cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A rule for the early detection of chronic changes in cystic fibrosis patient status

Abstract A statistical decision-making system has been developed which will predict the clinical status of a patient with cystic fibrosis based on daily self measurements obtained at home. The data for the study were collected from CF patients within 7–12 years of age. Thirty-two participants recorded four daily measurements (weight, vital capacity, breathing rate, and resting pulse) and one weekly measurement (height). In addition to the 4 daily measured values, the clinical status of each patient at his,/her most recent previous clinic visit was used as a predictor variable. The measured values were used as the basis for the development of a discriminant rule. The goal of the rule was to determine whether each patient's clinical status was deteriorating, stable, or improving at the time of the most recent set of weekly measurements. Three types of analysis were performed: linear discriminant analysis, quadratic discriminant analysis, and nearest neighbor. Quadratic discriminant analysis provided the best discrimination due to the differences in the covariance matrices among the populations. The rule was able to correctly classify 77% of the 103 cases in the learning set. To further evaluate the rule, both a weighted classification percentage and weighted kappa statistic were calculated for the rule. Bootstrapping was used to predict the performance of the rule on the population with results of 77'/ correctly classified overall.
Mechanisms of cardiac muscle adjustment to hypercapnia.

Abstract It has been previously demonstrated both in dogs and in rats that cardiac tissue has an ability to buffer CO 2 far greater than that of skeletal muscle in vivo under conditions of hypercapnia. This increased CO 2 buffering by cardiac tissue may be due to one of three factors. 1) A larger inherent noncarbonic buffer content. 2) An enhanced ability to form noncarbonic buffer during hypercapnia. 3) An enhanced exchange of bicarbonate and/or hydrogen ions between intracellular and extracellular fluid in response to hypercapnia. The in vitro CO 2 buffer values of homogenates of cardiac and skeletal muscle were compared and skeletal muscle had the higher in vitro CO 2 buffer value. This eliminated factor number 1. Rats were exposed for 2 hr to 10% CO 2 before the tissues were obtained for in vitro CO 2 buffer value determination, and there was no significant difference between CO 2 buffer values of tissues from hypercapnic and normocapnic animals. This eliminated factor number 2. By elimination these data suggest that the mechanism responsible for the high in vivo CO; buffer value of cardiac tissue is an enhancement of the mechanism(s) responsible for the transfer of bicarbonate into, or hydrogen ions out of, cardiac intracellular fluid.
Adoptive transfer of murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in SJL. Thy-1 congenic mouse strains

Abstract For the purpose of tracking the migration of donor T cells in chronic relapsing EAE (CREAE), a Thy-1 congenic mouse strain on the SJL genetic background was generated. T cells from these SJL. Thy-1 a mice (Thy-1.1 + ) could be distinguished from those of SJL (Thy-1.2 + ) by staining with specific anti-Thy-1 antibodies. In adoptive EAE, SJL.Thy-1 a mice exhibited similar chronic remitting and relapsing cycles as in SJL mice. Reciprocal transfer of adoptive EAE had also been successfully carried out between the two Thy-1 disparate strains. The lack of alloreactivity against the Thy-1 antigen was further demonstrated by the absence of reactivity in in vitro mixed lymphocyte cultures and in vivo skin graft rejection between the two strains. The establishment of the SJL.Thy-1 a mouse strain should prove to be a valuable tool for further dissecting the complex process of relapsing EAE.
Can we lose memories of faces? content specificity and awareness in a prosopagnosic

Prosopagnosia is a neurological syndrome in which patients cannot recognize faces. Kecently it has been shown that some prosopagnosics give evidence of "covert" recognition: they show greater autonomic responses to familiar faces than to unfamiliar ones, and respond differently to familiar faces in learning and interference tasks. Although some patients do not show covert recognition, this has usually been attributed to an "apperceptive" deficit that impairs perceptual analysis of the input. The implication is that prosopagnosia is a deficit in access to, or awareness of, memories of faces: the inducing brain injury does not destroy the memories themselves. We present a case study that challenges this view. LH suffers from prosopagnosia as the result of a closed head injury. He cannot recognize familiar faces or report that they are familiar, nor answer questions about the faces from memory, though he can (1) recognize common objects and subtly varying shapes, (2) match faces while ignoring irrelevant information such as emotional expression or angle of view, (3) recognize sex, age, and like-ability from faces, and (4) recognize people by a number of nonfacial channels. The only other categories of shapes that he has marked trouble recognizing are animals and emotional expressions, though even these impairments were not as severe as the one for faces. Three measures (sympathetic skin response, pupil dilation, and learning correct and incorrect names of faces) failed to show any signs of covert face recognition in LH, though the measures were sensitive enough to reflect autonomic reactions in LH to stimuli other than faces, and face familiarity in normal controls. Thus prosopagnosia cannot always be attributed to a mere absence of awareness (i.e., preserved information about faces whose output is disconnected from conscious cognitive processing), to an apperceptive deficit (i.e., preserved information about faces that cannot be accessed due to improperly analyzed perceptual input), or to an inability to recognize complex or subtly varying shapes (i.e., loss or degradation of shape memory in general). We conclude that it is possible for brain injury to eliminate the storage of information about familiar faces and certain related shapes.
Effect of length sampling bias on labeled mitotic index waves.

