cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The high-degree cubature Kalman filter

Cubature Kalman filter (CKF) has recently drawn much attention due to its more stable performance than the unscented Kalman filter (UKF). This third-degree cubabure rule based nonlinear filter may not be accurate enough in many estimation problems. In this paper, a more general class of CKFs with arbitrary high-degree estimation accuracy is proposed. It can be shown that the conventional CKF is a special case of the proposed method. A target tracking problem is used to test the performance of the proposed filters. It will be shown that the high-degree CKFs can achieve better performance than the extended Kalman filter, the unscented Kalman filter, and the conventional third-degree CKF. In addition, it can maintain a close performance to the Gauss-Hermite quadrature filter with less computation load.
Self-disclosure: Intimate and nonintimate disclosures to parents and best friends as a function of bem sex-role category

Thirty-two androgynous, traditional, and undifferentiated males and females (N/it=192) completed a 6-item self-disclosure questionnaire containing 30 intimate and 30 nonintimate items. The targets were father, mother, and best male and female friends. Analyses of both intimate and nonintimate items indicated that amount of self-disclosure was related to sex role and not gender. Typical male-female differences in self-disclosure were not found because (a) androgynous males disclosed at significantly higher levels than traditional and undifferentiated males to most targets; (b) undifferentiated males and females disclosed significantly less than their androgynous and traditional counterparts. Intimate self-disclosure by androgynous males to father, and nonintimate disclosure by androgynous females to father, were particularly high. Both findings suggest a unique role for fathers in the development of androgynous persons. Androgynous females reported higher disclosure to best male friend than to mother. This is counter to the traditional female pattern and is interpreted as representing a greater degree of distancing from mother and openness to peers.
Ultracision: the harmonic scalpel and its possible uses in maxillofacial surgery.

We report on the potential uses and benefits of a new development in incisive technology. The harmonic scalpel uses high-frequency mechanical energy to offer the surgeon controlled and precise incision and haemostasis. Vessels up to 2 mm in diameter may be sealed by coaptation with the blade before division. No special training or precautions are required before using this self-cleaning device. It produces considerably less smoke or smell than either diathermy or laser, which reduces the need for instrument exchanges and smoke evacuation. We think that it will be useful for tongue resections and possibly for neck dissections.
Effects of Suicide on Siblings: Uncertainty and the Grief Process

Over 33,000 people die from suicide each year in the United States, leaving nearly 200,000 family members grieving. Much has been written about suicide loss and grieving, yet not about the sibling survivors of suicide, called the “forgotten mourners.” This qualitative study of in-depth interviews with 45 sibling survivors of suicide extends the literature on uncertainty management and grief by investigating multiple ways in which sibling survivors of suicide experience uncertainty and loss, and the management responses that result.
An exploratory study of inactive health information seekers.

Abstract Purpose This study aims to identify people who do not actively seek out health information and the demographic characteristics of Inactive Seekers. The possible determinants of inactive seeking behaviors are also explored. Design and measurements A total of 14,420 survey respondents were drawn from the 2009 Annenberg National Health Communication Survey (ANHCS) data. K-means clustering was used to discriminate Inactive Seekers from Active Seekers. The inactive information seeker group was formed based on their experience with health information seeking. The potential determinants that were tested to predict inactive seeking included the following: health condition, health service use, health media exposure, and computer/Internet activities. Results Within this national survey data, the respondents were more likely to be included in the Inactive Seekers (N = 8312, 58.5%) compared to Active Seekers (N = 5908, 41.5%). The demographic characteristics indicated that the Inactive Seekers were identified as younger, male, highly educated, White, and high household income people. The binary logistic regression results from the study model indicated that healthier people were less likely to seek out health information than their counterparts. In addition, those who were exposed to various media were almost 1.6 times more likely to seek out health information than those who were not exposed to such media. Within this study data, the statistically significant determinants identified were health condition and health media exposure while computer/Internet activities did not show strong indications in predicting inactive seeking behavior. Conclusion The development of more generalizable measures for health literacy or behavioral patterns will bolster advanced study on inactive seeking relating to knowledge of technology and health context. Further study should be directed at estimating the negative aspects of information seeking such as information ignorance or information avoidance.
Soil applications of sulfureous compounds to control tipburn of head lettuce in the field

Different levels of sulfureous compounds were applied to the soil before sowing or four to six weeks after sowing seeds of head lettuce (Lactuca sativa var.capitata L.) in five field plots throughout Arizona during 1979 and 1983. Plants were rated for tipburn incidence at harvest. Tipburn severity values were consistently lower in cultivars, Calmar, Vanguard and Empire and higher in cultivar Green bud in treated plots compared to non-treated plots. However, disease severity ratings in treated and non-treated plots were not significantly different at the 5% level.
A specification model for context-based collaborative applications

