cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Global phase diagram for monomer/dimer mixtures

Abstract The basic features of the global phase diagram associated with the generalized Flory dimer (GFD) equation of state for mixtures of square-well monomers and dimers are calculated. We first extend the GFD theory to square-well monomer/chain mixtures. Theoretical predictions for the compressibility factor as a function of volume fraction are in good agreement with discontinuous molecular dynamics simulation results for monomer/dimer and monomers/8-mer mixtures. The GFD-predicted global phase diagram for square-well monomer/dimer mixtures is estimated using a brute force method. The locus of critical points in the P – T plane is calculated over a grid of points in the Λ – ζ plane, where ζ is a measure of the difference between the monomer and dimer well depths and Λ is a measure of the strength of the attraction between monomers and dimers. The major topographical features of our global phase diagram are similar to those predicted for other equations of state.
Comprehensive School-Linked Services: Implications for School Psychologists.

This article reviews the primary concepts underlying the current movement toward the provision of comprehensive school-linked services for children and families in low-income communities and the implications of this movement for school psychologists. The development of collaborative partnerships involving schools, public, and community-based agencies is an attempt to increase the availability and accessibility of needed services to children and families. The adoption of collaborative governance and a case management system is intended to offer an alternative to the proliferation of separate categorical programs and the associated lack of coordination among programs. The hope is to emphasize prevention and efficient early intervention. Collaborative efforts can provide an opportunity for role expansion among school psychologists. This possibility is discussed within a consultation model of service delivery that is consistent with the collaborative nature of school-linked services and with the preventive stance that orginated them. School psychologists are in a position to contribute to team consultation, case management, and needs assessment. Implications for training are drawn.
Labor statistics in the American and English census: making some invidious comparisons.

This essay examines the development of the occupational or labor force data in the [U.S.] census and compares that development with the efforts of English census-takers during the same period. The two resulting labor force statistical series look rather different and thus can be compared to assess both the adequacy of the statistics and the assumptions about the nature of social class in the two countries. The author suggests that the methods developed in the United States for classifying data on social class and socioeconomic status have led to significant problems in the interpretation of these data. (EXCERPT)
Design of chitosan gel pore structure: towards enzyme catalyzed flow-through electrodes

To improve power density derived from biofuel cell electrodes, multi-dimensional and multi-directional pore structures are highly desirable to provide mesopores, for enzyme immobilization, and highly interconnected macropores that balance the need between smaller pores that provide large active surface areas, for enhanced enzyme loading, and larger pores that provide spacious pore channels, for reduced drag on the mass transport of liquid phase fuels. Chitosan and its derivatives are considered attractive materials to achieve such objectives because the process of thermal induced phase separation can be used to fabricate porous scaffolds of defined pore structure. In this work, we discuss the fundamentals of this fabrication technique and how key process variables—freezing temperature, freezing time, acetic acid concentration, and chitosan concentration—affect the final pore structure. We also show, through proof-of-concept experimentation, that the chitosan scaffold can be used to create a working enzymatic electrode that can oxidize glucose and produce electrical current more effectively than if the same electrode was made of a chitosan film using the drop-casting technique. Future applications include the development of “flow-through” electrodes for use in biofuel cells.
Normalization of fasting hyperglucagonemia and excessive glucagon responses to intravenous arginine in human diabetes mellitus by prolonged infusion of insulin.

Infusion of insulin (1 U/hr) for 14 hr suppressed basal glucagon levels and normalized previously excessive glucagon responses to arginine in juvenile-onset, insulin-dependent diabetic subjects, indicating that abnormal pancreatic α-cell function in human juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus may be a consequence of insulin lack.
The Atlas liquid argon calorimeter at the CERN Large Hadron Collider: General performance and latest developments of the High Voltage system

The ATLAS experiment is designed to study the proton-proton collisions produced at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. Liquid argon sampling calorimeters are used for the identification and characteristics measurement of the electrons, photons and hadronic jets. Since the first collisions in 2010, the calorimeters operated almost optimally, playing a leading role in the discovery of the Higgs boson announced in July 2012. A special emphasis in this paper will be given on the latest developments of the high voltage power supply system. These efforts allowed to equip the calorimeters with innovative power supply modules able to temporarily sustain high current load without major voltage drop.
An Embedding Method for Bluff Body Flows: Interactions of Two Side-by-Side Cylinder Wakes