Abstract The theoretical labeled mitotic index [PLMI(t)] is obtained for the situation where a steady state cell population is subjected to a pulse label experiment. The model used to describe this situation allows for a correlation structure among the durations of the different phases of the cell cycle. It is shown that cells which are labeled have different kinetic properties than those cells in the general population. This unrepresentativeness arises because cells are not randomly labeled but are labeled by a length biasing phenomenon; i.e. cells which have longer DNA synthesis periods have a greater probability of being labeled.
Controversies in neurophysiology. MEG is superior to EEG in localization of interictal epileptiform activity: Pro

Abstract Both EEG and magnetoencephalography (MEG), with a time resolution of 1 ms or less, provide unique neurophysiologic data not obtainable by other neuroimaging techniques. MEG and EEG have often been compared to each other now although the two are complementary. Now that MEG has emerged as a mature clinical technology, it is worthwhile to compare the relative strengths of each for the localization of interictal epileptiform activity and to describe the strengths of MEG relative to EEG in the localization of interictal epileptiform activity. The sources of MEG and EEG signals will first be reviewed. Issues relevant to solving the forward problem and the inverse problem in MEG and EEG will be addressed followed by a comparison of research concerning the detection and localization of interictal epileptiform activity by MEG and EEG. The emphasis will be upon techniques and software routinely used in clinical applications but some emerging areas of MEG research which are entering clinical practice will also be reviewed. Significance : MEG is a new noninvasive neurophysiologic technique which provides unique information for the clinical evaluation of patients with epilepsy, revealing aspects of neuronal function that previously could only be obtained by invasive EEG monitoring, and giving a new window for research of neuronal activity.
Policy-making in Nested Institutions: Explaining the Conservation Failure of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy

The widely recognized conservation failure of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is largely due to the nested institutional context in which fishermen’s issues are negotiated. Divergent Member State interests regarding the competence of Community institutions have led to the selection and maintenance of ineffective policies. I propose a three-level game to draw out the implications of policy-making within nested institutions. To substantiate this explanation, I show how the guiding principles of the CFP have created and heightened Prisoner’s Dilemma game incentives among both Member States and fishermen, yet have been retained due to divergent Member State interests.
HEC of a Job Regulating Stem Cells

In this issue of Developmental Cell, Schuster et al. (2014) describe the signals regulated by the bHLH transcription factor HEC1 during Arabidopsis stem cell maintenance. HEC1 acts antagonistically with other factors, integrating multiple cues to provide a balance between cellular differentiation and proliferation.
The Explanatory Force of Dynamical and Mathematical Models in Neuroscience: A Mechanistic Perspective*

We argue that dynamical and mathematical models in systems and cognitive neuroscience explain (rather than redescribe) a phenomenon only if there is a plausible mapping between elements in the model and elements in the mechanism for the phenomenon. We demonstrate how this model-to-mechanism-mapping constraint, when satisfied, endows a model with explanatory force with respect to the phenomenon to be explained. Several paradigmatic models including the Haken-Kelso-Bunz model of bimanual coordination and the difference-of-Gaussians model of visual receptive fields are explored.
SLAM based adaptive navigation of AUVs for oil spill cleaning

Oil spill pollution causes serious contamination of the ocean, harms marine life, and results in severe impact to the economy and ecological balance. Several efforts have been dedicated for detection, monitoring and localization of oil spills; however, the complete cleaning of oil spills remains a challenging problem. Due to dynamic ocean currents on the surface and limitations in accuracies of the localization systems, the exact locations of oil spills are difficult to estimate. Thus, the estimated oil spill area may not match the actual shape of the spill. Furthermore, the access to GPS may not be always available and obstacles may exist as well. Therefore, it requires an adaptive oil cleaning method that detects oil in situ and allows the autonomous vehicle to adapt its cleaning trajectories to the oil shape while building the map and avoiding obstacles. This paper presents a SLAM based adaptive oil cleaning system using an autonomous vehicle in GPS-denied environments. The exact a-prior knowledge of the oil spill area is assumed to be unknown or merely partially known. The autonomous vehicle can dynamically detect oil shape and obstacles, and adapt its trajectories for complete oil cleaning. The proposed system introduces a discrete event supervisory controller that develops a concept of multi-resolution navigation to prevent the autonomous vehicle from getting trapped into a local minimum which is encountered generally in potential field based methods. The SLAM algorithms provide online estimate of the vehicle location. The efficiency of the proposed method is validated on the widely used high-fidelity Player/Stage simulator.
Learning about Politics from the Mass Media

(1997). Learning about Politics from the Mass Media. Political Communication: Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 421-430.
Carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositions of algae and bacteria from hydrothermal environments, Yellowstone National Park