This paper presents a model for building context-based systems in pervasive computing environments from high level specifications. A pervasive computing environment is viewed as a collaboration space consisting of mobile users, system services, and sensors and resources embedded in the physical environment. The approach presented here is developed for building collaborative activities in which users and environment services cooperate towards some shared objectives and tasks. The specification model allows expression of policies related to context-based discovery and secure access of resources, and role-based interactions among users and environmental services. Using several examples we illustrate the capabilities of our specification model for expressing various kinds of context-based requirements for resource access and user interactions.
Renal epithelial amino acid concentrations in mercury-induced and postischemic acute renal failure☆

The concentration of 18 alpha-amino acids (AAs) in plasma and renal cortical cell water were measured 3 or 24 hr after 1 hr of unilateral renal artery clamping or 24 or 48 hr after 15 mg/kg body weight HgCl2 injection sc as a test of epithelial integrity. Cellular glycine (Gly), hydroxyproline (Hpr), ornithine (Orn), phenylalanine (Phe), serine (Ser), and tryptophan (Trp) concentrations were depressed 24 hr after HgCl2 (p less than 0.05), but the remaining 12 AAs were not distinguishable from control despite the presence of severe renal failure. ARginine (Arg), glutamic acid (Glu), and valine (Val) also were decreased (P less than 0.05) 24 hr later, but concentrations of half of all measured AAs were still normal. Cellular alanine (Ala), Arg, Glu, Gly, Phe, and Ser concentrations were decreased 3 hr after ischemia, p less than 0.05, but 12 AAs were unchanged and only Arg, Phe, Ser, and threonine (Thr) were reduced 24 hr after ischemia was reversed. Concentrations of even the most affected AAs remained notably higher than in plasma in both forms of acute renal failure (ARF). Total loss of AAs from a small proportion of tubular cells would be hidden by essentially normal concentrations in the rest, and such losses may well have occurred. Unless cellular AAs in ARF are almost completely bound, however, the well-maintained cell:plasma AA concentration ratios indicate that cellular energetics were adequate for AA uptake and that epithelial permeability to AAs in the vast majority of cells was not greatly disturbed. Such findings suggest that most of the epithelium, although seriously damaged, had remained viable.
Cholera in Travelers: Shifting Tides in Epidemiology, Management, and Prevention

The distribution of cholera’s devastating effects has changed. While cholera is endemic in 50 countries mostly in Asia and Africa, more than half of the cases reported in 2012 were in the Western Hemisphere, predominantly Haiti. Since the current epidemic began in Haiti in 2010, there has been spread to the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and most recently Mexico. Several recent case reports document individuals returning home from affected areas with diarrhea from cholera, in some cases severe. Hopeful news reported the containment of an outbreak through the use of a Vibrio cholera vaccine. There are safe and effective oral cholera vaccines available and recommended in outbreaks and endemic areas, although they are not currently available in the USA or to travelers. This review aims to discuss the latest data to aid our current recommendations for the prevention of cholera in travelers beyond standard personal and food hygiene precautions for the prevention of travelers’ diarrhea and to offer insights on the most current data available about cholera vaccine progress and potential use.
Serum amino acid concentrations during starvation in the prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, as an indicator of metabolic requirements

Abstract 1. 1. A 5-day starvation period resulted in a significant decrease in the concentration of selected free amino acids in serum of the prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii. The greatest decrease occurred in proline, glutamic acid, methionine and phenylalanine followed by leucine, alanine, aspartic acid and serine. Glycine was the only amino acid not observed to decrease in concentration over the same time period. 2. 2. The concentrations of total amino acids (bound and free) for each amino acid measured were not affected by a 5-day period of starvation. 3. 3. It is suggested that amino acids rapidly removed from serum during short-term starvation were probably most critical for tissue metabolism and indicated relative metabolic requirements for selected amino acids.
Tube Drainage of Lung Abscesses

