cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
256-pixel microcalorimeter array for high-resolution γ-ray spectroscopy of mixed-actinide materials

Abstract The application of cryogenic microcalorimeter detectors to γ-ray spectroscopy allows for measurements with unprecedented energy resolution. These detectors are ideally suited for γ-ray spectroscopy applications for which the measurement quality is limited by the spectral overlap of many closely spaced transitions using conventional detector technologies. The non-destructive analysis of mixed-isotope Pu materials is one such application where the precision can be potentially improved utilizing microcalorimeter detectors compared to current state-of-the-art high-purity Ge detectors (HPGe). The LANL-NIST γ-ray spectrometer, a 256-pixel microcalorimeter array based on transition-edge sensors (TESs), was recently commissioned and used to collect data on a variety of Pu isotopic standards to characterize the instrument performance. These measurements represent the first time the simultaneous readout of all 256 pixels for measurements of mixed-isotope Pu materials has been achieved. The LANL-NIST γ-ray spectrometer has demonstrated an average pixel resolution of 55 eV full-width-at-half-maximum at 100 keV, nearly an order of magnitude better than HPGe detectors. Some challenges of the analysis of many-channel ultra-high resolution data and the techniques used to produce quality spectra for isotopic analysis will be presented. The LANL-NIST γ-ray spectrometer has also demonstrated stable operation and obtained high resolution measurements at total array event rates beyond 1 kHz. For a total event rate of 1.25 kHz, approximately 5.6 cps/pixel, a 72.2 eV average FWHM for the 103 keV photopeak of 153Gd was achieved.
Data sample size needed for prediction of movement distributions

Human movement ability should be described not only by its typical behavior, but also by the wide variation in capabilities. This would mean that subjects that are encouraged to move throughout their workspace but otherwise free to move any way they like might reveal their unique movement tendencies. In this study, we investigate how much information (data) is needed to reliably construct a movement distribution that predicts an individual's movement tendencies. We analyzed the distributions of position, velocity and acceleration data derived during self-directed motor exploration by stroke survivors (n=10 from a previous study) and healthy individuals (n=5). We examined whether these simple kinematic variables differed in terms of the amount of data required. We found a trend of decreasing time needed for characterization with the order of kinematic variable, for position, velocity, and acceleration, respectively. In addition, we investigated whether data requirements differ between stroke survivors and healthy. Our results suggest that healthy individuals may require more data samples (time for characterization), though the trend was only significant for position data. Our results provide an important step towards using statistical distributions to describe movement tendencies. Our findings could serve as more comprehensive tools to track recovery in or design more focused training intervention in neurorehabiliation applications. Language: en
Dynamically tuning level of parallelism in wide area data transfers

Using multiple parallel streams for wide area data transfers may yield much better performance than using a single stream, but overwhelming the network by opening too many streams may have an inverse effect. The congestion created by excess number of streams may cause a drop down in the throughput achieved. Hence, it is important to decide on the optimal number of streams without congesting the network. Predicting this 'magic' number is not straightforward, since it depends on many parameters specific to each individual transfer. Generic models that try to predict this number either rely too much on historical information or fail to achieve accurate predictions. In this paper, we present a set of new models which aim to approximate the optimal number with least history information and lowest prediction overhead. We measure the feasibility and accuracy of these models by comparing to actual GridFTP data transfers. We also discuss how these models can be used by a data scheduler to increase the overall performance of the incoming transfer requests.
Evidence of the hard core in multi-GeV K±p elastic scattering

Abstract It is shown that K − p and K + p elastic scattering from 2–20 GeV/ c laboratory beam momentum can be fitted by a single imaginary Yukawa potential term together with a hard core as the potential function in the Dirac equation. A fit cannot be obtained this way unless a hard core is used. Thus three parameters have been found to reproduce elastic scattering over this entire range.
Learning Designs: An Analysis of Youth-Initiated Technology Use.

Researchers espouse that youth are learning differently than any other generation. Many researchers believe that because youth are leading the way with technology, their technology practices impact the way that they connect with the world around them. As a result, educators examine how to successfully engage youth in learning by understanding how to tap their technology practices. This study utilizes a sociotechnical framework to bring to light emergent structures of participation during student-teacher instant messaging interactions to support learning. Analysis illuminates three emergent and fluid participation structures. These structures reflect both pedagogical models and the most current literature on how people learn.
On the Hot-Spot-Controlled Critical Heat Flux Mechanism in Saturated Pool Boiling: Part II—The Influence of Contact Angle and Nucleation Site Density

