cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reliability of proton-implanted VCSELs for data communications

We describe vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) reliability tests comprising hundreds of parts and more than a million device hours. The VCSELs studied were of a previously described production design intended for local-area network data communication at 850 nm. Devices were operated at temperatures of 35, 80, 100, 125, and 150 degrees C and at currents of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 mA, and their operating characteristics were measured at room temperature. Additional groups were operated at 225 degrees C. Nominal operation is expected to be at 40 degrees C ambient and near 10mA; stresses due to temperatures and currents above the operating range accelerated degradation. The results support an Arrhenius- type failure-acceleration model with lognormal reliability distribution and lead to an 0.88-1.2- eV estimate for the failure activation energy. When tested at room temperature, typical VCSELs exhibited initial increases in power followed by decreases. The results were essentially independent of the package type (hermetic, unsealed, or overmolded plastic). Time- lapse video of degrading devices was employed in an effort to define the failure mode, which does not appear to be mediated by dark-line defects. Under normal operating conditions the observed VCSEL reliability is equal to, or better than, typical reliability results for other AlGaAs data communications lasers or LEDs.
p-Saturated formations

We consider here a nonempty formation F locally defined by a system {F(t)} where for some fixed prime numberp, F(p) = F. We call such formationsp-locally defined. It is shown that everyp-locally defined formation F has the property thatG/Φ p (G ∈ F) implies thatG ∈ F where Φ p (G) is thep-Frattini subgroup ofG. If F is a formation of solvable groups, then this property is equivalent to F having ap-local definition. For solvable groups equivalent conditions are stated in terms of the F-projectors, the F-normalizers, and the F-hypercenter.
Development and Testing of a Passive Variable-Pitch Propeller

A novel approach to passive propeller blade pitch variation is investigated. To effect passive pitch changes, the propeller blades are allowed to pivot freely about a radial axis, and aerodynamic pitching moments are tailored to give favorable blade pitch angles over a wide range of advance ratios. Computational modeling of the system indicated that a large expansion of the efficient operating envelope is possible, compared to a fixed-pitch propeller. Wind-tunnel experiments corroborated the computational results and demonstrated that the propeller maintained near-peak efficiency by passively adjusting blade pitch angles by over 15 deg to the match changing advance ratio. The passive variable-pitch propeller was then successfully demonstrated in flight on an unmanned aerial vehicle. Using tailored aerodynamics in place of active control allows this performance improvement to be realized at a fraction of the weight and complexity of a traditionally actuated variable-pitch propeller. The concept enables the...
Fractal-based hybrid compression schemes

ABSTRACT Fractal compression has not lived up to its promise as a high-quality low bit-rate image compression scheme.The existing algorithms for finding self-mapping contractive transforms for images are computationaly ex-pensive and offer a poor rate-quality tradeoff. In this paper we explore the error images resulting from asimple fractal compression scheme. We use a set of fractal maps as a predictor for the image, and storethe error-image using the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT). Our experiments show that such a compositescheme has worse rate-quality tradeoff than DCT alone.Keywords: discrete cosine transform, fractal compression, JPEG, ADCT, iterated transformations. 1. INTRODUCTION Fractal compression seeks to express an image in terms of a self-mapping contractive transformation. Theremarkable property of such transformations is that starting with any image, repeated applications of the transformation ultimately converges to the original image [1, 5]. Since a tractable encoding algorithmcannot afford to search over arbitrary transformations on arbitrary domains and ranges within a given
Translator’s Introduction

In the winter semester of 1902/03, Edmund Husserl offered a lecture course at the University of Gottingen on the general theory of knowledge. At the conclusion of that course he recorded the following sentiment on the envelope containing his lecture notes: “From time to time I am born up by the conviction that I have made more progress in the critique of knowledge than any of my predecessors, that I have seen with substantial and, in some respects, complete clarity what my predecessors scarcely suspected or else left in a state of confusion. And yet: what a mass of unclarity in these pages, how much half-done work, how much anguishing uncertainty in the details. How much is still just preliminary work, mere struggle on the way to the goal and not the full goal itself, actually achieved and seen from every side? Will it not be given to me, with powerful effort redoubled and with the application of all my vital energies, actually to arrive at the goal? Is this half clarity, this tortuous restlessness, which is a sign of unresolved problems, bearable? Thus I am, after many years, still the beginner and the student. But I want to become the master! Carpe diem.” 1 On November 4, 1903, he added this dismal observation,.“The anguish only grows greater, and I remain in the same old place. No progress has been made.s.”2
Association of RFLP markers with loci conferring broad-based resistance to the soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines).

