cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fulminant cardiac sarcoidosis in childhood

Abstract Sarcoidosis is uncommon in childhood and cardiac involvement is rare. 1,2 In adults, however, sudden death may be the initial manifestation of cardiac sarcoidosis. 3 This report describes a child with cardiac sarcoidosis.
Absolute continuity of positive spectrum for Schrödinger operators with long-range potentials

Abstract Absolute continuity in (0, ∞) for Schrodinger operators − Δ + V(x), with long range potential V = V1 + V2 such that ∂V 1 ∂ r , V 2 = 0(r −1−ϵ ) , ϵ > 0, as ¦ x ¦ → ∞ , is shown by proving estimates on resolvents near the real axis. Completeness of the modified wave operators for a superposition of Coulomb potentials also follows. Singular local behavior of V is allowed.
Loss of water from Phobos

A quantitative model of the migrational history of any free water in the martian satellite Phobos is presented. Results include predicted depths of retained ice and current water fluxes as a function of latitude, regolith porosity and effective pore size. It is found that, despite Phobos' small size, low albedo and proximity to the sun, ice may be present within the sounding depth of the GRUNT experiment on the Soviet Phobos Mission - at least at mid to high latitudes. Implications for other experiments on the Phobos mission are also discussed.
Continuous, discontinuous and coupled discontinuous–continuous Galerkin finite element methods for the shallow water equations

We consider the approximation of the depth-averaged two-dimensional shallow water equations by both a traditional continuous Galerkin (CG) finite element method as well as two discontinuous Galerkin (DG) approaches. The DG method is locally conservative, flux-continuous on each element edge, and is suitable for both smooth and highly advective flows. A novel technique of coupling a DG method for continuity with a CG method for momentum is developed. This formulation is described in detail and validation via numerical testing is presented. Comparisons between a widely used CG approach, a conventional DG method, and the novel coupled discontinuous–continuous Galerkin method illustrates advantages and disadvantages in accuracy and efficiency. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Marriage of Families: Cross-Generational Complementarity†

Marriage is often characterized as a beginning, a fresh start. This paper presents the results of an exploratory study of two young “normal” couples and the family of origin of each partner. An attempt is made to examine the “emergent” marriage in the context of its familial origins with special emphasis on cross-generational complementarily.
Dietary protein or energy restriction influences age and weight at puberty in ewe lambs

The working hypothesis was that restricted protein content in diets of prepubertal ewe lambs would delay time of onset of puberty to a greater extent than restricted energy content. Restriction of dietary protein (metabolizable protein, MP) or energy (ME) intake on age and weight at puberty was studied in ewe lambs in two experiments. In Experiment 1, 85 crossbred ewe lambs were assigned by weight to one of five dietary treatment groups: control (CTL; 18 mg ME day−1 and 173 g MP day−1); energy restricted (ER; 10.2 mg ME day−1 and 96 g MP day−1); protein restricted (PR; 11 mg ME day−1 and 66 g MP day−1); ER for 9 weeks then switched to CTL (ER/CTL); PR for 9 weeks then switched to CTL (PR/CTL). Ewe lambs were weighed biweekly, bled weekly, and serum was assayed for progesterone to determine time of puberty. Average age at puberty differed among lambs fed the various diets (P < 0.01). Ewe lambs in the CTL group were younger and weighed more at puberty. Lambs fed diets restricted in protein or energy content were similar in age at puberty. Dietary switching, ER/CTL and PR/CTL, affected body weight and gain (P < 0.05), but did not result in changed age at puberty compared with lambs fed ER or PR diets. In Experiment 2, two breed types (maternal type and meat type) were used to compare responses of dietary protein restriction to dietary energy restriction. In Experiment 2, lambs (n = 60) were assigned to either the CTL, PR or ER diets. Lambs in the CTL group gained more weight than lambs fed the PR diet and lambs fed the PR diet gained more weight than lambs fed the ER diet (P < 0.05). Diet affected age (P < 0.001), but not weight at puberty (P = 0.13). Dietary energy and protein restriction influenced age at puberty in ewe lambs with energy restriction having a greater influence on delaying onset of puberty than protein restriction. Realimentation did not overcome effects of previous feed restriction by inducing an earlier age at puberty than ewe lambs fed the ER or PR diet throughout the experimental period. Body weight gain prepuberty is more important than type of dietary restriction (protein or energy) with regard to impacting age at puberty. We, therefore, reject the working hypothesis that dietary protein restriction prepuberty would have a greater impact in delaying onset of puberty than dietary energy restriction.
PET amyloid-beta imaging in preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, accounting for 60–70% of all cases [Hebert et al., 2003, 1 ]. The need for effective therapies for AD is great. Current approaches, including cholinesterase inhibitors and N-methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, are symptomatic treatments for AD but do not prevent disease progression. Many diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to AD are currently changing due to the knowledge that underlying pathology starts 10 to 20 years before clinical signs of dementia appear [Holtzman et al., 2011, 2 ]. New therapies which focus on prevention or delay of the onset or cognitive symptoms are needed. Recent advances in the identification of AD biomarkers now make it possible to detect AD pathology in the preclinical stage of the disease, in cognitively normal (CN) individuals; this biomarker data should be used in the selection of high-risk populations for clinical trials. In vivo visualization of AD neuropathology and biological, biochemical or physiological confirmation of the effects of treatment likely will substantially improve development of novel pharmaceuticals. Positron emission tomography (PET) is the leading neuroimaging tool to detect and provide quantitative measures of AD amyloid pathology in vivo at the early stages and follow its course longitudinally. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Imaging Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative disease.
Trauma-informed sexuality education: recognising the rights and resilience of youth

