cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Collisional vibrational quenching of O2+(v) and other molecular ions in planetary atmospheres

New experimental techniques have yielded several thermal energy vibrational quenching rate constants for O2+(v). Rates for quenching of O2+(v = 1) by O2, N2, Ar, CO2, H2, and CH4 are 3(−10), 2(−12), 1(−12), 1(−10), 2.5(−12), and 6(−10) cm3s−1 at 300 K. The quenching is somewhat faster for O2+(v = 2). The triatomic ions CO2+, NO2+, N2O+, SO2+, and H2O+ are all vibrationally deexcited with an efficiency greater than 10−3 in Ar or Ne collisions. A theoretical rationalization of the experimental results leads to the prediction that vibrational quenching in planetary atmospheres will generally be efficient, k > 1(−12) cm3s−1 for almost all ion and neutral gas pairs.
Catheter closure of accessory pulmonary blood flow after bidirectional Glenn anastomosis using Amplatzer duct occluder.

Additional source of pulmonary blood flow in patients with bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis (Glenn shunt) may cause elevation of the pulmonary artery pressure precluding safe completion of the Fontan operation. A case is presented with single-ventricle bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis and additional flow from the ventricle to the pulmonary artery resulting in elevated Glenn pressure. The communication was successfully occluded using Amplatzer duct occluder with satisfactory reduction in the Glenn pressure.
Imaging the Neurochemistry of Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Animal models of abuse and dependence have long suggested that chronic drug and alcohol exposure is associated with marked changes in neurochemistry. The development of PET and SPECT imaging now allows investigation of the effects of addiction on the neurochemistry of the human brain. This article reviews the literature of radiochemical imaging in cocaine, alcohol, heroin, methamphetamine, MDMA, and ketamine abuse and dependence.
Acidification in the in vitro perfused tubule

The kidneys' major functions in regulating the acid-base balance of body fluids are (1) to conserve plasma bicarbonate and (2) replenish plasma bicarbonate lost in titration with nonvolatile acids. The proximal nephron reabsorbs the bulk of filtered bicarbonate, and, thus, predominates in the first function. The distal nephron forms the bulk of the net acid excreted, and, thus, predominates in the second function. A single mechanism, hydrogen ion secretion, is responsible for both functions. The renal tubular cells produce hydrogen and bicarbonate ions from the dissociation of intracellular carbonic acid catalyzed by intracellular carbonic anhydrase. The hydrogen ions are secreted into the lumen and simultaneously the bicarbonate ions move into the peritubular plasma. It is the details of the mechanism of hydrogen ion secretion and the control of hydrogen ion secretion which differ between the proximal and distal nephron segments. The purpose of this review is to describe these differences as elucidated by the technique of isolated perfused nephron segments.
The Interrelationship Between Program Development Capacity and Readiness for Change Among Small to Mid-Sized Nonprofits

ABSTRACT Based on survey data from 396 small to mid-sized nonprofit organizations operating within Southeast lower Michigan, this article examines the relationship between program development capacity and readiness for change and the predictors of these two components of capacity building among small to mid-sized nonprofits. It uses a simultaneous equation approach as the basis for examining the relationship between program development capacity and readiness for change. The findings indicate that program development capacity and readiness for change are mutually enforcing processes and that the levels of program development capacity and readiness for change are predicted by two distinct sets of predictors.
Regulation of metallothionein mRNA in human hepatoma (HEP3B) cells

Abstract Purpose: Metallothionein (MT) has been shown to protect cells from the injurious effects of ionizing radiation. MT is an inducible protein and heavy metals can upregulate transcription of the MT gene. The present study was initiated to investigate regulation of MT mRNA synthesis in a human hepatocellular carcinoma (Hep3B) cell line. Methods and Materials: MT levels in Hep3B cells were measured by the cadmium-hemoglobin assay. Zinc acetate was used as an inducing agent. Levels of the MT mRNA were determined by the slot blot hybridization technique. Cycloheximide was used as an inhibitor of protein synthesis and actinomycin D was used to block transcription. Results: Zinc acetate (0.1 mM) treatment increased the intracellular levels of MT in Hep3B cells. MT levels peaked at 10 h and remained stable for up to 48 h. A time-dependent increase in the MT mRNA was also observed peaking at 16 h and then declining. Addition of cycloheximide and zinc acetate simultaneously, resulted in a decrease in the levels of MT, whereas MT mRNA levels were increased. There was no significant change in the decay rate of MT mRNA when the cells were treated with actinomycin D (7.5 μg/ml) either in the presence or absence of Zn. Conclusion: These results suggest that neither the increased synthesis of a metal regulatory factor (MRF) nor an increase in half-life of MT mRNA is involved in the mechanism of increased MT biosynthesis upon addition of Zn. These findings support the hypothesis that a preexisting MRF must complex with Zn to initiate increased transcription for MT.
Decreases in Pulmonary Artery Oxygen Saturation During Total Hip Arthroplasty: Variations Using 2 Leg Positioning Techniques