Abstract Stromatolites forming today on a small scale in hydrothermal environments are chemical and biological analogues of much larger Precambrian formations. Carbon isotopic composition varied as a function of CO 2 concentration, pH, and species composition. Stratiform, layered stromatolites grew in silica-depositing springs at 55° to 70°C; they consisted mainly of a unicellular alga, Synechococcus, and a filamentous, photosynthetic bacterium, Chloroflexus. These thermophiles become enriched in 12 C as the concentration of carbon dioxide in the effluent waters increases. At a concentration of 40 ppm total inorganic C, and δ 13 C of organic carbon was ∼ −12%., whereas at 900 ppm total inorganic C, the δ 13 C of similar species was ∼ −25%.. Conical stromatolites or conophytons (principally a filamentous, blue-green alga Phormidium and Chloroflexus ) grew at 40°-55°C. In older, broader conophytons, Chloroflexus was the dominant organism. Their δ 13 C values were ∼ −18%. in a variety of hot springs. In carbonate-depositing springs, i.e., carbon dioxide saturated, conophytons and stromatolites consisting of a variety of blue-green algae and photosynthetic bacteria had the most negative δ 13 C values (to −30%.). These carbon isotope ratios are directly comparable to carbon isotope ratios of kerogen from Precambrian stromatolites. The presence and activity of methanogenic bacteria or heterotrophic, aerobic and anaerobic bacteria did not alter significantly the δ 13 C of the original organic matter. The hydrogen isotopic fractionation between thermophilic organisms and water is 0 to −74 for temperatures of 85° to 46°C, respectively. Acidophilic algae fractionated hydrogen isotopes to a lesser extent than did the photosynthetic organisms inhabiting neutral pH springs. Because organic matter retains some of its original isotopic signature, relationships of CO 2 levels, pH, temperature, and species composition between modern stromatolites and their environment and those of the Precambrian can be inferred.
Surprise! Most Blockbuster Jury Awards are Ignored by the Stock Market

Utilizing a master list produced by Viscusi (2004) of what he called “blockbuster” jury awards – those amounting to $100 million or more, – we selected 17 cases where the defendant had traded shares (we excluded the tobacco cases) to see the stock market reaction to these announced awards. Utilizing event study technologies methodologies similar to those used by Prince and Rubin (2002), and looking at both case filing and award date data, we generally found trivial stock market effects for 11 of the 17 companies, despite the size of the awards. In those cases where there was a stock market response, it occurred with firms whose total award to market capitalization ratio was in excess of 9%. Apparently the awards, which on their face value seem large, are not always that important when one considers the much larger market capitalization and the fact that these very large, prominent defendant firms are under almost constant litigation, with the blockbuster being only one of many cases facing the firm.
Metabolic and Serum Lipid Effects of Δ1-Testololactone.

SummaryΔ1-Testololactone administration caused no protein anabolic or androgenic effects in 4 subjects. Serum cholesterol and phospholipid levels fell, however, as did a lipoprotein lipids in three. The a lipoprotein effect is typical of testosterone and suggests a separation of lipoprotein from androgenic-anabolic properties in a testosterone derivative
Experimental goiter: ultrastructure and autoradiography.

Une etude correlative concernant les modifications ultrastructurelles, autoradiographiques et biochimiques a ete faite dans le goitre experimental provoque par une carence prolongee en iode chez les rats. Il s'est produit une dilatation et une desorganisation extensive du reticulum endoplasmique, accompagnees d'une augmentation des granules denses, des gouttes colloidales, de meme qu'une hypertrophie de l'appareil de Golgi et des microvillis. L'autoradiographie met en evidence une iodination intracellulaire.
Dissolution dynamics of some polymers: Solvent‐polymer boundaries

A critical angle illumination microscopy technique was used to study the in situ dissolution dynamics of polystyrene, poly (α-methylstyrene) and the two tactic forms of poly (methyl methacrylate), (PMMA), in several solvents. The dissolution characteristics; of polymers were found to be greatly influenced by several factors: type of polymer, processing condition of the sample, type of solvent, and tacticity, Polystyrene was found to exhibit extensive swelling in several solvents while atactic PMMA exhibited extensive cracking on dissolution. Isotactic PMMA, which has a glass temperature of about 70°C lower than the atactic PMMA, showed swelling behavior similar to atactic polystyrene, while the α-methylstyrene showed the cracking phenomena exhibited by atactic PMMA.
Advocating for Persecuted People of Faith: A Social Justice Imperative:

In order to remain relevant in the 21st century, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) policy statements contend that the profession must address international human rights abuses. Violations stemming from religion are specifically mentioned by NASW as an issue requiring the attention of social workers. Little, if any, material has appeared in the literature on this topic, however, even though the United Nations (UN) has expressed deep concern over the overall global rise in violations of religious freedom rights. To address this gap, the present study reviews internationally sanctioned religious freedom rights along with the increasing violation of those rights. Persecuted people of faith represent some of the most vulnerable, marginalized people in the world. Members of essentially every faith group experience persecution, although Christians are the most victimized globally. Suggestions for advocacy are discussed along with clinical and educational implications.
Physical examination of the ankle for ankle pathology

