cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of low concentrations of O2 and CO on the ion-clustering reactions in the lower ionosphere of Mars

It is demonstrated that under conditions which approximate those of the Martian ionosphere traces of CO and O2 can be effectively incorporated in ion clusters via ion-molecule reaction schemes initiated by the CO2(+) ion. For example, when 0.3% CO is added to CO2, (CO)2(+), and /(CO)2CO2/(+) appear as the major cations (584 A radiation, 300 K). In mixtures containing O2 in addition to CO, (CO2,O2+) and /(CO2)2O2/(+) are important species. A recently proposed mechanism to account for the low abundance of CO and O2 in the Martian atmosphere is discussed in the light of these observations.
An overview of dehydration, aldol-condensation and hydrogenation processes for production of liquid alkanes from biomass-derived carbohydrates

Abstract We present results for the conversion of carbohydrate feedstocks to liquid alkanes by the combination of dehydration, aldol-condensation/hydrogenation, and dehydration/hydrogenation processing. With respect to the first dehydration step, we demonstrate that HMF can be produced in good selectivity from abundantly available polysaccharides (such as inulin, sucrose) containing fructose monomer units using a biphasic batch reactor system. The reaction system can be optimized to achieve good yields to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from fructose by varying the contents of aqueous-phase modifiers such as dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP). Regarding the aldol-condensation/hydrogenation step, we present the development of stable, solid base catalysts in aqueous environments. We address the effects of various reaction parameters such as the molar ratio of reactants and temperature on overall product yield for sequential aldol-condensation and hydrogenation steps. Overall, our results show that it is technically possible to convert carbohydrate feedstocks to produce liquid alkanes by the combination of dehydration, aldol-condensation/hydrogenation, and dehydration/hydrogenation processing; however, further optimization of these processes is required to decrease the overall number of separate steps (and reactors) required in this conversion.
Compromised regulation of tissue perfusion and arteriogenesis limit, in an AT1R-independent fashion, recovery of ischemic tissue in Cx40(-/-) mice.

Recently, we reported that recovery of tissue perfusion in the ischemic hindlimb was reduced, inflammatory response increased, and survival of distal limb tissue compromised in connexin 40 (Cx40)-d...
Molecular Determinants of Ligand Recognition in the preQ1 Riboswitch: Quantitating the Effect of 7-Aminomethyl Modifications in a Series of preQ1 Analogs

The preQ1 riboswitch regulates genes responsible for the production of queuosine modified tRNAs in a number of bacterial species. Similar to other riboswitch mechanisms a binding event between the metabolite preQ1 and the 5'-untranslated region of the regulated operon stabilizes an alternative RNA fold, leading to a down regulation of protein production at the transcriptional or translational level. Several studies have investigated the metabolite/RNA contacts responsible for the high affinity and selectivity of this binding event, but the contribution of functional groups at the 7-aminomethyl position has not been fully described. The goal of our current work is to quantitate these contributions through the synthesis of three classes of preQ1 analogs, each containing modifications at the 7-aminomethyl position (N-alkyl analogs, charge neutral hydroxyl analogs, and a series of 7-carbonyl analogs). Progress toward the synthesis of these targets and the determination of their binding affinities using a fluorescence-based assay will be presented. The solution pKa value of preQ1 and several analogs will also be reported and discussed in the context of available structural data for the preQ1 riboswitch.
Using Frequent Co-expression Network to Identify Gene Clusters for Breast Cancer Prognosis

In this paper, we investigated the use of gene coexpression network analyses to identify potential biomarkers for breast carcinoma prognosis. The network mining algorithm CODENSE is used to identify highly connected genome-wide gene co-expression networks among a variety of cancer types, and the resulted gene clusters are applied to a series of breast cancer microarray sets to categorize the patients into different groups. As a result, we have identified a set of genes that are potential biomarkers for breast cancer prognosis which can categorize the patients into two groups with distinct prognosis. We also compared the gene clusters we discovered with gene subsets identified from similar studies using other clustering algorithms.
Fire-induced thermal fields in window glass. II—experiments

The authors' previously presented model determines the time to breakage of window glass exposed to a compartment fire. The physical and mechanical properties of glass and the history of the compartment fire are required. Among the mechanical properties of glass, the breaking stress, [delta]b, is the least well known. Here, experiments on 59 plate glass samples using the four-point flexure method are described to determine the breaking stress distribution. This distribution is described by a three-parameter cumulative Weibull function, G([delta]b)=0, for [delta]bu and for [delta]b greater than = [delta]u with the parameters m = 1[middle dot]21, [delta]0 = 33 MPa and [delta]u = 35.8 MPa. A breaking stress of 40 MPa (5800 psi) was determined to be a reasonable value to use in breaking calculations for ordinary window glass. The breaking patterns of the test specimens suggest that fractures initiate at edge imperfections rather than at surface flaws. Some experiments to estimate the heat transfer coefficient inside the compartment and the emissivity of the hot layer are also described and values are suggested for use in the model.
Synthetic inhibitors and ester substrates of pancreatic kallikrein.

