cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Critical Infrastructure Protection Using Image Intelligence From Space-Based Aerial Sensors

America’s transportation systems are predicated on economic, social, and political stability. After the epiphany of September 11, and subsequent national alerts, however, all sectors of transportation, not just in the USA, but around the world have become keenly aware of the vulnerabilities inherent in such systems; and of the cascading consequences that can arise from attacks at critical nodes in any one or more of the transportation sectors. Critical infrastructure protection can be enhanced significantly through better and more routine use of intelligence extracted from real time, time sequential, and archival images obtained by aerial and satellite sensors. Since we cannot, and probably never would, re-engineer current transportation infrastructures to harden them against random attacks, planners can use image-derived intelligence to redesign their information and decision support systems to detect, prepare, prevent, protect, and respond to incidents. In many instances technology already exists to begin these redesigns, but before 9/11 there was little incentive to invest in the effort. Measures that were once difficult to justify as protection against acts of nature are now justifiable as protection against deliberate acts of aggression. These measures, once learned and implemented, will be applicable to both natural and deliberate incidents.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Gene expression signatures that predict radiation exposure in mice and humans.

Background The capacity to assess environmental inputs to biological phenotypes is limited by methods that can accurately and quantitatively measure these contributions. One such example can be seen in the context of exposure to ionizing radiation.
Fully developed natural counterflow in a long horizontal pipe with different end temperatures

Abstract The temperature difference applied across the two ends of a horizontal duct generates a natural counterflow in which colder fluid flows along the bottom of the duct towards the warm end while a warmer stream flows in the opposite direction along the top. The paper presents an asymptotic solution for the velocity and temperature distributions in the middle portion of a long horizontal pipe with conducting wall. The influence of circumferential heat conduction through the pipe wall on the temperature distribution in the fluid has been investigated. An analytical expression has been established for the net axial heat-transfer rate by counterflow natural convection. The present results for the temperature distribution in the pipe wall are compared with numerical results reported recently.
The Influence of Affect on Managers' Capital‐Budgeting Decisions

In this paper, we propose that affective reactions are integral to accounting decision contexts like capital budgeting, and that researchers must jointly consider affect and cognition to better understand accounting decision makers' behavior. We argue that interpersonal relationships are characteristic of many capital-budgeting contexts, and that these relationships can lead to emotional affective reactions. For example, reactions such as frustration and anger may result if a manager is treated unfairly by another individual involved in a capital project. Drawing on relevant work in neurobiology and psychology, we then predict that these affective reactions can influence managers' capital-budgeting decisions. We report on four experimental scenarios that demonstrate the impact of affective reactions on capital-budgeting decisions. Consistent with our predictions, the results indicate that managers consider both financial data and affective reactions when evaluating the utility of an investment alternative. Our results suggest that researchers should consider both affect and cognition to more fully understand decision making in accounting contexts.
Effects of low-level sulfur dioxide exposure on decomposition ofAgropyron smithii litter under laboratory conditions

A study of the effects of low-level SO2 exposure on decomposition ofAgropyron smithii was conducted. Finely groundA. smithii litter was exposed to 220 μg m−3 SO2 continuously for five weeks. Respiration and total decomposition were measured. Sulfur dioxide exposure resulted in a 90 % reduction in decomposition rate during the initial phase of exposure and a 17% reduction during the latter phase. Differences in respiration rate were not observed. The reductions in decomposition corresponded to a previous report of reduction in the decomposition ofA. smithii and lowered soil pH with SO2 exposure in a field experiment (Dodd and Lauenroth, 1981).
THE EFFECT OF CONTROLLED PROGRAM OF VESTIBULAR STIMULATION ON THE INCIDENCE OF SEIZURES IN CHILDREN WITH SEVERE DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY

The effect of a controlled program of rotatory vestibular stimulation on the incidence of seizures in 14 severely developmentally delayed non-ambulatory children was investigated. Data analysis revealed no significant difference in the incidence of seizure activity between the treatment and control group. An additional analysis comparing the mean number of seizures during the treatment period with a comparable period prior to the initiation of treatment revealed no significant change in seizure incidence for the treatment group. The role of vestibular stimulation procedure as a sensory stimulation procedure and its relationship to seizure incidence is discussed. The need for further research in this area is emphasized.
Study of the growth response of normal and SV40-transformed 3T3 mouse fibroblasts with serum fractions obtained by use of organic solvents.

