cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In-flight degradation results for the UARS SOLSTICE instrument

The Solar Stellar Irradiance Comparison Experiment is a three channel spectrometer designed for measuring the solar UV irradiance from 119 to 420 nm with a spectral resolution of 0.1 to 0.3 nm. The three channels are designated as the G, F, and N channels that cover the 119-190 nm, 170-320 nm, and 280-420 nm regions respectively. The SOLSTICE is aboard the NASA Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) which was launched on September 12, 1991. The degradation of the SOLSTICE sensitivity is primarily tracked in-flight by measuring a set of bright, early-type stars with the same optics and detectors and by only changing slit sizes and integration times. While the Sun changes by 1 percent in the near UV and by as much as a factor of 2 in the far UV, early-type main sequence stars are not expected to change by more than 1 percent in the UV for long time periods. The ensemble average of the SOLSTICE stellar observation indicate that these stars are indeed stable to 2 percent or better. Since the launch of UARS, the SOLSTICE sensitivity has decreased by a few percent per year. We attribute the degradation primarily to again effects for the photomultiplier tubes for all three channels and to diffusion between layers in the broadband interference filters for the F and N channels. There also appears degradation for the G channel diffraction grating related to excessive heating of the grating on a few days during the UARS mission. There appears only minor degradation associated with optical contamination, mainly because of the strict use of low-outgassing materials in the SOLSTICE instrument and maintenance of class 10,000 clean rooms and oil-free vacuum systems for all pre-flight testing of the SOLSTICE instrument.
Too Few Good Men? Available Partners and Single Motherhood among Latinas, African Americans, and Whites

The authors test whether structural indicators of mate availability—Wilson’s marriageable pool and sex ratio arguments—help explain individual-level racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence of s...
Location of EPR-Active Spins Buried in Proteins from the Simulation of the Spin−Lattice Relaxation Enhancement Caused by Dy(III) Complexes†

A computational method is described that simulates the EPR microwave power saturation characteristics of a protein sample containing an EPR signal from a buried free radical in a frozen solution containing paramagnetic spin-lattice relaxation-enhancement agents such as [Dy(III)HEDTA], where HEDTA is N-hydroxyethylenediaminetriacetate. The specific experiment modeled in this work is the EPR progressive power saturation experiment, where a series of spectra are recorded with increasing microwave power incident on the sample. A fit of the data series yields a characteristic power at half saturation, or P 1 / 2 , that is proportional to the spin-lattice relaxation rate of the signal observed in the sample. The addition of DyHEDTA to the protein solution increases P 1 / 2 through dipole-dipole coupling to the buried free radical by an amount strongly dependent on the distance r from the fast-relaxing DyHEDTA to the slow-relaxing radical. The measured value of P 1 / 2 reflects an ensemble of protein molecules in which each buried spin interacts with a specific distribution of DyHEDTA molecules. To simulate the effect of DyHEDTA on the P 1 / 2 of the buried radical spin, we have created a Monte Carlo-type method that models the power-saturation characteristics of the bulk sample by creating saturation profiles of individual, randomly oriented spin ensembles. These individual spin ensembles incorporate arbitrary structural data for the protein as a region where the individual molecules of DyHEDTA are spatially excluded from the calculation, as opposed to previous methods where simple geometric models were employed. The calculation method is validated mathematically and is used to simulate experimental data from the heme-nitric oxide-containing protein systems myoglobin and horseradish peroxidase to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new simulation method.
Nuclear Protective Action Advisories: A Policy Analysis and Evaluation

Widespread spontaneous evacuation, the tendency for people to evacuate even when not advised to do so, has been highlighted as one of the likely behavioral responses to a nuclear power plant emergency. Utility company representatives contend that protective action advisories can be structured so as to stifle the magnitude and geographic extent of spontaneous evacuation. Data from a utility-company-sponsored telephone survey of households on Long Island, New York, where the Shoreham Nuclear Power Station is located, are used in this paper to test this proposition. Analyses of responses given to three sets of increasingly serious reactor accident scenarios, with and without information instructing people what protective actions to take, raise serious questions about the ability of emergency notification messages to affect human behavior in a radiological emergency. The results suggest firstly, that even if people me specifically advised not to evacuate, most would be inclined to do so; and secondly, that attempts to stifle the propensity to evacuate among those who are not at risk are likely to increase the propensity to stay behind among those who are at risk and should evacuate.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Technology for Hypersonic Applications

Several current challenges in computational fluid dynamics and aerothermodynamics for hypersonic vehicle applications are discussed. Example simulations are presented from code validation and code benchmarking efforts to illustrate capabilities and limitations. Opportunities to advance the state-of-art in algorithms, grid generation and adaptation, and code validation are identified. Highlights of diverse efforts to address these challenges are then discussed. One such effort to re-engineer and synthesize the existing analysis capability in LAURA, VULCAN, and FUN3D will provide context for these discussions. The critical (and evolving) role of agile software engineering practice in the capability enhancement process is also noted.
Sapling dynamics in a southeastern Texas floodplain forest

