cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Potassium barium hexacyanoferrate – A potential cathode material for rechargeable calcium ion batteries

Abstract Potassium barium hexacyanoferrate (K2BaFe(CN)6) was investigated as a cathode material for reversible Ca2+ ion insertion/extraction type rechargeable battery using non-aqueous electrolytes. The electrochemical performance of K2BaFe(CN)6was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and galvanic cycling at ambient temperature. It is shown that addition of water led to significant enhancement in intercalation and de-intercalation of Ca2+ ions, leading to improved charge/discharge capacity. The enhancement in performance is attributed to formation of solvation spheres around the intercalating Ca2+ ions which provide screening from the electrostatic charges of the BaFe(CN)6 lattice. A reversible capacity of 55.8 mA hr g−1 and a coulombic efficiency of 93.8% was demonstrated at the end of 30 charge/discharge cycles.
Tenderness and Retail Display Characteristics of Beef Tenderloin Steaks Comparing Kidney Fat Removal Times Under Different Processing and Storage Systems

The effects of electrical stimulation, kidney fat removal time, tenderloin removal time, and storage and packaging treatment on tenderness and retail display characteristics of beef tenderloin steaks were studied. Electrical stimulation increased overall desirability scores on days 2 through 4 of retail display. Steaks from sides that had kidney and pelvic fat removed prior to chilling had higher Warner-Bratzler shear force values, darker muscle color and higher retail evaluations for overall desirability on days 2 through 4 of display than did steaks from conventionally dressed sides. Tenderloin steaks that were vacuum packaged and stored 14 days had higher bacterial counts, more uniform lean color and less visual purge in the retail package than did steaks retail displayed immediately after tenderloin removal.
Simultaneous dose modification for balanced E-beam proximity correction minimizing CD error

Many proximity effect correction schemes employ certain iterative procedures and often correct circuit features sequentially within each iteration for faster convergence. Such sequential correction procedures, whether dose or shape modification, tend to lead to unbalanced results due to the recursive effect especially for high-density fine-feature circuit patterns. In this paper, a dose modification scheme which performs correction non-recursively within each iteration is proposed in order to obtain spatially well-balanced correction results, minimizing CD error. A common drawback of such a non-recursive or simultaneous scheme is its long computation time required for convergence of the solution (correction result). In the proposed scheme, a scaling factor is used between successive iterations to avoid oscillation of the solution. Also, it partitions each rectangular feature into regions judiciously such that the total number of regions, on which correction time mainly depends, is not too large. Performance of the scheme has been analyzed through an extensive computer simulation.
Critique of the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Test: The More You Know, the Lower Your Score

The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Test is one of the oldest, most frequently used, multiple-choice critical-thinking tests on the market in business, government, and legal settings for purposes of hiring and promotion. I demonstrate, however, that the test has serious construct-validity issues, stemming primarily from its ambiguous, unclear, misleading, and sometimes mysterious instructions, which have remained unaltered for decades. Erroneously scored items further diminish the test’s validity. As a result, having enhanced knowledge of formal and informal logic could well result in test subjects receiving lower scores on the test. That’s not how things should work for a CT assessment test.
Mapping peer behavior to packet-level details: a framework for packet-level simulation of peer-to-peer systems

The growing interest in peer-to-peer systems (such as Gnutella) has inspired numerous research activities in this area. Although many demonstrations have been performed that show that the performance of a peer-to-peer system is highly dependent on the underlying network characteristics, much of the evaluation of peer-to-peer proposals has used simplified models that fail to include a detailed model of the underlying network. This can be largely attributed to the complexity in experimenting with a scalable peer-to-peer system simulator built on top of a scalable network simulator with packet-level details. In this work we design and develop a framework for an extensible and scalable peer-to-peer simulation environment that can be built on top of existing packet-level network simulators. The simulation environment is portable to different network simulators, which enables us to simulate a realistic large scale peer-to-peer system using existing parallelization techniques. We demonstrate the use of the simulator for some simple experiments that show how Gnutella system performance can be impacted by the network characteristics.
Skeletal Retention and Anticariogenic Efficacy of Fluoride when Administered in the Presence of a Prenatal Vitamin-Mineral Supplement

Two studies were conducted in rats to investigate fluoride retention from a prenatal supplement and the influence of NaF and NaSn2F5 in prenatal supplements on dental caries. Fluoride retention, provided as NaF, was decreased by 38.2%. Prenatal NaSn2F5 reduced the incidence of dental caries by 80%.
Is the Patent Office a Rubber Stamp