Experiences of maltreatment during childhood and the emergence of sexuality during adolescence are both critical developmental issues that intersect in meaningful ways, yet the two are often isolated from each other in practice. Despite the prevalence of childhood maltreatment, sexuality education does not accommodate young people with trauma histories. This results in curricula and content that ignore the particular needs and experiences of a proportion of students in sexuality education classrooms. Trauma interventions commit a similar oversight by neglecting the prospects for positive, growth-promoting sexual experiences and relationships among young people who have been abused. The failure to account for young people's resilience in the sexual domain results in treatment approaches that emphasise sexual risks (e.g. revictimisation) and problem behaviours to the exclusion of guidance in cultivating positive sexualities. Consequently, many forms of sexuality education and maltreatment interventions may ...
Orbital Mosaic IR Image Simulation And Processing

A series of IR images from a mosaic sensor in geosynchronous orbit is simulated. This simulation includes the area around Santa Cruz, two layers of moving clouds, high and low level targets, simulated line of sight drift, and the composite optical-detector transfer function. Eight algorithms were tested on the simulation for target extraction and clutter rejection: four temporal differencing algorithms, temporal adaptive filtering, spatial adaptive filtering, spatial differencing, and a modified LMS filter. Background suppression factors up to 722 and target extraction of 25 dB. are reported for the simulation developed.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Irena: tool suite for modeling and analysis of small-angle scattering

Irena, a tool suite for analysis of both X-ray and neutron small-angle scattering (SAS) data within the commercial Igor Pro application, brings together a comprehensive suite of tools useful for investigations in materials science, physics, chemistry, polymer science and other fields. In addition to Guinier and Porod fits, the suite combines a variety of advanced SAS data evaluation tools for the modeling of size distribution in the dilute limit using maximum entropy and other methods, dilute limit small-angle scattering from multiple non-interacting populations of scatterers, the pair-distance distribution function, a unified fit, the Debye–Bueche model, the reflectivity (X-ray and neutron) using Parratt's formalism, and small-angle diffraction. There are also a number of support tools, such as a data import/export tool supporting a broad sampling of common data formats, a data modification tool, a presentation-quality graphics tool optimized for small-angle scattering data, and a neutron and X-ray scattering contrast calculator. These tools are brought together into one suite with consistent interfaces and functionality. The suite allows robust automated note recording and saving of parameters during export.
Molecular Cognitive Information Processing and Computing Platforms

Molecular cognitive systems are envisioned to be designed to accomplishing information processing integrating knowledge generation, perception, learning, etc. By introducing interactive cognition tasks, one attempts to expand signal processing which includes data coding, manipulation, mining, storing and computing. The information theory has been utilized to evaluate communication and coding, and there is a need to develop methods to measure and estimate knowledge generation, perception and learning. We initiate the developments of information-theoretic model of information representation and processing. Approaches in synthesis of molecular cognitive information processing platforms (MCIPP) are reported. ForMCIPP, synthesis of novel architectures and organizations can be performed utilizing aggregated neuronal hypercells. It is documented that the signal processing at the system and device levels can be evaluated and optimized using the performance measures. The objective is to examine how systems represent and process the information utilizing information-theoretic estimates. Signal and information processing depends on the statistical structure of data. We examine these statistics to attain statistical knowledge generation, learning, reconfiguration, adaptation, robustness and self-awareness. The information-theoretic limits of cognition (knowledge generation, perception and learning) should be examined using the information-centered estimates. Baseline cognition characteristics should be analyzed in order to approach fundamental limits and benchmarks of cognitive information processing. One faces with a significant mathematical complexity and technology dependence. Though fundamentals results may be technology-independent, the implementation leads to specific technologies. The proposed results uniquely suit emerging and gradually maturing molecular technologies.
Rate of eradication of group A beta-hemolytic streptococci in children with pharyngo-tonsillitis by amoxicillin and cefdinir

