cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Decrease in Normal Human Corneal Sensitivity With Topical Diclofenac Sodium

We tested the effect of topical diclofenac sodium on corneal sensitivity in the human eye. Corneal sensitivity was measured in ten adult subjects with the Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer before, and immediately after, applying one drop of diclofenac sodium 0.1% in one eye and one drop of diclofenac vehicle in the other eye. Application was repeated every five minutes for 20 minutes; then no more drops were applied, and corneal sensitivity was measured every 15 minutes until sensitivity measurements returned to baseline levels. Diclofenac sodium decreased corneal sensitivity significantly (P = .0001) in all ten subjects, compared with eyes treated with the vehicle. The effect of diclofenac sodium increased as additional drops were administered. After the drug instillation was stopped, corneal sensitivity returned to baseline measurements within less than an hour in all the subjects. Diclofenac sodium substantially lowers sensitivity in normal, unoperated-on human corneas; the vehicle has no measurable effect on sensitivity.
Predicting chlamydial and gonococcal cervical infection: implications for management of cervicitis.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To define utility of age and cervical findings in predicting infection with Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae among women universally tested for both infections, and to assess the independent contribution of Gram stain (GS) smear of endocervical secretions. METHODS: Visits by women to Seattle sexually transmitted diseases clinics from 1995 through 1999 were retrospectively reviewed. All women had endocervical GS and cultures for C trachomatis and N gonorrhoeae performed. Predictive values of age, cervical signs, and inflammation on GS (more than 30 polymorphonuclear leukocytes per 1000× field) were calculated. RESULTS: Among 6230 women, prevalence of C trachomatis and N gonorrhoeae was 6.9% and 2.1%, respectively; 520 women (8.3%) had either organism detected. Age, cervical signs (mucopus, induced bleeding), and inflammation on endocervical GS were independently associated with infection. However, the positive predictive value (PPV) of any cervical finding for infection was less than 19% in women 25 years and older. Inflammation on endocervical GS was the sole indicator of infection in 79 of 520 (15%) infections, but was insensitive in the absence of mucopurulent cervicitis (sensitivity, 26%; PPV, 21%). CONCLUSION: Cervical signs suggesting chlamydial or gonococcal infection have higher positive predictive value (PPV) in younger women. The PPV of inflammation on endocervical GS is too low to recommend its use to direct empiric treatment in the absence of mucopurulent cervicitis, especially in women 25 years and older. Further, its low sensitivity in detecting infection in women without mucopurulent cervicitis does not justify routine use. Signs suggesting mucopurulent cervicitis should be interpreted in the context of age, and empiric treatment may not be indicated in women aged 25 years and older.
Advances in pediatric allergy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review is to highlight several important findings related to the broad topic of pediatric allergic diseases reported over the past year, focusing primarily on asthma, urticaria, food allergy, and vaccine reactions. RECENT FINDINGS Progress continues to be made in identifying environmental exposures during the first years of life that are important for the development of atopic diseases, including asthma. Interventions are being sought based on these findings, to prevent the development of atopic diseases. Chronic urticaria in children is difficult to manage and there is little data related specifically to children to guide treatment and education. Two reports of large populations of children with chronic urticaria were reported in the past year; one dealing with chronic idiopathic, urticaria and one with acquired cold urticaria. Food allergy continues to increase in prevalence and improvements in diagnosis and management continue. Finally, a report of vaccine anaphylaxis cases among a large database was reported. SUMMARY Allergic disorders comprise a major component of pediatric practice. Advances continue in understanding the origins and natural history of these disorders and treatments are now available that allow effective management in most cases. Patient and parent education remains key to prevent unnecessary restrictions on these children and ensure optimal treatment success.
Convergence and duality for the multiplier and penalty methods

Conditions under which the multiplier and penalty methods converge in combination, regardless of the initial multiplier choice, are given. A duality is established between the state and costate variables. For the control case, an interpretation in terms of the Hamilton-Jacobi partial differential equation is indicated.
Signature Analyzer Design for Yield Learning Support

Signature analyzers are designed to enable identification of failing test response bits directly from failing signatures, without any special diagnosis mode. This ability is useful for yield learning from the large volume of data available from failing chips during production test. The signature analyzers described also tolerate unknown logic values (X's) and are useful for Built-In-Self-Test and test compression with yield analysis support. Actual defective chip data demonstrates the effectiveness of the presented techniques. Depending on the desired accuracy of failing response bit identification and the number of X's, test response data is reduced by up to two orders of magnitude.
Effects of opaque and porcelain surface texture on the color of ceramometal restorations.

