cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An In-Domain Protection and Management Scheme for DRM systems

In this paper, we propose a new IDPMS (In-Domain Protection and Management Scheme) to solve the multi-user problem and rights leak in the Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems. The content is divided to content objects to be delivered to the client devices without the need of being kept by the device. The proposed IDPMS defined a new DRM vector to replace the initial vector of the encrypt/decrypt cipher to enhance the security. Additionally, the new IDPMS helps disable the rights leak from content sharing with devices of the domain. The implementation of IDPMS is based on the OMA[1] DRM system and the major modification is on the content issuer.
Half-sandwich halolanthanacarboranes of the “carbons adjacent” C2B4-carborane ligand systems: important synthons for new polyhedral cage constructs

Abstract The reaction of LnX3 (Ln = Ce, X = Br; Ln = Gd, Lu, X = Cl) with the “carbons adjacent” carborane monoanion, [2,3-(SiMe3)2-2,3-C2B4H5]− in 1:2 molar ratio in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran (THF) produced the dimeric half-sandwich halolanthanacarboranes, [closo-1-(X)-1,1-(THF)2-2,3-(SiMe3)2-1-Ln(η5-C2B4H4)]2, in 72–92% yields along with one equivalent of the neutral nido-carborane precursor, 2,3-(SiMe3)2-2,3-C2B4H6. This reliable synthetic route avoided complications such as solvent degradation and oxide ion incorporation that give rise to large multi-lanthanacarborane clusters. This method produced the first isolated halolanthanacarborane half-sandwich in the C2B4-cage systems.
Behaviour around encounter sites

We develop a model for the distribution of animals around encounter sites. It is particularly applicable to males attending mate-encounter sites, such as hilltops. Major predictions are: male distributions should be unstable; males should show little site tenacity, particularly when at low densities; males with low probability of mate capture should occupy subordinate positions; probability of mate capture is a better predictor of position than resource-holding potential; female choice favours despotic distributions; males should often patrol together. Several of these predictions are met, others are testable. We identify some parameters that should be more extensively studied.
K-gram based software birthmarks

Software birthmarking relies on unique characteristics that are inherent to a program to identify the program in the event of suspected theft. In this paper we present and empirically evaluate a novel birthmarking technique which uniquely identifies a program through instruction sequences. To evaluate the strength of the birthmarking technique we examine two properties: credibility and resilience to semantics-preserving transformations. We show that the technique provides both high credibility and resilience. Additionally, it complements previously proposed static birthmarking techniques.
Observations on the mass spectrometry of monensin and related compounds

Monensin and nigericin are structurally related compounds belonging to a family of biologically active, polycylic, monocarboxylic acids produced by Streptomyces. Partial interpretation of their mass spectra has been achieved with the aid of high resolution data and by correlation with spectra of derivatives. These results have been applied to structure elucidation of several minor factors produced along with monensin. An interesting aspect of the mass spectrometry of these compounds is that their alkali-metal salts are sufficiently volatile to yield mass spectra. Fragmentation of the salts is markedly different from that of the free acids and their derivatives. A scheme is proposed to account for the formation of a number of fragment ions which contain the metal atom.
Spin-Zero Particles must be Bosons: A New Proof within Nonrelativistic Quantum Mechanics

The key assumption is that of Leinaas and Myrheim and of Berry and Robbins, here specialized to spin zero: for n particles, the argument of the wave function should be the unordered multiplet {r1,r2,...,rn}. I also make use of the requirement that wave functions in the domain of the Hamiltonian must be continuous functions of the spatial variables. The new proof presented here has advantages of simplicity and transparency in comparison with earlier work based on the same two principles and it uses weaker assumptions, especially avoiding the use of rotations of the relative coordinate of identical particles.
Amplitude and Bandwidth Recovery Beneath Gas Zones Using Kirchhoff Prestack Depth Q-Migration

Summary When imaging geologic structures below a viscoaoustic overburden, it is important to account for amplitude dimming, frequency loss, and phase distortion. Several viscoaoustic wave-equation based methods have been developed to solve this problem. We present a Kirchhoff approach. The technical significance of this approach is that we have found an efficient way to compute frequency-dependent traveltimes, which are crucial in the Kirchhoff integral. The validity of our technology is illustrated by data examples.
Incidence, mechanisms, and outcomes of esophageal and gastric perforation during laparoscopic foregut surgery: a retrospective review of 1,223 foregut cases

Background Intraoperative perforation is a potentially major complication of laparoscopic (lap) foregut surgery. This study analyzed the incidence, mechanism, and outcomes of intraoperative perforations during these procedures in a large institutional experience.
Inertial particle behavior in unsteady separated flow

A new inertial particle behavior is identified in a particle-laden, unsteady separated flow behind a backward-facing step. In a numerical investigation, it is shown that inertial particles eject away from the wall along a distinct material line that originates from a fixed wall location. The fixed separation location coincides with the zero averaged wall skin friction location of the carrier flow. At Stokes numbers larger than one, inertial particles separate at moderate angles. At Stokes numbers smaller than one, the inertial particle dispersion compares to the fluid particle traces showing a moving separation origin of the material line. The Saffman lift forces particles away from the wall and pollutes the distinct character of the separation material line.
A Novel Approach for Studying Histone H1 Function in Vivo

