cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applying Deep Learning to Hail Detection: A Case Study

Deep learning is a subset of machine learning that uses deep neural networks (DNNs) capable of learning representations and extracting valuable information from vast data sets. Similarly, weather phenomena are often identified by patterns in data that serve as precursor signatures. Therefore, deep learning networks can be used to identify signatures of the weather phenomena, or possibly signatures not yet established by forecasters in addition to aiding forecasters in synthesizing the growing amount of meteorological observations. In this article, we demonstrate the value of deep learning for atmospheric science applications by providing a proof of concept, using deep learning for the detection of hail-bearing storms as a test case study. The deep learning network presented in this article obtains a higher precision when presented with multisource data and is able to identify a common feature associated with hail storms—decreased infrared brightness temperatures. This network and case study illustrate the capability of deep networks for the detection of weather phenomena and contribute to the growing awareness of deep learning among atmospheric scientists.
Diode Evaluation and Series Diode Balancing for High-Voltage High-Frequency Power Converters

Miniaturization of high-voltage power converters is severely limited by the availability of fast switching, low-loss high-voltage diodes. This article explores techniques for using discrete low-voltage diodes in series as one high-voltage diode in high-frequency applications (e.g., hundreds of kHz and above). We identify that when series connecting diodes, the parasitic capacitance from the physical diode interconnections to common can result in voltage and temperature imbalance among the diodes, along with increased loss. We quantify the imbalance and propose two related compensation techniques. To validate the approaches, a full-bridge rectifier is tested with each branch consisting of four 3.3 kV SiC diodes in series. Experimental results showcase the imbalance and demonstrate the effectiveness of the compensation techniques. Additionally, we characterize the performance of a range of diodes for use in high-frequency, high-voltage converters. The proposed technique and evaluation results will be valuable for the design of lightweight and miniaturized high-voltage power converters.
Private Federated Learning with Domain Adaptation

Federated Learning (FL) is a distributed machine learning (ML) paradigm that enables multiple parties to jointly re-train a shared model without sharing their data with any other parties, offering advantages in both scale and privacy. We propose a framework to augment this collaborative model-building with per-user domain adaptation. We show that this technique improves model accuracy for all users, using both real and synthetic data, and that this improvement is much more pronounced when differential privacy bounds are imposed on the FL model.
Factors predicting older Adults' attitudes toward and intentions to use stair mobility assistive designs at home.

Abstract Home modifications that increase stair accessibility of existing housing stock are significant for older adults who want to age in place. This sequential mixed-methods study investigated older adults’ attitudes toward and intentions to use currently available stair mobility assistive design features, and explored which factors influence these attitudes and intentions to use. The data were collected through a cross-sectional survey of community-dwelling 50 + adults from Southwest Virginia (n = 89) and a focus group (n = 15) in 2018. The survey questionnaire was based on a modified version of the Technology Acceptance Model, and focused on three stair mobility assistive design products representative of varying costs, and a range of mobility challenges: half-steps, StairSteady handrail, and stairlift. Ordinal regression analyses indicated that perceived usefulness consistently predicts older adults’ attitudes and intentions to use the three examined stair mobility products. The other factors associated with attitudes and willingness to use the products are dependent on some degree to the examined mobility device. Older age and presence of others in the household negatively influenced attitudes toward stair mobility products. Product aesthetics/unobtrusiveness, fear of falling, and person-environment fit are the three themes emerged from the focus group data analysis as the factors that most influence community-dwelling older adults’ attitudes and intention to use stair-mobility assistive features. The findings have implications for design professionals, as they underscore the need for avoiding an institutional look in residential designs, specifying products with high customizability for user needs and preferences, and involvement of users in the decision-making processes.
Epidemiological analysis on public health emergency events at schools in Hebei province in 2017

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics on public health emergency events at schools in Hebei province in 2017. Methods Data from the database in Public Health Emergency Management Information System of "China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention" were collected from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017. In Hebei province, 55 public health emergencies (excluding unclassified ones) were reported, including 1 307 cases. Descriptive epidemiology method was used to analyze the data of public health emergency events at schools in Hebei province in 2017. Results In 2017, there were 30 public health emergency events at schools in Hebei province, with 1 176 cases and no death case. Eighteen events (60.00%) occurred in rural areas and 12 (40.00%) in urban areas. There were two peaks of emergency events: October to December (22 events) and March to June (8 events). All emergency events were caused by infectious diseases, including 20 events of varicella, 6 events of influenza, 2 events each of mumps and tuberculosis. Conclusions Public health emergency events tended to occur in rural and township schools. Prevention of respiratory infectious diseases is the key to control public health emergency events at schools. Key words: Students; Outbreak; Epidemic; Epidemiology
Automated estimation of daily surface water fraction from MODIS and Landsat images using Gaussian process regression

Satellite remote sensing has been widely used to monitor surface water, but its application in observing rapid inundation changes remains challenging. Observations relying on only one sensor could ...
Requirement of mental health referral letters for staged and revision genital gender-affirming surgeries: An unsanctioned barrier to care.