Es wird in 4,4′-Diamidinodiphenylamin der bis jetzt starkste niedermolekulare Hemmstoff fur Kallikrein aus Schweinepankreas gefunden, mit der Fahigkeit, Tryptophan-, Phenylalanin- und Leucin-Ester zu spalten.
Serum Creatine Kinase Is an Unreliable Predictor of Ectopic Pregnancy

Objective: To compare serum creatine kinase (CK) values in patients with ectopic pregnancy vs patients with threatened miscarriage or normal pregnancy. Methods: An observational case-control study was performed at an urban teaching hospital. Pregnant women with a quantitative β-hCG obtained for suspicion of ectopic pregnancy were evaluated. Excluded were cases with recent trauma, IM injections, surgery, or history of heart, liver, or muscle disease. The serum β-hCG and CK values were recorded and compared between groups with 1-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparison procedure at the overall 0.05 level. Results: The 15 ectopic, 28 threatened miscarriage, and 21 normal pregnancy cases were of similar gestational ages (p = 0.2), ranging from 3 to 12 weeks. Although the CK values for ectopic pregnancy (88.8 ± 33.6 IU/L) exceeded those for threatened miscarriage (65.9 ± 59.0 IU/L) and normal pregnancy (56.0 ± 38.1 U/L) (p = 0.02), there was significant overlap between groups. CK values were at or above a cutoff of 74 IU/L in 80% (95% confidence interval: 52–96%) of ectopic pregnancies, 25% (11–45%) of threatened miscarriages, and 14% (3–36%) of normal pregnancies. Conclusions: Although the ectopic pregnancy population is characterized by a higher mean CK than are patients with threatened miscarriage or a normal pregnancy, a significant overlap in CK values makes use of this serum marker unreliable for detecting ectopic pregnancy.
Finite element analysis of tile-reinforced composite structural armor subjected to bending loads

Composite structural armor (CSA) is a multi-functional structure that provides ballistic protection, stiffness and strength at minimum weight. It consists of a multi-layered architecture of polymer composites, rubber and ceramic tiles, stacked in a precise manner to obtain optimal ballistic performance. In the present work, the finite element method is used to conduct a detailed analysis of the mechanisms of load transfer and deformation of CSA subjected to bending loads. The results from two modeling approaches (three-dimensional and two-dimensional simulations) are compared to assess the accuracy of the computationally efficient two-dimensional model. The calculated deflections and surfaces strains from both models are found to agree very well with experimental results. The stress transfer between the layers is further analyzed using the two-dimensional model and the resulting through-thickness strain and stress distributions are discussed. It is found that the deformation of this multi-layered construction is complex and dependent upon the mechanism of stress transfer between the outer surface layer and the ceramic tiles. The effect on non-linear behavior of the constituent materials is investigated. The gap filled with polymer that separates adjacent ceramic tiles is shown to significantly influence the stiffness and strength of CSA. It is found that the plastic deformation of the resin corresponds to the onset of non-linear structural response.
Individual differences in appraisal of minor, potentially stressful events: A cluster analytic approach

Two studies explored individual differences in appraisal of minor, potentially stressful events. Previous research on appraisal has focused on one or two appraisal dimensions within specific situations rather than on the full range of appraisals or on the stability of appraisal across situations. Goals of the present studies were: (1) to explore stability of individual differences in appraisal across situations; (2) to identify individual differences in general appraisal styles; and (3) to examine how appraisal styles are related to personality constructs. Appraisal was moderately stable across situations and individual differences in appraisal style were related to relevant personality constructs. Primary threat appraisals and secondary appraisals of blame and manageability emerged as particularly important in distinguishing the appraisal styles. Implications of the results for the development of psychopathology are considered.
A degradation-based model for joint optimization of burn-in, quality inspection, and maintenance: a light display device application

This paper presents a degradation-based model to jointly determine the optimal burn-in, inspection, and maintenance decisions, based on degradation analysis and an integrated quality and reliability cost model. Degradation modeling plays an important role in reliability prediction and analysis for many highly reliable components and equipment, when the failures can rarely be observed. Unlike traditional applications, quality and reliability must be considered simultaneously for devices subject to degradation, because quality inspection decisions often impact anticipated reliability and failure-time distributions. This paper presents an integrated model to jointly optimize quality and reliability for devices subject to degradation, with a focus on burn-in, quality inspection, and maintenance policies. Based on the degradation modeling and analysis, the reliability function and the time-to-failure distribution are derived under the condition that the quality inspection is applied following the burn-in period. The optimal burn-in, quality inspection, and preventive maintenance policies are determined by minimizing the expected total cost per usage lifetime. The proposed model is illustrated using the application of light display devices, in which the degradation path follows a negative shifted lognormal distribution with a random failure threshold. A numerical example is provided to illustrate the application of our model to the light display devices.
Clinical Assessment of Coping in CFS Patients