We introduce a simple method for the numerical simulation of bluff body flows where the solid object is represented by a distributed body force in the Navier–Stokes equations. The body force density is found at every time step to reduce the velocity within the computational cells occupied by the rigid body to a prescribed value. The method combines certain ideas from the immersed boundary method which was developed to treat biofluid mechanical flows and the volume-of-fluid method for simulating flows with fluid–fluid interfaces. The main advantage of this embedding method is that the computations can be effected on a regular Cartesian grid, without the need to fit the grid to the bluff body surfaces. Thus, flow past several complex bodies can be treated as easily as flow past a single body. The method is validated by reproducing well-established results for vortex shedding from a stationary cylinder. The flow past two side-by-side cylinders is then investigated. When the distance between the cylinders is small, they are seen to shed vortices in-phase, whereas for larger distances, the shedding occurs in anti-phase. For intermediate distances, various shedding patterns are observed, including quasi-periodic, asymmetric and chaotic regimes. Mean values and phase portraits associated with the cylinder lift and drag coefficients, as well as spectral analysis of the same data, are used to describe the flow. A transition diagram that can be compared with experiments or models outlines the various dynamical regimes as a function of the distance between the cylinders and the Reynolds number.
Prophylaxis with isoniazid in inactive tuberculosis. A Veterans Administration Cooperative Study XII.

Based on a study indicating a significant rate of reactivation of tuberculosis in Veterans Administration patients with inactive disease, a cooperative study was initiated to determine the prophylactic effect of isoniazid on the rate of reactivation. A randomized double-blind study was designed, utilizing three regimens, two with isoniazid and one with placebo only. Two consecutive years of taking pills in one of the three regimens was followed by five years of observation. A total of 7,036 patients with inactive disease, some of whom had received prior chemotherapy, were entered into the study. Only 63 reactivations of tuberculosis were found, for a total rate of reactivation of 9/1,000 (less than 1 percent) over the seven-year period. Although no significant differences in the rate of reactivation were found among any of the regimens, there was a significant reduction in the rate of reactivation among those who had not received any prior chemotherapy and received isoniazid (INH) in this study, compared with those who received placebo only.
Standby Leakage Power Reduction Technique for Nanoscale CMOS VLSI Systems

In this paper, a novel low-power design technique is proposed to minimize the standby leakage power in nanoscale CMOS very large scale integration (VLSI) systems by generating the adaptive optimal reverse body-bias voltage. The adaptive optimal body-bias voltage is generated from the proposed leakage monitoring circuit, which compares the subthreshold current (I SUB) and the band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) current (I BTBT). The proposed circuit was simulated in HSPICE using 32-nm bulk CMOS technology and evaluated using ISCAS85 benchmark circuits at different operating temperatures (ranging from 25°C to 100°C). Analysis of the results shows a maximum of 551 and 1491 times leakage power reduction at 25°C and 100°C, respectively, on a circuit with 546 gates. The proposed approach demonstrates that the optimal body bias reduces a considerable amount of standby leakage power dissipation in nanoscale CMOS integrated circuits. In this approach, the temperature and supply voltage variations are compensated by the proposed feedback loop.
Intercalibration of Cd and Pb concentration measurements in the Northwest Pacific Ocean

Dissolved and total Cd and Pb concentration measurements in seawater were intercalibrated using 33 samples collected on the fourth cruise of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission's (IOC-4) Global Investigation of Pollution in the Marine Environment (GIPME) in the northwest Pacific Ocean, as well as in three seawater reference materials (SAFe S1, SAFe D2, and NASS-5). Laboratories from Florida State University (FSU), University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC), and University of Southern Mississippi (USM) participated in the Pb intercalibration, and two of them (FSU and UCSC) participated in the Cd intercalibration. While each of the laboratories employed different extraction techniques before analysis by inductively coupled plasma—mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), the measurements of Cd and Pb concentrations for the IOC-4 samples agreed to within 4% and 15%, respectively, and those of the reference materials agreed to within 13% and 8%, respectively. This successful intercalibration demonstrates that there now are multiple techniques available for accurately measuring Cd and Pb concentrations in seawater.
Austenite grain refinement during load-biased thermal cycling of a Ni49.9Ti50.1 shape memory alloy

Abstract A near-equiatomic NiTi shape memory alloy was subjected to a variety of thermomechanical treatments including pure thermal cycling and load-biased thermal cycling to investigate microstructural evolution of the material under actuating conditions. In situ and post mortem scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) was used to study the effects of stress on the development of defect substructures during cycling through the martensitic transformation. High temperature observations of the austenite phase show rapid accumulation of dislocations and moderate deformation twinning upon thermomechanical cycling. Additionally, TEM-based orientation mapping suggests the emergence of fine crystallites from the original coarse austenite grain structure. A possible mechanism is proposed for the observed grain refinement based on the crystallographic theory of martensite transformation.
Medical anthropology and epidemiology: Divergences or convergences?

