cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Study of the Impact of Pitch Distance on the Statistical Variation of TSV Protrusion and the Underlying Mechanisms

In this work, we investigated the effect of pitch distance on the statistical variation of Cu protrusion in TSVs and its underlying mechanisms. The magnitude and statistical spread of Cu protrusion in 120 vias from two TSV arrangements with pitch distances of 10 μm and 40 μm were studied. A notable increase in the magnitude of protrusion was observed in vias with 10 μm pitch distance, yet, the protrusion height variation in TSVs with different pitch distances were similar. Finite element analysis was performed to show the effect of pitch distance on stress in and around the Cu vias. Topography and microstructure characterizations were carried out to study the effect of pitch distance on the magnitude, statistical spread, morphology, and mechanisms of protrusions. The results showed that smaller pitch distance made for larger stresses and larger protrusions but the variation of protrusion was weakly dependent of the pitch distance. The microstructural studies revealed a correlation between the protrusion topography and the grain structure. Moreover, even though the statistical spread of small pitch vias remained largely identical to that of the large pitch vias, a ring shape morphology was observed more often in vias with smaller pitch distance. Mechanisms that could be responsible for the statistical variation of protrusion and the different protrusion morphologies were discussed.
DEVELOPING A RESIDENT-LED FIRST-YEAR RADIOLOGY RESIDENT LECTURE SERIES

The first year of radiology residency presents many unique challenges, from transitioning into a completely new, specialized field to preparing for call. Implementation of a longitudinal lecture series dedicated towards the clinical demands of being a first-year radiology resident may improve their knowledge and comfort level, as well as benefit the entire program. In this article, we outline our experience with the development of a resident-led dedicated first-year radiology resident lecture series providing targeted, high-yield instruction on rotation logistics, basic physics and artifacts, examination protocolling, and common and "don't miss" pathology.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric illness that can be quite debilitating and historically has proven difficult to treat. Research conducted over the past decade has provided much insight into the underlying neuropathology, allowing significant advances in the treatment of these patients. Whereas psychotherapy was previously the only mode of treatment for OCD, pharmacological agents and psychosurgical procedures are proving to be effective in treating this disorder. The use of noninvasive or minimally invasive procedures to treat OCD also are currently being investigated. This chapter reviews the animal models and clinical features of OCD, as well as the neurochemicals and brain regions involved in this disorder, and the role of autoimmunity and familial inheritance. Treatment options including psychotherapy, medications, and invasive and noninvasive procedures are also discussed in detail.
Group Integration and Disruption in Disc Golf Social Media

The evolution of disc golf culture depends greatly on what happens inside local clubs. With the rise of social media in the 2010s, much of this life world was uploaded to groups on Facebook. This chapter and Chap. 6 examine the relationship between social media and the rise of disc golf and other emerging sports. Based on a qualitative analysis of 123 randomly selected disc golf Facebook groups, this chapter describes how social networking services can both integrate and disrupt emerging sports movements. I argue that, even though social media can intensify conflicts, the disc golf movement has managed to utilize it in ways that benefit the sport’s organization, group cohesion, and identity, while mostly avoiding interpersonal tensions and conflict.
Architecture and business model of power grid marketing and distribution integration system based on middle platform technology

This paper briefly describes the development status and construction requirements of the power grid marketing and distribution integration (MDI for short). It puts forward the overall architecture of MDI system based on the middle platform technology, expounds its technical architecture, and studies the key business model of the MDI system. At present the system has been applied as a pilot in the Customer Service Center of SGCC and interconnected with 27 provincial companies. The application results show that the system can realize data integration and sharing, which has good promotion value, and its system technical architecture and business model can provide useful experience for the construction of similar products.
Examining community solar programs to understand accessibility and investment: Evidence from the U.S.

