cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accelerated testing for time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) evaluation of embedded DRAM capacitors using tantalum pentoxide

Abstract Mechanisms of breakdown in Ta 2 O 5 are evaluated by studying the leakage and TDDB characteristics, and a model close to those widely accepted for SiO 2 is suggested. Various statistical modeling approaches are evaluated and used to verify this breakdown model. Accelerated testing techniques are also outlined that can dramatically improve parameter estimates while slashing reliability test times.
Viscosity of cadmium mixed halide glasses

Abstract A small volume cell was used to obtain the high temperature viscosity of fluid, easily devitrified glass melts. This cell was used to obtain the high temperature viscosity of cadmium halide glass compositions identified for use in optical waveguide amplifier fibers. Low temperature viscosities were obtained using beam bending methods; the resulting viscosity data were fitted by the Cohen-Grest equation. From these findings, the optimum fiber draw region was identified. The fragility of these glasses, relative to other halide glasses will be discussed.
Nonlinear Fault Diagnosis based on RBF with Sliding Window Error Feedback

Nonlinear fault diagnosis is one of the difficulties in fault diagnosis field. The paper presents the nonlinear fault estimator based on RBF with sliding window error feedback for a class of nonlinear system. The input of estimator is input and output of the system, and the output is the fault estimate. The neural network weight adjusting algorithm adopts sliding window error feedback, which enforces the amount of fault information and speed up the convergence. The paper analyses the robustness of algorithm and the window length influence upon fault estimate, gives the variable window length strategy, and qualitatively presents a method of choosing window length. The simulation results prove that the method improves greatly the response speed and accuracy in fault diagnosis under the circumstances of choosing the proper window length.
Biennial screening mammography is cost effective in healthy women aged over 65 years

Abstract Question What is the cost-effectiveness of screening mammography in women over 65 years old? Study design Systematic review with narrative synthesis. Main results Ten studies, out of 115 identified, met inclusion criteria. Studies had similar cost-effectiveness findings; extending biennial screening to ages 75–80 years cost, on average, $34,000–$88,000 per life year gained compared with stopping screening at age 65 (adjusted to 2002 US dollars). Two studies found breast cancer screening less effective at reducing mortality in women with significant comorbidities (dementia, congestive heart failure, or hypertension), thus reducing the cost-effectiveness of screening in this population. No study fully adjusted for potential harms of screening. Authors’ conclusions In women aged over 65 years without serious comorbidity, biennial breast cancer screening reduces mortality at reasonable costs.
Esophageal Carcinoma: An Aggressive Approach

Abstract During a 3-year period, 45 patients with esophageal carcinoma (18 of the lower and 27 of the middle third) underwent esophagectomy and esophagogastrostomy. All patients were considered to be in Stage I and Stage II preoperatively, but at the time of operation, 66% were found to have Stage III disease. All patients underwent mobilization of the stomach through a laparotomy, and resection of the esophagus and reconstruction of the continuity of the gastrointestinal tract through a separate right lateral thoracotomy incision. Following operation, 22 patients (10, Stage I and II and 12, Stage III) received no radiotherapy and 23 patients (5, Stage I and II and 18, Stage III) received radiotherapy. Two patients died in the immediate postoperative period, for a surgical mortality of 4.8%. Because of the acceptable survival and enhancement of quality of life, esophagectomy and esophagogastrostomy should be offered not only to Stage I and II patients with esophageal carcinoma but also to selected patients with Stage III disease and those with lower and middle third esophageal lesions.
Stakeholder welfare and firm value

Abstract Using data from the independent social choice investment advisory firm Kinder, Lydenberg, Domini (KLD), we construct a stakeholder welfare score measuring the extent to which firms meet the expectation of their non-shareholder stakeholders (such as employees, customers, communities, and environment), and find it to be associated with positive valuation effects: an increase of 1 in the stakeholder welfare score leads to an increase of 0.587 in Tobin’s Q . Furthermore, the valuation effects vary across stakeholders and the aforementioned positive effects are driven by firms’ performance on employee relations and environmental issues. These results suggest that stakeholder welfare (in particular, employee welfare and environmental performance) represents intangibles (such as reputation or human capital) crucial for shareholder value creation rather than private benefits managers pursue for their own social or economic needs.
Insulin strategies for managing inpatient and outpatient hyperglycemia and diabetes.

Optimal fasting and postprandial glycemic control are essential to limiting microvascular and macrovascular complications associated with diabetes. Recently, stringent control of hyperglycemia in critically ill hospitalized patients with diabetes or acute hyperglycemia has been shown to reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality. This article reviews effective strategies for insulin initiation, titration, and intensification in inpatient and outpatient settings and discusses current treatment strategies when patients are being transitioned from the intensive care unit to general wards and discharged. The development of insulin analogs and premixed insulin analogs has created new options for treating inpatients and outpatients. The more physiologic time-action profiles, improved insulin delivery systems, and standardized protocols for subcutaneous insulin administration and intravenous insulin infusion have improved the safety and convenience of insulin therapy. Mt Sinai J Med 75:558–566, © 2008 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
A close look at the IFO data model

