cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Workforce training transfer: A study of the effect of relapse prevention training and transfer climate

Considerable evidence suggests that a substantial part of organizations' investment in training is often wasted due to poor learning transfer and trainee relapse. This study investigated the effects of two different relapse prevention (RP) modules designed to supplement a training program on employee coaching skills. The coaching program was delivered to 78 research scientists from five departments of a large Midwestern firm. The transfer “climate” of those five represented departments was also assessed. Results indicated that the RP modules did modestly influence trainees' use of transfer strategies, but the impact was contingent on the nature of the transfer climate.1© 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A current-mode flash ADC for low-power continuous-time sigma delta modulators

A current-mode flash analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with current summing stage was designed and evaluated. The topology is intended for low-power feed-forward continuous-time sigma delta (CTSD) modulators and was fabricated in a commercial 90nm CMOS technology. A 3-bit prototype has an effective number of bits (ENOB) of 2.87 bits at 2GS/s with 12MHz full-range input power. The static DNL and INL errors are both in the range of 0.24 LSB. The ADC achieves an SNDR of 15dB with a 1GHz input signal and an SNDR above 19dB for input signals below 300MHz. A major advantage of this architecture is its voltage scalability as well as the reduced input capacitance. The proposed ADC core dissipates 3.1mW power from a 1.2V supply while operating at 2GHz.
Virginal Breast Hypertrophy

Macromastia is the massive enlargement of the breast, unilateral or bilateral, disproportional to growth in the remainder of the body. Most patients seen with macromastia have breasts that develop normally at puberty but simply reach excessive size. Virginal breast hypertrophy is a rare and distinct disorder with the rapid onset of macromastia at the onset of puberty. Although the disorder has been reported in the surgical, pediatric, and gynecologic literature, virginal breast hypertrophy has not been reported in dermatologic journals. We report two cases of virginal breast hypertrophy. Patient 1 is a 14-year-old girl who developed macromastia 6 months after a liver transplant for alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency. She had intense erythema as well as verrucous hyperplasia overlying the breasts. Patient 2 was a 12-year-old girl who experienced severe bilateral breast enlargement 4 months after beginning treatment for thyrotoxicosis. She had extreme tenderness, erythema, and edema of the breasts and was treated with tamoxifen citrate, with improvement of her symptoms. Although virginal breast hypertrophy is a rare disorder, the dermatologist may be asked to consult on the associated skin changes in these cases and should be aware of its existence. The definitive therapy is surgical, but until breast growth is stabilized, cutaneous manifestations need to be managed.
Characteristics of thermal oxides grown on GaAs1 − xPx

Abstract Oxides were thermally grown on GaAs1 − xPx of various mole fractions x using dry oxygen or steam at various temperatures. The elemental composition of the oxide films as a function of depth was examined using ion microprobe mass analysis. Our results indicated that the grown layers were arsenic deficient through the bulk of the oxide and arsenic rich near the oxide-semiconductor interface region. Capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics of metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) capacitor structures displayed the deep depletion behavior typically observed with wide band gap semiconductor MIS devices. The characteristics also exhibited a hysteretic nature indicative of electron trapping at the oxide-semiconductor interface. The interface trap densities estimated from analysis of the C-V characteristics were in the range (5−9) × 1011 cm-2 eV-1. Post-oxidation annealing of the films in argon or nitrogen generally resulted in increased dielectric leakage current and in reduced C-V hysteresis effects. The correlation of electrical and ion microprobe data demonstrates the important role of arsenic in determining the electrical properties of the MIS devices.
Effect of synthetic vasopressins on the myocardial contractile force in the isolated guinea-pig atria

Niedrige Dosen von 8-Arginin Vasopressin, 2-Phenylalanin-8-Lysin Vasopressin und 8-Lysin Vasopressin (unter 10 mU/ml), haben keinen Einfluss auf die Myokardkontraktion des isolierten Meerschweinchen-Atriums. Grossere Dosen dieser Peptide (uber 20 mU/ml), fuhren zu einer dosisabhangigen Kontraktionsverminderung.
The promise of third-wave behavioral therapies in the treatment of substance use disorders

Substance use disorders are common and frequently complex, with overlapping medical, legal, social and psychiatric problems. Innovative treatment models to address the full range of problems in new ways using common principles are needed. Third wave behavior therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) comprise novel approaches and methods that have great potential to address complex substance abuse cases. These treatment models derive from contextual and behavioral science and have a common emphasis on developing empirical, principle-driven methods for approaching unwanted or distressing psychological and physical experiences common to substance use and other disorders. Randomized controlled trials targeting substance use with ACT and DBT have been conducted across varying populations, including various target substances (opiates, methamphetamine, polysubstance) and settings (prisons, methadone clinics, residential treatment, and outpatient). Despite methodological heterogeneity, ACT and DBT have compared favorably to passive and active control conditions. Further research is needed, however, with larger samples and active control conditions, along with studies of treatment mechanisms, to inform and shape theoretical models and substance abuse treatment protocols for enhanced efficacy.
The political contradictions of Algerian economic reforms

