cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Credit Unions as Liquidity Creators

This paper examines the level and the main determinants of liquidity created by credit unions. The contribution of credit unions to the aggregate liquidity created by the financial system has increased over time from $206 billion in 2000 to $318 billion in 2008. We document a negative relationship between the level of capital and liquidity created by credit unions across all size classes. Liquidity creation is positively related to the level of deposit insurance for medium credit unions and for credit unions with no special credit and borrowing agreements and negatively related to deposit insurance for a sample of large credit unions and for credit unions with special credit and borrowing agreements. The evidence suggests that credit unions’ decision to substitute insured funds with funds obtained through special credit and borrowing agreements alters the traditional role played by deposit insurance on liquidity creation.
The New Quasi in Rem Jurisdiction: New York's Revival of a Doctrine Whose Time Has Passed

This Article closely examines the rationale offered for the new quasi in rem jurisdiction, and concludes that it cannot withstand careful analysis. This Article is divided into three parts. Part I discusses the development of quasi in rem jurisdiction, and examines the Supreme Court's decision in Shaffer. Part II surveys the use of quasi in rem jurisdiction in the states since Shaffer. It traces and analyzes the growth of the new quasi in rem jurisdiction doctrine, considers the causes of this development, and contrasts the new doctrine with the developments in the large majority of states that have not used quasi in rern jurisdiction since Shaffer. Part III considers the contemporary validity of quasi in rem jurisdiction, and demonstrates that it is no longer a valid jurisdictional device. The Article concludes that the new quasi in rem jurisdiction threatens to resuscitate a doctrine that, after honorable service, deserves retirement.
Monte Carlo Methods and Bayesian Computation: Overview

The recent growth of Bayesian methods in statistics and the applied sciences has been heavily influenced by developments in Monte Carlo computational methods. This article features a summary of the main tools with particular emphasis on the dominant role played by Markov chain Monte Carlo methods for dealing with practically all aspects of Bayesian inference, from estimation of parameters, to prediction and model choice. Selected applications that attest to the continuing importance and viability of these methods are referenced.
Asset pricing with undiversifiable income risk and short sales constraints: Deepening the equity premium puzzle

Abstract This paper studies asset prices and consumption patterns in an infinite horizon model with borrowing constraints and uninsurable idiosyncratic shocks to labor income. Calibration experiments demonstrate that idiosyncratic shocks to income are effectively smoothed through transactions in the securities market; consumption and asset prices are similar to those predicted in the representative agent model. This suggests that the equity premium puzzle is robust to several important sources of market incompleteness.
Public Policy and the Rise of Private Pensions: The U.S. Experience since 1930

The American system for providing retirement income allocates an unusually important role to private employment-related pension insurance.
Flow resistance dynamics in step-pool channels: 2. Partitioning between grain, spill, and woody debris resistance

[1] In step-pool stream channels, flow resistance is created primarily by bed sediments, spill over step-pool bed forms, and large woody debris (LWD). In order to measure resistance partitioning between grains, steps, and LWD in step-pool channels we completed laboratory flume runs in which total resistance was measured with and without grains and steps, with various LWD configurations, and at multiple slopes and discharges. Tests of additive approaches to resistance partitioning found that partitioning estimates are highly sensitive to the order in which components are calculated and that such approaches inflate the values of difficult-to-measure components that are calculated by subtraction from measured components. This effect is especially significant where interactions between roughness features create synergistic increases in resistance such that total resistance measured for combinations of resistance components greatly exceeds the sum of those components measured separately. LWD contributes large proportions of total resistance by creating form drag on individual pieces and by increasing the spill resistance effect of steps. The combined effect of LWD and spill over steps was found to dominate total resistance, whereas grain roughness on step treads was a small component of total resistance. The relative contributions of grain, spill, and woody debris resistance were strongly influenced by discharge and to a lesser extent by LWD density. Grain resistance values based on published formulas and debris resistance values calculated using a cylinder drag approach typically underestimated analogous flume-derived values, further illustrating sources of error in partitioning methods and the importance of accounting for interaction effects between resistance components.
An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge: The coherence theory of justification

In this chapter we will examine the coherence theory of justification. The coherence theory of justification is an important alternative to the foundationalist views we considered in the last chapter. In the first section we shall consider what makes a body of beliefs coherent and examine some simple ways to formulate a version of the coherence theory of justification. Though neither of these simple versions is satisfactory, the ways in which they fail point to problems that any satisfactory version must solve. In the last two sections we shall look at some main arguments in the debate between foundationalists and coherentists. In the second section, we shall consider some further objections to foundationalism. In the final section, we shall look at some objections to the coherence theory of justification. Coherence and two simple coherence theories Many of our beliefs seem to be reasonable or justified in virtue of the fact that they cohere or fit with our other beliefs. Suppose, for example, a mother brings her young son, Adam, to the doctor. The child complains that he does not feel well. Upon examination the doctor finds that the boy has a fever, red spots on his skin, and feels itchy. Suppose the doctor also recalls that many children at Adam's school have had the measles. The doctor forms the belief that Adam has the measles. His belief that Adam has the measles fits or coheres with the rest of his beliefs.
COMPARISON OF THEORETICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ATTITUDE DATA FOR THE DODGE SPACECRAFT.