Abstract Background Cephalosporins were found to be more effective than penicillins in the eradication of group A β-hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) from tonsillar tissues. This study investigated the effect of amoxicillin and cefdinir therapies on the rate of eradication of GABHS from the tonsils of children with acute pharyngo-tonsillitis (PT). Patients and methods Of 50 children suffering from PT 25 were treated with amoxicillin (40 mg/(kg d) or 250 mg every 8 h) and 25 with cefdinir (14 mg/(kg d) or 600 mg once a day) for 10 days. Pharyngo-tonsillar cultures were obtained from all children before treatment and on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 12th days. Results GABHS was eradicated more rapidly from children treated with cefdinir as compared to those receiving amoxicillin. A smaller number of patients with GABHS were found in those treated with cefdinir as compared to amoxicillin throughout the treatment period. Eradication of GABHS from 68% (8 of 25 patients) was noted in those treated with cefdinir after 2 days and those treated with amoxicillin after 4 days. The differences between the number of patients who had a bacteriological cure between those receiving cefdinir to those getting amoxicillin was statistical significant at day 4 (32% vs. 8%). At the end of therapy GABHS was recovered from 5 (20%) and 2 (8%) of the patients. The group that received cefdinir, had a more rapid reduction in fever on the first after initiation of therapy as compared to those receiving amoxicillin. The fever reduction in those receiving cefdinir occurred a day earlier than in those getting amoxicillin. Conclusions Fever was reduced and GABHS was eradicated more rapidly from children treated with cefdinir as compared to amoxicillin.
A comparison of NOTES transvaginal and laparoscopic cholecystectomy procedures based upon task analysis

A virtual reality-based simulator for natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) procedures may be used for training and discovery of new tools and procedures. Our previous study (Sankaranarayanan et al. in Surg Endosc 27:1607–1616, 2013) shows that developing such a simulator for the transvaginal cholecystectomy procedure using a rigid endoscope will have the most impact on the field. However, prior to developing such a simulator, a thorough task analysis is necessary to determine the most important phases, tasks, and subtasks of this procedure. 19 rigid endoscope transvaginal hybrid NOTES cholecystectomy procedures and 11 traditional laparoscopic procedures have been recorded and de-identified prior to analysis. Hierarchical task analysis was conducted for the rigid endoscope transvaginal NOTES cholecystectomy. A time series analysis was conducted to evaluate the performance of the transvaginal NOTES and laparoscopic cholecystectomy procedures. Finally, a comparison of electrosurgery-based errors was performed by two independent qualified personnel. The most time-consuming tasks for both laparoscopic and NOTES cholecystectomy are removing areolar and connective tissue surrounding the gallbladder, exposing Calot’s triangle, and dissecting the gallbladder off the liver bed with electrosurgery. There is a positive correlation of performance time between the removal of areolar and connective tissue and electrosurgery dissection tasks in NOTES (r = 0.415) and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (r = 0.684) with p < 0.10. During the electrosurgery task, the NOTES procedures had fewer errors related to lack of progress in gallbladder removal. Contrarily, laparoscopic procedures had fewer errors due to the instrument being out of the camera view. A thorough task analysis and video-based quantification of NOTES cholecystectomy has identified the most time-consuming tasks. A comparison of the surgical errors during electrosurgery gallbladder dissection establishes that the NOTES procedure, while still new, is not inferior to the established laparoscopic procedure.
A microcomputer-dependent statistics and design course

A one-semester course in statistics and research design is described. All computations are carried out by a Macintosh computer. No hand calculation is expected of the students, and little class time is spent on computational procedure. The course covers much more statistical content than is the norm for a one-semester course, and student understanding of the logic of the material and its application is enhanced.
Importance of point-by-point back projection correction for isocentric motion in digital breast tomosynthesis: Relevance to morphology of structures such as microcalcifications

Digital breast tomosynthesis is a three-dimensional imaging technique that provides an arbitrary set of reconstruction planes in the breast from a limited-angle series of projection images acquired while the x-ray tube moves. Traditional shift-and-add (SAA) tomosynthesis reconstruction is a common mathematical method to line up each projection image based on its shifting amount to generate reconstruction slices. With parallel-path geometry of tube motion, the path of the tube lies in a plane parallel to the plane of the detector. The traditional SAA algorithm gives shift amounts for each projection image calculated only along the direction of x-ray tube movement. However, with the partial isocentric motion of the x-ray tube in breast tomosynthesis, small objects such as microcalcifications appear blurred (for instance, about 1-4 pixels in blur for a microcalcification in a human breast) in traditional SAA images in the direction perpendicular to the direction of tube motion. Some digital breast tomosynthesis algorithms reported in the literature utilize a traditional one-dimensional SAA method that is not wholly suitable for isocentric motion. In this paper, a point-by-point back projection (BP) method is described and compared with traditional SAA for the important clinical task of evaluating morphology of small objects such as microcalcifications. Impulse responses at different three-dimensional locations with five different combinations of imaging acquisition parameters were investigated. Reconstruction images of microcalcifications in a human subject were also evaluated. Results showed that with traditional SAA and 45 degrees view angle of tube movement with respect to the detector, at the same height above the detector, the in-plane blur artifacts were obvious for objects farther away from x-ray source. In a human subject, the appearance of calcifications was blurred in the direction orthogonal to the tube motion with traditional SAA. With point-by-point BP, the appearance of calcifications was sharper. The point-by-point BP method demonstrated improved rendition of microcalcifications in the direction perpendicular to the tube motion direction. With wide angles or for imaging of larger breasts, this point-by-point BP rather than the traditional SAA should also be considered as the basis of further deblurring algorithms that work in conjunction with the BP method.
Effect of subthalamic nucleus stimulation patterns on motor performance in Parkinson's disease

Abstract We studied different patterns of deep brain stimulation (DBS), but same average rate, in seven Parkinson disease patients performing a wrist flexion/extension task. Movement times were shorter with regular (continuous) stimulation than cycled ‘on’ and ‘off’ for 0.1 s (mean difference 0.129 s; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.228–0.029 s; P
OBSERVATIONS OF A QUADRATIC TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE IN THE LOW TEMPERATURE RESISTIVITY OF SIMPLE METALS.