The IFO data model was proposed by Abiteboul and Hull [Abiteboul 87] as a formalized semantic database model. It has been claimed by the authors that the model subsumes the Relational model [Codd 70], the Entity-Relationship model [Chen 76], the Functional Data Model [Kerschberg 76] and virtually all of the structured aspects of the Semantic Data Model [Hammer 81], the INSYDE Model [King 85], and the Extended Semantic Hierarchy Model [Brodie 84].This paper examines the IFO data model as presented in [Abiteboul 87], compares it to other models, and thus concludes that the IFO data model is actually a subset of the Semantic Data Model proposed by Hammer in [Hammer 81]. The paper also shows that the IFO data model has failed to support concepts that are essential to both the E-R model and the Semantic Data Model which are claimed to be subsumed by the IFO model.Section 2 discusses the three IFO constructs, objects, fragments, and relationships. The mapping of these constructs to constructs in the Semantic Data Model is established as an informal proof of the result that the IFO model is subsumed by the SDM.Section 3 lists constructs supported by the Entity-Relationship model [Chen 76, Teorey 86] as will as constructs supported by SDM [Hammer 81]that the IFO data model fails to support.
Comparing Principal Components Analyses of Evoked Potentials Recorded from Heterogeneous Groups of Subjects

Principal components analysis of evoked potentials differing between groups presents an interpretive problem, particularly in psychiatric research. Two sets of principal components and associated factor scores may appear to differ. The issue is to determine the extent to which visually differing principal components and resultant factor scores span the same factor space. Sets of evoked potentials from controls and from schizophrenics were each subjected to principal components analysis, from which factor score coefficients were computed for all subjects. This allowed determination of the extent to which (1) the two sets of basis waves were similar and (2) the factor scores resulting from the set of basis waves derived from principal components analysis of the control subjects' evoked potential data adequately represented those of the schizophrenics and vice-versa. Canonical correlation analyses indicated substantial similarities between the principal component structures (sets of basis waves). Multiple correlational analyses confirmed that the basis waves from either group spanned the other group's factor space. Factor scores from either set of basis waves were highly correlated. These results suggest that principal component structures derived from evoked potentials of a control group may be used in computing evoked potential factor scores of psychiatrically diverse populations even though the average evoked potentials of the groups may differ in several ways.
Physical properties and biological activity of poly(butyl acrylate-styrene) nanoparticle emulsions prepared with conventional and polymerizable surfactants.

Recent efforts in our laboratory have explored the use of polyacrylate nanoparticles in aqueous media as stable emulsions for potential applications in treating drug-resistant bacterial infections. These emulsions are made by emulsion polymerization of acrylated antibiotic compounds in a mixture of butyl acrylate and styrene (7:3 wt/wt) using sodium dodecyl sulfate as a surfactant. Prior work in our group established that the emulsions required purification to remove toxicity associated with extraneous surfactant present in the media. This article summarizes our investigations of poly(butyl acrylate-styrene) emulsions made using anionic, cationic, zwitterionic, and noncharged (amphiphilic) surfactants, as well as attachable surfactant monomers (surfmers), comparing the cytotoxicity and microbiological activity levels of the emulsion both before and after purification. Our results show that the attachment of a polymerizable surfmer onto the matrix of the nanoparticle neither improves nor diminishes cytotoxic or antibacterial effects of the emulsion, whether or not the emulsions are purified, and that the optimal properties are associated with the use of the nonionic surfactants versus those carrying anionic, cationic, or zwitterionic charge. Incorporation of an N-thiolated β-lactam antibacterial agent onto the nanoparticle matrix via covalent attachment endows the emulsion with antibiotic properties against pathogenic bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, without changing the physical properties of the nanoparticles or their emulsions. From the Clinical Editor: Emulsions of polyacrylate nanoparticles, antibiotics and surfactants were studied using surfactant monomers as controls. Nonionic surfactants resulted in the most optimal properties. Incorporation of a beta-lactam antibacterial agent onto the nanoparticle matrix endowed the emulsion with antibiotic properties against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a leading cause of hospital acquired, treatment-resistant infections including sepsis.
Coordinated molecular control of otic capsule differentiation: Functional role of Wnt5a signaling and opposition by sfrp3 activity

Wnt proteins constitute one of the major families of secreted ligands that function in developmental signaling, however, little is known of the role of Wnt5a during inner ear development. It is hypothesized that Wnt5a acts as a mediator of chondrogenesis in the developing otic capsule, a cartilaginous structure that surrounds the developing inner ear and presages the formation of the endochondral bony labyrinth. We report the pattern of expression of Wnt5a protein and mRNA in the developing mouse inner ear using immunohistochemistry, whole-mount in situ hybridization and RT-PCR, and the ability of exogenous Wnt5a to stimulate otic capsule chondrogenesis when added to high-density cultures of periotic mesenchyme containing otic epithelium (periotic mesenchyme + otic epithelium), a well-established model of otic capsule formation. We show that in the presence of secreted frizzled related protein 3 (sfrp3), a Wnt antagonist expressed in the developing inner ear, or Wnt5a-specific antisense oligonucleotide, which diminishes endogenous Wnt5a, otic capsule chondrogenesis is suppressed in culture. We determined by histological analysis and aggrecan immunoreactivity that chondrogenic differentiation is disturbed in Wnt5a null embryos, and provide evidence that the periotic mesenchyme + otic epithelium harvested from Wnt5a null mice is compromised in its ability to differentiate into cartilage when interacted in culture. We propose a model whereby sfrp3 and Wnt5a act antagonistically to ensure appropriate patterns of chondrogenesis and provide coordinated control of otic capsule formation. Our findings support Wnt5a and sfrp3 as regulators of otic capsule formation in the developing mouse inner ear.
Leslie Satin and the Dance of Memory

