cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Compact standing-wave Fourier-transform interferometer with harmonic spectral analysis

ABSTRACT A new technique utilizing harmonic Fourier spectra created by the non-linear properties of a compact Fourier-transform infrared interferometer (FTIR) was proposed and realized to improve the syst em resolution. The compact standing wave FTIR (SWFTIR) system consists of a partial transparent hetero-junction bipolar phototransistor (HPT) and a free scanning highly refl ective mirror. The overall size of the system is less than 5 u 5u 5cm 3 , and the resolution at 1.5 P m is better than 37.5cm -1 at the 5 th harmonic spectral component. The SWFTIR array system has theoretical resolution of better than 1cm -1 covering the whole near-infrared region with potential compact portable applications. Keywords: interferometer, Fourier-transform, coherent detection, harmonic spectral analysis 1. INTRODUCTION Coherent photodetection in the near infrared region is of great interest to the application in the field of biomedical science and clinical practice. FTIR is one of th e most important multiplex spectrometer systems for detecting photons with different wavelengths simultaneously [1]. Much effort has been put in realizing compact FTIR [2], and the solution of standing-wave Fourier transform spectrometer (interferometer) (SWFTIR) by integrating silicon MEMS mirror and thin-film photodetectors was recently realized with good system performance.
The R-rich motif of Beet black scorch virus P7a movement protein is important for the nuclear localization, nucleolar targeting and viral infectivity

Beet black scorch virus (BBSV) encodes three movement proteins (P7a, P7b and P5') that facilitate its cell-to-cell movement. An arginine-rich motif of P7a N-terminus was found to determine nuclear and nucleolar localization. Amino acids substitution or deletion of the R-rich motif interfered with P7a nuclear and nucleolar localization. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays revealed that P7a protein interacted with Nicotiana benthamiana nuclear import factor importin α, suggesting that P7a is translocated into the nucleus by the classical importin α/β-dependent pathway. Moreover, P7a also interacted with the nucleolar protein fibrillarin. Mutations in the R-rich motif of P7a diminished P7a interactions with importin α and fibrillarin, influenced viral replication in Nicotiana benthamiana protoplasts and altered the symptom phenotype and viral RNA accumulation in Chenopodium amaranticolor plants. These results demonstrate that the R-rich motif of P7a is correlated with nuclear and nucleolar localization, viral replication and virus infection.
The lack of effect of oral doses of cinchona alkaloids on the circulation of dogs with renal hypertension; a contrast to their action in neurogenic hypertension.

The effect of repeated oral doses of quinine and quinidine on the circulation of dogs with renal hypertension was studied with measurements of arterial blood pressure and renal hemodynamics. Alkaloid concentrations up to the toxic range had little effect on the blood pressure or renal blood flow. It is pointed out that this lack of effect is in contrast to the vasodilator action of these agents in normal and neurogenic hypertensive dogs. These experiments are interpreted as constituting support for the thesis that the cinchona alkaloids have their vasodepressor effect by virtue of a blockade of sympathetic neuromuscular vasomotor junctions.
The accessibility of cellulose as determined by dye adsorption

The accessibility of cotton cellulose was determined after it had been mercerized both in the slack and tension states. Mercerized samples were either dried or retained in the undried state before dyeing to determine their accessibilities by the adsorption of Direct Blue 1. Samples were characterized also by techniques such as moisture adsorption, water retention value (WRV) and X-ray analysis. It appeared that the crystallinity of cotton mercerized under tension was slightly increased during dyeing. Dye adsorption increased in the order nonmercerized <tension-mercerized <slack-mercerized. Products mercerized and not dried adsorbed more dye than counterparts given the same swelling treatment but dried after mercerization. The presence of dye in a sample mercerized and undried before dyeing did not affect its crystallinity. From both the dye adsorption and WRV data it was concluded that structural collapse of the fibre is greater for the slack-mercerized product than its tension-mercerized counterpart after it is dried. It was also concluded from dye adsorption and water adsorption data that about 34% of the internal surface of cotton and mercerized cotton, available for water adsorption, is inaccessible to Direct Blue 1.
Municipal Resource Allocation: Minimizing the Cost of Fire Protection

Municipal decision-makers face the difficult task of determining the amount of funds to be allocated for fire department services. This decision affects both the insurance class of the city and the total cost of fire protection. Total fire protection cost is the sum of the tax dollars spent for fire department services public expenditures and fire insurance premiums paid by residents and businesses private expenditures. This paper presents an integer programming model to minimize the sum of these two costs. Since insurance costs reflect only property losses the model does not explicitly include the consequences of loss of life or injury. Since the protection of persons is an important part of the fire protection mission it is important to realize that the model produces a lower bound for the value and level of fire department services. We go on to show how the results can be used to provide a method of inputing a life hazard benefit for decisions which produce more fire protection than suggested by the cost-minimizing model. The model was applied in Boulder, Colorado; the ways in which the results may be incorporated into the political decision process are also described.
Stable lysozyme-cello-oligosaccharide complexes.