We have performed precise measurements of the low temperature resistivity of aluminium, indium, potassium, and sodium, and have obtained evidence of aT2 temperature dependence in the resistivity of aluminium and indium.
Neural plasticity and the brain renin-angiotensin system.

The brain renin-angiotensin system mediates several classic physiologies including body water balance, maintenance of blood pressure, cyclicity of reproductive hormones and sexual behaviors, and regulation of pituitary gland hormones. In addition, angiotensin peptides have been implicated in neural plasticity and memory. The present review initially describes the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the roles of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), matrix metalloproteinases, and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases in the maintenance and degradation of the ECM. It is the ECM that appears to permit synaptic remodeling and thus is critical to the plasticity that is presumed to underlie mechanisms of memory consolidation and retrieval. The interrelationship among long-term potentiation (LTP), CAMs, and synaptic strengthening is described, followed by the influence of angiotensins on LTP. There is strong support for an inhibitory influence by angiotensin II (AngII) and a facilitory role by angiotensin IV (AngIV), on LTP. Next, the influences of AngII and IV on associative and spatial memories are summarized. Finally, the impact of sleep deprivation on matrix metalloproteinases and memory function is described. Recent findings indicate that sleep deprivation-induced memory impairment is accompanied by a lack of appropriate changes in matrix metalloproteinases within the hippocampus and neocortex as compared with non-sleep deprived animals. These findings generally support an important contribution by angiotensin peptides to neural plasticity and memory consolidation.
Solid state characterization of α-chitin from Vanessa cardui Linnaeus wings

Material properties of the painted lady butterfly, Vanessa cardui Linnaeus were investigated using typical material science techniques. The examined butterflies were raised and hatched from the larvae stage and their chemical and crystalline structure evaluated and compared to that of crab shell (α-chitin) and squid pens from Notodarus sloanii and Loligo pealei (β-chitin). Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that the painted lady butterflies are composed of α-chitin. Additionally, macro- and microstructure characterization of the chitins was conducted utilizing digital photography and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). This work demonstrates that common characterization techniques combined with simple sample preparation of biological materials can yield successful material characterization, which could aide the fabrication of biomimetic materials.
Preliminary tests of maximum likelihood image reconstruction method on 3-D real data and some practical considerations for the data corrections

The image reconstruction method of maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) has been used in the authors' previous work for fluorescence microscopy. By computer simulations, it was previously found that this method worked very well for addressing two dimensional superresolution and three dimensional optical sectioning problems. In this paper, the results of 3D reconstructions with real data will be presented.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Inertia and controllability in infinite dimensions

On demontre des theoremes d'inertie pour des operateurs lineaires bornes agissant sun un espace de Hilbert complexe
Elevation of the Proinflammatory Cytokine Interleukin 1 (IL-1) in Tracheal Aspirates (TA) from Preterm Infants Who Progress to Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD)

Elevation of the Proinflammatory Cytokine Interleukin 1 (IL-1) in Tracheal Aspirates (TA) from Preterm Infants Who Progress to Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD)
An Experimental Investigation of Grease-Lubricated Journal Bearings

A series of experimental results is presented to explore the frictional characteristics of a grease-lubricated journal bearing. Load, grease type, and bushing material are varied to examine their effects on the friction coefficient. The results attest to the existence of distinctive regimes in grease lubrication akin to the oil-lubricated Stribeck curve. A mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication model for line contacts is employed to estimate the coefficient of friction in mixed lubrication regime. The simulation results capture the basic characteristics of mixed lubrication.
Multilayer coating method for x-ray reflectivity enhancement of polysilicon micro-mirrors at 1.54-Å wavelength

A poly-silicon piston micro-mirror array, which has been enhanced with a multilayer coating to exhibit special reflective properties at Cu K α emission line of 1.54 A is presented. The micro-mirror array is fabricated using the MEMSCAP PolyMUMPs process and packaged in a ceramic package. The packaged array is coated using atomic layer deposition with an Al 2 O 3 /W multilayer. The first Al 2 O 3 layer is thicker than for a normal bilayer pair and prevents the mirror coating from creating an electrical short. This device was tested before and after coating. The snap-down voltage was reduced by half, but qualitatively the mechanical motion remained similar. The fabrication process presented for the Cu K α wavelength at 1.54 A can be easily adapted to other optical MEMS and for other wavelengths.
Humoral factors involved in lymphocte communication and the induction of antibody synthesis