Abstract This paper examines barriers and drivers to investment in community solar programs in the U.S. The paper addresses two key questions: (i) What barriers and drivers influence community solar adoption, including in low- and middle-income households? (ii) How can the market potential for community solar be further unlocked beyond the group of early adopter utilities and developers? The research team used a three-phased methodology consisting of stakeholder interviews, a survey, and a stakeholder engagement workshop. The main findings of the paper are: First, leading barriers to adoption are the absence of state and federal policies and standards, difficulties in subscribing customers, and lack of education, financial viability and suitable location sites; Second, the major drivers for adoption are enhancing community benefits and resiliency and grid modernization efforts. Improving financial viability is possible through, for example, the use of anchor tenants to mitigate financial risk and improve value-stack and sustainability efforts. To unlock the market potential for community solar programs requires addressing six categories of issues: (i) increasing community solar programs’ generation limits and use of a portfolio approach to development and financing to achieve economies of scale through multiple projects, (ii) community education, project coordination and site selection, (iii) incorporating community solar programs in grid modernization and resiliency efforts, (iv) standardizing community solar programs policies, (v) mitigating interconnection financial burden, and (vi) designing dynamic contracts with anchor tenants that mitigate subscription issues.
Incidence and Severity of Hematuria After Post-Prostatectomy Radiotherapy in a Cohort With Long-Term Follow-up.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) Hematuria is a potentially distressing late toxicity of post-prostatectomy radiotherapy (PPRT). Because of the potential for a long latent period between PPRT and symptoms, it may be underreported in the literature. We examined incidence and severity of this toxicity in a cohort with long term follow-up. MATERIALS/METHODS A prospectively maintained database was queried for men treated with PPRT with a minimum potential follow-up of 4 yrs. Late (≥ 90 d) genitourinary toxicity and hematuria were characterized using physician-assigned RTOG/CTCAE grading and patient-reported outcomes, inclusive of clinical visits, urinalysis, and procedure notes from each patient's complete electronic medical record. Freedom from grade 2+ hematuria (FFG2H; macroscopic hematuria) and grade 3+ hematuria (FFG3H; hematuria requiring intervention) were estimated. Patient and treatment characteristics were assessed for association with FFG2H on univariable analysis (UVA) using log-rank tests. The Cox model was used to create a multivariable model (MVA) for FFG2H including all covariates with P < 0.1 on UVA. Quality of life (QOL) was assessed using EPIC-26. RESULTS 216 consecutive men underwent PPRT from 2007-2016 with a median dose to the prostate bed of 68.4 Gy. 66% and 64% of men were treated with androgen deprivation therapy (median 4 mo) and pelvic nodal radiotherapy (median 50.4 Gy), respectively. Median time from prostatectomy to PPRT was 20 mo. With a median follow-up of 72 mo, the incidence of grade 1+, 2+, and 3+ hematuria was 39%, 35%, and 7%, respectively. 8-yr FFG2H and FFG3H were 55% and 91%, respectively. On UVA, the percentage of bladder receiving 65 Gy (V65, median 43%) was found to correlate with FFG2H, while V70 and V40 were not. FFG2H was 43% among men with a bladder V65 ≥ 43% versus 66% in men with a V65 < 43% (P = 0.004). On MVA, inferior FFG2H was most strongly associated with anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy (AC/AP; HR 3.25, P < 0.001), followed by bladder V65 ≥ 43% (HR 1.97, P = 0.004) and history of medication allergies (HR 1.73, P = 0.049), after controlling for age ≥ 65 yrs (HR 1.23, P = .374) and diabetes mellitus (HR 0.49, P = 0.098). 23% of men underwent at least one cystoscopy with the majority demonstrating RT-related changes and no other potential etiology; however, one man was diagnosed with a superficial bladder cancer. 7% had an emergency room visit due to hematuria. Hematuria was typically managed conservatively; only 6% required intervention (most commonly hyperbaric oxygen and cautery, each at 3%). 11% of men experienced recurrent hematuria, at a median 26 mo after initial symptoms. QOL data to be presented. CONCLUSION Hematuria is a common late toxicity, even 5-10 yrs after PPRT, especially in men on AC/AP. The vast majority of episodes are transient and self-limited. Bladder V65 represents a potential dosimetric factor which can be used to predict or mitigate the risk of hematuria.
Sylvester–Gallai Theorem and Metric Betweenness

Sylvester conjectured in 1893 and Gallai proved some 40 years later that every finite set S of points in the plane includes two points such that the line passing through them includes either no other point of S or all other points of S. There are several ways of extending the notion of lines from Euclidean spaces to arbitrary metric spaces. We present one of them and conjecture that, with lines in metric spaces defined in this way, the Sylvester--Gallai theorem generalizes as follows: in every finite metric space there is a line consisting of either two points or all the points of the space. Then we present meagre evidence in support of this rash conjecture and finally we discuss the underlying ternary relation of metric betweenness.
Classical mechanics as the many-particle limit of quantum mechanics

We derive the classical limit of quantum mechanics by describing the center of mass of a system constituted by a large number of particles. We will show that in that limit the commutator between the position and velocity of the center of mass is infinitesimal, which allows both to be known with great precision. We then show how the infinitesimal commutator allows for the definition of functions of position and velocity, and how the commutator reduces to a Poisson bracket.
Evaluation of the ABA-100 Procedure for Total and Direct Bilirubin in Serum or Plasma

We present a modified Evelyn-Malloy method, adapted to the Abbott Biochromatic Analyzer (ABA-100) for the determination of both total and direct bilirubin. It requires less than 25 µl of serum or plasma. At least 50 samples can be assayed per hour with economy of reagent consumption and the precision compares favorably with that for conventional manual methods.
Comparison of primers for the detection of Salmonella enterica serovars using real-time PCR