"From the outset, independent Algeria's political economy was marked by a paradox, for which it is still, today, paying the price. In 1962, the State, which is essentially public, was privatised, while commercial activities, which are essentially private, were made public. That was the time when revolutionary elites in the Third World thought that faith alone was enough to develop the country, using the State but without setting up the institutions guaranteeing free expression for the social groups organised as parties, trade unions, vested interests in order to participate in the political process. In the Boumedienne-Abdeslam period (1965-1978), the economic sector of the State was expected to absorb all commercial activities, from the large-scale steel industry down to the small local bakery, preventing the different social groups from enjoying any economic autonomy. Nor were they expected to make any claims on the political order. The State had set itself the task of satisfying all social needs through the so-called public sector whose vocation was not to make any profits, but to serve the public and, as a priority, the most destitute among the population."
Endoscopic nonoperative gastric polypectomy.

A gastric polypectomy was performed using the same technic with flexible fiberoptic instruments that has been successful in the removal of colonic polyps. The patient was a poor surgical operative risk and had obstructive symptoms from a prepyloric adenomatous polyp which prolapsed into the duodenal bulb. The polypectomy was performed with ease, and no complications were encountered. The entire polyp was retrieved for pathologic examination. On follow-up examination one month later a small healed stump was all that remained at the site of the previous gastric polyp.
The Power of Feelings: Emotion, Imagination, and the Construction of Meaning in Adult Learning

Emotions and imagination are integral to the process of adult learning. The imaginal method is discussed as an alternative to rational and reflective processes of meaning-making.
Identifying Positioned Nucleosomes with Epigenetic Marks in Human from ChIP-Seq

In vivo positioning and covalent modifications of nucleosomes play an important role in epigenetic regulation, but genome-wide studies of positioned nucleosomes and their modifications in human still remain limited.
Is there a role for liver biopsy in primary sclerosing cholangitis

Abstract Objective Liver biopsies are performed in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) to stage disease and to rule out coexisting liver disease. The purpose of this study was to examine how often routine liver biopsies provide important information in patients with PSC. Methods We reviewed the charts of 138 patients with a cholangiographic diagnosis of PSC to determine whether information from liver biopsy had an impact on clinical management. Results A total of 30 patients did not have a liver biopsy, whereas 29 patients had a biopsy before cholangiography. In 79 patients the liver biopsy was performed after the diagnosis of PSC was established by cholangiography (median time from cholangiography to liver biopsy, 21 days). In 78 of 79 patients (98.7%) the liver biopsy revealed no atypical findings and did not affect clinical management. In one patient the liver biopsy revealed findings of an overlap syndrome with autoimmune hepatitis, and the patient was treated with corticosteroids and azathioprine. This patient had biochemical features consistent with autoimmune hepatitis. One patient developed a bile leak after liver biopsy, requiring hospitalization (complication rate 0.9%). Conclusions Liver biopsies rarely contribute new information that affects the management of patients with PSC. Given the risks of the procedure, liver biopsies for patients with a diagnosis of PSC established by cholangiography may not routinely be necessary.
The effect of holiday weight gain on body weight.

The topic of holiday weight gain has been a frequent subject of the lay media; however, scientific interest has only been recent. Multiple studies in Western societies have reported average weight gains among adults during the period between mid-November and mid-January that were about 0.5 kg. The range in individual weight changes was large, however, and the already overweight and obese gain more weight than those who are healthy weight. When the average gain across the year was also measured, the holiday weight was the major contributor to annual excess weight gain. Efforts patterned to increase awareness to energy balance and body weight have been shown to be successful at reducing such gain. An exception to holiday weight gain being a major contributor to annual excess gain has been children, in whom summer weight gains have been observed to be the major contributor to average excess weight gain.
Magnetofluid-Dynamic Spectrum and Low Shear Stability

Abstract For a perfectly conducting, cylindrical plasma equilibrium (“screw-pinch”), the spectrum contains four distinct continua, three of which can extend to the origin. This implies the existence of irreversible damping and heating in the nondissipative model. The continuum becomes (Suydam) unstable by instantly shedding an infinite number of point eigenvalues. More generally, any local instability implies an infinity of unstable eigenvalues. Spectral analysis of a new class of low shear, semilocal unstable modes provides a connection between Suydam modes, found only in sheared systems, and interchanges, found only in closed line (shearless) systems, and gives rise to the concept of an effective marginal stability threshold. Study of the spectrum should also provide a unified picture of many other plasma phenomena.
Visual hierarchical feature processing: The relation of size, spatial position and identity

