cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of fine-pitch chip-to-chip interconnects using ACF material with arrayed particles

As the demands for high density 3DIC stacking increase, a fine-pitch chip-to-chip interconnects is becoming imperative. In conventional flip-chip technology, anisotropic conductive film (ACF) has been used in place of solder and underfill for chip attachment to substrates in some applications, because it provides many advantages. Generally speaking, ACF consists of an adhesive polymer matrix with randomly dispersed conductive particles, which establish the electrical contacts between the interconnections. In this paper, a new type of ACF with Ni/Au-coated polymer arrayed particles in the bottom layer of the film was prepared. The 30µm-pitch chip-to-chip (C2C) bonding technology was presented and the chip with 3264 I/Os was bonded onto the substrate using the ACF material. After ACF lamination process, conductive particles capture rate and attach status were calculated and observed from the optical microscope (OM). Therefore, the ACF lamination condition was determined. After bonding process, the effects of bonding pressure and bonding temperature were discussed by considering particle deformation, electrical performance and adhesive flow status. After optimizing the lamination and bonding parameters, the reliability of C2C was evaluated by precondition test (125°C/24hrs backing, 30°C/60%RH/178hrs soaking, and 3times/265°C reflow). Cross-sectioned inspection of ACF joints by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the interface between adhesive and silicon observed by Scanning Acoustic Tomography (SAT), and adhesion strength test of ACF film after bonding and precondition were conducted to determine the failure modes. Moreover, after precondition test, the variation of near 70% of the C2C daisy chain resistance was found less than 15%. The stable electrical resistance and high reliability of ACF joints could be obtained. On the other hand, no any obvious delamination or failed joints could be observed within failure samples by SEM or SAT. Otherwise, the adhesion strength measured by shear test did not show any relations after the precondition test. We assumed that during the reflow process the entrapped adhesive matrix expanded much more than the conductive particles because of its higher coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). Thus, induced thermal stress would separate the ACF joints and decrease the contact area of the conductive path.
A phosphate-dependent shift in redox state of cerium oxide nanoparticles and its effects on catalytic properties

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeNPs) have shown promise as catalytic antioxidants in cell culture and animal models as both superoxide dismutase and catalase mimetics. The reactivity of the cerium (Ce) atoms at the surface of its oxide particle is critical to such therapeutic properties, yet little is known about the potential for a protein or small molecule corona to form on these materials in vivo. Moreover Ce atoms in these active sites have the potential to interact with small molecule anions, peptides, or sugars when administered in culture or animal models. Several nanomaterials have been shown to alter or aggregate under these conditions, rendering them less useful for biomedical applications. In this work we have studied the change in catalytic properties of CeNPs when exposed to various biologically relevant conditions in vitro. We have found that CeNPs are resistant to broad changes in pH and also not altered by incubation in cell culture medium. However to our surprise phosphate anions significantly altered the characteristics of these nanomaterials and shifted the catalytic behavior due to the binding of phosphate anions to cerium. Given the abundance of phosphate in biological systems in an inorganic form, it is likely that the action of CeNPs as a catalyst may be strongly influenced by the local concentration of phosphate in the cells and/or tissues in which it has been introduced.
Controls on temporal variability of the geochemistry of the deep Cariaco Basin

Studies of the Cariaco Basin on the continental shelf of Venezuela, as a part of the Carbon Retention In A Colored Ocean (CARIACO) program, have revealed that the chemistry of the deeper waters of the system is more variable than previously believed. Small oxygen maxima have been observed on a number of occasions at depths where oxygen was previously absent, suggesting the occurrence of intrusions of oxygenated water into the region of the oxic/anoxic interface (250}300 m). Apparently because of these events, the oxic/anoxic interface deepened by about 100 m during the period of our observations. We also observed a dramatic decrease in H S concentrations at all depths below the oxic/anoxic interface during this same period. Bottom waters, for example, had an H S concentration of about 75Min November 1995, but since November 1997, concentrations in bottom water have not exceeded 55M. Water of su$cient density to sink to the bottom of the Basin has been observed on one occasion at sill depth just north of the eastern sill. However, based on a simple box model, the decrease in deep-water sul"de does not appear to be due to intrusion of oxygenated water alone, as concentrations of other measured species, and of hydrographic parameters, have remained constant with time. Instead, we postulate that an earthquake that took place in July 1997 resulted in a turbidity current that transported large quantities of coastal sediment containing oxidized iron into the deep waters of the basin. If the "nal products of reaction were elemental sulfur and iron sul"de, the sediment associated with the oxidized iron would have produced a turbidite layer about 10 cm thick. Previous earthquakes have produced turbidites of similar thickness. 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Closed-Form Analytical Solutions of High-Temperature Heat Pipe Startup and Frozen Startup Limitation