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is a major soybean yield-limiting pest. The present study was conducted to map broad-based SCN resistance loci from the cultivar ‘Hartwig’. Two-hundred F2∶3 lines derived from the cross ‘Williams 82’ x ‘Hartwig’ were screened with a fourth-generation SCN inbred and 56 polymorphic molecular markers. Allele states and phenotypes were analyzed using stepwise regression and the model selection was made at P ⩽ 0.01. Four unlinked RFLP markers (A006, A567, A487, A112) were associated with SCN resistance and the partial coefficient of determinations (R2) were 91%, 1%, 1%, and 1%. We have mapped a new, major SCN resistance locus (A006) and three minor loci (A567, A487, A112). This complete mapping will accelerate the transfer of broad-based resistance without linkage drag and aid in the determination of relationships among various SCN-resistant germplasm sources.
Generic delimitation of Aralia (Araliaceae)

Aralia, described by Linnaeus, remains a poorly defined genus. Many satellite genera ofAralia have been proposed, and some have been accepted without critical evaluation. These genera includeCoudenbergia, Megalopanax, Parapentapanax, andPentapanax. This study examined the historical background of the establishment of these genera and their diagnostic characters. It was found that (1)Aralia s. str. is a relatively diverse genus; (2) the separation ofPentapanax andParapentapanax fromAralia is unsubstantiated; (3)Megalopanax is synonymous withCoudenbergia; and (4) the boundaries betweenAralia and bothCoudenbergia andPentapanax intergrade. It is proposed, therefore, to mergeCoudenbergia, Parapentapanax, andPentapanax withAralia, which has nomenclatural priority.Aralia is herein defined as consisting of those species in Araliaceae with pinnate leaves, articulated rachises, five to eight-merous flowers, petals imbricate in buds, and articulated pedicels. The revised generic concept requires the following new combinations or new names:Aralia castanopsisicola, A. franchetti, A. gigantea, A. laevis, A. leschenaultii, A. parasitica, A. rex, A. subcordata, A. verticillata, andA. warmingiana.
Second-Order Raman Spectrum of MgO

The second-order Raman spectrum of MgO at room temperature is reported for different polarizations and crystal orientations. The parts of the scattering polarizability transforming as ${A}_{1g}$, ${E}_{g}$, and ${T}_{2g}$ are separated and compared with features in the two-phonon dispersion curves at the critical points $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$, $X$, $L$, and $W$.
The effects of venting on in-the-ear, in-the-canal, and completely-in-the-canal hearing aid shell frequency responses: real-ear measures.

The acoustic effects of 1-, 2-, and 3-mm vents were investigated with in-the-ear, in-the-canal, and completely-in-the-canal hearing aid shells. Real-ear sound pressure level measures were obtained from unvented and vented shells with 12 adults. In general, with increasing vent size, a statistically significant (p .05), albeit the frequency response curves were shifted upward in frequency with increasing vent diameters. Only with the in-the-ear and completely-in-the-canal hearing aid shells were statistically significant (p < .05) differences found with the magnitude of vent-associated resonance as a function of vent diameter, and these differences were not consistent across the different styles. These findings suggest that venting may be used effectively to tune low-frequency responses in custom in-the-ear hearing instruments.
Molar pregnancy coexisting with a normal fetus: A case report

Molar pregnancy with a coexisting live fetus is a rare occurrence. We present morphologic and cytogenetic analysis of a recent case. Cytogenetic studies revealed a 46, XX karyotype for the fetus, the normal placenta, and the abnormal placenta. Chromosome banding studies confirmed the presence of maternal and paternal chromosomes in all three tissues. These studies favored the possibility that both tumor and fetus arose from a single gestation. Subsequently, the patient required chemotherapy for low-risk, metastatic trophoblastic disease.
A note on opportunity costs and migration analysis

The hypothesis that opportunity costs associated with foregone alternatives in moving from region i to region j significantly affect the migration decision has been proposed by Levy and Wadycki in the context of a regression model of migration. Their results for Venezuela were highly successful and additional evidence reported by Wadycki with United States data for 1955–60 also substantiated the basic hypothesis.
Photocatalytic colour switching of redox dyes for ink-free light-printable rewritable paper

The invention of paper as writing materials has greatly contributed to the development and spread of civilization. However, its large-scale production and usage have also brought significant environment and sustainability problems to modern society. To reduce paper production and consumption, it is highly desirable to develop alternative rewritable media that can be used multiple times. Herein we report the fabrication of a rewritable paper based on colour switching of commercial redox dyes using titanium oxide-assisted photocatalytic reactions. The resulting paper does not require additional inks and can be efficiently printed using ultraviolet light and erased by heating over 20 cycles without significant loss in contrast and resolution. The legibility of prints can retain over several days. We believe this rewritable paper represents an attractive alternative to regular paper in meeting the increasing global needs for sustainability and environmental protection.
Challenges to Neoliberal Hegemony in Bolivia

Since 1985, Bolivia has undergone three phases of the imposition of and popular resistance to neoliberal policies. This article charts the uneven course of neoliberal hegemony beginning with the structural adjustment program in the mid-1980s through popular uprisings between 2000 and 2003 that ousted the national government. Even though the current administration may be unable to resist World Bank and IMF pressure to continue neoliberal policies, powerful and diverse popular movements will certainly continue to contest them. This article makes two contributions to discussions of neoliberalism as a hegemonic system: it identifies problems of scale in maintaining neoliberalism, and it reminds us of the importance of coercion in maintaining hegemony.
Introduction: Conversation Analysis and Social Problems