Despite recent calls for greater collaboration between medical anthropologists and epidemiologists, examples of synthetic, interdisciplinary anthropological-epidemiological research are frankly rare, due in large part to perceptions among medical anthropologists that anthropology and epidemiology diverge considerably in their topics of inquiry, epistemological assumptions, methods of data collection and notions of risk and responsibility for illness. In this article, five of these perceived areas of divergence are examined, with an attempt to reconceptualize them as areas of potential convergence.
Bacillary angiomatosis of the cervix and vulva in a patient with AIDS.

Background Bacillary angiomatosis is a clinicopathologic entity that most often is identified in the skin of patients with AIDS. This report presents an example of bacillary angiomatosis of the female genital tract. Case Bacillary angiomatosis presented as red-purple nodules of the vulva and cervix in a 32-year-old woman with AIDS. Histologic examination revealed the lobular epithelioid vascular proliferation and hazy clumps of bacteria that characterize bacillary angiomatosis. The diagnosis was confirmed on Warthin-Starry-stained tissue and by blood cultures, which were positive for Bartonella ( Rochalimaea ) henselae . Conclusion Accurate diagnosis of this infection is important because 1) bacillary angiomatosis is commonly mistaken for Kaposi sarcoma, 2) it is effectively treated with inexpensive antibiotics, and 3) undiagnosed and/or untreated bacillary angiomatosis may lead to overwhelming disseminated infection and death.
Compressible dynamic stall control using high momentum microjets

Control of the dynamic stall process of a NACA 0015 airfoil undergoing periodic pitching motion is investigated experimentally at the NASA Ames compressible dynamic stall facility. Multiple microjet nozzles distributed uniformly in the first 12 % chord from the airfoil’s leading edge are used for the dynamic stall control. Point diffraction interferometry technique is used to characterize the control effectiveness, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The microjet control has been found to be very effective in suppressing both the emergence of the dynamic stall vortex and the associated massive flow separation at the entire operating range of angles of attack. At the high Mach number (M = 0.4), the use of microjets appears to eliminate the shock structures that are responsible for triggering the shock-induced separation, establishing the fact that the use of microjets is effective in controlling dynamic stall with a strong compressibility effect. In general, microjet control has an overall positive effect in terms of maintaining leading edge suction pressure and preventing flow separation.
An oscillating tester for head/disk interface durability study

An oscillating tester is built for the head/disk interface durability study. This tester uses an in-production head and disk, records friction build-up, and allows easy observation of interface wear. It can be used to quickly evaluate the tribological performance of a head/disk interface. Tests carried out on this tester showed qualitative agreement with CSS test results.
Irrational factor races

We investigate the behavior of the sum of the irrational factor function over arithmetic progressions. We first establish a general asymptotic formula for such a sum, and then obtain some further results in the case of arithmetic progressions 3n±1.
AN EXPERIMENTAL TEST FOR PREDATOR-MEDIATED INTERACTIONS AMONG SPIDER SPECIES

The primary objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that lizards intensify interactions among spider species. The most abundant lizard and web-spider spe- cies (Anolis sagrei and Metepeira datona, respectively), were manipulated within field enclosures over a 30-mo period. The design was a 2 X 2 factorial: A. sagrei present and removed, crossed with M. datona present and removed. A. sagrei reduced abundance of Eustala cazieri, the second most abundant web spider, and tended to reduce abundance of all rare spider species combined. M. datona had no significant effect on abundance of E. cazieri or of all rare species combined. In each statistical analysis of abundance, the A. sagrei X M. datona interaction term was not significant, indicating that lizards did not intensify (or reduce) interactions among spider species. Furthermore, data on spider food supply, body length, and web height showed no evidence for two proposed mechanisms in which interactions among spider species are stronger with lizards than without. Thus, this experiment supports the hypothesis that direct predation is the major mechanism by which lizards reduce the abundance and species richness of spiders.
Impact of hospital policies on health care workers' influenza vaccination rates.

Background Overall annual influenza vaccination rate has slowly increased among health care workers but still remains below the national goal of 90%. Methods To compare hospitals that mandate annual health care worker (HCW) influenza vaccination with and without consequences for noncompliance, a 34-item survey was mailed to an infection control professional in 964 hospitals across the United States in 4 waves. Respondents were grouped by presence of a hospital policy that required annual influenza vaccination of HCWs with and without consequences for noncompliance. Combined with hospital characteristics from the American Hospital Association, data were analyzed using χ2 or Fisher exact tests for categorical variables and t tests for continuous variables. Results One hundred fifty hospitals required influenza vaccination, 84 with consequences (wear a mask, termination, education, restriction from patient care duties, unpaid leave) and 66 without consequences for noncompliance. Hospitals whose mandates have consequences for noncompliance included a broader range of personnel, were less likely to allow personal belief exemptions, or to require formal declination. The change in vaccination rates in hospitals with mandates with consequences (19.5%) was nearly double that of the hospitals with mandates without consequences (11%; P = .002). Presence of a state law regulating HCW influenza vaccination was associated with an increase in rates for mandates with consequences nearly 3 times the increase for mandates without consequences. Conclusion Hospital mandates for HCW influenza vaccination with consequences for noncompliance are associated with larger increases in HCW influenza vaccination rates than mandates without such consequences.
The Two Heads of Smooth Muscle Myosin Are Enzymatically Independent but Mechanically Interactive

