cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advances in monolithic ferroelectric uncooled IRFPA technology

The success of uncooled IR imaging at Raytheon has awakened a new view of the potential of thermal imaging. Once relegated to only expensive military platforms, occasionally to civilian platforms, and envisioned for individual soldiers, thermal imaging is now affordable for police cars, commercial surveillance, driving aids, and a variety of other industrial and consumer applications. System prices are as low as $8000, and swelling production volume will soon drive prices substantially lower. The impetus for further development is performance. The hybrid barium strontium titanate (BST) detectors currently in production have limited potential for improved sensitivity, and their MTF is suppressed at high frequencies. Microbolometer arrays in development at Raytheon have demonstrated performance superior to hybrid detectors. However, microbolometer technology lacks a mature, low-cost system technology and an abundance of deployable system implementations. Thin-film ferroelectric (TFFE) detectors have all the performance potential of microbolometers, and arguably more. They are also compatible with numerous fielded and planned system implementations. Like a microbolometer, the TFFE detector is monolithic; i.e., the detector material is deposited directly on the readout IC rather than being bump bonded to it. Initial imaging arrays of 240 X 320 pixels have been produced, demonstrating the feasibility of the technology.
Novel approach to modelling series resonant convertors

A linear steady-state model for the series resonant convertor is derived by recognising that the input voltage and the reflected value of the output voltage can be viewed as square waves with a phase difference between them. This leads to the application of elementary Fourier analysis in deriving values of the various currents and voltages without excessive computation. Examples worked out in detail illustrate the simplicity and the powerfulness of the new model. >
Clinical benefit of high dose IL-2 (HD IL-2) therapy: evidence for improved overall survival in patients with stable disease

Background HD IL-2 is an approved immunotherapy for advanced melanoma and renal cell carcinoma with a reported objective response rate (ORR) up to 20%. Patients with stable disease (SD) following treatment are not considered objective responders and thus are not included in reported response rates. Since the initial reports of IL-2 our understanding of the delayed pharmacokinetics of immunotherapy has improved. The purpose of this study is to report the clinical outcomes for patients with stable response to HD IL-2. Methods A retrospective chart review of 305 patients diagnosed with metastatic renal cell carcinoma or melanoma and treated with HD IL-2 therapy over a 12-year period was conducted. Age, response to HD IL-2 (based on RECIST criteria) and survival data were available in 215 patients at the time of analysis. Survival analysis was conducted on all patients for whom complete data was available and Kaplan-Meier curves were generated based on overall survival. Results Among the 215 patients with complete data, 62% had progressive disease (PD), 24% had SD and the objective response rate was 14%. Median overall survival was 16.8 months among all 215 patients. Patients with a PR or CR (median survival not reached in the study period) had significantly prolonged survival than the remaining patients (median survival 13.9 months, log-rank p < 0.01). Patients with SD (median survival of 38.2 months) had improved survival compared to patients with progressive disease (median survival of 7.9 months, log-rank p< 0.01). Discussion The IL-2 literature has focused on partial or complete responders when reporting objective response rates. In our data, as well as elsewhere in the literature, there are a large number of patients who have as table response to HD IL-2 that have not been included in the ORR. Our data supports a significant survival benefit associated with stable disease following IL-2, which suggests that HD IL-2 may result in a clinical benefit in a larger number of patients than has previously been reported. Consideration of ad isease control rate (DCR) inclusive of objective responders and stable responses may be more appropriate to better define the clinical benefit of IL-2.
Effect of test temperature on separation number

The separation number is affected by a variety of extra-column factors (e.g. the injection process, the nature of the sample, and plumbing defects in the inlet and detector) as well as factors related to column efficiency. The magnitude of the separation number, as affected by the column, varies inversely with column temperature and directly with the partition ratios of the test compounds. The interrelationships of column temperature and partition ratios are explored.
A paper chromatographic study of aloe, aloin and of cascara sagrada.

Abstract A qualitative and quantitative study of aloe, aloin, and cascara sagrada by the use of paper chromatography was undertaken. The results indicated the presence of aloe- emodin and anthranol in the free state and in glycosidal combination in all five of the drugs investigated. In addition, the Curacao aloe contained chrysophanic acid and the cascara sagrada contained chrysophanic acid and emodin in their free state and also in glycosidal combination.
Seeking Physician Input for Diet Order Screen Design in the Computerized Medical Record