A.T. CSORDAS, J.D. BARAK AND M.J. DELWICHE. 2004. Aims: To evaluate the specificity and sensitivity of PCR primers for the detection of Salmonella enterica in a real-time PCR assay using pure cultures. Methods and Results: Unenriched whole cells in sterile water were used as template for each PCR. SYBR Green dye was used for the nonspecific detection of dsDNA. The real-time PCR detection limits of five previously published primer sets used in conventional PCR applications were not below 3 · 10 3 CFU per reaction (rxn). A new primer set, Sen, was designed, which detected Salm. enterica Newport down to 6 CFU rxn )1 in one case, and gave an average detection limit of 35 CFU rxn )1 over three separate runs. Conclusions: Primers originally designed for end-point PCR did not have adequate specificity or sensitivity compared with those specifically designed for real-time PCR. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study emphasizes the importance of evaluating real-time PCR primer sets in pure cultures prior to testing in field samples. This study will benefit other researchers in selecting an appropriate primer set for real-time PCR detection of Salm. enterica.
A UNIQUE CLAY FROM THE GOOSE LAKE, ILLINOIS, AREA*

A deposit of nonbentonitic clay has been found in the Goose Lake area of Illinois. The clay has unique properties and composition, and it is marketed under the trade name “Grundite.” Its chief constituent was first thought to be beidellite, but further detailed microscopic, X-ray, and chemical studies have shown that it is composed of a distinctive mica-clay mineral of the illite group. The clay possesses properties of plasticity, strength, and gel formation which have caused wide usage, in a variety of fields. The occurrence, constitution, and properties are discussed.
The importance of chronicity and controllability of stress in the context of stress-illness relationships

The primary purpose of the present study was to increase our understanding of the roles of chronicity and controllability in the measurement of stress within the context of stress-illness relationships. Controllability and chronicity were assessed directly using a modified version of the Everyday Problems Scale. In addition to this scale, measures of depression, psychosomatic symptoms, and social support were administered to 128 women and 100 men. The results indicated that, for both men and women, the number of stressors was the best single predictor of symptoms. However, for women, chronicity and controllability of the stressors accounted for a significant amount of the variance in health outcomes over and above that accounted for by the number of stressors endorsed; for men, the addition of neither chronicity nor controllability consistently increased the strength of the association. While available social support was not found to influence the stress-illness relationships, greater willingness to utilize social support was associated with lower levels of depression.
Media Internalization and Social Comparison as Predictors of Eating Pathology among Latino Adolescents: The Moderating Effect of Gender and Generational Status

Using a sociocultural framework, this cross-sectional study examined eating pathology among 235 Latino adolescents from the Southwestern U.S. who differed in generational status. Participants completed self-report measures of media pressures, internalization, social comparison, and eating pathology. Overall, results revealed stronger relationships between these sociocultural variables and eating pathology for girls. Girls reported greater social comparison, thin-ideal pressure and internalization, and eating pathology than boys. Generational status was positively correlated with these sociocultural variables and eating pathology for girls only. Moderated hierarchical regression analyses indicated that athletic-ideal internalization was a key predictor of eating pathology for girls but not boys. Discussion highlights gender, more than generational status, as critical to a sociocultural framework for eating pathology among adolescent Latino Americans.
Activation of the Hematopoietic Progenitor Kinase-1 (HPK1)-dependent, Stress-activated c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) Pathway by Transforming Growth Factor β (TGF-β)-activated Kinase (TAK1), a Kinase Mediator of TGF β Signal Transduction

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta)-activated kinase (TAK1) is known for its involvement in TGF-beta signaling and its ability to activate the p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. This report shows that TAK1 is also a strong activator of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Both the wild-type and a constitutively active mutant of TAK1 stimulated JNK in transient transfection assays. Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MKK4)/stress-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (SEK1), a dual-specificity kinase that phosphorylates and activates JNK, synergized with TAK1 in activating JNK. Conversely, a dominant-negative (MKK4/SEK1 mutant inhibited TAK1-induced JNK activation. A kinasedefective mutant of TAK1 effectively suppressed hematopoietic progenitor kinase-1 (HPK1)-induced JNK activity but had little effect on germinal center kinase activation of JNK. There are two additional MAPK kinase kinases, MEKK1 and mixed lineage kinase 3 (MLK3), that are also downstream of HPK1 and upstream of MKK4/SEK mutant. However, because the dominant-negative mutants of MEKK1 and MLK3 did not inhibit TAK1-induced JNK activity, we conclude that activation of JNK1 by TAK1 is independent of MEKK1 and MLK3. In addition to TAK1, TGF-beta also stimulated JNK activity. Taken together, these results identify TAK1 as a regulator in the HPK1 --> TAK1 --> MKK4/SEK1 --> JNK kinase cascade and indicate the involvement of JNK in the TGF-beta signaling pathway. Our results also suggest the potential roles of TAK1 not only in the TGF-beta pathway but also in the other HPK1/JNK1-mediated pathways.
A simplified estriol determination in pregnancy urine.