Abstract Calf serum was treated with methanol, water and chloroform to yield three fractions: A, a water-soluble precipitate; B, a residue isolated from the methanol-rich layer; C, a residue isolated from the chloroform-rich layer. The last fraction was subdivided further by silicic acid chromatography. The effect of these fractions on the growth of 3T3 and SV3T3 cells was examined in Eagle's medium with minimal amounts of serum, and in serum-free medium. The results indicate that normal and transformed cells respond differently to serum fractions obtained by extracting serum with organic solvents. In addition, the components in serum required for the growth of 3T3 and SV3T3 cells can be resolved and substantially purified using this technique.
Use of separate venipunctures for IV access and laboratory studies decreases hemolysis rates

Emergency department (ED) patients routinely undergo placement of a saline lock device (SLD) with the aspiration of blood for laboratory testing. Drawing blood through a SLD may result in hemolysis of sample, repeated venipuncture and increased ED length of stay (LOS). The objective of this study was to examine if separate venipunctures for intravenous (IV) access and laboratory studies decrease the rate of hemolysis and ED LOS. The study was conducted at an urban university level 1 trauma center with an ED volume of 55,000. We compared the rate of hemolysis and ED LOS before and after mandating the use of separate venipunctures for IV access and laboratory studies over 1 month. Venipuncture was performed utilizing either a 21 ga needle or an IV catheter (BD Insight Autoguard) with a needless vacutainer. The incidence of hemolysis was calculated and a Student’s t test was used to compare groups. The potassium sample redraw and processing time was observed. Blood was aspirated from 315 patients using the SLD. A baseline hemolysis rate of 23.0% (16.7–29.1) was obtained, corrected to 6.7% after factoring a 29.2% redraw rate for critical potassium levels. In the following month, 2,564 samples were obtained using the butterfly needle with a hemolysis rate of 6.6% (5.5–7.5), corrected to 2.0% after applying the 29.2% redraw rate. Avoiding hemolysis, we saved 4.7% of our patients’ 56 min of ED stay, and avoided 185 retests over the month. In conclusion, venipuncture from a butterfly needle decreases the rate of hemolysis and may decrease the overall ED LOS.
Determination of microwave-tube transfer functions

With the advent of sophisticated radar systems employing pulse-compression techniques, a clear understanding of the phase and amplitude characteristics of the circuit elements is paramount. Various techniques for phase/frequency measurements have been developed, and the search for more comprehensive methods continues. It is suggested that the impulse response of a circuit provides a novel way to describe the transfer function of nonlinear elements such as microwave amplifiers. With this approach, a complete set of data can be acquired in a very few minutes. Because of the spectral characteristic of the short pulse, information is obtained on a continuous-frequency basis. It is therefore the object of the paper to describe a method of obtaining phase and amplitude characteristics of microwave amplifiers by studying their response to a short input pulse.
Media streams: representing video for retrieval and repurposing

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Program in Media Arts & Sciences, 1995.
Anatomy of a currency crisis: Turkey 2000‐2001

Purpose – To examine in depth one of the currency crises proliferating in emerging markets during the last decade.Design/methodology/approach – Three “generations” of currency crisis models are used to identify vulnerabilities facing the Turkish economy in the period 1999‐2000, leading up to the crisis. The IMF‐backed stabilization program, which attempted to use an active crawling peg as an inflation anchor, is reviewed critically. The specific events triggering the onset of the two crises in 2000 and 2001 are analyzed.Findings – The crisis is seen to be a consequence of capital inflows, real currency appreciation, increasing external vulnerability, and the rapid exit of capital.Research limitations/implications – It is concluded that it is a mistake for emerging economies to liberalize the financial system before implementing adequate supervisory measures, and to adopt a crawling peg which is not supported by fiscal reform.Originality/value – The paper adds to the extensive examination of currency crise...
The formation of ice‐marginal embankments into ice‐dammed lakes in the eastern Puget Lowland, Washington, U.S.A., during the late Pleistocene

Large embankments, typically several kilometers in lateral extent and many tens of meters high, choke the mouths of each alpine valley of the central Cascade Range, Washington State, U.S.A., at or near their junctions with the Puget Lowland. They comprise till and bedded gravel, sand, and silt, aggraded into ice-dammed lakes. The embankments lie within the late-Pleistocene Cordilleran ice-sheet limit and so do not mark the location of the ice-maximum terminus. Reconstruction of the subglacial hydraulic potential field indicates that these ice-dammed lakes would have drained subglacially via spillways located near the junction of each alpine valley and the Lowland. Physical processes tended to stabilize the grounding line for each ice tongue close to its respective spillway location. Because sedimentation rates are highest adjacent to the grounding line, subaqueous sedimentation formed a growing embankment there. In some valleys, subsequent subaerial lake drainage or decay of the active-ice dam resulted in late-stage deposition of deltas or valley trains. This analysis of ice-water behavior is based on physical principles that should be generally applicable to any environment where glaciers terminate against ice-dammed bodies of water.
New approach to the mass spectroscopy of non-volatile compounds.