, Vol. 52, Issue 4, pp. 445–448, ISSN 0037-7791, electronic ISSN 1533-8533. © 2005 by Society for the Study of Social Problems, Inc. All rights reserved. Please direct all requests for permission to photocopy or reproduce article content through the University of California Press’s Rights and Permissions website, at http://www. ucpress.edu/journals/rights.htm. Introduction: Conversation Analysis and Social Problems
The intracellular function of extracellular signaling peptides

A novel class of extracellular signaling peptides has been identified in Gram-positive bacteria that are actively transported into the cell to interact with intracellular receptors. The defining members of this novel class of signaling peptides are the Phr peptides of Bacillus subtilis and the mating pheromones of Enterococcus faecalis. These peptides are small and unmodified, gene encoded, and secreted by the bacterium. Most of these peptides diffuse into the extracellular medium, and when their concentration is sufficiently high, they are then actively transported into the cell by an oligopeptide permease (Opp). Once inside the cell, these peptides interact with an array of intracellular receptors. In B. subtilis, the Phr peptides regulate development of environmentally resistant spores and genetically competent cells (i.e. the natural ability to take up exogenous DNA). In E. faecalis, the mating pheromones regulate cell-cell transfer of plasmids, many of which encode antibiotic resistance or virulence factors. At least one component of the signaling pathway for these peptides is conserved in many bacteria, Opp. Opp is a non-specific transporter that transports peptides for use as carbon and nitrogen sources. The possibility that other bacteria could possess similar intracellularly functioning signaling peptides is discussed.
When is Protein Binding Important

The present paper is an ode to a classic citation by Benet and Hoener (2002. Clin Pharm Ther 71(3):115-121). The now classic paper had a huge impact on drug development and the way the issue of protein binding is perceived and interpreted. Although the authors very clearly pointed out the limitations and underlying assumptions for their delineations, these are too often overlooked and the classic paper's message is misinterpreted by broadening to cases that were not intended. Some members of the scientific community concluded from the paper that protein binding is not important. This was clearly not intended by the authors, as they finished their paper with a paragraph entitled: "When is protein binding important?" Misinterpretation of the underlying assumptions in the classic work can result in major pitfalls in drug development. Therefore, we revisit the topic of protein binding with the intention of clarifying when clinically relevant changes should be considered during drug development.
169 Hypercalcemia Due to Valacyclovir Toxicity

HYPERCALCEMIA DUE TO VALACYCLOVIR TOXICITY Ang Li, Jharna Nitin Shah, Sreedhar Mandayam Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas Hypercalcemia is a common complication in hospitalized patients. We report a case of symptomatic hypercalcemia in an elderly lady after she received 2 courses of inappropriately-dosed valacyclovir. An active 80 year old woman with CKD III (eGFR 53 mL/min) developed shingles and received 7 days of valacyclovir 1000 mg PO TID. She was subsequently admitted for severe abdominal pain and constipation. Her initial labs showed mildly elevated serum calcium of 10.7 mg/dL and her condition improved with supportive treatment. She then received 10 more days of high-dose valacyclovir for recurrent shingles, after which her hypercalcemia worsened to 13.5 mg/dL and she developed altered mental status, acute kidney injury, respiratory distress, hepatic dysfunction, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. Upon transfer to our institution, valacyclovir was immediately discontinued and a work-up for hypercalcemia was initiated (see below), including an extensive malignancy work-up with breast biopsy, thoracentesis, CT chest/abdomen/pelvis, and bone scan, all of which revealed no malignancy. Valacyclovir toxicity from inappropriate dosage for her renal function was suspected to be the culprit. She was treated with isotonic saline, IV furosemide, subcutaneous calcitonin, IV pamidronate, and IV hydrocortisone. Her serum calcium improved over the next 7 days to 9.9 mg/dL and her neurological, renal, respiratory, hepatic, and hematopoietic functions also improved. In conclusion, we report a case of severe symptomatic hypercalcemia due to valacyclovir toxicity inappropriately dosed for renal function. Practitioners need to be aware of this possible complication. Test Result Interpretation Ionized Ca 1.68 mmol/L (H) Confirms hyperCa Intact PTH 4.5 pg/mL (L) Suggests non-PTH hyperCa FeCa 14% (H) r/o familial hypocalciuric hyperCa PTHrP 20 pg/mL (N) r/o humoral hyperCa of malignancy 1,25 Vit D 40 pg/mL (N) r/o lymphomas or granulomas SPEP/ UPEP No monoclonal/ light chains (N) r/o multiple myeloma
Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle,Terrapene carolina

