cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Practical Linear Array Imaging System for Nondestructive Testing Applications

A prototype ultrasonic inspection system, using a sequentially fired transducer array, has been built that is much faster than conventional single-element tranducer systems. This system was assembled with off-the-shelf components and would appear to be an attractive solution to nondestructive testing problems that require fast inspection rates and have resolution and sensitivity requirements that are consistent with the use of unfocused transducer elements. The fast inspection of a number of Army components, such as artillery shells, projectile rotating bands, and tank track pads, has been demonstrated.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus fomite survival.

OBJECTIVE: To assess survival of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on fomites encountered by health students. DESIGN: Three suspensions of MRSA were made to mimic lab splashes: a 0.5 McFarland trypticase soy broth, whole blood with 50 colony forming units/mL and body fluid/serum with 2,000 colony forming units/mL. These were seeded onto three environmental surfaces (glass, vinyl floor tile, and countertop) and wet swabbed for 60 days. High touch areas of student stethoscopes were also wet swabbed. MRSA selective CHROMagar® was used to identify organism survival. SETTING: Salisbury University, Salisbury MD PARTICIPANTS: Salisbury University nursing and respiratory therapy students who volunteered to have their stethoscopes swabbed anonymously. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Detection of pink colonies on MRSA-selective CHROMagar®. RESULTS: MRSA in 0.5 McFarland broth lived for >60 days on all surfaces. MRSA in blood was undetectable on any surface, and MRSA in serum survived 41 days on glass, 45 days on tile, and >60 days on countertop. Five of thirty-three stethoscopes (15%) tested were positive for MRSA. CONCLUSIONS: Previous studies showed fomite survival of MRSA for about two weeks using contact plate sampling and MRSA on 7.4% of stethoscopes. We showed longer MRSA survival times by wet swab sampling and a higher stethoscope contamination rate. As expected, higher organism loads survived longer. ABBREVIATIONS:ATCC = American Type Colony Collection; CFUs = colony forming units; MRSA = methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; MSSA = methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus; TS = trypticase soy.
NanoNeuroRFID: A Low Loss Brain Implantable Device Based on Magnetoelectric Antenna

A novel wireless and implantable neural modulation device called NanoNeuroRFID is introduced. Neuronal recording via this device is based on direct magnetic field detection and wireless data communication with external receiver is through electromagnetic waves. Conventional state-of-the-art antennas have a size of greater than one-tenth of the wavelength and are so massive for brain implantation. Magnetoelectric (ME) antenna, the core component of the NanoNeuroRFID, however, is an acoustically actuated ultra-compact antenna and could be thousands of times smaller than wavelength of working frequency [7]. It is shown that low frequency and low loss brain implantation is feasible with a 100×200 µm2ME antenna and as a result, Path Loss (PL) of a certain channel from Grey Matter to external scalp is reduced substantially compared to using a commensurate-size conventional antenna which has a much higher operational frequency.
Live imaging of developing mouse retinal slices

Ex vivo, whole-mount explant culture of the rodent retina has proved to be a valuable approach for studying retinal development. In a limited number of recent studies, this method has been coupled to live fluorescent microscopy with the goal of directly observing dynamic cellular events. However, retinal tissue thickness imposes significant technical limitations. To obtain 3-dimensional images with high quality axial resolution, investigators are restricted to specific areas of the retina and require microscopes, such as 2-photon, with a higher level of depth penetrance. Here, we report a retinal live imaging method that is more amenable to a wider array of imaging systems and does not compromise resolution of retinal cross-sectional area. Mouse retinal slice cultures were prepared and standard, inverted confocal microscopy was used to generate movies with high quality resolution of retinal cross-sections. To illustrate the ability of this method to capture discrete, physiologically relevant events during retinal development, we imaged the dynamics of the Fucci cell cycle reporter in both wild type and Cyclin D1 mutant retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) undergoing interkinetic nuclear migration (INM). Like previously reported for the zebrafish, mouse RPCs in G1 phase migrated stochastically and exhibited overall basal drift during development. In contrast, mouse RPCs in G2 phase displayed directed, apical migration toward the ventricular zone prior to mitosis. We also determined that Cyclin D1 knockout RPCs in G2 exhibited a slower apical velocity as compared to wild type. These data are consistent with previous IdU/BrdU window labeling experiments on Cyclin D1 knockout RPCs indicating an elongated cell cycle. Finally, to illustrate the ability to monitor retinal neuron differentiation, we imaged early postnatal horizontal cells (HCs). Time lapse movies uncovered specific HC neurite dynamics consistent with previously published data showing an instructive role for transient vertical neurites in HC mosaic formation. We have detailed a straightforward method to image mouse retinal slice culture preparations that, due to its relative ease, extends live retinal imaging capabilities to a more diverse group of scientists. We have also shown that, by using a slice technique, we can achieve excellent lateral resolution, which is advantageous for capturing intracellular dynamics and overall cell movements during retinal development and differentiation.
Managing Mistrust, Paranoia, and Relationship Rupture