The controversy regarding psychosocial factors in the onset and maintenance of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is briefly outlined. The primary purpose of this presentation is to describe coping assessments and possible cognitive-behavioral interventions for CFS patients.
Anthraquinone protects rice seed from birds

Application of bird-repellent chemicals to seed prior to planting is one possible approach to reducing bird damage to rice. Anthraquinone is a promising seed treatment compound, and in this paper we describe a sequence of tests evaluating a formulated commercial anthraquinone product. In l-cup cage tests, rice consumption by individual male red-winged blackbirds (Age&w phoeniceus) and female boat-tailed grackles (Quiscalus major) was reduced 64-93% by 0.5 and 1.0% (g/g) anthraquinone treatments. Daily rice consumption by single male boat-tailed grackles tested in large enclosures was reduced from > 14 g in pretreatment to < 1 g by a 1.0% treatment. One of five test birds ate nothing during a 1 day post-treatment session. In a 7 day trial within a 0.2 ha flight pen, a group of four male grackles consumed 1.3% of anthraquinone-treated rice seed compared to 84.1% of sorghum, a nonpreferred alternate food. At two study sites in southwestern Louisiana, loss of rice sprouts in 2 ha plots sown with anthraquinone-treated seed was 0 and 12% compared to losses of 33% and 98% in nearby untreated plots. The formulation performed well at every stage of testing, and further development of anthraquinone products for bird-damage management is warranted. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd
Molecular cloning and expression of bovine nucleoplasmin 2 (NPM2): a maternal effect gene regulated by miR-181a

Background Nucleoplasmin 2 (NPM2) is an oocyte-specific nuclear protein essential for nuclear and nucleolar organization and early embryonic development. The aims of this study were to clone the bovine NPM2 gene, determine its temporal expression during oocyte development and early embryogenesis, and evaluate the potential role of miRNA-181a in regulation of its expression.
Aptamers in Virology: Recent Advances and Challenges

Aptamers generated from randomized libraries of nucleic acids have found utility in a wide variety of fields and in the clinic. Aptamers can be used to target both intracellular and extracellular components, including small molecules, proteins, cells, and viruses. With recent technological developments in stringent selection and rapid isolation strategies, it is likely that aptamers will continue to make an impact as useful tools and reagents. Although many recently developed aptamers are intended for use as therapeutic and diagnostic agents, use of aptamers for basic research, including target validation, remains an active area with high potential to impact our understanding of molecular mechanisms and for drug discovery. In this brief review, we will discuss recent aptamer discoveries, their potential role in structural virology, as well as challenges and future prospects.
Are metabolic oscillations responsible for normal oscillatory insulin secretion

Normal insulin secretion is oscillatory in vivo and in vitro, with a period of approximately 5-10 min. The mechanism of generating these oscillations is not yet established, but a metabolic basis seems most likely for glucose-stimulated secretion. The rationale is that 1) spontaneous oscillatory operation of glycolysis is a well-established phenomenon; 2) oscillatory behavior of glycolysis involves oscillations in the ATP/ADP ratio, which can cause alternating opening and closing of ATP-sensitive K+ channels, leading to the observed oscillations in membrane potential and Ca2+ influx in pancreatic beta-cells, and may also have downstream effects on exocytosis; 3) spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations are an unlikely basis in this case, since intracellular stores are not of primary importance in the stimulus-secretion coupling, and furthermore, insulin oscillations occur under conditions when intracellular Ca2+ levels are not changing; 4) a neural basis cannot account for insulin oscillations from perifused islets and clonal beta-cells or from transplanted islets or pancreas in vivo; 5) observed oscillations in metabolite levels and fluxes further support a metabolic basis, as does the presence in beta-cells of the oscillatory isoform of phosphofructokinase (PFK-M). The fact that normal oscillatory secretion is impaired in patients with NIDDM and in their near relatives suggests that such derangement may be involved in the development of the disease; furthermore, this probably reflects an early defect in the regulation and operation of the fuel metabolizing/sensing pathways of the pancreatic beta-cell.
Nonlinear Stall Flutter and Divergence Analysis of Cantilevered Graphite/Epoxy Wings

The nonlinear, stalled, aeroelastic behavior of rectangular, graphite/epoxy, cantilevered wings with varying amount of bending-torsi on stiffness coupling is investigated. A nonlinear aeroelastic analysis is developed using the nonlinear, stalled ONERA aerodynamic model initially presented by Tran and Petot. Nonlinear flutter calculations are carried out using Fourier analysis to extract the harmonics from the ONERA aerodynamics, then a harmonic balance method and a Newton-Raphson solver are applied to the resulting nonlinear, Rayleigh-Ritz aeroelastic formulation. Test wings were constructed and subjected to wind-tunnel tests for comparison against the developed analysis. Wind-tunnel tests show reasonable agreement between theory and experiment for static deflections, for linear flutter and divergence, and for nonlinear, torsional stall flutter and bending stall flutter limit cycles. The current nonlinear analysis shows a transition from divergence to bending stall flutter, which linear analyses are unable to predict.
Ced-4 and Proto-Oncogene tfg-1 Antagonistically Regulate Cell Size and Apoptosis in C. elegans