Abstract A total of 80 ceramometal samples were constructed with two different types of surface texture in the opaque layer (glossy and dull). Porcelain was applied to these samples with two different surface textures (smooth and rough). Samples were made in 2 mm thick porcelain shades B1 and A3. In addition, 10 1 mm samples were constructed with shade A3 having dull opaque, smooth, and rough porcelain surface textures. Ten samples of opaque only were constructed with two different surface textures (glossy and dull). Each sample was analyzed in the recording spectrophotometer, and CIE color notations were calculated. These data were translated to the Munsell Scales (Hue, Chroma, and Value). Two randomly selected samples of each group were then reevaluated in the spectrophotometer using a device which excluded the specular reflectance factor. The three dimensions of color—Hue, Chroma, and Value—were statistically analyzed and compared by the Student-Newman Keuls procedure. Each set was submitted to a correlation test to determine significant differences.
Because You Don’t Realize How Many People Have Different Experiences Than You: Effects of Clicker Use for Class Discussions in Sociology

Sociology instructors have begun adding student response systems to support conceptual application in college courses. While little has been published about how these devices affect learning behavi...
Optical pathlength saturation signatures in wavelength modulation spectroscopy signals of atmospheric molecular oxygen

We discuss experimental and theoretical results of absorption features of the oxygen A-band transitions in the optically thick regime when synchronous detection at higher harmonics (N≥2), using wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS), is performed. We show that the absorption saturation effects demonstrate a distinctive feature which results in suppression of the line-center lobes of the harmonic signals. These effects depend on the optical pathlength as well as on the modulation index. The rich structure of WMS signals, especially at higher detection orders, is central to the technique’s advantages in resolving spectra congested with highly disparate oscillator-strength lines. The effect of pathlength saturation on this structure is investigated.
Fault tolerance techniques for high capacity RAM

As the complexity and size of the embedded memories keep increasing, improving the yield of embedded memories is the key step toward improving the overall chip yield of a SOC design. The most well known way to improve the memory yield is by using redundant elements to replace the faulty cells. However, the repair efficiency mainly depends on the type, and the amount of redundancy; and on the redundancy analysis algorithms. Therefore, new types of redundancy based on divided bit-line (DBL), and divided word-line (DWL) techniques are proposed in this work. A memory column (row), including the redundant column (row), is partitioned into column blocks (row blocks), respectively. A row/column block is used as the basic replacement element instead of a row/column for the traditional approaches. Based on the new types of redundancy, three types of fault-tolerant memory (FTM) systems are also proposed. If a redundant row/column block is used as the basic replacement element, then the row block-based FTM (RBFTM)/column block-based (CBFTM) system is used. If both the DWL, and DBL techniques are implemented onto a memory chip, then the hybrid FTM (HFTM) system is achieved. The storage and remapping of faulty addresses can be implemented with a CAM (content addressable memory) block. To achieving better repair efficiency, a novel hybrid block-repair (HBR) algorithm is also proposed. This algorithm is suitable for hardware implementation with negligible overhead. For the HFTM system, the hardware overheads are less than 0.65%, and 0.7% for 64-Kbit SRAM, and 8-Mbit DRAM, respectively. Moreover, the repair rate can be improved significantly. Experimental results show that our approaches can improve the memory fabrication yield significantly. The characteristics of low power and fast access time of DBL and DWL techniques are also preserved.
Locoregional failure and the risk of distant metastasis after modern radiotherapy for head and neck cancer.

Background. Evolving epidemiology and improvements in locoregional therapy necessitate reassessment of the relationship between locoregional failure and distant metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Methods. Retrospective assessments of factors associated with distant metastasis-free survival were made for 560 patients with SCCHN who received definitive radiotherapy (RT) þ/� concurrent systemic therapy at our institution between 1995 and 2007. Results. Fifty-six patients (10.0%) developed distant metastasis. Three- year actuarial locoregional control and distant metastasis-free survival were 72% and 87%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed N classification and locoregional failure as significant predictors of reduced distant metastasis-free survival (p < .001). In patients with distant metastasis detected after locoregional failure, the mean interval between these events was 11.6 months. Conclusion. Locoregional failure may play a causative role for distant metastasis in some patients with SCCHN, suggesting a need for continued focus on improving locoregional therapies. V C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 35: 381-387, 2013
Telling the truth to patients: a clinical ethics exploration.

In this essay I will examine why the truth is so important to human communication in general, the types of truth, and why truth is only a relative value. After those introductory points, I will sketch the ways in which the truth is overridden or trumped by other concerns in the clinical setting. I will then discuss cases that fall into five distinct categories. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of truth telling and its primacy among secondary goods in the healthcare professional-patient relationship.
Co-firing of coal and biomass fuel blends

Abstract This paper reviews literature on co-firing of coal with biomass fuels. Here, the term biomass includes organic matter produced as a result of photosynthesis as well as municipal, industrial and animal waste material. Brief summaries of the basic concepts involved in the combustion of coal and biomass fuels are presented. Different classes of co-firing methods are identified. Experimental results for a large variety of fuel blends and conditions are presented. Numerical studies are also discussed. Biomass and coal blend combustion is a promising combustion technology; however, significant development work is required before large-scale implementation can be realized. Issues related to successful implementation of coal biomass blend combustion are identified.
The Accuracy of Supplementary Homicide Report Rates for Large U.S. Cities