A growing chorus of voices is sounding a common refrain - the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) is issuing far too many bad patents. These criticisms are complicated by the rather surprising fact that we don't actually know what percentage of patent applications actually issue as patents. In this paper, we use a novel dataset of all published patent applications filed in January 2001 to estimate the grant rate. These data also allow us to examine the uses of continuation applications, and to assess dynamics of applicant-examiner interaction over the patent prosecution process. We find that the PTO rejects a surprisingly high percentage of patents. While more than two-thirds of all applications result in at least one patent, a significant number of applications are rejected and then finally abandoned by the applicant. We also find that the likelihood of obtaining a patent varies significantly by industry, but in surprising ways. Finally, despite a variety of reforms that might be thought to reduce the use and abuse of continuation applications, we find a high use of continuation applications of various types.
Inversion channel edge in trench-isolated sub-1/4-/spl mu/m MOSFET's

A comprehensive quantitative study of edge effects in the channel of trench isolated sub-1/4-/spl mu/m CMOS devices is presented. Model devices derived from CMOS technologies have been examined using three-dimensional (3-D) finite element device simulation. The off-state, turn-on, and on-state device characteristics of the channel edge and terminal currents and their sensitivity to channel edge geometry, doping, oxide thickness and interface charges have been quantified. Analysis of on-state current shows that edge-effect models should include comparable contributions from decrease in threshold voltage and increase in effective width. The edge effect is shown to interact with the short-channel effect. Methods for minimizing the trench edge effect are quantified including edge doping, channel edge rounding, and recessing the channel below the top of the trench. The placement of a fixed- or floating-potential field plate in the trench is shown to be an effective method for controlling the edge effect below 100-nm channel widths.
Recognition of shapes by statistical modeling of centroidal profile

The recognition of unknown shapes by using maximum-likelihood methods is considered. The contour of a shape is represented by its centroidal profile, and it is fitted by a circular autoregressive model. The authors develop a decision rule to test whether two unknown shapes are identical. Then they develop a decision rule to classify an unknown object as a known object. Maximum-likelihood decision rules for these cases are derived. The decision rules are invariant to translation, rotation, and size change after the normalization of estimates. The developed algorithms are used to classify different machine parts and aircraft shapes. >
Microenvironment Determinants of Brain Metastasis

Metastasis accounts for 90% of cancer-related mortality. Brain metastases generally present during the late stages in the natural history of cancer progression. Recent advances in cancer treatment and management have resulted in better control of systemic disease metastatic to organs other than the brain and improved patient survival. However, patients who experience recurrent disease manifest an increasing number of brain metastases, which are usually refractory to therapies. To meet the new challenges of controlling brain metastasis, the research community has been tackling the problem with novel experimental models and research tools, which have led to an improved understanding of brain metastasis. The time-tested "seed-and-soil" hypothesis of metastasis indicates that successful outgrowth of deadly metastatic tumors depends on permissible interactions between the metastatic cancer cells and the site-specific microenvironment in the host organs. Consistently, recent studies indicate that the brain, the major component of the central nervous system, has unique physiological features that can determine the outcome of metastatic tumor growth. The current review summarizes recent discoveries on these tumor-brain interactions, and the potential clinical implications these novel findings could have for the better treatment of patients with brain metastasis.
The Performance of a Single-Phase Current-Fed Inverter with Counter EMF - Inductive Load

Current-fed inverters that have series diodes to trap the charge on a commutating capacitor can supply ac loads of any power factor. A single-phase circuit with counter emf-inductance load, such as a motor, has been analyzed by digital computer simulation, valid for all modes of operation. The magnitude and phase of the ac load current are graphically related to the direct current and thyristor firing angle with respect to the counter emf. The ratio of the operating frequency to the natural ringing frequency of the commutating capacitance and the load inductance is a parameter of the circuit that significantly affects its behavior. Problems associated with high-frequency operation in a drive system are discussed.
Temperature and pressure dependence of the Fe-specific phonon density of states in Ba ( Fe 1 − x Co x ) 2 As 2

The ^(57)Fe-specific phonon density of states (DOS) of Ba(Fe_(1−x)Co_x)_2As_2 single crystals (x=0.0,0.08) was measured at cryogenic temperatures and at high pressures with nuclear-resonant inelastic x-ray scattering. Measurements were conducted for two different orientations of the single crystals, yielding the orientation-projected ^(57)Fe-phonon density of states for phonon polarizations in-plane and out-of-plane with respect to the basal plane of the crystal structure. In the tetragonal phase at 300 K, a clear stiffening was observed upon doping with Co. Increasing pressure to 4 GPa caused a marked increase of phonon frequencies, with the doped material still stiffer than the parent compound. Upon cooling, both the doped and undoped samples showed a stiffening and the parent compound exhibited a discontinuity across the magnetic and structural phase transitions. These findings are generally compatible with the changes in volume of the system upon doping, increasing pressure, or increasing temperature, but an extra softening of high-energy modes occurs with increasing temperature. First-principles computations of the phonon DOS were performed and showed an overall agreement with the experimental results, but underestimate the Gruneisen parameter. This discrepancy is explained in terms of a magnetic Gruneisen parameter, causing an extra phonon stiffening as magnetism is suppressed under pressure.
Flame temperature measurement using picosecond transient grating experiments