Background The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) recommends referral letters from two mental health providers within one year of gender-affirming genital surgery (gGAS) to ensure patient readiness before primary surgeries. Many U.S. health insurance plans will not authorize second- and third-stage surgeries or revision surgeries without two referral letters. Such requirements are not supported by WPATH guidelines. Objectives This study investigates insurance requirements for referral letters and their negative impact on care. Materials and methods We retrospectively reviewed all gGAS cases over a 4-year period at our tertiary care medical center. Referral letter requirements for insurance authorization were documented. The nation's largest insurance companies, including commercial, state-, and federally funded plans, were contacted to confirm requirements. We prospectively recorded time needed to complete insurance authorization for a patient subset. WPATH publications were reviewed. Results Nearly all reviewed U.S. health insurance plans required annually updated referral letters for each gGAS procedure, including staged and revision surgeries. No updated letters changed clinical management. Referral letter requirements delayed care. WPATH states that letters should not be needed for staged surgeries. Some plans required letters even for initial surgical consultation, a practice not supported by WPATH. Discussion and conclusion Insurance companies' requirements for referral letters impede care and contradict WPATH guidelines. We advocate that, at minimum, referral letters should not be required for surgical consultations or for staged or revision surgeries after a patient has already had first-stage primary gGAS. Universal referral letter requirements provide minimal clinical value, delay care, increase costs, and exacerbate gender dysphoria by invalidating gender transition. As with all procedures, surgeons themselves should be responsible for assessing patients' surgical readiness. Significant changes in mental health status or social situation should prompt surgeons to seek reassessment. WPATH recommendations regarding referral letters should be clarified and consolidated into a single document.
Come one, come all: individual-level diversity among anti-fascists

The present study examined the individual differences of radical anti-fascist sympathizers who were federally charged for crimes committed in Portland, Oregon, between May and October of 2020. Anti...
Ransomware Recovery and Imaging Operations: Lessons Learned and Planning Considerations

In this era, almost all healthcare workflows are digital and rely on robust institutional networks; a ransomware attack in a healthcare system can have catastrophic patient care consequences. The usual downtime processes in an institution might not address the breadth of this disruption and timelines for recovery. This article shares our lessons learned from ransomware recovery. From this experience, a four-phase recovery planning framework has been developed. The primary focus is on acute patient care, incident communication, and emergency imaging operations in the initial phase. In the next phase, continued digital asset unavailability necessitates a transition to long-term analog workflows. In the infrastructure recovery and reconciliation phases, each taking weeks or months, the emphasis is on rebuilding a ransomware-free environment and reconciling the data accrued during extended downtime. In preparation for future events, we have initiated a continuous readiness process. A response task force has been formed to guide physicians, technologists, nurses, and informatics units on recovery workflows appropriate for extended downtime and keeping these procedures updated. Incident command structure has been discussed for communications and resource allocation during a ransomware attack, possibly in the context of a multi-incident scenario such as that involving concurrent staffing shortage amidst a pandemic. Finally, we discuss considerations for tabletop simulation, which may be valuable to the planning process.
Hannah Whitall Smith (1832–1911)

This section explores Hannah Whitall Smith’s early interactions with Oliphant at the onset of this new religious movement. Oliphant was on furlough and attempting to recruit for the Household; however, he seemed to have infuriated Smith who made it her mission to destroy his reputation. Smith also recorded a rumor as to what the sympneumatic act consisted of and why it was supposedly practiced in the manner that it was.
The effect of ESD on the performance of magnetic storage drives

Giant Magnetoresistive sensors used in the storage industry to read data written on magnetic media are highly susceptible to ESD damage. While some ESD events completely destroy a sensor, others can leave the sensor in a partially damaged state (soft ESD). We study the effect of soft ESD damage on drive performance.
A temperature dependent SPICE macro-model for Zener and avalanche diodes

A SPICE subcircuit model for Zener and avalanche diodes which can simulate the operation of these devices over wide ranges of current and temperature, using a single set of parameters and a SPICE.TEMP statement, is described. The model is believed to be compatible with most SPICE-based circuit simulators, since it was designed to run in version 2G.6 of Berkeley SPICE. Although the emulation of a single component with a subcircuit of up to seven components may seem overly complex, in many cases the increased accuracy and ease of use will overshadow the increase in circuit complexity. >
Relational database design: a practitioner's guide