Abstract The induction of antibody synthesis requires cell communication between B and T lymphocytes. Factors that replace the function of helper T cells in the induction of antibody synthesis are found in lymphocyte culture supernatants. How these molecules function as intercellular mediators is being determined.
Envelope Equations Near the Onset of a Hexagonal Pattern

We present the amplitude equation including slow spatial modulations for the hexagonal patterns observed near the onset of the B~nard instability in the presence of non-Boussinesq effects. In contrast to the onset of convection in Boussinesq approximation for rigid-rigid boundary conditions, we do not find a generalized thermodynamic potential. The same conclusion is found to hold for surface tension driven Marangoni convection and for temporal· ly modulated convection. We also point out the applicability of our approach to other systems such as the Rosenzweig instability in ferrofluids as well as to the baroclinic instability and to the buckling of plates and shells, for which an envelope equation, which is second order in time, results.
Photodynamic Therapy of Experimental Choroidal Melanoma Using Lipoprotein-delivered Benzoporphyrin

Background: Benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid (BPD) is a new photosensitizer currently undergoing clinical trial for cutaneous malignancies. Compared with the clinically most frequently used sensitizer, Photofrin, BPD may offer higher tumor phototoxicity, better tissue penetration, and absence of significant skin sensitization. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) carriers heighten efficiency and selectivity of BPD because neovascular and tumor cells express an increased number of LDL receptors. Hence, in addition to the vaso-occlusive effects similar to most other photosensitizers, LDL-BPD also has been shown to cause direct tumor cell damage. Methods: Benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid was complexed with human LDL and used in photodynamic treatment of choroidal melanomas experimentally induced in eight albino rabbits. Five rabbits served as controls. Three hours after intravenous injection of 2 mg/kg body weight of LDL-BPD, eight tumors were irradiated at 692 nm and 100 J/cm 2 via an argon-pumped dye laser coupled into a slit lamp. Results: Angiography and histologic findings showed immediate photothrombosis after disintegration of endothelial membranes. After complete necrosis of tumor cells within 24 hours, a small fibrotic scar slowly developed. No tumor regrowth was noted up to 6 weeks when animals were killed. Conclusion: These data suggest that photodynamic treatment with LDL-BPD may be a promising modality for multiple clinical applications, including tumors and neovascularizations II.
Long-term follow-up of neodymium: YAG laser angle surgery for open-angle glaucoma

Abstract Seventy-nine eyes (61 patients) with open-angle glaucoma and uncontrolled intraocular pressure (IOP) of 23 mmHg or more despite maximal tolerated medical therapy and prior argon laser trabeculoplasty (75 eyes) were treated with neodymium:YAG (Nd: YAG) laser angle surgery and followed for at least 1 year. Ten pulses of 10 mJ were applied to the midtrabecular meshwork over 40° in the most visible portion of the angle. The IOP was controlled successfully (≤22 mmHg) in 60 eyes (76%) 1 month after treatment and in 36 of 78 eyes (46%) 1 year after treatment. Long-term complications included two eyes with advanced glaucoma that lost central fixation despite good IOP control after treatment.
Media access techniques: the evolution towards terabit/s LANs and MANs

Abstract Multimedia services, teleconferencing, high-performance visualization and open-system connectivity are expected to accelerate the demand for high-speed and high-performance Local and Metropolitan Area Networks (LAN/ MANs). These must be able to span large geographical areas and to serve large populations. This paper tracks the evolution of the diverse media access techniques used in standardized, experimental and proposed networks through three technology generations. Full exploitation of technological advances has been an ongoing challenge. The first generation, which includes Ethernet, Token Ring, and Token Bus, predominantly covers bit rates of some 10 Mbit/s. The second generation comprises a large variety of network configurations and access mechanisms in the speed range from 100 Mbit/s up to multi-Gbit/s. A remarkable number of basic access schemes and numerous variations reflect the difficulty of simultaneously achieving high throughput, low delay, fairness and scalability. In the third technology generation, architectural and experimental network designs have begun taking advantage of the tremendous transmission bandwidth of more than 20 THz of the optical medium. The intent of this paper is to track this evolution, giving a concise characterization of the diverse access protocols and providing pointers to the related literature.
Evaluation of Head Gaze Loosely Synchronized With Real-Time Synthetic Speech for Social Robots