In that paper, we investigated the hypothesis that CHF is the result not only of the complete evaporation of the macrolayer, but also of the the surface temperature at some point on the heater surface becoming high enough to prevent liquid rewetting it. The second objective of this note is to test the hot-spot hypothesis further for the lower contact angle to confirm the functional variation of the critical rewetting temperature with the contact angle
The relationship between fundraising practice and job satisfaction at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Fundraising, as studied from a communications/public relations perspective, is an understudied function. This research examines fundraising at public and private historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), specifically exploring how these fundraisers incorporate various fundraising strategies into their communication outreach programs with donors and how the utilization of various fundraising communication styles influence how fundraisers view their jobs and the relationship with their employers. Through a survey of 87 HBCU fundraisers, the researchers found that fundraisers largely use one-way fundraising strategies rather than using interactive relationship-building ones. In addition, the location of the institution's fundraising office played a statistically significant role in what models an organization used. Finally, job satisfaction was correlated with the type of fundraising communication HBCU fundraisers engaged in.
Word Production Deficits in Schizophrenia.

Fronto-cerebellar circuitry is implicated in word production. Data suggest that the cerebellum is involved in word search, whereas the prefrontal cortex underlies the selection of words from among competing alternatives. We explored the role of search and selection processes in word production deficits in schizophrenia patients. In Experiment 1, patients were impaired in a verb generation task under both high and low selection conditions but were more impaired in the high selection condition. In Experiment 2, when the difficulty level of search and selection conditions was equated in a word stem completion task, patients were only impaired in the search condition. Word search deficits underlie word production problems in schizophrenia, and may involve fronto-cerebellar dysfunction.
Erratum to: An Exploratory Study of Integrative Personality Pathology Systems and the Interpersonal Circumplex

Calculation errors in “An exploratory study of integrative personality pathology systems and the interpersonal circumplex” by Hopwood, Koonce, and Morey (2009) led to systematic over-estimates of amplitude and elevation parameters reported in that paper. In Table 1 of that paper, amplitude parameters were estimated for two interpersonal surfaces, the Interpersonal Adjective Scales (IAS) and Inventory of Interpersonal Problems Circumplex (IIP-C) using trait scales from the Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality (SNAP) and the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology (DAPP-BQ). As the elevation parameter is of limited interpretability on the IAS, elevation parameters were only reported for the IIP-C. Correct and reported values for Table 1 of the original paper are reported in Table 1 below. Calculation errors led to reported values that are uniformly higher than actual values (average over-estimate for amplitude was .13 and the average over-estimate for elevation was .09), however the correlations between the reported and correct values were>.95 for amplitude across all four subsets of analyses (i.e., IAS and IIP-C with SNAP and DAPP) and the correlations between reported and correct elevations were .86 for the DAPP and IIP-C and .99 for the SNAP and IIP-C. Given that calculation errors were uniform (i.e. largely correct in terms of rank order but consistently higher in terms of magnitude), substantive conclusions from the paper generally hold with the application of a more relaxed rubric for interpreting meaningful elevation and amplitude values. Specifically, Hopwood et al. classified elevation values>.30 as indicating meaningful relations to interpersonal problems and amplitude values>.30 as indicating thematic interpretability on the interpersonal circumplex surfaces. As all amplitude and elevation parameters that were reported to be>.30 are nearly all>.20, changing these cutoffs to .20 would lead to the same substantive conclusions. There were two exceptions. First, whereas the DAPP-BQ submissiveness amplitude on the IIP-C was originally reported as .34, which is above the interpretability cutoff of .30, the actual value is .18, which is below the corrected cutoff of .20. Second, the Insecure Attachment amplitude originally reported as .28 was below the cutoff of .30. However, the actual value of .20 would meet the .20 cutoff for the corrected values. Calculation errors also affected the amplitude estimates reported in the final column of Table 3 of the Hopwood et al. paper. The correct and reported values are given in Table 2. Again, these parameters were uniformly overestimated, and the results do not change substantive conclusions in the paper. The online version of the original article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1007/s10862-008-9124-y.
Incomplete temporal overlap and cross-sectional independence in event studies

In the event study literature, estimates of security abnormal returns are considered independent whenever securities have different event dates, i.e. in the absence of ‘event clustering’. Nonetheless, there are three sources of cross-sectional correlations in estimated abnormal returns even when no two securities have a common event date. First, the estimation interval (for market model parameters) may overlap; second, the event date for one security may overlap the estimation interval for another; third, event windows longer than a one (or two) day announcement may overlap. In this article, analytical and simulations methods are used to assess the influence of these partial overlaps. Simulations reveal that for short event windows (≤11 days, with 300 days in the estimation interval) these partial overlaps do not create any measurable bias, even when 50 separate events are contained within 125 trading days. However, there is potential for bias in ‘long horizon’ event studies with nearly clustered event dates.
Simulation as experiment: a philosophical reassessment for biological modeling