Abstract A new method has been developed to obtain mass spectra of non-volatile compounds from the solid state at room temperature. Volatilization and chemical ionization of the sample are effected using a 252Cf fission fragment source. Mass spectra are measured using a new time-of-flight mass spectrometer featuring single ion counting and fast electronics. We present positive and negative ion mass spectra for the amino acids arginine and cystine which are characterized by intense quasi-molecular ions.
SU‐GG‐T‐238: Three Dimensional Characterization of the Radiation Isocenter Using a Single Phantom

Purpose: To provide a quality control procedure that characterizes the radiation isocenter of a linear accelerator simultaneously for collimator, couch, and gantry rotations. The primary question addressed is whether the three rotational axes cross each other within an acceptably small sphere. Method and Materials: A film stack phantom was constructed having four films suitably spaced apart. The phantom was placed in a fixed position on the treatment table, and a single reference frame was defined by registration marks. The combined use of Linac jaws and MLC created small spots on the films for each rotation axis. Special angles were chosen for the different axes so that three dimensional information was retrieved. The film spot coordinates were read using commercially available scanning software, and a computer calculation then rendered the data into a three dimensional display of the axes. Results: The procedure has been used nine times with reasonable results on four different accelerators. Comparisons of the minimum tangent circle radius using this method and standard star shots were favorable. In addition, the orthogonality of the axes and their orientations relative to a reference laser system was reported. Conclusion: This procedure is unique in that it provides, using simple commonly found materials,composite information about the radiation isocenter and all three rotational axes in a single measurement. It seems to offer the confidence needed to become a routinely used tool for the Linac annual check.
Congenital Anomalies of the Aortic Arch in Acute Type-A Aortic Dissection: Implications for Monitoring, Perfusion Strategy, and Surgical Repair

Objective To assess whether management of acute Stanford type-A aortic dissection differs in patients with congenital anomalies of the aortic arch compared with standard institutional practice. Design Retrospective analysis of all consecutive patients from 2001 through 2011. Setting Quaternary referral center for surgical management of thoracic aortic disease. Participants All patients with arch anomalies who underwent surgery for acute Stanford type-A aortic dissection during the study period (n = 43). Interventions Surgical management, anesthetic monitoring, and perfusion strategy were analyzed in a retrospective fashion. No new interventions were undertaken as part of this study. Measurements and Main Results Management differed most in patients with an aberrant right subclavian artery (n = 5), because the institutional standard of right axillary artery cannulation with left upper extremity arterial pressure monitoring was not possible. In patients with one of two "bovine" arch patterns (n = 32), management differed in the conduct of selective antegrade cerebral perfusion, which could include clamping above or below the takeoff of the left common carotid artery (and, therefore, produced unilateral or bilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion). All patients with a connective tissue disorder exhibited a bovine arch pattern. Management of patients with a right arch (n = 3) reflected the opposite of management for normal anatomy (for patients with traditional mirror-image branching) or opposite that of the aberrant right subclavian group (for patients who had a corresponding aberrant left subclavian artery). Conclusions Rational management reflected the anatomic variations observed. These results support the importance of interdisciplinary planning, especially in an emergency, to optimize outcome.
Pleistocene glacimarine sedimentation on the continental slope off Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Abstract Cordilleran Ice Sheet activity has had a significant influence on glacimarine sediment transport and deposition on the western Canadian continental slope resulting in distinct sediment facies. Here we present lithogenic sediment grain size distributions (grains > 250 µm g − 1 , % > 63 µm, % 10 to 60 µm, and % 2 to 4 µm) and mass accumulation rates (MAR) from a marine core (MD02-2496) collected ~ 50 km offshore of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The lithogenic fraction of sediment deposited on the slope increased as grain size decreased and sediment sorting increased at ~ 30 ka when the Cordilleran Ice Sheet grew into southern British Columbia during the Fraser Glaciation. As the ice sheet advanced onto the continental shelf near core MD02-2496 between 19 and 17 ka, the proximal ice margin dramatically increased lithogenic sediment MARs. Glacimarine sedimentation at this time was associated with cyclic deposition of generally coarse, poorly sorted sediment. An ~ 80-year cyclicity suggests the influence of 1) outburst floods, 2) lunar or 3) solar cycles on tidewater outlet glacier discharge. Rapid ice sheet retreat at ~ 17 ka is indicated by ice rafted debris (IRD) deposition, followed by the deposition of fine, well-sorted silt suggestive of iceberg discharge followed by rock flour in a meltwater plume. Lithogenic sediment MARs decreased dramatically at the Bolling with a brief return to coarse, poorly sorted sediments during the Younger Dryas. Glacimarine sedimentation decreased by ~ 10 ka as the Cordilleran Ice Sheet extent diminished to the areal extent of modern ice fields.
Reconquista: Ilan Stavans and multiculturalist Latino/a discourse