Therapeutic alliance is an important mediator of treatment effectiveness across disorders. Yet patients with BPD have specific difficulties with forming stable, trusting bonds, and may experience significant suspiciousness or paranoia, particularly during times of stress. In this context, establishing a trusting relationship can feel like a fast-moving target for both clinicians and patients. Conceptualizing the symptom of paranoia within the framework of interpersonal hypersensitivity is helpful for delivering effective psychoeducation to patients, and for maintaining compassion and mitigating burnout for clinicians. Clinicians working with individuals who have difficulty with interpersonal trust should provide psychoeducation early, be clear about expectations for active collaboration, and be active but not reactive when alliance is ruptured. The expectation for change should not be lost in the struggle to form a trusting relationship, and clinicians must be reflective about whether treatment is helping and should continue (or begin again, in the case of termination). In addition, prescribers should be cautious and judicious about the use of antipsychotic medications.
Water vapor exposure chamber for constant humidity and hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope composition

Rationale Water vapor exposure experiments have applications for studying water physisorption and chemisorption hydration and hydroxylation reactions on a wide variety of material surfaces. The stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in the water molecule are useful tracers of water exchange mechanisms and/or rates in such vapor exposure experiments. Methods We designed and built a humidity chamber system that uses membrane-mediated liquid-vapor exchange of water followed by mixing with dry air to control the relative humidity of air and its δ2 H and δ18 O isotopic composition. We tested the stability and precision of the humidity and its isotopic composition on hourly to 90-day timescales. Results The humidity chamber design reported here is capable of providing relative humidity control to within ±1%, and consistent δ2 H and δ18 O values of the water vapor that are similar to our cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS) measurement precision (δ2 Hvap ± 0.7‰ and δ18 Ovap ± 0.24‰). We quantify the isotopic enrichment effects of Rayleigh distillation in the system and provide information on water reservoir sizes large enough to buffer isotopic enrichment effects to within measurement precision. Conclusions The humidity chamber design reported here provides a means to create constant δ2 H and δ18 O values over the course of an exposure experiment. The design has applications to a wide range of studies of water sorption on material surfaces from foods and pharmaceuticals to geological materials.
Embracing the Other Culture: Bridging the Gap Between the Writing Center and Engineering Studies

Literature and experience both suggest that accommodating engineering students in the writing center presents a unique set of challenges that are often daunting to writing center practitioners, as scientific modes of thought are often vastly different in style and substance than those in the humanities. By synthesizing personal experience, an interview with an expert in the professional and academic engineering field, and literature, this article explores the engineering identity to inform the writing center practitioner’s practices as they engage with engineering students. This study asserts that the identity-centric approach that is commonly incorporated into writing center pedagogy can be used with engineering clients with the same effectiveness, provided that the writing center becomes more acquainted with the engineering identity.
A 60-GHz Integrated Slot Loop Antenna in 0.13-µm BiCMOS Technology

This paper presents a rectangular slot loop antenna integrated in a standard 0.13-µm BiCMOS technology. By using the slot loop antenna, it can easily satisfy the metal density rules without dummy metal fill and can be integrated with other circuitry. The total area of the antenna including the ground plane is 0.883 mm2 and the loop antenna only occupies 0.24 mm2. The antenna resonates at 59.93 GHz and the bandwidth is 5.44 GHz from 57.82 GHz to 63.26 GHz. The simulated total gain is 2.69 dBi while the efficiency at 60GHz is 86%. The radiation efficiency is better than 74% over the band.
Recrudescence of Old Stroke Deficits Among Transient Neurological Attacks.

Background:Recrudescence of old stroke deficits (ROSD) is a reported cause of transient neurological symptoms, but it is not well characterized.Objective:We sought to determine the prevalence, pote...
Expression and Functions of Calcium-Sensing Receptor in the Central Nervous System

Calcium is the premier messenger molecule mediating adaptive changes in neuroarchitecture in response to signals such as neurotransmitters and neurotrophic factors. Calcium is also involved in long-term adaptive processes, such as memory. Such adaptive changes within an optimal range of intracellular Ca2+ (Ca2+ i) play major roles during development and adult plasticity of the nervous system (1,2). However, when Ca2+ i rises too high and/or for too long a time-period, maladaptive degradation of cellular components can occur. The source of the messenger calcium is either the pool of extracellular Ca2+ ions or calcium sequestered within intracellular pools, such as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria, or so-called calciosomes (the site for calcium-triggered calcium release) (3). In the former instance calcium homeostasis in the CNS is maintained by Ca2+ entry into neural cells by voltage-sensitive or ligand-gated calcium channels and Ca2+ release from the ER or calciosomes in case of the latter.
Trends of INR and Fecal Excretion of Vitamin K During Cholestasis Reversal: Implications in the Treatment of Neonates With Intestinal Failure-Associated Liver Disease.