Some scientific modelers suggest that complex simulation models that mimic biological processes should have a limited place in ecological and evolutionary studies. However, complex simulation models can have a role that is different from that of simpler models that are designed to be fit to data. Simulation can be viewed as another kind of experimental system and should be analyzed as such. Here, I argue that current discussions in the philosophy of science and in the physical sciences fields about the use of simulation as an experimental system have important implications for biology, especially complex sciences such as evolution and ecology. Simulation models can be used to mimic complex systems, but unlike nature, can be manipulated in ways that would be impossible, too costly or unethical to do in natural systems. Simulation can add to theory development and testing, can offer hypotheses about the way the world works and can give guidance as to which data are most important to gather experimentally.
Outcome of Motorcycle Riders at One Year Post-Injury

Objective: There is little information about the long-term effects of injury on victims of motorcycle crashes. Following the repeal of the mandatory helmet law in Florida, we studied the impact of crashes on riders and their outcomes one year post-injury. Subjects: All patients involved in a motorcycle crash over a six-month time period were assessed at one year post-injury. Demographic information, health status, motorcycle and helmet usage, and employability were surveyed. Results: There were 94 patients evaluated at our center for the first six-month period following the repeal of the helmet law, where 50 (56%) were wearing a helmet at the time of injury. Of the 94, we were able to contact 45 (48%) at one-year follow up. Fourteen (31%) of those contacted were not wearing a helmet at the time of their crash. At one year post-injury, 23 (51%) reported physical deficits, while 39 (86%) were working. Only 12 (27%) were riding a motorcycle again, and 11 (92%) were wearing a helmet. Conclusions: Motorcycle r...
Pilot study evaluating the efficacy of AlloMEM™ for prevention of intraperitoneal adhesions and peritoneal regeneration after loop ileostomy

Objective This study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of AlloMEM™, a novel lyophililzed human peritoneal membrane, at peritoneal reconstitution, and decreasing adhesion formation after temporary loop ileostomy.
A high-fidelity simulation mannequin to introduce pharmacy students to advanced cardiovascular life support.

Objective. To design and implement an advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) workshop featuring a human patient simulator (HPS) for third-year pharmacy students. Design. The ACLS workshop consisted of a pre-session lecture, a calculation exercise, and a 40-minute ACLS session using an HPS. Twenty-four 5-member teams of students were assigned roles on a code team and participated in a ventricular fibrillation/pulseless ventricular tachycardia case. Assessment. Students completed an anonymous postactivity survey instrument and knowledge quiz. Most students who completed the ACLS workshop agreed they would like to participate in additional simulation activities and that the HPS experience enhanced their understanding of ACLS and the pharmacist responsibilities during an ACLS event (99.2% and 98.3%, respectively). However, the median score on the knowledge-based questions was 25%. Conclusion. Pharmacy students agreed HPS enhanced their learning experience; however, their retention of the knowledge learned was n...
ACUTE RISE OF TOTAL PLASMA CALCIUM IN POSTMORTEM ACIDOSIS.

Summary The total plasma calcium concentration was observed to rise significantly within minutes after sudden death by tracheal occlusion in rats. This increase was associated with a sharp decrease in blood pH during that period. An intravenous infusion of alkaline Tris buffer reduced the concentrations of both calcium and hydrogen ion before death and prevented the postmortem hypercalcemia while lessening the usual acidosis.
Impact of field ionization on the velocity of an ionization front induced by an electron beam propagating in a solid insulator

The propagation of an intense electron beam through a solid density insulator is analysed. The asymptotic behaviour of the front velocity is found for large beam densities. We show that at high beam densities the front velocity starts to fall when the induced E-field becomes strong enough to neutralize itself (through field ionization followed by self-consistent charge neutralization). We also show that the effect of the polarization current (caused by the E-field removing electrons from atoms) on the magnitude of the ionization front velocity, although noticeable, does not change the qualitative picture derived when neglecting it.
The application of roll forming for automotive structural parts

Abstract In the automotive industry today, structural body parts are generally made of steel via stamping or hydroforming. The structural and complexity potential of such parts is very high but investments and variable costs are significant. A process offering an economic and flexible alternative is roll forming. In this paper, the continuous manufacturing operation is investigated and rated as per its applicability to automotive structures, its costs and its technical limitations. An appropriate cost estimation tool for roll formed parts is not available in the market. Most existing roll forming software tools concentrate on the process layout and do not consider the economics. In order to determine the costs of roll forming for a certain profile in a fast and accurate manner, a calculation system has been developed at the Ford Forschungszentrum Aachen (FFA). This paper begins with a discussion of relevant manufacturing technologies for body structure production that are rated as per their applicability for flexible manufacturing. The rapid calculation tool is then described along with a sample application. Finally, the paper is completed with an analysis and discussion of the cost estimation results.
A comparison of likelihood-based and marginal estimating equation methods for analysing repeated ordered categorical responses with missing data: Application to an intervention trial of vitamin prophylaxis for oesophageal dysplasia