The limb girdles and lungs of turtles are both located within the bony shell, and therefore limb movements during locomotion could affect breathing performance. A mechanical conflict between locomotion and lung ventilation has been reported in adult green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas, in which breathing stops during terrestrial locomotion and resumes during pauses between bouts of locomotion. We measured lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion using pneumotach masks in three individual Terrapene carolina (mass 304‐416·g) and found no consistent mechanical effects of locomotion on breathing performance. Relatively small tidal volumes (2.2±1.4·ml·breath ‐1 ; mean ± S.D., N=3 individuals) coupled with high breath frequencies (36.6±26.4·breaths·min ‐1 ; mean ± S.D., N=3 individuals) during locomotion yield mass-specific minute volumes that are higher than any previously reported for turtles (264±64·ml·min·kg ‐1 ; mean ± S.D., N=3 individuals). Minute volume was higher during locomotion than during recovery from exercise (P 0.05; two-way ANOVA). Since locomotion does not appear to conflict with breathing performance, the mechanism of lung ventilation must be either independent of, or coupled to, the stride cycle. The timing of peak airflow from breaths occurring during locomotion does not show any fixed phase relationship with the stride cycle. Additionally, the peak values of inhalatory and exhalatory airflow rates do not differ consistently with respect to the stride cycle. Together, these data indicate that T. carolina is not using respiratory‐locomotor coupling and limb and girdle movements do not contribute to lung ventilation during locomotion. X-ray video recordings indicate that lung ventilation is achieved via bilateral activity of the transverse (exhalatory) and oblique (inhalatory) abdominal muscles. This specialized abdominal ventilation mechanism may have originally circumvented a mechanical conflict between breathing and locomotion in the ancestor of turtles and subsequently allowed the ribs to abandon their role in lung ventilation and to fuse to form the shell.
SUBF vs. MUBF in a Gaussian MIMO Broadcast Channel with Partial Channel State Information

In a Gaussian MIMO broadcast channel, serving more than one user at a time is generally more beneficial in terms of average sum-rate. Under partial Channel State Information (CSI) feedback constraints, however, serving only one user at a time can be a better multiple access method when the number of active users in the system is smaller than a certain threshold. This paper uses Single User Beam-forming (SUBF) to refer to the transmitting scheme that serves only one user at a time and Multi-user Beam-forming (MUBF) to refer to the scheme without such a constraint, i.e., a scheme that is allowed to serve more than one user at a time. It turns out that the aforementioned user threshold varies with other system parameters, especially, it increases as the number of transmit antennas increases. Monte Carlo simulations and a statistical analysis are provided to verify the results.
Specific Differences in the Inhibition Titers of the Anti‐H Lectins from Cytisus sessilifolius and Ulex europaeus*

Summary Test of two commonly used anti-H reagents (extracts from Cytisus sessilifolius and Ulex europaeus) demonstrated that group O secretors have the highest titer of H substance, with A2, A1, B, and AB followhing in that order. A comparison between the two extracts indicated that saliva belonging to persons of group A1 have about the same amount of both Hu and Hc (substances inhibiting the Ulex and Cytisus extracts respectively), A2 and O groups have a much higher titer of Hu substance than they do Hc, and B and AB groups demonstrate exactly the opposite qualities, with higher Hc than Hu titers. The most plausible explanation of the data seems to be that at least two different types of anti-H specifities are involved (anti-Hc and anti-Hu); these extracts, then, differ not only quantitatively, but qualitatively as well. Resume Les test pratiques avec deux reactifs anti-H utilises habituellement (extraits du Cytisus sessilifolius et de l'Ulex europaeus) ont demontre que les secreteurs du groupe O possedent le plus de substances H et ensuite, par ordre decroissant, les secreteurs des groupes A2, A1, B et AB. Une comparaison etablie entre les deux extraits a demontre que la salive des personnes de groupe A1 a la meme quantite de substances Hc et Hu (substances inhibant les extraits de Cytisus sessilifolius et d'Ulex europaeus respectivement), que la salive des personnes de groupe A2 et O ont une contenance plus grande en substance Hu, que la salive des personnes de groupe B et AB montre des proprietes exactement contraires avec une contenance plus forte en Hc qu'en Hu. L'explication la plus plausible de ces resultats semble etre le fait qu'il y a au moins deux specificites differentes de l'anti-H (l'anti-Hc et l'anti-Hu). Ces extraits se differencient non seulement au point de vue quantitatif mais egalement au point de vue qualitatif. Zusammenfassung Untersuchungen mit zwei gebrauchlichen Anti-H-Reagentien (Extrakte von Cytisus sessilifolius und Ulex europaeus) zeigten, das Sekretoren der Gruppe O die hochsten H-Substanz-Titer aufweisen. Bei Sekretoren der Gruppen A2, A1, B und AB sind die Titer niedriger, wobei der H-Substanz-Gehalt von den A2- zu den AB-Individuen progressiv abnimmt. Vergleichsuntersuchungen mit den beiden Extrakten zeigten, das der Speichel von A1-Personen etwa gleicbviel Hu- und Hc-Substanz enthalt (Hu hemmt Ulex; Hc hemmt Cytisus). Der Speichel von A2 und O-Sekretoren enthalt wesentlich mehr Hu-als Hc-Substanz. Der Speichel von B- und AB-Sekretoren enthalt umgekehrt mehr Hc- als Hu-Substanz. Die einfachste Erklarung dieser Befunde besteht in der Annhame, das die Extrakte Anti-H-«Antikorper» mit unterschiedlicher Spezifitat enthalten. Die unter-schiedliche Wirkung der Extrakte beruht somit nicht blos auf quantitativen, sondern auf qualitativen Differenzen der aktiven Komponenten.
On-Chip Measurement of Jitter Transfer and Supply Sensitivity of PLL/DLLs