Abstract When the femoral component is being inserted during total hip arthroplasty, venous obstruction occurs because of twisting and kinking of the femoral vein. Relocation of the hip joint is associated with an acute reduction in pulmonary artery oxygen saturation (s v O 2 ). To determine whether changes in leg positioning could influence femoral venous occlusion, 19 patients undergoing 1-stage bilateral total hip arthroplasty were studied using a randomized crossover study design of 2 leg positioning maneuvers. Keeping the thigh flexed and internally rotated throughout implantation of the femoral component (technique 1) was compared to bringing the leg into extension while maintaining internal rotation (technique 2) after insertion of the femoral component. After relocation of the hip joint, the reduction in s v O 2 was significantly less with technique 2 than technique 1 ( P
Rapid-sequence intubation and the role of the emergency department pharmacist

Purpose The pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, safety, and dosing of medications used during the pretreatment and paralysis with induction steps of rapid-sequence intubation (RSI) and the role of the pharmacist in RSI are reviewed. Summary RSI is a process involving the administration of a sedative induction agent and a paralytic agent to facilitate endotracheal intubation. This is a procedure in which the emergency department (ED) pharmacist can play an integral role, especially in the steps of pretreatment, paralysis with induction, and postintubation management. The pretreatment phase occurs three minutes before administration of induction and neuromuscular blockers. The purpose of pretreatment is to attenuate the pathophysiologic response to laryngoscopy and intubation. Three minutes after the pre-treatment agents have been administered, paralysis with induction will begin. The purpose of induction is to produce a state of general anesthesia, allowing for the administration of paralytics and facilitation of ideal intubating conditions. It is advisable for the ED pharmacist to be familiar with the steps and medications involved with RSI so that appropriate interventions may be made, facilitating both the successful intubation and the safety of the patient. The relative chaos that may occur during emergent RSI requires the ED pharmacist to have a clearly defined primary plan as well as contingency plans to deal with potential complications. Commonly used medications during intubation include lidocaine, fentanyl, etomidate, midazolam, thiopental, ketamine, succinylcholine, and rocuronium. Conclusion The selection of an appropriate sedative and neuromuscular blocker during the pretreatment and paralysis with induction steps of RSI can be facilitated by an ED pharmacist.
Invariant Metrics on Teichmüller Space

This chapter discusses the differential metrics and Hermitian metrics on Teichmuller space. From the Ahlfors–Bers–Teichmuller theory, it is known that T g with the complex structure it inherits from the space of Beltrami differentials is a (3g–3)-dimensional complex manifold, which is equivalent to a contractible bounded domain in ℂ 3g–3 . The tangent space to T g at a point W of T g consists of all Beltrami differentials on W modulo, those which are infinitesimally trivial. As μ is infinitesimally trivial, if and only if ∫ w μQ , = 0 for each holomorphic quadratic differential Q on W, the cotangent space to T g at W is given by the space Q (W) of all quadratic differentials on W . The norm on the tangent space will be Hermitian if and only if the norm on Q( W ) is, and a pseudonorm will be Hermitian if and only if the norm on the distinguished subspace S ⊂ Q is Hermitian. Thus, the Hermitian pseudonorms are obtained by specifying an inner product on a subspace S ⊂ Q( W ). Such a pseudometric will be invariant on T g if the norm depends only on the conformai structure of W .
Close-up imaging using microcamera arrays for focal plane synthesis

Conventional close-up imaging uses lens arrays to form a continuous image of an extended object on a single focal plane sensor or photographic film. By imaging using microcamera arrays onto many separate sensors rather than a single large sensor, the subfields captured by individual sensors may be combined using image processing into a large synthetic image plane. This greatly increases the flexibility of the close-up imaging design because it is no longer required that the close up image be continuous. Using microcamera arrays, hundreds or thousands of megapixel sensors may be combined to form a synthetic gigapixel-scale sensor. This paper is an investigation into the design issues of microcamera arrays, and presents a simple design of a lens suitable for a megapixel class microcamera.
Using Mobile Devices and Gaming as a Means of Building Vocabulary

Mobile devices are gaining momentum and popularity in the daily lives of todayâ??s youth. These devices embrace and encourage ubiquitous learning through their ease of portability and access to various activities that can allow for learning to occur. Learning theories and cognitive techniques are explored as a means of providing a mobile educational experience that is individualized, motivational, and beneficial for transfer to later word learning and reading comprehension.
The PFO Gets Blamed Again…Perhaps This Time it Is Real∗

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure is the thing to do these days in the interventional laboratory. Closures are done for strokes, migraine headaches, and postural cyanosis, and for divers who are at risk for decompression sickness. Atrial septal defect closures are also done in the interventional
Optimal integration of independent observations from Poisson sources