O ne of the first dances I saw by Leslie Satin, Walking the Plankton in Santa Fe, in 1980, upended much of what I thought I knew about dance. It also brought me into dance criticism. She and I were both much younger then, both products of American university arts education (in my case art history in California in the late 1960s; in her case dance in New York in the early 1970s). What continues to astonish me is that I can still recapture the tone of that "Plankton" dance-its playful, punning title, the structural complexity of its movement themes, its real-world references to divers and diving boards, its dance abstraction. And there was the indisputable materiality of its planks: those pine boards, hefted about by the dancers, defining, redefining, and carving up space, that slotted right into my intense interest in minimalist sculpture. Out of that meeting and shared dance-art connections, our long-lived friendship arose.
A linear systolic algorithm and architecture for convex bipartite matching

This paper describes the design of a linear systolic array algorithm and a VLSI architecture for finding the maximum matching in a convex bipartite graph. The design is based on a systolic architecture that fully utilizes the principles of pipelining and parallelism in order to obtain high speed and throughput. The architecture is scalable and the algorithm is partitionable, i.e., large size problems can be partitioned and executed on a fixed sized array. The PE organization is simple and the architecture does not require any local or global memory. The proposed hardware could be used in various applications such as logic synthesis and channel routing in VLSI CAD, collision avoidance in robotics etc. The proposed chip is estimated to operate at a frequency of 100 MHz based on 1-micron SCMOS technology.
Incompatible Visions of Supra-Nationalism : National Identity in Turkey and the European Union

debates over European identity in relation to Turkey’s possible accession to the EU receive substantial coverage in the popular media and in the scholarly community (1). However, little attention has so far been paid to Turkey’s national identity, as it is officially institutionalized at all levels of the state apparatus, in relation to its compatibility with the vision of a collective European identity. In Turkey, the proportion of those who think EU membership would be a ‘‘good thing’’ has fallen to well below half the population, indicating the urgency of discussing perceptions of Europe from Turkey’s point of view (2). The issue of European-Turkish compatibility in terms of identity politics is almost always discussed from the European point of view (3). Whether the narrative of Turkish national identity is amenable to being incorporated into a European supra-nationalism is not discussed. Has there been an identity dimension to Turkey’s pursuit of EU membership from the
The effects of pollen limitation on population dynamics of snow lotus ( Saussurea medusa and S. laniceps , Asteraceae): Threatened Tibetan medicinal plants of the eastern Himalayas

Pollen limitation reduces seed production and may reduce plant population growth rate. Plants may be particularly prone to pollen limitation if they require pollinators, occur at high elevation, and have human-mediated reductions in plant density due to harvesting. We found that two rare monocarpic Tibetan plant species, known as the Himalayan Snow Lotus, both require pollinators and that seed production in Saussurea medusa (Asteraceae) but not S. laniceps is limited by pollen receipt. We created deterministic and stochastic stage-structured matrix models for S. medusa, and found that pollen supplementation significantly increases population growth rate. However, even when pollen is not limiting, S. medusa is likely at risk for extinction in the next 50 years. Our results for this monocarpic plant differ from other population studies on pollen limitation in polycarpic plant species since the magnitude of pollen limitation for seed production was relatively low, and yet the sensitivity of population growth to changes in seed production was relatively high.
Cambridge Illustrated History of Archaeology, edited by Paul G. Bahn, Cambridge University Press, New York, 1996

The Cambridge Illustrated History of Archaeology is another in a series of volumes devoted to the history of archaeology that have appeared in recent time. Paul Bahn, the editor of the volume, has broken down his coverage of the history of worldwide archaeology into the following arrangement 'The Archaeology of Archaeology", "Old Worlds and New, 1500-1760", "Antiquarians and Explorers, 1760-1820", "Science and Romanticism, 1820-1860", "The Search for Human Origins, 1860-1920", "Archaeology Comes of Age, 1920-1960", "New Techniques and Competing Philosophies, 1960-1990",and "Current Controversies and Future Trends". Bahn's volume explores many of the major developments in archaeological practice from both in the classical world and was as from the practice of archaeology in the Americas. The volume even gives the reader a glimpse into the origins and growth of archaeology in New Zealand. Of particular interest is coverage of the history of early archaeological efforts having to do with early studies of human origins.
Catalytic Subunit of Protein Kinase A Is an Interacting Partner of the Inflammation-Responsive Transcription Factor Serum Amyloid A-Activating Factor-1