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To identify which characteristics of diet order screens meet the needs of physician users. When designing computer entry programs it is crucial to elicit user input. When a large tertiary care hospital decided to implement computerized medical records with physician (MD) order entry, Food and Nutrition Services (FANS) formed a work group including dietitians, dietitian assistants, food service supervisors, and nursing clericals. The work group flowcharted the current paper diet order process, studied current MD generated paper "strip" diet orders for content and clarity, incorporated standards as outlined in the diet manual, and surveyed MDs to associate their order thought processes into the screen design. The MD survey showed that MDs order diets based on disease state; MDs are often unsure about setting nutrient levels or choosing enteral formulas; and that when unsure, they either page a dietitian or ask a colleague. Based on MD input, the work group designed the diet order entry screens with the following attributes:1) Allowed "House Renal," "House Diabetic" and "House Liver" as choices. These house diets have nutrient levels assigned to them and allow the MD to order a diet that fits the patient's disease state without specifying exact nutrient levels. They also alert the dietitian that the patient needs to be screened to ascertain whether the house diet is the most appropriate diet.2) Included an on-line enteral nutrition algorithm that helps MDs identify the ideal formula for a patient.3) Included "help" screens that explain when a particular diet is indicated. The work group has met their goal of designing diet order screens that are MD user friendly. These screens also generate a diet order to FANS that is clear and complete. The workgroup will continue to monitor and respond to user suggestions for improvement.
Fully automated synthesis of PET TSPO radioligands [11C]DAA1106 and [18F]FEDAA1106

[(11)C]DAA1106 was prepared by O-[(11)C]methylation of DAA1123 with [(11)C]CH(3)OTf and NaH in CH(3)CN at 80°C and isolated by HPLC combined with SPE purification in 60-70% decay corrected radiochemical yield. [(18)F]FEDAA1106 was synthesized by the nucleophilic substitution of tosyloxy-FEDAA1106 in DMSO with K[(18)F]F/Kryptofix 2.2.2 at 140°C and isolated by HPLC combined with SPE purification in 30-60% decay corrected radiochemical yield. The specific activity for [(11)C]DAA1106 and [(18)F]FEDAA1106 was 370-740GBq/μmol and 37-222GBq/μmol at EOB, respectively.
Inspissated bile within the common bile duct simulating cholangiocarcinoma case report

There are a variety of abnormalities that can lead to obstruction of the common bile duct, several of which also can cause dilatation and duct irregularity. The differential diagnosis includes such entities as cholangiocarcinoma and carcinoma of the pancreas invading the common bile duct. We present an unusual case in which inspissated bile caused irregularity and obstruction of the common bile duct that radiographically simulated a cholangiocarcinoma.
The mineralogical composition of Silurian phosphate from western New York

Abstract Phosphorite beds are common in Silurian-aged rocks of western New York, but their mineralogical composition has not heretofore been published. X-ray analysis of phosphorite samples from two stratigraphic levels in two different outcrops near Rochester, N.Y., has shown that the primary phosphate-bearing mineral in the samples is carbonate fluorapatite (francolite). All samples analyzed are similar in composition indicating widespread and recurring environments of deposition conducive to phosphorite precipitation during Silurian time in western New York.
Massively parallel time-dependent wave-packet calculations in a classically chaotic potential

Abstract The time-dependent solution to Schrodinger's equation is obtained using a parallel algorithm on a massively parallel computer. The algorithms used are reviewed and their running speed on serial and parallel architectures is contrasted. The system studied has a classical analogue which undergoes a gradual transition from regular to chaotic motion as a function of a parameter of the Hamiltonian. The decay of the autocorrelation function is studied. In addition, the time dependence of the information measure and spatial correlation is studied.
Biomechanics of the Snatch Technique of Highly Skilled and Skilled Weightlifters

Abstract The lifting techniques of 10 world-class weightlifters were compared to those of 26 skilled collegiate weightlifters while performing the first portion of the snatch, from the lift-off of the barbell to the catch of the barbell overhead with the body in a squatting position. Cinematography was used to measure the joint angles, position of the center of gravity of the body, and the position of the barbell. Results indicated that the world-class weightlifters raised the barbell to a relatively lower height, assumed more flexed positions at the hips and knees with a smaller angle between the shank and floor during certain stages of the lift, and lowered their bodies more rapidly during the squatting portion of the lift than the collegiate weightlifters.
Analysis of isozyme loci in the face fly, Musca autumnalis DeGeer

Vertical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to resolve enzymes at 50 putative loci in Iowa face flies, a recently arrived, colonizing, Palearctic species. Sixty-two percent of the 50 loci were polymorphic. The mean number of alleles per polymorphic locus was 3.2±1.38; the mean among all loci was 2.38±1.62 alleles. The effective number of alleles among 50 loci was 1.4±0.62. Mean observed and expected heterozygosities for the 50 face fly loci were 0.167±0.037 and 0.186±0.031, respectively. Comparison of the electrophoretic data forMusca autumnalis and forM. domestica L. showed similar high levels of gene diversity. A survey of gene diversity at 12 loci among six geographically independent laboratory colonies demonstrated statistically significant genetic differentiation that was probably due to drift after colonization.
Hydrothermal deactivation of silica-supported cobalt catalysts in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