Summary Background Cell-size-control systems, coupled with apoptotic- and cell-proliferation-regulatory mechanisms, determine the overall dimensions of organs and organisms, and their dysregulation can lead to tumor formation. The interrelationship between cell-growth-regulatory mechanisms and apoptosis during normal development and cancer is not understood. The TRK-fused gene ( TFG ) promotes tumorigenesis when present in chromosomal rearrangements from various human-cancer types by unknown mechanisms. Apaf1/CED-4 is essential for apoptosis but has not been shown to function in cell-growth control. Results We found that loss of TFG-1, the TFG ortholog in Caenorhabditis elegans , results in supernumerary apoptotic corpses, whereas its overexpression is sufficient to inhibit developmentally programmed cell death. TFG-1 is also required for cells and nuclei to grow to normal size. Furthermore, we found that CED-4 is required for cell-growth inhibition in animals lacking TFG-1. However, caspases, the downstream effectors of CED-4-mediated apoptosis, are not required in TFG-1- or CED-4-regulated cell-size control. CED-4 acts to inhibit cell growth by antagonizing the effects of other conserved cell-size-regulating proteins, including cAMP response element binding (CREB) protein, translation-initiation factor eIF2B, and the nucleolar p53-interacting protein nucleostemin. Conclusions These findings show that TFG-1 suppresses apoptosis and is essential for normal cell-size control, suggesting that abnormalities in the cell-growth-promoting and apoptosis-inhibiting functions of TFG might be responsible for its action in tumorigenesis. Also, they reveal that CED-4 plays a pivotal role in activating apoptosis and restricting cell and nuclear size, thereby determining the appropriate overall size of an animal. Thus, these findings reveal links between the control mechanisms for apoptosis and cell growth.
Management of fluoroquinolone resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa--outcome of monitored use in a referral hospital.

Abstract We evaluated a strategy designed to improve useful activity of ciprofloxacin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Following changes in antimicrobial agent use made by the institutional Pharmacy and Therapeutic Drug Committee, monthly drug usage and microbial susceptibility records from June 1992 through October l995 were reviewed. From July 1992 through October 1992 (Period 1), ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin usage represented 95 and 5% of total quinolone doses; from December 1992 to March 1993 (Period 2), ciprofloxacin represented 19%; from July 1993 to October 1993 (Period 3), ciprofloxacin usage represented 85%; from July 1994 to October 1994 (Period 4), ciprofloxacin represented 95%; and from July 1995 to October 1995 (Period 5), ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin respectively represented 98 and 2% of total quinolone doses. Comparison of the anti-pseudomonal activity of the two fluoroquinolones to ofloxacin use, ciprofloxacin use and total quinolone use during the entire observational period showed the highest (negative) correlation with ofloxacin use versus ofloxacin activity ( y =−15.04 x +1367.99, r 2 =0.06, w =0.126). Increased use of quinolones plus a change to primarily ofloxacin usage appeared to adversely affect the activity of both ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin against P . aeruginosa.
An Outer Bound to the Rate Equivocation Region of Broadcast Channels with Two Confidential Messages

In this paper we study a generalization of Csiszar and Korner's broadcast channel with confidential messages. Specifically, we consider a two-user broadcast channel with one common message and two confidential messages, one for each receiver. We establish outer bounds to the rate equivocation region of this channel. Our proposed outer bounds, together with a recently proposed achievable region, help establish the rate equivocation region of several classes of discrete memoryless broadcast channels with confidential messages. Furthermore, specializing to the general broad.cast channel by removing the secrecy constraint, our proposed outer bounds reduce to new capacity outer bounds for the discrete memory broadcast channel.
Accuracy of Medicare claims for identifying findings and procedures performed during colonoscopy.