The interaction between the two heads of myosin II during motion and force production is poorly understood. To examine this issue, we developed an expression and purification strategy to isolate homogeneous populations of heterodimeric smooth muscle heavy meromyosins containing heads with different properties. As an extreme example, we characterized a heterodimer containing one native head and one head locked in a "weak binding" state by a point mutation in switch 2 (E470A). The in vitro actin filament motility of this heterodimer was the same as the homodimeric control with two cycling heads, suggesting that only one head of a pair actively interacts with actin to generate maximal velocity. A second naturally occurring heterodimer contained two cycling heads with 2-fold different activity, due to the presence or absence of a 7-amino acid insert near the active site. Enzymatically this (+/-) insert heterodimer was indistinguishable from a (50:50) mixture of the two homodimers, but its motility averaged 17% less than that of the mixture. These data suggest that one head of a heterodimer can disproportionately affect the mechanics of double-headed myosin, a finding relevant to our understanding of heterozygous mutant myosins found in disease states like familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Cross‐correlation methods for studying near‐ and farfield noise characteristics of several flow‐surface interaction problems

Systematic methods based on cross-correlation techniques are presented for experimental studies of near- and far-field noise characteristics of airflow-surface interaction problems. By cross-correlating any two of three-kinds of microphone measurements: one flush-mounted on the surface, one located in the near field, and one placed in the far field, far-field noise intensities and near-field acoustic energy fluxes can be determined. In both near and far fields, the noise characteristics due to the flow turbulence and surface fluctuating pressure contributions can be evaluated separately. Specific applications to the noise field generated by impinging jets, by surface blowing jets, and by turbulent flow over trailing edges are discussed.
The Geometry of Enhancement in Multiple Regression.

In linear multiple regression, “enhancement” is said to occur when R2=b′r>r′r, where b is a p×1 vector of standardized regression coefficients and r is a p×1 vector of correlations between a criterion y and a set of standardized regressors, x. When p=1 then b≡r and enhancement cannot occur. When p=2, for all full-rank Rxx≠I, Rxx=E[xx′]=VΛV′ (where VΛV′ denotes the eigen decomposition of Rxx; λ1>λ2), the set \(\boldsymbol{B}_{1}:=\{\boldsymbol{b}_{i}:R^{2}=\boldsymbol{b}_{i}'\boldsymbol{r}_{i}=\boldsymbol{r}_{i}'\boldsymbol{r}_{i};0 \boldsymbol{r}_{i}'\boldsymbol{r}_{i}\); \(0 λ2>⋯>λp), both sets contain an uncountably infinite number of vectors. Geometrical arguments demonstrate that B1 occurs at the intersection of two hyper-ellipsoids in ℝp. Equations are provided for populating the sets B1 and B2 and for demonstrating that maximum enhancement occurs when b is collinear with the eigenvector that is associated with λp (the smallest eigenvalue of the predictor correlation matrix). These equations are used to illustrate the logic and the underlying geometry of enhancement in population, multiple-regression models. R code for simulating population regression models that exhibit enhancement of any degree and any number of predictors is included in Appendices A and B.
IIR Phasor Banks: Causal, delay-free, numerically robust, customizable, uniform-DFT-like perfect reconstruction filter banks

We describe a method for generating causal, stable, numerically robust, IIR, customizable (application specific), perfect reconstruction (PR) filter-banks with zero (or adjustable) reconstruction delay. The ideas presented in this paper extend the concept of Dynamic Phasors as well as the concept of the so-called Phasor Bank Transform, which constitute specific subclasses of filter-banks. We provide an explicit compact characterization of the optimally-robust reconstruction stage of this transform, which can be used with any (customized) choice of its analysis stage. Since the Phasor Bank transform allows causal (real-time) delay-free perfect reconstruction of any input waveform, it is perfectly suited for (closed-loop) control applications. Although the motivating application area of Phasor Banks is Power Systems, such as tracking of time-variant harmonic content under both steady-state (nearly-periodic) and transient operating conditions, the technique presented here can be used in a variety of closed loop applications.
Techniques for temporal detection of neural sensitivity to external stimulation

