cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient-reported Outcome Instruments in Lower Extremity Trauma: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Background Advances in fracture fixation and soft tissue coverage continue to improve the care of patients after limb-threatening lower extremity (LE) trauma. However, debate continues regarding which treatment option-reconstruction or amputation-is most appropriate. Many authors have attempted to quantify the patient experience in this treatment paradigm; however, they have not used patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments specific to this population. Our aim was to identify and evaluate PRO instruments developed specifically for LE trauma, applicable to reconstruction and amputation, using established PRO instrument development and validation guidelines. Methods A multidisciplinary team used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses method to query PubMed, Medline Ovid, EMBASE, Cochrane, Medline Web of Science, and Psych Info databases from inception to November 2016. Publications were included that described the development and/or validation of a PRO instrument assessing satisfaction and/or quality of life in LE trauma, applicable to both amputation and reconstruction. Two authors independently reviewed each full-text citation. Results After removing duplicates, 6,290 abstracts were identified via the database query. Following a preliminary title and abstract screen, 657 full-text citations were reviewed. Of these references, none satisfied the previously established inclusion criteria. Conclusions No studies were identified that described a PRO instrument developed to assess outcomes in LE trauma patients applicable to both reconstruction and amputation. There is thus a need for a PRO instrument designed specifically for patients who have sustained limb-threatening LE trauma to guide treatment decisions.
Mining Methods for Underground Mining of Oilshale

ABSTRACT Vast reserves of oilshale occur in the Piceance Creek Basin of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming in the U.S.A. The formation is flat lying and the richest formation called Mahogany Zone contains an estimated 77 billion bbl of oil. Several mining methods have been proposed for underground mining of oilshale. Room and pillar mining method and modified in situ rotorting have been applied both in experimental and commercial scales. Room and pillar mine is laid out in panel system with mains and submains leading to mining panels. Panels are mined through unit operations of drilling, blasting, loading and hauling. Modified in situ retorting involves development of large blocks of ore as retorts and rubblizing the retorts with blasting. Hot gas or steam is then passed to retort the kerogene content of the oilshale.
Discharges, Poor-Performer Quits, and Layoffs as Valued Exits: Is It Really Addition by Subtraction?

We contend that a variety of types of employee exits from the firm are presumed to be a net positive and are thus valued by management, resulting in a potentially important new way to think about t...
Imaging of Periprosthetic Fractures of the Hip and Knee.

ABSTRACT Periprosthetic fractures are a rare but devastating complication after hip and knee arthroplasty. Accurate diagnosis depends on imaging in both the acute and sub-acute settings. Radiographs are the first-line evaluation tool for periprosthetic fractures for both fracture characterization and treatment planning. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used as second-line imaging modalities when the diagnosis or fracture extent is unclear based on radiographs. Specific imaging-based classification systems can help to guide surgical decision making and treatments. Three-dimensional visualization with advanced techniques, such as volume rendering technique and cinematic rendering, can improve the display of comminuted fractures, anatomic relationships, and facilitate physician-to-physician and physician-to-patient communication. Emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, may augment the diagnosis of periprosthetic fractures in the future.
Endoscopic Spine Surgery in Athletes: Case Series and Review of Literature.

Background Degenerative spine disease is common in athletes and can progress to requiring surgical intervention. Traditional open surgical techniques necessitate prolonged recovery time and time away from play. Newly developed endoscopic surgical techniques may promote faster healing and recovery, and increased return to play. The goal of this paper is to summarize the current evidence in return to play after spine surgery and to present our series of 3 athletes who underwent endoscopic spine surgery. Methods A complete search of all PubMed indexed articles pertaining to spine surgery in athletes was conducted. This was supplemented by a 3-patient case series of our own endoscopic spine experience in athletes. Results There are no current widely accepted guidelines for return to play after spinal surgery. The best evidence available cites a return to play of 81% at 5.2–8.7 months after traditional open and minimally invasive surgery, and endoscopic surgery produces an average 88% return to play rate at 3 months. Conclusions Although return to play can vary widely, case-based evidence as well as biomechanical principles support endoscopic spine surgery as a viable surgical modality for the treatment of spinal pathologies in athletes.
Sub-Wavelength Passive Optical Isolators Using Weyl Semimetals

We design sub-wavelength passive non-reciprocal optical devices using recently discovered magnetic Weyl semimetals. These passive bulk topological materials do not require any external magnetic field and exhibit anomalous Hall effect which results in giant magnetooptical effects. The designed isolators have dimensions that are reduced by three orders of magnitude compared to conventional magneto-optical configurations. Our results indicate that the magnetic Weyl semimetals may open up new avenues in photonics for the design of various nonreciprocal components.
Zero-Phase-Filtering based Digital Active EMI Filter