Abstract Estriol is determined in pregnancy urine after acid hydrolysis by extraction, silylation with bis-(trimethylsilyl)acetamide, and gas chromatography on OV-I7. Recoveries of standards are quantitative. Pregnanetriol does not interfere, while epiestriol is a negligible interferent. A variety of basic and neutral drugs and metabolites also do not interfere, while only insignificant peaks are found in the analytical region of chromatograms from non-pregnant urine.
Photofragmentation dynamics of 2-chloro-2-nitrosopropane. Scalar correlations of velocity and angular momentum

Abstract The 650 nm photodissociation of gas-phase (CH 3 ) 2 ClCNO (2-chloro-2-nitrosopropane) is studied by measuring the energy distribution in the nitric oxide fragment. The rotational distribution is similar to those previously measured for other nitrosoalkanes Translational distributions were measured in coincidence with single NO ratational states and show clear bimodality and a positive correlation between the rotational energy of the NO photoproduct and the relative translational energy of the recoiling photofragments. Previously applied statistical models for photofragment excitation in nitrosoalkanes fail to predict the translational energy distribution. The observed energy distributions are consistent with dissociation on multiple electronic potential energy surfaces.
Oct-1 Protein Promotes Functional Transcription Complex Assembly on the Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus Promoter

The ubiquitous transcription factor Oct-1 stimulates basal transcription from the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) promoter by binding to octamer-related sequences present in the proviral long terminal repeat. The mechanism of transcriptional activation by Oct-1 was investigated using in vitro transcription assays with a HeLa cell nuclear extract depleted of endogenous Oct-1. Oct-1-mediated transcriptional activation could be reconstituted by addition of bacterially expressed recombinant Oct-1 protein. The stimulatory effect of Oct-1 was observed only when the protein was present during formation of transcription preinitiation complexes and not when added to fully assembled complexes. Furthermore, assembled MMTV preinitiation complexes were resistant to inhibition by a competitor oligonucleotide containing MMTV octamer-related elements that could eliminate Oct-1-mediated stimulation when present during the assembly process. The time course of transcription complex assembly revealed that Oct-1 increases the number of templates on which functional transcription complexes form. Finally, experiments designed to exploit the sensitivity of discrete steps in transcription complex assembly to the anionic detergent Sarkosyl demonstrated that Oct-1 must be present during formation of an early intermediate in the assembly process.
On the Role of Applied Mathematics

This paper concerns itself with the nature of applied mathematics, and how to make its role effective. Its differences from pure mathematics and from theoretical sciences are pointed out with the help of illustrative examples. Recommendations are made for supporting a program of education and research in applied mathematics to make it an independent scientific discipline and to create a community of applied mathematicians.
Protein phosphorylation in the mammalian nervous system

Abstract Neurotransmitters can increase protein phosphorylation in intact preparations of nerve tissue via pharmacologically-defined receptor mechanisms. Cyclic AMP and calcium are possible second messengers for this neurotransmitter-evoked response which, from available evidence, may occur either pre- or postsynaptically.
Automatic and strategic priming in recognition

Automatic and strategic components of priming in recognition were investigated in four experiments. In each experiment, subjects studied unrelated sentences and then were presented a test list of words for recognition. In the first experiment, the probability that a priming pair (two words from the same sentence tested sequentially) occurred in the test list had no effect on the size of the facilitation of response to the second word of the pair. This shows that the priming effect satisfies one of the criteria required of an automatic process. The other three experiments investigated the time course of processing by manipulating the time between the onsets of the prime word and the target word. In Experiment 2, it was found that facilitation (prime and target from the same sentence) occurred by 150 milliseconds, but inhibition (prime and target from different sentences) did not occur until later in processing. These results show that priming satisfies the other two criteria for an automatic process, rapid onset of facilitation and no inhibition until later in processing. In the third and fourth experiments, strategic facilitation took longer than 700 milliseconds to be produced but inhibition was produced faster than 700 milliseconds. These results support the two-factor theory of Posner and Snyder. Implications for models of discourse processing are also discussed.
Current Trends in Lower Extremity Revascularization

Femoropopliteal bypass is the traditional management of superficial femoral artery lower extremity athero-occlusive disease for lifestyle-limiting claudication and critical limb ischemia. Over the last decade, with the advent of new technologies, an increasing number of endovascular interventions are being used to treat femoropopliteal disease. Endovascular interventions are attractive to patients and physicians because of their decreased morbidity and mortality, despite the possibility of reduced durability. A multitude of techniques are available, without a clear consensus as to which one is best. This article reviews the current endovascular management options available for femoropopliteal occlusive disease, and the published results with each modality.
Sex Determination of Yellow Perch by External Morphology