Injury to the ankle joint is very common, but the etiology of the ankle pain can be difficult to determine due to the complexity of the joint. Without a proper diagnosis, treatment is delayed or inappropRiate which can lead to further ankle morbidity. This article is to assist foot and ankle specialists in making an accurate diagnosis of ankle pathology by showing how to perform a thorough ankle examination. Specific tests and examination techniques are described. No exact treatment plan to a particular diagnosis is given, but rather a general approach to treating ankle injuries is shown.
Irony in Schlegel's fragments, Tieck's puss in boots, and Kleist's Amphitryon

Friedrich Schlegel develops in his Fragments an aesthetic and metaphysical concept of irony which emphasizes its power to bind opposites which cannot, without violence, be separated: the objective and the subjective, the serious and the jesting, the infinite and the contingent. Tieck's Puss in Boots, which a long critical tradition regards as exemplary of Romantic irony, bears little relation to Schlegel's concept; Kleist's Amphitryon is a stunning dramatic incarnation of it.
Awareness of Nutrient Intake Adequacy in Adult Women

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To identify the predictors of accurate knowledge of nutrient adequacy in adult women. Several nutrients are of particular concern for adult women (calcium, iron, and fiber) and are often consumed in inadequate amounts. Education efforts aimed at increasing intake often fail. One of the reasons for this failure may be that women are unaware that their intake is inadequate. Adult women who responded with two days of dietary intake information in the Continuing Survey of Food Intake of Individuals (CSFII) were studied to determine their level of adequacy for these three nutrients, their knowledge regarding the adequacy of their intake of each nutrient, and to identify predictors of accurate knowledge. 918 women were used in these analyses . Reported intake was frequently less than the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) with 80.5% of the sample reporting less than the RDA for Calcium, 62% less than the RDA for Iron, and 94.5% reporting less than the current recommendation for fiber. For Calcium, 52.5% of the women inaccurately described the adequacy of their intake, while Iron was inaccurately described by 62% and fiber was inaccurately described by 63.3%. Logistic regressions were run predicting accurate knowledge with race, age, income, use of food labels, use of food stamps, and the interactions between food stamps and age and education. Significant predictors were age (higher age equaling less accuracy; p=.004); race (African-American race equaling less accuracy; p=.05); and food stamps (use equaling less accuracy; p=.03). There were also significant interactions between use of food stamps and age (p=.003) and education (p=p=.018) such that older and less educated women were less accurate. These findings will be discussed as they relate to efforts to educate women as to what comprises a healthy dietary intake.
Rapid access to C 3- and C s-symmetric AAT organogelators via ring opening of a common benzotrifuranone precursor

Presented is a rapid and general approach to functionalised 1-aza-adamantanetrione (AAT) donor-σ-acceptor molecules from a phloroglucinol-derived trilactone, benzotrifuranone (BTF). Ten C 3-symmetric AATs bearing diverse aryl amide substituents are accessed in two synthetic steps: (1) the exhaustive ring opening of BTF with aromatic amine nucleophiles (performed in up to 91% yield) and (2) cyclisation with hexamethylenetetramine (performed in up to 75% yield). Additionally, stepwise ring opening of BTF allows synthesis of phloroglucinol intermediates with two unique aryl amide substituents and ultimately C s-symmetric AATs. Of the novel AATs prepared, three (including the C s-symmetric hybrid) are effective gelators of chlorinated solvents (critical gelation concentration (CGC) = 0.2–0.4 wt%) and one, with naphthyl substituents, forms translucent gels from aromatic solvents (CGC∼0.3 wt%). The combination of AATs with moderately electron-poor and electron-rich aromatic substituents results in functional co...
Job Satisfaction and the Propensity to Leave an Institution among Two-Year College Division Chairpersons:

The study described here was designed to investigate the propensity of division chairpersons to leave a community college, the levels of satisfaction they feel with their jobs, and their perception...
Specific miRNA Stabilization by Gld2-Catalyzed Monoadenylation

Summary MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that inhibit translation and promote mRNA decay. The levels of mature miRNAs are the result of different rates of transcription, processing, and turnover. The noncanonical polymerase Gld2 has been implicated in the stabilization of miR-122, possibly through catalyzing 3′ monoadenylation; however, there is little evidence that this relationship is one of cause and effect. Here, we biochemically characterize Gld2's involvement in miRNA monoadenylation and its effect on miRNA stability. We find that Gld2 directly monoadenylates and stabilizes specific miRNA populations in human fibroblasts and that sensitivity to monoadenylation-induced stability depends on nucleotides in the miRNA 3′ end. These results establish a mechanism of miRNA stability and resulting posttranscriptional gene regulation.
The MN Gene MU, which Produces M and U but no N, S, or s*