Previous numerical and experimental studies indicate that the high-temperature heat pipe startup process is characterized by a moving hot zone with relatively sharp fronts. Based on the above observation, a flat-front model for an approximate analytical solution is proposed. A closed-form solution related to the temperature distribution in the hot zone and the hot zone length as a function of time are obtained. The analytical results agree well with the corresponding experimental data, and provide a quick prediction method for the heat pipe startup performance. Finally, a heat pipe limitation related to the frozen startup process is identified, and an explicit criterion for the high-temperature heat pipe startup is derived. The frozen startup limit identified in this paper provides a fundamental guidance for high-temperature heat pipe design.
The vital few foster mothers

Abstract Many foster parents serve only briefly, and foster and adopt few children. Anecdotal reports suggest that a small percentage of foster parents provide a disproportionate amount of care; however, we know virtually nothing about these parents. This study applied the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80–20 rule or Vital Few, as a framework to conceptualize these foster parents. Using latent class analysis, two classes of mothers were identified: one accounted for 21% of mothers and the other 79%. We refer to the former as the Vital Few and the latter as the Useful Many. Vital Few mothers fostered 73% of foster children — 10 times more than Useful Many mothers although only fostering three times longer. They adopted twice as many foster children while experiencing half the yearly rate of placement disruptions. Vital Few mothers were less likely to work outside the home, had better parenting attitudes, more stable home environments, more time to foster, and more professional support for fostering, but less support from kin. Further, they were as competent as the Useful Many on numerous other psychosocial measures. Understanding characteristics of these resilient Vital Few can inform recruitment and retention efforts and offer realistic expectations of foster parents.
Dermatologic therapy: December 1985 to December 1986

I have reviewed the significant therapeutic changes reported in the English literature between December 1985 and December 1986. Readers should review the original articles in toto before attempting any new experimental or controversial therapy summarized.
Symmetric and Asymmetric Encryption

All cryptosystems currently m use are symmetrm m the sense that they require the transmitter and receiver to share, m secret, either the same pmce of reformation (key) or one of a paLr of related keys easdy computed from each other, the key is used m the encryption process to introduce uncertainty to an unauthorized receiver. Not only is an asymmetric encryption system one in whmh the transmitter and receiver keys are different, but in addition it Is computatmnally mfeaslble to compute at least one from the other. Asymmetric systems make it possible to authent2cate messages whose contents must be revealed to an opponent or allow a transmitter whose key has been compromised to communmate m privacy to a receiver whose key has been kept secret--neither of which is possible using a symmetric cryptosystem. This paper opens with a brmf dmcussion of encryptmn principles and then proceeds to a comprehensive discussion of the asymmetric encryptmn/decryp tion channel and its application m secure communmations.
When Convergent Thought Improves Performance: Majority Versus Minority Influence

Recent research by Nemeth has suggested that minorities stimulate divergent thought (i.e., consideration of an issue from multiple perspectives) whereas majorities stimulate convergent thought (i.e., a focus on the issue from the perspective of that majority). Results have favored exposure to minority views because, in general divergent thought is conducive to improved performance. The proposition that majorities stimulate convergent thought from their perspective was tested, and it was demonstrated that in some situations majority views improve rather than hinder performance, by means of a task on which convergent thought enhances performance-the Stroop test Shown names of colors printed in inks of other colors, subjects have difficulty ignoring the printed color name. If, as hypothesized, majorities induce convergent thought, then majorities focusing on the color of ink should aid performance. Majorities focusing on the name of the color should hinder performance. Under exposure to minorities focusing o...
Relationship Ecology and Negative Communication in Romantic Relationships: A Self-Evaluation Maintenance Perspective

The present study examined the effect of performance feedback on couple’s problem-solving interactions. A couple’s performance ecology was defined in terms of self-evaluation maintenance theory. A performance ecology is balanced when self outperforms partner on dimensions relevant to self but irrelevant to partner and when partner outperforms self on dimensions relevant to partner but irrelevant to self. As predicted, a linear trend was identified between ecology level of imbalance and negative behavior. The results indicate the potential importance of examining the performance ecology in romantic relationships.
Thinking About Stakeholders of Public Agencies: The Georgia Department of Transportation Stakeholder Audit

Practitioners and scholars have grown increasingly interested in recent decades in how public administrators should and can work with the constituencies they serve. To date, most of this conversation has focused on citizens and broader communities rather than on stakeholders more generally, but these other stakeholders, ranging from oversight policy-making bodies to private sector and nonprofit contractors to governmental partners, are no less important than the general public. The purpose of this paper is to propose a first step that many agencies might take in thinking about their range of stakeholders, a step that we term a “stakeholder audit.” A stakeholder audit entails (1) mapping the universe of an agency’s stakeholders, (2) assessing the agency’s perceived needs for additional information relative to various stakeholder groups, and (3) developing suggestions on how to obtain that information. After first discussing the more general idea of stakeholder analyses, we describe the stakeholder audit technique, and illustrate how it has been applied to a particular agency, the State of Georgia’s Department of Transportation. We conclude by considering how a stakeholder audit could represent a first step for an agency in improving relationships with its stakeholders.
Deviance among the children of heroin addicts in treatment: Impact of parents and peers

