cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
3D graphene-based hybrid materials: synthesis and applications in energy storage and conversion

Porous 3D graphene-based hybrid materials (3D GBHMs) are currently attractive nanomaterials employed in the field of energy. Heteroatom-doped 3D graphene and metal, metal oxide, and polymer-decorated 3D graphene with modified electronic and atomic structures provide promising performance as electrode materials in energy storage and conversion. Numerous synthesis methods such as self-assembly, templating, electrochemical deposition, and supercritical CO2, pave the way to mass production of 3D GBHMs in the commercialization of energy devices. This review summarizes recent advances in the fabrication of 3D GBHMs with well-defined architectures such as finely controlled pore sizes, heteroatom doping types and levels. Moreover, current progress toward applications in fuel cells, supercapacitors and batteries employing 3D GBHMs is also highlighted, along with the detailed mechanisms of the enhanced electrochemical performance. Furthermore, current critical issues, challenges and future prospects with respect to applications of 3D GBHMs in practical devices are discussed at the end of this review.
Long–term research opportunities in the US steel industry

The US Department of Energy (DOE) takes an active interest and supports research on steel production; one of DOE'S goal is to modernize steel production in the US. Consequently, in a workshop sponsored by the US DOE, the American Iron and Steel Institute and the Steel Manufacturers Association, a group of experts from industry, academia and research institutions came together in May 1993 to identify long–term research opportunities in the industry with a particular focus on the use of computerization in steel manufacture. The conclusions of the workshop presented here may assist researchers and policy makers.
The Biology of Affective Illness: Amine Neurotransmitters and Drug Response

For years psychiatrists have speculated that the depressive syndrome, especially in its more severe forms, reflects a biological dysfunction at some level. This chapter will review certain biological and pharmacological approaches toward understanding affective illnesses and choosing specific treatments for them. The belief that biology is somehow involved in the syndrome of depression has its roots in a number of important observations, some of which are presented in depth elsewhere in this volume. Genetic studies suggest that individuals inherit a predisposition toward the depressive syndrome.1,2 Careful comparative studies of pharmacotherapy with and without psychotherapy consistently demonstrate the effectiveness of antidepressant drugs; it is this fact, above all others, which points to an involvement of biology in depression. Two other features of major depressions suggesting a biological contribution are their predictable duration and high probability of recurrence. Recent long-term studies from Europe indicate that the majority of major depressive and affective illnesses are recurrent.3,4 From 55% to 85% of affective illnesses requiring extensive medical intervention or hospitalization are found to be recurrent when patients are followed over time.3,4 This holds true whether the diagnosis is depression (unipolar) or manic-depressive illness (bipolar).
Interactive Quantization for Extremum Computation in Collocated Networks

The problem of function computation arises in in many practical scenarios, such as query computation in distributed databases. In such scenarios, it is often possible to exploit the structure of the function to reduce the amount of information that needs to be exchanged in order to compute it. In a so-called a collocated network, information is exchanged as users take turns sending messages to a sink, the central estimation officer (CEO), with each user perfectly overhearing the message from every other user, as depicted in Fig 1. In this paper a problem of function computation is studied in a collocated network where m independent nodes in transmission range with each other, exchange messages with the aim of losslessly computing the extremization function f = arg maxi Xi, or f = maxi Xi. An optimal dynamic quantizer for the user's observations is proposed via a dynamic program which provides the CEO just enough information to compute the desired functions with no error. Both fundamental limits and practical schemes are presented. Ma et al, in [1] studied this problem in a distributed source coding framework, and proposed an iterative algorithm via a convex geometric approach to compute the minimum sum rate of for anyfinite and infinite number of rounds. Building upon this prior work, we propose an achievable scheme using scalar quantizers followed by Huffman encoding the results. We compute the fundamental limit from [1] for the extrema function, and study the the fundamental tradeoff between the rate-cost and the delay in optimal interactive quantization schemes. We also design some low complexity suboptimal scheme which substantially shrinks the search space of the optimal dynamic program. Moreover, using optimal heterogeneous quantizers result in substantial rate savings relative to the parallel homogenous quantizers in [2].
A tight upper bound for quadratic knapsack problems in grid-based wind farm layout optimization

The 0-1 quadratic knapsack problem (QKP) in wind farm layout optimization models possible turbine locations as nodes, and power loss due to wake effects between pairs of turbines as edges in a complete graph. The goal is to select up to a certain number of turbine locations such that the sum of selected node and edge coefficients is maximized. Finding the optimal solution to the QKP is difficult in general, but it is possible to obtain a tight upper bound on the QKP's optimal value which facilitates the use of heuristics to solve QKPs by giving a good estimate of the optimality gap of any feasible solution. This article applies an upper bound method that is especially well-suited to QKPs in wind farm layout optimization due to certain features of the formulation that reduce the computational complexity of calculating the upper bound. The usefulness of the upper bound was demonstrated by assessing the performance of the greedy algorithm for solving QKPs in wind farm layout optimization. The results...
Medi-Deep: Deep control in a medication usage