Relational Database Design covers practical and theoretical aspects of database and systems design. Interrelated topics are presented, including a review of basic systems and database concepts, design methodologies, the relational data model and relational database management, normalization, entity relationship modelling, considerations for collecting information during a design study, physical design issues, distributed systems, and the elements of a database design methodology. The book provides plenty of examples, including an entire chapter that acts as an extended example. The author has taken care to deal with standard SQL and avoids ties to specific releases of specific products. Relational Database Design is an excellent volume for database programmers and designers, MIS managers, and anyone interested in a solid introduction to relational database design.
Urine High and Low Molecular Weight Proteins One‐Year Post‐Kidney Transplant: Relationship to Histology and Graft Survival

Increased urinary protein excretion is common after renal transplantation and portends worse outcome. In this study we assessed the prognostic contribution of several urinary proteins. Urinary total protein, albumin, retinol binding protein (RBP), α-1-microglobulin, IgG and IgM were measured in banked urine samples from 221 individuals 1 year after renal transplantation (age 52 ± 13 years, 55% male, 93% Caucasian and 82% living donor). Levels of all proteins measured were higher than in normal nontransplant populations. Patients with glomerular lesions had higher urinary albumin than those with normal histology, while those with interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy plus inflammation (ci>0, cg = 0, i>0) had higher levels of IgG, IgM, α-1-microglobulin and RBP. Concomitant normal levels of urinary albumin, IgM and RBP identified normal histology (specificity 91%, sensitivity 15%,). Urinary levels of the specific proteins were highly correlated, could not differentiate among the histologic groups, and appeared to result from tubulointerstitial damage. Increased urinary excretion of the low molecular weight protein RBP was a sensitive marker of allografts at risk, predicting long-term graft loss independent of histology and urinary albumin. This study highlights the prognostic importance of tubulointerstitial disease for long-term graft loss.
Modeling Partial Attacks with Alloy (Transcript of Discussion)

The reason we went into this research, was that we found that partial attacks were extremely hard to model in terms of a language that could be used by an automated tool. Now there are three reasons why this is so. The first is that it is hard to identify these attacks even by hand, because you have to be really creative in thinking, what constitutes a reduction in entropy of the secret, that is significant, because a partial attack is really anything that reduces entropy, it’s just that it does not reduce the entropy to zero, which would be a case of a complete attack. Next, it’s hard to describe that in a formal language, part of that problem comes from the definition, you have to define what you want to be the goal, if the secret is the entire password, then getting one letter is pretty much a partial attack, but if the secret is that one letter, then getting that one letter is a complete attack. And lastly, applying that logic, how do you measure entropy, how do you measure information leakage, that’s also very difficult.
Phosphorylation by cdc2 kinase modulates DNA binding activity of high mobility group I nonhistone chromatin protein.

Chromatin high mobility group protein I (HMG-I) is a mammalian nonhistone protein that has been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo to preferentially bind to A.T-rich sequences of DNA. Recently the DNA-binding domain peptide that specifically mediates the in vitro interaction of high mobility group protein (HMG)-I with the narrow minor groove of A.T-DNA has been experimentally determined. Because of its predicted secondary structure, the binding domain peptide has been called "the A.T hook" motif. Previously we demonstrated that the A.T hook of murine HMG-I protein is specifically phosphorylated by purified mammalian cdc2 kinase in vitro and that the same site(s) are also phosphorylated in vivo in metaphase-arrested cells. We also found that the DNA binding affinity of short synthetic binding domain peptides phosphorylated in vitro by cdc2 kinase was significantly reduced compared with unphosphorylated peptides. Here we extend these findings to intact natural and recombinant HMG-I proteins. We report that the affinity of binding of full-length HMG-I proteins to A.T-rich sequences is highly dependent on ionic conditions and that phosphorylation of intact proteins by cdc2 kinase reduces their affinity of in vitro binding to A.T-DNA by about 20-fold when assayed near normal mammalian physiological salt concentrations. Furthermore, in cell synchronization studies, we demonstrated that murine HMG-I proteins are phosphorylated in vivo in a cell cycle-dependent manner on the same amino acid residues modified by purified cdc2 kinase in vitro. Together these results strongly support the assertion that HMG-I proteins are natural substrates for mammalian cdc2 kinase in vivo and that their cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation by this enzyme(s) significantly modulates their DNA binding affinity, thereby possibly altering their biological function(s).
Minimum squared-error, energy-constrained encoding by adaptive threshold models of neurons