. How much temporal variation in recruitment, mortality and change in size class occurs in the sapling layer of mature temperate forests in the absence of large-scale exogenous disturbance? Using 15 years of data from a flood-plain forest in Big Thicket National Preserve, we found that year-to-year variation in demographic parameters was greater than we originally expected. Death rates were generally more variable than recruitment rates, and were much more variable for large saplings than for small ones. Small saplings of the 10 most common species had at least one year when they experienced two to eight times their long-term mean recruitment and death rates. Large saplings had at least one year when they experienced three to 10 times their long-term mean death rates and at least one year with two to seven times the long-term mean recruitment rate. Temporal patterns in sapling death rates were related to flooding patterns, while temporal patterns in recruitment were related to the Palmer Drought Severity Index, an indicator of drought severity and soil moisture availability. We also identified apparently synchronous patterns of demographic response among less flood-tolerant species which differed from the responses of more flood-tolerant species. We demonstrated the effects of both climatic variation and light variation in affecting stand-wide sapling demographics in a forest where canopy gaps are important for regeneration, and where chronic understorey disturbance favours growth over survivorship as a sapling strategy.
Design of microemulsions based on “destructible” surfactants for use in organic synthesis

Abstract The phase behavior at 25°C of microemulsions based on the “destructible” surfactants 3-(4-decyl-2-methyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-yl)propyltrimethylammonium methanesulfonate ( Ia ), bromide ( Ib ), and chloride ( Ic ) has been studied. Microemulsions were prepared from these surfactants with 1-butanol as the cosurfactant, 0.01 M NaHCO 3 as the aqueous component, and hexane as the oil. The optimum surfactant to cosurfactant ratio was determined so that the microemulsion region in the pseudoternary phase diagram was maximized. Addition of potassium salts (KX) caused the microemulsions to undergo phase separation and the effectiveness of X − in this process followed the lyotropic series.
Influencesicture context on object recognition

Abstract The effect of sorrounding context on the recognition of objects from briefly presented pictures was investigated. Forty-eight undergraduates saw 100 msec displays of either line drawings containing several objects embedded in context or drawings of object arrays without background context. Following each exposure they were required to select from among four objects the one that had been contained in the picture. Presentation of objects in context aided recognition only when incorrect response alternatives were inconsistent with the picture context. The results suggest that context contributes to the construction of a general characterization of the pictures which provides expectancies regarding the identity of specific objects.
Helix signals in proteins

The alpha helix, first proposed by Pauling and co-workers, is a hallmark of protein structure, and much effort has been directed toward understanding which sequences can form helices. The helix hypothesis, introduced here, provides a tentative answer to this question. The hypothesis states that a necessary condition for helix formation is the presence of residues flanking the helix termini whose side chains can form hydrogen bonds with the initial four-helix greater than N-H groups and final four-helix greater than C-O groups; these eight groups would otherwise lack intrahelical partners. This simple hypothesis implies the existence of a stereochemical code in which certain sequences have the hydrogen-bonding capacity to function as helix boundaries and thereby enable the helix to form autonomously. The three-dimensional structure of a protein is a consequence of the genetic code, but the rules relating sequence to structure are still unknown. The ensuing analysis supports the idea that a stereochemical code for the alpha helix resides in its boundary residues.
Time-frequency representation of Lamb waves using the reassigned spectrogram

This brief note reports on a study that applies the reassigned spectrogram (the reassigned energy density spectrum of the short-time Fourier transform [STFT]) to develop the dispersion curves for multimode Lamb waves propagating in an aluminum plate. The proposed procedure first uses the spectrogram to operate on a single, laser-generated and detected waveform to develop the dispersion relationship for this plate. Next, a reassignment procedure is used to refine the time-frequency resolution of the calculated dispersion curves. This reassignment operation clarifies the definition of the measured modes. This study demonstrates that the reassigned spectrogram is capable of distinguishing multiple, closely spaced Lamb modes in the ultrasonic frequency range.
The Emotional Eating Scale: Can a self-report measure predict observed emotional eating?