We treated 14 patients who had complicated lung abscesses (all over 4 cm in diameter); 9 patients had concomitant respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. A percutaneous tube was inserted in 11 patients (3 subsequently underwent rib resection) and 3 underwent rib resection with operative insertion of the tube. The resultant bronchopleural fistulas did not interfere with respiratory management despite the use of mechanical ventilation, and only 2 patients required subsequent surgical closure. Eleven patients were discharged from the hospital. Complications were minimal and consisted of 2 episodes of hemorrhage, 1 during operative debridement of the abscess and 1 delayed. Both complications were managed successfully. Three patients died in the hospital, only 1 from complications of the lung abscess. We have concluded from this review that tube drainage can be safe, simple, and efficacious. We recommend it for the treatment of complicated lung abscesses even when associated with respiratory failure and mechanical ventilatory support.
Impact of positive surgical margins in patients undergoing partial nephrectomy for renal cortical tumours.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical outcome of patients undergoing partial nephrectomy (PN) for renal cortical tumours who had a positive surgical margin (SM), as recent studies have shown that a minimal SM is required to achieve equivalent disease-free survival (DFS). PATIENTS AND METHODS Between 1989 and 2005, 777 PNs were performed at the authors’ institution. Clinical and pathology data were obtained from our prospective surgical database after obtaining institutional review board approval. Variables were analysed in a logistic regression model to determine predictors of positive SMs. The clinical outcome was reported for local recurrence and distant metastasis and analysed using the log-rank test. RESULTS Of the 777 PNs, the SM status was documented in 770; the SMs were positive in 57 of 770 (7%). Positive SMs occurred in 33 of 423 (8%) patients with tumours of high malignant potential, and in 24 of 347 (7%) patients with tumours of low malignant potential. On multivariate analysis, an imperative indication for a PN was a significant predictor for a positive SM (P = 0.003). With a median follow-up for survivors of 22 months, there was a local recurrence in two of 57 (4%) patients with a positive SM and four of 713 (0.5%) with a negative SM. No patients with a tumour of low malignant potential had a recurrence, despite having a positive SM. CONCLUSIONS Although local recurrence after PN for renal cortical tumours is rare, our data suggest that patients with a tumour of high malignant potential and a positive SM might have a higher incidence of local recurrence.
Multidimensional Assessment of Locus of Control and Obesity

Previous research examining locus of control among the obese has been contradictory. Previous research has examined locus of control among the obese using Rotter's I-E test, a unidimensional questionnaire. The present study examined locus of control among 20 obese and 42 average weight research participants using the Reid-Ware three-factor I-E test. The obese group scored more external on the Self-control scale and on the Social System Control scale. The obese were not more external on the Fatalism scale. There were no differences between sexes. The results support the hypothesis that obese persons maintain an external locus of control only in certain, circumscribed attitude areas.
Stalking Information: Bayesian Inventory Management with Unobserved Lost Sales

Retailers are frequently uncertain about the underlying demand distribution of a new product. When taking the empirical Bayesian approach of Scarf 1959, they simultaneously stock the product over time and learn about the distribution. Assuming that unmet demand is lost and unobserved, this learning must be based on observing sales rather than demand, which differs from sales in the event of a stockout. Using the framework and results of Braden and Freimer 1991, the cumulative learning about the underlying demand distribution is captured by two parameters, a scale parameter that reflects the predicted size of the underlying market, and a shape parameter that indicates both the size of the market and the precision with which the underlying distribution is known. An important simplification result of Scarf 1960 and Azoury 1985, which allows the scale parameter to be removed from the optimization, is shown to extend to this setting. We present examples that reveal two interesting phenomena: 1 A retailer may hope that, compared to stocking out, realized demand will be strictly less than the stock level, even though stocking out would signal a stochastically larger demand distribution, and 2 it can be optimal to drop a product after a period of successful sales. We also present specific conditions under which the following results hold: 1 Investment in excess stocks to enhance learning will occur in every dynamic problem, and 2 a product is never dropped after a period of poor sales. The model is extended to multiple independent markets whose distributions depend proportionately on a single unknown parameter. We argue that smaller markets should be given better service as an effective means of acquiring information.
Transmission of waves by a nonlinear random medium

We study analytically and numerically the effect of nonlinearity on transmission of waves through a random medium. We introduce and analyze quantities associated with the scattering problem that clarify the lack of uniqueness due to the nonlinearity as well as the localization of waves due to the random inhomogeneities. We show that nonlinearity tends to delocalize the waves and that for very large scattering regions the average transmitted energy is small.
Chaperone-independent mitochondrial translocation and protection by αB-crystallin in RPE cells

αB-crystallin is a small heat shock protein that exhibits chaperone activity and can protect multiple cell types against oxidative stress damage. Altered levels and specific mutations of αB-crystallin are associated with multiple degenerative diseases. We previously found that αB-crystallin translocates to lens and retinal cell mitochondria upon oxidative stress exposure where it provides protection against oxidative stress damage. To date, the role of the chaperone function of αB-crystallin in mitochondrial translocation and protection has not been established. Here, we sought to determine the relationship between the chaperone activity of αB-crystallin and its ability to translocate to and protect retinal cell mitochondria against oxidative stress damage. Our data provide evidence that three forms of αB-crystallin exhibiting different chaperone activity levels including wild-type, R120G (decreased chaperone activity) and M68A (increased chaperone activity) provide comparable levels of mitochondrial translocation and protection to retinal cells exposed to oxidative stress. The results provide evidence that mitochondrial translocation and protection by αB-crystallin is independent of its chaperone activity and that other functions of αB-crystallin may also be independent of its chaperone activity.
Engaging K-12 Language Learners in Media Literacy.