Background Administrative claims data are frequently used for quality measurement. Objective To examine the accuracy of administrative claims for potential colonoscopy quality measures, including findings (polyp or tumor detection), procedures (biopsy or polypectomy), and incomplete colonoscopy. Design Cross-sectional study. Patients Patients age 65 and older undergoing colonoscopy in the Clinical Outcomes Research Initiative National Endoscopic Database in 2006. We linked colonoscopy records for these patients to Medicare colonoscopy claims by using patient age, sex, date of procedure, and performing provider's Unique Physician Identification Number. Main Outcome Measurements Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of the Medicare claims for potential quality measures, including colonoscopy findings and procedures. Results We linked Medicare colonoscopy claims to 15,168 of the 30,011 Clinical Outcomes Research Initiative colonoscopy records. Sensitivity of the claims for colon polyps was 93.4%, with a specificity of 97.8%. Sensitivity of claims for other diagnoses, including colorectal tumors was suboptimal, although specificity was high. In contrast, sensitivity of claims for procedures—biopsy (with or without cautery) or polypectomy—was high (87.2%-97.6%), with specificity >97%. Claims had poor sensitivity for identification of incomplete colonoscopy. Limitations Potential for inaccurate matching of colonoscopy records and Medicare claims. Conclusions Medicare claims have high sensitivity and specificity for polyp detection, biopsy, and polypectomy at colonoscopy, but sensitivity is low for other diagnoses such as tumor detection and for incomplete colonoscopy. Caution is needed when using Medicare claims data for certain important quality measures, in particular tumor detection and incomplete colonoscopy.
Extinction order and altered community structure rapidly disrupt ecosystem functioning

By causing extinctions and altering community structure, anthropogenic disturbances can disrupt processes that maintain ecosystem integrity. However, the relationship between community structure and ecosystem functioning in natural systems is poorly understood. Here we show that habitat loss appeared to disrupt ecosystem functioning by affecting extinction order, species richness and abundance. We studied pollination by bees in a mosaic of agricultural and natural habitats in California and dung burial by dung beetles on recently created islands in Venezuela. We found that large-bodied bee and beetle species tended to be both most extinction-prone and most functionally efficient, contributing to rapid functional loss. Simulations confirmed that extinction order led to greater disruption of function than predicted by random species loss. Total abundance declined with richness and also appeared to contribute to loss of function. We demonstrate conceptually and empirically how the non-random response of communities to disturbance can have unexpectedly large functional consequences.
Magnetic Alignment of Nematic Liquid Crystals

It has generally been taken for granted that the magnetic alignment of nematic liquid crystals is due to their anisotropic diamagnetic susceptibility. On a per-molecule basis the orientation-dependent magnetic interaction energy is much smaller than kT. It is therefore necessary to invoke some mechanism which reduces the effect of thermal agitation, if the latter is not to destroy the magnetic alignment. The spontaneous ordering of the molecular axes in the nematic state provides just such a mechanism. Thus, the usual descriptions of magnetic alignment depend on the interaction of the field with self-ordered macroscopic regions of the liquid. These regions are thought of as essentially rigid in the swarm theory, and deformable, but coherent, in the continuum theory.(1,2)
Abstraction Predictive Control for Chaotic Spacecraft Orbit Design

Abstract We formulate a predictive control algorithm for planning spacecraft trajectories at close proximity to asteroids, where state-space dynamics are sensitive, complex, and non-periodic, thus invalidating standard orbit design methods. Sets of scientific observation objectives are pursued by defining an abstracted goal space and a control law for regulating the motion in this space toward a state signifying mission completion. Non-deterministic components of the control scheme, which obtains suboptimal solutions via heuristic search of the complex control space, are found to produce diverse solution paths through the state space and goal space alike, implying high sensitivity of the approach despite its ultimate stability. The degree of this diversity is charted as a function of chaoticity in the state-space dynamics and the complexity of the goal-space definition. These results are compared to those obtained under Keplerian motion and are discussed in the context of eventual application of the algorithm for preliminary mission design and onboard implementation for robust online planning.
Application of Surface Potential Test on Hand-making Insulation For Generator

This paper presents the advantage of surface potential test on hand-making insulation for stator windings ends insulation detection, compared with DC or AC withstand voltage test, also details the test principle, connection method and test notes. And through the case, surface potential test on hand-making insulation proved effective for insulation quality detection after stator windings ends maintenance, and the experimental data is useful and reliable for the electrical equipment operation and maintenance in the power plant.
El energúmeno misógino: la réplica feminista de Erica Jong a Nicanor Parra

This article explores the poetic reply by Erica Jong to a poem written by Nicanor Parra. The poetic self of Jong’s poem - “Men” - adopts the satirical stance of the self in Parra’s poem - “Mujeres” - to introduce a radical alteration of perspectives. While the feminist objective of Jong is to debunk the vitriolic anti-women discourse of Parra’s neurotic character, her reply also reveals the asymmetrical gender context of cultural production and reader reception of Parra’s antipoem. Though she contests his sexism, Jong also shows a nuanced appreciation of the male writer’s nonconformist work.
High-Dose IV Immunoglobulin in Juvenile Myasthenia

Ten children (median age, 13 years; range, 3-18 yrs) with juvenile myasthenia gravis were treated with high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (2 gm/kg body wt) and prospectively evaluated for 5 years at the Department of Neurology, Wayne State University, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI.
Multi-source information based comprehensive condition evaluation model for power transformer