Abstract : The DODGE satellite, launched in July 1967, has successfully achieved gravity-gradient stabilization at near synchronous altitudes. Extendible booms, a constant-speed rotor, and four damping systems provide the opportunity to perform many attitude stabilization experiments. One of the objectives of the DODGE experiment was to determine the adequacy of theoretical analyses by correlation between simulation results and experimental data. This paper presents a comparison between the measured attitude and the results of digital simulation of the equations of attitude motion. Agreement between the two is varied. The digital simulation is also used to investigate possible causes of anomalous attitude behavior. It is shown that boom non-straightness has a significant effect on attitude performance, but that erroneous magnetometer readings of the type that were recorded in orbit do not. (Author)
Equine plasma and blood volumes decrease with dehydration but subsequently increase with exercise.

The effects of dehydration and 40 min of exercise at approximately 40% of maximal O2 consumption on plasma volume (PV) and blood volume (BV) were studied in six horses. Horses were exercised while euhydrated (C); 4 h after administration of furosemide (1.0 mg/kg i.v.; FDH), which induced isotonic dehydration; and after 30 h without water (DDH), which caused hypertonic dehydration. Dehydration resulted in decreases of 6.3 and 9.9% for PV and BV, respectively, with FDH and 10.7 and 8.5%, respectively, with DDH. During exercise in C, PV and BV increased by 12.7 and 20.0%, respectively; during exercise with FDH, they increased by 11.7 and 26.1%, respectively; and during exercise with DDH, PV decreased by 1.3% from predehydration values, while BV increased by 18.7%. Hematocrit and total plasma protein concentration rose to higher values throughout exercise in FDH and DDH than in C; plasma [Na+] was higher in DDH than in FDH and C, [Cl-] was higher in DDH and lower in FDH than in C, and [K+] was lower in FDH and DDH than in C through exercise and recovery. From these results, we conclude that increases in PV and BV are normal features of low-intensity exercise in the horse. The increases in BV not only augment O2 carriage but also help maintain circulating volume. These increases can be modified by preexercise dehydration, the nature of which affects the extent of modification.
Eltrombopag for treatment of thrombocytopenia-associated disorders.

Introduction: Eltrombopag is an orally bioavailable, non-peptide thrombopoietin receptor agonist capable of stimulating platelet production through the differentiation of CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells into committed CD41+ megakaryocyte precursors and proliferation of megakaryocyte progenitor cells.Areas covered: This drug has been tested in several clinical trials in adult patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), demonstrating the ability of the drug to reduce the burden of thrombocytopenia and its associated side effects. Two multicenter trials on eltrombopag in chronic ITP of childhood have been recently completed, showing that the drug is effective also in pediatric patients. Recent studies have suggested a potential role of eltrombopag in the treatment of thrombocytopenia associated with hepatitis-C virus infection. These studies have documented that adjunct treatment with eltrombopag can help avoid either dose reductions or withdrawal of pegylated interferon due to development of t...
Knee Articular Cartilage Repair and Restoration Techniques: A Review of the Literature

Context:Isolated chondral and osteochondral defects of the knee are a difficult clinical challenge, particularly in younger patients for whom alternatives such as partial or total knee arthroplasty are rarely advised. Numerous surgical techniques have been developed to address focal cartilage defects. Cartilage treatment strategies are characterized as palliation (eg, chondroplasty and debridement), repair (eg, drilling and microfracture [MF]), or restoration (eg, autologous chondrocyte implantation [ACI], osteochondral autograft [OAT], and osteochondral allograft [OCA]).Evidence Acquisition:PubMed was searched for treatment articles using the keywords knee, articular cartilage, and osteochondral defect, with a focus on articles published in the past 5 years.Study Design:Clinical review.Level of Evidence:Level 4.Results:In general, smaller lesions (<2 cm2) are best treated with MF or OAT. Furthermore, OAT shows trends toward greater longevity and durability as well as improved outcomes in high-demand pati...
Extended weighted log-rank estimating functions in censored regression

Abstract In the censored regression model, some regression estimators are introduced using weighted integrals of the log-rank estimating functions. Their limiting covariance matrices do not involve the error density and can be reliably estimated. Inference can then be easily obtained. Some of these estimators have high asymptotic efficiency at some important submodels. Some lack-of-fit tests are derived that require little extra computing time. These tests are asymptotically normal under the model and consistent against certain monotone or convex model misspecifications. Numerical studies show that for some weight functions, the estimators and tests perform well. Implementation of the proposed procedures is discussed and illustrated in a real data example.
Factory capacity and throughput planning: conceptualization, design and implementation of a static capacity model