This study proposes a new approach called Medi-Deep (Deep Control in a Medication Usage). Medi-Deep is based on a remote management technology that aims to be in a reliable and a solid position while information amongst a patient and a doctor are being exchanged. Nowadays, most of the people do not follow their prescribed medications because of having a busy life, a memory problem, or/and a laziness. Additionally, patients also forget or skip to meet their doctors for same reasons. Not using prescribed medications cause a recovery period to be longer or patients fail to recover at all. Medicines have positive impacts as long as they are taken on time with the exact dosage by patients. Otherwise, it creates negative impacts on patients in terms of both physical and mental. As a preliminary study, two kinds of surveys were prepared for physicians and the public in Turkey. Afterwards, these prepared surveys were delivered in two different ways. The one was requested to be filled manually via papers. The other one was published via the Internet and the social medias by using a web link so that responses could be accumulated in real-time. Medi-Deep scans prescription data that are entered by physicians, through Medi-Deep's data-center and send a signal to the specially designed Intelligent Drug Container (IDC) in order to remind a patient using a prescribed medication on time. It also helps to track what medications have been taken by a patient. In other words, Medi-Deep is a solution that provides a precise information to physicians about a medication usage trend of patients without needing a manual intervention. Among other important and critical features, this solution also establishes a secure and a private connection channel between physicians and patients. Last but not least Medi-Deep is the inevitable solution to prevent waste in fields of economy, resources and etc.
Diurnal temperature-related variations in photosynthetic enzyme activities of two C 4 species of Chenopodiaceae grown in natural environment

The effects of the diurnal variations in ambient temperature on some C3 and C4 enzymes in the Salsola dendroides and Suaeda altissima species of Chenopodiaceae family were studied during the intensive vegetation period. Activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) and cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase (AsAT) were shown to decrease in both species in the afternoon and evening. The activity of the mitochondrial AsAT decreased in S. altissima, remained relatively constant in S. dendroides during the day. The activity of alanine aminotransferase was high in the S. dendroides species in the morning and evening and decreased in the S. altissima species by the evening. Glucose-6-phosphate activated PEPC in both species throughout the day. The study of the redox status-regulated C3 enzymes showed temperature-related increases in NADP-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in both plants, in fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase activity in the S. altissima species, and in NADP-MDH activity in the S. dendroides species in the afternoon.
On the job training: an educational program in ROSE of fine needle aspirates and telecytology for cytotechnologists

Introduction As the demand for rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) of fine needle aspirates (FNAs) has continued to increase, the provision of service requires a creative approach to maximize efficiency without compromising patient care. We describe the educational process used to train cytotechnologists in ROSE of FNAs using telecytology. Materials and Methods In 2005, the cytopathology division of the University of Wisconsin pathology department developed an on the job training program for cytotechnologists in ROSE of FNAs using telecytology. Training includes education in assistance on FNA procedures, proficiency and competency in specimen adequacy assessments, and proper usage of the telecytology work station. Trainees are monitored by a trainer through all the steps of the process, including the checklists and examination. Results Eight cytotechnologists successfully completed the program, with test scores ranging from 90% to 95%, and were deemed competent by all measures to provide ROSE of FNAs via telecytology. Conclusions Cytotechnologists play a pivotal role in the provision of an FNA service. Schools of cytotechnology should educate students (future cytotechnologists) in ROSE of FNAs and video streaming via telecytology to prepare them for clinical work, enhance their scope of practice, and improve their job satisfaction.
Sign Language: Variation

The major areas of sociolinguistics of sign languages are described, including regional and social variation, bilingualism and language contact, language maintenance and choice, language attitudes, language policy and planning, and discourse analysis. The central issues in each area are indicated and reference is made to fundamental and current research done in each area. Parallels and differences with spoken language sociolinguistics are shown.
Health Professionals, Allied

The organizational context of medical practice changed substantially in the latter third of the twentieth century resulting in loss of autonomy for physicians, new opportunities and a more favorable environment for the evolution of allied health professionals. This article chronicles the rise of nonphysician health professions, and the changing medical division of labor. Recent trends in nursing, the evolution of nurse practitioners and physician assistants, the status of physical and occupational therapy, and the emerging alternative and complementary medicine occupations are examined.
Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments - The Common Law's Jurisdiction Requirement

