cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changing Directions: Assessing Student Thoughts and Feelings about a New Program in Strategic Communication:

A number of recent studies have examined integration of advertising and public relations, but none reports what students think. Over three semesters, students in an introduction to strategic communication course were asked to assess an integrated public relations and advertising curriculum. Students supported integration and viewed a focus on new technology, having a toolkit of integrated communication methods, and understanding the basics of relationship building as paramount. Public relations and advertising students differed regarding the value of relationships, new technologies and a toolkit approach. The importance placed on relationship building differed by race and gender. (Contains 39 references and 3 figures of data.) (Author/RS) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
Data integration platform for smart and connected cities

By exploiting IoT technologies and smart sensors, smart and connected cities acquire massive amounts of urban data critical for various urban operations, applications, and services. Data allows cities to identify the underlying urban rhythm in real time and understand the history of the urban transformation. Cities can use this data to determine the priorities and challenges that once addressed can improve the citizen's quality of life. Implementing reliable infrastructure to ingest data produced within these cities creates many challenges such as scalability, reliability, availability, and fault-tolerance. Using these challenges as design considerations, we propose a data integration architecture design that has been implemented on our urban testbed and is currently in use. Our contributions will accelerate further urban development initiatives by providing a integration platform that can easily be deployed within other testbeds.
Effect of Interaction Design on the Human Experience with Interactive Reinforcement Learning

A goal of interactive machine learning (IML) is to enable people with no machine learning knowledge to intuitively teach intelligent agents how to perform tasks. This study investigates how three factors of the design of an interactive reinforcement learning agent - generalization through time, immediacy, and a time delay - impact the user's experience with the agent. We conducted a human-subject experiment in which people trained four agents with different interaction designs to play a simple game using verbal instruction. All agent variations were modified versions of the Newtonian Action Advice algorithm, an interactive reinforcement learning agent that learns from verbal advice like, "go left.'' The results show that both a time delay and probabilistic interface created poor user experiences. This is particularly important for IML designers, because the current algorithms almost universally are probabilistic and do not immediately respond to the human's input.
Estimation of Model Parameters for Earth Radiation Budget Instruments

Radiation budget instruments scan the earth, creating radiation maps that are interpreted as effective temperature. Then in a sense, these instruments continuously monitor the earth’s radiation budget. Since the measured signals are relatively weak, accurate mathematical modeling is critical to the design process. A mathematical model of the thermal response and the ensuing voltage signal response from a radiation budget instrument has been developed. An important ingredient of an accurate and robust model of the system response is a correspondingly accurate estimation of the model parameters. The main objective of this paper is to describe the procedure and results of the required parameter estimation process. First, the model equations are solved using a finite volume method. A sensitivity study is then performed to indicate the relative importance of the parameters. In order to estimate the best combination of system parameters, a least-squares technique is utilized to minimize the difference between the theoretical model and available experimental data. Fortunately, a statistically significant amount of data for the voltage output of the sensor in question were available. We were able to successfully estimate the model parameters and obtain an excellent fit between the mathematical model and the experimental data on which it was based.
Globalizing Education in Times of Hyper-Nationalism, Rising Authoritarianism, and Shrinking Worldviews

With the global political tide pushing increasingly narrow state-framed worldviews there is a retrenchment of how people understand their relational place in, and connection to, the world. This essay argues that precisely because of the rise of hyper-nationalism (and accompanying anti-democratic trends) there is an urgent need to pursue the globalizing of public education and the coproduction of global knowledge more generally. I suggest that the emerging field of Global Studies, which has been gaining ground in the United States and even more so around the world in recent decades, offers a pedagogical pathway to promoting critical interdisciplinary perspectives and fostering equality and respect for others. My basic claim is that Global Studies shares with liberal education a core mission to promote peace in a world of cultural diversity. But in calling for epistemological pluralism – and highlighting the American (western) epistemological underpinnings of the liberal arts that are deeply implicated in colonial histories of racism, oppression and silencing of non-western knowledge – Global Studies also highlights the inherent limitations of liberal education that as a new field of inquiry it seeks to overcome.
Crisis of Policy Reporting: Evidence From Australian Election Campaigns, 2001–2013

Election campaigns are highly stylised periods in politics, with the media acting as an important conduit of information between voters and politicians. But how well does news coverage inform voter...
Standardizing Chemotherapy Regimen Nomenclature: A Proposal and Evaluation of the HemOnc and National Cancer Institute Thesaurus Regimen Content.