This paper describes the methodology used for development of a static capacity model. It is a well-known fact that no matter how sophisticated the dynamic models are, there is always a need for the simple spreadsheet model. The spreadsheet model helps one carry out simple and fast analyses whenever they are needed. At the Seagate Technology's Recording Head Operations Wafer Manufacturing facility (Bloomington, MN) industrial engineers who worked on capacity planning devised their own versions of static spreadsheet models over the years. As useful as these individual models were, being highly custom-tailored and decentralized made them hard to cross-use and manage. To overcome this problem, the IE department designed and implemented a centralized spreadsheet based static capacity model with features that allow industrial engineers to create model outputs the way they want.
Macroinvertebrate Trophic Composition and Processing of Four Leaf Species in a Mississippi Stream

ABSTRACT The benthic invertebrate community associated with leaf packs of four taxa of deciduous leaves was examined along with changes in community composition occurring during leaf decomposition. Dogwood leaves were processed most rapidly, followed by tulip poplar, hickory, and oak, with average decay coefficients (k) of 0.059, 0.046, 0.026, and 0.021 d−1, respectively. Twenty-five taxa of macroinvertebrates were collected from the leaf packs, and most were insects. Trichoptera were the most commonly collected organisms and were dominated by Lepidostoma sp. The majority of the taxa occurred on all leaf species and in similar numbers. Among the collected taxa were eight shredders, five collectors, nine predators, and two scrapers. Invertebrates colonized leaf packs two days post-introduction, suggesting that shredders did not require pre-conditioned leaves. Attempts to correlate the number of invertebrates with percent leaf material remaining were unsuccessful. The greatest macroinvertebrate abundance an...
A comparison of analog and digital techniques for pattern recognition

Since the computer technology utilized often places limitations on the performance of a particular pattern-recognition task, it is important to compare the state-of-the-art and future trends in both the digital and the analog-computer fields. Electronic, acoustical, and optical analog computers for use in pattern recognition are discussed and their performance compared with that of both general-purpose and special-purpose digital computers. It is shown that the analog computer offers workers using low-precision high-speed one-dimensional or two-dimensional linear discriminant analysis a significant advantage in hardware performance (equivalent bits per second per dollar) over the digital computer in certain limited but important areas. These areas include fingerprint identification, word recognition, chromosome spread detection, earth-resources and land-use analysis, and broad-band radar signal processing. A trend analysis is presented which indicates that the advantages of analog computation will probably be overcome in the next few decades by the rapid performance advances being made in digital-computer hardware.
Improving crop type determination using satellite imagery: A study for the Regione del Veneto, Italy

Abstract The Regione del Veneto (Italy) is cooperating with the University of California, Santa Barbara and other researchers in Italy and the U.S.A. to develop a system of econometric crop production modeling. Five crops are to be included in this project: small grains (wheat and barley), corn, sugar beets, soybeans, orchards and vineyards. A critical part of the crop yield modeling process is the identification of crops using multispectral satellite data. This paper explores two strategies to improve crop classification accuracies: (1) use of ancillary data stored in digital format and (2) use of multitemporal data. Ancillary information stored on digital files were used in this research to remove (mask) non‐agricultural areas from satellite image data. Comparison between the classification of masked and unmasked images showed that improvement ranged from 3% to 26% depending on crop type. The multidate classification was performed by compiling an image of transformed spectral bands and three TM‐5 bands....
A Bachelors Degree Program in Renewable Energy Engineering

In the Spring of 2005, the Oregon Institute of Technology began offering its new Bachelors of Science degree program in Renewable Energy Systems. This degree program incorporates the fundamentals of electrical and mechanical engineering, with an aim towards preparing students for careers in the power and renewable energy industries. We intend to develop this program into a fully-accredited engineering program, one that will establish momentum towards revitalizing undergraduate education in power and energy systems engineering. Furthermore, this program has been successful in attracting students who are not traditionally interested in engineering. The appeal of the renewable energy engineering curriculum offers the potential to expand the pool of engineering students by attracting students who would not otherwise apply to traditional engineering schools. This paper also provides suggestions for other schools interested in initiating a similar degree program.
Two systems of giant axon terminals in the cat medial geniculate body: convergence of cortical and GABAergic inputs.