Abstract Hydrothermal conditions created by high conversion in Fischer–Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis induce cobalt–silica mixed oxide formation causing deactivation of silica-supported cobalt catalysts. The mixed oxide phase displays a distinctive needle-like morphology with a 1-nm lattice spacing and has a Co/Si atomic ratio of 1.2/1. The hydrothermal origin of the mixed oxide is confirmed by the fact that steamed catalyst samples contain the same needle-like phase with identical lattice spacing and Co/Si ratio. Reduction in 1.2 MPa H 2 at ⩾400 °C decomposes the mixed oxide and recovers small metallic cobalt particles.
Bitterness of Soy Extracts Containing Isoflavones and Saponins

Chemical profiles of isoflavones and saponins in defatted soy flakes, soy protein isolate, and soy germ extracts were determined. The isoflavone and saponin concentration and distribution in the soy extracts were different. Recognition thresholds for bitterness were lower for extracts of defatted soy flake and soy protein isolate than for soy germ extract in water. Bitterness thresholds were higher in milk; bitterness was detected in the soy flake extract at lower concentrations of isoflavone and saponins than in isolate or germ extracts. Soy protein isolate extracts were less astringent and had less off-flavor than the soy flake and soy germ extracts in water at same total isoflavone concentration. The distribution of isoflavone and saponin forms compared with threshold and descriptive analysis suggested that the β-malonyl-glucoside isoflavone and the 2,3-dihydro-2,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one (DDMP) -saponins may be the components responsible for flavor differences in soy matrices.
Characteristics of In-House Lobbyists in American Colleges and Universities

Presidents in higher education have been studied extensively, but the campus official who coordinates the university's lobbying efforts has not been the subject of much scholarly inquiry. This article describes the backgrounds of in-house lobbyists in higher education, and explores the perceptions of in-house lobbyists and presidents on the attributes necessary for success as an in-house lobbyist. In-house lobbyists and presidents were interviewed at 20 universities and a national survey of in-house lobbyists was conducted.
Developing boundary (basement) membranes in the chick embryo

The primordia of boundary (basement) membranes are present in the freshly laid egg along the basal surface of the epiblast. This location provides boundary membranes for all ectodermal derivatives including the central nervous system. Entodermal boundary membranes begin to form during the first half of the second day and eventually serve all entodermal derivatives. Mesodermal boundary membranes are slower to form. Those around the myotomes undergo considerable remodeling before the adult arrangement is reached. Endothelial boundary membranes are very slow to develop, not having appeared at 36 hours incubation.
The Rate Of Calcium Dissociation From The Cardiac Thin Filament Is Affected By Multiple Modulatory Factors

The rate of cardiac muscle relaxation is dynamically modulated. We hypothesize that the rate of Ca2+ dissociation from the thin filament is at least one of the factors that can strongly influence the rate of relaxation. Thus, we would expect the various physiological and pathological stimuli that affect the kinetics of cardiac muscle relaxation to likewise affect the rate of Ca2+ dissociation from the thin filament. In this study, we investigated various modulators of the Ca2+ exchange kinetics in the physiologically relevant biochemical model systems of reconstituted thin filaments and rabbit ventricular myofibrils such as: 1) PKA phosphorylation of TnI, 2) ischemia-reperfusion associated truncation of TnI, 3) familial cardiomyopathy related mutations of TnI and TnT, 4) the calcium sensitizing compound bepridil, 5) rationally engineered TnC mutations, and 6) tropomyosin isoforms. Consistent with the effects of PKA on accelerating relaxation, the rate of Ca2+ dissociation from the thin filament was accelerated by TnI mutations (S23D,S24D) mimicking PKA phosphorylation. Additionally, the rate of Ca2+ dissociation was slowed by truncation of TnI (residues 1-192), consistent with ischemia-reperfusion slowing the rate of cardiac relaxation. The hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathy mutations (TnIS166F and TnIR192H) slowed the rate of Ca2+ dissociation from the thin filament, whereas the dilated cardiomyopathy mutations (TnTR141W and TnTdeltaK210) accelerated the rate of Ca2+ dissociation from the thin filament. The Ca2+ sensitizing compound bepridil had no effect on the rate of Ca2+ dissociation in either thin filaments or myofibrils, but engineered mutations of TnC can accelerate or slow the rate. Finally, the alpha and beta isoforms of tropomyosin slowed and accelerated the rate of Ca2+ dissociation from the thin filament, respectively. Thus, multiple factors can modulate the rate of Ca2+ dissociation from the thin filament.
Bourdieu, the state and method

(2002). Bourdieu, the state and method. Review of International Political Economy: Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 610-618.
Differential evolution of substrates for an RNA enzyme in the presence and absence of its protein cofactor