In the nervous system, sensory neurons encode signals as a sequence of action potentials (spikes). However, spike generation is metabolically expensive. Achieving high coding fidelity may require a high spike rate. Here we propose that neurons achieve a trade-off by optimally timing spikes so that maximum fidelity is achieved for a given spike rate. The proposed neural encoder generates spikes which are reconstructed by a linear filter, with energy modeled as a constraint proportional to the average spike-rate. We develop expressions for the encoding error and derive the optimal parameters in the limit of high spike-firing rates. The energy-constrained neural encoder is compared with experimental spike-times from two sensory neurons, one cortical and one peripheral. The proposed energy-constrained neural encoder closely approximates the experimentally recorded spike-times, and the decoded experimental inputs are within 2dB of the predicted distortion-energy curve for both neurons.
Patient recruitment to a randomized clinical trial of behavioral therapy for chronic heart failure

Patient recruitment is one of the most difficult aspects of clinical trials, especially for research involving elderly subjects. In this paper, we describe our experience with patient recruitment for the behavioral intervention randomized trial, "The relaxation response intervention for chronic heart failure (RRCHF)." Particularly, we identify factors that, according to patient reports, motivated study participation. The RRCHF was a three-armed, randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and cost of a 15-week relaxation response intervention on veterans with chronic heart failure. Patients from the Veterans Affairs (VA) Boston Healthcare System in the United States were recruited in the clinic and by telephone. Patients' reasons for rejecting the study participation were recorded during the screening. A qualitative sub-study in the trial consisted of telephone interviews of participating patients about their experiences in the study. The qualitative study included the first 57 patients who completed the intervention and/or the first follow-up outcome measures. Factors that distinguished patients who consented from those who refused study participation were identified using a t-test or a chi-square test. The reason for study participation was abstracted from the qualitative interview. We successfully consented 134 patients, slightly more than our target number, in 27 months. Ninety-five of the consented patients enrolled in the study. The enrollment rate among the patients approached was 18% through clinic and 6% through telephone recruitment. The most commonly cited reason for declining study participation given by patients recruited in the clinic was 'Lives Too Far Away'; for patients recruited by telephone it was 'Not Interested in the Study'. One factor that significantly distinguished patients who consented from patients who declined was the distance between their residence and the study site (t-test: p < .001). The most frequently reported reason for study participation was some benefit to the patient him/herself. Other reasons included helping others, being grateful to the VA, positive comments by trusted professionals, certain characteristics of the recruiter, and monetary compensation. The enrollment rate was low primarily because of travel considerations, but we were able to identify and highlight valuable information for planning recruitment for future similar studies.
Review article: biomarkers and personalised therapy in functional lower gastrointestinal disorders

Summary Background Treatment of IBS and functional lower gastrointestinal disorders is still based predominantly on symptoms; biomarkers that reflect the mechanism or pathophysiology have been identified. Given the diverse mechanisms that result in the same clinical phenotype of IBS, it is hypothesised that identification of biomarkers may lead to individualisation of medical therapy. Aim To review the biomarkers that have been appraised in IBS. Methods A single author reviewed the published literature on biomarkers appraised in IBS. Results The current literature suggests that these biomarkers are insufficiently sensitive or specific to differentiate IBS from health or from other diseases causing similar symptoms, such as coeliac disease or inflammatory bowel disease. Most of the proposed biomarkers are not actionable, that is, they do not lead to an efficacious therapy based on the biological inference of the biomarker itself. However, among proposed biomarkers in IBS, some are actionable, as they specifically reflect a quantitative difference in a mediator of dysfunction or result in a quantifiable disturbance of function that can be specifically treated. Such biomarkers may potentially identify relevant subgroups that respond to specific therapy. The most promising actionable biomarkers are measurement of colonic transit (leading to treatments that reverse the abnormal transit) and measurements of bile acid diarrhoea to identify responders to bile acid sequestrants. Conclusions Therefore, although biomarkers are not ready for prime time as diagnostic tests in IBS, some biomarkers could identify subgroups of patients with IBS for inclusion in clinical trials that target specific dysfunctions. Such an approach may enhance treatment efficacy, and may ultimately help reduce costs in drug development and in the management of patients in clinical practice.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid Base Composition of Rothia dentocariosa as Determined by Thermal Denaturation

The moles per cent guanine plus cytosine (GC) of 10 filamentous strains of Rothia dentocariosa ranged from 65.4 to 69.7. Major differences were not observed in the base composition of a filamentous form (69.7 moles% GC) and its coccal variant (68.0 moles% GC).
Structural instability of tilted flux lattices

Abstract We computed the normal modes of vibration of flux lattices in tilted magnetic fields using a Ewald sum technique we recently developed. Soft normal modes at a finite wave vector are observed. For BSCCO the tilt angle at which the instability sets in ( θ i = 67.7) and the wave vector of instability are in reasonable agreement with recent experimental results of Bolle et al. ( θ i = 60). Soft phonons are also observed for YBCO at a comparable tilt angle and smaller wave vector of instability.
New Technique (the NOW Test) for Rapid Detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae in the Nasopharynx

