cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fuzzy logic extends a general purpose instruction set

By extending the general purpose instruction set of the CPU12 to include four new fuzzy logic instructions, the 16-bit MC68HC12 gains more than an order of magnitude improvement in execution speed for a fuzzy inference program compared to the 8-bit MCS8HC11. Coding is also dramatically simplified by reducing a 250 byte program to about 50 bytes. At the same time, re-use of existing logic in the CPU allows these additions without increasing the die size (and thus cost) of the MCU. The general purpose instruction set provides the means for programming non-fuzzy portions of the embedded control application as well as large portions of the inference program itself. This makes it possible for the fuzzy instructions to be focused on the portions of the fuzzy algorithm where they can produce the most benefits. Any of the specialized fuzzy instructions can be replaced by an alternate algorithm coded with traditional general purpose instructions. This provides a great deal of flexibility not found in hardware approaches.
A preconditioned iterative solver for dynamic simulation of power systems

In this paper the General Minimal Residual (GMRES) is applied for the dynamic simulation of a power system. GMRES is an iterative method belonging to the class of conjugate gradient methods which is well suited for parallelization and easily programmable. When used with an appropriate preconditioner speed ups are considerable compared to the LU factorisation method. Results on a workstation as well as a supercomputer are presented for a 10 machine 39 bus system to illustrate the speed ups.
The enzymatic reduction of nicotinamide N-oxide.

Abstract An enzymatic system which reduces nicotinamide N-oxide to nicotinamide was isolated from hog liver and purified about 280-fold. The reduction is dependent on the presence of reduced diphosphopyridine nucleotide or a low molecular weight constituent found in boiled liver supernatant. The two cofactors appear to be involved in the expression of two distinct enzymatic activities. Evidence has been presented which indicates both activities may be associated with a single protein or enzymatic unit. The DPNH-dependent reaction is the following. H+ + DPNH + nicotinamide N-oxide → DPN+ + nicotinamide + H2O The nature of the supernatant-dependent reaction is not completely understood, since the identity of the compound which is oxidized in the course of reduction of the N-oxide is not known.
Trace element abundances in the Rock Canyon Anticline, Pueblo, Colorado, marine sedimentary section and their relationship to Caribbean plateau construction and oxygen anoxic event 2

[1] Rapid eruption of submarine lava flows during formation of the Caribbean plateau correlates closely with ocean anoxic event 2 (OAE2), which bracketed the Cenomanian/Turonian boundary (∼93.5 Ma). These events also correspond with a positive excursion in carbon isotopic composition of seawater. Hydrothermal activity associated with large-scale submarine volcanism may have been responsible for this abrupt change in ocean chemistry. We determined the distribution of major, minor, and trace element abundances in the Rock Canyon marine sedimentary section (Pueblo, Colorado). After normalizing element concentrations to Zr to remove the variable contribution of terrigenous material to these sediments, we detected an interval of concentrated metal abundance anomalies that coincides with the abrupt beginning of the positive δ13C isotope excursion. The metal abundance anomalies indicate that intermittent hydrothermal activity, in the form of both water/rock exchange and magmatic degassing, introduced large concentrations of trace metals into the Cretaceous ocean at the same time that extinctions of benthic species, turnover in plankton communities, and increases in isotopically light organic carbon burial occurred. The stratigraphic position of this interval of trace metal anomalies matches events associated with OAE2 and indicates that intermittent hydrothermal activity on a massive scale triggered abrupt changes in carbon burial and deep ocean oxygen contents.
Protein Production for Biotechnology

Purified proteins are a starting point for many experimental, therapeutic and commercial applications. Developments in biotechnology have generated a collection of resources to enable production of proteins from a variety of sources. Keywords: protein expression; fusion tag; cell-free
Adverse Events in Robotic Surgery: A Retrospective Study of 14 Years of FDA Data.

Background Use of robotic systems for minimally invasive surgery has rapidly increased during the last decade. Understanding the causes of adverse events and their impact on patients in robot-assisted surgery will help improve systems and operational practices to avoid incidents in the future. Methods By developing an automated natural language processing tool, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the adverse events reported to the publicly available MAUDE database (maintained by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) from 2000 to 2013. We determined the number of events reported per procedure and per surgical specialty, the most common types of device malfunctions and their impact on patients, and the potential causes for catastrophic events such as patient injuries and deaths. Results During the study period, 144 deaths (1.4% of the 10,624 reports), 1,391 patient injuries (13.1%), and 8,061 device malfunctions (75.9%) were reported. The numbers of injury and death events per procedure have stayed relatively constant (mean = 83.4, 95% confidence interval (CI), 74.2–92.7 per 100,000 procedures) over the years. Surgical specialties for which robots are extensively used, such as gynecology and urology, had lower numbers of injuries, deaths, and conversions per procedure than more complex surgeries, such as cardiothoracic and head and neck (106.3 vs. 232.9 per 100,000 procedures, Risk Ratio = 2.2, 95% CI, 1.9–2.6). Device and instrument malfunctions, such as falling of burnt/broken pieces of instruments into the patient (14.7%), electrical arcing of instruments (10.5%), unintended operation of instruments (8.6%), system errors (5%), and video/imaging problems (2.6%), constituted a major part of the reports. Device malfunctions impacted patients in terms of injuries or procedure interruptions. In 1,104 (10.4%) of all the events, the procedure was interrupted to restart the system (3.1%), to convert the procedure to non-robotic techniques (7.3%), or to reschedule it (2.5%). Conclusions Despite widespread adoption of robotic systems for minimally invasive surgery in the U.S., a non-negligible number of technical difficulties and complications are still being experienced during procedures. Adoption of advanced techniques in design and operation of robotic surgical systems and enhanced mechanisms for adverse event reporting may reduce these preventable incidents in the future.
Understanding the Morphological Mismatch Between Magnetic Susceptibility Source and T2* Image