We investigated the precision of Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR) homicide rate estimates for large U.S. cities during the 5 years, 1998-2002. The homicide rates based on the National Vital Statistics System provided a parallel measure and the basis for estimating the reliability and average error. When cities with incomplete SHR data were removed from the sample, the estimated reliability was high (.99), and the standard error of measurement was low (1.2 homicides per 100,000 residents). Reliability remained high for subsets of cities and for most subsets of victims. For some groups, however, such as African Americans and persons age 0 to 14, the reliability was much lower.
Bureaucratic Politics in Development Assistance The Failure of American Aid in Egypt

This article analyzes the American economic aid program in Egypt. The focus is on the interbureaucratic struggles facing USAID officials, both in Washington and in Cairo. The primary hypothesis is that such struggles are significant impediments to fulfilling the economic development goals of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). This analysis of conflicting approaches to development provides evidence for why the AID program in Egypt has yet to have a major impact on Egyptian development effort& Given the political realities behind any aid program, one way to improve the aid donating process is to restructure the principal aid agency (USAID) and reconstitute it as an independent agency, beyond the influence of Congress, the State Department, and other organizations.
Whistle Generation in Superheterodyne Receivers

A previous paper [3] dealt with seven receiver spurious response mechanisms. This paper shows that two of those mechanisms (intermediate-frequency harmonic and mixer p - q) can give responses at identical frequencies. A measurement method is described which allows the predominant mechanism to be identified, and it is shown that either response may predominate in practice.
Repeated Challenge Studies: A Comparison of Union-Intersection Testing with Linear Modeling

Challenge studies are often implemented for assessing whether a subject is sensitive to a certain agent or allergen. In particular, researchers test groups of subjects to determine if there really exists a causal relationship between some agent of interest and a response. To answer such a question, we need to detect the presence of the phenomenon in just one individual. Typically, however, there are a large number of unknown risk factors associated with the response and a potentially small population prevalence. Hence, standard statistical techniques, by averaging the treatment effect across the group, may miss a significant response of a single individual and lead to inconclusive results. We develop an alternative approach based on union-intersection testing that will allow a practitioner to correctly examine observations on an individual apart from the other subjects and test the hypothesis of interest: Does the phenomenon exist in the population? More specifically, we show how this technique adjusts for the multiple number of tests encountered when analyzing data for each individual subject separately. Furthermore, we demonstrate power calculations for the determination of sample size prior to performing the study. The performance of the union-intersection approach in comparison to linear models and semiparametric techniques is considered through sample size calculations and simulations. The union-intersection testing methodology out performs the Kolmogorov tests. However, the nested linear model performs as well if not better than the union-intersection tests. To illustrate the ideas presented in the paper, we provide an application in which we analyze psychological data collected by way of a challenge study design.
EEG and MEG: forward solutions for inverse methods

A solution of the forward problem is an important component of any method for computing the spatio-temporal activity of the neural sources of magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG) data. The forward problem involves computing the scalp potentials or external magnetic field at a finite set of sensor locations for a putative source configuration. We present a unified treatment of analytical and numerical solutions of the forward problem in a form suitable for use in inverse methods. This formulation is achieved through factorization of the lead field into the product of the moment of the elemental current dipole source with a "kernel matrix" that depends on the head geometry and source and sensor locations, and a "sensor matrix" that models sensor orientation and gradiometer effects in MEG and differential measurements in EEG. Using this formulation and a recently developed approximation formula for EEG, based on the "Berg parameters", we present novel reformulations of the basic EEG and MEG kernels that dispel the myth that EEG is inherently more complicated to calculate than MEG. We also present novel investigations of different boundary element methods (BEMs) and present evidence that improvements over currently published BEM methods can be realized using alternative error-weighting methods. Explicit expressions for the matrix kernels for MEG and EEG for spherical and realistic head geometries are included.
Predictors of combined cognitive and physical decline

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence and correlates of combined declines in cognitive and physical performance. DESIGN: Cohort study of community-dwelling older women with moderate to severe disability. SETTING: The community surrounding Baltimore, Maryland. PARTICIPANTS: Participants in the Women's Health and Aging Study I with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score or 24 or greater and walking speed greater than 0.4 m/s at baseline. MEASUREMENTS: Cognitive decline was defined as an MMSE score less than 24 and physical decline as a walking speed of 0.4 m/s or less in at least one of the three annual follow-up visits. Participants were stratified into groups based on cognitive or physical decline or both. Group characteristics were compared, and results were adjusted for age, race, education, and significant covariates. RESULTS: Of 558 women that met the baseline MMSE and walking speed inclusion criteria, 21% developed physical decline, 12% developed cognitive decline, and 11% experienced combined cognitive and physical decline. After adjustment, physical decline was associated with age, non-white race, former smoking, baseline walking speed, and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) impairment. Cognitive decline was associated with age and baseline MMSE score. Combined decline was associated with age, baseline walking speed, MMSE score, IADL impairment, as well as current smoking (odds ratio (OR) = 5.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.49-21.54) and hemoglobin level (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.47-0.98). CONCLUSION: Potential predictors of cognitive and physical performance decline were identified. The association between smoking and lower hemoglobin levels and combined cognitive and physical decline may represent potentially modifiable risk factors and should be confirmed in future studies.
Monotonicity and partial results protection for mobile agents