PURPOSEDue to decades of nonstandardized approaches to the naming of chemotherapy regimens, representation in electronic health records and secondary systems is highly variable. This hampers effort...
Nonuniformity Correction Algorithm for TEC-less Uncooled Infrared Imaging System

The TEC-less uncooled infrared focal plane array (UIRFPA) imaging system faces the problem of nonuniformity caused by substrate temperature drift. Based on the establishment of an ambient temperature effect function, an improved nonuniformity correction (NUC) algorithm with temperature drift compensation is proposed. The first stage is offline calibration: a templates lookup table is established experimentally, and then the fitting regression coefficients are obtained using Least Squares. The second stage is real-time correction: the original readout image is preprocessed by the fitting template to compensate for nonuniformity drift, and the total variation (TV) NUC algorithm with an adaptive iterative step size is designed to correct the residual high-frequency noise. Real infrared video test shows that the algorithm effectively compensates for the nonuniformity drift while avoiding degradation and ghosting artifacts. The corrected image quality is better than that of the traditional TV-NUC method, and the roughness is reduced by nearly 40% compared to the original image.
Chapter 15 – Homology

Darwin's second great insight and argument for common descent automatically established the concept of homology—characters shared through common descent from a common ancestor. Systematics relies heavily on homology in determining phylogenetic relationships. There are homologies at almost all levels from genes, to proteins, to cell structure, to gross morphology, and to many behaviors. Homologies contrast with cases of convergence, where similarities are independently evolved in relatively unrelated groups. Biologists strive to recognize cases of convergence so that they are not mistakenly taken to be homologies—which could confuse our understanding of phylogeny at certain levels.
Chromosome microarray analysis of 3 patients with different phenotypes of DiGeorge syndrome

目的 应用染色体微阵列技术分析3例不同临床表型DiGeorge综合征患儿的遗传学病因。 方法 收集整理3例DiGeorge综合征患儿的临床资料，采集患儿的血液样本，按照美国Affymetrix公司提供的全基因组CytoScan HD芯片的标准操作流程，对样本DNA进行染色体微阵列分析，用相关生物信息学数据库对结果进行分析。 结果 1．染色体微阵列在3例患儿中均检测到染色体22q11.2的拷贝数变异，3例患儿缺失片段分别为2.5、2.8、2.9 Mb，均涉及13个OMIM基因。2.病例1临床表现为体格和智力发育迟缓；病例2表现为免疫力低下和电解质紊乱等；病例3除表现有免疫力低下、电解质紊乱外，还有先天性心脏病等，3例患儿临床表现结合染色体微阵列结果均确诊为DiGeorge综合征。 结论 DiGeorge综合征具有明显的临床异质性，染色体微阵列分析是诊断该类疾病的有力工具，不仅可提供精准的遗传学诊断，且有助于理解该综合征基因型与临床表型的关系，提高临床诊断水平。
Vascular Effects of the Bufodienolides

The bufodienolides are natriuretic steroids, which also have the capacity to cause vasoconstriction, and are cardiac inotropes. Their mechanism of action appears to be related to their ability to inhibit Na+/K+ ATPase. The actions of one of these compounds, marinobufagenin (MBG), have been investigated in a rat model of preeclampsia, an example of volume expansion-mediated hypertension. The urinary excretion of MGB is increased in this model. Furthermore, this increment in its excretion occurs prior to the development of hypertension and proteinuria. The animals also demonstrate intrauterine growth restriction. Studies of the effect of MBG on cytotrophoblast cells reveal that MGB inhibits the migration, proliferation and invasion of these cells. We propose that MGB is an important etiologic factor in at least some forms of preeclampsia and that the level of its excretion in the urine may prove to be of diagnostic value.
Electronic Structure of Double-Layer Epitaxial Graphene on SiC(0001) Modified by Gd Intercalation

We systematically study the effects of Gd adsorption and intercalation on the electronic band structure of double-layer epitaxial graphene on Si-terminated SiC(0001) by first-principles calculations. We show that Gd adsorption and intercalation exhibit strong effects on the coupling between the graphene layers and between the buffer layer and substrate. Different adsorption/intercalation geometries can result in very different electron band structures. The number of Dirac cones and the positions of the Dirac cones relative to the Fermi level can be effectively manipulated through controlling the Gd adsorption/intercalation geometries. Our calculations provide useful insights to guide the experimental design of graphene-based materials with desirable functionalities for applications.
Human Capital and the Changing Structure of the Indian Economy

Using panel data for the fourteen major states of India over the 1980-2000 period, the authors estimate the effect of human capital endowment on the performance of the state economies. They find that greater availability of skilled workers had a positive and significant impact on output in the service sectors. They do not find any such effect for the manufacturing sectors. The paper shows that the differential effect on services and manufacturing arises because service sectors are more skill intensive.
Current Analysis of Skeletal Phenotypes in Down Syndrome.

Down syndrome (DS) is caused by trisomy 21 (Ts21) and results in skeletal deficits including shortened stature, low bone mineral density, and a predisposition to early onset osteoporosis. Ts21 causes significant alterations in skeletal development, morphology of the appendicular skeleton, bone homeostasis, age-related bone loss, and bone strength. However, the genetic or cellular origins of DS skeletal phenotypes remain unclear. New studies reveal a sexual dimorphism in characteristics and onset of skeletal deficits that differ between DS and typically developing individuals. Age-related bone loss occurs earlier in the DS as compared to general population. Perturbations of DS skeletal quality arise from alterations in cellular and molecular pathways affected by the overexpression of trisomic genes. Sex-specific alterations occur in critical developmental pathways that disrupt bone accrual, remodeling, and homeostasis and are compounded by aging, resulting in increased risks for osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fracture in individuals with DS.
The effects of protein charge patterning on complex coacervation.