The purpose of this research was to develop appropriate methods for analysing repeated ordinal categorical data that arose in an intervention trial to prevent oesophageal cancer. The measured response was the degree of oesophageal dysplasia at 2.5 and 6 years after randomization. An important feature was that some response measurements were missing, and the missingness was not 'completely at random' (MCAR). We show that standard likelihood-based methods and standard methods based on marginal estimating equations yield biased results, and we propose adaptations to both these approaches that yield valid inference under the weaker 'missing at random' (MAR) assumption. On the basis of efficiency calculations, simulation studies of finite sample properties, ease of computation, and flexibility for testing and exploring a range of treatment models, we recommend the adapted likelihood-based approach for problems of this type, in which there are abundant data for estimating parameters.
Does decreasing extracellular Na inhibit in vitro renin secretion by affecting Na-Ca exchange?

Abstract It has been shown previosly that in vitro renin secretion is inhibited by partial replacement of extracellular NaCl with either mannitol or choline chloride; the inhibitory effect is attributed to an increase in intracellular Ca, resulting from a decreased rate of Ca efflux via NaCa exchange. In the present experiements, we confirmeed that partially replacing NaCl with choline chloride inhibited renin secretion from rat renal cortical slices, but we found that atropime completely blocked the effect, suggesting cholinergic mediation. Partially replacing NaCl with mannitol also inhibited renin secretion, but the effect could not be attributed specfically to a reduction in extracellular Na. Moreover, the stimulatory effect of Ca chelation on renin secretion was antagonized by either mannitol- or choline chloride - containing incubation media. These results do not support the hypothesis that lowering extracellular Na inhibits renin secretion by a mechanism involving decreased Ca efflux via NaCa exchange.
Interaction of brain synaptic vesicles induced by endogenous Ca2+ -dependent phospholipase A2

Endogenous phospholipase A2 activity of brain synaptic vesicles was Ca2+ -dependent and was increased by prostaglandin F2 alpha, calmodulin, adenosine 3', 5' -monophosphate, and adenosine triphosphate, whereas the activity was inhibited by prostaglandin E2 in the absence or presence of calmodulin. Light-scattering measurements demonstrated that stimulation of the enzyme's activity correlated with the induction of vesicle-vesicle aggregation. The effects of these compounds on endogenous synaptic vesicle phospholipase A2 activity may imply a common end point of their purported neuromodulatory actions, and indicate that synaptic vesicle phospholipase A2 may play a central role in presynaptic neurotransmission.
Self‐admitted pretensions of Mac users on a predominantly PC university campus

The present qualitative research study addressed the overall research question of college students’ pretention dynamics in the context of a university setting. Thirty‐five Mac users were interviewed on a university campus that exclusively supports PC machines. Mac users shared four self‐admitted pretensions related to using Macintosh computers. First, participants asserted that Apple brand computers set social trends and that owning a Mac was perceived to make one to stand out positively. Second, Mac users shared their personal views that Macs are superior in technology and that PC technology is simply attempting to mimic Apple’s strides forward. Third, Mac users described various perceived social stigmas associated with owning Macs, such as the “artsy” label, the “cool” factor, and common socio‐economic assumptions associated with Mac ownership. The fourth dynamic of participants’ self‐admitted pretensions concerned their tendency to vocalize personal opinions of Mac’s superiority, with the aim of “conve...
Recent advances in diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal hemorrhage in infants and children

Gastrointestinal bleeding is a common and occasionally life-threatening problem in infants and children. A careful history and physical examination as well as the application of new endoscopic and radiographic techniques will reveal the source of hemorrhage in most patients. The utility of recently introduced pharmacologic agents and endoscopic techniques in the treatment of peptic disease and variceal hemorrhage in children remains to be determined. A cooperative effort among pediatricians, radiologists, and surgeons should minimize the morbidity and mortality from gastrointestinal tract bleeding in this population.
A decrease in the number of active mouse liver ribosomes during aging.