Abstract A feature analysis theory of pattern perception was developed based on physiological properties of the visual system. Specific predictions about the relations of size, spatial position, and identity analyses were made; further, these predictions differed as a function of stimulus parameters. Twenty-four Ss were tested on a task designed to reveal relations among various analyses. The results supported the contention that the level of analysis of a dimension changes relative to other stimulus dimensions as a function of stimulus parameters. Implications for pattern perception are discussed.
Arp2/3 Exhibits Higher Affinity for Young than for Mature Actin Filaments

Actin undergoes a conformational transition during polymerization, known as maturation. Caldesmon (CaD) or its C-terminal fragment, H32K, when present before the transition, inhibits this process and arrests the actin filament at the pre-transitional “young” state, which is otherwise transient (Huang et al., J Biol Chem 285, 71-79, 2010). However, CaD in cells usually binds to stable actin filaments, except when it is phosphorylated and translocated to the cell leading edge where actin is being actively assembled (Kordowska et al., Exp Cell Res 312, 95-110, 2006); this may be the only occasion that CaD could interfere with actin maturation in vivo. We hypothesized that the young actin filaments stabilized by phosphorylated CaD are rendered more amenable to remodeling. Electron microscopic images indeed show that these young filaments have a rough and fuzzy morphology (Collins et al., BioArchitecture 1, 127-133, 2011). The question then arises: Could such an irregular appearance in fact provide more available docking sites for other actin-binding proteins, and thereby facilitate actin dynamics? To test this idea, we have performed binding experiments between Arp2/3 and actin filaments formed under the condition favoring either the young or the mature state. Actin filaments polymerized in the presence and absence of the CaD fragment H32K were incubated with the Arp2/3 complex and centrifuged; the amount of actin-bound Arp2/3 in the pellet was then analyzed by immuno-reactivity toward anti-Arp2 after serial dilutions. We found that the level of Arp2/3 cosedimented with actin filaments polymerized in the presence of H32K was higher than that bound to CaD-free F-actin, indicating stronger binding of Arp2/3 to the young actin filaments than to the mature filaments. These results appear to support our hypothesis. Supported by a grant from NIH.
Temperature and elevation effects on plant growth, development, and seed production of two Lesquerella species

A potential new alternative oilseed crop from the genus Lesquerella is being domesticated for the southwestern United States and other arid climates of the world. This crop has seed oil rich in hydroxy fatty acids used to produce a variety of industrial, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical products. Many of the industrial products are replacements for non-degradable and non-renewable petroleum-based products such as hydraulic fluids, surfactants, 2-cycle engine oils, automotive oils, protective coatings, drying agents, and plastics. L. fendleri is the main species being utilized for crop development, although other species are being utilized for introgression of useful traits into L. fendleri. The objective was to determine field sites suitable for crop production. Two species, L. fendleri and another we refer to as ‘L. pallida aff.’ because it differed from typical L. pallida plants in chromosome number and in oil quality, were planted in the fall of 2003 at various sites in Arizona that ranged in elevation from 300 to 1200 m asl, and −13.2 to 38.8 ◦ C in temperature over the growing season. The four sites included Phoenix, Tucson, Safford, and Patagonia. Plants of L. fendleri developed flowers and fruits by the week of 21 March at Phoenix and Tucson, but one month later at the two higher elevation sites. Plant height, width, and biomass measured during the season indicated that plants at the two lower elevations grew nearly two times taller and wider, and over five times the biomass of the plants at the higher elevations. Seed yields followed the same trend. However, oil contents were very similar over the four elevations. Plants of L. pallida aff. were almost all flowering and fruiting by 04 April at Tucson, two weeks later at Phoenix, and not until 02 May at the two higher elevations. Plants were tallest and widest throughout the season at Tucson until final harvest. Plants at Patagonia at final harvest were as tall and wide, had greater biomass and seed yields than Tucson and Phoenix. These results indicate that L. fendleri is suitable for production in areas below 700 m. Plants of L. pallida aff. were more productive at the highest elevation of 1219 m. It was not entirely clear as to how plants of either species would have performed at the 884 m elevation site due to high plant mortality at the early growth stage. Results indicate that production areas for L. fendleri may be expanded with the introgression of genes from L. pallida aff. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Universal conductance fluctuations in metals.