Ilan Stavans constructs a multiculturalist framework for understanding the US Latino/a experience. By reading The Hispanic Condition (1995) alongside Stavans' discussions of the Latino/a literary canon in the introductions to his anthologies, New World (1997) and Lengua Fresca (Augenbraum and Stavans, 2006), and his articles in the Chronicle of Higher Education, I argue that this multiculturalist approach is based on an equation of culture with language. Through this linguistic formulation of Latinidad with the Spanish language as its defining facet, Stavans privileges a colonialist rendering of Latino/a history, tracing the ancestral lineage of Latino/as in terms of solely Western European culture. By valorizing Spanish colonization, Stavans glosses over sites of violence in order to highlight a linguistic inheritance and formulates US Latino/a identity in opposition to American indigenous cultures. Uncovering the way in which Ilan Stavans positions the indigenous as Other in his multiculturalist approach to Latinidad is essential to understanding the colonialist and conservative underpinnings of how Stavans structures the Latino/a literary canon. I will consequently address how Latino/a Studies critics have wrestled with Stavans' influence on the field and the ways in which Stavans' vision of US Latino/a Studies resembles or reflects its institutional orientation and disciplinary locations.
Hyperthermia-enhanced splenic cytokine gene expression is mediated by the sympathetic nervous system.

Whole body hyperthermia (WBH) has been used in experimental settings as an adjunct to radiochemotherapy for the treatment of various malignant diseases. The therapeutic effect of WBH has been hypot...
A selective orexin-1 receptor antagonist attenuates stress induced hyperarousal without hypnotic effects

Orexins (OXs) are peptides produced by perifornical (PeF) and lateral hypothalamic neurons that exert a prominent role in arousal-related processes, including stress. A critical role for the orexin-1 receptor (OX1R) in complex emotional behavior is emerging, such as overactivation of the OX1R pathway being associated with panic or anxiety states. Here we characterize a brain-penetrant, selective, and high-affinity OX1R antagonist, compound 56 [N-({3-[(3-ethoxy-6-methylpyridin-2-yl)carbonyl]-3-azabicyclo[4.1.0]hept-4-yl}methyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyrimidin-2-amine]. Ex vivo receptor binding studies demonstrated that, after subcutaneous administration, compound 56 crossed the blood-brain barrier and occupied OX1Rs in the rat brain at lower doses than standard OX1R antagonists GSK-1059865 [5-bromo-N-({1-[(3-fluoro-2-methoxyphenyl)carbonyl]-5-methylpiperidin-2-yl}methyl)pyridin-2-amine], SB-334867 [1-(2-methyl-1,3-benzoxazol-6-yl)-3-(1,5-naphthyridin-4-yl)urea], and SB-408124 [1-(6,8-difluoro-2-methylquinolin-4-yl)-3-[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]urea]. Although compound 56 did not alter spontaneous sleep in rats and in wild-type mice, its administration in orexin-2 receptor knockout mice selectively promoted rapid eye movement sleep, demonstrating target engagement and specific OX1R blockade. In a rat model of psychological stress induced by cage exchange, the OX1R antagonist prevented the prolongation of sleep onset without affecting sleep duration. In a rat model of panic vulnerability (involving disinhibition of the PeF OX region) to threatening internal state changes (i.e., intravenous sodium lactate infusion), compound 56 attenuated sodium lactate–induced panic-like behaviors and cardiovascular responses without altering baseline locomotor or autonomic activity. In conclusion, OX1R antagonism represents a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of various psychiatric disorders associated with stress or hyperarousal states.
Psychiatric symptoms in boys with fragile X syndrome: A comparison with nonsyndromic autism spectrum disorder

In the present study, we examined the profile of psychiatric symptoms in boys with fragile X syndrome (FXS) using a parent report instrument. In addition, by comparing boys with FXS to boys with nonsyndromic autism spectrum disorder (ASD) utilizing multiple matching strategies, we examined between-group differences in the types of psychiatric symptoms observed and in the strength of their concurrent associations. Across all matching strategies, symptoms of manic/hyperactive behaviors and general anxiety were more frequently reported for boys with FXS than for boys with nonsyndromic ASD. Results also indicated a positive association between social avoidance and general anxiety in FXS that was stronger than that observed in nonsyndromic ASD across all matching strategies. Theoretical and treatment implications are discussed.
Evaluation of postencroachment time as surrogate for opposing left-turn crashes

Highway safety evaluation has traditionally been performed by using crash data, although this method has limitations in terms of timeliness and efficiency. Previous studies show that the use of surrogate safety data allows for faster evaluation of safety in comparison with the significantly longer time horizon required for collecting crash data. However, the predictive capability of surrogate measures is still an area of ongoing research. Previous studies have often resulted in inconsistent findings for the relationship between surrogates and crashes, one of the primary reasons being inconsistent definitions of a conflict. This study evaluated the effectiveness of postencroachment time (PET) as a surrogate measure for the propensity of crashes between left-turning vehicles and opposing through vehicles at four-leg signalized intersections. The primary method of data collection was through video recording with post-processing. Custom semiautomatic video processing software was used to reduce the video to a...
Cytological aspects of trophoblast-uterine interaction in early implantation.