The thalamus plays a critical role in processing sensory information that involves interactions between extrinsic connections and intrinsic circuitry. Little is known regarding how these different systems might interact. We found an unexpected nuclear convergence of two types of giant axon terminals, each of which must have independent origins, in the dorsal division of the cat medial geniculate body. The first class of giant terminal was labeled after injections of biotinylated dextran amines (BDA) in seven auditory cortical areas.Asecond type was found in sections immunostained for ! -aminobutyric acid (GABA); these endings had the same nuclear distribution, and they were numerous. The origin of this GABAergic terminal is unknown. The giant corticothalamic terminals were presumably those described in prior accounts using different tracers (Rouiller and de Ribaupierre [1990] Neurosci. Lett. 208:29‐ 35; Ojima [1994] Cerebral Cortex 6:646‐663), but with BDA they are labeled more fully. Clusters of such endings were often linked, and hundreds may occur in a single section. Their boutons formed a substantial proportion of the corticothalamic population. Other types of corticogeniculate axon terminals were also labeled, including two kinds that are much smaller and that match closely the classical descriptions of corticothalamic axons. The giant GABAergic endings were found in all dorsal division nuclei and in thalamic visual nuclei such as the lateral posterior nucleus. Like the giant cortical endings, the giant GABAergic terminals often encircled large, pale, immunonegative profiles that may be dendritic. This implies a close spatial, and perhaps a close functional, relationship between the populations of giant axon terminals. Insofar as physiological studies found that pharmacological inactivation of rat somatic sensory cortex suppresses peripheral information transmission through the posterior thalamus, corticofugal input may be essential for normal processing (Diamond et al. [1992] J. Comp. Neurol. 319:66‐84). Our findings suggest that the giant corticothalamic endings could play an important role in descending control. Perhaps they are counterbalanced by a GABAergic system and affect thalamic oscillations implicated in shifts in vigilance and attention. J. Comp. Neurol. 413:181‐197, 1999. ! 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Full Coupled-Cluster Singles, Doubles, and Triples Model for the Description of Electron Correlation

Equations for the determination of the cluster coefficients in a full coupled cluster theory involving single, double and triple cluster operators with respect to an independent particle reference, expressible as a single determinant of spin-orbitals, are derived. The resulting wave operator is full, or untruncated, consistant with the choice of cluster operator truncation and the requirements of the connected cluster theorem. A time-independent diagrammatic approach, based on second quantization and the Wick theorem, is employed. Final equations are presented that avoid the construction of rank three intermediary tensors. The model is seen to be a computationally viable, size-extensive, high-level description of electron correlation in small polyatomic molecules.
Distributed network embedded FEC for real-time multicast applications in multi-hop wireless networks

Multi-hop wireless networks are becoming popular because of their flexibility and low deployment cost. Emerging technologies such as orthogonal frequency division and multiple in and multiple out have significantly increased the bandwidth of a wireless channel. Further, as device cost decreases, a communication terminal can have multiple radios and transmit/receive data simultaneously, which improves the capacity of a wireless network. This makes the support of real-time multicast applications over multi-hop wireless networks viable and practical. Meanwhile, wireless links are prone to random and burst losses due to multipath fading and cross channel interference, real-time multicast over a wireless network remains a challenging problem. Traditional end-to-end FEC is less efficient in multi-hop wireless networks, as packets may suffer from random or burst losses in more than one hop before they arrive at their destination. In this paper, we advocate the deployment of distributed network-embedded FEC (DNEF) for real-time multicast distribution over multi-hop wireless networks. We first develop a packet loss model of multi-hop wireless networks using a system analysis approach. We then propose a distributed codec placement algorithm and evaluate its performance. Our simulation shows that multicast using DNEF significantly outperforms both traditional multicast and application-level peer-to-peer multicast that can be deployed over multi-hop wireless networks.
Computation of characteristic modes for conducting bodies

A procedure for computing the characteristic modes for conducting bodies of arbitrary shape is developed. The method is applied to conducting bodies of revolution and to wire objects, and general computer programs are discussed. Illustrative examples of the computation of characteristic currents and characteristic fields are given for a cone-sphere, a disk, and a wire arrow. Modal solutions using these modes are computed for representative antenna and scattering problems to illustrate convergence of the solution as the number of modes is increased.
Fertility and Occupation: Mining Districts in Prewar Japan

Although many theories of demographic transition claim that diffusion of deliberate family limitation reaches the agrarian segments of populations last research has shown that the fertility of mining regions usually exceeds that of farming villages during the transition. Examination of Japanese coal mining regions during the mid-1920s reveals that the mining districts had lower natality than surrounding rural districts. The lower natality rate was apparently caused by lower marital fertility and not by excessivly high mortality rates. Mortality was found to be only slightly higher in the mining areas lending credence to the view that health was less robust in mining areas. Japanese mining areas differ from their European counterparts which are characterized by excessive natality levels. Regression analysis was used to confirm these conclusions. The model advanced by the author to explain the lower fertility levels seen in the Japanese mining areas as compared to European mining areas involves the higher level of employment opportunities that were available outside the home for Japanese females in mining districts.
Scalable Product Family Design: Case Study of Axial Piston Pumps