The conductance of any metallic sample is predicted to fluctuate as a function of chemical potential or magnetic field by an amount of order $\frac{{e}^{2}}{h}(\ensuremath{\simeq}4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}{\ensuremath{\Omega}}^{\ensuremath{-}1})$ independent of sample size and degree of disorder as long as the temperature is low enough so that $\mathrm{kT}$ and the inelastic-scattering rate are less than the inverse time to diffuse across the sample. The theory is shown to be in excellent agreement with numerical simulations and explains many features of experiments on small wires and rings.
Neuronal patterning: Making stripes in the spinal cord

Neuronal cell types in the hindbrain and spinal cord arise at specific dorsoventral levels of the neural tube. Recent studies have revealed interactions between two classes of homeodomain transcription factors that mediate Sonic hedgehog signalling and cell patterning in the ventral spinal cord.
Single-step optical lift-off process

A process is described that allows the use of the lift-off metallization technique with ultraviolet exposure of a single layer of ®AZ-type photoresist. The process consists of soaking the resist layer for a predetermined time either in chlorobenzene or other aromatic solvents such as toluene and benzene before or after exposure. After development, resist profiles with overhangs suitable for lift-off metallization are obtained. It appears that removal of solvent and low-molecular-weight resin from the ®AZ resist may be responsible for the observed differential development rates. In addition, the soak time and temperature behavior indicate a diffusion-type process.
Variation in search and predatory attack strategies of shark mackerel Grammatorcynus bicarinatus

I observed shark mackerel demonstrating multiple search and attack strategies. Strategies were categorized as three distinct types: (1) a linear search by single or groups of fish along reef features; (2) ambush from a stationary position on the seafloor; and (3) ambush from resting schools of co-occurring predators. Together these strategies were consistent with both information-sharing and producer-scrounger models of group foraging and indicate significant flexibility in individual fish foraging behaviour based on proximate conditions.
Derivation of the Landauer conductance formula

The Landauer formula expresses the conductance of a disordered one-dimensional conductor as the ratio of transmission ($T$) to reflection ($R$) coefficients of scattered waves, $G=(\frac{{e}^{2}}{2\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\hbar}})(\frac{T}{R})$. We give a rigorous derivation of this formula from linear-response theory (Kubo formula). The generalization to the many-scattering-channel case is given in detail. It is found that only in very special circumstances can the currents in different channels be decoupled in such a way as to give a simple conductance formula.
Identifying the effectiveness of using three different haptic devices for providing non-visual access to the web

Haptic technologies are often used to improve access to the structural content of graphical user interfaces, thereby augmenting the interaction process for blind users. While haptic design guidelines offer valuable assistance when developing non-visual interfaces, the recommendations presented are often tailored to the feedback produced via one particular haptic input/output device. A blind user is therefore restricted to interacting with a device which may be unfamiliar to him/her, rather than selecting from the range of commercially available products. This paper reviews devices available on the first and second-hand markets, and describes an exploratory study undertaken with 12 blindfolded sighted participants to determine the effectiveness of three devices for non-visual web interaction. The force-feedback devices chosen for the study, ranged in the number of translations and rotations that the user was able to perform when interacting with them. Results have indicated that the Novint Falcon could be used to target items faster in the first task presented, compared with the other devices. However, participants agreed that the force-feedback mouse was most comfortable to use when interacting with the interface. Findings have highlighted the benefits which low cost haptic input/output devices can offer to the non-visual browsing process, and any changes which may need to be made to accommodate their deficiencies. The study has also highlighted the need for web designers to integrate appropriate haptic feedback on their web sites to cater for the strengths and weaknesses of various devices, in order to provide universally accessible sites and online applications.
POTENTIAL FOR MEASUREMENT OF LYSINE BIO AVAILABILITY IN POULTRY FEEDS BY RAPID MICROBIOLOGICAL ASSAYS — A REVIEW

Optimizing economic utilization of feed protein sources for poultry nutritional requiremens is difficult to achieve given the varied protein quality of the respective sources. Although there are several limiting amino acids in feeds that would benefit from development of rapid and more reliable bioavailability assays, lysine is of key importance since this amino acid is usually the first or second limiting amino acid in poultry feeds and is susceptible to processing treatments. However, to incorporate incoming sources in the most cost-effective manner, accurate and timely prediction of lysine bioavailability prior to use is desired to achieve a consistent nutritional value. Animal bioassays involving chicks are one of the standard accepted practices for evaluating protein quality and amino acid bioavailability, but such assays have several limitations. Alternative in vitro tests that accurately predict lysine bioavailability for feed proteins would solve many of the problems associated with currently used animal bioassays. The expected focus should be on the development of more rapid in vitro lysine bioavailability assays that could be easily used for evaluation of poultry feed protein sources.
Blockade of the 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-induced changes in neurotensin and dynorphin A systems.

Abstract The levels of neurotensin-like immunoreactivity (NTLI) and dynorphin-like immunoreactivity (DLI) in the neostriatum, nucleus accumbens and substantia nigra were increased 18 h after a single administration of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, 10 mg/kg). Coadministration of SCH 23390, a dopamine D 1 receptor antagonist, or MK-801, a non-competitive antagonist of the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor complex, prevented the MDMA-induced increase of NTLI and DLI in all three brain structures while the administration of sulpiride, a dopamine D 2 receptor antagonist, failed to alter the MDMA effects. These findings suggest that MDMM-induced changes in neurotensin and dynorphin involve both the dopaminergic and the glutamatergic systems.
From Pitta-Pitta to Proto-Indo-European

L'A. propose une revue de la litterature portant sur la reconstruction du proto-indo-europeen et aborde notamment la question de la pertinence de la theorie qui fait de l'indo-europeen une langue a un phoneme vocalique
Conformational Study of SnCl4 Complexes of Aldehydes, α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes, and Esters: Observation of Both s-Cis and s-Trans Isomers

A variable-temperature NMR study shows that 2-methylpropanal (1a), ethyl 2-pentenoate (2), ethyl 4-methyl-2-pentenoate (3a), 2-pentenal (4), and 4-methyl-2-pentenal (5a) prefer the C-CH3 eclipsed c...
Masked variability in regression analysis.