Background and Purpose: Recent research has shown that a T2* image (either magnitude or phase) is not identical to the internal spatial distribution of a magnetic susceptibility (χ) source. In this paper, we examine the reasons behind these differences by looking into the insights of T2*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (T2*MRI) and provide numerical characterizations of the source/image mismatches by numerical simulations. Methods: For numerical simulations of T2*MRI, we predefine a 3D χ source and calculate the complex-valued T2* image by intravoxel dephasing in presence and absence of diffusion. We propose an empirical α-power model to describe the overall source/image transformation. For a Gaussian-shaped χ source, we numerically characterize the source/image morphological mismatch in terms of spatial correlation and FWHM (full width at half maximum). Results: In theory, we show that the χ-induced fieldmap is morphologically different from the χ source due to dipole effect, and the T2* magnitude image is related to the fieldmap by a quadratic transformation in the small phase angle regime, which imposes an additional morphological change. The numerical simulations with a Gaussian-shaped χ source show that a T2* magnitude image may suffer an overall source/image morphological shrinkage of 20% to 25% and that the T2* phase image is almost identical to the fieldmap thus maintaining a morphological mismatch from the χ source due to dipole effect. Conclusion: The morphological mismatch between a bulk χ source and its T2* image is caused by the 3D convolution during tissue magnetization (dipole effect), the nonlinearity of the T2* magnitude and phase calculation, and the spin diffusion effect. In the small phase angle regime, the T2* magnitude exhibits an overall morphological shrinkage, and the T2* phase image suffers a dipole effect but maintains the χ-induced fieldmap morphology.
Bupropion for smoking cessation: a review

Smoking tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death. Bupropion is the only antidepressant recommended as first-line pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation. Bupropion is as effective as nicotine replacement therapy and can be used in diverse populations.
The contrast of images formed by atomic focusers

The feasibility of the various modes for using atomic focusers to attain resolutions of 0.5 A or better in TEM or STEM instruments, as proposed in a previous paper [Cowley, Spence and Smirnov, Ultramicroscopy 68 (1997) 135], has been confirmed in two ways. Firstly, theoretical expressions for the image contrast have been derived using a simple, justifiable, approximation for the transmission function of the focusers and show that components of the image intensity functions with the desired resolution exist. Secondly, computer simulations of the imaging for specimens consisting of pairs of gold atoms have demonstrated resolutions of 0.5 A or better, with good contrast, for the modes involving the placing of the specimen at a Fourier image distance from a crystal multiple atomic focuser.
Variable deflection response of sensitive CNT-on-fiber artificial hair sensors from CNT synthesis in high aspect ratio microcavities

Crickets, locusts, bats, and many other animals detect changes in their environment with distributed arrays of flow-sensitive hairs. Here we discuss the fabrication and characterization of a relatively new class of pore-based, artificial hair sensors that take advantage of the mechanical properties of structural microfibers and the electromechanical properties of self-aligned carbon nanotube arrays to rapidly transduce changes in low speed air flow. The radially aligned nanotubes are able to be synthesized along the length of the fibers inside the high aspect ratio cavity between the fiber surface and the wall of a microcapillary pore. The growth self-positions the fibers within the capillary and forms a conductive path between detection electrodes. As the hair is deflected, nanotubes are compressed to produce a typical resistance change of 1-5% per m/s of air speed which we believe are the highest sensitivities reported for air velocities less than 10 m/s. The quasi-static response of the sensors to point loads is compared to that from the distributed loads of air flow. A plane wave tube is used to measure their dynamic response when perturbed at acoustic frequencies. Correlation of the nanotube height profile inside the capillary to a diffusion transport model suggests that the nanotube arrays can be controllably tapered along the fiber. Like their biological counterparts, many applications can be envisioned for artificial hair sensors by tailoring their individual response and incorporating them into arrays for detecting spatio-temporal flow patterns over rigid surfaces such as aircraft.
Room temperature electrosynthesis of ZnSe thin films