Abstract Microsomes, deoxycholate treated polysomes, and molar KCl treated monosomes were prepared from eleven and twenty-eight month old mouse liver. The number of active ribosomes were estimated in these preparations by measuring the ability to form peptidylpuromycin under conditions in which no recycling of ribosomes occur. The results showed that the decreased synthetic capacity of preparations from the older animals [as measured by endogenous and polyphenylalanine synthesis in response to poly(U)] was most likely a result of a smaller proportion of active ribosomes rather than a reduced efficiency of individual ribosomes.
Measurement of a Strain Ratio in an X-Cut Quartz Crystal*

An instrument is described which measures the change in thickness of a rectangular crystal to 0.00025 of a millimeter and the change in length to approximately 0.001 of a millimeter. The instrument is designed to be used with a crystal of dimensions of 17.5×6×4 millimeters, the thickness dimension of 4 millimeters being parallel to the X axis and the length dimension being parallel to the Y axis; thus a strain as small as 0.00005 along Y and a strain as small as 0.00006 along X can be detected. The ratio of the compressional strain along Y to the extensional strain along X was found to be approximately unity over a fairly wide range of values for the strain along Y. This result is an approximate experimental verification of Voigt’s theory of the piezoelectric effect in quartz for static conditions. The device is constructed on a standard Michelson interferometer and a microscope of only medium power is necessary.
Fractal pattern of second‐order non‐linear digital filters: A new symbolic analysis

This paper studies the three-valued symbolic dynamics associated with the second-order non-linear digital filter which has been shown to be a chaotic system recently. A new necessary and sufficient condition is given for a periodic sequence to be an admissible one. the condition is further used to prove that four types of periodic sequences cannot be admissible.
The footprint of Alaskan tundra fires during the past half-century: implications for surface properties and radiative forcing

Recent large and frequent fires above the Alaskan arctic circle have forced a reassessment of the ecological and climatological importance of fire in arctic tundra ecosystems. Here we provide a general overview of the occurrence, distribution, and ecological and climate implications of Alaskan tundra fires over the past half-century using spatially explicit climate, fire, vegetation and remote sensing datasets for Alaska. Our analyses highlight the importance of vegetation biomass and environmental conditions in regulating tundra burning, and demonstrate that most tundra ecosystems are susceptible to burn, providing the environmental conditions are right. Over the past two decades, fire perimeters above the arctic circle have increased in size and importance, especially on the North Slope, indicating that future wildfire projections should account for fire regime changes in these regions. Remote sensing data and a literature review of thaw depths indicate that tundra fires have both positive and negative implications for climatic feedbacks including a decadal increase in albedo radiative forcing immediately after a fire, a stimulation of surface greenness and a persistent long-term (>10 year) increase in thaw depth. In order to address the future impact of tundra fires on climate, a better understanding of the control of tundra fire occurrence as well as the long-term impacts on ecosystem carbon cycling will be required.
Early readmission of newborns in a large health care system.

BACKGROUND: Early readmissions of apparently healthy newborns after discharge from well baby nurseries (WBN) may reflect an inadequate assessment of the newborn’s readiness for discharge. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency, causes, costs, and variations in rates of early rehospitalization of newborns discharged from 21 WBNs in 1 health care system. METHODS: We queried the Enterprise Data Warehouse of Intermountain Healthcare (IH), a large Utah health care system, to identify newborns with gestational ages of 34 to 42 weeks discharged from an IH WBN between 2000 and 2010. We identified all newborns admitted to an IH hospital within 28 days of discharge and recorded their birth hospital, age, reason(s) for admission, length of stay, and inpatient costs. RESULTS: During the study period, 296 114 infants were discharged from IH hospital WBNs. Of these, 5308 (17.9/1000) were readmitted within 28 days of discharge. Of the 5308 infants who were readmitted, 41% had feeding problems, 35% had jaundice, and 33% had respiratory distress. The majority of newborns with feeding problems and jaundice were admitted in their first 2 weeks of life. Late preterm and early term newborns had higher rates of readmission than term infants. There were significant variations in readmission rates of newborns born at the 21 hospitals in the IH system. CONCLUSIONS: Potentially preventable conditions, including feeding problems and jaundice, account for most early readmissions of newborns. Late preterm and early term newborns have higher rates of readmission and should be assessed for other factors associated with early readmission.
An optimized NoC architecture for accelerating TSP kernels in breakpoint median problem

Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) is a classical NP-complete problem in graph theory. It aims at finding a least-cost Hamiltonian cycle that traverses all vertices of an input edge-weighted graph. One application of TSP is in breakpoint median-based Maximum Parsimony phylogenetic tree reconstruction, wherein a bounded edge-weight model is used. Exponential algorithms that apply efficient heuristics, such as branch-and-bound, to dynamically prune the search space are used. We adopted this approach in an NoC-based implementation for solving TSP targeted towards phylogenetics taking advantage of the fine-grained parallelism and efficient communication network. The largest fraction of the solution time for TSP is accounted for by a particular lower bound calculation operation that uses the graph's adjacency matrix. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of the processing elements with a highly optimized lower bound computation kernel and evaluate its performance. Additionally, we explore two major NoC architectures -mesh and quad-tree - and show that the latter is more suitable for this application domain.
Cluster Case Studies: The Marriage of Quantitative and Qualitative Information for Action:

This article highlights the use of qualitative data as methodological tools in cluster analysis, following the identification of the cluster through a quantitative analysis. The qualitative methodo...
Activation of emergency medical services for acute stroke in a nonurban population : The T.L.L. Temple Foundation Stroke Project