Background Vitamin K is a fat-soluble compound that plays important roles in coagulation. In children with intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD), the disrupted enterohepatic circulation can lead to intestinal loss of vitamin K. Fish oil-based lipid emulsion (FOLE) has proven effective in treating IFALD. As biliary excretion is restored during cholestasis reversal, the accelerated vitamin K loss can pose a risk for deficiency. Methods Ten neonates with IFALD and receiving FOLE monotherapy were prospectively enrolled in the study from 2016 to 2018. In addition to weekly measurements of international normalized ratio (INR) and direct bilirubin (DB), ostomy output was collected for determination of fecal concentrations of phylloquinone (PK). Trends of DB, INR, and fecal PK concentrations were summarized with locally estimated scatterplot smoothing. Results The median time (interquartile range) from FOLE initiation to cholestasis reversal was 59 (19-78) days. During cholestasis reversal, INR remained relatively unchanged, whereas the mean (95% confidence interval) daily fecal excretion of PK increased from 25.1 (5.0-158.5) ng at the time of FOLE initiation to 158.5 (31.6-1000.0) ng at complete reversal. Examination of individual trends in fecal PK excretion and INR revealed little correlation between the 2 measurements (r = -0.10; P = 0.50). Conclusion Children with IFALD are at risk for vitamin K deficiency during cholestasis reversal. Close monitoring and quantified supplementation of vitamin K may be warranted during this period. However, this should not be guided by INR alone, as it is a poor indicator of vitamin K status.
Flat Panel Vacuum Thermal Insulation and the Super-Dewar Flask

We have investigated the possibility of making an evacuated insulation in flat panel form. Because in many insulations a large portion of the thermal conductivity is contributed by air, its removal from the insulation would give substantial improvement in insulation efficiency. The problem was to make a vacuum space in the form of a fiat panel. The walls of the vacuum space required strong supports against the external atmospheric pressure, and the solid conduction of the supports had to be very low.
Anxiety Disorders: A Feminist Ecological Approach

Feminist Ecological Model describes how external sociocultural factors play a role in determining mental health. The strengths of such a model lie in the consideration of individual- as well as systemic-level factors and a capacity to describe how systems may contribute to increasing risk for certain groups. The goal of this chapter is to review the ways in which anxiety might be conceptualized using such a framework, including both theoretical and empirical work, as well as considering future directions. Elements of the macrosystem, exosystem, and individual characteristics that may be related to anxiety as well as their intersections are discussed.
The effect of coffee consumption on the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis: A meta-analysis of 11 epidemiological studies.

Abstract Introduction and objectives Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a widespread chronic liver disease. It is considered a multifactorial disorder that can progress to liver fibrosis and cause a worldwide public health concern. Coffee consumption may have a protective impact on NAFLD and liver fibrosis. However, the evidence from the previous studies is inconsistent. This meta-analysis summarizes available literature. Materials and methods This study comprises two meta-analyses. The first meta-analysis summarizes the effect of coffee consumption on NAFLD in those who did or did not drink coffee. The second analysis compares the risk of liver fibrosis development between NAFLD patients who did or did not drink coffee. Pooled risk ratios (RR) and confidence intervals (CI) of observational studies were estimated. Results Of the total collected 321 articles, 11 met our eligibility criteria to be included in the analysis. The risk of NAFLD among those who drank coffee compared to those who did not was significantly lower with a pooled RR value of 0.77 (95% CI 0.60–0.98). Moreover, we also found a significantly reduced risk of liver fibrosis in those who drink coffee than those who did not drink in the NAFLD patients with the relative risk (RR) of 0.68 (95% CI 0.68–0.79). Conclusions Regular coffee consumption is significantly associated with a reduced risk of NAFLD. It is also significantly associated with decreased risk of liver fibrosis development in already diagnosed NAFLD patients. Although coffee consumption may be considered an essential preventive measure for NAFLD, this subject needs further epidemiological studies.
Exaggerated Error Handling Hurts! An In-Depth Study and Context-Aware Detection

Operating system (OS) kernels frequently encounter various errors due to invalid internal states or external inputs. To ensure the security and reliability of OS kernels, developers propose a diverse set of mechanisms to conservatively capture and handle potential errors. Existing research has thus primarily focused on the completeness and adequacy of error handling to not miss the attention. However, we find that handling an error with an over-severe level (e.g., unnecessarily terminating the execution) instead hurts the security and reliability. In this case, the error-handling consequences are even worse than the error it attempts to resolve. We call such a case Exaggerated Error Handling (EEH). The security impacts of EEH bugs vary, including denial-of-service, data losses, broken control-flow integrity, memory leaks, etc. Despite its significance, detecting EEH remains an unexplored topic. In this paper, we first conduct an in-depth study on EEH. Based on the findings of the study, we then propose an approach, EeCatch, to detect EEH bugs in a context-aware manner. EeCatch accurately identifies errors and extracts their contexts (both spatial and temporal), and automatically infers the appropriate severity level for error handling. Using the inferred severity level, EeCatch finally detects EEH bugs in which the used error handling exceeds the inferred severity level. By analyzing the whole Linux kernel, EeCatch reports hundreds of potential EEH bugs that may cause security issues such as crashing the system. After evaluating 104 cases reported by EeCatch, we manually confirmed 64 EEH bugs and submitted patches for all of them. Using our patches, Linux maintainers have fixed 48 reported EEH bugs, confirming the effectiveness of EeCatch. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to systematically study and detect EEH bugs. We hope the findings could raise the awareness of the critical consequences of EEH bugs to help developers avoid them.
WPT Systems on Ferromagnetic Substrates with Enhanced Performance