This brief describes low-cost on-chip measurement circuits for jitter transfer and supply sensitivity of phase-locked loops (PLLs) and delay-locked loops (DLLs). Unlike previous works that measured the frequency-domain responses, the proposed circuits measure the time-domain responses of the PLL/DLL to the periodic disturbances applied to either its input clock phase or its supply voltage. A synchronous sampling technique accurately measures the PLL/DLL's periodic response while suppressing the unrelated noises and interferences via averaging. The synchronous sampler outputs either DC voltage or digital values, making it suitable for low-cost characterization and production tests. The procedure for estimating the frequency-domain transfer functions from the measured time-domain responses is outlined. The jitter transfer and supply sensitivity measurements were demonstrated with a PLL fabricated in 0.13-mum CMOS. Compared with the PLL that occupied 1.1x0.46 mm2 and dissipated 36 mW from a 1.2-V supply, the on-chip measurement circuits occupied only 0.014 mm2 and dissipated only 2.6 mW.
Mechanisms of vein graft atherosclerosis: LDL metabolism and endothelial actin reorganization.

Abstract We have explored the effect of arterial hemodynamics on endothelial cell morphology and low-density lipoprotein metabolism in human saphenous vein segments harvested from tissue donors. An arterial pulsatile perfusion system was used to impose physiologic pressures and flows for 20 hours on saphenous vein and companion (control) femoral artery segments. A venous perfusion apparatus was also employed for the perfusion of a second (control) saphenous vein segment for the same period of time. Calculations of fluid shearing and wall tensile stresses were performed and related to induced changes in endothelial cell geometry and cytoskeletal actin organization and the incorporation, degradation, and localization of intact low-density lipoprotein within the vessel wall. Our results indicate that, compared with native arteries and veins, a 20-hour exposure of test saphenous veins to arterial hemodynamics induced (1) a significant increase in endothelial cell luminal surface area and perimeter independent of alignment with flow, (2) disassembly of the dense peripheral band of actin with a concomitant assembly of stress fibers, and (3) a two- to fourfold elevation in the undegraded low-density lipoprotein content, localized primarily within the subendothelial intima. Although the exact mechanisms underlying these results are uncertain, the focal accumulation of intramural low-density lipoprotein may be related to the loss of normal barrier function during endothelial cell enlargement, which is accompanied by transient cytoskeletal reorganization during the adaptation to arterial flow. (J VASC SURG 1991;13:336-47.)
Infrastructure support for controlled experimentation with software testing and regression testing techniques

Where the creation, understanding, and assessment of software testing and regression testing techniques are concerned, controlled experimentation is an indispensable research methodology. Obtaining the infrastructure necessary to support such experimentation, however, is difficult and expensive. As a result, progress in experimentation with testing techniques has been slow, and empirical data on the costs and effectiveness of techniques remains relatively scarce. To help address this problem, we have been designing and constructing infrastructure to support controlled experimentation with testing and regression testing techniques. This paper reports on the challenges faced by researchers experimenting with testing techniques, including those that inform the design of our infrastructure. The paper then describes the infrastructure that we are creating in response to these challenges, and that we are now making available to other researchers, and discusses the impact that this infrastructure has and can be expected to have.
Curation through use: understanding the personal value of social media

Content generation on social network sites has been considered mainly from the perspective of individuals interacting with social network contacts. Yet research has also pointed to the potential for social media to become a meaningful personal archive over time. The aim of this paper is to consider how social media, over time and across sites, forms part of the wider digital archiving space for individuals. Our findings, from a qualitative study of 14 social media users, highlight how although some sites are more associated with 'keepable' social media than others, even those are not seen as archives in the usual sense of the word. We show how this perception is bound up with five contradictions, which center on social media as curated, as a reliable repository of meaningful content, as readily encountered and as having the potential to present content as a compelling narrative. We conclude by highlighting opportunities for design relating to curation through use and what this implies for personal digital archives, which are known to present difficulties in terms of curation and re-finding.
Three-dimensional magnetotelluric inversion using non-linear conjugate gradients

We have formulated a 3-D inverse solution for the magnetotelluric (MT) problem using the non-linear conjugate gradient method. Finite difference methods are used to compute predicted data efficiently and objective functional gradients. Only six forward modelling applications per frequency are typically required to produce the model update at each iteration. This efficiency is achieved by incorporating a simple line search procedure that calls for a sufficient reduction in the objective functional, instead of an exact determination of its minimum along a given descent direction. Additional efficiencies in the scheme are sought by incorporating preconditioning to accelerate solution convergence. Even with these efficiencies, the solution’s realism and complexity are still limited by the speed and memory of serial processors. To overcome this barrier, the scheme has been implemented on a parallel computing platform where tens to thousands of processors operate on the problem simultaneously. The inversion scheme is tested by inverting data produced with a forward modelling code algorithmically different from that employed in the inversion algorithm. This check provides independent verification of the scheme since the two forward modelling algorithms are prone to different types of numerical error.
The design of a thermal-sweating manikin to evaluate the comfort of prostheses. part II: sweating system