So as to adapt to the condition-based maintenance of power equipment and to overcome the disadvantages and deficiencies of traditional condition evaluation model in data acquisition approaches, component classifications, performance indicators and scoring model, a comprehensive condition evaluation model (CCEM) was proposed in this paper based on multi-source information. Combined with the offline test, online detection, online monitoring, inspection and operating environment, equipment criteria, undesirable service condition (USC) and family defects were reclassified in this model. Practice example verified that the proposed model can describe the power transformer state more comprehensively and immediately. The evaluation results provide scientific guidance for front-line operation and maintenance staffs to develop equipment maintenance strategy, and also practical basis for the condition evaluation of other power equipment.
Engine Cycle-by-Cycle Cylinder Wall Temperature Observer-Based Estimation Using Cylinder Pressure Signals

Estimating cylinder wall temperature before start of fuel injection in a dynamic and cycle-by-cycle way is important for advanced combustion mode engine control, particularly during cold-start and transient operations. In this paper, two methods for cylinder wall temperature estimation, based on disturbance observer designs, are proposed. The heat transfer through cylinder wall is viewed as a disturbance in total heat release. With disturbance observers, this heat transfer can be estimated in finite time and thus to calculate the cylinder wall temperature. To handle the high frequency noise issues in cylinder pressure signals, a robust disturbance observer is proposed and compared with a typical design method. The effectiveness of such cylinder wall temperature estimation methods are demonstrated and compared with engine experimental data obtained during a cold-start process.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Frequency Reconfigurable mm-Wave Power Amplifier With Active Impedance Synthesis in an Asymmetrical Non-Isolated Combiner: Analysis and Design

A frequency reconfigurable millimeter-wave (mm-wave) power amplifier (PA), which can be programmed to operate efficiently for a wide swathe of the spectrum, approaching an universal transmitter, can enable a wide range of novel applications in high-speed communication, sensing, and imaging. Classical techniques to allow large operating range either rely on broadband higher order output combining networks or tunable passives, both of which tradeoff directly with output power and efficiency. In this paper, we present an active impedance synthesis methodology that exploits the interaction of multiple unit PA cells in an asymmetrical non-isolated combiner to synthesize complex mm-wave impedances in a programmable fashion. This allows the interacting power cells to see their optimal load-pull impedances for high-efficiency frequency-reconfigurable operation in an efficient combiner network with no lossy variable passives. Compared to a symmetrical combiner, this enables the network to break the strong tradeoffs between output power, efficiency, and frequency reconfigurability, allowing it to achieve N times the Bode–Fano bound compared with an N-way symmetrical architecture. As a proof of concept, an integrated PA, which is in a 0.13- $\mu \text{m}$ SiGe process, is demonstrated to achieve $P_{{{\text {sat}}}}$ of 23.6 dBm at a power-added efficiency (PAE) of 27.7% at 55 GHz with a frequency reconfigurable $P_{{\text {sat}},-1}$ sat 1 dB bandwidth of 25 GHz (40–65 GHz) and a PAE,−1 dB bandwidth of 20 GHz (40–60 GHz). Multi-Gbps data rates are demonstrated with non-constant envelope modulations across the frequencies 40–60 GHz.
Kanäle der Persuasion

Gibt es Vermittlungskanale der Werbung, aber auch anderer persuasiver Botschaften, die Beeinflussungsversuche starker als andere gelingen lassen? Personliche, individuelle Gesprache sind offenbar besonders uberzeugend (s. auch o. S. 55). Denn Konversationen sind oft schlecht zu vermeiden – beispielsweise im Unterschied zu herkommlicher Werbung – und zeichnen sich zudem durch ihre Flexibilitat aus: Argumente konnen im Prinzip schnell dem Adressaten und der Situation angepasst werden (s. o. S. 55).
Intraoperative imaging during minimally invasive transoral robotic surgery using near-infrared light.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of the FIREFLY imaging system could be an asset in transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). The system uses indocyanine green dye (ICG), which fluoresces when illuminated by near-infrared light from the Da Vinci robot. The system may improve visualization of tumor margins, highlight important vascular structures, and help identify the location of tumors and unknown primary head and neck cancers. METHODS Six patients with OPSCC were enrolled in the study. Two of these cases were unknown primaries, one was base of tongue, and three were palatine tonsils. Each patient was given two 3ml doses of ICG, one at the beginning of the surgical case and one during resection of the tumor. The oropharynx was then visualized using the near-infrared light of the Da Vinci robot for a minute after injection. RESULTS The FIREFLY system was unable to detect gross tumors, positive margins, unknown primaries, or vascular structures in any of the six subjects in the study. In addition, there were no adverse events or side effects in any of the subjects. CONCLUSION The use of the FIREFLY system with indocyanine green fluorescence did not identify tumor boundaries, unknown primary head and neck cancers, or vascular structures in the oropharynx.
Normally Transparent Liquid-Crystal Smart Glass for Augmented Reality Head-Up Displays