Abstract Stable complexes that formed when [ 14 C]cello-oligosaccharides and lysozyme were incubated under various conditions were isolated chromatographically and characterized. Complexation occurred over the pH range of 3–9 but was favored at high pH; the extent of complexation was inversely proportional to temperature. The stoichiometry of the complex was 1:1 sugar-protein, but no radiolabeled peptides could be isolated from a tryptic digest. The minimum requirements for association were native enzyme and a substrate composed of three or more (1→4)-β- D -glucopyranosyl residues. Acceptors and competitive inhibitors of lysozyme inhibited complexation and stimulated dissociation of the complex. Lysozyme did not hydrolyze the cello-oligosaccharides nor did it use them as D -glucosyl donors. Ultracentrifugation, molecular-sieve chromatography, and light-scattering studies indicated that the precipitated complexes were large, heterogeneous aggregates of protein and oligosaccharide which conform to the following equilibrium: n (protein+oligosaccharide)⇌(protein-oligosaccharide) n . Polymerization is a cooperative phenomenon.
Molecular structure and flanking nucleotide sequences of the natural chicken ovomucoid gene

Abstract Five independent clones containing the natural chicken ovomucoid gene have been isolated from a chicken gene library. One of these clones, CL21, contains the complete ovomucoid gene and includes more than 3 kb of DNA sequences flanking both termini of the gene. Restriction endonuclease mapping, electron microscopy and direct DNA sequencing analyses of this clone have revealed that the ovomucoid gene is 5.6 kb long and codes for a messenger RNA of 821 nucleotides. The structural gene sequence coding Ifor the mature messenger RNA is split into at least eight segments by a minimum of seven intervening sequences of various sizes. The shortest structural gene segment is only 20 nucleotides long. All seven intervening sequences are located within the peptide coding region of the gene, and the sequences at the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of the mRNA are not interrupted by intervening sequences. The DNA sequences of the regions flanking the 5′ and 3′ termini of the gene have been determined. Thirty nucleotides before the start of the messenger RNA coding sequence is the heptanucleotide TATATAT, which is also present in a similar location relative to the chicken ovalbumin gene and other unique sequence eucaryotic genes. This sequence resembles that of the Pribnow box in procaryotic genes where a promoter function has been implicated. Seven nucleotides past the 3′ end of the gene is the tetranucleotide TTGT, a sequence found to be present at identical locations as either TTTT or TTGT in other eucaryotic genes that have been sequenced. These conserved DNA sequences flanking eucaryotic genes may serve some regulatory function in the expression of these genes.
Resazurin reduction method for toxicity assessment of water soluble and insoluble chemicals

This method is intended to be used either as a screening test for detecting the presence of toxic chemicals in waters and wastewaters, or as an analytical tool in the assessment of toxicity-chemical structure relationship.
Designing and evaluating a health care delivery system through the use of interactive computer graphics

Abstract During the past decade an awareness has emerged for the necessity of planning the efficient delivery of regional health care services. This paper focuses on the implementation of an analytical tool to aid health planners in evaluating current and prescribing future health care facility and service locations. The analysis was performed under the rubric of an interactive computer graphic approach permitting optimal man-machine interaction. Although a considerable theoretical and methodological literature already exists in this area, the solution techniques tend to be mathematically complex and highly specific. The proposed system will place in the hands of an experienced decision-maker, the health planner, a set of easily manipulated models, supported by a set of powerful mathematical tools, which provide flexibility for changing planning objectives, results that are easily interpreted, and a relatively low cost technique.
Definition in science teaching

Definitions, I have suggested, have both a function and a form. The function pursued and the form used should depend on the situation and on the term being defined. In the situation described at the outset, Mr. Beta should probably have seen to it that a stipulation of some sort was given-just in order to get on with the task at hand. The stipulation might have been based upon a true reported definition-or it might not-depending on political considerations and the linguistic flexibility of the people concerned. Since no one involved could plausibly have been trying to embody a program in a definition of dough, a programmatic definition was not appropriate in that situation.
Exploring the Impact of Speed Synchronization through Connected Vehicle Technology on Fleet-Level Fuel Economy

It is rare for an attempt towards optimization at the fleet-level when consideration is given to the sheer number of seemingly unpredictable interactions among vehicles and infrastructure in congested urban areas. To close the gap, we introduce a simulation based framework to explore the impact of speed synchronization on fuel economy improvement for fleets in traffic. The framework consists of traffic and vehicle modules. The traffic module is used to simulate driver behavior in urban traffic; and the vehicle module is employed to estimate fuel economy. Driving schedule is the linkage between these two modules. To explore the impact, a connected vehicle technology sharing vehicle speed information is used for better fuel economy of a fleet including six vehicles. In all scenarios analyzed, the leading vehicle operates under the EPA Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS), while the other five vehicles follow the leader consecutively. Every follower in the fleet was governed by a driver behavior model and their desired speeds may be adjusted according to received speed information of the leading vehicle. Fuel economy for fleets comprising either all conventional or all hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) were analyzed. The results show that the shared information contributes to fuel economy improvement more than 4% for the conventional vehicle fleet and at least 7% for the HEV fleet. The simulated vehicle kinematics is also analyzed. Since the analyses show promising results, research of further improving fuel economy with connected vehicle technology under real traffic conditions is recommended. Language: en
A Network Security Game Model