In this report, we investigate the mechanisms that regulate Drosophila histone H1 expression and its association with chromatin in vivo. We show that histone H1 is subject to negative autoregulation and exploit this result to examine the effects of mutations of the main phosphorylation site of histone H1.
Bounding the mass of the graviton using binary pulsar observations

The close agreement between the predictions of dynamical general relativity for the radiated power of a compact binary system and the observed orbital decay of the binary pulsars PSR B1913+16 and PSR B1534+12 allows us to bound the graviton mass to be less than 7.6×10-20 eV/c2 with 90% confidence. This bound is the first to be obtained from dynamic as opposed to static field relativity. The resulting limit on the graviton mass is within two orders of magnitude of that from solar system measurements, and can be expected to improve with further observations.
T. V. Moore’s (1939)Cognitive Psychology

Thomas Verner Moore published a book calledCognitive Psychology in 1939, almost 30 years before Neisser’s (1967) more familiar and far more influential work. Although it covers most of the standard topics found in current cognitive psychology textbooks, and even anticipated several current trends, Moore’s text is not cited by any of the major histories of the “cognitive revolution” or any current cognitive textbook. We provide a brief sketch of Moore’s academic life and summarize several of his papers that are still cited. After describing the psychologies prevalent in 1939, we compare Moore’s text with two contemporary works, Woodworth (1938) and McGeoch (1942). We conclude by comparing the older text with Neisser’s and by offering several reasons why the book is virtually unknown.
Analysis and mitigation of NBTI-impact on PVT variability in repeated global interconnect performance

Repeated interconnects remain the design choice for high-performance global communication due to their clearly defined performance metrics and smooth amalgamation to the VLSI CAD flow. Simultaneous variability in process-voltage-temperature (PVT) causes interconnect performance to fluctuate from its nominal value and hence it's an essential analysis needed to decide on timing margins for global wires. Negative Bias Temperature Instability (NBTI) has emerged as the most compelling device reliability concern in deep sub-micron technologies. In this paper, we thoroughly investigate the effects on NBTI-stress on PVT-induced variability in repeated global interconnect performance. The delay-spread due to PVT can deviate by 5-12% in the presence of NBTI stress. We propose 2 schemes to mitigate NBTI-stress effects on interconnect-delay and re-align the delay-distribution with its nominal state. The 1st involves upsizing all repeaters uniformly. A 5% size increment is found to be sufficient to counter the worst-case realistic deviation in delay-spread. The 2nd is a dynamic solution which involves using an NBTI detector circuit to monitor signal activity and assess device-status over a portion of the wire and increasing the drive strength of tunable buffers in the event of NBTI-stress.
Assessment of health-related quality of life in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients: progress, challenges and future directions

This article provides an overview of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessments in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplants, focusing on the relationship between child and parent proxy ratings of the child’s HRQoL and how measurement of HRQoL may be incorporated into clinical decision-making. Parent and child ratings of the child’s health may be affected differently by unequal access to and incongruent understanding of available information, as well as the effect of age difference on interpretation. In particular, parents and children may experience the impact of clinical events on HRQoL very differently. The recent US Federal emphasis on ‘patient-centeredness’ has helped fuel the development and application of more clinically functional and low-burden HRQoL measures. Future work in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplants must seek to capture the experiences and perceptions of all those involved.
Mesostructured Fe oxide synthesized by ligand-assisted templating with a chelating triol surfactant

The synthesis and properties of sulfate- and phosphate-free mesostructured iron oxide prepared using a chelating triol surfactant are reported. Materials synthesized using metal-surfactant ratios of 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, and 4:1all showed a broad single reflection in the XRD at low angle corresponding to a wormhole mesostructure, as well as small higher angle peaks consistent with the presence of a small amount of maghemite and hemitite. TEM images confirmed the wormhole structure of the mesophase, while also revealing rodlike crystals corresponding to one or both of the two known phases of iron oxide observed in the XRD. Attempts to remove the surfactant by washing or chemical treatment were unsuccessful. Calcination led to a complete collapse of the structure and crystallization of the mesophase into maghemite. Magnetic studies provided evidence for the formation of superparamagnetic iron oxide particles within the walls of the mesostructure in addition to a small magnetic contribution arising from the presence of larger maghemite crystallites, while the calcined materials behaved more like a soft ferromagnet.
Reaction of trimethylaluminum with crown ethers. II. The synthesis and crystal structure of (Dibenzo-18-crown-6)tris(trimethylaluminum) and of (18-crown-6)tetrakis(trimethylaluminum)