Abstract Picosecond transient grating experiments were performed on a sodium-seeded methane/air flame at very small fringe spacings (
Deiscenze e fistole anastomotiche

E il VI giorno post-operatorio in una laparotomia esplorativa eseguita per occlusione del tenue. L’intervento si e svolto senza complicanze a parte due enterotomie accidentali trattate immediatamente con sutura monostrato a punti staccati in Vicryl 3/0. Durante la visita giornaliera il paziente si lamenta: “Guardi dottore, ho il letto pieno di roba verde”. Scoprite subito l’addome e vi rendete conto che, dalla ferita, fuoriesce materiale biliare e liquame enterico! Siete sconvolti. In effetti il decorso post-operatorio del paziente non e stato molto regolare: ha avuto febbre, leucocitosi. E adesso questo disastro! Un disastro davvero, poiche ancora oggi circa il 30% dei pazienti con deiscenza dell’anastomosi intestinale va incontra a morte.
Embedded training for the joint surveillance and target attack radar system ground station module

Embedded training is a capability within an actual operational system, which provides sustainment training for system operators. It is invoked and used by the operator without instructor supervision. This paper describes Motorola's prototype embedded training system for the Army's Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) groundstation. The embedded training capability is implemented entirely within the operational system software. It contains features of a full embedded training system, including scenario and stimuli presentation, adaptation to student weaknesses, checking input, context-sensitive help, and presentation and storage of student performance results.
Two-pass orthogonal least-squares algorithm to train and reduce fuzzy logic systems

Fuzzy logic systems (FLSs) can be designed using training data (i.e. given M numerical input/output pairs) and supervised learning algorithms. Orthogonal least-squares (OLS) learning decomposes a FLS into a linear combination of M/sub s/ >
Challenging the spliceosome machine

Using cDNA copies of transcripts and corresponding genomic sequences from the Berkeley Drosophila Genome Project, a set of 24,753 donor and acceptor splice sites were computed with a scanning algorithm that tested for single nucleotide insertion, deletion and substitution polymorphisms. Using this dataset, we developed a progressive partitioning approach to examining the effects of challenging the spliceosome system. Our analysis shows that information content increases near splice sites flanking progressively longer introns and exons, suggesting that longer splice elements require stronger binding of spliceosome components. Information also increases at splice sites near very short introns and exons, suggesting that short splice elements have crowding problems. We observe that the information found at individual splice sites depends upon a balance of splice element lengths in the vicinity, including both flanking and non-adjacent introns and exons. These results suggest an interdependence of multiple splicing events along the pre-mRNA, which may have implications for how the macromolecular spliceosome machine processes sets of neighboring splice sites.
Specification and classification of role-based authorization policies

Constraints are an important aspect of role-based access control (RBAC). Although the importance of constraints in RBAC has been recognized for a long time, they have not received much attention. In this paper we classify RBAC constraints into two major classes called prohibition constraints and obligation constraints. To specify these constraints, we utilize a formal language, named RCL2000. In this paper we show that prohibition, cardinality, and obligation constraints can be also represented in RCL2000.
When Condom Use is Not Condom Use: An Event‐Level Analysis of Condom Use Behaviors during Vaginal Intercourse

ABSTRACT Introduction Little is known about event‐level condom use errors during vaginal sex. Aims The aim of this article is to examine factors associated with complete condom use compared to forms of incomplete condom use, including delayed condom application and early condom removal, over a 30‐day period. Methods Data were collected in 2008 from 1,875 men during a prospective daily diary study of sexual behavior and condom use. Incomplete condom use was assessed during vaginal intercourse considering situational, relational, intrapersonal, and behavioral predictors. Analyses were generalized estimating equation multinomial logistic regression. Main Outcome Measures Condom use during vaginal sex: complete use, delayed application, early removal, and both delayed application/early removal. Results Of 29,714 diary reports, 30% (8,876) included vaginal intercourse. Analyses were conducted (in 2009) on 83.2% of these intercourse events (6,325), during which condoms were used and for which participants provided complete data. Incomplete condom use included penetration before applying condoms during 12% of events (749), removing condoms before intercourse ended during 3.1% (198), and both types of incomplete use during 2% (129) of events. Erection quality (less than typical erect penile length and circumference, less rigidity, and difficulty maintaining erection) was associated with greater odds of incomplete use, as was a participant's history of other recent incomplete use. Perceptions of condom comfort and recent previous complete use were protective factors against incomplete use. Conclusions Men's incomplete condom use is associated with recent condom use patterns, as well as with their physiological characteristics and perceptions of condoms during sexual intercourse. Event‐level analyses such as these help describe how incomplete condom use occurs among individuals incorporating condoms into their sexual activities. Hensel DJ, Stupiansky NW, Herbenick D, Dodge B, and Reece M. When condom use is not condom use: An event‐level analysis of condom use behaviors during vaginal intercourse. J Sex Med 2011;8:28–34.
The Nature of Berlin: Green Space and Visions of a New German Capital, 1900–45