Remotely executing mobile code introduces a plethora of security problems. This paper examines the "external agent replay" attack, identifies the notion of one-way program state transitions, describes the use of monotonic variables as a practical method for detecting these attacks, examines the more general problem state modification attacks, and introduces the use of "results verification vectors" to protect agents from attack.
Differences in self-reported health among Asians, Latinos, and non-Hispanic whites: the role of language and nativity.

Purpose Self-reported overall health (SROH) is often used to compare the health status of multi-ethnic populations in the United States. SROH may not be comparable across cultural groups. We assessed if differences in SROH between non-Hispanic whites (NHW), Latinos, and Asians were explained primarily by differences in socioeconomic status (SES) or language and nativity. Methods We used cross-sectional data on 36,660 NHW, 9399 Latinos, 1298 Chinese, 944 Filipinos, 803 Koreans, 857 Vietnamese, and 1036 “other Asians” from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey. Results Compared with NHW, all ethnic groups were less likely to report “excellent” or “very good” health. Latinos, Chinese, Filipinos, Koreans, and Vietnamese were also more likely to report “fair” or “poor” health. Adjusting for SES attenuated these differences for Latinos but did not explain the effect of being Asian on SROH. Among all ethnicities, individuals with limited English proficiency had worse SROH than individuals who were English-proficient. Conclusions Differences in SROH between Asians and NHW do not appear to be mediated by SES and may be due to different perceptions of health that are rooted in culture and language. There remains a need for health status measures less susceptible to cultural bias in Asian and Latino populations.
The Antianginal Agent, Ranolazine, Reduces Myocardial Infarct Size but Does Not Alter Anatomic No-Reflow or Regional Myocardial Blood Flow in Ischemia/Reperfusion in the Rabbit

It has been suggested that ranolazine protects the ischemic/reperfused heart by reducing diastolic wall pressure during ischemia. However, there is limited information regarding the effect of ranolazine on the anatomic zone of no-flow in a model of acute myocardial occlusion/reperfusion. Before coronary artery occlusion (CAO), open-chest anesthetized rabbits were assigned to vehicle or ranolazine. Hearts received 60 minutes of CAO and 3 hours reperfusion. Ischemic risk zone was comparable in the 2 groups. Ranolazine significantly reduced infarct size. There was a non-significant trend for the no-reflow defect to be smaller in the ranolazine group. Regional myocardial blood flow was similar in both groups in the risk zone during ischemia and at 3 hours reperfusion. Heart rates were similar in both groups, whereas mean arterial pressure was reduced in the ranolazine group. While ranolazine was effective in reducing myocardial infarct size, the mechanism by which it did this was independent of improving perfusion during either ischemia or reperfusion, suggesting that ranolazine's effect of reducing infarct size involves alternative mechanisms.
Would the elderly be better off if they were given more placebos

Placebos are useful in the medical care of the elderly, although the exact definition of a “placebo” or “placebo effect” is difficult to define precisely. They have an important role as control treatments in research trials, but a non-specific “placebo effect” may also be beneficial part of many physician–patient interactions. Physicians also give them deliberately according to several studies worldwide to satisfy patient demands or because they believe in a “placebo effect” among other reasons. A significant placebo effect has been observed among older patients in clinical trials of antidepressants (12–15%), and in treatments of Parkinson's disease (16%). Placebos activate serotonergic pathways in the brain used by antidepressants. In Parkinson's disease, the administration of a placebo stimulates dopamine release in the dorsal (resulting in motor effects) and ventral striatum (which influences expectation of reward). Much of our understanding of the placebo effect comes from studies of placebo analgesia which is influenced by conditioning, expectation, meaning and context of the treatment for the patient, and patient–physician interaction. It is anatomically medicated by brain opioid pathways. Response to “sham” acupuncture in osteoarthritis may be an example of its use in the elderly. Placebos have often been considered a deception and thus unethical. On the other hand, some physicians and ethicists have suggested conditions for appropriate uses for placebos. A placebo might offer the theoretical advantage of an inexpensive treatment that would not cause adverse drug reactions or interactions with other medications, potentially avoiding complications of polypharmacy.
ENHANCEMENT SOLUTION EFFECTS ON SHELF‐LIFE, COLOR AND SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF PORK CHOPS DURING RETAIL DISPLAY