Calls to integrate media literacy into K–12 language classrooms appear to have gone largely unheeded. However, media literacy skills are seen as crucial for 21st-century learners. This article answers the calls for a focus on media literacy in the language classroom by addressing both why and how systematic attention might be brought to this issue and by highlighting the connections between language and media literacy.
Nonequilibrium superconductivity in mesoscopic Nb/InAs/Nb junctions

We review experiments on the response of Nb/InAs/Nb SNS junctions to high frequency irradiation. Both single junctions and multi-junction arrays show an anomalous half-integer Shapiro step, which persists to high temperatures in the absence of a critical current. The temperature and bias dependence of this effect demonstrate that it is caused by nonequilibrium ac supercurrents flowing at twice the usual frequency. Conductance enhancement near zero bias is also observed and attributed to nonequilibrium dynamics. A model based on time-dependent Andreev bound states, with parameters extracted from this enhanced conductance, successfully accounts for this half-integer Shapiro step.
The effects of 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine in the amphibian spinal cord using silver staining techniques.

Abstract The lumbar area of the spinal cords of adult frogs administered single injections of the drug 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine were treated with silver staining techniques for axonal and terminal degeneration. At all doses, maximal fiber degeneration occurred in the lateral columns of the spinal cord. The degeneration followed discrete patterns entering the spinal gray in bundles and terminating on somata and dendrites of interneurons and motoneurons. Fiber degeneration was also seen in the dorsal columns, particularly the dorsolateral zone and in the ventrolateral and ventromedial fiber tracts. Terminal degeneration was always heaviest in the ventral gray; fewer terminals were located in more dorsal areas of the central gray.
A new class of small nuclear RNA molecules synthesized by a type I RNA polymerase in hela cells

Abstract A new class of previously undetected small RNA molecules with a range of discrete sizes between 6S and 10S has been identified in HeLa cell nuclei. They differ in size and location from the previously described small nuclear RNA species (snRNA). These RNA molecules were initially found by selective RNA labeling in vitro in isolated nuclei. The in vitro products migrate in gel electrophoresis in the region from 6–10S with predominant components between 8S and 10S. They are labeled in the presence of very high concentrations of α-amanitin (150–400 μg/ml), suggesting they are synthesized by a type I polymerase. Unlike the major polymerase I product, ribosomal precursor RNA, however, these molecules are found in the nucleoplasm and their labeling is not affected by pretreatment of cells with low concentrations of actinomycin D (0.04 μg/ml). Their formation by a presumptive polymerase I type of enzyme is the basis of their tentative designation as small nuclear polymerase I (snPI) RNAs. The snPI RNA molecules appear to be associated with chromatin and the nuclear matrix. They can be selectively eluted from nuclei leaving most of hnRNA behind. This association is used as the basis of fractionation procedures which separate these molecules from hnRNA and permit the demonstration of the synthesis of at least the most predominant of these RNA molecules in vivo. w
Review: Gilquin, De Cock and Granger (2010) Louvain International Database of Spoken English Interlanguage. Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium: Presses Universitaires de Louvain

The Louvain International Database of Spoken English Interlanguage (LINDSEI) is an important resource for teachers and researchers interested in learning more about spoken learner language from a variety of first languages (L1 s). Work began on LINDSEI in 1995 and is ongoing. The project is directed by Sylviane Granger and co-ordinated by Sylvie De Cock, Gaetanelle Gilquin and Stephanie Petch-Tyson, but it represents the efforts of over forty co-ordinators and collaborators in the eleven countries represented in LINDSEI. LINDSEI currently contains over 1 million words and 130 hours of interviews between learners (L2 speakers of English) and interviewers (in most cases, a native speaker of English). The interviews are, on average, fourteen minutes long and consist of nearly 2,000 words. Learner language represents approximately 792,000 words in total and nearly 1,500 words per interview. Each interview is transcribed orthographically. Minimal prosodic information is provided in the form of pauses (short, medium and long), syllable lengthening, and vowels used in article pronunciation. Filled pauses and backchannels appear in brackets, and foreign words are coded. Due to the inclusion of a relatively constrained (and, thus, less authentic) task in the recordings, the authors choose to describe LINDSEI as a database rather than a corpus. Most importantly, one task, a picture description task, is distinct from the other conversational portions of the interviews. The learners included in LINDSEI are young adult EFL learners of high-intermediate to advanced proficiency. Eleven nationalities are represented, including Bulgarian, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Spanish and Swedish, with approximately fifty learners representing each nationality. In most cases, the L1 background of
Dissipation, anisotropy, and the stabilization of computationally complex states of homogeneous media

Abstract The unbounded complexity exhibited by homogeneous media such as cellular automata is ordinarily quite unstable with respect to noise, with an arbitrarily small generic probabilistic perturbation causing the medium instead to relax to a unique, finitely complicated state independent of the initial conditions. We survey recent results on how irreversibility and spatial anisotropy allow unboundedly complex behavior to persist in spite of such noise.
GARP (LRRC32) is essential for the surface expression of latent TGF-β on platelets and activated FOXP3+ regulatory T cells