Summary: Mackler et al. (1) found markedly elevated plasma concentrations of phenylalanine in rats made iron deficient; phenylalanine levels returned to control levels within one week after rats were treated with iron dextran. Plasma phenylalanine levels, the authors stated, "appeared to vary directly with the degree of iron deficiency."
Co-assembly of GABA ρ subunits with the GABAA receptor γ2 subunit cloned from white perch retina

Although it is well established that GABA(C) receptors are comprised in part of GABA rho subunits, the exact subunit composition of neuronal GABA(C) receptors is yet to be determined. A detailed comparison of GABA(C)-mediated neuronal responses elicited from retinal neurons with those obtained from receptors formed by GABA rho subunits revealed a number of significant differences both in the kinetics and the pharmacology of the responses. Our previous studies indicated that the human GABA(A) receptor gamma(2) subunit could co-assemble with one (rho(1B)) of the white perch GABA rho subunits to form a heterooligomeric receptor with properties that resembled those of the GABA(C) receptors on white perch bipolar cells. In this study, we cloned the white perch gamma(2) subunit, and investigated its co-assembly with four white perch GABA rho subunits. When expressed in Xenopus oocytes, perch gamma(2) and rho(1B) subunits form heterooligomeric receptors with distinct properties: the GABA-elicited responses have fast kinetics and are sensitive to pentobarbital modulation. The enhancement of GABA-elicited responses by pentobarbital on the heterooligomeric receptors could be eliminated by a single mutation in the third transmembrane domain of the gamma(2) subunit, indicating that pentobarbital sensitivity is mediated by the incorporated gamma(2) subunit. On the other hand, co-expression of the perch gamma(2) subunit with the other perch GABA rho subunits produced no detectable changes in the kinetics of GABA-elicited response or the sensitivity to pentobarbital modulation. These results suggest that the gamma(2) subunit can co-assemble only with one (rho(1B)), but not with other white perch GABA rho subunits.
Preliminary steps toward formation of a generalized budget for cold-water carbonates

High-latitude carbonate sediments were once considered isolated exceptions to the tropical rule. They are now being studied throughout the world and preliminary descriptive models have been proposed. Constituents, composition and distribution of cold-water carbonate sediments have been described, and they are diagnostically different from their tropical counterparts. The rates of depositional and post-depositional processes may differ as well. The present study of the rates of gross production, net production and diagenesis was undertaken at Shell Beach in the Gulf of Maine (43°45′N, 69°45′W), a shelly pocket beach. Surface and subsurface sediments were collected and analyzed for CaCO3 content, assemblage and alteration. Population density of dominant organisms and the weight of skeletal material in typical adults were determined. Transport of sediment was observed. Gross production by dominant organisms was calculated to be 1600 g CaCO3/m2 y over the area of production. Net production, while less exact, was on the order of 13–130 g CaCO3/m2 y. The difference between these is explained by strong destructive diagenesis, dominantly biological, and at a rate of 80–1300 g CaCO3/m3 y. The large gap between gross and net production seems to be characteristic of cold-water carbonate sediments, as does the strongly destructive diagenesis. The gap must be remembered when assessing fossil cold-water populations.
Job Design of Patternmakers in Apparel Manufacturing

The job structure of apparel patternmakers in North Carolina manufacturing units producing women's and children's apparel in 1989 was examined Sixty companies met the eligibility requirement of employing their own patternmakers. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by patternmakers and managers during visits to the companies by the researcher. The response rate of 83 % represented 50 companies employing 79 female and 40 male patternmakers. The independent variables were fashion change frequency and organizational strategy. The dependent job structure variables were task differentiation, skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. Results indicate that companies with high fashion change frequency and analyzer strategy require patternmakers with strong patternmaking skills. Companies with low fashion change frequency and defender strategy require patternmakers with diverse pre-production manufacturing skills and minimal patternmaking skills. Implications for pattermna...
Effects on ingestion and excretion of water of lesions in a single hypothalamic area