There have been attempts to model the interaction between users, both malicious and benign, and network administrators as games. Building on such works, we here present a game model which is generic enough to capture various modes of such interactions. The model facilitates stochastic games with imperfect information. The imperfect information is due to erroneous sensors leading to incorrect perception of the current state by the players. To model this error in perception distributed over other multiple states, we use Euclidean distances between inputs from the sensors.
A rapid and simple procedure for preparation of γ-32P-labeled nucleoside triphosphates☆

An enzymic procedure has been devised for the synthesis of nucleoside triphosphates labeled with 32P in the γ-position. Conditions have been determined that lead to high yields of the radioactive products which have been shown to be labeled only in the γ-phosphate. This method is especially convenient and rapid because all of the enzymes and substrates required are commercially available.
Nondormant mutants in a temperate tree species, Corylus avellana L.

Nondormant mutants in hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) are described. In contrast to normal trees in which physiological rest, or dormancy, is induced by short days, mutants fail to respond to this stimulus. Shoot tips continue to grow, old leaves are retained until midwinter when they are frozen and/or pushed off by developing axillary buds, axillary buds begin to grow in December, 2–3 months before normal spring bud break, and cold hardiness does not develop. Nondormancy is controlled by a single recessive gene (dd). The mutation is not uncommon since eight cultivars, including the world's most important commercial cultivars, are heterozygous for this trait. The implications of nondormancy in a temperate tree species are discussed in relation to evolution, extension of the range of cultivation, breeding, and value for basic studies of fundamental mechanisms of dormancy.
Plasmonic electrodes for organic photovoltaics: polarization-independent absorption enhancement

We systematically investigate the optical and electrical properties of ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) Ag nanogratings (NGs), and explore their use as plasmonic transparent conducting electrodes in molecular organic photovoltaics (OPVs). A large broadband and polarization-insensitive optical absorption enhancement in the CuPc (copper phthalocyanine): PTCBI (perylene tetracarboxylic bisbenzimidazole) active light-harvesting layers is demonstrated using ultrathin 2D Ag NGs, and is attributed to the excitation of surface plasmon resonances and plasmonic cavity modes.
Drinking motives among heavy-drinking veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder

AbstractObjective: This study examined patterns of drinking motives endorsed by heavy drinking veterans who either did or did not meet criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Method: Data were collected from 69 veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) who had screened positive for hazardous drinking. The sample was 91.3% male and 65.2% Caucasian. Based on a structured interview, 58% of the sample met criteria for PTSD. Results: The PTSD group scored higher than the non-PTSD group on scales measuring drinking to cope with anxiety and depression and similarly to the non-PTSD group on scales measuring social, enhancement and conformity motives. Coping and social motives were significantly correlated with adverse alcohol consequences. Overall, the PTSD group showed stronger relations between coping scales and aspects of alcohol misuse, relative to the non-PTSD group. Conclusion: These findings suggest first, that among heavy drinking OEF/OIF veterans there is a high base r...
Conducting Program Evaluation with Hispanics in Rural Settings: Ethical issues and Evaluation Challenges

Abstract Conducting evaluations that are both valid and ethical is imperative for the support and sustainability of programs that address underserved and vulnerable populations. A key component is to have evaluators who are knowledgeable about relevant cultural issues and sensitive to population needs. Hispanics in rural settings are vulnerable for many reasons but especially because of language issues, differences in cultural beliefs and socioeconomic barriers. Additional factors, such as cultural proclivity to be deferential to authority figures and the possibility of having an undocumented alien status also are important issues for Hispanics living and working in rural communities. Because migrant farm workers comprise a large part of Hispanics living in rural areas, attention to the sensitive issues surrounding this population is paramount during program evaluations. This paper highlights ethical issues pertinent to program evaluations involving Hispanics residing in rural settings.
Non-Gaussian 1/f noise as a probe of long-range structural and electronic disorder in amorphous silicon

Measurements of the second spectra that characterize the non-Gaussian statistical nature of conductance fluctuations are reported for a series of hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin films. The deposition conditions used to synthesize the films were systematically varied in order to observe the effect that differing amounts of disorder have on the noise statistics. One series of n-type films were deposited at varying substrate temperatures, another n-type series was grown at varying rf powers, and a third series of compensated films was synthesized with varying ratios of phosphine to diborane. None of these series shows any significant change in the non-Gaussian noise statistics as the long-range disorder and deposition properties are changed. Measurements of the second spectra for a film synthesized in an inductively coupled plasma thermal growth system, which yields nano-particles of ~ 150 nm in diameter, are also reported. These results are discussed in terms of models for the non-Gaussian noise properties in amorphous silicon.
Photoelectron spectroscopy of molecular clusters