Summary We have described an MN gene MU, which appears to produce M and U only but no N, S, or s. Ordinary genes that produce M produce also a weak N antigen. Genes that do not produce S or s usually do not produce U. We prefer on the basis of these results to think of anti-U as having independent specificity rather than that anti-U is anti-Ss. Resume Nous avons decrit un gene MN: MU, qui semble produire du M et du U seulement, sans produire du N, S ou s. D'ordinaire, les genes qui produisent du M produisent aussi un antigene N faible, et, les genes qui ne produisent ni S ni s, ne produisent pas de U. Sur la base de ces resultats, nous presumons que l'anti-U a une specificite independante et que ce n'est pas un anti-Ss. Zusammenfassung Es wird ein MN-Gen MU beschrieben, welches offenbar lediglich M und U, nicht aber N, S oder s produziert. Normale M-Gene produzieren ebenfalls schwache N-Antigene. Gene, die weder S noch s produzieren, hilden gewohnlich auch kein U. Auf Grund der vorliegenden Ergebnisse scheint uns die Annahme naheliegend, das Anti-U eine besondere Spezifitat hat und das diese Antikorper nicht einfach eine Anti-Ss-Spezifitat aufweisen.
Outcomes management: from concepts to application.

This article provides an introduction to the definition of and rationale for outcomes management and includes a brief review of the outcomes management literature. A model for outcomes management, which links processes that can be changed in care delivery to outcomes that can be measured in a patien
Honing the Writing Skills of Engineers

A great deal can be done to improve student writing without asking engineering professors to teach writing as a separate subject. This paper explains how to hone writing skills by convincing engineering students to be concerned simultaneously with technical content and the quality of writing. Many engineering courses offer opportunities for students to improve their writing, but the most effective motivation arises from design problems. Experience in several courses over a 10 year period indicates that some simple advice coupled with frequent opportunities to practice can improve writing skills rather easily and quickly. This can be done without trying to teach English or doing extensive editing on reports. Encouraging good writing in engineering courses has been well received by students. They see that it will be valuable after graduation and they appreciate the value of practicing writing skills in a realistic engineering problem-solving environment.
Boosting Lymphocyte Production

How lymphoid cell fate is orchestrated in early hematopoietic progenitors remains poorly understood. In this issue of Immunity, Satoh et al. (2013) show that the chromatin remodeler Satb1 promotes lymphocyte differentiation in both young and aged stem cells.
Main power transformers for generating stations

TODAY many factors, including cooling, rating, and number of phases, affect the selection of the main power transformer. The types of transformer cooling now available are: type OA, self-cooled; type OW, water-cooled; type OA/FA, self-cooled/forced-air-cooled; type OA/FA/FA, self-cooled/forced-air-cooled; type FOA, forced-oil-air-cooled; and type FOW, forced-oil-water-cooled. The choice of the method of cooling for a transformer may depend on consideration of load cycle requirements, first cost, losses, reactance, installation cost, maintenance cost, shipping limitation, and other factors.
The effect of cholecystokinin octapeptide on pituitary-adrenal hormone secretion.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the influence of cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-OP) on pituitary-adrenal hormone secretion. CCK-OP at a dose of 5 μg/kg (i.p.) elevated plasma corticosterone from 27 to 43 μg/100 ml in one experiment and from 12 to 50 μg/100 ml in a second experiment: Lower doses of CCK-OP (0.5 μg/kg) elevated corticosterone from 12 μg/100 ml to 20 μg/100 ml. CCK-OP (1, 10, and 100 ng/ml) had no effect on ACTH-induced corticosterone released by isolated adrenal cells in vitro when tested in the presence of 50 pg of ACTH1−24. 100 and 500 ng of CCK-OP resulted in an increased pituitary ACTH release equal to 123% (n.s.) and a 206% (P < 0.05) of control, respectively. In comparison, a hypothalamic stalk median eminence equivalent increased ACTH release to 313% of control (P < 0.05). The exact mechanism of this CCK effect on pituitary ACTH release is unknown. Although it is likely that the direct effects on the pituitary in vitro represent a pharmacologic and not a physiologic effect of this peptide, in vivo doses are between doses used for pancreatic effects and satiety effects suggesting that there may be a physiologic stimulating action of this peptide on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis but at a level above the adrenal and pituitary.
Controlled thyristor turn-on for high DI/DT capability

In a one or more amplified stage thyristor design it is possible to control the peak current level of all but the final stage with impedance built into the p-base zone. This impedance reduces both the current and the duty cycle of the protected amplifying stage effectively protecting it from undesirable temperature rises during turn-on. A further bonus and perhaps equally important is the fact that the amplifying stage and its current control impedance can be used to reduce and essentially fix the voltage level at which the following stage turns on, This results in a lower voltage, lower stress turn-on of the following stage and a device essentially protected from di/dt turn-on failure. This paper describes several aspects of controlled turn-on in the context of a 2.6KV and 5KV light triggered thyristor. In particular we discuss selection of the resistor value, the problem of unwanted current control resistor modulation by device current as well as some factors affecting the proper wattage of such resistors. We also discuss the role current control resistors can play in controlling avalanche current from known locations on the device.
An interstage correlated double sampling technique for switched-capacitor gain stages