In the present study, we report the room temperature electrosynthesis of Zinc selenide (ZnSe) thin films on stainless steel (SS) and fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrates. In addition, the influence of the substrate on the microstructural properties of ZnSe is plausibly explained. Voltammetric curves were recorded in order to characterize the electrochemical behaviour of Zn2+/SeO2 system. The as-deposited ZnSe thin films have been characterized for structural (X-ray diffraction (XRD)), surface morphological (scanning electron microscopy (SEM)), compositional (energy dispersive analysis by X-rays (EDAX)), surface topographical (atomic force microscopy (AFM)) and optical absorption analysis. Formation of cubic structure with preferential orientation along the (1 1 1) plane was confirmed from structural analysis. A significant observation seen from the SEM micrograph was the formation of porous layer on the FTO coated glass substrate. However, this is not seen in case of stainless steel substrate. Similar observation was predicted in case of AFM analysis for the films deposited on FTO. The optical band gap for ZnSe thin films was found to be 2.7 eV. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Cortical pitch response components index stimulus onset/offset and dynamic features of pitch contours.

Voice pitch is an important information-bearing component of language that is subject to experience dependent plasticity at both early cortical and subcortical stages of processing. We have already demonstrated that pitch onset component (Na) of the cortical pitch response (CPR) is sensitive to flat pitch and its salience. In regards to dynamic pitch, we do not yet know whether the multiple pitch-related transient components of the CPR reflect specific temporal attributes of such stimuli. Here we examine the sensitivity of the multiple transient components of CPR to changes in pitch acceleration associated with the Mandarin high rising lexical tone. CPR responses from Chinese listeners were elicited by three citation forms varying in pitch acceleration and duration. Results showed that the pitch onset component (Na) was invariant to changes in acceleration. In contrast, Na–Pb and Pb–Nb showed a systematic increase in the interpeak latency and decrease in amplitude with increase in pitch acceleration that followed the time course of pitch change across the three stimuli. A strong correlation with pitch acceleration was observed for these two components only – a putative index of pitch-relevant neural activity associated with the more rapidly-changing portions of the pitch contour. Pc–Nc marks unambiguously the stimulus offset. We therefore propose that in the early stages of cortical sensory processing, a series of neural markers flag different temporal attributes of a dynamic pitch contour: onset of temporal regularity (Na); changes in temporal regularity between onset and offset (Na–Pb, Pb–Nb); and offset of temporal regularity (Pc–Nc). At the temporal electrode sites, the stimulus with the most gradual change in pitch acceleration evoked a rightward asymmetry. Yet within the left hemisphere, stimuli with more gradual change were indistinguishable. These findings highlight the emergence of early hemispheric preferences and their functional roles as related to sensory and cognitive properties of the stimulus.
Projecting Rate of Change in the Context of Motion onto the Context of Money

This paper reports a study designed to probe the abstraction ability that US Algebra I students can achieve in moving the concepts rate of change and accumulation between motion and money contexts. The Algebra I students used the technologies motion detectors and Interactive Banking software during a replacement unit focused on slope, ratio, and rate of change. Clinical interviews were conducted with four students at the end of the replacement unit testing their abstraction ability across the two contexts. Results revealed that some students do not have to completely understand the relationship between rate of change and accumulation within a single context in order to be able to understand and project the concepts separately into multiple contexts. Using multiple rate of change contexts allowed the learners the opportunity to see the ‘like’ in the contextually unlike situation, enabling them to project these concepts into novel situations. Few research studies have examined students’ understanding of rat...
"Dilatation" of the left renal vein on computed tomography in children: a normal variant

Compression of the left renal vein (LRV) between the superior mesenteric artery and the aorta is thought to be a cause of hematuria, periureteral and gonadal varices, and varicocele ("Nutcracker phenomenon"). Previous investigators have suggested that this diagnosis can be made on computed tomography when the LRV ratio greater than or equal to 1.5 (the diameter of the LRV proximal to the aorto-mesenteric angle divided by the diameter of the LRV distal to the aorto-mesenteric angle). This study was designed to establish the normal range for the LRV ratio on CT in children. The LRV ratio was measured in thirty-nine consecutive children undergoing intravenously enhanced CT of the abdomen. None of the children had hematuria on urinalysis immediately before or after the CT. Children with any known abnormality involving the kidneys, adrenal glands, IVC, or renal or gonadal veins were excluded. The patients ranged in age from 3.4 to 18.5 years (mean = 10.6 years). LRV ratio ranged from 0.78 to 2.00 (mean = 1.46; S.D. = 0.312). Twenty of the 39 children (51.3%) had a LRV ratio greater than or equal to 1.50. The conclusion is that the normal range for the LRV ration is too wide for it to be useful in diagnosing LRV entrapment and that a LRV ratio greater than or equal to 1.5 on CT is normal in children.
Mathematical modelling of active parameters for transmission line equations