Zero-phase filtering is a methodology of achieving filtering without any phase distortion. This methodology is applied to digital active EMI filters to enhance the attenuation at frequencies from 100 kHz to 1 MHz. The methodology for implementing zero-phase filtering in an FPGA are presented. The novel filter is then demonstrated in a feed-forward voltage- sense voltage-cancellation active EMI filter for differential mode noise attenuation. The proposed filter is tested with small signal source and as well in a power converter. The test results show that the proposed filter can have up to 46 dB attenuation around 150 kHz and have a bandwidth of a few MHz.
Reference-free cell-type deconvolution of pixel-resolution spatially resolved transcriptomics data

Recent technological advancements have enabled spatially resolved transcriptomic profiling but at multi-cellular pixel resolution, thereby hindering the identification of cell-type spatial co-localization patterns. We developed STdeconvolve as an unsupervised approach to deconvolve underlying cell-types comprising such multi-cellular pixel resolution spatially resolved transcriptomics datasets. We show that STdeconvolve effectively recovers the putative transcriptomic profiles of cell-types and their proportional representation within spatially resolved pixels without reliance on external single-cell transcriptomics references.
Electrostatic Comb Drive Actuator Array with Integrated Cantilever for Scanning Probe Applications

This paper illustrates an electrostatic comb-drive actuator array integrated with a scanning probe cantilever capable of $9.13\mu \mathrm{m}$ of unilateral displacement at as little as 55V. We have investigated and implemented several approaches to achieve this large displacement with the aim being to develop our own MEMS scanning probes with robust nanowires grown directly onto the cantilevers. By utilizing double folded flexures as our guiding mechanical parts, we reduced stiffness in the actuating direction. The fabrication of trapezoidal combs allows for longer combs with more actuating fingers to create a greater force without adding weight to the structures. The increased electrostatic force and thus displacement of the device is also due to a reduced finger gap size of $2\mu \mathrm{m}$ and development of a faster etch process to provide for smoother side walls and better structural stability of the numerous thin fingers. In addition, we shifted from the traditional approach of grounding the fixed combs to grounding the movable combs which is necessary to allow for integration of RF signals at a future date. Finally, by conducting such fabrication in-house we have demonstrated the ability to incorporate growth of a nanowire into this fabrication process.
Smoking Prevention Model Experiment in the Kindergarten

Many people think that it is reasonable and right to start smoking prevention activities among children when they are at school. Taking into consideration the fact that 67% of smokers started to smoke in a special period of their lives, between 12 and 21 years, it is reasonable by all means to deal with the young even at this age. But how can we answer the following question:
Interrelationship between Acetylcholine Release from Synaptosomes and Na-K ATPase Activity

Since the mechanism of neurotransmitter release remains unclear, we have recently considered the possibility that the terminal membrane bound Na-K ATPase is involved with this process (17). Specific inhibitors of this enzyme, such as the cardiac glycoside ouabain release neuronal acetylcholine (ACh)(19,27) and catecholamines (12,22), even in the absence of extracellular calcium. These observations suggest that Na-K ATPase inhibition might bypass a calcium dependent step in neurotransmitter release. Since calcium ions also inhibit this enzyme (21), we have proposed that treatments which promote calcium influx indirectly inhibit Na-K ATPase activity and increase neurotransmitter efflux in a manner similar to that seen with ouabain in calcium-free media.
Electrospray and its medical applications

Electrohydrodynamic atomization, commonly called “electrospray (ES)”, has recently attracted a great deal of interests in research communities. It is because of its enormous potential in practical applications. In traditional applications, the process has been applied to the surface coating (Hines 1966; Paul 1985; van Zomeren et al. 1994), agricultural treatments (Coffee 1964), emulsion (Nawab and Mason 1958) or supermicron aerosol production, fuel spraying (Jones and Thong 1971), micro-encapsulation (Langer and Yamate 1969), ink-jet printers (Tomita et al. 1986), and colloid micro-thrusters (Huberman et al. 1968). More recently new applications have been explored. Examples include (1) using the electrospray as ion sources for mass spectrometry (ES MS) for the macromolecular detection (Yamashita and Fenn 1984; Fenn et al. 1989; Thompson et al. 1985; Cole 1997; Smith et al. 1997; Dulcks and Juraschek 1999), (2) monodisperse nanoparticle generation (Chen et al. 1995), (3) biomolecule detection using gas-phase electrophoretic mobility molecular analyzer (GEMMA) (Kaufman et al. 1996; Kaufman 1998, 1999; Koropchak et al. 1999; Scalf et al. 1999; Bacher et al. 2001), (4) enhancement of droplet mixing by inter-electrospray (Dunn and Snarski 1991; Snarski and Dunn 1991; Dunn et al. 1994), (5) targeted drug delivery by inhalation (Tang and Gomez 1994), (6) micro-mixing for drug powder production (Borra et al. 1999), (7) inorganic nanoparticle preparation by electrospray pyrolysis (Lenggoro et al. 2000), (8) preparation of non-structured ceramic thin films (Chen et al. 1999), (9) electrospray gene transfection (Chen et al. 2000), (10) compound-jet electrospray for the nano-encapsulation and enhancement of targeted lung delivery of nano-medicines (Chen and Pui 2000). The general reviews of the electrostatic atomization and applications are covered in the books written by D. Michelson (1990) and by A. G. Bailey (1988). More advanced discussion on the functional modes in the process are presented in the works of Cloupeau and Prunet-Foch (1989, 1990, 1994), and Jaworek and Krupa (1999). Among all the electrospray operating modes, the most commonly used and studied one is the so-called “cone-jet mode”. It is because the cone-jet mode operation has the capability of producing monodisperse particles with the same electrical polarity. It means particles generated by the cone-jet electrospray are monodisperse and non-agglomerated. Many applications can be made possible or benefit from particles with such properties, especially for those making use of particles in the nanometer size range.
Write Soon!: A Beginning Text for Esl Writers

