rely on changes in luminescence properties. Furthermore, gas-sampling tubes based on a colorimetric reaction are available. The carbon nanotube based sensing concept we have developed is shown in Scheme 1.
Extended Christoffel-Bechmann elastic wave formalism for piezoelectric, dielectric media

Christoffel's efficient method of determining acoustic plane wave speeds for arbitrary propagation directions in a dielectric crystal was extended to piezoelectric media by Bechmann. The C-B method is outlined, and extended further to the case of lateral excitation.