Criminological theories and research have stressed the importance of family factors in understanding delinquency and substance use. Much work has documented the elevated risk of various problem behaviors faced by the children of drug users, as well as the factors that mediate their risk. This study examined a unique sample of high‐risk children whose parents were receiving methadone treatment for opiate addiction. A model was developed and tested to estimate the impact of positive family management practices, maternal attachment, and deviant peers on delinquency, initiation of substance use, and misbehavior involving school and police sanctions. Positive family management practices showed little effect on reducing problem behaviors among these children of methadone clients, unlike in the general population. Similarly, the effect of maternal attachment was relatively weak and varied with age of the child.
Buckling and vibration of orthotropic plates with an internal line hinge

This paper presents the exact buckling loads and vibration frequencies of orthotropic rectangular plates with internal line hinge and having two opposite edges simply supported while the other two edges may have any combination of free, simply supported, and clamped conditions. An analytical method that uses the Levy solution method and the domain decomposition technique is employed to determine the buckling loads and natural frequencies of rectangular plates with internal line hinge.
A Comparison of Liver Ultrastructure in Salicylate Intoxication and Reye's Syndrome

All childhood liver biopsy specimens from The Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation which had been prepared for light and electron microscopy were reviewed to identify biopsies from children with salicylate intoxication. Only two cases of primary salicylate intoxication were identified. The histopathology and ultrastructural pathology were compared to that in two cases of Reye's syndrome which were selected because they had been treated with salicylates and had comparable serum salicylate concentrations at the time of liver biopsy. Liver biopsy specimens from the cases of salicylate intoxication were nearly normal by light microscopy. Lipid accumulation was minimal, and the content of glycogen and succinic acid dehydrogenase activity was normal. Mitochondria and peroxisomes appeared normal. Light and electron microscopy of liver specimens from the two cases of Reye's syndrome revealed swollen hepatocytes with microvesicular fat and central nuclei. Glycogen content and succinic acid dehydrogenase activity were diminished. All hepatocyte mitochondria were enlarged, pleomorphic, and had an expanded matrix and no mitochondrial dense bodies. The histopathology and ultrastructural pathology of liver biopsy specimens in salicylate intoxication were different from those in Reye's syndrome. In children in whom the diagnosis of Reye's syndrome is obscure, liver biopsy with electron microscopic examination is necessary for definitive diagnosis.
Transgene inheritance in plants genetically engineered by microprojectile bombardment

Microprojectile bombardment to deliver DNA into plant cells represents a major breakthrough in the development of plant transformation technologies and accordingly has resulted in transformation of numerous species considered recalcitrant toAgrobacterium- or protoplast-mediated transformation methods. This article attempts to review the current understanding of the molecular and genetic behavior of transgenes introduced by microprojectile bombardment. The characteristic features of the transgene integration pattern resulting from DNA delivery via microprojectile bombardment include integration of the full length transgene as well as rearranged copies of the introduced DNA. Copy number of both the transgene and rearranged fragments is often highly variable. Most frequently the multiple transgene copies and rearranged fragments are inherited as a single locus. However, a variable proportion of transgenic events produced by microprojectile bombardment exhibit Mendelian ratios for monogenic and digenic segregation vs events exhibiting segregation distortion. The potential mechanisms underlying these observations are discussed.
Role of cyclic ether and solvent in a non-alkoxide sol-gel synthesis of yttria-stabilized zirconia nanoparticles

The effects of cyclic ether (epoxide versus oxetane), solvent, and drying method were examined for a non-alkoxide sol−gel synthesis of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ). YSZ sol−gel materials, from 3 to 25 mol % Y2O3, were successfully prepared with either propylene oxide (PO) or trimethylene oxide (TMO) in both aqueous and mixed ethanol−water solutions of Zr4+ and Y3+ chlorides. Supercritical drying (aerogels) produced fine, nanoparticulate networks, whereas drying under ambient conditions (xerogels) resulted in heterogeneous micrometer-sized hard agglomerates. The resulting materials were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption/desorption analysis, and elemental analysis by inductively coupled plasma−atomic emission spectroscopy. The cyclic ether and solvent were found to be critical factors in the resulting as-prepared aerogel surface area and morphology. For a given solvent, aerogels prep...
High dietary cholesterol facilitates classical conditioning of the rabbit's nictitating membrane response