Selection of substrates for an RNA enzyme, the catalytic subunit of RNAase P from E. coli, has been carried out by simulation of evolution in vitro in the presence and absence of the protein cofactor of the enzyme. In the presence of the protein, substrates resembling precursor tRNAs, which were readily cleaved by the catalytic RNA, were selected in addition to others, with different sequences and structures (one of which resembled the precursor to 4.5S RNA) that were not readily cleaved by the catalytic RNA alone. The ribonucleoprotein enzyme is more versatile than the RNA enzyme, and our results suggest that it and 4.5S RNA may have evolved after ancestral tRNAs.
Shoring up a Sea of Signs: How the Caribbean Basin Initiative Framed the US Invasion of Grenada:

Diseourse in the United States concerning the Grenada invasion exemplifies what is at stake at the intersection between geography and critical geopolitics. In this paper I have taken seriously the geographic imagery of foreign policy discourse in order to examine how discursive diplomatic flows (and other fluids) are shaped by the containers in which they are placed. The Caribbean Basin Initiative—the Reagan administration's geopolitical container for its Caribbean policy—allowed the administration to chart a new course for US hegemony in the region. Contained and contextualized by the Initiative, regional struggles such as the invasion of Grenada are saturated with implications that may have been absent had Caribbean policy been framed differently.
A comparison of respiratory conditions between multiple race adults and their single race counterparts: an analysis based on American Indian/Alaska Native and white adults

Context. Multiple race data collection/reporting are relatively new among United States federal statistical systems. Not surprisingly, very little is known about the multiple race population in the USA. It is well known that some race and ethnic groups experience some respiratory diseases (e.g., asthma) disproportionately. However, not much is known about the experience of multiple race adults. If differences exist in how single/multiple race adults experience respiratory conditions, this information could be useful in public health education. Objective. To explore differences in respiratory conditions between single race white adults, single race American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) adults, and adults who are both white and AIAN (largest multiple race group of adults in the USA). Methods. Data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, were analyzed. Hispanic and black populations are oversampled. ...
New two dimensional position sensitive proportional detectors using charge division

Abstract Several two dimensional position sensitive proportional counters have been built. The cathodes can encode the position of the event in one or two dimensions using capacitative charge division techniques; a backgammon configuration encodes in one dimension with anode encoding of the second dimension, or a new cathode pattern can be used to encode in two dimensions. Details of the construction and performance are given.
C-glycosides to fused polycyclic ethers. A formal synthesis of (+/-)-hemibrevetoxin B.

This paper describes a formal total synthesis of the marine ladder toxin hemibrevetoxin B from Danishefsky's dienes. This approach couples the generation of C-glycosides from cyclic enol ethers wit...
Quantitative subregional distribution of serotonin1A receptors and serotonin transporters in the human dorsal raphe

Subregional distributions of serotonin1A receptors and serotonin transporters within the human dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) were determined by quantitative autoradiographic analyses of radioligand binding in tissue sections. [3H]8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propyl)aminotetralin (8-OH-DPAT) and [3H]paroxetine were used to label, respectively, serotonin1A receptors and serotonin transporters in the subnuclei of the DR, which were delineated on the basis of tryptophan hydroxylase (TrpOH) immunoreactivity. [3H]8-OH-DPAT binding was coextensive with the TrpOH-immunoreactive cell bodies and fibers but was distributed unevenly among the subnuclei. In contrast, [3H]paroxetine binding was present throughout the central gray matter, with relatively homogeneous labeling across the subnuclei of the DR. In rostral sections, [3H]8-OH-DPAT binding (fmol/mg protein) in the dorsal subnucleus was lower than that in the ventral or the interfascicular subnucleus. Within the interfascicular subnucleus, [3H]8-OH-DPAT binding decreased progressively in a rostral-to-caudal fashion. The highest levels of [3H]8-OH-DPAT binding were found in the ventrolateral subnucleus at the level of the caudal extent of the trochlear nucleus. The influence of age and postmortem interval on radioligand binding was also examined. These data in the human DR indicate that serotonin1A receptors are differentially distributed among the subnuclei and along the rostro-caudal axis of the midbrain raphe, and serotonin transporters appear to be relatively evenly distributed throughout the DR. Subregional analyses of such serotonergic markers may prove useful in evaluating the role that serotonin may play in depression, schizophrenia, and suicide.
Effects of rhythmical muscle tension at 0.1Hz on cardiovascular resonance and the baroreflex.