Describing people supporting generalizations - dB because describing countries and other places describing people and what they are doing writing about the future describing views writing about a past experience using comparison and contrast giving advice writing about the past.
ART1 network implementation issues

Adaptive resonance theory (ART) is a neural-network based clustering method developed by G.A. Carpenter and S. Grossberg (1987). Its inspiration is neurobiological and its component parts are intended to model a variety of hierarchical inference levels in the human brain. Neural networks based upon ART are capable of 'recognizing' patterns close to previously stored patterns according to some criterion, and storing patterns which are not close to already stored patterns. Two varieties of ART networks have been proposed. ART1 recognizes binary inputs and ART2 can deal with general analog inputs as well. Since the emphasis of this work is on conventional hardware implementation, ART1 is mainly discussed. >
Rethinking Interest Representation in the European Union

In 2004, the European Economic and Social Committee moved out of the grey cement building it had occupied in the old centre of Brussels, a building far removed from the European Union's other institutions. It moved into a modern glass and steel construction, right next to the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers, and the Commission. Did this change of abode represent anything more than the need for more office space after enlargement towards the East? The answer, judging from Stijn Smismans' recent book, is 'yes'. The Economic and Social Committee, constituted of representatives of national employer federations, trade unions, and such other economic groups as farmers and the professions, gives opinions on proposed European legislation. It is one of the original institutions of the European Union, established in 1958, as was the Council of Ministers, the Commission, the Court of Justice, and the Parliament. Since then, a number of similar committees and agency boards have been created.' They resemble the Economic and Social Committee in that they give representatives of national (or pan-European) interest organizations the opportunity to advise on European policy. These committees and agency boards differ from the Economic and Social Committee in that their mandate is far
Walking an Emotional Tightrope: Managing Emotions in a Women's Prison

Until recently, the emotional experiences of women in prison have been overlooked by symbolic interactionists and social scientists. Similarly, research relevant to the sociology of emotions has not been explored in the social context of a correctional institution for women. The purpose of this study is to investigate emotional experiences from the unique perspective of incarcerated women. This research examines how women in prison perceive and manage their emotional lives while confined and asks whether their chosen strategies have an impact on their interactions and thus affect the institutional environment. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with thirty-five women incarcerated in a correctional institution located in the midwestern United States. Using a semistructured interview schedule, respondents were asked about a range of topics, one of which involved their emotional lives while incarcerated. Findings indicate these women define their emotional experiences as being simultaneously provocative and constrained. Respondents suggest that their emotional resources are individually, contextually, and culturally grounded. They discuss employing various strategies to manage their emotional lives while incarcerated, including diversions, spiritual pursuits, blocking exercises, self-reflection, and humor. The majority of the techniques employed to control emotions are intrapersonal. Respondents describe personal efforts designed to manage their emotional experiences rather than share their feelings with others.
Water relations of the upper and lower surfaces of maize leaves

The objective of this study was to determine if the two surfaces of a leaf had different, or the same, water potentials. Maize (Zea mays L. cv. Cargill 805) was the test plant. During an 11 day period, the water potentials of the upper and lower surfaces of the maize leaves were measured daily with anin situ thermocouple psychrometer under growth-room conditions. Plants were grown in pots with a well-watered, commercial greenhouse soil. Stomatal resistance also was measured. The water potential of the upper surface was less negative (more wet) than that of the lower surface. The overall average of the water potential of the upper and lower surfaces was −1.48 and −2.07 MPa, respectively. The stomatal resistance of the upper surface was greater than that of the lower surface. The average stomatal resistance during the experiment was 780 and 600 s m−1 for the upper and lower surfaces, respectively. Since the upper and lower surfaces were not at the same water potential, the results indicated that the parallel-resistance equation, used to combine resistances on the two surfaces of a leaf, was not strictly valid when applied to the maize leaves, as the law assumes equal potentials on the two surfaces.
Elastic Constants of RbF from 300 to 4.2 K