The relationship between mathematical models of active parameters for transmission lines is studied. Treating transmission lines as a series of differential lumped circuits, we show that pairs of line parameters for inductance and capacitance per unit length must satisfy one of two constraints. One of these is a symmetry condition, which is satisfied by passive (i.e. constant) parameters. If a parameter pair satisfies either of these constraints, the energy per unit length and power loss in the line may be written as integrals of known functions, no matter what the pair's dependence on line current and voltage may be. Potential applications of these results to other subject areas are discussed.
PARTISAN ISSUE PREFERENCES AND PARTISAN CHANGE

This paper addresses the relationship between changes in issue preferences and changes in partisanship, and examines the possibility that different types of issues may be associated with different dimensions of partisanship. A discriminant function analysis using the 1972–74–76 CPS Panel reveals that Democrats, Independents, and Republicans are very different from one another in terms of partisan issue preferences on a New Deal and a racial issue. The association between issue preferences and changes in strength among partisans is less stable, but the Democratic identification seems to be more closely aligned with the New Deal and racial issues than the Republican identification. Leaners appear to be more partisan in their issue preferences than weak identifiers are.
Mid-term results of a closed biatrial procedure using bipolar radiofrequency ablation concomitantly performed with non-mitral cardiac operations

The long-term success rate of the Cox maze III procedure is excellent, although it has not been widely adopted because of the need for extensive incisions of the atria. In this study, we report our experience with a closed biatrial procedure using bipolar radiofrequency (RF) ablation for treating atrial fibrillation (AF) during non-mitral cardiac operations. Beginning in December 2004, a total of 19 patients underwent a closed biatrial procedure with bipolar RF energy. All the patients had a maze procedure plus a concomitant non-mitral operation. Except for several stabs to introduce the bipolar device, no incisions were made in either atrium. The first six patients were investigated with 64-slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), six months after the operation. Patients were followed-up monthly with a clinical examination and electrocardiography. There were no operative deaths. MDCT showed no evidence of coronary sinus stenosis. At one year of follow-up, 93% of the patients (14/15) were in sinus rhythm. The closed biatrial procedure using bipolar RF ablation is safe and effective in treating AF during open-heart surgery. This could be particularly beneficial for patients with AF who are undergoing a cardiac surgical procedure without opening the left atrium.
The effect of freezing on cattle skin permeability

Abstract The effect of freezing temperature and storage time on the permeation characteristics of cattle skin as measured by in vitro permeation studies of water, uracil, hydrocortisone, abamectin, and ivermectin was investigated. The effect of freezing at −20 and −70°C on the in vitro permeation of all compounds except abamectin was significant at all storage periods from 2 weeks to 6 months. There appear to be no general trends in the changes of permeation characteristics of the compounds studied due to freezing of the cattle skin.
Drug identity change processes, race, and gender. I. Explanations of drug misuse and a new identity-based model

The present paper explores race and gender differences in a recent theoretical model (Anderson, 1994), consisting of several micro- and macrofactors, that helps explain the identity-related processes of drug misuse. The approach is qualitative, featuring in-depth interviewing with 45 self-identified drug addicts. The study uncovered support for the general concepts of the identity-based model across four subgroups: Black females, White females, Black males, and White males. However, important race and gender differences emerged. Gender and race-related socialization and stratification explain most of the differences and suggest reconceptualization of the model. The investigation further demonstrates the promise of identity-based approaches in extending our knowledge of the etiology of drug misuse and related intervention policies.
Impact of ambient air medium on the surface profile of the material ablated with high-power lasers

MIcro machining of materials with high power ultra-short-pulsed lasers is becoming a preferred technique to obtain cleaner surface characteristics. Due to the short duration of the pulse, there is insufficient time to establish the thermal equilibrium. Consequently, ablation does not pass through the melting phase. Instead, it proceeds mainly with direct removal of the material at the molecular level. To fully benefit from these properties, a high quality beam profile is required. However, during processing the optical wave front suffers distortions while passing through the medium such as air. Passage through the medium causes the beam to self-focus and the gas breaks down, thus generating plasma, which distorts the geometrical and energy profiles of the beam. This phenomenon offsets the advantages of the procedure to a certain extent. For these reasons, processing is usually conducted in vacuum with associated inconvenience and expense. As a step towards improvement over the technique, we develop a numerical scheme to determine the beam profile in air medium. The profile of the beam is then used to determine the shape of the processed surface by a geometrical method developed recently. The calculated surface profile is compared with the experimental observations with good agreement. This provides a method to develop an understanding of the interactions of the laser beam, air and the material.
Organic nitrogen in PM 2.5 aerosol at a forest site in the Southeast US