Serum amyloid A-activating factor-1 (SAF-1) is a zinc finger transcription factor that is activated by many mediators of inflammation including IL-1, IL-6, and bacterial LPS. However, the mechanism of activation is not fully understood. To identify possible activation partners for SAF-1, we used a yeast two-hybrid system that detected interaction between the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA-Calpha) and SAF-1. Immunofluorescence and combined immunoprecipitation-Western blot analyses revealed colocalization and interaction between SAF-1 and PKA-Calpha. In vivo evidence of SAF-1 and PKA-Calpha interaction was further revealed by coimmunoprecipitation of these two proteins in cAMP-activated liver cells. We further show that SAF-1 is phosphorylated in vitro by PKA-Calpha and that addition of cAMP markedly induces in vivo phosphorylation of SAF-1 and transcription of SAF-regulated reporter genes. These results showed that SAF1-PKA-Calpha interaction is involved in functional activation of SAF-1.
Intrathecal Rosiglitazone Acts at Peroxisome Proliferator–Activated Receptor-γ to Rapidly Inhibit Neuropathic Pain in Rats

Abstract In this report, we demonstrate the transcription, expression, and DNA-binding properties of the peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR)-γ subtype of the peroxisome proliferator–activated nuclear receptor family to the spinal cord with real-time PCR, Western blot, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay. To test the hypothesis that activation of spinal PPAR-γ decreases nerve injury–induced allodynia, we intrathecally administered PPAR-γ agonists and/or antagonists in rats after transection of the tibial and common peroneal branches of the sciatic nerve. Single injection of either a natural (15-deoxy-prostaglandin J2, 15d-PGJ2) or synthetic (rosiglitazone) PPAR-γ agonist dose-dependently decreased mechanical and cold hypersensitivity. These effects were maximal at a dose of 100 μg and peaked at ∼60 minutes after injection, a rapid time course suggestive of transcription-independent mechanisms of action. Concurrent administration of a PPAR-γ antagonist (bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, BADGE) reversed the effects of 15d-PGJ2 and rosiglitazone, further indicating a receptor-mediated effect. In animals without nerve injury, rosiglitazone did not alter motor coordination, von Frey threshold, or withdrawal response to a cool stimulus. Intraperitoneal and intracerebroventricular administration of PPAR-γ agonists (100 μg) did not decrease mechanical and cold hypersensitivity, arguing against effects subsequent to diffusion from the intrathecal space. We conclude that ligand-induced activation of spinal PPAR-γ rapidly reverses nerve injury–induced mechanical allodynia. New or currently available drugs targeted at spinal PPAR-γ may yield important therapeutic effects for the management of neuropathic pain. Perspective PPAR-γ receptor agonists such as rosiglitazone and pioglitazone are approved as insulin sensitizers by the United States Food and Drug Administration. We demonstrate PPAR-γ expression in the spinal cord and report that activation of these receptors inhibits allodynia. BBB-permeant PPAR-γ agonists may yield important therapeutic effects for the management of neuropathic pain.
Critical gameplay: software studies in computer gameplay

The computer game software with which we interact on a daily basis not only entertains us, it trains us into specific patterns. Critical Gameplay is a design practice which endeavors to expose and redesign the patterns to which standard gameplay subscribes. The ongoing project seeks to identify the dominant values, philosophies and problem solving models reinforced by computer games and provides prototypical alternates to those standards.
SEPARATION OF RABBIT RED CELLS BY DENSITY METHODS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF SEPARATED LAYERS.

Red cells from rabbits (reticulocyte count 1–2%) injected 4–6 days previously with Fe59 were centrifuged in isotonic hypodense media (plasma, buffer, saline) for 30 minutes at 1,600 G and layers were removed to achieve density fractionation. An important criterion of separation was the fractionation ratio (specific activity of hemoglobin in any layer/specific activity of hemoglobin in unfractionated blood) which indicated whether a layer contained mainly “new” or “old” red cells. The most important factor in enhancing the fractionation ratio was the centrifugal force, but time also had an effect. All isotonic media were essentially equivalent, but hypertonic media (sucrose) were quite poor. Dextran and PVP were also not good in promoting density separation. The exact degree of separation achieved by various combinations of conditions is documented, but no system achieves a true equilibrium, as shown by the fact that refractionation can split any fraction into subfractions of higher and lower hemoglobin specific activity. Upper layers were characterized by greater cell size, more reticulocytes, more free cholesterol, phospholipid, and ATP, and a faster rate of glycolysis. The distribution of Fe59 in the fractionated blood was followed serially for up to ten weeks, the most homogeneous distribution being seen only in the first week or two. After that the Fe59 was not sharply restricted to any density fraction. This suggested that the most significant density change takes place as the reticulocyte matures.
A hunter virus that targets both infected cells and HIV free virions: Implications for therapy