TGF-β family members are highly pleiotropic cytokines with diverse regulatory functions. TGF-β is normally found in the latent form associated with latency-associated peptide (LAP). This latent complex can associate with latent TGFβ-binding protein (LTBP) to produce a large latent form. Latent TGF-β is also found on the surface of activated FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), but it is unclear how it is anchored to the cell membrane. We show that GARP or LRRC32, a leucine-rich repeat molecule of unknown function, is critical for tethering TGF-β to the cell surface. We demonstrate that platelets and activated Tregs co-express latent TGF-β and GARP on their membranes. The knockdown of GARP mRNA with siRNA prevented surface latent TGF-β expression on activated Tregs and recombinant latent TGF-β1 is able to bind directly with GARP. Confocal microscopy and immunoprecipitation strongly support their interactions. The role of TGF-β on Tregs appears to have dual functions, both for Treg-mediated suppression and infectious tolerance mechanism.
Finiteness and Aspect in Spanish/English Bilingual Acquisition

The article investigates the acquisition of finiteness in the languages of a Spanish/English bilingual child (Mina, 1;9.5-2;6.21). We use the `underspecification of AspP hypothesis' of Gavruseva (2...
Optimal marketing strategies over social networks

We discuss the use of social networks in implementing viral marketing strategies. While influence maximization has been studied in this context (see Chapter 24 of [10]), we study revenue maximization, arguably, a more natural objective. In our model, a buyer's decision to buy an item is influenced by the set of other buyers that own the item and the price at which the item is offered.We focus on algorithmic question of finding revenue maximizing marketing strategies. When the buyers are completely symmetric, we can find the optimal marketing strategy in polynomial time. In the general case, motivated by hardness results, we investigate approximation algorithms for this problem. We identify a family of strategies called influence-and-exploit strategies that are based on the following idea: Initially influence the population by giving the item for free to carefully a chosen set of buyers. Then extract revenue from the remaining buyers using a 'greedy' pricing strategy. We first argue why such strategies are reasonable and then show how to use recently developed set-function maximization techniques to find the right set of buyers to influence.
Using NVivo to Analyze Qualitative Classroom Data on Constructivist Learning Environments.

This article describes how a qualitative data analysis package, NVivo, was used in a study of authentic and constructivist learning and teaching in the classroom. The paper starts with a summary of the research study in which NVivo was used to analyze the data and overviews the methodology that was adopted in this study. It, then, describes how NVivo was used in the analysis of observational (video) data, interviews and field notes. Key Words: Computer Based Qualitative Data Analysis, Qualitative Data Analysis, Computer Based Data Analysis, NVivo, and Constructivist Learning Environments.
A 16-element two-dimensional active self-steering array using self-oscillating mixers

A 16-element two-dimensional (2-D) retrodirective array using self-oscillating mixers (SOMs) is presented. SOMs allow for easier implementation of larger 2-D arrays by eliminating the complex local-oscillator (LO) feed structure. A 4 /spl times/ 4 element retrodirective array using SOMs is demonstrated at an LO frequency of 7.68 GHz. Each element is phased locked at the LO frequency with an accompanying RF frequency isolation of 17.9 dB between adjacent horizontal elements and 22.2 dB between adjacent vertical elements. A -10-dBm external injection-locking signal is applied to reduce the phase noise of the 16-element array to -68.2 dBc/Hz at 10-kHz offset. Retrodirectivity is observed in the /spl phi/=0/spl deg/, /spl phi/=-45/spl deg/, and /spl phi/=-90 plane for scattering angles of /spl theta/=-15/spl deg/, /spl theta/=0/spl deg/, and /spl theta/=+30/spl deg/.
PhD forum: Calibrating and using the global network of outdoor webcams

The vast imaging resources available via the Internet are underutilized. We propose to lay the foundation for the use of cameras attached to the Internet, also known as webcams, as free and flexible sensors. Developing an understanding of the relationship between signals in the world and the image variations they cause is critical to this effort. We use this understanding to develop methods to calibrate webcams, to estimate scene properties, and to report the weather.
Beyond dorsal penile nerve block: a more humane circumcision.