Abstract. There is growing evidence that organo-nitrogen compounds may constitute a significant fraction of the aerosol nitrogen (N) budget. However, very little is known about the abundance and origin of this aerosol fraction. In this study, the concentration of organic nitrogen (ON) and major inorganic ions in PM2.5 aerosol were measured at the Duke Forest Research Facility near Chapel Hill, NC, during January and June of 2007. A novel on-line instrument was used, which is based on the Steam Jet Aerosol Collector (SJAC) coupled to an on-line total carbon/total nitrogen analyzer and two on-line ion chromatographs. The concentration of ON was determined by tracking the difference in concentrations of total nitrogen and of inorganic nitrogen (determined as the sum of N-ammonium and N-nitrate). The time resolution of the instrument was 30 min with a detection limit for major aerosol components of ~0.1 μg m−3. Nitrogen in organic compounds contributed ~33% on average to the total nitrogen concentration in PM2.5, illustrating the importance of this aerosol component. Absolute concentrations of ON, however, were relatively low (
Low restenosis rate of the NIR coronary stent: results of the Danish multicenter stent study (DANSTENT)--a randomized trial comparing a first-generation stent with a second-generation stent.

Abstract Background Larger studies evaluating the angiographic results of second-generation stents are scarce. The objectives of this study were to assess current standards of angiographic and clinical outcomes after implantation of the second-generation stainless steel stent, NIR (Medinol Ltd, Tel Aviv, Israel), and to compare the outcomes with those of the first-generation Palmaz-Schatz (PS) stent (Johnson & Johnson, Warren, NJ). Methods Patients having coronary artery lesions that could be covered by a stent of 15 mm in length were randomly assigned to receive the NIR or the PS. Procedural success, 6-month angiographic findings, and 1-year clinical outcomes were determined. Results In 424 patients included in the study, the overall procedural success rate was high (NIR 98%, PS 99%, P =.90). Follow-up angiography was conducted in 91% of the patients. The overall rate of angiographic restenosis was low in both groups (NIR 9.9%, PS 12.6%, P =.35). We found a low restenosis rate in vessels with a minimal lumen diameter >3.1 mm after the procedure, particularly in the NIR group ( P =.47). Conclusions The angiographic and clinical outcomes after implantation of the second-generation stainless steel stent were not significantly better than those of the first-generation stent. The low restenosis rates, particularly in patients with the largest minimal lumen diameters after stent implantation, warrants circumspection when planning the evaluation of newer stent technologies that aim to further reduce coronary restenosis. (Am Heart J 2003;145:e5.)
Cotransplantation of embryonic mouse retina with tectum, diencephalon, or cortex to neonatal rat cortex.

Retinae from embryonic mice were transplanted to the occipital cortex of neonatal rats together with their normal target regions, tectum or diencephalon, from embryonic mice or rats. In control experiments, retinae were cotransplanted with embryonic rat occipital cortex. In over 80% of the experimental animals, both transplants differentiated and grew. Ganglion cells in the retinae cotransplanted close to tectum or diencephalon survived for at least 15 weeks. Their survival was associated with the development of a distinct optic fiber layer and outgrowth of axons from the transplanted mouse retina. Specific innervation of distinct patches within the cotransplanted rat tectum or diencephalon was demonstrated by the use of an anti-mouse antibody. The innervated regions, which could be as far away as 1.3 mm from the retinae, were correlated with cytological features of the Co-transplanted tectum or diencephalon. By contrast, the host cortex was never innervated by the transplanted retinae. In the control animals in which the retinae were cotransplanted with occipital cortex and in four animals in which the cotransplants lay more than 2.7 mm apart, no ganglion cells were identified and there was no evidence of an optic fiber layer, outgrowth of axons, or innervation. These results support the idea that in order to survive, retinal ganglion cells need to innervate an appropriate target region. Further, the specific innervation of regions within the cotransplanted tectum or diencephalon suggests that these target regions are able to exert a tropic influence on the axons of retinal ganglion cells, even in the absence of many of the normal structure cues.
Heat flow from four new research drill holes in the Western Cascades, Oregon, U.S.A.

Abstract Conceptual models of the thermal structure of the Oregon Cascade Range propose either (1) a narrow zone of magmatic heat sources, flanked by shallow heat-flow anomalies caused by lateral ground-water flow; or (2) a wide zone of magmatic heat sources, with localized, generally negligible ground-water effects. The proposed narrow heat source coincides with the Quaternary volcanic arc, whereas the wider heat source would extend 10–30 km west of the arc. To test the models, four new heat-flow holes were sited west of the Quaternary arc but within the area of the proposed wide heat source. The sites are separated from the Quaternary arc by topographic divides and (or) major river valleys, so that heating by regional-scale ground-water flow seems unlikely. Measured heat flow (76±5 mW mm−2) was significantly lower than the values predicted by interpolation from an existing heat-flow contour map (95±7 mW m−2). The lower values are consistent with a narrow zone of magmatic heat sources. The complete heat-flow data set consists mostly of shallow (100–200 m) data and defines lobate highs around hot-spring groups in the Western Cascades. However, all of the deepest holes in the study area (44°–45°15′N) show hydrologic gradient disturbances extending to depths >200 m, so the shallow data must be extrapolated with caution.
Near-Inertial Wave Propagation into the Pycnocline during Ocean Storms: Observations and Model Comparison