The complex coacervation of proteins with other macromolecules has applications in protein encapsulation and delivery and for determining the function of cellular coacervates. Theoretical or empirical predictions for protein coacervates would enable the design of these coacervates with tunable and predictable structure–function relationships; unfortunately, no such theories exist. To help establish predictive models, the impact of protein-specific parameters on complex coacervation were probed in this study. The complex coacervation of sequence-specific, polypeptide-tagged, GFP variants and a strong synthetic polyelectrolyte was used to evaluate the effects of protein charge patterning on phase behavior. Phase portraits for the protein coacervates demonstrated that charge patterning dictates the protein's binodal phase boundary. Protein concentrations over 100 mg mL−1 were achieved in the coacervate phase, with concentrations dependent on the tag polypeptide sequence covalently attached to the globular protein domain. In addition to shifting the binodal phase boundary, polypeptide charge patterning provided entropic advantages over isotropically patterned proteins. Together, these results show that modest changes of only a few amino acids in the tag polypeptide sequence alter the coacervation thermodynamics and can be used to tune the phase behavior of polypeptides or proteins of interest.
Inducing Amusement in the Laboratory and Its Moderation by Experiential Approach.

The relative ability of four comedic sketches to induce amusement in the laboratory and its moderation by dispositional differences in experiential approach as a form of positive emotion regulation...
Self-Powered Motion Tracking Sensor Integrated with Low-Power CMOS Circuitry

This paper presents a motion-sensing device with the capability of harvesting energy from low-frequency motion activities that can be utilized for long-term human health monitoring. The energy harvester used in the proposed motion sensor is based on the mechanical modulation of liquid on an insulated electrode, which utilizes a technique referred to as reverse electrowetting-on-dielectric (REWOD). The generated AC signal from the REWOD is rectified to a DC voltage using a Schottky diode-based rectifier and boosted subsequently with the help of a linear charge-pump circuit and a low-dropout regulator (LDO). The constant DC voltage from the LDO (1.8 V) powers the motion-sensing read-out circuitry, which converts the generated charge into a proportional output voltage using a charge amplifier. After amplification of the motion data, a 5-bit SAR-ADC (successive-approximation register ADC) digitizes the signal to be transmitted to a remote receiver. Both the CMOS energy harvester circuit including the rectifier, the charge-pump circuit, the LDO, and the read-out circuit including the charge amplifier, and the ADC is designed in the standard 180 nm CMOS technology. The amplified amplitude goes up to 1.76 V at 10 Hz motion frequency, following linearity with respect to the frequency. The generated DC voltage from the REWOD after the rectifier and the charge-pump is found to be 2.4 V, having the voltage conversion ratio (VCR) as 32.65% at 10 Hz of motion frequency. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the rectifier is simulated as high as 68.57% at 10 Hz. The LDO provides the power supply voltage of 1.8 V to the read-out circuit. The energy harvester demonstrates a linear relationship between the frequency of motion and the generated output power, making it suitable as a self-powered wearable motion sensor.
Quantifying ESG Alpha in Scholar Big Data: An Automated Machine Learning Approach

ESG (Environmental, social and governance) alpha strategy that makes sustainable investment has gained popularity among investors. The ESG fields of study in scholar big data is a valuable alternative data that reflects a company's long-term ESG commitment. However, it is considered a difficulty to quantitatively measure a company's ESG premium and its impact to the company's stock price using scholar big data. In this paper, we utilize ESG scholar data as alternative data to develop an automatic trading strategy and propose a practical machine learning approach to quantify the ESG premium of a company and capture the ESG alpha. First, we construct our ESG investment universe and apply feature engineering on the companies' ESG scholar data from the Microsoft Academic Graph database. Then, we train six complementary machine learning models using a combination of financial indicators and ESG scholar data features and employ an ensemble method to predict stock prices and automatically set up portfolio allocation. Finally, we manage our portfolio, trade and rebalance the portfolio allocation monthly using predicted stock prices. We backtest our ESG alpha strategy and compare its performance with benchmarks. The proposed ESG alpha strategy achieves a cumulative return of 2,154.4% during the backtesting period of ten years, which significantly outperforms the NASDAQ-100 index’s 397.4% and S&P 500’s 226.9%. The traditional financial indicators results in only 1,443.7%, thus our scholar data-based ESG alpha strategy is better at capturing ESG premium than traditional financial indicators.
Crosstalk between KRAS, SRC and YAP Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer: Interactions Leading to Aggressive Disease and Drug Resistance