Studies have shown that modifying dietary cholesterol may improve learning and that serum cholesterol levels can be positively correlated with cognitive performance. Rabbits fed a 0, 0.5, 1 or 2% cholesterol diet for eight weeks and 0.12 ppm copper added to their drinking water received trace and then delay classical conditioning pairing tone with corneal air puff during which movement of the nictitating membrane (NM) across the eye was monitored. We found that the level of classical conditioning and conditioning-specific reflex modification (CRM) as well as the number of beta amyloid-labeled neurons in the cortex and hippocampus were a function of the concentration of cholesterol in the diet. The data provide support for the idea that dietary cholesterol may facilitate learning and memory.
An Empirical Performance Evaluation of Scalable Scientific Applications

We investigate the scalability, architectural requirements,a nd performance characteristics of eight scalable scientific applications. Our analysis is driven by empirical measurements using statistical and tracing instrumentation for both communication and computation. Based on these measurements, we refine our analysis into precise explanations of the factors that influence performance and scalability for each application; we distill these factors into common traits and overall recommendations for both users and designers of scalable platforms. Our experiments demonstrate that some traits, such as improvements in the scaling and performance of MPI's collective operations, will benefit most applications. We also find specific characteristics of some applications that limit performance. For example, one application's intensive use of a 64-bit, floating-point divide instruction, which has high latency and is not pipelined on the POWER3, limits the performance of the application's primary computation.
A field-theoretical approach to magnetic induction heating of thin circular plates

A field-theoretical approach is used to analyze the subject of magnetic induction heating of thin circular plates by planar coils. Closed-form solutions for the electric and magnetic fields are found to the basic field problem of a single circular loop carrying current at a frequency ω in the presence of a plate characterized by a permeability μ and conductivity σ. By using these fields, expressions are derived for the complex Poynting vector at the surface of the plate, and for the induced EMF in the coil. The theory is extended to include multiturn coils and a field-dependent permeability, and a specific multiturn coil and plate combination is chosen as an example. The complex amplitude of the magnetic field and the Poynting vector are calculated along the surface of the plate using iterative methods to assure self-consistency with the field dependent permeability of the plate. By using Fourier transform techniques, the transient coil current and coil voltage waveforms are calculated under the experimental conditions used to take data on the sample coil and plate. The absorbed power is calculated from these waveforms and is found to be within 10 percent of the measured power absorption for all levels of operation from 50 to 2000 W. The calculated coil current waveform is compared with the measured waveform and is found to be in very good agreement in both shape and period.
Measuring The Impact Of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems On Shareholder Value

ERP systems emerged in the 1990s as a tool to integrate business processes and improve productivity. Prior studies have used surveys, field studies, and event studies to measure the impact of ERP systems finding mixed results. Motivated by these mixed results this study extends this prior research by using capital markets research methods and models to measure the impact of ERP systems on shareholder value. The study examines long-term buy-and-hold returns and share prices for a sample of 145 firms from 33 industry groups that implemented ERP systems from 1994 to 2003. The results provide evidence that firms implementing ERP systems achieve abnormal returns for the first five years after implementation. Price regression models support these results finding that share prices are positively associated with ERP implementation.
Chemopreventive effect of S-allylcysteine and its relationship to the detoxification enzyme glutathione S-transferase

Sulfur-containing substances derived from garlic and onion have been shown to prevent experimental carcinogenesis. One of the hypotheses explaining the mechanisms of the chemopreventive activity of these substances is that they activate detoxification systems such as glutathione S-transferase (GST). In this study the effects of S-allylcysteine (SAC), a water-soluble organosulfur compound derived from garlic, on GST activities in the liver, small intestine and colon were investigated. Additionally, we examined SAC for chemopreventive effects on aberrant crypt foci, which are the most likely precursors of colon cancers. In the rat colonic aberrant crypt assay administration of SAC during the initiation period decreased the number of aberrant crypt foci by 33 and 54% in groups given 40 or 80% maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of SAC respectively. The number of aberrant crypt foci, however, was not changed when SAC was given during the promotion period. GST activity in the liver was increased significantly by 41% 12 h after a single oral administration of 3.5 mmol/kg SAC and this elevated GST level was maintained over a 72 h period. GST levels were increased significantly by the administration of SAC (1.8 mmol/kg/ day for 3 days) not only in the liver but also in the proximal and middle small bowel. Isozyme levels of GST after administration of SAC were also determined using Western blotting. Hepatic GST-alpha and GST-mu were significantly increased by 35 and 42% respectively after oral administration of SAC. GST-pi levels were lower than the detection limit (130 ng/mg/protein) in both the control and SAC-treated groups. These results strongly support the previous working hypothesis that SAC exhibits chemopreventive activity by exerting specific effects on carcinogen detoxification systems.
Ubp43 gene expression is required for normal Isg15 expression and fetal development