We report a translucency-tunable cholesteric liquid crystal window, of which the transparent state is the only stable state upon removal of electric fields. The relaxation from the scattering to clear state takes only 100’s ms.
Metal oxides for thermoelectric power generation and beyond

Metal oxides are widely used in many applications such as thermoelectric, solar cells, sensors, transistors, and optoelectronic devices due to their outstanding mechanical, chemical, electrical, and optical properties. For instance, their high Seebeck coefficient, high thermal stability, and earth abundancy make them suitable for thermoelectric power generation, particularly at a high-temperature regime. In this article, we review the recent advances of developing high electrical properties of metal oxides and their applications in thermoelectric, solar cells, sensors, and other optoelectronic devices. The materials examined include both narrow-band-gap (e.g., Na x CoO2, Ca3Co4O9, BiCuSeO, CaMnO3, SrTiO3) and wide-band-gap materials (e.g., ZnO-based, SnO2-based, In2O3-based). Unlike previous review articles, the focus of this study is on identifying an effective doping mechanism of different metal oxides to reach a high power factor. Effective dopants and doping strategies to achieve high carrier concentration and high electrical conductivities are highlighted in this review to enable the advanced applications of metal oxides in thermoelectric power generation and beyond.
Learning View-Invariant Features for Person Identification in Temporally Synchronized Videos Taken by Wearable Cameras

In this paper, we study the problem of Cross-View Person Identification (CVPI), which aims at identifying the same person from temporally synchronized videos taken by different wearable cameras. Our basic idea is to utilize the human motion consistency for CVPI, where human motion can be computed by optical flow. However, optical flow is view-variant - the same person's optical flow in different videos can be very different due to view angle change. In this paper, we attempt to utilize 3D human-skeleton sequences to learn a model that can extract view-invariant motion features from optical flows in different views. For this purpose, we use 3D Mocap database to build a synthetic optical flow dataset and train a Triplet Network (TN) consisting of three sub-networks: two for optical flow sequences from different views and one for the underlying 3D Mocap skeleton sequence. Finally, sub-networks for optical flows are used to extract view-invariant features for CVPI. Experimental results show that, using only the motion information, the proposed method can achieve comparable performance with the state-of-the-art methods. Further combination of the proposed method with an appearance-based method achieves new state-of-the-art performance.
A Wave Splitting/Invariant Embedding Approach to an Ultrasonic Inverse Problem

Material property measurement is an important area of basic and applied research and can be defined as an inverse problem in which knowledge of the system input and output can be used to determine material properties.
Beyond the standard two-film theory: Computational fluid dynamics simulations for carbon dioxide capture in a wetted wall column

Abstract The standard two-film theory (STFT) is a diffusion-based mechanism that can be used to describe gas mass transfer across liquid film. Fundamental assumptions of the STFT impose serious limitations on its ability to predict mass transfer coefficients. To better understand gas absorption across liquid film in practical situations, a multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model fully equipped with mass transport and chemistry capabilities has been developed for solvent-based carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) capture to predict the CO 2 mass transfer coefficient in a wetted wall column. The hydrodynamics is modeled using a volume of fluid method, and the diffusive and reactive mass transfer between the two phases is modeled by adopting a one-fluid formulation. We demonstrate that the proposed CFD model can naturally account for the influence of many important factors on the overall mass transfer that cannot be quantitatively explained by the STFT, such as the local variation in fluid velocities and properties, flow instabilities, and complex geometries. The CFD model also can predict the local mass transfer coefficient variation along the column height, which the STFT typically does not consider.
Mitigation of body movement interference in near-field coherent sensing for heartrate monitoring

Users of wearable devices often hope to collect continuous personal vital signs such as heartrates, blood pressures, respiration rates and breath efforts with comfort and free movement. Current approaches are however hindered by their accuracy, comfort, convenience, power consumptions and sensing capabilities. The requirement of direct skin contacts in electrocardiogram (ECG) and acoustic methods limits their sensation of comfort, wearing convenience, body motion and hence long-term use. Photo-plethysmography (PPG) in wrist watches and finger clamps do not require immediate skin touch but its signal can be severely degraded by relative movement. In this paper, we introduce a new method modulating the external and internal motion of the wearer body directly onto multiplexed radio frequency (RF) signals by near-field coherent sensing (NCS). To minimize the deployment and maintenance cost of NCS vital-sign monitoring, passive (battery-free) RF identification (RFID) tags can be integrated into garments at the chest and wrist areas as laundry-ready wearable devices. NCS utilizes both amplitude and phase of the RF signals to sense and isolate the vital signs, which significantly increases the signal quality in comparison to methods based solely on signal strength. The high frequency components of the NCS signal is employed to mitigate the body movement interference to obtain more accurate heartrates.
Police Response to Domestic Violence

The author analyzes the impact of the Family Options project in two Chicago police districts wherein police classified more than 67,000 emergency calls over a thirty-month period. The relationship ...
Simulation of Intermediate Channeling by Nanoscale Confinement