Abstract Water intake and urine output on a water loading test were studied in 81 albino rats before and after bilateral stereotaxically placed lesions to a wide variety of subcortical regions. Cessation or marked reduction of water ingestion followed lesions in the lateral hypothalamus. Diminished water output was found as an accompaniment to subcortical lesions in all regions studied save the internal capsule and globus pallidus, where slight increases in postoperative output were noted. In the posterior portion of the lateral hypothalamus, the lesions causing adipsia were accompanied by an increased output of urine. In a second experiment three additional animals were studied while being maintained in metabolism cages before and after lesions to this portion of the lateral region, and their water intake and urine output were compared with control animals receiving water and food restriction matched to that of the operated group. The findings of the first study were verified; the rats with lesions in the posterior lateral hypothalamic region were rendered adipsic, but their urinary output increased and became more dilute.
Performance of temperature-stable RF MEMS switched capacitors under high RF power conditions

This paper presents a temperature-stable RF MEMS shunt capacitive switch which employs a circular beam geometry. The circular switch reduces the effect of stress changes versus ambient temperature and results in a average pull-in voltage slope of only −55.8 mV/°C from −5‒125°C. This novel device is simulated and tested under continuous RF power at 10 GHz. Results show that the non-uniform temperature distribution of the MEMS bridge, due to the RF power absorbtion, leads to a decreasing up-state capacitance and increasing spring constant. This combination results in a switch that does not suffer from self-actuation up to power levels of 5.2 W, limited by the test setup. The RF power handling measurements are in good agreement with simulations.
The social construction of noncompliance: a study of health care and social service providers in everyday practice

This study investigates the social construction of noncompliance by clinicians, social workers, and alcohol counsellors in a multiservice health care and social service agency. Based upon data from in-depth interviews and long term observations, it is suggested that noncompliance, like other categories of deviance, is socially constructed and subjectively denned and interpreted. Staff members of this agency subjectively defined noncompliance as the extent to which clients' behaviours deviated from expectations of appropriate, proper and reasonable client behaviour. In addition, staff members interpreted the meanings of clients' noncompliance by subjectively assessing the intent underlying their clients' noncompliant acts. Their assessments, in turn, served to structure their subsequent interactions with clients and provided the rational and moral bases for constructing the strategies they used to manage clients' noncompliant behaviours and bring about compliance.
Active Spaces of Pheromone Traps for Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Enclosed Environments

Pheromone traps of different types vary considerably in their attractive ranges and trapping efficiency. This report examines physical and behavioral factors that affect the attractive range of pheromone traps for Plodia interpunctella (Hubner) in enclosed areas. The lures in a trap used to target infestations in department stores emitted ( Z, E )–9,12-tetradecadien-1-ol acetate at a2.3 ng/h, or 10% of typical rates for field-trap lures. Males exhibited flight or wing-fanning responses at distances up to a4 m from the traps, which is in good agreement with predictions of previous pheromone dispersal models. At distances of a0.5 m, the sound pressure level of wing beats (and thus the wing aerodynamic power output) by males responding to pheromone was significantly higher than the sound pressure level of wing beats in the absence of pheromone. Responsiveness to pheromone habituated rapidly after initial exposure (a3 min half-life), and the aerodynamic power output declined quickly to levels measured without pheromone. The habituation response may be reproductively advantageous by allowing moths to conserve energy when a mate is not located quickly. It contributes to the ability of short–range pheromone traps to spatially target infestations of P. interpunctella in department stores by decreasing the attractive ranges from 4 m to 2–3 m within 5–10 min after the moth’s initial exposure to pheromone.
Communities as Necessity in Information Literacy Development: Challenging the Standards

Abstract Contemporary standards suggest that information literate activity is a solitary process. As a corrective, research and pedagogical theories related to “learning communities” and “communities of practice” have become valuable sites of inquiry for librarians. The author provides strategies for making community a topic of instruction.
Non-uniform contrast and noise correction for coded source neutron imaging

Since the first application of neutron radiography in the 1930s, the field of neutron radiography has matured enough to develop several applications. However, advances in the technology are far from concluded. In general, the resolution of scintillator-based detection systems is limited to the 10μm range, and the relatively low neutron count rate of neutron sources compared to other illumination sources restricts time resolved measurement. One path toward improved resolution is the use of magnification; however, to date neutron optics are inefficient, expensive, and difficult to develop. There is a clear demand for cost-effective scintillator-based neutron imaging systems that achieve resolutions of 1μm or less. Such imaging system would dramatically extend the application of neutron imaging. For such purposes a coded source imaging system is under development. The current challenge is to reduce artifacts in the reconstructed coded source images. Artifacts are generated by non-uniform illumination of the source, gamma rays, dark current at the imaging sensor, and system noise from the reconstruction kernel. In this paper, we describe how to pre-process the coded signal to reduce noise and non-uniform illumination, and how to reconstruct the coded signal with three reconstruction methods correlation, maximum likelihood estimation, and algebraic reconstruction technique. We illustrates our results with experimental examples.
The flexible geometry of the [HW2(CO)10]− anion