Trophoblast-uterine epithelial cell interrelationships were studied using implantation sites from the rat, rabbit, guinea pig, armadillo, bat and ferret. It was found that in all species trophoblast cells extend over several epithelial cells at the apposition stage of implantation. Trophoblast can adhere to the apical ends of uterine epithelial cells by primitive junctional complexes. More surprisingly, in most species desmosomal junctions are formed between trophoblast and the lateral aspects of uterine epithelial cells by primitive junctional complexes. More surprisingly, in most species desmosomal junctions are formed between trophoblast and the lateral aspects of uterine epithelial cells by primitive junctional complexes. More surprisingly, in most species forms the complementary protion of the apical junctional complexes with the adjacent luminal epithelial cells. Certain basement membranes appear to be barriers to trophoblast invastion in some species but not in others. There is little evidence that trophoblast is cytolytic, whereas all of the trophoblast examined gave some evidence of phagocytic activity, and the trophoblast of some of the more invasive forms showed evidence of being histolytic. It is suggested that the capacity of trophoblast to form junctions with epithelial cells is an important part of the implantation process, facilitating penetration of the endometrium without dislodgment of the blastocyst.
Swarm-Based Particle Filtering Detector for Wireless Communications over Flat Fading Channels

In this paper, an improved particle filtering technique is presented to estimate channel coefficients and detect transmitted signals over fading channels. A common fading phenomenon known as flat Rayleigh fading is typically modeled as an autoregressive (AR) process. For non-Gaussian systems, the channel coefficients and transmitted symbols can be estimated using the particle filter (PF) technique. The basic idea of PF is to estimate the posterior probabilities sequentially using importance sampling (IS) when the observations are available. The traditional PF method uses the prior density as the importance function. Although this choice reduces computational complexity, it is not efficient enough because the particle prediction only depends on the previous state and not the current observations. The proposed PF technique called swarm-based particle filter (SPF) tends to move particles to higher probability region of the likelihood function according to the current observation and the previous channel state using particle swarm optimization propagation. Simulation results are presented to show that SPF detector has better performance with lower computational complexity, especially in the case of high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the receiver.
GENETICS, METAPOPULATIONS, AND ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT OF FISHERIES

The importance of an ecosystem approach to the management of natural resources—including fisheries—has been widely recognized recently. However, discussions of ecosystem management usually do not provide much detail or emphasis on genetics. Here, we discuss the anadromous salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) of the Pacific Northwest as an illustration of how important genetic considerations can be as part of an ecosystem approach to resource management. Pacific salmon have a complex genetic and population structure, referred to as a metapopulation structure, that is strongly influenced by the spatial arrangement of the rivers in which they spawn. The many factors that have contributed to the decline of salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest have affected salmon meta-populations as well. As a result, attempts to rehabilitate salmon will need to include a focus on metapopulations as well as on improving habitat and reducing fishing and other sources of mortality.
A Review of “Politics of Urban Runoff: Nature, Technology, and the Sustainable City”

Andrew Karvonen's Politics of Urban Runoff situates urban water management in a broader conversation about the relationship among humans, the nonhuman world, and the technologies and institutions t...
The US Supreme Court revisits Miranda in a trilogy of cases and clarifies some of its principles but does not weaken Miranda's core values

The US Supreme Court has recently decided three cases outlining the contours of one of its most famous criminal procedure cases, Miranda v. Arizona. Although the recent decisions are important, none of the cases undermines the basic principles of the Miranda decision. Government officials must continue to provide Miranda warnings to those persons who are in custodial interrogation. The warnings must convey the principles set forth in Miranda and waiver of rights must occur for statements to be admissible in court. In these new cases, the Court has followed precedent and in two of the cases there were a significant number of justices supporting the majority opinion.
A spatial database of wildfires in the United States, 1992-2011

Abstract. The statistical analysis of wildfire activity is a critical component of national wildfire planning, operations, and research in the United States (US). However, there are multiple federal, state, and local entities with wildfire protection and reporting responsibilities in the US, and no single, unified system of wildfire record keeping exists. To conduct even the most rudimentary interagency analyses of wildfire numbers and area burned from the authoritative systems of record, one must harvest records from dozens of disparate databases with inconsistent information content. The onus is then on the user to check for and purge redundant records of the same fire (i.e., multijurisdictional incidents with responses reported by several agencies or departments) after pooling data from different sources. Here we describe our efforts to acquire, standardize, error-check, compile, scrub, and evaluate the completeness of US federal, state, and local wildfire records from 1992–2011 for the national, interagency Fire Program Analysis (FPA) application. The resulting FPA Fire-Occurrence Database (FPA FOD) includes nearly 1.6 million records from the 20 yr period, with values for at least the following core data elements: location, at least as precise as a Public Land Survey System section (2.6 km2 grid), discovery date, and final fire size. The FPA FOD is publicly available from the Research Data Archive of the US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service ( doi:10.2737/RDS-2013-0009 ). While necessarily incomplete in some aspects, the database is intended to facilitate fairly high-resolution geospatial analysis of US wildfire activity over the past two decades, based on available information from the authoritative systems of record.
Physical Properties of Diffuse H° Gas in the Galaxy