The objective of this study was to evaluate shelf-life, color and sensory characteristics of pork chops from loin sections (n = 12/treatment) injected (110% original weight) with a potassium lactate/potassium acetate solution (2%) + phosphate (0.35%)/salt (0.35%), compared with those injected with sodium lactate (3 %) + phosphate/salt, or phosphate/salt alone, to control loins. After 96 h of display, aerobic plate counts (CFU/cm 2 ) were significantly lower (P<0.05) for chops enhanced with the lactate + acetate combination than for the other treatments. Hue angle (tan -1 b*/a*) of lactate + acetate enhanced chops was lower (P<0.05) than all other treatments at 96 h indicating that red color did not deteriorate as rapidly as in control, phosphate + salt- and lactate-injected chops. Sensory data suggest that lactate + acetate and lactate-injected chops were juicier, more tender, and less bitter than the noninjected chops. A difference in enhancement solution retention may partially explain differences in plate counts and sensory characteristics.
LOCALIZATION OF CELL DIVISION PROTEIN FTSK TO THE ESCHERICHIA COLI SEPTUM AND IDENTIFICATION OF A POTENTIAL N-TERMINAL TARGETING DOMAIN

Escherichia coli cell division protein FtsK is a homolog of Bacillus subtilis SpoIIIE and appears to act late in the septation process. To determine whether FtsK localizes to the septum, we fused three N-terminal segments of FtsK to green fluorescent protein (GFP) and expressed them in E. coli cells. All three segments were sufficient to target GFP to the septum, suggesting that as little as the first 15% of the protein is a septum-targeting domain. Localized fluorescence was detectable only in cells containing a visible midcell constriction, suggesting that FtsK targeting normally occurs only at a late stage of septation. The largest two FtsK-GFP fusions were able at least partially to complement the ftsK44 mutation in trans , suggesting that the N- and C-terminal domains are functionally separable. However, overproduction of FtsK-GFP resulted in a late-septation phenotype similar to that of ftsK44 , with fluorescent dots localized at the blocked septa, suggesting that high levels of the N-terminal domain may still localize but also inhibit FtsK activity. Interestingly, under these conditions fluorescence was also sometimes localized as bands at potential division sites, suggesting that FtsK-GFP is capable of targeting very early. In addition, FtsK-GFP localized to potential division sites in cephalexin-induced and ftsI mutant filaments, further supporting the idea that FtsK-GFP can target early, perhaps by recognizing FtsZ directly. This hypothesis was supported by the failure of FtsK-GFP to localize in ftsZ mutant filaments. In ftsK44 mutant filaments, FtsA and FtsZ were usually localized to potential division sites between the blocked septa. When the ftsK44 mutation was incorporated into the FtsK-GFP fusions, localization to midcell ranged between very weak and undetectable, suggesting that the FtsK44 mutant protein is defective in targeting the septum.
Training techniques to obtain fault-tolerant neural networks

This paper addresses methods of improving the fault tolerance of feedforward neural nets. The first method is to coerce weights to have low magnitudes during the backpropagation training process, since fault tolerance is degraded by the use of high magnitude weights; at the same time, additional hidden nodes are added dynamically to the network to ensure that desired performance can be obtained. The second method is to add artificial faults to various components (nodes and links) of a network: during training. The third method is to repeatedly remove nodes that do not significantly affect the network: output, and then add new nodes that share the load of the more critical nodes in the network. Experimental results have shown that these methods can obtain better robustness than backpropagation training, and compare favorably with other approaches. >
Dither and stability bounds of self-tuning systems

Tuning behavior is discussed for self-tuning systems that are unstable in the frozen-parameter sense, but that appear stable while under excitation by signals that are well within the system bandwidth. G. Zames and N.A. Schneydor's (1976) stability augmentation by dither and M. Saidane and O. Macchi's (1987) time-domain explanation of self-stabilization are briefly reviewed. A conjecture based on vibrational stabilization concepts is then posed. >
INDIGENOUS ECOLOGY AND THE POLITICS OF LINKAGE IN MEXICAN SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

(1996). Indigenous ecology and the politics of linkage in Mexican social movements. Third World Quarterly: Vol. 17, No. 5, pp. 1007-1028.
The Effects of Local Government Expenditure and Property Taxes on Investment

The effect of local government property taxes and expenditures on investment in housing and manufacturing plant and equipment is analyzed in theoretic model and tested empirically. An investment model of firm behavior is developed and implications regarding the effects are deduced. These implications are tested in a single equation model of investment in single- and multifamily structures and capital investment in manufacturing in eleven urban cities and their eighty-nine suburbs. Tentative conclusions that additional municipal expenditures increase investment and a higher effective property tax rate diminishes it are supported and that cities have on average exhausted the net benefits of increasing balanced budgets.
How Do algae concentrate CO2 to increase the efficiency of photosynthetic carbon fixation

The ability of photosynthetic organisms to use CO2 for photosynthesis depends in part on the properties of Rubisco. Rubisco has a surprisingly poor affinity for CO2, probably because it evolved in an atmosphere that had very high CO2 levels compared with the present atmosphere. In C3plants the K m(
Replenishable dendrimer–nanoparticle hybrid membranes for sustained release of therapeutics