Isg15 covalently modifies murine endometrial proteins in response to early pregnancy. Isg15 can also be severed from targeted proteins by a specific protease called Ubp43 (Usp18). Mice lacking Ubp43 (null) form increased conjugated Isg15 in response to interferon. The Isg15 system has not been examined in chorioallantoic placenta (CP) or mesometrial (MM) components of implantation sites beyond 9.5 days post coitum (dpc). It was hypothesized that deletion of Ubp43 would cause disregulation of Isg15 in implantation sites, and that this would affect pregnancy rates. Heterozygous (het) Ubp43 mice were mated and MM and CP implantation sites were collected on 12.5 and 17.5 days post-coitum (dpc). Free and conjugated Isg15 were greater on 12.5 versus 17.5 dpc in MM. Free and conjugated Isg15 were also present in CP, but did not differ due to genotype on 12.5 dpc. However, null CP had greater free and conjugated Isg15 when compared to het/wt on 17.5 dpc. Null progeny died in utero with fetal genotype ratios (wt:het:null) of 2:5:1 on 12.5 and 2:2:1 on 17.5 dpc. Implantation sites were disrupted within the junctional zone and spongiotrophoblast, contained less vasculature based on lectin B4 staining and contained greater Isg15 mRNA and VEGF protein in Ubp43 null when compared to wt placenta. It is concluded that Isg15 and its conjugates are present in implantation sites during mid to late gestation and that deletion of Ubp43 causes an increase in free and conjugated Isg15 at the feto-maternal interface. Also, under mixed genetic background, deletion of Ubp43 results in fetal death.
Synergistic effects of esfenvalerate and infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus on juvenile chinook salmon mortality

Sublethal concentrations of pollutants may compromise fish, resulting in increased susceptibility to endemic pathogens. To test this hypothesis, juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) were exposed to sublethal levels of esfenvalerate or chlorpyrifos either alone or concurrently with infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV). Three trials were performed with fish exposed to concentrations of IHNV between 0.83 10 2 and 2.7 3 10 6 plaque-forming units/ml and to 5.0 mg/L of chlorpyrifos or 0.1 mg/L of esfenvalerate. The presence and concentration of IHNV in dead fish were assayed by virus isolation and plaque assay techniques, respectively. Among groups exposed to both esfenvalerate and IHNV, 83% experienced highly significant ( , 0.001) mortality, ranging from 20 to 90% at 3 d post-virus exposure, and cumulatively died from 2.4 to 7.7 d sooner than fish exposed to IHNV alone. This trend was not seen in any other treatment group. Virus assays of dead fish indicate a lethal synergism of esfenvalerate and IHNV. Chlorpyrifos had no observed effect on total mortality or IHNV susceptibility. The present results suggest that accepted levels of pollutants may be seemingly nonlethal to fish but, in fact, be acting synergistically with endemic pathogens to compromise survivorship of wild fish populations through immunologic or physiologic disruption.
Fuzzy spatial data mining

A fuzzy spatial data mining technique has been developed to extract relationships describing relative position of classes of objects from raster images. Several different rule forms are described which represent different types of directional relationships between classes of objects. The method has been tested with hand-generated, synthetic, and sonar imagery.
“Stop Importing Weapons of Family Destruction!” Cyberdiscourses, Patriarchal Anxieties, and the Men’s Backlash Movement in India

A critical, albeit understudied, dimension of the backlash against women’s anti-violence advocacy is the rise of Indian men’s rights organizations formed to lobby for changes to, and in some cases, the complete abolition of vital legal protections for women. Utilizing cyber forums, public protests, and print media, these groups disseminate narratives of women wreaking destruction on the Indian family through their alleged misuse of “gender-biased” laws. These activities are significant because they operate as transnational sites of meaning making about the realities of violence against women in India and because they conspire in a distortion of reality that jeopardizes ongoing advocacy efforts.
Direct Effects of Soil Amendments on Field Emergence and Growth of the Invasive Annual Grass Bromus tectorum L. and the Native Perennial Grass Hilaria jamesii (Torr.) Benth

Bromus tectorum L. is a non-native, annual grass that has invaded western North America. In SE Utah, B. tectorum generally occurs in grasslands dominated by the native perennial grass, Hilaria jamesii (Torr.) Benth. and rarely where the natives Stipa hymenoides Roem. and Schult. and S. comata Trin. & Rupr. are dominant. This patchy invasion is likely due to differences in soil chemistry. Previous laboratory experiments investigated using soil amendments that would allow B. tectorum to germinate but would reduce B. tectorum emergence without affecting H. jamesii. For this study we selected the most successful treatments (CaCl2, MgCl2, NaCl and zeolite) from a previous laboratory study and applied them in the field in two different years at B. tectorum-dominated field sites. All amendments except the lowest level of CaCl2 and zeolite negatively affected B. tectorum emergence and/or biomass. No amendments negatively affected the biomass of H. jamesii but NaCl reduced emergence. Amendment effectiveness depended on year of application and the length of time since application. The medium concentration of zeolite had the strongest negative effect on B. tectorum with little effect on H. jamesii. We conducted a laboratory experiment to determine why zeolite was effective and found it released large amounts of Na+, adsorbed Ca2+, and increased Zn2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, Cu2+, exchangeable Mg2+, exchangeable K, and NH 4 + in the soil. Our results suggest several possible amendments to control B. tectorum. However, variability in effectiveness due to abiotic factors such as precipitation and soil type must be accounted for when establishing management plans.
Feedforward Carrier Recovery for Coherent Optical Communications