The adiabatic elastic constants have been measured in single crystals of rubidium fluoride over the temperature range of 300 to 4.2 K to investigate a discrepancy with neutron scattering data. The values of the elastic constants at 0 K, extrapolated from 4.2 K, are ${C}_{11}=6.527$, ${C}_{44}=0.952$, and ${C}_{12}=1.255$ in units of ${10}^{11}$ ${\mathrm{d}\mathrm{y}\mathrm{n}/\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m}}^{2}$. The Debye characteristic temperature at 0 K (${\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{D}$) as calculated from the elastic constants is ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{D}=221.0$ K. A summary of Debye temperature values calculated from elastic constant data at 0 K is presented for all previously measured face-centered-cubic alkali halides.
Mealtime behaviors in families of infants and toddlers with cystic fibrosis

Abstract Background Parents of infants and toddlers with cystic fibrosis (CF) report problematic mealtime behaviors. Controlled studies that examine parent and child mealtime behaviors in infants and toddlers with CF using objective, observational procedures are needed to augment parent report findings and identify targets for effective interventions. We examined four hypotheses: 1) Parents of young children with CF would engage in more mealtime management behaviors to encourage eating than parents of control children. 2) Infants and toddlers with CF would engage in more problematic mealtime behaviors than control children. 3) Infants and toddlers with CF and their parents would demonstrate a greater frequency of behaviors incompatible with eating in the second half of the meal compared to the first half. 4) During slow meals, infants and toddlers would display a higher rate of mealtime behavior problems than during fast meals. Methods Thirty-four infants and toddlers with CF ( M age=18.3±7.9 months) and a matched community sample of same age peers participated. Videotaped mealtimes were coded using the Dyadic Interaction Nomenclature for Eating (DINE). Results Parents of children with CF gave a higher rate and frequency of commands to eat than controls. All children displayed similar rates and frequencies of mealtime behaviors incompatible with eating. As the meal progressed, all children, regardless of illness status, displayed a greater frequency of behaviors incompatible with eating. Conclusion Direct observation of mealtime behaviors indicates that parents of infants and toddlers with CF engage in more mealtime management behaviors than parents of controls and that young children exhibit more behaviors incompatible with eating as the meal progresses. These findings highlight modifiable targets for behavioral and nutrition interventions that can be specifically designed for families of infants and toddlers with CF.
A new method for indexing left ventricular mass for differences in body size

Abstract Left ventricular (LV) mass is determined to a large extent by body size. This has created controversy regarding the optimal method of defining normal values in the clinical setting. Previous groups have advocated indexing LV mass for body surface area, lean body mass, or height, which is an obesity-Independent measure of body size. This study describes a new approach that involves dividing LV mass by height raised to a noninteger power. In a sample of 387 men and 714 women who were between 20 and 45 years of age and who were free of cardiovascular disease, the height exponent was determined by logarithmic regression models to be 2.12 in men and 1.91 in women; in a pooled analysis, the height exponent was 1.97. This approach reduced male versus female differences in the mean and 95th percentile values for LV mass; mean value differences were reduced from 520% among raw values to 29% among adjusted values. Compared with height or body surface area indexation, it was found to slightly increase the correlation between LV mass and systolic blood pressure. In contrast, body surface area indexation reduced the association between LV mass and obesity. The current method of indexation is independent of obesity, reduces LV mass variability associated with body size and gender, and may therefore be a useful method for defining normal and abnormal values of LV mass in the clinical setting. The findings of this study also suggest that Indexation of LV mass for body surface area is inappropriate.
ALL-RISE: A case study in constraint-based design

Abstract ALL-RISE provides a framework for the preliminary synthesis of various types of buildings. The Knowledge-base consists of a static knowledge hierarchy that represents the object decomposition of the design problem, and constraints that represent feasible combinations of subsystems and feasible alternatives. Since design is essentially goal-driven and constraint-based, ALL-RISE uses the top-down refinement and constraint handling problem solving techniques. Problem solving in ALL-RISE involves generating a solution tree of alternatives by processing through the static knowledge hierarchy. In this process: the synthesis constraints are used to prune the solution tree; a flexible sequencing is provided for the generation of subsystems; and commitments are deferred by posting interaction constraints between subsystems, if the subsystem taking part in the constraint has not yet been generated. Several feasible alternatives are extracted from the solution tree generated by the above process.
Untethered gesture acquisition and recognition for a multimodal conversational system

Humans use a combination of gesture and speech to convey meaning, and usually do so without holding a device or pointer. We present a system that incorporates body tracking and gesture recognition for an untethered human-computer interface. This research focuses on a module that provides parameterized gesture recognition, using various machine learning techniques. We train the support vector classifier to model the boundary of the space of possible gestures, and train Hidden Markov Models on specific gestures. Given a sequence, we can find the start and end of various gestures using a support vector classifier, and find gesture likelihoods and parameters with a HMM. Finally multimodal recognition is performed using rank-order fusion to merge speech and vision hypotheses.
Educational Leadership in Professional Nursing