We report a versatile hybrid membrane for sustained release therapeutic delivery systems. Chemically-directed assembly of a hybrid membrane of nanoparticles and dendrimers was integrated with a fluidic delivery device and a refillable drug reservoir, providing continuous sustained release.
A novel disturbance observer design for magnetic hard drive servo system with a rotary actuator

This paper presents a novel disturbance observer design for the magnetic hard drive servo systems with rotary actuators to improve the access time. One of the major drawbacks of the conventional disturbance observer design is that the disturbance rejection rate is increased at the cost of increased amplification on high frequency system noise, and consequently, system stability. To improve the disturbance compensation capability without affecting the system stability, a novel disturbance observer design is proposed in this paper. The idea is to replace the constant controller gain in the conventional disturbance observer with a first order filter. Compared with the conventional disturbance observer design, the proposed disturbance observer is shown to decrease the settling time by 40% and increase high frequency measurement noise attenuation by 10 db, respectively. The proposed design has been implemented on a test stand with a 3.5" hard drive. Both simulation and experimental results have validated the claim.
Effects of Electrical Conductivity of Hydroponic Nutrient Solution on Leaf Gas Exchange of Five Greenhouse Tomato Cultivars

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. Lycopersicon esculentum, Solanum lycopersicum, fruit quality, photosynthesis, reproductive stage, stomatal conductance, total soluble solids, transpiration, vegetative stage SUMMARY. Five cultivars (Blitz, Mariachi, Quest, Rapsodie, and Trust) of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) were grown hydroponically in a greenhouse to determine photosynthetic and transpirational responses to three electrical conductivities (EC) (2.3 (control), 4.8, and 8.4 dSm -1 ) of inflow nutrient solution. Leaf photosynthetic light response curves were measured during the early vegetative growth stage for cv Mariachi and Rapsodie and during the reproductive growth stage for all five cultivars. Leaf transpiration rate and leaf conductance were measured for all five cultivars in both stages. During the vegetative growth stage, high EC treatment of 8.4/14.3 dSm -1 inflow/efflux solution reduced leaf conductance and transpiration rate by 28% and 29%, respectively, compared with low EC treatment (2.3/5.9 dSm -1 ), regardless of cultivar. Effects of EC treatments on leaf photosynthetic light response curves were cultivar specific. For 'Mariachi', moderate EC (4.8/8.7 dSm -1 ) and high EC treatments in the vegetative growth stage reduced the maximum photosynthetic rate by 49% compared with the low EC treatment. However, for 'Rapsodie', the moderate EC treatment increased the maximum photosynthetic rate during the vegetative stage by 8% and 47% compared with low and high EC treatments, respectively. During reproductive growth stage, EC treatment did not significantly affect the transpiration rate, but high EC treatment reduced the leaf conductance by 15%, regardless of cultivar. Parameters of leaf photosynthetic response curves were affected by cultivar and EC treatment. Compared with the low EC treatment, the moderate EC treatment did not significantly affect the maximum photosynthetic rate of any cultivar except 'Rapsodie', which showed the greatest maximum photosynthetic rate in the moderate EC treatment. The results showed that the plant physiological response under elevated EC was cultivar and growth-stage specific, and increasing the inflow EC to the moderate level of around 4.8 dSm -1 during the reproductive growth stage would not negatively impact photosynthesis, transpiration, and leaf conductance of tomato plants, for all cultivars tested in the present experiment.
Conductivity of individual Geobacter pili

The electrically conductive pili of Geobacter species have been proposed to play an important role in long-range electron transfer to Fe(III) oxides and other cells and have potential as a sustainable source of electrically conductive materials. Surprisingly, there have been no previous reports on the actual conductivity of individual pili, probably the most important parameter for evaluating mechanistic models of electron transport and pili function. Therefore, the conductivity of individual pili of Geobacter sulfureducens was measured with a low-noise nano-electrode measurement platform along regions of the pili that appeared to be cytochrome-free. Pilus conductivity was highly dependent upon pH with conductivity estimates of 188 ± 34 mS cm−1, 51 ± 19 mS cm−1, and 37 ± 15 μS cm−1 at pH 2, 7, and 10.5, respectively. The conductivities of pili from strain Aro-5, which expresses pili in which an alanine was substituted for each of five aromatic amino acids, were significantly lower than the wild-type pili. These results, and the previous finding that stacking of aromatic amino acids increases at low pH, suggest that aromatic amino acids play a key role in pilus conductivity. The conductivity of the G. sulfurreducens pili is comparable to conducting organic polymer wires of similar diameter and several bacterial filaments of substantially different composition. These results provide important parameters that should be accommodated in future models of G. sulfurreducens pilus conductivity and suggest strategies for enhancing pilus conductivity with genetic manipulation.
The management of cocaine-associated myocardial ischemia.