The design of ‘hunter’ viruses aimed at destroying human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected cells is an active area of research that has produced promising results in vitro. Hunters are designed to target exposed viral envelope proteins in the membranes of infected cells, but there is evidence that the hunter may also target envelope proteins of free HIV, inducing virus-virus fusion. In order to predict the effects of this fusion on therapy outcomes and determine whether fusion ability is advantageous for hunter virus design, we have constructed a model to account for the possibility of hunter-HIV fusion. The study was based on a target cell-limited model of HIV infection and it examined the hunter therapeutic effect on recovering the HIV main target cells, the activated CD4+ T lymphocytes. These cells assist in setting up an immune response to opportunistic infections. The study analyzed the hunter dual mechanisms to control infection and because of diverse estimates for viral production and clearance of HIV, simulations were examined at rates spanning an order of magnitude. Results indicate that without hunter-HIV fusion ability, hunters that kill HIV-infected cells lead to a substantial recovery of healthy cell population at both low and high HIV turnover rates. When hunter-HIV fusion is included, cell recovery was particularly enhanced at lower HIV turnover rates. This study shows that the fusion ability, in addition to hunter infection ability, could be a favorable attribute for improving the efficacy of hunter-viral therapy. These results provide support for the potential use of engineered viruses to control HIV and other viral infections.
Performance boundaries for prioritized multiplexing systems

Systems in which many data sources are multiplexed over a single communication channel are considered. Data from all the sources are generated in fixed-length packets and are stored in a common buffer with finite capacity. Packets that overflowed or were removed from the buffer prior to transmission are lost. The system performance measure is the set of packet loss probabilities associated with the sources. Queueing disciplines vary depending on the stringency of prioritization and the utilization of the system resources. The set of all possible performances is characterized as we span the set of all queueing disciplines. Whether a given performance is possible can be deduced. Strategies that achieve the minimum overall loss probability are identified. The extreme disciplines are specified, and their performances are calculable by means of a given algorithm.
Preventing Violence on College Campuses

The author examines violence on college campuses by reviewing its types, prevalence, and underlying factors. Institutional responses to prevent campus violence through tertiary, secondary, and primary prevention activities are discussed.
Acute Severe Asthma

Acute severe asthma remains a major economic and health burden. The natural history of acute decompensations is one of resolution and only about 0.4% of patients succumb overall. Mortality in medical intensive care units is higher but is less than 3% of hospital admissions. "Near-fatal" episodes may be more frequent, but precise figures are lacking. However, about 30% of medical intensive care unit admissions require intubation and mechanical ventilation with mortality of 8%. Morbidity and mortality increase with socioeconomic deprivation and ethnicity. Seventy to 80% of patients in emergency departments clear within 2 hours with standardized care. The relapse rate varies between 7 and 15%, depending on how aggressively the patient is treated. The airway obstruction in the 20-30% of people resistant to adrenergic agonists in the emergency department slowly reverses over 36-48 hours but requires intense treatment to do so. Current therapeutic options for this group consist of ipratropium and corticosteroids in combination with beta2 selective drugs. Even so, such regimens are not optimal and better approaches are needed. The long-term prognosis after a near-fatal episode is poor and mortality may approach 10%.
ERK1/2 BLOCKADE PREVENTS EPITHELIAL-MESENCHYMAL TRANSITION IN LUNG CANCER CELLS AND PROMOTES THEIR SENSITIVITY TO EGFR INHIBITION

Overcoming cellular mechanisms of de novo and acquired resistance to drug therapy remains a central challenge in the clinical management of many cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although much work has linked the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer cells to the emergence of drug resistance, it is less clear where tractable routes may exist to reverse or inhibit EMT as a strategy for drug sensitization. Here, we demonstrate that extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 3/1, MAPK3/1) signaling plays a key role in directing the mesenchymal character of NSCLC cells and that blocking ERK signaling is sufficient to heighten therapeutic responses to EGF receptor (EGFR) inhibitors. MEK1/2 (MAPKK1/2) inhibition promoted an epithelial phenotype in NSCLC cells, preventing induction of EMT by exogenous TGF-β. Moreover, in cells exhibiting de novo or acquired resistance to the EGFR inhibitor gefitinib, MEK inhibition enhanced the sensitivity to gefitinib and slowed cell migration. These effects only occurred, however, if MEK was inhibited for a period sufficient to trigger changes in EMT marker expression. Consistent with these findings, changes in EMT phenotypes and markers were also induced by the expression of mutant KRAS in a MEK-dependent manner. Our results suggest that prolonged exposure to MEK or ERK inhibitors may not only restrain EMT but also overcome naive or acquired resistance of NSCLC to EGFR-targeted therapy in the clinic.
Distributed mediation of ambiguous context in aware environments

Many context-aware services make the assumption that the context they use is completely accurate. However, in reality, both sensed and interpreted context is often ambiguous. A challenge facing the development of realistic and deployable context-aware services, therefore, is the ability to handle ambiguous context. In this paper, we describe an architecture that supports the building of context-aware services that assume context is ambiguous and allows for mediation of ambiguity by mobile users in aware environments. We illustrate the use of our architecture and evaluate it through three example context-aware services, a word predictor system, an In/Out Board, and a reminder tool.
Harmonics assessment and mitigation: A case study on an unbalanced stand-alone microgrid integrated with PV