Abstract We developed a method of using external morphological characteristics to determine the sex of yellow perch Perca flavescens. The characteristics used were (1) the shape of the urogenital opening, (2) the shape of the anterior edge of the urogenital opening when thumb pressure was applied to the abdomen just anterior to the anus, and (3) the presence or absence of swelling around the anus. In females, the urogenital opening was crescent or half-moon shaped, its anterior edge remained linear when pressure was applied to the abdomen, and a ring-shaped area of swelling was present around the anus. In males, the urogenital pore was circular, its anterior end distended to a V or U shape (pointed anteriorly) when the abdomen was pressed, and the area around the anus was not generally swollen. The accuracy of using this method was 97.4% for fish 190–280 mm total length, 93.1% for fish 111–150 mm, and 82.7% for fish 80–110 mm.
Effects of communication medium on interpersonal perceptions

This paper uses a social psychological perspective to study the effectiveness of different media of communication and how they influence interactions in social groups and organizations. In particular, we are interested in the social richness of the media-how effectively they convey the personalities and intentions of their users. We studied CMC (email and chat) and voice telephony, and compared them with face-to-face interaction. Study 1 was a controlled laboratory study in which people got acquainted with a partner. Study 2 was a field survey in which employees reported on naturally occurring interactions at work that took place with people of varying levels of power (supervisor, peer, subordinate). The surprising result is that the telephone generally came out on top in both studies, suggesting that the telephone may provide the optimum blend of richness and presence for natural and satisfying interactions.
Scale dependent variability of soil electrical conductivity by indirect measures of soil properties

Abstract Knowledge of scale dependent variation of soil properties is important where upscaling and generalization from plot scale studies to field and larger scale is desired. We used conventional statistics, geostatistics, and fractal analysis to characterize and compare the apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) of six contiguous agricultural fields each ranging between 9.5 and 14.0 ha in size. Factor analysis revealed that ECa was strongly related to ammonium extractable K, organic matter (OM), pH and Bray-2 Phosphorus, but not to ammonium extractable Ca and sum of bases. All six fields were spatially structured and well described by exponential semivariograms. Fractal dimensions estimated from the linear portion of the semivariogram using a linear plateau model were statistically different (p = 0.05) among some of the fields, and the differences may have been caused by management differences. Fractal analysis identified at least two scales of variation for the fields. The first scale of variation, common to all six fields, was for distances less than 9 m. The second scale of variation was for distances ranging between 9 and 46 m (field NC), 9 and 79 m (fields SC and SW); and 9 and 126 m (field SE). Two of the fields (fields NW and NE) did not have a plateau on the log–log plot of the semivariograms, indicating a scaling behavior at larger distances. The study showed that although the semivariogram forms are similar among the six fields, the rate of change of the semivariograms (as indicated by the fractal dimension) differs for some of the fields at distances greater than 9 m.
Z-Axis NEXT & FEXT Reduction: Broadside Coupling Reduction Using Cu Vacuum Deposition in Mesh Reference Circuits

Signal integrity (SI) and cross-talk concerns play significant roles constraining design options for low-cost, high speed interconnect solutions. The electrical packaging and signal integrity engineers must focus on SI and noise concerns even though the cost pressure continues to drive for the use of lower cost packaging along with increased overall function. Target cost trends have caused designers to investigate chip-on-flex and other integrated flexible circuit interconnect solutions. A significant portion of all flexible circuit designs utilize mesh referencing planes to improve mechanical flexibility or achieve target characteristic impedances. These resulting geometries have the potential to create compromised transmission line topologies and negatively impact SI. This paper will introduce the design performance compromises involved with mesh reference plane constructs, their impact on Signal Integrity, the challenging simulation analysis, and product design. Specifically, this research will investigate the application of copper vacuum deposition as a potential method to address these performance trade-offs associated with typical mesh reference plane topologies .
A Single-Domain FlgJ Contributes to Flagellar Hook and Filament Formation in the Lyme Disease Spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi

FlgJ plays a very important role in flagellar assembly. In the enteric bacteria, flgJ null mutants fail to produce the flagellar rods, hooks, and filaments but still assemble the integral membrane-supramembrane (MS) rings. These mutants are nonmotile. The FlgJ proteins consist of two functional domains. The N-terminal rod-capping domain acts as a scaffold for rod assembly, and the C-terminal domain acts as a peptidoglycan (PG) hydrolase (PGase), which allows the elongating flagellar rod to penetrate through the PG layer. However, the FlgJ homologs in several bacterial phyla (including spirochetes) often lack the PGase domain. The function of these single-domain FlgJ proteins remains elusive. Herein, a single-domain FlgJ homolog (FlgJBb) was studied in the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Cryo-electron tomography analysis revealed that the flgJBb mutant still assembled intact flagellar basal bodies but had fewer and disoriented flagellar hooks and filaments. Consistently, Western blots showed that the levels of flagellar hook (FlgE) and filament (FlaB) proteins were substantially decreased in the flgJBb mutant. Further studies disclosed that the decreases of FlgE and FlaB in the mutant occurred at the posttranscriptional level. Microscopic observation and swarm plate assay showed that the motility of the flgJBb mutant was partially deficient. The altered phenotypes were completely restored when the mutant was complemented. Collectively, these results indicate that FlgJBb is involved in the assembly of the flagellar hook and filament but not the flagellar rod in B. burgdorferi. The observed phenotype is different from that of flgJ mutants in the enteric bacteria.
A practical methodology for speech source localization with microphone arrays