Many companies are trying to generate product variants through platforming to cater to diverse customer needs in a cost-effective fashion. Although product platforming may provide a cost-effective solution, platforming may also render undesirable performance degradation of individual product variants. Creating product variants based on multiple platforms instead of a single platform can be adopted as a strategy to reduce performance degradation. In the current paper, a methodology is proposed to determine the minimum number of scalable platforms needed for creating known product variants by considering the trade off between cost effectiveness and performance degradation. The solution methodology also provides values of common and scalable design variables for each platform. The objective function is defined as minimization of the weighted demand and total cost of providing each variant. The total cost is a function of the cost of each product variant and the cost associated with performance loss owing to ...
The effect of boundary layer flow on incinerator efficiency

Abstract Incinerators operating with excess air, a core temperature of about 1100K, and a residence time of 1–2s should give essentially complete destruction of all organic pollutants exposed to these conditions. However, about 1% of the gas flows in the cooler boundary layer near the wall, where reaction occurs at a much lower rate. The decrease in reaction rate is partially offset by the lower velocity and by mass transfer of pollutant from the boundary layer to the core, but the overall effect is still a significant increase in the amount of unreacted pollutant. The effects of wall and core temperature and mass transfer from the boundary layer on incinerator efficiency were examined by computer simulation using toluene vapor in air as an example of a polluted stream.
Reducing Check-in Errors at Brigham Young University through Statistical Process Control.

ABSTRACT The relationship between the library and its patrons is damaged and the library's reputation suffers when returned items are not checked in. An informal survey reveals librarians' concern for this problem and their efforts to combat it, although few libraries collect objective measurements of errors or the effects of improvement efforts. Brigham Young University's Harold B. Lee Library is engaged in a quality improvement effort that includes the use of statistical process control and has resulted in an 86% reduction in errors over a two-year period. BYU's experience demonstrates the importance of objective measures in ensuring service quality.
Temperature-induced opening of TRPV1 ion channel is stabilized by the pore domain

TRPV1 is the founding and best-studied member of the family of temperature-activated transient receptor potential ion channels (thermoTRPs). Voltage, chemicals and heat allosterically gate TRPV1. Molecular determinants of TRPV1 activation by capsaicin, allicin, acid, ammonia and voltage have been identified. However, the structures and mechanisms mediating TRPV1's pronounced temperature sensitivity remain unclear. Recent studies of the related channel TRPV3 identified residues in the pore region that are required for heat activation. We used both random and targeted mutagenesis screens of rat TRPV1 and identified point mutations in the outer pore region that specifically impair temperature activation. Single-channel analysis indicated that TRPV1 mutations disrupted heat sensitivity by ablating long channel openings, which are part of the temperature-gating pathway. We propose that sequential occupancy of short and long open states on activation provides a mechanism for enhancing temperature sensitivity. Our results suggest that the outer pore is important for the heat sensitivity of thermoTRPs.
A Force Field for 3,3,3-Fluoro-1-propenes, Including HFO-1234yf

The European Union (EU) legislation 2006/40/EC bans from January 2011 the cooperative marketing of new car types that use refrigerants in their heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems with global warming potentials (GWP) higher than 150. Thus, the phase-out of the presently used tetrafluoroethane refrigerant R134a necessitates the adoption of alternative refrigerants. Fluoropropenes such as 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-1-propene (HFO-1234yf) are currently regarded as promising low GWP refrigerants, but the lack of experimental data on their thermophysical properties hampers independent studies on their performance in HVAC systems or in other technical applications. In principle, molecular modeling can be used to predict the relevant properties of refrigerants, but adequate intermolecular potential functions (“force fields”) are lacking for fluoropropenes. Thus, we developed a transferable force field for fluoropropenes composed of CF3−, −CF=, −CH=, CF2=, and CH2= groups and applied the force fiel...
A laboratory technique for determining ignition temperatures of materials

A simple laboratory method for determining ignition temperatures of materials is described. The basic apparatus consists of a tube furnace, an air supply, and a fitting that contains the sample holder and thermocouple. Ignition temperatures obtained by this method are presented for a variety of synthetic polymers.
Commodity Converged Fabrics for Global Address Spaces in Accelerator Clouds