Different from the conventional grid system, the microgrid provides two operation modes: grid-connected and stand-alone. In stand-alone mode, microgrid is also capable of delivering power to customers due to the integration of renewable energy sources and energy storage. However, there are some potential problems with this benefit, such as, harmonic distortion. In order to analyze the harmonic distortion influence on a stand-alone microgrid, a case study was conducted. By building microgrid models in the Matlab/Simulink platform, harmonics can be monitored and assessed. To solve this power quality problem, an active power filter model is integrated to mitigate high frequency harmonics. Simulation results are compared through two proposed indices for power quality measurement: Total Harmonics Distortion (THD) and Whole System Harmonics Distortion Level (WSHDL).
Donor-Specific Antibodies Adversely Affect Kidney Allograft Outcomes

The effect of low titers of donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) detected only by sensitive solid-phase assays (SPAs) on renal transplant outcomes is unclear. We report the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis of rejection rates and graft outcomes for renal transplant recipients with such preformed DSAs, defined by positive results on SPA but negative complement-dependent cytotoxicity and flow cytometry crossmatch results. Our search identified seven retrospective cohort studies comprising a total of 1119 patients, including 145 with isolated DSA-SPA. Together, these studies suggest that the presence of DSA-SPA, despite a negative flow cytometry crossmatch result, nearly doubles the risk for antibody-mediated rejection (relative risk [RR], 1.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36-2.89; P<0.001) and increases the risk for graft failure by 76% (RR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.13-2.74; P=0.01). These results suggest that donor selection should consider the presence of antibodies in the recipient, identified by the SPA, even in the presence of a negative flow cytometry crossmatch result.
ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSFORMATION OF CLASS MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA

This paper addresses a problem that may arise in classification tasks: the design of procedures for matching an instance with a set of criteria for class membership in such a way as to permit the intelligent handling of inexact, as well as exact matches. An inexact match is a comparison between an instance and a set of criteria (or a second instance) which has the result that some, but not all, of the criteria described (or exemplified) in the second are found to be satisfied in the first. An exact match is such a comparison for which all of the criteria of the second are found to be satisfied in the first. The approach presented in this paper is to transform the set of criteria for class membership into an exemplary instance of a member of the class, which exhibits a set of characteristics whose presence is necessary and sufficient for membership in that class. Use of this exemplary instance during the matching process appears to permit important functions associated with inexact matching to be easily performed, and also to have a beneficial effect on the overall efficiency of the matching process.
The Role of Quantitative Infrared Imagery in Investigations of the Nocturnal Boundary Layer

Abstract During the Cooperative Atmospheric–Surface Exchange Study in 1999 (CASES99), an intensive investigation of the stable nocturnal boundary layer, a versatile and sensitive cryogenically cooled thermal imaging radiometer, the Inframetrics PM 380 Thermal Camera, was deployed. The 60-m-high instrumented tower at the central CASES99 site provided the perch from which to survey the instrumented research field. The field of view of 16° (0.28 sr) and an angular resolution of 1/16° (0.0011 sr) enabled a segment of landscape 500 m distant, of approximately 150-m width, to be viewed with a resolution of approximately 0.5 m. Or, looking down from the 50-m level of the tower, a section of the ground surface 15 m on a side could be viewed with a resolution of 5 cm. The surface brightness temperature of any area could be surveyed with a temperature resolution of 0.1°C and a time resolution of 30 Hz. The information obtained from analysis of these thermal images uniquely complemented the data acquired by the more...
Choline and Human Nutrition

Choline is crucial for sustaining life. It modulates the basic signaling processes within cells, is a structural element in membranes, and is vital during critical periods in brain development. Choline metabolism is closely interrelated with the metabolism of methionine and folate. We believe that the normal human diet provides sufficient choline to sustain healthy organ function. However, vulnerable populations may become choline deficient, including the growing infant, the pregnant or lactating woman, the cirrhotic, and the patient fed intravenously. Further studies of choline requirements in these groups are required.
Effect of Adhesive Nano-Additives on Static Load Transfer Capacity and Failure Mode of Bonded Steel-Magnesium Single Lap Joints

An experimental procedure and test setup is used for investigating effect of using nanoparticle additives to the adhesive on the load transfer capacity (LTC) of bonded magnesium (Mg)-steel (St) single lap joints (SLJ). Investigated variables include the nano-powder material (Alumina vs. Silica), particulate size (20 nm vs. 80 nm), and concentration in the adhesive (2.5% wt. vs 5.0 % wt.). Two different levels of surface roughness on the bonded area are used; namely, sanding the bond area with G60 or G180 sand paper. Test data and SEM failure mode analysis are provided.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Nature of the 20Na 2646-keV level and the stellar reaction rate for 19Ne(p, gamma )20Na.