In the conclusion of his 1915 dissertation, the influential German urban planner Martin Wagner argued forcefully for a new approach to the role of green space in city planning. Referring to recent efforts to improve urban hygiene and general cleanliness in major German cities, especially the public bathhouse movement of the late nineteenth century, Wagner claimed that expansion and promotion of accessible green space constituted the next big challenge for those interested in improving urban living: The health conditions of the big cities demand an expansion of sanitary living space. To incorporate nature into this development will be the communal-political challenge of the coming years. Cities, which encompass more than half of Germany's total population, have a duty . . . to secure the health of the German body and increase German strength. We must solve this challenge before we reach a point where a solution through natural means is no longer possible.
Dynamic CSF Fraction and MAGIC VASO fMRI

This work extends the Multiple Acquisitions with Global Inversion Cycling Vascular Space Occupancy (MAGIC VASO) method to human whole-brain fMRI at 3.0 Tesla and demonstrates the need to consider the dynamic contribution of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to the relative VASO signal change (DeltaVASO/VASO). A three-compartment model is proposed to include both the resting and changing fractional CSF contribution (xc,rest and Deltatimesc, respectively) to DeltaVASO/VASO. Computer simulations show that a small change in CSF fraction on the order of 5% is enough to eliminate the VASO signal change arising from a 20% change in CBV. A MAGIC VASO sequence that provides whole-brain coverage is demonstrated using a paradigm comprised of visual, motor, and auditory stimulation. Activated regions are quantitatively compared in the corresponding blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) images. Statistically significant signal changes are detected in the visual and motor cortices using both acquisition techniques. The absence of VASO activation for auditory stimulation and the proximity of the auditory cortex to the higher CSF concentration of the insula and superior temporal gyrus support the possibility of a Deltatimesc contribution to the VASO signal. Without specific knowledge of the CSF components (xc,rest and Deltatimesc), inference of DeltaCBV/CBV from DeltaVASO/VASO is severely limited.
Transrectal Prostate Biopsy Inside Closed MRI Scanner with Remote Actuation, under Real-Time Image Guidance

We present the proof-of-concept prototype of a prostate biopsy robot to be used inside a conventional high-field MRI scanner. A three degree-of-freedom (DOF) mechanical device translates and rotates inside the rectum and enters a needle into the body, and steers the needle to a target point preselected by the user. The device is guided by real-time images from the scanner. Networked computers process the medical images and enable the clinician to control the motion of the mechanical device that is operated remotely from outside the imager. The system is also applicable to localized prostate therapy and also demonstrates potential in other intra-cavitary procedures.
Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren: Family Structure and Well-Being in Culturally Diverse Families.

Purpose: This study addressed well-being of grandmothers raising grandchildren in coparenting and custodial households in a sample of African American, Latino, and White grandmothers. Design and Methods: A sample of 1,058 grandmothers was recruited through the schools and media. Grandmothers raising or helping to raise school-aged grandchildren in Los Angeles were interviewed, and analyses were conducted within ethnic groups. Results: African American grandmothers experienced equal well-being in coparenting and custodial families; however, if the stresses related to the parents’ problems were removed by statistical control, they favored the custodial arrangement. Latino grandmothers had greater well-being in coparenting families, reflecting a tradition of intergenerational living. White custodial grandmothers experienced somewhat higher levels of affect (positive and negative) but showed no difference in other types of well-being. Implications: The cultural lens through which grandparenthood is viewed has a marked impact on the adaptation to custodial or coparenting family structures.
Besifloxacin Ophthalmic Suspension, 0.6%: a Novel Topical Fluoroquinolone for Bacterial Conjunctivitis