The use of cocaine has reached epidemic proportions. Over 30 percent of men and 20 percent of women between the ages of 26 and 34 have used cocaine at least once.1 Moreover, 23 million Americans have used cocaine at some time,1 and 5 million use it regularly.2 During the 1980s cocaine became the most frequently used illicit drug among patients presenting to hospital emergency departments.3–5 Chest pain is the most common cocaine-related medical problem6; it leads to the evaluation of more than 64,000 patients annually for possible myocardial ischemia. Of these patients, 57 percent are admitted to the . . .
Comparison of the diagnostic utility of digital pathology systems for telemicrobiology

Introduction: Telemicrobiology is a growing component of clinical microbiology informatics. However, few studies have been performed to assess the diagnostic utility of telemicroscopy systems in evaluating infectious agents. Objective: Evaluate multiple contemporary digital pathology platforms for use in diagnostic telemicrobiology. Materials and Methods: A mix of thirty cases that included viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitological findings were evaluated by four experts using ×40 whole slide imaging (WSI) scans, ×83 oil-immersion WSI scans, ×100 oil-immersion WSI scans, digital photomicrographs, and glass slides. Results: The ×83 WSI, ×100 WSI, and photomicrograph interpretations were not significantly different in quality and accuracy when compared to glass slide interpretations. The ×40 WSI interpretations were of lower quality and were more likely to be incorrect when compared to glass slide interpretations. Conclusions: In this study, high magnification, oil-immersion digital pathology platforms are better suited to support telemicrobiology applications and yield interpretations on par with glass slide evaluations.
Distorted-wave Born-approximation description of the /sup 4/He(p,d)/sup 3/He reaction at E/sub p/ = 770 MeV

The exact finite-range, distorted-wave Born approximation was used to compute /sup 4/He(p,d)/sup 3/He cross sections at E/sub p/ = 770 MeV. The transition form factor was tied to measured electron-/sup 4/He scattering and the calculated cross sections were insensitive to uncertainties in the distorting potentials. The calculated angular distributions do not reproduce the data.
EFFECT OF WEAKLY INTERACTING ON ATOMS GAIN AND VALIDITY OF POTENTIAL FIELD FOR ATOM LASER

In this article,the effect of weakly interacting on validity of potential field for atom laser is investigated,the conditions of effective potential field and invalid potential field are given,the relationship between atoms gain and weakly interacting and temperature are derived,according to Thomas-Fermi approximation.The results indicated that the atoms gain in an atom laser is increased due to repulsion interacting,the atoms gain in an atom laser is decreased due to attracting interacting,the atoms gain in an atom laser is always increased by lowering the temperature.The physical substance of weakly interacting and temperature influence on the atoms gain is indicated.
Numerical Simulation of Viscous Flow Around a Suspended Pipe Resonant Transversely in a Uniform Stream

The viscous flow around pipe is solved by the N-S equation with SIMPLEC algorithm in the system of staggered grids.Numerical simulation of a pipe at rest in a uniform stream is performed to validate the model.By using dynamic mesh,the study of viscous flow around a suspended pipe resonant transversely in a uniform stream is done,and results shows that the lift and drag coefficients are changed with time.It is found that phase change accelerating the failure of pipeline.According to the calculated results,the critical length of suspended pipeline avoiding vortex induced resonance is presented.
Practical imaging in acute pancreatitis

Pancreatitis may be acute or chronic, mild or severe. In patients with acute pancreatitis the optimal imaging test is dynamic intravenous and oral contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT). Serial CECTs are useful to monitor disease progression and to assess intraabdominal complications in patients with severe acute pancreatitis. CECT is helpful in planning the approach (endoscopic transmural versus percutaneous) for pancreatic drainage. Computed tomography or ultrasound-guided aspiration of pancreatic collections is safe, sensitive, and specific and has become a routine procedure used to screen for infected necrosis. When pancreatic drainage is contemplated, magnetic resonance imaging is useful for identifying residual necrotic debris within the collection. Patients with mild acute pancreatitis usually require no cross-sectional imaging study other than ultrasound screening for gallstones, if gallstone pancreatitis is suspected clinically. In patients with chronic pancreatitis, screening for complications such as superimposed acute pancreatitis or development of pancreatic pseudocysts may be performed with CECT or ultrasound.
Consumer Perceptions of Price Deals in the Automobile Industry

The study explores how the use and size of price deals for high price products affect buyer's perception of quality, value, and willingness to buy. Hypotheses were derived and an experimental study tested the effects of different levels of list price and price reductions and the effect of framing the price deal as a rebate, negotiation, or a low interest financing on buyer perceptions. The outcome supports the proposition that subjects appeared to focus on the monthly payments in making evaluations and rejected the information about different price levels, different levels of deals and different types of deals.
NEW ANTIBIOTIC PIGMENTS RELATED TO FUSARUBIN FROM FUSARIUM SOLANI (MART.) SACC.