Abstract Observations of near-inertial oscillations collected during the Ocean Storms Experiment in the northeast Pacific Ocean are compared with results from a linear, numerical model on a β plane, developed by Zervakis and Levine. A slab mixed layer model, forced by the observed wind time series, is used to identify three isolated events of local generation in October, January, and March for detailed analysis. Synoptic storm track maps are used to estimate the initial horizontal wavenumber of the mixed layer currents that are used as initial conditions to the modal. A comparison of the modal with the observed currents reveals some differences and similarities. Overall the January and March events are better represented by the model than the October event. The timescale of the initiation of vertical propagation of energy from the mixed layer occurs almost immediately in October rather than after 8 days in January and March-this difference cannot be explained by the model. The observed vertical and tempor...
Developmental pediatrics and cochlear implantation

Abstract The field of developmental pediatrics has potential to affect pediatric cochlear implantation in children with multihandicapping conditions. This abstract will discuss the benefits and challenges in including developmental pediatricians as part of the multidisciplinary team process.
Atrial tachycardia in infants and children: electrocardiographic classification and its significance.

An electrocardiographic classification of atrial tachycardia and its significance in children has not been reported. We reviewed the clinical histories and 12-lead surface electrocardiograms (ECG) of 21 children with atrial tachycardia. Atrial rate and P-wave axis were determined for each patient. Some patients had features of typical atrial flutter (AF). Tachycardia was classified by atrial rate 340/min.
Impact of two specialist insect herbivores on reproduction of horse nettle, Solanum carolinense

The frequency of coevolution as a process of strong mutual interaction between a single plant and herbivore species has been questioned in light of more commonly observed, complex relationships between a plant and a suite of herbivore species. Despite recognition of the possibility of diffuse coevolution, relatively few studies have examined ecological responses of plants to herbivores in complex associations. We studied the impact of two specialist herbivores, the horse nettle beetle, Leptinotarsa juncta, and the eggplant flea beetle, Epitrix fuscula, on reproduction of their host, Solanum carolinense. Our study involved field and controlled-environment experimental tests of the impact on sexual and potential asexual reproduction of attack by individuals of the two herbivore species, individually and in combination. Field tests demonstrated that under normal levels of phytophagous insect attack, horse nettle plants experienced a reduction in fruit production of more than 75% compared with plants from which insects were excluded. In controlled-environment experiments using enclosure-exclosure cages, the horse nettle's two principal herbivores, the flea beetle and the horse nettle beetle, caused decreases in sexual reproduction similar to those observed in the field, and a reduction in potential asexual reproduction, represented by root biomass. Attack by each herbivore reduced the numbers of fruits produced, and root growth, when feeding in isolation. When both species were feeding together, fruit production, but not root growth, was lower than when either beetle species fed alone. Ecological interactions between horse nettle and its two primary herbivores necessary for diffuse coevolution to occur were evident from an overall analysis of the statistical interactions between the two herbivores for combined assessment of fruit and vegetative traits. For either of these traits alone, the interactions necessary to promote diffuse coevolution apparently were lacking.
A Class of Operators on Weighted Bergman Spaces

This paper studies the connection between an analytic function φ on the unit disk $${\mathbb{D}}$$ and a certain type of operators induced by φ on weighted Bergman spaces A α of analytic functions on $${\mathbb{D}}$$ . The general theme is the interplay between smoothness conditions on φ and the S p -norms of the operators induced by φ.
Evidence-based practice in human-computer interaction and evidence maps

At the onset of evidence-based practice in software engineering, prospective disciples of this approach should inspect and learn from similar attempts in other disciplines. Having participated in the National Cancer Institute's multi-year effort compiling evidence-based guidelines for information-rich web-site design, I bring my personal experiences as a member of that group to the discussions at the workshop. From my experience doing other empirical research, I propose using an evidence map to communicate research questions, the available evidence to answer those questions, the relationship between the questions, and the meaning of different paths through the evidence map. I have used this device for several empirical studies, both in HCI and in software engineering, and have found it to be a useful organization tool that could help in pursuing evidence-based software engineering.
Clinical experience with permanent mechanical circulatory assistance

Abstract 1.1. The implantation of a mechanical auxiliary ventricle is described in two patients, with severe refractory congestive heart failure. 2.2. The prosthetic device assisted the patient's circulation for a period of 12 days of intermittent operation with no detectable damage. 3.3. There is evidence that clotting in the prosthesis was a result of excessively long arterial graft segments which can be eliminated due to redesign of the device. 4.4. The mechanical auxiliary ventricle has reached a stage of development where it can be considered practical for an intensive clinical trial in patients with near terminal congestive heart failure. 5.5. These trials will define the types of patients who can benefit most from this assist device and will allow the development of standardized surgical techniques and long-term operating criteria for the mechanical auxiliary ventricle.
Spotted Owls and Old Growth Logging in the Pacific Northwest