An Interstage Correlated Double Sampling technique is proposed. This new technique avoids the additional thermal noise penalty and the overall feedback factor degradation introduced by the conventional correlated double sampling techniques. In the proposed architecture, a two-stage amplifier is employed and the correlated double sampling is applied to the input of the second gain-stage. The superior noise performance and the gain enhancement of the proposed architecture to the conventional CDS technique is demonstrated in this paper.
Key Executive Succession and Stockholder Wealth: The Influence of Successorys Origin, Position, and Age

This study uses event time methodology to test the reaction of the stock market to announcements of the appointments of 367 key executive officers in a sample of 1986 Fortune 500 companies. We found significant, positive market reactions for the total top management sample. In addition, we found differences for successor's origin, position, and age at the time of appointment. The results highlight the importance of specifying the conditions under which succession will have its different effects.
Your noise is my command: sensing gestures using the body as an antenna

Touch sensing and computer vision have made human-computer interaction possible in environments where keyboards, mice, or other handheld implements are not available or desirable. However, the high cost of instrumenting environments limits the ubiquity of these technologies, particularly in home scenarios where cost constraints dominate installation decisions. Fortunately, home environments frequently offer a signal that is unique to locations and objects within the home: electromagnetic noise. In this work, we use the body as a receiving antenna and leverage this noise for gestural interaction. We demonstrate that it is possible to robustly recognize touched locations on an uninstrumented home wall using no specialized sensors. We conduct a series of experiments to explore the capabilities that this new sensing modality may offer. Specifically, we show robust classification of gestures such as the position of discrete touches around light switches, the particular light switch being touched, which appliances are touched, differentiation between hands, as well as continuous proximity of hand to the switch, among others. We close by discussing opportunities, limitations, and future work.
A CHEMICAL STUDY OF THE SPECIFIC ELEMENTS OF TUBERCULIN : II. THE PREPARATION OF RESIDUE ANTIGEN FROM OLD TUBERCULIN.

A non-protein gum has been isolated from broth filtrates of human tubercle bacilli grown on a simple medium. It fixes complement and precipitates in high dilution in the presence of homologous immune serum, but fails to give a skin test in tuberculous animals. The preparation and some of the chemical properties of the substance are described.
Effects of water clarity on the length and abundance of age-0 yellow perch in the Western Basin of Lake Erie

Abstract Water clarity is an important environmental variable that may affect fish populations by altering the visual environment. Effects can change feeding ability, as well as alter predation risk. The western basin of Lake Erie provides a valuable model system for studying the effects of transparency because the two main tributaries, the Maumee and Detroit rivers, differ substantially in clarity. We used Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) to quantify the relationship between transparency and the observed abundance and length of age-0 yellow perch ( Perca flavescens ) in August, based on surveys from 1986 to 2006. Secchi data from June to August were included in the models that best explained the variation in yellow perch abundance and length. August values for bottom oxygen and bottom temperature also increased model fit for abundance, whereas only bottom temperature improved model fit for length. Our models indicate that transparency was positively related to the August length while abundance of age-0 yellow perch was inversely related to transparency. Highest abundance was observed in areas with the lowest transparency, with peak abundances observed in areas with less than 1 m of Secchi depth. This is in contrast to August length, which increased as transparency increased, to an asymptote at around 3 m of Secchi depth. The split nature of water clarity conditions in the western basin of Lake Erie has resulted in areas with higher growth potential, versus areas with higher apparent survival.
A Six Sigma approach for the robust design of motor speed control using modelling and simulation

The robust design of the Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) speed control of DC permanent magnetic motors is studied in this paper using the Six Sigma approach. A first principle model is developed for simulating the PWM motor speed control system. The Six Sigma DMAIC process is followed to reduce the variation in the average motor speed. The main factors of the cause for the average speed variation are identified using Design of Experiment (DOE). The Response Surface Method (RSM) is applied to derive a new design. The new design significantly reduces the variation without tightening the hardware tolerance bands. The entire Six Sigma project is carried out using modelling and simulation.
Unsteady aerodynamics and flow control for flapping wing flyers

Abstract The creation of micro air vehicles (MAVs) of the same general sizes and weight as natural fliers has spawned renewed interest in flapping wing flight. With a wingspan of approximately 15 cm and a flight speed of a few meters per second, MAVs experience the same low Reynolds number (104–105) flight conditions as their biological counterparts. In this flow regime, rigid fixed wings drop dramatically in aerodynamic performance while flexible flapping wings gain efficacy and are the preferred propulsion method for small natural fliers. Researchers have long realized that steady-state aerodynamics does not properly capture the physical phenomena or forces present in flapping flight at this scale. Hence, unsteady flow mechanisms must dominate this regime. Furthermore, due to the low flight speeds, any disturbance such as gusts or wind will dramatically change the aerodynamic conditions around the MAV. In response, a suitable feedback control system and actuation technology must be developed so that the wing can maintain its aerodynamic efficiency in this extremely dynamic situation; one where the unsteady separated flow field and wing structure are tightly coupled and interact nonlinearly. For instance, birds and bats control their flexible wings with muscle tissue to successfully deal with rapid changes in the flow environment. Drawing from their example, perhaps MAVs can use lightweight actuators in conjunction with adaptive feedback control to shape the wing and achieve active flow control. This article first reviews the scaling laws and unsteady flow regime constraining both biological and man-made fliers. Then a summary of vortex dominated unsteady aerodynamics follows. Next, aeroelastic coupling and its effect on lift and thrust are discussed. Afterwards, flow control strategies found in nature and devised by man to deal with separated flows are examined. Recent work is also presented in using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) actuators and angular speed variation to achieve active flow control for MAVs. Finally, an explanation for aerodynamic gains seen in flexible versus rigid membrane wings, derived from an unsteady three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model with an integrated distributed control algorithm, is presented.
Gonadal regulation of gonadotropin subunit gene expression : evidence for regulation of follicle-stimulating hormone-β messenger ribonucleic acid by nonsteroidal hormones in female rats