We assessed the validity of the emotional eating scale (EES) by examining whether the EES predicted food intake following two negative mood inductions. Participants underwent mood inductions for anxiety, anger and neutral mood, then received snack foods in a sham palatability test. EES anxiety, but not anger, predicted intake. Participants high on EES anxiety consumed more snacks during the anxiety mood induction, whereas participants low on EES anxiety consumed less snacks. Results suggest that EES anxiety is a predictor of anxiety-driven eating and may be used to assess emotional eating when direct observation of intake is not possible.
Efficiency of an adaptive estimator of a log-zero-poisson parameter

An estimator, λ is proposed for the parameter λ of the log-zero-Poisson distribution. While it is not a consistent estimator of λ in the usual statistical sense, it is shown to be quite close to th...
Fuzzball geometries and higher derivative corrections for extremal holes

Abstract 2-charge D1–D5 microstates are described by geometries which end in ‘caps’ near r = 0 ; these caps reflect infalling quanta back in finite time. We estimate the travel time for 3-charge geometries in 4D, and find agreement with the dual CFT. This agreement supports a picture of ‘caps’ for 3-charge geometries. We argue that higher derivative corrections to such geometries arise from string winding modes. We then observe that the ‘capped’ geometries have no non-contractible circles, so these corrections remain bounded everywhere and cannot create a horizon or singularity.
Plk1 regulates the kinesin-13 protein Kif2b to promote faithful chromosome segregation

Solid tumors are frequently aneuploid, and many display high rates of ongoing chromosome missegregation in a phenomenon called chromosomal instability (CIN). The most common cause of CIN is the persistence of aberrant kinetochore-microtubule (k-MT) attachments, which manifest as lagging chromosomes in anaphase. k-MT attachment errors form during prometaphase due to stochastic interactions between kinetochores and microtubules. The kinesin-13 protein Kif2b promotes the correction of k-MT attachment errors in prometaphase, but the mechanism restricting this activity to prometaphase remains unknown. Using mass spectrometry, we identified multiple phosphorylation sites on Kif2b, some of which are acutely sensitive to inhibition of Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1). We show that Plk1 directly phosphorylates Kif2b at threonine 125 (T125) and serine 204 (S204), and that these two sites differentially regulate Kif2b function. Phosphorylation of S204 is required for the kinetochore localization and activity of Kif2b in prometaphase, and phosphorylation of T125 is required for Kif2b activity in the correction of k-MT attachment errors. These data demonstrate that Plk1 regulates both the localization and activity of Kif2b during mitosis to promote the correction of k-MT attachment errors to ensure mitotic fidelity.
Perpendicular ion heating effects on the refilling of the outer plasmasphere

This paper presents a theoretical model for the anisotropies of the thermal and superthermal ions observed along the field lines in the depleted plasmasphere. The model involves perpendicular ion heating by a low-level plasma turbulence extended along the field lines. It is shown that an extended background plasma noise with intensities of about 10 to the -11th V-squared/sq m per Hz near the ion cyclotron frequency (or near other characteristic frequencies at which ion interaction is possible) can trap the ions in the flux tubes without an appreciable energization. Such weakly heated ions can be effective in refilling the plasmasphere with cold plasmas having characteristic energies of about 1 eV. When the turbulence level exceeds the above level of noise, the heated ions show the features of the ion conics in the superthermal energy range observed along the field lines of refilling.
Constant bit rate network transmission of variable bit rate continuous media in Video-On-Demand servers

Multimedia computing is rapidly emerging as the next generation standard for human-computer interaction. One class of multimedia applications that has been gaining much attention is the real-time display of continuous media data such as video and audio, commonly known as Video-On-Demand (VOD) service. Although advances in computer and network technologies have made VOD service feasible, providing guaranteed quality, real-time video delivery still poses many technical challenges. One such challenge involves the transmission of continuous media traffic over high-speed networks. In this paper, we present an algorithm for determining the minimum buffer requirement for avoiding overflow or underflow at the client video display process, allowing the network scheduler at the VOD server to enforce a constant bit rate delivery of variable bit rate encoded continuous media. This strategy results in reduced congestion and cell loss at the network switch, and in simplified admission control parameters. Initial results indicate that buffer requirements for typical video streams range from 3.7 to 14.6 Megabytes, which is acceptable by today's multimedia PC standards. Further, we show that this approach increases the number of streams that can be multiplexed by a factor of 4.6 to 9.9 times when compared to peak and 90%-of-peak bandwidth allocation strategies.
Camptothecin: mechanism of inhibition of adenovirus formation.

Abstract Camptothecin is an effective inhibitor of adenovirus replication. It inhibits DNA synthesis and, intracellularly, causes breaks in preformed viral DNA. The effects of camptothecin on DNA are rapidly reversed by removal of the drug.
Tooth enamel biomineralization in extant horses: implications for isotopic microsampling