Acute bacterial conjunctivitis, the most common cause of conjunctivitis, is responsible for approximately 1% of all primary-care consultations. Of the topical ophthalmic antibiotics used to treat acute bacterial conjunctivitis, fluoroquinolones are especially useful because they possess a broad antibacterial spectrum, are bactericidal in action, are generally well tolerated, and have been less prone to development of bacterial resistance. Besifloxacin, the latest advanced fluoroquinolone approved for treating bacterial conjunctivitis, is the first fluoroquinolone developed specifically for topical ophthalmic use. It has a C-8 chlorine substituent and is known as a chloro-fluoroquinolone. Besifloxacin possesses relatively balanced dual-targeting activity against bacterial topoisomerase IV and DNA gyrase (topoisomerse II), two essential enzymes involved in bacterial DNA replication, leading to increased potency and decreased likelihood of bacterial resistance developing to besifloxacin. Microbiological data suggest a relatively high potency and rapid bactericidal activity for besifloxacin against common ocular pathogens, including bacteria resistant to other fluoroquinolones, especially resistant staphylococcal species. Randomized, double-masked, controlled clinical studies demonstrated the clinical efficacy of besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% administered three-times daily for 5 days to be superior to the vehicle alone and similar to moxifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.5% for bacterial conjunctivitis. In addition, besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% administered two-times daily for 3 days was clinically more effective than the vehicle alone for bacterial conjunctivitis. Besifloxacin has also been shown in preclinical animal studies to be potentially effective for the “off-label” treatment of infections following ocular surgery, prophylaxis of endophthalmitis, and the treatment of bacterial keratitis. Taken together, clinical and preclinical animal studies indicate that besifloxacin is an important new option for the treatment of ocular infections.
Multiple beam synthesis of low sidelobe patterns in lens fed arrays

Low sidelobes in lens fed multibeam arrays present some unique problems. The technique of synthesizing low sidelobe patterns by the superposition of multiple orthogonal beams offers several advantages, particularly in lens fed arrays. It is shown that the Taylor line-source distribution is a superposition of multiple orthogonal beams. It is further shown that use of only three beams provides patterns close to the exact Taylor pattern for theoretical sidelobe levels as low as -43 dB. In an experimental implementation of the technique, sidelobe levels of -29.9 dB have been measured using three central beamports in a lens fed multibeam array. Over a 10-percent band, -28 dB levels were maintained. Trimming array cables to eliminate random phase errors lowered the sidelobe levels to -32.6 dB over a narrow band.
Handcrafted multilayer PDMS microchannel scaffolds for peripheral nerve regeneration

Injuries that result in the loss of limb functionality may be caused by the severing of the peripheral nerves within the affected limb. Several bioengineered peripheral nerve scaffolds have been developed in order to provide the physical support and topographical guidance necessary for the naturally disorganized axon outgrowth to reattach to distal nerve stumps as an alternative to other procedures, like nerve grafting. PDMS has been chosen for the base material of the scaffolds due to its biocompatibility, flexibility, transparency, and well-developed fabrication techniques. The process of observing the axon outgrowth across the nerve gaps with PDMS scaffolds has been challenging due to the limited number and fineness of longitudinal sections that can be extracted from harvested nerve tissue samples after implantation. To address this, multilayer microchannel scaffolds were developed with the object of providing more refined longitudinal observation of axon outgrowth by longitudinally 'sectioning' the device during fabrication, removing the need for much of the sample preparation process. This device was then implanted into the sciatic nerves of Lewis rats, and then harvested after two and four weeks to analyze the difference in nerve regeneration between two different time periods. The present layer by layer structure, which is separable after nerve regeneration and is treated as an individual layer during the histology process, provides the details of biological events during axonal regeneration. Confocal microscopic imaging showed the details of peripheral nerve regeneration including nerve branches and growth cones observable from within the microchannels of the multilayer PDMS microchannel scaffolds.
Prolongation of Mouse Skin Allograft by Splenectomy and Lymphnodectomy Following Transplantation

Combined splenectomy (SPLX) and lymphnodectomy (LX) resulted in significant graft prolongation when performed 5 through 9 days after transplantation. Peak prolongation was produced when SPLX and LX were done 8 days after skin allografting. SPLX and LX used in combination with dexamethasone, antilymphocyte serum, sublethal whole body irradiation, or thymectomy increase graft survival more than any treatment alone. Spleen and regional lymph node cells taken at various intervals after allografting were used to examine the mechanism by which SPLX and LX extend graft life. Spleen cells showed no change in reaction to PHA throughout the experimental period, however background stimulation was at a maximum 2 through 6 days after grafting. Regional lymph node cells showed a significant increase in PHA stimulatable cells on days 8 and 12 respectively. In addition, background stimulation of lymph node cells showed a peak on day 8 corresponding to maximum graft prolongation obtained with SPLX and LX on day 8. These r...
TERRA-LM Sensitivity Tests: Falkenberg 2

In this work, are showed the results of sensitivity tests carried out on 1D version of TERRA-LM code (for further details about physical parameterization and code of TERRA-LM, see Technical Reports "Descrizione del soil-module TERRA-LM" and "Studio e valutazione dei possibili miglioramenti apportabili a Terra-LM tramite il confronto con altri modelli SVAT").
Economic Control of Groundwater Reserves