Careful comparison of $^{20}\mathrm{F}$ and $^{20}\mathrm{Na}$, and available data on reactions leading to both, suggests that ${\mathit{J}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\pi}}}$(2646)=${3}^{+}$. Other mirror identifications are indicated and quantities of astrophysical interest are calculated.
Scaling Limits for Mixed Kernels

Let \(\mu \) and \(\nu \) be measures supported on \(\left( -1,1\right) \) with corresponding orthonormal polynomials \(\left\{ p_{n}^{\mu }\right\} \) and \( \left\{ p_{n}^{\nu }\right\} \), respectively. Define the mixed kernel $$\begin{aligned} K_{n}^{{\mu },\nu }\left( x,y\right) =\sum _{j=0}^{n-1}p_{j}^{\mu }\left( x\right) p_{j}^{\nu }\left( y\right) . \end{aligned}$$ We establish scaling limits such as $$\begin{aligned}&\lim _{n\rightarrow \infty }\frac{\pi \sqrt{1-\xi ^{2}}\sqrt{\mu ^{\prime }\left( \xi \right) \nu ^{\prime }\left( \xi \right) }}{n}K_{n}^{\mu ,\nu }\left( \xi +\frac{a\pi \sqrt{1-\xi ^{2}}}{n},\xi +\frac{b\pi \sqrt{1-\xi ^{2}}}{n}\right) \\&\quad =S\left( \frac{\pi \left( a-b\right) }{2}\right) \cos \left( \frac{\pi \left( a-b\right) }{2}+B\left( \xi \right) \right) , \end{aligned}$$ where \(S\left( t\right) =\frac{\sin t}{t}\) is the sinc kernel, and \(B\left( \xi \right) \) depends on \({\mu },\nu \) and \(\xi \). This reduces to the classical universality limit in the bulk when \(\mu =\nu \). We deduce applications to the zero distribution of \(K_{n}^{{\mu },\nu }\), and asymptotics for its derivatives.
INFECTIVITY, DISEASE PATTERNS, AND SEROLOGIC PROFILES OF REOVIRUS SEROTYPES 1, 2, AND 3 IN INFANT AND WEANLING MICE

The oronasal median infectious doses of reovirus serotypes 1, 2, and 3 were established in infant and weanling Sencar mice on the basis of disease expression and seroconversion. Infant mice were susceptible to infection with low doses of all three serotypes, whereas weanling mice were comparatively resistant to infection. Uniform transmission of virus to cagemates or mothers of infants did not occur, indicating low contagiousness of all three virus serotypes. The comparative susceptibility of 2-day-old Sencar mice to disease was examined following oronasal inoculation with reovirus 1, 2, or 3. Tissues were collected on days 3, 5, 7, 9, 14, 16, and 21 after inoculation for virus isolation, histologic examination, and serologic analysis. Disease patterns in infant mice were distinctly different among reovirus serotypes. Reovirus 3 induced severe disease, with focal myocarditis, hepatitis, diffuse encephalitis, and generalized lymphoid depletion, whereas reovirus 1 induced a similar pattern, but much milder disease. In contrast, reovirus 2 induced mild transient enteritis without lesions in other organs. Sera from experimentally infected mice were tested in virus serotype-specific enzyme immunoassays. Cross reactivity of antibody among the three virus serotypes was found, but antibody titers were always highest with the homologous antigen. These studies confirm that infant laboratory mice are susceptible to infection with all three serotypes of virus; weanling mice are comparatively resistant to infection and disease; the viruses induce different patterns of disease in infant mice; and infecting virus serotypes can be distinguished serologically by enzyme immunoassay.
Comparison of left ventricular ejection fraction values obtained using invasive contrast left ventriculography, two-dimensional echocardiography, and gated single-photon emission computed tomography

Objectives:Left ventricular ejection fraction can be measured by a variety of invasive and non-invasive cardiac techniques. This study assesses the relation of three diagnostic modalities to each o...
How the West Can Help

Chapters 4 and 5 have demonstrated that during the past quarter century the major impact of the Soviet Union on the Horn of Africa has been twofold: (1) as an arms supplier and (2) as a Marxist-Leninist political and economic model. The weapons it has delivered to the Horn have set countries against each other and encouraged governments to oppress their people by force. In comparison with what the West has provided, Soviet development aid has been meager and its development advice negative in its consequences. Soviet Marxist-Leninist ideology as espoused by intellectuals and students blighted creative social and economic thinking and inhibited or prevented constructive debate about policies and results. As applied by Horn leaders, Marxism-Leninism has been disastrous in its effect on both the political processes and the economies of Horn countries.
Using Pharmaceuticals to Change Personality: Self-Transformation, Identity, and Authenticity

Opening with a vignette about Francis, who wants to use medications to achieve particular changes in his personality, the paper asks the following: (1) whether his plan involves the use of a biomedical enhancement and, if so, whether this makes his plan morally problematic; (2) whether his plan poses a threat to his identity in a problematic way; and (3) whether his intentions are inauthentic. In response to (1), it is argued that Francis’ plan does involve biomedical enhancement on either of two plausible understandings of the latter concept, but that its status as involving enhancement is not problematic per se. In response to (2), the paper distinguishes numerical and narrative senses of identity and argues that avoiding conflation of these two senses largely neutralizes concerns about enhancement as identity-threatening. In response to (3), the concept of authenticity is analyzed in the service of vindicating the authenticity of Francis’ self-transformation project. The analysis also shows that some self-transformation projects can prove inauthentic due to an agent’s failure to demonstrate sufficient self-respect. Finally, the paper concludes by suggesting redirection of moral attention to certain issues that already confront us.
Introducing a Patient Portal and Electronic Tablets to Inpatient Care.