The optimal integration of information from independent Poisson sources (such as neurons) was analyzed in the context of a two-interval, forced-choice detection task. When the mean count of the Poisson distribution is above 1, the benefit of integration is closely approximated by the predictions based on the square-root law of the Gaussian model. When the mean count falls far below 1, however, the benefit of integration clearly exceeds the predictions based on the square-root law.
Legal remedies for spousal abuse: Victim characteristics, expectations, and satisfaction

Since 1980 legal remedies for spouse abuse have been established in various forms in every state. Social service agencies and shelters currently encourage victims to utilize restraining orders which now carry criminal consequences for the batterer, yet little empirical data have been reported concerning their use. The present paper describes two research studies-one conducted in Dane County (Madison area), Wisconsin, the other in Sacramento County, California-that provide new helpful information for these referring agencies and offer findings which reflect which victims use these legal remedies, what their expectations are, and how satisfied the victims were with the results. A final section discusses implications for change or clarification in policy, process, and education on the use of these legal remedies.
Adaptive Ho-Kashyap rules for perceptron training

Three adaptive versions of the Ho-Kashyap perceptron training algorithm are derived based on gradient descent strategies. These adaptive Ho-Kashyap (AHK) training rules are comparable in their complexity to the LMS and perceptron training rules and are capable of adaptively forming linear discriminant surfaces that guarantee linear separability and of positioning such surfaces for maximal classification robustness. In particular, a derived version called AHK II is capable of adaptively identifying critical input vectors lying close to class boundaries in linearly separable problems. The authors extend this algorithm as AHK III, which adds the capability of fast convergence to linear discriminant surfaces which are good approximations for nonlinearly separable problems. This is achieved by a simple built-in unsupervised strategy which allows for the adaptive grading and discarding of input vectors causing nonseparability. Performance comparisons with LMS and perceptron training are presented. >
A Further Note on Schools and Housing Values

This paper provides further evidence on the relationship between public schools and housing values. Drawing on data from the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas, the paper presents estimates of an Oates-type model of community housing values. Included in the model are measures of both student achievement and racial composition. The quality of public schooling, as measured by reading achievement, is found to be a strong, statistically significant determinant of community housing values, independent of student racial mix or socioeconomic background. Estimates of the model suggest that changes in achievement scores have substantial impacts on community housing values.
γ-Aminobutyric acid receptor subtype antagonists differentially alter opioid-induced feeding in the shell region of the nucleus accumbens in rats

Food intake is significantly increased by administration of mu-selective opioid agonists into the nucleus accumbens, particularly its shell region. Pretreatment with either opioid (mu, delta(1), delta(2) or kappa(1)) or dopaminergic (D(1)) receptor antagonists in the nucleus accumbens shell reduce mu opioid agonist-induced feeding. Selective GABA(A) (muscimol) and GABA(B) (baclofen) agonists administered into the nucleus accumbens shell each stimulate feeding which is respectively and selectively blocked by GABA(A) (bicuculline) and GABA(B) (saclofen) antagonists. The present study investigated whether feeding elicited by the mu-selective opioid agonist, [D-Ala(2),NMe(4),Gly-ol(5)]-enkephalin in the nucleus accumbens shell was decreased by intra-accumbens pretreatment with an equimolar dose range of either GABA(A) or GABA(B) antagonists, and further, whether general opioid or selective GABA antagonists decreased feeding elicited by GABA(A) or GABA(B) agonists in the nucleus accumbens shell. Feeding elicited by the mu-selective opioid agonist was dose-dependently increased following intra-accumbens pretreatment with GABA(A) (bicuculline) antagonism; this enhancement was significantly blocked by pretreatment with general or mu-selective opioid antagonists. In contrast, mu opioid agonist-induced feeding elicited from the nucleus accumbens shell was dose-dependently decreased by GABA(B) (saclofen) antagonism. Neither bicuculline nor saclofen in the nucleus accumbens shell altered baseline food intake. Whereas muscimol-induced feeding elicited from the nucleus accumbens shell was reduced by bicuculline and naltrexone, but not saclofen pretreatment, baclofen-induced feeding elicited from the nucleus accumbens shell was reduced by saclofen, but not by bicuculline or naltrexone. These data indicate that GABA(A) and GABA(B) receptor subtype antagonists differentially affect feeding elicited by mu opioid receptor agonists within the nucleus accumbens shell in rats.
Simultaneous retrieval of effective refractive index and density from size distribution and light-scattering data: weakly absorbing aerosol