Educational leadership has forged the nursing profession that exists today. This article briefly reviews the historical beginning of education with Florence Nightingale, and the types of nursing education available today. This article summarizes the leadership characteristics, skills needed, and outcomes desired of educators at the dean, department chair, faculty, and staff development educator level.
Cyclical articular joint loading leads to cartilage thinning and osteopontin production in a novel in vivo rabbit model of repetitive finger flexion

Summary Objective An in vivo rabbit model of repetitive joint flexion and loading was used to characterize the morphological effects of cyclical loading on articular cartilage. Design The forepaw digits of eight anesthetized New Zealand White adult female rabbits were repetitively flexed at 1Hz with a mean peak digit load of 0.42N for 2h per day for 60 cumulative hours. Metacarpophalangeal joints were collected from loaded and contra-lateral control limbs, fixed, decalcified, embedded, and thin-sectioned. Serial sections were stained for histology or for immunohistochemistry. Morphometric data including the mean thicknesses of the uncalcified cartilage and of the calcified cartilage were collected from digital photomicrographs of safranin O-stained sections. The number of cells stained with anti-osteopontin antibody was counted. Results We observed a decrease in uncalcified cartilage mean thickness with no significant change in calcified cartilage thickness. We also observed a significant increase in the number of cells positive for osteopontin (OPN) in the uncalcified cartilage. These changes occurred without overt cartilage surface degeneration. Conclusions Cyclical loading leads to changes at the tissue and cellular levels in articular cartilage. These changes are suggestive of tidemark advancement and may indicate a reactivation of cartilage mineralization steps analogous to endochondral ossification. This novel in vivo rabbit model of repetitive flexion and loading can be used to investigate the effects of cyclical loading on articular joints.
Characterization of superfluid helium transfer

The friction factor and steady state flow rate of superfluid helium (He II) are measured, with the driving pressure difference generated by the saturated vapor pressure and a small hydrostatic pressure head. The temperature ranged from 1.5 K to the transition temperature of 2.17 K. Three different lengths and two different internal diameters were used for the stainless steel transfer tubes, and the transfer of liquid helium (He I) was investigated with the same apparatus for comparison. It was found that the friction factor of He II is greater than that of He I for pressure differences greater than 20 mm Hg, and smaller below that magnitude.
Educational Information Utilities: Assessing the Potential

This article introduces the concept of the education utility and explores the various methodologies that such a utility might employ to deliver services to subscribers. The potential uses of a utility and its possible advantages (and disadvantages) are also considered.
Epigenetic silencing of CYP24 in the tumor microenvironment.

Abstract Calcitriol (1,25 dihydroxycholecalciferol) has significant anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo in a number of tumor model systems. We developed a system for isolation of fresh endothelial cells from tumors and Matrigel environments which demonstrate that CYP24, the catabolic enzyme involved in vitamin D signaling, is epigenetically silenced selectively in tumor-derived endothelial cells (TDEC). TDEC maintain phenotypic characteristics which are distinct from endothelial cells isolated from normal tissues and from Matrigel plugs (MDEC). In TDEC, calcitriol induces G0/G1 arrest, modulates p27 and p21, and induces apoptotic cell death and decreases P-Erk and P-Akt. In contrast, endothelial cells isolated from normal tissues and MDEC are unresponsive to calcitriol-mediated anti-proliferative effects despite intact signaling through the vitamin D receptor (VDR). In TDEC, which are sensitive to calcitriol, the CYP24 promoter is hypermethylated in two CpG island regions located at the 5′end; this hypermethylation may contribute to gene silencing of CYP24. The extent of methylation in these two regions is significantly less in MDEC. Lastly, treatment of TDEC with a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor restores calcitriol-mediated induction of CYP24 and resistance to calcitriol. These data suggest that epigenetic silencing of CYP24 modulates cellular responses to calcitriol.
The specific heat of C-phase Gd2O3

Abstract The specific heat of C-phase (almost cubic) Gd2O3 has been measured between 1.4 and 18 K. It shows a broad peak at 2.0 K. While the peak can be fit by a Schottky specific heat curve, the weight of all the experimental evidence to date indicates that the specific heat is due to magnetic ordering of the Gd+++ ions. The implications of the results on the technological applications of C-phase Gd2O3 are discussed.
Ultraviolet photoemission and electron loss spectroscopy of oligothiophene films

Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) has been used to study the evolution of the valence electronic states as a function of conjugation length for thiophene, bithiophene, terthiophene, and sexithiophene films deposited in-vacuum on gold substrates at 130 K. The peaks due to localized thiophene ring electronic states are found to be at ca. 8 eV below the vacuum level, regardless of the number (n) of thiophene rings in the chain. Peaks due to orbitals delocalized along the oligomer backbone progress to lower binding energies as the chain length increases from n = 2 to 6. Electron loss spectroscopy (ELS) has also been performed using an electron gun typically employed for Auger electron spectroscopy, and it is found that the lowest energy loss feature shifts to lower energy as conjugation length increases. The results obtained are in general agreement with theoretical and higher resolution experimental studies, and the thresholds of the lowest energy ELS peaks provide estimates of the bandgaps of the films. These results show that the combination of UPS and ELS provides a convenient means of evaluating the conjugation length of short-chain oligothiophenes.
Polymethines with macroscopic optical nonlinearities suitable for all-optical signal processing