Abstract Electronically steerable arrays of microphones have a variety of uses in speech data acquisition systems. Applications include teleconferencing, speech recognition and speaker identification, sound capture in adverse environments, and biomedical devices for the hearing impaired. An array of microphones has a number of advantages over a single-microphone system. It may be electronically aimed to provide a high-quality signal from a desired source location while simultaneously attenuating interfering talkers and ambient noise, does not necessitate local placement of transducers or encumber the talker with a hand-held or head-mounted microphone, and does not require physical movement to alter its direction of reception. Additionally, it has capabilities that a single microphone does not; namely automatic detection, localization and tracking of active talkers in its receptive area. This paper addresses the specific application of source localization algorithms for estimating the position of speech sources in a real-room environment given limited computational resources. The theoretical foundations of a speech source localization system are presented. This includes the development of a source–sensor geometry for talkers and sensors in the near-field environment as well as the evaluation of several error criteria available to the problem. Several practical algorithms necessary for real-time implementation are developed, specifically the derivation and evaluation of an appropriate time-delay estimator and a novel closed-form locator. Finally, results obtained from a real system are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed source localization techniques as well as to confirm the practicality of the theoretical models.
Carrier and thermal dynamics of silicon photonic resonators at cryogenic temperatures.

We describe measurement results of silicon photonic circuits at cryogenic temperatures. The interplay between optically induced heating and free carrier dynamics in nano-photonic ring resonators is investigated at temperatures down to 1.8K. We find that the life-time of free carriers generated by two-photon absorption in silicon waveguides is reduced from 1.9ns at room temperature to less than 100ps below 10K. At the same time the thermal relaxation time is significantly elongated. Our work provides the first cryogenic measurement of ultra-short free-carrier lifetimes in silicon waveguides. The results further indicate that integrated optical chips can be easily thermo-optically stabilized at low temperatures.
Electron emission and acoustic emission from the fracture of graphite/epoxy composites

In past studies it has been shown that the fracture of materials leads to the emission of a variety of species, including electrons, ions, neutral molecules, and photons, all encompassed by the term 'fractoemission' (FE). In this paper, electron emission (EE) from the fracture of single graphite fibers and neat epoxy resin is examined. Measurements of EE are also combined with the detection of acoustic emission (AE) during the testing of graphite-epoxy composite specimens with various fiber orientation. The characteristics of these signals are related to known failure mechanisms in fiber-reinforced plastics. This study suggests that by comparing data from AE and FE measurements, one can detect and distinguish the onset of internal and external failure in composites. EE measurements are also shown to be sensitive to the locus of fracture in a composite material.
A new model for four-terminal junction field-effect transistors

This paper presents a compact and semi-empirical model for a four-terminal (independent top and bottom gates) junction field-effect transistor (JFET). The model describes the steady-state characteristics for all bias conditions with a unified equation. Moreover, the model provides a high degree of accuracy and continuity for the different operation regions, a critical factor for robust analog circuit simulations. Capacitance modeling is also included to describe the JFET small-signal behavior. The model has been implemented in Cadence framework via Verilog-A and compared with data measured from JFETs used at Texas Instruments.
Interest-driven private friend recommendation

The emerging growth of online social networks has opened new doors for various kinds of applications such as business intelligence and expanding social connections through friend recommendations. In particular, friend recommendation facilitates users to explore new friendships based on social network structures, user profile information (similar interest) or both. However, as the privacy concerns of users are on the rise, searching for new friends is not a straightforward task under the assumption that users' information is kept private. Along this direction, this paper proposes two private friend recommendation algorithms based on the social network structure and the users' social tags. The first protocol is more efficient from a user's perspective compared to the second protocol, and this efficiency gain comes at the expense of relaxing the underlying privacy assumptions. On the other hand, the second protocol provides the best security guarantee. In addition, we empirically analyze the complexities of the proposed protocols and provide various experimental results.
Radiation pressure and the acoustoelectric effect