We propose a simple measure of neural sensitivity for characterizing stimulus coding. Sensitivity is defined as the fraction of neurons that show positive responses to n stimuli out of a total of N. To determine a positive response, we propose two methods: Fisherian statistical testing and a data-driven Bayesian approach to determine the response probability of a neuron. The latter is non-parametric, data-driven, and captures a lower bound for the probability of neural responses to sensory stimulation. Both methods are compared with a standard test that assumes normal probability distributions. We applied the sensitivity estimation based on the proposed method to experimental data recorded from the mushroom body (MB) of locusts. We show that there is a broad range of sensitivity that the MB response sweeps during odor stimulation. The neurons are initially tuned to specific odors, but tend to demonstrate a generalist behavior towards the end of the stimulus period, meaning that the emphasis shifts from discrimination to feature learning.
Spatial Patterns of Tree-Growth Anomalies in the United States and Southeastern Canada

Abstract A network of 248 tree-ring chronologies in the conterminous United States is assembled and analyzed by rotated principal components analysis (RPCA) to delineate “regions” of common tree-growth variation during the period 1705–1979. Spatial continuity of the tree-ring data is summarized by variogram analysis, and tree-ring data are gridded before RPCA to reduce effects of site clustering. Principal component drought information is evaluated by comparing PC scores and primary pattern coefficients with Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) data from instrumental records. High PC pattern coefficients group geographically into regions coinciding roughly with nine drought regions delineated by RPCA of PDSI by other researchers. The drought signal as measured by the correlation between tree-ring PC scores and July PDSI, 1929–79, is strongest in the South and the interior West (r>0.7), and weakest in the Northeast and Pacific Northwest (r<0.16). A count of years with large negative PC scores in multiple r...
NATO Defense Expenditures: Common Goals or Diverging Interests? A Structural Analysis

By testing for structural breaks in defense expenditures, the dates of change in the pattern of defense expenditures for the NATO allies are determined. If NATO members are responding to a common threat, the breaks should be similar, in both direction and dates, for defense expenditures. The breaks should occur during major NATO strategy shifts. The results of the structural analysis tests suggest that NATO allies do not have an integrated response to NATO‐specific defense issues. It appears that NATO members, in general, adjusted their defense spending according to economic imperatives, political issues, and ally‐specific defense agendas.
Using the Parkerian Hexad to introduce security in an information literacy class

In January 2006, Armstrong Atlantic State University(AASU) offered its first course in Information Security. At the same time, the university received funding for its Cyber Security Research Institute, a non-academic unit closely related to and funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The establishment of this research institute led the administration, the Department of Criminal Justice in the College of Arts and Sciences, and the School of Computing to create an academic minor in Cyber Security to be cross-listed between Criminal Justice and Information Technology. This paper describes the pedagogical effects of the creation of the minor and future implications for it and for the teaching of Information Security at Armstrong Atlantic State University.This article describes how the presentation of security in a junior level information literacy course evolved from a framework using the CIA model to the Parkerian Hexad model. This change was driven by the increasing use of mobile computing devices and the belief that the CIA model was not a sufficient framework to describe security in that environment. The Parkerian Hexad meets the needs to describe a mobile computing environment. However, it needs to be augmented in the areas of privacy and non-repudiation to provide sufficient coverage.
Thermally activated motion of dislocations in fields of obstacles : The effect of obstacle distribution

The thermally activated motion of dislocations across fields of obstacles distributed at random and in a correlated manner, in separate models, is studied by means of computer simulations. The strain rate sensitivity and strength are evaluated in terms of the obstacle strength, temperature, and applied shear stress. Above a threshold stress, the dislocation motion undergoes a transition from smooth to jerky, i.e., obstacles are overcome in a correlated manner at high stresses, while at low stresses they are overcome individually. This leads to a significant reduction of the strain rate sensitivity. The threshold stress depends on the obstacle strength and temperature. A model is proposed to predict the strain rate sensitivity and the smooth-to-jerky transition stress. Obstacle clustering has little effect on strain rate sensitivity at low stress (creep conditions), but it becomes important at high stress. It is concluded that models for the strength and strain rate sensitivity should include higher moments of the obstacle density distribution in addition to the mean density.
Lability of the presumptive pectoral and pelvic girdle territories compared using celomic grafts

The concept of “limbness” usually implies “wingness” or “legness.” We present evidence in this study that in the case of the proximal forelimb, limbness may exist independent of wingness. Presumptive wing and leg regions were grafted into the opposite limb (wing into leg or leg into wing) of stage 18 hosts. Several stage 10+ to 11+ presumptive wing regions grafted into host legs developed pelvic girdles associated with distal wing elements. This phenomenon was not seen in presumptive wing region grafts older than stage 12−. Presumptive leg regions grafted into host wings developed leg structures only, including pelvic girdle and leg digits. The pectoral girdle appears to be labile in early stages, whereas the pelvic girdle is not labile even during early stages. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Person-environment congruence in work, school, and health care settings☆