By preventing aggregation of polymethine molecules at high number density, we have developed organic materials with large third-order nonlinearities and low nonlinear absorption in the near-infrared thereby enabling demonstration of an all-optical signal processing application.
Basic science at the intersection of speech science and communication disorders

Abstract In this introduction to this special issue of the Journal of Phonetics , the concept of generalization of scientific explanations across normal individuals and individuals with identified clinical disorders that affect speech production and perception is discussed. Papers dealing with speech production in persons with hearing impairment, aphasia, dysarthria, voice disorders, and structural modifications of the vocal tract, as well as simulations of hearing loss and lexicons show how data from speech and hearing disorders may inform theory about normal processes. In this context, clinical disorders are seen as opportunities for basic scientific research. Associated with these opportunities are potential pitfalls for scientific experimental design. Chief among such pitfalls is the loss of randomized selection of individuals for experimental study. The effect of this problem on experimental design is discussed along with some suggestions for alternative research designs and methods for incorporating results from clinical disorders in basic scientific explanations.
Role of motion integration in contour perception

Contours are believed to play a key role in the visual analysis of scenes by the primate brain. In dynamic scenes, the presence of contours is often signaled by discontinuities in motion fields. However, it is unclear whether the motion fields over which the visual system extracts discontinuities, correspond to the local optic-flow or the pattern motion fields obtained by integrating local estimates. A resolution of this issue would provide important clues about the organization of visual motion and form analysis processes. In this paper, we present experimental evidence which suggests that the perception of motion defined contours is strongly dependent on motion integration - an operation that is believed to take place relatively late in the visual stream.
A PLURALITY MAXIMIZING APPROACH TO THE ALLOCATION OF CAMPAIGN RESOURCES

An important problem in the planning of political campaigns is the allocation of resources to precincts and other geographical voting units in order to maximize a candidate's plurality. Essentially, parties may increase candidate plurality by engaging in registration drives, midcampaign activities such as canvassing and candidate appearances, and get-out-the-vote drives. Based on previous work which has related voter response to party identification, the authors develop a model for the optimal allocation of campaign resources to these activities. The computational feasibility of the solution procedure is made possible by a decomposition across activities.
Quenching of coumarin emission by CdSe and CdSe/ZnS quantum dots: Implications for fluorescence reporting

Abstract The photoinduced release of highly fluorescent 7-diethylamino coumarin (7DEAC) from CdSe quantum dots (QD) modified with a thiocinnamate ligand (11-mercapto undecyl-E-3-(4-(N,N-diethylamino)-2-hydroxy phenyl) propenoate, [4DEATC]) has been previously described. Coumarin fluorescence was used to ‘report’ the photochemical reaction. The current study quantifies the quenching effect of the QDs on the coumarin emission in this system. A systematic study is presented on the quenching of 7DEAC by CdSe and CdSe/ZnS quantum dots capped with 2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy] ethanethiol (PEG-thiol). A new method for the functionalization of CdSe and CdSe/ZnS QDs with PEG-thiol was developed, which does not require isolation of the as-synthesized QDs. Stern–Volmer analysis was applied to quantify the effect of the PEG-CdSe and PEG-CdSe/ZnS on 7DEAC emission. The Stern–Volmer constant, K SV , was shown to be inversely proportional to temperature for quenching by PEG-CdSe, and the fluorescence lifetime of 7DEAC was shown to be independent of PEG-CdSe concentration. Room-temperature K SV values were similar for the PEG-CdSe and PEG-CdSe/ZnS quenchers. The large magnitude of K SV , the temperature dependence of K SV , the lifetime data, and the similarity of K SV values for the core and core–shell QD quenchers are all consistent with a static quenching mechanism. Assuming a static quenching mechanism, the temperature dependence of the coumarin-QD binding constant, K b , was used to estimate the Δ H and Δ S for the binding process.
Effects of cognitive and social factors on system utilization and performance outcomes

This study examines the effects of cognitive and social factors on system utilization and performance outcomes. The literature has paid considerable attention to social influence as a determinant of individual behavior. We combine the concept of task-technology fit with concepts from adaptive structuration theory to elucidate social influence. In our model, we propose that support from a proper social construction in addition to task-technology fit leads in performance improvement in individuals. Empirical data from 317 individuals across 43 teams in ten companies are used to assess the theoretical model. Our theoretical model is supported by the data.
Compressive Stress between Two Mid-Ocean Ridges