Objective. To explore techniques that can be utilized in addition to the dorsal penile nerve block (DPNB) to further reduce the neonate9s stress and pain from routine circumcision, and thus make the procedure more humane. Setting. Level 1 nursery at a community hospital. Subjects. Eighty healthy, term, newborn male infants scheduled for routine neonatal circumcision. Study Design. Prospective and randomized; double blind and placebo controlled for the study solutions. Methods. Four statistically similar groups of 20 were studied. The control group included infants circumcised using: a) a rigid plastic restraint board; b) standard DPNB; and c) a pacifier dipped in water to comfort the infant. Each study group differed from the controls in one variable including: 1) using a specially designed, physiologic circumcision restraint chair; 2) pH buffering of lidocaine hydrochloride used for DPNB; and 3) offering a pacifier dipped in a 24% sucrose solution during the DPNB and circumcision. Behavioral observations were recorded and compared for each group starting before the injection of lidocaine hydrochloride and continuing through the completion of the circumcision. Plasma for cortisol levels were collected 30 minutes after the circumcision. Results. Neonates circumcised on the new restraint chair showed a significant decrease in distress scores (>50%) compared with the control group on the rigid molded-plastic restraint. The pacifier dipped in sucrose had a distress-reducing effect during both the post-DPNB injection and circumcision periods. The infants who were injected with the buffered lidocaine showed no differences in distress from the controls. The plasma cortisol levels were not significantly affected by any additional technique and were comparable to the levels previously reported. Conclusions. When neonatal circumcisions are performed routinely, they should be done as humanely as possible. This study demonstrates that, when used in conjunction with DPNB, a pacifier dipped in 24% sucrose and a more comfortable, padded, and physiologic restraint can be useful in decreasing distress and pain.
An innovative approach to generations scheduling in large-scale hydro-thermal power systems with fuel constrained units

An extensive technology is presented for scheduling MW generation in power systems which consist of thermal, fuel constrained, and hydro units. The development of the solution method is based on the Lagrangian relaxation approach. The demand and reserve constraints, the minimum up and down time constraints, the fuel utilization constraints, and the hydro constraints are all considered in the problem formulation. The proposed procedure is especially applicable to systems whose unit commitment solution is sensitive to changes in the Lagrangian multipliers. In this regard, the proposed method incorporates the following special features. First, a set of upper bounds is added to limit the excess in the spinning reserves at different periods during the search for a feasible suboptimal solution. Second, a revised economic dispatch algorithm is introduced in the final stage of the method. This algorithm identifies unnecessarily committed units in the generation schedule of a large power network and provides the solutions for the economic allocation of the system demand among the committed units. >
Abatement of mercury emissions in the coal combustion process equipped with a Fabric Filter Baghouse

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the dependence of mercury emissions on coal ranks and electric utility boilers equipped with Fabric Filter Baghouses (FF). A comparison of mercury emission rates and fly ash properties was made between a circulating Fluidized Bed Combustor (CFBC) with FF and a Pulverized Coal (PC) combustor with FF during the burning of all three ranks of American coals. The data were collected from the Environmental Protection Agency Information Collection Request (EPA ICR) and WKU ICSET’s mercury testing program. A statistical stepwise regression procedure was used to determine significant factors such as coal rank and types of boilers equipped with FF on mercury emissions during coal combustion. The higher mercury emission rates were generally found in both CFB and PC units when lignite was burned. The lower mercury emission rates were generally found in both CFB equipped with FF and PC units equipped with FF when bituminous coal was burned. There was a statistically significant lower mercury emission in the CFBC equipped with FF than that in the PC units when sub-bituminous coal was burned. Lower mercury emission rates in electric utility boilers equipped with FF are due to the active fly ash generated with a larger specific surface area and pore volume. Higher mercury emission rates observed during lignite-fired boilers may be due to their lower specific area of fly ash, which results from lower LOI, as well as the pore blockage by selenium (Se) for Texas lignite; and sodium (Na) and potassium (K) for North Dakota lignite. There is no significant mutual benefit for the mercury captured by the addition of Spray Dry Absorber (SDA) or selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) in the CFBC system.
Magnetic fields of current monopoles in special volume conductors

A theory for deriving the magnetic fields generated by monopoles of current (i.e. point sources of current) located in two volume conductor shapes is presented. The solution is derived for the magnetic field exterior to a semi-infinite conducting volume and exterior to a conducting spherical volume. In both volumes, the magnetic field of the dipole volume current is shown to be a spatial derivative of the magnetic field due to a current monopole. The magnetic field exterior to the semi-infinite volume conductor is equivalent to that of a semi-infinite line current, starting at the position of the monopole, oriented perpendicular to the surface of the conducting volume, and flowing toward infinity. The field exterior to a conducting sphere is equivalent to that generated by a finite-length line current flowing from the position of the monopole to the center of the sphere. Current monopoles can be used in lieu of dipole current sources to reduce source modeling errors and to better understand the effects of volume currents.
Adipokines Do Not Mediate the Association of Obesity and Colorectal Adenoma

Purpose. The association between obesity and colon neoplasia is well established but the underlying biological mechanisms are not fully understood. Rates of both obesity and colon cancer differ by race. Adipokines have been postulated as contributors to the observed association; however, few studies have examined the mediating effect of adipokines on the obesity-colon adenoma association with consideration of racial differences. Methods. We determined prediagnostic levels of adiponectin and leptin in Caucasians (217 cases and 650 controls) and African Americans (175 cases and 378 controls) participating in the Case Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer Colon Adenoma Study. We evaluated mediating effects of adiponectin and leptin on the association of abdominal adiposity and colon adenoma separately according to race using mediational pathway analysis. Results. We observed differences in circulating adipokine concentrations by race; African Americans had higher levels of leptin and lower levels of adiponectin than Caucasians for both adenoma cases and controls (P values 0.27). Conclusions. We found no evidence that leptin or adiponectin mediates the abdominal obesity-colorectal adenoma pathway. Larger studies on how these associations vary by race, sex, and obesity are needed.
Multimorbidity and Survival in Older Persons with Colorectal Cancer