Both title compounds were prepared by adding AlMe3 to a suspension of the appropriate crown ether in toluene, followed by reaction in a sealed tube. Both products were obtained in the form of extremely air-sensitive, colorless crystals. [AlMe3]3[dibenzo-18-crown-6] crystallizes in space group PĪ, witha=8.898(4),b=11.848(5),c=19.060(6) A, α=74.86(3), β=80.73(4), and γ=67.02(4)°. Refinement led to a final conventional weightedR value of 0.052 for 1800 reflections. [AlMe3]4[18-crown-6] belongs to space group Pbcn, witha=18.753(3),b=12.570(6), andc=15.095(6) A. Refinement was taken toR w =0.064 for 1320 reflections.
Anna Maria Van Schurman: From Feminism to Pietism

Thus far we have considered all the learned ladies of whom we have any knowledge. But as the light of the sun shines above all the stars and with its bright splendor dulls the sparkling starlight, so the learned light of these other ladies stands, as it were, in the shadow because of the great luster of the incomparable young lady Anna Maria van Schurman.Joh. van Beverwijck, Van deUitnementheyt des Vrouwelichen Geslachts (1643)
Long-Term Highway Revenue Forecasting for Indiana

Increased emphasis is being placed on improved financial control and planning within state transportation agencies because of shifts in revenue sources; escalation of construction, maintenance, and operating costs; instability of revenue bases; and mandates of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. A summary of the highway revenue analysis and highway revenue forecasting done for the state of Indiana as part of an investigation conducted by the Joint Highway Research Project, Engineering Experiment Station, Purdue University, in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, is provided. A long-term highway revenue forecasting methodology was developed with emphasis on ease of data input, simplicity of internal model relationships, and responsiveness to changes in socioeconomic, technological, energy, environmental, financial, and legislative factors.
Mechanisms of Particle Deposition from Ultrapure Chemicals onto Semiconductor Wafers: Deposition from a Thin Film of Drying Rinse Water

Abstract A film entrainment mechanism which contributes to particulate contamination levels on hydrophilic wafers has been explored. Experimental evidence for the existence of such a mechanism is presented, then an analysis is provided which allows estimation of the total volume of liquid which would cling to a wafer surface as the drying procedure begins. These calculations of the entrained liquid volume allow estimation of the maximum theoretical particle deposition which could occur on a hydrophilic wafer surface as a result of the proposed mechanism. Theoretically predicted maximum deposition levels are compared to actual particle counts which result from the film entrainment mechanism; despite numerous simplifications in the theoretical analysis, an order-of-magnitude agreement is found to exist.
Effect of feeding a choline-deficient diet on the hepatic nuclear response to tryptophan in the rat.

Abstract In earlier studies the acute administration of tryptophan (TRP) to rats was reported to induce enhanced in vivo [ 14 C]orotate-labeled hepatic nuclear RNA release in vitro . This change was considered to possibly be related to the induction of more and larger γ-glutamyl transpeptidase-positive foci in the livers of rats treated with diethylnitrosamine and fed long-term elevated TRP in a choline-supplemented (CS) but not in a choline-deficient (CD) diet (comparisons with respective controls). In this study we investigated whether feeding a CD compared to a CS diet for 1 week would affect selected hepatic nuclear responses to TRP. Rats fed the CS but not the CD diet and tube-fed TRP 10 min before being killed revealed enhanced labeled hepatic nuclear RNA release in vitro . In all experiments, comparisons were made with the control groups (rats fed the CS or stock diet). When rats were fed elevated TRP (2%) in the diets (CS or CD) for 1 week, labeled hepatic nuclear RNA release was increased with the CS + TRP but not with the CD + TRP diet group. [ 3 H]TRP binding to hepatic nuclei in vitro revealed no change in the CS + TRP group, decreased in the CD group, and markedly increased in the CD + TRP group in comparison with the control (CS) group. Hepatic nuclear nucleoside triphosphatase activity was increased only in the CS + TRP group while hepatic nuclear poly(A) polymerase activity was increased in the CS + TRP and in the CD ± TRP groups. Serum cholesterol and triglycerides were decreased in the CD group and increased to control levels in the CD + TRP group.
Effect of Organization Size on Validity of Intelligence Score as a Predictor of Executive Success

A population of 428 pre-1944 male Stanford Graduate School of Business MBAs was analyzed for association between executive success criteria and pre-MBA-award intelligence score on either the Thorndike Examination for High School Graduates or the Ohio State University Psychological Test, controlling for size of employing organization large N = 99, medium N = 221, and tiny N = 108. The only significant validity coefficient was -0.30 1% level with the criterion “job interest.” The null hypothesis was rejected for that coefficient, but a warning is given against generalizing or inferring practical implications from this or any similar study at today's primitive stage of executive success prediction research. Management philosophy is undergoing a profound transition from folklore to science. Research is needed to test the validity of existing folklore practices and to test the new hypotheses of management-science scholars. Traditional intelligence tests such as the Thorndike or Ohio have not adequately shouldered the burden of proof to justify their use in executive selection, whatever the organization size.
Responses of Phaseolus lunatus callus tissues to cytokinin-active ureidopurines