Abstract This paper reports analysis of data from a previous study examining cardiovascular effects of rhythmical skeletal muscle tension (RSMT) at 0.1 Hz. Our analysis examined whether 0.1 Hz RSMT stimulates resonance properties of the cardiovascular system provided by baroreflex (BR) activity. Thirty-seven study participants tensed their large skeletal muscles, with and without crossing their legs, for 3-min periods at a rate of six tension/relaxation cycles/min. Tensing periods were preceded and followed by 3-min rest periods. RSMT elicited high-amplitude 0.1 Hz oscillations in the cardiovascular system. We found increases in spectral power of ECG R–R interbeat interval (RRI), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and pulse transit time (PTT) at this frequency. The increases in SBP and PTT oscillations were greater than those in RRI. Only in SBP and PTT did total variability (standard deviation) increase. The phase angle between RRI and SBP oscillations was ∼45°. Although alpha low-frequency baroreflex gain was attenuated by RSMT, it was not significantly changed at 0.1 Hz, consistent with BR-induced resonance effects. Our results are consistent with previous observations that 0.1 Hz RSMT is effective in treating vasovagal reactions and indicate that the pathway is through resonance characteristics of the BR system. Implications for resonance applications for resonance in the sympathetically mediated vascular tone baroreflex closed loop are discussed.
A User-Oriented Focus to Evaluating Accountants' Writing Skills

Accounting educators recently have focused increased attention on the role of the formal curriculum in developing writing skills. Prior research results may be of limited use in curriculum development because these studies rely almost exclusively on the testing of accountants. This article argues that the user of accounting information also is an important party in the communication process. Therefore, the user's input should be considered when evaluating the writing skills of accountants.
Leiomyosarcomas in Childhood: A Clinical and Pathologic Study of 10 Cases

Ten children (5 males, 5 females) with leiomyosarcomas were treated at the Children's Hospital, Boston, during the 20-year period from 1963 through 1983. The patients ranged in age from 21/2 to 15 years, the average age at diagnosis being 101/2 years. The tumors originated in the following sites: stomach (4 cases), jejunum, cecum, endocervix, retroperitoneum, urinary bladder, and base of tongue (1 case each). In each case the primary tumor was surgically resectable, with the average diameter being 6.7 cm (range 2–11 cm). The tumor proved fatal for 3 of 6 children with regional or distant metastases. Three others were alive with metastatic leiomyosarcoma 6–18 years following diagnosis. A fourth death was attributed to a massive chondrosarcoma of the lumbosacral area, which developed 7 years after hysterectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy for an endocervical leiomyosarcoma. While leiomyosarcomas are extremely rare in the pediatric age group (less than 2% of all soft tissue sarcomas), diagnostic feat...
Prescribing by six Australian dermatologists: a pilot study.

SUMMARY Six Australian dermatologists agreed to participate in a pilot study on their prescribing habits. The many medicaments they prescribed in their private practices as pharmaceutical benefits under the National Health Act 1953–1973 during the months of October, 1972, and February, 1973, are tabulated and discussed. The preparations most often ordered were classified into groups which included antibiotics, sulphonamides, antihistamines, drugs acting on the nervous system, corticosteroids, fungistatics, antimalarials and topical applications. Apart from the selection of tetracyclines and betamethasone in topical applications, the results are interesting because they show diversity rather than similarity in the approach to dermatological treatment by these six dermatologists. The differences in selecting either griseofulvin of nystaatin are given explanation.
Neurobiological Bases of Age-Related Cognitive Decline in the Rhesus Monkey

The rhesus monkey offers a useful model of normal human aging because when monkeys are tested on a battery of behavioral tasks that can also be used to evaluate cognition in humans, it is found that the monkeys undergo an age-related decline in several domains of cognitive function as do humans. In monkeys these changes begin at about 20 years of age. To determine what gives rise to this cognitive decline, we have examined several parameters in the brains of monkeys. Some parameters do not change with age. Examples of this are the numbers of neurons in the neocortex and hippocampal formation, and the numbers of synapses in the hippocampal formation. Changes in other parameters can be positively correlated with chronological age; examples of this are numbers of neuritic plaques, a decrease in the numbers of neurons in the striatally projecting pars compacta of the substantia nigra, and a decrease in the thickness of layer I in primary visual cortex. But the most interesting changes are those that correlate either with cognitive decline alone, or with both cognitive decline and chronological age. Among these are a breakdown in the integrity of myelin around axons, an overall reduction in the volume of white matter in the cerebral hemispheres, thinning of layer I in area 46 of prefrontal cortex, and decreases in the cell density in cortically projecting brain stem nuclei. To date then, our studies suggest that the cognitive declines evident in the rhesus monkey may be a consequence of changes in layer I and in the integrity of myelinated axons, rather than an age-related loss of cortical neurons or synapses, as has long been assumed.
Repetition priming and cortical arousal in healthy aging and Alzheimer's disease.