High resolution photoelectron spectroscopy is applied to the study of molecular clusters. The primary species studied are fluorene-Arn complexes. Spectroscopy of the neutral S1 state has been performed on clusters as large as n equals 30. In order to study the photoelectron spectra of the clusters size selectively mass analyzed threshold ionization (MATI) is used which is a mass resolved version of the ZEKE technique. MATI spectroscopy has been applied to clusters up to n equals 5. The spectral shifts in the S1 origin and ion threshold are used as a measure of the relative stability of the different clusters. Using previous experimental and theoretical work on related clusters the structures of the clusters are inferred from the observed spectral shifts. In some cases multiple conformations of a particular cluster size are identified.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The shortest wire.

Catechol dioxygenases catalyze the opening of an aromatic ring and incorporation of both atoms of a molecule of dioxygen (reviewed by ref. 1; see Scheme 1). Initial deprotonation of a ring hydroxyl facilitates oxidation to a semiquinone-type state and loss of aromatic stabilization of the ring structure, but O2 also requires activation for the reaction to occur. Although the overall reaction is thermodynamically favorable, it is kinetically impeded by O2's spin triplet nature in the ground state, because this spin is not conserved in the reaction's singlet products (2). Thus, the catalyzed reaction must at least include mechanisms for recombination of electron spins, deprotonation of catechol, electron transfer from catecholate and to O2, and the chemical steps that follow. The early functions and proximate binding of O2 and catecholate can be performed by appropriate redox-active metal ions, so it is natural to focus on the metal ion when one is present. However, each of the early requirements can also be met by other means. In this issue of PNAS, Emerson et al. (3) use a pair of catechol dioxygenase enzymes to remind us of the versatility and variety of biochemical mechanisms. They show that despite the compelling elegance and many capabilities of redox-active metal ions as hammers, not all reactions are nails. Specifically, they argue that the … [↵][1]*E-mail: afm{at}uky.edu [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Sub-Atmospheric Mini-Jet Impingement Boiling of Water Under Saturated and Subcooled Conditions

An experimental study of mini-jet impingement boiling is presented for saturated and subcooled conditions. Unique to this study is the documentation of boiling curves of submerged water jet impingement under sub-atmospheric conditions. Data are reported at a single sub-atmospheric pool pressure of 0.176 bar and for a fixed nozzle-to-surface distance of six jet diameters. A mini nozzle is used in the present study with an internal diameter of 1.16 mm. Jet impingement boiling at Reynolds numbers in the range of 0 to 6,800 are characterized and contrasted for both saturated and subcooled conditions. Enhancements in critical heat flux with increasing Re are observed for both saturated and subcooled conditions, with the subcooled condition of 17 °C showing approximately 2.3 times the critical heat flux as that observed for saturated conditions. Critical heat flux for subcooled jet impingement boiling is well predicted from the saturated critical heat flux data by a modified subcooled pool boiling CHF correlation presented by Inoue et al. [1]. The effect of surface finish on pool boiling is also reported.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
IMAGING AND ANALYSIS OF PHOTOMECHANICAL EFFECTS INDUCED IN WATER BY HIGH-POWER LASER-TARGET INTERACTION

The kinetics of cavitation and associated photo-mechanical effects induced by underwater pulsed-laser irradiation of solid targets has been studied experimentally and analyzed with theoretical methods. A xenon-chloride excimer laser of 150 ns pulse duration has been utilized to produce ablation and local photofragmentation of artificial samples of hard tissues at fluences of 12–24 J/cm2. The evolution of pressure wave and cavitation formations developing in the liquid from the target surface after laser irradiation has been observed with a time-resolved imaging technique employing a pump-probe laser arrangement. The analysis of experimental results has been performed by using the theoretical model of “point explosion” that has been successfully applied to fit the cavitation kinetics, providing also quantitative information on the energy transfer during photo-acoustic interactions.
Nuclear Hartree-Fock calculations

Abstract : Single particle levels, binding energies and single particle wave functions are calculated for C12, 016, Si28, Ca40 and Zr80, using a matrix Hartree-Fock method. The two body interaction used acts only in relative states. The truncation of the matrices and the convergence are discussed. The agreement with experimental results are quite good. (Author)
Modular representations of PGL2 and automorphic forms for Shimura curves.