We study a carrier-synchronization scheme for coherent optical communications that uses a feedforward architecture that can be implemented in digital hardware without a phase-locked loop. We derive the equations for maximum a posteriori joint detection of the transmitted symbols and the carrier phase. The result is a multidimensional optimization problem that we approximate with a two-stage iterative algorithm: The first stage is a symbol-by-symbol soft detector of the carrier phase, and the second stage is a hard-decision phase estimator that uses prior and subsequent soft-phase decisions to obtain a minimum mean-square-error phase estimate by exploiting the temporal correlation in the phase-noise process. The received symbols are then derotated by the hard-decision phase estimates, and maximum- likelihood sequence detection of the symbols follows. As each component in the carrier-recovery unit can be separately optimized, the resulting system is highly flexible. We show that the optimum hard-decision phase estimator is a linear filter whose impulse response consists of a causal and an anticausal exponential sequence, which we can truncate and implement as an finite-impulse- response filter. We derive equations for the phase-error variance and the system bit-error ratio (BER). Our results show that 4, 8, and 16 quadrature-amplitude-modulation (QAM) transmissions at 1 dB above sensitivity for BER = 10-3 is possible with laser beat linewidths of DeltanuTb = 1.3 X 10-4, 1.3 X 10-4, and 1.5 x 105 when a decision-directed soft-decision phase estimator is employed.
National trends of adnexal surgeries at the time of hysterectomy for benign indication, United States, 1998-2011.

Objective We sought to investigate the most recent national trends of bilateral salpingectomy (BS) and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) at the time of hysterectomy performed for benign indications. Study Design We conducted a national cross-sectional analysis of all inpatient discharges for women aged ≥18 years who underwent a hysterectomy for benign indications from 1998 through 2011 using the largest publicly available all-payer inpatient database in the United States. We scanned International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes for an indication of specific bilateral adnexal surgeries, including BSO and BS. Joinpoint regression was used to characterize and estimate 14-year national trends in performing BSO and BS at the time of hysterectomy for benign indications, overall and in population subgroups. Results During the study period, there were approximately 428,523 inpatient hysterectomy procedures performed annually for benign indications. Of these, >53% had no adnexal surgery performed during the same hospitalization, whereas 43.7% and 1.3% of those discharges had BSO and BS procedures, respectively. The rate of BSO was directly correlated with increasing age for patients Conclusion The type of adnexal surgery performed concomitantly with hysterectomy for benign indications has undergone a significant shift since 2001. Significantly more BS and less BSO procedures are being performed among gynecologic surgeons in the United States.
Molecular mechanism and clinical impact of APOBEC3B-catalyzed mutagenesis in breast cancer.

Cancer genomic DNA sequences enable identification of all mutations and suggest targets for precision medicine. The identities and patterns of the mutations themselves also provide critical information for deducing the originating DNA damaging agents, causal molecular mechanisms, and thus additional therapeutic targets. A classic example is ultraviolet light, which crosslinks adjacent pyrimidines and leads to C-to-T transitions. A new example is the DNA cytosine deaminase APOBEC3B, which was identified recently as a source of DNA damage and mutagenesis in breast, head/neck, cervix, bladder, lung, ovary, and to lesser extents additional cancer types. This enzyme is normally an effector protein in the innate immune response to virus infection but upregulation in these cancer types causes elevated levels of genomic C-to-U deamination events, which manifest as C-to-T transitions and C-to-G transversions within distinct DNA trinucleotide contexts (preferentially 5’-TCA and 5’-TCG). Genomic C-to-U deamination events within the same trinucleotide contexts also lead to cytosine mutation clusters (kataegis), and may precipitate visible chromosomal aberrations such as translocations. Clinical studies indicate that APOBEC3B upregulation correlates with poorer outcomes for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer patients, including shorter durations of disease-free survival and overall survival after surgery. APOBEC3B may therefore have both diagnostic and prognostic potential. APOBEC3B may also be a candidate for therapeutic targeting because inhibition of this non-essential enzyme is predicted to decrease tumor mutation rates and diminish the likelihood of undesirable mutation-dependent outcomes such as recurrence, metastasis, and the development of therapy resistant tumors.
The History of Ptosis Surgery