This study demonstrates that robots can achieve socially acceptable interactions using loosely synchronized head gaze-speech acts. Prior approaches use tightly synchronized head gaze-speech, which requires significant human effort and time to manually annotate synchronization events in advance, restricts interactive dialog, or requires that the operator acts as a puppeteer. This paper describes how autonomous synchronization of head gaze can be achieved by exploiting affordances in the sentence structure and time delays. A 93-participant user study was conducted in a simulated disaster site. The rescue robot “Survivor Buddy” generated head gaze for a victim management scenario using a 911 dialog. The study used pre- and postinteraction questionnaires to compare the social acceptance level of loosely synchronized head gaze-speech against tightly synchronized head gaze-speech (manual annotation) and no head gaze-speech conditions. The results indicated that for attributes of Self-Assessment Manikin, i.e., Arousal, Robot Likeability, Human-Like Behavior, Understanding Robot Behavior, Gaze-Speech Synchronization, Looking at Objects at Appropriate Times, and Natural Movement, the loosely synchronized head gaze-speech is similar to tightly synchronized head gaze-speech and preferred to the no head gaze-speech case. This study contributes to a fundamental understanding of the role of social head gaze in social acceptance for human–machine interaction, how social gaze can be produced, and promotes practical implementation in social robots.
Synthesis of Homoleptic Gallium Alkoxide Complexes and the Chemical Vapor Deposition of Gallium Oxide Films

A general synthetic route to gallium alkoxide complexes involving reactions of gallium tris(dimethylamide) with alcohols was developed and gallium oxide films were prepared by using a gallium alkoxide complex as the precursor in a chemical vapor deposition process. The complex [Ga(NMe2)3]2 reacted with i-BuOH and i-PrOH to yield the tetramers Ga[(μ-OR)2Ga(OR)2]3 where R = i-Bu and i-Pr, respectively. Consistent with previous observations, the solution equilibrium Ga[(μ-O-i-Pr)2Ga(O-i-Pr)2]3 ⇄ 2[Ga(μ-O-i-Pr)(O-i-Pr)2]2 was observed (ΔH° = 8.7(0.4) kcal/mol, ΔS° = 27(1) eu, and Δ = 0.63(0.04) kcal/mol). For the less sterically crowded tetramer Ga[(μ-O-i-Bu)2Ga(O-i-Bu)2]3, there was no evidence for a tetramer−dimer equilibrium. In contrast to the results obtained using i-BuOH and i-PrOH, the bulkier alcohols t-BuOH and EtMe2COH reacted with [Ga(NMe2)3]2 at room temperature to yield mixtures of the dimer [Ga(μ-OR)(OR)2]2 and the amine adduct Ga(OR)3(HNMe2), while i-PrMe2COH and Et2MeCOH reacted to produce Ga(...
Template-based SAR ATR performance using different image enhancement techniques

The Lincoln Laboratory baseline ATR system for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data applies a super-resolution technique known as high-definition vector imaging (HDVI) before the input image is passed through the final target classification subsystem. In previous studies, it has been demonstrated that HDVI improves target recognition performance significantly. Recently, however, several other viable SAR image enhancement techniques have been proposed and discussed in the literature which could be used in place of (or perhaps in conjunction with) the HDVI technique. This paper compares the performance achieved by the Lincoln Laboratory template-based classification subsystem when these alternative image enhancement techniques are used instead of the HDVI technique. In addition, empirical evidence is presented suggesting that target recognition performance could be further improved by fusing the classifier outputs generated by the best image enhancement techniques.
FrenchPress Gives Students Automated Feedback on Java Program Flaws (Abstract Only)

FrenchPress is an Eclipse plug-in that partially automates the task of giving students feedback on their Java programs. It is designed not for novices but for students taking their second or third Java course: students who know enough Java to write a working program but lack the judgment to recognize bad code when they see it. FrenchPress does not diagnose compile-time or runtime errors, or logical errors that produce incorrect output. It targets silent flaws, flaws the student is unable to identify for herself because nothing in the programming environment alerts her.FrenchPress diagnoses flaws characteristic of programmers who have not yet assimilated the object-oriented idiom. Such shortcomings include misuse of the public modifier and instance variables that function as local variables or class constants. Other rules address the all too common misunderstanding of the boolean datatype. Where it finds a problem, FrenchPress delivers an explanatory message in a vocabulary appropriate to the student's current level of understanding.FrenchPress is easy to use for both students and instructors. The instructor does not have to write a model solution or customized diagnostics for each assignment. The analysis applies to any compilable Java program. The Eclipse plug-in integrates seamlessly into the student's development environment. The student can get feedback as she works, so she can iteratively improve the code before submitting her project.
Nanoscale Metal Oxide Particles/Clusters as Chemical Reagents. Adsorption of Hydrogen Halides, Nitric Oxide, and Sulfur Trioxide on Magnesium Oxide Nanocrystals and Compared with Microcrystals

Adsorption of HCl, HBr, NO and SO3 on nanoscale MgO (autoclave prepared = AP-MgO) and microscale MgO (conventionally prepared = CP-MgO) has been studied. The higher surface area of AP-MgO allows a higher capacity of these gases to be adsorbed/mol MgO. However, at pressures of 100 Torr or higher, the amounts adsorbed/nm2 for HX and SO3 are larger on the microcrystals. This is explained as due to the formation of ordered multilayers of adsorbate on the more perfect crystals of CP-MgO (adsorption on flatter, more extended planes). In the case of NO, the different surface chemistry of AP-MgO vs CP-MgO is again demonstrated. In this case, AP-MgO adsorbed more NO/nm2, and NO2, N2, and N2O were formed on the surface. The high surface area and unusual surface reactivity of nanoscale MgO allows it to be considered as a new type of adsorbent as well as a near-stoichiometric chemical reagent.
Surface chemical bonding states and ferroelectricity of Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 thin films