Abstract After providing a conceptual framework that focuses on the interplay of persons and environments, I describe three broad domains of social climate dimensions that characterize work, school, and health care settings. Next, I draw some general conclusions about the influence of these social climate factors on morale and performance and about how their impact may vary depending on personal factors. Some research on cross-situational linkages also is covered, especially the interplay between educators' work climates and students' learning environments and that between students' school and family contexts. Finally, some important conceptual issues are reviewed, such as the need to examine the influence of personal resources and coping strategies, the varying impact of powerful environments, and the harmful as well as growth-producing outcomes of person-environment congruence.
Structural and Dynamical Characteristics of Peptoid Oligomers with Achiral Aliphatic Side Chains studied by Molecular Dynamics Simulation

All-atom molecular dynamics simulations of N-substituted glycine peptoid oligomers with methyl and methoxyethyl side chains have been carried out for chain lengths of 5, 10, 20, and 50 residues in aqueous phase at room temperature. The (ϕ, ψ) backbone dihedral angle distributions in the Ramachandran plots show that helical structures, similar to polyproline type I and type II helices, are the most favorable conformations in most peptoid oligomers studied. The left-handed helical structures are shown to be increasingly favored as the oligomer chain length grows. A significant population of cis amide bond configurations has been identified in the peptoid oligomers. By combining the analysis of ϕ and ω backbone dihedral angles, we determined the relative composition of the four major conformations favored by the backbone dihedral angles. The trans αD conformation is found to be most favored for all peptoid oligomers studies. The time correlation functions of the end-to-end distance highlight a rigid backbone...
Snoogle: A Search Engine for Pervasive Environments

Embedding small devices into everyday objects like toasters and coffee mugs creates a wireless network of objects. These embedded devices can contain a description of the underlying objects, or other user defined information. In this paper, we present Snoogle, a search engine for such a network. A user can query Snoogle to find a particular mobile object, or a list of objects that fit the description. Snoogle uses information retrieval techniques to index information and process user queries, and Bloom filters to reduce communication overhead. Security and privacy protections are also engineered into Snoogle to protect sensitive information. We have implemented a prototype of Snoogle using off-the-shelf sensor motes, and conducted extensive experiments to evaluate the system performance.
The Effect of Live Spontaneous Harp Music on Patients in the Intensive Care Unit

This study was performed to investigate the effect of live, spontaneous harp music on individual patients in an intensive care unit (ICU), either pre- or postoperatively. The purpose was to determine whether this intervention would serve as a relaxation or healing modality, as evidenced by the effect on patient's pain, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and heart rate variability. Each consenting patient was randomly assigned to receive either a live 10-minute concert of spontaneous music played by an expert harpist or a 10-minute rest period. Spontaneous harp music significantly decreased patient perception of pain by 27% but did not significantly affect heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, or heart rate variability. Trends emerged, although being not statistically significant, that systolic blood pressure increased while heart rate variability decreased. These findings may invoke patient engagement, as opposed to relaxation, as the underlying mechanism of the decrease in the patients' pain and of the healing benefit that arises from the relationship between healer, healing modality, and patient.
Using commercial imaging satellites to detect the operation of plutonium‐production reactors and gaseous‐diffusion plants

The operation of dedicated plutonium‐production reactors and large gaseous‐diffusion uranium‐enrichment plants (GDPs), can be detected remotely using commercial observation‐satellite imagery. Declassified Corona imagery is used to demonstrate that the new generation of commercial observation satellites with 1‐meter spatial resolution will be able to detect vapor plumes inside and downwind from large operating natural‐draft cooling towers. Low‐resolution Landsat‐5 thermal infrared images have been shown by other authors to be able to detect warm water discharges from reactors into lakes, rivers, etc. Here, the same systems are shown to be able detect the elevated temperature of the roofs of large operating GDPs. Commercial‐satellite observations could therefore play an important role in increasing confidence in declarations that plutonium‐production reactors and GDPs have been shut down as a result of a fissile‐material‐production moratorium or Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty.
A comparative analysis of object-oriented and other methods for modeling computer based systems

Methods for modeling computer based systems are evaluated against a common generic model. A formal entity-relationship (ER) model is used to compare the expressive power of methods. Expressive power is important as statements that cannot be expressed in a model is omitted from the analysis and resulting specification. Methods are also analyzed to determine whether they are based on a partial order temporal approach rather than a linear or branching approach. (Partial order is the most powerful of the temporal approaches.) In addition, methods are judged with respect to fifteen method characteristics such as comprehension and support for reuse.
Current Transport Mechanisms for MSM-Photodetectors on ZnO:N Thin Films

Metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors (MSM-PDs) on ZnO:N thin films deposited by radiofrequency (RF) sputtering and with post N + ion implantation processing were fabricated using a ZnO/Si structure. A 10 times reduction in dark current was observed compared to the devices on an as-deposited ZnO thin film without ion implantation. These MSM-PDs gave performances of a photo-to-dark current ratio of 2030 and responsivity (R) = 2.7 A/W; the pulse response was a 12.3 ns rise time and 15.1 ns fall time using a femto-second pulse. Temperature-dependent current -voltage (I-V-T) characteristics of the MSM-PDs were observed and the space charge limited current (SCLC) theory was applied to determine the current transport mechanisms. In the SCLC region, J∼V m gave m to determine the current transport mechanism and the value of m changes with temperatures and applied voltages. Current transport is governed by the ZnO structure rather than the electrodes.
Does education at all levels cause growth? India, a case study

This paper seeks to examine the impact of education on income growth in India for the time period 1966–1996. Education is broken down into the categories of primary, secondary, and tertiary. Time series techniques are used to determine whether education, for each category, has a causal impact on growth. Furthermore, the education variables are also broken down by gender and analysis is carried out to determine whether the causal results vary by gender. The results indicate that primary education has a strong causal impact on growth, with more limited evidence of such an impact for secondary education. Finally, the evidence is quite compelling that it is female education at all levels, that has potential for generating economic growth.
Efficient Clock and Carrier Recovery Algorithms for Single-Carrier Coherent Optical Systems: A systematic review on challenges and recent progress

This article presents a systematic review on the challenges and recent progress of timing and carrier synchronization techniques for high-speed optical transmission systems using single-carrier-based coherent optical modulation formats.
Finding Optimal Join Tree forMulti-Join Stream Queries in a Production System

Data Stream Management Systems (DSMS) handle a particular type of database applications that involve multiple continuous data streams with inputs arriving at highly variable and unpredictable rates. Since data rate fluctuates over time in this type of applications the appropriate join tree is crucial for maintaining high system throughput. We consider the problem of finding optimal join tree for performing count based sliding window multi-joins over continuous streams. We use a unit-time based cost model to evaluate the expected performance for a given join tree. We materialize all intermediate results assuming there is enough main memory to store all partial results and window buffers. We give a polynomial time algorithm that finds the optimal join tree under our cost model for a given noncommuting (single permutation) order of streams. This algorithm can be used in conjunction with any linear order producing heuristic to give the optimal tree for that order. Our algorithm is implemented in the Jess rule engine and an extensive experimental evaluation is provided.
Coherence Factor Enhancement of Through-Wall Radar Images

The coherence factor (CF), defined as the ratio of coherent power to incoherent power received by an array of sensors for a given point in an image scene, is applied to through-wall image processing. It is shown that CF filtering reduces clutter and increases clarity and uniformity in the image by suppressing the low-coherence features. It is also shown that through-wall propagation degrades the CF, thereby enabling its use as a quantitative metric for autofocus and image correction algorithms.
A 3.5mW 900MHz Down-converter with Multiband Feedback and Device Transconductance Reuse

A down-converter is presented wherein the IF-output of a mixer is applied to its input transconductor to enhance gain without increasing bias current. A 900MHz receiver with power dissipation of 3.5mW is demonstrated in a 0.13-mum CMOS process. The conversion gain is variable from 10-50 dB, the NF is 9.8 dB at peak gain and the OIP3 is 8 dBV-p. The receiver has a third-order low-pass response at IF. The area requirement is 0.1 mm2.
Intermittent rapidity distributions in nucleus-nucleus collisions and scaling indices

Abstract Scaling indices characterizing the intermittent rapidity distributions of 16O+12C and (16O, 32S)+Ag/Br nuclear collisions are analyzed within the frame of the two-scale Cantor set. Several qualitative as well as quantitative conclusions are formulated and it is called here for experimental results corresponding also to non-integer (positive as well as negative) values of the order parameter.
Mitochondrial DNA Mutation Detection by Electrospray Mass Spectrometry

Background: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations cause a large spectrum of clinically important neurodegenerative, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, and endocrine disorders. We describe the novel application of electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI-FTICR MS) to the rapid and accurate identification of pathogenic mtDNA variants. Methods: In a blinded study, we used ESI-FTICR MS to analyze 24 unrelated samples of total cellular DNA containing 12 mtDNA variants and compared the results with those obtained by conventional PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis and gel electrophoresis. Results: From the 24-sample blinded panel, we correctly identified 12 of the samples as bearing an mtDNA variant and found the remaining 12 samples to have no pathogenic variants. The correlation coefficient between the 2 methods for mtDNA variant detection was 1.0; there were no false positives or false negatives in this sample set. In addition, the ESI-FTICR method identified 4 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) that had previously been missed by standard PCR-RFLP analysis. Conclusions: ESI-FTICR MS is a rapid, sensitive, and accurate method for the identification and quantification of mtDNA mutations and SNPs.
GABA and glutamate receptors are involved in modulating pacemaker activity in hydra.