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the predominant form of pancreatic cancer, remains a devastating disease. The purpose of this review is to highlight recent literature on mechanistic and translational developments that advance our understanding of a complex crosstalk between KRAS, YAP and Src tyrosine kinase family (SFK) in PDAC development and maintenance. We discuss recent studies indicating the importance of RAS dimerization in signal transduction and new findings showing that the potent pro-oncogenic members of the SFK phosphorylate and inhibit RAS function. These surprising findings imply that RAS may not play a crucial role in maintaining certain subtypes of PDAC. In support of this interpretation, current evidence indicates that the survival of the basal-like subtype of PDAC is less dependent on RAS but relies, at least in part, on the activity of YAP/TAZ. Based on current evidence, we propose that SFK propels PDAC cells to a state of high metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and reduced dependence on KRAS signaling, salient features of the aggressive basal-like/squamous subtype of PDAC. Strategies for PDAC treatment should consider the opposite effects of tyrosine phosphorylation on KRAS and SFK/YAP in the design of drug combinations that target these novel crosstalk mechanisms and overcome drug resistance.
A Review of Detective Work:A Study of Criminal Investigations

The author, a sociologist, spent a year as a participant-observer studying detectives at work in a county sheriff's office. The result is the best writing about criminal investigation this reviewer has read. It stands in direct and favorable contrast to the regrettable study released in 1975 by the Rand Corporation of “The Criminal Investigation Process.” Sanders' work, a major contribution to the literature, is a typical piece of good academic (yet practical) research—the kind that seldom seems to be supported by the federal government. On the other hand, the half-million dollar funding of the Rand Study by the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration resulted in a product that charitably can be described as less than memorable.
The chick oviduct in tissue culture. I. Initial characterization of growing primary oviduct tissue cultures.

Abstract A simple three-enzyme treatment of collagenase, dispase and hyaluronidase on finely minced chick oviduct yields clumps of 50–150 cells. These cells attach to collagen-treated dishes and survive in culture for at least 2 weeks without subculturing. Oviduct cell cultures can also be induced to grow. Estradiol or epidermal growth factor (EGF) induce a 40% increase in cells in 4 days when cultures are grown in serum levels that do not support growth. Serum from estrogen-stimulated chicks promotes rapid cellular proliferation (doubling times of 1–2 days). Sera from estrogen withdrawn chicks, laying hen or horse do not support as rapid proliferation. The oviduct growth-promoting factors in serum from estrogen-stimulated chicks are not steroids or fibroblast growth factors (FGF). Removal of steroids from these sera by charcoal treatment or delipidization does not decrease the rate of growth. The addition of 1–100 nM estradiol does not increase a serum's ability to promote growth. Purified FGF or platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) do not induce oviduct proliferation. These results were reproduced in oviduct cell cultures started from estrogen-stimulated and withdrawn chicks as well as laying hens. Thus the factors in serum from estrogen-stimulated chicks that promote rapid oviduct growth are induced by estrogen treatments in vivo, but do not seem to be only steroids.
ELECTROLYTE CONTENT AND DISTRIBUTION IN HUMAN MYOMETRIUM. I. POSTMENOPAUSAL AGE GROUP.

Abstract Normal myometria from 75 patients in the reproductive age range were analysed for: total water, Na, K, Ca, Cl contents, and inulin space. The cases were arranged into five groups according to menstrual history and histologic stage of endometrium. From serum values of Na, K, Ca and Cl, myometrial water content, and inulin space; distribution and concentrations of ions were calculated. Under the stated conditions of investigation, the following conclusions are warranted: 1.1. About 80 per cent of myometrial weight is water. Its total amount and distribution are significantly influenced by the cyclic estrogen-progesterone relationship. 2.2. Extracellular space, estimated by inulin space, contains 40 to 44 per cent of the tissue water. 3.3. Sodium and potassium contents and concentrations have a significant negative correlation in different areas of the same uterus, in different uteri, and throughout the ovarian cycle. 4.4. Chloride and sodium, total as well as concentration, change predictably in the same direction but not proportionally, while Cl and K intracellular concentrations have a negative correlation. 5.5. Sodium and chloride appear to be intracellular ions in high concentrations. 6.6. The calculated K diffusion potential is considerably higher than reported measured resting membrane potentials, indicating the possibility that the latter may be the resultant of the interaction of the several free intracellular ions.
Development of a plug-and-play multiple RTU coordination control algorithm for small/medium commercial buildings

There have been very few advanced control algorithms developed for small commercial buildings due to practical difficulties such as the spatial comfort variations, significant disturbances, high sensor costs, and high cost of site-specific engineering solutions. High implementation cost has been a major impediment to successful market penetration. The focus of this work is to develop and demonstrate plug-and-play optimal coordination of multiple roof top units (RTUs). The goal is to minimize the time required to configure the control strategy in order to enable a more cost effective control implementation for small commercial building applications.
Joint Classification and Data Compression of multidimensional information sources - Application to ERTS

This paper describes a concept of Joint Classification and Data Compression of multidimensional information sources in the context of applications to Earth Resources Technology Satellites. The concept is used to define an Information Extraction System intended to remove data redundancy early in the sensor to user link in both classification and film interpretation applications. The approach uses cascaded partially supervised clustering to extract spectral intensity features from spatially local sources. Data compression is then used to efficiently represent spatial features within the spectral intensity feature map.
Excitatory actions of GABA increase BDNF expression via a MAPK-CREB-dependent mechanism--a positive feedback circuit in developing neurons.