The surface chemical bonding states and the ferroelectric properties of sol-gel deposited lead zirconate titanate Pb(Zr 0.52 Ti 0.48 )O 3 , PZT] thin films coated on (111)Pt/Ti/SiO 2 /Si substrates were investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to determine the oxidation state of the surface and the chemical composition as a function of depth in ferroelectric PZT thin layers. Values for the dielectric constant and dissipation factor at I kHz for the 300 nm-thick film were 1214 and 0.014 for the film annealed at 520 °C, and 881 and 0.015 for a film annealed at 670 °C. Measured values for the remanent polarization (P r ) and coercive field (E c ), from polarization-electric field (P-E) hysteresis loops biased at 10 V at a frequency of 100 Hz, were 16.7, 14.4 μC/cm 2 and 60, 41.7 kV/cm for 520 °C and 670 C. The leakage current density (J) was 72 and 96 nA/cm 2 at an applied field of 100 kV/cm. It was found that the bonding states of lead and oxygen in the surface regions could be correlated with the ferroelectric properties of the integrated thin layers.
Characterization of the Mechanism and Magnitude of Cytoglobin-mediated Nitrite Reduction and Nitric Oxide Generation under Anaerobic Conditions

Cytoglobin (Cygb) is a recently discovered cytoplasmic heme-binding globin. Although multiple hemeproteins have been reported to function as nitrite reductases in mammalian cells, it is unknown whether Cygb can also reduce nitrite to nitric oxide (NO). The mechanism, magnitude, and quantitative importance of Cygb-mediated nitrite reduction in tissues have not been reported. To investigate this pathway and its quantitative importance, EPR spectroscopy, spectrophotometric measurements, and chemiluminescence NO analyzer studies were performed. Under anaerobic conditions, mixing nitrite with ferrous-Cygb triggered NO formation that was trapped and detected using EPR spin trapping. Spectrophotometric studies revealed that nitrite binding to ferrous-Cygb is followed by formation of ferric-Cygb and NO. The kinetics and magnitude of Cygb-mediated NO formation were characterized. It was observed that Cygb-mediated NO generation increased linearly with the increase of nitrite concentration under anaerobic conditions. This Cygb-mediated NO production greatly increased with acidosis and near-anoxia as occur in ischemic conditions. With the addition of nitrite, soluble guanylyl cyclase activation was significantly higher in normal smooth muscle cells compared with Cygb knocked down cells with Cygb accounting for ∼40% of the activation in control cells and ∼60% in cells subjected to hypoxia for 48 h. Overall, these studies show that Cygb-mediated nitrite reduction can play an important role in NO generation and soluble guanylyl cyclase activation under hypoxic conditions, with this process regulated by pH, oxygen tension, nitrite concentration, and the redox state of the cells.
C–H⋯O interaction and water tunneling in the CHClF2–H2O dimer

Abstract The rotational spectrum of the CHClF 2 –H 2 O weakly bound dimer has been measured using both chirped-pulse and resonant cavity Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy in the 5–18 GHz range. The structure of the complex has been determined by analysis of the moments of inertia of five isotopologues of the dimer. The primary interaction between the two monomers is a weak C–H⋯O contact ( R H⋯O = 2.332(3) A) with a C–Cl⋯H–O contact also present ( R Cl⋯H = 2.749(13) A). The observed structure is in reasonable agreement with ab initio calculations at the MP2/6-311++G(2d,2p) level, although these predict a Cl⋯H distance that is significantly longer than the experimental results indicate. The rotational transitions of all isotopologues containing H 2 O or D 2 O were doubled, with relative intensities of the observed transitions consistent with an internal rotation of the water molecule leading to exchange of equivalent hydrogen atoms. Fitting the upper and lower components of the transitions using an effective Hamiltonian with the ERHAM program has yielded an energy difference between the tunneling states of 16.0(4) GHz, resulting in an estimate of the barrier to internal rotation of 195(5) cm −1 (to be compared with an ab initio estimate of ∼117 cm −1 ). The binding energy of the complex is estimated to be ∼5.5(2) kJ/mol (∼460 cm −1 ) from a pseudo-diatomic approximation and assumption of a Lennard–Jones intermolecular potential.
Analysis method for bonded patch repair of a skin with a cutout

This study presents an analysis method for determining the transverse shear and normal stresses in the adhesive and in-plane stresses in the repair patch and in the repaired skin. The damage to the skin is represented in the form of a cutout. The circular or elliptical cutout can be located arbitrarily under the patch. The patch is free of external tractions while the skin is subjected to general loading along its external edge. The method utilizes the principle of minimum potential energy in conjunction with complex potential functions to analyze a patch-repaired damage configuration. The present results have been validated against experimental measurements and three-dimensional finite element (FE) predictions concerning the patch repair of a circular cutout in a skin under uniform loading.
Transient reactor analysis by approximate Jacobian factorization