In this paper, ferromagnetic materials are used to improve the performance of Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) systems. A Conformal Strongly Coupled Magnetic Resonance (CSCMR) system is miniaturized by placing ferrite sheets under its transmitting (TX) and receiving (RX) elements. When the ferrite substrates are used, the operating frequency of the CSCMR system shifts from 40 MHz (without the ferrites) to 32 MHz This reduction of the operating frequency is achieved while maintaining the same dimensions, thereby miniaturizing the WPT system. Additionally, the effects of a metallic surface were also investigated. Without the ferrite substrates, the Power Transfer Efficiency (PTE) of the system is approximately zero, whereas with the ferrite substrates the system is able to provide a maximum PTE of 62.9%. These results show that ferromagnetic materials can be used to enhance the performance of CSCMR systems for multiple applications.
Detection of Hostile Intent by Spatial Movements.

ObjectiveThe ability of people to infer intentions from movement of other vessels was investigated. Across three levels of variability in movements in the path of computer-controlled ships, partici...
Interleukin 4 promotes anti-inflammatory macrophages that clear cartilage debris and inhibits osteoclast development to protect against osteoarthritis.

Abstract Objective Osteoarthritis (OA), the leading cause of joint failure, is characterized by breakdown of articular cartilage and remodeling of subchondral bone in synovial joints. Despite the high prevalence and debilitating effects of OA, no disease-modifying drugs exist. Increasing evidence, including genetic variants of the interleukin 4 (IL-4) and IL-4 receptor genes, implicates a role for IL-4 in OA, however, the mechanism underlying IL-4 function in OA remains unknown. Here, we investigated the role of IL-4 in OA pathogenesis. Methods Il4-, myeloid-specific-Il4ra-, and Stat6-deficient and control mice were subjected to destabilization of the medial meniscus to induce OA. Macrophages, osteoclasts, and synovial explants were stimulated with IL-4 in vitro, and their function and expression profiles characterized. Results Mice lacking IL-4, IL-4Ra in myeloid cells, or STAT6 developed exacerbated cartilage damage and osteophyte formation relative to WT controls. In vitro analyses revealed that IL-4 downregulates osteoarthritis-associated genes, enhances macrophage phagocytosis of cartilage debris, and inhibits osteoclast differentiation and activation via the type I receptor. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that IL-4 protects against osteoarthritis in a myeloid and STAT6-dependent manner. Further, IL-4 can promote an immunomodulatory microenvironment in which joint-resident macrophages polarize towards an M2 phenotype and efficiently clear pro-inflammatory debris, and osteoclasts maintain a homeostatic level of activity in subchondral bone. These findings support a role for IL-4 modulation of myeloid cell types in maintenance of joint health and identify a pathway that could provide therapeutic benefit for osteoarthritis.
Re-examining the role of mood selection type in Spanish heritage speakers’ subjunctive production

Abstract Verbal morphology is a particularly vulnerable domain in the grammars of Spanish heritage speakers (HSs). Among the most frequently studied phenomena is mood selection, identified as a pervasive locus of variability that affects the production of subjunctive more prominently. The present article explores this area of research by examining the effects of mood selection type on HSs’ subjunctive use. In contrast with previous studies, this investigation controls for propositional modality, focusing its analyses on instances of obligatory and variable subjunctive selection within deontic predicates. Results from a production task revealed that, despite the presence of between-group differences driven by participants’ levels of proficiency, type of selection did not significantly modulate their rates of subjunctive use. These findings challenge previous claims about the extent to which this factor affects Spanish HSs’ performance, and highlight the importance of considering propositional modality when examining the acquisition of mood.
The Rent Control Adversary

The case for rent control seems rather simple and straightforward. Tenants are usually poorer than landlords. In a tight housing market without such “protection,” rents will rocket and the unfortunate occupants of apartments will be forced into smaller and smaller dwelling spaces and greater and greater misery.
Infrared laser wave height sensor

The National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) has a requirement for an accurate, reliable, economical method of measuring ocean wave activity at its Coastal-Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) meteorological stations. The author describes a diode-laser-based ocean wave-height sensor developed to fill this need. The device, called the Infrared Laser Wave Height Sensor (IR LWHS), was designed for use in a remote, unmanned, marine environment. Tests have shown no basic problems with the IR LWHS sensor. Experimentation has shown that data can be obtained from a laser pulse for angles up to 15 degrees from the perpendicular. >
Colonization of gastrointestinal tracts of chicks by Campylobacter jejuni.