During early neuronal development, GABA functions as an excitatory neurotransmitter, triggering membrane depolarization, action potentials, and the opening of plasma membrane Ca2+ channels. These e...
Optically Dilute, Absorbing, and Turbid Phantoms for Fluorescence Spectroscopy of Homogeneous and Inhomogeneous Samples:

This paper presents a phantom which simulates the optical properties of tissue. The phantom absorption coefficient, scattering coefficient, anisotropy factor, and fluorescence quantum yield can be independently varied to investigate the effects of these parameters on fluorescence excitation and emission spectra from 300 to 650 nm. Phantom fluorophores include Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide (FAD) and Rhodamine B. Absorption is controlled by adjusting phantom hemoglobin concentration. On the basis of their smoothly varying scattering coefficient and the relatively low amount of fluorescence contributed to the mixture in comparison to other available scatterers, 1.05-μm-diameter polystyrene microspheres were selected as a scatterer. Sample inhomogeneities are simulated by preparing the phantom in a gelatin substrate. The optical properties of turbid phantoms determined with the use of indirect techniques agree well with known values as long as μs(1 - g) > μa. Data are presented from dilute, absorbing, and turbid phantoms and inhomogeneous phantoms to qualitatively illustrate the effects of optical properties and sample geometry on fluorescence spectra. The phantom provides the framework for detailed quantitative investigations of the effects of optical properties, sample size, shape, and structure, boundary conditions, and collection geometry on fluorescence spectra.
Characteristics and lipid distribution of a large, high-risk, hypertensive population: the lipid-lowering component of the Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT).

The Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT) consisted of 42,418 participants randomized to one of four antihypertensive treatment groups: chlorthalidone, amlodipine, lisinopril, or doxazosin. A subset of these participants with fasting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels 100–189 mg/dL were randomized into a lipid-lowering component: 5170 to receive pravastatin (40 mg daily) and 5185 to receive usual care. This report describes the characteristics and lipid distribution of these participants. There were no important differences between the randomized treatment groups. Women had higher total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol than men. There was a similar finding for black participants compared with whites, except blacks had lower triglycerides. Diabetics had lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and higher triglycerides than nondiabetics, and patients with body mass index <25 kg/m2 had higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol but lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides than patients with higher body mass index. The success of the randomization of this large, diverse population and the differences in the lipid distributions among its subgroups will allow further understanding of optimal lipid-lowering treatment.
Picosecond studies of jet-cooled chromyl chloride

The dynamics of the ^1B_1 state of chromyl chloride, CrO_2Cl_2, are investigated via picosecond time-resolved measurements on a jet-cooled sample. Quasi-biexponential time evolution of fluorescence is observed for each of the nine single vibronic levels studied. A rapid, mode-dependent acceleration of the decay rates with excess vibrational energy is reported. The time dependence is described by a kinetic model and the non-radiative decay channels which may be responsible for the observed behavior are discussed.
Neurotree: A Collaborative, Graphical Database of the Academic Genealogy of Neuroscience

Neurotree is an online database that documents the lineage of academic mentorship in neuroscience. Modeled on the tree format typically used to describe biological genealogies, the Neurotree web site provides a concise summary of the intellectual history of neuroscience and relationships between individuals in the current neuroscience community. The contents of the database are entirely crowd-sourced: any internet user can add information about researchers and the connections between them. As of July 2012, Neurotree has collected information from 10,000 users about 35,000 researchers and 50,000 mentor relationships, and continues to grow. The present report serves to highlight the utility of Neurotree as a resource for academic research and to summarize some basic analysis of its data. The tree structure of the database permits a variety of graphical analyses. We find that the connectivity and graphical distance between researchers entered into Neurotree early has stabilized and thus appears to be mostly complete. The connectivity of more recent entries continues to mature. A ranking of researcher fecundity based on their mentorship reveals a sustained period of influential researchers from 1850–1950, with the most influential individuals active at the later end of that period. Finally, a clustering analysis reveals that some subfields of neuroscience are reflected in tightly interconnected mentor-trainee groups.
Growth and patterning of pt nanowires on silicon substrates