A judgment will be enforced or recognised in other nations or states only if the court that issued the judgment had “jurisdiction in the international sense”. For recognition or enforcement of a judgment in personam, the foreign court must have had jurisdiction over the party against whom the judgment is to be enforced or otherwise applied. This is governed by the conflict of laws doctrine of the court where recognition or enforcement is sought. The law on what is a basis for jurisdictional “competence” is one of the most important elements of conflict of laws. The rules set forth in successive editions of Dicey’s Conflict of Laws treatise have long guided courts in England and most other countries in which common law doctrines govern recognition of foreign judgments. However, the rules in the Dicey treatise are intended to state contemporary English law, as altered by judicial decisions and legislation. They do not necessarily state the common law as interpreted in other countries, from which many of the relevant judicial decisions originate, and they omit bases of jurisdiction that have been accepted in some cases. Drawing on case law and authoritative writing from across the common law world, this article provides a comprehensive examination of the law of jurisdiction in the recognition and enforcement of in personam foreign judgments, with specific identification of both established and debatable grounds for jurisdiction and how they have been applied.
Errors in the Use of Medical Equipment

Problems with the use of medical equipment or devices can be broadly divided into two types. One type is when the equipment malfunctions as a result of a technical problem that is not caused by the user. The second type of problem is when the user causes or initiates a malfunction. The types of medical equipment that are associated with user problems range from the relatively simple, such as catheters and syringes, to the most technologically complex, such as computer-controlled diagnostic equipment. The distinction between technical failure of medical equipment and user-initiated failure or malfunction of the equipment is an important one with respect to prevention of related patient injuries. Medical devices sold in the United States are under the regulatory purview of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has invited proposals from time to time for outside investigators to study user error and other issues associated with particular equipment.
The Strategic Role of Quality Management in the Brazilian Auto Parts Industry: An Empirical Study

This paper deals with the current strategic role of the Quality Management in the Brazilian auto parts industry. Since surveys are in the forefront of total quality management, this work presents an empirical study conducted in six Brazilian automotive suppliers operating in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil Aspects of the quality system in the companies surveyed, such as certification, introduction of quality techniques, and assessment of quality costs, are presented. The paper also highlights the strategic role of quality management concerning the automotive industry and points out problems which affects the company manufacturing strategies.
Designing Flexibility into a Hybrid Solar Thermal Power Plant by Real-Time, Adaptive Heat Integration

Abstract This study presents the concept of flexible heat integration (FHI) applied to a concentrated solar power (CSP)-natural gas hybrid power plant and employing non-linear real-time optimization (RTO) to leverage the FHI concept. In a conventional CSP plant driven by a trough collector, solar energy is dispatched in series to heat sinks at decreasing temperature. FHI dispatches solar energy to the heat sinks within the power plant based upon ambient conditions, rather than always in series. During times of low solar activity, solar energy bypasses the steam generator and is dispatched directly to the preheater. A nonlinear optimization capitalizes on this flexible operation and establishes different collection temperature set points based upon the availability of solar power. This mechanism enables the plant to mitigate radiative heat losses of low-grade solar power, as observed when heat is only utilized at high temperature and in series. Applying FHI and RTO increases the solar fraction by 18.2% and the solar-to-electric efficiency by 15.5%. These results indicate the potential of significant improvement of solar power production in a hybrid plant by leveraging the benefits of RTO and FHI. Compared to a solar only power plant, the combination of the hybrid design, FHI, and RTO nearly doubles the amount of solar power produced.
Analysis of 4D Myocardial Wall Motion During Early Stages of Chick Heart Development

4D myocardial wall motion analysis (3D structure over time) during early embryonic stages of chick heart development provides a comprehensive view to characterize the biomechanical environment of cardiac growth. Myocardial wall strains, velocity, and area shortening over the cardiac cycle are common wall motion assessments and can be accurately measured from 4D datasets. Here, we describe how to employ a variety of image modalities (optical, ultrasound, and optical coherence tomography imaging) and analysis techniques to extract quantitative measures of myocardial wall motion.
Course and symptom and functional correlates of passivity symptoms in schizophrenia: an 18-year multi-follow-up longitudinal study.