Abstract Three ureidopurine derivatives were tested for their ability to promote the cytokinin-dependent growth of callus tissues derived from three genotypes of Phaseolus lunatus (cv. Jackson Wonder, cv. Kingston and P.I. 260415). In all three test systems, the ureidopurines exhibited the same relative cytokinin activities (6-phenylureidopurine > 6- p -tolylureidopurine > 6-cyclohexylureidopurine) and were less active than the aminopurine derivatives, N 6 -benzyl-adenine and N 6 -cyclohexylmethyladenine. Callus tissues of Jackson Wonder, which become cytokinin-autonomous if grown on cytokinin-active urea derivatives, retained cytokinin-dependence on media containing optimal concentrations of ureidopurines. In this respect, the biological activity of the ureidopurines was similar to that of the aminopurine derivatives and differed from that of cytokinin-active urea derivatives tested in this system.
Technologies in the wild (TiW): human factors implications for patient safety in the cardiovascular operating room

We describe different sources of hazards from cardiovascular operating room (CVOR) technologies, how hazards propagate in the CVOR and their impact on cognitive processes. Previous studies have examined hazards from poor design of a specific CVOR technology. However, the impact of different CVOR technologies functioning in context is not clearly understood. In addition, the impact of non-design hazards in technology devices is unclear. Our study identified hazards from organisational, physical/environmental elements, in addition to design of technology in a CVOR. We used observations, follow-up interviews and photographs. With qualitative analyses, we categorised the different hazard sources and their potential impact on cognitive processes. Patient safety can be built into technologies by incorporating user needs in design, decision-making and implementation of medical technologies. Practitioner summary: Effective design and implementation of technology in a safety-critical system requires prospective un...
A generalized stochastic model for simulation of epidemics in a heterogeneous population (model VI).

Abstract A new, more general, stochastic model of epidemics is described. This model, one in a continuing series by Elveback and co-workers, includes provision for more complex, pseudo-sociologically stratified populations. Other major new features include the use of several types of conditional probabilities and of time-varying patterns of infectiousness to enable a more detailed simulation of individual and time-related differences in reactions to the infectious agent. A specific computer implementation of one and two-agent versions of this model is illustrated. Plans for additional computer-based simulation studies are discussed, for this and related models.
Decisional capacity in theory and practice: legal process versus 'bumbling through'.

The reform of guardianship law and practice remains an active topic of interest for service providers, policy makers, and advocates involved with older persons. Guardianship is a legal device designed to protect persons who lack the cognitive and emotional capacity to make their own life decisions. However, for most 'grey zone' individuals and even for many who are rather clearly and severely mentally disabled, the capacity issue never gets formally raised and the legal process of guardianship (or placement in a formal guardianship diversion program) never gets invoked. Instead, the various parties generally 'bumble through' extra-legally as best they can. When the capacity issue does get raised formally, it often is done so as a matter of legal self-protection for a health care provider or financial institution, rather than primarily for the ward's benefit. The central policy issue to be debated is whether we ought to be encouraging or discouraging extralegal, bumbling through-type handling of persons wi...
Intrahepatic pressure measurement: some pitfalls.

The clinical usefulness of intrahepatic pressure measurement was assessed in 22 patients with liver disease. The pressure obtained by means of plastic catheters introduced percutaneously into the liver parenchyma was compared to wedged hepatic venous pressure. When the two procedures were done simultaneously, agreement was good. However, when observer bias was excluded by sequential observations, the measurements made by the two techniques were significantly different. The pitfalls of this method are discussed. The measurement of intrahepatic pressure has in our hands not proved to be a reliable method of estimating portal pressure.
Cyclotomic polynomials and nonstandard dice

In this paper, we consider a broad generalization of a problem which first appeared in Scientific American. The original problem was to find all possible ways to label n cubes with positive integers so that the n cubes, when thrown simultaneously, will yield the same sum totals with the same frequency as n ordinary dice labelled 1 through 6. We investigate the analogous problem for n dice, each with m labels. A simple, purely algebraic characterization of solutions to this problem is given, and the problem is solved for certain infinite families of the parameter m. Several results on the general problem are included, and a number of avenues for further research are suggested.
Is arterial stiffness a contributing factor to atrial fibrillation in patients with hypertension? A preliminary investigation