Abstract Bacterial enumeration and histologic examination of organs and tissues of 8-day-old chicks 7 days after peroral inoculation with Campylobacter jejuni revealed that the organism colonized primarily the lower gastrointestinal tract. The principal sites of localization were the ceca, large intestine, and cloaca, where densely packed cells of C. jejuni were observed in mucus within crypts. Examination of C. jejuni-colonized crypts by transmission electron microscopy revealed that the campylobacters freely pervaded the lumina of crypts without attachment to crypt microvilli. Understanding the mechanism of colonization may lead to approaches that will reduce the incidence of C. jejuni carriage by poultry.
Current-mode network transformations

Current-mode network transformations are presented from which it is possible to generate new current-mode circuits by performing simple operations on the network. These transformations are developed by interchanging the ports of a current-mode circuit and exploiting the properties of current-conveyors and RC networks. The new circuits need at most one additional current-conveyor for buffering purposes. >
Seven hot outsourcing practices

We believe that an outside group will be more productive, better skilled in the application, cheaper, or more efficient, working with less bureaucracy. We will look at those assumptions and suggest a sensible seven-step approach to outsourcing. Procurement personnel have an important job to do. Our aim was to stimulate teamwork and partnerships. we focus on building win-win relationships with our suppliers.
Leading Indicator Project : Lithuania

The authors present a method for forecasting growth cycles in economic activity, measured as total industrial production. They construct a series which they aggregate into a composite leading indicator to predict the path of the economy in Lithuania. The cycle is the result of the economy's deviations from its long-term trend. A contractionary phase means a decline in the growth rate of the economy, not necessarily an absolute decline in economic activity. The indicator they select for economic activity is usually the Index of Industrial Production, plus a group of variables that, when filtered and adjusted, becomes the composite leading indicator that forecasts the reference series. Variables include economically, and statistically significant financial, monetary, real sector, and business survey data. They base selection of the components of the leading indicator on the forecast efficiency and economic significance of the series. Once selected, the relevant variables are aggregated into a single composite leading indicator, which forecasts the de-trended Index of Industrial Production. They apply the Hodrick-Prescott filter method for de-trending the series. This is a smoothing technique that decomposes seasonally adjusted series, into cyclical and trend components. One advantage of the Hodrick-Prescott filter is that it provides a reasonable estimate of a series' long-term trend. The OECD uses a system of leading indicators to predict growth cycles in the economies of its member countries. These exercises have been very effective in their forecasting ability and accuracy - but for the technique to work it is essential to have an adequate statistical system that provides many economic variables in a precise and timely manner, preferably monthly. The authors extend the OECD technique, and present an application to a country of the former Soviet Union.
Financial statement risk assessment following the COSO framework

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to teach students the fundamental and most critical aspects of performing a financial statement risk assessment, a skill vital to help ensure both auditor and public‐company compliance with guidance found in the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX), the SEC's Interpretative Guidance regarding Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting, the control deficiency evaluation framework found in Auditing Standard No. 5 (AS5) of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), and the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).Design/methodology/approach – This instructional case study helps students assess the impact of a set of hypothetical internal control deficiency risks in various industries, including inherent and residual financial statement risk assessment, and concludes with determining which identified internal control weaknesses are significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in internal control. Included i...
A Real-Time Kernel for Distributed Multi-Robot Systems

A distributed real-time kernel is being developed to support multi-robot systems. Our research is motivated by the difficulties encountered when implementing time dependent distributed application programs such as distributed multi-robot control systems using existing operating systems. These difficulties arise because most systems are designed to provide good average performance, making it impossible to implement programs whose correctness depends on exact timing. Our distributed kernel provides a set of primitives that can used to implement applications requiring predictable timing behaviors. This paper discusses the design and implementation of a distributed real-time kernel. The kernel provides a hierarchy of interprocess communication primitives with increasing overheads and a generic way to interact with external devices. A distributed multi-robot control system being developed to evaluate our kernel is also described.
Electromigration performance of CVD-W/Al-alloy multilayered metallization

Al alloys, including Al-Si(1%) and Al-Cu(2%), are investigated. The electromigration test results indicate that the rough surface texture of the underlying chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-W layer degrades the electromigration performance of the Al-Si film. The rough CVD-W surface texture had minimal impact on the electromigration performance of the Al-Cu films. A current-density exponent of 2.1-2.2 was found for both types of films. An activation energy for failure was determined to be 0.75 eV and 0.46 eV for the Al-Cu and Al-Si, respectively. >
Analysis of a Modified Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal

Guitar players are increasingly modifying (or paying someone else to modify) inexpensive mass-produced guitar pedals into boutique units. The Keeley modification of the Boss DS-1 is a prime example. In this paper, we compare the measured and perceived performance of a Boss DS-1 before and after applying the Keeley All-Seeing-Eye and Ultra mods. This paper sheds light on psychoacoustics, signal processing, and guitar recording techniques in relation to low fidelity guitar distortion pedals.
Typing the numeric tower

In the past, the creators of numerical programs had to choose between simple expression of mathematical formulas and static type checking. While the Lisp family and its dynamically typed relatives support the straightforward expression via a rich numeric tower, existing statically typed languages force programmers to pollute textbook formulas with explicit coercions or unwieldy notation. In this paper, we demonstrate how the type system of Typed Racket accommodates both a textbook programming style and expressive static checking. The type system provides a hierarchy of numeric types that can be freely mixed as well as precise specifications of sign, representation, and range information--all while supporting generic operations. In addition, the type system provides information to the compiler so that it can perform standard numeric optimizations.
Effects of ligand structure on the in vitro transformation of the rat cytosolic aryl hydrocarbon receptor.

Abstract Incubation of radiolabeled 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin (TCDD), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF),1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin(PeCDD), 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran (PeCDF), 1,2,7,8-TCDF, and 2,3,7-trichlorodibenzo- p -dioxin (TrCDD) with rat hepatic cytosol for 2 h at 0 °C gave liganded aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor complexes which were indistinguishable as determined by velocity sedimentation analysis and DNA-Sepharose column chromatography. Incubation of the cytosol plus the different radioligands for 2 h at 20 °C resulted in the formation of Ah receptor complexes which exhibited increased retention times on DNA-Sepharose columns. It was apparent that the amount of specifically bound Ah receptor complex or the levels of the transformed Ah receptor complex which eluted from the column with 0.2–0.3 m salt were dependent on the structure of the radioligand. For example, after incubation for 2 h at 20 °C the overall yields of the specifically bound transformed Ah receptor complex were 3.4, 2.0, 1.2, 1.9, 0.3, and 0.1%, respectively, using 2,3,7,8-TCDD, 2,3,7,8-TCDF, 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD, 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDF, 1,2,7,8-TCDF, and 2,3,7-TrCDD as radioligands. A more quantitative measure of the structure-dependent transformation of the liganded cytosolic Ah receptor complex was determined using a gel retardation assay with a consensus synthetic dioxin-responsive element (DRE) (26-mer, duplex). The EC 50 values obtained for the concentration-dependent formation of the retarded DRE-Ah receptor complex using 2,3,7,8-TCDD, 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD, 2,3,7,8-TCDF, 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDF, 2,3,7-TrCDD, and 1,2,7,8-TCDF as ligands were 0.26, 0.35, 0.78, 1.75, 27.0, and 220 n m , respectively. The structure-dependent differences in these values were similar to their different potencies
Nitrate reduction to ammonium and organic nitrogen in an estuarine sediment

Abstract Nitrate reduction to NH 4 + and incorporation into organic matter was investigated in sediment-water systems composed of a 2.4-cm layer of estuarine sediment covered by 2 cm of water. Between 15 and 28% of the 15 N-labelled NO 3 − added to the sediment or floodwater of the systems was recovered as NH 4 + and organic N. The results indicated that NO 3 − was reduced to NH 4 + by a dissimilatory mechanism. A separate experiment examined the influence of redox potential (+300, 0 and −200 mV) on NO 3 − reduction in sediment suspensions maintained at pH 7.5. Conversion of NO 3 − to NH 4 + and organic N increased markedly with decreasing redox potential. The results suggested that although the reaction accounted for 35–42% of the NO 3 − reduced under intensely-reduced conditions (−200 mV), the significance of the reaction in nature was dependent upon NO 3 − movement into zones sufficiently reduced for reduction of NO 3 − to NH 4 + instead of denitrification. Under conditions in which NO 3 − moved downward through a sediment-water column into a reduced sediment zone approximately 15% of the NO 3 − was reduced to NH 4 + and recycled in the sediment.
Data sets for the study of conflict and their application to former French colonies

There has never been a greater availability of quantitative sources of data for the study of civil wars; however, from the perspective of a scholar interested in French politics, they are not all of equal value. Significant differences in definition and classification can radically alter the cases included in data sets. A review of prominent data sources is provided, including a comparison of their strengths to assist in the selection and use of appropriate data sources.
An integrated approach to improving fossil fuel emissions scenarios with urban ecosystem studies