From an inexact origin of trial and error, blepharoptosis surgery has become a scientific art. The arc of its technical develop- ment parallels that of anatomical discoveries and surgical materials. Approaches have varied, as have the tissues of interest, and with increasingly reliable results in the reconstructive domain came greater expectations and the development of its cosmetic counterpart. That said, for some diseases associated with blepharoptosis, an ideal surgery remains elusive. This chapter provides a chronological account of the treatment of blepharoptosis with attention paid to the tissues involved. The rich history of blepharoptosis surgery provides a fertile matrix for the field of oculofacial plastic surgery, and in return, the field continues to evolve blepharoptosis' surgical
The “Assistance” Model: Leveraging How Many Hints and Attempts a Student Needs

An important aspect of Intelligent Tutoring Systems is providing assistance to students as well as assessing them. The standard state-of-the-art algorithms (Knowledge Tracing and Performance Factor Analysis) for tracking student knowledge, however, only look at the correctness of student first response and ignore the amount of assistance students needed to eventually answer the question correctly. In this paper, we propose the Assistance Model (AM) for predicting student performance using information about the number of hints and attempts a student needed to answer the previous question. We built ensemble models that combine the state-of-the-art algorithms and the Assistance Model together to see if the Assistance Model brings improvements. We used an ASSISTments dataset of 200 students answering a total of 4,142 questions generated from 207 question templates. Our results showed that the Assistance Model did in fact reliably increase predictive accuracy when combined with the state-of-the-art algorithms.
Confidence Intervals vs Bayesian Intervals

For many years, statistics textbooks have followed this ‘canonical’ procedure: (1) the reader is warned not to use the discredited methods of Bayes and Laplace, (2) an orthodox method is extolled as superior and applied to a few simple problems, (3) the corresponding Bayesian solutions are not worked out or described in any way. The net result is that no evidence whatsoever is offered to substantiate the claim of superiority of the orthodox method.
Weak Convergence of Smoothed Empirical Processes: Beyond Donsker Classes

Let X 1,…, X n be a sequence of independent random variables with common distribution P on the real line. We study smoothed empirical processes.\(\sqrt n \left( {{P_n} * {K_h} - P} \right){\left( f \right)_{f \in F}}\) based on a kernel estimate \({P_n} * {K_h}\), and indexed by a class of uniformly bounded functions F. Assuming that P has a smooth density, we demonstrate that the smoothed empirical process converges weakly to a tight Gaussian limit for classes F that are not necessarily P-Donsker. In addition, we provide some theory on the bootstrap estimate of the distribution of the process. In particular, we show that the bias inherent to the kernel density estimation method can consistently be captured by the bootstrap.
Depression in ALS in a large self-reporting cohort

Objective: To report an observational study of depression in a large cohort of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), including its prevalence, associations, longitudinal course, and effect on survival. Methods: The Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9) (a validated depression instrument) and other self-reported measures were obtained from patients with ALS as part of routine clinical care via tablet devices using a software system (Knowledge Program). Cox proportional hazard models, linear models, mixed effects models, and logistic regression were used for statistical analyses. Results: Of 1,067 patients seen over an 8-year period, 964 had at least one PHQ-9 recorded. Initially, at least moderate (PHQ-9 ≥10), moderately severe (PHQ-9 ≥15), and severe depression (PHQ-9 ≥20) were found in about 33%, 14%, and 5% of patients, respectively. Higher initial PHQ-9 was significantly predictive of mortality (hazard ratio 1.041 per increasing point, 95% confidence interval 1.018–1.065) after controlling for covariates. PHQ-9 was also associated with poorer quality of life. More advanced disease initially and pseudobulbar affect were associated with depression. In 587 patients with repeated PHQ-9 measures, worsening depression was not observed. Conclusion: Depression is prevalent in ALS and is associated with disease severity at initial assessment. Paradoxically, however, worsening depression is not observed during follow-up despite motor progression. Most importantly, depression has detrimental effects on survival and quality of life. Treatment of depression is recommended in ALS, although it is unknown if this would improve survival.
Frequency analysis of uncertain structures using imprecise probability

Two new methods for finite element based frequency analysis of a structure with uncertainty are developed. An imprecise probability formulation based on enveloping p-boxes is used to quantify the uncertainty present in the mechanical characteristics of the structure. For each element, independent variations are considered. Using the two developed methods, P-box Frequency Analysis (PFA) and Interval Monte-Carlo Frequency Analysis (IMFA), sharp bounds on natural circular frequencies at different probability levels are obtained. These methods establish a framework for handling incomplete information in structural dynamics. Numerical example problems are presented that illustrate the capabilities of the new methods along with discussions on their computational efficiency.
GPS-Denied Geolocation For Geophysical Data Acquisition And Analysis