Although the NOW test was originally introduced as a rapid pneumococcal antigen detection test for use with urine samples, it was successfully adapted to nasopharyngeal samples in the present study. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the test were 92.2, 97.7, 95.9, and 95.5%, respectively. These results demonstrate that nasopharyngeal colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae can be documented within 15 min of sample collection.
Malignant external otitis: A severe form of otitis in diabetic patients

Two cases of malignant external otitis are presented and the literature is reviewed. The disease seems to occur exclusively in elderly diabetic patients. Diagnosis is mostly a clinical one, and requires a high index of suspicion. The characteristic clinical manifestations are pain and severe tenderness of the tissues around the ear and mastoid, persistent drainage and the presence of granulation tissue at the junction of the osseus and cartilagenous portions of the external ear. Roentgenographic findings are not helpful in the early stages. The pathogenesis of this disease depends on the presence of clefts in the cartilage forming the floor of the external auditory canal at its junction with the osseus portion through which infection can spread from the external ear to the deep soft tissues. Serious and often fatal complications may ensue. The most common and earliest symptom to appear if facial nerve palsy. Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been isolated uniformly, in pure or mixed cultures. This entity, therefore, should be borne in mind whenever an elderly diabetic patient presents with external otitis not amenable to the usual methods of therapy. Ps. aeruginosa should be strongly suspected, and its isolation should prompt vigorous systemic treatment with gentamicin and carbenicillin before extensive necrosis of cartilage and bone takes place. Any delay in diagnosis and management will lead to a serious and often fatal complications.
A case of Powassan viral hemorrhagic encephalitis involving bilateral thalami

Since McLean and Donahue discovered the Powassan virus n 1958, there have been approximately 34 cases of confirmed nfection. This is the first case report to describe a serologically conrmed example of Powassan viral hemorrhagic encephalitis, which nvolved lesions of the bilateral thalami. MRI images of the patient’s entral nervous system (CNS) were unique, and when such images re encountered in the clinical setting, Powassan viral infection hould be considered.
Stochastic approximation algorithms for the local optimization of functions with nonunique stationary points

The aim of this paper is the provision of a framework for a practical stochastic unconstrained optimization theory. The results are based on certain concepts of stochastic approximation, although not restricted to those procedures, and aim at incorporating the great flexibility of currently available deterministic optimization ideas into the stochastic problem, whenever optimization must be done by Monte Carlo or sampling methods. Hills with nonunique stationary points are treated. A framework has been provided, with which convergence of stochastic versions of conjugate gradient, partan, etc., can be discussed and proved.
An analysis of qualitative music therapy research reports 1987–2006: Articles and book chapters

Abstract This article is a comprehensive analysis of qualitative music therapy research studies published in peer-reviewed music therapy and non-music therapy journals, peer-reviewed research monographs, and in edited books. The review focuses on four areas of the research report: author, publishing venue, and report information; topic and focus; methodological concerns; and, the reporting of findings. Important conclusions are that this research is meeting the stated goal of its originators by creating a clinically relevant research base. However, some methodological concerns emerged that warrant attention from researchers, primarily in the area of evaluation standards and procedures, and in the lack of sufficient transparency in data analysis. The most frequently used methods include grounded theory, naturalistic inquiry, and phenomenology. Although the results are primarily descriptive in nature, the study also contains a list of ten representative studies that demonstrate how to include sufficient methodological information within the size constraints of book chapters and journal articles.
Adverse effects of human insulin

Sir—With respect to your Aug 29 editorial, we represent people with insulin-dependent diabetes who have difficulties with genetically produced human insulin which largely regress with a change to natural animals insulins. These adverse effects have not been generally recognised by the medical profession, and despite the absence of large scale randomised controlled trials human insulin has become first-line treatment. It is noteworthy, however, that in the past year the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has provided more information and in a more helpful way. We believe that there are several possible reasons for this change: a policy of open government; the threat of a Freedom of Information Act; the fact that we can often obtain information from the European Evaluation Agency; or a change in government or staff. The information held by the MCA from premarketing trials would be of real benefit in evaluating the adverse reactions to human insulin, but we have been unable to elicit these data from the MCA in more than 4 years. During our lobbying for a change in the Medicines Act 1968 to allow freedom of information to apply to medicines, we received a letter from the Baroness Hayman, dated Aug 19, 1998, stating that “The CSM concluded that some patients did experience problems with human insulin, particularly when initially transferred from animal insulins, and were better suited to continuing their treatment with animal insulins”. At no time during our years of correspondence with the MCA has such a statement been made, even though the number of reported adverse reactions to human insulin is more than five times greater than for the combined total for bovine and porcine insulins. Nor is there evidence that human insulin has any greater benefit than animal insulins. Further, omitting to make public the CSM conclusions has resulted in a failure to address the cost/benefit relation in the prescribing of insulins. In 1995, we pointed out to the Department of Health that our conservative estimate for prescribing human insulin was costing the NHS an extra £19 million per year. This figure has clearly risen since then with the introduction of disposable pens for human insulin, and with the cost of treating the adverse reactions. This selective provision of information by the MCA and failure to make public the information they have affects not only the health and wellbeing of patients but also the public purse at a time when our health service is struggling financially.
Defect engineering: design tools for solid state electrochemical devices