Abstract. We propose here a novel approach for retrieving in parallel the effective density and real refractive index of weakly absorbing aerosol from optical and size distribution measurements. Here we define "weakly absorbing" as aerosol single-scattering albedos that exceed 0.95 at 0.5 μm. The required optical measurements are the scattering coefficient and the hemispheric backscatter fraction, obtained in this work from an integrating nephelometer. The required size spectra come from mobility and aerodynamic particle size spectrometers commonly referred to as a scanning mobility particle sizer and an aerodynamic particle sizer. The performance of this approach is first evaluated using a sensitivity study with synthetically generated but measurement-related inputs. The sensitivity study reveals that the proposed approach is robust to random noise; additionally the uncertainties of the retrieval are almost linearly proportional to the measurement errors, and these uncertainties are smaller for the real refractive index than for the effective density. Next, actual measurements are used to evaluate our approach. These measurements include the optical, microphysical, and chemical properties of weakly absorbing aerosol which are representative of a variety of coastal summertime conditions observed during the Two-Column Aerosol Project (TCAP; http://campaign.arm.gov/tcap/ ). The evaluation includes calculating the root mean square error (RMSE) between the aerosol characteristics retrieved by our approach, and the same quantities calculated using the conventional volume mixing rule for chemical constituents. For dry conditions (defined in this work as relative humidity less than 55%) and sub-micron particles, a very good (RMSE ~ 3%) and reasonable (RMSE ~ 28%) agreement is obtained for the retrieved real refractive index (1.49 ± 0.02) and effective density (1.68 ± 0.21), respectively. Our approach permits discrimination between the retrieved aerosol characteristics of sub-micron and sub-10-micron particles. The evaluation results also reveal that the retrieved density and refractive index tend to decrease with an increase of the relative humidity.
An Analysis of the Joint Board or County Model as the Structural Basis for Effective Australian Local Governance

Australian policy-makers continue to rely on municipal amalgamation as the main engine of structural reform in local government, despite strong evidence that it diminishes participation and representation without improving service efficiency. Several promising, but neglected alternative models of structural reform have been developed, including ad hoc resource sharing models, Regional Organisations of Councils, virtual local government, and agency models. In an encouraging response to the recent policy of enforced council amalgamations in NSW, theShires Association of NSW (2004)has recently proposed a ‘Joint Board model’ of local governance and invited comment on this model. This article takes up this challenge and seeks to place the Joint Board model in conceptual context and evaluate its characteristics and simulated cost savings.
Rummaging through dustbooks: An analysis of independent small presses

Small presses are a colorful and wildly variegated lot. They offer materials on every imaginable topic to suit almost any taste and are springing up in towns and hamlets all over the country. New presses are being founded at a furious rate, though their ability to survive is as yet unknown. Clearly, many presses exist for other than purely commercial reasons. Our analysis suggests that only about a sixth of the 1700-odd publishers for which we have data are serious commercial enterprises; well over half, perhaps as many as two-thirds of them, exist for other reasons—personal interests, hobbies, or special causes.
Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β Mutagenesis Identifies a Common Binding Domain for GBP and Axin

Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3) is a key downstream target of Wnt signaling and is regulated by its interactions with activating and inhibitory proteins. We and others have shown that GSK-3 activity toward non-primed substrates is regulated in part through a competition between its activating (Axin) and inhibitory (GBP/FRAT) binding partners. Here we use a reverse two-hybrid screen to identify mutations in GSK-3 that alter binding to GBP and Axin. We find that these mutations overlap and propose that GBP and Axin compete for binding to the same region of GSK-3. We use these mutations to examine the ability of GSK-3 to block eye development in Xenopusembryos and suggest that GSK-3 regulates eye development through a non-Wnt pathway.
Enhancing genomic learning through tabletop interaction

We present G-nome Surfer 2.0, a tabletop interface for fostering inquiry-based learning of genomics. We conducted an experimental study with 48 participants that compared students' learning of genomic concepts using existing bioinformatics tools and using two alternative implementations of G-nome Surfer: a collaborative multi-mouse GUI and a tabletop interface. Our findings indicate that G-nome Surfer improves students' performance, reduces workload, and increases enjoyment. The comparison of tabletop and multi-mouse implementations further shows that the tabletop condition results in four educational benefits: 1) increasing physical participation, 2) encouraging reflection, 3) fostering effective collaboration, and 4) facilitating more intuitive interaction.
A concept inventory for heat transfer

Students enter courses in engineering with intuitions about physical phenomena. Through coursework they build on their intuition to develop a set of beliefs about the subject. Often, their understanding of basic concepts is incomplete and their explanations are not "correct". Concept inventories are assessment tools designed to determine the degree to which students understand the concepts of a subject and to identify the bases for misunderstandings. A cooperative effort between faculty at the Universities of Wisconsin and Illinois has been undertaken to develop a concept inventory for heat transfer. The process initiated with student identification of the conceptual problems rather than with faculty perceptions of student misunderstandings. Students then explored areas of conceptual difficulty and phrased questions that would test understanding of the concepts. Students working together with faculty developed a concept inventory for heat transfer. The presentation will report on the experience with using student groups and the resulting concept inventory.
The Social Ecology of U.S. Law Schools.