This paper describes a simple procedure for growing dense films of Pt nanowires directly on silicon substrates by modifying the surface through chemical or physical means. In the former, a self-assembled monolayer of (3-mercaptopropyl)-trimethoxysilane (MPTMS) is applied which can strongly bind Pt(0) nuclei to the surface through Pt S linkages. Once attached, the Pt(0) nuclei can act as catalytic sites for the growth of Pt nanowires along the 〈111〉 direction. Alternately, relief features are physically created on the surface in order to generate nucleation and binding sites for Pt(0) nuclei, due to the higher free energy associated with a rough surface. Additionally, Pt nanowires have been successfully produced in well-defined patterns by scouring grooves on the silicon surface or by photochemically patterning the MPTMS monolayers with a shadow mask. We have also measured the electrochemical properties of these immobilized or patterned Pt nanowires. The results provide an effective route to producing dense films of Pt nanowires with high surface areas for various electrochemical applications.
Exploring and evolving process-oriented control for real and virtual fire fighting robots

Current research in evolutionary robotics is largely focused on creating controllers by either evolving neural networks or refining genetic programs based on grammar trees. We propose the use of the parallel, dataflow languages for the construction of effective robotic controllers and the evolution of new controllers using genetic programming techniques. These languages have the advantages of being built on concurrent execution frameworks that lend themselves to formal verification along with being visualized as a dataflow graph. In this paper, we compare and contrast the development and subsequent evolution of one such process-oriented control algorithm. Our control software was built from composable, communicating processes executing in parallel, and we tested our solution in an annual fire-fighting robotics competition. Subsequently, we evolved new controllers in a virtual simulation of this parallel dataflow domain, and in doing so discovered and quantified more efficient solutions. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of using process networks as the basis for evolutionary robotics.
Magnetic-field-modulated microwave-absorption detection in a Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O superconductor

Superconducting transitions are observed at 110 K, 100 K, and 72 K in a nominally BiSrCaCu/sub 2/O/sub x/ ceramic using the novel technique of magnetic-field-modulated microwave-absorption detection. The response of the BiSrCaCu/sub 2/O/sub x/ ceramic to an external magnetic field differs markedly from that of YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O and, in particular, -dT/sub c//dH is much greater in the bismuth sample.
DCOP FOR SMART HOMES: A CASE STUDY

The aim of this article is to bring forth the issue of integrating the services provided by intelligent artifacts in Ambient Intelligence applications. Specifically, we propose a Distributed Constraint Optimization procedure for achieving a functional integration of intelligent artifacts in a smart home. To this end, we employ Adopt-N, a state-of-the-art algorithm for solving Distributed Constraint Optimization Problems (DCOP). This article attempts to state the smart home coordination problem in general terms, and provides the details of a DCOP-based approach by describing a case study taken from the RoboCare project. More specifically, we show how (1) DCOP is a convenient metaphor for casting smart home coordination problems, and (2) the specific features which distinguish Adopt-N from other algorithms for DCOP represent a strong asset in the smart home domain.
Stretch Fabric Interaction with Action Wearables: Defining a Body Contouring Pattern System

The purpose of this study was to establish a flexible and economical system for designing well-fitting body contouring apparel with knitted elastomeric fabrics. The methods used consisted of a simple fabric test which measured the stretchability of elastomeric fabrics and then expressed their stretchability as a percent; a system that adjusted a flat pattern for woven fabrics into a modified pattern for use with any elastomeric fabric; a gridwork system which was drawn onto the modified pattern; and two formulas that calculated and distributed the amount of reductions onto the gridwork. Two fabrics with different stretch characteristics were chosen to test the system, and two garments from each fabric were constructed. Results indicate that each fabric and each grain direction require different pattern shapes for the garments to display the same fit. Investigation of other stretch fabrics and garment types, as well as computerization of the system, would provide more knowledge about this hitherto little r...
The CMS pixel detector

An overview of the CMS pixel detector is presented. This detector consists of about 45 million pixels arranged in three barrel layers and two disks on each side of the interaction point. It provides vertex finding and b-quark identification. The geometry and configuration of both the barrel and the forward disks are shown. Developments of electronics for readout and control are described and recent progress on sensor development is presented. In conclusion, the expected performance of the detector is shown.
Outcomes of an Intensive Couple Relationship Education Program with Fragile Families

Couple relationship education (CRE) has been proposed as one means to help fragile families stabilize their relationships. The current research is one of the first studies to look at the outcomes of a CRE program with fragile families in the areas of couple stability and marriage formation. Data were from the Family Formation Project, a federal and state funded program working with fragile family couples (n = 96) in a metropolitan area. A historical cohort control group quasi-experimental research design was used with a matched control group from the Fragile Family and Child Well-being Study. The intervention consisted of in-home education and support, group educational events, and social service referrals. Findings showed that couples had the same rate of couple stability as the control group but an increased rate of marriage. These findings suggest that CRE can help fragile families achieve marriage when that is their goal, but that some fragile families may need more than CRE to help them stabilize their relationship, or they may be better off separating.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SEXUAL ORGANS IN LEPTOLEGNIA CAUDATA