The diffuse (non self-gravitating) interstellar medium of the Galaxy is almost impossibly complex and diverse. Temperatures and densities range over many orders of magnitude. The magnetic field links all regimes of the gas, including cosmic rays. Shocks from supernovae and other sources buffet the medium. Into this maelstrom, theorists have ventured. Some models emphasize time-independent thermal equilibrium between hot and cold phases of the gas. Other models stress frequent dynamical events that throw much of the medium out of thermal equilibrium. Some models include magnetic field effects, others do not. Here we report on the nature of diffuse atomic gas, emphasizing observational results from a recent, extensive survey of HI emission and absorption along random lines of sight in the local diffuse medium. We find much of the warmer diffuse atomic gas is out of thermal equilibrium, yet the medium retains a clear dichotomy between warmer and cooler phases. The warmer phase comprises about half of the total diffuse atomic hydrogen gas. Magnetic fields have a median value of about 6 μ G in the cold gas, insuring that their dynamical effects cannot be ignored. The conundrum of similar magnetic field strengths in diffuse gas at widely disparate densities remains as an observational fact and a challenge to explain theoretically.
Multichannel signal processing for multiple-head digital magnetic recording

This paper analyzes the performance of a multiple-head, digital, magnetic recording system using multichannel signal processing theory. A multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) channel that models the multiple-head recording process provides the basis for this analysis. This model characterizes the write process, the read process and both electronics and media noise. In particular, the model accounts for side fringing between a read head and adjacent tracks; side fringing is a major cause of intertrack interference that is often neglected during signal processing analysis. Optimal decision feedback and partial response equalizers for the MIMO channel are derived using a minimum mean-squared error criterion. Numerical evaluations show that a magnetic recording system comprising a multiple-head array and equalizer combats intertrack interference much better than does the corresponding single-head system. As a result, the multiple-head system achieves a gain of up to a factor of 3.5 in radial density over the single-head system for a fixed value of maximum head misalignment. >
Bi-Directional Optical Backplane Bus with Multiple Bus Lines for High Performance Bus Systems

Over the past decade, the demand for more computing power has increased to such an extent that no single processor can provide the solutions in many applications. As a result, various efforts were made to build multiprocessor systems. Among those, systems based on electrical backplane buses, as shown in Fig. 1, have been prevailing in the commercial market mainly due to the ease of design and low cost. However, as the signal speed increases along the backplane, the transmission line effects become dominant, and the bus performance becomes limited by backplane physics1,2. Although advanced buses like Futurebus+3 guarantee an incident wave switching, other inherent problems degrade the performance significantly4. As new faster processors arise, the electrical backplane buses can no longer supply the bandwidth required for high performance multiprocessor systems.
Application of Macrolamination Technology to Lean, Premix Combustion

Macrolamination, a novel manufacturing technique, is used to develop a dual-fuel premixer. A spatially distributed injection strategy is used to enhance fuel placement, distribution, and mixing inside the premixer. Parametric studies are conducted with different configurations of the premixer to determine the effects of residence time and nozzle configuration on pollutant emissions and flame stability. Diesel fuel (DF-2) and natural gas are used as fuels. Tests are conducted at a pressure of 400 kPa (5 atmospheres), and an inlet-air temperature of 533°K. The pollutant emissions and RMS pressure levels are presented for a relatively wide range of nozzle velocities (50–80 m/s) and equivalence ratios (0.54–0.75). These results indicate very good pollutant emissions for a prototype design. These results also indicate that the time-lag model, previously associated with combustion oscillations for gaseous-fuel applications, also applies to liquid-fuel operation.Copyright © 2000 by ASME
Are Hybrid Cars A Good Buy

This case examines the benefits and costs of buying a hybrid car. Students examine the car purchase decision along with depreciation rates and the long-term value of hybrid cars, while they calculate the benefits and costs of the various hybrid vehicles and their comparable sister cars. Secondary issues include an examination of the trade-in value for non-hybrid cars and the horsepower and greenhouse gas emission differences between hybrid and their sister cars. Furthermore, students will examine whether or not the federal tax credit for hybrids should be reinstated.
A compendium of crop varietal tolerance to weeds

Genetic improvements in crop tolerance to diseases, insects, and other stresses have reduced or eliminated applications of pesticides and other inputs for many crops. However, little work has been done to examine the potential for increasing levels of tolerance to weeds, even though herbicides account for 69% of the pesticides used in the United States eachyear. This paper documents thatfor all 21 crops examined, varieties differ in their tolerance of non-parasitic weeds. Characteristics influencing varietal tolerance to weeds are summarized.
Spin-orbit interaction in quantum dots in the presence of exchange correlations: An approach based on a good-spin basis of the universal Hamiltonian