Background and Purpose—Activating emergency medical services (EMS) is the most important factor in reducing delay times to hospital arrival for stroke patients. Determining who calls 911 for stroke would allow more efficient targeting of public health initiatives. Methods—The T.L.L. Temple Foundation Stroke Project is an acute stroke surveillance and intervention project in nonurban East Texas. Prospective case ascertainment allowed chart abstraction and structured interviews for all hospitalized stroke patients to determine if EMS was activated, and if so, by whom. Results—Of 429 validated strokes, 38.0% activated EMS by calling 911. Logistic regression analysis comparing those who called 911 with those who did not activate EMS found that individuals who were employed were 81% less likely to have EMS activated (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.63). Of the 163 cases in which 911 was called, the person activating EMS was: self (patient), 4.3%; family member of significant other, 60.1%; paid caregiver, 18.4%; and ...
Security and Privacy Risks of Embedded RFID in Everyday Things: the e-Passport and Beyond

New applications for Radio Frequency Identifi- cation (RFID) technology include embedding transponders in everyday things used by individuals, such as library books, payment cards, and personal identification cards and documents. While RFID technology has existed for decades, these new applications carry with them substantial new privacy and security risks for individuals. These risks arise due to a combination of aspects involved in these appli- cations: 1) The transponders are permanently embedded in objects individuals commonly carry with them 2) Static data linkable to an individual is stored on these transponders 3) The objects these transponders are embedded in are used in public places where individuals have limited control over who can access data on the transponder. In 2002, the U.S. Department of State proposed the adoption of an "electronic passport," which embedded RFID transponders into U.S. passports for identification and document security purposes. In this paper, we use the U.S. Government's adoption process for the electronic passport as a case study for identifying the privacy and security risks that arise by embedding RFID technology in everyday things. We discuss the reasons why the Department of State did not adequately identify and address these privacy and security risks, even after the government's process mandated a privacy impact assessment. We present recommendations to assist government as well as industry in early identification and resolution of relevant risks posed by RFID technology embedded in everyday things. We show how these risks exists with many new and upcoming applications of embedded RFID in everyday things and how these applications can benefit from the recommendations for a more secure and privacy preserving design. Index Terms— RFID, e-Passport,
Ciudad e inmigración: El conventillo de Luis Pascarella, novela de la transformación de Buenos Aires

ABSTRACT Argentinean literature published during the first decades of the twentieth century has not always received the consideration it deserves. Multiple works have traditionally been ignored when they could elucidate relevant aspects of the Buenos Aires modernization process and the Argentine reformulation as a nation. My work analyzes the tensions at the basis of one of those generally ignored texts, El conventillo by Luis Pascarella. Through the study of the novel, I underline the importance that bourgeois Buenos Aires and proletarian immigration had for the development of Argentinean society and its literature.
Small mammals cycles in northern Europe: patterns and evidence for a maternal effect hypothesis

1. Voles undergo pronounced oscillations over periods of 3–5 years in northern Europe. A latitudinal gradient of cycle periods and amplitudes has been reported for Fennoscandia, with periods and amplitudes increasing towards northern latitudes. 2. This study formulates a discrete time model based on maternal effects to explain the density fluctuation patterns of microtine rodents. The phenotypic transmission of quality from mothers to offspring generates delayed density dependence, which produces cyclic behaviour in the model. 3. The dynamic patterns predicted by the maternal effect model agree with data. We conclude that the maternal effect hypothesis is a plausible, parsimonious explanation for vole-density cycles in northern Europe.
Optimal and Near-Optimal (s,S) Inventory Policies for Levy Demand Processes

A Levy jump process is a continuous-time, real-valued stochastic process which has independent and stationary increments, with no Brownian component. We study some of the fundamental properties of Levy jump processes and develop (s,S) inventory models for them. Of particular interest to us is the gamma-distributed Levy process, in which the demand that occurs in a fixed period of time has a gamma distribution. We study the relevant properties of these processes, and we develop a quadratically convergent algorithm for finding optimal (s,S) policies. We develop a simpler heuristic policy and derive a bound on its relative cost. For the gamma-distributed Levy process this bound is 7.9% if backordering unfilled demand is at least twice as expensive as holding inventory. Most easily-computed (s,S) inventory policies assume the inventory position to be uniform and assume that there is no overshoot. Our tests indicate that these assumptions are dangerous when the coefficient of variation of the demand that occurs in the reorder interval is less than one. This is often the case for low-demand parts that experience sporadic or spiky demand. As long as the coefficient of variation of the demand that occurs in one reorder interval is at least one, and the service level is reasonably high, all of the polices we tested work very well. However even in this region it is often the case that the standard Hadley–Whitin cost function fails to have a local minimum.
Rhabdomyolysis after Concomitant Use of Cyclosporine, Simvastatin, Gemfibrozil, and Itraconazole