Objectives To ascertain the effect of common chronic conditions on mortality in older persons with colorectal cancer. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Population-based cancer registry. Participants Patients in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare linked database who were aged 67 and older and had a primary diagnosis of Stage 1 to 3 colorectal cancer during 1993 through 1999. Measurements Chronic conditions were identified using claims data, and vital status was determined from the Medicare enrollment files. After estimating the adjusted hazard ratios for mortality associated with each condition using a Cox model, the population attributable risk (PAR) was calculated for the full sample and by age subgroup. Results The study sample consisted of 29,733 patients, 88% of whom were white and 55% were female. Approximately 9% of deaths were attributable to congestive heart failure (CHF; PAR = 9.4%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 8.4-10.5%), more than 5% were attributable to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; PAR = 5.3%, 95% CI = 4.7-6.6%), and nearly 4% were attributable to diabetes mellitus (PAR = 3.9%, 95% CI = 3.1-4.8%). The PAR associated with CHF increased with age, from 6.3% (95% CI = 4.4-8.8%) in patients aged 67 to 70 to 14.5% (95% CI = 12.0-17.5%) in patients aged 81 to 85. Multiple conditions were common. More than half of the patients who had CHF also had diabetes mellitus or COPD. The PAR associated with CHF alone (4.29%, 95% CI = 3.68-4.94%) was similar to the PAR for CHF in combination with diabetes mellitus (3.08, 95% CI = 2.60-3.61%) or COPD (3.93, 95% CI = 3.41-4.54%). Conclusion A substantial proportion of deaths in older persons with colorectal cancer can be attributed to CHF, diabetes mellitus, and COPD. Multimorbidity is common and exerts a substantial effect on colorectal cancer survival.
An H 2 -matrix-based integral-equation solver of linear-complexity for large-scale full-wave modeling of 3D circuits

State-of-the-art integral-equation based computational electromagnetic methods rely on techniques that can perform a matrix-vector multiplication in O(N log N) operations, with N being the matrix size. In this work, a fast integral-equation-based solver was developed for full-wave modeling of large-scale complicated 3D circuits. Both memory consumption and time complexity were shown to be O(N). The superior performance applies to any arbitrarily shaped 3D structure. Numerical results demonstrate its accuracy and efficiency.
Solving general intersection problem, sorting and 3D containment problem

The author presents three hardware solutions for solving the general intersection problem. These solutions can be implemented as an algorithm on parallel computers or special-purpose VLSI circuits can be designed. Next a solution is presented for sorting nonunique keys in O(log n) time. Finally, the author presents a novel solution for the 3-D containment problem using quad trees. >
IS THE LOCAL VASODILATATION AFTER DIFFERENT TISSUE INJURIES REFERABLE TO A SINGLE CAUSE

Experiment shows that the vascular contraction responsible for Bier's spotting prevails over the local vasodilatation due to mechanical injury of the skin, and causes the local reddening to blanch. It is without effect, however, upon the local vasodilatation caused by histamine pricked into the skin. The results raise doubts concerning the validity of the hypothesis referring all local vasodilatations to the action of a single chemical substance or set of substances ("H substance"), liberated within the tissues.
Phase transition at low fluences in laser desorption of organic solids: a molecular dynamics study

Molecular dynamics of a short pulse laser irradiation of a molecular crystal are performed to investigate the dependence of the mechanism of ejection on laser fluence. We find that at low laser fluences molecules are desorbed from a thin surface layer of solid sample. An increase in the laser fluence leads to the melting of the surface region and desorption occurs from an overheated melted state. An additional increase of the fluence leads to the ablation when the laser-induced pressure and phase explosion of the overheated liquid drives a collective ejection of a significant volume of irradiated material. ” 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Cell Switched Network-on-Chip -- Candidate for Billion-Transistor System-on-Chips

Wormhole routing has been widely adopted for network-on-chip (NoC). We demonstrate that the common belief that wormhole routing requires very little buffer space is no longer true when deployed in billion-transistor SoCs. We propose a Cell Switched NoC (CS-NoC) paradigm that requires less buffer space than wormhole routing. It has been demonstrated that cell switched network has higher throughput, lower latency than wormhole routing, and are less sensitive to bursty traffic. Therefore, CS-NoC is a promising candidate for billion-transistor SoCs.
Chemoreception in the shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio: The role of amino acids and betaine in elicitation of a feeding response by extracts☆