Sequential decision theory is used to develop a framework for derivation of optimal groundwater policies focused on temporal allocation. The primary criterion of choice is expected present value of net output from the basin, and dispersion of net output is introduced as a secondary consideration. The expected‐present‐value function and its associated rate‐of‐use function under an optimal policy are discussed in the context of net social benefit as prerequisites to an economic solution to the problems of commonality encountered in the use of water from groundwater basins.
Education and Women's Empowerment: Evidence from Nigeria

To study the effect of education on women’s empowerment in Nigeria, we employ the variation in the intensity of funding of universal primary education program introduced in Nigeria in 1976 as a source of variation when identifying the individual’s years of schooling. The analysis suggests that increasing female education by one year significantly increases women’s empowerment by about 10 percentage points, statistically significant at one percent. We also exploit the difference- in-differences methodology that looks at the differences in program exposure by region and year of birth. The Universal primary education had impact on educational attainment in Nigeria. Subsequently, we found positive effects of education on women’s empowerment but not statistically significant.
Determination of structure and properties of molecular crystals from first principles.

ConspectusUntil recently, it had been impossible to predict structures of molecular crystals just from the knowledge of the chemical formula for the constituent molecule(s). A solution of this problem has been achieved using intermolecular force fields computed from first principles. These fields were developed by calculating interaction energies of molecular dimers and trimers using an ab initio method called symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) based on density-functional theory (DFT) description of monomers [SAPT(DFT)]. For clusters containing up to a dozen or so atoms, interaction energies computed using SAPT(DFT) are comparable in accuracy to the results of the best wave function-based methods, whereas the former approach can be applied to systems an order of magnitude larger than the latter. In fact, for monomers with a couple dozen atoms, SAPT(DFT) is about equally time-consuming as the supermolecular DFT approach. To develop a force field, SAPT(DFT) calculations are performed for a large nu...
Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project: A Long-Term, Landscape-Scale, Collaborative Forest Management Research Project

The Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP) is a long-term, landscape-scale study that exemplifies a model of forest research emphasizing interagency and multidiscipline collaboration. Established in 1989 in the Ozark Highlands of southeastern Missouri, MOFEP uses a randomized complete block design to test the effects of three forest management systems (even-aged management, uneven-aged management, and no-harvest management) on response variables across a range of disciplines. Within this overarching experimental design, other studies have been nested to address specific research questions across spatial and temporal scales. This project is driven by management needs and is designed to evaluate the effects of forest management systems practiced by a state agency, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), on an operational scale. Treatments are applied with entries at 15-year intervals over the course of the project’s planned 100-year rotation length. To date, MOFEP has produced over 65 publications in peer-reviewed journals from scientists at federal, state, academic, and nonprofit organizations. This project is unique in that it is supported and maintained by a state agency, with keys to success including long-term commitment of resources and personnel, communication of results to scientific and management communities, and collaboration among and within those communities.
Routing aspects of electric vehicle drivers and their effects on network performance

This study investigates the routing aspects of battery electric vehicle (BEV) drivers and their effects on the overall traffic network performance. BEVs have unique characteristics such as range limitation, long battery recharging time, and recuperation of energy lost during the deceleration phase if equipped with regenerative braking system (RBS). In addition, the energy consumption rate per unit distance traveled is lower at moderate speed than at higher speed. This raises two interesting questions: (i) whether these characteristics of BEVs will lead to different route selection compared to conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), and (ii) whether such route selection implications of BEVs will affect the network performance. With the increasing market penetration of BEVs, these questions are becoming more important. This study formulates a multi-class dynamic user equilibrium (MCDUE) model to determine the equilibrium flows for mixed traffic consisting of BEVs and ICEVs. A simulation-based solution procedure is proposed for the MCDUE model. In the MCDUE model, BEVs select routes to minimize the generalized cost which includes route travel time, energy related costs and range anxiety cost, and ICEVs to minimize route travel time. Results from numerical experiments illustrate that BEV drivers select routes with lower speed to conserve and recuperate battery energy while ICEV drivers select shortest travel time routes. They also illustrate that the differences in route choice behavior of BEV and ICEV drivers can synergistically lead to reduction in total travel time and the network performance towards system optimum under certain conditions.
Self-adaptive optimum control strategy of fuel quality in fossil-fired unit

The variation of fuel quality has great influence on the automatic generation control(AGC) regulation performance.The regulation quality doesn't meet the requirement of dispatching center.Based on fuel flow control of boiler following mode,the influence of fuel variation on AGC regulation performance was analyzed.The condition of AGC fast load change was derived.A real calorific value correction system and a correction method of fuel calorific value based on the relationship between load and criterion fuel rate were proposed.The method was applied in a 1 000 MW unit.The results of AGC evaluation show that the method improves the regulation performance of AGC obviously.It has widely application value.
Investigation on Hospital Infection of Newborn Skin