Abstract Isotopic analyses of tooth enamel from fossil equids are increasingly being used to reconstruct paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental conditions. However, the accuracy of these reconstructions is currently limited, partly because the precise timing and spatial patterns of enamel mineralization in equids have not been documented. We used radiographic analyses of mandibles collected from modern juvenile and adult domestic horses ( Equus caballus ) to document the timing of enamel mineralization in equid cheek teeth (premolars and molars). Optical and radiographic analyses of thin sections of mature and developing teeth were used to document the spatial pattern of enamel mineralization in each tooth. We found that the enamel layers in equine cheek teeth took longer to mineralize than had been previously assumed, largely because the enamel continued to mineralize for approximately 6 to 12 months after each tooth had begun to erupt. Total enamel mineralization times for individual teeth ranged from ∼1.5 to ∼2.8 years. Examination of thin sections revealed that Retzius' striae extend outward from the enamel–dentin junction at an angle of ∼5° to ∼10° and run near-parallel to the nonocclusal surface of the tooth. Daily cross-striations average ∼5 μm in width, suggesting that, during the initial phase of enamel mineralization (matrix formation), new material is added at a rate of ∼5 μm/day. Radiographic analyses demonstrate that the secondary mineralization front (enamel maturation front) is orientated approximately parallel to the Retzius' striae, but complete maturation (i.e., full mineralization) lags behind matrix formation by several weeks to months.
A Continuum Model for Platelet Transport in Flowing Blood Based on Direct Numerical Simulations of Cellular Blood Flow

Computational modeling of arterial thrombus formation based on patient-specific data holds promise as a non-invasive tool for preventive diagnosis of atherosclerotic lesions. Platelet transport to the surface of a growing thrombus may be a rate limiting step in rapid thrombus formation, so accurate modeling of platelet transport may be essential for computational modeling of arterial thrombus formation. The presence of red blood cells (RBCs) in blood greatly affects platelet transport. In flowing blood, RBCs migrate away from the walls and platelets marginate toward the walls. We investigate the mechanics of platelet margination by direct simulation of cellular blood flow. We show that platelet margination can be explained by RBC-enhanced shear-induced diffusion of platelets in the RBC-filled region combined with platelet trapping in the RBC-free region. A simple continuum model is introduced based on the proposed mechanism. Using an experimental correlation for effective diffusivity in blood, the continuum model can recover experimental results from the literature over a wide range of tube diameters.
Multivariate and moderated within- and between-entity analysis (WABA) using hierarchical linear multiple regression

Abstract Leadership scholars have increasingly been interested in exploring multi- and cross-level relationships in their research. However, multivariate and moderator variable approaches for examining these relationships are apparently not well-developed and well-understood. Building upon the within- and between-entities analysis (“WABA”) framework of Dansereau, Alutto, and Yammarino (1984), this article first develops and then illustrates how multivariate and moderator analyses may be conducted using the WABA approach. A further extension of WABA, suggested by George and James (1993) and incorporating an analysis for between-entities moderation of within-entities effects, is also proposed and illustrated—allowing researchers to better assess whether obtained within-entity (“parts”) parameter estimates hold across all entities (i.e., indicative of only nonrelative relationships) or not. Finally, three recently raised concerns about WABA, and directions for future research, are considered briefly.
Nutritional concepts and considerations in head and neck surgery

Assessment and correction of malnutrition is a major contribution to the improvements in the pre- and postoperative management of patients with head and neck cancer over the past 20 years. These patients are often in a poor nutritional status and thereby are at a higher operative risk secondary to the local and systemic effects of the tumor and its treatment. This article reviews current data emphasizing preoperative nutritional assessment, modalities available for nutritional therapy in head and neck cancer patients, and indications for perioperative use of these modalities.
Modes of water manipulation by the lobate ctenophore Leucothea sp.

Examination of the lobate ctenophore Leucothea sp. has revealed new patterns of swimming and water manipulation in addition to the typical ctenophore mode of slow swimming with ctene plate (comb) ciliary propulsion. We distinguish between slow ctene propulsion and rapid ctene propulsion; the latter is accomplished by an increased ciliary beat that produces a coupled vortex wake, resulting in jet propulsion. The large oral lobes both capture prey and provide undulatory muscular propulsive power. The auricles exhibit distinct phasic synchrony and aphasic or sculling motions that generate small vortices in the water which facilitate prey capture. Distinctive papillae covering the exterior of Leucothea sp. may be chemo- or mechano-sensory structures. The integration of all of these structures results in an organism that is more complex behaviorally than might be expected on the basis of its superficially simple and delicate body plan. Field work involved blue-water diving in the waters of the California Bight during June and July, 1985.
Bioinformatic analysis reveals genome size reduction and the emergence of tyrosine phosphorylation site in the movement protein of New World bipartite begomoviruses.

Begomovirus (genus Begomovirus, family Geminiviridae) infection is devastating to a wide variety of agricultural crops including tomato, squash, and cassava. Thus, understanding the replication and adaptation of begomoviruses has important translational value in alleviating substantial economic loss, particularly in developing countries. The bipartite genome of begomoviruses prevalent in the New World and their counterparts in the Old World share a high degree of genome homology except for a partially overlapping reading frame encoding the pre-coat protein (PCP, or AV2). PCP contributes to the essential functions of intercellular movement and suppression of host RNA silencing, but it is only present in the Old World viruses. In this study, we analyzed a set of non-redundant bipartite begomovirus genomes originating from the Old World (N = 28) and the New World (N = 65). Our bioinformatic analysis suggests ∼120 nucleotides were deleted from PCP’s proximal promoter region that may have contributed to its loss in the New World viruses. Consequently, genomes of the New World viruses are smaller than the Old World counterparts, possibly compensating for the loss of the intercellular movement functions of PCP. Additionally, we detected substantial purifying selection on a portion of the New World DNA-B movement protein (MP, or BC1). Further analysis of the New World MP gene revealed the emergence of a putative tyrosine phosphorylation site, which likely explains the increased purifying selection in that region. These findings provide important information about the strategies adopted by bipartite begomoviruses in adapting to new environment and suggest future in planta experiments.
Video surveillance and human activity recognition for anti-terrorism and force protection