ONE of the possible driving mechanisms of plate motions1–3 is a push from mid-ocean ridges. This could arise from the injection of magma at the ridge crest4, or to hydrostatic overpressure resulting from the elevation of the ridge above the ocean basins5. If the plates are pushed apart at ridges, an area between two mid-ocean ridges should be under compression. On May 9, 1971, an earthquake of magnitude 6.2 (mb reported by NOAA) occurred within the Antarctic plate between the Chile Ridge and the Pacific–Antarctic Ridge, followed within 24 h by several aftershocks of magnitude 5.0 or greater (Fig. 1). An analysis of the focal mechanism of the principal shock shows that the plate is at least locally under horizontal compressive stress, with the maximum stress axis approximately perpendicular to the Pacific–Antarctic Ridge.
Characterization of Hematite Thin Films for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting in a Dual Photoelectrode Device

Both nanorod and pyrolysis thin films have pure hematite structure and both show direct and indirect bandgap transitions. The nanorod film shows a direct bandgap of 2.14 eV and an indirect one of 2.04 eV. The pyrolysis film gives a direct bandgap of 2.15 eV and an indirect one of 2.08 eV. The pyrolysis film shows much higher incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) values, whereas the nanorod film has a wider absorption edge. Based on the IPCE measurements, bandgaps of 1.94 and 2.00 eV were estimated for the nanorod and pyrolysis films, respectively. Photocurrent onsets in 1 M NaOH were -0.44 V for the nanorod film and -0.14 V for the pyrolysis film. The nanorod film has a linear (photocurrent) 0.5 -light intensity relationship, meaning a high charge carriers' recombination. The linear photocurrent-light intensity relationship with pyrolysis film indicates a fast charge-transfer process. Adopting pyrolysis film in the dual photoelectrode assembly resulted in zero short-circuit photocurrent due to the mismatch of the conduction band minimum of the pyrolysis film with the valence band maximum of p-GaInP 2 . Combining the advantages of the two should form an efficient electrode for photoelectrochemical water splitting with efficient charge transfer and a large surface area.
ADIPOSE-CELL SIZE AND IMMUNOREACTIVE INSULIN LEVELS IN OBESE AND NORMAL-WEIGHT ADULTS

Abstract The relationship between adipose-cell size and plasma levels of immunoreactive insulin (I.R.I.) was studied in 73 normal and obese individuals and in 12 obese patients before and after weight reduction. A strong positive correlation was found between adipose-cell size and fasting I. R . I . in both groups. This relation exists despite the widely differing degrees of obesity (and, therefore, their probable different total carbohydrate intakes). It is suggested that the increased adipose-cell size seen in obesity could sensitise the pancreas to produce more insulin.
Priapism: Comorbid Factors and Treatment Outcomes in a Contemporary Series

Objective. The goal of this study is to describe comorbid characteristics in patients who have priapism, and their treatment outcomes. Methods. Chart review was undertaken on men who had a diagnosis of priapism from a tertiary medical center, from 2000–2010. Men with priapism due exclusively to the use of prescription erectile aids and medications were not included in the review. Results. We identified 79 patients with the priapism. The most common type of priapism was the low flow variant. High flow priapism was identified in 2 patients. The most common general comorbid condition associated with priapism was mental illness (including substance abuse), which was present in 56% of the patients. Neurogenic priapism accounted for 19% of the total priapism events. Psychopharmaceutical agents and recreational drugs were commonly associated with ischemic priapism. Acute complications of priapism treatment were not common, but long-term complications, especially erectile dysfunction, were frequent. Conclusions. We describe the characteristics and outcomes of a large group of patients with priapism. Our experience at a tertiary care center indicates that mental illness, including substance abuse disorders, is a highly prevalent comorbid condition in men who experience priapism. Consistent with previous reports, erectile dysfunction is the most common complication from priapism and its treatment, occurring in the majority of men.
Data cleaning in microsoft SQL server 2005

When collecting and combining data from various sources into a data warehouse, ensuring high data quality and consistency becomes a significant, often expensive, challenge. Common data quality problems include inconsistent data conventions amongst sources such as different abbreviations or synonyms; data entry errors such as spelling mistakes; missing, incomplete, outdated or otherwise incorrect attribute values. These data defects generally manifest themselves as foreign-key mismatches and approximately duplicate records, both of which make further data mining and decision support analyses either impossible or suspect. We demonstrate two new data cleansing operators, Fuzzy Lookup and Fuzzy Grouping, which address these problems in a scalable and domain-independent manner. These operators are implemented within Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Integration Services. Our demo will explain their functionality and highlight multiple real-world scenarios in which they can be used to achieve high data quality.
Congenital aural atresia