In this paper, we study certain infinite dimensional representations of the general linear group GL2 over a local field K, in vector spaces over K. These representations are closely related to the theory of analytic functions on the p-adic upper half plane over K. They were originally introduced by Morita [Mor] , who studied them intensively in the case when the characteristic of K is zero. Morita 's work has subsequently been greatly extended by Schneider and Stuhler [SS] and Schneider [S] to representations of GL,(K) and higher p-adic symmetric spaces. In this paper, we re-consider some of Morita 's representations of GL2 from the point of view of integral and modular representation theory. It seems quite natural to study p-adic representations by reducing them modp, and we supply a technique for doing this. In particular, suppose that Ydenotes the Bruhat Tits tree of PGLz(K). We consider the representations of PGL2(K) on the harmonic functions on W of e v e n weight that is, the harmonic functions on the edges of J taking values in even symmetric powers of the standard representation of GL2. In this paper, we find an invariant integral lattice in these representations, and we describe the modular representations of PGL2(K) obtained by reducing this lattice modp. The modular representations obtained from Morita 's representations are quite simple and natural objects, although they seem a bit peculiar at first. Suppose that F is the residue field of K, that V is a vector space over F, and that p :GL2(F) ~ End(V) is a finite-dimensional (modular) representation. Notice that p may be viewed in a natural way as a modular representation of GL/(R), where R is the valuation ring of K. We show that a typical infinite dimensional representation of Morita's, when reduced mod p, has a filtration whose factors are isomorphic to "I"~CL2~R~WJ.T~n~L2~)t~ Note that there are only finitely many irreducible, finite dimensional modular representations of GLz(F); the appearance of these finitely many
The Cost-Effectiveness of Dextranomer/Hyaluronic Acid Copolymer for the Management of Vesicoureteral Reflux. 2. Reflux Correction at the Time of Diagnosis as a Substitute for Traditional Management

Purpose: The use of dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer has become increasingly popular as an alternative to ureteral reimplantation in the treatment of vesicoureteral reflux. We compared the cost-effectiveness of performing dextranomer/hyaluronic acid injection at the time of diagnosis of reflux to that of traditional management.Materials and Methods: A model to estimate the costs of managing vesicoureteral reflux has previously been created. We updated the model to compare the costs of managing vesicoureteral reflux by traditional methods with the costs of managing reflux if dextranomer/hyaluronic acid injection is performed at the time of diagnosis. The success rate required for dextranomer/hyaluronic acid injection at diagnosis to be as cost effective as traditional management was estimated. We used 2 models of dextranomer/hyaluronic acid injection at diagnosis—injection at diagnosis proceeding to traditional management if injection failed (scenario 1), and injection at diagnosis proceeding to urete...
Linking molecular level chemistry to macroscopic combustion behavior for nano-energetic materials with halogen containing oxides

Coupling molecular scale reaction kinetics with macroscopic combustion behavior is critical to understanding the influences of intermediate chemistry on energy propagation, yet bridging this multi-scale gap is challenging. This study integrates ab initio quantum chemical calculations and condensed phase density functional theory to elucidate factors contributing to experimentally measured high flame speeds (i.e., >900 m/s) associated with halogen based energetic composites, such as aluminum (Al) and iodine pentoxide (I2O5). Experiments show a direct correlation between apparent activation energy and flame speed suggesting that flame speed is directly influenced by chemical kinetics. Toward this end, the first principle simulations resolve key exothermic surface and intermediate chemistries contributing toward the kinetics that promote high flame speeds. Linking molecular level exothermicity to macroscopic experimental investigations provides insight into the unique role of the alumina oxide shell passivating aluminum particles. In the case of Al reacting with I2O5, the alumina shell promotes exothermic surface chemistries that reduce activation energy and increase flame speed. This finding is in contrast to Al reaction with metal oxides that show the alumina shell does not participate exothermically in the reaction.
Raman Scattering by Wave-Vector-Dependent LO-Phonon-Plasmon Modes in n-InAs

We elucidate the relative roles played by the accumulation space-charge region and by the skin depth in determining the magnitude of the wave vectors of the coupled LO-phonon---plasmon modes which take part in Raman scattering in $n$-InAs at the ${E}_{1}$ gap.
Direct Determinations of Aortic Blood Flow in Patients with Aortic Regurgitation Effects of Alterations in Heart Rate, Increased Ventricular Preload or Afterload, and Isoproterenol

Instantaneous ascending aortic blood flow and left ventricular and central aortic pressure were determined at the time of operation in nine patients with severe aortic regurgitation. In six, the heart rate was controlled and increased by electrical stimulation between 50 and 170 beats/min. The relative duration of diastole decreased, and that of systole increased at faster heart rates. The mean systolic ejection rate fell, and regurgitant flow rates remained relatively constant. Thus, the per cent regurgitation was not reduced at faster rates. Following isoproterenol administration, the faster heart rate lengthened the relative duration of systole, abbreviated that of diastole, and increased the systolic ejection rate. Net result was an increased total forward flow and a reduced per cent regurgitation, but when the heart rate was held constant, the total forward stroke volume was ejected more rapidly, but the total forward and regurgitant flows per beat and per minute, and consequently the per cent regurgitation did not change. Assessments of left venticular function also were made in two patients.
Paper machine drives