The purpose of this project is to create a test fixture to evaluate the comfort of prosthetic sockets. A thermal manikin makes it possible to evaluate the thermal and evaporative properties of prostheses in an effort to evaluate and improve socket designs. The thermal manikin also reduces the variability encountered in tests with human subjects. The thermal manikin is constructed out of aluminum and contains a water reservoir and an immersion heater that is capable of producing a surface temperature range from 28degC to 36degC. To evaluate the thermal properties of the socket the power consumption of the heater is measured. The best possible socket design is the one that requires the greatest amount of power to heat the manikin.
I’ll Take a Steak, with Antibiotic on the Side…

Eating a diet high in red meat has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), presumably because of an increase in cholesterol and saturated fats. A recent study suggests that the increased CVD risk may be mediated by l-carnitine, an abundant nutrient in red meat, which is metabolized by gut bacteria to trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). TMAO, in turn, leads to accumulation of cholesterol in the arteries, promoting the deposition of atherosclerotic plaques that lead to heart disease. In this study of a large cohort of patients, the authors report that l-carnitine is associated with increased cardiovascular events, but only in those subjects with high concentrations of TMAO. Vegans and vegetarians in the cohort, who had a decreased incidence of CVD, had lower concentrations of TMAO as compared with that of patients who ate red meat regularly. In a clinical study in healthy volunteers, production of TMAO from dietary l-carnitine (after eating a steak) was higher in omnivores than in vegans and vegetarians but could be completely inhibited after treatment with antibiotics. Further supporting a role of gut bacteria in TMAO production, the authors report that germ-free mice were unable to produce TMAO after eating l-carnitine. However, after microbial colonization, these mice acquired the capacity to metabolize l-carnitine to TMAO. In addition, chronic supplementation of mice with l-carnitine resulted in increased atherosclerosis in the aorta, whereas cotreatment of these mice with antibiotics completely prevented this effect. Although the exact mechanism by which TMAO promotes atherosclerotic plaque formation is not clear, it seems to inhibit the clearance of cholesterol, leading to increased accumulation of cholesterol in the arterial walls. Recognizing l-carnitine and the gut bacteria that metabolize it as the missing links connecting consumption of red meat with increased CVD risk has important implications for public health and may lead to new interventions to help prevent CVD. In addition, this study raises concerns about the long-term safety of l-carnitine, which is an over-the-counter dietary supplement in widespread use. R. A. Koeth et al ., Intestinal microbiota metabolism of l-carnitine, a nutrient in red meat, promotes atherosclerosis. Nat. Med. , published online 7 April 2013 (10.1038/nm.3145). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23563705
Small Joint Reconstruction of the Hand

Pain, loss of motion, and instability in the small joints of the hand can result in debilitating loss of function and deformity. Salvage procedures are considered in the setting of complex nonreconstructable fractures, after failure of initial fracture treatment, and for the treatment of severe joint arthritides. This article reviews the merits of various reconstructive options in these settings and examines the pertinent anatomy, clinical challenges, and risk-benefit profiles of each option. The review is limited to salvage reconstructive procedures of the small joints of the hand.
The magnetohydrodynamic thrust bearing

The magnetohydrodynamic lubrication flow in a step-type thrust bearing has been investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The experimental configuration consisted of nine identical segments arranged on a circular plate. Flow was induced by rotating the upper plate. Pressures, voltages and torques were recorded. Provision was made for passing current radially through the segments, and it was shown that the torque could be reduced to zero and even reversed by this means. Good agreement has been obtained between the analysis and the experimental results.
Sequential and hybrid grooming approaches for multicast traffic in WDM networks

The problem of traffic grooming is a crucial constituent in designing WDM networks and has been extensively studied in the literature. Although it is expected that a part of the future traffic of WDM networks will be multicast, most studies of traffic grooming have assumed only unicast traffic. The paper investigates the problem of grooming multicast traffic in WDM networks. More specifically, different sequential single-hop and multi-hop grooming approaches are studied and compared to traditional non-grooming approaches. We also propose a hybrid approach that utilizes the combined resources at the logical and optical layers.
Dynamic Outside Options in Alternating-Offers Negotiations