Hardware support for Global Address Spaces (GAS) has previously focused on providing efficient access across remote memories, typically using custom interconnects or high-level software layers. New technologies, such as Extoll, HyperShare, and NumaConnect now allow for cheaper ways to build GAS support into the data center, thus making high-performance coherent and non-coherent remote memory access available for standard data center applications. At the same time, data center designers are currently experimenting with a greater use of accelerators like GPUs to enhance traditionally CPU-oriented processes, such as data warehousing queries for in-core databases. However, there are very few workable approaches for these accelerator clusters that both use commodity interconnects and also support simple multi-node programming models, such as GAS. We propose a new commodity-based approach for supporting non-coherent GAS in accelerator clouds using the HyperTransport Consortium's HyperTransport over Ethernet (HToE) specification. This work details a system model for using HToE for accelerated data warehousing applications and investigates potential bottlenecks and design optimizations for an HToE network adapter, or HyperTransport Ethernet Adapter (HTEA). Using a detailed network simulator model and timing measured for queries run on high-end GPUs, we find that the addition of wider deencapsulation pipelines and the use of bulk acknowledgments in the HTEA can improve overall throughput and reduce latency for multiple senders using a common accelerator. Furthermore, we show that the bandwidth of one receiving HTEA can vary from 2.8 Gbps to 24.45 Gbps, depending on the optimizations used, and the inter-HTEA latency for one packet is 1,480 ns. A brief analysis of the path from remote memory to accelerators also demonstrates that the bandwidth of today's GPUs can easily handle a stream-based computation model using HToE.
Fiber optic sensors for Navy ships

This paper provides a description Navy's near term and far term efforts for shipboard fiber optic sensors. Fiber optic sensors for measuring parameters such as pressure, temperature, rotational speed, voltage and current are now being integrated into the Navy shipbuilding process. Sensing techniques include Fabry-Perot, Fluorescent Decay, Pockel's Effect, and Faraday Rotation. Multiplexing schemes for interconnecting different types of sensors are being evaluated.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Design and Measured Characteristics of Minimum Loss Low-Velocity Helix Resonators

The design and performance of helix resonators operating at room temperature are described. The resonators are analogous to ?/2 transmission lines shorted at both ends, and they oscillate at a frequency of 50 MHz. If slightly flattened 1/4 in. diam tubing is used to construct the helix, the resonators combine high shunt impedance with adequate coolant flow for high duty factor operation. Calculated and measured shunt impedances for different resonator phase velocities are given. The highest measured shunt impedance was 31 M?/m, for a resonator with a phase velocity equal to 0.04 c. For a steadily applied field of 1.25 MV/m, and a water pressure of 1500 psi, various helix designs have cooling water temperature rises of 10-22 C. Two coupling arrangements which provide 50 ohm resistive input impedance at resonance are described. The resonant frequency can be tuned by a threaded 3 in. diam copper plug mounted in the cylindrical wall. A facility for testing resonators at full power is described.
CMOS Low Current Measurement System for Biomedical Applications

We present a micro-chip implementation of a low current measurement system for biomedical applications using capacitive feedback that exhibits 190 fA of RMS noise in a 1 kHz bandwidth. The sampling rate is selectable up to 100 kHz. When measuring the amplifier noise with a 10 G Ω resistor and a 47 pF capacitor at the input, typical of cell membrane capacitance in DNA and patch clamp experiments, the measured RMS noise was 2.44 pA on a 50 pA signal in a 10 kHz bandwidth. Two channels were implemented on 630 × 440 μm2 using a 0.5- μm 3-metal 2-poly CMOS process. Each channel consumes 1.5 mW of power from a 3.3 V supply. We measured the characteristics of an artificial lipid bilayer similar to the ones used in DNA sequencing experiments via nanopores.
Continuum radiation as an electron density diagnostic in microwave-generated microplasmas

The analysis of continuum emission radiation as a plasma diagnostic has primarily been employed for high-pressure arcs and inductively-coupled plasma torches in or near thermal equilibrium. Due to the high ionization fractions in such plasmas, the continuum spectrum is dominated by photons emitted from recombining electrons and ions1. Under typical microplasma conditions of ionization fractions less than 10−4 and electron temperatures on the order of 1 eV, however, the continuum spectrum consists primarily of Bremsstrahlung resulting from electron-neutral collisions. Spatial variations in continuum emission intensity in microplasmas can be directly correlated with line-of-sight electron densities. We verify this relationship by examining a microplasma using multiple electron density diagnostics.
Comparative freeze tolerance and physiological adaptations of three species of vertically distributed rocky intertidal gastropods from southeast Alaska