THERE are two distinct types of paper machines to be found in the industry; the Fourdrinier machine, named after its sponsor, and the cylinder machine. These machines with modifications are used in the manufacture of all grades of paper and paperboard.
Utility of ultrafast computed tomography in the detection of thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections

The millisecond image acquisition time characteristic of the ultrafast computed tomography (UFCT) scanner makes it an ideal modality for evaluating patients with suspected vascular lesions of the thoracic aorta. Unlike conventional CT, the UFCT electron beam technology produces images with excellent resolution, minimal respiratory artifact, and superior vascular enhancement. This report discusses the (1) basic characteristics of the UFCT scanner as they relate to the imaging of the thoracic aorta, (2) UFCT appearances of uncomplicated and complicated aneurysms and dissections, (3) appropriate CT protocols used in the work-up of suspected thoracic aortic disease, and (4) strengths and weaknesses of other imaging modalities compared with UFCT.
On the optimal error regulation of a string of moving vehicles

This paper uses the theory of optimal control to design an optimal linear feedback system which regulates the position and velocity of every vehicle in a densely packed string of high-speed moving vehicles. In addition to the general theoretical formulation and solution of the optimization problem, analog computer simulation results are presented for the case of a string of three vehicles.
Evaluation of priority rules to improve turn-around time for computer users

Abstract Two alternate methods for sequencing jobs arriving at the computer center of Ohio University are compared with the usual shortest-job-first method. The jobs are heterogenous with large numbers of short and simple student jobs, many long and complex graduate student and faculty jobs, and high-priority, real-time administrative jobs. A GPSS simulation model was constructed to compare the sequencing methods. The results obtained suggest that the method which reserves one memory partition (out of the four used for general computation) for longer jobs may be desirable to improve turn-around time for those jobs without seriously degrading performance for short jobs.
Comparison of two progestogens during out-of-season breeding in a commercial ewe flock

Abstract A comparison was made of the relative effectiveness of subcutaneous ear implants containing 2 mg Norgestomet or vagnial pessaries containing 60 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate (MAP) to induce estrus and conception in dry anestrous ewes. Groups of ewes were treated with one of the two progestogens for 14 d, and 500 IU pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) was administered intramuscularly at the time of progestogen withdrawal. No significant differences in estrus induction, pregnancy rate or number of lambs born per ewe lambing were observed. Ewes treated with Norgestomet had 96% estrus, 60% pregnancy rate and 1.4 lambs per ewe lambing. Comparably, ewes treated with MAP had 94% estrus, 65% pregnancy rate and 1.7 lambs per ewe lambing. Norgestomet implants compared favorably with MAP pessaries for estrus induction and breeding of commercial, dry anestrous ewes.
Phagocytic and metabolic reactions to intracerebral electrical stimulation of rat brain.

Abstract Electrical stimulation of the brain has been used with a variety of different electrode types and different stimulating intensities. Few studies have explored neural damage resulting from electrical stimulation that may render the experiment unreliable. The present study used conventional intracerebral bipolar metal stimulating electrodes, delivered a range of defined charge levels, and systematically measured “acute” metabolic effects on glucose (2-deoxy[14C]glucose) metabolism as well as “chronic” (96 h poststimulation) neuronal death and phagocytosis at the electrode surfaces. Neither charge density per phase (QD) nor total charge density per phase (TQD) were independent predictors of “safe” or damaging stimulation; however, together they provided ranges of clearly safe or damaging stimulating conditions that lasted 1 to 2 h. The lowest QD (11.11 μC/cm2/ph) was safe even at 9.1 TQD but not when the pulses totaled 9.6 TQD in 4 h. The middle QD (22.22) was safe even at 9.3 TQD but not when the 2-h pulsing totaled 11.0 TQD. The highest QD (44.44) was safe at 0.4 and 0.8 TQD but irreversibly damaging at 1.6 and 9.6 TQD. These comparisons demonstrated conditions suitable for 1 to 2 h of safe stimulation, but did not provide evidence on the cumulative effects of longer periods or higher frequencies.
Partitioning knowledge bases between advanced notification and clinical decision support systems

Clinical decision support system (CDSS) and their logic syntax include the coding of notifications (e.g., Arden Syntax). The following paper will describe the rationale for segregating policies, user preferences and clinical monitoring rules into ''advanced notification'' and'' clinical'' components, which together form a novel and complex CDSS. Notification rules and hospital policies are respectively abstracted from care-provider roles and alerting mechanisms. User-defined preferences determine which devices are to be used for receiving notifications. Our design differs from previous notification systems because it integrates a versatile notification platform supporting a wide range of mobile devices with a XML/HL-7 compliant communication protocol.
Variability of Albedo and Utility of the MODIS Albedo Product in Forested Wetlands