Precise sensor positioning is critical to geophysical data collection and analysis. Positioning presents a special challenge in the woods, urban canyons and other areas where GPS does not perform well or at all. Efficient data acquisition, assurance of spatial coverage, and sensor data interpretation and analysis all require high-quality position data tightly correlated with sensor data. Improvements in underground feature/target characterization are critically reliant on the quality of the geolocation data. These approaches demonstrate the range of solutions which ENSCO has developed and demonstrated that may be considered for a particular application regardless of GPS coverage: Ranger – A local area radio-frequency positioning system, primarily applicable in wooded terrain. Integrated with an EM61 and a Geometrics G-858 for UXO surveying. Bloodhound – A GPS/inertial integrated system. Integrated with a Geometrics G-858 for meandering path data collection. SAINT – A high-precision (< 2 cm error) for local-area target characterization. Integrated with a Geonics EM61-HH for UXO characterization. RTOP – A super-precise (< 2 mm error) positioning system for ground-penetrating radar imaging. Integrated with a GSSI SIR-3000 for concrete imaging. There is no single GPS-denied technology for geophysics. The requirements for each application need to be understood and then matched to the available technology. Geolocation in Geophysics Precise sensor positioning reduces data collection times and improves the quality of geophysical data. In some field scenarios, the practice of gridding the collection area is not feasible due to blocking vegetation, blocking structures, uneven landscape, or limited time in the field. Meandering path geolocation tools allow the operator to optimize data collection coverage while dodging obstructions. Even where gridding of the coverage area is possible, knowing the precise location of each data collection within the grid can improve data inversion and interpretation. As sensor technologies and processing techniques improve, positioning precision must keep pace. The same factors that necessitate precise sensor positioning often limit the availability of highquality GPS signal. GPS requires an unobstructed view of the satellite constellation with high angular diversity. In wooded areas, urban and natural canyons, and inside structures, this view is significantly blocked. This work focuses on tools developed for GPS-denied geolocation in three application areas: UXO detection, UXO discrimination, and concrete imaging. Precise Positioning in UXO Detection UXO detection and cleanup efforts occur in various terrains. In wooded terrain, overhead vegetation blocks or reduces signal strength necessary for precise sensor location using GPS. The geophysical data collected, however, guides digging efforts, which are time-consuming and fruitless if they occur at the wrong location. The trunks of trees which may block GPS also block the line of sight
Continuum-Limit Design and Optimization of an Osculating-Cones Waverider at Mach 20

Design and optimization of an osculating-cones waverider at Mach 20 is performed to demonstate capabilities and evaluate performance predictions of a continuum-based conceptual design tool at its bounds of Mach number and Reynolds number validity. To maximize the value of the resulting waverider, both performance and practicality are considered during the design process, and an objective function is chosen that equally weights maximum lift-to-drag ratio and volumetric efficiency. The Waverider Interactive Parameter Adjustment Routine is used to optimize families of waveriders within a user-defined design space. Results computed by the design tool at the limit point of its continuum-based algorithms predict an optimized lift-to-drag ratio of 0.94 for the waverider’s lower surface when maximum lift-to-drag ratio is the sole optimization metric. Including volumetric efficiency within the design and optimization process adds wetted area to the waverider’s freestream upper surface, reducing the total L/D ratio from 0.19 to 0.14. These results suggest that lift-to-drag ratios near one are possible for waveriders optimized at the design tool’s limit point if lift-to-drag ratio is the sole design and optimization criteria and a freestream upper surface is chosen. Practical operational considerations may overcome the performance boost obtained from the waverider concept for low-Reynolds number applications unless volumetric efficiency is considered during conceptual design.
From ‘energy geography’ to ‘energy geographies’: Perspectives on a fertile academic borderland

This paper takes stock of geographical contributions to the study of energy and energy futures. The paper is written in two parts. First, I trace the methodological and philosophical traditions that underpin geographical approaches to energy studies. I argue that while ‘energy geography’ is arguably a pragmatic shorthand with which to communicate to the broader energy studies community, geographical studies of energy have expanded in scope and theoretical plurality so that ‘energy geographies’ is a more appropriate label. Energy geographers are well positioned to contribute to scientific and policy debates surrounding energy due to their privileged position at the borderland between various philosophical and methodological traditions. Second, I identify some of the problems, opportunities and uncertainties that contemporary energy geographers are helping to identify, understand, and resolve. Past contributions and critical issues for future scholarship are highlighted in four themes: (1) using advanced so...
Legitimacy Processes and Emotional Responses to Injustice

People typically respond with negative emotions when they perceive an authority’s outcome distribution to be unjust. We argue, however, that legitimacy of the authority—“what others think” in terms of support coworkers and superiors extend to an individual occupying an authority position—acts as an opposing force, attenuating negative emotions and thus helping to sustain stratified orders. Likewise, legitimacy may stymie intentional displays of felt emotions. Our experiment examines the effects of perceived distributive injustice, legitimacy of the authority, and authority’s procedural fairness on members’ self-reported emotions and likelihood of intended emotional displays toward that authority, a superordinate authority, and coworkers in a work group context. Findings demonstrate that while perceived injustice arouses expected self-reported negative emotions, legitimacy (authorization as support by a superordinate authority and endorsement as support by coworkers) reduces such feelings. Also, strong aut...