Summary form only given. Current ONR and joint ONR/DARPA programs in video surveillance technology are presented. These include: omni-directional video in a panoramic periscope for submarine situation awareness and mast-mounted omni-cameras for force protection of surface combatants in harbors and for shoreline protection. Ongoing research projects on automated detection and tracking of humans and small craft for AT/FP are discussed in relation to emerging requirements. Research progress, challenges and opportunities in video-based human activity recognition are explored. New DARPA initiatives in facial expression analysis and deception detection for checkpoint screening are presented.
Quantification of Grain Boundary‐Pore Contact During Sintering

A stereological method has been used to determine the degree of grain boundary-pore contact during sintering of Al2O3. Al2O3 doped with 200 ppm MgO exhibits a degree of contact of 5.7 times that expected from random intersections with pores, while pure Al2O3 shows a pore contact factor of 4.8. These data are larger than the values of 2.8 for sintered or hot-pressed UO2, computed from published data, and values of 1.7 and 1.8 for sintered W and Cu powders, respectively. The degree of grain boundary-pore contact for each material remains constant throughout densification from pressed powder to near full density.
Block processing linear equalizer for MIMO CDMA downlinks in STTD mode

In this study, an enhanced chip-level linear equalizer is proposed for multiple-input multiple-out (MIMO) multi-code code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems in space-time transmit diversity (STTD) mode. By retaining inter-antenna interference (IAI) within the equalized signal in an optimized manner, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the STTD combiner output is maximized. Substantial performance improvements are shown in the simulation results.
Effect of temperature on the seed germination of garden loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris L.).

ABSTRACT: Garden loosesrtife (Lysimachia vulgaris L.) is a highly invasive wetland plant species that is rapidly spreading in parts of western Washington. It is known to spread asexually through rhizomes, but the contribution of seed reproduction is largely unknown. We investigated seed germination under different temperature treatments, finding a strong effect. Seeds sown under summer conditions were able to germinate at high rates immediately. Seeds sown in spring/fall and winter conditions had low germination until moved into summer temperatures, when they germinated quickly at high rates. This facultative dormancy allows seeds to overwinter if germination conditions are not appropriate in the autumn, at the time of seed maturation. We suggest seed production should be eliminated to prevent further spread of the species.
Computer Adoption and Use of Information Services by North Carolina Commercial Farmers

The extent of informationuse by farmers for farm managementis tracked in terms of computeradoption and usefulness,and the use of professionalprovidersof informationservices. The study is basedon a surveyconductedin 1991,on North Carolirx+as part of a regionalproject involving about fourteen states. The results revealed a low rate of computer adoption by the farmers surveyed. However, computer adoption and usefulness were explained by farm size, educationalattainmentand farm income. Also farmers’use of professionalservices,such as that provided by tax preparers and extensionagents were positively influencedby farm size, age and educationlevel.
Monolithic fabrication of millimeter-scale machines

Silicon-based MEMS techniques dominate sub-millimeter scale manufacturing, while a myriad of conventional methods exist to produce larger machines measured in centimeters and beyond. So-called mesoscale devices, existing between these length scales, remain difficult to manufacture. We present a versatile fabrication process, loosely based on printed circuit board manufacturing techniques, for creating monolithic, topologically complex, three-dimensional machines in parallel at the millimeter to centimeter scales. The fabrication of a 90?mg flapping wing robotic insect demonstrates the sophistication attainable by these techniques, which are expected to support device manufacturing on an industrial scale.
Soft-in/soft-out noncoherent sequence detection for Buetooth: capacity, error rate and throughput analysis

This paper investigates an energy efficient, noncoherent system design for Bluetooth. We propose using a soft decision differential phase detector (SDDPD) along with the (15, 10) shortened Hamming channel (SHC) code. Unlike previous work, where SDDPD with ML detection gives hard estimates of the modulated bits, we develop a sequential, soft-in/soft-out (SISO) SDDPD which exchanges soft information with the channel decoder. The proposed soft decision based receiver gives significant improvements in energy efficiency and throughput over the benchmark Bluetooth receiver using limiter discriminator integrator (LDI) detection with hard decision channel decoding. It also outperforms SDDPD with ML detection followed by hard decision channel decoding. Additional gains are obtained by extending our proposed system to perform bit-interleaved coded modulation (BICM). The effect of bit-interleaving on the performance of LDI detection and SDDPD with hard decision decoding is studied. The capacity of our system under BICM is evaluated and extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) chart analysis is used to analyze convergence behavior of the proposed receiver
Scoring Options for Recall Tests (SORT): A BASIC program for entry and analysis of recall test data