Abstract Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common tachyarrhythmia encountered by clinicians. When AF occurs in patients with structural disorders, hypertension is most common. Hypertension may provoke or enable AF to occur through several mechanisms. One could be the resultant effects of increased afterload on the left ventricle and consequent changes in the left atrium. The latter could be the direct linear effect of elevated diastolic atrial pressure and its proximate effect on atrial electrophysiology. Alternatively, it may be a more indirect and complex relationship involving chronic morphologic, electrophysiologic, and secretory consequences in the atrium consequent to a chronically reduced left ventricular (LV) compliance. Methods To assess this relationship, the arterial stiffness index (ASI) was determined in 53 hypertensive patients (29 with AF, 24 without) and 17 nonhypertensive controls with AF and its relationship to ventricular hypertrophy and AF was determined. All except 5 patients with AF had paroxysmal AF (PAF); the other 5 were in sinus rhythm status after cardioversion of a persistent AF episode. Results The ASI was significantly higher in patients with hypertension, both with and without AF than in lone AF patients, but did not distinguish between hypertensives with and without AF. The ASI was higher in the presence of LV hypertrophy (LVH). Conclusions The ASI and LVH cannot be used to predict the risk of AF in hypertensive patients and the development of AF in hypertensives is more complex than just that of the immediate effect of elevated ventricular pressure on atrial pressure and stretch. Rather, AF is linked through the chronic alterations that are consequent to atrial hypertension.
Determination of source self-absorption in the standardization of electron-capturing radionuclides

Abstract A method is described for measuring source self-absorption in the standardization of radionuclides which decay by electron capture directly to the ground state. Auger electrons are used as a tracer in order to determine the X-ray absorption. Data are presented which indicate that X-ray absorption in a certain type of electroplated source is less than 0.2 per cent. A method for determination of ejected photoelectrons from absorbing foils in 4π X-ray counting is described.
Fault detection in railway track using piezoelectric impedance

In this research, piezoelectric transducers are incorporated in an impedance-based damage detection approach for railway track health monitoring. The impedance-based damage detection approach utilizes the direct relationship between the mechanical impedance of the track and electrical impedance of the piezoelectric transducer bonded. The effect of damage is shown in the change of a healthy impedance curve to an altered, damaged curve. Using a normalized relative difference outlier analysis, the occurrences of various damages on the track are determined. Furthermore, the integration of inductive circuitry with the piezoelectric transducer is found to be able to considerably increase overall damage detection sensitivity.
CW 488 nm laser with external-cavity frequency doubling of a multi-longitudinal-mode semiconductor source

We report efficient 488 nm laser for biotechnology applications. Multi-longitudinal-mode external cavity semiconductor laser radiation is frequency converted in MgO:PPLiNbO3waveguide. Laser provides excellent beam quality, variable output power, and capability of direct modulation.
Lignan glucosides from Bupleurum wenchuanense

Abstract From the aerial parts of Bupleurum wenchuanense two lignan glucosides, wenchuanensin and phillyrin were isolated. Wenchuanensin was characterized as 3- O -β- d -glucopyranosyl-3- O -demethylyatein. Their unambiguous spectral assignments were made by a combination of 2D-NMR and selective INEPT techniques.
Designing an optimal estimator for more efficient wavefront correction

Space-based coronagraphs for future earth-like planet detection will require focal plane wavefront control techniques to achieve the necessary contrast levels. These correction algorithms are iterative and the control methods require an estimate of the electric field at the science camera, which requires nearly all of the images taken for the correction. In order to maximize science time the amount of time required for correction must be minimized, which means reducing the number of exposures required for correction. This means reducing both the number of iterations and the number of exposures per iteration required to achieve a targeted contrast. Given the large number of images required for estimation, the ideal choice is to use fewer exposures to estimate the electric field. Here we demonstrate an optimal estimator that uses prior knowledge to create the estimate of the electric field. In this way we can optimally estimate the electric field by minimizing the number of exposures required to estimate under an error constraint. The performance of this method is compared to a pairwise estimator which is designed to give the least-squares minimal error. This allows us to evaluate the number of images necessary to achieve a contrast target and is the first step towards generating an adaptive algorithm which combines estimation and control to optimize the entire correction problem.
A 20-Mb/s Pulse Harmonic Modulation Transceiver for Wideband Near-Field Data Transmission

This brief presents a fully integrated low-power transceiver for wideband near-field data transmission across inductive telemetry links based on pulse harmonic modulation (PHM). This PHM transceiver uses two narrow pulses with specific amplitudes and timing at the transmitter (Tx) to suppress intersymbol interference (ISI) at the receiver (Rx) high-Q LC tank to achieve high data rates (DRs) without reducing the inductive link quality factor to extend its bandwidth. This method significantly improves the range and selectivity of the link. The PHM Rx architecture is based on noncoherent energy detection utilizing a novel pulse-based automatic gain control circuit, which significantly reduces the power consumption (46%) and ISI at short coupling distances. The PHM transceiver was fabricated in a 0.35- μm standard CMOS process and achieved a measured DR of 20 Mb/s with a bit error rate of 8.7×10-8 at a 10-mm distance using planar figure-8 coils. The PHM Tx and Rx power consumptions were 180 and 12.15 pJ/bit, respectively, at a 1.8-V supply voltage.
On the availability of intramitochondrial carbamoylphosphate for the extramitochondrial biosynthesis of pyrimidines

Abstract Carbamoylphosphate synthesized inside the mitochondria is not compartmentally isolated but, rather, is readily available for extramitochondrial reactions and may constitute a major source of carbamoylphosphate for the biosynthesis of pyrimidines.
A Randomized Prospective Trial of Primary Versus AlloDerm Closure of Buccal Mucosal Graft Harvest Site for Substitution Urethroplasty