: Northern Spotted Owls, Strix occidentalis caurina, require large tracts of old-growth conifer forest to survive and reproduce. Much of this forest has been or is being cut by commercial logging operations, with uncertain consequences for the owls. In this paper I present simulation models of owl population change over the next 100 years, as summing a variety of scenarios for habitat destruction and fragmentation. My analysis differs from previous models by incorporating patchy territory distribution and random environmental fluctuations. Fragmented and patchy habitat distributions are common problems for endangered organisms, but they have received little attention from modelers. My results indicate that yearly fluctuations in breeding success have little impact on owl populations, but that spatial structure is quite important and should be considered in planning forest preservation. The simulations suggest that for all reasonable parameter values the proposed US. Forest Service logging plans will lead to the demise of the owls. Resuman: El bubo manchado del Norte, Strix occidentalis caurina, requiere amplios trecbos de bosques coniferos maduros para sobrevivir y reproducirse. Gran parte de este bosque ha sido o esta siendo cortado por mudereros comerciales, con consecuencias inciertas para estos buhos. En este reporte presento un modelo de simulacion de los cambios de lapoblacion de buhos en los proximos 100 anos, asumiendo una variedad de escenarios para la destruccion y fragmentacion de su habitat. Mi analisis difere de modelos previos, en que se incorpora una distribucion territorial fragmentada y fluctuaciones al azar del medio ambiente. Un problema comun para los organismos en peligro es la existencia de habitats fragmentados y distribuidos en forma de manchas; sin embargo ello ha recibido poca atencidn de parte de los modeladores. Mis resultados indican que las fluctuaciones anuales de una reproduccion exitosa tienen poco impacto en las poblaciones de buhos, pero que la estructura espacial de su ambiente es sumamente importante y debe ser considerada en la planifcacion de la conservacion de bosques. Las simulaciones sugieren que para todos los valores de parametro razonubles, los planes de extraccion del Servicio Forestal de los EEUU llevaran al extaminio de los bubos.
Cities: A Window into Larger and Smaller Worlds.

Cities are complex systems. But they are incomplete systems. In this incompleteness lies the possibility of making — making the urban, the political, the civic, a history. The urban is not alone in having these characteristics, but these characteristics are a necessary part of the DNA of the urban. Every city is distinct and so is every discipline that studies it. And yet, if it is to be a study of the urban it will have to deal with these key features — incompleteness, complexity, and the possibility of making. This then also makes cities strategic sites for the exploration of many major subjects confronting society. But cities are not always a heuristic space — a space capable of producing knowledge about some of the major transformations of an epoch. Today, as we have entered a global era, the city is once again emerging as a strategic site for understanding some of the major new trends reconfiguring the social order. Each of those trends has its own specific contents and consequences. The urban moment...
CMOS implementation comparison of NCL gates

Various CMOS implementations of asynchronous NULL Convention Logic (NCL) gates have been compared in terms of area, speed, energy, power, supply voltage, and noise. Additionally, a new approach to design semi-static NCL gates has been introduced. Each gate type is used to realize a delay-insensitive 4×4 NCL multiplier and the simulation results are compared. It is shown that different realizations excel in different design parameters. This paper aims to provide NCL designers with the tradeoffs of using various NCL gate types.
Puffing of Salivary Gland Chromosomes after Treatment with Carbon Dioxide

AFTER larvae of the Oregon R strain of Drosophila melanogaster had been placed in an atmosphere of CO2 for 1 h late in the third instar, the salivary-gland chromosomes were examined and compared with those of a similar group of the same age. The chromosomal regions studied were eight regions known to puff: 85–86, 93, and 95 on the right arm of the third chromosome; 66, 71–72, 74–75, and 78 on the left arm of the same chromosome; and 2B on the X chromosome. The size of the puffs in the 84 glands examined were arbitrarily divided into four classes from smallest to largest and the data tabulated accordingly (Table 1). Although not all puffs were larger in the groups treated, the mean size of puffs III R 85–86, 93, and 95, and III L 66 was larger after exposure to CO2. The remainder showed no tendency to enlarge after such treatment. Larvae late in the third instar not used for chromosomal studies survived and developed into adults following the exposure to CO2. Many younger larvae died. These observations are reported because of current interest in the puffing pattern as presumed indication of localized production of RNA in response to hormonal stimulation. Recently we have found that ecdysone will produce puffing at this stage of larval development in some regions but not in others. Two not affected by CO2 (I 2B and III L 74–75) showed an increase in mean size with ecdysone, and one (III L 71–72) failed to respond to either treatment.
Adenosine triphosphate: a multifaceted chemical signal in the nervous system.