Background Change in the experience of oneself may lay the groundwork for the development of additional hallucinations and delusions in individuals with schizophrenia. However, to date, the course and symptom and functioning correlates of passivity symptoms (cf. thought insertion, thought withdrawal) have not been measured consistently over long periods of time. Information on the course and correlates of passivity symptoms is essential for developing models of their contribution to schizophrenic illness. Method Eighty-two individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were recruited at an index hospitalization and reassessed at three or more follow-ups over the following 18 years. Results The results indicate that a small group of participants report passivity symptoms at all follow-ups, many reported passivity symptoms at some follow-ups, and the majority of individuals never reported passivity symptoms. The prevalence of passivity symptoms was similar to that for delusions of reference and persecutory delusions. Notably, when individuals did experience passivity symptoms, they also had a greater number of additional psychotic symptoms than individuals without passivity symptoms. Further, the presence of passivity symptoms was associated with work impairment at some assessments. Conclusions Passivity symptoms present episodically, at a similar rate as delusions of reference and persecutory delusions, and when present, they are associated with having a higher number of additional psychotic symptoms, as well as having some impact on work functioning. These results suggest that passivity symptoms may increase vulnerability to additional psychotic symptoms and greater work impairment.
Brain Regions Identified as Being Associated With Verbal Reasoning Through the Use of Imaging Regression via Internal Variation

Abstract–Brain-imaging data have been increasingly used to understand intellectual disabilities. Despite significant progress in biomedical research, the mechanisms for most of the intellectual dis...
Evaluation of Communication Delay Based Attack Against the Smart Grid

The smart grid is becoming increasingly reliant on communications systems for measurement and control data. A simple cyber-physical attack on the power grid is to introduce delays in the delivery of these measurement and control messages to the control centers of the grid. This paper investigates the consequences of delay using the IEEE 30 bus standard benchmark. The Power System Simulation software PSCAD is used to model the power system. A case study to introduce delays and line cuts and measure the line voltage is presented. The case study is designed to pinpoint the amount of delay that can be tolerated before the system becomes unstable.
Weber’s missing mystics: inner-worldly mystical practices and the micro potential for social change

Weber’s typology of religious orientations is incomplete. Much more attention has been paid to the other-worldly mysticism of monastic or contemplative withdrawal from society than the neglected category of inner-worldly mysticism. In Weber’s brief treatment, he concludes that inner-worldly mysticism results in passive acquiescence to social conditions. Alternately, we draw on examples from Mother Teresa and Dorothy Day to demonstrate not only how mysticism can be tightly linked to the social world, but how mystical practices can create meaningful social change. We argue that this change is possible because inner-worldly mysticism holds the potential to generate solidarity across traditional power and status divides. We illustrate how this potential for interaction-level change can spread horizontally; the number of small groups committed to carrying out inner-worldly mystical practices can grow until such groups spread across communities and beyond. In this way, the work of inner-worldly mystics can create meaningful change without ever vying for power on the macro political stage.
Angles, Gravity, Light, the Bohr Model of the Atom and Relativity

In this chapter a background review is presented of the relevant mathematics and physics required for the content presented in this book. A description of angular measurement is given first: this discussion concentrates on both trigonometry and solid angles, and continues with an introduction to sky coordinate systems (specifically the altitude-azimuth system and the equatorial system) commonly used by astronomers. A general description of gravity—including a review and derivations of Kepler’s three laws of planetary motion—follows afterward. Next, the general phenomenon of light is discussed, beginning with the wave-like and particle-like characteristics of light (including the concept of a photon) and concluding with descriptions of the wave-particle duality of light and the Doppler Effect. The concept of the Bohr atom is introduced and derived with a specific application to the hydrogen atom. The chapter concludes with a description of relativity and the intertwined concepts of length contraction and time dilation, along with a brief introduction to cosmic-ray particles.
Thirty Minutes Before the Dawn -- Trinity

The Trinity test of July 16, 1945 marked the scientific apex of the Manhattan Project. Often recognized as the symbolic birth of the nuclear age, Trinity's multifaceted legacy remains just as captivating and complex as it did 75 years ago. This paper examines why the test was necessary from a technical standpoint, shows how Los Alamos scientists planned the event, and explores the physical and emotional aftermaths of Trinity. The author also uses rarely accessed original records to reconstruct the story of Trinity's health hazards, as seen through the eyes of radiation technicians and medical doctors as events unfolded. Trinity was conducted as the Potsdam Conference began, weeks after the collapse of Nazi Germany. It was considered necessary to let President Harry S. Truman know whether the United States possessed a nuclear capability ahead of his negotiations with Joseph Stalin, the Soviet premier. The author examines the competing priorities that drove the timetable for the test: international politics, security and safety. Three weeks after Trinity, a gun-assembled enriched-uranium bomb called Little Boy was used against the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Three days later, Fat Man, a weaponized version of the imploding Trinity device, was dropped on Nagasaki. The author briefly examines these strikes and what impact they may have had on the Japanese surrender. The paper concludes by examining the legacy of the Trinity test 75 years into the age it helped usher in.
Generating gaits for snake robots: annealed chain fitting and keyframe wave extraction