OBJECTIVES To present a prospective, randomized trial comparing primary and AlloDerm closure of the oral harvest site. The use of buccal mucosa grafts for substitution urethroplasty is an established and durable technique. The optimal management of the buccal mucosa grafts harvest site for the intraoral defect has yet to be determined. METHODS Between February 2003 and September 2006, a total of 20 men undergoing buccal mucosal urethroplasty were randomly assigned to either primary (n = 10) or AlloDerm closure (n = 10) of the oral harvest site. All patients were clinically examined postoperatively and each completed a 10-point analog pain score and descriptive questionnaire postoperatively, at 3 weeks, and at 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS A 100% of patients completed the study at 12 months follow-up. Oral pain dissipated acutely after 3 weeks. No significant differences in either neurosensory or mouth tightness symptoms were noted, except increased incidence of cheek swelling at 3 weeks in the AlloDerm group. CONCLUSIONS AlloDerm proved to be an effective means of closing the harvest site, but offered no significant advantages when compared with primary closure. AlloDerm closure was associated with increased morbidity in mouth tightness symptoms, cheek swelling, and discomfort while chewing food; only increased incidence of cheek swelling at 3 weeks was found to be significant. Despite its excellent molecular properties and nonimmunogenic nature, the role of AlloDerm graft use in closing the buccal mucosal harvest site appears to be an unnecessary step. Primary closure was extremely well tolerated in both short- and long-term follow-up, with minimal sequelae at 12 months.
Comparative study on semi-active control algorithms for piezoelectric friction dampers

A semi-active Tri-D algorithm combining Coulomb, Reid and viscous damping mechanisms has recently been developed by the authors to drive piezoelectric friction dampers. The objective of this study is to analytically compare its performance with those of bang-bang control, clipped-optimal control, modulated homogeneous control, and a modified clipped-optimal control. Two far-field and two near-field historical earthquake records with various intensities and dominant frequencies were used in this study. All algorithms were evaluated with a ¼ scale 3-story frame structure in terms of reductions in peak inter-story drift ratio and peak floor acceleration. A piezoelectric friction damper was considered to be installed between a bracing support and the first floor of the frame structure. Both advantages and disadvantages of each control algorithm were discussed with numerical simulations. At near resonance, both bang-bang and clipped-optimal algorithms are more effective in drift reduction, and the modified clipped-optimal algorithm is more effective in acceleration reduction than both Tri-D and modulated homogeneous algorithms. But the latter requires less control force on the average. For a non-resonant case, the Tri-D and modulated homogeneous algorithms are more effective in acceleration reduction than others even with less control force required. Overall, the Tri-D and modulated homogeneous controls are effective in response reduction, adaptive, and robust to earthquake characteristics.
Air Force C-130 Rainbow Fitting Diagnostic Technology Development

The C-130 Hercules has been a workhorse for the U.S. Air Force for decades and is projected to continue to accrue flight hours for years to come as a highly capable platform utilized for numerous mission profiles. In the past few years, many C-130 aircraft have developed fatigue cracks in the center wing box rainbow fittings. These cracks can be a significant flight safety risk, when the damage is extensive. In order to detect the existence of cracks in the rainbow fittings so that they can be repaired, implementation of labor intensive eddy current nondestructive inspection technology has been used to assess the condition of each aircraft on a scheduled basis. The Air Force is interested in the development and application of alternative fault detection techniques that are less time demanding to implement by the maintainers, while providing a high damage detection probability. Additionally, the future capability to embed effective rainbow fitting fault detection capability into the aircraft as an integrated systems health management (ISHM) solution is also desired.
Perceived clarity of individual job objectives and of group mission as correlates of organizational morale.

Based on experiments showing reactions to induced frustration, it was assumed that lack of clarity on the part of an employee regarding his own job or the overall mission of his location will have significant negative consequences. It was thus hypothesized that: (1) lack of clarity of individual job objectives would be negatively related to job satisfaction and overall satisfaction, and (2) that lack of clarity of location of mission would be negatively related to job satisfaction, overall satisfaction and perceptions of organizational cohesiveness (both intra- and inter-departmental). All six predicted relationships were obtained. Implications of these results, including those for organizational communication and personnel administration, are discussed.
Total process control and its implementation in the manufacturing of cesium beam tubes (atomic frequency standard)

The specific application of several analytical total quality control tools is discussed. One example deals with the restructuring of the method of handling cesium beam tube (CBT) work orders. The result is a reduction of manufacturing cycle time as well as a reduction of the total word-in-progress inventory. A corresponding improvement of the CBT performance is observed. The influence of total process control on existing and potential suppliers of CBT parts is discussed. >
Age- and sex-specific differences in blood-borne microvesicles from apparently healthy humans