Albedo was monitored over a two-year period (beginning April 2008) at three forested wetland sites in Florida, USA using up- and down-ward facing pyranometers. Water level, above and below land surface, is the primary control on the temporal variability of daily albedo. Relatively low reflectivity of water accounts for the observed reductions in albedo with increased inundation of the forest floor. Enhanced canopy shading of the forest floor was responsible for lower sensitivity of albedo to water level at the most dense forest site. At one site, the most dramatic reduction in daily albedo was observed during the inundation of a highly-reflective, calcareous periphyton-covered land surface. Satellite-based Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) estimates of albedo compare favorably with measured albedo. Use of MODIS albedo values in net radiation computations introduced a root mean squared error of less than 4.7 W/m2 and a mean, annual bias of less than 2.3 W/m2 (1.7%). These results suggest that MODIS-estimated albedo values can reliably be used to capture areal and temporal variations in albedo that are important to the surface energy balance.
Scalable Mismatch Compensation for Time-Interleaved A/D Converters in OFDM Reception

Realization of all-digital baseband receiver processing for multi-Gigabit communication requires analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) of sufficient rate and output resolution. A promising architecture for this purpose is the time-interleaved ADC (TI-ADC), in which several "sub-ADCs" are employed in parallel. However, the timing mismatch between the sub-ADCs, if left uncompensated, leads to error floors in receiver performance. Standard linear digital mismatch compensation (e.g., based on the zero-forcing criterion) requires a number of taps that increases with the desired resolution. In this paper, we show that oversampling provides a scalable (in the number of sub-ADCs and in the desired resolution) approach to mismatch compensation, allowing elimination of mismatch-induced error floors at reasonable complexity. While the structure of the interference due to mismatch is different from that due to a dispersive channel, there is a strong analogy between the role of oversampling for mismatch compensation and for channel equalization. We illustrate the efficacy of the proposed mismatch compensation techniques for an OFDM receiver.
On parallelizing a groundwater pollution simulator

Domain decomposition strategies and computational mesh reordering are discussed for finite difference parallel simulations of groundwater contaminants transport. The parallel performance of point iterative methods traditionally used in groundwater pollution modelling is studied. The algorithms were implemented with red-black and wavefront reordering of the computational mesh. A standard conservative transport equation defined on a two-dimensional grid with Dirichlet boundary conditions was used for the analysis. Completely portable multiple instructions multiple data (MIMD) implementations of the algorithm were performed using message-passing interface (MPI). The runtimes of the algorithms are presented as a function of grid refinement and number of processors, and the communication overhead of the parallel simulation process is investigated, showing that the red-black reordering technique yields the best performance results. The method also provides higher efficiency and scalability when applied to large-scale problems. Optimal parameters are suggested for parallel simulation of groundwater pollution using finite difference schemes.
Numerical study of asymmetric flows of red blood cells in capillaries

Experimental studies have shown that red blood cells in capillaries may flow in single-file or multifile arrangements. To model multifile rheological behavior, the asymmetric flows of rigid circular cylinders in a two-dimensional channel are studied by numerical analysis. The rigid circular cylinders are arranged off-center in a channel in a row or two rows with equal spacings. The motion of the suspending fluid is analyzed by the finite element method applied to the Stokes equation, and the motions of the particles are simultaneously determined under the zero force and zero moment conditions appropriate to neutorally buoyant particles. The velocity difference between the particles and the bulk flow is significantly affected by the arrangement of the particles. The particle velocity is reduced as the particles are moved away from the centerline of the channel. At a constant concentration of the particles, the relative apparent viscosity of an off-center arrangement is considerably higher than that of a single-file flow of the particles located on the centerline of the channel. The present results suggest that changes of the radial distribution of red cells flowing through narrow vessels may lead to alterations of the Fahraeus and Fahraeus-Lindqvist effects.
Oxygen-vacancy ordering in the YBa2Cu3Oz basal plane studied by the cluster variation method

The cluster variation method is used to calculate a phase diagram for a two-dimensional Ising model representing the Cu2O plane of the high-Tc superconductor YBa2Cu3Oz. Both first (V1 and second-neighbor (V2) interactions are considered, withV2/V1= −1/2; At high temperatures, the transition from the disordered (tetragonal) to the ordered (orthorhombic) phase is second-order. A tricritical point is found below which phase separation occurs. Fractional site occupancy and second-neighbor pair correlations are calculated as a function of temperature. The relevance of the model to the thermodynamics of ordering in the high-Tc compound is discussed.
Gender, Race, and Imperial Wars