Confinement of active sites and reaction intermediates in a physical tunnel is one example of intermediate channeling found in natural reaction cascades. The study of transport properties and their impact on kinetics of these confined systems provides a pathway for implementing confinement strategies in integrated and intensified catalytic systems. In the present study, the effect of geometric, kinetic, and transport parameters on intermediate channeling via confinement is studied via a continuum model in which two reaction sites are confined within a physical tunnel. One site generates an intermediate species that is consumed at the second site to form a product, where the process efficiency may be quantified by product yield. Key geometrical parameters include distance between sites, distance between sites and the tunnel end, and tunnel conical angle. Maximizing the distance between sites and the tunnel end and minimizing the tunnel diameter are demonstrated to be effective approaches to maximizing prod...
Soft-Brush: A Novel Tendon Driven Tactile Stimulator for Affective Touch in Children with Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is a prevalent developmental disorder and is associated with high familial and societal cost. Early interventions during the first year can have the best developmental outcomes despite the fact that the earliest diagnosis of ASD is only possible by the age of two. Investigating brain response to basic stimuli like sight, smell and touch has proved to have the potential to find markers between individuals with ASD and their neurotypical peers during infancy. Since existing tactile stimulus delivering method tend to suffer from low accuracy, low availability and low tolerability, it is necessary to develop a precise, high-tolerable tactile stimulus delivering mechanism. The present study examined the feasibility and tolerability of Soft-Brush, a comfortable, mobile silicone tactile stimulator with tendon-driven mechanism, for delivering tactile stimulus in multisensory studies. Experiments have shown that Soft-Brush has high tolerance rate by the children during experiments resulting in reliable data collection.
Appointee Confirmation and Tenure: Politics, Policy, and Professionalism in Federal Agency Leadership, 1989-2009

A growing empirical research literature examines the role of presidential appointees in institutional and administrative politics. Using a new dataset spanning two decades of Senate-confirmed agency appointments (1989-2009), we analyze two dimensions of appointee politics: the length of time to confirm agency appointees and the duration of appointee service. We develop empirical models demonstrating the influence of appointee position characteristics; types of policies and issue areas; agency professionalism and appointee penetration; congressional oversight; and presidential power on appointee confirmation and tenure. The analysis yields important insight contributing at once to scholarship on the inter-institutional politics of agency administration, as well as to developing knowledge about the consequences of current arrangements for the continuity and, by extension, the effectiveness of agency leadership.
How to Get There From Here: Scaling the Enterprise-Wide Mail Infrastructure

Recent explosions in volume of mail traffic and in numbers of people making use of Internet email has had a rapidly negative effect on many sites built with assumptions about low mail volume. Older solutions such as NFS are found not to scale upwards to the new email demands of the enterprise-wide email infrastructure. This paper examines this widely-experienced scenario as it unfolded at Duke University, discusses the problems experienced along the way, and describes in detail a solution for migration to a larger-scale infrastructural model that is incremental, transparent to users, and cost-effective.
Treatment and Rehabilitation Provided to Patients at the Six Programs in 1985 & 1986

The scope, setting, structure, and organization of the treatment domain were delineated in Chapter 5. Here attention is focused on the actual delivery of treatment and rehabilitative services to patients. Although both of these chapters refer to the treatment domain, the topics of determining the specific services provided to methadone maintenance patients and the frequency of delivery are of sufficient importance to warrant separate and detailed consideration.
Risk factors associated with acute symptomatic seizures in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage: A case-control study (P1.239)

Objective: To assess risk factors associated with the development of acute symptomatic seizures in patients presenting with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Background: Seizure is a known complication following ICH and is associated with poor long-term health outcomes. While certain factors have demonstrated consistent associations with increased seizure risk post-ICH (higher admission NIHSS, cortical involvement and lobar microbleeds), other factors including age and alcohol use have been more controversial. Hyperlipidemia has been found to be associated with decreased risk of seizures after ICH. By examining these factors, clinicians may more accurately predict patients at risk for seizure and intervene appropriately. Design/Methods: We reviewed medical records of 275 ICH cases admitted to an academic tertiary center from 2008 to 2014. Acute seizure was defined as any documented seizure that occurred during hospitalization. Risk factors assessed included demographics, medical history, metabolic biomarkers and brain imaging characteristics. We defined alcohol use as documented history of use or positive ethanol screen upon admission. Substance use was defined as history of use or positive urine screen upon admission. Chi-square tests were performed for categorical data and t-tests for continuous data analyses. Results: There were 35 (12.7%) cases of seizures, 27 of which (77.1%) occurred upon initial presentation. Lobar location (p Conclusions: Lobar location, alcohol history, and higher triglycerides demonstrated an increased risk for post-ICH seizures. Disclosure: Dr. Wu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Stefanidou has nothing to disclose. Dr. Romero has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lau has nothing to disclose.