Repetition priming refers to a form of implicit memory in which prior exposure to a stimulus facilitates the subsequent processing of the same or a related stimulus. One frequently used repetition priming task is word-stem completion priming. In this task, participants complete a series of beginning word stems with the first word that comes to mind after having viewed, in an unrelated context, words that can complete some of the stems. Patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) exhibit a significant deficit in word-stem completion priming, but the neural mechanisms underlying this deficit have yet to be identified. The present study examined the possibility that the word-stem completion priming deficit in AD is due to disruption of ascending neuromodulatory systems that mediate cortical arousal by comparing word-stem completion priming and behavioral measures of spatial orienting and phasic alerting. Results showed that in healthy elderly controls higher levels of phasic alerting were associated with a sharpening of the temporal dynamics of priming across two delay intervals: those with higher levels of alerting showed more immediate priming but less delayed priming than those with lesser levels of alerting. In patients with AD, priming was impaired despite intact levels of phasic alerting and spatial orienting, and group status rather than individual levels of alerting or orienting predicted the magnitude of their stem-completion priming. Furthermore, the change in priming across delays they displayed was not related to level of alerting or orienting. These findings support the role of the noradrenergic projection system in modulating the level of steady-state cortical activation (or “cortical tonus”) underlying both phasic alerting and the temporal dynamics of repetition priming. However, impaired priming in patients with AD does not appear to be due to disruption of this neuromodulatory system.
Particle swarm optimization for radar target recognition and modeling

This paper proposes a radar target identification system using down range profile radar signatures. The recognition is performed using a multi-layer perceptron trained via particle swarm optimization (PSO). The recognition results are compared with those obtained using back propagation training. The paper also uses PSO for modeling target signatures and extracting target scattering centers assuming that they can be modeled as an auto regressive moving average model. Real radar signatures of commercial aircraft are used to assess the performance of the techniques proposed. The results focus on comparing PSO based techniques with others used for target modeling and recognition.
Alchemy in the Soup: Transforming Metabolic Signals to Excitability

The intersection of cell metabolism with electrical signaling links the environment and cell function over time scales ranging from milliseconds to lifetimes. In responding to cellular metabolites, adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channels are an important component of this intersection. Recent studies have begun to delineate the roles of K(ATP) channels in multiple tissues and the far-reaching consequences of aberrant K(ATP) channel activity and disturbed sensing of cell metabolism.
Patient safety problem identification and solution sharing among rural community pharmacists.

Abstract Objectives To implement a communication network for safety problem identification and solution sharing among rural community pharmacists and to report participating pharmacists’ perceived value and impact of the network on patient safety after 1 year of implementation. Design Action research study. Setting Rural community pharmacies in Nebraska from January 2010 to April 2011. Participants Rural community pharmacists who voluntarily agreed to join the Pharmacists for Patient Safety Network in Nebraska. Intervention Pharmacists reported errors, near misses, and safety concerns through Web-based event reporting. A rapid feedback process was used to provide patient safety solutions to consider implementing across the network. Main outcome measures Qualitative interviews were conducted 1 year after program implementation with participating pharmacists to assess use of the reporting system, value of the disseminated safety solutions, and perceived impact on patient safety in pharmacies. Results 30 of 38 pharmacists participating in the project completed the interviews. The communication network improved pharmacist awareness, promoted open discussion and knowledge sharing, contributed to practice vigilance, and led to incorporation of proactive safety prevention practices. Conclusion Despite low participation in error and near-miss reporting, a dynamic communication network designed to rapidly disseminate evidence-based patient safety strategies to reduce risk was valued and effective at improving patient safety practices in rural community pharmacies.
3×3 MZI with unbalanced differential detection for full range swept-source optical coherence tomography

Quadrature interferometry based on 3×3 fiber couplers could be used to double the effective imaging depth in Swept- Source Optical Coherence Tomography. This is due to its ability to suppress the complex conjugate artifact naturally. We present theoretical and experimental results for a 3×3 Mach-Zehnder interferometer using a new unbalanced differential optical detection method. The new interferometer provides simultaneous access to complementary phase components of the complex interferometric signal. No calculations by trigonometric relationships are needed. We demonstrate a complex conjugate artifact suppression of 27 dB obtained in a swept-source optical coherence tomography using our unbalanced differential detection. We show that our unbalanced differential detection has increased the signal to- noise ratio by at least 4 dB compared to the commonly used balanced detection technique. This is due to better utilization of optical power.
Low-power wireless trace gas sensing network

A basic wireless laser spectroscopic sensor network for monitoring of trace-gases will be presented. The prototype lowpower sensor nodes targeting carbon dioxide are based on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy and operate using a 2 μm VCSEL and a 3.5 m Herriott multi-pass cell. The sensor system, which employs real-time wireless communications, is controlled by custom electronics and can be operated autonomously. The sensor core electronics performs molecular concentration measurements using wavelength modulation spectroscopy with an active laser frequency locking to the target transition. The operating sensor node consumes approximately 300 mW of electrical power and can work autonomously for up to 100 hours when powered by a 10.5 Ah Lithium-ion polymer battery. Environmentally controlled long term (12 hours) stability tests show sensor node detection limit of ~0.286 ppm with 1 second integration time and the ultimate minimum detectable fractional absorption of 1.5x10-6 is obtained after 3500 seconds averaging time. The sensor node performance results and preliminary tests in a basic network configuration are discussed.
The Uncertainty of Pulse Position Due to Noise