[Objective]To investigate the causes of hospital infection of newborn skin and its control measures.[Methods]Totally 4863 pediatric inpatients of newborns in Zhongyuan Oil Field General Hospital from January 2001—December 2008 were investigated.[Results]A total of 347 cases of newborn skin hospital infection were diagnosed,accounted for 7.69%;infections mainly focus on neonatal omphalitis and neonatal impetigo(157 cases).The main pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus,Escherichia coli,B Streptococcus and Staphylococcus epidermidis.[Conclusion]Newborn skin is characterized by the internal causes of neonatal skin infections,environmental factors are external factors;working staff,families of mothers and newborns play a pivotal role in the neonatal infections.
Effect of intrauterine devices on endometrial mucopolysaccharides in the cow.

Polyethylene spirals were inserted through the cervix into one or both uterine horns of parous Holstein dairy cattle during estrus. Most of the cows were killed at 3 days post estrus after the spirals had been in utero for 13-131 days. Endometrial samples were excised from the following locations in IUD cows: directly underneath the turns of the spiral; between the turns of the spiral; 6-10 cm anterior and/or posterior to the spiral. All mucopolysaccharides constituents were consistently higher in spiral areas than in nonspiral areas. Hexosamine and uronic acid concentrations in the endometrium determined chemically were nearly doubled in the spiral areas indicating accumulation of mucopolysaccharides(MPS). The effect of the IUD was localized. Endometrial MPS concentrations were also high in the spiral areas of 3 pregnant cows where the IUD was in the uterine horn opposite the developing fetus. MPS concentrations in 9 nonspiral cows killed during the estrous cycle were similar to those of nonspiral areas in IUD cows. Endometrial tissue in the area of the spirals was mildly inflamed.
Biohydrogen Production from Agricultural Biomass and Organic Wastes

With increasing demand for energy, depleting primary energy sources (i.e., coal and oil), and deteriorating environment, the efficient use and conservation of existing resources along with the production of energy from alternative nonconventional sources such as biomass have become essential. Hydrogen is a clean energy form with no emissions that can be used for generation of electricity or as fuel for transportation purposes. The production of hydrogen from lignocellulosic biomass or biohydrogen is a very promising energy form, and its role as an energy carrier in the future energy market is considered of major importance. Biohydrogen production from organic sources such as energy crops, agricultural residues, or organic waste seems very promising as it fulfills the basic sustainability criteria compared to conventional energy type. The technology for biomass conversion to biohydrogen has advanced in recent years and ensures relatively high volumes of production. Nevertheless, the production of biohydrogen shows a wide variation which can be largely explained by differences in substrate characteristics and operational conditions. Hence, attention needs to focus on sustainability issues concerning the production of the biomass, the standardization of the operational parameters, and the logistics of biohydrogen cycle production.
A High-Performance Double Differential OFDM UWB Receiver

Ultra-wideband (UWB) radio has unique features and is one of the most promising broadband wireless technologies of our times. In this paper, we investigate an OFDM UWB receiver based on single and double differential modulation/demodulation schemes. Since differential detection eliminates the need for channel estimation, it is a highly attractive option where simplicity and robustness of implementation are desired. However, differential detection suffers from a performance gap when compared to coherent detection with perfect channel knowledge at the receiver. We show that this gap is quite small when channel estimation is taken into consideration for the coherent system. Moreover, in the presence of frequency offset, a double- differential system can outperform a coherent system. We also investigate a differential space-time block-coded system based on the Alamouti scheme, and analyze its performance for the UWB environment.
The Math Emporium: Effective for whom, and for what?

This study explores three aspects of a math emporium (ME), a model for offering introductory level college mathematics courses through the use of software and computer laboratories. Previous research shows that math emporia are generally effective in terms of improving final exam scores and passing rates. However, most research on math emporia does not investigate 1) whether the emporium serves certain populations differently than others, 2) the nature of mathematical learning that occurs in the ME, or 3) how the emporium is perceived by the enrolled students. In this paper, we used mixed methods to investigate each of these aspects in the case of a single ME serving nearly 300 intermediate algebra students. We found that the emporium appeared to best serve students with higher math achievement, who enjoyed mathematics, and who spent more time taking their exams. In terms of mathematical learning, the emporium appeared to improve students’ ability to recall and use formulas for familiar problem types, but had limited impact in terms of developing meaning for symbols or flexibility in solving unfamiliar tasks. In addition, students expressed mixed feeling about the autonomy provided by the structure of the emporium.
Non-C^{2} ES