Abstract The radiation pressure on an absorber of electromagnetic waves is independent of the absorption mechanism since it stems from the absorption of the real momentum of the radiation. A periodic acoustic wave in a solid has essentially zero real momentum. Its pressure on an absorber is shown to be a function of the mechanism for absorbing energy. The acoustoelectric effect represents a particular way of absorbing energy such that the absorber works on the wave velocity of the acoustic wave. The result is a pressure which has the same form as that for electromagnetic radiation but is independent of the real momentum of the acoustic wave. Other modes of absorbing energy are described which yield pressures significantly different from the acoustoelectric pressure.
Conditioning and retention of defensive burying as a function of Elavil and Thorazine injection

Three groups (n = 10) of rat subjects received intraperitoneal injections of Thorazine, Elavil, and isotonic saline, respectively, prior to defensive burying testing. A defensive burying test session consisted of presenting each subject with an aversive stimulus (the discharge of a flashbulb) and recording the time each subject spent in burying behavior and the height of bedding material accumulated around the aversive stimulus during the ensuing 15 min. A retention test was conducted 24 h later. During retention sessions, subjects were simply confined to the testing chamber for 15 min. One half of the subjects in each group received retention testing under the same drug-injection condition used in the original conditioning session. The remaining subjects received retention tests under noninjection conditions. During the initial testing session, Thorazine-injected subjects spent significantly less time engaged in defensive burying and accumulated significantly less bedding material than did the saline-injected subjects. On the other hand, Elavil-injected subjects spent significantly more time burying and accumulated significantly more bedding material than did the saline-injected subjects. No significant differences, either in terms of time spent in burying or height of accumulated bedding material, were observed during retention testing.
Molybdenum nutrition of alfalfa.

Molybdenum is the latest element to be found essential for microorganisms and higher plants. The literature, recently reviewed by Mulder (12), indicates that Mo is necessary for ? fixation by Azotobacter and Rhizobium and for the metabolism of nitrates by all plants. The biological importance of Mo was originally discovered by Bortels (3, 4), who reported that Azotobacter and peas, soybeans, and red clover showed increases in growth and in ? fixation from additions of Mo. Essentiality of Mo for higher plants was first demonstrated by Arnon and Stout in 1939. Using highly purified nutrient solutions, they produced Mo-deficiency symptoms in tomatoes in six successive experiments. Later Jensen and Betty (9) and Jensen (10) reported that small applications of Mo to alfalfa and clover growing in pots of sand increased the yields of tops and the ? content of both tops and roots. Mulder showed that nodulated peas grown in culture solutions lacking both Mo and combined ? quickly developed Ndeficiency symptoms. The Mo requirement of tomatoes was greatly reduced when ammonium ? was substituted for nitrate ? in the nutrient solutions.
Effects of antiarrhythmic medication on implantable cardioverter-defibrillator function

Since the first implant in 1982, the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) has largely eclipsed medical therapy for the initial treatment of lethal ventricular arrhythmias. Early experience with ICDs showed that in many cases an “either/or” decision between the ICD or medical management should give way to combination therapy involving both treatments. Clearly, treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, and even the function of the ICD in some cases, could be improved by addition of antiarrhythmic drug therapy. Conversely, drugs could adversely affect ICD function. Because most patients with an ICD are treated with antiarrhythmic drugs as well, a clear understanding of the interaction between the therapies is imperative. SUPPORT FOR IMPLANTABLE CARDIOVERTER-DEFIBRILLATOR USE The assumption that device therapy of ventricular arrhythmias improves survival has prompted a change from medical to ICD therapy in most high-risk cases. Recently, strong data have confirmed this clinical practice, as noted in the following.
Invariant Potential Theory in the Unit Ball of Cn

This monograph provides an introduction and a survey of recent results in potential theory with respect to the Laplace–Beltrami operator D in several complex variables, with special emphasis on the unit ball in Cn. Topics covered include Poisson–Szego integrals on the ball, the Green's function for D and the Riesz decomposition theorem for invariant subharmonic functions. The extension to the ball of the classical Fatou theorem on non-tangible limits of Poisson integrals, and Littlewood's theorem on the existence of radial limits of subharmonic functions are covered in detail. The monograph also contains recent results on admissible and tangential boundary limits of Green potentials, and Lp inequalities for the invariant gradient of Green potentials. Applications of some of the results to Hp spaces, and weighted Bergman and Dirichlet spaces of invariant harmonic functions are included. The notes are self-contained, and should be accessible to anyone with some basic knowledge of several complex variables.
SU-FF-T-256: IMRT Inverse Planning with Voxel-Based Penalty Scheme