Sex differences in incidence of cardiovascular disease may reflect age-associated intravascular cellular activation resulting in shedding of cell membrane-derived bioactive microvesicles (MV or microparticles) into the blood. Concentrations of cell-specific MV in blood have the potential to be a diagnostic/prognostic marker of pathology, but ranges of MV must first be established in healthy individuals. This study identified cellular origin of blood-borne MV >0.2 μm in blood of apparently healthy women and men aged from 20–70 years. Venous blood from apparently healthy participants in the Mayo Clinic Biobank was collected into tubes containing protease inhibitors as the anticoagulant. MV were isolated by standardized differential centrifugation and characterized by digital flow cytometer. Each cellular origin of MV was verified by two different antibodies with strong correlation between the two distinct antibodies (e.g., for platelet-derived MV, r 2 = 0.97). MV derived from platelets were the most abundant type of MV in blood from women and men in all age groups. Total numbers of phosphatidylserine, P-selectin, and platelet- and endothelium-derived MV were significantly (P < 0.05) greater in women than men. Numbers of MV from erythrocytes and stem/progenitor cells were significantly lower in premenopausal women than age-matched men. Number of tissue factor pathway inhibitor positive MV were significantly (P < 0.05) lower whereas erythrocyte-derived MV were significantly higher in postmenopausal women compared to premenopausal women. In women, there was a positive relationship between age and erythrocyte-derived MV (ρ = 0.28; P = 0.009), while in men adipocyte-derived MV increased with age (ρ = 0.33; P = 0.01). This study provides ranges for cellular origin of blood-borne MV in age-matched, apparently healthy women and men from which to compare diagnostic and prognostic uses of blood-borne MV in larger studies and patient population. In addition, sex- and age-specific differences in phosphatidylserine, platelet-, endothelium-, erythrocyte-, and adipocyte-derived blood-borne MV may contribute to differential progression of cardiovascular disease in women compared to men.
Robust State Estimation With Redundant Proprioceptive Sensors

We present a framework for robust estimation of the configuration of an articulated robot using a large number of redundant proprioceptive sensors (encoders, gyros, accelerometers) distributed throughout the robot. Our method uses an Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) to fuse the robot’s sensor measurements. The filter estimates the angle of each joint of the robot, enabling the accurate estimation of the robot’s kinematics even if not all modules report sensor readings. Additionally, a novel outlier detection method allows the the filter to be robust to corrupted accelerometer and gyro data.
Fungal Pathogens Associated with Blueberry Propagation Beds in North Carolina

SUMMARY Death of blueberry cuttings in commercial rooting beds was observed due to abiotic and biotic causes. Abiotic causes included poor watering practices, water quality, rooting medium, and inadequate drainage due to poor rooting bed design. Biotic causes were attributable to fungi and included (1) non-pathogenic Basidiomycetes colonizing unsterilized rooting media, (2) airborne or rain-splashed pathogens infecting individual cuttings (Botryosphaeria, Pestalotia and other sp.), and (3) Cylindrocladium sp. that spread radially from the initial infection, producing circular dead spots in rooting beds. Re-use of Cylindrocladium-infested media resulted in complete loss of cuttings. Methyl bromide fumigation was successfully used to sanitize infested media.
Lower Court Application of the “Overruling Law” of Higher Courts

The obligation of a court to follow the law of a superior court is commonly taken to be stronger than the obligation of the higher court to respect its own precedent. The Supreme Court has recently asserted this stronger obligation in the most forceful terms. What follows is an attempt to demonstrate that this is wrong as a matter of policy and as a matter of law.
Donor variability in HIV binding to peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Background: HIV infection of cells varies greatly between individuals, with multiple steps in the replication cycle potentially contributing to the variability. Although entry and post-entry variability of HIV infection levels in cells has been demonstrated, variability in HIV binding has not been examined. In this study, we examined variability of HIV binding to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from different donors. Results: HIV binding to PBMC varied up to 3.9-fold between individuals and was independent of CD4. Replication of HIV in donor PBMC required CD4 and paralleled virus binding trends of donor PBMC. To assess the stability of virus binding phenotypes over time, HIV was bound to donors with low- and high-binding phenotypes. The binding phenotypes were maintained when tested weekly over a 4-week period for 3 of 4 donors, while one high-binding donor decreased to lower binding on the 4th week. The low- and high-binding phenotypes were also preserved across different HIV strains. Experiments performed to determine if there was an association between HIV binding levels and specific cell subset levels within PBMC showed no correlation, suggesting that HIV binds to multiple cell subsets. Conclusion: These results show that differences exist in HIV binding to donor PBMC. Our data also show that HIV binding to donor PBMC is CD4-independent and can change over time, suggesting that virus binding variability is due to differences in the expression of changeable cellsurface host factors. Taken together, this study highlights the impact of cell-surface factors in HIV binding to, and infection of, PBMC which likely represents an important step in HIV infection in vivo.
Treatments for bipolar disorder: can number needed to treat/harm help inform clinical decisions?