Abstract The future trajectory of fossil fuel emissions is one of the largest uncertainties in predicting climate change. While global emissions scenarios are ultimately of interest for climate modeling, many of the factors that influence energy and fuel consumption operate on a local rather than global level. However, there have been relatively few comprehensive studies of the ecological and socioeconomic processes that will determine the future trajectory of net carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at local and regional scales. We conducted an interdisciplinary, whole ecosystem study of the role of climate, urban expansion, urban form, transportation, and the urban forest in influencing net CO2 emissions in the Salt Lake Valley, Utah, a rapidly urbanizing region in the western U.S. Our approach involved a detailed emissions inventory validated with atmospheric measurements, as well as a system dynamics model of future CO2 emissions developed in collaboration with local stakeholders. The model highlighted the importance of a positive feedback between urban land development and transportation investments that may strongly affect emissions by amplifying declines in developmental densities and increases in vehicular traffic. Simulations suggested that while doubling the density of tree planting would have a negligible effect on total urban CO2 emissions, land use and transportation policies that dampen the intensity of the urban sprawl feedback could result in a 22% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 relative to a business as usual scenario. We suggest that by advancing our mechanistic understanding of energy and fuel consumption regionally, this urban ecosystem approach has great potential for improving emissions scenario studies if replicated in other cities and urbanizing regions.
Near-infrared transient-absorption spectroscopy of zinc tetraphenylporphyrin and related compounds. Observation of bands that selectively probe the S1 excited state

Abstract Picosecond transient-absorption spectra are reported for the S 1 excited state of zinc tetraphenylporphyrin (ZnTPP) and related compounds in the near-infrared region ( λ ≤ 1400 nm). The spectra exhibit a prominent absorption band ( ɛ ≌ 4400 M −1 cm −1 for ZnTPP) between 1200 and 1300 nm whose position is sensitive to solvent (toluene and THF), zinc coordination number (ZnTPP(py-4-CCPh)), the metal center (GaTPP(Cl)), and the positions of the porphyrin substituents (zinc octaethylporphyrin, ZnOEP). The transient-absorption profile between 850 and 1200 nm is also sensitive to these variations. The near-infrared bands for the TPP compounds are assigned to transitions from the S 1 state to gerade -symmetry dark states based on their correspondence to relative energies predicted by previously reported time-dependent density functional theory calculations and their constant energy gap relative to the S 2 state. The characteristics of the prominent near-infrared transient-absorption band make it well suited for selectively probing photophysical and photoredox processes of the S 1 state because it does not overlap with absorption bands of the T 1 excited state or of [ZnTPP] + or [ZnTPP] − , in contrast to the features in the typically probed visible-wavelength region.
Diffusion of water and oxygen in quartz: reaction–diffusion model

Abstract A mechanism of diffusion of isotopically tagged water in crystalline quartz by molecular diffusion and network exchange is compared to previous experiments. Three experimental factors are explained by this mechanism. (1) The apparent diffusion coefficient is proportional to the fugacity of the water vapor in the gas phase. (2) The ratio of apparent diffusion coefficients at 800°C in deuterium–hydrogen exchange to 18O–16O exchange is 4.7(10)5. (3) Below 700°C the measured diffusion coefficients become time dependent. This diffusion-exchange mechanism is valid for a wide variety of crystalline and amorphous oxides.
The isolation and properties of a peptide ionophore from beef heart mitochondria

Summary An ionophoretic peptide has been obtained from beef heart mitochondria by extraction with organic solvents. The purified peptide interacts with both sodium and potassium ions and facilitates the transport of these ions across the mitochondrial inner membrane. The similarity in behavior between this endogenous ion carrier and certain depsipeptide antibiotics (e.g., gramicidin-D and valinomycin) suggests that the mechanism of monovalent cation permeation in mitochondrial membrane systems is accountable in terms of endogenous ion carriers analogous to known, microbiologically derived ionophores.
International coordination of fiscal deficits

Abstract Nearly all existing studies of international coordination of fiscal deficits focus on aggregate demand aspects of the problem. In contrast, this paper adopts a dynamic general equilibrium perspective and emphasizes the public finance side of fiscal deficits. In a world with international capital mobility, the fiscal deficit of any single government affects world interest rates and therefore influences intertemporal resource allocation in all countries. The paper shows that these international externalities may result in inefficiently large fiscal deficits, high interest rates, and low levels of welfare if international policy coordination is absent.
A high-precision triangular cylindrical shell finite element

element uses as generalized displacements the tangential displacements and their first derivatives, plus the normal displacement and its first and second derivatives at each vertex, a total of 36 in all. The transverse displacement function for the element contains a complete quartic polynomial plus some higher degree terms and allows a cubic variation of normal slope along each edge. The tangential displacement functions are complete cubic polynomials, and it is shown that this formulation leads to a consistent asymptotic strain energy convergence rate of n~6, where n is the number of elements per side of a shell. Results show that this element is exceedingly accurate and far outperforms early lower order elements in predicting stresses as well as displacements. This element may easily be converted into an efficient and useful cylindrical shell element simply by substituting cylindrical shell theory for the shallow shell theory. The purpose of this Note is to present the necessary derivations for doing this and to illustrate the element's usefulness on an example application. The problem of a cylindrical shell with a circular cut-out is analyzed, and the stress concentration results are compared with those from both an approximate analytic analysis2 and a new finite difference variational approach.3 The following presentation is necessarily brief, but more details are available in Ref . 4.
Gel permeation and thin‐layer chromatographic characterization and solution properties of butadiene and styrene homopolymers and copolymers