Gonadectomy results in a rise in gonadotropin secretion and subunit gene expression, although the relative contributions of declining gonadal hormones or increasing hypothalamic GnRH secretion are uncertain. To further delineate the roles of the hypothalamus and gonads in regulation of gonadotropin gene expression, male and female rats were castrated and gonadotropin subunit messenger RNA (mRNA) concentrations measured 2,7,14, or 21 days (d) later. In males, FSHβ mRNA was maximal (2-fold increase) by 7 d while peak levels of α (3-fold) and LHβ (3-fold) were seen by 14 d. Testosterone (T) replacement restored all three subunit mRNA concentrations to intact values. In females, FSHβ mRNA also reached plateau levels (8-fold increase) earlier than α (3-fold) or LHβ (11-fold). When female rats ovariectomized 7 days earlier were given estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) implants for up to 14 d, suppression of α and LHβ to intact levels was observed. However, FSHβ mRNA concentrations only decreased to 67% of cast...
E-voting security

In the future, we hope to see better voting machines that reduce the trust required in the software component and provide voters with confidence. Several states, such as California and Nevada, have already declared that voter verifiability will be part of any machine they use. We hope this positive trend will continue.
Processing, Mechanical Properties, and Oxidation Behavior of Silicon Oxynitride Ceramics

Silicon oxynitride ceramics were prepared by hot-pressing an equimolar Si3N4+ SiO2 mixture with 3 mol% CeO2. The Ce2O3/SiO2 ratio of intergranular phase (liquid phase) increased as the formation of Si2N2O proceeded. The intergranular liquid remained as a glass on cooling until the Ce2O3/SiO2 ratio exceeded a certain value, at which point the liquid crystallized. There were great differences in thermal and mechanical properties and oxideation behavior between the specimen containing intergranular glassy phase and the one containing intergranular crystalline phase (Ce5(SiO4)3N–Ce4.67(SiO4)3O). The specimen containing the intergranular glassy phase showed excellent hightemperature strength and oxidation resistance.
Decadal-scale sediment dynamics and environmental change in the Albemarle Estuarine System, North Carolina

Abstract During the summer of 2001, several short cores ( 210 Pb, 137 Cs) and organic matter signatures (δ 13 C, δ 15 N, C:N ratio, and LOI) have been used to elucidate potential temporal changes in fluxes and cycles of organic matter in the AES. Pb-210 geochronology indicates temporal and spatial variations in sediment deposition rates (0.08–0.57 cm y −1 ) with highest rates near the AES western limit relative to the rest of the estuary. Low accumulation rates, deficient excess 210 Pb inventories, and near linear 137 Cs profiles throughout the AES suggest that sediments are resuspended by wind-generated waves and currents and flushed from the system by river discharge and wind-tides, probably to Pamlico Sound to the south. Sediments in the AES are accumulating at rates less than the current rate of relative sea-level rise for this region except in protected portions of the estuary. Thus sediment accumulation in the AES is controlled in the short term by storm wave-base and in the long term by the creation of accommodation space by basin subsidence and sea-level rise. The geochemical and sedimentological data characterize the evolution of the Albemarle Sound and associated tributaries over the past 200–300 years. The majority of cores collected throughout the system show a significant decrease in 13 C and increase in 15 N isotopic signatures up-core. Thus, the estuarine system of eastern North Carolina has changed from a marine-influenced, high brackish environment to the modern-day system, which is a highly variable, terrestrially influenced, low brackish environment.
Integrated microfluidic cell culture and lysis on a chip

We present an integrated microfluidic cell culture and lysis platform for automated cell analysis that improves on systems which require multiple reagents and manual procedures. Through the combination of previous technologies developed in our lab (namely, on-chip cell culture and electrochemical cell lysis) we have designed, fabricated, and characterized an integrated microfluidic platform capable of culturing HeLa, MCF-7, Jurkat, and CHO-K1 cells for up to five days and subsequently lysing the cells without the need to add lysing reagents. On-demand lysis was accomplished by local hydroxide ion generation within microfluidic chambers, releasing both proteinacious (GFP) and genetic (Hoescht-stained DNA) material. Sample proteins exposed to the electrochemical lysis conditions were immunodetectable (p53) and their enzymatic activity (HRP) was investigated.
A piezoelectric microvalve with integrated sensors for cryogenic applications