Abstract 1. 1. Substances of less than ca . 1000 molecular weight present in extracts of blue crab, oyster, sea urchin and mullet were the principal stimulants of a feeding response in the shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio . 2. 2. Synthetic mixtures of amino acids and betaine, formulated on the basis of the composition of the extracts, were found to account for 60–100% of the activity of extracts of crab, oyster and sea urchin but for only ca . 30% of the activity of mullet extract. 3. 3. When tested alone, betaine had only a modest stimulatory capacity; yet this substance made a very significant contribution to the activity of the mixtures. 4. 4. Assays of betaine alone, or of certain mixtures of amino acids, yielded unusual “bell-shaped” dose-response relationships.
Physical response of gold nanoparticles to single self-ion bombardment

The reliability of nanomaterials depends on maintaining their specific sizes and structures. However, the stability of many nanomaterials in radiation environments remains uncertain due to the lack of a fully developed fundamental understanding of the radiation response on the nanoscale. To provide an insight into the dynamic aspects of single ion effects in nanomaterials, gold nanoparticles (NPs) with nominal diameters of 5, 20, and 60 nm were subjected to self-ion irradiation at energies of 46 keV, 2.8 MeV, and 10 MeV in situ inside of a transmission electron microscope. Ion interactions created a variety of far-from-equilibrium structures including small (∼1 nm) sputtered nanoclusters from the parent NPs of all sizes. Single ions created surface bumps and elongated nanofilaments in the 60 nm NPs. Similar shape changes were observed in the 20 nm NPs, while the 5 nm NPs were transiently melted or explosively broken apart.
Molecular cloning of trypsin-like cDNAs and comparison of proteinase activities in the salivary glands and gut of the tarnished plant bug Lygus lineolaris (Heteroptera: Miridae)

Using specific proteinase inhibitors, we demonstrated that serine proteinases in the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris, are major proteinases in both salivary glands and gut tissues. Gut proteinases were less sensitive to inhibition than proteinases from the salivary glands. Up to 80% azocaseinase and 90% of BApNAse activities in the salivary glands were inhibited by aprotinin, benzamidine, and PMSF, whereas only 46% azocaseinase and 60% BApNAse activities in the gut were suppressed by benzamidine, leupeptin, and TLCK. The pH optima for azocaseinase activity in salivary glands ranged from 6.2 to 10.6, whereas the pH optima for gut proteinases was acidic for general and alkaline for tryptic proteinases. Zymogram analysis demonstrated that ~26-kDa proteinases from salivary glands were active against both gelatin and casein substrates. Three trypsin-like cDNAs, LlSgP2–4, and one trypsin-like cDNA, L1GtP1, were cloned from salivary glands and gut, respectively. Putative trypsin precursors from all cloned cDNAs contained a signal peptide, activation peptide, and conserved N-termini (IVGG). Other structural features included His, Asp, and Ser residues for the catalytic amino acid triad of serine proteinase active sites, residues for the binding pocket, and four pairs of cysteine residues for disulfide bridges. Deduced trypsin-like proteins from LlSgP2, LlSgP3, and LlGtP1 cDNAs shared 98–99% sequence identity with a previously reported trypsin-like precursor, whereas the trypsin-like protein of LlSgP4 shared only 44% sequence identity with all other trypsin-like proteins, indicating multi-trypsin forms are present in L. lineolaris. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
The effect of engineering major on spatial ability improvements over the course of undergraduate studies

Spatial ability, which is positively correlated with retention and achievement in engineering, mathematics, and science disciplines, has been shown to improve over the course of a Computer-Aided Design course or through targeted training. However, whether increases in spatial ability are obtained from freshman to senior years simply by completing courses in an engineering curriculum has not been investigated. Furthermore, whether the spatial ability of undergraduate students affects their choice of engineering major has not been studied. To provide data with respect to these questions, portions of the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test (PSVT) were administered to freshman and senior students from various engineering disciplines within a College of Engineering and Physical Science (CEPS). In addition, a self efficacy test, which was developed to assess the self confidence of students related to spatial tasks, was also administered. Data analysis showed that spatial ability, while an important parameter for retention and achievement, does not affect the choice of major for engineering students. The data indicated that the spatial ability of students in engineering majors which rely more heavily on spatial ability skills (e.g. mechanical engineering) improved more than other engineering majors.
Approximate wavelet-based simulation of long memory processes

In this article, we investigate an algorithm for the fast O(N) and approximate simulation of long memory (LM) processes of length N using the discrete wavelet transform. The algorithm generates stationary processes and is based on the notion that we can improve standard wavelet-based simulation schemes by noting that the decorrelation property of wavelet transforms is not perfect for certain LM process. The method involves the simulation of circular autoregressive process of order one. We demonstrate some of the statistical properties of the processes generated, with some focus on four commonly used LM processes. We compare this simulation method with the white noise wavelet simulation scheme of Percival and Walden [Percival, D. and Walden, A., 2000, Wavelet Methods for Time Series Analysis (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).].