Interrogating Imperialism: Conversations on Gender, Race, and War. Edited by Robin L. Riley, Naeem Inayatullah. NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. 254 pp., $74.95 hardcover (ISBN-10: 1-4039-7462-4). Interrogating Imperialism, edited by Robin Riley and Naeem Inayatullah, interrogates the “worldwide capitalist, white supremacist, patriarchal form of imperialism” (p. 3) visible in global politics today both on its own and as a product of hundreds of years of imperialisms that remain a key scaffolding to this new imperialism. The dual purpose of this collection is (in the words of Cynthia Enloe in the foreward) to revive “persistent curiosity and nuanced understanding” (p. ix) and (in the editors' words) “reveal the many machinations of the new imperialism and the complexity of racial and gender formations within it” (p. 5). In service of these missions, the collection includes eight substantive chapters with a variety of empirical foci. While the authors share a theoretical commitment to interrogating imperialism, each treats the subject matter in importantly unique ways. In Chapter Two, Elisabeth Armstrong and Vijay Prashad show the conceptual and practical difficulties of establishing solidarity among feminist movements. They note that efforts at solidarity are often hampered by the fact that “U.S. feminists and other progressives often presume that the darker nations do not have an indigenous feminist tradition on par with their own” (p. 16). Using examples of US feminist attempts at solidarity with women in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan during the United States' conflicts with those states, the authors of this chapter demonstrate that presumed superiority often prevents American feminists from seeing the legitimacy of elements of national …
Load/Unload Systems With Multiple Flying Height States

In hard disk drives that utilize load/unload technology, the slider loads onto the disk from hundreds of microns away before the slider settles into the designed flying height. Due to the forces acting on the slider after the transition from the unloaded state to the fully loaded state, the resulting flying height of the slider may be about two orders of magnitude higher than the intended nominal flying height. Under certain circumstances, the slider may never reach the nominal flying height required for proper operation of the magnetic recording process. In this paper, the existence of multiple flying heights is demonstrated and verified both by experimentation and simulation. The effect of some of the critical parameters is also identified by both methods. We show that necessary care must be taken to avoid unwanted loading sequences where the system may be unable to store or retrieve data.
Differentiation of negative event-related potentials in an auditory discrimination task.

Abstract Several different negative potentials elicited in auditory perceptual tasks make spatially and temporally overlapping contributions to the scalp-recorded event-related potential. Frequent non-target tones in a 2-stimulus oddball pitch discrimination task, when compared with the same stimuli in ignore or simple reaction time conditions, elicit a negative deflection with two peaks (NA1 and NA2) differing in their latency and topography from the exogenous N92–P156 deflections. Oddball tones, when compared with the frequent ones, elicit mismatch negativity (MMN) in both ignore and discrimination conditions; MMN displays a frontocentral-posterolateral polarity inversion. In the discrimination condition, MMN is followed by N2 and P3b; the former has a more central amplitude maximum than MMN, and no posterolateral polarity inversion. When the pitch discrimination task was made more difficult, there was no effect on NA1 or NA2, but the latency of MMN, N2, P3b, and reaction time all increased in parallel. It is hypothesized that MMN reflects the outcome of an automatic mismatch detection process, and that the subsequent processing of targets is related to the event of mismatch detection.
The Rise in Latex Allergy: Implications for the Dentist

Background on allergy development and management options for those sensitive to latex are discussed. The ease with which latex allergies would develop was not anticipated when health care professionals began wearing examination gloves on a regular basis. Responses to the rise in latex allergies have been initiated by several agencies. These responses, cases of allergic reactions and definitions of allergy are discussed.
Staged closure of tracheogastrocutaneous fistula after esophagectomy for infiltrative granular cell tumor.

sive review of the literature. Am J Surg Pathol. 2004;28:1-30. 2. Jonsson KB, Zahradnik R, Larsson T, White KE, Sugimoto T, Imanishi Y, et al. Fibroblast growth factor 23 in oncogenic osteomalacia and X-linked hypophosphatemia. N Engl J Med. 2003;348: 1656-63. 3. Weidner N, Santa Cruz D. Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors. A polymorphous group causing osteomalacia or rickets. Cancer. 1987;59: 1442-54. 4. Seufert J, Ebert K, Muller J, Eulert J, Hendrich C, Werner E, et al. Octreotide therapy for tumor-induced osteomalacia. N Engl J Med. 2001;345:1883-8. 5. Carpenter TO. Oncogenic osteomalacia—a complex dance of factors. N Engl J Med. 2003;348:1705-8.
Graduate Education for Nurse Practitioners: Are Advanced Degrees Needed for Practice?

Although the number of master's prepared nurse practitioners has expanded in the last 30 years, few master's level behaviors seem to be incorporated into the role. This study compared both actual and ideal role behaviors of master's and non-master's prepared nurse practitioners. These behaviors included the technical behaviors that all nurse practitioners should perform and master's level nursing behaviors. Two hundred state-certified nurse practitioners were mailed questionnaires asking them to identify their actual and ideal role behaviors. The results showed no difference in the actual role behaviors performed by both groups. In terms of ideal role behaviors, non-master's prepared nurse practitioners rated the majority of the technical and master's level behaviors higher than master's prepared nurse practitioners. In light of the upcoming changes in our health care system and the potential demand for more nurse practitioners, this study questions the need for all nurse practitioners to be educated at the master's level.