Several psychologically oriented studies have used the factorial ecology paradigm to investigate the environments that colleges provide for their students. Specifically, factor analyses of the social and demographic characteristics of colleges have identified useful underlying dimensions. These studies have lacked a theoretical framework for understanding the processes that produce these environments, however, and Kasarda and Bidwell's recent effort to derive a theory of organizational structuring from human ecological principles could redress this lack. The present study applied this theoretical approach to U.S. law schools. First, the factorial ecology paradigm was applied to law schools, yielding four factors:scholarly orientation, practicality, public control, and minority emphasis. Next, law school characteristics were correlated with characteristics of the states that constitute their “habitats,” yielding a meaningful pattern of moderate to strong relationships. Results are interpreted as supporting both Kasarda and Bidwell's theoretical approach and social-psychological theories of environment-behavior interaction that emphasize environmental control of behavior.
Control scheme and transient performance of Sigma VR

Sigma Voltage Regulator (VR) was proposed for achieving high efficiency. It takes advantage of the high efficiency unregulated converter to improve the overall efficiency and combines a low power Buck converter for voltage regulation. This paper mainly discusses the control scheme and transient performance of Sigma VR. The small-signal-model is analyzed first. Then the control strategy and the detailed control design of Sigma VR to achieve constant output impedance for AVP and transient are given. At the end, the simulation and experimental result demonstrates that Sigma VR can achieve very good transient performance with less output bulk capacitors compared with that of conventional Buck VR.
Composing µSIC: A Lightweight Service Model for Wireless Sensor Networks

Although wireless sensor network applications share a common set of limitations (e.g. resource scarcity and lossy radio communication models) a basic set of runtime services (e.g. routing, time synchronization, and code dissemination), applications are often designed in an ad-hoc fashion, reducing the amount of code reuse, making a component-based software engineering approach desirable. We present a micro service component model, entitled muSIC, that abstracts a sensor node as an entity that provides and uses services. This model is realized through the use of the muSIC runtime, a small and efficient message-oriented middleware (MOM) tailored for resource-constrained devices. The muSIC runtime can perform service-paging, a method of storing a service's state to flash memory and restoring it whenever the service is needed. Secondly, we provide a domain-specific language allowing applications to be expressed as a collection of services that run on top of the muSIC runtime and enables a multi-threaded programming model.
A mask-programmable CCD digital memory

A mask-programmable digital CCD memory circuit has been designed, fabricated, and tested. This circuit uses a special, double implantation of impurities of opposite types into the region underneath selected storage electrodes to achieve nonvolatility. A 54-bit CCD, fabricated using standard p-channel MOS technology, was used to demonstrate restoration of lost data.
Amino Alcohols. XVII. Arylethanolamines

Aracyl chlorides, Ar CO CH2Cl, were allowed to react with benzylamine or dibenzylamine to form aracylamines. These were then subjected to hydrogenolytic debenzylation, yielding primary aracylamines, Ar-CO-CH2-NH2; continued catalytic reduction, without previous isolation of the amino ketone, formed the corresponding arylethanolamines.
Ascertaining the validity of individual protocols from Web-based personality inventories.

Abstract The research described in this article estimated the relative incidence of protocols invalidated by linguistic incompetence, inattentiveness, and intentional misrepresentation in Web-based versus paper-and-pencil personality measures. Estimates of protocol invalidity were derived from a sample of 23,994 protocols produced by individuals who completed an on-line version of the 300-item IPIP representation of the NEO-PI-R ( Goldberg, 1999 ). Approximately 3.8% of the protocols were judged to be products of repeat participants, many of whom apparently resubmitted after changing some of their answers. Among non-duplicate protocols, about 3.5% came from individuals who apparently selected a response option repeatedly without reading the item, compared to .9% in a sample of paper-and-pencil protocols. The missing response rate was 1.2%, which is 2–10 times higher than the rate found in several samples of paper-and-pencil inventories of comparable length. Two measures of response consistency indicated that perhaps 1% of the protocols were invalid due to linguistic incompetence or inattentive responding, but that Web participants were as consistent as individuals responding to a paper-and-pencil inventory. Inconsistency did not affect factorial structure and was found to be related positively to neuroticism and negatively to openness to experience. Intentional misrepresentation was not studied directly, but arguments for a low incidence of misrepresentation are presented. Methods for preventing, detecting, and handling invalid response patterns are discussed. Suggested for future research are studies that assess the moderating effects of linguistic incompetence, inattentiveness, and intentional misrepresentation on agreement between self-report and acquaintance judgments about personality.
Mistaken notions about natural killer cells

As natural killer (NK) cells were first described more than 30 years ago—a lifetime in recent immunological history—this is a good time to reflect on their transition from outcasts of mainstream immunology to prominent players in innate immunity. Whereas much of our existing knowledge about NK cells is taken as longstanding fact, it may be surprising to immunologists of a younger vintage, particularly those working on NK cells today, that some of this knowledge was, at least initially, unexpected. In this Perspective, I take an unconventional approach to discussing our progress in understanding NK cells.
Automated Analysis of Phase-Contrast Magnetic Resonance Images in the Assessment of Endothelium-Dependent Flow-Mediated Dilation