We present a model for bilateral negotiations that considers the uncertain and dynamic outside options. Outside options affect the negotiation strategies via their impact on the reservation price. The model is composed of three modules, single-threaded negotiations, synchronized multi-threaded negotiations, and dynamic multi-threaded negotiations. These three models embody increased sophistication and complexity. The single-threaded negotiation model provides negotiation strategies without specifically considering outside options. The model of synchronized multi-threaded negotiations builds on the single-threaded negotiation model and considers the presence of concurrently existing outside options. The model of dynamic multi-threaded negotiations expands the synchronized multi-threaded model by considering the uncertain outside options thatm ay come dynamically in the future. Experimental analysis is provided to characterize the impact of outside options on the reservation price and thus on the negotiation strategy. The results show that the utility of a negotiator improves significantly if she considers outside options, and the average utility is higher when she both considers the concurrent outside options and foresees future options.
The odd-even input-queueing ATM switch: performance evaluation

This paper introduces and studies the performance of an N/spl times/N space-division, single-stage ATM switch with dual input-queueing. Each input port has two separate FIFO queues, an "odd" and an "even" queue. An incoming cell is stored at the input at either of two FIFOs according its output port destination (output ports are also labeled as "odd" or "even"). Hence we call this scheme the odd-even switch. We compare the odd-even switch to an ordinary input-buffered switch and we find that it can achieve a considerably higher throughput. This is due to the fact that the head-of-line effect is less problematic under the odd-even scheme. We present results for various traffic models. Finally, we compare the odd-even strategy to the look-ahead (input "window") scheme.
Lay Participation in Decision Making: A Croatian Perspective on Mixed Tribunals

This paper studies mixed tribunals, a form of lay participation in which professional and lay judges decide cases jointly. The focus of the analysis is the interaction of professional judges and lay judges in tribunals that decide criminal cases in two regions of Croatia. The respondents in this study were professional judges and lay judges, as well as ‘the observers’of the trials by mixed tribunals, that is, state attorneys and attorneys. A theoretical framework for the study of interaction of the members of mixed tribunals is developed by applying status characteristics theory. Lay judges ask questions during trials only infrequently; lawyers (professional judges, state attorneys, and attorneys) perceive that those questions are not very important. Lay judges are only sometimes given an opportunity to ask questions during trials. Deliberation typically starts with the summation of evidence by the professional judge. Consistent with the findings about the trials, the comments offered by lay judges during deliberations are perceived by professional judges to be minor, both in regard to frequency and importance. Disagreements between professional and lay judges occur rarely. Lay judges very rarely outvote professional judges. All of the findings are consistent with status characteristics theory.
Action Heroes and Literate Sidekicks: Literacy and Identity in Popular Culture.

The question is not whether literacy practices are present in contemporary popular culture—it is hard not to find a movie or program without some representation of literacy in it. The more important and useful question is, How do we in the audience interpret the literacy practices we find in popular culture? What do such representations tell us about how we think of the ways that reading and writing construct our public identities? In the classroom, how do we encourage students to situate themselves in relationship to the identities they see portrayed in popular culture? Teachers need to help students think carefully about the myths and realities of literacy and consider whether their experiences and goals for reading and writing are similar to or different from the narratives about literacy that get repeated in popular culture.
Presbyopia's finest hour.

In March 1783, with the last peace negotiations all but final, an incident occurred that might have defeated the American Revolution at the last minute. The officers of the Continental Army had not been paid for almost 5 years. A conspiracy arose among the officers to coerce the Continental Congress to provide them benefits it had previously promised. George Washington recognized that if the army could intimidate Congress, this precedent would be fatal for the prospects of the new republic. He met with the agitated, hostile officers and tried to reason with them without success. Then, in a piece of high political theater involving his spectacles, he broke up the conspiracy within a few minutes.
New approaches to facilitate rapid domestication of a wild plant to an oilseed crop: Example pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.)

Oilseed crops are sources of oils and seed meal having a multitude of uses. While the domestication of soybean and rapeseed took extended periods of time, new genome-based techniques have ushered in an era where crop domestication can occur rapidly. One attractive target for rapid domestication is the winter annual plant Field Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.; pennycress; Brassicaceae). Pennycress grows widespread throughout temperate regions of the world and could serve as a winter oilseed-producing cover crop. If grown throughout the USA Midwest Corn Belt, for example, pennycress could produce as much as 840L/ha oils and 1470kg/ha press-cake annually on 16 million hectares of farmland currently left fallow during the fall through spring months. However, wild pennycress strains have inconsistent germination and stand establishment, un-optimized maturity for a given growth zone, suboptimal oils and meal quality for biofuels and food production, and significant harvest loss due to pod shatter. In this review, we describe the virtues and current shortcomings of pennycress and discuss how knowledge from studying Arabidopsis thaliana and other Brassicas, in combination with the advent of affordable next generation sequencing, can bring about the rapid domestication and improvement of pennycress and other crops.
Body Mass Patterns Predict Invasions and Extinctions in Transforming Landscapes

Scale-specific patterns of resource distribution on landscapes entrain attributes of resident animal communities such that species body-mass distributions are organized into distinct aggregations. Species within each aggregation respond to resources over the same range of scale. This discontinuous pattern has predictive power: invasive species and extinct or declining species in landscapes subject to human transformation tend to be located at the edge of body-mass aggregations (P < 0.01), which may be transition zones between distinct ranges of scale. Location at scale breaks affords species great opportunity, but also potential crisis.
Oxidative Stress Survival in a Clinical Saccharomyces cerevisiae Isolate Is Influenced by a Major Quantitative Trait Nucleotide