article Tidal emersion temperatures are ameliorated on the coast of the continental United States because of the timing of low spring tides but spring low tides occur during the day in the summer and during the night in the winter in the inside passage north of Seattle. Extreme low air temperatures during the emersion of intertidal organisms at the northern intertidal sites render them vulnerable to freezing. To quantify the effects of freezing air temperatures on the supercooling point and freeze tolerance of Littorina sitkana from the upper intertidal, Nucella lima from the mid-intertidal, and Nucella lamellosa from the low intertidal, ambient temperatures were monitored with Hobo probes in two transects encompassing their intertidal distribution. To simulate the range oftheiremersiontimethe2 and5 hsupercoolingandfreezetoleranceofN. lamellosa,5hsupercoolingandfreeze tolerance of N. lima, and 5 and 10 h freeze tolerance of L. sitkana were determined. Seasonal variability in the de- gree of hydration and free amino acid concentrations of these species was also determined. The number of days when emersion temperature fell below 0 °C increased with intertidal height as did the number of hours per day when the emersion temperature was b0 °C. The freeze tolerance temperature of these species increased directly with their intertidal distribution in 5 hour emersion exposures and did not change with emersion temperature duration typical of their intertidal range. L. sitkana and N. lima were more tolerant of freezing in the winter than in the summerbut there was no seasonal difference in the freeze tolerance of N. lamellosa .T he supercooling point of the species varied directly with their intertidal distribution, did not vary seasonally and reduced the pe- riod of time during emersion when they were subject to freezing. Free amino acids contributed to the increased freeze tolerance ofL. sitkana and N. lima in the winter. Although the total free amino acid pool of N. lamellosa was significantly higher by 30.6% in the winter than the summer, no single free amino acid was higher. There were significantly higher concentrations of total FAA (54.6% increase), taurine (22%) and glycine (2150%) in N. lima in the winter. There were significant increases of total FAA (27.6% increase), taurine and glycine in the winter compared to the summer inL. sitkana. These FAA are important compatible colligative osmolytes which enhance winter freeze tolerance.
The Option Value of Returns: Theory and Empirical Evidence

When a firm allows the return of previously purchased merchandise, it provides customers with an option that has measurable value. Whereas the option to return merchandise leads to an increase in gross revenue, it also creates additional costs. Selecting an optimal return policy requires balancing both demand and cost implications. In this paper, we develop a structural model of a consumer's decision to purchase and return an item that nests extant choice models as a special case. The model enables a firm to both measure the value to consumers of the return option and balance the costs and benefits of different return policies. We apply the model to a sample of data provided by a mail-order catalog company. We find considerable variation in the value of returns across customers and categories. When the option value is large, there are large increases in demand. For example, the option to return women's footwear is worth an average of more than $15 per purchase to customers and increases average purchase rates by more than 50%. We illustrate how the model can be used by a retailer to optimize his return policies across categories and customers.
Relationships among nurse staffing, adherence to practice guidelines, and patient outcomes in the treatment of hypoglycemia.

BACKGROUND Despite a growing body of research that suggests a relationship between nurse staffing and patient outcomes, little is known about the mediators of this relationship. Understanding the unique contribution of nursing in achieving patient outcomes is important for policy recommendations and quality improvement initiatives. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of registered nurse (RN) staffing and RN adherence to practice guidelines as a possible mediator of the nurse staffing-patient outcome relationship. METHOD A retrospective, correlational design was used to examine the relationships among nurse staffing, nurse adherence to practice guidelines, and patient outcomes in the treatment of hypoglycemia in hospitalized patients. DISCUSSION Adherence to practice guidelines was low. Nurse staffing was not found to be related to RN adherence to practice guidelines in the treatment of hypoglycemia. Skill mix at 1 study hospital was found to be related to total number of hypoglycemic episodes. Notification of the physician was significantly related to a subsequent change in medication.
Considering student mobility in retention outcomes

This case study represents an initial attempt by a university to employ data-mining techniques to study a ternary attrition variable produced by integrating multiple internal and external databases.
Magnetic energy conversion, magnetospheric substorms and solar flares

An explosive conversion of magnetic energy has long been suggested as the cause of various electrodynamic processes in astrophysical conditions, such as auroral magnetospheric substorms, solar flares, stellar flares and some galactic scale processes1–6. It is generally believed that the magnetic energy is stored in a certain region before the onset of those phenomena and that the conversion takes place spontaneously or by triggering. Here it is suggested that the magnetospheric substorm is a direct consequence of increasing power generated by the solar wind–magnetosphere dynamo, rather than of a hypothetical sudden conversion of the stored magnetic energy.
Nonlinear model predictive control for a heavy-duty gas turbine power plant

A nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) scheme is applied to a 166 MW a heavy-duty gas turbine power plant for frequency and temperature control. This scheme is compared to a classical PID/logic based control scheme and is found to provide superior output responses with smaller settling times and less oscillatory behavior in response to disturbances in electric loads. The NMPC solution is obtained by applying orthogonal collocation on finite elements to convert the dynamic problem to a set of algebraic equations, which can be solved as a nonlinear programming (NLP) problem. This NLP problem is then solved using analytical derivatives and an interior-point algorithm to ensure fast solution times. The computation time at each control step was sufficiently faster than the sampling rate (1 sec), allowing real-time implementation of NMPC for the gas turbine power plant.
Applications of Digital Holography in Biomedical Microscopy