Gel permeation chromatographic (GPC) and thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) studies of polystyrene, polybutadienes (BR), and their copolymers (SBR) have been carried out. GPC primarily separates them on the basis of molecular size, and TLC, on the basis of composition. Methods of obtaining absolute molecular weight distributions for BR and SBR based upon variations of the Strasbourg Universal Calibration procedure are described. In particular, [η]–M relationships in both the GPC solvent (THF) and in a second solvent (toluene) were used; in addition, results of statistical mechanical calculations for (based on the assumption of negligible steric hindrance and freely rotating bonds) were applied. An experimental comparison of these methods was carried out, and use of the [η]–M relationships for both solvents was found to give satisfactory results. The predictions of the statistical theory were too low. A detailed study of polymer–solvent–gel interaction in the GPC unit was made through investigation of ternary phase equilibrium in the (polystyrene)–THF–(polymer) system. The polymers studied included BR and SBR with varying styrene contents. Experimental techniques for TLC separations of BR, SBR, and polystyrene according to the composition are described.
Nipple Feeding Premature Infants in the Neonatal Intensive‐Care Unit: Factors and Decisions

Objective To rank factors considered important by neonatal intensive‐care unit (NICU) nurses in identifying hunger in infants weighing 1,800 g or less, to rank factors considered important in making decisions about nipple feeding such infants, to determine whether the two rankings varied among hospitals, and to identify the caregiver with the greatest influence overfeeding decisions. Design Descriptive comparative survey. Setting NIGUs of three metropolitan hospitals. Participants Forty‐seven NICU nurses in those hospitals. Main Outcome Measures Nurses ranked factors indicating hunger in preterm infants and factors contributing to feeding decisions for such infants. Results Vigorous sucking, rooting, and crying were ranked as hunger cues. Nonnutritive sucking and a gestational age of 34 weeks or more were considered indicators of readiness to begin nipple feeding. The centrality of the nurse's role in feeding decisions was confirmed. Conclusions Additional research is needed to determine whether nonnutritive sucking predicts nutritive sucking Performance and to study the nurses’responses to infants who suck poorly or refuse to nipple feed.
Panel estimators and the identification of firm-specific efficiency levels in parametric, semiparametric and nonparametric settings

Abstract The paper analyzes a number of competing approaches to modeling efficiency in panel studies. The specifications considered include the fixed effects stochastic frontier, the random effects stochastic frontier, the Hausman–Taylor random effects stochastic frontier, and the random and fixed effects stochastic frontier with an AR(1) error. I have summarized the foundations and properties of estimators that have appeared elsewhere and have described the model assumptions under which each of the estimators have been developed. I discuss parametric and nonparametric treatments of time varying efficiency including the Battese–Coelli estimator and linear programming approaches to efficiency measurement. Monte Carlo simulation is used to compare the various estimators and to assess their relative performances under a variety of misspecified settings. A brief illustration of the estimators is conducted using U.S. banking data.
Disrupting dissolving ions at surfaces with fluid flow

Aqueous dissolution processes are not well understood on the molecular scale ( 1 ), and this has led to controversy, notably in geochemical systems ( 2 , 3 ). Charging of a solid surface, either by substitution of ions with a different valence (e.g., Ca2+ for Na+) or by chemical binding of charged species from solution, orients the dipole moments of nearby water molecules. On the solution side of these dipoles, oppositely charged ions collect ( 4 ) and an electrical double layer (EDL) of different charges forms. Two prevailing assumptions about the EDL have been that water molecules and ions near the surface are not substantially perturbed by solution flow and that surfaces with low solubility have negligible effects on chemistry within the EDL. These notions are upset by the results reported on page 1138 of this issue by Lis et al. ( 5 ), who show both EDL sensitivity to flow-induced interface shear and substantial changes in surface charges as a result of dissolution processes on low-solubility surfaces.
Respiratory tract organ cultures to assay attachment and pathogenicity of mycoplasmas.

Summary A comparison of various in vitro models of respiratory tissue is presented. Tracheal ring explant cultures can be readily infected with M. pneumoniae . A decrease in vigour and extent of ciliary beating becomes apparent 24–48 h after 60-min exposure to 10 7 cfu of mycoplasmas. Cytotoxicity can be substantiated with assays of dehydrogenase activity, ATP content and oxygen uptake. For studies of pathogen attachment, perfusion culture of intact tracheas offers a distinct advantage over tracheal-ring explants. A greater proportion of the pathogen uptake is mediated by specific receptor sites because artificial cut surfaces are eliminated. Such matrixembed/perfusion cultures have been used to assay the effectiveness of mycoplasma interactions with receptor site preparations. Triton X-100 effectively solubilizes glycoproteins which will bind with M. pneumoniae . Perfusion culture has also been used to study the synthesis and secretion of mucous glycoprotein by the respiratory epithelium.