Leptolegnia is one of the less common genera of the Saprolegniaceae and until recently has been represented by only one species, L. caudata deBary. This species was first tentatively placed in Saprolegnia by deBary (I2), but later (I3) he established the genus Leptolegnia based on the one species. The mycelium is typically composed of a circular, whitish fringe of regular threads around a fly or other insect or bit of seed in water. The strains vary considerably in their robustness, the form from Chapel Hill being considerably less robust than those from Long Island or Florida, the threads of the latter often approaching a well developed Saprolegnia in thickness and length. The sporangia, in their thread-like character, resemble those of Aphanomyces, though the behavior of the spores in Leptolegnia is more like that of the spores in Saprolegnia. The otogonium in Leptolegnia shows a superficial resemblance to that of Aphanomyces in that each contains only one egg. The beak-like process on the oogonium, which usually grows out where the antheridia are applied, the exceedingly thick oospore wall, the peculiar eccentric arrangement of the oil globules in the ripe oospore, and the fact that the oospore completely fills the oogonium are characters which make this genus stand out from the other genera of the Saproiegniaceae. The ripe oospore of Pythiopsis cymosa, however, with its lunate cap of oil globules is quite similar to the oospore of Leptolegnia. Although the fungus has been reported from a number of diverse regions its occurrence is rather infrequent. In Europe it has been reported from Germany by deBary (I2, 13), Fischer (I4) and von. Minden (i8); from Denmark by Muller (2I) and Petersen (25); and from Latvia by Apinis (I). In America it was first reported from North Carolina by Coker (7) and has since been collected by Thaxter in New England, by Pieters at Ann Arbor, Michigan, in Florida, and on Long Island, N. Y. (see Coker, 8). It is interesting to note that Petersen (25, P. 5II) and Muller (2I) record the fungus as an exceedingly destructive parasite on Leptodora Kindtii.
Properties of MOCVD deposits using novel Sn(II) neo-pentoxide precursors

A family of Sn(II) oxo-alkoxy precursors were investigated for MOCVD applications, which included [Sn(μ-ONep) 2 ]∞ (1, ONep = OCH 2 CMe 3 ) and its hydrolysis products [Sn 5 (μ 3 -O) 2 (μ-ONep) 6 ] (2) and [Sn 6 (μ-O) 4 (ONep) 4 ] (3). Each was found to possess high enough volatility at low temperatures, as indicated by melting point and TGA/DTA data, to warrant investigation as MOCVD precursors to tin oxide thin films. The experimental setup used a lamp-heated cold-wall CVD reactor with direct vaporization of the precursor, without a carrier gas. Compounds 1-3 failed to produce uniform films, but powders and wires of tin oxide and Sn metal were formed under the appropriate conditions. The resultant deposits on Si wafers were investigated using SEM, XRD, and TEM techniques. The nonhydrolyzed species 1 preferentially formed spheres of Sn° whereas the partially hydrolyzed species 2 formed wires of tin oxide from a proposed vapor-liquid-solid mechanism using Sn° as the seed. Compound 3 formed an intermediate species possibly due to its more condensed nature limiting its volatility. In general, these compounds are useful for MOCVD, but other conditions or deposition techniques are necessary to form high-quality thin films of tin oxide.
On the Schrödinger equation with exponential nonlinearity

Abstract The Schrodinger equation with exponential nonlinearity is solved in the time-independent case. The solutions are compared with those obtained from the case with cubic nonlinearity.
The chemistry of atmospheric mercury: a review

The atmosphere is an important transient reservoir of mercury. In addition to its great capacity, the chemical processes transforming mercury between the elemental and divalent states strongly influence the transport characteristics and deposition rate of this toxic metal back to the ground. Modeling efforts to assess global cycling of mercury require an in-depth knowledge of atmospheric mercury chemistry. This review article provides selected physical and chemical properties of atmospheric mercury, and discusses the identified mercury transformation pathways mediated by ozone, S(IV), hydroperoxyl radical, hydroxyl radical, chlorine, nitrate radical and photolysis of Hg(II) complexes. Special attention is paid to the kinetics and mechanisms of the reactions interconverting mercury between elemental and divalent states. The significance and implications of each transformation pathway under atmospheric conditions are addressed. Future research areas that must be pursued to better understand the fate and transformation of mercury in the atmosphere are also projected.
Total cavopulmonary anastomosis versus conventional modified Fontan procedure.