Snake robots have many degrees of freedom, which makes them both extremely versatile and complex to control. They are often controlled with gaits, coordinated cyclic patterns of joint motion. Using gaits simplifies the design of high-level controllers, but shifts the complexity burden to designing the gaits. In this paper, we address the gait design problem by introducing two algorithms: Annealed chain fitting and Keyframe wave extraction. Annealed chain fitting efficiently maps a continuous backbone curve describing the three-dimensional shape of the robot to a set of joint angles for a snake robot. Keyframe wave extraction takes joint angles fit to a sequence of backbone curves and identifies parameterized periodic functions that produce those sequences. Together, they allow a gait designer to conceive a motion in terms three-dimensional shapes and translate them into easily manipulated wave functions, and so unify two previously disparate gait design approaches. We validate the algorithms by using them to produce rolling and sidewinding gaits for crawling and climbing, with results that match previous empirical investigations.
Stability of two-parameter discrete systems with nonnegative coefficients

For a shift operator in the space of bounded sequences, we prove an analog of the classical Perron theorem on the spectrum of a positive matrix, which is then used to study the asymptotic properties of two-parameter discrete systems with nonnegative coefficients.
A Taxonomy of Functions

There are two general approaches to characterising biological functions. One originates with Cummins. According to this approach, the function of a part of a system is just its causal contribution to some specified activity of the system. Call this the ‘C-function’ (or ‘Cummins function’) concept. The other approach ties the function of a trait to some aspect of its evolutionary significance. Call this the ‘E-function’ (or ‘evolutionary function’) concept. According to the latter view, a trait's function is determined by the forces of natural selection. The C-function and E-function concepts are clearly quite different, but there is an important relation between them which heretofore has gone unnoticed. The purpose of this paper is to outline that relation. This is not the first paper to discuss the relation of C-function and E-function. Previous attempts all follow either one of two strategies. The first proposes that the two concepts are ‘unified.’ The other proposes that they are radically distinct and apply to wholly different fields within biology.
On Discrete-Time Loop Transfer Recovery

The purpose of this paper is to study what happens when the discrete-time loop transfer recovery (LTR) procedure is applied to nonminimum phase (NMP) plants. Explicit expressions are given for the asymptotic behavior of the resulting sensitivity function and loop transfer function. Both the negligible computation time and significant computation time cases are treated. These results yield a better understanding of the mechanism of the discrete-time loop transfer recovery procedure and the design limitations due to NMP zeros and computation time delays.
The Rise and Fall of Foreign Exchange Market Intervention as a Policy Tool

The premise of the paper is that the fervor for foreign exchange market intervention by U.S, and European monetary authorities has ebbed in recent years. A pattern of initial belief in the effectiveness of foreign exchange market intervention has recently been eroded, as is revealed by the absence of intervention in circumstances that in earlier times would have invoked it. Only the Bank of Japan among central banks of the developed world has not thusfar abandoned its faith that intervention can change the relative value of the yen as determined by market forces to conform with its notion of what that value should be. To explain why U.S. and European monetary authorities no longer believe that intervention is a tool that works, I review the equivocal record of past episodes, the inconclusive results of empirical research, and the problems of implementation that intervention advocates ignore.
Mining information assurance data with a hybrid intelligence/multi-agent system

In today's world an unprecedented and overwhelming volume of information is available to organizations of all sizes; the resultant “information overload” problem is well documented. This problem is especially challenging in the world of network intrusion detection. In this research we demonstrate that in the domain of offline network data mining, several different data mining algorithms (hybrid intelligence) operating concurrently on the same data in a multi-agent system, and reporting their results for interpretation and interpolation, will yield more accurate characterizations and extract more knowledge than a single data mining algorithm acting on its own. We also briefly outline the design and functions of our SPADE-based multi-agent system, demonstrating its effectiveness at automating multi-path data mining tasks. This code ingests a PCAP, semi-autonomously pre-processes it and feeds it into Weka for processing/mining using several different algorithms. It then presents results to a human operator providing a feedback insertion point.
Productivity of transcriptionists using a treadmill desk.

Objective: Time spent sitting increases all-cause mortality. Sedentary occupations are a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. A treadmill desk offers the potential to increase activity while working; however, it is important to make sure that productivity does not decline. The purpose of this study is to evaluate productivity while using a treadmill desk. Participants: Eleven experienced medical transcriptionists participated in the study. Methods: Transcriptionists were given 4 hours training in the use of a treadmill desk. They were asked to transcribe tapes for 8 hours both while sitting and while using the treadmill desk. Speed and accuracy of transcription were compared as were the average expended calories per hour. Results: The accuracy of transcription did not differ between sitting and walking transcriptions. The speed of transcription was 16% slower while walking than while sitting ( p< 0.001). The transcriptionists expended 100 calories per hour more when they transcribed while walking than when they transcribed while sitting ( p< 0.001). Conclusion: The treadmill desk offers a way to reduce sedentariness in the workplace and has potential to reduce employee obesity and health care costs. However, more than 4 hours of training will be necessary to prevent a signifi cant drop in employee productivity.
Complications in endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis: a 25-year experience.