Measurement of flow-mediated arterial dilation (FMAD) provides information regarding the status of peripheral arterial endothelial function. Although phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) can be used to measure FMAD, the manual analysis of one study (tracing regions of interest and processing data on 100 images) can require six or more hours. To enhance the clinical utility of the PC-MRI assessment of FMAD, we hypothesized that an automated technique (Multi-Stage Intensity Thresholding or MSIT) for determining femoral arterial area and flow before and after cuff inflation over the thigh could be used to evaluate FMAD in a rapid, accurate, and reproducible manner. Compared with manual analysis, automated analysis detected a similar percentage change in peak FMAD between healthy individuals (17.2% vs. 16.5%) and patients with congestive heart failure (4.0% vs. 5.1%). The correlation between percentage changes in arterial area after cuff release derived manually and automatically was very good (...
The effects of hydropsychid colonization on algal response to nutrient enrichment in a small Michigan stream, U.S.A.

SUMMARY 1. We tested the hypothesis that the indirect effects of colonization by Hydropsyche spp. (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) may be greater than direct effects of nutrients on the benthic algal community growth. Two sets of nutrient-releasing substrates (a total of twenty-four) were deployed into a small pristine stream in northern Michigan. Each set was composed of four treatments replicated three times: (i) no nutrient enrichment (C), (ii) 0.5 M phosphate-P enrichment (P), (iii) 0.5 M nitrate-N enrichment (N) and (iv) 0.5 M phosphate-P plus 0.5 M nitrate-N enrichment (P + N). All hydropsychids colonizing on the substrate in one set (twelve substrates) were removed regularly and the other set (twelve substrates) with undisturbed hydropsychids served as the controls. 2. Algal biomass and gross primary productivity were estimated as chlorophyll a (chl a) concentration, algal biovolume, and carbon fixation rate, respectively. There was a significant interactive effect of hydropsychid colonization and P enrichment on algal biomass measured as chl a concentration. With removal of hydropsychids, chl a concentration increased 11-fold in the P enrichment treatments relative to the controls. The effects of P on chl a was, however, not significant in the presence of hydropsychids. Such interactive effects were not observed when algal responses were measured as biovolume and carbon fixation rate (GPP). 3. It is recommended that algal responses to nutrient enrichment should be measured as biovolume or carbon fixation rate in small streams where hydropsychids are commonly present.
Minimizing effects of disturbing signals through a minimum square-error criterion

One of the reasons for using feedback is the improvement in the rejection of disturbing signals. This improvement can be obtained through an analytical design utilizing as a performance index the integral square-error criterion. In the usual technique the sum of the command signal plus the disturbing signal transferred to the input of the system is used as the input signal. When this is done, one of the two compensating transfer functions (for the particular case of a system with two degrees of freedom) has to be fixed arbitrarily. Then the optimum over-all transfer function, which minimizes the integral of the square of the error between the desired output and the actual one, is calculated and thus the remaining compensator can be obtained. As the technique does not provide a method for determining one of the compensators, and the transferred disturbing signal is a function of this compensator, a required rejection of the disturbing signal may not be satisfied. The purpose of the present paper is to suggest an analytical technique for determining both of the two compensators which have the minimum bandwidth necessary to satisfy a desired over-all transfer function and a required rejection of a disturbing signal. In addition, the technique provides physically realizable compensating transmissions.
Influence of Cultivar, Maturity, and Sampling on Blackberry (Rubus L. Hybrids) Anthocyanins, Polyphenolics, and Antioxidant Properties

Total anthocyanin pigments increased from 74.7 to 317 mg/100 g fresh weight (FW) from underripe to overripe for Marion blackberries and from 69.9 to 164 mg/100 g FW for Evergreen blackberries. Total phenolics did not show a marked change with maturity with values slightly decreasing from underripe to ripe. Antioxidant activities, while increasing with ripening, also did not show the marked change that total anthocyanins exhibited. The impact of variation due to plots, subsampling, sample preparation, and measurement on Marion composition was examined in detail. Plot-to-plot and sample differences were the major contributors to variation, with sample preparation being an important contributor for some parameters. Measurement variation was a relatively small component of the total variation. Total anthocyanins for 11 blackberry cultivars ranged from 131 to 256 mg/100 g FW (mean ) 198), total phenolics ranged from 682 to 1056 mg GAE/100 g FW (mean ) 900), oxygen radical absorbance capacity ranged from 37.6 to 75.5 Imol TE/g FW (mean ) 50.2), and ferric reducing antioxidant power ranged from 63.5 to 91.5 Imol TE/g FW (mean ) 77.5).
GIP integrators for Matrix Riccati Differential Equations