Data from recall protocols can be used to examine a wide range of psychological processes (e.g., organizational processes, search speed) using both single and repeated testing procedures. However, it is rare that the data gathered from studies using either single or repeated testing procedures are fully exploited. Scoring Options for Recall Tests (SORT) is a BASIC program created for IBM-compatible computers designed to facilitate the entry and analysis of data gathered from studies using either single or repeated testing procedures. The program produces three main types of measures: (1) measures of clustering and organization in recall (e.g., Adjusted Ratio of Clustering [ARC] score, Bidirectional Intertrial Repetition [ITR]), (2) descriptive measures (e.g., net recall, item loss, and item recovery), and (3) temporal analysis (e.g., cumulative recall, and item recovery over time). SORT calculates the appropriate measures and saves the output as a comma-delineated ASCII file for easy inspection and analysis.
Controllable one dimensional FePt nanomaterials synthesized by chemical method

Recentlyintensive attentions have been paid on low dimensional FePt nanomaterials because of their chemical stability and potential applications in high-density data storage and high-performance permanent magnets[1]. These applications strongly relate to morphology and size of the FePt nanomaterials. The FePt nanomaterials with varied shapes, including sphere-like nanoparti-cles, cube-like nanoparticles, nanorods, and nanowires, have been successfully synthesized by using different methods [2-4]. In these materials, one dimensional (1D) FePt nanomaterials have been becoming a fascinating field, since the nanomaterials have obvious shape anisotropy that results into unique magnetic performances. However, controllable synthesis for 1D FePt nanomaterials still is an insurmountable problem. An improved understanding of growth mechanism is significant for controllable synthesis of 1D FePt nanomaterials. In this work, controlled FePt nanowires have been synthesized. The growth process of the nanowires has been investigated. It's expected to understand the growth mechanism of 1D FePt nanomaterials.
Learning grounded semantics with word trees: Prepositions and pronouns

The authors present a method by which a robot can learn the meanings of words from unlabeled correct examples in context. The "word trees" method consists of reconstructing the speaker's decision process in choosing a word. The facts about an object and its relation to other objects that maximally reduce the uncertainty (entropy) of word choice become (he decision nodes of this tree. The conjunction of the choices leading to a word becomes its logical definition. Definitions thereby become only as complex as is necessary to distinguish words in the vocabulary, making the method appear to follow a heuristic that developmental psychologists call the "Principle of Contrast." Combined with a method for inferring word type and reference, the method produces semantics complete enough to produce or understand full sentences. The method was implemented on a robot with visual, auditory, and positional sensors, and succeeded in learning the differences between "I," "you," "he," "this," "that," "above," "below," and "near."
Anonymization techniques for Knowledge Discovery in Databases

KDD deals with the ready data, available in all scientific and applied domains. However, some domains with comprehensive and conclusive data have severe data security problems. To exclude the reidentification risk of individual cases, e.g. persons or companies, the access to these data is rigidly restricted, and often KDD applications are not allowed at all. In this paper, we discuss data privacy issues based on our experience with some applications of the discovery system Explora and other data analysis approaches. At first, some examples of applications are presented referring to a simple classification organized according to two dimensions important for the privacy discussion. Then we treat the reidentification risk and discuss anonymization methods to overcome these problems. Aggregation and synthetization methods are discussed in more detail. There is a tradeoff between the reduction of the reidentification risk and the preservation of the statistical content of data. We analyse for some main KDD patterns, how far the statistical content of anonymized data is still sufficient. In principle, KDD needs aggregate events. Since the event space of a dataset is very large, a static precomputation of all possible events is often not viable. We propose an architectural solution of a modular KDD system including a separate data server handling also data security requirements and ensuring that only dynamically aggregated data leave the server and can be analysed by the discovery modules of the KDD system. Finally, some other data privacy aspects are addressed.
Oral Immunotherapy in a Murine Model of Food Allergy Induces Desensitization with High Dose Antigen and Heated or Native Antigen

Resumen del poster presentado al Annual Meeting of American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology celebrado en San Francisco (US) del 18 al 22 de marzo de 2011.
Non-Fatal and Fatal Crash Injury Risk for Children in Minivans Compared with Children in Sport Utility Vehicles