This paper describes a normally open, self-encapsulated, gas valve that has embedded sensors for pressure and temperature monitoring. The valve has been validated at operating temperatures over 80-380 K, and at pressures up to 130 kPa. A perimeter augmentation scheme for the valve seat has been implemented to provide higher flow modulation. Two kinds of suspensions are described for the valve seat. In tests performed at room temperature, the flow was modulated from 980 mL/min. with the valve fully open (0 V), to 0 mL/min. with 60 V actuation, at an inlet pressure of 55 kPa. Cryogenic flow rate tests show similar modulation with flow from 166 mL/min. with the valve fully open, to 5.3 mL/min. with 120 V actuation voltage, at an inlet pressure of 70 kPa. The platinum RTD temperature sensor is independently tested from 40-450 K with sensitivity of 0.23 %/K in its operational range of 150- 450 K. The pressure sensor has sensitivity of 250 ppm/kPa at room temperature.
Improving test suites via operational abstraction

This paper presents the operational difference technique for generating, augmenting, and minimizing test suites. The technique is analogous to structural code coverage techniques, but it operates in the semantic domain of program properties rather than the syntactic domain of program text. The operational difference technique automatically selects test cases; it assumes only the existence of a source of test cases. The technique dynamically generates operational abstractions (which describe observed behavior and are syntactically identical to formal specifications)from test suite executions. Test suites can be generated by adding cases until the operational abstraction stops changing. The resulting test suites are as small, and detect as many faults, as suites with 100% branch coverage, and are better at detecting certain common faults. This paper also presents the area and stacking techniques for comparing test suite generation strategies; these techniques avoid bias due to test suite size.
From Existing Accident-Free Car-Following Models to Colliding Vehicles: Exploration and Assessment

The study explores the specifications of microscopic traffic models that could capture congestion dynamics and model accident-prone behaviors on a highway section in greater realism than existing models currently used in practice (commercial software). A comparative assessment of several major acceleration models is conducted, especially for congestion formation and incident modeling. On the basis of this assessment, alternative specifications for car-following and lane-changing models are developed and implemented in a microscopic simulation framework. The models are calibrated and compared for resulting vehicle trajectories and macroscopic flow-density relationships. Experiments are conducted with the models under different degrees of relaxation of the safety constraints typically applied in conjunction with simulation codes used in practice. The ability of the proposed specifications to capture traffic behavior in extreme situations is examined. The results suggest that these specifications offer an im...
Assessing Chronic Pain Treatment Practices and Evaluating Adherence to Chronic Pain Clinical Guidelines in Outpatient Practices in the United States

Abstract Chronic pain is a major health concern in the United States. Several guidelines have been developed for clinicians to promote effective management and provide an analytical framework for evaluation of treatments for chronic pain. This study explores sample population demographics and the utilization of various therapeutic modalities in an adult population with common nonmalignant chronic pain (NMCP) indications in U.S. outpatient settings. A cross-sectional study using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) data from 2000 to 2007 was used to analyze various treatment practices for the management of NMCP and evaluate the results in comparison with guidelines. The study population of 690,205,290 comprised 63% females, with 45.17% of patient visits occurring in primary care settings. Treatment with at least 1 chronic pain medication was reported in 99.7% of patients. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents were the most common treatment prescribed, with use reported in approximately 95% of the patient visits. No other pain medication drug class or nonmedication therapy was prescribed more than 26.4%. These results point to a potential underutilization of many recommended NMCP treatments including combination therapies and the need for enhanced education of chronic pain guidelines. Perspective This study, representing over 690 million patient visits, contributes to the relative paucity of data on the use of therapeutic modalities in the management of NMCP. These results may assist clinicians and healthcare policymakers in identifying areas where practices are at odds with guidelines with the goal to improve care.
Vagal Stimulation Reduces the Severity of Maximal Electroshock Seizures in Intact Rats: Use of a Cuff Electrode for Stimulating and Recording

J. Zabara showed that repetitive vagal stimulation (VS) prevents or ameliorates convulsive seizures in dogs. We have studied the effects of VS on maximal electroshock seizures (MES) in intact rats: (1) A 5 wire cuff electrode was developed for stimulating and recording from the vagus. Compound action potentials (AP) were recorded and strength-duration curves obtained for A and C fibers. There is a monotonic relationship with a negative slope between heart rate (HR) and AP amplitude. C fibers remain excitable for 25 days after cuff implant. (2) The anticonvulsant efficacy of VS is directly related to the fraction of vagal C fibers stimulated and the frequency of stimulation. (3) The anticonvulsant efficacy of VS has been established using two rat models of human epilepsy. VS abolishes the extensor component of the tonic phase of a MES and shortens or prevents tonic seizures induced by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ). (4) VS appears to act via release of large quantities of the inhibitory mediators GABA and glycine throughout large volumes of the brain. (5) It is rational to test VS in man as a treatment for intractable seizures.