Abstract It is found that the [HW 2 (CO) 10 ] − anion exists in both linear and bent forms: in [Et 4 N] + [HW 2 (CO) 10 ] − the anion adopts a linear D 4 h structure with eclipsed equatorial carbonyl groups, but in [(Ph 3 P) 2 N] + [HW 2 (CO) 10 ] − the anion has a bent backbone and staggered equatorial carbonyl groups.
Exploiting temporal coherence in speech for data-driven feature extraction

It is well known that speech sounds evolve at multiple timescales over the course of tens to hundreds of milliseconds. Such temporal modulations are crucial for speech perception and are believed to directly influence the underlying code for representing acoustic stimuli. The present work seeks to explicitly quantify this relationship using the principle of temporal coherence. Here we show that by constraining the outputs of model linear neurons to be highly correlated over timescales relevant to speech, we observe the emergence of neural response fields that are bandpass, localized, and reflective of the rich spectro-temporal structure present in speech. The emergent response fields also appear to share qualitative similarities those observed in auditory neurophysiology. Importantly, learning is accomplished using unlabeled speech data, and the emergent neural properties well-characterize the spectro-temporal statistics of the input. We analyze the characteristics and coverage of ensembles of learned response fields for a variety of timescales, and suggest uses of such a coherence learning framework for common speech tasks.
A multi-time step integration algorithm for structural dynamics based on the modified trapezoidal rule

An explicit multi-time step (subcycling) integration method is proposed for solving semi-discretized structural dynamics problems. Based on nodal partition theory, this method is derived from the modified trapezoidal rule method (MTM). To achieve numerical stability virtually fixed physical quantities, displacement and velocity, are assumed for the non-updated nodal groups. The energy method is used to analyze the stability of the new algorithm and the critical time step for each nodal group is determined in terms of the maximum frequency of the elements in the associated subdomain. Some example problems are evaluated to numerically examine the accuracy and stability of the algorithm.
Parent Quality of Life in the Context of Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Objective To describe the quality of life (QoL) of parents of youth with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and examine youth disease activity (DA) and youth QoL as predictors of parent QoL. Methods Forty-nine youth with IBD (ages 10-18) and a parent completed measures of demographics, parent QoL, and youth QoL. Youth DA ratings were obtained from medical records. Results Parental QoL was higher in several domains compared to the normative sample, with the greatest differences reported in physical functioning domains. Although patient demographic factors did not explain significant variance in parent QoL, greater DA was associated with lower parent QoL in mental health (MH) and physical health (PH) domains. Higher youth QoL was associated with higher parent QoL in the MH domain only. Conclusions Although as a group parental QoL was high, when youth are experiencing disease exacerbations or impaired QoL, parents may benefit from assessment and support.
Sorecery and Shamanism: Curanderos and Clients in Northern Peru

Sorcery and Shamanism: Curanderos and Clients in Northern Peru. Donald Joralemon and Douglas Sharon. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1993. 306 pp. $35.00 (cloth).
VLSI implementation of a low-energy soft digital filter

In this paper, we present a VLSI implementation of an energy-efficient digital filtering algorithm developed using the soft DSP framework. Soft DSP refers to overscaling the supply voltage without sacrificing speed and employing algorithmic error-control to restore the resulting performance degradation. It is shown that delay imbalance at the circuit level inherent in existing arithmetic structures results in improved energy savings with marginal degradation in performance. The proposed scheme implemented in 0.35 /spl mu/m TSMC CMOS technology provides an overall energy savings of up to 76% with performance degradation of less than 1 dB in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR/sub 0/) at the filter output.
Time-Resolved Density Measurements in Premixed Turbulent Flames

Results of density measurements by Rayleigh scattering from an unconfined, V-shaped, methane-air flame stabilized in grid turbulence are reported and discussed. Data for mean and root-mean-square (rms) density, power spectra, and for probability density functions (pdf's) are presented along with velocity data obtained by laser velocimetry and hot-wire anemometry. Profiles of mean density and rms fluctautions show that the flame thickens with distance from the flame stabilizer but there is no significant change in rms fluctuation magnitude with distance. The pdf's are biniodal but cannot be represented adequately by two delta functions. Normalized spectra do not vary significantly across the flame and exhibit similarities to velocity spectra in the reactant flow.
Inhibition of a Mitotic Motor Compromises the Formation of Dendrite-like Processes from Neuroblastoma Cells