Matrix Riccati Differential Equations (MRDEs) are initial value problems of the form:X^'=A"2"1-XA"1"1+A"2"2X-XA"1"2X,X(0)=X"0.These equations arise frequently throughout applied mathematics, science, and engineering. It can happen that even when the A"i"j are smooth functions of t or constant, the solution X may have a singularity or even infinitely many singularities. This paper shows several classes of numerical algorithms, which we call GIP integrators, that can solve for X past its singularities. Furthermore, none of the algorithms require knowledge of the placement or even existence of singularities in X. Also, it is shown how embedded Runge-Kutta methods can be used to construct GIP integrators to not only approximate X past singularities but also provide for error estimation to allow efficient time stepping. Finally, several examples are shown to validate the theory.
Light Scattering by Quasi-Spherical Ice Crystals

Abstract The shapes and single-scattering properties of small, irregular, quasi-spherical ice crystals, with equivalent radii between approximately 8 and 90 μm and size parameters from about 90 to 1000, are studied using two-dimensional images measured by a cloud particle imager in midlatitude cirrus during the 2000 Cloud Intensive Operation Period conducted over the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program's Southern Great Plains site. A statistical shape analysis of the ice crystal images is carried out to obtain size-dependent relative standard deviations of radius and correlation functions of logradius, which together define the shape statistics of the sample ice crystals. The former describes the overall variation in the lengths of radius vectors defining the particle surface from a given origin, whereas the latter describes correlations of lengths of radius vectors as functions of angular distance between them. The logradius is essentially the natural logarithm of radius. There is no strong depende...
Current outcomes and indications for cryopreserved vein allografts in hemodialysis access surgery.

IntroductionCryopreserved vein allografts (cadaveric vein) have emerged as an option for arteriovenous graft reconstruction; however, indications for their use in hemodialysis access remains to be ...
Theoretical investigation of Pt monosilicide and several germanides: electronic structure, surface energetics, and work functions

We present a theoretical study of the electronic structure, surface energies and work functions of orthorhombic Pt monosilicide and germanides of Pt, Ni, Y and Hf within the framework of density functional theory (DFT). Our calculated bulk structures are within 1–2% of reported experimental values. Calculated work functsions for the (001) surfaces of PtSi, NiGe and PtGe are 5.12, 4.57 and 4.83 eV, respectively, suggesting that these metals and their alloys can be used as self-aligned contacts to p-type silicon and germanium. Work functions for Y and Hf germanides range from 2.4 to 4.3 eV making them a possible n-type contact material. In addition, we also report an ab-initio calculation of the Schottky-barrier height at the Si(001)/PtSi(001) interface. The p-type Schottky barrier height of 0.28 eV is found in good agreement with predictions of a simple metal induced gap states (MIGS) theory and available experiment. This low barrier suggests PtSi as a low contact resistance junction metal for silicon CMOS technology. We identify the growth conditions necessary to stabilize this orientation.
Elicitability and knowledge-free elicitation with peer prediction

The elicitation of private information from individuals is crucially important to many real-world tasks. But elicitation is most challenging when it is most useful: when objective (verifiable) truth is inaccessible or unavailable, and there is no ``answer key" available to verify reports. Prior work has designed mechanisms that truthfully elicit private information without verification for some restricted set of possible information structures of the participants (i.e. the common prior joint distributions of participants' signals). In fact, no mechanism can elicit private information truthfully for all information structures without verification. In this paper, we identify the maximal set of information structures that are truthfully elicitable without verification, and provide a mechanism for such elicitation. This mechanism requires that the designer know the information structure of the participants, which is unavailable in many settings. We then propose a knowledge-free peer prediction mechanism that does not require knowledge of the information structure and can truthfully elicit private information for a set of information structures slightly smaller than the maximal set. This mechanism works for both small and large populations in settings with both binary and non-binary private signals, and is effective on a strict superset of information structures as compared to prior mechanisms that satisfy these properties.
Labor-management mediation: the mediator in a complex communication situation

Labor-management negotiations present a complex situation for mediators and negotiators. To a considerable extent, the complexities stem from the fact that at least four different types of negotiations are occurring simultaneously: distributive bargaining; integrative bagaining; intra-organizational bargaining; and attitude structuring. The authors will show how the cited factors complicate labor-management negotiations and, concomitantly, affect the mediation process. This article concentrates on the role of the mediator as a communicator in the labor-management context
Functional analytic psychotherapy compared with supportive listening: An alternating treatments design examining distinctiveness, session evaluations, and interpersonal functioning.

Functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP) is based on the notion that because the therapeutic relationship is an interpersonal one, it will share some functional similarities with other relationships. When client responses that are problematic or adaptive in daily life occur in the therapy session, th
Evaluation on Effects of Super Hybrid Rice “Planting Three to Produce Four” High Yielding Project on Increasing Yield and Income in Hunan

Based on a survey of 186 rice farmers in 6 counties(districts, cities) of Hunan, the study evaluated the effects of super hybrid rice "Planting Three to Produce Four" high yielding project on increasing yield and income. The results showed that five planting modes of Hunan "Planting Three to Produce Four" increased the yield and income significantly, in which yields of single-season super late rice mode and super medium rice mode increased the most, and the net income in Longhui medium rice was of the highest level. The main direction to increase the net income is to improve yields and reduce costs. The core area of reducing the cost is to reduce machinery costs and fertilizer costs, while the non-core area is to reduce labor costs and machinery costs.
The provocative radiographic traction test for diagnosing craniocervical dissociation: a cadaveric biomechanical study and reappraisal of the pathogenesis of instability.