We discuss the problem of spin-orbit interaction in a two-dimensional chaotic or diffusive quantum dot in the presence of exchange correlations. Spin-orbit scattering breaks spin rotation invariance, and in the crossover regime between different symmetries of the spin-orbit coupling, the problem has no closed solution. A conventional choice of a many-particle basis in a numerical diagonalization is the set of Slater determinants built from the single-particle eigenstates of the one-body Hamiltonian (including the spin-orbit terms). We develop a different approach based on the use of a good-spin many-particle basis that is composed of the eigenstates of the universal Hamiltonian in the absence of spin-orbit scattering. We introduce a complete labeling of this good-spin basis and use angular momentum algebra to calculate in closed form the matrix elements of the spin-orbit interaction in this basis. Spin properties, such as the ground-state spin distribution and the spin excitation function, can be directly calculated in this basis. Our approach is not limited to the spin-orbit coupling problem but can be applied to any perturbation that is added to the universal Hamiltonian.
Design-based confidence limits for a distribution function

A method for constructing confidence limits for a distribution function is proposed. This method is a simple modification of the common method based on a normal approximation to the distribution of the estimated distribution function. The methods differ in how the estimated standard errors are used. The coverage properties of the two methods are compared in a simulation study. Coverage probabilities for the proposed method are found to be much closer to the nominal levels, particularly in the tails of the population distribution.
Eat Right: Eating Local or Global?

Our food choices have been characterized as significant moral choices in recent years. No longer is what you eat seen as a morally neutral private affair without moral ramifications. We are encouraged to eat organic, local, sustainable foods. Further we are confronted with choices about fair trade, humanely raised, absent antibiotics, hormones, and GMOs. These choices can be confusing if only seen as ones relevant to our prudential interests, but the stakes are raised when we are chided that we will be immoral if we consume the “wrong” products. Many of these considerations are promoted as necessary for achieving sustainability goals: eat and shop locally for the good of the planet and the future. Others such as humanely raised animals, support other considerations—concern for animals’ welfare—but are also tied back into the goals of sustainability since factory farming of animals leads, to among other problems, massive quantities of manure that contaminates the surrounding areas including critical waterways, killing off fish and other wildlife. In this paper, I will consider what we should eat if we are concerned about sustainability. Sustainability is a notoriously tricky notion to pin down a specific meaning. For this paper, I will understand it as an expansive notion that includes preserving ecological integrity for current and future generations, but also includes cultural sustainability which embodies values, like justice and care for current and future generations as well as non-human animals. I will explore the widely accepted views about buying local and whether there are cogent moral arguments based on sustainability for those choices. In considering those reasons for buying local, I will investigate Peter Singer’s arguments against buying local supported by our duty to aid those suffering immediate harm. Singer’s arguments force us to examine what are our duties to aid those in developing nations versus supporting local economies. I will argue that our duties in regard to food purchases are complex and impinge on multiple values, including supporting local communities, ecological integrity, and concern for fair global food practices.
Treatment of brucellosis with aureomycin or terramycin combined with dihydrostreptomycin.

Two combinations of antibiotics have been used in treating culturally proved brucellosis: (1) the simultaneous administration of aureomycin® and dihydrostreptomycin; (2) the simultaneous use of terramycin and dihydro-streptomycin. Both combinations are equally effective. The recovery rate with either method has been 95 per cent. The combined use of terramycin or aureomycin and dihydro-streptomycin has not been presented as a specific treatment of brucellosis, but results to date justify the conclusion that either combination is far superior to any other currently available therapy. Furthermore, the undesirable toxic reactions sometimes experienced with other methods have not occurred.
Hemolytic Streptococci from the Throat of Normal Young Adults

The incidence of beta hemolytic streptococci has been studied in a series of normal university students and the frequency of group A (Lancefield) organisms correlated with fibrinolysis and presence or absence of tonsils. Although numerous investigators throughout the world have attempted to establish a carrier rate for hemolytic streptococci, the results, due to seasonal, climatic, age and technical differences, have varied greatly. Topley and Wilson state that the carrier rate of these organisms in a normal adult population may fluctuate from zero to twenty per cent. A complete review of the literature is beyond the scope of this paper, but table 1 will serve as an example of the results obtained.
Taxation and the Constitution: Recent Articles

This article reviews several significant articles dealing with the national taxing power that were published (or made available) within the past couple of years. The articles discussed consider the Origination Clause, other constitutional issues arising from the Supreme Court’s decision in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, the General Welfare Clause, and several other matters of constitutional interest.
Filtration Isolation of Nucleic Acids: A Simple and Rapid DNA Extraction Method