This chapter introduces a form of extremum seeking (ES) whose control effort settles to zero as the system’s trajectory approaches equilibrium.
Emotion dysregulation and threat-related attention bias variability

Although theory suggests that a bias for attending to threat information (ABT) may be a biobehavioral process underlying the transdiagnostic vulnerability factor of emotion dysregulation, there is a paucity of empirical evidence showing direct associations between emotion dysregulation and ABT. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relation between ABT and emotion dysregulation. Participants (N = 200) completed a battery of self-report questionnaires and a modified dot-probe task with both neutral and threat stimuli and four stimulus presentation durations. Task response times were used to examine traditionally calculated ABT scores, as well as attention bias variability (ABV). As predicted, those with greater emotion dysregulation exhibited greater ABV. Importantly, emotion dysregulation was not associated with response time variability on trials for which only neutral stimuli were presented, thus increasing confidence that emotion dysregulation-related ABV is specific to the presence of threat stimuli and not merely a function of general variability in response times. Results suggest that those with greater emotion dysregulation exhibit attentional dyscontrol in the presence of perceived threat that is characterized by dynamic shifts between vigilance and avoidance.
Sophisticated technologies: taking root in developing countries

Of the world's 5 billion plus population, 80% live in intermediate or low–income countries. Is it possible for these countries to become technologically self–sufficient, and eventually to become technology donors? The answer, says the author, is technology transfer based on the development of true value–added processes. Appropriately applied, such processes become vehicles for the technological and industrial transformation or entire economies. Indonesia is taken as a case in point.
Inactivation of Planktonic Escherichia coli by Focused 2-MHz Ultrasound

This study was motivated by the desire to develop a non-invasive means to treat abscesses, and represents the first steps toward that goal. Non-thermal, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) was used to inactivate Escherichia coli (∼1 × 109 cells/mL) in suspension. Cells were treated in 96-well culture plate wells using 1.95-MHz ultrasound and incident focal acoustic pressures as high as 16 MPa peak positive and 9.9 MPa peak negative (free field measurements). The surviving fraction was assessed by coliform culture and the alamarBlue assay. No biologically significant heating was associated with ultrasound exposure. Bacterial inactivation kinetics were well described by a half-life model, with a half-time of 1.2 min. At the highest exposure levels, a 2log inactivation was typically achieved within 10 min. The free field-equivalent peak negative acoustic pressure threshold for inactivation was ∼7 MPa. At the highest acoustic pressures used, inactivation efficacy was insensitive to reciprocal changes in pulse length and pulse repetition frequency at constant duty factor. Although treated volumes were very small, proof of principle was provided by these experiments.
The Battle of Shangganling, Korea, October-November 1952

The six-week-long Battle of Shangganling (known to the Americans as Operation SHOWDOWN), demonstrated the increasing military effectiveness of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army ( CPVA ) in the Korean War. The CPVA intervention in October and November 1950 had deprived the American-led United Nations Command ( UNC ) of an almost certain victory and set the outcome of the Korean War in strategic limbo. After five Chinese-led campaigns and several U.S. Eighth Army counteroffensives, the battle lines stabilized with the CPVA still exposed to American firepower from the ground and air. Prolonged negotiations to settle the conflict (begun in July 1951) gave Chinese armies the opportunity to rearm, reform, and establish a competitive tactical method. Both sides deadlocked over the issue of prisoner repatriation in the spring of 1952, leading a frustrated UNC to seek to inflict enough damage on Chinese armies while seizing key terrain to make them more likely to accept demands for voluntary repatriation. SHOWDOWN’s failure convinced American leaders that the military power then available in the Korean theater could not settle the war. The Chinese experience at Shangganling produced a similar lesson and further validated the CPVA ’s doctrine and technique that permitted them to resist the UNC ’s coercive approach.
Deep convolutional neural networks for classifying head and neck cancer using hyperspectral imaging

Surgical cancer resection requires an accurate and timely diagnosis of the cancer margins in order to achieve successful patient remission. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) has emerged as a useful, noncontact technique for acquiring spectral and optical properties of tissue. A convolutional neural network (CNN) classifier is developed to classify excised, squamous-cell carcinoma, thyroid cancer, and normal head and neck tissue samples using HSI. The CNN classification was validated by the manual annotation of a pathologist specialized in head and neck cancer. The preliminary results of 50 patients indicate the potential of HSI and deep learning for automatic tissue-labeling of surgical specimens of head and neck patients.
My Vocational Situation: Normative, Psychometric, and Comparative Data

The purpose of this study was twofold. One goal was to add to the normative and psychometric data concerning Holland's My Vocational Situation (MVS). The second goal was to add to the construct val...