AD= : Alzheimer disease; ADP= : adenosine diphosphate; AMP= : adenosine monophosphate; ATP= : adenosine triphosphate; GABA= : γ-aminobutyric acid; IL= : interleukin; TRPV1= : transient receptor potential-1. The concept of purinergic neurotransmission was introduced in 1972 by Burnstock,1 who showed that adenosine triphosphate (ATP) mediated nonadrenergic, noncholinergic neurotransmission in autonomic nerves. Since then, it has been increasingly recognized that ATP acts as a neurotransmitter in both the peripheral and central nervous systems and is also an important transmitter of signals between different types of glial cells. The effects of ATP are mediated by various subtypes of purinergic (P)2 receptors that are widely distributed in both neurons and glial cells; ATP acts both as a fast excitatory neurotransmitter and as a neuromodulator, both directly and via its conversion to adenosine. Experimental studies indicate that ATP is involved in sensory transduction, autonomic control, synaptic modulation in both the central and peripheral nervosus systems, and neuron–glia and glia–glia interactions. ATP promotes cell proliferation, growth, and development. Not surprisingly, experimental evidence indicates that ATP may have a role in different neurologic disorders, including pain, ischemia, trauma, seizures, and inflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders. The functions of ATP as a signal among different cell groups and its potential involvement in disease have been the subject of several excellent reviews2–5 and only some key concepts are emphasized here. ### Storage, release, and hydrolysis. ATP and other nucleotides are taken up by and stored in both synaptic and secretory vesicles by a chloride (Cl−)-dependent vesicular nucleotide transporter that belongs to the soluble carrier (SCLC) family and is encoded by the human SLC17A gene, a member of an anion transporter family.6 There is evidence that ATP can be costored in synaptic vesicles and coreleased with other neurotransmitters by exocytosis, both in the peripheral and central nervous systems7 (table 1). For example, ATP is released together with acetylcholine from motor nerves supplying skeletal muscle and from parasympathetic terminals innervating the bladder; with norepinephrine from sympathetic terminals …
Unsteady MHD free-convection flows on a porous plate with time-dependent heating in a rotating medium

The three-dimensional unsteady free-convection flows of a viscous fluid near a porous infinite vertical plate in a rotating medium in the presence of a constant transverse magnetic field are investigated under an arbitrary time-dependent heating of the plate. By using the Laplace transform technique, the Green function of the problem is determined and exact solutions are obtained for special cases of the impulsive and the accelerated heating effect for an arbitrary Prandtl number. The thermal influence on skin friction at the plate and the displacement thickness of the boundary layers are discussed.
Instrumental Music Education Students' Perceptions of Tensions Experienced during Their Undergraduate Degree.

In response to recent concern regarding music education major retention and as an effort to contribute to the “lives of teachers” scholarship in music education, the primary research question for t...
Surface Functionalized Silver Nanoparticles for Ultrahigh Conductive Polymer Composites

Silver nanoparticles were surface functionalized with diacids and then incorporated into the polymer matrix with silver flakes as conductive fillers. By using appropriate diacids, the resistivity of the silver flakes and nanoparticles (molar ratio of silver flakes to nanoparticles is equal to 6:4) incorporated polymer composites was dramatically reduced to as low as 5 × 10-6 Ω·cm. Morphology studies showed that the decreased resistivity resulted from the sintering of silver nanoparticles. The contact resistance of the polymer composites under 85 °C and 85% relative humidity was significantly stable with respect to aging time as a result of the further sintering of silver nanoparticles.
Linear Statistical Short-Term Climate Predictive Skill in the Northern Hemisphere

Abstract In this study, the sources and strengths of statistical short-term climate predictability for local surface climate (temperature and precipitation) and 700-mb geopotential height in the Northern Hemisphere are explored at all times of the year at lead times of up to one year. Canonical correlation analysis is the linear statistical methodology employed. Predictor and predictand averaging periods of 1 and 3 months are used, with four consecutive predictor periods, followed by a lead time and then a single predictand period. Predictor fields are quasi-global sea surface temperature (SST), Northern Hemisphere 700-mb height, and prior values of the predictand field itself. Cross-validation is used to obtain, to first order, uninflated skill estimates. Results reveal mainly modest statistical predictive skill except for certain fields, locations, and times of the year when predictability is far above chance expectation and good enough to be beneficial to appropriate users. The time of year when skills...
On the Use of Physical Basis Functions in a Sparse Expansion for Electromagnetic Scattering Signatures

This paper explores the use of physical basis functions as an efficient and insightful sparse expansion for representing the electromagnetic scattering from large finite targets. Such an expansion is central to applying compressed sensing techniques. The closed-form physical optics solution for scattering from an arbitrary flat plate is used to extract the physical basis functions related to scattering mechanisms of edge and corner diffraction, and specular reflection. Orthogonal matching pursuits is applied to find the coefficients of the sparse expansion from the calculated scattered fields of a plate as a function of frequency and angle. Convergence is demonstrated as a function of the number of basis functions and compressed sensing samples.