One of the major challenges in characterizing eukaryotic genetic diversity is the mapping of phenotypes that are the cumulative effect of multiple alleles. We have investigated tolerance of oxidative stress in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a trait showing phenotypic variation in the population. Initial crosses identified that this is a quantitative trait. Microorganisms experience oxidative stress in many environments, including during infection of higher eukaryotes. Natural variation in oxidative stress tolerance is an important aspect of response to oxidative stress exerted by the human immune system and an important trait in microbial pathogens. A clinical isolate of the usually benign yeast S. cerevisiae was found to survive oxidative stress significantly better than the laboratory strain. We investigated the genetic basis of increased peroxide survival by crossing those strains, phenotyping 1500 segregants, and genotyping of high-survival segregants by hybridization of bulk and single segregant DNA to microarrays. This effort has led to the identification of an allele of the transcription factor Rds2 as contributing to stress response. Rds2 has not previously been associated with the survival of oxidative stress. The identification of its role in the oxidative stress response here is an example of a specific trait that appears to be beneficial to Saccharomyces cerevisiae when growing as a pathogen. Understanding the role of this fungal-specific transcription factor in pathogenicity will be important in deciphering how fungi infect and colonize the human host and could eventually lead to a novel drug target.
Confronting the Ethical Conduct of Resuscitation Research: A Consensus Opinion

An objective of the 2005 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference, "Ethical Conduct of Resuscitation Research," was to identify if consensus exists regarding application of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Final Rule allowing an exception from informed consent in resuscitation research. At the start of the consensus conference, 49 attendees participated in a survey containing three sections: 1) demographic questions characterizing respondents, 2) questions regarding application of the FDA Final Rule, and 3) complexities associated with seeking informed consent in an emergency setting. Consensus analysis was used to determine if a formal consensus was reached, relying on a Bayesian posterior probability of 0.99 to consider survey responses a "consensus." Respondents demonstrated consensus regarding the need to further refine and standardize application of the FDA Final Rule in resuscitation research. However, participants agreed that current regulations provide adequate and appropriate protection to safeguard patients. Complexities associated with seeking informed consent in emergency departments were prevalent among most institutions represented at the conference. There was general agreement that current efforts to safeguard human subjects are effective, but participants agreed that refinements to and standardization of the FDA Final Rule would facilitate resuscitation research and enhance patient safety.
A hyperthermic syndrome in two subjects with acute hydrocephalus.

Intracranial hypertension and hydrocephalus with their attendant disturbances of hypothalamic function may produce autonomic disturbances as well as alterations in regulation of body temperature. Such alterations of thermal regulation have been recognized as an early sign of ventricular enlargement. However, an acute hyperthermic syndrome with autonomic disturbance as a consequence of hydrocephalus had not been described prior to the current report. Two male subjects with chronic ventriculoperitoneal shunts presented with just such a syndrome associated with each of several episodes of acute shunt failure and hydrocephalus. In each, hyperthermia was associated with changes in their level of consciousness, increased skeletal muscular tone, absence of pupillary light reflexes, and autonomic instability. With correction of the hydrocephalus, the autonomic disturbances and fever immediately cleared and the patients returned to their baseline state, only to have recurrent episodes with several repeated hydrocephalic events associated with shunt failures. Observations from human and experimental studies suggest some potential mechanisms for the development of the syndrome in these subjects. One of the subjects of the report was being treated with neuroleptics at the time of hospitalization. In him, and potentially in other similar patients, the syndrome could easily be confused with the neuroleptic malignant syndrome. The need for prompt appreciation of the correct diagnosis is emphasized in these subjects by the rapid clearing of the neurological signs after correction of the shunt malfunctions in both patients. (Arch Neurol 45:1037–1040, 1988)
Direct Observation of Membrane Tethers Formed during Neutrophil Attachment to Platelets or P-Selectin under Physiological Flow

Adhesion and subsequent aggregation between neutrophils and platelets is dependent upon the initial binding of P-selectin on activated platelets to P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 (PSGL-1) on the microvilli of neutrophils. High speed, high resolution videomicroscopy of flowing neutrophils interacting with spread platelets demonstrated that thin membrane tethers were pulled from neutrophils in 32 ± 4% of the interactions. After capture by spread platelets, neutrophil membrane tethers (length of 5.9 ± 4.1 μm, n = 63) were pulled at an average rate of 6–40 μm/s as the wall shear rate was increased from 100–250 s−1. The average tether lifetime decreased significantly (P 40 μm) were sometimes pulled, which detached in a flow-dependent mechanism of microparticle formation. Membrane tethers were also formed when neutrophils were perfused over platelet monolayers. These results are the first visualization of the often hypothesized tethers that shield the P-selectin/PSGL-1 bond from force loading to regulate neutrophil rolling during inflammation and thrombosis.