This report is based on 25 years' experience in the surgical management of 69 ears with congenital aural atresia. There were 7 ears with meatal atresia, 11 with partial atresia, 50 with total atresia, and 1 with hypopneumatic total atresia. Meatoplasty was performed in 7 ears, canaloplasty was performed in 22 ears, canaloplasties with strust in 8 ears, and mastoidectomy with stapediopexy was performed in 26 ears. Of the 62 ears that had partial or total atresia, five (8%) had hidden cholesteatomas that were destined to create future complications by expansion and erosion had they not been removed. In five of the 62 ears, temporary facial palsy resulted from exposing the facial nerve in the atresia plate, and in another five ears, attempts to improve hearing were abandoned intraoperatively because of surgically insurmountable anomalies. A reasonable criterion for success in an operation for bilateral atresia is that the need for a hearing aid is obviated; whereas, for unilateral atresia, a successful procedure should largely eliminate the disadvantages of unilateral hearing loss. These criteria seem to be satisfied if the threshold of hearing can be brought to a level of 20 dB or better. This criterion was met in 30% of the group that underwent canaloplasty and in 8% of the group that underwent mastoidectomy with stapediopexy.
STUDY OF ZIRCONIUM DIOXIDE WHITE PIGMENT FOR SPACE ENVIRONMENT.

Abstract : The properties of zirconium dioxide as a stable white pigment (low alpha/epsilon) for space application are investigated. First, the optical absorption of single crystals is studied, leading to the conclusion that a high degree of purity, except for hafnium, is essential for stable white pigment applications. A subsequent pigment preparation study and irradiation experiments with UV and 3-keV protons are described. The ZrO coatings initially have alpha < 0.11 and epsilon = 0.9. Overall radiation stability (UV and proton) is shown to be binder-dependent, with potassium silicate more stable than silicones. Potassium silicate coatings show Delta alpha = 0.06 after 2400 UV equivalent solar hours, and Delta alpha = 0.01 after irradiation with 3-keV H(+) and H2(+) to a fluence of 10 to the 16th particles/sq cm. (Author)
Organizational violence and aggression: Development of the three-factor Violence Climate Survey.

Abstract Violence climate, a concept derived from the safety climate literature, may affect violence and aggression at work. This paper builds upon the unidimensional instrument tested by Spector, Coulter, Stockwell, and Matz (2007). The present instrument, the Violence Climate Survey is a new three-dimensional construct of violence climate consisting of Policies and Procedures, Practices, and Pressure for Unsafe Practices. Using a heterogeneous sample of 216 employees from a variety of organizations in the USA, it was shown that violence climate is significantly related to exposure to physical violence and verbal aggression, physical strains, and psychological strains including job dissatisfaction and negative emotion at work. Exposure to both violence and aggression was associated with all strains. Multiple regression analyses suggested that it was primarily Policies and Pressure that was associated with verbal aggression, whereas mainly Practices was related to physical violence. It is suggested that t...
Participatory theater: interacting with autonomous tools for creative applications

Creating art can be seen as creative exploration through a design space defined by the artist and the tools. Artistic tools such as brushes and chisels are passive, stressing direct manipulation interaction that leaves exploration to the artist. If tools were more autonomous, creativity could be enhanced by allowing the artist to delegate aspects of exploration. We describe a software environment called Agentsheets that combines direct manipulation and delegation into an interaction scheme called participatory theater. The advantages of this approach are described in the context of two drawing applications. Art Pals and Art Dwarves, that involve the computer more actively in exploration. We also explore the utility of participatory theater in the physical world by describing our experiences developing and using autonomous painting robots in conjunction with a professional artist.
A study op endogenous N-cholylglycine distribution among serum proteins using radioimmunoassay

Abstract The amount of N-cholylglycine endogenously associated with the various protein fractions was assessed in serum of patients with hepatobiliary obstruction using a sensitive radioimmunoassay. In contrast to evidence obtained with cholate, the albumin fraction separated by electrophoresis was found to contain only 2.6% of the total N-cholylglycine, while the α2 region had 64% associated with it. The serum β-lipoprotein isolated by anionic precipitation also contained significant quantities of the conjugated bile acid, the amount in this fraction being greater in the serum of hyperlipidemic subjects. The results suggest that despite accounting for some 63% of the total serum protein, albumin is not the major carrier of endogenous N-cholylglycine in the circulation.
Modelling considerations in optimum design of reinforced structures

Abstract The paper provides some potentially useful modelling schemes for reducing computational cost in designing reinforced structures. The schemes are based on the concepts of element and cross-section idealizations while maintaining the characteristics of the load path. An example of a double layer reinforced panel is given and it is shown how these schemes can lead to increased flexibility and reduced cost in obtaining minimum weight designs.
PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS OF ENDOTHELIAL CELL PARTICIPATION IN NEONATAL PLATELET DYSFUNCTION

Neonatal platelet dysfunction is common and correlates Fith certain neonatal and maternal factors:
The use of information services: The case of CIMIS

This article presents a conceptual model that predicts the characteristics of users of a public weather information system. The primary use of this system is to determine irrigation timing and quantities. The model is tested with data from a survey of users of the California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS). This data is compared with information on the California agricultural industry to highlight differences between the two groups. The information is useful in targeting educational activities that promote use of the system. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.