Microtubules in the axon are uniformly oriented, while microtubules in the dendrite are nonuniformly oriented. We have proposed that these distinct microtubule polarity patterns may arise from a redistribution of molecular motor proteins previously used for mitosis of the developing neuroblast. To address this issue, we performed studies on neuroblastoma cells that undergo mitosis but also generate short processes during interphase. Some of these processes are similar to axons with regard to their morphology and microtubule polarity pattern, while others are similar to dendrites. Treatment with cAMP or retinoic acid inhibits cell division, with the former promoting the development of the axon-like processes and the latter promoting the development of the dendrite-like processes. During mitosis, the kinesin-related motor termed CHO1/MKLP1 is localized within the spindle midzone where it is thought to transport microtubules of opposite orientation relative to one another. During process formation, CHO1/ MKLP1 becomes concentrated within the dendrite-like processes but is excluded from the axon-like processes. The levels of CHO1/MKLP1 increase in the presence of retinoic acid but decrease in the presence of cAMP, consistent with a role for the protein in dendritic differentiation. Moreover, treatment of the cultures with antisense oligonucleotides to CHO1/MKLP1 compromises the formation of the dendrite-like processes. We speculate that a redistribution of CHO1/MKLP1 is required for the formation of dendrite-like processes, presumably by establishing their characteristic nonuniform microtubule polarity pattern.
Analysis of Deskew Signaling Via Adaptive Timing

This paper presents an adaptive timing method for analysis of deskew signaling in high-performance integrated systems. The proposed approach models the practical deskew schemes as an adaptive system to study the performance limit of deskew signaling. We investigate the statistical properties of optimal deskew, which can be considered as the theoretical limit of deskew signaling. This approach also allows us to study the related energy efficiency issues in deskew schemes. We determine the bound on energy efficiency subject to the performance constraint on deskew signaling. Simulation results show that the performance of practical deskew schemes in a 90-nm process is 23.2% away from the optimal deskew scheme, and the gap of energy efficiency is 51% above the bound.
Efficacy of Different Anticoccidials Against Experimental Coccidiosis in Large White Turkeys

Two trials were conducted to compare the efficacy of currently approved anticoccidials for turkeys against challenge using a field isolate of mixed Eimeria species; E. adenoides, E. gallopavonis, and E. meleagrimitis. Poults in wire-floored cages were fed unmedicated diets from day-old to 3 wk of age. Diets were supplemented with either amprolium (AMP, 125 mg/kg), butynorate (BUT, 375 mg/kg), monensin (MON-60, 60 mg/kg; MON-100, 100 mg/kg), halofuginone (HAL; 3 mg/kg), zoalene (ZOA; 125 mg/kg), or sulfadimethoxine plus ormetoprim (SUL + ORM, 62.5 mg/kg and 37.5 mg/kg, respectively). After 2 days on the test diets, poults were individually weighed and inoculated with sporulated coccidial oocysts from the field isolate. Total fecal collections were obtained for Days 0 to 5 and 6 to 10 to estimate oocyst output. At 10 days postinoculation, the birds were individually weighed and killed to determine severity of intestinal lesions. The HAL and MON were most effective and AMP, ZOA, and SUL + ORM were least effective in maintaining weight and in reducing the severity of intestinal lesions. All the coccidiostats tested reduced oocyst passage, but poults fed HAL produced fewer oocysts. The results demonstrated differences in efficacy among anticoccidials with the more recently approved drugs providing the best protection against coccidiosis.
Digesting the Remodeled Heart Role of Lysosomal Cysteine Proteases in Heart Failure

Of the many proteinases present in the myocardium, members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family have received most attention. However, the cysteine proteases and their inhibitors have now been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiac remodeling in the hypertrophied and failing heart. Cathepsins, cysteine proteases of the papain family, are optimally active in the acidic pH of lysosomes and are responsible for the physiological digestive turnover of cellular molecules and organelles. We now know that the levels of cathepsins and their endogenous inhibitors, cystatins, can be regulated by a number of signaling molecules, and cathepsins can be released from lysosomes into the extracellular space. Cysteine proteinases may degrade extracellular matrix proteins, such as elastin and fibrillar collagens.1 Nonlysosomal cathepsin targets include degradation of matrix and bone via elastinolytic/collagenolytic activity, activation of pro-MMP, induction of anoikis-dependent apoptosis via matrix degradation, activation of caspases, and cleavage of focal adhesion kinases. A decade ago, measurement of cathepsin activity in heart tissue of different pathologies was used as a measure of lysosomal activity and …
Cadmium inhibition of RNA metabolism in murine lymphocytes.

AbstractCadmium, as Cd2+, has become an environmental pollutant of significant proportions. We and others have reported that cadmium in in vitro culture can alter several metabolic parameters including the synthesis of RNA. In the present study, a detailed examination of the mechanism of inhibition was undertaken. Cadmium, at 30 µM, decreased cellular uptake of uridine as well as incorporation into RNA up to 60 µM. Above this concentration, uridine incorporation fell to zero while that associated with the lymphocytes remained at a significantly higher value. LPS caused an increase in the fraction of the precursor incorporated into RNA. In the presence of cadmium, the fraction inzorporated by non-stimulated cells fell continually while in the stimulated cells, the fraction had increased at 10 µM above which it dropped until at the highest concentration it was as for the unstimulated lymphocytes. It was found that up to 30 µM the ability of LPS to stimulate the lymphocytes in the presence of cadmium was enh...