Abstract Background Context Craniocervical dissociation is a rare but serious condition, and missed injuries have been associated with poor neurologic outcomes and deterioration. A fluoroscopic traction test is employed to interrogate the craniocervical ligaments when clinical and imaging findings are equivocal. However, no specific protocol or known parameters with respect to traction or force applied have been established. Purpose This study sought to define the parameters of the radiographic traction test with sequential sectioning of the primary ligamentous restraints under controlled distraction of the craniocervical junction in a biomechanical model. Study Design This is a cadaveric biomechanical study. Methods A custom loading apparatus applied traction forces in six specimens (O-C3) and the following ligaments were sectioned: alar, tectorial membrane, and occiput-C1 capsules to simulate varying degrees of craniocervical dissociation. Traction was applied 0 to 20 lb with fluoroscopy. Digital image analysis quantified the relative displacements of C0–C1, average craniocervical excursion, and under what load could a 2-mm craniocervical displacement be reproducibly recorded. Results A weight-distance table was produced and showed a marked loss of stability with sectioning of the ligaments and across all specimens in a similar pattern. Minimal translation was noted with sectioning of two of three ligaments in any order ( 2 mm). Conclusions The current knowledge base of craniocervical injuries is very limited. This study shows that the key restraints to craniocervical instability are the alar ligaments, tectorial membrane, and the atlantooccipital joint capsules. Dissociation requires the complete incompetence of all three. The craniocervical traction test reliably demonstrates instability and requires no more than 5–10 lb of traction to perform.
Assessment and improvement of HIV screening rates in a Midwest primary care practice using an electronic clinical decision support system: a quality improvement study

Background Universal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening remains low in many clinical practices despite published guidelines recommending screening for all patients between ages 13–65. Electronic clinical decision support tools have improved screening rates for many chronic diseases. We designed a quality improvement project to improve the rate of universal HIV screening of adult patients in a Midwest primary care practice using a clinical decision support tool.
Social Media in Health Care

The health-care industry has embraced social media technologies and utilized those technologies to facilitate and realize consumer health informatics. Health consumers (e.g., patients and caregivers) use social media platforms to actively participate in their health care through exchanging social support with each other and communicating with health professionals on those platforms. This chapter aims to shed light on various aspects of social media in health care. Applications and implications of social media for health consumers, providers, and organizations are discussed. A distinction is made between general-purpose online social networks (OSNs) and virtual health communities (VHCs). The notion of patient-centered e-health applications and the connection between this concept and social media in health care are explained. A typology of collaboration platforms that are currently utilized or can be provided by VHCs is presented. The opportunities and challenges offered by VHC platforms and websites are also discussed in the chapter.
The market for corporate control and dividend policies: Cross-country evidence from M&A laws

This article examines the association between the market for corporate control and firm dividend policies. Specifically, we examine changes in firms’ dividend payouts following a plausibly exogenous shock to the threat of takeover with the staggered initiation of country-level merger and acquisition (M&A) laws. Using a global sample of firms across 34 countries, we find that both the likelihood and the amount of dividends decrease significantly after the initiation of an M&A law in a country. Our cross-sectional analyses indicate that the negative effect of M&A laws on dividend payouts is amplified in countries where the institutional environment enables M&A laws to improve the takeover market and for firms that could readily use internal capital to finance growth opportunities. Moreover, this negative effect is attenuated for firms with already sufficient monitoring of managers. These findings suggest that the enactment of M&A laws, by strengthening the market for corporate control, lowered the need for firms to convey their commitment to shareholders’ interests through costly dividend payments, especially when the threat of takeover prompted by M&A laws is likely to serve as an effective disciplinary mechanism.
Gain adaptation of networked mobile robot to compensate QoS deterioration

The performance of a robot operated over a data network does not only depend on a control algorithm used, but also on network conditions. Providing network QoS (quality-of-service) to a networked robot system could significantly improve its system performances. However, the network QoS can degrade due to several factors, such as congestion and interference, and can affect the overall system performances. We propose a gain adaptation approach to compensate deteriorative changes in network QoS in order to maintain the performances of a robot system as much as possible. The approach is demonstrated by path tracking control of networked differential drive mobile robot over a QoS enabled network. The simulation results show that when the gain adaptation is applied, the robot can effectively tolerate network QoS deterioration, and increase the overall system robustness. The concept of gain adaptation can be easily extended to other network-based control applications.