Purpose: A tacit assumption made in current inverse planning algorithms is that all points within a structure (target or sensitive organ) are equivalent, as reflected by the fact that the dose prescription, weighting factors and dose‐volume constraints are generally imposed a priori on a structure‐specific basis. This seriously limits the IMRT solution space and compromises the achievable dose distributions. The purpose of this study is to develop a novel IMRT inverse planning framework with a more general voxel‐specific penalty. Methods: Different from conventional inverse planning in which the same penalty (objective) function is used for all voxels, here we assign each voxel a penalty proportional to [D c (i) − D 0 (i)] n i where Dc and D 0 are computed and prescribed doses, respectively, and ni is a voxel‐specific exponent. In this way, we “break” the implicit constraint that a structure is a mathematically uniform entity with all voxels having the same “identity”. The seemingly insolvable task of determining a large number of voxel‐specific {ni } is dealt by heuristically relating them to the doses they receive. The optimization starts from a uniform value of n i = 2 and, during the iterative optimization process, the ni 's are treated as parts of the system variables and are updated together with the beamlet weights. If a voxel is overdosed, for example, it means that the voxel is not penalized sufficiently and the algorithm will automatically increase the value of ni , and vice versa. Results: A voxel‐dependent penalty scheme is established for IMRT inverse planning. The formalism properly models the intra‐organ tradeoff and allows the optimizer to access solutions that would otherwise be inaccessible. Our phantom and clinical head‐and‐neck case studies show that much superior treatment plans can be obtained as compared with the conventional approaches. Conclusion: Voxel‐based penalty scheme leads to substantially improved IMRT dose distributions and allows us to maximally utilize the IMRT technology.
Synthesis, characterization, and inhibitory activities of nucleoside α,β-imido triphosphate analogues on human immunodeficiency virus-1 reverse transcriptase

Abstract Six deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) analogues were synthesized, having the α,β-P-O-P bond replaced with an imido (P-N-P) functionality. They were all shown to be reasonably potent inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus-1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-1 RT). This has permitted, for the first time, an estimate of the relative binding affinities of the parent triphosphates (dATP, TTP, dGTP, and dCTP) toward the enzyme's active site, in that they can be compared indirectly by correlation with the behavior of their α,β-imido analogues. Other complicating processes such as consecutive incorporation into the growing DNA chain can be excluded because the imido linkage cannot be cleaved by HIV-1 RT. The 5-iodo analog of deoxyuridine triphosphate (IdUMPNPP, 5 ) was the most potent inhibitor, having an IC 50 value of 7 μ M . A general route for the phosphorylation of purine and pyrimidine 5′-imidodiphosphates by pyruvate kinase was developed using phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) as a phosphoryl group donor. Enzymatic phosphorylation was shown to be a more efficient approach than chemical methods.
Software Reuse: Developers’ Experiences and Perceptions

Reusing programs and other artifacts has been shown to be an effective strategy for significant reduction of development costs. This article reports on a survey of 128 developers to explore their experiences and perceptions about using other people’s code: to what extent does the “not invented here” attitude exist? The survey was structured around a novel and simple “4A” model, which is introduced in this article: for an organization to obtain any benefits from reusing code, four conditions must obtain: availability, awareness, accessibility, and acceptability. The greatest impediments to reuse were shown to be awareness of reusable code and developers’ perceptions of its acceptability for use on their new projects. For 72% of developers, the complexity of the old code was cited as a reason that the code was not reused. The survey also included developers’ suggestions for ways to take greater advantage of existing code and related artifacts.
Low-energy ion assisted deposition of epitaxial gallium nitride films

Abstract Epitaxial gallium nitride thin films were grown on c -plane and r -plane sapphire by low-energy ion assisted deposition in high vacuum using a constricted glow discharge plasma source for the supply of nitrogen. Instead of preparing a conventional low-temperature buffer layer, a single-temperature process with initial growth rate ramp was performed. The crystallographic structure and texture, defect distribution, morphology and topography of the grown films were investigated with X-ray diffraction techniques, channeling-RBS, TEM and AFM, respectively. The ion assisted growth procedure results in well-oriented, epitaxial, single crystalline, wurtzitic GaN films with low defect densities. The film surfaces are generally smooth, but show either holes or clusters indicating unbalanced gallium and nitrogen fluxes during growth.
Donepezil in the treatment of severe Alzheimer’s disease

Donepezil hydrochloride is a reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In 2006, the US FDA approved donepezil for the treatment of severe AD. Consequently, donepezil became the first drug approved for the treatment of all three stages (mild, moderate and severe) of AD. Numerous clinical trials attest not only to the safety and tolerability of donepezil, but also to it’s ability to significantly provide benefits in memory, cognition and activities of daily living for people suffering from severe AD. Side effects associated with donepezil use are generally regarded as mild and transient, and are often associated with the cholinergic properties of the drug. Such side effects consist mainly of gastrointestinal complaints that are sometimes alleviated by slowing down the titration schedule while aiming to reach a target dose. Although donepezil is regarded as an efficacious treatment capable of slowing the progression of symptoms associated with AD, the scient...