Abstract The total cavopulmonary anastomosis, lateral tunnel Fontan, has been advocated as a preferred method for Fontan type repair. From 1987 to July 1990, 39 patients underwent total cavopulmonary anastomoses (group 1) and 39 patients underwent modified Fontan procedures (group 2); patients receiving adjustable atrial septal defects were excluded. Diagnoses in group 1 included tricuspid atresia in 5 patients, single ventricle in 32, and pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum in 2. Diagnoses in group 2 included tricuspid atresia in 20, single ventricle in 17, hypoplastic left heart syndrome in 1, and pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum in 1. There were no significant differences in age, weight, cross-clamp time, duration of inotropic support, postoperative effusions, or hospital stay between the two groups. Early mortality in group 1 was 7.7% ( 3 / 39 ) and in group 2, 2.6% ( 1 / 39 ). There was no difference in the incidence of early dysrhythmias or early pacemaker placement. Late mortality was 2.8% in group 1 and 8% in group 2 with a mean follow-up of 18 and 25 months, respectively. Follow-up in group 1 revealed 33 patients in normal sinus rhythm and 1 patient with episodes of supraventricular tachycardia; no additional patients have required pacemakers. Follow-up in group 2 revealed 27 patients in normal sinus rhythm and supraventricular tachycardia in 4 patients; 5 additional patients have required pacemaker placement. There is no apparent difference in early outcome between the total cavopulmonary anastomosis and the conventional modified Fontan. However, there appears to be an increased incidence of late dysrhythmias and the need for pacemaker placement in the conventional modified Fontan group compared with the lateral tunnel group.
Coronary microvascular dysfunction is related to abnormalities in myocardial structure and function in cardiac amyloidosis.

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that coronary microvascular function is impaired in subjects with cardiac amyloidosis. Background Effort angina is common in subjects with cardiac amyloidosis, even in the absence of epicardial coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods Thirty-one subjects were prospectively enrolled in this study, including 21 subjects with definite cardiac amyloidosis without epicardial CAD and 10 subjects with hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). All subjects underwent rest and vasodilator stress N-13 ammonia positron emission tomography and 2-dimensional echocardiography. Global left ventricular myocardial blood flow (MBF) was quantified at rest and during peak hyperemia, and coronary flow reserve (CFR) was computed (peak stress MBF/rest MBF) adjusting for rest rate pressure product. Results Compared with the LVH group, the amyloid group showed lower rest MBF (0.59 ± 0.15 ml/g/min vs. 0.88 ± 0.23 ml/g/min; p = 0.004), stress MBF (0.85 ± 0.29 ml/g/min vs. 1.85 ± 0.45 ml/g/min; p 95%) had significantly reduced peak stress MBF ( Conclusions Coronary microvascular dysfunction is highly prevalent in subjects with cardiac amyloidosis, even in the absence of epicardial CAD, and may explain their anginal symptoms. Further study is required to understand whether specific therapy directed at amyloidosis may improve coronary vasomotion in amyloidosis.
Multiple solutions of DNA restriction mapping problems

The construction of a restriction map of a DNA molecule from fragment length data is known to be NP hard. However, it is also known that under a simple model of randomness the number of solutions to the mapping problem increases exponentially with the length of the DNA molecule. In this paper we define a hierarchy of equivalence relations on the set of all solutions to the mapping problem and study the combinatorics and characterization of the equivalence classes.
Role of temperature, chlorine, and organic matter in copper corrosion by-product release in soft water

Soft, low alkalinity drinking waters tend to cause relatively high copper corrosion by-product release in plumbing systems. Long-term tests (6-8 months) in a synthetic, microbially stable soft tap water confirmed that lower pHs and higher temperatures increased copper release to water. Soluble copper release increased at lower temperature and lower pH. Low levels of free chlorine (0.7 mg/L) slightly increased copper release at pH 9.5, in marked contrast to the dramatic reductions in copper release that have been observed in soft waters in which Type III pitting corrosion is occurring. Gum xanthan and sodium alginate produced a microbially unstable water that reduced the pH and DO during stagnation in pipes--these indirect effects far outweighed their possible role in chelation or other modes of direct attack on copper surfaces.
Genesis and "suicide" of eicosanoid biosynthetic enzymes.

Biologically active eicosanoids are substances that initiate, aggravate, or sustain thrombosis and inflammation. Prominent in this regard are thromboxane A(2), a potent coronary vasoconstrictor and platelet-aggregating factor and leukotriene B(4), a potent leukocyte chemotactic agent. Pharmacologic restraint of their formation may be beneficial. Recent research on the natural regulation of their formation recognizes the importance of two processes: the genesis of enzymes and proteins that amplify eicosanoid formation and the "suicide" inactivation that accompanies this formation. The balance of genesis-"suicide" of eicosanoid biosynthetic enzymes offers a new way to raise questions about the role of eicosanoids in cardiac disorders.
The OSHA bloodborne hazard standard.

As reported in the February SHEA News, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published the final regulations for its Bloodborne Hazard Standard in the December 6, 1991 Federal Register. Although all hospitals should long since have implemented Universal Precautions (UP), which form the heart of the Standard, few will have achieved full compliance with the substantive components of the Standard (and, likely, none with the bureaucratic components). As readers of this Journal are likely to shoulder substantial responsibility for the implementation of this infection control regulation, which was promulgated largely in response to concerns regarding the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), this months AIDS column is devoted to explaining the Standard.
EGF receptor signaling: a prickly proposition.

Abstract The EGF receptor has many roles in Drosophila development. Specificity of distinct applications of this pathway may come through the use of different modulators. The cell adhesion protein Echinoid is a newly recognized inhibitor of the EGF receptor with some interesting properties which suggest new ideas about how the pathway is fine tuned.