A cholesterol-decomposing fungus, Fusarium solani (Mart.) SACC. strain PP 96, was found to produce several different naphthaquinone pigments in a glycerol-mineral salts medium. Three novel compounds structurally related to fusarubin were isolated by chloroform extration followed by silicic acid column chromatography and preparative thin-layer chromatography. The purified compounds were found to have relatively low activity against bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungi.
Poems structured by integer sequences

ABSTRACTPoems and numbers, in particular positive integers, are intimately connected. Numbers contribute to the structure of a poem. Poetry's musicality depends not only on words, but also on quantifiable structural elements. This article explores several techniques for constructing poems using properties of sequences of positive integers. Borrowing from the name of the sequence, the poems generated by the techniques discussed in this paper can be divided into three groups: Fibonacci poems, irrational poems and prime-number poems. The paper provides an overview of each technique, including a brief mathematical background, its history, relevant literature, technical details on how it is used to structure poems and a sample of poems generated by it. We conclude with several related ideas for further exploration.
Moms and Dads: Their Political Identity and Preference for Educational Programs

Education is a key driver of the quality of a country’s workforce and its future economic prosperity (Heckman 2000; 2006). Aside from public education policies, one contributor to this is parental preferences of different educational programs for their children. Using an identity-based approach, this article examines how parental identity — political and gender — jointly affects preference for educational programs using a conformance-oriented or independence-oriented pedagogy. The authors argue that the matching effect between a parent’s political identity and the pedagogical orientation of an educational program differs for males and females. Males, due to their self-focus use the preference to reinforce their political identity, whereas females do not do so due to their other-focus. Four studies test this theorizing. We replicate the results using different measures of political identity, by using different measures of self- and other-focus (direct and indirect), and with different educational programs. We also demonstrate the theorized phenomenon using a field study of parents at elementary and pre-schools, in addition to testing for mediation.
BRAND CONSCIOUSNESS AND COLLEGE DEBT: DOES STUDENT ATTENDANCE LOCATION MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

A record number of college students are incurring debt to support their attendance in postsecondary education. Much of this debt, however, may be used to finance the enrollment in institutions that have a ‘brand’ name, rather than the low-cost local providers. Aside from any discussion of institutional quality or perceived quality, two samples of institutions were selected for the current study. ‘Brand’ name institutions typically enrolled higher numbers of out-of-state students and lower numbers of Pell-grant eligible students than those institutions that focused on providing regional postsecondary opportunities. Findings suggest that regional institutions do indeed serve a different population, that is, those students who struggle to afford higher education opportunities, while nationally ‘branded’ institution enroll students who voluntarily incur debt with the knowledge that they want to enroll in a more nationally branded institution.
Investigation of high density two-dimensional electron gas in Zn-polar BeMgZnO/ZnO heterostructures

Zn-polar BeMgZnO/ZnO heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy on high resistivity GaN templates producing high-density two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) are investigated. This is motivated by the need to reach plasmon-longitudinal optical (LO) phonon resonance for attaining minimum LO phonon lifetime. Achievement of high 2DEG concentration in MgZnO/ZnO heterostructures requires growth of the MgZnO barrier at relatively low temperatures, which compromises the ternary quality that in turn hinders potential field effect transistor performance. When this ternary is alloyed further with BeO, the sign of strain in the BeMgZnO barrier on ZnO switches from compressive to tensile, making the piezoelectric and spontaneous polarizations to be additive in the BeMgZnO/ZnO heterostructures much like the Ga-polar AlGaN/GaN heterostructures. As a result, a 2DEG concentration of 1.2 × 1013 cm−2 is achieved in the Be0.03Mg0.41Zn0.56O/ZnO heterostructure. For comparison, a 2DEG concentration of 7.7 × 1012 cm−2 req...
Utilization of supercapacitors in adaptive protection applications for resiliency against communication failures: A size and cost optimization case study

Microgrids' adaptive protection techniques rely on communication signals from the point of common coupling to adjust the corresponding relays' settings for either grid-connected or islanded modes of operation. However, during communication outages or in the event of a cyberattack, the relays' settings are not changed. Thus adaptive protection schemes are rendered unsuccessful. Due to their fast response, supercapacitors, which are present in the microgrid to feed pulse loads, could also be utilized to enhance the resiliency of adaptive protection schemes against communication outages. Proper sizing of the supercapacitors is therefore important in order to maintain a stable system operation and the cost of the protection scheme. This paper presents a two-level optimization scheme for minimizing the supercapacitor size along with optimizing its controllers' parameters. The latter will lead to a reduction of the supercapacitor fault current contribution and an increase in that of other AC resources in the microgrid in the extreme case of having a fault occurring simultaneously with a pulse load. It was also shown that the size of the supercapacitor can be reduced if the pulse load is temporarily disconnected during the transient fault period. Simulations, which were also experimentally verified, showed that the resulting supercapacitor size and the optimized controller parameters from the proposed two-level optimization scheme were feeding enough fault currents for different types of faults and minimizing the cost of the protection scheme.