The time at which a received signal crosses a certain level fluctuates in the presence of noise. In this paper, a theoretical formula for the standard deviation of this thresholding time is obtained. The formula is applied to the detection of a pulse perturbed by Gaussian noise. Two practical detection schemes, the peak amplitude estimator and the double differentiator, are theoretically analyzed and compared. Also, a formula is derived which may be used to determine the efficacy of a false-alarm detection system.
Evaluation of Sediment Traps in Lake St. Clair, Lake Ontario, and Hamilton Harbour

Abstract Sediment traps are simple, inexpensive devices that yield time-integrated samples of material suspended in the water column. Although many different designs have been proposed, there seems to be general agreement that the cylindrical settling tube is a design capable of yielding quantitative results in relatively calm waters. The reliability of these or any other trap in shallow water with significant wave orbital motions is unknown. This paper describes our attempts to assess the field performance of conventional settling tubes and two versions of horizontally-ported chambers in shallow, wave-dominated water. We find that catch rates of the horizontally-ported chambers correlate strongly and positively with the root mean square horizontal flow velocity over the trapping interval. We suspect a similar dependence exists for the settling tubes. With present levels of understanding, results from sediment traps of these designs deployed in shallow, wave-dominated water should be given qualitative status only.
Characterization and analysis methods for the examination of the heterogeneous solid oxide fuel cell electrode microstructure: Part 2. Quantitative measurement of the microstructure and contributions to transport losses

Advanced characterization and analysis of multifunctional materials, such as the materials found in heterogeneous solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrode architectures, can help to provide a qualitative and quantitative understanding of how these structures respond to different manufacturing and operating practices. Dense, opaque materials, which have large X-ray mass absorption coefficients and features on sub-micrometer length scales, can make characterization difficult. Advances in tomographic X-ray imaging can permit this level of detailed characterization, and complement stereographic scanning electron microscope measurements that have also been reported. In this second part of a two-part study, details regarding quantitative characterization methods that have been used to examine the SOFC anode microstructure are reported. The detailed formulation and validation of a phase size distributions for the three constitutive phases, as well as resistive loss microstructure-induced resistive loss distributions in the nickel (Ni) and yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) phases are provided in this section.
Carrier Protein Structure and Recognition in Polyketide and Nonribosomal Peptide Biosynthesis

Carrier proteins, 80-100 residues in length, serve as information-rich platforms to present growing acyl and peptidyl chains as covalently tethered phosphopantetheinyl-thioester intermediates during the biosynthesis of fatty acid, polyketide, and nonribosomal natural products. Carrier proteins are recognized both in cis and in trans by partner catalytic domains that effect chain-elongating condensations, redox adjustments, other tailoring steps, and finally kinetically controlled disconnection and release of the mature natural product. Dissection of regions of carrier proteins that are specifically recognized by upstream and downstream catalytic partner proteins is deciphering the logic for multiprotein assembly line construction of these large classes of natural products.
Adaptive forwarding in frequency-hop spread-spectrum packet radio networks with partial-band jamming

Adaptive protocols that specify the ways in which a radio is permitted to modify its normal forwarding procedures based on information obtained locally in the network are considered. A computer program has been developed to simulate a frequency-hop (FH) packet radio network with partial-band jamming and interference due to other FH and narrowband radios. The radios in the network use time-slotted, receiver-directed, FH spread-spectrum signaling. Results on throughput, delay, and end-to-end probability of success are presented, and comparisons between different forwarding protocols are given for a static network topology with both static and mobile network jamming. >
Attentional Biases to Internal and External Sources of Potential Threat in Social Anxiety.

D. M. Clark and A. Wells (1995) proposed that a shift of attention inward toward interoceptive information is a central feature of social phobia. However, few studies have examined attentional biases toward internal physiological cues in social phobia. The current experiment assessed whether socially anxious individuals exhibit an attentional bias (a) toward cues for an internal source of potential threat (heart-rate information), (b) toward cues for an external source of potential threat (threatening faces) or (c) both. Ninety-one participants who were selected to form extreme groups based on a social anxiety screening measure performed a dot-probe task to assess location of attention. Results showed that socially anxious participants exhibited an attentional bias toward cues of internal, but not external, sources of potential threat.
Portable Infusion Pumps Used for Continuous Regional Analgesia: Delivery Rate Accuracy and Consistency