Digital holography (DH) is a potentially disruptive new technology for many areas of imaging science, especially in microscopy and metrology. DH offers a number of significant advantages such as the ability to acquire holograms rapidly, availability of complete amplitude and phase information of the optical field, and versatility of the interferometric and image processing techniques. This article provides a review of the digital holography, with an emphasis on its applications in biomedical microscopy. The quantitative phase microscopy by DH is described including some of the special techniques such as optical phase unwrapping and holography of total internal reflection. Tomographic imaging by digital interference holography (DIH) and related methods is described, as well as its applications in ophthalmic imaging and in biometry. Holographic manipulation and monitoring of cells and cellular components is another exciting new area of research. We discuss some of the current issues, trends, and potentials.
Direct Evidence for the Absence of Chelation with β-Silyloxy Aldehydes and Lewis Acids

Abstract 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy reveals no evidence for chelation with a TBDMS protected β-hydroxy aldehyde with SnCl4 while the corresponding benzyl derivative forms a well behaved 1:1 chelate. Instead, a 2:1 aldehyde SnCl4 complex is formed preferentially.
Variation of proline rich cell wall proteins in soybean lines with anthocyanin mutations

The I locus controls inhibition of anthocyanin accumulation in the epidermal cells of the soybean seed coat and affects abundance of PRP1, a proline-rich cell wall protein in the seed coat. Saline-soluble PRP1 is abundant in the developing seed coats of cultivar Richland (homozygous I, yellow), while it is significantly decreased in the pigmented isogenic mutant T157 (homozygous i, imperfect black). In this report, we examined soluble PRP1 in several cultivars containing alleles of the I locus which affect spatial distribution of pigmentation in the seed coat. We also characterized PRP1 in isolines with allelic variants of several other loci involved in seed coat pigmentation, including T and Im. The T gene is pleiotropic and affects both pubescence color and seed coat pigmentation and structure. Soluble PRP1 was abundant in the developing seed coats of lines with yellow seed (I or ii alleles) regardless of pubescence color, just as in Richland. Likewise, soluble PRP1 was decreased in pigmented seed coats (ik or i alleles) with grey (t) pubescence, as in T157. However, the total seed coat proteins were not extractable from pigmented seed coats with tawny pubescence (i, T genotypes) because they have proanthocyanidins that exhibit tannin properties. The dominant Im allele inhibits seed coat mottling (irregular patches of pigmentation) that occurs if plants are infected with soybean mosaic virus. PRP1 was 35 kDa in mottled (im) isolines and 34 kDa in non-mottled (Im) isolines. PRP2, which is expressed later in seed coat development and in the hypocotyl hooks of soybean seedlings, was also smaller in Im isolines. In summary, some of the anthocyanin mutations affect the quantity of soluble PRP1 polypeptides, while others correlate with structural changes in developmentally regulated proline-rich proteins.
Configurational energies and effective cluster interactions in substitutionally disordered binary alloys.

The determination of configurational energies in terms of effective cluster interactions in substitutionally disordered alloys from a knowledge of the alloy electronic structure is examined within the methods of concentration waves (CW) and the generalized perturbation method (GPM), and for the first time within the embedded-cluster method (ECM). It is shown that the ECM provides the exact summation to all orders of the effective cluster interaction expansions obtained in the partially renormalized GPM. The connection between the various methods (CW, GPM, and ECM) is discussed and illustrated by means of numerical calculations for model one-dimensional tight-binding (TB) systems and for TB Hamiltonians chosen to describe Pd-V alloys. These calculations, and the formal considerations presented in the body of the paper, show the complete equivalence of converged GPM summations within specific clusters and the ECM. In addition, it is shown that an exact expansion of the configurational energy can be obtained in terms of fully renormalized effective cluster interactions. In principle, these effective cluster interactions can be used in conjunction with statistical models to determine stable ordered structures at low temperatures and alloy phase diagrams.
Pregnancy management in the bitch

Pregnancy management to optimize maternal and neonatal health begins with breeding management and the selection of normal, healthy brood stock in ideal body condition. After breeding, a commercial diet appropriate for reproduction and lactation should be fed. Typically these contain 29-32% protein of animal source, at least 18% fat, 20-30% carbohydrate, and essential vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. Pregnancy is confirmed approximately 25 d after breeding. A "maternity ward" and whelping box should be provided. Steady increases in caloric intake and body weight are expected as pregnancy progresses. Weight loss should not occur. Throughout pregnancy, changes in the bitch's attitude, activity, appetite, body weight, and physical findings should be monitored by the owner. If appetite and body weight do not continue to increase, or if any signs of illness develop, maternal health should be assessed with a complete physical examination and a CBC, biochemical profile, and free-catch urinalysis. Fetal health should be assessed with ultrasonography. Maternal or fetal abnormalities will put the pregnancy at risk. Impending parturition and the progress of labor and delivery can be monitored by assessing rectal temperature, serum concentrations of progesterone, and/or uterine and fetal monitors. This article reviews the physiology of canine pregnancy and parturition, and typical schemes used to manage normal canine pregnancy to optimize maternal and puppy health.