Ketter TA, Citrome L, Wang PW, Culver JL, Srivastava S. Treatments for bipolar disorder: can number needed to treat/harm help inform clinical decisions? Objective: To compare bipolar treatment interventions, using number needed to treat (NNT) and number needed to harm (NNH). Method: Results of randomized controlled clinical trials were used to assess efficacy (NNT for response and relapse/recurrence prevention vs. placebo) and tolerability (e.g. NNH for weight gain and sedation vs. placebo). Results: United States Food and Drug Administration–approved bipolar disorder pharmacotherapies all have single-digit NNTs (i.e. > 10% advantage over placebo), but NNHs for adverse effects that vary widely. Some highly efficacious agents are as likely to yield adverse effects as therapeutic benefit, but may be interventions of choice in more acute severe illness. In contrast, some less efficacious agents with better tolerability may be interventions of choice in more chronic mild-moderate illness. Conclusion: Clinical trials can help inform clinical decision making by quantifying the likelihood of benefit vs. harm. Integrating such data with individual patient circumstances, values, and preferences can help optimize treatment choices.
Control of spawning in the tunicate Styela plicata by variations in a natural light regime

The physical parameters controlling the release of gametes in Styela plicata were studied in laboratory experiments designed to simulate environmental conditions. Gravid animals left in constant light did not spawn until subjected to a minimum dark period followed by a sufficient amount of light. The maximum spawning success, determined by laboratory experiments, was found during the period between September, 1974 and March, 1975. The minimum dark adaption time, derived statistically from the spawning curve, was found to be 8 hours, 30 minutes. Increasing the dark adaption time resulted in decreasing the amount of light necessary to induce spawning. The total time for an entire spawning cycle (i.e., from the beginning of the dark adaption period to gamete release) was found to be approximately 24 hours. Field collection data supported the laboratory observations showing gamete release in the late afternoon, close to sunset. The amount of dark adaption affects the amount of light necessary to induce spawning suggesting a reversible photochemical reaction. Temperature limits for spawning in the laboratory were found to be 11–28°.
Resource allocation for multicast in an OFDMA network with Random Network Coding

In this paper, we consider multicast with Random Network Coding (RNC) over a wireless network using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA). Specifically, we propose a cross-layer resource allocation mechanism to minimize the total transmit power in the network to achieve a target throughput. The problem in its original form is a NP-hard mixed integer program. We alleviate this problem with a greedy power and subcarrier allocation algorithm that is combined with a node selection strategy that is enabled by RNC, which we refer to as “min-cut chasing.” We compare it with a reference algorithm that assigns subcarriers independently based on the max-min fairness criterion followed by optimal power allocation. Our results reveal that the proposed greedy algorithm with min-cut chasing, which is of polynomial complexity, yields power savings of 3dB and is within 1dB of a lower bound based on an interference-free assumption.
Results of a one year survey of output for linear accelerators using IMRT and non-IMRT techniques.

This paper presents the results of a one year survey of treated fields for 3 treatment machines at our New Jersey regional center. One machine predominantly treated IMRT prostate patients using a sliding window technique. The others were not equipped to deliver IMRT. Information obtained for each treated field included patient number, modality, monitor units delivered, gantry angle, and time. Data was obtained directly from our record and verify system and analyzed using a spreadsheet. We studied workload (MU/week), patient load, and average MU per patient as a function of time, as well as angular distributions and number of treatment fractions per patient. We also calculated the average fraction of time the beam was on during treatments. By the end of the survey year, the workload of the IMRT machine reached approximately 100,000 MU/week and that of the non-IMRT machines was approximately 40-45000 MU/week. This was due predominantly to the higher number of monitor units for IMRT plans. Patient loads were not significantly different for the 3 machines. Duty cycle was 14% and 16% for the non-IMRT machines and 27% for the IMRT machine. The difference in workload for IMRT treatments relative to non-IMRT treatments confirms an earlier study performed at our institution using a much smaller data sample. One needs to consider the increase in leakage associated with this higher workload when designing shielding for an IMRT room.
MANIOC CULTIVATION AT CEREN, EL SALVADOR: OCCASIONAL KITCHEN GARDEN PLANT OR STAPLE CROP?

Many scholars have thought the Classic period Maya did not cultivate the root crop manioc, while others have suggested it may have been an occasional cultigen in kitchen gardens. For many decades there was no reliable evidence that the ancient Maya cultivated manioc, but in the 1990s manioc pollen from the late Archaic was found in Belize, and somewhat older pollen was found in Tabasco. At about the same time of those discoveries, research within the Ceren village, El Salvador, encountered occasional scattered manioc plants that had grown in mounded ridges in kitchen gardens. These finds adjacent to households indicated manioc was not a staple crop, and vastly inferior to maize and beans in food volume produced. However, 2007 research in an agricultural area 200 m south of the Ceren village encountered intensive formal manioc planting beds. If manioc was widely cultivated in ancient times, its impressive productivity, ease of cultivation even in poor soils, and drought resistance suggest it might have been a staple crop helping to support dense Maya populations in the southeast periphery and elsewhere.