FINA, filtration isolation of nucleic acids, is a novel extraction method which utilizes vertical filtration via a separation membrane and absorbent pad to extract cellular DNA from whole blood in less than 2 min. The blood specimen is treated with detergent, mixed briefly and applied by pipet to the separation membrane. The lysate wicks into the blotting pad due to capillary action, capturing the genomic DNA on the surface of the separation membrane. The extracted DNA is retained on the membrane during a simple wash step wherein PCR inhibitors are wicked into the absorbent blotting pad. The membrane containing the entrapped DNA is then added to the PCR reaction without further purification. This simple method does not require laboratory equipment and can be easily implemented with inexpensive laboratory supplies. Here we describe a protocol for highly sensitive detection and quantitation of HIV-1 proviral DNA from 100 µl whole blood as a model for early infant diagnosis of HIV that could readily be adapted to other genetic targets.
MARGINALIA ON GENTZEN'S SEQUENZEN-KALKÜLE

Publisher Summary Gentzen fashioned in two novel versions of elementary logic or, to be more precise, of the quantificational calculus of first order (QC). One kalkul, called LK, sports besides the standard primitives of QC a fresh primitive, the symbol →; it also sports besides the standard formulas of QC so-called sequents. Gentzen's other kalkul, NK, can be thought of as a fragment of LK, a fragment that also boasts the primitive →. This chapter presents that all valid sequents of LK are susceptible in LK of direct proofs in both of the senses of the word direct and that all valid propositional sequents of NK are susceptible in NK of direct proofs in the weaker sense of the word direct. It also presents that not all valid propositional sequents of NK are susceptible in NK of direct proofs in the stronger sense of the word direct and that not all valid quantificational sequents of NK are susceptible in NK of direct proofs in the weaker sense of the word direct.
Multimodal shifts in noise: switching channels to communicate through rapid environmental change

A multimodal shift is the ability to switch from reliance on one sensory channel to another during communication. The shift can take place during signal production and/or perception. If environmental changes such as urbanization and climate change impair signal transmission in particular channels, it would benefit the animal to be able to switch to a relatively quieter channel. For this strategy to be successful, it requires animals to be able to send redundant information across multiple channels. I develop and explore the argument that the ability of animals to switch from a noisy channel to a relatively quiet one may be key for the animals' ability to cope with rapid anthropogenic environmental change. I review examples of multimodal shifts that occur with environmental noise as well as cases in which a predicted shift did not occur. I survey which sensory channels are used in shifts and whether the signal components are redundant or nonredundant. Most multimodal shift examples include the visual channel as one of the components. The majority of signals involved in shifts appear to be redundant, although the majority of signals involved in multimodal communication in general appear to be nonredundant, especially for chemical/visual combinations. Finally, I discuss how anthropogenic environmental changes can affect signal transmission in different channels and habitats and explain why the ability to shift channels may help animals cope with these changes. Predictions and recommendations for future work are provided.
A study of semantic data compression

A two-way semantic model is considered with two sources sharing their ideas chosen from different sets of facts. These facts may be expressed in the form of RDF (Resource Description Framework) triples. A set of conclusions can be derived by using the logical relations between these facts. This set of conclusions depends on the current interest of the network, thus not all combinations of facts lead to a useful conclusion. Users are interested in sharing only the facts that lead to these conclusions. Additionally, users do not want to use extra resources for sharing the facts that lead to the same conclusions.We consider the worst-case semantic communication performance of this network. We provide upper and lower bounds for each user to learn useful facts from one another, and show that increasing the number of rounds of interaction can improve the worst-case performance over the existing schemes by reducing the total number of bits transmitted.
Perceptions of Hospitalization by Children with Chronic Illnesses and Siblings

Understanding children’s perceptions of their illnesses and functioning when they are undergoing medical procedures remains an important area for research. Further research about siblings’ perceptions will also provide knowledge about how they are coping with a brother or sister’s chronic illness. The current study examined the perceptions of children with illnesses and their siblings using a play interview. Themes in the data indicated resilience in child functioning for both patients and siblings. Children with chronic illnesses could experience pain, which often related to fears and other negative feelings about hospitalization and potentially doctors or nurses, if they were administering painful procedures. Distraction and prayer were coping tools for patients. However, most patients believed their illness and recovery would be a “long journey.” Brothers and sisters of children with chronic illnesses could experience loneliness. A more common report was a strong desire to help and be a support for a brother or sister with an illness. Support from parents was critical for both patients and siblings and both typically enjoyed child life activities. A member-checking process, with a different group of children with illnesses and siblings, was used to audit themes discovered after reviewing play interviews. The audit process supported the positive and negative themes in the data. In the future, examining the impact of magical thinking on outcomes and conducting studies after the children have gained distance from medical trauma will be important. Moreover, increasing a focus on resilience as a hallmark of children’s functioning remains another area for further research.