Objective: To compare the fatal and non-fatal crash injury risk for children in minivans compared with midsize and large sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Design: Three large population-based sources of US crash data were used—a nationwide cohort of sampled police-reported crashes (NASS-CDS) along with a census of fatal crashes (FARS), plus a large child crash surveillance system, Partners for Child Passenger Safety (PCPS)—collected in 16 states via insurance claim records and validated telephone survey. Each included: 2000–2006 data, occupants aged 0–15 years, traveling in minivan or (midsize/large) SUV, model year 1998–2007. Outcome of interest was parent/driver report of non-fatal injury (Abbreviated Injury Scale scores of 2 or higher) in PCPS and fatal injury in NASS-CDS/FARS. Results: Compared with children riding in SUVs, those in minivans experienced a similar crude reduction in the relative risk of non-fatal injury (PCPS: unadjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.55) and fatality (NASS-CDS/FARS cohort: unadjusted OR = 0.58). In PCPS, this reduction in injury risk changed little after adjustment for child, driver, and vehicle factors (adjusted OR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.82). Lower fatality risk in the NASS-CDS/FARS cohort was partially explained by the same factors (adjusted OR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.13). Conclusions: There may be important safety differences in vehicles during a crash that lead to fewer non-fatal injuries to child occupants of minivans compared with SUVs.
Toward robust passivity: a passive control implementation structure for mechanical teleoperators

In previous papers, a passive control implementation structure is proposed for mechanical systems interacting with physical environments. The proposed implementation structure enforces robust passivity of the closed-loop system, i.e. passivity is ensured in the presence of inaccurate force sensing and model uncertainties. We conduct experiments to validate and demonstrate this robust passivity property of the passive control implementation structure in the context of mechanical teleoperator control. The experiments show that the implementation structure indeed ensures passivity of the closed-loop teleoperator by limiting the amount of energy generated by the control action even in the presence of model uncertainties and master-slave force sensings corrupted with time-delays. Thus, safety and interaction stability of the closed-loop teleoperator are substantially enhanced.
Maelstrom: transparent error correction for communication between data centers

The global network of data centers is emerging as an important distributed systems paradigm--commodity clusters running high-performance applications, connected by high-speed "lambda" networks across hundreds of milliseconds of network latency. Packet loss on long-haul networks can cripple applications and protocols: A loss rate as low as 0.1% is sufficient to reduce TCP/IP throughput by an order of magnitude on a 1-Gb/s link with 50-ms one-way latency. Maelstrom is an edge appliance that masks packet loss transparently and quickly from intercluster protocols, aggregating traffic for high-speed encoding and using a new forward error correction scheme to handle bursty loss.
Application of a Novel and Automated Branched DNA in Situ Hybridization Method for the Rapid and Sensitive Localization of mRNA Molecules in Plant Tissues

Premise of the study: A novel branched DNA detection technology, RNAscope in situ hybridization (ISH), originally developed for use on human clinical and animal tissues, was adapted for use in plant tissue in an attempt to overcome some of the limitations associated with traditional ISH assays. Methods and Results: Zea mays leaf tissue was formaldehyde fixed and paraffin embedded (FFPE) and then probed with the RNAscope ISH assay for two endogenous genes, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). Results from both manual and automated methods showed tissue- and cell-specific mRNA localization patterns expected from these well-studied genes. Conclusions: RNAscope ISH is a sensitive method that generates high-quality, easily interpretable results from FFPE plant tissues. Automation of the RNAscope method on the Ventana Discovery Ultra platform allows significant advantages for repeatability, reduction in variability, and flexibility of workflow processes.
Nonlinear spectroscopy on charge transfer interfaces

In this proceeding, transient 2D IR spectroscopy is used to study Re dye sensitized TiO 2 nanocrystalline thin films. Multiple conformations of the dye on the interfaces are found by equilibrium 2D IR spectrum and transient 2D IR spectrum indicates these different binding conformations have different electron transfer kinetics.
Sustained response of carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma treated with trastuzumab and capecitabine

Background: Carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma is a rare histologic subtype of salivary gland cancer with an overall poor prognosis. Limited histopathologic analyses have shown that some such tumors exhibit significant HER2/neu immunoreactivity, suggesting a potential role for HER2-based therapy. We report here a case of a 58-year old man with metastatic carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma who achieved a sustained long term response to combination therapy with trastuzumab and capecitabine. Case presentation: A 58 year old man presented with T1N2bM0 carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma and underwent surgery followed by adjuvant radiation therapy. Multiple metastases to bone were documented one year later. Since the original tumor was strongly HER2/neu positive by immunohistochemistry, the patient was treated with trastuzumab, capecitabine, and zoledronic acid. He experienced total resolution of symptoms and repeat FDG-PET scan after three cycles revealed interval disease resolution. Continued treatment has resulted in maintenance of disease control for over 2 years. Conclusion: This case illustrates the successful long term treatment of carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma with targeted therapy with trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy. In the absence of definitive clinical trials which are unlikely to be performed due to the rarity of this tumor, case reports such as this one suggest potential utility for trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy in the treatment of HER2/neu-overexpressing carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma.
NGAL: an emerging tool for predicting severity of AKI is easily detected by a clinical assay