Although a great deal of information has been published about Web-based portals for outpatients, little is known about the use of this technology among inpatients. In this article, the authors desc...
Two Psychosocial Interventions for Complicated Grief: Review of Principles and Evidence Base

Complicated grief (CG) is a persistent, impairing response to the death of the loved one. CG affects approximately 7% of bereaved individuals and is distinct from other disorders including major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Several theories attempt to explain the phenomenology of CG and underscore the role of maladaptive cognitions about the death, avoidance behavior, insufficient integration of the death into one’s autobiographical memory, poor coping response, and disruption of biobehavioral attachment systems. This chapter will review two evidence-based treatments—cognitive behavior therapy and complicated grief treatment—found effective for the treatment of CG.
Das Last Planner System

Glenn Ballard ist einer der Grosen in der Lean Construction Bewegung und hat in seiner langjahrigen Erfahrung im Bauwesen zahlreiche Projekte beratend begleitet. Er hat das Last Planner System® ursprunglich konzipiert und weltweit bekannt gemacht. In diesem Kapitel erklart Ballard die Funktionsweise des Last Planner Systems® und die Vorteile als Kombination von Kooperation und Visualisierung. Dabei zielt der Last Planner wirklich auf den letzten zu planenden Arbeitsprozess in einem Baugewerk ab, der in der zeitlich ruckwartigen Planung die Vorgaben fur vorhergehende Aufgaben liefert. Ein entscheidendes Argument fur die Arbeit nach dem Last Planner® liegt in der Bereitschaft aller Beteiligten sich zu einem gemeinsam entwickelten Ablaufplan zu bekennen und dafur einzutreten. Auf diesem Weg sichert sich ein Team uber einen gemeinsam entwickelten Ablaufplan die Unterstutzung aller Beteiligter.
Chekhov’s Naturalistic Irony

We have analyzed the plight of the nihilistic writer as he attempts to portray what he considers the hopeless human condition with a mixture, varying with temperament and outlook, of irony and pity. There is no incongruity in his doing so. All the greater is the need for compassion if the writer believes, as do Chekhov and O’Neill, that life is a senseless spectacle and that there is no redemption beyond this mortal span. But if man dies and if he knows that in the end the race is destined to perish, he can still live his life and meet his death with some degree of courage and fortitude. Perhaps men need the pipe dreams to which they cling so tenaciously; perhaps the heroic spirit manifests itself in this very determination to go beyond illusion to “the truth” that man is the sole God, the maker of history, the Promethean builder of society and civilization. Perhaps, as Chekhov seems to say, there is no solution, the fate of the dreams and ideals men cherish is to be shattered, but then all the more reason for a show of compassion and for belief in what E. M. Forster calls “the importance of personal relationships.”1
Cohabitants, Captives, or Trade: The Early Late Woodland Non-Weaver Ceramic Assemblage at the Marseton #2 Weaver Village in Mercer County, Illinois

The Marseton #2 site is a Weaver ring midden in the Mississippi Valley of Mercer County, Illinois, that was buried by a catastrophic flood event a few centuries after the site had been abandoned. A...
Racial disparity in HbA1c persists when fructosamine is used as a surrogate for mean blood glucose in youth with type 1 diabetes.

BACKGROUND Blacks have been reported to have higher hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) than Whites even after adjustment for differences in blood glucose levels. Potentially glucose-independent racial disparity in HbA1c is an artifact of glucose ascertainment methods. In order to test this possibility, we examined the relationship of HbA1c with race after adjustment for concurrent fructosamine level as a surrogate for mean blood glucose (MBG). METHODS Youth with type 1 diabetes self-identified as either Black or White had blood drawn for HbA1c, fructosamine complete blood count, ferritin, and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) at a clinic visit. MBG was calculated as the average of self-monitored capillary glucoses over the preceding 30 days. The effect of race on HbA1c was evaluated in a general linear model adjusting for either MBG or fructosamine, along with other covariates. RESULTS Fructosamine was correlated with both HbA1c (r = 0.73, P < .0001), MBG (r = 0.46, P < .0001), red cell distribution width coefficient of variation (RDW-CV) (r = 0.31, P = .0045), Fe (r = 0.27, P = .017), and sTfR (r = 0.32, P = .0042). HbA1c was approximately 0.7% higher in Blacks than Whites after adjustment for fructosamine along with age, gender, RDW-CV, Fe, sTfR. CONCLUSIONS Blacks tend to have higher HbA1c than Whites even after statistical adjustment for fructosamine levels as a surrogate for MBG. Thus, HbA1c tends to overestimate corresponding MBG or fructosamine levels in Black patients. Racial differences should be taken into consideration when using HbA1c as a guide to diagnosis and therapy of diabetes in mixed-race populations.
Current and Investigational Therapies Used to Alter the Course of Disease in Multiple Sclerosis

ABSTRACT:Extensive research is under way to develop pharmacotherapeutic agents that will prevent the exacerbations and the progression of neurologic disability associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). The most intensive research strategy has involved agents intended to limit demyelination by reducin