Abstract Approximate matrix factorization is applied in the solution of reaction/diffusion/convection equations that describe the time evolution of temperature and concentration in tubular chemical reactors. The inherent stiffness of reactor modeling equations calls for implicit time-integration methods. The equations, once discretized, form a system of nonlinear algebraic equations. Newton's method finds their solution, but direct solution of the linear algebraic system that results requires excessive computation. By approximating the Jacobian matrix as the product of easy-to-invert matrices, the overall amount of computation required to track reactor transients is reduced.
Variation in Care of the Febrile Young Infant <90 Days in US Pediatric Emergency Departments

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Variation in patient care or outcomes may indicate an opportunity to improve quality of care. We evaluated the variation in testing, treatment, hospitalization rates, and outcomes of febrile young infants in US pediatric emergency departments (EDs). METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of infants <90 days of age with a diagnosis code of fever who were evaluated in 1 of 37 pediatric EDs between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2013. We assessed patient- and hospital-level variation in testing, treatment, and disposition for patients in 3 distinct age groups: ≤28, 29 to 56, and 57 to 89 days. We also compared interhospital variation for 3-day revisits and revisits resulting in hospitalization. RESULTS: We identified 35 070 ED visits that met inclusion criteria. The proportion of patients who underwent comprehensive evaluation, defined as urine, serum, and cerebrospinal fluid testing, decreased with increasing patient age: 72.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 71.0–73.0) of neonates ≤28 days, 49.0% (95% CI, 48.2–49.8) of infants 29 to 56 days, and 13.1% (95% CI, 12.5–13.6) of infants 57 to 89 days. Significant interhospital variation was demonstrated in testing, treatment, and hospitalization rates overall and across all 3 age groups, with little interhospital variation in outcomes. Hospitalization rate in the overall cohort did not correlate with 3-day revisits ( R 2 = 0.10, P = .06) or revisits resulting in hospitalization ( R 2 = 0.08, P = .09). CONCLUSIONS: Substantial patient- and hospital-level variation was observed in the ED management of the febrile young infant, without concomitant differences in outcomes. Strategies to understand and address the modifiable sources of variation are needed.
The relationship between stuttering and academic achievement in children

Abstract Two onvestigations were made of the academic achievement of young stutterers as measured by the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. When stuttering children in grade six were compared with matched nonstuttering controls, it was found that the stutterers, as a group, were academically retarded in relation to the nonstutterers, although the score ranges for the two groups were essentially the same. When changes in academic achievement which occurred between grade four and grade eight were examined for a group of stutterers and a group of nonstutterers, the only area in which the stutterers appeared to “catch up” to the nonstutterers was Language Skills. Factors which may possibly contribute to the observed academic retardation in stutterers are listed and discussed. It is suggested that changes in academic achievement level may be brought about through manipulation of the young stutterer's academic environment.
Broad Expression Analysis of Human ANTXR1/TEM8 Transcripts Reveals Differential Expression and Novel Splizce Variants

Tumor endothelial marker 8 (TEM8; ANTXR1) is one of two anthrax toxin receptors; the other is capillary morphogenesis gene 2 protein (CMG2; ANTXR2). TEM8 shows enhanced expression in certain tumor endothelia, and is thought to be a player in tumor vasculature formation. However, a comprehensive expression profile of individual TEM8 variants in normal or cancerous tissues is lacking. In this work we carried out an extensive analysis of all splice variants of human TEM8 in 12 digestive tissues, and 8 each fetal and adult tissues, 6 of them cognate pairs. Using variant-specific primers, we first ascertained the status of full-length transcripts by nested PCR. We then carried out quantitative analysis of each transcript by real-time PCR. Three splice variants of TEM8 were reported before, two single-pass integral membrane forms (V1 and V2) and one secreted (V3). Our analysis has revealed two new variants, one encoding a membrane-bound form of the receptor and the other secreted, which we have designated V4 and V5, respectively. All tissues had V1, V2, V3, and V4, but only prostate had V5. Real-time PCR revealed that all variants are present at different levels in various tissues. V3 appeared the most abundant of all. To ascertain its functionality for anthrax toxin, we expressed the newly identified form V4 in a receptor-negative host cell, and included V1 and V2 for comparison. Cytotoxicity, toxin binding, and internalization assays showed V4 to be as efficient a receptor as V1 and V2.
Behavioral and Physiological Consequences of Crowding in Humans

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of crowding on human performance. Results generally supported the hypothesis that crowding acts as a stressor which may be mediated by overarousal. Moderate decrements in complex but not simple task performance were found for crowded subjects as compared to uncrowded controls. Poorer performance on a group cooperation task and less tolerance for frustration as an aftereffect of the crowded experience were reported. Crowded subjects in comparison to controls also exhibited significant elevations in blood pressure and pulse rate and manifested additional behavioral indices of stress, which included greater behavioral stereotypes, increased defensive postures, more remarks toward the door of the experimental room, and self reports of greater discomfort and hostility.