The effects of gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) and glutamate, their ionotropic agonists and antagonists on hydra’s ectodermal and endodermal pacemaker systems were studied. GABA decreased ectodermal body contraction bursts (CBs) and the number of pulses in a burst (PyCB) and endodermal rhythmic potentials (RPs); tentacle pulses (TPs) were not affected. The GABA agonist, muscimol, and the benzodiazepine receptor agonist, diazepam, mimicked the A effects of GABA on the endodermal system. The GABA antagonist bicuculline counteracted GABA’s effects. Low A concentrations of glutamate increased CBs and RPs. Higher concentrations required concanavalin A (Con A) to produce the same effect on CBs and PyCB. TPs were increased by high concentrations of glutamate and kainate. The ionotropic glutamate agonist, alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) also required Con A to increase CBs and RPs. The effects of AMPA were antagonized by 6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzowfxquinoxaline-2,3-dione (NBQX), which, per se, decreased CBs. The results indicate that GABA and glutamate, acting on their ionotropic receptors, modify the impulses of hydra’s pacemaker systems. On the whole GABA decreased the outputs of both ectodermal and endodermal impulse generating systems, while glutamate increased them. 2003 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
Perioperative Hyperglycemia and Postoperative Infection after Lower Limb Arthroplasty

Background: One of the most serious complications after major orthopedic surgery is deep wound or periprosthetic joint infection. Various risk factors for infection after hip and knee replacement surgery have been reported, including patients’ comorbidities and surgical technique factors. We investigated whether hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus (DM) are associated with infection that requires surgical intervention after total hip and knee arthroplasty. Methods: We reviewed our computerized database for elective primary total hip and knee arthroplasty from 2000 to 2008. Demographic information, past medical history of patients, perioperative biochemistry, and postoperative complications were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups: infected group (101 patients who had surgical intervention for infection at our institution within 2 years after primary surgery) and noninfected group (1847 patients with no intervention with a minimum of one year follow-up. The data were analyzed using t, chi-squared, and Fisher’s exact tests. Results: There were significantly more diabetes patients in the infected group compared with the noninfected group (22% versus 9%, p 200 mg/dl) increased the risk for the infection more than two-fold. Non-DM patients were three times more likely to develop the infection if their morning BG was >140 mg/dl on POD 1, p = .001. Male gender, higher body mass index, knee arthroplasty, longer operative time and hospital stay, higher comorbidity index, history of myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and renal insufficiency were also associated with the infection. continued
Characterization of the CDKN2A and ARF genes in UV-induced melanocytic hyperplasias and melanomas of an opossum (Monodelphis domestica).

We examined the involvement of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) locus in the pathogenesis of ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced melanomas in an opossum (Monodelphis domestica) melanoma model in which suckling young were exposed to UVB to produce melanocytic lesions. Monodelphis CDKN2A and alternated reading frame (ARF) cDNAs were cloned and sequenced, and the expression patterns of these genes were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in normal tissues, 39 primary melanocytic skin lesions, and two tumor-derived cell lines, one nonmetastatic and one metastatic. Primary melanocytic lesions, including hyperplasias, benign melanomas, melanomas metastatic to lymph nodes, and melanomas metastatic to nodes and additional visceral organs, were categorized accordingly as types I-IV. Levels of CDKN2A transcripts were most abundant in type III tumor samples and the metastatic cell line but absent in the nonmetastatic cell line. ARF transcripts were expressed in all tumors and cell lines. A UV-signature mutation was detected with the wild-type allele at the CDKN2A locus in type II and III primary tumor samples and in the nonmetastatic cell line. Interestingly, in the metastatic cell line, only the mutant allele was present and expressed. These data suggest dynamic changes in the expression and/or structure of the CDKN2A and ARF genes represent one molecular defect associated with the etiology of melanoma formation and progression in the Monodelphis model system.
Emotional Taint Making Sense of Emotional Dirty Work at the U.S. Border Patrol

Poised within the borderlands between two nations, Border Patrol agents form the largest federal law enforcement organization in the nation, yet the public knows very little about agents themselves...
Collateral Constraints and State-Contingent Contracts

It is commonly assumed that binding collateral constraints amplify the impact of aggregate shocks on the economy. However, we show that when firms can hedge against aggregate risk with state-contingent lending contracts, binding collateral constraints no longer amplify shocks relative to the basic New Keynesian model. We embed state-contingent lending contracts in a quantitative business cycle model in the spirit of Kiyotaki and Moore (1997) and Iacoviello (2005) and find that in general equilibrium unconstrained lenders sell insurance against aggregate risk to constrained borrowers. The provision of insurance against aggregate risk prevents the usual tightening of collateral constraints during downturns and leads to relatively mild recessions.