Abstract The interest in solid state electrochemical devices including sensors, fuel cells, batteries, oxygen permeation membranes, etc. has grown rapidly in recent years. Many of the same figures of merit apply to these different applications, the key ones being ionic conduction in solid electrolytes, mixed ionic-electronic conduction (MIEC) in electrodes and permeation membranes, and gas-solid reaction kinetics in sensors and fuel cells. Optimization of device performance often relies on the careful understanding and control of both ionic and electronic defects in the materials that make up the key device components. To date, most materials in use have been discovered serendipitously. A key focus of this paper is on the tools available to scientists and engineers to practice ‘defect engineering’ for the purpose of optimizing the performance of such materials. Dopants, controlled structural disorder, and interfaces are examined in relation to increasing the conductivity of solid electrolytes. The creation of defect bands is demonstrated as a means for introducing high levels of electronic conductivity into a solid electrolyte for the purpose of creating a mixed conductor and thereby a monolithic fuel cell structure. Dopants are also examined as a means of reducing losses in a high temperature resonant sensor platform. The control of microstructure, down to the nano-scale, is shown capable of inverting the predominant ionic to an electronic charge carrier and thereby markedly modifying electrical properties. Electrochemical bias and light are also discussed in terms of creating defects locally thereby providing means for micromachining a broad range of materials with precise dimensional control, low residual stress and controlled etch rates.
Mass and heat transfer in the flow of fluids through fixed and fluidized beds of spherical particles

S>Experimental mass and heat transfer data for all types of beds reported in the literature were utilized to determine the exact dependences between the products epsilon j/sub d/ and epsilon j/sub h/ and the Reynolds number D/sub p/G/ mu . For mass transfer the data of the investigations for gas and liquid films in packed fluidized, expanded, and distended beds were used. Values of mass and heat transfer factors calculated were compared with the corresponding values obtained from experimental data. (P.C.H.)
Acidic Deposition, Ecosystem Processes, and Nitrogen Saturation in a High Elevation Southern Appalachian Watershed

High-elevation red spruce-Fraser fir forests in the Southern Appalachian mountains: 1) receive among the highest rates of atmospheric deposition measured in North America, 2) contain old-growth forests, 3) have shown declines in forest health, 4) have sustained high insect-caused fir mortality, and 5) contain poorly buffered soils and stream systems. High rates of nitrogen and sulphur deposition (∼1900 and ∼2200 Eq·ha−1·yr−1, respectively) are dominated by dry and cloud deposition processes. Large leaching fluxes of nitrate-nitrogen (100–1400 Eq·ha−1·yr−1) occur within the soil profile. We have expanded the study to the watershed scale with monitoring of: precipitation, throughfall, stream hydrology, and stream chemistry. Two streamlets drain the 17.4 ha Noland Divide Watershed (1676–1920m) located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A network of 50 20x20 m plots is being used to assess stand structure, biomass, and soil nutrient pools. Nitrate is the predominant anion in the streamlets (weighted concentrations: 47 and 54 μeq·L−1 NO3 −; 31 and 43 μeq·L−1 SO4 2−). Watershed nitrate export is extremely high (∼1000 Eq·ha−1 yr−1), facilitating significant base cation exports. Stream acid neutralizing capacity values are extremely low (−10 to 20 μeq·L−1) and episodic acidifications (pH declines of a full unit in days or weeks time) occur. Annual streamwater sulfate export is on the order of 770 Eq·ha−1yr−1 or about one-third of total annual inputs, indicating there is net watershed sulfate retention. The system is highly nitrogen saturated (Stage 2, Stoddard, 1994) and this condition promotes both chronic and episodic stream acidification.
Research Gaps on Use of Opioids for Chronic Noncancer Pain: Findings From a Review of the Evidence for an American Pain Society and American Academy of Pain Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline

Abstract Chronic noncancer pain is common and use of opioids is increasing. Previously published guidelines on use of opioids for chronic noncancer pain have been based primarily on expert consensus due to lack of strong evidence. We conducted searches on Ovid MEDLINE and the Cochrane databases through July 2008 to identify studies that addressed one or more of 37 Key Questions that a multidisciplinary expert panel identified as important to be answered to generate evidence-based recommendations on the use of opioids for chronic noncancer pain. A total of 14 systematic reviews, 38 randomized trials not included in a previously published systematic review, and 13 other studies met inclusion criteria. Almost all of the randomized trials of opioids for chronic noncancer pain were short-term efficacy studies. Critical research gaps on use of opioids for chronic noncancer pain include: lack of effectiveness studies on long-term benefits and harms of opioids (including drug abuse, addiction, and diversion); insufficient evidence to draw strong conclusions about optimal approaches to risk stratification, monitoring, or initiation and titration of opioid therapy; and lack of evidence on the utility of informed consent and opioid management plans, the utility of opioid rotation, the benefits and harms specific to methadone or higher doses of opioids, and treatment of patients with chronic noncancer pain at higher risk for drug abuse or misuse. Perspective Currently, clinical decisions regarding the use of opioids for chronic noncancer pain need to be made based on weak evidence. Research funding priorities need to be set to address these critical research needs if the care of patients with chronic noncancer pain is to improve.
Toward an ethnolinguistic account of conversation

The purpose of this paper is to propose an analysis of linguistic form and social frames such that we can arrive at an account of how speakers recognize each other's utterances as acts of conversation. The specific goals are to show how utterance forms can be construed as acts of conversation; how these acts are coherently related within conversational sequences across turns at speaking; how such sequences accomplish the speech events the speakers are co-constructing; how conversational acts co-define, along with the speakers' postural configurations, their events; and how such descriptions meet the criteria for a genuinely ethnolinguistic (as distinct from a formal or psycholinguistic) theory of conversation.
Effect of wavelength on the relationship between critical flicker frequency and intensity in foveal vision.

The precise effect of wavelength on the judgment of critical flicker frequency (CFF) has been a controversial issue for a number of years. Some studies report no effect of wavelength; other studies indicate that wavelength is a basic determiner of the CFF threshold. The purpose of this study was to attempt a resolution of the controversy by means of a systematic and thorough investigation of the problem. The apparatus used was the Fordham calorimeter. By means of monochromators it was possible to deliver various spectral colors with a constant passband of 10 mμ to the subject. The intensity of the light source was controlled by means of neutral tint filters and an optical wedge. Flicker was produced by intercepting the beam of light with a sector disk driven by a Graham variable-speed motor. Eight wavelengths covering most of the range of the visible spectrum were used, and CFF thresholds were obtained at seven different luminance levels in eight experimental sessions for each wavelength. Three subjects with normal color vision were employed.The results showed that the wavelength of the stimulating light changes the slope of the curve relating CFF to log I. The curves at the blue end of the visible spectrum are steeper than those at the red end. Furthermore, the greater the separation between wavelengths, the greater is the probability of a significant difference between slope values. The fact that the slopes of the curves differed with wavelength does not mean that the Ferry–Porter law is invalid, but rather that one should adjust the “constants” of the equation for the particular wavelength being used. Consequently, it can be stated that CFF is a function of the wavelength of the stimulating light. The most explicit interpretation that could be made was that this change reflected some sort of change in the receptor system of the eye.
Will Social Welfare Expenditures Survive Tax Competition

Increasing economic openness creates demands for social welfare programmes designed to cushion the impact of economic changes, but may also encourage governments to reduce tax rates to attract mobile economic resources. Competitive tax reductions could then prevent governments from being able to finance significant welfare spending. Alternatively, economic globalization might improve the ability of governments to afford social welfare programmes--and several considerations point in this direction. First, taxes on internationally mobile activity represent only small fractions of total revenue collections; personal income taxes, value-added taxes, and social insurance contributions finance most social welfare spending. Second, international competition need not reduce taxes, and indeed, over the past 25 years, corporate tax collections have remained high as fractions of GDP and total taxes. Third, the vitality of a country's economy largely determines its level of social spending. To the extent that incomes rise as a result, greater economic openness should strengthen provision of social welfare. Copyright 2006, Oxford University Press.
The work hardening of dual-phase steels at small plastic strains