OBJECTIVE:To report a case of rhabdomyolysis in a patient receiving cyclosporine, simvastatin, gemfibrozil, and itraconazole.CASE REPORT:Rhabdomyolysis occurring in transplant patients receiving both cyclosporine and the hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor lovastatin has been well documented. The exact mechanism by which this interaction leads to rhabdomyolysis is unknown. Experience with newer agents of the statin drug class in transplant patients is limited. Since the interaction between cyclosporine and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors involves the CYP3A4 enzyme system, the possibility of amplifying this interaction exists when other drugs affecting the same enzyme system are coprescribed. We describe a case in which a heart transplant recipient stable on a drug regimen that included cyclosporine, simvastatin, and gemfibrozil developed rhabdomyolysis after initiation of the antifungal agent itraconazole.DISCUSSION:Drug—drug interactions due to shared metabolism via the CYP3A4 pat...
rco-3, a Gene Involved in Glucose Transport and Conidiation in Neurospora crassa

Macroconidiation in Neurospora crassa is influenced by a number of environmental cues, including the nutritional status of the growing organism. Conidia formation is normally observed when the fungus is exposed to air. However, carbon limitation can induce conidiation in mycelia submerged in an aerated liquid medium. A mutant was previously isolated that could conidiate in submerged culture without imposing nutrient limitation and the gene responsible for this phenotype (rco-3) has now been cloned. RCO3 exhibits sequence similarity to members of the sugar transporter gene superfamily, with greatest similarity to glucose transporters of yeast. Consistent with this structural similarity, we find that glucose transport activity is altered in the mutant. However, growth of the mutant in media containing alternate carbon sources does not suppress conidiation in submerged culture. The properties of the mutant suggest that RCO3 is required for expression of glucose transport activity, glucose regulation of gene expression, and general carbon repression of development.
A 440-nA True Random Number Generator for Passive RFID Tags

This paper describes a 440-nA true random number (RN) generator for passive ultrahigh frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) tags that operate in the 900-MHz band. Since passive tags derive their power supply through the rectification of the incoming RF signal, limited power is available, and hence, a typical total IC current budget is less than a few microamperes. An RN is generated by a passive RFID tag on the fly, and it is used by the reader to identify the tag uniquely and communicate with it in a field consisting of many tags. The RN in this paper consists of a 16-bit-long deterministic binary sequence to which a 3-bit true RN is added. Without the 3-bit true RN, if two tags happen to have the same deterministic 16-bit sequence, a collision occurs, and there is no way to resolve it. In this paper, we propose a power efficient way of generating the 3-bit true RN using the jitter-sampled carrier technique. This technique subsamples the already present 900-MHz RF carrier using a jittered (noisy) clock. The design challenges of sampling a high-frequency signal that swings above and below ground are described. In addition, the generation of a jitter of adequate magnitude with adequate high-frequency spectral content to ensure that the number is truly random is also described. Measurement results on a silicon prototype implemented in a 130-nm analog CMOS process are provided.
Cost performance trade-off in thermoelectric modules with low fractional area coverage

We report a comprehensive study of the cost of materials used in the thermoelectric module as the elements, substrate, and metal interconnect are optimized for maximum output power. The power conversion cost [$/W] is analyzed. The maximum power output is found by matching both thermal and electrical impedances to the external load and heat sink. The fractional area coverage or fill factor of the thermoelement (leg) in the module is a key factor which affects the overall cost of the waste heat recovery system. Thermal spreading resistance is a function of the thermal conductivity and the thickness of the substrates. Also the air gap between the legs contributes to parasitic heat loss from the hot to the cold substrate through heat conduction and radiative heat transfer. The optimum fill factor under atmospheric air-pressure is found to be on the order of a few percent. We also take into account the three-dimensional current flow and the effect of the metallization thickness on the series resistance in the module. Calculations identify the minimum metal trace thickness needed to have a minimum impact on output power generation.
Quantitative PCR-based approach for rapid phage display analysis: a foundation for high throughput vascular proteomic profiling