Background The authors have previously shown that urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), measured by a research ELISA, is an early predictive biomarker of acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The availability of a standardized clinical platform for NGAL measurements could revolutionize renal diagnostics, especially in intensive care situations. Methods Objective The first objective of the present study was to determine whether an NGAL immunoassay developed for a standardized clinical platform (ARCHITECT® analyzer, Abbott Diagnostics) correlates with the research-based assay. The second objective was to determine the utility of the standardized NGAL immunoassay as a predictive biomarker of AKI after CPB in a large prospective cohort. Design Prospective cohort study Setting Children's hospital at a large US academic medical center. Subjects 196 children undergoing elective CPB for surgical correction or palliation of congenital heart lesions between January 2004 and June 2006. Intervention None. Outcomes The primary outcome variable was the development of AKI, defined as a 50% or greater increase in serum creatinine from baseline. Other outcomes included percent change in serum creatinine, days in AKI, dialysis requirement, length of hospital stay, and mortality. Results In a pilot study with 136 urine samples (NGAL range, 0.3 to 815 ng/ml) and 6 calibration standards (NGAL range, 0 to 1000 ng/ml), NGAL measurements by research ELISA and by the ARCHITECT assay were highly correlated (r = 0.99). In a subsequent study, serial urine NGAL measurements were obtained by ARCHITECT assay. Of the 196 children undergoing CPB, AKI developed in 99 patients (51%), but the diagnosis using serum creatinine was delayed by 2 to 3 d after CPB. In contrast, mean urine NGAL levels increased 15-fold within 2 h and by 25-fold at 4 and 6 h after CPB. For the 2-h urine NGAL measurement, the area under the curve was 0.95, sensitivity was 0.82, and the specificity was 0.90 for prediction of AKI using a cutoff value of 100 ng/ml. The 2-h urine NGAL levels correlated with severity and duration of AKI, length of stay, dialysis requirement, and death. Conclusions Accurate measurements of urine NGAL are obtained using the ARCHITECT® platform. Urine NGAL is an early predictive biomarker of AKI severity after CPB.
A model-reference adaptive motion controller for a differential-drive mobile robot

This paper describes the design and implementation of a model-reference adaptive motion controller for a differential-drive mobile robot. This controller uses absolute position information to modify control parameters in real time to compensate for motion errors. Robot motion errors are classified into internal and external errors. A cross-coupling control method is used to compensate for the internal errors that can be detected by wheel encoders. The adaptive controller provides compensation for external errors. The adaptive controller is analyzed, and its stability and convergence are discussed. Experiments are conducted to evaluate the control system and the results show significant improvements over conventional controllers. >
Tomographic imaging of ionospheric distributions

The development of a new tomographic imaging system for characterizing the electron density distribution in the ionosphere has generated considerable interest within both the ionospheric physics and satellite communications fields. Significant irregularities occur in these distributions which can severely affect signals propagating through or reflecting off of the ionosphere. Ionospheric tomography enables two-dimensional reconstruction of these distributions in vertical slices of the ionosphere. The configuration of the data acquisition system, however, limits the information content of the data and causes resolution degradation in the reconstructed images. Two algorithms have been developed which incorporate a priori information for resolution enhancement the orthogonal decomposition algorithm and the direct Fourier method with bi-directional extrapolation. >
Variations in Tropical Sea Surface Temperature and Surface Wind Fields Associated with the Southern Oscillation/El Niño

Abstract Surface marine observations, satellite data, and station observations of surface pressure and precipitation are used to describe the evolution of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, surface wind fields, and precipitation anomaly patterns during major warm episodes in the eastern and central tropical Pacific. The sequence of events is described in terms of composite SST and wind fields (30°N–30°S) for six warm episodes since 1949, and time series and cross-spectral analyses of mean monthly data along six shipping lanes which cross the equator between the South American coast and 170°W. During the months preceding a warm episode, the equatorial easterlies are stronger than normal west of the dateline. This and other coherent and strongly developed anomaly patterns over the western equatorial Pacific and South Pacific are associated with a South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) located southwest of its normal position. During October-November prior to El Nino, the equatorial easterly anomalies i...
Cardiac Vector Estimation in Fetal Magnetocardiography Using Realistic Approximations of the Volume Conductor

Fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG) records the magnetic field generated by the electrical activity associated with the fetal cardiac muscle contraction and has emerged as an attractive tool for monitoring the fetal heart in-utero. The magnetic sensor array is placed above the maternal abdomen to receive the extremely weak magnetic signal of the fetal heart from 20 weeks of gestation onward. fMCG outperforms fetal electrocardiography (fECG) in its notably superior signal quality, as the magnetic field is considerably less affected by tissues with low electrical conductivity surrounding the fetal heart [1], which can drastically diminish the fECG signal amplitude.Copyright © 2012 by ASME