Objectives/Hypothesis: The aim of this study was to review complications occurring as a result of endoscopic sinus surgery by one surgeon in an academic practice during a 25-year period. Study Design: Retrospective clinical study. Methods: A register of complications was tabulated during a period of 25 years for endoscopic sinus surgery performed for chronic rhinosinusitis in 3,402 patients (6,148 sides). All complications were reviewed as a whole and were not divided into major or minor categories. Results: A total of 105 patients were found to have complicated endoscopic sinus surgery, for an overall patient complication rate of 0.031, or 0.017 per operated side. The most common complications were hemorrhage (n = 41), orbital complications (n = 29), and CSF leak (n = 19). The following factors were noted to have increased risk for complications: age, revision surgery, nasal polyps, anatomic variation, extensive disease, overall health, medications, and underlying factors. Certain types of instrumentation such as powered instrumentation placed patients at greater risk. The use of image guidance or surgical experience did not eliminate complications from occurring. Conclusions: Complications of endoscopic sinus surgery still occur 25 years after the initial introduction of the surgery in 1985. Many complications can be managed without a bad outcome. The key to prevention is knowledge of anatomy, preparation, anticipation, and experience. Even then, complications can occur in the most experienced hands. Patients most at risk for complications include those with revision surgery, extensive disease, skull base anatomic or radiologic variations or dehiscences related to disease or previous surgery, and the use of powered instrumentation.
Experimental set-up and procedures to test and validate battery fuel gauge algorithms

Abstract A battery fuel gauge (BFG) helps to extend battery life by tracking the state of charge (SOC) and many other diagnostic features. In this paper, we present an approach to validate the SOC and time-to-shutdown (TTS) estimates of a BFG. Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing under realistic usage scenarios provides a means for BFG algorithm evaluation and provides insights into practical implementation and testing of BFG algorithms in battery management systems. We report the details of a HIL system that was designed to validate the SOC and TTS estimation capability of BFG algorithms; different current load profiles were synthesized to replicate typical battery usage in portable electronic applications; the HIL system is automated with the help of programmable current profiles and is designed to operate at various controlled temperatures; three performance validation metrics are formulated for an objective assessment of SOC and TTS tracking algorithms. The HIL setup and the performance validation metrics are used to evaluate a BFG developed by the authors using three different batteries at temperatures ranging from - 20 ° C to 40 ° C .
An overview of text-to-speech synthesis

Summary form only given. The article gives an overview of text-to-speech (TTS) technology and a description of some issues of potential interest to speech coding experts. After motivation for the use of TTS technology, it describes the general architecture of a text-to-speech system with particular emphasis on the speech synthesis component. Both formant synthesis and concatenative synthesis are presented, offering different degrees of flexibility and quality. Several well-known speech coding techniques (including LPC vocoders, waveform interpolation, harmonic coding, and layered coding) have been used in speech synthesis. It explains how they have been applied, and the advantages and limitations of those techniques when used in speech synthesis. The main goal is to increase cooperation between the speech coding community and the TTS community, and in particular to motivate the need for speech coding algorithms that meet the requirements of the next generation speech synthesis technology.
Behavioral Objectives, the Cult of Efficiency, and Foreign Language Learning: Are They Compatible?

This article surveys the literature regarding the use of behavioral objectives in education and in foreign language instruction in particular. It examines the roots of the behavioral objectives movement in both behaviorist psychology and in the scientific management movement of the 1920s. The justifications for the use of behavioral objectives are outlined, as are the most widespread reactions to and criticisms of them. Implications for foreign language learning and ESL/EFL are discussed, and suggestions for further research are presented.
REMOTE SENSING OF OIL SPILLS

ABSTRACT A prerequisite for the control of coastal oil pollution is the development of surveillance techniques which are capable of monitoring large areas of the ocean surface to detect the presence of oil slicks. The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Research and Development is currently engaged in basic and applied research to determine the feasibility of various remote sensing techniques for the detection and identification of oil slicks. To date, several remote detection techniques have shown promise for the detection and surveillance of oil slicks; these were tested in a series of airborne measurements of controlled oil spills.
ASCORBIC ACID AND COLOR CHANGES IN SUMMER SQUASH AS INFLUENCED BY BLANCH, pH AND OTHER TREATMENTS