Functional proteomic strategies offer unique advantages over current molecular array approaches, as the epitopes identified can directly provide bioactive peptides for investigational and/or translational applications. The vascular endothelium is well suited to proteomic assessment by in vivo phage display, but extensive enrichment and sequencing steps limit its application for high throughput molecular profiling. To overcome these limitations we developed a quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) strategy to allow the rapid quantification of in vivo phage binding. Primers were designed for distinct clones selected from a defined phage pool to probe for age-associated changes in cardiac vascular epitopes. Sensitivity and specificity of the primer sets were tested and confirmed in vitro. Q-PCR quantification of phage in vivo confirmed the preferential homing of all phage clones to the young rather than old cardiac vasculature and demonstrated a close correlation with phage measurements previously determined using traditional bacterial-based titration methods. This Q-PCR approach provides quantification of phage within hours of phage injection and may therefore be used for rapid, high throughput analysis of binding of defined phage sequences both in vivo and in vitro, complementing nonbiased phage approaches for the proteomic mapping of vascular beds and other tissues.
Effects of thickness and modal imperfection amplitude on elastic collapse pressure of a cross-ply imperfect ring

Effects of thickness and modal imperfection amplitude on mode 2 elastic collapse pressures of thin, moderately thick and thick cross-ply perfect and imperfect rings are investigated in detail. A recently developed nonlinear resonance (eigenvalue) based semi-analytical solution technique is employed here for computation of the elastic mode 2 collapse pressures of thin to thick cross-ply rings, weakened by modal or harmonic type imperfections. A von Karman type iterative nonlinear analysis, which is based on the assumptions of transverse inextensibility and first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT), is utilized for computation of hydrostatic collapse pressure of the perfect/imperfect cross-ply ring. Interesting and hitherto unavailable numerical results pertaining to the effects of thickness and amplitude of modal imperfection on the hydrostatic collapse pressures of imperfect cross-ply rings and comparison with their perfect counterparts are also presented.
Dopants in nanoscale ZnO

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a metal-oxide semiconductor that has attracted resurgent interest as an electronic material for a range of device applications. In our work, we have focused on how defect properties change as one goes from the bulk to the nanoscale. Infrared (IR) reflectance spectra of as-grown and hydrogen-annealed ZnO nanoparticles were measured at near-normal incidence. The as-grown particles were electrically semi-insulating, and show reflectance spectra characteristic of insulating ionic crystals. Samples annealed in hydrogen showed a significant increase in electrical conductivity and free-carrier absorption. A difference was observed in the reststrahlen line shape of the conductive sample compared to that of the as-grown sample. In addition to hydrogen doping, we successfully doped ZnO nanoparticles with Cu. To probe the electronic transitions of Cu 2+ impurities in ZnO nanoparticles, IR transmission spectra were taken at liquid-helium temperatures. Two absorption peaks were observed at energies of 5781 and 5821 cm -1 . Finally, we tentatively assign a series of IR spectral lines to Na acceptors.
Infinite Sums and Products

The geometric series, Taylor’s series, and a number of examples previously discussed in this book, suggest that we may well study those limiting processes of analysis which involve the summation of infinite series from a more general point of view. In principle, any limiting value $$S = \mathop {\lim }\limits_{n \to \infty } {s_n}$$ can be written as an infinite series; we need only put \({a_n} = {s_n} - {s_{n - 1}}\) for n > 1 and al = sl to obtain $${s_n}={a_1}+{a_2}+\cdots +{a_n},$$ and the value S thus appears as the limit of sn, the sum of n terms, as n increases. We express this fact by saying that S is the “sum of the infinite series” $${a_1} + {a_2} + {a_3} + \cdots $$ .
Laser-induced nanoparticle ordering

Nanoparticles were produced on the surface of silicon upon pulsed-laser irradiation in the presence of an inert gas atmosphere at fluences close to the melting threshold. It was observed that nanoparticle formation required redeposition of ablated material. Redeposition took place in the form of a thin film intermixed with extremely small nanoparticles possibly formed in the gas phase. Through the use of nonpolarized laser light, it was shown that nanoparticles, fairly uniform in size, became grouped into curvilinear strings distributed with a short-range ordering. Microstructuring of part of the surface prior to the laser treatment had the remarkable effect of producing nanoparticles lying along straight and fairly long (approximately 1 mm) lines, whose spacing equaled the laser wavelength for normal beam incidence. In this work, it is shown that the use of polarized light eliminated the need of an aiding agent: nanoparticle alignment ensued under similar laser treatment conditions. The phenomenon of nanoparticle alignment bears a striking similarity with the phenomenon of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS), obeying the same dependence of line spacing upon light wavelength and beam angle of incidence as the grating spacing in LIPSS. The new results strongly support the proposition that the two phenomena, LIPSS and laser-induced nanoparticle alignment, evolve as a result of the same light interference mechanism.
Poly-β-hydroxybutyric acid in staphylococci

Poly-β-hydroxybutyric acid (PHB) was extracted from various species of staphylococci isolated from different sources. IR and UV spectrophotometry and NMR analysis revealed that the compound consisted only of the β-hydroxybutyrate. The PHB level in the richest strain among investigated staphylococci is about 64-fold less than in bacilli. The intrinsic viscosity number of this polymer is more than twice greater in the case of the staphylococcal product than that of bacilli.