Background and Objectives: Multiple benefits of postoperative perineural local anesthetic infusion have been shown including potent analgesia, decreased opioid requirements, and improved rehabilitation. Consequently, portable infusion pumps have been used with increasing frequency to provide perineural infusion for medically unsupervised ambulatory patients. We believe that the infusion rate accuracy and reliability of these pumps infusing potentially toxic doses of medication should be investigated independently. Therefore, we studied the flow-rate accuracy and consistency of various portable infusion pumps that have not been examined previously. Methods: Using a computer/mass balance combination to record infusion rates, 6 pumps (3 electronic and 3 nonelectronic) were tested. Several factors that may influence pump performance were varied: temperature (ambient/skin), battery (replacement/addition), and catheter exchange (wound/perineural). Results: Infusion rate accuracy differed significantly among the pumps, exhibiting flow rates within 15% of their expected rate for 55% to 99% of their infusion duration. Furthermore, the profiles (infusion rate over time) of the various pumps differed significantly depending on the pump power source. Although elastomeric pump infusion rate increased with an increase in temperature, battery life was a limiting factor for one of the electronic pumps. Substituting wound catheters with commonly used perineural catheters did not significantly alter infusion profile. Conclusions: Factors such as infusion rate accuracy and consistency, infusion profile, temperature sensitivity, and battery life affect the dose of medication administered by various portable pumps used for continuous regional analgesia. Health care providers should take these factors into consideration when choosing and using a portable infusion pump for local anesthetic administration. Reg Anesth Pain Med 2003;28:424-432.
Neural-network-based waveform Processing and Delayless filtering in power electronics and AC drives

This paper systematically explores the static nonlinear mapping property of feedforward neural networks for various waveform processing and delayless filtering that are applicable to power electronics and ac drives area. Neural-network-based processing of waves gives considerable simplification of hardware and/or software that are traditionally used for such applications. Two general cases have been investigated: The voltage or current waveforms which have constant frequency but variable magnitudes, and the other case is variable-frequency variable-magnitude voltage or current waves. The former case is mainly important for power electronics that operate on a utility system and general-purpose constant-frequency converter power supplies, and the latter is important for the adjustable-speed ac drives area. In both cases, the performance of neural-network-based waveform processing and delayless filtering with offline training was found to be excellent. The results of this study are also applicable to other areas of electrical engineering.
Pore evolution during glow discharge sintering of alumina

A series of experiments have been performed to demonstrate the applicability of small-angle neutron scattering to the study of pore evolution during sintering. Samples of α-Al2O3 which had been zone sintered in a hydrogen hollow cathode glow discharge to densities exceeding 94% of theoretical were employed in these preliminary measurements. The neutron scattering results indicate that densification during the final stages of glow discharge sintering occurs primarily through a reduction in the number of pores present with only a small change in the average pore size.
Lifestyle Activities and Memory: Variety May Be the Spice of Life. The Women’s Health and Aging Study II

This study examined whether participation in a variety of lifestyle activities was comparable to frequent participation in cognitively challenging activities in mitigating impairments in cognitive abilities susceptible to aging in healthy, community-dwelling older women. Frequencies of participation in various lifestyle activities on the Lifestyle Activities Questionnaire (LAQ) were divided according to high (e.g., reading), moderate (e.g., discussing politics), and low (e.g., watching television) cognitive demand. We also considered the utility of participation in a variety of lifestyle activities regardless of cognitive challenge. Immediate and delayed verbal recall, psychomotor speed, and executive function were each measured at baseline and at five successive exams, spanning a 9.5-year interval. Greater variety of participation in activities, regardless of cognitive challenge, was associated with an 8 to 11% reduction in the risk of impairment in verbal memory and global cognitive outcomes. Participation in a variety of lifestyle activities was more predictive than frequency or level of cognitive challenge for significant reductions in risk of incident impairment on measures sensitive to cognitive aging and risk for dementia. Our findings offer new perspectives in promoting a diverse repertoire of activities to mitigate age-related cognitive declines.
Pneumococcal vaccination in the emergency department: An assessment of need

Study objectives Immunization against Streptococcus pneumoniae with the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine has been shown to be cost-effective for prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease. Yet 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine is widely underused, particularly among ethnic minorities. The objectives of this survey are to determine the rate of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine vaccination among all adult patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) of a county-based, urban, tertiary care medical center; the willingness of patients to receive 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine; and reasons for nonvaccination. Methods A quality assurance survey was performed in the ED during 3 days in September 2002. A survey was developed to determine 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine vaccination rates and eligibility according to indications and contraindications established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Descriptive statistics were performed to quantify the proportion of patients who were immunized, eligible, and willing to receive 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine and reasons for nonvaccination. Results A total of 250 patients of 1,535 registered in the ED were surveyed during the 3-day period. Only 48 (19%) had a primary care provider. The majority of patients were Hispanic (73%). Only 22 (9%) patients had received the vaccine. A total of 66 (26%) patients fit the CDC eligibility criteria for 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, and 59 (89%) of these patients were willing to receive the vaccine during their ED visit. Most patients (79%) were eligible to receive 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine due to their comorbid illnesses. Conclusion In the ED of our county-based urban medical center, 26% of patients were eligible for 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine; the majority of patients were Hispanic, unaware of the vaccine's existence, and willing to receive it during their ED visit. These data underscore a large unmet public health need among ethnic minorities in the ED.