SUMMARY The effect of time of blanch, pH, and other treatments on changes in ascorbic acid and color of summer squash puree was studied at 50°C to determine some of the chemical reactions that influence quality. Three types of changes occurred during holding at 50°C: (1) loss of yellow color; (2) browning reactions; and (3) loss of ascorbic acid. Ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids were rapidly oxidized at 50°C. The reaction was slower at pH 5.0 than at pH 6.0 and 7.5. Color retention as measured by the CDM was greater at the higher pH levels. Time of blanch did not affect CDM a/b (hue) but did increase (chroma) and decreased the CDM L (lightness). Both color and ascorbic acid were lost very rapidly in unblanched squash puree under these conditions. Browning reactions had a major influence on CDM color values, even in blanched squash although the changes in carotenoid pigments were less pronounced.
Hypotension-induced changes in cerebral function during cardiac surgery.

In a series of 75 patients undergoing cardiac operations with the assistance of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), 15 patients were subjected to relatively large hypotensive stresses during CPB as measured by the depth and duration of the fall in cerebral perfusion pressure. Of these 15 patients, eight manifested cerebral dysfunction postoperatively ranging from temporary exacerbation of pre-existing focal neurological deficits to irreversible coma. In each of these eight cases, EEG disturbances which first appeared at the time of hypotensive episodes during CPB persisted postoperatively and correlated with the nature and evolution of the clinical deficit. In two of the patients who did not regain consciousness postoperatively, neuropathological studies revealed bilateral laminar cortical necrosis, primarily involving cerebral cortex in one case and cerebellar cortex in the other, with accentuation in arterial border zones. Of seven other patients who suffered comparable exposures to hypotension during CPB, no...
Cultural influences on home bias and international diversification by institutional investors.

Abstract We investigate determinants of international diversification in institutionally managed portfolios from more than 60 countries. Survey-based country-specific variables on cross-cultural behaviors help to explain both home bias and diversification among foreign equities. In particular, investment funds from countries characterized by higher uncertainty avoidance behavior display greater home bias and are less diversified in their foreign holdings. Portfolios from countries with higher levels of masculinity and long-term orientation display lower levels of home bias, and portfolios from countries with higher levels of masculinity are more diversified abroad. Portfolios from culturally distant countries invest less abroad and underweight culturally distant target markets. The economic significance of cultural variables is high and comparable in magnitude to geographical distance, a consistent influence on foreign diversification in prior studies. Culture impacts investor behavior directly and not merely though indirect channels such as legal and regulatory framework.
Enzymatic, isoelectric, and molecular-weight characterization of water-soluble maize-pollen proteins

Maize (Zea mays L. cv. Kansas Drought Synthetic) pollen proteins were fractionated via a continuous tandem cascade ultrafiltration system into three molecular-weight classes. Proteins from the whole extract and each fraction were further separated by polyacrylamide gel electrofocusing in the pH 5 to 9 range and characterized by their enzymatic activity and isoelectric point. Twenty-one protein bands were detected with Fast Green FCF staining. Esterase, peroxidase, leucine aminopeptidase, catalase, and amylase activities were located in 16 bands. Five bands remained unclassified. All the enzymes assayed, except amylase, were polymorphic. The extractions, fractionations and zymograms were reproducible and indicated that several protein bands contained at least two different enzymes with very similar molecular weight class and isoelectric point for each enzyme and protein band
Optimal energy-throughput efficiency for magneto-inductive underground sensor networks

To provide constant channel conditions for a great deal of distributed wireless sensors, magneto-inductive (MI) propagation technique suggests an attractive facilitation of underground sensor networks (USNs) for MI-USNs. However, to put this MI method into practice, a reliable and efficient data transportation is a must to fulfill a pre-defined level of quality of service (QoS). In this paper, a complete study is first given for the different communication functionalities from physical to network layers as well as the QoS requirements of applications. Rather than adopting the currently layered approach, a two-phase cross-layer protocol, called Xlayer, is then proposed to deliver statistical QoS guarantees and obtain both optimal energy savings and throughput gain concurrently. Simulation results conform that Xlayer achieves significant energy savings, high throughput efficiency, and dependable MI communication, thus facilitating a new design paradigm for MI-USNs.
Shape Memory Polymer Therapeutic Devices for Stroke