Abstract The work hardening at small plastic strains in dual-phase steels has been studied as a function of the microstructure and the volume fraction of the hard phase (phase II) in a series of fully characterized steels with between 0 and 100 vol.% of phase II. Three series of steels were examined: banded, homogenized, and homogenized and tempered at 200°C. In all the steels the ferrite was free of fine precipitate particles and the martensite contained 0.37 wt.% C and negligible amounts of retained austenite. The elastic limits of the steels (the stress at a strain of less than 5 × 10 −5 and the stress-strain curves at small plastic strains were measured using balanced electrical resistance strain gauges of high sensitivity. The internal stresses were assessed from measurements of the Bauschinger strains as a function of the volume fraction of phase II and, in the untempered homogenized steel with 26 vol.% of phase II, as a function of the plastic prestrain. The cyclic hardening characteristics of the steels were determined by continuing the cyclic tests at a constant strain amplitude for 10 cycles or more. In all the dual-phase steels the elastic limit is equal to or less than the elastic limit of annealed ferrite, an effect which is attributed to the presence of local internal elastic stresses in the ferrite resulting from the strains produced by the martensitic transformation. The rapid work hardening in the dual-phase steels with a ferrite matrix is due to the heterogeneous deformation of the ferrite at plastic strains of less than about 3.5 × 10 −2 , a heterogeneity which is due to the large variations in dislocation density within the ferrite. Heterogeneous deformation of the ferrite is a factor also in the initial deformation of steels with a martensitic matrix but, in this case, the high local elastic stresses are more important. The long-range elastic stresses in the ferrite of steels with a ferrite matrix are small at zero plastic strain, increase with increasing plastic strain and level off to a constant value at large strains. The contribution of these stresses to the hardening at small plastic deformations (less than 5 × 10 −3 ) is not significant but at larger deformations it can account for a measurable fraction of the hardening. The origins of the short- and long-range elastic stresses are discussed in some detail. There is no long-range internal stress in the martensite as is shown by the absence of permanent softening in the Bauschinger test. The cyclic hardening and softening of the dual-phase steels and of the constituent phases are described and discussed, as are the effects on all the properties considered here produced by low temperature tempering.
Photic evoked activity in the visual cortex of monocularly deprived cats

Abstract Monocular eyelid closure during the first 2 months of life has previously been shown to cause a dramatic reduction in the number of neurons that can be activated by photic stimulation of the deprived eye. Those studies recorded single neuron responses to stimulation with discrete forms. In contrast, the author has previously shown that the initial components of the slow-wave response from one region of the cortex evoked by diffuse stimulation of the deprived eye are actually similar to these components when evoked from the nondeprived eye. The disparity in these findings may be due to the fact that the slow-wave data were recorded from only one region of the visual cortex and in response to diffuse photic stimulation. To resolve these differences the slow-wave response from areas 17, 18, and 19 and single-unit activity in response to diffuse photic stimulation were studied. The response evoked from the deprived eye was found to be reduced in area 17 but was sometimes actually larger in areas 18 and 19 than the response evoked from the good eye. Of 45 single units tested, 36 could be driven by stimulation of either eye. Evidently, photic stimulation of the deprived eye is capable of evoking neuronal discharge within the visual cortex. Indeed, the ability of neuronal transmission from the deprived eye to activate neurons within the visual cortex is in keeping with the evidence on behavioral recovery from monocular eyelid closure.
The Cost of Stroke Prevention

To the Editor: Statin trials have consistently shown a robust (20% to 25%)1,2 reduction in major vascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke, vascular death), although a previous trial of simvastatin demonstrated no reduction in stroke rate for the subgroup of patients with preexisting cerebrovascular disease.2 Until recently, the use of statins for secondary stroke prevention in patients without coronary heart disease had not been fully addressed. However, on the basis of the Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol …
A note on the eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian of the harmonic oscillator perturbed by the potential λx2(1 + gx2)

Abstract The energy of the ground state and that of the first excited level of the harmonic oscillator perturbed by the potential λ x 2 1 + gx 2 (with both λ and g positive) are determined in the range of small λ and large g by means of a perturbation argument for the Fredholm determinant of the Birman-Schwinger kernel of the harmonic oscillator perturbed by the potential − λ g (1 + gx 2 . It is seen that the eigenvalues are given by smooth functions of the two parameters λ and η = g − 1 2 in the neighbourhood of (0,0).
Radiotherapy for High Grade Clinically Localized Adenocarcinoma of the Prostate

AbstractPurpose: We defined the efficacy of radiotherapy for the treatment of high grade (Gleason scores 8 to 10) adenocarcinoma of the prostate.Materials and Methods: A total of 50 patients underwent radiotherapy with curative intent for clinically localized prostate cancer with Gleason scores of 8 to 10 at 1 of 4 facilities affiliated with the University of California San Francisco. Patients were considered to have biochemical failure if they had a significant increase in prostate specific antigen (PSA) of 0.5 ng./ml. per year, an increase in PSA to greater than 1.0 ng./ml. or a positive biopsy.Results: Among the 50 patients median PSA was 22.7 ng./ml. (range 1.3 to 93.4). Tumors were clinical stage T1 or T2 in 46 percent of the cases and stage T3 or T4 in 54 percent. The overall actuarial probability of freedom from biochemical failure at 4 years was 23 percent. In a multivariate analysis including all patients pretreatment PSA was the only predictor of PSA failure, with 64 percent free of progression ...