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are attracting a great deal of interest in the scientific community for their use in applications ranging from light weight structures in space to micro-actuators in MEMS devices. These relatively new materials can be formed into a primary shape, reformed into a stable secondary shape, and then controllably actuated to recover their primary shape. The first part of this presentation will be a brief review of the types of polymeric structures which give rise to shape memory behavior in the context of new shape memory polymers with highly regular network structures recently developed at LLNL for biomedical devices. These new urethane SMPs have improved optical and physical properties relative to commercial SMPs, including improved clarity, high actuation force, and sharper actuation transition. In the second part of the presentation we discuss the development of SMP based devices for mechanically removing neurovascular occlusions which result in ischemic stroke. These devices are delivered to the site of the occlusion in compressed form, are pushed through the occlusion, actuated (usually optically) to take on an expanded conformation, and then used to dislodge and grip the thrombus while it is withdrawn through the catheter.
Nonlinear modeling of protein separation in a preparative‐scale dynamic field gradient focusing instrument

Dynamic field gradient focusing (DFGF) uses an electric field gradient opposed by a counter-flow of buffer to separate milligrams of proteins according to their electrophoretic mobilities. A nonlinear model of protein separation in a preparative-scale DFGF device was developed to aid in refining the instrument's design and finding optimal run conditions prior to performing experiments. The model predicted the focal points of bovine serum albumin (BSA), and bovine hemoglobin (Hb) to within the 95% confidence intervals about the means of the experimental values. The resolution between the proteins in the model was 2.08, which was 3% less than the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval about the experimental value. The model predicted 67% more dispersion than was present in the experimental device, which made the simulated BSA peak 22% wider than the experimentally measured width. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009
Acoustic infinite elements for non-separable geometries

We present new infinite element formulations for solving acoustic scattering and radiation problems in the exterior of long, slender bodies. The new infinite elements are geometrically constructed from a prolate spheroid inscribed by the scatterer. These elements need not begin on a level surface of the prolate spheroidal coordinate system. Instead, they may be attached to any convex surface, including that of the scatterer itself. This scheme reduces, or even completely eliminates, finite element modeling of the exterior medium. The formulations may easily be extended to the cases of an interior oblate spheroid or ellipsoid. We present both conjugated and unconjugated formulations without any weighting factors, although it would be simple to include them. We describe a fast numerical scheme for computing the element integrals based on Chebychev approximation. We include numerical results for scattering from spheres and capped cylinders. These results demonstrate the accuracy and the dramatic reduction in computational expense of our new formulations compared to other coupled finite element/infinite element methods.
Characterization of elongation factor 1 from yeast.

Abstract Two species of elongation factor 1 (EF-1) differing in molecular weight have been obtained from the postribosomal supernatant fraction of yeast by chromatography on Sephadex G-200. These two forms are present in approximately equal amounts and both appear to be of cytoplasmic origin. Preparations of the higher and lower molecular weight forms of EF-1 catalyze the poly(U)-directed binding of N -acetylphenylalanylt-RNA (AcPhe-tRNA) to yeast ribosomes. The AcPhe-tRNA binding activity of these preparations is consistently lower than the phenylalanyl-tRNA (Phe-tRNA) binding activity and is more sensitive to N -ethylmaleimide. However, the AcPhe-tRNA binding activity co-purifies with EF-1 on phosphocellulose and has the same heat inactivation profile. Several lines of evidence indicate that the AcPhe-tRNA is bound to the acceptor site of the ribosomes. These and other data strongly suggest that yeast EF-1 is capable of catalyzing the binding of both Phe-tRNA and AcPhe-tRNA to ribosomes.
Building Communities: How Rural Community Colleges Develop their Communities and the People who Live in them

Community colleges in rural environments provide a variety of services. There is a great deal of documentation supporting those services that are academic and economic. The noneconomic and nonacademic results of community college activities, however, have an undocumented yet significant impact on local communities. The current study focused on how the activities of rural community colleges impacted local community self-identity. Using three case studies in the rural mid-south, four primary themes were identified as outcomes of these rural colleges' actions: developing community inclusiveness, developing community pride, creating a value-added community lifestyle, and being the central defining component of the host community.
Pulse position modulation/demodulation with picosecond slot widths

Pulse position modulation (PPM) is the preferred signaling format for deep space optical communications. Its high peak to average power ratio easily supports efficient forward error correction codes that operate within one dB of capacity at efficiencies better than one bit per detected photon when using photon counting detectors. Sub-100 picosecond slot widths are desired for efficient gigabit/second data links, but slot widths are limited by the jitter of available single photon detectors and laser modulators. Presently, the slot width must be larger than the receiver detector jitter and the transmitter modulator transition times. We show techniques whereby the slot time can be reduced, such that the jitter limitation is no longer the slot width but rather the PPM symbol duration.
Design considerations of a static LSSD polarity hold latch pair

There are many considerations relating to the design of a static LSSD polarity hold latch pair. High performance, low power dissipation, small size, and stability are some of the major requirements for a good design. The engineering trade-offs needed to ensure that all goals are met are discussed.